First test of the gear

I finally got in my first ride of the season. The bad news was it was not on my new bike as I am still going through a bit of red tape to finish importing it....but soon, very soon!
Lucky for me a riding pal, with several motorcycles, lent me his Honda VFR 750 for the day. I was very impressed with the bike although my 6'3" frame and bad knees found it a bit cramped. If you are a bit shorter and more flexible than I, take a look at a VFR as a sport touring mount. A very smooth and impressive engine with lots of power. That's it in front of me in the pic at the side of a still frozen lake. Welcome to early season riding in Alberta.

It was a Sunday quick trip out to Canmore for lunch and return. Nothing too long as the weather is still crisp in this area, the high only hitting 11celsius in Canmore with Calgary ringing in a few degrees more.
To my riding friends in the south USA that may seem like horrible weather to ride in but for a Canuck that's been holed up for 6 months of winter the blue sky beckoned for a ride. Carl had the spare bike and another riding friend Kelly came along.

It was also a great opportunity to do my first test of some of my riding gear that was provided by Gamma Sales.
Lets start with my new Zoan "Runner" helmet. Shown here in red but as you can see mine is in silver. I hear the silver ones make you smarter...at least that is the rumour I am starting.

This is the 3rd brand of modular helmet I have owned in that last 4 years. For the want of flip up convenience, which allows me to put on a helmet without removing glasses or, as important, to open it should I have to sneeze,  or the option of flipping it open for fresh air on hot days while in traffic, some sacrifices must be made.
While modulars give you full face protection they are a bit noisier than a regular full face helmet and some can even a bit drafty. The Zoan beat both of my previous helmets for wind noise as it proved to be much, much quieter. The under chin flap kept cool air from swirling in like my last 2 mod helmets and the removable nose cover kept my visor clear from fogging in the chill alpine air by directing my breath away. A problem I had with the my other helmets was fogging on cool days which is a scary thing to happen at highway speed, losing sight of the road just because you exhaled. On warmer days the nose cover can be easily removed.
There are vents to help with air flow on hot days but they were kept closed so I cannot comment yet on their effectiveness except for when I accidentally left one open I could feel a cold breeze coming in. Once closed the Zoan did not have the annoying swirl of air leaking in.

The internal sun visor control and the latch opening mechanism were easy to operate even with heavy gloves.
Which brings me to the next item, my  Scarab Winter Glove by Cortech.

Insulated and containing a waterproof membrane they proved to be quite warm with no need for me to switch on the heated hand grips for the 1 hour (each way) ride out to Canmore. Keep in mind we were at a spirited highway pace in close to single digit temperatures so the wind chill was intense. A non insulated glove would've had my hands clawed up in frozen protest but not with these guys on.
The only thing that bothered my comfort was the stiffness of these armoured gloves. They are very well constructed but will require a few wearings to break them in. Keep that in mind when purchasing a cold weather glove. Test them out and break them in prior to that long trip you've been planning. You don't want to have your first cool day cut short because your gear is too stiff and new. I can tell they will be a great glove down the road but for now they are a bit rigid so I plan to use them often to work them in. It reminds me of how I had to break in some good hockey gloves growing up. Those that required no break in usually lasted only a season.  I will also say they performed nicely at sealing out the wind at the cuff nicely. They were never drafty and the velcro flaps were easy to use even with a gloved hand.

Next up is the boots.

 Solution Waterproof touring boots. While there was no real weather to test them in they were comfortable for this short jaunt. I never had cold feet but it was just a short trip.  
The main thing I was concerned about was foot comfort. I suffer from a slight ingrown nail on my one foot and my last boots used to give me a pressure point stab that would ache by day's end. It seems the problem is not to be with these boots. I'll write more when I can test them in rain, an all day ride and on a good hike off the bike. If you tour you don't want track boots as your feet will protest when walking around scenic outlooks, touristy stops etc. I suspect these boots will do fine for off  bike duty as well. 
Like the gloves they seemed a bit stiff and new but should break in nicely.




The main item I really wanted to test was my Tourmaster Epic series jacket.

