WHAT’S INSIDE
BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2025. 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 responsibility 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.
FREE WHEELIN
Doctor rick
By now, we have all probably seen the insurance commercial on television where we are warned about the “danger” of becoming our parents. Up until this point, I was not aware of Parentamorphosis – but it is on TV, so it’s gotta be real, right?
For the last year, we have seen Parenta-Life Coach Dr. Rick on his mission to save young homeowners from turning into their parents.
I just thought it was funny, until the one with the guy gassing up his pickup, with bikes in the back, and the young homeowner asking him, “There is a reason we don’t call them clean bikes. Am I right?”
I got a chuckle until I saw Shira giving me a smirky smile. What? You think that’s me? Hmmm. Maybe. These commercials ran around my mind on a great Sunday in the late summer. We had met our friends Tony & Gena for pizza at the Corner Piazza in Eldred, New York – just a bit north of the Delaware River on Route 55. While waiting, a large group of Harley riders rolled up. A large group. We had parked our bikes in a willy-nilly fashion, and I got up and walked across the street to move them and give some extra room. These riders, all well geared up and riding reasonably toned bikes, were from Nassau County, and were a really nice group of people, and we all chatted up bikes and the great day. About twenty minutes later, another cruiser crowd arrived. Unlike the riders from Long Island, they were sporting tank tops, vests, half-helmets, and riding extremely loud, and annoying
(to me at least) machines. They let us know that by letting them idle for minutes with the occasional and thunderous blip of the throttles.
When they finally turned them off, the silence was deafening. Uggg.
On our third pie (the best pizza in the region), we had a group of sportbikes come zipping up to the crossroads on which the Piazza sits. You could hear them coming north, throwing gears as they approached. Half of them made the light, the last few gassing through the yellow/red, sounding like the last lap of a Moto 3 race. When the light turned green, the rest dropped the clutches and bonzaied after them.
My “uggg” was echoed by many trying to enjoy the day and the Mets game on the TVs.
On our ride home, I really began to think that maybe it was me… maybe I was becoming like those portrayed on the commercials. Maybe I would need a Dr. Rick.
Oh, but our day’s quiet ride for pizza was not done, and riding south on Route 97, I could see some riders approaching, about a half mile down one of the few and long straight parts of this road.
Both their headlights disappeared, as they quickly approached – on one wheel – as these guys were doing some serious wheelies.
I appreciate a good wheelie, but not coming at me, and not when the rider starts to zig-zag down the road, and his control becoming very questionable. I heard Shira yelling in her helmet to “get the F away from me!”
We both accelerated to get past Evil and Robbie, and our bit of angst really had me thinking how I just don’t appreciate rude or careless riders.
Continued on Page 6
BRIAN RATHJEN
WHATCHATHINKIN’
circlingthe Bases
You’re reading this in November, but I’m writing it just as the World Series Division Series begin. For those who don’t care about, or even hate, stick and ball, or if you happen to be a Phillies or Dodgers fan, please skip to the next paragraph so I don’t get hate mail. My forever beloved and constantly disappointing Mets blew it BIG TIME and will have an extended months’ vacation. The Dodgers will play the Phillies and I’d like them both to lose or the sharks somehow destroy Citizens Bank Park as they did in Sharknado 2 to Citi Field. As my brother Jan was a Chicago Cubs fan, and they have always been my back-up team when the Mets flounder, I will root, root, root for that home team. I really don’t care about the American League, but I do like the Detroit Tigers’ stadium, so my pick for the World Series would be Cubs vs. Tigers (who would win in politically-correct sports?). In a month from today’s writing, we’ll know the answer.
We now return you to your regularly-scheduled Whatchathinkin’. It is a beautiful autumn day today (somehow I feel using the word ‘Fall’ in a motorcycle magazine doesn’t fit), Brian is off on his own adventure with BMW riding the new R 1300 RT through some southern states, so I think it’s perfect to head out for my own ride. I took a suggestion from our friend Gary, (see Backlash) and plotted a somewhat circuitous route to get me some of those infamous Mealie dogs.
We visited Charlie’s Pool Room in the early 2000’s and, believe me, it looks very different today. Gone is the Collier’s Mansionesque interior. But before I continue, let me give a very brief history of what Charlie’s Pool Room was. Occupying a 1909 building, it housed a pool hall on one side
and a barber shop on the other. Grandma Fencz decided that the men playing pool should have something to eat so started serving hot dogs with her Hungarian sweet and sour ‘secret sauce’. Brothers Joe and John took over the business, which no longer had a barber shop nor a playable pool table, but still sold hot dogs, in addition to the can-
dy counter, which started as penny candy and slowly caved to inflation, rising penny by penny. John cooked the hot dogs in a 12” skillet, Joe made the sauce and hosted, while patrons waited for their hot dogs. Like Forest Gump, you could get a hot dog, a hot dog with sauce, or a Mealie hot dog, which had sauce, chopped onions and precisely cut and placed strips of hot peppers. There was a round communal table with a little less clutter than the non-usable pool table on which to enjoy your hot dogs. Charlie’s Pool Room closed in 2013 due to health code violations (?!) in the kitchen. History over.
Alpha native, Mike Weirsky, bought the building, did a MAJOR renovation and reopened Charlie’s in July of this year. And thanks to Gary, I was on my way this day to see if the Mealies were as good as I remembered them. While the ride from Backroads Central to Alpha is one that I’ve done many times, I tried to incorporate some new (or at least new to me) roads, and I was pretty successful. Making a turn off Silver Lake onto Ackerson Road, I did a double-take as the black and white cows I saw on the hill to my left looked awfully stiff and, indeed, they were excellent statues of dairy cows.
Continued on Page 6
ON THE MARK
agooD home
“I hope it goes to a good home” is what people say when they sell a bike. They’re inanimate, but motorcycles are still objects of our affection. They carry the mods we’ve made and the “beauty marks” that inevitably happen if we ride, like the little scrape on the saddlebag from backing into a tight parking spot at a hotel. Perhaps there was a stone kicked up from a truck or a broom fell over in the garage and made a tiny dimple in the tank. Each mark tells a story, or begs one be told. When the time comes to part company with our beloved machines, we all want them to go to a good home where they’ll be loved as we did. A dear friend sent me a video of his beautiful GS going down the driveway on a trailer. There had to be a bit of melancholy associated with the event or he wouldn’t have taken the trouble to record it. His bikes have always been meticulously cared for and I know he wouldn’t want to see it butchered by a careless new “father.”
The other thing I know is that it wasn’t just a bike departing, it was a retirement from “the life.” Like my colleague Rathjen talked about in his recent column, my dear friend took stock of his situation and physical condition and decided to make a thoughtful decision not to continue to ride. It must have been hard, but he is a wise and caring man and ultimately, he felt it was the right decision. I admire his wisdom, but at the same time I hope he continues to enjoy the Backroads family for years to come, much like some other folks are doing.
I got a bike one time like that: a fellow pulled up at Morton’s with a low-mileage, super-clean S1000R with a few tasty mods and told them he was done. He didn’t want a consignment sale or trade, just whatever they’d give him because he was walking away from the life. Something or someone had scared him into making the decision to hang up his helmet. I happened along that very afternoon and now that beauty graces my garage. I have always wanted to tell him it “found a good home” but he remains anonymous.
Another bike came from an estate, a beautiful, low-mileage S1000RR owned by a fellow engineer who tragically lost his life falling down some stairs. Stuart Beatson pointed out the bike to me and said, “That would make an excellent track bike.” I knew it would be important to the family for the bike to go to a good home and I told Jeff to propose a decent price to the estate, as I didn’t want to short-change a widow. We came to an agreement and I hope she’d be proud of the work I’ve done learning to ride that beauty. After a long, hot day at VIR, I told Stuart I was committed to learning to ride that bike well and he grinned broadly. Little did I know it would be the last time I’d ride with him.
