Big City Getaway 2022

We were once asked by Reg Pridmore (riding instructor extraordinaire)… “Hey Mate – is Backroads a motorcycle magazine that wants to be a travel and history magazine, or a travel and history magazine that wants to be a motorcycle magazine?” Our answer was – yes. Each month the Big City Getaway seeks out the history, culture, and pride of our land and mixes it with great roads and rides. We truly enjoy searching out every one of these museums, events, and special places, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Ha… this was easy. Take one of the nest river valleys in the nation on a beautiful summer’s evening and toss in a couple hundred of the nest cars, trucks, and motorcycles you can imagine and you will only scratch the surface of how cool the Bear Mountain Cruise Nights are. We always try to get there early and leave late as the horsepower, chrome, and shine seems to keep rollin’ in all night. Mark off some Wednesday evening in the late spring or summer and make the ride to the Hudson Valley and the Bear Mountain Cruise Night.

Tucked away along the well-manicured and upscale homes in the Long Island town of Huntington is something very, very special. Back in our May edition, we gave you a quick visit to the home of Peter Nettesheim, but words and images can hardly do it justice. But in May we tried.

From the moment you walk onto Peter’s property, you are immersed in what is the largest private collection of BMW motorcycles on the planet. From the very earliest and some of the rarest machines to Reg Pridmore’s machine that made him a champion, to all the other things – small and huge that make up Peter Nettesheim’s BMW Collection.

The collection is so amazing and there was no way Peter’s would not be included in the Best of Backroads. As we noted, this is a private home, but if you have a group of serious riders feel free to email Peter at bmwmuseum@hotmail.com

600 SETTLERS LANDING RD, HAMPTON, VA 23669 • 757-727-0900 •

On a ride back up from the Outer Banks, we detoured west heading towards Yorktown and passing through the small city of Hampton Roads – a town immersed with aviation and aviation history. Here you will nd the Virginia Air & Space Museum.

From its amazing wide open glass entrance to the more than 30 aircraft and space vehicles on display – this museum is the greatest of its type along the mid-Atlantic. They have the Apollo 12 Command Module in addition to an F-106 Delta Dart, F-16, F-18, and many more. There is even an F104 StarFighter… a very important aircraft to lovers of Star Trek; as it was this aircraft, piloted by Captain John Christopher, that intercepted the Enterprise after one of those time travel incidents. Okay, maybe not that exact craft; as we all know it broke apart under stress from the Enterprise’s tractor beam… but I go on.

Back on Earth, Virginia in particular, the Virginia Air & Space Museum is an amazing place in every way – especially for lovers of aircraft like we are - and when you visit you, too, will see why this museum took our #1 spot in this year’s Best of Backroads.

We all remember the opening scenes from ‘Then Came Bronson’ and the great exchange between Bronson and the guy in the station wagon…

Driver: “Taking a trip?” Bronson: “Yeah.” Driver: “Where to?” Bronson: “Oh, I don’t know. Wherever I end up, I guess.” What people do not know is that actor, Stu Klitsner, went home and opened up his copy of Backroads, and zeroed in on that month’s We’re Outta Here and he and his wife headed out that night for a great few days on the road on their Harley.

THAT is what this column is all about. Don’t sit in the station wagon – get out your bike and ride! So, let’s look at the top three from last season.

With this escape from our August edition, we did have that Bronson moment – as we knew kinda where we wanted to go –but a thrown dart settled it for us. St. Simon, right off the coat of Georgia, is truly a hidden gem. With the far more popular and famous Jekyll Island directly to the south, St. Simon sometimes gets passed – and that is a shame.

There is a lot to do here. We absolutely loved this island. It is full of history, great restaurants, and some of the most amazing oak trees about which poems have been written. A climb up to the top of the lighthouse is always in order and Fort Frederica and the World War II Home Front Museum deserved to be visited as well.

But the best part of St. Simon is the pier at sunset. A nice bottle of white and your honey… and the beautiful end of a Georgian island day cannot be beat.

FIRST RUNNER UP • HISTORIC SUMMIT INN

• 724-438-8594

• www.summitinnresort.com

We have visited here a few times and it was, like our big winner here, part of a Spring Break Rally a few years past.

