2009 Volume 15 No. 6
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JUNE
Motorcycle TourMagazine
N O I T A N I T S E D A I N I G R I V T S WE
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F E AT U R E S
M O N T H LY C O L U M N S
WEST VIRGINIA FANTASIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
WEST VIRGINIA MONSTER HUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
FREE WHEELIN’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GORGING OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
WHATCHATHINKIN’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
MORE WEST VIRGINIA MYSTERY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
WEST VIRGINIA GETAWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
ON THE MARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ODOR EATERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 TRAVELING ROUTE 66 - THE MOTHER ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
BACKLASH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
THE WINES OF VIRGINIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 INDUSTRY INFOBITES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MOTORCYCLE REVIEWS
BIG CITY GETAWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
VICTORY HAMMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
WE’RE OUTTA HERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 CRUISERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
MYSTERIOUS AMERICA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
BMW G450X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
PRODUCT REVIEWS
GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
OLYMPIA VIPER MESH TECH JACKET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OFFERINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
STUFFBOXX PACKING SOLUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Jeff Bahr, Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Glen Ilaqua, Marty Konrad, Tony Lisanti, Nancy McKeithen, Fred Nemiroff, Michael Nemlich, Tim Wineland, Dr. Seymour O’Life
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176
BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.
ORD ERS
G N I W O N TAK
70 Route 10 • Whippany NJ 973-428-1735 • HanoverPowersports.com HOURS: TUES. - FRI. : 9AM-7PM • SATURDAY : 9AM-5PM • CLOSED SUN. & MON.
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
A TALK WITH THE GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA When we turned our eyes south toward West Virginia for this special “Destination” issue we were pleased to see that not only does this state welcome riders, it actively encourages them, from the local tourism department all the way to Charleston. The Governor of West Virginia, Joe Manchin, is an avid rider and was kind enough to sit down with us for a little Q & A. You gotta love it when a gentleman like this is not only in charge, but understands the needs, desires and passions of his fellow riders. The Governor was kind enough to chat with us and answer some questions. We thank Governor Manchin for his time. BR: How long have you ridden motorcycles and what kind of bike do you currently ride? I have been an avid rider for most of my adult life. I currently ride a Harley Davidson Road King Classic. BR: What makes West Virginia special? West Virginia has outstanding cultural and recreational opportunities. We are fortunate to have an abundance of scenic attractions. Our mountains, rivers, lakes and valleys truly make the Mountain State a haven for tourists and outdoorsmen and women. West Virginia has something to offer each visitor - from excellent state parks, resorts and recreational activities to our motorsports venues. If people from around the country take time to visit West Virginia, we are confident they will want to come back. BR: Why are West Virginians so incredibly friendly? Friendliness and hospitality are at the fabric of West PHOTO: STEVEN W. ROTSCH Virginia. Our citizens are so accommodating Having trouble deciding which Triumph to buy? The Triumph Factory Demo Truck is coming with the new 2009 models. Grab your gear*, ride the new models and discover which Triumph is right for you.
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Governor Joe Manchin chances are that if you are hungry, someone will feed you. And, if you come to West Virginia and happen to get lost, a West Virginian will not only give you directions, but will say, “Follow me and I’ll show you how to get there.” West Virginians are known for their warm hospitality and genuine acts of kindness. BR: What are the Top Five things that readers should experience in West Virginia? There are so many great destinations in West Virginia that it is difficult to narrow it down to just five. I would like to offer these places and events as a suggestion: • The West Virginia State Fair (Lewisburg, WV) • Bridge Day (New River Gorge Bridge (Fayetteville, WV) • The Intrastate rivalry football game WVU vs. Marshall (Either Morgantown or Huntington, WV) • Any of our fairs and festivals held throughout the year around the state • For the motorcyclist: Run for the Wall Rally (annual motorcycle rally) BR: Any final thoughts? I would like to thank Backroads Motorcycle Tourmagazine for covering the Mountain State. Again, I would like to encourage riders from all over the country to visit West Virginia and discover why we are known as the Wild and Wonderful State. This is truly a motorcycle riderfriendly state with plenty of scenic highways and byways to travel. I encourage your readers to visit the website: www.wvmountainrider.com to learn more.
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
FREE WHEELIN’ Brian Rathjen
IT’S ALL GOOD! Remember the cartoon - The Tick? This superhero spent all his time protecting, well sort of, The City. The Tick was a brave chap and his only real fear, what terrified him most, what scared the bejeesus out of him was that he would wake up one day and have a job that kept him in a cubicle all day. Now, I am sure that many of you do work out of a cubicle, but this isn’t really about that but what you do when you are not stuck in the 9 to 5 grind. Shira and I have our own routine, sans cubicles, and believe me this magazine doesn’t get published by itself, although I know of some other motorcycle riders who would never find themselves in any day-to-day routine. These riders spend much time out of the country, especially in winter, and occasionally throw happy grenades at other riders and touring opportunities that are, shall we say, more comfortable than their chosen path, which usually entails bombing their way solo through some jungle in southeast Asia or northern Alaska. These sort of critiques are not uncommon in riding. For a group that should stand together we often toss disparaging remarks at other riders who don’t ride what we ride, don’t wear what we wear, don’t ride where we ride or ride like we ride. I know I am guilty of this. But, still I will call for the need to wear real riding gear till December 21, 2012. That day I will be wearing all my gear
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for sure! But this was more about actual touring than individual choices of bikes, gear and local riding habits. My one friend, part native American with a Scottish moniker, who will go unnamed, feels that some folk’s ideas of Adventure Touring is less than genuine and that, unless you are stepping on cobras, riding along hostile roads or find yourself alone and unarmed in Killamericastan, you’re a wussy. Although I am envious of this man’s achievements I tend to disagree that this is the end all of motorcycle adventures. These days there are many tour companies that can easily wisk you away on twowheeled adventures around the globe. Does a pampered Iberian Moto Tour through the Pyrenees not fit the bill of escapade? What about that classic ride through the Alps with Edelweiss? Tours like these, being ridden on finely paved roads with very nice hotels each night. I think it does. Yes, you might not have to cross Chile (friendly) and Argentinean (not so friendly) borders a dozen times, but if you spend 90% of your time in a cubicle, driving a truck, behind a desk, on a showroom floor, or under somebody’s sink then a few weeks riding a nice bike in some new land or region is an experience you will not soon forget. Not everybody can be as footloose and fancy free as my Native American/Celtic friend. But, guided tour companies are not the only answer. You can easily rent a bike from MotoQuest in Anchorage and head north to Prudhoe Bay, if you have some good gravel road experience; and believe me anything you get room-wise above the Arctic Circle is the same as the most intrepid adventure rider on the planet, and you are still in the United States, by golly! (Continued on Page 13)
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL
THE JOYS OF TEST RIDES With the return of the warm weather, there comes a reuniting with one’s motorcycle. Sure, you’ve been hands-on throughout the year, making sure everything is in tiptop order for the occassional nice day and ride, but now’s when more time is dedicated to the actual function of the bike, not the upkeep. Perhaps the ride parked in your garage has seen a few seasons and, although you have ‘become one’ with it, there is lust in your heart. Don’t fret, this is quite natural and expected; as the saying goes, ‘the grass is always greener...’ etc. So you thumb through the magazines, websites and brochures to make a list of bikes, once the lottery’s won, that will occupy space in your stable. Lucky for you, many dealers, especially in the spring, have open houses where they’ll offer demo rides throughout the day. Many have the factory trucks spend the day for even more exposure and wheels on hand. Then there’s always the rallies and events during the season, Americade particularly, where all the rides you’ll ever need are in one place for the picking - you just need to schedule your time. Demo rides are the best sales tool there is for both the consumer and the manufacturer. You can read all you want on the specs and reviews, but before plunking down your hard-earned cash, isn’t it common sense to actual see how the thing runs. It’s a shame that some of the manufacturers don’t see this as money well spent, and have pulled their demo fleets to save on
their annual budgets. Personally, I don’t think that the ride into Roaring Brook Ranch will be the same without seeing the BMW truck as I ride up the hill, dodging the folks crossing on the S-turn. Hopefully they will see the error in their ways and return next year. In my years of riding, I’ve done MANY rides on motorcycles that did not have my name on their registration. From my early days when I’d wait on line at the crack of dawn to sign up for a ride on any of the newest sport bikes they’d let me get my hands on, to traveling around the world just to be able to ride the same bike I have at home, albeit in quite a different setting. Then there were the times I was able to ride bikes that were not brought into the states, and wondered why, as I usually had quite a blast on them. I remember getting a test bike from BMW, an R1150R, in the Fall of 2001 to use on one of our Backroads rallies. When the day came for me to return it, reluctantly, I told myself that would be my next touring bike. In 2002, at Americade, I happened to mention that to the BMW area rep, saying that if there was a blue one someplace close, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. Don’t ya know, by the end of the day she told me to pick it up at Touch of Class, in Phillipsburg, NJ, when I got back from Lake George. See, bike test-ridden, bike sold. That’s the way it should work. There have certainly been other ‘test rides’ which were not destined towards a purchase. There was the camel ridden on the dunes of the Sahara which, although being a distant relative, was not to be part of my immediate family. More recently, I gave a large African elephant a whirl, but the mounting and dismounting were a bit dramatic for everyday use. Then there was the crazy ostrich. A little background: my first encounter with an ostrich was in Australia. Being an animal lover, I thought giving a (Continued on Page 10)
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD
THE LATEST BRAKING NEWS I have never had the best grasp of things when it comes to marketing, and there are a lot of reasons for this primarily revolving around a profound lack of study on my part when it comes to intricacies on the subject. Part of the reason I think I’ve avoided deep immersion into the marketing world is an annoyance factor, i.e. there are so many “image” strategies out there that push abstract stuff rather than promote the nuts and bolts aspects of a product that are often pretty impressive. To take this a step further, I’m often surprised when manufacturers come up with something really brilliant and yet don’t seem to be making nearly as big a deal about it as I think they should. Case in point: I think Honda has come up with an ABS braking system that is a major step forward; in fact it’s an advancement that could very well save a lot of lives and change the way folks think about advanced braking technology. Before I talk about the fact that I think they should be trumpeting its virtues in their advertising, let me try to explain why I think it’s so superb. As we all know, it was BMW that first developed production ABS for motorcycles, and over time the performance of the system has improved tremendously. These days it has evolved into a combined strategy where the front and rear brakes are connected such that the application of either the front brake lever or rear brake pedal actuates brakes on both wheels in varying proportions. Over time, all the other manufacturers have been developing their own versions of ABS and so we’ve seen an across the board improvement of the binders thanks to competition and innovation (and the fact that to sell in Japan, I believe by law each manufacturer has to have at least one model with ABS which has helped push things along). The difference between the first ABS units and what we have on the newest bikes is night and day, and the latest stoppers on the Honda CBR600RR C-ABS I rode recently are phenomenal. Why are they so great? First, I shall quote from the Honda
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technical literature that describes the system: “This all-new ECM-controlled (Electronic Control Module), hydraulically actuated system provides accurate braking force distribution to both wheels. ABS is controlled by a hydro-electronic unit and stroke simulator to ensure precise operation. Benefits include consistent lever pressure without the pulsing often associated with ABS. Application of rear brake does not result in immediate front brake activation unless lock-up is sensed, allowing an experienced rider to use rear brake in a normal manner during spirited riding. Combined ABS components are smaller and lighter than conventional hydraulic ABS designs, and have been located nearer to the center of the machine, enhancing mass centralization and reducing unsprung weight.” This technology is far less intrusive than previous ABS systems; in fact it has been extensively tested by Honda’s in-house racing folks and it allows for some rear brake track shenanigans while maintaining full ABS braking action from either the pedal or the lever. Panic stops I simulated showed the system to be pretty amazing, especially the modulation of the rear brake under really heavy weight transfer to the front. And, like the literature says, there’s no brake pulsing because the system functions differently than other ABS configurations. I thought it was quite remarkable, and the crowning feature of what is already a fantastic Supersport 600. Downsides? It adds $1,000 to the price and about 22 lbs. of weight (which is fortunately centralized and shouldn’t be an issue for most of us). The benefits clearly outweigh the increased expense and weight in my view, and aesthetically the bike looks identical to the non-ABS version. Which brings me to this whole marketing thing that I personally don’t understand. When I say the ABS CBR looks the same as the non-ABS, I’m not kidding. On the bike I rode, there was no indication anywhere that ABS was present and even the ABS warning light (that lights up when you start the bike or something goes amiss with the system) is really, really tiny. There’s no cool graphics anywhere on the bike to advertise this Sultan Of Stop’s abilities, and I’ve yet to see any ads anywhere that focus exclusively on this amazing braking advancement. Maybe I’ve just missed them of course, but I think Honda should be shouting what they’ve accomplished from the housetops. These brakes really are that good.
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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We made use of old slag heaps as hillclimbs. I remember missing a gear going up one on the 600 and laying it down on a surface so steep and slipMARK BYERS pery that it took four of us to turn the bike around. I cleared the top the second time only to realize in abject horror that the ride DOWN was a little MOUNTAIN MEMORIES more exciting than the ride up. It took all my courage to nose that big thumper up to the edge of the precipice and drop in like a skateboarder in a I was born, raised, and educated in West halfpipe. It was OK as long as you didn’t use either brake or let compresVirginia. A big part of that education was sion stop the rear wheel, because the bike would try to swap ends and that obtained riding a motorcycle on the meandering dirt and asphalt tracks that usually resulted in a spectacular finish. comprise her mountain roads. When I was a kid, those roads tortured me as We loved that riding, even when it rained. It was a good day if it took I struggled to hold the door handle of my dad’s Ambassador...and my lunch. nearly as long to get the clay mud out of the bike as As I came of age to ride, those roads became my it did to ride. We couldn’t afford tear-offs on our escapes, my teachers, and my playgrounds. Life dic- I LIVED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE goggles, so we’d end up cleaning little holes in the tates that I live elsewhere now, but I’m only two middle of the lenses with the dirty fingers of our WASN’T SOME BUSYBODY TELLING US WHAT hours from an “Almost Heaven” sign and those curgloves, giving us a sort of muddy glaucoma. The vaceous beauties slinking deep into the smoke-blue TO DO WITH OUR BACK YARDS, SO I RODE. gloves weren’t fancy: they were usually work hills of my home. gloves (the ones with the little rubber dots on the It started when I was 11 and my brother got a Honda Trail 90. It didn’t palms were a wet-weather favorite). Wolverine boots were our footwear and matter that it was a step-through single with a luggage rack: it was a motorjeans our riding pants. We looked more like disheveled vagrants than crusty cycle. I lived in a neighborhood where there wasn’t some busybody telling demons of dirt, but we had fun. us what to do with our back yards, so I rode. We lived on a hilly lot in I still remember the thrill of cracking the gas on that big XL to dispatch Fairmont and I got a lot of practice climbing, descending, and side-hilling. the undulations of the fine piece of tarmac called US 50 from Capon Bridge The dual-range transmission kept me from going too fast, a fact appreciatto Romney. I’ve had many “firsts” riding in West Virginia: my first BMW ed by my mom. I only bent the front axle once when I ran into the back MOA rally was held in Charleston and my wife saw her first black bear as stoop in my first taste of target fixation. copilot on my bike on the Highland Scenic Highway. My first BMW RA When I was old enough to ride the roads, my brother got an XL600 and rally was at Canaan Valley (also the first time I fled the shelter of my tent the 90 became my first two-wheeled ticket to the world. We’d meet a bunch for a lodge room when the remnants of a hurricane blew through). That was of like-minded dual-sport riders from hinterlands like Punkin Center and the first time I rode WV Route 72. Wow! Plum Run to head off in search of dirt roads and trails. Our buddy Delbert These days, I ride west of Harrisonburg, VA with a growing sense of rode a cantankerous old XL350 his brother nicknamed “Father Murphy.” anticipation until I hit the switchback at the West Virginia line that serves as As the only one with a luggage rack (with the obligatory milk crate attached my gateway to paradise, US-33 from Brandywine to Harman. At Seneca by K-mart’s finest bungees), I was elected to carry everything. That poor Rocks, I stop to sit in the sun on the second floor of Harper’s Store, devourlittle motor would struggle valiantly and one time I was tapped to carry a ing the Front Porch’s apple dumpling as I strain to see climbers. Sated, I bunch of soda cans to slake our thirsts, but the trails were so bumpy that all kick back and let the flood of memories wash over me like a cleansing the paint rubbed off the cans. We drank our mystery sodas and loved every shower. It’s so good to go home. minute.
ON THE MARK
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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BACKLASH GPS QueStionS Backroads, I was wondering if you are still posting the Rip and Rides on the Garmin site. If so can you do a step-by-step article on how to do it. I’m thinking about getting a Zumo 660. Can you also do an article on how you use it when you set up a ride. How do bread crumbs work if you find a great road. Also how does it work off road on fire roads. I heard Garmin just started to mark off road roads. There isn’t a lot of info out there on how to effectively use it to maximize fun riding. I guess it’s easy to just type in the address your looking for and follow the GPS on main roads. I want to know from an experienced user what else you can do with it. I guess my great hope would be for someone to come up with preset up rides complete with food and gas stops along some great roads, man would I buy that in a heart beat...I love your mag...I mean it. Your Rip and Rides have enhanced my riding experience vastly. I’ve hit almost all the restaurants in NJ, PA and NY you had suggested. Gary Gary, We recently did a piece on the new Road Trip Program for Garmin and Macs. We’re getting better with the Zumo now that my iMac can play too. We wish Garmin would put together a video tutorial, it would make it easier. We have been listing some GPS routes on a site called Send Space, where folks can download them. As time goes on we’ll have them linked to our website so you can just click and get that specific page.
From the FredmieSter Brian & Shira, Backroads came in the mail today. At a time when all my other motorcycle magazines are looking kinda thin and disappointing, your rag just keeps looking better. See you in a couple of weeks.... Fred Rau
LETTERS
TO THE
EDITOR
Brian, Thanks for the info and not letting me make too big a fool of myself. Being a mediocre fool seems to work well for me. Hope the “Bamping” story gets you some good feed back as well. Thanks, Tim Wineland
talkinG about JeFF Jeff Bahr tries hard to be humorous, very often too hard. However, your current issue with its reference to Casey Anthony, and by association, her murdered daughter, is too far a stretch for chuckles. I couldn’t even read the article. If you wrote the headline, you should be embarrassed. Leave it to Nancy Grace to dance on the grave of Cayle Anthony. You are above that. Robert Pellecchia Brian & Shira, This one was inspired by Jeff Bahr. If you look at the file, you realize it was started about midnight over three years ago. It didn’t go where I wanted it to, so I shelved it for a while. Then Jeff Bahr’s article on his visit to Rod Serling’s birthplace appeared as a Mysterious America and I knew I wanted to come back to it because Serling was a master writer. It’s a shame he literally worked himself to death. His “Twilight Zones” were the modern-day equivalent of Aesop’s fables: they were compact, well-written morality plays that made you THINK. Anyway, I’m no Serling, but full props to Jeff Bahr for writing about the old boy and for serving as further inspiration to finish this column. Mark Byers Backroads, Regarding Lance Oliver’s excellent article in Vol 15, #4, about the Stayin’ Safe mantra, I’d like to suggest an important addition to “Put the bike where they can’t touch you.” It is: “Move the bike in your lane so they see you.” Assuming you already know the whereabouts of nearby vehicles as you should, a lateral move within your lane can help the inattentive car driver
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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ahead, to see that you are approaching rapidly, or maybe even to just see you in the first place. Lateral motion attracts the eye much more than the locomotive-like visual of an approaching motorcycle. I’ve often wondered why I’ve (knock on wood) not had an on-road accident in over 40 years of motorcycling, often at uhh... “elevated” speeds. Part of the answer may be the above strategy; that plus a healthy paranoia. Also, nice article about “the Jim Pomeroy cross-up poster”, having been involved with the creation of that ad, and having known Jim (I worked for Bultaco from ‘65 to ‘75), it should be noted that “Bimbo” was one of the nicest guys to ever straddle a racebike. He had an infectious joy about life, but an accident in a Jeep took his, in 2006. He is sorely missed. Bill Dutcher - Americade Hi Backroads, I just wanted to let you know that I feel that Reg Pridmore forgot the first important step in two-up riding - adjusting the air pressure in your tires. If you don’t accommodate for the extra weight of your rider, your bike will be light in the front, adversely affecting cornering and handling. The bike will hop through a turn, which is a very unsettling feeling (I know from experience). Air pressure for rider alone or rider and passenger is almost always printed on a sticker somewhere on the frame of the bike. Cheers Dale Hazelton New Hampton NY Hey Guys, Riding the BR Parkway and stopping in Natural Bridge, I thought about my Backroads friends, so here’s an up date. Karen and I completed our new home in Woodstock, VA & absolutely love it here. Beautiful mountains, friendly people, very low cost of living and great motorcycle roads! Thank God we sold in NJ before the market crash and did ok. Sorry we haven’t been on any backroads rides lately due to moving, doing landscaping, working, building shooting range, etc. Last September I did my first cross coun-
try ride on the FJR to LA for a Fred Rau tour of Utah. It was a fantastic trip visiting 7 national parks & 3 national monuments. It really was the best of both worlds riding crosscountry solo and with the wife for the tour. 9,000 trouble free miles in 21 days with site seeing off Interstate 40 & Rte. 66 then Ironbutting home from LA in 3 days. Great trip and ready to do again! I’ve got a reservation for Summer Squeeze in July and Fall Fiesta. Hope you guys are well and looking forward to seeing you this year. Joe & Karen Giuffre WHATCHATHINKIN’
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little snack to this unusual bird would be fun. The bird thought that trying to rip the shiny necklace from my throat would be more fun. We both reacted the same way - screaming at each other and running the other way. Marked for life, I vowed never to go near an ostrich again. Fast forward to this past February and my trip to South Africa. Somewhere along the line, I was again brought face-to-face with the dreaded ostrich. This time, however, it was much more up close and personal. We were offered the chance to ride these deranged dinosaurs. Having learned quite some time ago that the best way to overcome a fear is to face it headon, I volunteered. Being even more foolhearted, I volunteered as the first rider. I’ll leave the remainder of the story for our next issue, but I’ll just let you know that, yes, I actually did ride the damn bird - I believe it was a legal bull ride time of 8 seconds - and I can say that I never have to be near one of those creatures again. I do, however, love their feathers and they make a very tasty biltong (South African jerky). So, whether you’re in the market for a new ride right now, or in the near future, or are just doing some homework, head to the closest rally/event where they are offering demo rides or check with your local dealer and see if they have demo bikes on their showroom floor. You’ll feel much more confident in your purchase after putting in a little saddle time. And remember, try to ride it for more than 8 seconds - freakin’ crazy bird! If you want to see this for yourself, just go to Backroads’ YouTube videos and watch the South Africa one: www.youtube.com/user/BACKROADSMAG
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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INDUSTRY INFOBITES AMERICADE ANNOUNCES NEW FALL TOUR IN VERMONT SET FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND The people who created Americade in June have just announced a new September event, “Rolling Through Vermont” which will be located near Burlington, VT. The 3-day event spans Labor Day weekend (Sept 5-7), is limited to 300 riders, and promises to deliver unique tours of northern and central Vermont. According to this new event’s director, Christian Dutcher, “We’ve put something very special together in the rolling hills of Vermont, and want to share it with a select group of committed tourers. We’ve created an itinerary combining stunning touring, superb meals and access to several unique activities. The riding up here in the northern half of Vermont offers winding roads, dramatic mountain passes, covered bridges in lush valleys and the famed steepled scenery of quaint villages.” “What makes it particularly special is that we’ve managed to arrange several events which have never before been put together, such as an evening dinner on a 100-year-old steamship surrounded by lit hot air balloons. It will be a magical environment. One of the tours will have coffee and snacks on the very top of Vermont’s 2nd highest peak with stunning views. I’ve even convinced my dad (Americade founder, Bill Dutcher) to lead one of the tours.” Other events will include touring Ben & Jerry’s factory and a lunch cruise on Lake Champlain (located between the Adirondack and Green Mountain ranges.) “We’ll be very attentive to the group, while giving them the freedom to enjoy the beauty of the tour,” according the event director Christian Dutcher. This first year of the Rolling Through Vermont tour is limited to only 300 riders. See www.rollingthroughvt.com for more information, or phone 518-7980858.
