Tuesday, May 31, 2011

I survived the 2011 Roaming Rally !!!


Lots of details about this project here:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=594395

and here:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=636024


But essentially, about 60 riders showed up on a very wet Friday morning for a 3-day ride from Richmond to Bancroft. In a car, this would normally be a 3.5 hour drive on the highway, but following trails through the woods, sand and gravel fire roads, and tracks along major power lines, it's more like two full days. The 3rd day was to get home.

Here the riders met in the pouring rain, at the hockey arena in Richmond, Ontario
Stopped for gas and lunch at the popular Munford's Restaurant,
 at the corner of Hwy 508 and Hwy 511 in Calabogie.

My luggage setup: a Pelican 1500 bolted to a Pat Walsh luggage
rack with a dry bag bungee tied to the top, tent across the seat.
The Wolfman racks weren't actually being used.


Big Phil rode his F800GS all the way from Boston to join the party.
A really nice guy and funny as hell.

Other riders stopped for lunch. Quite a variety of bikes.

tents set up at Black Donald campground, 1/2 hour beyond Calabogie

Stephen slept in his comfy Henessey Hammock.
Gotta say I was quite impressed with this thing.

The shitty shitter

Dave unpacking his stuff.




The rain actually stopped for a short time but it wasn't sunny.

Stephen is checking out the trees, or maybe he's taking a piss.

Three KLR's and a DR/RMZ franken-bike.

I have no clue why people nailed shoes to a tree.
Nonetheless, we saw several trees just like this.

some very fun dirt roads
Camping at Silent Lake Park, 30 minutes beyond Bancroft

Silent Lake Yurt: three double sized bunk beds, a wood stove, plus a propane BBQ.
$90 per night is a little steep though.
This guy rode all the way from Cambridge, Massacheussetts on a 25 year
old XL350. He rode the whole weekend, then his engine blew up just minutes
after his departure for home on Sunday morning. Fortunately he landed a ride
in a truck/trailer so he wasn't stuck for long.

Stephen and I stopped for coffee at the Neat Cafe in Burnstown on the way home.