It was an extremely hard winter here in New Brunswick. We were essentially buried in massive amounts of snow, and I refused to go outside because I hate the fluffy white shit and the bitter cold. So to keep me from going completely insane and depressed I jumped back into some artwork again.
A lot of my artwork focused around my daughters hockey team. I got suckered into doing a picture of every girl on the team, plus the coach. However I did make time to do a couple of moto pics. I have a couple that are still in progress, but now that summer is here, and it's time to get out on two wheels and surfboards, it's been thrown on the back burner for awhile.
Anyway here are a couple I am particularly happy about.
A couple of years ago I stumbled upon a book written by Nathan Willard, and his adventures of riding a Honda Postie bike (Honda CT110) from Australia to the UK. Loved the book, so much so that I became fascinated by long distance travel on small motorbikes, however not fascinated enough to give up the comforts of my Vstrom...... Yet. Although sometimes I think it might be time to slow down and smell the roses.
In my search to find more travellers on small bikes I came across a fellow named Ed March. I first found his blog, and then discovered he had made a movie on his trip from Malaysia to the UK. So I bought the movie from DirtPunks direct download so no waiting for a DVD to be mailed. Loved it. The trip itself was awesome, and Ed is a funny, unique character. I mean how could you not be, he's British, young, and goes against the grain in the realm of adventure motorcycling. Unlike Long Way Round with Ewan and Charley, which both my wife and I really enjoyed, and got me back into motorcycles, Malaysia to the UK was completely raw, plus it was just Ed, no buddy, buddy movie, it was just him and a camera. Ed also has that juvenile sense of humour that I have.
I then found out that Ed and his girlfriend Rachel Lasham were coming to North America to ride from Alaska to South America. Friggin' cool. So, like any middle-aged guy with a lust for adventure and only 3 weeks vacation a year, I vicariously lived through him, by following his adventures on his website. C90 Adventures
Then as luck would have it, Ed and Rach decided to ride across Canada.........in the winter.........on C90's. Yes folks they are special people. Now there is a part of me that thinks this is very cool, and I would, if I was younger, contemplate doing the same thing. Hell, for awhile I even considered riding the Trans Lab Highway in the winter if I got a Ural. So maybe all us "special" people took the same short bus to school.
Shortly after this I find out that Canada Moto Guide was going to be publishing articles on Ed and Rach's trip. Cool, now we have something even more in common. My friend Rob is the editor.
Fast forward a few months and I am standing in Rob's kitchen in Sackville, NB, having tea with Ed. Hell I even drove Ed, Rach and the C90's to Toys for Big Boys in Moncton for a presentation. They were running late and needed some quick transport.
Rachel discussing the finer points of C90 travel
Rob shamelessly plugging the Fundy Adventure Rally before Ed takes the stage.
Would you ride one of these across Canada? In winter?
Ed and Rach are great people, and it was really cool to get to know them even in the brief time I was with them. It was kinda strange meeting them for the first time. They are strangers, they have no clue who you are, but you know them. They let you into their nomadic world, and what you read and see is Ed and Rachel. Ed is a lot shorter in real life than I thought he'd be, but that's it.
The presentation at Toys for Big Boys was well done, owner Larry Northrup had a great set up with drinks and a BBQ. Toys is an awesome dealership if you're looking for a Honda/KTM/Harley. Larry actually became friends with me on Facebook, although he thinks I'm Walter White, and not Terry Burt. Alias's are good and bad sometimes.
Ed'd presentation was well attended and very funny and informative. Some behind the scenes looks that I didn't see in the movie. The one puzzling thing I did notice, was the lack of young people in the audience. It was a mostly a crowd of folks in their 40's and 50's. Folks like me, that wish we had the time again to do what they are doing.
I think Ed's presentation would be a real hit if it was advertised and put off at various collages and universities. It might inspire other young people to get out there and explore the world. Not necessarily on a motorbike, maybe an old van, bicycle, or just their two feet and a backpack.
If you like what Ed and Rach are doing, and have some spare cash, buy the DVD or download the movie, it's worth it, and it goes to help them fund their trip. Plus there is a Paypal donate button on Ed's site, buy them a tank of gas, or a lunch to keep them going, so us old farts can continue to live the dream through them.
