Sunday August 16th marked the third Awareness Rally of 2009 and once again it was a huge success. About 60 riders met up at the starting point in North York in a parking lot adjacent to a local riding school as they prepared for their Ministry test later in the day. Once again, our sponsors MotoLimo.com were on hand and followed us the whole day in their specialized service vehicles should any rider require assistance.
We headed off as one fairly large group and made our way onto the highway. Our route was fairly simple with the first half on the major highways, followed by secondary highways once we cleared Hamilton. We even picked up more than a dozen riders along the way who were waiting for us to pass by near Oakville bringing our numbers to nearly 90 bikes. Unfortunately we came up on traffic as we negotiated a few construction zones and we got split up into smaller groups as we expected would happen.
Eventually, most of us made it to the mid point in Simcoe where we were greeted by our gracious hosts Brent and Sheri, owners of BS Custom Motorcycle. Cold water and soft drinks were a very welcome sight considering the sweltering heat nearing 40c with the humidity. There was even fresh coffee, although that was mostly for them as they waited for us in the much cooler shade for our arrival.
When we pulled in, we found a mock crash scene setup right at the end of their driveway, with an SUV parked with an old wrecked dirt bike laying in front of it and a mannequin laying on the hood representing an injured rider. This certainly caught the attention of many drivers passing by. That along with many signs that had been erected saying, "Look Twice - Save a Life" and "Share the Road" helped drive home the message that we were trying to send. Road safety affects us all and it starts with safer, more attentive motorists.
Many riders headed down the street to grab some lunch while I hung out with our hosts and talked to a reporter from a local newspaper. Once everyone returned, we held a raffle for various prizes donated by On The Fringe (Port Dover), Kahuna Powersports (Toronto) and Vision Cycle (Milton).
Special thanks go to the Simcoe OPP for blocking a lane for all of us to depart BS Custom in a safe manner. We continued our rally passing through, Brantford and Cambridge, heading for our final destination at Formula Kartways in Brampton where we were entertained by the amazing control and skills of some performance riders including "Country" from CIX (all the way from Illinois), and Jeff Kacan from Twisted Intentions. Once again Peel Regional Police showed up to show their support of the RoadAwareness campaign, however due to some concerns they had, I agreed to shut down the show to alleviate the somewhat awkward position they found themselves in. In all fairness to them, they support what we are doing as a whole but didn't want to be in a position of watching someone get hurt during the stunt show.
I was once again reminded that despite the opinions of some of our fellow motorcyclists, the police aren't just out to get us every chance they get and our relationship with them certainly has room for improvement. It's amazing what can come out of having open, candid and rational discussions. I would even go so far as to say that they would like to improve relationships between them and the motorcycling community. We can do our part by not riding irresponsibly and offering up a touch more respect.
All in all it was a fantastic day and a great ride. By the end though, nearly everyone was feeling the effects of fatigue, dehydration and a touch of heat stroke.
A special thanks goes out to Sandra Dawson from my team who organized all the details of the Simcoe rally point. Her efforts were key in making our stop at BS Custom Motorcycle a huge success. Additional thanks go out to Lori from 2 Wheel Promotions for helping to spread the word about the event and to Formula Kartways for allowing us to use their parking lot while they undergo some renovations. Lastly, thank you to those who volunteered to lead the groups.
Stay tuned for our future events. We hope to hold another rally near the end of the season and 2010 is shaping up to be a great year with a massive Scavenger Hunt style event already in the works.
This is a new video campaign circulating in the UK highlighting the dangers of texting while driving. It is rather graphic but does make a point.
We make choices when we drive and choosing to use your phone shouldn't be one of them. It's not just texting with your cell phone but anything that we choose to do in addition to driving. No matter what it is, it draws our attention away from the more important task of driving and shouldn't be acceptable.
A Weekend of events, riding and a touch of heat-stroke
Friday, August 21, 2009
posted by The Lonely Rider
It all started in the wee hours Saturday morning when I went to bed at 1:30am but at restful night wasn't going to happen. Perhaps I was excited about the day to come, perhaps it was my thoughts were filled about Stella and her trip to Colorado but for the life of me, I couldn't sleep. At 3am I layed awake in bed and gave up on trying to sleep altogether.
