Freedom Riders Ride To Sturgeon Falls

Spring has been pretty much of a non-entity this year. We have jumped right from a won't-give-up winter straight into an awesome summer in a matter of days, and the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Association of Northern Ontario, Inc. is more than ready for it.

Last evening, there was a surprise Email from Freedom Riders VP Nepper suggesting it was too nice a night to not have a bonfire. Sandy didn't want to be up too late so I took the bike and rode alone out to join Nepper and Yollande at their place in Chelmsford. They have a very nice fire pit and benches in the back yard and he was right. It was too good a night to stay inside. Unfortunately, it seems I was the only one who was able to respond on short notice but the three of us spent a pleasant couple of hours watching the logs burn as we swapped tales. It was an early night and I got home before 11:00 PM.

This morning saw the dawn of another excellent day. We rode the bike to our monthly club meeting at the Falcon Hotel in Garson. It was well attended and we got through the business in short order. Then some of the bikes and one car set out via Garson/Coniston Road to Highway 17 and then eastbound 55 miles to Sturgeon Falls. Sandy had decided after the meeting that she was tired so friends Tom and Eve gave her a lift home and I rode solo. It seemed like every second vehicle on the road was a motorcycle enjoying the suddenly perfect weather.

In Sturgeon, we stopped at the Riv Chip Stand, which was overrun with both riders and regular folk. I wasn't hungry so I watched everyone else eat. The hamburgers looked absolutely awesome so I will have to stop here again. Or maybe at Larry's, across the street. I found an interesting Globe and Mail article about their decades long rivalry.

Riv Chip Stand - Sturgeon Falls, Ontario

Some of the Freedom Riders bikes

A brindle pit bull/shepherd mix

Leo, Yollande and Nepper

Chantal and Carole

Kristine, Ray, Mary Ann and Shawn

President Rob is ready to eat

Dan R. Sitting with all his freinds

After we were done eating, we headed straight back to Sudbury. The winds, buffeting on the way east, were a bit less choppy on the way back and traffic flowed smoothly for the most part. Interestingly, all the slow vehicles were silver. I hope that doesn't speak ill of the personality traits that make an individual choose silver, since that is my preferred colour of vehicle.

Back home, most peeled off at Royal Distributing while Leo and I came straight back to the house and watched some of the NASCAR race at Talladega.

In the evening, we went to the funeral home to pay our respects to the mother of fellow member and good friend Terry. His Mom was 93 when she passed away and had been active and mentally sharp right up until the end.. Still, it is always hard to lose a parent and our thoughts remain with Terry, Patsy and their family through this difficult time.

Today's Route (109 motorcycle miles):


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