neither labrador nor bust

[repo]

I say...you ran through puddle and that's road dirt. Or...Irene had an accident?

you tell the bestest stories....

[griffin738]

Shortly after posting early yesterday morning, Irene and I rode up to the northern-most reach of Nova Scotia's Cape Bretton Island, to a place called "Meat Cove." Driving to the edge of the earth is certainly worthwhile, but when that same place has the word "meat" in its name. . . well, you can just bet it'll be interesting. And it was. Much like other roads in the area, one gets to ride right along the sides of steep & tall cliffs, often around tights turns. The same holds true of the road to Meat Cove but there are two added bonuses: the road is dirt/stone AND there are few guard rails. Very nice indeed!









After our two hour out-and-back to Meat Cove we continued our counter-clockwise loop of the Cabot Trail. Here are a few pics from that morning ride. . .



looking forward


looking behind


looking at the back of my head


Inspired perhaps by a good number of signs for whale-watching opportunities, Irene shared that she REALLY wanted to see a whale. Done.



We put in quite a few miles (kilos / "klicks" / whatever) and made our way toward the mainland to a point closest to Prince Edward Island. I was willing to consider a high-speed jump attempt, but the road signs looked menacing.


So we took a ferry instead


All three (well, four including the monkey) enjoyed PEI




We kept pushing, across PEI and then over the Confederation Bridge, back into New Brunswick


Now we continue West and back into the US

[JimVonBaden]

There was nothing there to worry about, I was just messing with Paul.

I'll comment on the photos when I can see them tonight.

Jim

[Unity]

Much like other roads in the area, one gets to ride right along the sides of steep & tall cliffs, often around tights turns. The same holds true of the road to Meat Cove but there are two added bonuses: the road is dirt/stone AND there are few guard rails.

Such a road claimed John Morris Rankin a few years ago. He was the main force of The Rankins, five Cape Breton siblings (two men, three women) who made fine traditional Celtic and Celtic-pop music.

--John
(Oh, for a guard rail.)

[Rick F.]

Paul & Irene,

Wow, great ride report, and I'm looking forward to more. You've encountered plenty of beautiful scenery, and it looks like your weather has been pretty good, too. And what a great idea, to remember Griffin and make him part of the adventure, all along the way.

Have a great time for the rest of your trip, and keep serving up them pictures and commentary!

Rick F.

[griffin738]

hello and good tidings

on our move west we visited the southern shore of new brunswick - we started with a griffin memorial moment and it looked like this:


balancing some sobering thoughts of griffin's passing, i couldn't help enjoying the fact that the "fundy" (in"the bay of fundy") rhymes with "undie" - - this lead to dozens of very funny jokes that i mostly kept to myself, but possibly shared one or two with Irene via the bike's intercom. and while i was making one of my very finest "get my undies in order" jokes, she entrusted the world with this photo



we stopped in st john's and visited the "reversing waterfalls" - - i don't quite see the "reversing" part but i post it here for your thoughtful review and commentary


i'll pause here to describe that i installed a satellite radio system on my bike a couple years ago for the purpose of tracking weather while traveling. along with my basic service came a bunch of audio channels. I understand that satellite programming services have recently merged - - and now my pre-programmed channels are all hosed up. personally, i was quite pleased to realize that i unexpectedly gained access to a 24-hour grateful dead channel. for my first few riding days, i was delighted with a new and favorite channel. And I feel equally grateful (no, I can’t use that word – please replace with happy) that that channel may have finally made me realize that I can be quite happy not listening to the dead at all possible moments. I do ask that you do not share this new-found insight with a paul brown of 20 years ago – he’d be quite upset, I’m sure. . . the above discussion not withstanding, I did take close note of the town, “St Stephen” – and I was moved to stop. (hmmm, “moved to stop” – is that an irony?)


noting that Irene did not complain when the 24 hour dead channel was not audible at all times, we continued our push west. . .


. . .toward home (you know: work, bills, yard care, blah, blah, blah) and tore into bar harbor, missing some pending rain (please reference in my salutation above the "tide" reference - - this sort of thing is not an accident).

