Mr. and Mrs. Pants Canadian Adventure, Summer 2025

[fontanaman]

Meanwhile, back in Canada..., eh.

FIFY Mark.

[Hppants]

September 5, 2025

It rained last night and the forecast was for continued rain today. To my pleasant surprise, when I woke up, the new forecast shows the rain holding off until tomorrow. Tammy and I went into Sherbrooke in the morning. I dropped her off at the shopping center and took the truck to a local mechanic to have the oil changed. The mechanic took me in on schedule and did a good job. Although he checked out the rest of the drive train, he didn't try to upsell me on anything like these places traditionally do. I probably paid a little more than going to say, Canadian Tire, but this felt like a better option.

With the temperature at a pleasant 70 degrees and half the day left, I took off on the FJR after lunch.



Heading generally west, this is the ONLY gas in the region. I'm at 1 bar and while I'm sure I've got 100 km on reserve, I stopped to fill up anyway.



Maybe I had an alternative motive.



I rode by the Yamaska National Parc and since my annual pass gets me in for free, I pulled in just to get a parc map and check it out. It's a nice place with a lot that interest me - I'll be back soon.

Just west of the parc, I rode to my destination for today.



This nature centre has a few trails to walk and focuses on bird watching. Everything is done quite well here.



Not 3 minutes out of the visitor's center, I see this Broad Shouldered Hawk land on a tree right in front of me. This is a crappy picture of it - she's on the vertical branch just right of the trunk of the tree.



I spot her with my binoculars and watched her swoop to a nearby tree and chase a chipmunk in flight down the trunk of the tree. She got a talon on the chipmunk's tail and started flapping wings with her payload. But her grasp was not strong enough and the chipmunk was released and fell 3-ish meters to the ground, scurrying off. All of this happened right in front of my eyes. I've never seen anything like it and was completely blown away by the fact that she'd try this so close to me. What an unexpected wonderful experience!

The trail comes out of the woods and into a swampy area. It's very windy today - I'm doubtful on the birding possibilities here.



I stepped onto the elevated boardwalk, walked a short ways, and then sat down to look around. These guys were very friendly - somebody's been feeding them, I'm sure.



I did spot some waterfowl in the pond. This pair was sticking together closely.



It is very nice.



This little fella was unfearful of me and sat still on the trail so I could study him until some other hikers scared him into the swamp.



The biospheres here are quite diverse and change frequently within relatively short spans of land.



The trail goes back into the woods returning to the visitor center and at one point I stopped to observe a few Chick-a-dees seemingly begging for a treat. The black banding around their head at the eyes makes them look like little bandits - nature's sun glasses. I wish I brought some bird seed for them.

The walk was only a few kilometers and I got back to the FJR will still plenty of time to kill.



Overall, I find the roads to the west and south of our ABB to be in better shape. Worst to the east, and the jury is still out re: north - that to be remedied soon, rest assured. But not today. I ran to the city of Granby to check it out. I see a couple of things that might interest Tammy and so perhaps a day trip back here is in our future. Satisfied, I get back out on the provincial highways just burning miles looking for nothing and anything at the same time.



I get to the town of Roxton Falls and my curiosity must be sated. It's been pretty dry lately - not much flow today. This was an old mill town - shocker!



Now on somewhat familiar territory, I pick Rte 222, remembering that it was scenic, smooth, and somewhat curvy. Just me and the corn out here this afternoon, so I took a chance and push the right wrist a smidge more to enjoy the leans a little.



It's a great day to ride.



I get back to the ABB about 5 pm - only around 150 km for the ride today. Tammy and I took a walk in the neighborhood. i threw a few hot dogs on our Panini press and we called it dinner. The hot dog buns here are split across the top - different.

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[Hppants]

Perhaps "algorithm" was the wrong term - there's no "mathematical formula".

And it's gonna be a book..... lol.

The first consideration is climate. We don't want high temperatures to be consistently higher than about 85, lows preferably not much less than 40, and no chance of snow before 10/15. When considering an area, I go to the weather service and study the climatology data over the past 20 years or so.

The next consideration is access (In general). Specifically, can our children get to us relatively easy so that we can enjoy this with them?

