Abusing Our Bikes and Our Pride
“This is not a race.” Eric Russel’s stern tone rang in my head as I barrelled sideways toward a narrow trail leading across a sunken beaver dam. Shipping pallets and corrugated roofing were placed along the only attainable line – miss that and you’d find yourself waistdeep in fragrant (that is, stinky) mud. My boots had been soaked since the start of the day, so the only enticement to stay on the line was to keep my pride intact.
The Fundy Adventure Rally was established in 2014, when founder Rob Harris of Canada Moto Guide and Canada Moto Rallies wanted to introduce adventure riders to New Brunswick and the intimate Fundy area while challenging their abilities through handpicked routes. Eric and Terri Russel took on the rally in 2016, gaining numbers of riders each year on routes planned to showcase the toughest and most beautiful aspects of the Bay of Fundy area.
In the rally, there are three route options for each of the five legs throughout the approximately 500 km day. The A routes are easiest and mostly on pavement; the B routes cover moderate gravel and pavement with challenging sections; and the C routes are the most challenging and mostly on gravel and dirt. Each route is worth a number of points based on technicality and distance. The goal is to gain points by finishing all five legs. However, in order to do so, teams of two to four riders must finish the course or make it to the “bail-out” point
