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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2020. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN
CommerCial SuCCeSS a meSSage to the motorCyCle induStry The industry has long realized they have a big problem and are now actively looking for a solution. Perhaps a day late and a dollar short, but a strong effort is now being made. It is all good and very welcome, but others saw what was happening and began to do something about it. At this year’s AIMExpo there was a general meeting held with a few hundred industry members attending. A lot of catchy phrases were used – personal sovereignty, riding culture, culture code, and others. Flow and In the Zone were there too – I like that and had written about this state of mind a few times last year. The MIC came up with a catchy phrase… More Riders, Riding More. Que? When I first heard it, I bit my tongue and rolled my eyes. But it is to the point – still not nearly as good as Kawasaki’s old slogan “Let the Good Times Roll.” Even Rick Ocasek and The Cars liked that one enough to nick it. That was followed by a symposium held in California in late November. You can see it in its entirety at their website: vimeo.com/377603171 One of the key points brought forth, and something that has rankled me for years, is the way motorcycles and riders are portrayed on television and in the movies. The MIC addresses this a bit as well, showing one of the more positive GEICO ads where the 1982 Whitesnake song ‘Here I go Again’ is used. There are a few versions of this – a dad daydreaming at his kid’s birthday party, a construction worker with a jackhammer (African American by the way – a group sorely needing more representation in our message to the general public) and a CEO at a board meeting.
Page 3 All three are well done and portray us in a fun light. We like fun light. There is another commercial that I think would work far better when it comes to attracting new riders. To make them think… “I want to be her. I want to ride.” It is titled ‘New Roads’ from Pacifico Beer. In my mind, this short (only 15 seconds) spot is the perfect example of a positive portrayal of the ‘riding culture’. It starts with four retro machines tearing down a wide dirt road towards the coast, a case of Pacifico Beer strapped to one gal’s ride. During the commercial, there are four machines. Both the guys and gals riding solo – yes! Yes, it’s a beer commercial. But don’t judge by that. I like beer, you like beer, we all like a good beer, right? And, this commercial is really not about drinking cerveza. It is really about drinking up life. The Pacifico is just a bonus. The announcer’s pleasant tones says…‘Ever wonder why someone would leave the roads they know for places they don’t? Maybe a better question is…what are you waiting for?’ It is obvious that this group is having a great time and that they parked and settled for the night. New Roads was made even better and that the featured rider was female was a big plus in my mind. Pacifico showed experienced riders having fun. It asked the question why are you not riding with them? In the evening they had a fire on a rocky ocean coast and one tent – maybe there was another… But, they’re young and I am not here to judge – but I do now have a 6-pack of Pacifico beer in the fridge. Okay, they got me. That was their plan. 15 seconds and they got me. 15 seconds! www.ispot.tv/ad/oCNj/cerveza-pacifico-new-roads But… why is the MIC and industry looking to others to get their message of how fun, inviting and cool riding is when they should be doing this themselves. Bike Bandit has a great website with the Top Ten Most Memorable MoContinued on Page 7
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL
hold on tight, it’S going to be a buSy year Winter in the northeast – one can hope for the best and usually get the worst. But even if Mother Nature does throw her worst at us, leaving us holed up with our two-wheeled friends sequestered in the garage (when I had my Ducati Monster it used to spend that time in the office…) we can still visualize our days on the open road, sun shining and warming our bones, and make plans for the great places to explore in the coming season. As mentioned last issue, 2020 ushers in the 25th year of Backroads and we plan to have you on the road for a good long time this year, and for years to come, with something to occupy your mind and motorcycling every month. Here’s a playlist of our already scheduled events, but stay tuned to these pages, our website and Facebook page for up-tothe-minute additions. Sunday, February 16 we’ll be at Motorcyclepedia Museum in Newburgh, NY with what we hope will be the beginning of a winter tradition – Backroads’ Scholar Day. For the small price of admission to the museum you’ll have access to not only one of the finest motorcycle collections in the nation but also a full day of mind-expanding motorcycle talks and seminars. A few local dealerships will be on hand with some of their bikes and information to entice you to go for that new ride this year. If you have a penchant for the dirt, Tim James of Backcountry Discovery Routes will give you a preview of the latest offering, the North East BDR. Crossing more state lines and covering more mileage than any other BDR makes the NEBDR one of the most diverse routes in the BDR series. The 1,400-mile backcountry tour covers the Northeast region up to the Canadian border. Tim will give an overview to whet your appetite for this adventure. Armen Amirian, mechanic/toolmeister and storyteller extraordinaire, will educate and entertain with ‘Confessions of a Toolaholic’, enlightening us on what to buy, bring or borrow when it comes to tools for your bike. He’s forgotten more than most of us have ever known. Paul Donoghue, who many of you have come to know as the GPS maven, will pass along some of his knowledge and help us to understand and learn the ins and outs of our GPS and how to make it work for us, as well as an introduction to trip planning, tracks and other aspects of a GPS that will make it more than just an annoying voice in your helmet. May will bring us to Portugal with IMTBike for their Best of Portugal Tour from the 9th to 20th. This fantastic journey will show us the beauty of ancient
Roman Lusitania; its beaches, folklore, music, gastronomy, wines and, of course, an abundance of serpentine roads. We have put together an awesome ride for June with our 25th Anniversary Grand Tour taking place the 11th through the 24th. Beginning on familiar grounds in West Dover, VT at the Kitzhof Inn (the Gray Ghost and Big Bears Lodge also have rooms for us) we’ll head north to Maine for a great weekend at the Ocean Point Inn before turning our motorcycles west. For the next week we’ll explore the backroads of Vermont, upstate New York and western Pennsylvania before entering into Wild and Wonderful West Virginia for a night’s stay in Point Pleasant, the home town of the Mothman. By that point we’ll need a day to recoup with a weekend in St. Paul, VA at the Western Front Hotel. There are plenty of options for the day such as taking an ATV on the Mountain View Trail, exploring the phenomenal roads that abound in this area, or relaxing at the Wetlands Estonoa Learning Center or Mountain Heritage Museum. Come Sunday, we’re off again, heading east towards the coast where we’ll wet our feet in the sands of Cape Charles and hopefully score some blue crabs for dinner. We’ll explore the coast of Virginia and on up before getting back into Pennsylvania, this time much further east, and spending our last night on the road at the beautiful and welcoming Joseph Ambler Inn. We’ll raise a glass and toast a most excellent journey over a relaxing dinner. We are working on another weekend escape in July TBD but wherever we go or whatever we do you know it will include some great riding, camaraderie and a little bit of excitement. August 28-30 will bring us for a weekend at the Hotel Vienna in Windham, NY. The Catskills Mountains is a wonderful area for riding and there is an abundance of history, dining and activities to be discovered in nearby Woodstock and Cooperstown. We’ll throw out some route suggestions and perhaps get a few mysterious rides from the good Dr. O’Life. The Hotel Vienna is a great weekend escape with an indoor pool at the end of a great day’s ride and nearby restaurants for dinner. September brings Reg Pridmore and the crew of CLASS back to VIR on the 21-22 and we’ll squeeze in a Fall Fiesta, probably heading to the north, during the month as well. With the changing of the colors in October, we’ll once again head south to the island off the coast of Virginia known as Chincoteague the weekend of the 10th for their 48th annual Oyster Festival. Our home base for this excursion will be the Waterside Inn where we’ll sample all things oyster, enjoy a few sunsets and maybe visit the little ponies on Assateague or take in the rockets at Wallops Flight Center. You can see all the details and make your reservations through our website: www.backroadsusa.com/rallies. We certainly hope that you can join us for some, or all, of these adventures and help us to celebrate the past 25 years of reading and riding pleasures – I know that we wouldn’t have had nearly as much fun as we did if it weren’t for all of you coming along for the ride. ,
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD
the Fire down below “Hell Hath no Fury like an Australian Bush Fire. Full Stop.” ~ Pretty much everybody Down Under The battle with heat is always with us, and it’s a struggle that’s getting more challenging with each passing year. It’s weird to write this when its currently 17 degrees outside, but thanks to the changing dynamics in the atmosphere somewhere on the planet somebody is always dealing with extreme heat somewhere. But it’s not just the ambient heat that causes problems; it’s the heat that’s generated when we release energy to power our rides. Ever since man first learned to harness little explosions to make our machines move along with us on board, we have had problems to solve. It means we have to manage the generation of heat, and these days there are some really novel conflicting elements to this balance that may mean we shall ultimately require a different way of handling things. First, I have noticed that (both with motorcycles and automobiles) cooling systems are dramatically more reliable than they used to be. At first I thought the reason I was seeing fewer and fewer cooling problems was because I moved to the Northeast after spending most of my life in Texas. I know, duh. But things have changed in terms of hardware and chemistry, which has made the regular smell of coolant in parking lots every July a less likely occurrence. Radiators are more resistant to rusting and therefore failure, radiator hoses are made of more durable stuff, and the coolant itself lasts years longer than it used to. Got an air-cooled ride? As Master Scribe Kevin Cameron has pointed out, all engines are air cooled because the coolant that circulates through most engines these days is air cooled in the radiator. But in this case when I say air-cooled I mean the classic V-twins out there, and dramatic improvements in oil additive technology helps these engines deal with much wider swings in thermal stress and generally help the engine
Page 5 keep its cool and stay at a more stable temperature delta over the course of a ride. So the advancement of the ways of handling heat have helped make the performance and maintenance an almost a trivial affair, which is why I think this may change in the semi-near future. First, we have the air through which we’ll be riding. It’s getting warmer, and at the moment it is not a huge deal in these parts but it is getting hotter during the summer and if you throw in some stop-and-go traffic, big loads on your bike and a run to higher elevations, the very under-stressed cooling system will find itself having to work harder. Given this development, perhaps it would be a good idea to occasionally clean the bug farm from the cooling fins and radiator so the flow is clear. Hey, maybe having that Snap-On tool cabinet strapped to the front forks covering the radiator and/or oil cooler might be better off in some other place, too. Here’s another source of heat that’s a reflection of the times with live in: technology. There’s more and more electrical componentry on new bikes, and these marvels generate heat. No big deal, right? Well, if you start loading up the underside of the seat with black boxes running everything from heated upholstery to GPS to engine management to ABS and associated traction systems, this can heat things up. “But dude,” I hear you say, “I have an electric bike. Ain’t no overheating going on here.” Good for you, but not only do electric motors generate heat they are also vulnerable to extreme heat themselves, so again as ambient temperatures rise and the accessory count increases, there’s more excess heat we have to shed. Ah yes, and then we arrive at the bane to my existence, the battery. I have a love/hate relationship with batteries, and these days the new chemistries and technologies make things a tad more complex. First the basics: No matter what type of battery you’re using, there’s an important thing to remember involving battery “stress.” Heat kills batteries, and cold subsequently points out that your battery is dead (or dying). This is a fact of life that hasn’t changed much, even though the amount of heat it takes to toast your electrons varies much more than it used to. At least ye olde lead acid batteries are pretty stable when it comes to generating heat themselves, and spontaneous combustion incidents are extremely rare birds. As for the miracle of lithium ion batteries, I have Continued on Page 7
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
ON THE MARK MARK BYERS
goin’ South If you haven’t seen the business on I-95, I know you’ve seen the billboards: there are currently about 175 of them between Virginia and Daytona Beach. When US-301 was the big dog of north/south routes, there were more than 250 billboards and they started in Philadelphia. If you haven’t realized, the place of which I speak is “South of the Border,” or “SOB,” the absolute pinnacle of kitschy Americana just inside South Carolina’s border with her northern sister. I was like many who saw the corny signs, with slogans like “You never sausage a place!” I took SOB for a schlocky place designed to drain the wallets of those foolish enough to stop on their way to the beach. Then one night, I was on a call with Dr. Seymour O’Life, discussing my upcoming trip to South Carolina. “Oh man,” he said, “you HAVE to check out South of the Border! It’s pure history!” Not one to disregard Doctor’s orders, I got off at the exit underneath the 200-foot, sombrero-shaped tower. I suddenly found myself in a garishly-colored small town that envelops US-301 like a gaudy serape. A 97foot-tall “Pedro” welcomed me to the biggest tourist trap in the world. There are so many things to enjoy: the tower (whose bottom is an arcade), multiple restaurants and food stands, including one dedicated to ice cream (calling Shira Kamil!), a 200-room motor lodge, 100-space campground, a reptile lagoon, and an amusement park. I didn’t have time to partake of a panoply of pleasures, so I limited my sample to the “Mexico Shop East” and the “Sombrero Restaurant.” The store was exactly what you’d expect. If you want to have a white trash theme party and wear a red, white, and blue sequined tank top emblazoned with the Pedro’s logo, look no further. Betsy zoomed in on the Blenheim Ginger Ale, an SOB exclusive, while I used the restroom. That’s where my
