Tuesday 19 August 2014
The Tross's adventures: Curdfest in Ottawa, 2014
The Tross's adventures: Curdfest in Ottawa, 2014: LammyJammy add on! Kind of a late add on from Lammyjammy, or the, I didn't find some of this stuff until I unpacked/packed fo...
Curdfest in Ottawa, 2014
Curdfest Rally Page: Link
This adventure starts the week before, as I planned on visiting my folks the week before Curdfest and getting in a good ride on the Lt. The weather forecast was perfect for the weekend, of course, no one had a run planned ;-) . So on the Friday I hit my storage locker to dig out the BMW. Surprise, the tire is flat. I would like to take the MP3 to Curdfest, as it is a scooter run, but with the clutch acting up, I know I should take the BMW. Wondering about my Lammy? I'm just not into loading the scoot in the back of the truck and driving there, and realistically I'm not riding it all the way to Ottawa, plus it's not insured this year. So I end up taking the car to visit my parents. When I get back, I do fill the tire up to see what's up, it holds air, but there's a bulge on the tread. This tire is toast. Either it's a defect, or thinking about it, I did hit one nasty pot hole that could have caused it while on my east coast adventure. Either way I have to replace the tire.
Now comes the fun part, phoning around to see who has open appointment/space to change it. Easy if you've planned for it, bad if it just happens. Changing a tire is universal, and so is the price charged at most dealers, so it's going to who ever I can get an appointment, with a great rep that is. Also it's a special order tire as well at most dealers. Only some of the BMW dealers stock it in house, and nobody else would/or does. Otherwise it needs to be ordered, which means another 1 or 2 days to arrive. So even if I can get an appointment it will take a few days to come. It's going to be tight on making Curdfest. But I can always take the MP3 if I have to, it seems to be running better. But I'd rather not, as it will be all highway driving. But it's not looking good as all my local dealers are either busy or I get their answering machine.
Budds motorrad, Oakville: Link
I give John a call (Service manager) at Budds in Oakville. He says "no problem, I've got a tire in stock and I can squeeze me in @ 2 pm". WOW, all my problems solved. Now the fun part. driving rather slow all the way over to Oakville. I do make it, after a lunch at Whole Foods. Now having looking at the bulge after the ride, it's bigger than when I started. Lesson learned, check your tires on a regular basis. A hour and 1/2 later I'm good to go. Now that's service, and to the bill, it's really not that much more than I would have paid at any other shop. So one big problem out of the way and a dealer who comes through when you need it.
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| Nice new rubber, ya! |
It's Tuesday before the run as I write this and I"m going to put down the weather report as of today.
Friday: Am cloudy/sunny. 70 degrees high-low 48 degrees. Chance of rain 20%
Saturday: Mostly cloudy. High of 68 degrees - Low of 49 degrees. Chance of rain 20%
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, High of 70 degrees - Low of 46 degrees. Chance of rain 20%
So looking good so far, unlike yesterday where it was not so good. Interesting to see if it will change by Friday.
Now it's the day before, time to load up the bike and inspect everything. Nothing hard, just time consuming.
The longest part was putting air in all my tires. Since I'm here, I do the car tires as well. Here's why you check your tires before you leave on a trip and during. Front tire 39 psi, that's actually ok, so I pump it up to 42 psi. Rear tire, remember the dealer just put it on, 39 psi. This tire should be 47 psi. It might be the guy who put the tire on and filled it to this. But also it could be the tire sealing on the beads, etc. Anyway I'm glad I checked. I'll check it again when I get to Ottawa. Now to the worse, the trailer tire was at 10 psi. This tire even looked good at that pressure. I filled up to 40 something. Now that's all out of the way, I'll go inside and finish packing for Tomorrow, and so I'm off to work till 3 am. ;-(
The day finally arrives.
