HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!

WHAT better place to spend "Canada Day" celebrating the 146th birthday of our country, than here on Prince Edward Island, where the country was officially 'born' back in 1867. 

Yup, Charlottetown was the original birthplace of this GREAT nation, which despite it's share of problems, political screw-ups and sometimes severe politeness, I appreciate very much.  To my adopted homeland, Canada...

          Happy Birthday Baby, and many more!

NEWS

 

SO... the world wide sales of "Cruiser" motorcycles is in decline.  The average age for riders of cruiser motorcycles (and motorcycling in general) are aging annually, the market for cruisers is uniquely North American.  Blah blah blah...


I say, gee... what a surprise.  I was around during the seventies (and still am) when the concepts began morphing bikes that were primarily designed to suit your body into what has eventually gone through the "burger bike" style, to "choppers" to "easy boy* recliners"  In fact if you look at the totally absurd riding position that is inherent in the cruiser genre, you'll see it resembles an upright easy boy in the semi relaxed position to the dropped off into blissful slumber of the completely reclined version.  Feet extended on forward pegs/floorboards to highway pegs that are most often used mere nano seconds after leaving a stop light, miles away from brake and shift controls.  Of course when you have big lumbering V-Twins with their buckets of torque, you don't need to shift or brake much anyway, except in an emergency, and that never happens, right.  Many adhere to the "put her in top asap, and leave it there."  The power-band is only 2000 rpm in width but that extends from idle to 3000 revs.

I have often wondered how the designers arrived at this foot forward riding position?  Of course you need only glance at the typical North American living room to the Monday night foot/baseball game, to understand why.  Then there is of course the family sedan.  Low seat height, adjustable steering wheel and pedals on the floor.  One for brakes, one for gas and with ABS and cruise control, you may little touch either on an Interstate drive!



What's the problem here, you may ask?  Well for one, control.  It takes fractionally longer to remove your foot from a highway peg, to find the floor board, to press the brake pedal and that is what they have also morphed into, pedals... like a car you know.  Big massive rubber things.  That extra second or three could be the difference between your life and death, but hey... it looks cool, right!

Then of course there is that easy boy sitting stance that places all your sometimes extravagant body weight on your spine.  I can see class action lawsuits coming up now in the not too distant future in overweight Americans (and Cdns) with a bevy of lawyers jumping on the bandwagon, for spinal type injuries suffered during those long drones across Interstate freeways, bouncing across pavement strips and potholes... you watch and mark my words.  I know what I'm talking about.


I even predicted the collapse of this giant shell game known as the Sub Prime Mortgage meltdown, back in 2002-2003 when I was a licensed  independent financial adviser... course no one was listening, the forces of evil are too powerful and we are easily seduced.  I hope that carrot was yummy, 'cuz it left a lot of ordinary folk jobless and homeless.  And how come no one, not a single bank exec or politician has been prosecuted.  They stole us blind while we had our eye on the carrot!  That's another blog.

How often I heard someone say while sitting in the showroom on a showroom tourer, how 'comfortable' the bike is, low seat height, broad, feet out there, hands up in the air at shoulder height.



On the flip side, the manufacturers and in fact the dealers of these 800 pound behemoths on wheels, have been literally sitting on their own backsides selling and promoting these bikes over here.  NO where in the World do you see these bikes except here.  Why is that?  Think about a culture that would rather watch sports on TV than taking part in it, that would rather have their car do the driving than have to learn to use skills... (I mean cars with back-up camera's, that park themselves!) and if one more person says to me, they "drive their bike" I'm gonna slap them silly!

We've had great bikes like Honda's PC800 and Suzuki's VX 800 that no one bought over here, 'cept a sensible few that didn't need to impress anyone. Even their own manufacturers promoted (I use this term loosely here) them little in a half hearted almost apologetic fashion.  Trying to lure car drivers with the Pacific Coast from their cars instead of telling them to just park the car in the garage on the weekend and ride the PC, to well... the PC!

