March 2019
Perspective
Discovered
New Roads
Putting The Hammer Down With Bryan Baeumler
Due North Road To The Arctic
Riding The Desert On The Steps Of The Baja 1000
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Moments create a journey you can always return to.
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Editor in Chief
“ Remember—The car is you; you are the car.”
- Nicolas Cage, Gone in 60 Seconds
In the world of automobiles, the annual arrival of spring takes flight in mid-January on the show floor of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan. It may be slushy and cold with an overflow of lake effect snow outside, but inside, the halls are buzzing with excitement and the thought of warm weather coming soon is palatable. For those of us living in Canada, the march forward continues at the Montreal International Auto Show and soon after takes another serious bite out of winter at the Canadian International AutoShow during its 10-day run in Toronto, Ontario. Shiny metal, bright lights, dreams of an inspirational road trip and of horsepower; I love this time of year. Next up, bring on the Vancouver International Auto Show in March, as well as the Edmonton Motorshow and the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show in April. In my quote at the top, one of the great “philosophers” of our time, Mr. Nicolas Cage, makes a statement in the remake of the classic movie Gone in 60 Seconds that resonates with anyone passionate about automobiles. It is a fact, the vehicles we drive are often a true reflection of who we are as a person. My past rides have included several classics from a bygone era of cheap gas and unrestricted exhaust. Now, if I am not testdriving the newest vehicles on the road, my personal transportation is a Toyota Camry Hybrid. Why? I enjoy the freedom of passing as many fueling stations as possible. That said, I don’t really consider myself to be best represented as a person by a four-door hybrid sedan. Someday maybe, but not today. For me, this begs two questions. Do people still see themselves reflected in their vehicles? Or, has the automobile become less of an outward avatar and more of an appliance? The current trend of promoting all-things electric would have us believing everyone aspires to drive utilitarian vehicles. But walk around an auto show for a few hours and it’s obvious people still dream of Porsches, Ferraris, Shelby Mustangs, and BMWs, not the newest electric vehicles. A future of “EV envy” is certainly coming, but for now, I can still see myself as someone who loves horsepower and torque accompanied by the sound of real exhaust notes resonating through the muffler. I think many of us do and that’s a good thing for the automobile industry as a whole. In our March 2019 issue, we continue to introduce new contributors along with our cast of regulars. East coaster Lisa Calvi brings us to the far north on an epic Northwest Territories “Discovered” adventure. “Auto Art” features racing photographer Phillip Sutherland who takes us behind the lens at some of motorsports most celebrated events. In “Perspective”, home improvement icon Bryan Baeumler sits down for a chat at a Habitat For Humanity build site to talk about life, homes, and cars. We are excited to deliver our latest issue of VICARIOUS to you. Love life, drive well!
Jeff Voth Editor in Chief, VICARIOUS jvoth@exhausted.ca
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Managing Editor
Never Shy Away
From The Drive We’ve had a consistent and recurring theme in VICARIOUS for the past year. Many of our adventures have taken us to some of the world’s most gorgeous locations and all of them have taken place on the road. Whenever I choose a new destination to discover, I try to make it a point to get in a car and explore for myself, away from the usual touristic patterns. You might call me a bit of a travelling snob—you wouldn’t be wrong. I find a lot of satisfaction in exploring an unfamiliar destination through its roads; it puts you right in the heart of the action and allows you to experience a city or an entire country very differently. The world is opening up and nowadays, it’s easier than ever to get in a car, or even on a scooter or a motorcycle to head out on your independent adventure. Renting a vehicle virtually anywhere in the world is only a click away and can get you places tours might skip. There’s something incredibly grounding and genuine about driving your own car and, even just for a day, living like the locals. On a small scale, you see what they see and you experience what they experience. Daring to have a drive around an unfamiliar city or country is also incredibly formative and informative. You get to see a little further than only with tourist’s eyes and you get to create your own path. Isn’t that utterly exciting? Not even getting lost should come as a concern. If you are mindful of your location and informed about the areas to avoid, keep a map close at hand, locked in the glove compartment, and allow yourself to wander. Not having a plan can sometimes lead to wonderful discoveries. While I have been very lucky and have had the chance to drive in most of the locations I have visited until now, there is one thing I have yet to do, and it’s been a fantasy of mine for the longest time: explore on a motorcycle. The logistics are usually more complicated—motorcycle rentals tend to be much more expensive than cars so the travelling budget ends up being very different. The payoff, however, is tenfold. You feel the air, experience the smells and connect with your environment in a way driving a car can’t quite compare. I might be preaching to the choir, being managing editor of an automotive lifestyle magazine, but this is something I would encourage any traveller to try at least once. Put the map away, get the keys to a car—or even better, to a motorcycle—and put yourself out there even just for an hour. You’ll be glad you did!
Sabrina Giacomini Managing Editor, VICARIOUS sgiacomini@exhausted.ca
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Contents 8 10
Editor in Chief Letter
Our Team Founder, Editor in Chief
Jeff Voth
Managing Editor Letter Managing Editor
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Contents
13
Contributors
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Visit to the Arctic Ocean
Sabrina Giacomini Contributing Writers
Steven Bochenek
Discovered
Lisa Calvi
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Turn-key Tourist
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Fire Road Through the Desert
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Bryan Baeumler Takes a Seat
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2019 Nissan 370Z NISMO
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The Algarve Awaits
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Phillip Sutherland
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2019 Harley-Davidson FXDR 114
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Three Days in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
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Guadalajara and the Real GTR
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Motorcycle Tech
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Route 326, Nova Scotia Featured Road
Director of Sales
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Exit Lane
Jeff Voth 905.327.3944 jvoth@exhausted.ca
Featured Hotels
Dan Heyman
Perspective
Matthew Neundorf
Featured Car
Phillip Sutherland
Discovered
Jeff Voth
Auto Art
Featured Motorcycle
Discovered
Design & Layout
Ilyes Fourar
Featured Region
Accessories
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.vicariousmag.com Cover Photo: Adnan Bubalo
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Matthew Guy
New Roads
Contributing Photographer
Peter Hessels
Contributors
Lisa CaLvi Lisa became fascinated with vehicles during her formative years in Europe. Returning to North America, the fascination continued. She combined her passion for writing, travel and cars during a four-year assignment with Carguide Magazine. Since 2011, her bi-weekly column, Lady Driven, appears in Atlantic Canada’s Saltwire Network, including the Halifax Chronicle-Herald. Lisa runs an event management company, Odyssey International Limited, with her husband which takes her on motoring adventures across the continent and provides fodder for her stories.
M att N euNdorf Ever since he can remember, Matt has been obsessed with everything motorized. And for the last twenty years, that obsession has been fixating on motorcycles. From building his own Triumph cafe racer to constantly seeking out adventures near and far, Matt is aiming to integrate the motorcycle into everything he does, while testing the limits of his riding abilities on all sorts of terrain. While he’s still happy to fling his BRZ around an apex from time to time, it’s clear that two wheels truly stir his soul.
s teveN B oCheNek 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 piña coladas, getting caught in the rain and writing about himself in the third person.
M atthew G uy Whether it’s wheeling a Land Rover across the deserts of western Utah, climbing over the red rocks of Nevada in a Ram Power Wagon, or bidding on collector cars at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona, Matthew is never far from something with four wheels and an engine.