Got up after 5 1/2 hours sleep, and it felt like it too. I'll be ok after a coffee ( I hope). The shower woke the rest of me up and I'm ready to go. I'm on the road at 11 am, a 1/2 hour than later than I'd like, but sometimes you have to take care of business before fun (mortgage lawyer). A few spots on the 401 were bad for traffic (good for a summer Friday, though), but overall a good ride to Brockville, for my first stop. But also my first hint of rain. I'm really getting used riding the bike and now it's set up the way I like it. 3 hours in the saddle, no problem, it's nice to know I can do it when needed, and still feel good when getting off. Anyway, into Wallymart to pick up assorted supplies and a quick snack/lunch at the real Canadian Supercentre. Funny thing is, when I'm at home I never shop at Wallymart, but when I'm on the road and need a one place that has everything, it's Walmart.
So, I'm back on the road and the rain is gone, yea! The traffic is moving well and in no time, I'm on the 416. This is where I also encounter my first speed trap. But no problem as I was warned ahead by running "Waze" app on my phone. There's nothing better than coming over that hill after slowing down and seeing the cop waiting.
Waze Link
It's a great GPS app that I know some of you run already. If you see a speed trap for example, you let everyone know, and they do the same for you. It will also reroute you around traffic, which it did for construction in Belleville. Anyway, give it a try, but you do need data on your phone.
I'm not saying the app is perfect, cops move around, but they are mostly still there when I pass and that's good enough for me.Does it make me go faster, ya it does.
So after I get off the 416 highway and start to head east over to Bank street, and go through a little town called Manotick, I spot this beautiful bus. Ya, I can stop for this. I grab a peameal bacon sandwich, for a early dinner. It's been way too long that I've been upstairs on a Roadmaster bus. You do kind of forget how low the upstairs ceiling is, and how big the steps that they have are. Nice to see one put to good use. Anyway I'm back on the road and I'm not that far away from the site. 15 minutes later I arrive, I head into the site as usual and see some signs that Corey put up/out, nice touch, but since I don't want to unload scooters, I head back to the usual campsite. Corey runs out and stops me, then I kind of remember the site's been moved nearer to the washrooms, d'oh! I know I'm not the only one that made that mistake. So I park the bike and head down to see who's arrived, and get the lay of the land. I find a corner down at the west end that's flat and has some cover by some trees.
No sooner than I start putting up my tent then Garry shows up, and I get a visit by some of my neighbors. After getting the tent set up, and all that other crap (air mattress, sleeping bags, etc, I head over to Corey's "Arches of Dryness". It's saved our asses last year when it rained so I'm glad to see it up again, with the weather report we might need it. Anyway everyone slowly shows up and sets up their camping gear. The Montreal guys end up setting up by me as well. As you can see were away from everyone else from the campsite, it's long and narrow with tents on both sides. It works out really well, party at one end, quite at the other.
That fun, O, so fun part of unloading.
Ian, where are you? Actually he's just outside of the pic.
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| Two out of the three hobbits made it this year. |
Camp " Buffalo "
I head into town with Garry and someone who's name I forgot (sorry) for a beer and supply run. I actually thought about drinking, but nothing appealed to me in the Liquor store, so I left empty handed, but no worries as the other guys didn't. I did pick up some Starbucks "Doubleshots" for the morning. ( which ended up coming home with me as we had great coffee both mornings)
Day turns into night and the fun begins. There ended up being the Arches of dryness and Camp Buffalo. I spent most of my time going between the two of them.
If you look really close it's Camp Buffalo.
Corey's Arches of dryness. There's a fire going on behind it as well. It went down into the high 40's, so it was cold. Even though we were at the front of the campsite this year, the mosquitoes were just as bad as the back. Bug spray included in admission.
I hit the tent around midnight, it was cold, but the US army bag handled it well. So well, I didn't get up till 9:30 am, and the army blackout stuff inside the tent didn't help either. So I just had time to get dressed and have a coffee, supplied/donated by "Sparkplug coffee".
