![\"Motorcycle](\"http:\/\/motorcyclemojo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/000_0008.jpg\" "\\"Motorcycle")
<\/a><\/p>\nBeyond Sudbury, the scenery becomes more rugged, and gaps between pockets of civilization make one aware of the fuel-level indicator. A couple hundred kilometres later, I passed a road sign that caught my attention. Highway 129. I slowed down and debated taking a spin up it, but decided there would be time for that later.Entering the bustling town of Sault Ste. Marie after nine hours in the saddle, I decided it was time to stretch my legs and check out the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (bushplane.com) located right on the waterfront in the downtown area. Since I am an airplane buff, this was an easy call to make, and the museum didn\u2019t disappoint. With over 25 aircraft ranging from the tiny Bell 47D helicopter (similar to those seen in M*A*S*H*) to the huge Canadian-made CL 215 water bomber on display, I could have spent hours wandering around. There is access to the interiors of many of the planes and a 3D movie about the life of a water bomber, so this is also a great place to bring the kids. Well worth the $12 adult admission price.<\/p>\n
However, 230 km still lay between me and the day\u2019s destination, so I loaded myself back onto the Suzuki V-Strom Expedition and headed toward Wawa, where a hot meal and cold beer awaited me. I tried to make haste, but soon after leaving Sault Ste. Marie, the Trans-Canada Highway began to hug the shores of Lake Superior. The views were stunning, and I found myself turning the bike around frequently to get a second look at the scenes that continuously unfolded as I would crest a hill or round a corner. The clear skies and late afternoon sun combined with the deep blue of the lake and mountainous terrain painted a landscape that photos could never fully convey. As intoxicating as the views were, daylight was getting short, so I didn\u2019t linger too long, especially since I would retrace the same route in reverse the next day. Thirteen hours after starting, tired but happy, I arrived at my first destination, the Wawa Motor Inn (wawamotorinn.ca). I had a rustic chalet booked, and since I was shacking up with four folks from the Ontario Tourism travelling road-show team, it gave us plenty of room for a very comfortable night, along with amenities, including high-speed wireless. We took advantage of the dining room and ordered a delicious meal, washed down by that cold beer I was so looking forward to. Returning to our chalet, I stood and looked at the 2012 V-Strom that brought me here. It was an excellent partner for this trip. In fact, it\u2019s hard not to gush about it. My loaner bike came with the \u201cExpedition\u201d level trim, which includes several useful accessories and aluminum top box and panniers. It looks ready for business and didn\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n
Appearing large and bulky all bagged up, it is quite light and feels well balanced on the road. I appreciated the roominess of the cockpit and superb seat. To my astonishment (not being an iron-butt type), after my day\u2019s ride of 950 km, I felt tired but not sore, and could have easily kept going. Even with cruising speeds that were supplemental to the posted limit, the range of over 400 km per tank was likewise appreciated. To improve on an already great bike, I would consider including some available optional extras to enhance its all-weather usefulness, such as heated grips and a 12-volt accessory socket. I would also tick off the box for the optional centre stand. When racking up the miles this bike is capable of, the stand will make routine maintenance such as chain-lubing that much easier. Being an early riser, I snuck out while the others were sleeping to take a quick spin around the neighbourhood. Finding a sign pointing to something called Magpie Falls, I took the three-kilometre dirt road to see what it was all about. Rounding a corner, I surprised a group of about a dozen great blue herons, which briskly took off (well, with as much briskness as these big birds could muster). I didn\u2019t even know they congregated in flocks. Still pondering this, I turned another corner and there were the falls, and here I was, all alone to enjoy them. A lucky find, and I just sat and looked at them till rumblings told me it was time to fuel up for the long day ahead.<\/p>\n
