It is the more remote, gravel part of the Trans Labrador Highway. The first 100 km is paved and the other 300 km or so to our destination in Port Hope Simpson are a combination of loose, hard-packed gravel, dirt, sand & dust.
Couldn't have picked better weather - sunny with cloudy periods, few bugs & no rain!
We filled up our two 4 litre gas jugs just to be on the safe side, although we have been getting great mileage (400 km) without going into reserve. My bike not burning any oil, Pat's a small bit.
Didn't want to waste any more time looking for a satellite phone in HV/GB, so we took a chance & went without one. There is no cell service & no services at all on this section of road. If something happens to us or our bikes, we will have to rely on a passing motorist to assist.
Hwy 500 brought us into Labrador from Quebec. Now Hwy 510 south will lead us through the rugged, vast wilderness of Labrador.
As soon as you leave Hwy 500 for Hwy 510, you need to go over a long, metal bridge over the waterway of Gull Lake.
Pat said later that going over metal bridges is a good preparation for driving gravel roads. In both cases you need to feel comfortable with the front tire wiggling around, trying to follow the metal pattern or picking it's way through the stones.
It's a combination of letting the front wheel move while still maintaining control. I always feel like a beginner when experiencing both of these after a time lapse. After awhile, my comfort level gets better but I can never, ever let my guard down! In a way I feel a bit ripped off since I can't check out the scenery as much as someone like Pat. He jokes that I never look back at him in my mirror (I set the pace according to my level of comfort at the time) and that he could be in the ditch for awhile before I would notice & then never be able to find him!
Talking about tires and grip, Pat also says ideally we should have brought 2 sets of tires (instead of just 1 spare rear). Our sets are a 50/50 ratio for on and off road & we should have had a set for highway & a 80/20 ratio set or set of knobby tires for the TLH. Our front tires really squiggled around on top of the gravel instead of chewing through it.
Found it necessary to take a break every 50 km or so. I found it so energy sapping, having to focus on the road so much. After about 200 km of incessant gravel, squiggling, jolting & dust, I had to just slow right down and stop. Our headsets not working so Pat had to guess what was up. My tirade lasted a bit, pent up nerves and frustration over what was turning out to be a 10 hr day of driving in some of the most challenging conditions & just whose idea was this anyway??? ðŸ˜
Had to keep going so I sucked it up & did just that. Even picked up my speed more just to get to our destination that much sooner!
Our speed ranged from 40-70 km/hr. Since we kept the engines low and with the 16 tooth sprocket we only used up 11 litres each out of our 22 total in the tank! Our total mileage was 432 km.
I saw a bear cub dash into the bushes while Pat saw a Bull moose gazing out from the bushes near our destination. Another time up ahead on the road was a momma bear trying to cajole her cub off the road. We stayed way back till they both moved off.
Exhausted & covered in dust we crawled into our accommodation. Tomorrow more of the same!
This pic gives you a good idea of the road. Wider in some sections than other, no shoulders and lots of curves, steep hills and fast drivers kicking up dust and stones
Here is Pat chipping a piece away from a large quartz looking stone. The trees remind me of
pipe cleaners....tall, skinny, bushy at the top
It was still cool out for driving bikes and lots of snow on nearby mountains, by the roadside. Truckers most considerate, slowed right down. Tomorrow we will finish the TLH
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