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| Silver Lake |
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Update on the Dissapointing World of Helmet Cameras
A while back I went throught the painful process of trying to aquire a working Vholdr camera. See post below. It worked well for a while, until it started "locking". I could not get the unit to start or stop recording. So I would try to power it off in an effort to "reboot" the unit. It would not power off, so I was forced to remove the battery. This turned it off, but didn't resolve the problem. As a result, I decided I would return the Vholdr camera and try the GoPro helmet camera. I received the GoPro and was immediately impressed with the wide assortment of attachements & extra stickies to mount the camera with. Unlike Vholdr which charges you for every additional attachment. I was also impressed with the buttons on the plastic case that encloses the unit - they worked very well and seemed very tough and rigid. See the VholdR experience post below for some of my difficulties with the VholdR buttons. So, after I finally figured out how to unpack the GoPro, I installed the batteries that came with it and threw in a MicroSD card. Nice not to have to hunt the planet for a special MicroSD card. Mounted the camera on the TOP of my helmet - note top, I wouldn't mount to the side again because when any camera is mounted to the side of the helmet, you won't see your buddies when your turn your head to look back. If this is confusing, place your hand on the side of your head and turn back as though you where casting a glance at the bike behind you. You'll quickly see what I am referring to. Anyhow, took off pressed the power button, heard a faint beep or two and then presses the record button. I could only assume that it was working because the GoPro does not have any audible method of communicating whether it is recording or not. This is a very very big problem and this missing feature alone puts the VholdR miles ahead of the GoPro. Even if you have a semi-working VholdR. So, I took my helmet off to confirm that it was in fact recording and it was. This is confirmed by a large flashing LED. Inside, out of the sun, this light seems really large, but once it's out in the sun you can't see it at all. Went for a short 15 minute blast, came home and watched the video. About 5 seconds in, the video stopped. This was incredible. I emailed support requesting some advice. They immediately called and informed me that the batteries that ship with the GoPro are only good for still photos and to purchase Energize Lithium batteries. I spoke with Royal Distributing and they suggested using Duracell batteries. The lithium are quite expensive, so I tried some Duracell and had the same results. Needless to say, I returned this camera as well. For the headache, I'll pickup a cheap HD camera from Costco, thrown it in a zip lock bag and duck tape it to my helmet. In summary, my opinion is that the helmet cameras have been rushed to market. Over the next 6 months I think we'll see these cameras mature.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Marlborough Forest
The Equipment:
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2007 Yamaha Wolverine
2006 Arctic Cat 500
The Location:
Marlborough Forest
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Intermediate to Expert (the main areas would be fine for a junior rider).
Gas:
Yes, in Merrickville.
Food:
Yes, in Merrickville.
The Trail:
Always a favorite, Marborough just opened. A series of fire roads maintained by the city of Ottawa. Open to hikers, bikers, hunters and more. Marlborough always has a wide assortment of critters. Talk about an awesome network of trails in Ottawa's backyard. Launch from any number of locations, including:
O'Neil Road
Roger Stevens
Dwyer Hill
Padon Road
and more...
Here is a map to help.
View Larger Map
We got rolling around 10:00AM and launched from the O'Neil road location. Entering what is referred to as "Marborough North" we ran alon the fire roads trying to avoid the massive, but shallow puddles. At the beginning of any ride, it seems we always try and stay dry, but by the end, we're drenched. The trails are mainly flat, but they are a blast. They're wide enough for a vehicle to drive down and wind through hundreds of acres of forest.
Be very careful, as you will likely find other people on the trails as well. There are lot's of "shortcuts" where more experienced riders can try there hand at some mean swamps and mud holes. There are also split offs where you can ride beside your pal, but on a different trail. This is, of course, a blast. While in Marlborough we did notice some garbage that people had thrown out. Please respect the trails and nature. As a rider, you have a responsibility to set an example and ensure that the trails remain open for years to come. Don't ruin it for other people. I have run in Marlborough for over 10 years and I recall snowmobiling deep into the forest and making a stop at a cabin that was built for people to stop at and warm up. Some idiot burnt this cabin down and as a result has ruined an experience for many people in the years to come. Anyhow, I think I make my point and if you've read this far, your likely not the type that would do any of this anyway. So, as I was saying, the trails are great and you definetly get the feeling you could get lost, which is what this is all about.
