New England Trip 2012

[Mastros2]

Prelude:

My good friend, Rick, and I ride a bit together.  We’ve had a yearning to ride to Quebec and the Maritimes for a while now and a future trip to Nova Scotia is already mapped out and ready to go.  Time away from family and work has kept us from Nova Scotia but we were able to plan a 6 day trip to Quebec and Acadia National Park for 2012.



When we ride together, we are your typical travelers and it’s more about touring than the sport. Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoy a nice twisty road in different company but when Rick and I ride together, we enjoy the ride and sightseeing. I guess we’re your typical tourists who ride motorcycles.
A recent (Wheelnerds) episode had Austin Vince from “Mondo Enduro" in it.  Austin described (paraphrasing) an adventure as being outside of your comfort zone.  We’ll see if this trip was an adventure for us.

Day 1- The Slab


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The plan today was to slab it to Concord, New Hampshire.  With the anticipation of hot weather, we got an early start and kept this day to approx 350 miles.  Concord was a great place to start when riding  New Hampshire’s White Mountains and wasn’t too far from home.  A-Ok with us.
We had reservations via hotels.com at The Days Inn.  They had clean rooms, good service, price was fine and they offer a free breakfast.  Although I would have liked to give money to the mom-and-pop establishments, the Days Inn was fine.  See conclusions for more on this topic.

Rick trying to get proper Canadian insurance paperwork from Progressive faxed to the hotel. I offered moral support.


Lonely bikes at the hotel


That evening, we rode into town and ate at the (Draft Sports Bar). They had plenty of beer on tap and service was good. When we ordered wings, the bar tender asked how hot on a scale of 1-10.  We were feeling quite good by now so we ordered a “7”.  The damn cook probably saw the NJ tags on the bikes and made them especially for us because these things were hot!  Now, I can handle my own when it comes to spice but these made me sweat!  I had a burger which was a little messy but good.  I’ll recommend The Draft if you are in the area, just hide your bikes if you are from the tri-state region.

Proof we finished the wings.


My burger. Sloppy but good.


Rick’s meat loaf which he said was very good.


Lonely bikes at the hotel


Day one was in the bag. Now for the good part of the trip.

[Mastros2]

Day 2- Mountains and Dirt


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Breakfast at The Days Inn was so-so. Typical of what you would find at a chain restaurant.  We were on the road early enough for vacation and started to really get into the White Mountains.  Before we left, we checked the weather on Mt Washington’s website.  If the weather was predicted to be decent, we were planning the trek up the auto road.  If not, we would do Grafton Notch State Park.  Yeah, tough decisions!   Weather was predicted to be perfect for a climb, 56 degrees with 30mph winds.
We started off on 118 and then 112, Kancamagus Highway, 16 and then the Auto Road.

Nice trolley


There were a ton of these little cemeteries.










Scenic views on the (Kancamagus Highway).






Climbing (Mt Washington).

The climb to the top ranked up as one of the most scary things I have done recently.  Within the last 10 or so years, I have developed a fear of heights. I don’t know where or why this started.  When I was young, heights didn’t bother me. The fact that we were climbing up to 6800 feet, couldn’t see off the ledge of the side of the road and add a mile of packed dirt really had my nerves going.  The nerves got to me as my knees almost gave way trying to park the bike at the top.

I had no issues with the descent down the mountain. Weird, eh?












This evening, we had reservations at the  (Notch View Inn). I stumbled upon this resort with a google search and I’m glad I did.  Owners Bill and Donna were great, I mean absolutely wonderful.  They have a beautiful house and property in northern New Hampshire near the town of Colebrook.

Bill did tell us, “Don’t use the GPS to get here. Follow the signs instead”. I noticed why he mentioned that on googlemaps. There are two roads with the same name, one east and another west. Well, I thought we figured it out until we hit a few miles of dirt, then a fence and a “private property” sign.

Us being lost.


Views from the Notch View


Watch the Moose!


Bill gave us a great dinner suggestion in the town, the Wilderness Restaurant.




While we were there, Rick had a Long Island Iced Tea.  He liked it so much, he told the bar maid that it was one of the best he ever had.  Well, another bartender who wasn’t working was hanging out and blew her cover. He told Rick that it was a premade mix.  Too bad, she was sucking in all the attention.

Bill also told us the best place in town to buy beer was the Rite Aid. Yep, we’re not in NJ anymore!


Pic of us relaxing.