The new Yamaha Bolt, and little GW250 Suzuki and the upcoming KTM 390, although not anything new really, are at least U-turned towards a sensible riding position and a sensible price.  I know many a rider that mortgaged the house or leveraged the business, to ride a Fat Boy or similar high priced cruiser bike.  Still, the most fun I have ever had on two wheels, was riding the streets of Moncton or carving up Burlington's 1/2 mile go cart track on a YSR 50 with a bunch of non pretentious, fun loving men and women of a wide age group as it turned out.  Remember them days gang?

Then of course there is that ever increasing age thing.  This year (as in year's past) the manufacturers are trying to entice new riders (not drivers) into the fold with lower budget, smaller displacement and dimensioned 'beginner bikes.'  A Yamaha exec is quoted as stating that the new entry level model falls in between 800 and 1100 cc.  I say, WTF!  Why, while the world rolls around on tiddlers... a middle aged man or woman on the far side of 30, okay 40... alright already, 50... needs a 700 lb 900cc bike to feel, what?  Manly/Womanly?  Cool?? What??? 

I can't tell you how many times either at my shops or during motorcycle training, I heard guys telling their wives/girlfriends that a 650 was too small!  I bet Bert Hopwood or Edward Turner are spinning in their graves.  Me, I'd look her straight in the eyes and say in front of the Bad Boy besides them, "don't let anyone push you into something you won't feel comfortable with... you can always go bigger."



Here you have Honda promoting the 30 cubic inch, 500 cc class again.  Geez, I remember when the Mach III would near squash your eyeballs into their sockets.  Is it too little too late for N.A.  Do they have the resolve to push this trend into another cycle... somehow me doubts it.

On the home front, I am in the process of teaching my soon to be wife, to ride.  I have a garage full of bikes, an XT600, far to tall for her, an 900 Thunderbird, a CBR 919, and my newest, a 955 RSi.  She's learning on a bike that I have taught my daughters and countless girlfriends and friends on... a lowly DT 50.  A bike I find has been an excellent learner bike.  I can then move her up through stages on one of my TTR 125 dirt bikes and maybe settling her on my XT 225 Serow, a former CSC training bike itself, that I have owned for more than 20 years. 

So... cruiser sales are in decline, what else is new...

*no offence intended to Easy-Boy

Leading your own way...

Had this conversation with buddy Mike today.  Thinking of giving up motorcycles, again.  I pointed out to him that when I was the Chief Instructor, on occasion I had to point out to someone that maybe they weren't ready to ride a bike, maybe never.  

 

I remember back to my early days in the late sixties.  I was in grade eight at Wellington Junior High and I was the only bike in the parking lot.  Principal Marles once called me into the office and told me he didn't want that kind of influence in his school.  I persisted, and gained experience and confidence, and rode back and forth to school to get it.

That's the key.

Experience and confidence.  You can't have one without the other. 

So what do you do if you have a burning desire to ride (or drive or play hockey or run sprints or meet girls...) you just overcome your natural fear, and do it.  I rode by myself, first around Wellington then Athlone then Kensington, and pretty soon I was over on the South side (yeah, across the river even) I was past St Albert, I was at Lake Wabamun or Elk Island National park.  Then by age twenty... across the country!

How do you get from, dropping the bike in gear with lots of throttle and no clutch (who knew?) and wheelieing into the garage door, to riding across Canada in 7 years? 

You just take your knocks, get over your fear, and you just do it.

TRIPLE Play

Awhile back, I was waxing eloquently about my love affair with triples.  Having some very early experience with the late sixties Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket Three models, ogling their triple pipes exhausting those lovely finned cylinders, then later having my very own Yamaha triples beginning with the '76 XS 750D that replaced my BMW 600.  Still later, I had both an 850 (really 828) Special and a fully dressed 850 G for touring.  Most recently I looked for two years to find a Triumph Thunderbird 900 (885) finally locating a very nice example in Victoria B.C.  That was 2006.  (where does the time go anyway, I seem to be getting older with each triple?)

There is something about three cylinders, more compact than a four, typically more powerful than a twin and smoother to boot, and the sound... really the sound is unique.  I remember the first time I went through the gears on the T Bird.  The exhaust sounded like a fifty calibre machine gun on full auto!

