Vancouver Island | Side Bay Motorcycle Travel Satori
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Episode 17 - After 40 days of riding and motorcycle camping, I found what I was looking for at Side Bay on British Columbia's wild west coast.
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I, for one, consider your work to be a cinematic masterpiece and the reality of the ride that you present adds to that.
I agree. I think the art is twofold, the beautiful scenes of nature that you capture with your drone shots and camera shots but also the story telling of the reality of this kind of travel. I think the latter is what we all tune in for. There is nature porn everywhere on the internet, but an honest story told from your point of view with a backdrop of nature is what i tune in for.
Totally agree!!!
@@alastairtheduke Well said. Here here.
Prescription pill bottles seal tight and are water proof.
Great idea!!
This might be the best one yet. Your ability to tell the story without any embellishment, without any sugar coating, and with the raw truth of what you're going through is what makes this series so incredible. You're one of us. You're Every Man. You're just a guy who wants to ride, find some beauty, and convey it to those of us out here lucky enough to be on the receiving end. Thanks for this Sterling.
Well said...
Excellent vid. The tic tac story made me laugh for sure.
It takes a while to make the adjustment to island time. I think you made it at Side Bay. As for me, I could smell the cedar forest, and the driftwood burning, best filming in the series yet! Too bad you couldn’t find some fresh salmon and corn to cook over the fire,maybe next time.
Yes! Another video of motorcycle adventure bliss!
I love watching all of your episodes, one thing I really love about this episode is your ability to admit your vulnerability, and the challenges of truly living in the moment, but also the desire to capture it on film. You really do such beautiful work. Looking forward to your next episode.
I sincerely appreciate this video series realism - of course there will be highs and lows and I love that you share that. Your story and work is very much appreciated!
The very best motorcycle video adventures come from Sterling. So many of us live these adventures vicariously through your amazing videography. Thank you 🫶
easily 10 levels above Narcissistic•Itchy - this is your brand - the Noren Brand - keeping it real - less jabber - beautiful DSLR shots - great audio - serene and scenic. 👏👏👏👏 from 🦘🇦🇺
Man, you've captured and shared a lot in this video. Challenge, beauty, stress, danger, and even an Anthony Bourdain moment. How one man on a motorcycle can do all that with your consistency is amazing. Thanks for all the effort
There is a moment, after your sip of wine, the expression on your face seems to capture contentment or nirvana.
Good job! and i live in Errington Vancouver Island
Re: Your Drone. There is a function on the remote where it says Return to Home. You can hit the icon that represents your location with the controller. Hit that and it will return to where you are. Keep up the great vids.
Your adventures remind me of the seven and a half weeks brother and I spent riding from Mesa, AZ to Alaska and back. How many gray roads, gorgeous mountains, wildlife, and adventures can a person take in in one outing...
Cinematic pics are great, content is getting stale. Where is Eva, you need to share, laugh, be excited about the new day.
Masterpieces are in the eyes of the beholders…I always enjoy and appreciate your work 👍
Looks like no mosquitoes at Side Bay. 🦟
This episode ranks right up there with one of your BEST. I could almost smell the ocean air. I appreciate all the hard work you put into your stories.
Another amazing video - don’t beat yourself up on the quality and the vision - everything you do is beautiful and meaningful. Thank you for sharing w/us.
I love this episode. Your sincerity, your mistakes, your skills, and your ability to take us there. I was truly smelling the Ocean. I appreciate very much the music, and even more the absence of music. Perhaps we need this low points to really appreciate this presents that are awaiting ahead.
Vancouver Islander here,remote is just the way we like it. Lived here all my life and the beauty of my Island never gets old.
Patience, Stirling, patience. After 40 days of solo riding you're sore. But that's part of the trip, you know that. And you convey that experience really well. Great filmmaking. Günter/Nürnberg, Germany
We love what you do Stirling, as we are living our dream through you and your adventures.....Inspiring...The face after the sip of red wine says it all.....
Aeropress has a stainless permanent filter that works well and easy to clean
I second that motion. Hate to see someone have to resort to instant coffee... 🙂 Use them at home (sometimes in combo with a paper filter), and camping.
Other videos I can put on another screen and do work while i sort of half-watch them. Yours are always so well shot that I have to put them on my main screen and pay all my attention to them because I don't want to miss all the beautiful shots.