As we’d come to slower speeds, we noted a distinct “wobble-wobble-wobble” and “bumpity-bumpity-bumpity” from the front wheel. Your humble narrator took a close look and noted that his front “knobbie” tire was worn and ready to - - - wait for it - - - retire. . . (we rode on this for another bunch of hundreds of miles. . .)


We enjoyed Bar Harbor. It looked like this:


and this


. . .and we looked like this


the next morning we rode through acadia national park; I’d never been there before and was quite interested to check it out. An unexpected but entirely welcome change in the weather allowed us to see the park sans rain. Here are a few shots (mom: where you see me riding in the left lane - - do not worry – some roads are one-way. . . )










From acadia/bar harbor, we made the what-should-be-short-but-feels-like-an-eternity-when-you-get-majorly-rained-on-the-whole-way ride to Portland where that bumpity front tire was finally replaced. Following our ride and still-soaked-yet-no-longer-raining repairs, we treated ourselves to a very nice stay in Portland


so happy to be safe and sound, we opted to reach for the stars and dare to be clean


under cloudy yet unfruitful skies we blasted into Massachusetts and visited my undergrad stomping grounds at UMASS. Here I am looking stupid in front of my beloved old Butterfield dorm


and griffin was respected near a lake not so far away


it seems to me that there is no good direct route between new England and DC. If one has a timeframe to meet –or weather to avoid- then the best straight-shot route is still a boring traffic-plagued mess. I write this mostly to prompt rebuttals of better options than I’ve recognized. In any event, here is a shot of us following another courageous biker, “sharing the twisties” near the Delaware water gap

closer to home, we visited Irene’s family on father’s day. Much more should be written about this wonderful and welcoming family. For now I’ll note that most of the on-hand gang joined us for a Maryland griffin memorial


to recap the trip, here is a view of our overall route



To close, I’ll offer some thoughts on my very loved and missed friend Griffin. Good company and a long motorcycle ride help quite a bit; his departure is fully rationalized and understood, but my buddy is still sorely missed. Returning home after two weeks away was “okay” but “not right” without Griff bounding tirelessly around the yard & house as he has done on other occasions when I’ve been gone for a while. I look at his couch, or his toys, or his blankets – but he’ll never be with them again, although I still am. Sorry to dump these thoughts out on a motorcycle forum – maybe it’s okay if we note that they provide context to the ride report.

Along this ride, Griffin’s ashes have been spread in Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Massachusetts and Maryland. Tonight, his memorial was well-attended right here at home, in Virginia.


Goodbye for now buddy, I'll see ya on the other side. . .

[repo]

love ya Paul.....

[BKling]

Great ride and report. Sorry I never got to meet Griffin, sounds like he was a blast. They that are our animal friends are sorely missed but never forgotten.

[JimVonBaden]

hmmm, “moved to stop” – is that an irony?)

No, its an Oxy........Moron!

Seriously, can't see the pics right now, but great commentary as usual Paul! Glad you and Irene had fun, and have not yet killed each other!

Jim

[Hello Kitty]

Wonderful tribute to Griffin. I hope I can be as adult as you when my boy's time comes. Some how I doubt it.

[R4R&R]

Great ride, report, pics, and commentary. What a great way to remember Griffin - it sounds like you both benefitted from each other.

[Maria V]

Great ride, report, pics, and commentary. What a great way to remember Griffin - it sounds like you both benefitted from each other.

+1. Great trip report, kudos to Irene for accepting the challenge of a long trip as passenger, and warm thoughts to you and Griffin. You must be the best dog dad ever. <sniff>

[Ron P]

I can't add to what others have said, but it's a great story.

[endobobdds]

Just read your ride report - fantastic as usual! Sorry about Griffin but happy Irene was able to accompany you on this great ride.

I'm heading up to New Hampshire to the BMWST Unrally in August and after seeing your photos may extend the trip and head up to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Did a trip there with my parents in a travel trailer back in the 50's. We missed the last ferry off Prince Edward Island and they let us camp over night on the pier so that we were first in line for the next ferry in the morning.