Bike is Out

Posted on April 25, 2011 by greg

Finally ! The bike is out of winter storage. The weather this spring has been unbelievable, a snow storm two weekends ago, cold rain all week and most mornings we still have frost on the ground. Not fun riding weather. I did not know if I should wear a rain suit or a snow suit.

The only good thing about this delay was that I was able to have the shop put on my new Denali LED lights, Barkbuster Hand guards and the Kaoko Throttle Lock Cruise Control. I would have preferred doing this work myself, but at least it’s done and I did not have to freeze my hands doing it.

It was a short, cold and wet ride home so I did not get a chance to check out the Kaoko Throttle Lock properly but I did sit in the dark garage turning the Denali’s on and off, on and off. The lights are amazingly bright. They could take your eye out. This weekend reflective tape was added to my side panniers for greater visibility. I don’t do much riding at night but now with the Denali’s and the reflective tape it will feel safer doing so.

Links

Looking for a place in Toronto to store your bike for the winter? I have used Cyclewerx at 1660 Bloor Street West for a couple of years now. They are great guys, easy to deal with, fast efficient, repairs to all makes and models. www.cyclewerx.ca

Check out the specs and videos of the Denali LED lights at Twisted Throttle.  http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/5224/

Posted in Canada | Tagged | 2 Comments

Spring has arrived!

Posted on April 6, 2011 by greg

How do Canadians know its spring?

  • Our snowman is just a blob on the ground
  • We discover potholes on our drive to work big enough to park a car in
  • We change the sheets on the bed to regular cotton from flannel
  • We put out mittens and touque in a box at the very back of the closet

For me ….  The motorcycle accessories I ordered from Twisted Throttle have arrived! It is time to get the motorcycle out of winter storage and get this adventure into second gear.

 And …  The Toronto spring Motorcycle show is on – April 9 and 10 at the International Centre.

 Links

 Twisted Throttle has excellent customer service, and something for every motorcycle. www.twistedthrottle.com  

 The motorcycle show is definitely worth checking out. Thousands of vendors, often great deals and it will get you pumped for getting your motorcycle on the road.

www.supershowevents.com/spring/index.html

Posted in Canada | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Thailand – January 17, 2010 to January 22, 2010

Posted on March 16, 2011 by greg

January 17, 2010 to January 22, 2010 – 1,100 kilometres

I never realised how much missing a turn can change lives. We were supposed to turn after 78km of riding north and turn east to Phayao. It felt very strange driving on the right had side of the road and I had lost my focus.  I started to get the feeling that we had missed the turn; we had been driving too long. We stopped at the “Cabbages and Condoms Inn and Restaurant” as much out of curiosity as it was for obtaining directions. It was confirmed, the turn had been missed. Rather than turn around and ride the same road twice we decided to continue heading north to Chang Rai, a city we had  not intended to visit. My brother would eventually fall in love with this city and make it his new home. His decision to relocate to Thailand would change our lives. I knew that the next time I began a motorcycle adventure, I would be alone.

Thailand is paradise. Although we were only there for a very short time I can see why people fall in love with Thailand. Thailand offers amazing food, the friendliest people, great beaches in the south, mountains in the north, a relaxed way of life, beautiful women, and the list goes on and on and on.

For motorcycling Thailand is also a great place. The roads are well maintained, perfect for any type of bike. There are also opportunities for off road riding.  We had no problem with the police; as long as we kept our helmets on we were just waved through the roadside police checks.

Links

We rented out motorcycles from http://www.motorbikethailand.com/ , they also offer organized motorcycle tours in Thailand.

When in Chang Mai we stayed at the JONADDA Guest House http://www.jonadda.com/ This place is run by Australian John and his lovely Thai wife Panadda. The place is easy to find, just look for the building with the kangaroo on the top balcony. They offer everything a traveller might need from tours to reservations for onward travel. John used to race sidecars and still drives one around Chang Mai, if you’re brave; ask him to take you for a ride.

