SPRING 2018
Discovered
3uttinJ our Eest 6candinaYian ćick forward in Norway
Auto Art
Drawing on the past inspires artist Lesley Wimbush
Perspective
New pick-up lines from Jim Morrison, head of RAM North America
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Contents 12
Flicking the Light Fantastic
16
The Turn-Key Tourist
20
The mystery of truck-fascination explained
22
2018 Audi TT RS
24
Music, road & Chevrolet
32
Lesley Wimbush: true to reality
34
Nassau, Bahamas
38
Chilling it in Lake Louise
44
Open Air on the Open Road
48
A road trip with a watery twist
54
2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Limited
56
Where the Road and the Sky Connect
62
The Mother Road
66
Land Rover Experience
70
Exit lane
Discovered: Norway
Featured Hotels
Perspective
Featured Car
Special Feature
Auto Art
Featured Region
Splash & Dash
Discovered: Rhode Island
Discovered: Mayne Island
Featured Motorcycle
New Roads
Featured Road
Special Feature
VICARIOUS is powered by exhausted.ca, a division of Wide Open Media. No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editors and staff. Customer service: sales@womcanada.com | Published in Canada To subscribe, visit www.vicarious-magazine.com Cover Photo by David Talley
4
Our Team Founder, Editor in Chief Jeffrey Voth Managing Editor Sabrina Giacomini Production Manager Peter Hessels Contributing Writers Jeffrey Voth Sabrina Giacomini Kelly Taylor Miranda Lightstone Rob Rothwell Steven Bochenek Ricki Letofsky Contributing Photographers Peter Hessels Cam Langendoen Contributing Videographers Wide Open Media Director of Sales Jeffrey Voth 905.327.3944 jvoth@womcanada.com
Editor in Chief
It may sound cliché, but I love this time of year! Spring is in the air, you can feel the seasonal change just walking out the front door. Baseball is in full swing; KRFNH\ DQG EDVNHWEDOO ZLQQHUV DQG ORVHUV DUH EHLQJ GHWHUPLQHG GDLO\ 6QRZ VKRYHOV DUH fiQDOO\ SDFNHG DZD\ and I can start thinking about cleaning my golf clubs just in case the opportunity to play a quick round becomes available. But there is one sure sign we have turned the corner and winter is in the rearview mirror. Racing, in all its glorious forms, is once again a weekend pursuit. Nothing says spring like the smell of hot, sticky rubber on fresh, black asphalt. That’s amore! Your team at VICARIOUS has been working extra hard to deliver spring stories that are real page-turners. We travel the world on your behalf to explore strange new roads in or on the vehicles we all dream about. But the drive is only part of who we are. A truly vicarious experience means getting in on the action at every turn and making it come alive with words, pictures, and video. On that note, we deliver! We want you the reader to expect the unexpected in every issue of VICARIOUS. With this in mind, we proudly introduce several new writers to the team offering their unique spin on a story. We hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did putting it together! Welcome to the Spring 2018 issue of VICARIOUS. It’s going to be another fun ride!
Jeff Voth Editor in &hief, VICARIOUS jvoth@exhausted.ca
6
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Managing Editor
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.�Cheshire Cat Spring is a season of renewal and the return of everything I love about the warmer days: leaves in the trees, flRZHUV LQ WKH JUDVV HQGOHVV GD\V RI VXQVKLQH DQG PRWRUF\FOHV. $V , ZULWH WKHVH OLQHV , DP VWLOO ZRQGHULQJ probably like many of you, where my next adventure on two wheels will take me. I have made it a tradition of mine to take at least one road trip by motorcycle every year, on my own. The thing is, I tend to go places I wouldn’t otherwise consider when travelling by car. Plus, the time alone is cathartic. Turns out that this is what makes these adventures so memorable, even if the destination isn’t as glamorous as some featured in VICARIOUS. The road there is the real hero of the tale. Spring also means a lot of work for our writers to get this new issue of our magazine into your hands and they have once more risen to the occasion. This season, our team has been all over the world to experience new things and share travelling ideas with you, from Caribbean beaches to the Polar Circle. Our new contributor, Steven Bochenek, takes us on a very musical tour of Nashville, Tennessee, and of Los Angeles, California in our Special Feature segment. Canada is on full display as Jeff and Rob take you West to Alberta and British Columbia and share with you the grandeur of the westernmost provinces. We have also added something new and a little different to this issue with our Auto Art section. As an Art History graduate and a bit of an artist myself, art has always held a special place in my heart. Putting pen to paper, or in Lesley Wimbush’s case, pen to tablet, is another way of travelling and seeing the world. Where will a line take you? Open the windows and let the new season in. I hope you enjoy our Spring 2018 issue of VICARIOUS. Safe travels and happy wandering!
Sabrina Giacomini Managing (ditor, VICARIOUS sgiacomini@exhausted.ca
8
Behind the scenes
Contributors Kelly Taylor Kelly Taylor is an experienced journalist with multiple writing, photography and layout-and-design awards. His favourite ride was an Audi R8 from Thunder Bay, Ont. to Winnipeg, where he nearly traded the car for a Greyhound bus, a 1985 Ford Ranger and the Blue Heron Gift Store in Kenora, Ont.
Miranda Lightstone As compact and race-ready as an Austin Mini Mk1 Cooper Works; don’t be fooled by her small stature. Miranda packs a serious drive and a fair amount of ambitious horsepower, beneath her bespectacled grille. Plucky and always ready to hit apexes with precision, Miranda’s been round the track a few times with over a decade of driving and writing experience under her seatbelt.
Rob Rothwell 5RE'V IDVFLQDWLRQ ZLWK PHFKDQLFDO WKLQJV ZDV IHG E\ KLV IDWKHU'V PDG VFLHQWLVW DELOLW\ WR fi[ IDEULFDWH RU MacGyver all things mechanical. This creativity was illustrated most evenings by smoke, light, and noise emanating from the basement as metal was cut, shaped, welded, and ground. Currently his many passions include sunny days in his convertible sports car along with water-borne activities, such as kayaking B.C.’s beautiful Gulf Islands and sailing his classic 1980s Rainbow Laser on the waters of English Bay.
Steven Bochenek Steven has been a professional writer since 1989 but until 2005 he only wrote advertising. Since joining the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada in 2011, he's twice been awarded Canada's Auto Journalist of the Year, Runner-up (#neverthebride). His interests include piĂąa coladas, getting caught in the rain and writing about himself in the third person.
9
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Discovered
Flicking the light IDQWDVWLF
In many ways, Norway is a carbon copy of Canada. But from where I stand on the balcony of my hotel room in the valley of Hallingdal, it has a lot more snow and is absolutely, ridiculously, freeze-your-nostrils cold at -34° Celsius. This is the Canada of my childhood memories and not the current climate in which I live. So, it begs the question. Is Norway actually more Canadian than the Great White North itself? Story by Jeff Voth, photography by Peter Hessels
12
Setting the deeper “circle of life� questions aside until later this evening at the bar, this is the perfect day to head out to a frozen lake and pilot the new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross around a manmade track for several hours, doing my best to stay out of the snowbanks while driving as fast as possible. Now this is what I call a truly Canadian winter driving experience! The invite given to me by the newly retired Mitsubishi Canada public relations maestro, Mr. John Arnone, was a most welcome follow-up to our tour of the Okazaki Plant Technical Center in Japan during the late fall of 2016. At the time, I was ushered in behind the curtain of the design center with a select group of automotive journalists, WR VHH fiUVWKDQG ZKDW ZLOG DQG ZRQGHUIXO QHZ YHKLFOHV were coming down the pipe for a suddenly re-invigorated Mitsubishi Motors. A real eye-opener, everything on display was some variation of a sport utility or compact XWLOLW\ YHKLFOH UeflHFWLQJ WKH FXUUHQW DXWRPRtive market. The proof of just how far along these designs were now rested a few metres away in this snow-covered parking lot four hours north of Oslo, Norway. Christmas has come early, and it features super handling all-wheel drive and studded winter tires.
VHVWOLD 5HVRUW LV EXULHG LQ D PHWUH RI VQRZ DV , KHDG GRZQ IURP P\ VHFRQG-flRRU URRP WR WKH PDLQ OREE\ where everyone is gathering. Contemporary minimalist DFFRPPRGDWLRQV KLJKOLJKW D ZRRGV\ flDUH with D TXHHQ EHG KDUGZRRG flRRULQJ 7V DQG VWDQGDUG KRWHO EDWKURRP with a glass-enclosed shower covering all the essentials for my stay. Here it’s all about getting to the slopes and exploring the mountains or heading off on perfectly manicured, cross-country trails to become one with the natural surroundings.
The path to Norway from Toronto, Canada was relatively HDV\ $ UHOD[HG VHYHQ KRXU $LU &DQDGD flLJKW WR )UDQNIXUW Germany was followed by a short two-hour leg to Oslo on /XIWKDQVD 7KLV LV my fiUVW visit to WKH FRXQWU\ DQG another check mark on my bucket list. Once on the ground, it was a four-hour van ride north to Geilo National Park Village on winding two-lane highways covered in snow and RXU fiQDO VWRS DW WKH 9HVWOLD 5HVRUW 1RUZHJLDQV ORYH WR GRZQKLOO DQG FURVV FRXQWU\ VNL )RU WKLV reason, Geilo is a favourite destination. A mecca for outdoor adventures, it is situated halfway between the port cities of Oslo on the east coast and Bergen on the west. Trains are one of the more popular ways to get here; Bergen is 3 hours away by rail while Oslo takes an additional 30 minutes. One of three countries, along with Sweden and Denmark, GHfiQLQJ 6FDQGLQDYLD 1RUZD\ LV QRW IRU WKH IDLQW RI KHDUW The climate is an obvious reason why the athletes from here recently dominated the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Germany took silver and Canada placed a solid and record-breaking third, but that still only counts as a bronze metal. The Vikings conquer once more!
“Christmas has come early, and it features super handling all-wheel drive and studded winter tires.�
While the rooms may be standard in their amenities, they DUH VSRWOHVVO\ PDLQWDLQHG , fiQG WKH VDPH LV WUXH RI WKH resort in general as I walk the halls and make my way to the front lobby. It is a lengthy trek as buildings are spread over a ODUJH DUHD 7KH ZDON WDNHV DOPRVWfiYH PLQXWHV , FRXOG KDYH snowshoed faster to the lobby through the parking lot from my hotel room. 5HVRUW DPHQLWLHV DUH GHVLJQHG IRU WKRVH ZKR DOVR HQMR\ LQGRRU DFWLYLWLHV DIWHU D IXOO GD\ RQ WKH VORSHV )ORRU WR
13
FHLOLQJ windows overlooking the mountains enclose a 20metre pool, activity pool, Jacuzzi tub and a three-story waterslide for the kids or adults pretending to be. Fairy-tale images inspired by original paintings from Theodor Kittelsen (1857–1914) are represented on the walls to remind everyone inside to take life a little less seriously. 7KH IURQW OREE\ IHDWXUHV D ODUJH QDWXUDO VWRQH ĆUHSODFH DQG wood accentuates every corner of this alpine retreat. This area is buzzing with excitement as we listen intently to last-minute instructions from our hosts before setting off on snow-packed roads and the eventual destination of a specially prepared, frozen lake racetrack. Releasing a wild pack of media professionals from Canada, the Czech Republic and New Zealand into unknown terrain is never D JRRG LGHD ZLWKRXW fiUVW UHDGLQJ WKHP WKH UXOHV RI WhH day. Safety is paramount, have fun and keep warm. Seems easy enough. Once we get to the lake, the instructions will also include stay away from open water,
keep to the track and don’t get too close to the person in front of you. Leaving the resort, it soon becomes obvious why Mitsubishi chose this location to highlight the prowess of their newest compact sport utility vehicle. Snow is piled three metres high in places, I can’t even see a tour bus coming around the corner until it is almost too late. A quick flick RI WKH VWHHULQJ ZKHHO and the Eclipse Cross responds with near parkour prowess. Crisis averted, the rules of the day are still intact. Snow falls relentlessly as we chart a course up the mountain and down in an endless series of tight left and right hand WXUQV $IWHU QLQHW\ PLQXWHV RI SOD\LQJ OHDG DQG IROORZ ZH fiQG ourselves turning onto a side road and heading onto the lake. $ FDPpfiUH JORZV RII WR RQH VLGH UHDG\ WR ZDUP WKRVH ZKR are brave enough to sit on fur-laden logs and endure the frosty Nordic climate.
