August 2024

WHAT’S INSIDE

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2024. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip &Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibility 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

Misspent Youth

I don’t like their look I don’t like their music

And, they better stay off my lawn… Every crotchety old guy on a porch

Sometimes I get that feeling too. It’s not a stretch to realize so much popular music today… well sucks.

But when I get past the day-to-day youth I see around me, my eyes widen when I see some young people who turn my head, lighten my heart, make me smile, and remind me that there is still hope for mankind. You want and hope that parents encourage their children to follow a calling – whatever that is; and certainly, as parents, we get pounded with the idea of nurturing our kids.

But many times the hobbies and passion that we smile at and maybe put up with when a child is ten comes under greater scrutiny and worry when they are twenty.

I have heard that dreams do not pay bills.

But I say it is our dreams that make life, and a life worth living. How many people do you know live a life of quiet desperation? Too many, I think.

How many times have you seen kids at a restaurant table with their faces glued to a device – parents ignoring them?

These kids will never get their parents worried about where they are, or what they are doing. They don’t have bicycles sitting in the garage, and when they get older, they will Uber on Mommy and Daddy’s credit card. Truly misspent youth.

Me… I certainly had a misspent youth… but not as misspent as some of the kids I see today.

I was adopted into a family of ‘jocks,” and I was expected to play basketball, football, and baseball. Although I still love baseball, and girl’s college softball; and the jury is still out on whether I was worse than today’s music – but it will be close.

These sports were really not my favorite thing to do, and eventually, noticing my incredible lack of talent and enthusiasm, my mom got my dad to stop pushing me in this direction.

I spent most of my days riding my bicycle over to the “Trail” where the other kids, from families that actually lived in a house, and not an apartment, would be doing laps on their SL-70s and Mini-Enduros. How I wanted an SL-70. (Maybe still do.)

To say my stepdad was ‘not exactly into the idea of motorcycles’ is an understatement. He was the ONLY man I knew who did not have a driver’s license. Nor was he a fan of my music – trombone, guitar, or my Marantz stereo that blew the woofers off their ‘Victrola.”

I was most happy diving into the adventure books of Howard, Burroughs, Jose Farmer, and others, and riding my 10-Speed everywhere - sometimes venturing pretty far away from my Woodside, Queens home. This was spending my youth wisely; and not too many years later the adventures of Conan, John Clayton, and others, and the ability to buy a motorcycle changed everything.

Ahh – books – a great escape for many, and a door opener for some as well. I got a refund on some of my misspent youth.

We recently attended two competitions that involved young people. The first was a Robotics Competition held in Warren County, New Jersey, and our Spring Break Rally in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where Penn College was holding the National Baja SAE Competition.

These young men and women all had the same seriousness, skills, and brainiac minds that will make them so special when they head out into the world.

While some kids and parents drive from baseball to soccer, basketball to hockey – these kids were figuring out suspensions, welding, the difference between a flathead and a Phillips (clue - it is not Milk of Magnesia), and how things really work.

In my eyes youth well spent.

Columnist Mark Byers, an engineer for the Navy (he has jets with his name on them) has been seeking out and recruiting young men and women like these for a decade.

We both agreed that seeing these young women and men in action is heartening, and uplifting and makes you feel good about the future.

If I ever pursued something along that line while growing up, I can hear my stepdad now… “What are you on another planet?”

Well, not yet Dad. Not yet anyway. ,

WHATCHATHINKIN’

DiversionsanD Deviations

As the name of this publication may indicate, we endeavor to point our readers in the direction of the road less travelled. Wandering off the interstates will often reward a rider with sights and attractions which have either been long forgotten or left by the wayside.

But there are those times which require a straight line from point A to B, which will most likely put us on those dreaded interstates, hot with traffic and, more often than not, some pretty horrible drivers. Such was the case on our return ride from Milwaukee in June.

We did our best during our two-week jaunt to find the ‘good’ roads but, unfortunately, Canada was severely lacking and our schedule from baseball game to game didn’t allow much time in between. We figured that on our way home we would explore the wilds of western Pennsylvania.

But my V-Strom’s chain had other ideas. It decided to take the kinky route, thus forcing us to the straight tarmac of the I roads (90 and 80, to be exact). The almost triple digit temperatures had

abated just a touch by this time, but the heat emanating from the road was enough to boil the water in the CamelBak.

Doing my best to stay focused and alert, when Brian asked if I had seen ‘that billboard’ I answered ‘No, what billboard?’ He said he thought it was something about Superheroes, to which I inwardly rolled my eyes. When we got closer to the exit, indeed there was a posting for the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum. Well, how could I say no to that? What we thought would be a quick in and out turned into over an hour viewing an incredible collection, housed in a small building of the interstate in Elkhart, Indiana. We, Brian specifically, can find some of the more unusual things in the area we are visiting using either the Roadside America or Atlas Obscura apps. But not everything finds its way to the digital world.

Case in point – the Hall of Heroes.

Before the flood of apps for EVERY little thing one might look for, or even think about looking for, there were billboards. I remember (sort of) the family summer road trips, playing Auto Bingo and being entertained by the creative billboards, hawking the weary driver to ‘Take a Break’. We knew we were halfway to Ithaca when we stopped at the Roscoe Diner. And on our trip out west, you couldn’t even keep count of the many colorful billboards beckoning you to ‘Come to Wall Drugs!’.

Acouple of years ago, while on our trip to the BMW Rally, we were taking a short stretch of interstate in Missouri and came upon the roadside attraction of Uranus – how could you possibly not stop at

such a place? And who has not been drawn in to the miles and miles of billboards on I-95 for Pedro’s South of the Border. We even stayed at Pedro’s on one trip, and believe me, once was one more time than enough, but they offer a great rest stop to get relief from that awful stretch of roadway.

Another stop on our recent road trip, which was not taken from a billboard but certainly warranted a ride-

Continued on Page 9

asongfora suMMer evening

It’s seven-thirty, but there’s still room for five fingers between the July sun and the horizon, leaving just about an hour and a quarter for a ride. The temperature hasn’t completely broken, but is moderated by the evening and a westerly breeze. The little Honda barely grumbles - more like a purr - as we row through the gears together, keeping the tachometer in the sweet spot where the modest mill responds smartly. That little twin-cylinder bike never fails to bring a smile to my face: it looks like a rocket and rides like a glider.

The fields show their typical early-July variations. The first cutting of hay is gone and deer are starting to venture into the edges of the fields to feast on the leftovers. Elsewhere, the corn is anywhere from waist- to chest-high: we’ve already enjoyed our first sweet corn of the season. I pass between stands of corn that envelop me in a green tunnel. Sometimes, I get behind an Amish buckboard with a horse clopping away ahead of it, carrying the family around. The kids are invariably stacked across the tailgate and they point and titter and talk behind their hands, but as I pass with a beep and a wave, they return my wave enthusiastically. Even on the quiet little Honda, I give the horse plenty of room.

are places where the steel buggy rims have beaten down the asphalt and the metal-shod hooves have beaten it up on the shoulder or the right of the lane. Riding in Amish country requires some getting used to, but the CBR seems to like it. One time about seventy pounds ago I passed a buggy with a young driver while riding my bicycle and he decided to give me a little motivation: a flick of the reins soon had a retired race horse from Pimlico breathing down my neck. Fortunately, back then I was in better shape. Today, without the CBR, I’d be horse chow.

I also give wide berth to the inevitable horse “exhaust” in the center of the buggy wheel tracks. It is slippery, especially when the road is wet. There

The sky’s painted in watercolors across the horizon - powder blues and subtle oranges with wisps of white cirrus like mare’s tails on a canvas gradually being gilded by evening. I’m in that “golden hour” where the light is special and makes everything look ethereal and better than it actually is. Even the soybeans look good. In places, the trees cast long shadows across the road, like barcodes I’m reading as we trundle down the lanes. When the sun is abeam, I see an elongated shadow of a rider on a sporty bike.

The evening ride is a treat for all the senses: sometimes I’ll go through a dip in the road and there will be a chilly spot, like someone left a cosmic refrigerator open. It’s not a Shyamalan movie, just a pleasant geographic anomaly. Not to be left behind, the evening smells swirl and change as often as the gears. One place, honeysuckle envelops me, while another the pine smell hangs like the little trees from the rearview mirror. Sometimes, I’ll smell a late dinner on the grill or, less frequently these days,

Continued on Page 9

BACKLASH

I wanted to thank the Backroads family (and especially Sandy) for presenting me with such a kind and thoughtful gift.

Some of you know Lisa and I were involved in an accident that has me facing some physical challenges. I am making good steady progress, but unfortunately riding a motorcycle is impossible for now, but as soon as I can swing a leg over a bike, you can bet I will be back doing what we all love. I also wanted to give a big shout out to the best nurse/Uber driver/riding buddy ever, my beautiful wife Lisa, whose love and support has gotten me through some very difficult times.

Many thanks,

Keene - The Incredible Hulka

Brian,

I loved your “Core” advice on keeping your body in shape for motorcycle riding and every day activities. As an auto mechanic I developed lower back pain at an early age. Pain medication and chiropractic care were only a temporary cure. Proper core exercises almost every day was the key. Weigh reduction and a strong core has kept me pain free and able to enjoy life.

