Help going from Connecticut to Nova Scotia

[bycharlie]

I'm going to Nova Scotia next week, as a first timer I have no clue about what to use outside US maps or GPS? If maps are good, can I trust online maps like mapquest or google?
If you guys have any advice to be given about this trip, I'm accepting.

Thank you
8)

[Vordak]

Hello,

I have found Mapquest very reliable in Canada. It does not, however, show you tourist attractions. I suggest you stop at any information center once you enter Canada and they will provide you with very good (and usually FREE) maps of any area you wish to visit as well as things to do/see.

I know that the tourist information centers near Halifax even have motorcycle-specific informational maps!

The "Cabot Trail" is a MUST if the weather permits. One of the most beautiful sea-side twisty roads in Eastern Canada!

Hope this helps!

V.

[Heavy]

+1 for the Cabot Trail.

http://www.cabottrail.com/

[Martin]

+1 for the Cabot Trail.


Yep, it's nice if the weather cooperates, as it did for us a few years ago.

We got fog when we went to Peggy's Cove though; couldn't see much.

IIRC, we launched our Cabot Trail drive from Glenora Inn & Distillery (http://www.glenoradistillery.com/). Nice quiet place with good food and drink (it is a working distillery after all). I still have an unopened bottle of their single-malt whiskey (can't legally call it Scotch, but that's what it is).

- Bindir Dundat :wink:

[rcacs]

although GPS's are pretty cool toys, I find using good ol' maps is all i ever need.

cheers

[BHazz]

I'm going to Nova Scotia next week, as a first timer I have no clue about what to use outside US maps or GPS? If maps are good, can I trust online maps like mapquest or google?
If you guys have any advice to be given about this trip, I'm accepting.

Thank you
8)

I have heard the the ride to Nova Scotia is really fun and beautiful. If you don't mind, how about a trip report and pictures when you get back.

Have a blast!

[Keith Falkner]

I rode several thousand miles in western U.S.A. and Canada, and the only map I used was a coil-bound book available in great quantities and variety at any Canadian Tire Store. If you enter Canada from Calais Maine, the closest Canadian Tire Store is
ST. STEPHEN, NB
250 KING STREET
HWY 1 & 3
506-466-4110

The map book I used had hundreds of pages, each showing about 60x60 miles of territory. I kept the book in my jacket, open to the part of the continent I was in at the time. Any road that is not shown on these maps is probably gravel and not for me.

You probably have a Road Atlas showing American highways but not much detail in Canada. Trace the route I took from Point of Rocks WY to Kemmerer WY to Laketown UT to Paris ID to Arco ID. It was dead simple to trace a route from Vancouver British Columbia to Edmonton Alberta using this book, and I had a wonderful ride through the interior of BC, camping at a rest area near Blue River BC.

If you want maps of individual provinces, you may have to buy them, even at government operated information centers (centres in Canada, s'il vous plait). I found it ironic that an information centre in Saskatchewan offered to sell me a map of Saskatchewan, but gave me free a map of Idaho because represntatives of Idaho had dropped off a large carton of maps and brochures.

Bon voyage!
Keith

[rcacs]

Another option is your local CAA or AAA office. They will actually plan the route for you, with options on side trips, best roads, shortest route, etc. Whatever you want. If you dont want it "planned", they will just provided the maps you require too. They will provide a "trip tix" book, bound with small pages including segments of your trip. They point out right on the page where there is construction, detours, poor sections, all sorts of information.
Here in Canada (and I assume in the US) they also provide very detailed books of each province or region which includes hotels, restaraunts, points of interest, etc.
A heck of a deal.

Cheers!

[bycharlie]

That's amazing... I just posted it...
Thank you all and the ones to come for the nice reply

You bet I'll have a blast, rain or shine, even on fog (fog lights are now up and running)
I’ll be posting pictures and reports soon

Ride Free and Safe

[Night_Wolf]

See I know many who will call it Scotch and it is apparently the only distillery outside of Scotland where that can be done

+1 for the Cabot Trail.


IIRC, we launched our Cabot Trail drive from Glenora Inn & Distillery (http://www.glenoradistillery.com/). Nice quiet place with good food and drink (it is a working distillery after all). I still have an unopened bottle of their single-malt whiskey (can't legally call it Scotch, but that's what it is).