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Discovered
14
Visit to the Arctic Ocean Road
thRough the
NoRthwest teRRitoRies
Story | LiSa CaLvi PhotograPhy | LuCaS SCarfone
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Choosing just one highlight is difficult when you take the trip of a lifetime to the top of the world. It’s also tough to define why the Northwest Territories road trip on the new all-season, 138-kilometre InuvikTuktoyaktuk Highway, the first road in Canada to reach the Arctic Ocean, was so special. North of the Arctic Circle, it’s dusty, muddy, cold, and lacking in luxury. But the people are warm and welcoming, full of love, culture, and a sense of community. And the land, oh, the land. Wild, remote, desolate, pristine, spectacular, and expansive, the land is all the adjectives you can think of. On steroids. Having been to the area before, I knew how friendly and open-hearted the residents were. About 15 years ago, in the dead of the frigid winter, with near 24-hour darkness, I drove from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk on a 190-kilometre road plowed on the ice of the frozen Mackenzie River and, for the last 40 kilometres or so, on the rough ice of the Arctic Ocean.
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For decades, in the winter, that road on the icy “Mississippi of the North” provided the only contact between the two outposts besides flying. For me, the notion of driving well above the Arctic Circle, at the top of the world, on a remote frozen body of water, was both exhilarating and terrifying. Construction on a permanent gravel all-season road had been a dream of the Northerners since the 1960s. Well, the dream has become a reality since November 2017. Though the all-season road provides freedom, improved accessibility and increased safety to Tuk residents, there is a certain sadness. The thrill of driving the ice road— the dizzying feeling of rounding that corner from the Mackenzie River and driving onto the choppy ice of the Arctic Ocean for the homestretch to Tuk—is gone. No more menacing warning signs: “Caution: Large Crack Ahead”. There was no messing around up there. In the glacial semi-darkness when the sun barely makes an appearance above the horizon, the raw and real “what if“ scenario played through my head incessantly.
I feel fortunate to have had that ice road driving experience in my lifetime. A road has been built in some of the most challenging geography on the planet. Now you can hop in your car anytime, anywhere in Canada and drive to Tuktoyaktuk. Highlight #1 of my most recent trip to the North, by a strong margin, was meeting and getting to know the exceptionally passionate people of the Town of Inuvik and the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. Besides being incredibly hospitable, the people of this remote corner of the world stick together and all act as loving ambassadors for their region. The area is also truly truck country—the perfect place to launch the all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 pickup truck from Chevrolet to media from across the country.
The pickup truck is king up here. And any one you see is usually covered to the windows in dust, dirt, and mud. There’s a good reason for all that dust and mud. The only paved roads up here are in the town of Inuvik itself. South looms the notorious 700-kilometre Dempster Highway to Dawson City and Whitehorse, where the gravel is seemingly alive and your windshield will know it. North of Inuvik, for the first time in history, you can drive to the Arctic Coast during the summer on the InuvikTuktoyaktuk Highway. The ITH is an engineering marvel for a few reasons. It is built on permafrost and meanders across Arctic highlands, through an area of glistening lakes and onto the barrens. Travellers cross the tree line halfway then drive across tundra to the Arctic coast.
“Wild, remote, desolate, pristine, spectacular, and expansive, the land is all the adjectives you can think of. ”
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A project of this magnitude in the high Arctic had never been undertaken without cutting into the permafrost. Known as “a beast of a project”, the two-lane, packed gravel highway was built over four years in the cold, dark winter in order to protect the permafrost and the tundra. The road travels through the grazing range of the North’s only herd of domestic reindeer that have grazed in the area since the 1930s, crosses the habitat of three caribou herds and reaches the world’s largest cluster of ice-cored Pingos, a national landmark on the outskirts of Tuk. I drove the first 2019 Silverado to reach the Arctic Ocean. It was a white Silverado LT Trail Boss. When I first saw it in Inuvik, it looked too wholesome and clean. After its 320-kilometre round trip up and down the InuvikTuk Highway, it looked brawny and purposeful—mud spatters, road rash and all. Come to Mama.
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Chevrolet has been building trucks for 100 years, so they should know what they’re doing. The new Silverado, the most-tested GM vehicle ever, with over 11 million kilometres of real-world driving, is proof they do. Numbers and ratings were not important to the kids in the two communities of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk though. They just wanted to see Chevy trucks. Their unbridled enthusiasm was apparent at the Open House at the Inuvik Arena where kids of all ages crawled over the trucks. We watched as one little boy, quivering with excitement at seeing not just one shiny new truck, but ten on display, ran from one truck to the other in disbelief, yelling “Truck! Truck!”. For such a small community, Inuvik is always bustling. We made sure to check out the iconic Igloo Church, built by Brother Maurice Larocque, a former carpenter and a Catholic missionary to the Arctic.
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“ The low long light across the pristine land, the impossible blue of the sacred Husky Lakes, the burnt orange aqpiq berry patches, the green tundra, dramatic clouds in the azure sky – every turn elicited gasps.” He designed the church with no formal architectural training and sketched it on two sheets of plywood. It is perfectly symmetrical in every way. We also saw the northernmost mosque in North America and the inspiring community greenhouse that gives Inuvik residents the chance to extend a much too short growing season. The vibrant Hamlet of Tuk pulled out all the stops. After an Arctic-breezy boat tour to view the Pingos (surrounding Tuktoyaktuk is the world’s largest cluster of these other-worldly land formations that exist only on permafrost) and a mystical visit with elders in the cozy traditional Sod House, we headed to Kitti Hall, the hamlet’s community centre.
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It looked like all 900 citizens had come out for the Community Feast held in our honour. Although the delicious home-cooked food and enchanting music and dancing (featuring the award-winning Siglit Drummers and Dancers, the youngest troupe in the Territories) may have been the draw, judging from the wonder on the children’s faces as the new trucks rolled into Tuk, the Chevy Silverado was a hit. The final drive south on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway was most definitely a highlight. The low long light across the pristine land, the impossible blue of the sacred Husky Lakes, the burnt orange aqpiq berry patches, the green tundra, dramatic clouds in the azure sky – every turn elicited gasps. I can’t wait to go back. Winter road trip anyone?
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Featured Hotels
Turn-key Tourist
turn-key (adjective): of or involving the provision of a complete service that is ready for immediate use.