Inspiring as always Sterling. The reality of the physical and psychological challenges of motorcycle travel is also quite entertaining :) thanks again for doing this and sharing with us!
I had the same inclination on my six-week trip. I really wanted to enjoy cooking on the road, but I was never near grocery stores where I could pick up fresh food before I settled into a campsite. Loved the reality of life on the road in this video. Beautiful campsite too!
Great Tune " Mountain Air " always makes me reflect and sometimes with a tear in my eye . The setting was perfect for that little interlude . Thank you ! Great job on the steep hill climb ...when you drive down such a steep grade in those marbley conditions it makes you realize how much easier it may have been going up . Love your unique videos ...the quality shows .
I watch from the UK your films are excellent, honest ,inspiring and motivational
You have no need to beat yourself up you should be proud of your achievements, thank you
enjoyed this video so much. You really are enjoying the solitude of your ride. Very well planned. The filming of your trip is amazing, using the drone and Go-Pros. Beautiful scenery all along the trip
Sterling, the balance you bring to the video really shows. Your work to bring us along is tremendous. I hope Side Bay balanced out your stressful day the way it LOOKED like it did! A beautiful spot, tranquil, soothing and hopefully restful. Looking forward to your next video for your Side Bay recap. Nicely done.
Hey, Sterling. You are crushing it. I think you are too hard on yourself. I tend to think your videos are a reflection of yourself. Honest, fun, and down to earth real. Keep it up.
Another amazing video. I truly appreciate what you do and what you bring to us.
Sterling, I really appreciate your honesty and candor during this trip. Everyone has good and bad days, so when content creators edit out (or fake) the down days, it never rings true. Throwing away your unused cooking supplies not only lightened your load, but mine too. I'm slowly building my gear list and trying to keep things as light as possible because I'm on a KLR650 with soft luggage. I'm naturally an over-packer, so this has become a challenge, and an opportunity for introspection. Comfortable, simple, and lightweight are my three priorities. My gear is shockingly similar to yours (tent, hammock, Firebox, Aeropress, toaks, MSR rocket, Opinels, etc), but I'm limiting myself to instant coffee and tea bags, home-dehydrated food, as my daily dependables. If I can add meat, eggs, veggies and fruit along the way a day at a time then those will be luxury items with a short-term weight penalty. Anyway, thank you. I'm not only enjoying the scenery, but taking careful notes. Keep up the superb channel.
@17:31 I got my Africa Twin stuck in the sand right on the left over there! Absolutely immaculate stretch of beach. Nothing else like it in the world.
Hi Sterling, so glad you made this one ! Yes we can see a marked difference in your video making in this series with the camping/cooking aspect & way you’re putting the videos together….But it’s refreshing to watch a film maker change there perspective of the effort in such intense work to create content.
Am loving this series as it makes you realise the things you face are just like up’s and downs we all face chasing our own “Adventure”…Keep up the good work 🥃🏴
“Dirty, tired and hungry” haha yup!! Makes it a true adventure!! Nice P-38 can opener too!
Love the addition of the Japanese style illustrations. Gives the feeling that you’re watching the unfolding of a timeless story that will live on for a long time. 😊
As a photographer, I would think that dealing with the dust and camera equipment would add another layer to the challenge. Your photos are great, your efforts show that you have a creative eye.
😎🇺🇸🤘🏻
Thanks Sterling.. .
Idk man, the non glossed over reality vs fantasy presentation is actually really appreciated & makes for it’s own brand of cinematic & truthful storytelling. Idealistic fanciful portrayals are a dime a dozen these days. Whereas, you’re honest telling it like it is & that makes for something a bit more original & refreshing. Keep up the good work.
Great Video, Thanks, Grew up in LA, left in 1982 to go to Vancouver BC. Have traveled the Island over the years, lots of familiar places. Now I am retired and cruise the Gulf Islands in my Catalina 30 sailboat.
OMG. Now that's a good day. what an awesome campsite you found Sterling.
Sterling, when you sat down, poured that wine and took a drink, I could see the stress completely go away. What a great camp site. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
My mother and Father in law live in Port Alice. I’ve been to where you shot the opening sequence. You have done a wonderful job capturing the beauty
I rode motorcycles for over 40 years always with intention of cooking meals on every multiday trip. You pack all the gear for cooking but usually only use a stove and a pot to boil water to make coffee and maybe heat up a can of soup or beefaroni when you weren't within an hour of a restaurant. We all think we are self efficient but when riding day in and day out the convenience of a restaurant meal makes us forget that making a meal at camp was a fantasy. Stove, kettle, instant coffee, and a few instant oatmeal packs is usually all I ever use.
