Nice trip ! Really fun to see nice pics from places I also been once... especially this year as I can't ride, it helps me remembering nice things !
Amasing pic's guys! Looks like ya'll had fun even without shoes Sean! I especially liked the gull poo. Thanks for the lesson on drinking "Smanchie" coffee too. That wll be handy to know for future pirate tours!
We had alot of laughs over that coffee, and a few more over someone taking pictures of my bags and not saying anything.....:huh here is a few more pics our fairy.... heading into the hail and thunder.. the green valley couple more church shots A man's man garage.... thanks for everything Fab... What a great time we had, amazing sites and amazing people we met....
WOW! Amazing ride guys! As for me and my plans to do tracks of the TLH and check out a new to me section below Relais Gabriel the hurricane completely screwed me. Last Wednesday I left and rode across the island in the hurricane, lost my hydration pack with various stuff in it and ran out of hgas in the first 50km's of the day. After I finished 700km's in and out of rain I headed north in gusts well over 90 km/h for the last 30 km's. One gust actually picked up my front wheel. 2 nights waiting in the motel for a ferry and next thing I know I'm out of time to make it to MOntreal for this morning so I turned and ran to Port Aux Basques to catch the boat to North Sydney. A couple of longish days later I'm in Montreal. My poor knobbies are fried and I only got about 60 km's of dirt on them, sigh. Anyway I'm picking Sue up at the airport in an hour then off to CroMag! Yay for that anyhoooo
Just want to say that I'm sorry and I suck.....I've been so busy with work I've not had time to edit my pics. I promise to get to it this week. Here's a teaser shot on THE Wash Out!!! <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1491933430_zT7WF4P-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-zT7WF4P/0/L/P1060006-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>
Ha! Well that happened in '08 and I wanted to get a pic of the bike with the new sidestand at the same place in Minnesota. Excaliber put that deep cycle on the bike to get me home, charging system failed. And the xtra weight snapped the stand!!!
You really just hit some odd weather when you were here! I think that hurricane in the east screwed up the weather patterns...it has been pretty nice ever since. At least you have a story to tell!
I left work early to get this sucker done!!! Mike and I will write up a full RR and post the link here. But I don't want to muck up this thread too much.... Mike and I <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499653188_nzPsqjj-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-nzPsqjj/0/L/P1050881-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> So, I contacted Deadly99 on the whim that I may go visit my family in Detroit. Then head up to ride the portion of the TCAT north of Superior. But when he told me they needed to map out NW Ontario, I cut my family out of the picture. Ha! They never come to Atlanta to visit, so I needed a real vacation. One where the men are separated from the boys. My mom is turning over in her grave right now wondering where she went wrong.... So, I'll just start at the beginning of the route Ted sent me. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499577688_Br4XWQH-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-Br4XWQH/0/L/P1050819-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> So we were met at the border by Old fart at play aka Steve. And it's a good thing we were. He ended up cutting out a large portion of TC17, and kept us on the railbed almost from TB to Sioux Lookout. That's Steve in the yellow Darien. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499588622_2wZTs9F-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-2wZTs9F/0/L/P1050824-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Just from the beginning, we had already hit a snag in the GPX file. We were supposed to cross a bridge that looked as though it had been long gone. So Steve rerouted us to this trusty bridge. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499618118_QbbkD9q-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-QbbkD9q/0/L/P1050862-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> The roads out of TB and to the rail bed were very nicely maintained logging roads. No pucker moments at all. But I have to admit, I dropped my bike in ZZR Ron's driveway. I was carrying so much shit, I'm 5'4", and I was backing up on an angle downhill. It was a perfect start to the TCAT. Oh, and we were seriously hung over. Thanks Ron, you made my hands shake all day. And here's the start of the rail bed. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499626953_4jNTMsn-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-4jNTMsn/0/L/P1050864-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Nice rock on the sides for a bit. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499634226_46SSjJ7-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-46SSjJ7/0/L/P1050870-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Not too long after we began, we ran into the one and only tunnel you'll pass through on this railbed. Super cool to hang out in and was a nice 20 degrees F cooler in the tunnel. And it was warm outside. Y'all had been having some strange weather that we benefited from and suffered through. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499641504_CnpxHc7-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-CnpxHc7/0/L/P1050872-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Captain Mike. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499646277_WvM8pVF-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-WvM8pVF/0/L/P1050877-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499656996_WJ8M9BF-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-WJ8M9BF/0/L/P1050885-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> We hung out and snapped some shots, Steve took a few of Mike and I!!! Again, my friends are always asking why I want to spend my vacation in Canada. You guys are just, friendlier. I mean, I know Steve was having fun showing us around, but it took all day to babysit us!!! So again, thanks for the wonderful warm welcome STeve.!!! Ok, enough pansy shit. ZZR Ron kept saying that we would love it on the railbed. We would be totally in the wild and wouldn't see anyone for days!!!! Ah,....fail. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499663576_DjpB93B-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-DjpB93B/0/S/P1050889-S.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499665346_NxRLfFD-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-NxRLfFD/0/S/P1050890-S.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499666628_sNfVvMs-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-sNfVvMs/0/S/P1050891-S.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> This dude was a bit weirded out that I was snapping photos of him. I mean, can you blame him.? I do look like a midget in my riding suit on my giant bike. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1501198706_NjmHvjC-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-NjmHvjC/0/L/P1060153-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> See. Weird looking midget type person. So the gravel on the rail bed changes from nicely packed, to just barely. There is no reason to be freaked out about riding on the rail bed. A novice could easily do it with an unloaded bike. We averaged that first day around 40mph. But beware, there are side streets that do enter the rail bed that are kind of hard to see until you're on them. It would be unlikely to meet someone, but it could happen. So really pay attention to cross roads. There are several from TB to Upsala, then they taper off to about one every 20 miles or so. So, Ted had asked if I was afraid of heights as we may be passing over some of the old rail bridges. This is what came to mind... <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1501206354_MWmJrqG-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-MWmJrqG/0/L/38645025865ab69fa432o-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> Ha ha!!! I'm such a dumb ass. This is what we ended up with as the first bridge. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499673053_mdD5fL8-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-mdD5fL8/0/L/P1050898-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> You can see the new CN rail line running along side here as we are very close to Upsala. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499669588_qrPQG9N-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-qrPQG9N/0/L/P1050892-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> We got into Upsala around 4.30. Steve bought us lunch at the shop. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499679640_CjKn7xx-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-CjKn7xx/0/M/P1050900-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> There are a few provisions here besides gas. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499681854_3vw7XSF-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-3vw7XSF/0/M/P1050904-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499684303_dRnm9xX-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-dRnm9xX/0/M/P1050905-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> But not many. We hadn't had breakfast this morning, and add in the hangover and just the joy we felt from being in this environment, we were starving. Thanks for lunch, Steve. But people, the food here was not very good. You've been warned. There is a LCBO store combined with the Post Office, its the white and red building in the background. They were closed on Sunday.......and had limited hours. If you want beer that first day, get here before 6pm on a weekday. I think Saturdays till 4pm Look for this weird ass thing.... <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499687572_CzgscGX-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-CzgscGX/0/L/P1050907-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Upsala was about a 10 mile jog to get to off the rail bed. We said our goodbyes to Steve here as he had to go and see his Dad on his b-day!!! All the way to Atikokan!!!! What a ride!!! Bye Steve. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499688472_dn2HPZm-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-dn2HPZm/0/M/P1050906-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Oh shit! We're on our own now for real.:eek1 No beer!!!! No idea where we'll end up (lie). We shot for Quorn lake as was recommended by Steve and Ron. But, we weren't really sure how far time or distance wise it was. We also couldn't remember how to get back to the rail bed as I was a dope and turned off the track mode when we turned to Upsala. What a bunch of idiots.!!! <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499690103_NrM8F2v-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-NrM8F2v/0/L/P1050918-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> We eventually found our way back. There is a boo-boo on my gpx file for Ted that I don't know how to edit. And this is where it happened trying to get back to the rail bed. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499698644_4VfqpBJ-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-4VfqpBJ/0/M/P1050924-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> We got to Graham, and it's a bit of a crap shoot navigating using the gps file off the rail bed and back on here in Graham. But this sign is a good mark to shoot for as it begins just past the sign. I kept wanting to turn east for some reason until Mike threw a rock at my head and said "west, we want to go west. right?". Mike had not looked at a map or had even brought one with him. He was navigating blind. If he was in front, I'd just buzz him with my uber powerful BMW and dictate the turn. That worked pretty well the whole trip. It was good keeping him in front on interstates as the BMW can get away from the KLR pretty easily. While in Graham I noticed my boxes felt a bit....shaky. Earlier in the day I had lost some hardware to them after we had gotten off the only "goat trail" of the trip. I figured they'd let loose again.. Fail... <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499692341_DsCTjT2-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-DsCTjT2/0/L/P1050922-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Aw, shit. I really should rework the whole system, but I usually just reweld it when I break it. Which is often. Straps to the rescue. Graham was also quite busy that Sunday nite. Lots of trucks with people asking if we needed assistance! I think they were all berry picking. I was tempted to ask these guys if we could buy a few beers. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499699067_7hCjpSm-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-7hCjpSm/0/L/P1050925-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Strapped up and ready to head, ah, west! Yes! Now, mind you it's super fun to haul ass on the rail bed, but mind those cross streets and the SAND! Landing gear. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499702331_BZN3RSm-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-BZN3RSm/0/L/P1050928-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Loud cackling noises.. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499705835_wktRWzQ-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-wktRWzQ/0/L/P1050930-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Butthole puckered face. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499707587_8Nc995C-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-8Nc995C/0/L/P1050931-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> The sand will snag your ass down if you aren't careful. The cool thing about having too much shit on your bike is you can really wheelie through it super easy.! Now, I feel like a shit cause it was getting late, and we hadn't reached the lake. We knew we needed to take bear precautions tonight and that would take a minute to set up two camps and hang our food. We came upon this... <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499710621_G8jbjrj-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-G8jbjrj/0/L/P1050938-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> The only water crossing of the trip. It was probably about 18"-24" inches deeps. Knobby rocks lined the bottom. Good traction, but keep her moving or you will loose momentum. Big feet. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499710685_33593gs-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-33593gs/0/L/P1050937-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> We made it!! <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499898745_SGw3Z24-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-SGw3Z24/0/L/P1050958-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Lovely full moon. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499895096_6nz45mz-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-6nz45mz/0/L/P1050949-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> Drying out the boots and drying socks on a stick. Or in my case, burning socks. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499900324_G2G5ZW6-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-G2G5ZW6/0/L/P1050959-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> It is a really nice spot to camp. I recommend as did Steve, leave your bikes on the rail bed and just walk down. It's a pretty steep hill down to wet sand. No fun on a loaded down, big fat, DS bike. We did hear and see 3-4 trucks pass in the night. But I have an awful lot of retro-reflective crap on the bike. So I wasn't worried. So, not too much navigation today, it can easily be made in one day if you're sightseeing. Quorn lake is the camp spot for this leg. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499905899_TD45dwM-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-TD45dwM/0/L/P1050963-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499908203_258gJck-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-258gJck/0/L/P1050964-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Day two. No beer last nite, and more importantly, no bears. I had a flask of whiskey and Mike had some Vodka. We were happy with our drinks and rice and tuna night. Hopefully today we'll get past Sioux lookout. I was thinking about finding a welder there and having the rack re-welded, if we got in early enough. Foreshadowing. Lots and lots of lovely rivers, creeks and lakes in these here parts. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499908571_7vSCqdz-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-7vSCqdz/0/L/P1050967-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499914372_FSSB8d9-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-FSSB8d9/0/L/P1050969-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499921147_MZhFCHb-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-MZhFCHb/0/L/P1050977-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>></a> But not a whole lot of curves. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499917320_tgxppsR-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-tgxppsR/0/L/P1050974-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Crossed a few cool bridges on this day. Mike wanted to take a dive off of this one. If it had been warmer I think he would have. It began to rain on day two. It followed us the rest of the way home. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499926452_zmC86Qg-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-zmC86Qg/0/L/P1050983-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Random shots of isolation. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499926456_WFJM4Cg-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-WFJM4Cg/0/L/P1050978-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499930154_D9s7mZB-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-D9s7mZB/0/L/P1050984-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499920865_hbp5npS-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-hbp5npS/0/L/P1050975-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a>