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revelations started: the thing was scrupulously clean and there was an employee actively cleaning it. I also realized that every employee had spoken to us and was friendly and engaging. The retail floor was clean and the acre of logo’d tourist crap was neatly organized. One neat touch is the bumper stickers they sell, at five cents for a small and ten cents for a large, all on the honor system, with the money put in small wooden boxes. Postcards are the same, at ten cents apiece or twelve for a dollar. It is the diametric opposite of a Wal-Mart. We retired to the restaurant and found the history of the place on the menu: it started in 1949 when Alan Schafer put an 18 X 36 beer stand up on US301, right across the border from the dry counties of North Carolina. When business boomed, he added a 10-seat grill. In 1954 came a 20-room motel. The 60’s brought a cocktail lounge, gas station, and souvenir shop, along with something ELSE illegal in North Carolina, fireworks! Shortly after he realized I-95 would pass his front door, Mr. Schafer added a barber shop, post office, drug store, variety store, and a go-kart track. Eventually the 200-unit motor lodge and 100-space campground were added, along with the brewing and bottling plant for the famous Blenheim Ginger Ale. I pondered this history as I downed a couple delicious chicken tacos with sweet tea served by an equally sweet waitress and I realized that Seymour’s view of SOB was all right and mine was all wrong. Instead of viewing it as someplace to avoid, I realized that SOB is a living monument to the spirit of an American entrepreneur. It all started in the fabulous 50’s with a guy selling beer out of a shack and is now an entire town, employing hundreds of people and serving tens of thousands of travelers per year. It is amazingly clean and well-kept and the staff is friendly. They don’t have any illusions about their workplace - neither it nor they are pretending to be something else. They’re in the business of kitsch, business is good, and I now view Alan Schafer as the redneck Walt Disney. Betsy and I are seriously considering coming back on the moto to stay in the motor lodge so we can get the full-on, no-holds-barred, intravenous schlock experience. You should come. ,
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020 Free wheelin’ Continued from Page 3 torcycle Commercials (www.bikebandit.com/blog/top-10-most-memorable1970s-motorcycle-commercials). Not only were they well made and certainly memorable – but they were fun; just like riding and motorcycles are and should be. Somewhere along the line motorcycle commercials, if made at all, became too serious, too dramatic and overproduced. They went from Shindig to Greta Thunberg. So sad. What was the last US television commercial for motorcycles you remember? Right. The motorcycle industry has been gelded by the internet. TV, why? The internet is, except for original production costs, virtually free. Print – well we’re dead. We’ll let insurance companies and banks tell our story for us. Great. Although bittersweet, the last great motorcycle commercial was created by the Taiwanese TC Bank. Yes… a bank. It is called Dream Rangers and tells the true story of a group of friends all in the late 80s. They all have issues. Heart disease, cancer, arthritis. Loved ones and friends pass. At dinner, a large framed picture of the friend who rode with them back in the day sits on an empty chair at the table. One of the men looks at a picture from 50 years back. All of them on a beach. He thinks to himself while the others are lost in their own thoughts. He then stands and throws the gauntlet down slamming the photograph down on the table, startling his somber friends. “Let’s ride motorcycles! If these three minutes do not move you, I wonder why you are reading this magazine. www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5RBN97aBNc
Page 7 Here is a call to the industry readers and leaders that read Backroads. The Chuck Bodermans, Erik Pritchards, Richard Beatties & John Howells out there in OEMland… Television is still watched and there are over 120 million homes where they watch every day. Remember that riding is fun and so portray this and then get creative with your placement and place commercials that make us want to turn off the boob tube and go for a ride. Drop Greta and embrace Rick & Morty. Don’t ignore print. There is a symbiotic relationship between print and the internet. Backroads readers read about a place and then follow it up on the web. To paraphrase what the old man said in that Monty Python movie… “We’re not dead yet.” , PoStCardS From the hedge Continued from Page 5 issues with these powerful puppies when it comes to the heat they generate on their own, and being the codger I am I still have trust issues when it comes to the charging process. In the case of all these batteries, more heat is not a beneficial situation. The idea that the climate in general is getting warmer oh so gradually that is won’t make a big difference (tell that to Australia. Or California. Or me, when insects that used to die out over the winter are surviving and killing the trees) is largely true, but changes have the ability of tipping things in a direction that can ultimately require some consideration. I get obsessed with this battery thing because I have so many to keep track of in all manner of machines, from Triumphs to Troy-Bilts. One enduring fact I have observed is none of the batteries I’ve dealt with in the last several years lasts as long as the original OEM batteries that came with the beasts, even when I replace a dead one with a new OEM unit. True, there are no doubt other factors at play (like cheaper, crappier battery construction) but I can’t help be think the changing weather might be a contributing factor, however modest, as well. Bottom line? Nothing here to cause you to buy some liquid nitrogen tanks and plumb them into your ride, but there are things that are worth keeping a closer eye on than you did before. The atmosphere is increasingly unstable. Be prepared, man. ,
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THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Although I’ve been absent from the industry for several years now, your editorial concerning the MIC’s efforts to stimulate motorcycle sales caught my eye and has prompted me to offer my opinion. Obviously, the current lack of growth in the industry is not new and has recycled periodically. When I moved from Kawasaki’s New Products Division in ‘79, the industry was in a growth mode clocking a million-plus sales by 1981. In ‘82 it began a decline that saw sales drop from over a million units to less than 400,000 by the end of the ‘80s. In the early ‘90s sales slowly began to rise, and by 2007 had again reached the million and change level. In ‘07 the economy crashed and took motorcycle sales with it. From the first boom to the last, the industry has been selling the majority of motorcycles to the boomer generation, 1946 -1964. They were teens and 20-year somethings during the ‘60s and ‘70s and drove the first million unit market. By the ‘80s they were launching careers and starting families, diverting their focus on motorcycles, hence the decline. Eventually, careers and families were established by the ‘90s and they could afford to resume their motorcycle activities. The MIC helped things along with their Discover Today’s Motorcycling program that brought motorcycles out of the shadows and into the sunlight with big media programs, celebrities, and events. I think one of the side-effects of the DTM program was that it brought into the market a lot of people who weren’t heart and soul enthusiasts, but rather
FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
Michael Vaughan folks who saw the sport as fashionable and trendy, made a sort of commitment to the life-style aspects but when that began to fade, so did they. So here we are today, trying to attract new, younger, people into the market, and not succeeding. In my opinion, there are a lot of reasons for that. There’s the fact that many Millennials, 1981 – 2006, aren’t even interested in having a driver’s license. More than that they’re confronted with less accumulated wealth than boomers and GenX had at the same age. At age 35, Boomers held 21% of national wealth, GenX’rs 8%, and Millennials just 3%. In addition, they face monumental student debt, high housing costs, and a job market that provides fewer benefits and security than in the past. On top of that, with the demise of magazines and TV advertising, what are the chances of anyone randomly seeing a motorcycle advertisement? In the “good old days,” you might be looking through your issue of Sports Illustrated and see a motorcycle ad that piqued your interest. You might then go to your local dealer and check it out, you might even buy it. Now, with OEs relying on the internet to get their message across, a potential customer has to have an existing interest in motorcycles, rather than the industry or the OEs creating one. Remember, “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda,” or “Kawasaki Lets the Good Times Roll.” Both campaigns portrayed motorcycling as a fun experience, not just for you, but for your friends and family. To the point, I had an interesting conversation with a colleague a while back who had approached a major motorcycle manufacturer about a film project. He was informed that they weren’t interested in a film, all they were interested in was hits on their website. When I was in the business, what we cared about were customers over the dealer’s threshold. Aside from the invisibility of the industry, another factor is perceived/real danger. When I started riding in the late ‘50s, the population was half of what it is now. Most families only had one car. The only distraction, besides your passengers, was your AM radio. Traffic density was nil in most places in America. Motorcycling was still considered dangerous, but most of the danger involved pilot error or poor judgment. Distracted drivers and traffic density, as I recall, weren’t a major issue. I don’t know if he still does it, but Keith Code used to ask his students how many of them rode in the streets? To those who answered no, he asked why not? Their usual response was, “too dangerous.” At last, we come to the cost of motorcycles. I bought a CB160 in 1964 for something around $400, including insurance. Not the motorcycle I wanted, a BSA Wasp at $1100, but one I could afford even on my lousy E4 military pay. Today you can buy a decent used car for the price of a mid-range motorcycle. Frankly, I don’t see the industry rebounding to its historic highs. Demographics, other options, and increased traffic are too formidable to overcome…but that’s just my opinion. Mike Vaughan, beside being an awesome guy, has been an industry leader for decades (many, many decades, Mike), working as Kawasaki’s Director of Marketing (he created the Ninja brand), CEO of Triumph and publisher of Dealernews. ,
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
BACKLASH This Year’s IMS NYC Brian, Hope this email finds you and Shira both well. Missed you at the Javits show this year, but after reading your column in the most recent issue, I realize why - you guys didn’t come until Sunday. Speaking of your column, I concur with your opinion on this year’s show. My buddy and I both felt the show was better this year for a couple of reasons. We both thought that, although smaller, the layout was much better than it had been. The manufacturers who chose not to attend weren’t missed. We both loved the Adventure theme of this year’s show and how they incorporated it in to the overall layout. And, like you, I was so thrilled to see MotoGP there. And the real deal too - my receipt generated a foreign (Spain) transaction banking alert! I bought over $100 in merch! So happy!! But most of all, what really made the overall show better for us was the seemingly limited number of non-M/C related vendors. Not many insole, massage, anti-fog, cell phone knick knack, cell phone paddy whack, etc. vendors. We thought most of the vendors in attendance were hawking M/C related products and services unlike recent years and that made a big difference for us anyway. Lastly, I believe we all agree the dates need to be changed. Late Jan/Early Feb would be ideal. I don’t know about you, but my December is chock full of holiday parties (personal and professional) and holiday expenses. I would prefer a little break before wanting to shell out additional funds. I can’t imagine how difficult (and expensive) it must be for out of town vendors to find affordable accommodations in NYC in December. And trying to book a club post-show dinner on a Friday night in Manhattan? Fuggedaboutit! Anyway, just my $0.02. Thanks again for all your hard work. Love the mag. All the best Pete Zipardi
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Letters to the Editor Hey Brian ‘n ShiraCongratulations hardly covers all the contributions you both have made to our motorcycle sport! I, too, have shared the best of the sport and the biz, working in the trade and then owning my own shop. I have ridden priceless 500-mile days on a BMWR60 and a Harley, it was all good! Sport riding and racing is still my favorite and last summer I tried a 3-day adventure ride on my 2018 Kawasaki 650 KLR! But I’m 77 and have not brought any kids in to grow the sport! I think the industry should continue to support the Discover the Ride program you featured in your December 2019 issue. I hope you can encourage dealers, American Motorcycle Association and Motorcycle Industry Council members to bring that program to all major State Fairs and Adventure Ride events during 2020 and beyond! Thanks for boosting my favorite sport! rob roth • wyomissing Pa
Strange Things Happen in this World Dear Dr. O’Life, I’m beginning to worry about you. Are you running some kind of clandestine motorcycle-based COG evacuation training program? Is it just pure coincidence that on the Spring trip we rode right past Raven Rock? It gets even more interesting on the Fall trip. On day 2, I was having GPS problems. I was the lead and my GPS, unbeknownst to me, had me deviate off the route and run east instead of west of Charlottesville, VA. It took us down RT 231, passing Turkey Sag Road, which is the entrance to Peters Mountain Road. I confirmed the satellite view, and just as described, there’s an ATT logo in the parking lot on top of the mountain for the ATT “Special Office”. Of course, we know it’s a COG facility. We rode less than a mile from the installation, and it wasn’t even on the route. I had continuing problems with the GPS that day that had disappeared by the next day. Coincidence? I think not.
