December 2015

DECEMBER

2015

Volume 21 No. 12

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

Westward Ho! Touring Western Canada with Edelweiss Bike Travel

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MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4

24 Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................6 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................7

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

ON THE MARK ....................................................8

Contributors

Mark Byers, Victor Cruz, Bill Heald, Keith Ingram, Dr. Seymour O’Life

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ..........................9 BACKLASH ........................................................10

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

Page 4

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

dinner, in between poorly timed and usually misogynistic jokes.

On this tour it took Shira and me only one day to know who The Guy was BRIAN RATHJEN and to stay as far away from him as possible whenever, on or off the bike.

Lunch and dinner were under our control but, on the road, it was a bit more difficult.

The Guy Almost always The Guy’s mind works differently than the rest of us. His hubris and self-importance can be legendary, in his own mind.

My friend David Hough wrote a book once On the first day of this tour we were asked for a volunteer to ride Tail. Like called The Good Rider. In it he penned his you would think it was the Tail Rider’s, or Sir Lastinline’s, task to hang back thoughts on what makes a “Good Rider,” and adand help make sure our group, as a whole, got to where we needed to get to vice on how to become one. that evening.

On a recent tour, with a group of riders brought e were not the only ones aware of I’m easy - so I took the high-viz vest that together from different points on the globe, I The Guy’s idiotic, discourteous riding would be easily seen by the lead rider and thought of this book often. manner and general assholiness as stayed way back in the group (Space CushOne of the most difficult issues that motorcycle he continued to dog others in our ioning always). tour companies have to deal with when bringing This also gave me a great view of the dyriders along for a few weeks on the road is vetting group at the most inappropriate times. namics of the other riders. All seemed comthe customers. Knowing that someone can actupetent, excellent riders and then it got weird and The Guy showed up. ally ride a motorcycle is a very reassuring thing to any tour operator.

We had come into a mountain section and the road began to snake a bit, But, what if one of the group members coming in can ride, but chooses to offering a nice easy ‘left-right-left’ sort of flow. ride in a bad, aggressive and less than courteous manner? What if this rider This was followed by a short straight section. It was towards the end of shows, from the very first day, that he or she will be trouble, dangerous and the twisties that The Guy first reared his petulant helmet and charged past a rider of which to be wary?

Shira in the turns, then past the rest of the group as the road straightened out.

I have had this conversation with some friends who have been on a number Shira and I were using Sena Bluetooth communicators and I clearly heard of tours and we have come to the conclusion that most times, on any given her say “What the frack!” as The Guy skimmed past her at speed. ride, there with be ‘The Guy!’ At the next group stop he came over and apologized to Shira, stating he Don’t be ‘The Guy.’ just got ‘carried away’ with the great roads.

Let me be clear here – The Guy can be The Girl too – but for the sake of Right. this missive I’ll stick with The Guy. Shira rolled her eyes at me and told me over the intercom that we were The Guy is usually an older bloke. He has a decent job (which he’ll tell going to have a problem with The Guy. you he excels at), usually professional upper management or business owner.

The red flags were raised in my head and stayed flying an hour later when He inevitably was once a winning racer, back in the day that Daytona was he made an inside pass on a rider in a hairpin forcing the rider to go wide still a beach track. with oncoming traffic approaching in a blind turn.

These riders like to hear themselves talk and will tell you all about it and Continued on Page 13 happily set you straight on any and every subject during lunch stops or at

FREE WHEELIN’

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL

Six DeGreeS of SeparaTion Don’t ride so, don’t ride so Don’t ride so close to me.

The Police (sort of) We’ve preached on this topic many times in these pages; the need for distance between riders, whether there are two or twelve in a group. There are figures and graphs and charts that illustrate the consequences, but this time I’m being selfish.

During our Fall Rally in West Virginia, Brian and I decided to go our separate ways on the free day in Elkins. When some folks heard, they asked, several times, if I would join them in their day’s ride. I had it in my mind that I would go solo, exploring and riding at my own pace. During our Spring Rally in Lake Placid, I had taken lead on a ride with some of these folks behind me and, in all honesty, I was not comfortable with them behind me. I felt that, although I thought I was keeping a good and spirited pace, they were riding much too close to me and to each other. So, when asked to ride with them, I kindly declined.

That’s the beauty of motorcycling; it’s really a solo adventure. Even though you may have other riders with you, your ride is your very own. You decide what pace fits your mood and the road you’re on and the line you’ll take.

That’s why I like to take tail position when put in a group-riding situation. If you let other riders with you influence or alter your idea of safety or comfortability, your adventure is compromised. I have fallen prey to this a couple of times and, after the last one, I hope to not let it happen to me again. As the saying goes, ‘Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.’

Finding others with whom you can share a riding experience can be difficult. Over the years, I have been fortunate to find a few who have the same time schedule, pace and riding needs as I do. Getting up and out early, stop-

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ping for those out-of-the-ordinary oddities or beautiful vistas, finding the offthe-beaten-track eateries and, mostly, riding at a good pace with a more-thanadequate space cushion. Brian and I have a good riding simpatico, although I know that every once in a while I’ll ride up a bit too close to his rear. In the rare instances that he rides behind me, I sometimes think I’ve lost him, as he can hang back a good quarter-mile.

Recently, we were out for a ride with some folks, heading back in the later afternoon after a great day’s ride. When we set out at the beginning of the day, we had more riders than we had anticipated, so we broke into two groups. I reluctantly took lead on the second group, and kept an eye on whoever was directly behind me to make sure they were keeping their distance. We had a wonderful ride without any incidents.

On the return ride, there were just four of us, with Brian and I swapping lead, depending on how our GPS’ were acting, and our two companions filling in behind. At one particular stop sign where we were to make a right, with Brian at the helm, he stopped momentarily, dabbing his left foot down and looked to his left (as one should) before continuing on. I, being behind him, followed his motions but was startled to see the rider who was behind me come up abruptly on my left. Feeling that I would knock into him if I put my left foot down, I went to use my right only to find that there was nothing there and over I went. There was no real harm done (that’s what hand and engine guards are for, right?) but I wondered why he had stopped so suddenly and closely.

Separation is the key word here. While he had been riding at a decent distance, he either hadn’t paid attention to my stopping or anticipated that I’d roll through the stop sign with just a head-check. If he had given himself, and me, a bigger space cushion, even if I did something that he hadn’t anticipated, he would have had enough room, and time, to alter his path and not come up on me so closely.

The next time we meet, and you ask if I’d like to ride with you, please don’t be offended if I politely turn you down or accept with the caveat that I ride behind. It’s not that I don’t want to share your riding adventure, it’s just that I like my six degrees of separation.

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD

rock on A nearby resident of these parts did a bit of impromptu landscaping, and managed to balance a rock on another rock in a very vexing and interesting manner. It was quite striking, and launched me down a very strange memory wormhole mixing the past and present and touching the very heart of the term “open road.”

Roads are living things, or so I believe. The more remote the blacktop in question the more it seems like a creature that breathes, thinks, and has a soul, or at least that’s the feeling I’ve experienced on many isolated highways. It’s a funny thing: I think it’s safe to say we all love a wildly curving sample of road that winds through rugged landscapes with lots of elevation changes that help us wear the tires out more evenly. But I am also a big fan of the straight ribbon of road on flat, desolate terrain that stretches to the horizon, where you really get a sense of the scope of your journey and literally see the weather coming ages before it actually arrives.

Some of my fondest experiences tied to life on the road feature stretches of tarmac like this, and there’s something about these wide-open spaces that helps put my mind at ease.

Why do these open ranges have such a positive effect on me? Hard to say but I do have a few theories. Growing up in Texas no doubt had something to do with it, and once I started riding longer distances I naturally headed west and that meant a lot of West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada riding as I wandered to what turned out to be a three year stint in California.

Page 7 Somewhere during all this time I got really into weather, specifically big storms, for as I mentioned earlier on these wide flat stretches you could see them coming and get a real sense of how big they were and how small a guy on a motorcycle is. Whenever I think about such things, it reminds me of how much I enjoyed riding out in the great wastelands of Nevada (I use the term wasteland in an endearing manner) and how much things have changed since the 80s and 90s when I did most of my more extensive roaming. Whenever I was about to explore in an area where humans and their support services were rare, careful planning was in order.

At the time when I embarked on a trip through the heart of Nevada on what was then (and probably still is) called the Loneliest Road in America, there were few services, no real internet, and cell phones (if you had one) were useless outside of most major metropolises (metropolli?). It was a pretty quiet stretch of road, even though I never really felt lonely when the Yamaha Royal Star and I were on it.

This was Highway 50 and in fact still is.

And while I seriously doubt it is now strip malls, fast food joints and Dunkin’ Starbucks from Fallon to Ely, I somehow feel it has changed since my quiet adventure, chronicled for a magazine whose name escapes me. The whole concept of being alone has changed dramatically, thanks to our Brave New World of interconnectivity. We’re always reachable now, and by the same token (or microchip, actually) we can always contact somebody. GPS tells us where we are, and the weather can now be observed by radar on our smart phones and not just monitored by the movement of the clouds over the horizon. These truly brilliant resources somehow change things in the mind of the solo traveler, for you know that if you have a problem out there on the desert, help is (theoretically) just a phone call away. Is this a good thing? No, Continued on Page 13

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

ON THE MARK MARK ByERS

The ShepherD Fall wiped summer’s haze from the sky and the leaves stood in stark oranges, reds, and yellows against the neon blue of it. Nature was kind, with temperatures in the 70’s, a delicious treat for November. The conditions were fecund for motorcycling, so a ride burst forth from a text message and four men met to ply the rural roads on a collection of sporty bikes.

There were two Ninja 650s and two CBR-600s – certainly not a herd of turtles when it comes to riding iron. As men go, three were what you expect from a group of sportbike enthusiasts: twentysomething techies with various stages of minimal riding gear, including Timberland work boots. The fourth guy was the joker. The fourth was a 52-year-old, managerial type with an amalgam of worn, but effective riding gear. I was the fourth guy.

I was the shepherd.

I didn’t campaign for the job – I backed into it. My part-time job as a recruiter for younglings led me to a meeting with a group of them and I showed up with a helmet. One of them had a helmet too and the ensuing conversation revealed him to be a new rider of only three months experience. Intelligent and inquisitive, he pumped me for information in a polite, but relentless way.

He invited me to a ride and that is how I came to meet at a Chipotle parking lot for a ride with three twentysomething sportbikers on a gorgeous fall day.

I approached the affair with an enormous amount of caution, as I’ve had moto mentoring efforts go down in Hindenburgian conflagrations. A lot of people don’t have the temperament to listen to mentoring and a group of driven, intelligent, and hormonal young male engineers on sportbikes had the potential to be a frustration-fest. On the way to the rally point, I kept telling myself to keep it low-key.

When the guy who organized the ride arrived, he was another new-hire.

The leader had the forethought to check to see with whom he was dealing.

The conversation went: “How long have you been riding?” The first, my in-

quisitor, whom I’ll call “Sochi” because he grew up in Japan, said, “Three months.” Fittingly, he was on a Ninja. The second, on a mid-2000’s CBR600, whom I’ll call “Tim” because of his boots, said, “I got my license five years ago, but I never used it until I got this bike less than a month ago.” The leader, whom I’ll call “Ricky” because he looked like Ricky Schroeder, then looked at me. I hesitated. “Forty years,” I finally offered, eliciting a wideeyed look.

I don’t know how much experience the leader had, but I have socks older than he. Nevertheless, heeding my original self-talk, I played it cool. Asking for the experience level of his charges was a good sign, and he also knew enough to talk about taking it easy and not riding above anyone’s pace. Full marks. Because he didn’t mention it, I casually mentioned lane position and spacing and waiting should we get split by a light. He knew enough to put the newbs in the middle and I offered to ride last. As we left the lot, a guy on a crotch rocket who was not part of our cabal ripped by with an open pipe, hoisting a wheelie in the middle of traffic. I happily observed three helmets shaking in a negative way from our group.

True to his word, our leader – a local guy by birth – took us on a beautifully scenic ride that was not too challenging. We stopped for lunch and the talk was that of enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry young men who understood their inexperience and were approaching it a mature way. They even acknowledged the minimal state of their riding gear and asked for advice on what to get. The two total newbs turned out to be private pilots who are working on their instrument ratings. If they continue to approach motorcycling like they approach aviation, they’ll be fine.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. I was heartened to see the mature, intelligent approach these young men are taking to riding. We spoke of getting together over lunches at work to talk riding and survival strategies, meeting after work to talk bikes and wrenching, and to continue to ride together to build experience for the new guys. I talked to them about Pridmore’s school at VIR and they were excited about the prospect. I promised to take them on a ride through our Amish country and they seemed excited. We ride again on Veteran’s Day. I hope to be a good shepherd.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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THOUG HTS FRO M THE ROAD MoTorcycle in The claSSrooM

Keith Ingram

teacher” idea, here’s one story of the effect of this teaching method. A 15year-old boy in my class was a double-tough gang member. He was never a A motorcycle embodies a myriad of purposes with which we hopefully alproblem for me, but typically did poorly in class, because he had zero interest ways continue to achieve the limits of our skill, courage, talent and nerve. If in the science presented to him. Picture this guy: small in size, knife scars we really ride one “on the edge,” it’s quite possible for the bike to give us a on his face and tattoos covering his arms. With the discussion of the bike and high no drug could ever offer. If your riding is of the touring variety, you Newton’s Laws, for the first time he became interested and offered thoughts miss all the thrills an adventure bike offers. Atop a great off-road bike, it’s of the “what, where and why” of the lesson presented. easy to introduce yourself to the feel (and taste) of mud, dirt, rocks and tree Because of the “bike in the classroom,” this guy began working harder in branches, as well as test your bench pressing abilities, while you attempt to class. When given ten essay questions of the subject, his answers were the return your bike from the “sleeping” position to the vertical “awake” one. most thoughtful of all the students in the class. Later I give a short test and While the adventure bike offers many versions of the typical get-off, the he scored the highest in the class. touring variety hopefully never introduces you to the Armed with this excellent work, I hand wrote a ith the bike sitting quietly above distractions. If while atop a GTL, RT or GT you “To Whom it may Concern” note about his excelexperience these “distractions” on a regular basis, perin the center of the classlent work, thoughts and knowledge and told of his haps an auto might be your ride of choice. Sometimes room, I explain I can afford class leading work. I walked over to his desk and (and we hate to admit this) a few riders should be drivers it because I never spend a quietly slipped him the note (I learned this skill instead (which is scary as well). years ago with the girls), and whispered that he cent on tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

Now consider this: use your bike for a very different might want to read it. purpose. Let it be a serious “teaching tool.” As a former classroom teacher, I walked away, but carefully watched as he read my words. This tough I’ve used a variety of motorcycles as teaching tools. With the school’s blesskid’s eyes filled with tears, and as the class ended he carefully folded the ing I’ve brought my bikes into my classroom. The bikes have come in spotnote. While leaving the class, he walked up to me and said, “Mr. Ingram, no less and mud covered. I don’t start the bikes or ride them, but they are there one has ever written anything nice about me before!” He broke into a wide for perhaps the most important life lesson I can offer school age kids. With grin and enthusiastically said, “I have to see my probation officer, and wait the bike sitting quietly in the center of the classroom, I explain I can afford ‘till he sees this!” it because I never spend a cent on tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

He finished the semester with one of the highest grades in the class. Today, That sermon is preached daily to kids, and like them, when their age, I in his early 30s, he’s gainfully employed, married with two kids and anytime blew off the sermon. However, with an impressive motorcycle sitting right I see him, the greeting always comes with a big hug. Some of life’s smallest in front of the kids, the sermon takes on a new meaning. The motorcycle now victories are the biggest ones of all. becomes a reality of owning, not just an idea or dream. A real, live, cool moA motorcycle’s purpose? Perhaps to re-direct the life of a school age boy torcycle which is surprisingly easy to own if the drug/tobacco/alcohol bucks (or girl). You could invite yourself and your bike to a school near you to deare redirected to its ownership. liver your own “life story.” What are you waiting for?

