kurtrules
Well-known member
The ride was supposed to be done on the 4th Oct 2020, as I had an appointment on the 3rd. But it got cancelled, and I thought why waste a day. Moreover, the 4th was supposedly rainy.
Though I did start a bit later then I normally do, I planned to make full use of the time at hand. The initial idea was a loop through Algonquin, however the delay in departure shortened that loop. I left home around 9, after a heavy breakfast.
The new route -
It was cold. I had no heated gear. I never had the need for explicit heating from where I spent my days riding. But gone are those days, and what hit me was the stark reality of riding at 7-10 degrees C, all throughout the day with a wind blast from the feeble windshield of the 650. So I layered up!
Life was good for while, but then I felt the incessant need for another layer, which I promptly added beneath my mesh riding jacket. Luckily I carried a spare liner. The lower half of the body also was well covered; my old Drystars with the warm liner, came to rescue.
No problems with the chill hereon
Rattlesnake Point, Burlington
Somewhere on the backroads to Barrie:
I did come across a stretch of Gravel road between highway 50 and 27 called "Concession Road". Traction Control was an issue here, so was fiddling with it to turn it off, but I couldn't do that on the go (can you do that on the v-strom?), so went at crossing the road at gentle pace. It was a small stretch anyway.
Snaking my way through the country roads, I crossed Barrie, and hit the Ont 11. Ah yes, I could ride on this one - it was exempt from the restrictions the MTO had imposed on my license.
Crossed Gravenhurst and took the exit for the 118. Nice smooth pavement all the way till Haliburton
Somewhere on the way:
Had a quick lunch at a pizzeria in Haliburton and then started again towards Buckhorn.
Enroute:
On a side road:
Both the 118, and the 507+3 were good to ride on. Sans any traffic and quite serene. I did not good the last few kms till Buckhorn and turned right at Flynns' Corner
Thereafter, an uneventful ride back to Burlington.
All in all, an enjoyable day and quite a refreshing ride to start off my touring days, here in Canada!
Though I did start a bit later then I normally do, I planned to make full use of the time at hand. The initial idea was a loop through Algonquin, however the delay in departure shortened that loop. I left home around 9, after a heavy breakfast.
The new route -
It was cold. I had no heated gear. I never had the need for explicit heating from where I spent my days riding. But gone are those days, and what hit me was the stark reality of riding at 7-10 degrees C, all throughout the day with a wind blast from the feeble windshield of the 650. So I layered up!
Life was good for while, but then I felt the incessant need for another layer, which I promptly added beneath my mesh riding jacket. Luckily I carried a spare liner. The lower half of the body also was well covered; my old Drystars with the warm liner, came to rescue.
No problems with the chill hereon
Rattlesnake Point, Burlington
Somewhere on the backroads to Barrie:
I did come across a stretch of Gravel road between highway 50 and 27 called "Concession Road". Traction Control was an issue here, so was fiddling with it to turn it off, but I couldn't do that on the go (can you do that on the v-strom?), so went at crossing the road at gentle pace. It was a small stretch anyway.
Snaking my way through the country roads, I crossed Barrie, and hit the Ont 11. Ah yes, I could ride on this one - it was exempt from the restrictions the MTO had imposed on my license.
Crossed Gravenhurst and took the exit for the 118. Nice smooth pavement all the way till Haliburton
Somewhere on the way:
Had a quick lunch at a pizzeria in Haliburton and then started again towards Buckhorn.
Enroute:
On a side road:
Both the 118, and the 507+3 were good to ride on. Sans any traffic and quite serene. I did not good the last few kms till Buckhorn and turned right at Flynns' Corner
Thereafter, an uneventful ride back to Burlington.
All in all, an enjoyable day and quite a refreshing ride to start off my touring days, here in Canada!
Last edited:
