April 2024

WHAT’S

Publishers Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers, Ken Condon, Tony Lisanti

Dr. Seymour O’Life

Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2024. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without speci c 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 suf cient 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.

FREE WHEELIN

The hook

I think some people and things have a recognizable feature, characteristic or, I call it, a “Hook.”

The Hook can be many things. Musicians can have a Hook. If four guitarists play four separate bits of music, and three of them are Santana, Knopfler, and Clapton I think I could tell who is who.

The fourth guitarist is me and I have no Hook, no notoriety here.

At one time Chicago’s three horn players could hit a note and I’d know it. I bet there are hundreds of great makers of music that can be identified by a Hook.

Then there are cars and bikes.

A 5.0 Ford Mustang V-8 has its own tone, as do Ducatis and Harley-Davidsons. BMW R-bikes also have a familiar tone, but it can easily be confused with a Singer sewing machine. Hey, I have one so I can say that.

I bet you can name a bike riding past your home just by the sound.

Just by the Hook.

BRIAN RATHJEN

Consider Halloween; a long black cape and a bad European accent – Dracula. Bolts out of the neck? Frankenstein’s monster. Not to be seen at all? Obviously, the Invisible Man.

But like Clark Kent without the cape and Batman without the cowl – well, you have Clark and Bruce walking down the street – maybe holding hands as it is okay, and I ain’t here to judge.

So what’s your point, Brian? What’s your Hook? Okay, I am getting to it…I had to fill three or four hundred words first. You might call that ‘padding.” I call it deeper embellishment.

For me, the hood scoop on a Subaru WRX can be seen a mile away, and the STi Wing sets it even further apart from other Turbo Japanese offerings. There are hooks found all over the world…

No one confuses seeing the Statue of Liberty with Los Angeles, Stonehenge with Tokyo, or the Eiffel Tower with Des Moines. Hooks spread through our culture.

I was having lunch with Fred & Cherrie Rau a bit back and we were talking about Americade, and how Fred was such a staple of this great touring rally. Fred stated there were times he could not even stroll across the parking lot at Roaring Brook Ranch without being stopped for a photo, an autograph, and just for a friendly hello.

But, knowing his own Hook, he took off the all-too-familiar cowboy hat and spent a few hours strolling around the Expo – barely noticed.

Our friend Clement Salvadori also has his version of the Hook. The famed Salvadori beret. I can remember just a very few times I have seen Clem without the beret atop his noggin’. This is a brim of iconic status. For those of you who are curious – Clement does buy his berets exclusively from one haberdashery - John Helmer, in Portland, Oregon - Johnhemler.com.

The Rau’s agreed and Cherrie commented that I should have gotten a Hook like a hat or something decades ago. You know? She was right. I have wast-

Continued on Page 7

WHATCHATHINKIN’

Full STeam ahead

Everyone has their own way of keeping track of things. My father had a desk blotter with a large calendar in his ‘home office’ which also served as the TV room and my bedroom throughout my life. This calendar was covered in what looked like scribbles but were very meticulous dates and appointments. My mother had a book calendar which was jammed with scraps of paper, postits, receipts and bills, held together with a rubber band. Or it could have been her address/phone book, as the two were interchangeable. When we started Backroads, we had a wall calendar showing our production schedule, travel plans, show dates and such. I think we morphed to a white erase board at some point. Then, as technology advanced, we began keeping electronic calendars which popped up on our computers, alerting us to deadlines, upcoming travels plans, birthdays, national holidays, fake holidays and just about anything that could possibly come about on a consistent basis. And even more intrusive are the constant alarms and alerts on

our phones for every little thing that may be going on in our lives. While I certainly take advantage of these reminders and settings, I like to have things at my fingertips without poking about with my fingertips. We have always kept our very old and hole-riddled cork board, which hangs over my shoulder, behind my desk. Throughout the year, it varies with thickness of papers push-pinned in a somewhat orderly arrangement –at least chronologically. This time of year, we hope that it is brimming with reminders of the plans we’ve been busy making throughout the winter, one by one taken down as the year goes by. 2024 is starting off with a bang, with nary a piece of cork left on which to tack up a new memo.

This makes me very happy.

So, what’s filling our days and months in the coming months? Let’s take a little peak, shall we?

The start of MotoGP, in Qatar, was March 8-9. As of this writing, I have no idea what the outcome was, but I do know that this season will be one to watch. And we plan to be doing just that in Austin, TX the weekend of April 13, hoping that the races bring excitement and perhaps some shakeups to the field.

Just a couple of weeks after that, we’ll be heading south to Virginia to attend the Horizons Unlimited gathering outside of Appomattox. For those not familiar, Horizons Unlimited is aimed towards those seeking ‘overland adventure’ - self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal, taking the road less travelled. (Hmm, sounds like some of our Backroads routes.) During these three days, there are presentations, vendors and much camaraderie, in addition to the chance of exploring this area rich in history and some great riding.

www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/virginia-2024 Skipping forward another couple of weeks sees us heading out on the Backroads Spring Break. You may have thought we were done, but somehow we just keep jumping back in. This time around will be a nice long weekend spent in Hancock, NY and Williamsport, PA, enjoying some routes put forth by you guys and gals as well as the company of friends, old and new. If you haven’t joined us before, take the plunge and give it a shot. As we like to say, ‘What could happen?’ backroadsusa.com/backroads-events

June, Brian and I will be heading out to continue our capture of Major League Baseball stadiums. So far we have 20 out of 30 ticked off our list, and this trip will have us visiting Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox with a return to Wrigley where the Mets will be playing the Cubs. This will be a win-win for me as they are my two favorite teams. During our time in Detroit we’ll take in the Henry Ford Museum, which has been on our list for some time as well.

July sees the return of an event that started many riders in the Backroads’ area on their overnights – the Ramapo 500. The Ramapo MC, founded in 1938, is putting

ON THE MARK

a TaleoF Two RideRS

I know two men. They are mid-sixties, educated, witty, and articulate. Both were motorcyclists, although one had vastly more experience: the first was a lifelong rider and the second a late bloomer, not getting into riding until his fifties. For the former, motorcycling was daily transportation and for the latter, a long-awaited pastime. Regrettably, neither still rides.

There aren’t many people with a quarter million miles on a 650, but my friend is one. He’s “been there, done that.” He rode flat-trackers, the fire-breathing bikes that require the rider to wear a steel plate on the bottom of his left shoe. He has been to the North Slope of Alaska and all over the United States, as his job required extensive travel and his employer didn’t care what mode he chose. One time he did an epic bike trip from here to the West Coast, hitting flooded roads in the Midwest and skating across snow in the Rockies. His flat-track skills served him well that day.

The other fella was a late entry, needing to get the kids raised before setting out on the motorcycling life. It was a journey beset by obstacles. Being smart, he recognized his limitations and rode a modest, cruiser-style bike on shorter jaunts. It was his aspiration, however, to extend his mileages following his retirement from a career where traveling for work wasn’t as motorcycle-friendly as the other fella’s. He had recently begun the process of expanding his exploration radius and was enjoying the freedom of being “in the wind.”

One day, the first guy was commuting, as he did almost every day in all kinds of weather, donning his well-worn Aerostich for the 20-mile trip home. As he rode in the left lane of two down a rural, divided highway, a car entered the road from the right side, abruptly came across both lanes, and took out his front wheel with the rear quarter panel. He believes the driver was texting. He and the bike went down and made the trip through the median and into oncoming lanes, which thankfully were not occupied. The well-worn metal bags protected the bike and the well-worn Cordura and quality helmet protected the rider and both survived with relatively little damage. He was able to get up, pick up the bike, and ride home.

The other rider was in a small SUV, returning at 9:30 PM from a meeting about 20 miles away. Eight miles out, a tractor-trailer driver going the opposite way decided to back his trailer into an unlit parking lot, leaving his trailer to block my friend’s lane. The tractor was partly over the centerline, so my friend slowed and moved to the right. Because of the bright lights of the tractor, my friend couldn’t see the trailer athwart his lane and he drove under the trailer, where he was trapped for the next 3 hours. Only the actions of surgeons dispatched by helicopter from the trauma center saved his life, but they could not save his left arm.

The lifelong rider did some soul-searching and, despite having a rideable machine and being miraculously unscathed, decided he has nothing left to prove. He made another ride around the area to ensure his decision wasn’t too hasty, but at the end was convinced that leaving the motorcycling life was the answer. He had just seen too many careless drivers, texting and doing everything BUT driving, and decided seeing his teen

daughter graduate was more important than continuing to ride.

The other rider would love to continue, but an arm amputated at the shoulder makes even a prosthetic a challenge. He is aware of automatic-transmission motorcycles and special controls, but given his relative inexperience, riding without an effective left arm may be more of a challenge than he’s ready to embrace. We’ve discussed three-wheeled machines (his knee was also broken and I’m as concerned about that as the arm). He’s a determined man, however, and he’s already amazed the medics with his recovery (he got out of rehab before they predicted he’d be out of ICU), so we shall see if his passion to continue can be safely melded with his capabilities.

“You pays your money and you takes your choice” is an old maxim. Sometimes, like the first rider, our choices are made by ourselves, but influenced by others. Sometimes, fate intervenes and forces certain paths upon us, like my other friend’s accident. Despite their different situations, each man was, and is, faced with a choice and no one but them can decide what is best. I told my first friend that I’d gladly meet him at any campground to which he’d like to travel by car. I told the second one that once his recovery progresses and if he still wants to try to be “in the wind,” that I will help him in any way I can. You never know when the old hunter, Fate, will find you and force you to make a decision. ,

BACKLASH

Modern Classics

Hello, nice list of bikes and I agree on most of them. For the honorable mention two bikes come to mind not on the list. One is the FJR1300 Yamaha. Re-invented sport touring over 20 years ago, ready to ride just the way it comes, bullet proof and runs on Regular, etc. The second is the first gen Yamaha FZ1. Sport bike for adults, smooth comfortable and fast. Voted worlds’ best street bike in 2004. Thanks for the nice article.