Last fall, I came across yet another triple Triumph here in Charlottetown P.E.I. of all places.  To be truthful, most bikes around here are rather generic.  Lots (and lots) of V Stars/Vulcan/Boulevards/Shadows/Harleys.  I can certainly appreciate these bikes having sold many of them in my shop days, but they leave me rather flat.  Don't get me wrong here, I like riding all bikes, but every second bike I see is, well... virtually the same.  I've never been like everyone else.  Somehow, perhaps because of my early upbringing being a refugee kid from a war ravaged country, that couldn't speak the language of his adopted country till elementary school began, I have always done things differently than my buds or the average "joe".

Even when I was looking for a 'traditional' streetbike, I was not looking for one of the aforementioned models.  The Thunderbird appealed to me because it was modern, liquid cooled, reliable and oil tight, but also because it looked very traditional, like it's namesake, the 650 T-Bird.  Flat broad seat, old style pipes and emblems and of course... the sound was amazing.

Getting back to last fall, I went to look at yet another Bloor Triumph, yes... also three cylinders in a row, but slightly bigger at 955cc and somewhat different looking than the one in my garage.  Unfortunately the builders had left our new home incomplete, after going well over budget and also overtime by nearly double, and that took up a great deal of my time and energy to set things right, as Mike Holmes puts it.  He'd have a field day with the yokels that worked on this house I'm sure.  Winter set in and the other Triumph idea was shelved.

There was plenty to keep me occupied since then but I didn't forget about the 955 in C'Town.

I dug up Johns email address and telephone number and called.  Weeks went by with no answer.  I was pretty sure that he'd sold her.  Finally, out of the blue I get an email via the south of France.  He's over there traipsing around with some friends, checking out escargot in France and paella in Espana.  Yes, he still had the bike and yes he'd be interested in having it co-habit with my other bikes in Spring Valley!

Just last week I did a very quick turnaround trip, with Blazer and trailer, and brought home my new sweetheart.  How do I know she will live up to that name... just check her out.  If you don't think this baby is sexy and sensuous... better stop reading right now.

That makes twin triples in my garage now... any bets on a third?


ps Yamaha is introducing  new triples.  Rumor has it that they will market a whole line of threes in the coming years. 

Calgary is flooding...

Who would have thought it possible? 

The news these past few days, has been one of overwhelming flooding in Southern Alberta.  Every night television has some new story dealing with this possibly record breaking natural disaster.  The Elbow and Bow have inundated downtown, evacuation orders have been sent and the Saddledome is now an Olympic sized swimming pool!  The internet is a click away from vivid photos, editorials, man/woman on the spot videos and of course, the obligatory politicians scrambling for the spotlight, and that's what it is.

Once yet again... Mother Nature proves who's boss.  As if we somehow believe we can control everything in our lives with technology, ingenuity and human mastery.  People forget this planet has been doing "it's" thing for several billion years and we, like so many before us, are merely fleas on her back, here only, holding on by our fingernails clinging by gravity.  After all, a T Rex had a peanut sized brain inside that massive skull, and the dinosaurs were around for hundreds of millions of years, far longer than we have (will?) be, and they didn't have high rises, stealth aircraft, nuclear submarines, Windows operating systems or Martha Stewart. We're doing plenty of harm to the planet on our own, without these natural occurrences taking place daily somewhere on the globe.

Not to downplay the fact that this is a mini disaster for everything in its path, humans and animals and vegetation, but really, who are we trying to kid.  

The planet went through cataclysmic evolution throughout its life and is still doing so.   

Our collective arses kicked, yet again...

Stick to the basics.

Okay... it's early.  Sun hasn't quite got round to rising for the day, the full moon is still bright on the horizon.  Wisps of clouds, our peace of heaven, spring valley is still calm and dark but getting lighter by the minute.  There's a still mist down below me.  The cats have all had a visit, Willy perched on my desk as I write, his tail wagging like a wanton animal slapping me across the cheek, rhythmically.  You see, robins and other feathered morsels pluck away at the delicacies of freshly mowed grass... just beyond his reach.

Yesterday was a home day for the most part.  Brenda was at the apartment finishing up her tiling and painting, not much for me to do again until that's done.  My solo day was before that, when I went nuts painting, building, fitting doors/locks/fridges etc.  It will be very nicely done and will make a swell rental home for someone.  We're putting a lot of effort into the building.

