A LAP OF ONTARIO - a four day tour of parts of Northern Ontario

Рет қаралды 2,891

Ай бұрын

First World Problems! Which bike? Then where to go. I had originally planned a much more extensive tour, heading west, but smoke and fire in parts of Manitoba, Alberta and the Northwest Territories discouraged me. And anyway, I wasn't feeling it. It happens.
For once my Eldorado stayed in the garage. This time I was riding my 2007 Moto Guzzi Breva. Great bike. Effortless travel, if you ignore the bugs, the cold and the endless miles. Happy viewing.
PS. Sorry the video quality is a bit off in places. By fumble fingering, I'd adjusted the camera to the wrong setting....

Пікірлер: 45

@markcurnow Ай бұрын

Great video Nick, as always beautifully narrated.. 🇬🇧

@jamesjohn9460 3 күн бұрын

Nick, god has blessed you with a voice eminently suited for this style of travel doco. At 73 with severe bone degeneration I can relive memories of my younger riding days by watching you travel through beautiful countryside vistas. In 1952 my parents had a choice of emigrating to either Canada orAustralia and chose the latter .As a rider this gave me the opportunity of riding almost all year round ,something I think would be very limiting in Canada. Best regards from down under

@nick949eldo 2 күн бұрын

Thanks Mate. Those are very kind words. Very sorry to hear about your medical woes. Life doesn't seem fair sometimes. My parents went through the same decision after the war (fleeing Europe seemed like a good plan) but in the end, decided to stay home. I moved to Canada chasing a girl in 1977 😄. I envy you your year-round riding, especially since I've been following Joe Ryan (www.youtube.com/@freewayproject) riding in Australia and now NZ. Still, I do manage to ride in most months, even if it is usually only a day or two in January and February. I love riding when the snowbanks are feet high at the side of the road. Stay well and best wishes from Canada.

@UncleWally3 Ай бұрын

A child of the sixties, I was also a member of the Wawa hitchhiking legacy. Yep, there be Wawa stories that still deserve to be told . . . maybe.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Haha. I heard those legends when I was living in the Soo. I wonder how many people ended up staying.😁

@neilmackinnon3371 Ай бұрын

The name Haliburton made me sit up. In 1972 at the age of 13 I took my first ever flight And it was not a short one, I flew from the UK to Canada, for three weeks. One of those weeks was spent camping on an island in a lake at Haliburton Scout Reserve. I still have a mug I bought on the window ledge in front of me.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Strangely, while I was still a visitor, in 1977, I painted a cottage on a lake near Haliburton while the Gov't sorted a job for me. My first introduction to Canadian 'cottage country'.

@wcronin7307 29 күн бұрын

Very well narrated! Am planning a long motorbike tour from Winnipeg to Nova Scotia this June/July with stopovers of course. Will definitely be passing through Northern Ontario.

@nick949eldo 29 күн бұрын

Many thanks. Not much choice unless you go through the States. One road only between Thunder Bay and Nipigon. It's Canada's wasp waist.

@karlbishop7481 Ай бұрын

Another great video. 🙂 kk

@yaitsred Ай бұрын

This is a timely video, as I will be heading up to Northern Ontario in a few days. My focus will be the Algoma region, why’s 129, Ranger lake road, hwy 638, Fox Lake road, and Lee Valley road. I do like the lookout you featured in the video, you get to see hwy 17 as it does a sweeping curve at the bottom of the hill to then immediately ascend to the lake as the train track winds and crosses a trestle bridge as you look out to Superior. Wishing you the best of the riding season. Cheers

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Great roads. Have fun. Thanks 👍😃

@davesnowpros6785 Күн бұрын

À long ish day.. 11hrs! 😂

@nick949eldo Күн бұрын

My best was 22hours from the ferry dock at North Sydney, Nova Scotia to home on my 72 Guzzi Eldorado. Quite a bit over 1000 miles 😅

@henryhawk978 Ай бұрын

Everything looks thawed out. More beautiful scenery and so far you seem happy with the Breva. Know you got to like the Single-sided swingarm. Hepco Becker luggage fits the bill. Enjoyed the video Nick and RIDE SAFE OUT THERE!

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Thanks Dewayne. Yep. Great luggage, great bike.

@ridewithted2003 Ай бұрын

Very jealous of the beautiful riding up your way. I desperately need to take a nice road trip like that. Nice video Nick.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Thanks Ted. Stay well.

@andrewewan624 Ай бұрын

As always..enjoyable, lovely, peaceful scenery Aye..its a hard life indeed..wondering what motorcycle to take..😂 Stay safe

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Thanks Andrew. Stay well.

@robertherlick8554 Ай бұрын

Hi Nick. Great video. I always enjoy your easy going attitude. I was surprised to see the moose running in front of you, and glad you advised to be cautious of them. I hit one in 2019, about 35 kilometres east of Nipigon. Luckily I was able to slow my bike down to about 20 kmh, and only sustained soreness all over after the impact. My bike was destroyed, and my trip ruined , but I faired quite well all things considered. I also wear all the gear, all the time. I also love your Moto Guzzis. I have a V7 Special, and I love it. Thanks for the great videos. Rob.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Wow. You were lucky Robert - in an unlucky kind of way. It could have been so much worse. Thanks for the kind words. Stay safe and enjoy that Guzzi.

@chriscadue4916 Ай бұрын

Great vid Nick.

