I know I know it’s been a while but like everyone else the covid years messed with us and we were doing what everyone else was doing – figuring our shit out and reevaluating our priorities! I’ll tell you what we haven’t done – we haven’t stopped riding 🙂
We have actually been riding a fair amount since our last update.2020 and the majority of 2021 saw us riding extensively through Ontario – what an absolutely beautiful province we live in. The diversity from the North to the South and East to the West always takes me off guard. If you haven’t ridden northern Ontario yet get your tail bag packed and get up there – it’s breathtaking.
We had planned to ride to the East coast of Canada and then swing down to the US to come home in the summer of 2020 – that plan was put on hold and we finally did our trip in Aug/Sept of 2021. There was lots of laughter, seafood, km’s traveled and a little change of plan do to a tire issue but all in all it was a great time.
2022 saw us riding more in the US than we ever have before. I think we just needed someplace different with how much we ride – we’ve ridden our area a lot! From day trips in Upstate New York, too long weekends away exploring the Windy 9 in OH and dipping into Kentucky and riding the Country Music Highway. W even marked another Great Lake off of our list – Lake Erie Circle Tour Soon we’ll add some individual post about these trips but for now I just wanted to catch you up a little.
A few other things that have been going on;
I sold my bike – I bought a new bike
I went back to work full time – my schedule changed to 10hr days 4 days a week so I now have every Friday off
Andy’s still working from home – which he likes although what he’s doing has changed up
Andy’s been putting in time working on his project bike which makes him happy
We are currently planning our summer bike trips – our big trip will be The Blue Ridge Parkway, Nashville, Memphis and then likely back up through Kentucky as we really liked that area last summer and want to explore it more. We are also planning a long weekend to The Chicago area to visit family.
Last weekend we took off on the bikes for a couple of days for a much needed break. Searching for accommodations in Sarnia I came across the Insignia. At first thought I was very much “the photos don’t match the price” so off to read some reviews I went and it seemed that that the majority loved this hotel so I booked it!
Check-In
After riding all day and going through a detour we got to the hotel a little later than expected. We pulled in under the awning and went inside to checkin. Checkin was quick and easy. The lobby is really nice and well appointed. With Covid rules none of the common spaces were open.
While checking in I asked about restaurants for dinner. That’s when I was told that patios had just reopened that day and they were required to close at 7:00 pm – it was 6:40. The gentleman at the front desk suggested the hotel restaurant as the food was really good. He mentioned that we could order and have it bought up to our room. We had really wanted to sit out somewhere but if this was our only option so be it. The manager then insisted that we leave the bikes parked under the awing and go sit on the patio and take our time to enjoy a nice meal. So off we went to the patio.
Legacy Restaurant
On Site Restaurant
Both Andy and I enjoyed an amazing steak dinner. As you all know, we really like good food and the majority of the time food always taste better with good service and our service was incredible. Our waiter did everything possible to respect social distancing rules while still being a great ambassador for the hotel and restaurant. Our waiter also told us not to rush as the 7pm rule only applied to allowing new patrons onto the patio but seeing as we were served before 7pm we were fine. We didn’t linger but we didn’t rush either and not once were we made to feel that we should hurry.
We felt like we got great value for our money. We both ordered the Canadian Prime Striploin Steak (10 oz medium rare) topped with red wine sauce. I opted for double vegetables while Andy had a serving of vegetables and roasted baby potatoes. My steak was a little more rare then Andy’s but that suited us just fine. The cost was $39.00 each
We overheard another table talking about how amazing the pasta was as well so i have a feeling you could order anything off the menu and be happy.
Parking
The parking garage was well lit and had security camera’s everywhere which made us feel confident that our bikes would be safe for the night. After dinner we unloaded the bikes and locked them all up. One of the things that we’re loving are the saddlebag liners that we each have. We just lift them out and go – no more juggling what to take in and what to leave.
