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Steel Horse Rover

Day 29 (June 29): A Day In The Dirt

15/06/23 at 7.03pm   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment
‎While I was in Calgary, I had an opportunity to attend Blackfoot Motosports’ one-day, Enduro Training Course. To recap, this was training I had wanted to take in Toronto, before I left, as I expect to be taking Gunther off road (whether I want to or not) in Northern BC, Yukon and Alaska; and the thought of handling his heft and might was daunting to say the least.
So, at 8:30 a.m. on June 22, Gunther and I found ourselves at a dirt bike racetrack in the middle of Calgary, along with six others keen to learn the basic voodoo for taking our bikes off road.
The course instructor is Tobi Langer (remember Tobi?). Toby is no stranger to BMW bikes: He’s raced them for the BMW Team in Dubai; and recently obtained his training certification in Germany from BMW; and he knows GSs (like mine). Toby’s assistant for today is Blaire Cabelguen, also from Blackfoot Motosports; and with extensive off-roading experience. Rozzie Lee, head of Blacfoot’s Marketing team is capturing everything on camera and managing the hospitality tent — the latter being a vital role because it’s hot and sunny today; and staying hydrated is key.
Before we begin, the bikes’ most-breakable extremities (wind screen, mirrors, etc.) are removed; and tire pressures are dropped to 26 psi (my normal pressure is 36 in front and 42 at the back) to create more surface area for the tires to grip whatever terrain they happen to be on.
The first lessons are pretty basic — how to pick up the bike; put it on the centre stand; finding the bike’s centre of balance; etc. Then, it’s onto the dirt / mulch / gravel / sand / mud terrain where things get progressively more complex — riding with both feet on one side of the bike;

Look, Mom -- no feet!

Learning to stand.

kneeling on the seat while riding — stuff I would never try at home (and don’t recommend you try at home either).

The trick to pretty-much everything off-road is to stand up on the bike. Doing so lowers your centre of gravity because your weight is on the foot pegs, closer to the ground via your feet instead of up on the seat via your butt. Then

That's it -- I'm joining the circus.

That’s it — I’m joining the circus.

n, when you put your hands on the handlebars, you form a sort-of pyramid — very sturdy. To steer the bike, you use your knees, by gripping the fuel tank and leaning the bike where you want it to go, with your arms and hands guiding the front wheel.

Look, Mom, no feet!

Look, Mom, no feet!

Once the balance fundamentals are down, it’s time to apply them; and we’re off to the dirt

Running the ruts.

track, up-and-down dirt hills; slow turns around corners; over simulated road ruts; through tight serpentines; up steeper hills (and down the other side — not as easy as it sounds with the back wheel of the 275-kg bike skidding on loose dirt).

Hill Climbing 101.

Hill Climbing 101.

The day was exhausting — like army boot camp; but with breaks for Gatorade and amazing pizza for lunch. Pretty much every time I came in I was drenched.
The Possy.

The Possy.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. As I write this (June 29) I am on The Alaska Highway (well, off the highway and off my bike). So far, I have had to take Gunther through kilometers of the highway that are under construction, where the surface is sand, mud and gravel; I have had to take him over steel bridges that wrench both wheel back and forth; I have taken him through fresh, slippery pitch that has just been put down on the road (and yet they allow us to drive on it???). Because I had taken Blackfoot’s Enduro course, I was prepared every time — it was pretty-much what I had already done a few days earlier. I would recommend a course like this to anyone planning their first adventure ride.
Did I fall? But, of course! Nothing serious (glad we took the mirrors off); and, with my newly acquired skills for picking up the bike, I got it back upright every time. Have a look for yourself.‎
‎
This is one of the bigger hills we practiced on toward the end of the day (and this is the bunny hill!).‎
‎

Test Run #2: No Rain; Lots of Mosquitoes!

15/05/22 at 10.32pm   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment

Test #2 was a run up to Balsam Lake this past weekend. This time around, it was a two-night camp-out, leaving the

The forest awakens!

The forest awakens!

day in between for some hiking. At this time of year, much of the forests are emerald green with fuzzy moss against a soundtrack of warbling and tweeting birds. Then, there’s that “spring” smell–a kind-of composty-fresh-green-leaves smell that annouces the return of life. Miraculous, when you immerse yourself in it.

The thunder showers that the weather reporters had been warning of all week turned out to be little more than false bravado; and I was not able to test out my rain gear. Not to worry, though; something tells me I will have plenty of opportunities to try it our on the road to Alaska.

The hunt is on!

The hunt is on!

However, what the weekend lacked in rain, it more than made up for with mosquitoes.

