gaz Ma our le T cyc tor Mo ine
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
Cool Days - Hot Rides Heading into Autumn
High Five - Riding the Peaks River Dance - Musical rides along the waters Klondike Gold - Following the Dawson Highway PLUS‌ all our great monthly columns,features and information
OCTOBER
2011 Volume 17 No. 10
174 Route 17N, Sloatsburg, NY 845-712-5406 • www.CycleCityNY.com
N E I N P G O P D A N R A T R G October 1st & 2nd Y Saturday and Sunday • 11am to 6pm
Door Prizes • Free Food • Music
TELL S D YOUR FRIEN SERVICE • REPAIR • COMPLETE BIKE BUILDS • FABRICATION SPECIALIZING IN HIGH PERFORMANCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON SERVICING ALL AMERICAN V-TWINS OWNER: Cal Mancuso SERVICE MGR: Frank Caramico Formerly of New York Harley-Davidson
W H A T ’ S
I N S I D E FEAT URES
MON THLY COLUMN S FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4
KLONDIKE GOLD ............................................................................24
WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6
HIGH FIVE - RIDING THE PEAKS ................................................30
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................8
TUESDAY WITH COURTNEY .......................................................47
ON THE MARK ..................................................................................9
RIVER DANCE..................................................................................50
BIG CITY GETAWAY .......................................................................10 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.........................................12 THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD....................................................14 BACKLASH .......................................................................................15 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA ...............................................................17
PRODUCT REVIEW S/SPOT LIGHTS GIVI EASYLOCK SADDLEBAGS ..................................................40
INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................19
HAPPY FEET MASSAGING INSOLES........................................40
WE’RE OUTTA HERE......................................................................21
RIDERSEYE TRACKING SYSTEM................................................45
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ..............................................39
SW -MOTECH CRASHBARS.........................................................45
MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE ...................................................41
OGIO 9800 GEAR BAG.................................................................46
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................44
DENALI D2 LED LIGHTS...............................................................55
Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Larry King, Steve Klose, Tim Wineland, Dr. Seymour O’Life
BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176
BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.
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OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 4
FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN Shelter from the Storm I was in another lifetime One of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness a creature void of form “Come in” she said, “I’ll give you shelter from the storm” – Bob Dylan Irene and Lee. These are two names that the Backroads’ region will remember for a long time. I’m an admitted ‘Weather Geek’ and, for me, if I want reality television I will usually put on The Weather Channel (or Ancient Aliens on Thursday). There are some popular meteorologists that folks have come to know over the years; Jim Cantore, Vivian Brown and Paul Goodloe come to mind as do others on the cable universe, but my go-to guy is always Joe Bastardi. He was a big part of Accuweather.com, but resigned this past winter and can now be found on Weatherbell.com. Joe is an uncanny predictor and tracker of weather; so when he said in the middle of August we should keep a careful eye on this disturbance in the Atlantic, right off Africa, which would be called Irene if it takes shape – well, I listened. As the next week came about it was obvious Joe was right and soon everybody was talking about this bitch of a storm running up the east coast. Irene blew through my backyard on August 28, the day of the Indy Moto GP. What is it with the Indy Moto GP and really bad weather? By late morning we started getting calls. Do we have power?
Do we have food? Do we have wine? Do we have the Moto GP? Yes, to all – for at least a little while. Friends from low-lying areas started to filter in over the next few hours. Most were flooded out of homes and businesses. All had no power and would not for days. We sit atop a hill and, luckily for us, only were without power for a few hours at most and thankfully, after the race was over. The backlash of Irene was what began the damage. The rain had mostly stopped and a few of us were outside taking it all in when we heard the first tree. Like a gunshot in the forest it reported and then toppled. A second and then third big tree tumbled to the ground. Yes, it did make a sound. We heard a car’s brakes screech as yet another large oak crashed across the road outside our drive and the guy driving stopped his car just feet from it being crushed by the falling tree. It had gotten very scary very quickly. Fortunately nothing came down on the house or barn with just a glancing blow from a large limb on Monkey With a Gun. A few hours later Irene had passed, heading up north where she would wreak havoc with our friends in New England. We have all seen the pictures. The devastation of the homes, roads and infrastructure was beyond anything that was anticipated. The next few days were incredibly beautiful here in New Jersey. Waters receded and slowly the lights came back on around the region. Riding around the roads that were open it was disheartening to see folks pulling ruined furniture and belongings from the damage homes. Bridges were gone or heavily damaged. Crops and farms flooded and ruined. (Continued on Page 18)
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL You think You’re prepared… The refrigerator was stocked, the propane tanks were full, candles and batteries were bought and the liquor cabinet was sated. Dire warnings had been issued days ahead of Hurricane Irene’s arrival and evacuations were strongly suggested for many regions. Fortunately for Backroads Central, we suffered no damage. We do offer our condolences to all those who suffered losses and wish you a speedy recovery and rebuild. As we held fast in the wind, watching the big trees in our woods sway, we were convinced we were well prepared for whatever. And truth was, we were. While those around us lost power and watched the waters rise, we were their port in the storm. Together we made it through, although the hangover the next day was probably worse than any damage we might have suffered. Looking around the property, we realized we were pretty well set for fireplace wood this season and began to clean up. That behind us, we prepared for the Labor Day weekend. Plans had been made to head to the Finger Lakes Rally in Watkins Glen, NY. It was their 35th annual and we always do enjoy the small rally and the folks attending. Our thoughts were to head west to Pennsylvania, trying to avoid any storm-damaged roadways then meander our way back northeast to the rally. Our bikes were packed and ready to go for an early departure. Backroads Central’s driveway is situated on a hill that is just a bit difficult to maneuver. Looking both up and down, there are a couple of trees causing blind spots and you need to pay a bit more attention than most driveways. Having been here for so many years, it’s habit to look at least three times up and down before pulling out. A little preface here; a few weeks ago the township had come through and tarsnaked our road. What was once a magnificent piece of pavement became a squishy, slimy aggravation. I don’t know what substance they used for this stuff, but I do believe it includes baby poop to make it so slippery. Anyway, here we were, ready for a great few days of riding. Brian heads out of the driveway while I do my triple head-check. As I’m pulling out, I find myself very mightily being thrown to the ground. My first thought is that I’ve slipped on the afore-mentioned tar snaking but then I realize that there is a blue SUV passing me very closely on the left side. Funny how time slows when you’re not sure what has happened. I figured out that I’d been hit by said SUV toting Mom, baby and two loose dogs. I pick myself up, radioing to Brian what had just happened. No need, as he had been looking in his mirror to see my departure. I quickly assessed that there were no broken parts on my body and Brian and I moved the bike out of the road. Back to that being prepared thing; as I always wear full riding gear, I came out of this spill relatively unscathed. Fortunately, the woman hit me on my saddlebags, which are TraX super heavy-duty, and the SW Motech crash guards did exactly what they were supposed to do – stopped me and the bike from being damaged. Had I not had these on the bike, she would have come right into my leg, and we all know what that would mean. Damage to the motorcycle was minimal as well, as the mounting bracket for the crash bars dented the down tube of the exhaust. Being a BMW, I’m sure that the replacement will be more painful than the crash itself. I have had my motorcycle on the ground several times before this, but never from being hit by something or someone else. I have to say that it is quite a shock. No matter how many times I visualized this in my head during the next few days’ riding, I still haven’t completely figured out what transpired. When I was sliding down the road in New Zealand after trying to maneuver away from the accident in front of me, I was a bit surprised, as I didn’t know how the motorcycle had gotten behind me. Then, too, I walked away from the crash with just a bruised hip – very colorful, I might add – due to the wonderful protective gear I was wearing. No matter how many times we print it in the magazine or tell someone in person, wearing all the gear all the time will save your life and limbs, or at least minimize the damage. Please, please, please – do yourself a favor and get the best gear you can afford. Being prepared for the unknown and, unfortunately, inevitable is oh so important in motorcycling. You wouldn’t go shark hunting with a butter knife so why head out on the road without the proper tools and accessories.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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P O S TC A R D S FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD the indiSpenSable ride There’s nothing like a tropical storm/hurricanetype major atmospheric disturbance to give one pause. It can also give one a bout of indigestion, born out of having to put your regular life on hold (no matter how busy it may be) and concentrate on just getting your basic everyday tools back online as soon as possible. Yet, I find the storm they called Irene somehow contributed to my daily work involving motorcycle journalism instead of putting it on the back burner, purely because it was such a two-wheeled conveyance that helped me cope with the aftermath of such a substantial tropical blast. Imagine that. The thing that always gets me about this stuff is what I just said likely comes as no surprise to those of you that ride all the time, but sounds like crazy talk to a sizable portion of the general population that just doesn’t understand that motorcycles are in fact legitimate transportation. And not only are the motos in our lives perfectly reasonable ways to get around most of the year, in times like Irene they can
become the best way to stay mobile and a major boon at helping you keep your life on track when so many infrastructure elements are not working properly. We live in a society where electricity is more of a major necessity than ever before, and you often don’t realize it until you have to live without it on a grand scale. Around these parts, everything from gas pumps to stop lights quit over a fairly large area, but to experience these service outages firsthand you had to get to the more populated areas. In the early days following the storm, our cozy hamlet was literally surrounded by a broken ring of fallen Ents, which not only took out power lines but also blocked a surprisingly number of the roads pretty effectively. Enter the two-wheeled steed, the mighty personal transportation device called a motorcycle that has such a wonderfully small footprint and (especially in V-Twin form) a very narrow profile. I happened to have an Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200 at my service and this tall, torque-rich urban sport machine proved wonderfully nimble at getting around the fallen trees, power lines and associated debris where no street-legal four-wheeler could tread. It also, by its nature, had a decent frugality about it in the fuel department (especially compared with all the SUVs and pickups that were getting a bit wheezy when the gas pumps shut down). It was just a smart efficient way to keep on going in a situation where the conventional roadways couldn’t be negotiated by “conventional” vehicles. We know all this of course, but during these situations I do believe people who know nothing about why we ride do actually notice this utility and maybe, just maybe, start to see motorcycles in a different light instead of just as rolling jewelry or some kind of midlife crisis toy. Which brings me to something and someone I always think about when a bike’s high maneuverability is a key asset, as it’s a story of heroism and self-sacrifice that is quite extraordinary (and highlights what I’m talking about in terms of motorcycles in crisis situations). Back in 1999, there was a horrible fire in the Mont Blanc highway tunnel that runs below the Alps between Italy and France, when a tractor-trailer ignited and the inferno spread with deadly speed. Pierlucio Tinazi was a security guard on the Italian side, and when the degree of the disaster became clear he didn’t save himself and stay out of the tunnel, but instead made trip after trip into heat and smoke on his BMW K75 and, thanks to the bike’s ability to maneuver through the crippled cars and trucks he was able to rescue at least 10 individuals. Ultimately this brave, selfless man and his mount were overcome by the heat and lack of oxygen, and he made a final trip into the tunnel and did not escape the fate he saved so many people from. A comprehensive account of the event can be found at this link: www.landroverclub.net/Club/HTML/MontBlanc.htm, along with this statement: “Among the victims was Pierlucio Tinazi, a 33-yearold Italian tunnel employee. He saved 10 people, Italian officials told a news conference, making repeated trips on his motorcycle before succumbing to the fire. ‘I consider him a real hero,’ Colombo said. ‘He did his duty and we are very grateful to him.’” Whenever I find myself where a motorcycle can get around when cars can’t, I always think of Pierlucio and what a true symbol of courage the guy was. He loved riding, too, and it was a part of him and helped him save others. Motorcycles often attract very special people, and vice-versa.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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ON THE MARK MARK BYERS the people in mY GaraGe My motorcycles have personalities. Oh sure, outwardly they’re machines comprised of metal and petrochemicals, but each one has a distinctive face, voice, heart, and soul. The most remarkable thing is not only that they have personalities, but when I ride, each of them has a distinctive effect on me, the way I ride, and on the way I approach life when I’m in their company. My oldest bike is a 27-year-old BMW airhead roadster in basic black with red and white pinstripes, or at least that’s what other people see. To me, she’s a short Bavarian frau with big bosoms, dressed in lederhosen, delivering large, overflowing tankards of beer. Her name is Brunhilde. She doesn’t move quickly, but she’s efficient and compact. She has a voice like a cross between a Messerschmitt and a Volkswagen Beetle and a grumpy, lumpy, but charming idle. When I go to the garage, she says “Zo, vill you be goink out for ze ride today? I am zo lonely: vy don’t you take me out more?” When we do go out, I find myself thinking I should be dressed in jackboots, with a Schmeisser burp gun slung over my back, chasing Steve McQueen down some country lane on the border with Switzerland. On the other end of the age spectrum is a fraulein rather than a frau, although she’s big-boned: my silver R1200RT. She’s beautiful in a HelmutNewton-model way. Her name is Zelda (after F. Scott Fitzerald’s wife), which is supposedly short for Griselda, which is a “Gray Battle Maid” if you believe the crap you read on the internet. Zelda speaks in a breathy, Marlene Dietrich voice and says “Hello, daaaahlink. Vy don’t ve ride up to Maaaaaiiine?” That’s the kind of girl she is and that’s the kind of ride she inspires. When I go with Zelda, we’ve usually got my human wife as a chaperone, but no horizon is too far away. Big Zelda makes me feel very proper and more than a little old.
