28 Jan 06: With a forecast of sunny skies and a high of +5C, today was a prime riding day and we were not going to waste it. Unfortunately for Hector, today's passenger in the sidecar was my lovely Angie. I had managed to convince her to go for a ride and sweetened the deal with the promise of a brekkie stop, a visit to Motosport Plus to check on our bikes in storage and then a scenic ride with Cam, my Ural Patrol riding friend from the village of Sydenham. I had made up a patch cord the night before that would reach the sidecar so she could plug in her electric vest and motor about in warmth and comfort. At 9:30 am under sunny skies and warm breezes, we loaded up and headed out. Just as I let out the clutch, Angie looked at me and said, "let the adventure begin!" What a prophetic statement that would turn out to be...

We chose the Husky Restaurant for brekkie as it was halfway between Gan and Kingston, so if Angie got cold she wouldn't have to suffer for the whole trip. However, because of the warm day and layers of clothing she didn't have to switch on the vest and was quite comfy. Inside, we had our usual good eats and talked with a few of the other customers who noticed our arrival and were curious about the Ural. Someone told the cook about the bike and she came out of the kitchen to take a look. Turns out she rides a Yamaha V-Star, so I went out to the sidecar to grab one of the Southern Cruisers brochures that I always carry around with me. She seemed impressed with it, so hopefully we'll see her out at our next meeting.

We arrived at Motosport Plus around 11am. Angie had been busy giving everyone the royal wave from her throne in the sidecar and was in her usual cheerful mood, all warm and comfy with her sheepskin seat cover and a blanket wrapped around her legs. It took awhile to extricate her from the bike, as her vest had to be unplugged first, then the blanket dug out, the side flap opened and a helping hand given as she climbed out. She had so many layers of clothing on that it was difficult for her to move in the cramped sidecar, but she was comfy and warm. Cam hadn't arrived yet, so we went inside to look at our bikes while we waited.

I spent more time out in the parking lot than I did inside the dealership; the warm weather had brought out many customers and it seems every one of them wanted to talk about the Ural. With Cam's arrival, we had double the UDF (Ural Delay Factor) to contend with and we were both busy handing out Ural brochures and answering the usual questions. As Cam's bike has the two wheel drive option, we were able to point out the differences between the models to the several people gaggled around them. I continue to be amazed at the overwhelmingly positive response these bikes get from riders and non-riders alike, you can't go anywhere without someone wanting a closer look at them.

Angie, meanwhile, was busy inside chatting with the staff and sitting on one of the Softail Deluxes they had on display. She's been mooning over that bike ever since it came out and every time we go to the dealership she's tempted to buy it, but always manages to find a reason not to. But I think all the fresh air and a ride in the Ural must have weakened her defences today, because at one point she emerged from the sales office with a tentative smile on her face - she had just finished filling out the financing application. A little while later the word came back from Harley Financing - she was now the proud owner of a brand new black '06 Softail Deluxe. Boy, was she HAPPY! She took a minute to phone her Mom with the news before we headed out on our ride with Cam.

We decided to go visit the Llama farm, as it was a nice, relaxed route on quiet country backroads, which is right up the Ural's alley. Angie kept herself occupied in the sidecar by bouncing about, waving, giggling, singing and "woo-hoo"-ing the whole time. I'm not sure, but I think she was still happy about buying her new Harley. As we rounded the last corner we saw all the Llamas out in the field. As we rode up they were all running to the fence, snuffling and snorting away with their ears perked up, obviously interested in the two rigs. Angie elected to remain in the sidecar rather than go through the convoluted exit ritual and I took the opportunity to take a couple of pics while she chatted with Cam.

The Llamas were in fine form today, prancing about and posing for our benefit. The one on the right had stood on her hind legs as we had pulled up - holy crap, but these animals are tall when they do that - and I wasn't sure if it was a friendly or an aggressive gesture so I kept well clear of the fence. By now it was getting close to 2pm, so we decided to start heading for home. Because we were in Cam's neck of the woods now, he took over the lead and we headed north towards the village of Camden East and a small cafe that he knew of there.

For the first time since buying my Tourist I was finally able to see what one looks like on the road. As we followed Cam's Patrol it became immediately apparent why these bikes get so much attention from passers-by; they look so damned cool it's impossible not to notice one. Although Cam is a newcomer to the sidecar scene (he bought his bike around the same time as I) you wouldn't know it, as he was slinging that rig around like a pro. It was a pleasure to watch him ride and the Ural was a visual feast of mechanical workings; the sidecar bobbing about on its rubber mounts while the bike swallowed bumps and ate up curves with ease. These bikes are a joy to watch in full flight, believe me.

The cafe was closed for the season, so Cam graciously offered us tea at his place. After a quick pee break and the usual UDF session at the gas station across the road, we continued on. He took us down some interesting and challenging back roads and my Tourist got a good workout. Angie got right into the spirit of the ride, leaning in the corners with me and making us look like a sidecar race team. We had a nice visit with Cam and his lovely wife Wilma, they have a huge old house with loads of charm and character and they proudly showed us some of the renos they have in progress. All too soon it was time to head for home.

We took some more back roads, including one very muddy one that got us all coated in muck, but we were still having a great time. We stopped at an LCBO outlet outside of Inverary (ever notice that all the villages in this part of the country all have British names?) so I could get some wine to celebrate Angie's new purchase. Somewhere around 1/2 hour from home her electric vest quit working, so by the time we pulled up to the garage she was starting to get cold. I found out later that the cheap electrical plug I had used on the patch cord had succumbed to the rigors of the day's ride and shorted itself out. I was thankful that I had wired an inline fuse to the electrical outlet, as it saved the battery and the rest of the electrical system from any damage. As I closed the garage door I remembered what Angie had said just before we left in the morning... it truly had been an adventure today!