Friday, November 22, 2019

I Fucked Up and I Knew Better

So...yesterday during the two hour ride realize I fucked up. I know better about riding in remote areas in Ontario that if run out of water drinking from lakes and such unfiltered is a bad idea. This isn't the mountains of BC with mountain fed creeks of safer water to access. The chances of beaver fever is higher and not a thing I want.




I had two water filters in the truck and didn't bring one of them. I was being dumb and potentially setting myself up for a bad day if it had been hotter and had ridden longer.. I will be making an effort to have one with me in remote areas and avoid this mistake.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Kamamiskeg Lake MTB Trails

The last week of August had another opportunity to visit Combermere and Kamamiskeg Lake area of Ontario. It was the side benefit of helping a friend out. A few days before checking Trailforks and noticed some new developments as someone else had been up riding.

Kamamiskeg lake MTB Trails



This boded well as something new and less exploration was needed aka blindly wandering around figuring it all out.. And would be fun in it's own way. There wasn't a designated spot for parking so tucked the Dirtbag Ute into a spot beside the entrance to the waste transfer site.








And off to explore it was and with zero expectation other than a wander in the woods going out via Southern Wolf. And to find at least to me new and interesting things. Like a hunting camp with a late 80's beer banner on the side of the cabin.




From there it was more doubletrack till got to Wolf Lake. Could have continued past Wolf Lake to connect to Northern Wolf but it would have involved a portage over a muddy wet Beaver Dam. So kept to the trails south of Wolf Lake.



Back tracked a bit on Southern Wolf to the intersection with Bernacki Beaver Fever. Turned left and took that for more double track. Again while nothing to cause concern just kept it at a say 6-7 on the RPE scale.  After a bit Bernacki Beaver Fever connected to Broke Shield.




Went left down Broken Shield heading roughly South East towards Kamamiskeg lake. About 355m  from River Road  took the short Logging Camp trail to River Road. At River Road turned right and rode the road till the entrance to Broken Shield.




While it is ATV or double track Broken Shield had enough rock to make it a bit of a challenge. And at one point arrived at the view point. Where I could look back roughly towards my friends parents cottage. After the usual view point shot of Rum headed down the rest of Broken Shield.




Which eventually came out overlooking the sand pit and former landfill.  And thanks to the ATV crowd there was a downhill line like the one's from Kranked back in the late 1990's. Sure not even 5% of what was in film but as the Brits say...use what you got.



So dropped the saddle and took a run. Sliding a bit on the way down and avoided head dabbing it when I got to the loose sand. Since I nailed it decided to get a few pics on a run or two more just for fun.



Did it three more times and nailed it all three times. Had a smile and happy. But knew it was time to pack it in for the day as had drunk my water and was hot as I baked in the sun. Headed out to the Dirtbag Ute.



Riding back while it was a good day was kind of wishing I had my old Chromag Stylus that was stolen. Over thinking had me thinking how great it was on the Chromag Wideangle. I kind of wanted to have had the Stylus knowing it was the full bore play bike. But alas this was also the last trip as this day was also the day my friend's parents cottage changed hands to someone else's ownership.



On this day when back at the Dirtbag Ute glad I had the little portable shower to rinse all the salt and stuff off my head and arms. Definitely happy to have that on adventures. After loading up it was back to my friend's parents cottage to do the final ever loading and drive away.

Kamamiskeg Lake Ride

I do admit I made a glaring error in judgement. I didn't put in my Pinch Flat Designs waist pack the Lifestraw I had. It was a mistake madeby someone who knows better. While it seems insignificant I only had a water bottle. And while it was a short ride if had needed water sooner one can't drink from creeks here like in the mountains. It was a mistake I made.