 

Me, I spent the day cutting grass around here that I'd neglected, seems I waited forever for the new stuff to grow and now it's sprouting like weeds.  First the oats and now the grass seed is coming up.  There's a lot of it to cut, maybe 3 acres.  I usually plug into my little I Poddie thingie and with earphones on, do half and half.  Half today, the other half next week, alternate.  Lots going on... the reno of unit 2, friends from Calgary coming on the weekend, then Brenda's birthday next week, start the reno on number 5, and more visitors in a week or so. 

In the meanwhile, I still have the garage to sort out here, bikes (of both varieties) to maintain, and let's not forget the cars and equipment.  Who said retirement was going to be easy!?



Back to the moment... I was reading the last blog and really hit home how easily, things can be lost.  Sure it may not be common to have heart surgery at 50, but with all the potential harmful things that can happen to us, its a wonder we live till old age. 

The next twat that tells me how I should be living my life (while they while away their time in front of the TV set)... is gonna get a swat upside the head.  

"Hey buddy... its MY life, and I will live it as I want!"

One last comment, I love looking at old motorcycles.  An air cooled engine,  painted frame, tying wheels with wire spokes together.  Rudimentary suspension, a seat designed to be sat on, and a riding position that was compatible with the human body. 

Life and times right :)

Anyone know what this is??

Pretty much every spring I think back to the end of April/early May, 2005.  I was scheduled for a trip to Wetaskiwin Alberta, as part of the press tour for Reynold's Alberta Museum (RAM) upcoming opening of their 2 year exhibition entitled, Life and Times of the Motorcycle.   The museum itself for those of you that have never attended, began as a private venture that benefited from the oil boom in Alberta, and has morphed into a world class facility, housing an unbeatable collection of vintage cars, trucks, tractors, aircraft and of course, motorcycles.  L.A.s Petersen has nothing on RAM!



This particular exhibition was dedicated to motorcycles from early to latest, factory to custom, oddball to the ultra familiar.  I hope some of you attended during its run, chances are few, that such an event will take place again.  My old friend John Campbell, editor of Canadian Biker magazine out of Victoria, had asked me to write an article and provide photographs.  Unfortunately, the day of the press launch, I was laying on a slab of stainless steel, having an emergency triple bypass operation, the result of a heart attack a few days prior.  I was fifty!

BMW R 90S 1974 in Silver smoke.  Gorrrgeous!

There are lots of memories of that period in my life, some good, some bad, but if anything... those events confirmed my beliefs in doing vs watching, living vs existing, showing feelings vs hiding them in the file folder marked "miscellaneous."  Not a lot of people my age were doing what I was doing at the time... getting sawed open...

I went through many emotions and believe me, for a guy once labelled by a girlfriend to be "emotions on wheels" it was tough sledding.  Denial, anger, how did this happen, why me... pretty much had them all.  The road to recovery was made easier by helpful daughters and friends and an active mind.

Vetter inspired Hurricane triple.

It's been eight years since that fateful spring, and I feel great for the most part.  I still live my life by my golden rules, I try each day to to be grateful, thankful and thoughtful.  I go out of my way to let those close to me know that they are truly appreciated, loved and needed.  I continue to make my plans including those that mean a lot to me and move forward.  I still live by the axiom that the hardest thing to do is making the decision, after that the doing becomes easy.  Every day I try to instill something positive into my own life and those around me, even if it's only a smile or a word of encouragement.

The subsequent recovery was tough at times but nothing I'm sure like dealing with cancer or ALS, now that's tough!

Needless to say, I missed the press launch to RAM, but did get a personal tour a few months later, the article appearing in the mag soon after.  Better late than never, right...

RAM

:)  cheers.

Electronic Mail

I don't get it?

I've been using computers since the mid eighties.  Sure, they were pretty basic (get it) then, but we've evolved somewhat since.

After a long stint in Calgary AB... I am back on the Island where my motorcycle business led me.  Actually that's not quite true, in fact.  Since first visiting here in 1975, I was somehow drawn to the place and decided to set up my first MC shop as a result.  Could have just as easily relocated to my other home, the Okanagan.

Of course, with the  plethora of information and the nature of my last career, the computer sits in my office.  Gone are the days of "snail mail" where (for those of you too young to remember) pen in hand, we'd sit at our desks and write a long letter to Mom/girlfriend/best friend/the relatives overseas. 

