Chrome on the Canal 2015: A great show!

Where do you find classic motorcycle and car lovers on a sunny, July 4th afternoon? Chrome on the Canal 2015 in Campbellford, ON, that's where!

What started out out as Charlie's Indian Day almost 30 years ago has grown into a full-day event featuring classic motorcycles, cars, and even some model airplanes.

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My day started off as a group ride with the CMC 045 group in Trenton. It was a nice county ride on the backroads of Trent Hills and Hastings county with a stop at the old Marmora mine and lunch at Bunkers Hideaway.

After a great lunch of homemade burgers and fries, I left Bunkers (which also doubles as a paintball arena) and the CMC group to head over to Campbellford. It was already almost one and Chrome on the Canal and had started nearly 4 hours ago.

Bikes of all makes and models lined Grand Rd on the West Bank of the Trent-Severn waterway. As I drove by a lineup of old Hondas, I knew I'd found the starting point of my afternoon. The paved shoulders were set aside specifically for visiting motorcycle parking and I angled in right in front of the tent belonging to Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group: Quinte Chapter (CVMG).

As I peered under the fuel tank of this '51 Super Clubman, one of the CVMG gents sauntered over and we got to talking. Let's call him Bob. "Charlie started this event almost 30 years ago," he said. "He lived right there, in that very house..." Bob pointed directly across the road to a small unassuming place facing the river. "When Charlie passed away, his kids took over and we got behind them. Charlie loved motorcycles and Chrome on the Canal has always been about bikes. Lately some classic cars have shown up too and we like that too. But it's really about the bikes." I look around me. Bob is right. There are some great vehicles along the canal. Here's a small sample:

1968 Triump Bonneville 650

1975 Honda CB500T

Model 'A' Ford

Custom Rebuilt Ducati

1940s Willy Jeep

Hotrodding in style

1930s Police Cruiser for the city of Toronto, complete with original bill of sale! A 4-cyl beauty that has been handed down three generations (take a close look and you'll see the gearshift hand lever on the left side of the gas tank, and the clutch pedal down at left foot position).

"We're old and our bikes are old. Some of them we rode here, others were trailered," says Bob as he hands me a CVMG application form. "We're always looking for new members to carry on our tradition. We have a great group that meets throughout the year, and there are others like us all across the country. After all, it's all about the classic bikes."