June 2015

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

FIRST RIDE

Can-Am Spyder F3-S Taking the Shot Food for Thought Great River Series

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E

MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4

27 Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................6 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................8 ON THE MARK ....................................................9

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

Contributors

Mark Byers, Bill Heald, Michael Vaughan, Dr. Seymour O’Life

BACKLASH ........................................................10 INDUSTRY INFOBITES .....................................12 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................14

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BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................16

Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 317 Branchville NJ 07826

WE’RE OUTTA HERE ........................................18

phone

973.948.4176

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ..............20

fax

973.948.0823

SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN ...............................22

email

editor@backroadsusa.com

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ............................25

online

www.backroadsusa.com

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................50

Advertising

973-948-4176

FE AT U RE S TRAVEL TO THE GATHERING..........................32 GREAT RIVER SERIES......................................36 FOOD FOR THOUGHT......................................40 TAKE THE SHOT ...............................................42

MOTO R C YCL E R E V I E WS 2015 CAN-AM SPYDER F3-S ...........................27

PR O DU C T R E V IE W S SHOEI X2 HORNET HELMET ..........................31 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS..................................44

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJEN There is a program for ThaT For some of us we don’t really see the problem until it overwhelms us. It starts off innocently enough with everything out in the open and just some fun on the weekends. Then slowly and insidiously the addiction creeps up on you.

You find yourself diverting hard-earned money to other things. Things that maybe your wife and family wouldn’t approve of. You hide this growing problem but soon your significant other notices that you seem to spend a lot of time in the garage and when you come back you are a bit too happy and a little glassy-eyed.

They begin to wonder what’s really going on.

Money that was used for little things like groceries and casual spending is suddenly gone; spent by you like a thief on the side.

Eventually you are confronted by the family; maybe even some friends ride over to “talk” with you, but who are they to toss stones – they came over by motorcycle and may be in as much denial as you.

There was a time when you sprung out of bed to take care of the day’s work or chores, but now you slide out the back door and sneak into the garage to get just a little - you know where your life is going and where you are at.

But, you can’t stop and yet again you make another “on the side” purchase and ride deeper into the hole you have created.

Face it brothers and sisters - you might just be a Bikeaholic. I admit I have been there and there was a time years ago that a large number of motorcycles of all shapes and sizes had crossed the barn doors here at Backroads Central.

Things are not so bad now. I saw that there was a problem of sorts and I have tried to fix it. Work arounds don’t help. The path is one of honesty. With yourself and your addiction. And, it is that – an addiction.

Before anybody in an actual 12-Step Program gets all in huff – calm the frack down.

I am not the first person to see the possible benefits of steal…err borrowing

AA’s steps. There are 12-Step programs for over-eaters, chocolate, debt, gambling, work, sex (love it), clutterers (they should look at our barn!) and people using the 12-Steps to get out of a 12-Step program.

If you have a motorcycle problem and you want to help get some normalcy in your life I offer these.

12 steps of Bikeaholics anonymous Step 1 – We admitted we are powerless over neat motorcycles and our garages have become unmanageable – well, somewhat.

Step 2 - Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves - maybe our significant others, bank account or credit rating - could restore us to sanity.

Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our skill and our lives over to the care of Reg Pridmore, as we understood him.

Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of our riding skills - or lack there of.

Step 5 - Admitted to our fellow riders, to ourselves and to another normal human (who doesn’t care) the exact nature of our riding skills and buying addiction.

Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have universe remove these defects of riding.

Step 7 - Humbly asked the universe to remove our buying and riding shortcomings … after we get the new BMW S 1000 XR. Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had passed, stuffed in turns and made fun of, and became willing to make amends to them all – well, most of them.

Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others or take anything away from our next purchase. On second thought – screw them.

Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory on all our motorcycle purchases and bought only what we really needed, not really wanted, and when made an error while riding promptly admitted it.

Step 11- Sought through prayer, meditation and practice to improve our conscious contact with the machine as we understood it, praying only for that correct entry speed into the turn and the power to carry it out.

Step 12 - Having had a buying and skills awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other riders, and to practice these principles in all our riding.

Keep riding; it works if you work it.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL images and impressions We get quite a few press releases for product coming across our virtual desks.

Some are extremely interesting, useful and well designed. Some make you scratch your head and think, ‘Does this person really consider this appropriate for a motorcyclist?’ Others just have us shaking our heads.

This morning, before my coffee, I was email-surfing and came upon the ‘Biker Bar Birdhouse’ product pitch. The release was simple and to-the-point: ‘All biker “Chicks” welcome! This cool birdhouse features all the trimmings of a smokin’ hot highway roadhouse, complete with a motorcycle parked outside and a flame-painted roof. The birds in your yard will love making this Route 66 biker bar their home!’

While I am a peristerophile, and especially look forward to the return of the hummingbirds every spring, I couldn’t help but look at this ‘Biker Bar’ and, yes, shake my head. It’s not the concept that has me questioning, it’s the image perceived by the designer. Does he or she ride a motorcycle or just have the idea that anyone who does must hang at biker bars and saloons, wear flames, sport tattoos and have bad attitudes (‘biker parking only, all others will be crushed’). Hey, at least there’s a tablecloth, kinda classy.

Not to get off the subject, but this past weekend, and a beautiful one it was, we were out riding and stopped along Route 611 on the Delaware for a bite to eat. We were lucky enough to grab the last outdoor table and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air dining. It was also a great seat to see the passing motorcycles, of which there were very many and quite varied. Unfortunately, a group that had finished dining mounted up and took to the road, filling the

air with enough noise and vibration to cause heart palpitations, and not in a good way. Totally unnecessary and adding to the impression of non-riding folk that all motorcycles are loud and obnoxious. For all the beautiful classic machines that had passed in the previous hour, this group erased that image.

This bird house design kind of reminds me of that scenario. While meant to be a peaceful respite for passing creatures, it leaves the impression of renegades and ne’er-do-wells. I’d like to submit a few designs to this company to round out their motorcycle-themed birdhouses, to show them that riders come in all shapes, styles and sizes just as their favored feathered friends. How about an adventure bike with rider, parked at a pullout high in the Alps, admiring the natural beauty of the surroundings. Perhaps a supersport (I picture #46) leaned to the max with a grandstand full of awed admirers or a vintage beauty – Norton, BSA, etc. - parked by a lake, enjoying a picnic lunch. Imagine a full dress tourer motoring down the open road with a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Any one of these would bring better PR to our woodland creatures and the humans who enjoy watching them.

I suggest that we emulate these designs while being ambassadors for motorcycling. While I do abhor open pipes and truly do not understand the need for them, if you do have them, keep them to yourselves. While around people, especially non-motorcyclists, PLEASE keep the throttle at a minimum until you are well clear of the populace. That goes for sport bikes as well – no need to whine through the gears, doing burnouts and wheelies, while everyday folk are trying to enjoy nature or dine. As we’ve said so many times, 100 bikes could quietly pass through town, but if the last one is obnoxious, then it will be said 100 angry bikers crashed through town. Be the peaceful rider who quietly enjoys the environment, like the little hummingbird or butterfly innocently flitting in and out of the flowerbeds. Images and impressions.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE BILL HEALD adios, Buell. again.

Certain words elicit a strong negative reaction when you hear or read them, and one of those words for me is “bankruptcy.” It is defined by my trusty Pocket Oxford Dictionary as “broken bench.” Say what? That dictionary has never been the same after its brief flirtation with show business (long story). Well, the dictionary on this here Macintosh says it’s the state of being bankrupt, i.e. declared by law as unable to pay one’s outstanding debts.

To those of use without extensive legal training and in a practical sense, this means your business is toast (at least for the time being). Erik Buell Racing has ceased production and has filed for debt protection, but this is not unprecedented. Buell’s motorcycle ventures have vanished and come out of the ashes at least twice I believe, which shows a true dedication to trying to sell a unique motorcycle to the enthusiast riders and racers. Erik Buell has his supporters and detractors, but I don’t think anybody can really challenge his love for making motorcycles that are adept at carving up a twisty stretch of blacktop. He comes from a background as a racer who ultimately became an engineer at Harley-Davidson, with whom he later started a line of American-made sport bikes bearing his name. That ended, and he became fully independent and until this latest setback was building an all-new Buell race bike that was competing in World Superbike competition. A new line of consumer streetbikes was also on the agenda.

But this has all just ceased and desisted, and whether you thought Buell was Tony Stark building magic carpets or some dude cobbling together rolling piles of motopoop (or something in-between), few outside of the inner industry saw this coming. Naturally, the speculation has started on what’s next for Erik Buell & Co. and I have no idea what will happen. But all these

recent events have got me to wondering how hard it is these days for anybody to start and run a motorcycle company. Things are so complex on so many levels when it comes to building something like a motorcycle, that there are a lot of pretty substantial hurdles to overcome. On the one hand, you could point at certain technological advancements that would (you would think) make actual motorcycle development and production a bit simpler than say 20 or 30 years ago. On the finance side, crowd-sourcing is all the rage and there are more billionaires in this country than you can shake an 18K golden stick at. As an aside, I am currently working on producing a course of videos to instruct said billionaires on how to be more eccentric and flighty, which will make them a bit loser in their funding ventures.

If only I had the seed capitol!

Anyway, the continuous expansion of computer aided design is literally taking a huge chunk out of the time and expense of developing prototypes, and 3-D printing technology is helping every aspect of design development. So all this is rather miraculous, and you would think with the right minds on the job we’d have a dozen motorcycle manufacturers in the U.S. alone. Yet every time the Good Lord opens a door, a window gets shut (or something like that). One of the critical things you need to transact motorcycles is a network to sell and service them, and that is a huge undertaking. Obviously it’s easiest to get existing dealers to take on your brand, as they have the established buildings, service areas, parts departments, sales staff, etc. But with economic matters being the way they’ve been for a few years (although they are looking up), the idea of taking on another line of bikes, let alone a new unknown one, may not be a very attractive proposition.

Oh, and before you sell the bikes there’s the endless testing that still needs to do be done on the road, which still can’t be virtually simulated and has to be quite comprehensive. Then, there are ten billion regulations, standards and safety requirements that have to be met. Quite a Herculean undertaking this making motorcycles from scratch, and this hasn’t even really addressed the army of lawyers, actuaries, accountants, marketing creatures and even people to actually build the things you require. The more you think about it, (Continued on page 11)

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

ON THE MARK MARK ByERS ConfidenCe I love motorcycles and all the types of riding that accompany them: road, dirt, dual-sport, trials, track – you name it. I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way and fortunately, most of them have been good ones. Because I’m a devotee of motorcycling, I’m usually very happy to see others get involved in what I call this “occupassion,” but one of the lessons I’ve learned is that there are also a small percentage of people who have no business on a motorcycle.

It’s not a question of desire: lots of people want to ride. It’s not a question of money or climate or even of skill – plenty of folks have the “monkey skills” to participate in, if not master, the act of riding a motorcycle. But motorcycling isn’t a one- or even two-dimensional undertaking: it’s an amalgam of concentration, coordination, observation, and a bunch of other things that end in “…tion” and if you don’t have a fair number of those in combination, there’s a good chance motorcycling isn’t your cup of tea, but that’s not the crux of the matter.

My belief is that the people who shouldn’t be motorcyclists have one very basic but very critical thing in common: a lack of confidence. If you’re too “inside your head” about riding, then the game is over. If the negative consequences of what COULD happen dominate your thoughts and keep you from enjoying it and from confidently pursuing it, then motorcycling isn’t your bag. Crises of confidence quickly become actual crises: a hesitating, timid acceleration into traffic is tantamount to suicide. Fear can be paralyzing. I know someone who rides so slowly that I am genuinely concerned they’ll be hit from behind.

A lack of confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy: the thing of which people are most afraid comes true because they concentrate on it to the exclusion of all else.

An example is target fixation, wherein they focus on the place they DON’T want to go…and promptly go there.

A lack of confidence in cornering will eventually result in a panic situation where the rider stands the bike up and goes straight into whatever is on the outside of the turn, which is undoubtedly where they were looking.

Fear’s big brother is Panic, and Panic is not your friend.

I wish I could say that there’s a remedy for the people I’ve seen who lack the confidence to be motorcyclists, but I can’t. Despite training, experience, and coaching, there are those for whom it’s essentially a phobia and try as they might, they can’t get out of their own heads enough to become safe and effective riders. Their fear is reinforced by the non-riders who recite horror stories and the mantra “motorcycles are dangerous.” People who lack confidence are painfully slow, make messes of simple corners, and accelerate into traffic with the alacrity of the elderly. As much as I want to evangelize this wonderful thing we call motorcycling, no amount of training is going to make motorcyclists of these people and I also don’t want to see them hurt.

There is one thing as bad as or worse than a motorcyclist without confidence, and that is one with false confidence. We all know those people too: folks who have no business on a bike, but who don’t have any idea of that fact. Either they lack self-awareness of their own lack of skill or powers of observation, or they simply lack the elemental caution required to understand the danger in which they put themselves and others.

They’ll resist most attempts to alter their bad habits because, usually out of sheer luck, they’ve yet to come to grief because of them.

I believe the good news is that the number of people for whom these things hold true is relatively small. The vast majority of people are capable of putting aside their

Page 9 fears and prejudices (fed by the “motorcycling is dangerous” community) long enough to learn how to be decent, if not exceptional, motorcyclists. Those who do will find it enormously rewarding as everything from transportation to a mere pastime. The unlikeliest people make great motorcyclists and it has nothing to do with age or sex or education or wallet or physical size or strength. While there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle, the absolute keystone to being a motorcyclist is confidence cautious, well-placed, realistic confidence.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

BACKLASH Ecuador Hey Backroads, I just received my copy of Backroads in the mail today, and just completed reading the article about our trip in Ecuador. Congratulations on a wonderful job of telling and illustrating the story of our trip—I’m very impressed and happy to be part of the story. I was relieved that you did not disclose who the two riders were that exchanged “El Bebe” among themselves for most of the trip or who took the spill on the last day of the trip. Now I can let my wife read the article without any hysterics. Anyway, I just want to let you know that I really enjoyed the article and that I look forward to showing it off to friends. By the way, if you and Shira do get up this way during the summer, I have an extra bedroom here at my house that you both would be welcome to use during your stay in the area. And thank God the snow has finally disappeared (mostly).