I hopped in the shower and prepared for a long day. After prepping my bike with snacks, water and the banner & decals for RoadAwareness.ca, I hit the road around 4:30am on my way to Port Dover.
About a week earlier, I was invited to attend the Girlz Ride to Dover as a guest speaker to talk about road safety and awareness and to promote the third RoadAwareness.ca Rally of the year the next day.
I arrived in Port Dover around 6:30am and although much of the town was still sleeping soundly, some of the locals had already made their way to the beach where I decided to park my bike. Although I wasn't tired, I decided to stretch out on a picnic bench by the beach to rest my eyes. In the background I could hear local businesses preparing for the day punctuated with the occasional Harley passing on nearby streets. Although with those loud pipes, they could of been several streets away.
After a couple hours of relaxing with my thoughts, I decided to walk around town and eventually made my way over to where the Girlz Ride was to meet up and offered to assist local businesses in setting up their tents. The feature sponsor was "On the Fringe" which sells various riding gear, most of which is for women.
Eventually the lady riders showed up in the early afternoon, rather late from some highway closures they encountered along the way from their ride in from Toronto. By this point, I was getting tired having not gotten more then an hour of sleep and despite consuming lots of water, the heat was getting to me as the mercury climbed and with the humidity it felt like 38 Celsius. We were all very hot and sticky and the river that ran beside us was looking pretty good as I became tempted to jump in fully clothed just to cool down.
Eventually the time came for me to speak to the crowd about RoadAwareness.ca and safe riding in general and not long afterward everyone dispersed. I packed up my banner and decals and made my way to Mansfield to my buddy John's place for a BBQ. He was having some fellow riders over after hosting his own ride for newer riders so they could become comfortable with all that's involved with riding in a group, which can be daunting for newbies.
Around 10pm I figured it was time to excuse myself and head home. I needed to at least try and get a few hours of sleep before my big RoadAwareness rally the next morning. I didn't really want to part such good company and lively discussions we were all sharing about our various riding adventures but if I didn't get some rest, I knew I would be a wreck the next day and I really needed to be on my "A" game.
I arrived home around midnight and wouldn't you know it...I couldn't sleep. Once again, I didn't get to bed until about 1am and was wide awake by 7am. This wasn't looking good. Once again I prepped my bike and headed off to the first rally point in North York. When I arrived, I was greeted by my support team from MotoLimo.com. Once again, they gave up part of their weekend and both of their custom motorcycle support trucks (not to mention gas) to follow us around all day in support of the cause. If any rider needed help, they were there following us.
We departed North York with about 60 riders and headed out on to the highway towards our mid-way rally point in the town of Simcoe (just north of Port Dover). Along the way we picked up about 15 more riders who were waiting on the side of the highway for us to pass.
Two hours and two construction zones later, we finally arrived at BS Custom Motorcycles in Simcoe. Our gratious hosts (owners of BS Custom), greeted us with lots of cold water and soft drinks that came in very handy for our dehydrated and fatigued riders. Once again, the heat was pushing 40 degrees and everyone was feeling it. Most riders headed off for lunch while I stayed behind to talk to a local reporter from the Simcoe Reformer.
After doing a raffle for prizes donated by On The Fringe, Vision Cycle and Kahuna Powersports, it was time to hit the road in an attempt to keep to our schedule. I was hoping to reach our final destination in Brampton by 4pm. As it turned out, we only arrived 30min late.
We pulled into the parking lot of Formula Kartways to a prior arranged stunt show along with the attendance of Peel Regional Police who arrived to show their support of the RoadAwareness.ca campaign. Although, they did express some concerns about the stunt riding and the lack of an ambulance and even though it was being done on private property, they found themselves in an awkward position. Considering the support they've shown for my campaign and not wanting to alienate them, I ended the stunt show.
All in all, it was a great weekend despite the insane heat. I ended up doing two motorcycle events, passed through countless cities and towns, clocked over 700kms and suffered a touch of heat stroke and some serious fatigue.
Senate Bill 1967, authored by Texas State Senator John Carona (R-Dallas) and sponsored by Representative Norma "Da'Lady" Chavez (D-El Paso), introduces many motorcycle-related changes in the Lone Star State.
