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Well it’s February.  The time has come to set some dates on the vacation calendar and start to prepare for the season in earnest.

Good news!  There are still lots of places to ride!  LOL
My original ideas still hold steady; Yellowstone and Banff/Jasper.  A good skeleton to work upon this year.  In addition I’m going to have a bit more fun this year and include a couple of the local rallies.  The Hells Canyon Rally and Toad Rock Rally look like some fun and they are surrounded by some great country to explore.  Signed up and ready to go…. (well almost).

The real season doesn’t start until April if you want to be careful of the potential winter weather.  And since it is really a small area of the west coast that is having an abnormally warm winter, it’s still going to be limited riding.  Sounds like June, July and August are going to be the busy months for my longer trips this year.  While I loved the weather in May last year, fitting my trips around some rallies has pushed the major excursions back a bit.  This means I’ll have more time for some of the day trips and weekend jaunts in the early season.  A great way to warm-up, test the gear and ride with the locals as well.

I still haven’t decided whether to strech for Yosemite Park so I still have a bit of work to do on the details.  I want to make the most of my time in Yellowstone however I am intrigued by Yosemite Park and the Redwoods as well….. Always too many great places to see.  I love it!

More to come!

Vancouver is, in my opinion, one of the most blessed cities in the world when it comes to food.  I know that statement may cause arguments to begin with our venerable visitors, but I do stick by my belief that Vancouver has something for everyone and from everyone as well.  Our international roots have given us some of the most varied cuisine in my humble experience and, quite frankly, I like it !

My picks of the day for this post are:
Hon’s Wun-Tun House
The Tomahawk Restaurant

Both fit my hankering for good food, easy on the budget and a simple atmosphere.  “Home cookin’ ” would be my short description for these two classics.  Both restaurants have been a part of the dining tradition in Vancouver for a long time, each has a separate and wonderful niche in the local cuisine and neighborhood.  And I rate both as a “must eat” for anyone in Vancouver.

Hon’s - The classic Chinese cuisine restaurant in Vancouver.  Started with one small shop in downtown Chinatown and has grown into a small empire with multiple restaurants across the greater Vancouver area and a central supply-house for frozen Chinese food for many area shops.  Classic Chinese food with a modern kitchen facility and a wide menu.  From soups to vegetarian to curries and everything in between.  A great sampling of asian cuisine at a reasonable price and good service.  Expect a cafeteria atmosphere clean, quick and efficient and as I truely beleive that the Chinese were the inventors of “fast-food” you can also expect to be served and fed with speed and efficiency fitting of the title, yet much healthier than our local variety.

My favourites include (but are certainly not limited to) Pot Stickers; a type of pan-fried dumpling and the Curried Beef Brisket on Rice which is neither too bland nor too spicy for my lunch-time appetite.  Along with the ubiquitous cola which I find goes well with lunch, the meal is well portioned, tasty fresh and well prepared.  The Pot Stickers come with a small portion of sweet vinegar which helps to cut the pan-fried oil perfectly and accentuate the dumplings taste.  Share with a friend !  The Curry is a wonderful mixture of potatoe, beef brisket and rice which is prepared in advance so you won’t be waiting long and the curry is cooked right into the food rather than just packed in at the last moment.  Slow-cooked is the way to go !

The Tomahawk Restaurant in North Vancouver.  What can I say…. this wonderful little gem has been tucked away on the North Shore for many years and is truely a wonderful family resaurant.  On Friday nights you will find a wonderful ’specials’ menu with some great dishes to choose.  A choice of starter, one of two entrees and a desert from the specials menu will provide a fine-dining food experience without the huge cost of some of the more up-scale places and I’d bet the food is better at the Tomahawk any day.  Eat well, pickup the tab and keep on smiling ! 

The remainder of the menu you will find every day of the week, all-day !  The classic burgers, breakfasts and Canadian Bacon will leave you ready to come back often to try more wonderful dishes, and at the same time will stagger your appetite for hearty food.  You won’t find these dishes on most menus and you will be in awe at the down-home classics you will find.  The Tomahawk has been around as long as I can remember and continues to treat every new patron as family and friend.  Take a look at the wall above the counter and you will find the smiling faces of many local celebrities gazing back.  Pictures of the local and international actors and celebrities who have dined and enjoyed the steady atmosphere, welcome greetings and great food at this classic family restaurant.  Don’t miss out !

