VICARIOUS 006 | Summer 2019 by VICARIOUS Magazine

Driving

ADventure

LifestyLe

Summer 2019

Discovered

Feline Excellence In Saint-Tropez

New Roads

Riding The Beartooth Pass

Perspective

Alfa Romeo Is Poised And Full Of Promise

The new Macan. Endorphinshake. The new Macan is decidedly thrilling. The engine delivers more performance. The 10.9-inch touchscreen display puts Porsche intelligence at your fingertips. And the impressive exterior and new rear taillight strip ensure you never blend in on the road or in your life. For more information: www.porsche.ca

Moments create a journey you can always return to.

The Ritz-Carlton ClubÂŽ Level redefines the luxury hotel experience, combining intimacy, comfort and exclusivity with the personalized service and attention to detail that are the hallmarks of The Ritz-Carlton. Experience our newly reimagined guestrooms and suites and The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge. This oasis is located in a well-appointed, relaxed lounge environment overlooking Lake Ontario and the iconic CN Tower. ritzcarlton.com/toronto ÂŠ 2019 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company L.L.C.

 TO UNWIND

MOVES YOU IN WAYS YOU’VE NEVER BEEN MOVED BEFORE. If you want to make short work of twisting roads, take a ride on the all-new FXDR™ 114. This is where Milwaukee Eight® torque and a drag racing inspired air intake meet weight saving components like an all-new cast aluminum swing arm and the agile ride of the Softail® frame and suspension. From stoplight to switchback, it’ll give you a ride like nothing else.

Take a test ride. h-d.com/testride

Editor in Chief

“Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right” – The Beatles

There is a saying where I come from that reminds us all just how precious the summer months are here in the land of “We The North” that goes something like this. “There are two seasons in Canada, hockey and construction”. It’s a joke, obviously, but it speaks to a greater truth than some of us care to admit. Winter can be harsh, especially here in Canada, and seems to drag on forever when the months of February and March finally roll around. So you can imagine when the thermometer climbs past 25° C and stays there for more than a few days, summer driving is all I can think about. Even if the odd flag person is standing between me and my happy place. One of my favourite driving memories is packing up our family in a brand new 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, provided by GM Canada for the occasion, and traversing the vastness of this great country all the way from Southern Ontario to Victoria, BC and back again over a three week period. In total, we logged 16,000 km. It was enough that by the time we returned, the vehicle was retired from the company press fleet. It is a trip fondly remembered by all and as it turns out, is in many ways responsible for the magazine you are reading today. My journey as an adventure storytelling automotive journalist started with that trip. Since then, there have been many subsequent roadworthy adventures to various places in Canada and around the globe. Lamborghini’s and Maserati’s driven hard and fast on Italian backroads, Porsche’s on racetracks, Jeep’s on the volcanic Hawaiian Islands, Bentley’s in the UAE and Spain and much more. While I have also enjoyed many cold weather adventures over the years, my summer drives standout in part because of the time of year. The sun was shining, the weather was hot and the living was easy. Welcome summer, it’s so good to have you back again! As is our want, we have added new talent to our list of contributors. David Taylor takes us inside the Italian automaker first founded in 1910 in Milan, Italy and talks shop with Ben Lyon, Head of Product Marketing Alfa Romeo North America. Amateur racing driver Emily Atkins puts us in the passenger seat for a maple leaf wrapped drive in The Rallye Monte Carlo. While beloved friend and supporter of VICARIOUS, Nicholas Harrison, graces our pages with several of his finest motorcycles, filmed on location at one of the coolest coffee shops in the world, Steeltown Garage Co. in Hamilton, Ontario. Of course, regulars Dan Heyman, Sabrina Giacomini, Kelly Taylor, James Kerr and motorcycle guru and our new Editor at Large Matt Neundorf are along for the ride once again. And who better to close this issue than Mr. Norris McDonald, Canadian journalist and member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. We hope it’s as much of a page-turner for you as it was for us to create it. Love life, drive well!

Jeff Voth Editor in Chief, VICARIOUS jvoth@vicariousmag.com

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Editor at Large

“ The important achievement of Apollo was demonstrating that humanity is not forever chained to this planet and our visions go ratherfurther than that and our opportunities are unlimited.” – Neil Armstrong

In seven short weeks, July 20, 2019, Nasa and every soul who’s ever looked up and beyond in wonderment, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. More than just a celebration of the first (suited and booted) human footprints on the moon, that fateful voyage made it possible for humanity to observe our planet within the confines of a singular lens. It instantly made our World small. And, for the half-century since, that World has continued to shrink. More than that, the Apollo missions -- and those being undertaken by Roscosmos -- sparked the imagination of a planet into believing that anything is possible; provided you’ve got enough passion, courage and imagination. Oh, and horsepower. We see the fruits of those passions and ingenuity on a daily basis in the motoring world -- Walt Seigl’s custom take on the ultimate Ducati Superbike comes to mind. But what’s next? What will be our next evolution -- or moon shot, if you will -- for vehicular travel? I think we all know that the answer is electric. Whether we like it or not, battery powered vehicles are paving their own way. And my beloved motorcycles appear to be the most likely realm where total “replacement” may occur. The North American market is continuing to falter -- US sales of motorcycles are down 4.9% in the first quarter alone and E-bike sales are eclipsing motorcycle sales in much of Europe as well as China. Both Vespa and Harley-Davidson -- the most iconic brands in their respective genres -- have all-electric two-wheelers headed our way. But we’re not there yet. Nor does this impending change spell doom and gloom. Maybe silent pipes will save the lives of an industry? Electric motorcycles are infinitely more approachable for new and young riders. There’s no clutch to futz with for one thing, so that hurdle is gone. Engine maintenance is all but non-existent. An electric motorcycle doesn’t need to be large or intimidating to deliver the goods, either. Instead smaller, nimbler, lighter machines will find their niche, transporting people quickly and efficiently to work, school and ultimately, parts of this world gas-powered vehicles just won’t go. And, should you find yourself in Southern California anytime soon, I’d implore you to attend the Petersen Automotive Museum’s Electric Revolution (https://www.petersen.org/electric-revolution) exhibition for proof that these machines can and will be things of beauty. Just like that fateful first trip to the moon, we’ve arrived at a precipice. Everything changes from here. And if you’re not convinced the shift from petrol power can be a good thing, just remember this. It took a rocket to get Aldrin and Armstrong to the moon but it was a battery powered buggy that let David Scott truly explore things, later on.

Matt Neundorf VICARIOUS

Harold Island, Lake Muskoka

Contents 8

“Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter...” Editor in Chief

“The important achievement...”

Contents

Contributors

Editor at Large

Mixing The Old With The New in Saint-Tropez

Turn-key Tourist

Riding Through The Beartooth Pass

Navigating Twists And Turns With Enthusiasm

2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Flying To Fame

Inspired Design - A Passion For Motorcycles

Picture-Perfect Season

Creating Dreams One Block At A Time

Walt Siegl Motorcycles WSM SBK

Our Team Founder, Editor in Chief

Jeff Voth

Founder, Production Manager

Peter Hessels Editor at Large

Matthew Neundorf

Discovered

Featured Hotels

New Roads Perspective

Featured Car

Special Feature

Auto Art

Discovered

Behind The Scenes

Contributing Writers

Emily Atkins

Dan Heyman Sabrina Giacomini David Taylor James Kerr Matthew Neundorf Kelly Taylor Norris McDonald

Featured Motorcycle

101 109

The Historic Kentucky Bourbon Trail

116

Urban Assault In Prince Edward County

124

Last words

Splash and Dash

2019 Moto Social Rides Into Toronto Behind The Scenes

Discovered

Design & Layout

Ilyes Fourar Contributing Photographer

Peter Hessels

Exit Lane Director of Sales

Jeff Voth 905.327.3944 jvoth@vicariousmag.com VICARIOUS is 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@vicariousmag.com | Published in Canada To subscribe, visit www.vicariousmag.com

Cover location: Lombard Street, San Francisco, California Coordinates: 37.7749° N, 122.4194° W

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Contributors

S abrina G iacomini A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away called Quebec, a girl was born, destined to love Mustangs, ride motorcycles and master the Force. She has fulfilled that destiny and is now doing what she loves most: travelling, driving cars and writing about it all. From Route 66 to the Newfoundland wilderness to the unbeaten paths of the Rockies to the winding roads of Mallorca in Spain; every new adventure is welcomed with open arms. If you were to ask her what’s one of the most memorable experiences she’s ever had, her answer would be filling in as a rally co-driver at the Targa Newfoundland in 2012. But don’t ask her what her favorite car is, she has too many. Sabrina also enjoys walks on the beach, piña coladas and endless sentences.

J ameS K err An auto “nut” since the time he could walk across the farmyard, James has followed his mechanical interests working as a Master Automotive mechanic, teaching new and experienced mechanics how to diagnose and repair vehicles for nearly 40 years and writing about automotive technology for over three decades in trade magazines and newspapers. Motorcycling is also a passion, learning to ride at the age of 6 and he has never been without a motorcycle since. With a fleet of 8 classic motorcycles ranging from motocross to sport touring, the lure of the perfect corner, the camaraderie of camping and meeting other riders as they cross the country and the awareness of your surroundings that motorcycling brings to the rider are but a few of the reasons James loves to ride.

K elly T aylor Kelly Taylor took over an automotive section from an editor who didn’t drive, and hasn’t looked back since. He’s moved on from editing to writing and loves the freedom unshackling from the desk provides. A winner of multiple awards, including twice as Canadian Automotive Journalist of the Year and the recipient of the 2015 Gold Medallion and Best in Newspapers award from the International Automotive Media Competition, Kelly’s passion is everything automotive.

D an H eyman Years of magazine reading, movie watching (Gone in 60 Seconds ftw!) and Hot Wheels collecting has given Vancouver, BC native Dan Heyman what some would say is an unhealthy obsession with all things motorcar. His dream drive? A 1971 Porsche 917K racer on Circuit de La Sarthe in Le Mans, France. Dan is especially passionate about his photography, having won the published photo of the year award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) where he serves on the board of directors.

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Discovered

Mixing The Old With The New in Saint-Tropez Jaguar Prowls The CoasT of franCe

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I could swear I’d seen this before; the rocky cliff face to my left, the concrete blocks standing in as Armco barriers to my right, technically there to stop one from tumbling down a steep incline after sliding on one of this roads perilous U-turns, more fit for a rally car than the 2019 Jaguar XE I was driving. I say “technically” because while they would help, you have to think the gaps between them would cause a problem or two. Or seven.

winding tarmac have all the hallmarks of the Monte Carlo round of the World Rally Championship – forever immortalized in video games and on late night Speed channel broadcasts. They look like that simply because they are almost that – the actual race took part not far from where I was currently driving, the mountains of rural Southern France, just outside of sun-bleached, palm-lined sidewalks and yacht decks of Saint-Tropez.

