Guest SondanXX Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 The planning (or lack thereof) began several months ago. Trace, myself, and the two Donis's put our heads together and decided it would be fun to trip through the New England area for a week to see what we could see in 6-7 days. A trailer and driver were procured, bikes were loaded, routes were discussed, and the fun starts tomorrow morning as we leave Jax to arrive in Manchester, NH to pick up our bikes... Roughly our plan is to venture up the Maine coast with stops in Boothbay and Bar Harbor or where ever our travels take us, and with Tracey onboard I'm pretty sure we'll be stopping in "Bangher" and "Sodom" for some unknown reason... which of course will add a couple of days to our journey. :goofy: After a few days of lobster munching, scotch drinking, and flannel sweater watching we'll boogie on over to the White Mtns of New Hampshire and Mt. Washington continually working our way to Lebanon, NH, which will hopefully be our HQ for a few days. As time permits we hope to explore portions of the Green Mtns in Vermont and maybe even the famed "Floating Bridge" as well. Several of the Northeast VFRd faithful have been contacted and it's hoped they will join us somewhere along the way to lead the caravan... As part of the logistics of getting my VFR up to Jax and on the trailer, I got a chance to borrow Donis's ST1300 as my transportation back and forth from Otown.... what a smooth/weet ride! I could put some SERIOUS miles down with one of these... Allow me to say that I know I passed several of Florida's finest on the way back to Orlando at about 90 ish and none of them even blinked as I sped bye bye... which furthers my point about riding a bike that doesn't "look" like a crotch... anyway, that's another story for another time... Ok, two pics... you've no doubt seen one before, but here's Donis's ST1300... doesn't it look sweet in my driveway? A perfectly worn in "Florida Tire" in all it's squareness... Pics and trip details to follow... stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Wow, this trip sounds like FUN! Can I go? Oh...I'm already going! I'll bring a camera to record the shenanigans in Bangher and Sodom. [imagine...there's actually a town called Sodom in Maine AND Vermont! What's going on up there?] Anyway, we land at noonish Saturday, find the trailer, offload the bikes, fiddlefuck around packing the bikes and getting geared up......and maybe actually get on the road headed towards Portland by 3. As Rob mentioned, we're looking to make the Camden/Booth Bay area the first night....dunno. Sailcycle might lead us through the coastline area that first day, and PhatPat might meet up with us one day later in the week. Cool!! :thumbsup: And Rob really DOES like that bigass ST. I put heated grips and a few other farkles on it, and it will get on down the road pretty decently! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer blkvfr04 Posted June 15, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 15, 2007 Need a tour guide to get you to Maine??? I live in Manchester, couple miles from the airport...Let me know. Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon28 Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 :beer: You guys suck! I'm jealous yet again.....although less jealous than the Tracey's "Ready...Freddie" thread! Make sure to drink a few for me....as I'm stuck here as usual......have fun up there and ride safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoxmole Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 You guys suck. All this single-guy-touring the US crap. OK, I'm just jealous. Have fun and ride safe. And I want a picture of Trace in front of the "Welcome to Bangor" sign! :goofy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KanadianKen Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 where can this guy hook up with you guys?!!!! I have some time off. Might be able to swing a partial group ride!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bent Posted June 19, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 19, 2007 The Northeast will never be the same..... :rolleyes: Wish I wuz going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 I'm happy to report that we've safely made it (thus far, knock on wood), to Lebanon... despite having a run in with Security at the Manchester airport... Stayed at a nice B&B in Bethel, Maine, relaxed in the hot tub and nibbled on watercrest sandwiches whilst drinking tea porchside. I'm NOT sure we can actually post a lot of the pics we've taken since getting here... :thumbsup: We've actually been pleasantly surprised as to how FEW cops we've seen in our travels, and when you do see one, they actually will stop and help you with directions and are very courteous... SCHWEET... so WTF is wrong with Florida cops? I can report that I actually killed a low flying bird at speed today with my helmet, leaving Trace to dodge the "feathered" aftermath I left behind me in