Representing one of the other axis powers is my SV-650. When she came to me, I thought she was a cheaper, Japanese version of the Ducati Monster, so cheap plus monster plus Japanese became Godzilla (or Zilla, for short). She’s trouble, that girl. On one hand, she’s an innocuous, middleweight funbike and commuter, but on the other hand she has a wicked side that starts at 7,000 RPM and begs to wave the front wheel in the air. She reminds me of Gogo, the “Kill Bill” character with the Japanese schoolgirl looks and deadly, medieval weapon. Her barking, v-twin voice shouts “Hey! Sailor! We ride!” every morning before work. When we’re on the twisty backroads, she makes me want to do bad, bad things. One day, she was party to some moments of moto-hooliganism that made me want to take a shower later. She’s a twowheeled Lolita, but I can’t part with her. What can I say about Spike, my DRZ-400? She’s named for her knobby tires and the Roller Derby Queen in the Jim Croce song. It fits: she’s big, powerful, top-heavy, and of all the bikes in my garage, the most likely to kick my ass. On the road, she has a mildly disturbing, drunken speed wobble above 65 MPH, and off the road, she has enough power and weight to put me in traction if I don’t mind my manners. Spike has a voice like a smoker who gargles razor blades and barks a gutteral “Gear up, boy, you’re gonna NEED it” before we ride. She’s tall enough to keep me on my toes at stoplights, but her gearing is short enough to keep me wanting a sixth speed on the road. She has no tach because, frankly, she doesn’t give a crap about RPM. I love taking Spike on the backroads, because there’s only so fast I want to go with the speed wobble, but it still feels exciting and edgy. Offroad with Spike, I’m a motorcycle parts yard sale looking for a place to happen. I’ve been fortunate to know so many motorcycles and with luck, I’ll know a few more. The room on the end of the house with the big, rollup doors isn’t just a garage, it’s a family room. The inhabitants of that room don’t just carry me, they move me. They’re staid and they’re saucy, conservative and wild, and sometimes, I live vicariously through them, the people in my garage.
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973-428-1735 honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. Apple® and iPod® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. SRS CS Auto is a trademark of SRS Labs, Inc. CS Auto technology is incorporated under license from SRS Labs, Inc.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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BIG CIT Y G ETAWAY three peakS for autumn A HigHer look At tHe Colors of fAll Leaf peeping by bike is always a great idea. The yearly display of fireworks from Mother Nature usually hits its peak in mid-October in northwest New Jersey and taking a long afternoon’s jaunt around the border region this time of year is always a good idea. But as brilliant as some colors can be from the road this time around I wanted to get higher and take it all in. Scooting from Backroads Central with the Aprilia Shiver as my companion we did a quick loop around the Kittatiny Mountains that run parallel to the Delaware River.
daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind Although the views of the lakes and the flora were bright and colorful I wanted more; so I pointed the Shiver towards Stokes State Forest and the first of three peaks we would ride to get a bird’s eye view of the region at this vivid time of the year. Riding up the one-way road to the summit itself offers wonderful view to the north and west. The mountaintop provides a breathtaking vista at an elevation of 1,653 feet above sea level and the panorama to the east from the top shows you just how stunning this part of the Garden State really is. Right along this peak you will also find part of the Appalachian Trail that continues onward to the highest bit of New Jersey – aptly name High Point State Park. The road from Sunrise Mountain, if done correctly, will put you on County Road 650 or Deckertown Road. Make a right here and head east. Not too far down the road you will see a sign on the left for Sawmill Road. This is the back way into High Point. If you are looking for wildlife this is your best bet cause if it is alive and walking around northwest Jersey you will probably see it here; deer, bear, and big cats. Don’t let anyone fool you – there are big cats up here whatever the state had to say. If you really want to see the wild side of New Jersey hang a left on Park Ridge Road. This is a loop that will bring you back to Sawmill, but only after a number of tight and bumpy miles that ride through forest and wetlands that look the same as they did when the Romans ruled Europe.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011 If needed there is a perfectly clean port-o-john near the end of this loop. When you get to Route 23 make a right and ride to the park’s entrance. There is a great little road that will spin you up to the top of High Point, which is the highest elevation in the state at 1,803 feet. High Point is the highest peak of the Kittatinny Mountains and the view of the vivid leafy colorfulness below cannot be beat. At the peak is the High Point Monument, a 220-foot tower, built in 1930 to commemorate the war dead. Three different states can be seen from the top: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. With our second peak pocketed we’ll ride back the way we came and head down through the tiny city of Port Jervis. Yes, I know we are heading into New York but this region was once part of New Jersey until those rascally New Yorkers stole it from us during the Border Wars a few hundred years back. Dem bastards! The settlement was originally known as Mahackamack, and was still known as such when it was raided and burned before the Battle of Minisink in 1779. Over the next two decades, the town was rebuilt and more roadways were developed to better connect Mahackamack with the eastern parts of Orange County. After the construction of the Delaware and Hudson Canal in 1828, trade brought more money and development to the area. A village was incorporated in 1853. The town was renamed Port Jervis in the mid-19th century, after John Bloomfield Jervis, an engineer with the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and grew steadily into the 1900s. On July 26, 1907, it became a city. It was also during this Gilded Age that the largest park in the city was developed, the Elks-Charles Brox Memorial Park, located on what was then called the Twin Mountain Tract, or Point Peter and Mount William. As early as 1911, local citizens became concerned with the future of the property that overlooked the city and had an important view of the Shawangunk and Kittatinny mountains, along with the Delaware and Neversink river valleys. At that time, the owner, Almira St. John Mills had just died, and the property was about to be disposed of by her estate. Port Jervis residents turned down a proposal to buy it, by a vote of 191-123, but immediately after the vote, Port Jervis Lodge No. 645 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks began discussions to purchase the property. In 1914, the Elks, seeing the possibilities of the development of the area
Page 11 as a public park, raised the necessary funds to purchase the tract under the leadership of the Rev. William J. Donohue, then pastor of the Most Sacred Heart Church. The property was named Elks Park. In the years that followed, Skyline Drive, a four-mile road that ran along the crest of the two mountains, was built and other improvements to the park were made. In 1932, Sarah Belle Thorne made a substantial donation in memory of her brother-in-law, Charles Brox, and the property was conveyed from the Elks to the city and became known as the ElksBrox Memorial Park. You’ll find this park on the right as you head towards the Hawks Nest. The four-mile ride is the best of the day and the views of the city, the Delaware and Neversink Rivers and High Point New Jersey are impressive indeed. So now you have seen how stunning the northwest part of New Jersey is during the height of Autumn from a higher vantage point and you will get a great ride in as well. You can follow along with the Rip & Ride or go technonerd and download the route for you Garmin GPS at www.sendspace.com/file/la2b3o. We’ll start this from the Chatterbox at the intersections of Route 15 and 206 in Augusta, New Jersey – our backyard. Enjoy the ride, marvel at the colors and understand why we call this region home. Rip & Ride can be found on the next page.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Noon to 10PM • Bar open later
Take a ride on one of the Northeast’s Scenic Byways - Route 97 - 20 miles north of Port Jervis. Dine with your fellow riders on the Delaware River. Enjoy our Expanded Canopied Decks. Great Daily Food and Drink Specials.
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Member of
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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G REAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN full moon Café 23 bridGe Street, lambertville, nJ • 609-397-1096 We like quirky and different. We enjoy the little places that you sometimes find tucked away in the middle of a block. The tiny restaurant that if you didn’t stop and walk around the town you might easily miss. Well, when most folks head down the Delaware river towards Bucks county, Pennsylvania, the totally forget the other great town right across the bridge – Lambertville, New Jersey. This little town on New Jersey’s west coast has been around for a couple hundred years and though modern and artsy, it’s flavor has not changed all that much. The town is full of neat little shops and, without the New Hope crowds, walking along Bridge Street is a far greater pleasure than fighting the throng across the Delaware. In the middle of Bridge Street you’ll find this month’s stop on the Great All American
tasty places to take your bike
Diner Run – The Full Moon Café. We have been here a few times, and although not the biggest place they make up for it with friendly service and great food. If you get there for breakfast be prepared for the extra-ordinary. The Full Moon Café’s omelettes are massive and are fit for Royalty. They also have some of the best breakfast potatoes you’ll find in the state. They offer a wide selection of said omelettes like; Savoyarde – potato, bacon, parsley, onion and cheddar cheese or the Florentine - which combines spinach, swiss, mushrooms, ricatta and onion – plus a few others as well. Their Brunch menu is as impressive as well. For lunch you’ll find Reubens, Clubs, five different burgers and nine different salads – basically the Full Moon has you and your group covered.
In fact, we venture to say you will be so full when you leave that you’ll need to walk along the D & R Canal just to burn off the calories. Like every good Great All American Diner Run, you’ll need a great run to make it official and this we can give you as we’ll leave from the Chatterbox DriveIn in Augusta, NJ and meander our way all the down to the river and the Full Moon Café.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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Rip & Ride® • THREE PEAKS FOR AUTUMN LEFT OUT CHATTERBOX ON ROUTE 206 SOUTH RIGHT AT PRICE ROAD LEFT AT AUGUSTA ROAD LEFT AT CR 519 RIGHT AT CR 626 LEFT AT T CR 626 STRAIGHT UP HILL CR 521 STAY ON CR 521 TILL RTE. 206 LEFT AT RTE. 206 RIGHT AT STOKE STATE FOREST CR 636 BEAR LEFT TO SUNRISE MOUNTAIN
FOLLOW SIGNS TO SUMMIT DOUBLE BACK AND MAKE HARD DOWNHILL RIGHT CRIGGER ROAD FOLLOW SIGNS TO DECKERTOWN ROAD RIGHT AT DECKERTOWN ROAD LEFT AT SAWMILL ROAD LEFT AT PARK RIDGE ROAD RIGHT AT RTE 23 SOUTH LEFT INTO HIGH POINT STATE PARK TAKE ROAD TO MONUMENT AND VISTA RETURN DOWN TO RTE. 23 LEFT TOWARDS PORT JERVIS FOLLOW SIGNS TO RTE. 97 WATCH FOR ELKS-BROX MEMORIAL PARK ON RIGHT
Rip & Ride® FULL MOON CAFÉ 23 BRIDGE STREET, LAMBERTVILLE, NJ 609-397-1096 OPEN MON, WED-FRI 8AM-3PM; SAT-SUN 9AM-4PM; FULL MOON DINNER ONCE A MONTH
LEFT OUT OF CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN ONTO ROUTE 206 SOUTH RIGHT AT CR 626 LEFT ONTO PARSONS ROAD LEFT AFTER TUNNEL UP HAIRPIN RIGHT ONTO ROUTE 519 RIGHT AT CR 622 LEFT AT CR 521 SOUTH LEFT AT RTE. 94 RIGHT AT CR 661 RIGHT AT CR 519 HARD RIGHT AT CR 623 TOWARDS BELVIDERE LEFT IN TOWN AT CR 620 OVER BRIDGE TO PA STRAIGHT AT SR 1004 LEFT AT RTE. 611 SOUTH BEAR RIGHT AT RTE. 32 CROSS BRIDGE IN NEW HOPE TO LAMBERTVILLE FULL MOON CAFÉ’ ON RIGHT
Long Island YAMAHA 67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY
www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969 Full Line of Yamaha Motorcycles on our floor Come in today and take yours home.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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TH OUGHTS FROM THE ROAD In response to Brian’s Free Wheelin’ editorial in the Sept. Backroads (“Ace Café? No Thanks.”) he presents a fair point. (Full disclosure: I was the guy who created the email-writing campaign — as well as the YouTube video — to encourage Ace Café North America to take a look at the old Red Apple Rest as a possible future site for the Ace Café New York. I am not, nor have I ever been, affiliated with ACNA or the RAR, nor am I a real estate agent, though I play one on TV. No, not really). Now to the Ace. I look at it like the proverbial bird-in-the-hand situation. I can hope against hope for a home grown two-in-the-bush, or I can support something that I consider good, that has an even chance of becoming a reality. What interests me about the Ace — regardless of what one might think of the culture — is the kind of motorcycling it promotes. There are hundreds of guys (and a few gals), maybe thousands, diligently grinding, scraping, twisting, sawing, welding and sometimes hammering away in their garages creating home-brewed bikes (very) loosely referred to as Café Racers. This is all kinds of exciting to me, because I love the “Three R’s” of motorcycling — riding, reading, and ‘renching. Go to a Café meet and no two bikes are alike. It’s just plain, simple, greasy fun on two wheels. Just another aspect of motorcycling for us to enjoy. I’ll bet many of these garage builders wouldn’t give two rancid kippers for the Café Racer culture of ‘50s/’60s England. Sure, the Ace celebrates a brief,
Steve Klose probably-not-as-exciting-as-it’s-remembered time in motorcycling, but raise your hand if would rather have a strip mall at the RAR site. (In the town of North Bergen they’re tearing down the Palisades for just such a thing. Seems not even the grandeur of Mother Nature can stand in the way of a politically– connected developer). Maybe the Ace isn’t everyone’s ideal motorcycle meet-and-eat establishment, but it certainly is someone’s. Sure, we can create and have created our own watering holes. The Ace wouldn’t threaten them — it simply adds to our options. Besides, Ace is guaranteed to promote motorcycling, not simply tolerate it. (I’m old enough to remember being refused a motel room because I was riding a motorcycle; in the pouring rain for chrissakes). Short of someone doing burnouts on my living room hardwood I’m not in a position to stand against any kind of legitimate promotion (or, yes, exploitation — say it, it’s not necessarily a bad word) of any motorcycle-related enterprise. In regards to resurrecting the RAR you write, “Let some enterprising Americans do it.” Well, ACNA is an American enterprise, owned and operated by a real, live nephew of his Uncle Sam. Maybe even born on the 4th of July for all I know. Plus, that U.S. cavalry you’re looking for has been sitting on their collective enterprising arses for over four years now while the RAR continues crumbling to pieces faster than a week-old bran muffin. No doubt there are others who share your opinion, and if the Ace does set up shop in our backyard, there’s no guarantee that it will please all motorcyclists. Who cares. Here’s the point: If I can get a great, reasonablypriced burger and chocolate egg cream at the Ace (“Best food I had in London” — My Globe-Trotting Daughter) and then mingle with motorcycle enthusiasts in the parking lot, and THEN ride the great roads of the HudSALES • SERVICE son Valley — well, what more can you honestly ask for STRAPS • D RING and expect to get? Another point: ACNA is licensed to build ten Ace TIE DOWNS Cafés. With the metro NY/NJ/CT demographics off the TRUCK CAPS hook, if ten ACs are indeed built can you envision a scenario where ACNA doesn’t open its doors somewhere ACCESSORIES in this megalopolis? It’s self-serving, I know, but I’d SOFT TOUCH rather have the Ace closer to my Bergen County home than further away, say, out on Long Island. (I love LI, WHEEL CHOCKS really, but I hate the island’s roads leading to places TRAILER HITCHES where I want to go. Sorry). Ignore the pudding-bowl helmets and look at what you’re preventing from happening at the RAR by supporting the Ace. If it comes to Tuxedo and is successful, it will be a much better bulwark against the strip mall gods and their political flunkies than millions of tons of granite. Just look at North Bergen.