More of the property.

[Mastros2]

Day 3- Quebec…again!


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Bill and Donna cooked us a fantastic breakfast which included pancakes, eggs, bacon and great coffee.  Bill said that the eggs were local as was the bacon.  I apologize that I didn’t take any pics but when they brought out the food, we dug in.
Before we left, Bill gave us a road suggestion, Rt 145. This cuts out a lot of rt 3 in northern NH and places you just south of the Connecticut Lakes.  

A little bit of twisties but we kept the speed low due to moose in the area.














Crossing the border was uneventful.  The border agent for Canada was nice and pleasant.  Rick had no issues with his faxed copy of proof of insurance.

Canadians likes their roads straight.  We did hit our fair share of road construction as well








Crossing into Quebec City


I went to Quebec when I was in High School for a ski trip at  (Mont Tremblant).  School officials didn’t plan ahead and booked our trip the same time as carnival.  It was a zoo!  Imagine being 15, beer vendors on the sidewalks, sex shops and Canadian strip clubs. Yep, it was crazy. Sorry, no pics!

We planned this day’s mileage to be low so we can spend the whole afternoon in Quebec.  We arrived in Quebec shortly after 1pm at the (Auberge du Littoral) and checked in.  Trip advisor had great reviews and they didn’t let us down.  Service was fantastic and the rooms were excellent. We did stay in the Inn though.


We asked the concierge to have a taxi bring us to old city. We didn’t want to ride into Old City and try to find parking. We’re glad we did.

Pics of old city








The Nordiques!






Pizza near the Notre Dame






I had to try the tiramisu


That day, there were a lot of school groups walking around on holiday. We asked the waiter and he mentioned that this is the last week of school.  School groups come and visit on trips.

That night, we decided to eat close to the Inn so we picked a  (Normandin) near the Inn. Normandin’s are similar to any chain restaurant, TGI Fridays, etc. in my opinion.  Food was decent and we had to get their poutines which were good. The bar maid wasn’t going to speak English to us.  This turned Rick on.  We managed with the little French I know and had a decent meal.

Poutines!


Before turning it in for the night, we had to put the sign on the door! Canadians do have a sense of humor when it comes to their signs.

[Mastros2]

Day 4- Lakes, lakes and more lakes!


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We decided to have breakfast after riding a few miles then stop at a Tim Hortons. I remember their coffee to be different. It wasn’t bad but I remember it to be stronger in the past.





Breakfast wrap with hashbrowns which all were quite good.


Coming back into the US was again easy-peasy. We had a nice conversation as well with the agents.

Moosehead Lake



Dash on the viffer.  Yes, this was the day when it was mid 90’s in NJ.


Rick needed a bathroom stop. No one around to complain except the wildlife.




Good thing I saw this Moose…and it had wings! No real moose sightings for the trip which is a good thing.


Our stop for the night was in Bangor, Maine. We didn’t have reservations but had a few hotels we found online. (Country Inn at the Mall)
 had vacancy and was very nice.  We found out that it was a privately owned hotel which made our pick a little better.



An employee recommended the (Sea Dog Brewery) in downtown Bangor.  Getting there was a little difficult as most streets weren't labeled at intersections.
Food was quite good here.  I had the “El Lomito” and Rick had “Jaeger Schnitzel Pork”.  Of course, we had wings as well with their Maine blueberry BBQ.  Couldn’t taste the blueberry but the sauce was nice and sweet.





After dinner, we were enjoying a beer at a picnic table out back and met a group of guys down from New Brunswick for a bachelor party. They were headed to Boston for a Red Sox game and mentioned that this was their group’s first real bachelor party.  When the other members got married, they were too young and poor to host one. One guy chimed in that he was married recently and didn’t have one.  Another guy chimed in that he wasn’t liked that well!  Funny guys. Hope their weekend went well.

[Mastros2]

Day 5- Acadia and Bah Haah-Bah.


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Breakfast at the hotel this morning was typical to a chain hotel’s breakfast. Not bad though.  People are quite nice up here. Random people have been helping me make waffles.  It’s not like I need the help but they actually want to help! I must have a look on my face which compels them to do so.

Nice golf course




We reached the entrance to Acadia National Park and started the climb up Cadillac Mountain. No problems with my nerves today!


More up top.








We went into town and walked around a bit and had lunch at Cherrystone's.


Our view from the upstairs patio





Lobster Rolls! They were good too.