Page 10 On day 5, we rode right past Mount Weather. The GPS even told me to turn into the entrance gate. Not going to fall for that. Shortly after passing Mount Weather, the GPS again messed up the route. More coincidence? Later the same day, Tony was leading and blew a few turns. As we were just about to get back on the original route, there was a detour on RT 77. We ended up on backroads going up the back side of Catoctin mountain where Camp David is located. These can’t all be just coincidences. Looking at past Backroad trip routes, I realized we have ridden by these same COG sites many times! Does Shira put us on all those obscure dirt roads as practice for getting through in the event of an emergency? In the Raven Rock book, it talks about one of the cabinet secretaries, upon finding out families were not included in evacuation plans, telling his son to take the Harley and his mom and evacuate to their remote camp. Did this set your model in motion? What’s really going on here? I expect a full explanation Seymour. Regards, Paul t. donoghue Paul, It has been my experience that one must be overly prepared for any situation and the more experience one has in escape and evacuation the better. Shira is knowingly putting you on these rough roads so that, when the apocalypse comes, you can save your asses. ~ Dr. O’Life Shira, The “Special Feeling” piece you wrote in the December issue Whatchathinkin’ was superb, in my opinion. You described better than most of the attempts I’ve read, the essence of the allure that motorcycling has for us lucky ones. You guys are the Dynamic Duo of Motorcycling Journalism. You can quote me on that thought. Stay happy, John Hey Backroads, Are you guys familiar with Butler Maps? They highlight all the best roads using a rating system and they are very accurate as far as rating. They just
FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS released the one for PA/lower NY State. (Northern Mid-Atlantic regional map) and I received it last week and it’s great. I’m a total GPS guy but the map gives me road ideas. I’d highly recommend! They have specials on certain holidays where you get 6 maps for $60, which I’ve taken advantage of a few times. butlermaps.com/motorcycle-road-maps/ northern-mid-atlantic-g1-map/?v=7516fd43adaa Have a great holiday season! Joe niemec Loved Dan Bisbee’s story about the New England Motorcycle Museum… especially the part about the Carabela Caliente (HOT)! As part of our vintage motorcycle collection, we have bikes from around the world and am very happy to have found this at Mecum last January. They were not P.O.S.- my motocross buddies who were racing Pentons, MZ, Bultacos & Huskys told me that the Carabela was a very competitive, well made bike. burt richmond • Chicago il
Backroads Kudos Hi, I am the lucky winner of your Backroads Magazine subscription. As a member of the Long Island BMW Riders club I would like to thank you for donating to our clubs annual holiday party. Your magazine is great for finding new roads and adventures in the tri-state area. Thank you harold reichert
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
IN DU STRY INFOBITES ZEN AND THE SMITHSONIAN The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will be the new home of American author Robert M. Pirsig’s 1966 Honda Super Hawk motorcycle featured in his book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values. Pirsig’s book, originally published by William Morrow in 1974, has sold more than 5 million copies and has been translated into 27 languages. The inspiration for Zen stemmed from a monthlong road trip Pirsig (1928–2017) took with his 11-yearold son Chris in 1968. As they rode along the 5,700 miles from the Twin Cities of Minnesota to San Francisco and back, Pirsig became better acquainted with his son and himself. The book kick-started an international cultural movement to rethink how people interact with technology and find balance in life. Stored for decades in the family’s New England garage and recently mechanically restored, the motorcycle is a gift from Pirsig’s widow, Wendy K. Pirsig. In addition to the motorcycle, the gift includes Pirsig’s leather jacket, maps, shop manual and other gear from the 1968 ride, together with a manuscript copy and signed first edition of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Pirsig’s favorite toolboxes, with tools for maintaining his bike and other vehicles as well as tools he made himself, are also part of the donation.
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News from the Inside “This is the most famous forgotten motorcycle in American history and literature,” said Paul Johnston, curator of transportation at the National Museum of American History. “Pirsig was a trailblazer in motorcycle touring and documenting its celebration of freedom and the open road.” The museum is located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. For more information, visit americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
AROUND THE WORLD FOR A CAUSE Adventure motorcyclist Richard Barr recently completed an epic trip as he successfully rode 10,000 miles from London to Mount Everest on Avon tyres, raising thousands of pounds for the Down’s Syndrome Association and Woolgrove School, Special Needs Academy in the process. Barr and his BMW GS1200 left the legendary Ace Cafe in London with 19 fellow riders in the Spring. During a 12-week adventure, the group experienced a variety of cultures by travelling through 18 countries, eventually ending up at Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet. Avon Tyres provided a set of Avon TrailRiders for use on the predominantly tarmac roads of Europe, and a set of Avon TrekRiders for the rougher roads of Central Asia. Designed for road biased dual sports bikes, the TrailRider features an advanced dual tread compound and a high-tech construction design, for improved han-
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
dling and stability on- and off-road. Meanwhile, the adventure-focused TrekRider boasts a versatile construction and a specially formulated compound, to increase multi-terrain grip. Barr’s personal highlights were riding the Silk Road; crossing the Karakum Desert; tackling the Pamir Highway through mountainous Tajikistan; travelling the Wakhan Valley bordering Afghanistan; the numerous snow covered high passes in the Himalayas; and the spectacular winding road through the mountains leading up to Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet. Richard Barr said, “It was a great privilege to undertake such a fantastic trip. Both sets of Avon tyres were excellent and exceeded my expectations. The TrailRider offered excellent grip and feedback in both dry and very tricky wet conditions. It was such a reliable and confidence inspiring tire. Meanwhile, the TrekRider was just right for the second part of the trip, when we faced a mix of off-road, gravel and tarmac surfaces. I was always able to get through whatever obstacles we faced!” For more about Richard Barr’s adventures, visit: www.challengepictures.co.uk.
would produce 28% less cortisol during testing than drivers on the same course.” The study was conducted by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles, in a controlled manner, with 50 motorcyclists and 50 car drivers making their way around a closed course for 20-minutes. During this time, the team measured the user’s heart rate, cortisol, and adrenaline levels, as well as the user’s brain activity, and it’s here where the most interesting results came from: “The results found that when riding, the subjects experienced increased sensory focus and resilience to distraction. Riding also produced an increase in adrenaline levels and heart rate, and a decrease in cortisol levels - the kind of results you often get after a light exercise session, which also is a stress reducer.” Concluding that motorcycles are better for you physically, as well as mentally, visordown.com claims; “The news regarding the mental well-being of motorcyclists goes hand-in-hand with a study that found that riding a motorcycle can burn anywhere between 170-600 calories an hour. As much as some people can burn in an hour at the gym.” ,
HARLEY? WHAT HARLEY? The CEO of Indonesia’s national flag airline Garuda is being fired on suspicion of smuggling a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The machine entered Indonesia aboard a new Airbus aircraft. The bike as well as other miscellaneous items allegedly have a value of $57,000 and would have required the payment of up to $107,000 in customs duties. Garuda’s CEO, Ari Askhara and the airline itself did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
RIDING GOOD FOR MIND & BODY In a fresh take on a previous UCLA study we reported on earlier this year, visordown.com reports that “A study conducted by the Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior (INHB) has concluded that motorcyclists are less stressed and more fulfilled than their four-wheeled counterparts,” adding that “The study originally set about trying to find out if bikers were constantly riding in fear of being involved in an accident, but inadvertently proved the opposite! The results center around a certain hormone called cortisol that is released in the brain when we become anxious. Scientists found that bikers
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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS AND REVIEWS GIVI S250 TOOL BOX If you are using Givi luggage on your machine or one with Givi Monokey Side case comparable brackets (additional mounting kit might be needed), then Givi has an excellent solution when it comes to carrying your tools. If you are like us you carry just about everything you might need on the road, but all those tools take up valuable space. The lockable S250 Tool Box mounts between the side-case holder and motorcycle’s rear side-panel. The S250 is a good-sized container - 10.2 inches length x 3.5 inches wide x 6.6 inches high - and has an internal removable divider. It is made with a reinforced technopolymer and is heavily water-resistant. The box can be mounted in either direction with lock pointing upwards or downwards, depending on bike and preference with a dust-cover screw top on the lock. The Givi S250 Tool Box lists for around $100 and can be purchased from your local Givi dealer. Log onto www.giviusa.com for more information. ,
ADMORE LIGHTING • SMART BRAKE TECHNOLOGY FROM TWISTED THROTTLE I swapped bikes with a friend last summer and spent the afternoon following my BMW R 1200 GS around the backroads of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Along the way I began to realize that I, or my bike more to the fact, needed additional lighting and, specifically, additional brake lighting, On my return to Backroads Central a call was made to our friends at Twisted Throttle, and not long after an AdMore Lighting LED Light Bar was installed on the GS. The new AdMore Lighting LED Light Bar with Smart Brake Technology alerts drivers that a motorcycle is decelerating before the rider even applies the brakes. Thanks to a sophisticated accelerometer sensor and a host of configurable options, this light bar is the most advanced motorcycle safety lighting product on the market. The embedded accelerometer detects rapid deceleration, either from throttle release or downshifting, and automatically activates the brake light on the 8” light bar. Using the AdMore Configurator Software Suite and connecting to the onboard microUSB port, riders can change the sensitivity of the sensor, from low intensity (slower deceleration) to high intensity (rapid deceleration). A special “sport” setting accommodates aggressive riding, requiring hard deceleration to activate the brake light. This newest version incorporates high-quality Cree LEDs, with built-in running lights, progressive amber turn signals, and brake lights. A new center column of white LEDs flashes continuously while the brakes are applied, an effective technique for getting the attention of distracted drivers. In addition, a new integrated license plate light allows the light bar to be mounted above the license plate, even if it obstructs the bike’s original plate light. Using the same configuration software noted above, riders can modify or disable many of the light bar’s standard features, including the brake light brightness and modulation, the license plate light, and the white strobe lights. The new Premium LED Light Bar works on all motorcycles and scooters and is compatible with the CanBUS electrical systems found on many late-model bikes. Available with either a smoke or clear lens, the light bar comes with a sturdy aluminum bracket that can be mounted below or above a license plate, or under a top rack. The kit includes premium wire tap connectors and all necessary hardware, and can be installed in roughly an hour with basic tools. MSRP is $199.99. For more information or to purchase the Premium LED Light Bar, go to www.twistedthrottle.com/smartbrake ~ Brian Rathjen ,
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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTER IOU S A MERICA the narraganSet runeStone 55 brown Street • north KingStown, rhode iSland For decades locals living in and around Narraganset Bay knew of the large and strange rock off Pojac Point. The kids came to call it Indian Rock, others the Quidnessett Rock, and it became something of a local legend. On a cloudy afternoon in December of 1984 a local quahogger, working from his skiff, rediscovered the rock and took a special interest in the markings deeply carved into the boulder, two rows of ancient-looking symbols. He notified others and interest piqued about where the stone was from and who had made the markings. Many theories came forth – could it be the work of the Vikings or other Norsemen, or Icelandic explorers/trappers, still others claimed a voyage by the Knights Templar. Some believe it was more likely rendered by immigrants to the area, out of national pride, in the 19th-20th centuries. What we do know for sure was the Narraganset Runestone has been around for some time and not always in the tidal rise and fall of the bay. Old aerial photography clearly shows that in 1939 the stone was upland, most likely buried and subject to the effects of the elements like freezing and thawing. This means that the original location of the stone was not in the tidal zone. Since Pojac Point has taken significant storm damage over the years, by 1975 the surrounding land had eroded, and the stone became subject to tidal effect. But, in the summer of 2012 the 2.5-ton stone, now called the Narraganset Runestone, vanished. State authorities including the Office of the Attorney General and the state Department of Environmental Management became involved. Soon after it was found that an unnamed, disgruntled property owner, tired of curiosity seekers walking across his property looking for the enigmatic stone, had it sunk somewhere in the middle of Narragansett Bay. Admitting what he did, plans were made to recover the Narraganset Runestone. It was
retrieved in the summer of 2013 and was stored in a warehouse on the University of Rhode Island Bay campus for some years till authorities could figure out just what to do with it. But the fact remained that although no one could say with complete certainty exactly by whom or when these intriguing Runic symbols were carved into this stone, it is safe to say, as quoted from Professor Henrik Williams of Uppsala University in Sweden, the runestone was “of considerable cultural significance to Rhode Island and New England, not the least because of the controversy, mystery, and even intrigue connected with it.”
