Ride Report: 14 Days of Motorcycle Camping Across Ontario

Riding My Ninja 250 Across Canada…

This “ride report” is about my first 14 days of my motorcycle vagabond lifestyle (in Canada, at least), where I was motorcycle camping across Ontario. I did this on my Kawasaki Ninja 250.

Most of the content in this article originally appeared as posts on my Facebook page, so if you missed any of my Facebook posts (or are not on Facebook), here they all are!

During these first 2 weeks of motorcycle camping across Ontario, I camped for free (except for 1 night). Click here for the locations and my reviews of every single place I camped at for free! Enjoy!

I’ve also written about what 14 days of motorcycle camping across Canada COST me !

 

 

Day 1

I left Toronto on July 9, 2017. Leaving (and knowing that there is no return date) was the hardest part. I can’t believe I finally did it! I wasn’t even sure where I was going to sleep the first night, but I promised myself I could get a motel for the fist 3 nights just to help with the transition. I rode from Toronto to the small town of “Blind River” (which is west of Sudbury), and camped on the beach there for free! The generator nearby was quite loud, so I woke up around 3 am to frantically search for my earplugs. A mosquito also managed to bite my butt.

Ontario is SO beautiful! I had NO idea! It was like riding through a picture that was too beautiful to be real. I saw countless other motorcycle travelers, and also had to brake in the middle of the Trans Canada highway to avoid hitting a rather indecisive beaver. I also rode through some blindingly heavy rain that lasted for about 5 minutes. I was scared!

I probably experienced about 200 different emotions that day, all at once. It was beyond overwhelming, and my fear was so strong that my mouth went dry over and over. That night, I even thought to myself “maybe I should just go home tomorrow”.

But I didn’t, and I am SO glad.

 

 

Day 2

I felt like going on a strenuous hike, so I headed to Lake Superior Provincial Park. A site at Rabbit Blanket Campground was a whopping $41! There was actually free camping nearby, but I wanted to avoid riding my motorcycle after a hard hike, because it’s just not safe to ride when you’re really exhausted. Also, since I’m an inexperienced camper and hiker, I wanted to stick to well-marked trails.

The ride along Lake Superior is INCREDIBLE. I wish I had my GoPro installed at the time! I met another motorcycle traveler from Toronto who is on his way to Alaska on his BMW!

I ended up doing the Peat Mountain hike, which was supposed to take up to 5 hours. I managed to do it in under 3 hours because I rushed since I thought I was so unfit. The next morning, I did the “Nokomis” hike by Old Woman Bay, which was shorter, but quite magical. I highly recommend it!

 

 

Day 3

I met this amazing woman at the campground (in Lake Superior Park) who sold her house and all her belongings, and decided she wanted to travel in her car and camp/hike her way across Canada. Her kids are all grown up and she decided that this is what she wants to do! I hope I end up like her when I’m her age; she made quite the impact on me. She has a beautiful spirit. <3

I made my very own campfire for the first time this day! I used random wood I found on the ground, which is actually against the rules at that park (which I found out later). I burned up an entire sketch pad as kindling but I still couldn’t get the wet wood to start. Finally, my new friend felt bad and just gave me a fire starter. So, I guess I kind of cheated, but still! It was my first campfire! 😀

I’m not a very experienced camper or hiker but I will be learning more each day. 🙂

I am so incredibly happy I have my camping stove and water filter, items I did not have on my first motorcycle trip (6 months around the US in 2014/15). I have been using both of these items every single day, and they make life on the road so much more comfortable. I’ve been drinking the water from Lake Superior lately, but boiling or filtering first just in case. It’s crystal clear and beautiful!