Built atop the crest of one of the highest mountains on the famed National Road, this hotel has been pampering guests for more than a century. The rooms are big and comfortable, the restaurant and bar most excellent, and grabbing an adult beverage after a long day’s ride and sitting out on the massive veranda -well it is hard to beat. The Historic Summit Inn is great in every respect; so make it a destination yourself and you will understand how it easily slipped into this issue.

1ST PLACE WE’RE OUTTA HERE 2022

MOUNTAIN LAKE LODGE

115 HOTEL CIRCLE, PEMBROKE, VIRGINIA 540-626-7121 • www.mtnlakelodge.com

We originally came across the Mountain Lake Lodge by chance with four of us heading north along the Virginia backroads and passing this beautiful and stately stone building. We had breakfast there and the next year we had our Spring Break Rally and spent a couple of days in the magni cent hotel.

Yes, this is where they lmed Dirty Dancing, but this lodge is far more than just one hit feature – iconic as it was.

The place is built on a 2,600-acre nature preserve and we have rarely found as relaxing a place. But we are a riding magazine and the roads around here run from exquisite, twisty, and fun to OMG it’s a mountain. (Mike and Robyn still rule) A very tough mountain. This centrally located Virginian inn allows for a wide variety of day trips and the Mountain Lake Lodge is the perfect place for a small group of like-minded riders to set up a home base for a few day’s worth of backroads exploration. Trust us on this… there is a reason the Mountain Lake Lodge snagged the #1 spot in We’re Outta Here 2022!

This has always been a favorite for so many, and even with recent losses, we will ride on undaunted; Happy, Pepe, and even Spenser T. Cat have stepped up to carry on in O’Life’s spirit. But this is Mysterious America and strange things happen in this world. With that in mind let’s look at some of the more interesting oddities and anomalies we ran across on the backroads of this nation – Mysterious America.

This article came about after a long day trip searching out what once was but is no more. Scattered across New jersey – the entire country for that matter - you will nd ruins and abandoned churches, hospitals, asylums, American castles, and others… Places that had to have been of importance at one time – but now slid into the back shelf of history.

It does not have to be the locations mentioned in our September 2022 issue – but any ruin anywhere. They all have a story, and history and a lot of them are a bit of a puzzle as well. It’s up to you to nd them, put the pieces together, and then discover their stories.

MILLVILLE ARMY AIR FIELD MUSEUM

1 LEDDON ST., MILLVILLE, NJ 08332 • 856-327-2347 • P47MILLVILLE ORG

Running along the back portion of New Jersey Motorsports Park you will nd the Millville Army Air Field Museum. Here is a seriously great collection of New Jersey and America’s military aviation history. In truth, we did not go there for just that – but for something a bit different. In a separate building, the old library that you have to ask to see, you will nd one of the largest collections of Hot Wheels and Barbie Dolls in the nation.

Wait? A race track and Hot Wheels we understand – but Millicent Barbie.It all has to do with one man – Robert Hasuike – who was placed in detention with his family during the Japanese American lockdown in World War II. After their release, his family moved to Seabrook and Robert went on to be one of the head designers for Mattel Toy Company.

When he passed, he donated his entire collection – the largest private collection of Hot Wheels and Barbie Dolls on the planet - to the museum. Okay, maybe just slightly mysterious, but certainly different and wonderful to see. If you’ve loved tiny cars and curvy blondes since you were a kid, then a visit to see this collection is well worth it. See, even more reason to go see MotoAmerica this September!

FIRST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2022

CATHEDRALOF JUNK

4422 LAREINA DRIVE, AUSTIN, TX • 512-299-7413

Keep Austin Weird! No other town has a saying like that, and with good reason. Austin is Austin. Whether you are into the music, the Circuit of the Americas, or just the vibe – Austin is certainly like no other city in the nation.

Just a short drive from downtown, on a small non-descript lane, you will nd the home of Vince Hannemann and in his large backyard a structure so weird, so odd, so unusual –that it easily swiped rst place.