‎The first indication of the tiny predators came as I passed by a massive swamp on the road in to my campsite. It looked like something from Bayou country. Never a good sign in humid conditions. Then, as I slowed down to park, having reached my campsite, I could see them — swarms of tiny black dots zipping around. Instinctively opening my helmet visor as I prepared to de-bike, I quickly snapped it shut again before they little blighters could get at me. As I sat there, formulating a strategy to deal with these keepers of my campsite, a light bulb began to glow over my head; and was subsequently extinguished by a previously-undetected swarm that had done an end run around my helmet — but not before I remembered that I had prepared for this scenario. I had read a trip report warning that the flies (and, I presumed, mosquitoes) are plentiful in Northern BC at this time of year; and my wife had suggested taking a tube of odomos Anti-Mostquito Cream that she had obtained from India by way of The Caribbean (but that’s another story). A few dabs of this stuff around the hands, face, neck and ears was all it took to keep the flying devil critters away while I got the tent set up.

As an alternative to the odomos, I am also carrying a “mosquito top” — a mesh anorak of sorts that covers the upper body and head; and had a go with this closer to dusk, when the throngs of mosquitoes increased. Great bit of gear; truly effective! I was smug as watched them land on the mesh and try, unsuccessfully, to get any closer. The only downside — and it’s a minor one given the benefit — is that it gets a bit frustrating viewing the world through a mesh veil after a while.

So. There it is — Rain gear test, 0; mosquito gear test,  1.

Let's camp!

Let’s camp!

‎Apart from the mosquito test, everything went swimmingly. Gunther behaved admirably — but then, I am growing to expect nothing less from this miracle of German engineering; and I have worked out the few, minor wrinkles from last test. If this is any indication of things to come, my grand adventure will need a bit of help — perhaps driving through some fresh grease on the road or camping outside a bear’s den, for example.

All that being said, I have to concede I had just a liiiiittle bit of help this time around, as my family was in attendance. So, for example, awful-tasting MREs cooked on a one-burner stove and eaten in solitude were replaced with chicken legs BBQ’d on a proper Coleman and a propane grill with familiar banter around the campfire afterward. Mmmmmm.

It was a good chance to show them some of the cool gear I’ve acquired for the trip — like the Gorilla Pod that can hook my BlackBerry onto a tree branch for better camera angles; and the rubber wash basin that folds up into a 4″ x 8″ x 1/2″ sheet for convenient storage when not in use.

It was also one of the last chances to spend time together as a family before I hit the road. It’s going to be tough on all of us being apart for such a long time. Sure, we can use BBM for video calls to say good night; but it’s never the same as a hug. At the same time, I think one has to be removed from one’s natural habitat in order to assess it — to look at it in the 3rd person — so as to see the forest for what it is rather than just the trees in the immediate vicinity. This is something I hope to do during my time away.

Now, the sprint to launch day begins — that last 20% that wants to consume 80% of the time. This weekend will be a final scavenger hunt arround town to pick up things that, for one reason or another, have dropped off the radar; but which, nonetheless, need to be packed — spare spark plugs; tire repair kit; clothes pegs; pipe filters…

On a final note, I have posted a new Youtube clip on the Inspiration page. In it, Les Brown points out that, once we become aware something is possible (eg running a 4-minute mile, finding the right job/path/person, riding a motorcycle solo to Alaska, etc.), a huge barrier that keeps us from moving forward is removed because “I can’t do it” becomes, “If others can do it, so can I.”‎

Packing Prototype, Feats of Strength, Sights Set on Test Run #1

15/04/28 at 3.06am   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment
Ready for the road

Ready for the road

I felt a bit like a squirrel this past weekend: Lots of scurrying around to collect bits and pieces from every corner of the house (and every corner of the local Canadian Tire); and hoarding them in a pile for packing. Then, with the help of a very wise subject matter expert, I did a trial pack to see where everything will fit. At this point, it seems I’ll have oodles of space — the top box, in particular, is a lot roomier than it looks. Of course, apart from checking how the sleeping bag, tent, etc. fit on the back seat, we didn’t actually pack much; just talked about the best places to stow everything. Looks great on paper! I’ve posted some photos in Sight / Sound.

While you’re at the Sight / Sound page, check out the new video I have posted. I have received a lot of questions about the bike; so I’ve added a 30-second clip of how Gunther sounds at start up. This was also a test of technology to check whether I could capture / edit video on my BlackBerry and post it to this site — unbelievably easy! <plug> The new BlackBerry Classic is awesome! </plug>