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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BACKLASH Persnickety? Okay, call me a persnickety wimp, but I really do find that many of the “sealed” hotels in the U.S. and Canada have lousy air conditioning and it makes for a miserable night’s sleep. (My participation in this year’s RoadRUNNER Touring Weekend at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton, VA, for example, was marred by that factor. After a fitful night, I woke up every morning with a stuffy nose and a sore throat.) This is almost always the case whenever I stay at a Holiday Inn or any other motel that has windows that are sealed shut and cannot be opened even a couple of inches. Strikingly, this never seems to be the case in Europe. After three weeks in Spain and France in June and July (part of which was on the IMT Perfect Pyrenees Tour), I concluded that those guys have got air conditioning figured out. Sandra and I slept very well each of our 22 nights there. All of which is to say, in my usual long-winded style, that unless you guys have personal experience that testifies to an equally effective A/C system at the Mimslyn Inn, I will regretfully have to elect not to join you for next year’s Spring Break. Ride safe, Dave Allen - Ottawa Dave, you are a persnickety wimp. Backroads, I was able to pick up your magazine in a small Irish Pub in Randolph County, WV. I looked at the magazine while waiting for dinner and saw an article about US Route 52 in Southern WV and a tour of the Tug River. I put the magazine in my saddlebag and looked forward to reading the article I mentioned the next morning at breakfast. The author of the article, Michael Abraham, uses many references to the people and the communities in the region that play into often-accepted stereotypical thoughts of the Appalachian region. Referring to the region as stagnant, poking fun at the regional dialect, the physical condition of people whom he asked for assistance in finding his way around a wreck and, I saved the best for last, “Thus began
Letters to the Editor our unplanned excursion into the Deliverance-like backwoods of McDowell County.” The only reason I “liked” you on Facebook was to post my thoughts on the shameless comments by your contributing writer. Shame on him and shame on you for allowing this to go to print and the illustrations he uses to describe the community I call home. If I did the same regarding his community or region I would expect the same commentary. The next time I see your magazine in a business or watering hole I will either leave or throw them away myself. Dennis Jarvis Dennis, If you have a postal address we would like to send you our special WV issue. We are sorry if you took offense and please understand that was not intentional, nor did any staffer write this. Again, sorry if we offended you. We love West Virginia!
While we are offending people… Attention Brian: I just read your article about the Ace Cafe. As an American rider who wears a vest, chaps & a half helmet I found your remark offensive. Perhaps you would like to explain yourself. You sound like snob. Maybe I’ll see you at the Chatterbox. Don Riggs Don, Certainly not a snob, but I am a realist. For years I have explained our position on real riding gear in Backroads. Sorry if you took offense. To give you a more graphic look at what can happen to those who ride around in summer leisure wear please log onto this: www.rockthegear.org/index.php?/inspiration/ If you see us at the Chatterbox please say hi. ~ BR
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Found on Facebook Robin wrote: “YAY! Great Wall Photo! Thank you BACKROADS! I found out the hard/stupid way - I always did wish I didn’t have so many freckles - road rash definitely gets rid of them - now my knees & elbows and a little bit of my hands have no freckles - replaced by big ugly road rash scars-permanent skin skid marks - YUCK! ALWAYS WEAR YOUR PROTECTIVE GEAR!”
Still Loving J.T. Hart Guten Morgen, We’re getting some cooler weather in the past few days and I wish I was about to head out on the bike for a 3 or 4 day trip instead of a car trip to Scranton. Your article in the July issue on J.T. Hart’s 1922 cross-country motorcycle journey was truly amazing! That was real adventure travel! I loved how you discovered the journal and the way you presented it just as you experienced reading it. When you take in all the factors such as the constant need for repairs including flat tires, the lack of wide availability of fuel, the condition or lack thereof of the roads and the uncertainty of where and how the nights would be spent, it made for a really good read. Even the fact that they often had to work enroute to keep the trip funded was something hard for me to fathom. I’ll bet J.T. and his buddies could never have imagined things like roadside assistance, cell phones and navigation systems! Thanks for sharing that one with us. Roberto Mitchelli Hey Brian and Shira, Big fan of your magazine...whenever I find one, I usually don’t put it down until I’ve read the entire issue. Since moving to northwestern NJ a few years ago, I’ve became fond of this small hot dog joint. Have you ever heard of Charlie’s Pool Room in Alpha NJ? If not, you might want to look the up on the web. They don’t have an official website (they don’t own a computer) and they don’t advertise but they’ve been getting a lot of print this summer with articles in the Express Times and the Star Ledger. It’s quite an interesting place with a lot of history and a couple of brothers with some unique stories. If you need their address let me know and if you go tell them Chuck from Stewartsville sent you. Chuck Chuck, We’ve been there...uhhhh… Odd place. We featured it a year or so ago. In fact you never know when we’ll go back…
Backroads vs The Jews Hey Mishuganahs, Was I trippin’ when I flipped the calendar to September to see that the second of all holiest of days for the Red Sea Pedestrians falls dead smack into this year’s Fall Fiesta? Shira, what the hell are you gonna tell your Mom? I’m gonna need something to tell my Mother In-law. Jesus Christ guys, I’m reaching out here! Do you think I can get away with a little double-sided tape or velcro or do you think I should go with the gorilla grip on top of the HJC to keep the Kippah in place? Can you guys check to see if Magnus has a Shofar? How the hell am I going to explain this one? Brad Tabbac – one of the tribe! Brad, God wants us to ride.
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s M Y ST ERIOUS AME RI CA roadSide GiantS of the linColn hiGhwaY AmeriCA’s first HigHwAy In 1912, there were almost no good roads to speak of in the United States. The relatively few miles of improved road were only around towns and cities. A road was “improved” if it was graded; one was lucky to have gravel or brick. Asphalt and concrete were yet to come. Most of the 2.5 million miles of roads were just dirt: bumpy and dusty in dry weather, impassable in wet weather. Worse yet, the roads didn’t really lead anywhere. They spread out aimlessly from the center of the settlement. To get from one settlement to another, it was much easier to take the train. Carl Fisher recognized this situation, and an idea started to take hold. Fisher was a man of ideas. As soon as he thought of a project and got it started, he would grow restless and start on another one. His Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a success, especially after he paved it with brick and started the Indianapolis 500, and he would later turn a swamp into one of the greatest beach resorts: Miami Beach, Florida. However, in 1912, he dreamed of another grand idea: a highway spanning the continent, from coast to coast. He called his idea the Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway. The graveled road would cost about ten million dollars, low even for 1912. Communities along the route would provide the equipment and in return would receive free materials and a place along America’s first transcontinental highway. The highway would be finished in time for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition and would run from the exposition’s host, San Francisco, to New York City. To fund this scheme, he asked for cash donations from auto manufacturers and accessory companies of 1 percent of their revenues. The public could become members of the highway organization for five dollars. Fisher knew that success of the ten-million dollar fund would depend on the support of Henry Ford. Unfortunately, even after many persuasive attempts by friends and close associates, Ford would not support the project. The public would never learn to fund good roads if private industry did it for them, he reasoned. This put the fund in jeopardy; there would not be enough time or money to finish the highway by the exposition in 1915. However,
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now that the country had become so enthusiastic about the highway, Fisher would not give up. Two men from the automobile industry who pledged money to Fisher’s idea would later play major roles in the highway’s development: Frank Seiberling, president of Goodyear, and Henry Joy, president of the Packard Motor Car Company. Henry Joy came up with the idea of naming the highway after Abraham Lincoln. He wrote Fisher urging him to write a letter of protest to Congress, which was considering spending $1.7 million on a marble memorial to Lincoln. Joy thought a good road across the country would be a better tribute to the president. The name “Lincoln” captured Fisher’s fancy; he realized it would give great patriotic appeal to the highway. Fisher asked Joy if he wanted to be involved directly with the highway project. At first, Joy was hesitant, but soon he wholeheartedly supported the project and became the primary spokesman for the highway. During the early Lincoln Highway days, business owners could not believe how many automobiles were passing their businesses by. Those entrepreneurs used creative marketing strategies to design quirky, oversized buildings to grab the attention of passing motorists. Structures like Bedford County’s 2½ story Coffee Pot or the Shoe House in York, are great examples of this programmatic style of architecture, also known as Roadside Giants. We were zipping along this great highway just east of Everett and saw the most amazing thing, the World’s Biggest Quarter. This over-sized quarter with George Washington’s profile is a full 20 feet in diameter and weighs nearly one ton. The quarter was chosen due to Washington’s strong connections to Bedford County. Washington stayed at the famous Espy House on Pitt Street, and often drank at the Fraser Tavern, commonly known as the Graystone, during the French & Indian War.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 18 So there was this huge Quarter. But, this is just a touch of what can be found along this famous highway.It seems that a few years back a number students started building these goliaths. Somerset County Technology Center built a Bicycle Built for Two measuring 17 feet high and weighing over 1,800 lbs. This Giant Bicycle is riding high at the intersection of Routes 30 and 219 near Jennerstown. The owners of a local resale shop, Second Time Around, were happy to host this Giant on their property. Students at this school wanted to recreate this design because of Somerset County’s many bike trails, like the popular Great Allegheny Passage. Franklin County Career & Technology Center in Chambersburg, PA built a 1921 Selden Apple Truck standing 10.5 feet high and weighing nearly 1
1/2 ton. Roadside fruit stands were bountiful in the early Lincoln Highway days, and Franklin County still has a strong connection to agriculture. While it was easy to choose a vintage apple truck to replicate, it is the most complex of all of the designs. Shatzer’s Fruit Market on Route 30 in Chambersburg graciously allowed the Giant to be installed on their property. Central Westmoreland Career & Technology Center in New Stanton, PA added their 1920s Packard Car with Driver which takes up 12 ft of airspace. The City of Greensburg agreed to host this Giant at the site of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, on Tollgate Hill Road off of Route 30, just West of Greensburg. All of these Giants are part of the mosaic that is America. You can’t lose trying to find these icons.
free wheelin’
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania had to evacuate for the second time in a week. Our turnaround with Backroads is much quicker than some other publications and as I write this Lee is still pounding us. I have no idea what I will find today when I go out for errands, but know it will not be good, especially with the many inches of rain, the winds, thunder and lightning that came through last night. For a region of the country that does fairly well most of the times this late summer has been one to remember for a long time. Hell, we even had an earthquake. I don’t know what will come next but I am renewing my Weatherbell.com subscription and will pay extra attention when Joe Bastardi speaks.
(Continued from Page 4)
Joe Bastardi said to watch and we did. And, Irene came anyway and tore up a bunch of lives. Then we heard abut another big storm - this one named Lee. I have never found out if Lee was male or female, but it doesn’t matter. Lee spun through the Gulf of Mexico and into the south. It then began to spread out with incredible amounts of rain and aimed right for the northeast. The rivers, streams and creeks that had just begun to recede came back with a vengeance. Those that had just finished cleaning up from Irene had to deal with incredible amounts of water once again.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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INDUS TRY INFOBITES
News from the Inside
OBAMA SIGNS LEAD LAW-EXEMPTION BILL FOR KIDS’ MOTORCYCLES In a victory for families who enjoy responsible motorized recreation, President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill to allow the sale of kids’ offhighway vehicles to continue On Aug. 12, Obama signed into law H.R. 2715, introduced by Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.). The measure exempts kids’ OHVs from the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, known as the lead law. The CPSIA, which went into effect on Feb. 10, 2009, banned the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under, including kids’ dirtbikes and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), that contained more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part that might be ingested. H.R. 2715 cleared the House by a 421-2 vote on Aug. 1 just before lawmakers went into their summer recess, and earned Senate approval by unanimous consent the same day. The new law is a victory that is the result of nearly three years of intensive efforts by the AMA and its partner organization, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association, their members and millions of advocates of responsible OHV recreation. “Federal legislators deserve a lot of thanks for their tireless efforts, especially U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and all the other lawmakers who supported an exemption,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “Hundreds of thousands of parents, kids and motorcycling club members responded to AMA calls for action to contact their elected officials and their efforts, along with all those volunteers who circulated petitions and took other actions, brought this issue to the attention of Congress and turned the tide in our favor. “I’m sure that those letters, emails and telephone calls to Congress had a major impact in convincing lawmakers to exempt OHVs from the lead law,” Dingman said.
Vermont have been temporarily closed due to flooding. Americade Inc., charged with managing the Killington Classic, deeply regrets having to postpone this classic event until 2012. “We have never postponed or cancelled any event in our company’s history” said Christian Dutcher, Americade VP. “We’ve run over 40 events without a postponement or cancellation but this was an unprecedented natural disaster. The Killington Region was very eager to not disappoint the many preregistered attendees for the event. There were even reports that major roads would be open in time, in contrast to the media’s sensationalized stories, but after sifting out the reality from on-the-ground information, there was simply no choice but to postpone it to 2012.” He continued: “however, because the Killington Resort is part of a large well-established corporation, and because the Town of Killington is vital and resourceful, we know that they’ll rebuild very quickly, but not quite quickly enough for a large event only 8 days away.” More details will be posted on www.killingtonclassic.com
MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER MOTORCYCLING NATURALISTIC STUDY The first rider participating in the first-ever MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study rode off with a fully instrumented, data-logging bike from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute last week, marking the start of the year-
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KILLINGTON CLASSIC POSTPONED TILL 2012 Due to serious damage from Hurricane Irene, the 9th annual Killington Classic, scheduled to start Sept 8, has been postponed until 2012. The event headquarters at the Killington Resort and many of the roads in southern
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Each motorcycle will be equipped with extensive data acquisition systems, which include five color cameras, a GPS, accelerometers, gyro, forward radar, machine vision lane tracker, brake lever and pedal input, and more. Three different locations will be used for outfitting, tracking and data collection from the 100 motorcycles over the coming year. In addition to VTTI in Blacksburg, Va., the other data collection facilities are the MSF headquarters in Irvine, Calif., and the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) in Orlando, Fla. These locations are ideal because they offer a variety of riding conditions and traffic densities. The study will track two age groups each – one in the 21-to-34 age group and one in the 45-to-64 age group – on seven motorcycle models from five brands. Motorcycle types include sport bikes, cruisers and touring bikes.