BOOK SIGNING
IN
LONG ISLAND
Upcoming Book Signing by Backroads contributor Ralph L. Angelo, Jr. On Saturday June 13th, Ralph L. Angelo Jr., Backroads contributor and author will be attending a book signing for his Motorcycle safety and “How To” Book “Help! They’re all out to get me! The motorcyclists guide to surviving the everyday world”. The signing will take place at the Borders Book Store on Rte 347 (Nesconset Highway) in Stony Brook, NY, between the hours of 1 and 2 PM. Stop down and say hello!
A half-century ago the founder of Honda Motor Company, Soichiro Honda, led his fledgling company on its first steps toward worldwide prominence as they entered the World Championship Grand Prix racing arena for the very first time at the Isle of Man TT motorcycle races. Back in 1959 there was no guarantee that Honda would ever earn a single podium at the
NEWS
FROM THE INSIDE
highest levels of racing. But 50 years later, it’s clearly evident the rewards turned out to far outweigh the risks as Honda has accumulated championship after championship, establishing dominating records throughout a vast array of racing venues. Literally speaking, the track record established by Honda Racing transcends all others. This fact will be celebrated around the world as Honda racers commemorate this Golden Anniversary. To celebrate this achievement, Honda Racing has a unique 50th Anniversary Racing Logo that will be displayed by all Honda racing teams, and will be first seen here in he U.S. at the Supercross finale in Las Vegas, and the AMA Road Racing round at Barber Motorsport Park the weekend of May 2-3. Thanks to those far-reaching visions conjured up by Soichiro Honda so long ago, the past 50 years have borne great success in racing that Honda plans to extend for decades to come. Next Page
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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RIDE TO WORK - EVERY DAY! This year’s eighteenth commuting demonstration event, to be held on Monday June 15th, is expected to double the number of riders on the road, according to Ride to Work, a non-profit advocacy organization. According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride To Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a larger number of America’s 8,000,000 cycles and scooters are ridden to work. “Riding to work on this day shows the positive value of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. For several hundred thousand commuters, riding is an economical, efficient and socially responsible form of mobility that saves energy, helps the environment and provides a broad range of other public benefits,” states Andy Goldfine, the event organizer. Motorcycle and scooter clubs and organizations in many countries encourage their members to ride to work on this day. Ride to Work Day shows how riding makes parking easier and help traffic flow better. Motorcycles and scooters consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and they take up less space in parking areas and on roads. Riders seek employer support for this form of transportation, and increased government and public awareness about riding’s many benefits.
MSF “QUICK TIPS” SHEET URGES POTENTIAL MOTORCYCLISTS TO ASSESS THEIR CAPABILITIES BEFORE DECIDING TO RIDE Spring marks the traditional start of the riding season and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is using Motorcycle Awareness Month 2009 to encour-
age potential motorcyclists to take steps to ensure motorcycling is right for them before committing to becoming a rider, via the release of the latest MSF Quick Tips sheet, “Should You Ride A Motorcycle?” Motorcycling is a unique experience and a complex task. Just as MSF provides a variety of tools to enhance the safety of anyone who becomes a motorcyclist - such as hands-on training, videos, books and other publications - MSF introduces this new tool, the eighth in a series of “Quick Tips” documents, to help potential riders gauge their physical skills and capabilities, judgment, and risk-management attitudes before deciding to purchase and operate a motorcycle. MSF also urges potential riders to enroll in a Basic RiderCourse as a best “first ride” to determine if motorcycling is right for them. MSF believes that motorcycling isn’t for everyone. For some potential riders, the best way to be safe on a motorcycle is to remain a passenger and not “graduate” to operator status. “Should You Ride A Motorcycle?” joins seven other Quick Tips sheets currently available in the Library section of the Foundation’s website, www.msf-usa.org, covering a wide variety of motorcycle-related subjects. All of MSF’s Quick Tips sheets (PDF format) can be downloaded for free, and can be copied and distributed without limitation by anyone who wishes to disseminate the messages. The “Should You Ride A Motorcycle?” PDF is also available at the following link: http://www.msfusa.org/downloads/Quick-Tips-Should-You-Ride-A-Motorcycle-2009.pdf.
BABY BIKE REPRIEVE? The ConsumerProduct Safety Commission voted on April 17, 2009, on theissue of banning sales of youth ATVs and motorcycles because of lead levels. The CPSC voted to keep the ban in place; however, they did issue a twoyear stay of enforcement of the ban. This stay of enforcement will allow manufacturers and retailers of youth ATVs and motorcycles to continue building and selling these items. It also gives the industry two years to comply with the new law and if, for some reason, it is technologically infeasible to manufacture a certain part with less lead than allowed by law, the industry will have a chance to make an argument to the CSPC.
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
Page 13
The two-member CPSC board decided unanimously. Both the acting Chairperson Nancy Nord and Commissioner Thomas Moore voted to deny the petition from industry to completely overturn the ban; however, both cited safety as the reason for their votes to issue the two-year stay. Nord and Moore both claim, “A bigger safety concern than lead exposure is that the elimination of youth ATV sales will likely increase the number of adult ATVs purchased to be used by younger children, therefore increasing risk of injury and death.” Industry has 45 days to apply for the stay. Legislation does currently exist that would force the CPSC to exempt all youth ATVs and motorcycles. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) has introduced HR 1587, and the bill has 35 co-sponsors to date. Backroads encourages you to ask your Member of the US House to co-sponsor this important legislation.
THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY STILL WEATHERS
THE
STORM
Despite the economy, U.S. sales of new motorcycles in 2008 still topped the one-million mark, and did so for the sixth straight year. That beats the longest run of million-plus sales ever recorded by the Motorcycle Industry Council, during the five years from 1970 to 1974. Also, scooter sales last year reached their highest annual level ever. The MIC’s preliminary estimate for all motorcycles and scooters sold nationwide in 2008 is 1,087,000, down just 3.3 percent compared to 2007. The MIC is currently estimating 2008 scooter sales at 222,000, a new record. Back in 1992, total motorcycle and scooter sales combined were just 278,000. “All in all, our industry has not declined as precipitously as many others,” said MIC President Tim Buche. “Many Americans certainly want motorcycles, both for recreation and transportation. When they aren’t buying now, it’s down to personal economics, not desire.” While total sales have declined slightly during the past two years, they are following in the tracks of some very big years. There were 1,124,000 new bikes sold in 2007. In 2006, that number was 1,190,000, the biggest year for motorcycle sales in more than three decades. The record for most new bikes sold in a year is 1.5 million, back in 1973.
FREE WHEELIN’
(Continued from Page 5)
Still, some of the best trips Shira and I have ever taken have been with no major plan, but little minor ones, maybe a final destination, but no reservations along the way. It all depends where and when you want to go. We rode through England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales over a few weeks a number of years back. We knew we wanted to get to the Highlands, and the town of Cong (where they filmed The Quiet Man) in Ireland and Stonehenge, but didn’t make one reservation. In that part of the world every town has a couple of pubs with rooms to let upstairs. Each evening we’d pull in, grab a room, a shower and a pint ... in that order. That wasn’t an adventure? Sorry, I think it was. It’s all relative. I know some riders who absolutely will not ride on gravel. I know others who would have it no other way; and throw in some water crossings and they are even happier. My point here is that it’s all good and as long as you can get out and ride then you have the rest of the cubicle-chained and boring world beat! Unlike the non-riding community, whose idea of a vacation is a highstrung ride to the airport, a crowded jet trip and then a bumpy shuttle ride to a casino in Aruba, our adventures begin when we start the bikes and leave our driveway, each and every time we do it.
A LITTLE HELP FROM WEST VIRGINIA WWW.WVMOUNTAINRIDER.COM These days when planning a motorcycle trip many of you will, after scouring Backroads, hit the web for rid-
ing ideas and suggestions. Just about every state and county in the the United States has a toruism site but few match the site set up by West Virginia specifically for we riders. At www.wvmountainrider.com you will find a bountiful resource of places to ride, stay, eat and explore. This website can be an invaluable friend when planning your own ride to the Mountain State!
BACKROADS GLADLY ACCEPTS PRESS RELEASES. PLEASE EMAIL TEXT AND IMAGES TO EDITOR@BACKROADSUSA.COM
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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B I G C I T Y G E TA W AY
daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind
Jeff Bahr
PRABHUPADA’S PALACE OF GOLD PALACE ROAD • NEW VRINDABAN, WV 304-843-1812 • WWW.PALACEOFGOLD.COM The phenomenon is known as the “power of Gold.” From the earliest days of civilization, this shiny metal has wowed kings and commoners with its luster and brilliance. Not to mention its scarcity. Found throughout the world in absurdly small concentrations, this precious metal continues to entrance and mesmerize. It’s a fact underscored by the millions who ante up for shimmering gold jewelry and watches, amongst other pricey items. But personal enhancement and time-keeping ostentations aren’t the only way that gold lust is exhibited. The spiritual world also bows at gold’s alter. Perhaps nowhere in America is this exemplified more dazzlingly than at Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in West Virginia. Opulence is a word often used, but at the Palace of Gold the description falls woefully short of reality. Dubbed “America’s Taj Mahal” by none other than the New York Times, this grand shrine layered in dazzling 22-karat gold begs for superlatives not yet devised. In no small way the palace demonstrates just what can be achieved when the faithful unite in celebration of human life and a power greater than themselves. The story behind the citadel is nearly as golden as its exterior. In 1972 when devotees of Hare Krishna came together to build a residence for their founder and spiritual leader A.C. Bkaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, they couldn’t know that its construction would extend beyond the life of the intended. When the holy man passed away in 1977, the purpose of the struc-
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ture was modified from that of a personal residence into a shrine. As has been well-documented, followers of Hare Krishna have a knack for pulling off the near impossible. The idea of a grand palace to celebrate Prabhupada’s life was almost custom-made for this notoriously determined group. Since the building would now serve to immortalize Prabhupada, run-ofthe-mill construction materials were simply out of the question. A proper palace, it seems, should always include such high-quality bits as teakwood, marble, silver, and especially gold. But Krishna followers, much like the rest of us, can sometimes be strapped for cash. Even if Prabhupada’s faithful servants could raise enough scratch to cover building materials - a herculean effort in the singular - how could they possibly afford the intense, highly-skilled labor that such a vast endeavor required? There was only one answer: They would build the palace themselves. “In the beginning, we didn’t even know how to lay blocks,” explained Kirtanananda Swami in recalling the group’s uphill battle. “As our Krishna
consciousness developed, our building skills developed, then our creativity developed, and the scope of the project developed.” Faith and perseverance eventually paid off. The palace was dedicated on September 2, 1979. The West Virginia location chosen for the palace seems almost as unlikely as its creation. Noted for its rugged character and mountainous terrain, the “Wild, Wonderful” state isn’t the first place that pops to mind when sniffing out locations for an ornate Krishna palace. But when Prabhupada had a vision of “seven temples on the seven hills,” his followers got busy building his home/shrine at a location then occupied by a garbage dump.
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“It’s hard to believe that Prabhupada’s Palace is in West Virginia,” flatly stated The CourierJournal of Louisville. “In fact,” the newspaper concluded without a shred of exaggeration, “it’s hard to believe it’s on this planet.” Palace visitors encounter gold-tinged domes, multi-colored stained-glass windows, chandeliers made from the finest Austrian crystal, and a host of other breathtaking features. The gardens and grounds surrounding the palace are equally elaborate and every bit as beautiful. A study room designed for the Krishna leader stands as one of the palace’s most elaborately
decorated spaces. It is here that a replica of Praphupada sits behind a desk, translating Vedic literatures from Sanskrit into English. This simple, selfless figure, infers volumes about the man being memorialized, even if the Swami stands in stark contrast to the flagrant largesse and opulence surrounding him. A nominal fee ($6 at press time) is charged for entrance onto the grounds, but this is hardly surprising given the vast treasures that lie inside. Tens of thousands turn out each year to feast their eyes upon the palace and surrounding grounds, with a great many of these making the pilgrimage via motorcycle. While the shrine’s location in the New Vrindaban Community of Marshall County might seem just a tad off the beaten track, the trip is surely worth it. Life magazine called the palace “a place where tourists can come and be amazed.” The analysis was golden. For those with the requisite breeding and forbearance, a 22-karatgold opportunity awaits in Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia. How will motorcyclists know if they possess those qualities necessary for the pilgrimage?
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W E ’ R E O U T TA H E R E
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads THE HISTORIC GENERAL LEWIS INN 301 EAST WASHINGTON STREET • LEWISBURG, WEST VIRGINIA 24901 304-645-2600 • WWW.GENERALLEWISINN.COM West Virginia has a plethora of great places to stay but some seem to stand out more then others. Such was the case when we came upon the General Lewis Inn, in Lewisburg. Located not far from the famed Greenbrier, where the United States Government had secretly built a bunker complex for themselves in case, as Donald Fagen put it, “The Reds decide to push the button down.” But there is nothing so sinister here at the General Lewis. What you will find is one of the most pleasant places to stay in West Virginia. In fact, the town was named one of the “Best Small Towns In the United States.” I know we liked it. Doing a little research on the Inn can cause historical overload. The small unassuming front desk? Well, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson stood at this desk when they regis-
tered in the Sweet Chalybeate Springs Hotel, before the desk was moved to its present home. Walking around the General Lewis is like a trip back in time. Memorabilia of the resourcefulness of mountain pioneers are displayed in Memory Hall’s collections of tools, guns, household utensils and musical instruments. Many are handmade relics fashioned from parts of covered wagons. Throughout the Inn are numerous old cupboards filled with early glass pottery, china, and curios. The grounds are as beautiful as can be and, after a few laps around, both Shira and I found ourselves comfortably settled in rocking chairs on the porch watching the world go by with a few glasses of wine. Along the way we found the Dollhouse and Fish Pond. Restored from a 19th century “necessary,” this three-room dollhouse was played in by the present owner when she was a child. Who could resist making a wish in this idyllic setting. Around front was the old Stage Coach, which once transported guests between the many mineral spring spa resorts that you would find in the area. Just as sweet a setting as you could imagine.
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
Page 17
Rip & Ride® THE HISTORIC GENERAL LEWIS INN 301 EAST WASHINGTON ST. • LEWISBURG, WV 24901 304-645-2600 • WWW.GENERALLEWISINN.COM
I-80 WEST I-81 SOUTH EXIT AT RTE. 209 SOUTH AT T IN MILLERSBURG - RIGHT THEN LEFT FERRY ONE BLOCK TO RIGHT OPEN WHITE DOOR TO SUMMON FERRY RTE. 34 ACROSS HIGHWAY IF BY FERRY STRAIGHT AT 274 SOUTH STRAIGHT AT 75 SOUTH RIGHT AT 641 STRAIGHT AT 522 LEFT AT 994 LEFT 3017
TO RIVER
RIGHT AT 913 LEFT AT 26 SOUTH - GREAT ROAD INTO MARYLAND CR 40 CROSS 1-68 • CONTINUE STRAIGHT LITTLE ORLEANS - BECOMES UNPAVED FOR A BIT LEFT AT RTE. 51 INTO 9 STRAIGHT AT RTE. 29 PAW PAW RIGHT AT RTE. 50 LEFT AT RTE. 220 / 28 RIGHT AT RTE. 42 LEFT AT RTE. 55 / 28 STAY ON RTE. 28 PAST GREENBANK OBSERVATORY LEFT AT RTE. 92 RIGHT AT RTE. 60 WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS RIDE TO LEWISBURG GENERAL LEWIS INN ON LEFT BEFORE TOWN
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ALL ROADS LEAD TO RENEGADE The General Lewis Inn also has one of the finest restaurants in the region, so once parked for the night there is no reason to gear up and go out again. Just enjoy the hospitality. The Southern Fried Chicken immediately grabbed my attention, as it often does, but we had also heard good things about the General Lewis’ local trout. Roast Duck and Grilled Pork Chops just made the decision all that much more difficult; such a hard thing to do. Right. Their wine selection was none too shabby either. Add all this and some of the best riding to be found in the state and you have this month’s We’re Outta Here - Destination West Virginian style! For more information on this part of West Virginia check out Greenbrier County Convention & Visitors Bureau website at www.greenbrierwv.com.
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O’Life’s Dr. Seymour
MYSTERIOUS AMERICA
THE BUNKER AT THE GREENBRIER • AMERICA’S SECRET 300 W. MAIN STREET • WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV 24986
It was the height of the Cold War and a time when America’s idea of patriotism was a bit stronger than it is now. What I am about to tell you could never happen these days. It simply couldn’t. Back in the late 1950’s President Eisenhower, a very forward-thinking kind of guy, wanted to make sure, in case the Ruskies attacked, that the United States Federal Government would be safe and continue to operate. If Washington D.C. was hit with a nuke, it was obvious that there was a need for another seat of government, someplace out of harm’s way - and most important - hidden and secret. During the end of World War II Eisenhower had visited recuperating soldiers at a beautiful hotel, turned hospital, in the mountains of West Virginia called the Greenbrier. After the war he stayed there as well for a few weeks of R & R.
At a Friendship Summit with the leaders of Mexico, Canada and the United States, held at the Greenbrier, President Eisenhower took the time to speak with Walter Tuohy, then owner of the Greenbrier and proposed a plan to create such a facility. Tuohy agreed and under the cover of building the new West Virginia wing of the Greenbrier an extensive plan was put into effect and “The Bunker” was created. The facility was massive, some 112,544 square feet, which was built 720 feet into the hillside under The Greenbrier’s new wing. 30-ton blast doors were carefully hidden inside the hotel itself and other entrances were kept from prying eyes with the simplest of schemes - a big sign that said “DANGER-HIGH VOLTAGE.”
The center was maintained by government workers posing as hotel audiovisual employees, and operated under a dummy company named Forsythe Associates, who were supposedly television repairmen. The bunkers could hold 1,100 people, including the House and Senate. The President was never planned to stay here. Back in those days nukes had to be dropped by bomber and, even if they knew about it, the chance of the Russians hitting the hotel were pretty slim. Unfortunately these days any clown with a Zumo can zero right in on the place. If the bad happened, both Houses would be shuttled down by train, plane or car to the Greenbrier, where they would pass through the massive blast doors and into a decontamination shower before being issued military clothing and shown to one of the 18 dormitories.
