July 2023

WHAT’S INSIDE

Motorcycles, Travel

& Adventure

Publishers Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors Mark Byers, Dr. Seymour O’Life

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822

phone 973.948.4176

fax 973.948.0823

email editor@backroadsusa.com

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FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN Looking Back

We had lunch the other day with our friend Roy.

I was having a required update on my BMW GS and Roy is now running Cross Country BMW’s shop in Hasbrouck Heights, so we arranged to drop off the bike around lunchtime, giving Shira and I a chance to catch up with an old friend.

We have been in the business for years, and so has Roy – who was once the regional rep for BMW, then press maven for Motorrad.

It’s hard to leave an industry like this and when he retired from BMW corporate, he found himself running CCBMW’s northern annex. Maybe, like Michael Corelone, they simply dragged him back in.

During this lunch, a lot of names came up and stories were retold.

Of course, the Colorado River incident was mentioned. We needn’t go into that now.

Like many of you, we have non-riding friends and family – but, for us, we have far more friends from riding than anything else.

Over the years we have been blessed with meeting so many great and interesting people, and I try to stay in touch with as many as I can – as the years, the miles, and the motorcycle industry itself have changed, putting distance between so many of our old friends and acquaintances.

Almost on schedule, I opened an email from another long-time friend Greg Frazier who had come across an

article written by another even longer friend Fred Rau.

It was from Fred’s Contact Patch from June 2008 called The Passion of the Bike. In it, Fred went through the same thought process that Shira and I were now going through; thinking of how many superb human beings this sport has brought into our circle – which is far bigger than anything I ever dreamt of as a kid reading R.E. Howard’s Conan leaning up against the wall upback in Woodside, Queens.

The article talked about Riding Passion – and Greg, being Greg, made it a point to point out that he was mentioned.

What was scary… was reading the article that so many people Fred mentioned a decade and a half ago were part of our lives then and some, all these years later, still are.

Let’s start with the author and his wife Cherri – we have known these two now for twice that decade and a half – I know Fred – Jeesh!

Then there were the other names… Jon Seidel from American Honda, and the aforementioned Roy Oliemuller, along with our good friend Rob Mitchell, both from BMW. Dan & Judy Kennedy from Whitehorse Press could be found. Then there were folks we have met and just knew casually like Daytona 200 winner Walt Fulton and Dale Walksler, owner of Wheels Through Time, and a few others we have had the great fortune to have met because of riding motorcycles.

If I were penning an article like this… wait, I am –I would need to add Reg and Gigi Pridmore, the Alexander family, as well as Clement Salvadori, and

Continued on Page 9

Use itor Lose it

Back in December, Brian gifted me weekly piano lessons. Unlike the flute fiasco (which is a very long other story), I really had taken piano lessons for a minute when I was younger. My sister, Rowena, was the one with musical talent and fortitude, so she was the one who inherited the family piano when it was time. A few years ago, Brian decided that he might like to learn to play the keyboard so in came a not-full-size digital, which he noodled about and made some tunes. I, being older and wiser, sat down and found that I could still read a bit of music and, unlike my forced playing, I also found that I enjoyed it. I tried playing from the music books Brian had for guitar but was a bit frustrated so, come the new year, lessons were scheduled.

It’s been six months and I think I’ve made some progress. I play a pretty mean Star Spangled Banner and can accompany Brian when he plays guitar and calls out his chords. I try to practice every day (landing on three times a week is not too bad), and my weekly lesson session has just come to the end of the semester. I look forward to semi-regular lessons during the summer in between riding, magazine stuff and travels.

Just the other day Brian found something, also music related, that was very interesting. The Tone Traveler relies on the principle that audible frequencies can physically move matter to help migrate the drying sap inside the wood grain of an instrument in order to make the instrument more resonant. As the sap dries, it forms crystalline structures that can be fractured by sound waves further changing the resonance of the instrument. With the ingress and egress of moisture, the crystalizing sap in the grain of wood can become more or less liquid allowing it to resettle, causing an instrument to “fall asleep”. This is also why older instruments that have been played for decades sound better than instruments of the same age that have been left unplayed.

I know that Brian plays his guitar(s) every day, rotating between acoustic and electric. This process of keeping the resonance of the instrument takes away some of the need to physically play it every day, making the guitar sound oh so much richer if picked up less frequently.

So, what’s all this muscical stuff have to do with riding? I know that if I miss a few days of playing I have fallen backwards just a bit. As with the use of the Tone Traveler, if Brian doesn’t pick up a particular acoustic guitar for a while, the sounds coming from it will be just a bit flatter.

The same thing applies to our riding. Even if you are taking your motorcycle every day to work, riding the same route, perhaps on the highway, the mechanics of your riding are just that. Or perhaps ‘life’ gets in the way and you aren’t able to go for any good, long rides on varying roads for a spell. Either way you might lose some of the fluidness and rhythm that makes riding so much better. When we are able to ride a combination of fast, straight tarmac and twisty country lanes, our brains need to adapt to all the music of the road, taking in the different tempo, from adagietto to allegro.

Following that line of thought, opening your mind to other types of riding will make you a more balanced motorcyclist. I know that when I’m finished with my sessions at VIR with CLASS or the dirt lessons I just took at DC Dirt Camp, I am much more aware of what I am doing right or wrong and my riding becomes more of a joy, almost lyrical. When I am not able to get on my bike for a time, my brain needs to concentrate a little more, the crystalizing sap needs to be fractured and resettled.

We’ve always touted taking riding classes, of any kind, to strengthen your skills and open the envelope. There isn’t really any substitute to keeping the mind fresh, like the Tone Traveler, for your motorcycle riding. I think that most of you reading these pages are passionate about riding and opt to be on your bike over almost anything else. You know that the music of the road is some of the sweetest sounds you can hear.

For those who might be a little tone-deaf, just try turning up the volume a little, flip the page to the next lesson and let the music move you. ,

red ryder

Motorcycling attracts “characters” and that’s an apt description of my old friend Red. Picture a garrulous, stumpy, red-haired, Italian/Anglo, Navy-veteran, motorcyclist from Philly. When Red got out of the Navy in the 60’s and came to work at Patuxent River, the base was in a heyday of flight tests of interesting, and usually dangerous, new aircraft. There were several squadrons with tons of Navy men here and the local community reflected the wide-open Navy lifestyle. The main road out of the base was lined with pawn shops, bars, and strip joints that catered to sailors who sallied forth with their pay. St. Mary’s County was known as “little Las Vegas” because gambling was legal: even the local Rexall Drug Store had 35 slot machines.

Allegedly, the county had more alcohol-selling businesses per capita than any other place in the nation. The very first mixed drink I had when I came here in ’86 was from a drive-up window (I was a passenger). We still have several liquor stores with drive-up windows, although getting a mixed drink in a “go cup” is no longer legal. The county even had a small island, accessible only by boat, whose sole habitation was a bar/brothel. It was into this barrel that Red and his motorcycles were cast.

Red was a big fan of BMW’s and the K75 triple suited his small stature but desire for performance. I saw an old picture of him next to a Harley, but I don’t know if he had one. He had a selection of machines, but in later days, K75 BMW’s with and without sidecars were his cup of tea. He was a member of a local organization called the Silver Wheels Motorcycle Club whose members were as crazy as he was. It wasn’t a one-percenter club: Red and his friends represented a far more eclectic, rare sample of the population. One of the stories he told was of Red and his buddy John - a handlebarmoustached character in his own right - doing a “road rally” whose rules were never clear to me, but which apparently involved the sidecar passenger

chucking an open bag of flour onto competing vehicles in the rally (which included both bikes and cars). The details are hazy because the participants were a little hazy at the time of both the rally and the story.

During the heyday of the Silver Wheels, not only was gambling legal, but the local constables were very lenient when it came to drinking. Being pulled over would result in being told to drive home on the shoulder or, if the impairment was deemed worse, a ride home in the back of the cruiser. This was a perfect environment for Red and his friends. One story he told on himself was using his last shred of consciousness to get his K75 home, whereupon he put down the stand and fell off the bike. Unable to go farther, he slept on the driveway until awakened the next morning by his longsuffering wife, Marie, because the neighbors were beginning to ask if he was dead. Red’s guardian angel worked overtime.

Red existed before the age of bike-to-bike Bluetooth, but stifling him was impossible, so he developed a repertoire of hand signals intelligible largely only to him. He’d ride down the road trying to communicate, but by all appearances, he was having a seizure. One time he and his friend John (of road rally infamy) were riding together and John’s attention wandered, which it was prone to do. Red slowed to render some hand signals and John rode right into the back of him. I remember Red leading us with his sidecar rig on a ride to Morton’s BMW Open House and, while he was looking in his mirrors to make sure all his “ducks were in a row” and waving his arms in some indecipherable semaphore, he rode right through a red light. But his longsuffering guardian angel was on duty once again, so he came to no grief.

Red would share many stories as we enjoyed breakfast at the local cafe where we’d meet before a ride, his eyes alight with mirth. He was a true motorcycling raconteur who delighted in talking, riding, and talking about riding. Regular readers will know I write about “the usual suspects” and he was the most suspect of them all! And now, he can finally thank his recentlyretired guardian angel in person, probably in some combination of ribald tales and indecipherable hand signals. ,

Thanks Shira.

Can’t tell you how enjoyable and helpful Backroads has been in planning trips. And your Inside Scoop is an absolute favorite of mine. You wouldn’t believe how many shops I’ve visited thanks to those articles.

Stay Well

Frank J Matullo

Free Wheelin’ – Mrs. Davis

Hi Brian,

About that. First let me say that in general I feel that all the modern digital and electronic gizmos are tools like any other. They can be used for good, evil, and stupid. Granted, some of the tools (Like nuclear reactors) and very dangerous and need to be kept out of the hands of ….well …assholes. That said I too just acquired an XT2. It is my first GPS. In spite of (or because of) being ridiculed for living in a cave, I held out all these years. It has been and is a point of pride for me that I know how to read a map. (OK Millennial). The thing is, I used to be able to look at a map, plan a detailed ride in my head and remember it. Or scan a rip and ride (remember when we had paper rip and rides to actually rip?) and remember that too. The remembering part is getting to be a problem so clearly, I do need this electronic crutch.

I don’t understand you’re lamenting the eminent demise of BaseCamp.

Frankly more than anything that was what I was really waiting for before I took the plunge. I tried to use BaseCamp several times and came close to throwing the computer through the window.

The XT2 seems so much simpler and intuitive. I don’t have it completely mastered yet, but I am leaving for Milwaukee via the North Shore of the Lakes on Sunday. I think I have the basics down well enough for a successful trip. If not I have paper maps (yes you can still get them) with me for backup. When I get back we should talk and compare notes.

