Motorcycle Touring - Riding on my V Star

The Closing of a Chapter ...

2023-05-20T20:21:00.004-04:00

There are many chapters in a person’s life, times that one relates to emotionally, and times that have made a significant difference in one’s life. For me, this spring means the end of two chapters. I am going to retire from my career of 30 years, and I have passed my VStar on to a new VStarLady.

Meet Tabitha, VStarLady 2.0. I wish her many safe and happy kilometres on the Star. After a very emotional hug, we said "Goodbye."

And goodbye, Star! I will miss you, but we have over 77,000 km of memories to smile about.

Is that the end of the story? NOT BY A LONG SHOT. You will have to wait for the sequel; when one chapter ends, another is sure to begin.

Annual Trek

2020-01-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday and the annual trek to the Toronto International Motorcycle Show.

Every year the feel of the show changes. This year it was, I felt, for the most part, a change for the better. Better quality vendors, less crowding, fewer scantily clad showgirls.

There weren't really any show-stopping moments, but I enjoyed myself.

I even made a purchase. No, not a new motorcycle - just a new tank bag to replace the one with the wonky zipper. Finally some motorcycle content.

Lost In The 60s On The Eve Of 2020

2020-01-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

My house was finally quiet for a few hours and I was settled in for a peaceful dinner and a relaxing New Year's Eve. Even though my movie aficionado friend gave it a nose up review I planned on watching Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, an impulse buy from the local Walmart about a month ago. That was until I stumbled upon a classic.

Armchair shot of my TV screen

To tell the truth, I don't think I'd actually seen Easy Rider before even though I felt I must have. Sadly I still haven't seen the full show as I found it halfway through. What a social commentary for the time. And sadder still I did end up watching Pitt and DiCaprio too. Happy New Year to all ... no matter what decade you feel lost in today.

A World Covered In Ice

2019-12-30T18:03:00.005-05:00

The area has been under a freezing rain warning for over 24 hours. There is both beauty and ugliness in this ice covered world.

The freezing rain warning was cancelled and reinstated an hour later. We're lucky, we still have hydro if not all of the trees we had yesterday. All is good as long as we are warm, dry, safe and sound.

Where Did The Year Go?

2019-12-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year To All ... and here's to much more motorcycle content in 2020

Dust On The Tail-Pipes

2019-06-21T22:03:00.000-04:00

Soon .... I hope.

Everything's Late This Season ...

2019-05-10T21:03:00.000-04:00

The magnolia has bloomed ...

but the Star hasn't. The magnolia should be done by now and the lilacs near blooming, but not so this year. Everything is late. It has been an unusual spring: rainy and cold or cold and rainy. My thoughts go out to all of those dealing with high water and floods.

I'm lucky, I know the star will shine again ... as soon as time and weather allow.

Has It Really Been That Long?

2019-04-03T21:29:00.001-04:00

I opened up my Blogger dashboard tonight - last posted, August??? What, really??? (How do I log in, what do I do??) Then sadly I realized, there hasn't been any exciting moto-content to write about since August, and so I haven't. No wonder I'm out of practise. But it's finally spring and time to catch up. So here's a quick synopsis of what's been happening, (an admission that I am still breathing) with new spring motorcycle content! Promise, sort of!

August - a mini cottage vacation on one of the Thousand Islands and a breathtaking sunrise.

September - a new school year, a new car. I could handle some of the mechanical failures but when the air-con quit at 35 degree C- I confess, I bailed! Review of new car ... not only cute and sporty, proved itself to be a little pig in the snow when it needed to be. Good choice. (And the fleet colour is now white!) Also one of the last meetings of the Kingston Area Old Timer's Motorcycle Club at the Creekside.

October - rode the Star to storage. Great news, wires had been decimated by rodents again. (Can't remember, is this the 3rd or 4th time it needs at least a partial re-wire job because of the mice?) Still working on that problem, it is what it is, life goes on. Participated in the Battersea Pumpkin Festival Parade and Halloween with the grandchildren.

November - yeah, nothing happened but birthday after birthday.

December it was all about the cookies ... All of my friends and neighbours will remember the cookie event of 2018.

January - The motorcycle Super Show in Toronto - same old, same old. Okay one of the 'stars' of American Pickers was on site. Cool? Why?