Sparkplug Coffee: Link
I liked the coffee, so they get a plug. It got me going enough that I could get my crap together for the ride and breakfast. Since I don't really want to ride the bike around Ottawa, I grab a ride with the lead truck. Trying to get everyone going at the same time can be a challenge but it gets done and we head out. The breakfast restaurant is a little family owned place that I always try to stop at anyway, so I know breakfast will be good.
Damn I'm quick, they are actually just coming in. my problem is that I spent too much time talking to everyone outside and not ordering my breakfast.
Everyone eating, but me. Bottomless coffee's helps. After about 3 coffee's, I started feeling normal. Panoramic pic #1
Our new waiter Corey. It kind of worked out that way, because of Corey knowing everyone name on the out coming orders.
That poor family had to hussle, but everyone got their breakfast nice and hot. Myself, I got the usual eggs, sausage, potatoes and toast. With Corey trying to get everyone moving alone for the ride, it was a quick breakfast.
So back out in the parking lot for some pics:
It's a lammy, enough said.
Nothing says your lammy loves you more that when it marks where it's been. My GP is even worse than this.
Now, all full and happy scooterists were off for the mystery Ottawa tour. We found out that we were not going to St Albert for Crudfest. I was a little disappointed, but as Corey pointed out the ride there was just dead boring and for slow scoots could be rather dangerous. I know a few people went there on their own. I'll take the ride.
The rain was a bit on and off for the ride, and I'd have to say more off. At least the first part anyway.
The Parliament buildings, kind of behind the girder. Funny part is that this is the best of 3 that I took.
Waiting at one of the canals for the Locks to close and the bridge lowered. It gave everyone a chance to catch up.
The second planned gas stop, for those who missed the first, and there were a few. A major line-up for the washroom. Sorry Steve, the tummy was a little upset!
We did have to make one quick stop as we lost Garry on his scooter to either bad gas or wet wires as it started to rain. It only took a few minutes of waiting around anyway. Back in the old days, all you would have seen is everyone puffing away, boy, have times changed.
Instead of smokes it's I phones. Which isn't a bad thing, now. Back in my youth, I kind of glad some things were not saved to jpeg, but wish some where.
Back on the road and over to the usual stop for some Poutine, where, luckily for me, there was a Best buy where I could buy a charger for my phone. Which I did find packed away, when I unpacked after getting home. Plus a Starbucks, Latte and a clean washroom!
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| Surprisingly, these Panoramic pics actually work on the new camera. |
Rain, rain, go away!
Someones happy after her Poutine fix!
From here were back to the site, with breakfast and a lunch stop this ride was at least 4 or 5 hours long, but didn't feel like it. That's easy for me to say, being in the lead truck, nice and dry!
Everyone getting back from the ride. No mishaps and only one breakdown, which started up no problem Sunday morning for the ride home. Hope you made it there, Garry!
Garry with his signed copy of,
"The Scooter Diaries"
I actually meant to pick one up this weekend. Opps!
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| Happy Birthday Corey! |
PS. If anyone knows how to turn the video right side up, let me know, cause I can't figure it out :-)
As night turns to Darkness the awards are handed out. Best Vespa goes to the kitted out 100 sport. Hopefully I get this right "El Chino" and Best Lambretta went to Michelle. Now it's on to the Raffle.
Now Corey goes out of his way to come up with a huge raffle draw. He even beats out most, if not all rally's with this raffle. I tend to buy way to many raffle tickets at this rally, and with Tam not here ;-), I've got a really good chance to hopefully win the scooter.
First to go is the princess auto's bench grinder with light. Which I win with the pre-reg ticket. So I guess it was worth it to pre-register. The slight problem is that I rode the bike up and really have no where to put it. Niall steps up right away and says he'd drop it off for me, Cheers Niall. I got to say, I actually did pretty good, but remember this is the way most rally's make their money, so don't be shy on buying those tickets, it goes to a really good cause.
Now for the big prize, the 1966 Lambretta. Rebuilt by Corey. The winner is "Gordon Bowman" He's the son of "The scooter diaries" .
