Goose Bay was an uninhabited wilderness when construction commenced in September 1941. Within a span of two years, it transformed into the largest airfield in the Western Hemisphere under Canadian jurisdiction. The Americans vacated the base in the 1970s, leaving it as a modest Canadian base. Regarding its name, it is said that during its construction, the Americans referred to it as Happy Valley due to the observed contentment of those relocating there. It's one of the best places to live if you love the outdoors!
Hi Wendy, Thanks for sharing a bit of the local history. I really appreciate learning more about the places we travel through. And yes, the Canadian North is proving to be the beautiful and enchanting place they say it is. Take care, Mike
Out of curiosity how did you find the surface of the bridge when you crossed the bridge into Happy Valley ? It looks like you had no issues but for me it was a surprising how the grates were pulling my bike every which way . I have never crossed a grated bridge like that before .
@bsc1463, Thanks for stopping by. Yes, the grated bridges can cause a little bit of concern if you've never experienced your front wheel having a mind of its own. It has been my experience over the years that a more street biased tire will cause more of a wobble then a knobby tire. The knobs seem to deflect more and absorb the tires desire to self center. The trick is- don't have a death grip. Just let the tire self steer and continue on carefully. Interestingly enough, grooved highways can create the same effect. I might add, that rocks, sand and ruts cause the same sensation. After hundreds of backroad and some off-road miles, one gets used to the wobble. That's why we don't look like its happening, but it is. We are just used to it and our brains no longer register it as an issue. Take care, Mike
@@aegismotoadventures1616 Thanks for the reply . I have experience on grated type of bridges but nothing like that bridge ..but you may have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned street tires . I have an adventure bike but out of the blue I bought a 33 year old Honda PC800 and drove the Trans Lab and then out to Vancouver and back home in Ontario. So that bridge in H.V. was unbelievable for me as I honestly thought I may go down . I always stay loosy goosy with my grip from my offroad experience but lol that bridge possessed my PC . I never would have thought that street tires would handle worse then knobbies on a grated bridge . I had a similar issue when riding into Brandon , Manitoba . They scrapped the road in preparation for paving it and when I hit the scraps it effected the PC in the same way as the grated bridge in Labrador. Yes I have much experience riding on these types of road condition but none on street tires until I bought the PC this summer . It is actually bordering on dangerous..honestly . I never thought that it was the street tires making the grated bridge and the scrapped pavement so much worse then the normal pulling of the bike from side to side . I would guess that the effect was 3-4 times worse . Wow . That is great to know . Very interesting, Thank you
I Live in Happy Valley Goose Bay and the it's called that because Happy Valley is down town and goose bay is uptown , and believe it or not Happy it is not it's really boring here lol
Hey Brittany, Thanks for stopping by the channel. I grew up in a small community and have a fondness for the out of the way places. Happy Valley-Goose Bay certainly fits that description. However, I wasn't 500 km or more from a more major town. So I understand the uptown and downtown monikers. What you do have is the ability to drive to the edge of town and see miles and miles of beautiful wilderness. I now live in southwest Florida with over 26 million other people. I have just the opposite circumstance that you have have. Ha. With all that I said, I find your location inspiring and alluring. But if you want to come to Florida in the winter, I get it. Take care, Mike
Newfoundland and Labrador isn't the Maritimes. Labrador especially, it's Atlantic Canada. The Maritimes is well defined by ease of travel, you can drive between New Brunswick Pei and New Brunswick in a few hours. You can drive from Halifax to Quebec faster than you can go between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. It's 8 hours just to Cape Breton by boat. It's like Calling Manitoba the West Coast. The Maritimes are well defined by Acadian and Scottish culture things that are rare in Newfoundland, not to mention historic connections to Maine.
