Small towns and nice roads

Met up with Brent at 8;30 in Lanark for breakfast.
We decided to head up to Sharbot lake and explore back of Wagarville.

Of course we stopped at Silver lake on the way.

Past Sharbot Lake , through Tichborne and Parham, we turned for Wagarville, and followed 5 Lake Road , which turned into Mountain Road.
Wagarville was not very big. ....100 people ?

We stopped to check out 5th Depot Lake. Not a very appealing name, but a really pretty lake.

Mountain Road is a fun ride. Nice scenery too.
So now we are in Tamworth.
Where to go?

Brent suggested that we go to Marlbank, since neither if us had been there.
Finest road of the day for some reason.
Enough turns, but also some long straight a ways with rolling hills.
The road was like a snake, but not left to right...up and down.
Not much in Marlbank...

Next stop Tweed.
Really nice town. Just big enough.
We headed back to highway 7 and immediately turned on to Flinton Road, heading to Flinton.
Again a new road for both of us...and another pleasant surprise!
Lots of turns, hills and again...great scenery.

We stopped at a big swamp / marsh along the way.
It was actually quite intriguing looking for some reason.

To get down to the swamp we had to walk through a bit of a forest area.
There were snake skins, snakes, frogs, herons, assorted birds ...lots of wildlife.
Worth stopping for.

Not a whole lot in Flinton...

We rode up 41 through Northbrook and Cloyne, and turned at Vennachar Junction.
From there, Plevna, Ompah, Snow Road Station, Elphin, Lanark... and home through Ferguson Falls, and Carleton Place.
These are all fun roads, but kind of routine now.

Between Elphin and Lanark, I saw Brent signal to pass a car a head of us.
I shoulder checked and followed him.
During the pass, while I was doing 110 km/hr.  at least, ...3 rice rockets passed us...while we were passing the car !
Scared the shit out of me.
They came from behind the truck following me.
They had to be doing 160 Km/hr.
And people wonder at Motorcycle fatalities.....these guys will end up smeared somewhere, driving like that.

Looks like sunny week coming up...could be I will get out for a night ride or 2.

Friday Ride

Not really a massive week of riding, but I did get out a few nights after dinner for an hour or so.

Friday, I was invited to join  in on a ride organized by Mark from Modern Niagara.

We left Ottawa around 8:45, headed to Orleans to pick up 1 more rider, and headed to Hawkesbury.

From there, across to Lachute, then Morin Heights and Saint-Sauveur, to Mont Tremblant.
Some of the roads were in pretty nasty shape, but all the hills and corners and the spectacular view along the way, make this a pretty awesome route to take.

 Saint - Sauveur was a particularly nice little town. I kind of noticed that people were looking at us as we rode down the main drag, and later when we stopped, one of the guys mentioned that there was a sign in French stating no motorcycles on the main drag.....that would explain the looks we got!
I would definitely go back there.
http://www.valleesaintsauveur.com/media/FAQs.html

At Mont Tremblant , which is very pretty as well, we had a nice BBQ lunch and some coffee, and then headed back to Ottawa through Brebeuf, Cheneville, and Ripon and to the 50, and home, with guys dropping off as we rode.

The Bikes

The Guys from Modern

Mont Tremblant

Getting ready to head out.

All and all,  it was a thoroughly enjoyable ride and day.
Thanks for the hospitality, and for making me a part of the day.
A great bunch of people, for sure!

And, as you must have noticed in the pictures...a  mix of motorcycle brands and styles.
Sports bikes to touring bikes.... Hondas, Harleys and Suzukis.
Just guys who like to ride....riding and enjoying the day.

Nothing wrong with that.

Riding Again

It was a long week of no riding.

My back was too sore from my tumble down the stairs last weekend to think about riding.

I got the oil changed, and the bike cleaned up on Saturday, and just a quick-check-for-leaks ride.

Sunday I met up with Brent, and we rode up through Plum Hollow, Battersea, Inverary, and back through Sharbot Lake.

Outside of Battersea, we had to stop at this cool little bridge that opens up to let boats through.