Where had I seen this? I had never driven through the south of France before, so why did I feel like I had?

What’s really interesting about this area, however, is not the French Rivera-spec yachts and daiquiris, but more the fact that our home base of Saint-Tropez is actually much more than that.

Well, eagle-eyed readers will have picked up the reason why if they’d paid attention to the first paragraph. I knew these roads because I had seen them, both virtually and on television. The low blocks, pitch black tunnels and

Oh, sure – you’ve got all that glitz and glamour; look no further than the helipad back of the parking lot (and a

stone’s throw away from a parked Ferrari F12 Barchetta – no big deal) for one of the marinas to know that more than a few of the world’s elite have passed through here. Here’s the thing, though; it wasn’t always like this. And I’m not talking hundreds of years ago, either; it was a recently as 1950 that Saint-Tropez was a somewhat quaint French town. You can still see it, too; on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the vibrant Place des Lices square is home to a proper French “Provencal” market – “farmer’s market” to you and me. I swear the French must’ve started this trend – just as you’d see along the Seine in Paris, or in any of the thousands of gathering places there. Just like those Parisienne fixtures, there’s no shortage of cheese, meats, produce, “luna” hats (think sun hats, but way…Frencher) and other apparel. Across from Boulevard Vasserot, on Lice’s north side, you’ll find a row of classic French

boulangeries with names like “La Tarte Tropézienne”, just as you’d see in any other French town. You’d never know that just across the bay from here, Bridgette Bardot – that starlet of French and American cinema – has acreage she calls home. It was actually her 1956 film And God Created Woman, which was shot here, that many say is what really brought Saint-Tropez to the big time, after a slow rise through the early days of movie stars in the ’20s and ‘30s. We spent our evenings in the Hotel Sezze, which is made up of a string of villas surrounding a glistening pool. The rooms themselves are spectacular, with high, almost church-like ceilings and an optional outdoor shower. As you do.

For their part, both the Jaguar F-Pace SVR SUV and XE sedan we were here to drive are perfect fits for the surroundings; Jaguar is one luxury brand that has not forgotten the styling that has always been a hallmark. Though it is far removed from the quad roundel headlights and vertical grilles of yesteryear, today’s offering from the pride of Britain have a number of details that set them apart from competition from Germany, Japan, and the United States. The headlamps have gone from roundel to aggressively narrow, the grilles streamlined and blacked-out, making for an aggressive fascia that hints at the power within, which we’ll get to in a minute. Indeed, in order to access that power you have to first step inside, where you’ll find, once again, that Jaguar has fully arrived into the 21st century, the XE perhaps a little more so than the F-Pace. The XE gets Touch Pro Duo infotainment, meaning a slick dual-screen set-up that is responsive and

full-featured. It’s complimented by a digital gauge cluster that changes depending on which drive mode you’re in. It’s sharp, it’s clear and it’s a good indication of where Jaguar is at tech-wise. The F-Pace is a little more tame inside; older infotainment and a traditional gauge cluster, as well as a set of buttons for drive mode selection instead of the XE’s awesome metallic toggle switch. You’d be sorely mistaken to discount the F-Pace based on that, however, for this is the SVR version – and that means one whole heck of a lot. For starters, it means the existence, for the first time, of a V8 in the F-Pace. Not just any V8, either; this is a supercharged beast of a motor good for 542 hp and 502 lb-ft that makes a crackling report through its twin

tailpipes that would make a Le Mans race car think twice before sounding off. Add the awesome reverberation you get off those stone walls that line these great roads, and you have an aural event the likes you’ve seen only in movies.

The XE, of course, is less manic – in top-spec P300 trim, its turbo four is good for 296 hp and 295 lb-ft; the V6 is gone for now, although word is Jaguar-Land Rover is working on a new six-cylinder that could make its way here.

Of course, it’s one thing to talk the talk; you have to be able to walk the walk as well, and the SVR will do that with surefooted handling and of course, aggressive motive force. The handling is the really impressive part as through even the bendiest of bends, Jag’s biggest SUV doesn’t show it; well-tuned dampers and anti-roll bars mean everything’s kept in check as you wind it past apex after apex, doing your best to try to unsettle it. It won’t come unsettled, however, and while we don’t get the cool XF wagon in Canada, this has to be the next best thing from Jag with regards to practicality and performance. World Rally Championship, indeed.

As is expected, you sit lower here than in the F-Pace and I don’t just mean the car itself sits lower; the seats themselves are deeper. You’re a little more ensconced, but that means that all the most important controls – including that great infotainment system – are well within reach so when you’re sawing the wheel through countless bends in mountainous southern France, you don’t have to work too hard to skip to the next track on Apple CarPlay. Then again, when you’re sawing the wheel in an environment like this, it’s not as if you’re thinking too much about the next Drake track on your playlist. While the XE may not be as

quick here as was the F-Pace, it’s got AWD as standard and its handling prowess cannot be discounted. This, after all, is a sports sedan and sports sedans had better be ready to acquit themselves in scenarios like this. Luckily, we had miles of open road to find out. You see, these are rural parts and even in the middle of the day on a Saturday, not that heavily trafficked. What’s more is how motorists here seem more willing to get out of your way here than they are in North America. You may call that revisionist, but I’ve spent plenty of time in both and that’s just how I feel. So, in the end what we were left with was a set of roads that are just perfect for cars like this; AWD tuned for a more RWD bias, weight lost thanks to the small turbo motor up front and fast-shifting paddle-operated 8-speed automatic transmission. Which obviously, I made use of most of the time because that’s just how it should be, far as I’m concerned. Plus, being able to shift by yourself makes it all that much easier to get the exhaust braaapbraaap-braaping on overrun; like the car’s other aspects, it’s slightly downgraded from the SVR but still a treat for your eardrums. Focus on all that, and you’ll be rewarded with an entertaining, athletic drive in a compact package (imperative for some of the built-for-horse-cart roads we were travelling through in towns like Montferrat and Gréolières) that is right up there with the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. Our journey ends at the Restaurant Lac Du Castillon, a pleasing, homey spot in the La Palud commune with a surprising Canadian connection: co-owner – along with his daughter -- Hans Homma once held the Guinness World Record for longest time spent skating, achieved when he skated 406 km over 24 hours on the Rideau Canal back in 1984. If you’re lucky, he’ll regale you with tales of ice-crusted beards and frozen toes as you enjoy Du Castillon’s scrumptious beef bourguignon. It’s a nice way to end the journey; as I gazed out the window at the XE, I realized it was a car that may be oldschool in name, but certifiably new-school in spirit. It was a nice, refreshing blend; eating in a suitably old-world diner in rural France where the cows are more numerous than the cars and the remains of castles pockmark the landscape, overlooking a car that kind of transcends generations, like Saint-Tropez itself. Perfect.

Featured Hotels

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S tephanie i nn Oregon is revered for its stunning beaches and burgeoning wine producing terroirs. This is the place to relax and get rejuvenated for many North Americans and visitors from around the world. And there are few places more beautiful than the US Coastal Mountain Range. A short, but spectacular 1.5 hour drive from Portland on Highway 26, the road ends on paradise shores at the Stephanie Inn. A total of 41 rooms and suites offer the added warmth and charm of a gas fireplace, Jacuzzi bathtub, luxurious bathrobes and lanterns for an evening stroll to the beach. 28 steps is all it takes to reach the water; the sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean are your 24 hr playlist. For those looking to experience a magical drive rather than an ocean stroll, the nearby Ecola Toll Road is sure to inspire with its 111 hair-pin turns. Activities include long walks on the beach, hikes in the mountains, ocean fishing, beer and wine trail excursions and much more. The Spa offers a full menu of services, including side-by-side massage. Dining takes place in the award-winning Stephanie Inn Dining Room. Under the watchful eye of Chef Aaron Bedard, guests of the hotel and daily visitors enjoy locally-sourced ingredients in a five-course dining experience or available à la carte menu. Paired with Oregon wines, deserts prepared by Pastry Chef Chelsea Archibald complete the experience. Address: 2740 South Pacific, Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110 Website: www.stephanieinn.com

Switzerland in the winter is a spectacular, truly organic experience. mountain tunnels to ski-country is both exhilarating and sometimes terrifying. But it is always an adventure worth taking. The same can

t he a lpina G Staad , S witzerland Your four season mountaintop destination of choice, located just 60 km east of Montreux, is The Alpina Gstaad luxury hotel. Switzerland in the winter is a spectacular, truly organic experience. A drive rooms through and seeminglymountain endless Fifty-six andsnow-covered suites providebackroads an authentic Swiss-style mountain tunnels to ski-country is and bothcarved exhilarating sometimes experience with timber-clad walls woodand ceilings, stone terrifying. But is always mountain an adventure worth same can fireplaces anditstunning views. Fortaking. thoseThe times when be said for summer drivesenticing as theyas provide equally thrilling vistas with staying in is as equally the outdoors, Bang & Olufsen green hillsides, blue skies, chalets and fresh mountain air in abundance. Your four season mountaintop destination of choice, located just 60 over-the-top accommodations, the Panorama Suite highlights three km east of Montreux, is The Alpina Gstaad luxury hotel. with spa, massage and fitness area. Fifty-six rooms and suites provide an authentic Swiss-style mountain experience withoftimber-clad walls and carved woodGstaad ceilings, stone Dining is a way life in Switzerland and the Alpina delivers fireplaces options and stunning mountain views. Sommet For those times all-day when numerous for all tastes. Restaurant provides staying in is as equally enticing the outdoors, Bang & Olufsen fare by renowned executive Chef as Martin Gösche. Additional options providesthe the first audiowestern and visual experience. Looking for distinguished truly unique, include European location of the over-the-top accommodations, Panorama Suiteand highlights MEGU concept restaurant, Swissthe Stübli, the lounge bar andthree wine bedrooms an elegant staircase leading torooms the private suite cellar. A Sixand Senses Spa offers 12 treatment and amaster spectacular with spa, massage and fitness area. Dining is Alpinastrasse a way of life 23 in Switzerland the Alpina Gstaad delivers 3780 Gstaad,and Switzerland numerous options for all tastes. Restaurant Sommet provides all-day fare by renowned executive Chef Martin Gösche. Additional options include the first western European location of the distinguished MEGU concept restaurant, Swiss Stübli, the lounge and bar and wine cellar. A Six Senses Spa offers 12 treatment rooms and a spectacular organically-shaped indoor pool. Address: Alpinastrasse 23 3780 Gstaad, Switzerland Website: www.thealpinagstaad.ch

