Military Police National Motorcycle Rally

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Rednaxs60

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Had a great weekend on my first organized ride. It was the start of the 2018 Military Police National Motorcycle Rally in support of the Military Police Fund for Blind Children that was founded in 1957 - this is the 10th anniversary of the ride. There is a good article in the May 2018 Wing World on page 36 regarding this ride that goes across Canada from Mile "0" in Victoria to Mile "0" in St. John's NFLD. This year there will be 27 bikes heading across from Victoria to St. John's, with others joining and participating along the way. This ride is organized by volunteers and 100% of the proceeds go to the Blind Children Fund, no admin or other fees are taken from the proceeds raised, and it is a registered charity.

The ride web site is: https://sites.google.com/view/mpnationalrelay2018/

This past weekend was the start of the ride here in BC. It was an island ride and we had 24 bikes participate. Rode from Victoria to Comox and back. Not a long ride but The ride Captain. Lamont French, kept us all together, and on time. The Canadian Legions are an integral part of this ride and hosted us along the way providing lunch dinner and breakfasts, and well appreciated donations. Thrifty Foods is also a supporter and has been for the past 10 years.

The island ride was dedicated to the memory of a fellow rider who had last September been taken from us while on a vacation with his wife in Oregon. Joe Lescene, fellow sailor and rider slipped and fell of a cliff into the ocean. His loss, as is the case when these tragedies happen, has been felt by a lot of people and it was wonderful that the organizers of this ride commemorated it in his memory. I knew Joe for over ten years, took a few sheckles off him when playing Texas holdem, and he had just retired and rode with him often. A friend of the family was allowed to bring Joe's bike on the ride which made it that much more special.

There is also a province ride that coincides with the start of the cross Canada relay in that it rides part way with the national ride.

The only downside, if there is one, is that once the ride is finished some 10,000 Km from Victoria, you have to make your way back, or ship your bike. The ride Captain for the national relay is riding back

Accommodations although very basic were provided by CFB Comox in that it opened it's arena for people to stay at at no cost to the rider(s). You were also able to literally sleep with your bike on the arena floor as bikes were allowed in. People were asked if there were any leakage problems, and since we were all from the older crowd it was clarified to mean the motorcycles.

Having done the dialogue, now for some pictures.

2018 Logos.jpg
bear mascot.jpg
bear mascot 2.jpg
Ride Dedication.jpg
My Trusted Steed.jpg
Start Day 1.jpg
Lantzsville Legion.jpg


Will finish this post with a picture of Joe on the 2017 provincial ride.
Joe doing 2017 Province Ride.jpg


Have pictures of Day 2 that I will post.

Enjoy. Cheers
 
Day 2 of the ride started off well after a good rest and fun evening. Sonya and I stayed at a hotel for medical reasons, but did make it to the dinner at the local legion for the steak sandwich and fixings. Lots of food this weekend.

Got back to the arena on the base where people were milling around getting ready adn waiting for the ride brief and send off biker's prayer by the local padre.
Day 2 Parking Lot Start.jpg


CFB Comox is an air base and as such has a plane park for people to visit.
Plane Park 2.jpg
Plane Park.jpg


Once the admin was done and the prayer finished we headed out to the Legion in Bowser for a pancake/sausage breakfast.

Took a side trip to Coombs to the Goats on the Roof Emporium. Lots of goats out for viewing. They keep the roof top grass under control and it's a fantastic marketing campaign.
Goats on the Roof Vendors.jpg
Goats on the Roof 4.jpg
Goats on the Roof 3.jpg


Took some additional pictures of the other local places in Coombs in the same area as Goats on the Roof.
Coombs 1.jpg
Coombs Emporium Statues 2.jpg


From here we went to Thrifty Foods for a lite lunch and cake - yes more food. A quick trip down the highway for a gas and pit stop then on to the Esquimalt Lagoon where we had a moment by the ocean to remember our friend Joe Lescene.

All in all a wonderful ride and experience. Met a lot of new people. Still working at getting better with the cell camera.

Hope you have enjoyed the story and pics. Cheers
 
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