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long research project. Each of the 100 bikes, routinely being ridden in realworld traffic, and equipped with an array of data acquisition systems, will provide comprehensive, real-time, near-crash, pre-crash and actual-crash information that is unprecedented in motorcycle research. “Our priority with this research is to observe the participants on a day-to-day basis,” said Dr. Sherry Williams, MSF director of quality assurance and research. “We’re installing unobtrusive cameras and recording devices on the bikes so the participants soon forget they’re being recorded. We can learn a great amount by just observing their normal, routine riding behavior.” Sponsored by the MSF and administered by VTTI, the MSF 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study is the first of its kind. Similar to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and VTTI’s 100 Car Naturalistic Study, this groundbreaking research will track 100 participant-owned motorcycles for one year and approximately 500,000 total miles. 47 MPG Estimated*
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When he was growing up in the late 1970s, riding a Kawasaki KZ650, Scott Carey from Pecatonica, Ill., considered the 903cc Kawasaki Z1 the quintessential superbike of its day. Now, 40 years later, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame supporter has his dream bike. Carey won a restored 1973 Kawasaki Z1, as well as a new Kawasaki Z1000, in the 2011 Motorcycle Hall of Fame raffle on Saturday, July 23.
Carey’s winning ticket was drawn by event Grand Marshal and Hall of Famer Jeff Fredette during AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days featuring Kawasaki, Marque of the Year at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. “When I was growing up, the Z1 was the big boy,” Carey said. “I was talking to a friend about getting one just a few weeks ago. And the Z1000, just this spring I was looking at that as a new bike. This is just great. I’m very excited to win both of these bikes.” Carey said that he donates to the Hall of Fame regularly, and considers the tickets another way of supporting the organization’s mission to preserve the rich tradition of motorcycling in America. “I really think the Hall of Fame is a fantastic idea,” said Carey. “You never really expect to win these things. It’s good to support the Hall of Fame. It’s something that has to be done. Motorcycling is a big part of history.” Carey, who competes in amateur roadracing, said that his Z1 — which has been expertly restored by Johnny’s Vintage Motorcycle Company — will probably see a few miles, but, for the most part, “it’s going to be added to the collection and admired.” While Carey prepares to enjoy his Z1 and Z1000, Hall of Fame supporters can start planning for next year with the newly announced 2012 raffle bike, a stunning 1947 Indian Chief. The Indian Chief is an iconic masterpiece of Americana, representing not just America’s longtime love for big V-twin motorcycles, but riders’ passion for the open road. The winner will be selected at a drawing at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in July 2012. A minimum donation of $5 per ticket, or $20 for five tickets, is suggested. Donations can be made online at MotorcycleMuseum.org or by phone at (614) 856-2222.
BACKROADS GLADLY ACCEPTS PRESS RELEASES FOR PUBLICATION. PLEASE SEND TEXT AND IMAGES VIA EMAIL TO: EDITOR@BACKROADSUSA.COM
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO? CHECK OUR UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR FOR CLUB RUNS AND OTHER INTERESTING RIDES ON PAGE 39.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents
WE’RE OUTTA HERE CorninG, new York hiStoriC Gaffer diStriCt Tired of the old hum drum? Us too. We were looking for a great place to escape and to meet up with our riding buddies Rich and Dee Dee Ford. They mentioned the city of Corning, New York and not too soon after that we had wheels spinning up through the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania and then north to the Southern Tier of New York. It was time for a road trip; ‘cause we were outta here! Glass. It’s everywhere and in everything we have. From our windows to that very tough glass on your iPad. Up along the Southern Tier of New York state, right where the Empire state straddles the Keystone, you’ll find the Chemung River. Back in the early 1800s, this region and its surrounding steep hills were only traveled by the river and the railroad. It was an area heavily into the lumber business.
That soon changed when Emeritus Corning made his way there in 1868 with his company. Originally started in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, it was known as the Brooklyn Flint Glass Works. Once settled in the deep valley along the river the company took the founders name and Corning Glass was created and the town born.
Rip & Ride® • CORNING, NEW YORK FROM NJ CROSS DELAWARE RIVER AT DINGMAN’S BRIDGE STRAIGHT AT RTE. 739 LEFT AT US 6 THIS IS AN ICONIC ROAD AND YOU’LL BE ON IT FOR A WHILE JUST BEFORE MANSFIELD MAKE A RIGHT ONTO RTE. 549/ROSEVILLE RD. LEFT AT RTE. 78/SAGETOWN RD
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads While probably best known for its line of Corelle tableware and Pyrex cookware, Corning has transformed itself over the years into a high technology company, allocating a significant amount of resources towards research and development. As the company grew so did the town of Corning. Today Corning, New York is a thriving and very happening town, especially its historic Gaffer District. We took a ride up there and spent some time along Market Street, a place that will take you a whole day to fully explore. With a bounty of restaurants, shops and art studios there is a little for everybody. While we enjoyed Corning we stayed at The Inn at the Gaffer Grill. Located right above the restaurant this old brick building has been converted into a seriously sweet boutique-style hotel. The Inn has only four rooms and
they are all priced moderately for just $149 per night. Our luxury King Suite had a huge bedroom and large living area complete with gas fireplace and radiant floor heating. It was very cozy; and located right on West Market Street put us right in the middle of the action. With the wheels parked for the day we set out exploring this small city.
RIGHT AT RTE. 32/MARSH RD. LEFT AT RTE. 225/CANTON RD. LEFT AT RIVER RD. BECOMES PARK AVE. LEFT AT DENISON PARKWAY RIGHT AT WALNUT LEFT AT WEST MARKET INN AT THE GAFFER GRILL ON LEFT • PARKING IN BACK
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OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS exploring. Not too far away, in Elmira is the National Soaring Museum celebrating the history of gliders and powerless flight. The Finger Lakes are just to the north and the endless roads of Pennsylvania’s Alleghenies are a quick ride to the south. A day spent exploring the region is a day well spent and strolling around the city itself with all it has to offer makes for a great end to a superb day of riding. So the next time you’re looking for a great place to get away to pull your maps out and plot a great course to Corning or simply follow this month’s Rip & Ride and we’ll get you there with fun and style.
Sources: www.innatthegaffergrille.com • www.cmog.org www.rockwellmuseum.org • www.soaringmuseum.org
The Corning Glass Museum is a must while visiting and here we got a glimpse of just how important glass is in our lives, its history and some of the newer and impressive ways glass is used today. We watched as a talented glass blower created a beautiful vase right in front of us. Before we left I finagled with the folks running the museum and, after becoming a member of the Corning Glass Museum, was able to purchase that same vase. Well worth the membership! Right off Market stands a stately and majestic brick building which houses the Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Here you can see the very best of American Western and Native American art. If you are a fan of the old west and the native nations then the Rockwell is well worth the visit to Corning all by itself. If cigars are your thing, then one must stop by Brown’s Cigar Shop. One of the oldest in the United States this family owned business has had its doors open since 1889. Corning is a great place to make a home base for a few days of regional
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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ROAD TRIP
Klondike Gold
Larry King In 1896 George Carmack and his two partners Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie discovered gold on Rabbit Creek later to be named Bonanza Creek. In 1897 a ship docked in Seattle carrying Carmack and other miners who had struck it rich in the Klondike starting the largest gold rush in history. Store keepers locked their doors and men from all over left their jobs to book passage north to the gold fields. The rush was on. Skagway and Dyea were
the main jumping off points to the gold fields. Miners labored with their supplies over Chilkoot Pass and White Pass also to be named Dead Horse Pass due to all the horses that died transporting supplies for the 600 mile trip to the gold fields near Dawson Yukon.
Today the Klondike Highway extends from Skagway to Dawson. This is a highway rich in history and scenery for the rider looking for a little gold of his own. Skagua, as it was known to the Tlingit, meant windy place. When the town grew up at the beginning of the gold rush they called it Skagway. Now cruise ships dock at the end of main street bringing visitors from all over the world. There are two ways to get to Skagway. You can book passage on one of the many ships or ride the Klondike Highway from where it intersects with the Alaska Highway near Whitehorse. I arrived in the rain with the mountains obscured by low clouds and fog. I spent most of the day seeing Skagway. I was particularly interested in the history of the town. I made it a point to stay away from the many gift shops in town. I had planned to ride over to Dyea now a ghost town, but the road is poor at best when dry so I did not attempted it since it was raining. After a night at Sgt. Preston’s Lodge it was time to head north along the trail of the gold rush. It was still raining and as I climbed over Chilkoot Pass it was obscured in fog. Once over the pass the clouds broke and I was treated to some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. I could see waterfalls across the valley and the White Pass & Yukon Rail Road. It was an alpine setting with the snow covered peaks and mountain streams. I continued on to Fraser. On the right is the historic Fraser rail station and on the left is Canadian Customs. In a few short minutes I was through customs and in British Columbia. The road twists through the mountains and parallels Tutshi Lake. The blue waters of the lake glistened with snow caped peaks as a back drop.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
After passing Tutshi Lake I crossed into the Yukon. Next would be the town of Carcross. I turned left at the sign that said down town Carcross and rode back in history. Carcross became a stopping point for many of the sourdoughs headed to Dawson. Carcross was originally known as Caribou Crossing because of the large herds of caribou that passed through each year. Carcross is just about the same today as it was then. The Matthew Watson General Store is the oldest operating general store in the Yukon. The store is well worth a visit. Many of the old abandoned cabins are still standing across the river. The White Pass & Yukon Rail Road has a station there that is still in operation. Many of the Yukon pioneers are buried here including Skookum Jim, Tagish Charlie and George Carmack’s wife Kate. After exploring the history of Carcross I rode north out of
town and stopped at the world’s smallest desert. Now who would have thought you could find a desert this far north. After a couple pictures it was on to Whitehorse. In Whitehorse I was able to visit the SS Klondike Historical site. It was well worth the time. These old paddle wheelers were the life line to the miners in Dawson and other towns further north. All the miner’s supplies had to get up river before freeze up or they were not going to make it through the winter. I had wanted to visit the
Page 25 Yukon Transportation Museum, but it was late in the day and it had closed. I did manage to get a picture of the DC-3 weather vane in front of the Museum. After spending the night in Whitehorse I headed north to Dawson. The road north from Whitehorse is not nearly as scenic as from Skagway, but still a great ride. It was obvious a number of forest fires had gone through the area in years past. My first stop was at Braeburn Lodge. I was told by others that Braeburn Lodge had the best and largest cinnamon rolls in the north. Unfortunately as luck would have it a tour bus arrived in front of me and the lodge was packed. I decided not to wait, but did see one of those famous cinnamon rolls. I think one could feed four people.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 26 After leaving Braeburn Lodge I stopped in Carmacks for gas just as the rain started. Riding north the highway passes Five Finger Rapids on the left. I stopped at the pull off to check out the view. Since dams have been built on the Yukon, Five Finger Rapids is no longer the dangerous obstacle it was for the sourdoughs making their way to Dawson back in 1898. Many a sourdough lost all they had here. Heading north in the rain I crossed the bridge at Pelly Crossing and continued on to Stewart Crossing. I planned on stopping for gas and a bite to eat, but only gas was available. The lady at the gas station said I should stop at Moose Creek Lodge ten miles up the road if I wanted something to eat. Moose Creek Lodge turned out to be a great find. Homemade pie and soup were on the menu, which I could not resist. The lodge is one of the original road houses along the trail to Dawson. Let’s just say this place is unique and a must stop if you are riding to Dawson. The rain finally quite about the time I left Moose Creek Lodge. I rode the last hundred miles to Dawson in some very welcome sunshine. I planned on spending 2 nights in Dawson so I could spend a full day there soaking up the history of this boom town. The only paved street in Dawson is the Klondike Highway, which ends at the ferry crossing. I stopped at the visitor’s center
and picked up a map of the town and then started to explore. I immediately found not much had changed since the old days. Many of the buildings are the original ones from the gold rush days. The Palace Grand Theater still offers shows for the tourist. The old church still stands, but is showing the signs of permafrost as were other buildings. The Dawson Hardware proved to be the busiest place in town. By 1899 Dawson boasted a population of 30,000, but the rush was over. All the good claims had been staked and word of a gold strike at Nome had sourdoughs leaving in mass. It was time for lunch so I headed for the Jack London Bar and Grill at the Down Town Hotel. If only the walls could talk. In the old days miners would come in and throw their poke on the bar and buy a round. It was not considered polite for the miner to watch as the bartender weighed out the miners dust so it was expected the miner would turn his back. History has it that after the bar closed and the floor was swept as much as two hundred dollars of gold dust could be panned from the sweepings every night just from gold that had fallen on the floor. After lunch I continued to explore the town.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 27 For those of you riding north be sure to put the Klondike Highway on your list of must rides. The road is good, the scenery is great and you will be riding back in history. Stake your claim and pan yourself some Klondike gold. Sources The MILEPOST, the bible of North Country Travel www.themilepost.com • 1-800-726-4707 Alaska Tourism www.travelalaska.com • 1-480-483-1551 Yukon Territory www.travelyukon.com • 1-800-661-0494 Dawson Yukon • Bonanza Gold Motel www.bonanzagold.ca • 1-888 993-6789 Skagway Alaska • SGT. Preston’s Lodge www.sgtprestons.eskagway.com • 907 983-2521
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10% Off All Service Work In 1898 there were more than 30 saloons in Dawson and at least as many brothels. One of the more famous brothels was Ruby’s, which still stands today. Ruby’s had been in business until 1961 when the city fathers decided it was a nuisance and closed Ruby down. Isn’t that just like a politician? I wonder how many of them were regular customers of Ruby’s? The cribs where the girls did their business still stand out back. Ruby continued on for a few more years operating as a boarding house. I had wanted to ride the road to Bonanza Creek where the initial gold strike was, but was told it was rutted and muddy and probably not a good idea on 2 wheels. I guess you can’t see everything.