S tory | J eff V oth
t he P earl h otel Florida is a favourite winter and spring destination, especially for northern climate residents seeking solace from the cold. There are few resorts in the sunshine state that compare to The Pearl Hotel. Designed in a beach house style, the classic white and black colour scheme promotes relaxation the moment you step through the front door. A total of 41 guest rooms, 9 suites, 4 cabanas rooms, and the ultimate Pearl Suite (from $1,299 per night) offer guests signature bath amenities, complimentary beach chairs and umbrella on a private beach, guest services integrated iPads to stay connected, and much more. There is also a free stocked mini-fridge as well as Keurig coffee and tea for those early morning ocean sunrises. Dining takes place at 30A Restaurant under the promise of four guiding principles; your life, your happiness, your relationships, your success. More casual fare is enjoyed at the Havana Beach Bar & Grill and Havana Beach Rooftop Lounge. Ernest Hemingway would be proud. Address: 63 Main Street, Rosemary Beach, Florida, 32461 Website: www.thepearlrb.com
r oSewood C aStiglion d el B oSCo Tuscany is renowned as one of the world’s exceptional winegrowing terroirs, producing rich reds and surprising whites with an exceptional bouquet in palate-pleasing flavours. It is also one of the best places to drive a sports car on winding two-lane country roads, an experience you will never forget and well worth the rental car investment. Get a convertible! Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco resides in the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. An 800-year old Tuscan treasure, the 5,000-acre estate encompasses old castle ruins, an ancient church, and the original village. Suites and villas offer the very best in luxury accommodations. Leisure activities include attending classes at the Osteria La Canonica Cooking School, truffle hunting, landscape painting classes, horseback riding, walking tours, and golf at The Club at Castiglion del Bosco, a private course. The Spa at Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco features a full menu of services and soothing ambience. Relax, you’re in Tuscany and life is good. Address: Località Castiglion del Bosco, 53024 Montalcino (Siena), Italy Website: https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/castiglion-del-bosco
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f ogo i Sland i nn If the thought of enjoying ice in your morning breakfast coffee alongside warm French toast dripping with maple syrup sounds appealing, Fogo Island Inn is for you. The ice I am referring to will be several kilometres out in the ocean as you watch icebergs float lazily past from April to June. It is a sight to behold. Situated on what the Flat Earth Society considers to be one of the four corners of the earth, Fogo Island Inn is both wild and tame at the same time. The island itself highlights spectacular geology, birds including puffins, harlequin ducks, white-winged scoters, and much more, plus breaching whale pods in the summer. The Inn looks to be part of the natural landscape, paying homage to the island with its unique take on a traditional Newfoundland outport design. A total of 29 guest rooms and suites offer spacious surroundings, relaxed colour schemes, exceptional amenities, and handcrafted touches throughout. The dining room features floor to ceiling windows with awe-inspiring views stretching to infinity. An art gallery, 37-seat cinema, guided tours, soaking in the hot tub, and star gazing are just a few of the ways to enjoy this uniquely Canadian locale. Address: 210 Main Road, Joe Batt’s Arm, Newfoundland, Canada A0G 2XO Website: www.fogoislandinn.ca
t he r itz -C arlton , a Bama Tenerife is part of the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the northwestern coast of Africa. Getting there is easy, with flights from Madrid offered daily. Once on the island, white and black sand beaches provide the perfect setting for vacationers. Mt. Teide, an active volcano located in the Teide National Park, dominates the view and is worth the trip inland. Roads here are exceptional, another reason to visit for those who enjoy driving on winding, two-lane highways with incredible seaside scenery at every turn. The Ritz-Carlton Abama is a grand resort on the scale of a small city. Rooms, suites, and villas offer the very best in accommodations and dĂŠcor. Dining is offered at a total of 12 different locations across the resort. At the top of the list is MB, awarded two Michelin stars and Abama Kabuki, also a Michelin-starred restaurant featuring a fusion of Japanese and Western culinary techniques. Additional onsite activities include championship golf, the Annabel Croft Tennis Academy, a private beach, multiple pools including adults-only facilities and a world-class spa. Address: Carretera General, TF-47, km 9, Guia de Isora Tenerife, 38687 Spain Website: www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/spain/abama
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B lanket B ay Lake Wakatipu is located inland on the South Island of New Zealand. It is the longest lake in the country and it’s third largest after Lake Taupo and Lake Te Anau. Queenstown resides on its shores and The Remarkables mountain range lies on the southeastern edge. It is on this lake, and in a setting famously portrayed as Lothlorien in the Lord of The Rings movie trilogy, that Blanket Bay reigns as one of New Zealand’s most celebrated lodges. An experience more so than just a lodge of imminent beauty, there are a host of exclusive activities to choose from when staying at this resort property. Heli-skiing, fly and Heli-fishing, horseback riding, following the wine trail, golf and discovering Milford Sound during a 4-hour helicopter ride is just part of the adventure that guests can take advantage of. Lodge rooms offer spacious accommodations designed to reflect the mountainous setting using schist stone and old steamer wharf timber beams. Four separate chalet suites offer exclusive views of the lake. Dining takes place in the main lodge under the watchful eye of award-winning New Zealand chefs. The nightly five-course meal can, of course, be paired with the areas renowned Pinot Noir. Address: Rapid 4191 Glenorchy, New Zealand Website: www.blanketbay.com
D esign H otel n avis Croatia is one of those countries that can easily slip under the radar when considering must-see places to visit around the world. It should instead, be right at the top of your list as it claims some of the most magnificent scenery in Europe, exquisite beaches, incredible architecture and beautifully paved highways and sideroads to get lost in and enjoy every moment. Exploring Croatia is a highlight reel at every turn. Design Hotel Navis is located in the traditional seaside town of Opatija, a popular summer resort and winter getaway destination. A total of 40 superior suites and rooms all look outwards to the sea. Morning coffee, or an evening glass of wine under the stars is best served on your private terrace with views of the Kvarner archipelago. The design theme is uber-stylish with a touch of whimsical and the amenities are all first-class. The hotel restaurant highlights dark walls, modern artwork, fisherman’s lights and floor-to-ceiling windows. Fish is a specialty given the location with Adriatic tuna a favourite. The spa offers massage, a Finnish sauna and Turkish bath, as well as an indoor pool with unobstructed views of the sun and sea. Address: Ivana Matetića Ronjgova 10, HR-51410 Opatija, Croatia Website: www.hotel-navis.hr
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New Roads
Fire Road Through the Desert In
the tracks of the
B aja 1000
S tory | M atthew N euNdorf P hotograPhy | M atthew N euNdorf & d rew r uiz
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Do you remember your first shot of tequila? How it singed your taste buds and made you gasp? How, upon exhale, those savoury elements of smoke and mid-grade gasoline mixed with the faint sweetness of agave in your nostrils? How it felt like equal parts accomplishment and torture to keep that splash of bar-rail turpentine down? How you immediately ordered another? Dropping into Tijuana from San Diego for the first time churns up anxiety in the same way. It’s an effortless affair that won’t hurt a bit but I don’t know that yet. Right now, astride the Kawasaki KLR650 thumping below me, I’m scared. I’m worried about border patrol, built walls, imaginary lines on map and the repercussions of hasty action and miscommunications. Instead I’m greeted with glances cast elsewhere and total indifference. Pero no te preocupes, amigo — San Ysidro may be the world’s busiest land border crossing, but when you’re pointed south, nobody seems to care — Esto es baja!
There are few places on this continent that stir a rider’s spirit of adventure as quickly as the Mexican peninsula of Baja. The people, the culture, the terrain, the food. It’s one of those few places that, once you’re there, feels as familiar as it does foreign and as welcoming as it is intimidating. Sadly, constant coverage of cartel combat and the lure of safety and indulgence promised by allinclusive escapes elsewhere means most of us have only tasted its salted rim. And that’s just a shame. Since 1962, when Dave Ekins was tapped by Honda to test their CL72 Scrambler, the lands of the Baja 1000 have
“ There are few places on this continent that stir a rider’s spirit of adventure as quickly as the Mexican peninsula of Baja.”
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become a bucket-list destination for riders of all disciplines. Back then the terrain along Highway 1 was a healthy dose of all things the term “highway” doesn’t connote. Nowadays though, riders can pick their poison and either stick to the mostly paved “1” and enjoy both coastal and mountainous interior scenery or they can pop off into a plethora of other gnarly routes, most of which remain a part of the modern Baja 1000 race. I’ve explored both options — once on that KLR and once on an Indian Scout — and trust me when I say, neither disappoints. After meandering along the coast, the small town of Rosarito, just south of Tijuana offered me calm respite and immediate immersion into the contrast that exists when walls of brick and steel mark the dotted lines maps. Where glimmers of the North America I’m used to can still be seen in Tijuana, they never existed here. I nose my bike into a spot on the side of the road and
duck my head into Tapanco, an excellent little restaurant, where I’m rewarded with thick, delicious coffee and an early reminder that those romantic notions I’ve had swimming in my head about this country remain true. Ensenada, the starting line (and sometimes finish) for the modern Baja 1000 race, lies just an hour south and is a must regardless of riding style. It greets with the buzz of a populous tourist trap but beyond the coastal resorts, KFC’s and MickeyD’s there are plenty of local treasures to be found. Shacking up somewhere in town is never a bad idea. Years ago, Anthony Bourdain shined his light on La Guerrerense, a world-class Enseneda food cart that has now grown into a bustling brick-and-mortar shop. The proprietor, Sabina Bandera, is busy behind the counter cranking out caught-just-minutes-ago-fresh seafood tostadas with the help of her daughter.