Sincerely,

Bryan Vamvas

Bryan,

We totally agree - the FJR1300 was a great machine – in every way. The FZ1 too. We have spent a lot of miles on the FJR! Thanks for the input!

Hello from sunny So-Cal‼️ Just read February 2024 cover to cover (as I ALWAYS do as soon as it’s out of the mailbox!) and enjoyed it all, especially Modern Classics. Transalp (along w/the Gold Wing) for some of us Honda fans is my one; like the V-Storm, they can do anything….

Jon S.

Brian,

I want to personally say a big THANK YOU to you and Shira, you’ve been the soul of the group during our MotoGP Tour with your exceptional friendliness and fun.

By the way, MotoGP looks pretty interesting this season!!

Big Hug to you and Shira from Barcelona!!

Sergi Besses – IMTBike

Very good review on the SCHUBERTH Helmets. I was just wondering how the visor is at highway speeds?

Andrew McCurry

Andy,

Did you mean buffeting or wind noise? The helmet is pretty quiet and I would guess the buffeting would depend on the fairing of the bike. I tend to ride with the visor down, so don’t have an issue.

Hi Brian and Shira,

One of the things I love about your magazine is the unlimited supply of well written articles on where to go (Big City Getaway), where to eat (Great American Diner Run), where to stay (We’re Outta Here) and what fascinating things are out there to see (Mysterious America). I also appreciate the marketing layout strategy of ad placements that coincide with the main category theme i.e. restaurant ads on page with GAADR or hotels on page with WOH. Although energizing and inspiring in so many ways, the entire monthly read of BackRoads makes me realize that I aspire to make a better effort to get out on two wheels much more often than I have been, because frankly, I’m falling behind with all the places you’ve encouraged me to visit! The backlog is incredible!!

Bill Denton

Yardley, PA • Lazarus CycleWorks

Backroads,

I’m look forward to Cars & Guitars this July. Last year I missed their event, and it looks fantastic.

I would love to do a BR Spring Break—I have to see all my dates – so much to do. We are forming a 4-day ride in Vermont we saw in some magazine called Backroads - I’m calling them today, and may sign a few of my knucklehead friends up, not to be confused with the term “knuckleheads” the governor of NJ calls the citizens.

I was reading Free Wheelin’ this morning, and it’s funny, my riding group this Sunday was talking about “The Golden Age of Motorcycles,” from the

70’s on… and how lucky we were to experience that. “On Any Sunday” is still my all-time favorite movie… secondto Le Mans.

Gary

Gary - Le Mans is my all-time favorite race film. It’s life, anything before or after is just waiting.

The Backroads Report!

Brian & Shira,

We have not received the emailed Backroads Report since October of 2023. If you are still sending it out, how do we arrange to receive it again. We do have the mag mailed to our house but enjoyed the Report very much also – thanks!

Jim Griggs

Good day Jim,

Odd, as we have never removed an address from this. Regardless – I have signed you on again, BUT you must acknowledge the email sent from our server.

Everybody can sign-up on our website!

Dear Backroads.

Along with agroup of friends, we take motorcycle trips from Ontario Canada to W Virginia, Tennessee, etc. every year via Buffalo NY. We have

FRee wheelin’

Continued from Page 3 ed all these years in obscurity. I thought a bit more about this and began to wallow in my self-pity and thinking of what could have been. A baseball cap? Nah, too ubiquitous. Maybe I should have gone for a Napoleonic Tricorne, or the Breaking Bad Pork Pie? A Panama, Top or Stove Pipe. The Bowler worked for John Steed, or how about; wait a minute…! What was I thinking?!

I did have the hook… a nice red-headed Hook. People never recognize me, but when they see Shira then they spot me, and then they say, “Hey, it’s Shira… and Brian!”

Holy crap… Shira has been my Hook all along. Who knew? Not me.

I told Fred and Cherrie this and they burst out laughing… and they agreed about people seeing her… and then me.

I might as well change my name to Griffin. I thought it funny, and unlike a hat or beret, I cannot simply hang my Hook in the closet…well, I could but then the police would get involved. Again.

Okay, let’s keep all this under our hats. ,

whaTchaThinkin’ Continued from Page 4 on the 44th 500, bringing riders over 250 miles, each day, with a night of camping, dinner and a lengthy list of awards. You can find more information here: ramapomc.org.

There are always other random events, rides and goings-on that fill in the rest of the calendar, with papers coming and going off the corkboard. I hope that your calendar is just as full as we full steam ahead into the warmer weather and longer days of 2024. ,

Freeman maps to plan twisty road trips when south of Pennsylvania and Ohio. But there are no good backroads maps north of the border with Ohio /Kentucky and Pennsylvania/ West Virginia.

Are there any maps or routes that you could recommend?

Many thanks

Richard Whiteley

Hi Richard,

Although I have my Manually Acquired Positioning Systems (paper maps) with me all the time, I usually start with a simple Google map these days and then, when I have an area I know I will be in, I switch to Garmin BaseCamp (always with the current maps) and get in close.

Some things we know are almost universally true - Twisty roads that are not main routes, and are following the natural lay of the land - valleys, rivers, mountains and the like – almost always work out well. Especially smaller rivers. We try to swing through semi-larger towns for maybe lunch or fuel too.

Northern Kentucky is an awesome place to ride – hard to go wrong. There are a number of roads that run, more or less, along the Ohio River; and if you look south from the river ANY of those squiggly lines is going to be so much fun.

BACKROADS’ NOTSO HAPPY SUES MOTOGP

Backroads’ sidekick and International Man of Mystery Notso Happy has filed a Class Action Legal Suit against MotoGP and World Superbike for Identity Theft, Fraud and General Not Giving a Crap.

Happy’s famed cowboy attorney Pepe T. Monkey, of Weill Shoot, Hugh, Wereso & Serious MWAG Branch stated…

“My client has been wronged each and every week. Each time a microphone comes in front of one of these racers they claim to be Happy. You see it time and again. The mic comes out, the camera goes on and some punky racerboy says, in a badly European-accented American, ‘I’ma Hap-

py. It wasaa a great a race-a, and I’ma so Happy. The weather wassa bad, but I’ma still very Happy.’

My client is seeking $1 dollar (American, not Euros please!) for each time a MotoGP or World Superbike racer claims or has claimed he is Happy; and we want it retroactive for the last decade! According to our accountants, and they can be trusted, trust me… they owe us about 1.3 million dollars!” See ya at the races!

ACRASH COURSEFORTHE MOTORCYCLIST

MotoVermont HQ, Milton, VT • April 6, 2024

Will you knowhow to help your fellowrider immediatelyfollowing a motorcycle accident? The first 5-30 minutes after a motorcycle crash are critical.Learn how and what youcan do to help.

MotoVermont is pleased to host Dr. Lee Morrisette and the Road Guardians of America for this life-saving course. “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist,” an Accident Scene Management class that teaches bystanders to become the bridge between the time of an incident and the arrival of trained professionals. This training has been credited with reducing injuries and fatalities not only in motorcycle crashes, but any real-world accident where rescue professionals are some distance away. Coffee, refreshments and a homemade lunch will be served. For more info or to sign up email info@ motovermont.com or call 802-860-6686

ATGATT MANDATORYIN SPAIN

The Spanish government is tightening regulations when it comes to not just helmets, but gear in general. Spain’s Ministry of the Interior (MIR), a government department responsible for public security, disclosed statistics that show a notable spike in motorcycle-related deaths in 2023. In total, 286 individuals unfortunately lost their lives in motorcycle-related accidents along Spain’s national roads. Out of the 286, eight of them involved riders

who weren’t wearing helmets.

As such, the Spanish government is currently advocating the mandatory use of either full-face or modular helmets in a bid to improve rider safety. This means that the use of open-face helmets such as three-quarter helmets or jet helmets in Spain are now on borrowed time. On top of that, it was also reported that the use of motorcycle-approved gloves will also be mandated in Spain. It’s worth noting, however, that as of this writing, there’s no specified timeline regarding the implementation of the new mandate.

ANN-MARGRET, 82, STILLRIDESHER HARLEY-DAVIDSON

At age 82, Ann-Margret is living life in the fast lane.

The “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Viva Las Vegas” actress was recently at the Women’s Image Network’s 25th Women’s Image Awards in Beverly Hills, where she revealed one thing that keeps her young — a Harley-Davidson.

“It’s lavender, and it’s got white daisies all over it,” the star gushed to People magazine. “There [are] flowers on the back fender and the front fender. … I love speed. Not the drug. The speed, being in the elements, the wind and the rain, the sleet and hail – oh gosh, I get very excited when I even talk

about it. … Today, I’ve got this incredible Harley-Davidson motorcycle. It’s very funny when you see it parked next to all the other bikes. It’s lavender with daisies. It’s quite unique.”

Normally we’d ignore “celebrity” stories – but hey…it’s Ann-Margret!

WE THINK NOT…

What part of Consumer-Driven do they not get?

The Biden administration is planning to give carmakers more time to ramp up sales of electric vehicles amidweak demand for EVs, according to a report by the New York Times.The relaxed rule is part of a pending regulation that limits tailpipe emissions that will soon be finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency. Under the EPA proposal submitted for review to the White House Office of Management and Budget, about 67 percent of new car sales — including sedans, crossovers, SUVs and light trucks — would be required to be electric by 2032, a dramatic increase from over 7 percent in 2023. It would also require up to 50 percent of buses and garbage trucks, 35 percent of shorthaul freight tractors and 25 percent of long-haul freight tractor purchases to be electric. ,

The Slocum diSaSTeR eaST RiveR, new YoRk ciTY

Unless you are a huge follower of our nation’s Civil War, you might never have heard of Henry Warner Slocum Sr. (September 24, 1827 – April 14, 1894). Slocum was aUniongeneral during theAmerican Civil War,and years later served in theUnited States House of RepresentativesfromNew York. During the war, he was one of the youngest major generalsin the Army and fought atFirst Bull Run, thePeninsula Campaign,Harpers Ferry,South Mountain,Antietam, andChancellorsville.