Included in the bill are:
1) funding by Texas Department of Transportation for a public awareness campaign to promote motorcyclist safety and the concept of sharing the road with motorcyclists; 2) changes to the definition of a motorcycle to include certain enclosed three-wheeled passenger vehicles; 3) changes to the licensing requirements for enclosed three-wheeled passenger vehicles; 4) a requirement for all applicants for a motorcycle license or endorsement on a regular or commercial driver's license to provide proof of successful completion of a basic motorcycle operator training course; 5) penalties for failure to yield the right-of-way violations resulting in bodily injury range from $500 to $2,000 while those resulting in serious bodily injury range from $1,000 to $4,000; 6) a prohibition against stopping or detaining a motorcycle operator or passenger solely to determine whether the person has successfully completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course or is covered by a health insurance plan; 7) a requirement for the Department of Transportation to develop a standard of proof of health insurance coverage for adult motorcycle operators and passengers; and 8) a requirement that all driver education courses or driving safety courses include information on motorcycle awareness, dangers of failure to yield the right-of-way to motorcyclists, and the need to share the road with motorcyclists.
Governor Rick Perry signed the bill into law on June 19; it becomes effective September 1, 2009.
"We made history, Warriors" exclaimed Sputnik, State Chairman of the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association (TMRA-II) and Chairman of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists Legislative Task Force (NCOM-LTF). "We owe Da'Lady and her entire staff a huge debt of gratitude for all the work they did for riders this session."
This is the type of forward government thinking that we require here in Ontario and I would be first in line to stand up for similar changes to our laws here. Way to go Texas! .
I didn't quite make it. Although the ride ended with 300 km short to the goal, which entitles me to 3/4 of an Iron Butt, my butt checks don't feel quite like iron but more or less like Jell-O.
Sometimes, the coffee ride to Tim Horton's doesn't quite cut it. Unless it is 1,600 km away. There is nothing quite like an Iron Butt to challenge your ingenuity and stamina as a long-distance rider. Most riders hope to discover how to see more of the world from their motorcycle in a limited amount of time by significantly increasing their daily mileage. It is certainly not a ride that relies solely on spontaneity: it requires preparation both materially and mentally. The idea of completing a 1,600 km tour of Lake Huron within 24 hrs started brewing over a year ago. The month of June seemed like the ideal time of the year to do so since daylight is longer than night.
I used the day before to go over my extensive items list and pack it all on my BMW F650GS. Everything to make my ride comfortable, safe and enjoyable was considered and packed wisely. Tip 4 from the Iron Butt Association's Archive of Wisdom is "prepare your motorcycle before the trip"; this includes motorcycle maintenance. One should not pack tardily. Although last minute adjustments are bound to happen, only the key in the ignition switch and the GPS should be turned on. I also used that day prior the grand adventure to rest and nap in order to store energy which would be vital. I went to bed soon after dinner and woke up at 11:15 pm with a daunting feeling mixed with excitement. Rising as everyone else is hitting the sack felt odd and I admit that I felt a little apprehensive. A moment of doubt crossed my mind, as I geared up and rode to the first checkpoint.
My adventure began at a local gas station at 1:08 am. Considering that I would be using a 24 hr period to complete the challenge with potentially no sleep at all, riding the dark roads at the beginning of the rally while my alertness was at its peak seemed like a reasonable idea. If all went well, I would ideally ride to the finish line with day light to spare. So it is in the thick of the night that I rode to Barrie, Ontario, up Highway 400. And Barrie came and went in a blink of an eye. And not because I was speeding! High speeds and long-distance riding have little in common. Slow and steady wins the race and with my single cylinder thumper, I was not going to jeopardize my stamina right from the get go.
The further North I rode, the lower the temperature got. I took comfort in my heated jacket and moved very little in order to avoid any infiltration from the wind. As the dark and bulky landscape passed by like a movie strip, my only focus was the white line in the middle of the road and the sound of the engine. It was me, in a moment of time, not thinking of the many miles separating me from the goal but just the ride itself. At the 3 am mark, in a sudden moment of realization, my body reciprocated with a slight lightheadedness and faint nausea to the fact that it wasn't asleep at this hour of the night. I realigned my focus on the white line until my body adjusted to this new state. It later opposed to the cold with a contraction of the bladder and I stopped at a convenient gas station in Parry Sound (ON), to eliminate this irritation and fuel up the other tank.
