Belt Drive Betty Homeward Bound From Wharf Rat Rally

Renee “Belt Drive Betty” Charbonneau traveled 19 days, covering more than 6,300 KM on "Black Betty" and spoke to more than 400 riders and community leaders in eight Canadian provinces on her Congo of F.I.R.R.E. en route from Alberta to the Wharf Rat Rally in Nova Scotia.

She arrived Sept. 1st in Digby to attend Atlantic Canada's largest outdoor motorcycle event. And she is now en route home.

The outspoken editor of the Busted Knuckle Chronicles newspaper is most known throughout the world as the author of the Belt Drive Betty Blog and editor of the Canadian travel-events website BeltDriveBetty.com.

Riding across Canada on her motorcycle, Belt Drive Betty met with dozens of motorcycle clubs and talked to many non-riders, spreading awareness of F.I.R.R.E - Foundation for Injured Riders, Rights & Education. En route to Nova Scotia, she attended The National Motorcycle Ride for Dad 10th Anniversary Run in Kenora, ON and The Mother Daughter Ride for the SOS Villages in Butler, ON. She visited The Biker's Church and Biker Coffee Company in Ottawa; Chrome Divas in Ottawa and Montreal; and the high school bike builders in Bike Klub in NB.

She left Moncton New Brunswick at 6 am on September 1st - destination - St John New Brunswick and the Bay Ferry to Digby, where she met up with Bean'r and his crew from Florida, New York and Boston and made the 3-hr crossing. 

Betty is a woman who tells it like it is and she had things to say about the St John's ferry route to Digby.

 "I must tell you folks - St John is disgusting. It is official - in my books anyway - that the roads in St John NB are the worst in all of Canada - worse than any place. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. And the Bay Ferry - what a money grab - disgustingly filthy bathrooms at the terminal - worn out carpets on the floor on the Ferry and the cleanliness left lots to be desired there too and the same price for a motorcycle to cross as a car or pick up. $90 one way fare - 3 hour crossing. RIP OFF - complete and TOTAL!

"Shameful - had I known that's what it was going to be I would have ridden from Moncton to Truro and into Digby - seen some fabulous country and saved myself $40 and still been in Digby before the ferry," Betty reported. On her way home, that's exactly what she did.

On Tuesday, Sept. 7th she was riding from Digby to Truro - the back way with two members of the Canadian Lone Wolves,  Sea Dog the Magic Man and his lovely wife, Jocelyn.

 "The roads are not in the greatest shape so caution should be exercised," said Betty.


But from the Look Off in Blomindon you can see almost all of the Annapolis Valley - breath taking and stunningly beautiful!

Hurricane Earl may have kept some rally-goers at home this year because attendence at the Wharf Rat Rally in Digby was down from previous years. 

But Bean're made his own Fun... riding a go-cart around the Wall of Death.

For details about F.I.R.R.E. visit: beltdrivebetty.com/firre

Win A Free Ride To Wharf Rat Rally 2010

Kevin Bean're is one of the most well know bikers attending most major events. Having been proclaimed "The Mayor Of Fun" describes Bean're perfectly.

This photograph of Bean're was taken at Daytona Beach 2010. "I have seen Bean're at Daytona for many years and you will always find him either having a deep discussion or hittin' the road to ride with his friends. People like Bean're are why I love the biker lifestyle," said Tom Tobin of Dreamweaver Photography.

"From Cycle Source magazine and The Wharf Rat Rally- a chance to win an all expense paid trip to ride your motorcycle along with me from your house to Digby, Nova Scotia for the Wharf Rat Rally, Sept 1-6, 2010," Bean're announced on his new fan page: Everything Bean're

The 5th Annual Wharf Rat Rally, last year was dedicated to Brad Ruel aka 'The Wrench', a celebrity bike-builder from Florida who passed away earlier in the year.

Five years ago the Digby, Nova Scotia Wharf Rat Rally was just a small event with about 750 motorcycles. Today it is the largest motorcycle rally in Atlantic Canada -- attracting an estimated 80,000 people and more than 17,000 motorcycles.