[Steve]

My last major trip from my home base in Kentucky to Newfoundland and Labrador entailed stops in 12 States and 6 Canadian Provinces over 126 days covering 13,927 miles. This post will cover some of highlights. If you want to see more photos and read some stories from the road just visit my blog Take The Long Way.

The journey starts on May 9 and I don't get very far from home and I'm doing the Take The Long Way thing - driving Forest Service Road 1098.

First night out I snag a waterfront campsite in Daniel Boone National Forest. It's good to be on the road again.

Somewhere in Pennsylvania on this nice backroad I came across an old guy (like me) walking in the middle of nowhere. I stop and we have a little chat.

Then it happened - He "guess you're not from around here". Me "no, from Kentucky heading to Canada" then I joked "this is the road to Nova Scotia, right?". He laughed and said "it is, if you don't mind taking the long way". I almost couldn't believe what I'd heard, but quickly grabbed one of my Take The Long Way cards and handed it to him - we both had a chuckle. A little more small talk, and we parted ways - both of us (I think) taking the long way.

On into New York.

Then Connecticut, I camped next to the Farmington River.

A prime campsite at a Army Corps campground in Vermont. Rented a Kayak and paddled two nearby ponds.

I tried my best, but in the end I just had to stop by.

A little hike around an abandoned granite quarry after the ice cream stop.

On into New Hampshire and Mount Washington. Not a great picture but it was 47 degrees with a 50mph wind.

Later that day a covered bridge in Bath NH.

Maine for a few days. First Camden, then Brunswick, and Freeport (at midnight).

Finally this short video of my 5 days in Acadia National Park - a spectacular place!
http://vimeo.com/172031677

Going to take a break now. Will be back in a few days with the Canadian Maritimes, Newfoundland & Labrador portion of the trip. Stay tuned.

 

[shortone]

Tuned ......

 

[Gator]

Awesome!

 

[proeddie]

Steve,

Your Mt Washingtion picture looks a lot like ours! CT in May, huh?... just about the time we were in FL! Would have caught up with you if we were around.

I did search for the campground on the Farmington River. Booked for most of April and May next year already!

Ed

 

[Steve]

Steve,

Your Mt Washingtion picture looks a lot like ours! CT in May, huh?

Yup, it was brutal - but the next day the winds were over 100mph and the summit was closed!

 

[MsNomer]

Did you take the long way?

 

[Turf n Surf]

Very nice, eagerly waiting for the next instalment of pictures and stories. We also took a 45 days trip to North Eastern provinces and Satates this summer. We loved it.

 

[Steve]

I'm back! First, a quick note on how I travel. If you've visited my blog (Take The Long Way) you already know that I much prefer the backroads and don't mind little detours to check out interesting things/places. The first leg of this trip is a good illustration of my meandering ways - the most direct route from Bardstown, Ky (my home base) to Calais, Maine (where I cross into Canada) is 1365 miles. My "long Way" route to Calais, 3897 miles and it only too me 45 days! If you'd like to see my wanderings on a map checkout my MapShare Page.

Now, finally, into the Canadian Maritimes at the border crossing at Calais into New Brunswick Province. My first night in River Beach Provincial Park introduced me to the famous Bay of Fundy tides.

My first little detour to check out some covered bridges in the area.

Next up was Cape Enragé De Fundy - this lighthouse has warned Mariners since 1840 of the treacherous mix of the tide, shear cliffs and undersea mountains in this remote place.

Two days later I stopped at the Hopewell Rocks - this place on the Bay of Fundy, claims the "World's Highest Tides" and some pretty amazing rocks to go along with all the water moving in and out.

Then on to Prince Edward Island (PEI) for a week. Great weather and lots to see. Loved this place.

Need a potato?

Views from my campsite at Cabot Beach Provincial Campground.

More to come.

 

[Roblee]

Steve,
You do it better than anyone!

 

[cutndry]

Very nice. Keep it up

 

[Dwight]

Love it

 

[keeponvaning]

Steve, you should have stopped by and visited RD and me in NH. Promaster people are always welcome and lots of room to park and camp for free!

