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Labrador clockwise

IronButtAl

IronButtAl

Member
Member
A shout out to my posse and all friends and riders. After being out of Florida and on the road for a month, I'm ready for some more of the heat. It was cool to cold from New England north on my ride to Labrador. Stuff was wet much of the time and temps. were in the upper 30's at night. Left out of Fort Kent/Madawaska and crossed the border at 6:45am and arrived at Labrador (City) at midnight, pretty much an IronButt ride for even me. The ride up is challenging on 389, with hundreds of miles of sand/gravel. If the grader is out, which may be the only vehicle and person you meet for hours at a time, you're in for some hard riding. Suffered two full on tank slappers...one which I was sure of not getting out of and had time to think that it would likely end with at least a broken collar bone or arm. Another interesting event was having two wolves come in on me while setting up in a remote camp site. Most bolts and screws have been replaced on my thumper, the sand wore down all the new brake pads put on in Mass, the chain and sprockets are junk, and the clutch is toast. The rear shock needs to be replaced and my fan stopped working. With 55K put on the bike in the last 16 months, on some challenging rides, I thought it was battle tested. This ride proved me wrong. This is a tough test for dual sport bikes and riders. If you're considering this ride, please contact me for some info regards road conditions and proposed road openings out of Goose Bay. It's a good destination ride if you're into that sort of thing (sickness), but not much to see or do until you're on the Newfoundland coast.
 
Glad that you emerged unscathed, Al. WOW, in the 30's is pretty cool for this time of year. Guess that's why the ferry boats quit running in September. Four of us (Clyde Watson, Brian Jordan, Jason Douglas, and myself) rode from Baie Comeau to Lab City, across to HV-GB, and from Cartwright to the Newfie ferry and down Newfoundland on our KLRs about five years ago. We developed a grading system for farkles, parts, and other gear; the highest rating was "Labrador Proof". Many things weren't. I did buy a nice rain suit in Corner Brook, NF and the Frog Togg pants became a half decent tank bag cover. Dust as bad as the Mexican mountains!! A diesel pusher motor home became dead when dust totally clogged his air filter. Luckily he was towing a smaller vehicle and could drive it to HV-GB to get a new one from the Caterpillar dealer. Yeah, after the first billion black spruce trees........but a ride across Labrador does make beautiful NewFoundland even better! I may get up there again, understand the road from HV-GB to Cartwright is finished? But the food on the ferry sure was good. Still have some of that fine mica dust in the KLR........... ;) Pat COG 1887 IBA 5830 NRA LIFE VSSA LIFE Assorted bikes own me.
 
Pat, you've got everything spot on with regards to trees, dust, and all the other things mentioned. The ride would have been a lot easier for me if I didn't pick a time that the grading was in operation. That poor front wheel did a swim/hunt for about 10 seconds, which is why I didn't think it would come out of it. Going down hill sure made it hard to power out of it. Now that we have both been on the 2nd longest no service road, maybe we should join up for the haul road trip to Alaska next year. Ken Ford and myself have been discussing that for next year, along with a couple of other (mature) riders. It would be good to have a bunch of KLR's to mix up the spares needed. Done that ride yet?? Looking for a few good men........
 
Hey, Al. Reading your report makes me want to run right out and try this.....NOT! Glad you have survived. Wouldn't want to miss on the next gathering at Casa Norcross! Eddie Sanford, FL 2005 Concours 1969 Triumph Bonneville AMA# 686667 COG# 7073 CDA# 0136 http://picasaweb.google.com/Eddie753
 
Al, A trip up in Alaska would really be sweet, though I'd need to get the right lottery ticket which would liberate the TIME! When people ask when I'll retire I usually say "oh, about nine or nine thirty". It's on my bucket list, though. As well as a DS trip to Utah and getting back to the Big Sky country. And maybe LabraDOR! Yeah, that would be great to get a few gnarly adventurers out for a looong spin. :) Please keep me tuned in on your plans. Pat COG 1887 IBA 5830 NRA LIFE VSSA LIFE Assorted bikes own me.
 
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