MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BEST WISHES FOR '19

ANOTHER year has whizzed right by in high gear, or so it seems.

I'd like to thank all the people that read my BLOG and wish you all a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND... THE BEST FOR THE COMING NEW YEAR.

Stay healthy, live long and prosper, couldn't have said it better myself.

Doc.

ps after snowfall in November and December... we are going to be having a vert green Christmas !!

Merry Christmas?

WHERE has the year gone? 

Does is seem to anyone else that as youngsters, we couldn't wait to "grow up?  It seemed at age 9 or 10, birthdays were few and far between. Waiting until we'd be a teen and then an adult, time was like watching a can of 40 weight oil sitting outside at 40 below.

Newly installed heat exchanger

Somewhere in my thirties, maybe during my divorce, it seemed I'd caught a higher gear and began accelerating.  The first half of my life was Motorcycle training for CSC* then motorcycle racing and ultimately a career as an independent dealer selling Suzuki in one of my three stores and Kawasaki and Yamaha in all three stores.

Very pretty Spring Valley

I had two girls who are now both new mothers living at opposite ends of the country and in fact the younger one in southern New Brunswick Canada just a handful of miles from the USA, and my elder girl living in Seattle, just a handful of miles to southern B.C. Canada on opposite coasts.

Getting my grand son started, no time like the present!

Normally here on PEI, we don't see any snow until Christmas eve and often not into the new year. 

For a couple of weeks now we've been hit with rain, snow and stiff near hurricane wind.  Just this week nearly the entire Island was hit with power outages that in one case, lasted the entire day and into the following night.  We do have an auxiliary gasoline generator with a service lock-out just in case it lasts into days which it did a few years ago.  Of course we also have some of the simplest devises know to man... candles.  Not only useful on romantic dinner nights (which seem to be getting fewer each year...) but in the case of a power outage, you know you can count on that old wax and wick thing and a match.

It's not been cold out and I still regularly walk our road, but of course for a guy born to ride two wheels, having to store my motorcycles for several months every year is a painful experience!

Can't do anything about the seasonal change. 

I did however after many years, bring my two vintage trials bikes into the garage, for what I am hoping for will be a winter/spring overhaul.  I'm planning to taking them down to the frames, doing some restoration work, and having them ready to ride by spring '19.

The TY 175 Yamaha is probably the 5th or 6th TY ranging from the 80 cc model up to the air cooled 350 and all in between.  I'm not a trials professional but I do like to "putter" at times.  The TL 125 Honda I got on a trade from a local (Ducati riding) enthusiast



My Big Bear has been kitted with the snow plow once again and has already seen several call outs. It  has paid for itself several times over during the 6 years living on the Island.

The remainder of my bikes sit under tarps inside, out of the elements... batteries patiently waiting for their turn on the charger. 

 As I write this, it's hovering near zero C and the sun is peeking over the horizon.  I've been up for hours, I'm sure the Sunday morning coffee has perked itself and I'll be heading upstairs from my little office, to a cuppa and muffin. 



I do like early morning summer or winter I must confess, that time when things are still and quiet, blue Jays coming by to load up on bread crumbs and provide some entertainment for the cats, especially little Miss Izzy.

For you that live in similar climates as I, keep the water kettle on simmer, get some maintenance done on whatever you ride, and plan for the soon to be 'new year.'

Ciao ciao...

*Canada Safety Council

A Day to remember.

YESTERDAY was the one hundred year anniversary of the official end of the 'Great War' called that because of the magnitude of the conflict.  It was also known as the war to end all wars.  Wrong again.

This morning I sit at my desk... grateful that we live in relatively peaceful times in our adopted country of Canada.  Had we not escaped Hungary in October 1956, my life would have been vastly different.

How so?

One horsepower

Well first of all my father would likely have been killed as thousands were during and after the 'uprising.'  He had spent 6 years in a work camp, not expected to survive. I would have almost certainly been drafted into the military of the USSR and been sent to Afghanistan during the 80's.

Almost certainly I would not have been writing motorcycle travel stories...



IT'S minus 3 C (24F) on my outdoor thermometer as I sit here.  Partly cloudy but showing large patches of blue sky.  I didn't get to ride anything during the weekend, cold, wet and raining buckets.

69 horsepower

For the most part the transition has gone okay but of course I lament each year, putting the bikes into storage in various corners of the garage.  I will add the stabilizer to those bikes that have not been done yet but put off the pulling of the batteries for a bit longer yet, just in case.

Normally I'd be heading to Arizona during the fall, but having been there earlier in the year to "move back in" since the repairs were completed (?) I hadn't planned on a second trip.  The exchange rate has been bouncing around the 30% mark in in fact this weekend it's at $1.32

Good thing I followed my own advice when I was a financial adviser, having bought USD when we were par or even a bit better.  That money is used up now.