There was a large parking lot out behind the hotel as well so if you had a room facing the bay/river you could see your bike as well. We parked in the covered area to the side however.
Our Room
Our room was lovely. It was bright and clean with really nice amenities – the rate was great value. We’ve stayed in much more expensive hotels that didn’t come close to being this nice. The room was a little on the smaller side but it’s not like we were with other people so it was fine for the two of us.
After riding in the heat all day it felt great to shower the dirt and dust off (which we wanted to do before dinner but there was no time to spare lol) and wrap up in the plush robe and sit have a drink and watch some tv. The shampoo, conditioner and soap that is provided is again very nice so no need to pack your own.
NOTE: there are mini fridges available for the room, at no cost, but you need to ask to have one bought to your room. I wish we’d known this little tidbit of information the night before.
Continental Breakfast
Breakfast was different again because of Covid rules. At checkin we were told to come down in the morning and we’d be given a bag with some breakfast foods that we could either take back to our room or on the road with us. When Andy went down to get ours he was told that they’d bring it up as they needed to go to the kitchen to get a few things. What arrived at our door was a lovely try with breakfast laid out and a bowl with an assortment or juice and yogurt.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the Nespresso machine in our room. We’ve had a Nespresso for years but it finally broke (after a lot of use) a couple of months ago. Needless to say we now have a new Nespresso machine sitting in our kitchen. Maybe I should calculate the cost of the machine into our room rate lol
The view from our room
This will forever be our Sarnia hotel. The staff, hotel and food was all really fantastic. As we were pulling out of the hotel the manager from the night before was pulling in and we were greeted with a huge smile and wave. I’m not sure if it was because they had just reopened or if service is always this way but we’ll find out as we plan to head back before summer is out.
Coming up to 100 days of lockdown and Andy and I were going a little stir crazy. With the majority of places entering into phase 2 we felt confident that we could travel safely. We have already been traveling with our face mask and hand sanitizer while respecting social distancing rules so decided to give it a go. With cancelling our East Coast trip this summer we’ve planned on traveling Ontario as much as possible this summer.
Our love for Lake Huron runs deep so decided to head in that direction. We have never been to Sarnia so that was pegged as our overnight stop. After running the kilometres we figured we could easily ride from Hamilton to Sauble Beach and down the coast of Lake Huron to Sarnia.
Planning to be on the road for 8ish on the Friday morning, so we could take our time at our stops and still arrive into Sarnia while still light outside, we checked the weather again in our destinations and everything was good, so off we went. As we approached Guelph and saw some heavy black clouds it occurred to us that we hadn’t look at the radar along our route or pack rain gear. There was one stupid cell that we had to ride through that produced some pretty heavy rain. Our joke for a while was head toward the blue sky which was on our right while our destination was on the left. After about 30 mins we were finally out of it.
Day 1
Sauble Beach
We are use to arriving into Sauble and it being packed. Granted it was a Friday at noon but it just seemed deserted for this time of year. There’s a great taco bus here and I was disappointed to see that it was still closed. However, the one thing we’ve learned and done well with is adapting because nothing is as it was in years past. As we continued on down the street to find something to eat we picked a little walk up place down by the beach. Picnic tables were well spread out among some common areas so we ate and watched the water. It was nice to see people respecting the rules set out by the town. Each side of the street had arrows so that everyone was traveling in the same direction and on the most part people were respecting the rules. After spending about an hour and a half we headed back to the bikes and where on our way.
Grand Bend
Grand Bend was much busier than Sauble Beach and safety precautions weren’t being followed nearly as well. If a restaurant had a patio is was busy! It was very hot and with the beach not being open I think people were looking for any type of refreshment and shade. We opted for ice cream and a walk down to the water. We sat on the wall seats and watched as vehicle after vehicle came down, drove around the circle and headed back up town. Once again shops were open but not busy at all.
