Planning mid May 2022 informal Laverda gathering Nelson British Columbia Canada

Paul LeClair

Paul LeClair

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Nelson British Columbia is right in the center of some of the best motorcycle riding roads in western Canada. Nelson is roughly 90 miles by road from Nakusp British Columbia where Wolfgang and Margot live. There is virually no chance Wolfgang and Margot are likely to put on another gathering in Nakusp, so some of us are planning a less formal get together of like minded folks. I do expect Wolfgang is likely to make an appearance and go on some of the rides.

In 2021 a dozen or so of us booked a lodge in Nelson for a week in June, which got cancelled due to massive forest fires all over British Columbia in June but particularly around Nelson.

For 2022 we are trying again, on a less formal basis, this time with everyone booking their own accomodations rather than a central location, then gettting together over the course of a week or so for various rides and activities. Google Nelson. Here is one link for example. https://www.nelsonkootenaylake.com/plan/region/nelson

My spouse Diane and I have just confirmed booking in a Bed and Breakfast in Nelson for FRIDAY MAY 13 - FRIDAY MAY 20, 2022. There will be other spouses coming, and lots of local and extended area activities for anyone not necessarily interested in riding everyday, like my spouse Diane, who is no longer riding. For example, I want to go fishing as well. For bikes, Laverda preferred but anything goes. I will likely have my supercharged Kawasaki H2 SX SE with me as well a Laverda triple. Who knows, I may even have the 1957 Gilera 150 up and running with all 7 raging horsepower. I hear there may be one or two 1940's Harleys coming as well....

This week of FRIDAY MAY 13 - FRIDAY MAY 20, 2022 has been picked by Andy and Dave Higgs and several of the other Laverda nutters from Vancouver, Vancouver Island, etc, Steve Veltman and myself from Calgary, Alberta, Dave MaCormak who has a vacation place nearby in Kaslo, Rene and Sue Waters (vintage Ducati nuts who live nearby in Lardeau http://ducatimeccanica.com/ ) etc.. I don't know how many folks we might attract, I supect there may be a few more from Calgary, etc.., maybe one or two from Winnipeg (Henry I am thinking about you...) , etc.. Then there are the U.S. based folks, don't know if cross border travel will be viable, CoVid sucks.

Those of you who know the local weather in Central BC will know that mid May is a bit early for motorcyles and could be cool, especially getting there through the mountain passes from Alberta. We are trying to catch a break from the again expected likely forest fires of June/July. The weather in Nelson area in mid May can be quite decent, but bring gear to suit cooler temperatures and maybe a bit of rain.

All of this is yet again CoVid dependant, the Omicron variant is spreading like wildfire as I type this and new restrictions are being put in place, who knows what the world will be like 6 months from now in mid May, 2022....

Please note, this is not an organized event, just intended to be a bunch of like minded folks informally getting together for some riding and other activities in a spectacular part of western Canada. If the weather is decent mid May, at the end of the week in Nelson Diane and I may well carry on west to Vancouver Island as well.

If anyone else is interested, if I could have some expressions of interest I would appreciate it. Maybe we could collectively book a restaurant (s) for group meals, plan other activities like a fishing charter, golfing,etc. Just post here in this thread.

Paul LeClair
 
Any possibility of being able to rent a bike somewhere, d'you think, Paul? (Sorry, being lazy, haven't done any research. Should have ...)
 
I will need to see if they will let me in to Canada. Who knows what will happen this year with COVID.

I have ridden the area around Nelson and Kootenay Lake and yes some very nice roads. Weather can be unpredictable, last time was in July a number of years ago. Very cold and wet! A few years before that, it was really hot!
 
I'm in! I may be away flying but that is a bit early for fires season. It is on my calendar now!.

Perhaps I will try and trailer my bikes there so I can vary the rides!

Which B&B Paul? A good helicopter friend's wife runs a very nice Victorian style B&B in Nelson.

Jim
 
helicopterjim said:
I'm in! I may be away flying but that is a bit early for fires season. It is on my calendar now!.

Perhaps I will try and trailer my bikes there so I can vary the rides!

Which B&B Paul? A good helicopter friend's wife runs a very nice Victorian style B&B in Nelson.

Jim
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Hi Jim
We have booked a 2 bedroom on Hall Street nearly downtown. Owners last name is Phelan. We may bring some other family with us CoVid permitting. I know mid May is early but we are intentionally scheduling to avoid fire season rather than getting cancelled by fires like last year in June
 
Thanks Paul.
Not the same but staying anywhere in Nelson will be nice! Fantastic restaurants and brew pub there. Spent many years heli-logging and firefighting based in that town. Used to say that Nelson was full of rednecks, hippies and queers ........ and sometimes that was all the same person!
I'll probably stay with friends a bit to the North near Trout Lake but might book a couple of nights in Nelson for some fun!

It will be a good time!

Jim
 
I would like to make it out there for the riding and a get together. Hopefully the timing is between a Covid wave and forest fire season. Been to long since the Nakusp rallies.
 
henrywillms said:
I would like to make it out there for the riding and a get together. Hopefully the timing is between a Covid wave and forest fire season. Been to long since the Nakusp rallies.
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Good to hear Henry! I'm going to start poking at some of the West Coast boys now!

I'm thinking I can base out of Trout Lake and fulfill some flying obligations if needed while still being available for the gathering!

Jim
 
I might consider allowing the use of one of my 3C's to anyone who needs a bike. If anything goes wrong I'm sure there will be a dealer nearby to take care of any problems!

I have two ..... one is RHS shift (solo seat, rearsets, open exhaust and 4C's) and the other is LHS (completely stock and may have more upright handlebars by spring).

Jim
 
just a polite reminder, the extent of the planning so far is just to get together during that chosen week, there is no planning beyond that, at least not yet. Not even a chosen get together spot, as people are selecting and arranging their own accomodations in Nelson and area. Wolfgang and Margo quit doing the Nakusp gatherings because of the huge amount of work and time commitment involved. Last year Andy Higgs spent quite a bit of time putting together last years planned Laverda group gathering in Nelson at a Lodge on the lake, took all the deposits, did a bunch of planning, then everything wound up getting cancelled due to forest fires. Andy has indicated it was so much work and time last year he is not doing any organizing again, so this year he just chose the week and is leaving everyone to their own devices.

If there are enough people interested in going to Nelson that week, "we" should all talk about any planning activities, group restaraunt bookings, group rides, golfing, fishing, whatever. Last year I looked after arranging and booking a fishing charter, also had to be cancelled last year.

To be very candid, while I am very very lucky to be alive and recovering from major medical issues amd major surgery, I am personally just not up for nor voluntering for major planning for a week long Laverda get together in Nelson. My spouse and I have booked a bed and breakfast for ourselves for the week, that is the extent of what "I" (actually my spouse) have done so far. Andy Higgs and Steve Veltman have their own accomodations booked, and so do a few others so far. If the collective "we" want to make more of this week, people are going to have to step up, maybe some sort of "steering committee" just a thought? I am going to give Andy Higgs a call to discuss and will report back.

Also, following up on Jim's suggestion he might consider lending a Laverda triple, I might also consider lending a Laverda triple as I have previously done with various Laverda Forum members over the years. Jim lives relatively nearby to Nelson, but I am roughly an 8 hour ride/drive away from Nelson, creating some logistical issues. If I were to lend anyone a Laverda triple they would have to suffer the hardship of picking up and dropping off the bike in Calgary, Alberta and suffer the 16 hours or so of mountain riding getting the bike to Nelson then back to Calgary a week or so later........;)

Paul LeClair
 
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