Yes Emily

Yes Emily, girls can ride motorcycles!


Monday, September 27, 2010

Up Coming

The weekend weather was on again off again rain with little sun to entice me to ride, so I hunkered down to do the long needed domestic tasks instead. The fall colours are exploding right now and I'm afraid to miss them - they're as fickle as, well as fickle as the weather and we are under a severe rainfall warning. A heavy autumn rain can wash away the colours as fast as they appeared. I'm not sure about where you live, but it feels like the riding season is coming to an end too quickly here.
Thanks Pepper for offering help with the nasty stone chip - the best help I've had on the home front is, "You can get it fixed, but you're 'gonna' have to pay!" The stone has knocked the paint off, down to the metal. Any one of my other bikes and I'd have lived through it, but not the star!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

September 28
SideStandUp.com (The world's only motorcycle Radio Road Show: Tune in online Tuesday, September 28 from 7-9 EST to hear about the first International Women Riders Congress and Festival (last month in Huntsville. Remember? I was there).

November 20
The "Girls Show" at the KRock in Kingston (I'll be there!). Yogi from the Performance Shed has promised to bring a line up of Yamahas and accessories for every rider.

Any events you'd like to share? I'd love to hear from you.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Open Farms Tour

The day couldn't have been more perfect! I met up with Ken, my neighbour (motorcycle enthusiast and collector) to head northwest to the first farm on our tour. Ken had chosen a KTM from his collection of bikes, I of course had chosen a Yamaha VStar from my collection of "bike". We were like Mutt and Jeff - I can't believe how high that KTM is(I would have needed a ladder just to get on it), but a dual purpose bike was a sensible choice (if you have a choice) when you are headed to farmland and possible dirt roads (and grassy field). The first farm was in Erinsville ON - the Double H Ranch, and they were having fun with this event. The country music was blaring at the cowgirl cafe (with the self professed "best food" on the farm, ATV wagon rides and gardens to tour). The view and the scenery en route and on the farm was fabulous. Fall has hit the north. Backtracking a bit we headed to Centreville and Wiseacres farm. John Wise and his wife raise a variety of certified organic livestock, poultry and they also have a market garden. We discussed the life and times of poultry - Wiseacre poultry and livestock have a good life, great food, free range, and then, "they have one bad day which they don't live to regret," to quote John (I've placed my order for happy turkeys and chickens with apologies to any vegetarians who may be following my blog). John was a fountain of information on sustainable energy and an incredibly globally aware farmer. From Centreville it was off to Prince Edward county where the plan was to visit three more farms (an apparently overly ambitious plan). The world seemed to be out enjoying the last beautiful day of the summer and with Ferry line ups and the need for food - 300 kilometers and just over 7 hours later we made it to only two farms - but it was a beautiful day for a ride. We rode along side Lake Ontario on Hwy 33, from County Rd 4 to Picton. It was a totally different world than the rugged northern route. The blue of the sky mirrored the cool, darkening blue of the lake and the clouds, again, looked like sails, mimicking the sails of the last remaining sailboats on Lake Ontario. Lunch ended up being an early dinner and then it was time to go home. On "my" road I tried to capture the splendor of the maples around the lake - but the sun dipped below the tree line too soon, before I could take a photo the autumn colours were robbed of their blaze by the dark of the evening- maybe next Sunday.
Sad news - I noticed a severe stone chip (right through the paint) on the underside of the gas tank. Any repair suggestions???

Thursday, September 16, 2010

I'm Heading To The Farm!

The calendar says it isn't autumn yet, but the maple trees are telling their own story with their merging colors of yellow and red and orange. Fall - in the country - in Ontario, it's spectacular! The mountains are lovely, the ocean is stunning, but there's no place as beautiful as autumn in my home town. There is no road more glorious than 'my' own road, arched by maples dressed in the fabulous colors of the season. There is no lake more glorious to gaze across than the lake on my own road, shimmering with the reflections of fall in Ontario. There is nothing better than the musky smell of fall in the country. And this weekend it's Open Farms. I'm excited about the first "Open Farms" tour in Frontenac Country and I can't wait to make the tour on my VStar, even if it's for just one day. I've checked the weather and the forecast is "partly cloudy" so that means it's going to be sunny for part of the time - perfect temperatures, no rain in the forecast and places to go - from Wellington ON to Battersea ON, from Tamworth ON to Kingston ON - Could life get any more promising? What a fantastic idea, Open Farms! Open Farms, it's a "New event to showcase agriculture in our area" and it sounds to me like a sensational way to celebrate fall, our local farms and where our food comes from, plus, it's a great excuse for a ride in the country. To top it off - you can get lunch along the way. I'm heading to my favorite Creekside Bar and Grill in Battersea for the 10km lunch featuring local beef sausage. Hope to see you there.
Pepper, I'll try to remember to stop and take some pictures. I never thought I'd say, "I didn't stop for a photo," but sometimes I just get caught up in the fun of riding.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Feels Like Old Times ...

Before I begin to ramble on I want to send a note to my friends in Halifax and on Prince Edward Island - Are you all okay after Earl????
Yes, it feels like old times ... one more time for the good times... one last kick at the can ... It does feel like old times as I sit here, away from home, on the road again (for a short trip). It's the last long weekend of the summer, the weekend when we close up the season and I'm happy to have one last road trip. Am I on the VStar - not a chance this time. I'm in the Big Smoke (Toronto) on a holiday weekend heading to Brampton Ontario. I've got a strong desire to live and riding a bike, here this weekend especially, wouldn't be a good choice. I took me over two hours to do the first fifty minutes of the journey - that was just the beginning.
Heading west on the 401 with high winds and driving rain reminded me of the beginning of the journey to Jackson Hole 4 years ago, but this year I was dry, wrapped in a cozy, climate controlled (did I mention,dry) SUV which, in the midst of crazy traffic, I really appreciated.
Hope you enjoy the last of the summer as you watch the beautiful blaze of colours paint their way into your lives this fall. I love the nip of coolness and the crispness of autumn, but my favorite is the smell of a stew 'crock potting' in the kitchen when I open the door.