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Motorcycle Safety and Awareness
Welcome to Think Bike, the podcast about all things motorcycle and the voice of motorcycle safety and awareness in Alberta. Your host is Liane Langlois.
Liane:Hey, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Think Bike. This week, I am super excited to have Raphael Gaspard on our show. He is gonna be traveling all across Canada this year on a special project that he's come up with. Welcome to our show.
Raphel:Thank you so much. Thanks for having us.
Liane:You're very welcome. So Raphael, who are you and what got you into riding?
Raphel:Good question. Riding for me was always linked to to freedom. And since I can remember, was attracted to motorcycles. You know? Like, I was drawing them when I was a kid, and I grew up in in South America.
Raphel:And we grew up in a small village and getting around with moped or fixed up motorcycle was, like, the only way. So really early, you know, seeing my dad and then being in the back of the motorcycle, going on those crazy routes in a jungle. I grew up in French Guiana. So that was always linked to amazing memories for me. And when we immigrated to Quebec, even if we have half a season because of the winter, it was always something that I I I was really passionate about.
Raphel:And, yeah, when I got my license, I was like, why didn't I get that earlier? So I think it it it comes back to to that. My first motorcycle was I bought it before I had my official license. I got it towed, of course, but it was a it was an old chopper that has been built by a local garage here that do, like, custom Harley works. And I just fell in love with everything, you know, like fixing it, working on it, and and yeah.
Liane:Just being your own independent motorcycle rider.
Raphel:100%. Yeah.
Liane:Yes. Yes. Where are some of the I mean, that's some crazy childhood memories that you have. But where are some of the favorite places that you've ridden? I mean, Canada, Quebec, especially beautiful countryside.
Liane:So where are some of your favorite places to ride?
Raphel:Good question. So when the first Panam Panamerica got released from Harley, I was doing content with them at the time, and I was lucky enough to test their press bikes. And I got the Panam special for a week, and I did the drive to Budsflav, so all the way down to Camarasca. It's an amazing ride, really, like, sweeping through Saint Laurent Rivers and small coastal village with all the, you the diners and the little houses. And then exploring with, you know, going off road more deep in the woods there was was amazing.
Raphel:You have a lot of hills. So as soon as you get a bit high, you have that view on the river, which is beautiful. That was, like, a moment where that I really cherished. You know, like, full summer, beautiful beautiful riding conditions. Then the other one, which is really different was last year in Bali.
Raphel:So I had a photography contact a contract. Sorry. And I I just got a bike, not a moped, but a a real bike that I was able to go anywhere with it, and we explored Lombok and and Bali with it. And it was the best challenging in city conditions with with, you know, traffic and, you know, having to drop on the sidewalks. And but going on the countryside and and riding at sunsets in Riceville was just insane through temples.
Raphel:There was just something magical. So to this day, I think that's my most recent top top top three spots of freedom. Yeah.
Liane:That sounds that sounds spectacular without getting into what we're going to get into. Have you been out to Western Canada on a motorcycle yet?
Raphel:Not on motorcycle. It's it's a trip that I've done in any other way possible.
Liane:Oh, it's so different though.
Raphel:So different. I'm so excited.
Liane:Okay. Let's get into this. So let's get it. You I received an email from you about this project that you've come up with called Road to Happiness. What inspired that?
Liane:And tell me a little bit about what that entails.
Raphel:Of course. So the inspiration was 19 years old, having a bit of a hard time with school in in Montreal and decided to, you know, pack my bag. At the time, didn't had an iPhone, had $50 in my pocket, and I hitchhiked from Montreal to Vancouver, camping anywhere I could. And, you know, that trip, the people I met, the kindness and the weirdness, but, you know, mostly kindness that I encountered during this trip. And the way people helped me really defined my adulthood.
Raphel:Like, it was so unique seeing the country in in in every light possible, and that it really defined my freedom. The the way I see freedom and the way, you know, I I went about my life until this point. I'm 40 years old now. My son just turned 18 in spring, and that trip was my way of getting back on the road, just getting uncomfortable, camping the the entire way, but mostly interviewing all those amazing people you meet on the road and ask them one simple question, which is what's your definition of of happiness? And those answers and, you know, planned, of course, we're gonna have interviews with chefs and entrepreneurs and artists in in in cities, but also unplanned and unscripted conversations will be the backbone of this documentary.
Raphel:We did this one movie. We're gonna film the entire thing. And when I say we, I'm gonna film the entire thing because I'm solo, but I have a team of of of of support and logistics on the ground. And the goal is, like, there's so much wisdom that that you encounter when you get out there and you just be kind and ask people, hey. You know, what's up?