There were both radio and television studios in the bunker as well as full medical facilities, including an operating room. The Bunker had a power plant with purification equipment and three 25,000-gallon water storage tanks. Three 14,000-gallon diesel fuel tanks would power the place if commercial power went down and there was enough food and water for 1,100 people for 60 days. This stock was constantly refreshed and if you were an unknowing guest at the Greenbrier in those days you might have been eating “Bunker Bacon” with your breakfast. During the 30 years that the bunker was a secret, groups were meeting there and enjoying theme parties and dinners, without realizing they were in a topsecret government facility. They never realized that the Exhibit Hall was actually designed to be the work place for Congressional staff or that the Mountaineer Room and Governor’s Hall would easily accommodate the US Senate and House of Representatives. The U.S. Government’s idea of hiding the bunker in plain sight actually worked. From its beginnings in 1958 until 1992 the hidden bunker was kept a closely guarded secret, until May 31, 1992, when The Washington Post pub-
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
Page 19
lished an article, “The Last Resort”, written by Ted Gup, which exposed the facility. Does anybody think treason here? I mean seriously - who has a rope? These days the old bunker - now with the Code Name ‘Greek Island’ - is run by the CSX Company which is using much of the bunker as a holding space for corporate documents and files. Still there is plenty to see when you tour the bunker as Shira, Rathjen and I did this past April. First off you must make reservations ahead of time and be ready to turn in your cameras and cell phones. They will not be allowed inside and they’ll be returned to you after the tour. Seeing the huge blast doors is really something; and I can only imagine what would have gone through anyone’s mind if they had to be placed here and these monsters were closed. Still there were beds, a cafeteria and all the amenities of the times. Believe it or not, smoking was to be allowed. But hell, if the world was coming to an end, if you got em’ smoke em’! The tour takes about 90 minutes and if this isn’t the perfect Mysterious America, than I do not know what is. It is simply amazing to me that a secret this big could be kept so quiet for so long. As I said folks thought of patriotism a tad differently in those days, but nowadays with the internet, Google Earth and 24-hour news; a place like this could never exist...except if it does... I do know something. I have heard rumors, but you UNLIKE THE GREENBRIER, THE BEDROOM SPACE can waterboard me all you want... I am not telling. As they said back in the day Loose Lips Sink Ships. WAS CLOSE AND INTIMATE. For more info check out the Greenbrier’s Bunker site at www.greenbrier.com/site/bunker.aspx For reservations, call the Reservations Department at 800-624-6070 or the Bunker Office at 304-536-7810, or email the_greenbrier@greenbrier.com. See you next month as we speed towards another chapter in Mysterious America.
Don’t just read about these great places. Get on your bike and head to West Virginia. If not now, when?
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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KOSCO HARLEY-DAVIDSON presents the
G R E AT A L L A M E R I C A N D I N E R R U N
Mark Byers
BETTY’S RESTAURANT 114 E. GERMAN ST. • SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV 25443 304-876-6080 If German Street is the main artery of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, then Betty’s Restaurant is the heart. The old brick building at number 114 has been the home of a restaurant for over 60 years and it has served an eclectic clientele of citizens, celebrities, and students from nearby Shepherd College. It’s named for the original owner, Betty Byers (undoubtedly a long-lost relative), but for the last 8 years it’s been run by Regina Wines, sometimes with the able assistance of her daughter Heather and granddaughter Kara. Betsy and I had the good fortune of being served by Regina’s daughter Heather, a server with whom you can definitely banter and who sprinkles her conversation with appellations like “Hon” and “Kiddo.” Friendly, entertaining help (with just a little edge) is an absolute must in a great diner and we were not disappointed: lamenting her work hours, Heather said of her mother “If there was a nuclear war, my mom would have us out there selling Solarcaine!” I believe it, but for everyone’s sake, I hope it doesn’t come to that.
crude paddlewheel machine. Once featured in the New York Times, the Rumsey Burger is a double cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions, and Thousand Island dressing, among other things. Bring your appetite and the number to your cardiologist! I had enormous, tasty pancakes accompanied by eggs and a giant sausage patty, all for a reasonable price. Don’t be alarmed if your server is wearing a big, crazy, red crab hat: once a week, Betty’s features crab cakes and the waitress who sells the most gets a $100 bonus...at the expense of having to wear the crab hat for a day! It’s all part of the show at Betty’s, where the décor includes a sign that says “You don’t have to be crazy to work here: we train you” and “Prices subject to change according to customer’s attitude.” Bright and clean, Betty’s plays host to everyone from starving students to celebrities: atop a shelf across from the counter are menus signed by country singer Kathy Mattea (a native of Cross Lanes, WV) and the late Robert Prosky, accomplished actor of stage and screen. If you’re looking for a great place to stop whilst plying the roads of Eastern West Virginia, perhaps before a trip to the track at Summit Point, fortify yourself with a meal from Betty’s. It’ll be a good meal at a fair price served with a smile (and a smidgen of sass) in an old-fashioned place. Heck, they might even let you try on the Crab Hat...or sell you some Solarcaine.
The menu is pretty typical, but check the board for daily specials and ask about some homemade pie. One feature that sends me to my happy place is the ability to get breakfast all day. Betty’s does have a signature item: the “Rumsey Burger” is named for local inventor James Rumsey, who created a waterjet-powered steamboat long before Fulton plied the waves on his
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
P RODUCT R EVIEW
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OLYMPIA VIPER MESH TECH JACKET
There seems to be a lot of good riding gear available these days and there is no excuse not to wear good gear every time you get on a bike. With all this good gear out there, some companies don’t produce good gear, they produce great gear. I speak of Olympia Motosports. I find myself reaching for Olympia Gear more and more and I recently got a chance to try out their new Viper Mesh Tech Jacket. Can I gush a bit about it? Sure I can. Once again Olympia has created a jacket that is so comfortable that I see this quickly becoming my day-to-day riding jacket. Created from 500-denier Dupont Cordura with 2000 Cordura at all the strike points elbows, shoulder and back - this jacket is one tough hombre! Although available in a few colors I took the silver and black version which has very sharp and very bright day-glo orange Olympia logos on the sleeves. This is a jacket that is very visible, but still looks very sharp and not too “noticeable” if you know what I mean. Adding to the conspicuity the Viper has 3M Scotchlite reflecting piping on the front, sides and back. Rarely do other riders comment on a jacket, but I have had more comments on the Viper than any other gear or jacket I have. It’s a great looking jacket. The Viper has five, count em five, pockets
and has a very tough CE-Approved armor system, including a flex articulated back protector. What I really like about the Viper is that it is so versatile. My first experience with it was on a winter Polar Bear Run and, with the two-stage waterproof Thermolite jacket liner in place, I was toasty warm for the entire ride. In hot weather I can easily remove the liner and allow the “Mesh Tech” to do its thing, and while riding the Viper allows tons of cool air in and around the rider. The liner is great for a light jacket when off the motorcycle too. It’s sturdy wind and waterproof / breathable rip stop nylon shell with removable Dupont Thermolite insulation, rib collar, two water proof pockets and interior cell phone pocket really works well off the bike. All in all I have to say that the Olympia Viper Mesh Tech is a superior and serious piece of riding gear and one of the best jackets we have seen in a while. It retails for $259.99 and is available in small to 4XL, so there is one just right for you. Once again Olympia shows why they are top of the game. You can find the Olympia Viper Mesh Tech Jacket at better motorcycle dealerships and you can find out more about this and their other great riding apparel at www.olympiamotosports.com. Brian Rathjen
The Family Dealership You Can Trust
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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ver the years we have ridden, bragged about, and done our steady best to convince riders and readers to come explore the state of “Wild & Wonderful” West Virginia. So, with the success of our “Destination Nova Scotia” issue last year it was destined that we would turn our eyes south to one of our favorite places to ride - The Mountain State. West “By God” Virgnia.
O
With a warm spring upon us and a few days in between issues free we packed up the bikes and headed down to West Virginia to put together a quick rider’s guide to some parts of the state and to get a few fun-filled days of riding in as well. We have a few different ways to get to West Virginia, one of them being along the country roads of Pennsylvania, ferrying across the Susquehanna, at Millersburg and then enjoying a leisurely ride south along the valleys of the Alleghenies before crossing the Potomac and riding into Berkeley Spring, WV. This day we got a later than usual start but still rolled into the state under the shine of the best sunset of the year. The sky was glowing with a warm orange and the sun seemed to turn it on just a bit more before she said goodbye for the day. A room was easy to get at The Country Inn, located right at the famed natural springs of Berkeley and dinner at the Inn’s tavern went down just fine after the long day. The best was we were here and could get an early start the next day right in West Virginia; and we knew there was plenty to see.
West Virginia Fantasies words and images: Brian Rathjen
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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Smokehole Blacksnake If a challenge is what you’re looking for, this is it. Leaving Elkins on Route 33 East, travel to Seneca Rocks. Catch Route 55 N to Cabins. There you will pickup the Blacksnake, Route CR 28/11 to Upper Tract. Take Route 220 S to Franklin, take 33 W back into Elkins.
Estimated Time: 3 hours, 16 mins Distance: 147.10 mi
We invite you to stay with us in Randolph County, West Virginia while enjoying the spectacular views and the best motorbike rides you'll ever experience.
In the Heart of West Virginia
The challenge ride begins in Elkins, head east on Rt 33 to Seneca Rocks. Stretch your legs a bit and enjoy the scenery of the rocks. From here, you will travel on Rt 55 N to the community of Cabins, here your journey begins. Take CR 28/11 for the Smokehole Blacksnake. At the end you head south on Rt 220 to Franklin. This is a community with a significant collection of the 19th century architecture. Take 33 E back into Elkins, making a memorable trip.
bpritt@randolphcountycvb.com Ph/Fx 304.636.2780 • 800.422.3304 1302 N. RANDOLPH AVE. ELKINS, WV 26241
Thousands of acres of outdoor playground, timeless mountain heritage and historic towns tucked snugly between majestic mountain landscapes that will relax and refresh your soul, your body and your mind.
We're suddenly closer than you think! www.randolphcountycvb.com • 800-422-3304 Backroads Ride
Lake & History
Tucker Run
Mountain & Valleys
If backroads and curves are your trip then this route will take you there. Leave Elkins on Route 33W to Buckhannon, while there stop by and see one of the last glassblowers. From Buckhannon take Rt. 20 S, here you will find the WV Wildlife Center. Native WV animals can be seen in their natural habitat here. Webster Springs will bring you back in time to the lumber years of old. Taking Rt. 15 back to Rt. 219 N will bring you back to Elkins. Alternate Routing: Take Rt. 33 W to Norton Exit, turn left onto CR 151 for .05 miles, turn left onto CR 53, continuing onto CR 37/8, thru Coalton to Cassity, stay on CR 35 toward Cassity, CR 35 becomes CR 34, CR 34 becomes CR 46, turning right to stay on CR 46 into Mill Creek bringing 250/219 N back to Elkins.
This route will wind in and out of Civil War History and beautiful lake country. Leaving Elkins, you will travel north west to Route 250 S to Philippi, noted for the first land battle, from there you will cross one of the largest covered bridges left in West Virginia. From Philippi you will travel Route 119 N to Grafton, home of the Mother’s Day Shire and Tygart Lake, a 1,740 acre recreation lake. You will pick-up Rt 50, heading East of Macomber. Route 72 S will bring you into Parsons. Your journey will end with Rt 219 South into Elkins. Alternate Routing: catch Route 92 South in Fellowsville passing by Teter Creek Lake, a small fishing lake. Then, take Route 250 South to Route 33 E back into Elkins.
Leaving Elkins, take Route 219 N through farm country to Parsons. Continuing on 219 North to the intersection of Route 50 E. This curvy road will pass through Maryland and back at Antioch. You will take Route 28 S to Seneca Rocks, bringing Route 33 W back into Elkins. Alternate Routing: Leave Elkins on Route 219 N to Thomas, pick-up Route 32 E passing by Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley to Harman. There you will bring Route 33 W back into Elkins.
Estimated Time: 3 hours, 18 mins Distance: 140.38 mi
Estimated Time: 2 hours, 23 mins Distance: 94.35 mi
Estimated Time: 3 hours, 48 mins Distance: 167.51 mi
Leaving Elkins on Rt 219 S, you will pass through time as you travel into the Civil War town of Beverly. Continuing further on 219 S, your journey will take you along the Tygart River valley and then up the spectacular Cheat Mountain. Continuing on Rt 219 S until you intersect with Rt 66 E. Here you can make a short detour and travel to the top of Snowshoe Mountain, where the view is breathtaking. Traveling on Rt 66 E, you will come into the town of Cass, here you will see one of the last coal operational scenic trains. From Cass, you will travel north on Rt 92. During the stretch, you will travel to Green Bank, the home of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Continuing on to the town of Bartow, where you will turn onto Rt 250 N, bringing you back into Elkins. Estimated Time: 1 hours, 58 mins Distance: 85.93 mi
Leaving Elkins heading west on Rt 33 you will come to the town of Buckhannon. Head south on Route 20. Make a stop at the WV Wildlife Center, a realistic and factual exhibit of the State’s wildlife. Continuing on Rt 20 S, a side trip for you might be Holly River State Park, the second largest park in the WV state park system. You will come to the community of Webster Springs, take a walk back in time to the lumber years. From there take Route 15 E to Valley Head. From there you will take Rt 219 N pass Kumbrabow State Forest, the state’s highest forest at 3,930 feet. Continuing on, Rt 219 N will bring you back into Elkins passing through the Civil War Historical town of Beverly.
Leaving Elkins traveling west of Route 33 W to Buckhannon taking 119 N toward the historic town of Philippi, don’t miss taking in the Civil War history of the covered bridge. Make a short stop at the Anna B. Jarvis house, used as General George B. McClellan headquarters. At Grafton you will pickup Rt. 50 E, here you can take a side trip to Tygart Lake State Park. Traveling on to Macomber you will head south on Rt 72 into Parsons, there take 219 S back into Elkins.
You will begin your run in Elkins, traveling north on Rt 219 towards Thomas. Take a side trip to Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley on Rt 32 E. Continuing on Rt 219 N you will come to Silver Lake, home of the World’s Smallest Church. Route 50 E will bring many curves and scenery as you wind your way to Antioch and head south of Rt 28 to Seneca Rocks. Take a minute to enjoy the spectacular view of this gracious rock. Taking Rt 33 W back into Elkins along scenic mountain roads will conclude your ride.
Leaving Elkins, traveling south on Rt 219 you will come to the Civil War Historical town of Beverly. Founded in 1790 as a Virginia Confederate community. Continuing on 219 S, you will pass by Kumbrabow State Forest, the state’s highest forest at 3,930 feet. Traveling on down to the community of Slaty Fork, you will turn onto Rt 66 E. Take a side trip to the top of Snowshoe Mountain, the view is spectacular. A short distance down Rt 66, you will find the small town of Cass, a small coal/timber town built around the railroad in 1902. Leaving Cass, turn north on Rt 28.
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(Continued on Page 24)
Caves, Cliffs, Tunnels and The Final Frontier
We were up and out early with the sun just clearing the peaks to the east and we headed west into the mountains of West Virginia. Our first stop that day was the small town of Paw Paw, right on the Potomac. Paw Paw is named for the Paw Paw tree that you’ll find along the high ridges, but we scooted this way to see the famed Paw Paw Tunnel. Now, technically, the tunnel is in Maryland, but is well worth crossing the river and we still consider it part of West Virginia. Construction of the canal tunnel’s 3,118 feet (950 m) was started in 1836, and the tunnel was not completed until 1850. Part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, it was built to bypass the Paw-Paw bends, a six-mile stretch of the Potomac River containing five horseshoe bends. Although it was originally planned to be completed in two years, there were many difficulties in the process of construction. The construction company seriously underestimated the difficulty of the job. Violence frequently broke out between various gangs of immigrant laborers of different ethnicities, and wages were often unpaid due to the company’s financial problems. The tun-
nel was finally completed with a cost overrun of 500%. Though surpassed by many tunnels today, it remains one of the world’s longest canal tunnels and was one of the greatest engineering feats of its day. It used over 6 million bricks to complete. We parked the bikes and hiked the 1/2 mile to the tunnel, poked around a bit and then headed back out and aimed the machines south. Riding along tight ridges and some superior roads with fantastic and quick elevation changes we made good time towards Romney and then headed south to Monongahela State Park. There is plenty to see along Route 28 and we stopped for awhile at Smoke Hole Caverns. We had held a rally here a few years back and the folks there still have our pictures on their video. The cave is phenomenal and their cabin resort was one of the most comfortable at which we have held a rally, that and the fact that Gerry and Janet are exuberant hosts. If you are looking for a great place to bring your group Smoke Hole Resort cannot be beat, plus they throw one hell of a barbeque. Just south of Smoke Hole you’ll find the magnificent Seneca Rocks, one of the bestknown scenic attractions in West Virginia, the sheer rock faces of Seneca Rocks are a popular challenge for rock climbers. They are a prominent and visually striking formation rising nearly 900 feet above the confluence of Seneca Creek with the North Fork South Branch Potomac River. They also overlook the community of Seneca Rocks, traditionally known as “Mouth of Seneca.”
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Their razor-back look is very distinctive and is synonymous with West Virginia in my mind. Also a staple of this part of West Virginia is Harpers General Store and the Front Porch Restaurant. Their Lamb Sandwiches are legendary, the view of Seneca Rocks cannot be equaled, and it is a must for lunch while riding
one of the “Best Small Towns in America,” with good cause. We took a room at the comfortable General Lewis Inn (See We’re Outta Here, page 16). It was the perfect place to power down after a long day’s ride and sitting on the porch with a glass of pinot seemed about as perfect as it could get. Life is good here in West Virginia.
Secret Bunkers, Super Roads, Odd Places and Liver Sandwiches?
in this part of the country. Continuing south we made a quick stop at the Greenback Radio Observatory. This place is truly different and if the SETI Project ever hears something it might be first heard here. We particularly like the scale model of our Solar System they have along their drive; it absolutely gives you an idea how big our system is, but remember Uranus is always behind you. Oops, inside voice taking over. These wonderful West Virginian roads eventually brought us into the Greenbrier Valley region and to the quaint town of Lewisburg, named
Early the next morning there was a tapping at our door. I opened it a crack and peered out. It was himself, the Master of Mystery, the Maven of Odd - the good Doctor Seymour O’Life. “Uh, Seymour...Hi - what are you doing here?” I asked. “Rathjen,” he said, “I know why you two are here, and I’m going too!” I had found, years ago, that Seymour would pop up at the strangest times, but always with good cause. This was one of those times. Evidentially he, too, was heading to our first stop of the day and spotting our bikes in the lot of the inn he decided to tag along with us. Hey, stranger things have happened. Now we were three and probably better off as nobody can explain this month’s Mysterious America better than the man himself. So after a cup of coffee on the porch of the General Lewis Inn we doubled back about 9 miles to America’s hotel - The famed
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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Greenbrier. Now the Greenbrier is as opulent and beautiful as any hotel in the world; and that beauty is there for all to see. But, it was what you cannot see that had us riding to the famous hotel this day. It was what lies beneath the West Virginian Wing of the Greenbrier. You see from the early ‘60s until 1992, when the Washington Herald unceremoniously blew the whistle on it, the United States Government kept a secret bunker below the hotel. It was here that Congress and the Senate would be brought in case of a
nuclear attack on Washington D.C. and the United States. We arrived early at the Greenbrier, as the next tour was scheduled for 11:30, so after purchasing our tickets we went off to explore the incredible grounds of this West Virginian treasure. The tour was fascinating and a bit chilling, to be honest, and I need not go into it in any great detail here as O’Life has this totally covered in this month’s Mysterious America (page 18). Suffice to say I don’t think the Fed could ever pull this off again - unless they already have and in that case good! Seymour had a few things he needed to investigate in other parts of West Virginia, so he bid us adieu and took off in search of monsters and we headed south along Route 219, which runs along the Virginian border in a most pleasant way. Our furthest point south in the Mountain state would be the small state park called Pinnacles. Here erosion has worn away one bluff into the most interesting spire and the steep hike to the observation platform was our official aerobics for the day, but the grand view
Going The Extra Mile… “You know, that great joy one receives when you’re buying something you’ve waited a long time for and you hope the experience meets your expectations. That you get to enjoy and savor all the information, tire kicking and bike sitting the dealer will allow. Let me say that Chris and all of the staff more than met all of my expectations during the entire experience. They kept Chris busy all the time but I never felt I was not getting his full attention and consideration. He’s not only courteous and polite; his knowledge of the product is impeccable. The delivery of the bike was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Chris patiently went over every part of the bike to make sure I was thoroughly familiar with all aspects of its performance and functions. I’ve never written to anyone regarding a purchase before. Maybe it’s because I’ve never had as nice an experience as I’ve had with everyone I met at Cliff’s…… I will gladly recommend Cliff’s to any and all who are interested in not only a fine bike but spectacular service. I’m looking forward to a long and happy relationship with everyone there and I know I won’t be disappointed.” –‘Real Cliff’s Customer’
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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from the top was worth each step. Continuing west on Route 52, we discovered a number of smaller, local roads, that brought us through many, tinier, West Virginia towns; some really pretty, others that seemed to be struggling. We then turned north on Route 16, which snaked its way up and down the countryside. I know we have said it before, but when riding down this way the roads just seem to get better and better. Except for towns, there is little traffic and the cars and trucks we did chance upon were dispatched quickly and legally, as West Virginia, unlike many other states, has embraced the concept of the “passing zone.” Much of this region’s economics is powered by coal and we saw plenty of mines, plants and coal trains scattered through the region. But, it seems that is not all that can make a person rich and famous in these parts as a guy named Nick evidentally has made a name for himself with his infamous Liver Sandwiches. Alas, we missed out on these but, like Macarthur, we promised to return someday to partake and enjoy. Heading back east a bit on Route 10 we once again rose into the peaks, along roads that had to have been designed by the Road Gods themselves. Deep sweepers, tight switchbacks and wonderful elevation changes along pavement that followed rushing steams, deep forests and tiny burgs. I had planned most of this ride a few weeks back and had it loaded into my Zumo, so as not to miss some of the tiny turnoff that lead to riding nirvana.
