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AUGUST

2013 Volume 19 No. 8

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

CLASS Smoother

Getting the

PridmoreWay

BACKROADS 250+ Americade 2013 Get Ready for Unadilla ‘13 A Time to Ride/A Time to Serve

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E FEAT URES

MON THLY COLUMN S FREE WHEELIN’.................................................................................4

CLASS - GETTING SMOOTHER THE PRIDMORE WAY ........26

WHATCHATHINKIN’..........................................................................6

BACKROADS 250+ ROAD TOUR RECAP ................................30

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE .................................................7

SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN ...........................................................34

THROTTLE BLIPS ..............................................................................8

GET READY FOR UNADILLA.......................................................38

ON THE MARK ..................................................................................9

AMERICADE 2013 RECAP............................................................43

BACKLASH .......................................................................................10

ASK DR. KNOWITALL ....................................................................57

INDUSTRY INFOBITES...................................................................12

A TIME TO RIDE/A TIME TO SERVE.........................................58

THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD....................................................15

PRODUCT REVIEW S

MYSTERIOUS AMERICA...............................................................16

BEAR EXTENDER FOR WIFI........................................................40

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN.........................................18

TOM BIHN TRAVEL BELT .............................................................40

BIG CITY GETAWAY .......................................................................20

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS ................................................................41

WE’RE OUTTA HERE .....................................................................22 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ..............................................50 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE .......................................................52

COVER:

ETECHPHOTO@USA.NET CAPTURES THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR

GOING THROUGH THE PACES OF

CLASS

AT

VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil ~ Publishers Contributors: Jeff Bahr, Mark Byers, Victor Cruz, Bill Heald, Tony Lisanti, Rick Mayer, Gary Renna, Dr. Seymour O’Life Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

BACKROADS • POB 317, Branchville NJ 07826 Phone 973.948.4176 • Fax 973.948.0823 • email editor@backroadsusa.com • web www.backroadsusa.com

For Advertising Sales Information: 973-948-4176 BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2013. 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 • AUGUST 2013

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN

Farkle City Is there ever too much of a good thing?

Not too long ago I came upon a couple of riders who were in strong discussion on which way to go to get to their shared destination.

It seems that they both were relying on the GPS, but one guy’s GPS said go left and the other’s said go right.

Wow, what a conundrum.

But these guys had much more than just GPS’ on their bikes. The front of one of the bikes looked like the command center for Battlestar Galactica.

Yep, these fellows went way beyond what many riders today consider staples that need to be on every bike. It was impressive and funny at the same time.

Now, I am also a ‘Farkle Guy’ having a Garmin GPS and Valentine 1 Radar Detector in addition to some extra illumination via Twisted Throttle’s Denali Lights and one other hidden life-saving gizmo.

I have had some riders come over to my BMW R1200GS and wonder aloud if I really needed to have these extras. Well, these days I do.

Every small town and county in the USA has an armada of radar guns, many provided free of charge from large insurance carriers, that are used to fleece the general public of their hard-earned cash. Sure, like New York’s Motorcycle-Only Checkpoints, the authorities say they are doing it for our own safety and good.

Right.

That Soccer Mom in the minivan doing 5 miles over the limit on Route 15 was definitely a threat to our well being and society as a whole and needed to be stopped and cited before she caused world wide calamity.

That being said - the young buck doing 90+ up the same road on his GSXR? Now, he needs to be stopped and have the rules explained to him in a monetary fashion.

We’re not against patrolling the highways, just having this system being abused.

Thus our need to have radar detectors, like the Valentine 1 and the various Escorts on the market.

Some might think that having such devices on your machine will allow you to speed with impunity. On the contrary, the truth is I tend to ride slower with my detector on and feel I only need it for the revenuers behind the billboard and the occasional road warning alerts.

A good radar detector can pay for itself in one season.

The Garmin Zumo 665 GPS is also a must have on any bike that will be used for long range touring or, in our case, day to day work here at Backroads.

Now the Zumo is great all by itself, but used along with the Base Camp routing program it will open your riding in all sorts of directions.

Our Backroads 250+ Road Tour would have never come about without the excellent mapping program that Garmin provides.

Planning a great ride will usually start with an old fashion paper map or Bing maps on the Mac, and once I kinda know where I want to go, the Base Camp program lets me fill in all the tiny and twisty roads that Backroads has become known to provide.

The Zumo 665 also has XM Radio and NAVTEQ weather updates.

On the road with inclement weather barreling in this has become a real lifesaver. Better to ride where the weather isn’t.

Another Farkle that I think is necessary is auxiliary lighting.

(Continued on Page 24)

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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W H ATC H AT H I N K I N ’ SHIRA KAMIL traCk Days For touring riDers When one starts riding a motorcycle these days, it usually involves taking MSF classes, beginner and experienced, to show you the ropes. From there it’s on to the street to get real-life experience.

Over the years there are good, and bad, habits that form in your riding. Perhaps you have a friend who has taken to the track and wants to pass along the thing he/she has learned. Perhaps you have an older riding mentor who has been riding for longer than you’ve been alive and will impart his/her knowledge on you.

Whichever, more times than not, these are poor examples to keep and follow.

Over my riding years, I have taken many a class and track schools. In the beginning, I tried to do so at least once a riding season, but as time drew on, this lessened considerably. When I did find time to take them, I always found myself a much better rider for quite some time afterwards – until the bad habits or laziness set back in.

When Reg Pridmore and CLASS announced their return to the east coast and Virginia International Raceway, Brian and I looked at our calendars and made the space to fit in the two days in May. In the past we had never done two days, always just the one. And I always missed

the last session, as my concentration was completely fried by that time. I figured if I found myself wiped at the end of day one, I could always be the track photographer for day two.

When street riders hear about track days, they usually think that it’s not pertinent to their way of riding. ‘Why do I need to learn how to ride at speeds I’ll never do on the open roads?’ Read on and be enlightened.

I won’t go into details about CLASS, as Brian has done a wonderful job in his article on page 26. Here’s my take on what I got out of it and how it can be applied to my day-to-day riding.

First of all, CLASS teaches smoothness. It is stressed in every classroom session that, while there is a certain speed one must maintain on the track, it is not necessary to go beyond one’s comfort level. As a matter of fact, for the first session, they don’t want you to go fast at all.

Mainly, you have to warm your tires up and get accustomed to the lay of the land. Line of sight and picking one’s markers for each turn is key.

Following an instructor around for a few laps helps with these tasks. For the most part, they have done this track for at least one day, and probably many times before. They know what to look for, when and at what speed.

My first couple of laps were pretty awful. I was tense, nervous and trying too hard to stay out of other riders’ way. After being passed by an instructor, told to follow for a bit and then pulled off to the pits to discuss, I was more comfortable with myself. I reminded myself to only keep in mind what was ahead of me; what was behind was already past and any rider’s behind me would do whatever it was they were going to do anyway. As long as I kept good lines around the track, I was in no danger to them or me.

As my lines became smoother, my markers kept in sight and my shoulders less tense, I felt at one with my motorcycle. With each classroom session, things became clearer and each turn was discussed – the proper way to take a slow turn is………slowly.

Look as far up and ahead as you can, turn your head (Continued on Page 24)

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

P O S TC A R D S FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD sparks are Flying Whenever dramatic change is in the air, on the horizon or just around the corner, you can never really predict how it will find its way into the mainstream (if it does at all). When new engineering breakthroughs first appear, sometimes they get adopted relatively quickly but other times they make a big splash initially and then disappear for a while, sometimes to never return.

I kind of felt like this is what happened when we saw the first modern-era electric motorcycles.

After I rode one (a Zero in fact), I came away really impressed by both how well it worked and what a radically different and entertaining experience it was. But after this encounter there wasn’t exactly an explosion of popularity for this new type of ride, although it certainly didn’t disappear entirely, I just thought it might make a bigger splash at the time than it did.

But I really think we could be on the cusp of much greater adoption, thanks to a few key factors. For one thing, the ebike manufacturers have been hard at work improving and refining the breed, and the inclusion of these fascinating new creatures at the racetrack has been a brilliant move at showing just what this clean technology is capable of. This will no doubt generate all those things that publicists love

Page 7 including “buzz,” “discussion,” “awareness,” and “exposure.” When you’re involved with launching something that is dramatically different than what people are used to, it’s a steep hill to climb initially but if the product in question has genuine attributes it does start to gain momentum eventually. In the case of electric motorcycles, I think there’s another factor out there they may be helping in a subtle but critical way: the buzz being created by the newest generation of electric cars.

I seriously doubt anybody who keeps even the most casual eye on the automobile world hasn’t heard of the new Tesla S, the comparatively small auto company’s entry into the luxury performance sedan class. This car is getting an unbelievable number of accolades; in fact so many that I actually am skeptical about both it and the company and especially the CEO but that’s another tale for another time. The point is it’s making a huge splash in terms of the inclusion of all-electric vehicles into mainstream auto market, or at least the $90K ultra-exclusive auto market. The company swoops down on any criticisms of their new machine like a GP racer on an open space of track, and answers said critics with high tech solutions that may or may not become practical largescale answers to the limitations electric vehicles must deal with.

Ultimately, I think the solutions that work will help the electric motorcycle gain more approval as well.

Why bother with an electric bike, anyway? Without even talking about how fun they are to ride (and the one I sampled was a very early model), there are some real advantages. First in my book is simplicity, because when you choose a motor over an internal combustion engine you jettison a whole lot of parts. Mass centralization is simple, because in terms of things with mass (Continued on Page 24)

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 8

THROT TLE BLIPS JEFF BAHR

two is greater than Four Last week I overheard two men engaged in a heated debate. One guy was a confirmed bike nut and the other a devoted car guy. Since controversy floats this writer’s boat as surely as Häagen-Dazs licks his innards, I leaned in to hear all of the juicy details.

“Look, Jake, my Bugatti Veyron tops out at 255 mph,” said the snobbish car guy to the bike nut. “255 my good man! Show me any stock two-wheeler that can manage that feat!”

“Well, that’s probably true Carter,” replied the bike nut with a smug look on his kisser. “But what does that rolling egg cost? Two million? Hell, I’ll gladly ride my $16,000 Ninja ZX14r to 200 mph and pocket the $1,984,000 difference!”

“You know, Jake, I figured you’d say something crass like that. That’s the thing about you bikers, you’re so uncouth. You wouldn’t know panache if it was a value meal at Denny’s – and I’m sure you’re intimate with that ‘fine dining’ establishment. But let me tell you something - the Veyron has panache in spades. When it glides down the road people take notice. What good is your silly Ninja? Anybody can own one of those!”

“Thanks for making my point for me, Carter. Now I realize I’m some backwards yokel in your eyes - digging these primitive motorbikes and all - but I recall that one of the first lessons in business is how to build the better mousetrap and specifically how to do it for a lower price. Anybody - even a hopeless snob as detached from reality as you - can cobble together a land

missile and sell it for two million bucks. What does that prove?”

“But imagine what it takes to bring a machine to market with a greater power-to-weight ratio than your precious Veyron, and to sell it for a price that anyone can afford - even the pock-marked teenage mutant that parks your car at the country club. That’s nothing short of engineering genius. Personally, I’d be ashamed to tool around in that $2 million slug. Based on principle so would Henry Ford. How gauche!”

“Gauche? Slug? Didn’t I just prove to you that the Veyron is the faster of the two and by a wide margin at that? That’s engineering genius my friend.

That’s what separates the men from the boys!”

“Wrong. In America, 200 mph top speeds are virtually useless. What separates the men from the boys here is quickness. My Ninja runs the quartermile in 9.7 seconds. Your four-wheeled cash-gobbler can only get into the 10’s.

How embarrassing! The motorcycle world is rife with comparatively small 750 cc sport bikes that can equal that glacial pace!

But wait, there’s more. Your fourwheeled leviathan is a classic exercise in over-engineering. Any performance modifications would likely slow it down.

But using simple bolt-on parts, staffers at Motor Trend Magazine dropped the Ninja’s ¼-mile time to 9.2. They feel confident they can get it into the eights with a few more tweaks. Then, it won’t just whip that overpriced monstrosity of yours, it will positively thrash it!”

“Anyway, Carter, the point is moot. While you and I wax stupid over which vehicle is better – your $2,000,000 supercar or my $16,000 superbike – we do so knowing that when our argument ends we will head home.”

“As I vanish into the distance courtesy of my bike’s superior acceleration, you will feel empty; deflated; beaten; emasculated. Suddenly, you’ll realize that your deep pockets weren’t deep enough to get the job done – even against an uncultured, bottom-feeding cycle-boy like myself.”

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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ON THE MARK MARK BYERS

nothing A great adage is “If you can’t be part of the solution, don’t be part of the problem.” Nowhere is that more apropos than at the scene of an accident involving a motorcycle. Sometimes a group of well-intentioned, but ill-trained folks can become a hindrance rather than an asset.

Recently, I was leading a small group when we came upon a motorcycle mishap at an intersection on a rural road. It was recent, but traffic was already backing up. The motorcycle was in the road, along with the rider, but the passenger was standing. The rider’s helmet was off and he was clearly conscious and communicating and had no outward signs of serious trauma or hemorrhage. A bystander indicated they’d called 911 and the scene was safe, so I made a command decision: I rode on, taking my group with me.

It’s a tough thing to do, leaving an injured fellow motorcyclist on the ground. We all want to help our “brothers and sisters;” however, unless we possess medical or other specialized training that will contribute in a positive way to the solution, we run the risk of not only being part of the problem, but becoming a victim ourselves. The last thing first-responders need is to respond to a single trauma and find a multiple one. Parking a bevy of bikes on a country road in the vicinity of a mishap is begging for trouble.

If you’re the first on the scene, it’s necessary to render assistance. In that case, it’s very, very important NOT to become a victim too. In the bicycle-racing world, moto refs are taught to park our bikes WELL out of the way of the mishap so as not to provide anything else for lagging riders (or team cars) to hit. We don’t park a motorcycle in front of a fallen rider to “protect” them, because a subsequent rider or vehicle can hit the moto, driving it onto the first victim. You’ll see ambulances park to protect the scene, but they’re a helluva lot bigger and covered with flashing lights (and they park pretty far away).

“Check, Call, Care” are three words to remember.

“Check” refers to assuring the safety of the scene for victim AND rescuer(s). If an enraged dog caused the crash, for example, you’re not going near it. If the mishap is in a blind curve, somehow you’re going to have to figure out how NOT to become the second victim BEFORE you provide care. While you’re assessing, whip out the cell phone and “Call” 911. The faster you get the pros from Dover there, the better.

The dispatcher is going to need a brief, but good description of the nature of the mishap and the location.

One trick is to look for a mailbox with a number on it.

(Continued from Previous Page) throttle Blips “This will cause you to second-guess other life decisions. Soon, your trophy wife will look dumpy, you’ll see your spoiled children for the irresponsible lumps of protoplasm that they are, and you’ll still be stuck with that criminally overpriced four-wheeled brick! In short, you’ll be dwelling in a lavishly expensive hell of your very own design. But there’s still time, Carter, it doesn’t have to be this way!”

“Jake, you uncivilized miscreant, I don’t have time to spar with you. I know my car is superior to your bike and that’s that! That said, can you tell me where they sell Ninjas around here? It’s not for me of course, it’s for a friend.”

“Why Carter there’s a shop in this very town. Tell them Jake sent you. They have a rear exit so your pride can remain intact.”

“No, no, it’s not for me!”

“We shall see, Carter. We shall see…”

If there’s no box number, look INSIDE. There may be a piece of mail in the box with the name and address of the owner (on outgoing mail, look at the return address). Most cell phones have a built-in GPS chip that can help the dispatcher find you, but don’t count on it. ONLY after the scene is safe for the caregiver should you engage in “Care.”

If there are multiple bystanders there, DON’T let everyone congregate at the victim! If anyone has first aid training, let them do their thing and the other folks should do everything they can to make the scene safe for the caregiver. Bystanders should actually go AWAY from the scene in either direction to warn oncoming traffic of the mishap situation, hopefully in a way that doesn’t make them victims as well. [At the mishap I encountered, I was warned of the presence of a crash by an oncoming driver flashing his lights and waving.]

Traffic directors should also assertively discourage others from parking there and/or making the scene unsafe. The WORST thing to happen is for a family member to come along – assign someone to the family member if you have enough to do so. If you’ve made the scene safe for the victim and caregiver, have called 911, and the pros are inbound, you’ve done your job. Once the pros get there and take over…disappear. Get yourself and your vehicle out of there.

