“It’s a reunion, not a rally.” That, or something like that, was the tagline for the 2022 Fundy Adventure Rally Reunion. Last weekend, dozens of riders re-convened at Adair’s Wilderness Lodge just outside Sussex, New Brunswick, for a few days of camping, riding, and catching up with long-lost friends.
Well, those friends weren’t exactly lost. We just hadn’t had a Fundy rally since 2019, when Eric and Terri Russell of Canada Moto Rallies announced they couldn’t run the event anymore. They’d taken over after Editor ‘Arris, founder of both this publication and the Fundy Rally, died in a crash. Eric and Terri grew the event to the next level, but their day jobs in Ontario kept them too busy to keep the rally running.
There was still talk of something for 2020, some sort of event—and then COVID hit, nuking any change of a rally in 2020 and 2021. But in 2022, longtime rally-goer Peter Rollins put a plan in motion for a reunion-style event, and that’s what ran the September 9-11 weekend at Adair’s.
It wasn’t the same as before—there weren’t dozens of riders lined up, waiting to be released to pre-scouted trails, earning points for sections completed based on difficulty. There were no official trails built into the event at all; some riders just re-traced their steps from past rallies, and others found new routes to travel. And there were no massive group meetings or meals. Everything was very informal, casual, and just plain fun.
It was so much fun that it seems the Reunion will probably run again in 2023. We’ll let you know when we have details confirmed, but as it stands now, it looks like all that hard work the organizers have done over the past decade is still paying off for adventure riders, even if the original rally format seems to have passed by the wayside for now.
A late-night confab at the camper. All the cabins were booked, so many riders ended up camping for the weekend, just like in years past. Photo: Charles Landry
Many riders took the opportunity to explore the beach at Martin Head. Photo: Charles Landry
Putting the “Fundy” into the “Fundy Adventure Rally Reunion.” In years past, many riders didn’t see much of the coastline (especially if it was foggy). With fewer restrictions on their ride this year, lots of them ended up visiting the sea. Photo: Charles Landry
Some routes were not passable like they had been in previous years, but riders adapted their plans. Photo: Charles Landry
Break time at the bridge. With no set schedule, riders were free to come and go and lay down as many miles as they wished. Photo: Charles Landry
Time for gas at Adair’s! Photo: Charles Landry
Although there was minimal organization behind this year’s event, Toys for Big Boys did offer some prizes, just as in years past. Photo: Charles Landry
Late night arrivals. There were several new faces this year, even though this reunion was really aimed at returning riders from years past. Photo: Zac Kurylyk
Moonshine over the pond (the lunar kind, not the homebrew kind). Photo: Zac Kurylyk
Uh… I didn’t actually ride an adventure bike to the reunion, since I was only able to duck in for a few hours between supper Friday and lunch Saturday. I camped with everyone else down by the pond, though; surely that counts as an adventure? Photo: Zac Kurylyk
A crew of regular attendees, on the trail. Many, many familiar faces returned, with at least 70 riders estimated to be there. Photo: Peter Rollins
Out in the woods. The Adairs parking lot was empty on Saturday; everyone was out riding, even if they weren’t putting in the full 500-kilometer tracks of the old FAR event. Photo: Peter Rollins
With no rush to get out on the trails early Saturday, Friday evening was more of a relaxed affair than normal. Photo: Peter Rollins
For riders who’d experienced the rally in years past, this was a great chance to revisit the rural routes and forgotten roads through New Brunswick’s Fundy region. Photo: Vlast Pojman
Riley and Shereef discussing the days ride. Photo: Vlast Pojman
Unlike some previous FAR events, the Reunion ride saw dry conditions, making for dust on the trails. But, that’s much better than a tropical storm … Photo: Vlast Pojman
The super-twisty, paved Trailway was a hot destination, even if most bikes were shod with knobbies. Photo: Vlast Pojman
