Day 2: From smuggler's routes to Nova Scotia!
- arreterlaspcaroule
- il y a 4 jours
- 3 min de lecture
After a scheduled 6:00 AM wake-up call, I finally rolled out of bed around 6:30 AM. My day kicked off with a memorable battle against the shower faucet—stabilizing the temperature was completely impossible, as the hot and cold water stubbornly refused to work together! After downing a minimalist breakfast consisting of a protein shake and a few nuts, it was time to pack up the Africa Twin once again and hit the road. Well, I still had to wait for a train to pass first—likely the exact same one that blasted its horn at 11:00 PM last night!
I started by riding along the Baie des Chaleurs on the Quebec side before getting onto the bridge connecting Quebec to New Brunswick. Just like that, I am officially a tourist in another province! As soon as I crossed the bridge, I began following the coastline. I passed through the municipality of Charlo, which features a beautiful setup to admire the Baie des Chaleurs all the way to the Gaspé coast.
While there, I met a lady who came right over to chat. I learned that her daughter lives in Nova Scotia. It is always fascinating to see how traveling with full motorcycle gear sparks conversations and draws people's curiosity. Let's just say that if my goal was to blend in, I failed miserably! 😄
One thing that strikes you when traveling along the New Brunswick coast is that access to the water is almost impossible. The shoreline is lined with private homes, meaning you can only catch glimpses of it from the road while riding. Plus, finding a safe place to pull over is a real challenge. The roadside has such a steep slope that it risks tipping the bike over. That is the main reason why I have very few photos to show you today.
The downside to this situation is that finding public restrooms is just as difficult! I finally had to pay an admission fee at a local site just to access the facilities and a viewpoint over a beach. I must admit, the view was well worth it. That is where I had lunch, taking in the landscape that I’m sharing with you below. It allowed me to take a very relaxing 30-minute break before hitting the road toward my final destination.
To reach Nova Scotia, I had to swallow a few hundred more kilometers, mostly on highways. Honestly, the choice of roads is very limited. You have to take the main route, where the speed limit fluctuates between 80 and 110 km/h, just to make any headway. These lanes do not run directly along the water—even if you brush past it at times—but it is the only route available.
The crossing between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia was quite unique. My GPS made me detour onto deserted back roads, to the point where I felt like a smuggler sneaking across the border! Fortunately, I made it to my destination without being pulled over by border patrol (if there even is one!) to pitch my tent.
After setting up camp and choking down another freeze-dried meal (yes, another one!), I finally got to take a refreshing shower. It was more than welcome after all those kilometers and, above all, the oppressive heat. Having started in the morning chill, I watched the thermometer climb rapidly to hover constantly between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Needless to say, under motorcycle safety gear, it felt like a total furnace. At one point, I even caught myself looking for shade behind a storefront sign!
In total, this second day wrapped up with 528 km of road over 7 hours and 14 minutes of riding.
Having absolutely no internet connection out here—the cell network is downright scary—I am writing these lines tonight knowing that I won't be able to publish them until tomorrow. With that, I'll leave you to read this recap while I slide into my sleeping bag.
Thank you all for following me on this adventure to beat the disease. Your encouragement carries me with every twist of the throttle!
Why am I riding? 🏍️🧡
Canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the world. This unpredictable neurological disease often strikes young adults, turning their lives upside down overnight. Every single kilometer ridden on the handlebars of my Africa Twin is dedicated to those fighting it. Together, let’s keep research rolling to beat the disease! To cheer me on and make an official donation to MS Canada, click here: 🔗 https://msspwcms.donordrive.com/participants/arreter-la-sp-ca-roule-2026 👊 #RideToStopMS #MSCanada