January 2024

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E MONTHLY COLUMNS

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

FREE WHEELIN’ ........................................ 3 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ................................... 4

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

ON THE MARK........................................... 5

Contributors

Mark Byers, Pamel Collins, Dr. Seymour O’Life

Office

BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

phone

973.948.4176

BACKLASH ................................................ 6 INDUSTRY INFOBITES ............................... 7 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ........... 8 BIG CITY GETAWAY ................................. 10

fax

973.948.0823

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA .......................... 12

email

editor@backroadsusa.com

WE’RE OUTTA HERE ................................ 14

online

www.backroadsusa.com

INSIDE SCOOP ........................................ 22

Advertising

973-948-4176

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .................... 32

Follow Us

Backroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

Post Us

@BackroadsGal

See Us

backroadsmagazine

FEATURES BEST OF BACKROADS 2023 .................... 17

PRODUCT REVIEWS NELSON RIGG GEAR ............................... 24 GRYPHON MOTO GEAR........................... 26 CLOTHING ARTS PANTS.......................... 28 ENGINE ICE COOLANT ............................ 30 STOP N GO INFLATION KIT...................... 31

BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2024. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

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FREE WHEELIN CirCling BaCk Some 30 years ago I did a bit of a summer riding with a group that had some interesting “rules.” Although all seemingly nice individuals, they had a ‘thing’ against machines from any other nation than Milwaukee. They never said that directly, and the feeling I got was, “Hey we like you (sorta), but not your bike so much.”

At the time I was on a Kawasaki Ninja 600R. One of their bylaws specifically states that no machines under 750cc, of any make, was not invited or allowed to join their club. I took it as a bit of snobbery.

Okay, we know some Harley riders might argue this point – but I call them the way I see them. And that is what I saw.

We have never been one to simply accept that anything is the way it is….

So, when I was telling Shira about this rule she simply asked, “Why don’t you start your own club?”

Thus a few days later I was putting up flyers at various motorcycle shops in and around Bergen County, New Jersey – as we were living in Englewood at the time. AMOL, Circle Cycle, Bergen Powersports.

I was specifically looking for like-minded riders who were interested in travel and exploring roads and great destinations that were in the northeast. I didn’t care what anyone rode – just that they did and were smart about it. Not somebody who owned a bike in their life, but rather the bike was part of their life.

A week or two later I got a phone call from a friend I rode with a decade and a half earlier when I lived in Astoria – Queens, New York.

Marty was very into the idea, and between Marty, Shira, and me, what

BRIAN RATHJEN would become known as the Sport-Touring Motorcycle Club was born.

When we looked for a meeting spot the State Line Lookout, right off the Palisade Parkway, quickly became the Sunday morning meet-up.

Marty started a club newsletter; a stapled-together Xeroxed flyer…which became known as Backroads, and then way down the road, with a shitload of sweat equity, it became the magazine you have in your hands.

A few years later we moved ourselves and the magazine’s offices to the northwestern part of the state – and have called Sussex County home for 25+ years.

Twice a year I have one doctor I see, and these days his offices are in Cliffside Park, New Jersey.

Shira grew up here, and we have spent a great deal of time in this town atop the southern edge of the Palisades Cliffs.

Still, it is a bit of a ride, and getting there I wrestled with Interstate 80 traffic and its blissfully clueless and aggressive drivers for a couple of hours to make my appointment.

But, with that behind me and the good part of a stunning mid-October day in front of me, I thought it would be fun to take my version of the Northwest Passage back home to the Skylands.

This involved a bit of a charge up the Palisades Parkway, and as I headed north, I thought it would be neat to stop in at the State Line Lookout- a place I had not been back to in years. Many years.

For those who do not know of this spot, the State Line Lookout is situated Continued on Page 16

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

WHATCHATHINKIN’ Crossover from Piano to motorCyCles For almost a year now, I have been taking piano lessons. I happily began at the beginning - finding middle C, learning the proper fingerings and notes and proudly playing ‘Farmer in the Dell’ flawlessly.

I am greatly enjoying them and my teacher Mary is very patient with me.

I try to play every day for at least 30 minutes, going over pieces which I have already gotten my ‘good to go’ check mark as well as my new pieces, not yet ‘Mary Approved.’ The lesson books used are well done, building knowledge and skills progressively. I was excited to open my second book which included some melodies which I knew - William Tell Overture, Yankee Doodle and Ode to Joy. I was doing pretty well and then I hit the Can Can. You might think, so what? Easy tune, what’s the problem? For whatever reason, I hit a wall with this. I was playing it as I thought it should be, with a quick tempo. The more I practiced at home, the more mistakes I would make and the more frustrated I would become. When I finally had the chance to play it for Mary, she listened patiently as I made mistake after mistake. She asked me if I played it this quickly at home and I nodded. ‘That’s the issue’ she said. ‘Slow it WAY DOWN.’ I looked at the piece, nodded again, and began, at a much reduced pace. Yup, got through it without a missed note. As I played it at home, slowly increasing the tempo, I was finally able to play it to my satisfaction at the tempo I wanted and got the always appreciated ‘check mark’ at my next lesson.

SHIRA KAMIL

There have been other pieces which stymied me and the answer to overcoming the bobbles was to ‘take it down a notch’ until the music, fingering and beat all caught up to each other in my head and to my hands. The other night, at my lesson, this was the answer to missteps in Beethoven’s ‘Fur Elise’. I told Mary that we had just been out on the motorcycles earlier and, while normally riding at a spirited pace, we were slowed by a car in front with no clear passing zone. To avoid frustration, the slower riding enabled us to work on other skills like proper lane positioning, entry and exit from turns and such. Much like playing ‘Fur Elise’ slowly, taking one’s riding down a notch will enable you to see the flaws that may be present and work on the proper technique to overcome them.

Another bobble I’ve encountered in my music is playing the notes which fall off the staff or on a ledger line. As much as I try to count the notes up or down from the staff, I invariably make a miscall, sometimes positioning my fingers in the wrong place to follow through on the music properly.

When playing a piece for the first time at home, and thinking I’ve got it right, I play the wrong note over and over. Once I play it for Mary, and she corrects me, I look at the piece a different way and get on the right path.

And the same goes for riding. How many times have you heard someone say they’ve been riding their whole life, yet you ride with them and they certainly don’t look like they’ve been riding their whole life. What they’ve been doing is making the same mistakes their whole life. Those who ride and don’t avail themselves of learning new techniques, proper style or just taking part in a riding school/track day/off-road event are doing a disservice to their riding.

Continued on Page 16

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ON THE MARK the reCiPe Everything we cook requires a recipe: a list of ingredients in precise amounts along with step-by-step instructions on how to combine them.

It is more than an exercise in muddling components - the sequence of adding ingredients is vital. You wouldn’t add the pizza sauce to the dough before it was tossed into shape. This is analogous to riding a motorcycle with skill and speed. Like cooking, the amount and sequencing of the ingredients is crucial, with a lot more attention and care needed in the preparation of the skill before the garnish of speed is applied. Overcooking your homemade pizza might result in a quick trip to a takeout. Overcooking a turn might result in a trip to the hospital… or morgue.

Unfortunately, whether it’s on the road or the track, speed is used as a metric of ability. It is easy to understand why: speed, in the form of lap times, is easily measured.

You may also think you can gauge your skill in comparison to others on the track, but that metric can bear false witness too. I remember a guy who was a skilled track rider and who had the reputation of being a “hot shoe” who could gain ground on the curves and straights; however, he was not very good on the brakes and whatever lead he’d acquire on the rest of the track could be closed on the brakes at the end of high-speed sections. Clearly, there was an ingredient in his “pizza” that he needed in a larger proportion.

Cooking requires the proper tools before you even start: bowls, knives, measuring cups, whisks, spoons, and other things. In the same way, personal tools like a good attitude, vision, fitness, concentration, and restraint

MARK BYERS are required to make a successful rider on both the road and track. Failure to have those tools in your mental “kitchen” will spoil the result from the start. A guy came to a rainy track session one day thinking he already knew a lot, but when some gentle corrections were offered to his technique, he balked, argued with the instructors, and ended up going home. His attitude ingredient was spoiled. We all know him: he’s called “that guy” and none of us wants to be him.

On top of the basic tools, there are ingredients like smoothness, body position, braking, throttle-brake transitions, focus on reference points, shifting (up and down), and even breathing. When people ask why I go to the track and what relevance it has to “real-world” riding on the street, I tell them that riding on the track, with the ability to safely push harder than on the street, will shine a bright light on whatever bad habits you possess. Braking from 60 to 40 isn’t much of a challenge and poor technique can hide in there all day, but when you’re going from 90 or more to 40, technique issues will suddenly be quite visible. The track is a “test kitchen” where you can improve your overall recipe without having to worry about stray ingredients like cars, signs, and curbs.

Even at the track, however, speed is an ingredient that is best used in the right quantities and mostly applied as the final garnish once the other ingredients are largely present. One of my favorite instructors/mentors likes to get up and wave his lengthy arms and holler “SLOW DOWN” at various times in the day because restraint is a key ingredient in not only becoming a better rider, but in keeping you and your peers safe while learning. You’re better off working on smoothness in all facets of your Continued on Page 16

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

BACKLASH Hi Brian and Shira, A few comments on the latest issue: I don’t believe in the no win scenario........really liked that editorial and I DO believe in being prepared. You might consider doing an article on the East Bound Moto Winch jack, barely seen strapped to my rear rack in the attached pic, where I can access it if the bike falls on me, at least theoretically. None of us are getting any younger and the time will come that I will need to downsize/down weight my Strom.......but it may be after I get a Stelvio! I can see myself at 75 (9 more years) riding a Honda Trail 125, and loving it!

And maybe include something on a GPS locater device, Garmin Inreach, Zoleo, etc. And some people seem to be unaware that their iPhones have SOS capability, or at least mine says it does. Thankfully I have not needed it. Also, carrying a jump start device that also can power one’s phone and also has a light built in, seems like a really good idea. At least my brain tells me that...though I don’t always listen.

Also nice to see (and expected) that you are not afraid to throw in a little political humor with the goose and the support of Israel.

See you on the road....paved or not...sometime.

Scott Burghart • Lafayette, NJ

Letters to the Editor MWAG? Hey Backroads - Where the heck is the Monkey with a Gun bar?

Rod • Eagles Mere Inn MWAG is a magical place, just south of everywhere, west of forever, east of Eden, and just north of Margaritaville. The simians that own it like to keep it fairly unknown and ‘under the radar’ of New Jersey and Federal jurisdiction.

You are surely welcome, as we know a guy!

Mail Mail It’s all good but recent magazine mailings are not under separate cover as in the past. Just wanted to know why you elected to forgo this option.

I would prefer to pay slightly more as it keeps the copy clean as well as from tearing.

Mark Denno Mark (and others who may be having the same question), As those who use the post office know, things have gone a bit awry with delivery and costs have skyrocketed. In an attempt to counter these, we are tweaking our methods and making a few changes going forward. We hope to have everything ‘wrapped up’ with the new year.

And, as you may have noticed, the issue you hold in your hands is of a different dimension; compact and bursting with all good things for travel and adventure.

Thanks for your continued reading and we’ll see you on the road.

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

Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit. email: editor@backroadsusa.com

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY INFOBITES BACKROADS TURNS 30!

They say never trust anyone over 30; but we beg to differ.

With this issue Backroads rolls into its 30th year of publication.

With the conundrum of celebrating this and not even wanting to think about that number – we do have to say it was all of you who have made this long and wondrous journey so much fun.

We are pretty sure that we lived through the very best of times in the industry, and though things have changed as far as the motorcycle world – we will stay on point, focused and enthused to bring you Backroads each month. Why? Because it is still fun.

When that stops – so will we.

So, enjoy the upcoming year – maybe they’ll be some Backroads events, maybe not, but like a good road trip – you never really know what is down the road; and that is why it’s so much fun.

LAKE GEORGE’S WINTER DREAM

Everyone goes to Lake George for Americade, but how about this time of the year?

What if you could step inside your most magical memories of winter?

In this nighttime journey, dreams come to life through a series of immersive multimedia installations. Rekindle your love of the season as you explore a rich world of wintry lights, music, sounds, videos, and interactive moments. And discover a place where your imagination can play.

The folks that bring you Americade have been asked to help promote this winter event… so if you are looking for something to do this winter head to The Lake – and tell them Backroads sent you. lakegeorge.wintersdream.com

NYC PARKING UPDATE

The Traffic Mobility Review Board has finally announced their proposal for Congestion Pricing in NYC. It calls for motorcycles to be charged 50% of the car rate, and to receive 50% of the crossing credits into the Central Business District, which is Manhattan below 60th St, excluding the FDR and the West Side Highway. The toll will be $15 for cars and $7.50 for motorcycles. There will be a $5 crossing credit for cars and a $2.50 crossing credit for motorcycles entering the CBD via tolled crossings such as the Midtown, Holland or Lincoln Tunnels. There will be no crossing credit for the GW Bridge since it lands outside the CBD. This peak toll rate will be in effect from 5AM until 9PM on weekdays, and from 9AM until 9PM on weekends. The toll rate will be reduced by 75% during

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News from the Inside off peak hours.

The MTA will review the TMRBs proposal while they allow for a requisite public comment period. It’s widely expected that this current proposal will be accepted as-is early next year. New Jersey is suing to send the proposal back to the drawing board. While there’s a chance these suits will cause Congestion Pricing to be delayed from its expected start this spring, no outcome from NJ’s legal actions will be likely to affect how motorcycles will eventually be tolled. Whenever Congestion Pricing goes into effect, we’ll almost certainly pay 50% of whatever rate they charge a car coming into the CBD. While it’s not the full exemption the hard-worked folks who fought had hoped for, this is still a victory we can be proud of. Right up until early October we were in grave danger of paying full price! Thank you to everyone who called, wrote and showed up to protest.

THE USA AND WOMEN’S WORLD TROPHY TEAMS TAKE FIRST IN ISDE

We’d like to congratulate the United States World Trophy Team and Women’s World Trophy Team, who each brought home first-place finishes Continued on Page 16

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

Wanamakers General Store presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN Wesselhof farms

58 sunset inn road, lafayette, nJ 07848 973-300-0612 • Wesselhof.Com • oPen daily 7am-6Pm There is a reason New Jersey is called the Garden State - there are farms - a lot of farms. Some have been around for a long time – centuries. Others are relatively new – even though a decade and a half is still a good bit.

Thus is the case with this month’s quick stop along the ride we have called the Great All-American Diner Run for almost twice that.

Up in northern New Jersey, right off the busy Highway 15, the road and terrain quickly become rural as you ride away from the north and southbound traffic. In the town of Lafayette, named after the famed French nobleman who helped lead a revolution against King George, there is a road called Sunset, and off of this, we will find Wesselhof Farms.

For years now they have been supplying locals and the community with farm fresh produce and meats.

They are particularly proud to share that they never spray their plants with hazardous chemicals but instead implement organic gardening methods and practices. No harm to people or the natural pollinators, just the

tasty places to take your bike

way nature intended!

Their meats are in a league of their own.

Spaciousness, cleanliness, and health are key factors when raising their livestock. Wesselhof Farms are currently raising Hereford cattle and broiler chickens. They make sure their animals live with enough space to stretch their legs and enough food to fill their bellies.

Wesselhof’s livestock is all organic grass-fed & pasture raised and always treated with respect. It is all good and part of what makes rural New Jersey so special.

Along with the Marketplace the farm also has a most excellent café.

In our travels, we dropped by late one morning just as they were on the cusp of breakfast and lunch. So, we’ll talk a bit about both.

Wesselhof Farms serves their breakfast from 7 to 11:30 am and lunch until 6pm Still on the good side of breakfast, we took a look at what was offered.

Souffles caught Shira’s eye – scrumptious and flaky pastry filled with seasoned egg, spinach & artichoke.

They also serve them with bacon and cheddar.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

You can grab a quick breakfast wrap – steak & egg wrap, the “Power” wrap which has egg whites, feta cheese, spinach, and roasted tomato.

For me, the 3-egg omelets were calling. Choices include Western, Garden, and Mushroom, and as Horace Greeley said, I went west.

Other breakfast offerings were great takes on the classic – French Toast - 2 slices of thick-cut house baked brioche, dusted with powdered sugar; and pancakes or waffles were to be had as well.

As lunchtime chimes Wesselhof Farms pivots in the kitchen and with a nice trifecta of burgers. The cheeseburger deluxe, a spicy jalapeno burger, and a delicious smoke gouda. Both the spicy jalapeno and the gouda are their own beef patties “stuffed’ with hot or cheesy goodness. Excellent.

For you paninis lovers Wesselhof Farms has you covered. Seared steak – a marinated rib eye with balsamic glaze and arugula. The El Cuban packs roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, mustard, and pickles.

Two different chickens, a grilled veggie if you like, and a wonderful Caprese.

You can also order up a “Classic” sandwich – pulled pork or a B.L.T. or a grilled cheese. On the fowl side of things, there is a Caesar or Chipotle or a turkey wrap on the menu.

For you salad people (OMG – I have become one of the enemy) you’ll find them and soups as well.

Basically – this month we will give you a most excellent ride to a most excellent farm and we promise a great meal. Enjoy your ride and your meal and we’ll see you on the road. ,

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Warren County Tourism presents

BIG CITY GUITAR GETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

martin guitar faCtory

510 syCamore st., nazareth, Pa 18064 610-759-2837 • WWW.martinguitar.Com We have brought you readers and riders to some very interesting places.

Some fun. Some historic. Some featuring beautifully crafted things. But, rarely do we bring you to a place that is all of these and dangerous as well.

Well, for me anyway… for if music stores are a bit like kryptonite to me – then the Martin Guitar Factory was the entire Krypton Home World.

Very, very dangerous. But, undaunted our hero marches on…

We had been here many years back and we thought, as we had ridden to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, California it was high time we returned closer to our own home roots and visit the makers of America’s guitar – C.F. Martin, in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

For those of you who are not musicians, but love a good song – well maybe you know the name Martin, or maybe you don’t.

But… a Martin isn’t just a guitar. It’s playable history; part of a long line of legendary instruments stretching back to the company’s beginnings in 1833. These guitars were strummed by Civil War soldiers around campfires, helped shape the sound of modern music at the turn of the 20th

century, and were played by music’s first superstars like Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry. Decades later, Martins floored the crowd at Woodstock, then took center stage on MTV Unplugged (how great was Clapton’s Layla?), and can be heard on countless classic and contemporary songs across all genres of music. Artists like Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, John Mayer, Dierks Bentley, Eric Clapton and many others all played Martins, creating much of the soundtrack of the last century. And, most of these guitars were hand built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

The Martin story began in Europe when a young Christian Frederick Martin was sent by his father to become an apprentice to for Johann Georg Stouffer – the famed guitar-maker in Vienna. He then returned and worked for another luthier named Karl Kible. He then married Kible’s daughter Ottilie.

After his father’s death and seeking a future, C.F. Martin and his new bride sailed to America aboard the ship Colombia and settled in New York City - the undisputed capital of the new nation of America’s music world.

Setting up shop in his new home Martin’s guitars began to gain popularity. His unique style and structural integrity made them far superior to other guitar makers instruments.

Martin used different woods, ornamentation and different styles and shapes. His guitars back then sold anywhere between $12 and $110.

Musicians waited two to four months to receive their C.F. Martin guitars; and he and his company thrived.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

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Looking to take his family from the crowds and grime of the city, Martin looked west and soon moved his family and business to Nazareth – and it is still here today.

Open Monday through Fridays the C.F. Martin Guitar factory is open to the public, though tours of the actual factory must be purchased beforehand, which is easy to do and costs just $10.

The museum is amazing.

From his early creations and running through the years – you will see how Martin Guitars have not only been played through this nation’s history – but solidly a part of it.

A Martin Backpacker guitar was the first instrument played in space when astronaut and serious player Pierre Thuot took his guitar on a Columbia Shuttle mission in 1994 that flew 224 orbits around the earth.

Walking through the museum you will find some guitars of serious provenance. Martin guitars that had owners like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and the guitar Clapton played on MTV’s Unplugged.

Like I said… serious provenance.

If you make the trip to Nazareth I really encourage you to take the tour. To see how these beautiful guitars are made and the workmanship and pride that goes into each and every Martin is both amazing and inspiring.

Although they ask that you don’t interrupt the craftsmen and women, they all seemed to be happy we were there and our guide had great conversations and a deep understanding of every work space and step that goes into making America’s guitars. People work for Martin their entire lives.

They love their jobs, and their company, and it shows.

Within the gift shop area, there are a number of Martin guitars along some of the halls and comfortable seats if you would like to take one off the wall and play, as well as a separate Playing Room – acoustically perfect – that holds some of Martin’s higher end instruments.

This is the very, very dangerous place I mentioned earlier.

I played just about every guitar – Shira dutifully sitting and watching with adoring eyes and clenched wallet. VERY clenched wallet.

Sigh. Well, I got a tee shirt and a set of the same strings Clapton prefers – so winner, winner, right?

If you are a guitarist, or musician of any type, or simply a lover of music then we strongly urge you to take the ride to Nazareth, Pennsylvania and find out for yourself why Martin is America’s guitar. , ~ Brian Rathjen

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s the Cold air Cave

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

route 611, south of delaWare Water gaP, Pa Since so many visitors to the state of New Jersey come skimming past the fire-belching refineries of Newark they rarely get to take in the true beauty of the state, and its western neighbor Pennsylvania.

For those lucky or smart enough to ride in from the west the views of the Delaware Water Gap region rival anything else in the nation for raw majesty and impact.

This gap, with the Delaware River making a natural boundary between the Keystone and Garden States, is part of the long Shawangunk Formations and with Mount Tammany off to the east and Mount Minsi (the eastern edge of Blue Mountain) to the west. It is almost a shame that Interstate 80 runs right through it. But, as we said, it gives first-timers to the regions a seriously awesome sight.

It is also where the famed Appalachian Trail crosses from Pennsylvania into New Jersey.

There was a time that this region was THE place to go – with the well-todo from both New York and Philadelphia heading for a cooler and prettier setting than the cities in the summer.

On what is now Route 611, between Portland and Water Gap, huge resorts were found along the shores of the river as well as some more unusual things. One being a most unusual cave, right alongside the road.

Although not marked at all, it is easily found and has a very convenient pull-off right alongside it.

They call it the Cold Air Cave, and when you approach it – especially in the warmer months - you will quickly learn why.

There is and has been for thousands of years – a constant flow of frigid air pouring from this cave. A steady mid-40s breeze day and night, 365 days a year.

This cave is geologically called a Talus Cave. Talus caves are openings formed between boulders piled up on mountain slopes.

No stalagmites or stalactites to be found – it is composed of huge chunks of sandstone and a conglomerate; mostly quartzite – rubble and debris from the lofty Mount Minsi that it sits below. It is as if the mountain is exhaling its cold breath at its partner across the river.

Right below this part of Route 611 is the small burg of Slateford.

This incredibly ‘easy to miss’ town was important in America’s early quarry attempts, and according to the marker the nation’s first attempts at quarrying slate happened right here along this part of the Delaware. An-

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

other geological bit of note is the Quartzite that makes up both Minsi and Tammany.

Quartzite is an incredibly hard, non-foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone. This nearly pure silica content of the rock provides little material for soil; therefore, the quartzite ridges are often bare or covered only with a very thin layer of soil and little (if any) vegetation. When you look up along the ridges hereabouts and see so many bare and shining stone ridges – you are most likely seeing one of the few places in North America that have such deposits of this rock.

The Lenape were here for thousands of years and one of the oldest remnants of mankind EVER was discovered just north of the Cold Air Cave.

The “Gap” was called Pohoqualin by the Lenape, meaning the ends of two mountains with a stream passing between them.

When the railroad and summer visitors began to come a booming vacation region was born.

In 1874, Portland’s riverfront street boasted two hotels, many houses, the Ice Cream Garden, a barber shop, a tailor, and a cigar manufactory run by a man appropriately named Coffin. The Columbia-Portland Covered bridge, once the longest covered bridge in the US, was easily seen until it washed away during flooding in the summer of 1955. Looking upriver you can still see another record-holding bridge, the Lackawanna Cutoff, which was part of the rail system used until the 1960s. The largest concrete structure of its kind in the world for many years.

The famed locomotive The Phoebe Snow ran along this line. At one time there was a building built around the Cold Air Cave – part of a tourist-driv-

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en business and some smart local businessmen.

All the hotels are gone now although the Trolley at the Water Gap is worth spending a few hours with.

But the Cold Air Cave is still there.

Parking along the easy graveled pull-off, between the Point of Gap and Arrow Island Lookouts you will find the stone wall that was part of the building and the man-made stone steps – now almost overgrown with the ever-encroaching forest – leading to the cave’s small entrance.

As I said the Cold Air Cave is not a karst feature. It is an open space created between large blocks of rock that tumbled from the cliffs above thousands of years ago.

The very weight of the mountain holds all these boulders from very small to enormous so tightly it almost seems like one feature.

But looking closely led me to believe that today might be the day it all shifts and come down – so spelunking was off the table.

But why is it so cold?

It has to do with average year-round temperatures and that cold air is denser than warmer air. Somewhere atop Mount Minsi air is being pulled in and through all the nooks and crannies of the mountain and then into the rocks that make up the Talus Cave.

It comes in from the top, gets cooled as it passes down, and exits far cooler than the ambient temperature out of the mouth of the cave.

The Cold Air Cave is certainly a natural oddity and deserves a quick stop and exploration and spending some time enjoying the cool breeze before we roll onward along the backroads of this Mysterious America. , O’Life Out!

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

Wytheville VA Tourism presents

WE’RE OUTTA HERE the loWe hotel

401 main street Point Pleasant, Wv 25550 304-675-2260 • WWW.theloWehotel.Com This month we want to bring you down along the Ohio River once again.

This historic river is nearly 1,000 miles long and is the natural boundary between the US’s mid-west and it’s south. From Pennsylvania all the way to its confluence with the mighty Mississippi River… much has happened on the Ohio.

Along where the river flows down through West Virginia you will find the small city of Point Pleasant; and here you will find one of the biggest cryptid monsters of American legend – The Mothman.

In West Virginia folklore,

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads the Mothman is a legendary creature reportedly seen in the Point Pleasant area from November 12, 1966, to December 15, 1967. The first newspaper report was published in the Point Pleasant Register dated November 16, 1966, titled “Couples See Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ...

Something”. The national press soon picked up the reports and helped spread the story across the United States.

Point Pleasant is now home of the Mothman Museum, and hosts the annual Mothman Festival right outside of our doors.

But we really want to talk about the Lowe Hotel.

It has been around far longer than flying monsters and the tragedy on the river.

Of course, Seymour wants us just to talk about The Mothman, and the tragedy of the Silver Bridge collapse, one of the worst transportation disaster in American history… but we are talking about this fantastic riverside hotel with a story of its own.

Located right in the middle of the town in its Historic District at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets.

Its grand structure was built in 1901 and originally named the Spencer Hotel in honor of J.S. Spencer – who started the famed Security Steamboat Company, just the year before.

Built to last with Cleveland Berea stone and red brick; it housed a barbershop, saloon, storeroom and the Merchants National Bank that occupied the ground floor. It became the Lowe Hotel in 1929 when

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purchased and operated by two brothers, Homer and Griff Smith.

After the massive stock market crash in 1929 the hotel was purchased by the Lowe family and renamed the Lowe Hotel. The hotel is now owned and managed by Ruth, Rush, and Marcia Finley, who purchased the Lowe in 1990.

Many years ago, while tracking down The Mothman and Flatwoods Monster (an entirely different creature), we came across the Lowe and fell in love with its classic, look, feel and flavor.

The owners were very friendly and we’d stayed there for a few days while exploring the ample ad beautiful backroads of West Virginia and across the river in Ohio.

Oh, then there are ghosts. Oh, yes – what self-respecting 120-year old hotel would not be haunted?

This area has some seriously great motorcycling roads in every direction and there is plenty to see in and around Point Pleasant like Tu-Endie-Wei State Park commemorating the Battle of Point Pleasant, fought between the settler militia of Virginia and the forces of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk on October 10, 1774. The Revolutionary Fort Randolph is nearby; and along the shore the town’s Riverfront Park is a great place to end the day with a stroll and to take in the many murals that run along it. Then there are simply the hundreds of miles of roads that we mentioned earlier. ,

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free Wheelin’ Continued from Page 3 by “Point Lookout,” the highest point on the Palisades Cliffs (elevation 520 ft.), about half a mile south of the New Jersey-New York state line.

Here you will find The Lookout Inn, built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), that offers a lunch and snack menu.

I was happy to see it looked almost the same… except for the “Metered Parking” kiosk.

Seriously? The Park Commission charges to park here… even for a cup of coffee and a gander at the river from high atop the Palisades.

Friggin’ ashamed they should be; and I felt just a tad pissed off at this.

I parked where I would have decades back and walked over to the “Lookout” - thinking I’d pay the ticket before the kiosk. But this Wednesday they were not charging and parking was free – so I could not even refuse to pay if I wanted to.

There were a few motorcycles parked in a couple of spots as well, and after taking in the view I was not all that surprised that one belonged to my friend Peter Conti.

I have known Peter since the STMC days and seem to constantly run into him when in this part of the Borderlands.

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Peter was there with some other friends, all serious riders, and with one, Hot Dog Donna, just returned from Nova Scotia.

I hung out to chat bikes for a bit and that happy feeling of just hanging with other like-minded riders and shooting the two-wheel shit just felt good.

Shooting said shit at the State Line Lookout after all these years felt even better. Like coming full circle.

Heading back north I cut through Harriman State Park and then up towards Warwick, and onto the backroads of Sussex County and back home.

A good report from a doctor always is a pleasant thing – but riding to an old haunt and running into friends, old and new, was good for the soul.

It always is. ,

WhatChathinkin’ Continued from Page 4 Whether you learned to ride from a friend, through an MSF course or just decided to get on a bike and give it a whirl, going forward and bettering yourself by learning from those more experienced and knowledgeable will not only make you a better rider, it will make you a safer rider for yourself and those around you. If you are constantly putting your bike in the wrong place and playing the wrong ‘notes’ on the road, sooner or later you will hit that ‘flat note’ and get your fingers all twisted up.

Sure, I could have picked up the exact same books I’m playing now and gave a go on my own, but having Mary show me the nuances and explain the proper way of going at any particular piece of music has set a great foundation. Learning the basics of riding a motorcycle gets you on the road, learning from others takes you on a journey. , Continued from Page 5 on the mark skills, because even if speed is your metric, smoother will get you there more quickly and safely than scaring yourself by rushing headlong up to the edge of your ability. Smooth IS fast, or at least leads you there.

Being a better rider, no matter what the venue, is a recipe - a matter of preparation of the right ingredients using the right tools. Most of those ingredients and tools are mental - to paraphrase Yogi Berra, ninety percent of motorcycling is mental - the other half is physical. Another way to think of the analogy is that it takes a finite amount of time to bake the pizza: you can’t rush it. Give the dough time to rise: make sure your tools and ingredients are solid, and then give yourself time to bake and assimilate the knowledge. It’s a good recipe: smooth is fast, but speed is an ingredient that is best added last. , infoBites Continued from Page 7 at the 2023 International Six Days Enduro in San Juan, Argentina.

In addition to these resounding victories, the U.S. Junior World Trophy Team added a second-place finish. The U.S. also saw success from its club teams, with the U.S. Club Team XC Gear finishing first among club teams, while the U.S. Team GTBN earned second.

Several riders also forged individual success during the grueling six-day competition, with Women’s Trophy Team rider Brandy Richards taking the overall win in the Women’s class while Josh Toth emerged victorious in the C2 Club Class and Jaden Dahners triumphed in the C1 Club class.

Despite battling extreme heat throughout the six-day event, the U.S. World Trophy Team and Women’s World Trophy Team outpaced the field to claim their third and fourth respective ISDE titles.

Members of the U.S. World Trophy Team included Dante Oliveira, Taylor Robert, Johnny Girroir and Cole Martinez, who outpaced second-place France and third-place Great Britain for the world crown. Oliveira, Robert and Girroir finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in individual competition enroute to the team victory. ,

O BACKROADS • JANUARY 2024

Best of Backroads 2023

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nce again boys and girls it is time to take a breath, push through the next few months, and begin to get ready for a fresh and new season of riding and exploring the backroads.

As is our way we had a gathering of the group, an invite-only meeting of the minds, our yearly convention of cool at the illustrious watering hole known as Monkey with a Gun – where we ratiocinated, ruminated, and rationalized our choices for the yearly pearl called the Best of Backroads.

Some of these were easy, others hard to choose between – as we really rode a wondrous gamut this past year.

So strap on your helmets or, maybe this time of year, just grab a cup of coffee and settle in and a take ride back with us through the Backroads’ year that was 2023.

The Great All-American Diner Run

Okay, maybe you are not a museum or park person, or maybe you are not a fan of the strange and mysterious. Hell, maybe you’re not even a lover of ice cream (You poor bunny) – but we all have to eat.

But while riding you want to have that great mix of roads, scenery and flavor, and that is why the Great All-American Diner Run has been a mainstay of Backroads for three decades. Let’s run down our top three…

SECOND RUNNER UP • HARRASEEKET LUNCH & LOBSTER COMPANY 36 MAIN STREET, SOUTH FREEPORT, MA 04078 207-865-4888 • harraseeketlunchandlobster.com • seasonal hours Harraseeket is legendary for their lobsters and lobster rolls, and being that the restaurant sits right on the water they really cannot be any fresher than here. If you are having the whole crustacean you can pick it out of the tank, before it meets its steamy end.

We showed up with a fairly large group and with plenty of outdoor seating they handled us easily, and we had to think everyone over-indulged in the best way.

If lobster is not your choice (how sad), they have plenty of other offerings – more turf than surf.

While riding along the Maine coast seek out Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster – you will see why they are the best.

FIRST RUNNER UP • INHOUSE RESTAURANT 606 county road 519, blairstown, nJ 07825 908-459-4185 • www.inhouserestaurantandbar.com If the previous winner is some 400 miles from Backroads Central, this Best of Winner is just a short, but fun ride south of us.

County Road 519, known to people from the south (below I-78) as the Confused Squirrel, is also called the Mother Road - and is certainly one of the best pieces of pavement the state has to offer.

Not all that far north of Interstate 80 along 519 you will find InHouse.

This has become a favorite of ours over this past season, and they have a lot to offer. Friendly and happy staff, superior menu and great portions, and a most excellent location.

They are also big fans of motorcycles and motorcycle riding and, in our books, that is always a plus.

Next warm day, take a spin along the CS and stop by InHouse for lunch – it will become a favorite of yours as well.

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL-AMERICAN DINER RUN 2023 • RIEGELSVILLE INN 10 delaware road, riegelsville, Pa 18077 • 610-749-0100 • riegelsvilleinn.com You will find this year’s #1 spot on the PA side of the Delaware, not far from where Washington made his famous crossing.

The original building was built in 1838 by Benjamin Riegel, for whom the town is named. Originally built to help serve the local canal trade, today the stately building offers some of the best food along the river and has long been a favorite haunt of many local motorcycle and sports car aficionados.

The fair takes a great French twist on American classics and we have never been to the Riegelsville Inn and not ridden away impressed. We are fairly confident you will be as well.

We’ll follow this first-place offering with an equally great route to take you there too…. From the Hudson River atop Perkins Drive in Harriman State Park down south and west for 126 miles of two-wheel romp to the inn. Say hello for us!

