The Beautiful Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia - Kevin A. Case
Taking off from South Eastern New Brunswick, I merge onto the Trans Canada highway beside a guy in and Audi TT convertible; I can’t help feeling “This is going to be a great long weekend!” My wife and kids are at Girl Guide Camp and I’ve got the green light to spend the next three days with nothing but the clothes on my back, the supplies in my top case and two small saddle bags, and my 800 cc Suzuki Marauder.Riding the superslab for the first half hour to the Nova Scotia border is a great way to stretch out the bike’s legs. It won’t be long before I’ll be off the perpendicular axis more than I am on it, riding the curves along the shore of the Nova Scotia mainland.
As I cross the provincial border and swing east on Highway 6, I’m thanking myself for jumping out of the sack at the first sound of the alarm. Riding in the morning is like taking that early morning walk through the dew soaked grass on a camping trip. The sun is bright over my left side mirror, but the warmth of the sun makes up for it on this brisk June morning.
First stop of the day is in Malagash, near Pugwash, to rid myself of the days first coffee and the check out the Jost Vineyards. It has a great tour of the operation and a license to sell wine. I decide to purchase a nice bottle of their “not the finest” red for the campout in the unpredictable weather on the shores of the North Atlantic in early summer.
Back on the bike and ride until lunch. I’ve come on this trip to ride but I’m not set out to break any records. I’ve got lots of time to finish my intended route and still stop for some of the beautiful ocean views.
This secondary highway has its rolling curves which is natural progression from this early morning divided highway to one of the mist breath taking auto routes in Canada.
Riding through Tatamagouche, you see wharf after wharf with small wooden fishing boats with paint worn off them. To think, their catch could end up on a plate in some of the finest restaurants on the Eastern Seaboard.
The road straightens out long enough to really be able to enjoy the coastal view before coming to the Town of Pictou.
For some reason I feel pretty safe when it comes to Pub food. Nine times out of ten a burger in a tavern will taste pretty much the same. That, with a fountain coke in a beer glass just sings out “comfort food” to me.
Walking the waterfront is a great way to let your lunch settle before throwing a leg over and heading inland through the towns of New Glasgow and Antigonish which are separated by farmland and wilderness. I’ve left the water for a couple of hours until I cross the Causeway over the Strait of Canso that separates the Mainland from the Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Cape Breton’s rich heritage is quite evident in the century old houses and quaint fishing villages. I am considering riding all the way to the Cabot Trail today and camp at Cape North for the night. I suspect the view in this eastern most village in Nova Scotia should be relaxing after my first full day of riding of the year.
Traveling along route 19, on the northern coast of Cape Breton, it is noticeable that this side of the island is rooted in Acadian culture. Once you pass Inverness and pass through Margaree and Cheticamp, these proud people fly their flag at every other house. Stopping in Cheticamp for fuel and food for the night, I would be remiss to not visit the Acadian Museum and check out some of the work and collections of the local artisans. With nourishment for the night packed tightly in my top case, it’s time to enter the world famous Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which is where the Cabot Trail really begins to get picturesque.
Named for the late fifteenth century explorer, John Cabot, the Cabot Trail is a loop around the North East tip of Cape Breton Island. The plan is to ride the first half of the loop along the cliffs of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and stopping stopping somewhere on the northern tip of the Island.
It’s hard to concentrate on the twisties while overlooking one of the most spectacular views in North America, but you must pay attention or you may end up swimming with the whales that can often be seen from the shore, frolicking and blowing only a few hundred yards away.
After ten hours on the road, my monkey butt is telling me to wrap it up for the day. The sun is close to the horizon behind me and I’ll look for a place to pitch the tent in anticipation of the morning sunrise.
Finding a trail head with a nice rest area, I hit the kill switch and sit at a picnic table and reflect. Listening to the clicks and pops of the cooling engine, I can’t help but wish my wife and the girls were with me. Maybe in a few years, when the girls are older, we’ll have two bikes and the four of us can retrace this trip.
The night was cool and quiet and the wine sang me to sleep at a relatively early hour. The next morning the sunrise was nothing special as the fog is a common occurrence in these parts. Packing up the bike reminds me that riding a motorcycle uses muscles you never knew that you had.
Continuing along the south shore of the island, passing through more fishing villages like South Harbour and Neil’s Harbour, I eventually arrive in Ingonish, home of the Keltic Lodge resort. As I ride throught the grounds for kicks, I think to myself I’d much rather be enjoying the scenery on a bike than in a posh resort with golf and five star meals. Oh, how owning a motorcycle changes your perspective.
Further on down the trail is Baddeck where the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, made his summer home. Bell is quoted as saying “I have traveled around the globe. I have seen the Canadian and American Rockies, The Andes, The Alps, and the Highlands of Scotland, but for simple beauty, Cape Breton outrivals them all!”
A quick tour of the Alexander Graham Museum brings me to lunch time. Baddeck is where the Cabot Trail veers north again and transects the island to start the loop again. After a hearty “home cooked” meal in a ten table restaurant, the decision is made to cross the causeway again to the mainland.
Riding along the south shore of Nova Scotia, it’s hard to believe that if you sailed directly due north, you would not hit land until Venezuela. The awesome seaside ride brings more pleasure to the eyes and my thoughts seem redundant with the disbelief of such gorgeous vistas being only a few hours from my front door.
I’m choosing the south shore route in order to end up inn Halifax, the largest city in the Maritime Provinces. I could easily head north and sleep in my own bed, but I’m not due home until tomorrow. Seems like a perfect opportunity to head to the Casino and try my luck at a little Black Jack, sleep in a real bed and hit the superslab for a two and a half ride home.
I’m so glad I decided to take the time to make this trip. I’ll be even more excited when it actually takes place…THIS SUMMER!
Note: I actually did make this same trip several years ago with my wife and dog in a cage, so the geography and attractions are accurate.
