Cabot Trail 2023 Epic Ride.

[Qship]

Haven't gone anywhere really this year, so took advantage of some great weather on the week end of 29 Sept-1 oct to ride the beautiful Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Headed over to my riding buddy's place in Chatlottetown, P.E.I. the afternoon before. We set off first thing Friday morning to catch the ferry from Wood Islands, PEI to Pictou, N.S. Waiting for the boat....

Once off the ferry we headed to the Sunrise Trail(HWY 235 & 337) and rode up to the lighthouse in Cape George

The Canso Causway. Man made link between Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island

First stop on the trail was the look off at Cape Smokey, right after the first bit of twisty bitumen.

Ingonish Beach is the next stop. Incidentally a Great White shark was filmed in this small cove a few days after we were there.

These next 2 pics were taken on the way to Meat Cove, about an hours ride to the most Northerly point you can drive/ride to in Cape Breton. Twisty, windy, half paved and gravel roads. Just what the Tiger was made for. The second pic has Pilot whales swimming about 1/2 km out.

Meat Cove

Western side of Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail. One of the great look off areas where you can enjoy the beauty.

A monument dedicated to our fallen Brothers and Sisters in Arms at one of the look offs.

Some more shots of the never ending beauty during this ride.

Me and my trusty steed at almost the end of the Trail before we headed back to our cabin for the night.

The weather was fantastic. +10C in the morning, +22 C in the afternoon. Was a bit hazy when gazing out to sea, so some of my pics weren't the greatest.
I have done this ride once before a few years back with my wife. This time just me and my riding buddy from "The Dune" aka Prince Edward Island, were let loose for a bit of fun.
After the crap summer we've had in Eastern Canada this year, it was great to be able to do this.
If you've never done the Cabot Trail before, put it on your bucket list and hope for good weather.

 

[Rocky]

Great ride report and everything so familiar to me who has ridden the Trail many times

 

[atomsplitter]

Thanks for sharing!!

 

[brooke]

Walter and I hit the trail a few weeks later and used the bridge , sunrise trail , the Cape George loop . Once on the Island we took our usual curvey route up the west coast to Cheticamp for the night . Next day day we headed down to Hunter Mountain and jumped on the Crowdis/Highland Rd. forestry hiway north then took the snomobile trail in through the Wreck Cove Dam area where we came across a dozen Eagles munching on the remains of a moose . Back on the pavement just below Smokey , north around the Trail and back to Cheticamp for nite 2 .
Day 3 heading home back down the west coast and tried a new loop which was real nice . Got off the 104 Hiway at Antigonish, headed south on 7 to
Aspen then north on 347 to Denver , yes we’re still in Nova Scotia . Beautiful young black bear sighting on way up to Cross Roads Country Market for lunch and refuel , then off the Ferry and home .
Day 2 was very hazy with forest fire smoke , Quebec I imagine , so photos not so good





No extra charge for the Church pix , Porthill PEI or the bull dog party at our place .

 

[DaveM]

I never get tired of seeing photos from this area as it is absolutely stunning and must be a joy to be able to spend a few days riding. @Rocky has often told me about this area and his riding it over time.

 

[Rocky]

Nice report # 2
Such a lovely and unspoiled area.

 

[Qship]

@brooke Thought you were a couple of days ahead of us on this?

 

[brooke]

Okay, you caught me . I was hoping you wouldn’t notice all the rubber marks on the pavement .

 

[Qship]

Okay, you caught me . I was hoping you wouldn’t notice all the rubber marks on the pavement .

That was you? We left bigger ones!

 

[Leroys73]

Qship,

I enjoyed your write up and the great pictures. They brought back good memories.

I am so familiar with Cape Smokey. The picture you have at the scenic overlook was gravel in 2016. It is exactly where in 2016, I was almost at a stop on my Honda VTX 1300R, I hit a pot hole, the X fell over, I broke my leg. That was after I had ridden up to Meat Cove (not paved then) for the wonderful view.

I had the good fortune to revisit the Cabot Trail August 13, 2023, after riding the Trans Labrador Highway and touring Newfoundland. I was at the exact location, exactly 7 years to the day, where I broke my leg at Cape Smokey. I met up with George who helped me so much that day 7 years ago.
Seven years ago it was not a good situation but it was a good experience. I met some great people, had good doctors, and made a good friend in George. He lives in In Ingonish Ferry and is a motorcycle rider. Not to mention a great guy. He gave my buddy and I a personal tour of the Cabot Trail this day, August 13, 2023.

George, me, and my Tiger August 13, 2023 at Cape Smokey, the exact spot, exactly 7 years to the day after where I broke my leg.

George and me at Cape Smokey

My buddy Randy and I at Cape Smokey this year.
I was solo seven years ago.

I will try to post a write up of my trip.

 

[brooke]

Thanks , eagerly awaiting your full report .

 

[Qship]

@Leroys73 Glad you got to enjoy your trip a bit better this time. Accidents happen. You made a good friend out of the ordeal. Weather this year has been very wet on the East Coast. Hope you had a good trip. Newfoundland is a BIG island and one needs quite a bit of time just to explore that. The Trans Lab is on my to do list, even though it's all paved in Labrador now. Still a good bit of dirt in Quebec to get there. Look forward to the wide open wilderness of that trip.
Look forward to your report as well. Last time I rode the Trail I was on a 1300 VTX too. Good bikes.

 

[Qship]

My riding buddy did up a few videos on our trip. For your viewing enjoyment;

https://rumble.com/v481r86-cabot-trail-part-1-e8s1..html
https://rumble.com/v4b0jto-cabot-trail-part-2-e9s1..html
The third one will get posted once he edits it. He has a few other videos on Rumble if you'd like to check them out.

 

[Qship]

https://rumble.com/v4dt2c3-cabot-tr...ium=email&utm_campaign=Maritime+Moto+ADV&ep=2
Part 3 of our trip around the Cabot Trail. Little bit more Tiger footage in this one. My 15 seconds of fame.

 

[Rocky]

I just watched Part 2. All so familiar to me and brought back such great memories

 

[Qship]

I just watched Part 2. All so familiar to me and brought back such great memories

Part 3 has some nice footage of our ride that day.

 

[brooke]

Part 3 has some nice footage of our ride that day.

You must have been there at the same I was , lots of Quebec forest fire smoke .

 

[Qship]

You must have been there at the same I was , lots of Quebec forest fire smoke .

Was wondering why it was so hazy. Never even thought about the Quebec wild fires. The day we left PEI was crystal clear except for a bit of fog on the way to the Wood Island ferry, and clear right to our campsite in Baddeck.

 

[brooke]

Was wondering why it was so hazy. Never even thought about the Quebec wild fires. The day we left PEI was crystal clear except for a bit of fog on the way to the Wood Island ferry, and clear right to our campsite in Baddeck.

No wonder you missed all the rubber marks on the corners .