Joe Giuffre

Hi, there!

My husband is a newer rider and we have been talking about scenic motorcycle roads to travel in our area (we live in Westchester County, NY).

I am interested in buying some back issues of your publication but am wondering if you could tell me which issues have articles that suggest good road trips for the Tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT) and New England area / basically the Northeast region of the U.S.

Many thanks!

Suzanne Egan

Susan,

The areas you mention are our pretty much what Backroads covers every month. No need to purchase back issue – just sit yourself in front of a screen for an hour or so and go through our 12 years of digital issues online (issuu. com/backroadsmagazine) We guarantee you’ll find enough places to fill a full riding season, and then some.

MotoMarathon Backroads…

A NEW sport? Riding as many back roads and twisties as possible in 4 days? I’ve been doing that for the past 32 years, many of my friends have done if for longer than that. Looks like fun. An upscale Ramapo 500 expanded to 4 days. But NEW SPORT? Really?

Danny the Rabbi • Senior curmudgeon

Danny, their words, not mine.

These riders are awesome people, and we do what we can to help. Anything that gets riders riding works for us.

As far as the Ramapo comment, one of the finest compliments we have ever gotten was someone telling us EVERY Backroads ride was like the Ramapo 500 – oh, that was you, Danny! Next Page

BONNEVILLE LSR BACK

After inclement weather forced the cancelation of the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship in 2022 and 2023, the event is set to make its triumphant return to the Bonneville Salt Flats on Aug. 24-29. Despite the forced two-year hiatus, enthusiasm is high for the event’s return as the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024. With an emphasis on straight-line speed, the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship is undoubtedly the fastest form of motorcycle racing in the world. “There’s nothing quite like the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship, and unfortunately we’ve missed out on this outstanding event the last two years,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “We’re hopeful that Mother Nature cooperates with us

this year, and we’ll be able to ring in the event’s 20th anniversary with some high-speed competition!”

As the annual site of the event, the Bonneville Salt Flats — located near Wendover, Utah — boasts breathtaking mountain views and a perfect racing surface for all racers to enjoy.

In addition to its iconic venue, the AMA Land Speed Grand Championship is officially recognized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, allowing racers to set AMA national records and FIM Land Speed World Records on machines that range from 50cc mini-bikes to 3,000cc streamliners.

For more information, visit the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trails’ website at bonnevillemst.com

YAMAHA STOP SALESOF R1

Yamaha was quick to own up to its wrongdoings, with company executives acknowledging the falsified noise level tests conducted on its bikes. It further promised to overhaul its testing process, and apologized to its “customers, suppliers, business partners, and all other stakeholders,” so yes, pretty much the entire world, for damaging their trust in the company. To make matters worse, Yamaha HQ has gone as far as suspending the produc-

Backlash Continued from Previous Page

9:30 AM - Read about Waters Edge eatery in the latest Backroads Mag

1:30 PM - Pull into Waters Edge eatery for some lunch What did I think? Well…..

I had the pulled pork sliders and they were delicious. The waitress was great. The view and babbling brook sounds of the Pequest River were soothing. Parking was voluminous.

+/- The bill with tip was $25 but after “building back better” for the last 3 ½ years, I’ve unfortunately become accustomed to the new normal of dining out pricing So, overall a good experience that I will probably repeat.

Interestingly, the entire time I was there, I had a strange feeling of Déjà Vu washing over me. After speaking with a fellow patron who was a long time resident of Belvidere, NJ, I realized why… Waters Edge used to be Mickey’s Tavern!

When I was in college at ESSC in E. Stroudsburg (1977-1981) the drinking age in PA was still 21, while in NJ it was 18. So my buddies and I would drive down I-80 east through the Water Gap to Rte 46 and Mickey’s Tavern. There, we would imbibe on $0.25 draft beers before going slightly west again to the Jabberwocky Inn to see live bands play and (not) drink overpriced adult beverages. Call it “getting primed” if you will, but hey, we were broke college students, so getting lit on cheap beers at $0.25 a pop before paying the obligatory $5.00 cover with a one drink minimum at the Jabberwocky was a poor college man’s way of going out on the town.

So, yes, Waters Edge (or at least the building) and I have a shared history that I remember very well… too well in fact. Let’s just say that cheap beer (probably Schlitz) has a way of paying you back in the morning… Arggghh!

Best regards, Bill in Yardley, PA

tion of the affected models, thereby putting an indefinite stop to the shipments of theYZF-R1 YZF-R3, and TMAX until the issue has been resolved.

Yamaha reached out and stated that only Japan’s domestic fleet has been put on a stop-sale stating “The issue recently announced in Japan does not affect overseas production units, Japanese domestic distribution only.

ROSSI GOES RETRO

Valentino Rossi is certainly making the most of the sunny weather, as he’s hit the track once again this week, although this time riding some historically important Grand Prix and World Superbike machines.

The seven-time MotoGP champion spent time at Sliverstone in June, as he took part in the ‘Track Day of Legends’, joining the likes of Francesco Bagnaia, Jonathan Rea, Michael Dunlop, and John McGuinness in a star-studded event organized by the riders’ mutual sponsor Monster Energy. That event has been quickly followed up by Rossi and a host of Grand Prix and World Superbike legends hitting the fabled asphalt of Jerez on some retro racing machines.

CITY BANS FULL-FACE HELMETS

The city of San Carlos in the Philippines implemented a ban on the use of full-face motorcycle helmets. The reasoning is not so much focused on motorcycle safety but crime.

This decision, directed by the local government and enforced by Mayor Renato Gustilo, aims to curb crimes perpetrated by individuals concealing their identity with full-face helmets.

Riders within the city are now required to wear open-face helmets, which,

while intended to enhance public safety, paradoxically pose questions about the compromise to rider safety it represents.

The executive order specifies that the ban applies strictly “within the city proper,” allowing riders to don full-face helmets once exiting the city boundaries towards other areas. Enforcement of this new rule is carried out at various checkpoints throughout the city, where law enforcement officials are authorized to request the removal of helmets, bonnets, or masks.

Compounding the city’s unconventional approach to motorcycle safety, a new speed limit of 40km/h (approximately 25mph) has also been established within the city limits, further underscoring San Carlos’s unique regulatory stance on motorcycle riding.

This regulation in San Carlos mirrors other distinctive motorcycle laws around the globe, such as Spain’s ban on jet helmets and the mandatory use of gloves for riders, highlighting a global diversity in motorcycle safety and crime prevention strategies.

SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS CHEVRON DEFERENCE

Landmark decision poised to curtail autonomy of government agencies

The Supreme Court’s June 28 decision to overturn so-called “Chevron deference” in a landmark case will restrict the ability of government regulators to act outside of Congressional or federal judiciary oversight, likely altering the scope and power of regulations impacting motorcyclists, from off-highway access to right to repair.

Dating to a 1984 Supreme Court decision, Chevron deference referred to the directive that federal courts accept the judgement of regulators regarding relevant law and resulting regulations. This made challenging rules, such as land closures impacting motorcyclists, difficult in the courts.

“Overturning the Chevron deference makes it much harder for the executive branch to implement onerous or misguided regulations,” said AMA Director of Government Relations Nick Haris. “The list of bureaucratic fumbles affecting motorcyclists is long, from the Department of Health and Human Services flipping Congressional intent in the 2000s, paving the way for health insurance discrimination of motorcyclists, to the more recent

‘lead law’ interpretation that temporarily outlawed youth off-highway vehicles. Working with Congress, the AMA was able to defeat both dangerous decisions, but it took years of work and significant resources to do so.

The American Motorcyclist Association has a long history engaging on issues potentially impacted by the Chevron deference ruling. Since 1924 the AMA has fought in the interest of motorcyclists, repeatedly taking on the overreach of government agencies.

NEEDA TRACK? WILLOW RACEWAYISFORSALE

Willow Springs International Raceway, located about an hour north of Los Angeles and established in 1953, is a 600-acre complex of seven racetracks and hosted the first U.S. Motorcycle Grand Prix in 1960 while under ownership of Ken Miles.

Bill and Maxine Huth took over the track in 1962, expanding the facility from original 2.5-mile road track, known as Big Willow, to its current configurations. After Bill Huth passed away in 2015 at the age of 91, Huth’s kids (two daughters and two sons) continued looking after the race facility.

Willow Springs Team Scarborough Real estate Agency listed the property for sale on LoopNet Real Estate Marketplace, and although we don’t know the listing/asking price, it shows the Rosamond property’s recent total assessment value at $2,253,440 as of June 4, 2024. See the listing here: willowsprings.teamscarborough.com

Whatchathinkin’

Continued from Page 4

through, was a small spot in Michigan named Hell. We arrived in Hell too early to shop their wares, but now, when people tell us to ‘Go to Hell’ we can honestly say we’ve already been there.

So if you find you must make some time and take the roads more travelled, let yourself be lured in to the diversions and deviations that the billboards may bring; you just never know who or what you’ll find. Enjoy the ride. ,

on the Mark

Continued from Page 5 the distinctive smell of charcoal. There’s nothing cookin’ tonight - musta been a takeout evening.

