Day 4 Vermont Rte 100, Smuglers Notch and the journey ends

DAY 4 My plan was to get on the road early and ride through the notch with my friend Greg. Smuggler’s Notch is an interesting section of Rte 108 and one would think looking at the pictures there is no way this can be a two lane road. The notch is tight, twisty and has some decent pitches in elevation in both directions. I hear this can be a real experience when following an RV or leaf peeper, so run the notch early morning and keep your speed down as this road could bite you if you don’t.

After the notch we’re back at the resort packing up and getting ready to roll, the plan was to head back home today but cover all of route 100, route 8 and across the Mohawk Trail. I’m going to go against the grain but route 100 did nothing for me, its long and has some interesting towns but the road conditions are just OK so I am trying to figure out what all the hype is. I have been on some shorter roads that rate higher on my scale and I know I could link together a route that would be more interesting than route 100. What route 100 does have going for it is all the touristy type attractions like the Ben & Jerry’s factory and the Vermont Country Store; I saw plenty of other places worth checking out but running all of 100 wouldn’t be in my plans. I did stop and Ben & Jerry’s and I picked up t-shirts  for the kids which I knew they would absolutely love.

My original plans were to stop at the Vermont Country Store but I must have been in a zone because I blew right by it. One thing that did catch my eye was a set of flag poles just off the side of the road and after closer examination thousands of little white flags; I knew right then and there I had to turn around to take a picture but also observe and relfect on the loss of our American service members in such a quiet and beautiful spot.

Still looking for lunch I stumbled onto Bob & Peg’s Front Porch in Wardsboro, VT. As we pulled up Bob greeted us out the kitchen door and we chatted prior to even going in, Bob is a nice guy who entertained us with talk about the weather his garden and the effects of the economy. The food was very good and this place was very nice and typical New England. Bob made us feel right at home and 3/4’s of the way through our meal pulled up a chair and chatted some more. One thing I learned on this ride is there are so many interesting stories regarding the effects of our current economic situation. I told Bob I would recommend his place to friends and I’m hoping to be able to return next year.

Taking Rte 9 West and then Rte 8 South ( could be a fun road if they ever pave it) I joined the Mohawk Trail just before the hairpin turn. The Mohawk Trail or Rte 2 is in great condition and a lot fun to ride. I love this area of Western MA and I am interested in exploring this area more than I already have, this is an area I’d recommend to riders looking for a close to home journey or others visiting New England for that matter. The Mohawk Trail is rich in history and offers plenty of fuel, food and lodging. My journey ends for this trip but only excites me about what may be next!

See you on the road -

Ed

Day 3 The Great North Woods across to Vermont

DAY 3 I headed towards Skowhegan Maine from Rte 2 connecting with Rte 16 which was a fund road, tree covered, plenty of “watch for moose” signs and the occasional river and view of much larger bodies of water. My goal was to stop over in Rangley Maine for a break and cold drink before continuing on towards Errol NH. Rangley is a very nice small lakeside town and could be an interesting hub for exploring the area at a later date. Rte 16 from Rangley was in rough shape but was fun, once I crossed into NH the recently paved road allowed me to twist the throttle a bit and play in and out of the turns; looking in my rear view we had a couple of a Gold Wing doing the same.

This stretch of 16 through NH has been the best road so far for road conditions, carving turns and opening it up a bit through the straights. It was a fairly short trip to Errol NH but I’ve been here before and knew I was going to stop at L.L. Cotes, a family owned L.L. Bean type place selling anything from firearms to ATVs, cap guns and anything else in between and probably some things you wouldn’t expect. Anyone who knows me when the helmet comes off I’m usually searching out other riders to meet and see where their from and such, I ended up talking to a couple from Canada well actually I spoke with the husband since I don’t think his wife spoke English since all she did was smile and nod her head. I ended up chatting with the couple on the Wing who ended up being from Indiana and were heading home from their week long Journey on Nova Scotia and visiting friends in Northern Maine. We chatted about the roads, our route and theirs, Michael Jackson and a few other things that make meeting other riders just as interesting as the ride. They decided to follow us into Vermont since they thought my route seemed interesting, it was fun riding with them and I hope they are able to connect with us through the blog.

