The Fall Colours Adventure Rally Returns to Ontario with Rally Connex

The first annual Rally Connex Fall Colours Adventure Rally (formerly FallOVR) took place at Sunny Hill Resort in Barry’s Bay the weekend of October 3-5, 2025, with 150 riders participating. OVR (Ottawa Valley Rally) is an enduro and adventure bike trail ride and gathering in June, and FallOVR was the autumn version. This year, FallOVR came under the umbrella of Rally Connex events and was taken to a whole new level over three days with 1,700 kilometres of GPS-guided routes, games, prizes, classes, demo rides, evening entertainment, and fireworks, all for $175. Participants who registered early even got a souvenir T-shirt.

A New Chapter for Ontario’s Fall Colours Rally – Riding the Madawaska Valley 

I rode out from Montreal after work, donning my heated jacket soon after crossing the border when the sun dropped and the air grew chill, and joined the boys from The Awesome Players Off Road Club at the cabin we had rented for the weekend. Sunny Hill is right on the Madawaska River, and our cabin backed out onto the water. I found them out back, seated around a bonfire, deciding on the ride for the next day. There are options for pavement only, pavement and gravel, off-road, enduro, and extreme, with a 1-5 chilli rating of difficulty for each. We chose to start with something mellow and went with a pavement and gravel route.

Gravel, Pavement, and Perfect Fall Views

The next morning, we geared up and headed off, 10 bikes in total. I was on the Tiger 800, but there was also a Norden 901, an 850GS, a Ducati Desert Sled, a couple of Africa Twins, and of course, some KTMs, including a 790 and 690 Enduros.

These are big bikes, so the absence of technical riding meant we could all ride together and enjoy the scenery. The leaves were at their height, and the rally lived up to its renaming. The route consisted of a variety of terrain, including groomed forest access roads, dirt, some sand, even some two-track. The highlight was a well-groomed railway bed leading to a decommissioned bridge that took some nerve to cross.

After lunch in Petawawa, we made our way back to Sunny Hill via more interior riding, including a pretty little single-lane dirt road that twisted and undulated its way through the beautiful golden forest.

Some of the boys wanted to do something more challenging, so the next day we split into two groups, with one doing an off-road route and the other staying on pavement. You can’t really go wrong with any of these routes in the fall in this region. They are all great, and you only have to decide how much adrenaline you want coursing through your body. The off-road routes include two-track, rocky snowmobile paths, hydro corridor trails, water crossings, and some challenging hill climbs. If you have the skills and the tires, these routes push the adventure a little further.

An off-bike injury had me choosing the pavement option, but a twisty road on the Tiger is never boring, especially in the fall with views of adjacent lakes.

Exploring Calabogie and the Heart of Ontario’s Motorsports Country

The first rest stop was at the summit in Foymount, reportedly the highest settlement in Ontario. After another brief stop for the vista at Calabogie Lake, we ended up at the legendary Redneck Bistro for lunch, but had the option of the Calabogie Brewery across the street too. It was Saturday, and the place was hopping with classic cars, side-by-sides, and ATVs buzzing around like bees to a hive. With the racetrack nearby and thousands of kilometres of surrounding trails, Calabogie has become a mecca for motorsports enthusiasts.

Back at Sunny Hill, organizers had brought in a band for the evening’s entertainment. A food truck served a delicious brisket dinner and later, a barge filled with fireworks was towed out into the lake. It was an impressive display which we enjoyed fireside, and capped a fun-filled weekend of ADV riding and camaraderie.

Why the Fall Colours Adventure Rally Belongs on Every Rider’s Calendar

Kudos to Jason and his team at Rally Connex for turning this event into something special and the best way to wrap up the season. The rally is extremely well-organized and affordable. With the range of routes available and the trees in their glory, the Fall Colours Adventure Rally is an event not to be missed.

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