mid air... So far Three bottles of Scotch have given their lives to support our mission here... oh yeah, and we highly recommend the Sam Adams Summer Ale or Shipyard Seasonal Ale for those afternoon pit stops. We also, thankfully, have not seen a "Moose crossing" yet, despite all these damn signs all over the place that say "Watch for Moose"... we have however, gotten close to a deer... Donis and Donis Jr actually managed to get "separated" on the Interstate... we're not exactly sure how that happened or how one does that, but they did it... All for now, I need a refill... BAR KEEP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer blkvfr04 Posted June 21, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 21, 2007 Didnt like the Smutty Nose huh??? :goofy Trailer and truck safe... :thumbsup: Moose crossing signs are for tourists :blink: Moose are extinct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 So it's Thursday night, and we've done about 1400 miles seeing the beautiful sights of Maine, NH, and Vermont. And it's really, really is beautiful here. Every town and burg and village we roar thru, I want to stop and look at the unique buildings and granite outcropings and rushing streams and neat little places to eat.....but can't do it all. Must keep pushing, must keep going to the next town..... We've been all over. Seen so much. Drank many beeeeers and Scotches. The roads here are a good mix of very fast sweepers and some real tight "Gap" hairpins.....and so much scenery that you are always in danger of baking a turn. The only real problem is the condition of many of the more twisty roads. The smaller and more rural (mountain) they are, the less they're maintained, and in some parts they're EXTREMELY bumpy. Like "toss you out of the seat" bumpy! I backed off my shock's compression setting, and that helped the tooth-jarriing ride to some extent, but you end up spending a lot of time putting your weight on both pegs to keep the beating to a minimum. As Rob mentioned, very few cops here. None. Weather has been............75 degrees, full sun, no humidity. Cooler in the mountain passes. Perfect. It has evolved that Rob and I blast off and head to some preordained city somewhere, and the two Donisessssessses eventually meet us there. Sr. on the K1200S is pretty fast, but Jr. on the 2003 VFR is very tentative.....afraid to pass, slow to get up to speed, etc. And up here, EVERYTHING is double yellow, so breaking traffic laws is a necessity. Another observation is that every fifth car in these states is a Subaru Outback, and most of them are dark green. We've passed thousands of them......... Huge thanks to Bill (blkvfr04) and Barry (sailcycle) for getting us underway, helping, etc. Huge! Dale---you shoulda. You shoulda. Last ride is tomorrow (Friday)...then a hard run to Manchester to load the bikes back into the trailer, have some Scotch, then catch a Saturday morning flight back to Sunny Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. And wait for our bug-laden bikes to make the trek back down I-95. More to come. I'm sure Rob will post something to humiliate me. Of course, it's not hard to find material for Trace humiliation! :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
original007 Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Didnt like the Smutty Nose huh??? :goofyTrailer and truck safe... :thumbsup: Moose crossing signs are for tourists :wheel: Moose are extinct. I grew up in Claremont,NH couple towns over from Lebanon and although I never saw a moose (excluding tracks) my dad actually just missed one on his Gs1100, Caught the mooses nose with is elbow which was covered with moose snot. But yeah there are few left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer mq105 Posted June 22, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2007 I'm glad you all are having a great time and the weather has been nice. I'm disappointed I couldn't go, and eagerly awaiting pictures. T, I take it the trailer-tip wasn't an issue? Be careful Friday; last days have a way of being "gotchas" if you let down mentally. MQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer sailcycle Posted June 22, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 22, 2007 Hi Tracy and Rob, It sounds like the trip has been going well since we parted company in Freeport Saturday night. Did you ever make it up Mount Battie? How many clawed critters have you consumed? I got back from North Carolina tonight and I have a full day's worth of conference calls tomorrow. I'm heading down to the Owl's Head Bikefest on Saturday and am hitting the White Mountains on Sunday. It sounds like Jr. is still having some experience and confidence problems, so it's probably wise that he's holding back with Sr. No sense in him getting caught up in your shenanigans! Have a great last day here in New England and let me know how you make out with the Nazis at Manchester Airport. And despite what Billie said, the moose are still plentiful, having seen 