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Opt for the sea urchin and clam — it’s Sabina’s most famous dish for a reason. And, if you ask nicely, Sabina and her daughter with sit down and share a sizeable shot of smoky Oaxacan mezcal with you as a digestive. With a belly full of happiness and just a hint of a buzz, I head to Hussong’s, Mexico’s oldest cantina and the alleged birthplace of the Margherita. Hussong’s has been around since 1892 and the story behind its inception sounds fitting. I doubt much has really changed behind its swinging saloon doors except the amount of debauchery it’s walls have
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soaked up over the years. Buckets of cerveza land on the table and live music rarely feel this impactful. Heading out the next morning, I’m curling around to southern end of Bahía de todos los santos, to check out La Bufadora — “the blowhole”. It proves to be a popular spot for the selfie crowd but I take the opportunity to load up some supplies from their main-street market. I’ll be leaving roads behind me for the rest of the day, so a full hydration pack and some quick hits of sugar are a must. My ultimate destination is a blip on the GPS that sits in the literal middle of nowhere, Mike’s Sky Rancho.
If you look for Mike’s on TripAdvisor, you won’t find anything. This legendary destination that lies along the Baja 1000 route has served as a checkpoint for the race multiple times, is a haven for off-road riders. I can’t recommend plotting a course here highly enough. A night’s stay provides two hots, a clean cot, a refreshing pool, a bar brimming with motorcycle history and the coldest, most refreshing Pacifico Clara you will ever drink. The only tricky part is getting there.
There are many ways to approach the mythical Mike’s, ranging from a sandy fire road to an expert’s only race route. It pays to do some research or at least evaluate you’re riding abilities before making this choice as conditions can be punishing and help isn’t exactly a stone’s throw away. Cell service won’t save you either, so make sure you or one of your group ride with a Spot device or a Sat-Phone. Tools, tubes and an extra jug of fuel are a good idea too.
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After permissibly peeling back a barbed-wire fence to gain access to some private land, the terrain quickly changes from manicured dirt to rutted, washed-out cattle tracks that could easily pass for Martian territory. There are signs posted along the way to keep wheels moving in the right direction and, handily, some speak of which tine would be easier on both bike and body, at various forks. Running through the “easier” Northern route, its punishments were still sizeable but rewarded with spectacular views. As with all riding of this sort, the landscape and surroundings themselves become a series of memories tattooed onto my temporal lobe.
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The sheer volume of untouched countryside that surrounds Mike’s, makes this chunk of the Earth precious and rare. The rocky undulations carved into its crust are more than challenging enough for veteran off-roaders while still offering some easier lines for those less familiar. Of course, you have to be able to spot the simpler routes and that isn’t always easy. Be prepared to swallow some pride with each gulp of water when stopped and remember to lift with your legs when you pick up your bike, each and every time. I had to tap into energy reserves I didn’t even know existed and, were it not for some help from others in my group, may still be out there. Which, honestly, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
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Canada is renowned throughout the world for our talented home decorators, designers, builders, renovators and realtors. If you are not convinced, watch HGTV and count the number of shows featuring a Canadian host. North America, and countries around the world, count on Canada to show them how to fix up their homes. And if there is one person in particular who best represents Canada and why our home improvement talent is so loved, its Bryan Baeumler. He is the cream in your Tim Hortons coffee. We caught up with Bryan at a Habitat For Humanity build site as part of a Nissan Canada workday event and sat down with the reno-icon to discuss home building, family, life, what’s new and, of course, cars. True to form, Bryan is as likable in person as he is on TV. But what did you expect, he’s Canadian eh! True north to the core. So what is his favourite car to drive? The answer may surprise you.
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You’ve renovated a lot of houses over the years, what do you enjoy most when you are actually working on a site?
Have you done a lot of work on old houses and bringing them back to life?
If I had to choose one job to do for the rest of my life it would be taking old damaged structures and figuring out the logistics, engineering, replacing beams and structural issues, just finding solutions to all the problems. I think it’s in my DNA. If I see something that is broken, I feel like I have to fix it and it’s fun for me.
Yeah, I spent a lot of time driving in my earlier days of construction, back in simpler days as an owner-operator myself with three or four other guys. Driving to Scarborough, the beach, you name it to fix hundred year old plus houses and you always find stuff behind the walls. But some of the issues and changes in the code over the years, putting that mystery together and giving them something that is old but it’s safe, structural and modern is something I enjoy.
So the opposite, what’s your least favourite thing to do?
How often do you go in the office?
Well, the least favourite I would say is waiting for, uh, bureaucracy; waiting for paperwork, for permission and we all know how to do it. Obviously the permit process is very simple, that’s not what I am talking about.
You know, I don’t even have an office. Our office is just down the road here on Fairview (Burlington, ON). My wife has a beautiful glass office and there is a couch in there. When I go into the office, I sit on that couch and that’s it.
What I am talking about is if you are building in the environmental zone, there are certain developmental rules in the municipality and you are trying to make changes. It makes sense and that’s great, but the system could be streamlined a little bit.
I think I’ve seen that maybe on a few episodes. And that painting on the wall. I don’t actually have an office. If I am in the office, I am not at my best, in the best place suited to my skills.
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So is there a project that you haven’t taken on yet that you would really like to? I don’t know. Yesterday I was on an island in the Bahamas at a hotel, that’s pretty much a dream project. There are a few things left in my dream world. I’d like to do some multi-plexes, converting an old church would be fun. I am looking forward to going down south to do some overwater houses that are strictly solar-powered and fully self-powered, stuff like that. Monday morning coffee- double-double, cappuccino or espresso? Double-double.
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We are currently shooting “Island of Bryan” at our hotel in Bahamas, so Monday morning looks like getting up at 6 am and going fishing for a couple of hours with my boys, ha!
What do you catch down there? Oh, tuna, mahi-mahi, yellow-tail snapper, right off the beach it’s unbelievable, and well we take the boat out a bit. Yeah. And then I watch Sarah do yoga for a half an hour or so, have a shower and go to work.
Favourite place to travel? Anywhere on a boat.
Any dream bucket-list car that you want to drive? And how often do you take advantage of your celebrity status and have the opportunity to go on a track? Last year I had a good friend of mine getting married, so we had quite an interesting group of friends from LA and we went down to one of the tracks. We had McLarens, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, the whole thing. For the morning and the afternoon we went to a go-kart track. We had so much fun and the first thing they said was “don’t run into each other” We all just sort of looked at each other. The first question my friend asked was “what are these karts worth?” I said, “I know exactly what you are doing here!” We had a lot of fun.
I recently took some space back in my garage, I had a little Ferrari F430 black-on-black, it was a fantastic car, but it was time for a change. I’ve really being eyeing up the new Nissan GTR Nismo, well actually the Italian-design concept, it is beautiful. I think you would look fantastic inside Godzilla. I think that might be the next one. Watch the full interview here.
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Featured Car
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2019
Nissan 3 7 0 Z
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S pecS
3.7L, V6 350 horsepower 276 lb-ft of torque 6-speed manual transmission
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Some things never stop being cool.
Even if they’re Old School.