My picks are (a classic Tomahawk legend) the Mixed Grill which you may wish to share with a friend.  A giant platter of hearty cooking with enough Canadian Bacon to satisfy even “Bob and Doug”.  This is truely a feast for the hungry gold seeker !  You won’t be sorry if you love to eat off the grill here!  Although they do sling some greens onto the platter, I think it is more to keep people from having a heart attack as soon as they see the platter arrive.  Not for the faint of heart, but then I’ve never been afraid of my food.

Don’t miss these wonderful fixtures of Vancouver if you have even half a chance.   You may never know the full range of food in Vancouver without including both in your culinary samples.

Eat Well, and Live Well.

I had the opportunity to spend a short time at the show on Thursday evening. The crowds were light, but I didn’t get a chance to wander the whole show. On Saturday I was back for the ‘full meal deal’.

As expected the crowd was much heavier, but parking was a breeze and the shuttles were working very well, so a couple of minutes and I was on my way.  The weather was quite warm and although cloudy, there was no rain in evidence.   All-round quite a decent day for January.  There were quite a number of bikes parked along the roadway in front of the Tradex Building.  Preferred parking for the brave souls who venture out on the motorcycle this time of year.  I’ll be there next year.  The line-up for tickets was quite small at 11:00am when I arrived, and the staff were handling the ticket sales with the usual efficiency, so the wait to enter was very small.

The bustle and noise of the crowd inside provides a great enticement to just stand for a moment to gaze around the first exhibition hall.  The major manufacturers have the largest displays crowding for your attention, but if you take the time, you are greeted by the myriad of show staff, working the booths, preparing the ubiquitous plastic show bags (for all those brochures you are going to pick-up). This year’s show-goers were treated to the presence of the Amsoil Girls, who with a bright smile and graceful attitude are able to withstand the multitude of stupid grins and still cause serious cases of whiplash as men walk around the corner into the main hall. Congratulations to these lovely ladies, who make dealing with 10,000 bikers seem easy.

Beyond the entrance you have the age-old question,.. right or left?  As any good retailer will tell you, most people immediately turn right, and this show held to that rule this year as well.  The crowd is well behaved and although there are lots of good folks out to see the chrome, I was not pushed, knocked nor tread upon, which holds up my opinion that ‘bikers’ are some of the nicest people you can meet (just try to get around the auto show on crutches!).  The hall is filled with bikes of every make and model, with plenty of room to view and plenty of staff out to answer questions or hand over one of your favourite articles; the brochure.

There were plenty of folks there of all ages, and all as eager to sit upon, admire and kick the tires of the bikes as any crowd I have seen at shows in the past.  Whether your fancy drifts to chrome, wild paint and design, chopper or sport bike; there’s one here for you to see.  There are plenty of custom bikes, classic, vintage and good old-timers to choose from.  Enjoy yourself and collect some ideas for your own ride or the ride of your dreams. 

The scooter crowd had a good showing in the dealer hall this year, and there was plenty of interest in the latest models and designs.  The Westcoast is quickly becoming a scooter mecca of sorts and there was plenty of interest at the ample display area.  As usual, the motorcycle crowd is hard to pin down to any specific group, however we all seem to get along very well. 

The back hall is filled with a good showing of dealers this year as weil as a large selection of vendors.  You can pick-up almost anything you need, for yourself or your ride here as well.  There are plenty of clothing manufacturers and distributors, so anything you need is available at the show.  You can also get some good deals on gear for your bike, from bags to bluetooth accessories, chrome and mounts for your electronics, lights, L.E.D.s, security systems and GPS trackers.  I spent lots of time just looking over the toys for ideas. 

This year the clubs are well represented again and there is plenty of interest in the wide variety of offerings in the local area.  It really doesn’t matter what you ride these days, Vancouver is well represented by a club for everyone and every type of riding.  Whether you’re hard-core off-road, long distance touring or just a ‘day-rider’ you can enjoy both the scenery and the company of like-minded riders.  Remember to check out the A.I.M (Association for Injured Motorcyclists) and the BCCOM (BC Coalition of Motorcyclists) booths as well.

