Had a few last minute administrative issues with the dirt bike group to iron out but finally rolled out of Bowmanville at 11:30, a little later than I would have liked. Fun times once again once I got the past Bobcaygeon on the 507 and County Rd 3 up towards Haliburton. This sign in Wilberforce made me take a break...
I pulled into the Wilberforce Diner to check it out since I was on a scouting mission anyways....
I started with some excellent homemade chicken & rice soup with real large chucks of chicken no less....
Then I went for an awesome Clubhouse sandwich on whole wheat............ delicious.....
I then got talked into some homemade apple crisp that was just killer....
For those taking the Elephant Lake Rd route. Take a small detour at the end of Elephant Lake Road and follow 648 to Wilberforce. The Diner is at the only real intersection in the "town". You will not be disappointed.
Working my way over to Ompah I came across this...
Maybe later, I wanted to check out the Lavant Rd. If you are doing the Ompah Stomp you can stay on 508 and follow it down to County Rd 12 which is very good but if you are up for an adventure turn on the Lavant Rd a few kilos east of Ompah. Someone was thinking outside the box when this road got built. It is all "paved" and rough in sections but it is a hoot and brings you over to the 511 just south of where all the good turns are. Me likey but I'm a pretty bent individual who thinks the FJR is just a big dirt bike. You may want to soften your suspension to soak up some of the bumps.
I made a quick stop at the Redneck Bistro in Calabogie and sampled a very nice K&P Ale from the town's microbrewery that is located across the street from the bistro.
I was having a nicely paced ride west bound on Centennial Lake Rd when I had an encounter with a forest rat (deer). I did not go down but the hit sheared off my left footpeg and caused a problem either with the shifter or the switch on the sidestand. The bike died and when I did manage to restart it it would not shift, remember I ride an AE that has a number of permissives to allow it to shift. Also my left leg was throbbing and covered in deer guts. At first there was no cell service and there was no one else on the road. The back flies were around though....
Looks like the slider got some of the dear too...
I had my SPOT so I hit the SOS button. I then got a call on the cell from the SPOT call center. Suddenly there was service though very weak. I told them the bike wasn't working and my leg was throbbing and to send help. I then managed by giggling the shifter and working the sidestand to get the bike to the point where it would shift again. The SPOT people called me back and I told them that the bike was now rideable and I was going to head towards Pembroke and go to the ER to get checked. It was going to be a very long wait for Search & Rescue so I manged to get back on the bike and took a very gentle ride to the hospital. X-rays showed no breaks but my leg is pretty sore and I am going to have to find some way of fixing the footpeg. I may take a ride into Ottawa tomorrow to see what I can find. I tried calling Chris when I was in Calabogie since he was a bunch of FJR parts but I don't have his correct number.
