Crushing Gravel: Ride the Highlands' Gravel Crusher Loop

When you think of Ontario's motorcycling playground, Ride The Highlands, you might conjure up visions of paved ribbons of tarmac twisting and turning through a landscape of rock, lake, and forest. You would be right. However, over the past couple of seasons, Ride The Highlands has been working behind the scenes on a plan to please the fastest-growing segment of the motorcycle industry: the adventure bike rider. First on the docket is the Pick-Axe Loop, which, although only a couple of years old, has already become a favourite. The Timber Trail Loop was introduced to great applause earlier this season. Not ones to sit on their hands, RTH aren't done yet; welcome to the Gravel Crusher adventure bike loop.

If I had to describe the latest addition to the Ride the Highlands Adventure Bike collection, it would be a dirt version of the area's best-paved roads. At roughly 700 km in length, including two extender routes and mostly gravel roads, the rightly named Gravel Crusher loop is a perfect multi-day adventure for ADV bikes of all sizes.

It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Like any product that will be shared with the public, it is only ready to go when adequately tested; I am happy to assist.

I set my destination for Hidden Goldmine Bakery in Madoc, where I would meet with the Ride the Highlands crew and try the Gravel Crusher Loop.

We set the ride-tone immediately with coffee and butter tarts at Hidden Goldmine Bakery. Then, we tick off 200 kilometres of gravel and dirt. In Westport, we top up the tanks and pick up some post-ride refreshments at Westport Brewing Company before dropping our bags for the night at Grass Point Lodge B&B.

As a motorcyclist, you know you picked the right place to spend the night when a motorcycle parking sign and a roofed space for your bike welcome you. Kathy and Peter, our hosts at Grass Point Lodge B&B, made us feel right at home. Peter, a rider himself, knows the area like the back of his hand and is happy to share his secrets. We enjoy a fine meal on the wrap-around porch and spend the evening discussing bikes, the day's ride and tomorrow's plans. Local brew in hand, of course.

Day two starts with a delicious and filling breakfast on the deck, a perfect way to begin a day that, if all goes according to plan, could involve 380 kilometres of two-wheel fun.

After a quick stretch of twisty pavement, we are back on gravel, passing ponds filled with lily pads and farmsteads showing signs of their long presence in the area.

A successful motorcycle tour will include a combination of good riding, interesting scenery, and opportunities to refuel bikes and bodies. A definite highlight of the Gravel Crusher loop are the towns along the way: Perth, Pakenham, Westport, and Madoc. They all share a historic charm and the ability to deliver the on-the-road staples of good coffee and sugar-infused treats.

Still full from breakfast, we pass on our plan for a coffee stop in Perth, banking our coffee time for a more extended stop at Woody's Cycles.

There is no such thing as a short stop at Woody's. With a 25-year legacy of motorcycle service and adventures, stories flow easier than water. For some of us, this was our first visit to Woody's, and we had to experience the thousands of motorcycles and parts that fill the property.

The 1840s General Store & Bakery in Pakenham delivered when the bodies eventually called for an energy boost. They offer amazing sandwiches and giant cinnamon buns, which are delicious.

As often happens when exploring new paths, time becomes the most valuable commodity. Add to that a couple of cameras, the need to stop for photos and video, and a couple of wrong turns, and we have a long day on our hands. Luckily, the Red Barn Zone food truck specializing in wood-fired pizza across the road from our evening accommodations at Myers Cave Resort ensured we didn't turn in hungry for the night.

Hello, day three. We will be home by day's end, but at the moment, the Gravel Crusher still has a couple of hundred kilometres in store for us. To add to the day's challenge, the skies have opened up not in a gentle sprinkle but in a downpour, reducing visibility to zero and causing the gravel roads to turn into slippery mush.

Unlike Ride The Highland’s previous ADV offerings, which contain segments that need to be labelled advanced, the Gravel Crusher offers no such challenge. It is perfect for big, fully loaded adventure bikes and riders of all levels.

You will, however, find fun sections of unmaintained roads; their road status is only attested by the presence of residents along the way. Each day, we experience roads so good that they were sure to fuel the need to return. It was so much fun, from single-lane gravel through forest and wetland to sand-surfaced, bumped, and bermed sections, obviously favoured by the ATV and side-by-side crowd.

We officially ended the Gravel Crusher adventure, where we started at Hidden Goldmine Bakery in Madoc with another round of coffee and butter tarts. The funny thing about the adventure bike experience is that there are no bad times; even the most challenging moments become fond memories.

Safe travels home, fellas; that was fun.

Thanks for the good times, Ride The Highlands; a big thumbs up to the Gravel Crusher experience and no pressure, but we are patiently waiting for what's next.

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