Title: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Werner on February 14, 2011, 02:52:33 am
Hi guys,
as some of you know my current project takes me regularly to Detroit - and on this weekend I got back to Canada Phil'sinvitation to vist him in Toronto - a 4 hours ride by car from Detroit.
I took off on early Saturday morning - once again it was a Dodge Charger the rental people had given me - and as I like to travel I was actually looking forward to the 4 hours on Ontario highways. And what I got was an exciting road trip - but not really the excitement I had looked for. Heavy snow and icy roads made driving very difficult. At one point I came over a hump and saw an acccident scene alraedy in some distance. Cars were splattered all over the place, one of them upside down - and one guy stood aside of the road waving heavily at me. It was then that I realized that I wasn't driving on a wet road anymore - but on 100% ice. Okay, there was still some distance so I carefully slowed down - shortly before arriving at the accident scene I was down to a speed of about 20 miles and thought: Cool - this has worked. Then I looked into the rear mirror and what I saw there made me almost sh*t into my pants. A big truck was approaching from behind, trying to break - with the trailer absolute sideways across both lanes. F*ck - he was about to wipe me off the road so I thought it's better I leave the road by myself. I accelerated - hardly had any traction - but managed to get off the road and dumped the car in a big pile of snow - and seconds later that truck skidded past me - phew..... Some friendly souls helped to push the car back on the raod so I could continue my trip.
It was noon when I arrived at Phil's apartment - great to see him back. He took me on a tour around Toronto and in the best CA tradition we started with a visit of a brewery and a beer for lunchtime. We toured the city further - I found Toronto impressive. It's very cosmopolitan, lots of different nations seems to live there - the wide variety of exotic fruits and meats I saw on a local market is a good indicator for that. More beers followed and for safety reasons we abandoned Phil's car (most likely the only one in Ontario with a big DfH sticker on the hood ;D) - in a parking lot and continued by foot. More beers / bars followed - I'll be able to reconstruct the sequence of events end of month when I will look at the credit card trail we left in my bank statement. Somewhen after midnite Phil's son was so friendly to pick us up in the bar district and brought us back to the apartment. Phil is a great host - that first impression of Toronto was fabulous and I'm looking forward to the next couple of cold one's with him on a field in France in June...
Cheers
Werner
as some of you know my current project takes me regularly to Detroit - and on this weekend I got back to Canada Phil'sinvitation to vist him in Toronto - a 4 hours ride by car from Detroit.
I took off on early Saturday morning - once again it was a Dodge Charger the rental people had given me - and as I like to travel I was actually looking forward to the 4 hours on Ontario highways. And what I got was an exciting road trip - but not really the excitement I had looked for. Heavy snow and icy roads made driving very difficult. At one point I came over a hump and saw an acccident scene alraedy in some distance. Cars were splattered all over the place, one of them upside down - and one guy stood aside of the road waving heavily at me. It was then that I realized that I wasn't driving on a wet road anymore - but on 100% ice. Okay, there was still some distance so I carefully slowed down - shortly before arriving at the accident scene I was down to a speed of about 20 miles and thought: Cool - this has worked. Then I looked into the rear mirror and what I saw there made me almost sh*t into my pants. A big truck was approaching from behind, trying to break - with the trailer absolute sideways across both lanes. F*ck - he was about to wipe me off the road so I thought it's better I leave the road by myself. I accelerated - hardly had any traction - but managed to get off the road and dumped the car in a big pile of snow - and seconds later that truck skidded past me - phew..... Some friendly souls helped to push the car back on the raod so I could continue my trip.
It was noon when I arrived at Phil's apartment - great to see him back. He took me on a tour around Toronto and in the best CA tradition we started with a visit of a brewery and a beer for lunchtime. We toured the city further - I found Toronto impressive. It's very cosmopolitan, lots of different nations seems to live there - the wide variety of exotic fruits and meats I saw on a local market is a good indicator for that. More beers followed and for safety reasons we abandoned Phil's car (most likely the only one in Ontario with a big DfH sticker on the hood ;D) - in a parking lot and continued by foot. More beers / bars followed - I'll be able to reconstruct the sequence of events end of month when I will look at the credit card trail we left in my bank statement. Somewhen after midnite Phil's son was so friendly to pick us up in the bar district and brought us back to the apartment. Phil is a great host - that first impression of Toronto was fabulous and I'm looking forward to the next couple of cold one's with him on a field in France in June...
Cheers
Werner
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Werner on February 14, 2011, 02:53:23 am
Some more pics
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Chris24 on February 15, 2011, 12:57:13 am
Glad you had a good time in Phil's company in Toronto. The truck incident sounds like a lucky escape and definately a brown trouser moment.
PS. Have you seen the Final Destination films ? ;D
PS. Have you seen the Final Destination films ? ;D
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Canada Phil on February 15, 2011, 05:41:48 am
Hi Werner,
Thanks for your visit and nice description of our outing. Good pictures.
I was oversereved.....hic
Phil
Thanks for your visit and nice description of our outing. Good pictures.
I was oversereved.....hic
Phil
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: knetter on February 15, 2011, 08:27:34 am
Cool story! Glad nothing bad happened!!! Cool sticker, but he seems to have lost the glass?
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Boorish Grobian on February 15, 2011, 05:02:06 pm
Sounds like you two had a great time, and a narrow escape! Hard to find any fault with Toronto (except the Maple Leafs couldn't beat the little sisters of the poor) great city, with apparently very hardy bikers. ;D
Fax
Fax
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Canada Phil on February 15, 2011, 09:14:13 pm
Cool story! Glad nothing bad happened!!! Cool sticker, but he seems to have lost the glass?
,Hi Knetter,
Unfortunately had to take the glass off. Too many Police checks looking for drinking and driving offenders.
Phil
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Doris on February 15, 2011, 11:39:59 pm
Hey Werner,
See if you can organise a trip to coincide with some racing at Mosport. Phil and I went there for a weekend a few years back when I was in Toronto and I had a great time. It's a track that's definately worth a visit.
Dx
See if you can organise a trip to coincide with some racing at Mosport. Phil and I went there for a weekend a few years back when I was in Toronto and I had a great time. It's a track that's definately worth a visit.
Dx
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Paddy_NL on February 16, 2011, 07:31:53 pm
Nice story, Phil - scary stuff too! :o
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Dirk3D_NL on February 16, 2011, 09:50:21 pm
Nice story, Phil - scary stuff too! :o
it was Werner's story ;)
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Canada Phil on February 17, 2011, 12:47:55 am
Nice story, Phil - scary stuff too! :o
it was Werner's story ;)
True Dirk, but I had a talking part if not star role :)
Phil
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: chop456 on February 17, 2011, 10:32:35 am
I like stories of disaster narrowly averted. Well played.
Toronto's Chinatown and St. Lawrence Market are fantastic.
Toronto's Chinatown and St. Lawrence Market are fantastic.
Title: Re: CA Meet in Toronto
Post by: Martini...LB on February 17, 2011, 07:43:50 pm
Nice story, Phil - scary stuff too! :o
it was Werner's story ;)
True Dirk, but I had a talking part if not star role :)
Phil
Talking parts! I have never had a whisper out of mine. You had better stay off the beer or the weed Phil, unless you have brain chill up there.
>Martini...LB