I forget to mention we finally lost the fog, drizzle and mist just outside of Skowhegan and bright skies are on the horizon for the next few days. I have no reasoning to why I sometimes go south to then go north again other than my own selfishness and pleasure. Following the river south along rte 16 was fun, the road conditions were OK and didn’t limit putting a smile on my face. We the connected with Rte 110a and I had to check to make sure I still had my teeth, don’t even try this road, was to much sand in the corners, cold patch and just not worth it. Rte 110a will connect you with Rte 110, a road worthy of a magazine article, its a fun well paved road with plenty of views of the northern New Hampshire landscape. Eventually Rte 110 connected me with Rte 2 which was going to be my path across Vermont, at least until I take the round about way to Stowe where I planned to stay for the night.

Now in Vermont Rte 2 is another nice road, you’ll know you’re in Vermont by the many local farms that dot the landscape. The mountains change from the rugged look of New Hampshire to mountainous roads that almost look they their carpeted in lush green vegetation. OK I will admit to it, I kind of enjoy the rush air filled with fresh manure and pine, kind of strange I know but not a mixture of smells that would make me cringe. Route 2 takes me through St. Johnsbury and out towards West Danville Vermont where I take Rte 15. Route 15 from the moment it breaks away from route 2 is motorcycle nirvana, the kind of road that makes you roll on the throttle, shift your weight and break out in a song like Radar Love. The ocassional wave to a passing rider, I’m seeing more riders in Vermont than I have seen all this trip. The towns are clean, picturesque and seem very friendly and inviting even to a rider who would have to pry themselves off the seat due to road grime and sweat, possibly could even have a hint of that fresh manure lingering on this old leather jacket. I could feel the day of riding starting to wear on me, its not the mileage but the constant riding at slower speeds and having to cover this distance all on back roads that change from 50mph to as little as 25mph. What not a  better cure for white line fever than a baby cone of soft serve ice cream, probably a little dehydrated I knew anything bigger would have been disastrous for my stomach. As usual I walk over and talk to another rider enjoying the same, an older gentleman riding a BMW sport bike. I chatted for a few but could tell he was uneasy about either chatting with me, my rough looks , or he just not that friendly so I moved on.

Less than 30 minutes from Stowe I decided to drop down south again and ride up North into Stowe, the ride was only about 30 minutes but was a nice way to end the day. Stowe is a very quaint town, everyone seemed very friendly and like Bar Harbor there is not shortage of accommodations and interesting eateries. The folks at the tourist information center were very helpful in finding me some lodging and even connecting me with the late afternoon specials that have been updated in their computer system. Tonight we were going to splurge a bit and upgrade from the family owned hotel to something  a little more elegant. Elegant for me is anything with jets in the bath tub and fresh robes hanging from the door.

Mountain Road Resort was the place, it was everything and more than this rider could ever want and now I wish my wife was with me. While checking in, the classical music and the plate of cheese and crackers made we want to sleep.  I wiped out that whole plate of cheese and crackers during this process and the fellow behind the counter got the hint and asked me what I was doing for dinner. With a chuckle I listened to his advice and headed off to get cleaned up, hit the hot tub and look for food and a cold beer. This place was over the top for me, this will be a place I’ll look into being an epicenter for future exploring when I can come back with my wife. The only thing I found odd and interesting is the floor to ceiling wall mirror in the bathroom, this was going to either boost my confidence or go to dinner feeling inadequate . So I head to dinner feeling confident as ever stumbling across Mr. Pickets English pub. Mr. Pickets from what I hear is well known for the Beef Wellington but at $36.00 I opted for the pre-fix dinner of fish & chips, house salad, wild boar rids and creme brulee for desert. I washed this all down with 3 tall glasses of German beer with a slice of orange. The food was tasty and the beer was cold and went down well after a long day in the saddle.  Walking the 1/4 mile back to the resort I was ready for a coffee, our desk clerk put on a fresh pot and we finished that off prior to heading back to the executive sweet.

