Sidehacking
into History
S T O R Y & P H O T O S
B Y E R I C D A E U B E R
Left : Early morning on the dirt roads just south of four-lane Highway 401 in
southern Ontario and you wouldn't know we weren't in Mother Russia.
Above : Choosing a county road in Wisconsin labeled with a letter often means
traffic-free riding and stunning views.
Minnesota to New York via Siberia
M
any motorcyclists consider freeway speed limits to be a
barrier. On a Ural, they're more like an accomplishment.
But the thrill one feels at 75 mph on three wheels
fades fast, and not much of life happens at that speed
anyway. So less than a hundred miles of our 2,800-mile round-trip to
the Niagara Peninsula took place on four-lane roads. Some of it didn't
even happen on pavement. Our destination: the Niagara battlefields
of the War of 1812 where, two centuries ago, America tried to invade
Canada on and off for about two years. It was a confusing conflict but
it left its mark on both countries. Americans painted the First House
white, started singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and were reminded
"Don't give up the ship!" Canadians were told to "Fight on brave York
Volunteers," won a famous battle thanks to Laura Secord and her
fictional cow, and remained Canadian in spite of it all.
www.FavoriteRidesAndDestinations.com | ridermagazine.com
PAGE 47
SPRING 2017 ISSUE 01 / VOL. 02