The Scooter Diaries Book: Link
Well, you can't win them all. The other thing about the Curdfest raffle is the trading that goes on afterwards. It's fun and I traded the medium Adidas t'shirt for a flashlight with Leslie (she really wanted that shirt) and Ian made me an offer on the Fred and the Lambretta tools. But nothing to trade Niall for the Sparkplug coffee gift certificate, Damn.
Now back to the Saturday night of music and drinking and socializing. For me it was around midnight that I went back to my tent to see what condition it was in. I already had a backup place to sleep (the campground internet room) but to my surprise ( not really as I'd done everything possible to make sure it would be dry) it was dry. I know Kate took her sleeping bags to the campsite laundry dryer to get dry. So I hit the sack.
Around 2 am, those tummy grumbles are back, so I say screw it, it's off to the campsite in my underwear and a t-shirt. To my surprise the campsite is quite. The only one awake is Chris, Who I tell to go to bed. A great sleep otherwise. Though I did learn one thing, turn your phone off, they make noise all night, or as told to me by someone a few tents away. Me, I could not hear a thing, due to my earplugs.
Great tent and passed the rain test with flying colours. So if your looking for a rally tent for one, and I do mean one person, (hey if it can fit one of me, than it's good for any-one). It packs up to the size of a loaf of bread, great for packing on your scooter or bike, this is your tent.
One man combat tent
That link will give you all the info even if expired (hopefully). Over the winter they get cheaper, it's the best time to buy one. I paid around $90 for mine (new).
I woke up around 8 am. Coffee is on and the bagels are being toasted on the BBQ.
The perfect way to start the day. Notice how sunny it is!!! Perfect morning for it, as I can dry my tent and tarp before packing away.
Everyone slowly packing up, and me drying out my tent and ground tarp. Now nice and dry for packing.
Last to bed and last to wake up. Unlike me, Chris was up just after I took this pic, me, I tend to take forever to get going.
Montreal's all packed up and ready to ride home. Not too bad of a ride, but it will take them more than a few hours to get back home.
Garry's all packed up way before I was.
Getting the scoots ready for that ride home.
Well, with everyone leaving early, which now is the new norm. I finish packing up and get ready to go. I say good bye to everyone. As sunny as the early morning was, the clouds have returned :-( The weather app says Cloudy but no rain.
Well this makes it easy, the clock on the bike says 9:58 am, so it looks like I left just after 10 am. This year I made the decision to just book it home on the 416 and 401 highways and beat the returning cottage traffic.
The sun did come out around Kingston and I rode until the tank was almost dry, so off just outside of Belleville and into the 10 Acre truck stop. I wanted to see if they had any LED tail lights for my trailer. Well they didn't have them, but I filled up the scooter and back on the road. Next stop is Royal Distributing in Whitby to pick up a digital tire gauge. I wanted an easier one than I have, plus I can compare the read outs to make sure they are the same. Now I know my Slime one at home reads 10 psi to low :-( , and into the garbage it will go.
Just as I pull up I meet some of the guys from the TMSC, which sadly, I've not done much riding with the club due to all my motorcycle adventures. Well it was great catching up and and into the cottage traffic heading back into the city. The rest of the drive was nothing that I've not ridden 100's of times
Mileage 281 miles - 452 km
Total 562 miles - 904 km
Buffalo want to do a run this weekend next year, as it's the only weekend they can organize it. Corey is thinking of taking the year off to let Buffalo do their run. So which either way it goes there will be a run this weekend next year. More details to come later. Also this year has been rather dreadful (weather wise) for weather. But as I've found out, when you get there it never is as bad as the weather guys make it out to be. So never let the weather forecast get in the way of showing up at a run.