February - thaw, freeze, thaw, freeze. Global warming floods the fields, it's cold again, might as well make the most of it. Skating - Yipeee! (Coop ... your Joni Mitchell connection was so timely)

March, Blackberry fails. Darn, I loved that phone and the photos it took were amazing ... but it's lived a good life. How the heck do I get the Samsung to make me as happy?

April, a walk about town with #2 son. What's this ... motorcycles sprouting in the flower bed, or is it the dead stuff from last year? Yahoo, motorcycle content, finally, once again - IT MUST BE SPRING.

The 2.99 Solution

2018-08-18T18:50:00.000-04:00

You might know already, but I have few complaints about my little VStar. Then again you might know that the biggest gripe I do have is checking the oil: having to stand the bike up straight, get down on my hands and knees (with a flashlight) to look in the little round oil glass window. It’s a two-person job without a center stand. (Grievance #2, the bike is too heavy for me to hold up straight with one hand whilst on my knees.)

Do you see where I’m going with this?

You got it … I was browsing through a Princess Auto flyer and there it was, the 2.99 solution. A Titan telescoping inspection mirror. Why haven’t I thought of this before?
Next problem, finding a flashlight that’s a little more portable and still does the job.

The Great Trail

2018-08-02T20:18:00.003-04:00

Part of the “The Great Trail” (apparently now named,) and formerly named the Trans Canada Trail passes through my hood. I walked a portion of The Great Trail in New Brunswick and Quebec. Now, that I am home in Ontario, why not explore a little more of it?

Under a time constraint, I walked such a small part of it this morning, along Sydenham Lake. Tomorrow, I think I might just go a little further ... with a lunch!

Mother Nature’s Bike Wash

2018-07-22T19:32:00.000-04:00

I don’t mind the rain so much when the bike is sitting on the driveway and I’m looking at it from the porch. It’s actually quite peaceful.

Job’s done and I didn’t have to lift a finger. Well, maybe not. When it quits wanting to rain I will give nature a hand. Until then it’s going to stay right there.

Home Again, And Just In Time

2018-07-21T20:25:00.000-04:00

Where did the 11 days go. I’m home again, the tent has been dried and put away again, the bags unpacked and the travel laundry done. All that’s left to do is a good wash job for theVStar. Home again, and just in time to catch up with life.

It’s baseball tournament season and I managed to get back in time to see the final games of the Battersea Bulldogs. (At least for granddaughter one, missed number two’s tournament by a week.)

This is little brother trying to decide whether or not to give up his NHL hopes for a place in the Major Leagues instead. (That’s an inside joke, as he slept all winter with his hockey sticks. Wouldn’t go to bed without them.)

Barbara, home indeed was where the heat was, and still is ... even the lake shore looks burned.

But I Can’t Pass This Lady By ...

2018-07-19T22:05:00.001-04:00

I took the scenic route this morning … funny though, I’ve shared this route so many times that I decided to simply enjoy it instead of stopping to take pictures for the blog.

But I can’t pass this lady by, ever, without stopping. Even though she’s aged since I first met her in 2010, something about the time of day or the lighting made her more beautiful than ever today. I simply love her attitude.

I did stop for one other picture. I found the trail head I had been looking for … yup, exactly 25 km from where I stayed. Today it wasn’t meant to be. I think this might be a hike to get at by car.

A View From The Top

2018-07-18T19:54:00.002-04:00

Thunder and lightening woke me up very early and I finally gave up, got up and made some coffee at 5:30. The weather network was telling me the storm had passed. I wondered if anyone had looked out the window?

I got out my map and tried to estimate where the trail I was looking for might be (stall tactic). My estimate, somewhere in the Kamouraska area. My CAA map is Atlantic Provinces and Quebec, not really detailed, and Kamouraska is a very popular tourist area so thought I would look at hotel booking sites. Could stay in St. Andre again, no, I know the trail isn’t there. Look for cheap hotels and hope for the best. I missed by 25 km. I picked Saint Pascal, the trail head is closer to Rivière-Ouelle.

I finally found a map at the tourist information site, where the young man said, “But if you want to walk now…” And he convinced me to challenge the mountain (okay, maybe it’s not such a challenge, he says he recommends it to families with 5 year olds).

And this is what I found just 1.5 km from where I was staying.

A 1 km hike to the 150 meter summit. Considered an intermediate level hike, it was fairly easy as long as I kept an eye out for scraggly roots. And I confirmed I don’t like heights, so didn’t stay on the viewing platform at the top for long.

A view from the top of Montagne a Coton, and one last look over Kamouraska as the sun goes down.

Scrap Plans A, B, and C

2018-07-17T19:42:00.000-04:00

“It’s not going to rain, I’m not getting wet! It’s not going to rain, I’m not getting wet! It’s not going to rain, I’m not getting wet!” Try out the power of positive thinking! Keep saying it over and over.

Plan A today, stop in Fredricton to do the riverfront hike from Hart Island Campground, along the St. John River to the city. Moncton, clear blue skies. Over the mountains ahead the clouds are forming … positive thinking, “It’s not going to rain, I’m not getting wet!” Email from a friend, ‘Big thunder storm last night in Ontario, looks like it’s headed your way.’

Plan B, scrap plan A, keep going, looks lighter ahead. &*%#! I HATE GETTING WET! Plan C, scrap Plans A and B. Pull off the highway. Woodstock New Brunswick. Get gas, check weather network, have coffee, ponder a plan D.

Hartland! The rain lets up a bit and off I go.

Yahoo, a place indoors to stay. Unpack, hang up wet gear, put on rain coat, go explore on foot.

And look what I found. Who knew? The Trans Canada hiking trail … if I keep walking in this direction I could, hypothetically, go back to PEI, or these places. Nope, raining again so back to look at the bridge (bridges).

Walk across the bridge.

Now that’s what I call a renovation. Stop (like all the locals) to watch the raptor cat eat a house.

Hey, a Tim’s on the hiking trail.

If I keep walking this way, hypothetically, I could walk home. Not happening. Go back to hotel to watch the weather network. No more room at the Inn, so the weather has to improve tomorrow. But for tonight – the view from here.

For Old Times Sake

2018-07-16T20:16:00.001-04:00

Today I didn’t have plans for travelling far and I wanted the final hours on the Island to last. When you start heading home it feels like the vacation is over so I was in no rush. I checked the tire pressure, re-organized some packing and walked to Tims for a last Island coffee. Finally packed and ready, I was on my way. I stopped for one last photo, then said, “Good-bye” to Prince Edward Island one more time.

The temperature was moving to near brutal on the thermometer and I was glad for a short day. For old times sake I found a Motel 6 (time for a ‘space’ break; to be able to stand up when I wake up). Although I appreciated the 400 steps to the bathroom, I will appreciate both the head space and the nearness of the plumbing even more tonight.

What I wasn’t expecting was the rough gravel parking lot. The large grader in front of the motel should have been my first clue. The place is under renovations, and I have brand new, recently revamped room that looks just like every other Motel 6 room only fresher. They just haven’t finished the paving yet.

Moncton wasn’t really my first choice of places to stop but fits best with what I hope to do on the way home. And I remembered the riverwalk trail. Hot day for walking, but the heat amplified a beautiful fragrance which I finally decided might be the field of milkweed in bloom. I spent some time looking for Monarch evidence but didn’t see any. That doesn’t mean they weren’t hiding there, I hope they are.

Along the way I noticed a brightly coloured building. I remembered it from last year, and in need of a shade break went inside the “Starving Artist Café and Gift Shop”. Glad I did. It was filled with the works of local artists, photographers and artisans. If only I had a side car! I bought my famous ‘trip ring’ and some trinkets for the little girls at home. Have I ever mentioned my ‘trip rings’ before? If I haven’t, I meant to and that’s a whole other post.

With a motel room, also comes TV and the weather channel. Yikes, looks like rain might be heading into my path. But I’ve seen that before. It must be ‘fake news’.

Dedicated To Foodies

2018-07-15T21:03:00.000-04:00

This is my final day on the Island, and I decided I would dedicate this post to foodies, especially my friend Barbara who has been obsessed with finding out what I have been eating. To tell the truth, the usual camping fare is mundane and rarely worth talking about, so tonight I decided to go gourmet with a wood fired pizza from Piatto.

But because it is my last night on the Island the thought of sitting in a restaurant seemed like a waste of beautiful scenery so I asked for it “to go”. And for foodies everywhere I carried it 3km to the lookout on the cliff. The last tourists were scurrying off to find dinner for themselves and I had the cliff, and the ocean view to myself. I ate my dinner to the sounds of the cliff swallows and the waves gently lapping the shore, a cool breeze easing the heat from the day.

With one last look at the beach, I headed back to camp to pack as much as possible in readiness for my departure tomorrow. It has been a short, but wonderful stay on the Island.

