Feature Destinations
Barber-Motorsports Museum Birmingham Alabama
Cape Spear Newfoundland – 44 Days, 17,995 kms, 17 States, 10 Provinces, 5 Mountain Passes, 1 Set of Tires, Countless Tanks of Gas and 1 Spaceship
After several cross-country trips and adventures south of the border, somehow my journey didn’t seem complete without checking out Newfoundland and a couple, three to be exact, States off my to-do list. I also longed for an extended motorcycle ride where I could just spend weeks on my bike with enough time to “be Jeff” and reboot. I decided that in the summer of 2025, I would make it happen with my ultimate destination being Cape Spear, Newfoundland, the most easterly point on the North American continent. Clearly, I don’t need much of a reason for an extended bike trip. Everyone thinks the Prairies are boring, but all adventures have their pros and cons, and I personally enjoy the variety. As bike trips go, riding from Kelowna to Newfoundland is pretty much a straight ride until you get to the east coast, where roads like the Cabot Trail and the local scenery make things interesting. My first destination was Old Quebec City. I’ve wanted to return there for some time and I really enjoyed my visit as always. It feels like a little bit of Europe right here in Canada.
Most trips across Canada are made via the Trans-Canada Highway, but there are other routes, and this time I took the Red Coat Trail. It follows the railway line further south and travels through many small communities. I seem to be drawn to the iconic things along the way like the Wawa Goose.
“Quebec City is a walled city with culture, great food, poutine and a pretty decent Guinness”
In past visits to PEI, the ferry was the only way across, but now there’s a bridge, and I decided to ride across it and take an (expensive) ferry back across to Caribou Nova Scotia some roads are “just because you can” roads that must be ridden. The Cabot Trail is one of the more scenic rides and the perfect way to spend a day waiting for the boat to Newfoundland. I have to say I lucked out on the weather, as I was expecting more rain and cooler temperatures.
The ferry to Newfoundland takes about 8 hours on the shorter route from North Sydney to Port aux Basques, and the seas were calm. I arrived on the island and my first impression was it reminded me of Hawaii with lush green mountains off in the distance, not what I was expecting for a place they call the rock. I’m not sure why, but It’s interesting how different Eastern Canada feels compared to Western Canada. The Island is also quite large, at 900 kms from the ferry landing to St. John’s if you take the direct route. I felt a sense of urgency to get there, but a place called Twillingate was my first destination with a Hobbit-like name and situated on iceberg alley.
Twillingate was a picturesque, colourful oceanside village, just what you expect on the east coast, with friendly people and a couple of nice pubs. There was a small iceberg in the bay and remnants of others washing up on shore. It’s hard to imagine this ice might have started it’s journey in Greenland and could be thousands of year old. People were collecting it on the beach for their coolers.
It was awesome to arrive at Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America and home to Newfoundland’s oldest lighthouse. With high winds and beautiful ocean vistas, it felt like the end of the earth and marked the completion of one of the main goals on this trip.
“Cape Spear felt like the end of the earth and marked one of the main goals of my road trip.”
St John’s was my next destination, and I was surprised to find a large campground in the city and a historic pub district, including places like The Duke Of Duckworth. It would have been easy to stay a few more days here, but my mind was already working on another destination. I arrived here a week sooner than expected and decided that I would leave the island early if I could adjust my ferry booking. My new plan was to head south once I was back in Nova Scotia and cross the border to finally see the Space Shuttle Discovery and visit the last two States (actually three States) I hadn’t been to. It was not a favourable time to visit the US due to the political climate, but this would probably be my only opportunity to complete my eastern travel goals. I also knew it would be crazy riding a motorcycle through some of the busiest cities in North America, but it wouldn’t be an adventure without a few challenges. The ferry leaves from Argentia, NL, and takes 16 hours to reach Sydney, NS. It’s a modern boat that feels like a mini cruise ship and you can get a cabin if you book months in advance, but I preferred the lounge area.
Back on the mainland it was time to redirect and set course to rendezvous with the Space Shuttle Discovery. I was at the last launch in Florida and I was determined to see it once again, close up this time.
It’s amazing how many states and major cities are crammed into the western US, and immediately after crossing the border at St Steven, NB to Calais, Maine I had that familiar out-of-country sense. I don’t know why it always feels so different, but I guess it is a different country? I knew this adventure would have me riding through some of the busiest cities in the US. I had already been to many them on past trips so my mission was to just ride. I wasn’t planning a lot of sight-seeing on the way, but there is always something interesting, like a submarine in the park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This typical port town with plenty of character, good pubs, like the Gas Light Company, a nice harbor town with efficient parking patrols. A strong US dollar makes a parking ticket sting, speaking from experience.