I also will not be Making "Modreal" this year, got the time off, but not the money. With having to get a new phone and computer, something has to give. :-((
One last thing, thanks everyone for the great feedback, I can't believe all the people who read this blog. It really surprised me. Thanks for the support :-))
Cheers,
Alby/Tross
Tuesday 12 August 2014
Port Burwell Run, 2014
Well, not to much time to recover since Boston. Since I wasn't able to work my holidays around the two runs, so I'd have the week in between Boston and Burwell off. But hey, you can't have everything, it is what it is. Also funny is how the weather forcast has changed. At the beginning of the week it was looking so good, but as we get closer, it's thunderstorms all weekend, that is, till Sunday. I did have to go to Bell Canada and get a new phone, and that's never fun or cheap :-(. I tried to bring the old one to life but no go. So, I this week is a shortened week at work, 4 days, nice. But I still don't have the Friday off, bad. Since I've got to work from 6 am to 3 pm, there is no point on leaving the city at 3 pm if you don't have to, I make the decision to leave early on Saturday morning. Honestly I thought of not going at all, but I did reserve a t-shirt, and I do keep my word. Plus thunderstorms I can live with.
Well the bonus about doing the early morning shift, is that I'm up early. So by 7:30 am I'm packed and on the road with the MP3. Actually the weather looks good, blue skies with clouds.
The local feral cat seeing me off.
Just a wee bit low, might as well top off!
No taking the back roads this time, it's QEW and the 403. I burn through the tank and I'm getting close to empty as I come into Brantford, I do have a lot of great memories of Brantford from my mod days. Anyway as I approach Brantford the rain begins, yek. There was a reason I didn't check the weather report when I was leaving, is I didn't want to change my mind. I've only got to travel around 10 min till I hit the exit. As usual I hit the gas station first. While I'm filling up I spy a Wimpies across the street.
Luckily for me Wimpy's has some trees in the parking lot that I can park under, since it doesn't look like I'll make the run breakfast in Port Burwell, the Wimpy's will have to do. Well, I go in and it's really not that busy, not a good sign. But I'm here and might as well order. I get a nice friendly waitress and soon breakfast is served. Hot Coffee, makes everything good :-)
No worries as breakfast is up to the Wimpy's standard that I remember years ago. Also the restaurant is filling up, I guess Brantford is just a sleepy town on Saturday mornings. As I get ready to leave the place is packed. Anyway I can't delay the riding in the rain, so off I go. In for a penny or a pound, so I head back on the 403 in the rain, just to get to the site as fast as possible. Funny thing is, as soon as I leave Brantford the rain stops. It doesn't take me long to get to Woodstock and since I'm taking the shortest way, I take the off ramp. No sooner than I get off the 401 and head south then does the rain start. Also the scooter seems to be acting up, a first for me on the road. Since the belt is due to be changed it might be that, but it feels like the clutch is slipping. I'm hoping it has something to do with all the rain, but that little voice in my head says no. Anyway the slippage only happens when I take off. 30,000 km out of a clutch, I can't complain as it's got to carry my heavy load. Now the rain is really coming down. Enough that I have to slow down a wee bit. But since I'm on secondary roads this is no problem.
As I come into Tillsonburg the rain stops. I need to hit the local Wallymart to pick up some tent pegs and fill up. Not bad as that's about the only thing I forgot to pack. Well, Wallymart moved from the location that I know, and since I can't be bothered driving around Tillsonburg to find their new location, I'm off to Port Burwell.
The weather is starting to look good as I approach Burwell, which is a good sign. I hit the local store to get some supplies. It's around noon, well that's what I get for having a good breakfast. It was worth the trade.
I catch up with everyone and the one thing that I hear about is all the rain they had last night. It seems that it just stopped as I arrived :-)
Poor Tam trying to stop the leaking tent. Tam cares, Dave will just pass out anywhere ;-)
The cool kids canopy and Shamus. Shamus offers free baths, one lick at a time ;-) and loves kids.
Just me, or does the scoot kind of match the tent?
Well all the rain makes the scoots shine! Best in show as well,
Congrats Fish!!