Dave (Last name omitted to protect from the spouse) Brian & Shira, Great job documenting the recent motorcycle tour in Ecuador! You managed to cover loads of events, scenery, elevations, climates, foods, water fights, museums, train ride, challenges in the Andes and Amazon basin. Your article will hopefully entice others to sign up for a tour in amazing Ecuador!!

Bob Rand North Hampton, New Hampshire Brian, Delighted that you liked the Ecuadorian Cuy. I think there is a place for Cuy Kitchens in this increasingly “eating local” US of A. Each kitchen would have the live guinea pigs happily running around in large cages, and the customer could watch his meal being killed, skinned and cooked. Show McBurger what-for.

Clem

Letters to the Editor Well if I cannot be out riding this is the next best thing.

Joe Blaszky

PTSD Hi Brian, I know that you said no letters, but there are two things that need to be said about PTSD. First, you are right about some common causes, but you can get it from a crash, too. If you do, it could end your riding life as the fears can mount. It needs to be recognized and treated early. The most effective treatment is in the first six months. If a crash victim is having nightmares, re-living the experience and/or avoiding activities that remind him or her of the event, help is needed. Therapists have techniques to get people through it.

Second, as a Vietnam Vet, when PTSD and veterans comes up, I always like to point out that in WWI it was shell shock, in WWII it was combat fatigue and since then is has been PTSD. Vietnam Vets suffered it in the same proportion as the vets of earlier wars. It is just much more publicized. Unfortunately, the new vets are suffering in historic proportions. The repeated deployments just keep increasing the odds.

Greg Bagen So this is how I get my chemo on a beautiful Thursday.

Roger P.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 11

Shira’s Mystery Ice Cream Ride Shira wore me out yesterday. I need 25 years back and a lighter bike to keep up with her. As far as riding weather I gave the day 10 out of 10.

Tom Deming Hi guys, Shira’s ice cream run was a great way to start off the riding season. Twisty crazy roads and I think there was some scenery (I was too busy watching the road).

Got to see some old friends and met a few new ones. Great ride, beautiful weather and cool people.

Thanks, Dave Erfer posTCards from The hedge

(Continued from page 8)

you realize it’s not surprising there aren’t more companies climbing the mountain of difficulty to make their own machine. Victory and Indian are part of Polaris, and can be regarded as an expansion of an already successful product portfolio instead of fresh, stand-alone motorcycle companies. But we do have Motus, the latest to give it a go, and they are testing the waters with their sport-touring MST V4. I haven’t ridden one yet, and with a price point at over $30,000 I don’t know how many they will sell, but they have certainly been waving the flag with their Alabama-built beast. We shall see.

So what do we say about Erik Buell and his motorcycles? It’s actually a pretty complex question in my opinion, because in some ways he’s had a lot going for him and his products. He now has name recognition to be sure, and a small battalion of absolutely ravenous fans. Seriously, if you stumble into an online motorcycle discussion and the Buell name comes up, you should really duck (even if just spectating) lest a piston rod thrown in anger bounces off your virtual noggin. Some consider Buell a motorcycle genius who has just been unlucky on the business front. Some even compare him to John Britten, which I think is unfair to both of them because they were very different kinds of designers. But my point is, there are a lot of people who want

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to see him succeed and that’s a huge asset to have. Unless he’s tired of it all, I truly hope he keeps after it because he has been incredibly persistent and each subsequent generation of his bike has been dramatically improved over its predecessors. I know this is a hell freezes over scenario, but what if Erik Buell and Harley-Davidson decided to bury the hatchet, explore a fresh relationship and once again produce an American sport bike that could be sold and serviced at H-D dealerships? I know, some of you are spitting coffee all over this publication and choking with laughter, but hey, stranger things have happened in the business world. I feel like the last time Buells were part of the Motor Company there were many mistakes made by all parties, and that was then, this is now, and a horse is not a big, brown cow (feel free to share this phrase with the children, as I just made it up. It’s deep, don’t you think?).

Regardless of what happens, I say best of luck to all the Buell personnel. I hate it when somebody loses a job, and hopefully this will ultimately lead to greener pastures.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

IN DU STRY INFOBITES

News from the Inside

HORIZONS UNLIMITED GATHERS IN VIRGINIA

TOURATECH ANNOUNCES THE INAUGURAL EAST COAST RALLY

About 150 avid motorcycle travelers gathered recently for the first-ever Horizons Unlimited Travellers Meeting in Virginia. This photo shows about half of the crowd at Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox, Virginia, on April 11. Participants enjoyed more than 20 presentations, seminars, and workshops, all designed to share the fun and knowledge of international overland travel. They stayed either in cabins or bunkhouses or in their own tents on the grounds of the 4-H center.

Touratech announces the inaugural Touratech East Coast Adventure Rally to take place August 13-16, 2015 near Huntington, PA. Hosted on a 200-acre, private farm located in the rolling hills near Rothrock State Forest, the Rally will offer participants wonderful areas for riding, camping and festive times with the adventure motorcycle community.

The original Touratech Rally in Plain, WA has become the largest gathering of adventure motorcycle enthusiasts on the west coast and the organizers hope to bring that same vibe to the East Coast event. The rally will include camping, classes, group rides, entertaining guest speakers, great food and more!

“Riders on the East Coast have let us know loud and clear that they want to experience one of our events and this summer we’re finally able to make it happen. We look forward to riding in Pennsylvania in 2015 and beyond!” – Paul Guillien, CEO, Touratech-USA The inaugural Touratech East Coast Rally will also feature the ADV Skills Challenge, a Saturday night barbecue, and vendors from throughout the ADV Motorcycle market. Pine Barrens Adventures will be on-site offering offroad skills development-training courses for an additional fee.

Come join the Touratech crew for a weekend of riding in the mountains and good times around the campfire.

Registration and information at: www.touratechrally.com.

100,000TH CAN-AM SPYDER DELIVERED Horizons Unlimited meetings are held throughout the world, including Ontario this June and North Carolina in October. The next Virginia meeting will be April 28-May 1, 2016. Complete information on the events can be found at www.horizonsunlimited.com/events.

BRP and Pit Bull Powersports, the local dealer, presented the autographed vehicle, a 2015 Can-Am Spyder F3-S which rolled off the assembly line on April 20, to its new owner, Missouri firefighter, Brahm Wilson, during the banquet kicking off the world’s largest Spyder gathering, Spyderfest. Wilson, riding with more than 1,200 other Can-Am Spyder enthusiasts at Spyderfest 2015 in Springfield, MO, joins a growing community of Spyder owners across the globe.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 13

“I’m an ex-motorcyclist, returning to riding after a few years away and I have been admiring the Can-Am Spyder for a while now,” said Wilson. “With the introduction of the Spyder F3, I decided that was the bike for me, and it ended up being the 100,000th to come off the assembly line. I couldn’t ask for anything more than to share this amazing experience with all of these other Spyder owners at Spyderfest!”

The first Can-Am Spyder to come off the assembly line was a 2008 Can-Am Spyder RS that was delivered to comedian Jay Leno. Since that time, BRP introduced the Can-Am Spyder RT in 2010, the Can-Am Spyder ST in 2013 and most recently, the Can-Am Spyder F3 in 2015. For more information on the Can-Am line-up, visit can-am.brp.com.

GOTOURNY.COM OFFERS DOWNLOADABLE ROUTE MAPS, TRIP OPTIONS AND EVENT INFO

MALCOLM SMITH DONATES ‘ON ANY SUNDAY’ HUSQVARNA The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announced that a famous motorcycle has been added to its permanent collection: the 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross that AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend Malcolm Smith rode in the movie, “On Any Sunday.”

The motorcycle, previously loaned for display at the Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, was owned and donated by Smith, who is known affectionately as “Malcolm” by his legions of fans.

Smith said that he was moved to donate the historic motorcycle, so it would continue to promote motorcycling as a fun and exciting sport.

“Many remember ‘On Any Sunday’ [and his Husqvarna 400] as the reason they started riding,” Smith said, “and I continue to hear it today. Whenever I’m at a motorcycle event, people always tell me that watching me enjoying riding so much in the movie was the reason they got into bikes, and they’re so happy they did. I always ask them what their lives would have been like if they hadn’t discovered motorcycles. … They can’t imagine it!”

“I’m happy to donate my ‘On Any Sunday’ Husky to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, where it can continue to inspire people about motorcycling and remind everyone how much fun it is,” Smith said.

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BMW MOTORRAD CHALKS UP BEST FIRST QUARTER IN COMPANY HISTORY In the first three months of the year, BMW Motorrad achieved its best quarterly sales figures of all time, with 31,370 vehicles (previous year: 28,719 units) sold. This is an increase in sales of 9.2 percent as compared to the equivalent period last year.

In March, BMW Motorrad delivered 15,912 motorcycles and Maxi Scooters worldwide (previous year: 15,183 units) amounting to a 4.8 percent growth.

Heiner Faust, BMW Motorrad Head of Sales and Marketing: “BMW Motorrad has started into the new 2015 motorcycle season with the best first quarterly sales of all time. For the first time ever in the history of BMW Motorrad we have supplied more than 31,000 vehicles to our customers in the first three months, which corresponds to a significant plus of 9.2 percent. We are reaching more and more customers all over the world with our highly emotional brand and our attractive, sporty bikes. In the first three months we recorded growth in nearly all sales regions. Germany still remains our strongest single market. Selling 5,369 vehicles as

FREE NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION

The Adirondack and 1000 Islands Regions recently launched a new motorcycling touring website www.GoTourNY.com featuring bilingual suggested trip routes and travel information in both English and French.

GoTourNY.com features 25 routes and scenic byways that connect the Adirondack Mountains to the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Curated routes travel through charming towns and villages, providing motorcyclists with easy access to amenities, including gas stations, restaurants, lodging, and attractions in both regions.

Each route is outlined and described on the website, and features a corresponding Tank Map, which is available for motorcyclists to download and print for free.

From the 1000 Islands to the Adirondacks, ride smooth twisties and freshly paved routes through scenic corridors renowned for welcoming motorcyclists.

The Adirondack Routes featured on GoTourNY.com connect to several New York State Scenic Byways, travel through the interior of the Adirondack Park, around lakes and along historic rivers. Find motorcycle rally events, comprehensive route descriptions and free tank maps at www.goTournY.com.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MY STERIO U S A MER IC A Two MysTerious rides for AMericAde hadleY paraBoliC “Bow” Bridge ONE OF A KIND IN THE NEW YORK MOUNTAINS We can’t help but think of the great Harvey Korman as the diabolical State Attorney General Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles every time we ride through this Adirondack town. Even though Hadley is spelled differently one of us will eventually say … “Hedley?” over the radio.

Before today’s main highways were put in years back, the town of Hadley was split in half by a deep river canyon. For years the only way from one part of the town to the other was to cross what became known as the Bow Bridge. This bridge ran parralel to a train trestle and replaced a wooden covered bridge that burned down in the mid-1800’s.

Officially named the Old Corinth Road Bridge, the 1885 structure was only one of three such bridges featuring a “bow” cord above and below the deck, constructed by the renowned Berlin Iron and Bridge Company of East Berlin, Connecticut.

After Route 4 was in place crossing the Sacandaga River, the bridge was used less and less and eventually fell in heavy disrepair.

In 1983 it was closed to traffic and then in 2000 even to those on foot, with the decking being removed – after 17 years without

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the use of the bridge – the residents and the state were ready to tear it down.

Enter an engineer and painter named Tom Ryan. He had painted the airy bridge a number of times and lobbied heavily to preserve the ancient crossing.

To provoke public debate about the delicate bridge’s attributes and fate, Ryan secured a grant from the Saratoga County Arts Council. He invited area artists, including children, to submit artwork of the bridge for a juried competition and exhibition.

He then produced a book on its history and significance and included the juried artwork. Once the book was published, a number of public hearings were held to discuss practicality and function versus historical significance and aesthetic beauty. Finally, a compromise was reached.

Said Ryan, “There weren’t sufficient funds to rehabilitate the

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015 bridge for pedestrians and build a new bridge [for vehicles only].” So it was decided to restore, modify, and strengthen the existing bridge to handle the requirements of modern vehicular traffic — while allowing for pedestrians and cyclists. The process required additional bracing, structural reinforcement, and a bulky new railing system.

Reconstruction of the Hadley Parabolic Bridge began in 2005 with the main superstructure replaced and repaired. The main section had to be jacked up, steel trusses replaced along with new decking, reinforcement and finally painting. The stone abutments had to be replaced or repaired.

It was a grand scheme, but one that paid off historically.

August 25, 2006 the Hadley “Bow” Bridge was officially re-opened to the public.

Today the Hadley “Bow” Bridge, the only remaining “half-deck” lenticular truss bridge of the three ever built and it has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

You can find the “Bow” bridge off Route 4 or 9N in Hadley, New York.

BloodY pond SOME MILITARY HISTORY JUST SOUTH OF AMERICADE Located on Route 9 south of Lake George Village, New York, is a pond hidden from view and deeply in need of care. Looking at it, one would never know that this was a pivotal point in the French and Indian War that would lead to a British victory. The bloodshed would stain the water, and name of Bloody Pond would stay for the rest of history.

According to the local historical society “We have often thought it a great pity that Bloody Pond, the scene of a fierce encounter during the American Revolution, is today only a stagnant pond, over-grown and un-noticed. Tourists whiz by it without even knowing it’s there yet it’s only a few steps from the highway.”

Page 15 The Battle of Lake George took place on September 8, 1755, and that evening a large group of American Indians and Canadian troops were discovered by Nathaniel Folsom’s company of the New Hampshire Provincial Regiment and the New York Provincials under Captain McGennis.

Among the soldiers with McGennis was one who would go on to an infamous future – Robert Rogers, who would take command of Roger’s Rangers.