For those that have followed my travels from last year you remember I went thru more than my share of cool, wet weather. Today's sunny but chilly demeanor was a good time to test the warmth of this jacket. 
With the quilted liner zipped in place I opted for minimal clothing underneath to make to give it a challenge. I wore a wick-dry,long sleeve microfiber shirt and a cotton T-shirt over top and nothing more. I was trying to simulate those days when we start out nice but the weather turns. Often riders willl "tough it out" rather than stop for another layer as they push on to their destination. Since it was not my bike I did not have the luxury of plugging in my heated liner jacket. The Epic jacket had to keep me warm on its own. 
I did bring a thin, pullover fleece as a back up just in case but it remained in my tail pack all day. The warmth of this jacket was superb. A few times the wind blast would press it tight against my chest and the cold would creep in briefly from the contact. One more layer such as a vest would have solved that.
I am confident I could go a full tank's distance dressed that way however, on a longer multi tank trip in such temperatures, I would probably spoil myself with the electrics just to reduce fatigue because you burn energy warming up and cooling down all day....and I have become a bit of a cold wuss. Why suffer when there is gear to eliminate it from your ride? With an electric vest or jacket underneath there is little need to bulk up in many layers which translates into many more miles each day in comfort while reducing your luggage needs. The outer shell is waterproof requiring only to close all vents. No need to carry a rain suit! (note- my Tourmaster pants are on back order so I was unable to give them a tryout)
The built in kidney belt, yes you read that right, built in kidney belt serves 2 purposes. Anytime an item can solve more than one problem I am a fan as I love multi functionality. Besides keeping your kidneys from being jarred the belt is a great way of stopping any cold air that had the nasty idea of creeping up your coat from the bottom. Once adjusted, which is easy with the velcro tabs, it cinches the jacket snug. My old jacket was notorious for letting the chill air climb up my back. Not so with this one from Tourmaster.
Since I will be using it for long tours I also wanted to test out the built in waist pack built into the back of the jacket.
Like a mini back pack you can stuff items you may need while off the bike. I filled it with a first aid kit, a small tripod, a point and shoot digital camera (in its own case) and a micro fibre balaclava. While it may  or may not have made my lower back look a bit lumpy when viewing me from behind, the items all road comfortably. I think this feature will be great for short hikes at scenic stops. The zipper closure can be worked easily with gloves too so you can seal your items safely away.
The jacket's outer pockets are waterproof and can hold a fair amount of items. My wallet tucked inside a waterproof chest pocket and my cell phone on an inside pocket did not even begin to strain the jackets capability to hold stuff. There are so many pockets it can be easy to lose something until you get used to where it all isl. I love the storage as it means my tank bag will not have to carry everything.
I look forward to warmer weather so I can try the jacket sans liner and test out the scoop vents that zip open for air flow. Until ma nature finds the heat in this area I'll be content with the warmth.

If you are interested in any of this gear contact  Gamma Sales to find a rep near you. In Calgary you can head down to Universal Cycle for purchasing.

I finally have an office which is ironic

Since 1993 I have been in stand-up comedy. Not full time at first, only someone with a deep pool of money to draw from could do that. It took 8 years before I was headlining clubs on a regular basis, which is a common span from what I hear.
In 2003 I was able to say goodbye to a regular 'civilian' job and immerse myself in comedy and entertainment as my sole source of income. I say entertainment because I do some acting, photo work and the occasional writing gig from time to time. I love being in the creative process and its like being retired and being paid to do my hobby. Not a bad way to live. I get up early not because of an alarm clock but because I want to get started on something! I have been blessed to do what I love and I am grateful everyday I don't have to show up to a regular job. Been there, done that and somehow did not climb the steps to the bell tower and go postal. I am not trying to insult anyone with a job but it is NOT for me.

This is why I find it ironic that my goal, to get out of a day job, has me now renting office space so I can go to work at my comedy hobby, like a regular job. I have left my house every day this past week to "report for work" and get cracking on producing The Planet Tour and lining up shows and sponsorships. It seems so weird yet... right...for now. Soon I'll have more funding for staff to take care of some of this work so I can just work on the fun...which for me means the creative aspects of it all. Until then you can find me doing the DJ (day job) disease...but loving it.