Shown below is our route for the day. We brought a 1 gallon can of gas for the Banshee and it was fine for fuel with very little putting around throughout the day.
View Larger Map
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2007 Yamaha Wolverine
2006 Arctic Cat 500
The Location:
Marlborough Forest
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Intermediate to Expert (the main areas would be fine for a junior rider).
Gas:
Yes, in Merrickville.
Food:
Yes, in Merrickville.
The Trail:
Always a favorite, Marborough just opened. A series of fire roads maintained by the city of Ottawa. Open to hikers, bikers, hunters and more. Marlborough always has a wide assortment of critters. Talk about an awesome network of trails in Ottawa's backyard. Launch from any number of locations, including:
O'Neil Road
Roger Stevens
Dwyer Hill
Padon Road
and more...
Here is a map to help.
View Larger Map
We got rolling around 10:00AM and launched from the O'Neil road location. Entering what is referred to as "Marborough North" we ran alon the fire roads trying to avoid the massive, but shallow puddles. At the beginning of any ride, it seems we always try and stay dry, but by the end, we're drenched. The trails are mainly flat, but they are a blast. They're wide enough for a vehicle to drive down and wind through hundreds of acres of forest.
Be very careful, as you will likely find other people on the trails as well. There are lot's of "shortcuts" where more experienced riders can try there hand at some mean swamps and mud holes. There are also split offs where you can ride beside your pal, but on a different trail. This is, of course, a blast. While in Marlborough we did notice some garbage that people had thrown out. Please respect the trails and nature. As a rider, you have a responsibility to set an example and ensure that the trails remain open for years to come. Don't ruin it for other people. I have run in Marlborough for over 10 years and I recall snowmobiling deep into the forest and making a stop at a cabin that was built for people to stop at and warm up. Some idiot burnt this cabin down and as a result has ruined an experience for many people in the years to come. Anyhow, I think I make my point and if you've read this far, your likely not the type that would do any of this anyway. So, as I was saying, the trails are great and you definetly get the feeling you could get lost, which is what this is all about.
Shown below is our route for the day. We brought a 1 gallon can of gas for the Banshee and it was fine for fuel with very little putting around throughout the day.
View Larger Map
Friday, September 12, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Ompah
The Equipment:
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2005 Yamaha Grizzly
The Location:
Ompah
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Intermediate.
Gas:
Yes, in Ompah.
Next has stop Calabogie.
Food:
Yes, in Ompah. May or may not be open. (bring a lunch or have a big breakfast)
The Trail:
We where met with another beautiful sunny day today so my father and I quickly loaded the bikes and headed off around 8:30. A stop at the Thruway restaurant in Carleton Place for an awesome breakfast had our stomeaches full and ready for a day of riding. We made another stop at Carson's in Perth and picked up our passes - $12.00 each for the day. We continued on our trip up to Omap. Ompah looked like a great destination because of the number of trails that are visible on the Eastern Ontario Trails alliance map - available from http://www.thetrail.ca/ As I have found though, it is very difficult to gain information from anyone on ATV trails. I have a number of theories on this.
After a good trek up to Ompah we stopped to speak with a local resident to find out an ideal launch location as we couldn't find anything on the map. He recommended launching at the map below inbetween Palmerston and Canonto Lake across from the fish hatchery.
