Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

ROCK & HALLOF FAME

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Last year I found Eric Clapton’s autobiography on the shelf at a secondhand store in the Catskills. For the two bucks, I happily snatched it up and stowed it in my top case to be found a few weeks later – exactly around the time I was nishing another book and, as Clapton been a long-time favorite, I dove into his book.

Again and again, he mentioned one man - Ahmet Ertegun. Although I had heard the name before, the reverence and admiration Eric had for Ertegun was very plain to see. He loved this guy.

I now know why. For it was not just Clapton that had such reference for Ahmet but just about everybody else in the Rock & Roll business. Ertegun was Turkish by birth and was the founder of Atlantic Records. Although I am here to write about and tell you of how absolutely Rockin’ the Hall of Fame is… What I have learned about Ahmet Ertegun must be shared so we can get a grasp of who this man – who started the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and took it from an idea to the reality it is.

In 1935, Ahmet and his family moved to Washington D.C. with his father, Munir Ertegun, who was appointed as the Ambassador of the Re-

Daytrip Ideas To Get Out Of The Daily Grind

public of Turkey to the United States. When Ahmet was 14, his mother bought him a record-cutting machine, which he used to compose and add lyrics to instrumental records.

Ertegun’s love for music pulled him into the heart of Washington, DC’s black district where he would routinely see such top acts as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, and Louis Armstrong. He attended Landon School, an af uent all-male private school in Bethesda, Maryland. Ahmet joked, “I got my real education at the Howard” — Howard being the Howard Theatre, a historic performance space located in Washington, D.C.

Despite his af uent upbringing, Ertegun began to see a different world from his af uent peers. Ertegun would later say: “I began to discover a little bit about the situation of black people in America and experienced immediate empathy with the victims of such senseless discrimination, because, although Turks were never slaves, they were regarded as enemies within Europe because of their Muslim beliefs.” Ertegun and his brother assembled a collection of over 15,000 jazz and blues 78s and became acquainted with musicians such as Ellington, Lena Horne, and Jelly Roll Morton.

Ertegun graduated from St. John’s College, in Annapolis in 1944. In November of the same year, Munir Ertegun died. In 1946 President Harry Truman ordered the battleship USS Missouri to return his body to Turkey as a demonstration of friendship between the US and Turkey. This show of support was meant to counter the Soviet Union’s potential political demands on Turkey. Soon afterward, when the rest of the family returned permanently to Turkey, Ahmet and Nesuhi stayed in the United States. While Nesuhi moved to Los Angeles, Ahmet stayed in Washington and decided to get into the record business as a temporary measure to help him through college.

We are so glad he did, for the rest is truly Rock & Roll History.

And, so… welcome to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! When we rolled up to the HOF we were more than pleased that they had Motorcycle-Only parking – for free – with a Cleveland Police SUV parked right across.

There is an entrance fee, but for a few bucks more you can become a member which comes along with a member’s tee-shirt. Sign us up! Why is this mecca of music here in Cleveland? Well, the city lobbied hard for this and pledge over $65 million to it – and it does help that the phrase Rock & Roll was coined by Cleveland DJ Alan Freed.

Ground was broken on June 7th, 1993 with such music stars as Peter Townshend, Billy Joel, and Chuck Berry. A little over two years later the ribbon-cutting opening took place and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was a reality.

The pyramid-style build was designed by architect I.M. Pei and has seven levels and over 55,000 square feet of exhibition space – and it is full of everything rock!

From AC/DC and the Allmans to Zappa, the Zombies, and ZZ Top almost everyone and every band that has been inuential in popular music can be found here, and each year more and more artists take their rightful place.

In 2022 there was an induction that hit another remarkable high note as six women were inducted – the most female inductions ever - Benatar, Parton, Simon, Cotten, Robinson and Annie Lennox.

It is best to start at the top level and work your way down, and expect to spend most of the day here, as you will. I could list everybody, but Backroads is only so big – so, we’ll let a few pages of images tell the story for us. But, one of my favorite parts of the museum is The Garage. The Garage consists of ve main areas: Fans can pick up real instruments, learn to play, jam with friends, brand your band with custom merchandise, and check out great gear and instruments from the Museum’s collection.

While we were there, I got to sit in with the House Band on a cover of Tears for Fears’ mega-hit Everybody Wants to rule the World. My one step into the world of Rock and certainly a high point in my humble bit of musicianship.

If you believe that you, too, are a child of Rock & Roll then make the trip to Cleveland – for Cleveland Does Rock! Oh… what artist has been inducted the most?

Let us nish where we began; with just three words… “Clapton is God.” Eric Clapton is a consistent hitmaker and one of the greatest guitarists of all time; perhaps that’s why he is the only person to be inducted into the Rock Hall three times! Not bad Eric, not bad at all. ,

Gelato has been around longer than ice cream. And, yes, there is a difference.

There are varying accounts of the origin of gelato but all have it ofcially created in the 16th century.

Some credit the alchemist Cosimo Ruggieri, some the architect Bernardo Buontalenti, but all say it was rst served to the Medici family in Florence. With ice and salt being expensive, gelato was reserved for the rich and in uential. Sometime later, in the 17th century, the treat was made available to the public. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

While gelato is the Italian word for ice cream, there is a big difference between the two. The main differences between gelato and ice cream are density and dairy content. Ice cream, in the US, is required to contain at least 10% milk-fat, while the normal range is between 14-25. Since gelato is not considered ice cream, it does not have to meet this requirement (normal range is between 4-9) and, thus, has a lower milk-fat content as it uses more milk than cream. Many recipes delete egg yolks entirely, which is a main ingredient in a custard-based ice cream. Gelato’s process reduces the amount of air in the nal product, which makes it denser than ice cream and some say, more avorful. The nal difference is the temperature; gelato is a more warm-blooded dessert, served between 10-20 degrees while ice cream comes out at 6-10 degrees. Taste is enhanced when temperature is warmer, thus adding to the more intense avor sensations in gelato.