I resist the urge to move more…urgently. The deer in the fields got there by crossing a few roads and I’m hesitant to add more knots to my indicator lest I encounter one. Occasionally, there’ll be some buzzards enjoying a deer who wasn’t the beneficiary of someone quite as cautious. There’s one place down by the water where ospreys stare down at me from nests atop the utility poles, in boxes placed there by thoughtful utility workers. One night, an eagle paced me, but not tonight. Tonight, I’m accompanied by solitude. The rural roads on which we dance are blissfully quiet: the parents shuttling their progeny to practice stick to the main thoroughfares. Plus, it’s a little on the late side now, as the sun slides more quickly toward the horizon. Lights begin to appear. It’s easier to ride on a westerly heading now as the intensity of our blazing star is swallowed by the long trip through the atmosphere. Colors are cooling and the gold is fading into blue as the quartet of engine, tires, wind, and road plays the song of a summer evening to accompany my inner voice. ,

2nD annual crYptiD & paranorMal conference

MaDison park hall, parlin, neW JerseY

Around the globe, there is legend and talk of a mysterious and elusive creature. It is almost universal. It goes by many names. Wendigo, Sasquatch, Yeti, Skunk Ape, Big Red Eye, or the one most Americans are used to… Bigfoot.

My son once asked, “What if we find Bigfoot and discover he is naturally “out of focus?”

Like honest politicians, lower taxes, and a Mets World Series victory –it seems to be the stuff of legends.

It’s interesting that with the crew here at Backroads we have three distinct different thoughts when it comes to the paranormal.

On one side we have very grounded, and “show me the science” Mark Byers. Until the Vulcans really land – he has better things to keep him occupied.

Rathjen and Kamil are more open minded folk; I think they would be pleasantly surprised if the ‘reasonably out of the question’ makes itself known.; and more happy if Sasquatch was the designated hitter for the Mets in October.

Then there is me – I have been around enough, and have seen enough, to

AMERICA

know in my heart that what we think we know, and what we need to learn are very different things. You should be a fly on the wall at the yearly ‘Gathering of Minds’ at MWAG – Marky Mark is more Vulcan than he knows.

On June 1st the Second Annual Cryptids & Paranormal Conference was held in Parlin, New Jersey and they were kind enough to invite me to take in the day. I asked Brian and Shira to go, but they said they really had to clean spokes, and even young and dashing Cryptozoologist David Stintzcum said something about his dog having kittens or something similar. It must have been truly important not to join me this day.

For those of you who revel in rainy days in front of the TV with marathon episodes of chasing Gigantopithecus, search for Ancient Aliens, or seeing if they really did catch the paranormal on cameras – this event is for you.

The Cryptids & Paranormal Conference had several speakers during the day – with known researchers such as Estaban Sariemnto, Ron Moorehead, and In Search of Big Red Eye’s own Mike Familant – who not only spoke but was a most excellent MC for the entire day. Mike’s seminar was worth the ride down on the Mysterious America’s KLR all by itself.

There were several displays, and exhibits – some serious and some a bit less so – and I did think that some of the vendors were selling some items that, if not part of Mysterious America, were very cool nonetheless. The separate room for authors and books was a nice touch as well. Much talent in there.

Also, on hand were the gents from Weird New Jersey. Weird NJ has been around about the same number of years, nay decades, Backroads has, and it is always a treat to hang with the Marks – Moran & Sceurman. Weird NJ put the Garden State on a far more interesting map than it already was – and if you have never seen this mag, or read any of their books about weirdness from other states well then you have an assignment.

In addition to the speakers, vendors, and general strangeness of the afternoon was seeing a life-size (?) Jersey Devil. Like North Jersey’s Big Red Eye, everyone has a thought – but this creation from master fabricator Dan Diana who was a Special FX Artist/Prop Fabricator in Hollywood for seven years, working on mostly Marvel movies, like Guardians of the Galaxy & The Avengers. He built the battered Iron Man Helmet in Endgame. Dan studied prosthetic makeup with Tom Savini. We love Savini.

(Special MA prize for the first who knows why without Google). This beast was simply amazing, and though I would hate to run into this creature on a moonless night, I would pay big bucks to have them bring it down and placed in the woods behind a particular home in Leonardtown, Maryland.

The 3rd annual will be coming up in the spring of 2025 – see you there. O’Life Out! ,

Warren County Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

Birthplaceof countrY Music MuseuM

101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA 24201 423-573-1927 • birthplaceofcountrymusic.org

Some things take time… like this story about one of the most important musical museums in the nation.

But, let us have a back story, shall we? And, to understand how important this all was to the birth of America’s own Country Music we have to do a little time travel nearly 100 years to the Bristol Sessions.

We’ll start with the machine -The Victor Talking Machine. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey Victor was the largest and most eminent firm of its kind in the world, best known for its use of the iconic “His Master’s Voice” trademark, the production, marketing, and design of the popular “Victrola” line of phonographs and the company’s extensive catalog of operatic and classical music recordings by world-famous artists on the prestigious Red Seal label. After Victor merged with RCA in 1929, the company maintained its eminence as America’s foremost producer of records and phonographs until the 1960s.

But it was a couple of weeks in the city of Bristol that would literally set the stage for America’s homegrown musicians for decades to come.

The Bristol Sessions occurred in 1927 when the Victor Talking Machine Company brought a field unit to Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia, to record musicians from the region. Victor held the sessions on the second and third floors of the Taylor-Christian Hat Company building at 408 State Street on the Tennessee side of Bristol’s main thoroughfare, which also serves as the

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

Tennessee-Virginia border. Director Ralph Peer and the Victor engineers recorded fiddle tunes, sacred songs, string bands, harmonica solos, and others from July 25 to August 5. Celebrated as the session that produced the first recordings of country music legends Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family, the session also featured artists who had made previous recordings for other record labels. The session captured on 78-rpm commercial recordings an excellent cross-section of the styles of music present in the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachian regions.

Indeed, what the Bristol Sessions really captured was a piece of legendary music history.

When we had our Grand Finale Road rally last August, we spent a couple of days at the Sessions Hotel, just a few blocks from the museum, and it was the first place on our list on our free day.

An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the award-winning Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Historic Downtown Bristol, Tennessee-Vir-

ginia tells the story of the legendary 1927 Bristol Sessions – the event in history scholars refer to as the “big bang” of country music – and their lasting impact on the music of today. Old-time music is described and experienced in different ways and for different purposes, but at its heart, old-time is mountain folk music with strong ties to Appalachia and the diverse peo-

ples who have called it home. While old-time music has primarily been related to “hillbilly music” and its roots and branches can be found in the development of country and bluegrass, it is one of the melting pots of American culture, connecting to multiple genres, influences, and instruments. Women have always been central to old-time music – in the home and on the stage and as instrumentalists and singers, preservationists, activists, promoters, and cultural memory keepers. A special limited exhibit - I’ve Endured: Women in Old-Time Music - highlighted the many women who have been integral to this music, exploring the challenges they’ve faced making a career in

the field, the ways they have impacted the genre, and their vision for the future of old-time.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museumexplores how evolving sound technology shaped the success of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and highlights how this rich musical heritage still thrives in the Appalachian region and beyond. Through multiple theater experiences, interactive and stationary displays – along with a variety of educational programs, music performances, and community events – the exciting story of these recording sessions and their far-reaching influence comes alive.

They also have get-together Jam Sessionswhich we dropped in for as well. Brian did sit in for a bit, and was honored to play with such great musicians – even with that dawning feeling of “I’m Not Worthy!” But it was fun all the same.

The museum itself is extraordinairy and is home to permanent exhibits that focus on the story and impact of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and a Special Exhibit Gallery that features rotating exhibits created in-house, by guest curators, and by other institutions, such as the Smithsonian and museums. The museum’s artifacts, archival, and digital collections are used in their exhibits and are also available for research and study purposes.

The Birthplace of Country Music is a fascinating place, and the roads to and from Bristol are packed with two-wheel fun; where else can you step into two different states in the middle of one town? And…One, two, three…,

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

the narroWs

2206 River Rd, Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972

484-3098-4449 • www.thenarrowsrestaurantandbar.com

As we ride through life, how many times has something happened that, at first, seemed bad – maybe terrible – but then years later looking back you think, “Well if that didn’t happen… then this would never have.”

We kind of felt this way when we strolled into The Narrows, in Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania.

Several years back this was an old river-style bar and restaurant, with a few rooms upstairs called the Indian Rock Inn.

It was nice, cozy, if a bit dated. So are most of us, so nothing wrong with that.

But in the summer of 2015, a fire caused some heavy damage to the old inn, that was built back in 1812.

tasty places to take your bike

We were saddened by the fire and closure, and more so when we heard the old place would be closed for the foreseeable future.

But a place as ideally located, and with so much history, should never just sit there, and back in 2019 the old Indian Rock Inn was purchased by partners Tamara & James Vipond and Anthony Capone – who set about gutting the place and breathing a serious new life to the old inn.

These days it is called The Narrows, and it was just a matter of time before we rolled back down River Road to see how it all came out.

It all came out… well, outrageous!

