October 2022

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YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS?

But, I think they are.

Time and again readers ask us how we nd some of the places and things we write about in the pages of Backroads.

We have been printing this humble magazine for nearly 30 years and during that time have brought to you and showcased hundreds of hotels, inns, getaways, museums, and the like.

For nearly all of that time we have been holding our own Backroads rallies - many held at the very places we have featured in these pages.

I recently had several emails with a rider, and big-time enthusiast, especially when it comes to the dirtier roads found in the USA, and he made mention of all the routes he and his group have published and shared and that there has never been a penny made from this.

This is somewhat of a rarity these days as, other than Backroads, I know of no other group that hands out fun as freely and altruistically as we do.

Still, to do anything these days will cost something, and this is where it is getting more and more dif cult.

Two decades ago, when we were planning one of our rallies - say the Spring Break - we would be on the lookout for an inn or hotel that had that magical combination of ingredients that would make it a prime lo cation for the event. We looked for comfort, cleanliness, upkeep and lo cation, and great roads to and from for sure. But, the other part of the equation was affordability.

These days this is becoming more and more an issue.

At a recent bike night at Jumboland, in northwest New Jersey, we were

asked why we always and only feature places that are on the pricey side of the wallet.

I was a bit perplexed at this as, these days, we do our best to mix up our various offerings and for every more high-end place, there will always be a far greater number of more reasonable venues.

The Old Stone House in Warwick is at one level, but Vic’s Wayside Inn, in Ronks, Pennsylvania was on another.

Both have excellent food – but the Old Stone House had a far more gentile feel – while at Vic’s we thought we’d see Patrick Swayze comin’ through the door.

Both restaurants are superb, but each in its own way.

But the man’s point was taken.

It seems that more and more, our search for reasonable pricing is be coming a harder and harder task. While building The Backroads Report one day I came across a hotel on the Delaware. I have passed this place a few times and it does look great – but it’s in New Hope, so I was not shocked by the $400 a night rate. Disheartened, but not shocked.

We have come across these numbers more and more fre quently, and it is getting just a tad dif cult to rope in a rid er-friendly price – even when we are booking a large multiday block for a Backroads event – I have asked if, straight up, some places were serious about their asking price.

Many of the venues we have used in the past have simply priced themselves out of reach. What a shame.

We balk when a resort/hotel/inn’s room – that sold for (a then pricey) $149 just a few years back is now over $300 when you include make-believe add-on extra charges – like parking and resort fees.

Factor into this the recent and tellingly explosive jump at the pumps and even a weekend Backroads adventure – which was once an excel lent and somewhat frugal few days on the road - becomes a hard deci sion for some.

As you can see – I ain’t that happy with all this and these days research is more key than ever!

Continued on Page 26

A LITTLE HELPFROM FRIENDS

There are many situations in life where a helping hand, a kind word or some information can make things go a whole lot smoother. I found this to be true with a few things over the past couple of months.

Brian and I were planning on heading to Eastern Europe with Edelweiss during the month of August on their Kings and Cas tle tour. We were very much look ing forward to it but, as life does at times, some ‘stuff’ got in the way and plans needed to be rear ranged. Finding that we had some free time, we decided to continue with our quest to attend games at every major league baseball stadium in the USA. We were doing pretty well, having already hit eighteen of the thirty parks. I thought, if we could plan it just right, we might be able to get to all ve parks in California in one trip.

A thought grew into a reality, but not before seeing a posting on Face book for a concert that we never really thought we would see. Tikiyaki Orchestra, hailing from Los Angeles and playing exotic lounge music (think Martin Denny), very rarely tour and pretty much never on the East coast. The impetus for getting on the plane would be to see this band. The follow-up to that would be to get to San Diego Padres, Ana heim Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics’ stadiums. Looking at the major league baseball schedule, it was a doable thing, with just a little sketchiness on the back end. But, as Brian always says, we are big supporters of Plans with letters towards the end of the alphabet.

My brother Jan was a huge baseball fan. He didn’t just follow one team, he just loved the game of baseball. He was involved with baseball fan tasy leagues for the longest time, went to games and kept stats, watched one game on TV while listening to another on the radio. He tried his best to spend his birthday at a baseball park.

We lost Jan earlier this year and, as Steve Goodman sang, “I’ve got sea sons tickets to watch the Angels now, so it’s just what I’m gonna do.” Jan was also a great collector of many things. I knew that he had many baseball caps and I thought it would be tting to wear one to each of the stadiums. I asked my sister-in-law, Janet, if I could possibly have one or two and, naturally, she obliged, although she did remind me that Jan had a small head and they may not t. I stopped by and picked out three; one that I knew he wore often to Shea and CitiField, one from his Fantasy league and one just because I liked the colors. Janet did not know who or what it represented but I g ured I could track that down.

The cap is from Cooperstown Ball cap Company, now defunct, so that was a dead end. My rst thought was to post it to the World Wide Web and the Universe’s General Knowledge Bank. That really didn’t get me too far, but it did get me some suggestions from friends for some sites that might be able to do better. I contacted the reference library at Coo perstown’s Baseball Hall of Fame and received a lovely letter back from the manager Cassidy. She sent her condolences for my brother and apol ogized for not having any information on the cap. She did point me to the Society for American Baseball Research. I sent the same information to their research department and, again, got a very lovely letter back from the Director of Editorial Content Jacob. He, too, offered his con dolences and apparently got the whole of ce involved, as it stumped them all. He con rmed that it was not something worn by any profes sional baseball team in America, but that perhaps there was an ama teur team using that logo. In addition, he did something called ‘reverse

THE SAME OLD, SAME ROADS

Eleven straight years - that’s how long we’ve been going to the Gray Ghost in Vermont. We missed the Backroads trip in July, so we sched uled our own in August, about the time we’d normally go for a “Summer Squeeze.” It was a glorious sojourn under amazingly blue skies with low humidity and we only had rain a couple times, neither of which we cared about. We missed the “family,” but we still had a relaxing time and we made new friends too.

It’s about 600 miles to the Ghost and we nor mally do it in two days - it’s more about the sad dle time than the mileage, since we usually take a circuitous route to avoid the ve cities (DC, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philly, and New York) that lay between us and our “second home.” We have used several routes, including straight “up the gut” of I-95, but we prefer more sedate paths. When we go someplace often enough, without going too far out of our way, we end up retrac ing previous steps…and that’s OK. Some of the roads are like old friends.

Our go-to route takes us to Annapolis and across the Bay Bridge to an Eastern Shore where traf c is light. We jump off US 301 onto MD 213 and enjoy the at farmland and crossings of pretty waterways, includ ing the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. At the state line, 213 becomes PA 841 and we’ll catch 82 near The Whip Tavern, a Diner Run site in the horse country outside Coatesville. We’ve gone a couple ways, including past Hermy’s BMW/Triumph, but for some reason, all our routes tend to end up near the bicycle velodrome on the west side of Allentown. We’ll use variations on a theme, but most have us crossing the river at Phillips burg, NJ.

We’ve tried going up the west side of the Delaware Water Gap and through the Poconos on the PA side, but anywhere near a weekend and that turns into a traf c festival. Instead, we’ll cross over the free bridge at “PBurg” and hit NJ 519, the prettiest ride through an area of farms most people wouldn’t believe is NJ. It doesn’t matter how many times we traverse it, 519 is still a favorite. We may stop and see family in North west NJ…although the last time, fellow motorcyclist Dale at the High Point Mountain Motel on 23 was our new “brother.”

There are myriad ways of getting to Vermont from there, including for ays into Connecticut and Massachusetts, but we like to swing out to ward the Adirondacks. This time we rode the brilliant Hawk’s Nest (97) to 55 North, passing by another Diner Run site at Eldred, “The Piazza,” where we once had the best brick-oven pizza ever, and up toward Lib erty (NOT our favorite place). Ultimately, we want to get to the “same old” route of 30 along the Pepacton Reservoir. Just like 519, we never tire of the curvy road along the “Res” and the points north, like Grand Gorge, which is truly “gorge”ous. At Schoharie, where there’s a little place to eat called the “Apple Basket,” we’ll turn east toward Troy and thence into the promised land via NY 7 and VT 9. Max BMW is on 7 in Troy and there’s a clean diner next door.

We also really like NY 22: like 519 and 30, we’d ride it anytime. There’s a great stopping place on 22 in Amenia, NY called “Four Brothers” and they have good pizza and Greek salads. They also sport a drive-in the ater and we’ve promised to make a stay of it just so we can see a show. We can go toward a Diner Run site of Gracie’s Luncheonette in Leeds on the way before crossing the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Or not. We’ve visited a bunch of sites up and down the river, from the Fire ghter’s Mu seum in Hudson to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, but we tend to stay away from 9E and 9W.

OK, I know this is “Backroads” and, like the Captain of the Enterprise, I’m supposed to be “seeking out new worlds and new civilizations” and I

Continued on Page 26

BACKLASH

I wanted to thank you again for posting the Motorcycle Ride we had in August in your publication. It was the rst time we had a bene t ride in years and while, the turnout was small, it was mighty and those that helped us organize it are already looking to next year’s event. Would it be alright if we stayed in contact and let you know about the ride again next year?

Thank you again!

Renee • Ronald McDonald House Danville

Renee,

It is our pleasure and our purpose to help pass along word on such wor thy rides as yours. Of course, please send us the information as soon as you have it and we will get it out to our readers/riders.