After he left the Army, he was a dedicated New Yorker and was a congressman for the state. He loved New York City and was deeply involved in the growth of the metropolis. In 1875, Slocum launched a campaign for civil service reform in the city of Brooklyn. He advocated for the hiring of qualified representatives rather than political appointments.

Slocum was appointed Commissioner of the Department of City Works of Brooklyn, New York in 1876 and was involved in many civic improvements, from surface transportation to the Brooklyn Bridge; and was an early advo-

cate for the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, which would link Brooklyn to Manhattan. Slocum’s name is prominent on a bronze tablet that is located on one of the bridge’s towers.

Years later a Steamship was named after him. It is a shame that after a stellar life and his death that his name would be forever linked with the worst disaster in New York’s history for almost 100 years; until September 11th.

The Worst Disaster in American History

The General Slocum was a triple-decker, sidewheel boat built in 1891. Each wheel had 26 paddles and was 31 feet in diameter. Her maximum speed was about 16 knots, about 30 mph. The General Slocum was made of white oak, locust, and yellow pine and licensed to carry 2,500 passengers. The ship carried that many life preservers, and just a month before a fire inspector had deemed its fire equipment to be in “fine working order.” They were not. Not at all.

It was, by all accounts, a glorious Wednesday morning on June 15, 1904. Just after 9 o’clock, a group from St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on 6thStreet, mostly women and children, boarded theGeneral Slocum for their annual end-of-school outing. Bounding aboard what was billed as the “largest and most splendid excursion steamer in New York,” the children, dressed in their Sunday school outfits, shouted and waved flags as the adults followed, carrying picnic baskets for what was to be a long day away.

A German band played on deck while the children romped and the adults sang along, waiting to depart. Including crew and catering staff, there were about 1,350 aboard General Slocum as it steamed up the East River at 15 knots toward Long Island Sound, headed for Locust Grove, a picnic ground on Long Island’s North Shore, about two hours away.

As the ship reached 97thStreet, some of the crew on the lower deck saw puffs of smoke rising through the wooden floorboards and ran below to the second cabin. But the men had never conducted any fire drills, and when they turned the ship’s fire hoses onto the flames, the rotten hoses burst. Rushing back above deck, they

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

told Captain Van Schaick that they had encountered a “blaze that could not be conquered.” It was “like trying to put out hell itself.”

Onlookers in Manhattan, seeing the flames, shouted for the captain to dock immediately. Instead, Van Shaick made a run for North Brother Island, a mile away, hoping to beach the Slocum sideways so everyone would have a chance to get off. The ship’s speed, coupled with a fresh north wind, fanned the flames. Mothers began screaming for their children as passengers panicked on deck. As fire enveloped theSlocum, hundreds of passengers hurled themselves overboard, even though many could not swim. The crew distributed life jackets, but they too were rotten. Boats sped to the scene and pulled a few passengers to safety, but mostly they encountered children’s corpses bobbing in the currents along the tidal strait known as Hell Gate. One newspaper described it as “a spectacle of horror beyond words to express—a great vessel all in flames, sweeping forward in the sunlight, within sight of the crowded city, while her helpless, screaming hundreds were roasted alive or swallowed up in waves.”

At Riverside Hospital on North Brother Island, the island’s fire whistle blew and dozens of rescuers moved to the shore. Captain Van Schaick, his feet blistering from the heat below, managed to ground the Slocumsideways about 25 feet from shore. Rescuers swam to the ship and pulled survi-

vors to safety. Nurses threw debris for passengers to cling to while others tossed ropes and life preservers. Some nurses dove into the water themselves and pulled badly burned passengers to safety. Still, the heat from the flames made it impossible to get close enough as the Slocumbecame engulfed from stem to stem. Within an hour, 150 bodies were stretched out on blankets covering the lawn and sands of North Brother Island. Most of them were women.

Van Shaick was believed to be the last person off the Slocum when he jumped into the water and swam for shore, blinded and crippled. He would face criminal charges for his ship’s unpreparedness and be sentenced to 10 years in prison; he served four when he was pardoned by President William Howard Taft on Christmas Day, 1912.

The death toll of 1,021, most of them women and children, made the burning of theSlocumNew York City’s worst disaster until the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The fire was believed to have been touched off by a carelessly tossed match or cigarette that ignited a barrel of packing hay below deck.

There are two memorials dedicated to the General Slocum Disaster - The first can be found within the old Lutheran Cemetery section of All Faiths Cemetery, among the untended graves of New York’s German-American community of the late 19th and early 20th Century. Dedicated on June 15, 1905, one year after the disaster, the memorial features four robed female figures on pedestals and a stone etching of the ship going down in flames. In 1912, additional figures, angels cradling children, were added to both sides of the original memorial, perhaps alluding to the many children who perished in the tragedy.

The second, in Manhattan and designed by sculptor Bruno Louis Zimm was donated by the Sympathy Society of German Ladies and installed in Tompkins Square Park, a central feature of the neighborhood.

History is sometimes hidden, but there to be found on the backroads of Mysterious America. O’Life Out! ,

Warren County Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

The GuiTar Makers

oRiolo GuiTaR companY • Blue aRRow FaRm

86 Glenwood Road, pine iSland, nY 10969 845-533-3351 • oriologuitars.com

This month, as we roll through the backroads that lead to some of the greatest guitars to be found and played, we would like to take a look at a guitar company, and a place that is so much more.

We first met Don Oriolo a few summers back – during that Summer of Fun That Wasn’t. Don owns and runs a very cool farm in Pine Island, NY called Blue Arrow.

Over the years we have been up to Blue Arrow for their weekly Car Shows, many musical events, and a lot of other very cool happenings.

I had met Don, and was immediately impressed with his easygoing and frank manner; and it soon became clear to us that this man, who was behind this awesome farm was also the “Felix the Cat” guy.

I loved this cartoon as a kid. Felix, the Professor, Poindexter, the dastardly Master Cylinder. If you were a child in the early 60s, Felix has to be part of your life.

Don’s father, Joe Oriolo, co-created the famed cartoon character and Don continues to man the helm of the adored black & white cat with the “Bag Full of Tricks.”

And like his ward, Don has a very deep bag of tricks as well. He is a great artist in his own right, and in 2015 was named Artist of the Year by Fine Art Magazine. Don Oriolo also has been in the music and entertainment business for decades and is a talented musician,

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

songwriter, and producer, spending many years in an executive capacity at some of the biggest music publishing companies, as well as being a studio guitar player and an avid guitar collector. In 2010 he launched the Oriolo Guitar Company.

When asked about why the jump from collector to maker Oriolo said, “The idea of creating a guitar company has been in the making for a long time. It has always been a fantasy of mine to design and build some very special guitars. The evolution of my dream is coming to fruition with all the perfect people in place to make it happen.”

Working in a highly creative environment helped bring the Oriolo Guitar company to life. Don’s vision of a new line of instruments came to life when he brought his notebook full of acoustic and electric guitar sketches into the Felix the Cat art department. There, the concepts were developed, the designs and graphics were finalized, and world-class luthiers were brought in to make them a reality.

“Combining both guitars and Felix the Cat seemed like a perfect combination for me. The Oriolo Guitars with Felix the Cat graphics are amazing! Many of our instruments have been produced with no creative limits. Our creative process is not unlike car manufacturers bringing new ideas to the New York Auto Show, only you’ll be able to really buy our ‘concept models.’ Righty-O!”

Up at Blue Arrow Farm, especially when their concert series is going on, there has not been one

time that I did not slide myself down to the store – even when it was kinda closed and turned into a Green Room – if just to take a look at what Don has new and displayed along the walls; and there always is a lot to take in. Electric, Acoustic, and ukuleles – many of them created and built with a wonderful whimsy that is rarely - no, never - seen anywhere else.

To quote Rolling Stone Magazine:

“Oriolo Guitars’ Felixthe Cat instruments are fun, but they’re not toys: They’re real instruments for real musicians, designed by Felix maestro Don Oriolo, who’s also a longtime musician and record producer, and luthier Tony DiDomenico. So far, the only limits to the out-there amazing designs are Oriolo’s imagination and DiDomenico’s skill in realizing them.”

A few years back my friends, Maureen and Clay, moved and they gifted me one of Don’s ¾ guitars – a wonderful yellow machine called the Bag of Tricks –made with rosewood and spruce and done with a custom-finished graphic of Felix waving to all.

It is a super little guitar (like all the guitars) that needs to be played more often. But every time I go to Blue Arrow, I always have in the back of my mind that I might ride home with another guitar. Never a bad thing; as long as you play them.

All of Oriolo’s instruments are very reasonable – some amazingly so. I asked why and how he could sell some of his guitars at such a low price and his reply was typical of Don. “I hope some of these gui tars end up in some kid’s hands, and they go on to love music and making music like I do.”

All we can say to that is, “Righty-O!”

Wanamakers General Store presents GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

hooTz BaR & GRille

12 RiveR Road, phillipSBuRG, new JeRSeY

908-818-0383 • FindThemon FaceBook

Many times we have been asked how we find all the places, hotels, museums, and restaurants – especially restaurants.

Well, many times we get great recommendations from friends and fellow riders. Our pals Lisa and Keene are always blasting around the central Delaware River region, bouncing between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and they came across Hootz Bar & Grille, and were so impressed they told us about it. Thanks, kids!

Back in February, we had a few ‘Gift Riding Days’ in the middle of the month – and, as we always try to do, took advantage of the April-like weather.

We were joined by our buddy Rick, looking to find some new roads and miles down to Historic Pohatcong Township.

A lot of towns like to have “Historic” along with their names, but this part of the river does have some history to back up the moniker.

