How's The Traction In Your Area?
Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 12:27PM Sherry Mulley MacDonald: Ice ride on the Northside
Ed MacDonald of George’s River takes a ride on the lake off Johnson Road. - Submitted
Winter is almost over and while most people will be happy to see it end, others were busy taking advantage of what the colder months had to offer.
Without question people like to complain about the cold away, it is just what we as Cape Bretoners do.
Not so for one Northside resident. Ed MacDonald of George’s River says he looks forward to the colder weather, especially when the thermometer dips well below freezing.
MacDonald belongs to a very exclusive club. In fact he is the lone member. He is the only Northside motorcycle enthusiast who studs up his tires and heads for the ice. He admits it is an unconventional way to enjoy the cold, but he says that is what makes it interesting.
“I have been riding on the frozen lake off Johnson Road for a few years now and it is lots of fun. I am sure when people see me out there riding circles around the ice on a motorcycle they think I am a little crazy, but if they only knew how much fun it is they would probably want to give it a try.”
Formerly of Florence, MacDonald raced on the ice in the 80s and early 90s. He said back then the organized ice races held in Sydney could get pretty competitive.
“There used to be dozens of bikes show up for the races, things could get pretty fast, the fans were really into it too, but we really haven’t had anything organized around here for a while.
“Ice riding is such a blast, it is what gets me through the winter. It is a great way to pass time, and it gets me outside and keeps me active. I don’t know why more guys aren’t studding up.”
MacDonald said normally his motocross bike would be stored for the winter, but he said knowing that he can prepare his bike for the ice gives him something to look forward to.
“The winter can be long when you can’t ride motocross so ice riding is an option that works for me. Conditions have to be just right so I don’t get to do it that often, but when I do, it is great.”
MacDonald has been involved in motocross for more than four decades, and has raced on dirt locally and all over the Maritimes. The walls in his garage are affixed with a series of shelving units to display the many trophies he has accumulated over the years.
Ice safety is of the utmost importance. MacDonald said he checks the thickness of the ice often and would never think about venturing out unless the depth of ice was significant.
“When you consider the weight of a motocross bike, it is not enough to have just a few inches of ice on the lake before riding, you need at least a foot.”
a bike ready for the ice can be a bit laborious, hundreds of special studs are carefully fastened to both tires in a pattern that encourages the most traction.
“You can get up to a good speed on the ice oval so keeping the bike from drifting out in the turns is important. The studs have to be put in place in just the right way, but for me studding the bike for the ice is part of the fun.”
MacDonald said he can’t say how many hours it takes to make sure the studs are placed in each tire in the right configuration. He said getting the pattern right is what gives the bike traction, and without traction there would be no point venturing out on the ice.
“Getting a good grip is the key so if it takes a while to figure things out I am willing to do the work. There have been winters in the past where I had to try a pattern two or three times before I got it right.”
Equally as important as preparing the bike for the ice is getting the body ready for the cold. Dressing for the elements is the key to being able to remain on the bike in the coldest of temperatures. MacDonald said you really need to know how to layer up, but not get too bulked up when it comes to riding in winter.
“Too many layers of clothes can make it harder to maneuver the bike and too few layers could mean getting colder faster. I try to stay as warm as I can for as long as I can because that means more time on the ice.”
When asked why he would take having fun in winter to such an extreme, MacDonald explained that despite the elements, there is no feeling like it.
“It’s great, the wind is whipping in your face and you are flying up the ice on two wheels. It can get to the point where you are having so much fun that you don’t even feel your fingers much less the cold.”
While some might think MacDonald’s alternative way to spend time in winter is a bit unusual, I understand his enthusiasm and desire to take advantage of every opportunity to ride. Truth is, motocross has not only been a huge part of his life for decades, as his wife, Ed’s extreme hobby has had a direct effect on my life as well.
Sherry Mulley MacDonald is an author and freelance journalist. She is a lifelong resident of the Northside with a great affection for the community in which she lives.
