Gaspe or Nova Scotia? There can be only one

[Motocentaur]

So where should I go this summer? The Gaspe or Nova Scotia? I can slip away for about a week, so I'm thinking that's enough time for one or the other.

[elader]

I like Gaspe salmon better than Nova.

[D-Mac]

So where should I go this summer? The Gaspe or Nova Scotia? I can slip away for about a week, so I'm thinking that's enough time for one or the other.

Nova Scotia. Do a loop around the Cabot trail, ride back along the Atlantic Coast to Halifax, visit Peggy's Cove, check out the South Shore if you have time, and ride back up along the Bay of Fundy through the Annapolis Valley (be CERTAIN to go to Blomidon Provincial Park and take the hike out to Cape Split [ask the locals where to go when you get close....it's unreal]).

[Mastros2]

We visited Halifax this past fall.  Awesome city.  The Cabot Trail looks great but from what I heard, don't expect anything nice south of Halifax/Peggy's Cove.  If you keep to the coast, you should have a great trip!

[JNUNZMAN]

I've been asking myself the same question. Although I'd love to ride Nova Scotia, the ride to get there from my house would be a bit of a slabber and not exciting. Taking into consideration that the high speed ferry no longer runs so you have to either ride ALL the way up or take the slow ferry just adds up the time to get there and come back. Tough to do in a week correctly.
Gaspe, on the other hand, can be turned into an epic ride.....get to upstate NY, VT, into Quebec thru some beautiful back roads, hit the St. Lawrence, turn right and just keep the sea to your left and you're done. Everything I read has great things to say about the area, camping possibilities, little fishing towns, great people, and remoteness.
I'd love to do Scotia but the semantics of getting there and back turn me off.

[zer0netgain]

Gaspe looks interesting (might put it on my "to do someday" list), but I've done NS, and you can't go wrong, but I'd rethink doing the coastal roads to some degree.  The NE coast was bitter cold, overcast and SLOW with not much worth seeing.  Some like that, some don't.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

 

[ctbandit]

I' ve been debating the Nova Scotia thing for a while.no more high speed ferry is sort of a downer. Not really sure how to go about the whole thing really since I'm not familiar with the island and I'd hate to go up and "miss" seeing something I should have.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I' ve been debating the Nova Scotia thing for a while.no more high speed ferry is sort of a downer. Not really sure how to go about the whole thing really since I'm not familiar with the island and I'd hate to go up and "miss" seeing something I should have.

In that case, don't hesitate to ping the guys over at http://www.ridetherock.com. They're incredibly helpful and love their "rock" and are eager to share it with others.

I posted up there that I'll be coming through in August and they all clamored about how I should skip the rest of my ride and just ride there. They started to list roads and invites for coffee... friendly bunch, I'd say  

[ctbandit]

In that case, don't hesitate to ping the guys over at http://www.ridetherock.com. They're incredibly helpful and love their "rock" and are eager to share it with others.

I posted up there that I'll be coming through in August and they all clamored about how I should skip the rest of my ride and just ride there. They started to list roads and invites for coffee... friendly bunch, I'd say  

Awesome!!   Never saw that site. I hope your trip goes well. I'd prob be looking at an august time frame if I were to do this as well. I'll be sure to pop over there if I can make the trip a reality.

[ST-DocLizard1]

Nova Scotia would be my choice. Done it in '81, '93, & '03.
Seven days is tight, 10 would be my suggestion and include PEI.
I prefer the end of July, beginning of August.


Doc

[Motocentaur]

There's always the Trans-Lab too, but that is Ural territory, and I'm not sure I can manage the extra time required.

[zer0netgain]

I' ve been debating the Nova Scotia thing for a while.no more high speed ferry is sort of a downer. Not really sure how to go about the whole thing really since I'm not familiar with the island and I'd hate to go up and "miss" seeing something I should have.

Breaking the Island up into quarters....

NW quarter (Cape Breton)....undoubtedly the best.  Start from Port Hawkesbury and go up along the western shore.

NE quarter (Glace Bay)....the worst (IMHO).  Two-lane, meanders through fishing towns.  Slow and tedious on the wrong type of bike.  Cold and overcast...got boring real fast.

Not sure what to say about Hwy 105 & Hwy 4 around Bras d'Or Lake.  I don't recall them being that exceptional, but they are the major arteries N/S along the center (and east) side of the upper peninsula.

SE quarter (south of Halifax)....weather is better.  If you want to meander along the coast, it will be slow and tedious, but more pleasant.  Lots of traffic, though as you wind from town to town.

SW quarter (Yarmouth and north to Digby)....like the SE quarter.

Highway 2 from Great Village to Springhill is surprisingly scenic, but last I was there the road is not that well maintained.  Locals were upset by that as the road is listed as a "must see" motorcycle road by NS tourism bureau.

Most all the major highways are downers to ride, but they at least get you from place to place a lot faster.

I wasn't impressed with Halifax, but I hate big cities anyhow.  

[Motocentaur]

If I pick Nova Scotia, my plan is basically to make a beeline for Cape Breton Island and the Cabot Trail. My only "must do goal would be camping at Meat Cove.

If I pick the Gaspesie, my plan is to ride Northern coast, and possibly ferry across to Baie Comeau and check out Manic Cinq (time permitting). That ought to give me a little taste of the Trans-Lab, which is frankly what I want to do most.