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
This worked perfectly off of Route 16 when we veered to the right onto a tiny bit of macadam called CR 33 and sped to the tiny village of Odd, WV. Now how can you go to West Virginia and not seek out a town named Odd? Well, you can’t and lucky for us I spotted the Odd Post Office, which is just down the road from the Odd Community Church or we would have simply motored past. Fortunately we did find Odd and have the pictures to prove it. CR 33 was a seriously technical road and reminded Shira and me of another seriously technical road in West Virginia called CR 72, located near Canaan Valley. For those of you who rode this route on one or the other of our Backroads Rallies in this state you know what sort of road we are talking about here. You do not want to just pass your MSF Class and attempt this piece of roadway. CR 33 ended at Route 19 where we headed north and to the city of Beckley for the night.
Mountains, Rivers and Mist Till this morning we had been basking in a late April warm spell, almost a heat wave making the end of April more like the end of July. This day the bright sunny skies that had been our constant companion had been pushed east by low clouds and the feel of eminent moisture was to be found hanging in the air. We gassed up and found our way back to our route and proceeded north along Route 41, The Midland Trail, which again brought us north and across another range. This day liners were added as the temperatures were more early spring-like and, as we rose higher, the more the temperatures dropped. This road brought us to the New River Valley. Ironically the New River is one of the oldest on the
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planet and crossing over the old steel bridge, far down river from the famed New River Gorge Bridge, gave us a little different perspective on this old gal. Once again we spotted a freight train pulling a hundred plus cars full of coal, this time we got the view from directly above as the tracks ran out of a deep tunnel and below the bridge along the New River. A bit further on we ran into Babcock State Park, one of the finest in the state and well worth our stop. Near Mount Nebo we hooked up onto a tiny rural road called Old Nicholas. A narrow and twisting road it meandered along farmlands and forests and paying attention was a must, for Old Nicholas is only one lane wide. Perhaps West Virginia felt if they only paved one half the road they could make it twice as long? This brought us to Route 20, which eventually ended at US 39. Around lunchtime the rains that had
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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been threatening came on with a vengeance (who would have seen that coming our way?) and just shy of Richwood we spotted the Gateway Diner, Home of the Ramp Burger. Now “ramps” are a West Virginia staple and sort of a cross between a leeks and garlic. We had just missed a festival up north earlier in the trip, but the woman at the Gateway told us of her creation of 1/4 lb. burger, potatoes, egg mixed with ramps, and cheese on a home-baked roll. It was everything you could ask for. All fourfood groups in one great sandwich and it really hit the spot and carried us both all the way till dinner later that night. Turning north on Route 219, this road proved itself again to be as pleasant and challenging wherever you find it in West Virginia. Before crossing over the gap near Snowshoe we stopped to add another layer as temperatures had dropped again. Yesterday it was in the high 80’s, now the high 40’s. Early spring in West Virginia had returned. Heading over the peaks on CR 66, towards Cass, visibility fell to just about zero - basically we were at a crawl with four-way flashers going and a white cane duct taped to the beak of my GS. Heading back down on the eastern-side we rode back out of the clouds and then doubled-back a bit of the way we came along Route 28 past
Greenbank and Boyer. We headed east at Judy Gap on Route 33 and, in Oak Flat, we again headed north on CR 3, a long sinuous piece of asphalt that parallels US 220, but in a far more pleasurable fashion. Unlike some of the more technical roads found in West Virginia we found CR 3 a real gem and relaxing to ride - fast. We had planned to take the dirt road into Lost River State Park, but it was a quagmire and we had street rubber on. Besides, it was already 5 o’clock, still raining and cold. It was time to call it a day. I know I’ll be back for this bit of gravel and dirt another time, probably with a bunch of you Backroads’ readers! We took a room at the South Branch Inn in Moorefield. This is a new place, built near the new Interstate 55 that is cutting through West Virginia. Some dislike the idea of this big road, but seeing that it will keep so much traffic off the backroads we’re all for it. The South Branch was very nice and I can see this being an excellent home base for many riding and HOG Groups as they have modern facilities and a number of restaurants within walking distance. There is even a movie theatre right there. They also had a laundry and dryer - much needed this day.
Blue Ridge Parkway better… 10% off rooms at Natural Bridge!*
We made a good call the previous night and with clouds, but no rain, we got an early start and headed east along Old 55. The new highway is being built
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To the North and East - Harper Ferry
Ride way better! Plan a Rally or Club Event with a New Twist
• To download your coupon for • 155 guest rooms, huge outdoor gathering 10% off rooms, go to spots, indoor meeting space for up to 500 www.NaturalBridgeVA.com/cycle.html; guests, and catering, too, for groups of all call 800-533-1410 for reservations. sizes. Contact Sales@naturalbridgeva.com; 540-458-3757. • Arrive on your bike check-in with your coupon; you’ll be entered into • Learn Cornering Techniques; “Visual the free weekend drawing. Strategies,” and Safety Tips: schedule a Stayin’ Safe Motorcycle Training • Have a drink by the creek, walk team member to speak at your event. to the Natural Bridge and falls, eat Offer half-day “Skills Tune-ups” on lots of good food, pass out, get up, nearby mountain roads, a modified version of eat, and ride some more! the popular on-road training tours (www.stayinsafe.com)
NATURAL WONDER & HISTORIC LANDMARK
Take Off in Any Direction for a Great Ride! We’re surrounded by National Forests,
far from major metro-areas and tourist centers, so you’ll find miles of scenic, lightly trafficked roads: • winding valley roads flanked by mountain vistas • technical serpentine roads that climb up and down the mountains • the Blue Ridge Parkway, practically traffic-free! • dirt roads and trails in the National Forests. Download route maps at www.NaturalBridgeVA.com/cycle.html. and all you have to do when you come to Natural Bridge is go out and ride!
To Plan Your Trip call 800-533-1410; visit www.NaturalBridgeVA.com/cycle.html to download your “Two Wheels Steal” coupon & route maps, and learn more about Natural Bridge. To Plan Your Group’s Trip or Event: Group Sales, Sales@naturalbridgeva.com; 540458-3757; www.NaturalBridgeVA.com/cycle.html
Location: Distance from Washington, DC–190 m; Richmond, VA–135m; Norfolk, VA–195m; Pittsburgh, PA–300m; Philadelphia, PA–330m; We’re on Route 11 at VA 130; off I-81, exits 175 or 180; just south of I-64; from the Blue Ridge Parkway, your choice of two fun roads at mp 45.6, US 60, or mp 61.6, VA 130.
because Old 55 is a road full of twists and turns, ups and downs and it sometimes seems to literally turn back on itself. Not a good road for folks in automobiles (Sportscars excluded), but perfect for motorcyclists. Heading near Virginia we hooked north and a few hours later rode past Charles Town with its famed horse racing; a place we started a Spring Break Rally way back in 2001, and then carried on to Harpers Ferry, where we ended a Spring Break in 2006. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers where the U.S. states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia meet, this is a beautiful and historic little town. The first shots of the Civil War happened here and on October 16, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown and 21 men attacked and took Harpers Ferry. These days the town is full of quaint shops, a few B & B’s and restaurants and was the perfect place to finish our little tour of West Virginia. We had ridden from the north to the south and did our best to criss-cross the Mountain state as much as we could. West Virginia, a state so close and so full of riding
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THE GREAT WEST VIRGINIA MONSTER HUNT Doctor Seymour O’Life here and, with the knowledge that this issue of Backroads is dedicated to riding around the fine Mountain state of West Virginia, it behooves me to remind you just how many strange, odd and mysterious places and things can be found, or at least sought out, in this riding heaven. With that in mind I thought it time for a little hunting soirée, for if there were ever a state that has it’s share of worldly and unworldly creatures it is surely West “By God” Virginia!
THE MUMMIES OF PHILIPPI Back in 1888 a local doctor, Graham Hamrick, in the town of Philippi, purchased the bodies of two women from a nearby sanitarium. Although not looking to create a side show, his work in preservation truly outdid itself and the duo are, to this day, preserved so well that the Egyptians would give Hamrick a well deserved ‘fist bump’. A few years after the mummification the two preserved lasses went on a world tour with none other than P.T. Barnum and then were lost for decades only to be found residing in a local barn, where they were being exposed to the elements, floods, heat and humidity. Knowing that these two women deserved better, they were moved about and eventually found a permanent home at the old B & O Railroad Station which now serves as the Barbour County Historical Museum. The mummies lay in eternal rest (well, until they get moved again) in the rest room of the station. Not too glamorous, but it works. You’ll find the Barbour County Historical Museum and our gals at 200 North Main St., at the junctions of US 119 & 250 and you can reach the museum (not the Mummies) at 304-457-4846.
FLATWOODS MONSTER On September 12, 1952 two brothers, Edward and Fred May, and their friend Tommy Hyer were walking along the tiny roads of Braxton county, West Virginia right around dusk when they spotted a bright object streaking across the sky and apparently looking as if it had landed on the property of a local farmer. Running back home they told their mother what they had seen and with a group now gathered, including a young National Guardsman and a dog, they went in search of whatever had landed in the nearby fields. Arriving at the site the dog ran ahead out of sight and suddenly began barking, before running back to the group with its tail between its legs. Reaching the top of a hill they saw a large pulsating “ball of fire” about 50 feet to their right. They also detected a bitter mist, almost tear gas-like that caused their eyes and nose to burn. By this time it was dark and they spotted two glowing red lights and using a flashlight National Guardsman, Eugene Lemon, revealed a large creature seemingly floating in the air. According to the group the monster let out a high-pitched hissing noise and seemed to have begun gliding towards them before changing direction and heading off towards the red light. At this point the group fled in panic. Upon returning home Mrs. May contacted local Sheriff Robert Carr, and Mr. A. Lee Stewert, co-owner of the Braxton Democrat, a local newspaper. Stewert conducted a number of interviews and returned to the site with Lemon later that night where he reported, “there was a sickening, burnt,
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metallic odor still prevailing”. Sheriff Carr and his deputy Burnell Long searched the area separately, but reported finding no trace of the encounter. The next day it was reported that a metallic disk shaped craft was seen lifting off from the area and that it disappeared into the sky. Was this a genuine Close Encounter? No one really knows and to this day riding along these roads you never know what can happen. The last time I was there the only evidence I could find was a replica of the Flatwoods Monster in a local fuel station next to the Shoney’s on Route 19. Still, the folks of Braxton County love their own monster. The Flatwoods Days Green Monster Festival - The Flatwoods Monster Returns Flatwoods, WV. September 4, 5, 6, 2009 The Biggest Event in West Virginia to commemorate the 57th Anniversary Celebration of the Flatwoods Monster Incident. Join in the 3day family event in Flatwoods, West Virginia, home of the “Green Monster,” located in downtown Flatwoods. There are hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds available, putting you right in the center of action. www.flatwoodsmonster.com
MOTHMAN Now even though Braxton County doesn’t make a big deal of their monster, the folks in Point Pleasant, right on the Ohio River surely do. The Mothman has become a thing of legend and there is even a huge stainless steel statue in the middle of the town to prove it. This story started in November of 1966 when two couples were driving near the old TNT Plant, just outside Point Pleasant, when they noticed two red lights in the shadows by an old generator plant near the factory
Rip & Ride®
THE GREAT WEST VIRGINIA MONSTER HUNT MUMMIES OF PHILIPPI, FLATWOODS MONSTER, THE MOTHMAN START IN PHILIPPI, WEST VIRGINIA HOME OF THE MUMMIES OF PHILIPPI
TO FLATWOODS MONSTER ROUTE 119 / 17 SOUTH RIGHT AT RTE. 57 LEFT AT RTE. 20 SOUTH ENJOY THE RIDE! RIGHT AT CR 82 RIGHT AT ROUTE 19 NORTH IN BRAXTON COUNTY NORTH ONTO I-79/ROUTE 19 FIND FLATWOODS MONSTER AT FUEL STATION NEAR SHONEY’S ON ROUTE 19 & I-79 MOTHMAN POINT PLEASANT, WV I-79 SOUTH - EXIT ROUTE 16 N/W LEFT AT RTE. 33 STRAIGHT AT RTE. 62 - PAST I-77 LEFT AT RTE. 331 LEFT AT RTE. 2 ALL THE WAY TO POINT PLEASANT MOTHMAN STATUE IN MIDDLE OF TOWN HAPPY HUNTING! TO
THE
gate. They stopped the car, and reportedly discovered that the lights were the glowing red eyes of a large animal, “shaped like a man, but bigger, maybe six and a half or seven feet tall, with big wings folded against its back”, according to one. Terrified, they drove toward Route 62, where the creature supposedly chased them at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. It then flew into the sky and disappeared. Over the next year reports of the Mothman continued to come in, from all over the region and the story came to a head on the night of December 15, 1967, when the Silver Bridge, that crossed the river, collapsed in the middle of rush hour traffic, resulting in the deaths of 46 people. Years later a film called “The Mothman Prophecies” was made loosely base on the events, but in
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GorGinG out Nancy McKeithen The scent of the late summer weekend was making the four of us want to roam. So after calling the pet sitter and packing a change of clothing on a recent Saturday morning, we hopped onto the Moto Guzzi and headed deep into West Virginia. The golden and his beagle buddy were in for a weekend of canine pampering. Sure, an air-conditioned SUV might be more comfortable. But for us, the motorcycle is the difference between watching a movie and starring in it. Our destination: the New River Gorge and the bridge that spans it, the longest single-arch, steel-span bridge in the world. 2006 is the 28th anniversary of this bridge that’s the star of TV commercials and the once-a-year take-off spot for parachutists and bungee jumpers. In West Virginia, getting there is at least half the fun. We head toward Winchester, Virginia, cross into the Mountain State and go west. Traffic thins by the mile. The farther we get from the border, the higher the mountains and more curvy the road. We opt for the long route-anything but interstate-and turn what would normally be a few-hours ride into seven. The scenery is a fair tradeoff for covering less ground per hour. Soon, what some locals say about West Virginia becomes almost believable: “If you ironed her flat as a pancake, she’d be bigger than Texas.”
the Lure of the Bike Traveling by motorcycle gives us a built-in excuse to stop every hour or so-for gas, food or water, or just a butt break. Good thing. The West Virginia countryside gives us ample reason to snap photos to recall the trip when winter makes spring a distant memory. As we cross the Cacapon River in Capon Bridge, the de-stressing effects of a weekend away take hold. By choice, we don’t have rider-to-passenger radios on the Guzzi. Maybe so each of us can keep the “lone wolf” feeling that riding affords. Two shoulder taps tells Bob I wouldn’t mind stopping if there’s time; three taps, “ stop soon”; and four, “Get me off this bike now.” Low-tech, but the system works. Trailing Patterson Creek on our left, a miles-long picture postcard kind of smooth, flat riding, we head toward Seneca Rocks, past Spruce Knob, the highest point in the state. Because of the Appalachian chain, roads in West Virginia that trend northeast to southwest, like this one, usually run on the floor of the valley. East to west, they run up and over the ridge. We are hot and thirsty when we reach Seneca Rocks and Harper’s General Store. Bob fills the bike at the trio of gas pumps, and inside I cruise the aisles and find tempting snacks-the clear-plastic-wrapped kind that look
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homemade and tasty. Local souvenirs fill the shelvespottery, and sheepskins from the owner’s own flock. Outside, Bob takes a photo of the rocks that take their name from the Seneca Indian trail. This cumulative 1,000 feet of Tuscarora sandstone-like “two slabs of bread standing on edge”-are lit by the sun, masking the climbers from view. For the less bold, there’s a rock-climbing wall across the road from Harper’s where the pros at the Seneca Rocks Climbing School give lessons. Back on the bike, my ears begin to pop, and I look up to see clouds touching the tops of the mountains. The elevation is high; we are near some of the best snow skiing in the whole state.
the ride to the unexpected Lunchtime and we are miles from where Bob wants to eat. Motorcycle etiquette wins out though-it’s the rider’s choice, not the passenger’s-so we motor on. He has wanted to show me Helvetia (Hel-vay-sha)-Latin for Switzerland-since discovering it by happenstance a few years back. The ride there is unforgettable: long sweeping ribbon curves, a cooling breeze as we ride downhill, no traffic save for the occasional pickup, and a wall of green forest on each side of us. Eleven miles later, we emerge into a valley to find a true Swiss village-not a re-creation-population, forty or so. Having ridden to the far side of hunger, we pull into the first eating establishment we come to, The Hütte, beside the town run. “Thirty-eight years,“ says proprietor Eleanor Mailloux when I ask how long the restaurant has
been there. And the water? “It’s the Buckhannon River, the left fork of the right branch,” she says, showing us to a table that looks out onto the porch. Oompah music floats in from the park across the road, where some locals are testing a sound system. It’s the birthday of the Swiss nation, and the celebration is that evening. In 1869, Swiss immigrants looking for land to farm found this isolated valley that reminded them of their homeland. They settled the village, and the culture remains today. The community thrives by the work of its residents: festivals throughout the year, like Fasnacht, which marks the end of winter and the coming of spring, and the April Ramp Supper, a celebration of the local herb that’s kin to a wild leek; biologists know it as Allium tricoccum. Its more common name, according to legend, comes from an Indian word meaning “thing that stinks badly.” True or not, the ramp lives up to the lore: After eating them, don’t try to get close to someone who hasn’t. Lunch is worth the wait-home-cooked Swiss-German food, served in a house that offers as much to look at as to eat. As with so many other things in this town, it is unexpected. I find a surprise taste in the foods I think I know, like sauerkraut with the sweetness and appeal of dessert. Afterward, I wander from room to room-each has its own personalitywhile Bob takes a stand on the porch. I admire a skein of yarn on a table by (Continued on Page 38)
Calendar of Events - June thru September
JUNE
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JULY
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AUGUST
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SEPTEMBER
September 5 CAPON BRIDGE RURITAN CICKEN BBQ Capon Bridge, WV 304-856-1303 September 11-13 HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE DAYS Romney, WV 304-496-8162
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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the door, and Eleanor begins the story of the local shepherds. Faced with uncertain markets in 2000, the shepherds joined together to form the Helvetia Shepherds Association, and now sell yarn and blankets processed from Helvetia wool. Even with the temperature in the low 80s, I think how warm and good the blankets would feel in winter. The wool is a good excuse, as if we need one, to come back in a different season. The town is on the National Register of Historic Places. As we get on the bike to leave, I take a look back, just in time to watch a young boy dive off the low bridge and emerge, smiling, from beneath the sunlit water.
the road to the Gorge The ride up and out of Helvetia on Turkey Bone Road rivals the ride in. The gravel gives us no option to go fast and miss the scenery through Kumbrabow State Park. As it ends and we return to pavement, we grudgingly speed up to reach the gorge. The elevation is around 4,000 feet as we turn south. It is near dark when we reach Hico, only minutes from the gorge. Friends have loaned us their cabin for the night, and after a quick dinner, we settle
PHOTO-STEVE
SHALUTA, WV DEPT. OF COMMERCE
PHOTO-STEVE
SHALUTA, WV DEPT. OF COMMERCE
in. Sleep comes fast and sound in the quiet of the small white frame house that sits near the road, on the apex of a climbing curve. In the light of morning, I see the spreading, centuries-old oak in front that both guards and welcomes those who visit. I hate to leave so soon. From the days when Bob led motorcycle tours through the state, breakfast at Biscuit World is tradition, if not the most tasty, the next morning. I can smell we are near the restaurant before I can see it from the back of the bike. By the time we finish eating, the early morning fog in the gorge has burned off, revealing what geologist’s believe is one of the oldest rivers in North America, despite that it’s named the New. What had been a 45-minute trip across the Gorge and the river became a 45-second trip with the opening of the new bridge in 1978. We cross over it-the bridge appears plain and unimpressive from the road surface-and head 876 feet down to the base of the gorge. The road to the bottom is one-lane, one-way, with switchbacks that nearly let you read your own license plate. I feel the temperature dropping as we make our way down. It’s the best place to view the top-to see the smooth, manmade arch in harmony with the jagged rocks that border the gorge. We park the bike and hopscotch across the rocks to the water’s edge for
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
a better look at both bridges-the old restored one that sits lower to the water and the artfully engineered new one. Holding the camera at odd angles to the arch, I try to capture an image as artistic as the subject. Capturing the feeling is another matter: at the top, vastness, but at the bottom, a kind of sereneness sets in. The sun is getting higher and hotter, making it tough to ignore the time. We climb onto the bike and ride out of the gorge to the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center. The temperature inside is pleasantly cool, and we let the black-and-white photos take us back in history to the gritty hardships of life and coal mining before the bridge.
A Different road Home Leaving the gorge, we pick up the Midland Trail, once the primary Native American east-west highway. Today, this connection between Charleston, the capitol, and the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs is testament to West Virginia’s motto, “Wild and Wonderful.” Whatever we might want, we can find it along this stretch of road: whitewater rafting on Class VI rapids, mountain biking, historic towns, local arts, and scenery that begs us to pull out our camera. Next time. Roughly headed in the direction of home, we detour to ride a 22-mile cut of the Highland Scenic Trail. It snakes through the Monongahela National Forest. Distinct for going nowhere, the Trail appears to have been built for one reason only: eye-boggling scenery. Unlike so many roads, this one runs along the tops of the ridges, making the overlooks worth a stop. We’re in Pocahontas County now, the best motorcycle riding in the state, Bob thinks. The county is the birthplace of seven rivers, author Pearl Buck and Dr. Hunter Adams, aka “Patch Adams,” the man behind the movie starring Robin Williams. And it’s home to Marlinton, a town unique to this day and age, and isolated just enough to support a real downtown filled with more than antique shops. The three-story hardware next door to the railroad is proof. It still sells mattresses, washtubs, and nuts and bolts by the piece.
