A Ride up North - James Bay | Page 23 | GTAMotorcycle.com

A Ride up North - James Bay

We loaded most stuff on the other two bikes. Had to chuck a few things like extra gas cans, then he paid a guy 50$ to haul it back to the 1/2 stop. The guy was to get it into the scrap. It was a 30 year old ninja that just blew it guts. He'd apart before and quick road side calculation figured it was not worth the gas to come retrieve it.
 
We spent a night in Wemindji off the JBR. One buddy was sure our bikes would be nicked but no problem.

I'd like to do Pickle Lake.
 
Accommodation in Radisson and Pickle Lake might be tight this year.

For our trip we are 110% planning for motocamping the entire trip. If we decide on a whim (or weather isn't good) to get a hotel/motel that's fine, but we're prepared for self-sufficiency the entire trip.

We might book a few key nights so we're *sure* we have a room, but that's still being discussed. It won't be a necessity at all. A few campgrounds we're staying at (on nights we're not on crown land) we'll have showers and such, so we're good there. The rest of the time we're bringing all we need to be self sufficient.

I'd like to do Pickle Lake.

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This was me in 2002. My friend and I who were riding together on this particular one ended up bumping into @MacDoc on this trip somewhere along the Transcanada, and (IIRC) on our way back south as he was coming north.
It was the first summer of Covid and desperation for "something new" while not being able to leave the country (or province, for all intents and purposes) was setting in, so off we went.

It was one of those claim to fame places that was cool to say you've been to, but otherwise was nothing special. We discovered on arrival that the famous "end of the asphalt" (PIckle lakes claim to fame being "the furthest north point in Ontario you can ride on asphalt) has been extended for something like 50km north of the town now, so if it's your intent to get a photo of you and your bike at the official end (as many used to do), take note you have to ride some extra distance now. It seemed like a waste for us simply for another photo, so we took these ones at the Pickle Lake sign and turned and burned.
 
It was one of those claim to fame places that was cool to say you've been to, but otherwise was nothing special. We discovered on arrival that the famous "end of the asphalt" (PIckle lakes claim to fame being "the furthest north point in Ontario you can ride on asphalt) has been extended for something like 50km north of the town now, so if it's your intent to get a photo of you and your bike at the official end (as many used to do), take note you have to ride some extra distance now.
We did Thompson Manitoba for the same "end of asphalt" reason. It too is not the the actual end.
 
A few campgrounds we're staying at (on nights we're not on crown land)
How do you know where crown land starts or ends. We do a lot of vagrant/rough camping and assume some of it is crown land but never really checked into it.
 
How do you know where crown land starts or ends. We do a lot of vagrant/rough camping and assume some of it is crown land but never really checked into it.

The iHunter app has a really good interface that has accurate info on crown land boundaries.

It costs a few bucks after the free trial, but like Furkot, Scenic, and other very valuable yet inexpensive trip planning, nav, or info apps, it's one of those things that's well worth the money for this sort of thing.
 
A firearm is always an absolute last resort. Like car insurance, it's something you carry but hope you never need.

I always have bear spray in my tent at night when camping anywhere in a tent, And often, noisemakers.

But the areas we'll be camping in on this trip are a bit next level, and potentially hundreds of kilometers either side of nowhere. Having a SPOT with us is great and all, but even pushing the SOS button it could still be tens of hours before anyone shows up.

I'm a big believer in the old Scouts saying...."Be prepared".
I have never been concerned about black bears, they have less courage than a field mouse (unless you're threatening a mama's cubs). At my place up north, i just go outside and shoo them out of my yard. I get these presents frequently. IMG_1097.jpg

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In front of my truck, going housecto house checking trash cans on garbage day..

My fear is wolves. Enough that I'll carry a sidearm in areas where I'm afraid of an encounter.
 
My fear is wolves

Fair. When I say "bear country" I also mean, in my head at least, "wolf country" and "big cat country" as well in many areas - rare in Ontario and Quebec, but they're out there. Moose aren't to be ****** with either.

Well, that's it.....looks like I need to tow one of these behind the motorcycle for this trip now.

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😄
 
Holy cow. I think of all the rough camping we've done way north and never had any real protection.
 
don't forget those violent caribou....could be a stampede
I must admit seeing a caribou running in the bush pacing the bike almost caused an accident - was rather startled. :eek:

as for wolves...fugedaboudit.
In southern Ontario and across Canada, wolf attacks are very rare. Incidents of wolf attacks are so rare that they don't even occur annually. Only two attacks have been reported in the entire country of Canada. 23 Apr 2022
now if you spot one of these.
run
 
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Holy cow. I think of all the rough camping we've done way north and never had any real protection.

I always carry bear spray like I said in another reply earlier, and I'll probably get some bear poppers for this trip (likely to be effective on more than just bears, although wolves are bold as hell), but yeah, although I know a lot of people would be totally on the "you're overthinking this, stop it" bandwagon, it's all fun and games until you're 100km either side of nowhere with zero chance of any help and something angry, bold, and hungry decides you're a tasty looking morsel, or decides you're a threat to their baby or whatever.
 
Occasionally we'd pick cheap fireworks to make noise before settling in. Usually though we'd just crack a beer and start putting up tents.
 
For trips like these I like to bring a slow, easily-trippable friend. :D
When I was in BC salmon fishing I made sure to take the old and fat guys with me. Bonus points if they had a limp or bad knee.

‘You don’t need to outrun the bear. Just gotta be faster than the other guy running.’

Had bears stealing the salmon from peoples coolers there by the river.
 
When I was in BC salmon fishing I made sure to take the old and fat guys with me. Bonus points if they had a limp or bad knee.

‘You don’t need to outrun the bear. Just gotta be faster than the other guy running.’

Had bears stealing the salmon from peoples coolers there by the river.
I had Eagles trying to steal salmon from me last July in Ucluelet. Scared the poop out of me.
 
I had Eagles trying to steal salmon from me last July in Ucluelet. Scared the poop out of me.

Monkeys in Tanzania stealing sandwiches out of your hand...

Our safari guide told us that the monkeys are racist. They've figured out that the local black tour guides are difficult to steal food from, so they target the clueless lighter-skinned tourists that they're with.
 
Monkeys in Tanzania stealing sandwiches out of your hand...

Our safari guide told us that the monkeys are racist. They've figured out that the local black tour guides are difficult to steal food from, so they target the clueless lighter-skinned tourists that they're with.

FACTS.

We were on the way to the Serengeti and the guide did a stop and warned us to put the windows up, “the baboons are something else.”Not 3 minutes later we passed another tour Land Cruiser with windows down. The baboons were inside tearing it to pieces.
 
FACTS.

We were on the way to the Serengeti and the guide did a stop and warned us to put the windows up, “the baboons are something else.”Not 3 minutes later we passed another tour Land Cruiser with windows down. The baboons we’re inside tearing it to pieces.

We were camping in South Africa and a band of monkeys targeted our food while we were making dinner. Neda was cooking and one monkey came right up to her and tried to steal what she was prepping. She chased it away with her spatula in hand like a weapon. But as soon as she left her post, all the other monkeys rushed in to take advantage of the unguarded food.

Thankfully, I was close by and ran in as backup, but those fockers definitely pre-planned this decoy tactic. Like they were playing Rainbow 6 against us in real life...
 
FACTS.

We were on the way to the Serengeti and the guide did a stop and warned us to put the windows up, “the baboons are something else.”Not 3 minutes later we passed another tour Land Cruiser with windows down. The baboons were inside tearing it to pieces.
This is definitely on my bucket list of places to travel and do a safari.
 

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