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H
e v i F igh
s • Five peaks Five state • One elev atin g tr
ip
Tim Wineland It probably happens a lot. A word or phrase spoken in a strange tongue is misinterpreted to mean something else entirely. It happens to husbands all the time. So it’s not surprising that the name of the mountain I was standing on was mistakenly heard as “Brasstown Bald” (it is neither) by its new European landlords rather than “place-of-fresh-green” (which it is) as the Cherokee had called it. But it all worked out for the best, I suppose. A state’s highest peak should have a simple, if totally meaningless, name. “Place-of-fresh-
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011 green-on-head-with-no-hair, Georgia” wouldn’t work on a T-shirt. I’ve always wondered why states make such a fuss over their “highest point” point. Scan any road map and you will find it: an italicized label pinpointing this yawning bit of topographical trivia; important to no one except maybe Mrs. Sheber, my fifth grade geography teacher, and whoever makes those souvenir refrigerator magnets. By a curious quirk of fate and several State: Georgia (“The Peach State”) million years of geoHighest point: Brasstown Bald (el. 4,784 ft.) logic upheaval, my Ups: Great museum and interpretive center home in northeast Downs: Parking lot porta-potties Georgia is but a few days ride from five of Misleading name: Totally these highest peaks. So, for reasons I’ve yet to unravel, I decided to see these curiosities of cartography for myself. I would ride the cool, curvy mountain roads, camp among the fragrant upland forests,
and add untold value to my refrigerator magnet collection. It’s been a while, but maybe Mrs. Sheber would even give me extra credit. Which is how I came to be high above everything else around; the tallest mountain in a state better known for a lowland swamp nearly the size of Rhode Island. Even the road up – a twisting, narrow spur off Highway 180 – gave
Page 31 me a spirited last ride, the kind only loose gravel on sharp curves can provide. Once aloft, I found the parking lot to be relatively empty and undergoing restroom renovation, with bright yellow portable toilets sprouting in the acre of asphalt like gargantuan daffodils. The similarity did not extend to the fragrance. Then there was the hike to the summit. The change in flora was equivalent to traveling a thousand miles north, though I discerned no noticeable change in their accents. What was noticeable was that the strong winds frequenting these exposed heights have given the trees a stunted, twisted shape; reminiscent of a middle-aged motorcyclist who has just walked a mile uphill. The world was quiet up here. The sky a vivid blue, the forests a verdant green, my puffing cheeks a splotchy red. But the view was worth it. The surrounding mountaintops rolled to the distance in every direction. From the parapet of the observation deck, I scanned eastward seeking out South Carolina, my first stop four days before. The view north reminded me of the higher peaks and harder breathing. I gazed southwest where, on a clear day, it’s possible to see the tops of the tallest buildings in far-away Atlanta; a sight rarely seen from Atlanta itself. I dully rubbed the remnants of a receding welt and reflected on the past five days. State: South Carolina (“The Palmetto State”) Highest point: Sassafras Mountain (el. 3,560 ft.) (or not) Ups: Entry and parking are free Downs: You get what you pay for Stinging insects: Yes On a sticky Monday morning I angled east along Georgia Highway 123, crossing the Savannah River into upland South Carolina. I scootered along Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11, a name nearly as long and scenic as the road itself. Astride the dotted line dividing North from South Carolina, Sassafras Mountain would provide quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, always my preferred route of transit. Turning north on Highway
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 32 178 brought me to Rocky Bottom, a “populated place” that, according to Wikipedia, boasts the “oldest continuously operating beer joint in South Carolina. Mrs. Johnson is the proprietor.” One can only hope the community had not been named for her.
At the end of a long, crumbly county road, I was relieved to find that I had arrived during the “off” season, this being defined as “anytime”. Parking was available pretty much anywhere in the vacant clearing, so I selected a shady spot just upwind of whatever carcass lay smoldering in the near distance. A short stumble away I came upon a flat, circular cement survey marker announcing the fact that I was indeed standing atop a fire-ant mound. Sassafras Mountain was a letdown as a high-point in more ways than one. There are very limited “views”. Only half of it is actually in South Carolina; North Carolina claiming the other – and presumably more desirable – half. There is also some dispute over the official height; the Geological Survey folks downgrading it by twenty-seven feet due to grading, or more likely those mischievous North Carolinians. I was disappointed not to find a more respectable marker atop this revered state’s loftiest peak. Something stoic, tall and grand, but not obtrusive. Twenty-seven feet should do the trick.
Back on the road, my spirits increased with the altitude and the first flush of cool mountain air. My left shin was pretty flush as well due to the recent fire ant fracas. At Brevard I doglegged up Highway 276 with its jubilant waterfalls and secluded turnouts, intersecting the Blue Ridge Parkway at Wagon Road Gap. Northbound, I soon intersected another crossroads of sorts: the “smoky” point where cool mountain ether collides with warm, humid air rising from below, providing a catchy name for a nearby National Park but, for now at least, some really crappy views. I motored into Asheville and called it a day. I had scored my first high-point and received two itchy bumps in return. Peaks: 1, Welts: 2. A pretty rough start for my first outing. State: North Carolina (“The Tar Heel State”) (really) Highest point: Mount Mitchell (el. 6,684 ft.) Ups: Spectacular views Downs: Every which way you look Chapstick: None The next morning was bright and blue and all uphill. North Carolina’s highest peak is the centerpiece of Mount Mitchell State Park, which in additon to splendid views offers camping among the stars, meals above the clouds, and dead professors under foot. It is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi; a fact proven thrice by Elisha Mitchell, measurer of the mountain, who is entombed at the top. “Black Dome” was renamed for the persistent Professor after he plummeted to his death at nearby Mitchell Falls, a pun that never gets tired in the telling. I zoomed past the picturesque restaurant and wound my way to the summit parking lot, hiked the short but cardio-intensive trail to the observation tower-
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011 slash-tomb, brought out my camera – then grudgingly hiked back down and zoomed back to the restaurant. During my pre-ride check list, I had “felt” the extra camera batteries in a zippered pocket on my camera bag. However, the makers of Chapstick apparently find it amusing to make their product the same size and shape as AA batteries; and try as I might, they would not work in my camera. Why and when I stowed two tubes of Chapstick in my bag is a mystery. Thankfully, the man behind the counter had plenty of batteries; though – I noted smugly – not a single stick of lip balm. I tallied a tying run for the “visiting” team, lathered my lips, and hit the road. Leaving Mount Mitchell miles behind, I stopped for a stretch at the tumultuous Linville Falls. Time was inconsequential – leisurely travel and relaxation are the joys of the venerable and view-rific BRP. Except this time. Casually checking a taught bungie cord, the metal hook sprang from my fingers and flailed mercilessly into my forehead. The resultant “thwack” and inconsolable screaming startled birds from trees forty feet away. I scurried out of the parking lot so as to escape the cloud of profanity that I am sure is hanging over the Linville Falls Visitor Center to this day. The Welts, it seemed, were staging a come-back. I motored on, exiting just shy of Doughton Park onto Highway 18 and the resurrected village of Laurel Springs. Here sat Station’s Inn and Freeborne’s – two 1950’s era service stations that cycle-savvy entrepeneurs have turned into vibrant and very visited motorcycle resorts. Then, descending into the New River valley along Highway 113, a land of rolling hills and bountiful farms, I was suddenly surrounded by thousands – countless acres – of Christ-
Page 33
mas trees. Mile after mile, mountain after mountain, coveted Fraser Firs marched in perfect columns across hill and dale on either side. The scene was pleasant but somehow odd: cartoonish, as if I were riding through an enormous 3-D, pop-up children’s book (and I lived happily ever after). Connecting with Highway 58, I crossed into Virginia through Mouth of Wilson (which is not as unpleasant as it sounds), and arrived at Grayson
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Page 34 Highlands State Park with the sun just slanting above the western woodlands. I would explore in the morning – after a good supper, a good night’s sleep, a good dose of Advil and a couple quarts of Benadryl. State: Virginia (“The Old Dominion State”) Highest point: Mount Rogers (5,729 ft.) Ups: Undeveloped Downs: Undeveloped Adorable life-sized plush ponies: One Grayson Highlands is a sprawling, beautifully maintained, recreational and natural area that can best be described as: “wow”. It has hiking trails. It has equestrian trails. It has trout streams. It has postcard-perfect picnic areas. It has huge, naturally occurring playground equipment called “rocks” for kids to climb on. It has wild ponies. Wild ponies! Oh, and it has Mount Rogers. It does not, however, have dry firewood. Luke-warm Ramen noodles do not a healthy breakfast make. Equally upsetting was the knowledge that I could not ride my motorcycle to the top of Mount Rogers. Nor, in fact, could I ride one of the wild ponies, providing I could catch one and if indeed I did not get arrested for even thinking it. Mount Rogers, it seems, remains pretty much untouched by the typical tourist, which is probably a good thing. The only way to get to the top is by an approach trail that leads to the nearby Appalachian Trail that leads to an eight mile round trip trek that leads, for the typical tourist at least, to cardiac arrest. I opted instead for a self-guided motor tour of the surrounding environs, ending at the Visitors Center where I purchased a much-needed Snickers and
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS a raffle ticket good for a live-looking, life-sized plush pony. I had no idea how I would get such a prize home had I won. I only had one helmet. I now had to make a decision. Clingman’s Dome was next up to bat, but how to get there had me in a quandry. It is nestled deep within the confines of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is only accessible via Highway 441 which slithers through the mountainous topography providing only two approaches. Guarding these gates are two huge, hideous beasts. Voracious, man-made golems of untold savagery and power, capable of sucking the very life from naïve, unsuspecting middleclass motorcylclists in a single visit: Gatlinburg and Cherokee. Having no kids along for the ride and no compelling reason to purchase gaudy trifles or ball caps with plastic dog doo-doo on the bill, I was more concerned with the traffic situation in these two tourist traps. In the end, I decided on a flanking maneuver to the southeast. As it was still a weekday, Cherokee should not be that congested, and – more importantly – that route would include a return to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I exited the park and hung a right for Damascus. Damascus, Virginia, is a small town doing big business. Converging within its confines are the Ap-
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 35 palachian Trail, the Iron Mountain Trail, the Daniel Boone Heritage Trail, the Virginia Creeper Trail, the Trans-America National Bicycle Trail, and the Universal Encyclopedic All-Encompasing Convergence of Yet-to-be-named Trails Trail. Barely a thousand year-round residents cater to 20,000 trail trekkers a year. Abundant outfitters and eateries line the streets, resupplying both backpack and body. Recalling the morning’s insufficient intake of Snicker-noodles, I pulled into a homey looking abode called In the Country and gorged myself on a massive club sandwich, cheerfully brought to my outdoor table by the cutest of Damascus darlings. Don’t expect this kind of service yourself, however, as I overheard her telling co-workers that I was “special”. The next few hours were spent swerving and curving through East Tennessee back roads and rural retreats like Laurel Bloomery and Mountain City, with a special stop at Valle Crucis. The Mast Farm Inn dominates this pristine valley – a rambling, bucolic farmhouse and outbuildings now a prestigious bed and breakfast. My interest, however, was in the original Mast family store. Built in 1882, it is the progenitor of the iconic “Mast General Store” franchises now prevalent throughout the area. I wandered inside the ancient edifice, relishing the creaky wooden floors and fingering odds and ends ranging from cradles to caskets. “If you can’t buy it here, you don’t need it” was their slogan, and I couldn’t help but think that, to a 19th century America, this was Walmart. I zigged west from Valle Crucis, zagging down Highways 194 and 19E in order to camp at Roan Mountain State Park. Roan isn’t on anyone’s “highest” list, but it is home to the world’s largest rhododendron garden and (who knew?) lots of bees. Bees – by my fifty mile-per-hour estimate – the size of ripe eggplants. A liver-eating Sasquatch riding pillion would be less discom-
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Page 36 forting. In due course I was impaled in the neck – creating yet another painful protubrence on my already over-protubed epidermis. The night was then spent shooing obnoxious, nocturnal critters away from my safely stowed Slim Jims. Peaks: 3, Welts: 4. Not only was I trailing by a run, the bleacher creatures were getting roudy. Regaining the Parkway at Spruce Pine, I puttered along enjoying the scenery, safety and serenity of Old Blue. Day four would be a leisurely drive south past Asheville to Cherokee, with lunch at the panoramic Pisgah Inn. I would tag Clingman’s Dome in the late afternoon and camp at Smokemont for the night, scoring Brasstown Bald and home on day five. A perfect plan for a most pleasant day. I read somewhere that if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans. I’ve also heard that your life flashes before your eyes moments before you take that last, eternal ride across the universe. If so, my life has been thunderous and electrifying – and ever so wet. By mid-afternoon the only things flashing before my eyes were great, searing pitchforks of lightning, crackling like socks pulled fresh from a dryer. Thor’s mighty hammer had sent me scurrying into a remote turnout atop Mount Pisgah where I huddled beneath my camping tarp and a thick copse of rhododendron. My bike sat forlornly some ways away, laden with gear and up to its rims in runoff. Through
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the murk came a muffled crunch: something snapping a sodden twig, and my last nerve. At this point, I decided to alter my plan. I would forego lunch at the Inn in favor of NOT becoming lunch for some high-country carnivore. Also, camping now seemed a bit extreme, being that nothing save a couple of tubes of Chapstick would be the only items left un-sodden and edible. With the rain slackening, I crept along the remaining miles of Parkway toward Cherokee. A cool breeze came up, revealing shrouds of mist fuming in the valleys below. Every rocky escarpment was alive with noisome spray. Impromptu waterfalls cascaded alongside the road and across the mouths of the many tunnels. The view from Waterrock Knob was especially consoling – islands of sparkling green hills adrift in a wispy white sea, bobbing their way to the horizon. With my head in the clouds, I did the same. State: Tennessee (“The Volunteer State”) Highest point: Clingman’s Dome (el. 6,643 ft.) Ups: Endearing “smoke” on the “Smokies” Downs: Ditto Pesky tree-killing parasites: 13,592,738,605 and counting On August 6, 1945, a flying giant called a B-29 Superfortress, delivered
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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atomic Armageddon to the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Less than a year later, another B-29 flew into the fog-shrouded side of Clingman’s Dome, killing all twelve crewmembers. The newest and most technically advanced weapon of its time was slapped from the sky by one of the oldest mountains on earth. Something you kids should think about from time to time. After a restful and dehydrating night in an over-priced Cherokee motel, I made my way up Highway 441 just as the sun was cresting the eastern ridges. Enjoying the peaceful ride, I nearly overshot the rather understated turnoff to Clingman’s Dome. Halfway up, a black bear was perched beside the road munching his morning blackberries, paying little heed to a van full of wide-eyed kids and their cameraclicking parents. I switched off my bike so as not to disturb the memorable moment and did the awkward walk around them. Encounters with wildlife are commonplace when riding the highlands. Wild turkey, deer, an occasional bear – even a bobcat in one instance – become as much a part of the landscape as waterfalls and windswept vistas. All should be treated with respect and allowed to roam free. Except of course for bothersome, camp-raiding raccoons whose pelts would be better suited as bike seat covers. And bees. Reaching the summit, I parked in the shadow of immense gray boulders protruding through the thin skin of “Smoky Dome”. Though still early, the lot was filling with tour buses, cars, motorcycles of all denominations, and a swirling silver mist. I (naively) removed my heavy riding jacket and ascended the steep, paved walkway that led, in an atmospheric sense, to Canada. The observation tower crowning the peak is a well-established landmark in its own right. The spindly, futuristic looking structure was actually built in 1959 when the additional fifty-four feet of elevation was required to see over the tall firs that once populated the summit. Unfortunately, most of
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these have succumbed to yet another European invader: the Wooly Adelgid. This pest is a voracious, sap-sucking killer capable of devastating upland forests and destroying entire ecosystems. The fact they are all female – biologists are quick to point out – is purely coincidental. And then there is the view. On a cloud-clear day (Tuesday, April 29th, 2006, 4:37pm being the last recorded) the sight extends for a hundred miles in all directions. But it’s the clouds that are worth the watch. They roil and boil and bluster about as much below the mountains as above. From the tower, there is nothing more enlivening than following a wispy mass from miles away; then feel it glide silently over and around you, turning all into apparition. And then it’s gone. So, five days later atop Brasstown Bald I found myself thinking of Mrs. Sheber and her fascination with America’s high-points. Regardless of the diversity of development – from the highly invested infrastructures like Mount Mitchell, Clingman’s Dome and Brasstown Bald; to the intentionally protected Mount Rogers; or the unfortunately neglected Sassafras – they all have one thing in common. Each is a source of pride for their state if only for one reason: this singular spot, this place right here, is above everything else around. Which is exactly how I felt at the moment. Peaks: 5, Welts: 4. A close game – but I still came out on top.