While I could relate many positive reactions to my “motorcycle as a

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

BACKLASH Istanbul….

Hi Shira and Brian, I don’t know if Pete has emailed you, but THE magazine arrived yesterday and we dove stray into! I now consider myself famous as everybody asks “who is that woman standing under the Lone Pine?” (I have a very vivid imagination) Thank you very much for bringing our holiday back to life, with the added bonus of a photo of pretty much everybody - great job, great magazine and will be a great resource when we do come over.

Cheers, Kris from Down Under Great story & wonderful images. We did something similar a few years ago and were dazzled by the friendliness of the ‘natives’. We seem to have visited a lot of the same places, which I assume you enjoyed as much as we did. I would love to send your story to my daughters, one of whom just spent a month in the former Yugoslavian countries along the Dalmatian Coast. Do you have the story in PDF form as I do not want to cut up my Backroads copy.

What is your next adventure? Hope all is well at Backroads Central!

Burt Richmond Hello Brian and Shira, We enjoyed your Tri State 200 ride and also the ride to the ballgame even though we didn’t get any cake (our fault). Would love to join you on the Spring Break, Fall Fiesta or both. Would you happen to have dates picked as we have to put in my vacation for next season.

Joe & Kathy Burke Joe & Kathy, We do have the Spring Break all set but are still working on the Fall Rally.

Look for the Spring Rally details in this magazine on page 44. And thanks for joining us – see you in the Spring.

Letters to the Editor Hi Brian, If I were to describe your magazine in one word, it would easily be “Eclectic.” It is a very interesting read without the ol’ “more of the same on the next page!” I also enjoy the larger format.

I’m sitting solo at a local pizza joint, which always provides the perfect reading atmosphere. So far, I’m most impressed.

All the best, Keith Igram

Backroads’ Mystery Run Hi Brian, Thanks for setting up that impromptu ride yesterday and taking advantage of one of the last great weather days remaining. I’m wondering if you have that beautiful route in any form you can send me so I can load it into my new, high tech, sophisticated, top end (not quite) TomTom. If I should be able to get out for a few hours I can enjoy the route at my somewhat less spirited pace. Anyway, it was a very enjoyable morning. I, along with everyone else, appreciate what you guys do.

John P. Brian & Shira, Always a pleasure riding with you. Crayola Factory was quite a surprise.

Missed you when we left so I wanted to say thanks and ride safe.

Till next time.

Rick Mickles

Got something to say? We’d love to hear it.

Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit.

Contact us via email: editor@backroadsusa.com

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

Page 11

IN DU STRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

RAMAPO MOTORCYCLE CLUB SPREADING THE SUNSHINE “Striving to Enhance the Sport of Motorcycling” since 1938, the Sunshine Committee of the Ramapo Motorcycle Club of Rockland County traveled

the 380 miles (R/T) to the small town of Oxford, New York, where its oldest surviving member, George Ortiz, now resides at the State Veterans Home.

George joined the Club immediately after being discharged from the Army following his service during World War II. The 96 year-old life-long motorcycle enthusiast is now wheelchair-bound and battling cancer, but back in 1949 he was one of the Club’s most active riders, being awarded an “Activity Recognition Trophy” for that year – a memento that he has prominently displayed ever since. It was that trophy that inspired a friend and neighbor, retired Marine Corps Captain Roger Brown, to contact the Club and inform it of George’s condition and whereabouts.

WALKING DEAD STAR TO HOST NEW MOTORCYCLE DOCUDRAMA AMC is extending its relationship with Norman Reedus. The cable network is teaming with “The Walking Dead” star for a six-episode docuseries exploring motorcycle culture.

Set to debut in 2016, each hour-long episode “Ride With Norman Reedus” (working title) will see the actor behind “The Walking Dead’s” Daryl Dixon

explore local motorcycle culture and its history by taking rides through different cities with a riding companion. The motorcycle enthusiast each week will ride with a fellow actor, musician, friend or local who shares his passion journey to a new destination. Along the way, they’ll stop at locations including custom bike shops, tattoo parlors, collector warehouses and more, in addition to showcasing various types of motorcycles, including vintage, minis and cruisers.

RIDER PROFILING – A NATIONAL ISSUE The National Motorcycle Profiling Survey that began October 1st is already beginning to show some strong early trends confirming that motorcyclist profiling is a prevalent and widespread problem, and is expected to yield some very interesting and telling statistics which can assist motorcyclists in recapturing our rights base across the country.

The questionnaire posted on Survey Monkey is intended to provide a clearer picture of motorcycle profiling from a national perspective through a thorough and comprehensive series of specific and detailed questions.

“The initial results are very informative and are starting to paint the picture we have been seeing in our community for a long time,” said David “Double

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

D” Devereaux of the Motorcycle Profiling Project (www.motorcycleprofilingproject.com), “but this time our legislative representatives, who aren’t familiar with the motorcycle community will be able to see it too.”

SMART BIKES? The motorcycle industry recently took a major step toward the “connected bike” when three major OEMs announced the launch of a Connected Motorcycle Consortium with Yamaha, BMW and Honda entering into a joint agreement to accelerate the development of intelligent bikes, whose technology development and inclusion in the greater mobility picture have lagged behind the connected-car movement.

“In order to speed up more motorcycle-specific safety developments, we intend to cooperate to promote a successful implementation of C-ITS in motorcycles and scooters,” said Honda’s Tetsuo Suzuki. “The next logical step is to enter into a cooperation dedicated solely to the challenges relating to powered two-wheelers,” added Takaaki Kimura, of Yamaha.

“Our aim is to promote a timely and comprehensive use of cooperative ITS systems in powered-two wheelers offering the potential to improve safety. We therefore encourage other companies to join us,” said Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller, of BMW Motorrad.

ITS technologies offer the potential to further increase safety, security and efficiency in all transport systems, in particular for motorcycles. Future systems development will further integrate V2V features, in particular interoperable networked wireless communication between vehicles to enable road users to make coordinated and informed decisions about their route as well as allowing safer maneuvering in busy urban environments.

YAMAHA UNVEILS MOTOBOT Not long after we received the previous Infobite, Yamaha unveiled Motobot at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Motobot is an autonomous motorcycle-riding humanoid robot built around a fusion of Yamaha’s motorcycle and robotics technology. Yamaha’s R&D is currently underway with the goal of developing the robot to ride an unmodified motorcycle on a racetrack at more than 200 km/h. The task of controlling the complex motions of a motorcycle at high speeds requires a variety of control systems that must function with a high degree of accuracy.

Yamaha looks to apply the fundamental technology and know-how gained in the process of this challenge to the creation of advanced rider safety and rider-support systems. Looks like the Highway Patrol of the future.

NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FUND LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOR DEAF RIDERS

The National Motorcycle Safety Fund created in 1980 to augment the work of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, has created a new grant program to help rider training sites cover the costs of hiring sign-language interpreters for deaf and hard of hearing students.

MSF-recognized Rider Training Sites regularly receive requests to accommodate students with physical disabilities.

MSF expects MSF-recognized Rider Training Sites across the nation to make reasonable accommodations for people with physical disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state laws. A common accommodation is for a training site to hire, often at its own expense, sign-language interpreters.

There are many deaf and hard of hearing car drivers and motorcyclists on the road today. To compensate, drivers and motorcyclists typically employ risk-reduction strategies such as Search/Evaluate/Execute (SEE), maintain longer following distances, make better use of peripheral vision, and check their mirrors more frequently.

More Industry Infobites on Page 49

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 free Wheelin’

Page 13 Continued from Page 4

Holy crap! Seriously?

We were not the only ones aware of The Guy’s idiotic, discourteous riding manner and general assholiness as he continued to dog others in our group at the most inappropriate times.

Parking for the night in one tiny town, one of the other riders explained to him in a very “I grew up outside Philly manner” that he was riding very badly and it would be in the group’s best interest for him, and his desire to continue the rest of the tour in a physically healthy and pain free manner, to reconsider his ways.

Well, there were a lot of colorful metaphors in these statements, but, you get the idea.

In true The Guy fashion he simply could not understand why anyone would be angry with him.

As the trip went on he continued to be The Guy on and off the motorcycle.

What can you do – he paid his money too.

On the last day he began to follow Shira through some sweepers. Up until then she was having a grand time this last day on the road until The Guy came riding on her butt just a wheel-length away. I could her Shira cursing in her helmet urging him to go by and ride off to hell.

Although never happy with The Guy’s antics I did my best to stay away from him, but he was now messing with the wrong person – my honey.

Shira slowed and let him go by then he went to pass me. In my current state of concern, that wasn’t going to happen till I wanted it to. I stymied him for a few miles through the turns and along a short straight before listening to my wife order me to stop playing with him.

“Okay… you’re just no fun, I tell ya.”

It was that moment that I once again thought of Hough’s book The Good Rider. I told Shira I wish I had a copy with me so I could present it to The Guy at lunch. Shira asked if I really would give him the book. No, I planned to shove it up his….

Well, don’t be The Guy!

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Continued from Page 7

it’s a fantastic thing. It helps reduce the anxiety that’s present on such journeys and leaves you freer to undertake trips that might have made you think twice before.

But I can’t help thinking that, for people like me who remember what it was like to attack such trips armed with considerably less technology, the experience of isolated travel has changed. There was a sense of really being on your own, having to improvise if anything went amiss and really not having a clue what was around the next bend. On the trip through Nevada I mentioned earlier, there were a few roads I was on that seemed far more desolate than ol’ Route 50, and it was on these remote tracks where I observed something that I’ve never seen again (and was reminded of by my rock-balancing neighbor mentioned earlier). The desert and the road were pretty much on the same plane, and as I motored along I noticed I was clearly not the first person to visit these parts. People had taken stones, and created all kinds of messages just off the road in a geological version of dot-matrix printing (remember that?). Naturally after noticing that there where quite an assortment of these things I stopped to examine them further. It was amazing, for there were statements of romance, of graduation, of ultimate destinations and some were just signatures from passing vagabonds. But what was really interesting was many had considerately dated their missives, and some of these creations had been sitting there in the desert for decades apparently untouched. I’ve never forgotten that experience, and how even though I was really in the middle of nowhere I felt a connection to these rock sculptors and could feel a weird presence. With so many going back so many years, I was thinking about what these people must have looked like, what they were riding or driving, what music was popular, what was going on in the world, etc.

Suffice it to say I have never looked at roads, especially ones in places where people seem scarce, the same way since the technology revolution.

That strange sense of connection with those who somehow found themselves on what is literally the road less travelled was very welcome, and quite unexpected at the time. Now of course, we’re all about the connectivity. It’s all good, and yet there’s still a part of me that longs for the days when the connection were more ethereal, and less electronic.

Page 14

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY JohnSon VicTrola MuSeuM 375 S NEW ST., DOVER, DE 19901 302-739-3262 • HISTORY.DELAWARE.GOV/MUSEUMS/JVM/JVM_MAIN.SHTML Just off New Street in historic Dover, Delaware you will find a two story brick building with a large lot and a very familiar, almost iconic, image of a dog along the side wall.

The dog’s name is Nipper and he has been linked with a device that fundamentally changed the way humans allow themselves to be entertained.

Nipper was a real dog who lived in England and enjoyed chasing rats (who doesn’t?), “nipping” at the backs of people’s ankles, and listening to music.

Nipper was doing just that when artist Francis Barraud thought the scene would make a great painting and created Nipper listening to “His Master’s Voice” in 1899. The painting and copyright were purchased by Emile Berliner for use as the trademark for The Gramophone Company in London.

The original painting featured Nipper listening to a cylinder phonograph, but that was changed to a Berliner Disc Gramophone as a condition of the purchase.

Now enter into this story one Eldridge Reeves Johnson.

Johnson had been born in Dover, Delaware, but after learning a trade as a machinist went to work in Camden, New Jersey.

Back in these days you

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind needed to crank Berliner’s Gramophone to make it work, but it had to be done at the correct speed lest your music be too slow or too fast or wobbly.

There was a “Goldilocks” zone and it was hard to perfect.

Berliner approached the young Johnson to create a way to make listening to disc records easier and more enjoyable. E.R. Johnson went about this task and eventually came up with a spring motor that needed to be cranked tightly only once to play a disc.

Johnson’s spring motor invention was a huge success and a new industry was born.

By 1901, Johnson had bought Berliner’s patents, combined them with his own, and founded the Victor Talking Machine Company.

The company grew to encompass ten city blocks in Camden, grossed millions annually (back in the early 1900s), and produced some of the most famous recording artists in the world. Johnson’s international sales offices were located worldwide in countries such as Australia, Buenos Aires, Japan, and Milan.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Johnson’s innovation led to the sale of thousands of Victrolas with interior horns, to ornate and electrified credenza units, and brought recorded music to people around the globe as well as catapulting a small dog, Nipper, into world history.

E.R. Johnson became one of the most successful and richest men in the United States and Nipper one of the most famous and recognizable dogs.

After nearly 30 years in the industry, Johnson retired in 1927. The Victor Talking Machine Company was later sold to RCA in 1929. And all this is now part of the mega-company Sony.

When we arrived at the museum we were delighted (maybe) to see a large group of 4th graders piling out of a bus and heading to the door.

We made our way in there first but quickly became part of the kid’s group and tour.

That worked out just fine for we understand things better when it is explained to us like a 4th grader.

In truth the look on the kids faces when they were asked how many liked music (they all did) and what they listened to their music on (mp3 players and phones were the high call here). And, it was worth the price of admission (which is free by the way) for all the smiles when introduced to how people listened to their music back in 1901.

Our guide wound up the first year Victrola and placed the stylus on the disc.

The squawky and scratchy sounds of the disc had some giggling and others dancing. The second disc, Irving Berlin’s ‘How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning’, had them laughing out loud.

It seems this is a universally loved and very related to song - especially for 9 year olds.

Page 15 For the hardest blow of all Is to hear the bugler call Ya gotta get up Ya gotta get up Ya gotta get up this morning The museum is extremely well done and offers a great look at how music, entertainment and technology made a huge stride forward with E.R. Johnson’s innovations.

A few other things were learned this day as well. In particular two phrases that we use all the time, usually for the same thing, came from the Victrola.

You see these “Talking Machines” had no volume control and they played one way – LOUD! But, if you wanted to turn it down a bit you would simply “stick a sock in it”. The next generation of Victrolas had doors and lids to muffle the volume and if your mother were to complain of that wild music the kids of the 1920’s were listening to they would yell… “put a lid on it!”

Now you know.

In 1985, Johnson received a Grammy Award presented posthumously, now proudly on display at the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware.

We stayed around for the 4th grade presentation both on the first floor and then the second, where Nipper was the star.

If you think about it this little dog was the first real logo. Nike’s ‘Swoosh” and McDonalds Arches came way after Nipper and we were reminded of this and this pup’s popularity with the amount of Nippers found at the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware.

If you are a lover of music, trademarks and history, the Johnson Victrola Museum will entertain all aspects.

You’ll walk away with some knowledge and have a great time learning it.

Page 16

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports Presents

G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN words by Brian Rathjen

phoenicia Diner 5681 NY-28, PHOENICIA, NY 12464 845-688-957 • WWW.PHOENICIADINER.COM I grew up in New York City and have been to the Empire State Building only once; when cousins had come to visit from the ancestral home Scotland. (everyone else comes from a town or region – we Scots all come from an ancestral home) When I did get to the 86th floor’s observation deck I had to wonder why I had waited so long? Maybe it is that I grew up in our ancestral apartment building in Queens and it was just part of the background fabric.