Here's a good look at what you'll see as you come onto the 599. Take a right to Silver Dollar for gas and booze, showers and cabins. Or pop up a tent if you'd like! There isn't much else there. But the people were so damn nice. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499934292_QrD4x5G-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-QrD4x5G/0/L/P1050986-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499937142_QX73KsR-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-QX73KsR/0/L/P1050987-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499940846_zdRPvHD-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-zdRPvHD/0/L/P1050989-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> So, Wally owns this place. Mike got a pic of him I believe. But you can ask them about the roads out of there and they probably would have pretty up to date info. We were told about a wash out that wasn't all that far up the rail bed from Silver Dollar. It was passable by ATV, so we figured, what the hell?!. Ted had routed us up the 642 to Sioux Lookout. But we were here to map. And we knew that the 642 was passable. But what we didn't know was , was the rail bed? We felt it was our job to navigate the rail bed and keep it off road as much as possible. We were the perfect demographic to test the wash out on. Mike, and his limited off road motorcycling experience, although this dude never falls down. He's got lots of experience riding mountain bikes, and that comes in handy. So we've got Mike on his KLR that he kitted out himself, including replacing a blown motor. Then there's me.....short shit on a very heavy bike. A good bit of off road motorcycling experience. But I fall, a lot. I mean, a lot. It isn't uncommon for me to fall several times in a day. But, it's usually when I'm stopped and the earth just isn't there for me to put one toe down. So onto the wash out!!!!! That's code for a dirty word. Here it is!!! <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499944805_tGWCJq5-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-tGWCJq5/0/L/P1050995-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499947526_xfBkHvP-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-xfBkHvP/0/L/P1050993-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Nice roost tracks. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499947529_KcVrNT4-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-KcVrNT4/0/L/P1050994-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> It was literally 15 minutes from Silver Dollar...and we had done it.! Easy peasy for a big DS bike. Keep the speed up going down, 'cause you'll need it on the way back up! I just love it here, couldn't take enough photos of the emptyness. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499951752_CmfSh5h-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-CmfSh5h/0/L/P1050998-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> But then, there was this little, itty bitty, wash out. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499958333_6dWsDDX-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-6dWsDDX/0/L/P1060001-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a> <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499996057_jMQD8pP-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-jMQD8pP/0/L/P1060015-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> Wondering what to do?? It was an easy descent. But the problem lied at the bottom. There was a creek about 6 inches deep, a very narrow creek. Lots of big rocks, and a steep, sandy, rocky, long uphill at the other side. We would need some nuts to ride this thing. Yeah, we were not going to ride up. I thought we should get the bikes to the creek, than walk them up with the clutch. Mike seemed to go along with the idea. It began to rain. I unloaded everything I could, including boxes off of my bike as Mike did the same. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499962667_4mnFvmB-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-4mnFvmB/0/L/P1060003-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> I just had filled up at Silver Dollar. Let me say that again, FILLED UP WITH GAS!!! By the way, my tank holds 11.3 us gallons of fuel. fuck. We got her good and stuck as I slung rocks right below Mike's waist. Sorry man. It rained harder. <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1499968316_Cs38Z7M-A-LB" title=""><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-Cs38Z7M/0/L/P1060005-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a> I had brought a little folding shit shovel with me. I always have a shovel as I hate to stumble upon someones used lunch when I'm out in the woods. So I do the courteous thing and bury my shit. Well, I began digging my bike out with it. Shit is shit, tomato tomato. The other bummer was we didn't have a plan for a camp spot that nite, and I wanted to weld up my luggage rack. Mike was having a problem finding a good place to push on my bike as he didn't want to destroy the rack any more than I already had. We were a bit nervous, Mike wondered why we didn't turn back. So did I. We hoped for a local out picking berries with a winch, we weren't far from Sioux Lookout at this point. We should've stuck to the gps file. Dammit! Oh, oh!!! I brought a pulley/recovery kit just for this thing here exactly. Pulling my bike out!!! Hurray, as I dumped out 30 ft of webbing, a 50 ft rope, and a couple of biners with pulley wheels. "How does this work?", Mike asked. I felt a bit like the fat kid in stand by me. I brought the comb, for our hair when we get our pictures taken for the paper. Shit. I didn't really have an idea given our surrounding and the circumstances before us. No trees on a rail bed friends. Now what? <a href="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/19150455_xBrpJh#1491933430_zT7WF4P-A-LB" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="https://hardwaregrrl.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/TCAT/i-zT7WF4P/1/L/P1060006-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a>