Gelaterias can more easily be found in the U.S nowadays. Rather than the deep tubs in the freezer cases, gelaterias’ cases have more shallow, rectangular containers, which are decorated with something relating to the avor they hold. Nocciola will be topped with hazelnuts or Stracciatella sprinkled with shards of chocolate. I recently was in Morristown, NJ, lunching with my sister. I arrived a bit early, so took a stroll down the main street. I wandered past Guerriero Gelato, making note for us to stop in for dessert, which we did. We found out that the Morristown shop just opened three days before, having three other shops in New Jersey, and they were highlighting some of their more unusual avors - lucky us! Mike Guerriero, Churner In-Charge, was busy scooping and serving while answering questions about avors and the difference between gelato and ice cream (something you now know).

After a turbulent childhood, Mike found his passion with his mentor, Sal Sigona (some say he introduced gelato to New Jersey) at the Gelotti shop in Paterson. In 2014 he got the keys to his rst Gelotti shop in Caldwell, with subsequent shops opening in Montclair and Pine Brook. In 2019, he was invited to enter the Gelato Festival America and Mike took top honors with his Blueberry Basil. This honor made him one of three to represent America at the Gelato Festival World Masters 2021 in Italy.

The shop was festive and very busy, just getting over their grand opening. We took our time looking at all the avors offered – and there were a lot – before making our decisions. Not only Mike, but the other servers were well-versed in all the avors and not hesitant at all to hand out samples. I tried Duck Sauce (apricots and ginger, just like what’s in duck sauce), Ube (purple sweet potato) and Baci (dark chocolate, nocciola di piedmonte, and salted almonds). All their gelatos are made daily in their Montclair shop, with farm fresh and imported Italian ingredients. We settled on three scoops each, Rowena with Cherry Vanilla, Espresso Chip and Chocolate Whiskey and I chose Coconut, Orange Cranberry Scone and their award-winning Blueberry Basil. As Mike says in the video on their website, “This combines blueberry, the state fruit of New Jersey, with over 90% of all blueberries in the world being cultivated from a plant that grew in New Jersey, the tartness of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and the earthiness of garden-grown basil.” All I can say is that it pops in your mouth, with the avors as bright and fresh as the colors of the ingredients it uses. Every single avor was expressive - the cherries full and satisfying, the chips in the espresso crunchy and full-bodied and the coconut transporting me to a tropical island. The

Chocolate Whiskey was, perhaps, the best chocolate I have tasted in a very long time and the Scone was a delightful departure from your ‘normal’ avors.

Should you nd yourself in any one of Guerriero’s locations, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not enjoying their delightful offerings, be it ice cream, gelato, Italian ice or any of the creations made with them. In addition, they offer Vegan alternatives, made with plant milk, which I’m sure are equally delicious, as Mike and crew are bringing you the ultimate in frozen desserts.

See each shop for individual hours and locations. As an aside, see how Mike was able to get to the Gelato Tournament, besides his incredible culinary talent, with an incredible bet through FanDuel - it’s worth the read: www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/26173974/how-fanduel-bookmaking-mistakeshook-world-competitive-gelato-making

Ice Cream For Breakfast Day

Saturday, February 4 was National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and we did. Taking a break from putting this issue together, we took a ride to Tranquility Farms in Andover, NJ where we met fellow Backroader Tony for some very tasty offerings. I had the Waffle Sundae with a scoop each of Milk + Cookies and Chubby Farmer, caramel sauce, Reeses Puff cereal, topped with bacon bits and just a touch of whipped cream. Even though the temps were single digits, the smiles were abundant. With heated greenhouses in which to enjoy your breakfast, we hung around shooting the breeze and enjoying this wonderful holiday. See ya next year!

Here is a scary thought, as I look far back in the mirror. It was 1995, and two semi-successful, sometimes annoying acts began… Riverdance and Backroads. One was headed to worldwide triumph and legend, the other – (feh) legends in our own minds.

We’ll let you decide.

But this Riverdance has much to do with the latter, and just a little to do with the other– for it would need quick and precise moves with a partner. This would be our Riverdance, yet it could simply be called ‘A Tale of Two Rivers.’

This all started on a matchless Saturday in mid-September. It was one of those days that would reign superior on the calendar. Backroads Headquarters lies just west of the Delaware River, near where New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania have their con uence.

Centuries ago, the Delaware was known as the West River (from a New Amsterdam point of view), a bit later it took on its current nomenclature. Where did the name Delaware come from?

In 1610 explorer Samuel Argall named the Delaware River and Bay for the governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr and it morphed into Delaware.

With our rear wheel planted along the Delaware, we took off from the Walpack Valley, near Dingmans Bridge – one of the few privately owned bridges in the nation and with the West… I mean Delaware River in our mirrors we set off looking for a premier ride this day, right around noon when the sun rose to its zenith.

Spinning down into Sussex County Skylands, we followed the ‘5 & 6’ roads and crossed Route 94 – a road that runs nearly 80 miles in a straight and pretty but slightly boring manner, bridging the Delaware to Hudson Rivers. Some smaller farm roads, running along New Jersey’s Rails to Trails system, brought us to a favorite piece of asphalt we never get tired of - Beaver Run Road. This road has some great elevation changes and superior curvature along its way – especially near Hamburg.

It was then north along Route 23 before vectoring eastward again along CR 565 which would link us to the border with New York State.

Off Route 1, we rode down 94 for a short bit before lancing east on Route 17A from Warwick and up and over Bellvale Mountain, over which the Appalachian Trail crosses. It was still early in the day, so we gured we’d stop for ice cream at the creamery atop the mountain on our return trip – if we came this way.

We would not.

Our ride crossed over the narrow bridge at Greenwood Lake.

This big lake, the region’s largest, lies in both New Jersey and New York, and the lake was originally called “Quampium” by the Munsee Native Americans who lived there. It was renamed “Long Pond” by Europeans, who settled the area in the 18th century for farming and ironmaking, and eventually came to be re-christened “Greenwood Lake.” We mentioned we did not come back this way, and that was because of the yearly fête called the Renaissance Faire. This is an excellent way to spend a nice late summer afternoon – but expect the crowds – and all that traf c is coming from the New York State Thruway and, thankfully, we had zero traf c along our direction – but this afternoon the cars stretch for mile coming the other way.

