i-WERKS
Well-known member
Since I first started riding, I've been always reading about the Calabogie and the awesome roads in the area. Calabogie was always too far for a single day trip. This year, I made it point to find a base camp in the area so I can ride all these roads I've been reading about. Me and two friends booked a cabin on Kennebec Lake in Ardendale, Ontario. This would be our home base for 2 nights.
Our day 1 route goes north around Barry's Bay before heading to our cabin. The highlight of this route was Elephant Lake Road, Kamaniskeg Lake Road, Elephant Lake Road, Kartuzy Road and Old Barry's Bay Road. They were not tight 2nd gear curves on these roads but there were plenty of curves to navigate at higher speeds.
We left on Friday Sept 16. The forecast on the night before showed no rain for the entire weekend. On the Friday morning, rain was forecasted for most of the day and Sunday as well on our ride home. It showed only a few mm of rain so I elected not to bring rain pants. Based on my past experience with my riding pants, I knew they were somewhat water resistant and dries very quickly.
Rain hit about 10mins into the ride but cleared up once we got closer to Barry's Bay.
Attempting to dry off my gloves on the engine.
The bikes. I'm on a CB500X. My friends on the FZ8 and CBR600RR haven't ridden much since the pandemic started. In the past two years, they've put on less than 100km on their bikes. We would end up riding over 1000km over the 3 days. They don't have the most comfortable bikes but they did not complain.
We stopped in Cloyne to pick up some beer and other supplies from the general store at around 6pm. Google search showed only one place to eat in the area called The Hot Rod Smoke House. As we pulled up, we were greeted with a sketchy hand painted sign and a food truck on what appears to be someone's driveway. We chose to stay and the food wasn't bad at all.
With our full bellies and beers in our bags, we made it to the cabin just in time for the sunset. We had to navigate a short gravel road to get there but we all made it. It clouded over once it got dark so no stars to look at.
Our day 2 route - From the Cabin to McDonalds Corners to Mississippi Mills, Calabogie, Matawatchan with a stop at the Irvine Lake Airstrip.
Hwy 511 and Calabogie Road were excellent but S Lavant Road and Centennial Lake Road were definately the highlights. There was lots of freshly laid asphalt on this route.
First, we stopped at Paul's Creek Campground in McDonalds Corners for Breakfast. Their patio looked inviting so we decided to check it out. Food was good but their service was amazing. The patio looks like it was renovated recently. All the furniture was new and clean. The washrooms were much nicer that the outhouse at the Cabin.
Stopping to refuel the FZ8 with a jerry can... The worst range of the group.
At the Calabogie Peaks Resort
I've read about the abandoned airstrip at Irvine lake and made it a point to check it out. We got onto Irvine Lake Road and was met with very loose gravel.
We rode in about 1.5 km and couldn't find an entrance to the airstrip. I tried pulling up Google's satellite view but we had no cell service. We ended up turning around as the road wasn't ideal for the street bikes. When we did get cell service, it looked like we had turned around just before the entrance to the airstrip. Good to know for next time.
Our day 1 route goes north around Barry's Bay before heading to our cabin. The highlight of this route was Elephant Lake Road, Kamaniskeg Lake Road, Elephant Lake Road, Kartuzy Road and Old Barry's Bay Road. They were not tight 2nd gear curves on these roads but there were plenty of curves to navigate at higher speeds.
We left on Friday Sept 16. The forecast on the night before showed no rain for the entire weekend. On the Friday morning, rain was forecasted for most of the day and Sunday as well on our ride home. It showed only a few mm of rain so I elected not to bring rain pants. Based on my past experience with my riding pants, I knew they were somewhat water resistant and dries very quickly.
Rain hit about 10mins into the ride but cleared up once we got closer to Barry's Bay.
Attempting to dry off my gloves on the engine.
The bikes. I'm on a CB500X. My friends on the FZ8 and CBR600RR haven't ridden much since the pandemic started. In the past two years, they've put on less than 100km on their bikes. We would end up riding over 1000km over the 3 days. They don't have the most comfortable bikes but they did not complain.
We stopped in Cloyne to pick up some beer and other supplies from the general store at around 6pm. Google search showed only one place to eat in the area called The Hot Rod Smoke House. As we pulled up, we were greeted with a sketchy hand painted sign and a food truck on what appears to be someone's driveway. We chose to stay and the food wasn't bad at all.
With our full bellies and beers in our bags, we made it to the cabin just in time for the sunset. We had to navigate a short gravel road to get there but we all made it. It clouded over once it got dark so no stars to look at.
Our day 2 route - From the Cabin to McDonalds Corners to Mississippi Mills, Calabogie, Matawatchan with a stop at the Irvine Lake Airstrip.
Hwy 511 and Calabogie Road were excellent but S Lavant Road and Centennial Lake Road were definately the highlights. There was lots of freshly laid asphalt on this route.
First, we stopped at Paul's Creek Campground in McDonalds Corners for Breakfast. Their patio looked inviting so we decided to check it out. Food was good but their service was amazing. The patio looks like it was renovated recently. All the furniture was new and clean. The washrooms were much nicer that the outhouse at the Cabin.
Stopping to refuel the FZ8 with a jerry can... The worst range of the group.
At the Calabogie Peaks Resort
I've read about the abandoned airstrip at Irvine lake and made it a point to check it out. We got onto Irvine Lake Road and was met with very loose gravel.
We rode in about 1.5 km and couldn't find an entrance to the airstrip. I tried pulling up Google's satellite view but we had no cell service. We ended up turning around as the road wasn't ideal for the street bikes. When we did get cell service, it looked like we had turned around just before the entrance to the airstrip. Good to know for next time.
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