", FRXOG KDYH VQRZVKRHG IDVWHU WR WKH OREE\ WKURXJK WKH SDUNLQJ ORW "
,Q D PRPHQW RI VLOHQW UHflHFWLRQ , UHDOL]H LW GRHVQèW JHW PRUH Scandinavian than this. My brief pause in the action is quickly shattered by the shriek of an unbridled Mitsubishi Evo rally car kicking snow in every direction as it powers towards us. A few quick passes just steps from where I am standing is followed by a series of high-speed loops on the ice-covered skid pad.
14
Having this much fun while driving sideways can’t be OHJDO %XW LW GRHV WHDFK WKH fiQH DUW RI FRQWURO DV , WHVW WKH limits of adhesion and my personal driving skills.
The crackle of hot exhaust pipes on a frozen lake reminds me again how much Norwegians love the outdoors. Whether it is skiing, hiking, perspiring together in a sauna or driving a rally car at full speed, nature is their playground.
It is equally exciting driving the 1 and 2 km ice tracks, braking at just the right moment, then accelerating to keep the vehicle pointed in the right direction. In theory, it sounds easy, but theory only goes so far when ice is involved. Lastly, my skill is tested on a slalom course with open ice clearly highlighting where not to go off track. I get it right as no vehicles, journalists or videographers were hurt in the making of this story. At least, nothing permanent.
The next few hours are spent honing my winter driving skills on four different courses. A skid pad is one of the most fun DFWLYLWLHV DV LW UHTXLUHV D VWHDG\ WKURWWOH DQG fiJXUH VNDWLQJ pro- wess to keep the Eclipse &URVV on a continuous circular path.
The drive back to Vestlia Resort is anything but easy as a winter storm blows in over the mountains and driving conditions get worse by the minute. At one point I completely lose sight of the road and unceremoniously drop
Hotels & Resorts. Rumour has it Ed Sheeran recently stayed here, and other celebrities come and go frequently.
the Eclipse Cross off the road and into a ditch. A local tractor operator comes to my rescue and we are back on our way after an hour. It turns out I am not alone in my quest to discover uncharted roads, the other three vehicles in our group also fiQG WKHPVHOYHV LQ QHHG RI D WRZ )LQDOO\ DIWHU WKUHH KRXUV we pull into the resort parking lot tired but with a greater respect for the Norwegian topography and its drivers. Dinner on this night is served in a classic family-style dining hall. Locally brewed beer never tasted so good and the chill of the day is quickly replaced by the warmth of Haand’s Fyr and Flame IPA. Talk turns to reminiscing about a day of driving through tumultuous snow storms. Our New Zealand counterparts have rarely experienced this level of winter, but we do our best to pretend it was just a typical day of driving in Canada during the winter. Such are the stories we love to tell. The next day we take a 4-hour van ride back to Oslo for dinner and overnight at The Thief, a member of Preferred
Supposedly the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are somewhere close by; this must be the place to see and be VHHQ ,W LV DOVR WKH FLW\'V fiQHVW KRWHO IRU D JUHDW QLJKW VOHHS as all 116 rooms and suites feature a king-size bed, luxurious amenities and unique artwork. Located on the waterfront, beside the Astrup Fearnley Museum, the view of the Oslo skyline at night from the rooftop patio is breathtaking. Dinner reservations for the evening take us to Lofoten Fiskerestaurant, a short walk from the hotel across a series of small bridges crisscrossing the manmade trendy arts GLVWULFW ,Q WKH IMRUGV RI 1RUZD\ ORFDO fiVK LV WKH PRVW FRPPRQ choice in our delegation and I see no reason to argue. Fresh mussels make a great starter. Topping it off, a creamy, dark Dream Porter by Oslo Brewing Co. offers the perfect compliment to an exceptional meal. The next day we leave the city in the early morning, retracing our steps back to Toronto via Oslo Gardermoen Airport and Frankfurt. Five days in Norway is certainly enough to whet my appetite for a return visit. We have barely scratched the surface of all this incredibly beautiful country has to offer. It begs the question, why did the Vikings ever want to leave? Vestlia Resort: www.vestlia.no | The Thief: www.thethief.com
15
Featured Hotels
The turn-keyTourist
turn-key (adjective): of or involving the provision of a complete service that is ready for immediate use.
Hotel Die Hirschgasse Heidelberg: A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Hotel Die Hirschgasse Heidelberg has entertained its fair share of important visitors for centuries including Mark Twain. Room sizes range from spacious 22-26 sqm Junior Suites to the generous Deluxe Suites and luxurious 42-61 sqm one and two-bedroom Salon Suites. Le Gourmet restaurant is renowned in Heidelberg for its culinary delights. Original beamed ceilings and triple laced curtains DGG WR WKH DPELDQFH RI fiQH GLQLQJ 0HQVXUVWXEH restaurant is a former fencing hall dating back to 1817. Address: Hirschgasse 3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Website: www.hirschgasse.de
Rosewood Sand Hill: Great design and a thorough understanding of the surrounding geography provide the ideal cocoon for relaxation DQG UHVW $ WRWDO RI OX[XU\ URRPV DQG VXLWHV GefiQH WKLV XQLTXH Californian property. Comfortable surroundings exude warmth and UHfiQHPHQW 6(16( 6SD IHDWXUHV WKLUWHHQ WUHDWPHQW URRPV IRU WKH ultimate getaway. Recreational activities in the area include the Stanford University Golf Course where Tiger Woods honed his talent. Dinner is served at Madera Restaurant. Here, western inspired American cuisine comes prepared in an open kitchen equipped with a wood-burning stove, superb wine list, and a friendly staff ready for their next great culinary challenge. Address: 2825 Sand Hill Rd., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA Website: ww.rosewoodhotels.com/en/sand-hill-menlo-park Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa: A total of three distinct resorts comprise this luxury property set on 124 acres near the rugged interior mountains of Oman. Al Waha (The Oasis) features 262 guest URRPV GHVLJQHG VSHFLfiFDOO\ ZLWK WKH DFWLYH IDPLO\ LQ PLQG $O %DQGDU (The Town) is the heart of the resort and highlights 198 large rooms, restaurants, a shopping center and seven meeting rooms. Al Husn 7KH &DVWOH IHDWXUHV DQ LQfiQLW\ SRRO SULYDWH EHDFK ZLWK D WRWDO RI sumptuously large guest rooms and 16 suites. Fine dining takes place in several settings within Al Husn, while the Chi Spa impresses with a full menu of services. Rent an exotic sports car and take a drive in the country. The roads here are perfect and the scenery is unsurpassed. Address: Al Jissah, Muscat 113 Website: www.shangri-la.com/muscat/barraljissahresort
16
Featured Hotels
Article by Jeff Voth
The Grove, London’s Country Estate: A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, this UK gem offers superior service in an immaculate setting, a world-class hotel and spa, championship golf and superb dining. Rooms are divided into two unique buildings. The Mansion highlights a Presidential Suite and once hosted extravagant parties for Queen Victoria. The ultra-sleek West Wing is where most rooms are situated in the hotel. Dining takes place in three main VHWWLQJV &ROHWWH'V RIIHUV fiQH IRRG LQ DQ LQWLPDWH VHWWLQJ $FWLYLWLHV DW the resort include the renowned Sequoia Spa and The Grove Championship Golf Course. This is your secret UK hideaway. Address: Chandler's Cross, Watford WD3 4TG, England, UK Website: www.thegrove.co.uk
Echo Valley Ranch & Spa: A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, accommodations range from the main guest ranch lodge, several equally impressive out lodges, and various private ranch cottages spread across a lush plateau. The signature Baan Thai lodge successfully blends the distinctive cultures of Bangkok and Western Canada. +RQH\ FRORXUHG UHG FHGDU GHfiQHV WKH RXWHU VKHOO ,QVLGH master craftsmen from Thailand have worked their magic to make this a soulful retreat. Activities include horseback riding, hiking, 4X4 driving, bird ZDWFKLQJ DQG IDOFRQU\ DV ZHOO DV fl\ fiVKLQJ Address: 10635 Jesmond Road, Jesmond, BC, Canada V0K 1K0 Website: www.evranch.com
+œWHO 6FULEH 3DULV 2SUD E\ 6RĆWHO Built in 1860, this distinguished (XURSHDQ hotel is decorated with Parisian flare and WLPHOHVV elegance. Rooms are comfortable in size, especially for a European hotel, many featuring a king-sized bed, oversized bathroom and stylish furnishings. Breakfast is served buffet-style in the downstairs dining room. A full-service Spa completes the package, providing the ideal end to a full day of exploring the nearby MusÊe du /RXYUH 3ODFH de la Madeleine and the OpÊra de Paris. Address: 1 rue Scribe, Paris 75009 Website: www.hotel-scribe.com
17
Perspective
2019 RAM 1500
The mystery of truck-fascination explained
Story and photography by Sabrina Giacomini
VICARIOUS met with Jim Morrison, Head of Ram Brand, FCA North America, at the 2018 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. We asked him where does a person ZKR OHDGV D SLFNXS WUXFN GLYLVLRQ fiQGV KLV LQVSLUDWLRQ RQ D GDLO\ EDVLV DQG DERYH DOO ZK\ DUH people so fascinated with pickup trucks? For2019, the RAM 1500is brand new.What’s yourfavourite feature? I think it’s the 12-inch screen. The technology is amazing because you can run Apple CarPlay, use the Nav and you can see everything going together, use the audio controls to have Siri read your emails and messages to you. It’s great technology. But it’s QRW UHDOO\ êWUXFN\ë WHFKQRORJ\ 1RZ P\ IDYRXULWH WUXFN RQH LV ZH KDYH WKLV UHDOO\ FRRO EOLQG VSRW V\VWHP WKDW FRYHUV WKH WUDLOHU DV well. But it’s really easy to hook up. You just hook up the truck to the trailer and then turn right, turn left and then the truck understands the size of your trailer and then it covers the blind spot for your truck and your trailer, it’s really cool technology.
20
As the Head of Ram Brand, FCA North America, what really inspires you to get up in the morning and go and work with pickup trucks? I think the best thing is understanding what our customers want and then delivering them the best truck we can possibly make. So, it’s when you are driving to work or you’re on a long haul with your trailer, just thinking about how can this truck be better and then when it actually comes to fruition, like this all-new 2019 RAM, and does it so well, then it’s great because we bring new customers to the brand and that’s the best part of the job. I’ve really grown to like pickup trucks, but I can’t explain it, so I thought I’d ask you. Why do people love pickup trucks so much? I would say what makes it most attractive is it’s no compromise anymore. So, you’re right, whether you have 1,000 kilograms to haul and whether you need a truck every day, every week or every month, I would say everybody needs a truck some time, right? But now, with this no-compromise pickup truck package, you can actually drive it everyday. And it’s got great fuel economy, it’s got great ride and handling, you’ve got all the space you need, you’ve got all the technology you need, now you can have it when you need it and drive a nice vehicle everyday that’s a truck as well. So, I think that’s really how different people are falling in love with trucks because at one point in time, they had a need for a truck but didn’t want to put up with all the compromises. Now you don’t have to. When you go on road trips, fuel economy is always a concern. Do you think that with this type of technology - E-torque mild hybrid system - that peoplewill want to travel more withtheir pickuptrucks? It will certainly help and it will certainly help their monthly payments because you have less to pay for the fuel. What do you like to do with theRAM 1500youhaveat home? Well, actually some of the besW times that I have, my family haV horses, so to haul the horses to horse shows or wherever we’re going, it’s probably the best thing I get to do with my truck. It’s a family event and obviously, we take the horses and get to enjoy them in the RAM.
