Where did the time go?

 Hi Everyone! or at least the couple people who still follow me - remember me? LOL

It has been quite awhile since I wrote anything. It just seems that time is running faster than ever, or at least faster than me. I wanted to keep up with my riding adventures, but then one thing leads to another and it gets pushed off into a corner to collect dust. I know, excuses. At least I mostly kept up with my riding adventures on my social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook. It was less time consuming to post a condensed version than to write something somewhat intelligent here. (or I was just too lazy) But if I really think about it, I was also a little burned out with writing. I never thought that would happen, but it did.

Well, today seemed to be the perfect wintery (sub zero) snow day to clear the cobwebs and flex my fingers again. It was about time to let you guys know what has been happing the last two years. 

~~ 2020 ~~

I can't believe my last post was May 16 of 2020! I actually rode quite a lot that year, in fact it was one of the rare years that I  was able to ride until November 10. I did 60 rides and rode a total of 12,738km that year! I explored all kinds of back roads from Penetanguishene to Parry Sound and then ventured towards Haliburton.

My first ride of the season I actually wrote about, it was April 25 and I took a little scoot to Lafontaine 

So, I will tell you about one of my adventures that I didn't write about. August 31st I headed towards Kawartha Lakes and checked out Lake Dalrymple and Head Lake. When all was said and done I had road 308 km that day. You can check out the route here

Lake Dalrymple - Aug 31, 2020

Head Lake Kawartha Lakes (Monck Rd 45) Aug 31, 2020

My last ride of the season was November 10th, yes I was in total shock at how warm it was. It was a balmy 23C and November!!  It was a little 132 km ride that brought me along one of my favorite local loops. You can check out the route here.

Bidwell Rd - Oro-Medonte November 10, 2020

~~ 2021 ~~

In 2021 my riding season started on March 30th.  I didn't do as many rides in 2021, having broken ribs put a bit of a dent in my riding adventures. For the record, my broken ribs had nothing to do with motorcycling. Even though I missed a month of riding I still managed to get in 35 rides and rode a total of 6,684 km. I spent the summer in the Algonquin Highlands with my BF and found plenty of fun twisty roads to ride. 

My first ride on March 30th  was a very crisp day at 10C and the wind gusts were quite strong at times making the 10C feel like 0. There were still some patches of snow still holding on, Ole man winter didn't want to give up his icy grasp. Suffice to say I only did 82km that day.

Hummingbird Rd - Oro-Medonte March 30th, 2021

Maple Island (520)

I really liked a ride I took through Burk's Falls to Parry Sound on Sept 13th. 

I discovered Bunny Trail (520) road that was super fun to ride, was even paved and had next to no traffic. It helped that I did this ride in September when tourist season was over.  If you would like to check out the entire route you can see it here.

Bunny Trail Rd - Sept 13, 2021

My last ride of the 2021 season was on October 19th riding from Emsdale to Penetang. It wasn't the most scenic of rides going along highway 11. It was more of  "On a mission" kind of ride. It was time to get my bike home to Penetang and put it in storage. I did stop along highway 11 at a day picnic area by the Kahshe River. 

Kashe River - Hwy 11 October 19, 2021

~~ 2022 ~~

My first ride of 2022 was April 2.  How sad looking back, I noticed my riding time is cut almost in half with each passing year. This year I left my bike in Penetang because I had to split my time between Almaguin Highlands and Penetang.  I only took 20 rides with a sad total of 3,776 km for the season. 

April 2nd was actually a beautiful day for so early in the season. It was a perfect kind of day to just jump on the bike with no where in particular to go. I ended up heading towards Barrie along the back roads. I rode 158 km that day, it sure was nice to get back on two wheels again. 

Penetang Rotary Park - April 2, 2022

On one particular adventure on May 5th, my ride took me to Kinmount and Felon Falls. It was a fun ride as it turned out to be a "stop at little attractions" kind of ride that day. If you would like to check out the route you can see it here.

I stopped at Heritage Park in Kinmount to see the Burnt River, what a quaint little town.

This little shack proclaimed that it is the World's Smallest Bookstore. It convinced me.

Took in the view at Felon Falls

On my way back along Monck Rd I just had to snap a pic of this yellow moose. Not sure why he is there or what it means, but it piqued my interest. 

My last ride of the 2022 season was October 5th. I hadn't been riding since August when the BF left for Florida to bring back our Harley's. You heard me right, my Harley! Oh how I missed my Sporty,  but I digress, I will share that story in a little bit. It was a gorgeous day, 20C and sunny. Took the back roads into Barrie and scooted along Ridge Road. It was a pleasant 160 km ride. Too bad it was my last for the season. If you would like to check out some of this route, you can see it here  When I do this route I sometimes take an alternative long way back, you can check that one here.

Line 1 - Oro Medonte Rail Trail

You are probably still wondering about my Harley. It is very exciting, at least for me. If you are not an avid reader of my blog I will explain briefly so not to bore you all too much.

The BF and I were spending our winters in Florida after buying a house there in 2010. We were trailering our bikes, me a Yamaha V-star and him a Honda Shadow. I was a fairly new rider back then, had just got my license in May of 2009. Anyway, it was in 2013 when we were in Florida that we decided to trade in our bikes and buy Harley's. We then just left them there at our vacation house when we came back to Canada. It did mean no motorcycling in Canada for the summer, but the BF was working and so was I so there wasn't much time for it anyway. 

We came back home in April of 2019 and life was getting a little complicated with our aging parents. My mom in Penetang, his mom in Germany. We decided to sell the house in October and to our surprise it sold close to Christmas, the BF drove down with a trailer and got the stuff we wanted to keep out of the house, however we didn't have the time to get the bikes imported to Canada. Besides, the trailer was full and there would not have been room for them. So the plan was to keep them at our friends house in Florida and get them later.  How were we to know the world would go to hell and Covid would kill travel for the next couple of years.

Fast forward to October 2022, finally travel restrictions were lifted and we were ready to bring the Harley's to Canada. There was quite a bit of paperwork and the BF had to fly to Florida to meet the driver and give him the Titles. We used Mackie Transport and I highly recommend them. Although a word of warning, importing is not cheap.

Harley's getting ready to go on the truck

Big Truck! Thanks Cecil!

Released from Toronto and heading home

Tucked away in the garage 

The next thing we have to do is get them certified and then we can get them plated. It was too late in the season to bother with that, so that is the plan for this spring. I can hardly wait to ride my Sporty again. I like my Honda Rebel and it is a great bike, but there is just something about my Sporty that revs my engine. 

Well that brings you all up to date, if you visit my social media pages you will see my riding adventures just condensed. I am planning on trying to get a little more writing in this riding season. But I won't promise, just in case. 

Until next time, keep
 




Cruising Through Life & Enjoying the Ride…