And sometimes, if you come upon the scene and it looks like all of the above has been done and there is nothing you can contribute, the best thing in the world to do is…NOTHING. Ride on: don’t be part of the problem.

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Page 10

BACKLASH Brian and Shira, Thank you both for sending along a copy of your wonderful magazine with the great article about our new Bocuse restaurant. I was stopped by Chef Coppedge last week to tell me we were featured in the issue when he got his copy in the mail. I took a copy for our office, but was delighted to see the whole magazine come addressed to us.

I am thoroughly enjoying the rest of the magazine too. I am a rider (Ninja) and love all the Rip & Ride sidebars you have. That sure makes it easy!

Again, thank you for including us in the July issue. Please let me know if you are heading our way again.

Best, Ginny Muré Communications Manager Culinary Institute of America

More Spring Break Comments Brian/Shira, I’d just like to thank you both for putting on a terrific event. My riding buddy and I had a great time and we were very impressed with the routing.

We’ll certainly be looking forward to future events.

Take care, stay well and keep up the great work.

Best regards, Jeff Grube - Westhampton Beach, LI, NY Brian, I just received the copy of the magazine and it was great! Thank you again for bringing your group and staying with us. We hope this email finds you well and hope to see you again in the future.

Tulsa Lepetich - Lake Front Hotel Tulsa - No, thank all of you. EVERYONE loved it!

Hi Brian, I was wondering if we could talk about a fundraising concept that is an effort to create a sustained effort for the NY-NJ firefighters, ems, police and

See us at the International Motorcycle Show January 18-20

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Letters to the Editor families funds.

I was very moved by the Dreambike film and have an idea that I think is feasible with Backroads and the contacts you have already with many of the individuals, Organizations and companies could tie this together.

Please give me a ring.

Tom Rose Hi Tom, Right now the bike is at Motorcyclepedia in Newburgh, NY. Next year it will be part of the permanent museum at the new World Trade Center.

At this point we are turning the page on this chapter and letting it go as it is. In truth there are dozens such charities helping the families from 9/11.

We wish you all the best!

Backroads 250+ Facebook Comments Mike Mosca: It was an excellent ride! Even though I have ridden many of those roads before, it was great to ride them all together. Would do it again....And the next time some idiot asks “ what exit?” Just hand them the route.....

Andrea Williams: Had a great time and sends a big thank you for organizing another great ride and all that you do. New friends made along the way!

Michael Adams: Great day and great route. Always good to find new “Backroads”. Thanks for putting it together and read “Backroads” cover to cover!

Ari Wallach: What an awesome day it was! So many new roads! Can’t wait to do it again!

Brad Tabaac: holy crap! is it over? I’m still riding around out here lookin for the rib place......

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 Hector Vega: Next year “Backroads 200!” I wanna get to “Down to the Bone” much quicker! LOL!!! It was that good!

Ralph Detweiler: great route had a ball Parks Road Studio: We had a great time, thank you for giving us a great route. Looking forward to next year!

John Mymryk: Great times with great riders. Thanks a bunch!

Justin Stone: Great route today. Thank you guys for organizing it. I didn’t realize we had so many great Backroads in such a small geographic area.

And emails…

Hi Brian & Shira, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for putting together such and awesome ride. J J Here I thought I knew most all the roads in North West NJ….3/4 of the roads most awesome roads I have never been on, you would not think you’re in New Jersey. Every reader of Backroads must take this ride at some point, even if they do half one Sunday and the other half the following Sunday.

Thanks again for adding much enjoyment to our hobby.

Gary Renna Brian and Shira, I just wanna say thanks for a great ride on Saturday. Although I ended at Rt 31/Payne Rd because I had to be somewhere, I will definitely pick up where I left off and finish the ride. Also, I forgot to pay when I got the map.

I will be sending you the $10.00. Sorry about that. Thanks again.

Anthony Falvo Brian Just wanted to tell you & Shira that the ride was AWESOME! Thanks for the great ride, I know we’ll do a repeat real soon.

Pat Giannetta

Page 11 HI Guys, Thank you for putting together a wonderful road trip for all of us to enjoy. We all had a great time with great roads, scenery, barns, houses, people and of course food. I look forward to exploring more 250’s in other states. At least I know we’ll have 49 more opportunities to ride with you. At the BBQ restaurant you can see the satisfaction and joy in your faces just like proud parents after your child wins a soccer game. You really enjoy this stuff and it shows. mw Hi Shira and Brian, You folks put on a most excellent Backroads 250+. We were on roads that we had never been on before, you out did yourselves congratulations. This goes down in our book of best rides ever.

Uncle Nick and Joan Hey Backroads!

You’ve done it again...The 250 was a total blast...

Great route, great roads and great weather. We even picked up a stray rider (sans GPS) Rich from Manhattan that was part of your o-rig sport touring group from yesteryear who had become separated from his original pack.

Lunch at the Runway Cafe was the perfect place to take a break. We got to enjoy watching the planes and gliders while laughing it up which just enhanced an already fabulous day!

Thanks again for putting together yet another outstanding “Backroads Event.”Hope to see you guys real soon!

Brad from somewhere very close to Philly.......

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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IND USTRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

RICKY CARMICHAEL, MIKE AND DIANNE TRAYNOR, NORM MCDONALD AND 12 OTHERS ARE NOMINEES FOR THE AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2013 A dominant AMA Supercross and motocross champion nicknamed “The GOAT” (The Greatest Of All Time), a pair of riders who helped raise tens of millions of dollars in search of the cause of and cure for pediatric brain tumors, and a founder of one of the aftermarket’s most recognizable brands are among the motorcyclists who are on the 2013 ballot for

possible elevation to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Multi-time AMA champion Ricky Carmichael, the Ride for Kids’ Mike and Dianne Traynor, and K&N co-founder Norm McDonald are among the

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“Very few people start their careers in this industry or sport expecting to end up in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, however the very best always rise to the top, as we see again this year,” said Jeffrey V. Heininger, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which oversees the Hall of Fame. “The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame truly encompasses the standout riders and racers, especially those driven to excel beyond mere greatness.

What’s particularly impressive this year is the breadth of that drive across all types of motorcycling represented on the ballot, from racing, to business, to rights, to engine design and more. These 2013 nominees epitomize the essence of the American Motorcyclist Association.”

FDNY TO RIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR HOPE FOR THE WARRIORS® On Friday, August 9, 2013, four members of the FDNY will start their 15-day motorcycle ride across the country to raise funds and awareness for Hope For The Warriors®. The FDNY Southern Rumble will cover more than 5,300 miles, stop in 15 cities, and visit two military medical centers. Hope For The Warriors® is a national nonprofit organization that assists post-9/11 service members, their families, and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty.

The FDNY Southern Rumble is organized by Chris Walsh. Walsh was an officer in the Marine Corps from 1991 – 1995. He began working as a firefighter in early 2001, nine months before the fateful events of 9/11. In 2002, he received an offer to reactivate as a Marine. With the memory of 9/11 for-

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

Page 13

ever fresh in his mind, he returned to the Marine Corps and soon after deployed to Iraq. Walsh finished his deployment and returned to the FDNY. Walsh is joined by three other men who have worked as firefighters for many years. All are dedicated to supporting wounded service members and military families. They have worked hard to generate donations for Hope For The Warriors® as well as donations to cover their expenses.

This is the second year that the group is doing the Rumble. Last year’s ride raised more than $18K; the group has set a goal of $20K for the FDNY Southern Rumble. “[We’re just] doing what every American should do, saying thank you to our heroes, to those who provide us with the freedom that we enjoy every day,” Walsh said. “Freedom is not free.”

Events kick off on Saturday, August 3 with a fundraising party at Bourbon Street Bar & Grille in Monroe, NY. To learn more and donate to the FDNY Southern Rumble, visit www.hopeforthewarriors.org/fdnyrumblers. To support through fundraising or donations at one of the cities on their route, email fdnyrumblers@gmail.com or jbuglione@hopeforthewarriors.org. Additional contributions can be made directly to Hope For The WarTHE 2013 riors® at www.hopeforthewarriors.org.

now well suited for near-silent patrols, quick maneuverability and socially responsible transportation on Zero’s Police model motorcycle,” said John Lloyd, Vice President of Global Sales for Zero Motorcycles. “Mayor Petro has shown his commitment to delivering innovative, green technology solutions to Bogota with this initial Zero Motorcycles deployment.”

“Zero’s electric motorcycles are the next generation of environmentally conscious transportation and have the performance specifications that our customers expect. We are now facilitating additional consumer, authority and fleet demands for the entire Zero Motorcycles line-up, including the popular S, DS, FX, XU and MX models, in addition to the successful introduction of Zero’s police motorcycles, here in Colombia,” said Carlos Andres Vaca Jiménez, General Manager for Northbound Technologies S.A. All 100 police motorcycles are based on Zero’s highly popular 2012 MY Zero DS. The Zero DS has an approximate range of 112 miles on a single charge with top speeds of 80 miles per hour. The police motorcycles have been up fitted with a series of components developed exclusively for law enforcement, including sirens and LED lights. With instant torque, no shifting, no noise, no exhaust, minimal heat production and a low weight, the Zero Police Motorcycle allows enforcement agencies to patrol in areas that would otherwise be highly impractical or impossible using an internal combustion motorcycle. In addition, the Zero Police Motorcycle features a maintenancefree powertrain that also offers regenerative braking to partially recoup energy during deceleration. With an air-cooled brushless motor and belt driven system, Zero offers some of the world’s easiest-to-own transportation.

COLOMBIA POLICE GO ELECTRIC Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, is thrilled to announce the sale and deployment of 100 police model motorcycles to the Bogota, Colombia Police Department, in coordination with an all-new distributor, Northbound Technologies S.A. (NBT S.A.), also based in Bogota, Colombia. NBT S.A. will serve as Zero’s exclusive distributor, service and

support provider for all Zero Motorcycles sales in Colombia. Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro officially debuted the new fleet of police motorcycles as part of his commitment to environmentally and socially responsible transportation for the city’s law enforcement agencies. The Bogota Police Department will be using these specially painted and marked Zero Police Motorcycles for patrols, traffic enforcement, and all daily policing actions within one of Colombia’s largest cities. The first 100 Zero electric motorcycles will initially be deployed within the “Kennedy Sector” of the city. As part of Zero’s single largest authority sale and deployment to date, all 100 units have been delivered to Colombia via NBT S.A., who assisted in the brokerage and delivery of the Bogota Police Department deal.

“Zero’s international authority and fleet programs continue to grow quickly. Through our new relationship with Northbound Technologies S.A. and this initial deployment of 100 police motorcycles to the Bogota Police, we have made a significant impact within the South American market. The Bogota Police Department is

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This announcement comes only four weeks after Zero’s landmark authority sales announcement for 59 police motorcycles being delivered to the Hong Kong Government. Law enforcement authority and fleet sales continue to be one of Zero’s fastest growing segments. In the last year alone, Zero has worked with the Monterey Police Department, Santa Cruz Police Department, San Jose State University Police Department, Scotts Valley Police Department and many large law enforcement agencies, including the London Metropolitan Police.

MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS GETS ATTENTION ON CAPITOL HILL The importance of drivers watching for motorcycles, and motorcyclists riding safely, got some much-needed attention in Washington, DC, in May. U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), co-chairman of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, made a statement for the record noting May is Motorcycle Awareness Month and stressed the importance of motorcycle safety.

“Drivers’ failure to see motorcycles is one of the leading causes of motorcycle crashes, and the prevalence of distracted and inattentive driving poses a significant threat to motorcycle riders,” Griffin said.

“I urge vehicle drivers to check mirrors and blind spots and actively look for motorcycles, especially at intersections,” he said. “Taking that brief moment can mean the difference between life and death for motorcycle riders and vehicle drivers alike.

“I also encourage my fellow motorcycle riders to take appropriate safety precautions by practicing safe riding techniques and wearing appropriate safety equipment,” he said.

The Congressional Motorcycle Caucus includes members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who are committed to advancing motorcycling and improving the safety of motorcyclists. U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) is the other co-chairman.

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TH OUGHTS FROM THE ROAD From milwaukee to Boston via CanaDa For years I’d been hankering for a BMW K1200GT touring bike. Part of its appeal, apart from its sport bike performance on 150 horses, was its electric windshield, something that I learned is a handy device for warding off the rain from your visor. My ears are shot, thanks to playing in a rock band plus the hammering done by 6,000 annual riding miles for the past dozen years. Being 55 years old, it was time for creature comforts like a fairing, cruise control, and remote suspension adjustment.

I once owned its naked brother, the 2005 K1200R and loved it. I’m kicking myself for selling that, a bike described by a moto journalist as “looking like a magnet run through a junk yard.” I loved it, but its snatchy, bullet throttle would lurch you backwards off the seat when you least expected.

My last K bike was a 1998 K1200RS. Its ergos had your arms fully extended to the bars, your chin practically resting on the tank. This despite bar risers. When I moved to the city of Salem, MA, a lighter weight standard seemed to make more sense, so I traded in the heavy K bike for a lighter 2004 R1150R. Compared to a K12, the R1150 rides like a John Deere farm tractor. So I shopped on Cycle Trader for a K12GT and found the perfect combination of extras, price, condition and low mileage from JH Motorsports, a one-man licensed dealer in Portland, OR. The bike’s previous owner, a Porsche nut, had the bike painted “Guards Red.” Who could resist?

Shipping a bike from Portland to Boston typically costs $750, but a shipper called Haul Bikes came in cheap at $575. “Worst case scenario: 3 weeks,” is what they told me. On May 8 they picked up the Red Baron. Three weeks later, no bike. Calls to HB confirmed no promises. They couldn’t tell me exactly when I could expect it. Reason being, their truck hadn’t been filled up yet for east-coast shipping. My red bike was marooned in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

If I wanted my bike I would have to fetch it myself. So I made an 11th hour decision and woke up at 2:00 a.m. to catch a Southwest flight from Boston wearing my riding jacket and boots, carrying a bag liner, helmet bag and tank bag, to Milwaukee.

Being a native Michigander, I was familiar with the Ohio Turnpike and I90 through Erie, Buffalo and Syracuse. While I-90 is a scenic turnpike, it’s still a turnpike, and Ohio, trust me, is a disaster. I was pulled over once for going five over. My 78-year old doctor father was once pulled over, thrown into a cruiser, taken before a judge, and ordered to pay a fine. I had visions of the Red Baron abandoned on the Ohio TP. So I went the long way round from Milwaukee north to Green Bay, into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. What a day. After getting up at 2:00 a.m., flying four hours with a layover, then riding 400 miles for eight hours, I spent the first night in Sault St. Marie on Lake Superior. After pulling into a Best Western, the only thing on my mind was a Maker’s Mark Manhattan with two maraschino cherries.

A place called Studebaker’s, with a rusted out Studebaker perched on a 10-foot pole, was closed. Other eating options were Burger King or AppleBee’s. That’s it. An awful, but easy decision: which one has a bar?

Next morning I made the obligatory visit to the Soo Locks. It’s the Panama Canal in miniature controlling passage between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Here is where that freighter the SS Edmund Fitzgerald went down in 1975, only 17 miles from shore, toppled by a winter storm that sent 35-foot waves and killed all 29 men on board. Some “lake.” Not a body was recovered, but Gordon Lightfoot was at the top of his game with his hit song a few months later.

Rain was in the forecast, but a speck of sun was peering through in the low 50s. Then the rain started and never ceased for the next 1300 miles.

Before crossing into Canada I pulled over for gas. In Canada it’s sold by

Victor Cruz liters and even with the slight .96 edge of the USD over the CAD, to fill the tank cost $23, making Canada gas better than $5 per gallon. Yet no tolls, good one-lane roads, and light traffic. I set the GPS to calculate in kilometers.

I was looking forward to seeing something new, taking roads where a passport was required. When I opened my wallet my Visa card was missing.

Last time I saw it was after paying the tab for two drinks and dinner at AppleBee’s. I backtracked there but the place was closed. I sat there wondering what next. Then an employee pulled in.

They found it quickly. To see someone hand you your lost wallet feels like winning the lottery, but not quite.

From there I rode into Canada on 17 through the cities of Sudbury, North Bay, and Ottawa, then into the U.S. at Cornwall / St. Regis, NY. I was hoping to make this trip in two days. When temps dropped to 46 and my rain gear saturated after six hours, my hands got too useless. I had to cut the day short in North Bay after only 300 miles on day two. And it wasn’t just the cold and rain. My ass was giving me paralysis. Something was wrong with the after-market seat, I thought.