3 on Mother's Day. They are only extinct in Manchester. Just so everyone won't think your trip has been soley focused on motorcycles, here's a shot of you and rob enjoying the New Hampshire Ballet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Heading out of Lebanon soon....riding northeast back thru the Kanc, then drop down and go around that bigass lake (begins with a "W"), then meander over to Laconia, then drop onto 93 for the run back to Bill's place. Oh, I forgot to mention.....Bill's Garage gets a coveted "Trace Award" for neatness and functionality and equipment and assorted "stuff". Stuff is carefully arranged and inventoried.....nice damn garage! :thumbsup: And what the hell is going on in that picture of me pole dancing with Rob at the lobster joint? mq-I was thinking the same thing about "last day" events. Good reminder. Trailer tipover damage on my bike was not fatal. I have some fixes to do, but nothing major. However....my muffler fell against Rob's hardbags and something like a bar end got to his left fairing, so there's some work to be done there. But nothing bent or discombobulated on either bike. I'm stopping somewhere before we get back to the trailer and buying another set of straps. It was the final "improvised" strap on my left rear tiepoint that came aloose, sending the Yellow Burro falling to the right during some hard bump or turn during the trip. Oh well..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN_VFR_Girl Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 I'm glad you all are having a great time and the weather has been nice. I'm disappointed I couldn't go, and eagerly awaiting pictures. MQ Mike, be careful what you wish for ... don't ask me how I know! :rolleyes: Seriously guys, be careful on this last day ... we want you to make it home in one piece! :beer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer PhatPat33 Posted June 24, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2007 Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet up with you all. Been a crazy month... Looks like it was a great time and I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Pat--woulda been good to have met ya, but we were on vacay and you weren't, and I very much realize hard it is to simply bust out of work and go for a ride. Next time. :unsure: So Rob and I are back in very warm, very sunny Florida; our bikes are making their way down I-95 (properly secured this time!); and we're eagerly anticipating the next adventures and exciting times that will come our way this summer. We'll post some pics in the next few days. Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer blkvfr04 Posted June 24, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 24, 2007 Heading out of Lebanon soon....riding northeast back thru the Kanc, then drop down and go around that bigass lake (begins with a "W"), then meander over to Laconia, then drop onto 93 for the run back to Bill's place. Oh, I forgot to mention.....Bill's Garage gets a coveted "Trace Award" for neatness and functionality and equipment and assorted "stuff". Stuff is carefully arranged and inventoried.....nice damn garage! :thumbsup: And what the hell is going on in that picture of me pole dancing with Rob at the lobster joint? mq-I was thinking the same thing about "last day" events. Good reminder. Trailer tipover damage on my bike was not fatal. I have some fixes to do, but nothing major. However....my muffler fell against Rob's hardbags and something like a bar end got to his left fairing, so there's some work to be done there. But nothing bent or discombobulated on either bike. I'm stopping somewhere before we get back to the trailer and buying another set of straps. It was the final "improvised" strap on my left rear tiepoint that came aloose, sending the Yellow Burro falling to the right during some hard bump or turn during the trip. Oh well..... Thanks for the award, :thumbsup: Judi is still laughing. :unsure: Is same sex pole dancing legal in Florida??? Its not in NH, yet. :goofy: Billy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I'll add some pics and comments as I have time this week... Saturday morning, we arrive at Billy's place, get the bikes unloaded, assess the damage from the ride up, gear up and prepare to head out... not exactly sure what Judy is doing in this photo, but many thanks to her and Billy for the cold beer and a place to leave the trailer... Is an Aerostitch hot or what? Barry taking a rest in Billy's "posh", state of the art garage, while telling us how slow we were getting ready and how we'd never make Camden by nightfall... at least he had a cold Bud... Taking a break at the Bush compound in Kennebunkport. From the left, Trace, Donis Jr, Barry, and Billy. It was chilly along the Maine coastline, like high 40's and though people were all out on the shore, nobody was going in the water. Barry explained that they only have one day where they can swim and that was July 4th, after that it turns back into