After writing a few notes in my "2 Wheel Journal" and ensuring that my gas receipt was accurate and put away in a secure water tight area in the tank bag, I was on my way to Sudbury (ON). At 4 am, I noticed layers of thin fog clouds and a gleam on the Eastern horizon. Could it already be the sun rising to a new day? New shadows appeared along with road side activity from woodland creatures, scavengers and ravens ready to feast on dead meat. My thoughts shifted to the deer whistle glued to my turn signal and hoped it provided an audible protection barrier. The only deer encountered during my tour were already decaying on the side of the road. Thankfully and sadly. As the night traded its place for a palette of pastel colours and the forest returned to its usual shades of green, I regain a certain level of energy.
One of the tricks of the trade I picked up from successful Iron Butters is to stock up on tart candies. A sour green apple flavoured War Head candy can shock your senses and keep you going for a few kilometers more. I later noticed a scent of mesquite sweetness and realized my exhaust pipe was caramelized by the Gatorade that was slowly leaking from my Camelback tube. My motorcycle would have to wait to get a proper scrub.
I reached the mining town and wondered why the roads were so empty. Although the sun had been shining for a while, everyone was still tucked in bed and sleeping away on this beautiful Saturday morning. My gas receipt indicated 5:32 am and I was ready to take on the second major portion of the rally to Sault Ste-Marie (ON). An attempt to snap a shot of Sudbury's Big Nickel was quickly discarded as valuable time was being lost trying to find the road that lead to it. I caught a glimpse of the shiny coin in the corner of my eye as I rode on to Hwy. 17.
With the I-Pod fully loaded and strategically placed in the tank bag's top plastic pocket, I pursued my route to Sault Ste-Marie to a musical rhythm. At this early hour of the day, I felt good and motivated. I can't say as much for the man in a visible state of inebriation sadly staggering along and the hiker sleeping with his backpack over his head on a granite bedrock by the side of the road. Those visual distractions were certainly not as nice as the rugged beauty of the Northern shoreline of Georgian Bay to my left. I rode into Sault Ste-Marie three hours later with 314 km to the tank and just in time for the morning rush at Tim Horton's. By that point, it felt like noon as I had 9 hrs of riding time under my belt. As residents went on their morning routine, crowding the streets and the Timmy's parking lot, I discarded the idea of a hot beverage and did a few stretches that amused the locals before hitting the road once more. The international bridge was just around the corner and I was hoping for a smooth and rapid transition to Michigan, U.S.A.
At 10:48 am, I presented my Canadian passport to the friendly duty officer, paid the $2.50 toll for my two axles and rode on Interstate 75, in Northern Michigan, towards the Straits of Mackinac and its famous bridge. I was mentally preparing myself for the crossing of the third longest suspension bridge in the world. The height of the roadway at mid-span is approximately 200 feet above the water level and for anyone crossing the bridge on a motorcycle; the view of the strait underneath through the metallic, slippery grid can be frightening. Needless to say, I didn't look down much and focused on loosening my grip on the handlebars in order to let the front wheel find its groove. Once on the other side of the bridge, I proudly thought that it wasn't as bad as what I had caught wind of. Just past Mackinac City, I took the exit onto the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway, U.S. 23 that skirts Lake Huron. I was reaching the half way point of the rally and knew I would have to be vigilant about my growing fatigue. By not focusing on the final goal and by tackling the tour in little increments it helped alleviate the discouragement. So, while having a positive talk with my mind, my stomach gurgled to let me know it was time for lunch. I knew that would be another important factor in the game. Not the action of eating food but digesting it. I learned enough about myself over the years to know that I am wired for a "sombrero nap" in the afternoon. My brain valve turns off temporarily while my stomach takes over. A bad combination for operating a motorcycle while being sleep deprived. I pulled over in a road side park to have a bite, while keeping an eye on the watch.
I mounted my F650 GS once more and pursued along the scenic route. I took comfort in the passing scenery; intermittent views of Lake Huron laced with waterfront homes and cottages. All the while trying to find distraction from the developing sore and numbs spots. I practiced a routine of various exercises and positions on my bike, from riding standing on the pegs, to resting my feet on the passenger pegs or simply dangling my feet above the ground. Trading one discomfort for another...
