An unusual question?

I was talking the other day with a friend that I hear from a few times a year.  He used to ride bikes but for the time being, has given it up. 



He asked me what my favorite ride of the year has been?


I made a joke that claimed the year wasn't over so I was going to withhold judgement until then.  Of course considering it's nearly November and in fact I near froze my derriere off earlier in the week , it's pretty much done for 2018.

Of course that simple question has been bouncing off the four corners of my brain since.  I mean I've ridden all my bikes at least some this year.  Because the proximity to Lisa's in Saint John is within a easy putter on the back roads, I rode my 650 V  Strom most often both in mileage and also adventures. 



I've clocked about 10,000 km and two thirds were on the Suzuki.  Not the most comfortable bike I've owned, and one that could benefit from a few more mods, but certainly for what I am doing, it's the best choice. 

Fiv

I am considering what options I have to find a suitable replacement for it but as of yet, there is nothing.

Somewhere in NB

What I would like to do is drop a hundred pounds and at least a couple more inches in seat height.  There seems to be a tide of smaller lighter, capable bikes, and I'm sure I will find something if I'm patient. 

 That's a topic for another Blog.

 
Anyway, it's got me thinking.  Of all the rides I did in 2018, including New Brunswick back roads many times, then following that up with several rides in Nova Scotia and the local roads of course, I think my favorite ride was the one I took on Big Blue, my 1990 XT 600.  It was a solo trip designed to familiarize myself with the tiny back local roads that  area abounds in. I had a general plan but as often happens on my rides, it's best to be flexible.  You never know where riding with the Dr will get you!

On that trip, which I blogged about a few months ago on my August 19th trek, was unusual because I was covering uncharted territory.  I would be on dirt or gravel roads and there was the potential of riding on some out of service roads that were really just tracks.

It was not only a challenging ride but also fun and as often happens, grin bearing!

I covered some very pretty terrain yet again, got lost (several times) but of course one cannot stay lost riding the Maritimes. 



That ride was tentatively  planned to cover about 300 km but exceeded that by half!  It was hot, fun and new. 

Drop dead beautiful, quiet and serene...

Now, if we were to include riding outside the province and even country... my favorite ride of the year in Arizona had to be the Blog "On the Road to Globe" June 8th where I took a couple of days and closed a loop I didn't have time for a few years back but also gave me a chance to ride a route I have been eyeballing for 8 years.

This... is exploring.

Rains about 10" a year, and this was the night I got 5 of them!!

I'll miss my desert rides when they come to an end!

Unfortunately as sometimes happens, I wasn't in great physical terms on my spring USA visit on what turned out to get me a very expensive ($995 usd) ambulance ride to a local Phx hospital thinking I was having an appendicitis attack. My BP rocket to 190 over 145 or there about.

Morphine drip vs kidney stones... hurt like hell!

Turned out to be kidney stones, landing me in a hospital 2 days before I was catching my flight home for the summer.  Further adding $20,000 usd in hospital fees.  Fortunately I have had a long time insurer that covered my out of country emergency medical events and professionally handled all but the paperwork and I need not have worried. 

You hear such horror stories, but TD Meloche Monnex and Global Excel came to my rescue and I thank them a thousand time!

NOW... my goal is to extend this winning streak into 2019 and beyond, just keep on racking up the goals completed. Adventures wrapped and experiences gained...

Stay tuned. 

Holding down my Fort, patrolling the fence...

...and catching some zzzzzz.....