I once bought a bike from a fellow whose uncle had ridden it. It was a well-cared-for machine, but had not been ridden in a while, so the inevitable marks of time were present. I was apologetic when I bought it, knowing what it meant to him, but my stated intention was to make it a “café racer,” those being all the rage at the time. I foresaw stripping parts and bobbing the fenders. In my mind’s eye, I saw it looking like it could turn up at the
Continued on Page 6
Howdy Folks, Finally getting around to this. My wife and I rode out to Traverse City for the competition after seeing your email...anyone that is into fireworks MUST make this trek! It was 2 nights of pure excitement!! There is so much to see/do during the day that it’s worth the trip anytime of the year. Keep up the good work! Looking forward to the next ‘gem’ that you find for us riders.
Thanks,
Bill C.
Mark,
riding season has not come to a close yet as long as the weather holds up. We still have a few more ice cream stops to make. Once we are complete. Our group of riders are going to decide which of the stops are the best according to best ice cream, location, parking and customer service. We will be making up a plaque stating the “Best ice cream stop for motorcycles” and we will, as a group, be presenting it to that establishment. Are you still on board to do that story as discussed at the beginning of the season.
Mark Jacques • V.P. Horseneck RC
Mark,
Thanks for the update. When you’re ready to present, please let us know and, if we are able, we’d love to be a part of that and let our readers know the outcome. Happy ice cream riding!
Hi Brian & Shira,
I’m a big fan of Zero-Sum Game for many physical objects. Shoes are a big one for me. I give away my shoes/boots to friends when I acquire a new pair that I “have to have”. I feel that way about books, guitars, clothing, skis, and motorcycles - limiting myself to two bikes.
It’s been an honor to work with you; enjoy retirement and look forward to reading about your adventures.
Mark Rogers
Hello Backroads.
Horseneck Motorcycle Riding Club here. Just wanted to give you an update on our “Ice Cream Competition”. Throughout the season we have visited many ice cream shops during our season of riding every Saturday. Our
Free Wheelin’ Continued from Page 3
But our life lesson on “Becoming Our Parents” was not done this day. We crossed back into New Jersey on Route 23 and were heading up and over at High Point. The long road approaching the top of New Jersey’s highest point was empty, only three riders slowly going our way. We passed them cleanly and were at a fairly good pace. But not as quickly as the rider coming up from behind.
He blasted by Shira, and she yelled for me to “roll to the right.”
Her urgency had me do just that as the track guy and track bike came by me at well over a ton. He banked into the tighter left ahead, deftly dragging his knee-pucked leathers. By the time we got to this spot, he had already made a U-turn and was heading back the way we had just come. I wondered how
Whatchathinkin’ Continued from Page 4
Did the owners really have dairy cows on premise or were they just wannabee farmers? Continuing on, passing through the little hamlet of Hope, I eventually turned onto Sarepta Road in Warren County. This little gem did some twists and turns, passing over a lovely stone bridge, before dropping me back onto Route 519. A favorite road is Brass Castle leading into Harmony Brass Castle Road. While I could have taken this back onto Route 519, I opted to turn onto Montana, taking me to Fox Farm and around the Merrill Creek Reservoir. I had no idea this lovely body of water was here nor how much fun this road was.
Parking in front of Charlie’s, I ordered my Mealie Dog and, new to the menu, a Mealie cheeseburger
on the mark
I write to you as I prepare for a trip to Nepal with Helene. Sadly I didn’t get very many miles on my bike this season, coming in under 500 and I missed seeing folks at the Backroads events. I hope to see more of you in 2026.
Happy Fall!
Kristin
Hi Brian,
I just saw your Retire article in the Welcome to the Jungle section of this week’s Backroads Report. Well, you just told my story. I started riding late
many times he had done this today. He waved as he went back past us, and we nodded. Again, it is not that I don’t appreciate the skill and finesse it takes to handle a bike like this – but not here, or on a usually crowded Sunday on a main road through a state park.
Riders like these are all part of the PR Problem that riders in the US have had for generations. What sort of rider are you? Like talking to someone through a closed bathroom door – there is a time and place, and these were not either.
Given the choice of riding and hanging with riders like this or not… Well, maybe I’ll just stay home and line my cabinet shelves. ,
Continued from Page 5
Ace Café to “break the ton.” I was never able to mod the bike that way and ended up selling it to a fellow collector, both because I hadn’t the time to do the job properly and because it just didn’t feel quite right to do it. Another friend had a Versys he’d ridden all over the country, including up to the North Slope. After being hit by a texting driver and sent careening
(perfectly cooked smash burger with the same delicious sauce, onions, peppers and pickles). Just as good as I remembered and probably even better. With my hunger satisfied, I finished my ride, making a stop at True Vine Ice Cream on Lake Hopatcong in Sparta, for a cup of Harvest Caramel Crunch and Moose Farts (you’ll just have to go there yourself to find out what that is).
A perfect day, a most excellent ride, and now to see how the next four weeks play out on the diamonds. Pitchers and catchers report on February 10, 2026…… ,
into the oncoming lanes, he decided to hang up motorcycling before it could happen again (he was uninjured, partly because of his excellent gear), and the bike merely took it on the panniers. He sold the bike for a pittance to a newer rider on a budget, a young man who was happy at the chance to get a well-used, but well-cared-for machine at a really good price. As for my friend, all he wanted was for it to “go to a good home.” ,
in life but was able to ride many miles and enjoy good times with really good people, primarily from our “clan”. You so well described the slow but steady process- easy maneuvers requiring more concentration, needing to plan further down the road than we figured and then dropping the bike once too many times in the garage. I finally decided not to wait till I found myself sailing into the woods or riding into some brick wall.
A tough but necessary decision.
The relationships will last a lot longer than the riding; the smiling from all the memories will last forever. It’s also nicer to do it with a body that is still intact. There’s still a whole world out there we can enjoy without those adrenaline thrills. We just have to seek it out.
Thank you so much for you perceptions and advice to be heeded.
John P.
As always a great read - loved the Retire - and a huge thanks for the poster ad for HU New York.
All the best, and we hope to see you on the road!
Grant • Horizons Unlimited
Backroads is the only regional pub I read which is funny as I’m as diagonally far away from the target area as possible – every year I hope to get to Americade or Dirt Daze, but I’m running about 20% attendance over the last decade – so fingers crossed for 2026 (I may ride a personal bike out there).
Anyway, the main reason for this message is the illustration of Shira sitting peacefully in her Roadcrafter reminds me of a Miyazaki character. If you are not aware of Hayao Miyazaki, he’s the legendary animator and creative soul behind Studio Ghibli films. If that was the plan, well delivered, if not –it’s a wonderful coincidence.
Avery I.
Avery
The anime images were used in the issue with our Edelweiss Japan tour story – they do pop up occasionally in the Backroads Report. One of the
folks on the tour made some and Brian and I thought it would be a great idea for the story. In fact, I think in the app they call this style Ghibli. Thanks for noticing. We had fun with it.
Hi Brian and Shira,
Not sure if you knew, Charlie’s Pool Room is back!!
I was picking up my 911 in a shop in East Stroudsburg, PA yesterday, and was taking 519 south back and I passed by Alpha. Recently someone told me Charlie’s was open again. I was hungry, so I made my way through the back streets, and sure enough they were open again.
The hog dogs are a 9.8 to the original 10 that the brothers made. I commented the pickle and peppers on the mealies were cold, the brothers had served everything very hot, otherwise it was exactly the same. He (the manager) commented, ‘Yeah I wasn’t sure of their health safety standards back then, but we have to keep them cold now’. I told him other than that I could not tell the difference, I liked the ‘70s standards of ‘well maybe you will get sick or not’, but the brothers made them so awesome.
The manager there said the owners of the building hired him to run the location, he had never been there prior. I asked him if he still had the “blue plate special” and he said, ‘Well…….Yeah we do I can get those plates out.’ I should have had 2 dogs and that was pushing it; out of nostalgia I order 3. Four dogs showed up and the new manager said he just came up with a chili dog recipe and wanted me to try it. It was GOOD. Better than the traditional mealies, he put the chili over the Hungarian reduction sauce. He said next week they are going on the menu.
See if you can swing back and try it with a rip and ride.
Gary
Gary,
Thanks so much!! Did not know but happy to hear. While the brothers and their Collier’s Mansionesque atmosphere was certainly a draw, excited to try the new version. May be time for another Hot Dog Run before the weather turns.
Wanamakers General Store presents
GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN
Wright’s Dairy-rite
346 greenville avenue, staunton, va 24401 540-886-0435 • www.dairy-rite.com
Remember curb-side service? You do? Well then, like us, you’ve been riding for a long time.