The ensuing battle was brief, but the violence was devastating, with losses numbering between 200 and 300 men. The dead were rolled into the water, coloring it red. Tradition has it that the attackers crossed the pond on a bridge of corpses.

If you are a tourist and would like to find this famous spot for yourself, go south on Route 9 about 3 miles out of Lake George Village. You will find the pond on your left.

But…yes, there is a but. There is always a but. Like Detective Friday we want just the facts…

So we do want to point out that archaeologist David R. Starbuck maintains that this is not the actual “Bloody Pond.” Starbuck states that this pond was created in modern times by the Town of Lake George. He states that there is “a modest stream to the East... and that ‘Bloody Pond’ was probably a pool created as the stream flowed through a large depression.

This view is not universally held. Some still maintain this is the original location. If the town did this there would be records of that.

We have not seen any.

As historian in residence here at Backroads I have always felt that scientific conjecture and hard historical facts should never get in the way of a good yarn - so we’ll go with the thought that the not-so-famous battle happened right off of present day Route 9. We know for a fact that people died at what is now the Tour-Expo, so why not at Bloody Pond?

O’Life out!

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Hanover Powersports Presents

B IG CITY GETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

naTional d-daY memorial • an unlikelY plaCe words: Mark Byers It’s the fifth of June. By this time 71 years ago, they were onboard the landing craft. They not only carried the weight of their gear, which was considerable, but also the weight of the fears and hopes of millions of people – the responsibility rode on their shoulders like angels of stone. Some were sick from the English Channel, whose choppy waters tossed the assault boats onto which they were crowded. Some were sick from the fear of marching into the guns of the enemy. Either way, they viewed the prospect of landfall as deliverance from their present, personal, puking hell.

In a small town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from Appomattox, where 150 years ago a great war once concluded, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers slept in peace, stars hung proudly in their windows, uninformed of the gravity of the coming day.

They’d remain blissfully unaware of the impending storm until the radios blared and the newsreels rolled…and the telegrams came. Patriotic to its core, Bedford, Virginia gave fathers and sons to the Army and, as was the custom of the time, they were assigned to the same infantry unit so they could fight together - so they could fight for each other.

Normandy was an unlikely place for an invasion: more distant from England than Calais and without a natural harbor, it required a longer sea voyage for the landing forces and provided no protection from The Channel for the supply ships required to support a strong beachhead. Perversely, those features made it the best place for invasion, because the Germans viewed it an unlikely place as well. And that is why, on June 6th 1944, on the sands of Normandy, men from the sleepy town of Bedford would take their first, and for some, their last steps on the continent of Europe.

Bedford is an unlikely place too. With a current population of less than 6,000, it’s not even a required gas stop on US Route 460 between Roanoke

and Richmond. The first time I rode past, I noted a sign for a D-Day Memorial and I mused about why a memorial to the largest amphibious invasion in the history of man would be sited in such a small, incongruous community. A monument to Operation Overlord, as DDay was code-named, should surely be in Washington, DC or Normandy, I reasoned. Curious, I read a book called “The Bedford Boys” by Alex Kershaw and finally understood why yet another unlikely place was also the perfect place.

In 1944, Bedford’s population was just 3,000, but 30 of her men were assigned to Company A of the 29th Infantry Division when the landing craft disgorged that unit into the hot rain of deadly projectiles on Omaha Beach.

By day’s end, 19 of them were dead and by the time the beachhead was se-

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cured, four more had fallen, giving Bedford the unfortunate distinction of having lost the greatest percentage of its population in the invasion of any town in America. Suitably, Congress elected to make the unlikely town of Bedford the site of the National D-Day Memorial in honor of her having, as Lincoln once wrote, “Laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”

It is truly a memorial to behold: it is as complex and multifaceted as it is dramatic. An arch with invasion stripes like those on the

jump planes rises against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge.

A garden makes a giant sword to represent the patch for Operation Overlord. To me, however, none of the features is as dramatic and as well executed as are the sculptures.

Bronze warriors exit landing craft and assail beaches, some dragging wounded comrades, while air jets beneath the water send up startling, random, noisy spouts to mimic rifle and mortar rounds landing in the surf. Others scale a cliff, the pain of the effort and their wounds perpetually etched on their faces. The effect is immediate…and sobering. The detail is amazing.

Some of the Bedford Boys survived D-Day and one of them used to work at the gift shop at the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The last of them, Ray Nance, who survived being shot three times in the landing, died in April 2009 at the age of 94. The monument he and his comrades inspired lives on and is a must-see. The memorial is ideally located not far off the superb riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway and is an excellent stop for anyone traversing Route 460 on his way to Appomattox. The memorial is open from 10-5 every day and the fee is $10 per adult ($2 discount for veteran or active duty military), which includes a 50-minute guided walking tour.

national d-day memorial 3 overlord Circle, Bedford, Va 540-587-3619 • www.dday.org

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Bergen County Harley-Davidson Presents

WE’RE OUTTA HER E skYlands manor aT The new JerseY BoTaniCal gardens 5 MORRIS ROAD, RINGWOOD, N.J. 07456 973- 962-9370 • WWW.NJBG.ORG • GPS N 41.126950 W 74.23954 Near the New Jersey border with its neighbor New York, along the small chain of ancient hills that make up what are called the Ramapo Mountains, you will find the state’s 1,100 acre Botanical Gardens, known by locals as Skylands.

During the finer times of the year this park is awash with flowers, shrubs, bushes and trees from around the state, nation and planet. It is a jewel for the Garden State.

This entire estate once belonged to Clarence MacKenzie Lewis and his family and it was his forethought that brought about the house and gardens, including formal gardens and specimen plantings.

Across from the gardens themselves you will find Skyland Manor – the Lewis’ home.

Knowing he wanted something elaborate, almost formal, Lewis hired famed architect John Russel Pope to fulfill his vision, whose works can be found in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the Jefferson Memorial. The Builder of Skylands was the Elliot C. Brown Co. of New York City, which also built the country houses of Franklin D. Roosevelt (at Hyde Park) and E. Roland Harriman (Arden House).

Pope brought to the Ramapo Mountains a 44-

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads room mansion in the English Tudor-style. The granite exterior stones were all quarried on the property. Incredible bay windows, with striking stained glass and a massive stairway created from American oak with carved panels and friezes, greeted guests as they entered the Lewis mansion. The metal work on the lanterns, electrical fixtures, lamps, gate, and spiral staircase rail were created by Samuel Yellin, who liked to be known as “The Blacksmith.”

The grounds right outside were magnificently planned and executed, with stone stairways and long ponds found around the grounds; there was even a 9-hole golf course at one time.

In 1966 the entire estate was bought by the State of New Jersey to form a State Botanical Garden and thus it stands today.

We took a ride up in early April, just a tad early for a look at the gardens and flowers, but by the time you read this the entire estate will be alive with colors.

As you ride up to the manor you will pass two regal looking stone eagles at the bottom of the drive. Take notice of them, as they are rescue-eagles – saved from the demolition of Pennsylvania Station in New York City in 1963.

Rolling up the large circular driveway we felt like we had finally arrived home…. if we were Batman and Robin.

Entering through the heavy wooden door the opulence and warm feeling of ‘old money’ hits you.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015 The innkeeper David was right there to greet us and check us in to our room located on the second floor.

He told us a bit about the history of the Manor and told us that a tour would be given that evening at 8pm, which is always a good thing to do.

Our room was as grand as we had hoped and meticulously appointed with a large king bed that was more than comfortable and more pillows than even I could possibly need.

It was a bit on the chilly and wet side this day and knowing this, David had the heat turned up in our room, which was greatly appreciated.

Although there is no restaurant on the grounds there is a local chef that will bring in food for dinner, but there are a number of fine restaurants within a few miles of Skylands as well and you will have a great choice as far as dinner will go.

Strolling around the manor was a treat, with the many great rooms, all more impressive than the last. The Great Hall, the Drawing room, the Study and Library all looked to be out of a classic film – only here they were real.

We were sharing the Manor with a number of other people; a family with child and a number of other couples all here on the Groupon rate, but the place is so large that we were all spread out in different parts and, except for breakfast, we felt like Master Bruce himself.

Yes, the Skylands manor is fantastic but the immediate area has much to offer as well.

There are the phenomenal gardens that you must see, but if you feel the need to get a little

Page 19 shooting in you will find Thunder Mountain Trap & Skeet just a mile down the road. If you have never shot before this is the place to learn as no experience or licensing is required. If in your mind you are now living at Skylands Manor than you must going shooting in the afternoon – that is what these people do, don’t you now?

Thunder Mountain is open year round and is equipped with lighting for night shooting.

We found dinner with friends in nearby Ringwood and were back home fairly early for a very warm and comfortable night at the Manor.

Morning light found us up exploring the grounds once again before partaking in a light Continental breakfast of coffee, bagels, muffins and cereal.

As always happens with intimate places like these we had a good conversation with some of the others staying, all agreeing how nice Skylands was and how impressive it all seemed.

Although you might think that a place as grand as the Skylands Manor might be beyond your average stay, we have found that is not the case.

Yes, there will be some dates and weekends that might be booked or untouchable for the average budget, but with 24 rooms and the occasional Groupon floating around you should be able to find a night that works for you.

We’re going to turn things around with this month’s Rip & Ride and we’ll be bring you from the Easton, Pennsylvania region across New Jersey and a touch of New York to one of the finest hidden treasures that New Jersey has to offer. rip & ride® on page 48

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports Presents

G REAT A LL AMERICAN D INE R R UN

tasty places to take your bike

words and images: Mark Byers

The whip TaVern 1383 N. CHATHAM ROAD, COATESVILLE, PA 19320 WWW.THEWHIPTAVERN.COM • 610.383.0600 OPEN 11-MIDNIGHT EVERY DAY BUT TUESDAY. NO RESERVATIONS. An hour West of Philly, in the Pennsylvania horse country, on an outstanding motorcycling road known as Route 841, stands a tavern called “The Whip.” Betsy and I were fortunate enough to notice the understated sign out front and to pull in for a late lunch. Inside, we were surprised and delighted to find the closest thing to a real pub we’d seen since being in Scotland, not just because of the décor or the denizens, but for the food.

True to form, the menu featured pub classics like bangers & mash, shepherd’s pie (made with lamb, as it should be), and a ploughman’s lunch with cheddar and Stilton cheeses. I chose the “Beef on Weck,” thinly-sliced local grass-fed roast beef on a Kummelweck roll, topped with fresh English cheddar and served with au jus and fresh horseradish on the side, accompanied by English pub chips. Served warm, the beef was tender and the cheddar sharp and tasty.

Betsy had the Runnymeade watercress salad, with cheddar, pine nuts, and a Guinness vinaigrette, and we both had a bowl of their excellent bacon corn chowder, a wonderful start to the meal. According to Sam, our very attentive server, all the food is locally-sourced, organic, and hormone free. For example, the corn for the chowder was from Doe Run Farm, just down the road and the cheese was from the dairy farm right across the street. On the third weekend of the month, they offer a locally-farmed bison cottage pie and every Wednesday they have buffalo sliders.

The name comes from the local horse country, wherein “The Whip” is not only a tool, but also slang for the chap who controls the hounds. As you traverse the area by motorcycle, you’ll note low places in the fences and hedges that can easily be jumped by horses following hounds that are hot on a scent. If I were anywhere near this little pub, the only scent on which I would be hot would be that of food! Because I was riding an iron horse, I didn’t partake, but they also serve over 50 domestic and imported beers, both in the bottle and on tap. They even have a water tap on the outside of the building for passing cyclists to use.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

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Started 8 years ago in a building that used to house a deli, owner K.C. Culp has created a charming and authentic English pub. In fair weather, you can elect to sit on the patio and listen to the burbling of Doe Run. Chef Wyatt Lash, just 28 years old but a foodie for life, creates a menu that truly makes The Whip a great eatery. If my description above hasn’t piqued your interest, the sticky toffee pudding, a date cake with caramel sauce served warm with ice cream, will make you a convert.

Bonus GAAdr for AMericAde The adk Café 2837 RTE. 73 , KEENE, NY 12942 • 518-576-9111 • THEADKCAFE.COM The long road leading up into the mountains and the Olympic town of Lake Placid passes through some of the prettiest scenery in the northeast.

In the tiny town of Keene, on the left of Route 73 as you head into the Adirondacks you will find the ADK Café.

We stopped by last fall when we spotted friend and fellow scribe Dan Bisbee’s Triumph parked alongside the café.

Always finding room for more dessert we pulled over and grabbed a table. While there we did a quick look around to see what was what at the ADK Café.

Although we just stopped by for a cup o’Joe with a friend, the café had much more to offer.

Homemade breads, muffins and pies (apple, pecan, ginger, pumpkin, plum and lemon) were all offered.

Their sandwiches looked awesome, especially the salmon special on the table next to us as did hand cut potato and sweet potato fries with gravy on top.

For the green folk there is the Earth Plate, a wide combination of seasonal veggies and spreads.

The ADK serves a serious breakfast with dish names taking their cues from the local sports – The Skier, Climber, Camper, Biker and a bunch of omelets as well. The lunch menu has Reuben, clubs and more lurking about as well.

Dinner finds meatloaf, halfchicken, lasagna and a superior looking dinner burger. It seems whenever you drop by The ADK Café you will not be let down.

Us, we just stopped by for that coffee with Dano.

The pie was scrumptious (both apple and ginger) and the coffee strong and good and the ambiance as relaxing as the mountains.

On your way through the New York mountains make it a point to stop by the ADK it is A-okay!

Northwest NJ’s favorite barbecue texas smoke BBQ Indoor and outdoor dining Smokin’ Sandwiches & Platters Lip Smackin’ Ribs & Chicken Savory Sides & Sweet Treats Biker and Barbecue Enthusiasts Enjoy our Chalkboard Specials June 27-28 • Rock, Ribs & Rdiges • Sussex Cty Fairgrounds Defending Champion - Taste it yourself

Texas Smoke Barbecue 400 Route 15 South • Jefferson NJ 862-209-4078 • www.TexasSmokeBBQ.com

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

riVerside CreamerY 5 WATER STREET, PORT JERVIS, NY 845-856-8560 • WWW.RIVERSIDECREAMERY.COM OPEN 7 DAYS • SUN-THUR: NOON-9PM • FRI-SAT: NOON-10PM What to do on the first truly beautiful day of Spring? Go for ice cream, of course. And that is exactly what we did, asking our Backroads’ folks to join us on Shira’s First Mystery Ice Cream Run. We met at the Double S Diner on Route 23 in Sussex, NJ to fill the belly before heading out on a lovely ride to, well, that was a mystery. The Double S serves up a most excellent breakfast or lunch, specializing in barbecue, for which they have won many an award. My Southern Benny – poached eggs with pulled pork and cheddar sauce – was more than enough to keep me happy until dessert. Although the place was hoppin’, we managed to get our 20 folks in and out rather quickly. With that number of bikes, we opted to split the group, so I took first lead and headed off for the 80+ mile ride to parts, to them, unknown. I truly love where I live, no matter the season, but riding through the country and farmland on a gorgeous spring day is absolutely exhilarating.

I had handed out route sheets before leaving, so folks who knew the area kinda knew where we were headed, but they didn’t know how quaint the end spot would be. Pulling up to the ample parking lot next to Riverside Creamery, we dismounted with smiles on our faces and ice cream in our thoughts. The Riverside Creamery is a restored 1950s ice cream parlor previously run by the Flo-Jean Restaurant next door, which is now defunct. The ice cream parlor had been closed since the flood of 1955. Oh, I didn’t mention that Riverside Creamery sits right on the Delaware river, with a number of picnic tables for your outdoor dining pleasure. Anyway, it was reopened in May 1999, with the new owners taking great care to keep that old ice cream parlor décor. The antique soda fountain was, unfortunately, in great disrepair, but with custom-made parts it has been restored to its former glory.

Entering the shop, you are greeted with the Creamery’s homemade fudge. While I had my sights set on ice cream, I couldn’t help but notice the Kentucky Bourbon and Apple Pie varieties and made note to bring samples home. Perusing

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

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Rip & Ride® • RIVERSIDE CREAMERY 5 WATER STREET, PORT JERVIS, NY • 845-856-8560 • GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/gtnn5o

START: DOUBLE S DINER 154 RTE. 23 SOUTH, SUSSEX, NJ • 973-702-0933 TOTAL MILES

EXIT ONTO POND SCHOOL ROAD RIGHT ONTO CLARK RD LEFT ONTO COMPTON RD STRAIGHT ONTO CR 565 STRAIGHT ONTO CR 628 BEAR LEFT ONTO CR 519

0.0 1.2 MI 1.6

6.3

CROSS ROUTE 206 – STAY ON CR 519 STOP – STRAIGHT ONTO CR 627 STRAIGHT ONTO CR 626 LEFT ONTO CR 521 SOUTH RIGHT ONTO MILLBROOK RD LEFT ONTO BIRCH RIDGE RD

14.2

HARD RIGHT ONTO MILLBROOK RD RIGHT ONTO WALPACK RD – NPS 615 BEAR LEFT PETER’S VALLEY – WALPACK RD CROSS DINGMANS RD ONTO OLD MINE RD

30.6 36.3 45.9

18.3 25.7 28.3

LEFT ON ROUTE 206 NORTH IMMEDIATE RIGHT ON DECKERTOWN TPKE/CR 650 (CROSSING ROUTE 206 DIAGONALLY RIGHT) LEFT ONTO BRINK RD LEFT ONTO ROUTE 23 NORTH HARD LEFT ONTO CLOVE RD RIGHT ONTO NEW MASHIPACONG RD

54.5 54.5

RIGHT ONTO RIVER RD/CR 521 LEFT AT STOP LIGHT – E. MAIN ST/US 6 WEST LEFT AT JERSEY AVE FOLLOW SIGNS FOR ROUTE 209 SOUTH (JUG HANDLE) RIGHT ONTO WATER ST (BEFORE BRIDGE) RIVERSIDE CREAMERY ON LEFT

76.1 80.0 80.3

63.2 64.9 71.3 74.6

81.4 81.5

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

the diner-size menu, filled with dairy delights, it was baffling to try and choose just one of anything.

Riverside, while not making their own ice cream, uses Perry’s of Akron, NY, which has been making small batch, slow cooked ice cream since 1932. While Perry’s makes 100 flavors, Riverside Creamery offers up a good changing selection such as Almond Joy, Muddy Sneakers and French Roast Coffee. What you do with your selected flavor is practically limitless. I was astonished to see 50 flavors of milk shakes from which to choose (all the more reason to make numerous visits). Here’s just a few: chocolate coconut, cream de’menthe, peanut butter banana, coffee almond mocha and orange cream. They have soft serve, low fat and sugar free as well, if that’s to your liking.

Moving on, you can create your own sundae, with tons of topping, whipped cream and, of course, a cherry or you can choose from their already creative list. How about a Coffee Break made with French Roast Coffee ice cream,

blasted with homemade creamy marshmallow topping, hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry? Or perhaps an Almond Joy would suit your fancy – Coconut ice cream packed with almonds and chocolate chips, topped with dark chocolate hot fudge, white flaky coconut, whipped cream and, yes, a cherry. Jim ordered up one of these and I didn’t hear him complaining. Fan of the soft serve? Try a Salted Carmel Nutty Sundae with vanilla soft serve topped with Salted Caramel layered with chopped peanuts and more Salted Carmel. Gooey deliciousness, no doubt.

If you are looking for a more substantial dessert, you can try one of their signature dishes. The Riverside Creamery is more than just cream. They make their own cakes and pies and serve them up in the most creative ways. You can indulge in Deep Fried Ice Cream – frozen vanilla ice cream dipped in a funnel cake batter, deep fried and topped with their dark chocolate hot fudge. Holy Moly! Looking for more fried dessert? How about a Dorkos – an Oreo, batter dipped and deep fried, drizzled with hot fudge and marshmallow cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Hope you brought your insulin. Looking for a more traditional dish?

Restored to its glory years during the roaring 20’s, the General Francis Marion Hotel is steeped in history and elegance with all the modern amenities.

Located just 1.8 miles from Route 16 - the Back of the Dragon.

260 curve, 32-mile, 3 mountain roller coaster of a ride.

Incredible vistas, panoramic views and enough roads to ride for days!

Rated as one of the Top Motorcycling Destinations in the Nation ‘The accommodations, the ambiance, the staff and, best of all, the roads are phenomenal.

The General Francis Marion cannot be beat’ Backroads Magazine - May 2014 Whether you’re traveling alone, with a small group or a whole riding club, the General Francis Marion has a variety of rooms perfect for any event. Luxury is an extension of our Southern hospitality. Contact us concerning reservations today.

General Francis Marion Hotel and the Black Rooster Restaurant 107 East Main Street • Marion, VA 24354 • 276-783-4800 • www.gfmhotel.com • marketing-gfmh@comcast.net

Pecan Crunch Bread Pudding will bring you their homemade bread pudding, served warm with a brown sugar pecan topping, cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with vanilla soft serve. Just like Grandma made. Perhaps you are trying to keep healthy – just for you they have Strawberry Short Cake, made from their fresh baked buttermilk biscuit, layered with fresh strawberry topping, vanilla soft serve, fresh strawberries and loads of real whipped cream. Diet food, I tell ya.

I could obviously go on and on, but your best bet is to get yourself to the Riverside Creamery post haste to sample your own. If you’d like to eat real food before dessert, they do have a full menu including hot dogs, sandwiches quesadillas and pizza, but why take up valuable stomach space with all that stuff when you could just eat……MORE ICE CREAM. We’ll start you out the same way we did, at the Double S Diner. Enjoy the ride and, more importantly, enjoy this month’s stop on Shira’s Ice Cream Run.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

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

Same Old Sermon Words: Brian Rathjen Years ago I heard a story of a pastor who was newly hired by a church.

His first Sunday he gave a heart felt sermon to his new flock. They all nodded their heads.

The next week he gave another sermon that was much like the first.

Again the congregation nodded in agreement.

The third week it was more or less the same story, as was the fourth and fifth. By the time week six mass ended people began to come up to the pastor and ask if he was aware he was repeating, more or less, the same story and they wondered why he kept preaching the same lesson.

He said, “Of course I know it’s the same story…and I will keep teaching it until you get it right.”

Comanche, Oklahoma – April 11, 2015.

According to Highway officials one motorcycle driver is dead and U.S. Highway 81 north of Comanche remains shutdown after 13 motorcycles were involved in a major crash.

Troopers say the bikers were headed south toward Comanche going around a curve on the highway when a pickup truck heading north crossed the center line, striking five motorcycles.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Three were airlifted to OU Medical Center in

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Oklahoma City. The other four injured where taken by ambulance to Duncan Regional Hospital.

Trooper Nathan Mackey was one of the first on the scene and he says this is one of the worst accidents involving motorcycles he has ever seen.

“This is the first one I have had with this many motorcycles involved. It is pretty tragic. I have had a lot of them with one or two motorcycles, to have 13 involved and five of which hit, that is the most I have ever had at one time,” Mackey said.

At this point it is still unclear why the pickup went left of center. Preliminary reports say the motorcyclists were headed to the Rattle Snake Hunt in Waurika.

Troopers expect this section of Highway 81 to be closed for the next several hours.

The next day after this misfortune, we held Shira’s First Mystery Ice Cream Run. While waiting for all to get ready to leave the Double S Diner in Sussex, New Jersey, all conversation came to a halt as another large group of motorcycles rode by, heading north on Route 23. The group, with various stages of colors on their back denoting the club’s name, ran at least 25 or more machines, all packed tightly in the classic ‘staggered’ formation.

We watched them thunder by and then mounted up ourselves, slipping out the backside of the Double S and heading out on the little travelled backroads. We had about twenty bikes all together, and before we even got started, we broke into two groups - still large, but manageable.

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THIS IS NOT SPACE CUSHIONING

We had handed out route sheets, but as Shira and I had the routes programmed into the GPS we took point - with the two groups following behind, properly spaced out. And, I mean S-P-A-C-E-D out.

If something happened to one of the machines up front - say a deer ran out or a car piloted by a texting teenage girl drifted across the lane - just one rider would be affected and the others could respond in plenty of time to avoid being part of the ensuing anarchy about to occur.

Thinking of the large group riding in that staggered, tightly packed, herd mentality along the crowded construction-zone riddled Route 23 that Sunday – I can confidentially say that if something happened to just one of them a number of others would sadly pay as well.

We ride differently.

Talking about it later we knew that both our groups were spread out behind us for at least half a mile. That might seem like a lot, but at speed that ground is covered quickly and having a good deal of distance between your and the rider fore and aft makes for a more relaxed and enjoyable, as well as safer ride.

How about you and your friends? Are you caught up in the impression that you must ride in a staggered formation? Does your sense of self crave that attention you get when 25 motorcycles ride Borg-like into Anytown, USA? In these Welcome to the Jungle rants we have always strived for honesty about our riding choices, styles and decisions; so be honest with yourself.

Go ahead – it’s okay, nobody’s watching….

Does the manner in which you and your friends ride put you at a higher

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

STILL TOO CLOSE

percentage of avoidance, escape and survival if the shit hits the fan or do the tightly packed numbers say you and your riding clan will be put into the Cuisinart of the Gods of Chaos when said shit happens?

Does your group ride so close to each other that, if anything bad happens and there is a rider or riders down quickly, there is any real chance of you and everybody else getting around them safely?

If you find that your honest answer is no, then your solution is very simple – Space Cushioning. Spread it out and give yourself some real room and a real chance.

You might find, with spreading out that staggered run, that your friends are not going to ride away from each other and that, in the end, you all will have a more enjoyable and less stressful day on the road.

Riding is supposed to be fun.

Yes, I have written about this many times and, like that pastor, I will keep writing about this until you get it right.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 27

FIRST RIDE

It has been a number of years since we rode the first CanAm Spyder – with its odd snowmobilish stance and feel.

It is made by BRP, and they invented the snowmobile.

We said then and we say again – this is not a motorcycle - and that was very apparent when I was passed on my first ride with the new 2015 Can–Am Spyder F3-S by a large group of riders heading the other way.

Out of the dozen or so bikes maybe one rider waved and he did so reluctantly.

Seriously? Biker-Snobs you are.

Still, regardless of the two-wheeled purists out there, this different three-wheel ride does have its strong points – the most important of which I will get to at the end of this first ride report.

To get a real feel for this Spyder F3-S we took it around where we call home, the Skylands of New Jersey, and a quick stop at the Snowmobile Barn, outside Stillwater, as it seemed like the most appropriate regional destination. Although the original Spyders were twinpowered, the new F3 and F3-S lift their power from the same 1,330cc liquid-cooled, 115 horsepower, Rotax ACE in-line triple with EFI that made its debut in the 2014 RT version.

The machine redlines at 8,000 and runs with a “throttle by wire” system which is spoton and smooth.

Although it is available in a conventional shift version, our Spyder came with Can-Am’s 6-speed semi-automatic - with reverse - which works via two left side paddle shifters, now almost common case on new autos. The easy to use semi-automatic transmission will not automatically upshift and requires the rider to use the paddle-shifters, but it will downshift at a point below 2000 rpm, more to protect the engine from lugging than anything else. It allowed for me to sportily up shift and then get lazy at stoplights; as it would bring itself

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

back to first gear at every stop. The transmission was as smooth as any I have experienced. The machine comes with ECO mode smart assist, which lets you optimize your shifting behavior with a gauge light indicating the best time to shift to reduce your fuel consumption. I turned it off, as it always looked to be on and it seemed to me to just be a “Fun Limit” light.

The reverse gear is a welcome thing as the Spyder weighs in at 850 pounds. The power from the potent three-cylinder engine is brought to the rear wheel via a belt drive.

Borrowing from the auto industry you will find nothing even remotely similar to motorcycle suspension up front, as the Spyder carries double Aarms on each side with

very responsive; almost too responsive.

The rear suspension is a bit more familiar, with a tube steel swingarm and single shock.

The electronically controlled power steering system provides a varying amount of assistance, depending on the speed of the vehicle.

Fox shocks and has anti-roll torsion bars. The handlebar is attached to a variable-assisted power steering box at the bottom of the shaft and is

the rear is a whopping 225/50 15 tire.

Holding all this together is a stamped steel rectangular box-section around the engine, with stamped-steel cradles at each end. The F3 also has upper and lower round tube frame members along each side that give the chassis a 40-percent increase in rigidity over previous models.

There is no front brake lever, as all the stopping power is handled by the right foot brake controlling two, four-piston, Brembo calipers on the twin discs up front and single-piston in the rear.

The front wheels are 165/55 15 inch in size and

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 29 With its low 26.6 inch seat height, the Spyder can and will fit just about anyone on the planet with the possible exception of some NBA

players. The Spyder has an adjustable UFit system.

The handlebars have four position adjustments and the foot pegs have five.

These can be set for the rider by the dealer, or by your, in about 10 minutes utilizing linkage pieces of varying lengths. The F3-S

also features an upgraded trim package, black machined wheels, a large, comfortable black suede seat with red stitching, premium front fenders with LED running lights, and electronic cruise control. On the road

the differences between the Spyder and any motorcycle are apparent from the second you pull out of your driveway.

There is a learning curve and what is instinctual on a motorcycle will ruin your day on a Spyder. Unlike a bike you must push on the outer peg in turns, not the inner one. On a Spyder, you must lean into the turn while the machine leans from the turn. The machine has a comprehensive stability control computer that will apply a touch of opposite brake whenever it senses a potential lift-off. It also has Traction Control keeping things civilized. All this works, but I still found myself a bit on the tentative side of banshee for the first few jaunts. I do think that the manual transmission would be a bit more to my liking, but I got used to the semi-automatic quickly. Getting used to the way a Spyder handles took a bit more time.

When my brain caught up with how it all plays together the fun factor made a quantum leap.

The F3-S has a 24.4 liter-storage compartment that they claim will hold a full-face helmet (not) or, in my case, a bag of Nikons with room for a tooth brush. If you’re looking for a Spyder to take on a longer journey, you may want to investigate the RT, with more storage space.

Coming with a whopping 7.5 fuel cell you can ride many miles (250 more or less) before a fuel stop will be needed.

Page 30

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

INTRODUCING THE SPYDER F3

Ride one and see • June 12 • 10am-3pm

Can-Am Spyder Demo Truck Event Spyder Demos also available Saturday, June 13 • Call for details

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Stepping back to take a look – the Spyder F3-S is a machine that will gather looks at stoplights and questions while parked in town.

In fact I have never ridden a machine that I had to explain more than our Pure Magnesium Metallic / Steel Black Metallic with CanAm Red frame Spyder – and that is a good thing, as it seems to appeal to a wide brush stroke of people.

I mentioned that this machine had some very strong points and I think the most important one is this.

It keeps some of us in the game and brings others, who had never even considered playing, onto the road with us.

They have sold over 100,000 Spyders since they were introduced in 2008.

Some of these riders are new to motorsports and the Spyder appealed to them in a way a more traditional motorcycle did not. Just as importantly it allowed many traditional motorcyclists, that had been taken out of the game by age, injury or circumstances, to once again saddle up and hit the road.

Say what you will but that is the truth and it is a very, very good thing.

The Spyder F3-S lists for $20,999 and comes with a 2-year BRP Limited Warranty / 2-year roadside assistance and Can-Am makes available a boodle of accessories to add some of your own personal flair.

We’d like to thank Can-Am and Motorcycle Mall in Belleville, NJ for helping us play Spyder-Man once again.

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PRODUCT REVIEW

Page 31

SHOEI X2 HORNET

words: Michael Vaughan Shoei, recently introduced an all new helmet, the Hornet X2. This is a helmet designed exclusively for dual-sport enthusiasts, and manufactured to Shoei’s high standards.

Like all Shoei helmets the X2 is constructed using Shoei’s bespoke Advanced Integrated Matrix technology, combining multi-ply matrices of hand –laid fiberglass with organic fibers and resin combining to make an exceptionally strong, yet lightweight shell. Each shell is then marked by the operating technician, to assure helmet quality.

All helmets are put through an evaluation in Shoei’s own wind tunnel and designs are evaluated for their ability to resist buffeting and lift, as well as to direct cooling air through the helmet by analyzing high and low pressure areas, and designing inlet and exhaust ports that moves fresh air in and warm damp air out.

With four shell sizes Shoei offers one of the widest selection of sizes in the helmet industry, as well as various liner sizes and cheek pads, to enable a “custom” fit for every rider. Their exclusive 3D Max-Dry interior is fully washable and features replaceable cheek pads, neck pads, and eyeglass channels and, to insure a comfortable fit. An exclusive “Emergency Quick Release System,” allows medical personnel to easily and safely remove the cheek pads from an injured rider’s helmet, minimizing possible further neck injury.

Finally, each helmet is painted up to five times, decals put in place by hand and then sprayed with several layers of clear-coat, resulting in a very high-quality finish.

I recently had an opportunity to try the X2, although none of my riding included anything off-road. Still, it was pretty illuminating.

I’ve put about 500 miles split between two bikes, one faired and the other with a windshield.

The first thing that struck me was the view. The eye port measures 13-inches wide, by 4 ¾, high, while only an inch or so wider and taller than some of my other helmets, the difference from inside the helmet is significant, it’s as if your face were actually in front of the visor, the edges of the viewport virtually disappear, and from a rider’s point of view, it’s almost like not wearing a helmet.

With two controllable intake vents on the visor and two on the chin bar, along with seven exhaust vents, I thought the helmet would be significantly noisier than a conventional full-face helmet, but not so. Sound levels, at least to my aging ears, seemed to be about the same as any other helmet, perfectly acceptable with earplugs, and ventilation was excellent.

What surprised me the most was the lack of lift generated by the visor. I began to feel a bit at 70 MPH on the un-faired bike, but it wasn’t unpleasant, or distracting, or severe. What was most surprising was turning my head at that speed and not having the visor catch the wind and push my head around. The difference between 70 MPH and 90 MPH wasn’t significant, lift didn’t increase and the helmet felt secure and comfortable.

The visor was also handy when the sun got low, a simple tilt of the head blocked the glare. I think these adventure tour guys are on to something!

Overall, this is a top quality helmet, it fits comfortably, ventilates well, and offer several benefits not had in conventional full-face helmets.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

The Gathering • Adventure along the Delaware

ROADTRIP RECAP

Each year there is a ‘Gathering of Nortons’ along the back of the Delaware River, right where Washington made his famous crossing. It is a very informal event and it tends to start and end early.

By noon, the bikes will be starting to trickle out. So it is best to get there early.

It’s a great season opener.

When this spring finally got around to rolling in, we made plans to head down to the Gathering.

Although we do enjoy spending a little time strolling the towns, exploring the shops and discovering little restaurants and ice cream stops in this part of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we have sometimes found the inns and hotels to be a bit ‘upper echelon’ when it comes to pricing on weekend stays and temper on riders and their machines.

It’s a loud pipe thing. Can you blame them?

Still we wanted to make a bit of a weekend and overnight on this trip. Shira

did a bit of research and found the perfect overnight at a place called the Frog Hollow Farm, just north and a touch west of Washington’s Crossing, outside the little hamlet of Kintnersville.

The ancient ravines, new Forklift, funky stores and Indian gravesites…

From our home base in the northeastern land of the Lenapi, it is a short ride down to Bucks County, also on the land of the Lenapi, so we made a little adventure out of it and did a familiar loop through the Tillman Ravine region of the Walpack Valley. This ravine is untouched and is full of pine and hemlock forests. A mountain stream, Tillman Brook, flows through the area and rises in a spring alongside the Kittatinny Mountains. It is well worth parking your machines in one of the two parking lots and taking a short hike to see something that has been untouched for millennium.

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It was late breakfast/early lunch and we were a bit famished so we took a run over Dingmans Bridge and straight up Route 739 to the new, bigger and better Forklift Café. We had not been to this delicious eatery since Lorianne had moved, so we thought it about time.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 33

through Europe as part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and with P.T. Barnum.

His stoic face and chiseled features were captured by many including Frederick Remington and John Singer Sargent. It is said it was Thunder Cloud who graced both the five dollar gold piece and the nickel coin.

Soon becoming a well-known native model, he was captured by artist Henrietta Hashagen, from northeast Pennsylvania.

She captured his image and Thunder Cloud’s heart and the two married and lived along this part of the Delaware River until their deaths.

We were told his grave has become a destination for many who consider him to be The respect-littered stone at Thunder Cloud’s resting place iconic in the struggles of the First People.

You’ll find some great food and friendly folk at the Forklift Cafe It seemed to us he assimilated and did fairly well for himself over the years.

We were not disappointed, as We went in search of Thunder the new Forklift has more Cloud’s final resting spot. We found it room, but the same friendly at the Delaware Cemetery, off Routes service and the food, if pos209 and 739, right across from the sible, has gotten even better.

Phoenix, one of the quirkiest shops in Whether it is breakfast, the region.

If you like eclectic, then you lunch or dessert you will be will enjoy strolling through here. happy you sought out this Shira did just that and I went in café – I know we were. search of Thunder Cloud, whose grave Lorianne is a member of I found right near the hard turn halfway the local historical society up the hill. and she has a number of Entering off Route 209, as you ride local tidbits that can be found on the tables and around the café – one was a up – park right past the hard left turn short story from a magazine called the Dingmans Chronicle. It was published and walk to the right. Indeed Thunder back in late 1993 and written by Anna R. Wood.

Cloud has had many visitors as the honIt was about a Native American named Thunder Cloud Plante. He was ors, trinkets and travel coins placed on originally from the Blackfoot tribe but had a storied and adventurous life his grave do show. working as an army scout in the Great Indian Uprisings and then traveling ®

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

I paid my respects and gathered up Shira who was beginning to lust after a mosaic camel at the Phoenix Shop. Do you know how many camels we have?

We crossed back over Dingmans Bridge and into New Jersey, riding the valley and hills that line the river and run along the forests that seem to fill this part of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Using BaseCamp I routed us along many roads we had never been on which is always a blast, especially when they all work out and make the effort really worth it. By early evening we were once again across the river to the Keystone state, up past Ringing Rocks State Park.

This park is a Mysterious America all by itself, with thousands of small boulders piled up in a large clearing in the woods. Geologists really have no idea why they are there in the first place and it gets even weirder when you realize that if struck with a hammer, each boulder makes its own tonal ring – thus the name Ringing Rocks.

Besides the strange ringing properties of the stones, there are other mysteries surrounding this park. One odd thing about the park is that most boulder fields are the result of an avalanche from a mountainside collapsing. This boulder field, however, is towards the top of the hill, not the bottom. That means it didn’t result from a rock slide. There is also no evidence to suggest that these were dropped here by a glacier, as glaciers were not thought to have come this far south. How did this boulder field get to be like this?

Don’t forget your banging implement when visiting Ringing Rock.

Serene setting at the Frog Hollow Farm.

We’ll have to ask Dr. O’Life to look at this once again.

Shira’s find for the night, the Frog Hollow Farm, was an excellent choice and made for a good night’s rest. We rose to a hearty breakfast and then spun our wheels south to the Gathering.

It is hard to miss as almost every motorcycle on the road this morning was heading to Washington’s Crossing.

There were hundreds of machines in attendance, and although billed as a Norton event you could find that just about every manufacturer on the planet was represented here.

Just walking around the lot was well worth the price of admission, which was free. Yes, free – how refreshing in today’s world. I fact, the event is now in its 22nd

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Page 35

year and is run by the Delaware Valley Norton Riders who we think just like to keep our classic riding history alive. Good on the DVNR and all the work they do to make this event the success it is.

To learn more about the Delaware Valley Norton Riders log onto their site at www.dvnr.org.

We spent a good hour and a half there, looking at the different marques, lusting after more than a few bikes and just plain wondering about some others.

Good times, my friends, good times.

We hooked up with friends and headed back north along the hilly range that flanks the river here and then finding some muddy squirrel nest of a road that led back to the riverside and north to the Reigelsville Tavern – who serves up one of the meanest turkey clubs and burger on the river.

We were able to score an outside table and the rest of the late lunch was spent talking spring, bikes and watching the plethora of machines roll by on this exquisite spring day.

Okay, there were two…um…assholes (yep, that it what they were) that proved to me that it isn’t always the bike that is too loud but the person on throttle.

I hope the Jersey Devil gets them.

One friend, Brad, headed back south towards Philly and Shira, Keith and I back across the river near Belvidere and then along some old roads towards Backroads Central and home.

It was an excellent two days and the perfect way to start the season. How did your weekend go?

Page 36

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

BACKROADS’ GREAT RIVER SERIES

The Delaware River Ride The Beginning: Much like its brother to the east, the Delaware was first explored my Europeans when Henry Hudson sailed into its bay in 1609. The region is hardly new to humans, as the Lenapi had lived along the river and its valleys for thousand of years.

During early Colonial times the Delaware was called the South River, being south and west of the Hudson River in New York then called the North River.

The Delaware has its beginning in the Catskill Mountains from two separate branches – the West Branch in Mount Jefferson and the East Branch that flows from Grand Gorge.

It heads south for 420 miles until it empties in Delaware Bay and the Atlantic at Cape May, New Jersey and Cape Henlopen, Delaware.

The Delaware River is one of nineteen “Great Waters” recognized by the America’s Great Waters Coalition and along the way it runs through five states – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.

The two branches meet near Hancock, New York and that is where we will start this tour heading south to the sea.

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Crossing over the river, we can meander down Route 191 for a tad then stay along the Delaware on, what else – River Road.

This road is much like a roller coaster and tight as well.

Enjoy this pavement down to Route 652 where we’ll make a left over the #4 bridge into Narrowsburg, which crosses the river at its most narrow point (hence the name Narrowsburg).