I've been relatively healthy, except for the kidney stones which I seemed to have past/passed now and will be perfectly happy if I don't have to go through that again.  Ever!  Wasn't a swell time these past 6 months.

Fall on the Island

Saw my Dr for a follow up and she tells me I'm doing great, in great shape.  I have lost weight over the last 12 months but mostly because I am not eating large meals lately and I had been pretty active, the kidney stones not withstanding.



I took up writing this blog a decade ago as a way to keep in touch with people that live around the world.

Trusty old XT 600, been around the block once or twice

I know there are people that count on my keeping this going if only for a glimpse of what I am doing, saying hello or checking out the photographs.  I'll continue doing it as long as I can, although sometimes it's hard to find something to write about.  It's not a political venue although occasionally I get up on my milk crate and toss in my two cents ($2:25 after inflation) like "LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES" (not a fan) or lane filtering (Big fan)

It's not about wars or politics or as we'd said in the sixties... "putting people down" in fact even though it didn't start out as anything other than saving myself time and money trying to upload a handful of photos on keyboards that often were 'foreign' to me!

Long time traveling companion!

Since then it's morphed into some ramblings of my various ramblings and hopefully an inspiration to you doing something for yourself.  It doesn't have to be a round the world trip like
my long time friend Dave has just completed, in fact it could be something as simple as getting stuck in a mud pit on my 225!

So... as the fall deepens and December is just around the corner, I hope we are blessed with decent weather and a short winter.  I'm getting too old for shoveling snow!

I'm looking forward to my goal plan which I have been doing for decades, taking a filing folder, during the first few days of the year and writing down some simple goals I've set for myself.  It includes things like; getting out in the canoe three times during the year, taking a half dozen off Island excursions exploring on various bikes, changing tires or checking valve adjustments or even just keeping this Blog going.  Nothing earth shattering, but mostly just stuff that interests me and keeps me healthy and ticking.

So... if you tune in regularly like some do or occasionally like others, read one and send me a comment on occasion.  You'll see I don't have a page full of advertising to distract from the riding experiences.

Cheer

Doc.

The joke was on me...

BACK in the day, when I was a young man in the M/C business, it was my pleasure to teach the National CSC* learn to ride, program, sell bikes and later ATV's and snowmobiles, both out west and on the Island.

I took great pride in riding as many different machines as was humanly possible.  If you asked me how a Yamaha Turbo compared to a Kawasaki, I could answer that.  Maybe it was a Venture Royale and an Aspencade.  Or on a smaller scale, an XS 400 Special  vs an XJ 400 Maxim.

I rode what I sold and I sold a hell of a lot of stuff.  I was not just another 'pretty face' ... nope I was an Enthusiast.

I remember well a story that took place at a Yamaha dealer meeting in T.O.

1979 YZ 400 F, the guy in the ski mask is me. Above, a few years later on Team Green '83 KX 125

I was speaking to a Japanese gentleman from the factory twice my age,  and we got on the subject of MX. (Moto Cross) Prior to that, I had ridden MX bikes through the years and all the brands from the earliest Elsinore, Husky's and the latest RM model.  As we're chatting (his English was pretty good btw) about the current bike I was riding, a Yamaha YZ 125J, the first ones with the radiator behind the number plate, he asked me cordially how I liked it.

Now this guy was one of the top echelon that made the decisions in Hamamatsu, as to what we were going to see the next year(S) to come, so I wasn't going to miss my opportunity.

I politely but firmly said; "I do like my YZ 125 but it didn't have enough power.  I backed it up by saying, "Those Honda's are so fast... I felt I needed to ride too hard to keep them in sight.  In other words, the Yamaha needed more BHP.

He had his fingers on his chin in a serious fashion, contemplating the problem, and finally said to me... his forefinger tugging at a non existent beard,

'You need a mo powa, you YZ Yamaha not fas enough.... '

I answered in the affirmative, nodding my head, it needed more power.

Looking at me in the most serious fashion (I learned something in the next 15 seconds)... he answered,

'You 125 not fas' enuf........ you get YZ 490, it have rots mo powa!'


He then broke out in a huge grin, the age wrinkles on his face smiling.  He'd got me.

My teasing him ended up, as they sometimes do, tables turned.

* Canada Safety Council

Death and Taxes

I'm sure all of us in many languages know that phrase.  We say it jokingly but of course it's absolutely true.

We're born.
We live.
We die.

What we do as humans, how we learn, gain experience, treat others, the wildlife, the planet in general is our choice.

Those of you that read my blog, which I initially began while I was motorcycling Europe a decade ago, as a way of keeping friends and family informed and hopefully entertained as well, know I believe that if we live to fifty, a half century, the rest is bonus time.   

