James Bay first caught my interest last year when I learned about it from a club member. It is the smaller bay off the southern end of the Hudson Bay in northern Quebec Province, about 700 miles due north of Toronto. And yes, it is part of the Arctic Ocean!

I never made it to the Arctic Ocean on my trip to Alaska, and this would be another opportunity. The road to James Bay, although paved, is quite isolated and very lightly traveled, with the longest stretch between gas stops nearly 300 miles, which means I’ll have to carry extra gas, which means it’s beginning to sound like an adventure! I realize my idea of an adventure is a little tame, but for me it will be an adventure nonetheless.

Preparations for the trip began last winter. The GS was at 60,000 miles and needed some preventive maintenance — a clutch spline lube and a new clutch slave cylinder. I also replaced the pivot bearings on the final drive, had the shocks rebuilt and replaced the brake hoses. Other maintenance items like filters, brake pads, alternator belt, oxygen sensor, and tires where also done. I didn’t want a preventable problem to arise on the trip. Doing all of the maintenance preparation was a big part of the fun of this trip. The anticipation was building!

About a month ago I began planning the route, then I made motel reservations and created the route on my GPS. It will be an eight day ride – Monday to Monday, and will cover nearly 3,000 miles.