Posted in Previous Adventures, Thailand - January 17, 2010 to January 22, 2010 | 4 Comments

Cambodia – December 27, 2009 to January 17, 2010

Posted on March 15, 2011 by greg

Cambodia – December 27, 2009 to January 17, 2010 – 3,100 kilometres

 I stopped my motorcycle in the middle of the trail where I knew it would be safe – free of landmines. The trail was well travelled, worn from the foot prints of farmers herding their livestock. I dismounted the motorcycle and took advantage of on of the greatest gifts God had given the human male, the ability to urinate almost anywhere. I did not see my brother who was right behind me before turning off the main road. I did not hear his bike or see any dust clouds. Since I had not heard an explosion I was confident that he had not encountered a landmine. Carefully turning the bike around to search for him, I become concerned as I was carrying the map so he could be lost. As I approached the main road I see his motorcycle off to the side and there is my brother lying in the shade catching some rest, half a sleep. Apparently the trail was too dusty for him as my bike was kicking up large dust clouds. My brother decided to let me go off and have some fun while he took advantage of the time to relax in the shade.

 What an adventure we had in Cambodia. On our rented Honda 250cc Baja motorbikes we were able to go wherever we wanted. We went everywhere, the Temples of Ankor, the Killing Fields, the beaches of Sihanoukville, one of the many floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake and to see the fresh water dolphins swimming in the Mekong River near Kratie.   

Links

We rented our bikes from Two Wheel Only www.twocambodia.com in Phnom Penh.  Reasonable rates, very well maintained bikes and the owner of the shop, Tony, was very helpful in providing guidance on Cambodia.  

Freshwater dolphins – We were fortunate enough to meet a representative from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) while having lunch in Kratie. We were able to learn a lot about the freshwater dolphins, the issues facing the dolphins and where to see them.  Check out this link  http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/cambodia

Posted in Cambodia - Dec 2009 - Jan 2010, Previous Adventures | Tagged | Leave a comment

Vietnam – Dec 2008 to Jan 2009 – 2,900 kilometres

Posted on March 14, 2011 by greg

This gallery contains 3 photos.

 December 27th 2008 to January 11th, 2009 – 2,900 kilometres  There was no time to get my rain gear on, the sky grew dark and the rain came without warning. The rain drops were the size of golf balls and … Continue reading →

More Galleries | 9 Comments

Morocco – December 1997

Posted on March 13, 2011 by greg

Watching the sun set over the Atlas Mountains I am amazed at how red the landscape has become. The mountains appear as if they are on fire. I had just cycled over 80km that day to reach a rather unique hotel; nestled high up on a mountain side overlooking the small town below. It was here that I first reflected on the excitement of adventure travel. It was here on this mountain side that I knew that I wanted to travel the world; travel to unique places away from the “All Inclusive” resorts. Earlier in the day the group of bicyclists I was part of, stopped in a remote village for lunch after an excruciating uphill ride. I decided to entertain the children that had come to stare at the foreigners by juggling for their amusement.  A skill I learn in the months and months of grade 8 detention, juggling always brings a smile to the face of a child. I am approached by a young girl of about 13, dressed in typical Islamic dress, and a friendly smile; “I also know how to juggle” she tells me. Shocked by her perfect English and her juggling ability we spent the rest of my short time there entertaining the children and learning about each others culture.

Although it would be several years before my next “adventure travel” experience the excitement of Morocco always fuelled my wanderlust. I have long forgotten the exact route we took on this trip but the memories are always with me. I tried to find the company that I booked this trip with but I was unsuccessful. There are hundreds of adventure travel companies out there, just “Google” and find one near you if you’re interested in an organized adventure tour.

 Morocco is a very beautiful country, with very friendly people. The bicycle allowed us to get off the beaten path and into the heart of the country.

Posted in Morocco – December 1997 | Leave a comment