New Crashsite Unearthed on Vancouver Island

While the exact location remains a mystery, yet another WW2 mystery is solved.  72 years ago, an Avro Anson with a crew of 3 RAF and 1 RCAF took off from Pat Bay on a training mission in 1942.  They were never seen again.  Here's the story, and, perhaps, one day, another potential ride...

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The 70-year-old mystery of four airmen lost during a World War II training flight has finally been solved after a chance discovery by loggers on Vancouver Island.

The three British and one Canadian airmen took off on a training exercise from Patricia Bay on Oct. 30, 1942, and never returned. A search at the time failed to locate their downed Avro Anson L7056.

Last October, a logging crew from Teal-Jones Cedar Products spotted the wreck and notified authorities. A recovery effort was launched by the Department of National Defence and the B.C. Coroners Service.

“They came across some debris in the forest, and they figured it was a plane crash,” said Michael Pegg of Teal-Jones.

“There were wheels, the engine of the plane, mangled plane parts. There was a boot, shoes and a jacket.”

The coroner’s office said the plane crashed on a remote mountainside near Port Renfrew on the Island’s southwest coast, just 50 kilometres west of where the twin-engine propeller plane took off.

The recovery was stalled by poor weather over the winter, but during a week in early May, crews were able to confirm the crash site contained the remains of the lost airmen.

“The primary focus of the operation was to recover any human remains and artefacts, as well as identify and remove potential physical and/or environmental hazards,” said DND spokeswoman Johanna Quinney in a release Friday.

Royal Canadian Air Force Sgt. William Baird of Calgary; Royal Air Force Pilot Officers Charles George Fox and Anthony William Lawrence; and Sgt. Robert Ernest Luckock had been listed as missing and presumed dead.

Now that their remains have been found, the DND and Canadian Air Force are working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, officials in the U.K. and relatives of the airmen to organize a formal interment ceremony.

“This recovery, and subsequent burial, will provide closure to the families and give these fallen service members the dignity and respect they deserve,” said National Defence Minister Rob Nicholson in a statement.

“No matter how much time passes, doing the right thing for our people and for their families is an Air Force priority,” said RCAF Commander Lieut.-Gen. Yvan Blondin.

Pegg said it’s been a fascinating story for him and his forestry crew to be part of.

“It touches your heart when you realize there are these families that have been out there not knowing what has happened to their siblings for all these years,” he said.

“Hopefully this will be able to provide some closure to them.”

More than 100 air crew died while flying out of Patricia Bay during the Second World War.

The crash site remains closed while the military wraps up environmental testing.

First Ride With Andy Since Decosmos!

Well, it was only a quickie, but I finally got Andy out for a ride this weekend.  Better be careful, I know how that sounds...we're talking bikes here folks!  The ride was a great break-in ride for me, and was nothing outstanding except for a fish and a bear.   There have been a couple of guys interested in riding with us, Steve and Kyle, so next ride - whenever that is - we'll contact them and hope to get them along.  Actually, it was one of them, Kyle, that has got me thinking about trying a particular route that, for me, looks like it could be challenging, but with 3 or 4 of us, maybe we can heft the bikes up - it's a short cut to the Deadhorse Creek Gold Mine from the hydro lines...I forget the name Kyle gave the trail, but I have traversed all but the tricky looking section at the end with Andy several times.

The Coleman Conquest camera is working well, and the pic quality and vids are very clear.  However, I have it set to take snaps every two minutes (the choices are burst = 30fps, one pic every 30 secs, or one pic every 2mins), and this uses the battery up very quickly as the screen is set to power down after 2 mins of inactivity...which cannot be adjusted.  So it doesn't power down and eats the battery up in 54 frames or two hours.  The video lasts longer - 2.5 hours as it powers down the screen in two mins after starting.

The other thing is the remote control is handy, except when I tried to push it on Saturday morning on seeing my first bear of the season...no luck.  I ran a test afterwards, and wouldn't you know it - Murphey's Law - it worked...I've got the short vid below...As you can hear, the camera makes an annoying beep sound when the remote is pressed...so next time I'll know...no beep, no vid...