I kinda feel the same way about this month’s stop on the Great All American Diner Run - the Phoenicia Diner.

Why did it take us so long?

We have passed this place countless times, usually on our way somewhere else. When we did stop in the town of Phoenicia it was usually to one of the restaurants on Main Street. The oldish-looking diner, sadly, was ridden by.

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tasty places to take your bike But some good old things can become new and greater things.

But first a little background. Like all real diners the Phoenicia has a history. This particular diner was built back in 1962 and moved to the Catskills in the early 80s where it did business for nearly 30 years.

It was then purchased in 2012 by current owner Mike Cioffi, who set about making it what it is today; a Mecca of sorts, and maybe new standard for the cool diner experience.

When Mike took it over the old Phoenicia Diner was stripped down, rethought and renovated and the new Phoenicia Diner took its place.

The doors opened, people came and the word began to spread about just how good the new Phoenicia Diner is.

Shira heard this as well and a number of times had stated we had to drop by and check it out. Well, maybe a bit more than a number of times.

That being the case, while we were on a meandering romp around the Catskills this past summer, I mentioned maybe lunch at the Phoenicia Diner would be an good idea. She was all for it.

My only question, still, is why did we take so long to come back here?

We had been to this diner many years back and it was a decent, run of the mill, sort of diner. Not a GAADR, by any means.

Well, it is not run of the mill any more.

From its cool “Road Trip” packed station wagon logo, to sourcing most of their ingredients locally, the Phoenicia Diner cries ‘We’re on a Catskill Adventure! Come for the mountains, Stay for the food!’

On occasion we have been impressed with a menu.

Although we all know the menu is here to tell you what is available and the price, in some places it can be so much more. In the case of the Phoenicia Diner the menu handles a number of jobs.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

First off this carte du jour has a wide array of offerings (some of which we will get right into) and decent prices to go with them; but it also serves as the place mat too. And, across the place mat you will find all that is Catskills the diner’s history, local happenings, and things to do in the area.

The password for the diner’s wifi is there (it’s the phone number, duh) and a number of other curious tidbits and local information. It is both place mat and local chamber.

Best of all is the breakfast and lunch items that are so neatly listed in its center. To make things easier we’ll just tell you the basics and then a few of the more interesting offerings.

Yup, pancakes, eggs and omelets can be found as well as The Benedicts which can be served with crab cakes, Canadian bacon and smoked salmon.

The Skillets are where things get real interesting, with seven to choose from including duck and grits, Wild Hive polenta and a most excellent dish called the Arnold Bennett – which is a locally smoked trout (and lots of it) with parmesan cheese, crème fraîch scrambled eggs - that Shira ordered immediately and I immediately attacked.

The dish has its own story, as it is said the original trout and eggs dish was

Page 17 created for the novelist by the chefs at the Savoy Hotel in London and Bennett then asked that it be recreated everywhere he went.

Deeelicious…. and, aromatic too.

You will also find breakfast tacos, burritos and smoked trout or salmon with herbed cream cheese, red onion, capers on a Brooklyn bagel.

Moving onto lunch you might like to try their CBLT – crab, bacon, lettuce & tomato on a brioche roll. Maybe a Cubano is more to your liking.

Their fried chicken & waffle sandwich looked appetizing, but this day I stayed reasonable with the classic turkey club that came on a wonderful local bread and was created thick, juicy and faultless.

For you salad lovers (yes, I am slowly joining your ranks) the watermelon and feta cheese with arugula, red onion, almonds and a balsamic vinaigrette sounded enticing – but, you can put feta cheese on road kill and I’d eat it.

When we stopped by the diner, on a summer Sunday afternoon, the place was fairly well packed, but the wait was not long and the staff was as friendly and helpful as can be and seemed to really mean it, unlike the snappy rehearsed BS you can sometimes be fed at some typical diners.

It seems that breakfast is served all day and lunch from noon till closing at 5 pm. They also have a bar, which was neither here nor there, but they did offer something that we might have to investigate at another less motorcycle’ish day.

A bourbon milkshake.

Shira loves milkshakes and she enjoys a good bourbon.

Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

So we let you in on the secret that everyone knew – the Phoenicia Diner rocks and is the place to stop in for breakfast or lunch while scooting around the Route 28 area in the Catskills of New York.

But now we have to give you a ride that is equal to the food. Moving, interesting and a bit different - and with an excellent finish.

Easy – follow me. Rip & Ride on Page 54.

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Page 18

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WE’RE OUTTA HER E

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

canDleBay inn 8 MAPLE AVE, FREEPORT, ME 04032 888-217-2477 • WWW.CANDLEBAYMAINE.COM L.L. Bean, Freeport, Maine. Did you know that this mega-outdoor mecca is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? No matter when you have the sudden urge for a new kayak, larger outdoor domicile, waterproof socks or long johns, you can make your way through their unlocked doors to fulfill your happiness.

This, however, was not the driving force behind our sojourn to the ‘lower fingers’ of Maine. This past December, while attending the Travel Show at NYC’s Javits Center and scoffing up tons of brochures and information for research, we came across a lovely B&B in this area. Come summertime riding season, we made a plan to head north and pay the Candlebay Inn a visit.

The CandleBay has a long history in the area, dating back to 1853. Built in a typical New England-style tradition, with the main house connected to the barn by a shed, it was constructed mainly to store merchandise and not as a ‘farm’ house. The first owners, Henry A. Bailey, Hezekiah B. Means and Philip and John Briggs, were in the shipping business, with John being a master carpenter for many of the ships that launched from the South Freeport shipyard. In fact, he constructed the largest vessel to ever launch from any shipyard along the Harraseeket River – the John A. Briggs – with three decks and three masts.

This carpentry can be witnessed in the barn portion of the Candlebay Inn, with the joints between the barn’s columns and floor beams reinforced by large, bolted-on wooden brackets. While this portion of the Inn is part of the private residence, you can see the same example at the First Parish Congregational Church on Main St in Freeport.

Moving along to modern times, Connie Lay and her family are now the proud owners of what was once called the Captain Briggs Bed and Breakfast.

Connie had always wanted to own and operate her own business and, after an eight-year search, found the right spot in Freeport. She made the transition in 2014 and with her daughter and her partner, Stephanie and Van, have transformed this inn into a very cozy and home-like experience.

The Candlebay Inn offers 6 individual rooms, all with private baths. The Forget-Me-Not room can be expanded into a suite to accommodate five people with two queen beds and a twin. Each room is impeccably decorated, with very comfortable beds and plenty of amenities such as WiFi and TV with satellite. Our two-night stay was in the Bayberry Room, which was quite

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

spacious, with a bay window streaming in morning and afternoon sunlight.

On the mantle over the fireplace we found two wine glasses and ice bucket, as well as a complimentary sample of olive oil from Fiore’s, a local artisan olive oil and vinegar shop. Our travelling companions, the Fords from New Hamphshire, occupied the Clover Room and were just as happy with their overnight accommodations.

Along with the more-than-comfy rooms, your stay includes a hearty and home cooked breakfast prepared by Van, a culinary graduate, and Stephanie, a phenomenal pastry chef. Some of the tasty delights you may find in the morning include Blueberry Crumble French Toast, Taste of Heaven Casserole or Van’s delectable Hash Brown Quiche. Throughout the day you can graze on Stephanie’s sugary offerings of cakes and cookies, which can be found in the common room where breakfast is served. You can enjoy these with a cup of coffee, as the Keurig machine is always up and running. The shared small fridge holds complimentary bottles of water, some soft drinks and is a place to stash your perishables if necessary.

While there, it being a beautiful afternoon to be outside, we enjoyed the seating around the firepit with a bottle of wine and conversation with our friends and the other guests at the Inn. That’s the beauty of staying at a bed and breakfast – the chance to meet fellow travelers and find out where

Page 19

they’ve been and what they’ve seen. Come dusk, we took the short stroll to the Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro, which coincidentally featured Fiore’s olive oils with their delicious bread.

Connie has made the Candlebay Inn a very comfortable choice in the otherwise haughty inns or bland chain hotels of Freeport. Within walking distance of everything on the main street, yet far enough from the hustle of the outlets, the Candlebay makes a perfect option when planning your trip to this part of Maine. If you happen to be travelling with your four-legged companion, no worries here. Connie, having run a veterinary clinic in her previous life, made sure that Fido would be more than welcome at the Candlebay.

Imagine that, a place that feels like home-away-from-home and welcomes both motorcyclists and puppies. With its six rooms, it makes a great home base for a small group wanting to explore the beauty of Maine, or perhaps just a romantic couple’s getaway for some lobster rolls and Whoopie pies.

The Candlebay Inn is open year-round, has free off-street parking, accommodations for 10-16 people and is quite flexible with most every aspect of your stay. Take a look at their website for more details. Remember, no matter what they say, you CAN get there from here and you’ll have a great time when you do.

Page 20

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MY STERIO U S A MER IC A John Gorrie MuSeuM STaTe park 46 SIxTH STREET, APALACHICOLA, FLORIDA 32320 • 850- 653-9347 Wait, warm lemonade? Who wants that? When we think of summer refreshment, the clatter of ice cubes in a glass is one of the first things to come to mind, right? Just imagine how disappointing that lemonade – or ice tea, or soda pop, or even your summer wine cooler – would be without a little bit of ice to keep it cool and satisfying. In fact, ice cubes are so integral in our picture of summertime activities, it’s hard to imagine a time when iced drinks in the summer where anything but ordinary.

But let’s take a ride back into Mysterious America’s past to a time when things were far different and far more deadly.

The year was 1833 and a young doctor by the name of John Gorrie arrived in the new and booming gulf coastal town of Apalachicola, Florida.

Not more than 20 years old the town had quickly become the third largest port along the coast. Cotton was king and Apalachicola was the major port for plantations and farms in the vast drainage area of the Apalachicola, Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

John Gorrie quickly became a figure in and around the town and at various times carried the title of postmaster, councilman and mayor of the small city.

But, first and foremost Gorrie was a doctor and in those days, especially in places like Florida, the ravages of Yellow Fever were crushing the local population.

These days we almost ignore this disease but here are the facts - Yellow Fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The “yellow” in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients. Up to 50% of severely affected persons without treatment will die from yellow fever. The worst is many times symptoms will clear up for a day or so and then the toxic phase comes back with a vengeance and death soon follows.

It is difficult today to imagine just how deadly these outbreaks were, but virtually every southern city was devastated by them at one point or another. Not only did Apalachicola suffer enormously, but its neighboring city of St. Joseph was virtually destroyed by the fever.

With Yellow Fever killing his friends and neighbors John Gorrie once again took up his calling of medicine.

Doctors of the time believed that malaria and yellow fever were caused by “bad air.” It was a reasonable if incorrect assumption, as fevers seemed most destructive in cities and towns that bordered marshes and swamps.

These days we immediately think mosquitoes as they still transmit death in so many places in the world and diseases like West Nile Virus here in the northeast.

Although Gorrie and his fellow doctors did not know where the fever came from, Gorrie urged draining the swamps, clearing weeds, and maintaining clean food markets in the city.

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 He recommended sleeping under mosquito netting to prevent the disease.

Then an odd turn in the weather gave John Gorrie something else to think about.

For weeks it had been hot and humid in northern Florida and along the panhandle until a hurricane passed through bringing with it dramatically cooler and drier air.

Patients that were greatly suffering seemed to fair far better in the cooler temperatures.

Wanting to keep his patients cooler he came up with the idea of using ice in a basin suspended from the ceiling. Cool air, being heavier, flowed down across the patient and through an opening near the floor.

Page 21 The new technique worked brilliantly and many who would have died from Yellow Fever miraculously survived.

The main problem Gorrie had was that ice was a rare commodity in the southern states, as it had to be shipped from more northerly latitudes.

He turned his talents toward finding a way to create ice artificially, giving up medicine to pursue this in 1845. His new ice machine was about twice the size of a modern household refrigerator, but the principles at work were pretty much the same. Like today’s air conditioners and refrigerators and freezers, the production of ice relies upon what’s called “vapor compression refrigeration.” In May of 1851 Gorrie was granted a patent for his artificial ice-making machine - the first for mechanical refrigeration. Gorrie sought to raise money to manufacture his machine, but the venture failed when his partner died. Northern investors had no interest in seeing their ice monopoly destroyed and southern investors had difficulty believing that he really could do what he promised.

Humiliated by criticism, financially ruined, and his health broken, Gorrie died in seclusion on June 29, 1855.

This demise reminded me of the great Nikola Tesla’s end.

Why does this happen to great men and women?

Gorrie is buried in the square named after him in Apalachicola and his original machine is in the Smithsonian Museum. A replica resides in the Gorrie Museum in Apalachicola.

But, there is more to this story and the reason John Gorrie is part of Mysterious America. When President Garfield lay dying, Navy doctors remembered Gorrie and his cooling machine and used the same principles to keep the President comfortable.

After decades people began to look at artificial cooling and ice making once again.

One such person was a Cornell graduate named Willis Carrier. Yes, that Carrier.

He looked at John Gorrie’s work and his machine and began his own quest and that is another story on the roads of Mysterious America. O’Life out!

Page 22

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

DaS’ creaMery 100 US HWY 46 SUITE 7 BUDD LAKE, NJ 07828 862-258-3593 WWW.DASCREAMERY.COM As the calendar pages disappear and the temperatures begin to dwindle, it’s only right to think, ‘where’s my next ice cream coming from?’

You all know that weather does not interfere with the consumption of ice cream, so let’s head out to a most excellent source for this creamy goodness.

Nestled in the village of Budd Lake, a section of Mount Olive, in the pretty part of New Jersey, you’ll find Das’ Creamery. Father and daughter team Pankaj and Komal Das have lovingly created a welcoming atmosphere filled with some of the best ice cream I’ve tasted. Not only is the ice cream of high quality, produced in small batches to ensure its freshness, Pankaj and Komal have come up with some very creative and unusual flavor combinations, and continue to experiment and tweak these delicious offerings.

But more on that in a minute.

Pankaj, after retiring as the director of social services for a hospital, decided that there were more challenges to be met. He decided to attend the ice cream course given at a university in Canada. Komal, who had studied at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan and worked in the food industry, decided that taking the ice cream course at Penn State University would be her direction. From there, the path to opening their own shop was laid. They agreed that an ice cream shop would be the happiest and most fun type of shop to open, bringing joy to so many others while enjoying their creativity.

And creative they are, thinking up new ice cream flavors together then

making them happen. I asked Pankaj if they ever came up with ideas, only to make them and find they just didn’t work. He said you can’t have a winner every time, but some exceed their expectations. My first visit brought me to their clean, colorful and fun-filled shop to sample their Dark Knight Rises, black licorice ice cream. I happen to like black licorice and had never heard of an ice cream in that flavor. True to its name, it was as black as squid ink and perfectly flavored, with a creaminess that was like silk in my mouth, which turned black with each spoonful.

Hmm, not what you’d choose on your first date, I’d think.

The Das’ have over 30 creative and delicious flavors to tickle your tastebuds. On my return visit I was torn between the Village Fig and For the Sage of Maple so Pankaj was kind enough to serve me a kiddie scoop of each. For the Sage of Maple has a wonderful earthiness combined with a sweet undertone and the crunch of candied walnuts but, for me, the Village Fig made my mouth explode with flavor, with crunchy bits of fig embedded in the smoothest of ice creams. Brian opted for a combination of two of his favorites in one flavor – Colombian Cookies and Cream. For coffee lovers, this is the bomb, giving a jolt of caffeine with the crunch of the cookies.