This town, located almost in the exactly between the Pocono and Catskills mountains, was once a lumber town and is home to the deepest part of the river – the Big Eddy at 113 feet.

This road, which has a number of great riverside restaurants on its way to Port Jervis, is also home to many eel weirs – large V-shaped traps found mid-stream that catch the eels as they travel the waters to breed.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 37 It is also one of the best places to watch for American Bald Eagles during the cooler seasons.

At one point the road rises high above the Delaware and you will be treated to a run through the Hawks Nest.

Believe it or not this road started as a one lane dirt trail back before the Civil War and has been upgraded a bit since.

Paulinskill River Photography

This place is popular with many motorcyclists and local police – so be forewarned. In Port Jervis make a right after the steel deck bridge to State Road 16 which crosses immediately into New Jersey and CR 521.

Crossing over Route 206, bear onto Old Mine Road and run that along the Delaware, although you’ll be hard pressed to see it.

At the cross over at CR 560 make a right and cross Dingmans Bridge – one of the few privately owned bridges left in the United States.

Pay your Washington at the far end and continue up to US 209 and make a left and head south.

Keep a lookout for Community Drive on the left and bear that way. At the T head left onto, yet another, River Road and enjoy this little known road all the way to the Delaware Water Gap. Sticking on roads like Route 611 and then straight on River Road take this

all the way to the Free Bridge at Belvidere where we will cross back into the Garden State.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that if you started this trip early enough it should be around late lunch now and Thisilldous, on Front Street, (thisilldous.com) is about as good as local food gets on this part of the river.

Tell Mike we sent ya and the coffee is on Backroads.

We will keep heading south from here on the Jersey side along Foul Rift Road towards and around Phillipsburg and then into Carpentersville.

This road eventually runs into County Road 627 and the town of Milford, where we will cross the river once again and, if it is late enough in the day and you are looking for an excellent overnight stop, check the Indian Rock Inn – just north of the Milford Bridge on Route 32. They have all you need for the night – a deck, a bar, a restaurant and a bed – and we featured it last year in We’re Outta Here!

It also has the odd attraction of being one of the few places that you can sit on a porch and watch the sun set over the eastern banks of the Delaware River.

We found it the perfect way to break up this jaunt. As of this printing, the Indian Rock Inn was recovering from a fire in late winter, so check if they have reopened. If they haven’t, there are a number of inns and B&Bs dotting the river for your enjoyment.

The next morning, heading south on Route 32, we found breakfast in New Hope (trendy and crowded as it can be) and then crossed over the river once more, this time where George Washington did and then rode as close to the river as the road would allow us.

From here south the Delaware widens and quickly becomes more maritime

Page 38

with the Navy Shipyard in Philadelphia, where the Schuylkill River meets the Delaware. This is also where the infamous Philadelphia Experiment was allegedly held.

We wish we could tell you of the fantastic roads that run south of here, but that would be a lie.

Still here the ends justify the means and after you make your way across this part of southern New Jersey you will find Fort Mott. Created after the Civil War for coastal defense you will also find a disputed land battle.

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

It seems that a small bit of the peninsula that is New Jersey actually belongs to the state of Delaware. This dispute has been going on for centuries and if you look closely at the map you will see what I am saying is true.

It is also true that Backroads once single-handedly rode into the disputed wasteland (run by the Army Corp of Engineers) and planted the Garden State’s flag - Joe Biden be damned - Fidelis New Jerseyas!

On Saturday night, during the summer, you can also find America’s oldest running rodeo – Cowtown – which is now in its 61st season, right off Route 40 (Harding Highway) near Pilesgrove.

The New Jersey side of the bay is one of the most interesting places in the northeast, with miles of lonely undeveloped wetlands.

Things are very different down here. With the wide Delaware Bay to the south and the expansive wetlands to the north it is a world away from the beginning of our trip in the Catskill Mountains a day before.

The town of Fortescue once again has a wonderful hotel called the Charlesworth, resurrected after superstorm Sandy took its toll. It’s the perfect spot to call home for an evening, complete with an excellent meal.

Remember to stop along the way for your potent potable, as this is a dry county. Sea Breeze was called the most desolate part of New Jersey by Weird NJ; and they would know.

Each spring, along this part of the bay, thousands of ancient Horseshoe crabs come upon the shore to lay their eggs. This brings even more migratory birds that fly in for the horseshoe crab festival. It is truly an amazing sight.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 39

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE ULTIMATE TOURING VEHICLE EVEN BETTER? WE FOUND THREE WAYS.

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We’ll end this month’s trip of the Great River Tours in Port Norris, New Jersey – where you will find the small towns of Bi Valve and Shellpile.

Once the epicenter of the oyster business its thriving industry is now a whispy ghost of what it once was. Still, like its history, the oyster shells pile high along the shores of the Delaware Bay. And, along this month’s installment of the Backroads’ Great River Series, you have seen it before it is gone.

With a new Rotax® 1330 ACE™ high-torque engine and a new 6-speed transmission, the road has never been so inviting. The high-torque response of the ACE engine gives you 40% more low-end torque and now can go up to 252 miles at 62 mph on one tank of gas.* While the new 6-speed transmission provides an incredibly smooth ride for you and your passenger. Add in a unique Y-frame design and 7 automotive technologies, and that rush you feel will be equal parts exhilaration and confidence.

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Whether you’re riding offroad, backroads, or on the track, we’re here to get you where you need to go.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Food for Thought

When we were finished with our lecture on The Big Five Motorcycle Destinations of the World in the Steve McQueen Room at Motorcyclopedia back in January we took a few questions and one of the most interesting and stumping to us was – What was the most interesting thing we ever ate in our travels?

That caused a bit of discussion between Shira and myself on the various dishes we have tried and what was the best, different or, err…oddest that we have experienced in our limited travels around the planet.

It took about a week and necessitated mentally going over different journeys and locations.

But, I think we narrowed it down to a very interesting few.

Enjoy – no, really - enjoy!

Whale - Norway

Along the western coast of Norway we took lunch at a small, yet cozy restaurant overlooking the Norwegian Sea. On the menu, I was told, was whale.

There are certain creatures I thought I’d have a hard time eating and I thought whale would be one of these, but I found out that the whales that are used as food in Norway are not endangered.

I remember it being very beef-like, well cooked and delicious. It came with an awesome brown sauce that would go with anything.

The species is known as Minke whale and is sustainable. I still believe it is a sentient creature (we all are to a degree, some more than others) but here, much like the steak I just bought at the butcher, the deed was already done and a plate was placed in front of me.

On the road, if you wish to eat it is sometimes better not to ask. It is not like they are going to kill it front of you …until they do.

Bob the Goat - Chile

We have had goat a bazillion times but, along the Chilean coast on route to Ushuaia, the goat I had been toying with that afternoon was walked past us, hauled up and butchered.

Bob? Sniff…

Sorry, this is how it’s done here. The circle of life (& death) – I hope hungry aliens do not land anytime soon.

Bob the Goat was cooked over an open fire and he was quite excellent, if a bit creepy, after calling him Bob.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Haggis - Scotland

I was raised in a Scots home and spent a few summers in the ‘Old Country’ so haggis was not something incredibly different for me and I like it.

Shira, not such a huge fan - although Grandpa’s Kishka was better?

Haggis is made with a combination of heart, liver, lungs; minced with onions, oatmeal, suet, salt and stock stuffed into a stomach or sausage casing.

Nice. Different. So Scottish, right? Maybe not.

Our region has scrapple, and nobody really knows what that is made of – so there.

Every morning in the Highlands I had haggis and with the mad beef embargo lifted we might get some real Scottish haggis here in the USA soon. In the meantime the best haggis in this country, at least for me, is made by Magnus Thorsson of Gray Ghost fame. Consider yourself fortunate if he ever offers it to you.

Tehal - Morocco

The souks in any big town in Morocco can be a literal smorgasbord of edible dishes that equally delight and cause despair – it depends on your attitude.

Think of Tehal like a creamy liver pate’. Try not to think of it as camel spleen stuffed with ground camel meat, olives and preserved lemons, spices and a little bit of hump fat. The stuffed spleen, resembling a giant sausage, is baked in a communal bread oven then sliced and fried and served with Moroccan Bread.

Page 41 Hey, the Scots have Haggis, the Jews Kishka and the Moroccan’s Tehal.

It’s all good with some eggs and coffee first thing in the morning.

Ostrich – South Africa

The large flightless bird of Africa is rich in protein and high in iron yet is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than skinless chicken or turkey.

Although I have always liked the ostrich personally, Shira has a love / hate relationship with them stemming from a big bird attack years back and the subsequent ostrich ride in South Africa last time we were there which ended quickly and humorously.

The steaks and neck from this bird are remarkably good for such a big and strong creature. Yummy.

Wild Boar - Italy

We had this in Italy and it was just like pork (as you would think) with a far more gamey bite to it. Earlier that day we had a number of boar run across the road, much like deer do and then followed them through their run down the hills and across the valley.

I think we ate their cousin that night.

The roasted skin and cheek was by far the best part.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Granadilla - Ecuador

At first I thought it looked kind of like an orange, but on the inside….

Yikes…so gross looking. It had the looks and consistency of sloppy frog eggs: seeds cased in a thick clear phlegmy jel. If you can get past appearances it tastes pretty good: it’s a member of the passion fruit family but sweeter, and the seeds are crunch and edible.

But, alas, I had a hard time eating this and I think it … ‘affected’ me later.

You can’t always win.

Guinea Pig - Ecuador

Called Cuy (pronounced Kwee) on the streets of Ecuador this is the same playful rodent that you’ll find in many kindergarten classes; only here it is on a spit and roasted. If that doesn’t get your eyes wide remember that Cuy is very greasy, and there’s not a lot of meat, so you have to work it.

Expect to use your hands, and get messy. You’ll find the tasty parts along the back legs and head. It was delicious tasting with a ducky & porky flavor; but don’t tell my nieces.

I don’t think this is going to catch on in the US, but it could if it was packaged and served with no questions asked.

It’s far better than this last one, also eaten in Ecuador.

It’s a big wide world out there and tastes, cuisine and what’s palatable differs around this globe. But, remember. If the locals can eat it then you can too. Just like getting your Passport stamped, or riding a special road – eating the different foods found along the backroads of Earth is part of the travel experience.

You can eat a home cooked meal when you return.

Taking the Shot - Sniper or Shotgun One of the biggest moneymakers for Hollywood in the last few years has been the film American Sniper – the story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle’s (played by Bradley Cooper) pinpoint accuracy that saved countless lives on the battlefield and turned him into a legend.

Kyle’s ability to take the right shot at the right time showed the sniper’s patience, skill and commitment.

In other movies, and at other times, taking the shot is a bit more haphazard, but the results for someone like New York City Detective John McClane or John Rambo might yield the same satisfactory results.

This comparison crossed my mind while going about taking pictures on a recent journey, but the same theory applies anywhere and any time any of us take out a camera and set about to capture an event.

In one instance I had ridden up ahead of our group, through a series of tight turns alongside a lake in the mountains.

Each kilometer there was a small marker calling out where you were on the road.

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 43 Coolpix. I held the camera up at the bay and waited. When Flipper and friends showed I shot off a bunch of images.

Most were of the bay, but one caught a single dolphin in mid-jump. Sunset helped.

I was happy with the shot as were my friends and it quickly went viral through our little click of riders.

Yes, I shot a bunch of useless images that day. But, I also captured the money shot as well and that is the one that is remembered.

Sniper or shotgun?

Who cares? Do whatever the situation calls for and take the shot – you can sort out that great image later. ~ Brian Rathjen

I thought one of the kilo-markers would make a good foreground subject and I had captured a moment much like it a number of years back.

A short ride down the road and a glance in the mirror showed me the perfect marker. Right at the exit of a sweeping turn it would do just fine.

I crossed the road, parked my bike, set up the lens I wanted and got down on my belly, low to the ground using my helmet as a brace and pillow to keep comfortable and steady while I waited for my subject matter (in this case our riding group) to make their way through the turn.

I waited a good long time as they all were busy doing their own photography and memory-making. Yup, waiting.

Still waiting….. yup.

When I did hear them rolling up to the far side of the turn I readied my camera, checked exposure, lens aperture and speed and got ready to squeeze the shutter release.

The first bike rolled through and, seeing me on the floor with camera in hand, immediately broke the cardinal rule of moto-journalistic photography.

He waved.

Ahh, wasted shot, I thought.

The next rider and machine were mine.

The thought here was, like a good marksman, I knew what I wanted to shoot and I had the image more or less already formed in my head.

Once I got down on the floor and got comfortable (it’s all relative) I could fine-tune what I saw in the frame and take it from there. The “sniper” approach, as I had both vision and time on my side.

Other times opportunity comes fast and lasts just a few moments.

There have been more of these quasi-opportunities than I would like to remember – basically because I failed to get a shot or shots that I was anywhere near happy with. But, on occasion the shotgun approach to photography has yielded some excellent, if lucky, results.

With enough light available and the speed of today’s motor-drives on most high-end cameras (sorry iPhone people) the ability to point, focus and shoot off a burst of photographs can work to your advantage.

A burst of images catching a number of motorcycles coming through a turn will hopefully lead to at least one decent photograph.

Unfortunately this will not work if you are shooting Bigfoot whom we know to be naturally out of focus.

Although not perfect, shooting with today’s Smart Phones and point & shoot cameras the images can be, at times, nothing less than stunning.

I think that a new iPhone 6 takes superb images, with great perspective, although not that fast from the hip.

Given the opportunity to shoot at something happening in front of you – or not shooting? I think you should use the “shotgun” approach every time and see what happens.

It’s not like we are burning film anymore and that is why they made delete.

The dirty little secret, for many professional photographers and those that get paid to produce great images and moments, is that if you shoot 100 pictures and only one of them is worthy then that is still a winning day; and it’s that one shot that makes it all worth while.

Case in point - we were on a small boat in the Chesapeake Bay and there were a pod of dolphins following our wake. All I had was a small Nikon

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS CYNTUR ’S JUMPERPACK MINI This is the story of a rider we know. We won’t mention his real name so we’ll just call him Barry - Barry Allen.