[Hodge Podge]

I did a lightning tour of Gaspe and the Cabot a few years ago. Here's the album, if you're interested: http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=1e140a17a2b21678&sid=8AZNmTFy2bt2Gf --Gaspe = #70-116, and Cape Breton = #137-164

I rode from Rimouski to Perce in one day, and it might still stand as collectively the most beautiful single day I have seen. Cape Breton Highlands were remarkable as well.

If you want to throroughly cover an area in 2-3 days (allowing a couple days to- and from- to make a week's ride), I'd say go for the Gaspe. Can't go wrong with either, though.

If you check out the pictures, while looking at the sunset over the rock in Perce, consider that I had that view from the deck of a seaside restaurant, where I had a salad, vegetable soup, steamed mussels, filet of skate sauteed in citrus over cous cous, and a house wine for $17.95. Good place.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

If I pick the Gaspesie, my plan is to ride Northern coast, and possibly ferry across to Baie Comeau and check out Manic Cinq (time permitting). That ought to give me a little taste of the Trans-Lab, which is frankly what I want to do most.

I'll give you a little more taste then, as that's my ride in August  

[Motocentaur]

I'll give you a little more taste then, as that's my ride in August  

  That was my original plan, but I am concerned about the time. I could manage more, but I'd be pressing my luck a bit. The other concern is plodding along at Ural speed . . . on a machine whose reliability cannot be taken for granted (it would be a real adventure, though).

I am considering selling/trading my Connie for a KLR just for this trip, but the simpler thing is to be satisfied with Gaspe or NS for now and stick to pavement.

What bike are you going to take?

[Mrs. DantesDame]

What bike are you going to take?

I'll be on the 1150GS and Dan will be on his 800GS. With knobbies  


And yes, we'll be pushing it to do this trip in the two weeks we've aside for it. But I think we'll manage. Just not a lot of chances to stop and smell the mosquitos is all...  

[ReSTored]

I've done both.   Gaspe is relatively unknown, underated and less crowded .  

[Robert Ford]

I WAS planning on doing the Canyon Land thing out west, but after reding this thread, those plans may change.  

[Motocentaur]

For those who've been there: how many days do you reckon to visit both areas?

[ice-cycle]

I have done both, a couple of times, and my vote would be for Nova Scotia.  The Gaspe is much busier in the summer.  Traffic, motorhomes, and congestion.  The Cabot Trail is no where as busy.  The other advantage of the Cabot Trail is a trip to Louisberg.  It is a restored fortress destroyed by the French.  It is a great historical experience.  

[kml]

Part 1
http://cmgonline.com/content/view/3254/57/
Part 2
http://cmgonline.com/content/view/3265/57/

cheers
ken

[Acadian Rider]

So where should I go this summer? The Gaspe or Nova Scotia? I can slip away for about a week, so I'm thinking that's enough time for one or the other.

I've been asked that question many times and I always struggle to pick one because I like them both.  

Gaspé - As someone has said, not as well known perhaps as the Cabot Trail.  Did it last year in October with 4 other riders.  The northern part along the St Lawrence River as far as Percé is the best.  The Southern portion along the Baie des Chaleurs isn't as good.  I also have to agree that traffic in the summer could be an issue.  The better known spot for tourists is Percé.  Here's a picture I took as you get to Percé.  It's on the 2011 STN road calendar.  



If you pick the Gaspé Peninsula and you have a week, slab it to Québec City and spend a day visiting old Québec City if you have never been there.  I have never heard anyone say they didn't like the old part of Québec City.  I believe it to be the only walled City in North America.  You can then make your way to Gaspé.  


Cabot Trail - Equally nice in my view.  Plenty of pictures available on the net but here's some that I took.  

Coming out of Meat Cove.  





Not too far from Chéticamp I believe.  




Again, either is equally nice.  



 

[jp]

A quick zip up to the Gaspe could be done in a week, but it is a mixed bag of roads and traffic. It's a little harder to find interesting back roads, and you might get stuck behind a Winnebago...
Cape Breton is the scenic Nirvana (prejudice showing here...), but it's a bastard trying to do it justice in a week counting the 'in-transit' time. You can see enough in three days to want to come back. First time I did it in two and missed a ton of stuff.
Of course like most trips, you're screwed if it rains!
Fall is the best riding weather. Crowds are gone and the leaves may be changing. It stays warmer than the mainland because of the ocean temperatures...



Best road in is highway 4 (104) because it has almost all been rebuild now.


Irish Cove Lookout by designthreedimension, on Flickr

Side roads around the Bras d'Or lakes are spectacular and not that hard to find.


Bras d'Or Lakes drive near Roberta by designthreedimension, on Flickr

as a matter of fact, there are sideroads everywhere (this is near the 'Fleur de Lys' trail on the east coast) that are worth looking for...



Riding early in the spring is uhh....  'bracing' when sea ice is still around in April...  (Brrrr....)



Ask Google for 'Cape Breton Bikefest 2010' and check out all the info from the results!

[Guzzi-Guy]

No reason why you can't do both in one week.

[PatM]

July 24 to Aug 6 is the construction holiday in Quebec.
If you plan to travel to Gaspé and the north shore during that period, book ahead.