I need to subscribe. I am subscribing. I read Backroads every month, every column, every feature. Love it all so you can imagine my delight, surprise and unbelievable good fortune when I met On the Mark Mark and Betsy Byers.  I am still in 5th gear excitement and am sending in my subscription in the manner that makes me most comfortable - Paper-Yeah

Love you guys.

Ann & Happydaze

This thing kicks ass!! The Airmoto Pump in ated Keene’s rear tire from 20psi to 35 in 5 min. Read about it in the mag. We tested it out just now.

Lisa V.

Hello Brian and Shira,

I hope you are well. I’m missing my July is sue and since I’m now recovering from heart surgery and will now miss the majority of this riding season I sure could use the mental ride

Letters to the Editor

your magazine provides me. I know you will get it to me and I thank you.  I’ll also thank you both for the only motorcycle magazine I deem wor thy of my subscription. Ride safe friends and I hope to see you on the road.

Best Regards, George Montecalvo jr.

George,

We wish you a speedy

recovery and getting back to riding as quickly as possible. The next best thing to being on the bike is planning the next ride, and Backroads can help you with that. The issue is in the mail.

Guess where we were this weekend. Another good sug gestion by the highly talented Backroads staff. Thank you.

Drew Baskin

The wife and I took a ride through VT/NH 2 week ago and spent the rst night in Ar lington VT, only a few miles outside of Manchester. We were warmly greeted by the new owner, Buzz Kanter. I’m guessing you know of him. He and his partner Tabitha had taken over The Arlington Inn (www.arlingtoninn.com) that very day. We were the rst bikers to stay there.

The restaurant and tavern were closed as they had license trans fers, staf ng, etc. to deal with but they bent over backwards to make our stay enjoyable. He has some really good ideas but wanted me to spread the word that they are motorcycle and car club friendly. I thought it might be an interesting destination for you guys.

Ride safe

Hank Groh • Augusta NJ

On 15 August, the motorcycling world lost a great friend when Stuart Beatson, recently retired as Service Manager at Morton’s BMW, long-time in structor at Pridmore’s CLASS Motorcycle School, former Battle of the Twins Champion, loving husband to Sandra, and doting father to Erin and Stu art III passed away at home after a battle with metastasized prostate cancer. In multiple conversations after his retirement, he faced his situation with the same quiet, matter-of-fact grace with which he handled everything, focusing on motorcycles and his farm rather than his malady. I really wish he had more time to share with us.

In many interesting discussions with Stuart in his position in Morton’s service department, he was always a font of knowledge, especially about boxer motorcycles on which he wrenched and raced for years. He didn’t just talk motorcycle talk: he commuted the 60 miles round trip almost every day from his farm in Beaverdam, Virginia on his F800S twin.

It was Stuart who encouraged me to attend Reg Pridmore’s CLASS Motorcycle School at Virginia International Raceway and who took pains to make me - among many others - a better rider. I learned so many things from him by following his lines and listening to his quiet, gentlemanly delivery as we sat trackside. He and Mr. Pridmore had a special relationship, as Stuart was Reg’s most long-term instructor. It was not just professional, it was familial. Stuart was honored with a bon re on the evening of Saturday 3 September at his farm and by friends all over the country by raising a glass in his hon or. Sandra’s only request is that the men have a prostate exam/PSA and the women make sure they do it. It’s tting that something simple, yet ultimately very useful and important is requested in Stuart’s memory: I’m sure he wouldn’t want it any other way. I think he’d appreciate the epitaph of a fellow Scot: “Home is the sailor, home from the sea, and the hunter home from the hill.”

From “Requiem,” by Robert Louis Stevenson

With deepest respect, Mark Byers

Stuart Campbell Beatson Jr.

FLOODING

On August 13, 2022, the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials organiz ers of cially announced that the 2022 event was canceled.  This year’s speed trials had originally been scheduled to take place from August 28 through September 1, 2022, but due to ooding on the Bonneville Salt Flats, the BMST, FIM Land Speed World Records, and AMA Land Speed Grand Championship was of cially can celed for 2022.

Heavy storm systems brought ooding to the salt ats, and when or ganizers did an aerial assessment of the state of the standard track area on August 12, they found that “the entire length of our tracks and beyond are ooded,” and noted that “Although the area is drying, it is unfortunately not dry ing quickly enough for the event to take place.”

HONDA DEVELOPING LANE-ASSISTFOR MOTORCYCLES

Recent patent lings from Honda for camera- and radar-enabled lane assist for motorcycles across its roster would keep their bikes in-lane via AI.

“Lane assist” is a commonality now in modern cars, but not so com mon in motorcycles, as electronic aids which detract from the actual rid ing of the motorcycle for the person holding the handlebars are gener

ally avoided by the manufacturers, who do not want to lose their core enthusiasts, which is also why autonomous technology has not advanced far in the two-wheeled world, especially compared to the much larger au tomobile market and tech-hungry car culture.

Honda is developing their lane-keeping assist system (LKAS) with the aim of making accidents a thing of the past, but if they are to reach their goal of slashing car and motorcycle deaths by half in the next eight years and bring the number down to zero by 2050, we can expect to see a mas sive in ux of rider-assistance systems like this in the very near future.

GWRRACALLSIT QUITS

Putting down their kickstand for good, the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) is waving farewell after 45 years of meeting the nicest people, and ceased op erations following this year’s Wing Ding 43 in Shreveport, Louisiana at the end of July.

Founded in 1977 with the mot to, “Friends for Fun, Safety and Knowledge,” the GWRRA called itself, “the world’s largest singlemarque social organization for own ers of Honda Gold Wing/Valkyrie motorcycles” that once boasted near ly 80,000 members across 53 countries, with 800-plus chapters staffed by 4,000 volunteer leaders.

MOTORCYCLIST KILLEDBY SELF-DRIVING CAR

“A motorcyclist was killed on I-15 in Draper, Utah when a Tesla crashed into the back of the bike,” reported Fox13 News in Salt Lake City on July 24, adding that “the driver of the Tesla said he had the ‘auto-pilot’

BONNEVILLE MOTORCYCLE

TRIALS CANCELED DUETO

setting on…he told police he didn’t see the motorcyclist.”

“Wow, and even in a driverless vehicle, the ‘I didn’t see the motorcyclist’ gets a rider killed,” commented NCOM Board Member Ed Schetter, who recently presented a “We Just Want Our Place on the Road” seminar at the National Coalition of Motorcyclists’ NCOM Convention in Nashville that examined the inevitability of driverless cars, relating the impact on motorcycling.

“Such an incident stresses our need to protect our space on the road, as I pointed out in my presentation,” said Schetter, a veteran of the auto industry and Executive Director of ABATE of Ohio.  “I wonder who the biker’s fam ily gets to sue? The Driver?  Tesla?  The Software Company?  Sometimes you just shake your head.”

WARD ROBINSON • 1937-2022

Ward Robinson was one of the found ing fathers of American motocross. From his early days of owning a motor cycle dealership in the 1960s and spon soring riders to compete in the relatively new sport, to building one of the most famous motocross tracks in the world–Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York–Robinson’s vision and dedication to the sport was immeasurable in both its early growth and continued success in the decades that followed. With his wife, Peg, at his side, Ward Robinson became a pillar of the motocross world, hosting some of the biggest and most important national and international events in the sport’s history. Peg passed on Septem ber 2, 2014; Ward passed on Monday morning, August 8, 2022, after a long illness. He was 85 years old.

JURY ACQUITS TRUCKER CHARGEDIN JARHEADS DEATHS

In 2019, truck-driver Volodymyr Zhukovskyy admitted to driving under the in uence of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine before crashing his 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 Tradesman crew-cab pickup into a pack of Marine Corps veter ans riding their motorcycles near Randolph, New Hampshire, killing seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club.

Prosecutors argued that Zhukovskyy, who had previous DUI convictions and should have had his license suspended, repeatedly swerved back and forth before the collision.  But the judge dismissed eight charges related to whether he was impaired, based on a contested blood test, and his defense attorneys blamed the lead biker for causing the accident, claiming that “he was drunk and not looking where he was going when he lost control of his motorcycle and slid in front of Zhukovskyy’s truck.”

The accident happened minutes after the riders had left a bar, and BAC for them was far over the legal limit.

Following a 2-week trial, jurors deliberated for less than three hours before nding Zhukovskyy, 26, innocent on seven counts of manslaughter, seven counts of negligent homicide and one count of reckless conduct, setting him free after being held in custody since the accident. ,

THE SERPENTSOF NORTH JERSEY

1894. Odd things were happening in northern New Jersey. Odd things have always happened in northern New Jersey. Why do you think we planted Backroads here?

In northwest New Jersey the state’s largest lake, Hopatcong, was quick ly becoming a great getaway from the cities of New York and Philadelphia.

Lake Hopatcong is the larg est freshwater body in New Jersey, about four square miles in area. Located 30 miles from the Delaware River and 40 miles from New York City, the lake forms part of the border between Sussex and Morris counties in the state’s north ern highlands region.

In truth the lake is semi-manmade. Lake Hopatcong was pro duced by damming and ooding two ponds, known as the Great Pond and Little Pond, and the Musconetcong River, its natural outlet. Historically known as a resort lake for vacationing New Yorkers, it is now a mostly suburban residential lake.

Today it is Jersey’s shining jewel.

Maybe.

It’s not just humans who call Lake Hopatcong home; dating back to the late 1800s, rumor has it an old-fashioned sea serpent lurks beneath the wa ter’s surface.