Mid-afternoon and we roll into Cass, a town that owes its heritage to the lumber industry. What was the company store is now the Cass Country Store, with a restaurant, ice cream counter and gift shop, but the town is little changed otherwise from what it was in the early 1900s. Eleven miles of track remain, and the restored Shay locomotives still operate as the Cass Scenic Railroad, with old logging flat-cars turned into passenger cars. We buy sandwiches at the store and eat them by the mouth of the Leatherbark Creek that lines the tracks. From Cass north, we follow the Cherry River. The water tumbling over the rocks in this trout stream is clear, inviting us to dangle our feet in it. But the rain has started. We stop to put on rain gear, and I make a mental note to return another time. The sky has turned a gray that signals the rain will not be short-lived, and we pick up our pace home. It’s okay. I don’t mind so much that tomorrow is Monday.
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Details: new river Gorge Getting There: The fast way: From Winchester, I-81 South toward Roanoke to Route 64 West toward Lexington/Charleston, to the Midland Trail (WV Route 60 West) to Rt. 19 South The scenic way: From Winchester, Route 50 West, to Route 28 South at Burlington, to Route 55 West, to Route 219 South; Right at Mill Creek into Helvetia; Turkey Bone Road out of Helvetia, to Route 20 South to Cowen, to Route 82 North, to Route 19 South to the New River Gorge. Where to Eat: In Helvetia-The Hütte, 304-924-6435. Near the GorgeBiscuit World, lots of breakfast, low cost. What to Do: Learn about the New River Gorge’s history, geology and wildlife, and construction of the bridge at the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center museum and bookstore (9 am to 5 pm); take the 435-foot walkway down to an observation deck at the rim of the gorge. Bridge Day, the third Saturday in October each year, is the only day when it’s legal to parachute and bungee jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge and rappel the arch, as two lanes of the four-lane highway are closed for the day.
New River National River • www.nps.gov/neri • 304-574-2115 West Virginia tourism: www.callwva.com • 800-CALLWVA Harper’s Country Store • 304-567-2586 Seneca Rocks Climbing School • www.climbseneca.com
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A LITTLE EXTRA MYSTERIOUS AMERICA Mystery Hole HC 65 Box 86, Ansted WV 25812 304-658-9101 • www.mysteryhole.com Lat. 38 degrees 7’ 26” N, Long 81 degrees 8’ 29” W The argument at Monkey With A Gun was getting heated. As the defacto leader of the “Tanked Bags” I had to step in and take charge, as Bahr and Bock were actually rolling on the floor. The discussion started off innocently enough - what state has the strangest stuff; Bock claiming his native New York; Bahr contending it was his New Jersey. Now New York does have its share of oddities and scary things - Hillary Clinton comes to mind - and New Jersey is it’s own planet, but there are other states that boast some wacky stuff as well. Come this July many of you BMW owners will be heading down to West Virginia for the National BMW RA Rally that’ll be held in Canaan Valley. Now, next to New Jersey, West Virginia has to be the most maligned state in the Union. But, in truth, the Mountain State, with its 24,231 square miles, is only ranked #41 in size, but #1 when it comes to great roads. In and around these roads you’ll find all sorts of things, one being a place that is perfectly suited for this mysterious question...the Mystery Hole of West Virginia. Somewhere around 1972 the Mystery Hole opened its doors to the general public, and according to the folks at the Hole they are the best kept secret in the USA, but nobody knows why. The truth is even their own web page adds to the questions about this place... “WARNING! Once you take this ten-minute journey you may not be able to contain yourself in the usual manner or refrain from making comments such as, “IT MADE MY DAY!” - “I JUST LOVE IT” - “or “IT STOPPED MY HEADACHE”. One lady said it changed her husband from an old grouch to a nice sweet person, and some have even complained that the
admission price is too low and insisted on giving a tip. The one thing they all agree on is “It’s Different.” Someone once said that just the thought of seeing the MYSTERY HOLE often caused them to feel strange and hyperactive! This may be the power of perception sending them a signal that it’s time to see the MYSTERY HOLE. If at this point your heart is picking up tempo and you feel an urge to explore something very interesting and different, just drop everything right where you are, load up the family, friends, and enemies and go for it! You’ll see, feel, and hear some of the most unusual things as you coast along on this short, sweet, almost free, ten-minute trip that will intrigue you all the rest of your life. This rare treasure of a pleasure spot is open only during the summer season and is truly the alpha and omega of MYSTERY HOLES in these beautiful West Virginia hills, often referred to as “ALMOST HEAVEN.” The hole is located parallel to US Route 60 one mile west of Hawks Nest State Park, about half way between Honey Creek and Turkey Creek near the east end of a series of snake curves. It is sandwiched between an old Army-type Quonset hut and a dark, lonely void where only vacuum dares to tread. This may be the last and final attempt to make plain this hard to explain MYSTERY HOLE, where the Law of Gravity seems to have gone berserk and left so many people puzzled and bewildered. Now that you’ve read and digested this story I believe you understand what you think I’ve said, but I am not quite sure you realize that what you’ve read is not what I meant. The rest of this story is still classed as secret and may never be told. Everyone needs to experience the MYSTERY HOLE for themselves because, “Seeing is Believing!” So what is it... ? We’re not sure, but if you’re heading to the BMW Rally, or simply riding through West Virginia and enjoying the great roads in that state, stop by the Mystery Hole and tell us what you think.
O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson Same Great Place with a Whole New Attitude
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made just the thing for your father… …and you can find it at O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson
Full line of 2009 motorcycles, H-D Genuine parts & accessories and MotorClothes apparel. Join us every Wednesday night for our Dinner Ride and Bike Show to Toriello’s Brick Oven in Goshen, NY. Ride leaves O’Tooles at 6pm sharp.
O’Tooles Harley-Davidson • Same Great Place with a Whole New Attitude 4 Sullivan Street • Wurtsboro, NY 12790 • 845-888-2426 • www.otooleshd.com Hours: Tues, Wed + Fri 8am-6pm • Thurs 8am-8pm • Sat 8am-3:30pm • Closed Sunday and Monday
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R OAD T RIP
WEST VIRGINIA GETAWAY Fred Nemiroff
The problem posed - where could you ride in three days from the greater New York metropolitan area? My friend from New Zealand had not ridden a motorcycle in three weeks and was suffering severe withdrawal pains. John had already been through New England, including Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Pulling out a map, West Virginia leaped out at us. West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1861 over the social and political differences between the two states. During the Civil War, West Virginia became the 35th State on June 20,1863, just three weeks short of the keystone battle that destroyed the South’s hope for achieving their goal of forming a new republic. The mileage required for us to make the trip down to West Virginia judged by the number of days we had available, seemed easy and on a Tuesday, we set out on Route 78 West from New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, we jumped off of 78 just outside of Allentown onto SR 222, which headed southwest through Amish country for a bit of flavor. This unique group of German descendants whose beliefs caused them to shun all modern conveniences were originally German immigrants and called themselves Pennsylvania Deutsch which translated is Pennsylvania German. That has been corrupted over the years to Dutch but they are not from Holland. Having set a goal, we passed through farmland, quaint towns, several Amish in horsedrawn carriages and into Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Here we jumped onto two lane Route 30, continuing our run through Amish country, through York, the home of the Harley Davidson assembly plant, and arrived at Gettysburg just before noon. It’s quite surprising to find out just how much a foreigner knows about our history. While John knew about our Civil War and even Gettysburg, he had never toured the battlefield or reviewed the history of the battle and its significance to the outcome of the Civil War. Opened early in 2008, the National Park Services’ visitor’s center provided a superb summary of the causes of the war, an outline of some of the major battles and campaigns of the war but only briefly touched on the intimate details of Gettysburg, unlike the former Visitor’s center. While I was disappointed in the 30-minute documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, John appreciated the overview and confessed it greatly expanded his knowledge of the social and political issues surrounding the war. After a fairly thorough tour of the new visitor center, we quickly rode off to Little Round Top and the High Water Mark in the battlefield. The National Park Service offers bus and automobile self-guided tours of the battlefield. If you’ve never been to Gettysburg and stood at the High Water Mark, I highly advise you to do it. It’s the sight of Picket’s charge across almost a mile of farmland into the teeth of the Union lines. Of the 18,000 Confederate soldiers who made the charge, 12,000 casualties were inflicted. If the hair on the back of your neck doesn’t rise as you survey this field, wondering about the bravery or foolishness, you choose the proper adjective, of the men who participated in this, then you need to have your pulse checked to make sure you’re still living. We followed General Lee’s retreat from here along Rt. 30 but then jumped on Interstate 81 South to Strasburg, Virginia. We stopped just north of Strasburg in the thriving metropolis of Middletown. Located midway between Winchester and Woodstock, VA, Middletown has approximately 1050 people enjoying a laid back life. The mileage that day was around 380 miles, which allowed us to still arrive at our economy hotel in the daylight. Leaving the bikes at the hotel, we walked into town to an Irish pub, the Irish Aisle. John pronounced the shepherd’s pie a delight and discovered that the locals really have no love for John Denver’s song about West Virginia. The next day dawned bright and warm with no clouds in the sky. We set off on State Route 55 and 30 miles later, crossed into West Virginia. At last we were on a twisty road. Rt. 55 wound through hollows (Spit Lick Hollow, my favorite name that day,) what the rest of the world would call valleys, mountains and farmland. We were dumped onto new Route 55, which followed the Allegheny mountain ridge, affording some superb views of Appalachia. It was really a difficult choice which road to follow; enjoy the views or enjoy the twisty road of Old 55. We decided to stay on the new route as we thought there would be plenty of twisties later on. Rt. 55 eventually dumped us back onto the old 55 and into the West Virginia town of Petersberg. It was breakfast time. Petersberg is a three block long town that is intensely proud of its football team, judging from all the football jerseys that were on display in Denver’s Cafe. We were just outside of Monongahela State Park and Appalachia.
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tion of the WV Central and Pittsburgh Railroad. As the county seat, Elkins hosts many outdoor events. In fact, that weekend was to be a hill climb for dirt bikes and special purpose-built cars. The hotel we stayed in was fully booked the next day so we were lucky in having picked that Wednesday night to stay and not Thursday. Thursday dawned with a blue sky and cool temperatures. John had to be back at his son-in-law’s house to greet his other daughter who was flying in from London. We stayed on local roads; our route was still 219 until it merged with the Pennsy Turnpike, which we stayed on into Harrisburg and made our way back onto Route 78 and a boring run home. We did learn there’s a lot more to see down in West Virginia and that the Monagahela Park and Appalachia are only a short day’s ride away. There’s a lot more exploring to do in that Park and plenty of campsites for those who like camping out. It’s definitely a destination for next year, perhaps in tandem with a visit to the Virginia International Speedway for an AMA race.
Some useful websites: www.wvtourism.com West Virginia Tourism with online Travel Guide www.madmaps.com Suggestions for routes, eateries, accommodations www.stateparks.com/monongahela Information on the State Parks of WV
From here, we stayed on 55 and picked up Rt. 28 southbound which ran up and down the Allegheny mountain range on the east side of the State Park. We were somewhat surprised that homes, farms and living conditions overall were not as poor as we were led to believe from just general exposure to the media. In fact, in the middle of the Park, we rode right past the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Coming over a rise in the road, you ride past this monstrous radio dish antenna. The search for intelligent life in the universe continues. Obviously they gave up on finding any in Washington, D.C. Rt. 28 fed into 28 East and then onto 92 South, arriving at White Sulfur Springs in time for lunch and a well deserved break. While John’s Suzuki V-Strom required nothing more than a squirt of chain lube, which I didn’t have, my 1996 Triumph Sprint’s chain was finally starting to show the end of it’s life. It had been faithfully transporting the bike for 23,000 miles. We had a choice after our maintenance duties of taking local roads west or keeping to schedule and jumping on the nearby Interstate for some 20 miles. We chose I-64 and hopped off to pick up State Rt. 60 and 20 North, back to the Monagahela State Park. It was here that one can get a real flavor of Appalachia, passing rundown shacks, mobile homes with ancient cars and pick-up trucks in the yard that no longer run and some mobile homes with street debris, hubcaps, mufflers, fenders, bumpers, hanging off the sides as a sort of homage to the heavy traffic that roars past . We also ran into some rain and stopped to don our rainsuits at the dumping station for the Netti Coal Mine. Route 20 is the main route for the massive bulk carrier trucks, hauling coal from the mine to a dump station which, after going through the weigh station, has the coal dumped onto a massive conveyor which crosses Rt. 20, on it’s way to the Prep or preparation plant. That’s where the coal is crushed to specified size, washed and then loaded onto railway cars for • Weather permitting transport to the local power plants. Route 20 is a nice twisty road but don’t try to ride Starting in June 2009 fast on the right-handers. All those coal trucks drop For exact dat es and mor e their tires off the road and throw gravel right onto whatever line you might want to take through the cori nf o: ners. However, left-handers are safe to sail through. At the town of Nettie, we took a right to get back onto Rt. 55, away from the coal trucks and back into the National Park and another decent two-lane road. This was a lightly traveled road running over the mountain ridge, heading west to east. We stayed on Rt. 55 and Rt. 219 as it turned north and, with daylight starting to fade, made it to Elkins for our second stop of the trip. Elkins is a city of 7,000 citizens and was formed in 1890. Located at the bend of the Tygart Valley River, it was named after one of the two founders, Senator Stephen Elkins. It became a center of commerce due to its location on the river and forma-
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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C YCLE S IDEBAR
ODOR EATERS Tim Wineland “Yep, Walter an’ me, we come up here ever’ spring to harvest our rumps.” The grizzled mountain maid leaned on her hoe as a bubble of ‘bacca juice peeked from the corner of her mouth. She then peered over the edge of the road where the ground sloped away at an angle just shy of sheer and yelled something unintelligible at a tiny figure wearing blue overalls. “That’s my husbin’, Walter, down there in the holler.” How Walter came to be at the bottom of that “holler” was a question best left un-asked, at least until I started my bike again. It now seemed obvious that what I had at first taken for a little old lady in vehicular distress turned out to be just another Appalachian outing for Ma and Pa Spittle. I chose my next words carefully. “Well, I guess I’ll be going now,” I quipped nervously, trying to quash the mental image of a “springtime rump harvest” gone awry. Breezing through the backroads of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, I have come to expect beautiful scenery and the occasional oddity of nature around every bend. Here in one convenient encounter, I had both. Behind the view of this stooped and rather pungent person before me, the green shoulders of Wayah Bald cascaded down into the noisome Nantahala River gorge far below. Both views were wild and rugged, ancient and ornery - but only one smelled of garlic and onions. “You got no idée what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, do ya young man? Aint you never seen a rump before?” Again, the image. I shuddered visibly; but then the Troll leaned into the back of her pickup and rummaged through a bulging plastic bag. Before I could hit my ignition switch and wheelie westward, her claw held up what looked like a sickly turnip sprouting wispy hair.
“This here’s a rump,” she barked proudly. “We mountain folk been eatin’ ‘em fer years. They clean ya out real good.” Thankfully, before the image became even more disgusting, it occurred to me what she was trying to say. “Oh! You mean a ramp,” I blurted. “I’ve heard of them. Is that what I smell?” As any veteran rider knows, unpleasant road odors range from mild (“I think I may have passed a skunk”) to caustic (“How, ack, long has that thing, gag, been dead??”). On the olfactory flavor scale, this legume, though not exactly lethal, positively reeked of culinary and clinical possibilities - the smell alone could cleanse a weaker bowel. “Thet’s wat I said, a rump. They say they cure the cancer and wards off fevers. Walter, he eats ‘em raw right out the groun’. Says they keep the skeeters off, and the greens make ‘im frisky,” she cackled. She was on a roll now; her sunken eyes glazing and her thin lips drizzling. Finally, against my better judgment, I removed my helmet and took the offending vegetable into my gloved hand for a closer look. Born and bred in the Midwest, I had never heard of a “ramp” that wasn’t somehow associated with an interstate or an oil change. Apparently, the edible kind, Allium tricoccum, are wild leeks, akin to wild onions only with a major emphasis on wild. I have often smelled the pleasant aroma of wild onions emanating from freshly mowed summer lawns in the South where I now live. I even enjoy a healthy dash of garlic seasoning on just about anything set before me on a plate. This brute, however, bore an odor that was, in a word - breathtaking. Your nose does not get a whiff of a wild ramp; it gets bludgeoned by one. “Now me, I likes ‘em cooked with eggs and grits in the mornings, or fried
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up in bacon grease with other greens and what not fer supper,” she continued. “Aint nuthin like a mess ‘o wilted rumps ‘n liver fer Sunday supper.” “You don’t say,” I added thoughtfully, wondering if my hand would ever be rid of the reek. But she did say, and she said a lot. From what I garnered amidst her simmering stew of mountain linguistics, ramps, aka spring onion, ramson, wild leek, and ail de bois (garlic of the woods) have been a staple of mountain folk for as long as there have been folks in them thar mountains. Traditionally heralding the end of winter, the wild leek was the first edible plant to appear in the spring after long, cold months of eating little but desiccated squirrels and pine bark. Folks were so relieved to have something green and pliable to chew on that they would practically gorge themselves on the odiferous plant, only to be shunned at church or school for having “ramp odor”, as the legume’s acrid juices seeped from pores and beleaguered breath for days. Prevalent throughout the east, Native Americans would welcome the first sight of the “skunk plant” and used it not only for sustenance, but for its curative powers over coughs, itching, bee stings and mosquitoes - and presumably to ward off attacks from nosy neighboring tribes. An abundance of the potent plant could be found (once upon a time) Ramp Recipes at the southern tip of Lake Michigan. www.mountain-breeze.com/kitchen/ramps/ The Menominee tribe dubbed the area the “skunk place”, or shikako, which the www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0507a.htm white settlers heard as “Chicago”. The Ramp Festivals name stuck, and according to some recent visitors to that fair city, so did the www.richwooders.com/ramp/ramps.htm smell. www.flagpond.com/festival/ramp/fest.htm She gifted me with a small bundle of www.cosbyrampfestival.org/ ramps which I quickly stowed in my rear travel bag, reminding myself to USDA opinion of Ramp Festivals (no, really) pick up a gallon jug of Fabreeze on my www.srs.fs.usda.gov/news/65 way home. Before motoring on my way, she had one last bit of garnish to add to Ramp history and information my growing ramp repertoire: www.main.nc.us/yancey/Ramps/ramps_or_wild_leek.htm “I hear tell ‘bout some places what plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ALTR3 has a rumpin’ festival, where they have
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F IRST R IDE
SWINGING
THE
MIGHTY HAMMER Bill Heald One thing I’ve always admired about Victory motorcycles is the fact that, even though they are a manufacturer of big, V-Twin-powered American cruisers, they have always had a different look, feel and aura compared with Harley-Davidson. This is no mean feat, for anybody that trades in this genre has a huge Milwaukee shadow to deal with. Yet Victory has managed to have their own personality, and carve out their own niche in this highly competitive class. Not only that, they have really broken some new ground in all the different categories that cruisers have migrated into, especially with the Vision dresser and today’s excellent study in power cruisers; the aptlynamed Hammer. Ah yes, the H-word. Here we have homage to the tool of choice when all others fail, or a nod to Thor’s favorite “axe” that causes the thunder that still frightens geriatric dogs. Fortunately, Victory has created a namesake in two-wheeled form that really lives up to the image of a Norse God’s massive pounding implement (which was called Mjollnir, just so you know). The Hammer is a long, stout, boisterous machine that for 2009 is powered by Victory’s huge 106 cubic inch (1731ccs) air-and-oil cooled Freedom 50-degree V-Twin. With 101mm pistons you certainly know they’re there at all times, but thanks to a bit of counterbalancing this mill never threatens to vibe you to death. Victory claims 97 horsepower and 113 ft-lbs of torque, and who am I to argue? There’s plenty of serious grunt on tap and the 4 valve heads, Stage 2 cams and closed-loop fuel injection all work in concert for crisp throttle response that will threaten to tug your arms out of your sockets in when you goose it (in a way I’m sure Thor would love). A 6-speed transmission ends with belt final drive, and shifting is comfortably clean and non-agricultural especially considering the tractor-like torque on hand. Clutch effort is reasonably light, although like the front brake the clutch lever is not adjustable.
