DK Custom '19 Summer Adv. Riding to where Titanic Sank -Newfoundland Island & More

[DK Custom Products]

Day 6 continued-

Here is the hotel we're staying in tonight. It is too early to check-in, so...

...we're off to Cape Spear...

...it is just outside of St. John's, over a little mountain that is in the clouds, and...

...is the easternmost point in Canada and North America.

It is a nice ride...

...out here. I thought it would be far more built up.

Almost there...

...here we are. No more land to the east until Europe!

We did a lot of walking. Besides the amazing view...

..Cape Spear is the location of the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. 1836.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 6 continued-

It is Not warm here. lol

Amazing views...

...two lighthouses, and a nice walk along the cliffs.

After meandering around a bit, we walk back down past...

...the lighthouses...

...along the coast...

...toward the...

...second (past) use of Cape Spear. Fort Cape Spear.

During World War II, two large guns were placed here to defend the entrance to St. John's harbor and protect convoys between North America and Europe.

There is quite an underground bunker still in place here.

Day 6 concluded in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 6 concluded-

Headed back to St. John's now...

...more amazing views...

...from the opposite direction.

We get to Murray Premises Hotel...

...get checked in, and carry our stuff into the room...

...they upgraded us to a massive room. Not sure the history of this hotel, but it is an old structure that has been nicely finished out.

Big shower too...oh, and the floors are heated!

We went out for a walk around downtown...did not take any photos, but thoroughly enjoyed this old city...one of the oldest in North America.

Tomorrow we head for Twillingate.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7-

Today is the longest day we have planned on the island.

Headed for Twillingate, and going to try and take a bit of the coastal route. This was recommended to us by the two local guys on the Victory motorcycles.

We were going to do the straight shot thru, they said it was worth it to do the coastal route, up thru Lumsden and Musgrave Harbour.

So instead of 467 km, we're gonna try and do 572 km.

So it's an early start...

...got everything packed up and ready to roll out to the TG...

...and it all fit, with lots of space leftover.

And we're off...

...thru downtown St. John's...

...back on the same road we took into St. John's from Argentia...

...a last look at St. Johns, not sure when we'll be back here.

Back on the Trans-Canada Highway...

...which we take 2/3's of the way...

...back to Argentia.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

There's water everywhere...

...if there's not water in front of you, it is probably beside you or right behind you!

Yes, you read that right. More on Newfoundland and some of their city names later.

This is where we're staying on the Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1). Exit 28 is what would take us back to Argentia.

My new policy is to stop for gas whenever I see it if we are anywhere near half a tank...

...ended up talking to the owner of this pristine El Camino for a bit. He also has a Road King. There are only 2.5 months a year where he can ride his Road King or drive the El Camino. The rest of the time there is too much snow and ice. Crazy!!!!

Back rolling...

...heading north now...

...toward the isthmus...

...that connects the Avalon Peninsula to the rest of Newfoundland.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

It's been looking like rain...

...here and there all morning, so far we've been avoiding it.

Mary in the Mirror, and some fellow travelers!

This is some beautiful land...

...it's crazy to think about...

...how cold and windy it is here most of the year.

We do not need gas again so soon, but this looks like a good place to stop and put on our rain suits...don't think we're going to be able to avoid the rain any longer.

Yep. It's raining now!

Not a lot, but enough...

...to get very cold in this chilly weather.

btw, we're also running our electric jackets to stay toasty warm, it's been ranging between 40-44 degrees all morning.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

We're now on the isthmus...

...headed toward the "mainland" of the Island.

Even though we're getting a little rain...

...we are thoroughly enjoying the road and...

...the fantastic views! (above is water to the left of us, and at the same time-below- water to the right of us)

There are over 110,000 moose on Newfoundland Island. There are signs everywhere warning drivers/riders to be careful of them.

We have not seen any yet. We did see this sign...for so many, there are relatively very few accidents.

What a great road!

Some more fellow travelers.

I have no desire to get a ticket here...even with the rain coming down a bit heavier, I am 5 km over the limit and still getting passed here and there.

We're on the "mainland" now, and it also looks like we're out of most of the rain.

More of Day 7 as time allows.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

This is where we have to make a decision...

...we pull over to a little clearing to discuss...do we want to turn off the Trans-Canada Highway & take this extra 110 km loop, on what will be a 2 lane road of questionable quality, with a 30-70 km speed limit?

Yep, we don't know when we'll be back up here...it is along a lot of coastline, let's go for it!

Looking back, we're on the way around the coastal loop...

...we are right on the water...

...and other bits we are cutting inland some...

...but mostly...

...on the water...

...and more water. lol

Before we got up here, we thought there would be big sections of Newfoundland where there were no people or buildings. While the towns are small, there are a lot of them, and it is rare to go very far without passing thru or near one.

This is about a 10 mile stretch of road with nothing...but it is inland.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

We are starting to see...

...a lot of rocks sticking up out of the water along the shoreline...

...this is some beautiful land...

...we're glad we took this route...

...and are glad we are not up here during the winter! We can't imagine there's enough firewood to keep us warm. lol

I suppose I should google it...what are all these rocks about?

Open ocean...

...if we were here a few months earlier, that is when icebergs are passing by...

...but we have our electric gear at about half strength now...

...it would not be enough a few months ago. lol

Will post more of Day 7 as time permits.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

We cut inland again...

...we are almost at the end of the coastal loop...