Oh, of course. North Jersey needs a Bigfoot (Big Red-Eye), the Jersey Devil, and now…. Hoppie? So sad. But O’Life, your humble correspondent, is not here to judge but to report. Feh.

In 1894 a sherman set sail on the lake where he said he spotted a creature with the head of a dog and a forty-foot serpentine body. It was the subject of an 1894 article in the Lake Hopatcong Angler and New York World newspaper.

But that did not stop locals from “Several shots have been red at it,” read the article. “One man asserts that he hit the head of the supposed serpent with a ball from his 38-caliber ri e and the bullet rolled off like water off a duck’s back without even making the monster wink.”

A man named A. Chamberlain claimed the monster rose out of the water near his boat. He said that “if it was one inch in length it was 40 feet and as thick as a man’s leg.” The top of the creature was black while the lower parts were a “dirty white.”

The article speculated Hoppie might have been an old mud turtle said to inhabit the lake that was “as big as molasses hogshead and its head is like a lager beer keg.”

But after it made headlines, it was never seen again. Well, until Backroads showed up… Well, me actu ally. Rathjen is clueless.

However, there is a story about the fate of what re mains of “Hoppie.” Oh, this is New Jersey. We just can’t be done with a cryptozoological tome…no! Now, we take this to the next ridiculousity.

(Thanks Gabe!)

But who is to say this is not true? Are you gonna ar gue with Jersey Boys? C’Mon! I thought not.

According to the tale, the creature’s giant bones washed ashore after its demise, and the bones were used to construct a rollercoaster near Bertrand Is land Amusement Park.

Here comes that word again…. ridiculousity!

Morton’s

Like the Police’s Syncronisity, “Many miles away, something crawls from the bottom of a dark Jersey lake!”

Love it! But that was then.

In recent history, other things have surfaced along the big Jersey lake.

In 2014, a 20-foot anaconda was spotted at Capp Cove. They have a video of this. Re ally. Do you have to swim in Hopatcong like Ka-Zar and Zabu in the Savage Land?

along familiar waters just off the coast of Sandy Hook’s shore. Traveling by boat, the service team was completing their rounds and ensuring the community was safe. They suddenly stopped, reportedly noticing some thing horrifying and large in the water. Quickly, they returned to shore, desperately explaining their ndings to onlookers.

According to the life-saving service team, a 50-foot-long serpentine creature rose from the water near their boat. They reported it had two horns above its head, poking out above its large eyes. The creature’s head was bulldog-like, slithering to the front of the boat and giving off a loud roar. Each of them recounted these events in horri c detail. The individuals and their matching reports were so credible that a scienti c research team was dispatched to investi gate them. They provided of cial statements, which re searchers later used to determine the monster was a gi ant squid.

Yet, nobody could explain the serpent-like movements the team described. As the waters largely cleared dur ing that time, several more sightings popped up around the area.

Who knows what is under the waters when you dive in?

I will leave you with pure fact…. not conjecture.

The truth probably is some Jersey boy’s snake got loose… really, not a serpent?

But called BS by our intrepid reporter Jason Lane.

Still, according to our friends at Weird NJ, there was something far bigger and badder back around the same time.

Just a few years earlier, in 1879, the Sandy Hook Life Saving Service was cruising

In 1916 the greatest shark attacks, the very rst in the United States his tory, occurred. In New Jersey. Duh. It was amazingly horrible and truly beyond anything in written history. Jaws was based on this… but Bench ley took it lightly.

Welcome to Jersey!

You have a whole month to learn about the young man named Lester Stillwell, (do your homework) and we will move on from there. O’Life Out! ,

Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

THE BUCK STARTS HERE: THE CRANE MUSEUMOF PAPERMAKING words + images: Dan Bisbee

Riding through Dalton Massachusetts, it looks like many other New England mill towns with a tree-lined Main Street and ne Victorian ar chitecture. At the bottom of the hill, 19th century brick mill buildings string along the river. In most towns, these old buildings have been re purposed, abandoned, or torn down. Here in Dalton though, they have been making the same product they were designed for: paper. But not just any paper, this may be the most valuable paper in the world. These mills make the paper on which US currency is printed.

Look at a ten-dollar bill and you’ll see a bunch of colored threads in the paper. Hold it up to the light and you can see a watermark of Alexan der Hamilton to the right. There’s also a narrow stripe that says “USA TEN”. Hold an ultraviolet light behind the stripe and it glows orange – a twenty glows green. Other security features are built into the paper as well, some requiring specialized equipment to detect. All that gets its start here in Dalton where they’ve been making currency paper since the Bureau of Engraving was formed, and paper in general since 1801.

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

starting in 1769 at the Liberty Paper mill in Milton, Massachusetts. In 1777, a young engraver came to Crane for high-quality paper for his “soldier notes” used to pay soldiers in the Revolutionary war.

The engraver’s name? Paul Revere.

In 1801 Stephen’s son Zenas Crane began searching for a place to start his own paper mill. He chose Dalton for its abundant water to make the paper, and the vertical drop in the river to provide power. The lack of competition may have been a factor as well. Through the years, many types of paper have been made here, including wadding for muskets, pa per shirt collars, cigarette paper and Bible paper. Crane was also known for its ne writing paper and produced stationery into the 21st century. Today though, Crane’s focus is on currency and government documents.

The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing was formed in 1862 and, in 1879, became the sole producer of US Currency. Needing a high-quality paper on which to print their national currency, the US Treasury put the contract out for bid and Crane won the contract with a bid of 38 9/10 cents per pound.

The contract has been awarded to the Dalton facility ever since.

Upon entering the museum, one is greeted by a scale model of the original paper making process. The rst step begins with torn up rags

When you’ve been in business for over 200 years, you have a pretty in teresting history and some of that history is on display at the Crane Mu seum of Papermaking. While most of one of the early mills burned in 1870, the one surviving section was reimagined as the Crane Museum of Papermaking in 1930, making it one of the oldest corporate museums in the country.

Stephen Crane was the rst one of the Crane family to make paper,

– Crane’s paper has always been cotton based. The torn-up rags are re ned in a chest with hot water and some other materials. The re ned slurry is dumped onto a wooden-framed screen where the excess water drains through. Shaking the screen produces an even thickness. Once enough water has drained and the sheet is dry enough to handle, it is re moved from the screen and stacked. The stack is then placed in a hand press to squeeze out more water. The individual sheets are then “lofted”

over racks in the mill’s attic for nal drying.

Around in back is a scale model of one of Crane’s contemporary paper machines. The basic steps are the same: re ne, pour, shake, drain, press, and dry. The entire process is automated these days and the paper ma chines are the length of a football eld. The paper is processed further and inspected before heading to the Bureau of Engraving.

Along another wall in the mu seum are samples of foreign currency made by Crane. While the Dalton facility makes all the US currency, other Crane locations around the world make currency paper for more than 50 countries. The displays in the museum are fascinating enough, but listening to the cu rators and docents explaining the history really makes the vis it worthwhile.

Another display in the museum is a six-foot $100 bill with many of the se curity features highlighted. The red and blue bers, watermarks, 3-D Security Ribbon and security thread are all done here. The color-shifting ink, microprint ing and machine-readable numbers are added at the Bureau of Engraving. Trivia Question: who was the rst Treasurer of the United States? Does the name Michael Hilligas mean anything? He was Treasurer from 1775 to 1779 before Alexander Hamilton was sworn in as the Secretary of the Treasury. I learned that from a 1907 ten-dollar bill with Hilligas’ picture on it - Hamilton didn’t show up on the ten-dollar bill until 1928.

Before leaving, I am given the opportunity to make my own paper. The slurry has been made for me but I pour it, shake it, drain it and squeeze it. The process is oddly satis fying. Another activity involves paint and shav ing cream to decorate my paper. On my way out I pick up some out-of-print Crane Stationery with a gold motorcycle embossed on it.

Before leaving town, it’s time for lunch. It’s good to support local businesses and I settle in at the counter at the Dalton Restaurant for the Shepa rd’s Pie. It’s delicious and, when the check comes, I decide to support another local business and pay with cash.

Note: Due to added security measures, the Museum is closed to the public. There are plans to reopen it but please visit the website rst , www.cranemuseum.com

Thisilldous Eatery presents GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

RED WOLFE INN

130 COUNTY ROAD 519, BELVIDERE, NJ 07823 • 908-475-4772

Sometimes it boggles the mind when you think back on how long you have been going to certain places, hung with certain people, and had so many great times. Not that anything feels different, and we are all so young at heart, but the years and num bers do not lie.

We were more than a bit tickled when we ap proached our old friend Rudy Waltz about nishing our Benny’s Bodega Run, which we’d be holding at the end of July. Rudy’s mom and dad, Lauren and Rudy Sr., had been running the small western New Jersey Hideaway for decades and we have spent many a great af ternoon and evening at this neat tavern a few miles east of the Delaware River. In fact, I re member having family and friends join us at the Red Wolfe for one of Shira’s bigger birth days back in… well back thenabouts. Back then they had a number of wolf-hy brid puppies in a large pen outback and ev ery now and again we’d get to play with them, like Costner in Dances with Wolves, only real. Today the wolves are gone, and the day-today running of the place is handled by a devoted staff and some of the younger members of the Waltz clan.