Day 2 Down East Maine to the farthest point east and north again

An early but a not so bright start to the day today, Arcadia National Park was the plan for the next few hours before continuing to head north and east (if you could imagine I could go any further east). The roads in Arcadia remind me of the Blue Ridge Parkway, smooth enough twists and turns to keep you thinking and plenty of opportunities to take a break and snap some pictures. A few of the places I stopped at was Thunder Hole (minus the thunder due to a low tide) Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach and Jordon Pond. Occasionally there was a view but most of the ride through the park was covered in a thick shade of gray. I’ve heard you have to have lunch at Jordon Pond and now I can second that, well known for their popovers and the lobster stew is not to shabby either.

Now I have a list that I call my life list, its not really a list but rather places of interest that I keep stored in my head. Quoddy State Park is home to the most Eastern point in the United States and is on that life list of places to have my picture taken. Now in my opinion you can find more interesting rides than continuing on north east from Bar Harbor but if like me you want to see Quoddy State Park you have no other choice to take Rte 1 and or some of the other coastal roads such as Rte 191. Rte 191 is rough in spots, has some nice views and challenging asphalt  (not the best road I have been on but like I said if you are heading to Quoddy why not change it up from slugging out rte 1).

After my photo session at Quoddy I was heading to the Great North Woods, please take my advice if you are like me and don’t want to ride the same road twice GET FUEL. I have never been as nervous as I was on my ride from Quoddy to Rte 9, I had 70 miles on the tank and another 70 or 80 miles before I needed to hit reserve so I figured I was good. I jumped onto Rte 192. Rte 192 was around 41 miles long but I didn’t see anyone and I mean anyone, no cars, no pedestrians and no homes that looked like anyone was around. Roughly 31 miles or so into 192 I saw a sign for rte 9, knowing rte 9 would intersect soon I took this small road thinking I would see signs of life sooner and possibly fuel. Well I was wrong, signs of life were few and far between, I saw a lake in the distance with what looked like homes and boats but couldn’t really figure out how to get there, it was tree covered roads for miles and miles, homes that looked like if anyone was there they were locked up tight and wouldn’t appreciate me begging for fuel. I finally connected with Rte 9 switched to reserve and knew I has probably good for another 15 miles. Now 10 miles into reserve I pulled in for fuel only to find a closed sign hanging on the door. Verifying I had no cell service I pushed on, there was sporadic traffic but no signs of fuel till finally I stumbled on a gas station that was open and selling bait, cold drinks and gifts made in Maine. The couple behind the counter were friendly and I think they could tell by the look on my face I was glad to see them.

I pushed down Rte 9 which was a fast moving road, open and at times two lanes. The speed limit was 50 mph and I was able to do that plus some carving my way south towards Bangor. I ended up staying just north west of Bangor which would set me up nicely for my push towards the “The Great North Woods” and on through NH and VT. The motel I picked was again clean, cheap and safe but I really didn’t care because it was on after 10:00pm foggy and there were plenty of deer on the side of the road which seemed to give me the hint they owned the roadways after dark.

1375 Miles Down East to The Great North Woods

Packed up and ready to roll I headed out on a much anticipated trip to the most Eastern point in the United States and beyond. I took rte 95 to Waterville, Maine where I then headed toward the coast. A brief ride on rte 137 connected me to the long and winding road of Rte 139, this road dips and turns rolling through or by quaint New England villages and picturesque farms. As you near the end be sure to follow the signs into Belfast Maine, you will not regret this stop over. Belfast Maine is what I picture as a typical down east town; I knew that for sure when I was welcomed by a sign for the Mackerel Festival. The buildings are vibrant and the town is bustling without being hectic, the local shops look inviting and there is definitely some energy here.

Now when someone mentions Rte 1 in Maine I think of traffic, tourists and my bike stopped making the asphalt so hot I could fry an egg. Now I could have been just lucky but I’ve been told by other riders that the traffic is not that bad. Rte 1 is what everyone says it is, plenty of shops for trinkets, roadside stands where you could pick up your moose antlers, lobster pots and other gifts I remember throwing a fit for when I was a kid. Along rte 1 be sure to stop at the rest area just before the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, a beautiful bridge spanning the Penobscott River which even has an observatory built into one of the towers.  Also nearby there is also a well fortified fort called Fort Knox, I didn’t have the chance to visit but it is on my list for next time.

