Julia on a bike

To live in the Maritimes and giving up on riding the Cabot Trail? Unbelievable! So I started this 2024 adventure by a tour on Cape Breton Island and even managed to meet famous Cabot Trail biker! Ever heard of him? Yes, he’s the only one offering guided motorcycle tours of the famous Cabot Trail on Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island. Well, he’s also known as Daniel Ross.

It’s the story of a guy who’s passionate about motorcycles and his region. His passion is well merited. Cape Breton Island, though remote and located at the easternmost tip of the Maritime provinces, is a beautiful place. And it’s packed with roads that make every biker and biker’s heart skip a beat. Except that, unlike many tourist destinations, tour operators aren’t fighting to welcome motorcyclists and offer them tours.

“I couldn’t understand why no one was promoting the Cabot Trail as a top motorcycling destination » Daniel told me. He also noticed that without dealerships on the Trail, there wasn’t even a t-shirt that said you did it! So he created www.cabottrailbiker.com in 2009. The site is used by riders wanting to learn about riding here, including emergency contacts, accommodations, planning trips, live road conditions,and features on Meat Cove and other highlights. Daniel volunteers his time to help riders plan there stays here, and answers any questions they may have.

In 2017, After shooting a documentary « Common Ground » with Harley-Davidson, Daniel decided to offer the same week of fun that they had during the shoot. Now he does a 4 night all-inclusive Cabot Trail Tour during the third week of June each year. Accompanied by his wife Shauna, they welcome groups of bikers for a unique experience, following in the footsteps of Jean Cabot and the first European settlers, in a region that bears a striking resemblance to the Scottish Highlands.

Take Inverness for example, a town located on the West Coast. It is home to the Glenora distillery, one of the island’s most famous producers. The whisky produced here is made under similar conditions to its Scottish cousin. Not surprising, given the weather and geology of the area. Yes, even in June, you can expect temperatures as low as 15 degrees at midday, maximum humidity and gusts of wind that will make you wish you had not left your windbreaker behind.

Circling back to Daniel, he knows these roads like the back of his hand, especially the asphalt ones. While sitting on the patio of the Dancing Goat, he regales me with his knowledge of how to take every bend and curve, and where to stop to admire the different viewpoints, on the Cabot Trail, the Ceilidh Trail and all the other secondary roads. But on gravel or dirt roads, it’s a different story.

“This is the third time I’ve taken the Cape Clear Trail and it’s the first time I’ve seen it in this muddy state.” I try not to laugh at the understatement, and continue sipping my Perrier as if nothing had happened. I think perhaps I should have avoided attempting the Cape Clear Trail today, given the difficulty of the muddy and slippery road conditions, especially on the first few days of the trip. And Arielle too; it was a real baptism by fire for her, who is new to adventure riding and to a trip lasting several months. After 15km of challenging riding, we collectively called it and turned back towards the cafe.

But if Cape Clear was a failure, the rest of the Cabot trail lived up to its reputation. As did biker solidarity, though there is no doubt about that now. I had been informed that the Acadian community is very strong in Cape Breton and I had to pass the Chéticamp sign to realize it. Nova Scotia is a predominantly English-speaking province, but here there’s still a francophone culture that grabs you by the gut. And it’s not just the French-language signs that give evoke this feeling. It’s like stepping into another world, one that’s much appreciated by locals and tourists alike. I’d recommend calling on a certain Cabot Trail Biker for a guided group ride, or for simple suggestions. Never stingy with advice and recommendations, you’ll have an answer within the hour – or so.

And who knows, if you make the trip with him, you’ll also get your own Cabot Trail Biker beer and T-shirt. A must for the experience. Beer to drink with moderation, and not before you hit the road, needless to say.