It seems these days that service, fun, and food are all separate things indeed. But not everywhere.
When looking for a go-to ice cream place to satisfy our nightly dessert needs during our Summer Solstice Rally in Staunton, Virginia, we did not have to look too far from the Blackburn Inn.
Truth was one of the neatest and cheerfully interesting restaurants, and dairies was just a short
tasty places to take your bike
stroll down the long drive of the once asylum, which turned into a chic hotel.
Under a giant chef-held red with yellow neon sign, which harkens back to when Eisenhower was in charge, we found Wright’s Dairy-Rite. – a local dessert Mecca.
But Wright’s Dairy-Rite is more than just ice cream, it is a great eatery too and has lots of fun doing it.
All this started back in 1952 when Forester and Alka Wright opened up a small frozen custard store – like Dairy Queen but more personable.
As the decade rolled on, so did the Wrights, and then expanded and began to serve food items and transformed into a full menu Drive-In. Since then, Wright’s Dairy-Rite has added a dining room, and has had an ever-growing reputation as one of the coolest restaurants in Virginia. It was recently voted
one of the Top Ten Drive-In Restaurants in the United States. We can understand that!
If you are looking for a bit of history to urge you here, know that Wright’s was the first restaurant in Staunton to become color-blind back in the early 1950s, with the hiring of young black women to be “Curb Girls,” years before integration took place.
Like many old drive-ins, you can order by a speaker from the seat of your car, or the saddle of your bike if you prefer. But maybe you would like to park that motorcycle and take a stroll inside.
Yes, that booth will do fine. You can order in a second, and that is going to be a bit different and fun, but let’s look at what they offer.
The menu is simple, but filling. Very filling. There are a number of burger offerings, and each one can be topped with up to six toppings – all included, and some others too – for a whopping .25 cents.
Their hot dogs are the stuff of legend as well. Regular, foot-long, and the corn dog.
If you need more try one of Wright’s sandwiches; the Club, Reuben, chicken or egg salad. They offer five different Subs as well – and the Wright’s Special Beef – with provolone, bacon, sour cream, and brown mustard - looked especially delicious.
But remember this was, and still is, about the ice cream and desserts.
Wright’s Wheelie – a fresh and warm glazed donut topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a choice of topping. Yummy.
When we ordered, and remember it is a fun thing to do here at Wright’s, we passed on the soft drinks, or even the thick milkshakes that are available in seven different flavors, and ordered up Wright’s Drink Freeze. They say it is like a milkshake, but they use soda instead of milk and the orange Fanta tastes like a Dreamsicle. A true classic from Happier Days.
So you know what you are going to be ordering. Well, see that red phone? Pick it up and dial. No, that is not Batman or Commissioner Gordon on the other side – it is Wright’s and you can order from
your table on the Red Phone. Cute. Different. Fun. We found the food and ice cream to be superb, and it all really hit the spot, as did the company this evening in Virginia.
All this throwback, and the Red-phone ordering, will make your first visit that much more special. But it will not be your last visit…. We are pretty sure of that. ,
Warren County Tourism presents
BIG CITY GETAWAY
the crossroaDs guitars & art 1041 e PhilaDelPhia ave, gilBertsville, Pa 19525 833-696-8737 • WWW.guitarsanDart.com
Way before Shira and I took up, I had a love of guitars, and she was an art major at Cooper Union in New York City. When we met, I was doing commercial photography for an advertising agency, and she was working at a graphics art company that could also develop E-6 overnight.
Art, whether it be photographs, painting, sculpture, whatever – art for art’s sake – and music – in every form has been a huge part of our lives before we met and nearly four decades into this.
Some people like to look at the things they can not have online. For some, it is online porn – I mean, moto-porn –cars, bikes, aircraft, umbrella girls. Others, like moi, like to look at guitars.
daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind
I was following a thread on Baritone ukuleles – an instrument that is strung like the lower four strings on a standard guitar - and found a niche ukulele company called Flight, from out of Slovenia. One of their US distributors was about 100 miles away in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania – a place called The Crossroads Guitars & Art.
Now that name really grabbed my attention.
A couple of keystrokes later, and I was at their website…Oh, look at all this. Dozens of guitars adorned the walls, alongside paintings and photographs. A baby grand Young Chang piano, and more guitars of all sizes in the distance. Where is that Kleenex?
I looked for contact information, and not long after, I was in an email conversation with Doug Nestler, owner and humble visionary behind The Crossroads.
Doug seemed like a very positive guy and was enthusiastic about us dropping in for a visit when we could, which was an easy and minor detour on our way south to the Alleghany Highlands.
The Crossroads Guitars & Art is located in the small,
but upcoming, town of Gilbertsville, just a few miles from Boyertown. We parked and strolled in, and were greeted by a smiling Doug, who knew who we were as we rolled into his drive.
Doug has been in the music industry for decades, mostly retail and supply, but is an accomplished musician himself, and his passion for music, his need to share that passion, and kindle it in beginner and young musicians is very obvious.
After years of being “on the road” constantly, battling an almost insurmountable cancer, he was still looking to do something special with his love of music, art, and the need to bring others into the fold. Knowing all the odds were against him, he still gathered the dice that the universe had given him and gave them a roll. He took control of a large building along East Philadelphia Avenue and proceeded to totally gut and refurbish the building, creating a wonderful mixture of a guitar shop, art gallery, and music school, and opened the doors in October of 2023. Each one of these ingredients is a handful individually, but Doug and The Crossroads have cooked up something truly brilliant.
We have to say that The Crossroads Guitars & Art is simply marvelous. Doug introduced us to his staff, all passionate about music and The Crossroads, and then gave us a good, long walk around. He started by showing us some of the guitars, aimed at beginners and younger players, that come in different sizes and are available at very reasonable prices. The Crossroads have created this series of guitars – called Bodhi – named after his grandson (how many kids have a guitar series named after them?). These are not some cheap toys that look like guitars, but all real instruments that would be perfect for young ones just starting out, as they sounded rich and with good tone, even at the bargain pricing. Along other walls were a large number of hung drawings and paintings, and photography – all neatly framed and presented. We were told that each month, a different artist or photographer is featured. There is no charge from
the Crossroads to showcase a local artist’s works – well, just one request.
They have to hold a party to open their show, which allows for every artists’ display to open with smiles and a good time. In fact, The Crossroads – which is a very open, airy, and cool location - is available for a very reasonable price for private parties, gatherings, and other events.
You will find other guitars, ukuleles, and the like sprinkled through The Crossroads – Takamine, Guild, Alvarez, and other guitars can be found.
On one wall, Doug showcases Breedlove Guitars. These are special indeed, and some of them were almost an investment in buying. He showed us one particular Breedlove six-string, created with the input of actor Jeff Bridges, that was made from stunningly beautiful myrtle wood, sourced from the Oregon coast, and handed it to me. I had already tried one or two guitars in the shop, but this Breedlove almost ruined my day. It was outstanding, sexy, it felt, and sounded – just, just right; like it should be mine. My mind began to make crazed calculations and unreasonable reasonings. But, as I hung the $3,200 guitar back on the wall mount and turned back, I
bounced into Shira who, unbeknownst to me, was suddenly standing right behind me.
“Oops, sorry, Baby.”
How was I to know she just deftly lifted my wallet, and with it any hopes of having something in common with Jeff Bridges?
(Okay, we both probably watch Sea Hunt)
In the second part of the gallery, there was a stage, a complete drum kit, and a plethora of electric guitars and basses, along with a series of soundproof classrooms, as music instruction has become a steadfast mission here. The Crossroads constantly holds musical events, and even has a special series called Tunes for Tots once a week.
If you are a musician or just love guitars and art, then make time to drop by The Crossroads. There will be no Faustian deals forced on you and no demon kissing, just a superb mixing of music and art that is so well worth it. Besides, Robert Johnson and Crowley will be happy. ,
presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTERIOUS AMERICA
Falling sPring Falls route 220, covington, va
About five miles north of the city of Covington there is a most remarkable waterfall – it is called Falling Spring Falls. It’s 80 foot cascade, one of the highest in the state, is easily seen as you pass it on Route 220, and there is a parking lot with historical markers and a very short walk to get as close as the state of Virginia wants you to go. Falling Spring Falls in Virginia has a documented history beginning with a land grant from King George III in 1771, followed by a gift in 1780 to Thomas Jefferson, then governor of Virginia, who later described the waterfall in his surveys.