Best

Danny

Hey Backroads,

Just read May 2023 Free Wheelin - when I bought my KLR in 2009 I posted a picture on the message boards and I got ripped apart on how clean my bike was, even comments on the tires having Armor All on them, that freaked a lot of guys out. Two weeks prior I was up to the seat in a water crossing and in clay type mud. I’m an ex -80’s moto-cross racer. Me personally I keep my stuff, shop, bikes cars like NASCAR, super clean. How do you work on a dirty bike? Do you really want dirt to end up in the carburetor or in the motor.

I wished them well and called them “dirt merchants”. Aerostich sells a bottle of mud to splash on your bike if you feel the need.

Never underestimate a rider’s skills, who has a clean bike!

Harvey Mushman

DAVE SWISHER • RIP

Morton’s BMW is sad to announce that David Swisher, for years the king of high mileage on BMWs, has passed away at the age of 93.

Morton’s had the distinct pleasure of awarding David his numerous mileage awards, concluding with one for 1.8 million miles on BMWs. The photo commemorates that occasion with (from left) Morton’s BMW owner Jeff Massey, David and Mary Swisher, their son Jim, Laurence Kuykendall (then with BMW Motorrad USA), and Muriel Farrington from the MOA and a good friend of the Swishers.

A retired dairy farmer, Davis was the first person to document 1,000,000 miles on BMW motorcycles, and BMW Motorrad USA named the million mile award after him. Aside from the staggering number of miles he rode, perhaps the most amazing part of his story is that he didn’t start riding

BMWs until he was in his 40s. He kept riding, through various health issues, over the years, the deaths of both Lyle Grimes – a frequent riding partner and fellow million-mile rider – and David’s wife Mary. Eventually, David had to give up two -wheeled riding, but he then bought a CanAm Spyder and put tens of thousands of miles on it before hanging up his helmet for good.

David Swisher was a true legend, and will be missed at Morton’s BMW and in the motorcycling community at large.

MIC CLAIMS INDUSTRY FLATAS SALES DRY

The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has released their 2022 Motorcycle Statistical Annual, a comprehensive collection of data about the motorcycle business in America, featuring detailed information on vehicle population, owner demographics, product use, sales, market share, manufacturers, distributors and dealerships nationwide.

“While 2022 is pretty much flat compared to 2021 and 2020, it still is a significant increase from 2019,” explains Buckner Nesheim, MIC Director of Research & Statistics. The industry’s reference book has been updated and the data indicates 2022 sales of new motorcycles and scooters decreased by -3.5% over the previous year, while ATVs decreased -12.7%.

“When we compare 2022 to 2019 sales, off-highway is up +36%, on-highway is up +4%, and scooters are up +12%,” notes Nesheim. “Dual sport (ADV) is a tremendous growth story. Sales in this category have increased every year since 2016 and more dual sport motorcycles were sold in 2022 than in any other year since we started collecting data in this category in 1990.”

MIC data for the full year 2022 shows total powersports industry new model retail sales at -6.2% (733,537 units compared to 781,806 units in 2021). Domestic U.S. on-highway retail motorcycle sales were 297,174 units for the year (-5.4%); scooters at 22,181 units (-4.3%); dual sport models (ADV) were 72,643 units (+0.0%); off-highway motorcycles were -5.0% (145,216 units), with ATV retail sales -12.7% at 196,860 units.

DUCATI JOINSWITH LOCAL ARTIST

Ducati North America has partnered with acclaimed artist Mickalene Thomas and the RxART children’s charity to auction a unique, hand-painted 2024 Scrambler Ducati Icon during the Modern and Contemporary Art program by Heritage Auctions back on May 23. Proceeds will benefit the RxART children’s charity as part of a Ducati partnership with men’s clean skincare brand, ATWATER.

Ducati is proud to continue its partnership with ATWATER beginning earlier this year. The first phase of the collaboration resulted in a limited-edition custom soap bar, with proceeds benefiting RxART. Now, in the second phase, RxART has commissioned celebrated artist Mickalene Thomas for the upcoming Heritage auction.

As an acclaimed artist of her generation, Mickalene Thomas is renowned for her ability to explore the intricate interplay between race, femininity, and beauty through her unique artistic language. Her distinctive aesthetic and exceptional skills make her an ideal partner for the transformation of a Scrambler Ducati into a work of art. Thomas’ expertise in material and image creation imbues the Scrambler Ducati Icon with new opportunities of color, style, and concepts.

The auction’s proceeds will go toward funding RxART’s installation at the newly opened SUNY upstate: Nappi Wellness Institute in Syracuse, NY. RxART’s mission is to introduce contemporary art into children’s hospital settings, creating uplifting and engaging healing environments. Ducati is honored to support these efforts in transforming the lives of those in need.

MIC TO ADD “ADVENTURE BIKE” TO MARKET SEGMENT

With the growing popularity of the adventure bike market segment, the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) has announced it will add a new category to its Retail Sales Report (RSR) for the first time in decades. The MIC Research & Statistics Department will divide the adventure and dual sport categories as specific types underneath the general dual heading in the April RSR.

MOTORCYCLE TRAINING GRADUATES EXEMPTEDFROM SKILLS TESTIN KENTUCKY

Senate Bill 60, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator Brandon J. Storm was signed into law by Governor Andy Beshear on March 17, 2023 “to exempt applicants for a motorcycle operator’s license who have passed an approved motorcycle safety education courses from written and skills testing required under KRS 186.480.”

Under this measure, passed unanimously 98-0 in the state senate, Kentucky now joins with many other states where rider training course graduates can obtain a waiver for the riding skill test and/or written knowledge test portion of their state’s license exam requirements.

BIG FOURTO CONDUCT JOINT RESEARCHON HYDROGEN MOTORCYCLES

Japan’s Big Four motorcycle manufacturers will conduct research and development together, announcing a bold new plan to cooperatively develop hydrogen-powered motorcycle engines. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha executives all gathered at a Tokyo press conference on May 17 to announce the formation of HySE, which stands for “Hydrogen Small Mobility and Engine Technology.”

HySE will pursue three main research and development areas, with responsibilities for each divided among the four OEMs as follows:Research on hydrogen-powered engines (Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki Motors); Study on hydrogen refueling system (Yamaha); and Study on fuel supply system (Kawasaki Motors).

Clean “green” hydrogen is theoretically possible, though it’s been prohibitively expensive to produce, but according to the US National Resources Defense Council, implementation of the massive hydrogen tax credit included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 could be a game-changer in terms of clean hydrogen development incentivization for companies. ,

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

WHATISTHE POCKET TRIPOD?

POCKET TRIPOD PROUNIVERSAL KIT

As per the name, the function of the Product Tripod is to act as a highly portable and convent way to have a tripod with you at all times. Shaped like a standard-sized credit card (with a patented design) it has a fold-out mechanism that allows you to transform and angle the tripod in a variety of ways for different photo or video shots. Its main innovation comes from its circular fluid tilt adjustment that allows the tripod to be precisely fine-tuned for pointing to key angles (5-degree minor and 15-degree major divisions). The convenience comes with how well it fits inside a wide variety of different wallets from the very largest to the smallest. When travelling on your motorcycle, you don’t want to take up space with bulky photo equipment and as most phones today have such great cameras built in, even taking a 35mm digital camera has become passe. The Pocket Tripod will easily tuck inside wallet or tank bag side pocket.

DEVICE COMPATABILITY

One important aspect when going about purchasing the Pocket Tripod is will it work with my smartphone? The simple answer is yes, but it will depend on which version of the Pocket Pro you choose.

In total, there are two different models/versions of the Pocket Pro from which you can choose. The first is the single size version. While being the cheapest, it allows you to chose the right version for your phone but doesn’t provide any additional mounts. For example, if you decided to switch phones or somebody wanted to borrow your Tripod with a different phone, there are no adapters to, well, adapt. The alternative version, the universal kit, does exactly what it says on the package and allows the Tripod to be used on a larger array of different smartphone.

(Quick note:Remember to take into consideration any case you might have on your phone also).

MATERIAL & QUALITY

The Pocket Tripod has been built with fantastic attention to detail and quality materials. Made from 3K Twill carbon fiber, precision CNC’d, and over-molded with plastic, the Pocket Tripod is incredibly lightweight yet durable. Carbon fiber is most notorious for its use in high-performance sports cars.

Along with this, parts used to connect the hinges and overall mechanism are incredibly well manufactured and designed and won’t be broken even under incredible strain (even though it does feel quite brittle at times in the hand. It can really handle stress and strain). Finally, the tripod is also available in a small but eclec-

Free WheeLin’ Continued from Page 3

Mark Tuttle from Rider Magazine along with Jon Rall and Mike Vaughan from Kawasaki – always stalwart friends to us and to Backroads… and so many others. But that is just on the business-side of the motorcycle industry.

It is on the personal level that this list would most likely take up most of this issue. There are so many of you we have met and befriended simply because of our shared love of motorcycles.

But, what about you?

We are very aware of the fact that Backroads has allowed so many of you to meet, bond, ride, and grow together.

Ask yourself how many good people you count as friends have been brought into your life by this magazine? We hope more than just a few.

It is probably Backroads’ greatest legacy. There is a mystique about the solo rider, tearing across the open desert with a plume of dust in their wake. But, in truth, we think it is not about the solo adventures, but rather the friends and bonds we created, nurture, and grow during the journey that make the backroads worth riding. See ya on the road! ,

tic array of color options. At checkout, you can choose between five different colors including Black, White, Green, and Pink. They often also release new colors to keep things fresh if you’re ever looking for a more distinctive or unique look.

The Universal SingleSize sells for $30 and the Universal Kit is just $10 more – seems like a nobrainer to get the full kit. The website is very comprehensive and will walk you through sizing for your phone and case. The Pocket Tripod is a great accessory for any road trip to capture those special moments, especially when you are on your own. www.pocket-tripod.com

Thisilldous Eatery presents GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

harraseeket LUnch & LoBster company

36 Main Street, South Freeport, Maine 04078

207-865-4888 • www.harraseeketlunchandlobster.com

There is little better on a day trip than a bit of Surf & Turf. This month’s stop on the Great All American Diner Run had its start just a few miles east of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire and just west of the Granite State’s border with Maine.

Shira had whipped together a big loop ride that would spin us along some of the prettier backroads bearing ever eastwardly in direction and finally to the sea. Along the way, there would be mountain gaps, long stretches of forest, a quick pass through a desert of sorts and then finally pulling up to a quaint New England pier with a combination of pleasure and working boats tied up to the docks. Welcome to Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company!