Next day was overcast with some light rain until I got south of Ottawa into New York. This section of 17 from Great Bay to Ottawa was by far the most scenic. With tall Northern Pines, the single lane road had sweepers and cut through rock sided hills. It was free of traffic and towns and had plenty of elevation changes. But having no towns to see something of interest made it desolate. The worst part of riding through this corridor of Canada is the lack of good eats unless you settle for chains.

The only disappointment was with the Sargent seat. I’ve had Sargent seats on both my last two bikes but for some reason the Sargent on this one is numbing and welting. I called Sargent. They said, “Check to see if it’s a low version, that would explain it since we use less padding.” I checked and it’s not a low seat. So I did the next dumb thing and bought another after-market seat from Corbin. That too flogged me like a pair of Khat-smoking Yemeni police. What was wrong? I never had pain with these seats before. Then I removed the bar risers and presto, problem solved. Changing the ergos to a more forward-leaning position took the pressure off my tail. It made a world of difference. If your butt hurts, try changing your riding position.

Back home, modifications made and the bike has a new spot in the garage.

It may have taken the long way home, but it made it nonetheless.

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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYS TE RIOUS the paul roBinson oBservatory oBservatory rD – oFF Cr 513, voorhes state park, nJ 908-638-8500 • www.nJaa.org We here at Backroads have always been proud that we have been ale to take you places that you might not have gone to before.

But, this month follow along with us and we will show you a place that can take you, literally, out of this world!

Riding to the top of Voorhes State Park, along Observatory Road, you will see a large silver dome letting you know you have arrived at the largest telescope in New Jersey.

The scope and center belong to the New Jersey Astronomical Association and was the brainchild of Paul Robinson who, back in 1965, along with many others, was able to dream, plan and create this great Garden State treasure.

It all starts with a serious piece of glass.

The heart of the telescope is the primary mirror, which is 26 inches in diameter. The instrument was originally a Newtonian with a focal ratio of f/4, but has since been converted to a Cassegrain configuration.

What? You’re not Sheldon Cooper?

When this happened, the days of the public having to climb a ladder and stand on a shaky platform came to an end. Many sights can now be seen with your feet firmly on the ground, others require just a few steps up.

The telescope mount, a modified

AMERICA German Equatorial, is from Indiana University, where it had been used in experimental work. Its mount is a massive iron casting nearly seven feet high and its foundation penetrates twenty feet underground to the mountain’s bedrock. The mirror started out as a slab of Duran 50 optical glass. This 5” thick, 220-pound heart of the NJAA telescope was a gift of Schott Glassworks of Mainz, Germany through their US agent, the Fish-Schurman Corporation of New Rochelle, NY. Stanley Brower an honorary NJAA member and President of the Laboratory Optical Company of Green Brook arranged this “hands across the sea” gift. Mr. Brower paid the only costs associated for this gift: transportation and duty. The entire assembly weighs over four tons, and towers fifteen feet above the floor. The Observatory is equipped for both photographic and visual observation. Using auxiliary equipment, spectrographic, CCD and other studies are possible. But that’s not all! The Observatory has a number of smaller scopes including the 10-inch Robinson scope, a 12 1/2 inch Newtonian telescope, and a specially designed solar scope built by the Solar Focus Group.

There are a number of club telescopes that members, who don’t have scopes of their own, can borrow for an evening of observing on the grounds of the Observatory.

The Observatory is not all to be seen on the grounds as the local High School, along with a grant from 3M have created a virtual Solar system. A full ¼ mile long and

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 built along a forested path it shows our Solar System in perfect scales and position.

Our sun and each planet are highlighted with fun facts and little details, most of which the average person will not know – such as it takes 29.5 of our years to make one Saturnian year.

Betcha didn’t know that, did ya?

When you see just how close Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are – compared to the rest of our planets – you get a humbling feeling and realize that we humans, and much of our petty problems, are very, very small.

There is a small center named after Jersey’s own homegrown astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. The center houses a lecture room with multimedia capabilities, a library, photographic darkroom and a sales counter where astronomically related items can be purchased.

It’s not all just fun and games here at the New Jersey Astronomical Association. These days, with limited funds and telescope time, professional astronomers look to amateurs to provide valuable data that may otherwise be lost. The variety of research that amateurs actively contribute to is stunning.

It can range from observing meteor showers with only the naked eyes to hunting dangerous Near Earth Asteroids. Members of the NJAA research group actively produce valuable scientific observations.

From now to Halloween, the Observatory is open every Saturday night from 8:30-10:30 and Sundays from 2-5pm. Feb—May and November it’s open every 4th Saturday of the month and at special nights for members.

They hold seminars and talks with topics such as “Expanding Our Civilization to the Moon and Beyond”, “Astrobiology: The Search for Life” and “Supernovae and the Accelerating Universe.” Hmmm, the heck with Sheldon Cooper, you’ll need to be “Raj” Koothrappali.

Page 17 The universe awaits us boys and girls so enjoy our Rip & Ride to the Paul Robinson Observatory, the largest telescope in Jersey!

Rip & Ride® • THE PAUL ROBINSON OBSERVATORY OBSERVATORY RD. – OFF CR 513, VOORHES STATE PARK, NJ 908-638-8500 • HTTP://WWW.NJAA.ORG

RTE. 23 NORTH LEFT ON RTE. 94 RIGHT ON CR 661 BEAVER RUN ROAD RIGHT AT ICE PLANT ROAD CROSS RTE. 15 STRAIGHT AT MUD CUT RD. INTO VALLEY VIEW RIGHT AT RTE. 94 SOUTH RIGHT AT SID TAYLOR RD. RIGHT AT RTE. 206 LEFT AT CR 626 LEFT AT CR 521 LEFT AT CR 659 SPRING VALLEY RD. RIGHT AT RTE. 94 LEFT AT CR 608 SILVER LAKE RD. LEFT AT CR 521 SOUTH STRAIGHT AT CR 519 SOUTH LEFT AT SPRING MILLS RD. CR 614 RIGHT AT CR 579 LEFT AT CR 513 NORTH LEFT TO OBSERVATORY ROAD IN VOORHEES STATE PARK

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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G RE AT ALL AMER IC AN D INE R R UN

tasty places to take your bike

Gary Renna the market anD Filling station 243 route 9w palisaDes, ny 10964 845-359-9000 • the9wmarket.Com mon-sun 6:30am-9pm The Market Gourmet Food & Eatery is a great place to have breakfast before heading out for a ride. Located right on 9W, on the boarder of Jersey and NY, down the road from Sate Line Lookout. If you ride by too fast you will pass it because it’s located (heading north) on the outside of a bend.

The Market has a full grill and makes a great array of breakfast fair. I had the omelete; I’m picky with my eggs and they were like velvet, just the way I like them. Also on the menu are organic egg sandwiches – with NY Cheddar, Swiss, smoked mozzarella or double smoked bacon served on fresh baked ciabatta and homemade quiches. For the health-conscious they offer organic oatmeal, fresh fruit salad and Greek yogurt with honey. On the bakery side, you will be tempted with freshly baked croissants of all flavors, cookies, cakes, pies and so much more. And, of course, all sorts of coffee concoctions, teas, hot chocolate and organic and good-for-you soft drinks.

The Market doesn’t stop after the eggs are put away. If you have a hankering for a sandwich, you’ll have your choice of fowl, fish or meat with chicken salad, parmesan crusted chicken breast, smoked pastrami salmon or grilled

black Angus hanger steak, all with appropriate fixings.

How about some thin crust pizza or a tart flambé? Crème fraiche, carmelized leeks, applewood smoked bacon, Roquefort and truffle oil? If that doesn’t make your mouth water, what would.

There are plenty of salads to make a vegan happy, as well as pastas and creative sides, all organic and locally grown. Travelling a little late in the day? No worries, their dinner fare will keep you full until you arrive at

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 your destination with BBQ natural baby back ribs, seared yellow fin tuna and classic macaroni and cheese.

They have ample parking and seating inside and outside at a patio and picnic tables.

When we stopped in there was a Porsche club gather for breakfast before their club rally. You will find many bicyclists in the early morning refueling from their morning ride.

Next door about five feet away you will find The Filling Station. Here you’ll find food reminiscent of what life and food used to be – simpler and natural – hot dogs made with black angus beef, all-natural hamburgers sans hormones and antibiotics with a blend of brisket, hanger steak and short rib, fresh-cut and double fried fries, Coke in a glass bottle made with pure cane sugar and, of course, ice cream.

Get your burger plain, with customized toppings or perhaps try a Texaco,

Page 19 served with pepper jack cheese, double smoked bacon, hot banana peppers and BBQ sauce. How about an American Kobe – free range, organic, beer fed and just plain good for you. Your dogs come with homemade sauerkraut in addition to so many other toppings. You also have your choice of frites, chili or sweet potato fries with dipping sauces such as truffle aioli, ancho chile mayo and spicy ketchup to name a few.

You can wash all this down with a thick shake in flavors like coconut almond joy, killer chocolate or good ol’ vanilla bean.

I found out the meat is from a very select butcher who only sells to very few restaurants in that area. That goes the same for the ice cream – Jane’s, made in Kingston, NY from the freshest ingredients. If you’re a true petrol head you will love to know this place was a gas station since about the 1930’s. I think it gives the food that much more flavor. The woman who owns them both will be found strolling around and talking to the customers on any given Sunday. She is extremely friendly, nice and enjoys life. This is a convenient place to meet if you’re coming from the city or like me, the Jersey shore.

Whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, The Market and The Filling Station have something to satisfy your tastes. Stop by on a warm summer day and enjoy your meal al fresco. rip & ride for this 90-mile one-way route from Columbia, nJ on page 53. gps Download can be found here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/q3vdlq

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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Hanover Powersports Presents

BIG CI T Y G ETAWAY

45 museum Drive, tupper lake, ny 12986 518 359 7800 • www.wilDCenter.org We love a great museum. We get a charge out of wild life.

We enjoy an exciting ride.

At the last Americade we got to combine all of this into a great day trip and we want to share it with you.

According to the main-stream media they are all wild about The Wild Center. The Wall Street Journal called it “glorious” and the New York Times said it was “stunning.” This new kind of natural history museum is an Adirondack “must see” according to USA Today.

With praise like this we knew we would be riding up to Tupper Lake.

The Wild Center is the latest of many fine museums you will find in and around New York’s Adirondack State Park. Located

in Tupper Lake, not far from the geographic center of the park, which takes up 1/3 of the entire state of New York, the Wild center lies on 31 pristine acres and offers visitors an up close and personal look at the critters, fauna and life that abounds in these mountains. Our ride to Tupper Lake navigated on some pristine roads as well.

The Wild Center has strived to be as “green” as possible and has succeeded, as it is the only New York museum to be awarded the coveted LEED award from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Walking around the grounds you will see their tremendous use of solar panels and other green environmental and energy-saving devises.

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind The center itself combines both indoors and outdoor. There are five primary indoor exhibit areas, The Pataki Hall of the Adirondacks contains The Living River Trail that circles the hall with live animal exhibits and a waterfall with the Center’s live otters. We could have watched the otters all day and Shira wanted to take one home.

There are approximately 50 species of live animals at the Center, many of them in habitats in this hall. The Big Wolf Great Hall contains a Leanto and the glacial ice wall and is the site for the Center’s live animal encounters. The Naturalist Cabinet contains hands-on exhibits and collections. Other exhibit areas include the Flammer Panoramas Theater where films are screened, and Planet Adirondacks, an installation of the NOAA’s Science on a Sphere with shows focusing on the relationship between the Adirondacks and the rest of the Earth.

I thought it was the greatest globe I have ever seen, even better than the giant Eartha in New England.

Inside, a marsh appears to flow into a real pond that laps at the outside of the building, and the calls of live owls and otters mix with the splashing cascade of a trout-filled indoor stream.

While we were there a young woman brought out an American Kestrel, the smallest of falcons, and told us about its life and habits. It was a stunning little raptor.

I particularly liked the different mushrooms on display, as we have so many around our own property, and the many fish and amphibians and turtles were fun to watch too.

While there we sat in on a photographic study on the Adirondacks with some absolutely stunning images and presentation. We also spent some time walking the well-groomed trails that snake in and around The Wild Center.

Each day the Wild Center offers different programs and children and the child in you will

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

Page 21 surely get a kick from what they offer and the programs that they run.

If you have a sweet tooth you might like to keep an eye on The Wild Center’s website for the upcoming Maple Weekend. This is where you can come to a free pancake breakfast and learn about the Wild Center’s sugar operation. These events are designed to help area forest-owners see how they can start tapping their own trees.

2014 STAR BOLT

We spent a good number of hours exploring The Wild Center and still think there might be a bit more to discover.

According to The Wild Center’s website “There may be no more important issue facing humankind than discovering better ways to coexist with the rest of the natural world, and there may be no better place to understand that effort than in the Adirondacks. The Center is the place to see and appreciate the natural side of that vital story.”

One thing we do know is that The Wild Center is a great place to visit while riding around the Adirondacks. It is informative, creative, educational and, most of all, a lot of fun and well worth the ride up.

Rip & Ride® • THE WILD CENTER 45 MUSEUM DRIVE, TUPPER LAKE, NY 12986 518 359 7800 • WWW.WILDCENTER.ORG

FROM LAKE GEORGE, NY RTE. 9N NORTH LEFT AT RTE. 8 RIGHT AT RTE. 28 RIGHT AT RTE. 28 N STRAIGHT AT RTE. 30 NORTH IN LONG LAKE NORTH TO TUPPER LAKE (SOME OF THE BEST ADIRONDACK SCENERY) RIGHT AT PARK STREET RIGHT AT HOSELY ST. MUSEUM ON LEFT

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210 Route 10 West East Hanover, NJ 973-428-1735

210 Route 10 West East Hanover, NJ 973-428-1735

www.HanoverPowersports.com Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm SUNDAY: CLOSED - GONE RIDING Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. Specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider depicted on a closed course. ©2012 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. • yamaha-motor.com

www.Powersports.Honda.com Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm SUNDAY: CLOSED - GONE RIDING honda.com ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. CTX™ and Gold Wing® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (07/13)

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 22

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WE’R E OUTTA HE RE inn at narrow passage 30 Chapman lanDing roaD, eDinBurg, virginia 22824 540-459-8000 • www.innatnarrowpassage.Com “If this Valley is lost, Virginia is lost. .... I want you to make me a map of the Valley, from Harpers Ferry to Lexington, showing all the points of offense and defense in those places. Mr. Pendleton will give you orders for whatever you want. Good morning, Sir.” general thomas “stone wall” Jackson The Shenandoah Valley is rife with the history of the Civil War. Just three days after his only defeat of the war General Stone Wall Jackson made his headquarters at the Stover – McGinnis House, above the banks of the Shenandoah River, at what was called the Narrow Passage.

From here he ordered the famed map to be created.

It was here, in 1876 one of the most horrific train accidents also occurred, with a freight train coming off the bridge and falling hundreds of feet into the river’s ravine.

If we time travel forward to 2013 you will find that the old Stover – McGinnis House has been transformed into an exceptional Bed & Breakfast called the Inn at Narrow Passage.

The original log home, built in 1740, is the main part of the inn, the more modern building running on either side with a full twelve rooms to be found.

The grounds at the Inn at Narrow Passage are very relaxing and after a hard day

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads charging around the Shenandoah Valley and the surround gaps and roadways of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Alleghenies, relaxing on the brick patio with a cool adult beverage would seem to be the order of the day.

In fact the Inn at Narrow Passage is the perfect spot for you and your friends to make a base camp and explore the surrounding regions.

The Virginia Civil War Museum at New Market and the Caverns at Luray are a short ride away as is the factory for Rte. 11 Potato Chips. The beautiful Skyline Drive runs for just over 100 miles and offers riders a superb day’s ride and dozens of majestic views from high atop the Shenandoah Valley.

Along the valley you will find four separate vineyards offering tastings and deals on local Virginia wines.

If you feel like flying take a ride over to the Bear Mountain Ziplines; that will be something to get your heart racing!

Just down the road you will find the Shenandoah River and a small narrow bridge that crosses here and you will be tempted to park the bike, strip down and jump in on those hot valley days.

If a little late day fishing grabs your fancy well, you might like to arrange a bit of that at the river just below.

As you can tell, we really enjoyed our stay at the inn.

Owners Ellen and Ed Markel have been running the Narrow Passage now for almost 30 years and could not be more hospitable. Cold beverages are offered as well as ice and Ed has a deep knowledge of the area, sites and things to

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

Page 23

see and do and will be more than happy to share that information with you.