From his manuscript “Notes on the State of Virginia” written in 1781, “The only remarkable cascade in this country is that of the Falling Spring in Augusta,” wrote Jefferson, “...it falls over a rock 200 feet into the valley below.” From 1914 to 1926 a producer of travertine material, Ohio C. Barber Fertilizer Company, mined fertilizer in Barber, Virginia, now called Falling Spring. In 1927 Falling Spring Lime Company assumed operations until 1941. Mining operations necessitated the relocation of the falls where it now plunges only 100 feet. Wait. What? They moved the falls? Yes they did.
These are not the falls that Jefferson saw. When he visited, it was at a different, near-
by location and there were nine, 200foot waterfalls going over a much wider expanse of land. In 1927, a mining company owned the land the falls is on and decided to shut it down. Sadly, the falls were relocated by the Spring Lime Company in 1941 due to mining operations. The falls were used to generate electricity to run the lime crushing plant and to operate an electric railway hauling travertine from the mine. Technically, they redirected part of the former falls to what we see today, not a 200-foot drop, but only 80. A massive terraforming. But that, as John Belushi would say, “is not the weird part.”
The true ‘but’ of Mysterious America is the source of the fall’s waters, and why they are about 80 degrees years round. Oh, and the murder.
This part of Virginia has long been known for its therapeutic and warm (hot?) waters, thus the towns of Warm and Hot Springs – and the neighboring county to be called Bath.
These hot waters are created by deep underground springs that bring heat from deep in the Earth to the surface.
Years ago, the spring that feed the falls, was discovered to be one end of a massive cave system. This was not found until 1945 by a spelunker William Hill, which is amazing, since Jefferson owned this land. A decade later cavers finally descended through the many fissures and cataracts of this cave to a depth of more than 200 feet, and came
upon a swiftly flowing and very warm stream. They assumed it was the source of the warm waters of Falling Springs Falls. A green dye was dropped into the waters, and a short time later the falls themselves ran green, confirming the discovery of the cascades water source.
Over time a tributary was found with even hotter waters, and when opened up a bit, long flowing hallways and tubes were found.
In the 1970 a tradition began where groups of bathers would flow along the cave’s walls, with the current and hot water making them feel almost weightless… maybe aided by the fact that these intrepid swimmers did this in the nude – wearing only boots and helmets. I could see that adding to the allure… or not.
In the 1980s the property changed hands once again, and the new owner, a very odd guy, who eventually would go to prison for murdering his wife, forbade any entrance, thus ending the ‘spelunka dippin.’
These days the present owners do allow scientific teams entry to the Warm River Cave and research and discoveries continue, as the first mission into the cave unlocked a massive continuation, and the owner allowed for an ongoing search to see what could be found.
Thus far over 3 miles of caves and offshoots have been mapped, with many interesting discoveries, and the cave is thought to be the longest of its type on the planet. There is a 12-minute narrated program, from the National Speleological Society (YouTube), that documents the history and the new discoveries that have been made in what has become known as Warm River Cave. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4SYod9pZXA
On November 28, 2004, Mead Westvaco donated the Falling Spring Falls and approximately 19 surrounding acres to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Douthat State PRK maintains the area.
Guests have a short walk from the parking area to the overlook to view the falls. The walk from the parking area to overlook is paved. There are also picnic areas, and local information to be had.
Founding Fathers, Terraforming, Cave Skinny Dippin’, and Murder.. What else do we need in this Mysterious America? O’Life Out! ,
WE’RE OUTTA HERE
the oPal house
109 olD church st., loW moor, va 24457 540-968-3648 • stayatopalhouse.com
As you will read in our cover story this month, we got a great chance to explore this very explorable region of Virginia, but when looking for a home base, we had a great opportunity to overnight at a very special guest house.
Although there are a few “chain motels” in the larger burg of Covington, our thought from the first inkling that we’d be riding the Alleghany Highlands was that this would be a great place for a small group of riding buddies to seek out for some serious riding and getaway time. It’s what ‘We’re Outta Here’ is all about. This month’s escape is located in some of the best riding in Virginia and will be found along the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, a vast forested area that stretches along the border of Virginia and West Virginia. The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest blankets the Blue Ridge mountains, offering 1.8 million acres of lush woodlands, unique mountain balds, peaceful waterways, and two-wheel adventures galore.
a
weekend destination keeping you on the backroads
We had been told of this beautiful and affordable farmhouse that had recently been refurbished and turned into a lightly swanky accommodation, and when we rolled down Old Church Street, located in a quiet residential part of the small town of Low Moor, we were immediately taken with the clean, sharp, and well-maintained coziness of The Opal House.
Like many places today, the entrance was pre-arranged with a password number, and when we arrived, we had no real notion of how sweet it would
House was almost too nice. So much so, I reached out to the owners, Mandaly & Jason Howard, to find out how this once supercentenarian farmhouse, which was built more than 120 years ago, was reborn Phoenix-like to become such an outstanding property.
The couple discovered the home years back and purchased the property in 2023 with the vision of bringing new life to a historic 1900
In this month’s feature, we mentioned that the only time we had heard of this town was in an episode of the X-Files, but there was nothing Scully & Mulder to be seen here, and after staying in some questionable places over the years, we thought The Opal
home. At the time, the building had been converted into apartments, but the two saw its charm beneath the wear and decided to take on a full restoration. They completely gutted and rebuilt the interior, transforming it into a boutique inn that blends vintage character with modern comfort.
Today, The Opal House features six one-bedroom suites with private en suite bathrooms and one spacious two-bedroom, one-bath suite. Each room has its own unique personality and no two are alike, giving every guest a special experience.
The common rooms and shared kitchen give The Opal House a very comfortable and easy feel, with great views and a very nice porch and outdoor area, complete with a fire pit; seemingly made with riders back in from a day’s worth of backroads riding and now enjoying a glass of wine, and the glow and pop of the fire. It doesn’t get much better than this.
If you are not the foodie type to bring in and cook your own meals (but you could with The Opal House’s superb kitchen), there are a number of eateries
The Howards’ goal was to create a warm and welcoming space where guests can relax, unwind, and enjoy the modern amenities that make each suite inviting and comfortable.
They have certainly attained that goal. The Opal House is our new ‘Go-To’ when in this part of Virginia, and we think the Opal House is a perfect place for a group of friends to make a base camp for exploring the Alleghany Highlands. (You kids know who you are). ,
close by. Pennies Diner, Cat & Owl Steak & Seafood, and Jack Mason’s Tavern in nearby Clifton Forge.
c&oh ice cream DePot 418 eriDgeWay st, cliFton Forge, va 540-620-6445 • FinDthemon FaceBook • thursDay-saturDay noon to 9Pm
Deciding to open an ice cream shop can be more difficult than you might think. Of course there is location, ease of access, hopefully quaint surroundings, and the most important, the option of homemade or hand-dipped.
My time spent at Penn State’s Ice Cream Short Course taught me more about the running of a business than hands-on ice cream production, so I found out what kind of investments are needed if the homemade decision is chosen – quite a lot. Machinery, ice cream base and ingredients and more. Then you have to be very confident that your ice cream will be so very good as to draw the customer base needed to make it all work.
If you go with supplying your shop with tried and tested ice cream, you have cut one of the variables from the equation for success. And there are some excellent ice creams out there. Of course, Hershey’s has numerous flavors and has been around for quite some time. But for those shops that want to dabble in the small-batch purveyors, there is still a great selection from which to choose.