Raphel:So that's kind of the the idea behind this this project. I got lucky enough to have a bunch of amazing brands supporting this journey with me. I couldn't do that without them. So Harley Davidson, who's supplying the way of trust of of transport, so we're having we're having them helping us with that with that amazing other brands that are supporting with with gears and logistics, and those partner makes an amazing team for helping this project come to life.
Liane:What I think I like the most about what this project will represent is there's so much, like, negativity out there right now and a lot of divisiveness. And it's just a really hard world to live in right now and making people stop and think about what makes them happy might change that trajectory of their mindset to live in that happiness. Is that your hope?
Raphel:So true. Yes. You know, it it it gave mischievous when you say that, but I I do really think as well that it's easy to get caught up in headlines and and, you know, the news, and we live in challenging times. Don't get me wrong. But there's more to it.
Raphel:That's my that's my take. And one of the best way to feel it and and and experience it in the first place is get on the road and get out of you know, try an adventure. Don't be afraid to connect with people. When I did that at 19 years old, that defined my my adulthood, that those kindness and those people helping me along the way, those farmer and son in Manitoba who, you know, I jumped in their pickup box and, you know, they gave me $5 and a FM AM radio for the road. And it's just simple gesture, and I have so many of them From Stranger to Stranger just really gives you another lens on the world.
Raphel:I hope this movie will be a bit my contribution to show that to people.
Liane:And I think, like, we need stuff like this, which is great. So you're embarking on this cross Canada adventure a little bit later this month towards the
Raphel:end Mhmm. Of
Liane:Where are you starting?
Raphel:Good question. So I'm I'm starting in Halifax. We're gonna start there mainly because my brother and his girlfriend are based there. They're marine biologists. They have a a startup that studies well movements and the health of of those marine mammals.
Raphel:He's also an amazing drone pilot, so I'm gonna take that and help me to do meeting shots. So that's where I'm gonna start logistically as well. It's also easier to ship some of the gears to start the trip. I'm gonna have multiple points during the the journey while I'm gonna be able to ship back some of the gear I don't need anymore for weight ratio and and pick up some some other stuff. And from there, I'm gonna do Cab Breton and make my way all the way to to Vancouver Island.
Liane:So you're gonna hit every province, I imagine.
Raphel:A 100%. I'm gonna hit every province. It was really hard. So, you know, like, I connected with many motorcycle groups to ask them, you know, what's your top five in your province? And I got so many answers.
Raphel:It's amazing to see that, like, how most people have, you know, hidden spots and less, you know, less hidden spots for sure. But so we had the team and I came up with a route that makes it how can I say that? Makes it also easy to have, like, impromptu moments and leave a bit of room for improvisations, but also, being able to connect, refuel, and, you know, make sure that we hit or planned interview spots. For example, in Toronto, we're doing a we're doing a a bike night at this amazing indie shop called Foreign Rider and Co with an amazing coffee brand called Sam James Coffee Bar. We're gonna meet everyone here.
Raphel:We're gonna have a chef, a local chef. She's she's doing stuff with natural and foraging ingredients, so we're gonna have a night there. So I need to be there. So that's how we planned a bit the route. But in between, there's a lot of room for improvisation.
Liane:How long do you think this adventure is going to take you to get across the country with all of these stops and interviews and people that you're going to meet and strangers and impromptu. Like, how much time have you planned for this?
Raphel:I'm planning twenty five to thirty days. That leaves, I think, a bit of room as well for weather situation, severe weather situation. I'm I'm gonna ride when it rains, but, you know, if if there's severe rainstorms or or it's if if it's unsafe for me and the bike, we're gonna stop. So I think that leaves a bit of of a room, but I'm I'm really happy to extend that. You know?
Raphel:Like, the team and I are super aware that we can extend that five, six days more if needed. The goal also with this road movie is is to be autonomous the most most possible, you know, the the during the trip and also really maintain camping every night. There's gonna be stops for, you know, for charging and laundry, of course, but contrary to some road movie where there's a big team behind and, you know, the squishy hotel at nights, the goal with this is really experiments the rural reality throughout the country while camping. I'm a big nature fan. I live in a in a cottage, and I think that's important as well to make that trip for me a bit more meaningful.
Raphel:You know?
Liane:No. I I agree with that. There's nothing like camping across Canada. I think we did that when I was a kid. Of course, we're in a vehicle with a with a trailer, but we went Yeah.
Liane:All the way across Canada and camped everywhere. It was amazing. I'm a I'm a nature fan too. I think that's why I like riding so much is because you're so connected with nature. If I can give you one piece of advice when, when you are coming through the Prairie Provinces, be very mindful of how quickly weather can change and how quickly hailstorms and tornadoes can just kind of pop up.