The next step is general location. Pants needs nature. I'd like a forest with multiuse trails within 20 minutes of the ABB. If it's got some mountains or at least big hills, that's better. I want to be able to hike and bike in the parc without much effort (go on a whim). I need some way to ride the road bicycle over 25-30 miles, 2 or 3 routes preferred. There should be some gravel/dirt roads in the region - that one has proved to be very hard to plan. Tammy likes the water - somewhere to paddle easily is a must. She also wants to be able to shop, both local stores and bigger (think: mall) type stores. She needs the food scene to be decent - at least 3 or 4 choices to try. We both want to have access to museums, cultural centers, and entertaining activities that will teach us about the history of the region. So - a decent sized city (100K or more) within an hour for day trips is a must.

Then we move to logistics. Within 15 minutes of the ABB, we need a full service grocery, a pharmacy of some type, some way to get "hardware", a dollar store, a gas station, and some kind of "walk-in clinic". Within an hour, we want a full service hospital, or at least access to medical specialists, an auto (and preferably motorcycle) mechanic, dentist, and an eye glasses place. As far as "retail" - that about covers it. Google Street Views gives us an opportunity to take a tour of the nearby stuff to get an idea.

The next step is to see what we can get on our budget ($100/night, USD all fees and taxes included). For the ABB itself, we start by filtering to a "single family dwelling". We'd rather not share walls with anyone else. We need 2 bedrooms (to accomodate guests). 2 baths are preferable. It's got to have a full service kichen (Dishwasher, drip coffee pot - hate that keurig crap, good set of cookware and food storage, etc) - I'm gonna cook a good bit. It must have a nice deck/patio with comfortable chairs, shade, and some privacy. A hot tub and a gas grill is a plus. The living room furniture has to look comfortable in the pictures - we will spend a lot of time there. Also - a dining room table that seats 6 is preferred. We eat there, but also set up the laptop and Tammy's "activity center" there. Tammy needs a cozy place to read away from noise. It MUST have air conditioning - Tammy will NOT relent on that, even though I don't really need it. It must have a washer/dryer, and the master bedroom needs to have a decent closet and a chest of drawers. A 1-car garage is very helpful, but not necessary. However, we need a place to park the truck, trailer, and motorcycles. I'm ok with a gravel driveway, but I don't want 5 miles of gravel to get to it. I need a hose bib so I can wash the toys. Tammy likes to soak in a bath - so if the master bathroom has a tub, that's a big plus for her.

^^^^^^ with all of that, what starts as perhaps 125 potential matches gets whittled down to maybe 6. The big filter is the air conditioning. It is what it is. Once we find something we are interested in, then we start communicating with the owner BEFORE we request the reservation. We have a list of questions we have learned to ask. Things like:

Can you take a few pictures of the inside of the kitchen cabinets, showing the cookware, food storage, etc?
What small appliances are available in the kitchen (coffee maker, toaster, blender, air fryer, etc)?
Do you have provisions to clean the place on site (cleaning chemicals, vacuum, cloths, etc)?
How do the shared resources for the neighborhood work (docks, parks, picnic area, etc)?
How close are you to this property if we have a problem? What is your response like?
What outdoor storage is available to us?
Can we get deliveries to the property? Note: this is HUGE. Amazon Prime can fix anything you forget, including replenishing consumables, but not if they can't deliver.
Is the TV a smart TV? Again - if it's an old TV, we can use our streaming services.
Will you allow a small dog for a short visit (son brings his dog)?
Are you planning to sell the place?

And there's more. Honestly - some of this is for us to get a feel for the engagement of the owner. How responsive and informative are they? This "interview" tells us a lot.

Finally, there must be a "free cancellation" up to 30 days before the 1st night's stay. This is not only for us to get out of it in the event of an unforeseeable emergency (somebody gets hurt or sick, our parents need us, etc). We've learned that a LOT of people cancel reservations at ABB. After we make the reservation, every few days, I'll re-run a search with the input filters. Stuff pops up all the time and sometimes, its a better place than we've got. I'll do that up to the last day to cancel. We've been able to "upgrade" a few times over the years.