Stop in and say hi....let me know what is happening in the outside world.
Cheers

New Riding gear- be prepared

Surviving the elements is a part of motorcycling and over the past few years I have endured more than my fair share of cold, wet, miserable weather....but kept on riding, at times protected and other times finding the limits of my riding apparel. Often riders must balance function within a budget and that can create problems on the road in comfort, spirit and safety.
I am excited to say I have a new gear sponsor, Gamma Powersports. They are the Canadian Distributor for Tourmaster Gear Epic Series.

 After checking out Tourmaster, at the Calgary Motorcycle Show back in January, I was very impressed with the quality and features of their jacket and riding pants. Much better weather protection than my old jacket/pants combo I wore last year. Not to say negative about my old gear but it was just not up to handling some of the weather extremes one faces, on long extended trips, as the stuff I was wearing was more for warm weather, occasional touring or day rides. While most times I was dry and comfortable I do recall several days of being chilled to the bone no matter what combination of layers I tried.

This Tourmaster gear should solve that with waterproof outer shell. No more stopping to put in a rain liner, just do up the zippers and keep on going. It also has a quilted liner that zips in for warmth, waterproof outer pockets, a rain hoodie that keeps water from entering your jacket down your neck, built in kidney belt and more. The jacket also has many vents for flow thru air cooling on hotter days.

I also have 2 pairs of Tourmaster gloves (one for warm weather and one for cold) both of which are waterproof. Add to that my Tourmaster Synergy electric liner jacket to keep me warm and it can double as a light, casual jacket for when I am off the bike. With its heated collar and full sleeves it will be so much better at keeping me warm than my old electric vest, which came up short on heat on some of the colder days. The synergy has an adjustable thermostat I can dial in comfort on many levels thus ensuring comfort and safety on long travel days. I have been known to do 9 hours+ of riding in a day, weather be damned, so I am looking forward to having this in my riding gear.

Not only will I be able to handle almost any riding condition but I can do so by taking less clothing along.
As you know space is at a premium when travelling by  motorbike, so anytime I don't have to pack bulky items I win more space for other items. Silly things like socks, underwear and maybe some luxury items that are just for me.

I used to pack 3 types of gloves (hot weather, regular, cold/wet)  but now I will be taking 2. The Scarab Winter Glove by Cortech and Tourmaster Dri-Mesh (both distributed by Gamma). Again, I have saved space and have more versatile hand protection plus both are waterproof. I even tested them under running water as I had to satisfy my own curiosity.

Even though I had some great waterproof touring boots they were were starting to show the signs of 3 seasons of hard use and were getting a bit ragged from their 66,000km life.
Gamma came thru yet again with their Solution Waterproof touring boots. A nice looking boot with great protection and they are comfortable for walking, something that is important when checking out scenic stops along the way. I like the simple clean lines which makes them good looking when wearing jeans. Of course the only jeans I take along are Draggin Jeans.  Even when dressed casual you should not let down your guard against road rash should something go wrong....like meeting a duck ass driver that runs you off the road. During the course of the 2011 season I will go into more detail on the jacket, pants, gloves and their features on The Planet Tour episodes so stay tuned.

So why am I telling you, the reader, about all this? Simple, I wish to use my trial and error, of not having the proper gear or buying too little gear for long distance travel, to help you choose wisely. By giving you real world feed back I hope it helps you choose the best gear within your budget and needs.
Stay safe out there and check out our new YouTube Channel with our latest episode.

Episode 9 "Icefield Parkway and winter touring"

We have launched a new channel on YouTube for The Planet Tour. Now you can find all your episodes in one easy place.
Our latest episode is up. Check it out.

Do you have a product or service you would like to showcase on the show? contact us for more info
info@theplanettour.com
Cheers

You probably take too much with you.

I have lived on the road for most of my adult life and over the past few summers have moved to motorcycles as my favoured mode of transport. Why? Instant gratification. If you go into a shaded corner you feel the temperature drop instantly. When the sun comes out from behind the clouds the air embraces you like a warm hug from a friend you will remember that spot with greater detail than you think. It is this instantaneous feeling of being one with the environment that lets you fully enjoy the land you are traveling in. I said in, not through or over. On a bike you are in the land and environment of your travels. Something hard to reproduce in a climate controlled car.

