Stelvio heading north, MORE pics

[Green1000S]

I'll add few pictures to this each day as the ride progresses. Riding with my buddy Mike who's on a 1975 Beemer. Made it to Newfoundland in 2 days from SE Pennsylvania. Second day was a rather long ride with 717 miles. Enjoying the unreal Newfoundland yesterday and today. This place is a gem. Crossing to Labrador possibly today and then the gravelfest can begin...

Haven't seen any of the elusive moose yet, still waiting. 50 yard distance would be great, as long as it's not in my front forks. Same with the bears.

Plan is to hit Labrador late today and head to Port Hope Simpson tomorrow, then to Happy Valley Goose Bay.

















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[radguzzi]

Beautiful, what a trek.  I need to make it up to Newfie one a these days. 

Safe travels.

Best,
Rob

[bobrebos]

Nice Pics.  If I could ask, what kind of waterproof bags are on your cases in the pics of the Stelvio please?  Thank-You and enjoy your trip.   

[Nick]

Thanks for the pictures Lauri! Looks like a great trip with beautiful views.

I hope you are able to keep up with your friend's BMW...... 

[Huzo]

I'll be bloody well following this one!
Good for you and all the best!

[SportsterDoc]

Should be a great time of year!

[Green1000S]

Nice Pics.  If I could ask, what kind of waterproof bags are on your cases in the pics of the Stelvio please?  Thank-You and enjoy your trip.   

. 

Wolfman duffels, medium size. Great bags.

[KiwiKev]

Looks like a great adventure , enjoy [emoji4]


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[Green1000S]

Few more from "The Rock".
This is one huuuuge rock. 8 hours of riding and were still in northern part of NL. Saw Woodland Caribou on side of the road and seals playing outside L'Anse aux Meadows Viking settlement today. We visited where east and west met 1000 years ago, first Viking settlement. We were riding so long in rain that we ended up in Finland. Or Vinland? Sounds about the same?
Now in Black Duck Cove, tomorrow ferry over to Labrador and the gravel fest can begin... once we're in Labrador, we will loose the internet totally for 4-5 days. See Ya on the other side of Labrador!

See us here: http://www.whereamiriding.com/my-profile/userprofile/Toofat2fly

[Jim Rich]

Good stuff Lauri, thanks for posting.  Safe travels.

[Tom H]

Very nice. Looking forward to following along!!

Tom

[Green1000S]

Day Four and we finally are at Trans Labrador Highway, camping like kings at hotel Alex, the only game in town. Drinking the Labrador pride, Iceberg beer. From 20.000 year old iceberg. Now we know why ice caps are reducing... it's the beer drinking!
Unreal scenery continues, reminds me a lot of Lapland. Less reindeers. No moose yet, I think the locals are full of it. Over 2000 miles without seeing one, hell... they even sell moose burgers and moose soup here. Maybe that's where all the moose disappeared???
Gravel is sometimes hard packed, sometimes sketchy with 2" of ball bearings on it. One second you go straight, next second you're flying all over the road. Large truck will fill your lungs with dust. When it's good and without Labrador retriever sized potholes, you can top at 60-70mph. Ball bearing gravel will make your butthole pucker up at 20mph...😳 Some of the wooden bridges are scary, planks missing and huge nails sticking out...

We took ms Apollo to Labrador, for some odd reason it was looked familiar... then I realized it had still few Finnish signs on walls and it was the the old Viking Line ms Apollo from 1970's, which operated between Finland and Sweden. It ended up here, rusty and ugly, but still with dance floor and Finnish signs. How the world is sometimes small!

6AM at Port Hope Simpson, heading to Goose Bay next. 408km without gas stations or much anything else. Mikes carrying two 2 gallon jugs for this thirsty BMW, I have 5 liter Desert Fox fuel bladder with me. Should not need it, but I'm not going to push the fat green Rhino...

[Cam3512]

Ride on Lauri!  Had many a hotel blow dryer in my boots, not my hair.

[nick949]

Take it easy Lauri. Smell the spruce bogs and savour the muskeg. It's a long, expensive helicopter ride if you misjudge the gravel. Slow and steady is the ticket.Port Hope Simpson to Happy Valley was my favourite section.

Good luck. Stay safe.

Nick

[Green1000S]

Day 5, eating gravel on Trans Labrador Highway. Finally arrived to Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Beautiful morning and rainy/mud afternoon. The conditions change so fast from hard packed clay into huge potholes (punctured two beer cans into my luggage) or from dry dust into slimy mud. And then there's the 2" thick ballbearing gravel or planers spitting a 10" soft gravel middle of the road. Touch that and your front tire hands you the tarmac at 60MPH.
Most of the time we traveled at 45-50mph, highest speed recorded with Stelvio computer was 83.
Met few friends too, a pair of Gray Jays got friendly about 200 miles from nearest town. I guess the liked the peanut butter cheese crackers?
Learned to smoke cigars through a mosquito hat. The black flies were relentless... first they land on your face, take a chunk of it and land on nearest pine tree branch to eat it. Bastards....
Halfway is here, Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Tomorrow to Labrador City.
M




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[Green1000S]

And CARC started to seep oil underneath and spit it on right hand side of tire. Not horrible amounts, maybe a teaspoon worth.....

Either way.... not now....and not here.

[Green1000S]

Scenery between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Labrador City. We even met the friendly "Mayor to be" at Goose Bay. 

[Rhodan]

  Great pics and enjoying the travelogue.