Some of their other enticements include Ginger, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Banana Oreo and Espresso Cheesecake. For the season, they’ve developed Cinderella’s Ride, a warm spiced full-flavored pumpkin that has a kick and It’s Cranberry Thyme, a sweet and tart vanilla-based twist. There’s a chocolate and English toffee for you lovers of British TV called Downton Abbey and for those with dietary concerns, a no-sugar added Chocolate PB Cup Fudge

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and vegan sorbet. Of course you can have your ordinary vanilla or chocolate, which at Das’ Creamery may seem extraordinary, but you’ll be eating the two most popular ice cream flavors in America.

Having trouble making a decision? You’re not the first; Pankaj and Komal will be happy to let you sample until you can make a decision, knowing that you will be satisfied with your final choice. In addition to their cups and cones, you can opt for milkshakes, sundaes or a twist on an ice cream sandwich, made with Pop-tarts.

Have a special occasion coming up? How about an ice cream cake made with your favorite fanciful flavor?

Just give them a couple of days and the Das’ will fill your needs.

The Das’ Creamery is open seven days a week from 11am to 10pm. They will be closed from Christmas through the third week of January. The shop has some tables to sit and enjoy your treats and plenty of parking.

You can follow them on Facebook or visit their website for more information.

Enjoy the colder months with some wonderful ice cream at Das’ Creamery and we’ll see you next time on Shira’s Ice Cream Run. Rip & Ride on Page 53.

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Westward Ho!

W

Exploring Western Canada with Edelweiss Bike Travel hen the name Edelweiss Bike Travel surfaces in any adventurous motorcyclists’ conversation, the talk will inevitably be guided towards the mountains of Europe – the Alps, the Dolomites – and the great riding to be found in and around Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Rightly so, as this tour company has long been known for its high-end touring through this part of the continent.

But, what if we talked Edelweiss Bike Travel and looked to the mountains, not of Europe, but of North America’s west? Instead of crossing the Atlantic to search out some serious mountain passes we simply crossed our own continent to find them. This is what we did last summer when we joined Edelweiss’ Canada West Tour and set out to explore the fantastic Rockies with our neighbors in Canada.

words: Brian Rathjen images: Brian Rathjen + Shira Kamil

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

Our tour would have its start and finish in the city of Seattle, and Shira and I flew in a few days early to take in the sites of the “Emerald City.”

Pike Place Market seemed a great place to start, with a bit of browsing and breakfast on the waterfront, followed with a visit to the Space Needle and the EMP Museum that, with its wide and varied exhibits, will appeal to almost everybody, before we headed underground to learn about the city’s interesting and slightly bizarre past.

That night we notched another Major League Ball Field off our ‘to-do’ list with a couple of seats at the stadium with the Mariners (Mariners over Angels 5 to 0) and the next day we spent hours seeking out some of the greatest aircraft at the Museum of Flight.

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All in all we really enjoyed Seattle and would like it even more if you could get a decent cup of coffee in this town. That’s a joke, as there seems to be a Starbucks on every corner. Wearing Dunkin Donut hat here might be as dangerous as wearing Mets’ colors in Philly!

We find that tours like Edelweiss’ Canada West will, many times, offer an excellent opportunity to explore a city that we might normally avoid or ride around, as urbanized city fans we are not, and Seattle didn’t disappoint.

As I said, Edelweiss is so well known for the Alps, but we felt they would do an excellent job here in the Pacific Northwest. Couple this with the fact that neither Shira nor I had ever ridden this far north in this region and we knew this would make an excellent touring piece for our readers and so we eagerly signed on.

After a few days touring around the city we met up with the rest of our group - made up from of a number of riders from Europe, Australia, Mexico and the United States, along with our guides, Marco and Franz, who hailed from Germany and Italy; we represented a nice cross section of Terran riders.

Seattle to Chelan, Washington The next morning we shuttled over to pick up the machines, all modern and sound motorcycles, from Seattle’s Eagle Rider shop. Like our group, the machines were diversified as well - with a spattering of British, Japanese, American and the ubiquitous German BMW machines.

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Niagara Falls, they draw a million plus visitors each year, but the odd truth is that these falls were made truly famous in the opening shots of David Lynch’s television show Twin Peaks – an odd show all by itself.

Where’s the Log Lady?

Our route choices over the peaks from here were limited but we found our way east doing our best to avoid the Interstate and riding up along Route 2. We crossed Stevens Pass and found a small hotel lunch stop in the train For this trip we would be two-up on the new 2015 BMW R1200 RT. town of Skykomish.

I had wanted to ride this bike since its faltering introduction last year and Route 2 offered some great vistas and eventhis journey around the “Specific Northwest” would be the perfect opportutually the road wound down into the Bavarian– nity to put the RT through its paces. style town of Leavenworth. Like most of the Picking up the bikes was a breeze and I was more than impressed with old Washington towns along these peaks it was Eagle Rider and their Seattle shop; a four-helmet rating for sure. prospecting and the trains that gave them life We were warned about Monday morning Seattle traffic but growing up in for years and when both went away so did New York made this commute to the suburbs a cake walk. much of the livelihood in these parts. In LeavSoon we were heading east along the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. enworth during the 1960s some bright fellows Our first stop was to Snoqualmie Falls. At 268 feet high, 101 feet higher than came up with the idea of using the mountains that surrounded the town to their advantage and 1269 DOLSONTOWN RD convinced a few of the MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 shop owners to redo their buildings in a more 845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM Bavarian Alpen-style.

Today this town is more Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, German than Munich. snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, Yes, it is touristy but still yamaha and Can-Am. With a large parts department, qualified has its charms, ice cream service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories, and a museum with the we're here to meet all your power sport needs. largest collection of Nutcrackers on the planet. You knew we’d find something like that, didn’t you?

For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it Fully fueled and sugared we continued east along 2 in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, with the topography quickly morphing from the green we have their weapon of choice. and damp mountains of the western Cascades to the drier high desert that you’ll find along most of this part of the state.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Heavily irrigated, fruit trees lined the roads for miles with pears, cherries and other fruit just coming into season this time in July.

We made a note to find a fruit stand or two, over the next few days.

We found Route 97 and rode it north into the town of Chelan, named for the lengthy, narrow lake on which it sits.

This remnant of the last ice age is the largest lake in Washington, some 50 miles long, and the deepest with a depth of nearly 1,500 feet in places.

The name Chelan is the native Salish word for “deep waters.”

Our first day’s ride ended here and with the lake calling we went for a late afternoon swim in the remarkably warm northern lake waters.

Chelan to Nelson, British Columbia, Canada The morning’s ride found us winding our way north along the eastern edges of the Cascades and through the Okanogan National Forest. From there we’d see the first of two passes for the day at Wauconda, just over 4,000 feet and then further east along Route 20 and across Sherman Pass over the Kettle Mountain Range, which is the highest pass in Washington that is maintained all year round.

Here the land changes quickly once again with high desert giving way to miles of ancient pines and hardwood forests.

Coming off the pass, the temperatures jumped from the low 60s to low 80s in what seemed like a few miles, and one of the most important rivers in North America rolled into view as we crossed the mighty Columbia, which would be with us, in one way or the other, for the rest of the day.

Many consider this region both the beginning

Page 27 and end – as, at one time, the ocean bound Salmon culture of the northwestern tribes would be meeting the High Plains people After hereabouts.

Sherman Pass the region took on a distinct flavor and we had that feeling that two-wheel travel will often give you… of leaving one environment or habitat to enter an entirely different one.

It is something that today’s air travel has all but eliminated.

Our Canadian border crossing was quick and uneventful (all border crossings should be so civilized) and we took some time at a small museum in the town of Rossland.

Our route would wind along some picturesque and sweeping roads that showed how this part of British Columbia has found a way to combine big industry and power with nature and beauty.

Late that afternoon we rolled into the small city of Nelson, known as “The Queen City.”

We had read that there was an impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days of the Silver Rush, but this week it looked like most of it was in reconstruction.

Still our room had a great view of Lake Kootenay, and grabbing a table at a shore-side restaurant while scanning “The Kootenay” seemed to be in order and a most excellent idea.

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Nelson to Vernon, BC I never wanted to do this job in the first place!

I... I wanted to be...

A LUMBERJACK! Leaping from tree to tree! As they float down the mighty rivers of British Columbia! With my best girl by my side!

Michael Palin – President of the Royal Geographical Society Here in British Columbia there is a whole lot of beautiful nothing - miles and miles of it. Of course, some of the more popular stops will be swarming with Bus People (damn them), but for the most part it will be you, the motorcycle and nature, just the way we like to travel.

Continuing deeper into British Columbia we crossed the Kootenay and followed the road that closely mimicked the shoreline, weaving in and out along a perpetual ribbon of asphalt with two stupendous views – the lake to the right and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park to the left.

We stopped for coffee in the town of Kaslo, which is also the home of the S.S. Moyie, the oldest existing stern wheel paddleboat on the planet.

Built in 1898 she steamed on Kootenay Lake until 1957. She was the last passenger carrying sternwheeler operating in Canada and is now a National Historic Site and BC Landmark.

While chatting with a local she commented on the fake mountains that surrounded us. Fake?

“Yes,” she said, “The real mountains are to the east – you’ll see.”

I guess we would.

This region has a true silver lining, as ore was found in 1891 and a rush was on. The town of Sandon grew to monumental size in wealth and wildness; a boomtown ripe with cash, brothels and a reputation.

When the boom went bust so did the town and Sandon faded away to become one of the best known and real-life ghost towns in western Canada. A short gravel road brought us to what is left of Sandon and we spent some time investigating the old generator, that is still running and creating power for what is left of the town, as it has since 1897, making this ghost town one of the only self-supporting powered towns in the BC. Admission to the Silver Smith Generating Station, located just above the town and remarkably small as power plants go, is free and the machinery and turbines that still run here are a true modern day marvel. There is also an old train and a fleet of ancient and semi-restored buses to grab your attention.

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS We eventually followed Highway 6 to Nakusp for lunch and then continued onto the short cable ferry at Fauquier across Arrow Lake (actually a widening of the Columbia River) to Needles.

Here the road got all excited again and after passing some slower ferry traffic we had a splendid time making our way to the town of Vernon, with its neat downtown coffee shops, drive-thru corn kiosks and 27 wall size murals, where we would park the bikes for the night.

Vernon to Golden BC Although you might think with a tour such as this you are locked into riding with the group, the Edelweiss mindset has never been about this. Their paradigm has always been about your own individual ride and adventure. Each night there would be a gathering to go over the next day’s ride and highlights and then again a second meeting after breakfast. Since we had routed everything on our GPS, we decided to head out before the rest of the group It is not that we don’t play well with others, and the group ride can be fun, but Shira and I have our own agenda and we, or more I, tend to stop at many historic sites and odd places and things we may come upon on the road; usually quickly and with little notice.

This day it didn’t take us long before we pulled into the Log Barn, tourist ensnarer indeed, but with a fun twist - dinosaurs, dragons, mountain goats and some of the best cherries this side of Romania.

The goats were especially entertaining, as they would climb up a terraced goat walk and then “hoof” up food folks were piling on the goat-waiter.

The goats actually brought the food up to themselves.

Was it schlocky? You know it… but fun.

As I have mentioned the railroad was fundamental in the growth of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.

Not too far to the east we made a stop at the site of the driving of the ‘Last Spike,’ at Craigellachie. It was here that the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway took place in 1885 with a large ceremony and the final railroad spike driven in - welding the east and the west forever. As you would think there was a monument to be found here and, as if on schedule, a train came rolling by right on time for emphasis!

Our big stop for the day would be the town of Revelstoke, British Columbia. Situated at a strategic crossing of the Columbia River, and bordered by both Mount Revelstoke National Park and Revelstoke Mountain Resort, this Kootenay Mountains’ city is surrounded by the impressive and towering Selkirk and Monashee mountains.

It would be our gateway east to the Canadian Rockies.

Right outside the city you will find ‘Meadows in the Sky’ and the twisting and steep 26 kilometer road that heads up Revelstoke Mountain through

Page 30 forests of cedar and hemlock, spruce and fir to one of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever visited. In late July through mid-August the summit of the mountain is awash with wild flowers - red paintbrush, pink mountain heather, arnica, arctic lupine and pink willowherb.

With the rugged mountains and glaciers, along with the mighty Columbia River rushing far below for a backdrop, both Shira and I agreed, it truly was one of the most beautiful and humbling places we have ever seen.

We could have spent the rest of the day here, but we still had another 100 miles to travel this day and we’d lose an hour as we rode east into ‘mountain time.’

The only road going our way was the Trans-Canadian Highway, but we’d sacrifice some of the backroads for the vista to be seen on Canada 1 any day.

The day before we were told that we would see real mountains and that statement was true. The Columbia Mountains of British Columbia were awe-inspiring and had us in sensory overload.

Just east of Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, we just gave in and stopped below one god-like mountain to drink it all in.

Spectacular.

Golden to Lake Louise, Alberta Today might almost have been called a rest day as our next stop was just one range to the east in Lake Louise, but what a range – The Great Divide, crossing from British Columbia into Alberta. In the United States it is better known as the Continental Divide with rain and snow falling to the west meandering to the Pacific and to the east, the Atlantic. Up here it also will flow to a third ocean – the Arctic - far to the north.

Our first stop was the little whistle stop called Field and then over the Great Divide into Alberta and Yoho National Park.

Here you will find Kicking Horse Pass that was chosen as the place for the railroad to cross east to west and vice-a-versa. The one problem was the steep grade, which engineers surmounted by constructing a series of spiral tunnels that would allow the trains to pass safely.

Riding around Lake Louise we headed onto the Bow Valley Parkway and through Banff National Park.

This scenic road offers spectacular views and

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS the best chance of running into wildlife – sometimes literally – so we rode appropriately and did our best to save the Grizzly and Elk population.

Banff Park was everything we thought it would be and the town fun to visit as well. Yes, it was a tad crowded, but nothing outrageous and a visit to Bow Falls, beneath the splendid Fairmount Hotel, was well worth the effort.

We ran into the rest of our group as they were riding in and we out of Banff and we doubled back along the Bow Parkway, which looked completely different heading in the other direction.

Here we found a bit of unusual and unfortunate Canadian history when we ran across the Castle Mountain Internment Camps.

During World War One Canada felt it a necessary step to confine hundreds of immigrants, and some Canadian citizens as well, who hailed from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Most of us know that the US did the same thing to thousands of Japanese during the Second World War. I’m not here to judge what happens at these times, but I was surprised to find this piece of history here amongst this beatific local.

With plenty of time left in the day (sun set around 10 pm at this time of July) we rode back over Kicking Horse Pass and the Great Divide and returned to British Columbia to see the Takakkaw waterfall.

The 10 miles to the falls is packed with superb views and deep colors this time of the year, the confluence of the Yoho and Kicking Horse Rivers; distinct in their two different colors – the Yoho being bright green, almost like glycol and the Kicking Horse far more clear. On this road you will also run into a set of double hairpins that were designed by a drunken Satan.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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Fun stuff to ride if you are ready for it.

Takakkaw meant “it is magnificent” in the native Cree; and this was an understatement. One of the highest waterfalls in Canada - this 800 foot, glacially fed, waterfall runs heavy and hard until each winter sets in and it then slows to a trickle only to become magnificent once again with the spring sun. This day it was a torrent and the walk to its base was brisk in many ways.

Our afternoon coffee was had at the Great Divide Lodge, overlooking O’Hara Lake and the snowcap peaks and glaciers.

We decided right then it would be difficult to return to riding our usual haunts with any great enthusiasm; as we had come down with a bad case of Canadian Rocky Riding Fever, and it might be a systemic and life long affliction.