h acienda a lta G racia , a uberGe r eSortS c ollection Costa Rica is not a destination that first comes to mind when debating great driving roads. A conversation such as this typically involves the French Riviera, California, Australia and, of course, Canada’s east and west coastal areas. The drive in from Juan Santamaria International Airport takes approximately 3.5 hours, but this doesn’t consider getting lost in the mountains or finding your way on roads that Google maps is unaware of. For the adventure seeker, it’s the perfect start to a Talamanca Mountains getaway. Two and one-bedroom casitas and luxurious suites offer a unique take on the Costa Rican good life at Hacienda AltaGracia. Neutral tones and natural wood floors, ceilings and accents are designed to blend in with the countryside. Comfy is the code word here and it shows in every detail. Large windows offer expansive views of the surrounding tropical mountains, the warmth of a fireplace and oversized couch or bed wrap you in ultimate comfort. A romantic dinner for two under the canopy of a palapa roof is not your everyday experience, but it is here. Ambar restaurant features farm to fork artful interpretations of local Costa Rican food expertly prepared by the chef. Casual dining takes place at El Bistro, or go all out at El Grill and enjoy a traditional parrillada Latin-inspired grill experience with live music. Two pools, one for the family (El Mantantial) and a second adultsonly infinity pool (Vistaverde) provide the perfect amount of fun and relaxation. Those seeking grand adventure can take a helicopter ride over the Chirripo Volcano, explore the three-tiered Namu Waterfalls, ride horseback or tackle mountain bike trails, white water raft on the Savagre River or my favourite, zipline through a canopied cloud forest in the Talamanca Mountains and the Cerro de la Muerte. Finish it all off with a Forest Stretching Ritual at the onsite spa. Address: Contiguo al Escuela de Santa Teresa de Cajon Santa Teresa Perez Zeledon, San Jose CR, San José, Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica Website: www.aubergeresorts.com/altagracia

S heen F allS l odGe A member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group and one of Ireland’s finest five star hotels, Sheen Falls Lodge embodies all the beauty and tranquility Ireland is known for. It’s name denotes not only the style of accommodations; your home away from home, but the fact it is situated directly beside a waterfall, so the sounds of babbling water and the relaxation it brings are always close at hand. Rooms and suites are designed to induce relaxation, but as you would expect in a grand Irish lodge, minimalism is no where to be found. Here the theme is the balminess of an open fire, deep carpeting on the floors, comfy couches and bedding with plenty of pillows highlighting warm earthy tones. Expansive windows with thick wood trim and accents showcase the natural setting of Kenmare Bay. For an over-the-top stay, 2 and 4-bedroom villas offer the tranquility of a thatched roof cottage or home with unparalleled comfort. Dining is an artform at every Relais & Châteaux hotel and Sheen Falls Lodge is no exception. The Falls Restaurant is a 2 AA Rosette awarded elegant or casual dining experience, it’s all up to you. An extensive wine cellar with more than 10,000 bottles is certain to have the perfect pour. Close by, the Sheen Cocktail Bar offers terrace seating in the spring and summer. Afternoon tea and casual fare is enjoyed in the Sheen Lounge. The list of activities available on the property is extensive and benefits from the surrounding countryside. Located on a 300 acre estate, the options include horseback riding, falconry, salmon fishing, golf, clay pigeon shooting, tennis, kayaking, cycling and more. Nearby the remains of a 6th Century monastic settlement on Skellig Islands is worth exploring not only for its rich history, but as the setting for the 2017 movie Star Wars The Last Jedi. At the end, a therapeutic massage at The Easanna Spa is the perfect way to restore your inner force. Address: Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland Website: www.sheenfallslodge.ie

E miratEs O nE & O nly W Olgan V allEy r EsOrt & s pa A meandering 3.5 hour drive from Sea Cliff Bridge in Australia (pictured on the title page), Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is a step into nature that transcends the extraordinary. Occupying just one percent of a 7,000 sq. acre nature reserve, kangaroos, koalas and guests coexist in peaceful harmony under the graceful slopes of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Villas are the only guest rooms available at the resort. Ranging in size from one-three bedrooms, all featuring a double-sided fireplace, private heated pool and king-size beds. Wood floors and accents, natural tones of green, white and beige help ground the open beam, high vaulted ceilings and rustic minimalist décor theme. Floor to ceiling windows allow light to flood the rooms and provide an excellent frame through which to view the mountains. Each villa is equipped with binoculars to bring the outside view in a little closer. There is much to see on the resort and no better vantage point than from the saddle on a horseback adventure. Mountain bikes are another option for those looking to combine exercise and nature’s best. The Wolgan Dining Room is located in the main lodge. It serves a six course dining experience or à la carte selections. Additional options include the Country Kitchen highlighting regional menu items, plus the Valley Bar and Terrace Lounge with indoor and outdoor seating, open fireplace and expansive veranda. Address: 2600 Wolgan Road, Wolgan Valley, NSW, 2790 Australia Website: www.oneandonlyresorts.com/one-and-only-wolgan-valley-australia

a mangiri Las Vegas, Nevada is just a short but spectacular 4 hour drive from Amangiri located in Canyon Point, Utah. With rental cars available in abundance as you exit McCarran International Airport, the route passes Valley of Fire State Park, St. George city and Zion National Park all while skirting the northern edge of Grand Canyon National Park. This practically shouts driving adventure awaits! Upon your arrival at Amangiri, one of two Aman resorts in the USA, you quickly realize that while it may have seemed impossible to oneup the drive in, this spectacular resort has somehow found a way to do just that. Derived from the Sanskrit language, “Aman” means peace and “giri” means mountain. It befits the resort situated in a protected valley in the heart of the Grand Circle. Rooms range in size from the 1,000 sq. ft Mesa View and Desert View suites to the palatial Amangiri Suite at 3,457 sq. ft and 3,734 sq. ft Girijalla Suite. The larger suites feature private lap pools and all highlight exceptional views of the picturesque Utah backcountry. A natural colour palette merges with the desert landscape as white stone floors, concrete walls and natural wood set the tone. American Southwest cuisine is served in a casual open kitchen setting, or privately on the Chinle Site. Hiking, horseback riding, early morning hot air balloon rides, rock climbing and kayaking on Lake Powell are just some of the activities available. At the end of your day, a 25,000 sq. ft spa offers massage, scrubs, wraps and floatation therapy in tune with the healing powers of the Navajo. Address: 1 Kayenta Road, Canyon Point, Utah 84741-0285, USA Website: https://www.aman.com/resorts/amangiri

New Roads

Riding Through The Beartooth Pass N ot Y o u r A v e r Ag e P A r k r i d e

S tory | J ameS K err

There are many ways to get to Billings, Montana, the start of one of my favourite rides – the Beartooth Pass. For Debra and I, getting there can be a bit of a challenge with 850 kilometres of open prairie to cover, but if the winds are light and temperature moderate, that in itself is a rewarding experience. Before leaving Billings, be sure to check out the Billings Motorcycle Club event schedule. With 9 tracks on 1421 acres of ground, there is usually something going on. The hill climb track is spectacular!!! Heading southwest from Billings to Red Lodge takes you through rolling hills, past small creeks and cooler temperatures. I have travelled here many times during the summer and have only hit rain once. Sunny and warm days are typical, cooling off at night. Watch for deer especially at dusk and dawn. Red Lodge is a small town at the base of the Beartooth Pass and although it caters to tourists, it feels like a homey mountain town. You must visit the Montana Candy Emporium on Broadway Avenue (main street Red Lodge). Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, the store is like travelling back in time with antiques displayed, candies from the past you probably thought long gone and great fudge. You can buy assortments by the pound as you stroll through the seemingly hundreds of bushel baskets or select pre-packaged sweets. I have never seen a bigger or better candy store and I have a sweet tooth! Stay in Red Lodge for a day and take Highway 308 East for 7 miles to Bear Creek. A few houses and the Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse are all that you find as you pop over the top of the winding foothills highway. Don’t be surprised if you need a reservation for the Steakhouse or you may have to wait a bit – the food is that good, but don’t worry about waiting – the Pig Races will keep you entertained.

At the rear of the building you will find Bear Creek Downs where piglets, each dressed in a numbered bib, dart from the starting gate and run a circuit around the oval track. Just like horse racing, you can bet on your favourite and the crowds are boisterous and friendly. It took an act of legislation in the Montana Capital to allow parimutuel betting on pigs and profits from the track are donated to charity, so it is fun and worthwhile.

Leaving Red Lodge on Highway 212 you are immediately in the mountains. A series of switchbacks lead you up 1650 feet of shear mountainside to the Rock Creek vista, where you can stop to admire the mountain peaks. Watch for traffic on the switchbacks, as it is easy to lapse into tourist gawking mode at the spectacular scenery. Go off the road and only a parachute will save you!

Riding the rocky tops of the mountains on your way to the North East entrance to Yellowstone National Park, you can find clear mountaintop lakes, wildflowers and marmots sunning themselves on the rocks. The views are breathtaking. The winding highway has been paved in the last couple years but winter conditions take their toll (the pass is closed in winter) so pay attention to the roads. Cooke City is the last town before the park. Tenting is often closed because of bears in the area so make reservations either there or in Yellowstone Park before travelling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; summer is extremely busy, or you can simply turn around and ride the 68 miles of the Beartooth pass back to Red Lodge again. The ride is well worth it!

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If taking the road less travelled still seems overcrowded, we understand. Drive or ride with us each issue and see what it means to truly experience adventure in every corner! VICARIOUS magazine is packed full of stories and photographs from our award-winning writers and photographers. Published seasonally 4 times per year, we promise to make every issue unforgettable. Sign-up is easy, just follow this link and subscribe today: www.vicariousmag.com Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to have you along for the ride. Let the adventure begin!

Perspective

Navigating Twists And Turns With Enthusiasm B e n L yo n , H e a d o f P r o d u c t M a r k e t i n g a L fa r o M e o n o r t H a M e r i c a

S tory | D aviD t aylor

Alfa Romeo is a legendary brand whose DNA is built on a unique and indeed, much storied history. Founded by a Frenchman, Alexandre Darracq in Milan in1910, the brand is best known for designing, engineering, and building sport-oriented vehicles. For many years Alfa Romeo has been lauded by aficionados and enthusiasts alike as a European brand that consistently delivers best-in-class performance and pure Italian spirit with an unparalleled driving experience.