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Ditto from NH or in AZ in the cold 6 months if you get here!

 

[Steve]

Think I tried to catch you guys in NH, don't remember what the conflict was. Did manage a meetup with MsNomer.

 

[Steve]

Still on PEI and the adventure continues.

The East Point Lighthouse, the only octanganal lighthouse on PEI - all the others (except Point Prim) are square and wood, because they were cheaper to build.

After 10 days on PEI it was on to Nova Scotia - and I had to Take The Long Way (back over the The Confederation Bridge) because the ferry to Caribou, Nova Scotia, was out of service.

Spent the next 5 days in and around Antigonish, Nova Scotia at their 153rd Highland Games. Interesting and fun - and if I can ever figure out how to post a Vimeo video on this forum you will see more than this single photo.

On to Cape Breton Island, and the Cabot Trail. Total mileage for today was 131, but it took nearly seven hours (a whopping 18mph average) as it seemed like I was stopping every mile to admire the view, or take a little walk. A portion of the drive was on the Cabot Trail, but the highlight of the day was a little side trip to Meat Cove, along a twisty seaside backroad. Meat Cove is where the Gulf of St. Lawrence meets the Atlantic Ocean - it's also home to the Meat Cove Campground & Chowder Hut. The view was spectacular and the chowder (although different, seafood vs clam) was even better than Tony's in Cedar Key, Florida - didn't think that was possible.

Next installment - Newfoundland!!!!!!!!

 

[166322]

Steve,

Thank you so much for showing me a part of my country I must visit soon!

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Steve]

A 7 hour ferry ride ($150 for myself and the Backroader) from North Sydney, NS and we arrive at Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. Before I leave Newfoundland I will travel 3100 miles in 23 days and stay in all but one of Newfoundland's provincial campgrounds.

First drive is along the Granite Coast to check out the Rose Blanche Lighthouse.

On my second night I camped at Blow Me Down Provincial Park on Newfoundland's western shore, and I'm blown away by this area. The highly touted Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia doesn't come close to what I've seen in my first two days here - it's Alaska, without the towering mountains. I've taken two side trips, first out to Cape St. George and then along the south shore of Humber Arm to Bottle Cove - both are great drives on twisty shoreline roads. Only downside, this area is not known for it's balmy weather (when you name a park, Blow Me Down, that's a clue) and I encountered rain, fog, clouds, but also a little sun - and at one point all of those at the same time!

While at Blow Me Down I also do some backroad exploring,

see some wildlife,

and just take in the sights.

Then its on down the road to the Bonavista Peninsula and Dungeon Provincial Park.

My first iceberg.

Next up, St. John's (no pics) and a drive out to Cape Spear, the eastern most point in Canada and home to the oldest surviving lighthouse on Newfoundland.

See it? Use your imagination (less than a mile away the sun was shinning).

After a quick trip to France (only thing I felt was a waste of time on this entire trip) - It turns out that France still owns (they call it a "Overseas Collectivity") some property in North America, which was a surprise to me! Just a 55 minute ferry ride off the coast of Newfoundland is Saint Pierre.

Then it was on to New World Island (via a causeway) and the village of Toogood! Which was more to my liking.

Next up - the Fogo Island Tale.

 

[keeponvaning]

I actually went to Saint Pierre and Miquelon on my honeymoon in 1973. We traveled around much of Atlantic Canada in a semi-converted 1970 Ford Econonline (no photos unfortunately) I bought to replace the '70 Chevy Blazer I rolled over on the beach and landed in the ocean, in Gloucester, MA, that I bought to replace the '70 Ford Bronco I drove to Panama in.

1970 was an interesting vehicle year for me, but that's also is another story for another time.

BTW, we flew to Saint Pierre and Miquelon from St Johns in a rickety old Piper Cub type plane and the weather was so bad we were stranded there for a few extra days. Steve's assesment of the islands is correct, but it makes another good story to add to the collection and one less thing to do on the bucket list.

 

[proeddie]

Steve,

As always, I find myself looking for the next installment!

Thanks for sharing,
Ed

 

[PMF]

Wow what a trip.
I would like to do the same in 2017.
Thanks for sharing.