It has been six years since I embarked on a long motorcycle trip. Owning a cottage business kept me anchored in PEI and close to home during the summer. I sold the business last winter, and now summers are mine again. This road trip was long overdue. Can I still make those long trips like I used to in my thirties, forties, and fifties?
Last spring I purchased a new ride, namely a GSX-S1000GT, a sport-touring bike. For decades I have been a Harley rider, owning both a large touring bike, a 2011 Ultra-Limited, and a smaller muscle cruiser, a 2019 Fat Bob. In recent years, I was riding the smaller and nimbler Fat Bob far more than the heavy touring bike because it was a lot more fun. By comparison, the Ultra Limited felt like driving a truck. As I don’t have a passenger when riding, the extra weight, size, and storage of a large touring bike did not make sense. I wanted a bike that would combine sporty handling with a high fun factor and touring. So, I traded in both Harleys for the Suzuki. It also has modern safety features such as ABS, ride modes, and traction control, features lacking on the older Harleys. The Suzuki also has cruise control, a feature that is well and truly appreciated on long stretches of highway. This bike is a very different animal than V-Twin cruisers, and it was begging for a long ride. It took a few months to learn this bike and forget my old Harley habits. I would have gone sooner, but it was a cool and wet start to summer in PEI; we finally have decent summer weather, and the time had come for a proper road trip. This two-day trip covered just over 1000 km.
I planned a two-day itinerary to check out a few sites along the way. Unfortunately, those plans were undermined by a heat wave, road work, road closures, and detours. The temperature was between 27°C and 33°C, requiring constant hydration and reprieves from the heat. As such, I had to stop every 45 minutes or so at a gas station to drink water and top up fuel. Travel time from Cornwall, PEI, to Digby, NS, is just over six hours without breaks. So, it was a full day of riding, and I was exhausted by the end of the day. Perhaps it is a combination of being in my sixties, high winds, a heat wave, and a lack of long-distance riding in recent years that took it out of me. No matter, I had a nice motel in Digby, a view of the water, and a few minutes’ walk to a good restaurant. A fine reward for being back on the road after a six-year absence.
For most of my journey, I took backroads through Nova Scotia, which were very pretty and full of twists, turns, and blind corners. The roads were also rough and bumpy and in dire need of maintenance, so it was a bit of a challenge to ride through them. The new bike handles it all very well. The scenery is exquisite; I just wish there were some lookout points to take photos. Parking on the road’s soft shoulders was not safe, as the bike could tip over into a drainage ditch. Perhaps next time, I will attach a GoPro to my helmet and take videos.
Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre, South Maitland, NS.
This was my first stop, and it is located along the shores of the Subenacadie River near the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world. As I arrived midday, the waters were calm and the tides were low. During high tides, I am sure there would be strong currents in the river. I took a leisurely stroll along the trail—it was a welcome break from the heat and high winds.
Then it was back on the road. I planned to visit the Fort Anne Historic Site, but time was not on my side. There was a lengthy road closure on Hwy. 101 due to a fatal accident. The detour cost me a fair bit of time. Fort Anne closes at 5PM, and the phone’s GPS indicated I would arrive around 4:45. Bugger! I’ve been there before, so it was not a total loss. Besides, I wanted to arrive in Digby while restaurants were open and before sunset. Driving at night in rural Nova Scotia means hidden potholes and animals crossing the road—no thanks!
Digby, NS, Scallop Capital of the World
Digby bills itself as the scallop capital of the world. It is famous for tasty scallops that are harvested from the Bay of Fundy. These scallops are renowned for the tender texture and mild, sweet flavour. I can’t disagree. I arrived at my motel around 6:30, unloaded the bike, and walked a few minutes in town to find a good place to eat. A lot of restaurants stop serving food after 7PM! WTF, this is a tourist town! One restaurant, The Wheelhouse, was still serving dinner—they have an outside deck with a great view of the water. Suffice it to say, scallops are not cheap these days; however, I decided to treat myself. Dinner was excellent and well worth it. If you ever find yourself in Digby, I recommend you treat yourself at the Wheelhouse Seafood and Pasta Restaurant. After dinner, I walked back to the motel and enjoyed a cigar as I watched the sunset.
The following day’s destination was Pictou, NS. As it turns out, it was not an easy ride, as the temps were over 30°C with high humidity. Click on thumbnails to view the gallery.