We rode up to take a look for ourselves. The Narraganset Runestone’s new and permanent home is in the town of Kingstown, Rhode Island in the middle of town at the Old Library Park, next to the Town Hall annex, under a 50sstyle gazebo. It is a marvel to look at. We have spoken with our friend Scott Wolter, host of the show America Unearthed, in the past and he has always been very helpful. Scott has very definite beliefs on what the stone is and who created it. For years he has maintained that the handful of inscribed runic figures aren’t just a recent creation
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or hoax, but in fact, are evidence that the Knights Templar brought the Holy Bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene to America. “This stone is one of the very few artifacts that prove the Templars came to America,” Wolter asserted. He traced the appearance of the hooked X symbol, which is the first symbol on the second line of the stone, to a charter in 1128 for the Knights Templar, a medieval military order. Adding fuel to this theory is the fact that in Newport, Rhode Island just miles away, stands the stone tower that has been there before modern Europeans arrived. There is another tower, identical in almost every way, in Portugal at the Convent of Christ in the city of Tomar – a Knights Templar stronghold. Others have their own theories about the mystery of the runestone.
Engineer Valdimar Samuelsonn claims the research he’s done shows that some of the New England runestones – yes there are more than one – have Icelandic origin. According to Samuelsonn translation of the Narragansett runestone correlates with an Icelandic river named Skraumligr, which “comes down from a steep mountain valley into a narrow canyon.” This led Samuelsonn to think that the scribe of the Narragansett runestone could have come from the vicinity of the Skraumigr river in Iceland. For me, I am leaning with Scott – his research is remarkable and I learned long ago that theories are discredited by many until they are proven and then, those same people say they knew it all the time. Whatever theory you believe, the Narraganset Runestone is a true piece of Mysterious America and you should ride to North Kingstown, Rhode Island and decide for yourself. O’Life out! ,
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G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN
tasty places to take your bike
allamuChy general Store CaFé 2 JohnSonburg rd, allamuChy, nJ 908-852-7004 • Find them on FaCebooK • oPen every day 6am-3Pm We had visited the Allamuchy General Store a few times in the past. They had a good selection of sandwiches, a satisfying breakfast and great pizzas. The store had been around since 1827 and it had the charm and nostalgia that went along with its age. When I heard about the accident that occurred in January of 2017, the first thought that came into my head was of Harry Chapin’s song ’30,000 pounds of bananas’. A tractor trailer heading down Old Hackettstown Road and trying to make the turn past Johnsonburg Road was carrying a bit too much speed and/or had some brake failure. It careened into a thicket of trees and plowed into the front of the Allamuchy General Store before coming to a stop. Fortunately, no one was hurt but it took over a year before they were
able to pick up the pieces, put them back together and reopen. And they put the pieces back in a most excellent way. First, there is an ample parking lot as well as street parking. There are a few outdoor tables to watch the passers-by as you dine. Upon entering, you will be surrounded by country décor done in a most tasteful way; wood plank floors, booths with blue jean-covered seating and tables with chalk board tops to entertain the kids or grownup with a young attitude and lots of items to keep your attention while waiting for your food. And the food is worth the wait. We went for a Sunday breakfast ride, arriving a little after 10. We were seated right away and handed a VERY extensive breakfast menu. In their words ‘Country Fare with a Gourmet Flair.’
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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020 Let’s go through the six pages of offerings: Skillets come on a bed of home fries smothered with your choice of meat or fresh vegetables, fire baked and crowned with 2 eggs, any style, with toast. There are 10 omelettes from which to choose and are appropriately named for different regions of the world as well as The Beast – chorizo, Amish smoked bacon, Andouille sausage, Colby jack cheese and home fries. If you prefer your eggs ‘broken’ they have several scrambles and for you Benny lovers, there’s that too. Moving along, there are hotcakes both plain, GF, buttermilk and many on the sweet side. Their French toast selections also run towards the sweet side, as do their Belgian waffles. If you’ve already had your morning ride and are looking for some lunch, look no further. You’ll find salads, quiches, sandwiches, paninis and burgers galore. They have been voted ‘Best Sandwiches in Warren/Sussex County’ and some of their creativity includes the Rutherford (turkey, stone ground mustard, tomatoes, arugula and cheddar on a peasant roll) or the Lenape (roast beef, sharp Vermont Cheddar and horseradish sauce topped with tomatoes and arugula on a farmhouse roll). Should you be staying away from meat, there’s the Harvest Panini (Granny Smith apples, Provence fig jam and Gruyere cheese) and if you are craving meat, there’s the Bayou burger (8oz steakhouse burger dusted with Louisiana Cajun spices, topped with Andouille sausage, pepper jack cheese and onion straws on a brioche roll). If you are heading out for a picnic ride, they have a case full of pre-made fresh sandwiches and salads they will gladly pack up for you to enjoy al fresco.
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They have a nicely appointed coffee bar with some good, strong coffee to bring you through your ride. Should you have saved some room for dessert, their case is filled to the brim with cookies, cakes, pies and other assorted treats. If you can’t eat it then, take it with you and enjoy it for an afternoon sugar pick-me-up. I was thrilled to see that they were serving up Das’ ice cream, one of my favorite Inside Scoop stops. If you aren’t hungry enough for a full meal, the Allamuchy General Store Café makes a perfect stop for that afternoon cup o’ Joe, piece of pie or pastry or a scoop or two of ice cream. This part of New Jersey has some excellent riding, so we’ll put together a little ride to show that off as well as getting you to the Allamuchy General Store Café for breakfast, brunch or lunch to enjoy their country fare with a gourmet flair. Enjoy! ,
Rip & Ride® • allamuChy general Store CaFé 80-mile one-way ride from the southernmost point of Staten island download .gPX file here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/mf33d5 download PdF route sheet: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/gejasv
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Frontline Eurosports Presents
B IG CITY GETAWAY ShanKweiler’S drive-in theater the oldeSt drive in the uSa 4540 ShanKweiler rd, oreField, Pa • 610-481-0800 • SeaSonal hourS A few years back we did a story on the Fairlee Drive-In and Motel up in Fairlee, Vermont along the river bordering New Hampshire. It is a bit rare to see motorcycles frequenting Drive-Ins, but the Fairlee not only had a giant screen and the huge field for the cars, but a row of small motel rooms as well. We sat in the comfort of our room and brought in dinner for the show. The Fairlee came up in a discussion one morning over coffee and it reminded me that those who took our route down to Winchester, Virginia and the Fall Fiesta had passed by a real piece of Americana – the oldest drive-in in continuous operation in the United States Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre. Here’s a look back at the beginnings of the drive-in theater… The first cinema of this type was opened on June 11, 1914, with the advent of the Airdome Theater in Las Cruces, New Mexico. This was more an outdoor theater for folks to stand and watch a film outside, but it did have room for parking 10 cars too.
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daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind The first open-aired theater that was built for automobile use was Hollingshead’s DriveIn, opened in Camden, New Jersey on June 6, 1933. One year later, on April 15, 1934, saw the opening of Shankweiler’s Auto Park in Orefield, Pennsylvania – the second in the nation. Hundreds of others followed and the drive-in’s peak popularity came in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in rural areas, with some 4,000 drive-ins spread across the United States. One of the largest drive-in theaters was the Johnny All-Weather Drive-In on Long Island in Copiague, New York on Sunrise Highway. It was 29 acres in size and could handle 2,500 cars. It ran from 1957 till 1984. The site remained untouched for years until it was demolished, making room for another ‘much needed’ shopping plaza with Home Depot and Target. A Red Lobster now sits where the giant outdoor screen used to stand. Time marches on and a few things began to pile up and add to the decline of the drive-ins around the United Sates. Home entertainment systems, the fuel crisis of the 70s and the back and forth about Daylight Saving Time (which made the shows start an hour later) in the 70s. Another thing that ended a few drive-ins was radical weather. On July 16, 1980, in Taylor, Michigan, a freak derecho storm with straightline winds of 150 mile per hour swept the drive-in away leaving only the “now-showing” sign with the letters “Now Playing Gone with the Wind.”