Watch the FULL INTERVIEW here
21
Featured Car
2018 Audi TT RS
22
Specs
/ LQOLQH fiYH F\OLQGHU WXUERFKDUJHG *', hRUVHSRZHU OE IW RI WRUTXH VHFRQGV NP K
23
New roads
Music, road & Chevrolet The Ballad of Frank Bacon
United States Supreme Court, 1994: American rock legend John Fogerty just won a lawsuit launched against him by his former record company Fantasy, Inc., whose honcho Saul Zaentz still owned the rights to Fogerty’s famous Creedence Clearwater Revival song Run Through the Jungle (about which, Fogerty was bitterer than a gallon of vinegar left out in the August Cajun sun). Zaentz alleged that Fogerty’s newer song The Old Man Down the Road, which was released in 1985 and he did not own, was just a rip-off of that one they did. The ruling ostensibly said: shut up, Sauly! You can’t plagiarize yourself! Story by Steven Bochenek
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The point, other than the fact that this article’s headline clearly hints this is about pop music and its role in our lives? For 3 years running, I’ve been fortunate to receive invitations to unique Chevrolet USA driving experiences that only eight other writers got. Chevy’s created a “band” that reunites annually and nominally test-drives a Chevy product, then makes and records music in bucket-listing environments. Ever noticed how many iconic pop songs contain the word Chevrolet or its diminutive Chevy? American Pie by Don McLean, who drove to a dry levee (which Trump thinks is a tax on foreign water), Night Moves by Bob Seger, who appears again in this story not far down the road, Crocodile Rock by Elton John, or Thunder Road by El Jefe, Bruce Springsteen. And think of the songs with specific Chevy products: 409 by the Beach Gentlemen (who, to be fair, also romanced Ford with Little Deuce Coupe and celebrated Japanese insouciance in Little Honda), Little Red Corvette by the recently sainted Purple One, which was followed by Country God George Jones’ The Corvette Song four years later. There are hundreds more that you’d recognize – many of which you could name without Google. (Not that you would.)
“What’s a levee and why’s it so cool?” It’s down to decisions Chevy made as a company. They were the first to install radios in cars back in 1933 when radios were also your TV, internet and the family campfire. 30 years later, they were the first with AM/FM. Chevy got groovy in 1970, putting 8-track players in their products, again, ahead of all competitors. (Yes it was a technological lateral jump, no smarter than soup in a bag, but big deal: the Boomers thought it was hep and would make backseat Night Moves to its beats.) In 1979, Chevy was the first with cassettes; CDs in 1990. Lest you think they get stale, they were first to offer FM satellite radio in 2003. Even with Apple Carplay and Android Auto in 2015-2016 model year, they were the first. Is it any wonder the likes of Snoop Dogg and Taylor Swift, who appeal to younger demographics than most of the aforementioned, also champion the brand in their music? If corporate hotshots could only negotiate such desirable product placement, imagine how many would be strutting awkwardly around with one less testicle. How did Chevy get so lucky? Maybe it wasn't all luck. For the first two years, our musical mystery tours began in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville? It’s like the music is woven into the weather and the state is the eye of the storm. Walking the streets here, you sense a joie de vivre.
"Why is the story of pop music and the road intertwined with Chevrolet?"
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It’s like you’re at a huge party with everybody around you, a feeling few cities can invoke. Speaking of which, country music’s Ground Zero, so to speak, is called Broadway: half a mile of honkytonks chock-a-block (betcha can't say that three times fast). Up on a bright roof, a young woman discovers relevance in the ancient Loretta Lynn classic You Ain’t Woman Enough to Steal My Man, LLs first in a lifelong litany of "hurtin’sowngs” about trashy floozies waving it in her defenceless husband's face. This singer’s mother couldn’t have been born when LL penned it. I’m haunted. Downstairs and three doors away, some hillbillies render a searing countrified version of the old novelty Queen song, Fat Bottomed Girls. Who knew those overeducated London rich boys could translate so well? May 3rd, 2016, the band met for the first time in the back of a fancy Nashville restaurant on the first evening of a twonight trip. We were then told we must write a song before we left the room. No pressure or anything. Thank heaven for the flights of expensive whiskies. To lighten the tension more, Chevrolet had arranged for us to work with a big, no, huge-time Nashville producer. Frank Rogers has worked with BB King, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow,
Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum and, now, us. This band would need a name at some point. Several of the group knew each other from previous press trips. A pair of guitarists at the table even grew up together in the South. Okay, so it was the South of England, but this entire concept was new and the point is we would all have to work together. Here we were, eight auto junketeers, accustomed to fine meals and whiskies, albeit others were paying. Inspiration kicked in like a $47 Moscow Mule on a Malibu patio. We co-composed a song about the vilest boondoggler you can imagine. Inspired by our surroundings, we made it a country song with a Johnny Cash Ghost Rider-like progression and tempo. In the resulting Ballad of Frank Bacon, our anti-hero “was a writin’ man” who demands to be: exquisitely bedded in the finest hotels; stuffed like a Strasbourg goose with foie gras; hosed down with single malt, oh, and occasionally bribed. Tongue, meet cheek. The story is fictional, technically. Here’s the chorus: Frank is gone but he wants you all to know Hewas disappointed with the quantity of dough His lobsters weren’t cracked; his pillow wasn’t down Frank ain’t comin around.
“Year two’s recording studio was built by Al Capone.”
In an attempt at justice, we wrote Frank off the manufacturers’ email lists in the song's bridge too much, too fast and too greedy. Then? Redemption! My fault because it rhymed, he “got himself a new gig with the mommyblogger horde”. We didn’t mean to allow Frank payback but sometimes, the song writes itself and we are but slaves to our muse (and booze). Besides, you need to see the mommy-blogger horde. They’re some of the most ruthlessly acquisitive self-publicists the world has seen. Consider: auto writers’
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inspiration is typically gormless Jeremy Clarkson; mommybloggers’ is the Kardashians. Who do think is least tolerable to be around when someone else has the credit card out? On the following day, we drove roughly 180 km in Chevrolet Malibu Hybrids to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where we recorded what we had done the night before. Malibu and Alabama are rarely in the same sentence but later I'd find a theme for a story that explores what rock'n roll itself is, if a hybrid of traditional American musics.
Despite being decorated with leftovers from Wayne’s World basement set, Fame Studios is a legendary hit factory. This unassuming building in this Podunk whistle-stop has hosted some huge names: Aretha, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, the Allmans actually Greg Allman's mastertape from his final recording which he'd completed two nights before was just sitting on a shelf with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Otis Redding and others. Which others? The studio’s original house band, The Swampers, recorded Brown Sugar and Wild Horses with those English guys, were the sound behind Paul Simon’s biggest solo work of the 70s and toured for a while with Steve Winwood and Traffic. Muscle Shoals has the magic sauce. To describe recording in these hallowed grounds still poses a challenge even two years later. Hydroplaning Nürburgring with someone else’s Dodge Demon? Winning the lottery on the same day your boss gets fired? Your first consensual kiss? Hit Factory or not, our song didn’t enjoy commercial success, though recording it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Topping that would be impossible for Chevrolet the next year. So they didn’t try. Instead, they pivoted; trying something different. June 8, 2017 - The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox posed prettily on the Natchez Trace Parkway, a 640 km stretch of pristine road that strictly enforces genteel speed limits but with enough twists, inclines, and dips to challenge the dynamics of any vehicle. (Note to self: next time, bring a skateboard.) The SUV was parked beneath a sign depicting what most Canadians would see when they picture The South: an arrow points to Tupelo, sacrosanct birthplace of Good King Elvis, 275 kilometres southwest, while ten kilometres in the opposite direction is Nashville. Wow! Already, it’s enough to captivate any music nerd. The Phil Harris classic, That’s What I Like About the South, came to mind. However, the sign was interrupted by a bullet hole. Thanks, eh! Remember Frank Bacon? Every press trip is punctuated with stops where auto writers are stuffed with carbs and coffee. On that day, our stop was part-store, part-café, part-church. Staffed with sweet-natured Amish women in modest fulllength dresses, the Country View Market in Charlotte, Tennessee, wasn’t as much Bible Belt as Bible Suspenders. This market provided a keen contrast to our destination, just 60 km up the road. The South, especially Nashville, is exploding with legendary studios. This year’s, Castle was almost as heavy a hitter in the legend department as last year’s Muscle Shoals. You’ve heard of many who have recorded there: Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, BB King, Al Green,
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“Anyway, let’s go inside and make some noise.” There’s an embossed stone heart, a diamond, and several patterns like kids’ art versions of suns or flowers. With little imagination those flowers could also be roulette wheels or casino pits. Cheeky stonemasons! No one living knows for sure but... ask any middle-aged Vegas conventioneer who had to visit a clinic a week after a hardware trade show: where there’s gambling, there are usually extras. The world’s oldest profession goes tastefully unmentioned on Castle’s website, but the lavishly carved wooden pilasters supporting the studio's fireplace shamelessly feature topless nymphs. Cheeky carpenters! Though never formally educated, Capone was an astute businessman. Consequently, he didn’t assume all the risk in this iniquitous rural venture. Instead, his known associate, Ed Welch - albeit a terrible name for a guy running a gambling joint - quarterbacked the building and running of the Castle.
“...the Country View Market in Charlotte, Tennessee, wasn’t as much Bible Belt as Bible Suspenders.” Alison Krauss, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Ziggy Marley, Meatloaf, and Lynyrd Skynyrd (again). You’ve also heard of its first proprietor. Castle wasn’t always a recording studio. Our producer Frank Rogers had worked here many times with huge stars and gave us a brief tour. Today’s just a half hour from Nashville “was more like two hours back then.” So we were remote butin the big picture - well situated. Meaning? You can check the Google: Nashville is nearly halfway between Chicago and Miami, two leading places of business for that infamous booze-entrepreneur whose story has replaced Hamlet as the career pinnacle for Italian-American character actors, Al Capone. In the days before such miracles of modern travel like paid-for Yelp reviews and United Airlines’ deplaning techniques, the greater Nashville area made a great spot to stop, rest, take stock. And maybe conduct a little “business: bootlegging, no doubt; gambling, probably; prostitution, possibly; and tax evasion, factually. No one living knows for sure but... Rogers and others surmise this bizarre little palazzo was your Nashville gambler’s quiet local because of hints left in the stonework leading to the front door.
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Not immediately visible from the road yet nestled close to a hilltop, the Castle looks and behaves like a compact European castle. (Hence the cryptic name!) That is, it’s easy to spot visiting allies or invading enemies for miles from the parapet and, if necessary, defend. Moreover, a river borders much of the property, a partial moat, making sneak attacks nearly impossible, while providing convenient access to fishes for former business associates to sleep with.
One of the sub-themes among our merry group was what to name the band. Frank mentions how he loved the simplicity of The Band - but obviously that was taken. Yet given our connection now to Al Capone, I suggested The Banned or The Bandits. Anyway, let’s go inside and make some noise.
celebration of the Maple Leafs being in town, driving around in Chevrolets.
A year on and familiar with each other, we’d all received homework from Frank Rogers back in May. It was a good idea.
Consider his CV. He plays guitar for Bob Seger as a sideline to Brown’s main gig as one of Nashville’s premier session keyboardists. I had come here not just to sing but also play piano. After watching Brown for three minutes, I laid myself off and just sang. Most piano parts in the coming final mixes are not mine.
Unlike last year, when they had us compose a so-so song Frank's the only pro songwriter - then record it immediately, this year we would learn famous hits ahead of time. Then record them, so-so. We began with Let the Good Times Roll, an ancient bluesy showstopper that my personal Jesus BB King rebirthed in 1999 and simply owned thereafter, same way the Johnny Cash song Hurt just happened to be written by Trent Reznor.
