TWO FOR ONE

Written by Craig Oldfield, founder of Ridin’ Alberta.

While continuing my adventures up in High Level I was able to do two things that I had never done before. Firstly, I had never been to the Northwest Territories and was excited about the opportunity to ride with a group of locals up to the border. I wouldn’t be crossing the border since it was closed due to Covid but this ride would be farther north than I had ever been on a bike or in any vehicle for that matter. Secondly, I had never seen any of the Extreme Indian Relay Races. An action-packed twoday event I would be attending during the upcoming weekend.

The ride up to the Northwest Territories border was similar to most of the riding near High Level but it felt different, maybe being in a group added to this feeling. In all we had three cruisers, two sport bikes and myself on my adventure bike, all of which showed up at the local Esso at our preplanned time. After quick introductions we hit the open highway running. There was very little traffic and a smooth stretch of pavement to the border which made it easy to keep a good pace. It was great to follow the local riders that know the road. This gave me a chance to relax and just grab a glove full of throttle and enjoy the ride. Once we arrived at the border and had taken the appropriate number of photos, we didn't waste time getting back onto the bikes. The weather was turning and we needed to make a mile. There was about 5 minutes of sleet but the further we rode we moved back into better weather. The route was 191 kms each way which required a fuel stop for our big cruiser riders. Meander River is the only gas station on this stretch and while fueling the bikes one of our group members suggested we stop at his cabin for a quick beverage and to socialize a bit. It was a welcome idea since when you're riding you don't get much chance to chat and after this pit stop, I was grateful for the friends I had made in this small group of riders. I have to thank Jason Kehrer for putting the ride together and all the great guys that showed up. It was a truly awesome experience riding up to the 60th parallel and I will definitely be back to ride more of northern Alberta and hopefully be able to cross into N.W.T. and the Yukon someday soon.

Anymore riding would have to wait because I had the Extreme Indian Relay Races to attend. I had heard about these types of races but had never had opportunity to see them. To kick off each day there were native dancers and a parade of the competitors. The dancers were very talented and it was great to see them carrying on their culture. There were teams from bands across Alberta there to compete in a series of horse races. The highlight of these races is the relay race where a single rider races three different horses around the half mile track one after the other. In the relay race there are 12 horses and 16 men (one rider and 4 handlers per team) on the track at the same time. These races are very exciting, almost chaotic, and keep you on the edge of your seat. Watching these races I couldn't help but compare the “jockeys” to motorcycle riders. I can only imagine the rush that these young men feel on the back of their thoroughbreds. I feel it would be very similar to the rush I feel riding my iron horses. It didn't seem to really matter who won either. I'm sure the racers all want the bragging rights but at the end of the day I feel like they were there because they love the thrill of racing these horses. Much like with motorcycle riders it's not a competition of who has the fastest bike, we all just love to ride. Both the riders enjoy the camaraderie, taking risks, living on the edge, all while having a huge smile on their face. In both cases there is excitement, speed, power and beauty that is all brought together while on the back of their respective rides. And at the end of the day both riders are all bound together by a sport that must be experienced to fully understand.

“Huge thanks to the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association and MacKenzie Frontier Tourism for providing these awesome opportunities and experiences in Northern Alberta.” - Craig Oldfield, founder of Ridin’ Alberta.