First Country Tour of 2008
Even though I've been riding nearly all winter (depending if there was snow or ice on the road), I've been itching to get out and tour through some nice country roads. So with that in mind I planned out a route spanning just over 350km. The plan was to start in Markham and ride to Port Perry, Bobcaygeon, take hwy 507 up to Gooderham and circle back via Kinmount, Fenlon Falls and Sutton. Having done a very similar route before, I knew that this would certainly make for a nice day.
However, I decided it might be nice to have some company for this little trip, so I decided to post an open invitation for other riders to join me. I announced my intentions and my proposed route on some of the online forums that I'm involved with and see what happens. My comfort level usually hits its limit with groups around 10 riders. Much more then that and the rides turn into a logistical nightmare. Everyone needs fuel at some point and refuelling several bikes takes a long time. Also rest stops, turn into social gatherings and take far longer then needed because everyone just gets to yammering about whatever. Also with larger groups, you end up with a wider range of experience and attitudes, which can both play a factor to the overall safety of the group.
Well you can imagine the look on my face when 30 riders showed up at the starting point! I think I still have a bruise on my chin from where it hit the ground. An hour before the ride was supposed to start, bikes began pulling into the parking lot. I tried to introduce myself to them and find out their experience level but eventually I couldn't keep up with all the faces and bikes pulling in. One fellow named Steve did stand out, as it was only his second day riding ever! Well I made a point to Steve that he just became my shadow for the day so that I could keep an eye on him.
At 10am, we finally hit the road and headed off to Port Perry, which was to be our first stop. I was expecting to find a few more riders waiting there for us. However, once again I'm sure the look on my face was priceless when our numbers grew much more and we picked up another 12 or so riders. Hell, we were already stretching our parade of bikes over 1km long and now we exceeded 40 bikes in this "little tour" I had planned. This was too much and we had to split the group for safety sake.
From there our next stop was in Bobcaygeon so that we could regroup and stop for lunch. I was glad to hear that those who knew the way from here and wanted a faster pace continued ahead of us and those who were already getting tired, turned around and headed home. This left us with about 30 riders to worry about. Once we got to the bottom of our run up the 507, I stopped the group again for one last fuel stop and to hold a little meeting.
The 507 is one of the best sport bike roads in Ontario but it's still not a race track and this group had some very new riders. I explained to everyone that riding your own pace and not trying to keep up with faster, more experienced riders was an important concept that needed to be understood before they began. I also explained to the group that I had gotten reports from other riders who had just come from the northern end, that there was already a rider down just a few corners up the road.
I was pleased to find that at the end of the run, everyone was accounted for and we began our journey homeward to the starting point. After nearly seven hours, I returned to the start with only 10 riders remaining. The others had left at various points along the way home to take routes that made more sense for them depending on where they lived.
All in all, it was a great day without incident and many of the riders are looking forward to my next group ride.
posted by Shaun de Jager
Sping has finally arrived!
Spring has arrived...finally. It has been a long winter in Ontario, thanks in no small part to Global climate changes, but finally warmer weather has arrived. Only now that we are into April, are we getting temperatures that are consistently warm enough to ride in. Although some riders like myself, have been riding on and off throughout the winter (road conditions permitting) most riders and certainly most bikes don't fair well in the winter. The cold air and ground temperatures don't leave for much traction nor do they allow for a comfortable ride, unless the proper gear is worn. Special attention must be given to staying warm, especially when riding at highway speeds when the wind-chill may be cold enough for a rider to get frostbite in just a couple of minutes.
Okay, so enough of the cold talk...it's Spring now! More and more riders are being spotted on the road as the riding season comes into full swing but what about you? Are you on the road yet? Are you even ready? Well if not, check out your local bike shops so that you can pickup whatever parts, gear, accessories or other goodies that you may still need or want. Most major cities have a Spring motorcycle show of some sort, so that may provide a good chance to pick up what you need at a slightly reduced price.
What about others on the road? Are they ready for us? Many times this winter, I saw the wide-eyed and shocked look on peoples faces as they stared at me in bewilderment when I pulled up along side them at a stop, while the temps were well below freezing. Well, despite the warmer weathers, most cagers are still not used to seeing us on the roads yet. They certainly won't be thinking about if there is a bike in their blind spot at this point so ensure that you consider that while passing cars on the road.
What about your bike? If your bike has been in storage all winter, you really need to take the time to do a full inspection. Battery, chain, sprockets, fork seals, etc. all need to be checked out before that first ride. Make sure nothing is kinked or leaking and that everything that is supposed to be snug is nice and tight and all the moving bits are well lubricated (dont forget to check your fluid levels).
Personally, this new year of riding will be done on a new bike (in fact I've already done over 1200kms so far this year). I will be doing some nice long rides on my (new to me) 2006 BMW F650GS including trips to Mt. Washington, Thunder Bay, Mont Tremblant, and the Adirondack Mountains, not to mention many one and two day trips in and around Southern Ontario. Also, since my bike is a dual sport style, I will also be trying out a little dirt and trail riding.
Whatever you're riding preference or bike of choice...just get out and ride!
posted by Shaun de Jager