View Larger Map
We unloaded the bikes and headed off. Do not take the trail marked "Ungroomed Trail" because it's extremely rough and there are trees fallen over the trail. Instead, stick on Arcol Rd. as it turns into the trail. (The ungroomed trail will take you to Arcol Rd. any way - save the frustration). I had to laugh though as this was my father's first time out in a while and it was quite an introduction. The trail "cleaned" up after this. The trail is very smooth, so much so that it could qualify as a road. Essentially a really nice rolling backroad through endless backcountry featuring massive pine trees, cliffs, lakes and swamps. The trail is very good, with the Banshee having no trouble whatsoever. Shortly after heading out you will come to a small T in the trail. Heading left across the bridge will take you back down into Ompah around Palmerston Lake. Continuing North will take you towards Calabogie. We chose to head North towards the damn at Mountain Chute. Quite by accident we connected with a trail I have ridden quite frequently out of Norcan Lake (Near Calabogie) as I have a friend with some land up that way. At this point of the trail you will reach a "trail triangle" where a small cabin is located up on a hill and there is a board with a map on it - unfortunately it's been torn off in this case, but this is an important junction. If you head North, you'll be going towards Mountain Chute and the big Hydro Damn. Alternativelly, if you hang a right and proceed South, you'll be heading towards Calabogie. I have not taken the route to the right all the way to Calabogie so I'm unable to comment on this portion of the trail. This will hopefully be my next run. The trail becomes rougher up this way, but poses no problem for Banshees or sport bikes. Be very careful as it's temping to open things up along the way - just remember there are other riders and I've seen everything come down this trail. Jeeps, trucks, cars - you name it. This past winter, I ran on a hellish snowmobile trip with some great buddies that wanted to introduce me to some serious sledding this past winter so I had a basic familiarity with the trail system around Ompah.
I'll never forgot how we became very turned around as the trails are poorly marked, do not correspond with the map and some of the signs/maps have been torn down by vandals. Visiting on an ATV in the summer proved no different. If you haven't ridden in this area before try and take note of the paths you choose and if possible, bring a GPS. It is possible to get lost in here. Anyhow, along the way up to Mountain Chute you will find a big sand hill on your left. Yes, this one has been confirmed, unlike the supposed sand hill in Limerick. It's not that big an area so don't get too excited, but it's a highlight of the trip in any case. We made it to the hydro damn, but you can’t get close enough (on the trails any way) to get a good view. So, we turned around and headed back. Gas was a concern for the Banshee at this point. We made it back without running out of fuel, but it was close. If gas had not been an issue, we would have turned right at the T I mentioned above and headed down into Ompah around Palmerston lake. There is a little gas station, convenience store where the trail comes out. It’s a great little spot that has everything – maps, spark plugs, you name it. It’s expensive, but what isn’t.
The trails where slightly dusty as it has’t rained in a little while, but no complaints – bikes not broke, riders not broke, good day.
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2005 Yamaha Grizzly
The Location:
Ompah
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Intermediate.
Gas:
Yes, in Ompah.
Next has stop Calabogie.
Food:
Yes, in Ompah. May or may not be open. (bring a lunch or have a big breakfast)
The Trail:
We where met with another beautiful sunny day today so my father and I quickly loaded the bikes and headed off around 8:30. A stop at the Thruway restaurant in Carleton Place for an awesome breakfast had our stomeaches full and ready for a day of riding. We made another stop at Carson's in Perth and picked up our passes - $12.00 each for the day. We continued on our trip up to Omap. Ompah looked like a great destination because of the number of trails that are visible on the Eastern Ontario Trails alliance map - available from http://www.thetrail.ca/ As I have found though, it is very difficult to gain information from anyone on ATV trails. I have a number of theories on this.
After a good trek up to Ompah we stopped to speak with a local resident to find out an ideal launch location as we couldn't find anything on the map. He recommended launching at the map below inbetween Palmerston and Canonto Lake across from the fish hatchery.
View Larger Map
We unloaded the bikes and headed off. Do not take the trail marked "Ungroomed Trail" because it's extremely rough and there are trees fallen over the trail. Instead, stick on Arcol Rd. as it turns into the trail. (The ungroomed trail will take you to Arcol Rd. any way - save the frustration). I had to laugh though as this was my father's first time out in a while and it was quite an introduction. The trail "cleaned" up after this. The trail is very smooth, so much so that it could qualify as a road. Essentially a really nice rolling backroad through endless backcountry featuring massive pine trees, cliffs, lakes and swamps. The trail is very good, with the Banshee having no trouble whatsoever. Shortly after heading out you will come to a small T in the trail. Heading left across the bridge will take you back down into Ompah around Palmerston Lake. Continuing North will take you towards Calabogie. We chose to head North towards the damn at Mountain Chute. Quite by accident we connected with a trail I have ridden quite frequently out of Norcan Lake (Near Calabogie) as I have a friend with some land up that way. At this point of the trail you will reach a "trail triangle" where a small cabin is located up on a hill and there is a board with a map on it - unfortunately it's been torn off in this case, but this is an important junction. If you head North, you'll be going towards Mountain Chute and the big Hydro Damn. Alternativelly, if you hang a right and proceed South, you'll be heading towards Calabogie. I have not taken the route to the right all the way to Calabogie so I'm unable to comment on this portion of the trail. This will hopefully be my next run. The trail becomes rougher up this way, but poses no problem for Banshees or sport bikes. Be very careful as it's temping to open things up along the way - just remember there are other riders and I've seen everything come down this trail. Jeeps, trucks, cars - you name it. This past winter, I ran on a hellish snowmobile trip with some great buddies that wanted to introduce me to some serious sledding this past winter so I had a basic familiarity with the trail system around Ompah.
