Ron and Nancy took Tail of the Dragon on the road once again to the 2008 Toronto Motorcycle Show December 12-14. This was our third year at the show and it proved to be the best one yet. The crowds were constant and there was a lot of interest in our area roads. This year the show had expanded hours and the turnout was better than ever.

We talked with Jason Britton about his visit to the Dragon (as seen on Superbikes/SpeedTV) and even spent 15 minutes on the Full Throttle Stage with Jason and host “Motormouth” Frank Wood, former dirt track racer and now a great Canadian promoter for all types of motorcycling. Jason wants to sneak back to the Dragon when his schedule opens-up.

Others on the stage were Trillium Muir, the world’s fastest woman (on a motorcycle that is), Jordan Szoke, Canadian Superbike and Pro 600 Sportbike Champion, Lawrence Hacking, Dakar rider and author of To Dakar and Back, and the always entertaining Steve Crevier, a Canadian cycling superstar. Also at the show promoting rider safety was Lise Grenier, female Ride Master of the OPP Golden Helmets Team. The Tennessee LEOs could learn something from the way Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies treat motorcyclists and tourists. A little positive PR goes a long way.

Others appearing were Tyson Brust and Yarema Bezchilbnyk, Canadian KLR riders who recently completed a 23,000 kilometer (14,300 miles) 25 country ride across Africa much like The Long Way Down without any support!!! http://www.ditchthecomfortzone.com

Being KLR riders we can appreciate what they went through. It sounds adventurous, but a little too challenging for our blood.

A live stunt show was there too. The Ives Family showed their stuff in the Extreme Globe, a ball of metal with two riders inside at once. We have seen similar shows, but this ball was much smaller than any of the others.

Back for the third time was Mark Nash with his birds of prey from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation. This organization is dedicated to the preservation, rehabilitation and conservation of these amazing birds. Seeing the birds close-up reveals their natural beauty.

Ron’s favorite stage show was the Rev Cycle Fashion Show featuring the newest togs from Ducati and Triumph. Our booth was directly across from the stage so we had a front row seat for each show. Don’t know how the Ducati bikini fits in with motorcycling, but it was one of the highlights along with the under leathers body suit.

All the major manufacturers were there with the new models for 2009. There was everything from battery powered bicycles, to scoots, cruisers, customs and superbikes. Lots of new gadgets, videos and leathers were in the vendor’s area.

Before and after the show we explored what we could of downtown Toronto. The first night we returned to Elephant and Castle Pub and Restaurant on King Street for dinner. It was packed but we only had a ten-minute wait for a table. The pub has doubled its dining area and opened a second bar in the back to accommodate the crowds that come, especially after work and after the shows located just down the street. We had the Fish (Halibut) and Chips with a locally made Steamwhistle Beer. The fish is always done to perfection with a very light batter.

Dinner the second night was somewhat of a disappointment. We had the most fabulous French fries in 2007 at the nearby Dunn’s Deli. They must have lost the recipe. The Deli platter with two kinds of meat was good, but it just wasn’t the same without the fries.

The third night we returned to the Elephant and tried a couple of different dishes. I had the special of the night, blackened swordfish with al dente vegetables and a Steamwistle to wash it down. Nancy had the steak and blue cheese salad with a hard to find Brazilian Brahma Beer with a squeeze of lime. Both dishes and brews were perfection. Nancy liked the salad so much we have duplicated it at home for several dinners.

We always stay at the InterContinental Hotel which is the host hotel for the motorcycle show. It is convenient in that we don’t have to go outside to get to the show. It’s about a mile walk with some ten escalators, but you stay out of the snow and freezing temps. The rooms are expansive and offer great views of downtown Toronto. We always make use of the pool and hot tub in the spa.

This year we discovered a new special place in Toronto. The St. Lawrence Market at Front and Jarvis Street is a half mile walk from the hotel and is worth every step. This phenomenal sensory treat literally offers a food to suit everyone’s taste ….. no matter where you are from. We walked in at opening time on Friday (8:00 am) and just about had the place to ourselves. We spent over an hour before having to get back to the show. We could have spent all morning in this place.

Since 1901 the two level market has been famous for its variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, grains, baked goods, and cheeses.

The numerous meat markets sell everything from kangaroo meat to Ukrainian kobassa; from pheasants to quail; from buffalo to musk ox; from ostrich to wild rabbit.

The fish markets sell everything from live crabs and oysters to gigantic shrimp; from fresh tuna steaks to Arctic char; from swordfish to snapper; from frog legs to squid; from crab legs to mussels of all types.

The cheese shops have such variety that we didn’t know where to begin. We chose a gourmet Stilton and a Sage Derby. Both were excellent.

The bakeries will take your breath away with bagels, cookies, European breads, Swiss chocolate truffles, cheesecakes, and anything else you have ever heard of. We chose a wonderfully light double boule sourdough that when we got home turned out to be the best pan fried bread we have ever had.

The fruit and vegetable shops had the freshest and widest selection of produce we have seen since leaving "Robert Is Here" in Florida City just a week before.

Nancy and I wished we had a kitchen in the hotel room. We could have had gourmet meals every day with the selections from the market. As it was we had to settle for some fruits, cheeses, deli meats and bread to take back for snacks.

And there are many specialty shops of interest. Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard Shop with hundreds of varieties (after sampling a dozen we chose the XXX Hot …. WOW); the St. Lawrence Smoke Shop; Aren’t We Sweet chocolate and candy store; Honey World (most from New Zealand); A Bisket A Basket jellies and jams; Organic Sprouts and Shoots; and craft shops offering unique creations from around the world.

We had a Breakfast on a Bun at the Carousel Restaurant. This Toronto tradition has thick slices of pea-meal bacon, fried egg, and melted cheese on a bun. The pea-meal bacon is actually cured pork loin coated with cornmeal and then sliced thick and fried. One sandwich was enough for both of us.

We returned to the market on Saturday at 7:00 am and it was bustling with people even at that hour. There were lines at every store. Shoppers of every age were stocking-up for the week. Most of them had little strollers packed with food. Others struggled with half a dozen plastic bags looking like gastronomical Santas. It was difficult to find a seat at one of the many tables to eat our pea-meal breakfast sandwich.

Nancy and I both commented on how great it would be to have such a market nearby. But then we are deeply attached to our “out in the woods” style of life which we wouldn’t trade for anything on a permanent basis. It is great to visit places like the Florida Keys and Toronto, but where we live is what we find most to our liking.