November 2022

Middle of the Pack

We took off from the candy store, the leaders pulled away and I got sore And that’s when I realized I Fell into the middle of the pack

Not the Shangri-Las

I have pontificated several times about Group Riding, Magic Numbers of Riders, and the need for Space Cushioning.

I have touched on the need for Throttle Control – and the difference between riding between towns and riding through a town.

This time around I thought we would look at the entire picture and see what comes into focus.

One sunny Saturday in the late summer I was sitting on the porch here at Backroads Central when my ears picked up the “Call of the Wild.” Several multi-cylinder machines were heading our way along the tiny and ohso-rideable backroads that we call home.

The road we live on is a major motorcycle route for locals and those passing through who are ‘in the know’. We have all sorts of rid ing groups passing by regularly, and not just motorcycles. Porsche clubs, Corvette clubs, antique machines. You never know what will be rolling up County Road 521 on any given weekend.

I have noticed that with motorcycles the groups change and evolve with the time of day.

The first groups will usually be some sort of sport-touring or ADV-style machines piloted by riders who were up at the crack of dawn and getting

out quick and early.

These guys and gals have probably been waiting all week to get out for a ride and they are certainly the “Early Birds.”

These riders usually come by with a good deal of ‘Space Cushioning” between them. They are certainly at speed, but it is a steady and consis tent throttle by them all.

Later in the morning, more cruiser-style machines come rolling up the hill. Laid back, like their machines, there was no rush on the day and all is good in their lives. These riders also seem to be in no hurry and though they sometimes tend to be a bit bunched up – they are bunched at a bal anced throb. Their machines heading up the hill almost as one.

The car clubs that frequent our road almost all drive by with perpetual professionalism. And, I say drive, rather than ride.

Two hundred years ago we rode horses but drove wagons.

That sentiment still applies today.

But this day, when we heard this gaggle of riders approaching, I could tell exactly who they were and what they were riding. The steady growl of multi-cylinder Japanese machines is easy to call.

I put down my coffee and stood up to see what was going to flash by.

They were a group of seven this late afternoon. Seven is a decent number for groups. Easy and controllable.

The first two riders came up and past Back roads Central at a steady and quick pace; but riding in an easy and controlled manner.

Number three was not too far behind, and he too was steady on the throttle. All three riders looked to be ATGATT riders.

It does make a bit of sense to also comment that the first three bikes had after-market pipes on their machines, but nothing too strident.

Then came riders four and five.

FREE WHEELIN’ Brian rathjen

Whittling aWay the Wear

In 2004 we attended the Honda Hoot in Knoxville, TN, where I rode a Matte Uranium Honda 919. I de cided that would be my next sport bike, having had too many issues with my previously beloved Ducati Monster. Fast forward, actually not too fast or too forward. Brian brought me to Route 15 Honda, Bob Kurtzweil’s shop, under some pretense or, per haps, just for a visit. While looking around the floor, he called me into the work area. Sitting pretty was a Matte Uranium, brand-spanking new 919, resplendent with a red ribbon. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped as Brian handed me the key. Bob and Brian had wide grins as they had pulled off the surprise. I was one happy camper. Eighteen years have passed and that beautiful young bike has developed into a refined ruffian. As I have always had a more touring-oriented ride for our long-distance jaunts, the 919 has fairly low mileage for its age, averaging about 3,000/year. My in-house pit crew (Brian) watches over its maintenance. As I may have said before, he refers to me as a Formula One rider – ‘She justa rida da bike, she no worka on it.’ Sad, but true.

Owning a Honda usually results in very little maintenance other than the basics: oil change, chain replacement, brakes, etc. The 919 once had a full servicing but it was time for another. There was also an annoy ing squeak coming from the front brakes. We made an appointment with Ridge Powersports, in Jefferson, NJ. Dropping off the bike, I was satisfied and knew it was in good hands.

A day or two later, they gave me a call and said there was some weeping around the fork tubes. When they took a closer look, they found that the tubes were, in fact, bent and sent a picture to show the amount. Indeed, they were not straight. The question was, why were they not straight? This bike had not been in any accidents, had never been hit…… or had it?

Last year, when out for a ride by myself, I was traveling along the pleas ant roads of Warren County, NJ, mostly empty and surrounded by open fields and forests. Suddenly, the front wheel shook. I looked around and saw a deer scampering up the embankment to my right. It must have come out of the field to my left and, while jumping past me, hit the front tire with its back legs. Continuing on, I felt nothing different with the bike and thanked the Road Gods that nothing more came of that encounter. It was determined that the deer hit was enough to bend the front fork tubes. New ones were installed, the service was buttoned up and my 919 was good to go for another 25,000 miles.

Except for that damned squeak of the front brakes, which was still there. The next attempt at a solution, changing the brake pads, did not solve the problem. Doing some research and speaking to other 919 owners, we decided to change the rotors. I was able to find a set of wave rotors – front and rear - that didn’t break the bank and would look very sharp.

While I was out on an errand run, Brian swapped them and when I re turned, the Honda was front and center in the garage, showing off its new shiny parts. Brian told me that I had about 25 percent more braking now. I made the mistake of asking if the squeak was gone. He just looked at me and walked outside. (Ya gotta believe! - BR)

So I got on my gear and took it out to hear for myself. The first squeeze of the front brake gave me my answer, in addition to showing me just what Brian had said – I almost did a stoppie. It was bliss, not to have that horrible and embarrassing squeak accompanying my otherwise perfect motorcycle.

Of course, there were other minor maintenance repairs during those 18 years, most recently a cush drive replacement to steady the rear. The Avon Ultra Evo tires that were last shod for my annual VIR trip performed ad mirably and, judging by the usual wear to my rubber, would last until the next trip to VIR (you hear that Reg – NEXT TRIP?!) Over the last few months, whittling away at the wear to the Honda has put it in excellent shape for a bike entering its late teenage years.

Sitting at the end of this northeast riding season with a practically per fect machine ready to take on its next adventure is a very good feeling. ,

WHATCHATHINKIN’

Shira Kamil

ON THE MARK

marK ByerS

in the Moonlight “Dancin’ in the moonlight; Everybody’s feelin’ warm and right…” King Harvest, 1973

I got up just after 4 AM. Not long after, I went to the bike I’d preloaded just hours before and slid onto the dew-covered saddle. Normally I wouldn’t start a trip so early, but I had a job to do carrying a photographer to get photos of nearly 9,000 riders participating in a charity bi cycle ride, and it’s a little over 90 minutes to The Mall in DC. I wasn’t really look ing forward to the “Ride of Paul Revere” as I came to think of it, but I have the lighting on the RT required to eviscerate the darkness. In deer country, state-ofthe-art LED lighting is my friend, but as I rolled down the street, I realized I had another large, powerful friend.

Above me, shining brightly and almost annoyingly into my eyes was a full moon, the one the Farmer’s Almanac calls a “Harvest Moon” because of its appearance in September. Not only was it stun ningly beautiful, but it illuminated the rural coun tryside through which I passed in a decidedly black and white, film-noir way. Blacks became grays and grays became almost white under the power of the reflected sunlight from our nearest celestial neighbor. I worried less about encounters with animals because I could see into the fields on either side of the road in a way I couldn’t have if it weren’t for that moon. The moon served not only as my lighting, but also as my navigation, first appearing in my eyes, then over my right shoulder. As I crossed the high bridge over the Patuxent, the moon cast a silver streak across the water that forced me to fight the urge to be mesmer ized, lest I hit the sidewall and plummet the hundred feet to the river. It was one of those moments during a ride when I wanted time to stop so I could get off and drink it all in, but I had miles to go and I didn’t want the few others on the road at that hour to think I was a jumper. I had to satisfy myself with several fleeting glimpses of its beauty while I kept most of my attention on the road.

As I turned north toward DC, my big, luminous friend moved behind me and kept me company as I swept up the all-but-empty rural four-lane that even tually becomes Pennsylvania Avenue. Eventually, the cultural lighting of the suburbs replaced the efferves cence of the moon and the passage of time made it slip stealthily below the horizon while my back was turned. I carried on in the strange twilight that comes with the predawn hours and in the crass, multihued, manmade light sources of an increasingly urban area. By the time I hit the rendezvous point at Penn sylvania and Third, the moon was gone.

As crazy as it may sound, I wish I had left much ear lier. Approached with the requisite caution, a moon light ride is a special treat wherein the landscape takes on an otherworldly, post-apocalyptic, starkly beautiful visage. I first experienced the phenomenon in Dayton, Ohio when the local bicycle club would lead moonlight rides down the Little Miami Bicycle Trail. Once safely on the trail, we’d secure our lights

and be perfectly happy slipping quietly down the trail together using only the moon as our guide.