For instance, not far from Hootz you will find Hunt’s Meadow; here Washington’s men’s calvary horses were wintered and cared for in 1778 – all returned in fine condition as well. There was also a mill here that

eventually became the Riegel Paper Company and a huge employer in the area.

In 1976, the Riegel Paper Corporation was acquired by the James River Paper Corporation, and in 1978 the Riegel family officially sold the last of their stock in the company. James River Papers was buying up paper manufacturing properties left and right. Half a decade later, they would be declared the largest paper corporation in the world. You may recognize the company for such products as Brawny paper towels and Dixie cups.

tasty places to take your bike

North of the old mill on the Jersey side of the famous Roebling wire rope bridge, constructed in 1904, and right along the railroad tracks that see classic and historic steam trains choo choo’n on the weekends you will find our stop for this month’s Great All-American Diner Run…

Hootz Bar & Grille.

The place has a great old river feel with exposed brick walls and wooden accents that just add to the rustic ambiance. The bar offers a wide selection of drinks, including craft beers, cocktails, and wine, as well as a menu full of delicious pub fare that will satisfy any craving.

We were riding, so we stuck with soda pop and a sampling of their sandwiches that day.

The bartender for the day, Brandon, stated straight up he was not the best

chef, but we had confidence in the young man and he did not let us down. This warm week heading towards Valentine’s Day the chalkboard hanging on the wall had some decent offerings – house salad with grilled chicken, pierogies, pizza, and wings – but as it was close to Valentine’s we went straight at our hearts. Shira jumped on Hootz’s Jersey Burger with Taylor Ham and Cheese, Rick jumped on the Pork Roll and Cheese, and it was Hootz’s almost already famous Cheese Steak for me.

But, wait – do we all not see the confusion here? Taylor Ham on Shira’s burger, and Rick with Pork Roll? Huh, what gives? We’re not sure, but we think Corey, the owner, and his crew are not looking for division, but they have a place where all can gather in harmony and fun – and riders are especially welcome.

They are kinda situated on that “Romulan Neutral Zone” between Taylor and Pork Roll. Let’s not fight kids.

We pulled up on a weekday afternoon – but we heard that Hootz’s breakfast, served Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm, is the stuff of legend.

A bevy of omelets from your basic egg & cheese to Bacon Ranchero and Western, Cheesesteak and a Benedict. Specialties include their Homemade Creamed Chipped Beef, Seafood Benedict, and The O’Brien – sauteed onions, bell pepper, and corned beef all scrambled with eggs and topped with some stunning Swiss Cheese.

We heard the griddle specials of pancakes and French toast are killer as well. Hootz also serves dinner, but that would take another article – so you just might have to get down along the river yourself.

To help we have created a circuitous and fun route to do just that. This route will run you 116 miles from high above the Hudson River at Perkin’s Memorial and west through Harriman State Park, and then into the small mountain roads heading towards and through the Wallkill River National refuge. Here you may see just about anything with two wings, so keep your eyes peeled.

Then we’ll head into New Jersey and south through the northwestern Skylands before rolling along the eastern shore of the Delaware River and to a great lunch at Hootz.

Ride smart. Ride safe. Ride the Backroads! , Download here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/v8j9to

Wytheville VA Tourism presents WE’RE

OUTTA HERE

The walpack inn & caBin

7 npS RouTe 615, walpack TownShip, nJ 07881

973-948-3890• www.walpackinn.com

For those that have read Backroads long enough you might be familiar with the Walpack Valley. For the state that has the highest concentration of people in the nation, this valley could not be more different.

When we bring unknowing riders or visitors to this valley, we have gotten used to the comments of wonder and shock that this is New Jersey.

Why yes, it is.

Walpack is located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which encompasses 67,000 acres of natural landscape protected by the National Park Service. Stokes State Forest also borders Walpack, and it is stunningly open and breathtaking.

This valley on the far western edge of the northwest Garden State has

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

remained unchanged for decades. Mostly because of a failed dam project some 50 years ago, and also that there are just a few widely spaced ways to get in and out of the Walpack Valley; and along the bottom of the valley, you will find the Walpack Inn.

When Backroads first began to publish, just a few decades later, the Inn was one of the first places we looked to highlight, and now that the Inn is once again serving up its Sunday Brunch – we thought we’d revisit the old place.

All old places have a bit of history – so let’s take a look at the Inn.

In 1949 Louise and Adam Darco, whose family had come up from Rutherford, New Jersey a few years back, looked to move to the country, you must remember that back 75 years ago there were no “super-commuters” and this part of Sussex County was very rural – in many ways it still is – especially the Walpack Valley – but back then it was the locals, the sportsmen (hunters and fishermen), and those that could escape this way for long and mostly party-filled weekends.

Louise and Adam bought an inn that had been started five years earlier and between Louise’s magic in the kitchen and Adam’s love of the bar – the Walpack Inn quickly became the epicenter for locals and vacationers alike.

The Walpack Inn is now recognized as one of the most special restaurants in the region, and with the addition of a cabin rental on the property, it is the perfect place to escape when you, and maybe some friends, decide that you really need to get outta here!

The cabin is a short stroll from The Walpack Inn itself. The Walpack Cabin has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a screened-in porch, and an outdoor fire pit. The cabin has heating, air conditioning, wireless internet, and TV/Netflix, in case you don’t want to escape too much! The cabin is available for $500 per night, with a two-night minimum. A pair of riding couples makes that easy.

The restaurant is open Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday for brunch.

That’s when we dropped in. It had been a bit since we were there, but the Walpack Inn looked beautiful on this sunny day. As we walked in a superb guitarist and singer Maribyrd was in the middle of a stellar cover of Joni Mitchell’s Coyote. Shira was a happy camper, enthralled by her playing and voice. Me too, but I was looking at what she was playing. She was great and added to the Walpack’s comfortable and unpretentious ambiance.

The bar was busy as well, and the Walpack Inn’s far-reaching drink menu would make Adam proud.

The Brunch was ordered off their ample menu – with Shira grabbing a serving of their Tomato Bisque and a Short Rib sandwich which had their wonderfully tender braised short ribs, with sauteed onions and cheddar served on a brioche bun – although Shira opted for the inn’s famed Brown Bread.

I stayed with the BR part of the menu (for obvious reasons) and settled in with the Walpack Skillet – made with a prime beef hash, topped with a light demi-glace and two sunny side-up eggs.

The rest of the menu looked equally as awesome, and when you combine the opportunity to spend a couple of nights, with some friends (or not), the wonderful cabin, the Inn itself, and the spectacular Walpack Valley, with its roads, the highest waterfall in the region, and all the wildlife – deer, eagles, bear, bobcat, maybe even Big Red Eye surrounding you… well, it truly will be a very special few days indeed.

But since you are there… when the sun goes down you will have something even more incredible. On a clear night, with no other lights to intrude, the valley is a star gazer’s paradise. Enjoy! ,

Seeing the world is best done by motorcycle.Picture yourself carving serpentine ribbons of tarmac through a bucolic landscape of green fields dotted by medieval ruins and Suess-like cypress trees with a snowcapped mountain backdrop. Sounds like a dream. But it’s possible to turn those dreams into memories. Depending on your time or financial resources you may assume that international travel is beyond your reach. While there is a risk that taking time off work and spending a chunk of your savings may set you back financially, there is also a real risk to waiting too long. And these trips are worth scrimping and saving up for! As many of you know, life is indeed short.

Besides, foreign travel in general and motorcycle travel specifically, requires you to be healthy and fit enough for the rigors of riding an unfamiliar bike on narrow, twisty mountain roads with confusing traffic signs and rules while navigating a labyrinth of narrow cobbled roads designed by Romans centuries ago. It’s great fun but demanding.

I’m often asked about whether it’s worth spending a big chunk of dough on a trip usually lasting only a week or two. I don’t know how you feel about spending close to 5 figures on a two-week tour. But I can tell you that as a frugal Yankee and former starving artist, my first glance at the full cost of going with a tour company seemed astronomical. What I learned however, is that the cost easily matches the value received.

That may be all well and good for someone who actually has access to that kind of dough and vacation time. While joining a tour company is the most efficient and reliable way to ensure success, it is certainly possible to design and implement a DIY tour.

You will need a fair amount of time and energy to organize and plan your own self-guided tour. There are a lot of resources to help you put together an itinerary and it’s easy enough to book rentals and lodging. Keep in mind that you will have to be resilient as you manage when things go wrong… and they will.

Another alternative is joining a tour company. The higher price tag gets

you a turn-key trip where bike rental, lodging and evening meals are pre-arranged and paid for. Often included are conveniences such as airport transfers and a chase van. You may also receive tickets to special events like walking or boat tours. Another important benefit is a safety net of professional support if things go wrong. A breakdown or flat tire on the side of the road should be as simple as a call to the tour organizer to send the chase van to either fix the problem or replace the bike with a spare machine.

In some cases, they can make a seat available in the van in the event someone becomes ill or if someone simply needs a day off the bike. And in the event that you crash, the organizers make sure you and the bike are taken care of.

My first rides in Europe were as a moto-journalist for Motorcyclist magazine who sent me on whirlwind new model press junkets to Spain and Por-

tugal. Then I joined a group of friends for an informal tour through The Alps followed by an association with Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures.

Full disclosure: I receive discounted (not free) tour access with Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures in exchange for encouraging my social media, YouTube and track day followers to consider joining me on a Beach’s Adventure. While on tour, I’m also tasked with coaching tour members with tips to make their experience safer and more enjoyable. www.bmca.com

There is a reason why I choose to associate with them. Beach’s is a 50-yearold family business run by Rob Beach who began guiding European tours alongside his father when he was barely out of his teenage years. Rob and his wife, co-pilot, photographer and coordinator, Gretchen know all the nuances of navigating the complexities of European culture.

Another key difference between Beach’s and other larger tour companies is that Rob and Gretchen ride along on every one of their tours. No surrogate tour guides. This means that you will get immediate response to any concerns and all your questions are answered firsthand.