No thank you.

Route 17A runs right into Harriman State Park and here you will nd some of the best riding in this part of New York. Along with these premier roads, there are miles of lakes, forests, and trails to be discovered. It is a favorite with the sport-bike crowd and full leathers, not Levis, are the call of the day.

On the far side of Harriman State Park, all roads seem to run towards the famed Hudson River.

We talked a bit about the Delaware River, but the Hudson has been called many names by the Native tribes and European settlers as well. Ca-ho-ha-ta-te-a (“the river”) by the Iroquois, and the Muh-he-kun-netuk (“river that ows two ways”) by the Mohicans.

The rst known European name for the river was the Rio San Antonioas named by the Portuguese explorer in Spain’s employ, Esteban Gomez. For years it was called the North River and then the Manhattan River – before Hudson took the victory and became the OK-Supreme moniker for the 315-mile waterway (never New Hudson as some called it).

At the Bear Mountain Bridge, crossing one of the most beautiful river valleys and scenery in the entire United States, we headed north just a few miles on route 9N, to another special part of this bucolic region – The Barnstormer BBQ. Owned and operated by Geoff Provan, The Barnstormer has been serving up the best barbeque along the entire Hudson for decades – sorry Geoff – but we all have been doing this a long time – at least you have mastered your craft; we are trying to simply be less annoying!

In truth The Barnstormer has been a long-time supporter of this magazine, and when Geoff is not being a ‘Smoke Master’ he is on his Triumph exploring the backroads and BDR – one of us for sure and if you stop in - say hello – he loves to talk bikes.

On this day we ordered some of The Barnstormer’s chili, chicken, and a Caesar salad with beef brisket. It was plentiful enough to skip dinner later that night back home.

It was time to head back – once again running from river to river and we headed south past the bridge and the Bear Mountain Inn before heading up to the tower atop Perkins Drive.

This is a big-time destination for motorcyclists for decades and we were not surprised to nd old friends at the summit. It was good to catch up a bit and then take in the view of the Hudson River and valley below. Up here is one of the greatest vistas in the area, and all Quadrants around. Far to the south, you can make out the outline of New York – poking up like the Emerald City of Oz. Atop the mountain you will also nd the Memorial tower, built nearly nine decades ago, and named after George Wallbridge Perkins, the rst president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. The Appalachian Trail, which we had crossed three times already this day, also summits here before dropping down to the Hudson and continuing north to Maine. Our ride back was as smooth as silk, routing down Seven Lakes Drive and then up and over on the other side of Greenwood Lake, far from the ‘Huzzah Crowd’ at the faire. We then vectored west along Clinton Road. Readers of Backroads are aware of this 10-mile stretch as it has often been called the Scariest Road in the state of New Jersey.

So many tales have come from this one road – that looked bucolic and peaceful on this later summer day as the sunbeams dappled the late afternoon day. But, Clinton Road has had its share of dismembered bodies found in its woods. Cross Castle did exist, and if you go to the wrong place, you will be chased. The KKK reportedly has had gatherings there, and there is always Satan worship. What is a spooky road without some Satan worship, right? There also have been reports of strange animals hereabouts, and though no one knows what they are, many people have a theory that some of the survivors from Jungle Habitat have interbred. We think these cryptids have been there long before Argall and Hudson sailed up their rivers.

Clinton Road dropped us off on Route 23 and unexpected Police activity had us detour a bit and we ended back on Beaver Run Road, which was just as much fun heading west as it was east.

As the sun was setting we rolled back up the drive of Backroads Central, and though we might have ridden to a familiar destination it was the backroads less taken that made this day trip into a true Riverdance.

Okay, I could and probably should end this here – but, no – undaunted our hero plunges on. In this story, there is a recurring geographic theme that is not apparent, yet is there all the same. One year’s subscription to Backroads and some Backroads swag to the rst reader who emails us the common thread. , ~ Brian Rathjen approximately 40 acres of full-service paddock space. Amenities on this circuit include concession buildings, event garages, twenty VIP suites, banquet rooms, and a three-story timing tower with a media center.

Here at Backroads Central, we have been race fans for decades. Motorcycles, cars, planes… whatever!

In fact, the rst four editions of Backroads were created in the of ces of National Speed Sport News – a weekly racing publication that was owned by Chris Economaki, famed moto-journalist and the “voice” for so many races back in the day. Shira worked in their art department back then – and it has always been good to know Backroads had such a pedigree of sorts.

So, racing is a happy subject here.

North American motorcycle racing began in 1903 with the Federation of American Motorcyclists, which was created in New York City – Brooklyn to be exact. While motorcycle racing clubs were already big in Europe, the American federations primarily took off with the popularity of the new motorcycles. Since then racing has pushed both man and machines, and many of the advances brought to the track have found their way onto the machines we buy off the showroom oor. Racing pushes the envelope for the manufacturers and that is a good thing. So, when racing, especially road racing, comes into our area we do our best to attend.

For the last number of years, MotoAmerica, the premiere racing organization here in the United States, has had its penultimate race in Millville, New Jersey – at New Jersey Motorsport Park.

This facility has three tracks – Thunderbolt, Lightning, and the Go-Kart Track. The two former courses take their names from the P-47 and P-39 ghter aircraft that proved their worth in Europe and had the initial testing and ne-tuning at the air eld that resides next to the track.

A great track and every time we attend a MotoAmerica event we are struck at how family and fan-friendly they are. There was a Kid’s Zone to keep the younger ones occupied and they also offered 3-Day camping at the track as well as demo rides from Yamaha, Triumph and Aprilia.

The New Jersey MotoAmerica event was held on the second weekend in September. Backroads is headquartered in New Jersey, but Backroads Central is on one end of the state, and New Jersey Motorsports Park is located in the other.

Although the Garden State is the fth smallest in the nation, bridging the northeast to the mid-Atlantic states, it is still a good day’s ride to get from one end to the other.