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So the engine is, in a word, Big. In keeping with the heart of this steed, the rest of the bike follows suit in pretty much every category. The bars, which incidentally are a stylish “V” for Victory when viewed from the proper angle, are way wide. In fact, when you first reach out for the grips you must spread your arms wide, much as if you’re saying, “I caught me a feeeyush thiiiiiiis beeyug!” if you can appreciate a southern angler reference. The pegs are likewise way out in front, with a wide spread that is most comfortable for those with long inseams. Really tall folks will no doubt welcome the ability to stretch out on this machine, and even though I am less than NBA material (by a long shot) I was able to be comfortable on the Hammer in a short period of time. Speaking of comfortable things, I must admit I am a big fan of these things called “brakes,” as I am much more comfortable when I’m on a motorcycle that not only has them but has ones that work well. The Hammer gets really high marks in the binder department, with big 300mm discs up front and a single 300mm disc out back. Strength and response is excellent, and I have to spotlight the rear brake because it is really strong and easy-tomodulate. Granted, I am used to the really nasty, wooden rear brakes you find in a lot of sport bikes, as their short wheelbase-ness means the fronts do most of the business anyway. But big ol’ cruisers, as you probably know, are a whole different animal with a whole different kind of rider. And there are a fair number of old-school cruiser jockeys out there who don’t even know what the front brake lever is for. They are rear-brakers, full stop, and the therefore the Hammer will fit their braking lifestyle well. Bottom line: the Victory folks know their riders, and have done some very smart brake engineering on this machine.
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More bigness, you ask? The rear tire is a beasty bit of road meat; in fact it is a specially-designed Dunlop of 250 size. Crikey, I remember when I thought a 160series tire was a big fellah. But we are rapidly approaching the end of the first decade of the new millennia, or whatever, so we shall advance into the realm of car tires on motorcycles. Yikes! It does help get the power to the pavement, but it does have a unique feel when you enter twisty territory. It’s one of those things when you need to learn the ways of the Hammer, which is less predictable than many but fine once you discover its personality. And, it does do unique things when you lean it over in a corner and twist it on. Not bad things, mind you, just different. And this uniqueness, as I alluded to before, is what makes this a really cool motorcycle. It totally goes its own way, from styling to the feel of its mighty V-Twin to the ergonomics, to the great brakes to the singular way it goes around the twisty bits. This is not just another heavyweight cruiser, and it’s an expensive beast but a very, very entertaining one. And to put icing on the cake, if you remove the rear cowl to expose the pillion perch, you can snap that same cowl on the front of the bike to serve as a café fairing. Brilliant, and just another thing to make this bad beagle stand out. The Victory Hammer starts at $17,499.
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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Marty Konrad In July I decided to take a solo trip with my ‘93 FXRP on Route 66, The Mother Road. I was aiming for mid-August, so I scrambled to search the internet for a source of guides and maps. Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985 and there is no longer a nationally marked route. In fact, Route 66 had been realigned a number of times so there were choices to be made along the way as to which alignment to take. Luckily my web search also turned up free GPS downloads for my Garmin Zumo so I wouldn’t have to constantly refer to maps and directions while riding. I chose a route that included the most original sections of Route 66 without requiring 4-wheel drive, but it was still a leap of faith since I did not have time to check it out. This was a more adventurous route than found in the HarleyDavidson/MadMaps route and included some gravel and rough roads. So that I could enjoy the ride and not have to watch the screen, I used earphones for the GPS voice turn-byturn directions.
beginning of Route 66. Once on Route 66, I would be traveling through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Every evening I looked at the guides and maps to get an idea of what lay ahead and checked the Weather Channel for rain. I never set a destination for the evening until late in the afternoon. My trip tended to be serendipitous, discovering and experiencing things as I came upon them. I might have missed a few things this way, but it
was a fun way to travel. Rather than giving a running account of the sites along Route 66, which are better found in the many available guides, I will just mention a few of the things that I thought were interesting. There is a great deal of nostalgia for Route 66. People are putting time, effort, and money into keeping the spirit alive, many times just as a hobby. Old gas stations appear to be the structures most often restored or put to other uses such as museums, cafes, or selling souvenirs. There are also some restored motels and original cafes and restaurants. It’s the people you meet at these places that really make the trip enjoyable. The nostalgia for Route 66 was a driving force behind the movie Cars. In Galena, Kansas you can find the inspiration for Tow Mater, the tow truck, sitting next to an old gas station that was restored and converted into a cafe by four women. If you look closely, you can see several Route 66 icons in the movie town of Radiator Springs. Interest in Route 66 is worldwide. There are Route 66 Associations in Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Canada and a World
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Association in Elk City, OK. I met fellow riders in small and large groups from many international locations. My first night’s stop on Route 66 was in Litchfield, IL. I asked the desk clerk for a good place to eat and she pointed to a building about a block away. It turned out to be the Ariston Cafe, one of the oldest restaurants on Route 66 and still owned by the original Adam family since 1924. The food was great. In Oklahoma my route took me on an original section of Route 66 ribbon road. This was a concrete road nine feet wide with five-foot gravel shoulders on each side. Oncoming cars would both move to the right with the left tires on the pavement and the right tires on the gravel shoulder. Obviously it was cheaper to pave only one lane, but there must not have been very much traffic in those early days to make it workable. Once again it is seldom traveled as I was the only vehicle on the road. The westernmost exit on Interstate 40 in Texas is Exit 0. There may be another one somewhere, but this is the first Exit 0 that I have ever encountered. It takes you to Glenrio, TX on old Route 66 where there was a motel right on the Texas/New Mexico border that billed itself as the first and last motel in Texas. Glenrio is now a ghost town of derelict motels, gas stations, and cafes, done in by Interstate 40. If I had known I would have gone back to I-40, but instead from Glenrio I followed the GPS on an 18-mile gravel road through the New Mexico desert with very little signs of life and no other vehicles. Good thing I had good tires. Guides indicate that this part of Route 66 had once been paved. Obviously I survived. The Harley handled the trip well except for a broken speedometer cable in Gallup, NM. I relied on the GPS’s speedometer and odometer for the remaining 3,860 miles of my trip. My only stop at a Harley dealer was at Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson in Bellemont, AZ for an oil change. They are actually located on an old dead end segment of Route 66. While working with CW in Parts to see if they had a speedometer cable (they didn’t) he mentioned that some scenes from Easy Rider were filmed about a mile up the road. After the oil change I took a look and there was the Pine Breeze Motel and Gas Station where the owner turned on the No Vacancy sign to turn away the characters played by Fonda and Hopper when they stopped for a room. Next page
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The temperature from Kingman, AZ to Needles, CA was in the 100’s. I soaked my t-shirt in water and, with all the vents in my jacket open, I had the evaporative cooling of a desert “Swamp Cooler.” Old Route 66 from Kingman to the Black Mountains is pretty straight, but once in the Black Mountains it was narrow and had more twists, curves and hairpin turns than any road I’ve ever ridden, and there were no guardrails. I don’t know how the Okies escaping the dustbowl ever made it to California. The road passes through Oatman, AZ, an old mountain mining town dating back to the late 1800s that now survives on tourism. It looks like just what you would expect of an old mining town with wild burros roaming through the street. The road from Kingman to Oatman has been called one of the best motorcycle roads on Route 66. When I finally reached Needles it was 110 degrees, but at night it cooled down to a balmy 90 degrees. I reached the end of Route 66 in Santa Monica, CA on Saturday afternoon after eight days on the road. I was able to find a room at a Travel Lodge motel with a nice view of the Pacific. After settling in I leisurely explored the Santa Monica Pier and the surrounding area and treated myself to a sumptuous dinner. Sunday morning saw me on the road again heading home with the plan being to ride the interstates as much as possible. I spent Sunday night in Williams, AZ. The Weather Channel showed extensive rain in the southern half of the United States, so I decided to take a more northerly route home. I hadn’t had to ride in the rain thus far, only ducking for cover twice for a half hour each, and I wanted to keep it that way as much as possible. After visiting the Grand Canyon and Four Corners I headed to Durango, CO and Route 550 North. What a great road through the Rocky Mountains. I stopped for the night in Silverton, CO, an old mining town located 9,000 feet above sea level. There are no motel or restaurant chains in the town. The next morning when I went out to pack my bike, it was 38 degrees and there was thick frost on the seat. I scraped some of it off, then decided to bring the seat into my room to defrost. It’s a good thing I brought my electric vest. At this altitude and temperature my carbureted engine was difficult to start, and wouldn’t idle without the throttle lock being set. The bike ran fine after I dropped a
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few thousand feet in altitude. The ride home only took six days since I did very little sight seeing. Thanks to the Weather Channel I was able to avoid most of the rain and only had to ride in it for half a day one morning. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Would I change anything? An extra week would be nice and maybe a little more pre-planning. If I went in a group I would definitely allow more time. The trip gave meaning to the saying, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”
REFERENCE: ARISTON CAFÉ SOUTH OLD ROUTE 66, LITCHFIELD, IL 62056 217-324-2023 WWW.ARISTON-CAFE.COM WWW.HISTORIC66.COM
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival
Mr. Sandman It’s not like we didn’t get to ride this winter. Opportunities were there - press intros, the occasional blast when the driveway was manageable, those occasional Polar Bear Runs and a three week tour of South Africa; but this was the first day that we rode out for a little jaunt on our own machines with fairly good weather coming along for the ride. We had just gotten back from Cape Town, our body clocks still halfway around the planet, and after a birthday celebratory Saturday night the previous evening we really didn’t think we’d be going for a ride that Sunday, but our friend Keith had called the night before and with the sun peaking out and a balmy spring-style temperature of around 50 we found ourselves checking tire pressure and rounding up old gear, as my luggage was with our body clocks - on the far side of the world - and heading out for that Sunday’s Polar Bear Run, which was to the Long Valley Brew Pub. Following Keith’s lead, as he put together a great mix of roads, some of which we had never been on before, we moved out on roads still dirty from the previous week’s blizzard. After spending a few weeks on a BMW R1200GS, my old and trusty R1150 felt kind of big, almost awkward, for the first few miles. Shira felt the same way on her 919, as she had been piloting an F650GS in Africa. She radioed over, wondering how I felt on the bike this day. I told her the bike and I felt slow and sluggish. She agreed as we both watched our lines as we rode the grit-covered roads on a slightly circuitous route, eventually rolling along Schooleys Mountain Road and to the Sunday run. There, as happens with the motorcycle community, we began to run into a bunch of friends we hadn’t seen in a while and after the Polar Bear stop we made another circuitous route to the bustling community of Buttzville, New Jersey and the famed Hot Dog Johnnies. By this time both my GS and Shira’s Honda 919 were feeling more like
their old selves and I began to wonder why both Shira’s and my bike and the ride itself first felt odd and a bit tentative this day, even after coming off three weeks of hard riding. Well, I think a few things should pop up immediately. South Africa is a full 7 hours ahead of the east coast of the United States. Throw in a 24 flight with connections from Cape Town to Johannesburg, Dakar, Senegal and then finally on to JFK and your world will be just a bit off kilter. Add in a fairly long next day - woke up at 4am - and then dinner and libations for said birthday the previous night and we were guilty of the proverbial burning of the candles at both ends. Even with a semi-solid sleep on Saturday it really wasn’t time to ride with reckless abandon. By the time we got to the Polar Bear run we were in much better shape than those first few morning’s miles and the cool water from a full camelbak helped tremendously, as long jet flights and previous night’s wine can severely dehydrate anybody. By the time we were done with lunch at Hot Dog Johnnies (not what Dr. Bump would approve of) we felt 100%, although a nap later would be in order. My point is that sometimes you just might not be 100% physically ready to ride at your very best. Should that keep you off your bike? I wouldn’t say that, but you should be very aware that you might ride a bit more like Jerry Lewis than Jimmy Lewis and it would be best to concentrate a bit more and keep in mind that you should ride well within your limits for that day. Being well rested and alert might seem like a nobrainer, but many of us will tend to ride past our limits and that’s when the trouble can start. Staying in the best shape you can pays off, so does a bite to eat before you head off for that breakfast ride and, most importantly getting an adequate and full night’s sleep can make the difference between feeling totally in control or totally out of sorts.
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F IRST R IDE
2009 KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 CRUISERS words: Michael Nemlich • images Kinney Jones and Adam Campbell
t was early April in Chicago, cold and snowy, when I hopped on a plane to San Francisco to attend the press introduction of the all-new Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 cruiser line. Both Brian and Shira were traveling in other parts of the US so they left the hard work to me. Eight media people spent two days with the four models in the Vulcan 1700 Cruiser line. A half dozen engineers from the US and Japan were in attendance to explain the design and engineering and solicit our feedback. In designing the new Vulcan line, Kawasaki set out to target the best in class. I certainly believe they were successful. The target was to develop V-Twins with high performance, powerful motor, high technology, character and value. The 1700’s are better in every metric than the 1600 model line they replace. The touring segment is the fastest growing segment of the motorcycle industry and Kawasaki found many of these riders were looking for a V-Twin that was powerful, made use of technology, offered high performance in a modern frame with a nostalgic look. The attention to detail in the design process was evident in the bikes. The use of chrome, black paint, polished engine parts, and metallic paintwork on body parts was top notch. Even the taillight was in the shape of a V with LED lights. The 1700 line has all new styling including the chassis, bodywork, fuel tank, instrument cluster, seats, and final drive. There is a new ignition fork lock system. There is enough chrome including headlight, engine, fork covers shock covers, rear fender stays, instrument nacelle and exhaust to give that customized look right off the showroom floor. Better than the 1600 series, the new chassis is stronger, 40% more rigid and 4.4 pounds lighter resulting in better handling. The new chassis is more compact with a shorter reach from seat to handlebar and seat to floorboard resulting in more comfortable ergonomics for many riders. The wheelbase was shortened, rake decreased 2 degrees and trail increased .1 inch for better low speed handling. The front forks are 43mm Showas tuned for boulevard cruising. The rear shocks are individually adjustable for air assist (0-43psi) using a small bicycle pump. Rebound damping has four settings adjustable by a thumbscrew. Kawasaki DNA really shows through in the new 1700cc (103.7 cu in) long stroke V-Twin (52 degrees) motor that puts out an impressive 108lb-ft of torque @ 2,250 rpm. That’s approximately 15% more torque and 20% more horsepower than the 1600 motor. Bore is 102 mm, stroke is 104 mm and the compression ratio is 9.5:1. The crank is a single pin design. The motor has twin counter balancers to reduce vibration and two oil pumps to protect all those parts. The motor is a single overhead cam design with four valves per cylinder and liquid cooled. The transmission is all new with six speeds. Designed for highway cruising, both fifth (0.967) and sixth (0.806) gears are overdrive. A new Electronic Throttle Valve System has a new ECU with higher processor speed to control the fuel, spark and air inputs while adjusting for temperature, pressure, throttle opening and load. This results in easier starting, better fuel economy, lower emissions and good throttle feel.
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The Kawasaki Diagnostic System 3 keeps an eye on everything, tells you where a problem exists, and has a “limp home” mode in case of a problem with the Electronic Throttle Valve or Direct Fuel Injection Systems. Seats are all new with a new shape for the fuel tank, which holds 5.3 gallons including a one gallon reserve. Getting all that power to the rear wheel is a carbon fiber belt drive that is 28mm wide and 40% stronger than Kevlar. Belt drive is lighter and results in less power loss than shaft drive. Brakes on all models are dual 300mm discs with twin piston calipers up front and a single 300 mm disc twin piston caliper in the rear. The K-ACT ABS system available on the Voyager is a smart braking system that incorporates a linked system. The system worked very well and would be my choice. Time to ride! The Kawasaki people laid out four routes so we rode each model for 2.5 to three hours at a time over some of the best roads to be found north of the Golden Gate Bridge. By the luck of the draw I started with the lower end 1700 Classic and progressed up to the Voyager ABS. General impressions- nice looking bikes, with excellent finishes and quality control, controls well laid out, lots of torque, engines very smooth, good brakes, easy to steer and handle despite their weight, smooth shifting between gears. You can easily significantly exceed the speed limit on any road. Despite their weight of 761 to 895 pounds, u-turns on narrow roads were not a problem.
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If you are like me, and not usually a cruiser rider, it takes some time to get accustomed to the rocker shifter, floorboards and brake pedal. After the first few times you get used to the sound of the floorboard feelers scrapping on turns. All the bikes had a gear-shift indicator. The entry point to the Vulcan 1700 series is the Classic, available only in metallic Diablo Black at $12,299 msrp. The warranty is 12-month/unlimited mileage. I found the seat very uncomfortable after two hours. A much better buy is the Classic LT with an msrp of $13,799. It has all the base equipment of the Classic plus two tone paint, pin stripping, adjustable windshield, studded rider and passenger sears, backrest, saddlebags and mounts, choice of metallic Nocturne Blue or metallic Dark Green with pearl Burnish Beige. The warranty is 24month/unlimited mileage. The package price represents a savings of $1,261 over adding the options to the Classic. I found the suspension on both bikes to have a rough ride and it was particularly jarring hitting frost heaves. While the ergonomics may be designed for most people at a little over six feet tall I found the riding position cramped. Day two started out on the Nomad. This bike is made for cruising. The seat is more (Continued on Page 58) KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700(Continued from
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UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR E V E R Y M O N T H - W E AT H E R P E R M I T T I N G Every Saturday • Saddle Up Saturdays at Bergen County Harley-Davidson. Meet at 9am for bagels and coffee, depart 10am destination TBA, then back to dealership for food, drink and entertainment (weather permitting) • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • www.bergenharleydavidson.com • 201-843-6930 Second Sunday • Philadelphia Breakfast Ride. Meet at Silk City Diner - 5th/Spring Garden, Philadelphia PA - 8am • 215-922-2214 Every Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY. 10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221 Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Every Tuesday • Never Ending Roads Magazine and Bubba’s BBQ Bike Nite on the Lake. 6-9pm. Food and Drink specials. Exit 104 off Rte. 17, White Lake, NY • 845-583-4333 1st Wednesday May-Sept • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Hump-Day MusicFest. Like Rhythm & Blues music? Like FREE? Then Hump-Day Music Festival is for you. An evening of $1 hot dogs, other yummy treats and best of all... Great Tunes! • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com Wednesday June-August • Legends Harley-Davidson Bike Night. BBQ and live music. 6-9pm. 1895 US Hwy 46, Ledgewood, NJ • 973-347-0258 • legendsharley.com Every Wednesday • Quaker State & Lube, Commerce Blvd. off Rte. 6, Dickson City, PA • 570-489-5823 Every Thursday • The Chatterbox Drive-In, 1 Route 15/Ross’ Corner, Augusta, NJ • Come for the bikes, stay for the food. ‘50s retro eatery attracts tons of riders to share their common love - motorcycles. Every Thursday • Red Knights XX PA at the Dairy Queen, Route 209, Marshall’s Creek, PA, exit 309 off Route 80 • 6-9:30pm, weather permitting Every Thursday • Bike Night at The Old Schoolhouse Restaurant, Rte. 206, Downsville, NY • 607-363-7814 3rd Thursday May 21-Sept • Harley-Davidson Long Branch Bike Nite at the Cabin...where there are no strangers, just friends you've never met. 6:00-9:00pm for prizes, live music and great friends • 732-229-8518 • www.hdlongbranch.com
JUNE 2009 1 • Join Cliff’s Cycle Revolution for a day of fun at New Hampshire Int’l Speedway. Make new friends, have a lot of fun, and become a better rider. Snacks and lunch provided. Bring your own bike. For more information and to reserve your spot, contact Tom Williams via email: twilliams@cliffscyclerevolution.com • 203-740-1270 1-6 • Americade - Lake George, NY. The World’s Largest Touring Rally. MiniTours, poker runs, fashion shows, factory demo teams, seminars, amazing amount of vendors and SO MUCH MORE. Don’t miss it! • www.tourexpo.com • 518-798-7888 6 • Cliff’s Cycle Revolution Photography Class Part I • How to take great photos, followed by a group ride - put your new skills to the test. • 465 Federal Rd, Brookfield, CT • 203-740-1270 • www.cliffscyclerevolution.com • 203-740-1270 4-7 • American Veterans Traveling Tribute hosted by Rolling Thunder Chapter 3 NY. Stewart Int’l Airport, 2nd Aviation ‘Wings of West Point’ Hangar. 80% sized replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC along with tributes from all wars andthe attack on 9-11. Free to the public, remembrance ceremonies 4 times daily. • www.avtt.org 7 • 10th Annual ‘Salute to Veterans Ride’ Sign in: 2nd Aviation Hangar, Stewart Int’l Airport, 8-10am; leaves 10:30am. $20/rider; $10/pass. Ride thru West Point USMA, memorial service in Highland Falls, return for food, drink, music, speakers, military/vehicle/aircraft display • www.avtt.org 7 • Ft. Lee & Music Festival Ride-In Bike Show. Food, Music and More. Registration is FREE! Ft. Lee Municipal Parking Lot, Fort Lee, NJ. Bikes in by 12:30. Awards by 3:pm All bikes welcome. • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 13-21 • 86th Annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. The party at Weir’s Beach. One of the Big 3! • www.LaconiaMCWeek.com 13 • Cliff’s Cycle Revolution Photography Class Part II • Touch up your photos and make them shine • 465 Federal Rd, Brookfield, CT • 203-740-1270 • www.cliffscyclerevolution.com • 203-740-1270 13 • Gibby’s Run to support the David Gibson Memorial Scholarship. Start/end: Denville, NJ • ww.gibbysrun.com for info and registration form. 13 • 1st Annual Motorcycle Run for Autism Awareness. Sign in: EZ Ryderz Clubhouse, 106 Broadway, Newark, NJ 11am-12:30pm. $15/rider; $10/passenger, includes buffett at endsite. Ride returns to clubhouse for party • 973-897-4615 • www.ezryders.com 13 • Ralph L. Angelo Jr., Backroads contributor and author will be attending a book signing for his Motorcycle safety and "How To" Book "Help! They're all out to get me! The motorcyclists guide to surviving the everyday world". The signing will take place at the Borders Book Store on Rte 347 (Nesconset Highway) in Stony Brook, NY, between the hours of 1 and 2 PM. Stop down and say hello! 14 • CMN 1st Annual Kidney Run to benefit Nationa Kidney Foundation. Pottstown Memorial Medical Ctr, 1600 E. High St, Pottstown, PA. Sign in: 9-10:30am • Ride 11am • $10/pp • 610-327-7700
What’s Happenin’ 14 • March of Dimes Bikers for Babies. Sign in: 45 Rte. 46 East, Pine Brook, NJ • 911am • $25 pre-reg; $35 day of event. Since 1992, the March of Dimes and the motorcycle community have been partners in the fight to save babies lives! Locally, 100% of rider donations from the March of Dimes Bikers for Babies are designated for specific New Jersey programs. • www.marchofdimes.com/newjersey • 973-882-0700 15 • Ride to Work Day - get out and ride 15-19 • Mount Washington Rally in the Valley • 1699 White Mtn. Hwy/Rte. 16, North Conway, NH • 800-367-3364 • www.mtwashingtonvalley.org 17 • Blue Knights IX Gooch’s Garlic Run. Sign in: Rockaway Mall, Rockaway, NJ 4-6pm. Ride leaves 6pm sharp • 973-729-4072 20 • Unstoppable Demo Truck Day at Country Rode Motowerks. 9am-4pm. Come early, sign up for a ride, and enjoy your day in Fairport. Route 31F, Fairport, NY • 866-3236570 • www.countryrode.com 20 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Barely Legal Father’s Day Bikini Bike Wash. Noon to 3:30pm. $5/bike to benefit Canines for Combat Veterans. FREE BBQ and music • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ (201)843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 21 • 14th Annual Kelsey’s Charity Run. Sign in: Eagles Clu, 350 Woodlawn Lane, Bridgewater, NJ • 908-252-4545 • www.kelseyrun.com 21 • HOG-Honesdale, PA Chapter 10th Annual Ride for Hope Poker Run and Pig Roast. Door prizes, games, live music all to benefit Kimberly Butler. Sign in: Baer Sports Center, Honesdale, PA • 9am - Noon • $20/pp. Endsite: Lake Genero, Hamlin, PA • 570-4704287 21-25 • HSTA STAR 2009 Rally, Staunton, VA • www.star.ridehsta.com 25-28 • Johnstown Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally. Johnstown, PA • 800-2378590 • www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunderinthevalley 27 • Blue Knights NJ VII escorted ride. Sign in/Endsite: Salaam Shrine, Rte. 10, Livingston, NJ • 9-11am • Breakfast before, picnic after • 973-951-5011 27 • Cliff’s Cycle Revolution Accident Scene Management Seminar. Four modules include: Prevent Further Injury, ABCSS of Trauma, How to Communicate with EMS and REscue Breathing and Helmet Removal. Take one or all, they are available AT NO COST. For more information or RSVP, please contact Tom Williams • 465 Federal Rd, Brookfield, CT • 203-740-1270 • www.cliffscyclerevolution.com • 203-740-1270 28 • Special Olympics Law Enforcement Skills Competition, Bike Show and Motorcycle Run. MC Run Sign in: Rockaway Townsquare Mall • 8-9am • $35/rider; $15/pass. Police escorted run departs 9:30am for the Whiskey Cafe, Lyndhurst, NJ. Incl. event shirt and pin. Bike Show: Sign in: 11am-1pm • Awards by 3pm. All bikes welcome. $25 registration fee ($15 off is participate in MC Run). Incl. event shirt. Law Enforcement MC Skills Competition: Sign in/training 10:15-11am • Competition 1pm. $15/pp incl. event shirt • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com 28 • 2nd Annual Pony Express MCHV Poker Run to benefit Amanda’s Army/Juvenile Diabetes Research Found. Sign in: 9-11am • Moroney’s HD, 833 Union Ave, New Windsor, NY • $20/rider; $35 two-up. Endsite: Thomas Bull Memorial Park, Rte. 416, Montgomery, NY with food, drink, door prizes and live music.