Everybody pretty much, uses electronic mail.

Sometime during the late fall, shortly after our arrival, we noticed there were issues with the mail delivery.   

Fir example... I'd write an email to Mike, who by the way lives 7km from us in Kensington (unless you're a bill collector and he owes you money, then his name is Stanley, and he actually lives somewhere in N.Z. address unknown) and he wouldn't receive my message.  He would write me and I would reply, and still the message would not arrive...

Over the last few months, I have heard this same story from other sources.  I send three messages to Rusty, and he tells me finally that "I'm a fine friend, he hasn't heard from me in ages!"  Likewise, someone sends me/us messages and they just disappear into the void.  We've contacted Bell, our supplier, and of course their service sucks, they can't even be bothered to return our phone calls.  I've had TG look into this and his answer; "You shouldn't be having this problem..."  Lord, if Tom doesn't know, then it's all lost!

I'm letting you guys know out there, that we may have to resort to the (are you ready for this?) telephone once in awhile, or maybe (heaven forbid) snail mail to actually keep in touch!

Skype doesn't seem to be affected in fact all systems are normal, except that once in awhile an email goes astray, and there doesn't seem to be any answer as to where.

Anyway, our reno work on apartment #2 is proceeding and hopefully we'll be able to advertise her within days... 

Last thought... keep in touch:)

T Birds and other Triumph's!

Remembered... Brit expat driving the bus!!

SEVERAL years ago, I was thinking of buying a new motorcycle.  Ha ha ha... I can hear you guys laughing now from here in Spring Valley.  Yes it's true, I've had enough motorcycles in my garage at one time to put many motorcycle shops to shame.  Brenda tells me I had over 30 when she met me.  Lemme see... that was nearly 5 years ago, there was the CL 350, the Victor441, the R3, the DS6B, the Seca II (and
in Europe awaiting my return, the Divvie 600)....... 

Spitfire w/s bolted on at my motel room.

Hotel Empress Victoria

You get the picture.

Mile 0 Trans Canada/ from one coast to the other!

Hiway 3 Southern BC

Anywaaaay, I digress.  Back around 2005 as a reward for having survived my second heart attack and bypass (Dr Pristie told me I had the Rolls Royce of bypass') I was hunting for a new bike.  I was very impressed with that year's Suzuki Bandit and they were on sale at Walt Healy's in Calgary, but really what I
wanted was a Triumph 900 Thunderbird.

Crow's nest pass AB

Since owning several triples in the late 70's early 80's I've always liked the sound and feel of them.  The T Bird by the new John Bloor resurrected Triumph motors, was a liquid cooled 885 retro styled, standard.  Of course as you all know I'm sure (my motorcycle friends have superior intellect...) the original T bird was a 650 twin.  The one I was after, was built on the triple/four cylinder platform that Bloor had used successfully to relaunch the line.

She was a modern bike, with a 6 speed tranny and plenty of grunt under those L/C cases... yet harkened back to the days when riding a Triumph was not only "cool" but very popular.  Problem was, during the building of the '03 model year, the factory suffered a huge fire and the entire Thunderbird assembly line melted, and I do mean "melted!"  As I was to find out in my near two year quest, T Birds were hard to find especially the latter ones.  Sure E Bay had the odd one, but my experience shopping for a bike on that platform wasn't particularly top notch.

Basil and Susan's place PEI.

Imagine my surprise when my frequent internet searches, located one in Victoria B.C.  I immediately contacted the owner, who informed me that he'd had several inquiries and was waiting for two potential buyers for his little used,'02 model; to arrive on the weekend.  Now normally I wouldn't pull the Moto-journalist card, but this called for drastic measures.  I literally begged him to sit tight and I would be along as soon as I could make a flight reservation on West-Jet.  Even going so far as to insist he call John Campbell at Canadian Biker right there in Victoria to confirm I wasn't some jester in disguise, that I was the genuine, "Dr. of N. Thusiasm."  This I don't know if he did or not, but when he retrieved me at the airport, he was sporting a brand spanking new CB ball cap perched on his head!

