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MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................3 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................4 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................5 ON THE MARK ....................................................6
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
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Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil
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Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Gary C. Angiuli, Victor Cruz Patricia Young Dr. Seymour O’Life
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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2016. 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.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
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times. In truth I can only handle people who talk only in PC terms for so long, but I do think that maybe working towards sustainable & renewable BRIAN RATHJEN rides might be a good thing. Let’s look at why we really ride. Motorcycles are fun. Riding motorcycles, especially with friends, is just the natural progression SuStainable & Renewable RideS from when you were a young kid and would spend hours pedaling around There seem to be a lot of catch phrases on a bicycle. Back then you probably rode with a bunch of like-minded kids these days, especially in the politically correct crowd. and went wherever you could go. I recently got a “Thoughts from the Road” piece from a friend, Victor, who I know in Queens, New York where I grew up, we’d ride from Woodside is one of the more dedicated riders I know. After years of putting together to Astoria Park and then to the McDonald’s in Jackson Heights two or three tours, rides and excursions for himself and his friends (one man tour company times a week. We were always on bikes and then, and as soon as I could (my he is) he found himself in western Canada riding along the cliffs, 18th birthday in fact) I bought a Kawasaki 400 S3 and kept on riding. peaks and glaciers and struck by the beauty of it all and how forForty years later I am still doing my best to get out consistently THE WEATHEr IS tunate that he was able to do what he was doing. and bring along some friends for the fun. THE WEATHEr - CrAzy Right about then he began to go deep into his thoughts I never feel guilty about riding or most other things – ever. (don’t we all while we ride?) and question his right to enjoy AS IT SEEmS IN THESE DAyS On the other hand I embrace them. The only time I let guilt such things while, in his and others thoughts, so much is move me is if I could have done something and did not. I try Of INSTANTANEOuS NEWS, wrong with the world. not to let that happen too often. Long-term cyclical weather TExT AND SOCIAl mEDIA – Global warming was first and foremost in his angst and patterns are beyond me. buT, THIS IS STIll THE bEST it bothered him enough to write his feelings down. Our friend rides because it is fun. And, although we do end PlANET I kNOW Of. I have found it a useless endeavor to get into deep converup thinking a lot on the bikes, I know he and his friends have a (mArS SuCkS!) sations about this particular subject, especially to the fervent. far better grasp of some issues, as they have ridden right through I have my own thoughts, which are shared by many, and he has the good and the bad, as we have. Riding through some beautifully his own thoughts, that too are shared by many. stunning mountains and then ending up in a village that has no running Never the twain shall meet. Well, probably not any time soon. water and little infrastructure to speak of can be a little disheartening. Climate change, global warming, earth reset – whatever side you fall on Motorcycles and especially travelling in a broad spectrum across the planet and whatever you want to call it - it is a religion for some and don’t you dare is the greatest eye-opener you can experience. question their god. Two wheels on the ground in nations that might not be anywhere nearly Being an ex-altar boy I have long ago rode away from any organized creeds developed as modern America or the western world gives you a true appreand although I have my opinions on why there are storms, hurricanes, earthciation how others live, work and survive. Touring in different parts of our quakes and nice days too – I will keep them to myself. own nation will show the same thing. But, I do believe that, no matter what we believe or espouse, we should In my travels I have often found that the poorer the area and people are keep our backyard as clean as possible. Just makes sense, right? the more friendly and gracious they can be. You can read about this but to Sustainable & renewable are words I hear all the time; a little too much at (Continued on Page 45)
frEE WHEElIN’
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
WHATCHATHINkIN’ SHIRA KAMIL
You’ve waited too long… now what? It’s August 20; the heat and humidity have somewhat subsided and the rest of the summer looks to be brilliant. Looking at the calendar, I see more and more blocks being filled in with day trips, week-long rides and other commitments. Our Backroads Fall Rally is right around the corner and we are busy putting together some great ride suggestions for those joining us. Even though the cover date shows October 2016, there is still a bunch of great riding months ahead of us before the days get shorter and the weather turns cold and gray. Have you taken advantage of this great spring and summer? Did you get out enough to satisfy your two-wheeled itch? Did you pick one or two (hopefully more) spots that you’ve always meant to get to and just didn’t? How about those autumn trips that are on your list – have you made your plans, routes, and other arrangements that may be necessary to make them happen? Perhaps you have a winter getaway on the horizon that has a flight involved and rental bikes – that taken care of? We have said many times, relating to our Backroads rallies, that you should always book your rooms as soon as we announce the dates as you can always cancel should something arise. If the rooms are gone, they are gone. You’ll miss out on a great weekend due to procrastination. This goes for so many other planned trips that, for whatever reason, never take place because you overthink them and make them too difficult so when the time comes that you should be packing the bike and getting ready, you’re still scouring maps and hedging your bets on other travel plans. Perhaps you are just the opposite and just throw a few things together, fill the bike with gas and see how far you’ll go and where you’ll end up. Good
for you! Simplicity and spontaneity are so refreshing in this age of TripAdvisor, Yelp, map planners and other interweb reviews sites. Opening a paper map, throwing a dart and picking the most interesting way to get there is a great adventure. But there are still things that need to be attended to while on this type of trip. Have you checked your tires before leaving? I know that I’ve been on more than one trip where tires were thought to have been ‘perfectly fine’ to get through it only to have to find a dealership that is A) open and has an appointment and B) the tires needed. If you’re lucky, it’s not a weekend or a holiday, you’re not in the middle of nowhere and you have enough rubber left to get you there. If you look at your tires and think, ‘They SHOULD be good enough,’ THEY ARE NOT. Save yourself unnecessary angst, cost and downtime and change them before you go. OK – you’ve done that and you’re off. The weather is brilliant, the roads are fantastic and you’re having an amazing time; so much so that you don’t want the day to end. You think to yourself, ‘I’ll just go another hour or so, it will be fine.’ But before that hour or so is up, you find you’ve either gotten pretty fatigued or you’ve put yourself in an ‘empty zone’ as far as places to stop for the night. It’s gotten dark, the critters are starting to come out for the evening, and you have to keep going to somewhere. You’ve waited too long… Depending on the time of year, I like to get into the night’s stop at least an hour before sunset. This way I have the option of looking for a lodging that suits my needs and budget, settling in, taking a shower and getting to dinner before it gets too late or places shut down. When we travel in more rural areas, we’ve found that eateries tend to open early and stop serving much earlier than we’re used to eating. If you don’t want to settle for gas station food or vending machine snacks, and unless you are camping and are self-sufficient, don’t wait too long to pull in for the night; you’ll get a better night’s rest that way and be fresh for the next day’s adventures. Remember that beautiful day I mentioned earlier? Sometimes, out of (Continued on Page 45)
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
POSTCArDS frOm THE HEDGE BILL HEALD
time to Split, man PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Gov. Jerry Brown signed A.B. 51 into law today, making California the first state to legally recognize lane splitting, the practice in which motorcyclists ride between lanes of traffic. The bill, sponsored by Assembly members Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) and Tom Lackey (R- Palmdale), grants the California Highway Patrol the authority to develop and issue lane-splitting guidelines in consultation with motorcycle safety groups and riders. “This is great news for motorcyclists in California and throughout the country,” said Rob Dingman, president and CEO of the American Motorcyclist Association. “The California Assembly and the governor have taken a huge step in formally recognizing a practice that has been in use for decades.” — ama press Release Long ago, when the world was still flat and cell phones were the fantasy of the computer geeks that ultimately made them a reality, I lived in Los Angeles, California. Actually, it was a place called Hollywood and I was in fact employed (most of the time) in the motion picture business. I had ridden my trusty V45 Magna from my home in Texas and before I knew it I was riding in a place that was vast, chaotic and (like all big cities) had its quirks in terms of the motorists that you do battle with on a daily basis. Imagine my wideeyed wonder when I first observed motorcycles splitting lanes. “What strange ways are these?” I cried. “These heathens on the West Coast are indeed wild, unkempt hippies with anarchy in their souls! What will they do next? Make the Terminator their Supreme Leader?” Talking to yourself was/is acceptable
Page 5 in this region. It’s why I had no trouble when I lived in NYC, either. Anyway, before long splitting lanes became a practice I learned to appreciate on a daily basis. My job was such that I found myself traveling to farflung reaches of the Southland three or four times a week, as film crews are like a circus with all the trucks, crew and cast members that have to relocate to new venues constantly. When I first arrived in LA I had my Subaru, and did a lot of sitting in traffic that moved slower than New England maple sap. But when I brought the bike out, things changed dramatically for the better. Since all my work toolage was in the camera truck and thus had its own ride, I could travel light. At first I was a bit nervous about splitting lanes, but what I did was hook up with a clear commuter veteran in front of me and follow their lead. The bigger highways were quite wide, so there was in reality plenty of space between vehicles. The ability to whiz along while other, lesser vehicles crawled like slugs meant I got to work much sooner than I ever could otherwise. It made my nightly referrals with the Thomas Guide (a brilliant book of maps that was kind of the GPS of the day) a really interesting task, as estimated driving times didn’t include such efficient travel. Amazingly, I noticed during daily rides some folks even moved to give lane-splitting bikes a bit more space, which was very cool. The bottom line is I absolutely loved splitting once I became comfortable with it, and I shaved a boatload of time off of getting from Home A to Work B. Naturally, one of the first things I was curious about was whether or not this practice was strictly legal. It wasn’t like the cops were going to be able to chase you down very easily (unless they were Motor CHiPs, of course), but you want to stay out of jail, right? What I was told back in the day was that technically it was legal, and the reason was those CHiPs I just mentioned wanted to be able to get to emergencies, traffic jams, etc. and wanted to be able to split lanes themselves, even in non-emergency situations. There was a rule that you couldn’t go more than X-miles per hour faster than surrounding traffic (I forget the exact value), and that was pretty much it. Many years (Continued on Page 45)
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
ON THE mArk MARK BYERS
paRking I’m fortunate. At my workplace, there is designated motorcycle-only parking. In fact, a couple years ago, there were so many bikes parked out front that I contacted the facilities lady and, after I bought a “Motorcycle Parking Only” sign from Aerostich, she allocated an additional space for us. Hooray for a motorcycle-friendly workplace! If that was the end of it, this would be a very short column. But you know what has to happen when we have nice things, don’t you… Yes, whenever we have nice things or a good deal, people have to come along and foul it up. I’m not talking about the four-wheeled people or the safetycrats this time, I’m talking about my fellow motorcyclists. You see, of late, the weather has been really nice and lots of people have been riding their motor-
cycles to work. Hooray again! “One Less Car” and all that rot, right? So I roll up on my dual sport and…the entire area is full. And ordinarily, that would be a cause for rejoicing, but the problem is that the area is full because people are leaving that maddening amount of space between bikes that is large, but not quite large enough for another bike. It’s not Sturgis, so squeeze-parking isn’t warranted, but neither is the amount of real estate between these machines. I’d probably piss someone off royally if I shoehorned the CRF in between their baggers, so off I went to find an alternative space. Particularly vexing is one guy with a bagger who likes to take up the whole extra space for which I negotiated and bought the sign, as if it is his personal domain. You could easily get another bike in there if he’d park a little to the side, but NOOOOOOOOO, he has to have it all. Heaven forbid someone got some other bike cooties on his, especially – gasp – Japanese dual-sport cooties. He’s not the only one who needs a distressingly-large personal bubble around his machine. What’s up with that? I’ve been to rallies of various kinds and out of necessity, we park pretty tightly. My motorcycle referee buddies and I can fit four GS- or RT-size bikes in one standard space and we don’t trade paint in so doing. It isn’t that hard to park reasonably close, but with safe separation for opening bags, getting off the stand, etc. Most of us learned sharing in Kindergarten, so why is space such an issue with some folks? I thought about painting lines, but folks would probably just straddle them. As they say in the Ginsu knife commercials, “But wait, there’s more!” Ol’ Bagger Vance and his buddies aren’t the cake-takers! Imagine if you will a neat line of bikes pulled up to the front of the box so that there’s room to pull in behind the line and turn into a space from behind while moving forward. Outstanding, right? No duck-walking backwards like a moto-borne Chuck Berry to park. To channel Dick Vitale, “It’s beautiful, baaayyybeee!” At least, it is until White Hayabusa Guy (WHG) gets there and plants his porcine machine in the back. Sideways. Blocking the whole damn back of the line. Yeah. Now, even when there are spaces, you have to pull across the front and do said duck-walk backwards into a slot, constantly checking your mirrors to make sure you don’t get cooties on ol’ Bagger Vance. WHG isn’t the only one who gets creative with his parking angles, including a fellow with an always-covered GS (if he could, I think he’d ride with the cover on). WHG is just the most frequent flyer. I think we need another MSF module just to talk about how to park without being a doofus. I know, I sound like some gray-haired old malcontent off on a rant, but it’s true! It’s true that I’m a gray-haired malcontent off on a rant AND it’s true that we need to teach people how to park their motorcycles safely and effectively and not take up enough space for a Lincoln. Otherwise, I respectfully request the authority to go upside their heads when they park like a doofus. But wait, there’s more! Just when I thought I’d seen it all at work, I saw multiple times and in multiple places that riders apparently consider the cross-hatched areas of handicap spaces their personal parking zones. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, since people use those areas for cart returns. I just can’t fathom why anyone would think it’s OK to block the space people need for ramps and to get wheelchairs in and out of cars, but hey, I’m off on a rant.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
THOuGHTS frOm THE rOAD will Climate Change dampen the Ride? It was August 2005 when a group of us from Boston rode out of Munich in a torrential downpour. Little did we know it, but news of this rain went international and spouses back home got worried. Thousands were evacuated and 62 people were killed in eastern Europe by this historic flooding. This was days before Hurricane Katrina walloped the Gulf coast. By the time we reached Bavaria the rain had abated. Cruising the pinewood forest we were suddenly blocked by a landslide. A chunk of land, trees and rocks had slid off the mountain side. There was no way around it, so we backtracked but our progress was again halted. A river had crested, flooding the road we had ridden over just moments before. We were trapped! Luckily a restaurant/inn sat in between. Embarrassed for making a puddle with our dripping wet bodies, we waited it out with bratwurst and bowls of lung soup. One rider emptied his boot and a German trout poured out. The next year, Al Gore released his movie, “Inconvenient Truth”, a popular documentary that caused a spike in sales of the Toyota Prius and made everyone else who saw it want to plant 100 trees. A long series of before-and-after photos of glaciers in recession painted a bleak picture hard to forget; places like Mount Kilimanjaro, less snowcapped than before. In another pro-enviro documentary, “The Age of Stupid,” a collection of clips showing real people facing early climate change fallout, there’s an engineer who loses a zoning battle with town officials over the building of a wind farm near a small English hamlet. Like the Boston Cape Wind project, the locals consider the mills too much of an eye-sore, and overwhelmingly oppose it. When a resident is asked if she opposes climate change, she says, “Why of course! Who isn’t opposed to global warming?” Blindly missing the irony. A year later the town is hit by unprecedented rain and flooding. Today the media are reporting how the term “climate change” is being phased out in favor of “climate disruption.” Bloomberg reported a strong correlation between flooding and climate change, citing research that says we are “only inches into a problem that is going to grow by feet.”