For dinner the town of Woodstock is just a few miles north and it offers a number of good restaurants as well as fuel and some very interesting shops and antiquing.

When morning came about and the brilliant Virginia sun cleared the peaks Ed served up a delicious breakfast. The menu changes daily but the French toast and sausage, scrambled eggs and country bacon, blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, scones, muffins, and Ed’s special coffee could not be beat.

So if you are looking for a bit of riding adventure, just a tad of deep Civil War history and miles and miles of superb riding then make plans for a few days at the Inn at Narrow Passage.

This Bed & Breakfast combines all this in a friendly and comfortable inn that is in the heart of everything good about Virginia.

What are you waiting for? Get that machine packed and ready ‘cause We’re Outta Here!

Rip & Ride® • INN AT NARROW PASSAGE 30 CHAPMAN LANDING ROAD, EDINBURG, VIRGINIA 22824 • 540-459-8000 • WWW.INNATNARROWPASSAGE.COM • N 38.50.756 / W 078. 31.943

I-80 WEST TO I-81 SOUTH EXIT AT RTE. 209 SOUTH AT T IN MILLERSBURG MAKE RIGHT THEN LEFT TO RIVER

FERRY ONE BLOCK TO RIGHT OPEN WHITE DOOR TO SUMMON FERRY RTE. 34 ACROSS HIGHWAY IF BY FERRY

STRAIGHT AT 274 SOUTH STRAIGHT AT RTE.75 LEFT AT RTE. 416 IN MERCERSBURG RIGHT AT RTE 63 IN CEARFOSS RIGHT AT RTE. 11 ENJOY RTE. 11 ALL THE WAY TO WOODSTOCK CHAPMAN LANDING ROAD 3 MILES SOUTH ON LEFT

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Free wheelin’ (Continued from Page 4) Today’s machines have far superior lighting than just a decade ago, but riding after dark along the country backroads here in northwestern New Jersey things are pretty dim. Not to mention there are a slew of things that are ready and willing to run out in front of you at any given moment.

Additional lights like the Denalis or auxiliary lights from PIAA or Motolights can make a huge difference for your evening’s ride.

The last Farkle I have running on the GS is what I call an ‘electronic rabbit’s foot’ – The Hornet Deer Avoidance System.

Deer are responsible for more death and injury than any other animal in the U.S.A. and The Hornet uses the latest military technology from the field of high pitched, directional sonic bombardment. The Hornet’s precision turned sonic generator alerts deer and other animals of your approach well before they can see or hear your vehicle.

I have never interviewed any deer to see if they really feel The Hornet is annoying enough to keep them away from my bike, but I have seen deer, and even a moose, turn and head in the other direction when The Hornet comes into play.

I’d rather have it on than not.

To some riders Farkles might seem a bit overboard. For me I will live in Farkle City the rest of my life. sources: valentine 1 www.valentine1.com • garmin gps www.garmin.com • Denali leD www.twistedthrottle.com • the hornet www.xp3hornet.com (Continued from Page 6) whatChathinkin’ to make that happen and follow that all the way around the track. With each passing lap, my speed increased and, if only in my mind, I was getting better.

Leaving VIR on Saturday, with a nice two-day ride north and home, it was apparent to me how these past two days had not only improved my confidence and riding, but swept some of the bad riding habits I had formed under the carpet, hopefully for a very long time if not forever. Instead of ‘pushing’ the bike into turns, I was leaning with it; rather than taking a blind right turn from the far outside, leaving myself open to traffic that may be cutting that corner on the inside thus ruining my day, I positioned the bike more towards the middle of the turn and followed its natural line. My riding was fluid, my body was loose and I was having one hell of a fine time. The miles melted away and we were home long before I wanted to be.

Bottom line – a learning class on the track can absolutely be applied to any street riding and will improve your skills and confidence immensely. I encourage everyone to put yourself through it, whether it be Reg’s CLASS or other track learning options. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, you still have the chance, as CLASS will return to VIR in October for two days. BOOK YOUR TIME TODAY! Stay in the very comfortable and convenient trackside rooms, enjoy VIR’s fine cuisine and do not skimp – get yourself a massage at the end of day two. You’ll come away a better rider at speed or not.

postCarDs From the heDge

(Continued from Page 7) you have the batteries and the motor itself, which can be packaged a variety of different ways to maximize handling in the application of your choice. There’s no fuel tank, no exhaust system, no cooling system (although there can be) and, amazingly, no transmission. The characteristics of an electric motor mean gears aren’t necessary, which is wild when you think about it. These are all great attributes to be sure, and the biggest downsides are having to plug it in and limited range, not necessarily in that order.

As in so many cases racing has already shown some solutions to these problems, which shouldn’t surprise you. Electric bikes and autos are being raced somewhere probably as I write this, for if it moves and it’s controlled by a human, it is either being raced or will be shortly. One way of dealing with the range problem with limited battery life is to have easily swapped fully-charged battery packs on your route, sort of (but not quite) like filling a fuel tank on a conventional motorcycle. Tesla is dealing with the “refueling” problem on the auto side by adopting super-quick (by comparison to conventional electrical outlets) charging stations, and now they’ve announced a fully automated station that can swap your battery packs with robots or androids or replicants or some futuristic servants of some sort. At this point in the adoption of electric automobiles I see these solutions as lipstick on a very fetching pig, because there are a lot of serious limitations to these solutions. But the day is young, as they say.

Interestingly, these auto remedies are actually much easier to deal with on the motorcycle side. When you consider a daily ride for most of us (even when we’re on tour) is typically fewer miles that a cross-country auto trip, this helps with the problem. The battery requirements for a motorcycle are much less than that for a high-performance luxury car, so the battery packs are easier to swap and take less time to charge. There is real potential here, especially in terms of the environmental benefits of not burning fossil fuels provided the electricity source for charging is clean. But those of you fearing such dancing electronic motors will replace our beloved Twins, Triples, Fours, Sixes, etc. you should relax. Motorcycles are still practical movers even when they burn gas, and will be for many years to come. I think it’s a big enough family to welcome the e-rides into the fold, and then we’ll have even more cool ways to enjoy the road.

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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GettinG Smoother the Pridmore Way Many years back I had the privilege of riding pillion behind champion road racer Reg Pridmore, for a few laps at the big track in Watkins Glen. After the experience it took me literally days to digest how fast and in control Reg was. How smooth he could be, while at the same time passing everyone on the track.

After those laps I had to sit a session out as my mind was going about as fast as Reg was on the Honda VFR that day.

Sling shot forward a number of years – too many according to Reg and the folks at CLASS – and find Shira and I, once again, in Pridmore’s CLASS-

room, this time at the beautiful road course at Virginia International Raceway.

A true motorhead’s destination if ever there was one.

We had planned a leisurely two-day 500 or so mile jaunt, in late May to attend the two-day CLASS event, sponsored in part by Morton BMW from Fredericksburg, Virginia.

But the combination of spankin’ new rubber, torrential rains and big rig trucks kept us home one extra day and facilitated a hard charge down a combination of big roads and backroads to get us east of Danville and to VIR the night before CLASS was to be held.

The facilities at VIR were suberb and a “We’re Outta Here” in the making.

Our hotel room, with a serious trackside view, was cozy, clean and comfortable and the Oak Tree Tavern, an old plantation building, had a restaurant that was about as good as it gets.

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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As always CLASS started around 7:30 am with about 55 riders, from all parts and riding various machines, signing in and then moving on to tech inspection.

Not much is really needed to be done to your machine to take CLASS. New tires are required and your mirrors and tail light taped up or removed.

Proper riding gear is required and would be foolish not to have at the speeds you will be moving as the day and CLASS progresses.

Riders were broken up into two groups A & B, with Group A being more experienced and faster and the B group reserved to new riders or those who were more interested in smoothness than simple track time. Although aimed at both street survival and smoothness on the track it was obvious some were there for track time alone.

Reg has been doing this for decades and his skill as both rider and teacher have grown into legendary status. He, along with his wife Gigi, have taught thousands of riders and, I dare say, have saved many lives.

While Group A was doing their 20 minute or so session around the track our B Group was inside taking instruction from Reg and his group of talented instructors.

Each of CLASS’ instructors were once students. Students that have taken what Reg says to heart and have mastered both the skill as well as that ability to get their points across to students in a friendly and informative manner.

Each classroom session was followed by 20 minutes of track time on the 2.5 mile North Course of VIR. Each time we sat in the classroom something else was brought our way and then we got to apply this newly acquired riding information right on the track just minutes later.

Some of this information we had been taught at previous CLASS’, but the truth is riding skills, like playing a fine instrument or any sporting endeavor takes repetition, practice and a desire to do a particular task as close to perfect as you can.

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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The day seemed to start off much like the first with tech inspection, release forms to be signed and splitting up into Groups A & B. But, this day was different. The previous day had a bit of tension, but as day two began to unfold we found ourselves having a real blast. Turns that were downright evil and had us concerned 24 hours before soon became the very turns we were looking to return to for attack again on every new lap.

Reg had spoken about riding a motorcycle well was much like climbing a ladder and that we all start at the very bottom in the beginning of our riding careers and that climb, some moving up quicker and further than others. But those that actually strive to be better, practice and work on technique and rid-

Spending a few days with Reg and crew would rekindle that fire.

By midafternoon of day 1 I could feel myself fatiguing and getting drained. 100 miles at speed will do that; so I sat out a session and sat in on the A Group class for a touch.

By late afternoon Shira and I did our last laps of the day and then we hit the showers and another super meal at the tavern.

The south Virginia sunset was spectacular tonight and we once again hit the hay early as we had round two the next day.

We have done CLASS many times over the years, at a variety of tracks, but we have never done more than one day at a clip. This time around we planned for the whole Monty, hoping to build on what we had learned and practiced our first day at VIR.

Come in today for your Summer fun and cleanup vehicles. ©2012 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. In the U.S.A., products are distributed by BRP US Inc. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment.

BRP highly recommends that all ATV drivers take a training course. For safety and training information, see your dealer or call the ATV Safety Institute at 1-800-887-2887. ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: always wear a helmet, eye protection, and other protective clothing. Never carry passengers on any ATV not specifically designed by the manufacturer for such use. All adult model Can Am ATVs are Category G ATVs (General Use Models) intended for recreational and/or utility use by an operator age 16 or older. For side-by-side vehicles (SxS): Read the BRP side-by-side Operator’s Guide and watch the Safety DVD before driving. For your safety: wear a helmet, eye protection and other protective gear. Fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Operator must be at least 16 years old. Passenger must be at least 12 years old and able to hold handgrips and plant feet while seated against the backrest. ATVs and SxS are for off-road use only; never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Always remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. Never engage in stunt driving. Avoid excessive speed and be particularly careful on difficult terrain. Ride responsibly.

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

ing smoothness do indeed move up the rungs of the riding ladder. After years of watching the truly talented make riding motorcycles look effortless I believe that ladder is very large; but I do know that this day we were making our way up, if only just a few feet.

But, progress just the same.

Where turn 7 was always first gear, now second at the same rpm’s worked just as smoothly and with less stress on both myself and the bike.

Down shifting and getting on the gas early into turn 3 made the petulant turn 4 into 5 less so. And, the downhill sections had me smiling with anticipation instead of grimacing with tension.

After lunch Reg gave rides around the track, but I didn’t sign up. Better to let another have the coveted ride.

Not that I was nervous or anything.

As the day moved on I began to work on specific tasks on each session.

One just on downshifting efficiently and as easily as possible, the next on trail braking – combining both the throttle and brakes at the same time, in a concert of sorts.

I certainly would not say I mastered any of this in just two days on the track but I did get it ingrained into my gray matter and like playing my guitar; the more I work at it the easier it becomes.

The goal here is to make it second nature for you to ride the correct way, to choose the right lines and make the correct decisions while riding what ever machine you have in your garage.

My last session of the day was my “Ride it like I was just out for a ride in the country.” Staying to the right I let half a dozen riders whizz by as I was concentrating on doing five or six laps at a good street speed and simply using everything I had been told and taught to my advantage.

All this would come instantly into play on our twoday ride back north and home on the backroads of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

For those of you who think that a riding school like CLASS is not for you or that your style of riding cannot benefit from a day, or hopefully two, with Reg Pridmore and his crew can’t be more wrong.

All riders can and will benefit from this experience.

Reg Pridmore’s CLASS School works and the more you listen, learn and apply what they will tell you the smoother you will be on the track and, more importantly, on the street.

Pridmore and CLASS will be back at VIR on Monday and Tuesday, October 7 & 8 of this year. Class will run you $375 for the day or $695 for both.

You can find out more by logging onto www.classrides.com.

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS 250+ Road Tour A One-Time Romp Around the Garden State

Considering we were in a Dodge Durango (5.7 liter V8 HEMI - so don’t give us a problems, k?) and were just hoping to make sure all went well, we thought we’d let folks that actually did ride the Backroads 250+ Road Tour open this article.

Hey Kids, Thank you for the fabulous route today! Wow…who knew there were that many twisty backroads in Jersey?

Shira & Brian, of course!

By the end of the ride, I figured out how you do it. Just knit all the corners marked 15mph + all single lane bridges + all roads named “River” + every concrete viaduct and railroad trestle, and there you have the Backroads 250!

Love ya - Janet & Glenn

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 For those of you who did not partake, let me give you the history of what might just be the “GREATEST NJ Ride Ever!” Okay, maybe we are tooting our own horn, but we’re pretty confident on this.

Since our first issue back in 1995, Backroads has come to be known as the go-to publication for great destinations and routes.

Why ride the big roads when you can ride something small, interesting and very real? Along the backroads and the small towns you will find the real America.

That being said, we had a conversation with a colleague in California whom we invited to ride with us in New Jersey.

“Jersey,” he said, “what exit? Do we ride around the flame-belching refineries?”

Having landed at Newark Liberty a gazilion times we could understand why someone from the other 49 states could confuse New Jersey with something other than what it is - the Garden State. The Sopranos and Jersey Shore did not help our case very much.

New Jersey is constantly being blasted by the movies, comedians, and the media and, in truth, we have had enough of these misnomers and disparaging comments.

Seriously, you really want to F___ with us?

So last year we began to stitch together some of the best roads we have found in Jersey and in not too long, we had created a route that was a full

Page 31 259.1 miles! Maybe a bit more if you followed the few detours that popped up on the route.

The entire idea of this 250+ Road Tour was to showcase this lovely and sometimes misunderstood state.

From the forests to the farmlands, across the valleys and around the tight knit hills and through the quaint towns – New Jersey is a diversified and beautiful place. We wished to prove this.

After sacrificing precious and important things (again?) to the Weather Gods, June 15th opened to a superb riding day with temperatures ranging from the mid-60’s in the morning to low 80’s by afternoon.

Our starting point at the Chatterbox Drive-In, in Augusta New Jersey set up our ride perfectly. Thanks to Don for opening up early and providing much needed restrooms and support.

The ride immediately ran along tiny roads just miles from the Chatterbox across two single-lane bridges and along tiny roads named for the churches along the way.

Heading up north, almost to the state of New York (another great place), and then over High Point State Park and down through the Walpack Valley.

This is Big Red Eye territory and we can tell you from personal encounters that there is something roaming these woods for sure. You might have noticed the red eyes on our 250+ logo.

At this point, if you stayed on the route, you hadn’t passed a fuel station

Page 32 in over 105 miles.

Think about that! No gas in over a hundred miles while riding in New Jersey. Who’d have thunk it?

During the middle of the ride the route passed under the gigantic Paulinskill Viaduct. When it was built back in 1908, the Paulinskill Viaduct was considered to be one of the ‘wonders of the world’ and for a brief time it was the largest structure of its kind in the entire world.

A Jersey first! Like Springsteen and Backroads.

One-lane bridges, tunnels and twisty roads were the ingredients for a super ride.

Some miles down the road the route paralleled the Delaware River, through the old industrial town of Phillipsburg and then past old windmills, over tiny bridges and around stunning reservoirs.

For those who were not familiar with one particular road the name Shades of Death caught their attention. It caught ours some twenty years back and we have ridden it a hundred times since.

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ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL THOROUGHLY. For rider training information or to locate a rider training course near you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 800-446-9227. CB®, CBR® and Gold Wing® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (01/13)

KAWASAKI CARES: Always wear a helmet, eye protection and proper apparel. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Adhere to the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. ©2012 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. • Pictured is the Isle of Man: a closed track on otherwise public roads. PROFESSIONAL RIDER ON A CLOSED COURSE.