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Page 19 They left it that way. Now, that is funny! In late May of 1985 an F3 tornado blew away a drive-in turned-flea market called Spotlight 88 in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. As you can see the weather and changing seasons limit many drive-ins from operating year round. Johnny Rockets Burgers had announced that they would be teaming up with USA Drive-Ins to open 200 drive-ins, serving Johnny Rocket’s food at the concession stands. As of today they still haven’t come through with this, but maybe someday. Progress? Not in our book, but it will be better than watching Star Wars on your iPhone. The disappearance of classic Americana is always of great concern to those of us who love these sorts of places and things. Shankweiler’s is the only one from that original early ‘30s era that is still operational. Being as classic as it is, Shankweiler’s had a bunch of milestones and we thought we’d mention a few. In addition to being just the second drive-in to open in the nation it was one of the first to have those classic pole-mounted speakers that would attach to your car’s window for decades before they switched to micro-AM radio in 1982 and then Shankweiler’s became the first drive-in to feature audio in FM broadcast stereo. These days the old film projectors are gone, replaced just a few years back by a fully digital system. When we first began to pen this article the frost had already hit the pumpkins and any thought of visiting a drive-in was not going to happen till the summer as Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre is open only on weekends from mid-April through May, but they operate 7 days a week though the summer. So, with the idea to head west and the tiny burg of Orefield, PA firmly set in our minds we had to save our popcorn until….Summertime! ,
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WE’RE OUTTA HER E
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads
alPine lodge & Sawmill reStaurant 850 william ave, daviS, wv 26260 304-259-5245 • alPinelodgewva.Com Sometimes things work out just perfectly, fortuitously, although unexpectedly. We were heading south, eventually into Tennessee, and were making some time through one of our favorite states to ride in the nation - Wild & Wonderful West Virginia. The day had been a wet one, but now early evening, it looked like it might be clearing up. We were very wrong on this. As we passed into town both Shira and I took notice of the cool looking lodge on the left. We were traveling with fellow rider Fred and entering into the town proper we parked and found some coffee at Sirianni’s Café, a place that I had visited once before riding with Backroads alumni Helene Darvick a few rallies back. We all knew, even though things looked brighter, that it would soon be dark, and dark in the mountains of the Wild & Wonderful West Virginia is really, really dark. Shira mentioned the lodge we had just passed – The Alpine Lodge. The lodge is located near the intersection of Routes 32 and 48 and is just minutes from Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley and Mount Storm Lake. Although we think Fred would have kept going, he didn’t argue when Shira called and booked two rooms for the very reasonable rate of $65 for the night. Okay, before we get into the bits and pieces of the lodge and restaurant, let’s have a regional history lesson, courtesy of the Alpine Lodge Historical Society. In 1884, just before the railroad arrived in Tucker County, the timber stood so thick that their branches interlocked for miles and there were vast beds of laurel as far as one could see. In the President’s annual report to the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway Company, in January of 1883, U.S. Senator and industrialist Henry Gassaway Davis, determined to make Davis the terminus of the Railroad. It promised to be the center of great mining and
lumbering interests, being near the junction of the Beaver Creek and Blackwater River in the center of this vast lumber rich region. Davis paid between $5.00 and $ 15.00 an acre for the land now named for him. The land for the town was cleared by Colonial Robert Eastham of Canaan Valley around 1884. The three main streets were named after the three Davis brothers, Henry, Thomas, and William. In 1934 the WV State Park Commission obtained a 10-year lease on 446 acres around Blackwater Falls and built trails and scenic overlooks. In 1953 this land plus another 1,000 acres was deeded to the WV Parks Commission. This began a new era and transition for the Town of Davis as it is today. At this time a local businessman, G.P. Smith, saw the potential in the area and built nine stone cabins along Route 32 in Davis. This became the Stone Motel. In 1965, VA Power Station at Mt. Storm started operations and the motel thrived. In 2012 the property was sold to Richard and Kathy Spitznogle. Today it is still family owned and operated by the Spitznogle family, who would love to see you roll up to the Alpine Lodge & Sawmill Restaurant.
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
They are very rider-friendly. The Alpine Lodge has rooms of various types: King, queen, two full size and three full-size beds. This works really well, especially if you have a group of riders just looking for a base camp of operations while in this part of the state. The majority of their rooms are now non-smoking, however, they still have a limited quantity of smoking rooms. All the rooms have a refrigerator and TV - although not the largest screen we have ever seen. Shira’s iPad was on par with this. But we didn’t come to catch up on Game of Thrones – we had come to ride. The rooms also have a private bath and shower. Okay, if I laughed a bit about the TV screen’s size, neither of us laughed at the shower. I would pay $65 just to shower here. The water was hot and strong, intense, deep-cleaning and ardent in every manner. It simply blew the day’s sweat, grime and miles off of us. The Alpine Lodge, at least in our room, might have the best shower we have ever taken. Ever. Right on the property, you will find the Sawmill Restaurant. Open till 8 pm every day but Thursday, the Sawmill had some seriously great food with
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enormous portions. The three of us all ordered something different, Fred going for ham with all the fixings, Shira some locally fished trout and it was fried chicken night for me. It was all delicious. Somehow, maybe because we are supposed to be moto-journalists, we felt the need to order dessert as well. Ha, you might call it gluttony – we call it deep research. We had made a good call taking a room at the Alpine Lodge. For the price, it cannot be beat. Good clean rooms, a shower in a class by itself, and hearty comfort food on premise with no outdoor walking required, which was especially appreciated in the rains of Biblical proportions that pummeled West Virginia that night. We think this place is a winner all around. Enjoy! ,
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
the main Street Creamery 17 main St, wellSboro, Pa Find them on FaCebooK • 570-948-9558 • SeaSonal hourS – CheCK beFore you go Having an ice cream shop across the street from your base camp is a blessing and a curse. Such was the case on our Weekend Escape to Wellsboro, PA this past October. After a beautiful day’s ride with some great stops, sights and roads, we returned to the quaint village of Wellsboro ready to relax. What better way to relax than with a big honkin’ bowl of ice cream. Rick and Lori Beckwith both grew up in the Wellsboro area. Rick, a Navy engineer, had the family living in Virginia for many years and, once retired, returned to their home stomping grounds. His expertise in using lasers through various military applications developed into an artwork of custom engraving and led to the opening of Senior Creations. This then incorporated a lovely olive oil and balsamic vinegar shop. Rick’s other passion was ice cream so he bought an ice cream maker and started producing Italian ices to serve outside the shop. Needless to say, that was a hit and when a spot opened in the historic Shattuck House on Main Street they decided to go full in with the Main Street Creamery and Rick’s homemade ice creams and ices. They opened on Memorial Day, just in time for the 2019 summer season, to great acclaim and applause. They scooped out 15,000 servings in their first 2 weeks – quite an accomplishment. The Creamery began with 16 flavors and is now scooping out a 24-flavor variety plus 6 Italian ice flavors. Of course they offer the trinity of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry but from there the variety begins. At one end of the spectrum you’ll find coffee bean, coconut and mint chip – pretty standard for an ice cream shop. From there you can run the gamut from strawberry cheesecake to nutty fudge peanut butter and sticky bucket maple walnut.
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
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One of their signature flavors – Humble Bumble consisting of dark chocolate ice cream with raspberry truffles and raspberry swirl – was created to honor Paige Griffin, a young lady who left us too soon at the age of 21. Paige had an affinity for bees, especially the bumblebee. Aerodynamically, bumblebees should not be able to fly, as their wings cannot carry all of their body weight, yet somehow, they make flight possible. This directly translates to the cancer patients and family, who find themselves carrying more than they can ever imagine. Thus the creation of the Humble Bumble Project dedicated to assisting the families of pediatric and young adult cancer patients. You can find out more about that here: www.humblebumbleproject.com/ Getting back to that honkin’ bowl of ice cream - Mark Byers and I took a stroll down Main Street to get just. I walked away with a dish of Humble Bumble (how could I not) and coffee bean for myself and, as Brian was busy working, I brought him back his litmus favorite of Oreo cookie. The taste and texture were wonderful and certainly a satisfying end to a great day’s ride. You can enjoy your treat either in their light and open parlor or on the historic front porch while watching the passers by. The folks at the Sherwood Motel were nice enough to have left us several pies of different flavors and having them a la mode made them that much better. The Main Street Creamery is scooping every day, year round, from noon to 9pm. Should you be staying in this lovely town or just passing through while enjoying the great riding in this region, make it a point to stop for a respite at this homey shop and take a stroll down historic Main Street as well. ,
FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
ere we are. Winter. Well, at least this issue of Backroads can give you a little twowheel fix. But, why just read when you can ride?
H
There is no reason to stick around during this time of year. If you can squeeze in a long weekend, or a few weeks, to escape to somewhere warm, rent a bike and go out exploring in the sunshine… then you should, and we’d like to offer some suggestions to help make that happen. Staying sort of local: Florida – Bleh, I can hear some of you say. Flat, not all the best riding. The opposite of Deal’s Gap’s Tail of the Dragon, with 318 turns in 11 miles – here it might be 11 turns in 318 miles. Okay, that may be a stretch, but what Florida does have is some great little towns that are well worth seeking out and, of course, it’s warm for sure, and what it lacks in riding technicality it makes up for with scenery. If you enjoy baseball, beaches, and history, Florida might be the place for you. For most, it is easy to get to as well. Some places of note in the Sunshine State: Key west – What, you have never been there? The ride down from Miami is a stunner, with the Atlantic to the left and the Gulf of Mexico on the right. The Seven-Mile Bridge is legendary, but not nearly as infamous as a night of pub crawling along Duval Street (Bikes parked safely away.) Cedar Key – Far to the north along Florida’s Gulf coast, you will find the small island of Cedar Key. On Cedar Key you would do well to grab a room at the Island Hotel & Restaurant. We did and we had … well, we had a hauntingly interesting evening. The place is haunted. Surely. 100%. Even O’Life was stunned by what happened to us. Down in the well-stocked and happening King Neptune Bar, we were told just to be friendly to the spirits and enjoy the night. We did and we did. Now you can too. Where to rent a bike: eaglerider – Almost 20 rental locations throughout the state with a selection of manufacturers, makes and models. www.eaglerider.com rmm rentals/tours – West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale locations with many brands available. rentmymotorcycle.com
Head West Young Man, or Woman… arizona, nevada and new mexico – Better, you say. We agree. Unlike Florida’s flat and straight geography, out here you can sample some off-road riding as well as some very tasty tarmac. A mixture of interesting cities and amazing natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and all the national parks. Where to rent a bike: eaglerider – A good assortment of makes and models aZride motorcycle rentals www.azride.com Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ with multibrand street and dual sport bikes available. Take a ride and park on a corner in Winslow. Go in search of a giant meteor crater or get spooky in one of the dozens of ghost towns. nevada adventure rentals nevadaadventurerentals.com If you are looking to venture off-road this is the place to be. KTM, Honda, BMW and Yamaha of varying CCs available. Valley of Fire and Cathedral
Gorge State Parks are worth seeking out – as is the tiny town of Rachel and, if you dare, ride to the entrance of Area 51. Warning. Do Not Go Past The Sign! And, there is always Vegas, baby!
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
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California – We think California is one of the most diverse states in the union. Whether you want to chase the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway (tip: it doesn’t follow the ocean the whole way), keep to the southern climes and maybe venture into Mexico, head north toward the Redwoods or east to the desert (which might be a bit chilly this time of year), California has the most to offer. Just remember in the winter altitude equals colder climates. Come March, the desert wildflowers are ablaze. Plan accordingly. eaglerider – Yup, their wheels stretch a long way around this country, with many locations throughout the state, from San Diego to San Francisco. motoQuest • www.motoquest.com – Locations in Los Angeles and San Dominican Republic Francisco for rental and complete tours. rawhyde mid-winter adventure • www.rawhyde-offroad.com
Ecuador
Central & South America dominican republic – one of the easiest and quickest ways to get out of Dodge and into someplace different is to fly to the Dominican Republic and spend a week riding with motoCaribe • www.motocaribe.com. We had several friends join us a few years back, in the middle of winter, and had a superb time. Unlike the ‘all-inclusive’ resorts – on a motorcycle you see the real DR – the good and the bad – but it will be different and exciting for sure. mexico – While there have been some negative notes on touring in Mexico, not all is true. We have found that staying away from the larger cities, during most touring, avoids the main dangers associated with the headlines. If traveling to Mexico, you have many choices – a relaxing beach vacation with a little two-wheeled fun or an immersion into the Mexican culture. bike mexico • www.bike-mexico.com, out of Puerto Vallarta, will rent you a motorcycle or take you on a guided tour of one to ten days, offering both on and off-road rides. motoQuest • www.motoquest.com - Best of Baja North or Southbound: Choose your starting point – Long Beach, California or San Jose del Cabo, Mexico – and enjoy seven days of beautiful riding sprinkled with picturesque towns and sandy beaches. Available February and March. ecuador – Whenever one says they are going to Ecuador, people ask, ‘Are you going to the Galapagos?’ There are far better reasons to visit, with the riding, people and extreme change of scenery being at the top of the list. As Jimmy Buffett sang, ‘Up to the mountains, down to the sea…’, Ecuador has it all, and the roads, both paved and not, will brilliantly bring you there. Bonuses are that they use the US dollar as currency and are in EST time, or what they call ECT, which is the same as NY. No matter when you go, the day’s length is 12 hours, the temperatures are pretty constant and only the rainfall differs during the year. South america Freedom moto turismo • www.freedombikerental.com, based in Quito, Ecuador and Cajamarca, Peru, will happily bring you on a most excellent tour of varying lengths or supply you with a motorcycle for your own exploration. They offer 4-wheel vehicles as well should you have some non-riding companions who would like to come along (and be your mules). Their newly opened office in northern Peru greatly expands their offerings.