For the next few days, I focused on riding the last few states I had not been to including, Providence, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware and major cities like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. I did my best to stay off the Turnpikes and Interstates but sometimes you just have to commit and deal with unexpected toll booths that resemble NASCAR pit stops, and let me tell you riding through New York City in the heat and rain is a motorcycle riding experience you won’t soon forget.
It took a few interesting riding days, but I made it to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia home to many cool aircraft like the record setting SR71 Blackbird Spy plane, the Enola Gay B52 Bomber, and of course the Space Shuttle Discovery. Was it worth the journey, no question for me. I’ve have always had an interest in space travel and science, and it was a personal goal to see it launch and to visit it again. It always feels amazing to complete a goal or several goals as on this trip. Mission accomplished and I am grateful.
This trip has taken many turns along the way and for part three of trip my plan was to head north to Ontario and visit my hometown Toronto, and family that I haven’t seen since I left on my life change 30 years ago. It would also be good to get away from the major centres and head back up through Upstate New York.
Heading north through West Virginia with “Country Roads” playing in my head…
My journey north took me through the scenic back roads of West Virginia, taking in a portion of legendary Highway 50 along the way. This highway runs completely across the US from east to west. In the west it’s known as the “loneliest highway” (for good reason), specifically the desolate, remote stretch that cuts across Nevada. It made me think that riding the whole length of it one day would be a great trip in itself, but this time it was north to Pennsylvania on Highway 219, a nice secondary route, and my favourite type of road passing through rural villages and towns. In Bradford, PA, I saw the Zippo Lighter Factory and made an abrupt u-turn to stop and check out the Museum. Needless to say, I now own a cool brass Zippo lighter. These random stops at iconic places make some of the best memories. Next was York State, where I stayed My journey north took me through the scenic back roads of West Virginia taking in a portion of legendary Highway 50 along the way this highway runs completely across the US from east to west. In the west it’s know as the “loneliest highway” (for good reason) specifically the desolate, remote stretch that cuts across Nevada. It made me think that riding the whole length of it would be a great trip in itself, but this time it was north to Pennsylvania on Highway 219, a nice secondary route and my favourite type of road passing through rural villages and towns. In Bradford PA it passed by the Zippo Lighter Factory and I made an abrupt u-turn to stop and check out the Museum. Needless to say I now own a cool brass Zippo lighter. These random stops at iconic places make some of the best memories. Next was York State where I stayed in Ellicottville, a tourist town, not far from the Canadian Border.
I grew up in Toronto and left a long time ago in search of a smaller town, close to nature and far away from tall buildings and endless traffic. My reason for returning on this trip was to catch up with my dear friends in the city and family in cottage country. The only thing I really missed about TO was the famous Peameal Bacon Sandwiches at the St. Lawrence Market and authentic Greek Food, so my cravings have been satisfied for a while. Toronto’s not much of a place to ride a motorcycle (another reason to move) but not as crazy as New York. If you haven’t been to Toronto, it is a great city to visit. From Toronto, I headed north in the pouring rain, destination Port Sydney, Muskoka. I have many great memories spending my summers “up north” as we would say and after so many years it was nice to see somethings haven’t changed, even the General Store is still standing.
With Cape Spear Newfoundland, Discovery, and a stop over in Ontario checked off my list it was it was time to think about my return route heading west. I contemplated returning via the direct route on the Trans-Canada but so far most of this ride had been about the destinations more than the roads. A quick study of my map showed that by crossing the border, again, at Sault Ste. Marie I could plan to ride the amazing mountain passes in the Black Hills, Montana, and Wyoming. The centre of my tires looked quite worn, it was time to start using up the sides.
“The centre of my tires looked worn so it was time to work on using up the sides“
There never seems to be a shortage of giant iconic things along the way. I was determined to see the Sudbury Nickel (just because) and I also discovered the world’s largest Loonie in Echo Bay, Ontario, Big John near Vulcan, and the City of Norway in Michigan. Yes, these are real towns, and sadly, I didn’t get a picture of the Viking Ship in Norway. For some reason, crossing the plains through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota towards South Dakota does not resemble the Canadian prairies at all, the landscape is more rolling-hills and there are communities. The distance does not seem as far if you stay on the back roads and off the Interstates. I took primarily Highway 8 and Highway 14. It’s great country out there especially with places like the Shafer Saloon offering cheap beer, good food, live music, and a house full of friendly locals. I often get asked what happens when it rains, well you take to next sunny opportunity to dry out your gear so it’s ready for the next sleep, sometimes behind a gas station.