There are also some gems to be found in the crowd, so don’t just run past all the little booths around the show.  My favorite this year is a couple of gals known as the “Wandering Women” who are at the show for the first time this year. They are a wonderful pair who are willing to provide great advice, suggestions on gear for the rider who enjoys camping (one of my favorite pastimes) and even an inventive cookbook.  Who can resist a book called “Motorcycle cooking with Monkeys and Lemmings” !  Stop by and say “Hi”, and best of luch to these adventurous riders and entrepaneaurs.

By the time you’ve seen all, done all and think you can’t stuff another brochure into your show-bag, just remember to check out the “Ride to Live” booth. 
 It’s located in the front hall if you missed it.  They have a raffle for your choice of an HD Road King or a Honda ST1300, so they’ve covered pretty near everyone’s passion.  Only $20.00 for a ticket and only a limited number of tickets available!  A great cause, a great group of people and a great opportunity !

Have a great day and enjoy the show ! 

See you all on the road soon.

THis is the weekend of the Vancouver Motorcycle Show at Tradex in Abbotsford.

Each year I look forward to seeing what’s new, how much chrome you can hang on a custom chopper and how crazy the trikes will look at the show.  There is always something new and exciting and of course the newest models of bikes from all the local dealers.

This year is no different;  The layout has changed a little, but the chrome, leather and chaps are all there.   Plenty of dealers have brought all the latest models to show.  Plenty of new paint is on display, and of course MILES of chrome for everyone.  Just walking around the show is an adventure in people watching as always.  When you put this many motorcycle enthusiasts in one building you are bound to see some sights.  Which is one of the more entertaining parts of the show for me each year.

The standard folks are here again this year, along with a few new faces.  The show has become a bit jaded since Vancouver is not the largest market in the world, but I still find it fun and enjoyable.  Each year I go and find some gem in all the noise and hustling going on.  I visited on Thursday night to get a ’sneak peak’ at the offerings and I’ll be back again on the weekend.  You can pick up a single day ticket for 12 bucks and a full 4 day pass for 26 bucks, so not a bad deal for an afternoon of entertainment.  Parking costs 5 bucks (cash) and can be a bit tricky if you arrive during the peak times, but they have shuttle buses running so you don’t have to hike in from the boonies to enjoy yourself.

Hope you all have some time this weekend to enjoy the chrome, come on out and dream a little and sit on as many bikes as you like!  Have Fun !

For all of our visitors looking to find out what to wear, drive or rent during the trip to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics. 

Here are a few suggestions:

• Dress in layers - Vancouver is located on the Pacific Coast, where weather changes rapidly and a wide variety of micro-climates will find you changing from rain to snow to sun in a day’s travel in the area.
• Expect some rain - This is the winter in a temperate rain forest after all.
• If today is raining… - There are a lot of factors which influence weather in Vancouver.  I don’t trust anyone who tells me they can predict the weather in Vancouver.

Here are some simple ways to check out the current conditions in the region:

Traffic Cams:  Vancouver Area Traffic Cams provide a great way to check on local conditions in addition to the traffic patterns.  They are pretty reliable and there are plenty to choose from in the Greater Vancouver area.

Motorcycle Riders:  We are currently enjoying some of the best “winter” weather we have seen for a long time.  However please do not take this as “normal” !.  The weather can change quickly and with a small drop in temperature due to a change in elevation you can encounter anything from frost to black-ice and snow in a hurry.  Under normal weather patterns, we should be getting cold temperatures, rain on and off, some light snow in many areas and cold nights.  Just because we are currently seeing SUN, 12 degree (C) temperatures in the day and increadible riding conditions, does not mean these will last.

Take care, don’t plan on riding a motorcycle to Whistler, and enjoy your stay !

I have added a new section to my website on Motorcycle Safety information.

Here you will find some general safety information, general thoughts and tips and a section on Traffic Statistics and links collected from around the western continent. I have found the statistical information to be quite interesting and enlightening. In future blogs, I will be writing more about safety and my opinions on the matter.

For the moment, keep the shiney side up! and see you at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show.