Washington, DC is a city of white monuments and buildings and had I the time and accompanying moonlight, experiencing those sights in the light of that Harvest Moon would have been absolutely stunning. A lot of people don’t know this, but since the moon is reflected sunlight, you can take photos of it without flash and have them come out just fine (as if your puny flash could reach a quarter million miles to bounce off the moon anyway). The newer digital cameras have image sensors that will do a fine job in the low light of a full moon. I wish I had pictures of the Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, among others, to show you. The Harvest Moon shining on the Reflecting Pool would have been awesome.

Alas, my dance with the moon was short and ill-timed, but I learned my lesson. The next time we have a harvest moon, or perhaps just the next full moon, I may have to make a point of taking a short ride so like King Harvest, I can feel warm and right. ,

dancin’

BACKLASH

Hi Shira and Brian,

It was nice chatting with you guys at Perkins Memorial Drive firetow er....  and loved the treefrog green Honda, honestly say I never saw that model before... very cool bike.

Quick question, do you know of any other places where bikers meet up in the NY-NJ area?? We need a few spots for that and it would really benefit the businesses who welcome bikers.... let me know as it’s nice to chat with like-minded folks.

Oh and BTW, I’d like to check out the magazine so if you have a spare copy available you can send it to me…

Enjoy the rest of the season, see you guys out there and... Keep the rubber side down,

Jim

Jim,

Nice to meet you as well. Quite a cool motorcycle you had too.

As for motorcycle gathering spots, we can recommend Jumboland in Branchville, NJ running on Thursdays and the Blue Arrow Farm in Pine Island, NY on Wednesdays.

Hi Brian & Shira, FYI, my wife, Karen, reads my Backroads magazine cover to cover as soon as it arrives.  Me.... I’m finishing about the time the next issue ar rives. Karen saw the ad for IMTBike Tours and we’re contemplating do ing their MotoGP Valencia tour from Barcelona to Malaga next year.  We wonder if you’ve ridden with them before, and if you have any opinions or experience with IMT.

Grateful for any information you can share.

Joe & Karen Giuffre

Joe and Karen,

We have known Scott Moreno of IMTBike for as long as Backroads has been in existence. Scott and company are one of the finest touring organi zations around – friendly, knowledgeable and well-run. Their motorcycles are well-maintained, the routes are well-planned for both riding fun and sightseeing and the lodging is first-class. What could be better than riding in southern Spain AND seding MotoGP. We were in Valencia when Nicky Hayden won his title – be ready for quite an experience.

Brian and Shira,

Once again your legendary lodging and culinary expertise has come through for us, as verified by our very particular local food critic (Susie Davidson Powell of the Times Union).

We’ve stayed and dined at this place in the past, when it had a couple of different owners as the Merrill MacGee House. It was OK, but nothing special other than being away from the confusion of Lake George Village. Your recent report on its renewal as The Bond 1786 prompted us ot try it again. A two-night stay was well worth it. I had the carpaccio, the glazed halibut that our intrepid critic so enjoyed, and what was a week before we read her review. Arlene had the short rib which was excellent. We’ll return for the ribeye.

On the second night after dinner with our family at their place we stopped in at the tavern for drinks. They, too, were good – the bar maid and other patrons at the bar were all friendly, making an excellent end to a short getaway.

Thanks for another great recommendation. Please keep ‘em coming!

Jake and Arlene Herzog

Jake and Arlene, So happy you enjoyed The Bond 1786 and thank you for letting us know. We love beating the critics to the review, especially picky ones.

Hello Mark, It was good to meet you at the Gray Ghost, and thank you and Betsy for your friendly company and chat. If you travel to Scotland, send a note for we’d love to see you again.

Bill and Lorna Crook

Thank you for coming to Moorefield, WV and staying with us. We greatly appreciate it!

My staff at the hotel and lanes just loved your group.

Kelly Williams • South Branch Inn

Letters to the Editor

Brian,

Thank you very much for the picture and the visit. It was truly our treat to have you and your group at our cafe. Best wishes and safe travels al ways. Hope we see you guys sooner than later.

Kind regards, Xavier & Daniela • Hero’s Café

Brian & ShiraHope you are enjoying Sept. I’m shipping a clip from our local paper about a guy who got clocked from behind! Anyway-that’s my subject be cause the chance it might happen to me gives me a chill! What defensive methods do you both use to prevent this!? I do watch continuously rear view-while at the light!

Thanks

Rob Roth Rob,

The point of the article was well taken and, unfortunately not getting hit has always been an issue. We will be addressing strategies and tactics in an upcoming Welcome to the Jungle!

Hello,

I recently had my new Triumph Scrambler XE serviced at Martin Moto in Boyertown, PA.  As I was waiting, I saw several copies of your maga zine on a table.  I stuffed two issues in my tankbag and read them when I returned home.  What a great magazine!  I can’t believe that I haven’t heard of it before.  I plan to subscribe.

I read the Spring Break article in the July issue and would love to try the “a day in the dirt” route.  The article references a GPS file named Buckhornver1 that I cannot find on the website.  Can you help me with this?  I live in Berwick (very close to Bill’s Bike Barn) and would love try the route.

Thanks and keep up the great work!

Kind regards, Brian J. Lewis

Fall Fiesta…

Backroads,

Got home tonight with 1520 miles for the trip. I found the railroad mu seum 5 miles down the road from the Steamboat in Lancaster and, even though the museum was closed, they were running a steam locomotive in the yard and I finagled a picture.

I learned 2 things today. First, While Route 209 might look like a per fectly acceptable way across PA, it’s not -- there was A LOT of traffic. Second, the worst rain of the day will occur on the best road --Route 44 between 209 and Poughkeepsie.

Thanks for putting this together.

(Steely) Dan Shira & Brian

Thanks for yet another Backroads get together!  Nothing better than great people and great roads!  Backroads Bowling is always a good time....  Mike + Robyn • Pilot & Co-Pilot

In a model announcement, American Honda confirmed that the Gold Wing family returns for the 2023 model year. For nearly five decades, Honda’s legendary flagship touring machine has starred in long-distance road rides the world over. For those who enjoy covering mile after mile on two wheels, nothing compares to the model that literally invented the

touring category. Comfort, smoothness, technology and surprisingly nimble handling: These are the ingredients that make for memorable mo torcycle touring, and the Gold Wing has them all in spades, along with a long list of available accessories. Available in four different trim levels, three of which feature Honda’s exclusive dual clutch transmission (DCT), the Gold Wing is ready to deliver inspiring touring adventures for the new model year. The 2023 Gold Wing line will be available in November.

selF-dRivinG CaRs…nope!

A white paper analyzing the ability of self-driving cars to detect mo torcycles has been released by the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC), revealing several shortfalls in the autonomous technology.

Concerns remain that autonomous vehicles do not yet have sufficient detection capabilities to make them safe around powered two-wheelers (PTWs), and as the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) said, “reliable detection of PTWs by passenger car ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) is absolutely essential to avoid car-PTW collisions and to decrease the number of motorcycle accidents.  Passenger cars must be able to appropriately recognize motorcycle maneuvers in ordinary traffic, such as weaving in, leaning while cornering or splitting lanes.”

The conclusion of the CMC paper is that it will be necessary going forwards for ADAS vehicles to have a “special focus on PTW detection” in their testing.  “Under certain circumstances,” the CMC paper reads, “the detection of PTWs is challenging for ADAS due to the different way of motion, the slim shape and as a result the smaller radar reflectivity of PTWs compared to cars.”

The CMC considers that, currently, “one of the most effective ways [to improve PTW safety) is to im prove conspicuity of PTWs by automotive systems.”

Ten eleCTRiC moToRCyCles due FRom honda by 2025

Honda has announced its intention to add 10 elec tric motorcycles to its global lineup by 2025.  Most models will be scooters destined for the Asian and European markets as commuter vehicles.  For the United States, Europe, and Japan, four models are expected to debut in 2024 and are described as Fun EV Models.

Expect to see three street-legal plug-in models in the United States.

niGeRia To ban moToRCyCles

The sixth most populous nation in world, with a population more than 200 million and an annual motorcycle sales figure of more than 500,000, is set to ban the use and sale of all motorcycles in an ef fort to hamper the actions of terrorist ‘bandits.’  The federal government of Nigeria is strongly consider ing a ban on the sale and use of motorcycles across the country as an unusual new tactic to stop terror attacks.

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, recently told reporters that by banning the predomi nant mode of transport as used by terrorist groups across the country, it would severely hamper their logistical efforts.  “Placing a ban on the use of mo torcycles and mining activities will cut the supply of logistics to the terrorists,” reports Nigeria’s Times newspaper.  “This will be done in the national inter est. We are Nigerians because Nigeria as a country exists and any issue that will translate into a threat to national security or the corporate existence of the country requires certain sacrifices.”

The Gold WinG Family ReTuRns

Qeii Rip

Heartfelt condolences have poured out from around the World with the death of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving monarch in British history (1952-2022), and a fellow gearhead.