Brilliant. “Letting go” of the tic-tac boxes . . . Allowed for a reset. Can’t force our dreams to be true, can’t let them cloud enjoyment of the actual situation . . . So redeeming to end up in Side Bay - thanks for bringing us along.
I thought that the shot at 1:18 was the best one so far, but then I came to the portion on Side Bay and the camp site. I reckon that site was worth about 113,865.47 dollars per second in therapeutic value that made everything else that you mentioned simply irrelevant. :)
The beauty, perfect light and framing at 1:17 is so remarkable. Thank you Sterling.
I live on the island and have worked in port alice. Planning a side bay trip on my klr this summer and it’s nice to see a video of the ride.
“Dirty, tired and hungry” haha yup!! Makes it a true adventure!!
unreal !buddy!
Dang, good episode 👍🏻 Sterling. That landscape around the waterfront and up that steep grade was awesome... being BC, all we need now is a Squach sighting along that coastal campsite 🤣
At 19:00 where the banjo starts playing you finally start relaxing, that was cool! Regards Ad
Sharing & teaching while experiencing the dream. It's not always perfect, this is life.
Hi again from the North Island area, Noren. Just really enjoying tagging along on your journey - beautiful imagery and honest dialogue. Yes, that was some hill you had to navigate. Can you imagine hauling logs down off that side hill with 80 to 100 ton payloads? Always had my toes curled up in my boots back in those days - steam coming off the water cooled brakes and hoping the huge water tank behind the cab didn't run dry before you got down to the valley floor. Thank to you we've got to make the trek out to Side Bay "real soon now." Good traveling to ye and thanks again for your awesome content. Cheers from Sointula, BC.
Love the serenity. No sound track just as it would be surrounded by nature. Thanks👍
Whining at 0800 minutes. Come on sterling😂😂😂. Love your adventures.
IMO the best campsite yet.
Sterling, so glad you got to experience my riding backyard. Straight south , looking across from Side Bay, is the Brooks Peninsula, a protected area which was the only place on Vancouver Island to escape the last ice age. This resulted in its having many endemic species that do not exist in other parts of the big island. Side bay is an exquisite place. You were very fortunate also, to have the weather you did, as you can tell from the size of some of the older treses here, they this is nto a desert climate, but temperate rain forest. Last summer was a rare, but lately more frequent, very hot dry summer for us. We lucked out though in being spared from a lot of the forest fire damage that raged in the interior of the province! Happy riding. Brent
Thanks for posting !!
Such a Beautiful place, to unwind, reset in tranquility. True serenity.
This man has made a trip to one of the world's most beautiful places. This bay is south of his visit to Holberg, on the outside west coast of Vancouver Island. Not many people make the trip out.
He has captured the essence.
If you have the chance,,, go.
Use the Backroads of BC maps if you wish, there are various volumes. If you come to a fork in the road, ' the road less travelled ' is not a good option, generally, in the backroads of Canada. The ' mainline ' rarely goes up steep pitches, it follows the valleys and easier terrain.
Thanks for posting !
Trade off. You're a very talented film maker but like you say it takes time and the camp set up at Side Bay shows how much effort you put into making a great job of it! 🤗
You are a superior film maker. I love all of your travels!
That was the best camping spot you have been, so quiet, by the ocean with a cozy evening fog. Excellent 👍
Beautiful. I have enjoyed this series so much. I especially appreciated the last segment, beginning at 22 minutes, where the only sounds are the cracking of the fire, the sizzling of the pan, and the waves in the background. The simply ambience of being on a secluded beach was just perfect.
Thank you, I enjoyed being there immensely.
I camped near there at Grant Bay. I’m looking forward to camping at Side Bay. The campfire and sound of the surf is enchanting. I’m really enjoying this series of videos. Thank you.
Thanks for posting, I camped at San Josef bay in '75, incredible beautiful place, pitched a tent on the sand.
Had to look up Grant bay, looks like another amazing place, !
Port Alice is picture postcard gorgeous!