The practice would start on that Friday afternoon, so we got an early start and began meandering south, more or less along the shores of the Delaware River crossing back and forth from New Jersey and Pennsylvania depending on who had the better roads, less traf c and a good lunch stop, which was found in a surprisingly empty New Hope.

Riding back into New Jersey near the Pine Barrens shows a far different New Jersey than what we see every day here in the northwest part of the state. The New Jersey Pine Barrens are the largest remaining coastal Pine Barrens in the nation and take up a whopping 1.1 million acres and lay in seven different counties. A different Jersey, for sure, but they give way to miles and miles of deep agriculture. The farming history runs deep here in the very southern part of the state and Clarence Birdseye, when he was looking for vegetables to package with his new ‘ ash freezing’ method, chose Seabrook farms. Today the farm still runs, although it shares a good part of it with a once high-end rehab to the stars.

These easy farm roads are a far better choice for riding than some of the busier Jersey roads that suffer from the molli cation of America.

We think these yers from 80 years ago would approve of the racing machines that do laps here now. As you enter the track, on the left before the bridge, there still stands a large concrete structure – a bore sight target used to calibrate the 50mm guns on these ghter crafts before being shipped to Europe. It is a great piece of American history to see when visiting New Jersey Motorsport Park.

The southern road circuit at New Jersey Motorsports Park is the signature track of the facility and Thunderbolt Raceway features 2.25 miles of asphalt with 12 challenging turns, a decent half-mile straightway, and

Backroads

We arrived just as practice was getting underway and we found our friends Lisa and Keene, who had already set Vela-Hep MotoAmerica Hospitality Tent, right at the chicane, one of the best vantage points along the entire 2.25 miles

MotoAmerica runs seven different classes. Superbike, Supersport, Junior Cup, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, and two classes not seen anywhere else on the planet – King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan. In addition, there is a very unique class sponsored by Royal En eld. Build. Train. Race. is a focused initiative that enables a group of individually selected female motorcyclists to customize and race-prep their own Royal En eld Continental GT 650 street bikes, then learn to race them, and ultimately compete in their own feature events during select MotoAmerica race weekends. The Royal En eld Build. Train. Race. Program is another one of MotoAmerica’s successful new undertakings, and it is wonderful to see women given such a chance in the sport.

For those of you who are not familiar with the other classes let’s take a closer look.

Superbike

MotoAmerica’s premier race class showcases America’s and some of the world’s best motorcycle road racers aboard high-horsepower, highly modi ed, production-based liter-class motorcycles that are capable of speeds approaching 200 miles per hour. These machines are positively bristling with the latest engine, electronics, chassis and suspension, and tire technologies.

Supersport

This is MotoAmerica’s middleweight race class, and Supersport features the series’ rising stars competing aboard production-based motorcycles that are slightly less powerful than Superbikes, but are no less exciting to watch. Known for their sharp handling and high corner speeds, the class is always competitive and Supersport bikes provide for close racing and razor-thin margins of victory.

Junior Cup

We love this class as it is MotoAmerica’s entry-level race class, STG Junior Cup is one of the rst steps that young motorcycle riders take in pursuing their professional road racing careers. Competing aboard smaller-displacement, production-based motorcycles (almost all Kawasaki Ninja 400s) these racers serve up some of MotoAmeri- ca’s most compelling battles. It’s not uncommon to see the riders going head-to-head in large packs with three or four motorcycles going sideby-side into the turns. These road racers may be young, but they display talent and racecraft well beyond their years.

Shira did an article on young Kayla Yaakov and was tickled to meet her during the weekend and put that issue of Backroads into this young lioness’ hand. Needless to say, we are huge fans of this tiny 15-year-old young woman.

Stock 1000

This is a direct feeder class for Medallia Superbike, Yuasa Stock 1000 allows MotoAmerica riders to gain experience aboard 1000cc production-based motorcycles as they hone their skills with an eye toward moving up to Superbike. Many of the Yuasa Stock 1000 riders also compete in the Medallia Superbike Cup, which enables them to also compete in Superbike races and see how they stack up against the

Twins Cup

best riders and production-based motorcycles in the country, as well as around the world.

Earlier that week we had run into Manhattan for a little Meet & Greet with Corey Alexander at the Car Club of NYC. We have known Corey and his family (Hudson Valley Motorcycles in Ossining, NY) for years and it has been superb to watch his race to the top - especially this season on a BMW S1000RR.

Putting lighter-weight, twin-cylinder motorcycles in the spotlight, REV’IT! Twins Cup is a rapidly evolving race class that initially enabled regional and club racers from around the country to step up to the MotoAmerica series and compete on a national level. Now the Twins Cup has become a stepping-stone for young riders who want to move up from STG Junior Cup and don’t feel quite ready for Supersport. The Twins Cup is also increasing in popularity due to the manufacturers introducing more and more of this category of motorcycles. New models like the Aprilia RS 660 and Yamaha YZF-R7 are the perfect choices for REV’IT! Twins Cup competition, along with the venerable Suzuki SV650 and Kawasaki Ninja 650. For us, it is the best-sounding race class of all.

King of the Baggers

What started as a novel idea has become one of MotoAmerica’s most popular and fastest-growing race classes. Touring motorcycles from Harley-Davidson and Indian form the basis for Mission King of The Baggers, but these motorcycles are far from gentle cruisers.

By the time the teams, aftermarket companies, and riders get done with these bikes, they are bona de road racers with much-improved ground clearance, race-ready suspensions, aggressive ergonomics, and all sorts of engine modications that deliver eye-popping performance.

Touring fairings and hard side bags are part of the formula, but even those are highly modi ed through the use of carbon ber and other exotic materials.

Although it always gets moto-heads shaking their heads in disbelief, this is a serious class and the competition is ferocious.

MotoAmerica runs races on both Saturday and Sunday and the rst part of the weekend had bright skies and warm temperatures - and maybe just a bit too many Lantern Flies which we all killed with abandon and zeal.

Food-wise there were several trucks serving up all things delicious and that day’s qualifying and racing did not disappoint.

We overnighted for the weekend at The Inn at Sugar Hill in Mays Landing, about a 20-mile drive from Milleville, and were joined there on the second night by friends David and Alma.