Before she became Queen, in 1945 then-Princess Elizabeth was the first female member of the Royal Family to serve in the armed forces, joining the women’s Auxiliary Territory Ser vices (ATS) during WWII at the age of 19 as a driver and mechanic.  Her wartime training also involved gaining experience on two wheels, and she has been pictured riding motorcycles on numerous occasions.

Her majesty’s mechanical aptitude evidently passed to her grandchildren, as both Prince William and Prince Harry are well-known motorcycle fans, and the Royal pair once shared together a 1,000-mile charity ride on Honda enduro bikes across Africa.

May her memory reign eternal; and Long Live The King!

moToGuzzi and iTalian navy CelebRaTe

sTRonG Ties

Packed with technology, the latest arrival in the Moto Guzzi family features a unique livery inspired by the F-35B fighters, making it the most striking model in the V100 range.

On the spectacular stage of the flight deck of the Cavour aircraft carrier, Moto Guzzi and the Italian Navy have celebrated the close ties that have unit ed them for more than one hundred years.

The spread-winged eagle, the unmistakable emblem of Moto Guzzi since it was established in 1921, dates back to the military service of the company’s found ers, Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, in the Italian Royal Navy’s Aeronautical Arm in World War One. It was during the war that the two friends, and pilot Giovanni Ravelli, de cided to go into motor cycle manufacturing once the conflict ended. Ravelli was killed in an accident in 1919 and was un able to achieve his dream. Guzzi and Parodi chose the Eagle as their symbol in memory of their companion.

The event was an emotional occasion, which included the world preview of the Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello Aviazione Navale, a special numbered limited-edition of the latest arrival in the Moto Guzzi family. A technologyrich motorcycle made even more striking in this exclusive version uniting two great names with indissoluble ties to the history of Italy. ,

Morton’s BMW

presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA

Motorcycles

the ceMetery froM Bat out of hell!

A little roAd trip to A piece of iconic rock & roll history

The year 1977 and late in November a bunch of us made our way down to Greenwich Village and the famed Bot tom Line. After a bit of a wait, the lights dimmed and the stage lit up.

We had scored front row seats for this much-anticipated event as the artist’s album hit us motorcycle riders square in the head.

As the band began with a bolero-style snare drum beat, The Great Bolero of Fire, the music and instruments add ing and building in that bolero way. Finally, the crescendo and then the four power chords that began the intro to the title track of the album that brought us here. Then, as the piano carried, on all eyes were on the stage as the lead singer, a large man with long hair spilling over his shoulders came to the mike. It was a full 7 minutes before Meatloaf came out belting Bat Out of Hell, the beginning

As the show continued Meatloaf gave it his all – sweat slinging off the stage and everybody in the front seats went home with a bit of Mr. Loaf’s DNA that night.

Then he collapsed. Holy shit, is he okay? I mean he was down just five feet in front of me.

He was … a little H20 and a few minutes and he was back out for the encore. I am pretty sure his hitting the stage was not an act. Meatloaf gave everything he had in the tank each time he hit the stage.

The fourteen-time Platinum album Bat Out of Hell sold over 43,000,000 copies and stayed on the British charts for 522 weeks – the second-longest run by an album and the longest for an American band.

It was the best-selling album in Australia.

Meatloaf and Bat Out Of Hell affected folks more than they know. It is hard not to know the words and to sing along whenever you heard one of the tracks.

On January 20 of this year, the Rock & Roll world reeled from the loss of Meatloaf, whose real name was Michael Lee Aday, and I was happily shocked at how many news services, talking heads, and even a billboard had good thoughts for Meatloaf’s travel into the arms of the universe.

As great as the album was, with classics like Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, For Cryin’ Out Loud and Paradise by the Dashboard Light, so was the cover artwork created by Richard Corbin. Corbin was a well-known illustrator famous for his art for Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, and the film Heavy Metal. He was heavily influenced by Robert E. Howard’s Hybo rian Age (Conan), Edgar Rice Burrough’s Barsoom (Princess of Mars) and the artwork of Neal Adams. Sticking with the motorcycle theme Corbin also had a run with Marvel comics illustrating Ghost Rider the surreal demon biker.

All these masters that can be found on the shelves at Backroads Central and the artwork of Richard Corbin now sit next to them.

But our friends at Weird New Jersey had more to add about this.

The week Meatloaf passed they posted this missive

of one of the most amazing shows at The Bottom Line since Bruce.

from issue #21of Weird NJ about the artist, the singer, and their connection with New Jersey submitted by Paulie Rizzo.

When the art directors decided on what they wanted for a cover they went in search of the perfect graveyard and they turned to New Jersey for this. Howard Case, of the Sussex County Historical Society at the time, said the group’s agent called from New York, asking if there were any old cemeteries suitable for the picture. Five cemeteries in the area were scouted out, and a small cemetery in Sussex County was chosen.

Reference photos for the album cover illustration for Meat Loaf’s famous 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell were shot in a section of the Deckertown Union Cemetery in Wantage, NJ. Locals may be able to recognize the tomb stones if they look closely enough.

Deckertown Union was chosen because of the tree

lines. The photo session took six hours to complete.

A fog machine was used to create a smoky atmosphere but broke down dur ing the shooting. A local volunteered the use of his lawnmower filled with kerosene, which made enough smoke suitable for the picture. The group also brought along its own grave marker, a silver tombstone with “Meat Loaf” inscribed on it. In return for the use of the cemetery, Meat Loaf and Co. donated to the cemetery association.

The cover was then illustrated by Richard Corben.

The rest is Rock & Roll history.

We’ll start this quick run from Town & Country Cycles, on Route 23 north, in Hamburg, New Jersey. The Bat Out of Hell Cemetery is very close, but, because we can we’ll bring you to a few other cemeteries, one in Hope, New Jersey that was key in the first Friday the 13th movie, and a great lunch at Lodge at Mountain Lakes in Belvidere, NJ. We know – this will be fun. Heck, I was just gonna say that, but you took the words right out of my mouth! ,

www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/082lvk

Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

Daytona Motorsports Hall of faMe of aMerica MuseuM immortAlizing the immortAls of motorsports words and images: Pamela Collins

From the first time an internal combustion engine chugged to life, cyl inders eagerly firing, raring to go, it begat a need to race, an adrenalinefueled pull for that pilot or driver to go faster, be better, dare more, than anyone else. Fitting, then, that a museum dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories and achievements of these “go-fast” people through out the years should establish itself in the city where racing and history entwine.

Racing courses through the veins and arteries of Daytona Beach, Florida’s past, from the beginning days of speed records set on its famed beach, to birth ing a rumbling NASCAR child, to host ing races of every variety imaginable on its famed International Speedway and other area racetracks. Now it also serves as home to the Daytona Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and that orga nization’s namesake museum.

Located on the Speedway grounds, the museum offers over 15,000 square feet of exhibit space dedicated to show ing and telling the stories of the sports which the Motorsports Hall of Fame recognizes.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America began in 1989 and has induct ed about 250 racing personalities since

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

then. Each year the organization welcomes a new member in nine racing or racing-related categories: drag racing, powerboat, aviation, motorcy cle, stock car, open wheel (indie-car), sports car, at large (for people such as mechanics or news media), and historic. Its membership reaches way back into history’s annals, honoring such celebrated pioneers as aviators Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes, motorcyclists Glenn Curtiss, Mal colm Smith, and Cannon Ball Baker, powerboat racer Gar Wood, and many drivers or mechanics from all types of auto racing, from Barney Oldfield to Jeff Gordon.

The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America began in Michigan but moved its offices and the museum to Daytona Beach and its new home on the Speedway’s grounds about five years ago. Its new location, in the for mer racing-theme Daytona USA building, allows more room to display its interesting and growing collection of artifacts. The pandemic stymied its initial growth but interest has bounced back in a big way.

In March the Hall of Fame inducted its 2022 membership class, add

ing to its rolls the designer of the 1965 world champion Cobra Daytona Coupes, Pete Brock (Sports Cars), the first foreign-born four-time In dianapolis 500 winner, Helio Castroneves (Open Wheel), the only per son in history to win NHRA Top Fuel championships as a driver and crew chief, Dick LaHaie (Drag Racing), “The Henry Ford of race cars,” NASCAR chassis builder and creator of the HANS race car safety de vice Banjo Matthews (Business), the only woman to receive the Ken W. Purdy Award for Excellence in Automotive Journalism, racecar driver and Auto Week magazine founder Denise McCluggage (Media), NASCAR cofound er and championship-winning team owner Raymond Parks (Historic), “The Cat in the Hat” who has masterminded more than 300 NASCAR wins, Jack Roush (Stock Cars), motorcycle racing innovators who have won NHRA drag racing titles, AMA Supersport and Superbike titles, two Day tona 200s and more, Terry Vance & Byron Hines (Motorcycles), and Walter, Arthur and William Davidson and William Har ley, founders of the Harley-Davidson Mo torcycle Company (Historic).

