Trip - 4D (600kms/6hrs.)

Sep. 28, 2011 
Leg 1 : Home to Moncton (300kms)

Another work meeting to attend, so I leave early and start at the warmest part of the day. It's a cool 51°F/11°C afternoon, and I haven't found my riding gloves since the accident. After a half hour ride down Hwy.11, my hands are feeling cold.  I planned on dropping into Toys for Big Boys when I got to Moncton, but by the time I get to Bathurst, I decide to leave the highway and go into the small city to buy any gloves I can find.  Going at the slower speeds and needing to clutch, I realize my hands are really stiff from the windchill.  Not much of a selection at Walmart, but I end up getting insulated work gloves.  They're a little bulky while clutching and breaking, but they immediately warm my hands as I get back out onto the highway.

After crossing the beautiful Nepisiguit River, I swing onto Hwy.8 south.  There's lots of colourful leaves starting to change that occupy me on this section of road down past Allardville, La Bonne Route, and into Miramichi where it's warmed to 58°F/14°C.   After crossing the Centennial Bridge, I take the first exit. 

Soon I'm turning south and stop for gas at Papa Joe's Irving where it's "only" $1.23/litre.  Although this place is cheaper than most, we've settled into gas being well over a dollar per litre now, that this seems cheap.  The usual routine of washing bugs from the helmet visor, windshield and lights is done, so after paying for the fillup, I continue on Hwy.126 through the twisties, then down to Rogersville where traffic drastically slows.  

The trip seems uneventful and routine down to this point as I'm now following 3 cars back at sub-highway speed.  As one car pulls out to pass the others, I follow.  Then, the routine part is over.  This VW turbo ahead of me decides to lead the way quickly.  Then "quick" turns into him trying to outrun me!  I can't let that happen, so after noticing that I'm still there behind him, he slows to less than warp speed, then he's off again.  I continually see his exhaust puffing as he is going through the gears hard.  I tag along as he continues to cycle between low and high warp speeds.  It's a quick ride down to Moncton, and before I know it, the final twisties appear, and I then am headed down Mountain Rd. and make my way to the Future Inns hotel.  A new swanky spot - aside from the noisy elevators which will haunt me all night long even though I'm far from them.

I unpack, then head out to meet up with Jeff for a Swiss Chalet supper (chicken & haddock yumm), check out the movie Office Space, then back to the motel room to relax.

Sep. 29, 2011 
Leg 2 - Return home from Moncton

After finishing up the meeting earlier than expected, I'm packed up under sunny skies and ready to roll with a comfortable temp. of 64°F/18°C.  Since it's still early, I head to the southwest corner of the city to check out the motorcycle gloves at Toys For Big Boys.  The road there is under construction, so a slow, soft sand route eats up more time than expected.  Finally at the store, I look around and see very little selection late in the riding season.  Without buying anything, I head back through the city (on a different route), then north onto Hwy.126.

Since it's a beautiful biking day, I just soak up the sun as I leisurely wind through the lower end of this highway, then lay out on the tank bag for the straight stretch up through Harcourt, Coal Branch, and Rogersville.  Suddenly, it occurs to me that this morning I left a care package of frozen spaghetti sauce with the motel restaurant, but forgot to pick it up after the meeting!!!  Damn, Jeff will be pissed at missing out on a great batch! 

The north end of Hwy.126 is never boring as the twisties eventually lead me into Nelson with that familiar spruce tree scent, then into Miramichi and across the Centennial Bridge.  I normally stop for gas and rest at this point, but I decide to motor on and grab something to eat later since it's only mid-afternoon.  Traffic is light and quick up Hwy.8, and within an hour, I'm taking the exit to Tim Hortons in Bathurst for a chicken wrap, donut and tea mmmm.

I leave Bathurst with a warm belly and continue up Hwy.11, and since it's a great day, I decide to leave the boring highway to take the Jacquet River exit.  Here, I follow the Chaleur Bay coastline through the small communities with dazzling views that I never tire of.  Within half an hour, it's time to fill up the tank before completing this trip after the final 10 minute drive home.