Sunday, which had been promised to be stellar, was far less so, and rain was on its way from early afternoon on.

MotoAmerica got their program going fast and a lot of Championships were determined here – even though there was one more race weekend to go at Barber Motorsports, in Alabama a few weeks later.

Josh Herrin claimed the championship for the Supersport Title during Saturday’s race and Corey Alexander, needed fth or better to bring the U.S. Championship back to Ossining, New York, which he did.

In a rain-splattered Superbike Race Italian and MotoGP star, Daniello

Petrucci danced between the raindrops to take the checkered ag –but Jake Gagne would take the championship at Barber later that month.

In the King of the Baggers Class, the big winner was Tyler O’Hara, although Kyle Wyman won both races. Wow – two wins and Hannah Lopo too?

Although Gus Rodio won Saturday’s race it was our gal Kayla that ran away in the rain after a Red Flag restart to take her third win of the season – she is certainly a young racer to watch.

We really enjoyed the women running on the Royal En elds and the battle between Crystal Martinez and Chloe Peterson was awesome. A missed shift by Peterson gave Martinez the opportunity to slip by at the last moment for the win.

In the Twins Class Blake Davis easily notched the wins both days and, at just 16 years old, is another young racer to keep an eye on.

By mid-afternoon, the rains seemed to have decided to stay put over the track and we decided to scoot back north before the really hard stuff began coming down – still, it was an awesome three days of MotoAmerica magic.

This year, we are including the stop at PittRace, outside of Pittsburgh, PA, in our Grand Tour Rally August 9 through 18. The races are the weekend of August. 18-20. We hope you’ll join us for this stop and the series will be back at New Jersey Motorsports Park Sept. 22-24 - let the green ag drop! ~ Brian Rathjen ,

KLIM OUTRIDER WOMEN’S PANTS - STYLISH, COMFORTABLE PROTECTION

ATGATT—All The Gear, All The Time—has become a pervasive phrase within motorcycle culture (and one fully embraced by Backroads). But sometimes riders prefer something a little less restrictive, a little cooler, a little more exible, and, dare I say—a tad more stylish—for a day when running errands rather than racking up miles tops the to-do list.

Klim Motorcycle Gear lls that void with their new men’s and women’s Outrider Motorcycle Pants. The Outriders look like standard ve-pocket jeans but offer advanced and comfortable protection in the form of the included D30® Ghost Limb armor in the knees and hips.

D30® Armor slots as one of the foremost names in motorcycle crash pad safety. Its Ghost Limb Protectors, featured in several pieces of Klim gear, are unlike most other armor in their thinness, exibility, low pro le, and breathability. But despite their higher comfort level, they exceed CE Level 1 certi cation. CE is a European standard of protection mandated in motorcycle gear used on the street. The United States doesn’t require motorcycle street gear to have this protection but has adopted the ratings. While Level 2 armor provides the most impact protection, Level 1 is the most frequently found in riding gear.

For a rider, this means sleek-looking gear rather than bulky…no Incredible Hulk pro les here. I previously reviewed the Klim Women’s Marrakesh jacket that uses the same armor and found it incredibly comfortable. The Outrider pants follow suit.

Color choices are two…brown or black. I opted for the non-traditional brown. It reminds me of the shade usually found on Carhart’s work clothes, and I like that it provides a different look from typical biker black. The pants are slim-legged but roomy; when sitting on a motorcycle, they don’t uncomfortably squeeze your thighs or butt. But don’t expect these pants to t over touring riding boots. The slim leg styling meant I had to tuck the pant legs inside my boots; however, the thinner material felt comfortable and didn’t bunch inside. The Klim website shows a woman motorcyclist wearing them with a lower-rise riding sneaker, also an option. If worn that way, a rider can fold up the cuff to reveal a re ective rear strip of material. The pants have two handwarmer pockets, two pockets on the backside, and a side leg pocket described as a “phone” pocket, but I found it too small to t my Samsung Galaxy phone.

The pants’ construction features sixtysix percent cotton, thirty-two percent polyester, and two percent spandex, a fabric Klim calls “durable, breathable stretch canvas.” The pants are unlined and reinforced in the knees and cuffs. Inside, at either hip, are pockets for the armor, which slide in easily. The knee armor pocket sits on the pants’ exterior so the rider can remove it quickly with minimal fuss; hook and loop fasteners easily secure the knee protection inside the pocket when back on the bike.

I found the sizing accurate and appreciated that, unlike many garments with Lycra, the knee and rear area didn’t stay stretched but returned to the regular shape even after days of wear. I also like the backside styling with two belt loops in the center of the waist to hold the pants close to the body (no underwear peeking out above the waistband) and a tasteful leather patch bearing the Klim logo. The Outrider pants washed well—directions say to remove the armor, use cold water on a gentle cycle, and machine dry. I instead let mine air dry, and they were ready to go in a couple of hours.

These pants worked perfectly for their intended use…as a cooler, more comfortable alternative for daylong jaunts to my normally-used Klim Altitude pants (I still used the Altitude for long-mileage travel days). During a 2,300-mile New England trip, where temperatures reached the mid- ‘90s throughout Maine, I never felt overheated. I felt cooling air owing while riding, even though the pants were not perforated or ventilated. While hiking at the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, they stretched and moved, and I physically felt very comfortable. Upon remounting my motorcycle, I mentally felt more comfortable knowing I had protection within my gear.

These pants do not have Kevlar panels, don’t purport to hold up under skids like other riding jeans, and are not waterproof. But the Outriders warrant consideration for a comfortable pair of riding pants that offers some serious protection in addition to serious style.

They retail for $199 and come in regular and tall sizes. For more information, visit the website at www.klim.com. ,

Yes, I am a pirate, two hundred years too late

The cannons don’t thunder, there’s nothin’ to plunder

I’m an over-forty victim of fate

Arriving too late, arriving too late

A Pirate Looks at 40 Jimmy Buffett

Maybe Mr. Buffett thought he was arriving too late – but you, our friends, still have plenty of time to be part of the big festivities as Americade looks at 40.