Rob makes himself available if you want to ride with him and Gretchen and is happy to show you some of his favorite roads and sites. Rob is one of the best riders I know, and he and Gretchen are fun to be around.

There is no requirement to stick with the group. Ride with a few other like-minded riders or take off on your own where you can ride at your pace and stop as much or as little as you want.

Each bike of Rob’s late model BMWs is equipped with a pre-programmed GPS with various routes that guide you along the most epic roads in Europe, including special “Rob Roads” that bring us to places tourists rarely see. These hidden routes are best left for the more adventurous types. To help decide among the 3 to 5 route options, Rob shares some history and features of each of the next day’s route over dessert. All routes end at that night’s hotel.

And Beach’s is second to nobody in customer service. Lefty, the chase van driver is fun, professional and always there when things go wrong. And he rides like a typical European…exceptionally well. He also kicks ass at hauling your bulky van luggage to your room even before you arrive.

When your tour is over, you and your newfound friends will say goodbye at the farewell dinner. Get a good night’s sleep. Lefty, the van driver, will be waiting downstairs with the van running to drop you off for your return flight.

The immersive experience of motorcycling focuses our attention like little else, which is why travel by motorcycle is so satisfying. Whether you do it through a tour company or as a DIY project, do it! New farkles are soon forgotten, but true adventures last forever. , ~ Ken Condon

Best Practices for Touring Abroad

Here is a short list of things I learned during my first few tours.

Don’t overpack. Pack clothes that have multiple uses and that can be easily washed in a sink and dried in the hotel room. Certain technical base layers look decent enough for many occasions. A pair of black slip-on shoes pack small for short hikes and are nicer than wearing riding boots to dinner. A jacket liner works fine during cool evenings off the bike.

Don’t under pack. Conversely, do some research and then pack for the most likely range of temperatures and conditions for the places you’ll ride during the time of year. Lightweight layers are the answer. Heated vests aren’t a bad idea, either. You’ll need more than just jeans and t-shirts to fit in with European norms when in public.

Riding gear. Beach’s sends their first-time tour members a sturdy gear bag as a perk. I can fit all of my riding gear and all of my clothes in this large rolling duffle. I usually pack my helmet in the checked bag by stuffing the helmet with gloves, neck warmer, etc. and use clothes to surround the lid for padding. I also pack my airbag vest in the checked luggage with a printout of the manufacturer safety sheet explaining why the CO2 cartridge is acceptable.

Sharpen skills. Riding epic Alpine passes is not for the faint of heart or the weak of skill. But with a little pre-trip cornering and U-turn practice you will have a better time. And as mentioned earlier, expect physical and mental demands. One of my jobs with Beach’s is to conduct a short parking lot practice session to get everyone prepared for the tour.

Visit RidingInTheZone.com for articles, videos and courses.

Passing. European drivers expect motorcyclists to overtake. But it takes patience and good judgment to safely get by the inevitable minivan or tour bus that is negotiating a narrow, twisty mountain road. Always close the distance, signal and execute only when you can see that it is safe.

Buy Insurance. The pain of getting hurt abroad is compounded by the expense of care and transport. Medical and Transport coverage through travel insurance companies, such as Ripcord, gives you a measure of coverage for medical and evacuation expenses that are not covered by domestic insurance. Expect to pay $250-350 extra per person.

Attitude matters. Travel is stressful. Even if you’re joining a tour company, you still need to navigate airport customs and deal with jetlag. It takes energy to decipher a foreign language, calculate money and digest unfamiliar food. It takes attention to understand strange road signs and traffic patterns on an unfamiliar motorcycle. Come with an open mind and a pocketful of patience for the best outcomes.

A Straight-Up Fun Time on a Crooked Lake

According to native lore… the eleven lakes that dominate the center of New York State were formed by the hands of the Great Spirit when he (or she?)laid their hands on the land to bless it. His (or her?) fingers left imprints that filled with water, hence the name “Finger Lakes.”

Geologists say The Finger Lakes were formed more than 2 million years ago, during the Pleistocene Ice Age. Glaciers crept through the area and carved deep slices into the land, pushing the earth and rocks south. Gradually the ice melted and the glaciers receded, leaving shale valleys of water, which are now the Finger Lakes.

Although we have been to this picturesque part of the state several times we realized it had been a long, long time since we had ridden around this region.

With the weekend leading into the 4th of July coming up we thought it would be a good idea to head back up to this delicious wine region of the Empire State.

Sealing the deal was a couple of back-to-back concerts that were to be held at Point of the Bluff Vineyards. Oddly enough the first night was Leonid & Friends, a Russian band that covers Chicago better than Chicago covers Chicago and the next night … America. In the late 60s and early 70s, things were happening in the world – especially between the US and the Soviets. Subs in Cuba, SALT treaties… and in Chicago a group of 7 musicians would create one of the most successful bands in American history… right around then three teenagers, Americans living at an Air Force Base in En-

gland, began to jam together with beat up second-hand guitars. In 1973 these kids, now called America, would win the Grammy for Best New Performer. A decade later a young musician in Siberia, Leonid Vorobyev, began producing music and he fell in love with that band from Chicago.

Somehow all this seemed to be coming together on the cusp of America’s 247th birthday. For all those years America and the Russians were in a Cold War… we thought this weekend would simply be some hot shows, and we were right.

North to the Finger Lakes

We left after morning coffee, taking a meandering route that brought us into New York at Port Jervis and then along the Delaware River on Route 97, through the infamous Hawk’s Nest and then west to Narrowsburg where we crossed into Pennsylvania on the #4 Bridge.

A sharp right coming off the bridge put us on River Road that winds and writhes like an angry eel running north against the river.

This 8-mile road is tight and hilly and commands attention, so if you ride it be diligent. We spun west on Route 371, also called The Great Bend Turnpike, named for the town and the Great Bend on the Susquehanna River as at one time this route was the only way to and from what once was a very remote area. Route 171 brought us north again and just to the north side of

the town of Susquehanna we stopped to take in the Starrucca Viaduct- a jaw-dropping trestle made of cut stone.

Completed in 1848 at a cost of $320,000 (equal to $10,823,385 today), it was, at the time, the world’s largest stone railway viaduct and was thought to be the most expensive railway bridge as well. Still in use, the viaduct is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Although it is considered a stone bridge, the bases were made from concrete and this was the first structural use of concrete in American Bridge construction. 175 years later this bridge is still in use and is a true marvel to behold.

We followed along the river until it turned east towards its beginnings in Cooperstown. We vectored west towards Ithaca, and past Robert Treman State Park, a place of unparalleled gorges and waterfalls, and then through Watkins Glen before cruising into Hammondsport at the southern end of Keuka Lake and riding to the Vinehurst Inn, just south of the famed Glenn H. Curtiss Museum.

The museum is a must-see when in this area, but we had a show to catch and tomorrow would be a better day for a museum stroll.

The Vinehurst is an interesting place… this inn has been around for years and has a happy charm about it, that you will not find at the Best Western right down the road – even at twice the price. The room was clean and shower strong and the bed oh-so -comfortable – so we were set.

We had a bit of time to kill so we rode over to Hammondsport and took in the band that was playing in the town’s park, grabbing a quick bite before heading up along the western edge of Keuka Lake and to the Point of the Bluff Vineyard.

ming. Thank you, Terry Galvin, for showing me how to play an A minor and Sandman – that started it all.

This night we’d see the first of two shows – Leonid & Friends were everything we hoped they would be and more – not only covering Chicago Transit Authority, but the Ides of March, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Lighthouse too. I was in Brass Heaven.

I said this was about Russia, the US, and the 4th of July.

In my travels, and I have traveled a lot, I found that everyone, everywhere really wants one thing – to be happy. It seems to always be the governments that don’t know how to live and let live.

We parked easily and strolling out onto the bluff overlooking the lake. We were more than taken by the magnificent view that the Point offered, and the concert facility had all the amenities including food truck and beverages, with the venue itself tented and protected if the puffy clouds went dark and wet.

There are a few things in my life that are solid etched-in-stone and non-negotiable. My love of riding, the New York Mets, and the music with which I grew up. Bands like Chicago and America were huge and are still part of my life.

My guitar playing was brought on by my love of America’s melodic strum-

This night our new Russian friends (and we were told we were now ambassadors for this band) played their hearts out… and thanked their American audience with a true showing that music breaks barriers both real and imagined.

After playing for more than two hours… they played one last piece; one we all stood and sang along with. This band from Russia played the Star Spangled Banner. I have goosebumps writing about this days later. Leonid & Friends…. Google them and LISTEN!

But Point of the Bluff was not done yet… minutes after the show ended a drone show filled the sky above the lake. The introduction, by a young

person, was to bring awareness to Muscular Dystrophy, as was the whole weekend’s events at The Bluff. This was the first time we had seen anything like this and it was more than a bit impressive.

Looping the Lakes

Shira had created a 100-mile loop for our Sunday and she proved that she really can make a route without hitting gravel (I was so guilty of this the previous day), and some of the roads she routed through were truly a blast – especially Italy Valley Road. As we cut towards Potter, New York my eye caught a sign to my left. Did I just see what I thought I just saw?

A quick U-turn brought me to Torrey Farms – the home launching base for URRG – the Upstate Research Rocketry Group – a local chapter of the National Association of Rocketry. These folks just aren’t shooting Estes model kits into the sky, but serious rockets, which take three or more grown men to carry out to the pad. You can check out their site to see if you can plan to be in the area for one of their launches.

www.nar.org

Circling back towards Keuka Lake we rode through Penn Yan, a little lake burg that has the claim to fame of creating the World’s Biggest Pancake, a full 28 feet wide on September 27, 1987. It is hard to miss the huge pancake griddle mounted to the wall of a building and weighs in at 10 tons.

We wondered about how this all went down and we came across a passage from a woman named Jennifer Wright: “I ate this thing! The batter was mixed in a (clean) cement mixer, poured into the griddle (I think it had a metal lip), and heated over a large fire pit. When it was time for flipping, a matching-sized griddle was placed and secured on top and the thing was flipped with a crane. The “pancake” was more like a 4-inch-tall square of cake, served with syrup.”

