On to Burwell and home.

Day 13 and 14



Well, that's the one problem with camping rallies, there's nowhere to update the blog, which isn't a bad thing. Who want's to spend hours updating, when you can have fun. So you'll be get this final update a little late.


Day 13


I wake up, and do what I've been doing for the last 2 weeks, go downstairs to grab a coffee (or 2, as they have really small cups), and grab an orange. Do the 3's and update the blog. 

It's a nice size room, with the ever popular, fridge and microwave. It's been a while since I've seen an old style tube TV, but the flat-screen TV is in the bedroom. Actually, I do like the work desk for updating the blog. 

For the first time this trip, I dig out the boots, It's Burwell, and you really never know. 


Checkout time is 11 am, and slothly me, finally packs up, and heads out to Burwell just in time. 

The weather report has a few showers going through. But nothing so far, and with it being cloudy, it makes for a nice change, and for the first time in a while, I don't have to apply any sunscreen. I hop on the 401 for a quick ride, to the exit that takes me to Aylmer, ON. But Waze tells we to get off at Highbury Ave, and I should have listened to it. Because further down I hit the wall of traffic. Damm, I should have listened :-(.  

Just in case you are wondering how I navigate while on my travels, here's how I do it. Every morning before I leave the motel/hotel, I plan out where I'm going (or like to go), look it up on google maps, and plan a route. I'll pre put any addresses/locations that I'm going to, on the phone (Waze GPS mapping app), and on my old Garmin Motorcycle GPS. Then I'll head out. But the two gps's never seem to give the same route, so that's why it's important to know where I actually want to go. The Waze traffic adviser kind of works (mostly). I used it once and I'm still not sure it saved me anytime. But when I didn't listen to it, I wished I did ( the 401 outside of London). This is what I find works for me. If I had to use just one, it would be Waze, that is, if you have access to data. 

Anyway, back to getting to Burwell. I ended up getting stuck in the traffic jam for around 1/2 hour. I get off at the next exit and head down to Aylmer to grab some Lunch, and hit the ATM for some Canadian funds. Then a short sweet drive down to Burwell on roads well known to me, from riding around here over the years. 

Then, in what seems like in no time at all, I'm at Burwell, and the bike gets parked. I get settled in at the Wade's campsite and the socializing commences. Dave offers a space in trailer to sleep, which saves me from unpacking all my camping crap (thanks Dave & Tam). So I end up leaving the bike parked there all weekend. 

Not really any mosquitoes this year, or at least not around the camper, but they were made up by all the black fly's. That fly swatter earned it's money this year. I also got to hear about some of the antics that happened on Friday. Which maybe, is better left not recorded on a blog.  

Vic Smith, who just came out of the hospital after having some serious surgery a couple of weeks ago. I know he must be gutted that he couldn't spend weekend at Burwell. But the doctor did tell him he should get out, so why not put in a appearance then. It's what I would have done. 

It's nice to see him on the road to recovery, get well soon Vic!

There were a few showers, as you can see by Vic's shirt, but nothing heavy or lasting long. Being cloudy all afternoon, I didn't end up heading down to the beach, Which is a first for me, but when your having a good time, does it really matter?

Andrea brought Leslie some poo, so she could get a head start on the Buffalo rally theme. It took a while to blow up the poo. That poor air compressor of mine had to work hard on the poo, but it got the job done. Just watch out for the floaties in the pond on the Buffalo rally. 

Ian,  who is being a brave lad by eating all that Poutine, because, what goes in, must come out. The poor girls told me how bad the Porta potties where. I'll stick to the washrooms in town. 

Some kind of throwing game going on. The kids seemed to be having a good time. 


It's dinner time, so, pizza for all, plus salad, and a bit of both for me. The pizza lasted well into the night, so if you got a bit hungry, you could help yourself. Which I did!

Good pizza. 


Now comes the awards and raffle, 

Dean and Rhona for best Camper.
Chris for Best Lambretta
Kate for Best Vespa
Key of Burwell to Keith 
WTF to Matt, and whatever it was, happened on Friday and best not said.
Biggest Club turnout. The Rovers from Detroit, of course.