Photo: Steve Moretti Bike: Kyle Harrison 1973 Honda 450 Black Bomber
The best mechanical craftsmanship, married to the finest modern technology. Driven by some pretty cool dudes. Like this cafĂŠd 1973 Bomber - like Flash Reproductions
Flash Reproductions The proud printer of Vicarious Contact Rich Pauptit rich@flashreproductions.com
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Discovered
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The Algarve Awaits F orgotten t reasures
S tory
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oF the I berIan
P enInsula
P hotograPhy | d an h eyman
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For me, Portugal has always been a little bit of a “forgotten” country. Maybe it’s where it resides; hanging on to the edge of Spain like some needy little brother, it’s a Western European country that even through all my travels, I had never had the chance of visiting. Of course, those impressions are mine and mine alone; after all, here’s a country whose strong naval history lead to the discovery of Brazil, which still calls Portuguese its official language. It also just so happens to be the fifth most populous country in the world, with a populace some 200 million larger than that of Portugal itself. After a few days spent in Portugal’s gorgeous Algarve region, however, I immediately found myself asking in my naiveté: why did so many leave?
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Occupying the entirety of Portugal’s south coast, the Algarve is interesting in that it’s both a coast-loving, white sand, blue water vacationers’ dream as well as a nicely agrarian region, with rows and rows of orange groves. And barbeque. Lots of it. Oh, and desserts—more on that in a bit. If you want to go to the complete opposite end of the “activity” spectrum, however, the region is fairly mountainous, meaning a spidery selection of great driving roads, a few of which lead to a FIA-spec race track that has hosted everything from Formula 1 test days to the Superbike World Championship. Seems the Algarve has a little something for everyone, then.
We’d be tackling all of this at the wheel of the allnew BMW 3 Series, a car that’s tailor-made to make mincemeat out of those bends and whisk you back home afterward. Our journey starts, however, with a bus ride from Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport through to the dry yet agricultural Alentejo region just north of the Algarve. As you may or may not know, “dry”, when it comes to an agricultural region, often means “wine”, and Alentejo has pockets where bright green vineyards stretch to the horizon and beyond, the green appearing all that much more vibrant against the golden earth surrounding them. Our first stop had us at the Herdade dos Grous estate, with its selection of white wines (as opposed to port reds from up north) from grapes grown in the region with names like “Antao Vaz” and “Verdelho”.
Typically, I prefer reds to whites, but when you find yourself in warm Portugal surrounded by bright blue skies, a refreshing splash of Herdade dos Grous Branco is in order. As you do. Our home base for our stay—the Vila Vita Parc—sits about an hour down the A22 Estrada Nacional from dos Grous, through more vineyards and more perfectly-imagined hamlets than you can count, with names straight out of an epic adventure tale—“São Bartolomeu des Messines”, and “Paderne”, and “Alcantarilha”, to name but a few. We found the Vila Vita Parc to be exactly as we’d originally pictured it, and more. Yes, there are the all-white buildings with rust-coloured clay roofs you’d expect of a sun-baked region such as this, but you don’t set up a resort along one of the most beautiful coasts in Europe without going an extra mile or two.
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I could go on and on about the meticulous grounds, multiple swimming pools, perfectly-manicured stone paths, the 20foot fountain surrounded by talkative ducks; I could, but there’s one view of the Vila Vita Parc that sums it all up: it’s on the ocean-facing side of the resort, punctuated by a white—there’s lots of white here; if The Lord of the Rings’ Minas Tirith actually existed, it may look something like this— residence atop a stepped hill that may as well be part of a golf course, so perfectly manicured are the grounds. Words don’t do it justice, but it can be hard to believe that places like this actually exist.
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Hard to believe food spreads like this exist, too. In Canada, it seems most Portuguese restaurants and restaurant chains revolve around chicken. They have big shoes to fill; the chicken we sampled at the resort was prepared in such a way that one helping was nowhere near enough. One lunch featured a lightly battered breast with a hint of citrus, and you’ve never experienced a chimichurri sauce quite like this; tart, with just enough kick to make sure you know it’s there. I could’ve eaten it all day if I didn’t have to leave room for dessert.
There was a chocolate dish—like barbeque, there’s lots of that here—but try as it might with its presentation, it wasn’t the highlight. No, that honour goes to a much more proletarian pastry, known as a pastel de nata and loosely translated to “custard tart”. May not sound like much, but they are buttery, eggy and oh-so-sweet and even for a custard hater like myself, I couldn’t get enough. They’re everywhere, too; on the Av. Da Liberdade, in the middle of downtown Lisbon, we came across a bakery that seemed to exist solely to sell these things, for 1 Euro a pop.
Thing is, we didn’t want to overdo the desserts because we had some driving to do, and when you’ve got roads like this and a car like this, not to mention a racetrack, to conquer, well, there’s precious little time for bathroom breaks, y’know? For 2019, the 3 Series is all new; the base 330i xDrive model is lighter than previous but also makes more power: 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, up 7 and 37, respectively, on last year’s car. It’s fed to all four wheels through an eight-speed auto with responsive paddles.
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The mountain roads that start not 20 minutes from Vila Vita have the car flowing beneath you, the chunky wheel in your hands deftly communicating your intentions to the wheels below. It may be one of the tamer-looking cars in the segment, but the latest 3 remains a master at conquering roads like this. Every curve, slow or fast, can be taken with gumption because even after spending just a few minutes at the wheel, the 330i inspires confidence. This was all before the track, too. The Autodrómo Internacional do Algarve may be located only about an hour’s drive away from the coast and paradise, but it’s no slouch. There are blind curves and a healthy mix of heavy braking zones into hairpins, made all that much heavier by the fact you’re often braking while heading down a steep bank.
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Want proof? Try it for yourself, as the track offers driving experiences ranging from rides with professional drivers to the ability to run your own car, for a fee. Just don’t tell the rental agency. It’s a circuit that demands more than the “pedestrian” 330i, so we were set loose in pre-production versions of the 2020 M340i, all 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of it. We were given the full track to work with, escorted by instructors that were there to ensure you weren’t going too fast; I was worried they’d keep us too tightly reigned in, but let’s just say they were very good at making sure we didn’t catch them. The M340i models we sampled had a set of adaptive dampers and if I was impressed with the 330i’s handling before, these brought it to another level.
The M340i is a car that rarely catches you off guard in its response to your inputs; I can recall maybe twice where it didn’t do precisely what I thought it would and believe me when I say that when it comes to track stuff, you almost always remember what went wrong.
To really make a comparison we’d need to drive the M340i on the same great roads we’d run earlier that day, or the 330i on the track.
Not here, though. With dampers set to Sport Plus, you know exactly what’s going on beneath your butt, where the car’s going to go and what you’ll need input-wise for that next corner. Then, when you’re through all that, you got that extra power to play with. However—and I’m not sure if this is to the 330i’s credit or the M340i’s detriment—but I wouldn’t say that all 127 of those extra horsepowers and all 74 of those extra torques could be fully felt.
As I stood at the archway over my balcony at the Vila Vista and watched the whitewashed southern Portuguese sunset against a violet sky, I realized that as great as that track experience was, a good drive on the open road can equal it in thrills, but thrills of a different type. The white-walled towns, the orange groves, the barbeques you could see burning across the landscape, the vineyards, those great, serpentine mountain roads; that’s what I wanted more of, and what any visit to Portugal should include.
Here’s the thing, though.