Mexico
Mexico
Ecuador
Colombia
Colombia
Ecuador
Colombia – While this beautiful country certainly has had its share of violence and bad reputation, the tides are turning and most of Colombia’s population are tired of conflict and look to a bright, and traveler-filled, future. The natural beauty and diversity make this a perfect winter retreat for a few days or longer, either riding on your own, with a group or on a tour. You can explore on mostly ‘paved’ roads or take to the dirt for more adventure. Beginning your travels in Cartagena for some culture and sightseeing is a great suggestion before heading out on the road.
Colombia
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS Chile/Argentina
motolombia • www.motolombia.com, out of Cali, has been offering tours and rentals since 2008 and now includes 4WD rentals and tours as well. Colombia motoXperience • www.colombiamotox.com, out of Medellin, will bring you on tours from one to twelve days and ranging in riding experience levels from low to very high. Chile to argentina – This is an epic journey for those with the time, desire and fortitude who will reap a great reward and a much earned drink at the end of each day. motoaventura • www.motoaventura.cl will bring you from Osorno, Chile on a 15-day ride to Ushuaia, the tip of Argentina and the last point before jumping to Antarctica. This is definitely a tour for the more experienced rider with dirt under their wheels. For the true ADV rider, ride adv • Chile/Argentina www.rideadv.com offers guided and selfguided adventures in many South American countries with varying mounts and levels of ex- Tenerife perience. Europe in Winter the Canary islands - Just off the coast of Morocco, the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) offer mountainous and technical riding with temperatures in the 50-70 degree range, lower in the mountains. While you may encounter some moisture, the riding and scenery will far overshadow the weather. Tenerife offers the third biggest active volcano in the world – El Teide. Most rental agencies will also put toTenerife gether a tour/route as well. Round trip airfare from NYC is about $500. Edelweiss offers a 7day vacation starting at $2,930. edelweissbike.com moto & bike • www.motoandbike.com – Two locations on Gran Canaria with a fleet of 90 motorcycles. moto4Fun • www.moto4fun.com – Also located on Tenerife, with pick-up/drop-off service from southern hotels.
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
Morocco
Southern Spain – Andalusia is stunning. Southern Spain is a winter wonderland in a good way. The amazing mountain terrain, the fantastic architecture, culture, food, and people all add up to a motorcyclist’s paradise. This is one part of the world that we’ve said, over and over, we could live and be quite happy. There are guided, self-guided and rental options here. imtbike • www.imtbike.com Southern Spain has a location in Malaga with a very well-maintained new and fleet of BMWs. hispania tours • www.hispaniatours.com offers a 5-day Andalusia Touring Center starting at $1,450 including motorcycle, hotel, breakfast, and dinner. Just looking for a rental? motomercado • www.motomercadorent.net has motorcycles and scooters with locations in Marbella, Fuengirola, and Torremolinos. morocco – If you are already in Southern Spain, head a bit more south to the exotic land of Morocco, you won’t be disappointed. You’ll ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the African continent, before passing through the border to Morocco and into another world. Temperatures will range from the mid-40s to mid-70s, with the Atlas mountain range much lower than that. Should you prefer starting on the continent itself, IMTBike, Edelweiss, and Hispania Tours all offer guided tours of varying lengths.
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS New Zealand
So you’ve got some time? Yes, all of these destinations take a long time to get there, so if you do plan on going, make sure you make the most of them and spend at least two weeks, if not more. Oh, and don’t forget the International Date Line should it apply… australia – It’s a BIG place, with a great deal of diversity in both landscape and temperatures during the winter months. edelweiss • www.edelweissbike.com offers the Best of Australia running from Sydney down the Great Divide around Tasmania and then back up the coast. Seemingly everywhere, eaglerider offers both rentals and guided tours as well – one running from Adelaide in the south, right through the Outback and heading north, all the way, to Darwin called Long Way to the Top. Although this is run later in the year – it does get our imagination running. new Zealand – Although so many Americans relate New Zealand with Australia, remember the Kiwi islands are some 2,600 miles further east in the South Pacific. Australia is fun. New Zealand New Zealand is spectacular! The north island is warm, lush and almost tropical, but we fell in love with the South Island. The great beaches, the backcountry roads, the magnificent Mount Cook, called Aoraki (The Cloud Piercer) by the Maori, it rises 12,316 feet – that’s two and a half miles, kids – into the cloud-filled Kiwi sky. Milford Sound – really a Fjord – has spectacular, almost vertical, cliffs that plunge down well over 1,000 under the water. The famed Franz Josef Glacier is worth the hike. New Zealand will wow you with incredible diversity, beauty and is simply amazing in every way. Fred Rau, world-class moto-journalist and world-class friend, does a yearly tour each February or you can log onto Te Waipounamua Motorcycle Tours for more information on their own adventures. www.fredrau.com • www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz South Africa South africa - We have been to the southern region of Africa a few times and if the opportunity comes our way again we would return in a heartbeat… This part of the planet is magical, with a touch of danger and very, very wild… South Africa is a world away. SAMA Adventure Tours has several great riding adventures and offer a variety of modern BMW machines. From Johannesburg and into in Mpumalanga, (often referred to as Bikers paradise) there is so much to see and experience including Kruger National Park, the Kingdom of Swaziland, Lake Jozini, Tembe Elephant Park and the Kwazulu Natal Battlefields. When we were last there, we rode to Cape Agulhas – the southernmost point of the Dark Continent where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean. Edelweiss also offers many African tours that range across the entire continent. • www.samamotorcycletours.com • www.edelweissbike.com
South Africa
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All these suggestions can only happen if you want them to, if you make them happen. Every journey begins with a first step. These are just a few venues and companies to help you along with your travels. Think about the upcoming months as we head into spring and summer. Why wait till summer for the two-wheel fun to begin. Get a jump on 2020 and choose someplace warm, make plans and get going. The sun and fun are waiting. ,
South Africa
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
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angry eriK’S brewing 2 Camre drive, newton, nJ 07860 (hamPton townShiP) 862- 432-9003 • www.angryeriK.Com thurS: 5-8Pm • Fri: 4-8Pm • Sat: 12-8Pm • Sun: 12-6Pm Although we all should know that drinking and riding never should be mixed, we would still like to steer you to a very cool place, a tad off the beaten path in a warehouse facility outside Newton, New Jersey. Welcome to Angry Erik’s Brewing. Husband & wife team Heide and Erik opened their first location in 2014 in the nearby town of Lafayette. Angry Erik Brewing strives to make a constant variety of beer to quench every craft beer lover’s thirst for the next new brew. Recently they moved over to Hampton Township (our home town, sorta) and brought with them their unique culinary ideas and fresh ingredients that they masterfully combined to create delicious ales that will surprise and delight your palate. With an every changing menu, you are sure to find something that pleases. We have made it a point to close up shop on some nicer Friday evenings and head to Erik’s for a tasting and what we liked is bottled in a growler for us and really enjoyed back home safely at Monkey with a Gun. Erik’s has a very comfortable set-up. Think Norse, think Vikings! They have a Langskip bar and a long ship’s sail! Their upstairs can seat a good-size group. Come warmer weather, they open their outdoor seating and have food trucks to quell your appetite. Although Erik’s does not have a kitchen, we find that many families (kids welcome) come here with pizza, cheese and crackers and Chinese food from local kitchens and spend some family time out of the house. Unlike other brew haunts, Erik’s exudes a happy and comfortable feeling and ambiance, and their beers are just a bit different from what you might expect…
She’s a Salty Peach – Peach Gose, Mary Shroom – Mushroom and Rosemary Saison, Arrowhead Red – Red Ale, and our favorite the Old Village Stout, an American Stout with a bit more flavor. Around the calendar they hold special events and Thursday evening trivia now has our attention. The area has some of the best riding in New Jersey and all we ask is that you remember tasting is not drinking. Be smart and find what grabs you and bring it home in a growler. ,
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Legendary Exotics • Driving Your Fantasy The Lamborghini Huracán Spyder looked like an alien attack craft. Its Arancio Borealis color – a bright orange that would be hard to hide on a Ford Pinto – made the $300,000 Italian monster that much more axiomatic, in your face and demanding of attention…everyone’s attention. Especially the Pennsylvania state trooper whose head popped up at the loud and explosive downshift from the Lambo’s V-10’s 610 horses as we sped past his parked patrol car. Ooops, my bad. The Lamborghini was followed by a Bentley GTC, a Ferrari 458 Spider, a
FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS throaty Alfa Romeo 4C and a Corvette Z-51. He watched as we disappeared down the country lane of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. No lights or pursuit occurred. Welcome to an afternoon with Legendary Exotics, a Hamilton, New Jersey company that was created with a specific goal in mind and, for the last four years, has been doing what they set out to do – offering the opportunity to passionate drivers to get behind the wheel of something extraordinary, special and exotic – some of the most expensive, sought after and exciting automobiles on the planet. In truth when Shira told me I would be spending an afternoon with Legendary Exotics I thought… Raquel Welch? Awesome, and how thoughtful my wife was. But this was much, much better and, best of all, Shira would be right there with me – we could share this unique driving experience. The day started early with a ride down to Hamilton, New Jersey – not far from the bucolic Grounds for Sculpture. If the art at Grounds was impressive – the art that was waiting along the old brick wall of a former steel factory was even more so – at least to me. This afternoon’s high-powered romp came as a gift for a birthday from Shira. We chose mid-October for our jaunt and hoped for perfect fall weather and blazing autumnal colors. Mother Nature came through with both.
We’d be driving each car for 20 to 30 minutes, following Ron who kept an easy, happy and very quick pace to keep things rolling and fun, and then swap machines. There was no real babying of our rides, nor lack of excitement. Legendary Exotics has been doing this for a while now and they know exactly why drivers have paid hundreds of dollars (our cost was $600) …
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
and it is not to putt around a parking lot or follow at a tepid parade-style pace just to say you drove a Ferrari. Listen up Enzo, if you drive a Ferrari you should DRIVE the Ferrari! Legendary Exotics knows this and come through in a formidable way. After arriving, making introductions to Ron Kaiser, one of the partners in Legendary Exotics, and taking care of a bit of paperwork and a quick drivers meeting we got to choose the first car of the day. I chose the Chevrolet Corvette Z-51, as it was somewhat familiar and at least I knew how to start this car. We followed Ron, leading the way in a bright blue F-150 pick-up. Easy to see, easy to follow and Ron drove that truck so well that even ‘The Deuce’ would have been happy. In addition everybody had radios – which could sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher depending on what machine you were driving and at what pace. The charge out of Hamilton was just that. The Vette was taking up the back and I was happily surprised at the quickening pace we were setting along the short interstates and riding through the Route 29 tunnel was… well impressively loud. Loud pipes don’t save lives – but this was sure fun! Shira and I were giggling like children. We drove over Delaware River and into Pennsylvania – as you always
Page 31 want to spread arrestable traffic violations into the neighboring state when possible. Near Washington Crossing we pulled into a small park to swap cars. My thought was to simply move up the line to the Alpha Romero 4C Spider – a smallish, but very sexy Italian ride, which I thought was a perfect move up and, in truth, just looking at the orange Lambo was causing a ‘fight or flight’ response in me. Ron pointed at Shira and me and said that we’d revolve the driving in another order and he pointed at the Lamborghini Huracán Spyder. “You guys take the Lamborghini.” Gulp. I readily admit at this point all sorts of chemicals began to be produced by my body – some of which had not been around since my teens. We sat in the Lambo and I looked at Shira with a mix of excitement and a good dash of trepidation. Shira, always far cooler than me, said, “Not to worry – you got this.”