Back in 1983 a rally was started that would nd a home for four decades in the little village of Lake George, in the Adirondacks of New York State. Americade. We can say, without any doubt, that this yearly event, traditionally found in the beginning of June – changed our riding lives – and it all the good ways.

For a few years we had heard about the “World’s Greatest Touring Rally.”

We think when things hit forty, anything that happened before can be called a legend; and legend has it that the start of Americade really took place in Ruidoso, New Mexico, and was called Aspencade. The name came from an annual civic festival, which celebrated the changing colors of the aspen trees, by having a cavalcade of horses. Dutcher arranged with Aspencade organizer, Til Thompson, to use the Aspencade name for a rally he was organizing in the northeast in the town he lived in - Lake George.

In 1986, “Aspencade East” was changed to “Americade”, because the new name better sig ni ed the multi-brand national-sized rally it had become. By 1986, total attendance was nearly 10,000, making it the largest touring rally in the motorcycle world.

Each year attendance grew and grew – but the down-home avor of Americade never really changed; and unlike so many other “biker” rallies that were call then the SUYT crowd - this rally always had a kinda family-feel to it. It seemed some nights there were more people piled up to the dairy bar for ice cream than the saloons for beer. Although planning such an event is a momentous task, we have always felt it was the hundreds of volunteers that made the whole thing work.

If you have ever been an Americade volunteer… Thank You!

With Americade 2023 – the rally turns 40 and…..

To celebrate Americade’s 40th rally, it’s adding substantially to the festival-like event they’ve created with the addition of a free street festival, free concerts on Friday and Saturday, a daily vintage/ custom motorcycle show featuring an emphasis on 1983, and more.

One of the nighttime highlights will be special concerts with some of the best bands in the north east, hot air balloons lit up at night, and a special motorcycle stunt show performing on stage.

“Wrinkles only go where smiles have been” sayeth Jimmy Buffett. So, get ready for some more wrinkles, because Americade’s 40th is likely to create lots of smiles. Keep track of news, registration and other information here: americade.com or on the Americade Facebook page: www.facebook.com/americade , TELL another Honda – today the collection is nearing at the century mark.

A lot of history has happened along the Hudson River just north of Harriman State Park.

It was through these waters that the Continental Army ran a heavy iron chain to stop any British Warships from sailing and it was here that the HMS Vulture picked up the traitorous Benedict Arnold after his treasonous act.

Across from West Point, along the eastern shore, is the hamlet of Garrison -a.k.a. Garrison’s Landing – and it was named after 2nd Lieutenant Isaac Garrison, who held a property lot on the Hudson River across from West Point and conducted a ferry service between the two hamlets. In more modern times Barbara Streisand lmed Hello Dolly here and it seems that, for such a small part of the Hudson River, many famous people have called Garrison home. Hamilton Fish, one of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, is buried here and Don Mclean, the musician who gave us one of the greatest American songs – American Pie - called Garrison home. Sticking with Rock & Roll avor, Patti Hearst lived here – way after she heard the burst of Roland’s Thompson Gun. New York Governor George Pataki also called this tiny hamlet home. But, as important as some of these people were, I bet they didn’t have even one Honda NR750. The Garrison gent we’d like to tell you about, Andre Grasso, has two!

Over the years we had heard about Andre’s collection. A recent article in Roadracing World, followed by an email from our friend Jon Seidel, who worked for American Honda for years and is currently cataloging their collection, asking if we were aware of Black & Gray and Andre’s collection brought it back to our attention.

We have had some of Black & Gray’s Hi-Per Hangers for years, as these are some of the nest hangers on the planet and easily hold a full set of leathers, so we were aware of the company.

With Jon’s urging I reached out to Andre’ and he invited us to stop by whenever we wished to see the Black & Gray Collection.

Black & Gray is just north of the Bear Mountain Bridge, right on Route 9, and so we rode over one pleasant autumn day. The side door was open and as we walked in we called out to see if anyone was there.

Grasso spent years at the head of Index Industrial Design, dreaming up, designing, and creating all sorts of things for all sorts of clients. At Black & Gray today there is still plenty of Hertz Car Rental products to be seen.

Grasso was not a motorcycle rider from the start, nor was he a street rider, but caught the bug in his early 30s when invited to do some track time in New Hampshire. After learning the basics and spending more and more time on the track, it quickly meshed with his DNA. A few years later he picked up the rst of his “collection,” a CB350 from a friend, and went about restoring the old machine.

A graduate of Pratt, he is persnickety (in a good way) about restoration and when things are restored even Soichiro Honda would not see anything out of line.

This one machine and the satisfaction of a restoration job well done, led to another Honda and then

This brought Andre’ around and after introductions, he gave us a nickel tour and a little bit of his and his place’s history. We could see his track bikes on display and his day-to-day machines. Nothing that unusual but for the fact that one of the street rides is an NR750. Riiiiight. Okay, then.

In another room there is a pristine NR as well. This one will never see the pavement; it is a true museum piece for sure.

But, it was the machine next to it that really caught my eye. Is that? Oh my God, I thought. It is…

In 2016 Grasso was able to purchase an RC213V S. This machine was hand built and in reality, was Honda’s MotoGP machine turned into a street bike.

If you want to see one you would have to watch MotoGP from the mid 20-teens, as this was the machine that Marc Marquez and Danny Pedrosa were riding for HRC in 2015. Honda had built about 300 of these machines, but to get one in the United States would be an incredible feat. Grasso was able to pull this off.

Honda insisted on the RC213V S being picked up from a Honda dealer and for years Andre’ had been doing business with Shawnee Honda, a dealership some 1,500 miles to the west in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Years back Grasso had been out to the Sooner State, where Hertz was doing business, and he asked if there were any local Honda dealers. There was, and Andre’ has been doing business with them exclusively for years now; so when Honda agreed to sell him a street version of a MotoGP machine it was decided that Oklahoma would be the place. There is a short lm on the Black & Gray website that shows Grasso meeting Honda who had Kevin Erion, a Honda legend himself, drive the bike to the mid-west and other Honda personnel also came – as this was a very, very big deal. It is fun to watch.

