Newfoundland 2011: One Big Dog

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
I hope there is more, because I want to know if you had to replace the engine in the Jeep!

JJ

There's definitely some more. A great way to extend a vacation by reliving it again is to write a trip report when you get home. The slower you write, the longer the trip was!

Thanks for reading. I paddle a yellow kayak, too. Unless the orange one gets jealous.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
Ferry to Ferry

Monday 9/12. The weather was still bad, the Ferry was still not leaving and more people with reservations were arriving. We did the right thing and left: No Labrador for us.

We were both grumpy despite the fact that the original plan for the trip was to see Newfoundland. Driving through Labrador was deliberately never part of the plan and Debbie had expressly said she didn’t want to go there because it didn’t look like much fun and it was more a me kind of thing. Even so, we both felt like we’d been building up to something that was denied.

South we drove back past Gros Morne. The one picture of the day was a common sight through Northwest Newfoundland.

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At Corner Brook we booked tickets for the nighttime sailing to Newfoundland. Not Labrador. Still grumpy.

Then, somewhere in the rain, I had an epiphany.

As if by magic, the weather cleared and we cooked dinner on the coast. I reminded Debbie of three guys we had met at L’Anse aux Meadows (from Toronto, they’re in one of the pictures) who had just ridden the Trans Labrador Highway on motorcycles. It sounded like they had had a bit of a rough time and were relieved to see the end of it. At the time I hadn’t thought much of it, they were doing their trip and us ours, but subconsciously that had really made me want to go there all the more. The epiphany:

You can only see something for the first time once so why spoil the TLH by scouting it in a rental pickup truck instead of riding it on a motorcycle.

At Port aux Basques the live music lifted my spirits further.

We boarded the boat, found a quiet corner and ignored the “Do not sleep on the floor” signs.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
Mackerel & Meat

Tuesday 9/13. The ferry didn’t seem to be busy but was full of trucks and it took a while to escape.

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We drove a short way to the Englishtown cable ferry which goes back and forth across several hundred yards of water. On the other side there was a small pullout where a chap was fishing and it looked like a nice place to have breakfast.

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While we were eating, a lady walked over and said “Watch this.” The man who had been fishing walked over with a fish in his hand, whistled and made a throwing motion. Then an eagle launched itself from the trees on the right side of the previous picture and flew several laps around us, scattering most of the seagulls. The fish was thrown into the water and, almost before it landed, the eagle grabbed it and flew it back home.

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Feeding the eagles has been a daily ritual for a decade and the male eagle always sends his missus to get the fish. We didn’t leave empty handed either; courtesy of the eagle feeder we had a bagful of mackerel to cook for supper.

Nova Scotia, is pretty.

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After Newfoundland, which has a nice rough edge to it, this felt almost “quaint”.

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Meat Cove is the end of road and attracts visitors from near and far. Surprisingly this is the first time we actually stayed in a commercial campground; most of our camping has been “discrete” with the odd stay in a provincial park here and there for showers.

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If you think the tent looks like its perched on the edge of a cliff, it is!

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No fences or warning signs to spoil the view.

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ColinJ

Member
Wow amazing trip and even more amazing because I was looking at your Jeep at Dobson a couple of months ago. I'm from Saint John and was in looking at a JK Unlimited to replace my 05 Rubicon. Reason I was replacing was so I could do this very trip next summer only heading up to Labrador and into Quebec then back down.

Amazing trip and too bad about the Jeep it looks like it was well equipped.
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Great trip & pics but most of all great attitude about the adventure.
Not sure if I could handle it as well as you did.
Thanks for bringing us along and I am looking forward to more.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
One day... I mean that was really nice trip with great pics.

Thanks! Newfoundland will probably always be there so one day, when you can, head on up.


Wow amazing trip and even more amazing because I was looking at your Jeep at Dobson a couple of months ago. I'm from Saint John and was in looking at a JK Unlimited to replace my 05 Rubicon. Reason I was replacing was so I could do this very trip next summer only heading up to Labrador and into Quebec then back down.

Amazing trip and too bad about the Jeep it looks like it was well equipped.

:xxrotflma That is too funny. You should check the OPDA on your Jeep though otherwise it may well end up stranded in the same place.

Your TJ will be more than large enough for any trip you can think of if there's just two of you. We also have a '97 that we can live out of comfortably with kayaks on the roof, a whitewater raft folded up inside, and a huge ground tent. Without the whitewater gear it would be cavernous. A plywood shelf over the rear tub definitely helps managing stuff. In fact to some extent its easier than the LJ unlimited because everything is reachable from the back rather than having to lift some things out through the passenger door. The LJ rides much better on washboard roads though.