The Cathedral of Junk. Picture a giant conical tower of, well, junk. But one man’s junk is another man’s building material and strolling around, in and up Hannemann’s creation, is almost sensory overload.

As we did in April: Illuminated beer signs, clocks, and Fender amps all lit and powered by unseen cables. The cathedral is both loved and loathed by Austin – depending on whom you ask, and although the city once tried to tear it down, Austin now embraces it.

It’s all just part of what makes Weird Austin so weird and certainly a prime stop along the backroads of Mysterious America.

Was it hot enough for you this summer? What better way to cool off during an amazing ride then with some delicious ice cream. We did our best to bring you not only the best ice cream but shops in great riding areas. This year’s crop brought you up north to New Hampshire, to the farmlands of Lancaster and the forests of Pennsylvania. Each one was a stop during our Rallies this year. For your dessert delights, here are the winners of Inside Scoop 2022.

SECOND RUNNER UP • BOBBY SUE’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 70 EATON ROAD, FREEDOM, NH 03836 • 603-452-4852 • bobbysuesnh.com • OPENYEARROUND

Finding ourselves on the Backroads Summer Sojourn, we had planned a perfect lunch setting but needed to nish it off with a ne ice cream stop, since it was National Ice Cream Day. With some suggestions from our ‘guy in New Hampshire’ Jeff Adams, we were able to track down just the right spot. Sitting on land called Cozy Corners in the friendly burg of Freedom, NH, Bobby Sue’s has been churning their wares since 1987 – now in the hands of the Dumas’ family. The avors are as varied as a diner menu, with over 50 in their hopper. The shop is fun and colorful, with outdoor seating to enjoy your treats. The riding in New Hampshire is quite varied as well, so put some gravel in your travel and head to this hidden gem on the Best of Backroads list.

2 SOUTH 6TH ST, MCSHERRYSTOWN, PA • 717-6983785 • ripleighs.com • CLOSEDDURINGWINTER

I have always been intrigued by unusual ice cream avors, especially when they are of superior quality. So, when looking for an afternoon stop during our Fall Fiesta this year, how could I pass up a chance to stop at Ripleigh’s Eat It or Not? Even the good Dr. O’Life would have swiveled his head if passing this shop. Sitting on the corner of a small strip of stores, the bright colors and large graphics are easily seen. Once drawn in, the smiling faces of the young ladies behind the counter add to the experience. Ripleigh, a 15-yearold high school student, opened the shop this past June, and has been kickin’ butt since. She divides her menu into three sections: Safety, We Dare You and We Double-Dog Dare You. From these creative avors, she has developed Instagram-worthy milkshakes to wow your taste and sight. Being located in the lovely Lancaster riding area, it is well worth the stop when in the neighborhood – we double-dog dare you.

3417 PETERS MOUNTAIN ROAD, HALIFAX, PA • 717-896-8444 • reandicesmokehouseandcreamery.com • OPENYEARROUND

The combination of food, roads and ambience is sometimes dif cult to nd. Even two out of three, as Meatloaf said, ain’t bad. At this year’s winner of Best of Backroads Inside Scoop we hit the trifecta. Fire & Ice Smokehouse & Creamery – pretty much says it all. Matt Morgan – the Master of the Meat – and Chandra Morgan – the Deity of Dairy – have put together a combination to ll your sweet and savory wants. Yes, we were drawn to this place for the ice cream, but once you enter the open and inviting space, which once housed Amped Powersports, with Matt and Chandra serving the mo- torcycle community, the aromas will have your tastebuds craving more. PLEASE COME HUNGRY, as you will need the room to enjoy all they have to offer. I highly recommend, if available, the dark chocolate cherry ice cream. It is THE BEST ice cream I have tasted in a very long time. That was con rmed by ev- eryone who tasted it as well. We have been back several times and every meal was more than excellent, the service and friendliness of the staff and owners is beyond, and the riding in this part of Pennsylvania, both on and off-road, is some of the best on the East coast. In addition, its proximity to Knoebels Amusement Park makes it a perfect summertime stop. This package made Fire & Ice an easy winner for 2022’s Best of Inside Scoop. ,