But I digress... I suppose a Hello to all is in order, for I have been lurking about this site for some time and gathering tips on this wonderful machine that I purchased back in June. I feel as though I know many of you, and the urge to share in the adventure my wife and I have returned from compels me to do so here. So, without further ado...
The Great eastern ride begins... We start out on a beautiful Saturday morning in late July as our sturdy mounts find themselves loaded for camping and adventure. A trip we have talked about for years, and now, many more to follow.
We leave the heat and hunidity of southern Ontario and head east. Along secondary highways and by-ways. Part of the arrangement made earlier that this journey would see us compile less than 10 kms of interstate and major highway traffic. At the border crossing from Canada into the USA and western New York it becomes apparant that we are truly living in the moment as dreamed about.
"Where you from?" asks the rather bored, but somewhat interested customs official. "Canada" "Uh-Huh, and where are you headed", he asks. Hmmm, this takes a bit of thought. "Well, eventually to New Hampshire, through NY and Vermont" Sounds good I think. We've looked at the maps and that seemed the way to go. "Okay", the rather bored official perks up, "...and for how long, and for what reason?" Again, some quick contemplation, " 10, 12...maybe 14 days", I answer "just to motorcycle and camp as a vacation....Sir" He seems fine with the answer, and after a number of less interested questions sends us on our way. The adventure truly begins.
Once into New York, we find ourselves searching for Hwy 20. Our folks have mentioned this as one of the truly great backroads in the state, but without being remote enought that we are out of touch with place to eat, stay and feed our beasts of burden.
Highway 20 skirts the finger lakes region of NY state from west to east and as we run across the level farm land and into the rolling hills, we realize that we are most definitely on the right path.
A stop in Canadaigua for the night confirms it. As the rain begins to fall, and the lightning starts to light up a late afternoon sky we manage to find what seems to be the last motel room in the area, after some searching of course. The woman at the front desk of this little independant place is keenly aware that we are not able to go much further on this day and rents us a room that is under some renovation for a drastically reduced cost, and allows us to park in her carport so that the bikes do not get soaked. This sets the tone for the entire trip, hospitality and then some.
The next day, my new friends, we find ourselves in Vermont. Ah Vermont, beautiful rolling hills along highway 9 and Vermont's motorcycling masterpiece, highway 100. From south to north, we spend the day on no.100 taking in the sights and never quite managing to meet the posted 50mp/h speed limit, due to twists and turns and elevation changes. A constant smile and the ever present biker 'wave' makes this a day to remember as we pass by hundreds of other bikes over the 130 or so mile stretch.
The roadside rest stops aren't bad either...
The ride ends just west of Stowe, Vermont, one of the prettiest towns in all of New England as we manage to get ourselves a campsite at Smuggler's notch state park for a few days.
From this, our new home base...at least until we feel it time to move on, we explore the area from the seat of our now unburdened mounts. We head north through the notch on Vermont's rte 108, by far my wife's favorite road of the entire adventure, as you can no doubt judge for yourself.
And of course, you cannot go to Vermont without searching out some of many covered bridges from the past.
As all adventures develop, however, eventually the desire to move on hits us hard enough that even though the day does not look promising, we simply must hit the road and see what awaits around that next bend. So, we pack up, don the requisite rain gear, and head east as we have for many days now.
New Hampshire is the eventual goal. Tales of winding mountain roads and the summit of Mt. Washington have called us for many weeks. So, despite the mist and rain we continue east, now keenly aware that moose and deer are more important than the rain as a potential road hazard.
We enter Crawford notch state park in NH as the rain begins to let up, and the mist on the mountains and passes make it obvious why we came here. We find the last site available at the Dry river campground ours and set up. Once our camp is liveable, we realize that hunger has taken over, so it's off to town to find something to eat. We roll along, your narrator in the lead, as we have for 1000 miles, over the hills and around the bends, and I watch in the mirrors as always to see the light of the Honda that my wife loves is shining as bright as ever. Over the hill, 2 miles from town, a quick check of the mirror...no light, no Honda. I must tell you, there are no words can adequately describe the bitter sensation of dread that jumped into my stomach. I yank the beakster to the side of the road and wait for traffic to subside. Still no light, and I can feel the darkness, even though there is plenty of sun left in the day. A car pulls up behind me and a solemn figure steps out and runs up. This is not helping...
