Sunday Ride in the Valley

“It Can Happen to Anyone” Incident

We continued on our ride eventually stopping for gas near Pembroke. While taking a brief stretch before continuing on, a large group of riders rolled in. Turned out to be a MDA charity parade put on by the local firefighters. While they refueled their bikes, Andrew went over to talk to a couple of riders he knew. It’s hard not to run into someone you know in the biking community in the Ottawa Valley on a beautiful summer day. I was told later the following week by a number of individuals that they had seen us out on our ride.

It was about two o’clock when we pulled up to a restaurant in Barry’s Bay. I didn’t see the outdoor patio and had assumed we would be dining on Polish cuisine indoors. Forever paranoid, I locked my bike and helmet and then insisted that Caroline do the same on hers. She asked me to remind her later to remove her disc lock. Then we all walked into the enclosed patio that was literally a few feet away. No wonder no one else bothered to secure his or her bikes. Doh!

Then we learned that the establishment was under new ownership and the menu no longer offered specialties like pierrogie, or bigos. That was a bit of a disappointment for me, but the typical Canadian fare they did offer was decent enough. And the cold beer certainly hit the spot.

After lunch, we discussed possible routes to slowly head back towards our respective homes. Most of us preferred to be back before nightfall in order to avoid any wayward wildlife on the roads, not to mention the significant drop in temperatures. With the bikes warmed up, we started off one by one.

Suddenly Caroline was lying on the ground with the bike resting on top of her. For the second time that day, I parked my bike and jumped off as quickly as I could to help get the Sportster off her. And for the second time I found myself inspecting another Harley (and rider) for cosmetic damage. Caroline was very lucky that she had not broken her ankle as her leg had been pinned backward at an odd angle. She did end up with a bit of a bruise though. The bike got off lightly as well losing the tip off its brake lever, and the mirror only needed to be straightened and tightened. As to the cause for this unanticipated tip-over, we both forgot about that disc lock! (I have since purchased for her one of those brightly colored coiled cables that spans between the lock and handlebar.)

The disc lock is still on the first bike... as we found out moments later.

Dusty Trails

The next part of our journey gave us another unexpected surprise. Andrew suggested a road he once traveled and found rather enjoyable. Trusting in Andrew’s judgment, we all agreed to follow him, and at first we all found him to be quite correct. This delightful country road meandered its way through stands of lush forest and better still, was virtually to ourselves. And then the pavement ended to be replaced by a mixture of hard packed sand and dirt, with potholes and gravel added to the mix.

Kilometer after kilometer these conditions persisted. I was glad that my T-Sport was perpetually in need of soap, as the dust kicked up by those in front gently coated every square inch of my bike. I suppose I would have to wash it now, I imagined. On the other hand, I wondered how Keith felt about this latest assault on his once spotlessly immaculate Glide. I don’t think Lynn had much time to think about the cleanliness of her ride, as she seemed to be having a harder time keeping her bike under control. Perhaps the skinny 21” front wheel had something to do with it, but she was moving at a much slower speed than the leaders. Finally she motioned for Caroline and I to pass her. That left Axel to look after her as we accelerated away.

But we all survived and regrouped some time later with the reappearance of black top. We continued to ride together for a little longer before our party began to split up. Axel and Ilse waved goodbye and headed back for the Quebec border. At our next fill-up which was in Renfrew, Lynn decided not to accompany Andrew, Keith and Sue for a beer and veered off for home on her own. As much as I like beer, Caroline and I were also eager to get back home now that the evening was starting to close in, and so we chose the quickest route that we knew back; highway 417. We rode with Andrew and Keith up to Arnprior and then said our goodbyes as they turned to visit their favourite watering hole. An hour later we were on our driveway.

It had been a long day, but one I’m glad I didn’t miss. Despite the two minor spills, everyone had a good time, and the time had flown by all too quickly. Caroline’s bike would have to have its lever replaced, but even that was a good thing. I had always wanted a set of black levers for my bike but couldn’t justify the expense. Now I could buy them and pass on my standard levers to the Sporty.

After ten hours, one bruised ankle, and more than 400 kilometers, I was pleased that Caroline managed without too much difficulty. This was the longest distance that she had ever done riding solo, and she didn't find it bad at all. I look forward to next year when we will both have more time and can expand on our exploration of Ontario.