I'll never forgot how we became very turned around as the trails are poorly marked, do not correspond with the map and some of the signs/maps have been torn down by vandals. Visiting on an ATV in the summer proved no different. If you haven't ridden in this area before try and take note of the paths you choose and if possible, bring a GPS. It is possible to get lost in here. Anyhow, along the way up to Mountain Chute you will find a big sand hill on your left. Yes, this one has been confirmed, unlike the supposed sand hill in Limerick. It's not that big an area so don't get too excited, but it's a highlight of the trip in any case. We made it to the hydro damn, but you can’t get close enough (on the trails any way) to get a good view. So, we turned around and headed back. Gas was a concern for the Banshee at this point. We made it back without running out of fuel, but it was close. If gas had not been an issue, we would have turned right at the T I mentioned above and headed down into Ompah around Palmerston lake. There is a little gas station, convenience store where the trail comes out. It’s a great little spot that has everything – maps, spark plugs, you name it. It’s expensive, but what isn’t.
The trails where slightly dusty as it has’t rained in a little while, but no complaints – bikes not broke, riders not broke, good day.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Limerick Forest South
The Equipment:
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2005 Yamaha Wolverine
2005 Yamaha Grizzly SE
The Location:
Limerick Forest
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Beginner.
The Trail:
The day was beautiful and sunny, and we where set to go. We ate a big breakfast and where ready to hit the road. A quick precheck of the ATVs lead to us finding mechanical problems with our Raptor 660.
Needless to say, an 8:30AM departure quickly turned into a 10:30AM departure. Nevertheless we hit the road laughing, joking and filled with excitement about riding a new location - Limerick Forest.
I had visited Limerick Forest once before, but ridden in the North end. The trip was fairly dissapointing as we only found dirt bike trails and they where very tight. We launched from here (<http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=44.853739,-75.625763&spn=0.011454,0.027809&t=h&z=16&msid=112301201184267661740.000454d138560a46a56ae>) Given the size of Limerick Forest we always assumed that we launched from the wrong spot. So on this trip, we launched in the South end of the forest at this location (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=44.837156,-75.623059&spn=0.011458,0.027809&t=h&z=16&msid=112301201184267661740.000454d13e108f099f311) on recommendation from the Forestry Manager, Geoff McVey. Here is a map of the trails in Limerick Forest South.
Upon entering the Forest we drove down the a fairly long backroad that is named "Forsythe Rd" according the road sign, but according to some maps this road is actually called "Limerick Rd.". In any case, we drove down one or both of these roads depending on how you look at it. It's a great entrance into the forest. A long backroad with no homes, no signs, no power lines, no nothing. After 5-10 minutes we found the "Gravel Pit" where you can park and launch from.
There where some other dirt bikes & ATVs ripping around when we arrived. We saw this as a good sign. As we where unloading the ATVs one of the guys ripping around on a dirt bike launched off of a gravel pile and did a face plant into the ground. He didn't get up. We ran over to help as the man was not moving. Once we got there, he started to move and said that he was "alright". Shut his bike off, grabbed him some water and made sure he was o.k. We then continued unloading our bikes, powering up the VholdR (which stopped working again) and
started out on the trails.