Riding up I drank in all the coastal Maine flavors – the view, the smell, and the taste of the Atlantic which would stretch a few thousand miles over the horizon to the town of Fisterra, the furthest point west in Spain, just north of the border with Portugal.

I think Shira would have liked to take all the credit for this find, but the tip really came from Connie, the innkeeper at the Candlebay Inn – one of Freeport’s neatest inns and a long-time supporter of Backroads.

If you are looking for a place to call a basecamp in this region, this is the spot - candlebaymaine. com

tasty places to take your bike

Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company is a familyoperated restaurant, that has been serving up lunch and dinner from May to October since 1970. As we said they are located on the beautiful South Freeport waterfront in South Freeport, Maine, and they are a true operating fishing business. Harraseeket has long been considered a local landmark for natives and visitors alike. For over 40 years, the Coffin family has strived to maintain a small-town family atmosphere, and it shows. Here you can enjoy the freshest seafood, literally “off the boat” inside at their comfortable dining room or out in the fresh Atlantic air under their canopied deck on classic picnic tables taking in the views of the beautiful harbor and the fishing boats bringing in their daily catch.

We were told they had the “Best” Lobster rolls in the region – a big statement here on the coast of Maine – and we’ll tell you they did not disappoint.

In addition, you can order delicious Maine shrimp, clams, scallops, and fabulous homemade desserts using handed-down family recipes.

While most went for the “Lobsta Rolls” I went for the real deal and ordered up a very large lobster that I got to approve before he dropped into that great hot tub in the sky. Deeeelicious!

cookies, brownies, Shain’s of Maine Ice Cream, and of course, their famous whoopie pies can be had. You can also take live lobsters home with you. In keeping with Harraseeket’s tradition, you are welcome to bring your favorite beer or wine to enjoy with your meal, but not maybe on the bikes, right?

Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster has been featured on TV shows like Rachel Ray, numerous articles in papers from Massachusetts and New York, Downeast Magazine, New England Magazine, and Favorite Lobster shacks… and now the pages of Backroads. We tell you… it was our pleasure.

Next time you are running along the Maine Coast stay a few days at the Candlebay Inn and check out Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company – you will not be disappointed. ,

Not to be outdone, our friend Mark ordered a lobster of equal titanic size and heft… and then had a lobster roll too. Simply genius!

Others, and we had a lot of folks rolling up to the dockside parking lot at Harraseeket, ordered the full and complete Seafood Basket – that seemed to have a bit of everything.

For those of you who would wish to stay more turf, than surf – Harraseeket offers burgers, chicken, hot dogs, roast beef, turkey, and other such land-based sandwiches. But, seriously, we think you should go Ocean or stay home. A good burger you can get in Anytown, USA, but for real, salty, oceany seafood – best go to the sea. They also offer up dessert – if by any chance you have room and desire and pies,

Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

daisy airgUn mUseUm

202 W Walnut St, rogerS, ar 72756

479-986-6873 • www.daisymuseum.com

Words & Images: Joe Murfin

When I was a wee lad – my uncle talked my mother into letting him buy me a Daisy #95 air rifle.

To him it was a start into manhood and responsibility.

To my mother and grandmother, he might as well have been handing me an M-16, with a M203 grenade launcher strapped below!

Then there is Ralphie, and Christmas Story.

You can’t mention BB Guns, or Air Rifles without somebody HAVING to mention this film. Like we hadn’t heard it before?

Statistically, falling is still the #1 culprit of kids getting hurt in the USA - and with a bit of supervision and a pair of safety glasses, air rifles barely scratch the stats. So let us embrace one of the most enduring and iconic toys of American Childhood – The Daisy Air Rifle; and the best place to do that is in the small burg of Rogers, Arkansas. BR

The abundance of spectacular motorcycle rides in Arkansas has been a well-kept secret among those who escape here for a motorcycle road trip.

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

From the wide-open Delta plains to the twisty mountain backroads, the riding here is phenomenal and the scenery is like nowhere else. With routes that compete with famous rides across the country, you’ll need to add an Arkansas road trip to your bucket list.

There are a lot of big reasons to visit Rogers, Arkansas, near Beaver Lake in the foothills of the Ozark. One of the biggest ones stands 25-feet tall.

It’s referred to as the World’s Largest Daisy BB Gun and it sits on the sidewalk and is anchored to, appropriately, the Rogers Daisy Airgun Museum. Daisy Manufacturing was founded as the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company in Plymouth, Michigan, in 1882. It made windmills of steel when others made them of wood. The steel windmills were not well received, and in 1888, the company was considering bankruptcy. Its president was presented with a prototype steel BB gun, which he shot into his wastebasket and later fired through a wood shingle. He exclaimed, “Boy, that’s a daisy.” According to legend, the gun, named Daisy, was given as a premi-

um item to farmers who bought a windmill. By 1889, the manufacture of windmills was discontinued in favor of airguns, and in 1895, the company’s name was changed to Daisy Manufacturing.

Seeking a more centrally located manufacturing facility, Daisy moved to Rogers in 1958. The state-of-the-art plant was built south of town. Eight years later, a one-story brick and glass addition was built to house a collection of antique airguns. This first Daisy Museum in Rogers was dedicated on September 21, 1966. The museum consisted of six upright cases and two flat display cases housing antique airguns from Europe as well as an excellent representation of the company’s product, dating to the 1880s.

In 1997, when Daisy Manufacturing began outsourcing the manufacturing of parts, an assembly operation was established in Neosho, Missouri. Daisy’s headquarters remained in a Rogers industrial park. Recognizing that the industrial park was not an adequate home for the museum, the company sought a different location. An old bank building at 114 South 1stStreet became available. In March 2000, First Lady Janet Huckabee, “shot the ribbon” to open the new Daisy Museum.

On October 25, 2004, the museum was relocated to the corner of 2nd and Walnut streets. This historic building, dating to 1896 and known as the former Rexall Drug building, was selected for the high visibility to tourists traveling U.S. 62 and visiting historic downtown Rogers.

Today, the museum houses an expanded collection of airguns and displays of antique furnishings, posters, postcards, photos, letters, advertisements,

catalogs, promotional materials, and World War II items. The first Daisy Red Ryder BB gun ever made, a protypical gun, given to the illustrator of the Red Ryder comics, is on display – along with an example of every change in that model’s history. There’s a story about two golf balls, marked Daisy on one side and Victor on the other, and how they ended up on the surface of the moon. And, you can read about how Daisy got into the firearm business; making a caseless ammunition .22 cal. rifle, rimfire .22 cal. rifles, and even .50 cal. sniper rifles. The mission of the non-profit museum is to preserve and protect the collection of airguns and artifacts related to the history of Daisy and to make it available to the public. In addition, the museum serves a growing community of collectors of Daisy guns and memorabilia.

Daisy’s products are available in the gift shop. The museum also creates and markets limited-edition airguns and other collectibles. When in the region make some time to take in the Daisy Airgun Museum… Tell them Ralphie sent you… ,

miss moLLy’s inn Bed & BreakFast

4141 Main St, ChinCoteague, Va 23336

757-336-6686 • missmollys-inn.com

Photography DSC Photography

We like a good story. We love a great story. For many, many years we have always found a reason to sneak down along the middle of the Delmarva Coast to the small island of Chincoteague. But a bit of history on this little spit of land…

Until European explorers possessed the island in the late 17th century, the Chincoteague Indians used it as a place to gather shellfish, but are not known to have lived there; Chincoteague Island lacked suitable soil for their agriculture. The island’s name derives from those early visitors: by one popular tale,Chincoteague meant “Beautiful land across the water” in their language.

Although a few people were living on the island by 1700, it was primarily used as a place to graze livestock. This was probably the origin of the famed Feral Poniesthat long roamed in the area. They are no longer present in the wild on Chincoteague Island. During the American Revolution, the islanders

supported the new nation’s bid for independence, and in the American Civil War, the islanders supported the Union despite being located in a seceded state, yet the war touched Chincoteague only lightly. Oysters became a major industry in the postwar years. Chincoteague’s relative isolation ended in 1876 with the arrival of the railroad in Franklin City, just across the bay from the island, and the initiation of a dedicated steamboat service between the two settlements. Nevertheless, contemporary visitors found Chincoteague primitive. In 1925; the new volunteers took over the traditional Pony Penning, and soon had ponies from nearby Assateague Island swim the narrow channelbetween the two islands as part of that roundup. The carnival, pony swim, and subsequent auction constitute a highlight of the town’s calendar, attracting tens of thousands to the island. Today as you roll in over Virginia Road 175, you first have to pass NASA’s Wallops Island – our new Space Center.

This region is not so primitive anymore, is it?

But, it still has a wonderful charm – all its own; and it is that charm that has made Chincoteague one of the best destinations on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, but there was one other part to this story that brought this island into the national spotlight - The success of Marguerite Henry’s 1947 children’s book Misty of Chincoteague, and its sequels helped publicize Chincoteague, as did the 1961 film Misty.

Let us tell you about a delightful Bed & Breakfast that was a most important piece of Chincoteague’s history.

Marguerite Henry came to Chincoteague in the summer of 1946, with little information about the island and an event called Pony Penning. She stayed at Miss Molly’s Inn as her home away from home while gathering information. She spent afternoons on the porch with Miss Molly and Captain Jack, discussing ideas for the book. Miss Molly recommended she get in touch with the Beebe family, who raised Chincoteague Ponies at the Beebe Ranch. There at the ranch, Marguerite met Misty. It was love at first sight. With the stories, friendships, love of the island, and horses she found here on Chincoteague, the book nearly wrote itself.

Wytheville VA Tourism presents WE’RE OUTTA HERE a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

Nearly 75 years later – while the world hunkered down there was a wedding.

You would have to think that any such event that year would be memorable – but this one even more!

Meet your Innkeepers…

Renata & David Murphy took their vows and looked for an easy, safe, and happy honeymoon.

You know how Backroads’ felt about all that – good for them. They began this journey like yours will, as guests of Miss Molly’s Inn. The two fell in love with Miss Molly’s Inn, and after discovering it was for sale, they lost no time in purchasing it.

Today it has become one of the most popular places to stay on the island, and certainly one of the prettiest.

We have strolled by it many times… it is time for a visit.

The Murphy’s have six lovely rooms at the inn; all comfortably finished with an airy feel. The Miss Molly, the Bay Room, the Upper Deck, the Mazza Family Suite, and the Captain Jack’s Room (sorry, no Billy Joel), and one very special room – the Marguerite Henry Room. This is the grand room where Marguerite Henry stayed and wrote the famous book “Misty of Chincoteague” in 1946. This room’s luxurious King size bed, lace curtains, comfortable sitting area, and full bath set the stage for rest and romance.