Download .gpx file here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/ps15fz

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Big City Getaway We all love to ride, and we like to explore what is out there, and if we can learn something while on the road, or experience something new and vibrant then all the better.

That is why we have been bringing you the Big City Getaway for the last 30 years. Do you know how many great places are included in those 30 years? Us either. But here are our top three for 2023 – we hope you agree.

SECOND RUNNER UP • THE AVIATION MUSEUMS With a break of tradition, we thought for this particular spot on the list we’d mention all three of the Aviation Museums we flew to in the pages of Backroads last year.

First up is The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Of the three, this is the only one that still has craft leaving the ground, is in a superb part of New York State’s Hudson Valley and is well worth the vectoring of your low-flying motorcycle.

On weekends they have exciting air shows and demonstrations and the entire grounds will have you feeling like a magnificent man, or woman if you are one. This is a most excellent destination for rider groups as well.

Our second mention is the Cradle of Aviation Museum, in Uniondale, NY (Long Island). We had the great pleasure and privilege to have our friend Steve Sachar give us the grand tour of this truly amazing air museum, and one that is built on what is hallowed ground for many flyers, young and old.

Then there is the National US Air Force Museum, in Dayton, Ohio. This is Mecca. This is Shangri-La. This is the Elysian Fields. The United States Air Force Museum is almost beyond words for those who love aviation, its history and its future. Yes, it is in Dayton, Ohio… but from Backroads Central (or your garage) there were some exciting flying along the pavement to be found.

Our suggestion? Make time for all three this year. Wheels up!

FIRST RUNNER UP • MuseuM of Making Music 5790 armada dr, carlsbad, ca 92008 • 760-438-5996 • MUSEUMOFMAKINGMUSIC.ORG Back in late October, our esteemed publisher Rathjen was in California for some track time, and though visiting son and daughter-in-law were high on his list, a stop at the Museum of Making Music was right there as well.

Located in Carlsbad, California – just north of San Diego, this museum, operated by the National Association of Music Merchants, is a wonderful celebration of making music – in all its varied and wonderful forms. This isn’t the Hall of Fame; nope this is about the young kid sitting behind the drums, or keyboard or holding a guitar, playing the piano or the trumpet … for the first time.

It is about how music surrounds us, is part of us, and makes us who we are; and at this museum they WANT you to touch. They want you to play. Even Rathjen is welcome.

Pink Martini, the Doobie Brothers, and Chopin are fantastic; but so was that gal busking on the corner.

We cannot speak more highly of the Museum of Making Music; and if you are in southern California, go enjoy the show – you just might be the star.

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2023 • grounds for sculpture 80 sculPtors way, hamilton townshiP, nJ 08619 • 609-586-0616 • groundsforsculPture.org We are never happy when a race track goes away and is replaced with something else, but do not have a problem with Grounds for Sculpture. Grounds For Sculpture is a 42-acre sculpture park and museum located in Hamilton, New Jersey. It is located on the former site of Trenton Speedway. The magnificent park was started by John Seward Johnson II and was and is a place dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of art.

For us it is like a magical place- my friend Keene said he feels like he is on another planet when he and Lisa stroll the Grounds for Sculpture.

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There are exhibits to be seen and special seasonal events, and there is always something new to be discovered right around the walkway’s bend. The park also has Rat’s Restaurant, a perennial favorite of ours and created in a wonderful Claude Monet style.

Grounds for Sculpture is truly an amazing place and it well deserves the #1 accolade for the Best of Backroads 2023.

We’re Outta Here

This column had its beginnings in that desire to simply get away. Whether it is work, family, or just life – sometimes you and yours need to hop on the bike and take a few days of ‘You Time.’

Trust us…It’s a good thing!

We did get to a bunch of neat places this trip around the sun – and here are our top three choices for We’re Outta Here.

SECOND RUNNER UP • diaMond Mills Hotel 25 s Partition st, saugerties, ny 12477 • 845-247-0700 • diamondmillshotel.com We took a long and rambling route up to this neat hotel in the old New York State town of Saugerties on the first day of Summer – International Motorcycle Day. Every room at the Diamond Mills, which seamlessly manages to mix an old-style feel with the modern world, has a great view of the wide cascades. The hotel also has a superb restaurant on the grounds called BLACKBARN Hudson Valley – here with Executive Chef Marcos Castro at the helm. BLACKBARN Hudson Valley will feature a new menu boasting favorites from the original with a distinct Hudson Valley flair and locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients.

If you feel like strolling, the town has a plenty to see and other restaurants as well as Alleyway Ice Cream – but you’ll revisit there in just a bit.

FIRST RUNNER UP • eagles Mere inn 29 mary ave, eagles mere, Pa 17731 • 570-525-3273 • eaglesmereinn.com Now here is a place that offers so much. Great ambiance, a superb late afternoon porch, a fantastic restaurant, comfortable rooms, neat town and… oh yes – roads.

Miles of superb riding roads!

We rode west to Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains in the fall – just in time to see some great foliage happening in End of the World State Park. The Inn has an “in” with the three museums at the local airport – antique aircraft, cars, and motorcycles – all in their own buildings each more jaw-dropping than the other.

In fact – if you bring a group to the inn – five rooms – they will arrange for a very private and in-depth tour of all three and the shop – which is just too cool for words.

Make time for the Eagles Mere Inn – and bring some friends.

1ST PLACE WE’RE OUTTA HERE 2023 • tHe BlennerHassett Hotel 320 market st, Parkersburg, wv 26101 • 304-422-3131 • theblennerhassett.com This great old hotel, right off the Ohio River, was a two-day stop on last year’s Grand Finale Road Rally, and was the perfect launching point for days’ worth of incredible riding in both West Virginia and the neighboring state of Ohio – Route 555 – the triple Nickel, was everything we remembered it to be.

The Blennerhassett Hotel has been serving travelers for over 140 years and they have 89 rooms – all created and bringing a warm, almost European, flavor to the place; and yes… it has some haunted spots as well.

But for us still among the living the bar is amazing; as is the outside dining which we took advantage of on the two nights we were there.

The food was stellar and the desserts… oh, yes – the desserts!

We cannot say enough about The Blennerhassett Hotel – it has so much to offer today’s rider and riding groups, and easily took the #1 spot in Best of Backroads 2023!

Mysterious America With the terrific trio that took over the reins of Mysterious America last year, we think they have done a smashing job. That in itself is a mystery as the trio consists of two puppets and a cat – albeit Spenser is quite a cat. Still, they did bring us some, well different places.

Drug-addled bears, one-hit wonder graves, UFOs, war between worlds, and prints from the past – all in all, very good, kids… umm – you’re fired!

Okay now that O’Life is back in charge let’s have a look at the good Doctor’s top three Mysterious America’s for 2023.

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SECOND RUNNER UP • PINE BUSH UFO MUSEUM 86 main st, Pine bush, ny 12566 845-524-4272 • Pinebushmuseum.com You might be surprised to learn that just north of Manhattan, a city that is well known to be full of aliens, there is a region that seems to have an alien issue of interstellar proportions; and you can learn all about it at the Pine Bush UFO Museum.

Located right on Route 52, The UFO Museum will bring you through the history, mystery, facts, and legends that have abducted this region since before the first Europeans arrived.

Unexplainable things continue to this day. Maybe you too will be taken… at the UFO Museum. Klaatu barada nikto to you!

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FIRST RUNNER UP • THE MERMAID MUSEUM 4 Jefferson st, berlin, md 21811 • www.berlinmermaidmuseum.com “A salty pirate needs a beautiful mermaid!”

This museum came as a surprise to us. First off, the little town of Berlin calls itself the Coolest Little Town in America… they have every reason to say such, and having The Mermaid Museum just makes it so much better.

Here in Berlin, Maryland, you get a chance to explore something that has been talked about for thousands of years… mermaids.

The museum has fun with this worldwide mystery – telling about the facts, the legends, and the good and bad. The WTFs and the hoaxes.

The folks here at The Mermaid Museum have a great deal to say and show on all things mermatic, and lochfolk and do so with a Siren’s call.

When down in Berlin make time to see the museum and the town; and the Atlantic Hotel, right across the street, is very cool as well.

1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2023 • coral castle 28655 s dixie hwy, homestead, fl 33033 • 305-248-6345 • coralcastle.com There was little doubt when we first walked into Coral Castle that was an enigma, a puzzle, and a true Mysterious America if there ever was one. At the Castle there are known facts and then… well, the unknown mysteries, the big one being how Edward Leedskalnin, an immigrant from Latvia, build such a structure. The Coral Castle is made up of hundreds of large blocks of limestone, each weighing several tons, sculpted into a variety of shapes, including slab walls, tables, chairs, a crescent moon, a water fountain, and even a sundial.

Coral Castle was built single-handedly by Leedskalnin; and some say it was not anything modern that could have helped him, but that he used some sort of reverse magnetism, or supernatural abilities, to move and carve the stones. To see this place will just add to your confusion.

One truth is known for sure… that no one will ever know how he did it.

The Coral Castle is a must-see if you are anywhere south of Miami; where Sea of Grass runs right into Mysterious America. O’Life out!

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Inside Scoop

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As the bible says, there’s nothing new under the sun but the creators of ice cream seem to give that little thought. With each new creamery and parlour we’ve visited, the chefs behind the churners have put all of their creativity into some delightful, and sometimes questionable, flavors. This year we had a great variety, including some fine gelato, and here are the cream of the crop for 2023’s Inside Scoop.

SECOND RUNNER UP • guerriero’s 64 south st, morristown, nJ 07960 • 201-345-1806 guerrierogelato.com • four other locations in new Jersey Mike Guerriero, owner of these establishments, is also the owner of the top award at the Gelato Festival America and participant in the Gelato Festival World Masters. This might give you the clue that he knows what he’s doing when it comes to frozen desserts. In addition to some of the best gelato you’ll ever taste, they scoop up equally delicious ice creams and sorbets. The Blueberry Basil – winner of the Gelato Festival America – is always on the menu but look for their seasonal offerings as well as pop-up flavors. I highly recommend the Nutella: classic vanilla with Bordeaux black cherry halves and anything with strawberries was awesome.

FIRST RUNNER UP • alleyway ice creaM 135 Partition st, saugerties, ny 12477 • 845-244-0507 alleywayicecream.com • seasonal hours If you make your way to Saugerties, NY, and spend some time wandering the town, perhaps staying at the Diamond Mills Hotel, you might find yourself peeking down a little alleyway to see the world’s smallest and hardest to find ice cream shop, as they’ve been called. Julian Hom set out to create some unusual and interesting ice cream while enjoying the rest of his life hiking, traveling and such. His little slice of heaven in Saugerties accomplished just that, pleasing people with such flavors as Ube Heath Bar Crunch and Thai Tea Cookies & Cream to Madagascar Vanilla. Ordering at the walk-up window, you’ll find seats in the little garden behind the shop or take a stroll to the many shops in Saugerties while enjoying your dessert.

1ST PLACE INSIDE SCOOP 2023 • gaBriel’s fountain kitcHen 1948 washington valley rd, martinsville, nJ 08836 • 732-469-5800 • gabrielsfountain.com What are you looking for when heading out for a ride? Some twisty roads, nice scenery, and, to be sure, a cool spot to get a bite to eat and a bonus of great dessert. We’ve got that all wrapped up in this year’s Numero Uno spot on the Inside Scoop with Gabriel’s Fountain Kitchen + Creamery (see, the name says it all).

You’ll find Gabriel’s in a very handsome Victorian building with plenty of parking around back. Entering you’ll be hit with all sorts of Americana Chic décor and lots of room for you or your whole crew. Don’t want to miss the lovely weather? They have lots of outside dining as well.

Their food menu has offerings ranging from appys through salads and onto sammies, burgers and everything else. Be warned, their portions are large, so make sure to save room for what we really came for – dessert.

Following the lead of their main menu, the scoops at Gabriel’s are full-bodied. Homemade artisan ice cream, as well as dairy free with handmade coconut milk, are presented for your choice – which might be very difficult to make. Flavors ranging from Good Morning Coffee to Vermont Maple Walnut & Peppercorn Bacon, Pecan Yam Jam! And Cinnamon Smoked Bourbon (these are all seasonal – but each season has the same spectacular offerings). Still sitting on the fence? You can get a tasting flight of four and be done with it.

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Sifting through my backlog of places visited and not reported, I’m bringing you a Christmasy location, a fine gelateria and a couple for you snowbirds.

First up, scooping up some of the finest ice cream made in the United States, is the little shop across the street from the Bethlehem Hotel in Bethlehem, PA. Hotel B Ice Cream Parlor is a quaint little spot sitting in a very historic town. The Moravian Book Shop, right down the road, is the oldest bookstore in America, founded in 1745, and the oldest continuously operated bookstore in the world. It now has more modern offerings as well as gifty stuff, and is the Moravian University student bookstore.

Getting back to the finest ice cream, Hotel B Ice Cream enjoys the privilege of serving ice cream from Penn State Creamery. Each month a hotel staff member makes a trip to State College to bring back 1,000 gallons of Penn State ice cream, of which Hotel B serves 12 daily flavors plus featured flavors of the month. And here, unlike at the Creamery, you MAY mix your flavors in a single cup or cone.

The Parlor is very welcoming and a perfect respite from the shoppers along Historic Main Street in Bethlehem.

HOTEL B ICE CREAM PARLOR, 462 MAIN ST, BETHLEHEM, PA hotelbethlehem.com/Bethlehem-shoppe-ice-cream • sun-thur 10am-8Pm; fri+sat 10am-9Pm Having just spent a little time in Spain, I was surrounded by wonderful gelato. I’m not going to give you the difference between ice cream and gelato again, just know that gelato, when done well, is a more refined product IMHO. I’m sure there are many gelato shops all across the US of A, but today I’ll bring you to one a bit closer to our general area in Rockaway, NJ. While it might not be the best of riding locations, it will bring you joy once you take a spoonful of Mike Rocca’s gelato at Gelato Envy.

About 15 years ago, Mike took a trip to Italy where he discovered gelato. He was smitten and set out to bring that fine experience to his home. He studied at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy with master chef Alessandro Racca.

Gelato Envy’s motto is ‘Passion-Process-Purity’ in their gelato, sorbetto and ice cream, all freshly made, small batch using the highest quality raw ingredients such as real Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla, pistachios from Bronte, Italy and hazelnuts from Piedmont, Italy. Some of their flavors include Sea Salt Caramel, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Marscarpone & Caramel as well as traditional Stracciatella, blueberry basil and Valrhona Chocolate Envy.

GELATO ENVY, 350 route 46, rockaway, nJ (around the back). oPen year round tues-sun 3Pm-9Pm and fri-sat until 10Pm gelatoenvy.com • 973-343-7968 Last year while attending our ONLY Mets game of the year in Miami (so sad – but a Mets fan’s motto is ‘Hey, there’s always next year’), we made a couple

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of ice cream finds. One was very kitchy and Instagrammable, while the other was quite the opposite.

Sloan’s, originated in 1999, set out to ‘create an ice cream utopia for the young and young at heart’. What I thought as we walked up to its inside-a-mall location was more Willy Wonka, but, hey that never stopped me from trying some ice cream.

They do make their own ice cream, as well as freshly-baked waffle cones, cookies and brownies. And their flavors reflect the over-the-top décor and walls lined with bulk candy and other sweet stuff that your dentist and dietician would scold you for even thinking about eating. Minnie & Indy’s Fluffy Road: creamy milk chocolate packed with mini marshmallows, salted almonds, dark chocolate truffles and fluffy marshmallow swirls – feel that toothache coming on yet? More to my liking were Coffee and Doughnuts: creamy coffee ice cream with loads of Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. If you want something really decadent try one of their sundaes, which I suggest sharing, such as Mom’s Apple Pie: 3 scoops of mom’s apple pie ice cream with caramel sauce, pecans, whipped cream and, of course, a cherry. there are several locations in florida, as well as one in los angeles and las vegas. SLOANSICECREAM.COM

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Moving south towards Miami, we found ourselves in Little Havana for the evening. So much fun and great food, drink and cigars, we came across Azucar Ice Cream Company. Founded in 2011, they follow the love of ice cream that their abuela (grandmother) instilled in them in Cuba. Using flavors typical of the subtropical climate and a passion for sabor latino, they create some wonderfully unusual and tantalizing ice cream.

Having trained at Penn State, they claim to be able to make almost anything into ice cream.

And they certainly prove they can. With offerings like Platano Maduro (sweet plantain), pumpkin flan, zapaticos de rosa (rose petal) and guarapina (sugarcane & pineapple), you’ll be wanting to come back again and again to try them all.

AZUCAR 1503 sw 8TH ST, MIAMI 11429 s dixie hwy, Pinecrest, fl 269 n bishoP ave, dallas, tx. azucaricecream.com

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS AND REVIEWS NELSON RIGG GEAR FOR MANY SITUATIONS A New Kind of Tie-Down Should a rider need to carry even more “stuff,” in addition to its luggage offerings, Nelson Rigg developed its new Rigg Straps™ kit, which morphs to fill various tie-down needs. Sold as a pair, each fivefoot long strap, made from heavy-duty webbing, features loops on one end and a patented, aircraft-grade aluminum cam-hook design on the opposite end. This configuration lets you use each strap individually or together and makes a quick affair of securely affixing whatever you want to your motorcycle while not damaging its finish. The sturdy, heavy-duty aluminum hooks simplify strap connections, and though the cam lever releases with an easy thumb press, it holds snugly no matter the terrain.

Tim used the straps during one ride to transport a rifle gifted to him and reports the straps are simple to use, didn’t mar his Indian Springfield’s finish, and securely held his cargo. The straps come with a five-year warranty from Nelson-Rigg and retail for $19.95.

Got Tools?

Despite the best preparations, such as carefully packed luggage and a secure load, nothing can deflate the joy of a ride more than a breakdown or gravity storm. Nelson-Rigg has riders covered for that, as well. The Trails End Tool Roll provides compact, convenient storage for whatever tools

a rider wants to bring along for any type of riding, whether offor on-road. Rigg offers two sizes, but the small-sized roll fits the bill for our traveling.

At 13.75” X 10.5”, it holds many tools but folds small enough without gobbling undue storage space in your luggage. It uses a Hi-Viz orange lining to improve the contents’ visibility, has pockets and elastic loops that secure the tools inside, has a zippered pocket to stow extra screws, bolts, or small objects, wraps into a compact bundle with a hook and loop closure, and a carrying handle for portability.

Tim likes the compact size that still holds any tool he needs and likes knowing we can permanently or temporarily fix any mechanical issues that might crop up. Nelson-Rigg offers a lifetime warranty with Trails End Tool Roll, which retails for $29.95 Ready for Any Weather Sometimes riding life throws curveballs, like when a beautiful sunny day changes temperament and suddenly pelts rain at you.

You wore your armored, ventilated gear because the weatherman predicted a picture-perfect day, but now the storm leaves you squishy and soggy. Well,

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Nelson-Rigg literally has you covered with a packable, easy-to-stow rain suit made just for those occasions. Should the weather gods get nasty, the Solo Storm Waterproof Jacket and Pants compresses to a tiny package providing big coverage.

The outfit offers features in less-packable rain suits, such as reflectivity, storm flaps, hook and loop closures on the collars, arm and leg openings, and taped seams. It boasts a PVC-free polyester Oxford material for comfort and a smooth PU backing throughout for extra waterproofness. A breathable mesh material lines the entire jacket. Thoughtful touches abound, like an elasticized waist with adjustable buckles for a tailored fit, a zippered ventilation panel and storm flap on the jacket back, a hood that hides in the collar (stowable, not removable), and soft tricot lining in the jacket collar. The pull-on pants use a combination of waist buckles with elastic for adjustability, have hook and loop closures on the leg bottoms to simplify pulling on the pants while wearing boots, have heat-resistant material on the leg lowers offering protection from hot pipes, and a reinforced seat panel to add strength and prevent slipping on the motorcycle seat.

The jacket has two large waterproof pockets, and the pants have none.

The jacket packs into a self-contained interior pocket for portability, but the pants don’t. Riders may select from three color options—black, HighViz Orange, or Hi-Viz yellow—all with big stripes of reflectivity on the arms’ sides and back and other reflective piping and logos front and rear.

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The pants have reflectivity around the knees and sides of the legs.

Tim has yet to wear the suit in the rain (we haven’t been that lucky or unlucky, depending on your point of view), but he wore it when temperatures unexpectedly dropped. He appreciates the large, boot-friendly leg openings and the ease of donning the jacket, even over the ventilated one he wore. He counts the suit’s visibility as an outstanding feature.

Rigg warranties the Solo Storm Waterproof Jacket and Pants for two years and sells the jacket and pants separately to ensure a better fit. The jacket retails for $79.95, and the pants for $49.95.

For more information on these products or other luggage solutions, visit the website at www.nelsonrigg.com. ~ Pamela Collins

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS AND REVIEWS GRYPHON MOTO TWISTED SISTERS TEXTILE JACKET AND PACIFIC COAST TEXTILE PANTS I was walking around the vast vendor market at this year’s BMW MOA Rally in Virginia, taking it all in and seeing what was to be seen. I always look at riding gear as you never know what you need until you see it. That in mind, Brian found me and told me to take a look at the Gryphon Moto gear a few aisles over.

Gryphon is a family owned and operated business started in 2020 by Gary and Jenny Cuzner – founders/owners husband and wife team. They set out to create a brand made with high quality materials, well thought out designs and always having the rider experience at the forefront.

Keeping it in the family, Gary’s daughter Melissa takes care of their marketing and her husband Gary manages the accounting and warehouse. Their brand motto is: Style-Function-Protection.

You might ask how they decided on the name Gryphon. When thinking of a name, they wanted something that would stand out as well as being something that riders would be proud to wear. At the time, Gary was exploring his heritage and took the Ancestry DNA test, which showed his mother’s side – Irish – having a family shield with a gryphon. Also, his father’s side immigrated from Wales and the Welsh flag has a red dragon.

To add to the menagerie, Gary’s high school mascot was also a gryphon.

Liking the sound, they moved forward and the Gryphon logo was born.

Gary has been in the motorcycle industry for over 40 years, giving him great insight into product development and design, as well as a keen understanding of market needs. Gryphon is the culmination of all these experiences.

I opted for the Twisted Sisters Textile Jacket and Pacific Coast Pants.

Both are constructed of 600 Denier ballistic nylon anti-abrasive outer shell with 1680 Denier on the high impact areas of the shoulders, elbows and knees. AAA CE Level 2 armor adds to the protection at these points as well.

The Twisted Sisters Jacket, designed by women for women, has a nice form-fit cut, which I would say is a ¾ length. There are snap points which offer adjustability in fit around the arms, as well as cinch Velcro about the waist.

It has a REISSA waterproof/breathable membrane, which I have yet to test. The interior thermal liner with full sleeves is removable for warmer days.

While Gryphon says that this jacket is for cooler weather, I rode during some warmer autumn days, sans liner, and it was perfectly comfortable. The chest and back exhaust vents had enough airflow to keeps air moving. The high-flow mesh cooling liner also adds to the comfort of the jacket when the temps are a bit higher.

Reflective 3M Scotchlite safety elements make the jacket very visible both day and night. Twisted Sisters is available in black/gray with four different color accents: Pink, Red, Blue and Hi-Viz, which I chose. So in addition to the 3M reflective the Hi-Viz stands out tremendously. A very nice touch is the reflective Gryphon on each arm and back.

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The is no lack of storage space in this jacket. The Gryphon Max Storage system ensures that no matter which layer you may be using, there will always be a place to put your stuff. The zippered waterproof side pockets, utilizing YKK zippers, are deep and easily accessible. Inside you’ll find a waterproof zippered wallet pocket with a clip should you like to hang your keys in there as well. Right below is another deep Velcro-closing pocket and on the opposite side of the jacket is a neoprene sleeve for your cell phone.

Keeping things cozy and comfortable around the neck, which has a comfort fit Neoprene collar, you’ll find a snap with an adjustable slide for a more precise fit.

The Gryphon Pacific Coast textile pants have many of the same features as the Twisted Sisters jacket – waterproof/breathable membrane, reflective strips at the bottom of the legs and high flow mesh cooling liner. The stretch material at the inseam and back of knee maximizes riding comfort, as does the articulating accordion stretch panels at the knees and upper back.

To make them a better fit, there are adjustment straps above and below the knee as well as at the waist. The zippered and velcroed ankle closures keep the outside elements outside. The hip pads are removable if necessary as well as the thermal liner. There are two small zipper front ventilation to help air flow in warmer temps.

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For storage, there are deep zippered waterproof side pockets as well as a cargo pocket on each leg, also waterproof.

On the road, the Twisted Sisters jacket was quite comfortable. While it does have a connecting 8” zipper should you want to zip to the pants, there was no riding up or unwanted breeze up my back. The sleeves cinch small enough so I can fit my gauntlet gloves over to keep the wind or water out. Brian said that, while riding behind me, I was very visible.

As I said, I rode with this in mild autumn temperatures – not more than 70 degrees – and was quite comfortable with the front and back vents open. I’m sure the thermal liner will come in quite handy on the winter days that are rideable.

The Pacific Coast pants were also comfortable. With the adjustable waist straps I was able to get them snug without pinching. The cargo pockets come in very handy for easy accessibility for toll money and such.

The Twisted Sisters jacket is available in sizes XSmall to 3XLarge @ $299.95-$309.95. The Pacific Coast pants come in sizes Small to 4XLarge in both regular and short @ $189.95$199.95.

Find these are many other Gryphon products at gryphonmoto.com ~ Shira Kamil PS: Spenser likes them too.

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ADVENTURE TRAVEL PANTS PICK POCKET-PROOF TRAVEL WEAR “It can happen to you. Then it can happen again.”

Well, Steve McQueen might have been talking about racing in the film LeMans, but this thought applies to something that happens to everyday people; and if it hasn’t happened to you… know that the adverb ‘yet’ might be applicable.

Pickpocketing ranks among the oldest and most widespread ways to steal from unsuspecting victims.

The scum that does this prefer to avoid physical violence, and can be off with your wallet, cards, and passport before you even realized what has just happened.

These are some thoughts that potential victims, and that means you, may not know about pickpocketing.

Pickpockets often work in teams, with one or more distracting you while another steals. These distractions may include physical bumping, sandwiching, or attracting your attention.

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Pickpockets consider backpacks a primary target for electronics, money, valuables, credit cards, and in our case in Chile, Shira’s wallet, which contained her U.S. Passport.

It’s not uncommon for a pickpocket ring member to brush up against potential victims in search of wallets or other valuables. When a suitable mark is identified, other thieves move into action. Pickpocketing tandems may use what is routinely called a “compassionate” diversion.

Someone drops an item while feigning injury, ailment, or handicap.

When the good Samaritan bends over to retrieve it, they get robbed.

Unlike Hollywood movies, real-life pickpockets are anything but admirable. They rip off seniors, moms, business people, and students who may be attending college on a shoestring budget. Like we said – scum.

Where Do Pickpockets Commonly Lurk?

Many of the top tourist destinations in Europe are rife with pickpockets.

In the U.S., incidents are more likely to transpire in densely populated cities and areas where people gather. Particularly attractive environments are those places where excitement and distraction make people increasingly vulnerable. These generally include touristy places, crowded malls, and streets, but can get you just about anywhere.

When we were heading to Spain last year, we picked up a few pair of Adventure Travel Pants from a company called Clothing Arts.

These pants, available in both men’s and women sizes, were designed and created for an active lifestyle and to foil potential thieves from making you a statistic.

In addition to being the most secure pants we have ever worn they are comfortable as well. Important, right?

The Nature-Like™ Nylon of the Men’s Adventure Pants, which come in 5 colors, makes for an amazingly versatile garment that are just as comfortable on the motorcycle, as they are on the crowded Los Ramblas in Barcelona.

The stylish Adventure Pants have a total of 11 multi-secure pockets.

There are 5 triple secure and 6 double secure. The Adventure Travel Pants pockets comfortably lash down with a combination of YKK self-repairing zippers, Velcro, and snaps.

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There are pockets for your cell phone, credit cards, and wallets, a triple-secure pocket specifically for your Passport (Do Not Lose This, Trust Us!), and pockets everywhere else.

Thieves in the know might spy the Cube logo – know what they will be dealing with and simply look for lower fruit. Like having and ADT sign outside your home, if it’s too much trouble there are easier marks.

Hell, Houdini could not get into these pants!

This quick-dry fabric makes for easy care: machine wash or hang-to-dry while on the road. A couple of pair of these pants will take you around the planet.

When we first got Clothing Arts’ Adventure Travel Pants we took them for a very long day ride – just to see how comfortable they would be. After the ride, Shira asked how the pants were on the bike. What? Oh, the pants, right? I had forgotten about them, and that is the best praise you can give a pair of pants stuffed under an Aerostich suit. They were so comfortable I forgot that was part of the idea of going for the day’s ride.

All-day comfortability, and probably the best compliment we can give.

Barcelona is ranked second as the most pickpocketed city on the planet (Rome is #1), so with our cell phones and wallets safely tucked, and zippered, in the very deep pockets we headed out to explore the city – very confident that we’d return with all our belongings and no grief.

There are a few peccadillos with the Adventure Travel Pants… I lost one or two items in my pockets. I could feel it in my pants. I knew it was there, but took me a bit to figure out which very secure pocket it was really in -so, really not a problem, certainly more me, and not the pants.

I think wearing the Adventure Travel Pants from Clothing Arts you would eventually develop your own system for what goes where.

The bottom line is Adventure Travel Pants from Clothing Arts could be the best travel pants on the planet, and at a regular price of $135 they are not the least expensive pants, but they are not the priciest – and if they

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prevent just one crime during the time you are traveling with them, they are worth every penny!

Women’s sizes range from 2-18 and short, regular and long in four different colors, with men’s waist size 30 to 42 and five colors.

Clothing Arts have other travel pants and clothing available as well shorts, shirts, casual, business – and even jeans – so whatever your travel apparel needs are we think they have you covered. www.clothingarts.com

ENGINE ICE HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENGINE COOLANT Heat has long been the enemy of engines, which is why over the last few decades almost every motorcycle has become water-cooled in some fashion.

Cooler is always better – for you and your motorcycle.

But water-cooled engines are not cooled by water – and the liquid coolant that you put into your machine’s radiators do make a difference.

When we were looking to swap out the old stock coolant on our Kawasaki Z900 we looked for the very best and ordered our replacement from Engine Ice. There are a lot of coolant products on the shelves these days, but the Devil is always in the details, and Engine Ice is created – start to finish - by Engine Ice. Engine Ice is created with propylene glycol, not ethylene-glycol; and PG molecules more easily trap heat and allow for greater cooling when the coolant runs through the channels of the radiator.

It also has the advantage of being far more user-friendly, as it is non-toxic and biodegradable.

Non-toxic is far more important than you might think, as cheaper spilled ethylene-glycol seems to be attractive to children, animals, and pets, and nobody wants that issue.

Engine Ice is so safe it does not require a child safety cap.

Yes, a Propylene-Glycol product will be more expensive, but we are not talking over the top... just worth it.

Engine Ice also has added eco-friendly chemicals that raise it above the competition – lubrication, corrosion protection, and anti-cavitation properties; and all this helps grab the heat your engine is producing and dissipate it away, allowing for far cooler running and more power all around. It will protect up to 207 degrees, and prevent gelling, or freezing to minus 7 – so it is both coolant and anti-freeze all in one.

Virtually every road race organization has approved Engine Ice as well as it is not slippery, and cools engines without the corrosive effects of plain distilled H2O. If you have ever hit coolant or anti-freeze on your bike or while walking, you get our point.

Oil changes should be a no-brainer, but many times engine coolant gets treated like the red-headed stepchild of motorcycle maintenance.

If you have not changed your coolant, now might be a good time – and on most machines, it is easier than you would think.

Engine Ice is available from their website at www.engineice.com – 4-pack of ½ gallon packs for $99.96, as well as the other usual internet suspects.

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STOP & GO 1090A INFLATION KITS

Stop & Go Kits are great. They always come through when needed, but if you have a kit that uses CO2 cartridges to fill the tire… you might need to replace them if you have used the ones that came with your kit to inflate your tire.

Mass Depot has you covered with the Stop & Go 1090A Inflation Kit. Each of these four threaded steel canisters contains 16 grams of 100% pure high-velocity CO2 gas. In just a few seconds 8-9 lbs. of inflation is discharged into your tire. The re-usable valve adapter has solid brass fittings.

ATVs and rider mowers will generally use just one canister to fully inflate the tire. On a full-dress touring motorcycle tire, it will generally take all four canisters to reach 24 - 32 lbs. of pressure depending on the size of the tire… enough to get you to a real air pump.

You can find these at stopngo.com for around $20 dollars.

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The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents

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

a little roadside restaurant We have been big supporters of Camelbaks and water hydration systems while riding for years. But alertness, comfort, and survival require more than just water and there will be times when your travels might take you away from the diners, fast-food joints, or small towns that have some sort of restaurant.

Sometimes you need to bring along your own little roadside restaurant.

In truth, it really does not take all that much to give the belly the feeling that it is good for the next few hours.

Hungry is a relative thing, and we hope you have never been or will be starving - for that is on another level – be glad you live where you do.

But on the happy backroads of the Western world, you might want to have a little bit of something in your tank bag, top case, or saddlebag.

One of the more interesting words in the last bunch of years is Hangry that combo of Hungry and Angry.

It’s that point when you are not just a bit hungry, but are now less focused on your riding, and you are now becoming irritable and you begin to overreact to minor annoyances. That’s the difference between being hungry and being hangry.

There is a reason for this…

When you haven’t eaten for a while, the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood decreases. When your blood sugar gets too low, it triggers a cascade of hormones, including cortisol (a stress hormone) and adrenaline (the fight-or-flight hormone). These hormones are released into your bloodstream to raise and rebalance your blood sugar.

Occasional bouts of letting yourself get to this point of hunger are doable things. But, if you are a person who has some anger issues (you know if you do), or a medical issue and you need to try to keep an eye on your sugar levels – then it is better to be safe than sorry.

I have seen people faint from a blood sugar imbalance – and that was just getting up from a couch.

On a moving motorcycle, this could end far worse.

Let’s go over that small list of foodstuff you might want to bring along with you. Just about every bigger fuel station in the civilized world sells small personal packages of everything. Your basic bag of salted peanuts has about 220 calories, and peanuts have more protein than any nut (7g per serving), contain more than 30 essential vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of fiber and good fats.

Costco sells variety boxes of individual servings too – and I always have a half-dozen packets on my machine.

I’d recommend you shy away from fruit sugary treats, fruit pies and such – that being said depending on the time of day and miles left I have been known to go for a small fruit-baked good and a Vitamin Water with a tube of Zipfizz. Zipfizz is an all-natural, no-sugar, lowcal, low-carb drink mix that’s packed with vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and a boost of vitamin B-12 for good measure, which comes in a small tube and mixes easily with water. They taste great too.

This is a safe, sane way to get a boost on the road –

great hydration, no sugar, no questions. We highly recommend them.

At MotoAmerica Shira came across the WagBar booth. Wagbar is the only high-protein snack made with 100% American Wagyu beef. They were also sponsoring both Kayla Yaakov and Aiden Sneed with the WagBar MP13 Racing team.

These tiny beef bars come in a variety of flavors and, like the nuts and Zipfizz, will last forever and can travel for the season on your bike before you start getting hangry on that one particular ride and have to stop for your own personal little roadside restaurant. , Zipfizz and Box of Nuts available from Costco WagBar: Amazon or MyWagBar.com