But it’s not always been about plaudits and glowing endorsements. The well-known marque has seen its ups and downs over this past hundred or so years – some involving Cheshire cat-like grins and other reactions, well, a touch more tumultuous and yes, even edging toward general frustration. In fact, in 1995 the iconic Italian marque quietly slipped away from North America. For the next 20 or so years, these vehicles would only appear on our shores after someone with a distinct and unusual hankering for red tape and endless forms, made a concerted effort to import. From near the very beginning, Alfa Romeo had a rich history in motor sport racing dating back to 1911 with the entry of two 24-horsepower cars in the Targa Florio.

Not exactly race cars, these “performance” cars featured grime-encrusted and daring drivers as they sped around the circuits and roadways of Europe, competing for individual glory and bragging rights. One of Alfa Romeo’s first and perhaps one of its better known open-wheel race car drivers was Enzo Ferrari who enjoyed some success in the 1920’s. A tragedy took the wind from his sails and he soon retired from racing competitively to focus on the management and development of the factory Alfa race cars. Soon he established a race team second-to-none. In fact, the now familiar prancing black horse on a yellow background emblem ubiquitously and forever associated with Ferrari, soon appeared as an emblem of Alfa Romeo race cars!

In 1947, this shield appeared on the very first Ferraribranded vehicle – but that’s a tale for another article. After the Second World War, Alfa Romeo proved to be the car to beat in Grand Prix events. The introduction of new single-seat racing cars provided an ideal setting for Alfa Romeo’s Tipo 158 Alfetta. The former Argentinean mechanic, Juan Manuel Fangio, also raced for Alfa Romeo. Unlike later Formula One drivers, the legendary and oft-revered Fangio began his racing career in his 40s, often the oldest driver in many races. Formula One cars in the 1950s were fast, physically demanding and races were much longer and commanded incredible physical stamina. Fangio’s innate ability to mentally focus during a race and his precision with car placement on the racing circuit were legendary. Fangio secured Alfa’s second consecutive championship in 1951. To this day, there are some who will still proclaim Fangio as the greatest driver on the Grand Prix circuit – ever.

So there is a distinct history with success in motor sport racing – in spite of troubling and debilitating long-term mechanical and reliability issues. But there has been more to this storied marque than that. Often experiencing devastating financial strain as a result of supply issues vis-à-vis parts – and yes, even cars – it was back in the early 1950s when the emphasis on direct outside ventures diminished, and Alfa Romeo struggled to return to profitability. Luxury vehicles were out. Smaller, mass-produced cars began to be manufactured beginning with the 1954 model year, and the introduction of the Giulietta series, a name synonymous with Alpha Romeo for more than 60 years. All of this and more was discussed in a recent far-reaching sit-down with Ben Lyon, Head of Product Marketing – Alfa Romeo North America.

Mr. Lyon will be among the first to admit that even today, Alfa Romeo’s line-up is by most standards, limited. In fact when Alfa Romeo quietly returned to North America in 2008, significantly, it was not until 2014 that a barebones 4C Spider sports car was introduced. Further, in December 2016, the compact Giulia sedan appeared and was followed by the ambitious Stelvio SUV in 2017. Not exactly a broad product offering likely to instill fear in any premium European manufacturer. While Alfa Romeo’s racing history may not mean much to the average North American buyer, Mr. Lyon acknowledges today’s brand’s unique and muscular styling appears to resonate with customers west of their Milan headquarters. And that’s exactly what the brand needs, analysts and company officials say, to rise above the clamour generated by familiar European premium luxury brands such as BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and even stablemate, Maserati.

However, shortly before the death of Italian-Canadian business visionary, Sergio Marchionne, FIAT Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) chief executive officer and the owners of Alfa Romeo globally, made some pretty bold assertions for the brand’s future. In fact, the entire Alfa Romeo model line-up will be completely electrified by 2022, including six plugin hybrids. And we can forget about diesel-powered vehicles in the future line-up. Mr. Marchionne had been personally involved in the renewal of the brand before his untimely death in 2018 and according to Mr. Lyon, FCA has no reason to change the company’s stated vision. “It would be fair to say that people are very attracted to the Alfa line-up. The design of the Giulia turns heads, and the Stelvio’s driving dynamics are fantastic.”

Mr. Lyon echoes his late CEOs visualization. As a result, consumers can expect to see hybrid and plug-in hybrid Alfas on the streets in the near future, with the latter promising a zero-emission range of more than 50km (31mi). “Every Alfa Romeo will be all-new or redesigned and will offer electrification,” Mr. Lyon stated with quiet emphasis. Additionally, “There will be no new vehicles from Alfa in 2019, but over the next five years we will launch four new models.” This plan calls for a smaller SUV, based on the Tonale concept shown at the Geneva auto show which should arrive in 2020. After that the world will see a larger full-size vehicle – likely an SUV – a compact coupe dubbed “GTV”, and a flagship sports car which is intended to revive the glory of the 8C nomenclature. Other than the concept Tonale which has been greeted with guarded enthusiasm by the automotive community and consumers with an appetite for Italian, specific details are not exactly forthcoming.

So 2019 is, in some ways, ground zero for Alfa Romeo. FCA and Mr. Lyon reinforce their position that Alfa is actually a (relatively) young brand, full of promise and ready to build upon a new foundation which has been more than four years in the making (Rome was not built in a day, anyone?). Fact is, 2019 is the first year that Alfa Romeo dealers should have all trim levels of both the Giulia and the Stelvio available. Will this be a time when supply issues will not thwart sales? We started talking about motor racing: let’s end on that same note. Alfa Romeo made a return to Formula One in 2018 and going into 2019, former world champion Kimi Räikkönen joined the squad. In September 2018 Sauber Alfa Romeo, the Formula 1 team, stated that Räikkönen had been signed on a two-year contract for 2019 and 2020. Could history be in the making for Alfa Romeo – on more than one front?

Featured Car

P hotograPhy | P eter h essels

S pecS

3.8L 6-cylinder 700 horsepower 553 lb-ft of torque 0-100 km/h: 2.8 seconds

Discovered

Flying To Fame C anadian 911 L ives O n T O F ighT a nOTher d ay

S tory | E mily A tkinS PHOTOGRAPHY | A PPIX M EDIA AURELIEN VIALATTE PHOTOFELZI

“Sanglier! SANG-LEE-EH!” The Rallye Monte Carlo spectators roared and cheered as the maple leaf-wrapped 911 flew off the icy road at close to 100 kmh, missing a 90-degree right turn, and catching big air before landing in a farmer’s field. The driver, Ian Crerar, didn’t miss a beat, barely slowing down as he carved a wide arc back towards the road. But he didn’t quite make it, forced to stop at the tarmac’s edge to avoid t-boning the next racer, the car got hung up in the ditch. Instantly a plume of steam appeared from under the hood. Almost instantly and in typical rally style, a horde of fans muscled the car off the hump and Crerar drove back on the pavement, to more wild adulation from the sidelines.

That was the dramatic end of a very long road to the 2019 Rallye Monte Carlo for the driver and his Canadian privateer team, ClearWater Design Racing. Although the damage to the radiator was not serious, there was no time left to make repairs before the end of the day’s special stages. Rallye Monte Carlo is the first race of the World Rally Championship season, and one of the most storied events in rally. As he waited for the team trailer to pick him up, a reflective Crerar noted that just getting here was an unbelievable accomplishment. “I still can’t quite believe we made it this far,” he said. “There were so many hurdles to clear before we could run, just starting was the dream come true.”

The journey began with a 300,000-kilometre 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera that was built into an R-GT rally car in the back of Crerar’s kayak manufacturing shop in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Back in 2017 Crerar had followed the progress of driver Romain Dumas as he won the R-GT championship in a 911 Cup car. The R-GT Cup is a performance rally series for two-door, two-seat sports cars. It runs in conjunction with several World Rally Championship events – Rallye Monte Carlo kicked off the season – and other major European rallies. In 2019 there will be eight R-GT events, and Crerar plans to run them all.

As a long-time Porsche 911 builder and rally racer, Crerar decided he would take a run at the championship. It wasn’t a blind run, as he had a successful Monte Carlo race in 2017. So in January 2018 the car he bought on eBay arrived from California. It’s unusual for a privateer team to take on a challenge like this. Dumas and the other competitors in R-GT are typically supported by manufacturers and their factory racing assets – money, engineering expertise and experience. For an upstart Canadian team it meant dealing with a lot of bureaucracy and the challenges of trans-Atlantic communications.

“ As he waited for the team trailer to pick him up, a reflective Crerar noted that just getting here was an unbelievable accomplishment.”

Using a stock street car meant starting from scratch. Crerar and his team got to work immediately, stripping out the interior and wiring, removing anything that would not be strictly necessary for performance rally.

Endless emails and photos crisscrossed the Atlantic as the team tried to get the homologation papers. It seemed that every time one fix was approved the FIA found an issue with something else.

And then the build began, adding a rally safety cage, new computer, wiring, seats, belts, lights and so on. The R-GT series is policed by the FIA (Federation International d’Autosport) and cars must adhere to a strict – and lengthy– rule book. Homologation to these specifications was the biggest challenge the team would have to overcome, and without gaining FIA approval in the form of a ‘passport’ the car would not be permitted to run.

So it was with trepidation that Crerar loaded the 911 into a container – without final homologation – and shipped it to France where it was delivered into the care of Chazel Technologie Course, a race shop that Crerar had rented cars from to compete in Rallye Monte Carlo and Rallye du France (Corsica) in previous years. Chazel would be responsible for the final prep and for getting the car to rallies and provide technical support during the championship run.

With the clock ticking down to the Monte Carlo start, Chazel worked to make the final fixes FIA mandated. With less than a week to go, Crerar and his Canadian technicians, Eric Vlasic and Nick Boucher, flew to France and joined the Chazel team to finalize the prep. Finally the car was trailered to Gap, France where the rally would start. The Canadians took over getting the 911 through the final tech inspection, and when a couple unsatisfactory welds were discovered in the cage, they commandeered a local welding shop to make the modification. As Crerar and co-driver Christina Kroner were out on the reconnaissance stages, Boucher and Vlasic took the car back to tech for its final going over. As the very last car to pass tech, the 911 was finally approved to race. Returning triumphantly to the service park with the tech stickers affixed just as Crerar and Kroner returned from recce, the team indulged in a happy dance. “It’s getting real,” Crerar said. “We have a rally car and we’re going to race the Monte in a 911!” Rallye Monte Carlo begins in the evening with a ceremonial start in the heart of Gap. All the cars, drivers and co-drivers gather in the city square, surrounded by thousands of eager, rowdy fans. As fireworks light up the night each car drives up onto the start podium and is announced to the crowd. “It was surreal,” Crerar said. “I was actually worried the car wouldn’t start after all we went through to get there. But of course, it did and it was just a wonderful, magical moment.” The race had been going well until the unscheduled off-road excursion. Crerar is very happy with the car’s performance and even admitted to doing a little showoff driving to please the fans. “You have to decide if you want to get it a little sideways to feed off the fan energy, or play it safe,” he said. “As the only 911 in the race it was worth playing into being a fan favourite.” And now, while the car will be back for the next event in Corsica, the Canadian 911 is YouTube-famous for the spectacular off. The fame is fun, Crerar says, but his objective in Corsica is to finish well and gain some points towards the championship.

