Bungie
FrostBack #2 - IBA # 44620
Reader Digest CFR ride report
Christie and I pulled out of Sudbury around 10 on Sunday, our first stop to be Chris's place just outside of Arnprior. The day was perfect for riding. After only being on the bike, any bike, once before for a about 100km, Christie had jumped in with both feet. We arrived around 4:30 after a few stops to stretch and lunch in Mattawa at the Subway. Their was already quite a few people there. Andy and Sooze from Columbus, Ray, Greg, Tom and Pam, Mike, Barry and Shiela from Michigan and later on Jeff from Calgary. We all went for dinner at The Lighthouse. I think we overwhelmed them for a Sunday night as their was only one BBQ chicken dinner available.
Chris's view out his backyard.
After a relaxing night of shooting the breeze we all hit the sack. I can't thank Chris and Diana enough for opening up their home for everybody. With everything else they had to deal with organizing the rally it must have been a bit much. Still Chris took the time to pull me aside and have me lead the group for a quick tour of Ottawa as he didn't want our group arriving at Tremblant before 3pm. I did up a MapSource route that night. The next morning their was a change to the route to Victoria Island opposite the Parliament buildings for lunch.
We all stopped for gas and found out, for the first time ever, that a route "didn't take". Luckily Chris had given me some paper maps - old tech to the rescue! I handed the maps to my navigator and had her tell me when and where to turn over the intercom. We got going pretty good until the turn down Booth street to Victoria Island. Their was a left turn lane off the Parkway but their was NO LEFT TURNS allowed. WTF!
Government buildings in Ottawa
Long story short, I led a group of ten or so riders down one way streets and construction in something akin to a figure eight loop in downtown Ottawa! The truly amazing bit was that we didn't lose anybody. Magellan I'm not! This is the guy whose been lost peoples houses and you want me to lead a group through the downtown core?! After a quick stop and getting our bearings Jeff led us to the land of poutine and pretty girls.
Lunch stop at Montebello
Down Hwy 50, with me leading again (won't they ever learn!) I saw that our turn north was in Montebello. As it was after lunch, and I knew a great restaurant, I motioned everybody to follow me. Somebody didn't relay the info all the way to the back (or they thought I was lost again) but we lost a couple riders who continued directly on to Trembant.
A little construction and an hour or so later, we arrived in Trembant nearly at 3 on the dot. So long as Chris never finds out how badly I screwed up the ride, he'll think I'm a star.
Check in was quick and painless. Our condo's... WOW. Fantastic. We spent the rest of the evening in the parking lot, drinking copious quantities of beer and eating at the charity bbq. But mostly, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
Scott (CanadianFJR) in front of one of the condo's.
The next day was to be 'Mauricie day'. When nearly the entire group would ride about 10hrs out to Mauricie National Parc and the absolutely sublime ride that runs through it. Chris asked me to lead a group as their were far to many doing the ride to ride as one unit. Unfortunately, I had to decline despite having done the exact same ride last August. The long ride my pillion newbie did for her first motorcycle trip was just to much for he posterior. She thinks she bruised her tailbone. Obviously, the ten hours out to Maurice was out of the question. So we did route 1 with a bunch of stops and a hunt for something to put under her bum. We finally came across a pharmacy that had a .. uhm... inflatable donut. Pumped up and stuffed under the sheepskin Christie was once again a happy camper.
Church along route 1
Lost River - just a random stop for some smokes and we came across this.
That night we had another charity BBQ and the nearly all the guests determined to scar Mont Trembant with a night of partying in the lot. I guess the long day out to Maurice and back was to much for everybody because the lot was deserted by 9pm. Well except for Mary Ellen, Charlie, Ray, Ian and later on Christie, Sharon and myself. Their was tunes, much beer, Makers Mark and a localized lightning storm with Mary Ellen destroying the batteries in her camera.
Best line of the night: Mary Ellen, who could replace the energizer bunny, on one side, and Sharon on the other, both talking to Charlie. Charlie's not listening to either. When they both stopped to take a breath.. Charlie says "Hey! I think I'm losing weight"
It was Mike's birthday that day so Rob, Scott and Jeff called a cab and took Mike out for a tour of the village. I think they stopped somewhere and had a few though.