A couple of stops along the Mississippi River, which we seem to cross at some point no matter where we are heading.

Not a big ride, but I didn't want to push my back, and end up back where I started a week ago.

It was relaxing.

Monday I got out for a little ride to Merrickville.
I had ridden past , but never stopped at,  the ruins across the street from the locks.. I am glad I finally did.
What's not to like ? ...stone ruins and buildings...river..interpretive center..

Sometimes life is such a rush, that we forget to stop and see the sights..
Invariably when I do, I learn something new.

Like today... I had all kinds of grand plans of where I would be riding for the couple of hours I would be out, and I ended up waylaid in the ruins.

Have to step back and remember that sometimes it is about the journey and not the destination.
The process and not the result, is what matters.
Kind of the antithesis of daily life...

Between riding to work and a bunch of after dinner rides, I mananged to get
some decent riding in during the week.

Friday, my wife and I rode to Almonte, Pakenham, Arnprior for dinner and home through Kinburn and Carp.

Saturday we rode up to the water park at Mont Cascades by bike. About an hour away.
I managed to hurt my back wiping out on slippery stairs at the lodge.
But ...it was a beautiful day, a lot of fun, and a ride, aside from that.

Sunday I rode with Brent.
We met in Lanark for breakfast, and headed to the St. Lawrence .
Through Perth, Smith Falls and Brockville to get there.

We stopped outside of  Edwardsburgh to see
"The Battle of the Windmill National Historical site".
Pretty cool spot.
Well worth stopping to see.

The view from the windows up top was something else...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing on, we went onto the Long Sault Parkway.
It's a good ride but short.
Great scenery, and roadway, but only 20 minutes of riding.

To get home from Cornwall, we went up the 138, and turned onto 43.
Rode back to Kemptville and the 416 through Avonmore, Chesterville, Winchester.
Straight roads...farms...not a lot to see except corn.

Wasn't a massive ride by any means, but it was sunny and 30 degrees, and we were riding.
Can't say anything bad about that !

 

Hope this sunny hot weather keeps up, but being late August, that is wishful thinking.

Some Nice Weather !

After the last week of rain, it was great to get some decent weather for riding.

Thursday night my wife and I did a little ride out through Richmond to Burritts Rapids, Merrickville , Kemptville then home.
We stopped at the locks in Merrickville. It is a really pretty spot.

Not sure why, but locks have always intrigued me. Simple technology that works, I guess.


Saturday I rode with Brent.
We met in Lanark, went to Calabogie, then  the Matawatchan rd. along Centennial lake.

Road can be shitty in spots...but the view makes it worth it.

From there ....Denbigh to just before McArthurs Mills and up the Boulter road.
Amazing scenery...photos don't do it justice.

The photos above are at a random spot along the road.
As we rode, I knew it was only a question of time before Brent would want to pull over....it was just too pretty.
This spot had a barn off to the left with 5 or 6 horses just peacefully  grazing, and then this view.
We both agreed that living here would be awesome....it was so peaceful.

From here we went to Combermere, and had lunch from a chip truck, just sitting under a tree at a picnic table.

I had told Brent about the little park on Old Barry's Bay rd. and he wanted to see it...so that was our next stop.

The water was considerably higher since the last time I was there.
Brent agreed that it was like New Hampshire.

We rode the rest of the road to Barry's Bay, then came home through Wilno ( with a stop at the lookout, of course), Golden Lake, Eganville, Renfrew home.

Brent commented that there was still all kinds of great riding and rides in our own backyard...all this stuff was within 2. hrs of Ottawa or Lanark.


Sunday my wife and I wanted to do a little ride somewhere, and then go for breakfast, but couldn't come up with a place to ride, because of the bicycle closures to the canal, Parkway etc.
We were just going up Prince of Wales heading to the Arboretum, and we spotted Hog's back.
Hadn't been there in a while!
I turned in....good choice.
You are never too old to climb around on rocks.

From there..breakfast at Al's Diner. which is always good, and then home.

No massive rides, but lots of nice spots to enjoy.

Hopefully the weather holds this week, and I get some more riding in.