Today this bike sits in a room with the NR750. One room, hidden above the Hudson River, where our Revolutionary War could have been lost if not for the discovery of Benedict Arnold’s treason, which might have more Honda tech, horsepower, and magic than any other room on the planet. As Dave Matthews Band would sing… Funny the way it is.

In a far larger room sits many of the other Honda’s in the Black & Gray Collection. The machines range from the early and late 60s, including a 1969 sand cast CB750 with no miles, to the bigger machines of the 70s and 80s. More modern bikes are mixed in with older classics. A stunning CBX, a few Interceptors (I love the 500), also a rst-year Gold Wing with a backdrop of Vetter fairing and saddlebag boxes – that have the original Vetter fairing and luggage in them. Across from that is the rst Honda Gold Wing Interstate. It was nice to see that Andre’ gives that great nod to Craig Vetter; for it was his fairings and saddlebags that gave Honda the idea to turn the Gold Wing from a badass, overengined superbike into a cross-continent tourer.

Vetter invented the game, but Honda perfected it.

When asked why only Hondas, Andre’ has said that, as an engineer and designer himself, he has always admired Soichiro Honda, his work ethic and how he started his company from the dust of World War II, and how innovative and original Honda has been.

There are so many machines to be seen here – in fact maybe too many, for as big as Black & Gray’s building is – Andre’ is running out of space. But, as an engineer and incredibly creative man, we are sure he will gure this out as well.

Andre’ Grasso and Black & Gray would be happy to show individuals and small riding groups the collection. You can contact Grasso from the Black & Gray website at blackandgray.com. ,

STILLWATER MOTORCYCLE GALLERY OPENSAT AMERICA’S TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE MUSEUM

New Exhibit Pays Tribute to Harley-Davidson’s York Facility’s President’s Contributions

Ralph Swenson of York, Pennsylvania, helped save Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company as one of the thirteen investors/employees who bought the company in 1981, preserving a monumental chunk of American motorcycling history. Fitting, then, that his name and legacy now gain their own chapter in motorcycling’s history book with a new, permanent display at America’s Transportation Experience (AACA Museum) in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

The exhibit honors and acknowledges Swenson’s particular contributions to and involvement in the CPR efforts that breathed renewed life into Harley-Davidson during a tumultuous period bookended by that now-legendary buyout by those thirteen investors from Harley’s parent company, AMF Industries, to H-D becoming a publicly traded company in 1987.

While the museum has showcased motorcycle history in various exhibits (as reported in Backroads Magazine), this marks the rst time twowheeled machines have received a dedicated gallery. “This is the most signi cant step we’ve taken to establish a permanent home for our continuous motorbike-related exhibits,” said Rob Kain, Director of Museum Advancement and co-curator for motorbike activity.

The new gallery wears the look and feel of a vintage motorcycle shop dubbed “The Stillwater Motorcycle Works Gallery.” Swenson’s New York City-based family maintained a country home in Stillwater, New Jersey, (just down the road from Backroads Central) a town with a motorcycle shop that he remembered fondly. Contributions from the Ralph and Madeline Swenson family funded the new permanent motorcycle gallery.

The Swenson family’s children and grandchildren attended the autumn ribbon-cutting ceremony for the gallery. They donated much memorabilia from Swenson’s time at York, which dates to 1972 when he transferred from Brooklyn, New York, to there while working for AMF. The HarleyDavidson Final Assembly Operations moved to York in 1974, and the company named Swenson its Division President in 1975. He retired from Harley-Davidson in 1986. During his tenure, he directed the manufacturing of everything from sporting equipment to bombs to motorcycles. He died in 2006.

Photos, journals, advertising, motorcycle gear, and more line the display’s cases and walls, but two motorcycles deserve special attention. Following the buyout, each investor rode a specially-made and specially-numbered (Swenson’s was number 11 of 13) black Harley-Davidson from York to the Milwaukee plant; none sported a sidecar except Swenson’s Tourglide, whose wife, Madeline, rode in that rig during that journey. The other motorcycle, a white 1987 Electra Glide Classic Touring bike with a sidecar, name but also for his design abilities. Swenson also secured non-motorcycle contracts, such as from the U.S. government to build bombs, to help keep the company alive during those early days. ferried the Swenson’s down Wall Street when, joining other motorcycleriding H-D executives, they celebrated H-D becoming a publicly-traded entity. That day made history, marking the rst time the New York Stock Exchange welcomed a motorcycle to its oor. Swensons’ matching, colorcoordinated out ts from those special occasions—white and black—decorate the display’s walls.

Much of the limelight during that heyday fell on some of the other investors, but Jessica Tanzola said her grandfather didn’t mind. “He was the most humble man, and you would never know any of this just meeting him,” she said of the man she called ‘Pop-Pop,’ who she said would never leave the plant on Christmas Eve until he had shaken the hand of every worker to wish them a happy holiday.

Carol remembers how her parents would ride a motorcycle to her house every Sunday morning—her mom in the sidecar—bringing warm donuts for the family. Even though he didn’t let his daughter ride a motorcycle, he would take his grandchildren for sidecar rides around the farm. An avid golfer, he often rode his rig to the course, using the sidecar as a handy place to stow his clubs.

The exhibit also pays tribute to Madeline Swenson, who, according to daughter Carol Tanzola, played a role in the decision for her husband to become part of the buyout. “Mom looked at Dad, and Dad said if we don’t do it, we’ll move to White Plains, and I’ll be behind a desk. I don’t want to do that. I love being on the shop oor. Let’s buy in.” Mom said, “Let’s do it.” The rest of the story is history.

Tanzola also said her mother didn’t want the memorabilia to languish unseen. “Mom said, ‘Don’t let that stuff sit in the attic….people need to understand what happened. Put it somewhere where people can understand the history.”

According to Tanzola, and her daughter, Jessica, Swenson deserves credit for putting much of thenancing deal together that allowed the thirteen investors to buy Harley-Davidson. He worked ceaselessly with Milwaukee Division President Vaughn Beals, his counterpart, arranging the nancing package so the group could buy H-D from AMF. He also coaxed Willie G. Davidson into the group, which Swenson felt the resurrected company needed, not just for his

Son Gary Swenson said he remembered his dad as dedicated, humble, unassuming, who often said, “there’s no fun like work.” At the same time, his mother, who shepherded the household when her husband often traveled, was “strong-willed, practical, and loving.”