All this was a promotion from the Birkett Mills Company, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of

buckwheat products, established and in continual operation since 1797.

Up until then, our weather had been fair, if a bit cloudy, but riding back to Hammondsport the sky began to patter down a light rain.

It was the perfect moment to stop for ice cream at the Crooked Lake Ice Cream Company – the only ice cream store that has a motorcycle in its logo.

The ice cream was great, but that is Shira’s gig, not mine – but I will say that the motorcycle and the riders were in a league all of their own.

It was an image of Glenn Curtiss.

A few minutes later we rode up to the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum with its huge X-46 Commando cargo plane standing sentinel in front of the large, 60,000-square-foot museum.

We love this place and it seemed that it had gotten even better since our last visit.

The museum truly is an amazing place and we were happy to see they still had the “Dawn of a Legacy” exhibit to be taken in.

Although Curtiss may best be known for his airplanes, it was the lure of speed and his love of motorcycles that had him so busy in his early life. The

museum is so well worth exploring, and make sure to take in the documentary of Curtiss and his accomplishments.

We think the tee shirt for sale in the gift shop said it all…The Wright Who?, for where the Wright Brothers were far too secretive with their supposed flight, Curtiss and other early aviators wanted to share it with the world, and they did.

That evening we had a great meal at the Village Tavern Inn before riding back over to the Point of the Bluff for America’s show.

I guess there’s always so far to go

Why am I always chasing rainbows America

We had seen them earlier this year, so it was a treat to see Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley and crew doin’ magic. All their great hits and so many that I was singing and playing air guitar too, that perhaps many of the crowd had never heard before.

Like all popular bands – some like them and there are those who love them.

America has been performing 100 shows a year for… ready? 53 years. They still make it sound fresh, new, and vibrant. This band does America proud, and being I was at some of their early shows – anyone remember the Schafer Music festivals in Central Park and the Miller on the Pier shows? I rode my Z-1 to the Hudson River for America back in the 80s. Ahh, good times, and like America – we all have been doing this for a long time.

The Ride Home

That Monday was an odd one, with the next day being the 4th of July. I had plotted a route back from Hammondsport taking a different trajectory south than what we had followed up north.

We have a folder we keep designated “That’s a Keepa!” It is there to bank all of the routes that had us smiling for every mile. This day’s ride easily earned a spot in this archive, as it brought us some 250 miles along tight and twisty backroads, wide farmland sweepers, and across, unknown to us, towns, streams, and tarmac.

PA 3023 especially stood out as a true gem in the Keystone State. We had superb weather till about 30 miles out when Shira’s GPS lit up with an extreme weather warning… within minutes we rode into a storm of Biblical proportions. But, fickle and crazy weather comes on quickly and can depart just as fast, and by the time we rode into Backroads Central the sun was out and the road steaming like they do in the summertime.

The Finger Lakes have long been a draw for so many. The gorges are gorgeous, the lakes picturesque, and there is much to see, do and explore. As we always hope… follow in our wake and enjoy this region of New York… it will keep you in that state of mind. ,

~

Brian Rathjen

GERBING HEATED LINER 2.0 AND VANGUARD GLOVES

For many of us, this time of year will finally find our garage doors opening and our motorcycles rolling out into the sun. But even though it’s April, the sun and the temperatures still might not be where we’d like them.

We have talked about the need for electrically heated gear for years, and with the ‘working” bikes always bag and geared, we have some heated electrical gear packed away in case of the unexpected.

Case in point, and not a middle-of-winter thing. Several years back we had gone south to West Virginia in the early fall, just a few weeks into October and the warmth of the summer was still hanging about the northeast and mid-Atlantic this year. But weather is fickle at best, and one morning we found the mercury dropping quickly, and a front coming in from the northwest, bringing plummeting temperatures and moisture. Cold bites. Wet cold is worse.

I had a Gerbing Heated Liner, packed, but Shira did not; and a few hours riding into the mid-afternoon, in the low 40s and rain, was knocking her down. This is how we discovered the South Branch Inn, a great hotel we have returned to a number of times; but this day it was “The Port” in the storm. We took a room, and Shira seemed okay till we got into the room and then she began to shake… her core temp had dropped and she had been riding on willpower.

I was angry that I hadn’t pulled the plug on the ride earlier, and I got her into a ‘just warm’ shower and let her soak, and get warm slowly. Thirty minutes later she was none the worse for wear, and we had learned a big lesson. One that we embrace to this day.

If you can, you should always have a “Go To Plan,” in this case electrically heated gear.

We have had and tried different variations of heated gear – they all have their good points and drawbacks. One of them is that many heated liners are a bit bulky, and not only does this make it difficult to stow on the bike, but makes for more bulk under your riding gear than you would wish for. I know we abhor feeling like the Michelin Man when riding. Body movement is key, and when all bulked up – it makes it difficult. I know some that would rather not ride at all than layer and bulk themselves up before leaving the barn.

Gerbing has recently introduced a new liner they are calling 2.0 – the packable liner. The key wording here is “packable;” and it is. Compared to other liners – Gerbing’s included – it is more like a windbreaker, than a liner. The liner is crafted with a premium water-resistant Mini Ripstop nylon shell and features a two-way main YKK zipper, hemmed elastic cuffs, a removable hood, a standing collar, and a snow skirt.

A snow skirt is an added bit of fabric that can be cinched across your mid-section to prevent snow from getting under the liner - it’s a snowmobile thing but allows for a snug fit close to your base layer, and that is the thought with the 2.0 – to be used with a single base-layer beneath. This allows for almost summer-like flex and move-ability.

The 2.0, which uses Gerbing’s Dual controller, hardwired into your battery, has seven different heating zones; one being around the neck – which is a major bonus. The 2.0 also has a detachable hood, another plus is using off the bike, or for just that much more coverage while on it. Off the bike, it also features a small pocket across the back, with a retro-reflective stripe – for night conspicuity.

The Gerbing Heated Liner 2.0 features Microwire technology that utilizes patented micro-sized stainless-steel fibers, that are intertwined and encased in a proprietary waterproof coating. The liner has a built-in storage pocket that makes storage a breeze.

Gerbing has two different heated gloves as well, and I chose their Vanguard style, for the large gauntlet and decent protection. The Vanguard Gloves are insulated, and water-resistant with High-impact floating TPU knuckle, Superfabric, palm/finger, and pre-curved ergonomic fit, and they were very comfortable from the beginning, not my super sensitive warm-weather Held gloves, but their feel and responsiveness got better after a few days on the road.

SuperFabric materials are an expansive collection of performance fabrics that encompass a host of applications and uses. At the core of SuperFabric materials is a performance material that is abrasion and stain resistant, yet with a great deal of breathability

We can understand why Gerbing would adopt such a high-end material.

With the 2.0 liner and gloves working at the max, you

will draw a little less than 100 watts. All this heat is not cheap – the 2.0 heated liner retails for $279 and the Vanguard gloves for $179; but like all wellmade, durable, and useful motorcycle gear it is an investment well made.

If you have been so cold on a bike that you thought you could not think straight? You were right.

Log onto Gerbing.com to see these and the other heated gear that they have to offer and to stay warm.

,

~

Brian Rathjen

HeliBars HandleBar risers • elevate Your ride

Not all motorcycles are the same, and some machines are simply designed with a certain group or size in mind. One size does not fit all, and uncomfortability and pain should never be a passenger on motorcycle rides. Have you ever felt aches or numbness in your wrists, kinks, and strain between your shoulder blades or less confidence and control on the road? Do you occasionally find yourself lifting from your seat on turns or fighting fatigue as you are heading down the road, as if your machine does not fit you correctly? It happens far more than you might think, but there might be a very simple solution - Handlebar Risers from HeliBars.

For years now the crew at HeliBars have been making thousands of motorcycles easier and more comfortable to ride from their Cornish, Maine facility.

Too many motorcycle riders put up with rough road ergonomics for far too long. Replacing motorcycle handlebars can completely revolutionize your ride.

Simply changing your rise, the pullback, and the hand placement can be a total game-changer for many riders—and adding HeliBars patented adjustable motorcycle handlebars is the fastest, easiest, and safest way to make it happen.

This is not a one-size-fits-all all approach to riding ergonomics – that is what the manufacturers have forced on many – rather HeliBars are model-specific motorcycle handlebar risers that are engineered not just for total comfort, but for greater control as well.

Not sure how to replace motorcycle handlebars? Whether you have a sport, sport touring, or cruiser bike, HeliBars makes it so simple. Their bolt-on capability means no cuts or custom mods. At most, you’ll need to re-route your lines.

Each HeliBars motorcycle handlebar extender and motorcycle handlebar riser is American-made in HeliBars’ Maine factory from solid billet aluminum by skilled engineers with the highest degree of performance and safety in mind. HeliBars custom-engineer every HeliBars riser or extender for your exact motorcycle make, year, and model, and they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee on every single purchase.

Before you give up your sport bike, trailer to an event, or shorten your next ride, see how motorcycle handlebar extenders and motorcycle handlebar risers can change the way you feel on your bike and on longer tours.

Log onto www.helibars.com to see the application, and pricing, for your machine.

MY SECOND VALENTINE: THE V1 GENERATION 2 RADAR DETECTOR

For years, I had a Valentine 1 radar detector, but it fell out of favor because it was alerting to everything from automatic doors to the new cruise control and lane-change protections on vehicles. It was too sensitive and indiscriminate. It also required an audio interface and a wire to get the audio to my helmet. I recently saw a review of the V1 Gen 2 that intrigued me because they were offering a trade-in deal and the design was updated to solve a lot of issues I had with the original. So, I took advantage of their trade and a new unit arrived, along with fresh cables and mounts (even though the old cables still work).

