Salty Fog Riders Rally: The Trip

[tourunigo]

next stop.....

 

[tourunigo]

so here we are.... The Red Shoe Pub; currently owned by Cape Breton singers/wirters The Rankin Sisters .

yes, I messed with this one but it really did seem to fit.

me and Mary..... uh.... get a room!

... and as Mike moves to tickle the piano....

OK folks, the last run is upon us. Next stop is on the Mainland side where we say our good byes. Now for some more twisties and clear sky scenes.... and away we go.

 

[tourunigo]

Six riders decided that since this was a holiday week-end coming that they would travel to Prince Edward Island. So, we quickly rolled on to the Canso Causeway and our final gathering.

The entrance rotary to the Causeway

as beautiful Cape Breton Island is reflected in the mirrors...

We gather at the Irving Big Stop as we cross to the mainland. A bit of conversation and farewells (for now)...

Departure for all and some new adventures. It all came to an end so fast.

If you would like to be part of next year's event please feel free to contact us at saltyfogrider@gmail.com

Over the next few months we will be buiding a site at
www.saltyfogriders.ca

Blog will be at: www.saltyfogchronicles.blogspot.com
(depends on how much time I really have available though)

Anyway, thanks for stopping in and viewing this little report - Bob and Mary

 

[tourunigo]

... how are those videos going Tom?

 

[tommcgee]

Maybe tomorrow...

 

[tourunigo]

Maybe tomorrow...

Thanks Tom. Will be peppering this report with stuff as soon as I get some new material. Next year is bigger. Thanks for all of your help pal. Appreciated greatly. - Bob

 

[tommcgee]

I've got over an hour of raw video. This is gonna take awhile. Video editing is new to me, but I've been editing audio for many years.

 

[tourunigo]

I've got over an hour of raw video. This is gonna take awhile. Video editing is new to me, but I've been editing audio for many years.

thanks Tom. No hurry of course. Looking forward to it. I'll be tinkering with the report for a while longer. - Bob

 

[Holly]

Not a lot of tinkering needed Bob. It is a great report and Salty Fog is on my calendar for next year. I keep trying to make it there, and next year I promise to do it for sure.

Holly

 

[franze]

I'm going to have to check out the Salty Sun tour someday. Great report, thanks

 

[tourunigo]

Not a lot of tinkering needed Bob. It is a great report and Salty Fog is on my calendar for next year. I keep trying to make it there, and next year I promise to do it for sure.

Holly

Thanks for the compliment Holly. Glad that you are signing on so early for next year. Hopefully this little report will encourage others to a) come to the Salty Fog Riders Rally or, if unable, b) coming to visit Nova Scotia (and our neighbor Provinces). May we have the same gorgeous weather next year! - Bob

 

[tourunigo]

I'm going to have to check out the Salty Sun tour someday. Great report, thanks

ya, it was sunny... made the viewing quite extraordinary! btw 'someday' could be next September you know. thanks for the compliment. - Bob

 

[Paul_F]

Six in the group wanted to catch the ferry to PEI and there was a time constraint, so there was a change in plans. I'm still waiting to hear about that part of the trip. I just figured they weren't back yet.

Since Tom asked about the Group of Six headed to Ferry at Pictou I know that some of us made it home. After saying our good-byes, The Group of Seven hurried along Hwy 104 towards Pictou to make the 4:30 p.m. ferry crossing. At the turn off to the Ferry, we lost Tom who was headed home to Massachusetts. The Group of Six arrived at the ferry and waited in line for boarding. Bikes ahead of us rolled onto the ferry, leaving us at the front of the line. Then we were told that our group would have to wait 2 hours for the next boat. Buddy, Chas and Charlie decided to not wait and to be on their way. Within minutes, Charlie returned and resumed his place in line with us (upsetting some of the cruiser crowd behind us). He decided that being so close to another province and not riding it would be a mistake. I believe that Buddy was headed home to West Virginia and there were some roads in Vermont that Chas was interested in riding.

Two hours later, the bikes were secured and The Group of Four was headed to Prince Edward Island.

Once on Prince Edward Island, Ron took us on a 45 minute night time tour. There are no deer, moose and bears on the island, so night time riding is relatively safe.

 

[Paul_F]

The Group of Four ended up at Ron's for the night with Charlie and me using our air mattresses and sleeping bags with Mike sleeping on the couch. After tenting for the past few nights, it was good to be inside, as well as having laundry facilities. In the morning we went out for breakfast and Ron gave us a daylight tour that I really appreciated. The last time I rode in PEI, I was very disappointed with the riding roads and vowed to not return. However, Ron took us on some rather nice hilly and curvy roads on the on the outskirts of Avonlea.