Now from here I pushed to Bar Harbor along Rte 1 and Rte 3, very typical and reminded of chugging along Cape Cod. Following Rte 3 I knew there would be no shortage of places to stay and was surprised by the few bikes I saw along the way. I guess no trip to Bar Harbor would not be complete unless I sat down and had lobster from these crisp cool waters and support the local lobster men. I settled on a place that was just across the street from the harbor, the price was right and the lobster was sweet and tasty. Ahh I need a place to stay, price was going to be the deciding factor since you could spend from $80.00 to over $200.00 a night so I was on the hunt for a place that was cheap, clean, safe and within walking distance of food and beer. After poking around and asking some questions the Colonial Inn was the place; I even recieved the biker rate of $79.00. The Colonial was clean, had an indoor pool and was located right on rte3 in Ellsworth so I found a home for the night.

Local Delight – Jamestown, RI

This morning I headed out early to meet up with two other Two Wheel New England riders. The plan was to meet at Crazy Burger in Narragansett, Rhode Island for breakfast and then ride over to the island of Jamestown taking in the views and cool breezes. I made my way towards Aquidneck Island and hopped over to the island of Jamestown and then across yet another bridge to the main land.

Anyone that is to tour Rhode Island should make it a point to ride along rte 1a from Wickford Village out to Narragansett and then take Ocean Rd to Point Judith.  A nicely paved road makes eating up the asphalt effortless, rte 1a is a scenic road that offers slight twists and long stretches that make their way through some farm lands and offers open views of Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island sound.  <Click Here For Map> As I thought I arrived early so I parked along the seawall watching the cars, surfers and people scramble for their perfect spot of sand on the beach.

Crazy Burger doesn’t sound like a breakfast spot but I can attest they have some some usual and unusual selections on the menu, I’ve always had a good meal here and is worth the wait. After some good conversation and the usual bike chat we headed off back down rte 1a and over towards Jamestown. The island of Jamestown has some great riding in a small package, the roads are fairly quiet, the breeze feels great on a hot summer day and you pick the spot for a great view no matter where you stop while on the Island.

Our pick today was Beavertail State Park, like the other the Rhode Island State Parks there is no admission fee. There are limited services here and the rest rooms are porta johns that seemed well kept (that is well kept for porta johns). The roads through the park are well paved and large parking areas are located all along the loop. The main attraction here is the Beavertail Light House, originally built in 1749 and was the third built lighthouse. The original tower burned to the ground only 4 years after its completion and the current granite lighthouse was erected in 1856.

We soaked up the sun for a bit until we parted ways, Greg heading north to Vermont on a 3 day tour and  myself and Dan took off towards home in opposite direction. As I mentioned the island of Jamestown is a local delight, somewhat over looked when it comes to riding and has plenty of options for touring, lunch spots and incredible views.

I’m back …..

Wow I’m back to the blogging again… See I live in a town which boasts about being the town that is the most patriotic in America which hosts the oldest independence day parade in the country. Now why does that have a personal effect on me you ask? Well, my family is involved in a local historic armory, the armory is actually the  unit which played a big part in the start of the parade since 1785. We also are under a huge restoration project and since this town of 40,000 adds another 100,000 visitors during this time we gear up for our annual clam cakes and chowder fundraiser. This fundraiser started several years ago and because of its popularity and the amount of money we are able to raise we continue year after year. This is no easy task, it takes two weeks of preperation with shucking quahogs, prepping fryolators and everything else that goes along with this new england tradition. Mostly all of us have full time jobs and families so what ever free time we have is spent at the armory getting ready.

Another successful fundraiser is now behind us and our unit lead the militia division of the parade with pride, its back to the weekly meetings and restoration work and plenty of time to enjoy the summer with family and friends. I’m glad I don’t have to spend everynight working and prepping but then again I’ll miss the energy of the 4th and the comraderie it brings to our members and town.

I hope everyone enjoyed the 4th of July and had a happy and safe time celebrating our independence and freedom.

I’m back at blogging full time again  – I have some riding posts to get up and will do so sometime today