Liane:So wishing you the absolute best through the Prairie Provinces. I've been caught in some fun stuff myself. With that said, you're talking about most of this. You're gonna be completely solo. No chase vehicles, things like that.
Liane:Nope.
Raphel:That have Exactly.
Liane:What are the safety measures that you're putting in place for yourself?
Raphel:For sure. So I'm gonna have an application with on my phone and and, you know, connect it with my headset as well that that gives a live update of my situation to the team on the ground. There's gonna be meeting and and meeting and nights, phone calls as well to connect with them and to see if if the footage is is is good or if there's something that need to be adjusted. That's gonna be one of the main main parts. One part that I think sometimes we don't talk enough is nutrition, hydration, and sleep.
Raphel:So making sure that those three super important elements to make it to make a good rider being aware during those long days are covered ups. You know? So, like, I have a friend who's a nutritionist for winter athletes, so we're gonna work with you know, we worked with with her to come up with, you know, how to eat how to hit all the protein and nutrients I need for this trip. So this is something that is planned as well. So that's that's for me.
Raphel:That's one way to make sure that, you know, we're we're safe. And also having a simple gear and bike checkup every morning. You know? I think with newer motorcycle that's something that often we tend to take for granted, but riding in different road conditions that's something that that we're gonna take in in consideration. And then mid trip there's gonna be a oil change and tire change at the Harley Davidson dealership.
Raphel:That's also something that that we have to, you know, a bad tire. Don't it's not gonna last me a 6,000 kilometers. That's for sure. We all we all know it. So that that's kind of the guidelines.
Raphel:There's many other aspects, you know, that that goes into it with the team as well. But those are the main lines. Yeah. For sure to make sure that that we have a safe ride.
Liane:Do you know what kind of kind of Harley that they're gonna be giving you to do this trip on?
Raphel:Yes. So I'm gonna be writing the CVO special, the new model, I think because we're not gonna go in northern territories or do much too much offloading. That bike wouldn't be wouldn't be adequate for sure.
Liane:It's a try, but
Raphel:Yeah. Yeah. Not fun. But for, you know, for for mainly riding conditions in in in paved ways, that's gonna be a comfortable bike. It's also a bike that I I tried previously on a model can model model camping trip in in Ontario.
Raphel:And I tested the capacity of of weights and luggage. So, you know, how how much can I strap to the bike while meaning in safety? So I'm comfortable with the platform. So that's that's the bike we we went with.
Liane:That would be a good one for that long of a distance trip for sure. I mean, I'm not sure I could do cross my I mean, I would if I had to on my Triumph Scrambler, but it wouldn't be as comfortable as a CPO. That's for sure.
Raphel:No, exactly. Yeah. Yeah.
Liane:And gear wise, I mean, like you said, the weather can change at any time and like the early mornings again, if your route does take you through some places in Alberta, like the Rockies, the early mornings are quite cold, you know, and then all of a sudden it's 30 degrees and it's like being able to still be in proper gear, but have those layers involved.
Raphel:100%. So that's a really good point. You know? Like, I think and that also make me think when we designed the the gear we were bringing on the trip, being safe while riding in hotter weather, where usually, like, it tends to remove layers and suddenly your skin is exposed or you don't have the proper protection. That's also something we took took in consideration answering that safety question prior.
Raphel:I forgot about to mention that part. But so one of the partners for this trip makes amazing sublayers, so alpaca wool and thermal layers for for riders. So foreign rider and co makes those, and we tested those layers in in Trabla at minus 20 while cross con doing cross country skiing because it's a it's a it's an activity that that, you know, you you you sweat a lot. So that's that's gonna be one of the solution for colder days, and it's it's really amazing because it's it's a layer that lets your skin breathe so much that keeping one or two layers of merino wool under any any protection gears is is essential for for me for this trip. So I think that's one of the one of the reasons.
Raphel:And then we have two two two jackets. We have one soft shell and one leather jackets for colder mornings.
Liane:I would suggest for the days that can like, especially again coming through the prairies when the sun is beating down and you have no reprieve of any type of shade.
Raphel:If you
Liane:have not invested in a cooling vest, I would highly suggest you get a cooling vest. I had a friend of mine loan me one when I was in the Kootenays in British Columbia just to try out. It was 34 degrees that day. And I could have ridden my bike all day and felt so comfortable.
Raphel:So, yeah, that that that's a good really good suggestion. We thought of bringing something like that for a trip. What's what we agree with the team is when we didn't I didn't brought one for for for the first part. If that's something that's required, we have an option at home that we can have shipped to to the next Stop. Spot or next stop point.