Also you don't need a Jeep to drive through Labrador -- minivans do it all the time -- the best vehicle for where we went in Newfoundland would probably be a Subaru with all terrain tires, a 1 inch lift and rally skid plates. If I was buying a vehicle right now that is what I'd do, and call it done. Of course I won't be buying anything for a while! Actually I think the best vehicle for going anywhere is a motorcycle but that's just me.


Great trip & pics but most of all great attitude about the adventure.
Not sure if I could handle it as well as you did.
Thanks for bringing us along and I am looking forward to more.

You're welcome. We handled it well until the credit card bill arrived! Now I'm back to crying in my Newfoundland iceberg vodka. One of the things I'm really thankful for is we don't currently have any car payments and the other vehicles we have (Debbie's 2004 Ford Focus wagon and my 2008 KLR650) will last for a while and sip gas.


Anyway here's the last three days of the trip. Not many words or pictures, unfortunately.
 
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grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
Homeward Bound

Wednesday 9/14. Warm and sunny with onshore winds, perfect for a hike along the exposed grassy coast at nearby Lowland Cove.

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Lost mooring buoys

Onwards. Back on the Cabot Trail we camped on the beach near Cheticamp...


Thursday 9/15 ... And left Cape Breton Island having driven along the coast but not quite all the way because of locked gates. We should have believed the signs.

Onwards. We missed the Fundy tidal bore and passed from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and Saint John, where we arrived under our own, borrowed, steam for the first time. We ate in town, camped at the provincial park and prepared to pay the piper.


Friday 10/15. At the Jeep dealer we were welcomed like friends and then told that the Jeep wouldn’t start because the battery was dead and a new one was installed for our convenience. Weird, it was working fine before. At least there was something to start and it purred like the Chrysler 4.0L straight 6 cylinder tractor engine should.

We paid the piper, with the credit card company on the phone to make sure the eye watering foreign transaction wasn’t rejected.

The rental truck was emptied, cleaned, returned, inspected, signed off and we left promptly, just in case!

The tide was wrong for one last surf on the reversing falls so we took our last picture at the Martello tower, had a last lunch at Tim Hortons and hit the road.

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At the US border in Calais, Maine, the conversation with the US customs and border protection guy went something like this:

CBP guy: “Are you returning with anything you bought in Canada?”

Me: “Yes. some wine and vodka from Newfoundland and a new engine.”

CPB guy: “Do you have a receipt for the engine?”

Me: (Thinking that I should have kept quiet about it) “Yes.”

CPB guy: “Do you know where it was manufactured? You will have to pay import duties if it wasn’t made in North America.”

Me: (Hoping that it wasn’t imported from Germany like the POS Mercedes transmission I just replaced) “Honestly, no.”

The CPB guy picks up the phone and calls the customs folks. “It was made in the USA. Welcome home!”
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
Epilogue

The GPS says it traveled over 4500 miles and climbed over 226000 feet. Who am I to argue?

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GPS tracks outbound though Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. GPS was switched off in the tow truck!

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GPS tracks in Newfoundland

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GPS tracks inbound through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

Mechanical issues aside, this was a thoroughly enjoyable trip for both Debbie and myself. Debbie was recovering from foot surgery and couldn't walk far so by necessity it was more of a “seeing” than “doing” adventure but we had fun all the same. The people, scenery and icebergs, in no particular order, are the highlights of Newfoundland.

The wildlife had made itself scarce for hunting season and I saw only one moose and one carribou which was a bit disappointing.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
About Our Camping Gear

We camped every night. All but one of them in a tiny Nemo Obi-2P backpacking tent that isn’t big enough for two people to sit up at the same time but still kept us cosy and dry in rain and wind. Nemo tents, based in Nashua New Hampshire, are highly recommended.

Our kitchen setup hasn’t changed much over the last few years and worked well. We cooked almost every evening and needed the tarp only one night. A 10lb propane tank feeds an old Century two-burner stove and a Cadac Safari Chef grill. I like the grill because its compact, flexible and easy to clean.

For cookware we have an old stainless steel pan that the handle fell off, an even older aluminum backpacking pot that I’ve had since I was 18 and a Trangia kettle which all nests together, deliberately non-matching utensils collected over the years and finally plastic flower shaped picnic plates and bowls that pack badly but bring smiles. A Jetboil stove (also from New Hampshire) works well for making tea and reheating leftovers during the day. We would have used it less if we could have secured the propane tank at the tailgate end of the truck but I like it. All that, plus food that needs to be accessible for breakfast or lunch, fits in a Staples plastic drawer. Other food is in a small action packer box that is really inefficient and frustrating for packing but is light, cheap and can be sat on.