winter... personally I can't even imagine how cold that water is... During our trip, Trace was, for some reason, spending A LOT of time on his cell phone texting someone... :rolleyes: If I remember correctly he had just received a message and apparently was very happy about it... Time for a cold beer stop in Deer Isle, Maine. Nice, twisty road to get out to the end of the pennisula, but you definitely had to watch road conditions. Nothing like a couple of ice upheavals to create some real nasty stutter bumps throughout a corner, not to mention a REAL uneven surface to skate across... in some parts I'd swear the road was shaped like a big "W". A photo stop at the Sea Wall. The Maine Coast was really a site to see and these pics don't do it justice... however one does have to keep in mind that in 3 months all of this will be... white! "The Captain was here"... Sondance and Trace adopting our best Captain pose on top of Caterpillar Mountain. Man, it was cold and windy up there, but what a nice ride up! Other sites on top of Caterpillar Mountain... Next stop... Bangher, Maine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer skuuter Posted June 26, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 26, 2007 Pics will have to be "edited" before this trip is over........I feel it coming...... :P .......Keep having the fun out there though guys, and keepa' postin'....................... :thumbsup: :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer sailcycle Posted June 26, 2007 Member Contributer Share Posted June 26, 2007 Is an Aerostitch hot or what? Barry taking a rest in Billy's "posh", state of the art garage, while telling us how slow we were getting ready and how we'd never make Camden by nightfall... at least he had a cold Bud... I do have to admit that being married for 28 years and being the father of 3 girls prepared me well for the start of this trip. I'm used to the delays caused by primping and preening, so when I saw how the pre-staging activities were going, I just went into the state that keeps me from getting all flustered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I just went into the state that keeps me from getting all flustered. And that would be a "state of shock".....? :goofy: :goofy: :goofy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 So now that I'm liquored up, it's time for more pics... I know you all have just been waitin for them... We reach Bangor, Maine... about the only thing that comes to mind from this pic is those famous words from Julius Caesar... "Veni, Vidi, Vici" Although I think my my own personal variation of "Vidi, Vici, Veni" captures the moment a bit better :goofy: In any event they named a salad after the guy, God only knows what they'll name after Trace... P.S. Do a google search so you can understand the joke... After visiting Bangor, we chose to just continue on and get back to New Hampshire so we could sample a nice B&B that Donis knew about in NH. So, after a truckload of $3 Margaritas and the $5 dollar Taco special at a place called the "Rooster" on "Movie Night", (Highly Recommended BTW), Trace and I checked into the B&B and toasted the night away on the front porch with some Dewar's in coffee cups... After several cups of Dewar's, I'm not exactly sure what my buddy is doing here, but it sure as hell was funny... this town was so quiet and peaceful I bet him I could streak down the street and nobody would even notice... no worries though, we didn't take that pic... :unsure: Doesn't this pic look like it belongs on the cover of AARP magazine? Trace striking a pose on top of Mt. Washington. Wait a minute, is that a cell phone in his hands? Very soon afterwards, my buddy discovered his cell phone had a signal. So away he went on that texting thing again... Would you buy a used car from this guy? :warranty: As you can tell we ran into a decent bit of rain on our trip... Pretty cool waterfall though and there was sign next to it that listed how many people had been injured or died whilst trying to climb it... and people think we're crazy... We reach the "Kanc"... here's those damn Moose signs... could you imagine running into one of these puppies? "HUNDREDS OF COLLISIONS"... Thankfully, we only saw one deer and as luck would have it, I was leading, so I passed it like the "Railer" passes all the Novices at a track day... Trace getting ready to hit the dirt portion of the "Kanc". Personally I give the VFR two thumbs up for it's tractibility on dirt... What a great road.. we rode this several times throughout our trip with the last being a rainy, foggy downpour that even Moses would have pulled over in... I could see that Freddie Spencer school really paid off for Trace as he managed a 6 car pass on a double yellow in high altitiude and the rainiest of conditions meanwhile shutting it down to take on a tight, tight hairpin with all the precision of a surgeon... My helmet after taking on some sort of low flying bird in Vermont... Mr. Monkey Butt himself gives me the big thumbs up... while you candy butts are out riding the smooth tracks of Jennings I'm out there killing BIRDS.... I told Trace later that I think I actually saw the Bird moments before impact say "Oh Sh_t", but by then my Scorpion had him in it's sights... So that's all the pics I had, what a great trip with some great guys and helluva lot of fun. Special thanks to Billy, Judy, and Barry for joining us on our little adventure. Your assistance was greatly appreciated and like others I've met on this forum, you're good people... always a pleasure meeting folks from this group!