Even as winter seemed reluctant to release its icy grip on Alberta and area this year, it hasn’t stopped local motorcycle enthusiasts from getting their motors revving and heading out on that highway.
Motorcyclists are back, and according to the head of Bikin’ Alberta, it’s crazy out there.
Craig Oldfield is the president and founder of Bikin’ Alberta, an organization dedicated to helping two-wheel afficionados plan their road trips around the province, while also promoting small businesses like restaurants and hotels.
The Water Valley resident rides his motorcycle in and around Rocky View County regularly. He said he noticed a marked upswing in biker traffic during the first week of April.
“Easter weekend was crazy – lots of bikes out there, hundreds and hundreds,” Oldfield said.
He bases his estimates on the analytics he watches on his Facebook page.
“The whole province is riding right now,” he said.
As far as spring safety tips go, Oldfield has a few key messages.
When bikers ask for his advice on when it’s safe to start riding, he always starts off the same way.
“What I tell riders is really, when you’re riding a bike, you’re never 100 per cent safe – you have to accept the dangers of that sport,” he said.
He also preaches riding to the conditions, “whether that’s July or February.”
That said, he highlights things to be especially aware of in the spring are pea gravel left over from the winter, black ice, and cold tires on cold pavement.
“But for me, that never really changes because you can ride in July and all of a sudden there’s hail on the road,” he remarked.
He singled out Highway 1A west of Cochrane as a particularly hazardous stretch of road, even for seasoned bikers like himself.
“It’s terrible – there’s someone killed there one or two times a year,” he said. “There’s no shoulder, [and] no room for error on those corners. You go off that corner and you’re in the ditch, in the bush . . . it’s a tough, tough road.
“When things go wrong, they go really wrong.”
He said this time of year, especially, is when practice is key. Similar to spring training for baseball, bikers need to get their bodies ready, and they need to get their heads in the game.
“In the spring, you have to recondition you, your mind, and your bike,” he said.
“Just like an athlete, if you stop doing what you’re doing for six months, it’s going to take a little bit, so take it easy for the first little while.
“You can’t jump on and go 250 kilometres an hour like an idiot. You have to remember things.”
Some riders wait until road crews have swept up all the pea gravel before hitting the roads, but the slippery hazards are not restricted to just gravel.
In the spring, roads are not as warm early in the morning as they are in the summer, which is another factor less experienced riders may discover the hard way.
The Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society (AMSS) website offers plenty of advice to bikers this time of year, such as continually watching the road surface, scanning gauges, checking mirrors, and making a mental note of all the vehicles you’re sharing the road with.
The AMSS also advises that now is a good time to check over gear to make sure everything is in good condition before the riding season truly gets underway.
A very important piece of gear is the helmet, in particular the visor. Riders should check for scratches or other damage, and that it seals properly.
“Also, since Alberta drivers are about five months out of practice of sharing the roads with motorcyclists, it’s good to make sure lights are all clean and working, stay out of blind spots, use active lane positioning to make sure others can see you, and maybe go ride in the country or on the highway for a while to shake off your own rust and get your riding smooth again,” the site says.
For more information, go to ab-amss.org.