- Bindir Dundat :wink:

[rcacs]

what days are u in and about NS?

I am leaving here (manitoba) for NS/Nfld on the 22nd, plan to be in Halifax on the 26th.

Cheers!

[Martin]

Their website refers to it by this unwieldy moniker, "Glen Breton Rare Canadian Single Malt Whisky". :?

And goes on to say: "...It can not be called 'Scotch' unless it is produced in Scotland, hence, Canadian Single Malt Whisky."

Anyway, it's kinda cool that it's made in Canada. I'm saving my bottle for some yet-to-be-determined special occasion. Maybe my retirement day (Aug. 13, 2021). :wink:


- Martin

[Caper]

As soon as you cross into Nova Scotia, stop at the first Welcome/Information center you come to, and pick up a "FREE" Nova Scotia map and Motorcycle touring guide book. The map is very good and the little motorcycle guide book is a great resource. You can also pick up a free New Brunswick map at any of the information centers in New Brunswick. Have a great trip.

[bycharlie]

Arrived at night, staying on a Free internet hotel (freebies stops there) tomorrow I'll leave Yarmouth toward Cabot Trail, hopefully I'll make it , I have to get back to CT by Friday afternoon... It was a wet trip to Portland where I took the CAT ferry to save time (sorry purist riders)

That’s all folks… I’ll keep you guys updated ASAP…
Thank you for the hint about free motorcycle maps… I will get one tomorrow

You guys have until Thursday to post more hints… so far I have the Cabot Trail and the free maps… thinking about that whisky… too bad is not my preferred drink…


Thanks again…

[water warrior]

The Cabot Trail is considered one of the most beautful routes in the world.

[bycharlie]

What a country...
So far I've found a whole bunch of helpful people and... Rain...
It seems that they really understand how important the tourism is for the country. Every time I needed help they all made a considerable effort to find a solution.
And the rain... it always hits you when you’re not prepared. Tomorrow they say will be a dark but dry day… hopefully.
Today I took the highway all the way from Yarmouth to Baddeck exactly 10 km from the trail entrance, and I did cheat a little bit, entering the trail for few miles. I had a promising sample, it's steep and curvy.

So far so good, tomorrow will be a fun day.
8)
http://www.ridefreedom.com/nsrain.htm

By the way, if you staying on Baddeck they have the best hotels around and for the coffee and pizza lovers, try the Yellow Cello Cafe, they know how to put some flavor on the pizza...

[Heavy]

Be sure to go to the Baddeck Lobster Supper when you're there. Instead of free bread for a starter they give you free bowls of mussels. There were 4 of us and we had bowl after bowl of them. Its not flashy but the food is great. I could hardly walk when we were done.

[bycharlie]

I've got some pictures from Nova Scotia

http://www.semeghini.com/NSs/

Take a look 8)

[Martin]

Yep, you can count on rain at some point in Atlantic Canada, but it looks like you had a great day on the Cabot Trail as did we a few years ago. I'm sure we had lunch at the same place with the blue painted tables.

- Martin

[bycharlie]

That's correct, after a night full of thunderstorms the day started hazy to quickly change to a beautiful sunny day.
The day at Cabot was memorable; too bad I didn’t have some extra days just for this part of the trip…
I have yet to throw some more lines describing a bit more of the trip. I’ll be doing that soon.
What was interesting for me though, was the fact that I had some online company on this trip. Usually I travel alone but because of all the advice and good hints given over the miles, I actually felt that you guys were there with me. And I appreciated that.
Thank you again.
8)

[Charles]

Which boarder are you using for entry?If you let me know I may be able to give you a clear path right on down. :arrow:

Charles

[bycharlie]

I'm actually back from the trip. But is always good to learn and have some more options since going back to Nova Scotia is something that I believe to be worthwhile.
For the records, to go there I boarded The Cat Ferry on Portland, Maine after riding from Connecticut Sunday morning on a heavy rain.
There where 6 well spent hours on the trip that actually helped me to accomplish a few hundred miles on scenic roads on the long run. (Considering that I had just five days to enjoy NS)
On the way back I headed to New Brunswick and crossed the border very quickly to get I95 and head back to CT.