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Auto Art
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Capturing Speed The
arT of sTill moTion
It all started with a 10th-grade photography class and a bit of curiosity. Back then, the art came without the instant gratification of the digital. Film left us wondering whether somewhere in the 20-orso frames, there was even one decent-enough to be called good. What started out as a mere venture into something new turned into a passion that eventually led Phillip Sutherland to spend hours in the darkroom perfecting his art. Over the course of the past two decades, he became increasingly focused on sports photography. He worked with OJHL Images, the Barrie Minor Hockey League, Canadian Women’s Hockey League, and The Barrie Examiner, capturing the speed and power of hockey. He also currently works for an Australian Media Company covering professional tennis and fashion shows. S tory | S abrina G iacomini
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In recent years, Philip added yet another string to his arc. As a car and racing enthusiast, his experience in shooting high-paced sporting events translated well to the race track as he made the jump to car racing photography. For the past six years, he has had the opportunity to attend and capture some of the biggest racing events in the world, including Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR Truck Series, Porsche GT3 Cup Canada, and the Pirelli World Challenge Series.
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His action shots convey both speed and stillness, creating a dynamic illusion of motion in a motionless frame. Recently, he has been actively involved in the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC), acting as the administrative director and photographer of Honda Canada’s factory CTCC team, Velocity Motorsport Club. In 2018, Phillip was also named official photographer for the entire CTCC series, a role that he carries on for the 2019 season.
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2019
Featured Motorcycle
Harley-Davidson FXDR-114
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S pecS
1,868cc, Milwaukee-Eight 114 6-speed transmission 119 lb-ft of torque 303 kg
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Discovered
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Three Days in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen Where The Wild Things groW
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P hotograPhy | J eff V oth
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Timing, they say, is everything. This applies to life, work, love, vacations and, of course, driving. Choosing when a drive takes place on a favourite highway can be the difference between taking the road to paradise or bumper-to-bumper purgatory. On this day, the choice is not made by me exactly, but by the 2019 Porsche Cayenne we are driving. Traversing our way on the winding two lanes highways an hour or so outside of Stuttgart, Germany, we are apparently heading in the wrong direction. It can’t be our mistake, we are experienced travellers, so it must be the technology— right? Pride comes before the fall or in this case, the wrong turn. A quick right out of our lunch stop parking lot when we should have turned left, followed by a second and third right down a back alley just to make things even more interesting and we are now twenty minutes behind the rest of the pack on Bavarian country roads with a suddenly sinking sunset. Evening is near and we are on our own.
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There are times when it seems like a good idea to disagree with today’s navigation systems as they miss having the benefit of local knowledge. But then you remember: it is software and how could it possibly know all the shortcuts in and around a particular area. In this case, however, we are actually lost, so our only choice is to listen and follow the directions “she” provides. And that’s when it happens. Timing, oh the bliss of perfect timing. With the world now fully blanketed in darkness, the Black Forest closes in around us with menacing resolve. Not to fear, we have 434 horsepower underfoot, all-wheel drive and most importantly on this occasion, Burmester HighEnd 3D Surround Sound; the night is ours for the taking. In one of those “I will never forget” moments, we make up for the lost time coursing left and right at speed on a perfectly paved country road all the while listening to Bohemian Rhapsody blaring through the speakers. “Galileo, Galileo, Galileo, Figaro, magnifico”. It is truly “paradise by the dashboard lights”, excuse the mixing of music medleys, of course.
In no time, we catch up to the group and are once again on the road in tandem heading back for a night of schnitzel and beer in downtown Stuttgart. Day one is complete. This trip started when Porsche invited a small group of Canadian journalists across the Atlantic Ocean to see, hear about, experience, and be taken for a ride in the allnew 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 4S. But ever the resourceful ones, Porsche Canada’s PR team got us in a day early and provided the unique opportunity to take all three new Cayenne models out for a spin including a Turbo and E-Hybrid. It was the perfect start to what would be three insightful days in the land of Zuffenhausen, where Porsche cars are born. Unlike most trips we take as contributors to the diatribe of automotive advice and insight we call journalism; our stay for the next three evenings is somewhat modest and dare I say pedestrian. The Best Western Loftstyle Hotel Zuffenhausen is not a converted castle or a steel and glass monolith to the extreme architectural meanderings of some famous building designer.
It is your typical business hotel constructed of concrete and rebar that serves the purpose of providing a great night sleep, excellent self-serve breakfast, and easy access to all things Porsche. In other words, it is all we need and sometimes that is the very best thing. The fact that it features a rotating disco ball in my 3-piece bathroom is simply icing on the cake! Day two starts with three frothy cappuccinos, a quick bite of breakfast and the sudden opportunity to beat the crush at the Porsche Museum in downtown Stuttgart and wander the halls uninhibited by the crowds. As someone unafraid to admit that I have a personal passion for all things Porsche, this was a chance not to be missed. Three of us gather our gear, jump in the waiting VW van and head into town. The Porsche Museum is an all-glass and steel building that resides at the epicenter of Porsche manufacturing. There are other Porsche factories in Germany, but this is the place where the 911 is built, so it is as sacred to the company as Maranello is to Ferrari or Detroit is to Ford.
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You feel it the moment you step onto the interlocking brick entrance way and look up at your reflection in the mirrored glass outcropping of the museum. This is holy ground. Lanyards secured around our necks, we head up the escalator to start the self-guided tour. Reaching the top, I am immediately immersed in the experience of German engineering at its zenith. Inside the exhibit, the walls and floor are white so as to not distract from the 80 plus cars on display. This is minimalism at its best.
What follows is a fabled tale of road cars, a tractor, sports cars, endurance racers, off-road combatants, and a trophy case filled with enough wins to convince anyone skeptical of Porsche’s pedigree that there are few sports car companies, let alone automakers in general, who could challenge the German automaker for road supremacy. They are not the only company to make fine automobiles worthy of an exorbitant price tag for most of us, but they do deserve their rightful place in the pantheon of sports car reverence.
The tour takes place as a historical walkthrough of the company based on characteristic attributes that include “Fast”, “Light”, “Clever”, “Powerful”, “Passionate”, and “Consistent”. It all starts with the car known simply as Model 1, the first prototype of the Porsche 356 built in 1948. It is the Holy Grail of the company, simple in concept, bold in its approach, especially when you consider the era in which it was created. This is the chalice from which all Porsche designs take their first sip.
My tour ends before it begins, well sort of. Prior to the innovative Porsche 356 of 1948, there was the original Porsche Typ 64 (60K10) of 1939. It is still in raw form, with swirls demarking the curved metal structure (perhaps Guards Red had yet to be invented) that would signal a shift in automotive history. Beside it sits the original Volkswagen Beetle, itself playing a key role in allowing Dr. Ferdinand Porsche the opportunity to pursue his passion.
“ This is the chalice from which all Porsche designs take their first sip.”
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The day continues with the official press conference for the all-new 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera and a series of workshops held on the grounds of the factory at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. We are carefully instructed on the finer points of quality control, design, and engineering, of what it takes to recreate an icon such as the Porsche 911. The new car is exciting, continuing with the classic rounded form but taking it further down the road in both look and performance. This is a behind-the-scenes look on par with the history on display at the museum, but with an eye to the future of Porsche design and execution. Day three is all about time spent at the Hockenheimring Baden-Wßrttemberg where Porsche has gathered a small group of 2020 911’s in both S and 4S form for test ride purposes. Prior to taking to the track, we are once again walked through a series of classroom sessions, this time taking us deeper into the advancements of the new 911 and why it is a significant step forward.