“Nashville was making a bid for the Stanley Cup and hockey was incongruently ubiquitous here.” With a cast of seven players, Rogers himself, and a musical friend/ringer he had visiting, there were enough inputs in the mixing board for any of us to take breaks now and then. You know. Send emails. Take calls. This was still technically a workday, but the best kind of workday: one with an open bar, paid-for ride home, and a wizardly Nashville producer who really wanted to help us sound OK! So, though we all took work breaks over the next eight hours, the atmosphere was more like an Irish wedding with Wi-Fi than company offsite team-building exercises. Confession: the prospect of covering BB King terrified me. I will never sing half as well as he does even now, so I decided not to try. Instead, the rendition was a lyrical pivot. Meaning? Nashville was making a bid for the Stanley Cup and hockey was incongruently ubiquitous here. By shifting the odd word around, our version of Let the Good Times Roll became a
But Frank Rogers is a gifted producer with a golden ear and a golden eye for talent. Jim Brown, his friend who was visiting, is a fluent multi-instrumentalist.
However, Jim is also a songwriter, who usually goes by the name Moose. It just happens that Jim “Moose” Brown wrote another homework song we were recording, a song you probably know. It’s Five O’clock Somewhere was a massive hit for Alan Jackson in 2003 and went on to become the #3 Billboard Hot Country Song of the decade. After the BB experience, the pressure was off and we relaxed. Yet even with Moose’s encyclopedic support and Frank’s deft touch, our interpretation didn’t, umm, shed new light on Alan Jackson’s version. It wouldn’t become our equivalent to Johnny Cash’s Hurt. Mind you, we had the excuse that we were simply following the song’s damn-the-torpedoes advice. That is, several hours after arriving here, the atmosphere was significantly post-five o’clock-ish, and we were having a blast. What was next? Our Chevy hosts, Frank Rogers and Moose Brown all asked us what we want to do. A month prior, my friends had a baby girl and I wrote them It Takes a Village, a kid’s song to be little Morgan’s welcome to the world. I nervously offered it to our nameless assembly as recording material.
"That is, several hours after arriving here, the atmosphere was significantly post-five o’clockish, and we were having a blast."
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Several players, the really good ones, were happy to rip through it, and we managed three takes before those other members who can’t read charts wanted back in the studio. Fair enough.
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proud. The machine recorded these Stones, Beatles and Band classics, but even the most terminal optimist wouldn’t see dollar signs when listening back later.
Everyone packed back in and the scene was raucous. Moose performed some brilliant interpretations of famous hits in hilarious alter-ego character, an out-of-tune lounge singer with maudlin passion and leaden ears.
No matter: we had made several recordings, two of which I was genuinely pleased with. And as for a name for the band? Now that we had created a kid’s song, maybe we should be The Mommy Blogger Horde. On this night we finally agree on a name for the band: The Road. So simple and perfect.
Picture a wrestler channeling Edith Piaf during Happy Hour in the Topeka Holiday Inn on some sad January Wednesday. It was the best playing I had seen during any visit to Nashville. It was getting late. We played some famous songs, loud and
“Rule number one of writing: talk about what you know.”
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Auto Art
Lesley Wimbush
true to reality
Story by Kelly Taylor, images by Lesley Wimbush
Lesley Wimbush has earned a place among Canada’s leading automotive artists, but her love of drawing started long before her love of cars. ",Q fiUVW JUDGH , ZDV NHSW DIWHU VFKRRO WR VFUXE P\ GHVN IUHH RI DOO WKH KRUVH DQG FDU GRRGOHV FRYHULQJ LW" VKH VDLG 7KH 3HWHUERURXJK Ont., resident is known for her lifelike renditions of famous people and their cars — Steve McQueen and the original Bullitt Mustang, Brian Johnson of AC/DC and racer Alex Zanardi stand out — but she’s also proud of her work on Paris-Dakar Rally competitor Lawrence Hacking and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. While she does some work on canvas, her most famous work is digitally created. “I start with a pen and ink drawing, which is scanned and becomes the framework for building many, PDQ\ OD\HUV LQ 3KRWRVKRS", VKH VDLG "7KH WHFKQLTXHV DUH YLUWXDOO\ WKH VDPH DV ZKHQ XVLQJ WUDGLWLRQDO EUXVKHV DQG SDLQWV EXW LW'V HDVLHU WR FRUUHFW PLVWDNHV DQG WKHUH'V QR FOHDQXS ë
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Featured Region
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NASSAU
Somewhere among the turquoise waves of the Caribbean Sea peeks the island of New Providence, home to the city of Nassau. The capital of the sunny Bahamas archipelago boasts a rich history, deeply rooted in Spanish exploration, slavery, and piracy. History has it that Christopher Columbus himself discovered the Bahamas, setting foot on the island of San Salvador in 1492, located roughly 1,800 kilometres south-east of Nassau. The advantageous location of the 700-plus islands and islets made them famous among traders, some more righteous than others. Story and photography by Sabrina Giacomini
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In the 1600s, Nassau then called Charles Town, thrived as the home base of some notorious riches-thirsty pirates, if names such as Blackbeard and Mary Read ring any bells. Its role as an important trade route resulted in heavy maritime traffic, which made it a particularly lucrative looting grounds for seafaring criminals and an equally dangerous pass for honest merchants. The high level of unlawful activity lead to the destruction of the island first in 1695 by a Spanish fleet, then a second time in 1703 by a joint effort of the French and the Spanish. Under the British regime, Loyalists fled the American War for Independence and were allowed to seek new beginnings in the Bahamas, bringing with them slaves. African slaves saved from foreign trade ships after the abolition of the slave trade in 1807 were also resettled in the Bahamas. Within a few years, Nassau’s population tripled.
Today, most of the 250,000-plus inhabitants of the island are from West African-descent. In modern days, the 207 square-kilometre island’s name is the epitome of a tropical paradise with its white sand beaches, tiffany green and royal blue waters, and lush greenery. Most of the island’s tourism activities and resorts are concentrated around the downtown area, located on the north shore, and on Paradise Island. The Pirates of Nassau museum introduces the entire family to the life of a corsair. A visit to the Heritage Museum of the Bahamas is a historical immersion into the island’s past. The Atlantis resort located on Paradise Island also doubles as an aquarium with its marine habitat exhibit, open to vacationers traveling with cruise lines or staying in the main Nassau hotels. Access is free for guests of the resort.
“In modern days, the 207 square-kilometre island’s name is the epitome of a tropical paradise...”
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A tropical vacation wouldn't be complete without some quality time with your feet in the sand. Surrounded by the warm Caribbean waters, there is no shortage of beaches in Nassau with Cabbage Beach, Saunders Beach and Cable Beach among the most popular ones. Movie enthusiasts will be happy to know that Jaws Beach and Flipper Beach can also be visited - but don’t worry, you won’t need a bigger boat, sharks do not roam these shores. Should you want your share of pictures with the famous swimming pigs and iguanas, a ferry service between Nassau and the Exumas archipelago is available. Speedboat companies and local flights can also get you to Georgetown, Great Exuma in about an hour.
For a week under the Caribbean sun or a tropical adventure done differently, Nassau and Paradise Island is a priz ed destination. With a consistent average temperature between 21 °C and 28 °C and a mainly sunny skies, you can’t go wrong drinking a Bahama Mama or a fresh cracked coconut while enjoying the white sands of Nassau, Bahamas.
“For a week under the Caribbean sun or a tropical adventure done differently, Nassau and Paradise Island is a prized destination.”
Landing in Lynden Pindling International Airport, the most daring visitors have the option of renting a car and leave the driving up to their sense of adventure. Be aware, however, that the driving is done on the opposite side of the road, à l’anglaise. Rental companies will normally provide you with a right-hand drive vehicle, which makes the transition easier for most drivers. Driving around the island can be easily accomplished within a few hours and will provide you some insight and a unique point of view of the Bahamian way of life, outside of the polished but crowded tourist areas.
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Splash and Dash
Chilling it LQ LDNH LRXLVH The Post Hotel & Spa, a revered member of the Relais & Châteaux group, has been on my list of must stay places for more than two decades. I don’t typically place hotels in such high regard, but choose instead to focus more on countries, regions or famous tourist destinations such as Scotland, Tuscany, and the Eiffel Tower. But given that the hotel Mr. George Schwarz and his brother AndrÊ have developed over the years is so revered around the world, if I had the chance to stay for a night or two, I would definitely seize WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR VXUURXQG P\VHOI LQ LWV FRPI\ FRQfiQHV Story by Jeff Voth
Luxury has a destination and it resides in the Canadian Rockies. A welcome invitation to drive the all-new 2018 Ford Expedition would provide the perfect opportunity. Mission accomplished! The unique log-cabin design of this hotel is a big part of its charm, but it is also the extraordinary location of Lake Louise, Alberta that draws guests in. +LVWRU\ VD\V WKH 3RVW +RWHO & 6SD fiUVW RSHQHG LWV GRRUV LQ 1942 as the Lake Louise Ski Lodge. The logs were sourced from Revelstoke and it was originally built by a small group of 10 men in a relatively short time frame.
7KH fiUVW XVH RI WKH QDPH 3RVW +RWHO WRRN SODFH LQ ,W was deemed a necessary change as Chateau Lake Louise and Lake Louise Lodge were too similar and confusing for tourists. It was also a logical choice since there was a Post 2ffiFH ORFDWHG RQ WKH SUHPLVHV &DQDGLDQ SUDJPDWLVP DW LWV best! Expansion continued through the 60s with the addition of the 25-room Pipestone Motel. In 1978, the Schwarz trio of AndrĂŠ, Barb, and George purchased the hotel and put their stamp on it, successfully bringing it into the late 20th Century.
The lodge closed during World War II and remained this way until it was purchased in 1947 by Sir Norman Watson, an avid skier from the Swiss Alps. His vision for the Canadian Rockies as a world-class ski destination re-opened the hotel in 1948.
In 1990, it was granted membership into the esteemed Relais & Chateau group and has remained a member ever VLQFH 7RGD\ WKH 3RVW +RWHO & 6SD IHDWXUHV RQH RI WKH fiQHVW wine collections in North America, with over 30,000 bottles in their award-winning cellar.
“Luxury has a destination and it resides in WKH &DQDGLDQ RRFNLHV "ĂŤ
The drive from Calgary to Banff National Park, and my eventual destination of Lake Louise and the hotel, is the precursor to what National Geographic Traveler magazine KDV QDPHG RQH RI WKHLU 7RS êGULYHV RI D OLIHWLPHÍ 7KH ,FH FiHOGV 3DUNZD\ WR -DVSHU RIIHUV D VPRUJDVERUG RI mountain vistas, cascading rivers, and roadside wildlife. But this road trip will not take me down that scenic nirvana. Instead, my route will follow Canada’s main artery, the always picturesque and equally stirring Highway 1 towards Field, British Columbia.