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 Yes, there is a story and it is definitely a part of Weird NJ. By this time we had been riding in and above and through parts of the Lackawanna Cut-Off, part of the giant train expansion on the early 1900’s.

Tunnels, trestles and viaducts litter this part of New Jersey and many a lake community have this expansion to thank for their great lakeside views.

The builders of the Cutoff found streams and then cleared the lands around them, excavated the fill and built the rail system. The newly dammed streams created dozens of lakes and it was on one of the most beautiful that we ended this Jersey sojourn, at the ever popular Down to the Bone Barbeque on the shores of Lake Lackawanna.

Page 33 Jeff and his crew were awesome and handled the sudden surge of patrons with ease. Down to the Bone is worth every mile of this tour. Or, just ride there on any nice day and enjoy the food, ambiance and the lake.

From the comments and smiles we saw this afternoon, we thought we had done a fairly good job on our 250+. Okay, maybe the entire day rocked.

We want to thank all who participated on this once and only “Road Tour.” If you missed the ride and want to do it on your own - feel free. We are fairly sure you will not be disappointed. But, do know it is an all day affair. 259 miles on small roads is a 10-hour affair at best, but it is well worth it. You can find the GPX files for your Garmin GPS at www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html.

If you are not GPS-equipped, email us at editor@backroadsusa.com and we’ll send you a very long and intricate text version (good luck).

Hmmm? What’s next? Stay tuned!

Page 34

wemple anD eDiCk’s 453 ny 334, Johnstown ny 12095 518-762-4319

Ice Cream R s ’ a r un S hi

It’s getting harder and harder to find homemade ice cream shops to bring you to. Sure, there are chains and a ton of places serving packaged ice cream from large manufacturers, but the true old-fashioned ice cream shoppes are few and far between.

To the rescue comes our friend Scott Agnew. He lives up in the Albany area and made a few suggestions for our Spring Break ride in Cooperstown. From these I pieced together a route (which was enjoyed by those who rode it) including this month’s featured ice cream stop. Before we sample the tasty treats from

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

this wonderful establishment, here’s a little history: Ephriam A Wemple built Wemple’s General Store in 1899 after taking over the cider business from his father, Eli Wemple. Along with the store was a gristmill and milk station, where cider was sold in bulk.

Ephriam married Ada Suits in 1902 and in 1910 they had a daughter named Beatrice. George Edick went to work for Wemple in 1921 at the age of 16. He married Beatrice in 1928 and became a partner in 1930, when the business changed to Wemple and Edick’s. The Edicks bought out the Wemples in 1940.

It was considered a general store, selling everything from hardware to fuel oil but the ice cream business was added in the early

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

1930s when Ada made ice cream on a gas stove. She cooked fresh fruit to mix for flavor. Flora, Wemple’s second wife, continued this process after Ada died, in the basement in an old-fashioned ice cream maker. As volume increased, they switched from fresh fruit to prepared flavors and in 1945 ice cream making equipment was purchased. 29 flavors of ice cream were sold at all times. 300 gallons of ice cream were sold year round.

Moving forward the shop was sold a number of times, with the current owners being Mr. and Mrs. Bob Channel. They are still making their own ice cream, and quite well, I might add. While it has moved away from being a general store, they still sell assorted candies, collectibles and some of the best bakery goods I’ve had in a very, very long time.

Since I was not able to do the great ride I put together during the Spring Break, Brian and I made a slight detour on our way to Lake George to get a taste of what was being served in Fonda, NY. Pulling up to the store, we could tell there was some major history in those old wood floors. You’ll find some great paraphernalia, sundries and whatnots displayed on walls and shelves, along with some old photos of the shop. There are old wooden school desks, which brought out the angel in Brian. Certainly enough to keep you busy while eating their very GENEROUS servings of ice cream.

And that’s what we are here for, right? So let’s get to it. When we finally got around to reading the menu board, we were hard pressed to make a de-

Page 35

cision. As we didn’t have too far to go before getting to Lake George, we could afford more of a sugar rush than usual so I opted for one of their homemade waffle cones. The aroma of their baking hits you before you even open the door – how could I resist? Luckily some of my top choices were not available but there were certainly enough to keep me happy. Chocolate abounds on their boards and I’m a PB fan, so PB Cup it was. Brian stepped outside of his box and got a scoop of Maple Walnut along with his litmus test ice cream, Cookies and Cream. We were happy campers, sitting in this wonderful shop, taking in the aromas and talking with the women there about the history.

Before saddling up to head north, I stocked up on their wonderful cookies, taking a mixed box of chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, banana, molasses and jumbos to the folks in Lake George. You can ask me what a jumbo is, but you’ll just have to take a ride to Wemple and Edick’s and find out for yourself. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed with the ride or the goodies.

Here’s a nice 170-mile loop from Cooperstown. Along this ride you’ll also pass the Home Front Café, which got rave reviews from our readers, and John Boyd Thacher State Park with its incredible view to Albany.

Wemple and Edick’s is open year round. With the wonderful roads in the Leatherstocking region, you can’t go wrong visiting in any season. Have fun and remember to eat ice cream, every day.

Rip & Ride on next page from Cooperstown, NY

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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Page 38 Round 10 of the AMA Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series made its annual stop at Unadilla located in central New York on August 18. As a fan of Motocross, this season has been a bit one sided. Ryan Dungey has been dominating the 450cc class for the KTM Factory team. Dungey, recruited by his former Suzuki Team manager Roger “The Man” DeCoster, when he made the move to KTM. DeCoster knows a bit about winning championships. He has five World Championships himself, has engineered countless wins for Team USA in Motocross Des Nations and oversaw Dungey’s first outdoor championship at Suzuki two years ago. Moving to the KTM team would have its challenges since the Austrian team has never won a championship in the US. The big 4 Japanese bikes have had the series locked up for decades. With a brand new 450cc to begin the outdoor season, Dungey won 9 consecutive motos heading into Unadilla. He was in position to wrap up the championship but a lot of pieces had to fall into place.

James Stewart who has had limited success with the outdoor series in recent years began the Supercross season for the Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha squad. After a falling out he moved to the Yoshimura Suzuki Team and was looking to recapture some ground he lost. Stewart could be the Danny Chandler of his generation if he doesn’t crash his brains out, as he is the fastest man on the track. He had been sidelined since the Colorado round with a wrist injury but decided it was time to come back at Unadilla- a track he has notorious bad luck with.

On Friday the track was manicured to perfection only to have a late afternoon rainstorm soak it and turn the pristine loam into a gooey mess. The rain ended in the evening and the Robinson’s did a fine job of scraping the track and prepping it for the morning practice and qualifying sections. By all accounts the track was in perfect condition. Historically

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

2012 Unadilla Showing Recap

Get ready for 2013

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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the racing at Unadilla pits the riders against the track as much as against the other riders.

Both 450cc motos would uphold this tradition. The cool weather on Saturday kept the track from drying and eliminated the dust. At race time it was cool like an early autumn day.

In the first moto, the track became so rutted that battle for the lead became more of a war of attrition. James Stewart had a better start than Dungey and was shadowing Australia’s Michael Byrne. Byrne fell on the second lap and allowed Stewart to take over the lead.

Stewart took a tumble over the bars and had difficulty restarting. He would finish the race out of the top ten. Byrne would go down again and injured his leg. Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer took over the lead and he would go down and was sidelined with an injury as well. Dungey had also gone down in the early laps and was now chasing down Brock Tickle on the Pro Circuit/Kawasaki. Mike Alessi who was second in points behind Dungey pulled off and did not finish the race after his bike overheated due to a hole in the radiator. Dungey ultimately caught Tickle and pulled out a sizeable lead. Dungey won the opening round.

The second moto saw all the top riders getting good starts with Dungey in third. After the first three laps Dungey was able to pass Andrew Short and Davey Milsaps for the lead. He never looked back. James Stewart was in the top ten but took a nasty fall and broke his finger. He would not reenter the race. The Unadilla curse for Stewart would continue.

Dungey won the second moto convincingly giving Dungey and team KTM the championship.

Roger DeCoster was seen in the pits and watching qualifying like an expecting father. After the race it was all smiles for him, Dungey and the entire KTM Team.

History keeps being made at Unadilla and on several levels this race was no different. Not only did Dungey win his second championship, he tied Rick Johnson’s record for third on the all time wins list for the 250 (two stroke)/450 (four stroke) class. It would be KTM’s first championship in the USA and the first time KTM would win both the 450cc and 250cc classes. It was a great weekend for the Orange team. It will be interesting to see how the Japanese teams respond next year. make your plans to be there the weekend of august 9-11. visit www.unadillamx.com for more information and tickets.

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

BEAR EXTENDER • HIGH POWER WI-FI BOOSTER & TB TRAVEL BELT For you PC folk they make an identical unit for you as well.

For my use it was perfect as it is a palm-sized device that can clip onto my PowerBook and it connects via a USB port.

Installation of the Bear Extender program took less than a minute and I really like it when something works exactly as we were told it would.

Our illustrious “Monkey with a Gun” is known for bawdy times, but not so much for its internet connectivity. With the Bear Extender it is now a Tiki Bar & Bar & Internet Café.

The Bear Extender easily increased Backroads Central’s Wi-Fi footprint by about 4X times.

On the road, staying at hotels that might have had questionable internet connections, we’re now streaming videos and updating weather radars in seconds.

The bottom line here is the Bear Extender works very well and its small size makes bringing it on the road as easy as can be as it fits right into my laptop’s carry bag. We give the Bear Extender a four-helmet rating!

You can find the Bear Extender at bearextender.com for around $40.00.

Doesn’t it kill you if you end up in a hotel, lodge or inn that says they have Wi-Fi but when you go to log on you find that the signal is weaker than something from the SETI project?

I know at our base at Americade the resort brags about “free” Wi-Fi but you can only get the weakest of signals and then only when the planets are aligned, the leaves are off the trees and you successfully finagle the Wi-Fi to bounce off three beer cans set in a precise alignment at the window.

Not what most of us expect these tech-savvy days.

After going through an internet blackout for most of the week this year up at Lake George I went in search of a better way to stay connected with the outside world while staying at places with very weak and slow internet connections.

I found it with the Bear Extender High Power Wi-Fi Booster.

The Bear Extender is a high power Wi-Fi radio with an external antenna that increases the range of your Mac’s Wi-Fi signal– up to four times as far as your internal AirPort card.

It is also a stand alone USB Wi-Fi adapter and can be used with any Macintosh computer, including those that do not have built-in AirPort cards such as older G4 towers, iMacs, and Mac Pros.

I COULD USE A BELT It is a rare but beautiful thing during these times of complex, miraculous gadgetry when we encounter something simple, elegant yet oh so useful. But such wonders are still out there, and I have found one in belt form even though I am usually not a belt person. Tom Bihn is a company that makes some wonderful stuff for the traveler (no matter what your mode on the day) and they have been especially good at designing and building attractive, durable items to haul the miraculous gadgetry I mentioned earlier. Check out their catalogue and/or website and you’ll find a variety of backpacks, shoulder bags and a vast collection of brilliantly engineered and manufactured items to help you go across town or across the planet. This time around, I

share with you the wonders of a device designed to do something very important during most of your daily riding life: keeping your pants on. But this is just a part of its mission, as it is a belt with a wonderful addition that has been a staple for the traveler as long as there have been travelers and staples: a hidden pocket. This is always a good thing to have, for you can store cash, a critical backup document, even a skinny USB drive. My size small (32”) has a zippered pocket 20” in length, thus it can actually house quite a bit in a hidden, invisible space. Brilliant. Tom Bihn points out, “The pocket created by the zipper can hold up to 15 US $100 bills: three stacks of five bills, folded into thirds or quarters. Same idea with traveler’s cheques and the copy of your passport.”

A lot of my favorite travel accessories are clever travel versions of things you might have on board anyway, like a belt. This one is very simple and made of heavy nylon webbing and has a simple plastic buckle.

Sizes go from X-Small to Extra Large (roughly 30”44”) and is priced at $25.00. A warning when you visit the Tom Bihn site: you will likely purchase more than you originally planned In typical Tom Bihn fashion, the Travel Money Belt is made in their Seattle factory and has a lifetime guarantee. www.tombihn.com, (800) 729-9607. ~ Bill Heald

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS CL-855 TOURING SADDLEBAGS FROM NELSON-RIGG Nelson-Rigg’s saddlebags, made from UV treated Tri-Max® polyester with Fibertech faux carbon fiber accents, gives the CL-855 a classic yet sophisticated look. Features include reflective piping, coil-over zippers, heat resistant under panel and a universal quick release mounting system. Internal stiffener panels allow them to easily hold their shape. The heavyduty top straps can also independently mount directly to most OE and aftermarket saddlebag racks and grab rails. The entire outside panel opens for easy side loading in to the fully lined interior, while front panel mesh pockets allow storage for water bottles, etc.

Each CL-855 saddlebag comes with a waterproof rain covers and a “Lifetime No Hassle Warranty”.

These affordable saddlebags make the perfect touring companion at $149.95 per pair. Each measure 15”L x 9”W x 13”H. Capacity is 28.76 Liters per side.

For more information contact your Nelson-Rigg dealer or visit their website at www.nelsonrigg.com

ERGODYNE PROFLEX KNEELING PAD I don’t know about you, but getting down on my knees to check something out under the bike can get plenty annoying these days; almost as annoying as getting back up on my feet.

Sure, I have a small garage stool that I can grab a seat on while diddling around the machines. But, sometimes you have to get prone to see what the issue is. This chore has become far less painful since we got the Proflex Kneeling Pad from Ergodyne. A full 16 X 28 in size and an inch think it provides a comfortable padding between your knees and the concrete garage floor.

It’s beveled edges have a good deal of reflectivity in low light situation or if used outside on the road at night. It also has a convenient handle cut into it for ease of carrying and to hang up when not being used.

After using this pad a few times we wonder how we survived all this time without it. The Ergodyne Proflex Kneeling Pad sells for around $50 and more information can be found on their website at www.ergodyne.com.

SAVING THE TIRED WRIST ON LONG RIDES The original solution for relief of aching throttle hands that others copy — the Bob’s Wrist Rest is simple. Turn the machined knurled ring and it does exactly what you desire. Accelerate, modulate, back off, or shut down as you normally would – no need to be reset each time. Installation takes just minutes. The Wrist Rest cannot be accidentally turned on like some copies making it the safest available. Made of Stainless Steel and phenolic material in the USA for lifetime durability there’s virtually nothing to wear out. Fits most BMW’s since the 1970’s plus current machines like the R1200GS/GSA, R1200ST, R1100/1150GS, R850/1100/1150R, R1100RT, R1150RT, and K1200RS/GT. The Wrist Rest ($69.95) is available exclusively from Bob’s BMW Motorcycles and select dealers.

Visit bobsbmw.com or call 1-888-269-2627.

TOWN & COUNTRY CYCLE CENTER 115 Route 23N • Hamburg NJ • 973-875-2111

www.townandcountrycyclecenter.com

Experience the full line of Kawasaki motorcycles, sales and service we have to offer.

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS HONDA GROM - DON’T YA JUST WANT ONE Okay, admit it: When you first look at the sporty and compact Grom you just have to smile. And, no matter how long you’ve been riding, you might just want to throw a leg over this bike and twist the throttle.

Still, we see Conan the Barbarian screaming ‘By Grom & Mitra!’ (We know it’s Crom – don’t be snarky you geek) Regardless, the Grom is an excellent fit for both new and experienced riders looking for an around-town’r, but to Gen Y buyers in particular the Grom carries a bit of attitude while promising fun times: the compact frame size, low seat, inverted front fork and hydraulic disc brakes make this the real deal.

The fuel-injected 125cc engine delivers lots of torque, the 4-speed manual transmission works just like any other full-sized bike, the maneuverability and handling make it a joy to ride, and there’s even room for a passenger. Factor in its efficient size with an affordable price, and there’s just no way you can pass up this chance to get out and ride. Once again Honda has brought out something new, different and very cool. We can see MSF classes around the country being all that much more fun in the future.

The Grom will be in shops in the late summer and will retail for $2999.

SKIDMORE BEES LEATHER CREAM & WAX WATERPROOFING For all of you who have made the investment in an after market leather saddle for your ride you should be well aware that you need to upkeep the ass kissers every now and again and waterproofing them is a good thought as well.

We have seen a number of products on the market, but Skidmore Bees Leather Cream & Wax Waterproofing seems to rise a bunch above the rest.