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The interior, telematics, engine and suspension, braking, aerodynamics, and safety are all covered in detail, with cutaways and no end of instruments and new technology to experience first outside and eventually inside from the passenger seat. It goes without saying that driving the new Porsche 911 would be best, but a close second on this day is having the opportunity to be taken at speed around the Hockenheimring by a four-time participant in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. I am a fast driver and comfortable driving on a race track at speed, but this is a whole different level of performance, one I could never achieve. Seat belt fastened, I am happily tossed from left to right and back again many times, lurched forward under hard braking and pushed back in my seat as speeds quickly build and exceed 220 km/h on the short straight. We don’t have use of the whole course, longer sections of the Formula 1 track have been blocked off, but it is enough to experience the car and all it has to offer those skilled enough to push its limits. At the end of four laps, my driver showcases the latest wet weather and icy road conditions technology redefining the new 911. We lap water and icecovered corners at neck-jarring speed, dancing across the surface like a ballerina on blades, unconcerned by whatever the road surface puts in our way. I am left feeling somewhat lightheaded from the experience, but fully in tune with the technological advancements onboard the 2020 icon. Three days in Stuttgart is hardly enough time to fully satisfy my sports car passion, but it is a fine sampling of the Porsche smorgasbord that awaits your arrival should you make the trip. My suggestion would be to rent a Porsche model if possible and first take it for a ride in the country to truly get a feel for what this marquee is all about. If you’re lucky like me, you may even get a little lost at night and have to find your way back on a winding two-lane road under the inky veil of the Black Forest. Don’t forget to invite Freddy along for the ride, it promises to be epic.
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Featured Region
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Guadalajara and the Real GTR T he G reaTer T equila r eGion
S tory | S teven B ochenek
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To many beach-bewitched travellers, Mexico’s Jalisco state contains Puerto Vallarta, end of story. Leave them pinkening in the touristy surf. Veer inland, basing yourself instead in this state’s capital, Guadalajara. Wander this majestic town centre’s acres of connected pedestrian plazas, where exquisitely preserved Spanish colonial architecture converses vibrantly with daring modern decisions. Mexico’s second-largest city, Guadalajara has sprawled L.A.like, swallowing neighbouring barrios. Some retained their original character, like the city of Tlaquepaque. Pronounced “ttell-AH-kay-PAH-kay”, this spaghetti plate of pedestrianized streets, teeming restaurants, and craft shops is as fun to explore as to say. Of course, by now you’re hungry.
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Is there, anywhere, a more adaptable yet distinct food than tacos? They mesh with all cuisines, haute and low-brow. For this ultimate street food, forget Yelp. Trust the “Busy Rule”. Meaning? Mexican people are understandably suspicious of idle street-food vendors. The corollary: the busier and more mobbed a taco stand is, the better it must be. Hate waiting in lines? No hay problema! There isn’t one; just a mob. Join. Speaking of mob experiences, you’ll never forget lucha libre, the chaotic passion-play-cum-soap-opera that is local wrestling. In good-natured class warfare, chanting fans in the upper decks trade insults back and forth with the ringside wealthy, their mantras usually attacking the virtue of the other group’s mothers.
By now you need a drink! Luckily, Guadalajara and its surrounding territory are the home of tequila. And doesn’t GTR sound friendlier as Greater Tequila Region? Speaking of definitions, VICARIOUS itself means living through someone else’s experience. Despite the overwhelmingly automotive surrounding content, let someone else drive for this next suggestion: a tour of a centuries-old countryside distillery. Casa Herradura still creates superb tequilas on its original hacienda (Mexico’s answer to the Québecois’ seigneury). On weekends, a train chugs directly onsite from central Guadalajara — 50-ish km—all the while plying riders with foods, tequila-based drinks, and mariachi. Jalisco purports, also, to be the birthplace of mariachi. The taco of music, mariachi subsumes other genres, as easily rendering a 19-century local love song as Ozzy Osbourne’s situationally appropriate Crazy Train.
The daylong tour includes demonstrations by the skilled manipulators of a jima. Jimadors slice the heart from the local plant grown for tequila production. Borrowed from the aboriginal language meaning ‘to cut’, this lethal implement looks like a shovel and scimitar had kids. Stand back if you’ve already enjoyed samples. Here in the country or back in Guadalajara, pack a parasol. Between January and May, there is an average of two days of rain falls, ideal for growing blue agave, the cactuslike plant jimadors sculpt. This corner of Jalisco and four contiguous regions plant endless arid hectares of agave. The view is hypnotically lovely. But explore farther to view Jalisco’s technicoloured desert flowers: delicate orchids, polychromatic creepers, and brazen heliconias. Stop. Breathe. Smile. The unexpectedly lush desert is especially peaceful after the din of Guadalajara’s streets, the roaring of wrestling fans, any ugly consequences of open tequila spigots, and the congested predictability of, ho-hum, beach vacationers.
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u o y e v a e l l l i w it
speechless
(then turn you into a storyte ller)
3,000 miles of all-season highways. Seven epic drives through rugged wilderness lined with parks, historic sites and wildlife. Yukon — for those who don’t want to be where they’ve already been.
TRAVELYUKON.COM
Harold Island, Lake Muskoka
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Accessories
S tory | M atthew N euNdorf
In the closing pages of our December issue, Peter Hessels questioned the role of advancing technology in our vehicles. He asked, quite astutely, whether these advances have made driving safer or drivers just lazier. It’s a question I’ve given more thought than I’d like to admit. And the evidence I’ve seen scares me. But what about motorcycles? In the last decade, many of the sensors and systems that are commonplace in cars have migrated over to a life on two wheels. Thanks to the proliferation of ride-by-wire technology, riders can now select from pre-programmed modes to tailor their bike to the terrain, riding style, and even their own abilities. Traction control and ABS systems are now the norm on two wheels and, thanks to the electronic wizardry of the inertial-measurementunit (IMU)—a device that uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to compare wheel speed, lean angle, and changes in momentum—many of the pitfalls associated with “pushing limits” can be mitigated to a much greater degree than ever before. Thankfully, the technological advancements for riders don’t end with their machines: the science of safety has also imbued the gear we wrap ourselves in. Armour has never been slimmer or more malleable, a simple pair of jeans can be worn that won’t disintegrate at the first touch of asphalt, and jackets and riding suits can now be had with integrated airbags. a rMour Much of the pioneering credit for making today’s armour unobtrusive has to go to D30. Based in South London, UK, D30’s proprietary orange elastomers and foams were first patented in 2002 and quickly found a home in motorcycling. Unlike the hard-shelled inserts and bulky, chunky foam bits that most riders were hoping they’d never need to rely on, D30 armour is slim, flexible, more stable during temperature change, and offers Level 1 and 2 CE-certified impact protection. Its true magic, however, lies in its rate-sensitive, shock absorbing abilities that cause the armour to “harden” during an impact incident, before softening again to maintain flexibility. Of course, D30 isn’t the only innovator in this arena and many of the motorcycle gear companies have
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developed their own proprietary armour that operates in similar ways. One of the finest examples I’ve had recent experience with comes from the Dutch company, Rev’It, which won a prestigious Reddot, Best-of-theBest, Design Award in 2015 when their Seeflex line debuted. Extremely thin, flexible and ventilated, Seeflex armour is constructed from a proprietary compound that can transform kinetic energy into thermal energy at the molecular level. It is easily the new standard in invisible rider protection in that it won’t hinder the movements of a rider, protects admirably when needed, and is easily incorporated into a fashionable design. That last bit may not seem important but if it means riders are more likely to wear protection because they look good, it makes all the difference in the world.