JULY 2009 8 • FW Speer’s ‘Vito’s Full Moom Cruise’. Meet at Speer Yamaha, 7 Main Street, Passaic, NJ • 7pm. For info: www.speeryamaha.com • 973-778-6256 12 • Chai Riders MC benefit ride for Koby Mandell Foundation. AMA santioned self-guided ride. Live entertainment and more. Sign in: 8:30-10am. $20/rider; $10/passenger. 455 Route 306, Monsey, NY • 917-345-5026 • www.chairiders.org 16-19 • 37th BMW MOA International Rally. Appalachian Fairgrounds, located just north of Johnson City, TN . Situated near the intersections of TN, NC and VA, this site has it all. Motorcycling in the area is amongst the best in the US, with Deal’s Gap, Cherohala Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mtns. and so much more. Details at www.bmwmoa.org • www.appalachinafair.com • 636-394-7277 17-19 • Carlisle BikeFest, Carlisle, PA. Demo rides, stunt shows, bike show, live music • www.carlisleevents.com 18-19 • Ramapo MC 33rd Annual running of the Ramapo 500 - 500 mile Weekend Covered Bridge Motorcycle Tour. Gorgeous scenery, dozens of covered bridges, fre camping with swimming pool, fantastic Sat. night dinner and entertainment at the campground, awards, prizes, Sunday breakfast, starter pin and finisher patch. Sign in: Ireland’s 32 Pub, Route 59, Suffern, NY (breakfast available) 7-9am. Pre-reg: $33/pp; Day of Event: $45/pp cash only. Limited to 400 registrants • www.ramapomc.org • 914-737-4886 18 • Cliff’s Cycle Revolution Shop Ride to Putney, VT for ribs (mmmm!) • For more information, please contact Tom Williams • 465 Federal Rd, Brookfield, CT • 203-7401270 • www.cliffscyclerevolution.com • 203-740-1270 19 • 5th Annual Liberty Towers Benefit Run & BBQ. Sign in: 9-11am, VFW Post 5360, Mill St, Newton, NJ. AMA sanctioned. $20/rider, $10/pass. Event pin, BBQ, raffle, prizes, vendors til 3pm • 973-383-5191 ext. 23 19 • Orange County HOG 19th Annual Charity Poker Run. Sign in: Moroney’s H-D, 833 Union Ave/Rte. 300, New Windsor, NY, 9am-Noon. $20/pp. Scenic ride thru Hudson Valley ending at Thomas Bull Memorial Park. Socialize, food and beverages, bike games, bike show, trophies, door prizes, vendors and more • 845-827-6102
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UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR 19 • Raritan RoadRunners MC Shore Breakfast Fun Run. Sign in: 8-11am • Red Bank Elks #233, 40 West Front St, Red Bank, NJ • $10 incl. breakfast, tour of scenic Jersey Shore and door prizes • www.raritanroadrunners.com • 732-603-8434
What’s Happenin’ • $20/pp. Includes scenic ride thru Columbia County, food, beverage and music at the Museum at end of ride until 8pm • 518-822-1875 ext. 10 • www.eastcoastriders.org
23-26 • MountainFest 2009, Morgantown, WV • www.wvmountainfest.com
13 • Larz Anderson Classic European Motorcycle Day • 15 Newton St, Brookline, MA. Full breakfast available at 8:30am. Entry and MC Reg. $10 each • 617-522-6547
23-26 • 10th Annual Maine European Motorcycle Meet • Jordan Grand Hotel, Newry, ME • www.eurobikemaine.org • 207-890-7380
17-20 • Catskill Mountain Thunder • Blackthorne Resort, East Durham, NY • 518-6342541 • www.catskillmountainthunder.com
26 • Steel Thunder MC Charity Run. Scenic 100 mile police escorted ride through the backroads of NJ and NY. Sign in: 8:30-9:30am; $25/rider; $10/pass. Chestnut Ridge Field Complex, 159 Chestnut Ridge Rd, Montvale, NJ. Free t-shirt, food and raffles • 201-930-8952 • www.steelthunder.org
13 • Lost Wheels Poker Run. Sign in: Dutchess Stadium, Rte. 9D, Fishkill, NY. 9-11:30am. AMA: $23/pp; non-AMA: $25/pp; under 15: $10. Endsite: Fahnestock State Park with Big BBQ Feast, 50/50 drawing, live music by ‘Guys Night Out’, Ride-in Bike Show at 2pm, vendors, games, trophies, LOTS OF DOOR PRIZES. One of the best rides of the season • www.lostwheels.com
26 • Second Generation MC 6th Annual AMA Dice Run to benefit United Hospice of Rockland. Sign in: Haverstraw Motorsports, 64-66 Rte. 9W, Haverstraw, NY • 9:3011am • $20/rider; $10/passenger; $20/walk-ins. Enjoy a scenic 100-mile ride of beautiful country backraods with a few dice rolling stops along the way. BBQ, live music, lots of sunshine and fun. AMA sanctioned. Endsite: Kearsing Edwards American Legion Post 1600, 20 Station Rd, Pomona, NY • www.secondgenerationma.org 26-29 • Backroads Annual Summer Squeeze. We’re heading back to the Gray Ghost to sample their wonderful hospitality once again. Book early as this one fills fast. Details on our website: www.backroadsusa.com or call Carina or Magnus at the Gray Ghost to make your reservations • 800-745-3615 • www.grayghostinn.com
AUGUST 2009 2 • Ride for Kids - Hudson Valley. Sign in: Central Valley Elementary School, 45 Rte. 32, Central Valley, NY • 8-9:45am • ride leaves 10am • www.rideforkids.org 9 • Knights of Fire Annual Run. Scenic ride and great food • 201-697-8212 • 201-9524531 • www.knightsoffire.com 9 • Sport Touring MC Annual Road Tour (START) to benefit Jawonio. $20/pp. Scenic 100+ mile road ride by Jon Kadis; Dual Sport/Adventure route by Walter Barlow. AMA sanctioned, self guided. Sign in: 8-10am 260 N . Little Tor Rd, New City, NY • sporttouringmc.com • 201-487-4958 • email: bbear88@aol.com 16 • Knights of Fire NJ III Run for Ryan. Sign in: 9-11am Rockaway Borough Firemen’s Field, Beach/Gill Sts., Rockaway, NJ. Food, drink, music, police-escorted run • www.knightsoffire3NJ.com 15 • 4th Annual Mary’s Corner Poker Run to benefit American Cancer Society. Sign in: Mary’s Corner Hot Dog Stand, 3177 Rte. 94, Chester, NY • 9-11am • $20/rider; $10/passenger; $5/extra hand. Music, food and beverages fefore and after run. Homebaked good for sale • 845-469-2474 13-16 • Big Dog 20th Running of the Dogs Ride. The BIG DOG RIDE is a BMW "Invitational Ride" for owners of BMW G/S and GS model motorcycles. It is neither a race nor a rally. It is an annual gathering of a fraternity of BMW aficionados of G/S and GS-styled motorcycles that mutually appreciate riding their motorcycles with like minded philosophers in the best environment for on and off-road riding in the world, the Rocky Mountains of North America. For the 20th anniversary, newbies are invited to participate. Four days of fun, extreme adventure riding, and camaraderie for the BIG DOGS! Riders Meeting, Official Start, first day ground pounding, Jumbo "Gumbo" dinner, BBQ, multimedia shows, awards. Entry fee charges. For more info visit www.horizosunlimited.com/bigdog • 303-755-6400 • 315-715-9292 19-22 • Women’s International Motorcycle Conference, Keystone, CO • www.womenandmotorcycling.com 23 • 37th Annual Foggy Mountain Reliability Run in memory of Harry Rybensky. Sign in: 9am. Timed road run with awards given for time/finishing • www.speeryamaha.com • 973-778-6256 29-30 • Indianapolis MotoGP, Indianapolis, IN • www.redbullindianapolisgp.com
SEPTEMBER 2009 2 • FW Speer’s ‘Vito’s Full Moom Cruise’. Meet at Speer Yamaha, 7 Main Street, Passaic, NJ • 7pm. For info: www.speeryamaha.com • 973-778-6256 4-6 • New Jersey Motorsports Park hosts AMA racing. In what is anticipated to be the largest spectator event of the year at NJMP, the AMA will bring their thundering twowheelers to town over Labor Day weekend, as the Superbike Series makes its’ first appearance in South Jersey. New class structures for the 2009 season include the premium Daytona Superbike class, with legendary riders like Jake Zemke, Mat Mladin, Tommy Hayden, the Bostrom brothers, and Miguel DuHamel. Also, a new Literbike class will be featured in 2009, as well as the MOTO-ST Series, and Red Bull U.S. Rookie’s Cup. For more information visit www.NJMP.com 10-13 • Killington Classic, Killington, VT • Welcome party, parade, block party, poker run, casino night and much more • www.killingtonclassic.com 11-13 • Schampa Women’s Sportbike Rally IV, Fontana Village Resort, Fontana Dam, NC • www.womenssportbikerally.com • 614-499-3591 • www.fontanavillage.com 12 • Blue Knights NY XI Pig Roast and Poker Run to benefit American Diabetes Assoc. Woodbourne QWL Bldg, Woodbourne, NY. Sign in: 9-11am. $20/pp; $35/cpl; pre-reg. discount. Includes coffee and donuts, scnic, mapped run, pig roast, door prizes and awards. • 845-482-9983 • www.blueknightsnyxi.net 12 • East Coast Riders and Red Knights benefit ride for the FASNY Museum of Firefighting. Sign in: FASNY Museum, 117 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY • 10-11:30am
19 • Rotary Club of Flemington Ride for Rotary Poker, Picnic and Clam Bake. Start/End: Clinton Elks Lodge, Sidney Rd/CR 617, Pittstown, NJ • 9-11am; picnic Noon-3pm. $25/pp • www.FlemingtonRotaryNJ.org • 908-284-9040 25-28 • Backroads’ Fall Fiesta 2009. We’re heading to Lancaster, PA to spend the weekend on the Fulton Steamboat Inn. Save the date and watch for more details. 25-27 • 5th Annual Rally in the Poconos sponsored by Black Diamond Beemers. Indian Head Camp in the Endless Mountain region of Pennsylvania. Rally fee: $65 pre-reg. by 9/9; $73 on-site incl. 5 great meals and bunk space in a group cabin or tent camping. Limited private rooms available for an add’l $30 - require advance reg. • www.blackdiamondbeemers.com • www.indianhead.com
OCTOBER 2009 4 • Pompton Plains HOG Fall Foliage Run. Sign in: 9-11am • Kosco H-D, 1149 Rte. 23 South, Kinnelon, NJ • Fun Run, great food, music, vendors and more • 973-838-8800 • www.koscoharley.com 9-11 • Philadelphia Motorcycle Show, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, PA • www.phillyexpos.com • 856-626-3226 18 • Blue Knights IX Make-A-Wish Charity Run. Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, NJ • Sign in: 9-11. • 973-729-4072
HAVE AN EVENT YOU NEED LISTED? IT’S FREE! SEND IN YOUR INFO AND WE’LL TELL THE WORLD. FAX: 973-948-0923 • editor@backroadsusa.com
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comfortable, it has cruise control, twin exhausts, the floorboard position is more comfortable and the engine and suspension are tuned for touring. Available in Diablo Black for $14,399 or Candy Diamond Red /Pearl Luster Beige for $300 more. The bikes come with color matched lockable saddlebags and front and rear engine guards. The Nomad was noticeably quieter and better riding than the Classic. The seat was more comfortable and the bike had good handling and adequate power for passing. The warranty is 24month/unlimited mileage. The top of the line Voyager is impressive. Standard equipment includes, frame mounted fairing with auxiliary lights, stereo, full featured trunk capable of holding 2 full face helmets with two
bars of led tail/stop lights. Available in Blue/Black or Titanium/ Black with a 36 month/unlimited mileage warranty for a msrp of $16,799. The option list is long but the most important option is new KACT Smart ABS braking system. I’ve appreciated ABS braking on every bike that had it. The Voyager weighs 895 pounds, in an emergency stop you want all the help you can get. Despite its size and weight the Voyager was a delight to ride on secondary roads and the highway. The seat was comfortable, luggage capacity was ample, power and handling was good. The paint work and fit and finish on all the bikes was excellent. The factory accessory list is long, and extended factory warranties are available for each bike. Visit www.kawasaki.com for more info and dealer list.
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P RODUCT R EVIEW
STUFFBOXX ADVENTURE PACKING SOLUTIONS On our BMW R11500GS we have a set of large Jesse Bags. We tend to carry a lot of little things around, that we hopefully never use, but when needed can be invaluable. For the last few seasons we have been using a Kathy’s Cordura Bag, which worked fine except it was beginning to get a little worn out. When we spotted the STUFFBOXX from our friends at BestRest Products we knew we had found the answer to keeping all the little necessaries safe and within reach.
StuffBoxx is an ingenious packing solution for adventure riding. It keeps stuff neat and organized inside the pannier, and prevents rub marks or abrasion of your gear. StuffBox is constructed from a durable black plastic, with gently rounded corners, a hidden lifetime hinge, and a snap-close lid. Unlike common household plastic storage containers, there’s no lip or rim to waste space. StuffBoxxes nest together perfectly and you can buy them in a set of three for just $25. Organization is the key to successful adventure packing, and the StuffBox provides the foundation to achieve that goal. It all comes down to a series of
August 19-22, 2009
small containers that store neatly within the pannier itself. Each container is clearly marked with the contents, and each container stays inside the pannier until it’s needed. No sense pulling everything out or digging to the bottom of a pannier or bag liner just to get at one tool. Dimensions are 4.5” deep x 6.5” long x 8.5” high. That size is just right to hold a CyclePump, an EZAir gauge, a Stop&Go Pocket Plugger, and a few tire repair items. We use another StuffBoxx for our roadside maintenance tools, the possibilities are wide open and some riders carry cooking gear, cameras, Video equiptment, etc. Get you STUFFBOXX today at:
www.bestrestproducts.com.
Join us at the Keystone Resort in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, 90 minutes west of Denver, Colorado. Keystone’s state-of-the-art amenities, on-site accommodations in all price ranges, and proximity to world-class riding will embrace the tradition of what has become the premier international women’s motorcycling event.
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS BRUSH AFTER EVERY RIDE The Park Tool BCB-4 Brush Cleaning Set includes four brushes that clean specific areas of the motorcycle. Includes a stiff chain brush with a curved, toothed-end that reaches dirt deep behind sprockets and swing arm pivot, a fork and tube brush, a sponge brush for wheels and spokes, and a tapered detail brush. “Sure Grip” dual density handles provide a positive grip even with wet hands. Selling for $18.95, you can get yours from your favorite distributor or retailer or log onto www.parktool.com.
FINAL RIDE JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE GONE, THEY CAN STILL RIDE Ashes to Ashes, that’s what they say. But simply because.... You can now take your dearly departed for a ride with Final Ride. Basically a high-end Urn, Final Ride urns are handmade, in small groups, to ensure quality, uniformity and strength. Both the urn cap and the tab welded, threaded end cap are cut from solid D.O.M. Steel. A Final Ride urn, once sealed, has a crush rate of 60,000 pounds. This makes every Final Ride urn quite possibly “tougher than what you mount it to.” So why leave Great Grandpa on a shelf, when you know he would really much rather go for a ride with you. Log onto www.1finalride.com for more info.
SHARE
THE
AIR
Now here is a simple idea that is way past due. The DonorHose from BestRest Products is an easy way to refill roadside repaired tires or to simply top off somebody who might be dangerously low. If you are in a large group and everybody donated a few pounds you most likely will all make it to the next fuel station with air to top off safely to your desired pressure. Far better than pushing or calling for a tow truck. The DonorHose is a 5 ft. long air hose with brass air chucks on both ends. The hose has a braided exterior for strength and durability. Like all BestRest Products it is well thought out and created to the highest standards. List price just $20 from www.bestrestproducts.com or buy calling 425-673-1023.
Wheel Sport Center Inc. 831 Main St • New Rochelle NY 10801 • Exit 15 Off Route 95 ph 914.636.7235 • fax 914-636-6184 Franchised Yamaha Dealer for over 40 Years.
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS THAT’S ALOT
OF
BAG
If your current ride doesn’t have hard bags or even if it does, you might like to take a look at the SaddleStow TS3200 Deluxe Sport Tail Bag. A full 3,400 cubic inches of packing space await you when you open the extra wide top; which makes packing the SaddleStow a breeze. The unique design is well thought out and attaches using universal quick-detach mounts that can be used on a variety of points, depending on the machine. Off the bike, the SaddleStow can be carried with either a top handle or shoulder straps. The bag has a tunnel design that lets it wrap around the saddle, rather than just sit atop it. If needed the bag has zippered side expansion, really opening the bag up, which is especially good for longer items, such as tent poles and such. Outside the bag has a number of zippered pockets, which allow for easy access and it also has a small organizer for glasses, pens, business cards and the like. A nice touch. You’ll also find top mounted compression straps to secure jackets or other loose items. Constructed from a heavy duty UV and water resistant 1200 denier Saddle Tuff material, this SaddleStow TS3200 Deluxe Sport Tail Bag will be a traveling companion for many riding seasons. The SaddleStow TS3200 Deluxe Sport Tail Bag retails for just $99.95. To find yours call 1-800-397-7709, email saddlemensales@msn.com or visit www.saddlemen.com
ROADRUNNER RELEASE “PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY TOUR”
ON
DVD
Our friends at RoadRUNNER Magazine just released its second touring DVD: Pennsylvania Dutch Country Tour. Recorded in High Definition 16:9, this dynamic film stars publisher Christa Neuhauser, senior editor Chris Myers, and journalist Florian Neuhauser on their four day round trip tour through south central Pennsylvania. The two-lane ribbon of tarmac winding its way through this splendidly scenic area provides riders with a spectacular motorcycle touring, back-in-time experience. Riders may be reluctant to leave the intoxicating sights, sounds and scents of this route, but there are many notable points of interest that shouldn’t be missed. Here are just a few of the DVD’s highlighted attractions: The Harley Davidson Factory: Take a tour of the world’s largest Harley Davidson manufacturing facility, located in York, Pennsylvania. Learn about the plant’s history and get an inside look at the manufacturing and assembly processes of your favorite bikes. Yuengling Brewery: Come along on a fascinating tour of America’s oldest beer brewery, located in Pottsville, PA. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Settle back and relax to a slower pace of life, while listening to the clip, clop of horse-drawn Amish buggies wending their way to any of several charming small villages in the county. The DVD’s professional grade quality is clear with an evocative soundtrack and stunning cinematography: capturing the rolling hills and beautiful mountains of south central Pennsylvania. The 32 minutes video sells for $19.95, including maps and tour information. Get yours at www.roadrunner.travel.