Hey Dixon, Thanks so much for your clarification. I'm sure that will help viewers with their travel plans and historical understanding. I'm a little bit smarter. Take care, Mike
Goose Bay was an uninhabited wilderness when construction commenced in September 1941. Within a span of two years, it transformed into the largest airfield in the Western Hemisphere under Canadian jurisdiction. The Americans vacated the base in the 1970s, leaving it as a modest Canadian base. Regarding its name, it is said that during its construction, the Americans referred to it as Happy Valley due to the observed contentment of those relocating there. It's one of the best places to live if you love the outdoors!
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for sharing a bit of the local history. I really appreciate learning more about the places we travel through. And yes, the Canadian North is proving to be the beautiful and enchanting place they say it is.
Take care, Mike
OMG I want to go back there sooooo bad! Love the video.
Hi Peeohtrek,
Thanks for stopping by and the kind words. I'm glad that we could bring back some fond memories for you. Take care, Mike
Out of curiosity how did you find the surface of the bridge when you crossed the bridge into Happy Valley ? It looks like you had no issues but for me it was a surprising how the grates were pulling my bike every which way . I have never crossed a grated bridge like that before .
@bsc1463,
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, the grated bridges can cause a little bit of concern if you've never experienced your front wheel having a mind of its own. It has been my experience over the years that a more street biased tire will cause more of a wobble then a knobby tire. The knobs seem to deflect more and absorb the tires desire to self center. The trick is- don't have a death grip. Just let the tire self steer and continue on carefully. Interestingly enough, grooved highways can create the same effect.
I might add, that rocks, sand and ruts cause the same sensation. After hundreds of backroad and some off-road miles, one gets used to the wobble. That's why we don't look like its happening, but it is. We are just used to it and our brains no longer register it as an issue.
Take care, Mike
@@aegismotoadventures1616 Thanks for the reply . I have experience on grated type of bridges but nothing like that bridge ..but you may have hit the nail on the head when you mentioned street tires . I have an adventure bike but out of the blue I bought a 33 year old Honda PC800 and drove the Trans Lab and then out to Vancouver and back home in Ontario. So that bridge in H.V. was unbelievable for me as I honestly thought I may go down . I always stay loosy goosy with my grip from my offroad experience but lol that bridge possessed my PC . I never would have thought that street tires would handle worse then knobbies on a grated bridge . I had a similar issue when riding into Brandon , Manitoba . They scrapped the road in preparation for paving it and when I hit the scraps it effected the PC in the same way as the grated bridge in Labrador. Yes I have much experience riding on these types of road condition but none on street tires until I bought the PC this summer . It is actually bordering on dangerous..honestly . I never thought that it was the street tires making the grated bridge and the scrapped pavement so much worse then the normal pulling of the bike from side to side . I would guess that the effect was 3-4 times worse . Wow . That is great to know . Very interesting, Thank you
Just treat it like gravel :)
I Live in Happy Valley Goose Bay and the it's called that because Happy Valley is down town and goose bay is uptown , and believe it or not Happy it is not it's really boring here lol
Hey Brittany,
Thanks for stopping by the channel. I grew up in a small community and have a fondness for the out of the way places. Happy Valley-Goose Bay certainly fits that description. However, I wasn't 500 km or more from a more major town. So I understand the uptown and downtown monikers. What you do have is the ability to drive to the edge of town and see miles and miles of beautiful wilderness.
I now live in southwest Florida with over 26 million other people. I have just the opposite circumstance that you have have. Ha.
With all that I said, I find your location inspiring and alluring. But if you want to come to Florida in the winter, I get it.
Take care, Mike
Newfoundland and Labrador isn't the Maritimes. Labrador especially, it's Atlantic Canada. The Maritimes is well defined by ease of travel, you can drive between New Brunswick Pei and New Brunswick in a few hours. You can drive from Halifax to Quebec faster than you can go between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. It's 8 hours just to Cape Breton by boat. It's like Calling Manitoba the West Coast. The Maritimes are well defined by Acadian and Scottish culture things that are rare in Newfoundland, not to mention historic connections to Maine.
Hey Dixon,
Thanks so much for your clarification. I'm sure that will help viewers with their travel plans and historical understanding.
I'm a little bit smarter.
Take care, Mike