The renovations, which took more than a year to complete, have utterly transformed the restaurant. In truth we were stunned when we walked in; as we were expecting one thing and discovered a very transformed restaurant. What was once cozy (read as tight & cramped), and dated (read as dated!) now has a wide and open airy feel to it.

The main room has a beautiful bar that faces out to the canal and river

across the road, and outside a porch runs along the front of The Narrows as well.

The wide-open air feel vaults up to the second floor which has additional seating.

The second room has wide windows offering a great view of the water as well. The floors and the feel have a very woodsy and well-crafted feel and walking around The Narrows we were taken by the great photography that now adorn the walls. A wonderful mix of Americana, regional history, and Rock & Roll.

We took a table, right near the bar’s upright piano, and were approached by our server who said hello and then added why she loved working where she did. #1 She loved how The Narrows is, and #2 that she absolutely loves to serve the food they create to customers.

It is rare that you hear such praise right away and unsolicited from waitstaff these days – but it told us a lot about how The Narrows looks at its customers, food, and history.

A very pleasant and unexpectedly warm Ides of March made for an excellent ride down from Backroads Central, and even though this day was a bad one for Caesar, it is a great day for Shira, as it was her birthday, and keeping with her B’Day tradition we started with a Caesar Salad. We have been at this one for years and can’t recall a Caesar so worthy of the emperor of Rome as The Narrows. Crispy Romaine, white anchovies, a serious dressing, and the best pecorino crostini.

Simply superb.

Their regular menu runs the gamut, but there were some specials that day, and Shira went for the bratwurst and cabbage & pretzel; and I ordered a mushroom truffle burger, that came with The Narrows’ pecorino & herb fries – so delicious.

Other items on the pub menu include fish & chips, poutine, sweet potato tacos, and their delicious Narrows’ burger that is served with tomato jam, applewood bacon, that wonderful grated pecorino cheese, and their equally splendid pickles. From the main menu, you will find items ranging from jerk chicken to fava bean falafel, pork pappardelle to duck confit, and pan-seared salmon. If you still have room there is probably some serious dessert lurking about too, but we could not go there this day.

The Narrows has been The Narrows for a few years now, and we are sorry we took so long to ride down and see how it all turned out – cause between the location, the roads, the very up staff, and the fantastic food – you have a very worthy stop on this month’s Great All-American Diner Run. Enjoy the food and the awesome romp to The Narrows as well. ,

WE’RE OUTTA HERE

Bethel WooDs glaMping

Bethel

Woods

Center for the Arts

200 Hurd Road, Bethel, NY 12720

845-583-2000 • bethelwoodscenter.org

When we start this month’s We’re Outta Here! we have to throw out a couple of definitions; as you will need the first to grasp the second. The first one is “portmanteau.”

A portmanteau is a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example, motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’). Or in this case: Glamping. Somebody… somewhere came up with this mix of words; probably on a cocktail napkin. Whomever it was I hope they got a huge bonus – as they have changed weekends for a lot of people forever.

Camping has been around for millennia or longer, but glamping is a more recent occurrence. If you are like us, camp is a four-letter word, but glamping is camping plus glamour, or glamorous camping. In other words, up-

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

scale camping. While regular “Going Camping” may be a simple tent and a sleeping bag – air mattress if you are thinking ahead - “Glamping” typically involves more comfort and luxury; we could happily deal with that.

Before we get into the particulars about Glamping at Bethel Woods, let us tell you a bit about this venue’s history.

In 1969 a weekend music festival was to be held in nearby Wallkill, New York. The town, fearing the worst, backed out on the deal and left the promoters scrambling for a new site to hold the event.

Fate stepped in and on a Sunday evening, a helicopter landed on the farm of Max Yasgur.

It was dinner time and a copter landing kinda grabbed their attention, as Max and his son Sam walked out to see what was what.

An offer was made to “rent” the Yasgur’s Farm, hands were shaken, and in a matter of weeks this little farm in Bethel, New York changed Rock & Roll and the world forever.

In the mid-90s Liberty, New York native Alan Gerry began to push for creation of a musical venue. He purchased the old Yasgur’s farm and in 1999

had a four-day music festival that solidified the need for a real and modern venue. Funds were found and created and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts began to become a reality.

Finally, in 2006, the New York Philharmonic performed as the $150-million, multi-venue project opened for its inaugural season. Since then, legendary performers such as Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Pitbull, Jimmy Buffet, Van Halen, the Doobie Brothers, Chicago, and more have taken center stage! This night we got to see John Fogerty, who played the original festival 55 years ago with Creedence, take the stage.

Every venue has beefed up security these days, and metal detectors, correct passes, and tickets are a must everywhere, but we knew that especially being the first night that Bethel Woods would be hosting a show and glamping, that we would be better off getting there early, and we did – in the pouring rain. It was just like the original festival, but nobody had a tent like this a half-century ago.

The staff helped us get into the Glamping area, located just behind the pavilion, and with the rain, and the fact that the motorcycles made such a small footprint, let us

leave the bikes tucked close to the tent, which was far more like a cabin made with wood and canvas.

Our “Glamping” accommodations had more than some hotels. There was a good-sized deck, with chairs, and opening the sturdy canvas flap we were actually taken back by how spacious this all was. A small kitchenette to the right, a bathroom with a shower stall, and two decent-sized rooms with Queen beds, great sheets and blankets, pillows space heaters, and ceiling fans.

Oh, this was just too nice. So, this is how it is with the hoity toity, hmm?

Wait, this was ours for the night – we were the hoity toity – someone pinch me, and take a picture.

As the time for the concert approached the skies to the west began to clear, and it was a short walk to the entrance of the pavilion.

We have been here many times, but I had never wandered this way… Bethel Woods has a serious line-up of food trucks and vendors – offering all sorts of ethnic and American food favorites.

Picnic benches beckoned and everybody sitting in and around us was in great spirits and looking for-

ward to the three acts…an excellent band named Hardy Har, then George Thorogood and the Destroyers (he is a slight maniac for sure) and then John Fogerty, not only playing his CCR songs legally for the first time in decades but with his two sons playing with him on stage. It was an emotional and exciting show and night for sure.

After the show, while the Common People meandered out to sit in their cars for an hour trying to leave, we pranced back to our Glamping Cabin, got a glass of wine, and strolled down to the bright and warming firepits, to chat up the show, the venue and life with some of the others who decided that “Glamping” was the way to go; and it is.

The morning found us up just past dawn. The moisture from the pummeling rains the evening before made for a softly rising mist off the grounds, circling the tents and giving the hills an ethereal and peaceful feel. It must have felt this way back in 1969 – if they had a great bed, linens, and a hot shower. But hey, that’s progress.

Be aware the future is not cheap, but a great concert, and accommodations like this, for a special show and occasion is well worth it. They have 11 Luxury Glamping safari-style tents – these are 1, 2, or 3-bedroom with a bathroom and shower, and 90 Basic Glamping bell tents – these have either a queen bed or two twin beds and furniture like end tables and Moroccan ottomans. The bathrooms and showers are very upscale trailers… but as time goes on there will be a permanent facility

You can also pitch your own tent in this area. This is Bethel Woods’ first year with Glamping – and as time goes on expect to see even more options to be available.

Right now, prices range from $99 to $689 per night.

Hey a friendly riding couple can split it, and you can even book them for multiple nights and shows if you wish. Ride the day and Rock the night! All this and the great Woodstock Museum as well. You can find out more at the Bethel Woods website: bethelwoodscenter.org ,

the Banana split

Date nights, celebrations and family outings have long been associated with a trip to the local ice cream parlor. While many of the old haunts are gone from the days of my youth, I remember them fondly. Baumgart’s in Englewood and Bischoff’s in Teaneck were classic ice cream parlors, with red swivel stools, a long counter to watch the concoctions being made with homemade ice cream, whipped cream and sauces in the quintessential silver ice cream dish, keeping everything perfectly cold. Other shops such as Holsten’s in Bloomfield, Van Dyk’s in Ridgewood and Conrad’s in Westwood, which I did not have the opportunity to visit until I was much older, are still scooping up cones, cups and shakes.

One that is long gone, with the last remaining shop in Jamaica, Queens, was Jahn’s in Fair Lawn. I remember visits after graduations and birthdays, with my grandmother –who ate like a bird except for desserts – having a huge piece of chocolate cake and my grandfather ecstatic while eating his chocolate ice cream. While Jahn’s was the home of the ‘Kitchen Sink’ – a gigantic bowl which held two scoops of EVERY flavor offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, Butter Pecan, Cherry Vanilla, Pistachio Almond, Cookies & Cream, Vanilla Fudge, Chocolate Chip, Mint Chip, and Sherbet, topped with fudge and caramel sauces, banana, pineapple, nuts and a mountain of whipped cream coated with sprinkles and, of course, a cherry or two on top – our family never made that attempt.

But I am here today to give you a little history on another iconic ice cream creation, shared by many children and couples throughout time – the banana split. As we are heading towards its 125 anniversary, let’s take a moment to dissect this wonderful dessert.