Earlier in the morning, Ron had decided to accompany us into the Gasp?® Region. He led us through P.E.I. and through most of New Brunswick. Entry to Prince Edward Island whether by ferry or bridge is free, but when leaving by either means, a fee is involved. The four of us took the Confederation Bridge, 12.9 km, the world's longest bridge spanning ice covered water. From a bike or truck, there is a view; not so from a car.

 

[Paul_F]

Once in Quebec, Mike became the lead rider. The weather was excellent and we took Charlie to Perc?® Rock. We had to convince him that when he was this close to Gasp?® region, he had to take an extra day or so to ride the fantastic roads and exquisite scenery. Since there were four of us, we decided to motel it for that night. We finally found a reasonably priced motel, complete with a restaurant just as it began to rain. Perfect timing with an excellent meal to boot!

The next morning, after Ron helped a Harley rider inflate his flat tire, we continued along Hwy 132 around the Gasp?® Bay Peninsula, including a photo opp at Perc?® Rock. At Baie de Gasp?®, we stopped for lunch at sidewalk caf?® and enjoyed our lunch in this bustling little town. Over lunch, Charlie told us how this trip had been his second best ever (with Alaska being the best).

I had forgotten that this road was made for motorcycling. The Cabot Trail is a great ride, but not as challenging as Hwy 132 around Gasp?® Bay. Did I mention that the weather was excellent this day as well? Once again we found a motel. Went out for supper and had an early breakfast early the next day at the motel’s restaurant.

 

[Paul_F]

At this location, (maybe Matane) we parted company with Ron who headed back to PEI with a few side trips planned. Charlie was staying on the road 3 days longer than he had allotted and was somewhat concerned about returning home later than planned. Hence, The Group of Three, really boogied this day, beginning at about 8:30 a.m. No one or anything passed us this day until we reached Drummondville, about an hour east of Montreal. At one point around mid-day, we had a local club hook up with us for quite awhile. As well, there was a BMW GS that rode as our sweeper for about an hour. Then the traffic became virtually bumper to bumper. So much for making good time.

In the Montreal area, we took the tunnel under the St. Lawrence river, as I had done on my way out east. Since my GPS had now twice lost contact with satellites, My GPS reconnected with satellites and recorded my top speed as 539 km/hr. Unbelievable for my beemer.

By the time we finally got into Ontario, daylight was running thin. At our final gas stop together, it was decided that Mike was going to push hard to make it to his home in Toronto that evening. Charlie was anxious to reach Indiana the next day. In my case, I had no deadline. It was decided that we would ride separately from this point in Eastern Ontario.

By 9:30 p.m. I had been on the road about thirteen hours and didn’t really realize just how tired I was until traffic came to a crawl, possibly due to an accident or construction ahead. The bike suddenly felt very heavy. Since there was a ramp available, I took the exit, and rode back 20 twenty kilometres to the last town and got a room for the night.

The next day I stopped in the Toronto area and had some servicing done on the bike. Spoke with Charlie later and we both arrived home on the Tuesday, and Mike should have been home on the Monday evening.

You haven't been to Bob and Mary's Salty Fog Rally yet? You really have to show up next year! Don't miss it!

More photos can be found at: http://rk-ryder.smugmug.com/Travel/Salty-Fog-Rally-0/9658100_PjU6x/1/651816867_jWGPk

 

[tourunigo]

Thanks Paul for presenting the Salty Fog Riders Extender Tour (that's the best handle that I could quickly come up with ) to the fine Provinces of Prince Edward Island, through New Brunswick and onward to the Gaspe in Quebec. - Bob

 

[feldis]

Hey guys, I sure wish I had stayed with you touring PEI. However my SO needed me home. I will bring her next year. Chaz and I made it to Calais Me around 9pm and moteled it and I made it home to Virginia on Sunday. The trip around Cape Breton was a great introduction to Nova Scotia. Thanks Bob and Mary!
Buddy

 

[tommcgee]

Hey guys, I sure wish I had stayed with you touring PEI.

Yeah, especially after Paul's pix, I'm sorry I didn't go to PEI either. After splitting with the group, I made it to Chester, NS (southwest of Halifax) and spent the night with friends. We had a great home-cooked meal, told war stories and lies, and I got to sleep in a real bed.

The next day (Saturday), I was debating whether to take the CAT to Portland or ride the 750 miles to home. Given the ferry's departure time of 4PM and the $220 fare, it would put me home around midnight. Nope. I rode the 750 miles and got home around 10:30 PM -- highway all the way.

 

[tourunigo]

Thanks Buddy and Tom. Buddy, any pictures that you'd like to contribute and I can blend them into the report? Anyway, glad that you made it back just fine Buddy. Hope that we see you again...... and with your wife.

BTW, to all participants, I am putting the pictures on a DVD to be sent out to all by snail mail. Will catch you all privately soon. - Bob