Hope this helps - you asked for it.

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[bigjohnsd]

Hope this helps - you asked for it.

Thanks, Joey, lots of little things I hadn't thought of.

[Hppants]

September 8, 2025

Today I feel like a mountain bike ride, so I check my options and decide to just keep it simple. I'll drive 20 minutes over to the national parc and poke around. The Fraser secteur of the parc was closed - I'll have to look into that. So i continued a few kilometers to the Sulkey secteur and rode the dedicated trail south toward the main parc area.



This island looks like a fun place to explore from the kayak - I'll keep that idea in the old noggin for future reference.



It's Sunday, but the parc is not crowded at all. The kids are back in school and I think families are in "real world" mode right now.



I ride a few trails in the parc and end up on the Montagnarde Verte (Green Mountain Girl) Trail. This is a dedicated bicycle trail that runs 50-plus kilometers throughout the Eastern Townships. It has mixed surfaces (some paved, some unpaved). This section is gravel and it is wonderful.



I had lunch on a picnic table on the trail, and made friends with a little dog named Gigi. After lunch, I doubled back into the national parc and just started wandering here and there and enjoying the perfect temperature.



I would ride a few kilometers and stop whenever it suited me.



A few trails were closed, so I found myself on the main paved road and stumbled upon this trailhead.



I checked the map and it's a short hike, so.... why not?



I found a beautiful point of view on this trail. This seems like prime moose country to me, but... no luck.



The colors are starting to appear. To me, the transformation seems to be a little bit faster than it was last year in New Hampshire.



This is great.



Part of the Autumn season change is the lightening of the greens. In the right light, you can see that - it's fascinating to me.



This is a good trail to take Tammy on - pretty flat, no rocks or roots to hop over. I'll wait a couple of weeks until the color is popping well and then take her.



i thought I heard something pecular in the distance and so I checked the radar and sure enough - there's one or two little nit picky popcorn thunderstorms heading generally this way from the west. There was only a 15% chance of rain toady, but I guess that means that it will rain somewhere. I hop back on the bicycle and start heading toward the truck. i got about 5 KM from done and it started raining. Not heavy, but enough to get me wet. Thankfully, I was warmed up from the exercise and I didn't get cold. I always carry a windproof layer in my backpack no matter the forecast for this possibility. I stopped at a unoccupied Chalet on the trail to check the radar. It slacked off a little and I'm in a tight window. I've got maybe 15 minutes before the bigger T/S gets here. So I bee lined it to the truck and had JUST enough time to load up and get inside. As I was leaving the parking lot, the skies unzipped. Lucky.

Even though the ride was cut short (about 18 miles, 2,000 feet of climb), I had a great time exploring the parc some more. I don't think I've ridden 20% of the bicycle trails that exist there - for the mountain bike, that place alone should keep me occupied for the duration of our Canadian adventure. It's good MTB-ing for me. Some of the climbs are steep, but they aren't long and I can get a blow before the next climb.

We leave to head home 4 weeks from Friday. It's truly hard to imagine that we've been in Quebec 3 months now. It kind of feels like a blur to me. I'm glad I have a lot of pictures to remind us of our wonderful summer.

Stay thirsty, my friends.....

[fontanaman]

Even though the ride was cut short about 18 miles, 2,000 feet of climb.

Good grief. Bring your bike to Spokane as there are lots of Mt. Bike trails nearby. Alas most of them are beyond my level of enjoyment and ability.

The Route of the Hiawatha is one of the top ten rail to trails in the nation and is about 1.5 hours from Spokane. I have pedaled up it twice. It is 1.6% to 2% grade over about 12 miles. It climbs about 1000 feet. It is my limit, the dogs where barking the the brain was saying don't do this again you dummy.

I am sure you can find a place in Canada to enjoy the month of November and December at reduced rates.

[Hppants]

I'm riding the bicycle 200-250 miles a month now. I try to ride the MTB once a week, and the road bike twice a week.

On the MTB in gravel, I like about 20-23 miles and 2,000 - 2,500 feet of climb. If I'm going to do single track stuff, then it's gonna be less miles but likely more climb. My MTB is geared down pretty good, so I can climb 12-14% for a little while.