The Leather Cream is really awesome and is simple in its application. Just apply with a soft cloth and give it a buffing.

Leather saddles take a hard beating from the elements…sun, wind, dirt, and rain pound it every mile you are out on the road. You spend good money on your saddle, so protect the leather that lets you ride all day. Skidmore Leather Cream will clean your leather saddle and keep it supple in one step. Regular use will build a degree of waterproofing on the saddle. It is also excellent on boots, chaps, jackets, and saddlebags. Good leather can get wet – just maintain it and it will last forever!

The beeswax is excellent if you ride in really wet conditions, or it just seems that way. Made from almost pure beeswax, this product protects leather that really gets wet. It goes on easily, penetrating leather and leaving a waterproof seal on the surface.

Combining both these products on your saddle will insure many season of riding pleasure.

For more information and to purchase these and the other fine Skidmore products log onto www.skidmores.com.

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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Americade 2013 Return to the Lake

F

or so many the first big ride of the season and spring, besides the fantabulous Backroads Spring Break, is the annual pilgrimage to the Adirondacks of New York State and the Americade Rally. Billed as the largest touring rally in the world it has been drawing riders from around the nation and the world for 31 years. Over the years (we have been to 23 of these) venues have changed as well as the flavor of the rally. Still Americade continues to come off as one of the best family-friendly and good time oriented motorcycle events you can find.

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 44 This year found the vendors expo down by the lake open the weekend previous to the rally and this allowed many who could not attend during the week a chance to see what manufacturers and motorcycle businesses had to sell.

But, Mother Nature, who came in with mighty vengeance on Sunday, almost washed and blew the place away. It was the first time in Americade history that vendors were told to evacuate the Expo.

The storms were that bad.

more “biker” product compared to “rider” product.

Down at the Tour Expo at the beach there was the Globe of Death. Okay, always impressive but that, added onto the number of no-show vendors and lack of some Americade regulars, made me wonder how this economy will be shaping this rally in the future?

We do love that everything is centrally located these days around Fort William Henry. We do not miss Roaring Brook one second.

Having almost everything within walking distance of your parked bike is excellent.

Monday saw perfect weather rolling in for the beginning of the week and as the day moved on riders began to roll into Lake George from the south and north.

We got up there on Tuesday and after picking up our wristbands at the Holiday Inn, grabbed the keys to Backroads Central North, and then headed to the Forum – the indoor expo compared to the outdoor beach area – for a quick look around. It seems that this not so stellar economy is beginning to take its toll, as the Forum was not nearly as full as previous years and, unfortunately there seemed to be a bit

Wednesday morning came around with another stellar day and the early hours found us sitting in on Fred Rau’s Coffee Club.

The Coffee Club has become a favorite of many Americaders and each day a good number of riders get to the seminar building at 7am for a good ol’ motorcycle bull session, hosted by the gregarious and knowledgeable Rau, whose give and take banter with the early morning group is well worth getting up early for.

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Come see the full line of Triumph motorcycles and gear today at

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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After the club had disbanded, we strolled around the demo fleets, which were well represented by almost all the manufacturers available today.

If you are considering a new machine this is the place to get a little saddle time in before you open your wallet.

Wednesday was a perfect riding day so Shira, myself and our friend Lisa, from Whitehorse Press, took off for a little Adirondack Loop heading up along the tiniest backroads we could find. At one point we could see a “Road Closed” sign ahead and a friendly construction worker informed us that the heavy rains from earlier in the week had taken out the Beaver Creek dam and that took out a good portion of the road.

Oh, oh Plan B. Good thing about detours in this part of the Adirondacks, they just add to the fun. Besides, it wouldn’t be a true Backroads ride without a uturn or three.

We found a bit of dirt to make the two GS’ and Lisa’s V-Strom feel better about themselves and then we spun down through Athol and Lake Sacandaga searching out a nice lakeside restaurant we had spotted on the way up.

Sussex NJ County Rd 639 • Next to the Airport The I Go Inn was an excellent choice.

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After the repast we then rode north, around Lake George Village, and dropped by Warrensburg to see what was happening there.

Except for some good gear from Nick Pleznick and the magnetic bracelet folks it was kind of quiet as well.

I have always avoided crowds, but the light mid-week crowd was eerie.

That evening we were treated to the comedy of Jon Fish and headiner Alonzo Boden. Both men were hilarious, but Alonzo has become a favorite at Americade.

A long time rider, his comedy is always fresh and fun.

But, never, ever make eye contact with him. You could regret it.

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

This Wednesday evening saw a larger crowd on Canada Street and a cone from Bob’s Ice Cream and a seat on a bench were in order to properly people watch Americade at night.

The next morning we were up and at em’ early with a quick stop at the Coffee Club and then back to the hotel to join up with some friends for a good day’s ride.

the semi-malaise that seemed to be around these days, but folks could not talk about anything else.

I chose to ignore them and go for a ride.

This day we would join our friends Paul and Diane Donoghue. Paul, in addition to being an MSF Instructor extraordinaire, also went to college in the Adirondacks. This man has probably forgotten more roads up this way than

The Weather Girl had called for storms this day and, in truth, I never heard such whining and concern over a forecast in my 23 years coming to this rally. Maybe it was the past weekends storms or just

New York State is currently aware of.

We were aiming for Lake Placid, but our route would take us up along the lakes and rivers of the mountains heading north and then along Rte 4 and Tracy Road, a favorite with local sport riders. Over 50 turns in just 7.5 miles.

Both of these are must do roads if you are exploring this region.

Route 73 saw a bit of rain begin to spatter the shields as we headed towards Placid. By the time we got there it was in the low 50s and getting wetter by

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

Page 47 the second. We stopped at The Cottage on Mirror Lake for a warming and delicious lunch and then headed back down towards the Keane Valley in a coldly driven tempest, but we eventually moved out of the rains that had kept going more north than east.

By the time we rode over the Ausable River the skies had lightened and the sun was trying to peek out.

It seemed that Lake George and the Rally had avoided anything bad and Americade continued on unabated this day.

Thursday evening we parked the bikes and bummed a car ride with friends to the Grist Mill in Warrensburg, a yearly tradition, for dinner with friends.

Americade might have seemed a bit light this year, but it was hard to tell by us.

Peaking at the NOAA site once again the Weather Girl called for doom and gloom for Friday, as the first tropical storm of the year was barreling up the eastern seaboard at a quick pace.

I looked forward to a brilliant day’s ride. That would not happen.

That evening the rains rolled in and the weekend began wet and cold. Not a good thing for those final crowds who had planned on heading up north for an Americade weekend. If the crowds were down during the week Tropical Storm Andrea put a nail in the coffin.

We knew that the Saratoga Automobile Museum was featuring BMW motorcycles and cars and a rainy day was an excellent excuse to spend the day indoors exploring the museum’s collection of Bavarian machinery. The displays in Saratoga did not disappoint and, on any day, the Saratoga Automobile Museum is one of the finest in the nation.

A late lunch was had at the Circus Café on Saratoga Spring’s Broadway, complete with complimentary cotton candy – woohoo!

Back at Americade I made quick stops by both the Forum and the lakeside Tour Expo to take care of some business and right around then the skies opened up and thing became Biblical. I think I made more water crossings down by the lake then the last time I rode in Alaska.

Although the outdoor vendor area was deserted I heard that the Forum did a bang up business that day; a ray of sunshine from a tropical storm.

Radar promised, like Annie, that the sun would come out tomorrow, so by early evening we had the bikes parked and dinner was just a quick walk over

Page 48

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS to the Boat House with friends.

That evening Americade had its biggest event of the week, the Friday Night Spectacular held at the Great Escape, just south of town. Hosted by Fred Rau and friends the night included dinner, music, door prizes, a diving show and spectacular fireworks, which looked even better with the backdrop of the lingering rain clouds. Rain could not keep away the good times this night.

That Saturday we wanted to steal one more ride while up in the Adirondacks so the previous night we sketched out a route with the Garmin and hoped for at least dry, if not sunny, weather the next day.

Saturday found Americade’s parade rolling under cloudy cool weather, but we were heading back into the Adirondacks and to the Wild Center, a very new and very hip museum bringing nearly 100 animals and the deep natural history of the Adirondack to its visitors.

We ran a great, if simple, route up and back and one thing that the light crowds brought was the lack of heavy rider traffic in and around the mountains and lakes. Considering we came up a day late we had a great Americade with three superior rides, two interesting museums and some excellent food on the road.

We’ll consider that a successful week anytime. plan for next year’s americade the week of may 31st - June 7 2014.

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

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UPCOM IN G EVENTS CAL ENDAR EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING Every Sunday • Eastern Suffolk ABATE Breakfast Run. Crossroads Diner - Calverton NY. 10:30am. Eat and Ride After • 631-369-2221 Every Tuesday • The Ear - 326 Spring St, NYC. (212) 431-9750. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Second Tuesday • Bergen County BMW Motorcycles Ride to the Ear. Meet at the dealership @ 6pm, Kickstands up @ 6:30pm sharp! EZ Pass recommended, if you can’t make it for the ride... Meet us at the Ear Bar! Ear Bar Ride every 2nd Tuesday of the month unless posted otherwise.

Third Tuesday • 6-9:30pm. Two Wheel Tuesday with Harley-Davidson Long Branch at M.Js, 3205 Route 66, Neptune, NJ. Prizes, Live Music, Drink Specials. For more informaiton please call 732-229-6518 • www.hdlongbranch.com Every Wednesday • Chelseas Restaurant/Pub, 1051 Rte. 22 East, Lebanon, NJ 6-9pm, weather permitting all summer • www.chelseasrestaurantpub.com Second Wednesday • Harley-Davidson of Long Branch Restore the Shore Dinner Rides.

Meet at HDLB, 671 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ @ 6pm with full tank • leave @ 6:15pm • www.hdlongbranch.com • Ride-Restore-Rebuild Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com Every Saturday • Stop by the dealership at 9am for coffee and bagels. Ride departs at 10am. Return to the dealership for FREE food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn!

No shorts or sneakers. • Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com Last Saturday • Ride to Eat. Meet at Morton’s BMW Motorcycles, Fredericksburg, VA at 4pm. Scenic ride followed by dinner. www.mortonsbmw.com • 540-891-9844

AUGUST 2013 3-4 • 9th Annual Bike Show at the Curtiss Museum, Hammondsport, NY. Bike Show and Swap Meet on Aug. 3; Ride and Swap Meet on Aug. 4. Sponsored by Odd Ball Old Dog Cycles • www.OddBallOldDog.net 9-11 • 36th Annual Daniel Boone Rally presented by the Carolinas BMW MOA #220.

Three states - one rally! Join us at the KOA Campground in Boone NC for the best riding anywhere. Rain or shine, ride NC’s Blue Ridge Parkway and High Country, southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee. Enter your classic/vintage motorcycle in the judging contest. Plenty of room for everyone and all brands. GPS: N36 15.54,W81 39.87. $45 before 7-31/$50 at site incl. camping for two nights, rally pin to first 300, 5 door prize tix, motorcycle judging, catered BBQ dinner Sat. donuts & coffee Sat/Sun. endless coffee, tea, hot chocolate • www.carolinasbmwmoa.org • 704-914-7120

What’s Happening NY • 845-338-2800 • www.woodstockharley.com 10 • Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson Swap Meet & Bikini Bike Wash. Empty your garage, basement and closets and make some money. Bring your own tables and chairs - there will be entertainment, music, food and much more. 9am-5pm. 4300 Manor Drive, Stroudsburg, PA • 570-992-7500 • www.poconohd.com 10 • You know you want to see some amazing stunts and tricks on a motorcycle - so why not travel to Motorcycle Mall for a free show to see a local legend, Mr. Nice and the Ruthless Tactics Stunt Team. Shows will take place at 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. 655 Washington Avenue • Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • www.Motorcyclemall.com 17 • Woodstock Harley-DavidsonHippie Party. FREE Hippie Costume Party, Prizes awarded for 60’s & 70’s style Car and Motorcycle Show. 11am-4pm • 949 Rotue 28, Kingston, NY • 845-338-2800 • www.woodstockharley.com 17 • Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Return of Fire & Ice Cream. Stop by the dealership for great deals on Gerbing’s heated gear and stay for our annual FREE ice cream social.

5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA • 540-891-9844 • www.mortonsbmw.com 23-25 • Kingdom Thunder Rally, Burke, VT • www.kingdomthunder.org 24-25 • Championship Cup Series at Summit Point Racetrack. Bob’s BMW will have a hospitality tent. Hang out with Jeremy Cook, riding Bob’s sponsored S1000RR. Complimentary snacks and beverages.

24 • Bob’s BMW hosts Product Tutorial: Apparel Layering with Klim! 11:00am-Noon. Klim representative Jeff Nash will be at Bob’s to talk about the importance of layering for comfort and safety in the coming fall and winter riding seasons. Learn the secrets of mixing and matching today’s textiles with their differing weights and capabilities to maintain ideal body temperature. And what’s the real difference between water-resistant and WATERPROOF? Find out! Questions/RSVP to hanna.creekmore@bobsbmw.com. Visit bobsbmw.com for more details. Bob's BMW Motorcycles, 10720 Guilford Road, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 24 • Bikini Bike Wash & BBQ • Bike dirty? Are you hungry for a ride and food? Motorcycle Mall is the place to be to get your bike cleaned by our beautiful Bike Wash Team! Motorcycle Mall and its beautiful Bike Wash Team will be hosting a Bikini Bike Wash with music and BBQ foods • 12 - 4 p.m. There is no other place to be other than Motorcycle Mall on this date! $15 per rider/bike - includes 1 bike wash, food & drink, music, photos with the Bike Wash Team and a discount card for great savings at the dealership! Plus, proceeds go to the Ride for Kids! 655 Washington Avenue • Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • www.Motorcyclemall.com 25 • 1st Annual Poker Run to benefit the Harmony Lodge Foundation • Sign in: Harmony Lodge #8, 519 Rte. 206, Andover, NJ 9am-Noon • Endsite: Franklin Fireman’s Pavilion, 137 Buckwheat Rd, Franklin, NJ. $20/pp incl. food and drink, top 3 poker hand prizes,

10 • Woodstock Harley-Davidson ‘Too Broke for Sturgis Party’. 949 Route 28, Kingston,

When the Road Calls the Journey Begins

NORTH AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE TOURS LLC Personalized Guided Motorcycle Tours

First Annual Poker Run to benefit the

Harmony Lodge Foundation

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 (rain or shine) Motorcycles and Classic Cars • Doors Open at 12PM Presented by Harmony Lodge #8 F. & A.M to benefit local charities

For the Fun and Enjoyment of Taking Your Vacation on Your Motorcycle

973-479-3290 or 888-971-2717 •

Wharton NJ

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Brands you Know and Trust From Long Island’s Premiere Motorcycle Outfitters…

Join us in a spectacular ride through the tri-state area

Entry Fee for run & non-run participants • $20/per person Door Price Includes: Food & Drinks, Top 3 Poker Hand, 50/50, Vendors, Chinese Auction and Live Music by Morning Door Sign up between 9am & 12pm at Harmony Lodge #8 F. & A.M. 519 Route 206, Andover, NJ Endsite: The Franklin Fireman’s Pavilion 137 Buckwheat Rd, Franklin, NJ

15 East Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills, NY

631-262-0600 • www.ReadyRiders.com

For more info please visit http://harmony8nj.com/foundation

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 50/50, raffles, vendors, live music by Morning Door • Info visit www.harmony8nj.com 24-25 • O’Toole’s Harley-Davidson hosts the Harley-Davidson Demo Fleet. Come ride the new 2014 models and enter for a chance to win tickets to Kid Rock concert at Bethel Wood in Bethel, NY. Stop by for official entry rules. Entries only accepted in person between 9am-2pm day of event • 4 Sullivan St, Wurtsboro, NY • 845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com 29-Sept. 1 • Killington Classic Motorcycle Rally, Killington, VT • Rides, demos, vendors, contests, parade, music, dinners, fireworks and SO MUCH MORE! Registration opens May 15 - DON’T BE SHUT OUT OF YOUR FIRST CHOICES. 518-798-7888 • www.killingtonclassic.com 30-Sept 2 • Finger Lakes BMW Rally @ Watkins Glen State Park, NY. Finger Lakes BMW Club hosts this great annual gathering of 800-1000 Beemerphiles. Great food, music, vendors and riding. Country Rode Motorwerks hosts charity tour of the racetrack on Saturday, Aug. 31 @ noon to benefit Alzheimer’s Research. $20/bike.