Auto Art

Inspired Design A P Assion F or M otorcycles

S tory | M atthew N euNdorf P hotograPhy | P eter h eSSelS

The first time I met Nicholas Harrison was in his hotel room in Austin, TX. I shook his hand and exchanged pleasantries while, stripping down to my skivvies, I tried to squeeze myself into a new set of motorcycle racing leathers. I had been in town for the MotoGP race as well as some track time of my own at the Circuit of the Americas (hence the leathers) and a mutual friend, the designer of my new onesie, had wanted us to meet. That might read more like the beginnings to some bizarre forum letter to some of you out there but for those of us with a passion for motorcycles, it’s really just another day at the track. And make no mistake, Mr. Harrison has a deep passion for motorcycles. Especially those with Italian lineage. Currently his collection of motorcycles gamut from a modern Ducati Multistrada tourer to a gorgeously restored, vintage Ducati 900SS. And these are no garage queens. Nicholas subscribes to the “ride ‘em, don’t hide ‘em” school of thought, so every bike is familiar with Toronto’s streets, as well as many tracks. His latest acquisition though -- our feature bike for this current issue -- truly takes things to the next level. The culmination of over three years of design and development, the SBK#1 is custom builder extraordinaire, Walt Siegl’s interpretation of the ultimate Ducati Superbike. Designed around a vision of integrating modern technologies with a classic aesthetic, this completely custom motorcycle starts with a bespoke, aircraftgrade chrome moly trellis frame. Structural carbon fibre was used to create the rear subframe and aerodynamic tail and the composite was also used for the exquisite bodywork. The engine is based off of a Ducati 2-valve, L-Twin but has been hybridized to use the bottom-end from a later model 4-valve, 1098 block. The result is trackready weapon that tips scales with less weight than a current MotoGP bike and, as Nicholas tells me, rides incredibly well.

What ignited your passion for motorcycles?

First Ducati?

My Dad always took us to the races as kids. The sounds and smell of Castrol from the 2 stroke engines definitely ignited my passion for the world of motorcycles and motorcycle racing.

The 2007 1098S was my first Ducati. I had decided to take a break from riding on the street after selling the GPZ 550 in ’85. The FAST Racing School subsequently fulfilled my need starting with Level 1 & 2 in ’87. Ended up racing in their Level 4 Race series in 1989 and 1990. I also went Motocross racing in the late 90’s/early 2000’s with my two sons for 5 years.

I spent much of the 70’s around Yamaha TZs, from the 125 to the 750 and dreaming of one day riding and racing motorcycles. In those formative years, I even pretended my bicycle was a motorcycle and my favourite pastime became racing with friends around any track we could map out at our house. First bike? In 1984 I bought a Kawasaki GPZ 550. It was the first year they modernized the design. What was the bike that turned you on to Ducati? Without a doubt, the 916 was the bike that really made me start paying attention to Ducatis. The roar of the engine and the beautiful lines made it my dream bike

Building a career and helping raise two boys took me away from bikes for short periods of time but the draw was always too strong for me to stay away for any length of time. When Ducati revealed that they were launching the new 1098, I was ready to ride on the streets again and get back to doing track days.

When did things move from having a couple of bikes to ride to fostering a collection? I was re-energized after buying the 1098S and started doing more and more track days between 2008 and 2011. This made me happy but also created a desire to explore additional ways of enjoying my passion being re-ignited.

I traded the 1098S for the new 2012 PanigaleS and bought a 2005 749R as a secondary track bike as well as a 2013 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak. Touring on and offroad were now on my radar. After a few great trips to Eastern and Western Canada and to Colorado, I sank even deeper into the abyss of my motorcycle addiction. The people you meet in every discipline of motorcycling made me incredibly happy and I wanted more. The opportunity arose in the summer of 2014 to purchase some bikes from a friend who was downsizing his collection and I was lucky enough to acquire 5 bikes. Venturing into Vintage bikes and learning and appreciating a bit of the history of how we got here was added fuel. My curiosity didn’t want me to stop there however. Is there one bike in your collection that is more special than the others? Why? The most special bike in my collection is the one I’ve just gotten off of. They all have so many reasons to make me feel incredible and are all special.

What do you think the moto industry is missing right now? Why is the industry in decline? I think the industry just needs to keep it’s head down and focus on marketing to each demographic. I’ve seen an increase in interest from so many different age groups all reclaiming control of doing things they enjoy. Marketing groups need to focus not only on the fun aspects of motorcycling but also on the social benefits as well as the ease of commuting while still having fun in busy cities in addition to all of the other ways to enjoy motorcycles. More safety related programs need to be pushed as it’s too easy for the general opinion of motorcycling being unsafe to become the norm. We need to help everyone realize that motorcycles can be safe.

Has anything coming down the pipe caught your eye as being special? Yes. A lot. At the Handbuilt show this year, I was really impressed by Builders moving away from the expected and embracing their creativity. There were some engineering masterpieces at the show. It’s really difficult for me as WSM has set a very high standard regarding every aspect of a custom build.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your most memorable motorcycle experience? Five of us did a trip to Austin, TX in 2015 for the MotoGP race. We had our Street and Track bikes trailered there and flew in for the race. We left on our Multis for Big Bend National Park Monday morning after the race and came back that Friday to set up for a track weekend back at COTA. We were a very close group of friends hitting so many sweet spots of what we enjoy. It was awesome.

Favorite bike on your favorite track, which one and where? After having ridden BMW HP4 Race bikes and V4 Specials at tracks like COTA and Valencia and quite a few bikes at many other tracks in the US and Canada, my favourite is still Calabogie on my Panigale. When I finally was able to dial my suspension in, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a track that has so much to sink your teeth into. Twenty corners of every variation imaginable.

Talk to me about the genesis of the WSBK? How did that come about and why did you elect to be the guinea pig? I had also made a decision in 2013 to explore the world of custom built bikes as I had a burning desire to have a more personal connection with my bikes. I had set a two year window and saved all custom builds I liked to a folder. By the end of 2014, I was ready to review my saves and make a decision to explore next steps. This was when I realized that there was a recurring Walt Siegl theme in my folder. I sent Walt an email asking to help me understand the process and he immediately responded. Our first phone conversation was over half an hour. We discovered that we had met at an SSR Track Day at Calabogie and had a lot in common. We agreed to move forward with a Leggero build and my wife and I flew to NH to discuss the details. This was early 2015. Walt met us at The General Store before taking us on a tour of the shop. We immediately

felt comfortable and were happy with our choice of builder. What we didn’t know then was how special our friendship with Walt & Laura would become. Our Leggero build took a detour as we met the first WSM MV Agusta Bol D’or at the inaugural dinner hosted at the shop in 2015. I agreed to buy one. This made it the first WSM bike I would take delivery of. Simplicity, form and balance at it’s best. This truly was a work of art. The experience of the build was flawless. Having the opportunity to design the livery with Walt that paid homage to Agostini was a dream come true. What I didn’t anticipate was the riding experience being as visceral as it was. My donor bike for the Leggero build had already been delivered to the shop the same weekend as the inaugural dinner. On one of my visits to finalize details for the Bol D’or, Walt mentioned that he was developing an idea for a new build that would be different than his Leggero builds. I decided to wait and the Superbike became that bike.

The WSM Superbike which took three years from that first discussion has become one of the motorcycle related highlights of my life to be indelibly etched into my memory. Agreeing to this build instead of the Leggero and not being in a hurry was one of the best decisions I’ve made relating to my motorcycle related experiences. Just recently, I was also lucky enough to also add a Leggero to my collection. This bike is truly a combination of all of the best bikes I own and then some. The weight and handling are incredible. The sound, the clutch, the transmission are perfection. I cherish every moment I have riding these incredible functional pieces of art.

How did things turn out with that build? The bike is like nothing else that you’ll ever have a chance to ride. Hard to believe that a bike built from scratch out of a shop in New Hampshire with 4 main employees can rival the big manufacturers who have access to many engineers and historical data from their storied racing heritage.

Tell me about your first experience with that bike on track -- did it meet expectations? Three days at the Jenning GP track completely blew my mind and exceeded every expectation that both Walt and I had for the bike. We started by taking it easy on street tires the first day but there was nothing about the bike that would allow that word into its vocabulary. It was perfectly balanced and was aking for more. We put slicks on for the last two days and couldn’t believe how much better it was. On a small track with many tight flowing corners, it gave us confidence everywhere and acceleration out of corners was on par with the BMW Superbikes there. How does it compare to the Bol d’Or? The SBK is a purebred Racing Bike. The Bol DOr is an amazing motorcycle and is exciting to ride on so many levels but the Superbike is purpose built for being amazing at the track.

What’s next? Panigale V4? Nothing on my radar just now. I’ve ridden a V4 Speciale at the track and as much as it is an amazing motorcycle and the V4R maybe even more so, my focus is on enjoying the bikes I now have. I get excited for every single ride.

Where do you see motorcycling ten years from now? How about twenty? I can only hope that amazing events like the MotoSocial created by our friend Viktor Radics and his wife Sammy Lee Radics now in multiple North American cities and around the world have a positive impact of allowing enthusiasts to connect and spread everything that’s positive about motorcycling and it continues to be a discoverable lifestyle option for anyone to embrace.

Can motorcycling save the world? If the Champions of our industry can continue spreading their love and passion for this sport, I truly believe we can make a difference in Happier, better adjusted humans.

