February 2012

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FEBRUARY

2012 Volume 18 No. 2

ine

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

REDWOODS REVIVAL Touring Northern California with the

2012 Honda Gold Wing Wandering While the Wife’s Away Dual Sport Ride to Fight Breast Cancer Plus…all our great monthly columns and product reviews

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E FEAT URES

MON THLY COLUMN S FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4

REDWOODS REVIVAL ...................................................................22

WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6

DUAL SPORT RIDE FOR BREAST CANCER ............................48

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

WHILE THE WIFE’S AWAY...........................................................52

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................9

PRODUCT REVIEW S

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ...................................................10

VIO-POV VIDEO SYSTEM .............................................................34

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN .........................................11

BIG ROADS AND HISTORICAL MAPS......................................35

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................13

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS................................................................36

BACKLASH .......................................................................................14

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ...............................................................40

BIG CITY GETAWAY........................................................................16

OLYMPIA HIGH-VIZ AST JACKET...............................................50

INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................18

TRAX 38-LITER EVO ALU-BOX TOPCASE ................................51

WE’RE OUTTA HERE .....................................................................20 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR...............................................37 MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE...................................................42 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................46

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Mark Byers, Victor Cruz, Bill Heald, Diane Ortiz, John Petrocelli, Brady Steffl, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2012. 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.

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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. Gold Wing® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (12/11)

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 4

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN Hairy Bikers to tHe rescue A few months back Mark Byers did an article titled “Celluloid Cycles;” commenting on how badly we motorcycle enthusiasts have generally been portrayed by Hollywood over the years.

That brought on a few letters from readers agreeing with Mark and more than a few laments of one or two television shows of the past that portrayed motorcycle riders in an exciting, if not positive roll.

Jim Bronson where are you?

That hasn’t seemed to be the case over the last decade or so.

First we had the rise of the Teutuls and Orange County Choppers. From the first episode I was a little leery of this new type of motorcycle show.

It really wasn’t about riding, but rather set up the interfamily drama reality show that has led to many others including the Kardashians.

Sorry about the marriage Kimmy.

OCC and others shows like Full Throttle Saloon have little to do with actually riding a motorcycle or anything I would care for; but the general public ate it up and shows like these have become the face of motorcycles and their riders in the United States for years now.

Keeping with the mean angry biker mode Hollywood followed up a few years back with Sons of Anarchy.

If you have not seen this piece of motorcycling television genius it is about an outlaw motorcycle gang and the various, nefarious and illegal plots, schemes and ploys that go with this fabrication.

The regular population is eating it up, but it doesn’t ring anywhere near true to what I see as motorcycle shows should be.

Back in the ‘90s there was a Stephen J. Cannell production called Renegade. I actually enjoyed Renegade and its hero Reno Raines played by Lorenzo Lamas. Think of this like the Fugitive on a Harley as Reno searched

for 110 episodes looking for the man who could clear his name for a murder he did not commit.

There was one bright spot when our friend Neale Bayly, along with Dennis Gage, did a much-abbreviated series on traveling around the world. Trippin’ on Two Wheels was beautifully photographed and it was everything I thought a motorcycle show should be. Alas, the powers that be felt it wasn’t working for an American audience.

But, across the pond there was something else cooking – literally.

Two riders - David Myers and Simon King - came out with a BBC production called Hairy Bikers. These two would ride around the British Isles on BMW GSs and explore the little towns and villages and cook local delights along the way.

Wait…. riding and food? We love that!

It was like the Two Fat Ladies had returned as two large and hairy bikers, which is what the show was called.

All good things British usually get exported to the United States and in October of last year BBC and the History Channel brought us an Americanized version of Hairy Bikers featuring four-star, classically trained French chef Paul Patrenella and motorcycle mechanic Bill Allen. Of course this is America so the familiar BMW GSs from the British show are gone as well, traded in for two Harley-Davidsons.

While channel surfing one evening Shira and I came across the Hairy Bikers and snuggled into the couch with cookies and milk and got prepared to be disappointed, once again, in yet another “Biker” show on the vast desert that is cable television.

Happily, we were not. In fact after watching this and a second show that night we looked at each other and said at the same time…. “I like it!”

Both Paul and Bill come across as real guys; any one of thousands that we have met over the years. Affable, gregarious and funny; watching Hairy Bik(Continued on Page 12)

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FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 6

W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL Many of you who know Brian well enough know that he is quite into his music. Given his druthers, he’d have music playing 24 hours a day. He has always had the best stereo he could afford, with the loudest, most powerful speakers out there. And, of course, they are turned up to eleven.

About a decade ago, we bought a CD player, which holds some 400 discs.

It happened to be a particularly wintery winter and, to pass the time; Brian loaded and programmed that thing with about half of the CDs we owned.

Brian is not one for menial and repetitive tasks such as spinning a knob and pushing a button, so this was quite a good time-waster. Before he knew it, winter was over and we had a plethora of random music at our fingertips.

Technology being what it is, about 10 minutes after he was done with this huge chore, the iPod was introduced. Now all that music had to be downloaded to this compact travel device which would power his musical ride.

Oh happy day! No more cassette player, Walkman or other such unwieldy machine to take up space in the tankbag. Slip in the earbuds, pull on the helmet and ride off into the sunset. Pushbutton auditory enjoyment.

This little bundle of musical joy took the place of the CD player. Thousands upon thousands of songs and albums at the spin of a tiny wheel; what more could you want? How about the introduction of Sirius/XM radio? Okay, now we have dedicated radio stations for every conceivable type of music in the known world. Want a little Jimmy Buffett – tune into Radio Margaritaville.

How about some tuneage from your youth – Deep Track, Classic Vinyl or Classic Rewind will do nicely. Perhaps something a bit more soothing – you can hit the Coffee House or Watercolors. Into something a bit more headbanging – Octane or Liquid Metal rocks your world. Need some information or talk radio – the range is endless, from CNBC, FoxNews, NPR and Bloomberg to OutQ, Sirius Left, the Power and POTUS. And lest you be lost in the jungles of traffic, there are channels specific to getting you around that

mess. And let’s not forget the all important sports channels, least of which is the one carrying any Mets game that may be on.

So, we’ve now gone from cumbersome Walkman to cute iPod to the Garmin streaming Sirius radio on the motorcycle. So much technology to bring music to the ears. Brian is in his happy place, on the bike or at home.

So, you may ask, what ever became of that CD player he programmed? It’s still here, fully loaded and ready to go. As a matter of fact, when all those radio channels and thousands of downloaded songs just don’t cut it anymore, we spin the CDs and see what it chooses for us. We actually have a running joke that every other song to play is from Chicago, one of Brian’s favorite bands. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t stand to hear the band anymore, which is a real shame as their music is fantastic.

I started telling him, whenever I heard a Chicago song come on, that I could play the flute along with Walt Parazaider. For the past couple of months, I put this notion in his head that I played the flute in my youth. So, imagine my surprise when I opened my Chanukah present this year and found a beautiful bright, shiny silver flute. I looked from the flute to Brian to the flute and laughed. “Did you really believe that I play the flute?” I queried.

“Of course,” he said, “You’ve never lied to me before, why would you start now.” He had me there. And it wasn’t actually a lie; I did play the flute sometime in the very distant past, I think perhaps 5th grade for a minute or two.

So, I put this wonderful instrument together and puckered up. Not much happened. Thank goodness he had the insight to get a couple of instructional pamphlets to accompany this surprise. To his astonishment, I could not play along with Walt. I couldn’t even get a single note out of that thing. He was thunderstruck. “Why did you tell me you could play the flute?” he sputtered.

“I don’t know, I guess I thought it was amusing,” I sheepishly answered.

Over the next day or two I practiced a bit and finally got a tone of some sort. I ran into a friend’s sister who really knew how to play the flute and she taught me Mary had a Little Lamb. Huzzah! On my way to Carnegie Hall.

What, I hear you all saying under your breath, does this have to do with motorcycles? The only thing I can think of is that I can’t wait to get back on the bike when the weather warms up so I can bring my flute along and serenade the masses with Mary had a Little Lamb. Wait until you hear me, it’s a thing of beauty.

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 8

ON THE MARK MARK BYERS Devil on my sHoulDer My friend Dangerous Dan is the devil on my shoulder. He’s not the kind of devil who whispers “Pull a big, stonkin’ wheelie coming off this traffic light” but his whispers are hazardous in another way – to my wallet. Dan knows a lot of people, most of whom own motorcycles, and frequently they want to sell him one or more. He’s such a nice guy, people will not only give him good deals, they’ll flat-out give him the bikes. He’s like the pied piper: he’ll go someplace and motorcycles will just follow him home. The ones he keeps are not garage queens, either: because he’s a mechanic by trade, they’re all runners…all 21 of them (give or take – it’s been a couple hours since I was at his shop).

Sometimes Dangerous will part with a bike or even broker a deal for someone if the machine doesn’t interest him. Two of the bikes in my possession are the result of Dan’s suggestive powers. “Mark, you need that ’86 Honda Reflex over there and I bet the guy will part with it for a good price,” he said at last year’s DC motorcycle show. Under his spell, I walked over and the next thing you know, there was a bike in the back of my pickup. I just can’t help myself when I’m around Dan – he exudes some kind of motorcycle magnetism.

I went over to his shop today and sure enough, there were interesting motorcycles there. The warmup was a Yamaha SECA painted rattle-can flat black sporting a motocross bar and two lights from a truck dangling from the front like a Triumph Speed Triple. A guy who was moving had sold it to him for a ridiculously low price and thrown in another bike to boot, practically insisting that he take them. True to form, Dangerous had already flipped the SECA, suggesting to a co-worker that the bike would make a good commuter.

Particular bikes seem to gravitate to Dan and it was no surprise to see yet

another mint-condition ’86 Reflex sitting there, licensed and ready to go. “I got that one for Tim,” he said “because his other one is set up for trials.”

Considering that the Reflex was only sold in this country for two years, it’s unusual to find a bumper crop anyplace, but Dangerous is a magnet for them, apparently, and for those who like to buy them. But again, he’d already bedeviled me into getting one, so that was just a whistle-wetter. The real trap had yet to spring.

“Let me show you what Frank picked up the other day,” Dangerous said with a grin and a mad twinkle in his eye. We wended our way through the service bays to a far corner, where sat a muscular green motorcycle with a four-into-one pipe. A quick trip around it revealed it was in very good condition, from the shiny chrome front fender to the immaculate, original seat.

There was some expected wear, but nothing serious and there were only a little over 17,000 miles on the clock. My salivary glands were working overtime: the bike that sat before me was a fine, running, example of a ’71 Honda CB750.

That’s when Dan shrank his normal 6 foot frame down to a mere six inches and plopped on my shoulder, whispering in my ear “I don’t think Frank is in love with this bike or anything: he’d probably part with it.” In a daze, I reached down and turned the key to find an emerald light shining up at me.

“It’s got a good battery and it’ll start right up,” said the bearded devil on my shoulder. The problem in these situations is that I haven’t an angel on the other shoulder with commensurate powers of persuasion. In fact, I have NO angel whatsoever. When Dangerous Dan is whispering, resistance is futile.

I don’t own a ’71 CB750…yet. I did go in search of Frank under the guise of ordering a battery for one of my other bikes; unfortunately, he’d already bolted to do something vital, like taking a nap or getting the Early Bird Special at some diner. I could still hear Dan’s voice in my left ear, urging me to make a deal for the 750. I can still hear it now, saying “If you get that 750, our friend Motorcycle Marty will be as green as the paint with envy: he REALLY wants that bike.” That’s the problem with the devil: he’s always got a great argument.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

P O S TC A R D S FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD a kickstart for tHe kickstanDers?

Winter can be a dangerous time for motorcyclists and not just because of the cold, the hazardous road conditions, or the fact that you might just have lust in your heart for more that one seductive new bike the manufacturers are tempting you with (those fiends, with their tasty new machinery!). No, the hazard I’m talking about is how winter’s inevitable mucking up the roads leads to the inevitable down time that inevitably leads to staring at a parked motorcycle, which ultimately (and inevitably) leads to thinking about “stuff.”

These can be perilous moments. True, some of us can handle these bouts of creative soul-searching and emerge fairly unscathed; exiting from the session without doing too much damage to person or motorcycle. Then, there’s the rest of us that inevitably wreak havoc and start thinking about ways to “improve” things. This is the time of year when time that normally might be occupied with riding somewhere is curtailed, therefore forcing an inward journey. In a true example of Yin and Yang, this is a trip that can create some really awful, and really excellent, ideas.

Let me give you an example from last year’s hellish snowmageddon, where winter’s pavement-fouling nastiness forced me to actually do some (productive) thinking. After my canoe of contemplation struck an iceberg that was shaped (surprisingly) like a good idea, I took it upon myself to finally, after way too many years, fix a few compromised bits on one of my older machines. It was the perfect time to do it, I reasoned, and in fact it turned out to be a very worthwhile project. This year as the dark skies start to close in, I’m wandering away from more logical maintenance-oriented pondering and into the realm of larger thinking. This is being spurred on by the typical winter riding annoyances that are starting to vex me, and at the moment I’m mildly

Page 9 obsessed about how much a fogged visor can be a real pain. This has lead to reflection upon how many times over the years I’ve used a wide variety of products that have fixed the problem, only to see it ultimately return further down the road. I’m not sure why this happens, and it could well be the operator’s abuse of the hardware as opposed to the hardware itself being involved.

But I’m convinced a better solution to the fogging menace could be out there, and here’s where things get interesting.

One of the more impressive attributes about the world of motorcycle travel is the amazing array of accessories and tools that have been created over the years by some very creative people. The aftermarket in particular is a treasure trove of brilliant solutions to the problems and annoyances that life on the road can present, and as a result we’re all safer and more comfortable when we ride.

Great ideas come from all kinds of sources, and that’s why I want to mention a little concern called kickstarter.com. This website links to an organization that helps creative people gain funding to make their concepts a reality, and it’s been very successful. So knowing what a creative, intelligent lot you guys out there are, and the fact that we’re always trying to improve our rides and riding experiences, I wanted to make sure you knew about this resource when you find yourself doing the winter stare at your garage/shed/basement-bound motorcycle. Mind you, I’m not in anyway trying to do an end-around the existing accessory and apparel companies out there in the least. I love those guys, and am in a constant state of amazement and appreciation at their latest creations. But great ideas often come from left field, and now thanks to the miracle of the interwebs it’s easier than ever to get your brilliant invention closer to reality.

