Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

I just figured out why you are hanging out in Canada so long, so you can avoid all the election year commericals and rhetoric!!!

I don't read the news, watch television or listen to the radio, so I'm completely immune even when I'm there! All makes me sick, really.

But around here? Anxiety seems to be a little high from what I can tell. Perhaps what's going on in Quebec will lead to considering single member districts instead of proportional representation?

(With that I have reached my limit on how much mental energy I can devote to politics for 2012).

political anxiety may be a bit higher than usual because quebec just voted in a separatist government.

i hear good things about schwartz's deli.

Great stuff Anti. Im totally enjoying your report. I missed telling you when you were in Detroit there are two famous hot dog places right next to each other down town that have been going at each other for 70 or so years. The Lafayette and the American both great dogs, and a big attraction in Detroit, not that its your kind of food just something for fun. I'm glad that you got a deal on your 7500 mile service, my BMW dealer hit me up for 300 for a 600mile check up so you did good to get that done out of the states.

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I see a lot ass kicking riders emerging from all around the worlds

Met up with some Ducati dudes the second or third night I was here:




Then a couple nights later, bike night at the Orange Julep w/my new bud Eric:




Afterwards we went up to the top of the city where apparently all the horny drunk teenagers go to have sex:




Apparently the drunken kids aren't the only ones having sex:

Poured all night Friday, making me very happy I had a roof over my head!




Have been sleeping like shit lately. Saturday morning I woke up and decided to take off. One of the Ducati guys (Jean) was kind enough to send over a bunch of maps of some of the best roads around. I don't have a printer, so I hand wrote all the directions. After a few shots on my way out of the city, I headed north to Mont Tremblant.






Proof that the spaghetti harvest is coming along nicely, despite the weather:




Uh, I know who would win that battle:



Some really wonderful roads. A bit on the bumpy side in sections, but this was a very, very welcome change to the straight roads I've been flattening tires on for the past few weeks:

Oh yes. I got lost.




Being in the high 50s with only a T-Shirt (and a very breathable summer jacket) I was fairly cold anytime I went over 50mph (all the time, in other words). Still had a lot of fun, but it was a brisk reminder to get warmer gear before leaving.






As I mentioned before, everyone in Montreal speaks English. Not so once you get outside of the city. Oh yeah--and lots of churches and statues of Mary in front of houses.



Beautiful country. Reminded me of Montana.

I had to turn my nearly-dead phone on to help find my way back to where I was supposed to be, and found a road on the map that looked like it'd sort of do it. Only one problem when I got there:



So I put it in 1 wheel drive and was off....until problem number 2: gas light came on. Map said it was around 12 miles till the next main road and I had no idea how long it would be from there. With an expected 30mph at the 8-15 miles an hour I'd be traveling, I didn't want to chance it, so turned around, found gas, then headed back to the road.





I figured it would be a bad idea, but wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't give it a go.

Turned out to be a beautiful (if not slightly nerve-wracking) idea:





I had stopped at one point to check my tires to make sure they weren't being torn to shreds. There was a house about 50 meters in front of me and on the porch a statue of a huge black dog, facing me. Now all over Canada I've seen statues of deer on lawns, but this was a massive statue right in the middle of where someone would walk. Then it moved: wasn't no f'ing statue! Like horses, dogs tend to attack me more often than not, so I was shitting my pants just a little. And I'm not kidding when I say the dog looked just like Cujo. Despite how great I think it would have made this post, I was NOT going to get my camera out and take a picture.

But this picture will suffice:


While he came down the steps slowly, I climbed onto the bike (which was still running) and thought if he charges there's no way I can make a u-turn in time (remember I'm on gravel). Only one way out of it and that was straight ahead. (The only thing that would suck more than crashing in rocks would be crashing in rocks and then getting attacked by a dog.)

I revv'd the bike loudly, let the clutch slip and accelerated with the TC light flickering solidly. And to my relief he froze. The glorious snarling the 1199 produces under load kept him where he belonged and kept my arm out of his mouth.

Then it was back to worrying about getting hit by a truck (there were lots of them driving in the middle of the trail), losing the front in a rut or the rear on a turn.





Seemed like it was never going to end, but I finally hit asphalt:



And look at those lean angles! I've seen bigger chicken strips on bikes parked out in front of Starbucks. :)

I'd lost too much time while pretending I was on a KTM and once I finally made it back to civilization I decided I'd had enough adventure for the day. Back to the city for me:

And what did I do today? Due to the amount of traffic on the weekends here in Montreal I went out walking....and after 20 min. or so, started to see more and more superheroes. After verifying with a very forlorn looking Captain America that, no, people in Quebec don't celebrate Halloween on Sept. 16th, I was pointed to the convention center, where Comicon was in full-swing.

I don't know if all the geek shows are following me around (stumbled upon Gamecon in MN), or if my inner-geek-magnet just hones in on this kind of stuff....

montrealers are also on edge because of the nhl hockey lock out. tabarnac si i y a pas un saison, chez pas quos je vas fair. caulisse

that gravel road will be paved monday.

the gamers look better in montreal than indy

Some more shots of Wonder Woman would have been nice for the hetero's reading along.

I'll pass on wonderwoman... but, is that 7 of 9 sitting directly in front of us?!

Don't know. People were paying to get their pics taken with her, though.

I dunno.....that Star Fleet babe doesn't look quite "Borg-y" enough to be 7 of 9.....and who is that next to her, Lady Gaga's sister? Hmmm.....judging from all the gear hanging from the ceiling, looks like you could have picked up a very funky riding suit there.....

Anti-hero, your ride continues to be amazing! Not only have you proved that sportbikes can tour, but you've ridden on gravel roads.....you may have just created the first DualSportbike!

Hey, all they had to do was take that sign with the moose on it and put a circle around it with a line through it and....no more moose....the international "moose prohibited" sign....should fit right in.

Found your rr earlier today... now its dark out and I'm on page 34... Very good read and inspiring to someone that needs to do something similar!

I suddenly have a strong desire to buy some Armor All...