At 2:25 pm, with a 1000 km completed, I arrived in the town of Alpena. The mid-afternoon glow was burning my eyes, which were getting heavier by the minute. I figured that I could complete another 600 km within 9 hrs, therefore I allowed myself the luxury of a power nap. When the deadlines of a rally or the goals of a ride don't permit checking into a motel, a nap on the roadside can provide sufficient rest to finish a ride. It is in Alpena's Court of Justice's backyard, right in front of the cops' parking lot and under large maple trees that I feel asleep instantly to the sound of leaves rustling in the wind and music by amateur folks. One hour later, I woke up to the sound of my alarm and in a pool of drool. Slightly embarrassed, I quickly wiped the side of my mouth and rolled up my ground sheet. It was time to pick up the pace and head to Bay City, Michigan.
Bay City provided much hassle with construction zones that brought me further from the planned route. The detours were poorly indicated and seemed to be having me ride in circles. My patience was wearing thin and I was eager to return to the scenic road. Flustered, I made an effort to regain composure and focus. I had no regret leaving the city half an hour later, as I rode on to the last scenic route of the journey, U.S. 25.
With the all stresses of completing the Iron Butt challenge on time, crossing the border back to Canada and riding the last and long stretch of dull highway to the last check point; I failed to recognize the warning signs of fatigue. I kept on riding. I felt on auto-pilot mode; any wild card thrown in front of me would have caught me off guard. My maneuvers were becoming erratic and the irritation of my knee swelling up became my point of focus. My body was winning the battle. Defeat was a hard pill to swallow. At 300 km short to the goal, Port Austin became my final destination for the night. I regretted my decision several times but knew that my safety was at stake if I kept on riding. I questioned my mental strength and physical capacity. Later, I simply accepted that I had beaten a personal mileage record: 1,300 km in approx. 18 hrs. My journey ended with a majestic sunset over Lake Huron.
Ok, so not all drivers of automatic transmission cars are dummies but it can be argued that those who choose to drive a manual transmission are not so much "smarter" but certainly more attentive while behind the wheel.
The advent of the automatic transmission opened the door to a greater number of drivers on the road. It allowed people who didn't have the skill or wherewithal, to drive cars with manual transmissions. A car with manually tranny connects the driver to the vehicle and they become one. The driver is now intimately connected to the vehicle and all that is going on with it. Automatic transmissions, allow drivers to become further complacent about the task of driving because it so much easier. Less attention to the road is required. Automatic transmissions have been readily available in North America since the 1950's and are without a doubt easier to drive. Select "Drive" and go. Interestingly enough though, 80% of all European drivers opt for a manual transmission and their driving skills are considered to be higher than drivers in North America.
Several years ago, I took on the task of teaching (my then wife) how to drive my manual transmission BMW. Like all those who first learn the skills involved, she was pretty jerky at first had her fair share of stalling at various stops. "What's that smell?" she asked at one point, to which I replied "My clutch! Now stop it!" but overall, she picked it up pretty quickly.
One day while returning from a wedding from the previous night, I found that I was far too hung-over to drive. I pulled off the highway and told her to take the wheel. Although, she was still learning and uncertain of her skills, it was a wiser choice than me continuing to drive in my hung-over, sleep deprived condition. As we came off the highway and came to a stop at a busy intersection, her panic kicked in not wanting to stall at the light, frustrate other drivers with her inexperience or further damage my clutch. "What do I do?" to which I replied, "Deal with it! You're the driver...figure it out".
What was interesting is that she admitted that she had to "think ahead" more and look further down the road to observe more of her surroundings. She had to anticipate and mentally process more information. Hmmm...did she just become a more attentive driver? Yes. Her situational awareness while driving improved drastically.
No longer could she just hit the brakes and slow down without further thought. Doing so would mean she would be in too high a gear for her much slower speed leaving the engine chugging and at the point of stalling when she tried to accelerate again. She also found that she could no longer be complacent when rolling away from a stop while on an incline. She checked her mirrors far more often to check if a car was behind her, for fear of rolling back into them.
Over time, her skills improved and she became smoother and more aware of what was going on around her. Now - many years later - she drives an AUDI with a manual transmission and she's a better driver because of skills that she had to master.