d eNiM Fabrics and textiles too have undergone some major molecular changes as of late. Where riders used to slide into their favourite pair of Levi’s before a ride, we now have the option of wearing abrasion resistant versions of jeans that offer the same comfort and style. Many makers have been relying on materials like Kevlar—the very same synthetic fibre that’s been used for bulletproof vests for years—to line their products but other, stronger options are available Based in Melbourne, Australia, Saint have become one of the best-known innovators in the expanding abrasionresistant denim arena. While some of their early products turned to DuPont for Kevlar shipments, their latest and strongest strides are constructed using Dyneema. Constructed as a spun fibre version of Ultra-highmolecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), Dyneema has a strength-to-weight ratio that is eight times stronger than high-tensile steel. Saint’s latest pair of riding jeans, the Unbreakable 6, aris single-layer, 100% UHMWPE constructed pant that boasts the comfort of traditional denim while providing protection that is over 200 times stronger than selvedge—they are designed to survive a six-second slide at 45 km/h (traditional denim fabric lasts less than half a second at similar speeds). And if denim is your jam, Saint also make jackets using the same fabric integrated into key impact areas.
a irbagS Introduced as an option on the 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado and mandatory equipment since 1998, airbags have saved countless drivers’ and passengers’ lives. And now we’re starting to see the same positive results for motorcyclists too. Designed and developed with direct feedback from the paddocks of MotoGP (and now mandatory for all racers), rider airbag systems are now widely available for civilian duty.
The Alpinestars Tech-Air and Dainese D|Air systems are the most technologically advanced and have been designed to integrate into both jackets and riding suits to actively protect riders when things go wrong. Unlike some other airbag systems that are on the market, neither the Tech-Air or D|Air devices require the rider to be tethered to their bike. These units work with proprietary technology but function in a similar fashion. Equipped with an IMU device comprised of accelerometers, gyroscopes and GPS technology, each of these systems actively monitors its wearer and detects when to initiate an inflation within 8-12 milliseconds of an incident. And since the algorithms that control their brands of fuzzy logic have been developed in the racing world, they “understand” the dynamic differences between crash scenarios and saveable missteps like a speed wobble or recovered slide. In the event of an “off”, the sensors trigger and initiate inflation. From there it takes less than 25 milliseconds to be fully cocooned in a cushion or air, from shoulder to hips. Best of all, once deployed, the airbag is flexible enough to allow continued rider movement. On the track, that means getting back into the race but on the streets, it can mean having the ability to get out of the way of other vehicles or hazards. In 2017, at the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin I got to chat with reigning and current champion Marc Marquez about his experiences with the Tech-Air system. Marquez was one of 11 riders to face an off during a particularly chilly morning practice and he was adamant that regardless of where he was riding he “would never ride without an airbag system”. Regardless of whether you prefer riding in denim, leather or outfits that can easily fly under the radar at an office, there are now a plethora of technologically advanced ways to stay protected out there. Were it not for those lazier drivers out there who are more interested in checking social feeds than mirrors, you could conclude that motorcycling has never been safer. Provided you dress for the slide and not the ride, that is.
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Featured Road
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Route 326, Nova Scotia Epic canadian drivE
S tory | M atthew G uy
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We get it. You live in a city for a multitude of reasons, all of them good ones. It’s convenient and that new coffee place is amazing... but traffic is terrible, the downtown is perpetually under construction, and drivers generally exhibit a dangerous mix of apathy and aggression. Suddenly, your decision to purchase a fine-handling sports car seems rather dim.
Some drives and their roads are well known to all, leading them to be clogged with tour buses and meandering beige sedans clogging the macadam like deep-fried fish clogs your author’s arteries. Our favourite drives are found on the roads nobody knows about, ones which are twisty and fun but more deserted than a government office after five o’clock.
Nevermind all that. From one coast to the other, Canada has a multitude of treasures and, as a gearhead, the roster of fantastic roads across our land is near the top of your author’s list of reasons to love The Great White North.
On a map, the 19-kilometre stretch of Nova Scotian tarmac between Earltown and Brule on the north shore of Nova Scotia doesn’t look like anything special. But, as we learned in kindergarten, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover—and we definitely shouldn’t judge a road by the line it traces on Google Maps.
“ Our favourite drives are found on the roads nobody knows about.”
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At the base of Route 326 stands the sharpest and most nostalgic general store this side of a Disney movie. Stop here at Earltown General to load up on locally-made snacks for the humans on your trip while fueling your car with a drop of go-juice from the vintage gasoline pump sitting outside. Leaving the shop and heading north, Route 326 opens with a series of twisting corners seemingly designed to test the handling of anything with a set of wheels. New pavement laid within the last couple of years assures drivers that the road surface will be free of the scars and pockmarks which define most rural roads in the Maritimes. Watch for the scattered deer and other wildlife. Along the way, you’ll find a cadre of well-kept and neatas-a-pin farmhouses. The final few kilometres of the
road become straighter than an outstretched bullwhip, with gentle undulations which give a whoop-de-do roller coaster feel just before the route ends at a threeway stop in the tiny hamlet of Brule. Hang a left and travel a few minutes into the spellcheck-vexing town of Tatamagouche, home to one of the best microbreweries on the East Coast. The ales and lagers from TataBrew are certified organic and unpasteurized, earning them the title of 2018 Atlantic Canadian Brewery of the Year. Pick up a growler of North Shore Lager or Deception Bay IPA for home or stay awhile and enjoy the local music. From Tatamagouche, there are a couple of routes back to Earltown... but we know which one we’d choose. Route 326, with its fantastic mix of straightaways and twisty bits, is one Epic Canadian Drive.
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Exit Lane
The death of the car
… or is it? S tory | S abrina G iacomini
Over the past year, a number of manufacturers have taken a pretty serious leap: companies such as GM and Ford have chosen to focus (most of) their activities on trucks and SUVs. GM has announced it will fade out such models as the popular Cruze and Volt while at Ford, only the legendary Mustang will survive the mass extinction. Mitsubishi also took the SUV plunge when it discontinued both the Lancer and i-MiEV in 2017. The sedan is an endangered species. Or is it? Sedans and hatchbacks have started to lose momentum. The introduction of the crossover segment a few years ago has been chomping away at their share of the market. Simply put, the crossover is a better all-around breed of vehicle than the sedan. It checks off more boxes on customers’ must-have lists with more space, more capability, all-wheel drive, and good fuel economy, wrapped up in an urban-friendly compact format. Every brand—both mainstream and premium—now boasts a compact SUV. From the Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Kona, Infiniti QX30 and Mercedes-Benz GLA; everyone is surfing the wave. Everything a car does, a crossover can do better. Except for one thing: performance. Little compares to the handling and responsiveness of a hot hatch or a sport sedan. Even sleepers such as the Nissan Maxima and the Chevrolet Impala, with their 300-hp V6 engines, can show some extra pep whenever we need them to. Thankfully, the thirst for performance hasn’t quite been quenched yet and not all companies have turned their back on sedans. BMW is still putting a lot of time and thought into its performance sedan lineup, known for its engaging handling. Kia and Hyundai are as well, and both have started dabbling into performance with the Stigner and Veloster N respectively. If 2019’s first few auto shows are any indication, cars are far from gone. On the contrary, brands seem ready to spice things up. Look at the all-new (and returning) 2019 Toyota Supra with its shiny 3.0-liter inline-six engine borrowed from the BMW Z4, or the new 2020 Ford Mustang GT500 expected to produce over 700 horsepower. There is also the new (and very limited) 2019 Subaru STI S209 with its 341 hp. There is still hope for cars and performance might be the stronghold behind which they will be able to take refuge. Thankfully. A world without cars just wouldn’t be the same, don’t you think?
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