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OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 39
UPCOM IN G EVENTS CAL ENDAR E V E RY M O N T H - W E AT H E R P E R M I T T I N G Every Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY. 10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221 First Sunday of the month • Layton Meet at the Layton Deli, corner of Dingmans/Bevans Rd, CR 560, Layton, NJ. Meet around 8am – breakfast available. Join others for a ride or head out on your own Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Third Tuesday • 7:30pm ABATE of the Garden State, North Jersey chapter. Black River Barn, 1178 Rt. 10 West, Randolph, NJ. 7:30pm. New members and all mc brands welcome. Help fight for rights as a motorcyclist in NJ! Alex Martinez 973-390-1918 Every Wednesday • Bike Night at the Airport Pub with Free BBQ and Juke Box. CR 639, Sussex, NY • 973-702-1215 Every Wednesday thru Oct. 26: 5-9pm • Bike Night at Rusty Palmer, 105 Rusty’s Blvd, Honesdale, NY • 570-253-4507 • www.RustyPalmer.net First Wednesday • Bergen Harley-Davidson Hump-Day MusicFest. 6-9pm. BBQ and Free Live Music. Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com Every Friday • 6-8pm Bike Night at O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson, 4 Sullivan St, Wurtsboro, NY. Free Hot Dogs • www.otooleshd.com • 845-888-2426
What’s Happening 16 • Ramapo MC presents Have it your way Fall Foliage Run. Sign in Eldorado Diner, Route 119, Elmsford, NY 9-10:30am. $10/bike; passenger FREE. 120-mile road tour thru the fall countryside of the tri-state area, with or without guide • rdcptrmc@yahoo.com 16 • Blue Nights NJ XV Frost on the Pumpkin Run to benefit Emmanuel Cancer Foundation & NJBKXV Law Enforcement Scholarship. Raindate: 10/23. Sign in 9-11am McDonald’s of Hazlet, Hazlet Ave & Route 35 South. Pre-reg: $15/$10; day of event: $20/$15. First 50 receive free run pin. Awards presented, free food, door prizes, band, 50/50 and run t-shirts. Paypal accepted online blueknights15.com 23 • American Spirit MC Annual Tombstone Tour to benefit Hicksville Post of the VFW. Sign in 9-10am Hicksville VFW, 320 S Broadway, Hicksville, NY. $20/$10 includes food, music, prizes • www.americanspiritmcinc.com • 516-644-1106 29 • Bob’s BMW Garage Sale. 10 years of accumulation must be sold. Too much to list come see for yourself • 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobs.bmw.com 29 • Liberty Harley-Davidson Halloween Celebration with our World Famous Voodoo Chili, prizes for best customer costume and candy for the kids. Blood Drive 1-5pm • 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2400 • www.libertyharley.com 30 • Bergen County H-D/BMW 7th Annual Fall Classic Bike Show and Run. Ride sign in at BCHD/BMW, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ 10-11am. $20/$10 reg. 60 mile escorted ride leaves 11:30am SHARP to the Office Bar & Grill. Bike Show 1-4pm with music, food and raffles to benefit Tomorrow’s Children Fund. $20 to enter show/in by 2pm. For more info visit www.bergenharleydavidson.com
NOVEMBER
Every Saturday • Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs at 10am. Return to the dealership for FREE food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn! No shorts or sneakers. What are you waiting for, Saddle-Up! • Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com
19 • Bob’s BMW hosts Allen Karl with dinner and drinks/tickets required. World adventurer, motivational raconteru and author shares stories of his world travels on his GS • 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobs.bmw.com
OCTOBER 2011
17 • Bob’s BMW Holiday Cheer Day. Annual food & linen drive to celebrate the season with delicious food and good cheer. End of year savings • 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobs.bmw.com
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 • Colors in the Catskills. All brand motorcycle rally at Hunter Mountain, NY. Seminars, demo rides, skills class plus Hunter Mountain’s Oktoberfest with live music, vendors and food galore • www.HunterMtn.com 1 • Bob’s BMW Oktoberfest & Swap Meet (9am-1pm). Festivities all day with prizes, surprises and specials. Authentic German food. Used bike corral. 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobs.bmw.com 2 • Branchville Motors Fall Open House. 63 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield, CT • 203-5447901 • www.Branchville.com 15 • Oktoberfest open house at Morton's BMW Motorcycles, Fredericksburg, VA, 9am 4pm. Join us for demo rides, live music, great door prizes, FREE lunch for the first 400, terrific deals, police motor skills demo, and a very special book signing! Melissa Holbrook Pierson, acclaimed author of The Perfect Vehicle, will launch her new book, The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing, featuring endurance riding legend John Ryan, who will also be on hand. This is a great opportunity to meet Melissa and pick up her books! More info at www.mortonsbmw.com or call 540-891-9844. 16 • 23rd Annual Harvey C. Irons Make-A-Wish Ride hosted by Blue Knights NJ IX. Sign in 9am-Noon @ Sussex County Fairgroungs, Plains Rd, Augusta, NJ. Coffee, doughnuts and fresh bagels available. Escorted ride leaves at 11:15am SHARP. $20 per person gets you live entertainment, vendors, charity auction and unlimited lunch. Under 12 free • 973-670-8045 • Katsnips@ptd.net • www.bknjix.org
DECEMBER
JANUARY 2012 6-8 • North American International Motorcycle Supershow, International Centre, Toronto, Canada • supershowevents.com • 888-661-7469 13-25 • Progressive International Motorcycle Show. Washington DC • www.motorcycleshows.com 13-25 • Progressive International Motorcycle Show. Jacob Javits Center, NYC • www.motorcycleshows.com
Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Jersey
presents the 23rd annual
Harvey C. Irons Make-A-Wish Ride Hosted by BLUE KNIGHTS NJ IX
Sunday Oct. 16th sign up 9am –noon @ the Sussex County Fairgrounds Plains Road, Augusta, NJ Enjoy coffee, doughnuts and fresh bagels. Escorted ride leaves at 11:15am
SHARP!
Come back from the ride and enjoy Live Entertainment, vendors, charity auction and unlimited food. Lunch & drink included in the $20.00 pp registration fee. Children under 12 are free. Contact Kathy 973-670-8045 or Katsnips@ptd.net
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS GIVI’S EASYLOCK SOFT LOCKABLE SADDLEBAGS FOR 2011 THE FIRST ‘HYBRID’ SOFT MEETS HARD SADDLEBAG SOLUTION FROM GIVI The new Easylock soft saddlebags offer a light weight, stylish and latch able/locking soft saddlebag solution. The all-new Easylock saddlebags are a formed 15 liter soft saddle bag, the light weight plastic shell is coated in a stylish polyester finish with the 15 liter foam lined interior giving an ample and durable storage capacity. The Easylock saddlebags are equipped with a lockable latching mechanism designed to secure to the make/model specific tubular mounting frame system TE. The TPH01 Easylock saddlebags come complete with carrying handle, waterproof zippers, zipper pull combination lock and rain covers. They list for $299.00 plus $120 for the brackets. Log onto www.giviusa.com for applications and bike availability.
HAPPY FEET MASSAGING INSOLES At this year’s Americade we stopped by a booth selling massaging insoles. That week I was breaking in a new pair of riding boots and they were doing a great job of hurting my feet. Talking with the folks at the Happy Feet booth I took a set for a test stroll. I have to admit I was encouraged by how good they felt. Now a few months later and after trudging around the US and Europe I am a believer. Happy Feet Massaging Insoles work. How? Happy Feet’s proprietary manufacturing process bonds a breathable, lightweight fabric to a high-strength bladder containing viscosity-controlled glycerin-like fluid to provide comfort and relief by distributing weight evenly, absorbing impact and massaging with every step. Happy Feet Insoles fit in any riding boot or shoe and we highly recommended them to treat foot pain. You order them to size and simply slip them into your boots and the world gets suddenly better. They list for $39.95, but if you see them at a bike rally you can do a bit better. You’ll find Happy Feet at www.happyfeet.net.
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 41
MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE
ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
Sussex Hills Ltd.
Specializing in Motorcycle Repair, Parts & Supplies • Cycle Tires Mounted & Balanced • Batteries & Hard
Now stocking a full line of heated gear Get ready for some cool riding.
Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno available for testing
973-875-2048 946 Rte. 23 South Sussex NJ 07461
Norman Gross Since 1976 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself
For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs
3 miles north of Sussex Borough
GenMar HANDLEBAR RISERS
KAWASAKI • HONDA • YAMAHA • SUZUKI • TRIUMPH • MOTO GUZZI • ETC Raise your handlebars for a more comfortable ride and still retain stock look.
From $59.95 to $139.95 Order Toll Free (877) 471-1515 Info and Fax (505) 743-2243 • www.zianet.com/GenMar
Gen Mar Mfg. Inc. • 110 1st Street • HC1 Box 35 • Arrey, NM 87930
YAMAHA SUPER TENERE Rent this exciting new bike for a test ride in the Smoky Mountains www.GSMmotoRent.com Townsend, TN • 865-448-6090
MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS
EAST COAST TRAILERS
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HONESDALE PA • 570-729-8870
BARN TRAILERS
SALES 718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com RENTALS 57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)
6’ X 12’ Haulmark Enclosed Transport Model #TSTV DS-2
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AMERICANA SOFT SEATS Custom Gel Pad Installation On Any Motorcycle Seat
Harley Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha Lowest Prices Anywhere WE GUARANTEE IT!!!!
732-406-9508 • www.amsss.com • www.americanasoftseats.com
www.stopngo.com The Best Tire Repair. Know Before You Go! 800-747-0238 If you didn’t like cool stuff, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine. Here’s something you’re going to love.
TORQ-IT Screwdriver/Speed Wrench/ Palm Ratchet All In One Tool Variable Speeds Over 600RPM Low Profile, with an “Ergo” Grip and a Non-Slip Design Accepts All 3/8” and 1/4” Sockets and Extensions
BASIC SET: $19.95 • DELUXE SET: $29.95 • ACCESORY SET: $9.95
TORQ-IT PRODUCTS, INC. 1701 Manor Road • Havertown PA 19083 Tel: 1.888.876.9555 • Visit Our New Website: WWW.TORQ-IT.COM
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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MOTO-INN MEMBERS
EAT WHERE YOU’RE WELCOME
Ask about our Diners Club. Gift Cards available.
‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang ~~ Cool Nights, Hot Bikes • THURSDAY is BIKE NIGHT at ~~
THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300
www.chatterboxdrivein.com
SERVING BREAKFAST & LUNCH TUESDAY-SUNDAY 7AM~3PM Daily specialty items including burgers, homemade soup & pastries Route 739 ~ just south of Milford Rd ~ Dingmans Ferry, PA As seen in November 2010 Great All American Diner Run
The Riverton
Red Wolfe Inn
Travel along the scenic backroads of the Delaware river. Meet the Markopoulos family and taste chef George’s Greek American cooking. Best bar menu, lunch or dinner. Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and crispy wings with 8 different sauces.