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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F IRST R IDE
2009 BMW G450X Tony Lisanti
Dirt bikes have become extremely specialized over the years. Many are purpose-built for motocross, enduro or cross-country competition. Problem is riding areas are becoming harder and harder to find and hauling the bike comes with the requisite parking problems. The alternative is a street legal version of a modern competition machine. Finding a good one had been an exercise in compromise. Either you get an older design, albeit proven reliable, with decadeold brakes and suspension featuring BNG (Bold New Graphics), or a completely new design but with soft suspension and an anemic 250cc engine that won’t perform well off-road. Over the last several years there have been better street legal offerings with little compromise at all except for DOT knobbies and some extra poundage. Models from Husqvarna (now under BMW ownership), KTM and their premium Husaberg, TM, GasGAS and others provide some good street legal off-road hardware. Now add BMW’s own version, the 2009 G450X to the mix, and things are getting interesting. A completely clean sheet design using some very innovative features resulting in a competent off-road machine. What off-road riders want is a full-on competition 250cc or 450cc engine with state of the art brakes and fully adjustable suspen-
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sion, and light weight. The G450X provides that and more. Looking at the BMW you can tell the designers wanted to deliver a competitive machine while offering a fresh approach to off-road design challenges. The most dramatic feature is the location of the swing arm pivot and it’s relationship with the countershaft sprocket. Traditionally, the swingarm pivot is at the rear of the transmission perhaps using the rear engine mount as a pivot point. The G450X put the swingarm pivot concentric with the countershaft. This has a couple of advantages. It allows for a longer swingarm and most dramatically eliminates chain slack through the arc of
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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the swingarm as the suspension compresses. The longer swingarm and constant chain tension improve traction and stability. The suspension on the G450X is as contemporary as it gets. A fully adjustable Ohlins rear shock and 45mm Marzocchi front forks are fitted. Compression and rebound adjustments are accessible on the top and bottom of the fork legs and via adjusters on the rear shock reservoir and body. Shock spring preload and sag can be adjusted with the spanner wrench provided in the tool kit. The rear shock is mounted directly to the swingarm - no linkage. This eases and simplifies maintenance. Innovations extend to the location and layout of the engine. Due to the swingarm mount location, the engine can be located farther back and tilted forward (ala BMW K bikes) for mass centralization and optimum intake tract design. BMW decided to mount the clutch directly to the crankshaft shortening the engine further. The clutch now spins at the same RPM as the engine resulting in better oil circulation and cooler operation. The engine meets strict EPA emissions standards with a catalytic converter and closed loop fuel injection system. The Kehin fuel injection system uses digital engine management and a header mounted O2 sensor with two throttle bodies to provide smooth controllable power. Having the engine mounted farther back in the frame allows the air box to be mounted over the engine rather than behind it shortening the intake tract. Consequently the fuel tank is located under the seat. All these design features help centralize mass in the frame and sound more like the latest street bike offering rather than a spec sheet for a dirt bike. BMW also provides a plug in jumper for Full Power Mode. Simply plug in the jumper and the power is increased from 42 to 52 horsepower. BMW states this is for off-road use only and requires the addition of the accessory Akropovic sport exhaust system to fully realize the power increase. The engine, manufactured by Kymco for BMW, hangs from a stainless steel tube frame. The tube design maximizes strength and lowers weight like cerNEW JERSEY’S LARGEST PRE-OWNED BIKE SELLER tain Italian sport bike frames. Neat stuff for a dirt bike. Top Cash Paid for All Bikes • Over 100 Clean Street, Dirt and ATVs In Stock at All Times From the perspective of maintenance the features of Huge selection of parts and accessories including tires, luggage, touring accessories, rain gear, sportbike performance parts and this machine are very appealing not withstanding some exhausts and cruiser parts and accessories shortcomings. The airbox is easily accessible by removing the right side radiator shroud (three small Factory Trained Mechanics On Duty bolts) and removing an automotive-style airbox ‘drawer’. Dirt bike faithful will look at this unfavorably as most true off-road machines require no tools to access the air filter. The battery is nestled just behind the (Continued on Page 68)
MOTORCYCLEMADNESS
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Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, and Yamaha. With a large parts department, qualified service technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories, we're here to meet all your power sport needs.
1269 DOLSONTOWN RD • MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, we have their weapon of choice.
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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THE BEST WURST
www.SchneidersRestaurant.info
AT THE
JERSEY SHORE
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30 guests and include a homemade breakfast. Dinners and BBQs can be arranged in advance. The Bed and Breakfast also offers riders garage parking in our new Carriage House.
Your Little Slice of Heaven on a Hilltop in Vermont
WEATHERVANE LODGE 113 DORR FITCH ROAD • WEST DOVER, VT 800-850-2577 • WWW.WEATHERVANELODGE.COM
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE
ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
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610.498.4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton PA 15 minutes south of Water Gap on Scenic Delaware River
The Boat House Restaurant The Only Outdoor Lakeside Dining on Swartswood Lake
Serving Lunch and Dinner Tuesday thru Sunday 11am - 9pm Closed Mondays 1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood, NJ 973-300-0016 As featured in Backroads GAADR
Ask about our Diners Club. Gift Cards available.
‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang IT MUST BE GETTING WARM BECAUSE…
BIKE NIGHT AT THE CHATTERBOX IS BACK! THURSDAY NIGHTS • GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300
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Enjoy quaint Victorian Belvidere and scenic Warren County
Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Breakfast • Lunch • Espresso Cafe Ice Cream and Dessert • Catering Off-Premise Open Daily 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm Worth the ride from anywhere!
Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday Featured in Backroads ‘Great All American Diner Run’ September 2008 Thisilldous is New Jersey’s best kept secret. Maybe the best luncheonette in the State • Star Ledger
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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GenMar
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If you didn’t like cool stuff, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine. Here’s something you’re going to love.
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6’ x 12’ - $2,650 • 72” Tall • 3500 lbs. EZ lub drop axle • side door • Spring-assisted rear ramp door • 24’ stone guard • 14” tires • 14” roof vent • 2 Lights + Wall Switch • Steel-tubing frame undercoated • Rear stabilizing jacks
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE
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JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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thieves. The bike fires up after a few short cranks and settles into a nice smooth idle. The exhaust is relatively quiet (meets 49 state EPA sound steering head. Chain adjustments are made using conventional sliding requirements) but has a nice bark. The five speed transmission has a nice adjusting blocks, but the constant tension should dramatically improve feel and neutral is easy to find. Out on the road the bike has an positive chain life and extend adjustment frequeninteresting feel since the DOT Metzler cies. knobbies are really not made for sticky The oil and filter can be changed without traction on pavement. Once on the trail, the removing any bodywork. Linkage less rear bike feels nice and stable. The suspension suspension means no bushings or bearings stiff from the factory resulting in a tall feels to service other than the swingarm pivot feel on the trail. As the miles accumulate itself. There is an internal bearing that spins the suspension breaks in and the forks softwith the countershaft that requires periodic en up while the rear shock remains fairly greasing. The swingarm design makes stiff. countershaft sprocket changes more compliHere in the Northeast trails with many, cated, but the BMW manual states that it many rocks are the norm so I was a bit tenshould be a 15 or 20-minute affair with tative on the 450 while breaking it in. With practice. It’s also worth noting that BMW some tire pressure adjustment and time to provides two accessory countershaft break in the suspension I gained confidence sprockets with the bike. speed. The ride on a rocky trail is stiff, and The controls are standard-looking but a but after some time the initial suspension Magura tapered handlebar and throttle are stroke softens up and the bike soaks up the bumps. With the “enhanced” provided. The brakes are Brembo units with a front wave rotor. engine performance jumper installed, the engine pulls strongly but there is Starting the bike is simple with the push button start. No kickstarter is no abrupt power surge. Just a nice smooth delivery of torque with no surprovided with the bike, which can be worrisome out in the trail, should the prises. The engine performance and the way it builds power is very “streetbattery fail. Nor is there a keyed ignition switch. There is a steering head bike” as opposed to the snappy explosiveness of a motocrosser. Picking lock, but a disc lock or chain would be a better choice to thwart would be your way up rocky hills in first or second gear is a blast since the bike does get great traction. Even with the stock DOT Metzlers the bike likes to hook up whether you’re in sloppy mud or loose dirt on a hill. With a smooth application of throttle the bike just loves to inc. chug up nasty hills. On the street, the bike is out of its element. It has Luggage • Jackets • Pants • Boots • Rain Gear • Tools • Exhausts • Tires plenty of power to get up and cruise at 60+ mph but why would you want to? On the road the hard seat, Sprockets • Chains • Bar Risers • Brakes • Lines • Ramps • Lifts • OEM Parts wobbly handling due to the knobby tires and extreme Sport ~ Touring ~ Cruiser seat height conspire to make for an uncomfortable ride. This is not where this bike is to be evaluated though. • Large Selection of Premium Helmets After a total of almost 230 miles on the clock, the o• Tires - Mounted and Balanced ring chain has not required an adjustment. The digital information “pod” has two trip meters, • Track and Race Bike Set-Up two elapsed time counters, an hour meter as well as • Great Service and Reasonable Prices speedo, clock and low fuel warning indicator. The hour Suspensions by CTR Suspension Technology meter makes it easy to keep track of maintenance requirements. The bike requires a break in service after TRACK DAY HEADQUARTERS • NESBA Dealer two hours, and again at ten hours including a valve clearance check. After that it’s 20-hour intervals. 188 Halsey Road (Rte. 626) • Newton NJ 07860 • www.wforacing.net Even the aftermarket is beginning to recognize this Ph: 973-579-5103 • Email: wfomotosports@hotmail.com • Fax: 973-579-1806 machine. Such suppliers as Touratech and SpeedBrain offer a host of accessories such as exhaust systems, graphics, chains, sprockets and controls. I already outfitted mine with frame covers, document holder, Zeta folding levers and have a graphics kit and Leo Vince silencer on order. In the end this is a solid package for a street legal off-road bike. If you’re looking for a full on motocross ’ t s a h ere for the and see wh 2 y bike or a daily commuter, this is not a good choice. 0 a 0 d 9 o seas in t p But, if you are looking for a state of the art street legal o o n t ! S woods bike that you can enter into an enduro, hare scramble or enjoy a weekend of serious trail riding, then this is a great choice. Innovative features in a We have a great Ask Our light package with real power may just push the trend selection of Sales Team for competent, street legal off road motorcycles here in MotorClothes About the USA. BMW seems committed to this bike by hirand Accessories DEMO RIDES ing none other than David Knight - the best off road rider in the world - to compete on the factory G450X in the World Enduro Series. He’s already won two Mon to Fri: 9 to 6 • Sat: 9 to 5 • Sun 10 to 4 early events and I’m quite certain the racing success will certainly help develop this bike further. SCHOCH HARLEY-DAVIDSON/BUELL MSRP for the G450X is $8,198. For more informaRt. 33 (Snydersville Exit) • 4300 Manor Drive • Stroudsburg, PA 18360 tion visit your nearest BMW dealer or log onto www.bmwmotorcycles.com. www.harleyclothes.com BMW G450X
WFO
(Continued from Page 63)
Touring & Sport Accessories
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BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
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Hiding in Plain Site – The Wines of Virginia
Glen Ilaqua Obligatory Disclaimer: While we all like tasting and drinking the fruit of the vine, we strongly recommend doing so after the bikes are parked for the evening. Alcohol and bikes do not make good bedfellows. Let’s face it, Virginia may be the first place you don’t think about when you think of great American wine. So when I told a native Virginian friend of mine that I was taking my motorcycle from my home in Providence, RI to Virginia to write a piece about the wineries there, she asked “So, what are you gonna do on the second day?” But after a month and 3500 miles of driving, I even surprised myself that I was not able to get to all 75 wineries in this relatively small state. Why Virginia in the first place? Well, this is where it all started for American wine. The climate and terrain offer diverse possibilities for vintners with miles of Atlantic seashore offset by elevations of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains and wide expanses of plains in between. In short, it’s scenic cow country - great for wine and great for motorcycling! There’s some interesting history here too. Fueled by Thomas Jefferson’s passion for the grape, Virginian’s were making drinkable wine (in the European sense) long before any settlers even thought about the Sonoma Valley. And while these vineyards are now producing wines that rival anything from California or abroad - world-class wine from Virginia is a fairly recent phenomena.
Fox Wine - The Official Drink of the Framers
When the first European explorers settled in what are now the MidAtlantic States, they were thrilled to find that about half of the species of grapes used to make wine in Europe were growing wild. In fact, the place was so loaded with grapes that in 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers wrote that the area was “so full of grapes that the very beating and surge of the sea overflowed with them.” (Hey, someone had to stay awake in Western Civ. class.) Unfortunately, the native grapes were just different enough from their European siblings that they produced pretty terrible wine. These North American varieties yielded a musky aroma (think of a nice cabernet strained through those sweat socks you kept in your high school gym locker all semester) that became known as “fox wine.” Needless to say the settlers’ European palates were not pleased.
Jefferson’s Virginia
But this was Jefferson’s Virginia after all. And Jefferson, being very competitive with Europe, encouraged growers to solve the problem. He and several locals imported vines from Europe – many of the same species that were growing wild here. The European vines were planted…and promptly died. While the native vines had centuries to coexist with and develop resistance to fungus, diseases and insects, the imported vines had no such defense. In the short term, the European vines fared about as well in America as the Aztecs under Cortez. It wasn’t until the early 1800’s that hybrid vines created from native varieties and imported vines yielded a stable plant that produced pleasing wine. Unfortunately, the Civil War destroyed Virginia’s budding wine industry just as palatable wine was being produced. And it was only a few years after the South rebuilt from the devastation of the war that Prohibition once again squashed what little wine production had resumed.
George W’s Virginia
In the past 25 years there has been an explosion in winemaking in the state. Today, there are 75 wineries (up from 6 in 1979) in five designated growing regions. You will find these wineries making a fairly wide range of wines including chardonnay, viognier, riesling, seyval blanc, and gewürztraminer. For reds, you will find cabernet franc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir are prevalent. A number of vineyards also offer several varieties of fruit-based wines. While the regions differ somewhat with respect to climate and rainfall, all of them have the same long, hot, relatively dry summers. While we think of the Mid-Atlantic states as being humid, there is actually little rainfall during the summer. This is good for grapes, because the dryness concentrates the sugars and makes for a stable pH. And since most of the state is blanketed in a deep, rich red clay soil that holds moisture well, the grapes thrive
JUNE 2009 • BACKROADS
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despite the high daytime temperatures. The problem for winemakers is that the rain that does fall comes late in the season. A heavy rain in the fall just before harvest can spell disaster when the grapes absorb the moisture, diluting sugars and throwing off the relative Ph.
Which Wines?
Some wines do better than others in a given area at a given time and Virginia is no different. While there are many more examples of good wine, these are almost universal “best bets” wherever you go in the state:
lush buttery qualities to crisp grapefruit can be found. Cabernet Franc is the most consistently good of the Virginian red wines. Americans are not used to seeing Cab Franc sold straight, as it is usually blended. In fact, I’d never tasted it before coming to the state. It is a forgiving grape in that an inexpensive bottle can transcend its price tag- tones can include ripe berries, plum, currant, cherry, and green pepper. Long fermenting in oak completes its big character. Viognier is tolerant of the hot days and stays stable at season’s end. Its increasing popularity has led to lots of cultivated acres of the grape. Expect a big bouquet with pear passion fruit, hints of citrus and a crisp finish. Rieslings are often blended with Vidal. Light to medium bodied. Sometimes semi-sweet wines that have honey and apricot nectar accents.
How To Do It
Chardonnay does very well in this climate and the wineries here have been very successful in bot national and international competition. The chardonnays tend to fall into two camps, with the highly oaked varieties tasting more “Californian,” and the more lightly oaked types seeming more European in composition. There are even a few makers fermenting the chardonnay only in stainless with no oak at all. It’s a very different experience – the fruit comes to the front with a semi-sweet finish. Everything from
Get over to the web site sponsored by Virginia’s Wine Marketing Office (www.virginiawines.org/index.html). They’ll give you a great description of each winery, and will even send a free guide for your tour. Most of the vineyards have websites linked to the state site. Since there are 75 wineries, a little planning will go along way. Be sure to check tasting hours and be advised that smaller wineries are only open on weekends. For a more intimate and detailed guide to the vineyards, you have to pick up Virginia Wineries, Your Complete Tour Guide, by Faye Weems. This hardcover is beautiful enough to be a coffee table book and gives real specifics about the history of the winery and their owners. Once in the state you will see the tour signs everywhere. Just follow the signs and enjoy.
SUMMER SQUEEZE
Backroads Fall Fiesta 2009 September 25-28 It’s time to make plans for Backroads’ Fall Fiesta 2009.
FOUND A COUPLE
OF FREE DAYS IN OUR SCHEDULE AND HOPE YOU CAN TOO.
YEAH,
WE KNOW IT’S
DURING THE WEEK,
JULY 26-29, 2009
This will be our 11th year inviting our readers to join us for an annual tradition of travel, comraderie and adventure. This time around we’re heading to the beautiful Amish country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where we’ll be hosted by Lancaster County's most unique full service hotel, the Fulton Steamboat Inn.
WE
BUT EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE BREAK.
JUST A FEW ROOMS LEFT. BOOK TODAY!
In their own words: “It's full steam ahead in one of our new Nautical and Victorian themed guest rooms available for your overnight accommodations in beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Book passage today on the Fulton Steamboat Inn and discover the same style and dedication to comfort and fine dining that made the legendary riverboats famous.” We’ll make the Fulton Steamboat Inn our home for three nights. This is a great base to explore anywhere from the mountains of Pennsylvania to the Maryland shore – can you say crabs? In addition, this year we’ll offer a Saturday Night Banquet* at the hotel. The 7:30 dinner seating is limited, so please make your reservation when booking your room. Don’t delay, call today and book your berth for the Fall Fiesta Cruise to Lancaster. Please ask for Backroads Fall Fiesta Group booking when you call.
CARINA
AND
MAGNUS
AT THE
GRAY GHOST INN
AND DO A GREAT JOB CATERING TO MOTORCYCLISTS.
ARE MARVELOUS HOSTS
THEY
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF
SOME OF THE BEST RIDING IN THE COUNTRY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THE HOT TUB
Fulton Steamboat Inn • Route 30 & 896, Lancaster, PA 17605 www.fultonsteamboatinn.com • 717-299-9999 When you book, please call or drop us an email to let us know you’re coming. 973-948-4176 or editor@backroadsusa.com *Banquet is $29.95 per person, tax and gratuity included
AND POOL ARE WAITING FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT. SUMMER RIDE IN
VERMONT
COME
JOIN US FOR A QUICK
AND SOME TIME WITH FRIENDS OLD AND NEW.
Gray Ghost Inn • www.grayghostinn.com • 800-745-3615 290 Route 100 North • West Dover, VT
BACKROADS • JUNE 2009
Page 71
It’s a Dirty Business
Most of Virginia is covered in a deep red clay soil. Formed millions of years ago as the result of volcanic activity, the red clay is rich in nutrients. It holds moisture very well and eliminates the need for irrigation in many situations. But not all areas in Virginia have uniform soil composition. In the Shenendoah region of the northeast, for example, one grower has four distinctly different belts of soil running through his 20-acre farm. He has the same variety of grapes growing within a hundred feet of each other but has to harvest at different times according to the soil in each location.
Low Hanging Fruit
Anytime wine enthusiasts hear about fruit wine they almost invariably break into a condescending snicker. But not so fast… Fruit wines are the strongest sellers for many of the wineries that sell them. “People just like them,” says Dennis Horton of Horton Vineyards. “Not everyone is a wine enthusiast, but we all like a good drink. Fruit wines are fun are easy to drink and people don’t get all bent out of shape if a guest drops an ice cube in.” Making fruit wine is a good business move for vineyards because they are able to maximize their production capacity. Since the laws around fruit wine making allow the use of concentrates and frozen fruit they can make up a batch whenever is convenient. And that unfortunate batch of grapes that got rained on just before harvest? They’ll blend well with the frozen Maine Blueberries in the freezer. It just makes good business sense. Still laughing? Take a little premium dark chocolate and let it melt in your mouth for a few seconds. Then simply sip a lovely raspberry or blueberry wine and chew. Rinse and repeat. You may just find yourself snickering for a different reason.
Travel Tip
When stopped for speeding during your tour of the wineries, the State Trooper will likely ask what your emergency is. “Well officer, I’m trying to get to the next wine tasting before my
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