Well, we all gotta have something.

Lake Louise to Jasper AB I have a friend, Mike, who likes to say “It just keeps getting better.” That about sums up this day’s ride from Lake Louise to Jasper.

There was just one choice for this morning ride, and that was Highway 93, which heads north along the Great Divide, through the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

This road is more popularly called the Icefields Parkway for obvious reasons that I will soon get into.

But first this day we took a ride to the town’s namesake of Lake Louise. This pristine glacial fed lake was once called the Lake of Little Fishes by the First People but the British, in their great name giving way, called it after Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter Louise, who was feeling a bit left out as far as the namesaking was going.

While in the area we also headed up the road to Lake Morain, another great vista beneath the mighty peaks of the Rockies.

With the two lakes visited and checked off our list, we vectored to the Icefields Parkway and the 140 miles north to Jasper.

I have ridden many highways that claim to be

the most scenic, the most picturesque, the most stunning. I am not writing this to say that Alberta’s Highway 93 is the best on the planet, as that is far too subjective. I will say it is surely one of them.

The peaks and the rivers. The bear and the elk. The wide open roadway and stupendous never-ending views.

Each mile brought something else into view, just a tad more spectacular than the last few miles we had just passed.

More than a drive, the Icefields Parkway is a journey through natural history and captivating landscapes. The scenery is simply jaw-dropping.

Any ride to the Canadian Rockies would be incomplete without experiencing the sights of the Icefields Parkway. Along the way we spied dozens of ancient glaciers, cascading waterfalls, dramatic rock spires, and emerald lakes which kept my head turning to the left and right as the R1200RT went sweeping through valleys thick with pine and larch forests.

Simply put – this part of Canada should be – must be - on your bucket list!

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS As is Edelweiss’ way they had the first of two picnics we’d have along the Saskatchewan River. It could hardly seem to get much better as we had a leisurely lunch on picnic tables with visiting ground squirrels who knew, instinctively, that Shira was an easy target for a free lunch.

We made a stop at the Columbia Icefields, the headwaters of the mighty Columbia River. Just as the name implies these glaciers or fields of ice straddle Banff National Park and Jasper National Park and are the largest south of the Arctic Circle. They are over 200 square miles in size and nearly 1.200 feet thick and get nearly 300 inches of snowfall per year.

Like the mountains that gave them birth these icefields, and the many glaciers that they form, make you feel small and a bit inconsequential.

It is okay to feel small and a bit inconsequential from time to time - it’s good for the soul.

We made another stop at Sunwaptu Falls, a powerful cataract that plummets with incredible power (Class 6). These falls are fed by the Athabasca Glacier and are just another reason the Canadian Rockies impress.

We arrived in Jasper by early evening and took our room that we would call home for the next two nights, as we had a free day coming up tomorrow.

Free Day in Jasper AB Although we caught a glimpse of grizzly and mule deer the previous day, today would be ‘animal day’ as we ran into wapita, or elk, along the river; the male standing mighty and extraordinary, well within camera shot of the BMW. Impressive animal.

We rode east to Miette Hot Springs.

These waters were discovered about a hundred years back by miners in the area who made makeshift log pools to catch the natural flowing hot water for a quick soak after work.

Today there are four pools –two that are fed hot water from the springs and sit at about 105 degrees and two that are fed by a brook and are a chill 60.

Going back and forth was just a bit refreshing!

When we arrived, Shira was stowing her gear on the RT when she felt something come up behind her. She turned to see that a big horn sheep had come up to check her out.

Looking behind her there were a dozen others. These male beasts can weigh up to 300 pounds and their horns can weigh as much as 30 pounds each.

I thumbed the starter button and looked for our escape

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

route. Shira began to feed them grass and flowers. Ground squirrels one day, big horn sheep the next. Somebody let the grizzly bears and cougars know we’re in town, we wouldn’t want them to miss out on a meal.

We spent some time at the hot springs, which were very relaxing, and departed once the pools got too crowded. Good to get up and out early for both the animals and the solitude. We rode back to Jasper for lunch, marveling at a small group of people who seemed to be standing Christ-like in the middle of the azure river.

It seems the sand is very high here and the water, not so much, so standing around in the middle of a river, surrounded by nature’s exquisiteness, is the thing to do on a sunny and warmish Sunday.

Jasper to Kamloops BC Today was a “small miles” sort of day and the nearly 300 miles to Kamloops were done in good time with

Page 33

our entry into the industrialized university city of Kamloops made even earlier with the time zone change heading west back into British Columbia.

Along the way we passed in the shadow of Mount Robson, the most prominent mountain in North America’s Rocky Mountain range and, at nearly 13,000 it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies.

We found a bit of shade along a well-childed lake for our second Edelweiss picnic and then Shira and I made quick time towards Kamloops, with the fantastic Rockies getting smaller in the RT’s mirrors with each mile. The temperatures this day did run amok, from a brisk low 50s in Jasper that morning to near 100 along the Thompson River as we rode into the town of Kamloops.

As rugged a town as it is, its name still reminded me of some sort of Canadian breakfast cereal. Instead of Toucan Sam on the box, it would have a beaver with a toque on!

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Kamloops to Vancouver BC

Free Day in Vancouver, BC

The heat of the previous day broke with a good windstorm that evening and the morning found us in high 60s and sunshine as we rode on the south side of Kamloops Lake.

We followed along on the large road from the city and then took a left on the far more motorcycle-friendly Route 99, which carried us for most of the rest of this day.

Along the way a large male big horn sheep, with massive sweptback horns, eyed us from the roadside.

He needn’t have worried that we’d come anywhere close to him.

We all know Vancouver, even if you haven’t been there.

For a number of reasons, mostly economical, many U.S. television shows are filmed here. MacGyver, Supernatural and Arrow among others. But for me there were three shows that really stood out that were Vancouver-made and all three had used our first main stop – the Bloedel Conservatory – for filming. The x-Files, Battlestar Galactica and (the most important) Stargate SG-1 were all created here.

“Come for the tax breaks / stay for the marijuana,” said one tee shirt.

Atop the highest point and the very geographical center of Vancouver, in Queen Elizabeth Park, you with find the Bloedel Conservatory.

This lush, triodeticdomed aviary (second largest in the world when built) has over 200 exotic birds and 500 unique plants in its huge aluminum and glass structure.

Near the town of Lillooet we crossed the Bridge of 23 Camels.

There was no way we would pass up this marker and the huge piece of Jade standing next to it, nor the curious Kilowatt sculpture next to that.

Shira and I, with our friend Jim in tow, made a quick u-turn.

It was all very nice, but it was the camel story that grabbed Shira and my attention. Way back when, in 1862, it seems that a local portage company had the bright idea that camels would be ideal pack animals, and so 23 two humped Bactrian camels were imported from Asia to BC. But the brilliant idea soon turned into a nightmare as the high-strung beasts ate miners clothing, kicked at anything or anyone who came close, frightened other animals with their unique odor, and had their soft feet cut to ribbons on the rocky mountainous roads. So, they were abandoned by their owners and left to roam in the wilds of British Columbia.

The last of them reported to have passed away at the turn of the last century. Yet, another ‘camels come to the Americas’ story gone bad.

Route 99 rode into the coastal mountains and the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux (Squamish) Heritage Park with its peaks and streams easily rivaling Jasper in many ways. Route 99 was, by far, one of the best and most funnest road of the entire trip. It’s a word – trust me.

We did have a bit of rain at the summit, but the combination of clouds and light just added to the magic that was the Coastal Mountains.

The Sky to Sea Highway, as Route 99 is called, brought us closer to the coast and through Whistler, home to the 2010 Winter Olympics as we headed into Vancouver by way of the Gulf of Georgia.

Before we did, we did stop at a Tim Horton’s for dessert. How could we not while in Canada?

We had a free day in Vancouver coming up and I was looking forward to exploring this Pacific Canadian city.

Yes, they have filmed many scifi shows here, but beyond that the conservatory is one of the neatest places and the amount of diverse birds and fauna make it a must when visiting the city.

We bussed over to Granville Island, with its large public market and shops and met George and Cheryl, friends who we met during our first Edelweiss tour of the Alps back in 1997.

Lunch right on False Creek was excellent as was the Aqua Bus we hopped, taking us back to the BC Center and our hotel.

That night we headed to Gastown, the city’s oldest section and the original name of Vancouver, for dinner behind the statue of Gassy Jack (I swear), not far from one of the world’s only steam-powered clocks.

Tomorrow we’d head south across the U.S. border (if they let us) and back to Seattle on our last day of what was a memorable two weeks.

Vancouver to Seattle, WA USA Looking to avoid the morning rush we took mostly surface streets out of Vancouver which was like riding to Long Island on Northern Boulevard in Queens, New York; it moved, but was slow.

We did finally pick up a bigger road and crossed back into the United States easily at Aldergrove.

Our first thought was to take a coastal route, but weekday traffic changed

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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our minds and we headed back into the foothills of the Northern Cascades and south for a good way, along Route 9, through some serious agriculture and delightful smaller towns.

After lunch we began to encounter Seattle traffic but, other than a bit of confusing signage, we all got our machines and ourselves back safely to the Seattle Eagle Rider where the motorcycles were looked over and signed off on. Ten spectacular and, at times overwhelming, days on the road were now over.

Summing it all up….

There’s a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving Seriously, I have to source this one?

The few weeks on the road really enlightened, and sometimes startled me, as it had become one of our most memorable trips ever.

We expected to be impressed, but both Shira and I were blown away with this journey.

Yes, the Alps are phenomenal, the Pyrenees impressive and the Andes are so striking, but the shear stunning vistas, topography and raw Earthy beauty of the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies could very well top them all.

And, for those of you who have told me so many times that you will not leave the United States, then surely you must be willing to consider riding the northwest of the US and our neighbor above the 45th parallel?

Edelweiss offers tours all around the planet, but for right now it will be difficult for us to ride anywhere less than the Canadian Rockies….eh?

With the cold and snow coming to the northeast, it’s a great time to start planning where you’ll be riding in 2016. The date for the Canada West Tour is July 24 through August 5. For more information on the Canada West Tour, or any of Edelweiss’ fine global travels, point your browser to:

www.edelweissbike.com.

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

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Remember that private scheduling for groups is available with a 30-day notice and a min 8/max 16 participants.

HEAD CHECK WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO RIDE MOTORCYCLES BY JACK LEWIS Penned by one of the most prominent motorcycle journalists of the 21st century, Head Check invites readers to take in the color and detail of a rider’s life vividly realized, richly observed, and transcendently described. During his tenure at Motorcyclist magazine, Jack Lewis has touched readers around the world not only through his incandescent prose riffs and self-effacing humor, but also through a consistent and deeply felt humanity.

This collection of magazine features and columns alongside personally published web pieces and new material may be populated by motorcycles, but it centers around the varied experiences of riders (and their tolerant keepers) in a world where risk is a bet you make with yourself for purposes that must always reach beyond simple recreation. Head Check is—beneath the ironic wit, wide-eyed fear, profound humility, and occasional descents into scatology — a collection of love stories. Not necessarily intended just for motorcyclists, or the spouses or children of motorcyclists, but for all who love life and the joy of discovery and adventure.

Recommended for riders, readers, passengers, and humans.

Available through litsam.com or amazon.com, as well as select motorcycle stores and book stores, for around $15.

BUFF MAGIC RESTORES DULL METAL SURFACES To restore the brilliance of oxidized metal surfaces, owners can rely on Shurhold’s Buff Magic. An all-in-one polish, it transforms metal and chrome from lackluster to radiant.

Scientifically formulated with jeweler’s rouge, Buff Magic is great for removing oxidation, clear coat staining, surface rust, tarnish, Plexi-glas scratches, and P800 and finer DA scratches. It is also an ideal metal cleaner and polisher for steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, gold and other precious metals. Buff Magic is designed to be user-friendly whether buffing by machine or hand. This unique formula changes as it’s used. With each pass of a buffer or hand polishing, the proprietary abrasives break down smaller and smaller,

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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creating a compound that can work a finish from very dull to ultra-glossy. Additionally, since users do not have to switch products, they will save time and money. Shurhold’s Buff Magic costs $28.98 for 22 oz.

Find it on the web at www.shurhold.com/auto.

GIVI HP SERIES HAND PROTECTORS The new HP Series Hand Protectors from GIVI are designed to offer a quick and easy to install solution to protect the rider’s hands from the weather elements and minor impacts.

They become really useful when temperature drops or during heavy rain storms (let alone hail!). Ideally, the best option is to stop and wait it out, but that’s not always viable.

Their lightweight, preformed ABS construction also make them suitable to protect from minor impacts, coming from hitting brushes or small branches when riding off road, or even gravel and dirt lifted by the bike in front of you.

They are available starting at $149.00 (msrp) for a good number of Adventure Touring motorcycles, just check www.giviusa.com for the complete, and ever growing, list of applications.

WEEGO JUMP STARTER BATTERY + It amazes us how far battery technology has come in the recent years. It wasn’t too long ago that we were pushing bikes and riders down the road in hopes of “bump starting” the machine. Not any more.

These days you would almost be foolish not to have something like the Weego Jump Starter Battery + in your riding arsenal.

Today, if there is a battery failure, we can simply take out the Weego Jump Starter, attach it to the battery and start the bike – over and over and over again.

Portable jump start packs have been around for a couple of years and if we were impressed the first time around, we were ‘shocked’ at the diminutive size of the Weego Jump Starter Battery +. It is the same size as an iPhone 6!

Not only will it start your machine if your battery is dead, it will start the rest of your riding friends’ motorcycles as well. If you ride with the same friends on a constant basis – have at least one of these with your group at all times – someday you will need it.

It also has the ability to charge your peripherals and comes with a variety of plugs for most USB devices including phones, tablets and speakers, and it has a built in LED flashlight.

Although the unit itself is phone-size you must remember that you need to bring along the jumper cables, but they are small as well, and the entire package fits in a small carry pouch for easy stowage.

The Weego Jump Starter Battery + has easy to follow instructions on its side and was manufactured with built-in safety circuitry protections along with fuse & diode in the jumper cables so it is nearly impossible to mess this up.

It takes about an hour and half to charge and, once fully loaded, it will lose only about 2% of its power each month. So if it sits in the bottom of your saddlebag for a full year and is needed for a dead battery, side of the road situation, then the Weego will still have more than enough juice to get the job done. It is rated from -4°F to 140°F, will last more than 1,000 charge cycles and comes with an 18 month warranty.

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Each Jump Starter Battery+ includes everything you need for jumping and charging – the Standard box contains a pre-charged battery pack, jumper cables, wall & car chargers, 3-in-1 USB charging cord, carrying case and instruction manual. The Weego Jump Starter Battery + Standard is available from www.weego.com for $99 – about what a roadside tow would cost. Don’t miss the ride because your battery has died.

MALCOLM SMITH’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY IS HERE! After two years of work, Malcolm Smith’s long-awaited autobiography, titled Malcolm! The Autobiography is in Malcolm’s store.

“I’m really excited about the book and our official launch at Barber!” Malcolm says. “It took us a while to finish the book, but it’s really good. There was a lot to tell, and I think it captures each chapter of my life in an honest way.”

Saturated with personal storytelling, rich in detail, and containing many never-before-seen photographs from Malcolm’s personal archive, Malcolm! The Autobiography is a must-read for any motorcyclist or off-road enthusiast. From his early days along Canada’s Pacific coast, to his childhood in San Bernardino, California, his first bikes, his racing efforts in the U.S., Baja, Europe and Asia, his business life, the iconic movie On Any Sunday and his family life, it’s all here, and all told by one of the world’s legendary motorcycle and off-road racers.