Lauren might not be in command of the recently expanded kitchen, and Rudy Sr. might not be holding court and solving the world’s prob lems at his corner seat, but their hearts and souls still linger and give this tavern a down-home and comfy western edge of New Jersey feel all its

tasty places to take your bike

own. In addition to being owned and operated by a great family, we have always found the Wolfe’s staff to be a tight and happy group as well, and as we know staff will make or break a good restaurant. For us… the Red Wolfe Inn has always been about one thing – steaks.

But we’ll get to that.

First, let’s just tell you about some of their starters and appetizers: Littleneck Clams, Mussels a la Victor, stuffed mushroom caps… but you might want to look at the herring, escargot, their awesome calamari, and…yes, frog legs!

As you would think the Red Wolfe serves up several great salads as well - Garden, Caesar, grilled chicken, taco, and, of course, steak.

On the soup side of things, you have a con stant ow of daily specials and their staple French Onion along with their Chili Con Carne – created with Red Wolfe steak, tomatoes, beans, and their own mix of southwest seasonings. We really do not have words to describe this.

For me, if not a steak, their Cham bord Roast Duck is a favorite. They do a serious Jer sey Peach Chicken, as well as a Texas Breast and Carib bean Gold Chicken dish as well.

Over on the sea food part of town, you will nd their Creole Shrimp – this is also a favorite of ours – as they say the “shrimps are swimming in a zesty sea of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions with a splash of white wine and served with red rice and beans.” It is certainly a taste of New Orleans here in New Jersey.

Their burgers are excellent, as is their Philly-Style Cheese Steak. Want a bit more, then go for their ribs – Baby Back or Whiskey Riv er or the Whiskey Riv er Combo – Their Texas Chicken Breast, topped with Cheddar and Jack Cheeses, the Wolfe’s su perior Bacon, Onions, and Peppers… and a Half Rack of Ribs!

Pasta can be found too – Ravioli, Primavera, Seafood Alfredo, and Vodka. Yum!

Their sides run the gam ut, so you will not be dis appointed with the extras. If ordering a steak, do not pass up the option of topping with garlic butter and mushrooms - delectable!

But I really wanted to talk about the Red Wolfe Inn’s Steaks.

The top of the menu is titled the “Call of the Wild!” Rack of Lamb, London Broil, Filet Mi gnon, and then their Signature New York Strip.

Here size matters and the cuts are named for different wolves; The Cub a mere 8 ounces, then the Beta and Alpha cuts – 12 ounces and 16 ounces respec tively.

Then we jump to the Big Boy cuts – or girl if you are one. The Loki Cut (Named for one of their great wolves of the past) – is a full 24 ounces but we can go bigger. The Arctic is 32 ounc es and the Timber Wolf 40 ounc es. Then there is the Red Wolfe itself – a monstrous 48 ounc es – that is three full pounds of meaty perfection … Please do not ask for it well done or I will personally chase you down.

The Red Wolfe will set you back $99 – but if you have a few friends in volved it could be a lot of fun… how big is this thing?

The Red Wolfe is a true hidden gem on the western edge of the state and well worth seeking out, but to help you get there we will give you a monstrous Red Wolfe-style route from the Bear Mountain Bridge to the Wolfe’s impressive front door, that is surrounded by old river stone – that has a number of ancient fossils that can be clearly seen – a little Ju rassic avor as you enter. Enjoy the ride and the food! ,

OUTTA

We all like to get away every now and again, right? A few days on the road, a break from the norm – ROAD TRIP! There are few things better than snapping your machine into rst gear, easing out the clutch, rolling down the road, and seeing humdrum fade in the mirrors.

As time has been rolling on too, some other things have faded, and except for a few good club rides - New Sweden’s Romps or John Bossolt’s MotoMarathon come to mind - there are few multi-day events to be had that actually involve riding being the main part of the experience; and absolutely none that are offered for free.

Well, except for one…. any Backroads Rally. For decades now we’ve been eagerly inviting readers to join us on our little multi-day soirees, and many of you have done just that.

Are all of our events winners? Well, we’re the rst to admit we have had some events far outshine others; but that is how life goes. We try and, in truth, if we were professional baseball players we think would be on the way to Cooperstown – that’s not bragging – just a fact of which we are aware.

But, as we have always said – the rallies might bring us to different places and along strange new roads, and to seek out new laughs and new crazy adventures – to boldly go…. Sorry, we Kirked out there. What we wanted to say it is, and always has been, the riders and friends who many feel like extended family that makes these weekends so special.

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads RALLY REDO TIME

We thought with this October Chasing the Colors we’d take a look back at some of the Backroads’ Rallies that we have held. Most places are still there, but even if the hotels and towns have changed a bit the roads and scenery are still there to be ridden. So let’s go back in time so you can plan an escape for the future!

LONG VIEW INN, LONG LAKE, NY

2000

www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/tpz8r9

Some rallies stick in your mind, for good and for bad.

What was bad this autumn trip up into the Adirondacks was a strong Canadian cold front that had dropped down from our friend up north and with it a decent frost and freeze to start the day’s explora tion of the largest park in New York state.

Some of the better things were a fantas tic evening at the bar and a surprise ight courtesy of our friend Rudy in a small sea plane and getting the big picture of just how wild the Adirondack State Park is from above.

Since then the Long View shuttered its doors for several years, but has recent ly re-opened. If that place does not oat

your seaplane, there are plenty of other hotels and inns throughout the region.

We’ll give you a picturesque romp from Lake George – another town that has more hotels than stoplights.

THE COASTOF MAINE • 2020

GPX Route 50 miles • www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/t2km7a

Two decades later Backroads raised a one- ngered salute at covid and the shutdowns and carried on - with the mantra “You do you & I’ll do me.” Many riders agreed and that fall we rode up to the coast of Maine for a few days of well-deserved and most appre ciated salt air.

Some explored the coastal roads in and around Boothbay Harbor, while others headed to an au thentic Clam Bake on a little island in the bay.

This is a most excellent way to spend a few days this fall – especially mid-week if you can swing that.

Our home base was the Ocean Point Inn – with one of the most beautiful sunsets to be found in the northeast.

You know… we think we’ll book this one again.

But, during this Summer’s Sojourn, Shira brought us to Harraseeket Lobster for the real deal – fresh outta the watta! We’ll have a nice lunch run right to the wharf… enjoy!

THE MIMSLYM INN, LURAY VIRGINIA • 2012

GPX Route 146 Miles • www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/6m6kbd

We’re stealing from a Spring Break Rally here, but we can do that. This part of Virginia is superb in so many ways. Luray is in the north ern part of the Dominion State and just a few miles from Skyline Drive

this road one time during a foggy and rain-swept rally to the Blue Ridge – and we have taken it almost every time since. On the south end, right along Route 211, you will nd Cooter’s, a Dukes of Hazard Museum that has a small diner along with it.

The riding here is sublime and it is easy enough to make a huge loop with some serious foliage to be seen in early October.

We’ll swing through Strasburg which has a museum and train story well worth the visit.

There are some wonderfully good roads to be found – so get going!

THE ENDLESS MOUNTAINSOF PENNSYLVANIA • 2018

This central part of the Keystone State offers some very tasty roads in deed and we started this rally in the Electric City of Scranton, Pennsylva nia at a very large and very historic hotel, right in downtown Scranton –the Lackawanna Station.

that oats atop the long Appalachian mountain range along the Shenan doah National Forest. Just down the road from the Mimslym is the wellworth-visiting Luray Caverns. The mountains along Skyline Drive are stunning and the view is about as grand as they come, but the park road here costs $25 and we think that money is better spent on fuel, so when we are in the region, we much prefer the tiny forest road that runs north and south called Fort Valley. We were forced onto

Built in 1908, this former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad pas senger depot is an amazing sight. Its Beaux-Arts design was created by re nowned New York architect Ken neth Murchison in 1906 and took 14 months to complete. It is constructed

of brick and steel, with concrete oors and partitions. The exte rior is faced with Indiana lime stone and an 8-foot bronze clock on the façade. The main entrance leading to the former waiting room is furnished in Formosa, a soft, pinkish-yellow Italian mar ble. Other areas of the former waiting area and halls are deco rated with imported marble, and the barrel-vaulted ceiling is Tif fany glass.

Originally constructed as a 5-story structure at a cost of ap proximately $600,000, we could only imagine what this is worth today. But, one of the most pre cious parts of this hotel is that it

opens up the rest of the mid dle of Pennsylvania for our riding pleasure, and like Hor ace Greely – we will go west, young man… along the famed Route 6 to the Allegheny Na tional Forest, with over a half million acres of pristine moun tains, plateau, and forest. Here, in the heart of the Keystone State, you will nd hundreds of miles of paved and wellgroomed gravel roads. If you and your bike are up to it –some of these gravel roads that go up and over the mountains will offer you scenery and vistas that those sticking to the paved roads will never experience.

One highlight we made mention of several times before is the remains of the Kinzua Bridge. Why do we keep coming back to this? Because it is an awesome place and a wild story.

Here in the forest, Mother Nature is at its best – but we all know how ckle she can be... and on July 21, 2003, construction workers had packed up and were starting to leave for the day when a storm arrived. A tornado spawned by the storm struck the Kinzua Bridge, snapping and uprooting nearby trees, as well as causing 11 of the 20 bridge towers to collapse.

Making the best of a very bad situation you can now visit the bridge, which offers a spectacular view of nature’s reworks.

Our cross-PA Route will end in Bradford and a visit to the Zippo Lighter Museum.