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Victor Cruz Recall what happened in Vermont. It was summer of 2011, my wife and I were camping at Mt. Philo, south of Burlington. We passed an enchanted night listening to the looney hoots of a barn owl just a few yards away. Next morning the Park Ranger paid us a visit. We were told to evacuate within two hours. A storm was coming. Really? How bad could it be? Nobody in the Green Mountain state was prepared for what happened. Homes and businesses, uninsured against catastrophe, got whisked away by rivers that breached. Entire towns hemmed in, trapped by impassable roads in and out. Victims were profiled in The New York Times. At one point, super storms Katrina and Sandy were considered anomalies. Now they’ve ushered in the new norm. Recently the Guardian reported the “premature deaths” of 5.5 million people globally in 2013, with more than half attributed to China and India. Ash and toxic contaminants from coal-firing plants and other sources are responsible for rises in “heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema and acute infections.” Why bring up all this cheery stuff? Lately I’ve been struggling to reconcile my concern for climate change with my care for motorcycling. As riders, how do we justify the reckless burning of fossil fuels for our own sheer pleasure? Ignorantly producing carcinogens, and not even being mindful of it. Oblivious to the invisible atmospheric damage it causes. Does having a carbon bike-print make you environmentally incorrect? Of course it does. It’s not like our survival depends on hitting the back roads all day. Twist the throttle, have fun, refill, repeat. Honestly, I can’t say that I feel too guilty about it. Not guilty enough or responsible enough to quit my carefree riding. Apparently my pleasure comes first. Apparently I don’t care about dragged out draughts and unprecedented street flooding, as long as I can ride through it. I don’t care about polar meltdown or rising sea levels. (Well, I do care, but my actions say otherwise.) As animals we are ill equipped to plan for a future of murky consequences. (Continued on Page 45)
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bACklASH Dear Captain Rathjen and his sexy lieutenant, I just wanted to say thanks for recording all those stories of wonderful places to visit here on Earth. Your story telling device (a strange paper thingy) has made my layover in this section of the galaxy much easier to deal with, since my battle injury. Being stuck here in sick bay, I have enjoyed immensely your tales of adventure and travel. Looking forward to your next recording (paper thingy). Your fellow traveler, stargazer, and recorder of moments in the time space continuum, Dave Erfer Dave, With Star Trek reaching 50 all we can say is Live Longer and Prosper!
The Lists… Backroads, Good list you had there. As you know, I do a lot of solo riding. I carry all on your list, except substituting a thermos for my water and a second wallet to split my cash and cards. All I add to my basics are a first aid kit, spare batteries for the Spot, flashlights, whatever needs them and cleaner and micro cloth for my face shield. The other good tip is to hide an expired driver’s license somewhere so that you always have a photo ID. Gregory Bagen - International Man of Mystery Dear Editors… First off, thanks a million miles for the cover story on Canada/Icefields Parkway that led to my organizing a tour there with 5 buds last month. The road from Kamloops to Vancouver (99) was outstanding. We had it all to ourselves that day. We got rain on the road from Lake Louise to Jasper but nobody cared. It was too amazing to care about weather. You were right: it’s the prettiest place on earth and North America’s bestkept secret. Lake Louise was a highlight, as was the wild life. We had 3
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Letters to the Editor sightings of bear, an elk sighting and several herds of mountain goats. We saw a bear eating a bush on Bow Valley Parkway south to Johnston Canyon catwalk. Chelan wine country was cool, and delicious. Every day was spectacular and different. Would do the whole trip again. Safe riding! Victor Cruz Backroads, Regarding Mark Byers comment in the July issue, I had the privilege of riding on the back of Reg Pridmore’s bike about 16 years ago during one of his riding clinics at Laguna Seca. It was 200% joy and awe as Reg was passing other riders on the track, including the infamous ‘corkscrew’ two-up with never a hint of his seamless shifts. Talk about a memorable role model. I like to think that I ride fast and fluid, but nothing like Reg Pridmore, the maestro! Both Diane and I are from Long Island, with my dad living in Port Jeff, and a favorite uncle in Setauket. Her parents lived on the North Fork in Cutchogue. My NY city brother kept his sailboat at Shelter Island, and all of us have utilized both the Bridgeport ferry and the Orient Point LSD. While we always knew the ferry was a retired WWII landing craft, we never knew the whole story and am grateful for all the information. Before I was 16, I did a giant weekend circuit on a bicycle that included taking the Greenport ferry to Shelter Island, then riding across the island to catch the other ferry to Sag Harbor and the whaling museum on the South Fork (aka the Hamptons). Thanks for the memories about all the places we rode around in Suffolk County on 2 wheels and 4 wheels. I have learned from Shira that ice cream is the perfect food as it contains all 5 of the important food groups. However, I have had to cut back on my consumption (other than in Firenze) as I was beginning to look 7 months pregnant. Sorry that I can’t join her on her pursuit of all things tasty. Perhaps, it is a good thing that I just read about her various finds in the east! Burt Richmond Also an International Man of Mystery
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
Zero Tolerance Brian, I read with interest the article on advertisers showing more women’s skin than necessary to market their products. I caught the same on Fleabay today…. Think she’ll get more money for this BMW jacket due to her “exposure”? Duhhh….. Larry Barash Hi Brian, Just got the September Backroads and Flight of the Lightning caught my attention. MJ and I had the pleasure to meet Jody Perewitz in Laconia and her dad Dave Perewitz in NYC and Laconia numerous times. We have a weird special bond with Jody. I bought a jacket from her for my girl - A “Dare to Wear” jacket. Only 3 exist. 1 she kept. 1 we have and 1 Janet Jackson has. But the reason I’m telling you this is she holds a record for, I believe,fastest woman on an American V-Twin 2 wheels. And I believe she and her team is either on their way or already at salt flats today attempting to break it again. You probably met her Dad at Javits. Custom bike builder out of Mass Dave Perewitz. Ride safe… Jeff Comparetto Hi Jeff, We have met her and her dad. Great folks and super motorcycle family legacy. One builds em’, the other races them! That was a PR from Kawasaki. We love the Z1 so we used it.
Folks still talking about The letter of the Month! Dear Backroads, I read the letter of the month when the issue first arrived and thought “what a jerk.” I was just skimming through the magazine looking for something specific and saw again. What an ass hat! Anytime you guys want to publish more articles about Virginia, Maryland
Page 9 and Delaware, I’d be perfectly happy to read them. Take care! Hello to Shira. Larry Cain Germantown, MD (the “unreal” Northeast, or South - whatever)
Missed opportunities… Backroads, Just saw your article in August issue about the Bear Mountain Car Show run by the Rod Benders Car Club. How did you miss all the bikes and the bike show run by the OCNY HOGS for the Rod Benders? It is a great show with many different kinds of bikes. We also give out some nice prizes and trophies and I think since you were there you could at least have stopped by to say hello and maybe voted on some of the bikes. Don’t know how you overlooked us, as we have been there and doing it for at least 15 years. Thank you. Chris Arch - OCNY HOGs Chris, We were there early and for the first time, so we missed the last 15 years. We saw motorcycles in the lot, and looked at each one, but saw nothing like you describe. Sorry we missed it. We certainly would have stopped to look and partake if we did. Why would we not? Next time for sure. -BR
Early Morning Reverie Good Morning Backroads Central, Yes, it is 3:30 am and with my new copy of September Backroads, strong coffee and cigar in hand listening to the crickets and with a crescent moon hanging the sky, what a way to start my day. Very much enjoyed your columns and always insightful. Day 2 of motorcycle rider training where, based on observations from yesterday, 11 new riders will join our ranks shortly. Got to run and head to the training range. You guys rock on, Wolfgang Von Smythe Smythe
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
IN Du STry INfObITES CAlIfOrNIA lANE SPlITTING lEGAl California has become the first state to formally recognize lane splitting as a legal maneuver for motorcyclists, as Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 51 into law on Friday, August 19, 2016. The legislation does not specify rules for lane splitting, but simply a) defines lane splitting as “driving a motorcycle, that has 2 wheels in contact with the ground, between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane, as specified”; and b) authorizes the California Highway Patrol (CHP), in consult with other agencies and organizations, to “develop educational guidelines relating to lane splitting in a manner that would ensure the safety of the motorcyclist, drivers and passengers.” Lane splitting has long existed in a legal gray area in California, without being expressly prohibited nor allowed, but permitted by law enforcement.
News from the Inside The CHP published educational guidelines on lane-splitting in 2012, but regulators later ruled the agency had no authority to make public policy. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Assembly members Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) and Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), passed unanimously through the state Senate 38-0 and the Assembly 74-0 and essentially clarifies that the CHP does have the authority and permission to devise guidelines for splitting lanes. Studies have found proper lane splitting to be safe, and the practice of ‘filtering’ through traffic to reduce congestion is legal in much of the world.
HArlEy-DAvIDSON lAuNCHES mIlWAukEE-EIGHT ENGINE
Harley-Davidson unveiled the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engine, the ninth Big Twin in its history, plus all-new front and rear suspension for its Model Year 2017 Touring motorcycle lineup. “These are the most powerful, most responsive and most comfortable Touring motorcycles ever offered by Harley-Davidson,” said Scott Miller, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Styling and Product Development Strategy. “You truly have to ride one to feel the difference – so we’re inviting all riders to visit a Harley-Davidson dealer and take a test ride.” To launch the MilwaukeeEight 107 and Milwaukee-Eight 114 engines, Harley-Davidson – 1269 DOlSONTOWN rD in a brand first – took fans where mIDDlETOWN Ny 10940 they’ve never gone before: The floor of a Harley-Davidson factory in a virtual tour on Facebook Live to watch 845-343-2552 • WWW.CyClEmOTIONINC.COm the making of its newest Big Twin. “We’re excited to open our doors to allow the world Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, to see our newest Big Twin engine come to life in our snowmobiles, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, state-of-the-art factory,” said Randy Christianson, GenYamaha and Can-Am. With a large parts department, qualified eral Manager of Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operaservice technicians and a full shop full of parts and accessories, tions in Menomonee Falls, Wis. “With an all-new we're here to meet all your power sport needs. design, the new Milwaukee-Eight engine offers quicker throttle response, more passing power, purer sound, a For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it smoother ride and more of the feeling riders want from in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, a Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle.” we have their weapon of choice.
rIGHT ON rED OkAy IN PENNSylvANIA Motorcyclists and motorists in Pennsylvania will no longer have to wait at a traffic light that is locked on red, as Governor Tom Wolf signed into law a bill sponsored by Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-Cumberland) that allows drivers of all vehicles the option to proceed with caution through an intersection when a traffic signal is unresponsive, only after exercising due care as provided by law. “If the vehicle detection system fails to recognize the vehicle and the driver has come to a complete stop, the driver must then make sure it is safe to continue, and only then would they be able to lawfully proceed with caution through the intersection,” Bloom explained. Originally intended only for motorcycles, which often fail to trigger traffic lights due to their smaller size, Senate Bill 1267 was expanded to apply to all vehicles. Deemed “Ride on Red,” Bloom added that the goal of the legislation is to solve practical problems while ensuring safety. “This law does not give drivers a free pass, but ensures a safe and legal option to avoid the danger and inconvenience of being trapped in perpetuity at a locked red light,” Bloom said. “This issue is more common than many people realize, especially on rural roads or during late hours when long periods often elapse before a heavier vehicle comes along to finally trip the unresponsive light.” Signed into law on July 20, 2016 as part of Act 101, the new law takes effect 60 days after the bill-signing.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
NEW rIDErS Of kAWASAkI PrOGrAm NOW ‘POWErED by THE AmA’ The Riders of Kawasaki motorcycle loyalty club has aligned with the American Motorcyclist Association, which will provide ROK™ membership services under the new ROK, powered by the AMA, program, jointly announced today by the AMA and Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Current AMA members who have Kawasaki affinity cards will have the option of joining ROK, powered by the AMA, or receiving a standard AMA membership card. Membership in ROK, powered by the AMA, includes all the benefits of AMA membership, plus discounts on some Kawasaki parts and gear and admission to ROK and Kawasaki events. Current ROK members and those interested in joining ROK, powered by the AMA, can learn more about the program at: www.kawasaki.com/rok/whoweare or www.facebook.com/ridersofkawasaki
bOmbArDIEr rECrEATIONAl PrODuCTS TO brEAk INTO mOTOrCyClE buSINESS
BRP, which already makes snowmobiles, watercraft and the three-wheeled Spyder, plans to launch into the motorcycle market with a bold growth plan. Company spokesperson Sylvain Morissette confirmed that the company is currently evaluating the market, the possibilities and trends after an industry analyst suggested the eventuality. BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products), which belonged to Bombardier until 2003, once sold Can-Am bikes in the 1970s. Morissette said that BRP considered several growth opportunities, but did not say precisely when the decision would be made, or when the products would arrive on the market. Analyst Benoit Poirier of Desjardins Capital Markets believes that the motorcycle market is bright. He estimates that BRP could eventually add $325 million U.S. to their annual revenue and gain three to five% market share.
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Page 11 “This market is supported by a solid foundation, and we believe that BRP has the key elements in place to enter this sector, naturally or by acquisition,” he explained in a report. According to Poirier, 82% of dealers of motor sports vehicles sell motorcycles and would be interested in purchasing new products. BRP has more than 4,200 dealers in some 100 countries.