With motorcycles comes a certain compromise of luxury items. Some of you softer folks may call it more of a sacrifice but I prefer the term compromise. The payoff of the instant gratification beats out an extra pair of shoes, an outfit you may or may not wear, a hairdryer (I have not owned one for almost 20 years...we have air and that does the job fine) or other items many travellers seem to think are necessary.
Using my motorcycle as my home I have pared down the essentials of life and found many of the things we think we need just become a pain in the you-know-what by bringing them along to intrude on travel pleasures. Despite the loaded up look of my ride in the pic, let me assure you I have everything I need to sustain a normal-ish life. On the bike I have several changes/options of clothing, toiletry items, my portable office (laptop, a few books and promotional sheets), riding gear, cameras, tripods, towel, swim wear, flip flops and my home.
My home?

Well a sleeping bag, mattress pad, tent, tarp and lantern qualify as more of a home than some parts of the world so, yes I have my home, my own shelter. It suits me fine for when something with running water and electricity is not available or too pricey for my budget.
Anything I cannot carry on my bike is a short ride or walk to obtain and usually becomes a mini adventure of its own. Should I find there is something I suddenly need I can zip into a town and remedy that situation often having a great conversation with one of the locals. Unless you are traveling into remote areas, don't fret the minor things.
Low on toothpaste? Zip into town.
Want some beer around the campfire but the bike is full? Set up camp then zip into town with your empty saddle bags and return, park and enjoy.
Lost a shirt or low on clothes or perhaps you failed to pack a piece of clothing needed for the area? Zip into town and if they have a second hand store you may be able to replace dirty laundry with clean clothes and donate your old ones, usually at a similar cost of trying to wash them at a laundromat.
If you are adverse to used clothes and prefer to wash your own make sure they can all be washed together. Dark colors, or ones that don't need to be done separately, is the key. I never travel with white clothes and prefer light colors (like tan) that can be washed with dark jeans and still look presentable. Avoid white unless it is a short trip and you will not do laundry until you get home...unless you like washed out, grey looking T-shirts that resemble that of a homeless person or monster truck fan.

My first big bike trip saw me shipping up to 15 pounds of gear home after just 2 days. I realized I had stuff that was not needed and was just making my bike heavy and sluggish to handle.
As long as you have at least one change of clothes and a bit of food, water plus shelter you will be fine. Trust me.
I prefer not to bring dishes and cook stove on my trips as I really hate having to do clean up after a day of riding but I do pack nonperishable snacks. Beef Jerky, trail mix, granola bars and bottled water are with me at all times. When possible some fresh fruit is a treat, if eaten soon after purchase and your body will thank you. Should you have a breakdown or delay just before a meal stop the snacks will allow you to deal with the problem without a grumbling stomach to distract you. This is great advice if you travel by car as well.
Avoid chocolate bars as they often melt and create a mess in your luggage. While on the subject of messes make sure your shampoo bottles are in ziploc style bags as they can at times pop open, especially in mountainous areas where you can go through pressure changes in elevation, and leak.

If I arrive late to set up camp and the local stores are closed, I have enough food to see me through the night.
If you travel in a group someone can unload their bike and head to town for supplies while the others set up camp for them.

The main point is you don't have to carry it all with you unless you are gong backwoods camping and sometimes trying to locate an item that you sometimes need is part of the fun of the trip.

So leave behind those 3 novels, that sweater you may or may not use, clothing items that only go with one outfit and enjoy your journey rather than the transport of unneeded items. After each trip go through you gear and eliminate everything you did not use except for emergency things like first-aid kits or repair kits (tools, tire flat kits etc). You'll find you'll bring back more memories than inventory and your trip will be more pleasurable without having to worry about all that nonessential gear.
Now start planning a trip and see the planet.
Daryl Makk

Video learning curve

After the past summer of recording from my helmet cam and an easy to use consumer grade video camera I have learned that I need to learn a lot more! You would think recording video was easy and with today's technology would be a simple point and shoot affair but it's not.