In 1904, David Strickler, a 23-year-old student at the University of Pittsburgh, was working as a soda jerk at Tassell Pharmacy in Latrobe, PA. A student came in and asked Strickler for something ‘different.’ With so many options and ingredients in front of him, he put his imagination to work. Pulling out a large dish, he sliced a banana in half lengthwise and lined the outside of the dish, then placed a scoop each of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream between them. He covered the ice cream with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, nuts and placed a cherry on top. Voila! The Banana Split was born.

David Strickler continued working at Tassel Pharmacy, mastering the art of soda jerk, and eventually bought the pharmacy, changing the name to Strickler’s Pharmacy. He was a staple in the local community until his passing in 1971 at the age of 90.

You might think this was cut and dry, with Strickler holding the title as creator of the Banana Split, but there are others who lay claim to this title. The Soda Fountain Magazine (see, there really are publications for every walk of life) wrote that the debut of the banana split occurred at an ice cream convention in Boston, with one Stinson Thomas as the inventor. The only problem was the convention was in 1905, a year after Strickler documented his creation. Wilmington, Ohio’s Ernest Hazard is said to have made the first split in 1907 and, even though there is no evidence (Strickler’s original letter regarding the invention has been uncovered) they doggedly hold fast to this and, starting in June of 1997, have held an annual Banana Split Festival in its honor. Not to be one-upped, in 2004, for the 100th anniversary of the banana split, Latrobe

held their Banana Split Bash, with ‘Ice Cream Joe’ Gruble as the inspiration and honorary chair, and the saying ‘From Pitt Came the Split.’ Then, in 2013, the Pennsylvania Historical Society unveiled a marker at the former site of the Tassel’s/ Strickler Pharmacy, with the town holding their first Great American Banana Split Celebration in August of that year. August 24-25, 2024 sees the 11th annual tradition of celebrating one of America’s beloved ice cream desserts, with tons of activities for young and old including a banana-eating contest, car show, live music and much more. (bananasplitfest.com).

While Strickler’s is no longer there, you can get an authentic banana split, made just as David did back in 1904 (sorry, it’s gonna cost you more than the 10¢ it did then) at Valley Dairy and an equally as delicious one at 512 Coffee and Ice Cream.

Now that you know the background of this iconic dessert, enjoy National Banana Split Day on Sunday, August 25. But, honestly, every day is the perfect day to eat ice cream. ~ Shira Kamil ,

You know I think it’s time to give this game a ride

Just hit the ball, and touch them all

A moment in the sun

It’s a-gone and you can tell that one goodbye…

John Fogerty

A few years back we decided that it would be great fun if we got to all the Major League Ball Parks in the United States. To ‘Touch Them All’ as Mr. Fogerty would sing in his baseball anthem Centerfield

Since then, we have done a decent job with many of the big parks – California, some in the center of the nation, and the south – but this June we planned a bit of a jaunt that would take us to baseball’s past, its future and where the game is today – and mixed into this mission we’d add in all the other ingredients that make up a great Backroads soiree.

By the time we got to W dstock…

Play Ball!

On a humid, and warmish day in mid-June, we rode out of Backroads Central for a fairly quick spin up to Bethel, New York.

Over the years we have been to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts for several shows, and this season they now offering up on-site camping and “Glamping.” For those of you not familiar with the term – think of Glamping as outdoor accommodations that are very posh as tenting goes. It is camping for those of us who think that “camp” is a four-letter word. We wanted to do a feature on this, and the opportunity arose for the kickoff show of Bethel Woods’ season – John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

As we rode up along Route 97 and then north towards the Woodstock Festival site the humidity that had been clinging around all day coalesced into clouds that grew darker and a tinge more evil. All too soon we were running

north along wooded roads in a deep dark downpour.

We hoped it would be a quick burst, but the rain mantled us all the way to Bethel Woods, and after passing the numerous security checks and the circuitous route that might need its own Rip & Ride, we pulled up to our digs for the night - a very poshy two-bedroom tent, with a deck, wood floor, electricity, comfy beds and pillows and a full bathroom with shower.

Wow – this is awesome!

The entrance to the pavilion was a very short walk, and if you have been to Bethel Woods you know how great the facility is and the street-style food vendors are hard to beat.

George Thorogood opened for Fogerty, and John and CCR - including his two sons - absolutely rocked, as Creedence Clearwater has been part of the nation’s zeitgeist since they took the stage at the festival in 1969. The sun had come out as it headed west and it was a beautiful night for show.

To C perstown and the Ponies

The morning was blissful, as the temps had dropped and the coffee on the deck of the “Glamping Tent” was about as good as it gets.

We got on the road and began to travel north, following some roads I have known about for a while, and that somehow stuck in my mind as we rode towards a bit of baseball history at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

See? Some things I remember about Cooperstown.

Passing through more familiar pavement we rode through the town that never was; Agloe is, or was, a Paper Town.

This came about when the owners of the General Drafting Company, Otto Lindberg and Earnest Alpers were creating road maps for the ever-growing roadways in the United States. They were worried about other companies stealing some of the details of their maps and created a fictitious town in the very spot where that lone dirt road existed. Using an anagram of a selection of letters from their names, the two published a map sometime in the 1930s and placed the town of Agloe right in that “nothing” spot. Not long after, none other than Rand McNally published their own New York map. Sure enough, the Rand McNally map included the small, out-ofthe-way town of Agloe. General Drafting had their ‘gotcha moment’ and proudly brought them to court. In front of a judge they publicly unveiled their fictitious town to surely win a cut and dry case.

Quite unfortunately, their plan had been destroyed nearly by accident. A local couple had purchased a legal copy of the map from a company called Esso which was a distributor of General’s maps and noticed Agloe on their map. Thinking it would be cool to use a rather unknown name for their shop they began to operate the Agloe General Store.

Rand McNally claimed in court, “If there’s no Agloe then what the heck is this store doing there?” Agloe, the town that was never there, is still cele-

brated in books and film and even Google Maps had Agloe shown until just a few years ago.

We cut up and around the reservoirs and north towards Cooperstown. One important little factoid is that the Susquehanna River, the longest east of the Mississippi, has its start at the southern end of Otsego Lake, before flowing 444 Miles to the Chesapeake Bay.

We took in a bit of the Hall of Fame and added a baseball from there for our basket of balls – which would see several additions when this trip was through.

Cooperstown thrives on baseball, and the Hall and Double Day Field are all a must-see – but the best part of this Mohawk Valley town this day was the greatest Small Town Big Band playing American classics from one of the corner squares - Louis Armstrong, Glen Miller, and others filled the streets and our ears.

We had a date for later that afternoon, with our first baseball game of this trip with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Mets AA team, against the Somerset Patriots, the Yankees AA team, to be played that night at Mirabito Stadium, just a short drive from downtown Binghamton. It was a superb game, with the Ponies tying it up in the bottom of the 9th, only to lose it in extra innings.

Tough loss, but a great game!

The Rumble Ponies got their name from the fact that Binghamton is known as the Carousel Capital - and it has six large carousels in its limits to back up that claim. In truth – the city needs a return visit just to track them all down, and we do have some plans.

Friends, Finger Lakes, and Family

This day was Father’s Day and this day every man to which I nodded a greeting shared a Happy Father’s Day with me.

I have been a father for decades, but this was the first time I noticed this, or maybe just paid any attention to it. Perhaps it was the fact that I’d be a grandfather in just a few short weeks from then.

Whyever… it was nice, and every greeting seemed to come from the heart. It made for a happy ride.

Welcome to the world, Brison.

We had plans to visit and spend some time with our friend Terry. We had met her and her husband Ron years back while on a tour in Italy, and have been great friends since.

For those who have been on many Backroads Rallies, this was the couple that were always happy and friendly. They both walked with canes as they had a wonderful seasoning from many laps around the sun, but on their Kawasaki Concours 14 they were the wind.

Sadly, Ron took that long ride west out of Eden this spring, and we wanted to spend some time with Terry, and happily met their daughter Diane, of whom we had heard so much. It was a wonderful way to spend a Father’s Day afternoon talking about a man that was such a great dad, and husband, and so loved and respected by so many.

We left Ithaca and rode up along Cayuga Lake, and made a little side trip, per request from the good Doctor O’Life, to seek out one of the best hoaxes passed off in this part of New York (No, not when an ‘angel’ came

and passed down some new rules – that would be an hour or so later). In 1879 a local hotel owner named John Thompson and friends created a petrified seven-foot humanoid in the path of road construction so crews would find it. They tunneled sideways so the soil above it would not be disturbed. It was made out ofa mix composed of eggs, beef blood, iron filings, and plaster or cement by another local,Ira Dean, who fashioned it in this way

so it would fool Cornell University scientists into authenticating it as real human remains.

Sure this was an obvious copy of the Cardiff Giant, which fooled so many a decade before, but did that did not stop people from believing that they had found a “Giant’ from Biblical times, maybe Atlantis – as no one should argue or dispute a good yarn – even engineers.

The Taughannock Giant, as it would come to be known, made Thompson a lot of money, well, until the truth came out.

It is said that it was eventually buried in an undisclosed field outside of Trumansburg, but a few years back a replica of the Taughannock Giant was recreated, and is now on display alongside Route 96 that runs through the town, a great piece of Mysterious America to be sought out.