DISTrACTED TEENAGEr CrASHES ON rISE. rEAlly? Not only have inattentive Pokémon GO players caused accidents with everything from motorcycles to police cars, it gets even more dangerous when teenagers get behind the wheel with their phones. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that 59% of teen crashes involve distractions behind the wheel, and highlights a disturbing trend showing that texting and social media use are on the rise amongst teen drivers – especially young female drivers. In collaboration with researchers at the University of Iowa, as part of the most comprehensive eight-year research project ever conducted into crash videos of teen drivers, the AAA Foundation analyzed the moments leading up to a crash in more than 2,200 videos captured from in-car dash cameras: - Talking or attending to other passengers in the vehicle: 15% of crashes - Talking, texting or operating a cell phone: 12% of crashes - Attending to or looking at something inside the vehicle: 11% of crashes This supports findings by Pew Research Center, which shows text messaging has become a key component in day-to-day interactions among teenagers. 55% of teens spend time every day texting, sending an estimated 80 text messages per day.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
morton’s bmW motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s my STErI OuS Am ErI CA the geneRal and texaS A STORY Of INDuSTRY, WAR, SPIES AND THE GREAT LOCOMOTIvE CHASE! A few months back Rathjen and Kamil went traipsing around the city of Paterson, spending some time at the Paterson Museum and began to peel back the story of two locomotives - The General and Texas built in the mid1800s in the great city of Paterson. Although built by two different rival manufacturers, the trains have often been called sisters - the General built by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor and the Texas by Danforth, Cooke & Company. Both locomotives cost less than $10,000 to build in those days. Bought by the Western & Atlantic Railroad, out of Atlanta, the locomotives made their way to Philadelphia by steamer and then south along the newly laid rail. During most of her tenure with the company, the General ran the 138 miles between Atlanta and the city of Chattanooga. During the Civil War the Army of Northern Aggressors (us) decided we needed to take Chattanooga from the rebel alliance (them). Chattanooga was linked and reinforced by the train line from Atlanta. If they could take the train and destroy the line, the North felt Chattanooga would be theirs. Federal General Ormsby Mitchell enlisted a man named James Andrews, a civilian scout and part-time spy with an unknown and mysterious background (like Han solo). Andrews recruited the civilian William Hunter Campbell and 22 volunteer Union soldiers from three Ohio regiments and came up with a plan to hijack the General. The plan was for the men to move into Marietta, Georgia in small groups to avoid suspicion and to meet on the night of April 10th. In civilian clothes this was a clear case of spying and sabotage. A few of the men were caught, two claiming (under orders) they were looking to join the south – one of these men fighting with the south till the end of the war. The others got to Marietta a day late, but the raid was on. Andrews’ proposal was a combined operation; General Mitchell and his forces would first move on Chattanooga then the Andrews’ Raid would promptly destroy the rail line between Chattanooga and Atlanta. These simultaneous actions would bring about the capture of Chattanooga. Andrews’ Raid was intended to deprive the Confederates of any opportu-
nity to use the railways to respond to a Northern advance. Would I be writing this if it all went according to plan? Probably not. The General made its regular run between Atlanta and Chattanooga and ran its schedule, and as there were no dining cars in these days it had many stops along the way for fuel and food. At a stop in Big Shanty, now called Kennesaw, for breakfast at the Lacy Hotel – a stop of 20 minutes - Andrews and his men made there move taking the locomotive and the first car and speed away north towards Chattanooga. The plan was to destroy the tracks, bridges, track switches and telegraph wires along the way. As they sped away from Big Shanty they left behind startled passengers, crew, and onlookers. As luck would have it the onlookers included a number of Confederate soldiers watching from the Lacy Hotel. Andrews was beginning to think they had this done, but it was not to be – as the chase was on. As the General left the station the train’s conductor William Fuller took great offense to the theft of his charge and took off – by foot and then handcar – to run down the escaping train. You might think this was a fool’s errand but, due to the terrain and power, the train couldn’t go that fast and given that Andrews had to stop to blow things up and perform acts of sabotage, a determined pursuer, even on foot, could conceivably have caught up with the train before it reached Chattanooga. Along the way Fuller came across another locomotive, the Yonah on a parallel track and commandeering it chased the General all the way to Kingston. When the Yonah needed to be refueled he took command of another train – the William R. Smith – and continued in the General’s wake towards Adairsville. With a big black plume of smoke and steam coming off the General it was not hard to follow. Knowing he was being pursued by rail Andrews stopped and destroyed the tracks behind and alongside him. Fuller, who I now think as the real hero (the Skywalker if you will) got out of the Smith and continued running on foot after the General.
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The original plan, if they were stopped, was for Andrews to try to bluff the Confederate troops that he was on a secret mission under orders of General Beauregard. They were to stay to the regular northbound schedule, and wait on sidetracks as southbound trains passed. In reality the crew of the General were well known to every stationmaster and hand – the plan was flawed from the start. This jig was up. The General pulled into the station at Adairsville, and her sister locomotive, the Texas, was sitting at the station for breakfast on its way south to Atlanta. The Texas train crew had been bluffed by Andrews into taking the station siding, thereby allowing the General to continue northward along the single-track main line. Fuller was not too far behind. Winded, but undaunted our hero trudges on. Fuller, when he met the Texas, took command of her, picked up eleven Confederate troops at Calhoun, and removing the passenger car, keeping the tender, and continued in hot pursuit – backwards! Things were unraveling for Andrews. For miles the two rival Paterson-built locomotives, one steaming in reverse, made their way through the north Georgia countryside. At mile post 116.3 just 18 miles from Chattanooga, with the locomotive out of fuel, Andrews’ men ran out of power and slowed to a stop. They abandoned the General and scattered. Andrews and all but two of his men were caught within two weeks.
Page 14 All the prisoners were tried in military courts in Chattanooga and Andrews was found guilty. He was hung on June 7th in Atlanta. On June 18, seven others who had been transported to Knoxville and convicted as spies were returned to Atlanta and also hanged; their bodies were buried unceremoniously in an unmarked grave but later reburied at Chattanooga National Cemetery. After the executions Secretary of War Edwin Stanton awarded the first United States Medal of
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS Honor to Private Jacob Wilson Parrott, one of the Ohio soldiers. Later, all but two of the other soldiers who had participated in the raid also received the medal, with posthumous awards to families for those who had been executed. As civilians, Andrews and Campbell were not eligible. Two men were traded for POWs. Others made good on escape and were able to rejoin Union forces. Today you can find reminders of The Great Locomotive Chase if you go looking.
Disney made a movie about it in 1956 starring Fess Parker and Buster Crabbe made a silent film called ‘The General’. On the first weekend of each October the town of Adairsville, Georgia holds the Great Locomotive Chase Festival. The festival has arts and crafts booths, historical exhibits, concerts, entertainment, carnival rides, and over 40 food booths. The Grand Parade and multiple pageants are held on Friday and Saturday, as well as street dances. Gospel singing is saved for Sunday afternoon. On the road you can find historic markers near the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw, while another shows where the chase ended at Milepost 116.3, north of Ringgold — not far from the recently restored depot at Milepost 114.5. The locomotive Texas can still be seen at Atlanta’s Cyclorama and the General itself can be found on display at The Southern Museum in Kennesaw – where this story began. O’Life out!
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Hanover Powersports Presents
b IG CITy GETAWAy we have that CoveRed Rick Rodriguez Only the country folks, whose careless tread endears a dusty road, can ever know the peaceful, chattering joy of rude planks spread above a drowsy creek that gleams below. Anderson M. Scruggs - The Covered Bridge I plotted 12 Covered bridge locations in Mapsourse and created a route. I dubbed it the Covered Bridge Ride. The route included bridges in Connecticut, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
June 17, 2016 blessed with arguably the best weekend of the riding season so far, 19 Bergen HOGs and I headed north and east via the Bear Mountain Bridge, 9D and 301 towards Dog Tail Corners. We crossed the Housatonic River via the Bulls Bridge into Kent Connecticut. Legend has it (according to Wikipedia) that during its original construction in 1760 George Washington himself made a crossing on the Bulls. We headed north on 7, which of-
daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind fered beautiful mountain views. We stopped at Kent State Park to take in the falls and replica covered bridge built in the 1970s. We then crossed the Housatonic in the opposite direction utilizing the West Cornwall Covered Bridge. Heading north on the eastern side of the Housatonic we veered west through Salisbury and northeast township for some lunch at The Pond Restaurant in Ancramdale, NY. The scenery near the Pond is picturesque. Linda the owner has a special biker menu. After a great lunch we rode through Copake and Claverack to hop back on the Taconic to 90 staying the night in the Best Western Franklin Square in Troy, NY. This Best Western is bike friendly and across the street there is a Dinosaur Barbeque.
The first stop on the next day’s agenda is the Bridges of Washington County. By 1994 the conditions of these bridges declined to the point that one of the bridges was under consideration to be replaced with steel and concrete. Concerned citizens organized, secured funds and, in 2007, completed the restoration of three of the four bridges. The Shushan remained as a mu-
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seum. We were able to ride through three - Buskirk, Rexleigh and Eagleville and pass by the Shushan. This area did not disappoint in the scenery department. I was amazed to see a bull and horse grazing together. What can I say, I’m a city kid and still remember the first time I saw a cow from the window of a school bus on a class trip. After the Eagleville, we took 313 into Vermont the Covered Bridge capital of the world. Bennington offers 5 Covered Bridges and a Covered Bridge museum. From 313 you can take a right on Covered Bridge Road to cross the West Arlington Covered Bridge and a left on River Road (note: these are gravel roads). Or you can stay on 313 to 7A. At 7A you can make a right and stop at the Stewarts, if you need gas and a break or you can go left to press on the next bridge. Take a right on Hill Farm Rd. until you get to the Chiselville Covered Bridge. Take 7A to 67 to 67A to River Rd. and Murphy Rd. where you will get two for the price of one - the Henry and the Paper Mill. Take a right at 67A and right on Silk Rd. to the Silk Covered Bridge. While you are in Bennington, you might as well visit the Bennington Battlefield Monument and take in the views. This Monument was completed in 1891 to commemorate the Battle of Bennington, which occurred August 16,
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
1777. From this 306 ft. 4-1/2” tall monument can be seen the valleys and rolling hills of Vermont, New York and Massachusetts. We stoppedat Jensen’s Family Restaurant for lunch, a 60-yearold establishment that the locals all rave about. After lunch we went east through the Green Mountain National Forest and took 100 south to 8A to cross the Bissell Covered Bridge in Charlemont. Wait, isn’t Hail to Sunrise Monument in Charlemont? So I headed west on the Mohawk Trail to check it out. I enjoyed the trails mountain views and hairpin turn. It was a hot afternoon so an ice cream stop at Pedrin’s Dairy Bar made us all happy campers. Tired from the day’s ride we pulled into the Best Western in the Berkshires to rest for tomorrow’s ride home. This is a great area with so much history, beautiful roads and places to see while learning about American History. I’ll be sure to make at least one trip a season in this area for a quick getaway. You can download the GPX file for both days here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/5l5hbr Each day is approximately 175 miles. The bridges are all marked, as are gas, lunch and rest stops. Enjoy!
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
I Know This Place
Cool destination kinzua bRidge viSitoRS CenteR- openS! 296 Viaduct Road, Mt. Jewett, PA. 16740 • 814-778-5467 Located at the edge of the Kinzua Gorge, the new 11,000 sq. ft. building has two exhibit halls with displays showcasing the history of the Kinzua Viaduct, the tornado of 2003, and the reinvention of the standing towers as the Kinzua Sky Walk. The two-story, 8.9 million dollar building, with innovative hands-on exhibits, includes two classrooms, the flagship Pennsylvania Wilds Artisan Shop, restrooms and park offices. The Center is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. Admission is free. Exhibits also highlight the innovative, can do spirit, of builder General Thomas L. Kane and engineer Octave Chanute who built the original Kinzua Viaduct in 1882. A time when the Kinzua Viaduct was the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world. Chanute later went on to work with the Wright brothers and he is considered by many as the world’s first aviation engineer. Exhibits showcases the two different materials used at different time periods in history to construct the viaduct. The viaduct was first constructed in 1882 of iron, and then it was rebuilt using steel in 1900. The Phoenix columns of iron, prefabricated in Phoenixville, near Philadelphia, were transported to
Page 17 the site for erection-much like a child’s erector set-only on a massive, gigantic scale. In just 94 days, 125 men, working 10-hour days, completed the construction of the first bridge. Standing 301 feet tall (24 feet higher than the Brooklyn Bridge), the Viaduct quickly became a tourist destination for Sunday excursions. Walking out on the bridge was the next best thing to flying, and railroad excursions across the Kinzua Gorge thrilled thousands. This amazing Kinzua Sky Walk structure was designated by Culture Trip as “one of the top 10 most beautiful skywalks and overlooks in the world,” extends 624 feet, at a height of 225 feet, into the Kinzua Gorge. For those who do not know the Kinzua Viaduct built of steel in 1900 stood for over 100 years. In 2003, an F1 tornado swept through the Kinzua Gorge, picking up 11 of the huge steel towers, then sending them crashing to the bottom of the Gorge. Within 30 seconds, nature had brought the mighty span to its knees. The fallen bridge towers and nature’s regeneration of the forests are now a living demonstration of the power of wind. Following the tornado, six of the original steel towers from the Kinzua Viaduct were reinvented as the Kinzua Sky Walk. The towers were reinforced with new bridge decking, railroad tracks were repaired, and a partial glass overlook was added at the end of what is now the Kinzua Sky Walk. The skywalk allows visitors to once again experience the thrill of “walking the tracks across the sky.” Park amenities include forest shaded picnic areas and hiking trails. The Kinzua Creek Trail is a challenging trail to the bottom of the gorge; the General Kane Trail is an easy trail suitable for families. To enjoy a picnic at the park, stop at one of the nearby restaurants or grocery stores to pick up supplies for your lunch on the way to the park as currently there are no food services available at the park. The Kinzua Bridge State Park is open daily from 8 am to dusk. A wide variety of accommodations, from the plush, 4 star Lodge at Glendorn to primitive camping, are available.