BEGIN WHE RE THE

ROAD ENDS V I S I T U TA H . C O M

Discovered

Picture-Perfect Season H igH D osage C olours

in tHe

Q uebeC l aurentians

S tory | S abrina G iacomini

If you ask me, no season is as visually striking as fall. Spring sees the rebirth of all living things after the long months spent under the white of snow. Pastels are on full display But there is beauty in death as well, a solemn one. Fall puts on one last show before the return to frost. The hues of red, orange, and yellow contrasting the evergreens create, for a few weeks only, an unparalleled ambiance. This is the charming setting we were offered to explore onboard the new 2019 Kia Forte on a few-days trip between Ottawa, Mont-Tremblant, and Montreal. To introduce us to their sedan’s third generation, Kia decided to make the best of the season at hand and send us on our merry ways through an exploding canvas of colours. It all began in Ottawa, the national capital of Canada. The city of Ottawa, in Ontario, is separated from Gatineau, in Quebec, only by a river—crossing the bridge takes you from English to French-speaking territory and that’s exactly where we headed.

“ Fall puts on one last show before the return to frost.”

The first leg of our journey would stretch from the Capital to the area of L’Ange-Gardien through the Outaouais region. We made a pit stop at Marie Casse-Croûte, a tiny local diner where some of my colleagues took the occasion to order a local “delicacy” of Quebec, namely the famous (or infamous) poutine. Being from the Belle Province myself, I indulged in a few bites; a little piece of home. With our bellies full of fries, cheese curds, and gravy, we hit the road once more onboard the new Forte and made our way north towards our second stop of the day, the Fairmont Le Château Montebello. There is a wealth of countryside roads connecting each village that allows you to take roads less travelled and enjoy some sightseeing over the rush of busy highways. Driving through the Laurentians backcountry in fall feels like stepping into a watercolor painting and Kia traced the perfect route to make sure we would enjoy its full effect. The grey and rainy day that saw us off when we left the capital earlier that day turned into a peaceful, fogshrouded canvas as we knitted our way on the backroads of Quebec.

The grass still bright and green, soaked by all the moisture, and livened up by all the water it had received; the dull uniformly grey sky, and the trees on their last performance of the year before shedding their foliage, offered one of the loveliest displays of fall I had seen in a long time. The Kia Forte tied it all together thanks to its dark, neutral charcoal grey paint that reflected the surrounding landscape. Thankfully, my driving partner and I were on the same wavelengthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we kept wanting to stop every few kilometers to take in the views. Everywhere we looked seemed like an appropriate photo op and we took full advantage of it. Our lunch stop for the day was at the Fairmont Le ChĂ˘teau Montebello in Quebec. The ChĂ˘teau has been part of the local landscape since 1930. Built in a rustic style, the 214-room resort poses as a striking dark figure against the lush countryside that surrounds it. Its walls are built with sturdy, black logs with red stumps, creating a dramatic cut-out from the surrounding scenery.

Decor on the outside and inside would best be described as “Canadiana”—an amalgam of historical French Canadian and Native artifacts and symbols gathered into a tacky, decorative melting pot. The main hall of the hotel, while impressive in size, is rendered cozy and welcoming by the dark wood, stone walls, and subdued lighting. A gigantic fireplace towers at the center of the room, opened on all four sides for everyone sitting around to enjoy. After a delicious and filling lunch at the hotel restaurant, we got back on the road for the last leg of the day, heading north towards our final destination: the lovely ski village of Mont Tremblant.

While the area is most popular for this beloved winter sport, the mountain and the surrounding village offer a number of activities for all seasons. The neighbouring Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant hosts a flight of racing events, including the Spring, Summer, and Fall Classics. From the village, a cable car can take you to the top of the Laurentians’ highest mountain for a gorgeous panoramic view of the surrounding hills. If you choose to challenge yourself, you can also hike your way up the mountain’s 968 meters. In the village, shows, street entertainers, luge rides, boutiques, and restaurants will add excitement to your stay. You can also enjoy the picturesque setting by walking the uphill streets where no cars are allowed.

We were hosted at the Fairmont Tremblant for the night, a gorgeous hotel and spa nestled at the foot of Mont Tremblant that rises and towers above the colourful roofs of the village. In the winter, guests can easily transfer from a few hours on the ski slopes to a relaxing moment at the hotel spaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open-air hot baths, located only a short walk away from the bottom of the hill. The hotel features three restaurants and a lounge. We got to sample the specialties of the Choux Gras Brasserie Culinaire, an elevated take on local and international dishes including striped bass, grilled octopus, seafood tower, stuffed porchetta, and orzo risotto. The restaurant also has a resident sommelier and a well-stocked wine cellar that makes it easy to find the ideal pairing.

After a restful night in one of 314 rooms, we were ready to tackle the last leg of our trip; a short journey from Mont Tremblant back to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. We woke up to a gorgeous, sunny day. The clouds had dispersed and the sun welcomed us on our early start. Up here in the mountains—or what locals refer to as “mountains” in that area—the temperature had dropped dramatically overnight and the cozy fall temperatures we had enjoyed the previous day were now near freezing. If coffee wasn’t enough to wake us up on that morning, the cold air definitely did it. On the way out of the village to reach highway 15, we stopped on a small bridge over Lake Tremblant on Chemin de la Chapelle. A short pitstop on the bridge offered a beautiful overview of the mountain, making for a great send-off and yet another lovely photo op with the Forte. The road from Tremblant to Montreal via the highway takes roughly an hour and a half. This makes the Laurentians a prized destination for city dwellers looking to get away for a day or a weekend. While the village is mostly popular for its winter and summer activities, fall is the most majestic season of them all. If you wish to enjoy what this beautiful rugged region has to offer, while avoiding the flocks of tourists and escaping locals, plan your stay in September or October. While you’re at it, I highly recommend going on a little backroads adventure to bask in the natural décor and make a pit stop at a little hole in the wall for some real Quebec poutine.

Special Feature

Creating Dreams One Block At A Time L EGO - s i z E d R E a L L i f E C a R s

S tory | D an H eyman

Many of us will remember the feeling; the hours spent poring over instruction booklets, assembling, disassembling, reassembling and so on – which block to get this building just right? Two stacked 2 x 4 plates, or a single 2 x 4 brick? I remember being so thrilled when the access ladder on the pirate ship I’d just been given for my birthday lined up oh-so-perfectly with the dock on the fortress I already had. Parents may remember tiptoeing over their carpet-cum-plastic-minefield at night, and now that I am a parent, I’m proud to say that I’ve completed that rite of passage with Duplo and will do it again with “grownup” Lego bits. Lego on the floor means Lego being used instead of video games being played, Peppa Pig being watched or iPads being death-gripped. I’d have it no other way. It seems, however, that even Lego has had to grow up a little. Those video games and handheld devices are tough nuts to crack, so Lego has had to adapt. It’s done so by releasing its own brand of video games, but also by releasing evermore intricate models of vehicles, buildings, and famous movie locations. Most recently, they’ve taken the vehicle thing to the nth degree by building 1:1 scale, Lego-ized versions of real cars. Lubor Zelinka, Design Manager Specialist at Lego, is one of the chaps responsible for bringing it all to life. We talked to him for a little insight on how all of this has come to pass.

You’ve just released the 1:1 scale Lego Senna after the recent Bugatti Chiron. Are you able to share with us just a bit of the process, from when a vehicle is chosen, to when we see the final product? All the vehicles you mention are first and foremost chosen for the play sets that you can actually purchase and build yourself. A lot of things are considered – how attractive is the car for the target audience, can it be transformed into a set, is the manufacturer willing to work with us, perhaps providing special access to yet unrevealed car etc. Only a few of these cars are then even considered for some kind of a larger build. The brick built model is our ultimate proof that the only limit is your imagination, so when we build them, we like to push ourselves and create something that stands out. Having an attractive super car as a reference helps a lot! We are also proud to have great partnerships with our licensing partners, like McLaren or Bugatti, who are interested in these projects and do not hesitate to provide any support we might need. Lego has built cars for years, but they’ve mainly been Lego originals (The off-road truck from 60115, for example, or the police jeep from 6398, one of my personal favorites thanks to its suspension system);

is there an added challenge when trying to replicate actual, real-life cars? Or have Lego cars always used real life models as a starting point? People designing the sets, be it 67 years ago when the brick was born or today, have always drawn some of their inspiration from the real world. Even when you are creating some generic-looking jeep, you want it to have features of existing models so that is instantly recognizable as one. So you have to look at existing vehicles of that category and introduce some common attributes - suspension, the relative size of the wheels to the body, maybe a front frame etc. But with that said, you have a lot of room for your own creativity. When you are designing a LEGO version of a real-life car, things get hard really quickly. You will not get away with some kinda-sorta-looks-alike type of a model! Getting the shape and proportion right is the key in my opinion, and once you have that you can experiment with details. That’s where designer’s skill can really show. For example, I know that turn signals on the small Senna model are actually repurposes axe blade from one our castle sets. Another interesting challenge is trying to adapt an existing car - designed to fit humans - for a LEGO minifigure, because of their different proportions. If you look carefully, you will notice that all LEGO cars are a bit taller than their real world counterparts.

Did you grow up playing with Lego? Were the vehicles always of high interest for you? Some people might argue that I never actually grew up! My mom gave me my first set at the age of three and I basically never stopped playing with it since (I am turning 29 this week, so much for growing up). Same with the vehicles, somehow, I was always fascinated by cars, planes, machines of all sorts. I would draw them from early age, or build them from LEGO, and a car was one of the first things I tried to create when I started experimenting with 3D graphics back in high school. I think it all somehow comes from appreciation of the design and engineering that go into making of any vehicle.

I saw the 1:1 scale green 934 (set 75888) at the Rennsport Reunion; along with the Senna, how important is it to do 1:1 scale models of vehicles that you can actually buy and build? Thanks for bringing up this set - I love that green 911 model! At end of a day, we all in the Model Production are part of a LEGO marketing branch. So most of the things we build, cars included, are somehow connected to our product portfolio.

Where do you get your inspiration for the next design? I try to keep myself up-to-date with news from the LEGO world, be it our own sets or fan creations. There are so many cool fan models (MOC, or “My Own Creation” ) out there, it just never stops to amaze me! It’s so cool working for a company with such an active and creative fan base. It’s kind of a positive feedback loop that inspires all of us to always do better than the last time. How closely do you follow the actual vehicle specifications when producing a LEGO vehicle?

To the smallest detail possible at a given scale. When working on one of the large builds, I always try to capture the proportions, main design lines etc. as close to the original as I can. And I also like to reproduce all the small details that you notice only after you have been looking at the model for some time. Or maybe after your second or third visit. On the Chiron for example, the grille creates the same 3D cube effect like the original one, even at the price of building each from hundreds of connected propeller hubs that together make this pattern. Or in the Senna’s interior, the dotted pattern on the centre console was also replicated using round bricks.