Zippo. Just hearing one open you will know exact ly what it is. If you have a group and are looking for a great place for the night do not discount stay ing at the chain motels. Some are better than oth ers and the Best Western Plus, Bradford is excel lent; and while there, make your way to the Rimrock Overlook. Pennsylvania has some of the most pic turesque overlooks in the nation and we think Rim rock is one of its best. The view, from high above the Allegheny Lake (a dammed part of the river), is sim ply awesome – especially during this time of the year.

Just south of Bradford, in the town of Kane, we’d recommend the Kane Manor Inn B & B. The home was built in 1896 and it is a Na tional Historic Mansion. Not only is the Kane Manor Inn beautiful, but it has a deep history. When it was built it was called Anoatok –which is Aleutian for The Wind Loved Spot. Why? Well, you can vis it and nd out for yourself or wait for it to pop up in an upcoming Backroads.

The Kane Manor Inn is a perfect escape; and, that is what this col umn is all about… right?

Side stands up; cause We’re Outta Here! ,

HALLOWEENINOUR BACK YARD

I’m going to take a little different approach to Inside Scoop this month with just a mention of a very weird avor I came upon recent ly. If you happen to be visiting Minneapolis during Halloween, stop by Bebe Zito Ice Cream, a shop known by residents to feature some eccentric and daring scoops. Ben Spangler, co-owner of said shop, said he got the idea while watching the 1991 horror lm ‘Silence of the Lambs.’ When Hannibal said the line, ‘A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti,’ Span gler had an A-Ha moment and devised Hannibal’s Dinner – a base of sweet cream with cookie dough-like foie gras, brain, and fava bean cake mix, all topped with a drizzle of carmelized Chianti wine gastrique. Wait, WHAT?! Yes, each delec table bite will offer up a taste of salty, braised veal brain. This limited-edition Halloween avor falls in the ‘food that’s strange in the U.S. but isn’t strange elsewhere.’

Now, on to some more fun Halloween experiences…

While we have given some excellent suggestions to travel Autumn roads far and wide, I’d like to point out what we like to do in our little burg of Hampton Township and its neighbor, Branchville around Halloween.

Growing up in a more suburban than rural community, and on a dead end street at that, my Halloween was a bit tempered as a little one. We went to the few houses on our block and were very happy with the candy take from that. Getting older, the candy circumference got bigger as did the take. We certainly had our share of door bell rings and there was always a dish of candy for the asking.

We have been living in this area for over 20 years, and I do remember our rst Halloween. I got all set up with my stash, decorated the front of the house with mums and pumpkins and was excited to see the little tikes marching up the walkway in their costumes. Several hours of waiting and not one piece of candy given out, I learned a valuable lesson – living in rural farm land with no sidewalks or street lights did not lend itself to strolling for candy. It also meant that we had a ton of candy in the house – never a good thing.

We found that Branchville, the lit tle town next door, held a Halloween parade so that the kids (and adults) could all be in one place to show off their costumes. Since Branchville actually does have sidewalks and a bit more of a town, there are plen ty of houses and businesses giving out candy. A much more holiday at mosphere and I was again happy, as I didn’t have to have candy in my house and could still see the festivi ties.

Going into its 6th year is the Scare crow Contest. In 2016, Brad and Jeanne Heinke, with help from the borough council, historical society, business association and the cou ple who own the bookstore in town, started the Branchville Scarecrow

Contest. Brad constructs wooden frames, with a post to sink in the ground and four long screw on which plunk the pumpkin, to make the scarecrow-building easier.

And build they do – businesses, households and anyone who would like to get involved turn their skills to set design. It’s akin to folk art, with genres of American Gothic, Amer ican Musicals, American Pop Culture and so much more.

The Heinkes got the idea for the scarecrows on a trip to Cape Cod, where they saw the set-ups mostly in front of restaurants, and thought it would be fun to bring home to Branchville. And while they were the insti gators, they credit Ethan and Sue-Ni DiS tefano of Broad Street Books with promot ing and building the enthusiasm in town. Sue-Ni’s social media postings have brought thousands to Branchville to view the artistry and, in turn, increased the tourism and business traf c.

The judging takes place the Sunday before Halloween, so a visit a few days before would certainly give you the most Scarecrows to see. There is usually a digital map available on their Facebook page so you won’t miss a single pumpkin; just plug in Branchville Scarecrows in a Facebook search and you are all set.

When you come to visit, there are several eateries to sate your hunger on Route 206: Yellow Cottage Deli and Bakery will make you one helluva sandwich (they have THE BEST bread), Fran’s Farmhouse Kitchen at George’s Wine & Spirits will also make you a gourmet bite to eat along with some scrumptious baked goods and, should you like a scenic place to sit, go a bit further up Route 206 and turn in to Gyp’s Tavern for a great burger, a cold drink and an Adirondack chair by the lake. There is the home of our local Bike Night – Jumboland – also on Route 206, which is in its 35 year of serving great food and delicious ice cream.

If you’d like to dress yourself up along with your motorcycle while helping a GREAT cause, take a spin on Friday, October 28 to Benny’s Bodega Trunk or Treat, held at R&T Nautilus, 190 Halsey Rd, Newton, NJ.

If you are like me, without any children of trick or treat age, you may not know what a Trunk or Treat is. Simply explained, participants bring their car (or motorcycle) to a location and decorate it, usually with some creepy, scary theme like baby dolls, ogres, witches and such. Many cre ate elaborate scenes, add music and smoke, all to entice these innocent little ones to stick their hands in and grab some candy. While there is no real de nitive date or place where Trunk or Treat began, it has been go ing on in communities since the ‘90s. Some feel that the real essence of Halloween is going house to house, but in this day and age, this alterna tive gives the kids the same candy x while allowing parents to be a little more at ease.

In some conversation, Heather Davey, along with her husband Ben – the heroes behind Benny’s Bodega - mentioned that a motorcycle couldn’t

do Trunk or Treat. When we heard that, the challenge was on. We donned our top cases, lled with only the best can dy, and popped into the parking lot. We had constructed some great dragon heads, complete with glowing eyes and aming teeth. We were amazed at some of the decora tions the parents did, as well as the wonderful costumes.

If you’d like to support the ‘Motorcycles CAN do Trunk or Treat’ Challenge, put October 28 on your calendar and think of some great costume – we’d love to see you there.

To nish up with dessert, when visiting either or both of our home town haunts, take a spin to one of my favorite

FREE WHEELIN’

Continued from Page 3

Just a quick search of one area turned up a wide range of pricing. In and around Phoenicia, New York – the heart of the Catskills – I found one room for $125 at the Graham & Co. – a seemingly friendly and hap py new place. Our Friend Michelle and the Starlite Motel has been a fa vorite of ours for years. Clean, fun, and very affordable – under $100 –you cannot go wrong here.

Yet, not far away, another hotel in Woodstock named after Bob Dylan – complete with a peace symbol built into their logo – is a different story. Yup… Peace, Love & Stay for $234.

Okay – Phoenicia and Big Indian aren’t as trendy as Woodstock. But

ice cream scoops – Windy Brow Farms, 359 Ridge Rd, Newton, NJ. Jake and crew are always coming up with exciting and inventive avors and I’m sure they won’t dis appoint come Halloween. Their ever-rotating avors are sure to satisfy the sweet tooth, even after the candy x. How about some Fig, Honey, Walnut & Ricotta? Perhaps a little Taylor Ham & French Toast? Or one of my favor ites – Honey Lavender.

Have a spookilicious October, watch out for low- ying witches and we’ll see you on the road! ,

the former seems a far better deal than the latter; especially when you remember the actual Woodstock Music Festival was 60+ miles to the south, the town is living off a big weekend that didn’t happen there, and the Hotel Dylan is still requiring Covid 19 masks.

Tall prices and masks? Wow – once again… You cannot be serious? These days only Spider-Man and Deadpool should have to wear masks. Looking at the road map of life in these Post Pandemic Times we know, for us both socially and economically, there will be a need to pick and choose where to go, where to stay, and where to bring our readers on both paper and the backroads.

Plan your ride and ride your plan! ,

WHATCHATHINKIN’

Continued from Page 4 Google’ with the image to see if there was anything, anywhere related to baseball with this logo and came up with nada.

One suggestion he did make, and this could very well t into something that Jan would do, was that it may relate to a comic book or cartoon with its bright colors. Jan was a collector of comic books (see, I told you) and may have had this cap made up to represent something like that. I thank everyone who took the time to help with this mystery. I feel like it will remain a mystery and I’m okay with that. I will wear this cap to ball parks and perhaps someone, somewhere, will point to it and say, ‘Hey, I haven’t see that logo in a long time. It represents ?????’ ,

Continued from Page 5 will, but there’s also something to be said for knowing there’s a nice stop in Amenia and Eldred and Schoharie and a great Greek place in Roscoe. There’s actually a dirty-water hot-dog guy in a gravel turnout on 206 be tween Roscoe and 30. It doesn’t matter if they’re the same-old, same roads: the views are still beautiful and the experiences are new and some times, like when going to The Ghost, it really is about the destination. ,

ON THE MARK

When the German designers at SW-MOTECH set out to develop a luggage system speci cally for Harley-Davidsons, they knew it had to be special. Both, in terms of its styling and its functionality. They wanted a system that had all of the hallmark SW-MOTECH quick and convenient mounting and dismounting and of course, the SW-MOTECH build qual ity you can sense as soon as you touch it.

