Happy Canada Day!

 The beaver is Canada's national animal.

The long weekend has started for many and that means travel.  So if you are 'out and about' ride safe or drive safe!  

Canada is 146 years old on July 1st.  We are a country built on diversity, equality, and love our wild and woolly northern identity.  Canada was born July 1st, 1867.  We have 10 Provinces and 3 Territories.  We are the second largest country in the world in terms of land mass.

Our flag is a red and white with a maple leaf in the centre.  

Our head of state is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and our countries political system is based on the British Parliamentary system.  The Governor General is the Queen's representative in political affairs.    We spell things differently and speak the 'Queen's English'.  

          (Betty Windsor & her pooches)

We are famous for our breathtaking scenery, maple syrup,

and Tim Horton's double double (coffee with room for double sugar & double cream) and Canadian Maple doughnuts <-- **Canadian spelling - others spell it donut. Lacrosse is our national sport    - not hockey (although we love it).  Some people think we live in igloos (nope) and that we have winter all year (nope).  

This pic was taken on the Pacific Rim Highway on the way to Tofino.

Our National Police force is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and they are famous for their red serge tunics and the musical ride and they always get their man, ask Snidely Whiplash the villian from Dudley Do-Right Mountie extraordinaire.  

We are a hospitable people with our warm welcoming attitude to those who visit our country or wish to make it their new home.  We are a land of peacekeepers.    We aren't perfect, but who is.

Most importantly Canadian's don't say 'Eh' and we are not Bob and Doug McKenzie........

HAPPY 146th BIRTHDAY CANADA!!!!!!!

Victoria in the evening

Last night I snuck off for a short after dinner ride.  I stopped at the Inner Harbour to check out the 3 masted yacht the Athena, it is apparently up for sale with an asking price of $98 million - any of you have some spare pocket change? It is quite the boat and it served as a lovely back drop for a Celtic rockabilly band called the O'briens, they were pretty darned awesome.  I decided to stick around and have a listen and wasn't disappointed.  

After that I tootled down to Ogden Point to look at the cruise ships.  It was a lovely night.  

 It was a lovely night for a ride, I met some nice folks taking in my fair city a nice couple from Kentucky.

Pearls & motorcycle gear?! Fashion statement or faux pas

Most of my riding revolves around commuting to and from work.  I wear my gear all the time and don't feel very girly at all, but yesterday Granny's pearls changed that for me.  I think they may just be my signature piece from here on out, I kind of like the mix of 'industrial rough & tough' with girly oldfashioned.  I wonder what June Cleaver would think?.......

Lets not make a spectacle of oneself.....

I am on the verge of purchasing some goggles for my peepers.  I am finding looking into the distance a little difficult, particularly driving at night.  I found these funky little monsters and the best part is they fit in my helmet.  So what do you think?

Oh Gnomeo, Oh Gnomeo, where for art thou Gnomeo...

Up near Nanoose Bay there is a giant gnome dude.  He apparently is the left over of a small island attraction theme park with go carts.  So of course you knew I would have to park my bike beside it.

I couldn't resist

Beautiful Qualicum Beach.  Even on a cloudy day it's lovely to visit there.

Cool little restaurant on the beach, they make a wicked icecream cone.  Moto Mama bikes in the last picture.