About a year ago, Keith and Celeste Bagley took the plunge and opened C&Oh Ice Cream Depot in Clifton Forge, VA. Clifton Forge sits in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia and, while it may be a small community, it has a mighty past as being the center to service and ready the locomotives for the C&O railroad heading west over the Alleghany mountains and east over the Blue Ridge. Today you can visit the C&O Railway Heritage Center which preserves this history and tells the story of the C&O Railway. It is, obviously, from this marvel that the Bagleys forged the C&Oh Ice Cream Depot. They did their research and decided to hand-dip ice cream from two separate sources; Ashby’s Sterling and Leiby’s. While their longevity may not be as long as the railroad, they both have a foothold in the ice cream world. Ashby’s Sterling was established in Michigan in 1984 by the Davis Brothers Tom, Rick, Gary and Jim who saw a need to fill the gap between supermarket and expensive premium ice cream options. They tested and tasted and settled on a formula of 14% butterfat and 85% overrun (the air that gives ice cream its volume). Over the next 40 years, they developed over 70 unique flavors, of which many are scooped at C&Oh Ice Cream Depot.
Leiby’s has a bit more history to their ice cream story, created back in 1928 in Tamaqua, PA. Utilizing local dairy farms, they churn up over 60 flavors of some of the best ice cream available, still using the base recipe from 97 years ago. Besides their delicious ice cream, their website blog is entitled ‘The Inside Scoop’ – very nice.
C&Oh Ice Cream Depot not only has some great ice cream, the shop is full of nostalgia from the Bagleys’ childhood. You’ll find three working model train sets. Further back are three 1960s vintage soda vending machines which dispense 21 flavors of sodas in glass bottles. You can add a soundtrack to your visit with their working jukebox. And further adorning the shop are lots of antiques and fun things, including a PacMan machine.
Back to the ice cream; C&Oh’s have about 20 flavors at a time in their scooping case, with such offerings as Banana Pudding, Marion Blackberry, Eskimo Kisses (coconut ice cream kissed with chocolate truffles and warmed by a thick blanket of fudge), Michigan Pothole (thick, black-tar fudge in chocolate ice cream with chunks of asphalt) and Bake Shoppe (cookie dough ice cream with chocolate chip cookie dough, fresh baked brownie bites, swirled with fudge). In addition, they feature seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Pie Supreme, Apple Crisp, Campfire S’mores and Monkey Bones (banana ice cream with chocolate chips, graham cracker crunch and peanut butter swirl). All these flavors and more can be savored in a cup, cone – cake or waffle – float, shake, sundae or banana split.
In addition, C&Oh Ice Cream Depot serves up Waffle Nacho Flights with 3 ice cream flavors, whipped cream, syrup, sprinkles and waffle chips, Smoothie Bowls – either acai or mango with a variety of toppings, and Poffertjies – mini Dutch pancakes in a variety of flavors which come with whipped cream, powdered sugar and a scoop of ice cream.
The Alleghany Highlands is a wonderful area to spend a day or two, as you’ve read in this issue. When traveling in or through, make sure to pop in to C&Oh Ice Cream Depot for a classic soda, some ice cream, a game of PacMac and some nostalgia. ,
We had been planning some dates to get back down south, well south of The Line, and to do some exploring of the Virginia mountain regions they call the Alleghany Highlands.
Running down Route 220, which easily romps its way around the mountains and rides right to the very heart of the Alleghany Highland, this stunning part of the Old Dominion State, we had come to explore.
Just north of the city of Covington, we stopped by Falling Springs Waterfalls. This waterfall pours nearly 100 feet to the rocks below, and there is an easy parking lot, with picnic tables, and a very short walk to a clear view of the falls that Thomas Jefferson spoke of as “a most remarkable cascade!” Something else that is remarkable about these falls is that it is sourced by a stream that originates from Warm River Cave, located about a mile away. The water from this cave is a mixture of warm thermal spring water and cold groundwater, resulting in a year-round temperature of approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
While we are talking remarkable; this cave is remarkable for its extensive thermal tributaries, some of which reach 100°F, and its significant length, with over three miles of surveyed passages. The cave is thought to be one of the longest caves with thermal streams in the world and is a site of ongoing scientific research and exploration.
The road down to Covington is most remarkable as well – and almost deserving of one of those snaky, serpenty names they seem to be so fond of here in the south. We stopped at the Alleghany Highlands Chamber, as we have been working with these folks, and they are incredibly proud of what they have to offer today’s riders and our readers. They support Backroads, and we hope you will help us support them too. It was nice to get a personal lowdown on some of the history, and many natural and man-made sights to be found here in the highlands.
While in Covington we took a little side trip to visit a classic old locomotive – G-5 #701. This old girl was primarily a coal hauler, and had a couple of nicknames. The Merry Widow, for the impression of steaming alone for years, and Tojo, as it was used during World War II to transport Japanese prisoners of war, to Hot Springs. The American Onsen? She had a relatively short wheelbase, and incredible adhesion, which was put to great
use transporting prisoners the 25 miles of track with a final grade of 4.6%.
Literally the Little Train That Could!
Our first night would be in the small town of Low Moor, staying in an old farm house that had just been completely redone and crafted into the most amazing guest home. The Opal House was really special, and with its many
rooms, common area, and firepit is perfect for small riding groups looking to explore the highland and looking for a base of operation. For you Pop Culture kids – Low Moor was the same town Mulder & Scully were brought to when reunited years after the X-Files was disbanded (canceled?). They were brought to an old farmhouse in Low Moor, and…Hey, we are in an old farmhouse in Low Moor! Nothing spooky about The Opal House – it is a top-shelf place and one of the cleanest and well-thought-out guest homes we can remember.
Although Low Moor does have a superb diner, we rode over a few miles to Clifton Forge and sought out Jack Mason’s Tavern & Brewery, a recommendation from our commerce friend.
Clifton Forge is the largest town in the Alleghany Highlands, and was a center hub for the C & O Railroad. (Once Covington & Ohio, which was absorbed by Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. They did not need to change the towels!) Much train history is to be found in this town, and Jack Mason’s was once the C & O’s commissary. They had their own brews, a great menu, and seemed to be very family-friendly as one little girl took a shine to our BMW. Looking up from my meal, I watched as she and her dad scoped out the GS closeup. A future rider for sure.
Free Day in the Alleghany Highlands:
This part of Virginia has some amazing roads, and its nearly 500 square miles is remarkably rural, almost wild in spots, and the towns and hamlets of the county are all linked together by roads that either go on up and over the mountains, or meander their way around them through the valleys.
The previous evening, I put together a route that would run us through some of the interesting places of the Alleghany Highlands – some from nature, others from man.
We rode down along a two-lane paved road that flows in and around the Karnes Creek. This area was once a center for a major iron mining industry, and Rich Patch Road and the town all took their names from the mountain that seemed so bountiful back in the day.
We swapped one creek road for another and followed down on Virginia 615 to New Castle. Along the way, we passed areas where hot furnaces ruled the day and glowed through the night. Now, all but silent memories of how young America’s Industrial Age was fueled by regions such as the Alleghany Highlands. Okay, New Castle is technically not in the Highlands, but it does have the notoriety of being the ONLY town in Craig County, and it also let us run into Virginia 311, which is simply an astonishing and formidable sport bike riding road that twists its way over the mountain of the Jefferson National Forest.
Potts Mountain is really the southern side of Rich Patch, but it still reaches some 3,800 feet high. We stayed on this road for 30 miles that followed the natural contours of the land, always keeping a watchful eye for the occasional wildlife that seemed to use a Romulan Cloaking Device right up till
the moment they would decide to do that bounding thing. We would like to thank the Brembo people for their stellar work. Route 159, along the Dunlap Creek, would swing us north and back towards Covington, and a stop that we have made one time before many years back – the Humpback Bridge. This covered bridge is unlike any other in the world.
The bridge, built in 1857, is 100-foot-long single-span structure, 4 feet higher in the center than at either end, thus it has this “Humpback” look. Its main structure is built from local white oak and hickory. Most of the support beams are at least a foot thick. The supports in the bridge utilized handmade honey locust wood pins to fasten sections of the supports together. The supports incorporate a unique curved multiple kingpost-truss system that is not found in any other surviving wooden bridge in the United States. Although open to pedestrians today, it was used for vehicular traffic on the old Route 60 until 1929. It is
believed to be the oldest covered bridge of its design remaining in the United States, which is why covered bridge enthusiasts come from all across the country to see it. The bridge is an original and unique design not duplicated anywhere else, and is truly an American treasure and covered bridge icon.
Just a bit above it sits the train bridge, and the only thing that will draw your attention from the Humpback Bridge is when a 400,000 + pound CSX locomotive comes rambling over this, and the Doobies start singing Long Train Runnin’.