Well after spending way too much time talking, finding out poor Neil's scooter died a few miles from the site, etc, I set up my tent. Just as I finish the rain comes back again. It's kind of off and on, but mostly on. During one of the breaks I do get a chance to throw in the sleeping bags. After last years thunderstorms and possible tornado, I bought a new US army tent. Which everyone says is waterproof. With all the waterproofing spray I put on it I hope so. Well it looks like Burwell will put it to the test, one way or another. The rain does stop for a bit, so the London crew start doing some of the (sillyness) events, which are always good for some laughs.
But about 1/2 way through the rain starts again, so back under the canopy.
It is one of the things that makes the Burwell site great. Well, I could have went swimming in the rain. Once it stopped raining I went looking for some of those prize winning cans. I must have spent around an hour looking for the cans, I even went down to the beach.
As you can see, not much happening down here, unlike most years.
I should know better than to go up against the kids and their energy of finding things, well it's all good fun, anyway and I did get down to the beach. I did find one of those plastic outside chairs on the way back up, which was good for me as I didn't pack one. It did make the night go easier.
It's time for the Bollocks SC to serve dinner, which turns out to be pizza, which around Burwell is good. They order way too much, but no worries as the night is young and the night munchies will come. The funny thing is I took no pics of the awards. Congrads to Fish for winning best overall. You deserve it. Now for the prize giveaways. Rich's boy's ended up finding a few cans and the lucky guys found the "golden can". Which got him first choice of the prizes, he went with the "top box bag from Kuryakyn", good choice as I had my eye on it. After the cans were out of the way, the raffle draw happened. Unlike most runs the ticket is included in your rally pack. I ended up winning the Kuryakyn classic tour bag. That will help with all my touring.
As I said before, I did have my eye on that roll/top bag. My poor Lambretta roll bag is getting a wee bit faded. Funny how I can't remember on which run I won that on, either Niagara or Curdfest, still a great bag but something a little bigger for the BMW won't hurt. Kiddos for Fada Scooters for donating those. Anyway I ask Rich if his son (William) would be willing to sell his prize. Thanks to William for making me a great deal on a bag that will be put to great use. Also thanks to Vespa Toronto West for donating the bag in the first place. Now to the funny part. After taking the above pic, I open the bag. I find out it's the waterproof cover for the topbox/roll bag which I bought off of William. Funny how things work out some times.
Too soon night starts to arrive and mostly everyone gathers around the fire.
This fire was hot, we all had to move back, But Shamus couldn't get enough.
The rain stopped around 6 pm and didn't start back up, which made for a great night for everyone. Details held back to protect the guilty ;-)
The Sunday morning quite, the weather held off and everyone is dry, unlike Friday night.
Packing up for the drive home, I've got to work Sunday night so time to get this out of the way. The tent passed, nice and dry inside and passed the rain test. Now to see if it can survive Curdfest next month.
Not as bad as most years, or were just getting cleaner. I think Tams been cleaning ;-)
One last pic before I head out. Of course the rain comes back. I have a choice, I can wait around and chance it or hit the road. I hit the road to try and beat the rain. 5 min out from the site it's dry. I like to think I made the right choice. I'm not in that much of a hurry that I have to take the 401 home. I end up taking the Rich's way home. Which is following the waterfront trail to Port Dover. It's a nice drive, relaxing with not much traffic. Just what you want after a weekend in Burwell.
Reviews-The Urban Parisian
This is where I've been stopping in Port Dover for a late breakfast on the return leg of Port Burwell for a few years now, plus the odd time I pass through. Sometimes I don't want Timmies and in Dover it means a parking lot full of bikers. I just want to relax and enjoy a quite patio, and The Urban Parisian hits that spot. The sausage croissant was heaven, just head and shoulders above what I would have gotten at Timmies. Great Latte as well.
Thanks to the Dogs Bollocks and everyone involved for putting on another great run. See ya next year!!!!!!
Total mileage 431 km/ 261 miles
Next Run
Curdfest Scooter Rally, Ottawa
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