“The drive from Calgary to Banff National Park is the precursor to what National Geographic Traveler magazine has named one of their 7RS GULYHV RI D OLIHWLPH "ĂŤ
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", KHDU PRUH "LI SLJV FRXOG fly" MRNHV WKDQ VKRXOG EH KXPDQO\ SRVVLEOH " The 2018 Ford Expedition is visibly grand in stature when compared to most vehicles on the road today. Even the fast-moving transport trucks don’t seem as intimidating while sitting inside the Expedition. Unless, of course, they are EDUUHOOLQJ GRZQ IURP EHKLQG DW breaknHFN VSHHG fiOOLQJ WKH rearview mirror with bright headlights and polished chrome bush bars. It is best just to move over, smile, and let them pass. The new Ford Expedition is a road-going contemporary to the Post Hotel & Spa. Leather and wood captivate in equal measure, satin metal glistens but doesn’t overpower; both the interior and H[WHULRU fiW DQG fiQLVK DUH H[FHSWLRQDO Roomy front seats compliment space for up to six additional passengers in the second and third-row seats. If travelling across the country or driving the country roads at home
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with a boatload of kids and all their stuff is on your list of things to accomplish, this could be all the SUV you will ever need. The drive to Field, a small town of under 200 people in the Kicking Horse River Valley of southeastern British Columbia, WDNHV D OLWWOH PRUH WKDQ DQ KRXU /XQFK LV VHUYHG DW WKH 7UXIflH Pigs Bistro & Lodge, an eclectic restaurant and inn with DVVRUWHG SLJV fl\LQJ DERYH LQ WKH GLQLQJ URRP 2YHU WKH FRXUVH RI DQ KRXU , KHDU PRUHĂŞ"LI SLJV FRXOG fl\" MRNHV WKDQ VKRXOG EH humanly possible, but such is the life of a writer. New material is never far away. Shivering from the cold mountain air, I chose the soup du jour and superb Mac and Cheese. It features Gruyere and aged Cheddar cheese, melted over fresh macaroni, pork lardons with bĂŠchamel sauce baked in a cauldron with herbed panko
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"7KH E[SHGLWLRQ SURYHV LWVHOI RQ ERWK RXWGRRU FRXUVHV Í and topped with grilled chicken apple sausage. This is food made in heaven. Warmed up and fueled for the day, it’s time to take the new Expedition off-road in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains’ backcountry. Our hosts at Ford have prepared an outdoor excursion over and through a one-kilometre trail, followed by a steep ascent up a mountain logging trail. The Expedition proves itself on both outdoor courses and remains equally composed on the Trans-Canada Highway as we travel back to the hotel with the cruise set at an easy 110 km/h. Wine pairings and appetizers await in the lounge at the Post Hotel & Spa. Dinner on this evening is served in a tastefully decorated, wood-beamed private room with a wall of wine as the backdrop. It’s enough of a distraction that I can’t help but
check out the different bottles along with several other members from our group. Afterwards, we are treated to a personal tour of the cellar and discover numerous bottles covered in decades of dust. A private collection teases us from behind a locked iron gate; I can only imagine what they must be worth. Later in the evening we head back to the lounge for some URXVLQJ JURXS JDPHV $W fiUVW LW VHHPV D OLWWOH VWUDQJH EXW WKH rustic atmosphere of the hotel takes over and everyone joins in. Maybe it’s the wine and a comfy couch, the evening's exceptional steak dinner or the fresh mountain air outside that gets everyone involved, but in the end, it's really not important. For me, I now understand a little better why the Post Hotel & Spa is so admired around the world. It’s like coming home.
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Discovered
Open Air on the Open Road The road trip: loved by most (hated by a very select few I choose not to associate with). The freedom to not only journey to your destination, but also explore along the way is what makes the road trip so exciting. Oh, and the road trip buddy, of course. Story and photography by Miranda Lightstone
“The car really is just as important as the destination when it comes to the road trip...�
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So, when my BFF discovered a pair of hilarious comedian moms touring the US, we immediately began researching the closest location, so we could plan a mom’s getaway road-trip weekend adventure.
the entire state of Vermont, through Massachusetts, and have XV VNLUW &RQQHFWLFXW LQWR 5KRGH ,VODQG WR RuU fiQDO destinDWLRQ RI Providence and all on a hot July weekend, needed to be perfect.
Upon determining that Rhode Island was the ideal road-trip distance away from our Montreal homesteads, and somewhere we’d both always wanted to explore, the next step was picking the perfect vehicle to do the twelve-plus hour total drive, there and back.
Enter the Fiat 124 Abarth.
0D\EH ,'P XQLTXH LQ WKLV EXW , IHHO VSHFLfiF YHKLFOHV DUH UHTXLUHG IRU VSHFLfiF WULSV 1RW HYHU\ YHKLFOH LV PHDQW WR GR HYHU\ WULS And so, this particular journey that would take us down through
When I showed up at her door that (very) early Saturday morning on Road Trip Day, the 124 Abarth’s burble-y exhaust SXIfiQJ VPRNH WUDLOV RXW WKH UHDU HYHU VR VOLJKWO\ , FRXOGQèW KHOS but swell with pride as I exited the Fiat and stood back to admire the bright red paint with matte-black racing stripes, the shiny black 18-inch rims and the bright red Brembo brakes nestled beneath. Oh, and the 6-speed manual transmission helped solidify my “good choiceâ€? feel for the ride, as well. +RZHYHU WKH %))èV H\HV ZHUH fiOOHG ZLWK PXFK OHVV DGPLUDWLRQ and pride and more annoyance and perhaps a bit of fear when she realized how small the car was and how little trunk space we had‌ as she rolled out what I can only describe as the largest one-night overnight bag. Ever. Plus we had wine (lots of it, because #girlsweekend) and, of course, road trip snacks, and multiple shoe options. With a trunk cavity that’s only 35 inches by 14, and 19 inches deep, there wasn’t a whole lot of space to work with. Thankfully, I packed light and we managed to squeeze the abnormally large overnight satchel into the trunk along with the bottles and heels. I have to say, I was more than a little impressed by the 124 Abarth’s ability to swallow up what it did in terms of luggage. So far, so good. It’s important to note that the Fiat 124 Abarth’s soft-top roof does not fold into the trunk, and so doesn’t eat up any space while retracted – bonus! Also, I adore the fact that it is a manual
What better vehicle to enjoy the open road than one with an RSHQ WRS" , SXW LQ WKH DSSURSULDWH FDOOV VROLGLfiHG WKH YHKLFOH Ior the weekend then decided to keep it as much of a surprise for my BFF as possible. Something we all know is hard with a best friend, but I think I managed pretty well.
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roof and requires a somewhat dexterous reach to fold down. But it also means that it can be closed rather quickly should the skies decide to open up or the open road feels a bit too “open.� The drive down to Providence from Montreal should have taken just under six hours, according to Google Maps. However, with nowhere to be till later that evening, and nothing planned between our 7 a.m. departure time and the comedy show that night, the idea was to escape the highways and busy streets and journey through the countryside. What a glorious idea it was. With the top down the entire drive, we found the most incredible, twisty, perfectly paved country URDGV ZLQGLQJ WKURXJK EULJKW JUHHQ RSHQ fiHOGV GRWWHG ZLWK wooden barns in varying states of disrepair as we journeyed down, down, down through Vermont state. We stopped to chat with cows, make friends with ponies or just to take in the scenery, but rarely to gas up. Despite the Abarth’s sporty nature, the 1.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder sips rather than guzzles gas. And the 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque is more than enough power for the minuscule little two-seater and was ideal to power through the wonderfully windy roads through Vermont’s landscape.
“We had wine, road trip snacks and multiple shoe options.� 45
And trust me, I was not light on the throttle nor on the downshifts or riding those gears to their almost-limit just to get that fart-y poppy Abarth exhaust note that’s just amazingly addictive (especially in wide open, quiet, country territory). Many coffees and karaoke sessions later, we arrived in Providence Rhode Island around 3 pm (yes, the supposed six-hour drive took us nearly nine, but it was so worth it), and checked into the gorgeous Omni Providence hotel where we were greeted by valet out front. Immediately, the Fiat 124 Abarth gathered a small crowd. The valet crew had never seen one before, and a few were confused that it wasn’t a Mazda MX-5. I explained the family connection and also how to manually close the roof, just in case, and left the keys in the capable hands of a starry-eyed young man whose day I had apparently just made. That evening will go down as one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Providence is a beautiful university town with stunning historical buildings, amazing bars and restaurants, and friendly, open people who welcomed us two Canucks into their city with open arms. Copious amounts of calamari and pasta later, the BFF and I had laughed ourselves to tears at the #imomsohard comedy show, listened to live country music at a local bar, drank wine we’d never be able to afford normally, made new friends, and even saw a river dotted with
flRDWLQJ fiUH SLWV DV ZH MRXUQH\HG EDFN WR WKH KRWHO IRU D nightcap. Upon arriving at the hotel, there in front on display with the Jaguars and Rolls and Mercedes was our little Fiat 124 Abarth. It was parked out front, for all to see. Like a proud mom whose child just made the senior team when he’s still a junior; the 124 Abarth had done it. Sitting with the “big boys� it didn’t look at all out of place, in fact, it looked just as proud as I felt. The car really is as important as the destination when it comes to the road trip, and the Fiat 124 Abarth was the absolute perfect car for our Mom’s Weekend Getaway to 3URYLGHQFH 5, 1RW RQO\ ZDV LW \RXWKIXO LQ VSLULW MXVW OLNH XV) but became practical in terms of fuel mileage. The fun factor ZDV definitely there as we belted out endless tunes GHVSLWH the world being able to hear us with the top down the entire time), and it was also incredibly comfortable for such a small two-seater. The BFF and I are already talking about our next epic road trip which will take us east this time to explore P.E.I., 1HZIRXQGODQG DQG 1RYD 6FRWLD %XW ,'P ZRQGHULQJ KRZ ZH'OO ever top the experience the Fiat 124 Abarth gave us on that amazing one-night stay in Rhode Island.
Watch the FULL REVIEW here!
“We stopped to chat with cows, or just to take in the scenery.�
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“...the Gulf Islands are easily accessed by car, yet feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of urbanity.�
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Discovered
A road trip with a watery twist British Columbia’s southern gulf islands Story and photography by Rob Rothwell
Tall cedars and gnarled Arbutus trees look close enough to touch as the Salish Eagle pulls slowly into the dock of Galiano Island after transiting the Salish Sea’s Georgia Strait under clearing skies. The Salish Eagle, and its twin the Salish Raven, are among B.C. Ferry’s newest vessels. They’re clean-burning modern ships, both capable of operating on natural gas or ultra-low sulfur diesel. Each vessel is capable of carrying 600 passengers and 138 cars to one of British Columbia's five Southern Gulf Islands. The grouping of Gulf Islands includes Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Saturna, and Saltspring, plus several smaller islands without regular B.C. Ferry Service. The Gulf Islands are clustered together between British Columbia’s mainland and the eastern shore of Vancouver Island, where they enjoy a relatively dry Mediterranean climate. With regular ferry service from both the mainland and Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands are easily accessed by car, yet feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of urbanity. With the exception of Saltspring, which is the most developed of the Gulf Islands, there isn’t a traffic light to be had! The absence of mainland traffic is highly appealing to those choosing to cycle the quiet meandering roads of the Islands. Be warned though, islands are mountain tops sticking out of the ocean, which means
hilly terrain can be expected. As the Salish Eagle pulls out of port after an exchange of cars and people at Sturdies Bay, Galiano Island, it enters the protected waters of Active Pass, which separates Galiano from Mayne Island before connecting with the Trincomali Channel to the west. Measuring approximately 5.5 km in length, Active Pass is narrow by marine standards and includes 90-degree bends at either end, making it a tricky passage to navigate. Commercial freighters are restricted from this route due to the risk, which took three lives in 1970 when a Russian freighter T-boned a B.C. Ferry. Despite its nautical hazards, Active Pass always puts on an outstanding display of wildlife for the tourists aboard the ferries.
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“A trip to B.C.’s Gulf Islands is special during any season of the year…” Bald eagles circle above while harbour seals dive and resurface below. Pods of orcas – better known by their formidable nomenclature of “killer whales” – are often spotted from the decks as their dorsal fins slice the blue of the water’s surface. Large plumes of spray shoot upwards as they spout, exhaling before re-inhaling fresh oxygen into their lungs. Keep a keen eye for a magnificent breach! In my many Gulf Island adventures, I’ve only had the privilege of witnessing a single orca breach, but it’s etched into my mind – and it will be in yours when it happens. So, come along with me; our trip to the Gulf Islands begins in Vancouver. After a 30-minute journey by highway, we arrive at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal where we’ll board the 9:55 a.m. sailing of the Salish Eagle. Our land-based transportation is provided by a 2017 Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition. As the final year of production for the current generation of Touareg, ours features a Canyon Grey exterior and a cabin highlighted with two-tone leather and plenty of brushed aluminum appliques, making it as visually striking as it is comfortable. The Wolfsburg Edition includes niceties such as heated and cooled front seats, adaptive cruise control, upgraded audio, navigation, panoramic roof, keyless operation, and many more comfort and convenience features to maximize the enjoyment for all aboard.Powered by VW’s gasoline-fired narrow-angle VR6 engine fused to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the
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Touareg delivers strong performance combined with exceptional polish and refinement. With VW's 4MOTION all-wheel-drive traction and a set of roof racks, the Touareg is ready for anything the Islands can throw at it, including snow. A trip to B.C.’s Gulf Islands is special during any season of the year, and this one happens to be winter, which holds a number of ancillary benefits, such as reduced rates for accomodations and near-empty ferries and restaurants.