We doubled back a few miles and headed north on Virginia 600, called Indian Draft Road, and to magnificent Lake Moomaw, a 2,500-acre lake that has over 40 miles of undeveloped shoreline. Moomaw was created in the 1980s by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, who built the 12-mile long Gathright Dam, the second-largest Earthen dam in Virginia, at what was once called Kincaid Gorge. This permitted the Jackson River to create one of the prettiest and most natural looking wildlife habitats.
Although some might think of Sheldon’s grandmother when hearing the lake’s moniker (That’s Meemaw), it was named after Covington businessman Benjamin Moomaw, who championed its creation. Although undeveloped, we were still able to ride up and take in some of this beautiful lake, which, in the right light, has the bluest waters in the state. We picked up the short, but impressive Falls Road back to Route 220, and that put us right back at the Falling Springs Falls, which is a view that never gets tiring. Just north of here, we made a right and went up along McGraw Gap Road, and into Sulphur Spring Road – ten miles of very serious, pay attention and ride well roadway. This would bring us back into Clifton Forge again, and our planned overnight at The Red Lantern Inn – a comfortable 7-room guesthouse, that is right in downtown Clifton Forge, just a block or two from the restau-
rants, and the famous Masonic Theatre. Opened in 1906, the Historic Masonic Theatre has hosted plays, politicians, musicians, and celebrities ranging from Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, the legendary Burl Ives, the Drifters, to the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra. If you can arrange your visit to the Alleghany Highlands when there is a show, it will just be a super bonus. Our exploration GPX route was just a mere 120 miles long, but the great thing about roads – most roads – is that they look completely different when going the other way, and that’s what we’d do. Alleghany Highlands is a super county, located dead center in the state of Virginia, with its western edge lying right up along the mountainous border with West Virginia. They offer history, culture, great food, friendly locals, and - for us – miles of some of the best motorcycling roads in this part of the nation.
Ride Smart. Ride often. Ride the Backroads of the Alleghany Highlands. ,
PLANNING AHEAD - LEAVETHE DETAILSTOTHE EXPERTS
Mototouring is an International Motorcycle Touring company, formed in 1994, with the goal of providing a full range of services to motorcycle tourists, as well as arranging tours for motorcyclists and providing guided tours with experienced English-speaking guides who are riders themselves. With over 30 years of experience in adventure touring in Europe, Africa, Central and South America, it is owned and staffed by avid motorcyclists just like you.
Eligio Arturi, the multi-lingual leader, removes all the mysteries and logistical nightmares to ensure that your adventure is really a unique vacation. This is sure to leave you with incredible memories! He has been involved with organizing and leading tours all over the world since 1983, and since 1991 has specialized exclusively in motorcycle tours. You will be immersed in foreign cultures, dine on local cuisine, and enjoy riding through historic locations.
Mototouring also rents out a small range of motorcycles and, in case participants do not have riding gear, Mototouring can take care of that too. Their fleet is varied and can accommodate all riding styles.
Mototouring specializes in personal one-on-one service. They have been there, and done it all. They can provide first-hand knowledge on riding any-
where in Europe, and most places anywhere else! Eligio and his staff can plan the perfect ride for you, help you pick the appropriate motorcycle, tell you what to pack, provide maps of the perfect motorcycle roads, and suggest the best hotels, and yes, even make bookings.
If you are looking for a place in Italy where you can keep your motorcycle to ride whenever you decide, Milan is a good place for you and Mototouring gives you the place to do it! Mototouring also provides pick-up of motorcycles from locations other than Milan, and storing and servicing your personal motorcycle in Milan are all part of the Mototouring repertoire. Mototouring staff speaks English, French, Spanish, and will make your dream motorcycle trip come true. Give them a call, or send an e-mail, and you will quickly find out that they really do speak the same language.
Some of the wonderful and eclectic places Mototouring has visited over its 30 year history include South Africa, New Zealand, Morocco, Namibia, Isle of Man, Central and South America, Japan, and Djibouti - Ethiopia – Sudan; you can see the full listing on their website. Of course, their annual calendar includes some of these plus the ‘regulars’ of the Alps, Corsica and Sardinia, and many more.
To find your dream motorcycle vacations, visit www.mototouring.com.
Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures
The Beachs have been touring on BMW motorcycles since 1969 and is the World’s oldest motorcycle touring company. Operating as a family business since 1972, everyone at Beach’s is dedicated to turning your dreams into memories!
Rob and Gretchen Beach will take care of you like family. They know when to guide and when to stand back, and even when to push. They will make sure your needs are taken care of while giving you latitude to explore. No hand-holding here.
This isn’t some cateredlunch-my-martini-is-too-dry vacation. You are an active participant in an adventure that can never be replicated. Your day-to-day decisions make your trip different than anyone who has been on this trip before you.
The team that Rob and Gretchen have put together only want to make this an adventure you could never regret taking. They do it because they love this stuff, and happy tour members go out and bring them more, all of which become friends, and sometimes family.
Have an adventure without the scary bits. All the details are handled: great lodging, your luggage, a spare bike, someone who knows how to read the German menus, a couple shadetree mechanics, and someone who’s got your back all trip long.
A lifetime of experience riding motorcycles and traveling have taught Rob and Gretchen the finer points of how to have a great vacation on two wheels in a foreign land. Let them do the hard work while you just do your thing. See their full tour offerings and get planning to turn your dreams into memories! www.bmca.com
IMTBIKE has been running outstanding motorcycle tours and rentals in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France and Italy since 1997. In these years they have not only been traveling extensively through these regions learning their history and cultures, but also developing relationships with the local people. They happily share all this cultural knowledge with you to offer you a truly authentic experience.
It is their combination of passion for motorcycling and desire for perfection that makes touring with IMTBIKE something extraordinary. Their new model fully-equipped BMW motorcycles are kept in top-notch condition, their fantastic guides have all completed the BMW International Tourguide Academy, adhering to the highest standards, the accommodations used are 4 and 5 star hotels including historic paradors and pousadas in Spain and Por-
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tugal, as well as riads in Morocco. They keep their tour groups small, with no more than 10 motorcycles maximum and supply an IMTBIKE support van to carry luggage and others touring items.
Plan your next motorcycle adventure with IMTBIKE! All their 2026 tour dates are now live on imtbike.com. Book now and lock in 2025 prices! Ride the latest BMW motorcycles through Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Europe while enjoying IMTBIKE’s signature quality, & customer service. They take care of all the details and you just enjoy the ride. Don’t miss out—secure your spot now!
Edelweiss Bike Travel’s 2026/27 Motorcycle Travel Program
A breath of fresh air for adventure seekers: Edelweiss Bike Travel, now celebrating their 45th anniversary as the world’s leading provider of guided motorcycle tours, has recently published its new travel program and in-
vites motorcycle and e-bike enthusiasts to rediscover the world on two wheels. From spectacular Alpine passes to remote dream destinations - as always, the program combines exciting new additions with popular classics and promises unforgettable experiences for every taste. Travel enthusiasts can look forward to ten exciting new additions to the program for the upcoming season, including two new scooter tours, four Adventure tours, an Unpaved Montenegro/Albania tour, Adriatic Escape or Czech Curves self-guided trips or the Ultimate AMA Alps Crossing. You can find all the details in the new catalog, distributed to all past travelers or by requesting a free copy mailed via the website or as a digital download.
As an added incentive, Edelweiss Bike Travel is offering an exclusive early bird discount of $250 on guided European tours in 2026 booked by October 31, 2025. To take advantage of this, simply book online and use the code EBB2026.
Should E-bikes be your choice, Edelweiss Bike Travel has you covered there, too, with its new e-bike catalog for 2026/27. Two new e-bike tours invite you to discover the most beautiful landscapes in a relaxed and active way, ideal for anyone who wants to combine cycling fun with comfortable support: Spain to Portugal – Sunny Algarve and Cycling Adventure Denmark & Sweden. The same Early Bird discount applies to e-bike tours. For more information, inquiries or to book a tour, the Edelweiss Bike Travel’s team is available via email (worldtours@edelweissbike.com) or by phone (+43 5264 5690).
Please visit their website www.edelweissbike.com for full information.