...getting ready to turn right, up toward Twillingate.

If you do a google map of the area between Clarkes Head and Twillingate...

Hold that thought, we are a tad tired and hungry...

...so we stopped along the water, at a wide spot in the road at this abandoned store, for a snack and a walk around.

...on the map you will see there is a lot of water...

...then when you zoom in, you see they are not lakes, but there are dozens of islands...

...we assumed that the road connecting these islands were bridges...

...nope. They are mostly causeways that have been built. Only saw a couple of small bridges at the end of some causeways, like this.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 continued-

It is so different up here...

...than anywhere we've traveled before...

...picturesque...

...but we wonder what it is like to live in a place that is so cold, so many months of the year...

...and so isolated from the rest of the world?

We're getting closer!

Just little chunks of land that the ocean has not overtaken!

A couple of links on Canadian Town Names-

https://wanderwisdom.com/travel-destinations/Colourful-Place-Names-of-Newfoundland-and-Labrador

https://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/canada/canadas-10-strangest-crudest-and-rudest-town-names/

Amazing place!

And even though they are fairly small chunks of land, still some pretty good sized hills.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 Continued-

Around almost every curve is another stunning view!

The road in the center of the photo is...

...another causeway, connecting pieces of land.

We are a long way from mainland North America...

...shoot, we are a long way from the mainland of Newfoundland Island! lol

A look ahead...

...and behind.

Day 7 concluded in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 7 Concluded-

We're Here!

A left turn, toward North Twillingate, a ride thru town, and we are at the Motel we have reservations at.

After checking in & unloading the TG into the room, we take a walk out to the back of the parking lot. This is the view, looking back at the motel...

...and this is the view, across the harbor, of Twillingate.

Me taking a photo of Mary, looking out toward the open ocean...

...and the photo she took a few seconds later.

We're going to be here a couple of days. Will post more as time allows.

Kevin

 

[peteg59]

Not liking winters here in NH. Can't imagine a winter in that far north locale...

How's the saying go: Nice place to visit but wouldn't wanna live there...:Shrug:

Keep the pix coming, we are fascinated by the picturesque landscapes you and Mary are sharing with us...:clapping:

Not sure if you're following the hurricane roaring along the coast off the Carolinas but it might be over the Canadian Maritimes by the weekend.

Don't know if you'll be affected but something to check on your weather apps if you haven't already...

 

[DK Custom Products]

Not liking winters here in NH. Can't imagine a winter in that far north locale...

How's the saying go: Nice place to visit but wouldn't wanna live there...:Shrug:

Keep the pix coming, we are fascinated by the picturesque landscapes you and Mary are sharing with us...:clapping:

Not sure if you're following the hurricane roaring along the coast off the Carolinas but it might be over the Canadian Maritimes by the weekend.

Don't know if you'll be affected but something to check on your weather apps if you haven't already...

Nope, and really, Really, not like the winters in north Mississippi! :laugh:

Glad you're enjoying, lots more pics to come.

I keep the notes real time, but am posting the notes and photo's after the fact. We are moved on, out of the way of the hurricane. Thanks.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 8-

We have a full day planned today! Leaving out from the North 99 Motel this morning...

...we are going to see as much as we can of what is on this map.

Traveling south on the 340. Our motel is between Paradise and Back Harbour...

...Twillingate has been the focal point in this trip's planning...

...and it is More than we expected...

...as we ride thru town, there is something magical about this place...

...we are across the harbor from the motel now...

...headed up toward Jenkins Cove.

I don't want to say it is otherworldly...but, there is a sense of being "back in time"...the hustle & bustle, and the craziness of the world in general...does not seem to matter here.

A look back at Twillingate.

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 8 continued-

Riding around the top of Jenkins Cove...

...pulled over for a photo of Mary on the TG.

What a beautiful place!

Another look back at Twillingate from Jenkins Cove.

...after reaching Durrell, we turn around...

...we want to go to the Long Point Lighthouse, which is north of Crow Head.

Riding all the way thru Twillingate & North Twillingate, we pass our motel...

...on the way to Crow Head...

...the sights are seemingly endless...

...WOW! It does not feel like 2019 up here!

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

A look back at Twillingate.

More in next post.

Kevin

Twillingate kept sounding familiar ... So I went and asked Mom just where dad was from ... She said somewhere near Twillingate ... so I went and found the picture of the sailing Captains. It was Greenspond. If you look at the picture .. left column near the bottom, Edward Green is my Great Grand Father, I never met him, he died before I was born. Dad was a close to a Junior, except he had a different middle name and a Father in between ... LOL. I think Thomas Green on the right side bottom was my Grand Father.



Really need to get there. Dad had the same feelings when he went there. He said, "It was almost like time forgot the place."

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 8 continued-

Welcome!

We ride straight thru town to...

...Lighthouse Road...

...it does not show on the map I posted...

...but if you google map Long Point Lighthouse Newfoundland, you can see this little road, past Crow Head.

We're here...

More in next post.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Day 8 continued-

Standing at the top of the cliffs...

...near the lighthouse...

...the fog is rolling in, and that horn is LOUD every couple of minutes!

That's a long ways down!

We talk about walking down to those trails...which would be fun, til we had to walk back up! We're not feeling that energetic. lol

We did walk up Past the Lighthouse and explore some of the trails up here.

More coming of Day 8 as time allows.

Kevin