While on the subject of unexplained things, we also rode past The Hill Cumorah, the spiritual home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). In 1820, it is said that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith in a grove near his family home near Palmyra. The Latter-day Saints story and their history is a deep mix of heartache, triumph, and mystery – but none can deny that “First Vision” was to set in motion events that would lead to the founding of a church whose membership today totals over 17.2 million worldwide. We ran along the top of the Finger Lakes and along the Erie Canal, making a stop at Lock #30 and Canal Park. This canal rises 566 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie through 35 locks. From tide-water level at Troy, the Erie Canal rises to an elevation of 565.6 feet above sea level at the Niagara River. All this was made

possible by locks, and it was amazing to get up close to #30, and more amazing that we were allowed this with zero supervision. Just sayin. That evening we rode into the city of Rochester – home to Kodak and a city in which we had never really spent time.

We had come to visit the Strong Museum, and Shira had found a neat botuiquey hotel not far from the Museum of Play called the Inn on Broadway. We rode through the city, fairly deserted this Father’s Day evening, and sought out The Dinosaur Barbeque. We have been to a few of their places –in Syracuse and NYC - and are big fans of their cookbook.

You can never have too much good barbeque, and full and happy we rode around the town looking for two Rochester oddities. The first being a monument to the two sisters that started the spiritualism movement that swept this part of New York in the mid-1800s.

The birth of American Spiritualism is forever linked to Rochester when sisters Margaret and Catherine Fox claimed the ability to communicate with departed spirits through a code of knocks and raps heard through the walls of their home. While living on Troup Street in Rochester in 1849, they performed a public hearing at the Corinthian Hall, where several area men were unable to detect the means of their trickery, which in turn led to word of

their abilities spreading throughout the world.

Our second stop has a bit of history as well; both good and bad. The High Falls along the Genesee River cascade nearly 100 feet right in the center of Rochester. The city was built around this, and it has spent so much time, money, and effort to revitalize the once thriving and industrial part of the city. The famed daredevil and Falls Jumper Sam Patch, who had successfully jumped from so many famous places and falls, and had just jumped off Niagara Falls just a few months before, did not survive his plunge in Rochester on November 6, 1829. His story is a Mysterious America by itself. Today the city has some great riverside parks where the view of the falls, the city, and sunset, where Sam Patch met his end, are hard to beat.

Playin’ Hard and Stayin’ Strong

We had come to Rochester to visit The Strong National Museum of Play. Imagine a museum dedicated to fun and the toys that helped have that fun. This all started with a Rochester woman named Margaret Woodbury and her passion for collecting

dolls, doll houses, and toys. She added gallery wings and outbuildings to her estate, which she eventually termed a “Museum of Fascination”. The grounds contained a town of dollhouses. In 1968, she received state approval for the establishment of a museum. At her death, her doll collection numbered 22,000 and was the cornerstone of a collection containing more than 300,000 items. This has now evolved into one of the greatest museums of its kind on the planet.

We planned to take most of the day wandering around The Strong… and we did. From the 1800s, through the toys and games we are all familiar with, the Strong will have you saying, “I had that!” again and again.

This museum is truly worth the effort and we promise even the most stogey human being will leave with a smile.

As we rolled north out of the city we made a stop at the House of Guitars – the largest guitar store in the world. Their catch phrase is “The Store that Ate My Brain!”

It almost did and it is truly amazing to see how many guitars the brothers have in their building right outside the city.

We escaped with only buying a tee shirt, as Shira’s quest to stop me from buying guitars continues.

The heat was on this day but dropped by ten degrees as we rode along the southern shore of Lake Ontario.

By early evening we had found a nice motel, with comfortable grounds and then rode back to the town of Olcott and had some seriously good vittles as it was Wing Night at the old local firehouse that had been redone into a combo of museum and bar & grill – Maxwell Station. We topped it off with ice cream and a sunset overlooking Lake Ontario

Who’ stop the rain…

Heavy thunderstorms would be barreling in from the west for another hour, so our morning started out sitting on a covered porch surrounded by potted flowers and with cups of good strong Joe.

The storms moved east like clockwork ,the skies began to clear and we rode down to the town of Lockport, a place created solely by the building of the Erie Canal. It was here that the greatest challenge to the lock builders would need to be surmounted with the Niagara escarpment standing in the way of the canal.

possible when it was still taking baby steps.

We headed north and west towards the border with Canada at Niagara Falls but made time for one more museum and bit of history.

As we mentioned before while in Rochester, we have long been lovers of carousels, and the greatest carousel maker of them all was the Herschell Carousel Company.

This museum is the only one in the world that is housed in the actual buildings where these whimsical creations were designed, hand-carved, and built.

The unique and ingenious Flight of Five – a series of locks and a gigantic cut and tunnel made the final run to Lake Erie possible and we learned all about it at the museum in the town. It truly is one of the most amazing things that our nation dreamed up and then made

Here you can learn about how they were created, about the wonderful organs that go hand in hand with carousels, and get to ride on one

that is well over a century old. A very special place for sure.

Just a few miles up the road, we crossed over the Rainbow Bridge into Canada, with a great view of both falls directly to our left.

We did battle traffic heading towards Toronto, and the 95+ heat and stop and go, off and on the highway took a toll on Shira, for as we got to the hotel she just about passed out with exhaustion. Just a bit of a scare, but a cool room, some cold water, and a bit of time and she was ready to hit the streets of Toronto and take in a baseball game here with our brothers and sisters north of the border.

We avoided the massive highway congestion and took surface roads –probably the most urban riding I have done in years, and we did pretty damn well, and it got better when we asked the lot holding the tour and school buses if he could squeeze in one little BMW motorcycle and he smiled and

just said park it there, so I can see it… have a good game and he would take nothing for the spot. Canadian class.

The Rogers Centre was very nice, and the game was okay, but once again the home team lost. If this would continue, I hoped it would all the way through the trip – and especially in Chicago.

So say, “Hey Willie, tell Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio”

Don’t say it ain’t so you know the time is now.

Sadly, this evening we learned that the legendary Willie Mays had passed. Not only a great loss for baseball – but a great loss for us all. He was a humble, talented, and majestic man in every way.

Say hey Willie, say hey!

To the Mot City

Toronto seemed to be a very hip city, but we had come to tag Blue Jay's stadium, and with our ball tucked away we hit the road before the heat came on too strong, and some cloud cover kept us in a relatively doadble atmosphere for most of the morning.

We have some friends who live in London, Ontario, and we have not seen Bruce and Gail Brown since before the plandemic power grab of 2020.

Fate favors the bold, and here is a little bit of baseball trivia that I did not know… where is the ‘oldest’ ballpark on the planet?

Some would say Fenway or maybe Wrigley. I would have bet the farm on Rickwood Field, in Birmingham, Alabama.

But… the oldest ballpark in the world is in London, Ontario.

Labatt Memorial Park is currently a 5,200-seat ball field that first said ‘Play Ball’ on May 3, 1877 – then known as Tecumseh Park. The stadium has been rebuilt in the last few years, and over all this time it has come back from floods, depression, war, and… well time.

It is a great old park that has been playing ball for almost 150 years – simply amazing.

Lunch with the Browns was superb too.

We all have friends that we have met and come close to simply because we love riding motorcycles, and to get to spend time with folks like this is always precious – and usually feels like we just sat down for lunch a week ago.

Riding friends are like that, right?

We wanted to avoid another over-heating issue like we did the previous day, so we looked at the maps (remember those), and seeing that this part of Canada has little to offer as far as great riding roads (sorry Bruce) we opted for the 401 big road west toward Detroit, stopping for a long break in an air-conditioned OnRoute rest stop. Properly cooled, sugared, and not winning squat with a bunch of Canadian scratch-off lottery games we remounted and made good time to the border at the Detroit River - with Lake Huron to the north and Lake Erie to the south.

We’ll continue with our Quest for Baseball Stadiums after the 7th inning stretch in next month’s Backroads. ,

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

AEROSTICH WORK SHOP APRON

About thirty years ago one of the workers at Aerostich, in their fabric cutting area, asked for some kind of apron or smock to protect their street clothing from the glues used to make TF Impact armor, and also from the constant rubbing when one leans against the side rails of the fabric cutting tables. So they made one.

Now Aerostich is selling a refined-over-the-years version of what they came up with. Over time, several customers touring their Duluth facility have asked if they could buy one, and now you (and they) can. There are two versions: Brown 8.25 oz waxed cotton and Black 500D Cordura nylon. Both feature adjustable 1” nylon shoulder straps to fine-tune fit, an adjustable waist buckle strap to secure it around your midsection, and three deep pockets perfect for tools, small parts, or just about anything else you want quick access to. The chest pocket works great for a pen, notepad, or smartphone. They recommend the waxed cotton if you’re welding and/or backyard BBQing. For most other uses, go with Cordura. Either way you won’t have to run for your rain apron to protect that crappy one you got for Father’s Day from the Signals catalog. Made in the U.S.A. by Aerostich to last at least as long as you do, probably longer. One size fits most. $67 from Aerostich.com

MACHINEARTMOTO

ADVANCE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL HAND GUARDS

Sometimes you forget you have things, and the benefits of some of the accessories you have put on your machine might spend their time lying around in the back of your head, like that old tool buried deep in the back of a tool caddy drawer…. until that “ah ha, eureka,” moment when you suddenly remember that you can do something about something. Case in point – we were riding into the Midwest and, on the way, we had crossed into Canada. Late afternoon found us buried and still in a wicked Canadian scrum of traffic and construction on the way into Toronto. When we did get into our motel for the night, I was lying on the bed, waiting for the AC to take my body temperature down from spontaneous combustion to just friggin’ hot.

