TCAT

Chapter: The Rock

Current Route Filename:  RockR1.0

Created By: Geoff Simpson, Mike Buehler & Ted Johnson

Length: 914 km's


The start of the TCAT begins on the island of Newfoundland.  As the TCAT is a coast to coast trip the begiining is on the most eastern part of the island.  Signal Hill is where one starts this expedition route across Canada.


Photo by: Mike Lobban

Located just outside of the city of Sqaint Johns, Signal Hill is rich in history

LINK to information about Signal Hill

LINK to information about getting to the island via ferry

The route begins just outside of the city and follows an old rail line trail across the center of the island for approximately 600 kilometers.  This trail, known locally as the T'Rail...

The Newfoundland T’Railway parallels the Trans Canada Highway (Route 1) for most of it’s length, so fuel, accommodations, food, and help in case of an emergency, are generally never far away. The terrain is mostly hard-pack gravel, with some sections of loose crushed stone. Some riders of heavily loaded bikes may find the infamous undulating ‘whoops’ of the T’Railway, which are more pronounced in some areas than others, to be a minor annoyance. The key is to slow down over these humped or whooped areas of the route. After a heavy rainfall, you will encounter many puddles of water along the route, so make sure you bring waterproof riding gear and boots.

Temperatures along the T’Railway route can vary greatly from season to season, and sometimes from hour to hour, and from region to region. The inland section of trail can see temperatures above 30 degrees C during the months of July, August, and early September. Black flies can be a problem, particularly in June and July, so bring along a repellent containing ‘deet’. It’s the only thing which really works to keep these annoying little insects from bighting. Dust can also be a factor on the T’Railway, so groups of riders may wish to space themselves out somewhat, during periods of very dry weather. Although frequent days of rain or showers are more the norm, especially during early to mid summer, so bring your rain gear.

August and September are probably the most comfortable time of year to travel the trails of Newfoundland, including the main T’Railway route. The weather is less unpredictable, less likely to be wet, and the black fly population is greatly reduced during the mid to late summer period.

Always be cautious of moose crossing the trails and roads of the island. The very high moose population is a big problem, and many people are killed and injured in collisions with these large and unpredictable animals every year...

 
Photo by Geoff Simpson....The longest railway trestle on the island, at Bishop’s Falls, spanning 927 feet


Photo by Geoff Simpson...A group of riders on the T’Railway near Brigus Junction

Always be cautious of moose crossing the trails and roads of the island. The very high moose population is a big problem, and many people are killed and injured in collisions with these large and unpredictable animals every year...


Photo by Geoff Simpson

The trail is a unique way to see the island of Newfoundland, being that it was a rail line it travels through several towns as it crosses the island.  Navigating the old rail line is quite easy given its nature, the only tricky parts may be entering or exiting a town.  meeting the locals in these small towns is mandatory in order to appreciate the local culture for what it is, friendly and welcoming.

Most folks will take approximately 3 days to travel to the town of Cornerbrook where the TCAT exits the old rail line and heads north on paved roads for 311 kilometers.  This road, known as the Viking trail, is officially called highway 430.  The scenery along this road varies from riding along the coast to riding alongside the mountains of Gros Morne park.  Gros Morne national park has several world class hiking trails and offers campgrounds, scenic boat rides, etc.  In the summer months the park can get very busy so planning ahead is a smart idea.  A hike to the top of peaks offers breath taking views of the surrounds terrain.  There are several towns along the way which offer lodging, fuel and food.

LINK to information about Gros Morne national park


Photo above and below by: Mike Lobban



We recommend making reservations for lodging as the towns get quite busy with tourists in the summer months.  The small town of Rocky Harbour makes a for a nice place to spend a night.

LINK to information about Viking Trail
LINK to information about the town of Rocky Harbour

Albeit this is a pved section of the TCAT it offers some beautiful scenery along the rugged coastline.  Mooze are no joke in this part of the world and extreme caution should be used as it is easy to lose focus on the road while admiring the scenery.

The route brings you to a ferry across the chanel and off of the island.  Typically bikes won't have an issue getting on the ferry but a reservation can provide peace of mind.

LINK to ferry information


Photo by James Young


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