The Legend Gear LH luggage line was born. With classic vintage diamond tuck design elements and a quick release system that leaves the iconic lines of the original motorcycle intact when the bags are off. This truly turns the machine into a convertible – from clean cruiser to touring bike in seconds. All the style of soft luggage with hard luggage function ality. SW-MOTECH liked it so much, they’ve expanded tments to other metric cruisers as well.

The LH bags attach or detach in seconds. Locking lids and an internal lever secure the bags for the road and protect from any fast ngers getting into your gear or swiping the entire bag.

Rigid construction and robust brackets make the bags stable on the highway instead of apping around near your wheel and drive train. It also keeps them looking great, whether they’re empty or full.

MOLLE panels on the outside allow for attaching additional pouches or even bottles using the LA6 Legend Gear Bottle

When the bags are removed, only a small simple bracket remains on the rear rails that leaves your bike looking clean and ready to cruise. With the Legend Gear LH bag system on your ride, you’ll be ready for the next big road trip or daily commute in a matter of minutes.

Now available for many Harley-Da vidson models, in addition to BMW R18, Honda Rebel 500 and 1100, Indian Scout and Scout Sixty, Kawasaki Vulcan S, Royal En eld Meteor and Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster.

Check the SW-MOTECH website for full details: sw-motech.us

Having some airline points which were depreciating in value and looking for a short motorcy cle tour, I began sur ng the web for options when I realized the Tourist Trophy races on the Isle of Man were just weeks away! A ‘bucket list’ item and good tim ing with my work schedule, I was instantly hooked on the idea and began intensive planning.

Although, it was a bit late to se cure a motorcycle rental or fer ry transport, I decided to go solo using public transportation and camping for a few days. Of course, I suggest anyone interest ed in attending next year’s event begin planning much earlier than I did but wanted to share some

notes as I had a great experience and met enthusiasts from around the world.

‘TT’ events are scheduled over two weeks with practice sessions during the rst and races during the second; however, (as I would learn rst-hand), schedules can change based on weather condi tions or other circumstances. Due to obvious risks, racing will not commence with rain or on wet roads.

Tours: There are various tour groups who provide soup-to-nuts options, but of course come at a higher price. These can range from camping or hotel/guesthouse accommodations and often in clude many tangible extras to make for a memorable experience.

Camping: All over the island, camping goes from primitive sites, pre-pitched tents to full ‘glamping’ experiences. I booked with In TentsGP at their QuarterBridge site and selected a 2-man tent with air mattress and pillows (bringing my own sleeping bag).

Hotels/Short-term Rentals: There are some hotels/guesthouses but many book early and I did not see a lot of AirBnBs available beyond single rooms with a shared bath (which made camping with facilities ad equate for me). Again, plan ahead.

Ground Transportation: I was very happy with the Isle of Man bus and train transport (iombusandrail. im) and took advantage of a 3-day pass (which I recom mend and easily paid for it self). Their website had race day schedules, routes to serve area campsites and even a live tracker to show your bus arriving. Although some routes were affected by road closures during race events, there is time to get around the island in the morning and back in the evening. I did not

Words & Images: Peter Geffert and John Kovach

see Uber options and as the island is popular with mountain bicyclists, there are a few rental shops (which were also booked in advance). I did a lot of walking around Douglas to tour the pits and port city, it’s nice to stay close to a town like Douglas or Peel as some areas do not offer the convenience of shopping, pubs and such within walk.

Ferry Service: Resources like DirectFerries.com can help and Steam Packet is the main line to service Isle of Man from Liverpool or Heysh am UK. Ferries can be had out of Ireland as well and are important to book in advance.

Air Travel: I ew Aer Lingus from JFK to Manchester (MAN) and connected via Loganair to Ronaldsway airport in Castletown on the Isle of Man. The best thing I did and advise the same, was to stag ger ights and book af ternoon ights (with so many converging on this small island there were delays and I was glad to schedule a rest in Man chester before returning to the US. Plus as the Se nior TT race was post poned from Friday to Saturday my 4pm Satur day ight allowed me to see the main event).

Currency: Good to use a Travelex machine to with draw some cash in Pounds Sterling, but even tent concessions accepted credit cards w/ chips.

Groceries: If you’re camping and looking for food or supplies near Douglas, you’ll want to shop at Tesco (tesco.com) or M&S (marksandspencer.com) where you’re sure to nd what you need.

Tickets & Viewing: Grandstand tickets can be pur chased but the race can be viewed without tickets all along the 37.75 mile Mountain Course circuit. The grandstand of course provides a view of pit stops,

QuarterBridge near my camp, the Bungalow/Victory Café via the elec tric tram from Laxey station and Braddan Bridge (Kirk Braddan). I had also ventured to view Ramsey but racing was postponed that day and the local shop had no bicycle for hire. For me, an S-turn or technical section was best for snapping photos. Bring a personal radio but most areas had

but the team pits can be toured throughout the week at no charge behind the grandstands (also the fan park area). There are tickets available for concerts and fan events which will sell out closer to event dates – see of cial websites for details. There are many, many areas to view from but I watched from

live coverage piped through speakers and some areas had large screens. The of cial website offered live streaming for a reasonable rate which I subscribed to and there was streaming radio as well. Again, weather can change quickly, so packin extra gear as well as food/water.

On Motorcycle: Most of the camping sites have ample parking areas for cycles and were re spected by fellow riders. Of course it is a special thrill to ride the course, but beware as authori ties derive some income from speed traps around

the island. Certainly this is the best way for getting around quickly to en joy the island’s beautiful and diverse scenery. Departing by ferry, consid er a later departure in case events are rescheduled.

Weather: Regarding the weather, visitors should expect a mixed bag of conditions during their stay and pack accordingly. During my stay (6/812) temperatures swung from 7C/45F at night to 21C/70F when the sun was out. It was breezy the entire time, but a couple days had sustained wind with gusts up to 45mph and intermittent rainstorms which made it downright frigid at times. Fortunately, I brought extra gear and used everything I had.

Resources: iomttraces.com, visitisleofman.com, InTentsGP.com, duketravel.com, steam-packet.com

Unlike MotoGP racing scheduled on state-of-the-art circuits with sand traps and perfectly smooth tarmac, seeing TT riders run balls-out on the imperfect local roads across this small island is like nothing else. More relatable to sport touring with off-camber or decreasing radius turns,

blind corners, bumps or dips and tight quarters with stone walls. You simply can’t appreciate the speed, skill and psychological fo cus these TT riders display un less you experience it in person. So plan on visiting the Isle of Man next year and commit to it!

~ Peter Geffert

One year ago for my 70th birthday my wife surprised me with a trip to attend the time trials week at Isle of Man 2022. Although we are very well traveled, I must say that this was the trip of a lifetime. In addi tion to the races which run for two weeks, the rst week of qualifying time trials and the second week of races, the Isle of Man (IOM) is lled with beau tiful scenery and sites worth a visit for bike enthusi asts as well as those less interested in the races. Each summer the Island of 80,000 permanent inhabitants greets about 46,000 excited bike fans for this twoweek event which is like nothing else in the world. It takes planning but it can be rather simple if you take advantage of travel agents specializing in IOM bike events travel. Start planning for 2023 with qualifying beginning on Monday May 29th and race week run ning from Saturday June 3rd until the 10th Accommodations can be tricky and expensive be cause hotels and B&Bs are in short supply. If you are into camping, you can bring your own gear and many campsites are available all over the Island. Also pop ular are pre-erected camping, glamping and small wood cabins where everything you need is provided for you (InTentsgp.com). There is also a pop-up ho tel along side of the paddocks where racing teams are based. This 100-room temporary village has warm, cozy rooms with basic breakfast provided plus you will be lodging right next to the start/ nish line, and you can walk past the race team tents to watch the ne tuning of bikes (IOMTTvilliage.com)

My wife used Duketravel.com to make planning a snap. This out t specializes in IOM travel. Just give them your travel dates and they will make all arrange ments for you from the Liverpool Ferry which trans ports you to IOM, provides a cab for you from the IOM ferry terminal to your hotel (they get special hotel rates for you), give you a ton of information on what to do and see on the Island, provide a Go Explore card which gives you free bus, steam train, mountain tram, transportation which is handy for exploration of the entire Island and they book your ferry ride back to Liverpool. If you have time, spend a day or two in Liverpool to see where the Beatles got their start and all the great museums and sites there. My wife and I ew from Newark, NJ airport to Lon don, stayed there for two days to see sights and visit a friend, then took the train to Manchester to explore

the Lake Region of Great Britain. From there it was an easy one-hour train ride to Liverpool—unlike here in the U.S., train travel is convenient and a breeze in most of Europe. If one is pressed for time, it is possible to get a direct ight from the U.S. to Manchester, then take the train to Liv erpool and ferry to IOM. Half the fun could be planning this trip well in advance and then spending the rest of the year dreaming about the thou sands of bikes you will see being loaded and unloaded on the ferry each day and clogging the streets of IOM. ~ John Kovach ,

Backroads summer sojourn or how we spent our summer vacation…

How’d we spend it?

With a bunch of friends traipsing around Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine on a long 5-day weekend.

For several years Backroads has held what we ended up calling the Summer Squeeze mostly running in and around West Dover, Vermont, and the Gray Ghost Inn. We felt it was time to change things up a bit and when we heard that the Ramapo 500 was not going to be held, we thought a weekend event around the same dates as RMC’s 500 would be a good thing. Thus the Summer Sojourn.

Although this event was to start on a Friday, Shira and I wanted to grab a bit of pre-rally ride time and decided to spin up through Connecticut and Massachusetts the day before.