On the road bike, I like 28-35 miles and about 1,500 feet of climb and under those circumstances, I'll average 15.5 - 16.0 mph. I can handle more climb as long as the grade isn't much above 6%, and if more than 3%, has to level off after a half mile or so. Riding the road bike here has bettered my fitness - when I get back to flat land, I'm gonna be able to wick it up a bit.

It's the very best cardio exercise I can find.

[Hppants]

September 8, 2025

The frontal system hanging around here for the past couple of days has finally moved well to the east - the 5 day forecast is stupendous! Dry and seasonably cool. Tammy's "sweet spot" for doing outdoor stuff off the water is 65 - 70 degrees. Today is the day. We load up the truck and take off after coffee.

First stop - the nature centre that I visited the other day - the wind has died down and I thought we might see some birds. We did see 7 or 8 species, including a few very friendly Chick-a-dees.



We had a picnic lunch on a table at the nature centre and while I was eating, I spotted a yellow warbler of some kind that was beautiful - I've never seen that particular bird before, except in books.

After lunch, we get in the truck and spotted this Fromergerie that looked inviting. I think this old tractor still runs - it has all of the indicators.



Goofy girl!



We bought some cheese and moved on to Yamaska National Parc. The Ranger suggested the La Riverie trail for something easy and quiet. The acorns here are HUGE and they look very characteristic in shape - our oak trees don't make acorns like this.



This is a nice easy walk - the perfect setting for Tammy. She's short and not as adventurous as me - hopping rocks and roots is not her thing.



The debates continues - one tree or three?



Apparently, this land used to be a sugar maple farm before becoming a N/P. This trail has quite a diversity of trees on it.



Goofy girl!!



I've mentioned before that Tammy's favorite holiday is Holloween. BION, she is already getting in the mode - we actually have a few small decorations in our ABB that she snuck in and packed - LOL. She thought this section of the forest looked kind of spooky and I agree.



There's NO ONE here - it is Monday and the whole world is ours.





All along the trail were some pretty big trees of all varieties: elm, maple, birch, beech, oak, fir, pine, spruce - interesting biosphrere. In a couple of weeks, this place is going to be painted in color - and we will see it first hand!



The trail loops back to the visitor's centre right on time - you'd think Pants planned it that way!



This region is loaded with tons of kilometers of "Piste Cyclable" paths. I brought my road bicycle and was itching to give it a try. Tammy brought a book and her chair - we set her up on the N/P lakeshore, and off I go!



It is absolutely fabulous.



From the N/P, I could ride on a dedicated paved bike path all the way to Magog - that must be 100 km, zigging and zagging the scenic route. It is unbelievable.



The path is laden with "rest stops" (bike rack, picnic table, air/tool station, etc). The pavement is silky smooth and I came across a maintenance crew sealing cracks in one section (proof of maintenance). You get out in the trees and the farm fields and all you hear is wind and birds. You go 7-10 KM without so much as a road crossing. The main path was clearly a Rails to Trails section, as the climb grades were so easy at no more than about 3%. Along the way, there are side paths to the various little towns and villages, and often, there are side loops that double back to the main path. It's ingeniously done - maybe the most comprehensive system of paved bike paths I've ever seen.

I was running along quite nicely with my legs feeling pretty fresh.



There is also lots of road art throughout the ride - sculptures of various mediums - so cool, man.



I stopped briefly at the (former) train depot in Bromont to size up the ride - I'm at about 12 miles here, it went by like a fart in the wind. I kind of feel like going all the way to Waterloo (another 6 miles or so) before turning back, but I told Tammy I'd only be a couple hours, so I turned it around. A nice gentleman there obliged my request for a picture.



OTW back, I pick up the big ring and grab a couple of gears - I'm sailing along the Yamaska River with the wind at about 21 mph effortlessly. This is SO fun!!



I took a small detour to ride the 6-ish KM block around the nature centre Tammy and I visited this morning - the views from this side are just as good.



Quite honestly, this is the best road bicycle ride of my summer, and has to be a top 5 for me all time (15,000 miles of riding).