Recently I've had for me, some bad news cross my path.  Beginning with my Chicago cousin Mike, followed by word that my last living uncle (HU) died recently and then closer to home, long time friend and mentor John Metcalfe. 

They were born.
They lived (and paid taxes) and they've died.

If you know me from reading this blog or any one of many published motorcycling adventures, that I occasionally hop up on my milk crate (nearest thing to a soapbox I have) and harp on doing something with yourselves.  I don't care what it is. 

You don't have to do what Dave P. is doing, riding a KTM 950 half way round the world, you don't have to press your luck alone in an Arizona desert. 

In fact you don't have to do anything motorcycle related at all. 

But by George... do something with your life.  Something that you're inspired by, something others can aspire to. 

As far as I know... we only get one crack at this, and it's only too late when the curtain is coming down. There are no "mulligan's" here.

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.....

Look who's come for dinner!

BACK shortly after the last dregs of ice age retreated into the Okanagan/Kootenay lakes, I had a young English lad sign up for the National Motorcycle Training program I operated then in Fort Mac Murray.  He was 17 at the time, I was a very young Chief Instructor at 23.

Being from the UK, throttle twisting was in his blood.  In fact I'm told on good authority that the first two words he said wasn't Mommy or Daddy but a simple single... 'Ton Up'*

Dave and I lived just down the street from one another in Calgary some years later. We'd visit, swap biking stories, when I left town I entrusted him with stacks of Bike mags, many sports oriented and some British.

Fast forward 6 years...

Dave with Camel and Izzy... ever helpful... 

Avoiding FaceBook as it were a plague, I'm kinda out of the loop and I don't actually mind that. I figure if someone wants to talk to me, I have a

'smarterthaniphone' ,

email addresses and can text using more than a single digit! Hey... I can even write an old fashioned letter and post it!

In my 'Inbox' I begin getting text messages and FB email. 

Dave as it turns out is headed to his home in Cow Town via the The Long Way Back.  I'm intrigued, after all I met Ewan and Charley purely by accident in 2004 at a local hotel in Great Falls Montana, where I was taking in the Charley Russell Museum with my California buddy Rock. I remember them as being beat, worn down and anxious, after all, they were soon to end their epic trip.

As I said, I begin having these messages coming in as in a 'mayday' or 'sos' from sea. Turns out the young lad was indeed on his LWB!!

Dave was here in Woodstock Ontario, then later in Woodstock New Brunswick and showed up at my digs on the Island in between, I think, Friday night!  He looked a little like the "Lone Ranger" except a dark version of such.  His Trigger was not Golden Palomino but Coal Black and dubbed 'Camel.'

Ever creative, that's a map of Uzbekistan in 10-40

It's a very long story, over half a year but in a nutshell, some friends were going to ride the world Ewan and Charley style... but without the free stuff and no back up, which as it turned out was somewhat crucial.

Somewhere in Uzbekistan one of the riders lost his paperwork from an open tank-bag, that is passport, registration documents and pretty much everything you need to avoid jail. 

I'm told you don't want to be in jail there. 

He was fined, the bike was confiscated and the other two riders suffered a crash among other mishaps and complete with broken body parts one of them, and the bikes were stored in one of the Stans... I forget which one, (but in my defense I am in my sixties.)  The confiscated bike, well confiscated remained confiscated.

Dave bought the bike for a song and dance, or maybe just a song couldn't have been a dance, he's really not a dancer, I'm not sure, but the deal was he had to take possession of it there in the impound and get it home his-self!

Fast forward

... paper work in hand he shows up and suffers through the legal/shades of former communism stories, greasing palms along the way, and there were plenty of palms I suspect. 

So far so fair.

Then he lost substantial time and as such he had only a few days to ride clean through Russia.  They are not very liberal with their rules, and you don't want to be in a Russian jail! 

North to Murmansk and onto Norway, doing a huge loop in the process ending up in the UK where bike and body were deposited in the belly of an aircraft headed to Canada.. bike... not body.

More fast forwarding:

Camel coming home.

He shows up in little ole PEI, to visit the Dr. who was terribly humbled I might add, and we spend the next 20 hours talking trip, repairing 'Camel,' spilling oil on the floor of the garage and the next day with me on my Citicom and Dave on his Dromedary 950 make a mad rush to catch the Wood Island Ferry to N.S.

True to it's breed, the Black Camel holds 70 L of fuel in three tanks.

From here, he doesn't turn west, but east... and rides the Cabot Trail!  From there he's been meandering home doing long miles with the Camel skirting storms and winter warnings and as far as I know at this particular moment, he is close but no cigar lighting just yet.

Now... did I teach this kid something back in '78 or what?

Test riding the Black Camel

 * Ton Up is, well you know!