At one time, motorcycles were fairly simple. Chassis, wheels, engine, fuel, some way to mix air and fuel, and then light it on fire, causing some horsepower to be created and sending us on our way, and some brakes to safely stop us, too.
There are few motorcycles these days that are that simple. The Yamaha Zinger, maybe? Today, with fly-by-wire and ECU, the advent of more advanced technology, motorcycle power management, throttle control, braking, and suspension have gotten much better, but at the cost of being almost out of reach for those looking to tweak what the factory rolls out onto the showroom floor.
Almost.
The brain of most modern machines is the Engine Control Unit – the ECU. Basically, these are just computers that handle an untold number of events, tasks, and systems all at the same time.
Although most of us mortals do not have the skill, brains, or technology on hand to play and adjust the parameters of today’s ECUs, there are some folks who do – and have been doing it for a long time. In this particular article, we will be focused on late model BMW R 1250 machines – our GS, but every other version of the R 1250 can be tweaked as well. In fact, almost every machine that has an ECU probably can be made a skosh better.
peratures, power, and torque gains due to unrestricted throttle and removal of limiters, in each gear. Removal of known flat spots in the RPM range. Exhaust valve adjustments for best sound, maximum torque, and horsepower. Full-throttle limiters to 80% at low rpm to 100% for instant response. Updated engine braking in all modes. Cold and warm start issues eliminated. Lambda limiters adjusted for maximum power. That is just a small part of the changes that will be made with BT-Moto’s new mapping.
If you are a PC Windows rider, then you can most likely go through the updating process yourself.
I am a Mac guy, so I looked to some pros, somebody who had the experience and was super confident that we could do this, and I would not end up with a 500-pound German statue.
I made a call to Brian Ballard at A & J Cycles in Hillburn, New York. Hillburn is right on the south end of Harriman State Park, and about a 60-mile ride for me. I explained to Brian what
There are many companies that offer these mapping upgrades for various machines. But, and this is a big but…. doing so will probably void your warranty. With my warranty in the mirror, and looking to take care of some of the tiny niggly things about the 2020 R 1250 GS, I made a call to BT-Moto.
BT-Moto has been doing custom ECU Tuning for more than a decade, starting with automobiles and then quickly moving into the motorcycle world. But, again there is a but, the process to ‘Flash’ your ECU is just that. A process, that involves purchasing their BT-Moto’s Hand-Held Tuner. This is not an easy purchase, as it is pricey, but we want you to keep reading, so we will get back to this and discuss its benefits.
The BMW R 1250 GS rolls off the showroom with 136 horsepower. That is a lot of ponies, and me… I am not a horsepower guy. I have long stood by my need for only ‘usable horsepower.’
But, like when I played my first high-end guitar, spending a few weeks on a Ducati Multistrada V-4S, a bike that has 170 horsepower available, was a bit of an unfortunate eye opener. Suddenly, I realized my Guild and Ovation were not a Taylor, Martin, or Breedlove. (The high-end wallet burners keep on comin’, I tell ya!)
My BMW was perfectly fine till Japan, and the Ducati – then I began to nitpick.
Truthfully, I think BMW knew they could do better, too – and the new R 1300 machines have addressed a few of these issues.
The long list of changes that the BT-Moto Tuner will do range from subtle to sublime:
Smoothing of part throttle and low RPM rideability to combat bucking and jerking with proper fueling. Removed top speed limiter (125mph), lower fan-on tem-
I wanted to do, and an appointment was made. A & J have become known throughout the U.S. as a premier Triumph motorcycle customizer and performance center. But, they work on other brands as well, and were well acquainted with BT-Moto and how to upgrade machines with the Hand Held Tuner.
Still, although I am a Scot, I am not the First Engineer of a Starship, and I fear anything tech-unknown; it is still sorcery to me. I asked Brian if he had this? He smiled. He did. Okay, let’s do this.
The process goes like this. The tuner reads the current OEM program from the bike’s ECU and stores it EXACTLY on its drive. That original OEM program is then uploaded to BT-Moto, located in Emerald City, Oz.
There, the wizard will read the program and compare it to the plethora of stock programs they have seen and vastly improved on. The reason for actually having BT-Moto see your stock mapping is that even though you and your friend have the same bike, same year, same livery, there could be subtle updates done to the bike while servicing, or even from Berlin, in BMW’s case. Also, having the stock mapping on hand might be of benefit, especially if you need to reload it before going to BMW if your bike is still under warranty. Would this be breaking the rules? Technically. But, so what?
It took about one long lunch break to get the message back from BT-Moto that the new mapping program was ready for download to the Tuner, and then Brian slowly, and methodically (and this is why we pay him) sent the new, better, faster, smoother, way cooler “Flash” to my ECU.
During this process, the TFT screen basically said that nothing was being seen engine management-wise, and though Brian was smiling and talking about the shop, their work with cigars.com, and the very sexy Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE they are building for them, following a series of turning the bike off, turning the bike on… I kept looking at the TFT with an unsettling churning happening in my gut.
Then it was done.
Brian smiled, began to unhook the connection, turned on the BMW one final time, and said to start it. It all seemed… well, normal.
Brian is a busy guy, so I thanked him and suited up and headed home, wondering if I would feel anything different on my Supertramp Take the Long Way Home ride? Well yes… I surely would.
Let’s be upfront here, as I love my GS – it pretty much does and acts the way they all have. Smooth, with power. Steady and confident.
But, I want to make another guitar analogy – and you riders who are guitar players might agree – when you change your strings, and they finally settle in, and stay tuned, your guitar, which was great before, is more greater. Right? The bike just played better.
This is as close as I can come to what I wish to get across here, and I think it is spot on.
The GS was far smoother, and the throttle and response very crisp and confident. One tiny thing that I thought was most excellent is the cooling fan coming on far quicker than before – something that had me perplexed on some hot rides with this bike.
I do not have a Dyno, but my guesstimate is about maybe a jump from the 138 to 155 +. That is significant and far superior to buying a new Ducati, as my BMW is paid off.
In every power mode that the GS came with, the bike was simply better. Much better.
So, let me circle back to the cost of this whole deal.
A ‘not so cheap’ $800. But, here comes that dreaded Brian Rathjenal.
The new GS costs about $30,000, considering the $3,275 Premium Package and the additional $675 ‘destination’ charge. Given the opportunity to make your bike work that much better, for a tad more than a ‘destination’ charge, well then, this starts to look like a more doable thing, does it not?
BT-Moto has Hand Held “Flash” Tuners for a wide number of makes and models – Aprilia, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Triumph, Yamaha, and others.
They have been doing this for years – they know their craft, and when done properly and methodically, your bike will be a far smoother and better-running motorcycle.
If you think this is something you would like, look BT-Moto up on their website, and if you are worried about getting this done, and not killing your machine, we highly recommend giving the folks at A & J Cycles a call – I am sure they can help you out too. ,
Sources: bt-moto.com • ajcyclesny.com
hoPeisa motorcycle
How an eight-month wait for a motorcycle gave me hope
During one of our later conversations, my doctor said, “Men don’t like to talk about these things. Women have no problem talking with each other about cancer. Especially breast cancer.” I think she was right because as friends learned of my prostate cancer, they had questions. Lots of questions. And so, I am sharing this story with you, and how a motorcycle gave me hope.
A routine annual physical in the fall of 2020 suspected, “there is something there.” By the Spring of 2021, it was confirmed. I had prostate cancer. The funny thing is I never felt a thing. I only know because of all the tests, the MRIs, and biopsies. It was low grade, and “active surveillance” was the treatment plan. That means keep an eye on it, as if the FBI or CIA is staked out in your neighborhood.
At first, I was an emotional roller coaster, but as I learned more about this disease, I came to accept what I had, and that it was curable especially when caught early. But having prostate cancer never left the back of my mind. All the ‘what ifs’ occasionally kept me awake at night.
the bike yet, but $100 would put me on a list yet to be created. Yes, I was ahead of the curve on this one, and I couldn’t wait.
The emotional cure for all this was my motorcycles. I had plenty of helmet time and even did a little touring. I even bought a new 2023 Kawasaki KLR while I had two Moto Guzzis in the garage. Clearly, I was not thinking ‘what if’ this disease turns serious, spreads or becomes deadly. It has for others. I re-evaluated my riding needs and styles, and pondered some motorcycle changes.