Barry seems to have a curse riding along with him and this pestering reality manifests itself by having various calamities, break downs and whatnows that happen to his motorcycle – almost always on a Backroads’ Rally.

At the last rally, just as dinner was being served, we spotted a long flatbed bringing a motorcycle back to the hotel.

Tied down on the back of the truck was Barry Allen’s bike.

Barry, always the optimist, was still smiling, but his bike – not so much. He claimed his starter was dead. Hmmm?

After dinner about a dozen “experts” surrounded the machine and began to make comments on the real issue. What sort of air do you have in those tires? When was the last time you waxed it? Does your bike like MaryAnn or Ginger better? Did you try starting it from the other side? Are you running New England air in the mid-Atlantic states?

You crazy?

One guy, with a few years experience said – “Your battery is dead – that’s all.”

Barry Allen disagreed. It couldn’t be so simple. Could it? It was more likely bad air in the tires.

So, with the sun setting and the siren call of the bar wafting in the air the discussion and diagnosis was brought inside for the night.

The next day we -er- ‘borrowed’ a car (it was easier) and with the lights on hooked up jumper cables for a lark.

Bang! The motorcycle started in a flash and Barry Allen was in shock.

We were lucky that we had a car, or if need be, other motorcycles to jump as well as some motorcycle specific jumper cables. If Barry was alone he would have been S.O.O.L..

But there is a better and far easier solution for us all.

The Cyntur’s JumperPack mini.

An essential accessory for any vehicle, the JumperPack mini is a 12,000mAh lithium-ion jump starter that has the power to jump start vehicles with up to eight cylinder engines, can charge mobile devices including smartphones and tablets, has a flashlight for emergency situations, and weighs less than a pound.

It can start a motorcycle all morning long. There are a number of battery packs on the market today but a few things set the Cyntur apart from the rest.

The Cyntur’s battery life – this JumperPack lasts up to one year on a single charge, whereas most competitors last half of that and the strong lithium-ion power can light cylinder engines up to 25 times after a single charge.

Starting motorcycles is far easier.

Packed with advanced features – The JumperPack features SafeJump technology, which prevents reverse charge, reverse polarity, over-current and short-circuits.

More importantly it’s compact - weighing less than a pound and measuring 6L x 3.3W x 1.3H inches - it easily fits in most top cases, seat or saddle- bags.

The Cyntur’s Jumper Pack has additional features that make it a must have item on tour. In the dark it has LED lights, packed with 200 lumens, the JumperPack

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 45

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS also functions as a torch or emergency strobe light as well as having 2.1 USB port – quickly charge smartphones, tablets and more while on the go.

Which is great if you are totally dead, both bike and phone-wise, and need to make a call to the local shop.

The unit carries an IPX3 weatherproof rating to withstand the most demanding weather conditions.

If we had one of these that day Barry Allen would have been back on the road…in a Flash! We’re carrying one these days and even if you don’t want to lug one around and you have a group that you ride with you might consider buying one for the group. For the price of a lunch you can chip in and buy a group JumperPack.

It just might be the best investment you and your friends ever make but just make sure somebody brings it along for the ride.

The JumperPack mini is available at an affordable price of $99.99 at Cyntur.com and Target stores nationwide.

RKA 24-LITER STARR V SEAT BAG Looking for a solid good-size bag that is easy to use, durable and can easily carry a weekend’s worth of clothing and gear?

Take a look at RKA’s 24 Liter STARR V Seat Bag. Unlike other seat bags that use bungee hooks, this innovative piece of luggage from RKA has a seat pad that stays on the passenger seat all the time, allowing for the bag itself to be quickly attached or removed. The pad is made from a rider-friendly “Slip-Not” material (your passenger won’t feel it) and this pad is key to making the Starr V Seat Bag so user-friendly.

Installation takes just a few minutes and there is plenty of strap to make it snug on just about any machine. On our BMW R1200 GS it was a breeze.

Once the pad is on, the bag simply straps on and cinches down onto the pad using Velcro-style straps through sturdy plastic “keepers” located in the front and rear of the bag.

The bag is self-supporting as it is built with a plastic insert around it, allowing for it to stand by itself and not collapse as some bags do.

The interior of the bag is made with 3/8 inch foam combined with a 200 denier coated nylon for the inside lining, which is a bright silver allowing for you to actually see your stuff inside the bag – especially good in low-light situations.

The inside of the lid also has a convenient organizer to hold paper work and other such items and some pens (handy for the moto- journalist).

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

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THE

RETURN

OF THE ONE DAY

ROAD TOUR

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16th

Join us for a 200-mile tri-state self-guided romp through New Jersey, New York + Pennsylvania START: yetter’s Diner • 89 US 206, Augusta, NJ SIGN-IN: 9 -10:30am END: Chatterbox Drive-In • Rtes. 94/206, Augusta, NJ Optional: $10/bike donation to Backroads’ Little Free Libraries

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015 We found we could carry a slew of items with this bag including a 17-inch laptop, cameras, maps, extra gloves, small gear items, a few bags of cashews for the road and your small yellow road buddy easily.

Although all RKA Luggage is made with waterproof urethane coated 600-denier vinyl laminated material and YKK zippers, all things sewn have points where moisture can seep in.

Strongly water-resistant might be a better choice of wording here – but a waterproof cover is available.

Ours came in the standard black but custom colors are available as well, with an additional wait time.

The bag, which lists for $150, measures 17 inches long and 11 wide by 8 inches high and the rain cover is available for an additional $20.

Log onto RKA at www.rka-luggage.com.

NEVER MISS ANOTHER MOMENT OF THE ACTION NEW X~PWR™ PROVIDES EXTERNAL POWER TO YOUR GOPRO® IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

Heck yeah! You’ve just run a full 20 miles of stunning asphalt and not once got slowed down by a soccer mom. This is going to be so awesome to watch again on your GoPro® camera. But wait! You missed the shot because somewhere along the way, the battery died… frack.

Until now you had two choices for camera protection: Use the camera in a sealed protective case, with limited battery life OR run an open “skeleton” case that allows you to hook to external power but offers no protection from the elements.

Enter the new X~PWR™ All-Weather External Power Case from 3BR Powersports. The supplied case and connecting cable now offer a sealed protection system for your GoPro Hero 3® or Hero 4® camera while also allowing it to be plugged into a continuous USB power source.

The rugged case design protects your GoPro® camera from harsh environments but unlike the standard GoPro® case, the X~PWR™ case and BCAPPED™ power cable provides a patented seal design to keep out debris and moisture while charging. No longer do you have to expose the camera to the elements to change batteries. Never again miss that exciting video shot due to dead batteries! Shoot up to 9 hours of 1080-30Hz video on a single 64GB card. The B-CAPP™ cable can also be used to download your videos without having to remove the camera from the case; no more fumbling with Micro-SD cards!

X~PWR™ All-Weather External Power Case sell for just $59.95 and the kit includes the X~PWR™ All-weather camera case and a 18” B-CAPPED™ USB Power Cable (For handlebar or dash mounting) – there are optional cables for pocket or vehicle use as well.

Plug your X~PWR™ protected GoPro® camera into one of 3BR Powersports’ TAPP™ family of all-weather USB power ports using a TAPP CAPP™ cable for a complete all-weather system powered from your motorcycle, ATV, UTV, snowmobile or other powersports vehicle.

Visit www.3brpowersports.com for more information.

‘Like’ us on Facebook for all the latest news, up-to-the-minute rides and events and just cool motorcycle stuff. We often do impromptu lunch or dinner rides, as well as weekend jaunts. Don’t be left out.

www.facebook.com/pages/Backroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine/86102625812

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Rip & Ride® • SKYLANDS MANOR 5 MORRIS ROAD, RINGWOOD, N.J. 07456 973-962-9370 • WWW.NJBG.ORG • GPS N 41.126950 W 74.23954 GPS DOWNLOAD: WWW.SENDSPACE.COM/PRO/DL/Y8IZYA

STARTING EASTON, PA RTE. 611 NORTH OUT OF EASTON RIGHT AT MARTINS CREEK BELVIDERE HIGHWAY LEFT AT RICHMOND ROAD RIGHT AT GRAVEL HILL ROAD STRAIGHT AT DEER RUN ROAD RIGHT AT RIVERTON ROAD BEAR LEFT UP STEEP HILL TO RIVER ROAD STRAIGHT AT RTE. 611 THROUGH DELAWARE WATER GAP FOLLOW SIGNS PAST I-80 TO RIVER ROAD ON RIGHT RIGHT AT RTE. 209 RIGHT AT RTE. 739 OVER DINGMANS BRIDGE TO NJ BEAR LEFT AT OLD MINE ROAD LEFT AT RTE. 206 IMMEDIATE RIGHT T CR 650 DECKERTOWN ROAD LEFT AT CR 519 RIGHT AT RTE. 23 SOUTH LEFT AT GORGE ROAD LEFT AT CR 651 UNIONVILLE ROAD STRAIGHT AT NY 36 THROUGH UNIONVILLE LEFT AT RTE. 284 RIGHT AT RTE 1A LEFT AT RTE. 94 RIGHT AT RTE. 17A PAST GREENWOOD LAKE AND RENAISSANCE FAIRE RIGHT AT LONG MEADOW ROAD RIGHT AT STERLING MINE ROAD LEFT AT MORRIS ROAD TO SKYLANDS MANOR

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 49

ROCK, RIBS & RIDGES RETURNS TO THE FAIRGROUNDS • JUNE 27-28 2 days of Great Music, food & craft Beer on Tap Fire up the mountain, the smokers and come taste the excitement as the legendary Charlie Daniels heads a full weekend of great music and mouthwatering barbecue at the 6th annual Rock, Ribs & Ridges festival, June 2728, 2015, at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ. Presented by Franklin Sussex Auto Mall, Rock, Ribs & Ridges fires up the summer outdoor concert and grilling season with a record 10 bands performing over the weekend.

Blue Öyster Cult, Lou Gramm the Voice of Foreigner, and Canadian rocker Pat Travers head the list of performers supplying the rock on Saturday, June 27. They’ll be joined by Preacher Stone and the Farmer Phil Band.

Southern legend Charlie Daniels will make his only area appearance and heads a Southern rock flavored lineup featuring the CDB, the Marshall Tucker Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Artimus Pyle of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stolen Rhodes and the Gary Douglas Band on Sunday, June 28.

After featuring a “Who’s Who” in Southern rock during its early years, the festival added classic rock last year with George Thorogood & the Destroyers headlining to great success. The festival then surveyed more than 3,000 people during the winter with 39.9 percent favoring Southern rock and 38.6 percent wanting classic rock.

The result: a record 10 performers from both genres over two days.

Festival-goers will also enjoy two days of delicious barbecue served up by top regional chefs and an assortment of craft beer selections at the annual bash.

Attendees have the opportunity to vote for the Weis Markets People’s Choice winner among the top regional chefs who compete in a juried rib cook-off and serve up award-winning barbecue fare throughout the weekend. Defending champion Texas Smoke BBQ of Jefferson, NJ heads the competitive rib teams who will be manning the smokers.

Festival-goers looking to stay over have the option of camping out throughout the weekend just a short three-minute walk from the festival area at the fairgrounds. They will also receive exclusive campers-only, after-hours concerts by Stolen Rhodes and Preacher Stone. Attendees can also enjoy a relaxing weekend in their own RV. The first 100 motorcycles each day get to park for free courtesy of Riders Insurance.

The Sussex County Farmer’s Market

Come with empty saddlebags and bring home dinner 37 Plains Road at the Sussex County Fairgrounds • Augusta, NJ

Open June thru October • Saturdays 9am-2pm The most Rider-Friendly Farmer’s Market in the Region

Come and meet YOUR Farmers

For tickets and additional information including VIP and weekend packages, visit www.rockribsandridges.com.

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

UP C O M I N G E VE NT S CA LEND AR EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING Every Monday • McCobb’s Bike Night, 2391 Hamburg Tpke, Wayne, NJ • 6-10pm Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and do some benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish Last Wednesday • Tramontin Over the Hump Bike Night. 6-8pm. Live music, great food, in-house specials. Exit 12 Rte. 80, Hope NJ • 908-459-4101 • TramontinHD.com Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ. Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com Every Saturday • 9am for coffee and bagels. KSU 10am. Return for FREE food and music. Proper attire MUST be worn! No shorts or sneakers. • Bergen Harley-Davidson, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.BergenHarley.com

What’s Happening • KSU 10am • $25/rider,$15/pass,$10 walkin • 145 River Rd, New Milford, NJ. Police escorted ride, after party food, demos, entertainment and vendors booth 13-21 • Laconia Motorcycle Week – the original riding rally. All of the attractions that you can imagine, attracting the best custom bike builders and their creations.

Events and attractions are going on everywhere, but the place to be at night is Weirs Beach • 603-366-2000 • www.laconiamcweek.com 12 • Cross Country Powersports Can-Am Spyder Demo Event • 911 Middlesex Ave, metuchen, NJ • 732-491-2900 • CrossCountryPowersports.com 13 • Motorcycle Mall Can-Am Spyder Demo Event • 655 Washington Ave, Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • MotorcycleMall.com 13 • Morton’s BMW Off-Road Training Day. Sign up on website: MortonsBMW.com

JUNE

13 • Dr. Greg Frazier ‘Long Distance Riding Adventures’ seminar. Bob’s BMW, 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD. Noon-3pm • More info: 301-497-8949

1-6 • Americade, world's largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally. Come for the day or the week to the "Best Riding Event in the U.S." with the most factory demos, massive motorcycle expo, lots of incredible motorcycle events and more rides than any other event in the country • 518-798-7888 • www.americade.com

15-16 • CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway Monday and Tuesday for a two-day class around one of the nicest facilities in the US. Sign up by March and receive $100 off the weekend fee. For more information please visit www.classrides.com or call 805-933-9936.