Mike looking a little green around the gills.
The next morning dawned overcast but was supposed to clear up. Christie, Rob, Mike, Jeff and uh.. aw crap.. 'CanuckleHead' rode route 4 up over Lac Superior north to Saint Donat then down to Saint Agathe and then back. Great ride with some fantastic scenery.
Lac Superior
Rob giving scale to the cliffs.
Weird though, one of the highways going north to Saint Donat looked to be a major artery but was deserted, even stranger, the speed limit was posted at 70km/h. That lasted about 3 minutes flat. I don't believe we ever got less than double that! I met up with Ray, Andy and Sooze and the village and we went for lunch and toured the tourist trap. Note, lunch (2 steak po'boys and two iced teas = $41!). Was good though.
The Westin Hotel at the entrance to the village
No cars allowed!
That night was the banquet, prize giveaways and auction. Great dinner put out by the staff at the Cap Wyndom.
Food porn! Banquet dinner
Nobody at our table one anything until later on except me. A toolbox (which I forgot in the condo on the way home), and a programmable thermostat for the furnace which I gave to Tom and Pam. What I really wanted was a new kickstand puck. Mine was literally broken apart. Finally Christie won a prize and with me chanting PUCK PUCK PUCK PUCK I scored a new one!
Everybody made use of the pool and the hot tub on both days - I heard Christie won the award for the best Yamaha impression going down the Water Slide. Apparently she was shifting gears after hitting the rev limiter!
The next morning had everybody pulling out for the long trips home. Christie and I took our time and got in around 5pm after a number of stops and a great dinner in Sturgeon Falls. That girl's a trooper, after 5 rides on the bike, 4 of which were in the last 4 days, she does a 10 hour day home. They build'em good in Northern Ontario!
All in all, we had a blast and can't wait for the next one.
Some other random pics:
One guess whose bike this is.
Right!
Rallymaster "Who brings a Kawasaki to an FJR event?"
Bikes getting line for the group shot
Bust and Don
FJRGuy in from Calgary.
Christie and I pulled out of Sudbury around 10 on Sunday, our first stop to be Chris's place just outside of Arnprior. The day was perfect for riding. After only being on the bike, any bike, once before for a about 100km, Christie had jumped in with both feet. We arrived around 4:30 after a few stops to stretch and lunch in Mattawa at the Subway. Their was already quite a few people there. Andy and Sooze from Columbus, Ray, Greg, Tom and Pam, Mike, Barry and Shiela from Michigan and later on Jeff from Calgary. We all went for dinner at The Lighthouse. I think we overwhelmed them for a Sunday night as their was only one BBQ chicken dinner available.
Chris's view out his backyard.
After a relaxing night of shooting the breeze we all hit the sack. I can't thank Chris and Diana enough for opening up their home for everybody. With everything else they had to deal with organizing the rally it must have been a bit much. Still Chris took the time to pull me aside and have me lead the group for a quick tour of Ottawa as he didn't want our group arriving at Tremblant before 3pm. I did up a MapSource route that night. The next morning their was a change to the route to Victoria Island opposite the Parliament buildings for lunch.
We all stopped for gas and found out, for the first time ever, that a route "didn't take". Luckily Chris had given me some paper maps - old tech to the rescue! I handed the maps to my navigator and had her tell me when and where to turn over the intercom. We got going pretty good until the turn down Booth street to Victoria Island. Their was a left turn lane off the Parkway but their was NO LEFT TURNS allowed. WTF!
Government buildings in Ottawa
Long story short, I led a group of ten or so riders down one way streets and construction in something akin to a figure eight loop in downtown Ottawa! The truly amazing bit was that we didn't lose anybody. Magellan I'm not! This is the guy whose been lost peoples houses and you want me to lead a group through the downtown core?! After a quick stop and getting our bearings Jeff led us to the land of poutine and pretty girls.
Lunch stop at Montebello
Down Hwy 50, with me leading again (won't they ever learn!) I saw that our turn north was in Montebello. As it was after lunch, and I knew a great restaurant, I motioned everybody to follow me. Somebody didn't relay the info all the way to the back (or they thought I was lost again) but we lost a couple riders who continued directly on to Trembant.