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KanadianKen Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 WHat a great trip!! Glad you had a ball!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trace Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 It seems like Rob has done a fine job of summing-up the highlights and lowlights of our trip to Upppppper New England. But I took some pics too, and so I might was well post 'em, huh? The first thing we did after getting out of Manchester Airport (and not being shot by TSA when our 24 foot enclosed trailer pulled up to the front of the terminal and our driver got out, lowered the rear door for us to toss our bags in....and the guard people absolutely FREAKED, ordered us to freeze...as in FREEZE...drop the luggage, step away from the trailer....now LEAVE! Welcome to the Live Free or Die state. Sheeeesh.) Anyway, beer stop. sailcycle Barry, blkvfr04 Bill, Donis, Tiny Waitress, Donis, and Robdance. The Bush compound at Walker Point. Pretty cool. At least the very serious guards there didn't draw down on us! VFRs at Walker Point. The Bar Harbor area is beautiful. Around every turn is a vista or a fantastic home. Or both! Rob had a Monkey Butt explosion in one of his bags. I laughed for hours, and it wasn't just because of the medicinal Scotch I was imbibing that evening. Earlier, I had witnessed him applying hanfuls of the stuff in a Bar Harbor restaurant parking lot, and was forevery damaged and scandalized by the sight. "Arraaaaggghhhhh.......my eyes, my EYES.......!!!" So, the coating of Butt Powder on all his stuff served him right! Hmmmfff. These gals ran a little independent gas station (no credit card slot on the pumps!!!!) on Deer Isle. I kept the daughter and grandma busy performing coin magic tricks while Rob flirted with the MI.....er, Mom. Yes, those are tatts on her feet. Thought I was back in Florida for a second.... New England Lighthouse, south of Portland. Typical New England postcard beauty. Another typical New England scene, one we saw in nearly every township up there. This is Charles Darwin's church in Vermont..... And another thing about Vermont....the so-called Green Mountains really ARE green. I mean, I've been in mountains all over the USA, I have some lovely acreage near the George Washington Forest in West Virginia....and these are the greeeeenest mountains I've EVER seen!! I mean...just LOOK at this picture!! Wow! Rob was on a tear on this trip. Everywhere we went, he was meeting women! Here he is, on top again.... Frost heaves make for some unpleasant roads in this part of the country, but mostly on the backroads. Locals tell us that New Hampshire is "bumpiest". Tax structure, or somesuch. Frankly, it was a mix of glass-smooth and awful everywhere we went in all three states. The morning of our second day on the road--the dreaded fuse connector fried on Donis' VFR. And I had greased it and "worked" it before loading into the trailer and it was perfect when we did this. So....if I had a 6th Gen, I would eliminate that damn connector right now! Rob insisted on wearing this shirt to upset the tourists in Bar Harbor.... HD folks loved it, of course! Me and Rob at our charming, cozy, romantic B&B. <cough> Touring on bikes is interesting.....'cuz you never know what you'll run into (and I don't mean moose). At the top of Mt. Washington, two guys show up riding these ancient BMWs. They were from Ohio, headed to Nova Scotia for some big Bimmer meet. Cool. And that's one long-ass ride on these dinosaurs. I was a little concerned about the sheepskin things on the headlights, but I didn't want to ask.... Rob is in the far background with his bike. So I'll finish my report with this pic of our little touring group along a mountainside. It was a good week of riding and fun. Pleasant and challenging roads [118 to the Kanck in NH is GREAT!] We did 1600 miles in 6 days....not some mileage record by any means, but we covered all four corners of Vermont and New Hampshire, and the full seacoast and some interior of Maine, while taking time to enjoy the towns and food and scenery. Weather was typically in the mid-70's, but sometimes chilly in the mountains, sometimes REAL chilly in the mountains. But it's a great time to see New England....much better than say....January. DaleOx.....ya shoulda been there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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