The museum states its purpose to be a “facility to showcase the lives and achievements of our inductees and the broad spectrum of vehicles that make our sport unique-- a place to immortalize the immortals.” To that end, plaques throughout the museum honor the inductees, relating their stories and achievements, while huge photos of the personalities grin and gaze from perches high on the walls.

But the three-dimensional memorabilia create the museum’s real draw for motorheads and the general public alike. For here, up close and per sonal, sit a replica of car raced by the most popular racer ever, Dale Earnhardt, and a 1972 Dodge Charger once owned by the winningest driver ever, Richard Petty. To one side is Mario Andretti’s first Indy car, and over there, Jeff Gordon’s 1990 Cham pionship Midget race car. This year’s Daytona 500 race winner, a Generation 6 Mustang driven by Austin Sendrick, pro vides a more modern example of racing’s finest on four wheels.

Visitors can walk amongst machines raced by famed drag racer “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, muse at the small displace

ment motorcycles ridden by the greats such as Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath or Motocross Champions Broc Glover and Bob “Hurricane” Han nah, gawk at the hugeness of awardwinning racing boats, or look up to see airplanes that won races in the sky.

Additionally, the museum pays hom age to its location and the history of the Daytona area as the “birthplace of speed,” when automobile and motorcy cle enthusiasts first gathered on its sandy shores, testing the mettle of both drivers and machines that strained to set speed records along its 23-mile, 500-feet wide (at low tide) stretch of beach. This exhibit relates how area racing grew from its beachside straight-line venue in Ormond Beach, then traveled southward to Ponce Inlet using an oval course encompassing both beach and pavement, then finally, in 1959, to the modern Daytona Interna

free Wheelin’

Continued from Page 3

They were a bit of a distance back and were nose-to-tail at a far greater pace and very obvious in their attempt to “catch up” to the first three rid ers. Both these machines were much more thunderous with their exhaust notes and both riders were wearing little if any real riding gear.

A touch later the last two riders came by at a more moderate pace. It seemed to me that they were out for a nice ride and not a race.

This made me think of some of the group rides I have been in and the many I have led.

For me, I like having an obvious Tail Gunner.

Many times, when I ride with our friend Paul, I know he likes to stay in the back, and even if our group gets separated, I can usually glance in the mirrors somewhere down the road and see his triangle of light, the stock BMW headlight and two Denali lights at the bottom of his forks burning a bright yellow. His bike is conspicuous and that works for me, and lets me know we’re all still together.

tional Speedway. A replica of the quaint Daytona service station owned by Bill France, racer, tinkerer, and founder of NASCAR makes one ponder the small start of such a big idea.

Besides vehicles, other exhibits focus on topics such as media, safety improve ments through the years (exhibiting the actual first HANS safety harness), and a theater shows an engaging film high lighting the history and excitement of the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Coo per said the exhibits grow every year as the museum acquires and expands its collection, so repeat visits are recom mended.

Visitors can enjoy just a museum tour, or combine it with a tour of the Daytona International Speedway racetrack for an additional charge. For more information visit the website at www.mshf.com/museum. ,

But, when we have a group with new riders, I try to urge these riders to enjoy the ride, but not to get over their heads.

If we all keep a quick, but workable pace and a good bit of distance between the bikes we can all have a satisfying day in the saddle.

With the group coming by that afternoon; it was obvious the “Middle of the Pack” felt the need to catch up at all costs. Never a good thing. This inevitably causes a Pogo Effect with them riding over their heads and then, falling back when the road gets more technical.

Every rider in any riding group has a responsibility to the other riders. The leaders need to both ride their ride and keep an eye on those behind them.

The Tail Gunner has to realize that he might have to take it easier than he might want. But it is those in the Middle of the Pack that must have burned into their skulls that they are not in a race, that restraint is a good and useful thing, and that mastering the art of keeping the group in “Flow” is their challenge and responsibility. ,

kafe 16 researcH Drive suite e-120, BetHleHeM, pa 18015

Heroskafe coM • Hours: 8aM-2pM MonDay friDay

Hidden inside the Ben Franklin Tech ventures Building at Lehigh University lies a deep, but deliciously fun, hideaway.

Like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, it may be in a most unexpected place, but we think we can get you there, as with great power comes great responsibility… so trust us, okay?

Follow along with Backroads as we bring you to a most unique eatery. One worthy of the Avengers and the Justice League – welcome to Hero’s Kafe. When we first heard of Hero’s and checked the map we were a bit per plexed at its location – in a wing of a university campus but, like in real life, heroes can be found in the most unlikely places, and like most of our famed superheroes there is an origin story to be told.

To get it we had to send up the XD Signal into the clouds above Back roads Central and when asked – we heard Hero’s Kafe’s story…

“Hi, my name is Xavier Daniel (XD for short). I was told to write an ori gin story because every superhero needs an origin story, right?

A long time ago, in a galaxy not-so-far away... This reminds me of some thing, but I can’t remember what exactly. Oh, well! My dad and my mom were born in Ecuador, South America (a fun place), where they met and got married. Because of my dad’s job (doing superhero stuff, I guess), they had to move around a lot. By the time they settled in the Lehigh Valley, they had lived in 3 different countries and 6 different cities. Phew! My dad’s name is Xavier and my mom’s name is Daniela, soooo... I became “Xavier Daniel”, which is pretty cool if I may say so myself.

Mom is an artist in everything she does, but especially in the kitchen, where she has some crazy skills. She told me she started cooking when she was a little girl (must be ages ago), so she studied to be a chef. She wasn’t able to do much when they came here, because when I was about 4 years old, doctors told my parents that I had something to do with “ASD”. I’m still unsure what that means (I even Googled it), but my mom & dad say it’s my superpower, so it’s good enough for me.

My dad loves (LOVES) comic books and video games, which is an incred ible coincidence because I happen to like them too. What are the odds of that? He also does serious work with numbers and stuff, but that’s kind of boring. Oh, well. You can’t be super cool, all the time (“super”, get it?).

I am currently going to middle school and I am doing pretty well.. if you ask me. Since mom has more free time, she and dad decided to come up with an idea of a family business that would mix her love for food and his love for superheroes (she calls it “geekiness”, he just ignores her... it’s pretty funny).

Ta-da! Hero’s Kafe was born.

We are always happy when someone visits us, because we love to put a smile on someone’s face, so come visit us at Hero’s Kafe. Where the real superhero, is you.”

hero’s

turkey bacon, provolone, gar lic & tomato spread which they will serve up to you in a flash.

Xavier brews a terrific cup of Colombian coffee, fresh to order, in a variety of strengths, and Daniela bakes some very satisfying sweets to accompa ny. We sampled an Ecuadorian pastry that was quite delicious and Daniela was kind enough to send us home with some ex tra sweets for later that night.

Their empanadas and “Cas sava bread” can make you more powerful than a locomo tive.

We arrived early on a weekday afternoon – just in time for lunch and the selection did us justice and was in a league of its own.

Their menu always changes and, starting with the cooler weather, Daniela makes a different soup every day, for 100 days, and rarely has repeated herself. These wonderful creations are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday through the winter.

The Cubano was delicious, as was the Zach, a combo of spring mix, heirloom tomatoes, and bacon bits, fresh mozzarella with a balsamic vinaigrette.

The girls had quesadillas – fresh chicken and beef - and the selection of homemade sauces was amazing, incredible, and mighty tasty.

The Loki salad of spring mix, chicken, avocado, heirloom tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, black beans, green onions, and a balsamic vinai grette was fit for a Norse God.

Then there are all the daily specials – which are just that – special.

So, don your leathers, helmet, cape, or cowl and make your way to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and stop into one of the neatest Great All American Diner Runs we have found in a long, long time…,

When we rode over, we brought some of our friends - Spidey, Cap, Bruce, Tony, and even Morales. They felt quite at home here at Lehigh University.

The Kafe is a bit small, but they make up for size with a super menu and mighty flavors with a South American flair.

When you arrive - do not let the ‘university’ look deceive you – the Kafe is right inside.

While there take notice of the menu selection names. Hero’s Kafe must run a fine line with some known trademark names and you would marvel at how quick lawyers can be on frivolous things, and nobody would want to see a small and wonderful restaurant come under a Thanos-like snap. But we are not all that scared of them – as some of you know, we have dealt with them for many, many years – and we have a job to do here. We have great power and responsibility to tell you how cool Hero’s Kafe is. If you are there at the start of the day they will happily serve up some great breakfast. The Banner is a croissant stuffed with a hulking serving of spinach and mozzarella omelet, or The Speedster – scrambled eggs,

Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures presents WE’RE OUTTA HERE

d. hotel & sPa

1 country cluB roaD route 5, Holyoke, Ma 01040

413-533-2100 • www stayattHeD coM

There are some towns, and even big ger cities, that you can ride upon un expectedly. Sometimes it is really on how you approach it.