6 • 5th Annual Carney Vetrano Bowling Benefit Poker Run Mystery Ride to benefit Ronald McDonald Camp for Kids with Cancer sponsored by H-D Long Branch & Jersey Shore HOG. Shore Lanes, 701 Rte. 35 North, Nepture, NJ. Sign up: 11amNoon • KSU Noon. $20 donation includes sandwich & drink. Cash prizes.

16 • Liberty Harley-Davidson Blacktop Bike Night. Live music, vendors, food, beverages. 12 W. Milton, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2400 • LibertyHarley.com

6 • Tramontin Harley-Davidson’s No Buddy Left Behind Ride to benefit NOWZAD, Paws fo War, Guardians of Rescue. Sign in: 10-11am • KSU 11am • $25/$15 includes escorted ride, live band, food, prizes. Tramontin HD, Exit 12, Route 80, Hope NJ • 908-459-4101 • TramontinHD.com 6 • Puppy Rescue Mission Ride. Sign up: 10-11am • KSU 11am. $20/rider, $15/pass.

Garden State Harley-Davidson, 1775 Rte. 10 East, Morris Plains, NJ. Live music, chair massages, patch sewing, shoe shining, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, food from 1-3pm (while supply lasts) • More info: 973-898-7100 • randi@gardenstatehd.com 7 • Bergen Harley-Davidson Ride In Bike Show @ Fort Lee Art & Music Festival, Ft. Lee Municipal Parking Lot, Fort Lee, NJ. FREE registration 11-12:30 • awards 3pmish • 201-843-6930 • BergenHarley.com 12-13 • Cross Country Powersports CanAm Demo Event. Demo Truck all day June 12 • Demos available June 13 (call for details) 911 Middlesex, Metuchen, NJ • 732491-2900 • CrossCountryPowersports.com 13 • Bergen Harley-Davidson Father’s Day Bikini Bike Wash. Noon-3:30pm/$5-bike to benefit Disabled American Veterans. Free BBQ and music. 124 Essex, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • BergenHarley.com

17 • 28th Annual Gooch’s Garlic Run presented by Blue Knights NJ IX to benefit local children’s charities. Sign-in: Rockaway TownSquare, Rt 80/Mt Hope Ave, Rockaway, NJ (exit 35 East/ 35A West) 4:30pm • KSU 6:30PM SHARP. Police escorted ride to Newark Ironbound District. PreReg: $15/motorcylce • after 6/13: $20/motorcycle • Full details www.bknjix.org • www.facebook.com/Goochs 20 • Bob's BMW Motorcycles Seminar: Tips for Properly Strapping Down a Motorcycle.11am. 10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobsbmw.com 25-28 • Johnstown Thunder in the Valley, Johnstown, PA • 800-237-8590 • www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunderinthevalley 26-27 • Motorcycle Mall Victory Demo Days. 655 Washington Ave, Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • MotorcycleMall.com 28 • 7th Annual Baer’s MS Poker Run to benefit Multiple Sclerosis. Sign up: 9amNoon Baer’s Sports Center, 330 Grandview Ave, Honesdale, PA or Harmony Lodge No. 8 F&AM, 519 Rte. 206, Andover, NJ.$20/pp incl. pins or patches, scenic ride, live music, food and prizes • www.WRVR.net • 570-253-2000

JULY 10-11 • Law Enforcement Skills Competition. 7/10: Practice and Eliminations 8am4pm @ Willowbrook Mall, Wayne, NJ • 7/11: Finals and awards 8am - 2pm. For full

14 • 2nd Annual Warriors Run to benefit Wounded Warriors Project. Sign in: 8-10am

28th Annual GOOCH’S GARLIC RUN™ presented by Blue Knights® NJ IX

Wednesday, June 17 Rain date June 24

Destination Newark’s Ironbound District

Music Vendors Great Food

Motorcycle Event that Benefits Local Children’s Charities Start: Rockaway Townsquare Mall I-80 Exit 35/Mt. Hope Ave, Rockaway, NJ Sign in starts 4:30pm • Run leaves 6:30pm SHARP! Pre-Registration: $15/motorcycle by June 13 • $20 day of event

PRE-REGISTRATION STRONGLY RECOMMENDED For more information and pre-registration form visit:

www.bknjix.org

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

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UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR details visit www.sonj.org/special-olympics-events/law-enforcement/ for mail-in registration form or contact: Tommy Johnson, tjohn710@yahoo.com • 7/11: Motorcycle Run • Sign in: 8 - 9 am at Bergen County Harley-Davidson, 124 Essex Street, Rochelle Park • KSU: 9:15am. 50 mile escorted ride to Willowbrook Mall for lunch and t-shirt pick-up. Skills Competition will be in-progress. $25/Rider (must be 18 or over), $15/Passenger. Includes event shirt and lunch.

10 • Country Rode Motowerks hosts Simon and Lisa ‘The Search for Freedom’ presentation sharing their experiences, advice, lessons learned and secrets from their 12-years of global travel @ 6pm. 286 Macedon Ctr Rd, Fairport, NY • 585-421-0480 • www.countryrode.com 17-19 • Centinnary College’s WNTI presents WNTIStage. Music, food and craft vendors under the big tent and Lions Club Pavilion, 89 US 46, Columbia, NJ • www.WNTStage.org • 908-979-4355 17-19 • Cross Country Ducati hosts Ducati Experience Tour. Only chance in the TriState area to demo the 2015 models, including the Scrambler. 911 Middlesex, Metuchen, NJ • 732-635-0094 • crosscountrycycle.net 18 • Bob's BMW Motorcycles Healthy Riding Seminar: Discuss potential health related issues motorcyclists might encounter such as hypothermia and how to trat/prevent.10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobsbmw.com 18-19 • Ramapo MC 39th Annual running of the Ramapo 500™. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes North Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY • 7AM • $35 adv. reg/$50/day of event. 500+ miles of gorgeous scenery and backroads, free camping, pool, Saturday night dinner, awards and prizes, Sunday breakfast, starter pins and finishers patch. Garmin GPS upload for additional fee • ramapomc.org • RMC@ramapomc.org 19 • Blue Knights PA XXVI Fallen Officer Poker Run to benefit the families of Cpl. Bryon Dickson and Tpr. Alex Douglass. Sign up: Combined Energy Wvc, 1483 Rte. 739, Dingmans Ferry, PA. $20/pp incl. scenic ride, prizes, vendors, live music, food and more at Airport Park, 7th & Ave S, Matamoras, PA • 914-850-2986 23-25 • 43rd BMW MOA International Rally, MetraPark, Billings, Montana • www.bmwmoa.org

AUGUST 7-8 • 38th Annual Daniel Boone Rally sponsered by the Carolinas BMW Motorcycle Owners Assoc. Great Riding Roads, Hospitality and Comaraderie in cool North Carolina Mountain air. All riders and brands welcome - room for everyone at the KOA campgrounds in Boone, NC. $45 rally fee includes two-nights camping, pin to first 200 attendees, door prizes, Sat. evening BBQ, donuts & coffee sunday morning, 24 hour coffee, tea, hot chocolate, iced tea & lemonade. Also People's Choice Award,self-guided route sheets and GPS downloads (on and off-road), fee

What’s Happening wi-fi and so much more. Full details www.carolinasbmwmoa.org or email rally@bmwmoa.org 16 • BACKROADS 200. NJ/NY/PA 200+ mile ride. Details page 49 16 • Brit Jam 2015 9am-4:30pm • Haddam Neck Fairgrounds, Rte. 151, East Hampton, CT. Entry: $10. British Iron Association of CT. Connecticut’s finest classic motorcycle show and swap meet • www.CTBritIron.org 20-23 • America’s 9/11 Ride remembering the 14th Anniversary honoring the first responders. Police escorted ride from Shanksville, PA to the Pentagon to the World Trade Center. Pre-reg closed 8/10/15. More info: www.americas911ride.org 19-22 • Westchester Beemers NY Trio Tour 2015. Sport-touring ‘scavenger hunt’ event. 3 consecutive daily rides begin/end Lincoln, NH-based location. Daily rides average 8.5 hours and cover 350 miles. Five/Six checkpoints per day, plus daily wild card bonus opportunities. Rider packets include bonus locations sent electronically 7 days ahead of the Rider Briefing on Day One. LIMITED TO 33 RIDERS. $65/solo • $95/two-up. Details/registration: www.triotour.org • 914-328-7909

SEPTEMBER 6 • Backroads ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ Ride. We’ll meet at 10am for a leisurely ride through the countryside to Skylands Stadium,Augusta, NJ for a friendly rivalry game between the Sussex County Miners vs. Rockland Boulders. Tickets $10pp from box office or call 973-940-0222 (mention Backroads). More to come.

17-21 • Backroads Fall Foliage 2015. 4-night road trip to Virginia/West Virginia. 1st night: George Washington Hotel, Winchester, VA • nights 2 + 3: Isaac Jackson Hotel, Elkins, WV • 4th night: Shippen Place Hotel, Shippensburg, PA. We’ll visit some old and new stops, and bring you on some great twisties. Full info: www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html. As always, gathering is free, just pay your own way and have a great time. Questions? editor@backroadsusa.com • 973-948-4176 19 • Bob's BMW Motorcycles Oktoberfest & Open House 9A-4P.10720 Guilford Rd, Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobsbmw.com

OCTOBER 11 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club Fall Foliage Tour. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes North Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY 9am-mid-afternoon. Benefits Valerie Fund for Childhood Cancer Research. A guided or self-guided tour featuring the best autumn pallet Mother Nature can provide along some of the Hudson Valley’s most interesting roads. For more info: ramapomc.org • RMC@ramapomc.org Watch calendar and website for new events and upcoming 2015 Backroads Rally announcements. Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information: www.facebook.com/pages/Backroads-Motorcycle-Touring-Magazine

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JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

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BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 53

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

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Fire Pit • Free WiFi Cooked-to-order Breakfast Heated Pool • BYOB

We welcome everyone from a lone rider to a full chapter

344 Route 100, West Dover, VT www.BigBearsLodge.com 802-464-5591

The Boat House Restaurant Perfect in Any Season Brunch, Lunch or Dinner on Swartswood Lake

Excellent Ride Destination

Tues-Sun 11A-9P Brunch 10A-2P Closed Monday Call for Seasonal Hours

1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood NJ 973-300-0016

Touring North Central Virginia?

Then ride on over to the NEW Comfort Inn & Suites in Orange

The newest motorcycle-friendly hotel closest to Skyline Drive… just 30 miles away!

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Motorcyclist Owned & Operated Large indoor heated pool and spa • Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet Microwaves + fridges in every room • Large rooms + suites available

Comfort Inn & Suites 334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy), Orange, VA 22960 540-672-3121 • www.comfortinn.com/hotel-orange-virginia-VA657

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Membership $25 • Includes Member Benefits www.MotorcycleSafetyProgram.org

Page 54

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST, STURGIS AND BEYOND

BARN TRAILERS

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

Come Ride the Dragon Deals Gap 318 Curves in 11 Miles

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

Deals Gap Store Motel Bar and Grill

Sussex Hills Ltd. Stocking a full line of heated gear Make your riding season last all

973-875-2048

Specializing in Motorcycle Repair, Parts & Supplies • Cycle Tires Mounted & Balanced • Batteries & Hard Parts • Dynojet 250 Dyno available for testing

Norman Gross 946 Rte. 23 South For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs Since 1976 Sussex NJ 07461 Our Reputation Speaks for Itself 3 miles north of Sussex Bor-

O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON

®

Serving New York’s Hudson Valley for 40 years Factory Trained Service • New Model Sales Genuine Harley-Davidson® Parts and Accessories

WASHINGTON CYCLE WORKS We cater to road racers and support all Track Day organizations Check us for Suspension Setups • One-piece Road Race suits in stock

Conveniently located near the areas of Monticello, Middletown, Ellenville, Montgomery, and Walden

4 Sullivan St • Wurtsboro, NY 845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com

www.washingtoncycleworks.com Washington Cycle Works PRIDE. PASSION. PODIUMS.

Junction of Rtes. 57/31 • Washington, NJ 07882

908-835-0043 Open: Tues-Thurs 9:30AM-7PM • Fri 9:30AM-6PM Sat 9AM-3PM • Closed Sun-Mon

BACKROADS • JUNE 2015

Page 55

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

ALL THAT GOOD STUFF

Ye olde landmark Tavern 5 Spacious Rooms starting at $95.00 Tavern and Dining Room Menu Serving Hours: Mon-Sat: 5-9pm Sunday: 2:30-8pm 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 Riverside Cafe & Lodge, nestled on the Beaverskill River in Roscoe, NY CIA-trained chef • Motel rooms and cabins • Free wi-fi Excellent base location to explore the lower Catskills

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

THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT IS BACK • join us at

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

Riverside Cafe & Lodge • 16624 Cty Hwy 17 • Roscoe, NY • 607-498-5305

www.chatterboxdrivein.com

www.riversidecafeandlodge.com • GPS: 41°58’09”N • 75°01’32.6”W

Worth the ride from anywhere!

Sharing your passion for good food since 1983 Member of

NOW AVAILABLE Barbeque Catering Flexible • Affordable Ready When You Are 320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com

Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday

The Riverton

lley’s Hudson Va ne Riding Number O t Restauran e u q e b r a B W North 1076 Route 9 mery, NY Fort Montgo

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Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pm Sunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm

Travel along the scenic backroads of the Delaware river.

Meet the Markopoulos family and taste chef George’s Greek American cooking.

Celebrate the Season with some awesome barbeque!

Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.

Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and crispy wings with 8 different sauces.

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

The Riverton Hotel and Restaurant If you go home hungry it’s your own fault

At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com

Member of

Page 56

JUNE 2015 • BACKROADS

Route 739 • Dingmans Ferry, PA • 570.828.1920

MOTORCYCLE MARKETPLACE

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American • Metric • Sport • Parts & Accessories • Award-winning Service • Performance Work • Dyno Tuning • S&S Pro Tuning Center • Power Commander Tuning Center

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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. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com

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

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

www.HanoverPowersports.com

• www.Powersports.Honda.com

Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am-6pm • Thur: 9am-8pm • Sat: 9am-5pm • SUNDAY: CLOSED - GONE RIDING