It started like it would be a great escape from regular life and a trip I've been tinling about for a long time: to ride all the way to a town named Natashquan where the road ends on the lower north coast of the St-Lawrence river. I would be driving through the TCAT/TNE for a while and when at Relais Gabriel (a little higher than Manic 5), I would dive toward the coast and ride up till there is no more road. I started the bike at around 11am and got to the gas station to fill it up plus a 10 litres can I would be carrying aboard for the 380km stretch without fuel that Deadly and Shipwreck skipped when they came by. As i got moving, I noticed that my lighter socket was not getting current and that my GPS was running on it's own batteries which would not be good enough. 20km from home. First stop. It was only a blown fuse that must have shorted out when I plugged back the battery two days before after changing the gearbox seal for the second time in two weeks since the clerk at the seal shop gave me the wrong one by 1mm the first time. Speaking of which, after two days riding the bike with no sign of dripping oil, the f**ker decided it should start pissing now that I was on the road. Hmmm. I was getting seriously pissed off about me (for not testing it long enough) and the bike (for letting me down). I said screw it little f**ker, I'm going to ride the hell out of you until you spit enough oil to ruin the brand new clutch I've put in two weeks earlier (yes the marks on the clutch are 120deg apart for you oil-head aficionados-must be the gear box bearing). Note to self: buy an oil resistant friction disc next time around idiot. And rolling I was again. I was going to ride from my place (Chicoutimi) to Labrieville, like Ted and Shaun did last time and then up north trying to get to Baie-Comeau before darkness. 710km of pure gravel travel. 7 hours to go before dusk. Place your bets. Along the way the newly named Fab's hill (thanks guys). Pick your line: Then I got pass L'auberge du 31 where there is fuel and lodging available. A nice river along the way: I was in Labrieville at 2:45 nearly 4 hours after leaving the gas station. Only 380km to go and 4:15hours till the day is over. Let's go. From Labrieville (for reference, Labrieville is located at about km 79 on this particular logging road), the road is REALLY wide and well maintained mainly because there is logging activity going on. You should always keep your right to avoid the big 14 feet wide (yes, wide) trucks that are using the center of the road as it would not support their weight if they'd go to far to the side of it. Nice view out of Labrieville: Nothing to declare until about km 174 or so where the road turns into something less wide but still decent with more crests and turns which make for an entertaining ride: At this point, you are really in a remote place. If you think the TLHW is remote, think again; I did not see a living soul between 3:00pm and 6:15pm. No car, no truck, no cabin, nothing for 3+ hours straight. It never happened to me before and that was a bit freaky to be honest. The view: After that point the km markers started going downward from about 180 so it meant that I would have to ride another 180 klics to get to the nearest town. No problem I thought. Bu this road was not the same animal as the one going up. Wide, but hardened and not maintained ie: full of 6-8 inches deep potholes. At one point, the bike developed a strange noise when hitting potholes, like the rear wheel rubbing the fender kinda noise. I inspected the shock mounts and the rear of the bike but found nothing. The noise did not stop tho. Later on the rear got all wobbly. I stopped to find the rear tire had a new hole in it. Easy. Take out the tool kit and plug it. 15 minutes later (I did not pack that well ) and I'm back on the road. 15km later, flat. Again. Plug's gone. Re-plug. Re-pack. Find what was causing the funny noise; the aluminum luggage rack broke in 2. Re-pack. By that time, it's getting darker and time is running out and I still have 80 klics to go to reach Baie-Comeau. Here's the next 2 hours in rapid RR mode: Get running, loose a pannier. Luckily, I see it fly in the rear view mirror. Stop, turn around and replace said pannier. Re-pack 3 removed the dry-bag's weight from the top of the pannier so it now has a tendency to fly off the bike. Back on the road for about 40 km until I realize that the pannier is gone again. Turn around. Ride 20 km in opposite direction on high beems (it's dark now). No pannier. Turn back. Screw that pannier, that shirt, those shoes, that food, that etc..Roll 40km and another plug's gone. Flat. Change the plug in total darkness with strange noises in the wood behind me. Probably a beaver taping the water to scare me.. Back on the road for a while. Only 10km to Baie-Comeau. Notice something loose when I push my butt against the luggage. Dry-bag's gone with tent mattress, sleeping bag and daughter's Strawberry shortcake's pillow. Turn around. Find bag 5km up. Re-pack. Enough. First trail to the side and I pitch my newly found tent without having lunch and I go instantly to sleep. 6:00, feeling a bit cold, I get dress to find it's been freezing: I get to Baie-Comeau shortly after to get fuel for me and the bike and decide that I'm going back home as the clutch started to slip and my bike is definitively not in shape for the ride I anticipated. Maintenance is required. 300km of slab and 4 plugs and I get home thanks to a 94 GS that will not leave me stranded. I'm not sure whether it's my personal experience but I'm not 100% positive that every folk doing the TCAT would be advised to ride that particular 380km section. Shorting it to Labrieville is only about 150km vs the 380 and the road is spectacular too. It's definitely a challenging stretch tho. Your choice. I did it. Will I do it again? Maybe....
Fab, sounds like you found the 'adventure' in your part of the Trans Canada Adventure Trail Beautiful pics, reminds me of the Trans Taiga Hwy.
Yikes .. do trains come along occasionally? Have you read Colebatch's ride report on crossing that Siberian bridge and what happened ... a must read