570.828.1920 • www.forkliftcafe.com
Palatible Copius Victuals (Good Eatin’ Food) The secret of Western New Jersey and a Culinary Delight Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pm Sunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm
John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.
The Riverton Hotel and Restaurant
Member of
Open Tuesday - Friday @ 5pm Saturday and Sunday@ 4pm Dine indoors or alfresco Have a beautiful ride followed by a great meal
At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA
610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com
130 County Route 519 • Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-4772 Worth the ride from anywhere!
123 Bantam Lake Rd.
Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Member of
Route 209 • Bantam, CT (Next to Bantam Cinema)
860-567-YUMY (9869) www.WoodsPitBBQ.com Open Lunch & Dinner Tuesday - Sunday (Closed Mondays)
Join Us for 1st Friday Celebration 1st Friday of each month from 6 to 9pm Live Music • Dinner Specials
Member of
Paul Haas • Owner-Chef
320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com
Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE
ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
lley’s Hudson Va ne Riding Number O t Restauran Barbeque W North 1076 Route 9 mery, NY Fort Montgo
oute 9W icturesque R Located on P Perkins Drive minutes from State Park and Harriman Point historic West just south of
845-446-0912 rmerbbq.com www.barnsto
…your personal heaven on earth!
Featured in July 2009 Great All American Diner Run
Located in Arden, only 15 minutes from Philippi, on the beautiful Tygart River in West Virginia, our bed & breakfast is the perfect place to call home while exploring the Mountain state. Rates from $70 - $90 per night
866.909.4262
If you go home hungry it’s your own fault
www.AngelBandFarm.com Box 696 • North River Road • Philippi, WV 26416
The Boat House Restaurant FEEL THE WARMTH The Only Outdoor Lakeside Dining on Swartswood Lake
Member
Excellent Ride Destination
Serving Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch Tuesday ~ Sunday 11am-9pm Brunch 10am-2pm • Closed Mondays 1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood, NJ 973-300-0016
www.theboathouserestaurantonline.com
www.beemerboneyard.com USED OILHEAD & K-BIKE PARTS Hundreds of used parts at 50% off new cost or less Order online 24/7 ~ M/C, Visa, Discover or PayPal 100% money-back guarantee ~ parts ship in 24 hours
N EW MAINTENANCE PART ~ BELOW RETAIL No Backorders ~ We Stock What We Sell We now carry German Liqui-Moly Engine & Gear Oil for BMWs
973-775-3495 • M-F 12pm~5pm • inquires@beemerboneyard.com
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 44
Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival StranGe thinGS happen in thiS world or, How steve goodmAn sAved my life “A strange force drew me to the graveyard. I stood in the dark, I saw the shadows wave, and then I looked and saw my sweater lyin’ there upon her grave. Strange things happen in this world.” ~ Steve Goodman In the GPS world of bikes you have the ability to listen to music while riding. We have talked about this a number of times and personally I always have tunes very low in the back of my mind as I ride. There are a few songs that we, and some friends, are familiar with, as we all have a copy of these on our machines, one being a Steve Goodman compilation of a number of great motorcycle/dead girl songs…. I know it sounds weird. But, if you know what we’re talking about, then you’ll understand the rest of this piece. We were riding down from the Catskills, along some little roads we know of that thread through these tiny towns. Along one small byway that cuts through the tiniest of towns, but one with fairly high sight-blocking buildings, my Zumo came up with that particular Steve Goodman tune. We pulled up to a stop light and, while waiting, I called over to Shira that “strange things happen in this world.” With that the light changed to green but, with no one behind us, I took my time enjoying the moment as we both laughed at this strange Goodman tuneage. I went to proceed through the intersection and that is when the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, driven by some brain dead woman, went flying though her dead red light. C’mon, everybody remembers the Olds Vista Cruiser. Larger than my Suburban, cut-glass top, rear facing seats. It’s a classic. A big, huge, mongo classic. If I did not stop to comment on the song I would have been seriously hurt – maybe killed. Yep, probably killed. Shira and I both knew what had just happened. The people waiting to cross the street knew what happened. We both looked at each other for a second and then continued on towards home. A few minutes later the adrenaline kicked in, post-traumatic sort of thing. That feeling when your subconscious is letting the rest of your body know something big almost just happened. Sometimes that big bad thing does happen. And, sometimes there can be some irony found in it as well, regardless of how sad the outcome. Take this fellow who
felt the need to object to New York’s Helmet Laws by not wearing his to a “Free Choice” protest ride. Police say this motorcyclist, participating in said protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York, died after he flipped over the bike’s handlebars and hit his head on the pavement. The accident happened on a clear Saturday afternoon in the town of Onondaga, in central New York near Syracuse. State troopers stated that 55-year-old rider from Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets. Troopers say the rider hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and he toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Troopers say this motorcyclist would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet. Is this irony, or just a strange thing that happens in this world? When I see the words “fishtailed” and “spun out of control” I know this rider locked up the bike and then suddenly let go, initiating a high-side. Very sad. But as I have found with many such riders, they own motorcycles and really don’t know how to ride them. Look at this bike – a 1983 Harley. One wonders what sort of condition the bike and its tires were in. Probably not showroom we would think. The point here is that things happen very fast while riding your motorcycle. One moment you can be riding high and be the King of the World and the next second some texting teenage twit has just totaled your machine and you with it. Being ever vigilant is key to your survival. Don’t expect car, truck or bus drivers to observe your right of way. We found this out the hard way in the Alps with our group this summer. And, for goodness sake, wear some real riding gear. We go on and on about this all the time. Some say we are always dressed for the winter, but I know we are dressed for the fall.
Come Ride the Dragon Deals Gap Store • Motel Bar and Grill
Deals Gap 318 Curves in 11 Miles
www.dealsgap.com 800.889.5550 17548 Tapoco Road • Robbinsville, North Carolina 28771
Motorcycle Touring Bible has arrived on shelves! Get yours today at www.WhitehorsePress.com You can get an autographed copy directly on Fred’s website www.FredRauMotorcycling.com Be sure to check out his Online Magazine while there.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS RIDERSEYE GPS-BASED SECURITY AND TRACKING Enfotrace presents RidersEye, a real-time GPS-based security and tracking device. RidersEye has been designed to be a simple, full-featured, cost-effective solution for monitoring the location and well-being of your powersport vehicle. The web-based control panel can be accessed from any computer or smartphone and, in addition to providing a map and address of your vehicle’s location, facilitates access to optional features such as a fall-over sensor, remote starter disable function or text/email security alerts. RidersEye is easy to install, uncomplicated to set up and doesn’t require any monthly fees. $395.00 includes the 1st year of airtime with 1000 locates. Visit riderseyegps.com or call 855-867-2690 to get yours today.
SW-MOTECH CRASHBARS ENGINE GUARDS FROM TWISTED THROTTLE Things happen. Gravity is everywhere. We recently had a non-gravity issue with our R1200GS and it seemed to us that we might want to change our engine guards to something a bit more well-designed as well as beautifully crafted. We put in a call to those guys from Rhode Island, Twisted Throttle, when we went looking for the best engine guards available. We had no doubts they would have what we needed. The solution was Crashbars/Engine Guards from SW-MOTECH, a company from Germany. These bars come in two parts, lower and upper – we needed them both. Constructed of 26.9mm outer-diameter heavy-duty, mild steel tubing, SW-MOTECH crashbars are designed to provide maximum protection, optical integration, and high-quality fit and finish. They provide protection to both the fairing and engine without interfering with oil changes or cylinder valve covers for valve adjustments. All components are protected against corrosion by sandblasting and powdercoated silver with gloss clearcoat. The bars finish is really top-notch. High-strength frame mounting points add to the durability and we liked that we could actually see the mounting bolts, rather than have them hidden inside a steel tube. Installation is easy, but even easier when Matt does it at Twisted Throttle’s shop. We couldn’t be happier with the fit, finish and strength these bars have added to an already tough motorcycle. The lower bars run for $215 and the uppers for $230 – money well spent if you have a BMW R1200GS. They also have tons of useful products for a wide variety of machines - log onto www.twistedthrottle.com or call them at 401-284-4200.
A Motorcycle Is The Ultimate Toy, Vermont Is The Perfect Playground® We put it together…
The Gray Ghost Inn
290 Route 100 • West Dover, VT 800-745-3615 • www.grayghostinn.com
OPEN FOR BUSINESS Motorcyclist-Friendly Destination Lodging Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge is the Smoky Mountains Premier ‘Motorcycle-only’ resort. Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains and minutes from all the great motorcycling roads like ‘Tail of the Dragon’, Cherohalla Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and Moonshiner 28. Amenities include on-premise restaurant for breakfast and dinner with creekside dining, covered bike parking, nightly group campfire, laundry, gift shop and WiFi DSL HotSpot. We have a pavilion with multimedia entertainment, private function meeting room, RV sites as well as rustic luxury cabins cabin rooms, bunkhouse and tent camping. Perfect for singles, couples or group getaways.
Located in Stecoah, NC • 828-479-3864 • www.ironhorseNC.com
Located on Scenic Route 100 in Southern Vermont Your Home Away from Home Full breakfast cooked to order. BYOB bar, hot tub, outdoor firepit, pool and game room. Free Maps and Suggested Rides. Group Special Packages. 5 restaurants/bars within walking distance.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 46 PRODUCT REVIEW
OGIO 9800 GEAR BAG
When we were preparing to head out for our High Alpen Tour many of the readers going asked about how to get their riding gear overseas. As usual some of the suggestions that came across on a massive e-mail thread were a bit off the wall. Shipping via UPS is never a good idea, and why would you carry your helmet onto the jet itself as carry-on, especially when you can get all your riding gear and clothes into one OGIO 9800 Gear Bag? We have a bit of experience traveling around the planet with riding gear and this gear bag is the best we have found. The 9800 has a wide mouth lid opening for easy access to all compartments and specialty pockets, so getting your gear in and out is a breeze. The large main compartment has adjustable panels to suit your needs, and we easily stow a helmet, riding boots, riding pants and jacket here. Stuffing your helmet with the other things you need, gloves, Gerbings harness, etc is a good idea, as well as your boots; which can be filled up too. This way you use all the space that is available. This main compartment zips closed and the top of the lid can handle a week’s worth of clothing with ease and the bag utilizes multiple zippered mesh organization pockets for garment, shoes, and accessories. Some asked about protecting their helmets during the journey and for that OGIO has constructed the 9800 with an integrated foam panel construction throughout the entire bag for added protection. The front accessory pockets hold even more and once zippered closed you
can cinch the whole bag tight using OGIO’s secure hold compression straps. Rolling the bag around airports is a breeze with its Structural Load Equalization Deck (SLED) wheeled chassis system combined with the telescoping pull handle and oversized heavy duty treaded wheels. The bag is a good size at 16” H x 17” W x 36” D, holding a full 9800 cubic inches (Duh… Captain Obvious) and weighing 14.2 pounds empty – something to remember when you are trying to keep it under that pesky 50lbs. weight limit mandated by most airlines. We usually pay a fee for overweight luggage or sometimes we might use a third bag for some clothing, leaving the OGIO 9800 for purely gear duty. It makes more sense to pay for one extra bag than two overweight 9800s. The bags come in a variety of patterns from very boring to incredibly bright. We have had 9800s for years but we bought a new bag for the Alps trip and were amused to see two other bags that were bought on our recommendation, with the same pattern. OGIO also makes dozens of other bags and backpacks and we have found their quality is always beyond excellent. You can buy the OGIO 9800 Gear Bag from a variety of sources and from the web; and expect to pay somewhere around $200 for the best travel motorcycle gear bag on the planet. Log onto ogio.com for more information.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 47
Tuesday with Courtney One of the few things as tough as being a single mom is being a single dad. But there are a few bright spots here and there and for we riders one is turning our kids onto riding motorcycles. A few weeks ago Shira and I got a call from our friend Mike, who was taking the next Tuesday off so he could go riding with his 15-year old daughter Courtney; and he wanted to know if we would like to join them. Mike had promised Courtney fun and a bit of adventure. We were between issues and could rearrange the office schedule so we said we’d be happy to. Tuesday was a perfect day – sunny, mid-70s, low humidity – simply outstanding. Mike and Courtney met us midmorning and we took a leisurely ride south. I had a lunch destination stop planned at Thisilldous, in Belvidere, New Jersey and we needed to get there around noon so that gave me some time to play with the miles. Given enough time you can really learn some of the more interesting, if not tiny, backroads in your area and I wanted to show Courtney some great scenery before lunch. We looped around the Paulinskill, a good size lake that. Even though it is right outside Newton, the county seat here in Sussex county, it could be a million miles away. A few side roads brought us along the eastern shore of
Swartswood Lake and then over the ridge and down Silver Lake Road to Hope. Here we simply ambled down County Road 519, or as I like to call it the Mother Road. This took us into Belvidere in good time and left us with plenty of time to enjoy Mike, not that Mike, but the owner of Thisilldous’ superb lunch creations. This is one of the best kept secrets in the Garden State dontcha’ know. An hour later we rolled out of New Jersey and into Pennsylvania across what is called the “Free Bridge” – cause it is. We had this route from a year or two back and it does a great job of following the ins and outs of the ridges that hover above the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware. Along the way we had a specific destination – Columcille, the Celtic Megalithic Park. Picture Stonehenge spread out over many acres of pristine Pennsylvania forest and glen and you get the idea. If this didn’t “wow” a 15 year old than I was going to give up. It did. But, the oddest thing happened as we entered the park’s iron gates. Shira grabbed the column and her eyes got wide. “Wow, either I just got dizzy or the Earth just moved.” Although I didn’t feel that Carol King moment I did get a bit queasy. The date was August 23 about 1:50 in the afternoon. Although we wouldn’t know it until later it was east coast earthquake time.
