How We Got To Where   We're Going – Part II – Across This Land

Several times since I began thinking seriously about a cross-Canada ride, from Tofino, British Columbia on the Pacific side of Vancouver Island to Cape Spear on Newfoundland’s rocky eastern Atlantic shore, I've  wondered where I ever got the idea for such an ambitious trip.

That’s where Canadian country music legend Stompin’ Tom Connors enters the picture!

In 1971 or ’72, I was working as an usher at the Park Theatre in Cobourg. Not a bad job, especially for a kid who could barely afford to go to movies. Because I had to go open the doors to let folks out, I rarely got to see the end of a film. One exception, the one that ultimately led to me getting canned from the job, was Across This Land, a documentary about Stompin’ Tom and his songs about his travels as he criss-crossed the country singing hits like Sudbury Saturday Night, Bud the Spud, Tillsonburg and Big Joe Mufferaw.

It was the first time I’d heard a lot of the songs and after two shows a night for two weeks (Tom played well among Cobourg’s C&W fans!) I knew a lot of the words by heart. I was always impressed at Tom’s songwriting– not only his obvious ability to capture the essence of Canada’s places and people, but anyone who could rhyme Saskatchewan is OK by me! Rest in peace, Tom!

Someday, I told my 16-year-old self, I’m going to see some of those places!

Flash forward 40-odd (some of them very odd) years. Simon, an English cousin of my wife Mindy, asked me what I planned to do in my retirement. My glib instant answer was “become a shiftless git with a bad motorcycle touring addiction!” As we sat in Simon’s comfortable home just outside Manchester, I actually started giving some serious though about what that really meant.

Since then, I’ve been on a few cool two-wheel tours.

With three friends, I toured around Ireland in 2009. What an amazing place to ride! The windy, twisty “cozy roads” are well suited to two-wheel touring. Anyone interested in a ride around Ireland should contact Paul Rawlins at celticrider.ie. Paul wrote the book on customer service!

One of us is still a working journalist and here’s his account of our 50 Pints in 50 Pubs Tour on Two Wheels.

Another time, Mindy and I rented “a big-ass” Harley-Davidson Road King Police Interceptor in Arizona and rode through the Sonoran desert. Best part of the trip was seeing a coyote AND a roadrunner. Mindy said she always thought roadrunners were just imaginary cartoon birds!

Me and my Shadow have seen a lot of Alberta over the past 10 years – particularly on The Ride for Sight, Canada’s leading motorcycle charity ride in aid of research into the causes and prevention of diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration that cause blindness. More on that in a future post.

I always figured the Shadow would be my ride for retracing Stompin’ Tom’s steps “across this land,”but that’s not gonna happen. The Shadow would easily do the 16,000-kilometre trip – without a doubt. However, even with my old cruiser’s new cushy Mustang seats, me and my arthritic hip would be crippled before I got to Winnipeg!!

So in January 2013, virtually sight unseen, I bought a 2001 BMW K1200LT from a guy advertising on Kijiji. Never even heard it run before I cut the guy a cheque. My first ride didn’t happen until May when the snow finally melted enough for him to fire it up and get it out of his garage.

It has taken some getting used to. At a little more than 400 kilos, it’smore than 100 kilos  heavier than the Shadow and top heavy.

On a recent scoot over the Going to the Sun highway through Glacier National Park in Montana, I stopped to take some pics. Foolishly, I left the Bike-a-Lounger pointing downhill in neutral and it rolled off the side stand. No real harm done, but I defy anyone to lift that sumbitch back on its feet by themselves. Lucky for me, two guys from Wisconsin happened along and bailed me out!

One of the most annoying things, besides the fact you can’t see the front wheel because of the fixed fairing, is I somehow keep locking the bloody immobilizer security system. The only way I’ve found for releasing the engine lockout is remove ALL the fuses!! I’m all in favour of fine German engineering, but Gott in Himmel, there’s got to be an easier way!

But such minor inconveniences are more offset by the bike's power and speed, comfort and handling. Oh, and did I mention comfort? I came back home from Whitefish, MT, in one (long) day. About 750 klicks in 12 hours and I could still walk! That prompted my friend Bob to christen it the Bike-a-Lounger!

Other features – including onboard computer, adjustable windshield, heated handlebars, ABS brakes, heated driver and passenger seats – should be a comfort, especially coming through the Rocky Mountain passes – twice! – this month.

And it has an excellent sound system! It’s like riding along in a surround-sound bubble. I’m having a lot of fun building a motorcycle-themed playlist for my iPod! And you can be sure there’s plenty of Stompin’ Tom!

But that’s another post for another day!

Please visit my Ride for Sight secure online fundraising page and pony up a few bucks for this important fundraising ride to support research into the causes and prevention of blindness. Thanks!