After departing Galiano Island, the Salish Eagle’s next stop on its Gulf Islands run is Mayne Island, and that’s where we’ll return to dry land after our 90-minute journey at sea. Mayne Island is one of the less developed Gulf Islands with a full-time population of 1,100 or so. The Island encompasses approximately 21 square-kilometres of land, which includes Mount Parke peaking at 255 metres. Not exactly Everest but an invigorating hike with rewarding views nonetheless. As we head out of the Village Bay ferry terminal on Mayne Island, we drive eastward for four short kilometres to the eastern shores where we find the Mayne Island Resort tucked along the bluff of Bennet Bay and its sandy beach. The resort has been constructed with strict adherence to eco-friendly practices to ensure that it complements the neighbouring Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and the Islands low-human-impact ethos. The resort’s villas were designed as elegant, restful retreats featuring spectacular views of Bennet Bay and the Belle Chain of Broken Islets. Reclaimed plank flooring, granite tiles, and knotty alder add a high-end yet organic feel to the units, which include a full kitchen, separate bedroom, and large, luxurious
bathroom with a soaker tub and heated slate floor. Each villa is also equipped with air conditioning and a washer and dryer. In addition to daily rentals, Villas are available for purchase under a fractional ownership structure. The ownership arrangement provides each buyer with six or more weeks per year of completely carefree Mayne Island holidaying at a fraction of the price of full ownership, and without the headaches and hassles of caring for a vacation property. With no cleaning or maintenance to do, there’s far more time for exploring one of the world’s most pristine marine environments. Bennett Bay is sheltered by uninhabited Georgeson Island and its rocky outcroppings along with several small islets and reefs of the Belle Chain. These natural formations prevent the wind and surf of greater Georgia Strait from agitating the calm waters of Bennet Bay and adjoining Horton Bay. Often smooth as glass, the waters of the two bays provide kayakers with a world-class experience.
"Often smooth as glass, the waters of the two bays provide kayakers with a world-class experience.”
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Playful harbour seals express as much interest in “yakkers” as the humans afloat do in the ocean’s version of dogs in a park. While paddling through narrow channels, I have watched in awe as seals have zoomed through the clear water under my kayak, twisting and turning with startling speed and grace. Harbour seals, indigenous to coastal Pacific waters, typically measure 1.2 to 1.6 metres in length and weigh in the range of 60-80 kilograms. Their shiny fur coats vary from grey to tan to silver and are generally mottled with darker spots. Skilled underwater hunters, these mammals can remain submerged up to 40 minutes, but more typically surface every few minutes to check out activities above. A secret not know or appreciated by many of our neighbours south of the 49th is the dense population of bald eagles along British Columbia’s Pacific Coast. With a life expectancy of 20-years and a wingspan in excess of two metres, they are formidable raptors and also the official emblem of the United States of America. Bald eagles soar high over old-growth stands of conifers in which they construct massive nests. The Gulf Islands are ideal habitats for the majestic creatures, which reward us with shows featuring their airborne agility. Rather comically though, an eagle's squeaky cry is less than befitting its predatory image. Many other sights and sounds of nature present themselves to kayakers that silently slip through the water. Otters are a common sight, which in the late spring and summer can include a litter of pups. It’s a treat to see them trailing a parent, swimming adeptly through the water or scurrying down the beach.
Paddling alongside sandstone rock faces that have been carved and gouged by thousands of years of Pacific surf is like looking into a kaleidoscope of shapes and patterns. Below the surface, clusters of starfish can be examined; purple, red, orange, and blue. As many as thirty or more species of star and sunfish inhabit the salty waters of the Salish Sea. Whether paddling with a guide or exploring unguided, Bennett Bay is a vast aquarium of sea life largely unspoiled by the incursion of man. After crisscrossing the Bay or circumnavigating Curlew Island, one of my favourite routes, kayakers can return to the comfort of the Mayne Island Inn for a gourmet experience at the Bennett Bay Bistro. On-tap is Mayne Island’s own beer. The Mayne Island Brewing Company is a low-volume cottage industry producing fresh brews that capitalize on the flora of the island. Is there a better way to conclude the day than with a visit to the Resort’s heated pool, hot tub, and steam room? Perhaps a quick workout beforehand is needed to alleviate the impending calorie-induced guilt. While the Mayne Island Resort and the beauty of Bennett Bay may be our trip’s focal point, visitors would undoubtedly enjoy exploring the island’s many other beautiful beach access points and attractions, not to mention the scenic roads circuitously stitching them together. Drivers need to keep a sharp eye for deer though. The Gulf Islands are heavily populated with fallow deer that enjoy feeding along the roadside. Buck, doe, and fawn, entire families are often clustered together for a meal.
"Whether paddling with a guide or exploring unguided, Bennett Bay is a vast aquarium of sea life largely unspoiled by the incursion of man.”
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"It's also about great food, the kindness of Islanders, and life without traffic lights." A favourite whale spotting site is Georgina Point Park where a lighthouse stands tall, warning sailors since 1885 of the shoals at the mouth of Active Pass. A short drive from Georgina Point is Dinner Bay, graced by the beauty and tranquility of the nearby Japanese Gardens. The gardens were established to commemorate the Japanese families that had settled on Mayne Island between 1900 and 1942, during which time they comprised a third of the Island’s population and half of its economy prior to the outbreak of WWII. Hostilities with Japan led to their forced removal from the island; sadly, few ever resettled. If a break from sightseeing is due, a little friendly competition can be wagered at the frisbee-golf course situated at Dinner Bay Park. This heavily-treed course is open for play every day, and it’s free. If it’s not suitably challenging, grab in interisland ferry and head over to Pender Island where you'll find a disc golf course described somewhat ominously as “unique.” The 27-hole course is woven into the forest over hills that’ll challenge your physical stamina with rocky climbs and steep drops. This course hosts tournaments that draw disc’ers from all over British Columbia and Washington State. Of course, Pender Island, and the remaining Gulf Islands offer many other activities to keep nature-seekers and families busy for days. Many residents of the islands operate small-scale Bed & Breakfast accommodations, which is an excellent way to fully integrate into island life for a few days or a few weeks.
Websites such as Airbnb and VRBO offer a wide array of accommodation listings, from rustic to luxurious, and everything in between. When time comes to strap the watch back on and start the journey home, it’s not a time of woe, but rather an opportunity to reflect on the beauty of British Columbia's Gulf Islands and the unfiltered window on nature they hold. It’s also about great food, the kindness of Islanders, and life without traffic lights. Our return trip aboard the Salish Eagle will close the chapter on this wood and water road trip with a sunset passage through Active Pass and across the Salish Sea to the Mainland. We depart Mayne Island at 5:10 p.m. and make a stop at Sturdies Bay, Galiano Island, before docking in our home port of Tsawwassen at 6:40 p.m. Rush-hour traffic has abated as we enjoy clear sailing on pavement, arriving home in Vancouver at 7:20 p.m. Though we at VICARIOUS are all about road trips, this one is unique; much of the driving is left to the captain, which means that holiday mode kicks the moment you enter the ferry terminal. Stress melts away like ice in the sun that’s sure to shine on B.C.’s Gulf Islands any season of the year. Be certain to make ferry reservations for the ferry well ahead of time, especially during the peak travel months. Reservations are free and can be made online at www.bcferries.com.
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Featured Motorcycle
2018 Harley-Davidson CVO Limited
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CourtesyofBrown'sHarley-Davidson
Specs
Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117ci 113 horsepower 5.7 L/100 km 428 kg
New Roads
Where the Road and the Sky Connect I never wonder where I’ll receive inspiration. When I’m on the back of our bike drinking it in, I want to share the scents I inhale, the images I see, and the electrifying beauty all around. I’m inspired by every turn of the wheels beneath us. An epic ride deserves an epic story. The ideas of where to start and the roads to follow belong solely to my husband, Bernie. He worked tirelessly from September to March. Story by Ricki Letofsky
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It begins with a paper map of the USA; emails to many Chambers of Commerce; researching "best motorcycle roads" in each area, Google Images; telephone calls; and lots of highlighting. Once he chooses the entire route, including roads and sights, we chart our travel by kilometres per day. There was no single focus of this ride. We both love the (old and new) West. We wanted to see parts of the USA we missed through on our last foray a few years ago. The distance - a projected 5,600 km; the duration - 17 days. The places included Kalispell and Helena, Montana; Cody and Jackson Hole in Wyoming; and Custer, South Dakota. Linking the ride would be visits to Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. Riding through Sturgis, Lead and Deadwood in South Dakota was the bonus. While part of the fun is planning, nothing beats reality as we counted down to our departure. Living in the ‘burbs of Toronto, our best plan is shipping the bike to Calgary, flying to meet it and starting there. The bike is shipped two weeks prior fully packed except for helmets and boots. We pack our shiny black 2016 Limited, paying strict attention to weight restrictions. Although ‘fair’ would be to share the load, Bernie’s allotment is far less than 50% (but he doesn’t need as much as I do!). The day arrives, we fly, we land, we pick up the bike. A quick shop stop at Calgary Harley-Davidson – and we’re on the road - ready to start our adventure!
it’s primal and it’s part of us now. Just before reaching the B.C. border we cross over the Continental Divide. This is, geographically, where east separates from west; and great rivers decide to head to the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. It's literally a ‘watershed’ moment and definitely a photo op. We hook south down Hwy 93 towards Cranbrook, B.C. This short road is a tiny squiggle on the map, but it's astoundingly beautiful. We pass through small towns and farmland. Wild goats feed by the roadside. The mountains withdraw to the distance and the scenery is filled with untamed green fields and trees. We whisk over bridges covering clear, blue streams and bed down in Cranbrook, B.C. anticipating the days to come. No longer is this just a plan with highlighted roads on a map. Now it’s real.
“Riding through the heart of the Rockies, we immediately feel a connection to the earth and sky.” The next morning, we hop back onto Hwy 93. This is a direct route from Cranbrook to Kalispell, MT. The day greeted us with sunshine beaming down as we rode beneath a canopy of blue sky, mountains etching the horizons in every direction and fragrant clean air. Within moments of leaving the hotel, we approach the US border and glide through.
From Calgary to Banff, the TransCanada Highway finds one on an ever-changing road delivering you to the doorstep of the Rockies. The highway begins to elevate and curve. We gulp the fresh air which is tastier by the moment. Each sweeping bend in the road presents a stunning new vista of the mountain range on either side of us.
We’ve been to parts of Montana before and it’s worth a return trip. The sparkling rivers, streams, and lakes complement the greenery alongside the roadway. The beauty of it all takes our breath away. We’re in no rush. I open my arms to feel the air rush over, beneath and through me. We become a part of the scenery, the link between road and sky. It’s a connection which is never severed.
Riding through the heart of the Rockies, we immediately feel a connection to the earth and sky. It’s inexplicable,
Kalispell is the gateway to Glacier National Park West Entrance. This was a definitive and decisive destination by us.
"While part of the fun is planning, nothing beats reality as we counted down to our departure."