Sarnia
One of the reasons that we picked Sarnia is that there’s a beautiful beach that I’ve seen pictures of for years. Well after hitting an emergency road closure and spending additional time on the road we were arriving into the city later than planned. We were hot, tired and hungry so decided to bypass Canatara Beach and check it out the next morning.
Insignia Hotel
We arrived at our hotel, Insignia Ascend Hotel Sarnia, and when checking in we asked about dinner and were told that patios were only allowed to serve until 8pm, it was 7:40. So, they graciously said to leave our bikes at the entrance and go enjoy dinner. Their on site restaurant, Legacy, had a lovely patio set up and there was room seeing as it was close to closing time. After scanning the QR code for their menu, which brings it up on your phone, Andy and I both chose a steak and a beverage. While we waited Andy was kind enough to move both bikes to the parking area. This way we could have our drinks and not worry about having to do it afterwards. Even though it wasn’t far we’re pretty big sticklers on not drinking and riding. After an amazing dinner we grabbed our bags and headed to our room. It’s a fairly newly renovated hotel so it’s modern and very clean. Our room was amazing. A king size beg, lots of lights, USB plugs everywhere, extra seating, bath robes, large towels and a Nespresso coffee maker!
Lake Huron and the surrounding areas are known for their specular sunsets so we grabbed our water bottles 😉 and headed to the river to walk and watch the sun set – we were not disappointed!
Back at the hotel we both decided that showers were in order to wash away the sweat, dirt and the soreness from a full day of riding. I love when hotels supply big fluffy bath robes so curled up in my robe I poured a drink and settled in to watch some Bobby Flay. If you know me you know Friday night is Beat Bobby Flay night in our house so the 50″ tv went on and we laid in bed and watched lol. Andy’s a good sport about it he pretends to play solitaire on his phone but deep down I know he loves watching the show too!
Day 2
We didn’t plan to be on the road too early as it was going to be a shorter day of riding. We planned to ride over to Port Stanley and up the coast of Lake Erie to Port Dover and then head home from there. So we took our time getting around. Andy went down stairs to grab our breakfast, because of Covid-19 rules the hotel were handing out brown bagged breakfasts to be taken either back to your room or on the road. The gentleman behind the counter said he bring it up to our room as they were running low on some things. Ten minutes later he showed up with a beautiful tray of breakfast foods and juice. He told us he wouldn’t want to eat out of a paper bag so hoped that this was ok. I enjoyed a couple cups of coffee – did I mention it was Nespresso lol while having breakfast. I think both of us would have gladly stayed an extra night. This will forever be our hotel when going back to Sarnia, which we will need to to because we never did go to the beach!
Oil Springs
Andy had watched a show, Still Standing, about Oil Springs and seeing as we were close we wanted to check it out. We were on the look out for oil related sculptures but we didn’t see any. Oil Springs is the site of North America’s first commercial oil well when asphalt producer James Miller Williams set out to dig a water well in September 1858 and found free oil instead. There wasn’t a lot happening in town so we continued on our way down Highway 21.
Port Stanley
The lift bridge in Port Stanley is currently under construction so if you want to walk around you will will need to plan on one side or the other as there’s no walking access between the two. The town was busy but once again – beaches were closed and being patrolled and restaurants with patios were very busy. I finally got my tacos, I will pick tacos every time if given the chance, from Main Street Taqueria. Finding seating was a little more challenging here but we did find some rocks in the shade down by the water to enjoy our food. We also added an order of tamales as either Andy or I had ever tried them – FYI, they’re really really good.
After eating and walking around as much as we could we headed back to the Waterfront Trail and made our way towards Port Burwell.
Port Dover
Things were pretty quiet in Port Burwell and we were also still full from lunch and didn’t bother stopping for ice cream. The ride along the lake was busy with lots of bikes as it’s always a very popular route on the extremely hot days. The Waterfront trail is one of our go to day rides so it was familiar and relaxing. Other than stopping at a vegetable/fruit stand for some fresh Ontario strawberries and asparagus just outside of Long Point we rode through to Dover.