Suddenly, and I mean out of the blue, I remembered that both our machines were running with MachineartMoto ADVance Multi-Functional Hand Guards. Is that a big name… well as the Canadians would say, “Oh sure, you betcha, ehh.”

We had put these on a few seasons back, and they were far better hand guards than the flimsy plastic guards that both OEMs had equipped on their machines. The ADVance Guard’s tough nylon composite frame material is engineered for resilience against impact, but the real beauty of these is their ability to be adjusted for different riding conditions.

Each guard has three main parts – the frame, and the front inserts, which come in a choice of six colors to enhance the appearance of your bike. The ADVance Guard’s ‘height adjustable’ Sliding Shield will permit more or less airflow to adapt to weather conditions; or they can both be removed completely to allow total airflow over your hands and up your jacket sleeves, while still protecting your hands.

SHAD SH38X EXPANDABLE CASES

It is this superb design and multi-functional adjustability that provides high or low wind coverage, and enables riders to adapt to a variety of temperature and weather conditions - without using tools that make these a must-have investment for your machine.

When we installed these on the bike we used the ADVance Hand Guards mostly with the slide in the lowest position, and when it got chilly out, we remembered to raise them up, giving our digits a bit more of a windbreak – but they really shined when it is stifling hot on the road. The insert and sliders came off in seconds and neatly packed away alongside our luggage… and the next few days of riding were that much easier, cooler, and rideable.

The MachineartMoto ADVance Multi-Functional Hand Guards are currently available for BMW, KTM, Honda, Triumph, Yamaha, Aprilia, and Energica ADV machines for around $229.

This is just one of many well-designed and meticulously made accessories from this company. Check out their website at www.MachineartMoto.com

SHAD, the leading brand in motorcycle accessories andpioneers in expandability, kicks off the sales of its long-awaited set of expandable side cases: theSH38XExpandablecases.

TheSH38X Expandablecases, which were revealed during the last edition of EICMA in Milan, and have recently received the prestigious RED DOT Design Award are theonly expandable side caseson the market that can adapt to the latest generation of high-end motorcycles. They are the ideal accessory for any biker who appreciates having extra load capacity (up to one helmet) at certain times. It is also ideal for riders who want to reduce the width of their bike with the mounted case, thus making it safes on rides and with more agile handling.

Technological innovation Engineering and Design, two hallmarks of theSHAD brand, come together in theSH38X Expandable cases to create a set of equipment that stands out

for itsexpandable mechanism, based on an architectural concept: tensegrity.

It is an innovative mechanical system with compensated tension that allows the case to expand and contract telescopicallyin auniform manner in a matter of seconds. This technology has been adapted to the needs of the motorcycling world in order to create a never-before-seen concept that we call Dynamic Tensegrity.

This system lets theSH38Xcases expand by2 ¾ inches, increasing their volume by40%, and allowing for the storage of a Full Face XL helmet inside. This makes themthe most compact cases for a modular helmet on the market.

The case is compatible with the 3P and 4P Mounting Systems. As of their launch, they are compatible with more than 200 models of bikes currently on the market. Furthermore, its “Double Locking System” lets you lock it on the mounts, thus blocking access to its interior. This exclusive system turns theSH38X Expandablecase into a safe alternative for all kinds of trips.

TheSH38XExpandablecases come with analuminum finishthat like the SH59X trunk, allowing the most demanding riders to have anExpandable side case and trunk set. They are also available in acarbon version, forming a set with the SH58X Expandable trunk.

As far as accessories go, two inside nets are included that serve a double purpose. On the one hand, to secure the objects inside so that they don’t fall out, and on the other hand, to store small objects and documentation. Finally, an extra cylinder is included to unify the system in the case of a trunk, making it possible to close it with a single key.

Available options include an expandable inside bag, adapters for the 4P mounts, and colored covers to personalize the cases to match the bike’s color. Now available in the US starting at $550.00. Visit you local SHAD dealer or online at SHADUSA.com

InVIew 2 • wIreless Brake & Turn sIgnal lIghT

Some motorcycles are better at conspicuity than others. While some bikes seem to come with bright and bold tail/brake lights, others sadly seem to be lacking.

Case in point our Kawasaki Z 900 RS. Great machine, but I was told by a friend, riding my six, that the tail and brake light were a bit small, and not all that bright – especially in the efulgent sun.

Adding additional tail and braking illumination was in order.

There are a few additional tail/brake lights on the market, but one is a bit different and very noticeable – even to some of the very dimwitted smartphone-addicted drivers out there; The InView 2 Wireless Brake & Turn Signal Light. The ultra-bright LEDs are highly conspicuous and a very possibly lifer-saving brake light that attaches easily to your helmet and allows drivers to see when

you are braking or signaling for a turn – even on the brightest day, as well as the darkest

Being easily mounted on your helmet puts the InView 2 Wireless Brake & Turn Signal Light high and center enough to be in the line-ofsight for drivers on taller SUVs that are so ubiquitous on today’s roads.

Installation of the InView 2 will take a short bit of time, depending on your machine and access to brake and turn signal wires in the harness.

But the installation video is straightforward and plain to understand, and the unit comes with posi-connector batteries and an additional brake light that can be mounted on the rear of the machine – so with the inView 2 you have two additional brake lights being added – on your helmet and machine itself. There is an app as well to make the inView a bit more customizable – like allowing the inView 2 Brake Light to illuminate when it detects any major decrease in speed – even if you have not touched your brakes. New updates to the app will make it even easier and add other features like an SOS Emergency Call if a crash is detected.

The batteries – two AA – will last an entire season and work with Smart Technology that does not require it to be turned on or off – it will always work.

Being seen is key to a rider’s survival, and when in traffic, with car drivers zoning out behind the wheel, the inView 2 should give you that boost in noticeability that you need.

God knows it is a jungle out there! InView 2 sells from $299. For more info visit: thirdeyedesigninc.com

Ithas been a long while since we had a chance to spend a good deal of saddle time on this Italian steed, and although when you say Italy many riders think Bologna, there is another Italian name that has been around a bit longer and with a storied history at that. For this we have to travel 175 miles north to the shore of Lake Como, and the small town of Mandello del Lario.

Maybe Caesar should have been aware of the Ides of March (HBS!), but that day, in 1921, Carlo Guzzi established his company and through wars, political turmoil, and all that goes with life the company, now 103 years old, is still making some of the most beautiful motorcycles on the planet.

There are some bikes I remember the “First Time” I saw them.

The Honda 750, my first Z-1, and I clearly recall riding down Astoria Boulevard on a sunny afternoon on my Z-1 and spotting a rider ahead of me on a machine I could not quite place. At the next light I glanced at him, and he glanced at me, we both nodded, and I drank in the 850 Le Mans. Low bars, a café fairing, racy riding position, and bright orangey-red livery. To my 19-year-old mind, I thought, “Hmm – I don’t think I want to date her, but I would love to take her for a ride.”

Hey, I was 19, what did I know?

Since then, I have gotten to ride a few different Moto Guzzis, and I always put them in a corner of my mind’s garage as a more genteel and sophisticated ride.

Something for a guy (or lady if you are one) who is a bit seasoned, and out for a pleasant Sunday ride in the mountains before returning home to have the kids and grandkids over for Sunday dinner – an Italian dinner I might add.

Recently I have been seeing different models coming from Mandello del Lario that have had me reconsider this notion, and at a recent Backroads rally our friend Jim rode up with a beautiful Guzzi – and I said, a few times, that his machine certainly won the prize for the “Sexiest Bike in the Parking Lot.”

Just a few weeks later we were contacted by Piaggio, the parent company of Aprilia, Vespa, and Moto Guzzi, asking if we’d be interested in getting some saddle time on some of their machines this summer. Oh, you betcha! A few days later a 2024 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S was delivered to Backroads Central.

The Mandello is unlike all the many motorcycles the company has made in the past. It is different in many ways, yet unmistakably Moto Guzzi. With the V100 the bike’s heart is its engine, a new compact block engine that respects the traditional 90° transverse V architecture and a shaft drive, but is liquid-cooled – a first for the Italian manufacturer. This 1042-cc engine is a lightweight and compact thing of beauty, coming in at 103 mm shorter than the V85 TT small block, and delivering 115 horsepower and 77.4 ft-lb of torque at 6750 rpm.

It comes with a wet sump lubrication system and hydraulically-controlled wet clutch – also a first for Moto Guzzi.

The S-model has a quick shift as well. Combustion and exhaust are controlled through fourvalve heads, that are controlled by chain-driven, dual overhead cams that actuate finger followers to open and close the valves. Traditional pushrods are now in the mirror – and we all know what that means in Italy.