Viewing the displays of the Stillwater Motorcycle Gallery, you can feel the thrum of spirit and commitment, of joy in the job, through the patches, pins, documents, and photos. Said granddaughter Jessica on the exhibit opening, “I can hear their voices; I can feel them here.”

To learn more about an unsung hero of Harley-Davidson and see the gallery and other displays, visit America’s Transportation Experience (AACA Museum) in Hershey, PA. The museum’s next motorcycle exhibit, set to open this spring, will celebrate the century-long history of BMW motorcycles. For more information, visit www.aacamuseum.org ,

~ Pamela Collins

ROLLS-ROYCE & BENTLEY MUSEUM

89 HEMPT RD., MECHANICSBURG, PA 17050

717-795-9400 • ROLLSROYCEFOUNDATION.ORG

What do Tony Curtis, Queen Latifah, Jay Leno, Jennifer Lopez, John Lennon, Elizabeth Taylor, Andy Warhol, and Lady Penelope have in common?

They all owned Rolls-Royces. Anyone who was anybody had or has one. Even the British puppet sci- show Thunderbirds had a Roll-Royce, FAB 1, in hot pink.

The Rolls-Royce story starts at the beginning of the last century. In 1904, founders Charles Royce and Henry Rolls set out to build the best cars in the world. Almost 120 years later, this recognition is still undisputed and the name Rolls-Royce has become synonymous when anyone describes the absolute and very best.

Located, ironically, in the town of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on a small side road, you will nd the Roll-Royce Foundation. This is America’s Museum and Research facility for everything Roll-Royce or Bentley. We were heading south and knew we’d be passing by so we reached out to the folks at the foundation, which is also home to the Rolls-Royce Owners Club of America, and arranged to stop by and get a tour of their facility.

First a little background… How it all began: and became interested in building motor cars. He had an instinctive desire for perfection and an innate work ethic that later became a pillar of Rolls-Royce’s philosophy: “Take the best that exists and make it better.”

Born in 1877 in London’s af uent Berkeley Square, Charles Stewart Rolls was the third son of Lord and Lady Llangattock. Think Downton Abbey.

By the end of 1903, he had designed and built his rst petrol engine – and in April 1904, he drove his rst Royce 10-hp motor car into town.

Henry Edmunds, a shareholder in Royce’s company and a friend of Rolls, was boasting to him about his new 10 hp Royce motor car. At the time, Rolls was frustrated at only being able to sell imports, so Edmunds arranged a meeting with the man behind the 10hp. Little did Edmunds know that the meeting he organized would change the future of motoring forever. Rolls and Royce rst met on May 4th, 1904 in Manchester. Within minutes of seeing Royce’s twin-cylinder 10hp, Rolls knew he had found what he was looking for. After taking the motor car for a drive, Rolls agreed on the spot to sell as many motor cars as Royce could build, under the name Rolls-Royce.

Creating a brand requires vision. So, while Rolls and Royce were busy building and selling motor cars, it was Rolls’ partner, Claude Johnson, who stepped into the role of Managing Director and expanded the edgling company’s reputation. A genius at publicity, Claude Johnson was so integral to the success of the company that he became known as ‘the hyphen in Rolls-Royce’.

One of the most iconic symbols of this car is the Radiator Mascot, the lovely statue that sits atop a Rolls-Royce radiator. The Spirit of Ecstasy. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings. You will nd her in various forms on every Rolls-Royce.

On a side note, although remembered for his cars, Charles Rolls was also one of the rst yers and was, sadly, the rst British aircraft fatality when the tail of his Wright Flyer broke off in a ying display at age 32.

By the time he left university, Rolls was already an accomplished motorist. In 1903, he broke the world land speed record in Dublin driving a 30hp Mors at nearly 83mph. But because the timing equipment was not approved, the governing body refused to acknowledge his accomplishment.

To fund his sporting activities, Rolls set up one of the rst car dealerships in Britain with his friend Claude Johnson: CS Rolls & Co. Together they imported and sold Peugeot motor cars from France and Minerva motor cars from Belgium.

In contrast to Rolls, who had had a privileged upbringing, Henry Royce was working by the age of nine. Born in 1863 in Peterborough, England, Royce sold newspapers and worked as a telegram boy before his fortunes changed.

Royce eventually bought a second-hand two-cylinder French Decauville

Today Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited is a British luxury automobile maker which has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG since 2003. They are still, well… Rolls-Royce.

At the museum, the executive Director, Mark Lizewskie, took time out of his day to show us around the buildings that make up the museum.

From older cars to some one-off racers to the more familiar names like Silver Shadow and Silver Cloud, and more modern-looking RollsRoyces like the Camargue. Some of these cars have become Hollywood stars as the foundation is often asked to provide cars for lms and television shows Like ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and ‘Hustle’ with Adam Sandler and Robert Duvall.

All the cars are special indeed, but we were also taken with the room full of the original paintings done by Melbourne Brindle; arguably one of the most famous artists of automobiles ever. His paintings at the museum show Rolls-Royce throughout history and re ect the time, era, and happenings of each car and time.

Amazing – grasping a bit of history in the background of each illustration.

The museum is truly a repository for all things Rolls-Royce and there are cars continually coming in and out to be rebuilt and worked upon.

Their collection, which holds books, technical manuals, handbooks, sales literature, and periodicals, as well as historic documents that document individual chassis, is unmatched on the planet.

Just walking around the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Museum you get a sense of time and provenance. The place has a slight bouquet of oil, gas, leather, and class – if we could get this aroma into a spray can we’d be rich.

The Rolls-Royce & Bentley Museum is a wonderful stop if you have an interest in and respect for one of the most famous automobiles and companies in history.

The foundation asks that visitors schedule tours in advance and you can learn a bit more at their website: rollsroycefoundation.org. ,