What project would you like to do that you haven’t done yet? I am a big space exploration fan, so making a LEGO tribute to one of the pioneers of space flight would be a great honor. Maybe we could get Elon Musk to shoot it up there - this could be his type of thing!

Coffee or tea? Wine or beer? Hamburger or hot dog? Coffee, lots of it. Beer, fully in line with stereotype of Czech people being the biggest beer drinkers! Actually, cheeseburger :-)!

What project would you like to do that you haven’t done yet?

Have you spoken with car manufacturers and designers? How to they respond to the work you do? Do they sometimes have some input in how a 1:1 scale model can be developed and produced?

I am a proper night owl, so actually working on something, creating, building can keep me up all night. The mornings are the hard part for me!

That’s actually a very nice perk of my job - when we do projects like the Senna or Chiron, we get to travel to the manufactures, see their facilities and talk to their people.

Before Chiron, we only built one thing partly out of Technic, a dinosaur sculpture. Despite the fact we were playing on their turf, so to speak, and coming from different field - a toy company building dinosaurs and stuff approaching hypercar company - they always treated us nicely and were very supportive. That included consultations and design input, too - for example when identifying key design features, talking to the actual car designer is invaluable.

more curved bodywork? And while we’re on the topic: the Raptor is cool (75875); I assume trucks are a little easier to transform into Lego due to their “blocky” (pun intended; I think) nature. Is that a correct assumption? I think each car comes with its own challenges, no matter how old or new it is. But you are correct in your assumption - if a car was designed in let’s say more angular fashion in a first place, it’s easier to turn it into a LEGO model.

I’m a huge fan of your Porsche garage set (75876) and Ford GT set (75881) as I’m a massive fan of old GT racers. Are older race cars more challenging or less challenging to turn into Lego models, due to their

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The Historic Kentucky Bourbon Trail S tory | K elly t aylor

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Whiskey is on the nose, and we’re halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, but this isn’t Scotland and a kilt is nowhere to be found.

I started my tour at Maker’s Mark, about an hour south of Louisville, where our tour guide, Jackie, is recounting how the founder, Bill Samuels Sr., began the business in 1953:

This is the Kentucky bourbon trail and Louisville — home of the Kentucky Derby and birthplace of the hot brown sandwich — is its epicentre. Within the city, and within a few hours’ drive, are some of the biggest, best and smallest names in bourbon: Jim Beam, Evan Williams, Maker’s Mark, Bulleit, Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve are just a few.

“He didn’t want to sell the rock-gut, horrible, moonshine his family had been making, and he actually had a ceremony where he burned the family recipe,” she said.

Each offers distillery tours, samples and lessons in bourbon history. Bourbon is a specific concoction of whiskey, so much so the U.S. Congress passed regulations in 1964 stipulating what can and cannot be called bourbon. Among eight requirements are that it be made with a grain base of no less than 51 per cent corn, that is has to be aged in new, charred oak barrels and must be made in the United States.

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So, he set about devising a recipe for a smooth, sipping whisky and soon came upon the blend for what would soon become Maker’s Mark: 70 per cent corn, 14 per cent malted barley and — here’s where he diverged from many bourbon makers — 16 per cent red soft winter wheat. It’s the wheat, Jackie said, that gives Maker’s a sweeter edge than some bourbons, many of which use the spicier grain rye instead. The three grains are milled to a fine meal, cooked in water to create a mash, which is then fermented with yeast to produce alcohol. After double distillation, it’s aged in barrels where bourbon gets the majority of its flavours and colours. (Whiskey cannot be called bourbon if it contains added colorants or flavourings.)

The barrels at Maker’s Mark are made out of white oak, and, as with most bourbons, are charred on the inside to caramelize the wood sugars. Once distilled, the whiskey ages in these barrels for at least three “Kentucky summers” in the hottest areas of the company’s warehouses. It’s here where the alcohol is most active, moving in and out of the wood and gaining its flavour. Tasters determine when a barrel is ready to move to cooler storage areas, where the process of transferring flavours slows down. A tour gives you a behind-the-label look at how bourbon is made, complete with fascinating tidbits about Makers’ — such as how Margie Samuels, Bill’s wife, took an active role in designing the distillery campus; insisted on paying homage to the family’s Scottish roots by declaring it would be whisky, without an ‘e’ because that’s how it’s spelled in Scotland; and decided on the colour scheme still in use today. That scheme has black as the main colour for all buildings, to represent the deep, rich colour of the bourbon, red for shutters to represent the red wax

used to seal each bottle and tan for trim, to represent the grains used in the mash. She even gave the whisky its name and designed the iconic labels. That red wax, by the way, was also Margie’s idea. You can buy unwaxed bottles in the gift shop and try your hand at adding the wax, if you want. In Louisville, I toured the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. While the tour is in a historic downtown building that operates only a demonstration distillery, the tour is museum-quality, complete with vignettes filmed with actors in period costume depicting both Louisville history and Williams’ own beginnings in bourbon, as well as recreations of Louisville’s Main Street in the 1800s. Within walking distance of Evan Williams are four more bourbon tours: Michter’s, Rabbit Hole, Angel’s Envy and Old Forester. Oh, and the bit about being halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh? That would be Glasgow, Ky., and Edinburgh, Ind.

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A few factors contribute to Kentucky’s position as the centre of the bourbon world: first is the temperature swing, from hot summers to cool winters, that plays a large role in how the whiskey develops its flavours while aging. The other is the water, which filters through the area’s limestone shelf. That filter action not only leaves the water clean and with significantly reduced levels of iron, which is detrimental to the taste of whiskey, it adds calcium and magnesium, which contribute to flavour and assist in the action of the yeast in the mash. That limestone also contributed to another, more recent, piece of Kentucky history. On Feb. 12, 2014, at 5:39 a.m., the ceiling of an underground cave began to crumble. It would normally be a common and insignificant geological event for the area, except for what was directly above that cave: eight priceless and irreplaceable Chevrolet Corvettes. It was an event that shook the National Corvette Museum to

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its foundations and set in motion a recovery process that would be only partially successful. This is Bowling Green, Ky., and the museum is just across the street from the factory where Corvettes have been made since 1981. The fateful day saw the eight Corvettes plummet to the depths of a hole about 20 feet deep. Five were damaged beyond repair, with one nearly sliced in half when it was hit by a falling chunk of concrete. The eight cars swallowed were the 1.5-millionth Corvette (a white 2009 model), the 1993 ZR-1 Spyder, a 2009 “Blue Devil” ZR1, a black 1962 roadster, a 1984 PPG Pace Car, the one millionth Corvette (a white 1992 model), a 1993 40th Anniversary Corvette and a 2001 Mallett Hammer Corvette Z06. Only the millionth, the 1962 roadster and the 2009 Blue Devil were repairable. The rest were total losses, but remain on display in the Skydome, the area where the sinkhole opened.

The disaster ended up being a boon to the museum, which left the sinkhole on display for a year before beginning repairs. The news sent attendance soaring by 100,000 visitors in 2014, and has kept it rolling above the 200,000 mark since. In 2016, the event became a centrepiece of the museum, called the Corvette Cave In!, with re-enactments from inside the cavern, video and graphic displays explaining the cave-in and culminates in the Skydome, where the affected cars, and dozens others, are on display. Lines on the floor show where it collapsed, as well as the periphery of the cavern. A manhole with a glass window offers a look down 42 feet to the bottom of what remains of the cavern, which was otherwise filled in with earth before the floor was restored. Sinkholes are common in Kentucky, thanks in small part to the limestone that gives bourbon its distinct character: runoff water collects in “karst” holes in the limestone and erodes the earth underneath. In the case of the museum,

the presence of a sinkhole escaped detection during construction (the museum opened in 1994). Engineers, employing the recommended procedure at the time, drilled 15-foot bore samples and found no evidence of an underground cavern. Unfortunately, the cavern was 30 feet down. Over the next 20 years, its ceiling eroded. The museum offers car lovers an intimate look at the history of the Corvette, including life-size figurines of Zora Arkus-Duntov, an engineer regarded as the “Father of the Corvette,” and later designers Larry Shinoda and Jerry Palmer, as well as examples of the car from its roots in 1953 to today’s C-7 (Corvette, seventh generation) model. Rumours have persisted that C-8, due out in 2019, may be a mid-engined version, the first in the model’s history. That Corvettes would be built in the Bluegrass State is fitting, as it’s quite the state for drivers. Ribbons of windy, hilly tarmac criss-cross the state, and each turn opens a new, beautiful vista to take in.

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Behind The Scenes

2019 Moto Social Rides Into Toronto Global EvEnt RootEd In Canada

S tory

and

P hotograPhy | M atthew n eundorf

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You can never plan around Mother Nature. The rain had started some thirty-six hours before the 2019 Moto Social was to kick-off in Toronto. With just two hours to go before things officially opened, the skies remained dark, dreadful and damp. It was damned cold, too. More midMarch in feel than early-May; I know I’m not the only rider who debated leaving the bike at home. I’m glad I didn’t. The coffee and hot chocolate being served up by our host, The Dark Horse Bakery, immediately took the chill from our hands but as always, it was the people that provided the actual warmth. The less-than-stellar conditions only meant those in attendance were extra friendly and welcoming; happy and proud to be a part of the collective.

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This is precisely the atmosphere that Viktor Radics and his wife Sam were hoping for when they spawned the Moto Social, five years ago. For the uninitiated, the Moto Social is a monthly community event held in different host cities. It certainly caters to motorcycle enthusiasts but it’s open to anyone and everyone. Founded in Toronto, that same recipe is currently being applied in twenty-one cities around the globe, with great success. I sat down with Viktor and Sam to chat about how this all came to be and where it may be heading.

Where did the idea for The Moto Social come from? What led to its inception?

If I’ve never been to a Moto Social, what should I expect? How do I fit in?

The whole idea of the Moto Social grew from me feeling disconnected from Toronto. I started to think, what made me identify as a Torontonian? It’s a large city with millions of people and dozens of individual communities but we’re all a part of this singular city. We wanted to try to create an event that would help promote unity.

If you’ve never been to one of our events, we want you to come and just be yourself. Our atmosphere is that anyone can come into our fold to grab a coffee and within minutes be involved in a conversation and included in the group. Whether it’s us, hosts from other cities or just other people already there, we encourage them to look

out for new faces and engage them, help make them feel welcome. A healthy, open and well hosted event will grow organically -- we look at this as hosting an event, not just organizing a hang-out. So we try to host people the way we would at our home. Make people that you don’t know feel welcome -- go out of your way to be welcoming, don’t stay stuck in your cliques. You say I don’t need to be a rider to attend -- Are you going to treat me differently? Absolutely not. We’ve always said we’re more about people. I’d rather a bunch of moms with their strollers mixed in with our group than have it be all bikers. Does motorcycling have a stigma attached to it? What is that? Is it changing? Do you believe the Moto Social is helping change that? We think our community helps break down the stereotypes associated with motorcycle riders -- especially for those who’ve never been exposed to them. As a female, I’ve (Sam) experienced this firsthand. Our events give us a community that’s open and welcoming.