Where we live it is just a few short miles, around the pretty Paulinskill and along some very rural roads, until you suddenly pop out on Newtown’s Route 206 and the all-too-common American town – Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot – just about every car you can think of and the rest of America in 2022.

Newton developed over centuries, but there are other towns that can pop up along the pretty backroads that were planned from the begin ning. They are called PIC – Planned Industrial Cities.

This is not something that America invented – people have been build ing towns and cities along natural resources for thousands of years.

But, up along the Connecticut River, you will find the town of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Planned from the Get-Go!

Built in tandem with the Holyoke Dam to utilize the water power of Hadley Falls, it is one of a handful of cities in New England built on the grid plan. During the late 19th century, the city produced an estimated 80% of the writing paper used in the United States and was home to the

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

largest paper mill architectural firm in the country, as well as the largest paper, silk, and alpaca wool mills in the world.

So - a dam was built, industry arrived and a town came into being.

But, what do the town of Holyoke and skimpy swimsuits, athletic girls, nets, and balls have in com mon? What? Wait…where did that come from?

Well, the city was the birthplace of volleyball, in vented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, physical edu cation director of the local Young Men’s Christian Association or the YMCA. Just a little fun fact – and that I get to write about athletic girls and swimsuits.

The only thing more fun than athletic girls and swimsuits are dinosaurs. What? Skimpy swimsuits AND dinosaurs. This is crazy talk!

Na, not really – you see before the state of Mas sachusetts thought to dam part of the river, waaay before – dinosaurs ruled these shores and they left prints – lots of prints and they are there for you to see – just south of the town.

A town as well thought out as Holyoke has plenty of restaurants to be found and the downtown area looked to be very interesting and worth a casual stroll. They also seem to have several comic-book stores – always a plus in my book!

Also close by is Mount Tom State Park. This is one of the oldest parks in the state’s park system; it is named for the mountain within its bound aries. In 1915 it was established as a state park. There is a stone tower on top of the mountain that is a favored destination among hikers. The summit of Mt. Tom is 1325 feet above sea level, 125 feet higher than its Massachusetts counterpart.

Although there is an interstate than runs along the town, this is a good thing for all that flowing humanity brought about our stop this month… the D. Hotel & Spa.

Do not mistake this place with any of the common chains – from the moment we rode up the long drive to the D. we were impressed. Opened in 2013 propri etors Linda & Peter Rosskothen sought to have a boutique hotel experience for travelers and locals alike.

We usually can read hotel and inn staff quickly – and it seemed to us that the staff, especially the young man at the desk, truly loved his job, and once he saw we were on motorcycles happily chatted us up about the local area and the dinosaur prints especially.

The rooms we spotless and, we’re not sure what bedding they have at the D., but we want in. We have become per snickety about our mattresses and get ting a great night’s sleep leads to a great day’s ride.

The place is a Spa as well – with a pool, hot tub, and full spa amenities – maybe a massage? They have couples massages as well, so go for it… Money well spent!

Right next to the hotel is their most ex cellent restaurant. The Delaney House is considered the best steakhouse in West ern Massachusetts and features 100% Black Angus beef from cattle raised on small farms and fed an all-vegetarian diet to promote superior marbling and outstanding flavor. The House also of fers a great selection of fish, pork, chick en, and vegetarian options.

The adjoining bar, The Mick, is an ex cellent place to relax and unwind with a few adult beverages before dinner.

When we were there, it was a fine sum mer night so we dined alfresco and the service, food, and atmosphere could not have been better.

We liked everything about The D and we surely will be returning… perhaps with a bunch of friends. Nudge, nudge, hint, hint!

I mentioned that there are some great roads to be ridden in and around Holy oke, and there are – from the river west, through the Berkshires, all the way to the New York border.

Enjoy the ride, the town, and your stay at the D. Hotel! ,

riPleigh’s eat it or not innovative creaMery 2 s 6tH street, McsHerrystown, pa • store open year rounD 502 e Main st, eMMitsBurg, MD • suMMer fooD truck cHeck weBsite for Hours • 717-698-3785

My brother inspired me to begin making my own ice cream. He be gan experimenting, researching and delving into some concoctions that sounded a bit wacky to our family. Always one to go with ‘more heat’, he served up habanero-infused vanilla, ghost pepper chocolate and siracha cinnamon. He did churn up some that our family would eat, especially his ginger, which my mother loved.

One flavor which I did borrow from him is Mexican Chocolate, a deep, dark, rich chocolate base with just a hint of cinnamon and chi potle pepper. I remember making one batch which I may have been a bit heavy-handed with the pepper. I tasted it, savoring the delicious chocolate, then a few seconds later was quite taken aback by the heat traveling down my throat. There really isn’t anything to be done, since the antidote for heat in food is dairy…lesson learned.

When we plan our rallies, I look around our suggested routes and the areas we’ll be visiting to see if there is anything of interest. For this past Fall Fiesta, a name popped up that even Seymour O’Life would have loved: Ripleigh’s Eat It or Not Innovative Creamery, in McSherrystown, PA. So, while making the route from Moorefield, WV to Lancaster, PA, I easily had us stop for what I thought would be a most excellent late afternoon treat.

Ripleigh Maring, owner of Ripleigh’s Eat It or Not, is a 15-year-old sophomore at Delone Catholic High School. Her first entrepreneurial endeavor was at age 14 when she started her ice cream business with a food truck in Em mitsburg, MD. The brick and mortar shop in McSherrystown, PA had its grand opening on June 10 of this year. She accredits her mother, also an entrepreneur, for her inspiration to open her own business. She just didn’t think it would come at such a young age. Her travels with her family, taking her around the country and the world, helped her to develop her unique flavors.

What makes Ripleigh’s shop different, special and a worthy stop when in the area? She has a very creative mind and transfers that to the flavors she develops in her ice cream. She also feels that using locally sources ingredi ents and patronizing local companies is very important so she gets her dairy from Apple Valley Creamery, a small family farm in New Berlin, PA, whose cows produce A2 milk which is smoother and more easily digestible. Ripleigh learned to craft ice cream at a school in Florida and churns out her super delicious and palate-testing flavors just 2 blocks from the shop on 6th Street. When not in class, she is there scooping and, unlike so many businesses today, does not have any problem hiring, working alongside fellow classmates. The young ladies serving during our visit were friendly, courteous and very will ing to offer tastes of whatever we liked to try.

Ripleigh’s is located at the corner in a small row of stores. With its brightly colored window treatments, it is inviting and, once inside, the same vibe is attained. At that point the challenge begins – what to order. The whimsical menu is sectioned into three zones: Safety which includes just that, those flavors most folks are comfortable with – Vanilla, Chocolate, Coconut and so on. Next up comes the ‘We Dare You’ cabinet: Funky Monkey, Banana Cream Pie and Reese’s Peanut Butter Blast (perhaps their most ordered flavor). While these certainly are not outrageous, they do go outside of the ice cream box. Then we head into some unchartered territory with cabinet number three named ‘We Double Dog Dare You’: Ube

+ Coconut (Ube is a purple yam), Maple Bacon Caramel, Old Bay Kettle Corn and……WAIT, WHAT?

Oh, you ain’t heard nothing yet.

Channeling my brother, I tasted as many of Ripleigh’s Double Dog Dare You flavors as I could before ordering. The Old Bay Kettle Corn had a buttery flavor with a backsplash of that familiar flavor of Old Bay. Ube + Coconut was definitely more coconut than yam. Spicy Pineapple Avocado certainly had bite at the back of the tongue with more pineapple coming through than avo cado. I couldn’t bring myself to try the Buffalo Chicken or Pepperoni Pizza. I settle on a scoop of Honey Jalapeno Pickle and Milk Tea, with the Milk Tea having a similar taste to bubble tea and, surprisingly, the Hon ey Jalapeno Pickle being very smooth, sweet and a pleasant tinge of spicy pickle at the finish. They went very well together.

Brian went with a homemade waffle cone filled with Old Bay Kettle Corn and Hazelnut Cold Brew, also a great combination.

Ripleigh’s seasonal case contains those flavors ‘here for a good time, not for a long time.’ This time of year there was Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake, Apple Caramel Crumble and Salted Squire, to name a few.

As social media is such a key to suc cess these days, Ripleigh has devel

oped Instagram-worthy milkshakes called Freak Shakes. While they are basically milk shakes, they look amazing; four scoops of ice cream swirled to creamy perfection and poured into a clear plastic cup drizzled with syrup, coated with sprinkles and topped with whipped cream, donut, pop tart or whatever gives it the unique name of its creator. Among others there’s the Ce real Killer: Birthday Cake ice cream, Pop Tart, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles and whipped cream and the Sasquatch: Chocolate ice cream, Smores brownie, toasted marshmallow, gra ham cracker, chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. These are almost too pretty to eat but I’m sure that wouldn’t stop me if handed one.