The riding gets more interesting as you approach South Dakota, but by the time you do you will have noticed many, many signs along the way for a place called Wall Drugs. You owe it to yourself not to miss this spectacle, it’s a great place for lunch or to hunt for Jackalope’s.
The Black Hills of South Dakota offer some amazing riding opportunities with like Iron Mountain Road, the Needles Highway, the road to Spearfish and more. If it’s your first trip you could spend many days riding and exploring this area. There are also many attractions like Mount Rushmore, Sturgis, Deadwood City and Crazy Horse. I stayed in Hill City in a rustic cabin motel with its own mini wine bar in the compound. I have to say that I didn’t think I would be impressed by the Crazy Horse project but the museum is world-class. I wonder in what future decade they’ll be done chipping away at this mountain-sized monument.
With roads in the area like Iron Mountain my tires are starting to get a good workout….
Wyoming is open country with one of its most famous landmarks being Devils Tower. I had passed by it many times on previous motorcycle trips always at a distance, this time I was determined to have a closer encounter. Like many tourist attractions the entrance fee was too much to justify a ride up a narrow road in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I think the view is better from a distance.
One of my favourite things about travelling in rural America is finding places like Spotted Horse, Wyoming. It’s located off the beaten track on Highway 14/16, the population is listed as two. This bar is one of only a few buildings in the area and It has been around since the twenties. Sadly, it was closed the day I passed through, it looks like it’s a popular stop for the Sturgis crowd. You just don’t find places like this in Canada.
The Mint Bar, located in Sheridan, Wyoming is along route 14 and from here the riding just gets better as the roads wind and climb. I was heading for Red Lodge, Montana to ride the Beartooth Pass. Highway 14 splits at a place called Burgess Junction with the alternate 14A heading more northward. All the roads in this area are amazing motorcycle roads.
Red Lodge, Montana is a good-size, tourist town, it’s a logical stop and stay before heading over the Beartooth Pass. I stayed at the KOA campground about 5 miles out of town. If the motorcycle gods are with you, the weather will be clear and the traffic light, it’s not uncommon to see snow at the top in the summer. Don’t forget to stop at the sign at the top for a photo op at 10,947 feet. I had a perfect day this trip.
The Beartooth – Highway 212 out of Red Lodge, Montana is without a doubt one of the most stunning mountain passes in the US at 10,947 feet at the summit
After riding the Beartooth and heading west through Yellowstone National Par, I set my sights on one of the other great mountain passes known as Going-to-the-Sun Road. This highway is incredibly scenic when the weather is clear and usually lined with traffic. It’s so busy now that they stage the traffic going from west to east. I almost passed on riding it once I found this out but through a little more “googling” I found out there is no booking an entry time necessary from east to west, starting at St. Mary. The weather was perfect, and I’m glad I took a chance on the traffic as it was uncharacteristically light. This is definitely a worthwhile ride if conditions are right but don’t expect high-speed sweepers and knee-dragging just enjoy the view. If you decide to ride Going-to-the-Sun plan to do it on a clear day.
So you might be wondering why the last photo of my journey is of an Airstream Trailer Bar. I will sum it up by saying, budgeting for this trip, I figured camping would cost $30-$50 a night at established campgrounds. I camp to keep my costs down and I really enjoy it. It’s not practical to find off-the-grid campgrounds, especially with a Goldwing. Staying close to or in towns provides a better opportunity to engage with the locals and for me that’s one of the reasons I travel.
This Airstream is located in the West Glacier KOA, by far the most luxurious campground I’ve stayed in (except for maybe New Orleans). The smell of barbeque beef brisket wafting through the air from the grill at the on-site cafe should have been my first clue that this place was going to cost more than average.