“There’s a lot here,” says Malcolm. “Ten chapters, over 100,000 words worth of stories, and hundreds of photographs, many of them never seen before. It’s an amazing book if I do say so myself. I have to give credit to Todd Westover, who handled the graphics and design for us, and my wife Joyce, who helped organize the project and scanned many of the photos.”

“I’d done a lot of stuff in my 74 years,” Malcolm says, “so there was a lot to tell. I even managed to remember a lot of it despite falling on my head a few times!”

Malcolm teamed with longtime motojournalist Mitch Boehm, for the 400-page, 11 x 11-inch hardbound book. Boehm, a 30year industry insider who edited Motorcyclist magazine for 15 years, also worked at Cycle World and American Honda.

“It was a fascinating two years,” says Boehm. “I’d drive out to Malcolm’s home, and we’d sit and talk about a period of his life, my recorder going all the while. Later, I’d transcribe what Malcolm had said, and weave it all together. Then we’d go over it together, making sure it was just right.”

Retail price is $49.95 and are available through www.malcolmsmith.com or www.themalcolmbook.com.

A TALE OF TWO BOOTS • TOUR MASTER SOLUTION

Review: Shira Kamil Well, actually, I guess it would be a tale of four boots or two pair of boots. You get the idea.

Before the summer started, I was in the market to replace my current riding boots, a pair of Tour Master Solution 2.0 WP. They had given me many years of riding happiness but were a bit long in the tooth. My research returned me to the same company and their updated Solution WP Air Boot. Seeing as I was going to be testing them out, Tour Master was nice enough to send a pair of each to compare.

The first pair, the Solution 2.0, arrived in time for a two week trip to Eastern Europe. While one always hopes for blue skies and perfect riding weather, it’s best to be prepared. Knowing that these boots kept me dry previously, I had no doubt they would continue to do so. The fit, out of the box, was true to size, with just a bit of snugness in the ankle.

Their relative light weight and preformed orthopedic insole combined with stretch panels made for comfort on and off the bike, while

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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trekking around historic villages and Dracula’s castles. The fourth day on the road we encountered rain of biblical proportions, and at the end of the day I discovered my feet to be dry, thanks to the HiPora® waterproof, breathable membrane and water-repellant leather. The auto lock zipper covered with adjustable hook-and-loop closure flap helped in keeping the rain from coming in from the top of the boot and the 3M ScotchLite™ on the rear aided in visibility.

Unfortunately, I did get to crash test the boots and the molded nylon shin and ankle guards, along with the thermoplastic heel cups and toe caps, kept all skin and bones where they were supposed to be, with nary a bruise or bump. As a matter of fact, you wouldn’t even know that they slid down the road.

The sole is a VR single density compound which offers a reliable grip for climbing less-than-perfect pavement if a short hike occurs during your riding day.

The Tour Master Solution WP Air Road Boot, my other two boots, were there for my next two week road tour in Western Canada. While very similar to the 2.0, they do have subtle differences that make them a great boot for warmer weather. As we know, those hot summer days can result in the biggest storms, but which would you opt for – sweaty feet before the storm or soaking wet after. Now you don’t have to choose. The WP Air takes the best of the Solution 2.0 boot and combines it with a HiPora® air membrane and mesh panels to let the warm air escape and keep the rain out. I also found the WP Air to have a bit wider foot, ankle and calf, which was a bit more comfortable for my foot. The rest of the components are pretty much the same as the 2.0, making them for another great option for those with a bit wider foot and calf.

Both of these Tour Master boots are offered for women and men, coming in women’s sizes 6.5-10 and men’s sizes 7-8, 8.5, 9-12, 12.5, 13-15; Wide 9W-12W, 12.5W, 13W-14W. They come in any color as long as it’s black and retail for $129.99, a great price for a long-lasting and well-made road boot. You can get yours at your local Tour Master dealer or online at www.tourmaster.com

AND SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE IN YOUR CHRISTMAS FUTURE • BMW CONCEPT 101 On a recent visit to BMW headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, we found a most unusual Beemer front and center in their lobby.

Originally introduced in Europe, at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, the BMW Concept 101 has now found a home (for a while) in New Jersey. BMW Concept 101 is a one off ‘bagger’ created in California through a collaboration between BMW and custom builder extraordinaire Roland Sands. Based on BMW’s K1600, with its inline-six, (about 101 cubic inches) which, along with California’s Highway 101 (found not far from Sand’s shop), gives the concept bike its name.

Infused with materials like brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, and specially milled wood trim, the 101 is a sleek machine, from its fairing and 21–inch wheel up front to it low slung saddle and tapered saddlebags in the rear. The mix of fine leathers, oil-treated woods, light and dark upper and lower halves, and its sleek intergraded bags makes this BMW a standout in the Custom Bagger world.

Who knows, like the R Nine T before it, perhaps a Beemer Bagger is in the future.

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

In the Fall of 2014, at the AIMExpo in Orlando, Kawasaki rolled out a few new offerings to a gathering of media and motorcycle industry insiders.

While most of the press fawned over the H2R, a beautiful example of styling and horsepower, we waited patiently for the crowds to clear and a chance to sit on one of the ‘other bikes’ that were on the stage – the new Versys 1000 LT. Sure the H2R garnered looks, approvals and gushiness from the powersports media in the way mainstream media handles Kim Kardashian or Donald Trump, but we thought the Versys 1000 LT (and its sibling the 650) to be more in line with what Backroads is about - Travel & Adventure.

Last season we road-tested the Ninja 1000 and, though its sportbike ergonomics were a bit tight for me personally, I found it to be a marvelous sport-touring machine and fell in love with the engine that powered it.

That same engine is found in the Versys 1000 LT. How excellent, and our test machine was orange.

As an old 1973 Z-1 guy, what is not to like about a big orange, four cylinder Kawasaki?

FIRST RIDE

Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT Review: Brian Rathjen

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

Cradling all this is a five-piece, cast-aluminum frame traveling on 43mm Kayaba fork with adjustable rebound and spring preload. The rear shock comes with adjusters for rebound damping and spring preload, in addition to a remote preload adjuster. Travel for the fork and shock is a decent 5.9 inches and this gives the Versys a 33.1-inch seat height and weighs in at just about 550 pounds with the 5.5 gallon tank fully fueled.

Anti-Lock brakes utilize dual 310mm petal rotors with four-piston calipers in the front and single 250mm petal rotor, with a single-piston caliper in the rear to provide braking force. ABS and the three-mode Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC) system come standard for more adverse conditions and real-world riding.

The Versys rolls on a 120/70 ZR 17 tire up front and a 180/55 ZR 17 in the rear shod with Battlax T30 Sport Touring tires, that seemed an excellent choice for stock tires.

Although ruggedly styled the Versys 1000 LT’s look is vaguely reminiscent of similar offerings from any number of manufacturers. I believe it is called Euro-Adventure-Tourer, or something close to that. That being said we liked the upright sitting position and high wide handlebars from the moment we sat on the Versys on the stage at AimExpo. The adjustable windshield has nearly 3 inches of adjustment, which is fairly easy to do, but a larger aftermarket shield might be a good thing here in the long term.

The machine also comes standard with something all machines in this class should have – hard luggage. The color-matched, hard saddlebags go on and off easily with Kawasaki’s Quick Release (KQR) system, and give a stated 6 gallons of stowage space. Luggage size for me follows the mantra – bigger is better – and as nice as these bags are, I would give up the stylish chevron shape in the back for a bit more bag room. That being said there is an optional top case that I have been told can swallow two full-face helmets. Kawasaki uses a convenient one-key system for all the bags.

The Digital Fuel Injected 1,043cc inline-four-cylinder engine has revised ECU settings (from the Ninja 1000), which allow for some serious mid-range clout.

Assist and Slipper Clutch, similar to those on Kawaski track machines, reduces shift-lever effort, give you better shift control and reduces rear-wheel hop found in sloppy downshifting. The six-speed transmission is flawless, sharp and virtually trouble free.

The fly-by-wire engine has two power modes - Low or Full with the Low dropping power by about 25% while also providing an easier throttle response.

Combine the power modes with Kawasaki’s KTRC three-mode traction and the Versys is a very rideable bike in a variety of weather conditions and road surfaces.

The gauges are handled by a bright LCD panel that has tons of information available except Gear Selection – that is a $200+ option. Go figure.

The saddle for both rider and passenger seem wide and the rest of the machine’s ergonomics seem to work well for long days on the road.

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ON THE ROAD… We were offered the Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT just a week before our annual Fall Fiesta Rally which would be bouncing our group from Virginia into a few days in the Mountain State of West Virginia, before looping back north to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and then back towards home.

Nothing like a road trip to find out what’s what on a motorcycle and with the addition of a Garmin 665 GPS unit and Sena Bluetooth we headed south.

From the very first second I got on the new Kawasaki it fit me. I was very comfortable with the upright and wider bar ergonomics of the machine, which are very similar to my own BMW GS in this fashion. The saddle, although not perfect, was still far better than most stock saddles we have ridden in the last few seasons. You’d certainly get ¾ through a long day’s ride before you are standing on the pegs for a stretch.

Other than just a few tweaks this is the same powerplant that we loved in the Ninja 1000 last season. We loved it in the Versys as well.

Smooth and crisp it seemed to have power on tap for whatever the situa-

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS tion. With the ability to drop it into a lower mode, which came in handy in more technical sections, I found the Versys 1000 LT to be very tractable and responsive whether in the twists and turns of the hills and mountains or the long sweepers of the valleys in between.

For a stock machine I also thought the suspension, which is adjustable, worked very well. In normal day-to-day riding is was excellent and only got a bit loose when pushed and ridden very aggressively. I am sure some more tweaking of the forks and rear shock would help this tendency.

The dash was easy to read and bouncing through Power Modes and the KTRAC system was fairly easy to do.

The fairing is not awful for a stock unit, but if it was our machine the aftermarket would be called upon. It also throws up a lot of heat on warm days, especially in traffic or stopped at a light. A lot of heat.

Although it looks like it might be an “adventure” machine, the Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is not and is best kept in its element. That element is, with its 17 sport-touring rubber, any number of twisty sweepers and nicely paved roads. Unpaved roads, although manageable, are not its forte. The bike did not sound or act happy when brought up a few dozen miles of rip and gravel in the jungles of West Virginia, but it does romp along the fun fast stuff!

My final thoughts are this: The Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is a lot like Mary Poppins – practically perfect in every way, which can be a blessing and a curse.

For the price, $12,799, I cannot think of a more perfect big upright explora-touring machine on the market today. It has one of the most competent engines to be found, it comes with luggage, it is very sexy looking, it has all month comfort and does just about anything it is asked to do – especially on a well paved road.

But, as faultless as she is would you live with Mary Poppins?

This is the machine’s only real problem; if the machine has any faults it’s that it hardly has any, other than the heat.

But… I love quiet machines, but on a roll on comparison with BMW’s new R1200 RS, the RS not only easily kept up, it did so with a low and sexy snarl, while the Versys poppin’d away merrily.

Chim chim cheree.

Although I loathe to say it, the tone and feel of the Versys lacks a bit of personality. It is smooth and quiet to a fault. I looked at the large exhaust on this machine and wondered if that was the issue here. Maybe if it had a bit more snarl to it. Just a tad more bad girl to it, maybe I could really love it and not just like it a lot.

Perhaps a little less Mary Poppins and a dash more Tina Turner.

That aside, if you are looking for a serious exploratourer you will be hard pressed to find a better deal for the buck on the market today. Think of it this way – for the price of some of the European competition (BMW S1000 xR or Ducati Multi-Strada) you could buy the Versys and then walk across the Kawasaki showroom and drop the money saved on a KLR 650R, covering all your riding needs for the same price.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is at your local Kawaski dealer now, and is available in Candy Burnt Orange/ Metallic Spark Black or Flat Ebony/Metallic Spark Black.

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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Technical Tips for Those Who Aren’t PALM DOCTOR/ SHORT TRONICS DON’T PUT YOUR OLD GPS IN THE GRAVEYARD YET! Words and images: Brian Rathjen In a perfect world we all have the latest technology, the newest gadgets and all that is cutting edge on the planet.

The fact is that as soon as we buy one toy another bigger, better, faster and more advanced gizmo comes along.

I have found I can scientifically make BMW come out with a new GS, simply by buying one off the floor.

I am the epitome of Planned Obsolescence.

This phenomenon never seems more apparent than with our electronics – especially GPS units and Garmin GPS units in particular.

None of these motorcycle GPS gadgets are cheap. They are a significant investment and with that investment made you would hope that you would get many years of service from them, but we all know things break and when something like that happens to your older Garmin GPS – say a Zumo 550 model, then what will you do?

Maybe Garmin will handle it, but most likely they will say they’ll replace it for about the same cost of a new unit or give you a discount on a new purchase. What good is that?

It is not just older units either, as I remember our buddy Tom updating his software, as Garmin requested, and basically turning his year old Zumo 660, as he said, “into a brick.” Garmin said they would send him a new “refurbished” GPS - for a heady price.

These Zumos and others are pretty tough but still touch screens go, buttons

GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN

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go missing, internal electrics fail and other gremlins play havoc with the best electronic toys; usually the day before a big ride.

But, we’d like to tell you of a company that can and will fix your GPS for a reasonable price and in a timely manner.

Chris Short, owner of Short Tronics located in Mankato, Minnesota, has been repairing hand held electronic devices for years and has earned the reputation as the “go to” shop to help give your older (or new) GPS renewed life.

Our friend Dee Dee had issues with her Zumo 550 - the classic lost button (a recurring problem with this series) and that her Zumo would turn off for no apparent reason while on the road.

Well, she discovered Chris and Short Tronic (she turned us onto him as well) and told him her problems with the 550. Chris said he could easily sort it out and did just that, replacing the CPU and button, for a fraction of the cost of a new Zumo. He also did this in a matter of days.

We have read dozens of letters sent to this company by happy customers and have concluded that Short Tronics can and will fix your GPS issues in a solid, economical and timely manner.

If you have GPS woes then give Chris a call, or find him on the web.

Short Tronics 51612 US Highway 169, Mankato, MN 56001-6584 www.PalmDr.com • 612-326-4364

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EXHILIRATION HAS ARRIVED. *Offer subject to credit approval. Offer may not be combined with any other offers, is subject to change and may be extended or terminated without further notice. Offer valid on new 2015 Polaris Slingshot models only. Terms up to 72 months available for purchases based on credit approval criteria.

Fixed APR of 3.99% or 6.99% will apply depending on terms and credit. An example of monthly payments required on a 36-month term at 3.99% APR is $29.52 per $1,000 financed. An example of monthly payments required on a 72-month term at 6.99% APR is $17.04 per $1,000 financed. See participating retailers for complete offer details and conditions. Offer ends December 31st, 2015.

Slingshot® is a three-wheeled motorcycle. It is not an automobile, it does not have airbags, and it does not meet automotive safety standards. Three wheel vehicles may handle differently than other vehicles, especially in wet conditions. Always wear helmets and fasten seat belts. Driver may need a valid motorcycle endorsement. Don't drink and drive. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.

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Page 44

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

More Technical Tips for Those Who Aren’t you, although it never hurts to become more edumicated.

So here we are - you have a Garmin Zumo, but, to get it all going, you need to have some other things as well.

Step 1 –

Garmin’s BaseCamp. You can download this for Mac or PC from their website for free. www.garmin.com/en-uS/shop/downloads/basecamp Once you have that, please continue. If you already have BaseCamp make sure it is the current version. Do the same with your maps, as Garmin updates them a few times a year.

Step 2 – Images 2 & 2.2

2

How to grab Backroads’ routes from the web and load them to your Garmin GPS made easy… easier…umm, almost doable?