This I am learning in the recording studio with my editor Todd Buhmiller. He has a lot more experience behind the lens than I and has been patiently teaching me not only better framing of shots but the type of shots needed for a show to flow smoothly.
Besides scenic video of stunning views and activities/events there is a need for shots that identify upcoming segments, show ID, segment closing and more. If you watch TV you see these shots daily whether you know it or not as the show flows nicely from one segment to the next. That is our goal here at The Planet Tour as well. Our latest video is starting to show this  change.

This coming season we will also have a story editor to keep all video segments in a proper order to keep you, the viewer, entertained and interested in the story, something I admit was lacking in the first few videos.
Why was this lacking? I'll take part of the blame for inexperience but the main culprit was funding. Let's be realistic, these things cost money and I did not have the funds I needed last season BUT, with Todd's direction we are fixing this by back selling last year's trip with current video closer to real time to tell the tale. This will eventually meld nicely by the time I start my travels this coming riding season so the travel is as close to real time as we can get.

The goal is have each episode no more than a week behind the actual shooting of the video and you can help make this reality happen. How? Share the video links with others and encourage your friends to subscribe to the show. I have mentioned subscribing often in my videos and on this blog. Why is this important?
Well for you the viewer it means instant update on new videos as well as special offers from product sponsors, contests, product give aways plus travel, safety and maintenance tips as well as information on cool destinations we think are worthy of sharing. By we I mean me and my support team.

For us subscriptions allow us to show potential sponsors some of the exposure they will receive when they come on board. The bigger the viewing audience the more companies will want to participate which comes back to a benefit for you the viewer. Sponsors mean increased production budgets thus giving you a higher quality product to view. Its win-win and that is the way I prefer to do business.

We don't sell the email lists and use those solely for The Planet Tour purposes. You need not worry about suddenly getting spam because you are a subscriber. Believe me, there is no one who hates spam, pop up ads and all the other garbage that the internet has spawned more than myself. Spam is created by people with little vision on how to sell so they use a shot gun approach by throwing tons of crap out there hoping to land a few suckers. Not me. I prefer to give a win-win solution to my viewers. If you see a product on my show or I mention one in my newsletter it is because my research has shown it is something I can endorse and thus I wish to share it with my Planet Tour fans to help make your life and travels more enjoyable. Part of my way of saying thanks for watching.
If you have a product that you would like to showcase on The Planet Tour please email us and we will take a look at it. For our viewers keep in mind that even if a company waves a HUGE amount of money in my face that does not guarantee we will use them. If I don't think the product fits our win-win guidelines I will tell them "Thanks but no thanks" as having ads about something I don't believe in is the same as spam.
Until next time, have fun, share the road with motorcycles and get out and see the planet.
Daryl

The Duck Ass Award

There is a segment to my show that I wish to do on a weekly basis called The Duck Ass Award. A segment that needs a sponsor by the way.
What is a duck ass? We have all seen a duck feeding, head underwater, ass in the air and oblivious to what's going on around it. Well, drivers, riders or anyone that act like they have their head under water will end up doing something stupid. That is a Duck Ass.

The Duck Ass has been in my family for some time. When we moved to Winnipeg my mother hated the city. Rather than swear in front of us kids she would call people she did not like a duck ass. "That stupid Manitoba duck ass!" was an oft heard phrase.
It became popular with some of the other neighbours that, so much so that when we moved, they had a mallard hen's rear mounted on a plaque by a taxidermist (upside down of course). Thus the official Duck Ass was born.

One year my mom was on a cleaning rampage and was about to throw it out. I just happened to be over for a visit and said "Don't you dare!"

I had always found it an amusing conversation piece and moved it to my place. Once I created The Planet Tour it was a perfect fit as an award for stupid behaviour, especially if it resulted in an accident or if it had the potential to become a disaster. That is how The Duck Ass Award came to be.
What I ask of my viewers is for example of a Duck Ass on our roads. If you have video and/or pictures showing the results of a Duck Ass move or a Duck Ass throwing caution to the wind I want to see them.
Just email us at info@theplanettour.com

Be safe out there and don't be a Duck Ass
- Daryl Makk