With just 23 days left before the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, it seems that visitors may get a surprise when they come to Vancouver.  With unusually warm temperatures in recent weeks, the downtown looks more like spring than ever, yet the mountains still bear a cap of snow.

Cypress Mountain have closed alpine skiing to the public a little early in preparation for the Olympics Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard competition.   The warm weather has melted a good chunk of snow from the local hills, but base snow still remains in pretty good condition and Cypress has been storing snow at higher elevations in order to stockpile for the events.  I’m sure there are some over-worked staff trying to prepare for the task of moving snow around a mountain…

On the one-hand, 23 days is a long time in Vancouver weather terms. It could be snowing and we could all be walking to the Olympics (if you’ve ever seen Vancouver try to manage roads during a snowfall) or the warm weather could remain and visitors could be enjoying ’shirt-sleeve’ weather in town and snow covered mountains for the events. My advice; bring plenty of layers (and be prepared to buy an umbrella) when you visit. If I can paraphrase the old saying: “If you don’t like the weather in Vancouver now, just wait 5 minutes or move down the street 5 blocks.”

The latest running gag on the local news channels is that Vancouver is hosting the “Spring Olympics”.  Let’s hope the laugh is not all on us.

(For all of you visitors not used to the metric system: try here for conversion information.

Once again, it’s time for the Vancouver Motorcycle Show !

Presented in the Tradex Exhibition Center in Abbotsford, the annual show runs from January 21 to 24 and features thousands of square feet of chrome, custom paint, clothing, kitch and information for any type of motorcyle rider.  

Again this year a full evening is being dedicated to ‘She Rides’ night on Saturday, January 23 from 5pm to closing at 9pm featuring a VIP lounge with presentations, food and drinks for the fairer sex.  Perhaps the fastest growing segment of motorcycle riders these days is indeed women, and the motorcycle show has grown to provide a venue specifically for these riders, to showcase women in the sport.  From racing to mechanics, women will find something to see and learn (and yes there will be a chance to get a photo with one of the ‘Hall of Flame‘ calendar boys so don’t you gals complain the next time you see us guys lining up to see the swimsuit competition).

From Vintage Riders night on Thursday from 5pm to 9pm where you can take a stroll down memory lane and see some of the great bikes from the past, to the Throttle Trauma Stuntacular you will be sure to find something to whet your appetite for motorcycles! 

Check out the latest offerings from all the dealers, more accessories than you can shake a peg at and clothing, stickers, shirts and of course the requisite “addiction” of the motorcycle world: CHROME !!!

Club booths abound at the show, so come on out and say ‘Hi’ to old freinds or meet some new ones at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show 2010.

See you there!

Open just before Christmas, HELL Pizza on Lonsdale in North Vancouver is the most recent addition to the area’s culinary experience.  HELL Pizza provides an unconventional selection of choices.  While the names range from the seven deadly sins to a pizza called “Mordor” the food itself is anything but hellish.  Flavour, fresh ingredients, and a surprising option of gluten free, vegetarian and vegan pizza are available.  The pizza is fresh, crust is light and tasty toppings are not drowned in the usual slap-dash paint-by-numbers sauce. 

A wide variety of prepared toppings include everything from the typical pepperoni and standard fare to the “Damned” which features mushrooms, fresh spinach, avocado, pineapple, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, cashews and Camembert.  The “Pandemonium” features chicken, Camembert, and cranberry sauce for a truly unusual taste combination, however, I’m still looking for the pandemonium…
While the names are amusing and a little confusing, the pizza is tasty, well prepared and full of flavour.  The crust is light, and not oily and the toppings stay right where you want them as opposed to in your lap or on your napkin.

Now for the real innovation (and perhaps the most delicious offering); Dessert Pizza.
Two selections:
“Unearthly” - banana, berries, chocolate, white chocolate and custartd
“Temptation” - apple, cinnamon, apricot, berries, crumble and custard
Both on a pizza crust base and served in a small 8.5 inch round.
Now here is a tasty treat I will be back to enjoy !  Not too sweet, but a fantastic treat after a meal.  Make sure to include one with your order.

