Labrador FAQ's

Labrador? I thought that was just a dog.		Well... It's also a geographic location. Many dog breeds get their names from the geographic location in or near where they were originally bred. "The labrador retriever is of Newfoundland origins, where it was trained to bring in fishing nets through icy waters for the fishermen.  The lab is a strong swimmer and widely used for waterfowl in America since the 1920's. Labs are used for hunting waterfowl and upland birds as well as guide dogs for the blind and drug sniffing dogs.   The coat is short, straight, and dense, and is colored solid  black, yellow, or chocolate.  The average black lab weighs about 70 lbs. and is 23 inches tall at the shoulder." (Taken from  Black Labs.net)
Where's Labrador?		Labrador is in northeast Canada and is part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It lies between Quebec and the Labrador Sea (on the Atlantic Ocean).
How big is Labrador?		Labrador is about two square miles larger than the State of Arizona. The population is about 30,000, most of which live in two major population centers: the Labrador City/Wabush area near the western border, and Happy Valley - Goose Bay in the east.
Why Labrador?		Labrador is a true wilderness with much to offer the motorcycle adventure traveler. It is a vast land of rugged beauty, with abundant wildlife. Because of the extremely low population density and few services, one can avoid the tourist hordes that are so common in many of the other wilderness tourism locations. Also, because there have been few accounts of travels to Labrador, the subject is quite fresh and makes and ideal location for this trip.
What does "Labrador" mean and where does the word come from?		The term is believed to originate from the earliest days of European exploration of the New World. King Manuel l issued a patent in 1499 granting Joao Fernandes rights of exploration in Portugal's sphere of influence. Fernandes was a landowner, and as such bore the title 'lavrador.' Sixteenth century maps showing where Fernandes landed in Greenland bear the title Terra Laurador and on another Terra Laboratoris. Later in the century the name would come to refer to the bulk of land to the southwest of Greenland. And thus we have the naming of the 'Labrador' as it is today. * From "As near to Heaven By Sea" A history of Newfoundland and Labrador by Kevin Major. (Thanks to Goose Bay resident Steve Pye)
Can I travel all the way across Labrador by road (or trail) connection?		No! If you come into Labrador from the west via route 389 in Quebec you pick up route 500 which connects Labrador City / Wabush with Churchill Falls and then Happy Valley-Goose Bay. In order to connect with route 510 at Cartwright in Southern Labrador, you must travel by ferry from Happy Valley-Goose Bay. There is no passable trail network or road between these points. Many Labrador communities have only been connected by road within the last decade or so and some (such as Cartwright - route 510) just last year!  (Thanks to Goose Bay resident Steve Pye)
©2004-2006 Mark Van Horn