(PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY) Inspired by a Canadian Biker story about the Red Coat Trail, a group of grumpy old codgers with cranky old bikes have just the right theme for their vintage ride this summer. Join them!
With its biking in Saskatchewan theme, I was very interested to read “Daddy, Daughter and Decker” in the January/February issue. The story by Chris Hughes spurred me to let Canadian Biker readers know that the prairie province will once again host the 2017 Geezers on Wheezers ride, which is a Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group-sanctioned motorcycle tour for vintage and classic bikes. The back roads of southern Saskatchewan are the destination of this summer event, with a special focus on the Red Coat Trail as mentioned by Mr. Hughes in his story. We had already planned our route, but it was reading Chris’s description of the North-West Mounted Police trail that inspired the name for this year’s tour – Geezers on Wheezers 2017 – Ride the Red Coat Trail.
This will be the seventh Geezer ride, with the most recent version, Geezers on Wheezers 2014 – Ride the Iron Horse Trail, staged in northern Alberta. In a way things have now come full circle. The first Geezers on Wheezers was also in southern Saskatchewan, (close to where we will be riding this year), and many veterans from that 2001 adventure will be back for a repeat. I still have a mental image from back then of Dave Martin on his 1928 Indian 101 Scout merrily belting along like it was on a rail, deep in mud on a Cypress Hills dirt road to Ravenscrag. Dave says to count him in again this year.
With its biking in Saskatchewan theme, I was very interested to read “Daddy, Daughter and Decker” in the January/February issue. The story by Chris Hughes spurred me to let Canadian Biker readers know that the prairie province will once again host the 2017 Geezers on Wheezers ride, which is a Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group-sanctioned motorcycle tour for vintage and classic bikes. The back roads of southern Saskatchewan are the destination of this summer event, with a special focus on the Red Coat Trail as mentioned by Mr. Hughes in his story. We had already planned our route, but it was reading Chris’s description of the North-West Mounted Police trail that inspired the name for this year’s tour – Geezers on Wheezers – Ride the Red Coat Trail.
This will be the seventh Geezer ride, with the most recent version, Geezers on Wheezers 2014 – Ride the Iron Horse Trail, staged in northern Alberta. In a way things have now come full circle. The first Geezers on Wheezers was also in southern Saskatchewan, (close to where we will be riding this year), and many veterans from that 2001 adventure will be back for a repeat. I still have a mental image from back then of Dave Martin on his 1928 Indian 101 Scout merrily belting along like it was on a rail, deep in mud on a Cypress Hills dirt road to Ravenscrag. Dave says to count him in again this year
As Chris mentions in his story: in 1874, Canada’s North-West Mounted Police set out from Fort Dufferin, Manitoba on an epic march west through what is now southern Saskatchewan to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Their orders were to put an end to the illegal whiskey trade, to establish friendly relations with the First Nations of the area, and to establish the validity of Canadian sovereignty in the northwest. Their immediate target was Fort Whoop-up, a notorious whiskey trading post at the junction of the Oldman and Saint Mary rivers in what is now Alberta. Modern day Saskatchewan Highway 13 follows the route the NWMP took and subsequently carries the historical-tourism designation, Red Coat Trail.
A good deal of the ride this year will be on that Red Coat Trail, which winds through amazing country such as the badlands of the Big Muddy Valley where the infamous Outlaw Trail from the United States terminated. You, your family, and your favourite old iron horse are invited to take part. And new, younger riders itching to free their inner geezers are also encouraged to join. Although any bike is welcome, let’s make this seventh Geezers tour a right-cracker for getting old iron out on the road. To date, the plan is to muster at Maple Creek for the opening night meal on Sunday July 30th. If a group of riders wish, they can arrange among themselves to meet and travel from Elkwater to Maple Creek via the scenic backroads through the Interprovincial Cypress Hills Park, the site of the historic old police post, Fort Walsh. The second day we will travel through Eastend and Cadillac and stay in Assiniboia for two nights, doing side trips from there on day three. On day four we ride to Moose Jaw for two more nights and sidetrips on the final day. The wind-up supper will be that night at the Western Development Museum.
Since the first Geezer’s rally in 2001, the event has always been dedicated to the proposition that slower is better and decrepit is where it’s at. This tour is no exception. We will enjoy Saskatchewan scenery and history by taking “the road less traveled” at speeds geared to the slowest bikes and the frailest riders.
This year is also about choice. Weather permitting, you can do some gravel road riding, but there are paved options and riders are encouraged to form their own informal groups so a buddy system is maintained. For family members traveling on four wheels there will be a list of alternate daily activities to choose from. And because there’s a dedicated chase vehicle, no one’s day will have to be interrupted rescuing some grumpy old codger nursing an equally cantankerous bike.
by Doug Bone Canadian Biker Issue #329
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