In fact all my stays at campgrounds cost more than my anticipated budget, averaging around $60-$70 plus US a night regardless of the amenities. I got over the sticker shock early on and just accepted it. The best and least expensive campground I stayed at was the Spearfish City Campground in Spearfish near Sturgis, costing around $25 bucks for a beautiful park-like setting. Now back to the Airstream, West Glacier is a bustling tourist destination and at first I rode ride by this KOA, figuring it would be full and pricy, but it had been a long day, so I turned around and took a chance there might be a tent site available. To my surprise, the attendant had two sites and after enthusiastically saying, “I’ll take one”, she told me in a quite cavalier fashion it would be $147 plus taxes (that’s US dollars). There was a moment of silence next, but the smell of beef brisket, the thought of a cold beer and live music overwhelmed me, and I booked my site. The lesson here is simple: sometimes you stay cheap and sometimes not, but consider the Motel 6 in West Glacier was around $400. The campsite was 10X10 square feet, dirt with a picnic table, it was great, and so was the dinner and music.
I look at it as an average cost over the 44 days I was on the road, camping was more than expected, gas was a little cheaper south of the border. I stayed in more rooms, especially in the eastern part of the country with rooms costing around $150 on average. If you’re planning to camp keep in mind there’s a huge network of campgrounds out there and KOA’s (Kampgrounds of America) typically have everything you need, including cabins, and are well located like the one in Quebec City. It even had a shuttle bus to the old city. I also use Booking.com to find rooms because it allows you to reserve without paying and cancel easily.
No matter how long I’ve been on the road when I see other riders, loaded up and heading in the opposite direction, I wonder where they’re headed and it makes me want to turn around….
The final leg of my journey took me north through Whitefish and Libby, Montana, and I crossed the border back into Canada without any fanfare at Roosvile and headed to Cranbrook and ultimately back to Kelowna.
As much as I love riding down in the USA returning to our country and scenery never disappoints. No matter how long I’ve been on the road, when I see other riders, loaded up and heading in the opposite direction, I wonder where they’re sense for adventure is taking them, and it makes me want to turn around. I guess it’s time to start planning the next road trip.
Barber Motorsports, Birmingham Alabama – 25 Days, 15 States, 11,455 Kms
In 2018 a three week window of time opened and up and after some quick calculations I determined that it was enough time to make a run to the famous Barber Motorsports Museum in Birmingham Alabama. The goal was to visit the museum and finally make it down to the deep southern states with New Orleans as the turn around point. When I mentioned the trip to my riding buddy in typical fashion his only question was when are we leaving. Knowing there would be some long hard days ahead I decided to upgrade my mount and I found a pretty clean Honda 2009 ST1300 and bought it sight unseen over the phone. A few weeks later we were pushing or way through heavy rain towards Missoula Montana and Cheyenne Wyoming.
Our journey took us through the Ozark Mountains to the historic town of Eureka Springs Arkansas. It was still raining when we left the next morning but this is an area that’s definite worth a re-visit. You never know what you’ll find out in the back country of the US we passed through Twist Arkansa the town where BB King’s famed guitar Lucille earned its name after a dance hall brawl. Memphis was next on the agenda and we spend the night checking out the clubs on Beale Street. No trip to Memphis would be complete without a trip to Sun Studios and Elvis’s place to check out his house and rides.
Nashville was next on the list of places to visit and after a quick stop for provisions at Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Nashville of course is known for its country music scene and it did not disappoint. Broadway Street is lined with clubs featuring live music on multiple floors including Roberts Western World where Robert, dress like Elvis, performs daily.
It was a long day and night in Nashville and we even managed to spend some time centre stage at the Grand Oly Opry. From Nashville we headed south to Birmingham and the Barber Motorsports Museum. What great collection of motorcycles and worth every kilometre to get there and spend a day wandering the the many floors and halls. All of the bikes are in pristine condition and there’s track there as well. New Orlean’s was our next destination and we picked up a section of the The Natchez Trace Parkway a scenic byway that seems to have been made for motorcyclists.
Arriving in New Orleans the temperature was hovering over 40 degrees with the humidity was around 100% so needless to say you have to use mind over matter to keep your cool while dressed in riding gear and sitting on a very hot bike. It’s just something you have to be prepared for down south…it’s hot but fortunately the French Quarter is cool in a different way. Another great spot for live music and culture.
After a couple interesting days in N’Olins as they say it was time to plot a course for home that would get us there while avoiding most interstates. It was a great trip through the back country of Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington. We had an un-planned layover in Abilene with an un-fixable rear tire but you have to expect the unexpected on a road trip it all part of the adventure. The trip took 25 days with an overall average of roughly 600kms a day camping most days.
Not all who wander are lost