summer ride to NB/NS Canada

I have lived in US since 2011, this time, ridden to 49 states,46 Scooter,3 Suzuki TU250----Living in south, I have no interest in any more touring here---simply too hot. So never ridden to NB/NS, will go late July/earlyAug. Further will bypass PA and NY....don't want to waste my money on such crappy road conditions.
Route north from Chattanooga to Detroit, ride in Canada to last bridge in Quebec back to US/Maine---get to NB/NS on mostly back roads. Probably return home on same routes.
I use my trusty map book, No electronic devices, carry light camping stuff, no cooking stuff.
Scooter: mine is always ready for trip---starting trip with fresh rear tire, experience has taught me no Honda dealers stock rears for SilverWing---cheaper change tire at home, even wasting some tread mileage. HD dealers in the days of 5.00 x16 big twin tires always had tire in stock...not so sure now with variety of tire sizes.
I carry spare drive belt and rollers/sliders. I consider Honda bikes/scooters as reliable as their cars----except drive belts/also tire repair stuff and pump.
Most times in Canada I change no money, using credit cards: Note as US is behind in chipped cards---make sure you use and carry chipped ones.
Based on past experience Canada costs me a little more than riding in US.

Based on over 1.5 million touring miles, on scooter I gas every 100 miles in strange territory---walking sucks. Known territory I can go 150 miles without worry

Oh, how envious I am right now, John.  Loved NB/NS ever since my first visit, as a college student to do some canoe camping.  The evening light there in the summer has a special quality that is idyllic.  And the lobster dinners--yum! You're going to have a great time!

Woo hoo! Good for you Mr Grinsel. Sounds like an ambitious end run around PA & NY though.
You'll be in for an challenging ride with all the big trucks on the 401.

If it were me, I'd opt to ride the North Shore above Quebec and ferry across the St Laurent at Tadoussac and enter NB from the north.

But if you will be crossing at Calais ME/St Stephen NB there is a nice city park campground on top of the hill overlooking Saint John NB. Great new road from the border and only about an hour away.

Maybe Mike or Jay will check in with some other options for your visit--like a good, down home, lobster dinner. Ooo, and don't forget the poutine in QB

Tim

Congrats on the trip, sounds like a good one.

>Note as US is behind in chipped cards---make sure you use and carry chipped ones.< I carry such a card and find to many stores haven't upgraded their systems for use, and from what I read people are not to enthused because of the time it takes to get checked out, and lordy don't remove the card UNTIL the unit tells you to, do it a microsecond to soon and you have to start all over again

Hey, John, If you are coming into Saint John on your trip, you are welcome at my place for a day or two. As long as you can put up with dachshunds and cats and my spicy cooking. Send me a PM and we can meet.
Jay.

John,
I sure hope we can get together while you're here. Not certain what areas you may like to see but check out the Nova Scotia web cams for previews of places worth visiting.

http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/en/webcams/peggys-cove-lighthouse/

This link for the lighthouse will get you into their system of province wide cameras.
Peggy's Cove is a real tourist trap but a good place to see. Lunenberg is scenic without a doubt, and if seafood is your thing, or ship building, then that is one place worth visiting. The Bounty was built there for the movie. The Halifax Citadel provides a road from which Halifax can be seen from a higher level and at 360 degrees as you drive around the fort.

Let me know the types of interests you have or the things you may like to see and I'll offer some suggestions.

Only fair to offer a word of caution ... some of the secondary roads here are terrible (some !).

For really scenic areas, the Cape Breton Highlands and the Cabot Trail is a must for someone who travels as you do.

Hope we can meet !

Mike