September is summer

July was almost a write off. 23 days of rain. However I rode when I could. Mostly to and from work with the odd "fun" ride thrown in for good measure.

I brought the KLR up to the cottage via trailer the first w/e of September. There was to be good weather and a bevy of babysitters. A two up ride was in the offering and it was too good to pass up. Nearly 2 yrs had passed since Jules and I had a decent motorbike ride. Our excuse was the lake association meeting. We managed a 30 minute country road ramble with a favourable comment about the KLR thrown in for good measure. Had my sale of the Triumph been forgotten? (no not really, but it was nice to both be on a bike again). The only downside was the amount of re-positioning of bike on trailer once we hit the Kilmar. It actually got so bad that I took the bike off the trailer to ride the rest of the way up. Julie drove the GV as I followed on the bike. Funny sight to see the unladen trailer being thrown all over the road willy-nilly.

I also took time out to explore some roads. I can face to face with a decent on a road recently covered with golf-ball sized rocks. Harrowing would be the word to describe my decent. I really have no idea how I didnt throw the bike down. It was there that the idea of "sidecar" was solidified. More on that later.

I also happened along a sandpit and put my best Race to Dakar impersonation to test. Soft "fesh-fesh" sand had me down to the rear axle in a dismounted push- jog. Great giggles and a very sobering revelation. Hats of to Dakar folks who do that for days on end!

We now find ourselves in the second week of September and I'm coming off of a beauty ride to a luxurious cottage in Tremblant. It was a fast ride up on Friday afternoon, overnight with some colleagues. Return on Saturday morning. I took the ferry at Masson at a quarter to four. Rolled on and hadnt the time to put the sidestand down when we chugged away from the dock. Some traffic at Plaisance due to bridge construction. Then up the 323 from Montebello. I hadnt ran that road since a stormy winter night in 2002. Not much memory there other than it was damn dark and slippery. We were heading for a ski at the big hill but the upper half of the mountain was closed due to severe wind and cold... But I digress..

The last time up the 323 on bike was years before that. I remember riding a single lane road with tons of switch-backs and some whale watching on a beach at Lac des Plages (hey, lots of poutine joints man).

I was looking forward to seeing the development of the roads. Well, I wasn't/was disappointed. Lots of construction, lots of development with the end result of "getting to Tremblant faster". Great if you are in a four wheeled land barge, lousy if you know how to handle a bike well. The old road was meant for "spirited" riding. The new one seems to be aimed towards expediency and, of course safety... (read: I need straight boring roads so I can use my ipod and watch a dvd on my onboard theatre without driving off the road). Suffice it to say the road did revert back to it's older form closer to Tremblant.

The stay up North was good. Lots of refreshments, fine food and good conversation. It was a nice little "pause cafe" from life in Ottawa. Up early and and solo cedar strip canoe trip through the mist to try and clear the head (advil helps too). Breakfast was next, clean-up the on the road. I bundled up as it was a tad misty in them thar hills. The ride back was extraordinary. Great weather, zero traffic, and a head full of songs to let loose out on the road. I must have looked a kook to oncoming traffic, mouth wide open in mock "Idol-ness".

So far 5050 Kilometers on the KLR. Loaded panniers a half tank of gas to make the trip. The bike ran well and the hand-guards kept the chill at bay. I must have passed a hundred cruisers. Most waved, some scowled. It never ceases to amaze me that certain folks buy in to the old style Biker persona. Gotta be pissed of at the world to ride a "real" bike. Well I figure they are pissed 'cause they paid too much for the chrome.. Then again maybe I'm just a giggling idiot?

As for the sidecar. It's interesting. I can see the time coming when I'll want to share the ride with Coop. Thats in perhaps 5 to 8 years. A sidecar would accelerate that. I also like the idea of the utility of a rig. Throw three people on it with gear and go. Some small winter rides could be done (sans salt).

Some negatives: cost (lots depending on which way I go), some mobility removed (no leaning, no blasting away from the herd at lights etc). However it's all worth it in the end. As long as there is a promise of a ride then all is well!