To date: 1,385 km by motorcycle and just over 217,000 steps by foot (if my math is correct, based on today’s 31.7 km, that’s about 165.8 km). Today’s hike was the ‘Haunted Woods’ and ‘Lover’s Lane’ as described in the works of Lucy Maude Montgomery.

A Three Hour Lunch

2018-07-14T20:45:00.006-04:00

Holidays are all about (or they should be about) doing what you want, at the pace you want. Today I had a delightful 3 hour lunch with my friend Elizabeth an Islander who, to my delight, met me at Avonlea Village (a newly created tourist spot). We had a lovely meal at Samuel’s Coffee House and caught up on a whole year’s worth of news.

(Avonlea Village is what I’d call a commercial restoration. It has been created by bringing a number of historical buildings together in one new location, not to be historically preserved, but to be repurposed as commercial businesses while still keeping their historical facades. I suppose it’s a compromise, history and commercialism.)

Sadly our time together came to an end and Elizabeth was on her way, much later than planned, to take care of family obligations. At 4 o’clock the day was still young enough to take a walk, so I revisited part of the trail I walked yesterday.

The beach was much more colourful today as it’s the weekend, but the trail was still a beautiful, and peaceful place to walk. It was warm, but there was a refreshing breeze coming off the gulf.

It’s not raining, the forecast isn’t predicting rain, but the sky is beginning to say otherwise. If it rains in the night, I’m good with that. There’s nothing more relaxing than sleeping to the sound of rain on the roof.

After All These Years, How Is It That I Didn’t Know This Already

2018-07-14T07:21:00.001-04:00

The temperature dropped and the dew was heavy last night. It was almost like rain it fell so hard and fast. But I was snug like a bug inside my little paprika cocoon. This morning the damp chill lingered making me put on every layer I had brought with me while I wondered what the heck happened to the “warmest summer on record” that had been predicted.

It took a long time to get moving (thawed out) but then a lovely young campground employee asked me what I was planning on doing for the day. I said I was going to walk around and she asked if I was going to walk to the beach. I said, I’d like to. (How is it that I’ve been coming here all these years and never knew this before?) She asked if I knew about the trail. No, what trail? All this time I thought the only way in to the beach was down the parkway, a drive for which there is (except for last year because of Canada 150) a fee to enter. It also meant gearing up, and who wants to spend a lot of time at the beach in their snowsuit?

Today I discovered how to enjoy a real PEI beach vacation … you walk to the beach, and if you walk to the beach you might discover about 30 more kilometres of costal trails, perfectly maintained and ready for the exploring. And if you tell someone about the trails they might tell you about 30 more kilometres of trails not far down the road. I am in heaven. (And I think I have become an official PEI tour guide, two people stopped and asked me how to get to the beach today … well, just let me tell you!)

Where’s A Tims When You Need It?

2018-07-12T21:38:00.002-04:00

Today was overcast and looked like rain, but it didn’t, and that was good. Here’s a question for Canajun … do you think 1,286 km is too far to ride for a Tim’s?

Today’s ride was a bit shorter, not as cool, but still cool enough. There was about half an hour wait for construction. Winds were gusty, especially on the bridge. (No pictures of the bridge today.)But this is why I love summer.

I forgot how much I love this little tool. It might take longer, but does the job while I sit and watch.

I also forgot that this campground is the one with the sorriest wifi system ever. You will have to create the pictures in your mind, until I find a Tim’s with wifi.
(Yea, get up at 5:30 before the rest of humanity - and the wifi is all yours.)

That’s Why I Love Summer

2018-07-11T20:45:00.003-04:00

And I was off to a slow start … all day long: get coffee, pack, check tire pressure ... Brrr, check temperature, add outer shell to jacket, get dressed, load up, gear up, get going …. Stop 200 feet away, take helmet off, take gloves off, gas up, get geared up again….finally hit the road. 60 km stop, get more coffee, swap up vented gloves for warm gloves … 60 more kilometres stop, take off gloves, helmet and jacket … put on sweater, might as well get more gas, gear back up, get going. Somethings flapping in the wind, I know it’s my ear bud wire and it’s bugging the hell out of me so stop again, get more coffee, tuck in the wires, gear up again, 60 kilometres (you probably saw this one coming, bathroom!) Stop, take off the helmet, jacket and gloves at Tim’s, swap up the gloves, take the sweater off… it seemed to go this way the entire day, then all of a sudden I was in Hartland and nearly at tonight’s destination, Fredricton NB. Rats, construction right at the proverbial doorstep. Damed if I’m going 5 km around the block just because of a solid yellow line. Not only did I loose all the stop times, I lost an hour moving into a different time zone, but that’s what I love about summer – the days are long and even if you don’t get to where you’re going until after 5 you’ve got lots of daylight left to enjoy a gad about.
Some very beautiful homes along the river here in NB’s Capitol.