Do you think communities like the Moto Social can help grow motorcycling? Yeah, for sure. I think it already has. At least in Toronto, we’ve seen a lot of new riders over the years. Folks that have showed up to an event. The city roster is still heavy on Canadian content. Is that by design? Initially we thought to make this a Canadian thing -- we wanted to have it be homegrown. Our first followers were Canadian and the bulk of them still are -- Canadians pay attention to Canadians, the world, sadly, tends to ignore us. After Ottawa and Montreal (the second and third cities) we set up, we knew we wanted to make this Canadian, but needed to expand. Montreal and Ottawa were close so we could ride there (to host the events). Vancouver was next but we had to fly out every month to start it off and things got pricey but it gave the community a true Canadian footprint.

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Cape Town was the first international city -- how did that come about? Why not look a little closer to home, to our neighbors to the south? I think its because it wasn’t about being practical. We did it in Toronto and could feel it was making a positive difference, so we figured this model could work and should happen in other cities. It wasn’t initially a global concept but as it expanded we realized we could reach a larger audience and affect positive change. Cape Town happened because like minded homies reached out (Devin Paisley and Archie Leeming). Archie was the catalyst; he had been through some crazy experiences on his bike -- he rode to Cape Town from Scotland and just never rode back. We flew over to get things started, so to speak, but the folks there had the same mentality and vibe. They had tried to do something very similar on their own previously and followed our presence on social media, so hopping on board with Moto Social seemed like a good idea. And its proven to be really successful.

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You’ve just returned from LA -- Why no L.A. on the roster? Is it in the works? Yeah, the way we’ve expanded is to have the right people reach out to us. In my mind I’d love to set something up in L.A. -- it’s a massive city where everyone seems to feel separated. So, we’re looking at meeting with people who would be interested in expanding with us. How do you “qualify” new host cities? It’s about the right people. Folks who are stoked about connecting people in their city. There are certain things that we look for and a lot of that boils down to heart and attitude. This year something switched in our heads to shift focus away from major cities, so big cities were the places we focused on to start but that’s changing this year. We have enough momentum as a brand -- if the scene locally can make it happen and they have the right people in place then we can make it happen.

Does one city stand out as best embracing the ethos of the Moto Social? The vibe is definitely the same amongst all of our cities but San Francisco is incredible. It’s already a very open and embracing city so the growth rate there has been great. Also Auckland (New Zealand). Within a year they were seeing 300-plus people turn out. Ottawa has also grown quite quickly, too.

Are there any corporate sponsors involved? Why/why not? No, there’s not. If we have one brand sponsoring the Moto Social, riders of other brands may question our intent. We want everyone to be a part of this, without stigma or exclusion. To some level we don’t need sponsors -- there’s no cash costs to putting the events together, only time and effort. However, to grow the events and do things for our hosts, having sponsorship would help. But we could only do that with the right people/brand with the same mentality and agenda that our ethos has -- so, less of a sponsor and more of a partnership.

What’s next for MotoSocial? What’s next for you? We want to build community better than we are today. Positively affect humanity. We want to do more than just these monthly events. We want to give people more opportunities to connect with each other and our cities. The Moto Social in most peoples’ minds is still based in their own cities -- we’re lucky enough to experience it in almost all of our host cities -- so Sam and I have met people and made connections in those other cities, we’ve found “our” people in other cities and we’d like to open this global community to the individual cities. Turn the city specific experience into a global one. So, even in this dreary start to Spring, things are a success. The Moto Social has expanded yet again, on all sides of all ponds, and with it that collective of friends and family, linked by either a love of life on two-wheels or the curiosity of what sparks it. Hopefully some of us will see some of you at one of this summer’s coming events, in Toronto or elsewhere.

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Urban Assault In Prince Edward County N e w P o r s c h e P a N a m e r a GTs s P o r T T u r i s m o

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Be it Friday evening or Saturday morning, a sea of stuffed silver and grey SUV’s clog Southern Ontario’s eastbound artery throughout the spring, summer and fall. Helmed by like-minded drivers who’ve loaded up kids, gear and fido too, Prince Edward County (PEC) provides the perfect escape for both quiet respite and culinary adventure. Trust me when I say, getting there via the shortest route can turn driving into an absolute slog. But it doesn’t have to. There are other windier, emptier routes available for us enthusiasts and -- I’m going to let you in on a secret here -- there are better, more engaging vehicles than those SUVs for the task.

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Peeling off the 401 near Port Hope, I tap the left paddle of my PDK-equipped Porsche Panamera GTS Sport Turismo a few times and revel in the burble of rev-matched downshifts. There are a multitude of road combinations that will lead towards our ultimate destination, The Drake Devonshire, and I intend to explore a few of them while getting to know this Mamba Green Metallic beast a bit in the process. Thanks to its second generation re-design, the Panamera has shrugged off its bulbous, hobbled-together appearance and finally embraced its inner wagon. The sculpted, shooting brake design bestowed upon the Sport Turismo variant I’m driving is easily the standout of the range.

Thanks to the subtle tweaks to the C and D pillars at the rear, there’s a clean cohesion to its bodywork that appears missing in standard Panamera guise. At least that’s how it appears to my eyes and the foot traffic heading towards Port Hope’s Coffee Public tends to agree; I counted more smiles than sneers while we caffeinated ourselves.

“ There are a multitude of road combinations that will lead towards our ultimate destination...”

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The pavement on the B-roads linking Bewdley to PEC has, like us, suffered through a rough and lingering winter. Cracked and pock-marked, it’s not the friendliest asphalt as far as most sports cars are concerned but the Panamera GTS seems to shrug it off with nary a niggle. The three-chamber air ride suspension, which notably sits 10mm lower in GTS guise, soaks up everything even at above posted speeds. And best of all, that lower ride height means this 5-door Porsche won’t wallow in a fast corner. Pop that fifth door and there is ample cargo space -520L -- for a longer-than-long weekend away. With just a suitcase and small duffel bag, my co-pilot Mr. Pegg and I have merely dropped pebbles in a pond. Fold the seats down and a stop off at Primitive Designs in Port Hope, where art and metal form the exotic, wouldn’t be out of the question. From behind the leather-wrapped and heated wheel, the Panamera GTS Sport Turismo is an extremely comfortable spot to be. The 18-way adjustable seats, standard in both the Sport Turismo and GTS, adapt and hug in all the right places. A sea of piano black and anodized aluminum sprawls across the leather adorned dash and centre stack, highlighted by an intuitive touchscreen user interface. I personally still prefer to play with buttons and knobs and held the last gen Panamera’s interior layout on high, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t a well appointed, minimalist appearing cockpit. Flex your right foot and the Panamera’s all-wheel-drive system simply gets to the business of building speed. There’s no drama, just an engagement of the warp drive as Centreton is quickly replaced by Morganston on our Nav screen. The 4.0L, twin-turbo, V8 powering the GTS is essentially a de-tuned version of the mill that sits in the Panamera Turbo. That de-tuning results in a still substantial 453 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque which slots the GTS directly betwixt that Turbo and the standard Panamera, in terms of performance. We nose into the Drake’s tightly packed parking lot for a late lunch and appreciate the addition of four-wheelsteering to the Panamera for making this near-threemetre long car feel small and maneuverable. As we sit and enjoy the Drake’s beer battered haddock and duck-fat-fried “chips”, the waves of Lake Ontario are crashing just feet from our table. There’s a hum from the conversations of the other guests but that quickly melts away. Our escape from the city is complete and it was accomplished with style, panache and levels of fun that folks trapped on the highway will simply never know.

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Exit Lane

Every year at the Canadian International AutoShow – well, the last three, anyway – I have been host of a three-times daily talk/interview program called AutoShow Live, which is streamed onto the auto show’s website and posted for viewing later on the show’s YouTube channel. Everybody has a good time, particularly me, because I get to ask all sorts of outrageous questions. One of my guests this year was Jeff Yurek, Ontario transportation minister. I asked when he planned to raise the speed limit on 400-series highways to 120 km/h? He’s a politician, so he waffled. He said something about consulting Ontarians before doing anything. So I went for the jugular. He lives in St. Thomas and commutes to Queen’s Park on the 401 two or three times a week. I asked if he sticks to the 100 km/h speed limit and, while he waffled on the answer again, he showed genuine surprise when I told him about a friend of mine, an OPP officer in eastern Ontario, who nails just about everybody going faster than the posted limit. Several weeks ago, Yurek announced that the government will raise speed limits on sections of three 400-series highways to 110 km/h as part of a pilot program. They also will hold consultations to determine if they are doing the right thing. Give me a break. Once upon a time in Ontario, there was a government elected on the basis of what was called the Common Sense Revolution. That government aside, this is one instance when a little common sense might come in handy. First, nobody, and I mean nobody, drives 100 km/h on those highways. So why pretend they do? Second, who are you going to consult? I guarantee you will get an earful from people like the police, who will talk about safety and such but who really like the option of writing tickets without having to justify their actions. That’s what happens when you have nonsense like a posted speed limit of 100 km/h because if you are going 105 you are breaking the law. Lastly, you will also hear from people who don’t drive on a 400-series highway but want to tell everybody else how to live their lives. They will talk about the environment and other hot-button issues but they are just busybodies. Governments waste billions of dollars on this sort of nonsense when all they have to do is look around. The majority of provinces, notable exceptions being Ontario and Quebec, have speed limits of 110 km/h or 120 km/h. So why not call the transportation ministers in those other provinces and ask them how those speeds are working out? The answers will be, “Fine, thank you.” Or else, they would lower them. That would be a lot faster, and cheaper, than conducting a pilot program. Here is what else Minister Yurek and the government of Ontario should do: Raise the speed limit on 400-series highways to 120. Lower the limit in urban areas to 100 at night, when traffic is lighter, and 80 during the day. Bring back photo radar and set it at 120, 100 or 80. No excuses. That will free up the police to do what they should be doing all the time: stopping motorists who are driving recklessly or paying more attention to their phones than they are the road. Do that and everybody will live happily ever after. Guaranteed. My invoice to Minister Yurek is in the mail. It, too, is a lot less than that pilot program is going to cost us, the taxpayers of Ontario.

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