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
I do? Really – this looks like a fighter cockpit. What are these switches? How do you start it? Is that an after-burner switch? What am I doing here, about to drive a car that costs more than my home, on a busy public road … in Bucks County… on a Sunday? A Sunday?! Very softly I hear myself whisper … yikes. Ron stuck his head in and said this was a bit of a beast, but we’d have fun. Okay… right. He ran through how to start it. I did. Holy Mother of God! Nothing I have ever sat in sounded or felt like a Lamborghini Huracán Spyder. I gave the pedal a little nudge – the response was like an angry bull charging behind us. That could be why the Lamborghini logo is such. Ron rolled. I used the paddle to bring the Huracán into first gear – we rolled. Holy shit. Ron quickly led us away from the Sunday New Hope traffic and along some very nice roads indeed. Some we were familiar with, others we were taking notes on. What started with slight panic quickly morphed into a confident “I got this!” My inner Michael Delany coming forward and taking me over like a Goa’uld. I think my eyes began to glow too. Soon I was moving down perfect country lanes, on a perfect fall day, with
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the perfect (and very generous) wife next to me driving… driving a freaking Lamborghini! Somehow I would find myself falling back a bit and ‘have to’ punch the Huracán into minor warp speed. Ron was well aware of how we all thought we were getting away with something when this happens and he’d tell us all ‘this is a great road to open them up’ – as well as ‘this road is really rough, don’t dent my wheels’. At one point we were to go over a bridge and railroad tracks. My job was to slow the Lambo down and throw the switch to raise the front end – so as not to tear off the Lambo’s, I would think, very expensive front end. Seconds later we were moving at speed again. Every time I throttled it up the Huracán would answer with a deep throaty rumble. This car takes just 3 seconds to hit a mile a minute and all that power is right behind you – shifting hits you under the butt and through your soul. Shira was looking at me and laughing so hard. Rolling past kids on lawns, they would run up shouting and waving. Bicyclists and motorcycle riders waved. The state trooper? He just stared as we all went by at a good pace. My, my, my – so this was what it felt like to be one of those F’n guys! But all good things… We pulled into a lot and moved to our third car – something Shira really wanted to drive - the Bentley GTC. She took the wheel. If this were a fairy tale – the Bentley would be the beauty to the Lambo’s beast. Powered by a 516 horsepower V-12 this car is, well, it is stunning. Smooth, powerful and elegant. Shira smiled and turned on the massagers in the seat, along with the gentle warm air coming from the
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vent behind her neck to take the chill off the October air. I put on the radio and Pharrell Williams Happy came on. How perfect was this as we followed the bright orange beast down the road – with a Ferrari, an Alpha Romero and Vette right behind us. Yes, well the world is ‘happy’ when you are driving a quarter of a million dollars of British steel, leather, and horsepower. Far too soon for Shira’s liking, we pulled along a long lake. Picnickers and motorcyclists around the park all stopped and stared. Can you blame them? I could not. I was still staring too.
It was time for finesse and the car I really came to drive. The Ferrari 458 Spider looked like the Mach 5 to me. 570 HP, finely tuned suspension – it is the last of the normally aspirated Ferraris. None will ever sound or feel quite like this car. Yet, it is smooth… silky smooth. Steering was in another world of precision. The car was velcroed to the pavement. Although it lacked the visceral grunt of the Lambo – it more than made up for that by being a car you could drive all day long and still be noticed, but not have the cops waiting for you. Driving the Ferrari 458 Spider I felt like a surgeon with a scalpel. Where, with the Lamborghini Huracán Spyder, I felt more like Negan with a nail strewn baseball bat named Lucille. But both were fun in their own way.
This all started when I sat in a Ferrari at a car show last May and told Shira I had never even sat in one before. Now here we were. I could get used to this. Really – I could. Okay, it would not be a real Backroads ride without me taking a wrong turn – which I did. The truth was I found myself suddenly a bit behind (again?) and had, had to, accelerate in a brisk and Marenello-way. Our group went to the left, there was some quickly approaching right-of-way traffic and, well rather than try the classic and deadly left turn and make the news that night, I opted to bear right – thankfully followed by the Alpha. The radios instantly squawked, we squawked back that we would circle around. It was fun turning around in an old stone churchyard, since neither Stan in the other car nor I knew where reverse was in these cars. Soon we were reunited with the group and heading back towards the Delaware River for one last car swap. I talked Shira into driving the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider (car manufacturers love this name). I did not have to talk her into all that much. She
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
slid her butt into the driver’s seat and I kinda fell into the passenger seat. The 4C Spider is a tiny car, built by tiny people. It has a tiny 1.7, 4-cylinder engine. But, do not let this fool you. It is gorgeously crafted and offers drivers superb all-around performance with 237 horsepower and 258 ft. lb. of torque, powering the 4C from 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 160 mph. It has go-cart handling and, unlike the other cars, you have to drive this automobile. This is not for beginners. Shira is not a beginner.
By this time, it was getting later in the day. The group’s confidence level had soared and we headed back into New Jersey and then onto a good distance of Interstate. This is where it got a bit silly, but in that wonderful, “holy shit that was fun” sort of way. At one point Shira thought of passing the Ferrari. I was yelling at her to take it, but she didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I told her who cares? We’ll never see them again – and to take the Ferrari! She accelerated the Alfa forward, almost drafting its Italian brother, just to show she could have. But driving on a New Jersey road outside of Trenton and right past the state capital building at triple-digit speeds can be both foolish and highly frowned upon. Bob Dylan sang - “In Jersey, everything’s legal, as long as you don’t get caught.” Ain’t that the truth?
God, that was a lot of fun and there was not one of us who did not have that ‘cat that ate the canary’ look when we rolled past the giant statues of Grounds for Sculpture and back into the parking lot of the old brick factory building and the home of Legendary Exotics. Legendary Exotics offer several different driving options, including our Covered Bridge Tour, a Shore Drive, and a Tunnel Run offering two cars over one hour – which is a bit less expensive and is certainly a quick fix for those who want to say they spent the day driving something very special. They also offer gift certificates for that very special someone. You can give them a call or visit their website
844-396-8421• legendaryexoticsnj.com. Remember… Ciò che è nello specchio non ha più importanza! ,
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
EVENT RECAP
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AMERICAN FLAT TRACK SERIES FINALE AT THE MEADOWLANDS
For the second year, the American Flat Track series wrapped up the season as the Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile was back in the Garden State in the shadows of midtown Manhattan. Was this going to be another anticlimactic final round, with the top three positions In the AFT Twins by Vance & Hines championship decided at the previous round in Minnesota? The AFT Singles and AFT Production Twins champions had yet to be crowned so two of three series championships would be decided at the close of the season. This year however, it was the track itself that was the center of attention. On a balmy late September afternoon, with the NYC skyline as a backdrop, practice and qualifying sessions got underway but were interrupted due to track conditions. After each afternoon session, Race and Meadowlands officials were out inspecting and regrading the track. Turn 1 received significant attention. Each time the riders completed a lap, they found the center of the track entering Turn 1 very rough causing bikes to get pitched off line and resulting in some near crashes. During AFT Singles Semi #1, a 3-rider crash entering Turn 2 delayed the schedule for some time. Dallas Daniels bumped KTM Factory rider Shayna Texter and the two collected Oliver Brindley. Texter was able to ride away but was injured. Daniels was checked out trackside and seemed to be ok. Oliver Brindley however, was not so lucky. Brindley remained motionless on the track and was taken to the hospital in critical condition. After a long delay and more track corrections, the riders met with officials, presumably to discuss conditions and whether or not to continue racing. The reason for the riders’ meeting was never revealed, so this is speculation on my part.
The AFT Singles Main featured Husqvarna rider Dalton Gauthier leading the championship into the final round. As the race started the riders settled in to a tight group. At the front KTM Rider Dan Bromley, Honda rider Mike Rush and Yamaha rider Ryan Wells began a three-way battle for the lead. Gauthier was well behind, riding a conservative race trying to protect his points lead. KTM’s Shayna Texter exited the race early feeling the effects of the crash during the Semi race. In the end it was Honda’s Mike Rush who won the final. Gauthier finished a distant 14th but it was enough for him to take the 2019 Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys championship The AFT Twins series championship was already decided with #14 Briar
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
Bauman taking the series championship in Milwaukee. Reigning Champion Jared Mees finishing second in the points and Bronson Bauman was third in the championship. The AFT Twins Main would be run in a shortened 8-lap sprint. The 12,000 fans voiced their disappointment when this was announced. Given the series championship was over and the deteriorating track conditions this was likely the right decision for the riders.
When the green flag dropped, 2018 Champion and Indian rider Jared Mees claimed the lead heading into the first turn. He would put some distance between himself and the rest of the pack and led the race to the finish. Being a shortened 8 lap main, there simply was not enough time for anyone to catch him. This was his eighth victory and he went six for six on the mile long tracks for the season.
Finishing second was Kawasaki rider Bryan Smith. Behind the first two finishers was Indian rider Bronson Bauman. Overall Indian swept the first three positions in the Championship extending Indian’s domination of the Twins Class. Even though the Twins Main was shortened, I do hope the series returns to NJ next year. Overall the event was entertaining, the racing was compelling and the crowd was engaged. The Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys Meadowlands Mile is a welcome autumn evening racing event. What better way to spend your time than watching motorcycle racing under the lights in the shadows of the Big Apple! You can see the upcoming schedule at www.americanflattrack.com. ~ Tony Lisanti
Done with your BACKROADS? Share it with another motorcyclist. MORE READERS, READING MORE!
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS AND REVIEWS CTEK CTX BATTERY SENSE Nothing can be more startling and sobering than getting up one morning, a few hundred miles from home and going to start your bike and getting… zilch, nada, nothing. Mortuus altilium. Dead battery. You might have had a feeling about it or this can and will come out of the blue. Your machine ran perfectly the previous day and gave no warning. But, today… You are now in search of a charger, new battery or, in the worst case, a tow. Now you can keep an eye on your motorcycle’s battery with this unique Bluetooth-enabled smart tracking device. It’s easy to install and data is delivered through a free download iPhone or Android app. CTX Battery Sense is a Bluetooth enabled, smart battery management tool. It’ll help you prevent vehicle breakdowns and maximize the performance of your battery by giving you valuable, easy to understand information about the state of your battery’s charge. Installation is as easy as hooking the Battery Sense unit to your own battery and tucking away the unit. You then download the free app, connect the Battery Sense Monitor and follow the in-app instructions and your mobile phone will give you data 24/7. You can even sync multiple monitors to your phone for a complete battery management system. And if your battery’s charge falls to a critical level, CTX Battery Sense will tell you when it’s time to reach for your CTEK battery charger. This is one of the best Bluetooth application we have seen in a while and is a no-brainer if you are on the road for extended periods of time or just for your day-to-day riding. The retail price of the Battery Sense is $63.99. It is available at www.smartercharger.com or on Amazon.
BITZBLADE 2.0 • COMPACT, DURABLE AND SUPERIOR With a motorcycle’s limited space, you have to be able to justify the size and weight of everything you take along for the ride. Our thought is, even though we have a fairly large tool bag with us, we like the idea of having something readily handy for quick fixes. Something that can easily slip into a tank bag or a pocket.