The six-speed gearbox is still very Guzzi – but solid and never missed a shift - but is a bit pugilistic when put into first.

The V100 features a steel tube trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member. The headstock creates a 24.7° rake, which combines with the 4.1-in. trail for sporty handling.

If the engine is the heart of the Mandello, the suspension is its soul.

This S model goes full modern with rides on Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension, which can adapt to road conditions through the filter riding modes to deliver the desired suspension characteristics to the rider. All of this suspension wizardry is controllable and allows the rider to preset their own preferences.

For riders in the know the front and rear suspension will almost get your heart pitter-pattering as quickly as the engine and the drop-dead look of green and silver

with a splash of orange paint livery.

The bike wears 17-inch front rubber, but the back is a very beefy 190.

The bike stops with Brembo dual 320mm front discs and uses a pair of Brembo four-piston, radial-mounted calipers. The rear disc measures 280mm and is gripped by a Brembo two-piston floating caliper. The Mandello seat height comes in at 32.1, but due to its compact design, it feels shorter than it is.

The Madello comes with Cornering ABS courtesy of Continental that, “constantly monitors various parameters such as lateral acceleration, the pressure applied to the front brake lever, and the lean, pitch and yaw angle, modulating the braking action in order to better guarantee the ratio of deceleration to stability.”

The V 100 Mandello also sports traction control, cruise control, and cornering lights. The front headlight looks like a Guzzi Eagle at night. A full-color TFT display reads out information, and may not be the most instinctive but after a few days I got around to knowing where the important stuff was.

The Madello has four different riding modes – Rain, Touring, Road, and Sport. According to the factory the ECU, “manages three different types of engine mapping, four levels of traction control, two levels of engine braking, the opening of the side deflectors and, on the V100 Mandello S version, even calibration of the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 semi-active suspension.”

As I have said the bike is visually stunning, but it is not all for show. They have been busy at Moto Guzzi, as this company has been using wind tunnels since 1950, this bike offers some-

thing very unique. At about 45 miles per hour, in certain adjustable presets, a pair of wings deploy from the outer edge of the fuel tank.

Like Action Saru (for your Star Trek Discovery fans) or for normal Earth-folk like an eagle deploying its wings to mantle and protect the rider. Moto Guzzi says it cuts wind and turbulence down by 22% - which is significant. They stay open till your speed drops down to around 12 MPH and then they simply close and disappear.

On the Road

Starting up the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello gives a visceral thrill with its very throaty, yet light bark - like a beautiful dramatic contralto opera singer.

“Oh, yes,” was what went through my mind.

I said earlier the Mandello was a bit ‘pugilistic’ when going into first gear; like Carlo Guzzi has come up from the grave and kicked you square in the ass – and then tells you to have a great time on his machine. Every other shift needs to be firm, but the shifts are rock steady and sure.

The riding position for me, at 5’12”, was just a tad tight, but still comfortable for several long afternoon jaunts.

The saddle can be an issue for a sensitive butt like mine, but what to do? Changing out that beautiful light saddle for an after-market offering would almost be cruel. The electronically controlled windscreen was surprisingly workable. My

first thought was that this would do little – but it did plenty, as did the Saru-like wings along the tank.

The four power modes are very distinct and are what they say they are. Rain brings down throttle response, and brings the nanny-electronics into full bear. Tour is superb while simply riding around, and Ride is just a tad sportier.

But, Sport… ah yes, here comes my Anna Azerli, Sophia Lauren, Claudia Cardinale fantasies.

Although the V 100 can be set up per your wishes - the factory settings for Sport worked for me. You do get what you pay for and Moto Guzzi’s design and build here is spot-on!

The Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension was as planted as any machine I have ridden in a long time.

The throttle, although tough to ride in traffic or town, was exemplary along the twisty backroads – even toting 513 lbs. wet. The Brembo brakes and subtle, but very planted suspension allowed for deeper entries, and easy trail braking.

The deceleration when rolling off was almost magical, and coming out of turns and moving down the road was a shit-grinning experience.

In Sport mode the Moto Guzzi V 100 Mandello will make you feel like an Italian MotoGP star.

The 4.5-gallon fuel tank offers an easy 175 miles before you seriously have to look for fuel… more than enough for the weekend warrior.

Look-wise this machine, like Ms. Azerli, Lauren, and Cardinale, draws instant and well-deserved attention. If I was to pick on something it would be the display. Yes, it has a lot of info, but as someone who saw Sophia and Claudette’s movies when they first came out in the theatre – little fonts are not my friend.

At the beginning of this article, I stated that I once believed Moto Guzzis were for the more seasoned and genteel rider. Maybe that is where I am at these days. Like our Italian singers and actresses – what is not to love?

You will find the Moto Guzzi V 100 Mandello at dealers now for $17, 490 list.

~ Brian Rathjen

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

THE CHAIN GANG

Do you know that aroma, almost a taste, before a hard rain is about to hit or when it does? We all do, but did you know there is a name for this?

It is called petrichor – and there are a few scientific brains that explain it – but sometimes I think I live with it.

Our barn, even in a drought, seems to be a walk-in humidor.

This poses several issues, but the one I want to deal with this month is what all this moisture can and will do to your bike’s drive chain.

Regardless of how I “thought” I was correctly maintaining four of the five motorcycles living under our metal roof, tell-tale rust and lackluster wearability kept rearing their heads.

This was embarrassingly brought up by one riding buddy, who likes to remind me of it again, and again, and… I sent a garbage truck to kill him, but failed at that too.

When coming back from our MLB Stadium Tour at the end of this Spring, Shira’s V-Strom’s chain went south and we limped back home, cutting a great few days riding in the Allegheny National Forest off our itinerary. Problems are only temporary if you look to solve them.

After getting home, and ordering a new chain and sprockets for the wifey, I set about diving deep into Motorcycle Chains 101.

Today’s O-ring style chain is made up of links, and each link has a number of parts that allow it to work as well as they do, or should.

Do you know there are 12 parts to each link? Two rollers, two sleeves, two rivets, two plates, and four seals, and when you multiply that by chain length – let’s say 118, the length of the chain just ordered for the Suzuki - you have 1,416 parts all spinning faster than cable news was after the debate. There is a superb video by TRyan Learn Bikes called Chain Secrets 101 on YouTube. Most excellent and informative.

So, now that we know how chains work, how do we keep them doing just that?

CLEANINGYOUR CHAIN

Cleanliness is next to Godliness – all thatyup, yup, yup.

But how do we keep our chain clean?

First, let’s toss the one product that so many riders insist on using for this task.

WD-40 is great for so many things. Squeaky door hinges, cleaning tools, general household tasks, and quick lubrication fixes around the house – but not the best to clean your O-ring motorcycle chain. It is just too caustic in the long run.

There are a number of really excellent chain cleaners to be bought off the shelf – but they are pricey.

We have found that the very best cleaner is

simple kerosene - in the blue bottle from any major box store or Tractor Supply.

Pour this into a spray bottle and this is all you will really need.

You can use a hard bristle brush, or a neat product we picked up called the Brush Rag, from Grease Ninja.

The ‘Brush Rag’ is a disposable, flexible brush specifically designed for cleaning the motorcycle drive chain with kerosene or other chain cleaners. The B-Rag is approximately 5” x 5” in size with a hand strap on the back of the brush. The ‘Brush Rag’ consists of flat bristles on a flexible backing, allowing it to be ‘wrapped’ 360 degrees around the drive chain for efficient chain cleaning. When the cleaning process is completed, the ‘Brush Rag’ is easily cleaned or discarded.

Block off your rear tire and anything else you might not want to get grimy when you are cleaning, and IMPORTANT – DO NOT RUN THE MOTOCYCLE’S ENGINE – when you are cleaning or lubing a chain. It might seem easier to let the engine spin the wheel, and you are being SO careful – but you will lose a finger or worse in you screw it up.

In fact, I follow my sage “Gun Master’s” rule that you never load a magazine in the presence of a hand gun. Never.

Put the bike’s keys in your pocket.

Spray down the chain with kerosene, and give it a good working with the Brush Rag – this should be natural to 80% of the riders out there.

Then wipe down repeatedly with a clean, but getting very dirty, rag.

Wow… how shiny and clean is your chain, hmmm?

It’s really greasin’ it up, folks! He’s greasin’ it up! Yeah!

Terry Kath – South California Purples

Lubrication is key, and to get the chain properly lubed, in all the right places, and a minimum of mess we have been using a great tool called The Grease Ninja. This superb, easy-to-use, and affordable product makes chain lubrication a breeze by strategically aiming your chain lube of choice right between chain link plates. Lubricant is not placed on the rollers or in-between the rollers which wastes lubricant and increases cleanup time.

This puts the lubrication where it will evenly spread doing the job the lube was created for - keeping about 1400 little parts spinning quicker than Michelle Kwan on speed.

The Grease Ninja is chain size specific, so make sure you order the correct size. The Grease Ninja sells for $15, and a pack of five Brush Rages will run $20 – an easy investment to keep you and your 1,416 little friends rolling happily down the road. Learn more at greaseninja.com ,