Backroads Central to Holyoke, Massachusetts

A brisk morning started the day that would give way to summer July heat, but we made short work east over the Hudson and into the Nut meg State with our rst stop being to visit the new Touratech Shop, right outside Danbury.

Touratech has been out t ting adventure machines for years now and having an ac tual brick & mortar shop in our region is most excellent, and appreciated.

We spent some time talking bikes with Steve and one of the customers, Chris, who also happens to be a Backroads reader as well.

If in the area it is well worth seeking out and spending some time perus ing what they have to offer.

From Danbury, we headed east, following the smallest and least con gested pavement we could muster, and did a pretty good job of it all until Hartford where, after a quick stop at Mark Twain’s Home, we slithered around the rest of the city and made our way to the New England Mo torcycle Museum, located in Rockville. Found in a beautifully restored 200 + year old textile mill building, which also holds its parent company – Kaplan Cycles.

Dan Bisbee had written a piece on the museum a year or so back and recently Tony Lisanti had dropped by and sent us some images. So, with interest piqued, we rode that way to take in the museum ourselves.

The verdict? This place is simply wonderful in every way.

A serious collection of historic machines, and bikes from many of our pasts. They were kind enough to let us in on an off day, and let us take

our time wandering around both oors and there is quite a lot to take in. Not just bikes, but the way the owner, Ken Kaplan, had envisioned and built the place. Little details, pieces of art, and odd moto-things spread here and there.

Really a superb place full of eye candy for any real motorhead. But then there was the TZ750… oh, yes; and the story on this bike was even better. A true Ferrari in the Barn tale.

By the time we were ready to leave it was late afternoon and Shira had us vectoring back west a bit and north along the Con necticut River and Mount Tom Range – a rarely talked about small mountain range that runs north from the Long Island Sound along the river’s eastern valley. Barely noticeable in the south, at over 1,000 feet high here in the middle of the Bay State, Mount Tom dominates the view to the east.

In the town of Holyoke, we took a room at the D Hotel Suites and Spa, which offered a great room, excellent Delany House restaurant and was just a bit north of yet anoth er den of mystery that O’Life demanded we follow up.

But to do so we’d have to get some sleep and prepare for a bit of time travel.

Holyoke to West Dover, Vermont

Brilliant sunlight burned through the paned window hitting my eyes and jump-starting my day, a full hour before I really needed to part com pany with Morpheus.

Not wanting to wake my bride, I scooted down a few levels in the D Hotel in search of my morning pleasure of coffee. Returning to the room I saw her side of the bed was empty and I could hear the show er on.

We were in no particular rush to go anywhere quick this day, so we took our time and grabbed a lite breakfast to hold us over till later in the morning and a bit further north.

A very neat thing to see and good for Massachusetts to allow easy and free access to this bit of prehistoric history.

On a more modern and solemn note, we rode up and over Mount Tom. The park these days is a peaceful and unexpected retreat from the bustle of the interstate below it,

On July 9, 1946, at 10:21pm, a B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber, converted into a transport plane, crashed into the southeast slope of Mt. Tom, outside of Holyoke, Massachusetts. The ight, en route to New York from Greenland, was to stop at Westover Field in Chicopee as the port of entry into the United States before continuing on to its nal destina tion. The passengers; 15 Coast Guards men, 4 Army Air Corps servicemen, 1 Red Cross of cial and 1 US Public Health Corps medical doctor were returning home after serving their country in Greenland during World War II. The 4 Army Air Corps crew members on the ight were also soon to be discharged after completing their honorable military service.

While approaching Westover on a dark, rainy night, the plane struck the 1200-foot mountain about 300 feet below the summit. After tearing

But rst, following O’Life’s request, we backtracked a few miles down Route 5, which runs along the Con necticut River.

Clearly marked along the side of the road…Dino saur Prints. Que? Indeed.

First described in the mid-19th century, these prints, found along the ancient sandstone on the banks of the river, originally were thought to be of giant birds, because of the similarity in shape of the three-toed bird and dinosaur feet.

Well, except for the size of course.

through trees, the B-17 hit a rocky outcrop causing the aircraft to dis integrate and starting an intense re that burned for much of the night. Several people who were at the Mountain Park amusement park at the base of Mt. Tom that evening climbed up toward the accident site via an old cable railway roadbed but could not get close due to the heat of the res. In the morning, rescue crews found the bodies of the young men among the wreckage in the scarred and charred landscape.

All were killed on impact.

The crash was, at the time, the worst air disaster in New England’s his tory and the single largest loss of Coast Guard life outside of a maritime accident.

A short hike along a well-worn trail can bring you to the crash site.

The town of Holyoke seemed pretty neat and a return visit is needed, but this day I followed Shira’s lead north on some excellent tinier roads and smaller towns. We passed a sign for another tale of woe, the great Mill River Flood, that took out over 100 souls and four towns in less than an hour when a shoddy earthen dam failed and sent a pulverizing punch of water down from the Berkshires towards the Connecticut Riv er Valley.

On a happier note, the town of Shelbourne Falls was our late breakfast destination. Found along the Deer eld River this region had been used

for centuries by local tribes as a place of peace and agreement.

Everything within one day walk was set for hunting, shing, and absolutely no vi olence.

Perhaps we can learn from these folks?

The town’s Bridge of Flowers has been a centerpiece for over 100 years and this day it did not disappoint as it was in full bloom and as stunning as ever.

After a stroll, breakfast, and a little store perusing (I bought Shira the smallest knife on the planet) we saddled up and headed north to West Dover and the Gray Ghost Inn – one of our ‘homes away from home.’

We had gotten there before everyone else and while settling in I went to open the house guitar … only to nd that, since last year, it had been se riously abused and left for dead.

Shira was going to spend the afternoon poolside looking very Hollywood starlet with her Camel Racing Hat and one piece and I was now on a small quest on the road to Brattleboro and the local guitar store for strings, pegs, and … well, you never know when you go into a shop full of Martins and Guilds.

a 3.5-foot tamping iron through Gage’s face and out his skull. It passed through his left cheek, past behind his left eye, and out through the top of his head, land ing nearly 100 feet away. The im pact knocked Gage to the ground, where he lay convulsing. His men crowded around and a few minutes later he began to speak to them. Stunned that Gage was still alive, they decided to haul him by ox cart to the local tavern to see if any thing could be done for him. Gage insisted on walking to the cart. And when it reached the town, he climbed down and walked to the tavern’s veranda to await the doc tor who had been summoned.

He survived, but underwent very bad personality issues – all this would eventually kill him – but his story still stands as one of the most amazing in American history.

Our route would bring us across the Connecticut River and into New Hampshire. Riding into the White Mountains and heading towards the Presidential Range we rode through the little hamlet of Warren – the only town in the United States that has its own Redstone Missile.

In these SpaceX days, you have to reach way back for this baby…This was the same rocket (really a missile) that they sent local Mercury astro naut Alan Shepard to climb upon and into space, what Shepard named,

By late that afternoon, the Gray Ghost’s lot was full of bikes, the gui tar had some new strings and life and our Summer Sojourn was fully un derway.

Dinner was found and the Backroads House Band – They Suckshowed up as our friend Jon Bresner rolled in with a second guitar. Add in our man Roy on harmonica and we had a fairly rockin’ time on the porch that evening with the band back together.

West Dover to Sheburne, New Hampshire. The routes to and from New Hampshire were handled and created by our friends Paul Donoghue and Kimberly Harvey.

Both riders make solid routes and, personally, I was happy to let them handle it. I have routed, vectored, and sent riders down the wrong way far too often – let somebody else get the glory.

Although their route was fun and covered some re ally sweet roads, I do not think they knew what they were routing through.

The friends that rode with us got a behind the scene look at how we operate and how we rarely miss a point of interest. Historical, fantastic, odd, or mys terious. If it’s there we will usually stop for a look, and we did.

In Cavendish we pulled off the road to take in the Historical Marker for Phineas Gage.

We have mentioned this incredible story before but, for you latecomers, on Sept. 13, 1848, Gage was di recting the blasting of the ledge in Cavendish for the Rutland & Burlington Railroad, which was lay ing tracks through the town. Blasting involved cre ating an explosive charge by pouring powder into a drilled hole, dropping in a fuse, and tamping it (gen tly!) with a heavy metal rod. Then pouring sand into the hole and tamping more vigorously to form a plug that would direct the force of the eventual explosion down into the rock.

But not this day as it exploded prematurely and sent

Freedom 7. Shepard would go on to walk on the moon as well. The story of how and why the town has a Redstone in front of their Historical Society is one in itself.

We did a walk through the Historical Society, as the door was open, and found some very in teresting information, memorabilia and, well, history.

We stopped for lunch in Lincoln and, sticking with the “Space” theme I dragged my friends to another historical marker.

This one to Barney and Betty Hill. Yes, kids… THE Barney & Betty Hill – not Rubble.

In 1961 this couple became the rst Close En counter of the Third Kind. Their story, which

is part of Project Blue Book, was well doc umented and has been told over and over.

A light in the sky chasing their car down Route 3, north of Lincoln. Stopping to see a strange craft descending towards them… lost time and waking up in disarray, miles from where this all started, and with terri ble foreboding and knowing they had been physically violated.

I thought we just called that Vegas – but Hill’s story held up under intense scrutiny from the U.S. Air Force and still does. Thus, the legend and stories began.