The V1 Gen 2 doesn’t have GPS to lock out false alarm locations. Instead, Valentine decided to do something that makes a lot of sense: theye added a Bluetooth interface and opened their software up so cell phone app creators could go crazy with innovation. V1 has their own free cell phone app through which you can control the V1, update the firmware, and allow your phone to serve as a second or dark-mode display.

Even more brilliant are a couple of low-cost apps (from $10 to $12) that will do so much more! I bought the V1 Companion and it uses your phone’s GPS and map to lock out false alarm locations like door sensors - just pass the same point 3 times and it’ll save it as a false alarm. It doesn’t mean a real radar warning won’t come up because it knows when more than one signal is present. The app also displays speed and travel direction, along with serving as a dark mode display and a multitude of other things. But the best part for a motorcyclist is that if your helmet comm system is connected to your phone, you can get the warning audio in your helmet at no extra charge! Another neat thing is that, since all new iPhones are water resistant, you can put the non-water-resistant V1 in an enclosure and use the handlebar-mounted phone as your control/display. V1 also offers power options from a standard 12v plug to a USB.

Is the Gen 2 V1 perfect for motos? No: the V1 will alert on laser, but chances are the laser already has you. It’s still not waterproof and your mounting options are limited (but doable). Power is still through a telephone-style jack and a cigarette lighter plug, but there is a USB option. I have found, however, that the ability to interface with the Companion phone app is a game-changer for the V1 and my drives/rides to work are blissfully free of false alarms even when I run the V1 in the most sensitive mode. Overall, I am liking my second Valentine. ~ Mark Byers

SW-MOTECH NEXT GENERATION MOTORCYCLE DRYBAGS

Drybags have been a staple of the SW-MOTECH luggage range for years. The bags have consistently proven their value as added capacity or as a standalone solution for any motorcycle or trip. The completely waterproof bags can be attached to a passenger seat, rear rack, crash bar or other luggage. After such a long and successful run, it’s no surprise that SW-MOTECH is leveraging decades of experience with drybags to update the entire line. Ready for the Next Adventure?

The fully waterproof PVC bags continue to be offered in the familiar six sizes, with several new features and design improvements over the previous drybag line. Updated materials create a more supple bag, making them easier to handle, roll and unroll—whether they are empty or fully packed.

GALFER DISC WAVE ROTORS

Speaking of handling, each of the full-size models now has a carry handle integrated into the side of the bag where it can be used to adjust your load. A new buckle and strap configuration makes the bags even easier to stack and connect to each other. Off the bike, the sold-separately shoulder strap adapts the drybag into a convenient travel bag for everyday use. MOLLE panels have been added to several bags in the lineup to expand organization options by adding the ability to connect MOLLE-compatible accessory bags to the exterior. Each of the new SW-MOTECH Drybags, with the exception of the smallest, the Drybag 80, features an exterior welded zipper pocket for smaller items.

With this list of new features and updates, it’s obvious this isn’t just a cosmetic design. However, there is a sleek new look for these drybags. The overall color of the bags is darker, which blends more naturally with the aesthetics of the latest SW-MOTECH designs such as the SysBag WP and the PRO line of tank and tail bags. sw-motech.us

I had always thought that changing discs rotors on a motorcycle was something that would be needed for older machines. Like the two-wheel version of a new knee or hip. But I was wrong.

It started as a slight pulsing when on the front brakes. The harder the squeeze, the more pronounced the pulse.

I will admit that all this started after the fourth day my Kawasaki Z900 – a 2019 machine – came off the circuit at Virginia International Raceway.

Over the next number of months, I found that if I was pushing the bike, and needed to be more earnest on the binders, that the pulse was becoming annoying, even problematic.

A search on various Z900 forums revealed that I was not the only one experiencing this issue with this particular year of Kawasaki. I rarely follow advice on any of the motorcycle forums, as ownership of a computer does not instill gravitas of any worth, but repeated symptoms and reasoning for such from a number of different nations gave me the feeling that Kawasaki might not have sourced this particular batch of brake rotors from their #1 source.

From the “Man Behind the Curtain” I surmised that repeated extreme braking – with high brake rotor temperatures and then cooling – over and over – causes a slight, very slight warp. Warped enough for me to look to replace them both.

I had bought Team Green’s extended warranty, but don’tcha know that the rotors were not covered under

this. Of course not, silly me for thinking this.

In truth, if Kawasaki said they would replace the stock OEM rotors with new rotors – I would have and seen how it worked out.

But, knowing I was going to have to open my wallet I immediately reached out to my friend Sam at Galfer Brakes.

I had swapped the rotors on Shira’s 919 and my Kawasaki KLR with Galfer Rotors the previous year with most excellent results. Their Disc Wave Rotors are meticulously designed and created in Spain from 420 AISI stainless steel that is laser cut, not stamped like other manufacturers. The Full Floating Wave blades ensure optimum pad-to-rotor contact for maximum stopping force and feel.

Galfer’s stainless steel has an extremely high content of carbon to avoid warping, and the wave design allows for greater heat dissipation, and a much lower weight. They look great too – just sportier than stock.

Holding both the stock rotors and the Galfer rotors, the weight difference was very noticeable; and that will equate on the road as well.

These rotors seamlessly replaced the stock units – like they were originally sourced from Kawasaki.

We changed the brake pads as well, and once broken in (150 + miles) the brakes were far more manageable, smooth and simply made the Z900 more fun to ride. The Z already had strong brakes – but the new rotors and pads brought it to another level.

I knew the old rotors were being problematical but until I swapped them for the Galfer Wave Rotors I did not truly appreciate how bad they were – so the new rotors were a great and wise investment.

Visit www.galferusa.com for applications and pricing. ~ Brian Rathjen

Winter Wanderland

Winter has never been a favorite season for me. The short days, very long nights, and a barn whose original design was drawn up before serious and safe heating systems were even considered – make for a small window of manual dexterity of any real skill; and for me repeatably darting in and out of there… sometimes dragging “carryable” parts – wheels, farkles, and whatnots into the warm home.

Usually as stealthy as possible.

Then comes the quickening of the pulse as Shira strolls into the back part of the house and sharply asks…

“Is that the front wheel from the Kawasaki on the guest bed?”

“Umm- yeah? But it has a moving blanket under it.”

To her credit, she did hold that bad boy down when I needed to remove a pair of warped rotors.

This frigid season will soon be a memory, but we tried to make the best out of it and took in as many ‘motorcycle’ events and happenings as we could. Here is a look back at some of the two-wheel events that you could have been part of and can be next winter.

THE POLAR BEAR GRAND TOUR • polarbeargrandtour.com

This weekly Grand Tour has been going on for decades now, and for 26 Sundays, on the back side of the season, The Polar Bear Grand Tour stops at the restaurant of the week with destinations stretching from Delaware to the Catskills.

This is not an organized run, simply a weekly destination to gather points if you sign up for the tour, you and your friends create your route, and make the best of a nice, if chilly, Sunday on your motorcycle. tHe CHillY CHili run • bknjix.org

The morning after the “Ball Drops” in Time Square, about 50 miles to the northwest, you will find the tiny burg of Ogden. Ogdensburg was made famous and still is known for its almost unlimited supply of zinc.

The Sterling Mine operated until 1986 and reached a depth of 2,675 feet below the surface and had 35 miles of tunnels.

The local baseball team, the Miners, is named from this industry.

Each New Year’s Day, when the rest of the world is just stirring with maybe just a bit of pain from the night before, hundreds of riders are converging on Ogdensburg Fire House for the annual Chilly

Chili Run. This event is held by the Blue Knights IX, one of the most giving motorcycle club chapters in the nation, and all the proceeds of this first ride of the year go to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice, which has been doing stellar work in the north Jersey region for years.

For the $20 donation riders get coffee, bagels, a great and circuitous 35-mile escorted ride, and then hot dogs and chili when they return. It is a superb way to start the year and fitting that the hospice, which has helped so many at the end of a fulfilled life, gets some support at the very beginning of a new year.

YORK SWAP MEET • pvrclub.org

Just a few weeks into the year we made our annual pilgrimage to the York Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania for the Potomac Vintage Riders yearly Swap Meet.

The Potomac Vintage Riders’York Swap Meet has become one of the largest indoor vintage motorcycle and dirt bike events on the East Coast! This single-day event includes a full day of swap meet trading/buying, a used bike-for-sale area (bike corral), and a judged vintage motorcycle show in the center of it all.

Meeting us there each year is columnist extraordinaire Mark Byers, and his buddies Dangerous Dan & crew.

They leave from southern Maryland and we from northern New Jersey just as the planet is beginning to roll around to the sun, and we usually end up walking in the door a bit after 9 am. Not that we are coming to buy but, with nearly 400 vendors, there is so much to see, peruse, or simply take in…. the $10 admission is well worth the deep and real old-school motorcycle feel that permeates the York Swap Meet.

It is a Swap Meet so you need to come early (the meet runs from 8 am till 3 pm) and keep your eyes peeled as you really will never know what you might find - as one table might have one man’s ceiling and the table next to it another man’s floor, and if you are looking for that rare alternator cover, points set, or seat for that bike you have been restoring for longer than you are married- then you just might find it here. There are also tables and tables of older and odd tools – some of which I brought home to make repairs and upgrades to stuff in the guest bedroom all that much more fun; on a moving blanket, of course

This time around Byers’ brought home a Honda GB500TT – a fairly rare bike that was offered for just two years – 1989 and 1990. Nice.

If you love older machines, or if you are one – then consider going to the York Swap Meet next January – I promise you it is a great way to kick start a new season. There is plenty else happening during the Dark Months… but like every good ride, it begins with you heading out your door. ,

In a world that seems bent on separation, specialization, and confrontation there are a few things that etch-a-sketch all boundaries and beliefs. Food being one; and right behind Ice Cream and Beer, you will find Mac & Cheese as one of the great musters.

For many Americans, and moto-heads around the planet, great and classic cars can be a strong part of this recipe as well.