@milolabrett6549 Ай бұрын

The Brava 1100 is a nice bike and I’ve been looking at Moto Guzzi bikes lately, so perhaps as algorithms go on youtube I landed at the right spot. I ended up watching more than a few of your videos. One can gain a bit of comfort with a larger windscreen on the 2007 Brava with out totally taking away the aesthetics of the bike; the sound of the Brava just has a nice growl and rumble love it, definately a bike that you can put the km's on. You would’ve had to have your passport at the time; but Nipigon Ontario to Duluth Minnesota is a spectacular run around Lake Superior and then back to Sault St. Marie. I’m from Winnipeg, so it’s a nice blast to Duluth through to Sault Ste. Maire North Montreal River Harbour up to Wawa then back on Hwy # 17 then back on Hwy# 11 through Ft. Frances Ontario then up # 71 Nester Falls to Kenora Ontario and back to Winnipeg. I've taken people from Alberta and BC out around Lake Superior and they were blown away on the ride. People don’t know how big Lake Superior is until one has circumnavigated it , but also people from Western Canada have great respect on how large Ontario is. 1.5 hours from Winnipeg east and an 1 Hour west of Montreal Quebec at Hawksbury Ontario. It’s a massive beautiful province of Ontario and also Quebec.

@nick949eldo 29 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching Milo. Those algorithms can be both a pest and a blessing. I've ridden on the north side of Superior many times but, so far, never done the full circumnavigation. Yes, Ontario is huge. Three full days to get to Winnipeg from my home. Careful if you're checking out Guzzis. They don't feel or behave like your average Honda bu they have their charms. First rides can seem disappointing, but they grow on you.

@milolabrett6549 27 күн бұрын

@@nick949eldo Just from Inversary Ontario to Watertown, New York to Ludington Michigan take Ferry to Manitowac Wisconsin and do Door County up on the Western Niagara Escapement Peninsula North of Green Bay. Then up to Marquette and Duluth up to ThunderBay. On way back #17 take Ferry from Manitoulin to Tobermoray and that’s a Great Lakes route big time. Just say”n probably 6 to 7 days.

@milolabrett6549 25 күн бұрын

@@nick949eldo Just from Inverary Ontario to Watertown, New York to Ludington Michigan 12 hours. Take Ferry from Ludington to Manitowac Wisconsin then up to Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin and do Door County Coastal Byway 106 km loop up on the Western Niagara Escapement Peninsula North of Green Bay. The Door County Coastal Byway loop is absolutely gorgeous and incorporates Lake Michigan and The Green Bay. Then up to Marquette and Duluth up to ThunderBay, very beautiful but one can take a break take a left at Illgen City Minnesota and ride up on Voyegeur Hwy # 1 to Elly Minnesota has amazing twisties and Ely is a cool town with a Wolf sanctuary. Definitely worth while going up to Ely Canoe capital USA and then back down. On way back #17 I take Ferry from Manitoulin to Tobermoray and that’s a Great Lakes route big time. Just say”n probably 6 to 7 days and incorporates Door County Wisconsin Niagara Escarpment, Ely Minnesota and Manitoulin Tobermoray Niagara Escarpment. Three niche areas around the Great Lakes. A lot of people from Western Canada will always go west, but coming from Winnipeg, the Great lakes region on both sides of the border is in my back yard. I’ve taken guys out from Saskatchewan and they are blown away. Here’s a list of Scenic By ways for USA and if you hit Door County Coastal Byway. You’ll get a list of other Scenic By ways in Wisconsin. This list is very handy in sorting out great routes and explanations of the spots to go to in unfamiliar areas. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Scenic_Byway

@bobbreckenridge8880 Ай бұрын

I have been on the Sultan road when it was total washboard going around corners with the skid control going nuts.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

There was the usual amount of washboard this time. A little skittering on the bike equates to fun.😆

@bobbreckenridge8880 25 күн бұрын

@@nick949eldo It was so bad my AWD Toyota was sliding off the corners at 20 mph. Bob.

@tinytim9413 Ай бұрын

That's a very nice set of full luggage on the Breva Nick. As always I enjoyed your video. Safe travels this summer.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Thanks TT. You too.

@drost582 Ай бұрын

Last summer we traveled from New Brunswick to Kenora along route 11 and route 17, on a VL1500. That was a great trip and hoping to do again or go farther into Manitoba at some point.

@modnrod6913 Ай бұрын

The bush is never quiet here, always the sound of the wind and small insects, birds, etc, it just takes a few hours to start hearing it all again. That lake looks freezing cold .... it must be under 20*C I think ..... haha!

@irvinmartin9259 Ай бұрын

The whole stretch of the North shore of Lake Superior has long been a dream ride of mine. This video brought back fond memories of a 4 day attempt that I made at that last year. I stop too often for photo's to make serious miles, so I only made it as far as Wawa, although I'd made plans to go as far as Nipigon or Thunder Bay. That little scenic stop by the lake looked similar to one that I'd made. Unfortunately much of the visible Canadian Shield bedrock had been spray painted with graffiti, so good pic's were hard to get. The only (for me) high km day was on the way back. From Wawa to Bracebridge. 820-odd kms. And that was with a stop at the Agawa pictograph site. (I've written about that in another comment.) But it gave me time on the 4th day to wander around the muskokas a little bit before finally making the run back on 118, 28 and so on to home in Ottawa. I'd like to make another attempt, But with semi retirement comes more time, but less money for the road. We'll just see how it goes. Thanks for another very enjoyable vid'.

@nick949eldo Ай бұрын

Thanks Irvin. MTO is busy uglifying parts of the highway west of Wawa for the great God's of commerce (ie. Trucks). Less graffiti, more blasting. Retirement is what you make it and where you choose to place your priorities.😄