The trails where beautiful - running through sandy trails with tall pine trees, with hills in some locations, but unfortunately, we road all the trails (all the trails on the map) in under one hour and at no point where we ever more then a few kilometers from the launch point. We where absolutely astonished. This was such a tease. We had come all this way and tasted some really nice trails that essentially did a small loop around the gravel pit where we launched. There is a pit to the east, but this is clearly marked with a no tresspassing sign & didn't look very exciting any way. We found some other ATV'ers and asked them if they knew if there where any other trails. They where as dumbfounded as we where. They did mention that they had taken a trail that continues South of the end of "Forty Acre Trail" and then crosses the 21 highway and carries on for approx 20 minutes, but comes to a water crossing, so they where forced to turn around. we had taken this as well, but turned around at highway 21. After speaking with these
guys we loaded the bikes and left.
On the way back home, we stopped in North Augusta at Franks Pizza. We spoke with Frank, the owner, and he seemed to think that there was an incredible amount of trails in Limerick and spoke about a big sand hill that was in there. I can now say though that I have ridden North & South Limerick and although the trails in the South where nice, they where extremely short and never went anywhere.
2006 Yamaha Banshee SE
2005 Yamaha Wolverine
2005 Yamaha Grizzly SE
The Location:
Limerick Forest
The Hosts:
None.
Skill Level:
Beginner.
The Trail:
The day was beautiful and sunny, and we where set to go. We ate a big breakfast and where ready to hit the road. A quick precheck of the ATVs lead to us finding mechanical problems with our Raptor 660.
Needless to say, an 8:30AM departure quickly turned into a 10:30AM departure. Nevertheless we hit the road laughing, joking and filled with excitement about riding a new location - Limerick Forest.
I had visited Limerick Forest once before, but ridden in the North end. The trip was fairly dissapointing as we only found dirt bike trails and they where very tight. We launched from here (<http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=44.853739,-75.625763&spn=0.011454,0.027809&t=h&z=16&msid=112301201184267661740.000454d138560a46a56ae>) Given the size of Limerick Forest we always assumed that we launched from the wrong spot. So on this trip, we launched in the South end of the forest at this location (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=44.837156,-75.623059&spn=0.011458,0.027809&t=h&z=16&msid=112301201184267661740.000454d13e108f099f311) on recommendation from the Forestry Manager, Geoff McVey. Here is a map of the trails in Limerick Forest South.
Upon entering the Forest we drove down the a fairly long backroad that is named "Forsythe Rd" according the road sign, but according to some maps this road is actually called "Limerick Rd.". In any case, we drove down one or both of these roads depending on how you look at it. It's a great entrance into the forest. A long backroad with no homes, no signs, no power lines, no nothing. After 5-10 minutes we found the "Gravel Pit" where you can park and launch from.
There where some other dirt bikes & ATVs ripping around when we arrived. We saw this as a good sign. As we where unloading the ATVs one of the guys ripping around on a dirt bike launched off of a gravel pile and did a face plant into the ground. He didn't get up. We ran over to help as the man was not moving. Once we got there, he started to move and said that he was "alright". Shut his bike off, grabbed him some water and made sure he was o.k. We then continued unloading our bikes, powering up the VholdR (which stopped working again) and
started out on the trails.
The trails where beautiful - running through sandy trails with tall pine trees, with hills in some locations, but unfortunately, we road all the trails (all the trails on the map) in under one hour and at no point where we ever more then a few kilometers from the launch point. We where absolutely astonished. This was such a tease. We had come all this way and tasted some really nice trails that essentially did a small loop around the gravel pit where we launched. There is a pit to the east, but this is clearly marked with a no tresspassing sign & didn't look very exciting any way. We found some other ATV'ers and asked them if they knew if there where any other trails. They where as dumbfounded as we where. They did mention that they had taken a trail that continues South of the end of "Forty Acre Trail" and then crosses the 21 highway and carries on for approx 20 minutes, but comes to a water crossing, so they where forced to turn around. we had taken this as well, but turned around at highway 21. After speaking with these
guys we loaded the bikes and left.
On the way back home, we stopped in North Augusta at Franks Pizza. We spoke with Frank, the owner, and he seemed to think that there was an incredible amount of trails in Limerick and spoke about a big sand hill that was in there. I can now say though that I have ridden North & South Limerick and although the trails in the South where nice, they where extremely short and never went anywhere.
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