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locals , it is the second windiest place on the planet , reaching 200 kilometre per hour winds , bested only by Commonwealth Bay Antarctica where winds can reach 241 km / hr . As the group pressed on , the terrain shifted , and the breathtaking vistas of Gros Morne National Park emerged . Tablelands , jagged cliffs , and winding roads framed by mist and drizzle created an otherworldly atmosphere .
Pic : Marc Loiselle / QM Media Library
“ The twisty roads were a dream to ride ,” Steve said . Steve was no stranger to the epic hikes in Gros Morne , but this trip had too much mileage to allow for any hiking .
Blake , Will , and Dave saw two moose grazing along the roadside , but as Steve ’ s comms were not working in his helmet , he missed having them pointed out to him . But at The Arches , where the group had stopped to rest their legs , they were all treated to a whale of a show including two whales slapping their tails on the water ( lobtailing ), audible from the shore . The whales also breached for them twice before the riders left on their final leg of the day .
Their day concluded in St . Barbe , for the ferry crossing to Blanc Sablon , Labrador the next day . Ahead lay a new frontier of icebergs , unspoiled coastlines , and the promise of even greater adventure .
As they crossed into Labrador , the raw wilderness greeted them , starting with icebergs floating off the bow of the ferry .
It was on the ferry that they met me , while I was on a press trip to Western Newfoundland and Labrador . We joked that Expedition 51 would chew up and spit out my Honda CBR250R . On the ferry , they told me their plans for their trip , and we used it as a distraction from the rocking of the ferry .
Pic : Éric Deschamps / Le Québec maritime
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