I didn't want it to end, but of course it did. I got back to the parc and saved the ride on my phone app - 28 miles, 1,300 feet of climb, 15.8 mph average. Damm fine workout.

Amazingly, Tammy got chilly at the lakeshore, so I found her sitting my my truck with the windows down reading the book she bought in a neighboring town from the local author there. She's enjoying that book a LOT.

We both had a lot of fun in southern Quebec today.

Stay thrsty, my friends.....

[FJRoss]

You have apparently struck gold in the Magog region. I have never explored in that area at all. Drove through it a couple of times but not in 30 years.
Are you considering an excursion to Montreal while you are there (1.5 hours) or Ottawa (3.5 hours)? Traffic is a major consideration, especially for a visit to Montreal (or bypassing Montreal going to Ottawa).

[Hppants]

September 9, 2025

As the days continue to shorten, the sunrise timing and angle changes bitter sweetly. On the one hand, about 7:30 am, the sun's angle perfectly sends its warming rays through the glass patio door and onto my back as I sit on the breakfast table. But on the other hand, that glare wrecks havoc on my ability to see the laptop screen. First world problem, to be sure.

I'm going to ride the motorcycle today. I've had 3 days or exercise (hiking, MTB, Road Bicycle) and my legs are a little tight. The weather forecast couldn't be better - severe clear and 70 degrees. As I scan Google Maps thinking about which way to go, I get that tingling in my fingers from excitement. The caffine from my coffee kicks in and I'm feeling it. Feeling frisky. Feeling like putting a little bit of g-force in my gut. Today, I'll ride the fast one.

As I've written numerous times, the roads in southern Quebec are varied in surface condition and curviness. Today I'm thinking something different. I'm gonna go south and cross the border. Riding New England has been one of my goals for this segment of the trip. Check out some of the land in the northern parts that I wasn't able to reach last summer from the White Mountains. I throw up an ambitious route onto my Gramin XT, pack a lunch and my passport, and about 10:00 am, head out.

I routed myself around Sherbrooke to avoid city traffic. South of there, it starts getting pretty good. It's about 65 degrees and I'm layered up perfectly. My core and hand are warm, and i'm getting just a little breeze whiffing above my windscreen. The rolling hills of the farmland are entertaining me and I am content to just sit there and enjoy it.





Once again, the corn is ready, and yet I see no signs of harvesting. Soon, I'm sure.



About 10 km from the border, I stopped at this roadside picnic table to shed a layer. A Tahoe was parked there, and I didn't realize it as I approached, but it was an unmarked RMCP (Mountie) vehicle. The officer got out to ask if I was in need of help and we had wonderful 10 minute conversation exchanging pleasantries. He was detailed as a border patrol agent, and he told me that it was among the most uneventful assignments he's worked in his 18 year career. He was a super nice guy and I really enjoyed talking to him.

I crossed the border at Hereford, QC - a minimal operation to be sure. I rolled past the Canadian station, and as I idled 50 yards to the US station, I thought about the fact that I was, quite literally, in no-man's land. I pulled into the US station and to say it was uneventful would indeed be an understatement. The border agent asked me like 3 questions (Where are you going? What do you do for work? Do you have anything to declare?), checked my passport, and sent me on my way. The entire thing didn't take 2 minutes.

Since I'm low on fuel, I might as well enjoy better gasoline prices, so I stopped at the first station ($3,19 a gallon - Quebec is $4.20-ish). I take off my helmet and see a gentleman on the other side of the pump.

(Pants) "Bonjour Monseiur. Ca Va Bien" (Hello Mister - are you well?)

(Dude) "I'm sorry but I don't speak french"

(Pants, thinking) "Doh!!"

(Pants) "Aw crap - neither do I."

We laughed about my faux pa a little.

I clipped the northeastern tip of Vermont, and then rolled into New Hampshire. I took Hwy 3 south to Hwy 26, and past the Dixville Notch, I stopped at this pond to have my lunch.



I'm not worried too much about sniffing. Today, I'm gonna ride this horse.



Armed with my beloved radar detector, good tires, and the confidence in smooth roads with ZERO traffic, I take off on a mission. The riding is absolutely fantastic and I am ON FIRE!! I'm hitting my lines perfect. I"m alert and relaxed. The visibility is very good. There ain't a SPECK of debris on the road. This is fun.