French River harbour

The deal done, I strapped on my soft bags and small shield that I'd brung with me, and headed to my downtown motel to get sorted.  A short ride around Victoria, for some snaps, and the following day I headed to the ferry and East for Calgary.

Metro Malpeque

I still own this bike today.  I still love it like a lustful teenager!

In preparation for the move out East, I had to make some very hard decisions as to what stayed and what didn't.  The T Bird stayed, (was there ever any doubt!?)

Now that I have the obligatory stickier on the fork leg, thanks to my long time competitor locally,  Layton J. I am looking forward to riding the retro triple around the hood, meaning, PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and possibly a foray or two into new England which would be totally appro considering that my ride is also technically "New from England."

Darnley bridge

While I'm on the subject...

IT's pretty high here on my soapbox.  But then again... it is MY soapbox. 

There are so many memories of my previous time on the Island, after all I lived here and conducted business in my shops, for 10 years.  Probably would still have been here had not a divorce happened along...

I often talked about returning, and not just for a visit. 

All this recent talk about lack of Motorcycle Training, record numbers of licensed riders, safety and now of course, recent deaths has been circulating as you would expect on a small close knit Island community.  Riders are wondering what we have to do, how are we ever going to change the public's perception?

I wonder what ever becomes of those that are on the upside (?) of a rider's/driver's death.  I mean of course the person responsible for the death of another road user.

Back in 2007... I had flown out to visit Gail in Truro N.S.  I'd met her somehow by accident through the mysteries of the internet.  That was back in my online dating days and somehow we struck up a conversation via some website or other.  It wasn't until several days had past that we realized we were at opposite ends of the country.  How this revelation came about, I don't recall, but we had been getting along well and it was actually laughable that we were living thousands of kms distant from one another.

She was interested in cats, or maybe it's more appropriate to say, obsessed with rescuing the poor critters that needed a home.  This of course struck a cord with me. 

In one of our frequent conversations, she told me that she had been diagnosed with Cancer and that her planned trip out west to visit her daughter, and perhaps a stop over in Calgary, wasn't likely to take place.  I booked a ticket right after that talk, and headed to Halifax airport.

Part of our week was spent walking around the quaint little town (that has a piece of the Berlin Wall in it's center, don't ask me how or why)... and during our week we headed over to the Island for a visit. 

I was driving her brother's Dodge minivan, mid week, absolutely gorgeous driving conditions.  We had just left highway 104 after gassing up in Masstown and were headed north on major route 4 towards Folly Lake.  I was heading down a long hill with a left hand curve at the bottom.  There is a strange intersection about 3/4 of the way down.  The T to the right takes you into the small town of Debert and opposite is a local road converging at a sharp angle to HW # 4.  A car was coming down the hill towards rte 4.  At this unusual intersection, for any of you that know it, there are two distinct stop sign/lines for vehicles entering the main highway number 4.  If you are going south towards Masstown, you come to a stop and look over your shoulder to safely enter the southbound lane.  If you want to cross highway 4, you align your vehicle perpendicular to the highway at a 90 degree angle so you can scan both directions. 

Got it?

The car coming towards us was in the stop lane proceeding south, opposing us.  At our highway speed we would be covering ground at approximately 80 feet per second.  I clearly saw the car, a Chevy Cavalier come to a stop.  A split second later, the driver (at this time the identity unknown to me) changed their mind and with the wheels turned completely left,  rolled off the stop line and turned across in front of us.  A manuever I was not expecting in the least.  The Chevy drove across the highway to cross onto the local Debert road, and I was only able to veer to the right and very nearly missed the car altogether.  It hit us right behind my driver's door and our speed of ~80kph sent us spinning and off the road to come to a rest sideways, just feet from a steep downhill and only 6 feet from a looming telephone pole. 

Are you still with me?

After checking Gail, who had no idea what had just happened, it took only a split second, I left the vehicle and went to the Cavalier to check on the occupants.  The car had done 1 1/2 complete turns and was now in the very middle of the road facing in the direction from whence it had come.  I found an elderly woman gripping the wheel and upon questioning her if she was alright... her answer, not surprisingly was "what happened and where am I...?" 

