2022 Dorman Family Tour de Little France report

We’ve done some good riding over the past two weeks. Unfortunately, the extreme heat warning suggested that we shouldn’t try to finish the final stage of our ride - across the barrens to close the loop. It was this section of branch line — seen on an old map that my parents had on the wall after they moved to Harbour Grace  — that inspired us to start riding them.  But there’s always next year….

Many many thanks to everyone who supported us along the way, with encouragement and donations. Especially my mother who worried about us and her neighbour Timmy who kindly loaned us a bike! We couldn’t have done it without them. We rode 72.52 miles (116 km) on challenging terrain and thanks to your generosity, we more than exceeded our fundraising goals!

For those who are feeling inspired, there’s lots more branch lines out there to ride! 

Stage 3 TDLF: The Queen Stage

This was an unexpectedly epic ride. It was cold and cloudy when we left the cabin - very unlike recent weather.  We rode the 6 miles to the main trailway, and turned west.  The track here is wide and in good shape, but with a strong headwind and heavy rain the day before had left lots of puddles.  We got to Whitbourne without difficulty and stocked up on provisions. 

 

We picked up the branch line next to the community garden. It looked a little unpromising, so I asked an older gentleman if it was the old track. He looked doubtful, then said yes, but you won’t get through like that.  It did look a little wet… and oddly low lying for a track bed. 

Unfortunately for us, it got worse. Not just wet but mud. Proper Newfoundland bog seemed to have swallowed the track bed. But we didn’t let that stop us!

We did get through to the Trans Canada, where the track passes into a culvert, and then becomes a gravel road through to Blaketown, but I really wouldn’t encourage anyone to try it. 

After passing the foot of Dildo pond, the track runs up the east side of the pond before turning inland towards Broad cove junction , where the line turns off towards Tilton and Harbour Grace. This segment was also pretty wet, but less boggy.  

At Broad cove Junction we turned west, towards Trinity Bay and cold beer (for me) in Dildo. The track here is dry and fairly stable. 

Really glad we did this route, but it was not easy. Some sections we were on foot more than on our bikes! 

Stage 2 of the Tour of Little France

 On day 2 we picked up the CBN trailway at Cupids.  Our support team got the bikes ready. 

After a brief sweep east, it heads south towards the Trans-Canada. This is a long straight run, with fairly good surfaces.  We had a stiff headwind most of the way which made it a bit of a slog, but it’s fairly scenic and a pleasant, quiet ride, with little ATV action until you’re near the  TCH. 

There’s a road tunnel under the highway, but you do have to cross an access road on both sides.  The branch line continues south to Brigus Junction, where it meets the Newfoundland Trailway, ie the old track across the province.  We turned west onto the trailway (our headwind seemed to follow us), and headed towards our cabin, which is near Ocean Pond. 

The big difference between todays stage and yesterday’s is that during the ride we didn’t enter any towns or areas and very rarely saw anyone else meaning that there was nowhere we could stop to buy anything even though we didn’t need anything specifically it had been nice to be able to stop and buy cold drinks  from gas stations.

Just after we passed under the trans Canada we saw a cyclist who was also looking at his phone for directions we went up and spoke to him and learnt that he was called Fernand Lussier and that he was from Sherbrooke, Quebec and that seven years ago he had ridden across Canada from Sherbrooke to Quebec but the. His grandson said “but Grandpa you haven’t ridden across Canada yet” so seven years later he took up his grandson’s challenge and is just now finishing it.                                                                

After reaching the trans Canada I (Bram) became physically and mentally tired because we had both been thinking about it as the end while really there was still a large chunk to go and it just kept going but  then we reached a small pond and we went for a quick swim and it really helped refresh us.

 

We had another swim when we got to our cabin —this time joined by two beavers and two loons. Very Canadian. 

 

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/7494902131: 

Stage 1 of the Tour of Little France

Harbour Grace to Cupids: this was a trial ride, to see how our bikes worked, and to see how fit we are (not very). 

We got in the track at River Head in Harbour Grace and immediately regretted it. 

The old track from Harbour Grace to Tilton is the worst we’ve ridden, and seems to have gotten worse in recent years. 

Loose, heavy gravel or big rocks. There’s also a diversion in Tilton where a lumber yard’s  expanded over the track, and put in a very rough and unpleasant diversion. But after that it wasn’t too bad. In some places it is classic ‘old track’ and totally rideable while in others it has been widened and smoothed.  The start of the section from South River to Dildo is tough going, but soon settles down to a long straight run on an embankment towards the old CBN Highway. 

Lots of work has been done on the track recently, especially around Bay Robert’s and Clarke’s Beach but that area was also swarming with ATVs. Most of them were lovely and considerate and moving slowly, but a few places had lots of kids on three wheelers, riding fast and kicking up a lot of dust.  But no problems and everyone very friendly.

I didn’t stop to get pictures at any of the roughest sections, but there are some great bridges. The track sections which run through the ponds along the coast are just fab too. 

This part of the trailway winds through lots of communities. In the BayRoberts area, a lot of the track sections have become roads, but quiet ones.  ATVs are routed away from some roads, but on bikes we were able to stick to a straight line, mostly on the original route. Also lots of shops for buying cold drinks, and even lunch stops. We had hoped to have lunch at the baccalieu trail brewery but it wasn’t open yet, so instead we got hot  dogs at the gas station and ate them while watching the seabirds in Spaniards Bay.  

Overall we rode just under 40km, which was enough for our first long ride in several months. We stopped a lot, to reapply sunscreen and empty our bottles, we even paddled in a pond. We had a hare lollop across the path, and a red squirrel dashed across too. Amazingly, the bikes held up, and we’re looking forward to the next stage. 

Tour de Little France details: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dormanfamily 

Strava route here:  https://www.strava.com/activities/7485822962

Gaia GPS: https://www.gaiagps.com/public/MAHLpffJfOONHWT7mv4oMRfd