And speaking of reality, there I was back in the real world thinking about how I’d love to come up with something miraculous that is the ultimate defog/antifog/nofoghereatall solution. It’s a technically tough problem to deal with, as there are more than a few variables involved. You know the drill: you’re motoring along, roll up to a stop sign and squeeze the clutch and front brake levers, and before you’re completely stopped and can free up a hand (Continued on Page 12)

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 10

THOUGH TS FR OM THE ROAD

Brady Steffl

soutH Dakota sky Shortly after my wife, Kelsie, and I moved to South Dakota, I was on the road with my father-in-law. Leigh is the proud owner of a BMW K1600GTL, a fine rival for my Kawasaki Concours 14. He’s happy living in the sticks of South Dakota, though I wasn’t sold on the location. When we moved back to the Midwest, we forsook Virginia’s mountains and the coils of road that cut through them, we also left behind the Blue Ridge Parkway which ran just thirty miles from our front door, and we replaced it with the expansive flat and the endless straight of South Dakota. But that didn’t mean I was ready to give up motorcycling, and Leigh and I rode though the warm summer night, and passed corn on the right and beans on the left – then traveled miles down the road to where the beans are on the right and corn is on the left.

Leigh loved the area and never wants to leave, but I couldn’t find his enthusiasm, there was no monumental parkway thirty miles away, just a “Glorified cow town,” with a feed shop and a Taco John’s.

We rode on through farm country, and I worried about the Connie’s tires wearing completely square, but I understood why drag-racing is such an American phenomenon. The sun sank low, bruising the blue Dakota sky with a dim purple and warm oranges, frogs played suicidal road-crossing games at the sounds of our approach, and Leigh pointed to a deer chewing corn at

the side of the road. The deer stopped its jaw and raised its head to watch us ride past. If Leigh had two free hands, he might have leveled his invisible shotgun at the buck and said, “Pretty good eats out there,” but as the sun set, he seemed content just to point.

Further down the road, a line of clouds pushed across the sky, brought in by swift Dakota winds, and left exploded water droplets – tiny, transparent fireworks – on our windshields as we rode. Fortunately, we had just about reached one of the “cow towns” and pulled in under the pump awning at the gas station/tack and feed store. “Too bad,” Leigh said, “if we had the truck, we could have picked up some chow for Rosie, but I don’t think it’ll fit in the GTL’s bags.” I looked at the machine and nodded, I don’t think I would try to put 40 lbs of dog food into a brand new GTL, either. I looked at Leigh, “I thought you would say, ‘Too bad about the weather.’” He looked out at the sky from under the awning. “This? No. This little squall will blow past as fast as it blew in. We’ll be on the road again as soon as we’ve got our tanks full of the good stuff.”

Not long after the pumps clicked off, the rain slowed, and the clouds cleared to the west, revealing the sun, which was lower than where we’d left it when the clouds came in. Clouds still sat overhead, soaking up most of the remaining brightness, but the orange of the sunset was like none I had ever seen, and it lit the dimmed city like a cheesy, orange-and-black silhouette painted by a high-school senior. Wow, I thought, like nothing I ever saw in Virginia. We had spent so long walled in by the mountains that I had completely forgotten what the Midwest sky could do – this was the sky I had grown up with, the sky I had left behind for a different chapter in my life. The whole world glowed a reminder of the hidden wonders of a quiet country life, the often-overlooked Midwestern appeal, simple and beautiful – if you can embrace it.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 11

G REAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN capt. Zack’s seafooD & carryout

tasty places to take your bike

This ain’t fast food! In fact, best be prepared to wait while one of the two gals running the place individually prepare each meal.

This day we chose the sandwich of the day – a blackened grouper. Ordering the plate we watched as she took two huge grouper filets out of the deli-style refrigeration case and proceeded to make each sandwich. These pieces of fresh fish, and the key here is fresh not frozen, were big enough for a few sandwiches, but that is what we were getting. Some ten or so minutes later

4422 Deep Hole roaD, cHincoteague islanD, virginia 23336 757-336-3788 I know this place…. We love to start off a great destination with those words; but once again we do.

We have had a love affair with Chincoteague Island, right off the Virginia Delmarva peninsula, for years. And, each year we make it a point to get down there, whether by bike, car or truck to partake in their annual Oyster Festival.

This trip is spread over Columbus Day Weekend (Sorry Mom this year the tribe moved the dates, not us) and three good nights on Chincoteague Island is good for the soul at the end of the summer.

We always find it hard to order anything but seafood while here and if we lived here we would probably be slimmer and healthier – so while there we grab as much seafoody goodness as possible.

We have learned a long time ago to follow the locals. Let the tourists crowd into the traps, we’ll slide comfortably into a place like Capt. Zack’s any day.

If you are looking for a big fancy seafood restaurant to satisfy your need this is not it.

In fact it is quite small; but on a good day the picnic tables right near the horseshoe pit will do just fine.

On a fine Sunday afternoon we spun by Capt. Zack’s to refuel on said seafoody goodness.

As we thought good news travels fast, but news on good food even faster so the place has a good two-wheeled motorcycle following , especially on the weekends.

While there a couple of riders showed up and even posed for pictures when we told them what we were doing.

Inside, Capt. Zack’s has that typical pirate/nautical theme. What would you expect, a desert motif?

But this is where Capt. Zack’s differs from some other “fast food” seafood shacks.

we had our monster sandwiches served up with some delicious hushpuppies and tasty potato chips. A little tartar and cocktail sauce and we were good to go. In fact I didn’t think dinner would be needed that night.

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Page 12 Here at Capt. Zack’s you will find all things seafood. Crabs, shrimp, oysters (this is Chincoteague), lobsters, scallops and so many different fresh fish you will have a hard time choosing.

The girls serve up their specialties called “Treasure Chests” which are monstrous combinations of steamed shrimp, clams and other goodies.

Good luck eating this by yourself and riding somewhere after. You might want to split this with a friend.

Most of the fish can be had a few ways. Typically grilled, fried or blackened – it’s all good.

Their crab cake are considered the best on Chincoteague island – a bold statement here – containing just crab and not a speck of filler. It’s not needed.

Oysters and clam fritters are just yummy as are their Seafood Boats; 5 potato skins stuffed with their own special blend of crabmeat, shrimp, scallops, garlic and cheese.

For you meat lovers you can still order up some serious chicken wings or a great prime rib sandwich.

We are pretty big on good soups and here at

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Capt. Zack’s there are three homemade; cream of crab, and their Chincoteague clam chowder and oyster stews simply rock. Down home seafood rarely gets better than this little place on Chincoteague Island.

This summer, when the weather turns warm and you need some “island time,” ride on down to Chincoteague and take in all they have to offer, but make sure to stop by Capt. Zacks’s once or twice - you will not be disappointed. free WHeelin’ (Continued from Page 4) ers is like riding with two laid-back Harley riders that have been at it for a long time. And, best of all is the food that goes with it.

I think they know a bit about food.

Look at this show as a food travelog with a historical flair, as Paul and Bill ride the backroads of America to cook and eat with the locals in assorted towns and, according to the History Channel, “immerse themselves in local American history and long-standing traditions.”

We also like it when a riding show is set in places we’ve been to, such as the show where they butchered a recently killed roadside deer, hunted wild mushrooms and then settled a barbeque competition in Deal’s Gap after riding the Dragon, right before cooking up the deer and mushrooms. Like I said riding and food – it don’t get much better. And having it take place in a location many of us are familiar with makes it that much better.

They have quite a few shows this first season and cover a good deal of the USA; so this winter when the snow is piled up and your machine is tucked away go for ride with the Hairy Bikers Friday nights at 10 on the History Channel we think you’ll like them too. postcarDs from tHe HeDge (Cont’d from Page 9) to crack your visor (unless you just use the rear brake alone in this exercise), you exhale and plume of fog attacks said visor and you’re in the clouds. Then there are other days when for some reason the fog just blows in all the damn time. Now there are solutions as I mentioned before, and a lot of them work well most of the time until they fail (and I hate breath guards. I gotta breathe, man!). I’d like a small, full-proof device that somehow clips into the helmet and works like a car defroster. It would have to be tiny and self-contained, so you could use it in different helmets and be designed so it won’t likely get loose and hurt you in a get-off.

Clearly, this is a multi-faceted challenge and this may be why nobody’s done it yet (as far as I know, anyway).

But I’m willing to wager there’s somebody out there, even in our wild, wonderful Backroads family, who can or will come up with such a device. And now with help with a place like kickstarter, maybe it could land on the market. Hey, crazier things have happened, right?

Now, about that solar-powered MotoGP machine I’ve been thinking about. . .

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 13

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M YSTER IOUS AMER ICA international cryptoZoology museum 661 congress street, portlanD, me 04101 207- 518-9496 • cryptoZoologymuseum.com Cryptozoology – noun – the search for and study of animals whose existence or survival is disputed or unsubstantiated such as Sasquatch, Yeti or the Loch Ness monster.

For those of you who read this column each month, you know how much we love our little hidden beasties.

Big Red Eye and the Jersey Devil in New Jersey, Sasquatch in the northwest and all the other oddities and creatures that seem to pop up again and again in history and modern times.

They call the study of such things Cryptozoology and the leader in this field is a gentleman named Loren Coleman.

I have read many of Loren’s books and there is even a superb one named Mysterious America (we like that title a lot).

A year back I was doing some research on New Jersey’s famed giant manape, Big Red Eye, and I had corresponded with Loren looking to get some facts straight.

Loren was more than cordial to my requests and encouraged us to visit his museum in Portland, Maine next time we were up that way.

While attending Backroads Fall Fiesta I did just that, riding with some friends to take in the International Cryptozoology Museum.

When we visited the museum is was located in the back of a used book store, but that is all changing as a larger and better building, just down the street, will be the new location very soon.

The new, expanded, enlarged location will be opening through the side entrance at 11 Avon Street, Portland, Maine. This is just around the corner from the present Congress Street location, but they will be using “11 Avon Street, Portland, Maine” for GPS purposes. The museum will be packed with over 3000+ artifacts, including the full-sized art sculptures of the Crookston Bigfoot, Freaky Links’ pterodactyl, P.T. Barnum’s FeeJee Mermaid, the Naden Harbor Caddy, and other cryptid replicas, evidence, and more.

Even during our visit we were totally wowed by what the museum held.

Even more impressive was Loren Coleman.

We were not all that sure what to expect from the nation’s leading cryptozoologist; half expecting Loren to be slightly out there, which was a terrible bit of prejudging on my part…. and who am I to call the kettle black?

Mr. Coleman proved himself to be sensible, down to earth, qualified and very, very believable.

The first thing he did was to ask us who we were? What did we do? Why would we come here? My friends came because I promised them the ultimate lobster roll lunch. Me? I came because I had to.

From the giant Sasquatch up front at the entrance to the replicas of the Fiji Mermaid and the Coelacanth, which I have seen for myself in South Africa, to the Thunderbird prop used for the bogus Civil War shot, Loren’s International Cryptozoology Museum was very impressive.

We were particularly impressed with Loren’s far clearer and cleaned up version of the famous Bigfoot video shot by Roger Patterson at Bluff Creek in 1967. It is hard to think this was a guy in costume, especially when you see it might be a female – for obvious reason. The plaster Big Foot casts are impressive too.

The museum has been featured in the History Channel’s Ancient Aliens: Aliens and Monsters, and Travel Channel’s Mysteries of the Museum.

Loren Coleman will be found discussing Mothman on Discovery Channel’s William Shatner’s Weird or What? Sorry, Bill’s show is on in Canada only. How did that happen?

The museum was noted as the most unique museum to visit in the “Best of USA” picks in the May 2011 issue of Reader’s Digest. Numerous other awards and list selections have occurred in 2009 and 2010, as well on Roadside America, Atlas Obscura, Yelp, Huffington Post, MSNBC, Trip Advisor and now here in Backroads.

Now, this place is not for everybody. If you are a “muggle” and have no fascination with the odd and mysterious then you might want to pass on this. But, if like me, you are totally into this sort of thing well it just doesn’t get better. And, it will be even more impressive with the new building as Loren has so much in his cryptid collection, probably one of the biggest on the planet, that he needs the larger space for sure.

Loren also has copies of his many books he has authored and will happily sign them for you, which always makes a good book even more special.

I really enjoyed this true piece of Mysterious America and am looking forward to a return to the new bigger and better International Cryptozoology Museum.

O’Life out!

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 14

BACKLASH

Letters to the Editor

Hot Dog Trivia

nickname is “Jaws.” Sonya Thomas became the first ever women’s Hot Dog Eating Champion. I don’t know if she has a nickname...

4) In which city and country did the hot dog originate.

According to Wikipedia, there is a lot of conjecture on this. Sausages have been eaten all over Europe since the 13th century. Frankfurters originated in Frankfurt, Germany. Sausages on a bun were served in the US as early as 1870.

Even the term “hot dog” isn’t exactly known. According to snopes, “Jokes about sausages being made from dogs (and dachshunds looking like sausages) have been around for hundreds of years, of course. The term “hot dog,” used as a slang reference to a nattily-dressed fellow, appeared as early as 1894, and it wasn’t much later that the word “dog” - and then “hot dog” was applied to the sausage-in-a-bun combination.”

5) What US City consumes the most hot dogs - New York, Chicago, Los Angeles?

New York, even Chicago admits it.

Have a great Christmas/Chanukah/New Years and I hope to see you on the road next season.

Be well, Paul Kahn

Hi Shira & Brian, How are you guys doing? Backroads continues to be one of the few reading pleasures in my life. I just finished the hot dog article and I’m curious to know what answers you used for your trivia questions. As you have probably heard by now, the answers to a few of them could go one of several ways.

1) What popular Rock ‘n’ Roll band had a song about what we’re eating today?

My first thoughts were: Bill Hailey & The Comets - Hot Dog Buddy Buddy Led Zeppelin - Hot Dog They Might Be Giants - Hot Dog All different songs.

2) Where and when is the National Hot Dog Eating Championship held?

I’m going with the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating contest held at Coney Island on July 4th. There are other contests; but only one is covered by ESPN. 3) Who is the reigning Hot Dog Eating Champion as of 2011? Bonus points for his nickname.

Joey Chesnut won the 2011 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating contest. Of course former champion Kobayashi didn’t compete in the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating contest as he refuses to sign the exclusivity agreement. Joey’s

Our Contributors Comment Shira, just received the January issue.

What you did with the photos was very creative! I laughed. Thanks very much for forwarding this to me!

Hoping you have a great holiday and a fantastic New Year!

Jeff Harth

One-Percenters Hey Bosses, Good column. Didn’t realize Hell’s _____ was trademarked. I bet their trademark enforcement crew is better than the guvmint’s.

I am part of the 68%: the part of the bell curve who pay our taxes and hire people to work good jobs. In the past 4 years, I’ve given 9 college graduates jobs in the defense/industrial complex and I’m still hiring. I only hire ones who aren’t living on the streets and tweeting about how “the man” is keeping them down, though. Oh well.

Mark Byers

Rantings

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Brian, Great editorial! (in the Dec. 2011 issue) I agree with all that you said, especially the part about the AMA acting as an enabler (or cheerleader) to those running loud pipes.

Jeff Hi Brian & Shira, I love the cover shot on the December issue! Was that staged or a spontaneous photo?

Rich Battles Rich, That beautiful image was supplied by our friend Ultan Guilfoyle – absolutely one of the very best images we’ve ever used and we thank him for letting us use it.