The fridge, an Edgestar 43QT model, keeps on going and fits plenty of food and beer. If we need to pack food for more days we simply put less beer in the fridge.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
About the Truck

The rental Dodge Dakota quad cab pickup truck did the job. I can’t find the sheet of paper with the numbers but it the average fuel consumption was lousy around 16 MP(US)G and not much better than the Jeep. Stock P-rated tires are shockingly weak. Ground clearance is mediocre but adequate for where we went and with careful driving didn’t hit too often, and then mostly the more robust parts of the low-hanging front. The ride is SUV-like -- quiet and smooth -- and better than a Jeep Wrangler. There aren’t anywhere near enough tie down points in the bed.

I wouldn’t chose to own this specific model but we’ve never owned a pickup before so this was a good opportunity to try one out for real. It definitely works well for some things and less well for others. On the good side, I like being able to cook on the tailgate and collect driftwood in the bed. Despite being significantly longer than the Jeep the truck was surprisingly manoeuverable and size wasn’t a limiting factor. The fridge, drawer, food and our bags all fitted in the back of the quad cab with the seats folded back. On the bad side everything in the bed is exposed to elements and opportunists.

During the trip we talked about whether we could live with a pickup. The short 4’6” bed isn’t long enough for most kayaks (my playboat just fit in diagonally) and isn’t long enough to sleep in. A 6 foot bed would be a must. For two people, an extended cab with the “seats” removed would probably work just as well as a quad cab for bags and the fridge, while keeping same vehicle length. Much as we like the roof tent on the Jeep, I think we could sleep in the back of a truck under a fiberglass cap, with less weight up high and with more space on the roof (or inside) for toys. We do rather like the “Four Wheel Camper” slide-in camper owned by a friend of ours which offers living in the vehicle rather than around it but that comes with its own price, weight and bulk.

The jury will be deliberating for a while!
 

Jim K in PA

Adventurer
Graham - great trip summary. Too bad about the Jeep (I offered my input on your thread in the Jeep section).

This is a trip my wife and I will be taking in July of 2012. It will be our 25th anniversary trip. We really wanted (and still do) to go to AK for #25, but time and financial budgets will not allow that. We will be taking our '05 LJ Rubicon (non-Sahara) and most likely a small popup camper. The RTT is also not in the budget right now :( .

St. Johns NF is where my Irish ancestors entered North America in the late 19th century. My mom and uncle have been there for genealogical research. There are amazing records available there for folks rebuilding their family history.
 

grahamfitter

Expedition Leader
Graham - great trip summary. Too bad about the Jeep (I offered my input on your thread in the Jeep section).

This is a trip my wife and I will be taking in July of 2012. It will be our 25th anniversary trip. We really wanted (and still do) to go to AK for #25, but time and financial budgets will not allow that. We will be taking our '05 LJ Rubicon (non-Sahara) and most likely a small popup camper. The RTT is also not in the budget right now :( .

St. Johns NF is where my Irish ancestors entered North America in the late 19th century. My mom and uncle have been there for genealogical research. There are amazing records available there for folks rebuilding their family history.

Thanks! Other than roads, dams and WIFI enabled provincial park campgrounds, not much has changed since your ancestors arrived and its definitely worth a trip.

Excellent story Graham! Glad they let you back in the country! Thanks for sharing the tale.

You're welcome. Its been fun writing about it and living the trip for the second time. :)
 

Papa Tac

Observer
Hey, I know that place!

Wonderful thread, sir! Warms the cockles to know you enjoyed Newfoundland!
I was impressed by the thorough and informative treatment you gave my homeland.
I was born & bred in Town (St. John's), taught the Vikings at community college in St. Anthony, and now work for the Canadian Coast Guard in Port aux Basques - ie, you have to go through me to get here...literally :)
I have been all over this Rock, and you, sir, did a very good job of getting acquainted - you hit all the high points! Your expose was well written, very interesting, and felt like I was looking at my own photo albums.There's a pic that close to my house! I think I saw some family in one shot!

However, Western Brook fjord awaits, whale watching in may-july beckons, and a hoard of secret spots I've banked over years of travel, play and work as a Tour Guide. And of course the TransLabrador highway!
I'd love to offer up my secrets, but it'll cost ya (around here, dark rum is like cigarettes in prison)
Hmmm, Cape Pine, La Manche, Bay Bulls, Sandbanks, Gillam's Rd., Conche/Croque, Baccalieu, and a million more. You should also be leaving with shots of moose, caribou, eagles, osprey, black bear, puffins, turrs, and whaleswhaleswhales! (it's easy to sell something you believe in :ylsmoke:)

So happy to see such a great write-up. Good on ya, old man!

Hey, hang on, there's not one Newfie joke here... oh, wait...
 

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