I don’t know when or why Tim Horton’s in Port Dover has become a required stop but it is. A trick I learned through a friend was instead of parking at the side, where the majority of the bikes park, pull in at the back of the building. The building offers some great shade on hot days and it’s easy to pull in and out of. It was pretty hot so my new favourite drink was in order. I love Arnold Palmers (1/2 ice tea & 1/2 lemonade) so I now get a small frozen lemonade in the largest cup they have and a bottle of ice tea and pour the ice tea into the lemonade. It’s yummy and delicious. I’d love it more if it was unsweetened ice tea but that’s not an option at Tim’s.
After our drinks and chatting about which way to go home Andy came up with the brilliant idea of heading down to Niagara so we could add Lake Ontario to the other two Great Lakes we’d ridden over the last tow days. He didn’t need to ask twice, I was game to go.
Port Mailtland
We ride through Port Maitland all the time and not once have we looped around to see the lighthouse so Saturday was the day. I had no idea that there was a huge boat launch area, pier and large light house there and there were lots of people!
From here we headed to Niagara Falls via Fort Erie as we really like riding that side of the parkway. The road is really nice and it’s never as busy and if we were going to get home late the little bit of extra time was no big deal.
Niagara Falls
Riding past the falls was ridiculously busy. We’ve been riding past the falls a lot over the last few months and I honestly think we got very use to there being very few people. In the past, if we were going to go past the Falls on the weekends we’d start in Niagara-On-The-Lake as traveling in that direction to the falls there are two lanes past the falls and it makes all the difference in the world.
Niagara-On-The-Lake
It was around 9:30 when we arrived so wineries and a lot of restaurants were already closed. We still hadn’t had dinner so grabbed a quick bite, used the bathroom and instead of using backroads jumped on the QEW to head home. Traffic was light and it was still hot as hell so it ended up being a nice ride.
Home
We pulled in shortly after 11, grabbed the bare minimum and headed in the house. The kids wanted to hear about the weekend so we hung out with them while winding down.
All in all it was a great two days of riding and getting away just over night was just the break that we both needed!
These leggings are my go to riding pants. They’re super comfortable and fit amazingly well. I normally wear skinny jeans or leggings so they work well for the style that I like. An added bonus is the high waist on these. I’m long waisted and these come up to my belly button and get rid of my muffin top hold everything in. I bought these about a year ago and they’ve seen roughly 15,000km and they are still the same deep black colour that they were when I bought them. I have another brand of riding leggings that I never wear because the colour really faded to this brown-grey that is just gross. They also don’t fit as well as these so they’re somewhere in the back of my closet now.
Keep in mind that these leggings are completely lined with Aramid so they are thicker than regular pants making them a little warm for the hot summer days. That being said, because of that lining they are designed for maximum abrasion resistance; which is the reason we are buying motorcycle pants/jeans in the first place. As an added layer of protection these pants have internal, velcro free, pockets to add armour. Although they come with knee armour I removed it and it’s sat in a bin since I purchased these pants. The bottom of the legs stretch enough that you can wear them overtop your boots if you choose. Looking at the Oxfordsite they mention that you can wear these under other pants – if you’re planning to wear them under something the top pants would need to be pretty baggy.
I don’t know when or why Tim Horton’s in Port Dover has become a required stop but it is. A trick I learned through a friend was instead of parking at the side, where the majority of the bikes park, pull in at the back of the building. The building offers some great shade on hot days and it’s easy to pull in and out of. It was pretty hot so my new favourite drink was in order. I love Arnold Palmers (1/2 ice tea & 1/2 lemonade) so I now get a small frozen lemonade in the largest cup they have and a bottle of ice tea and pour the ice tea into the lemonade. It’s yummy and delicious. I’d love it more if it was unsweetened ice tea but that’s not an option at Tim’s.