Words Dr. Knowitall So you’re going out for a ride or to one of our Backroads’ Rallies and you have found a number of pre-planned routes on the Backroads website www.backroadsusa.com. You go to download them, and think maybe you got it, but then you try to get it onto your GPS and have less than stellar results.

What you hoped would be a simple process has turned into a couple hours of frustration. Angered and flummoxed you snap and pull a Glock 17, unloading it into your now shattered computer.

Sad, but understandable.

Well Doctor Knowitall is here to help. One step at a time.

First let us separate the wheat from the chaff.

In this article I am talking to Garmin GPS owners – specifically Zumo owners, although other Garmin GPSs might work too.

This article will also be specifically aimed at Apple owners.

If you use a PC then I need you to take a long look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself…why?

If you own a Tom Tom or Rage GPS this article, most likely, will not help

Find the route you wish to ride on the Backroads website. For purposes of this step-by-step guide we will use our West Virginia Fantasies Route from our Fall Fiesta Rally in Elkins, WV. On our Rally Update Page you would find the West Virginia Fantasies Ride.

2.2 Click on that and it will download to your computer. Some computers will go right to the desktop, others to another file in the machine. You can put it to your liking via Preferences.

On your computer, find the file, which is called West Virginia

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

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5

Fantasies.GPx. All these downloaded files should be called .GPx, okay?

Step 3 – Image 3 & 3.2

3

Open up BaseCamp and make a “New List” from the drop down menu called “File.” To make it easy name this new list - West Virginia Fantasies.

It should make a home on the left side under “On My Computer”

3.2

6

Step 6 – Image 6

Plug in your Garmin GPS, via the USB Plug, and wait for the computer to recognize the unit. Give it a minute or two for them both to make friendly with each other.

“Hey, Zumo - how are ya?”

“Good iMac, how are you? How are the peripherals?”

Step 4 – Image 4

Once again under “File” use drop down menu and click on “Import.”

You should see what is on your desktop and click on West Virginia Fantasies.GPx and click on “Import.”

4

Step 5 –

West Virginia Fantasies should now be found on the left side of your BaseCamp screen. Drag that file into the new list that you just made called West Virginia Fantasies.

This keeps it separated from the others and lets you know exactly where it is.

Step 7 – Image 7 & 7.2

On the upper left under “My Garmin Devices” your GPS should have come up and started that conversation with your computer.

Above that information you will see two arrows, one going up and the other down called “Device Transfer.” Click on the “Up Arrow” and a window will pop up in the center of your screen that asks you to select your GPS device. If you have an SD card in your GPS it will see

7

Page 46 this too. Normally you just have to upload the route to the GPS and not the SD Card.

Where it says “Select What You Want to Send” click only for Route, nothing else. After operation is done it will say “Transfer Complete.”

Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920

7.2

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Step 8 – Image 8

Unmount your GPS by dragging both the hard drive and SD card icons to the trash or via the drop down menu. After the icons disappear, disconnect the USB cable. The new 590s need do nothing else but be restarted. Older Zumos like the 660 must have the battery cover (with its little magnet) reinstalled for the GPS to fire back up.

Step 9 –

8

Your GPS unit may or may not ask to recalculate the route.

If it does, say yes, as it probably won’t be all that different from what you just uploaded to your GPS.

Step 10 –

Find “Custom Routes” on your Garmin and you are ready to go on this particular Backroads Adventure.

Obviously there is a bit more about creating routes, BaseCamp and other GPS- related stuff, but this month we simply wanted to make it a bit easier for readers to download our routes and have a great time exploring the backroads of America.

Now go out riding!

You can find many great GPS routes for downloading on the Backroads website.

www.backroadsusa.com/ gpsdownloads.html

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Year-End Discounts on select leftover models.

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845-229-1177 • www.ZacksVTwin.com

BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

FIRST SEEN

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2016 KAWASAKI Z800 ABS

Kawasaki introduces a new mid-level streetfighter with aggressive styling, smooth acceleration and sporty, stable handling for backroad fun The aggressive styling and powerful punch of the Kawasaki Z1000 now gets a sibling in the form of the new-to-North America 2016 Kawasaki Z800 ABS. This mid-level streetfighter brings the same attitude as its bigger brother, with similarly aggressive styling, sportbike heritage and a powerful 806cc four-cylinder engine.

The 806cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 16valve engine boasts strong performance in the mid-range where most street bikes spend their time. Its fuel injection system combines ultra-fine injectors with 34mm Keihin throttle bodies and sub-throttles that offer smooth response across the rev-range.

In the smooth-shifting six-speed transmission, short overall gearing complements the responsive engine to deliver impressive thrust on command. When the road opens up, the stylish streetfighter can stretch its legs thanks to a tall sixth gear that maintains a more comfortable cruising RPM for highway riding.

The 2016 Kawasaki Z800 suspension has been set up so that whether you’re ham-

mering along deserted back roads or prowling pothole-infested city streets, the motorcycle will remain poised, predictable and entertaining.

The brakes on the Z800 include dual opposed four-piston front brake calipers offering progressive stopping power and feel. The system uses 277mm petal-type front rotors and a lightweight Nissin ABS unit.

A 216mm petal-type rotor and singlepiston caliper provide good rear brake feel for maximum finesse. The Z800’s standard anti-lock brake system (ABS) promotes additional confidence when riding in slippery conditions.

The wheels are six-spoke supersportstyle units manufactured using the latest lightweight production technology andalso carry the latest Dunlop Sportmax D214 radial tires.

The sculpted styling of the Z800 is one of its most stunning aspects. The thin, compact headlight cowl was positioned as low as possible, extending the line that starts from the top of the tank and drops down to create a menacing “face” with its angular lines.

Although not strictly a styling element, the Z800 incorporates useful luggage hooks. These can be found on the neat design of the rear footpegs, as well as behind the license plate holder. Both sets of hooks allow luggage to be secured using tiedowns or bungee straps.

The Kawasaki designers went to great lengths to create elements that would reinforce the streetfighter theme of the 2016 Kawasaki Z800 ABS. These include the characteristic naked engine, which has black engine covers that are a key visual element. Furthermore, the attractive bends in the exhaust header pipes add to the appeal of a “naked” motorcycle, especially with their “buffed” finish that bring added visual interest.

Look for theZ800 ABS at a Kawasaki dealer soon.

See the full line of 2016 Kawasaki motorcycles at

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Page 48

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Worth the ride from anywhere!

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Now the largest-displacement Honda adventure-touring model, the powerful, smooth VFR1200x is coming to the U.S. market. Well suited to customers who don’t want to sacrifice comfort during long days of two-wheel exploration, often riding two-up, the VFR1200x is powered by a 1,237cc V4 engine and is available with a standard gearbox or Honda’s revolutionary sixspeed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT); both versions feature Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), combined ABS brakes and shaft drive. The 19- and 17-inch wheels offer capable road-going performance, while the inverted 43mm fork and single-sided swingarm incorporate modern suspension technologies.

‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang Take an autumn ride to the country - join us at

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Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

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EVERY MONTH! Just fill out the form and mail it along with check to:

Backroads, PO Box 317, Branchville, NJ 07826 First Class Postage $40/12 issues • shipped in white envelope We accept checks via mail and all credit cards on our website through PayPal • www.backroadsusa.com/subscription.htm

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Other features include a onehand-adjustable windscreen, handguards and an accessory socket to charge smart phones or power heated vests. An extensive line of Honda Genuine Accessories is offered, including products for storage, rider comfort and customization.

So far it will be in a variety of colors, as long as it is Pearl Black, and will be available May of 2016.

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Page 49

THEN: 2 WOMEN ON A CROSS-COUNTRY MOTORCYCLE MISSION NOW: 100 WOMEN RIDING CROSS-COUNTRY IN THEIR HONOR Alisa Clickenger of Motorcycle Adventure Group, LLC announced the Sisters’ Centennial Motorcycle Ride, July 4-24, 2016. A cross-country motorcycle ride for women, the event commemorates the centennial of Adeline and Augusta Van Buren’s historic ride across the United States from New York to San Francisco.

With World War I looming, the sisters set out in 1916 to prove that women could ride as well as anyone and were capable of serving as Army dispatch riders. “Their transcontinental journey on motorcycles was a phenomenal accomplishment by two courageous women at a time when few roads were paved, Victorian attitudes were in full flare and women did not have the right to vote,” says Clickenger. “This ride honors their achievement and promotes the growth of modern-day women motorcyclists and the motorcycling community.”

The family of the Van Buren sisters has joined forces with Clickenger to promote the event, which will launch with at least 100 women riders, following the 1916 route as closely as possible. Combining scenic routes and important stops along the sisters’ journey, the ride will allow for great motorcycle riding and promote women as motorcycling role models.

Community events are planned across the country to entice not-yet-riding women to learn about the joys of motorcycling. “I want folks from all walks of life to come out and hear our stories, hear about the history of women and motorcycling, and be enchanted by the possibilities in their own lives.”

The event concludes with a group ride into San Francisco, where festivities will celebrate the ride’s completion. There are several options for participation, including fully supported and self-guided tours. Registration is open at www.SistersMotorcycleRide.com.

About the Organizer: Our team is led by Alisa Clickenger (MotoAdventureGal), a veteran moto traveler and experienced motorcycle tour leader.

She is a powersports journalist and marketer with a decade-long dream of re-creating the Van Buren sisters’ historic ride

Long Island Yamaha 67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY

www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969

FIRST EVER POWERLILY GAS TANK MENTORSHIP PROGRAM CREATED TO FOSTER POWERSPORTS ENTREPRENEURS PowerLily entrepreneurs with great ideas for new products and services will get help from the new Gas Tank mentorship program that will teach them how to create winning business plans that they will pitch, in-person, to influential leaders in the powersports industry. PowerLily members will gain valuable insight, visibility, feedback and industry connections through this unique new 2016 program.

“Having a great new idea or innovation can only lead to a new product or service when you’ve got the funding and distribution to make it a reality,” said Sarah Schilke, chair of PowerLily and national marketing manager of BMW Motorrad. “To get that kind of backing, and realize any profit at the end, you first need to know how to create a solid business plan. Then you need to be able to sell it to the right people. That’s what Gas Tank is all about.”

Only PowerLily members may apply, and must do so by Jan. 31, 2016.

Participants will be matched with an industry mentor to hone and prepare a detailed business plan due on June 30, 2016. Top submissions will have an opportunity to present a 10-minute pitch to a panel of mentor-judges at AIMExpo 2016, followed by a question and answer session. The business pitches will be evaluated based on elements ranging from monetary growth potential to overall strategic thinking.

Gas Tank Mentors are established powersports industry leaders who have a long and notable track-record of success. “We’ve already secured four industry legends who have signed on as mentors,” said Cam Arnold of the Motorcycle Industry Council. “We’re looking forward to getting more great insiders to launch Gas Tank with us and provide PowerLily members with invaluable insight, wisdom and decades of experience.”

PowerLily is a network of professional women in the powersports industry.

PowerLily is committed to workplace equity, diversity and inclusion by helping companies in the powersports industry find capable, talented women, by expanding opportunities for women in the powersports industry and by providing programs for professional growth, education and leadership opportunities. PowerLily is an MIC Aftermarket subcommittee. To find out more about PowerLily and the Gas Tank Mentorship progream visit www.powerlily.org or contact Cam Arnold at carnold@mic.org.

The Kawasaki Versys 1000 LT is a full-utility player – part adventure bike, part sport-tourer, the best of both worlds. One ride and it will win your heart, and a place in your garage.

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Page 50

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival

TIPS FOR PLANNING A 7-DAY GROUP TOUR Words + images: Victor Cruz How do you plan a week-long group tour to someplace you’ve never been before? Say a state like Colorado with its 104,000 square miles and snowcapped mountains in July.

It can begin with the right tools. You grab a copy of Steve Farson’s book, “The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado” and make it your bible.

Whitehorse Press publishes a library of biker travel books for every segment of the US. You can also grab a high-quality Butler motorcycle map (butlermaps.com), which highlights 3 tiers of road excellence. There’s mapping software and online maps. What kind of road warrior are you? Is your tour about eating dirt or cruising pavement? Like many states, there is probably more dirt than asphalt to explore. Luckily if you can snag a bike like a Yamaha V-Strom, a Triumph Tiger, a Ducati Multistrada or your garden variety BMW GS, their long travel suspension, dual sport upright position and hybrid tires will let you sample the best of both worlds. Serpentine roads that hiss back and forth are superb for sport bikes, but you ought to know if your body can survive a week in that monkey-humping-a-football position.

ORGANIZING MOTORCYCLE TOURS Good or bad, I’ve had the fortune to find enough fools willing to follow me all over the place. I’ve led group tours in Arizona, California, New York, New Mexico and all over New England. Google, digital maps, and consumer review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor make the job easier than ever before.

Expect to burn 40 hours planning a week-long ride through Colorado with a

group of six friends. We flew in and rented bikes in Denver. There are several rental options. Eagle Rider (Harley rentals) and Tour Bikes (everything else).

Expect to pay $1,000 for a 7-day rental. Other factors to consider in your planning include accommodations, location, daily mileage, the itinerary, chemistry and eats.

A CENTRALIZED HUB Author Clement Salvadori Breckenridge Chalet serves as your best reference if you’re planning a trip in California. Clever Clement talks about the “cloverleaf” tour. That’s where you decide on a location from which your daily loops branch out and in. A single hub has advantages over linking several one-night stands together. The nicer hotels often require twonight minimums. Not only is the comfort level of where you make your bed at night important, but it’s also a strategic choice. Pick a place that allows you to walk to dinner and drinks. A walk is a welcome respite after sitting all day in the saddle. Tourist towns and college towns are great for that. There’s much to see, easy access to services, plenty of restaurant options, and things to do at night like shopping for souvenirs or the spouse back home. To save a few bucks, my group likes to share rooms, so finding two beds per room can limit your options. In Colorado we split the tour between two hubs: a six-bedroom ski house in Breckenridge and a downtown hotel in Durango. Several in our party of men actually know how to cook, so we saved big bucks buying provisions locally and cooking our own meals. What’s true at home is also true on the road: you eat better in-house.

DAILY DOSE OF MILEAGE

Top of Guenalla Pass

Colorado is so big that the itinerary called for doing a 350-mile day. It may not seem like a lot, but you have to consider when traveling with mates everything takes more time to accomplish than traveling solo. Gas stops, lunches, potty breaks and photo shoots, consume time. You’ve got to start your day early to get home by dark. Every night is a party. So the toll this takes on your body day after day can wreak havoc. For this reason, the last day of any trip is the most vulnerable. Helmets hit the ground, keys get lost, bikes tip over, someone rams your side case with their front tire. Pacing is everything.

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015 Sure, you can attempt 400-mile days but I’m not talking about highway miles here. Planning on 250 miles per day on backroads is a safe bet for a group tour. Knowing this limit allows you to plan your ride for the day. That allows plenty of time for stops but not too much R&R. You don’t want to pull into your hotel parking lot at 2:00 p.m. with nothing else left to do. Weather can change everything. Scorching heat may force you to cut your ride short for a swim. What about unexpected road closures, construction zones and detours? They happen all too often and they bog you down by sapping energy and time. With six guys it takes the better part of a day to ride 200+. It helps to stop hourly and monitor for group’s fatigue. Are people getting cranky? If you do a 300+ mile day, then the next day should be a stroll in the park.