After missing the bear...

That's all folks...

Dirt bikes and quads used on Crown land will require licence plates and drivers will need helmets

One of the many reasons I have always wanted a dual sport bike, rather than a strictly dirt machine (although the Husaberg functions as both) is that I like to ride to and from the trails rather than the hassle of loading  the bike in and out of the truck.  This is really convenient if you only have a couple of hours or someone else wants to use the truck... 

 
But now, with the recent reading of Bill 13 in BC, there is another reason.  It is now going to become mandatory for all ORVs - quads and dirt bikes - to be registered and carry a license plate and possibly some liability insurance.  This part is a no-brainer to me. I've seen too many yahoo's in the back country charging down single track without a thought for the environment, other users or, in some cases, themselves.  Stopping for a beer break, to unleash some shotgun pellets on some unsuspecting animal, or worse, back-country user, then charging off at triple digit speeds is what gives us all a bad name in my opinion, and probably one of the few legitimate reasons the logging companies limit our access to the back country.  

As for mandating the use of a helmet (and seatbelts in quads), well all I can say is "Darwin Awards" to those out there who don't use a lid.

There are some potential pitfalls though.  Got a dirt bike that you bought years ago and can't find the bill of sale?  Cobbled together an old banger from a bunch of dead bikes and got VIN confusion?  Got a dedicated KTM motocross or trials bike - that could be classed as an  excluded vehicle? Whoops. Where will the revenue go from this vast untapped source?  Hmm.  General Revenue or enforcement and upkeep of trails?  Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations luncheon expenses?  Your guess is as good as mine. 

Anyway, here's a couple of links to some articles out there on the new law, enforcement, fines, conservation officers' rights over you, fees, and, perhaps most troublesome for some, having the "original bill of sale" for  your vehicle to prove tax was paid on it when it was originally purchased, even if you purchased it years ago.  

Links:

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Vancouver Sun

Dual Sport BC Thread...What ORV Users Think...

UPDATED Checking the Fuel Range of the Husaberg FE390

Andy was sick.  What to do?  Well I figured today would be a good day, given the excellent weather, to check the fuel range of Ingrid.  And what better way to do it, than to do my traditional April ride up to Hydro Lake.  Round trip is about 100km if I include the blacktop to and from my house via the lake and take a different route back.  

Filling up earlier, I had 80km on the clock and the tank took 5L to top up to its huge capacity of, wait for it, 8.5L which includes the reserve of 2.5L or 1.5L if you modify it (an easy thing to do).  Conservatively, or pessimistically, that means that I was getting 15km per litre.  Hmm.  That means, in theory, I should be able to make at least 120km on a tank.  And that reserve should pop on, at about 90km.  

While at the lake, I could perhaps, if I was so moved, drop a line in the lake to see if anything was happening: it was a week ago last year that I hauled a bunch o trout from this very lake.  Surely today would yield something similar...and if I run out of fuel, raw trout will keep me alive until I've push, pulled and cussed my way back to what we subjectively call "civilization" (although from the finger hoisted my way enroute for having the audacity to merge in front of a cager, you have to wonder if the gap between civilization and red-neck is nothing more than a veneer on the island. Anyway, I digress.  Cool, though, my horn works! - And so does my finger...)

I stopped at the usual bridge and remembered that up ahead, last year, the logging co had shut the gate...Good news.  It was open today.  Given my theoretical limited range, going back and around using  route142 might have proven a journey too far...

Having done my research on the Internet, I had discovered that most 450 and 570 owners seem to get between 65km to 120km before reserve.  Not much help there then, except that 390 should be better?  As mentioned, the total tank capacity of all 3 models is 8.5L.  Reserve on the FE series of bikes is 2.5L, although you can change this to 1.5L fairly easily.  Most owners do, as they lament the "ridiculously large" reserve on these bikes.  What a joke! KTM/Husa owners, you need to know that 2.5L/1.5L is nowt if you've wound your merry way to the back and beyond and the little yellow light comes on. You'd be better to siphon out the gas, start a fire and decide which part of the bike you're going to eat first.  Perhaps the tires, drizzled in a oil reduction? No, then I give you the rubber hand grips, melted in cowling and seat saute? Coming from a bike with a 300km plus range, it was a new experience today to be at all concerned about fuel range on a "routine" jaunt like this.  