I run 50 miles or so, and stop at this covered bridge to let the adreneline wane just a little.



Originally built in 1898, and still in terrific shape.



Then it's back to the rollercoaster, deliberately and with passion. When I think about it, I snap a quick picture in passing.



But that is not the priority today. These roads are mine today, and I'm gonna ride them proper.





Now into northwestern Maine, I roll into the thriving metropolis of Rangeley, and if you know, then you know....



Tammy and I considered this area for the summer, but shyed away from it because we thought there wouldn't be much here for her to enjoy (shopping, museums, culture, history, etc). We were right - this place is extremely remote.

Then I turn onto Hwy 16 and, hard though it may be to believe, the riding gets even better. They have just finished re-paving a considerable section here, and it is the most wonderful ribbon of silky black tarmac. The FJR hasn't seen these lean angles or engine braking in a while. The cool air is feeding her, and I sense a little bit of giddy up in her hitch. Man I love this motorcycle.



I turn north on Hwy 27 heading toward the border. Now 300 km into the day, while I'm not tired, my mood is shifting a little. I've had a few hours of railing the bike. I kind of feel like sniffing a little. Coincidence or not, this scenic view pullout appears, right on cue.



An old fart on a Goldwing pulled in behind me. I passed him a while back.

(Old Fart) "Boy it sure is a nice day for a ride."

(Pants) "My friend, if you don't like this, then go home and take up golf"

We laughed and chatted a minute. He's a local guy - retired. Fun to talk to.

This place is stunning. The light is strong and right behind me, illuninating the beautiful view right before my eyes.



I get on the bike, run up a few kilometers and stopped again to take it in.



The color here is about a week behind us in Quebec.



I get to the border and stop at the last chance gasoline to remove my radar detector. Since I'm there, I might as well save a whopping $1.14 and fill up - LOL. The 2nd border crossing was just as uneventful.



And I'm back in Canada, ironically rolling "home".



I stopped at this roadside parc to don another layer. As you can see, it's about 3:15 pm and unbelievably, I have already crossesd the warmest part of the day.



Quebec is absolutely beautiful, my friends. I've had so much fun this summer discovering an entirely new world, in every sense of the term.





Now getting later in the afternoon, I'm taking the route in bigger chunks, dealing with the tell taled late afternoon glare that riders heading west must endure.



I had to adjust my route slightly to avoid a goat path that I inadvertantly selected. Only a 15 minute detour.



I roll back into the ABB about 6:15 pm. In the neighborhood, I see 3 deer lazily crossing the street. I'm a bit later getting back than I should be - something to remember moving forward. Regardless, it was 500 KM and by far, my favorite FJR ride of the summer.

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[danh600]

Those rails to trails are awesome. I had access to a 46 mile one when we lived in Citrus Springs for a short while.

[Hppants]

... Are you considering an excursion to Montreal while you are there...

Stay tuned....

[FJRoss]

That Northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine region is pretty good. When I visit NH, I often take the 16 from Gorham through Errol and Rangeley. Dixville Notch from Colebrook is pretty spectacular as well before the 26 meets the 16.

Edirt: Corrected Coleville to Colebrook)

[raYzerman]

It would be about 15 years ago at an ST event, we ripped up those roads pretty good. One road in particular wasn't all that long but it truly was a roller coaster, and we did it both ways. On some of the hills you could catch air. But I was young and foolish back then. Great area, Hwy 16 and 17 are great.

[Hppants]

September 10, 2025

I slept in another 30 minutes. Yesterday's ride was joyously exhausting. I make the coffee, walk outside, and point my face toward the rising sun. I close my eyes and imagine the vitamin D inundating my pores while the java warms my innards. I starting thinking about how much fun I had yesterday on the FJR. I had kind of a spiritual experience on the deck this morning - lol.

The forecast can't be any better. A worldly man sees the world, and thus - of I must go to new and uncharted water. Today, I'll ride the slow one.



I haven't explored the gravel/dirt to the northeast, and so without any plan or route what so ever, I'm winging it.