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The day dawned with a cloudless sky. It’s always best to start early because the road will soon fill with vehicles. We stop at the market just outside the entrance to buy sandwiches and waters for lunch. Glacier National Park awaited our arrival with the sun barely peeking through the treetops. The air was fresh, sweet and cool as we began our climb. The aptly named “Going to the Sun Road” is 80 kilometres across and more than 1,830 metres skyward. Every curve in the road brings sights of breathtaking beauty. As the road winds and narrows, it brings us closer to the sides of majestic snow-drizzled mountain peaks. All that stands between oblivion and us is a one-metre high man-made stone barrier. Going slowly, the road curls and swirls, making it difficult to see where our lane ends and the sky begins. Each bend in the road leads to astounding vistas. We enter and exit tunnels carved through the mountainside. Glistening waterfalls noisily herald our approach and we are
splashed from melting snow dripping down the mountains. It’s a refreshing sensation! We stop often to gaze upon immense glaciers coating mountainsides. Near the pinnacle, we again cross the Continental Divide. Not just another photo op, it’s time to stop and drink in the Earth’s splendour. We’re surrounded by the glorious Rocky Mountains and it’s as if we’ve been transported into a painting. This is a road unlike any other we’ve ridden. To see this magnificent mountain range draped by ancient glaciers (which are shrinking daily), the Going to the Sun Road is an absolute must for all who journey by motorcycle. Our next destination was Helena, Montana’s State Capitol, but just a stop along the way. This day though, Bernie went ‘offbook”. He was in the mood for the famous "Whop Chop” sandwich at Muzz & Stan's (Evel Knievel's favourite restaurant) in Butte, MT. We ate here years ago. The decision was made, we’ll ride the 115 kms.
"It's always best to start early because the road will soon fill with vehicles."
We usually travel scenic bi-ways, but Interstate 15 South is the only road to Butte. Our expectations were low as we set out. With farmland stretching as far as the eye could see on either side of the road, the highway seemed flat and boring. We settled in for a two-hour straight zoom. After the first hour though, mountains appeared as faint purple smudges against the distant horizon. Riding southward, the blurs began to take shape. This road became a delightful and beautiful surprise. The highway changed to a swirling, curving, smooth stretch of blacktop cutting through low surrounding mountains. The Missouri River cut a shining swath, weaving from side to side of the highway. Turning my head left or right, the view was a constant joy. Needless to say, being practically alone on this blacktopped ribbon of road, the air was clean and pure. The only creatures having more fun and a better vantage point were the hawks lazily circling in the warm sky above. What an unexpected
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treat! Montana is surely a place where heaven and earth meet. The next day’s ride from Helena, Montana to Cody, Wyoming was unbelievably spectacular! Our route led us to the Beartooth All-American Road (located on a section of US Route 212), at the foot of which is the sweet little town of Red Lodge. It's filled with bikers travelling from Wyoming to Montana and others going in our direction. After a quick stop for lunch; shopping at the local Harley-Davidson; and a brief look at the historic 19th Century Pollard Hotel, we set out towards the Beartooth Pass. Located at an elevation of 3,337 metres is the atypical site of the state line separating Montana and Wyoming.
“Needless to say, being practically alone on this blacktopped ribbon of road, the air was clean and pure.”
“It occurs to me this view hasn’t changed since pioneers trekked over this area.”
Approaching the Beartooth Mountains the road is wide and sweeping. Of course, by now we knew - when the road rises around the mountains, the blacktop tapers to a thin strip. Bernie seemed effortless though while riding the turns, curves, sweeps and swerves up, up, up 3 kilometres high. Being high above the tree line, the surrounding area is rocky, desolate and barren. We found ourselves at the same altitude as mountain peaks in the distance. Our hearts were pumping with each turn of the wheels and every breath whispered away into the thin air. The view is unforgettable when you’re on top of the world. We crossed over into Wyoming, descending towards the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway. The word ‘scenic’ does not do this road justice and it alone cannot describe the breadth and beauty of the road into Cody. This easy-going highway winds around the foot of mountains with nary another vehicle in sight. Red-striped mesas are visible in the distance across kilometres of plains. Their appearance is immeasurable against the backdrop of an endless blue sky. It occurs to me this view hasn’t changed since pioneers trekked over this area. The personal sense of presence is overwhelming. The town of Cody appears in the distance beneath the soft blue canvas of sky and shimmering sunlight. Our stay in Cody is everything we’d hoped. Great people, restaurants, and sights. It’s a true cowboy town. We visit Old Trail Towne (site of the original Town); experience a Rodeo; and spend a day at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institute. Two days later, we departed for Yellowstone National Park on our way to Jackson, WY.
We travelled west on WY Hwy 14. The road cuts through the heart of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. Once again, we’re treated to a beautiful, smooth, blacktopped road sweeping through forests, rounding glassine lakes reflecting the pure blue sky. We weave our way towards Yellowstone. Our express purpose is seeing Old Faithful. The road continues deep into the forest beneath a canopy of lush greenery as we ride towards this famous Geyser. The view opens to flat ground and yellow dirt. There are numerous geysers scattered throughout the park, many with steam continually rising up from the ground. We join the huge waiting crowd and Old Faithful does not disappoint. Right on schedule, it gushes upward over 30 metres in the air. It’s an awesome sight! Every time we hop back on the bike, I think we’ve already seen the best the country has to offer. It’s hard to admit I’m wrong. WY Highway 191 out of Yellowstone towards Jackson Hole was exquisite. Although mostly flat terrain, the scenery was a feast for the eyes. We ride through rich forests which exit to enormous soft green meadows. Buffalo and bison dot the countryside in the distance. Sweeping curves bring us alongside the tree-lined shores of tranquil Jackson Lake reflecting the sky. As we emerge, the road opens to the stunning sight of the Teton Mountain range rising out of the Snake River Canyon.
“As the sun rose higher, the terrain kept changing.” 59
“Every time we hop back on the bike, I think we’ve already seen the best the country has to offer.” Jackson Hole is an excellent destination. It’s a small cowboy town abundant with people, history, restaurants, and shops. No need to ride, the town is small, and everything is within walking distance. Next stop - Thermopolis. Once again, although my expectations are minimal, the scenery on the ensuing ride was nothing short of awe-inspiring. We began at the foot of the Teton Mountains returning to Hwy 191. This time though we turned onto US Route 26 heading eastward. The ground is covered with green sage as far as the eye can see. Early morning dew created a sweet fragrance. The cerulean sky is high and large with no end in sight. The day belongs to us. The road starts its incline to over 2,700 metres. We’re surrounded by deep forest carpeting the slopes. The highway swerved and curved, with mountain spikes visible in the distance. This is the beautiful Shoshone National Forest. This vista soon gave way to sprawling farms and ranches. Horses frolicked on the range with a backdrop of stone wall mountains. We rode through small towns which before this day were only dots on our map. As the sun rose higher, the terrain kept changing. At Shoshoni, we turned north onto Route 20. What began as farmland, morphed quickly into an ever-changing landscape. The doorway to the Wind River Canyon unlocked. Our eyes couldn’t open any wider. It was if we were watching a slideshow as every curve of the highway brought new scenes. Mountains moved to reveal arid, flat terrain with spectacular mesas in the distance. The highway followed the flow of the Wind River through the Wind River Reservation lands. We saw gullies, gulches, and gorges. A railroad wound in and out of the mountainsides. The mercury exceeded 35° C. This was a road meant for a motorcycle and capped with a gift of natural beauty unlike any we’d ever seen before. The road ended, and we could finally exhale. We landed at the entry to Thermopolis, home to numerous natural hot springs and Dinosaur deposits. This ride has become a never-ending delight to the senses. Months ago, these roads were boring blue lines crossing paper maps. They’ve now become an astonishing discovery. The Harley was made for these roads and all we want to do is RIDE! If variety is the spice of life, then the Sweet 16 State Highway from Thermopolis to Gillette is one zesty ride! Whether
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straight and smooth or riding one curve to the next, the scenery was ever-changing! Gillette led us into the Black Hills of South Dakota. From Sturgis to Deadwood to Lead to Custer - it's Bike Week. Every town was filled to the brim with Harleys. These small towns have populations of less than a 1,000, but they roll out the red blacktop carpet to bikers from everywhere! It's an incredible sight to see motorcycles parked, riding, coming and going no matter where you ride! The next few days were a blur of soft blue skies, gentle hills, warm breezes, amazing roads, gorgeous countryside and the constant roar of bikes all around us. A visit to South Dakota wouldn’t be complete without a ride to Badlands National Park with a stop at the famous Wall Drugs. The ride was nothing less than spectacular! The road was smooth, the temperature scorching and the scenery desolate and vast. The vision invokes awe and
mountains standing sentry, clear waters, expansive forests, sprawling ranches, desert vegetation, beautiful animals and birds. Where every sweep, swerve, turn and curve of mountain roads brings stunning new vistas into view. When two people riding on two wheels brings you both closer to feeling the heartbeat of the road. Heading east we watched a parade of yet more bikes heading west towards Sturgis. Crossing into the Central Time Zone, the terrain is flat and endless. Corn, wheat, and sunflowers carpet the ground for miles. After passing over the mighty Mississippi, its official – we’re homeward bound. The terrain changed drastically. More freeway, less curves; more four wheels, less two wheels; more plains; and no mountains! 17 days; 10 States; 3 Provinces; crossing the Continental Divide six times; 6,500 km; scenery that makes your heart burst from its sheer beauty and majesty; roads with height and views that take your breath away; amazing people; great food and road food; 18 four and two-wheelers; Harley stores; and cosmic moments. Looking back, we know each day was filled with the perfect blend of sky, road, bike and us. We believe we found the key to the universe… It’s in the engine of our Harley-Davidson!
“Looking back, we know each day was filled with the perfect blend of sky, road, bike and us.” wonder. These amazing mineral formations are visible for miles. The sight is simultaneously daunting and beautiful. From Custer, we rode over Hwy 16A – the “Iron Mountain Highway” - chosen as one of the best motorcycle roads in North America. It did not disappoint. 27 kilometres with 314 curves through the sweet aroma of deep forest, blue sky and iron stone walls. It was made for Harley's! Tunnels cut through the heart of the mountainsides provide glimpses of Mount Rushmore. Of course, we stopped for a visit with four great Presidents. The day comes when we must bid farewell to this most beautiful part of the country. The glory is within its soaring
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v1car1ous .
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Featured Road
The Mother Road Some know it as the Main Street of America, many know it as the Mother Road, but everyone knows it as the legendary Route 66. A pillar of American history and the canvas of countless movies and songs, this highway to Western colonization, once the only connection between East and West, is nowadays the ultimate road-trip fantasy of on-wheel adventurers. Before receiving its legendary 66 number the Mother Road was pieced together with existing highways and roads to form the Chicago-to-Los Angeles route. Story and photography by Sabrina Giacomini
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The first few miles of what would become the original Route 66 were drawn in California, in the Cajon Pass, as traced by Naval officer Edward Fitzgerald Beale in 1857, commissioned with building a road along the 35th Parallel, Beale's Wagon Road. This section of road remains unpaved to this day as a stretch of dirt trail, south of Cajon. American entrepreneurs Cyrus Avery and John Woodruff are credited with promoting the idea to build a road connecting the East to the West. Their vision only became reality once Congress voted on a revised version of the early Public Highways Act, which prompted the government to take action and a build a national highway. With the idea of connecting urban and rural communities to a main artery in mind, Route 66 received its designation in April 1926. The road was officially completed and paved by 1938, becoming the first fully paved highway in the country. It's inauguration played an important role in the colonization of the West Coast, especially during the Oust Bowl days in the 1930s. Through the years, the outline of the highway changed and adapted to the travellers' reality. Certain portions were rerouted because of how dangerous they were to drive, eliminating perilous curves. Engineers also made it a point to constantly update the route with more direct paths from one point to another. The establishment of the Interstate Highway Act in 1956 instigated the road's slow decline and decertification. The road was officially decommissioned in 1985, bypassed by the more modern Interstate network. The elements have rendered certain sections of the road impracticable, particularly in the north and central states, from Illinois to Oklahoma.