SEPTEMBER 2013 6-8 • 8th Annual Women’s Sportbike Rally, Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort, NC sponsored

by Draggin’ Jeans • www.womenssportbikerally.com 7 • Bob’s BMW hosts Product Tutorial: Helmet Safety with Schuberth! 11:00am-Noon.

Why are some helmets safer than others? They’re BUILT that way! Schuberth representative Randy Northrop will talk about the innovative technology and detailed care that go into the CONSTRUCTION of all types of Schuberth helmets – from the drawing board to their final hand assembly at the German plant. Questions/RSVP to hanna.creekmore@bobsbmw.com. Visit bobsbmw.com for more details. Bob's BMW Motorcycles, 10720 Guilford Road, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949

Page 51 PA. To book your room, please call 800-321-1388 and ask for the BACKROADS Group Booking. Rooms start at $115.95/night incl. breakfast and secure parking.

18-21 • New York Motomarathon • Hosted by the Celtic Motorcycle Club • Bronx-Lake George-Ongunquit, ME. For more information and specific hotel and date information, visit www.motomarathon.com or call Caty Metzger at 303-621-5356 19 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson/BMW Ride-In Movie Night @ 7pm, What could be better than an old fashioned Drive-In Movie... A Drive-In Movie for Motorcycles! Ride-In, park your bike, grab some movie treats and watch the show. There's no charge, so saddle up and stop in. Bergen Harley-Davidson/BMW Motorcycle, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.bergenbmwmotorcycles.com 21 • Bob’s BMW Oktoberfest and Fall Open House • 9a-4p • Seasons change but there’s always fun at Bob’s BMW Oktoberfest and Open House. Food, vendors, product reps, door prizes and great one-day only specials • 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-4978949 • www.bobsbmw.com 21-22 • National Vintage Flat Track hosted by the Tri-State MC at Oakland Valley Race park, 305 Oakland Valley Rd, Cuddebackville, NY. Gates open 8:30am, Practice @ 10, Races @ Noon. $35/amateur/novice; $40/experts/pros. AMA membership required to race. $10 gate fee for viewing • www.tristateclub.com • 845-566-4956 22 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson Freedom Run Part 2. We’ve got good news! We’ve rescheduled and we’re going in for a Sunrise Run. No Vendors. No band. just a really cool ride. We know it’s early... Really early but, it’s gonna be great! So help us raise money for the Feal Good Foundation and join us for this unique and heart-felt ride!

Registration at Overpeck Park in Ridgefield Park, NJ 4am... Yes 4am. Kick Stands Up at 5:20am SHARP! $25/Rider, $15/Passenger. FREE Event pin to the first 500 participants.

Breakfast included! More info? 201-843-6930 • www.bergenharleydavidson.com

8 • 7th Annual Rice-O-Rama Vintage & Custom Japanese Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet • Singletary Rod and Gun Club, 300 Sutton Ave, Oxford, MA • 10am-5pm rain or shine. Bikes that you just don’t see anywhere else, from 2-strokes to turbos, singles to sixes, scramblers and scooters. Trophies in over 20 vintage and custom classes. Huge Swap Meet with tons of hard to find parts • 508-344-4202 • www.rice-o-rama.com

22 • 4th Annual Ride for Avi to benefit A-T Children’s Project. Sign in: Knights of Columbus, Shunpike Rd, Summit, NJ 10-11am; KSU11:15am. $20/rider; $10/passenter. Continental breakfast, 60-mile escorted ride, BBQ, live music by Mudbelly Blues Band, raffles and ‘Best In’ competition. More info at www.ride4avi.com

11-14 • Trio Tour 2013. A sport-touring ‘scavenger hunt’ rally consisting of three consecutive daily rides, averaging 350 miles/8.5 hours, which begin and end at base location.

Day 1: Finger Lakes Day 2: Catskills Day 3: North Central PA. Sign in 9/11: Best Western Plus of Johnson City, NY, 569 Harry L Drive, Johnson City, NY • 607-729-9194. $33/pp to benefit National Multiple Sclerosis Society NYC Chapter incl. closing buffet dinner, rally flag and prizes to top 3 finishers. Rider Cap of 33 participants. Registration CLOSES August 28, 2013 or when cap met • http://tinyurl.com/TrioTour2013 • 914-328-7909

26 • 2013 Ladies Night Event hosted by The Motorcycle Mall Staff and some special industry guests! If you're new to the sport, want to learn more or an experience female rider that wants meet some new friends - this is the place to be! We'll have dinner, drinks and a night of education for women riders. Don't miss it or the special discounts! We'll have open discussions about How to pick the right size motorcycle, General motorcycle maintenance, Motorcycle safety & protective wear, Any questions you have. 655 Washington Avenue • Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • www.Motorcyclemall.com

15 • Lost Wheels MC 38th Annual Poker Run. Sign in: Canopus Lake Beach, Fahnestock State Park, NY. 9-11:30am • $23-$25/pp includes 80-mile ride, hot buffet, live music, door prizes, 50/50, vendors and bike show. Pre-registration available online at lostwheelspokerrun.brownpapertickets.com

DECEMBER 2013

12-15 • Catskill Mountain Thuder Motorcycle Festival at the Blackthorne Resort, East Durham, NY featuring bike builders and artist, cash prizes, bike show, demo rides, rodeo games, vendor expo, pig roast, fireworks, tattoo show, bike painting, stunt jumpers, Wall of Death, antique bike museum and live music by Jackyl, Pat Travers Band and more.

For more information call 518-634-2541 or email RoyHandel50@yahoo.com • www.CatskillMountainThunder.com

21 • Bob's BMW annual customer appreciated day! Get into the holiday spirit at Bob's while we say THANKS to our amazing customers for what we know is going to be another great year. Food, great company, door prizes and special holiday savings • 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobsbmw.com

19-22 • BACKROADS 15th Annual Fall Fiesta. Host hotel: Genetti Hotel, Williamsport,

F.W. SPEER YAMAHA 7 Main Ave • Passaic, NJ • 973-778-6256 • www.SpeerYamaha.com Tri-State Metro Area’s Oldest Yamaha Dealer. Last of the Mom and Pop Shops. We are not a boutique.

FOGGY MOUNTAIN RELIABILITY RUN SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 • call for details

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 52

Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully A column dedicated to your riding survival

Surviving the Summer Now that the warmer riding weather is upon us I thought I would point out a few things that have been mentioned before. But, from watching some of my fellow riders it seems some things need repeating.

A number of years back we were touring in and around Denali National Park in Alaska on Harleys. It was mid-summer and it can get plenty warm, even all the way up in the bigger latitudes.

One of the women riding with us ran large events in her real life and her mantra was that “hydration was key” and she harped on this every day. Her thought was that hydration really starts in the days leading up to any strenuous event and that drinking plenty of water, Gatorade or juices all the time is simply the best way to go.

I have written about this many times before, but it always bears repeating. Hydration is key!

Usually when I go for a ride of any length I will fill up my Camelbak about half way so as not to make it too heavy on the shoulders.

If it is a hot day I will add ice to keep things cooler. If it is an all day ride I will pack the bladder full with cold water and ice.

On a long hot day both Shira and I will go through the 2 liters or so we’re now carrying.

In a totally unscientific survey done during some very warm days I looked to see how many were coping with the heat and the need for hydration. Most folks will drink up when they gas up, as most fuel stations have mini-marts on the property these days. Cold water and sports drink are readily available.That’s a good thing.

Still, on warmer days we get approached a few times during the day with the comment that a Camelbak or hydration system is a pretty good idea.

Yep, we know.

Still, it is extremely rare that we have seen other riders sporting such systems – even on the hottest of days.

On the same note I have been approached by thirsty riders for a sip or two of water, especially if we are way off the beaten track.

Always happy to oblige.

Why more riders do not wear hydration systems is beyond me; but having cooling water easily accessible while riding makes every day’s ride that much better.

While we are talking about keeping cool while riding in the hot let’s talk a bit about wearing real gear while riding. Yes – even in the Dog Days.

Thinking you will be cooler by riding with just a tee shirt or less in the hot sun is pretzel logic. The combination of sun and wind while riding will dehydrate you in a short while.

Add onto that an evil sunburn on the face, arms and hands and your happy day on the bike can end miserably.

These days there are dozens of well made and protective vented riding gear that will

HUDSON VALLEY MOTORCYCLES 179 North Highland Ave • Ossining, NY 914-762-2722

www.hudsonvalleymotorcycles.com

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 allow a cooling flow of fresh air over your body, yet keeps the destructive UV radiation of the sun and drying effects of the wind away from you.

Plus you will have the benefit of basic body protection with well-placed armor and padding and abrasive resistant material in case you run into a gravity storm or Buick.

I know … that will never happen.

We have been wearing Olympia Moto Gear for a number of season now.

Yes, they do advertise with us, but that advertising came about years after we began to use their excellent and comfortable gear. We like having them in the pages of Backroads because their apparel works extremely well.

When things got warmer this year I had a chance to wear their new Air Glide 4 jacket. This is a superb all-around jacket for heat, wind, rain and even cold. Constructed in authentic Cordura fabric with ballistic nylon mesh panels, this jacket offers maximum airflow with superior abrasion resistance.

For added safety the Airglide offers 3M Scotchlite piping at the chest, back and sleeves. Equipped with a sporty two-stage, wind and waterproof Thermolite insulated liner jacket if things get chilly on the road.

With gear like this available today there is no sane reason to ride with only the protection of a tee shirt during the hot summer months. Take care of yourselves – cover up and hydrate – so you will be around to ride many summers into the future.

Page 53

Rip & Ride® • THE MARKET AND FILLING STATION 243 ROUTE 9W PALISADES, NY • 845-359-9000 • THE9WMARKET.COM

START: MCDONALDS, COLUMBIA, NJ OFF ROUTE 80

LEFT ON SIMPSON RD NORTH ON ROUTE 94 RIGHT ON CR 655LEFT ON SANDHILL RD LEFT ON CR 616 RIGHT ON ROUTE 94 NORTH RIGHT ON KERRS CORNER RD RIGHT ON CR 661 LEFT ON WINTERMUTE RD RIGHT ON GREENDELL RD RIGHT ON CR 611 LEFT ON PEQUEST RD RIGHT ON CR 603 LEFT ON WHITEHALL RD RIGHT ON ROUTE 206 SOUTH LEFT ON TAMARACK RD RIGHT ON ROSEVILLE RD LEFT ON AMITY RD LEFT ON CR 605 RIGHT ON TOMAHAWK TRAIL LEFT ON GREEN/RIGHT ON SAWMILL RD LEFT ON WOODPORT RD RIGHT ON E MOUNTAIN RD RIGHT ON CR 620 BEAR LEFT ON WELDON RD LEFT ON MILTON RD LEFT ON BERKSHIRE VALLEY RD/CR 699 RIGHT ON ROUTE 23 SOUTH LEFT ON ECHO LAKE RD LEFT ON MACOPIN RD RIGHT ON WESTBROOK RD RIGHT ON CR 511 LEFT ON SKYLINE LAKES/SKYLINE DR 287 EAST FOR ONE EXIT TO ROUTE 202 NORTH RIGHT ON DARLINGTON AVE RIGHT ON CENTRAL AVE - LEFT ON E MAIN ST RIGHT ON CR 507 LEFT ON COTTAGE PLACE - LEFT ON E ALLENDALE RD RIGHT ON WOODCLIFF LAKE RD RIGHT ON SADDLE RIVER RD RIGHT ON WERIMUS RD LEFT ON WOODCLIFF AVE RIGHT ON BROADWAY – LEFT ON PROSPECT AVE RIGHT ON RIVERDALE RD – LEFT ON POPLAR RD RIGHT ON WASHINGTON AVE N RIGHT ON OLD TAPPAN RD LEFT ON KINGS HIGHWAY RIGHT ON HWY 340 RIGHT ON US 9W SOUTH TO THE MARKET

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 54

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

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BARN TRAILERS

SALES 718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com RENTALS 57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)

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Specializing in Motorcycle Repair, Parts & Supplies • Cycle Tires Mounted & Balanced • Batteries & Hard

Now stocking a full line of heated gear Make your riding season last all year.

Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno available for testing

973-875-2048 946 Rte. 23 South Sussex NJ 07461

Norman Gross Since 1976 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself

For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs

3 miles north of Sussex Borough

Come Ride the Dragon Deals Gap 318 Curves in 11 Miles

www.dealsgap.com 800.889.5550 17548 Tapoco Road, Robbinsville, NC 28771

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Who do you think keeps Backroads’ computers running?

718 Main St, Boonton, NJ

973.335.0255 • www.PCPS.com

www.beemerboneyard.com USED OILHEAD & K-BIKE PARTS Hundreds of used parts at 50% off new cost or less Order online 24/7 ~ M/C, Visa, Discover or PayPal 100% money-back guarantee ~ parts ship in 24 hours

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

Page 55

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Ye Olde Landmark Tavern 5 Spacious Rooms starting at $90.00 Tavern and Dining Room Menu

123 Bantam Lake Rd. Route 209 • Bantam, CT (Next to Bantam Cinema)

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Serving Hours: Mon-Thurs: 5-9pm Fri-Sat: 5-9:30pm Sunday: 1-8pm

www.WoodsPitBBQ.com Open Lunch & Dinner Tuesday - Sunday (Closed Mondays)

As featured in June ‘10 Backroads’ BBQs

Paul Haas • Owner-Chef

Seasonal April ~ December Member of

Featured in ‘We’re Outta Here’ Sept. 2011 In the heart of great riding • Between Syracuse and Utica

Cooperstown • Finger Lakes • State Forests

Route 20, Bouckville, NY • 315-893-1810 • www.yeoldelandmark.com

Bike Night is BACK!

Worth the ride from anywhere!

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983

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Barbeque Catering Flexible Affordable Ready When You Are

‘50s-Style Drive-In Restaurant Full and Varied Menu Room for the Whole Gang

Join Us for 1st Friday Celebration 1st Friday of each month from 6 to 9pm Live Music • Dinner Specials

Summer is here and that means it’s time to ride to

THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-IN GREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300

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John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.

If you go home hungry it’s your own fault

If you didn’t like cool stuff, you wouldn’t be reading this magazine.

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AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

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MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

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We welcome everyone from a lone rider to a full chapter

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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 Dear Doctor Knowitall, My husband has been subscribing to your magazine for years and we’ve enjoyed your Rip & Rides. We finally decided to get a GPS so we could fully enjoy them without being on constant look out for the turns.

We got a Magellan 5220-LM as the salesperson told us that this, as well as all other units, have the ability to download routes from the internet. However, we haven’t found the way to do this and Magellan told me that they don’t have the software.

Is there any other brand or GPS we should have bought? Do we need to download a software program on the unit to download your routes? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks! ~ N Dear N, All the routes that Backroads posts online are in a GPX format, which is the common file system used for many Global Positioning Systems or GPSs. Although there are many GPS systems available these days we have found the Garmin products to be a bit superior and created specifically for motorcycles. We are not sure where you bought your Magellan, but it seems the salesman was just looking to sell a unit and not too concerned with how and where it would be actually used. Perhaps if he or she was aware that you wanted it for a motorcycle they might have been a bit more thorough in helping you choose the best GPS for your two-wheel needs.

We did follow up with the folks at Magellan and their response led us to believe they have nothing along the lines of Garmin’s BaseCamp in which you can create and downoad your own specific routes. (see below) Hi Dr. Knowitall, Thank you for contacting Magellan Technical Support.

As I understand, you’d like to know if our GPS products have an option for routing program like a Garmin’s Base Camp. Don’t worry we will be more than happy to help you with this issue. In line with this concern, please note that Magellan actually utilizes the services of a third party map provider, where in we use the services of their map data and have the map data applied on our GPS receivers.

The said map provider is actually the one responsible for the routing program as well as the Points of Interest loaded on each of our GPS receivers. We hope that we were able to address your concern and should you require further assistance about this or any other concerns with your Magellan unit please visit our website and review our extensive Self Help knowledge base: www.magellangps.com Yours truly, Mark - Magellan Technical Support Although we think the Magellan is fine for day-to-day use in a car, it sorely lacks what motorcycle-specific GPSs have.

This brings me to my second letter…

Hi Dr. Knowitall, I’m thinking of surprising hubby with a motorcycle GPS as an early birthday present with my tax refund money. Do you have a favorite or a good ‘starter’ one? I don’t know much about them and am afraid to get something he won’t like. I don’t want to ask him though, as I want it to be a total surprise.

