After a week of rain, I was pretty excited to wake up and see a stellar blue sky for the day of the 2012 Victory ride. So excited in fact that I showed up early and wouldn’t you know it, 8 dudes rarin’ to go. “We’re waiting on you, let’s go!”
Waiting on me? I’m early?
Being a Gal, I walked straight for the pretty red bike with the most cargo room and began to load the trunk with gear. Cameras, video stuff, extra clothes, and most importantly, two gel packs for my butt. It’s one thing to be riding your own bike all day but when you are riding a selection of new to you seats, best to be prepared.
“Where are we going,” I inquired. “We plan to make it to Nelson by lunch,” was the response. WHAT? My brain started going in overdrive, Nelson for lunch and then ride back? That is about 4 to 4.5 hours each way and my tailbone would not last that kind of a day but I would ride with the boys as far as I could.
The Victory Cross Country Tour was the first ride, complete with fairing, shin guards, lots of cargo, and . . .music. Sometimes music is perfect when your riding. As we blazed a trail for Rock Creek the ride would be uneventful other than one hairpin turn that I should have pushed harder in but no one was coming my way so the only negative about that was the razzing I got from Tim Allan who man handled the Judge ahead of me like a pretzel and still had time to look in his rear view mirror.
Only one deer threatened our ride – that I saw. “Did you see the two moose?”
A rest stop just before Beaverdell, we all pulled in, got off, snapped a few pictures and got back on a different bike.
“Marissa, did you forget something?”
Hey, don’t laugh. This is the best $4 you ever spent on a long ride. Granted I am predisposed to tailbone pain due to a pre-existing injury but for those bikes that cause me grief, a blue gel pack certainly gets me through.
The 2012 Victory Judge would be the next set of bars I would be behind. This bike is awesome. Those beefy tires, the drag bars, and the carved out hard ass seat sets the tone but to my surprise, it was nimble in the twists. No windshield on this one was a bit of work out as I had been spoiled from the start line.
Upon arrival in Rock Creek it would be decided that I would indeed leave the pack and head West and loop back to Kelowna while the rest of the eager ones would continue to Nelson for lunch.
To my surprise, my loop back to Kelowna would not be solo as three other riders decided to opt for the 5 hour day as well. From Rock Creek to Oliver, the 2012 Cross Country would be my ride and perhaps the best seat I have every parked my behind in.
If you have not yet ridden the Crow’s nest highway #3 in B.C., put it on your list. The view as you ride West into Osoyoos and the wine valley is nothing short of fabulous. Osoyoos is Canada’s only desert and is the perfect resort stop for riders. Lakes, wine, beaches, and just relaxing. Keep in mind that temperatures during the summer reach over 100 degrees so plan your arrival for early morning or late afternoon. As we descended into Osoyoos, there are three hairpin turns and you could feel the changes in temperature as you crossed through the isotherms.
I would be the Kingpin for a short ride and lunch in Oliver at Tim Horton’s with my new riding companions. On our return loop we would take a side of Skaha Lake that was new to me. The Hammer would be my ride at that point and honestly it was a bit tough to manoeuvre through the twisties from side to side. Partly because of that big back tire and partly because I was starting to experience pain in my tailbone and with each slight bump the Hammer is not forgiving on the bottom, gel pack or not. You hit a bump on the Hammer, your whole body feels it.
Stay tuned to MotorcyGal.com as full reviews on each of the bikes will be posted. In the meantime, enjoy a short portion of our ride.