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bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents
WE’rE OuTTA HEr E RuthCliffe lodge & ReStauRant 1002 QUARRY ROAD, ISLE LA MOTTE, VERMONT 05463 802-928-3200 • RUTHCLIFFE.COM OPEN MAY THRU OCTOBER: RATES AROUND $150/NIGHT INCL. FULL BREAKFAST Every month in this section of Backroads we hope to let our readers know of a great place to escape and slide off the grid. Perhaps an inn, lodge or hotel that may be hidden away someplace special and the perfect place to disappear to. A lot of things can get such a place into these pages. Perhaps it is a good and comfortable feel. Maybe there is a superb restaurant that comes along with the lodge or, sometimes, there is some great history close by or, every now and again, it could simply be that it can be found in one of the most beautiful locations in the northeast. usually there are one or two of these ingredients combined to get it into “We’re Outta Here!” But, on rare occasions we have a lodge to tell you about that combines them all in the very best of ways. As we like to say, “I know this place….” Travel with us this month as we head up to a small island in Lake Champlain and stay with Mark and Kathy Infante and their picture perfect Ruthcliffe Lodge & Restaurant - because this month we really are outta here… Just 7 miles long and 2 miles wide, Isle La Motte is the most northern and remote of the islands that can be found in Lake Champlain which lies between New York and Vermont, with Canada just to the north. It was here that Samuel de Champlain first found the great lake in July of 1609 and the island got its name from Pierre La Motte, a French soldier who
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads built a military outpost on the island in 1666. The tiny island boasts just 500 year-round residents. We arrived on a cloudy day in July after battling a long day of rain, fog and bursts of blinding bright sunlight (right before the rains came back). Riding over the small causeway bridge that leads on to the island we knew that this would be a bit off the beaten track. We followed our route and made a left onto Quarry Road, a narrow road ringed in by trees and a small RV community. I wondered just what we were riding into but remembered almost the same thing a thousand miles away in the Dominican Republic when we rode down a deserted gravel road only to find the most exquisite seaside restaurant at the end. I hoped for a repeat discovery and was very, very happily rewarded for my faith. The Ruthcliffe Lodge and Restaurant is an extraordinarily special place. Family-owned for generations and now operate by Kathy and Mark Infante, the Ruthcliffe Lodge, named after Mark’s mother, has to be one of the neatest places we have found and written about in a long time. Lying right on the rocky eastern shore of Isle LaMotte the views of Vermont’s mountains and Lake Champlain are without peer. The original lodge was built in 1951 by local craftsmen and family members. In 1957 six rooms were added. Clean and comfortable and attached off a small porch, their chairs outside each room make an excellent spot to end the day. In 2001 a sitting room for reading, playing games or just watching TV was added.
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The Ruthcliffe’s restaurant is also a real gem. Outdoor dining is available on the wide deck and the knotty-pine dining room has a classy lakeside relaxed feel to it. Both offer a superb view of Champlain and beyond. Dinner and breakfast are served seven days a week and we’d get a chance at both. All the main offerings are prepared by Mark, with Kathy preparing the delicious desserts, making a wonderfully tempting foodie duo. The menu had a great selection of seafood, chicken, beef, veal, or pasta entrees along with their own homemade soups, warm bread, seasonal greens, and garden fresh vegetables. While we were there Shira had the Seafood Fra Diablo that came with perfectly prepared shrimp, calamari, and scallop in a sauce that certainly gave the devil his due and I had the steak special – also cooked to my exact request and off the charts tasty.
After dinner small talk was made over coffee and Kathy’s yummy desserts, with other guests and some travelers and locals that had come to the Ruthcliffe just for dinner; as the restaurant has earned a region-wide reputation as being one of the finest on the Champlain. We can understand why.
As dusk turned into night the sun cleared the clouds that had pestered us all day and allowed a bath of golden light to paint the Vermont mountains to the east across the still waters. All at the tables agreed it was a stunning sight and even the wait-staff went to grab the digital moment. I was told that sunrise would be at 5:11 in the morning and was promised an even more impressive palette of warm colors.
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Sleep came easily in the Ruthcliffe’s snuggly bed and a few minutes after 5 I rolled the BMW R1200RT from the driveway onto the lodge’s lawn and watched one of the nicest sunrises we have seen in a while creep over the eastern horizon. A few hours later we were sitting on the deck in the bright and brisk morning light having coffee and a light breakfast al fresco, talking with the owners about the other sites on the island including the Chazian Reef, one of the oldest coral reefs in the world and the Fisk farm and quarry. Should you be staying for a day or two, there are kayaks, canoes and bicycles available to rent, fishing and swimming in the lake and other local activities to occupy your time. Mark and Kathy have a stellar place and a true warm and happy getaway tucked onto this tiny island on Lake Champlain. We are always on the search for unique, interesting and comfortable places to bring you with this column – we are pretty sure we have this one all wrapped up for you and we know once you visit the Ruthcliffe Lodge you too will be able to say, “I know this place…”
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
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Hannum’s Harley-Davidson Presents
G rEAT A ll AmErICA N DINE r ruN
tasty places to take your bike
haRRiS CRab houSe 433 KENT NARROW WAY N, GRASONVILLE, MD 21638 410-827-9500 • HARRISCRABHOUSE.COM Standing in a tidal pool just east of Baltimore Watching little blue crabs navigate the eastern shore Beautiful Swimmers - Jimmy Buffett The beautiful Maryland Blue Crab. Of all the creatures that ply the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the bays along the coast of the US, none has drawn quite the following as Callinectes sapidus. With its green and blue body, tinged with orange and claws with pincers all too happy to grab you – they are a stunning natural creation. Hell, there have even been Pulitzers awarded on books about them - Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs and the Chesapeake Bay in 1976 by William W. Warner.
US Route 50 runs right through the top of the Chesapeake Bay and on the eastern side of Kent Island you will find the small fishing community of Grasonsville, Maryland and Harris Crab House & Seafood Restaurant. We first came upon this place about ten years ago. We had met our friends Norm and Denise for a weekend of Bay exploration and Kent Island seemed a convenient place for them being from D.C. and not too far from the ferry crossing over from Cape May, New Jersey. After a day of riding along the backroads of the Eastern Shore we parked the bikes at a nearby hotel and strolled over to Harris for a few crabs. Well, a few dozen! Oh, and for you “stainable” people out there –
Our introduction to the crab and its tasty partner-incrime Old Bay Spice was back in the mid-90s at a backyard CrabFest in western New Jersey. A few bushels of blue crabs were brought up early that morning and there were hundreds of crabs on ice, lying in that semi-stupor unaware of the steaming fate that was coming their way. For me personally, I knew not much of the crab and had come for the music, beer and party. Things fundamentally changed that afternoon – forever. The juicy white meat, so much work to come by, mixed with the tangy red spices of the Old Bay changed a bit of my DNA this day. I was caught, like so many thousands of blue crabs each year in the waters of “The Bay” in Maryland. That was a few decades ago and it seems that since then we have made a couple of runs south to the Chesapeake Bay for our fill of crabs. In truth there are so many crab shacks, restaurants and places that you can buy blue crabs down in these parts, but this month’s Great All American Diner Run features one particular place that has a strategic location, a wonderful setting and has been doing crabs the right way for decades…. Harris Crab House.
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know that over the last few years the crab population, although still a big business, has grown by 35% and continues to rise thanks to well thought out harvesting practices. So feel free to crab at it! Here at Harris Crab House they understand how the process works; steaming crabs correctly and with the right amount of spice is an art. Harris, if not the first, has refined the art over the years. Here at Harris you can order your crab by the size – usually medium, large or jumbo. Remember you get what you pay for and though blue crabs are not cheap – even along the waters in which they are found – they are worth every penny! Order up a bunch of big ones and let them simply pour them out on the paper-covered table. You got your mallet and a bucket for the remains. Good luck kiddo! If you think you can eat a dozen good-size crabs then sit down my friend and prepare to get a bit messy and to put a bit of work into cracking open and ferreting out all that delicious crabby goodness. It is all worth the work and time. Yes, we eat the mustard. (you’ll find out)
Harris is also known for other foods as well. You will find some of the freshest and wonderfully prepare seafood on The Bay and they have crab cakes, lobster and various fish and catches of the day. We saw a superb lobster grilled cheese and the crab soup is simply stunning. You’ll also find burgers, steaks, chicken and other favorites if you are a small-minded land loving toady. At Harris all this crabmania is enjoyed right along the water, just like it should be. Sure, every now and again our local fish-monger has some crabs sitting in a wooden basket looking tired and weary after being trucked up the coast, but as good as we can do them at Backroads Central (and we do crabs right) you will never beat sitting down and getting messy along the water of the Chesapeake Bay and it is hard to find a better place to do just that than Harris Crab House in Grasonville, Maryland.
Enjoy this great time of year but… beware the wet leaves and acorns.
ZACK’S V-TWIN CYCLES Demo Rides Financing available Trade-ins accepted
799 Violet Ave/Route 9G, Hyde Park, NY
845-229-1177 • www.ZacksVTwin.com
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
I Know This Place Mac n cheese
Page 23 water. Desserts are served, should you have the room. There is inside and outdoor seating, but being as they reside in a mini-mall environment, inside is a good option. Your cheesy entrees will range from $6-14/serving (remember they are hefty, so you’ll probably have leftovers) and Balls are around $5 each.
mix n maC 280 ROUTE 211 EAST, MIDDLETOWN, NY 10940 845-381-5536 • WWW.MIXNMAC.COM HOURS: MON-SAT 11:30AM-8PM • CLOSED SUNDAYS We have written about this area of Middletown before – it’s more of a fly-over zone with the confluence of I-84 and Route 17. Here is a reason to get off the droneway and settle in for some good comfort food. Michele and Jason, the husband and wife team, have taken their restaurant experience to put forth a genius concept. From the moment you could eat solid food, mac n’ cheese has been a staple in most of our lives. Served in school cafeterias around the country, Michele and Jason have bumped it up many notches, serving up more than 25 variations on their regular menu, with specialties ever present. Of course, it all starts with cheese; they go through 250 lbs. of it a week. American, Cheddar, Fontina, Pepperjack (from scratch), Swiss, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella and Parmesan, just to name a few. Their MACs are made with elbow noodles in your choice of regular, whole grain or gluten free and the serving is a large 1 ½ lbs. of gooey goodness. If you are from another planet and have never had mac n’ cheese before, you should start with the basic American. Just a few of their creative and inventive dishes are: Sloppy Joe – seasoned ground beef, sloppy joe sauce, green peppers and cheddar, Cheese Steak – grilled steak, green peppers, caramelized onions and American, Chipotle BBQ Chicken – grilled chicken, roasted corn, cilantro, chipotle BBQ and American, BHS – smoked bacon, baked ham and Swiss, Breakfast – ham, bacon, caramelized onion, fried egg, potato sticks and American and Lobster – ¼ lb. lobster, roasted shallots, sherry tarragon cream and mozzarella. You can just imagine what the other options might bring you. Should you not see something to your liking, you can mix it up your own way. Have you tried their Balls? If not, you are in for a treat; homemade mac n’ cheese fried to cheesy crunchy goodness – pick your favorite flavor: American Cheddar, Bacon Cheddar, Triple Cheese Cranberry or their weekly special and plop it in their tomato cream dipping sauce. Need better Balls? Go for their Smothered Balls that are topped with all beef chili, shredded cheddar, smoky lime sour cream, red onion and cilantro or Ricotta Balls, topped with seasoned Ricotta, shredded mozzarella, Asiago, fresh basil and basil garlic oil. Feeling a bit tight in the chest from the cholesterol? Add a little green to your plate with a number of delicious salads. To wash it down they have a number of designer pops as well as the tried and true, juices and
Get away from that Kraft yellow and blue box and head to Middletown for some inventive, homemade cheesy deliciousness. Wash it down with some YooHoo and bring back those childhood memories.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Cool Cow iCe CReam & CRepeS
51 ROUTE 23 – PLAzA 51, FRANKLIN, NJ (ACROSS FROM HARDYSTON SCHOOL) 973-864-2611 • ww.coolcownj.com Seasonal - check hours before visiting • Sunday-Thursday: Noon-9pm • friday + Saturday: Noon-10pm
iNSIDE SCOOP
Many, many months ago we were having a meal somewhere and on the table were those paper placemats featuring multiple local businesses. Brian and I play a game – pick which business in each row you would visit. Usually it’s a landscaper or antique shop or some such nonsense. On this particular day, my eyes locked on the words ‘ice cream & crepes.’ What a great combination and one that I could hardly resist. I tore out the small square and tucked it in my wallet for future reference. Little did I know that it would take me so long to get to a place that is relatively close to Backroads Central, but isn’t that always the way? We were heading back from ‘down below’ in Bergen County (that’s what we who live in Sussex County call you lowlanders) and I vectored north on Route 23, as I somehow remembered that little slip of paper in my wallet. Fishing it out, we soon came upon Cool Cow Ice Cream & Crepes in a very small strip mall (really only two storefronts) across from Hardyston School. Pulling in, we saw it was dark (it was just coming on noon on a Wednesday, perhaps a little early for ice cream for most). We peaked inside, seeing the colorfully decorated walls and menu, and were just about to pull out when a car came into the lot. Out popped Marko and Corey, owners and chefs at Cool Cow, with Skyler (4) and Charlette (3 months) in tow. We went in and, while they were prepping for the day, we got the story behind their unique and oh-so-tasty shop. They had jokingly talked about opening an ice cream shop, as there was nothing in the area since the Dairy Queen was taken over by Starbucks. Jokes turned into reality and, one year ago Cool Cow opened its doors to long lines and happy customers. Not wanting just another ice cream shop, they invested in some crepe makers, which were quickly upgraded to top quality French-made. Their ice cream offerings are a mixture of homemade and commercial, with some excellent flavors and quality. Their use of fresh fruit, whipped cream and homemade cookies put their creations in the upper echelon of ice creameries. Once the crepe makers were at their cooking temperatures, I had to make my decision from the luscious menu. They offer their Signature Crepes along with any combination that you may desire. Signature choices include Cannoli Crunch: cannoli cream, crushed cannoli shells, Hershey’s mini chocolate chips, garnished with Hershey’s chocolate, whipped cream and mini chocolate chips; Strawberry
For over 35 years Circle Cycle has helped riders get and stay on the road Our variety of powersports products is second to none. Whether you’re riding offroad, backroads, or on the track, we’re here to get you where you need to go. In northern New Jersey there isn’t a friendlier or more knowledgeable staff than ours. We’re happy to help you find the parts you’ve been looking for.