 

 

Days 4 & 5

Since I’m not an experienced camper, I ended up getting overly worried when I saw rain in the forecast, so I found a free campsite in Wawa, ON. I set up camp under the picnic shelter right by the falls! I ended up staying there for 2 nights in order to wait out the rain. An older couple on their way to visit their son shared a delicious dinner and some conversation with me! It was the best meal I had on my trip so far (I’ve mostly been eating canned fish and peanut butter, lol). A man who was paralyzed and in a wheelchair showed up afterwards. He told me that his love for riding too fast on his motorcycle was what got him there, but that prior to his accident he traveled all over Canada and the US on his motorcycle. His story was a good reminder that I risk losing my life or body every time I ride my motorcycle. We never know when we’re going to die anyways.

Another motorcycle traveler showed up on his KLR 650 and camped with me that night!  We shared tons of stories and tips and I gave him copies of all my Garmin GPS maps. He actually worked in Banff National Park tracking Elk. I got to sit on his bike, which was good, because a KLR 650 is what I was thinking of getting next! It’s pretty massive. I feel like I’d drop it easily unless I had the seat lowered.

 

 

The next day, the road was really muddy (from all the rain), so I packed my daypack, left my bike and campsite, and walked an hour in the rain to the nearest information center. I sat there for a few hours doing wifi/computer stuff, and then headed back to the falls. That night, a girl from Montreal traveling to Alaska in her van, with her CAT, shared the campsite with me. 🙂

We discussed the difference between motorcycle and van travel, as well as the pros and cons of each. I also learned that traveling with a pet could be very inconvenient, so I will keep that in mind. I was fantasizing about getting a van and a cat later in life, lol. I’m meeting TONS of people, of all ages, who are living a vagabond lifestyle in their cars or vans. I was thinking of recording their answers about how they make it all possible, and posting monthly reports with these blurbs on my blog. Would you (you, the reader!) like that?

 

Days 5 & 6

I spent these 2 days in the incredible, magical Pukawska National Park, which I wrote about here.

 

Days 7-9

I spent these 3 days at the “best free Campsite in Ontario” (which was actually a rest stop) which I wrote about here.

 

 

Day 10

The best thing about this motorcycle vagabond life is that I don’t always have a destination, even when I get on my bike that very morning.

On this day, I found another picnic area to camp at for free, which I named “Bold Chipmunk Campground”. It was by a lake once again, near Martin, ON. I ended up conversing for while with a man who had just come out of the bush, and was there fishing. We talked about everything, including homeschooling, solitude, religion, betrayal, chickadees, and outdoor survival. He ended up showing me some of his artwork. I would have never have guessed (from everything else about him) that this man was extremely talented at carving birds out of wood. He painted them so perfectly too! Every completed bird he showed me was a masterpiece! I can’t believe he isn’t famous.

I love the randomness and chance meetings of the open road. Everything seems to be so much more meaningful, and meeting people who are so different than you teaches you a lot. I love being alone most of my day. It makes my time spent with others so much more enjoyable.

That night, I hid my food in the roof of a picnic shelter so the bears wouldn’t get it! Lol.

You know, my “pillow” is a sack stuffed with clothes. Or my hoodie rolled up into a ball.

One of many favorite things about the morning is hearing a Chickadee. I thought that waking up smiling was something cheesy people did in the movies, but… here I am.

 

 

Day 11

So far, in 3 weeks of motorcycle vagabonding, only one person bothered me. It was a random hitchhiker, who looked like he’d been tortured by life. His eyes were filled with something, maybe some sort of desperation, that just made my skin crawl. Not only was his behavior extremely invasive (personal space, dude!!!), but I simply got “bad vibes”, and basically told him to skedaddle because I was busy packing up camp. I can’t stand it when people make me regret being nice to them. He finally left me alone, not out of respect, but because his ride was leaving. Thank God! Always listen to your gut. Each time I ignore mine, I pay.