Staying with picture-worthy treats, the Monster Bowls are similarly themed but are ice cream instead of a milkshake. And there are Pop-It Waf fles; hot Belgian waffle with two scoops of ice cream and topped with all sorts of beautiful things – the Fruitopia features strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, banana and blueberries, strawberry drizzle and whipped cream. The shop is cozy with indoor seating available, as well as one outside picnic table. If you find yourself anywhere near McSherrystown, PA or Emmits burg, MD, you’d be doing yourself a grave disservice if you did not stop by Ripleigh’s Eat It or Not Innovative Creamery to sample some of her won derful flavors. ,

According to Ducati’s Media Site, the new Multistrada V4 Rally is the ideal travel companion in all conditions, as easy and intuitive in the ur ban jungle as it is on the most daring off-road routes. High-performance, robust and reliable thanks to the V4 Granturismo and extended service intervals, it will carry you wherever your adventurous heart desires.

Designed for long distance riding on any terrain, rider and passenger can enjoy heightened comfort and greater range, which makes the new Multistrada V4 Rally ideal for those seeking an ‘all-round’ bike.

Multistrada V4 Rally is powered by the V4 Gran turismo, a light, compact and powerful engine de signed to travel long distances with its 37,000 miles service interval.

Front and rear radar with Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection, as well as dedicated rid ing modes with the new Off-Road Power Mode that limits power to 115 hp.

The new 7.9 gallon tank ensures greater range and has led to a full redesign of the bike’s front end, the ‘shoulders’ even more powerful but no higher, de spite improved comfort and ergonomics.

New deflectors update the aerodynamics package to limit turbulence for the rider and passenger and reduce air flow in cold weather.

New Skyhook DSS EVO suspension with travel in creased to 200 mm, Auto-Levelling, Minimum Pre load and the suspension lowering kit.

First-class comfort for rider and passenger, with an elongated tail and a rearward case fastening for a roomier travel experience.

With the “Rally” Ducati takes the globetrotter spir it of the Multistrada V4 to an even higher level, with improved comfort for rider and passenger, a greater fuel range and a more pronounced off-road aptitude. The result is a motorcycle that is in its element on dirt roads and in the cities: the perfect choice for those who want to reach any destination with maximum comfort and safety, without sacrificing the typical Ducati riding emotions. As with the entire Multistra da V4 family, performance (170 hp), reliability and maintenance costs (intervals every 37,000 mi and Oil Service every 9,000 mi/24 months) are class leading.

The Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in Ducati Red and Brushed Aluminum & Matt black, the latter with an exposed brushed aluminum fuel tank, with black spoke rims for both. United States pricing for the Multistrada V4 Rally will begin at an MSRP of $31,495 for the Ducati Red color, with the Brushed Aluminum & Matt black starting at $31,995. For Canada, the Multistrada V4 Rally will start at an MSRP of $34,395 CAD for Ducati Red and MSRP

of $34,995 CAD for the Brushed Aluminum & Matt black. The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in Ducati dealerships in the United States and Canada starting from May 2023. ,

Motorcycle Preview

duCaTi mulTisTRada v4 Rally

Shippensburg

Start…

Ido not think we’d have called only the second batch of rain to come our way since summer to tackle us head-on as we left for this year’s annual Fall Fiesta. But, fate is a fickle bitch, and although getting caught in the rain bites, leaving in the rain is never much fun and can take the air out of your riding balloon.

Still, the plan was for the first night of this soiree to take place on a Thursday in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania – The Shippensburg Inn now called a Clarion. We’d been here several times before and it has always been a crowd favoritewith a superb hotel and plenty of restaurants and civilization to be found in the PA college town.

With this all etched in stone we met a few friendly riders near the Delaware Water Gap and began a damp romp south west with the threat of ever-brightening blues skies right over the horizon.

Riders would scoot in from all directions and from as far south as Florida and north from Canada, while our day was spent zigzagging along the eastern Appalachians and the ridges leading to the Susquehanna River. We passed over the ‘burning’ town of Centralia and in and out of tiny burgs known as Pillow and Ringtown.

Our planned lunch stop turned out to be closed this week, so, as per Team Orders, we rode into Plan B and found some late lunch at a Chris tian Coffee house called Kingdom Grounds. From here it was a super and twisty 40 miles through the Amish farmlands with their rolling hills and pristine asphalt to the hotel in Shippensburg – where we found the lot full of machines and getting fuller by the minute. By dusk, we had a full crew and the Fall Fiesta was underway.

To West Virginia…

This Friday would be the first day of Autumn, and on cue, Mother Nature responded with a chilly 50 degrees, but under a brilliant azure sky.

As usual, we had a few suggested routes south to the South Branch Inn, in Moorefield, West Virginia. We have stayed at the South Branch several times as well, and even had another rally here a few years back. In addition to having some spectacular riding in this part of the Mountain State, the South Branch has a few other things to offer as well – but they would come into play later this weekend.

First? We had to get there.

With three different routes to choose we had riders all over southern Pennsylvania, Maryland and West “By God” Virginia.

One route brought Fall Fiesta Peeps past the Farn ham Colossi – one of the most unusual yards in the

nation. Filled with all sorts of giant “colossi” – this seven-acre parcel of farmland in Unger, West Virginia, is home to a small army of giants. Displayed around the property are more than 20 enormous fiberglass fig ures designed in the 1960s for roadside advertising. Although not all the figures are male (or even human), these “colossi” are known generically as “Muffler Men.”

We have brought riders here for years and it is one of those oddly special

places that will always bring a smile to your face. It sure did to the riders this day.

For me, I followed Shira the Red along some great backroads she had mixed together, and ran for a good deal along the C & O Canal. With an entire day to get just over 200 miles we stopped in the town of Berkeley Springs to visit The Black Cat Music Shop. This is one of those tiny and happy music stores that get young ones interested and keeps our music flowing in this country. I always try to stop and shop at these stores as, in the days of Box Store everything, places like The Black Cat seem rarer and rarer. We rode up into the mountains from here and then followed a tiny road called Detour – that was an absolute joy. Tiny and twisty and following the hills and dales in an almost musical manner – it was a fairly well-paved blast.

That led us a bit west and past Paw Paw – famed for their long tunnel and named for the largest edible fruit in North America – the PawPawthat grew in abundance here in the region.

The nearby Paw Paw Tunnel was named for the town and is a major attraction for travelers along the C & O Canal that runs from Cumber

land, MD to Washington, DC. which was built to bypass the 6-mile stretch of the Potomac known as the Paw Paw Bends. It opened for canal traffic in 1850 and continued operating until 1923.

Following the canal, we rode between states before stopping for lunch in the city of Cumber land.

This part of Maryland was at the epicenter of much of the Civil War, but since 1918 one of the things it has been famous for is Curtis Coney Island fa mous Wieners. Gino Giatras and family have been slinging these scrumptious dogs for a very long time and while we were there their customers kept on rolling in. A stop on the Great All American Diner Run for sure. Shira’s ride then brought us back across the Potomac and ca nal and through the town of Lo naconing. Here the massive Lo naconing Furnace, also known as The George’s Creek Coal and Iron Company Furnace No. 1 dominates the center of the town. This is a very big furnace, as furnaces go. It is a truncated square pyramid constructed of sandstone, 50 feet high, 50 feet square at the base, and 25 feet square at the top. Well worth the stop.

We then rode past the Kingsford Barbeque Briquette Factory – hey, they are everywhere and they have to come from somewhere; and that some where is here.

With all this heat, the ride’s view went in the other direction as we rode beneath miles of giant wind turbines, a bright and stark white against the bright blue sky of the day.

By early evening we rolled into Moorfield and the South Branch Inn. Small gatherings popped up, and parked bikes from some meant it was time for adult refreshment.

Some of us rode into town for a superb meal at Mullins 1847 – a place that has been around since before the Civil War and has seen both gener als from that time, Lee and Grant, overnight in its rooms. Today it is a happening local jewel and they took great care of us.

Free day in West Virginia

So much to do and so many miles to be ridden., We threw out a bunch of routes, but everybody seemed too happy enough just getting out this first full day of Autumn. It certainly was a bit chilly again, and a tad moist. Moist enough to have a light rainbow run across the South Branch valley sky right after a fiery dawn. We had mixed up a few roads that we knew of down here and some

we had never ridden before and came up pretty much aces all the way to Seneca Rocks.

Rising old and stark, nearly 900 feet above the North Fork River be low, these rocks have long been a gathering spot for native tribes, settlers, climbers, and today’s riders.

From here our route got wonky and we had a quick, if puffy, white gravity-storm re-route up and over some charming Mountain State back roads and then south towards Pocahontas County. As you enter there is a historic sign that says Birthplace of Rivers, as the county is the site of the headwaters for eight rivers: Cherry, Cranberry, Elk, Gauley, Greenbrier, Tygart Valley, Williams, and Shaver’s Fork of the Cheat River.