Then EICMA 2024 happened. November 2024, Milan, Italy. All the new and pretty motorcycles on display. Some new ones and old ones with new paint. There, in the middle of the show was the Moto Guzzi display featuring the new Moto Guzzi V7 Sport. It looked a lot like the older model, but it has been updated paying homage to the V7 Sport of more than 50 years ago. I quickly found the specs to see the changes, and I knew I had to have one. It was exactly what I was looking for.
Okay, what am I looking for? What am I looking for living with prostate cancer? What if this cancer takes a turn for the worse? I am 74 years old. I have been riding for nearly 60 years. I cannot imagine living without a motorcycle or two. I am not the tallest and have found the KLR and my Moto Guzzi V85tt to be tall and heavy. I also have a 2020 Moto Guzzi V7iii Rough—a 750—and it is my favorite motorcycle of all time. I decided I would move along the adventure bikes and buy the V7 Sport 850 as a replacement for touring.
I visited my local Guzzi dealer, Cadre Cycle, the next day and asked about the availability of the new V7 Sport. “June or July,” was the response. What about a deposit? I want one. He said he really hadn’t started a wait list for
In the meantime, another MRI and biopsy was scheduled. The “what ifs” returned to my dreams. I rode as often as I could, sharing helmet time with all three bikes, hoping that we would be continuing active surveillance. Hopefully to the end of my riding days a decade or so later. But that was not to be.
The doc called and got right to the point. She said, “Active surveillance is no longer an option. The cancer has spread in the prostate and become more progressive. What do you want to do? Surgery or radiation?” I did not expect this, even with all the “what ifs” I had thought about. I needed to think about it on two wheels. The 2020 V7 was my accomplice, but I could not stop thinking about the new V7 Sport on order.
Should I cancel the order, or continue to hope for it as my saviour.
I spent plenty of time talking with my wife about the treatment decision to be made. She was the best support. She IS the best support and has been for thirty-nine years.
I told the doc I would do the surgery. It seemed to be the best option for me. But, I had a few things to do beforehand. There was work to be done around the house. I had planned on teaching four fly fishing classes. And, I needed to ride as much as I could. I sold the KLR and made plans to trade the V85tt on the new V7 Sport when it arrived.
With classes taught and patio maintenance finished, I reported to the hospital—a VA hospital—at 6 a.m., and was prepped for the robotic surgery. I will spare all the details of hospitalization and post-surgery care. My health
D. Brent Miller
care team was terrific. The hospital food? No comment. The post-surgery biopsy was the best possible. All the cancer was in the prostate. No cancer was found in the surrounding lymph nodes. My PSA was next measured at less than .01%. That is as low as it can get. I was cancer free!
My mission now was to heal from surgery and begin the post surgery recovery. I was told it could take anywhere from three to six months to maybe even a year. Everyone is different. It all depends on how hard you work on it with exercises to re-train the bladder. I was diligent. Afterall, I had a new motorcycle coming. I expect delivery just around the corner.
As Morgan Freeman famously said, “Time to get living.” I interpret that as get back on the motorcycle as soon as possible. My first ride on the 2020 V7 came at seven weeks post surgery. No word on delivery of the V7 Sport yet. Then, the dealer called. He had been invoiced for the V7 Sport and it should arrive in about 30 days. It was in the USA. I was so excited. He called on the 7th of July. My V7 Sport is inbound, and
one more incredible piece of news. The VIN number of my V7 Sport is 7. Yes. 007. That’s just incredible. My birthday is on a 7th. I guess 7 is my lucky number.
I don’t want to sound like I live only for motorcycling. There is much more, but the thought of this new bike coming gave me hope that I would survive prostate cancer, and ride again for many years.
Finally, my 2026 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport arrived in July, and the dealer held it for me to arrive for the unboxing. It was surreal. All that I had been through, living with prostate cancer, the emotional toll, and then the surgical treatment, I kept thinking about this motorcycle. It gave me hope for my future in motorcycling. I couldn’t wait to ride it home. As of this writing, I have put more than 300 miles on the V7 Sport since taking possession. The bike? All I can say is, “Wow!” The Guzzi V7 Sport exceeded my expectations. It performs like a Moto Guzzi V85tt in a V7 frame. As for my recovery from prostate cancer surgery, it is coming along nicely. It will be a while before I am fully recovered. Touring is out of the question for the remainder of 2025, but short rides are very doable—just enough helmet time to make a difference.
Be well. See you on the backroads. Hope is a motorcycle. ,
The Law Office of Paul Gargiulo, P.C. presents Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride Skillfully
A column dedicated to your riding survival
everyone?
A few weeks back, I was at a gathering, and as it was not my usual crowd, I was happy to hang back and just take in the room. Almost all my friends have some sort of motorcycle connection – but this night we were the strangers in the room, enjoying friends of friends.
Most of the people there had broken off into little cliques, as folks usually do, and the different conversations were being had. Amongst all these, I heard some “moto-chatter,” and like most humans do, when they hear something in which they are interested, my ears perked up, and I took in some of their conversation.
When words like motorcycle, riding, and the like filter through a crowded room, it makes you take notice and listen in. I am not sure if these fellows even rode, though they seem to have cut-and-dried opinions on riding. Two all too familiar phrases were stated.
“He had to lay it down,” and “Everyone who rides crashes eventually.” Everyone? Really?
Although I truly wanted to throw in my opinion on these statements, I remarkably kept my thoughts to myself, and those who know me might be well stunned at that. Still, what about what these guys were saying - “He had to lay it down,” and “Everyone who rides crashes eventually.”
Why? Let’s look at these individually.
Laying a bike down means that you have given up. Once you “Lay it Down” there is no going back, no miraculous Marc Marquez save to be had, no snatching away a rider from the icy hand of fate. Just impact, pavement, friction, and Newton’s Third Law.
There once was an incident, on the other side of the road and the world, in New Zealand. We were waiting patiently for the one-way Homer Tunnel at the bottom of Milford Sound to turn our way. It was a soggy and very slick day.
While there, we were talking with a couple of groups from two large tour vans, from two different tour companies. Nice enough folks just out on a “Holiday” as they and Drew Barrymore would say. We got word that the tunnel would be changing direction, and everyone got in their vans and we on our bikes.
The Homer is not the longest, but its 1.2 kilometers had to be dug through solid rock, and that took 19 years to do this back in the day. Long time, but they did it by hand, and a World War got involved and SNAFUed it all up for a bit. It is wet, dark, and slippery, even on the best days, and the weather on one side might not be the same on the other. Coming out into the bright light, the two vans sped ahead, and we followed. Shira at point, I behind. There was a park on the right, and one van slowed and put on a right signal and began to turn, just as the other, with a young and douchey driver at the wheel, decided to make a pass on the lead van. They both got tangled up and slid sideways across the road, right in front of Shira. Everything slowed down in my eyes as I saw the roadway closing up in front of her and, with no room to stop, she aimed for the small bit of daylight on the far right of the New Zealand roadway. She could do it, I thought she would, but the slick road and her tires disagreed, and she low-sided onto the macadam, and under the back of one of the vans. Her bike was following behind her, and stopped only by the machine wedging under the bumper. She was okay, but certainly gave sailors a run for their money with the words that came out of her mouth this day.
The point is that she did not lay it down, and she did her best to pilot her way to a happy ending.
There is no good “I had to lay it down” scenario.
Ever. Once you do, you are through.
Then there was this turn of words… “Everyone who rides crashes eventually.”
Really? Why?
Sure, things will happen, but that doesn’t mean they have to.
Most crashes happen for a reason. Lack of skill. Lack of concentration. Other factors may come into play. But diligence, and riding in the moment, with thought, and situational awareness can and will make the difference. Know your bike. Try not to be just a body piloting the bike, but strive to be one with it. Think of your braking points and exit strategy in the twisties. Be aware of the surrounding traffic, weather conditions, and time of day – as 2 o’clock on a sunny Tuesday afternoon will not be the same as 5:30 on a showery Friday on the same road.
The numbers say that things will keep happening but, with constant awareness, practice, and forethought, maybe we can help lessen the statistics for everyone. ,