Old map that was on display inside.






Trenton! Sorry, a NJ thing. We also wanted a picture of Camden (Maine) too but we sped through the town. Pavlov.



We rode the coast for a bit and really enjoyed this.  Beautiful coves and bays but couldn’t stop every time for the photo op.



Rick and I headed to the Portland Head Light House. When we visited in 2007, we didn’t do too much research of the area and only spent the night.  This time around, we headed to this park.













Wedding at the park.




After, we talked about where to stay for the night. We already saw Portland and wanted to stop closer to home so tomorrow’s ride will be short and simple. An option was Portsmouth, New Hampshire. After a few calls, we had a reservation and the Quality Inn.  The hotel was nice, clean and service was very good.  Although this was a chain, we really weren’t complaining.



Dinner at a 99’er next to the hotel. Steak for both of us.

[Mastros2]

Day 6- Back home.


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Today, breakfast at the hotel again. Breakfast was fine, same as other chain hotel breakfasts. We were on the road early, gassed up and ready to slab it home. Most of the route was uneventful.

Skies were a bit restless


Hartford, Ct.




When I was young, I lived in Boston for a summer and travelled at night back and forth to NJ. Riding through Hartford at night was pretty fun jaunt through the tunnels.

A nice surprise on the way back was the Saw Mill Parkway. My gps wanted to route me on it for the way to New Hampshire but I ignored it. On the way back, I mentioned it to Rick and he said his father drove it quite a bit when they lived outside the city.
What a pleasant surprise. For a “city” highway, I recommend it but watch for deer. They were in full force this day.  Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a sport touring road by any stretch. It was fun riding it at speed.



Traffic on the Tappan Zee.




Trip totals


Conclusion and notes to self
I would definitely call this an adventure. It’s easy getting around when you can communicate. We really did well in Quebec with MAI (Minimal American Ignorance). With my limited French and universal sign language, we did ok!

The weather was unbelievable.  Despite the little rain we saw on day 5, we had sunny skies, low humidity and temps in the 60’s.  We didn’t see above 75 degrees until our last day coning over the Tappan See Bridge north of NYC.

Highlights: Old Quebec of course! Loved the city but didn’t remember all the souvenir shops though. It doesn’t take away from the feel though.  It is quite an awesome experience.

The Auto Road was fan-tastic! It scared the crap out of me going up but well worth it. The views we had were breathtaking.
Acadia and Bar Harbor were well worth the stop as well. Pictures cannot give it justice. One of the areas you cannot duplicate in photos.

What to change: Well, more time I guess! The plan was to see a tidbit of every area we visited. We discussed a second night in Quebec but that would have meant less time in (or skipping) Acadia. Yes, similar to Disney World. You have to go more than once to see everything.
I have seasonal allergies usually from mid April through mid June. Due to the mild winter in the northeast, I had minimal issues.  Well, I was suffering in Northern NH, Quebec and Maine.  Next time bring the medication.

We packed quite light and brought enough clothes for 4 days hoping to do laundry in Bangor. Most of my clothes were Under Armor type of material for easy packing and quick drying. Our hotel in Quebec had a laundry facility and we were able to do the laundry there. That was definitely a relief.
Packing light meant less room for souvenirs for the family. After picking up shirts, I had to use a bungee net and keep clothes outside of my tailbag. Next time I’ll use the soft saddlebags instead of the tailbag. Bigger tail bag maybe? I’ve been thinking of dumping the tail bag and getting a waterproof duffel bag.
A
lthough breakfast wasn’t the best at the chain hotels, it saved us a bit of money. If we do the Bed and Breakfast route, it would most likely cost us more.  You have to balance the cost of going chain with an included breakfast or private hotel/motel and paying extra for a decent breakfast.  We were quite happy with the chain hotels we stayed at on the trip. Better than expected but still would want to give that same to the mom and pops.

[Cablebandit]

Looks like a fun trip.  


Now how about getting some GPS files for that Nova Scotia trip.  We're tossing around the idea to, so I'd like to compare notes.  

[Mastros2]

Looks like a fun trip.  


Now how about getting some GPS files for that Nova Scotia trip.  We're tossing around the idea to, so I'd like to compare notes.  

I'll PM you.  

[MrsCablebandit]

Great ride report, Matt!!!    Now I'm jonesing a lobster roll!  

If you haven't already, go to the Nova Scotia visitor's bureau and request the motorcycle touring book. I requested one for us and one for Spanky a week ago Saturday and it arrived via airmail at the end of the week. Looks to be a good publication!

A few responses to your trip report:

Rick trying to get proper Canadian insurance paperwork from Progressive faxed to the hotel. I offered moral support.

   Moral support...hilarious!

The climb to the top ranked up as one of the most scary things I have done recently.  Within the last 10 or so years, I have developed a fear of heights. I don’t know where or why this started. When I was young, heights didn’t bother me. The fact that we were climbing up to 6800 feet, couldn’t see off the ledge of the side of the road and add a mile of packed dirt really had my nerves going.  The nerves got to me as my knees almost gave way trying to park the bike at the top.

Climbing the Auto Road in my Subaru with Chris driving four years ago tweaked my nerves. Mostly because he was driving with his knee while using one hand to point at the vista and taking a picture of it with the camera in the other hand.    That said, I'd still like to ride up the Auto Road on the Connie. The view is stunning on a clear day!

Although breakfast wasn’t the best at the chain hotels, it saved us a bit of money. If we do the Bed and Breakfast route, it would most likely cost us more.  You have to balance the cost of going chain with an included breakfast or private hotel/motel and paying extra for a decent breakfast.  We were quite happy with the chain hotels we stayed at on the trip. Better than expected but still would want to give that same to the mom and pops.

We stayed at chain hotels on our trip last month, too. "Free breakfast" is one of my search options when I use Trip Advisor. It saves both money and time. It's not always the best, as you experienced, but it's something to get you going in the morning.

And speaking of Trip Advisor, if you used reviews to pick your places, make sure you go back and write reviews of your own. I used TA extensively last year for our moto trips and did reviews after our stays. Toward the end of the year, TA sent me a coupon code for a free photo book at Shutterfly. I was able to make a hardcover book of our photos from all of our rides last year for the cost of shipping (about 6 bucks)!  

[Mastros2]

Yes, the Nova Scotia tourism bureau really puts together a nice packet. I pm'ed Chris. If you guys want the Lonely Planet's Nova Scotia guide, tell me. I'll mail it out to you.

I agree. A free breakfast is a nice perk from the chains.  

We used TripAdvisor for every night except for the hotel in Portsmouth, NH. I'll make sure I leave feedback  .

[Mr.Black]

10 minutes from me and you didn't stop by?

You bastard!!!!  

Nice trip.

[Mastros2]

10 minutes from me and you didn't stop by?

You bastard!!!!  

Nice trip.

I know. I mentioned it to Rick and he was all for it.  When he saw your new avatar, he got scared. Sorry.  

I may be up in the fall. If I am, I'll shoot you a pm.

[Bad Dad]

Great report! Sounds like you guys had a great time, we're heading up that way in mid July, can;t wait!

[Mastros2]

It was a really fun trip.  Thanks for the feedback!  

[BlueRidgeKat]

Damn you guys ate good. I'm loving all the food pics !! Thats always one of the highlights of sport touring to me.... finding a special eating spot each day.

[Mastros2]

Funny you mentioned that. We were just speaking of how the trip wasn't as cheap as we were planning.  

Ah, the unplanned expenses but it was worth it.

[R Doug]

Matt,

Great trip and report, thanks for taking the time to share!  A trip like this is on my short list and it’s being bumped up now after seeing this report.  I’ve been to Vermont and the ‘Dacks on the bike and Bar Harbor with the wife on a vaca (how can you not LOVE Bar Harbor?).  

Quebec City is somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit.  It’s as close as you can get to Europe without getting on a plane can crossing the Atlantic.  Great shots of the area!

Regarding getting around with limited French speaking ability, I’ve learned a dirty secret from folks in that region.  Most people there can speak English perfect well but won’t due to either pride or (how should I say this…) snobbiness.      A co-worker of mine spent a year in France and said everyone treated him like the dumb ‘merican when he was being polite and trying to communicate.  But, when he brought out his mean inner NYC, they broke out in fluent English.  

I welcome feedback from my French Canadian friends (who most likely have just de-friended me) for input here.  
 

[Rincewind]

Awesome report, Matt.    I would love to be up there riding than in this oven-like heat around here!  

Quebec is awesome - probably my favorite Canadian city.  

[R Doug]

PS, thanks for including daily routes.  This should be mandatory for all ride reports.  

[st2sam]

 
Thanks for sharing your adventure, great pics.........