Raphel:Exactly. So that's something we might realize, okay, we already need one, but haven't packed one for the trip yet. I
Liane:tell you, though, they they are night and day. They don't take up a lot of space. The only thing is stopping at a gas station to, like, soak it in cold water and then put it on. Like, you don't have to have it wet. Like, you know, so it it would give you some reprieve.
Liane:It's they're small. They're light. They fold up really little when they're not wet. But it it is I I can't live without mine now that I have one. It's like the it's like the time I got caught in a mountain valley in the cold rain and realized, heated gear is something that I should have.
Raphel:A 100%.
Liane:You know, as fellow rider, you understand that. Was so against it. And I'm like, oh, they're all wimps. They got heated gear. And then I was like, oh, somebody wire this in for me.
Raphel:It's funny because, like, you you're, you know, with with multiple gears like that. Like, you're against it until you really need it, and you're like, okay. Get it now.
Liane:It was age. I'm not gonna lie. The older I get, the
Raphel:That's that's also honestly, that's also and, you know, like, people I I tell about that trip, they're like, are you gonna can't deal with? Are you are you are you crazy? So I know, you know, the older you get, still less comfortable camping it it is, but, you know, it's part of the trip. It's important for me. But, yeah, the older we get to the, the more cushier I get we we are.
Liane:It's just we're not young and dumb anymore. We do bounce like we used to.
Raphel:100%.
Liane:So when this is all said and done and you've got everything wrapped up, Where are people gonna be able to find this amazing documentary? Because I know I wanna see it.
Raphel:Thank you. So the main communication channel and and where we're gonna post everything is on Instagram. So roadtohappiness.projects. That's that's our our end stop page. The documentary will be sent to all the major outdoor and documentary film festival across the world, hot dogs, South by Southwest, TMFF, and and so many others.
Raphel:It's based on a submission basis, you know, who gets elected, but we're confident we have a good team to to, you know, pass that to something really cool. And then there's a miniseries that will live on on YouTube with foreign writers, so they have they do a lot of of content and motorcycle related super cinematic films. So we're gonna we're doing something with them as well. So it's gonna be two two ways to connect with the project. And we're also doing a a book with with this with this project.
Raphel:So we're gonna release a book of photography I've taken during the trip, analog photos, also film photography. That's that's one of my passion as well. And, also, note from the road, you know, like, just something to you know, we're remembering harder and and and better time of that trip and having images to, you know, to relate to those moments. That's gonna be also a way to to connect with this project.
Liane:So lots of options out there. So Road to Happiness on Instagram, that's gonna be probably your main one. Mhmm. I wanna wish you all the best on on this trip, Raphael, on this project. I think we need some happiness in the world, so I want you to get that.
Liane:And when you come through Alberta, I mean, keep in touch. And if I'm around somewhere close to you, I'd like to connect.
Raphel:That would be amazing. It's it's a good it's a good thing you're mentioning that. So there's gonna be many occasions for people to, you know, ride with me and connect during that trip. Following the Instagram page is the best way to stay updated and and to know when there's group ride or when you're able to meet. There's also gonna be a live map of my location for people to to join, and and there's gonna be another location to connect.
Raphel:And that's kind of the goal as well. You know? Like, I think the more this this road trip is gonna go, the more people I'm gonna be able to connect with. And that's part of the impromptu situations and interviews we're we're leaving space for.
Liane:Awesome. I really I'm so excited for this. I'll be following along and I hope everyone else will too. Thank you again for your time, Raphael.
Raphel:Thank you so much.
Liane:You're welcome. I will have everybody else hang tight for the mixed bag.
Leeroy:Hey, riders. This is Leeroy with another tip from Moto Instincts. Managing fatigue. So Alberta is home to some legendary long distance rides, but highway hypnosis is real. Prolonged riding is taxing mentally and physically.
Leeroy:Add hot or cold temps, and you've got a recipe for hampered attention and reaction times. If you find your attention wandering, your focus slipping, or your body becoming restless, it's time to pull over. Take a ten minute break. Hydrate, grab some electrolytes or a snack, and stretch those limbs. It's better to arrive an hour late than not at all.
Leeroy:Listen to your body's cues. When it says stop, find a safe spot for a micro break. I'm Leroy with Moto Instincts.
Liane:And that's it for another episode of Think Bike hosted by me, Leanne Langlois, produced by Bryn Griffiths at Mighty Mouth Communications. If you have an idea or question for the show, reach out to info@ab-amss.org or find us on all the socials. Always remember to ride smart, ride safe, and think bike. We'll see you out on the road.