The new parking and trail-head for "Hydro" Lake is 500m further on than the old place.  Not entirely satisfactory, as the bike is out in the open rather than hidden from the logging road as was possible with the old access parking area. But, quads and dirt bikes have bought this upon themselves...Too many of them refused to park at the adequate parking space, and instead decided to drive their arses right to the lake.  What a mess.  No wonder steps were taken...You can see the signs...

Getting to the lake from the gas stop was 30km.  On arriving I found that Timberlands has completely changed the access.  They have comprehensively blocked the southwestern access to the lake with a series of boulders and logs laid perpendicular to the trail.  No one is getting through (no, quadders, that isn't a challenge, it's a fact...).  If you want to try it, make sure you bring a second quad with a winch.

Some things never change.  Absolute silence and beautifully scenic.  Unfortunately, there were no bites either...

After several hours of munching and fishing, and adequately skunked as I was, I decided to get back to the plan.  The range. So it was off back to the tank traps via 142 and 15summint....And then I had the plan to try another lake, but it was skunkworthy too.

Anyway the long and short is I got back home with 102km on the clock and no orange reserve light.  Which means one of two things.  The orange reserve light isn't working or, hopefully, it is, and I have more than 2.5L left. 

I'll update this post when I've ridden until the reserve light pops on, filled 'er up, and calculated what my range is on mainly dirt.  On the positive side, the bike is sooo torquey, that loping along in 5th or 6th is easy...I have deliberately kept the revs down today...most of the time.  It is very tempting though, to open Ingrid up and ride the wave... wow! 

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UPDATE.  I finally had enough time to ride the Husa until the reserve light came on.  Mostly dirt, it came on at 140km.  When I filled up though, it took 6.6L, not 6L which gave me a reserve of 1.9L not the vaunted 2.5 L reserve...

So, conservatively, I'm looking at 20km per L.  With 8.5L in the tank plus two 1.5 L fuel containers, I'm looking at a 11L and change.  This gives me a range of 200km+.  That's more comforting than the 80-100km that had been rumoured...
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Back In The Saddle Again...A Shakedown Run

Well it's been a long time, but I got out today for the first time since the Decosmos caper on Siouxsie.  I've spent the winter taking the Husaberg (yes that's what it is) apart and making my acquaintance with her inner workings. Being, that she is a 2011 FE390 from Sweden (Austria too as Husabergs are/were owned by KTM - Husky now), I have named her Ingrid, although the blog name won't change.  

The bike itself is completely new to me.  And it is VERY different to the DR: lively is the word I'd use. On the road, I miss the DR's space, softer seat and plusher suspension.  Being as I haven't ridden dirt for nearly a year, my first few minutes today were nervous and I wasn't at all sure I liked what I initially felt as the skittish and lively nature of the Berg on the blacktop as she is shod with non-DOT tires right now.  But within 15 minutes that was completely forgotten once I hit the dirt.  The suspension is out of this world, and at 250lbs you can throw it around and corner like I never could imagine - it sticks like glue and feels like a wafer.  The 70 degree engine is torquey smooth and forgiving, and only when you wind it up do you notice the race heritage - and no doubt the reduced economy, so I'll be keeping those revs down as I try to find the range on the puny 2.2 gallon tank.  And that's the thing about the FE390/450/570 series - smooth, forgiving, powerful, but under fueled...  

Anyway, by the time I had got to the lake, met a couple of dirt riders on a quad and CRF450, shared some stories and a bevvy or two (thanks, Jase and Austin), and the ride back was dynamite.  Loved it!  I'm really glad to be back in the saddle again - I'm gonna love this bike, and, more importantly, where it takes me and my riding skills. 