Awake to freshly brewed coffee before a lovely 3-course breakfast. Homemade snacks and drinks are available all day. Grab some beach gear and a packed lunch for some sun time, or enjoy afternoon English Tea at the Inn Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.

We cannot talk enough about this part of the east coast of the United States. We fell in love with the region years ago and will keep coming back for years more.

If you are looking for a sweet escape, then point your wheels along the coast of Virginia and Miss Molly’s Inn – you will be more than delighted. ,

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

coraL castLe • aone-man mystery

Every now and again we come across something so odd, unusual, and different that it must be seen in person to be appreciated.

For years I have heard about such a place deep in southern Florida, just above the river of grass they call the Everglades.

What made this place cut a deep notch in my “Must See List” was the continuing mystery that still follows it to this day, more than 100 years after construction was started. Alien technology, individual know-how, maybe a bit of both… welcome to Coral Castle.

Just north of the city of Homestead, Coral Castle is an amazing site. Built from over 1,000 tons of megalithic coral rock; dense blocks which from 1923 until 1951 were quarried, carved, and stacked to form towers, beds and tables, rocking chairs, sundials, and bizarre astrological figures – it is made all that much more amazing when you learn that it was all constructed over almost three decades by one man - Edward Leedskalnin, a young stone mason from Latvia.

Still, and this is where it gets odd, no one really knows how Leedskalnin accomplished all this. So many ideas, and thoughts – from pulleys and magnetism to witchcraft and extraterrestrial intervention – but behind it all lies a

profound science of geometry, a technique of mass manipulation which the architect himself claimed to have inherited from the builders of King Solomon’s Temple and the pyramids of Egypt before that.

Or, maybe that all added to the story. He refused to allow anyone to view him while he worked. A few teenagers claimed to have witnessed his

work, reporting that he had caused the blocks of coral to move like helium balloons. The only advanced tool that Leedskalnin spoke of using was a “Perpetual Motion” holder”.

But why did he build it?

The story goes that Edward was in love with a girl ten years younger than he named Agnes Skuvst. They were to be wed, but Agnes got cold feet and called off the marriage a day before the wedding.

Crushed, yet still very much in love, Leedskalnin left Latvia and traveled to the United States, where he settled in a part of Florida that, back in those days, was very, very wild. Then he began to create a monument to his lost love; sometimes referring to it as a tribute to his “Sweet Sixteen.”

Although all this sounds so romantic, other stories have Edward fleeing arrest after the Russian revolution in his native Latvia and his lost love Agnes just a good story for him to tell. No one knows, and that is part of the mystery as well.

When Ed was finished he had crafted stone totaling 1,110 tons — including a 9-ton gate, 5.8-ton walls, and a 28-ton obelisk. It should be of note that Leedskalnin was just 5 feet tall and weighed about 100 pounds.

One theory, more a story, tells how Leedkalnin was aware of the natural energy grids that surround the Earth, and that this particular location would work to his advantage.

Edward Leedskalnin disputed contemporary science and believed all matter consisted of magnets that could produce measurable phenomena and electricity. Ed would say he had rediscovered the laws of weight, measurement, and leverage and that these concepts involved the relationship of the Earth to celestial alignments. Many people report that he used harmonics combined with grid energies and celestial alignments to do his work. Harmonics are often thought to lift objects. Tibetan Monks combine their harmonics to elevate heavy objects. Ed proceeded to develop a means of leveraging power generated from the geomagnetic grid and produced a system to generate anti-gravity waves. Edward’s notebooks were laden with schematics for magnetism, and electrical experiments. Although he possessed only a fourth-grade education, it seems he had discovered a means to reduce the gravitational pull of the earth. He wrote a series of pamphlets that included his theories on magnetism and cosmic force.

Leedskalnin himself claimed that he knew the “secret” of the ancient pyramids, and some allege he used those secrets to assemble the structure. He was quoted as saying, “I have discovered the secrets of the pyramids, and have found out how the Egyptians and the ancient builders in Peru, Yucatan, and Asia, with only primitive tools, raised and set in place blocks of stone weighing many tons.”

In December of 1951 Ed Leedskalnin, at age 64, became ill. He put a sign on the door saying ‘Going to the Hospital’. He took a bus to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Three days later he died in his sleep of malnutrition and kidney failure, taking his secrets with him.

Today Coral Castle not only survives but readily welcomes visitors. Upon entry, you can and should watch the short documentary to get a better grasp

of how intricate the castle is. Strolling the grounds we watched quick, agile, and colorful Agamas – tiny African lizards that came as pets but now rule the land. We fell in behind a guided tour that had just begun which allowed us to glean some info I might have missed on my own.

When first open the site was called Rock Gate – named after the massive 9-ton gate that, at one time, was so easy to open a strong breeze could do it. I passed by the Moon Stone, the Polaris telescope, the world’s only sundial with seasons all carved out of coral rock, that is perfectly aligned with the North Star, and the many stone rocking chairs that are scattered through the castle.

I could not help but marvel at the thought of one man shaping, moving, and placing these titanic stone works.

But the question still remains – how did this diminutive, often ill, Leedskalnin lift, move and place these on his own?

It seems the real truth died with Leedskalnin and certainly makes Coral Castle a must-see on the backroads of Mysterious America. O’Life out! ,

Listed as the world’s smallest and hardest to find ice cream shop was enough to pique my interest. Of course, the recommendation from riding friend Eric was also a push to head to Saugerties, NY to seek out this New York State delicious creamery.

We were going on an excursion to the villages up the Hudson which boast of quaintness and, as would be found, many eateries. Our destination was Tivoli – home to Fortune’s Ice Cream, which Food and Wine Magazine named the best ice cream in New York State in 2021 and featured in Backroads’ November 2021 issue as well as taking First Runner Up for that year. With such high honors, and having done a little reading about Alleyway Ice Cream in Saugerties, I thought it best to do our own taste test between these highly-rated creameries.

The day’s ride was as delicious as the anticipated ice cream. A beautiful sunny, cool weekday heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Brian vectored us on some little roads we had not previously traveled and some that we knew to be entertaining. After a stop at the UFO capital – Pine Bush, NY – for a bite and walk-through of the UFO Paranormal Museum (more on that from Dr. O’Life), we scooted along the shadows of the Shawungunks as well as following the northward path of the Wallkill River before vectoring east and up the Hudson into the very cute village of Saugerties, NY.

Easily finding parking, handily right at the entrance to the alley housing Alleyway Ice Cream, we took a moment to take in what was along Partition Street. We have been to many towns that do installations of various animals, usually sponsored by local businesses or community organizers. We were very happy to see that Saugerties had adopted horses, many looking like carousel horses, for this year’s theme. I’ve always been enamored by these town endeavors and, since folks had taken time and creativity to make these pieces of artwork, I obliged by walking the street to captures those I found. Horsin’ Around Saugerties is a summer-long event consisting of 35 artists painting fiberglass horses on the streets of Saugerties from Memorial Day thru Labor Day. The original theme of horses is an homage to the Stallions baseball team. There will be a walking map available so you can find them yourself. Check discoversaugerties.com for updates.

Having worked up a great need for ice cream, we made our way back to the alley. Julian Hom, founder of linen-closet-turned-ice cream shop, started scooping in 2017. Being a foodophile, Julian set out to develop unique yet delicious and visually appealing flavors. He was not out to unseat Hershey’s or Ben and Jerry’s in sales, simple to make people happy with his ice cream while living a nice life: hiking, traveling and such. The not-so-secret secret to Alleyway’s intense flavors is in what is missing – air, to be specific. Spinning less air into the ice cream gives it just enough ‘fluff’ to lighten the density yet keep the original flavors of the ingredients.

Alleyway Ice Cream is nicely set up with walk-up window and a very lovely seating area which had a pergola and beautiful seasonal flora full in bloom. This day’s offerings of their homemade, small batch ice cream included Coconut Coffee, Buttermilk Strawberry, Thai Tea Cookies + Cream, Matcha Salted Pistachio, Madagascar Vanilla, Caramel Popcorn, Belgian Chocolate, Key Lime Crunch and Ube Heath Bar Crunch. The last was the flavor Eric said was absolute favorite so taste it I did. Yes, it was delicious, but there were so many others that demanded my attention it was difficult to settle. Brian had a waffle cone absolutely stuffed with a scoop each of Buttermilk Strawberry and Coconut Coffee. The Buttermilk Strawberry was so creamy and like biting into a freshly-picked strawberry. The Coconut Coffee had a wonderful flavor, but the texture was more like a sorbet than ice cream.

Not bad at all, just different. I finally made a decision of Thai Tea Cookies + Cream and, yes, the Ube Heath Bar Crunch. Amazingly, while the cookies + cream certainly had that flavor, the underlying was of a smoky tea which lingered on the tongue. Very pleasant indeed. Ube, for those who may not know, is a purple yam native to Southeast Asia which has gained a great following in the dessert world due to its slightly nutty, vanilla taste. That mixed with heathbar crunch was extra special.

If you can’t decide, Alleyway Ice Cream does serve mini scoops at $5/each – perhaps they will offer a flight if enough folks ask for that. The double scoops we each got were HUMONGOUS and well worth the $8. There is plenty to share should you be that sort of person.

Here is the ride we took, starting at the Hainesville General Store on Route 206 in Sandyston, NJ – it’s about 95 miles one-way. There is so much to see and do in this area, an overnight is certainly not out of the question. Use this as a base and continue the adventure; if you find any other ice cream shops, take a picture and send it to me – I’m always looking for more ice cream. , Download .gpx file here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/80gvbb

We can never have too many ice cream stops on a daily ride, and July is National Ice Cream Month, with Sunday, July 16 National Ice Cream Day as set forth by President Ronald Reagan. I just recently came upon a couple of resources to help celebrate this greatest of months. One came from our very own Dan Bisbee, one courtesy of a daily e-newsletter from Hudson Valley, New York and one from New Jersey Digest. From these lists, I’ve selected a couple which are on my ‘cone list’ but I’ll give you the links so you can decide on your own. As mentioned in last month’s article by Victor Cruz, you can create your own Coddiwomple of ice cream shops.

apemcreamery / sorBetteria

870 Broad Street, BlooMField • 973-666-0438 • apemcreamery.com

Thurs/Fri 2-8pm or Sat/Sun 12-8pm

APEM Creamery / Sorbetteria is a modern minimalist gelato and sorbet shop by Jersey native Alex Saneski. After operating a gelato business in California (Cremeux Ex Machina) and traveling the world he decided to come home to proper Jersey people. APEM combines experiences of North-

ern California seasonality, Japanese and Nordic minimalism, French culinary training, plus Jersey grit and sarcasm to share something refreshing.