The small community of Danville was my picnic location. There is a big gravel rails-to-trails network here. Maybe a future return with the MTB.



This area is generally flatter than the regions to our south and west. The farmland is very pretty. For whatever reason, soybeans are the prevelant crop in these parts. There is some wheat and corn, though.





I run a few kilometers, stop at the crossroads, check the gps for whatever looks inviting, and head that way. It ain't rocket science.



At one point, I found the Saint Francois River, which was very nice.





I se a few hills in the distance, so I wiggled toward them. It's just me and the farmers out here, and they seem kind of surprised to see me. As I ride slowly past them, I waive and they waive back.



Now past 3 pm (too late for ice cream - boo!!!), I cross the river in Richmond, and stop at a roadside park to check it out from the other side.



Might be a good place to paddle.



Now I'm heading west and south and fairly soon, I start seeing that failiar light blue line on the GPS (frequently traveled roads). I picked up a track from a previous Bush Pig ride and followed it home.



I got home about 5:00 pm after 225 km of good riding, about 2/3 off pavement. Average moving speed - 45 kph. Nice and easy putt putting around taking in the views. Nothing spectacular or outer worldly. Certainly not difficult riding - all smooth gravel and dirt. But very scenic and the solitude was peaceful.

Tammy and I had a planned date for this evening.



There's only one restaurant on Lac Brompton (very close to us), and it seems to be a total shitshow on the weekends. But on this Wednesday, it's kind of nice.



To my utter surprise, the Thai shrimp were very good.



Dinner was good as well. The french fries in Quebec are quite tasty. It's more than a coincidence by now.



And the sunset over the lake put the iciing on the cake.



Life is good.

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[gixxerjasen]

It can be too late for ice cream???

[Hppants]

It can be too late for ice cream???

Date night - didn't want to spoil my appetite.

Harder to find ice cream on the Bush Pig this summer. Last year, I had 2 self-serv homemade I/C places located in the middle of the woods. That sure made it easy. No such luck this year, though.

[Hppants]

September 12, 2025

39 degrees this morning when I woke. Someone (not me) left the bedroom patio door open last night, and I'm gonna tell ya, Pants was a might chilly this morning. I'm going to have to grab another blanket out of the locker and put it on hot standby, sort-o-speak.

Today is one of those days that I can't decide. The weather is continued stupid - sunshine, dry, high about 70. The possibilities are unlimited. I looked around google maps for something interesting. There are 2 more national parcs within my grasp that I want to see before we go home. Both of them are to the east, about 2 hours away. It's already 10:00 - I'm a bit late - that will have to wait for another day.

So I picked something closer. Just on the other side of Lac Brompton is a couple of small mountains (300-400 meters). One of these (Mont Cathedrale) has a couple of hiking trails. Street View doesn't show much, but it looks like the trailhead is off the paved road. So I'll take the Bush Pig and wing it.

Well now this is really nice.



This little 2-track ran a few kilometers to the fairly well concealed trailhead. I had to stop and use my hiking app to find the actual place. None the less, I made it, undonned my riding gear, and started walking.



Even out here in the middle of nowhere, there are some nice wayfinder signs to guide you and there is plenty of evidence of trail maintenance.



This is a very easy walk - slow gradual climb and I'm not even sweating.



I get to the first overlook and the visibility is extremely good today.



There is no handrail - one slip and I'm going to have several seconds to think about the fact that I'm about to die. I take 2 steps back just because.



I ate my lunch and moved on to the next view.



The trail basically takes me around the top of the mountain to capture the view from all sides. Pretty nice over here as well!



The walk back down, although familiar, was no less fun. I get back to the Bush Pig about 1:30 pm, and with plenty of daylight left, I start wandering around.



I find a bunch of these 2-track roads in this hunk of forest that go.... no where. They are not on my GPS map, nor the phone map. They are no restriction signs at the head of the road - trust me, if these roads were private, it would be posted. So for each one, I just start riding hoping for an outlet somewhere.



I tried 4 different roads in the region - all went about 5 km and then just dead-ended.



So I layed my riding jacket on the grass, and had a short siesta.