Hey Backroads I don’t know if it’s just me but in the last two issues their doesn’t appear to be any GPS Rip & Ride downloads available with the ride....

Please say it ain’t so!

I have a folder with all those rides stored in a folder on my desktop. My buddies then expect me to set up a

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 15

weekend ride with your GPS files. They seem to ride behind me all day like baby ducks...every weekend, same thing.

My wife (who never reads backroads) loved your article on what it was like riding on the back of a Goldwing. She does not ride and a couple times a year she gets on the back of one of my bikes. I tell her when we retire I’m gonna get her a Goldwing and we are going to tour the country. She usually just shrugs her shoulders and says “whatever”- you gave her a great insight on what to expect. I’ll say hi to you guys at the Javits show in January.

Gary Renna Gary, We’re still doing GPS routes; perhaps we just had a small gap in routes that were converted. During the winter months we’ll do our best to update our downloads on our website so that your baby ducks will have plenty of places to go.

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BIG CIT Y G ETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

mast general store HigHWay 194, valle crucis, nortH carolina WWW.mastgeneralstore.com Maybe just once or twice we have featured a store in a Big City Getaway, but this time around we’re looking forward to it.

On a recent jaunt down south we had a route that would bring us along through the tiny burg of Valle Crucis.

The odd name for the town is Latin for “Vale of the Cross,” a reference to a valley in the area where three streams converge to form a shape similar to an archbishop’s cross.

The region was first settled in the 1840s when an Episcopal missionary, William West Skiles, came to the area. He founded the first Episcopal church in the region, “Easter Chapel”, and lived in the area for the remainder of his life. While there, he founded the Valle Crucis Mission School, which has had several purposes throughout its history and currently serves as a conference and retreat center, hosting (among other things) the Jink and Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling.

All this is well and good and interesting but we were actually looking to spend some time in a North Carolinian treasure – The Original Mast General Store.

We had heard of these stores, there are 8 of them – nine if you count the Annex in Valle Crucis – but if we were going to check one out it had to be the original.

The Mast General Store is on the National Register of Historic Places and its history is rich as well.

The Mast General Store was built, at least the first of its many rooms, in 1882 by Henry Taylor and opened in 1883. Henry had run a much smaller store across the road for many years previous to the building of the new structure. In 1897 half interest in the store was sold to W. W. Mast, a member of a pioneer family that settled in the valley. The store was known as the Taylor and Mast General Store up until 1913 when the remaining half of the enterprise was purchased by W. W. For the next 60 years, the store was owned and managed by the Mast Family. During that time, W. W. and his family tried to carry all of the items their neighbors might need - from plows to cloth and “Cradles to Caskets,” which led to the popular saying, “If you can’t buy it here, you don’t need it.”

Credit was extended to all who needed it and payments were often made in trade (a chicken for a sack of flour, and so on).

The store was sold by the Mast Family in 1973 to a doctor in Atlanta

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 17 and a professor at Appalachian State University. Around about that same time, the site was named to the National Register of Historic Places as one of the finest remaining examples of an old country general store.

upon what political party was in power. How would you like to get up in the morning after an election and not know just exactly where to go get your mail?

The rest is history.

These days you can spend some serious time in both Valle Crucis locations; I know we were there for a few hours.

There is so much to see here at Mast General Store that it would be a futile attempt to try to list everything, but as they said back in the day “If you can’t buy it here, you don’t need it.”

In November of 1977, the doors were closed presumably just for the winter season with hopes of reopening in April of 1978. However, plans did not pan out. Many residents of Valle Crucis banded together in an effort to save the old store and Exxon even helped with the drive to preserve the landmark.

John and Faye Cooper purchased the Mast Store and reopened it in June of 1980. Since that time the store had regained its reputation as “the store that had everything.” The Valle Crucis Post Office reopened in October of 1980, thus giving the valley back its identity.

Oh, by the way, there is an interesting story about the post office. It was said that the post office changed locations - from the Farthing Store (staunch Republicans) to the Mast Store (dyed-in-the-wool Democrats) - depending

When we were there Shira and I just split up and kept running into each other for an hour or so. Meandering in the back I spent some time watching the porch-side band playing some old southern tunes sippin’ my nickel cent coffee. Seriously five cents!

As we said there are a number of Mast General Stores around this region, but the one on Route 194 is the one to visit.

So next time you are in the region, ride on into Valle Crucis, grab a nickel coffee and explore a true bit of Americana.

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 18

IND USTRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

KAWASAKI TO GIVE CONSUMERS A CHANCE TO RACE RICKEY GADSON Four consumers will be given a chance to race ninetime AMA Drag Bike Champion Rickey Gadson to win a 2012 Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-14R, the world’s quickest production sportbike. Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. is asking potential contestants to submit an essay to www.kawasaki.com/zerotohero explaining why they should race Gadson in the “Zero to Hero” promotion, beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

Finalists will travel to Rickey Gadson’s Drag Racing School where they will receive two days of instruction from the nine-time champion, while also qualifying for their own NHRA Bracket license. Once qualified, the four will race against each other in elimination-style rounds and the quickest contestant will have a chance to race Gadson for a brand-new 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R sportbike.

“The ZX-14R is the quickest production sportbike available today and the Zero to Hero promotion allows us to display that power on the race track,” said Kawasaki Marketing Communications Director Chris Brull. “Rickey is one of the fastest drag racers around and his school has helped many riders become top-level racers. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the new

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No purchase necessary to enter or win, nor will making a purchase increase your chances of winning. Contest entry submission begins on Jan. 1, 2012 and ends on Feb. 14, 2012. Must be a legal resident of the U.S. or the District of Columbia, of the legal age of majority in your jurisdiction of residence, at least 18 years of age or older, and have a valid state-issued driver’s license with a valid motorcycle endorsement as of the date of entry. For additional eligibility requirements see full official rules at www.kawasaki.com/zerotohero

NHTSA PROPOSES NEW MOTORCYCLE STUDY

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has requested comments on a proposed motorcycle safety study.

The study they are proposing copycats one that the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is currently conducting, known as the “naturalistic study.” The MSF study has instrumented a hundred motorcycles with computers, cameras and all sorts of meters. Those speciallyequipped one hundred motorcycles are being ridden by volunteers across the country as their personal bikes.

After one year, the instruments are taken off and the analysis begins. NHTSA is proposing the exact same study, only with 160 motorcycles.

This proposal does come as a bit of a shock, considering the feds have been struggling to conduct another motorcycle study that tracks actual crashes. That “crash causation study” has been languishing since 2006 and has yet to complete data collection, analysis and final reporting.

30 US H’Way 46 East “I do like the idea of the study,” said Jeff Hennie, Lodi, NJ 07644 MRF Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs. “Tracking volunteer riders and collecting some best practices for countermeasures is a great idea, but as with every study there will be some technical and logistical bugs to work out over the course of the study.

It seems to me that it would be wise to wait on the MSF results and use them to craft a better, sturdier study.”

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 19

This amazing growth is attributed to the unique and “highly contagious” features of a Motomarathon, which is rapidly re-defining sport touring. The concept is simple: you will find yourself riding the region’s finest twisties for four consecutive days. Carefully planned routes remain secret until the evening before each day’s ride, and participants must complete a series of self-recorded checkpoints using digital cameras. A typical day’s ride consists of several checkpoints spread out over 250 to 350 miles of backroads. There is always enough time to complete the day’s route within posted speed limits and with plenty of time for sightseeing and leisurely lunches.

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equivalents are generic and cannot receive trademark protection.” This means that the term Daytona Beach Bike Week belongs to the community, and not any one person or entity.

The Chamber and co-plaintiffs Good Sports Daytona, Inc., were awarded a final judgment cancelling the Defendants attempt to trademark the term “Daytona Beach Bike Week” finding that the Defendant’s registration of the term as a trademark was “fraudulently obtained or, alternatively, was improperly granted.”

Daytona Regional Chamber Chairman of the Board, Thomas J. Leek, who is also a partner with Cobb Cole, enthusiastically endorsed the decision, “In our minds this was always a fight to protect our business community, our City, and the greater community at large, and specifically to fight off the Defendants’ attempt to take something that wasn’t theirs ... and then charge people for using it. This ruling ensures that the mark will remain the property of the City of Daytona Beach and the community at large, for all local businesses and distributors to use in perpetuity. This is a significant milestone in that it will live as a warning to future trademark squatters, and provide protection for all to continue to enjoy the use the mark.”

Overall motorcycle customer satisfaction has increased notably from 2010, driven by marked improvements in the sales experience, the products, and cost of ownership, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Motorcycle Competitive InformationStudy.

The study, now in its 14th year, measures owner satisfaction with new motorcycles in six major factors of the overall ownership experience: product; build quality; cost of ownership; sales; service; and warranty.

Among the factors, satisfaction with the sales experience has improved most, increasing to 856 (on a 1,000-point scale) in 2011 from 838 in 2010. Satisfaction with the product and cost of ownership also improves significantly, compared with 2010.

The study also finds that motorcycle build quality improves to 122 problems per 100 motorcycles (PP100) from an average of 133 PP100 in 2010. One-half of owners say they have experienced zero problems with their new motorcycle, and among these owners, satisfaction with build quality averages 963. However, among owners who say they experienced two problems with their motorcycle, satisfaction with build quality declines considerably to an average 871.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Cobb Cole law firm earned a hard fought victory on behalf of the City of Daytona Beach and the surrounding communities. United States District Court Judge Mary Scriven issued an order prohibiting one local company and two apparently related New York companies from claiming exclusive ownership of the term “Daytona Beach Bike Week” and threatening others with prosecution if they did not pay for the use of the name.

In late 2009, the Chamber discovered that Consolidated Distributors, Inc., Joe Cool, Inc., and Mettemp Inc., were sending letters to local business threatening to sue them for damages if the local businesses did not pay a royalty for each item that was sold bearing the term “Daytona Beach Bike Week,” and its variations used during the event. The Chamber, in partnership with Cobb Cole, stepped up and defended the Community’s use of the term by filing suit to stop the Defendants.

In its decision the Court found that the Defendants were barred from claiming ownership of the term because “Daytona Beach Bike Week and its functional

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FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 20

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

W E’RE OUT TA HERE

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

iron Horse motorcycle loDge 1755 loWer stecoaH roaD, roBBinsville, nc 28771 828-479-3864 • ironHorsenc.com There are motorcycle-friendly places and then there are motorcyclefriendly places. A few years back we had heard of one very special lodging in North Carolina - not all too far from the Dragon at Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway.

When we held our 15th anniversary rally down that way we made it a point to scoot by the Ironhorse to see what it was all about.

We were instantly impressed; so this past Fall when our friend Phil from MotoQuest invited us to spend a few days with a riding group for the MotoQuest Rendezvous at the Ironhorse we signed on right away.

Set on nearly 40 secluded acres along the Stecoah Creek, the Ironhorse is a motorcycle Shangri-La. From the moment you ride down their long drive and park at the main pavilion you will know you have come to a very rider-friendly place.

The owners John and Charlene Powell, along with everybody on their staff, will make you feel right at home and more than welcome.

The grounds that would be the Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge was purchased by John and Charlene after they spent some post-retirement time looking for a place to throw down roots and enjoy life – and a big part of that was riding motorcycles. They had been vacationing from Atlanta at the Little Switzerland Inn in North Carolina and discovered this piece of property in the heart of the Smoky Mountains; the rest is history. From July 4th, 2003 to the present, John and Charlene have expanded from a quagmire of mud during the building to 13 buildings and thousands of smiles and laughter.

The Powell’s are constantly upgrading and improving the lodge. There is a huge pavilion, where all meals are served and houses a large screen projection TV with VCR, DVD and surround sound.

While we were there they showed some great motorcycle videos and footage with a bit of the World Series thrown in too.

If you have a special need for private party or group they have you covered with the “Hog’s Den” room. Situated within the pavilion the Hog’s Den provides a great view of the creek, dining tables and has its own flat screen TV. You can reserve the “Hog’s Den” for larger groups of 25 or more riders.

Just because the Ironhorse seems away from it all you can still stay in touch with the rest of the planet as internet access is readily available and they have a public use computer if you did not bring your own.

Both breakfast and dinners are provided and sitting around the large fire kicking tires and telling tall tales really made a perfect end for each night we were there.

As rooms go they have a wide selection and offer full cabin rentals, comfortable cabin rooms, creekside tent camping and rental, RV hook-ups, and bunkhouse accommodations.

We found our room to be simply fantastic, especially the separate gear closet to hang up our riding stuff at the end of the day.

If need be, or you have been traveling quite a bit, they have a laundry room for your use as well.

In fact it seems to us that everything and anything you might want as a rider you will find at the Ironhorse – they have been doing it for 9 years and absolutely have it down to an art. There is even a nice acoustic guitar hanging in the store if you feel like strumming some tunes.

The only thing you will not find at the Ironhorse is beer,

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 21 wine or spirits. They are in a dry county, but you are welcome to bring your beverage of choice along to enjoy.

They even have a long steel plate strip in front of the lodge to use for a kickstand pad. This idea struck us as so simple it was just brilliant.

Do not let the Ironhorse name fool you into thinking this is

wanted and needed after such a busy riding season.

As we stated the Ironhorse is not far from Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway, but you have the entire Smoky Mountains to choose from including the fantastic Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley and so much more.

As you can tell we really enjoyed our stay at the Ironhorse and we are fairly certain you will too.

Their rates are very affordable and you can learn more at their website.

To get to the Ironhorse we’ll give you a Rip & Ride off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoy your trip down to the Ironhorse and say hello to John and Charlene for us.

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more ‘biker’ than ‘rider’ – The Ironhorse had all sorts of two-wheel folk there when we were and all were welcome and all made to feel right at home.

The ambiance of the Stecoah region is about as sweet as it comes and just sitting by the babbling creek late in the afternoon, right before dusk, we really felt we did not need to be anywhere else on the planet. It was just what we

LEFT AT RTE. 441 RIGHT AT RTE. 19 BEAR RIGHT AT RTE. 28 RIGHT AT GUNTER GAP RD (LOOK FOR IRONHORSE SIGNS) BEAR RIGHT TO LOWER STECOAH RD IRONHORSE MOTORCYCLE LODGE IS ON LEFT

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Page 22

Redwoods Revival Touring Northern California with the new Gold Wing

W

e are never ones for leaving on a big trip at night, even if it is in the Suburbinator heading down for an overnight at a hotel outside Newark Liberty. Still, the last full moon of the summer was rising like a huge scarlet disc on the eastern horizon, adding a bit of excitement to the beginning of a well-anticipated journey. Early the next morning we were winging our way west to American Honda in Torrance, California where we’d pick-up a 2012 Honda GL-1800 – the new Japanese Gold Wing – for a bit of riding and testing along the backroads of the Golden State.

This would be our first chance to ride the Gold Wing since Honda had brought its manufacturing back to Japan in 2010 and the ride we had planned would cover a wide swath of this diverse state.

The flight was uneventful and actually arrived 20 minutes early so we were at Honda around noon west coast time and on the 405 heading north by one.