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016 Cheesecake: fresh strawberries, strawberry topping, cheesecake pieces, garnished with whipped cream, strawberry syrup and a strawberry; and Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzel: Nutella cream, crushed pretzel & caramel, garnished with whipped cream, Hershey’s chocolate, caramel & pretzel pieces. I opted for the Elvis Presley which, as they say, the King would be proud of: Nutella cream, bananas, peanut butter and mini Reeses peanut butter chips garnished with whipped cream, Hershey’s chocolate, mini Reeses peanut butter chips and banana. I went the extra caloric mile and added a scoop of Elephant’s Never Forget (peanut butter ice cream made with real peanuts, fudge and brownie bites). Watching Marko make this creation was mouthwatering enough, but to get a bite of this warm, perfectly created golden crepe oozing peanut butter and chocolate syrup was beyond. The ice cream was super creamy and wonderfully balanced with the bananas and chocolate. While waiting for my crepe I also tasted their Java Chip (espresso ice cream with chocolate chips) and Dirty Diapers (triple chocolate blend and a chocoholics dream, despite its name). Should you decide on any of their ice cream, shakes or floats, you’ll have loads from which to choose. You can get your vanilla, chocolate or strawberry separately, but why stop there? How about a Neapolitan shake: layered chocolate/strawberry & vanilla topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup? Or maybe Mint Oreo: mint chocolate chip shake mixed with Oreo crumbles, topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup & Oreo crumbles? I hear their Black and White shakes are the bomb. Looking for just a light bite? Go for a custom cookie sandwich: two freshly made cookies (chocolate chip, candy chip or peanut butter) filled with your choice of hard or soft ice cream. No matter what you decide, you will not be disappointed with Cool Cow’s ice cream, crepes or any other dairy delights. Just ask the boss, Skyler; he’s in charge of quality control and takes his job very seriously. Here’s a nice little ride to get you out of the ‘lowlands’ and up to the country. Enjoy and we’ll see you next month, wherever we might be.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Rip & Ride® • COOl COW CrEPES AND ICE CrEAm 51 rOuTE 23 – PlAzA 51, frANklIN, NJ (ACrOSS frOm HArDySTON SCHOOl) • DOWNlOAD .GPx HErE: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/scvckb
STArT AT HANOvEr POWErSPOrTS 210 rOuTE 10, EAST HANOvEr, NJ lEG DIrECTIONS TAkE rOuTE 10 WEST
TOTAl
kEEP lEfT ONTO rOuTE 10
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kEEP rIGHT ONTO E HANOvEr AvE
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lEfT ONTO bArTlEy rD
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rIGHT ONTO DrAkESTOWN rD
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lEfT ONTO uS 46
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rIGHT ONTO WIllOW GrOvE ST
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lEfT ONTO uS 206
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bEAr rIGHT ONTO lACkAWANNA Dr
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lEfT ONTO INDIAN TrAIl
2.6 mI
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rIGHT ONTO PrOSPECT POINT rD
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kEEP lEfT ONTO brADy rD
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STrAIGHT ONTO WElDON rD
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lEfT ONTO SPArTA mOuNTAIN rD
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rIGHT ONTO GlEN rD
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rIGHT ONTO OlD PrOSPECT SCHOOl rD 1.1 mI
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rIGHT ONTO frANklIN AvE
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rIGHT ONTO HWy 23 SOuTH
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ArrIvE AT COOl COW
0.3 mI
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rIGHT ONTO W mOuNTAIN rD
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
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EVENT RECAP
HuDSON vAllEy HArlEy DAvIDSON 2017 lAuNCH PArTy Patricia Young The unveiling of the new 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycles did not roll into Hudson Valley Harley Davidson – they roared, as smooth as Cool Hand Luke. (For those of you who may not be familiar with Luke, in a nutshell, he refused to submit to the system.) In Harley Davidson’s case – they are not only creating, they are constantly perfecting and advancing the technology of their systems. There has never been a failure in communication between Harley Davidson and its customers. The 2017s are the perfect example of listening and hearing what riders have asked for– you can ride hot but your engine will run noticeably cooler. More power. More comfort. More control. Today, Harley-Davidson redefined touring by unveiling the all-new Milwaukee-Eight™ engine, the ninth Big Twin in its history, plus all-new front and rear suspension for its Model Year 2017 Touring motorcycle lineup. The new Milwaukee-Eight engine is a clean-sheet design that combines the classic look, sound and feel of HarleyDavidson Big Twin engines with improvements in every aspect of engine performance. Explore the new models like The Ultra Limited Low, “Settle into the low seat for high miles” Or the very popular Iron 883. “A great leap forward in the dark arts.” Yet the HVHD Launch was not just about the bikes, it was about the people. The party began in the parking lot. Beautiful bikes stood on either side of the entrance to the new sleek industrial design in the Hudson Valley location. An arch of colorful balloons, music and laughter filled the inside of this huge space. Only a handful of miles from the new bling of Westchester’s much anticipated Tappan zee Bridge, HVHD stretches across the Hudson Valley as a dealership who has had the bar set higher than ape hangers. As I watched the final preparations being made, it was obvious, everyone on the HVHD team was excited. Many of the new machines were available to see first hand and the crowds took advantage to see the machines in person and get a look at the all-new Milwaukee-Eight Engine. It’s not a party without food right? Hot fresh pizza and beverages were available, which allowed groups of visitors to sit, eat and talk without feeling rushed or compelled to make a purchase. It was to enjoy the event and the day with each other. Which was evident since people stayed all day and some well past closing! HVHD wants to develop relationships, not one night stands. It has a friendly, warm atmosphere with a knowledgeable staff, an impressive selection, fab clothes, parts and accessories in a great location. You might have heard the saying, “Home is where your story begins.” But it is on a motorcycle, on the road, where you fill-in the chapters and continue writing. So, Happy New Year – a little early. Where will your ride take you? Hudson Valley Harley-Davidson can be found at 33 Route 304, Nanuet, New York.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
PrODuCT SPOTlIGHTS GAS Off by brIGGS & STrATTON It’s happened to every one of us who rides a motorcycle and pumps their own gas. You encounter that ‘one pump’ that’s too fast, too clicky or too finicky. You try to get the flow just right but it sputters and splashes gasoline all over your hands, gloves or anything nearby the gas hole. You try soap and water, you try bug wipes you may have in your tank bag, you may even resort to the grungy soapy water in the window washer bin for your face shield. Nothing gets that smell of gas off. Until now. Briggs & Stratton has developed Gas Off, available in wipes and spray bottle. A safe, new product that actually removes gas odor and residue from hands, fabrics, plastic surfaces and paint. Gas Off doesn’t mask the odor, it eliminates it. The special mal-odor, nano-scale formula removes the odor and residue from fuel spills and grime from pumps, leaving hands clean and odor-free. The water-based formula won’t dry out your hands like alcohol-based cleaners. Recently encountering one of ‘those pumps’ we had the opportunity to test the Gas Off wipes. The gas had splashed on bike, helmet, hands and gloves and the Gas Off completely took the odor away, with a little more wiping necessary on the gloves. The press n’ seal closure for the 15-wipe pack helps to keep the unused wipes from drying out if not used quickly. Gas Off is available in single-use, 8 oz. spray bottle and larger tub for use in the garage. You can get your Gas Off through Briggs & Stratton website, through Amazon or at many big box stores. It’s a great thing to keep on your bike for those nasty gas spills and sputters • briggsandstratton.com
COlOr mE CAuTIOuS… Or COlOr mE DEAD! Yes, this is a real book! For many, a visit to Yellowstone National Park is the vacation of a lifetime. Where else can you stare into the depths of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, watch in wonder as Old Faithful erupts on cue, come face-to-face with a lumbering bison—or be boiled alive in a thermal pool? Perhaps you’d prefer to be torn apart by a grizzly bear during a peaceful morning hike?
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PrODuCT SPOTlIGHTS In Yellowstone National Park: A Cautionary Coloring Book, you’ll find facts about the park, advice on its many animals (peaceful and otherwise), and tips to help you stay alive during what hopefully isn’t your last trip to the nation’s first national park. “Yellowstone National Park offers its visitors more spectacular natural wonders—and as many ways to die while enjoying those wonders—than anywhere on the planet,” says Andy Robbins, author and illustrator of the alternative coloring book geared towards mature colorists. “I wanted to make a coloring book about dying in Yellowstone National Park that would be educational, funny, and unflinchingly gory,” Robbins explains. “Being eaten by a grizzly bear or falling into a thermal pool aren’t traditional coloring book fare, but to make the point that Yellowstone can be hazardous, I tried to depict these incidents in ways that are horrific, but also comical.” “When we hear about a park visitor getting gored by a bison while trying to take a selfie with the animal, or falling off an overlook or into a hot spring despite numerous warning signs, we shake our heads and think, ‘How could someone be so stupid?’ In reality though, this could be any of us, dying on vacation because we stopped paying attention or thought that the rules applied to someone else.” “So my coloring book speaks about this sense of entitlement while reminding readers that Yellowstone is not a theme park or a petting zoo. At the edge of the boardwalk, the real Yellowstone begins, and it’s a very wild place,” concludes Robbins. “This, of course, is what makes Yellowstone so special.” Yellowstone National Park: A Cautionary Coloring Book, $8.95, Caput Mortuum Books is available at local bookstores and gift shops, through online retailers, or from Farcountry Press at 800-821-3874.
mTA DISTrIbuTING OffErING OIlS AND ADDITIvES frOm GErmANy In the future it will be easier for motorcycle and powersports owners to find high quality oils and additives from Germany. LIQUI MOLY’s line of products for twowheelers, ATV’s, UTV’s and Snowmobiles will now be sold nationwide by wholesale dealer MTA Distributing. “This is a great step for our distribution in the motorcycle sector”, said Sebastian zelger, responsible for LIQUI MOLY’s US business. “MTA Distributing (Motorcycle Tires & Accessories) is one of the leading aftermarket distributors in the motorcycle, ATV and UTV sector. MTA has five logistics centers throughout the country. LIQUI MOLY supplies supreme top quality products from Germany. We offer more than just oils - our line includes a complete range of chemical products, such as additives and service sprays for motorcycles.” To date LIQUI MOLY has been selling its motorcycle products at the regional level. MTA Distributing will now make them available nationwide for the first time. “The motorcycle sector is a world unto itself with its own distribution channels”, continued Mr. zelger. LIQUI MOLY’s presence is also reflected in the MotoGP series where all teams in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes around the world run exclusively with LIQUI MOLY oil - produced 100% in Germany. LIQUI MOLY’s commitment to the power sports industry in North America is clearly shown in the sponsorship of the National MotoAmerica Racing Series and the Canadian Superbike Championship Series.
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Time Rider
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Playing with the clocks along the Skylands of New Jersey Brian Rathjen
It seems to me that my adoptive state of New Jersey takes a lot of smack from riders who have never even been to the Garden State. Oh, I do admit that flying into Newark Liberty at night with the refinery stacks ablaze looks a bit more like Thunder Dome than Thunder Road, but I blame that more on New York City sprawl than anything that New Jersey really has to offer. The history of this state runs deep and the first real victory we had as a nation happened in New Jersey. Other very important firsts happened here as well. The first baseball game in Hoboken in 1846, the first copper mine in America was opened by Dutch settlers in the Kittatinny Mountains in 1640 and, most importantly, the first brewery was started in 1642. Yes, Jersey strong. That just begins to scratch the surface of Jersey’s deep history, but though history really is the story of time, this day time, and the ride, would take on another meaning. Things would be different tomorrow. Each year most of America goes through the ritual of moving the clocks around. In the spring it is Daylight Saving Time and we seem to gain an extra hour of riding. In the fall we slide back to Standard Time and our time to ride
grows even shorter than the quickly setting sun during these days. A few months back you could ride till almost 9 pm and still have light. This day it would get dark around supper and the sun, when it was up, was low and annoying in the sky. It’s all about time and seasons. It was with this knowledge that I slipped out of the office for an afternoon ride, the day before the clocks would be set back one hour, on BMW’s new S 1000 XR and followed along some of the backroads that I frequent here in the northwest corner of New Jersey. New Jersey is bordered on the west by the Delaware River and the Skylands Region of the state lies just to the north of where good ol’ George and the boys rowed over one snowy Christmas morning and gave the Hessian and the British what for in the tiny town of Trenton – now the State Capital. It seemed that just a couple weeks earlier the autumn colors were turned up to the max and around each turn another burst of nature’s palette was in view. This day the air was crisp with a chill and the leaves were muted and falling. Times were changing. On the back end of New Jersey, above the Delaware River, you will run across the Kittatinny Mountains. Actually more ridge than peak, and less than 100 miles away from Manhattan, the forests of Kittatinny Ridge are part, according to the National Park Service, of the largest remaining deciduous forests in the United States. Hardwood, wetlands, streams, bogs and abundant wildlife fill this part of my state. It is not unusual to run across deer, bear, bobcat, fisher, great blue heron and the rare cougar in the region called the Walpack Valley. Much of this old nature has been untouched and was first kept this way by philanthropists, and one unanticipated benefit of the Vietnam War. What’s that you say? Vietnam? Indeed, but I’ll get back to this later. My ride began with a late lunch at a nearby drive-in called the Chatterbox. Northern New Jersey riders will be familiar with this restaurant and their Thursday ‘Bike Nights’ draw a large and mixed riding crowd. It is a very retro-style ‘Happy Days’ sort of place, with lots to see inside
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along with the dining, and the XR could almost look out of place where so many Harleys and Hot Rods gather, but this day the crowds were light and a table easy to get. Sated and ready, I pointed the XR off the busier Route 206 and onto the smaller county roads that are sprinkled around Sussex and Warren counties here in the Skylands. This area was home to the Lenape tribes, long before the first Europeans came along, but when Dutch and others did settle, they followed along native foot trails, that became tiny paths and eventually developed into many of the county roads that you find here today. In fact one road, Old Mine, is reputed to be one of the oldest in America. Heading south I let the S 1000 XR lope around at an easy pace as this machine, beast that it can be, makes an excellent explorative companion and there was no need to go Jedi when all I was looking for was a nice afternoon putt around the region. Although I kept switching around the three modes that control the bike – I found ‘Road’ to be just fine. Heading down CR 521 and then through the sleepy town of Stillwater, I crossed over the Paulinskill, which runs south from the ridges and empties into the river some miles away, and then up and over the hills, passing through a region that still has avoided the McMansion trend and has stayed close to its horse and farm roots. Along the road to the left I passed by the Snowmobile Barn, a must see for snow machine enthusiasts and a place full of old time Americana as well.
Looping back west and through some of the tinier roads that are just used by locals, I was impressed, once again, with the S 1000 XR’s nimbleness and handling. The upright, almost GS ergonomics lent itself for a very comfortable and maneuverable ride. I crossed over the Paulinskill again on Stone Bridge Road, which not surprisingly has a very nice stone bridge along its way.
From there I moved along towards the Walpack Valley. This place is truly a step back in time, as it has very little in the way of development and has recently been taken over by the National Park Service – which could be good or bad. As of now it is a good thing as the Feds have invested some needed money in the area and the roads, except for one short very rough stretch, are being better maintained.