Did I mention, this was the kind of day riders dream about - blue sky, cool temps and no humidity.

if Your Map is Upside Down You Might Have A Great Hike

2018-07-10T22:28:00.000-04:00

If your map is upside down and it doesn’t have directions on it, you might head off in the wrong direction. You might head north instead of south, but then you might encounter a great walking trail. If you find a great walking trail, you might think, “If I follow this, it’s gotta come out somewhere.” And that’s exactly what happened today. I am in Montmagny Quebec. A few years ago I was overpowered by residual hurricane winds and pulled off in Montmagny in search of shelter. That was the year the hurricane hit the east coast and created a massive power outage throughout NewBrusnswick. I remembered how lovely Montmagny was and decided to revisit.

So I did, then I went out walking .... I turned left then right (should have turned right then right) and found this giant bird (she’s so proud.) ... but then I found an amazing walking trail that took me to exactly where I had planned to go.

The moral or this story, put your walking shoes on, turn your map upside down and see where it takes you. Who knows, you might even end up where you intended to go.

It was a perfect riding day, refreshing temperatures, 3 drops of rain and, did she feel lighter? Just a bit!

If You Know Me ...

2018-07-09T19:09:00.004-04:00

If you’re reading this, then you probably know me and if you know me then you probably know that I tend to do hopping games on my motorcycle adventures. Today I played “EnRoute” hop. It’s amazing how tired your (surprise, not butt) arms can get when they haven’t been used to riding all winter or spring! In Ontario,where I live along the Trans Canada, there is a service station about every 80 kilometres or so and I rode from one to the next taking a ten minute + or - break at each one. A chance to flex my muscles and take a cool drink of water in the ever increasing heat.

It’s amazing how not refreshed I felt when I arrived at my first nights resting spot and if you know me, then you know when I am hot and tired I have been known to let the Star have a nap and that’s just what I did. Backing ever so carefully into my spot, on a slight incline I felt it ... WHAT THE FIRETRUCK! She’s going down and that’s just what she did. I guess she was hot and tired too.

For all the downsizing I did, she just didn’t feel that much lighter ...

As One Ages … One’s Lifestyle May (Must) Ultimately Change … Or, I May Totally Stink Over The Next Couple Of Weeks!

2018-07-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

Yup, I am getting older. Eight years ago, when I bought the Star I (over) packed for a month on the road and thought nothing of it. Since then, the Star has taken me (over packed) to Ohio and back to Maine and PEI. It has taken me to the California Coast, back to Maine and home again. It took me, loaded like a mule to Hell’s Canyon and back. It took me on an eastern adventure to meet with Bobskoot and then on a memorial trip to honour Bob from Maine to Minnesota. But last year my trek to the ocean felt heavy. I packed as I always had, prepared to be self sufficient for an undetermined amount of time. Don’t get me wrong, I am still totally in love with my darling little motorcycle. And I say that lightly, as she sits totally naked in the driveway weighing in at 544.5 lbs (not little at all), but I don’t think I have the strength that I used to … so I’m facing a bit of a lifestyle (or should I say a life – weight) change. I have decided to reduce the weight and there in lies the stink!

I can’t change the weight of the Star; the accommodations still are needed (and haven’t lost any weight since last year) … so I must make a lifestyle change; reduce the personal effects. I refuse to compromise on underwear packed (how many grams can they weight?) So, I have had to greatly reduce everything else. OMG, can I survive with only two electronic devices, two pair of yoga pants, two pair of shoes and two t-shirts? I feel things may get a little stinky this time around. That being said, I've gotten very good at balancing ... saddle bags exactly 12.4 lbs each.

Keep posted to see if I survive a minimalist holiday lifestyle.

Vintage Motorcycle Show: Oxford Mills ON

2018-07-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

So, I’m trying to reduce the weight for this years trip, which means cutting back on a lot of the usual carry along electrintronic devices. Today’s ride to Oxford Mills with just the motorcycle, my local tour guide and the phone is an experiment.

More than a little frustrating but the reduced weight will be worth it (I hope). The Star is headed East to the ocean once again.