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OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS He felt he had at least another 10 miles…easy. Problem was we had 20 miles to the next fuel station in Blairstown – easy. For those of you who know our friend Mike it’s okay to start laughing now. We vectored towards Blairstown and I took up riding tail so I could take the entire scene in when the Harley ran dry. It didn’t take long for the show to start. A little puff of white smoke and a few jerky motions was the prelude to Mike and I rolling a mile or so down hill. Not one to let a great opportunity pass we stared singing “Rawhide” Rollin’ rollin, rollin…. Courtney was either laughing, perplexed or maybe a bit of both. The semi-seriousness of the situation hadn’t reached her. So she wasn’t nearly as surprised as we were when we began to slow to a halt, which we
Interesting second to enter what many consider a sacred place. We spent some time walking around Columcille with its stones, monoliths and towers and then continued along Route 611 and then across the river back into New Jersey. A short hop on I-80 west till the last exit and we veered off to Old Mine Road. I love this road, as it runs into the Walpack Valley; one of the most beautifully desolate pieces of land in the Garden state, and it was my plan to run our friends through the entire length. Do you remember earlier when Mike promised his daughter “fun and a bit of adventure”? Well, here comes the adventure bit, if only in a small way. No sooner had we gotten on Old Mine Road did Mike finally decide to tell us his fuel light was on and had been on for a awhile. Past all those stations on the PA side of the river.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011 did in front of a home that was being mowed by a landscaper.
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Landscapers always have extra fuel. And, so he did. After we explained the situation, and Mike slipped the guy $10, we got a few gallon of petrol and were soon on our way to Blairstown. Potential sucky afternoon event avoided in a most smooth fashion. 138 Orange Ave (Rt. 202) Suffern, NY 10901
845-357-1190 www.locomotionpowersports.com
The rest of the day was as picture perfect as the start and later that night we were talking about how important it is to get your kids on the back of your bikes when they can. I can’t think of any better way to bond with your kid. Your child just might follow in Mom and Dad’s wake, or they might never ride themselves; but I guarantee they will always remember those days riding on the back on a beautiful summer’s day.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
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D
epending on where you live when you say you are going to ride along the river it could mean many things. For those of you who call Manhattan home you have a choice of three – the Hudson, Harlem or East. For our Pennsylvania friends you have a few to choose from as well, with the long Delaware being the most prominent. A few months back we had things to attend to and business to conduct, all within a few days of each other and all spread out pretty wide across the map. We needed to be in Pennsylvania one day and in Rhode Island two days later. Not a big trip, but one that could be really interesting if done right. What we needed was a plan and some time in front of a map to plot out a route that would make the journey not only expeditious but fun as well. Lucky for us we excel at this sort of thing and with simply the loveliest weather of the hot and wet summer opening like a bright window for us we took off on what ended up being called the River Dance.
River Dance Brian rathjen
2010 Inn of D #1 in NY b istinction y NYSH &TA
Oct. 1-2 • Colors in the Catskills Motorcycle Rally The perfect home base when riding the Catskills Enjoy the day’s ride and return to the comforts of the Fairlawn Inn Walk to Hunter Mountain for Rally and Oktoberfest. Call for rates. 7872 Main St. / Rte. 23A, Hunter, NY
• 518-263-5025 • www.fairlawninn.com
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011 This whole trip started back in the early Spring with Shira seeing that the famed jazz/rock group Steely Dan would be headlining one evening at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania’s Musikfest. For years now the artsy old steel town (the irony is not lost here – although few know where the moniker Steely Dan really comes from) has held this yearly festival which includes dozens of foods from around the world, art & crafts and some seriously great music from local and international bands as well. You’ll find Bethlehem alongside the Lehigh River, deep in its valley. Just a quick 50 or so mile ride from home we hopped on the bikes and quickly ran across the Delaware and then south along the river and finally west into the Lehigh. At the hotel we were met by our friend Robin, who also had tickets and, with the bikes parked and locked for the night we crossed the Lehigh River on foot and went to experience the afternoon’s happening at Musikfest. I tell ya I was really impressed with the entire festival and will be sure to make this an annual occurrence. We enjoyed the food and great local beers, as well as the Musikfest grounds and the historic town of Bethlehem itself. We really liked the town and the hotel Bethlehem just might make a great Backroads Rally site in the future.
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That evening we strolled back over the river to the site of the old steel towers that once made this area famous and caught a seriously great show from one of our favorite bands – Steely Dan. And, despite what Fagen sang – our everlasting Summer is nowhere fading fast! The next morning was as picture perfect as could be with no humidity and temperatures in the high 60s. After some yogurt and juice at the hotel we were on the road and moving by 8 am, scooting back north across the Lehigh River and then picking up the Delaware near where the Lehigh meets it in Easton. We know we were and still are known for our Rip & Ride paper routes, but on a journey as twisty as this we would need to jump into the ever-expanding world of Global Positioning Systems. The pre-plotted route brought us onto some roads we were familiar with and more than a few that we were not. It seems the ones that we
Where in the world will we take you next? Join the Backroads crew February 12-19, 2012 as we take on Colombia! 8 days/7 nights of pure adventure. Visit Motolombia website for full details.
OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
Page 52 were not just seemed more fun; and they’ll be kept on the shelf for further Backroads’ exploits. We had one problem we had to ride around and that was the office. If we stopped, even for a minute, it would turn into hours. We knew this to be a hard fact so we vectored up along the River Road that rolls like an asphalt roller coaster on the Pennsylvania side of the river above the Water Gap and then swapped to the New Jersey side at Dingmans Ferry Bridge. We then immediately picked up Old Mine Road and snuck our way around Backroads Central and began to go east in earnest through the farm and forests of northwestern New Jersey. This is a short but pleasurable ride that we know only too well and soon we were winding through New York’s Black Dirt Region and over the Wallkill River, which runs from Lake Mohawk in Sparta all the way to the Hudson. The Wallkill River is unique as it is one of the few rivers that travels northwards when all the other local rivers tend to run south. We headed across Greenwood and followed Route 17A past the soon to be open Renaissance Faire and then into Harriman State Park. When we lived further east Harriman was on our charts constantly, but these days it is a welcome treat when we travel in that direction. The well-known Seven Lakes Drive brought us to the top of the Palisades and then by Bear Mountain where we crossed one of the most famous and painted rivers in the United States – The Hudson.
Crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge is always a treat. Just a quick glance to the right or left – south or north on the Hudson shows why this bridge is one of the most scenic in the nation. Even well laid routes are subject to change and approaching the eastern side of the Bear Mountain Bridge our planned ride through twistilicius Route 6 was blocked by barriers. Always trying to “Think on our Wheels” we turned north and then back around on some tiny backroads eventually picking our planned ride back up after the Route 6 traffic circle. This also gave us a chance to ride, once again, past the Appalachian Trail. We had been doing this all day, first near the Water Gap in Pennsylvania, then around New Jersey and now into New York. We would run into it once or twice more this day as it seemed we were both traveling in the same direction. Back on track we enjoyed the twists and turns and ups and down this side of the Hudson has to offer. There are also some spectacular properties to be found in this region as well. Along this way we routed through some great lakes and reservoirs, eventually crossing over the West Branch on Route 301 and then
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
Page 53 of the Nutmeg State and even got to do a few clay and dirt roads along more rural parts of the state. Soon we crossed the Housatonic near the dam by Lake Zoar. So far so good and once again I thanked the GPS Gods of Olathe. If I was to take a poll on how many riders are using GPS more and more these days I think it would be a fair amount. But, if I wanted a real poll done I would have pulled in and asked as we rode by Quinnipiac University. They’re the experts on polls these days, right? As we approached our last river of the day, the Connecticut, I glanced at the GS’ clock. 5:35 – just about perfect as we crossed the river on the swinging bridge at East Haddam, just above Gillette Castle and in the shadow of the Goodspeed Opera House. Right next door we found everything we would want this night at the Gelston House Hotel. A decent room at a good price, a riverside patio with a superb wine selection and scrumptious menu as well. Showered, relaxed and sitting deckside watching boats float by and children playing, with a glass of red by 6:30; absolutely perfect by our standards at least.
the small Croton River. We found a little place for lunch this afternoon and then kept on our way for a quick jaunt towards the New York border with Connecticut. Here, even though we tried to avoid traffic, we got caught up for a short time in the Danbury rush but were soon sweeping along far too many different roads to remember. I really didn’t think we would make it all the way to Rhode Island this day, unless we pushed it; and we had both agreed to stop around 5ish, find a room, tavern and meal in that order. With time still on our side we followed the ins and outs
Join us for our fourteenth Spring Break as we head south to Luray, Virginia. We’ll stay at the historic Mimslyn Inn which has 80 years in hospitality and home to some of the best riding in the area.
There are only a few suites still available at $199/night Please call 540-743-5105 and ask for the Backroads Group for special discount. Additional lodging available at Best Western, Luray, VA 540-743-6511
ALL ROADS LEAD TO BACKROADS SPRING BREAK XIV
MAY 17 - 20, 2012 MIMSLYN INN, LURAY, VIRGINA CALL TODAY: MIMSLYN INN, LURAY, VIRGINIA • 540-743-5105 • www.MimslynInn.com
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OCTOBER 2011 • BACKROADS
And, to think 24 hours before we were walking across another bridge to see Steely Dan. Although not “The Dan” we were treated to a wonderful young woman singer of just 14 years, named Jazzlyn who, if she doesn’t have a bright career in front of her, well something just ain’t right. She was superb. We had just 60 or so miles to go for our morning rendezvous at Twisted Throttle in Rhode Island. Twisted Throttle is probably one of the sharpest outfits when it comes to kitting out your machine for serious travel and this day we were going to have new crash bars installed as well as relocating Shira’s Denali LED lights to allow for some even snazzier LED directionals we had picked up in Munich earlier that summer. Yep, just a quick jaunt unless you were continuing on our River Dance from the day before. Once again we found ourselves deep in forestlands, running our bikes around the great parks of the Moodus region, with Devils Hopyard always being a favorite. At some time prior to 1800, there was a malt house near a small tributary of the Eight Mile River called Malt House Brook, on George Griffin’s farm. Although the malt house was abandoned prior to 1814, during the period of its operation, Griffin grew hops in a small clearing, the “hopyard”, beside the road running through the area now called Devil’s Hopyard. But the Devil’s presence in this hopyard is not so easily explained. The “devil” part focuses on the potholes near the falls, which are some of the finest examples of pothole stone formations in this section of the United States. Perfectly cylindrical, they range from inches to several feet in diameter and depth. A very cool place to visit.
We once again found some small, if not well-graded, gravel roads to enjoy the GS bikes on. Afew hours later we crossed the Thames River that empties in New London, quietly crossing into Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union. Our route then criss-crossed the state until we popped out in the tiny town of Peace Dale, home of Twisted Throttle. The two-wheel Wizards here at TT (well, this day Matt) had us right in no
time and with the bikes perfect again and with a few more stops on our dance card we said goodbye and continued to a stop on Seymour O’Life’s “Mysterious America” ride – The Viking Tower in Newport. I wouldn’t call Narragansett Bay a river, but it is a beautiful sight and Newport is…well Newport; some nice property here too. This day the Viking Tower was being refurbished with three workmen doing the job. Ironically there was an Englishman, a
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2011
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Norseman and a Chinaman – but who was in charge I wouldn’t know. Stay tuned to an upcoming Mysterious America to find out the truth – well, O‘Life’s truth at least. We were ready to head back homeward and spent some time along the coast and clipped a big chunk o’miles retracing part of our route out east. At one point I knew we would intersect with another Garminized route from last year so we routed to this, just outside of Bridgeport, Connecticut. This route was every bit as fun as I remembered it from a year back and hours later, with the sun doing a great job ruining my laser surgery we crossed the Hudson on a packed Tappan Zee. From there we picked up the old route and in Warwick we headed back to New Jersey with the brilliant setting sun competing with a rising full moon. A perfect end to a great River Dance.
reSCheduled due to mother nature
baCkroadS fourth annual hot doG run
Saturday october 15th Start: 11am - the Sprinkle Shack, route 15, Sparta, nJ time once again for our annual Hot dog run! Yes, sometimes it’s private, but this time we’d love to have you join us. How many delicious Dogs can you devour? Is this a competition? Well, not exactly, but we will have Backroads 1st Annual Hot Dog Trophy for the most downed dogs. The run starts from The Sprinkle Shack on Route 15 in Sparta, New Jersey and will combine some seriously great roads and some equally serious hot dogs. Only the best for you guys and gals. Portable EKG machines and Defibrillators will be on stand by. Questions? Give us a call at 973-948-4176 or check updates on Facebook. GPS route available upon request at start.
reSCheduled due to mother nature
Colors in the
Catskills 4 At Hunter Mountain
sponsored by MAX BMW FREE All-Brand Motorcycle Rally
Sept. 30, Oct. 1-2, 2011 FREE all-brand gathering featuring off-road riding, sport riding and sport touring, along with the Hunter Mountain OktoberFest! Come join us to see the finest show Mother Nature can offer, enjoy the unspoiled roads the weekend before Columbus Day, and also enjoy the company of your fellow riders of all types. Visit motorcycle vendors, attend interesting seminars and an opportunity to participate in off-road schools led by Team MAX. Hunter Mountain's Annual Oktoberfest features fantastic live entertainment surrounded by the autumn beauty of the Catskills. The modern celebration of the harvest features a farmers market, plenty of vendors, free crafts, pumpkin painting for the kids, and much more. Free Admission! Entertainment includes the Alex Meixner Band, Radlpass Trio from Austria, Germania Almrausch Schuhplattler Verein, Die Lustigen Almdudler, Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers, Doug Marcus and Bill’s Toupee Band On-site lodging is available at the Kaatskill Mountain Club or Liftside Village Condominiums and camping is also on-site. Call 800-486-8376 for details. Lodging reservations at 518263-5580.
www.Huntermtn.com
Lodging d On-Site te n u o c able is D ping Avail m a C e it -S and On