It's a fairly busy highway and just beyond where we lay, was a blind curve for anyone coming in our direction.  I enlisted the help of several motorists and someone called for emergency vehicles and police within minutes.  In the meantime I had the car behind us, with a young couple in it, sit in with Gail, who had banged her head against her side window (and my left shoulder did the same on my side) and another car's occupants with the driver of the Chevy. 

After some time emergency vehicles began arriving but the RCMP was nearly an hour, having to come some distance.  During our interview with the police officer, I learned that this elderly lady, was heading to Masstown for coffee... but at the intersection, made a snap decision to proceed to Debert instead, because it was a km or so closer.  She then just turned left directly across our path.  She had absolutely no clue that there was any other traffic on this rather busy road, and drove straight into us oblivious to my radical maneuvering to avoid her car.

I say this to you because I also learned that 10 years previously, at the same intersection, on an identical perfect visibility driving day... she had done exactly then, what she had done now.  In the ensuing collision both occupants of the vehicle coming in the direction we were, had been killed!  That's right, you read that right. 

I asked what charges the officer was going to level and he told me that he wasn't going to lay any!!!  His comment, which I will remember to the day I die was, "Oh... I'm sure she's learned her lesson, and won't be driving any more..."  

Honest, I was dumbfounded.  He insisted that no harm had been done, the vehicles could be repaired... and that was final.  Of course if you were there, it was obvious that neither the Chevy or the Dodge would be on the road again. Period. 

So... what's my point here, where is the bottom line?

Accidents happen.  The other 97% of the time, someone... because of a poor decision, or action or inaction, causes the collision.  In this case we were dam lucky, had Gail and I been out for a Sunday ride,  you wouldn't be reading this now.

As for Gail... the following year, she succumbed to her illness and past away.  A wonderful lady with a heart of gold, and a special place in heaven where all cats love to snuggle.

Death is final, but the message stays alive.

TODAY was a sad day for us on several fronts. 

Sad news from Ontario via Calgary... and here on Prince Edward island, another senseless death of a motorcyclist.  See headline below:

A 24-year-old South Freetown man has died after the motorcycle he was driving collided with an SUV.
The Yamaha motorcycle was travelling on Route 113 in South Freetown when it collided with a Chevrolet Equinox making a lefthand turn into a driveway just after the noonhour today.
The lone occupant of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the Prince County Hospital. 
The 71-year-old female driver and lone occupant of the SUV was uninjured. 
The Department of Transportation assisted with the closing of a section of Route 113 while the RCMP’s collision analyst surveyed the scene.
There have been no charges laid to date.  The RCMP is continuing its investigation to determine the cause of the collision.

It was only last month that the headline read, "Accidents down on PEI..."

In my 45 plus years of riding, my near twenty years of  teaching National Motorcycle courses and my 25 years in the industry, I harped ad nauseum to anyone that would listen about the hazards of riding, the need for education for riders and especially the public at large. 

Problem was and still is... it feels at times that NO ONE is listening.  The public still thinks we're a bunch of crazy cowboys/girls hooligans, the politician's think we are a nuisance, the medical profession, terms us as organ donors, the media does little to make the general public, rider's, politicians and professionals aware of us as responsible users of public highways, with every right to be there as anyone else.

I don't for the life of me, know what the answer is to this.  Well, I guess I do know... but the thought, the Everest facing us is, I'll admit freely, too much for me at times.  Lately, since my return to the Island, many of my old customers/friends etc have approached me about "doing something"  

"What do you want me to do?"  I answer quietly and calmly.  I've been doing it for 47 years... I'm tired and hurting from my last major collision whereas a young man in broad daylight on a perfect Sunday on a Calgary street, saw me approach a yellow light and proceeded to step on his gas pedal, believing that I was going to run the yellow, because "that's what all those bikes do..." he explained to the city policeman on the scene, after rear ending me and punting me across the intersection on the front wheel, with my legs in the air...  I survived that only only because I didn't take the second to think.  I hadn't yet slipped the transmission into neutral and accelerated as soon as I heard the howling and shrieking of locking tires. 

Look... that makes two riders in the last two weeks, one 24 the other 53. Both killed by elderly drivers that failed to do their jobs, they failed to correctly view and assess the situation.  In both cases, those drivers are very fortunate the bikes weren't eighteen wheelers loaded with potatoes... and unfortunate, in both cases we have two men dead, killed while riding their bikes.

