JamesGang
I'm Rick James
Epic off road adventure yesterday on Cape Breton Island. It will go down as one of the most technical and difficult rides of my life. I am very thankful at 66 to have the strength, endurance and desire to go places were others fear to tread. Having someone to share it with (my son) makes it possible. Without him and his guidance, I would not have attempted this ride.
I was first on the Stirling Road about fifteen years ago delivering appliances in a cube van. I was new to Cape Breton and wasn't familiar with local road conditions. I had completed a delivery in Framboise and was looking at a paper map to find a 'short cut' to Loch Lomond to drop off a kitchen stove. The Stirling Road looked perfect, on paper, but it turned out to be one of those less traveled roads. There were times that I doubted my ability to continue, mainly because of high water levels and flooding of nearby lakes, but at some point I felt committed as the Loch had to be close. Made it through and made a mental note to not attempt that route again.
Jump ahead to fifteen years later and I was back there but on a motorcycle this time. I doubt that it has been traversed by anything but dirt bikes or ATV's in the last five years or more. I lost count of how many washouts we crossed and much of it is so over grown that I was unable to see the ground in front of me. By the time we broke out at Loch Lomond, I was soaked in sweat and felt euphoric at what we had accomplished. My son, who has many years of dirt bike experience, classified that ride as 'extreme' and have to agree.
I was first on the Stirling Road about fifteen years ago delivering appliances in a cube van. I was new to Cape Breton and wasn't familiar with local road conditions. I had completed a delivery in Framboise and was looking at a paper map to find a 'short cut' to Loch Lomond to drop off a kitchen stove. The Stirling Road looked perfect, on paper, but it turned out to be one of those less traveled roads. There were times that I doubted my ability to continue, mainly because of high water levels and flooding of nearby lakes, but at some point I felt committed as the Loch had to be close. Made it through and made a mental note to not attempt that route again.
Jump ahead to fifteen years later and I was back there but on a motorcycle this time. I doubt that it has been traversed by anything but dirt bikes or ATV's in the last five years or more. I lost count of how many washouts we crossed and much of it is so over grown that I was unable to see the ground in front of me. By the time we broke out at Loch Lomond, I was soaked in sweat and felt euphoric at what we had accomplished. My son, who has many years of dirt bike experience, classified that ride as 'extreme' and have to agree.