Our plan was to head north and east, eventually meeting up for a few days with friends Fred and Cherrie Rau to attend a rally, the Beemer Bash, in a little town called Quincy up along the northern Sierras.

Heading towards Bakersfield along the California interstates the machine instantly proved its breeding as the Wing was solid, comfortable and very powerful while eating up the first 150 or so miles towards the mountains.

Once out of the Los Angeles area California’s true beauty begins to reveal itself with large cliffs, deep valleys, green lakes and rolling golden hills dominating the scenery.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 23 Once past Bakersfield we picked up California Route 178 – one of our favorite roads that winds along the Kern River towards Lake Isabella.

Approaching the highway we saw that there was some road construction and were being signaled by the flagman to pass the standing cars and take the front spot on the

queue. California has always had a love affair with motorcycles; I don’t see this happening often in the northeast.

Once past the guardrail construction we got into some serious twisties and with a push of a button the GL’s suspension preload pumped itself up from the oh-socomfortable and plush ride we had chosen for the Big Roads to a stiffer and more stable setting for more aggressive riding.

We made a quick stop for fuel and snacks in Lake Isabella and continued on to the far side of the Sierra Mountains.

Dropping down to the valley we took Route 395 due north with the desert to our right and the rugged and towering mountains to our left.

We thought about riding to Bishop, but heavy storm clouds were dumping sheets of black rain and sharp lightning miles ahead of us, exactly where we would be going and the town of Lone Pine seemed like the perfect oasis this night; especially after the early wake-up, the flight, the time change and the 300 miles put on the Gold Wing since leaving LA. We called our friends and told them we would try to hook up in the morning.

Lone Pine is a great little burg in the Eastern Sierras with plenty of little motels and a few good restaurants. The Totem Cafe served up some seriously good chicken that night.

Top left: Getting the lowdown on the Gold Wing Left: Making our way to the mountains Top: Consulting the Manually Acquired Positioning System Right: Sunrise on Route 395 bordered by desert and mountains.

After dinner we strolled through the town and on the way back we both spotted a greenish light plummeting down from the sky at a very steep angle.

“What was that?” we wondered.

Not a plane, hopefully not an alien invasion. We continued on to the motel that was half full with other traveling motorcyclists and, after the very long day, were wrapped up with Morpheus in just a short while.

Morning found bright sunshine spilling its way from Death Valley west to Mount Whitney. The irony here is that Badwater, in Death Valley, is the lowest point in the United States at minus 242 feet and Mount Whitney the highest in the lower 48 sates at 14,494 feet, and both are within a hundred miles or so of each other. This region was also home to many western movies and

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 24 the town has an excellent Film Museum celebrating that history.

At breakfast we found that the entire southwest had been blanketed with the same lights from the sky we spied the previous night. The question was, what was it-meteor, asteroid or alien invasion?

I went with alien invasion, they’re always more fun.

Scarlet moons, greenish glows… the omens from the heavens were on our side.

We did not need to be into Quincy and the rally until Friday so rather that shoot up Route 395 for an early morning rendezvous’ we decided to meet Fred and Cherrie a day later to take advantage of the many sights this part of California has to offer, most notably – Yosemite National Park. The United States has many beautiful parks but we think none as stunning as Yosemite.

After breakfast we rode north along 395, which I had come to call the ‘Backbone of California’ making a quick stop at the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery. Considered the most beautiful hatchery in the country we were im-

pressed at the three-foot thick granite walls and the impressive grounds. It is amazing what water can to a desert.

Continuing on, Route 395 began to change its character. Where once was only brown; now shades of green began to dominate. Large lakes appeared and it was obvious this was serious fisherman’s terrain. The road headed up and deep pine forests abounded. This was a place I could live for sure.

We neared Mono Lake, one of the oldest and oddest lakes in the world. In fact, just last year NASA biologists discovered a new life form; one based on arsenic, not phosphorous, which caused quite and stir in the scientific community. Regardless, it is a striking lake.

Here we headed west along Route 120, through the Tioga Pass at some 9,945 feet. A splendid road that makes you feel great to be alive and riding.

At the gate $20 American gets you a pass into Yosemite for the week; but we would need only a day.

The Tioga was as breathtaking as we remembered it from a trip a few years back and the views of Bridal Veil Falls and the mighty El Capitan were still magnificent.

This is a true jewel in our nation’s park system and should not be missed

if touring through this part of the Golden State.

We did the loop road and then continued west on Route 120. Heading back into the valley 120 proves itself as a serious sport bike mecca.

Finely paved and with a copious amount of turns and altitude change it was a blast as the Gold Wing sometimes seemed to me a sport bike with bags.

We rode through the tiny town of Chinese Camp, a nod to California’s Asian history, and then we picked up Route 108, which would bring us up and over the Sonora Pass. Here the road, which had impressed us before, totally blew us away.

The road over the Sonora Pass could very well be one of the most stunning in North America – easily rivaling its European brothers in a different but profound way.

Small towns like Confidence, Miwok – named after the native Americans of the region - and Strawberry (which had its own giant Bigfoot as a greeter) added to the route’s flavor.

The vista at Donnel was outstanding and the back end, with its 25% grade and tight turns, kept us alert and concentrating on the road. We stopped more along this piece of asphalt then we did at any time in Yosemite.

Cliffs, waterfalls, and every kind of pine or fir tree you could imagine. Even Notso and Pepe were impressed.

This is yet another must do and ride here in the Sierra Mountains.

Along the way we ran into two BMW riders –Tony and Phil – who were attending the rally as well. We would see them often at the rally and it is good to make new acquaintances along the way.

At the end of 108 we found ourselves not too far north on the map from where we vectored off to ride the Tioga; but we had no real schedule and the Gold Wing was such a spot on machine for a two-up trip like this so we just rode with the flow, eventually heading to the town of Walker, near the Nevada border, and finding a neat little hotel called the West Walker. Rider-Friendly, clean and comfortable – these ladies have a neat little place and all for just $60. There was even a barbeque Top: Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery Left: Tioga Pass to the entrance of Yosemite National Park Left: The magnificence of El Capitan Above: Some steep grades in this neck of the woods.

The Donnel view on the Sonora Pass.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 25 joint across the highway making for the perfect evening.

The morning found the sun washing across the mountains, Shira reading maps and me typing these words as hummingbirds buzzed our heads, wondering what these humans we up too.

The Wing has a marvelous sound system, with all the bells and whistles you would expect these days. XM Radio, iPod compatibility or you can simply use a memory stick plugged into a handy USB plug in the top case to get your tuneage.

We had a stick and a laptop so we dropped a few hundred songs onto the

Top: West Walker Inn Left: Beautiful Lake Tahoe Above: Historic Markleeville Store Classic 1923 Rolls-Royce that travelled through 57 countries.

Infiltrating the Beemer Bash with the Honda Gold Wing

memory stick and plugged it in. It worked seamlessly and with better sound than the previous day’s XM Radio.

Not far north from Walker we, once again, attacked the Sierras, this time on Route 89 over the Monitor Pass. Not as high or as picturesque as the passes to the south it still is a formidable road and was a pleasure to ride.

Once atop the peaks we motored north stopping in Markleeville for breakfast and to meander around the town’s General Store. In places like Markleeville the local store can be the Sierra Mountain’s version of Wal-Mart and you will never know what you may find in them.

This day’s route would take us north and around the western edge of Lake Tahoe.

This was the first time I had seen this lake and she is a beauty; well, except for human habit of overbuilding sections of the pristine forested shoreline.

As nice as the lake was I looked forward to riding out of the area.

We followed along Route 89 and near Truckee actually took a few miles of I80 east. How could we resist the sign for Donnor Pass? Heck, just a few thousand miles and we’d be back home in New Jersey. Once back on the local roads we continued to Quincy and the Beemer Bash Rally. One never knows

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Page 26

what you will run into out here in California, but we were still surprised to ride up to a vintage 1923 Rolls-Royce ridden by a couple that had driven this old beauty around the world. They waved us ahead for, as they said, “We are as slow as a parade of turtles!” Sweet ride.

We took our hotel room at the El Ranchito Motel and phoned our friends.

They were about to leave for the rally as Fred was doing a seminar on touring New Zealand, so we met them in the parking lot and rode over to the county fairgrounds and the rally.

The Beemer Bash Rally is put on by the Central Cal BMW Club; think of it as a west coast version of the Finger Lakes Rally but half the size attendance-wise. The fair grounds were very nice and they had some good vendors

(RKA Luggage for one) and a number of seminars, including Fred’s and a wonderful hour spent with rider safety expert and AMA Hall of Famer David Hough on what factors go into riding well and how age will affect your riding. Face it friends… we ain’t kids anymore.

We spent some time around the grounds for the rest of the day before having dinner and calling it a night.

That was just fine as there was not much happening on a Friday night in Quincy and we were looking forward to a good ride around the region the next day.

Up and out early the next day we took in David’s Coffee Club which was more a hang around the coffee area and chatting about all things bikes. This would be repeated on a grander scale that night with a Round Table Discussion on various riding topics hosted by Fred, David and Greg Peart, a retired CHiP Motor Officer.

This day the Gold Wing’s thermometer read 38 degrees. Now was the time to test out the heated grips and seat on the GL, which warmed quickly and passed with flying colors.

Coffeed up Fred and Cherrie joined us for a ride part way up the Feather River Canyon and we found a sloooow breakfast in the oh-so-tiny artsy hamlet of Belden Town, which is accessed by a one-lane bridge built in the 1912.

Stunning views, great friends – so so food. We’ll take the view and friends.

Fred had a few more seminars to do at the rally, so they headed back and Shira and I continued along California Route 70 which winds through the bottom of the Feather River Canyon along tight and twisty roadways, across bridges large and small and a series of tunnels blasted through the rock canyon walls. Along the way a number of power plants rule the day but it is the railroad that followed along the canyon that fascinated me. A true marvel of big iron engineering; the tracks sometimes rode on bridges right over the

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012 roadway in a dramatic fashion.

Route 70 dropped us out of the mountains and down towards the far valley.

Here the riding got a bit too civilized and suburban for us so we followed our Mad Maps route back toward the peaks and valleys toward Downieville.

The tressels through the Feather River Canyon The Boys enjoying the gold rush town of Downieville

Now here is a real California Gold Rush Town! We stopped in Downieville and park the Wing for a time while we strolled around the town. The oldest newspaper in California, The Mountain Messenger, is based here. An old sheriff’s gallows and the oldest tavern in the state can be found here too. We stopped at the local museum where the man running it gave us a brief history of gold and the town itself.

It’s seems there is still gold in them thar hills.

Notso and Pepe made friends with a cougar and we even got a little gold nugget (Krylon paint #1000).

The real gold to be found was the curator asking where we were going and then pulling out a map to show us another road, one that would not take us around the jagged peaks of the region but right over.

We here at Backroads call that hitting pay dirt.

The ride back to the rally was as perfect as it comes and the Central Cal BMW Club was gracious to give us wristbands for the barbeque dinner even though we were not pre-registered (what were we not thinking?).

All in all, the rally was excellent. About 350 great

Page 27 folks all enjoying the late California Sierra summer with a superb location and roads that could not be beat.

If we lived in this part of the country this would be a yearly sojourn.

The next day we said our goodbyes to Fred and Cherrie and some of the new friends we had made during the last few days and pointed the Gold Wing north and took off down the road.

Route 89 had been a more or less steady companion for the past few days and it continued the same this day as we moved north towards Lassen Volcanic National Park.

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In the center of the park you will find Lassen Peak. This behemoth is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southern-most volcano in the Cascade Range. Lassen Peak came to the attention of the na-

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Page 30

tion during the second decade of the twentieth century. From 1914 through 1917 Lassen erupted on a number of occasions, expelling at various times steam, gas, lava, and hot rocks.

The largest eruptions was in May of 1915, when the peak exploded twice in a matter of days sending plumes of ash and rock 30,000 feet in the air. It could be seen for 150 miles.

Today all is peaceful and the park makes for an excellent day’s ride.

Leaving Lassen two things meet your attention. The first are the fields of rocks and boulders strew about from the 1915 explosion; the second thing that grabs your eye was our next stop.

From nearly 100 miles away we could see Mount Shasta looming like a snow capped giant in the distance. It is hard to miss.

This peak called Úytaahkoo in Karuk or “White Mountain,” stands 14,179 feet tall and is the second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California. Considered sacred by Native Americans and the New Age crowd out of San Francisco it is a stunning mountain that followed us for the

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS rest of the day.

Stopping in the town for our daily ice cream fix we marveled at its majesty and wondered how many souls were lost trying to summit this jagged mountain.

Fully creamed and sugared we continued north towards Route 96, which would swing us west towards Eureka and the Pacific Ocean.

Along the way we passed into what some consider the 51st state - The State of Jefferson. What, you say, are you babbling about here Brian?

Well, here is the deal.

The State of Jefferson is an interesting footnote in history. On Thursday, November 27, 1941, the State of Jefferson “seceded” from California and Oregon to form the 49th state of the Union. Several counties in northern California and southern Oregon proclaimed their independence to protest the lack of good roads and other basic services. Armed miners displaying the State of Jefferson seal stopped traffic at the ‘border’ on US 99 (now CA 263) to distribute the ‘Proclamation of Independence.’ The proclamation declared an intent to “secede each Thursday until further notice.”

Movement for secession, however, was stopped abruptly by the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Still to this day you will find signs stating you are in the State of Jefferson.

It was late by the time we got to Route 96 and, with just half a tank of fuel and very little offerings for food and bed on 96 on the map, we u-turned back to Yreka, birthplace of aforementioned state, took a room and went out to find some Jeffersonians, which we quickly found. Here it seems younger folks consider themselves Jeffersonians, older folks and muggles don’t care, and the much older folks, who were around when this all happened, simply smile and nod their heads wishing things turned out differently.

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 31

We’d head back to Route 96 and another better-known American oddity in the morning.

With the break of day we made a quick stop by the Chamber of Commerce to get a bit more info on Jefferson, grabbing a few State of Jefferson stickers for Monkey With A Gun and then set off west along the famed Klamath River.

This is ground zero for Sasquatch sightings in California and the famed video was shot not far from here along this same river.

In a town called Happy Camp, where we spotted a Sasquatch statue, we headed north into Oregon along a tight forest road that meandered up and over the Cascade peaks.

This town was hit hard by a tsunami after a monster 8.8 earthquake in Alaska in 1964.

The March 28 tsunami killed 11 in the Northern California coastal city and destroyed the city’s business districts. Accounts from the time reported that fuel tanks erupted in flames while cars and trucks washed down city streets, piling up against building.

City officials had been given notice that a tidal wave was likely, but residents said they had received such warnings in the past, and that little - if anything - ever materialized. Residents said they were stunned when the tsunami arrived and a wall of water washed inland.

Today a large park stands where most of the destruction took place and getting off the bike to walk down to the rocky shore we were assailed with the strongest sea salty smell we have ever encountered.

Continuing south we went searching for Giant Redwoods as this is a region that will not disappoint.

We had already seen some giants approaching Crescent City, along the Smith River, but the parks along this coastline are packed with Redwood monsters.

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We chatted for a while and we were impressed with his zeal for travel and adventure. He had already ridden down through Africa and then across the ocean to Ushuaia and through South America and most of North America; and was now heading to Canada where he and his bike would be freighted to Malaysia and eventually into Asia and someday back home to Europe. It made our journeys seem small and we wished him well.

We soon were back in California and then made that choice we knew we would have to make…. steal Honda’s Gold Wing and ride it back to New Jersey or start heading south along the California coast.

We aimed south.

Finally hitting the coast we got our first glimpse of the mighty Pacific and then entered into Crescent City.

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Page 32 A must ride while here is the Avenue of Giants. A full 31 miles of giant Redwoods and we scooted the length right alongside these beautiful works of nature.

By this time it was getting late in the day and we found a neat cabin motel in Miranda and spent the night in a very spacious and comfortable cabin underneath the watchful eyes of the giant Ents.

As the sun fell so did the power grid and the entertainment for the night was the same as primitive man under these ancient trees, as we watched the plethora of stars through the high pines. A bottle of California Redwood Creek Cabernet and we were one with nature.

The ride down the 101 the next day was pretty and quick, passing through many groves of Sequoia and Redwoods.

We picked up the famed California Highway 1 at its northern entrance, which starts off with 22 miles of some of the most serious roads in the nation. Best be paying attention here or you will wind

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS up on the grill of a lumber truck.

The payoff for this is that, 22 miles later, you run into and along the stunning California coast with its miles of waves, rocks and sea grass framing the road; truly one of the prettiest places in the country.

Along Route 1 you will also see some of the most interesting homes, towns and shops. Giant carvings, odd churches and iron dinosaurs will ‘wow’ you every couple of miles.

We also had two very neat experiences along the way. One being Rick Wakeman’s keyboards solo in Yes’ ‘Close to the Edge’ on the GL’s ample sound system while zipping through a mile or so of tight closed-in gnarly Oaks with the light filtering through the darkness and the second was a large hawk that was going for prey only to be startled by the Gold Wing.

It hovered just feet off the road with both wings and talons spread wide; truly an amazing sight.

We spent the entire day riding this coast road with its twists, turns and stupendous elevation changes. Around mid-afternoon we found a lunch of fish tacos and crab cakes on a deck over-

looking the surf and got to spend some time with some other Gold Wingers as they were very interested in the new Wing.

Nearing San Francisco we did a side trip to Muir Woods, which were much like the other big tree forests we had already ridden through but with ten times the people….just saying. Shira’s little monkey friend, Pepe, was all excited after seeing the new Planet of the Apes flick to join his kinfolk. But, after we explained we’d be leaving him there and that he would never see us again he decided that his home in New Jersey was a better place to be and he crawled back into Shira’s shirt.

Smart little monkey he is.

In a short time we were crossing one of the most iconic bridges in the world – the Golden Gate and into the streets of San Francisco.

We have some friends just south of the city in Los Gatos so we vectored to George and Cheryl’s home. We

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012 had met them many years ago while touring in Europe and have stayed good friends and have gotten to ride with them many times since. It would be hard to be so close and not see friends. Early the next morning we fought a bit of traffic heading back to the coast but the Wing, as big as it is, proved to be very nimble in traffic as we wound back down to the PCH.

Most of the day was full of fickle atmosphere. It was either full on fog and mist or bright sunshine depending on what mile marker and where California had laid out the road back in the 1930’s.

We made a brief stop for fuel and to see some huge motorcycle statues at a local leather shop. Created from all sorts of things – license plates, horse shoes, steel and iron they were a great roadside distraction.

Fate is a funny thing. It so happened that some riding acquaintances, Nita and Issa from Canada, were getting married this day and attending the wedding, which was being held in Carmel that evening, were Michael and Nuri Wernick, whom we have shared many miles with.

While admiring the motorcycle statues Mike had called Shira and soon we were on our way for an impromptu breakfast with our friends at Monterey’s famous Cannery Row. It’s small things like this that make riding such a fun adventure.

After breakfast we said our goodbyes and continued south along the Pacific and through the stunning and popular Big Sur. As pretty as it is, compared to the roads north, this piece of California was fairly well crowded with all sorts of tourists and, if they had plates from – let’s say – Oklahoma, Nebraska or Florida they were riding the curves and cliffs like a herd of turtles. We passed dozens this day.

As usual we made a quick stop at the Elephant Seal colony just north of Hearst Castle. We always marvel at the beasts that seem to take life so easy lying in the sand. These animals were deemed extinct early in the last century but one small colony was discovered years back and then a few showed up here. Today there are over 15,000 that come and go on this coast thanks to conservation efforts. A great win for the good guy and the seals.

Page 33 Having enough with the coast we hung a left at Morro Bay and searched out Route 58 east. This got us back into the twisties but also back into California’s inland heat, as the temperatures rose from mid 60’s to near 100 in about 20 miles.

On the first day of the trip we had ridden past these golden hills but 58 ran 60 miles right through them. If not for the heat it would have been a stunning ride. The hills were so large and close together like none I had ever seen before.

In the golden rays of last afternoon, they resembled sand dunes rather than dried grass. Route 58 butted into Route 33 and it was our plan to ride that back to the Pacific, but time was running out for us this day. The towns of McKittrick, Taft and Maricopa were bad, awful and worse and with the sun disappearing to the west we took off east and threw ourselves at the mercy of the chain hotel gods of Interstate 5, which worked for this night.

With I-5 at our door step and our son living in San Diego we spent the next morning testing the ample highway talent of the Gold Wing, which eats up Interstate miles better than any two-wheel machine in the world and by noon we had a hearty surprise for our son as he had no idea we’d appear.

We spent the afternoon where we heard it was all happening – the San Diego Zoo. The United States has many great zoos, but the one in San Diego is a real gem as zoos go. This ate up most of the day and the evening was spent with family and friends in the heart of California’s southernmost city, just a few miles north of the Mexican border.

With San Diego added to our travel map we had ridden a serious part of the Golden State and we spent our final day on the Gold Wing moseying up along the coast road stopping for one last stroll on the beach and then reluctantly riding back to Honda and returning our trusty steed to the folks in Torrance.

In the last week and a bit we had ridden a little over 2,700 miles of pristine (mostly) miles of California’s impeccable beauty.

From the high Sierras and Yosemite and along the eastern desert borderlands, north to volcanoes and revered mountains. We explored the forest roads for Sasquatch and sought out a state in name only. We took in the coast from Oregon south to Mexico and along the way reunited with old friends and, hopefully, made some new ones. The Gold Wing proved itself to be the ultimate pure touring machine on the planet, the new machine being more evolutionary than revolutionary, but why mess with a proven winner.

We had a blast and as America sings….

Everyone I meet is from California.

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

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We have been using one for a few months now that we think rises above the rest. Ruggedness counts in our books and as far as cameras go the VIO-POV is Military-Grade.

VIO-POV HD Video System utilizes a 6-glass elements, 142 degree camera (one of the widest available) that is finger-length in size that comes with a number of brackets allowing for a myriad of ways to mount, point and shoot the VIO-POV. The unit records at 1080p at 30 frames per second in this mode. The slow motion mode brings the view down to 95 degrees at 720p with 60 frames per second.

Unlike many other cameras, most that are one-piece units, the VIO-POV is a two-piece gadget that comes with the camera and a dust, shock and waterproof (up to 3 feet deep for 30 minutes) recording unit attached to the camera by a heavy duty A/V cable with very clear reading microphone.

This unit is not tiny as it measures 6.5 inches long, 2.25 wide and 1.5 deep and weighs 12 ounces.

Still, it is small enough that it can easily slip into a large pocket or, in our case, a tank bag.

The unit is fully functional with the ability to play back your recording or monitor them on the fly with its bright and sharp 2 inch LCD display, in the field editing capabilities and exposure controls; and all this exported as a MP4 format on a provided 4gig SD card; which is expandable to a monstrous 32 gig. All this is easily downloaded to both Macs and PCs. One of the many things we love about the VIO-POV is that you can set the unit to loop your video for various amounts of time. We have ours set for 30 seconds – so every 30 seconds it writes over the previous 30 seconds and begins again.

This might seem odd; but think of it along this line: You’re riding along some wonderful and desolate backroad and, out of the blue, a UFO lands in front of you and Big Foot opens the door waves hello, closes the door, and quickly and flies off.

Normally with any other camera, unless you were filming at the time, you would miss this and the scientific accolades a video like this might bring – but not with the VIO-POV – once you see the UFO landing you simply had to click on the wireless remote and the VIO-POV begins recording… from 30 seconds before.

This way you never miss anything exciting or simply beautiful.

See? You are now an instant hero and celebrity - all because you had a VIO-POV on your bike.

This feature is incredibly cool and allows for all sorts of possibilities while riding, day-tripping or touring.

This video unit runs off four AA batteries but, rather than eat batteries all day long, we hard-wired the VIOPOV into my BMW R1200GS with their optional wiring harness.

Now this might be a problem if you have helmet mounted the camera and are carrying the recording unit in a pocket; but we took it another step forward and mounted the VIO-POV to the right side of the motorcycle

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012 itself and then smartly routed the A/V cable into an RKA tank bag that allows for cables to be run in and out.

With the VIO-POV more or less permanently mounted and fully powered by the bike itself we were ready to go.

We attached the wireless remote to a convenient spot that allowed easy and safe access to on the fly and, when I feel like I want to be Martin Scorsese, I simply power up the recording unit and go on a my ride; when I see something that catches my interest I just start recording on a permanent basis till I am done and switch it off.

The VIO-POV immediately returns to that 30-second loop mode.

On the road the VIO-POV performed flawlessly and exactly as we have just said.

We had some riders visiting Backroads Central and we got to show them raw footage of the VIO-POV in action and all were amazed at the crispness, clarity and professional look this camera produced.

To see for yourself you can log onto our YouTube or FaceBook sites both easily accesses from our website – www.backroadsusa.com.

The VIO-POV lists for $599, which may seem steep, but considering the military quality and wonderful performance and ease of use for motorcyclists this VIO-POV is the only way to go.

V.I.O. Inc., 100 North Front St, Marquette, MI 49855 888-579-CAMS (2267) • www.vio-pov.com

Page 35 PRODUCT REVIEW

BIG ROADS & HISTORICAL MAPS Leafing through the latest RiderWearhouse catalog I came across something that really peeked our interest – a Historical Route Map that had the basic roadways of the United States in 1915 – when the first real roads were being created - and on the flip side the highway map from 1931.

The reason this grabbed my attention was that I had recently finished a superb book by Earl Swift titled The Big Roads which chronicled the planning, and creating of our national interstate system.

Yes, I know we are Backroads, but the story of how this all came about was fascinating. Did you know there was an actual plan to use a series of atomic bombs, 22 in fact, to level off part of the Bristol mountains of California so I-40 could get to Barstow? Interesting, isn’t it?

So how happy was I to see, on the next page, that RiderWearhouse is selling Swift’s book.

If you have a deep curiosity of some real American history then invest a bit of cash and read this book and buy this map. I promise you that you will never look at the highways in the same way.

The Big Roads goes for $27 and the Historical Map for $15. Both can be found on www.aerostich.com.

Brian Rathjen

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 36

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS HARLEY-DAVIDSON HI-VIZ BACKPACK Constructed from 100 percent ballistic nylon and emblazoned with 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material, the new Hi-Vis Backpack carries your extra gear while increasing your visibility. It features multiple zippered compartments and measures 11 x 22.5 x 10 inches. Great for grabbing extra attention while on the road. You can find it at your local Harley shop for $125.

MOTORCYCLE RIDING GUIDE OF THE OZARKS For those of you who have toured the phenomenal Ozarks Mountains then you already know. For those of you who have never been to this great piece of America well we have something to help you plan the ride.

The Motorcycle Riding Guide of the Ozarks is brought to us from the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Harrison, Arkansas and has a half dozen fully detailed rides in and around the area. The guide also lists recommended lodging and places of interest. The flip side of the Motorcycle Riding Guide of the Ozarks has an equal amount of attractions for the non-riding public – or things we can do off the bikes.

The Riding Guide is free and to get yours log onto www.harrisonarkansas.org.

WEISE® ABI JEANS Getting the right fit in motorcycle clothing is crucial for comfort and safety, but quite often women riders have limited choices and can end up with little option other than ill-fitting men’s gear. Part of the WEISE® lady rider collection, Abi Textile Jeans are designed to give a made-to-measure fit at an off-the-peg price.

Tailored with a classic ‘jean’ cut to fit the female form properly, WEISE® Abi Jeans offer a snug and comfortable fit both on and off the bike, and feature a clever leg length adjustment system. Using easyto-operate snaps, the pant cuff of each leg can be raised or lowered to compensate for crouched riding positions, to prevent the jeans dragging on the floor whilst off the bike and to suit different types and styles of riding boots.

The Abi’s CE-approved knee armour is also height-adjustable, with two positions to help ensure proper impact protection is maintained. Inside the tough but flexible 600-denier outer shell is a removable REISSA® waterproof, windproof and breathable drop lining. This helps keep the wearer dry and regulates body temperature - perfect for riding in changeable mid-season conditions.

Zipper and snap closure at the waist keeps the Abi firmly in place; both this and the two external waist pockets feature YKK® zippers.

The WEISE® Abi Jean is available in classic black, with a subtle flower detailing at the hip in sizes XS – XXXL. They are available in the states through Eckenhoff Cycles in Cherry Hill, NJ for $149.99. You can reach them via web at eckenhoff.com or call 856-4825300. For more information on Weise products visit www.weise-clothing.co.uk

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 37

UPCOM IN G EVENTS CAL ENDAR

What’s Happening

E V E RY M O N T H - W E AT H E R P E R M I T T I N G

POLAR BEAR SCHEDULE 2011-12

Every Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY. 10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221

Cancellations & updates call A.M.A. Dis. #2 Ph. # 908-722-0128. Sign-in is from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm unless otherwise posted • www.polarbeargrandtour.com/rides

First Sunday of the month • Layton Meet at the Layton Deli, corner of Dingmans/Bevans Rd, CR 560, Layton, NJ. Meet around 8am – breakfast available. Join others for a ride or head out on your own

January 22, 2012 • SIR JOHN’S, 230 Washington Place, North Brunswick TWP, NJ. 08902 Ph # 732 297-3803 • sirjohnsinc.com

Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Third Tuesday • 7:30pm ABATE of the Garden State, North Jersey chapter. Black River Barn, 1178 Rt. 10 West, Randolph, NJ. 7:30pm. New members and all mc brands welcome. Help fight for rights as a motorcyclist in NJ! Alex Martinez 973-390-1918

JANUARY 2012 20-22 • The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center • www.motorcycleshows.com • Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street, New York • Friday, January 20, 12 p.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday, January 21, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday, January 22, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. • Save an extra $2 when you purchase your ticket online by using the promo code SAVES2.

