Newfoundland's T'Railway Trail

Maybe I need Ritalin or maybe my brain is on hyperdrive when it comes to planning trips, especially two-wheeled ones, but I have thought up and changed my mind so many times when it comes to adventures and bikes. You readers can attest to this. "What the fuck is he planning this week?"

Unfortunately most of these amazing ideas I have, rarely make it past these pages. I think I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I am not a touring bike guy, or a cruiser guy, as much as my inner hooligan, Clay Morrow may like me to be. I do enjoy touring, but off the beaten path, and in places where the possibility of getting dirty is a given. For example Pete and I in Labrador, and all the fun I had at the Fundy Adventure Rally last year. (I'm going again this year). So I guess that makes me an adventure rider.

This August it will have been two years since Pete and I left
on the Bigland Adventure, and I am jonesing for another adventure, and I think Pete is too. Since I mentioned Railway Trail and 250cc bikes, he keeps emailing about different ones. The fly has been cast, hook is set, time to reel him in.

For those of you that are thinking "what the hell is this railway trail?". Well, it's back in Newfoundland, it's the old railway bed that stretches from St. John's in the east, to Port Aux Basques in the west for a total of 883km. It is now considered a Provincial Park, however most sections are open to bikes and ATV's.

I've been wanting to do this trip for a longtime, and I think next year might be the year to do it. Oxley won't take too much convincing and Zak from Canada Moto Guide has expressed a lot of interest. So it may turn into a CMG/Bigland Adventures film. Woohoo.

Now comes the most brought up subject on this blog, what bike to use for the trip. Small ones of course. The trail is railway bed, big loose stones, and ATV ruts. Why drag a huge bike over that? We won't require a lot of gear since the trail passes by a lot of communities, and in the words of Oxley "why camp when you don't have to" So camping gear is off the list, which makes the bike a lot lighter already.

I'm thinking some tools, spare parts, clean underwear and socks, a couple of t-shirts, one pair of pants/shorts, and flip flops and we are good to go.

Back to the bikes. I'm thinking a Honda CRF250L. Why, because you meet the nicest people on a Honda. I'm sure there are equally as nice people on other brands. My first bike was a Honda, I have an affinity to the brand, and hell, they even make a jet.

First bike

Next bike

Small, relatively light, good on gas, and fuel-injected. It's no race bike, but that's not what I'm looking for.  A relatively easy to ride, comfortable and reliable bike.

I think Pete is leaning towards Mean Green's version of the CRF, Kawasaki's KLX250S.

So the old, reliable Strom is up for sale. If any of you want to buy the coolest Vstrom in the Maritimes, get it now while it's still available. First one at my door with around $5000 gets a piece of adventure riding history. (written with wit and sarcasm). It's been all tuned up, new rear tire, new rear brakes, ready to roll on more adventures. Oh and it comes with a lot of cool stickers so you look like a real studly adventurer. I'd really like to see it go to a good home, so someone real cool needs to buy it.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?requestSource=b&adId=1085124162