The roads were empty and it became a very sporty ride to say the least and by noon-ish we had passed the Radio Observatory at Green Bank. We went in search of a meal at the Company Store at the Cass Railroad and, with lunch finished, the coal-fired locomotive came down the moun tain, the giant steel and iron monster belching smoke and filling the valley with its echoing whistle. It made for that perfect Kodak Moment.

As we doubled back north we stopped at Greenbank, passing on the Visitors Center as they are stuck in 2020 and we are not. Still, the radio

telescopes are very impressive, especially the Grote Reber, which was handbuilt by Grote Reber, the world’s first radio astronomer, in his mother’s back yard in 1937, and was the prototype for its kind.

Our run back north was as spirited as they come, especially up and over the mountains on Route 33 – a perennial favorite of Backroads.

As the day wound down, riders began to pull back into the hotel’s lot as it was getting close to one of the highlights of this weekend – the second ever Big Backroadski Bowling Tournament.

Teams were made, bowling shirts created and fun certainly ahead, and it was. Funny thing; when riders that kinda know each other are suddenly thrown together and have to operate like a team they do just that. Like helping out a rider in need - a bond of sorts is formed. Like a Band of Brothers – without the danger and sacrifice.

The Potomac Lanes did a great job with handling the influx of our people taking over half the bowling alley (Thank you Penny) and the Backroads ca maraderie skipped to a very high level with everybody rooting for everybody else. A strike from your closest opponent was heartily cheered and gutter balls were kindly overlooked. There was even a little birthday celebration as two of our riders were checking off another trip around the sun – Happy Birthday Betsy and Jeff!

There were medals handed out for Best Team Name and Logo, Highest Score (Congrats Klaus), Low Score, Most Strikes, Most Gutters, and a few others as well; as we had bought the medals wholesale and were giving them away for just about anything.

To Lancaster, Pennsylvania…

So far, through this entire Fall Fiesta, the seasons of Summer and Fall were in the middle of their yearly skirmish We started in cold, wet conditions, and that gave way to pleasantly cool temperatures in the high 60s and with Mr. Blue Sky, after deciding not to hide on us anymore, looking down on us for most of the rest of the week.

But, Sunday’s ramble back north to Lancaster, Pennsylvania would see the weather flip flop all day.

The ride north, ‘Brought to you in Living Color’ with not a spread of gravel to be seen, was a Shiraka creation and was a most excellent ride as it scooted north along some very twistalicious backroads and crossed the border with the Old Line State at Shepherdstown. This day it was just Shira, myself, and

birthday boy King Jeff and we found an easy parking spot and had a walk about the Potomac River town –grabbing some Paw Paw fruit at the local Farmer’s Mar ket and then lunch. Right about then, we heard our son was getting married. Very appropriate as the restaurant’s name was Betty’s – his grandmother’s name.

Ha – we rode in hungry and rode out with a daughter. As we suited up to leave, Dark Sky chimed tornado warnings and the brilliant blue sky to the east ran dark black to the west.

Ahh, the Battle of Evermore, the dark against the light. For about twenty minutes dark and wet won and we rode across the river into Maryland in a tempest; passing

by Antietam with dark cold rain pouring on us seemed apposite along these hallowed grounds.

The windy road up and over Catoctin mountain brought a brightening sky as we slid past Camp David and eventually rolled into McSherrystown, PA, for the required ice cream stop per Shira’s decree at a small shop called Ripleigh’s. This place seemed like just another ice cream stop, but it turned out to be a bit more, as you can read in this month’s ‘Inside Scoop’.

By late afternoon we slid over the Mason-Dixon Line and then crossed the Susquehanna River on the Colum bia–Wrightsville Bridge.

This is one of our favorite crossings – so beautifully conceived and built it was nominated to the American Society of Civil Engineers where they said, “a splendid example of the graceful multiple-span, a reinforced-con crete arched form popular in early 20th Century high way bridges in the United States.” We agree.

Soon after we made our last overnight stop at the Ful ton Steamboat Hotel, outside Lancaster. Built to lure the touristy crowd – it worked well for us too. That evening saw a lot of friends hanging tough to a bit late in the evening as many knew that, at least for 2022, the Backroads gatherings were done – but we think we had a pretty good run – this being the 25th year of these shindigs. A quarter century – wow!

What a superb weekend. Great roads, interesting weather. Old friends and new. It really doesn’t get much better.

Our 2023 Spring Rally will be held the same weekend as the National BMW Rally, this year on the east coast just north of Richmond, VA. Full details can be found on our website. We hope you can join us. ,

Motorcycles, Museums & Motocross

products. I was welcomed warmly by

The 6th round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship was due to roll into the sands of Southwick, MA, the weekend of July 9th. I had not attended a race there in many years and was curious what the golden an niversary of professional motocross would be like.

The weather was looking exceptional for the weekend, so I packed up the trusty Super Tenere’ and headed towards the Bay State. I had several stops in mind to make things interesting on the way.

The first was in Cold Spring, NY where a new shop of sorts opened.

Named Cold Starts, owner Michael Hardman has a collection of vintage and contemporary memora bilia including, books, hats, t-shirts jackets, pins and an assortment of miscella neous moto-goodies. The shop is located at 165 Main St., 1 block down the hill right off or Rt 9D. It was well worth the stop to meet Michael and check out some his wares. Looking through his collection including an English vintage motorcycle book published in the 1970’s, Marcus Dairy t-shirts and other memorabilia made for a trip down memory lane. If riding in the area, do stop in and say hello.

Back on the road and winding my way through Putnam and Dutchess Counties, my second stop would be at the new East Coast Touratech re tail store that recently opened in Brookfield, CT near Danbury. I was concerned that I would be overcome with impulse purchases having spent countless hours on their website and festooning my Yamaha with their

who

me around the newly opened space.

Great to see this brick-and-mortar store more or less in our backyard.

It’s no coincidence that they chose a location, close to Route 84, Max BMW and not too far from the met ropolitan area where ADV riding continues to grow in popularity.

From Brookfield I hopped on Route 84 to get east past Hartford. The next stop was the New England Motorcycle Museum in Rockville, CT. I have heard a great deal about this museum. Having seen owner Ken Ka plan at Unadilla many times over the years I was familiar with his passion for two-stroke motocross machines. He had provided machines for many of the legends of Pro Motocross as part of the prerace ceremonies over the years. He purchased and renovated the 205-year-old mill building in town and essentially saved it from ruin. The life blood of the museum is the sales of vintage machines sold through Ka plan cycles.

There are two full floors of vintage machines, some owned by Kaplan himself while others are on loan from private collections. The second floor features an eclectic assortment of

words + images: Tony Lisanti

Steve Pospolita

showed

street and dirt machines, but the top floor was the honey pot for me. Vin tage 2-stroke motocross bikes, with a few 4-strokes mixed in for good measure. Almost every significant motocross machine from the 1970’s and 1980’s is on display. They represent the technological arms race in early motocross from air cooled twin shock machines with drum brakes, to the “modern era” with liquid cooled, single shock machines and even some examples of works bikes when the factories spent considerable money on their R&D efforts. Mr. Kaplan also likes the big bore machines from Husqvarna, KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki and, of course, Honda. Lots and lots of 500cc Honda CR’s on hand. The 500cc two stroke motocross bikes are the stuff of legends.

border much like a jig saw puzzle. The track gets its name from the local VFW Post 338 that owns the property and hosts the race. Over the de cades, with a few exceptions, they welcomed the Motocross universe. This is no small undertaking as the factory semis, campers, mobile TV studios, camera and satellite trucks descend on this small property to put on the show that is AMA Pro Motocross.

Located in the hillside behind American Legion Post 338 just east of Southwick, the track winds around the property and features many tight turns and drop offs. The track is a combination of sand and dirt, but mainly sand and makes good use of the topography with power robbing hills and approaches to the jumps. I checked in for the requisite press

The museum is also host to Mr. Kaplan’s newly introduced GasGas dealership. He had several in inventory including some one off “specials” featuring 2-stroke, fuel injected machines that had been modified to a large extent. The best part is he promotes everything and is not afraid to start up any of the machines and record a YouTube video of a customer taking delivery. All in all, well worth the visit and glad he is keeping these machines and the glory days of motorcycling and in particular, profes sional motocross alive.

On that note, being filled with moto-nostalgia, it was time for the final destination, the ‘Wick 338 as it’s called. Located in south central Mas sachusetts, a small portion of the state that nestles into the Connecticut

credentials and spent some time spying the track. I met up with Phil, a friend, who has raced at Southwick for years and was assisting with track maintenance. He was kind enough to let me leave my bike and gear near his camper and provide a full tour of the track on his quad. Afterwards we met up with Mike Smith and the Legends & Heroes of Motocross Tour. They bring the past to life with a traveling display of vintage MX machines and memorabilia. They travel to most of the Supercross and Outdoor Motocross events and display a number of finely restored ma chines. It’s fun listening to people stop by and reminisce about racing back in the day.