A little construction and an hour or so later, we arrived in Trembant nearly at 3 on the dot. So long as Chris never finds out how badly I screwed up the ride, he'll think I'm a star.
Check in was quick and painless. Our condo's... WOW. Fantastic. We spent the rest of the evening in the parking lot, drinking copious quantities of beer and eating at the charity bbq. But mostly, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.
Scott (CanadianFJR) in front of one of the condo's.
The next day was to be 'Mauricie day'. When nearly the entire group would ride about 10hrs out to Mauricie National Parc and the absolutely sublime ride that runs through it. Chris asked me to lead a group as their were far to many doing the ride to ride as one unit. Unfortunately, I had to decline despite having done the exact same ride last August. The long ride my pillion newbie did for her first motorcycle trip was just to much for he posterior. She thinks she bruised her tailbone. Obviously, the ten hours out to Maurice was out of the question. So we did route 1 with a bunch of stops and a hunt for something to put under her bum. We finally came across a pharmacy that had a .. uhm... inflatable donut. Pumped up and stuffed under the sheepskin Christie was once again a happy camper.
Church along route 1
Lost River - just a random stop for some smokes and we came across this.
That night we had another charity BBQ and the nearly all the guests determined to scar Mont Trembant with a night of partying in the lot. I guess the long day out to Maurice and back was to much for everybody because the lot was deserted by 9pm. Well except for Mary Ellen, Charlie, Ray, Ian and later on Christie, Sharon and myself. Their was tunes, much beer, Makers Mark and a localized lightning storm with Mary Ellen destroying the batteries in her camera.
Best line of the night: Mary Ellen, who could replace the energizer bunny, on one side, and Sharon on the other, both talking to Charlie. Charlie's not listening to either. When they both stopped to take a breath.. Charlie says "Hey! I think I'm losing weight"
It was Mike's birthday that day so Rob, Scott and Jeff called a cab and took Mike out for a tour of the village. I think they stopped somewhere and had a few though.
Mike looking a little green around the gills.
The next morning dawned overcast but was supposed to clear up. Christie, Rob, Mike, Jeff and uh.. aw crap.. 'CanuckleHead' rode route 4 up over Lac Superior north to Saint Donat then down to Saint Agathe and then back. Great ride with some fantastic scenery.
Lac Superior
Rob giving scale to the cliffs.
Weird though, one of the highways going north to Saint Donat looked to be a major artery but was deserted, even stranger, the speed limit was posted at 70km/h. That lasted about 3 minutes flat. I don't believe we ever got less than double that! I met up with Ray, Andy and Sooze and the village and we went for lunch and toured the tourist trap. Note, lunch (2 steak po'boys and two iced teas = $41!). Was good though.
The Westin Hotel at the entrance to the village
No cars allowed!
That night was the banquet, prize giveaways and auction. Great dinner put out by the staff at the Cap Wyndom.
Food porn! Banquet dinner
Nobody at our table one anything until later on except me. A toolbox (which I forgot in the condo on the way home), and a programmable thermostat for the furnace which I gave to Tom and Pam. What I really wanted was a new kickstand puck. Mine was literally broken apart. Finally Christie won a prize and with me chanting PUCK PUCK PUCK PUCK I scored a new one!
Everybody made use of the pool and the hot tub on both days - I heard Christie won the award for the best Yamaha impression going down the Water Slide. Apparently she was shifting gears after hitting the rev limiter!
The next morning had everybody pulling out for the long trips home. Christie and I took our time and got in around 5pm after a number of stops and a great dinner in Sturgeon Falls. That girl's a trooper, after 5 rides on the bike, 4 of which were in the last 4 days, she does a 10 hour day home. They build'em good in Northern Ontario!
All in all, we had a blast and can't wait for the next one.
Some other random pics:
One guess whose bike this is.
Right!
Rallymaster "Who brings a Kawasaki to an FJR event?"
Bikes getting line for the group shot
Bust and Don
FJRGuy in from Calgary.
