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| Public by-ways: It's a thing in the UK, not so much here. |
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| "As a military training area, Salisbury Plain is a unique environment that has to be shared by both military and civilians alike" - ha! Can you imagine that in Canada? |
I got the KLX to trail ride. I'm not interested in 'catching air' or riding like an MX loonie. If I'm getting to places most people don't and practising my bike balance, I'm happy. The point of the exercise is learning better bike control, being off road lets me do that. If I have any interest beyond trail riding it's in trials, which is also hyper-focused on bike control and balance.
Today I took the KLX out for an hour or so, looking for trails. Dirt roads start less than a kilometre from our sub-division, so I went there first. I went south on Sideroad 6 North for about 5kms before hanging a right, crossing back over the regional road and then cutting off onto Sideroad 14. From there I found a nice cut along a hydro line. Another five minute stint on pavement found me at another off road trail which took me back north of Elora. I ended the trip following the Grand River looking for off-road opportunities (there weren't any), though Pilkington Overlook was pretty.
Riding off road is an interesting process. The massive suspension travel and knobbies on the KLX makes it amazingly sure-footed. On the gravel roads I made a point of crossing back and forth over the centre line through the deep stuff, letting the bike wobble and find a track. Even when I got onto the rougher stuff I still found the bike remarkably composed and had no trouble navigating ruts, mud puddles and deep grass.
I'm looking forward to getting deeper into the brush!
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| Just outside of Ponsonby |
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| North off Side Road 14, a lovely little trail. |
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| North of Sideroad 10 it's blocked off due to an electrical transfer station |
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| 2 Line East leads to the Elora Gorge Park entrance - it's a nice little bit of gravel |
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| Pilkington Lookout |