These roads sure were fun to ride - I wish they went somewhere.



Now 3-ish pm, and I backtracked to main pavement and went west to a more familiar farm road that I like. Can you blame me?



I'm just making a big block around Lac Brompton killing time and letting the Bush Pig sip a little fuel.



There a motorsports complex on RTE 220 about 15 minutes from our ABB. They have a 1/8 mile drag strip and a motocross track. As I passed it, I saw the gate open. Knowing it's Friday, I thought "maybe there's an event tonight". So I pulled into the complex and sure enough - tonight is "Bike Night" at the drag strip. And get this - if you ride your motorcycle to the track, you get in free!!!

I rode the Bush Pig back to the ABB, had a shower and a snack, and rode the FJR to the track.



A few race bikes have already shown up, even though the races don't start for another 45 minutes.



Now let it be known hence forth that Pants can take one for the team. My choices were: Horse Piss, or Horse Piss Light. Oh, give me the horse piss....



I've had my share of crappy racetrack burgers - seems they are the same no matter where you are.



With still 30 minutes before racing, I walked around the pits to see the horsepower.





This old Cutlass was fast - consistently sub 6 second passes. The LS motor has a SHIT ton of nitrous - big fogging kit.



This old Nova was also quick - carb'd big block on this one.



The owner of this harley spoke very good english, and we chatted a minute.



Back at the parking lot, a lot more people have shown up, so I walked this as well.



Sick, man....



Still IMHO, one of the best sounding bikes ever made.



I love this motorcycle. I've ridden an older one considerably, and it is a FINE bike to ride.



Now working my way back to the bleachers - this old Supra' caught my eye. BIG turbos on this car.



OK - enough walking around. Let's go racing! The full chassis mustang made an exhibition pass to kick things off. 5.54 at 141 mph - fast!



Then the kids got their turn. This is what we at home would call "Run whatcha brung!" No fee to race, no brackets, no prizes, no trophies. Just sign the waiver, call out your buddies, and let 'er rip, potato chip!







This kid on this superduke was a REALLY good rider. He's done this quite a bit before. After he launches and shifts to 2nd, notice how he haunches his entire body over the tank and bars to counter act the wheelie, to some degree in vain. This bike ran consistent 6.00 - 6.15, about 115-120. Buddy, that's moving!



Some of these kids just wanted to ride wheelies down the track and apparently the track officials didn't care. At home, they would get one warning, and then it's adios for you.



Others were a bit more serious and their skills showed.



This harley was very fast. It also ran consistent 6.0 - 6.2. It's rider was very skilled.



I'm having fun.



They stopped for a few minutes to scrap some rubber, lay down some more stick-em juice, and encourage the fans to buy more concessions. I took the opportunity to go to the staging lanes and find that Superduke kid. As luck would have it, he spoke decent english.

(Pants) "Is this your bike?"

(S/D) "yeah"

(Pants) "This bike ain't stock."

(S/D) "No"

(Pants) "This bike is fast. You've raced before, I can tell."

We talked a few minutes. Suprisingly, all he's done is:

Full exhaust
CPU Tune
Removed all emissions contols.
Sprocket gearing change

He also was explaining another thing he did that I'm not 100% sure I understood with his english. But I think he changed the cam timing a little.

Anyhoo - this was my favorite bike to watch. This is one fast KTM.



Before you ask the obvious question, I didn't run the FJR on the track. It's been a LONG time since I've done that, and returning to it in front of a thousand people, at night - uh.... nope. Believe it or not, I could have. The track official handed me a waiver, and said sign it, and you can race.

I watched all of the cars and bikes make 3 passes and then called it good enough. Now 8:30 pm, I have to ride the FJR home and there are deer in these parts. I went VERY slow (like 20 kph below the limit) and thankfully, arrived safely.

For winging it, today sure was fun!!

Stay thirsty, my friends...

[fontanaman]

Love seeing those performance machines.

My choices were: Horse Piss, or Horse Piss Light. Oh, give me the horse piss....

Now now please don't be condescending to horses. FarrierFJR would not approve. .

[gixxerjasen]

I was going to ask about you running the FJR. Surely in 3 passes it'd come back to you.