Long Island
Kawasaki
67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY
www.LIKawasaki.com • 516-935-6969
Page 32 The XR’s suspension ate up that bumpy spot with ease. Before I mentioned that a big part of this region is as pristine as it is because of the Vietnam War. Well, that is the truth. In August of 1955, Hurricanes Connie and Diane crushed this area. The
OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS rivers and streams overflowed their banks and nearly 100 people were swept away and drowned at a campsite at Broadhead Creek, across the river on the Pennsylvania side. The Army Corps of Engineers sought to construct a series of dams and reservoirs along the Delaware, with one dam at the southern tip of Tocks Island. The proposed Tocks Island Dam would have created a lake-sized reservoir roughly 40 miles long and a mile wide. Before building it, some 600 families and property owners whose land would be flooded were told to move. Some of these families had lived on and worked the land for centuries. People settled for buyouts and eminent domain ruled the region. Tensions ran high, people left, others squatted, homes were razed, native and European settler history lost forever. And, just when it looked like it would turn really ugly the United States got involved in southeast Asia. With a war developing in Vietnam the Tocks Island Dam Project was shelved and eventually abandoned; and what that left is… a stunning valley closed in by the Kittatinny Ridge, one of the highest waterfalls in the northeast - Buttermilk Falls one of the oldest pristine old growth rifts –Tillmans Ravine – and miles of superb motorcycling roads. You’ll even find a ghost town. The historic Old Mine Road runs right though here. At a length of 104 miles, it
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stretches from the Delaware Water Gap to the vicinity of Kingston, New York and is said to be one of the oldest roads in continuous use in the country. Up north in New York State it is a modern thoroughfare, here along the western edge of New Jersey it is far more rustic. I followed Old Mine Road up along the river, passing Dingmans Bridge, one of the few privately owned bridges in the country, and then towards the border of New York. Along the way I rode by farms, forest, graveyards and historical sites. A large bear rambled across the road, allowing me to give the XR’s brakes a thorough testing. This part of Jersey certainly has its flavor. Right about then my fuel light lit up and I knew my route would take me close to Port Jervis, New York and its plethora of gas stations just off Interstate 84. If you stay on the New Jersey side of the line here the fuel is a bunch cheaper, so I did just that and now, with enough gas for a couple of these jaunts, I headed up toward the highest point in New Jersey – aptly named High Point State Park. This Saturday the crowds were almost non-existent except for the local Corvette Club doing, more or less, what I was doing on the bike. Here at the highest elevation in the state at 1,803 feet, you will find the War Veteran Monument created by master mason Michael Maddaluna in the late 1920s. The Obelisk, as it is sometimes called, is made from New Hamp-
Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS shire granite and Shawangunk quartz, can be seen for miles and the views from its top reach deep into three different states. Although lunch was had miles back at the Chatterbox I had saved dessert for a great place right down the road from High Point called the Elias Cole. I have never had a bad meal here, but their pies are worth the trip all by themselves. With renewed sugar and caffeine I soldiered on, heading south and then west on County Road 519, or as I like to call it, The Mother Road, as it stretches nearly 90 miles from the state line in New York through some of the most pleasant parts of New Jersey’s Sussex, Warren and Hunterdon counties to finally end at the Delaware River halfway down the state. Along this road, with the shadow of the Kittatinny Ridge to the right, I made a stop at Beemerville, New Jersey. Yes, for those of you who know not of northwest New Jersey, there is indeed a Beemerville. You will find another curious place here as well in Space Farms, part zoo, part museum, part animal research facility; Space Farms is worth a quick fly by. From there it was a short ride back towards home, with a very slow putt through one town full of little ghosts, goblins and superheroes making the Halloween rounds. The XR did not like the 5-mile per hour stroll through this town one bit. Home base was not far away and minutes later I rolled the S 1000 XR into the barn, just as the sun was heading down and night was rolling in from the east. The last day of Saving Time was done and that night, before bed, I turned all the clocks in the house back an hour. The next day came up with cold temperatures and spotty rain. It seemed with the changing of the clocks the seasons had dramatically changed too… I guess it’s all about time.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
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THE 2016 rAmAPO 500 – 40 YEARS AND GOING STRONG Words: Day One: Brian Rathjen • Day Two: Tony Lisanti Almost three decades ago, when Shira and I were deeply involved with the Sport Touring Motorcycle Club, one of the year’s biggest events was the annual running of the Ramapo 500. Back then it seemed that every July the members of the Ramapo Club would seek out the most ornery, difficult and, sometimes, dangerous routes and then entice a few hundred other riders to give them money to follow along said ornery, difficult and, sometimes, dangerous routes and do so with much eagerness. We were happily part of this group. Looking back now perhaps I remember things a little differently than they actually happened or perhaps the legends have gotten bigger or my memories have gotten more colorful. We call it Rau Syndrome - the systematic exaggeration of the facts of any given motorcycle event. But, I clearly remember half lane gravel roads along sheer thousand foot cliffs, poison-soaked punji sticks lined valleys and forests full of rapid and angry dragons. I clearly remember making it back to the old Red Apple Rest ecstatic that we finished and would get our patch claiming so, all the while lamenting the dozens of friends and fellow riders that simply vanished during Sunday’s ride home. This was years ago and that is how I remember it. In truth we haven’t been on a Ramapo 500 in nearly a decade so with an extra ten years of maturity behind us we eagerly signed up for this year’s 500. Our Ramapo adventure would only last one day, as we would be continuing up into northern New York, before looping around to the BMW National Rally later in the week. But, still we were at the sign-in spot in Congers New York at 7 am that Saturday ready to go. Years back we would make a game of trying to follow the 500’s route sheets without making an error, wrong turn or leading our group into a tribe of angry Iroquois. If you were in the lead and missed a turn or led some of the group into a fate worse than death, well then you were shamefully put to the end of the line and the next rider along the chain would lead until he or she screwed up and got tossed to the back. These days, with modern GPS technology, route sheets have become a needless and dangerous nuisance. Yes, we still offer our Rip & Ride Route Sheets in these very pages, but we kinda hope you use them as a template for a more rider-friendly GPX file. These days the Ramapo Motorcycle Club offers both the classic route sheet pages and routing for the GPS. There was an extra five buck charge for this extra effort, but that went to Helen Hayes Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation in Haverstraw, NY.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS We get the convenience of the voice prompting us where to go and when to turn and the hospital gets a bit of coin to help things along. Great idea. Still the line to get the file onto your GPS was as long as the queue for the ladies room at a Saint Patrick’s Night Dance. They might reconsider how to go about doing this in an easier manner for the riders and the club. Trying to avoid riding with a larger group we shamefully ditched most of our friends and hooked up with another couple with whom we have ridden thousands of miles, Ken and Karen Hilley. Ken rides with a confident and talented manner and sails through the backroads as if on a two cylinder German magic carpet. It is a good idea to do rides like the Ramapo 500 with like-minded riders and the Hilleys always fit that bill. And, Ken buys us ice cream too. This year’s ride did an excellent job of avoiding the dangers and trouble that I so tenderly remember from rides past. Gone were the hordes of angry Huns. Gone were the earthquake ravaged roads. Gone were the 20 miles of baby head stones through which to navigate. What the reality was … was about 250 miles of the most pleasant and well thought out roads neatly sewn together. The hot and humid days that led up to this weekend had been replaced with a very pleasant mid 60s and, for me, I prefer a light cloud cover to the blazing summer sun with its shadows, glare and visual tricks it throws at us. Sure, there was some rain followed by breaks of sun and perfect conditions, followed by fog, and some rain and wet leafy strewn roads – but it was the Ramapo 500 and there had to be some difficulties. We like to call it tradition. Beside, can you imagine how much Ramapo paid to have this schizophrenic weather brought in for this? What we always hope for on events like these is to come across some roads we had not ridden before, or perhaps had and simply forgotten. The Ramapo 500 surely did this – just like it has for 40 trips around the sun. There was a solid reason that Backroads Magazine gave the Ramapo Club our Lifetime Achievement in Motorcycling Excellence Award (The LAME Award) last year. That is not to say that this year’s 500 did not have some oddities.
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
Page 37 We began to call him The Walking Dude, but, perhaps not as evil as Randall Flagg, he sure was creepy. It was later in the day and we were making our way along the Ramapo’s route when we thought it might be time for a cup of coffee. A little break from the fog, sun, rain fog, sun we had been dancing with all day. I went to slow for an upcoming general store. Shira saw me slow and she pulled in too. Kenny did not as he rounded the left hand curve and sped down the road. Shira said she would wait and I took off after our friends. About a mile or so down the road Kenny realized we were not behind him and slowed to a stop to wait. I thought. I pulled up next to him and went to tell him we had stopped a mile or so back and he simply was staring straight ahead and said something to the effect, ”This might not be the friendliest spot.” I didn’t know what he meant until I followed his gaze to the tall man in black clothes and black hooded sweatshirt – he was standing just off the road and staring silently like some sort of creepy sentinel. Karen said, very loudly, that, “He is so freakin’ creepy!” We kept an eye on him as we u-turned to go back and grab Shira. Riding back past the same spot some 10 minutes later The Walking Dude was still there and still unmoving. We found out later that many, many riders rode past TWD this day. This is why they say - I Love New York! Late afternoon found us up at the Blackthorne Resort, a very biker-friendly place indeed, and that night those who camped and hoteled got to hang, tell exaggerated stories of 500 passed and enjoy a great meal al fresco and see the various awards given out by the Ramapo Club’s Fred Peck before calling it a night.
Day Two The promised morning sun had been pulled from the lineup and clouds and rain kept in the game for Sunday. I’d love to tell you about Sunday’s 500 run back south, but Shira and I had plans to the north so let me hand you over to our intrepid colleague Tony Lisanti to fill you in on the ride back home. Take it away Tony….
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
STAr DATE 07-09-2016: my fIrST rAmAPO 500
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Did Captain Kirk camp? Well if he did he would have found the Bridge was a little moist. As Brian mentioned, the lineage of the Ramapo 500 is one of challenge. So I would have to endure camping in the rain, but I find this actually fun in some twisted way. Besides, it didn’t rain until after the festivities concluded that night. More proof the Ramapo MC were in cahoots with the weather gods. The Saturday evening rain gave way to a cloudless and warmer Sunday. With a psuedo-breakfast and camping coffee consumed, we said our goodbyes as Brian and Shira headed north. Our intrepid group consisting of navigator extraordinaire, Paul Donohue, Kim Harvey and Laurie Mack as we set off on the route. This day would take us east from Durham, NY toward the Hudson River. We skirted south along the Hudson and made our way to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Riding across this bridge is as serene and peaceful as it gets. From there, the route meandered northeast through Columbia County. The route consisted of a good mix of twisty state and county roads. By late morning we were in Lebanon, NY in Rensselaer County for a much needed fuel stop. The morning sun began to turn into mid day heat as the temperature climbed into the high 80’s. We continued into Massachusetts and the Berkshires and made our way to Stockbridge for lunch. After this much needed break, the journey took us southeast and into the Mount Washington State Forest where the roads narrowed and took us up and over the mountain in a natural canopy of shade trees. The route serpentined down the west side of the park through a series of tight hairpins passed Bash Bish Falls into Copake, NY. From there, we meandered through the foothills of the Columbia and Dutchess County. By late afternoon we were in the southern portion of Dutchess County and we said our good byes to Kim and Laurie who headed back north. Paul and I continued back towards the Hudson through Fishkill and down to Cold Spring. In short order we were across the Bear Mountain Bridge and on Route 17 headed south toward Rhodes Tavern to collect our all important finisher patch. We thanked the club members that were there for putting together an awesome ride. Paul and I then parted ways with smiles on our faces knowing we finished a terrific weekend of riding. Having completed my first 500 all I can do is lament the fact that I had not been on one earlier. The Ramapo MC mapped out a great route and put on a terrific event. Let’s hope they continue this tradition for another 40 trips around the sun.
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WEISEr ulTrAbrIGHTS ExTrEmE lED TurN SIGNAl INDICATOrS WEISER AND BRIGHTER Looking for a bit more conspicuity? For current BMW owners this task has just gotten a bit easier. The new Weiser UltraBrights Extreme LED turn signal indicators for BMW motorcycles work far better and brighter than what came with the bike from Germany. The advantages of LED turn signals are well known. They almost never need replacing given their extremely long life, if one bulb does fail to function the other LED’s remain lit so that you are never without a functional turn signal, and finally and perhaps most importantly, LED turn signals are considerably brighter adding both conspicuity and safety to your ride. The upgrades by Weiser are intended to fit any BMW Arrow Head OEM turn signal housing from model year 2006 and up. Since Weiser UltraBRIGHTS Extreme are sold two turn signal upgrades in a package, you are going to need two packages if you want to replace both the front and rear turn signals on your motorcycle. When you open the package you will find two LED turn signal indicator inserts, two locking keys (clips) and an easy to follow set of installation instructions. You can also find an installation video on their website.
