D2D 2014

Dawn

                                                to

Dusk

I first found out about this very cool quarter liter or under long distance endurance ride several years ago while still living in Alberta, from long time pal, Hance.

Early morning at Toys!

Having known each other for decades back to my PEI Freedom Cycle days, Hance knew how much I liked back road small displacement riding.  In fact he and his nephew James showed up one year in my hood and we spent a day cruising around the foothills on my three XT's.



I was not able to attend last years rally because of a timing conflict but was determined to do this years event.


Put on by the guys at CanadaMotoGuide, an online local MC magazine, it's basically an all day (and then some) scenic, off the beaten path, ride at your own rate adventure for bikes that are small in stature but big in fun.  This year, they have opened it to larger displacement bikes officially capped at 500cc but even larger bikes will not be turned away

A surprising mixture

of bikes, small to large, street to dual.

You've heard that bigger is better no doubt, well this is sorta big, as in big on distance.  It's also big on camaraderie and even bigger on FUN.  The only thing small about D2D is the size of your engine in reality.

Go to canadamotoguide.com online and check out their stuff.

I had a choice of my DT50, my 150 Velo scooter or my 225 Serow.  Sure sure, I could have taken my XT 600, the newly acquired V Strom or even my VX800 for that matter, but keeping with the intent of the ride, I chose the Serow.

Ed's CBX 250

We drove to Moncton in pouring rain (weather report all week was dry, hot and sunny) and of course I did not pack a rain suit, go figure.  A cheap but available motel at the west end of town had at least a clean and updated room and given the fact that the city was hosting a FIFA world championship women's soccer tournament for two weeks, we were glad to have found accommodation.

Anna and her Mom were planning some stuff for Saturday while I prepped my bike for the ride.

The alarm didn't get a chance to ring at 5 am, I was up by 4 30 getting dressed in my off road gear, in the pouring rain of course.  I rode to the starting point at Toys For Big Boys in pitch black darkness, and was surprised when I arrived that I was the only one there!  Not another soul or motorcycle in sight!  Could it have been cancelled?  I wouldn't think so, neither Rob and Zac don't seem like the wimpy types.

I needn't have worried as before long Larry Northrup and his crew were setting up coffee, juice, and sweet things for us D2D'ers.  Bikes began trickling (no pun intended) in and pretty soon there were 21 of us with the Konker 200 SM the smallest, me next up in line and at the top was a GS 800 Beemer from our Island in fact.  In between were an XT 350, a DR 350, several small sized street bike, a Rebel without a cause and an XR 650 that looked ready to tackle the Baja Mille!

After the obligatory rubbing shoulders and pep talk, we fired up and were on our way.

It was raining, barely dawn and gray with no inclination of smartening up for the day.  The weather report at the motel was NOT promising.

'Arris giving us the rules.

Not having a clue as to the route, I just followed the turtle group led by the Illustrious Zac on the Honda BIG Ruckus.  There were 9 of us in the slow bunch with two faster groups ahead. 

It became obvious once we actually got out of Dodge that this was NOT going to be a slow ride. We had over 600 km to cover in 12 hours and being tail end charlie, I would have to flog the little Serow to keep up.

I'd ridden the XT in Alberta and B.C.'s  Rockies, Arizona and Baja but never so far on a single day.


I was already thinking, Numb Bum...

Billy the Squid did just fine!