In the warmer states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, the remaining sections of the Mother Road have been better preserved, crossing long stretches of desert among the mesas and golden hills of the Arizona/New Mexico Plateau. Roughly 85 percent of the road can still be travelled today. Undertaking the road trip of your dreams will require thorough planning, especially for its first half leaving Chicago. The road sections and merges into bypasses and parallel roads, making it sometimes confusing to follow. If missing out is a concern of yours, tour guides will offer their services to make sure you experience the best of the Mother Road. The adventure will feel like a trip back in time as you cross paths with abandoned gas stations, countless museums, souvenir shops and tacky motels reminiscent of the road's former glory. Stops such as El Trovatore Motel in Kingman, Arizona with rooms inspired by Hollywood's golden era celebrities, and the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook are sure to steal a smile. A short 100-kilometre detour north of Kingman will even take you to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Oklahoma will introduceyoutoalleight states thehistorical roadcrosses. With close to 4,000 km to add to the odometre, allow yourself at least a week to make the trip, unless you can resist stopping every few kilometres to take a picture or buy a state-specific Route 66 shield pin from one of the countless souvenir shops sprinkled along the way.
"A short 100-kilometre detour north of Kingman AZ will even take you to the south rim of the Grand Canyon"
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UNITED STATES Route 66
SPECS: "Mother Road" Route 66, United States of America Total length: 3,940 km Surface: asphalt, dirt Speed limit: 55 to 75 mph (88 to 120 km/h) Vear completed: 1926 Hazards: road sectioned off
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DISCOVERY
IT’LL GET YOU INTO AMAZING PLACES. IT’LL ALSO HELP GET YOU OUT AGAIN.
One of the many innovative features in the Land Rover Discovery is All-Terrain Progress Control. This manages the engine and brakes, so that the vehicle maintains a comfortable and steady off-road speed automatically. Leaving you to concentrate on steering a path through any far-flung landscape you find yourself in. landrover.ca
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY STARTING FROM $ 66,622 *
@landrovercanada
*Purchase a new (in-stock) 2018 Discovery SE V6 Supercharged Gasoline starting from $66,622. Price includes Freight ($1,600), PDI ($495), Admin ($395), AC Charge ($100), Tire Levy (up to $36) and RDPRM (up to $96); other charges may apply depending on province. License, insurance and all applicable taxes are extra. Vehicle may not be exactly as shown. Retailers may sell or lease for less. Please visit your local Land Rover Authorized Retailer for details. © 2018 Jaguar Land Rover Canada ULC
Special Special Feature Feature
Land Rover Experience Enjoying the dog days of… winter? Story by Miranda Lightstone, photography by Peter Hessels, Cam Langendoen
It turns out you don’t have to keep hibernating and hiding from Old Man Winter when spring seems to take forever to arrive. Instead, you can take a weekend away in luxury and experience traditional Quebec winter fun, along with some wheel-time in an all-new Land Rover Discovery Sport or Range Rover. How is that all possible? Well, the gorgeous town of Montebello in Western Quebec, known for the world-famous Fairmont Le Château Montebello, the largest log structure ever built, plays host to a permanent Land Rover Driving Experience, even when Old Man Winter doesn’t want to leave.
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“The Land Rover Experience can be a great weekend adventure for families...” Open to anyone with a wallet and a will to do a bit of off-roading, the Land Rover Experience can be a great weekend adventure for families, couples, best friends or even just Land Rover/Range Rover owners who want to see what their vehicles are really capable of once you leave the main roads and take on the path less travelled through the gorgeous Papineau region.
through the pink sand dunes in Utah, I was curious to see how the big Landie would handle the soft, sticky, ice-underneath snow conditions of good ol’ Quebec.
Hosted on the Kenauk Nature Park, a 65,000-acre fish and game reserve, 2,000 of which can be explored thanks to the Land Rover Experience in varying levels of difficulty and terrains, ideal for testing the limits (and capabilities) of Land Rover’s SUVs.
With so much rain and ice under fresh and sticky snow, it was a recipe for disaster. So, on went the chains.
From elephant steps to steep inclines and descents, as well as a large sand pit, the tree-lined trails and open fields are the ideal playgrounds for the all-new Land Rover Discovery. Having already experienced the newly redesigned Discovery
As we approached the now-snow-covered sandpit to test the traction of the snow before heading into the woods, our super knowledgeable instructor, Dominique, admitted conditions would likely not be too good.
A last generation Land Rover LR4 was already waiting for us, all four tires chained up and sporting a winch, ready to go. This was our backup should things get a bit squirrely in the woods. And truthfully, the old-gen LR4 looked pretty badass, all decked out, with a “don’t mess with me” look about it. I was kind of hoping we'd get stuck...
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“And that’s the real beauty of a Land Rover Discovery: KHUH LV D YHKLFOH WKDW IHHOV DW KRPH LQ WKH VXEXUEV DV PXFK DV LQ WKH ZRRGV ĂŤ When the engineers designed the new Discovery, they took away some wheel-well space up front. For that reason, we were only able to chain up our rear tires, but according to Dominique, that was more than enough to provide all the traction needed. The Land Rovers used in the driving program are ordered straight from the dealers with the same specs and trims available to regular consumers. Locking differentials and suspension upgrade options are usually selected for optimal RII URDGLQJ FDSDELOLW\ EXW WKH\ DUH VR WR VSHDN ĂŞFLYLOLDQ JUDGHĂŤ There are no aftermarket or tricked out off-road bits. And that’s the real beauty of a Land Rover Discovery: here is a vehicle that feels at home in the suburbs as much as in the woods. 2XWfiWWHG ZLWK WKH ULJKW WLUH DQG VXVSHQVLRQ VHW XS WKLV luxurious SUV can take you anywhere, which is just where we were headed that day. My driving partner, a novice off-roader, got as much time behind the wheel as I did (for a total of about 3.5 hours of driving), and she learned some important lessons about following pack-snow tracks instead of trying to forge her own way.
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Read: we got stuck. However, we didn’t get ourselves so badly stuck that Dominique wasn’t able to shovel our way out - no LR4 winching needed, sadly. But the time we took digging ourselves out gave our rescue driver some time to build a VQRZPDQ EHFDXVH ZKR GRHVQèW ZDQW WR EXLOG D VQRZPDQ directly in our path. The idea behind the Land Rover Drive Experience is to not only explore the limits of the vehicle but also your limits as a driver. I’ve learned a lot about myself as a driver, and really a person, over the years, driving on racetracks and off-road trails. Your brain will panic long before it needs to in most situations. ,W'V DPD]LQJ KRZ WKH ERG\ UHVSRQGV - fight or flight is indeed embedded in all of us, and as a vehicle starts to slowly slide down an incline, instinct will have you desperately steer away from the slide; exactly the opposite of what you should be doing.
“All those lessons you receive in the woods FDQ HDVLO\ EH DSSOLHG WR \RXU GDLO\ FRPPXWH ĂŤ
That’s where the advice of an experienced instructor like Dominique, who’s been teaching for 15 years now, comes in handy. And if you’ve got the wherewithal to walk away with the invaluable lessons and advice he provides during the drive, you’re guaranteed to be a better driver on regular roads as well. All those lessons you receive in the woods can easily be applied to your daily commute. Trails can be limited in the winter due to snow conditions and the overall season, however, it would seem that fall and spring is the best time to attend as there are plenty of mud, dirt, ruts, and sand to play in, with a variety of surfaces to test out either one of the school’s latest models or your own personal vehicle. Dominique explained that there are customers who return yearly with their vehicle as a kind of one-time off-road fun for their Land Rover or Range Rover. It also allows customers to try out new products in the lineup and perhaps plan their next purchase after the experience. Plus, the location is ideal for families of all ages and sizes. There’s so much to do at the Fairmont Le Château Montebello complex. From a foyer that might just be the best I’ve ever seen – kind of like a massive, cozy family room with a central fiUHSODFH RU PRUH OLNH firHSODFHV VXUURXQGHG E\ FRPI\ couches and chairs, with available board games, and a
bar for WKH SDUHQWV - WR DFWLYLWLHV VXFK DV GRJ VOHGGLQJ LFH fiVKLQJ snowshoeing, curling, cross-country skiing. Oh, and there’s a full-size pool, two hot tubs, squash courts, a full-size gym, and a spa that offers some pretty amazing treatments. And it’s all right there, in one place. Pricing for the Montebello experience depends on how long you want to be behind the wheel. A one-hour lesson is $250, while 2 hours will see that upped to $400. And if you want an entire day exploring and testing yours and the car’s limits, that’ll see you part with $1,200. There are also group rates available for those looking for the ultimate team building (or bachelor party) experience. 6SHFLfiF GDWHV FDQ EH IRXQG RQ WKH /DQG 5RYHU ([SHULHQFH website. Montebello isn’t the only Drive Experience location out there in Canada for off-roading, and there’s even a driving program LQ 6ZHGHQ ZLWK -DJXDU 6WD\ WXQHG IRU WKDW RQH. **EatLocal: Best breakfast in Montebello at Le CafÊ Entre Amis Rated #2 restaurant in Quebec by TripAdvisor Fairmont: www.fairmont.com/montebello Land Rover Experience: www.landrover.ca/en/experiences/ driving-schools/centre-finder
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Exit lane
A peek into the future Story by Kelly Taylor
There has been, and will be, a lot written about the future of the internal combustion engine, and what its eventual demise will mean for motoring. Will we be driving electric vehicles? Fuel cells? Will we be driving at all? Predicting the future usually starts from your own preconceptions: if you’re convinced electrics are the only way to save the planet’s atmosphere, you might be predicting a very early paradigm shift. If you think global warming isn’t real because it’s just too damn cold out, you don’t have a clear grasp on the difference between climate and weather, but you also probably have a much longer-term view on the future of fossil-fuel powered automobiles. There’s a long way to go before vehicle fleets are dominated by electrics, and probably just as long before fully autonomous vehicles are ready for prime time. But there’s no need to fear either. At a recent Mazda event, one of that company’s lead researchers, Masashi Otsuka, vice-president, research and development and design, predicted the internal combustion engine will remain a core part of vehicle powertrains — even as more hybrid offerings come on stream — to 2035 and beyond. But even a complete switch to electrics won’t spell the end of driving enjoyment. Electric motors are extremely torquey, far more than comparable gas engines, with a kick that starts at zero rpm. One of the biggest complaints about electrics, given the need, obviously, for electric power steering — numb, video-game feeling steering — has been addressed by moving the power-assist motor to the steering rack from the steering column, providing a direct, unmodified link from the wheel to the steering rack. As for the future of autonomous vehicles, we’ll continue to see incremental advances in driver-assist technologies, such as Nissan’s ProPilot Assist, as well as expansion to other vehicles in the lineup. There remain considerable hurdles to overcome, not the least of which is ethical programming: does the car, given a choice, save you or a child on the street? Insurance is another: if two cars with no drivers between them collide, who is at fault? Technologically, the hurdles are just as large. If a car needs to see lane markings to place itself in a lane, what happens when the markings are covered in snow and ice? Ford demonstrated one solution — high-resolution navigation data that includes known landmarks and precise locations of curbs and other roadway features. The data is compared with information collected by on-board LiDAR and camera inputs to tell the computer exactly where the vehicle is on the road. That data is, however, complicated to collect and massive in memory usage. If it took nearly a decade to complete mapping for conventional navigation — I still remember leaving Regina in a Porsche Cayenne and watching the map as I drove into navigation oblivion — imagine how long before the high-resolution navigation data is collected. Where we’re going is a matter for debate. Lexus has recently been running ads suggesting drivers should get as much driving fun now, “while you still can.” BMW, on the other hand, is advertising that a driver will always be at the heart of its designs, showing a steering wheel exiting the dash after the driver takes over. What is clear, however, is as we move forward, the future of driving and the future of urban planning will become increasingly intertwined. As more people move into urban centres, more emphasis will be placed on urban design and efficient movement of people, to the point many people will happily be in a place where they only need to drive when they want to drive.
If reducing demand for driving means more open roadways and clear sailing, I welcome the future. 70
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