Flashback Friday: Southern Nova Scotia Adventure

Day 2: Yarmouth – Liverpool

Ain’t technology grand? Well, maybe not when your fancy-pants Ducati won’t start, but when you can watch the season’s best MotoGP race from the comfort of your hotel room before heading out for the day, you’re happy for the Internet and the blessings it brings. The Lorenzo/Marquez duel done, we headed towards Liverpool, avoiding the monotonous 103 that had put us off the area previously and instead following the more shoreline-hugging 3, that loops in out out of the many fingers of land that push into the Atlantic. We also incorporated a new rule: nobody leaves until the Multistrada starts.

Like the rest of the Maritimes, riding in Nova Scotia means you’ve got to plan for the weird weather when you leave for the day. You could be baking hot inland, but then the roads dips to the coast and an ocean breeze cuts through your jacket vents like a cold knife. A clever person could plan their route based on the weather, hitting the shore for heat relief or going inland on a cooler day. The weather might be weird, but it’s not as weird as what happened in Shag Harbour (a shag is a bird, by the way). Not when we were there – the Shag Harbour UFO Incident went down in 1967, when several reputable witness saw an object crash into the ocean. The RCMP got involved, the military got involved, there was a lot of searching, but decades later, there are still no answers – all that’s left is a roadside UFO museum, which was closed, sadly.

We were hoping to get the real scoop on what went down in Canada’s version of Roswell (especially since Michael and I had both been to Roswell, New Mexico), but alas, like much of the east coast, the museum was only open for business seasonally. We had our own close encounter with unknown beings at lunch in Shelburne (delicious seafood at Sea Dog Saloon), when we unintentionally sat next to a Harley Owners Group meeting in progress. It was a beautiful day for a ride, but these black-clad middle-agers were bent on discussing their club’s budget instead. Thankfully, they eventually roared off in a cacophony, intent on finding lives to save with their loud pipes.

If you’re in the area, I’d highly recommend spending a few minutes exploring Shelburne’s waterfront. It’s got a cool fishing town vibe, and an interesting dory museum that wasn’t interested in me taking pictures. You’ll just have to take my word that it’s there. The post-Shelburne ride was a fantastic introduction to the Atlantic side of Nova Scotia; Rt. 3 has some bumpy stretches, but nothing that lasts too long, and if you need to give your backside a break, you can ride down to a wharf or a lighthouse and take some photos. On this side of the province, the views from the road aren’t breathtaking, but that’s not a bad thing as the coastal nooks and crannies make for some exciting riding where you really need to concentrate on the roads.

The day ended at the rather plush White Point Beach Resort, outside Liverpool. This was an unexpected treat – we expected just another hotel, but ended up at a complex with a beautiful central lodge surrounded by cabins and pounding surf. This is the sort of place that a person could really unwind,  just by sitting on the beach and watching the waves. The food at the restaurant is fantastic, too (as well as the view) – just be careful not to trip over a bunny when you’re walking back to your room. The property is overrun with rabbits. Eats: Rodd Grand Yarmouth, Sea Dog Saloon, White Point Beach Resort Accommodations: White Point Beach Resort View CMG Spring Tour, Day 2 in a larger map DAY 3 >