PROJECT NORTHBOUND ’14 — VOLUME 2

The deeper you dig, the more you learn.

ROUTE PLANNING

This trip is as much a reset as it is a ride.

I’m skipping the farmland. From the Soo, I’ll track east on Highway 17 through Blind River and Espanola, stopping in Sudbury—the place I broke down last year. From there, the terrain changes. So does the tone.

I’ll push to North Bay, then north through Temagami and Earlton, where the forests thicken and the rock begins to rise. This is the edge of the Canadian Shield—one of Earth’s oldest geological formations. Granite, spruce, and lakes that look like glass. The further north you go, the less decorative it feels. By the time I reach Kirkland Lake and Rouyn-Noranda, the land has a sense of weight. It’s mining country—gold, copper, nickel. You see it in the scars and tailings, but you also feel it. Towns out here don’t try to be charming. They exist because of what’s underground.

From there, it’s southeast to Val-d’Or and then through Amos, La Tuque, and Shawinigan, before touching down in Trois-Rivières. I may peel off to Ottawa or dip further into Montréal, depending on weather, timing, or impulse. From there, I’ll cut back into the U.S.—likely Vermont or upstate New York.

This route trades predictability for terrain:

Rock. Water. Dense pine. More crown land than development. It’s quiet in a way that forces you to listen.

I’ll miss Chalk River this year. There’s something quietly fascinating about a small town in northern Ontario with ties to the Manhattan Project—Canada’s own Oak Ridge. It’s the kind of place you pass through without knowing what was once built there.

Crossing into Québec, the shift is immediate. The language flips. The signage changes. The tempo drops. People speak slower but say more. It makes you pay closer attention—on and off the bike.

TEARDOWN PROGRESS

The bike’s losing the distractions.

Underglow is gone—seventy-eight zip ties and more adhesive than I care to think about, removed. Custom Dynamics plate mount, taillight, and turn signals, all installed. Clean. Functional. Purpose-built.

Mechanical checks were solid:

Clutch: no issues
Cam chain tensioners and lobes: no surprises

A few quirks turned up:

Kickstand spring was installed backward
P&A shift linkage was upside down
Derby cover was clocked 90° off
Progressive shocks mounted upside down (probably intentional)
Transmission case had been replaced at some point—breather tube was broken
Engine stabilizer link: worn, but replacement’s ready

The Memphis Shades windshield is on—significantly better mechanical engagement than stock. Highway pegs came off. We wrapped the session with an Arlen Ness air cleaner and a Saddlemen seat. A few more steps toward a machine that’s built to go, not just show.

WHAT’S NEXT

Next round of installs:

Power Vision 4 from Dynojet
T-bars from LA Choppers
Bassani 2:1 exhaust
Metzeler rubber
Full Legend Suspension upgrade

GEAR & PREP

The kit is tightening up:

Compact air pump and jump pack
My own road-tested tool roll
Likely bringing a liter of extra fuel

Last year, I rolled the dice between Rapid River and Munising and nearly came up empty. Everything was closed. Trenary had one pump—shuttered for Sunday. I coasted into a truck stop. I won’t make that mistake again.

I’ll post a full pack list soon—for anyone looking to pack smarter, not just lighter. I’m not an ultralight guy (I carry a titanium coffee mug), but nothing gets loaded unless it earns its weight.

FINAL THOUGHT

This isn’t just a build. Or a trip. It’s momentum.

Every decision—mechanical, geographical, or philosophical—moves the project forward. The credit belongs to the people behind it: techs, vendors, voices of reason, industry pros. I’m just the one twisting the throttle.

If this pushes someone to stop waiting and start building, all the better.
Northbound isn’t just a direction. It’s a mindset.

Now… where did I put those paper maps?