It was very interesting to see your moto cooking reality as opposed to your fantasy version. I can definitely relate to that. I'm working up to extended motorcycle travel so I'm benefiting from your road based reality. I have powdered soy sauce, powdered peanut butter, powdered coconut milk and freeze dried lime juice in single serving packets. The goal is to make Thai dishes using quick cooking rice noodles along with a few fresh ingredients procured along the way. If I'm traveling, I'll get a burrito or pizza for lunch and I may just have a piece of fruit as a snack at night, but if it's not a travel day I'd like a good cooked meal in camp. Rather than carry loose ingredients as a smaller version of my kitchen to afford me maximum cooking creativity in camp, I think I may package the dried ingredients for specific meals - just add an onion and red pepper. For my more typical overnight trips, I'll probably bring the produce from home.
Based on your fine example, I bought a 32 ounce HydroFlask and it's great. I can fill it at lunch on the road and have a refreshing ice cold beverage in camp that night. That's one of many great tips I picked up from you and I'm very grateful.
Your perspectives on the differences between your Fuji and GoPro cameras was also very interesting. I have no pretensions of documenting my travels to anything approaching your level of artistry. I simply don't have it in me to do that, but you have definitely inspired me to improve my photography and videography. My goal is to suck less. I have a similar multi-camera strategy, although much more modest. I use a small Casio camera with a 25mm lens and 18X optical zoom to supplement the GoPro and my Pixel 6 cell phone camera. You have almost convinced me to buy a drone. 🙂
13:00 - When the road looks that steep on a GoPro, it must be STEEP. 😲
I'm leaving on a three day motorcycle camping trip tomorrow and I should be doing the annual maintenance on the motorcycle and packing, but I had to watch this video. Thanks for making these wonderful inspirational and educational videos.
Excellent video, thanks for sharing!
Don't ever underestimate the power of what you create. You are an amazing cinematographer your balance of what you show and the reality is amazing.
Nice comeback Sterling. After the mosquito attack you were sounding like you were at a moral low. Like a good man, though you weren't kept down. I'll bet the water's cold there, but I'd have been tempted to indulge myself into the water, followed by an adult beverage afterward just to toast it. I must say that I share the obvious(by the look on your face) enjoyment of that first swallow of a great adult beverage at the end of a day well spent. For me it was, an ice Cold Coors Banquet, that I'd picked up and iced down in my six pack cooler after breezing into our campsite on the Olympic Peninsula, or the ice cold Sangria I made after setting up camp in Kallispel, Montana. It's like the whip cream on top of the pumpkin pie except better. A little buzz to open the eyes and the mind in a different way to the beauty and grandeur surrounding you . I know the feeling of a great motorcycle journey to somewhere remote and unseen by your eyes before. This I've enjoyed and see that with you also, my friend. That's what I enjoy about your videos. Thanks again, Noren.
Excellent video. As a retired Silvicultural Forester, and long distance adventure rider, your video brought back good and not so good memories of working in that isolated part of VI in all kinds of weather. As a suggestion for yourself and other adventure riders to want to get off the beaten path, and not get lost or turned around too much. Stop in at the office of the local logging/forestry company in the area you are travelling in and ask for one of their main line logging road maps. These are excellent sources of information on road conditions, main lines, active logging areas, side roads not to take, roads that are being de-activated etc. Most companies will be only too happy to assist you and offer some good advice about camping areas, scenic areas and other points of interest.
Thanks for the good tip!
Wow!! Felt like I was right there with you. That steep up/downhill and like you said, had you put your heavy bike down there - you'd still be there now!
All that unpacking, setting up camp and the reverse procedure the next morning, for just one night. I think its time for you to take a handy assistant with you on your adventure trips - someone who can help with the mundane stuff and free you up for the pro stuff, like the gourmet meals and pro filming and editing.
Thanks for all the - living out of bags and endless camera repositioning - you do to enable us to savour your cinematography!
Thank you!!
i can not tell you why but for me untill now this episode was the most touching one. I have felt something deeply in my mind. i am amazed how much work you are putting into only one episode. Thank you very much
Sometimes you just have to put in the miles to reach that sometimes elusive nirvana . Was worth the wait!
You nailed this one. Side Bay was epic! Never doubt your talents sir. It’s been a very insightful trip to watch and just reinforced why I find your channel the best.
Those opening shots are beautiful, wow.
Sometimes it can be a true struggle, unless you live it most people would never understand. But what a true blessing it is to experience.
Adventua before Dementia ✌🏼🇺🇸
This was great Stirling!
Really appreciate your efforts and your honesty about filming. It’s not easy! And my little videos are nowhere near as polished or epic as yours!!!