Finding a multi-tool that can do as much as the Brooklyn, New York-based Statgear’s BITZBLADE 2.0 was a great find. The highlight is its three major interchangeable modules. The first is a knife blade. Unlike the knives found in most multitools, the one on the BitzBlade 2.0 is not at all an afterthought. It’s made of
440C stainless steel, which is excellent for edge sharpness and retention. The second is a dedicated utility box cutter and scraper blade made to tackle more regular use, and its 440 stainless steel is easier to sharpen too. And then it has a combination pry bar, hex wrench, and bottle opener. It features a strong LED flashlight and a window breaker as well as 9 different drives. All this has been built into a sleek, pen-like design and it all tucks into a compact nylon pack that can be belt worn if needed. At $89 this is not a cheap little tool. But, its quality is very impressive as is all the thought that went into it. www.grommet.com
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
The Law Office of Paul G. Gargiulo Presents
Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival THE 3 S’S TO SURVIVAL Don Gomo • www.motorcyclesafetyprogram.org Lately there have been reports throughout the country that indicates motorcycle crashes are once again on the rise. This can be for many reasons that can include the upswing of the economy with more people returning to riding having some “disposable” income for motorcycles; or the fact the average age of motorcyclists is increasing and the complications of risks associated with age; or perhaps we as a community have become a bit complacent. There is probably a ton more reasons or possibilities, but the good thing is there is something we can do to help stop this upsurge of crash numbers and protect ourselves. As much as we always need to watch out for the “other guy,” there are plenty of statistics that indicate we as a motorcycling community are to blame for a lot more crashes that we’d like to believe. Yes we need to always watch out for the other guy, but we definitely need to check ourselves first and the numbers show that. We are the ones that need to take the first step in reducing those statistics. We seem to give up too much control to others for situations where we should really be taking control of our own actions and outcomes. One of our primary roots for presentations is the 3 S’s to Survival, which includes Strategy, Skills & Safety Gear. Here’s a quick breakdown of each:
Strategy - We need to have a strategy with our riding that includes a large amount of information. We always need to consider factors of traffic, road conditions, weather/environmental conditions, the capabilities of our bike plus our capabilities to constantly adjust for situations; keeping in mind that we are moving and situations can change as quickly as we roll. Training our
brain to recognize all the available information surrounding us that we can use to prevent a developing scenario is key. Identifying key elements is important and will help us make the adjustments needed. Not every situation needs to have an emergency action; lane positioning, slight deceleration, lane switch, covering controls or proper set up for a road condition can make a major difference with many possible conflicts or issues. Reading the road and every bit of information it offers could make a world of difference. Development and continued use of situational awareness is a major key. Skills - We have discussed skills and the need to constantly practice and improve them numerous times. Though many may consider the mental processing associated with your riding strategy a top priority, having the proper skills to make those adjustments is just as important. We need to honestly self assess where our skills lie, as I have stated many times before - experi-
ence is not the same as skills. A person with 20 years of riding can easily fall into the category of having one-year experience that was repeated for twenty years with no real improvement of skills. I recognized this is a tough one to swallow, but most of us can become more proficient riders with proper education. Safety gear - Some folks may state that if you need to use your safety gear to protect yourself in a crash, there is a good chance you failed at properly applying the first two S’s. Motorcycle riding gear is designed to fit and protect you to the best of its abilities. With the advancement of technology, you can find riding gear for any type of condition or weather you may encounter, plus a lot of gear is designed for a multitude of options and conditions. I very rarely discuss helmets knowing that a lot of folks live in states
BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2020 where they are not required or are firm believers in not wearing one. I understand the freedom of choice, yet just ask folks to make their decision to not wear a helmet based on accurate information. There are a lot of falsehoods associated with helmet protection. Helmets do work effectively for the conditions for which they are designed. Take the time to find reputable sources to review the correct information on which to base your decision; not just that it looks cool and don’t trust everything you read on the internet. Head injuries are the number one reason for fatalities with motorcycle crashes, and yes a percentage of them do include helmeted riders. Taking the steps to study and adhere to the information for the 3 S’s can help prevent a possible crash or worse. Yes we always have to keep in mind that other guy, but when it comes to sharing the road we have a responsibility too; maybe even more if we want to start reducing those rising numbers. Take back the control of situations and don’t let others dictate any possible results. Be Safe & Skilled out there.
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FEBRUARY 2020 • BACKROADS
UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR
What’s Happening
FEBRUARY 2020
SEPTEMBER 2020
7-8 • Hannum's Harley-Davidson presents their 65th Anniversary Celebration. Friday night sock hop, live music, food & beverages, hula hoop & limbo contest, 1950s bike display and so much more. 1011 West Baltimore Pike, Media, PA • 610-566-5562 • www.hannumshd.com
7-10 • Rolling Thru Virginia. Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway, moutain ridges, scenic valleys and so many other great roads in this incredible region. For full details, cost and registration visit rollingthruamerica.com or call 518-798-7888
16 • Backroads' Scholar Day @ Motorcyclepedia Museum, 250 Lake St., Newburgh, NY. 10am-3pm • Spend a day exploring one of the greatest moto-museums in the nation then sit in on some educational seminars from tooling to travel. $15/pp includes entrance to the museum and all seminars. For info: email Backroads.
MARCH 2020 6-7 • 10th Annual The Modern Classics 2020. Martin Moto's widely acclaimed annual tribute to the great motorcycles of the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s. For 2020, the spotlight will be on the great machines of the 1980s. 100 bikes of all brands 'by invitation only' will be staged in the spacious Martin Moto showroom in Boyertown, PA. Friday, March 6: The Kickstart Party 7-10pm $20/pp with online purchase only. Saturday, March 7: The Modern Classics 9am-5pm $10 at the door. 567 Route 100 North, Boyertown, PA • 610-369-3120 • For more info visit modernclassicsbikeshow.com 6-15 • 79th Annual Daytona Bike Week, Daytona Beach, FL • Escape the northern winter and have some fun • www.officialbikeweek.com
APRIL 2020 4-5 • 31st Toronto International Spring Motorcycle Show, International Centre, Toronto, Canada • 905-771-0132 • www.motorcyclespringshow.com 24-25 • Antique Motorcycle Club of America Perkiomen Chapter National Meet, Oley Fairgrounds, 26 Jefferson St, Oley, PA • 610-948-4553. No entrance fee/$5 parking. 23-26 • Horizons Unlimited, Appomattox, VA. For everyone who dreams of adventure along the road less travelled. Join hundreds of like-minded riders and discover the thrills of overland travel. Informative technical workshops on everything from tires to GPS to border crossings. Inspirational, amazing and often hilarious tales from the road, exhibitors and comaraderie. Details @ www.horizonsunlimited.com/virginia. 26 • Celtic MCC Spring Poker Run • celticmcc.com
MAY 2020 9-20 • Backroads 25th Anniversary Ride with IMTBike on their Best of Portugal Tour. Find out more at www.imtbike.com or call us at 973-948-4176. 15-17 • Morton’s BMW 10th and FINAL Spring Fling. A weekend of great roads, good food, awesome riding and terrific company, all at the historic and scenic Natural Bridge Hotel. Rally fee includes vendors, door prizes, route sheets, scavenger hunt poker run, Friday brats & brews dinner, Saturday catered dinner and guest presentation by the incomparable Elspeth Beard. Don’t wait! Register now www.mortonsbmw.com. For questions call 540-891-9844.
16-20 • Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival, The Blackthorne Resort, East Durham, NY.A great weekend of motorcycle fun with rodeo games, wall of death, stunt jumpers, large vendor expo, bike show and builders, live music and more. Full details www.catskillmountainthunder.com. 21-22 • CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway for two days of exceptional learning and riding fun. Join the crew from Backroads as we ramp up our riding skills and enjoy the beauty of VIR. Complete details and registration www.classrides.com 21-24 • Rolling Thru Finger Lakes #3. Explore the hidden gems of the Finger Lakes Region and Central New York. For full details, cost and registration visit rollingthruamerica.com or call 518-798-7888 20-23 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com 27 • Distiguished Gentleman’s Ride • www.gentlemansride.com 30-Oct. 4 • The Race of Gentlemen, Wildwood, NJ • www.theraceofgentlemen.com
OCTOBER 2020 9-12 • Backroads Run to the Chincoteague Oyster Festival. Join us for this always fun time with 5 hours of everything oyster, hot dogs and more. The music of Island Boy will have you up and dancing. We’ll be at the Waterside Inn for 3 nights. ROOMS AND TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW but will certainly sell out so call now (there is no block of rooms for Backroads - first come, first served). Get your tickets online. More info @ www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html
2020 POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR SCHEDULE It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these rides. There is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride and join other folks feel free to attend. Polar Bear cancellations & updates will be sent via email and also posted on the website. These are general directions. Please feel free to use a GPS or a map to find a better route. Sign-in is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. unless otherwise posted. Check the New Member page for general information.
FEBRUARY 2020 2 • The Franklin House Tavern, 101 North Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA • 717949-2122 • franklinhousetavern.com 9 • Hooters, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ • 973-837-1876 • www.hootersnj.com
16-17 • New Sweden BMW Riders of South Jersey NS450. 2-day, 450 mile ride through NJ, PA, DE and NY. Sign in: 8:30-10am @ Cycle Gear, 2070 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill NJ. THIS IS NOT A GROUP RIDE. Donuts and coffee at sign in, free camping, great dinner on Saturday night and hearty breakfast Sunday morning, 50/50 drawing, door prizes and finishing patch. Route sheets provided at start, GPS download available donations accepted. Endsite: Sunday, May 17 @ PJ Whelihans, 1854 Rte. 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ. • www • 450.nsbmwr.com
16 • Pub 199, 199 Howard Blvd, Mount Arlington, NJ • 973-398-7454 • pub199nj.com
25 • Tony's Track Days sponsored by Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training NonSportbike Day, Palmer, MA. Includes classroom sessions with Ken Condon and track time. This is not about 'how to ride' but 'how to ride better.' For full details and registration visit www.tonystrackdays.com.
15 • Brian’s Harley-Davidson, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA • 215-752-9400 www.brianshd.com
JUNE 2020 1-6 • Americade, Lake George, NY. Largest touring rally in the USA - scenic rides, vendor expo, seminars and so much more. www.americade.com
23 • Lighthouse Tavern, 397 Rte 9 Waretown, NJ • 609-693-3150 lighthousetavern.com
MARCH 2020 1 • Long Valley Pub & Brewery, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ • 908-876-1122 • restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com/long-valley-pub-and-brewery/ 8 • Bahrs Landing, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ • www.bahrslandingnj.com
22 • The Hickory BBQ Smokehouse, 743 Route 28, Kingston, NY • 845-338-2424 www.hickoryrestaurant.com 29 • Plumsted Grill, 457 Rte. 539, Cream Ridge, NJ • 609-758-5552 www.theplumstedgrill.com
APRIL 2020
5-7 • Babes Ride Out East, Narrowsburg NY. Tickets available at babesrideout.com
5 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, NJ • 609-884-7961
13-16 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com
18 • END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn starting @ 11:30 AM. Cost to Members: $6.00 per person. There will be salad, Wings, Beef, rolls, and lemonade, plus a cash bar. You must get an arm band from your flight leader.
11-24 • Backroads Grand Tour. Full details on next page and Backroads Rally website 13-21 • 97th Annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. World's Oldest Motorcycle Rally. Visit their extensive website for full details: www.laconiamcweek.com 24-27 • Johnstown PA 23rd Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally. All Bikes Welcome! Parades, vendors, entertainment, manufacturers and demo rides are all part of this great 4-day motorcycle festival. Info: www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunder-valley.
JULY 2020 18-19 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club’s 44th Ramapo 500. Details to be found on their website: ramapomc.org 20 • Tony's Track Days sponsored by Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training NonSportbike Day, Palmer, MA. Includes classroom sessions with Ken Condon and track time. This is not about 'how to ride' but 'how to ride better.' For full details and registration visit www.tonystrackdays.com. 24-26 • SAVE THE DATE - Another Backroads’ Weekend Escape in the making. TBD
AUGUST 2020 9-12 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com 28-30 • SAVE THE DATE - Backroads’ Weekend Escape to the Catskills. TBD