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Canadian Maritimes, Fall '99 Friday, 9/24/99 We got breakfast at a local greasy spoon, then hit the highway for Maine. Our destination for the day was a state park just north of Dover-Foxcroft. We wanted to use the highway to “get outta dodge.” We made it as far as NH before the boredom interstate travel became too much to bear. We found a few interesting backroads, 107, 125, 155, to get to Dover where we stopped for lunch. A waitress gave us directions to get to SR4 in Maine and we took a left on 202 for Augusta. From there, we hopped on the I-road again to cover some ground, and exited at Pittsfield. Routes 23 and 7 got us to Dover-Foxcroft and the campground was a few miles from there. We got the tents set up just before dark, then headed back to town for dinner. A few locals engaged us in conversation, apparently intrigued by the dual-sport bikes parked outside. One fellow insisted we take the “Golden Road” from Greenville to Millinocket. He claimed the scenery would be well worth the slight detour. We wanted to explore the dirt roads traversing the center of Maine, so the Golden Road looked like a good call. Saturday It rained during the night but it seemed
that the worst had passed; the
ground was damp vice soaked. We figured the dirt roads probably had not become impassable,
muddy, bike traps, so we headed northwest on 6-15 to Greenville
and the Golden Road. We
encountered more showers along the way, but we pressed on.
While stopped at a gas station in Greenville, we asked about conditions up the
road. For some reason, the kindly old gent at the pump laughed heartily in
response.
Undaunted, we headed north and the asphalt ended at Kokadjo. From there, the dirt roads are private, owned by a paper
company. There was a sign, which
seemed to indicate that motorcycles were prohibited.
Exactly where they were prohibited was unclear.
We couldn’t tell if the sign referred to Baxter State Park, located
further north, or to the road itself. Since
we had traveled out of our way in the rain for this road, and were not keen on
backtracking, we decided to continue north... in order to seek clarification on
the issue, of course. The Golden
Road was a fun ride and scenic, in spite of the gray skies.
While we were stopped for a photo-op, a paper company truck came by and
the driver took the opportunity to stop and explain the motorcycle policy.
He seemed somewhat annoyed as he explained that motorcycles were not
permitted on the road. Fortunately, we were closer to the end than the beginning, so
he asked us to proceed to Millinocket nonstop.
We happily obliged. From
Millinocket, we took I-95 to Houlton for lunch and then to the border.
At the border, we were asked to go into
the customs office to answer a few questions and display driver’s licenses
before we were unleashed upon the Canadian Maritimes.
We followed the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) route 2, route 17 and route 11
to get to Campbellton in northern New Brunswick. These roads were not very exciting but the scenery was nice,
and the sun finally made a cameo appearance.
We set up camp at Sugarloaf for the next two nights.
Sunday It gets chilly in New Brunswick at
night!!! Today’s agenda called
for exploring the Gaspe Peninsula, but our immediate priority became consumption
of heated beverages. We found a
restaurant at the end of the bridge to the peninsula, warmed our bones, and hit
the road. We followed coastal road 132
east until we got to route 299, which turns inland.
This road meanders next to a river for a few miles before it begins to climb the
mountains on the interior of the peninsula.
It was a fun stretch of tarmac, with plenty of 4th gear
sweepers encouraging a spirited pace. As
we climbed, the views went from nice to spectacular.
Just after we crested the mountain, we came upon a gravel road turnoff for
Murdochville and hung a right. This one crested
several mountains on the way east and offered more stunning views of surrounding
valleys and mountainsides. The
posted speed limit was 70kph, but self-restraint was difficult given the absence
of traffic. We occasionally found
ourselves doing that number in mph vice kph.
Luckily, the Mounties can find a more plentiful supply of radar trapees on
pavement than on gravel. The road
ended in Murdochville and we took 198 east toward the town of Gaspe.
This road was a repeat of 299, with sweeping curves for entertainment and
little traffic to spoil the fun. In
Gaspe, the tourist traffic picked up significantly.
We headed north along the coast to get to Forillon National Park on the
tip on the peninsula. We paid
$3.50CDN to gain access to the park – money well spent.
The vistas over the Gulf of St. Lawrence were the most incredible sights
of the day. From there, we took route 132 north.
This was one of the best sections of the coast road; hilly and winding.
Then we went south on 197 and rejoined 132 south.
The best section of this road came outside the town of Perce.
This was another steep and winding ribbon of asphalt which drew us into a
rhythm as the highway winded and climbed the ridge. It ultimately rewarded
us with fantastic a view from above the little hamlet with huge rock formations
towering out of the bay in the background. We finally
arrived at the campsite after dark. This
turned out to be the longest day of the trip, totaling about 540 miles.
A one-inch air mattress never looked so inviting. |
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