Thanks Cass for taking the pics. Someone give this man a potato!

Longest Distance to yours truly.

Me!

Which was a hell of a surprise, and thanks. Hopefully I've remembered all of the awards, but I known I've forgotten a couple. So if anyone wants to email me with the list, I'll update the blog. Also, my ticket was the second drawn in the raffle (Lucky me). I head to the table, and pick up the Lambretta bag with a Gobshite racing t'shirt. The funny part is, that most of my touring motorcycle traveling bags have been either won or traded at Burwell. So thanks, "Dogs Bollocks" for all the prizes over the years. Also all of the sponsors as well.

I'll be putting it to good use.

As day turns into night, the fire gets going, and so do the fireworks. Nice fireworks show BTW, though, I think the kids were setting off most of them. It was a good night with the 80's/90's disco/rave going full swing by the fire. I got a lesson on "Goth" dancing from Vanessa. I actually don't know much about goth's, so it's interesting hearing about other scene's that were happening while I was a Mod/scooterist back in the day. 

As the night wore on, most people ended up by the fire. Then about midnight the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) show up, and stop first to talk to the owner (by the entrance). So everyone guesses that they are here for us, and the loud music. So regrettably, the music is turned down. Now for the funny part. They, the OPP (for the first time that I can remember) weren't here for us. There was a domestic (or something) at one of the trailers in the park. So we were all laughing, and of course, someone turns the music up even louder. 


I end up turning in around 1 am. It's nice having your bed already made up. The one thing that I notice is, that, being on the road for a while, is that hotels/motels don't use fabric softener like most/some of us do. I guess it's because of people with allergies. Tamera uses the same softener that I use at home, so it was almost like sleeping in my own bed. Thanks again, Dave and Tam, for the sleeping accommodations. I was actually surprised on how much room is in the trailer, and how comfortable it was. 



Day 14

Morning arrives, and I must get up on my last day of vacation.

I get up, use the bush, and have a walk around. Dave ends up getting up around the same time as me, and starts packing up the camper. 

Things are pretty quite at 7 am around the campsite. But slowly everyone starts to wake up.

The ever fun clean up. 

What's this I spy, a Keurig coffee maker. Wow, I can have a morning coffee. Thanks for letting me make a few coffee's.

The start of the goodbyes. It's not like I won't see Mark soon. Andrea, Gene and Mark will be at the Buffalo rally in a few weeks.

Buffalo's Twotenanny. A Rip'n Good Time!



Here's the link, just in case your thinking of going. I'll be riding down with the Hobbit's on the Friday from Toronto. Join us, or meet us on the way.

All coffee'd up, but poor Tam, the Keruig was a 2.0, and wouldn't take her decaf cups. She was not a happy camper. Also, no morning pictures for Tam. 

Since Dave and Tamera put me up last night, there really is no packing for me, except my Kermit chair. I do the long walk around, and say goodbyes to everyone. I let Chris know that I'm heading home directly instead of riding with him. He totally understands. 
So, then I'm on the road. I follow Waze this time, because the highway exit at 401 and 19 is closed. Then on the 401, which was busy, but still moving well, and just over 2 hours later, I'm home. The rain was just starting as I turned off for the DVP (Don Valley Pkwy), which is 10 minutes from my home. I park, unpack and head into my home sweet home. 

Great Pic and thanks to Shawn for taking it and sharing.

After unpacking I go on Facebook and see this, so now I feel bad for not riding back with Chris. But I find out later that his throttle cable stretched and came off the spool in the headset. That's the thing, if you own a Lambretta, you better know how to fix it, and Chris knows his Lambretta's.


Total mileage is around 1900 + , because that's the last time I checked it. While riding back.


Next trip,  the Buffalo rally in a few weeks, and we'll see if I do the blog for that. Otherwise, I have 2 weeks off before Gettysburg, but no idea on what I'm doing yet for that vacation.

Thanks everyone for reading and enjoying my adventures.