Next up was the Feats of Strength (anybody remember the “Festivus” Seinfeld episode?): Lifting my bike. While I have never dropped Gunther, and don’t plan to, there’s the “what if” factor. As you’ll note from the Bike page, the bike weighs 256kg dry (~275 in it’s current state, full of fuel, oil, and other fluids). Now, it’s extremely well-balanced when upright; a gentle tilt to one side or the other, though, and you can feel there’s some serious weight there. What if the bike goes down while I’m on my trip — not necessarily at high speed; but, say at low speed in soft gravel or if it gets knocked over in a parking lot by the clumsy or unscrupulous? Can I pick it up on my own? It was time to find out: With the help of my expert assistant, we gently laid Gunther on his left side. Facing the bike, I grabbed the handlebar with both hands and pulled up (yes, I bent my knees). When I got it to about 20% to horizontal, I could feel my vertebrae compressing; and didn’t want to risk lifting any further. This, incidentally, is the wrong way to lift a heavy bike (I was just feeling macho — a.k.a. being a dumb-ass.). Next, I tried the correct method of facing away from the bike, grabbing the frame and then walking backward while lifting. It was a struggle; but I was able to get it high enough to get out the kickstand and rest it there. After that, we tried laying it down on the right side. This time, I needed a bit of help (mind you, the bike was on a bit of an incline and I was lifting up-hill). Conclusion: If I do need to lift the bike, and I’ve eaten my Wheaties that morning, I’ll likely be able to right it on my own with effort. That would be Plan B, though. Plan A is to swallow my pride and seek the kindness of strangers. Psssshhhhh — yeah, right; who am I trying to kid; asking for help to lift your bike is like asking for a half pint of Guinness; you just don’t do it. At least I now have an appreciation for how (really really) heavy Gunther is.

Now, onto the first test run: I’ll be heading up to Craigleith Provincial Park this weekend to see how the bike handles on the road while fully-loaded, test out the camp stove, get accustomed to sleeping on the ground, etc. If you’re in the neighborhood, ping me and I’ll put an extra cup of water in the soup. If, on the other hand, you would prefer to participate vicariously (and I wouldn’t blame you given the forecast calls for a low of 6 at night), I will have my Spot Tracker turned on*; and you can follow my tracks as I head up North(ish) and putter around the campsite. This will be the first real test of… well everything before taking the show on the road. Be sure to check back for reports on how things turn out.

*Until I turn it on, you’ll get an error pop-up indicating there are no messages to display

Tent’s too small; but the boots are perfect!

15/04/11 at 11.37am   /   by SteelHorseRover   /   0 Comment
I have acquired most of the equipment I will need for my journey.

A few weeks back, I made a pilgrimage to Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC); and purchased most of my camping gear–sleeping bag, stove, cook set, tent, etc. As it turned out, the tent I had purchased — The Camper-2 — was on the short side for my 6’1″ frame; and my head was touching one end of the tent while my toes were touching the other. Not good since, as anyone who has camped in the rain knows, if you touch the inside of a wet tent, water seeps in. That said, it’s otherwise said to be one of the higher-quality basic tents for the $169 price.

Wanderer 2

So, this past week, I trekked back to MEC to see about exchanging it for a larger one.‎ Getting a refund was a breeze — I was in and out of customer service in under 10 minutes (that said, I hadn’t used the tent; just set it up indoors). Then, it was upstairs to get a bigger tent. It took a while to find someone with knowledge of the tents / features to help me choose a replacement; and, eventually, when I did find someone to help, we determined the Wanderer 2 would be a suitable replacement (see the image at the right). It cost $100 more and weighs a bit more; but is a bit longer and taller; and it also has a separate, enclose-able awning — perfect for storing gear such as laundry (which you want to keep indoors but don’t want to be smelling as you snooze). Lesson learned: when buying a tent, set it up and lie down in it before leaving the store.

In other news. I picked up my new riding boots from GP Bikes this week. For some time, now, I have been searching for boots that are: waterproof (I expect rain); relatively warm without being too bulky; rise halfway up my shins (helps keep the legs warm and have that classic riding look); include ankle protectors; and are flexible with an aggressive tread so I can wear them hiking in the mountains during stopovers. Finding boots that meet all these criteria is the proverbial needle in a haystack. You’ll find racing boots that have the high cut and protection around the ankles (as well as everywhere else); but the treads are smoother and the boots are sometimes heavier‎. Then there are the lower-cut “adventure” boots; again, though, with a smoother tread (and less protection). Then, there are the “cowboy” boots — great if you’re riding your hog to the saloon (paht-nah).
 GPBikes

As I stood there, staring at the plethora of boots on the wall, mentally calculating the impact of compromises and trade offs, a light bulb began glowing radiantly over the head of Isaiah, GP Bikes’ very helpful sales associate. “Wait — I’ve got just the thing,” he says. “I’ll be right back.” Minutes later, Isaiah returns with a pair of Forma Adventures. They’re perfect — high cut, Italian leather; aggressive tread (but not too aggressive); ankle protection and sturdy construction while maintaining flexibility for walking around; reasonably insulated for warmth (but not somuchso as to cook my feet). Best of all, they are waterproof — check out this submersion test (Part 1 and Part 2). The boots are a bit heavy; but, otherwise, these are the right ones for my trip.
So: Tent; boots. That takes care of most of the larger items on my list. I still have a few bits and pieces to acquire — first aid kit; extra stove fuel canisters (to carry spare fuel for the bike in case I run out on the Alaska Highway); mobile phone holder; and a bunch of other miscellaneous what not. Stay tuned!

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