What is minimalist gelato? According to Alex, the most direct way to happiness is focusing on seasonal and simple things. Trim the bullshit.

And why did he come back to Jersey? “It’s blatantly the best state in America. I’ve lived elsewhere, but there’s nothing better than right here in Jersey where I was born and raised. APEM is my love letter to New Jersey.” Their flavors change often, if not daily, and many times sell out. With something like ‘Let Me Speak To Your Manager’ - double espresso stracciatella (inspired by his friend Karen) how would they not. Can’t wait to get there.

gaBrieL’s FoUntain kitchen + creamery

1948 WaShington ValleY rd, MartinSVille 732-469-5800 • gabrielsfountain.com

Sun-Thurs: 11:30-9 • Fri-Sat: 11:30-10

Another portal into the New Jersey of decades past, and a hidden gem of Martinsville (Bridgewater, NJ) specializing in artisan ice cream and well crafted foods. Gabriel’s Fountain is a great spot to grab a bite to eat and cap it off with some of NJ’s best ice cream. Gabriel’s specializes in hard ice cream and their unique flavors are undeniably attractive. Take the Aztec chocolate churro, which boasts a spicy dark chocolate base and cinnamon, or the sour cream and cherry, which includes sour cream infused base and bourbon cherries.

the BLUe pig

121 Maple St, Croton-on-hudSon, nY 914-271-3850 • thebluepigicecream.com

Tues/Wed/Thurs: 12-9pm • Fri/Sat: 12-9:30 • Sun 12-8pm

Heading over the Hudson into the Empire State, The Blue Pig sits on a quiet street in Crotonon-Hudson. The cute shop has a large patio and seating for your ice cream enjoyment. Homemade to the folks at Blue Pig means the most pure, natural ingredients straight from a local farm, our their garden, or Michael, the local coffee roaster. At The Blue Pig, they wash and hull every strawberry, juice pounds of fresh ginger, hand grate cups of lemon zest, and finely toast each nut that gets put into their ice cream. The result? Pure,distinct flavors in every spoonful. Their dairy comes from Hudson Valley Fresh, a not-for-profit dairy cooperative formed in 1998 to preserve nine family-owned farms in Dutchess and Columbia Counties. Dedicated to quality, sustainability, and local production, Hudson Valley Fresh is the only dairy source they would ever consider for their ice cream.

The Blue Pig’s got all your niche tastes covered; for example, try the grapefruit Campari sorbet or the fresh ginger ice cream with candied lemon. Vegan chai teas and fresh-baked cookies made with artisan flours can be found in colder weather. If you’re looking for specialties, the ice cream cakes, root beer floats, and orange soda floats are where it’s at.

Weir’s ice cream

2159 nY-94, SaliSBurY MillS, nY • 845-496-4258 • weirsicecream.com open eVerY daY 12-8:30pM

Founded in 1956, Weir’s is the retro roadside stand of Instagram dreams. The shop is open from April to September and is locally famous for its homemade hard scoops and unique soft serve flavors. Order the perfect twist of what-

ever soft serve options are on the menu for the day (vegan strawberry oat milk, anyone?) or get a sky-high stack of scoops like churro or “Wizard Tracks” (that’s vanilla ice cream with peanut butter swirl and mini peanut butter cups).

Weir’s is in a great riding area of Hudson Valley, on Route 94 and not too far from Storm King Art Center. Planning a ride along these old, smaller roads with a stop at a vintage-looking ice cream stand and then a walk amongst some fine outdoor sculptures is certainly a great way to spend a summer day in July. ,

Horse With No Name Horse With No Name

words and images: Brian Rathjen

On the first part of the journey

I was looking at all the life

There were plants and birds and rocks and things

DThere was sand and hills and rings America

ewey Bunnell was just a 19-yearold British kid when he wrote America’s signature single, “A Horse with No Name.” Originally titled “Desert Song,” it was in uenced by his childhood experiences in Southwestern America as the child of an American serviceman. Heck, it wasn’t even on the rst pressing of America – but it became and is an American anthem for so many. Me included.

As the calendar flipped to twenty-three, we looked to break a finger or two off Old Man Winter’s grip, and with the motorcycle industry’s trade show –AIMExpo - heading to Las Vegas in mid-February, we thought it might make sense for us to head west and spend a few days with the people who truly make our two wheels spin… the motorcycle industry. We could have just flown to Sin City, but what would be the fun in that? So, we reached out to Suzuki and asked if we could spend some time on a couple of their machines. We had hoped for the new 800, but they had not yet arrived, so Shira took the latest version of the V-Strom 650XT – and I was more than a tad pumped to take the keys of the new Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+,

Suzuki’s new flagship. Hayabusa and GSXR be damned – this bike got bags. I say flagship. Besides, when so many journalists and publications call the Bike of the Year and Suzuki’s GOAT – even I stick my head out the window in New Jersey and take note.

We flew to Orange County on Super Bowl Sunday, an easy travel day even if we routed through Phoenix - the home of LVII. It was a great game, but more importantly – with Super Bowl in the mirrors, riding season in the northeast was coming up fast!

Orange County to China Lake

Monday found us taking the keys and setting up the two Suzukis at the corporate headquarters in Brea, and by late morning we were motoring north and east towards the mountains, all snow-capped white in this second month of the year.

Shira was instantly comfortable on the V-Strom 650 XT, a machine she has put thousands of miles on herself, and I found the Metallic Triton Blue GSXS1000GT+ to be far more slender and nimble than I had anticipated. Suzuki had spent much time on the design and aerodynamics of this machine and it showed; from the first moment I felt comfortable, at home, and confident on this striking machine.

Along the way, we stopped to use a power cord to throw some juice into Shira’s Cardo Bluetooth, from the convenient USB plug on the GT+. We

had just been on the sideof the highway for a minute when I felt something pulling up behind me and turned to see Shira talking to a CHiPS Officer on a Harley. He’d seen us and stopped to make sure we were okay – which we were. Still, it led to a long conversation on what we were doing, where we were going, and a little warning on our planned route over the San Gabriel Mountains on the Angel’s Crest Highway – a motorcycle/sports car mecca – but maybe not for Aquarians, or this time of year?

We took note, as we did of the Angels Crest closed signs tossing us quickly into a Plan B. That was okay – we live in Plan B.

Still, right before Highway 2, I spied a sign that grabbed my attention. Shira saw it as well. It was just three words, but I could almost feel her as she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and counted down till she saw the GT+’s signal come on.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This is it.

The Big Boys & Girls of Deep Space Exploration. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory holds a unique place in the universe. They are the leaders in robotic space exploration, sending rovers to Mars, probes into the farthest reaches of the solar system, and satellites to advance understanding of our home planet.

Heck, there would have been no first Star Trek movie without them, as JPL launched Voyager One on September 5th, 1977. Nearly 50 years later it is still going strong and is currently heading toward the constellation of Ophiuchus, some 81.8 Light Years distant. Well, until the Borg grab it.

You might be able to see it. Look up –second star to the right… and straight on until morning.

Although tours can be had at JPL, it was something that needed to be arranged in advance. If I would have known, we would have, but I didn’t so we were out of luck. Still – I will tell you the two well-armed guards at the entrance were not amused when I rolled up, at a quick pace, for that Kodak moment. In fact, they were not amused in the least.

Lucky for me I was all “So sorry. No guns. Hey…. Can I take a picture?”

Jim, the least amused of the two, looked at me sternly and slowly his hand slipped off the Glock… “Is that the new Suzuki GT?” he asked.

Why yes, it is…Jim; and he then told me to park there for the best shot and we all chatted up like we were on the Group W Bench.

He was from New York - Utica - and had 12 motorcycles. Motorcycles beat domestic terror any day. Just stopping by JPL was outstanding to me – little did I know we would actually, maybe, top that later in the day.

With the road closed over the peaks, we routed down to Palmdale, on the Angels Forest Highway, and then to Palmdale. We had already touched the limits of the universe with JPL – but Palmdale has its own aviation history, one once blanketed in secrecy.

During lunch, I told Shira I had a surprise for her. She looked at me and smiled –not really. She hoped it didn’t involve the miles of unpaved Mojave Desert that we were knocking on. I assured her it didn’t.

Right outside the local airport is a wonderful collection of some amazing and historic aircraft. The Joe Davies Heritage Airpark showcases an amazing collection of aircraft flown, tested, designed, produced, or modified at the United States Air Force Plant 42 – located right behind the park. The airpark includes 21 retired military aircraft on static display, plus a 1/8 scale model of the B-2 Spirit, an AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile, a B-52, a C-46, and various aircraft components.

It is free and it is obvious that Palmdale has deep pride in its part in American aviation history.

But, there was one more thing… Shira spotted it first and she simply said… “Oh, are you having a wet dream today or what?”

Yes, she is beautiful and elegant.

Why, yes. Yes, I was. Oh, boy.

On my motorcycle at home, I have a sticker of a friendlylooking skunk. I have been asked about it, and my answer is usually deflective and with a bit of overwrought secrecy. I’d tell ya, but...well –you know.

But here it was –no secrecy anymore.

Lockheed-Martin’s Skunk Works. The GPS showed it a huge CHECKPOINT with a tank logo.

Not going to even attempt to say hi – but I did get a picture.

Let me explain… A skunkworks project is a project developed by a relatively small and loosely structured group of people who research and develop a project, often with a very large degree of autonomy, primarily for the sake of radical innovation. The term originated with Lockheed’s World War II Skunk Works project… an engineer named Irv Culver was a fan of Al Capp’s newspaper comic strip, “Li’l Abner.” In the comic, there was a running joke about a mysterious and malodorous place deep in the forest called the “Skonk Works,” where a strong beverage was brewed from skunks, old shoes, and other strange ingredients. The name worked then – it still does today.

This is where Stealth was born.

Over the years,the Skunk Works division in Palmdale, California, was given a more official moniker, Lockheed’s Advanced Development Programs, but its mission remained unchanged: build the world’s most experimental aircraft and breakthrough technologies in abject secrecy at a pace impossible to rival.

JPL AND Skunk Works. Okay – we can go home.

But instead, we rode across the desert, at times fighting some serious 40+ gusts, and then into the high desert town of China Lake – another place with a serious military history.

Finding the nearest chain hotel, we went in search of sustenance on the mean streets of China Lake.

China Lake to Vegas Baby!

I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name

It felt good to be out of the rain

In the desert, you can’t remember your name ‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain

A bit further on we stopped by a bright yellow historical marker for Ballarat – now a famous Ghost Town, but once part of a bustling mining industry and also for another off bit of moto-history as it was a stopping place for one of the cars running in what was called the World’s Longest Race that ran from New York to Paris in 1908. That automobile, a Thomas Flyer, arrived in the middle of the night on March 22. The sign said the race was 13,341 miles long and that very same car can be seen at Harrah’s in Reno. 1908?