People are quick to point out that riding a bike is dangerous, and it is... but it would be less so if there was far more effort than I can make, to ensure that the other guy kept an eye out for us.

cats and Rod Stewart

"Have I tolllllld you latelyyy, that I'd love you to feed me..."  



"Have I tolllld you, there's no one else above yoooou, when it comes to feeding me..."



"Take away all my sadness, fill my tummy with gladness, ease my  bellyyyyaaaache, that's what you do ooooo."

 

Can you dig it?

The Maritimes of Canada

DT Amherst

 JUST recently Brenda and I, driving the PT Cruiser Touring edition Turbo, headed over to Halifax for the night.  Reason: after another four years of edumacation, this time at Dalhousie University, Holly and Kevin were graduating the Master's program in the field of Architecture.

Now I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest that she's added this to her BFA solely because of her Dad... but... it was me after all, that took her to the local building supply stores to wander amongst the displays, buy books on house plans and draw designs, at an early impressionable age.

Five Islands Prov park.

 ANNA had a track meet scheduled the same day (which was postponed due to rain) so she stayed over at Ted and Shiela's place next door to our home in Spring Valley. 

This gave Mom and I a chance to behave as adults on a road trip! 

Of course I spent ten years biking/traveling the CDN Maritime provinces when I previously lived out here, but for Brn, this was all new stuff.

Bass River memorial

ONCE across the Confederation bridge as it is known, we tacked SE along the tiny byways of Nova Scotia.  Through Amherst, via little local squiggly lines to Parrsboro and along the Fundy coast to Truro, hub of NS.

From there we turned the corner and headed back along the coast to Summerville before turning across the province into Dartmouth/Halifax.  On our previous trip a couple of weeks earlier, we stayed in Halifax proper but this time elected to visit Dartmouth.

Master's

THERE will be plenty of upcoming blogs on traveling the provinces of New Brunswick, NS including Cape Breton of course and maybe even a foray over to the Rock.  

For this trip, a rainy spring overnight, we doubled the route mileage and time required and peacefully meandered country roads well away from the Trans Canada. 

Fundy coast

IF your gig is small villages with quaint names (Economy/Upper Economy/Lower Economy, Bass River, River Hebert, Great Village, Noel, Brooklyn and Newport...) roadtripping around our Eastern provinces will appeal to you greatly.

Hundreds of years of settlement and history can be discovered around every dip, corner or bridge on the road...

Low tide

FOR example... were you aware that the highest tides found anywhere in the World's oceans, are right here... on the Bay of Fundy?  Over forty feet rise and drop, everyday, every year. 

Okay then... how about this, where will you find the second highest tides on the planet?

Bet you don't know that one :)

Stay tuned for much more... Cape Breton highlands, Fort Louisburg, the Cabot Trail, South shore, Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg, Fredricton, St. John and much much more...

Summer...

...was yesterday, although it did last pretty much all day at least.  26C with only a few short thundershowers late in the afternoon, and throughout the night. with a great light-show!  I began my day in jeans and a sweater, but within 5 nano seconds, I was back inside stripping into shorts and a T.

Today... not so nice, very cool and intermittent rain.

Yes... this is fresh lobster.

I stopped in at the drugstore.  While Brenda shopped for this and that, I sat at one of those self administered blood pressure machines to kill some time.  Yes, yes... I know, it's not as accurate as the Doc's, but since we don't have a family Dr. and it will be years before we get one assigned to us, in what is Canada's worst health care system, I don't pass up a chance to check up on myself when the opportunity presents itself.

For those of you that never do this, me with my heart attacks, I have to know of course how the ticker is doing... you sit down, place your left arm through the cuff, take a handful of deep breaths pretend to be totally zen, then push the green button to inflate the cuff.

Well on my first attempt, after a suitable period of buzzing and inflating as if the thing needed a tune-up or something like an overhaul, the machine tells me "I need to work on my biceps!"

On the second attempt, the message reads, "cuff inflated to maximum, no reading possible".

Smart assed machine!

Being the type that rarely quits, I breathed a bit deeper and then pressed the green button a third time, it's the magic number, right...

Voila... 130 over 80!

Why that's almost perfect.

Guess I'll plan another day.