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Date:         Fri, 3 Jan 2003 23:47:50 -0500
Reply-To:     Alan Pickersgill <alanpick@MAGMA.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alan Pickersgill <alanpick@MAGMA.CA>
Subject:      Re: east coast caravan
Comments: To: Dan Barrett <dan@OFFTHEHILL.ORG>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It wasn't a caravan but my dog George and I took the coastal boat from Lewisporte NF to Goosebay Labrador a number of years ago with one stop in Cartwright for an hour or so. The trip wsa supposed to take two days but took 3 because we were surrounded by ice from an hour or so after departurre until we went into Hamilton Sound ( where Goosebay is located). This was very late June - we arrived in Goosebay I day late on July 1st - Canada Day. Once out of the ice it was very hot, 35 degrees centigrade 90 something F..

The trip from Goosebay/Churchill Falls/LabradorCity/Baie Comeau QC was 16 hours of driving, and where the road was not under construction (where it was horrible - but I believe is now competed) it was about the finest gravel road I've ever experienced. No trouble to maintain 100-110 km/hour. We met 4 cars, a van supporting a group of bicyclists, and a 70 year old guy from Louisiana on a BMW motorcycle who had already been to Alaska on the same trip.

As someone pointed out there is now a road from Cartwright down to Blanc Sablon and it may be possible to take the coastal boat (ferry) to Cartwright and then drive down to the Labrador Straits. If the ferry is still runnning from the Labrador side to the Newfoundland side of the Strait of Belle Isle it would be a wonderful trip, allowing you to go to the World Heritage site at L'anse aux Meadows (Viking buildings from 1000 BC) and then down the Northern Peninsula to Gros Morne National Park. Newfoundland has too many beautiful things to see to describe here, but anyone doing this trip would never forget it.

This is the sort of trip these machines of ours were meant for. Fishermen should take note that there is wonderful fishing but unless it has changed it is necessary to engage a guide.

I hope some of you do this trip it will be great.

Alan Pickersgill Ottawa ON Canada Long time resident of Newfoundland '85 Transporter converted to Westfalia ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Barrett" <dan@OFFTHEHILL.ORG> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 12:14 PM Subject: east coast caravan

> Volks, > First, many thanks for your responses. I think Barry's probably right about > Malcolm's proposed route -- Mapquest says the following for the first leg: > > Boston -> Baie-Comeau, QC: 485mi, ~13 hours > Baie-Comeau, QC -> Goose Bay, NF: 372mi, ~16 hours > > That's a hell of a haul. I realize that Mapquest's math is a little screwy, > but I'm wondering how aggressive a schedule to pursue: thirteen-hour drives > in one day? Would it be more practical to stick to a goal of, let's say, no > more than eight hours of driving in a day, and shorten the circuit > accordingly? > Again, I'm obliged for the input; I especially thank Malcolm who has written > me on other occasions with very useful information about QC and NF. I'm > going to have a look at the info on the bus event in August just as soon as I > can finish a little busywork here at the office. > > > Best, > d. >


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