I am about the least handy guy around when it comes to motorcycle maintenance and frankly I was skeptical that I would be able to do a professional installation job on the turn signals. I am usually spooked by tampering with anything that deals with the electrical system on my bike and my practice has always been to have all things electrical professionally done. Nevertheless, I thought that this time I would give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised. The entire procedure only took about five minutes per turn signal. I was able to replace all four turn signals in less than 20 minutes. The installation was simple to do and the directions included in the package were clear and concise and contained helpful full color photos. There was only one screw to take out on each turn signal assembly, just two plug in wires to unplug and reconnect (positive and negative), and two locking keys (one for each assembly) which needed to simply be pushed into the slots. There was one tricky part. Lining up the LED assembly with the locking key and the outer housing during reassembly was a bit problematic if not frustrating. Having said that, it was only a minor inconvenience. Installation was overall really quite easy and you can definitely do this by yourself no matter your skill level. Weiser markets their high intensity LED amber lights as “the brightest LED turn signals available” and they don’t disappoint. Once installed, these turn signals are absolutely brilliant and are visible from great distances. They are a huge upgrade over the BMW OEM Arrow Head turn signals that come on the R1200GS and will help to announce your intentions in a big way if you are changing lanes or turning at an intersection.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
mOTO-SkIvEEz® • MAKING YOUR BOTTOM MORE BEARABLE Everyone who rides has had a problem with the bottom burn. When spending any considerable time in the saddle, you first start to feel the slight itch, then the discomfort, burn and pain begins to spread. Standing on the pegs gives a bit of relief but you have to take a seat soon enough and the process starts over. There are very few OEM seats that are completely comfortable from the get-go, so changing saddles is one option to maximize your comfort, although a very pricey one. Aftermarket seat pads, ranging from sheepskin to air to beads, may be an option for some but either look shoddy or add too much height to the seat to be viable. The simplest way to start would be a change of undergarments. There are quite a few products out there, ranging from slick design to modified bicycle shorts, but Moto-Skiveez® has taken that a step further. Shawn Lupcho, owner, motorcyclist and competitive bicyclist, took the principles of bicyclist shorts and reworked them specifically towards motorcyclists. There are three versions available for men: Sport, Cruiser and Adventure. Each has its own design and padding specific to that riding style. The main body of the Moto-Skiveez® are constructed using different materials; nylon and polyester mesh. Both types use an 8% mix of elastane (similar to Spandex) to allow for stretch. Both types are very light yet very strong when stretched. The combination of materials creates a base garment that is optimized for moisture management and breathability. Developed in 2014 from a proprietary process used by a Spanish cycle team, the padding starts as liquid foam, much like a shaving cream. It is put through a negative pressure chamber that cracks the air bubbles, leaving a solidified material that is both dense but extremely breathable. This gives it excellent wicking properties, softness, it’s anti-bacterial and machine washable (no bleach and no tumble drying). Connected with four needle flat seam construction creates a high quality garment for maximum comfort.
The Lady Skiveez® is similarly constructed with attention given to the anatomical differences in women. While there are three varieties for men, the women’s market is not yet strong enough to develop that, thus the Lady Skiveez® is more a universal design catering to an upright seating position but with padding extended to the top of the legs. The female tailbone is a bit broader so the padding needed to be made so as well. It is laser cut so the padding’s thickness varies from pressure point contact to the outer leg. From their website: The LADY Moto-Skiveez® employs the latest in bicycle pad technology. Developed in Italy, this new technology creates a multi density pad using only a single layer of proprietary foam. The pad is attached to a breathable, lightweight undergarment specifically designed for the female anatomy. This garment is comprised of two different fabrics. The first fabric is chosen to allow moisture transfer. The second is a mesh fabric selected for its breath-ability. The use of different Worth the ride from anywhere!
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fabrics creates a base garment that is optimized for moisture management and breath-ability. Okay, so now you know how they are made, but how do they road test? I got a pair of medium Lady Skiveez® from Shawn at the BMW rally in Hamburg, NY this summer. My first wearing was for the ride home, a long day’s ride. It was warm but not extreme, and we did make a few stops. While I didn’t get the chance to wash them before wearing, as is suggested, they still fit just fine. The waist sits where it should and the slight compression is not uncomfortable. The padding did feel just a bit stiff but on future trips and after one or two washings it was a bit more pliable. My only wish, and this is for my riding style and position, is that it catered a bit more to the sport riding position. Even though I’m on a BMW F650GS, I have a bit of a reach to the bars that makes me more forward leaning when I ride. Other than that, I found the Moto-Skiveez® added a longer comfort level to my riding, allowing for longer stretches before, um, stretching. On a subsequent jaunt with the Skiveez®, it was oppressively hot and we did have a long day in the saddle, which made for a tough test. By the end of the day, I did not have the usual chaffing from the sweat, but the butt burn was impossible to overcome. Overall, I’d say they definitely made a normally disgusting ride much more bearable. Lady Skiveez® sell for $64.95, are available in sizes Small – XL (check website for sizing chart) and can be had either from the website – motoskiveez.com – or at dealerships carrying this fine product. ~Shira Kamil
ATlAS ObSCurA A GUIDE TO THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD AROUND US Readers ask all the time, “Seymour, where do you come up with some of the wackier places in Mysterious America?” Well, some are places I have just come upon, other I have found from like-minded explorers of bizarre and worldly oddities. I have mentioned one particular website a few times and that would be atlasobscura.com. Each day I get an update from them and sometimes I am reminded of something we had in Backroads at one time but many times I am told about one of those places on the planet that just makes you scream ‘Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?’ I was beyond pleased to get a galley of their newest book ‘Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders.’ When Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, and Dylan Thuras set out to write this book, their goal was to create a catalog of all the places, people, and things that inspire our sense of wonder. The extraordinary result is an utterly unique guide that combines compelling descriptive writing with arresting full-color photographs, maps, and charts to share over 700 of the most unusual, fascinating, and mysterious bucket-list destinations across all eight continents. What they have ended up creating is a book that I cannot put down. It is simply one of the most amazing collections of cool places, interesting destinations and has forced me to go out and buy a bigger bucket for the now expanding list. This book will be out by the time you read this and can be gotten at finer book stores and on Amazon for pre-order price of $21. ~ O’Life out!
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Although we hate to see the summer go away - and it always does too fast – we here at Backroads are huge fans of the fall. Autumn, that is. With shorter days and cooler temperatures there is a unique feel to this time of the year and, for us, the need to start getting more and more rides in before January comes around and we have to plow through until March and the beginnings of next season and another trip around the sun. While doing errands one day we came over a rise on Augusta Hill Road, in the part of Jersey Backroads calls home, and Shira commented that this view to the north towards New York and Pennsylvania was always the prettiest during the fall. ‘One of the best in the region,’ she said. That got me to thinking of what roads make for the best fall foliage viewing. The prettiest peeping. We thought we would point out one road each from six different states that, from our experience, offer superb colors and unmatched beauty – especially during the fall. This is not a “Top List” and we know there are many roads out there and that you probably have your favorites as well. We are just pointing out a few we are aware of, so just enjoy. Have you been on any of these? I am sure some of you have and if not now is a good time of year to see if we were right on these.
New Jersey Sunrise Mountain – Sussex County Consider Augusta Hill Road a tiny bonus but we know of a number of great roads in this state for a bright and colorful ride during the month of October. If we had to choose one (and we do) I would insist that you ride up along Sunrise Mountain in Sussex County. At over 1,650 feet tall and running along the Kittatinny Range the mountain boasts an almost unlimited view from many directions. We always go up here for meteor showers in the late summer and find that the openness and height make for a superb vista – even at night. But, we’ll be leaf peeping during the day and you will find that the road, that has the Appalachian Trail following along its side for a good deal, is really amazing. From the top the view is more easterly and the wide panoramic view of the Skylands of New Jersey are unmatched.
New York SR 16 Platteclove Road - Catskills Region We have written about this road many times and with good reason. Running from West Saugerties to the Hunter Mountain region this is one of those forgotten roads, used mostly by hikers, bicyclists and the intrepid traveler. While others are riding the bigger and better maintained roads, give yourself a treat and ride up and
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016
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over Platteclove Mountain along this narrow, two-lane road that climbs 1,200 vertical feet in just a mile and a half. It’s very steep and a recent bicycle race was routed through here, and the road proved so steep that even some of the top bicyclists in the world had to get off and walk their bikes. It is well worth parking the motorcycles and hiking around a bit as the cliffs near the clove’s headwall offer spectacular views of the nearby waterfalls, but be wary as many people have been seriously hurt from falls off the steep cliffs. In October the views and colors are simply amazing.
Pennsylvania Route 641 Spring Run Rd - West of Shippensburg We have used this road many times while holding various Backroads rallies in this part of the Alleghenies. Although it runs for nearly 60 miles from the Carlisle area, it’s the half further west running to Shade Gap that seems to be the most fun and offer the grandest view of the autumnal fireworks show. When they have a separate truck route, to bypass the winding stretch across Kittatinny Mountain, you know you are looking at a fine motorcycling road. This road has some serious switchbacks and there is a posted limit for a reason – but, we hope you ride it for the reds, yellows and oranges and not to attract flashing lights.
Connecticut Route 4 Furnace Brook Road This road from west to east heads through the town of Cornwall and loops towards Mohawk Mountain State Park, From its start in Sharon you can ride half way across the state to West Hartford, but we think the western parts of 4 are the best.
Massachusetts Route 2 The Mohawk Trail Sticking with the Mohawk theme, our Massachusetts’ choice was also a no-brainer the famed Route 2 known as the Mohawk Trail. This is another road that will span a state as you can ride it all the way to Boston, but why would you when all the delicious parts are in the Berskshires and western regions. Starting in Williamstown and ranging over the mountains, New England roads do not get any more fun that this. Running in a twistalicious fashion along the Cold and Deerfield Rivers to Shelburne Falls, a town well worth stopping for lunch, ice cream and a bit of exploring as it has so much to see as well. Wave back to the large native when riding by!
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Vermont • Route 73 Brandon Gap to Route 100 We’d like to say we saved the best for last, but all of these roads have their merit. But, okay, we did save the best for last… but we’ll get to that. Consider the last a reward for exploring all these roads. But before that, when you start talking about the fiery fall foliage in the northeast, one must bring up Vermont within a minute or two or face equally fiery damnation. What ever you fear the most shall consume you foreve…sorry, we got Tiki Bar TV nostalgic for a second. Vermont is full of great fall foliage runs, but we really like Brandon Gap. The section of Route 73 that runs from the town of Brandon in the west to Route 100 just south of Rochester is a favorite at any time of year, but especially so in October. For such a fantastic and beautiful road it is ironic that it passes in the shadow ofmthe Great Cliffs of Mount Horrid a badly named peak in these wonderful Green Mountains. This road is a joy to ride and, from the west going east, will lead you down to Route 100 always a perennial favorite from AAA to Conde’ Nast Best Fall Foliage Roads lists. Just north on Route 100 you will find the Rochester Café and inside you will find a Maple Milkshake. Yes, kids, after all six states and six routes ridden you deserve something special and it is this shake from this place. Now, with shake in hand, take a seat on the porch and breathe in the wonderful autumn air. Look – some other riders are coming by. You nod and raise a hand in a half salute. You settle back and slurp up some mapley goodness and just look at your bike, the engine ticking away as it cools in the fall sun. In truth, does it get any better than this?
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BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016 FREE WHEELIN’
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experience it first hand will change you and the way you think about the human beings that some only see on the nightly news. I am often perplexed by so many riders who state right out that they will never travel out of the United States. Their fear of the rest of their planet is stupefying. Seeing and spending time with peoples from other cultures should be searched out and looked forward to. Let’s be up front here; a stay in an all-inclusive gated, guarded resort a three-hour flight from Newark Airport is not a culture heavy event, is it? Exploring far away places on two wheels always is. And, if I burn up a few hunWHATCHATHINKIN’
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nowhere and especially during hot summer days, crazy storms can pop up. We ran into one of these coming through Pennsylvania just recently. We were in the middle of farm and mountains and we saw the very ominous, nasty black clouds coming over the mountains. We were hoping to vector away from them, but realized this was not to be. The winds picked up, the rain spatters started and we had nowhere to shelter. Luckily Brian saw a building up ahead and radioed to me to follow him. Equally luckily, the gate to the facility was open and, as we pulled in to the lot and the open bay, which housed a very large combine farm machine, all hell broke loose. We hunkered down there for about 20 minutes, watching buckets of rain and very strong winds POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE
(Continued from Page 5)
dred gallons of fossil fuel doing it, so be it. It is not like I flew myself to an ecological summit in Montpellier, France aboard my Gulf Stream. Do we have problems? We sure do and most involve tribalism, religion and power. They are the real manmade issues. The weather is the weather crazy as it seems in these days of instantaneous news, text and social media – but, this is still the best planet I know of. (Mars sucks!) Best to go out and see it in a sustainable and renewable way – and motorcycling is it. Think locally, ride globally, ride nationally, ride locally – but ride! pass by. Pulling out as the sun emerged, we looked at each other and thought the road gods must have been watching us, because if we had been caught in that on the open road it would have been ugly. If you see something like that and have an inkling that shelter may be somewhere close, look for it. Don’t wait and hope that you’ll find something along your path. A little rain or small wind is fine to ride through, but massive storms, especially summer storms with lightning, can be deadly. Get out your calendar now and start marking down the things you’ll want to do over the next year. Make yourself reminders months before they pop up to do what you need to in order to get there. We’ll be announcing our 2017 Backroads Rallies very soon; I hope that you can join us and please, don’t wait too long, we want to see you there.
later when things started getting controversial and the talk began of establishing a lane splitting statute I was vexed, for I thought it was Settled Law (sort of). But regardless, it is now codified, done and dusted, and on the books as they fine-tune the details. The question is, what does this mean for the rest of the country? I think this little exercise has taught us one thing: this is a complex issue and a perfect example of the difficulty in getting the public at large to understand the motorcycle and how it fits into the scheme of things, transportation-wise. And yet, it happened. This is all the more fascinating to me because lane splitting itself is not a simple affair, as it has to be done with respect to the other motorists and requires a lot of focus. It’s the kind of thing where pooches can be screwed, be it by a miscalculation by the rider or bad behavior by the Captain of the automobile. One of the downsides I observed out West
was the way some drivers became absolutely livid when a bike would zoom past, as if that damn biker had no right getting to his destination before they did. Another big factor in whether this new-found right will spread East is (and I’m sure you already know this), California is not like any other state. Or country. Or planet, for that matter. I really don’t see lane splitting as a law that many states will go for, just because they don’t get the whole motorcycle-as-commuter-vehicle thing and there are places where it just won’t work. Look at how helmet laws, gun laws, polygamy laws, what have you are regarded in different states and I think you know what I mean. I would love it to be completely legal everywhere, especially in places where commutes are hideous life-robbing bits of traffic torture. Letting motorcyclists split lanes grants at least some hard-working souls a bit of a reprieve from the old stopn-go. Yep, I would love to see similar legislation hit our opposite shores, but (unless I’m snorkeling) I’m not holding my breath.