Kudos to the chefs and staff who make this not just the newest addition, but a real destination for dinner in North Vancouver.

website: Hell Pizza
604 986 6661
1 888 4355 911

In this post I will discuss the use of the Nintendo DS Lite as a travel tech device.  While most users will focus on the games (and there are plenty of them) available for the DS Lite, I pre-date the hand-held game device and have yet to find one that sparks my interest as much as “Joust” did in the arcades of my youth.

On the other hand, I am facinated by the more ‘fringe’ applications of any tech device and so I have wandered the shops and internet looking for more functionality to wedge into this little device.  Of particular interest to me are the following:
   Wireless Internet browsing
   Music player
   Portable Video player
The Nintendo DS Lite will actually function as a multi-use device with an astonishingly small footprint for travel.  With a little work, you can listen to your favourite music in .mp3 format, watch a movie and browse the internet from a wireless access point all on a device which will fit in your jacket pocket.

Wireless Internet:
PROS:
Nintendo already produces a web browser for the DS series which comes in two parts: the cartridge and a memory expansion card.  You will need both to use the browser.  The wireless works surprisingly well and the touch screen keyboard is actually quite easy and efficient.  You may find it difficult to obtain the browser as it does not seem to be in current inventory.  If you do find a copy used, ensure you test the memory expansion unit before you settle up as the browser will not function without the extra memory.
Straight forward browsing works very well, the browser comes with a zoom feature which allows you to quickly move around a page on the small screen and switch between standard and enlarged view.  Pages display very well and are functional even in the standard web format.  Data entry on-screen is simple, select a text entry box and the browser pops-up a text entry window.  The touch screen provides a full keyboard which is simple to use with the stylus and is as quick as most hand-held devices I have seen.
CONS:
The version of the OPERA browser is not up-to-date, nor have I found a way to get an updated version for the DS.  This is truely a shame since the browser works well in this format.  Don’t expect Java, Flash and other fancy functionality which does limit some of the uses (like YouTube… ) but for many straight sites the browser works well.  The wireless security settings do not allow you to enter some secure sites as you are not able to enter some password information for wireless routers.  This with the lack of Java may limit your ability to use some secured wireless sites, however with more and more ‘hot spots’ popping up with little security you would be surprised how many places you can actually use your DS.

Summary:
The DS browser is surprisingly well put together, I would like to say that Nintendo and Opera hit a home-run with this application, however it seems that few of us actually use the DS as a browser. 

Music and Video:
I know; you can’t talk about this with your local dealer…. R4 cards…. shhhhhh….. the worst kept secret in the world of DS.

No one will talk about them because everybody and their dog want to sell you one of these fine little cards with one billion games included.  I don’t want any more games, particularly not the pre-release, bug-filled, badly hacked, non-playable selection they seem to want to push on me as part of some fabulous deal…  Just let me burn my legally purchased music to .mp3 files for travel… let me play a digital version of my legally purchased DVD on the small screen… let me take my photo album with me to grandmother’s house.  And why not on my DS you may ask?  Because everyone is caught up in the fact that someone found a way to hack DS games, nobody can have an R4 card.  Nintendo; you are missing out on a whole world of applications (and I don’t think it’s slowing down those people out there who are hacking your games anyway).  I have purchased every game I wanted for my DS, all my music and all my movies;  I’d love to take them on my DS as I travel the world and advertise what a great all-round device you have…  maybe next year?   Here’s hoping.
PROS:
It really works!  Great sound, surprising picture and great portability !  All in one package which I can easily pack in my bag, has great battery life and charges on the road.  On top of that, you can still play games and even use the handy-dandy alarm clock function !  It’s a winner !
CONS:
Since Nintendo does not support this functionality directly, it can be a bit of a pain to setup.  If you have some time (or a geek in training in the kid’s room) you probably will have little trouble setting up your R4 card.  Now you just have to explain why you can do this and your kids can’t download every movie or game ever produced from the torrent library on the internet.

It’s a real shame, I have always felt the Nintendo could reach out to a whole new audience with some more real-world apps like this one.  The device is rugged, well sized and simple.  Just what I consider to be a winner.  I think someone should take a second look at this platform, almost every household has at least one, and we ‘grown-ups’ could actually get some use from them in the real world as well.  Everybody is trying to invent the perfect mini laptop, when these are sitting right in front of us already…. think re-use, re-new, re-cycle….