Now that is amazing!

We ran north along the Panamint Mountains and then straight toward Death Valley on Route 190.

This is where this tale takes a dirty and very dangerous turn. Considering what we were about to spin into, perhaps a better choice of songs and lyrics come from the same album by America…

I understand you’ve been running from the man that goes by the name of the Sandman He ies the sky like an eagle in the eye of a hurricane that’s abandoned

Our plan was breakfast or lunch at Stovepipe Wells, but as we were approaching the junction we could see a dark cloud to the north, slowly heading east. We saw rain… or was it. Kinda hard to tell, but we have dealt with weather thousands of times, none of which would count this day as we were running headfirst into something unique. Unforeseen. Dangerous ‘Cause, there ain’t no one for to give you no pain?’

Well, yes there was.

Just ‘cause somebody is on a hitting streak doesn’t mean it can’t end in a New York Minute. ‘Cause it can and it will.

Our day started off sweet enough, heading out and across the western edges of the Mojave.

To our right, deep in the desert, we could see the towering Trona Pinnacles spiking up into a clear blue sky. These magnificent rocks are leftover from when this region was under a vast inland sea, some 100 thousand years ago, called the Searles Lake that stretched from present-day Mono Lake to Death Valley.

No sooner had we begun to climb higher into the mountains than the clouds dropped in and ate us. Literally. We went from fair weather to WTF winds. It only got worse from there. I saw the scraggly trees bend sharply towards the ground as the winds bounced off the rock walls and tangoed together. It was not a nice dance at all.

The V-Strom was being jostled to and fro – but the GT+, with its sleek bodywork, had become an unwanted sail. I felt the front wheel begin to skip, as the suspension struggled to keep the rubber on the pavement. Yikes!

The temperatures plummeted from 60 to 30 in a few miles as we rose higher. Then the sand began to fill the air. I could barely see Shira ahead of me, as I had slowed to control the bike and she had a pace that kept her going. By the time we crested at Towne Pass - at 5,000 feet - we could not see each other, and only our Bluetooth comms kept us in contact, as we rode up the 15% grade. All we could see was the road directly in front of us and then the

frightening rush as a car or SUV rolled past in the other direction. It was like getting passed by Great White sharks, and each pass shot another dribble of adrenalin into our bodies.

The GPS had a knife & fork just a few miles ahead. We made for that – we had no other real options, did we?

When we pulled into Stovepipe Wells we parked the bikes away from other vehicles and as close to a building as we could. The wind would push the Suzukis one way, and then quickly the other, and I saw the suspensions rise and fall… and simply thought there was nothing I could do –they were going to flip.

We pushed ourselves towards the restaurant, which was technically closed for another half an hour but was opening to let travelers in from Mother Nature’s asskicking outside.

We had sand and dust everywhere. I took off my helmet and spit out dirt. Frack me. Shira looked drained. I felt helpless.

The power would go off, then on… only to go out again. Even the locals looked worried. Never a good thing.

We stayed for a couple of hours, going out, now and again, to see that our rides were still, remarkably, upright.

We took lunch and slowly the tempest moved east and we got back underway, with clearing skies and an easier ride, past the dunes that were still blowing sand across the road and then down into the aptly named Death Valley.

We stopped at the Visitors Center and strolled up the long path to Zabriskie Point, with its stupendous view of the rainbow layers of rock, then carried on, passing by the old Amargosa Opera House, and then onto the town of Pahrump.

We knew there would be one more 5,000+ foot mountain pass, and it would be cold. What we didn’t know was what was waiting for us before we got there.

In the African desert, they call them Haboobs, which is Arabic for the word blown. Haboobs are giant walls of dust created from high winds rushing out of a collapsing thunderstorm. Cold air in front of the storm rushes down at an incredible rate, picking up massive amounts of dust and sand and blowing them into the air. What we saw was a wall of dark brown tearing across the road.

We rode right into it and, once again, we

disappeared. We slowed down to a crawl, cars coming the other way were doing the same. A mile or so later it instantly cleared, only to see another and then another Haboob ahead of us.

It was tiresome, anxiety-loaded, and was simply pissing me off.

Once again, this day I was seriously concerned for our safety – okay Shira’s. I could no longer see my wife, just a few hundred yards ahead of me.

A terrible feeling of dread consumed me.

As we got to the bottom of the peaks and hung a right off Route 95 onto 160, we had a clearing, if freezing, run into Sin City.

We spent more time riding down the strip and getting to the Sands Hotel (coincidence? I think not!) than from Pahrump. We rolled up to the door outside registration and the valet took one look at our sand and dust-coated bikes and told us we were good – go check in, clean up and the bikes would be fine for a bit.

No worries.

While waiting in line to check-in, total strangers, and people from the motorcycle industry, came up to ask if those were our bikes outside. Everyone was well aware of the frightful weather and, regardless of our real chicken-shit, kinda scared-to-death truth, we suddenly found ourselves the center of new and unwanted street cred.

“Oh, yeah, that’s us…” (Always sounds good and brave after the fact) That evening, after long hot showers, Shira said what I was thinking. We were both done with unwanted adventures. Sometimes just a really nice and fun day’s riding would be dearly appreciated.

The next few days were spent at the AIMExpo. Meeting up with industry reps, seeing what was new, old, and reborn, and catching up with some friends we never get to see enough.

But, there was one more thing we were very excited about. It’s Robot Fightin’ Time… Get ready for BATTLEBOTS!!!

Vegas to Needles

I’m leaving Las Vegas

Leaving for good, for good

We got an early start as, like Sheryl Crow, we wuz leaving Las Vegas vectoring north and around Lake Mead which was slowly filling up after years of hard drought, and then past Hoover Dam. We stopped to take in the view only to be shadowed by a healthy-looking coyote that came around the bikes, giving them and us a hard stare. Positive we were not roadrunners or holding any ACME anvils, he trotted off into the sagebrush and sand. He was

there and then gone… like a desert ghost. We made great time south, finding lunch at The Last Stop – part restaurant, all tourist trap – but it worked this day. We then did a good stretch on historic Route 66 just west of Kingman, first pulling into the old filling station at Cool Springs Station, for a caffeinated fill-up and a few photo-ops, before spinning up the twisty Gold Hill Grade to Oatman, with its 191 turns in just 8 miles, earning the road the name “The Sidewinder.”

Today the town has found a rebirth as a popular place to visit, drink in some of the old west, and enjoy the small burros, descendants from the mining days that still roam the town.

Our stop for the night was a short run to and over the Colorado River and back into California at Needles, where rooms were relatively cheap and welcoming.

Needles to Joshua Tree

We took our time getting going the next day and just drank in the Mojave’s beauty and desolation.

Oatman, Arizona, was founded in 1906, and by 1931, the mines had produced more than 1.8 million ounces of gold, back when gold was selling for $20 an ounce (today, the price is around $1,800). Still, miners pulled more than $36 million out of the mountains. Oatman was a booming mining town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with more than 10,000 residents, two banks, seven hotels, 20 bars, and a dozen other businesses, but things soon slowed down, and in 1941, the United States government ordered all mines closed due to World War II.

Along one road we sparred a bit with a new Mustang Mach One that rode along with us all the way to Chuckwalla Raceway.

We were hoping MotoAmerica was going to be practicing, but we were a few days early and missed Corey, Kayla, and friends… but got a chance to see the track, and the facilities and we took in a couple of NASA (National America Sports Association) sports cars racing –mostly Mustangs, Porsches and Miata’s going at it.

Fun track and great racing.

We cut towards Joshua Tree, but stopped for fuel and food at Chiriaco Summit, running right into several World War II Tanks sitting in the sand at the General Patton Museum. This was an unexpected discovery and truly amazing. General Patton was a brilliant military tactician, a powerful leader, and a man among men.

Did you know he was an Olympian and medaled athlete – way before he handed the Germans a stunned defeat? We didn’t. The museum had an amazing array of tanks and armored vehicles and it was here, along the miles of Mojave, that he trained his men and readied his tanks for the war in Europe. The museum is a must-stop while riding this part of the southwest.

We cut through Joshua Tree National Park – a place we have been so many times before… Yet each time feels new, fresh, and a bit overwhelming. The giant boulders, the impressive cholla, the 1,000–year–old trees that give the park, and one hell of a rock album, their name.

Joshua Tree is magical, special, and truly one of our favorite places on this planet.

As the sun was setting and the billions of stars were coming out to play, we rolled into our friends Yael and Vasilis’ home – some of our favorite people on the planet as well. We had a great free day with our friends and Baloo the Wonder Dog at Pioneertown taking breakfast at the Red Dog Saloon, and walking up and down the dusty Main Street of this old western town that was built in the 1940s by the likes of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers who wanted a place to film westerns, that was still more or less close to Los Angeles. Hundreds of films and television shows have been shot here.

Joshua Tree to San Diego

The next day we said our goodbyes and motored toward the San Bernadino Mountains. As we rode through Palm Springs, I spied a couple of fighter jets. An F-16, a MIG…. A MIG!? What is a jet from Mikoyan and Gurevich doing here in the desert?

Well, it was just a small part of the Palm Springs Air Museum.

We did a quick 180 and parked the bikes, while looking at our watches, thinking of our miles, and giving ourselves a couple of hours at today’s new museum discovery. Sorry Fred, if you and Cherrie had a fighter jet….

and produced and deployed to England. The American version was hot on its heels and the Luftwaffe was not too happy.

We were beginning to run late, so we headed over the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway that snakes itself up and over the San Bernadino mountains, and by late afternoon we were cruising through Julian and then down to San Diego - where we’d grab dinner with our son and daughter-in-law in the Little Italy section. Best way ever to end a trip!

San Diego to Suzuki

We had a great, if at times thrilling, eight days on the road – and our run up along the coast on Highway One made for an easy morning and a great way to close this chapter.

By early afternoon we had returned the machines to Suzuki and got ready for the flight back east – just as more crazed winter weather roared into the west coast.

This museum opened in 1996 and contains a serious collection of warbirds – including an F117 Stealth Bomber. Going through the wars of the 20th century – the Palm Springs Air Museum is simply amazing AND they offer flights as well. Stearman, C-47, T-6 Texan, T-28 Trojan…but if we are going up; let’s go big.

The museum also offers flights in a T-33 ($4,995) and a P-51 ($1,895); arguably one of the most famed piston-engine fighters in history. Its historic beginnings are nearly as fast as the plane itself.