28 • Bob’s BMW Warehouse Sale: 9am-4pm. Amazing savings in apparel, accessories, parts, BMW special tools and more. After 30 years in business Bob’s has all sorts of old inventory that MUST SELL • Bob’s BMW 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-2692627 • www.BobsBMW.com

FEBRUARY 2012 4 • Alaska Adventure Info and Tales with Phil Freeman from MotoQuest Tours: Noon-2pm.

Get all the info you’ll need to take that amazing journey to Alaska, enter to win a FREE Alaska Adventure and FREE LUNCH (please RSVP so that we order enough pizza). For more info contact Bob’s BMW 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-269-2627 • www.BobsBMW.com 4 • Crotona Midnight Run. Sign in: 10:30pm, Nathan/Kohl Parking Lot, Central Park Ave, Yonkers, NY. This is a timed road enduro with an average of 30mph. Length of ride is aprox. 120 miles with a 2 hour break at the mid-point. Entry fee $20/bike. For more info please call Dick Roberts @ 201-767-3594.

11 • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off. Bring your best and put it to the test with entries from staff and customers to sample. The winner of the popular vote gets a nice prize. More details at www.mortonsbmw.com/events.html • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 17-25 • Join the team from Bob’s BMW as they take to the dirt in a unique RawHyde Adventure in Castaic, CA. After 15 people sign up, all names will be entered to win a FREE RAWHYDE ADVENTURE. For full details please visit www.BobsBMW or email hanna.creekmore@bobsbmw.com • Bob’s BMW 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 800-269-2627 19 • PLEASE GIVE BLOOD - SOME GAVE ALL. AMA Dist. 34 Blood Drive and Party.

10:30am to 4pm. Harley-Davidson/Buell of NYC, 42-11 Northern Blvd, Long Island City, NY. Winter blues-busting party with music by the Transplant Band, bagel brunch buffet and raffles. All adults welcome; those with tattoos less than one year old are not eligible to donate blood. For more info call 212-689-0063 or www.nybloodcenter.org 24-26 • The Montreal Motorcycle Show, Montreal Convention Centre, Montreal, Canada. www.salonmotomontreal.com

APRIL 2012 14 • Morton’s BMW Spring Open House and Habitat Poker Run. Come demo ride the new odels, shop at our many vendors, talk to manufacturer reps, enjoy a free lunch for the first 400 to register, listen to live music and participate in a poker run to benefit Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity. For more details: www.mortonsbmw.com • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844

January 29, 2012 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 Ph # 973627-8488 • www.exchangefood.com February 5, 2012 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA 17088 Ph. # 717 949-2122 • franklinhousetavern.com Take Rte. 897 (also Rte 419) to Schaefferstown. It will be on your right at 897 and Market Street.

February 12, 2012 • PIC-A-LILLI INN 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ Ph. # 609 268-2066 • picalilli.com From the north take Rte 206 South, pass Rte. 70 go 9 miles Pic-A-Lilli Inn on left. From the south @ Rte. 30 & 206 go north on Rte. 206 for 8.5 miles Pic-A-Lilli on left.

February 19, 2012 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte 23 South, Wayne, NJ 07470 Ph# 973-837-1876.

At intersection of Rte 46 & Rte 23 take Rte 23 South (approx. 0.2 mile) just past the mall; Hooters is on the right. www.hootersnj.com February 26, 2012 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ 07732 PH# 732-8721245.

From East take Rte 36 West over Highland bridge; immediately over bridge make very sharp right turn down hill into parking lot. From West take Rte 36 East toward Highland bridge; Just before bridge, make right turn then a quick left turn down the hill to Bay Ave; make left turn under bridge into parking lot • www.bahrs.com March 4, 2012 • FIREHOUSE EATERY, 455 Saint Georges Ave. Rahway, NJ 07065 Ph# 732 382-9500 • www.firehouseeatery.com Take G.S.P. to exit 131 (not 131A) to Rte 27; turn left on Rte 27 North; go 2.6 miles, take left onto Rte 35 (AKA St Georges Ave); go 0.3 mile; Firehouse Restaurant is on the right.

March 11, 2012 • LONG VALLEY PUB & BREWERY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853 • 908-876-1122 • www.brewpubnj.com • www.restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com From Rte 206 in Chester, take Rte 24 West (Rte 513); go 4.5 miles to Long Valley; Make left at light at Rte 517; immediately on right, first parking lot is the Long Valley Pub. March 18, 2012 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rte 15 South, Augusta, NJ 07822 Ph#973300-2300 • www.chatterboxdrivein.com From South, take Rte 206 North to Rte 15, Ross Corner; The Chatter Box immediately on right at the intersection; enter from driveway about 300 feet before the intersection.

From the North take Rte 565 to intersection with Rte 15, Ross Corner; go straight; driveway into the Chatterbox is on the left.

March 25, 2012 • BRIAN’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA Ph# 215 752-9400 • www.brianshd.com PA. Rte 95 South take exit 44 (stay left) left at light on Rte. 413 - 2nd light make left on S. Flowers Mill Rd. PA Route 95 North Exit 44 stay to left - left at 1st light on S. Flowers Mill Rd. April 1, 2012 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER, 100 Reaville Ave. Flemington NJ 08822 Phone # 908-782-9000 • www.cheeburger.com From the south take Rte 202 north. Make right at the last light before the circle. Cheeburger Cheeburger will be on your left. From the North take Rte 202 through Flemington.

At the first light after Northlandz (Grate American Railway), take the jug handle across Rte 202 onto Case Blvd. Stay on Case Blvd. It becomes Reaville Ave. Cheeburger Cheeburger will be on your Right.

April 15, 2012 • CAPE MAY V.F.W. post #386, N .J. 419 Congress St., Cape May, N .J. 08204 Ph# 609-884-7961.

CLASS Motorcycle School 2012 Dates

MAY 2012 17-20 • Backroads’ Spring Break XIV. Join us for our fourteenth Spring Break as we head south to Luray, Virginia. We’ll stay at the historic Mimslyn Inn (540-743-5105 • www.mimslyninn.com • mention Backroads Group for discount) which has 80 years in hospitality and is home to some of the best riding in the area. For additional overflow lodging please call the Best Western at 540-743-6511.

May 17-20 • Concours Owners Group Northeast Spring Fling Rally - Westerly, RI. Time to coincide with a national motorcycle accessory vendor’s open house at their new facility. Rally fee includes group banquet dinner Friday night. Discount for COG members and early registration. For more information contact Brian at bdfelice@cox.net or 401-8283354. Check out the COG Northeast calendar at www.cog-online.org or visit the rally webpage at tinyurl.com/COGSpringFling2012 18-20 - Morton’s BMW 2012 Spring Fling Rally at Natural Bridge, VA. Weekend of fun, great riding, delicious food and some outstanding company in the heart of the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Friday evening Brats n’ Brew dinner social, Satuday seminars, guided lunch ride plus many self-guided routes, Sat. evening BBQ buffet dinner, door prizes and much more. $45 Rally fee/Brat Dinner $10. For more info www.mortonsbmw.com • 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 20 • Ramapo Rumble Poker Run. Sign in: Ramapo College of NJ, 505 Ramapo Valley Rd, Mahwah, NJ @ 8:30am. $25/rider to benefit Ramapo College Foundation. Scenic 100 mile poker run through northern NJ/Greenwood Lake area, followed by BBQ lunch, vendors and live entertainment by the DRB Band. Prize for best poker hand. For more info visit www.ramaporumble.com

Mar

30 Fri

Streets of Willow

$195

A&B

season opener

April

19 Thu

Streets of Willow

$225

A&B

both days: $450

A&B

April

20 Fri

Streets of Willow

$250

May

10 Thu

Streets of Willow

D-Day! Two-day CLASS • 12 rider limit, $1299

May

11 Fri

Streets of Willow

June

30 Sat

Gingerman

$275

A&B

July

4 Wed

Virginia Int'l VIR

$345

A&B

July

5 Thu

Virginia Int'l VIR

$345

A&B

Aug

21 Tue

Oregon Raceway

$275

A&B

Sept

3 Mon

Streets of Willow

$250

A&B

Labor Day

Sept

4 Tue

Streets of Willow

$225

A&B

both days: $450

Sept

27 Thu

Streets of Willow

D-Day! Two-day CLASS • 12 rider limit, $1299

Sept

28 Fri

Streets of Willow

Oct

tba

Infineon Raceway

$345

A&B

Oct

15 Mon

Willow Springs

$250

A&B

Big Track

Oct

25 Thu

Streets of Willow

$225

A&B

Force 5 FREE!+

Oct

26 Fri

Streets of Willow

$250

A&B

both days: $450

Nov

9 Fri

Streets of Willow

$225

A&B

Returning this year: $195

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 38

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS PARK TOOL RACE REMOVERS The Park Tool Race Removers make steering head tube bearing race removal simple. The tool is pulled through the steering tube until the flared ends snap in behind the race. A hammer strike on the tool head removes the race/cup. This remove races quickly, without damaging the steering head tube.

Two distinct tools, RT-1 and RT-2, are available. They are designed to fit most brands/sizes of motorcycles on the market today. RT-1 removes races, 1”- 1 1/2” (25.5-38mm) in diameter on most brands smaller Dirt/Street bikes and cups on V-Twin style motorcycles. RT-2 removes races, 1 3/8”- 2 3/16” (35–55 mm) in diameter on most brands larger Dirt/Street motorcycles .

Both are made in USA with a suggested retail price of $30.00. Available from your favorite dealer or online see www.parktool.com/motorcycle.

ROAD HEROES • MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE TRAVEL TALES Reviewed by Brian Rathjen Many rallies have incorporated seminars into their itinerary, and some can be extremely useful, informative or just plain entertaining.

I’ve been fortunate to have attended some of these and have even taken part in a few.

During the off-season these helpful talks can be few and far between. One has to seek out alternate resources such as DVDs and reading material. I’ve just finished watching an excellent video from Horizons Unlimited called Road Heroes. Here we have four separate and well-done seminars by five intrepid world adventure travelers: Tiffany Coates, Peter and Kay Forwood, Rene Cormier and the infamous (in a good way) Gregory Frazier.

Road Heroes runs well over two hours and each of the speakers gives you a fantastic tale from their two-wheeled travels around the planet. Frazier going around the world five times, Coates’ ‘Mongolian Mayhem,’ The Forwoods doing 193 countries on an Electra Glide (who says you need a GS for this?) and Cormier on the ‘University of Gravel Roads.’ Each one of these entertaining talks was full of useful information, wonderful anecdotes and great pictures. This video was produce by Grant and Susan Johnson, serious world travelers themselves and the creators of Horizons Unlimited, an organization that helps riders fulfill their dreams and fantasies of travel around the globe. If you are looking to sit in on four great seminars and not have to leave your home then log onto www.horizonsunlimited.com and order you DVD today for just $24.95.

AEROSTICH IPAD SLEEVE It was just a matter of time before an iPad found its way to the office here at Backroads Central. We’ve been using Macs since the birth of Backroads, so it’s surprising it took as long as it did to show up.

Great little computer. Sleek and stylish, but from the first day we had concerns with taking the iPad on the road.

Well the answer was as close as the nearest RiderWearhouse catalog. Leave it to Andy to come up with a simple but tough solution.

According to Mr. Goldfine, “We make our own computer and iPad sleeves here, and they are very different than most of what is out there. A few years ago when we started, I was unable to find what I wanted on the market. Compared to the plethora of sleeves in stores, the Aerostich sleeves look ‘amishstich’

Half the fun is getting here…

The other half is riding home.

Best kept secret in the Hudson River Valley

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

Page 41

simple. They are. They are different than the world of ‘designer’ sleeves, but there are reasons. I wanted a lightweight, semi-rigid, fairly thickly padded sleeve that was good for use in backpacks and motorcycle luggage applications. Most other sleeves are either heavier or thinner or floppier or zippered or in some way compromised for everyday in-and-out of a rider’s backpack use. Like the porridge of the children’s ‘three bears’ story. My own Aerostich sleeve (for my computer...) is at least five years old, and has been used every day. It’s not in bad shape, but is dirty (which to some eyes — mine — looks even better than they look new...). I am sure it has many years of functional life left. A faithful and protective well-worn sleeve that doesn’t do anything fancy.”

On the road the Aerostich iPad Sleeve makes traveling a breeze and we know that our iPad is well protected in the top case.

The Aerostich iPad Sleeve sells for $28 and can be found at www.riderwearhouse.com. Another simple but excellent product from those people from Duluth.

KNOX RECON HAND ARMOR • THE RIDING GLOVE EVOLVES When we first received the Recon Gloves from Knox we saw the name had changed. No longer simply called gloves this evolution was now called Hand Armor; and after spending some time with them we know why.

Knox has turned up the game with their new gloves, err… Hand Armor.

Available in four separated styles: the Handroid, Biomech, Recon and Zero all carried features I have never seen before and I half expected them to be built by Stark Industries. We would be giving their Recon Hand Armor a ride.

Classically styled but with the Knox innovative hand armor system, the Recon is aimed at the leisure touring rider. Made from the softest drum dyed aniline leather it is exceptionally comfortable. Featuring the new opaque knuckle protector, soft impact absorbent honeycomb gel fills the knuckle cavity and can be seen through the window on the Knuckle guard. When under pressure from a clenched fist the gel expands as it is pushed up from the inside. With the added benefit of Knox’s low profile Scaphoid Protection System, newly designed cuff slider and discreet finger sliders, the Recon has subtle protection and designer style.

The unique Knox Boa Lacing system, created with 7 strands of aircraft grade stainless steel and woven together with 12 additional strands, works to draw the side pods over the wrist with a targeted multi-adjustable closure. Easily tightened, just dial in the right amount of torque for you. To release simply pull the dial. I spent a half hour just doing this repeatably in my best Iron Man mode.

Other cutting edge features include Knox’s discreet finger sliders, Low Profile Scaphoid Protection System, a wrist slider, Knox cuff slider, Goat leather palm and Schoeller Keprotec palm. The Recon also came with an Amara grip pad with silicon print for improved control and is stitched together with polyester thread for strength and elasticity.

The gloves fit well, and offered superb “feel” of the bike’s controls and that got even better with miles behind them.

The Knox Recon Hand Armor make an excellent 3-season touring glove while offering Moto-GP Style protection at the reasonable price of $149.99.

Knox is a British company but you can find out more at www.knox-lab.com. All their gloves are available from dealers and on the web.

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FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

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Page 46

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

10 Tips for Leading a Group Ride Victor Cruz A heap of dynamics comes into play when you lead a group ride. Factors have to be weighed and evaluated. Precisely where your next hot meal is coming from, or what you plan to order from the menu once you sit down, or how much time it will take the waiter to deliver it, is far, far away from being top of mind.

A lot of us don’t care about riding in a group large or small. I don’t blame them. Group riding limits your options. Gas fill-ups take too long. You can’t stop when you want to. There’s too much waiting up.

The first time I rode in a group was 10 years ago with my club the Yankee Beemers. I was not comfy. I kept focusing on the rear tire of the guy in front of me. I didn’t dare take my eyes off that rear tire. I was worried the guy would suddenly stop. To this day, I don’t know why I had this irrational fear.

That was my first experience. I quit the group ride thing for years after.

My choice was to be the group leader. I like to ride with no vehicle to worry about suddenly stopping in front of me. I also like to plot out a route, scout it alone on a test ride, and share it with others. Riding with a group is socially satisfying. I also think the large footprint a group makes on the road is a safer bet than the lone individual.

Germany and Italy, picking up tips along the way. As the designated leader among my buds I’ve had the pleasure of organizing trips from Boston to NY, PA, all the New England states and trips around AZ, CA, and NM. I’ve learned a few things along the way and still find a few surprises. For starters, I know that speed kills, and worse, it can get you a ticket. To a police officer, every motorcycle is conspicuously guilty. I try to keep within a 10 mph range of the limit.

Most everybody reading this magazine follows basic group ride responsibilities, especially the law of not losing people.

Here are 10 tips I suggest for ride leaders to follow: 1. make your meeting place at a gas station with rest rooms. that way you know everyone will start off with full tanks and empty bladders.

2. everyone should top off at the same time. Be aware of the smallest gas tank in the group.

3. obey what i call the accordion principle. like the folds in the bellows of an accordion, when entering a town the group should contract and double up at lights. keep tight to avoid breaking up. When out of town, stagger positions per usual.

4. When making a stop to re-gather the group, think where you decide to pull over. it should be a safe place away from traffic and visible to approaching cars.

5. Buddy law: be responsible for the guy behind you. if you have to pull over for any reason, the rider in front should do the same. in theory, this should trigger a chain reaction up to the front leader.

6. think way ahead before making a pass. if you know a town is within a few miles, don’t bother making an unwise pass. group energy is sucked with every pass. i try to avoid passing after 4:00 pm and on hot, long afternoons.

7. take a break every hour. they say that riding is 97% mental. Brain fatigue sets in. plus, there is that bladder business.

For you solo riders, let me tell you what benefits lie in wait on a group ride.

The group leader makes all the decisions for you! You are freed from that distraction. A leader sets the pace, the intervals between stops, the pick of roads. Of course you have to have some faith that the leader makes good choices and doesn’t ride like a maniac.

I’ve been riding in large groups since 2004 in places such as Spain, France,

8. assign someone who likes to ride sweeper. this rider should signal with a thumbs-up when he’s ready to depart.

9. try to mix up your rate of speed. it can get monotonous when you maintain the same travel speed for too long.

10. managing more than 10 bikes on a group outing is tough business. you’ll experience more delays and waiting up.

On group rides I also believe in using my hazards liberally when approach-

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012 ing road construction, a patch of potholes, a flea market, antique show, or other events where cars are spilling out: any disruption where speed should be cut down. (On most pre-2011 beemers, you can also activate hazards by pressing both turn signals at once.)

Although this goes without saying, allow plenty of room between you and the front rider, otherwise this might happen: We were on our way to Burlington for the 2006 MOA International. Suddenly Kurt Schmucki was hit in the back by the rider behind him. Let’s call the culprit Geezer. A black smudge showed on Kurt’s final drive where Geezer’s front tire hit it. (Six months later the final drive died.) Kurt managed to stay upright but Geezer went down. He spent a week in a hospital in New Hampshire with a punctured lung. Rider error was the cause.

Two years later, I found myself riding with Geezer. Late afternoon, and I pulled over to ask him if he wanted to remove his sunglasses, seeing how the sun had retired for the day and we were entering a dark wooded area. I did this because I feel responsible whenever I lead, no matter the group size.

Geezer shouted at me through his closed visor. “Don’t worry about me!

I’ll be fine!” Less than five minutes later, down went Geezer. A soup of gravel on a downward curve was easy enough to spot and avoid. That is, if you could actually see it. I saw the ambulance workers strap his body on a straight board and affix his head in a neck brace. For the second time.

Next time you see me, ask me about Geezer.

Page 47

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FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 48

ROAD TRIP

Dual Sport Ride to End Breast Cancer Diane Ortiz Some people talk about the motorcycle adventure ride they’re going to take one day. Then there are those that make it happen against all odds.

Sue Slate is one of the latter.

Slate is the National Programs Chair of the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation (WMF), a grassroots 501(c)3 educational and charitable foundation headquartered in LeRoy, New York. Since 1994, WMF has spearheaded fundraising events that empower and challenge the participants and supporters while raising more than $2.3 million for breast cancer research. One of their first adventure rides was “Women Riding for Research” a 13,339-mile trek that visited three oceans, including the Arctic, by motorcycle.

Slate, together with Gin Shear, Executive Director of WMF, chose an ambitious 2,500 mile dual-sport ride to the far northern regions of the North American continent for their 2011 fundraising ride to raise awareness of breast and ovarian cancer. This effort would be both a skill building opportunity for riders as well as a mission to help put breast cancer into the history books. Accomplishing these goals would require a huge amount of organization, support and attention to detail – nothing new to Slate and Shear who have a history of successful events involving unusual motorcycle rides and destinations. This was to be the second “Adventure for the Cures Dual Sport Campaign” ride sponsored by WMF. The first was held in Colorado in August 2009 when a group of women riders negotiated more than 750 miles

of dirt roads and trails through the central Rocky Mountains over eight riding days.

The vision for the 2011 ride included the Arctic Circle and Yukon areas, often difficult to traverse even for experienced riders. Phil Freeman of Alaska Riders/MotoQuest Tours suggested Slate join MotoQuest’s Annual Industry Invitational Ride which would cover much of the proposed route in Alaska and the Yukon. Slate accepted and rode her Kawasaki KLR 650 motorcycle more than 4,400 miles from north of Toronto, Canada to Anchorage, Alaska in 4.5 days to hook up with the group. “The ride and the people with MotoQuest Invitational were spectacular,” Slate said after the event.

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BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012 Campaign ride participants left Anchorage, Alaska on the start of their 13-day, 2500 mile dual sport adventure.

Riders came from across the United States.

Many were “baby boomers” with varying levels of riding experience. They included Laurie Mack-Kugel of Center Conway, New Hampshire, Sandralee Wasous of Sequim, Washington, Cindy Fata of Smithtown, New York, John Trzcinski of Ridge, New York, Kathy Thornton of Omaha, Nebraska, Trapper Deitch of West Hollywood, California, Rita Mark of Lindenhurst, New York, Eldonna Lewis-Fernandez of Redondo Beach, California, Gina Dantuono of Westford, Massachusetts, Nancy Foote of Los Angeles, CA, Walt Fulton of Norco, California, Gin Shear and Sue Slate of LeRoy, New York. The 12 riders were on a variety of dualsport vehicles, including Kawasaki KLR 650s, Kawasaki KLXs and Yamaha XT 250s and TW 200s, many donated by MotoQuest Tours and Kawasaki Motor Corp., U.S.A. They were assisted by support personnel Shirley and Roy Anderson of Kawasaki (who live in North Carolina), Brenden Anderson of MotoQuest, Walt Fulton of Streetmasters and a trail vehicle with spare parts, camping gear and other supplies.

The group started with a trek to an old copper mine in the McCarthy-Kennecott area, travelling on 120 miles of dirt roads. Moose, caribou and grizzlies were spotted along the way. The next leg of the journey was via the historic Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle and traversing the Continental Divide. After many days of rain, the riders found conditions on “The Dempster” were less than ideal. “The road surface had turned into a slippery, syrupy mud with large ruts. Abandoned motorcycles began to appear stuffed behind bushes awaiting retrieval by those who had given up,” commented Slate. One rider went down in a mud bog hiding a maze of fissures and pot holes, but was able to continue the ride. Rider Kathy Thornton had a more serious crash about 50 miles short of Eagle Plains. Unfortunately, they could not reach help as neither the satellite phone nor the Spot Locator could find a signal, possibly due to the dense cloud cover.

Undaunted, Slate flagged down a local family who used their mobile radiotelephone to contact the Eagle Plains Volunteer Ambulance Company. Help arrived via a rescue helicopter and Thornton was transported to a nearby facility for medical attention.

Tired after a challenging day and covered in mud, they dubbed themselves the “Dirt Brigade.” Slate said they were reminded of WMF’s mantra as they struggled on to Eagle Plains — a day in the wet, cold mud beats a day fighting breast cancer hands down. The next day, they learned that Thornton’s injuries were not as serious as first thought and she did not require surgery. Thornton is convinced that her choice of good gear provided the measure of safety she needed.

Throughout the ride the people of the North Country, both in Alaska and the Yukon, became members of the Dirt Brigade’s extended family. Everywhere the riders went they involved their new Northern friends and supporters to participate in their daily Medallion Pass

Page 49 Ceremony, an integral part of each trip. The Medallion, a three dimensional bronze work of art was sculpted by Cheryl Stewart. The medallion was made to honor cancer survivors and to represent a future free from cancer. It was first used in the 1998 Pony Express Relay Ride which involved motorcyclists from 42 states and 3 Canadian provinces. “Thousands of hands and hearts have touched the four parts of the medallion which are carried during the day by four riders,” Slate explained. Two components of the medallion are in the shape of horseshoes, one to honor cancer survivors and the other to represent a future free from cancer. The Ring of Memory interlocks between the two horseshoes and the heart of the medallion nesting in the middle bearing the image of a one breasted woman archer aiming for the cures.

“Each night the four pieces are reassembled to serve as a reminder that it will take a worldwide community of to take the beast breast cancer to task. Then each piece is passed on to one of four new Medallion Pass team members,” said Slate.

Rider Cindy Fata’s goal was to reach the Arctic Circle with the Dirt Brigade. At the Medallion Pass ceremony at the “Top of the World”, Fata described how thinking about the trip kept her going during recent breast cancer treatment therapies. Gin Shear, also a recent breast cancer survivor, added that she felt it was important to complete this quest to honor those individuals presently battling breast cancer.

The return trip west found the riders surrounded by a dense fog that reduced visibility to less than 20 feet. Riding blind, with the knowledge there was an abyss on the North side of the highway, added suspense on the trip back to Alaska. The Dirt Brigade never gave up and continued tirelessly to the end. “They displayed tenacity and courage to finish their commitment, knowing they had done good things,” commented Slate.

As a result the efforts of the 12 fund raising riders on Adventure for the Cures 2011, more than $22,800 dollars was raised online and another $11,200 traditionally through pledge sheets the riders carried before and during their ride. “Every penny of this total will be directed to Komen’s Global Promise Fund which provides grants to non-governmental organizations to aid in the development and implementation of breast health and breast cancer programs and services in countries experiencing high breast cancer incidence and mortality rates,” said Slate. The Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation is dedicating all future fund raising efforts towards the worldwide fight to end breast cancer.

Shear recalled the words of the late Bill Bracelin, a staff member and staunch supporter of their efforts who succumbed to breast cancer in 2011 after a 14-year fight with the disease good things happen when you do good.

“Congratulations to all who rode and all who supported this effort,” she added. “Each has enhanced the human condition with their efforts.”

If you would like to find out more to help, donate or voluteer, please visit the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation website at: www.womensmotorcyclistfoundation.org

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 50

PRODUCT REVIEW

OLYMPIA’S HIGH-VIZ AST JACKET

The official colors for this superior jacket from Olympia are Neon Yellow and Black – I think of it as just High-Viz – for it certainly does stand out.

More and more riders these days are investing in brighter and more conspicuous riding gear. I say investing for even though you are paying decent money for gear such as this and it is top of the line you hope you never have to use it.

I have been wearing Olympia’s gear for a number of years and even have a summer jacket from them that has a great splash of High-Viz orange along the sleeves, but have always preferred my AST or All Seasons Touring Jacket for day-to-day use. It just is the most comfortable piece of gear I own.

Built from a coated 500 and 2000 denier Dupont CORDURA, the AST Jacket has a waterproof/breathable membrane and a Double storm placket front closure that adds triple waterproof protection in wet weather.

As durable as the construction is it’s what’s inside that really counts and the AST comes with removable CE Motion Flex armor at elbows and shoulders as well as a Motion Flex articulated back protector.

The reason this jacket seems so comfortable is simply that it is, as it utilizes custom fit detailing at collar, cuffs, elbows and waist along with neoprene collar and neck inserts.

I like to carry a lot of things with me when I am on the road – camera, wallet, iPhone, HAD neck warmer, Blistex, ear plugs and many more tiny things I call, in technical jargon, stuff.

The AST has six storage pockets to make that part of my life that much easier, including a large pocket in the jacket’s back.

When things get hot the AST gets cool with its superb Airflow Ventilation System with cool mesh airflow lining at chest, arms and back and slide buckle straps at chest pocket vents create adjustable air flow that runs right through the jacket and does a serious job of cooling you down, even at slower speeds.

During the colder months Olympia has you covered with their Thermolite insulated liner jacket. Not only does this liner jacket do the job keeping you warm when things turn cold, but it is very stylish too and makes a great light jacket when off the bike, around the camp fire or walking about town.

When the sun goes down the AST is very conspicuous with its 3M Scotchlite reflective piping at front, sides and back. I have followed Shira at night and this feature truly stands out on the highways and backroads.

The jacket comes in a few color schemes, all with black highlights - pewter, blue and what we are here to talk about – neon yellow – High Visability.

I mentioned in Welcome to the Jungle – a column created with the idea of keeping us safe and making us better and more aware riders - the benefits of these bright colors and how you never see a highway worker wearing drab colors these days. It is simply that approaching vehicles see high-viz gear and do not see darker or ‘colorless’ colors. You know that old biker saying… black jackets at night, lawyer’s delight.

Oh, sorry that was a Sailor’s phrase I just stole, but you get the idea.

The bottom line is that Olympia’s High-Viz All Season Touring Jacket is comfortable, well built, functional, protective and very, very noticeable and a bargain as well at just $329.99. Throw in a pair of their Ranger pants, or Promax pants for the ladies, both for $229.99 and you have a serious riding suit that will last for years and offer thousands of miles in conspicuous protection.

You can find Olympia Moto Gear at dealerships everywhere or log onto www.olympiamotosports.com for more info and sizing options.

Brian Rathjen

BACKROADS • FEBRUARY 2012

PRODUCT REVIEW

Page 51

TRAX 38-LITER EVO ALU-BOX TOPCASE

Shira has a tee shirt that says “Does this bike make my butt look fast?”

Not to get myself into too much hot water here but she has these saddlebags on her F650GS and they tend to be a bit on the wide side. I recently convinced her to pick up a TraX 38-liter EVO ALU-BOX Topcase to go along with her TraX saddlebags. This would give her the option of removing said widish bags when we are riding locally or at a rally, but would still provide her with ample stowage on the bike.

The TraX 38-liter EVO ALU-BOX Topcase, in black, perfectly matches her saddlebags and it’s mounted easily to her existing brackets with the provided hardware. They come in brushed aluminum too. Installation was less than 15 minutes and that is with me installing them; some of you know how problematic that can sometimes be.

As usual we picked the bag up from the crew at Twisted Throttle. These guys have a serious grasp of adventure tour-

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ing bikes and products and have never let us down when we have been looking for cutting edge gear and technology.

The full 38-liter capacity easily holds a full-face helmet. The entire box is created of durable aluminum and removes easily if you feel the need to leave it behind.

The bags rivets are installed using the same no-pierce, super-strong rivet technology that holds the frame of the Audi TT together.

We also bought a new lock-set so that all the locks on all three bags were the same. The TraX 38-liter EVO ALU-BOX Topcase comes with a dry-bag liner to ensure your gear stays dry, although we have seen only a tiniest bit of moisture getting into these bags during extreme downpours; this is still a good thing to have along for the ride. It also makes bringing your gear inside a breeze.

Adding the TraX 38-liter EVO ALU-BOX Topcase to the BMW GS increased the machine’s already brawny look. It makes daily riding without the bulkiness of the saddlebags fully functional, with plenty of stowage for those miscellaneous items needed to be carried in everyday chores.

The TraX 38-liter EVO ALU-BOX Topcase sells for $329.99 and can be found at www.twistedthrottle.com.

Brian Rathjen

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 52

ROAD TRIP

WHILE THE WIFE’S AWAY… John Petrocelli

My wife has established some sort of tradition to go to the Jersey shore with a friend of hers for a couple of weeks in August. I saw no commitments for myself on the calendar in spite of my perceived importance to society, so I started thinking…… I had read an article in the NY Times about a once prosperous coal mining town in Kentucky whose population had dwindled from a high of about 10,000 to around 500 now. It seems that there was no longer need for the town’s school but a group of local alumni didn’t want to see it abandoned so they bought it and turned it into a hotel - classrooms turned into guest rooms while common areas remained original, including student lockers along the walls. Cool, I thought, that’s something I’d like to see. In addition, a few years ago I took a motorcycle camping vacation with friends into West Virginia which I really enjoyed and wanted to return to see some things in more detail. The clincher was that a good friend of mine moved to Asheville, NC and had given me an open invitation. The idea of going at my own pace, lingering in areas that appealed to me and camping on my own was alluring.

A decision was made and the stage was set.

I figured I’d stay in state parks wherever I could, not try to be macho and motel it if rain was predicted; so I got out my trusty paper maps, AAA Campground Guides and sat down to come up with a rough itinerary, a task I do enjoy. I figured I’d head into West Virginia, into Pocahontas County which I remembered as pretty, hop over to Kentucky to see my school hotel and whatever mining museums

WINTER DUAL SPORT RIDING

I came across, head south through Tennessee into North Carolina to see my friend, then just head up I-81 to get home.

The day came and I was on my way, making it to Davis, WV and Blackwater Falls SP for the night shortly after following a logging truck up and down hills, smelling his brakes on the downhill portions. I wondered if that was normal or I’d see him sail off the road at some point but I didn‘t. Woke up to a chilly morning requiring multiple layers of clothing just to get to the showers and later found out why - Davis is the highest town in WV, above 3,000 feet, I believe. Another interesting point- for quite a while there was a shortage of workers for the logging industry there so the restaurant I had dinner in was a former steamship company office used to process immigrant workers it got jobs for in the field. Most couldn’t speak English so were identified only by the numbered tags they wore. In a museum the next day I saw in a notebook the entry “Italian #435 killed today”.

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After packing up that brisk morning I headed down through Green Bank and its impressive radio telescopes and into Cass, WV. It’s a company built logging town which offered rides up to a former logging camp on a narrow gauge steam powered train. They used a specially designed locomotive which couldn’t go fast but had the power to make it up the steep hills. Instead of the big pistons we are used to seeing, the engine is connected directly to the wheels. We had stopped there for a short time on the last trip and now I had the opportunity to take the ride. The ride itself was pretty good but shorter and not as dramatic as I had expected. Interesting point- the logging workers weren’t allowed to talk during meals. Just eat and get back to work.

The next day was really enjoyable. I took a route I read about in another (forgive me) motorcycling magazine. I went south to Warm Springs, VA. The road then went to Hot Springs VA. I had fun trying to guess the name of the next one, maybe Steam Springs, but it wasn’t. I stopped for lunch at a deli but didn’t get any welcoming smiles there. One fellow who decided to talk to me, in a very heavy Southern accent I really had a hard time understanding, told me, I think, that he was trucking a load of gravel over the mountain and a biker passed him on an uphill curve. Around the curve he saw the biker down on the ground with his wheel still turning but he sure wasn’t going to stop for him. I thanked him for the information and quietly left. That road, Rte. 39 from Warm Springs, VA to Marlinton, WV was wonderful. Up and down hills, with some intense curves like Deals Gap but with straight portions in between to break it up. Marlinton, which we visited be-

Page 53

fore, has its own charm. Rain was predicted so I stayed at a great find, The Old Clark Inn, off the main street but convenient. Inexpensive, old, with pleasant owners and really geared for motorcyclists. It had a covered parking area complete with rags, bike cleaning compounds, a hose and even a compressor. If I ever return again I’ll make it a point to stay there. (FYI, John, they are a member of the Moto-Inn program – ed.) Being a museum nut, I made sure to visit Pocahontas County Historical Museum and enjoyed a personal tour given by a sport jacket and tie clad knowledgeable young volunteer who was a premed student and made sure I was aware of it.

Woke the next day to pretty heavy rain which was supposed to continue for a few hours so I decided to just suit up as tight as I could and head out.

The only other guests at the Old Clark Inn were a woman and her son, about 12 years old, bicyclists, and they also suited up and left. That put me in my place. After a while the rain let up, the sky cleared and it was back to beautiful riding, still working my way south towards an old coal mining town, Beckley, WV. I’m tuned in to signs of cultural differences in other parts of the country so I picked up on one of those see through signs on the back window of a pickup truck - “I Ain’t Speeding Officer, I Just Gotta Poop”. Never saw that one in New Jersey. I found a pretty county park to stay, Lake Stephens, near Beckley, but a yapping dog not controlled by his inconsiderate owner kept the whole campground up that night. I felt like getting up and cutting off his yapper. Lucky for me, I was able to use my riding earplugs which did the trick.

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS

Page 54 The next day I went for a coal mine tour given at the Beckley Coal Mine Exhibition. There was a good museum, then you went into an old mine riding in a little mining train on a tour narrated by a former miner. This one mine alone produced several million of tons of coal. That county as a whole produced almost 800 million tons. The mining companies literally built entire towns complete with housing, water supplies, sewerage systems, hospitals, schools, hotels and everything else self sufficient towns would need. But with that, the miners and their families were completely dependent on the company. If you didn’t buy at the company store with credit against your salary chances were good you’d eventually lose your job. The exhibition

even had some houses that the miners lived in, including a one room shanty provided for a bachelor. What a way to live.

I continued on my way, through more beautiful country, making some wrong turns, but that was OK. One of my “wrong” roads led me to a great place for the night. I was in southwestern WV near the Army Corps of Engineers RD Bailey Lake Dam. At the Visitor Center I met My New Best Friend, the Park Ranger, who spent plenty of time giving me a detailed explanation of this gigantic project, since I was just the third visitor that day.

Many of you may know but I didn’t, the Corps of Engineers just deals with flood control and this project was really big, not only involving a dam but even rerouting a railroad. The campground itself was even a few miles away. Boy, was it beautiful. I was greeted by the Campground Host, an older fellow who showed me around with a young child at his side. The next day, my New Best Friend informed me that the child was his grandson, he and his wife had custody because their daughter was a drug addict and couldn’t care for the child. I find it so sad that this problem is all over the country, not only in urban areas but even way out here. I found a site in a corner right by a river with a tall cliff on the other side. The rerouted railroad tracks ran in a notch carved in that cliff, as I discovered that night.

It couldn’t have been prettier or more peaceful. And it cost $8. I enjoyed a dinner with all the locals at a restaurant recommended by my Ranger friend in the tiny town of Justice, WV.

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Page 55

The next morning, another nice surprise. On my way to the showers an older couple invited me to breakfast, as they were having some friends stop by.

I declined since I was looking forward to my morning oatmeal cooking ritual. Later, on my way to wash the dishes I passed them again and saw a fellow playing a banjo with his wife at his side singing religious songs to an audience of about fifteen people sitting in a semicircle. It was a Sunday morning and this had to be an informal service. I think they wrote their own songs; I kept hearing the verse “God must look wonderful.” Cute.

I now headed west, towards a primary goal, Kentucky. The route took me through Logan, WV, not far from the border. Not really culture shock but at least a tingle. ATVs freely rode with cars on the local roads, piloted by all sorts of people. I got a strong impression, just based on what I personally saw, that calorie counting wasn’t a high priority here. Wide people all over the place. I have a habit of noticing people’s mouths, too. That was another eyebrow raiser. My waitress at lunch had only one upper eye tooth left. She couldn’t understand my Northern accent and between her heavy Southern accent and her dental condition, I couldn’t understand her. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and received a grilled cheese instead. I just shut up, ate it and thanked her. The restaurant wasn’t smoke-free either so that added to the atmosphere. It sounds negative, but I did enjoy the experience.

Well, I finally crossed into Kentucky. For some reason, I felt really elated, like it was something special.

My AAA map was pretty detailed so I was able to generally point myself in the right direction using all secondary roads. The forecast for that night in Prestonsburg was rain so I opted for a warm hotel bed and laundry duty. I looked in the laundry room and noticed what seemed like tape on the dryer door. The woman at the desk said yes, that latch has been broken for a while, so she ripped me off a piece of duct tape from a role she kept under her counter. It worked.

Ah, another use for that magic material. Dinner was also something to remember. I asked the duct tape lady to recommend a locally owned restaurant and she sure did. I had the luxury of two waitresses but between them there wasn’t a full set of upper teeth. We did understand each other, though. I’m a chicken guy and I got the right order but it was a piece of warm chicken breast with a packet of Kraft Sweet ‘n Sour Sauce on the plate along with broccoli which was kind of crunchy in the middle due to some frost remaining. Again, this sounds negative but I did get a kick out of it. Most of the people I met on my trip were really nice to me which more than made up for any quality issues.

My ride the next day led me to Hazard, KY, as in “Dukes of Hazard”, around lunchtime. As I unfortunately found in a lot of these smaller towns, local restaurants can’t seem to compete with the franchises and I was forced to eat at a Wendy’s. Here I go again about teeth but I couldn’t help but notice the counter girl had none. But the two businessmen at the next table wearing dark suits and white socks didn’t seem to mind.

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Page 56 appointed when we get there? Well, that certainly didn’t happen this time.

What I found was a stately brick and stone school building turned into a first class hotel. The imagination and attention to detail in the conversion were obvious. The hostess, Sandy Hodges, is the wife of one of the original investors and was the lady interviewed for the NY Times article. I found her to be pleasant and knowledgeable. She gave me a more detailed history of the town and the building as she showed me to my (class)room. It was large and comfortable, very tastefully decorated, off a long hallway of subdued lighting and colors, lined with the student lockers. As far as I was concerned, this place itself was worth the ride. At the hotel I was lucky enough to meet a couple of pleasant fellows who grew up there, had lived in cabins up the hill and whose dads had to walk down the hill to work in the mines. They meet a few times a year to visit the homesteads and do some hunting.

Directly across from the hotel was The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum.

It was loaded with all sorts of mining artifacts but hardly any people. I was kind of glad then, when there was no one to see me get choked up when I read farewell letters written by men to their families when they were trapped in a mine and were running out of air. One was a photocopy of the actual letter and you can see the writing just trail off at the end; it was terribly moving. They all died. In another such letter, the miner told his son not to work in the mines. It seems he didn’t take the father’s advice since there was a note that the son also died in a mining disaster some years later. I moved on to the next company town, Lynch, just two miles down the road and went on another coal mine tour. This was a little different from Beckley in that the whole town was original - the street layout, housing, its Colored School, the processing buildings and coal conveyor. This particular mine portal removed more coal in one day than any coal mine in the world; the train to take it away was a mile and a half long.

It was now time for the last of my objectives, head south through Tennessee and into North Carolina to see my friend. Just more of the same - beautiful countryside, up and down, side to side. I noticed something, though. In so many towns with even just a few stores, there was either a Dollar General or Family Dollar store. Honestly, in one town, Cumberland, TN, only a third store separated the two. I’d like to know what brings this about. Anyway, I made it down to Hot Springs, NC (I guess a lot of states have a Hot Springs).

My map showed that I could get directly to the road that led to my friend by

FEBRUARY 2012 • BACKROADS taking a real small road through a few real small towns. So I kept a good lookout and sure enough I spotted a sign to the first one. The road was so narrow and twisty I averaged about 25 MPH. This went on for an hour until the road turned to a dirt/gravel mix and ended in a driveway. Oh boy. So I turned around but luckily I spotted a girl fooling with a weed whacker. She said no, it wasn’t a driveway it just looked like one. Just keep going, she said and the dirt road continues for about three miles, goes over a mountain and the pavement starts again. And yes, this was the road I wanted. What to do, what to do. I’m a mediocre rider and the bike was loaded, now with a higher center of gravity. Should I use discretion or be foolish? What little testosterone is left flowing in my body took over and I decided to be foolish.

I had a picture in my mind of going down, getting pinned under the bike and having some Good Ol’ Boy and his beagle coming across my shriveled little body a week later. I got to the sections I was worried about - the inevitable uphill hairpins in gravel. I had read once, “When in doubt, gas it. “ So I made sure I didn’t let up on the throttle and just pointed the bike where I wanted to go in those horrible sections. Well, the Upright Force was with me and I didn’t fall. After an eternity, I was back on pavement.

The rest of the ride to Asheville was uneventful and I enjoyed a warm welcome and visit with a great riding buddy, my friend Frank and his wife who moved from New Jersey a few years ago. Then it was homeward, of course not without drama. I left about 6 AM, to a little morning mist. Well, about 15 minutes up I-81 I ran into a wall of fog, could barely see the white line, the “fog strip” I think it’s called. I spotted the lights of a big truck ahead, got as close to him as I dare, and let him guide my way. The fog didn’t quit until the sun was really up there. Yet one more Adrenaline Moment to come.

At a rest stop in VA, I couldn’t get the bike to start, sounded like a weak battery. A disappointment, it was a relatively new fancy Odyssey battery. Lucky for me, I had installed a Wunderlich JumpStart gadget and was able to get a jump from the car parked next to me. After ten minutes I was on my way.

That thing literally saved the day for me. I made it home from there with no problems and none since. With the help of the Odyssey Tech Department I’m trying to sort out the problem.

I’m really glad I decided to go on that trip. Met a bunch of really nice people and saw a slew of interesting things - geographical as well as my favorites - historical and cultural. Maybe next year, while the wife’s away……

Where in the world will we take you next!

Join the Backroads crew February 12-19, 2012 as we take on Colombia! 8 days/7 nights of pure adventure.

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