In The Press
Articles
One-Tank Trip for Jan. 21/06 By Jim Fox
Published in the London Free Press
Three years ago, Liz Jansen decided to leave the corporate world behind as she embarked on a solo two-month motorcycle odyssey across North America . She returned home invigorated and launched Trillium Motorcycle Tours, based in Orangeville.
"Trillium was created to provide a safe and supportive venue for others, particularly women, to experience the personal rejuvenation, re-energization and heightened confidence that comes from the ride," she explained.
At this time of year while pondering that dream ride, the company offers distance-learning opportunities and workshops to prepare both the rider and bike.
Then, when the warm weather returns, it's out on the highways and byways for innovative tour offerings. There are rides for women only, singles, mixed groups and custom tours as well.
After a day of biking along selected prime routes through scenic Ontario and Eastern Quebec , there are overnights at elegant country inns and spas along with golfing packages.
Tours of eight to 12 riders run from a single day to a week and are led by seasoned riders with advanced motorcycle skills and include a support vehicle on most trips.
The company isn't in the motorcycle rental business but can arrange for a bike or refer clients without them to a dealerships renting them.
With more than 25 years riding experience, Jansen aims to make every tour "an amazing experience. We've thought of everything - incredible routes, carefully selected accommodations, culinary delights and those hidden attractions along the way."
When it comes to women riders, "we understand the unique experience they want and offer the solution for those who want a motorcycle vacation but don't want to ride alone," she said.
Jansen, who also teaches rider training in Canada Safety Council's Gearing Up program, said the median age of women riders is 42 and they're looking for others to ride with in a fun, supportive environment.
Day trips appeal to newer riders or those who have limited time to spend in the area while the multi-day getaways "showcase the best" of Ontario riding.
"From a tourism perspective, Ontario is underrated as a riding destination," Jansen said. "Our rides go through the most scenic areas, such as the Niagara Escarpment, including the Hills of Headwaters near Orangeville, around Georgian Bay, Eastern Ontario and into the Laurentians."
Here's an overview of upcoming trips:
- Central Ontario : Three days covering 1,100 kilometres from Orangeville and the Hockley Valley along paved secondary roads to the Haliburton Highlands, Gananoque, Prince Edward County and return. Tours leave in July, August and September, priced at $899 ($199 single supplement). Included are overnight accommodations, breakfasts and dinners.
- Central Ontario and the Laurentians: Similar to the tour above with an added day to explore Saint Sauveur across the Ottawa River in the Quebec Laurentians. Covering 1,500 kilometres, the tour leaves on June 22, costing $1,149 ($269 single supplement).
- Georgian Bay, Manitoulin, Haliburton: This four-day tour travels around scenic Georgian Bay with a visit to the world's largest fresh water island, Manitoulin. Leaving in August and September, it rolls for 970 kilometres and is priced at $1,049 ($169 single supplement).
- Central Ontario and Manitoulin: This six-day tour combines the Georgian-Manitoulin-Haliburton loop with the Central Ontario tour with a free day to explore Haliburton. Covering 1,500 kilometres, it runs in August and September, priced at $1,949 ($379 single supplement).
- Central Ontario , Manitoulin and the Laurentians: This seven-day tour combines the Georgian Manitoulin Haliburton loop with the Central Ontario and the Laurentians tour. It covers 1,900 kilometres, leaving June 22, and costs $2,198 ($439 single supplement).
- Self-Guided and Custom Tours : Trillium works with clients to "plan the perfect route and then takes care of all the details." Included is a route map with suggestions for great places to stop along with accommodation reservations.
Want to learn more about biking?
"Winter is the perfect time to take advantage of tele-workshop classes and prepare for spring riding," Jansen said.
This distance-ed program costing $40 a session has topics including How to Get Started in Motorcycling, How to Buy the Right Motorcycle, How to Inspect Your Motorcycle and Keep it in Top Condition, Selecting Appropriate Apparel and Maximizing the Safety of Your Ride.
Workshops start next Wednesday and are held over the phone. "When the class begins, you follow along on your computer or with the materials you will have been sent," she said.
There are hands-on workshops where participants will have an opportunity for practical demonstrations on their own motorcycle.
One is planned for May 29 on a farm in Niagara to learn about "what to look for, how to perform minor maintenance and how to properly care for your own bike." It costs $75 and includes materials and lunch.