Side Bay is such a great place to spend some time 👍🏻
Cheers! 🇨🇦
When we come to see you, Scarlet Ibis Pub and Side Bay destinations!
I do not watch your videos for a cinematic full length movie I just enjoy coming along for the ride and seeing what you see , I use 3 x Hero3 silver Go Pros , not fantastic but captures the trip and no one has ever complained about footage quality on my channel , I go for content first every time . Chill out and enjoy the ride , I love every video you do .Pete Western Australia
I was going to comment this on another video already, watching your videos on a nice big 4k screen is an amazing experience. I wish action camera manufacturer finally started increasing the bitrate on their cameras, it's such an utter shame that mixing mirrorless/DSLR footage with gopro footage always ends up being a mix of cinema grade footage with "amateur footage", even though of course it isn't but it just takes me out of that immersion of watching a high quality high value documentary.
Regardless your work is amazing, it truly feels like watching a professional documentary. I know how incredibly much effort it is to film all of this, narrate it and edit it. I keep wanting to do the same for my travels and always end up not doing it. Thanks for all that effort, it really is appreciated!
Thanks a ton for the comment and support!
Great vid, no way I could film going up and down that hill ,would have been cursing from start to finish. The bay looked awesome.
Brilliant, simply brilliant! Thank you Sterling!👍👍
I’m digging the show.. your quiet endings to episodes is perfect..
Thanks for all your excellent writing and production..
I loved the look on your face after arriving at the camp site, taking that drink of wine and realizing it was all worth it.
"Holy cow"! LOVE the art piece at the end. NICE summary!
Excellent video. Thank you. This is one of my favorite places to paddle.
There's a new rule these days. If you find a place and you love it, don't kill it by posting it to social media. Places that were once amazing to visit are now gone forever. Cape Scott, among has been over posted. You won't see wildlife anymore sadly. Just lots of people.
Watching you ride so many miles. The seat on the bike must be perfect pillow top. For 70miles on mine. I'm warren out. So I have alot of admiration for your efforts. Thanks for sharing your hard work.
I had fun watching this episode. I rode to Side Bay last summer with friends and we had a similar experience you had. I got stuck in the sand too. This is as remote as Vancouver Island gets. Consider going to Coal Harbour. They have an amazing museum there in the plane hanger.
Thanks for posting !
Noren, You are certainly one of the finest of the motovlogger + film maker on this platform and you have done full justice to this Series.
My 2 cents - I understand that you want to keep these authentic but negative thoughts sometime take down the beauty of these a notch. Once in a while is okay though🙂 Just keep publishing, waiting for next ride.
I LOVE this dose of reality! The best-laid plans....
That steep hill, is the reason why you should alway tell someone where you are going in these remote areas. Had a similar experience in the same area, following a logging road didn't realize how much elevation I was gaining. Until I came out of the thick forest on to an open logged area, with Alice Lake a 1000 ft down a steep slope, on a narrow rd. how to turn around?? Had visions of plunging into the lake and nobody finding me!! Where did he go??
Now this is what I'm talking about!!!! Reminds me of some of those fantastic Japanese motocamping channels! A plus buddy!!
Beautyful, your adventures getting more and more intensive. For me, it is one of the best episodes, you ´ve ever made. Thanks for this one!
Enjoying your reality motorcycle ride. Wrong turns, camera issues, and trip not as imagined. Been there done. Keep up the great videos.
Eric, Black Swan Odysseys
This episode was amazing and even though I fully realize that you understand not everyday on a bike is easy or amazing but I have to say I loved how you were talking about all the crap you have to deal with and all of a sudden there’s a beautiful baby bear (as if on cue) god saying “Sterling here’s a cute little bear to remind you why your out here! Keep up the great work!
Great view of the bike wheel axle deep in the sand and your comment " we will deal with that later' I would have been just the same at that point. Well done mate we all admire what you are trying to show us.
WOw! Beautiful imagery and great narration!! I’ve watched your series so far and plan to rewatch and comment more. Great adventure! 🖖
Welcome aboard!
Two pro tips from a Vancouver Islander.
#1. Any roads that are water barred (cross ditched) are deactivated and go literally nowhere.
#2. Side Bay is top secret ! Delete this video immediately ! 😂
Another great job. You found my wife and my absolute favourite camping spot in the planet 👍
Thank you for posting ! Lived in Hardy 72-77