The man from massachusettes asks "Are you waiting for another biker with Ontario plates?" All I can muster is a simple "Uh-huh". "Okay", he resumes quiety, "they are on road about a half mile back" "Are they on two wheels?!!?" I ask quietly. "Yes, it looks like a flat" INSTANT relief my friends, the sickness is gone. I race back the half mile to find her safe, at the roadside, with a new friend from Florida who halted traffic and helped her get the crippled machine off the road.
She handled it like a pro. 45 miles and hour and the rear went on her on unknown roads at dusk. A true pro able to smile about the whole ordeal.
Once into town, we ask around at the gas station for help. No luck, everything closes at 6pm. It is now 6:45. We take a shot in the dark and phone up BMW roadside assistance. Now I understand. The service person from BMW spent an hour on the phone with my wife. They figured out towing, arranged for repairs at a Honda dealer 14 miles away and just generally made us both feel in control of the situation. Hats off to BMW for their exceptional service. They did not need to help out, but they did, and in a BIG way. We had figured that the trip was done and we'd be stranded and all the other thoughts that rush in. My wife, once off the phone, was her usual confident self... "Huh, this'll be a good road story" she exclaims. And I know that she is right.
The next morning we arrive at Profile powersports in Conway NH where the service manager gets us on the road within the hour, and my wife even got a T-shirt out of the ordeal! I mentioned earlier that the hospitality was set for the trip in New York, and boy, was it ever. Back at the state park we had to break camp, but, once again, good people helped us out. The park was full, as it was now Friday, but the park ranger gave us his one of 'unreservable' site for the next few nights and what a site!
From this, our NH home base, we explored the north part of NH and the ultimate goal, Mt Washington, by bike. The road to Mt. Washington is like many others in the area, mountains on either side, water ways, and friendly people at every stop
The ride up to the summit of the mountain was certainly...interesting. For those of you adventerous types, it is absolutley worth doing, and on a bike it is a whole different experience. Slow going all the way up, the feel of the temperature dropping, and wind beginning to whip up as the bike winds its way up the little road is like nothing I have been through before. I will tell you, my new found friends, that the heated grips on my two-wheeled companion paid for themselves on that day. The summit was cold, to say the least and the wind managed to pull the remaining warmth in your chest from your jacket and leave it on the road behind you.
But the view! the experience! the sense of wonderment and acomplishment! The Summit!
The way down is much easier than expected. The compression in the big boxer twin kept me safe as we wound ourselves back down to the base of the mountain.
We spent a few more days biking the roads of northern New Hampshire, all the while never quite getting used to seeing a bike pass with rider SANS HELMET, galloping along the mountain roads. I absolutely understand the license plate tags in New Hampshire now, and while I choose to wear my full face (ATGATT as some of you have coined the expression) I appreciate the fact that it is a choice that I make, as others have made their own choice.
Alas, as with all great adventures, we had no choice, if you excuse the playing with the word, and turned our beasts west, toward home and the setting sun. The road home did not pass quickly. There was no intent to break our number 1 agreed upon rule, No More than 10 kms on an interstate or major highway, and we aimed to keep it that way.
So, toward home we went, but not before travelling the Kanc, as the locals call it, the Kancamongous highway, which is as much a motorcycling dream road as rte 100 in Vermont.
We made for Burlington, Vermont on this day and a pleasant evening on Church street and the boardwalk on Lake Champlain, before jumping on the ferry back to New York State the following morning with a warm cup of coffee in hand.
From there, highway 3, through lake placid and saranac lake and toward lake Ontario and the thousand islands. Another wonderful road, followed by the last evening camped out with a view of the lake and of home across the water.
14 days and a lifetime of adventure and fun later we returned home. The total for the trip was 3426 kilometers, with a grand total of 8 of those kilometers on major interstate roads, the number 1 rule satisfied. Those 8 kilometers accumulated simply to get us across the Canada-US borders. The Beemer performed as expected, and wonderfully so, even with stock saddle and less than 3000 kms on the clock when we set out. My wife's Honda also proved herself a more than adequate companion.
The only problem now, as I a sure most of you have experienced, is where to go next??...
...I will look forward to more.
Good trip too!