Here are some shots from today:

Reminiscing about a puddle: Ahh the tank traps, just as I remember them, but easier...Wonder why!

The new dock that someone has worked hard to construct - thanks guys - whoever you are.  It's a great location, and whoever built this, had the foresight to add a seat and umbrella.  Awesome!  Kudos to them too, for stringing up a plastic back for empties.  We all live on this blue marble; might as well try to keep it as nice as possible.

No luck with the fish today, but, frankly, it was all about the bike.  

Buying A Helmet Cam For a Dirt Bike

I gave my trusty Swann helmet-cam away last year, just after selling Siouxsie.  The Swann was a good journeyman helmet-cam that never let me down.  The quality was good enough for uploading to YouTube and stills were clear, if a little too wide angle.  However, with some new bikes, and lots of adventures planned, I'm in the market for another.  So I began researching the plethora of models out there...  

Jesus.

My first stop was to the excellent Web Bike World which I already have a link to on the blog. The author(s) go out of their way to review all sorts of motorcycle products in a non biased and informative way.  They are thorough but not overwhelming.  As well as a written review, there are usually several videos and pictures to accompany them.  Web Bike Word reviews many popular and some not so well known models of motorcycle worthy camcorders: Midland, Blackvue, Garmin, Sena, Liquid Image, Go-Pro, Sony, JVC, Delkin, Drift and Replay to mention a few.  Among these, there are some stellar models, and Go-Pro doesn't have it all their own way either.  

But then I found a better site, which the folks at Web Bike World put me on to in their own discussions: Techmoan.

Techmoan is a site hosted by a concrete sequential Mancunian motorcyclist with an eye for detail, a sense of humour, and a diligent devotion to evaluating products without regard for sponsors (he has none) or personal gain.  I cannot believe the time this man puts into his informative, entertaining and, above all, thorough reviews. For nothing. 

After my previous experience with a helmet cam, I had a definite list of requirements for a good helmet cam: many of which were adequately met by my first camera.

• Included Waterproof housing
• Easy to affix to helmet
• Remote Control - no fiddling with a case on the side of my helmet, or worse, as is the case with some of helmet cams, having to remove it from the waterproof case to record and stop...
• An LCD screen so that aiming of the camera would not be hit and miss (no iPhone or Android apps for this please - juggling electronics is not what dirt riding is about).
• 1080P and at least 30 frames per second and 720P at 60fps for slow motion
• 120-170 degree Field of View
• Still-shot capable with the ability to take delayed stills every minute or so (I found this really useful on my first camera - it's amazing what shots you get when you just let the camera do its thing).
• Good battery duration
• Live view that can record and charge at the same time

Oh, and it had to be less than the cheapest Go Pro ($279 for the GoPro 3 at Future Shop).

Many cameras out there nearly fit the bill, but only one does.  There are some honourable mentions though: the ridiculously cheap ($68.99 @ Ebay.com / $98.76 @Amazon.ca)  Mobius with new hard case from JooVuu is an excellent little camera but has no viewfinder; the ($89 Ebay) SJ400 Chinese GoPro 3 knockoff is fabulous and CHEAP, as it its little brother the SJ1000  which itself is a Liquid Ego ($180 Amazon.ca / $149 Ebay.com)  knockoff...I'm beginning to see how the Japanese killed off the British Bike industry in the late 60s and early 70s...only now it's the Chinese undermining the Japanese, US and Korean imaging industry. Really these are great cameras, and Go Pro is heading for a fall unless they innovate soon...

But my final choice, is the $179 Coleman Conquest - known everywhere else on the planet as the pedestrian  TCL SVC200 .  It ticks all the boxes, and with free delivery and no tax (getting it shipped to my in-laws in Washington State - strictly for evaluation use down there, of course...)  The vid is great.  You'll particularly enjoy the man waiting for the bus "singing" (and I use that term very loosely) his lungs out to a U2 track...Let this be a sage warning to us mere mortals...Never sing with headphones on.

I'll let you know how it fairs after a few months or so...Now where's that bike...

Not Me...

Lost Rider Trailer from Lost Rider on Vimeo.