I rode off to find wifi this day, and sat down for a while with my bike right outside the window. I love how ridiculous my bike looks, with all the stickers and bags! I love watching people analyze the stickers and smile to themselves. Several people sat down to talk to me (a distraction, but worth it!). I lost track of time, the sun started setting, and I started grumbling about how tired I was. After getting a few “maybes” about camping in nearby parking lots, someone offered up their front lawn! I was wiped out, so I agreed. I rode behind him and followed him home. This was an awesome campsite! Reason being… he (Jimmy) actually gave me access to an extension cord. I was able to camp, do some stuff on my laptop in my tent, and charge all my electronics overnight. His granddaughter loved my hair and his wife didn’t care that I was camped on their lawn. I was really happy that someone offered me their lawn rather than let me ride away into the sunset feeling exhausted. I woke up early the next morning and packed up my stuff, all dripping wet with dew. I dried it out later, of course.

 

 

Day 12

This pink-haired hobo is getting bolder! I made a lame at “stealth camping” today with my bright bike. I wore a hoodie to hide my bright hair too (I love bright colours, oops). So this picnic area (near Kenora) said “no overnight parking” (to my surprise!). But I was tired & sick and pitched a tent there anyways, already plotting what to tell the police officer who was probably already on his way over. Nothing happened.

A random old guy living out of his van showed up and showed me his awesome charging station (which I REALLY WANT!). Most of the people that I meet, who are living on the road, are in their 50’s or 60’s.

This spot was right by water as usual. The next morning, I saw one of the most beautiful sunrises of my life, and took a bath in the lake (there were lots of bushes for privacy). Other people had parked there overnight, and when then service dude came by, he said absolutely nothing when he saw me and my tent. So I guess no one really took those signs seriously?

Have you tried camping somewhere where you shouldn’t? I actually camped in a parking lot once and someone called the cops, but once he talked to me he told me to go back to sleep, lol.

 

 

Days 13 & 14

This was NOT an enjoyable time, but I survived camping in a thunderstorm! I wrote a post about it here.

 

Some random thoughts in my first 2 weeks of riding my motorcycle across Ontario:

 

On Safety

Almost everyone I’ve met is telling me I’m brave. I know that some people think what I’m doing is scary, but..

For the first time in a long time, I feel so at peace, and so safe and secure in my life. Like I can finally let my guard down and feel like myself. I almost forgot what that felt like! I feel MUCH safer out here in remote areas, in nature, and away from ALL the people and crazy drivers in the city. Riding my motorcycle out here is safer because there are hardly any cars, and I really only have to worry about hitting a moose. Being a solo female out here feels safer, because no men are harassing or threatening me. I finally have my desperately needed space, privacy, and solitude.

Less people = less problems, maybe?

I’m not so scared of bears anymore, they were never even so scary to begin with.

Can anyone relate? It’s amazing how a change in environment just changes… everything! It allows you to also recognize patterns of thought and behaviour that you may have been oblivious to in a familiar environment.

 

 

On Packing

On my first 6-month motorcycle trip (in 2014/15), I remember severely over-packing, and I ended up dumping (or mailing home) about 1/3 of my belongings. This time, after only 3 days, I already started writing a “to dump” list!

I do have more stuff this time because I have more camping gear, as well as more camera gear. It took me a while to decide what to take on this trip. I must have re-packed at least 8 times before leaving! This isn’t really just a trip though, this is my life now, so whatever I have in these bags is all I will have access to, for who knows how long! So it is important to me that I bring certain things I value, like my kindle or headphones, which aren’t necessities, but make me happy.

 

On New Normals

Each day, since I left to go motorcycle camping across Ontario, has had 2 common themes:

1. I never know where I am camping/sleeping that night.
2. I drink my coffee in the morning by a lake in complete solitude

 

 

I wish I had known Ontario was so wonderful. Hopefully I can show you all! 🙂 There is so much space, so if you’re a big fan of spending time alone in nature, you should definitely try motorcycle camping across Ontario (or even just in your car!).

I know it was kind of long, but I hope you enjoyed my ride report! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below, and feel free to share this post on social media!

During these 2 weeks, I camped for free (except for 1 night). Here are all the locations as well as my reviews of all these places! I hope this can benefit you!

 

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