On Sunday, February 25th the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum held their Mac & Motors Festival to benefit the museum.

We have been big supporters of the AACA Museum for several years and have always found it to be a welcoming, very friendly, and personable place. Very un-museum’ish –if you get my drift.

Loving great cars, and mac & cheese, we thought we’d make the trip south to the museum, in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Making the trip north was columnist Mark Byers and wifey Betsy. Ha –mac & cheese and meeting of the minds.

The Mac & Motors event would start at noon, but the museum had its doors open at 9 AM, and both Byers, Shira, and I rolled in at the same time. Neither of them had been to the museum before so we got to spend a bit of time exploring the three floors of machines and historical displays. Each time we go to the AACA Museum it seems that there are a bunch of new automobiles or motorcycles to discover, and this day was no different. In addition to the cars, they also have a great train set-up ‘From Roads to Rails’ which will certainly, and enjoyably, occupy a good bit of your time.

When you walk through a place like this you almost know someone will ask you which car would you want to have, and that query certainly did come up. The choice is tough. Old British sport cars. American Muscle. Classic beauties.

Since I am not getting any of them – I would choose the 1959 Austin Healey to wax and drive on Sundays and the Mustang GT 500 to drive to the Car Show on Saturdays.

But, the beautiful blue Olds 442 for every day.

Hey, I’m practical.

The Mac & Motors Festival would feature a large number of local restaurants, all vying for the top spot honor. I think as a group we did okay, with the Byers attacking from the west side of the building and Shira and me from the east. By the time we met in the middle, we were about Mac & Cheese’d out – but made space for recommendations from the other team.

I am not sure how the rest voted but I went for an offering from a couple named Erin & Geno Goodman – who represented Sweet T & Greens, a restaurant from down the road in Hershey, with a mac & cheese that was delicious, cheesy, and just seemed to be everything a good American Mac & Cheese should be. I was happy to learn the next day that this couple had indeed won the Best for Mac & Motors 2024. Good for them.

The museum is open 7-days a week, and if you are in the Hershey region of Pennsylvania we highly recommend stopping by and seeing what the AACA has to offer. If you hurry, their Muscle Cars: Past and Present exhibit runs until April 20 and will certainly bring some nostalgia into your life. Coming May 18 will be the Husqvarna: Get Your Husky On exhibit highlighting the Swedish manufacturer which started with sewing machines and kitchen appliances in 1872 and introduced their motorcycles in 1903. They will be having a special Motorbike Day on Saturday, May 18, so you may want to mark that on your riding calendar. Enjoy and see you on the Backroads. , ~

Brian Rathjen

On the heels of reading Dave Dewhurt’s fantastic book Motocross: The Golden Era, what better way to celebrate than attend one of the oldest continuous rounds of Motocross held each year in upstate New York. As each Pro Motocross season unfolds, a story line emerges. This year it’s the Lawrence brothers. After the two Australian siblings left their mark on the 250 class last year, younger brother Jett was promoted the 450 class by Team Honda.

AMAPRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 9

UNADILLA VALLEY SPORTS CENTER, NY

Jett responded by winning all 16 Motos leading up to round 9 at Unadilla. Would Jett continue the undefeated streak? We would find out. The significance of this should not be overlooked. There were undefeated seasons before - Ricky Carmichael, one of the voices of NBC Sports coverage or Pro Motocross did it twice, and James Stewart once. Neither did it in their rookie year. This was something special to watch. Another aspect was Team Honda’s dominance of both classes - Honda has not enjoyed this level of team success in many years.

Traveling up to Central New York was long overdue and a welcome pleasure. Warm but not too hot weather made for a good travel day on Friday. Venturing up to Woodstock, NY then heading west through the Catskill mountains afforded a scenic and sporting route. Arriving at the track and getting checked in, I was able to spy the track for the next day’s racing.

The old track was in a state of groomed perfection. By evening I was settled in Cooperstown for a meal and was treated to a fantastic summer sunset.

Saturday morning began with low cloud cover and fog settled over valley where the track is located. The fog would soon burn off, but the cloud cover lingered. After several hours of practice and qualifying sessions, the gate order was set, and Honda’s Jett Lawrence was feeling the pressure of extending his perfect season.

450 Class

When the opening Moto gate dropped, Jett Lawrence was first to theMotoSport.comHoleshot line, leading Yamaha’s Harri Kullas. This was Kullas his first race in the US. Garrett Marchbanks, also riding a Yamaha, started third, and Jett Lawrence’s Honda teammate Chase Sexton was close behind in fourth. Kullas was passed by both Sexton and Marchbanks before the end of the first lap.

With no one in front of him, the #18 Honda of Jett Lawrence extended his lead. Sexton was able to catch up to Lawrence and the two swapped lines for the lead. Sexton attempted a pass only to make contact and causing him to slow for a moment. Neither lost control and continued matching lap times and pulling away from the pack. Sexton fell victim to some lapped riders and fell. Yamaha’s Dillan Ferrandis made a move into second and that’s how they would finish. Lawrence and the #18 Honda crossed the line for the 17th consecutive win and remained perfect for the season.

In Moto #2 Lawrence again pull ahead at the start for the Holeshot with teammate Sexton in second place. Lawrence was afforded another clear track and immediately gapped Sexton by 2 seconds. The Honda duo set a fast pace leaving behind Kawasaki teammates Adam Cianciarulo and Jason Anderson who were chasing one another for third place. Cianciarulo held third place until Anderson passed him. Cianciarulo then was passed by Dillan Ferrandis on the Yamaha and remained in fifth place. The Frenchman Ferrandis put his head down and caught up to Anderson and the two bumped allowing Ferrandis to pass and finish the Moto in third.

By the time the Moto was at the 15 minute mark, Lawrence had opened up a five second lead over Sexton and continued to pull away. Each time Sexton would claw back a second or two, Lawrence responded and by the time the checkered flag came out, he finished by over 9 seconds. Lawrence claimed his 9th 1-1 overall taking the series and extending the perfect season to 18 wins. Sexton would finish 2-2 and Ferrandis finished a distant third.

Jett Lawrence started the day with a great opportunity to clinch the 450 Class Championship. When he crossed the finish line at the end of Moto #2, the perfect season was intact and the with the ninth straight 1-1 overall win earned him the Edison Dye Cup with two rounds remaining in his rookie season.

250 Class

In the 250 Class, the elder Lawrence, Hunter, made it the sixth sweep for the family and Team Honda HRC, which extended his championship point lead and moved him one step closer to a maiden title.

It was great weekend for Team Honda, the likes of which had not been enjoyed in decades. It was even better for the Australian brothers sharing the Lawrence name. Spoiler alert. Jett would go on to win the final four Motos of the season becoming the only rookie to ever finish a perfect season. Brother Hunter wrapped up the 250cc class.

The 2024 date for Unadilla is August 10 - I’ll see you there. ~ Tony Lisanti

The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully

A column dedicated to your riding survival

coRe BelieFS

Core beliefs are basic beliefs about ourselves, other people, and the world in which we live. They are things we hold to be absolute truths deep down, underneath all our “surface” thoughts. Essentially, core beliefs determine how you perceive and interpret the world.

They sit in the basement of your mind.

I would think that one of our Core Beliefs is that motorcycles are just plain fun, and maybe we just have more fun than the rest of everyone else. This sort of Core Belief is in your head and your heart… but let’s stay near your heart for the rest of this visit to the mean and nasty jungle, shall we?

Here in this part of the magazine, we talk repeatably about training, practicing, visualizing, and preparing for riding and enjoying motorcycles. Mostly it is a head game that we need to be on top of at all times while on the bike (and life for that matter), but the head sits atop the body and this is what we will talk a bit about this month… Your Body’s Core.

How are you feeling?

How much time do you spend thinking about and then working to improve your actual physical self? Although like many of us, I’m fighting age, gravity, wear and tear - like a 20-year-old Superbike I was somethin’ ‘back in the day.’ But these days?

Yes, we can give that bike a good wash and buff it up with some well-appointed wax – but it is everything that made and makes that machine run that is important.

It is the same with your body.

So, spring is here, and perhaps you spent the darker months upgrading your motorcycle – did you do anything to upgrade yourself?

Getting into a workout routine can be difficult for many, for others it is a bit easier.

For years we have been told that it takes a minimum of 21 days, three weeks, for a routine to become a habit. I think the 21-day start is simply that - just a start, and recent research bolsters my thought as a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become a habit.

Either way, we know that once a rhythm is started it gets easier to continue.

Yes, I know that some of you are saying that you cannot get to the gym, you don’t have time, you are simply too busy to make time to exercise. I learned a long time ago that every rep, set, and exercise counts; and I will tell you – that the time put back into your body will give you more time to do everything else every day; and will extend your riding time and overall happiness as well.

Let’s start with 15 minutes… and one specific part of your body. Everybody would like to think they have, or could have, a young and healthy physique; but as riders, we should concentrate on our core.

When I say ‘Core’ I mean specific muscles. These would include the abdominal muscles, back muscles, and the muscles around the pelvis. Having

a stronger Core makes it easier to do many physical activities; and can also help alleviate other problems around the body.

Case in point: A few years back I was going to move a fairly large drain auger from the barn to the house, and I lifted the machine in a not-too-skillful manner. The pain in the lower back was quick and debilitating.

The back issue carried on for months, and for a bit, I was unable to ride, as the torment running down my leg was so intense, that I could not concentrate. Eventually, I had an epidural to help take down some of the swelling around the disc pinching the nerve. The doctor warned of surgery during the next winter, but even before this procedure, I had begun to turn up the Core movements I was doing at the gym.

A year later I am still pain-free and tenacious about the Core parts of the daily gym routine. Crunches, leg lifts, simple stretching, and abdominal presses all will combine to slowly, but surely strengthen your Core.

A quick search will bring you to several well-thought-out sites that illustrate many of these exercises.

Make sure you have Core Beliefs and I promise a better time on your motorcycle and your life. , ~

Brian Rathjen