On race day, it was an early check-in and mandatory OSHA safety

meeting at the media tent. Pretty serious business since the track is tight and riders overshoot berms and jumps. Best to keep alert and know where you’re standing. For the race, the sky was clear and temperature in the mid 80’s with a slight breeze. Hot but not humid which would make a great day for racing.

Early qualifying sessions had fan favorite, #3 Eli Tomac on the Monster Energy Yamaha 450cc putting in laps at the 2.09 mark. This would prove to be the fast est 450 time ahead of Honda’s Chase Sexton and Ken Roczen, the deep Southwick sand requiring maximum horsepower to power around the track. Not too surprisingly the 250cc class machines were a touch faster with Australian and Honda mounted Jett Lawrence turning in a lap a few hundredths faster than the Big Boys. After the remaining qualifiers were finished Tomac and Jett Lawrence were on top and had the gate pick in their respective classes. When the gate dropped for Moto 1, Tomac would have a bit of trouble, but his lap times continued to drop and he ended catching and passing the top five including series leader Chase Sexton on the Factory Honda. Tomac

would end with a 1-1 for overall win and closed the gap with Sexton who finished with a 2-2 for the day. Aaron Plessinger on the KTM filled out the podium with a 7-3. Past champ Honda mounted Ken Roczen finished 4th overall with a 6-4. Ryan Dungy who came out of retirement finished 7th

In the 250 class, Jett Lawrence motored away as well in both motos scoring the same 1-1 result for Team Honda. Japanese rider Jo Shimoda finished second overall on his Kawasaki. He is also the first Japanese rider to win an overall event which he did at Red Budd a week earlier. Both Tomac and Lawrence looked as if they were in a class by themselves with comfortable leads in their respective classes. It was great to see Law rence and Team Honda back on top and leading the 250 class. In the heyday in the 1980’s, Honda dominated the sport. Hon da swept both 450 and 250 podiums two weeks earlier, something that had not been done in nearly 40 years.

After a fun day at Southwick, it was time to ride off into the sunset, literally as the race day wound down. I headed home and arrived in time for a late dinner. Not a bad way to spend a day or two a few hours from home. Rolling through the country in northern CT and Southern MA has its appeal. Now that there is a Touratech Store, New England Motorcycle Museum, the NEBDR route - the possibilities are enticing.

Perhaps I’ll see you there next year?

Round 9 Pro Motocross Series Unadilla

• August 13, 2022

Every summer in up state NY a pilgrimage of sorts takes place. Young and old make the trek to the Cen tral Leatherstocking region of the Empire State, not for baseball, but for Motocross. Af ter a 2-week break, the Pro Motocross Cham pionship reconvened at the famed Un adilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin for Round 9. The ex citement of the 53rd running at Unadilla in this, the 50th year of AMA Pro Motocross, was tempered by news of the passing of Ward Robinson at age 85.    Mr. Robinson is considered one of the founding fa thers of American motocross. In the 1960’s his curi osity of this newly imported European style of racing was peaked while sponsoring riders from his small dealership.  He traveled to events to see the European superstars and decided to build a track of his own. This track would become famous. In 1970 Unadilla hosted a round of the Trans-AMA series, one of the first AMA-sanctioned motocross series in the US. In 1972, the first AMA Pro Motocross Championship Series stopped and became a fixture on the sched ule. Then in 1978 Unadilla became home for FIM World Championship U.S. 250cc Grand Prix. The first to be won by an American- California’s Marty Tripes. Once firmly established on the GP schedule, and for the first time in history, the prestigious FIM Motocross of Nations, would be run at Unadilla.

Team USA’s Rick Johnson, Jeff Ward and Bob “Hur ricane” Hannah, managed by 5-time World Champ Roger DeCoster would win in an epic race weekend. It was only fitting DeCoster, Broc Glover and other dignitaries would eulogize Mr. Robinson during the race weekend. Daughter Jill and Greg, who now run

the event, were able to hear the kind words from the motocross community and hear the thanks of thousands of people that weekend for what their father created. Rob inson’s close friend Bobby Thomp son, who helped with the original track design, was on hand and took a ceremonial lap in honor of his good friend on a vintage Bultaco.

As for the racing - truly world class. The weather on race day, cool and dry conditions, was near perfec tion and made for a fast track.

When the gate dropped for Moto 1 of the 250 class, it was two New Yorkers who had the hole shot. Nick Romano and Justin Cooper led the pack. Cooper would go down in the opening laps and Japan’s Jo Shimoda on a Kawasaki would take the front position and was never passed. He opened a 10 second gap and would take the Moto win.

Moto #2 saw Eli Tomac across the hole shot line first and started to open a gap on the pack behind him. His series rival Chase Sexton seemed to be more motivated and caught and passed Tomac again. Sexton would maintain the lead and finish with a 1-1 for the day. Tomac finished with a 2-2 for second on the day. With the overall win, Sexton would take the se ries points lead from Tomac heading into round 10 at Budds Creek. Jason Anderson would finish with a strong 3rd once again.

As a postscript, the next 3 rounds would see the series champion ship tighten up with Tomac taking the series at Pala Fox Raceway in California. Jett Lawrence would claim the 250 championship the same day. This likely was the last time Tomac would race the out door series. It was great to have seen the #3 race on this beautiful track over the last several years. His departure will make room for the next champion - we’ll see next August.

In Moto 2, Justin Copper was again out in front of Jett Lawrence and Cameron McAdoo. Cooper would maintain the lead despite chal lenges from Lawrence early on. Cooper would hold on for the win and his combined 5-1 finishes earned him second overall. Joe Shi moda made a late race pass into third and his combine 1-3 for the day was good enough for the overall win. His second overall win this season and the first time a Japanese rider had two overall wins. The first 450 moto included the return of last year’s championship winner Dylan Ferrandis.  When the gate fell it was Ferrandis with the holeshot before being passed by Ken Roczen. Ferrandis eventu ally finished just off the podium in fourth. Roczen, with the fast est qualifying time, fled until Eli Tomac caught him and passed for the lead. Roczen would fade to fifth. It looked like Tomac’s race to lose. Honda’s Chase Sexton had his sights on winning and worked his way up from fifth to catch Tomac. The two battled until Sexton made a pass that stuck and opened a 10 second margin, taking the win. Tomac settled for second with Jason Anderson rounding out the podium for third.

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

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column

Vigilance

vig·i·lance

noun: vigilance • the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.

It was a dark and rainy night…

No, it wasn’t. It was really a soggy and wet afternoon and we had left New Jersey Motorsports Park a couple of hours early as the wet rolled in. As we motored up Interstate 287 and just a bit north of the 78 inter change, my eyes picked up a Mercedes SUV rolling onto the highway and into the right lane. I didn’t have to think about it… I knew he’d be a couple of car lengths ahead of me and maybe five in front of Shira at my 6. Both of us in the left lane. Then the white car blipped into my right-side

an instant and I was predicting the hit, the Mercedes (the protagonist) pushed into the rail and then ricocheting back into the road. The white junker (the antagonist) spinning clockwise.

Both would confirm Wolfgang’s Principle when they took us both out –collateral damage as it were. Just bit players in highway drama.

Both Shira and I were on the brakes - as were some of the other more aware drivers this day.

Then it happened… or didn’t.

The driver of the Mercedes spotted the incoming hit and made a re markable evasive move off the road right up to the guard rail and then back a tire width… the German car actually skipping with a puff off the front tires as the ABS kicked in and the wheels turned.

Mr. Junker swung too … in and out – fish-tailing about wildly but then accelerated into the lane and then back to the center – picking up speed and disappearing into the rain continuing his erratic chess piece moves.

We all let out a collective breath and I looked over at the couple in the Mercedes – they were wide-eyed and making, what I believe to be, a string of colorful metaphors. He glanced at me and I gave him a big thumbs up on his save. It probably saved us as well – as I heard Martha Reeves and the Vadellas singing our tune.

Vigilance... It is certainly easy to say, but hard to keep up and nobody can keep 100% Situational Awareness 100% of the time.

But we can try. ,

mirror. Unlike too many riders I try to keep a con stant grasp of what is around me. Situational Aware ness. That combination of scan, look, and digest as much as possible.

The beat-up white car was moving quickly past Shi ra and then me, before sliding into the far right lane; just as the Mercedes was entering the highway.

The Pauli Exclusion Principle says two identical matter particles can’t occupy the same quantum state. In simple terms, you can’t have two things tak ing up the same space.

Indeed.

I sometimes tell people I am ever vigilant. It is usually done in a joking manner about something in consequential – like historic signs, new restaurants, or great pieces of pavement. Surely, all of these are important in an easy manner – but I am not so light on vigilance when it comes to riding.

I admit this day a combination of vitamins and cof fee had me a bit hyper-vigilant, and as I saw the col lision about to unfold in front of us I thought of any possible escape route when the two cars hit.

It is amazing how your brain can hit Warp 7 in

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