At the beginning of the war, the British had urgently requested a low-altitude fighter aircraft that could also be used for reconnaissance… and the Americans answered. Within 120 days, this remarkable fighter was designed

We had covered a huge swath of the southwest - California, Nevada, and Arizona. We saw more than our share of great aviation history, got to bet on the Daytona 500 and the World Series in Vegas (Let’s Go Mets), and got to see some BattleBots destroying each other.

All in all, I think we did pretty well; and it was a superb way to break up the late winter months. We got through the rainy spring and into the beautiful days of early summer and we’re raring to go! ,

Sport Touring the Way it Used to Be!

Some 20 years back in the last century I had a 600 sportbike that seemed to constantly have soft saddlebags hanging off of it. Looking back, I still wonder how Shira and I would two-up on a 600 sportbike and go camping for a long weekend, or tour up into Nova Scotia. We even started a riding club called Sport Touring.

Those were the days.

These days it almost seems like the sport-touring world has been forgotten, and those who once would have been the first to plunk down money on a ST1300, FJR or Concours have lobbed their wallets towards today’s adventure machines.

Sure there are still offerings along the sport touring line of thought from BMW, Kawasaki and Yamaha – but Suzuki has a machine that fits the bill perfectly – the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+.

When we knew we were heading to the AIMExpo in Las Vegas this past winter, Suzuki was kind enough to lend us

two media machines. Shira was on the same ride she has here, the V-Strom 650XT, but I was offered the GSX-S1000GT+ and, after reading other reports and watching Suzuki’s videos on the machine (in Japanese I might add), I was more than a little stoked.

Being based on Suzuki’s proven GSX-S1000 sportbike, the Suzuki GSXS1000GT+ is a pure sport touring machine.

Looking at the sharp and angular bodywork of the GT+ (let’s just call the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ the GT+) I was concerned that the fairing and mirrors would be a bit too far forward – like when Ford gave the Mach One a Jimmy Durante nose in 1971, but in person the bike and its plastic just fit all together. A lot of time was spent on perfecting the aerodynamics of the GT+ and on a not so private long-range testing facility in the Californian desert, the machine was rock steady high into the triple digits and at every speed, wind and turbulence slid easily around me.

The fairing carries a mono-focused LED headlamp and the mirrors, which first seemed miles away, did an outstanding job of watching my 6.

The GT+ has a large full-color 6.5 TFT screen, showing a large analoglooking tach and other various bits of information – digital speedometer, fuel, temperature, miles to empty and other data.

Much of the display operates from the left hand switch gear. All this seamlessly works with your smartphone through Suzuki’s mySPIN app. This Bluetooth connection allows for access to your phone, contacts, maps and music and all the other things that seem SO IMPORTANT these days. This app can be paired with any Cardo, Sena or Bluetooth communications system you have mounted on your helmet. I can get luddicious about these things – but it all worked as advertised.

There is also a USB port on the dash – which came in handy a few times during this weeklong desert adventure.

The saddle, which sits 32 inches high, offered all day comfort and Shira had no complaints the few times we doubled up on the GT+ for dinner or scooting around a town, although she did feel, with a nearly 2.5 inch rise

in the passenger seat, she was a bit too high in the saddle for an all-day romp.

The GT+ comes with hard luggage color matched to the same Metallic Reflective Blue of the rest of the machine. (It is available in black as well). These bags are very easy to use and secure, easily gobbling up a weeks-worth of gear in one bag and my rolling office, computer and stuff in the other.

The bike’s twin spar aluminum frame rides on sport-sized 17 inch rubber, and the suspension is handled nicely by a fully adjustable KYB Suspension.

The GT+ has powerful, and very controllable, Brembo brakes up front working on floating rotors and a Nissan caliper handling the back.

Now it is time to talk about the gist of this matter.

The engine.

Yes, the engine. For this machine Suzuki placed their 150 horsepower K5 engine from their superbike and combining all these ponies and its svelte weight (521 lbs. with a full 5 gallons of fuel) and you have a very potent sport motorcycle… with bags!

On the road and the twistier parts of the San Gabriel mountains the bike was truly at home – gobbling up miles in a seriously quick, yet remarkable mature way.

When you add up everything Suzuki did to make this machine possibly the greatest sport-tourer on the planet you realize that they have come damn close.

But there is something else to consider. Economics.

BMW R1250RS - $15,700 Plus the bags.

Kawasaki Concours 14 - $16,000

Kawasaki Versys SE LT -$18,900

Yamaha FJR 1300 - $18,000

The Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ will run around $14,000, has drop-dead looks, superb handling and that friggin’ engine.

If you are looking for a real, true sport touring machine – the Suzuki GSXS1000GT+ is a no brainer. , ~ Brian Rathjen

On the road and for the days we had this machine in the desert it absolutely shined. The power was smooth and came on with gusto, and asking for Warp 7 was never an issue.

The power was strong, yet usable, and the fly-by-wire throttle felt more like a good old cable.

The GT+ has Suzuki’s Intelligent Ride System (S.I.R.S.), which includes the three-mode Suzuki Drive Mode Selector, and a five-mode Advanced Traction Control System, a Bi-directional Quick Shift System, and the popular Easy Start and Low RPM Assist systems.

All this makes it an easy machine to pilot.

What do you do during the winter?

I know almost every Thursday night we scoot over to the Discovery Channel for our weekly dose of BattleBots.

It has been our observation that once other riders and motor-heads get up to speed with what this show is about it fills that little void left in our souls –especially when it gets dark at 4:30.

When I say get up to speed; I mean like the rotating weapon of a 250-pound robot stalking across the Battlebots Arena looking to cause mayhem.

I have never been a big “fight guy”. Men and women punching each other silly never grabbed more than passing attention. Hurt is never a good thing – for whatever reason.

That doesn’t mean I don’t like to see a good fight – but it is certainly more entertaining when it comes in the form of technology, mechanics, knowhow, and a well-formulated battle plan.

BattleBots got its start back in 1999 and ran for several seasons on Comedy Network. That all ended in 2003, but the fighting picked back up in 2015 and has been gathering steam ever since, now watched in over 150 nations and five continents.

The big competitions are huge and hosts Chris Rose and Kenny Florian, along with the irrepressible announcer Faruq Tauheed, make for great Thursday night battles.

But now while touring in Nevada you can be part of the BattleBots phenom as well. These days all the mayhem happens in a large arena in Las Vegas… and we got a chance to spend some time with people who are all about Robot

Fightin’ Time at BattleBots Destruct-A-Thon, which is now the newest show to hit Sin City. Let’s call it Crush Du Soleil.

Although they still have the big competitions for the Giant Nut, this show has all the bang, crush, fires, and destruction we have come to love.

The nightly shows are an intense, fast-moving fight fest featuring famous robots that have delighted millions of fans all over the world, including bots like WitchDoctor,Kraken,Mammoth, HyperShock, Whiplash, and more, as well as several new robots being specially created for this live

experience. Some shows will even feature fights from rookie teams eager to try out for the next BattleBots World Championships, and existing BattleBots stars coming to test out their new robots ahead of the next TV taping. The show is hosted by Bil Dwyer, the former host of the show on Comedy Central, together with Steve Judkins.

We arrived a few hours before showtime and got a behind-the-scenes look at how all this robotic carnage is created.

If you are a mechanic, and/or technological sort of person, and appreciate things that are wonderfully made, then you will appreciate how much work goes into every one of the BattleBots – then watch them bash the snot out of each other.

There are dozens of teams that represent builders from around the worldand over the years we have come to root for some over others…

Glitch’s major upsets over overpowering opponents were an unexpected blast. Witch Doctor- because they just seem so nice and very positive and always pushing for young ones to pursue careers in engineering. Then there are the “bad guys” (okay – not really – but someone has to be the Marquez) Copperhead and End Game seem to win too much and seem a bit snarky when they do, and Martin Mason… well, he might talk a big game but in truth, his is one of the best things to ever happen to the sport. He is the Chair of Engineering at Mt. San Antonio College where he teaches physics and electrical engineering while mentoring the robotics team. Then there is David Eaton’s Rusty Jr. This is sort of the Sad Sack of Ro-

bots – but even he has a victory or two.

You see, the Bots builders of today will be the creators of tomorrow. They are just having a boatload of fun getting there.

But this is no ordinary Vegas act.

Liberace and Wayne Newton knew exactly what they would be playing every time they walked on stage. This is BattleBots and anything can happen, and executive producer Tom Getteridge put it plainly, “I can’t disguise how difficult it is to produce because it’s not like a show where you’ve got actors and a script. It’s not like a show where you’ve got a few songs and some acrobats or whatever. We’re actually dealing with these very delicate machines that go wrong, they’re temperamental, and you never know who’s going to win a fight or how long the fight’s going to run.”

Safety is a major concern with this spectacle and the BattleBots arena, 48 X 48 square foot Bot-killing ground, is constructed of thick lexan walls and a steel floor and ceiling that has spinning “Killsaws” and robot smashing “Pulverizing” hammers built into it. Each event runs three full minutes with judges weighing the victor on three criteria – damage, aggression, and control. Sometimes there is a clear winner by knockout – other times it comes down to the judges.

We witnessesed five fights that evening and one sacrificed slot machine that was pulverized just ‘cause they could. Debris went flying!

BattleBots Destruct-A-Thon in Las Vegas is well worth a detour off the desert backroads and into downtown Las Vegas – we promise you will love it, ‘cause it’s robot fightin’ time!

To learn more or buy tickets log onto battlebots.com/tickets ,

The Other Jersey

If you have been a fan of our weekly e-newsletter The Backroads Report then you have seen us make mention of the amaranthine argument between North and South Jersey – the plight of the poor folk of Central Jersey, and the ongoing squabbles and warring over the state’s borders with both New York and Delaware.

But today we’d like to bring you another slice, or slices ,of the Garden State pie. One that blends the land of Taylor Ham and slides down near where they hit the diner and order Pork Roll. So sad, right?

But is neither north nor south… welcome to the other Jersey!

Some people see the world in black & white. Me? I sometimes see it in blue & white, and will almost always slow down when I see the blue & white of a historical marker along the side of the road.

Discoveries like this are always serendipitous and make each ride that much more fun. We have always said there is much history along the nation’s backroads – we just need to slow down and sometimes stop to discover it.

Every state has these. Conspicuous metal plaques along the roadsides of America. Little stories of our past nationally and locally.

We looked into these markers in New Jersey and found that currently, the Garden State was no longer involved in the creation and placing of these markers – but that is also currently beginning to change as many in Trenton and around the state wish to preserve its history.

But their website gave us a brief history of these markers in New Jersey.