For us, it was our continued romp through the mountains on the Kancamagus and

then north to Mount Washington – stopping for some excellent food from Kimberly’s Gluten Free Food Kitchen Truck – the same Kimberly who helped put the route for this day’s ride together.

Fun and food – an all-purpose gal, she is.

Our home base for the next two days would be the Town & Country Inn, outside Shelbourne, New Hampshire. Featured last year in Back roads We’re Outta Here the place had nice rooms, a big bar, a pool, and a superb restaurant.

Everything we could ask for – including a y-over by the International Space Station… something we, maybe, pay way too much attention to.

Free day in New Hampshire & Maine

Shelbourne, New Hampshire is a stone’s throw from Maine and there were several ride ideas and routes bandied about.

For those that didn’t tackle the Auto Road up Mount Washington the previous day, there was that, but a few of us followed along on a route Shira had tossed together that would bring us to the Atlantic, just south of Freeport, Maine, and to the Harraseekett Lunch & Lobster Com pany. She had found Harraseekett through CandleBay Inn’s website – a wonderful spot for a base camp if visiting this part of Maine, especially if you have pooch in tow, as they are dog-friendly (candlebaymaine.com) Her route rode up and along Evans Notch on a road that followed the Wild River (one of the few rivers in North America that ows north) and seemed to shroud us in a canopy of green.

The view of the Notch itself is a breathtaker and at 1,400 feet totally dominates the region with a combination of verdancy and stone.

As we got closer to the ocean the ground along the road took on a far sandier perspective and where else on the planet will you nd a Hardware Store that proudly sells lobster as well?

We rode past the Desert of Maine – part natural wonder, part tourist trap, and then down to the harbor and our lobster lunch.

For over 40 years, the Cof n family has strived to maintain a small-town family atmosphere. Delicious fresh seafood with a comfortable picnic feel, and a nice view of the harbor and shing boats coming and going. Nice nd for our Summer Sojourn.

The ride back was a mix of lakes, forests, a “You Know It’s Gonna Come” Ice Cream stop, and then past Mount Washington, com plete with a run-in with a bear be fore scooting back to the Town & Country.

Most folks ate at the Town & Country’s excellent restaurant, but we rode into town for Italian.

As the night wore on a good-size crowd began to gather under the New Hampshire stars. As Sunday rolled into Monday most every body slipped back to their rooms to ready for the next day’s ride..

Shelburne to West Dover, Vermont

Up ‘til this day, we were blessed with bright days and warm tempera tures, but one look at your friendly neighborhood weather app and we all knew that would quickly be changing as the day rolled on. A few of us took note of this, and had a quick bite, and then got o the road around 7 am, hoping to get in as many “dry” miles as possible be fore the deluge that was quickly approaching from the southwest.

By this time the wet had caught up with us, yet the 80 or so mile dash south along Vermont’s much heralded Route 100 was pleasant if a bit on the soggy side.

By early evening every bike and rider was accounted for and we had an excellent meal at the Gray Ghost, as Carina and company do so well, and were especially happy to have Allison and Simon from the Kitzhof Inn join us for the dinner as well as the entire weekend.

Although many tried to make a shorter day of it by heading for the big ger roads, a group of us stuck with Paul’s route, which had been awe some all rally, so why play with a good thing? Today we playfully ran around the eastern edge of the Presidential Range and then across the river into Vermont before banking a bit north and west to Route 100 at Rochester – home to the Rochester Café & Country Store. The café has been a long-time supporter of Backroads and the new owner Stepha nie has recently added a larger deck and a clean and spruced-up look to a Vermont staple. The food was great as always and their Maple Milk shakes are the stuff of legend.

Adult beverages and a cheap house band, the solo act of Johnny Rock et, kept semi-quiet background tunes owing.

It rained ferociously at times this night, but the morning brought a great day, and after breakfast, riders saddled up to began their journeys home.

West Dover to Backroads Central

We have been to the region of Vermont many, many times – and have at least a half dozen routes to and from.

I resurrected one from 2016 that I remembered being particularly awe some – and it was. Smaller roads heading south, then west towards the

Hudson, crossing at Rhinebeck, then south along the river, before heading west once again on Old Post Road, near the town of Esopus –one of the wildest rides in New York state that dropped us off at the Wallkill River – one of the other rivers that also runs north.

Early afternoon found us at the Elias Cole for lunch – always a great place to start or nish a Backroads event.

Final Thoughts…

This was the twelfth Summer Rally we have held – and after the last few years, it was excellent to see familiar faces and just as much fun to meet

some new riders as well. Both Shira and I hope you enjoyed yourselves and come back for more.

By the time you read this our Fall Fiesta will be in the books but the Spring Break is already set for June 8-12, 2023. You can nd the details in these pages and make sure to book EARLY – this time rooms are truly very limited.

Come ride with us… far, with gusto, and on the Backroads! ,

At our Benny’s Bodega Run we saw that two of our friends’ BMW R1250GS’ were sporting a very sharp looking shield up front. It gave the bikes, especially the black one, a sleek Gotham feel to it. MachineArtMoto, MaMo for short, has been designing and fabricating accessories for various makes and models of BMW, Honda, KTM and Triumph machines for years. We have found MaMos attention to detail and functionality to be without peer and we have been using MaMo accessories on our ADV machines for years.

So let us show you MaMo’s Slipscreen for the BMW

The Slipscreen GS/A is the perfect comfort solution for off-road and hot weather riding when minimal physical ob struction and maximum air ow are a most bene cial.

The Slipscreen is easy to swap with the stock windscreen using just two existing screws. There are no front sur face fasteners for a clean look and its appearance re ects the GS’s angular styling. When cold weather returns, the swap back to the stock screen is equally easy with just two screws.

Slipscreen is precision injection molded in Polycar bonate, and the height adjustability feature is retained, covering the Navigator GPS unit in its low setting while extending 2.5” above it in its highest position. Black is the new standard color.

GS off-road riding schools instruct students to “look up - don’t xate on the front end”. At 10.5” tall, Slipscreen’s size is unobtrusive while its opaque color encourages keeping eyes looking for ward, not down.

MaMo also has a Slipscreen for earlier 1200GS machines as well. The Slipscreen GS/A sells for $129 and can be found on the MaMo website: machineartmoto.com.

IT CAN HAPPENTO YOU

It can happen to you It can happen to me It can happen to everyone eventually - Yes

A warm spring Sunday afternoon on the bikes. It doesn’t seem to get much better than this. But, even on the most perfect of days, I try to stay ever vigilant – even when sitting down for lunch at one of our favorites – the Elias Cole, in Sussex, New Jersey on Route 23, just south of High Point State Park.

Our day had moved along quicker than we wished and it soon would become a race against time – quelling the rumblings in our bellies, enjoy ing a nice ride, and then getting back before the rumbling thunder show er promised to end this otherwise stellar day.

When we arrived at the Elias Cole there was a sweet Moto Guzzi Le Mans in front – another rider stealing a lovely Sunday afternoon on two wheels.

We chatted a bit before he said his goodbyes and headed north towards High Point State Park.

We had ordered our lunch (great fried chicken I tell ya!) and about 10 minutes later I spied a new Jersey State Trooper heading north, lights on at speed. Within ve minutes an ambulance followed with another trooper right behind.

They were not going slow – always a good sign, believe it or not. It is never a good thing when you see a speeding ambulance turn off the lights, and then slowing down.

Nancy, the ever-smiling owner of the restaurant, was talking with oth er customers and it was hard not to have seen the First Responders re sponding.

Sometimes you can hear the word “motorcycle,” even whispered, from across a room – or restaurant. I had that bad feeling in my gut that Nan cy was right.

She has been running this place for over 40 years and she has seen this far too many times.

Don’t count stars or you may stumble Someone drops a sigh An’ down you tumble It could happen to you - Jimmy Van Heusen

A bit later and a couple rode into the parking lot from the north. Although both rider and passenger were equipped with far less than ATGATT. He was on a newish Honda VFR but was sporting an RC51 tee shirt, that said there was certainly more to the rider than the rst impression.

As they ordered their slices of lemon meringue I

asked if they had come across from High Point and if there was any twowheel trouble up there.

They did and there was. They both said it looked very bad

It always does.

The next day we read a news report that a Pennsylvania rider, astride a Harley, had gone straight, right after the summit, where the road goes through a series of small esses and bears hard to the left.

The bike and rider had taken out a traf c sign and, according to both the VFR riders and the report, had been hurt badly.

Having this run through your mind when out on an otherwise stellar day can give you a deep moment of thought and clarity.

Certainly, this rider did not go out this day looking to crash – but he did.

In the movie LeMans, Steve McQueen’s character – Michael Delany –says…

“This isn’t just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional blood sport. And it can happen to you. And then it can happen to you again.”

Well, it might not be a blood sport, but Delaney was right that it can happen to any of us and then it can happen again.

We never know, and I guess for all the right reasons, if our name has come around in the lottery of vehicular mayhem, what we can do is strive to lessen those odds.

Take advanced riding classes and wear the proper gear. Take the time to practice on your machine; especially panic braking and avoidance tech niques. Ride within your limits on the street.

We almost expect road racers to take the occasional fall on the track. The truth is that is what some of them get paid for. Certainly not crash ing, but pushing themselves past their limits.

On the street, there is no reason to ride over our individual comfort zones. For there are no real run-offs, no spare bikes, no do-overs on the street.

Ride like a pro and with your head, not over it, and please never think you are impervious to physics.

It could happen to you. We hope it does not. ,

The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival