| Author | Message | ||
     Crusty |
Admission to Canada’s National Parks, Historic Sites and Marine Conservation Areas is free for 2017 if you get a free pass. Go here to apply: http://www.commandesparcs-parksorders.ca/webapp/wc s/stores/servlet/en/parksb2c If you’ve never been to Canada’s Glacier, Banff and Jasper National parks, you’re missing some incredible beauty. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I've seen a lot of Canada, at least the southern regions of it, over the top of my steering wheel... never really got to stop anywhere besides truck stops. Eventually I need to apply and see if they will allow me back in. | ||
| Jaimec |
Crusty, you forgot Gros Morne Natiional Park. It's absolutely breathtaking and on the EAST Coast (so it is a little more accessible to those of us in the east). | ||
| Court |
Would it make sense . . .since it's near . . to go take a look?  | ||
| Crusty |
Jaime; I didn't forget Gros Morne Nat'l Park. I've never been there. I missed out on the Newfoundland trip back in '04 because my wife was having some serious health issues. One of these years, I will get up to "The Rock". I still want to see a sunrise at the Cape Spear Lighthouse. It's the first place sunlight hits North America each morning. The three parks I mentioned I rode through last summer. They are incredible, and well worth the trip from the East Coast. The whole point is that you can get a free pass to visit any of Canada's National Parks for free. It's definitely worth the couple of minutes to fill out the form. | ||
| Ourdee |
John, Thanks NOTE: SHIPPING IS FREE You just have to enter your address. That's all. | ||
| Jaimec |
Court (and others): Yes, I would HIGHLY recommend it. I've always taken the ferry from Portland to Nova Scotia (the high speed Cat ferry is back in service) and go that way. Plenty of sights to see in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island before you take the ferry from North Sydney to the west coast of Newfoundland. Minimum would be two weeks on the road but it is always good to stretch out more time if you have it. I LOVE it up there. | ||
| Doz |
I was up in Quebec city for new years, took less than 8 hours, in a car, during a snow storm. So I think the day(s)/hours on the map above are off. | ||
| Crusty |
from the Marine Atlantic (the ferry operators) site: North Sydney, NS and Port aux Basques, NL Duration: 6 to 8 hours. A bit over a day travel time sounds about right. I know we were figuring on two days each way when we were planning to go, back in 2004. | ||
| Jaimec |
My recommendation? Keep an eye on this site: http://www.bluenoserally.com The rally is held every year around Canada Day (July 1st). It is an "All Brands" rally and the people are TERRIFIC. The rally site is near Kentville, NS in central Nova Scotia. Not at all far from Halifax, Peggy's Cove and several other interesting locations. After the rally we headed up to Cape Breton Island where we rode the Cabot Trail (naturally), visited the Louisbourg Fortress Restoration and then hopped the ferry from North Sydney to Port Aux Basque. If you have more time you can take the ferry to Argentia (the east coast) and head up to St. John's (the oldest city in North America) and Cape Spear (the farthest east you can go in North America) and then work your way westward to Gros Morne. Whenever you travel in the Maritimes there are two things you MUST have: 1) A GOOD rainsuit 2) A sense of humor | ||
| Ducbsa |
From a Vancouverite friend: We were at Cape Spear on our bikes with some UK friends in 2001. A guy spots the UK plate and says, gee you are a long way from home. He thought he was being cute until I pointed out to him that they lived about 3000 miles east from there, two of us lived 4500 miles west and the last guy about 5000 miles west and a bit south. Cape Spear is the eastern most point of North American, if you consider Newfoundland to be North America! | ||
| Jaimec |
One other thing you can do from the east coast of Newfoundland: You can take a ferry (passenger-only; unfortunately) to St Pierre et Miquelon, which are two islands just south of Newfoundland. Once there, you are in FRANCE. Those islands have a VERY interesting history both for Canada as well as the United States. It was a popular transfer point for Canadian distilleries and bootleggers during Prohibition. Al Capone himself stayed at the Hotel Robert on the main island of St. Pierre. After your return home you can tell your friends you completed a "Three Flags Tour" in North America without ever once setting foot in Mexico and let them try to figure it out. | ||
| Jaimec |
Here are a couple of photo albums from trips I took in 2000 (when they celebrated the 1000th Anniversary of the arrival of Europeans in North America) and in 2004: 2000 2004 |
