Greater Madawaska, ON: Wednesday, June 1st kicked of the 2011 motorcycle familiarization (FAM) tour at Calabogie Peaks Resort. This starts their four day journey throughout the Ottawa Valley. Along their route they will stop at various Ottawa Valley tourism destinations while enjoying the beautiful scenery, landscapes and locations that the Valley has to offer. The tour hosts eight accomplished female motorcycle journalists and will result in invaluable coverage featuring motorcycle riding and tourism in the Ottawa Valley.

The Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA) worked with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) and Trillium Motorcycle Tours & Events to make this once in a lifetime tour happen.

When Liz Jansen, founder of Trillium Motorcycle Tours & Events, first pitched the idea of a motorcycle FAM tour to Claude Aumont with the OTMPC, the topic of locations was an important one. “Claude said the Ottawa Valley, without a doubt. It is a prime example of why all motorcyclists need to experience Ontario; easily accessible, diverse, a unique combination of cultural heritage and history, rugged beauty and wilderness, quaint towns, and amazing roads to connect them all.”

Ms. Jansen leads the tour with seven other women from all over North America. The media rider roster also includes: Debbie Macdonald, Production Manager of Thunder Press Rider Magazine; Genevieve Schmitt, Founder/Editor of WomenRidersNow.com; Tricia Szulewski, Staff Writer and Art Director for RoadBike Magazine and American Iron; Christa Neuhauser, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of RoadRunner Motorcycle Touring & Travel Magazine; Lesley Gering, Freelance Journalist and Photographer; Pamela Collins, Writer for Backroads USA Magazine, and Kristi Martel, Journalist for Motorcyclist Magazine.

Rider, Christa Neuhauser, echoed Ms. Jansen’s favour of the Ottawa Valley as a perfect destination. “In a car you go from point A to Point B, while on a motorcycle riding is the event. You need to like the area and like the roads, you want to go somewhere more remote and enjoy the whole ride.”

While Lesley Gering admitted her favourite part of touring was the people she meets in the towns along the way.

Eight unique women writing for eight unique publications will bring eight unique perspectives to motorcycle travel and, overall, tourism in the Ottawa Valley.

One of the first locations they stopped was at RiverRun Rafting in the Whitewater Region to enjoy some sun, rafting, good food and great company. Look for their coverage of the Ottawa Valley in the publications listed above. This FAM tour will help expose the Ottawa Valley as a prime motorcycle tourist destination to readers all over North America and beyond.