Retracing my route of the previous afternoon, I took the time to stop at the well-prepared (read \u201cmotorcycle-friendly\u201d) parking lots and to enjoy the beaches along the way, including Katherine Cove, Old Woman Bay and Pancake Bay, some sandy, some rocky, all gorgeous. Today, there was no rush and I whiled away the hours taking in the very different views at each point. Eventually, with the sun fading, I made my way back to Sault Ste. Marie for a night\u2019s stay at Algoma\u2019s Water Tower Inn (watertowerinn.com). It was a comfortable hotel with a spa and fitness room which probably would have done me some good, but after a few refreshments, I was ready to hit the sack and get rested up for a big following day. Normally, I sleep like the dead, but the thought of the next day\u2019s attraction kept entering my mind, sort of like Christmas to a kid, which hampered my log-sawing efforts.<\/p>\n
The King\u2019s Highway 129. I\u2019d been looking forward to trying this stretch of road since Mike Jacobs of Ontario Tourism told me about it back in January. Finally, here I was, ready to see how it compared to its legendary namesake on the Tennessee\/North Carolina border, U.S. Highway 129 \u2013 also known as the Tail of the Dragon \u2013 which I rode and loved a few years back. Ontario\u2019s Hwy 129 is listed as one of the loneliest of the King\u2019s Highways, with just 300 vehicles per day using its 225 km length. Good, that\u2019s fine by me. The first 60 km or so offers pretty scenery and sweeping corners. A very enjoyable ride indeed \u2013 not the stuff of legends, but I still had my hopes up. Quickly, the terrain changed as we got near the Mississagi River. A description that I found of the next 20 km stretch of road is very accurate, listing it as being narrow with many sharp curves and restricted visibility.<\/p>\n
Along with this brief was the warning that even though the posted speed is 80 km\/h, reduced speed is highly recommended. So is this length of 129 comparable to the fabled US Route 129? Well, yes and no. This stretch is tricky, especially some of the elevation changes (let\u2019s call them \u201cdrops\u201d) and I loved it. It was not the manic thrust and parry, throttle on, throttle off needed to ride the Dragon, but it was still hugely entertaining. Making it more of a challenge is the stunning scenery accompanying you through this canyon of lush evergreens and granite mountains snug against the Mississagi River. It can take your breath away, but it\u2019s best to keep your eyes on the road ahead. I would recommend planning to take this portion a couple of times at different paces \u2014 once to enjoy the road and once to enjoy the scenery. To make things even more exciting, one should keep in mind that logging trucks driven by motivated owners also use this road.<\/p>\n
It was in this section that Mike and I found a remote uphill rocky and muddy trail, and we wanted to see what lay beyond the short sightline into the woods. Successfully plowing through for a few hundred yards while standing on the pegs was excitement enough, though, and we decided to turn around and get back to the road before we found ourselves going over a cliff. As capable as the bike is, I might suggest another optional extra for the V-Strom. Perhaps a bash plate would be a good idea if the plan is to go exploring off the beaten trail. Corner handling on these tricky roads was similarly well within the V-Strom\u2019s capabilities. The Strom stands on Bridgestone Battlewing tires, which on paper are a compromise for on- and off-road riding, and I found that they complemented the V-Strom\u2019s light handling with grip that extended right to the edge of the tire, to the point of dragging a foot peg. Considering the Strom\u2019s substantial ground clearance, that\u2019s saying something. Exhausted but jubilant, we headed back the way we came to our accommodations at the popular tourist destination of St Joseph\u2019s Island and the Hilton Beach Inn (hiltonbeachinn.ca) with its picturesque views of the marina and North Channel. This was a great place to get refreshed, and with only steps from my room to the hopping bar and grill, that\u2019s exactly what I did. It was a great way to wrap my last night in Ontario\u2019s Algoma region, but I had to pack up and make the seven-hour journey east to the Bikers Reunion in New Liskeard. I don\u2019t think I will wait too long to head back, though. With local folks filling my ears with, \u201cYou think it\u2019s pretty now? You should see the unbelievable fall colours!\u201d, I am already planning my last big ride of the year. For more information on the Algoma area, please visit ridealgoma.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Inching along in bumper-to-bumper traffic, I reasoned with myself that leaving at 6:30 a.m. (as I did) should get me through this delightful, 40 km stretch of highway before rush hour. Wrong. This is the Greater Toronto Area, and getting to my escape route north (Hwy 400) took me an hour and a half of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22102,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[80,228],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n