Thanks, ~Melanie Melanie,

Ask Doctor KnowItAll

Page 57 GPSs can get pricey, but we have had plenty of good experience with Garmin Zumo products as they are specifically created for motorcylists.

Hot Stuff!

Dear Dr. Knowitall, My friends often berate me because of my half-helmet and that I should at least wear the 3/4 that I have. My problem I often face is that in the south we can easily reach outrageous temperatures. Many riders will actually not go out during peak times because of it; but being that my bike is my only vehicle I’ve experienced heat exhaustion in shorts and a shortie-helmet and a tank; I can’t even fathom wearing suits or a full helmet. Do you have suggestions about combating the intense heat with full gear?

Vanessa - a hottie from the south

Dear Vanessa, Well, Vanessa your friends are right about getting on your case about wearing nongear while riding.

Although it doesn’t seem that way, to keep cool you must keep yourself covered.

There are dozens of well-vented jackets and gloves these days. Ventilation on many helmets is far better than you would think. The truth is when you ride with so much skin exposed you quickly wick away precious moisture and sunburn is never good and can curtail your riding as well. Feel free to email us at editor@backroadsusa.com and we will happily send you some links to some very good and “cool” riding gear! (See our article on page 52) If you have any questions for Dr. KnowItAll please email him at editor@backroadsusa.com

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS

Page 58

A Time to Ride/A Time to Serve Rick Mayer November may not be the best time of year for a 4000 mile ride, but with my son graduating from Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base/San Antonio the motivation was compelling to say the least.

Many in the BMW community have met my son, Garrett. He has been a constant helper and frequent passenger at countless rallies and every National since 2001. When he graduated from High School he decided to join the Air Force. Because he entered on the first of October, his graduation from basic (military) training or BMT was set for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

I loaded up the RT and hit the road at 0600 Saturday from Placerville, CA where my wife and I had enjoyed an early Thanksgiving dinner with daughter Tessa and her husband. 8 years Garrett’s senior, she has also been a constant presence at the rallies. She and her husband, Brian finished law school this year and with a baby due in April, I fear we will no longer see the kids at rallies!

But I digress; 34 degrees in Placerville dictates full electrics-socks, pants, jacket and glove liners. I prefer Gerbing glove liners over electric gloves because I am very picky about my gloves and, with the liners, I can still wear my favorite gloves – Held for really cold, Lee Parks for just cold.

Interstate 5 and 10 are too boring to write about, but a quick way down and across California and the only smart way in winter. Weather was clear and I unplugged and peeled layers throughout the day. 2230 hours (10:30 pm) motel in Tucson that night -1028 miles/16.5 overall hours, 13.5 riding hours average speed-76 mph. No, I won’t turn in the paperwork for another Iron Butt Ride acknowledgement but it’s one of the easiest 1000 miles/24 hrs you can do if you are looking for your very own license plate frame to brag about.

0500 up and out, breakfast of string cheese and a protein bar (nice thing about winter riding is being able to keep perishables in the tank bag!) and hit the road under a full starlit desert sky and the promise of another clear sunny day. Interstate 10 is another potentially mind-numbing slab-drag, except the Bambi death squads keep you on your toes. I spotted deer about every hour on the shoulder and dead in the road much more frequently.

Set up camp early at Balmorhea State Park in west Texas. An easy day’s ride of 504 miles from Tucson, I stumbled onto this place about 10 years ago and have camped here about that many times. 10 miles or so south of the Interstate it is a unique place in that there is a spring that pumps a couple million gallons of water a day out onto the dusty otherwise dry Texas prairie and provides abundant local farming and wildlife. The Park itself is well maintained, covered picnic tables and hot showers. Don’t be surprised if you see other campers unloading SCUBA gear, there is also some pretty amazing cave diving!

Cold night-28 degrees when the sunrise wakes me up-snug as a bug in my 35 yr old 8 pound down bag. I was excited about today’s riding because I finally leave the interstate for some great roads.

HWY 17 South of the state park is the gateway to arguably the best roads in Texas. As you head south you climb into the mountains and the road gets increasingly twisty. Fort Davis is a great stop for breakfast and now I can

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take my time. Take the time if you are here to visit the restored army fort and learn the local history-it is a fascinating peek into the early southwest.

It’s Monday morning and the weather holds bright. At Marfa- 17 becomes

Page 59 67 and the run down to Presidio is spectacular. Presidio is an international border town and you adventure seekers will want to check out the road south into Mexico-The Comargo-Ojinaga Highway (occasionally marked 18) takes you into some of the most remote desert riding on the continent.

I head east however, staying on the US side on County Road 170, the River Road, through Fort Leaton State park and towards Big Bend State park. This road twists and falls up and over the banks of the Rio Bravo (river) as it becomes the Rio Grande. The RT’s front wheel leaves the ground several times as I pretend I’m Nicky Hayden! Careful though, you are a long, long way from help down here and no cell service most of the way!

I elect to skip the (Big Bend) park this time, but take the time if you are here, another day or two, to take it in-isolated-empty-biker heaven and clear warm winter weather. It’s 81 degrees when I pull into an ATM in Terlingua and by chance run into our very own Vonnie and Paul Glaves! They live nearby and were on a day ride themselves with a friend of theirs and invite me to stay the night, which I reluctantly decline as

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I am due in San Antonio early the following day, Tuesday -small world indeed!

Just west of Sturdy Butte, county road 118 takes you up some very isolated west Texas prairie to Alpine where I get gas, pick up Texas Highway 90 East and roll into Marathon where I meet up by accident with one of my customers from California and decided to stop for dinner and the night. He had purchased a GS online from a guy in Georgia and was on his way west. A stupendous meal at a fairly fancy looking dinner house/hotel called the Gage. The White Buffalo bar there served up one of the best steaks I have had west of Chicago. The hotel was pricey (over $200) and full anyway so I dry camped at the RV park down the street.

Miserably cold and windy night, little sleep and what sleep I was able to get was interrupted by what sounded like someone banging on a metal trash dumpster-when the sun rose, I realized I had selected a campsite that was just a few yards from a horse trailer with 6 burros tied up inside! Seems every time the wind would pick up they would stomp around! Funny now that I think about it-not very funny then!

Tuesday started off cold, 28, and another reason to thank the folks at Gerbing, but as I headed east the elevation dropped and the temperature rose

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steadily and as I rolled into San Antonio on State HWY 90 I saw 74 degrees. I found the Air Force base and a nearby hotel-checked in early, about 2 pm and, after a shower and a nap, had a fantastic meal at one of the Bill Miller Bar-B-Qs next door. There are over 60+ of these eating places scattered around Texas and they are worth a stop for a cheap, fast, great meal.

I met my wife at the San Antonio Airport that evening, she flew in around 1900 hrs, we rented a car and she followed me back to the motel. The next morning we headed out to the base at 0630 as instructed to participate in what has to be one of the most moving experiences I have known-Son Garrett’s graduation from BMT/Air Force.

We were instructed to be at the base entrance at 0700 for instructions. We arrived at the gate in a line of several hundred cars-each filled with anxious family members of other Airmen-none of whom had seen their boy or girl in 2 months. After a quick check of the pre-screened names clipboard we were instructed where to park and report. We gathered in the a reception building for a briefing at 0715 where we were given the 411 on when and how we were to visit with our kids over the next several days.

After the briefing, we had about an hour to kill before the ‘Airman’s Run”.

The run is where the entire graduating class jogs past in matching running

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013

suits and you have a few seconds to pick out your boy/girl. We spent the time shopping in the little gift shop picking up all things Air Force.

Just before 0900 we lined up along the road, all 2000 of us family or so and right on time we could see the Airman approach. There were 6 separate units, or Squadrons and each squadron was subdivided into two smaller ‘Flights’ as they are called-each of these held about 50 Airmen. An Airmen, by the way describes guys and girls unisexually and technically, until they graduate and take the oath again they are still Recruits.

We knew which squadron and which flight our guy was in, and he had told us about where he would be positioned in the group so that we could spot him as he ran by-but after two passes, we never did! They all looked alike except some were taller than others and some wore glasses! All wore their “Warrior Face” and none were allowed to look other than straight ahead! Then they were gone-gone to change into their dress uniforms for the 1100 ceremony.

Only when I carefully reviewed the video tape I had shot, literally frame by frame was I able to pick him out. What a changed guy! When he went in, just 8 weeks earlier he was this slightly pudgee, cute kid. Now he looked like Dolph Lundgren, Rocky’s first foe in the original Rocky movie! Come to find out he had lost 30 pounds and 5 inches in his waist.

The ceremony was moving and lots of us, myself included shared more than a few tears. Not so much at the admiration

Page 61

and pride of a parent of a son, but in awe of the commitment of those 500 or so kids that had given their promise to defend our country even if it meant injury or death to themselves-very powerful.

At the end of the ceremony, they had been instructed ahead of time to remain fixed, in position and silent until spotted and approached by their family! So all 2000 of us embarked onto the parade grounds (no running!!) in Easter Egg hunt fashion to find our kids! Some families had difficulty with these task, we had no trouble!

So, we are once again a family-although he had to remain on the base that day, for the first time he was actually able to buy a candy bar at the base store, even a piece of fried chicken at KFC. You see, Lackland AFB has every fast food outlet imaginable, and the recruits ran by them daily, they just never were allowed to eat there. So here we are, crowded into a food court with 499 other empty-calorie starved 18 and 19 yr olds. It resembled a 10 yr old’s birthday party when the Pinata breaks spilling candy on the floor!

The following day was Thanksgiving and our Garrett wanted Pizza! We did take him to a movie at the IMAX for the 3 D version of a Christmas Carol; It was a treat walking the River Walk having literally dozens of strangers walk up to us, shake his hand and thank him for his service to his country!

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Page 62 Friday and Saturday we also had a ‘town pass’ but by Saturday, all Gar wanted to do was hang out in our hotel room. We had gotten the word several weeks prior that during Graduation weekend, non-military can stay on base at one of the 5 hotels the base maintains for active and retired military passing through. We stayed at the Gateway Inn , the equivalent of an Embassy Suites. All of the rooms were suites with nothing but first class service and amenities. Best part was the price-$42/night, no tax, and the mini-bar reflected Wal-Mart pricing. Total bill for the 5 nights$228! Can’t be beat! Sunday was our last day with Gar, and we spent it watching movies in the room. He was due back in his dorm at 1800 for his last night at the base-the next morning he has on a flight out to tech school. He had given me several trash bags full of extra stuff that morning he needed shipped home, so after I dropped him off, it was off to town for me to locate a FedEx/Kinkos and send his stuff, along with my street clothes and all of the Air Force gift shop booty home.

Monday we awoke at 0330, my wife had a 0530 flight home and we still had to return the rental car. The weather channel predicted rain throughout west Texas, highs in the low 40s to high 30s, possible snow flurries in El Paso. Another Gerbing Day! It was about 0630 when I left San Antonio airport first on the 410 south, then I 10 heading west. Light rain, temp-52.

Throughout the morning, the rain increased and the temperature decreased. By Fort Stockton it was 38 and I was starting to see a few spits of

AUGUST 2013 • BACKROADS snow. By Van Horn it was 33 degrees and snow was steady, accumulating on the ground, but so far not sticking to the road-still holding on to some of the heat from the 65 degrees the day before I suspect.

Plateau, TX-population 5 is near the continental divide the high spot, appropriately named with an elevation of about 4800’ was the cold spot-temperature 31-32 degrees and it was starting to ice up on the bridges. If not for the lack of any side wind or traffic, this would have been the stopping point. I did stop for gas and a warm up-first coffee of the day. I don’t like to start my rides with coffee, waiting until the afternoon to avoid that mid-morning crash. My Costco rain suit had exceeded its 350 mile breaking point and I was starting to feel the rain down my back and in my shorts. Shivering now, even though standing in a warm convenience store I realized how depended I was on electricity to maintain my body temperature. Funny to be anxious to get back on the bike to warm up!

Just west of El Paso and still snowing lightly I saw the first car in the ditch and

by El Paso there were a dozen or so more including several big rigs. Car tires were still sending up a spray of liquid water, but there was plenty of the solid variety to the left and right of the tire tracks. This stretch of I-10 is hill-less, curve-less and as long as I was careful, the snow was not yet a serious issuehad I stopped for the night though, I was certain I would be stuck and renting a truck the next morning for the next hundred miles or so.

I pressed on and by Deming, New Mexico I saw the first blue sky and the

BACKROADS • AUGUST 2013 temperature now in the 40s. Still light rain off and on but I knew the worst was past. On into Tucson that night, motel by 2030 hrs and seriously cold and tired. 869 miles, 18.5 overall hours, 17.5 riding hours and average speed about 50 with 140 miles of snow. Very fatiguing riding requiring 100% concentration. I didn’t realize how cold I was until I was sitting in the hot bath watching my feet turn from white to pink-first in patches, then finally after about 20 minutes, sensation!

0400 I was up, still on Texas time I guess, and so I took an opportunity to clean the bike. Using the ice bucket (with the liner!) and a bottle of motel shampoo and a borrowed hotel cleaning rag (folks-don’t use the motel washcloths! The office is more than happy to give you a few of their rags the night before, just ask) I spent an hour or so getting all the west Texas road grime off my bike. Nice thing about winter riding—-no bugs!! My dad used to say you shouldn’t wash a bike to clean it, but to discover what it needs and I realized I needed a new tire. Sometime today, I needed to get one.

After a real breakfast at the Denny’s I hit the road under a sky full of stars and was given the stellar show of a simultaneous full moon set-sun rise-spectacular! A cool start, but compared to the day before, downright balmy!

Uneventful ride west with warmer temps into the southland of California and Malcom Smith Motorsports in Riverside was a likely stop for tires. I called ahead to be sure they had my size and could get me in and more importantly out quickly. I pulled in around 1100 and called a friend of mine in the area to meet me for lunch. By the time we returned from an excellent local pizza, the guys at Smith’s had new shoes on the RT-the new dual compound Bridgestones. Great service, great place-good job guys.

Back on the road by 1330 and just missing LA traffic by an hour or so I was on the 5 north in LA by 1530. Just a few miles of traffic splitting and

Page 63 up the Grapevine I head for the barn and another very boring 400 miles.

I rolled into my driveway at exactly midnight, just as Sheila predicted (I prefer the Australian Garmin voice) 1028 miles, 18 overall hours including tires, 15 driving hours, average speed just under 70.

Son Garrett scored his dream job-missile and space defense technician and for the next few months will be close to home-Vandenberg AFB near Santa Barbara-about 7 hours away. After that there are two bases he will serve out his 6 years troubleshooting the electronics of cruise missiles; Barksdale AFB in Louisiana or Minot AFB in, of course, Minot North Dakota-having seen Fargo a few times, he requested Louisiana-Sorry you Fighting Sioux fans, don’t take it personal! Seems with his level of security clearance due to his job he cannot be assigned to a base out of the states unless we are not at war. I think he will love the Air Force (already says he does!) Quite a transformation from that little guy that was always on the back of my bike!

As a father, I am supremely proud of both kids, both examples of the axiom that says that no matter how many mistakes you make as a parent, sometimes the kids still come out ok!

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September 19-22, 2013 We will be staying at the historic Genetti Hotel in downtown Williamsport, home of Little League Baseball and gateway to the Allegheny mountains. There are miles and miles of great roads, paved and dirt, to explore during our visit and Williamsport offers a variety of activities for after the bikes are parked. Conveniently, the Genetti is across the street from the Bullfrog Brewery, as well as next door to the Community Arts Center.

To book your room (which you should do RIGHT NOW), please call 800-321-1388 and ask for the BACKROADS GROUP BOOKING. Rooms start at $11595/night (plus tax) which includes a great breakfast every day and secured off-street parking.

Backroads’ Baseball, Rivers & Riding Challenge To combine the location of our Spring Break - Cooperstown, NY at the headwaters of the Susquehanna River and our Fall Fiesta - Williamsport, PA on the Susquehanna River - both baseball superstars, we would like you to think about and create one image that combines rivers, baseball and riding - the summation of a wonderful year of Backroads’ rallies. What we want is a great picture. So go to it and we look forward to your submissions when we gather in Williamsport. Of course, if you didn’t make it to Cooperstown or can’t make it to Williamsport, you can send us your digital masterpiece – remember it has to be HIGH RESOLUTION – and we’ll throw it into the ring.

If someone gets a picture of Andrew McCutchen reading Backroads on a bike in front of Three River Stadium, well…

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For more details and bookings please contact: Fred Rau • 951-672-0239 • Fred@FredRau.com Visit Te Waipounamu Website for information

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