“All across New Jersey, hundreds of historical markers detail and commemorate events, individuals, sites, and themes significant to the state, na-

tion, and region’s history. The State of New Jersey produced two series of historical markers, the first in the 1930s and the second in the 1960s. Those produced in the 1930s (1931-1942) were erected by the New Jersey Commission on Historic Sites and were made out of cast aluminum and mounted on poles. The markers from the 1960s (1961-1972) were installed by the New Jersey Historic Sites Office to commemorate the 300th anniversary of New Jersey’s establishment as a colony. These were constructed out of thinner sheet metal and mounted on poles, buildings, and fenceposts, among other surfaces.

The vast majority of these historical markers commemorate significant events and persons from the Revolutionary War era in New Jersey, but other topics include notable New Jerseyans, industrial history, colonial history, historical places of worship, transportation history, and many other topics. While not all of these markers are still standing, the New Jersey Historical Commission is committed to documenting the history, location, and text of these historical markers.”

This site has a great database of many of these Historical Markers, and you will find that link at the end of our two-wheeled adventure.

The thought for this article came about when I was returning from EPM Performance outside of Englishtown, New Jersey, where I had the stock suspension on my Kawasaki Z900 swapped out for a new suspension from HyperPro.

The guys at EPM know suspension in and out and have

added a new sense of surefootedness to almost all the machines we have owned in the last decade or so. With the Z900 riding in a far superior manner, I set off for home.

When I headed down earlier that day I took the bigger roads to save time, but it was now late afternoon on a fine spring day in May, so I loaded up a GPS route I had tossed together from EPM back to Backroads Central.

This route spun from near the Jersey Shore west towards the Delaware River and I purposely sought out some of the roads I spied on Garmin’s BaseCamp that I was not all that familiar with.

Many times I have done this, only to find I simply forgot about a tiny backroad, but riding brought back that “Oh, yeah… I‘ve been here.”

But not so much today.

Heck, I’ve been scooting around the Backroads of this state for four decades and I still stumble upon roads I have never been on before.

Today was that sort of day.

Once away from the Parkway and Turnpike, the roads of New Jersey became an interesting mix of easy wide-open farms and then tight hill and dale roadways where my attention had to be turned up a few notches – especially since I and my throttle hand were reveling in the Z900’s newfound tractability.

But, as much as I would like to think my head was totally in the riding game – anyone who has ridden with me for any amount of time knows I am constantly picking up bits and pieces of the territory, and rarely do I pass by a Historical Sign, or something odd, weird or of note, without me slowing down to see what’s what!

Due to this habit of mine, and adding in the fact that many a fine pace has been parked while I go back to take a picture, few will ride with me more than a few times.

That’s okay – I’m a big boy and get more done solo.

About an hour into this 100-plus mile jaunt home, a text from Shira came across the GPS. I made note, but was in a groove.

Then cresting a hill on Stanton Mountain Road, in Hunterdon County, I saw a flash of Blue & White and a quick sideways glance caught the phrase stating Agriculture First.

The first of anything should get anyone’s attention.

The Z is a tiny bike and makes great U-turns, and the effort was worth it, for it was here that something took place that is now a daily occurrence.

AI! No… not artificial intelligence – Artificial Insemination – of cows to be specific. In fact, it is a huge business and by the 1950s, frozen semen became available, and today, in the US, over 66% of dairy cows are bred AI and over 85% of registered Holsteins are products of AI.

But all this had to be born somewhere (groan!) and it was right here at the farm of Richard Schomp that the very first AI calf was born in 1939.

Now we know.

Remembering Shira’s text I simply sent her an image of the historic sign.

Moving along I began to head north and, once again, onto roads I had never come across before. Up and over, on some tight wooded pavement, with little line of sight to be had, I made it a point to look before I throttled. At the intersection of Musconetcong River Road and Port Colden-Changewater Road, there were two monolithic structures – the remnant of the trestle that was once part of the Lackawanna & Western Railroad.

This massive structure, created from quarried stone, was once one of several such railroad viaducts that were sprinkled about the region back when the railroad ruled commerce.

The Changewater Trestle is much like the more famous and still standing Paulinskill viaduct –but the Changewater is a half-century older than its concrete brother to the north.

This structure, built in 1856, was huge for its time and it ran trains across the Musconetcong River until 1959 - 103 years of service.

The best question about Backroads I ever got was when I was asked if Backroads was a motorcycle magazine that wants to be a history and travel publication or a history and travel publication that wants to be a motorcycle magazine.

My answer was yes.

So, keep reading and follow along with us as we ride the backroads and learn a bit about who, what, and why we are.

,

~ Brian Rathjen nj.gov/state/historical/ historical-markers.shtml

We love a good story…

Don’t you? Here’s a classic. The god Prometheus stole fire from heaven to give to the human race, which originally consisted only of men. To punish humanity, the other gods created the first woman, the beautiful Pandora. As a gift, Zeus gave her a box, which she was told never to open. However, eventually, curiosity took control, and she took off the lid, and out swarmed all the troubles of the world, never to be recaptured. Only Hope was left in the box, stuck under the lid.

So today, anything that looks ordinary but may produce unpredictable, and maybe harmful, results can thus be called a Pandora’s box. Do you want another good story? Well, do we have a place for you!

It is called Pandora’s Box as well –but this is a good story.

We’re pretty sure if you are in and around our age, you might have been a comic book reader when young (Okay, maybe today too).

Comic books, heroes, and adventure fueled the fires for many of us. The exploits and voyages of Conan the Barbarian, originally a Robert E. Howard creation, but made popular by Marvel comics was like a bellows stoking the fires of my dreams of travel and adventure.

Devouring comics as a kid led to a lifetime of reading. We bet a number of you might feel the same way.

A few years back, during the waning of the plandemic, a shop opened in Lafayette, New Jersey – just a few miles from Backroads Central. But, not just any shop. Nope. Pandora’s Box, like the mythical box, is full of all sorts of things. But, in this case, pretty much all good.

Still, for a guy my age, an avowed and admitted “geek”, Pandora’s Box can be a very dangerous place. From comics to classic rock vinyl LPs, Pandora’s Box has an amazing collection.

Owned by Erik Miller and D.J. Adamcik who have been friends since childhood, Pandora’s Box is more than just a collectable store. It has become a Mecca for the comic, collectables, and gamer crowd. With 3,500 square feet of space, you will find rows and rows of collectibles – Star Wars, Star Trek, Thunder Cats, Marvel, D.C., Hot Wheels, Match Box, Ghost Busters, HeMan, She-Ra, WWF, G.I. Joe, and so much more… it has to be seen to be

believed. Once you have been there, if you are anything like me, and still live with a foot back in your childhood, you will be back.

Walking into Pandora’s Box is like finding One-Eyed Willy’s treasure map or finding yourself in some dragon’s lair piled with treasure.

And, for some, this place is truly full of treasure; and that comes from the memories, the laughter, the dreaming and the adventures we all had when we were young – and somehow I do not think anyone could put a price on this as it is priceless - so Pandora’s is indeed a treasure trove. But Pandora’s Box offers more. They often have special guests and celebrities come to Pandora’s Box too. Sports, actors, authors – we try to keep an eye on who they have dropping by. In April they had one very special guest indeed – William Shatner – who kindly signed a collector’s plate for us.

Pandora’s Box is also located right in the middle of the Skyland region of New Jersey, in Lafayette right on Route 15 in the mall just south of the junction with Route 206.

If you still like to spoil the inner child in you –or simply admit you love this stuff - then make Pandora’s Box a stop on your next ride in this part of New Jersey. And tell them Backroads sent ya! ,

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

What’s my Line again?

If you have seen actors trying to nail down roles you can understand that it can be a very hard and grinding task.

A line is stated to another and there comes a look of first bewilderment and then… almost fear.

In the 1950s through 1967 there was a wonderful television show – one of the first true greats called What’s My Line? It ran for a full 767 episodes, and the most famous panelist were husband and wife - Alan Ludden and Betty White. The gist of the show was that four panelists must determine guests’ occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity - by asking only “yes” or “no” questions.

The very first guest? Marlene Dietrich. Yikes! Others included Julie Andrews, George, and Gracie Allen. The last Mystery Guest was the original host John Daly.

But the line I want to re-address is the line. Your line. My line.

What’s My Line Again? The correct one, I hope.

A few months back we had one odd weekend, with zero one day and 50 the next, and I took my Z900 out, as I have been attempting to perfect my lines.

Ken Condon was holding Wednesday night Zoom calls and this was a major subject one week. These were very much appreciated.

It got me looking back at the video that he had made of me at Palmer in Massachusetts. I have watched it many times, and truly wish I could have heard Ken live and been able to course-correct. I know that is how Ken does it with his one-on-one courses.

When asked for a ‘Golden Thought’ that I could glean from the Coach on choosing and setting that “best line”, he got right back to me. Ken responded: “The simplest response to that rather big question is to look toward the exit as your report card.Is your bike heading (pointed more or less) toward safety at the point when you want to get on the gas?Are you more or less done changing direction by the time you’re just past the middle (apex) and slowest part of the turn?

Basically, if you are needing to lean more past the apex, you’ve likely turned in too early. Bret Tkacs has been arguing lately that a street apex is something he avoids talking about, saying that it is not the goal and that the exit is. I agree that a safe exit is the goal, but I contend that a theoretical “Late” or “Delayed” apex is useful as a breadcrumb that connects the turn-in point and the exit to create a line that hooks the bike in a way where the turning is done early in the curve, making it safe to get on the gas because you’re pointed down the road and not at the oncoming lane or guardrail.”

He also believed that those Sunday drivers must be respected for their staggering incompetence and lack of situational awareness.

I say let’s use them.

I was once asked when a rider should know they are done with a turn? My answer was simplistic – when you are no longer concerned with it. But each turn must be set up, consciously.

Let me throw out another practice tip – that has come from listening and hopefully learning from riders like Ken Condon, Reg Pridmore and others.

We all drive cars. Try to pilot your car… not just sit in it.

Yes, I drive my Durango with far less concern than my WRX…the STi is a beast - the Dodge is transportation.

But, I still try, as best I can, to hit that late apex with both; and I want to be a far better driver than the kid ahead of me on the cell phone, or anyone else for that matter.

Peter Revson I will never be. But I am working on it.

We all should be.

What was my line, again? ,

But I have come across something that has helped a touch. The much-maligned Sunday Driver…

Yes, up here we are the place to go driving on Sunday… usually, 5 miles below the posted limit with heads turning and twisting every bit. Oh, look…. A cow, Is that a hawk? Wow, look at that waterfall.

I was once in the habit of bombing past them, but now I use it as my excuse to go slower, AND more methodically. Reg Pridmore taught me long ago about the benefits of restraint.

I reached out to Ken on this subject…Could I use him in my ear? Oh, sure you betcha!