CMG Online - Trillium Tours Teleclasses (as seen here)
TRILLIUM TOURS TELE-CLASSES
Distance learning is a long-established method of teaching - in olden times by post and more recently using the electrickery we call the Internet. Distance motorcycle training would however seem to be a fairly unlikely concept, but one that is now being offered by Trillium Tours.
Winter downtime, family and career pressures have all conspired to make conventional learning difficult for some so Trillium have produced a series of 'tele courses". Topics include: how to get started in motorcycling, how to buy the right motorcycle, how to inspect your motorcycle and keep it in top condition, selecting appropriate apparel and maximizing the safety of your ride.
Course cost is $40/hour, which includes workshop materials for use during the classes.
Trillium Tours Inc.
By Mike Garratty of RideON Magazine
(published in May/June 2004 issue of RideON Magazine)
During a two-month personal motorcycle odyssey, Elizabeth Jansen came up with the concept for her newly-launched motorcycle touring business - Trillium Motorcycle Tours Inc. There was literally a "eureka" moment on that Canada - United States riding tour when Elizabeth actually found the concept.
No her background is not in the tour and travel sector but in human resources and manufacturing and Elizabeth said though she enjoyed her career, it was time for a change. Or in fact, several changes.
Admittedly there are motorcycle touring businesses, both in Canada and in the U.S but they seem to be quite uncommon in Ontario. There are a large number of riders here and the Province has plenty to offer them. Elizabeth is putting her own unique take on this with an emphasis on women riders.
Elizabeth has been a rider for more than 25 years. Motorcycle riding seemed natural for her. It all started with a 90 cc. step-through that belonged to her brothers. The fact is, back then it was quite a bit more unusual for a woman to be on a bike and not on the passenger pad. Elizabeth has been in the wind and on the blacktop ever since. Yeah, times have changed.
Elizabeth now rides a Yamaha FZ1 sport touring bike. Not counting the Honda 90 step-through that she hands off to her brothers, her list of previous bikes includes a Honda 750 Spirit, and a shared BMW 750. The special trip last year was her second long solo ride.
I commented on the two-month solo riding odyssey, Elizabeth smiles and kind of shrugs. Many people have commented on her courage but Elizabeth sees it as essentially not that special. "You just go, you get up every day and go for a ride. You only go around once. This was my opportunity to try it. If not now, when?" she says, quoting a book title that stayed in her mind. "I was given the opportunity and I had to take advantage of it."
Elizabeth has recently obtained her motorcycle instructor credentials and is about to start teaching a riding course with Humber College. She will be instructing on weekends but certainly not every weekend. "We've got tours planned."
Trillium Motorcycle Tours - with a name like Trillium it has to be based in Ontario - offers a wide variety of packages and tours, stretching from one to several days, for mixed groups and women riders only. In the future she'll even look at motorcycle tours for singles.
Elizabeth's business is up and running now although she doesn't expect the first tour until the late spring or early summer. She has recently launched a website (www.trilliumtours.com) and opened an office in Orangeville.
The business, Elizabeth says, is a culmination of several life changes she was going through. "I was tidying up the first half and getting ready for the second half (of life). It had to be something meaningful and consistent with my values and something with people."
"I had my ideas and I hadn't incorporated the motorcycle part," she says. "At dinner with friends on the tour, it just came together."
Elizabeth says she is not going to get into the motorcycle rental end of motorcycle touring. It will be up to the client to have the bike. But if she can, she will help with such things as referring clients or potential clients to dealerships who will rent.
With Trillium, the clients won't be on motorcycle camping trips. It will be hotels rather than campgrounds.
Another aspect that will be available for most group tours will be a "support vehicle" to do such things as carry extra items like golf clubs. There will be two guides with the tours, one driving the support vehicle. Elizabeth added that she is also offering a golf and riding combination tour, and believes that the pairing of in the wind and on the green may be a hit. "A lot of bikers love to golf." For people on the trip who don't golf there will be other options. "Trillium Tours," she says, "Takes the planning out of touring, leaving the client free to enjoy the ride."
The company also offers self-guided tours where the company works with the client to plan the route and arrange the details.
Elizabeth is trying to combine the best of this great province; the nicest riding as well as nice places to stay. The tours are packages including the hotels and inns and some of the dinners.
"When I was on my trip, I thought I'd take people to the mountains or the ocean. With a little more thought... there is an amazing amount here in Ontario. Promote what we have here before going further afield."
For more information, call 519-943-1131 or 1-800-828-0670, or visit her website at www.trilliumtours.com.