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD (Continued from Page 7) This attitude persists among my fellow riders: We only care about this weekend. We only care about oil changes, tire treads, and that the GPS is working. Yahoo to lower gas prices. We are all undeniably complicit. It begs a serious question: Will the time ever arrive when you voluntarily give up riding and all its liberating pursuits because your duty to air and its
future, your concern for clean water and health, your love for grandchildren and the environment, finally overrides the riding? victor Cruz is a 15-year member of the Yankee Beemers, serving as Secretary and editor. He’s organized group tours through AZ, CA, CO, NM, Canada and Europe. He contributes to Backroads and is Principal of MediaPR.net, a tech-marketing firm in Boston.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of learning to ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival
Cooler Heads Just two years ago an incident happened on New York’s West Side Highway where a driver of an SUV was surrounded by irate motorcyclists who perceived that this driver, in his car with wife and child, had gotten into their space. The ensuing mayhem had a panicked driver, fearing for his life, running over a couple of the riders and paralyzing one of them. In August another such incident happened in Aurora, Illinois, when the same type of stunt/sport bike riders got into a fight with a driver of a pick-up truck. Bad things ensued as the truck drove through the crowd of riders. We are all aware that things can happen on the road and sometimes these things are very bad or could have been and then they spiral into a very dark place. We need to avoid this, both as riders and when we are driving our cars. Although this is a motorcycle publication, we know there are some that have an us vs. them mindset when it come to cars and their drivers, though the truth is almost all of us are car drivers too. I don’t have a cage – I have a Durango. (Hemi too) But just because we are riders ourselves does not mean we cannot and will not make mistakes or show the occasional bad judgment. But, when things go bad, we have to take a breath and moment before they get worse. The other week we went to the Chatterbox, in Augusta, New Jersey for their weekly bike night. Shira and I were to meet with a friend who had driven over in his car to meet for dinner and to see the hundreds of machines that would be there. He brought his 12-year old son with him. We too came by car, as I had something for my friend and it wasn’t fitting on the bike well.
Easier to just drive over. After dinner and a few laps around the parking lot it seemed that his boy wanted ice cream and we thought we’d ride over to Newton’s Hayek’s for a cone or two. From there we thought we’d have them follow us over to the large sunflower field in Hampton Township, as they were in full bloom at this time in August. We drove over with them following behind. We were heading north of CR 519 and I had my signal on (for a ¼ mile) to make a left turn onto CR 626. If any of you are familiar with this particular intersection it is poorly designed and slightly askew with a particularly bad view of traffic coming south on 519. As I approached the left I began to turn. At the same time I spotted a sportbike coming around the bend heading south. Judging the approaching speed of a motorcycle is a hard things. My thought is that if you had to think about whether you have enough space, then you don’t and should stop and wait. Nobody is in that much of a hurry. Ever. I had plenty of room and didn’t think twice about finishing my turn. We had plenty of room, but our friend could have waited. He did not and the rider took great offense to this and a few minutes later I could see him following us. Along one road, I lost sight of my friend and his young son and thought the worst. I made a quick u-turn, only to have him drive by me and a few seconds later I could see the rider on the sportbike in hot pursuit. This was not going to go well.
BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2016 I slowed to intercept the rider - putting my hand out to stop him. He came to a halt, maybe a little perplexed at why the Durango was stopping him. I told him I saw what happened and that it was a bad misread of traffic and I apologized for my friend. It was a mistake and certainly not done on purpose. He did not accept this and took off after my buddy saying he was, “Going to tear his f’n face off!” He sped off down the road. Ro-roh. I made a second u-turn and took off after both of them. I found them both in a school lot where this guy was getting ready to fight anybody and anything… I put my truck between he and his bike and my friend and got out of the Dodge. The guy was out of his mind angry. My buddy was trying to calm the guy down, but it was heading to that dark place quickly. It was obvious the rider was getting ready to start swinging. I really feared that my friend would end up in a nonsense fight and worse, in front of his child. No child should ever see their dad in a violent fight. I was between this angry rider and my friend, as I wasn’t going to let this happen, but I really didn’t want to have to roll around on the ground either and no one “wins” these sorts of things – everyone loses. I attempted to talk them both down and away from this now explosive situation. The rider screamed that my friend should just get in his car and leave. That sounded like an out and lessening of hostility - I told my friend and his son to get into his car and leave. It took a few minutes, but he finally did and we went back to the rider who was literally shaking with emotion. Shira and I spent five minutes talking to this guy. It turned out he had just buried a friend two days before, a friend who was killed by a driver making the classic left turn in front of – a car hitting his bike. This had now almost happened to him. Both Shira and I certainly could understand his state. He was mentally done and in a bad space and this made him snap. You could see the near miss had shaken him badly. It was a tough situation – especially when I knew we barely missed another horrible accident and were now in the middle of road rage fury.
RIDE LIKE A PRO NJ Jerry ‘Motorman’ Palladino’s Training Classes Being Held in New Jersey ‘NEVER FEAR making a U-turn or dropping your 800lb. motorcycle again’ • Male-Female-Big-Small: It doesn’t matter • You can learn the 3 simple techniques that motor cops have been using for years • Our instructors - all active or retired motor officers - will show you how to use the motor cop riding techniques to better control and handle your motorcycle
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Page 47 He asked us for a few minutes for him to talk uninterrupted; he needed to say what was on his mind - and we let him. He was beginning to go back to the normal man he was. He mentioned his wife and kids, his bikes he was working on. In one second he thought that that was all over. Thankfully it was not. During the heated part he stated that he was done with car drivers killing riders. I don’t think this was a bad guy - just one that had the crap scared out of him. I had to explain to him who we were, and that we totally got it, that we totally understood. After a few minutes he had calmed down enough to get back on the bike. We wished him well, apologized once again and we know we will probably see him in and around the motorcycling community up here in this part of New Jersey; we hope under far better circumstances. The point here is that although I really do think that good motorcyclists make for better drivers, we are human and can make errors. An error is not a mistake. You learn from your errors, but you pay for your mistakes. If you have to think about whether you have enough time or space while on the road, whether on a bike or in a car - then you do not. And, when things go sideways out there it is best not to go into that dark and violent place – no good will ever come from it in the long run. Let’s all be as vigilant as we can, never rush things and keep cooler heads out there.
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OCTOBER 2016 • BACKROADS
uP C Om I N G E vE NT S CAl END Ar
What’s Happening
EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING
MAY 2017
Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com
18-21 • bACkrOADS SPrING brEAk - AlmOST HEAvEN TOur. full full details see ad on page 20.
Every Saturday thru October • Bergen County Harley Davidson Saddle Up Saturday. 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. BCHD, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com Every Sunday • Tramontin Harley-Davidson Biker Breakfast. 9-11am (weather permitting). Join us for breakfast before you ride. Great atmosphere, food and hospitality. Tramontin H-D, Exit 12, I-80, Hope, NJ • 908-459-4101 • TramontinHD.com Thru October 29 • AACA presents Mods and Rockers: The clash of sub-cultures in England in the late ‘50s-60s. Explores the difference in fashion, music an preference of two wheel transport. Discount coupon page 39. 9am-5pm • 161 Museum Dr, Hershey, PA • 717-566-7100 • AACAmuseum.org
OCTOBER 2016 1 • Hermy’s BMW and Triumph Oktoberfest • 9a-4p - Brats, Kraut and a Keg of Birch Beer. Specials on all 2015 models. 69 Centre St, port Clinton, PA • 610-562-7303 • www.HermysbmW.com 1 • GWRRA Chaptr NY-X Hudson Valley Wings hosts Bikers Against Breast Cancer Save the TaTas Ride. Start/End: Moroney’s Cycle, 833 Union Ave, New Windsor, NY. Sign in: 8:30-10am • KSU 10:30am • $25/bike includeds meal. Self guided ride, music, vendors, food, raffle & more. Cash prize ofr craziest Pink outfit. Find out more online: hudsonvalleywings.org • savethetatas.org
POLAR BEAR SCHEDULE 2016-2017 Bob Hartpence Chairman • 609-894-2941 • bear1733@verizon.net www.PolarBearGrandTour.com • 908-722-0128 for schedule updates Oct. 30 • CAPE MAY VFW POST 386, 419 Congress St, Cape May, NJ• 609 884-7961
NOVEMBER 2016 6 • IRISH EYES PUB, 213 Anglers Rd, Lewes, DE 19958 • 302 645-6888 13 • EAGLES 350 Woodside Lane, Bridgewater NJ 08807 • 908 526-9898 20 • DETHOMASI’S EAST 5 POINTS INN, 580 Tuckahoe Rd & Landis Ave, Vineland, NJ • 856 691-6080 27 • HILLBILLY HALL, 203 Hopewell-Wertsville Rd, Hopewell, NJ • 609 466-9856
DECEMBER 2016 4 • MONTGOMERYVILLE CYCLE, 2901 Bethlehem Pike, Hatfield, PA • 215 712-7433 11 • APPALACHIAN BREWING CO., 50 W 3rd Ave Collegeville, PA • 484 973-18 • THE CABIN, 984 Rt. 33, Howell, NJ 07731 • 732 462-3090 • CHRISTMAS PARTY - BRING A TOY FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (do not wrap present)
JANUARY 2017
1 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson 3rd Annual FoodFest. Food, vendors, music + more. $10 donation towards National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Vendors: 10am-4pm • Food: Noon-2pm • 124 Essex St, rochelle Park, NJ • bergenharley.com
8 • The Tilted Kilt 4095 US Hwy 1 South, Monmouth Junction NJ • 732 783-7138
9 • 9th Annual Veterans Memorial Car, Truck & Bike Show. Woodbourne Veterans Memorial Park, 145 Sherman Ridge Rd, Wantage, NJ. 11am-4pm. Details: 973-352-9203
22 • PIC-A-LILLI INN, 866 Route 206, Shamong, NJ • 609 268-2066
1-2 • Colors in the Catskills / GS-Fest / Oktoberest @ Hunter Mountain Resort, Hunter, NY sponsored by Max BMW Motorcycles. FREE admission with Teach McNeil Stunt Shows, food, beer, bands, guided dual-sport rides, chairlift rides and Big Bike Enduro Challenge. Camping and lodging on site available • maxbmw.com • huntermtn.com 15 • Oktoberfest Open House at Morton's BMW Motorcycles, 5099A Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22408. Traditional Oktoberfest celebration, this year with special guest Reg Pridmore, the first AMA Superbike Champion (on a BMW R90S, of course), and owner of the CLASS motorcycle riding school. Details to come at www.mortonsbmw.com or 540-891-9844. 16 • Ramapo MC Fall Foliage Tour. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes north Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY @ 9am-mid-afternoon. Guided/self-guided tour featuring the best autumn pallet Mother Nature can provide along some of the Hudson Valley’s most interesting roads. Benefits Valerie Fund. ramapomc.org 16 • Blue Knights NJ IX 28th Annual Harvey C. Irons Make-A-Wish Ride to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of NJ. Start and End: Skylands Stadium, CR 565, Augusta, NJ. $20/pp, under 12 free. Sign in: 9am - Ride: 11am. Coffee and donuts at start; entertainment, vendors and lunch at finish • www.bkNJIx.org • nj9@blueknights.org 17-18 • Don’t miss Reg Pridmore’s last CLASS at Virginia Internationl Raceway. 2-day learning extravaganza. For full details visit www.ClASSrides.com • 805-933-9936 23 • 11th Annual Ridgewood Fall Motorcycle Classic and Bike Show (Raindate October 30th). Bike Show entry: in by 2pm. $20 entry fee incl. t-shirt. The Office, 32-34 Chestnut St, Ridgewood, NJ • Bike Run: sign in 10-11 Bergen Harley-Davidson, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ. KSU: 11:30 • 60+ mile police escorted ride to The Office. $20 rider/$10/passenger incl. t-shirt. Proceeds to Tomorrow’s Children’s Fund. 1-4pm at The Office: music, food, raffles + more. www.bergenharley.com or call 201-843-6930 29 • Hannums Harley-Davidson Octoberfest + Bike Giveaway • 10am-4pm. Bikini Contest, Wheelie Wizard, ChiliFest + Tijuana Auction, BBQ, Live Music. Raindate: Oct. 30 • 1011 W baltimore Pike, media, PA • HannumsHD.com 29 • Cross Country Powersports Beautiful Bikers Day with guest speakers Porsche Taylor and SJ Harris. 11am-3pm • 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • 732-635-0094 • crosscountrycycle.net
NOVEMBER 2016 4 • Ryan Pyle: Tough Rides Brazil presentation - 6-8pm @ Cross Country Cycle, 911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ • crosscountrycycle.net • 732-635-0094 25 • 2nd Annual Black Friday Ride @ Bob's BMW Motorcycles, 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD. After a great success in 2015, Bob’s will be hosting a 2nd annual Black Friday Ride! Avoid shopping pandemonium and #optoutsideon2wheels Visit bobsbmw.com for details. 25 • MeetUp & Ride with Bob’s Road Crew @ Bob’s BMW Motorcycles, 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD. Exciting group ride led by Bob! Details visit bobsbmw.com
DECEMBER 2016 11-17 • Join Backroads on a week’s riding in the Mountains of Tenerife, beautiful islands of Spain, with Edelweiss Tours. For full details see page 42 17 • 9am-4pm • Holiday Cheer Open House @ Bob's BMW Motorcycles, 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD. The annual customer appreciation day is Bob’s favorite event of the year. It’s a time to think back and smile on yet another wonderful and fun year of riding and serving customers! Visit bobsbmw.com for details.
15 • RHODES NORTH TAVERN, 40 Orange Turnpike, Sloatsburg, NY • 845 753-6438 29 • UPSTREAM GRILLE, 161 Rt. 181, Lake Hopatcong, NJ • 973 663-2222
FEBRUARY 2017 5 • THE FRANKLIN HOUSE TAVERN, 101 North Market St, Schaefferstown PA • 717 949-2122 12 • O’Connor’s American Grille 1383 Monmouth Rd, Easthampton,NJ • 609-261-1555 19 • THE EXCHANGE, 160 E. Main St, Rockaway, NJ • 973 627-8488 26 • HOOTERS, 25 Rte-23 South, Wayne, NJ • 973 837-1876
MARCH 2017 5 • BAHRS LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., Highlands, NJ • 732 872-1245 12 • Lighthouse Tavern 397 Route 9, Waretown, NJ • 609-693-3150 19 • LONG VALLEY PUB, 1 Fairmount Rd, Long Valley, NJ • 908 876-1122 26 • THE CHATTERBOX, #1 Rt. 15 South, Augusta, NJ • 973 300-2300
APRIL 2017 2 • BRIAN’S HD, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd, Langhorne PA • 215 752-9400 PA 9 • THE HICKORY BBQ SMOKE HOUSE, 743 Rt. 28 Kingston; NY • 845 338-2424 23 • CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER, 336 Northampton St, Easton, PA • 610 438-1311 30 • CAPE MAY VFW POST# 386, 419 Congress St, Cape May, NJ • 609 884-7961 mAy 5 • END OF SEASON GET-TOGETHER • The Pic-a-Lilli Inn, 866 Route 206, Shamong, NJ • 609 268-2066 @ 11:30am. Members: $6/person
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