THE ITINERARY Figuring out the perfect day ride is a challenge. It can’t be too long or too short. Long stretches can be absent of gas stations. Know the range of the smallest gas tank. Know the weather forecast. Unexpected situations can raise safety issues. GPS and a back-up GPS is a desirable redundancy but memorization trumps both. Essentials include a camelback to stay hydrated especially at 10,000-foot altitudes. I like to mix up road types and shun highways but interstates are often unavoidable. Use highways to make time and as a bridge between loops. Sometimes the elegance of a loop is not possible. A roundtrip on a single road can be fine. Break up the ride with a tourist attraction. One day we broke our 200-mile habit by spending it on foot visiting the Mesa Verde pueblo ruins. Another day we Mesa Verde National Park

Ouray Hot Springs soaked in the Ouray hot springs. Doing a hike in the middle of the ride day is great for blood circulation and preventing cramps. Stop and smell the waterfall. In CO, you can visit a marijuana dispensary without going to jail. Stopping at classic roadside attractions may seem cheesy but that’s where you take your group photos that will last for a lifetime of memories. Spending an hour in a taxidermy museum broadens the mind and everyone will appreciate the break. We hit some stretches of dirt (as planned) to keep it interesting. In short, adding spice

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DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS to the ride, taking frequent breaks, throwing in a picnic lunch, will all complement your key route selections. Tools like maps, books and online search will point out the best designated scenic roads, the oldest ghost town, the largest mine pit, the bizarre things not to be missed. You want to exploit the finest things every place has to offer.

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There’s good reason why food and friendship are toasted every night.

Chemistry, how you get along with your fellow rider, is as important as your choice of nourishment. A heavy, deep-fried lunch can make you drowsy. Too many carbs and sugars can bring you down. By late afternoon, a good stiff Red Bull can ward off mental fatigue. Traveling with a large group can be taxing and a problem at restaurants. Book dinner reservations early and nightly. Here’s where TripAdvisor.com, where you can search for the toprated eateries in every city or watering hole, is very helpful. Some places are not ideal for a bunch of hungry guys. Some places are too fancy. Some places are good for lunch but closed for dinner or vice-versa. Some places are good for coffee only. You’ve got to do your research to avoid going on a wild goose chase. As the tour master, everyone looks to you for that perfect farm-totable restaurant choice, the spot with the right kind of ambiance, 100 beers on tap, an eclectic menu, superior service, but not too expensive. Good luck!

It’s hard work finding a place that satisfies everybody. That’s where chemistry also enters the picture. Some people are natural born complainers, fussy eaters, moody, non-givers, cheap, self-centered, big talkers, buzz killers, disrespectful to wait staff… these types never get invited on tour.

Where are you making plans for your next group tour? If you have any questions please drop me at line at vcruz@mediapr.net.

Who do you think keeps Backroads’ computers running?

718 Main St, Boonton, NJ

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

Page 53

Rip & Ride® • DAS’ CREAMERY 100 US HWY 46 SUITE 7, BUDD LAKE, NJ 07828 • 862-258-3593 • WWW.DASCREAMERY.COM GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/0IXF6G

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WEST ON ROUTE 10 RIGHT ON NEW MURRAY RD LEFT ON MT PLEASANT AVE RIGHT ON HANOVER RD RIGHT ON BROOKLAKE RD LEFT ON RIDGEDALE AVE LEFT ON PARK AVE RIGHT ON GREEN VILLAGE RD RIGHT ON WOODLAND RD LEFT ON LOANTAKA WAY STRAIGHT ONTO BLUE MILL RD RIGHT ON GLEN ALPIN RD STRAIGHT ONTO TEMPE WICK RD LEFT ON LEDELL RD INTO JOCKEY HOLLOW RD RIGHT ON HARDSCRABBLE RD LEFT ON LLOYD RD RIGHT ON MENDHAM RD TO BERNARDSVILLE RD LEFT ON PLEASANT VALLEY RD RIGHT ON UNION SCHOOLHOUSE RD

LEFT ON ROXITICUS RD TO MENDHAM RD RIGHT ON JACKSON AVE LEFT ON MAIN ST RIGHT ON RIVER VIEW AVE RIGHT ON POTTERSVILLE RD RIGHT ON BLACK RIVER RD LEFT ON FAIRMOUNT RD E RIGHT ON PICKLE RD LEFT ON BLACK RIVER RD RIGHT ON PARKER RD LEFT ON OLD FARMERS RD RIGHT ON LONG VALLEY BLVD LEFT ON WASHINGTON VALLEY RD RIGHT ON ROUTE 24 LEFT ON BARTLEY RD LEFT ON RIVER RD RIGHT ON FLANDERS DRAKE RD LEFT ON MT OLIVE RD RIGHT ON RTE 46 EAST T DAS CREAMERY

Page 54

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

Rip & Ride® • PHOENICIA DINER 5681 NY-28, PHOENICIA, NY 12464 845-688-957 • WWW.PHOENICIADINER.COM 95-MILE ONE-WAY ROUTE GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/L5ROPI

OUT OF NEW JERSEY ON ROUTE 17 NORTH ROUTE 17 NORTH PAST TUXEDO, NY BEAR LEFT ONTO SR 19 (RIGHT PAST RED APPLE REST) LEFT AT 17M FOLLOW SIGNS TO ROUTE 208 NORTH LEFT AT ROUTE 52 RIGHT AT NEW PROSPECT RD. RIGHT AT BRUNYNSWICK RD. LEFT AT US 44 OVER SHAWANGUNKS – GREAT VIEWS HARD RIGHT – AT GRANITE RD. RIGHT ON ROUTE 209 NORTH LEFT AT CR 213 (CR 4) RIGHT ON ROUTE 28A FOLLOW ROAD OVER DAM LEFT ON ROUTE 28 FOLLOW SIGNS FOR PHOENICIA (ON RIGHT)

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BACKROADS • DECEMBER 2015

Page 55

2015/16 POLAR BEAR RUN The Polar Bear Grand Tour consists of 550 motorcyclists from all over the NJ, NY, PA, DE, and CT area who individually ride to a designated destination each Sunday.

Points are awarded for each ride. When the destination is reached, sign-in and write down how many round-trip miles were traveled to get there. Then there is usually a restaurant at the site or nearby where small groups will congregate. There are no planned routes or group rides to get to the destination. The sign-in is usually between 11:30 am & 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted. There are no planned rides after the sign-in. The Polar Bears represent many individual groups who all come together to ride during the winter under the Polar Bear banner.

The Polar Bear Grand Tour membership is divided into two groups, Flight "A" lead

by John Bachota and Pat Bachota and Flight "B" led by Joan Roselli and Jim Guiteras. These are your FLIGHT LEADERS and are available to answer any questions you may have. 25 Pre-registration for each Polar Bear Grand Tour season is conducted online in the summer. You may register at any destination event, although the first Cape May ride is usually preferred.

For full details, visit their website: www.polarbeargrandtour.com

2015 November 29 • APPALACHIAN BREWING CO., 50 West 3rd Ave., Collegeville, PA 19426 Ph 484-973-6064 • www.abcbrew.com/brewpubs/collegeville December 6 • MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE, 2901 Bethlehem Pike Hatfield, PA 19440 Ph 215-712-7433 • www.montgomeryvillecc.com

WASHINGTON CYCLE WORKS

December 13 • THE CABIN, 984 Route #33 Howell, NJ 07731 Ph 732-462-3090.

CHRISTMAS PARTY. BRING A TOY FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (do NOT wrap present). www.thecabinrestaurant.net

We cater to road racers and support all Track Day organizations

December 20 • THE TILTED KILT, 4095 US Hwy 1 South, Monmouth Junction, NJ Ph 732-783-7138 • www.tiltedkilt.com/locations/southbrunswick

Offering Service + Setup for Ohlins Shocks with our Shock Dyno

December 27 • RHODES NORTH TAVERN, 40 Orange Turnpike, Sloatsburg, NY 10974 Ph 845 753-6438 • www.rhodesnorth.com

One-piece Road Race suits in stock

www.washingtoncycleworks.com

2016 January 3 • De THOMASI’s EAST 5 POINTS INN, 580 Tuckahoe Rd & Landis Ave., Vineland, NJ 08360 Ph 856-691-6080 • www.fivepointsinn.com January 10 • UPSTREAM GRILLE, 161 Rte. 181, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 Ph 973663-2222 • www.upstreamgrille.com January 17 • LAGO, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick TWP, NJ. 08902 Ph 732 297-3803 • www.LagoNJ.com January 24 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 Ph 973-6278488 • www.exchangefood.com January 31 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 North Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA 17088 Ph. # 717 949-2122.

February 7 • TBD February 14 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ 07470 Ph 973-837-1876 • www.hootersnj.com February 21 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732 PH 732-872-1245 • www.bahrs.com February 28 • LIGHTHOUSE TAVERN, 397 Route 9 Waretown, NJ 08758 Ph 609-6933150 • lighthousetavern.com March 6 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853 Ph 908-876-1122 • www.restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com March 13 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rte 15 South, Augusta, NJ 07822 Ph 973-3002300 • www.chatterboxdrivein.com March 20 • BRIAN’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA 19047 Ph 215 752-9400 • www.brianshd.com April 3 • THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKEHOUSE, 743 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401 Ph 845-338-2424 • www.hickoryrestaurant.com April 10 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER 336 Northampton St., Easton, PA 18042 Ph 610-438-1311 April 17 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. Post #386, N.J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, N.J. 08204 Ph 609-884-7961 April 23 • END OF THE SEASON GET-TOGETHER - At The Pic-a-Lilli Inn, starting @ 11:30 AM. The rain date would be April 30, 2016; same time. Cost to Members: $6.00 per person. There will be salad, Wings, Beef, rolls, and lemonade, plus a cash bar. You must get an arm band from your flight leader.

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Page 56

DECEMBER 2015 • BACKROADS

UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

NOVEMBER 27-28 • Black Friday and Orange Saturday at Liberty Harley-Davidson. Great savings without the hassle of the malls. For full info visit www.libertyharley.com. 12 W. Milton, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2400

BARN TRAILERS

27-28 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Black Friday + Orange Saturday. Beat the crowds and get what you want and need. 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com

SALES 718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com RENTALS 57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)

28 • Cross Country Powersports Fall Open House, 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-635-0094 • www.crosscountrypowersports.com

DECEMBER 5 • Free photos with Santa on a 1951 antique Servicar Noon - 4pm. Liberty HarleyDavidson, 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2100 • www.libertyharley.com 11-13 • Progressive® International Motorcycle Shows® returns to the Javits Center in NYC. View hundreds of the latest motorcycles, gear, parts, accessories and more. Visit www.motorcycleshows.com for details and tickets.

12 • Ride the Bus to the IMS with Bergen County Harley-Davidson. $35 gets you a seat to NYC with complimentary Bloody Mary or Mimosia, continental breakfast (7:45am) and ticket to the show. No hassle with driving or parking. Tickets first come basis so stop by the dealership today to get yours. 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ ª 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com 12 • Free photos with Santa on a 1951 antique Servicar Noon - 4pm. Liberty HarleyDavidson, 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2100 • www.libertyharley.com 12 • Free photos with Santa. from 11am-3pm at Bergen County Harley-Davidson.

124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com 19 • Free photos with Santa. from 11am-3pm at Bergen County Harley-Davidson.

124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharley.com 19 • Morton’s BMW Holiday Party and customer appreciation day. Take a break from your holiday shopping and celebrate the holdays with us. Good food and great sales all day. 5099A Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 • www.mortonsbmw.com

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973-875-2048

Specializing in Motorcycle Repair, Parts & Supplies • Cycle Tires Mounted & Balanced • Batteries & Hard Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno available for testing

Norman Gross 946 Rte. 23 South For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs Since 1976 Sussex NJ 07461 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself 3 miles north of Sussex Borough

JANUARY 2016 16-17 • 98th Anniversary Crotona Midnight Run sponsored by Ramapo Motorcycle Club. Sign in: RMC Clubhouse/Veterans Memorial, 66 Lake Rd, Congers, NY. Signin: 10:30pm - Midnight key time. $20/rider $10/passenger. Longest running motorcycle road rally in the USA. Timed run following a designated route overnight with a mid-point respite for warmth, refreshments and comradery. ramapomc.org

FEBRUARY 2016 12-14 • Timonium Motorcycle Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, MD. For full details please visit www.cycleshow.net or call 410-561-7323

MARCH 2016 4-5 • The 6th edition of the widely acclaimed Modern Classics Motorcycle Show returns at Martin Motorsports in Boyertown, PA. The Modern Classics features a stunning selection of great motorcycles from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and the early 90s in a once-a-year indoor show,Boyertown, PA. For 2016 Modern Classics will highlight motocross, trials, and enduro bikes blended with the usual wide variety of special motorcycles from that era. The event consists of the Friday evening “Kick Start” party and Saturday’s impressive “museum for a day.” For more information or to learn how to nominate your classic bike for inclusion go to www.modernclassicsbikeshow.com

MAY 2016 15 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club Spring Fun Run. Sign in/Endsite: Shodes North Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte 17) Sloatsburg, NY • 9am til mid-afternoon. To benefit Helen Hayes Rehabilitation Hospital. A designated route along some of the Hudson Valley’s most interesting roads, with stops for poker/dice/scrabble or other games, with a chance to win prizes, while supporting a worthy cause. ramapomc.org 20-22 •Morton’s BMW Motorcycle Spring Fling Rally. For full details check their website: www.mortonsbmw.com 20-22 • 2nd Annual Red Knights Motorcycle Club Yankee Rally. Open to any Red Knight members. Bolero Resort, Wildwood, NJ. More information available: www.facebook.com/events/802996773124582 or visit www.redknightsmc.com 26-30 • BACKROADS SPRING BREAK. Four days of incredible riding and fun, with overnights in historic hotels in Pennsylvania and New York state. For complete information please see page 44.

Touring North Central Virginia?

Then ride on over to the NEW Comfort Inn & Suites in Orange

Moto-Inn Approved Tell ‘em Backroads sent you!

JUNE 2016 7-11 • Americade Motorcycle Rally. The Best Roads. The Most Motorcycle Companies. The Most Welcoming Rally. Lake George, NY. Special Pre-Registrant events Monday, June 6. www.americade.com • 518-798-7888 11-19 • Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. America’s Original Riding Rally. One of the Big 3 • www.laconiamcweek.com • 603-366-2000

JULY 2016 9-10 • 40th Annual Running of the Ramapo 500™. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes north Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY @ 7am. $35 advanced reistration/$50 day of event. Two-day 500-mile gorgeous ride with free camping with pool, Sat. dinner, Sun. breakfast, awards and prizes, starter pins and finisher patches. GPS route upload service for add’l fee. ramapomc.org

The newest motorcycle-friendly hotel closest to Skyline Drive… just 30 miles away! %

15 Discount to all Motorcyclists

Motorcyclist Owned & Operated Large indoor heated pool and spa • Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet Microwaves + fridges in every room • Large rooms + suites available

Comfort Inn & Suites 334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy), Orange, VA 22960 540-672-3121 • www.comfortinn.com/hotel-orange-virginia-VA657

Keep the Adventure in your Travel

1190 Adventure R Jack-Of-All-Trades among

Travel Enduro Bikes

1190 ADVENTURE 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE dealer

ONLY Full Line KTM Dealer in the tri-state area

www.HanoverPowersports.com 210 Route 10 West East Hanover, NJ 973-428-1735

DRESS FOR THE ADVENTURE

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210 Route 10 West, East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735

www.HanoverPowersports.com

Take the road less travelled with any of Honda’s Adventure motorcycles THE ALL-NEW 2016 VFR1200X

THE ALL-NEW 2016 CRF1000L Africa Twin

NC700X CB500X 210 Route 10 West • East Hanover, NJ • 973-428-1735

www.Powersports.Honda.com Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm Sat: 9am-5pm • SUNDAY: CLOSED honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. NC700X, CB500X, VFR1200X and CRF1000L Africa Twin are registered trademarsk of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (08/15)