January 2021

W H A T ’ S

I N S I D E

MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................3

Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure

ON THE MARK ....................................................4 WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................5

Publishers

Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil

BACKLASH..........................................................6

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Mark Byers, Pamela Collins Dr. Seymour O’Life

INDUSTRY INFOBITES.......................................8 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN...............10

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FE AT U RE S BEST & WORST OF BACKROADS 2020 .........20 JUST GIVE ME A SIGN....................................26

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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2021. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may not be reproduced in any manner without specific written consent from the publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submissions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number with submissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosed sufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACKROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should not be considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are ridden on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not responsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Please respect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear proper protective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RAThJeN

What’s in a name?

I am sure that somewhere there is a database with a list of the best road names in the United States. We have a running joke that so many of our rally rides end up on some tired, old, and gravely backroads. In hindsight, we should have paid more attention in our planning, as the names of these are dead giveaways to their disposition.

It can all be summed up in the 1956 Three Stooges short – ‘For Crimin’ Out Loud’ – when the direction to the house spill out like this…

‘Take Murder Gulch Highway along Bloody Creek, Come to Dead Man’s Curve, right at Poison Bend Road, Past the cemetery to Skeleton Place and onto Hysteria Terrace.’

We have seen some interesting names - roads, towns, and regions.

For the record the most popular street name in the United States is 2nd Street. Go figure.

Booger Hollow in Arkansas, where a sign near the town’s entrance reads “Population 7...countin’ one coon dog.” Superb.

But we have our own local legends as far as names go.

Shades of Death Road in western New Jersey has long been a staple of our friends at Weird New Jersey and how the road got its name is still a questionable debate.

Several graduate student apartment buildings at Lehigh University in Beth-

Page 3 lehem, Pennsylvania are located on Duh Drive.

Because living there’s a no-brainer. Duh. But further to the west there is another one that stands out - Farfrompoopen Road in the Toothpick State.

Caret, North Carolina has Awesome Street. Nuff said.

Cocoa Beach, Florida…I Dream of Jeanie Lane. Who doesn’t?

Whynot, North Carolina… sure?

Halfway between a statement and a hashtag, Whynot is an unincorporated community of people who are clearly open to possibilities and have healthy senses of humor. The legend goes that the name came about during a meeting to choose a name for the new town. One community member, exasperated that they couldn’t agree on a name, said, “Why not name the town Why Not, and let’s go home?”

Odd, West Virginia – we have ridden there more than a few times.

But let’s look at street names…

Street namers near Porters Lake in Nova Scotia apparently ran out of ideas, because three connecting streets are called ‘This Street’, That Street, and The Other Street.’ Hopefully, no one has to give too many directions around there.

Rascally Rabbit Road in Barnstable, Massachusetts celebrates the carrotchomping, wise-cracking cartoon wabbit from Merrie Melodies.

What’s up with that, Doc? But, how does a road get named? The first thing to know is that our roadways aren’t just randomly categorized. There are strong naming conventions governing what counts as a street versus an avenue, and beyond and, in fact, many of these guidelines aren’t just nationwide, but international.

For instance: a road is anything that connects two points, while a ‘way’ is a small side street off a road. Streets are public ways that have buildings on both sides and they tend to run perpendicular to avenues.

Continued on Page 7

Page 4

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

double-date to the Prom. We (mostly he) changed the rear shocks, front calipers and pads, and oil and rotated the tires. I filled one of my big coolers with caffeinated sodas, a few V-8’s, and some token waters. There were two MARK BYeRS big bags of food, including homemade pepperoni rolls, numerous kinds of chips, pretzels, cheese and crackers, pop-tarts, doughnut holes, bananas, graRoad tRip nola bars, and a carefully-selected bonanza of Halloween candy. If we were going to get stuck in traffic, at least we could “Young men will do stupid stuff to get girls. feast. A change of clothes and bare-bones toiOld men will do stupid stuff to get motorcycles.” letries went in, because on a trip like this, who the hell shaves? I attached a three-rail trailer to I find Interstate highway travel painful, especially on the truck (in case we ran across a couple MORE four wheels. The endless droning down slabs infested bikes we had to have - always do that). with raging, tailgating, left-lane-lingering, idiot tweeters Plus, we had more tiedown straps than a bigtorments me to no end. All it takes is for one of those city dominatrix. critters to take out another and you’re left with a milesI’m a night owl, so the prospect of leaving at long, life-sucking, gridlock. The piece of I-81 that runs had me thinking I might as zero-two-hundred concurrently with I-64 between Staunton and Lexingwell stay up, but I knew better, so I was in bed ton, Virginia is so vile that Betsy and I will take the Blue ungodly early.

I later found Dangerous did the Ridge Parkway and stomach the 45 MPH speed limit, same thing, but neither of us had much success arriving much later but in better mental fettle, just to sleeping more than a few hours.

I was up before avoid that putrescent portion of pavement. So when The prospect of spending 48 hours cooped up the alarm, made us a road breakfast of hot hamDangerous Dan called and said, “Hey, wanna leave at with an articulate technician with an encycloand-cheese bagels (wrapped in foil just like two in the morning, slab it down 95 to Myrtle Beach to pedic knowledge of everything two-wheeled Wawa does), and had the truck running and the pick up a cool-ass motorcycle, then slab across South was more than I could refuse. destination in the GPS before Double D got Carolina and Georgia to Alabama to pick up another one there.

Despite my threat not to speak to him and then drive home?” I predictably said…”Oh, HELL YES!” until 9 AM because he got me up so early, I drove and we chatted like my I was uncharacteristically excited. The thrill of the chase for two lowgranddaughter and her bestie.

We scored the first bike in Myrtle and headed mileage, screaming-deal, neo-retro-classic bikes was all it took to turn what for ‘Bama, arriving at a reasonable hour. Not to be too stupid, we put up in would normally have been a hate-fest into an unmissable bro-trip. I can’t una hotel and collected the next bike after a good rest. dersell the joy of riding with Dangerous, whose wit includes telling me that We spent too long talking to Giorgio and petting his six dogs, but were a kick-starter is “how men start motorcycles.” The prospect of spending 48 soon underway for the ten-plus-hour sojourn home. Riding the high of seeing hours cooped up with an articulate technician with an encyclopedic knowlenvious drivers slowing to check out our two cool-as-hell bikes, we gossiped edge of everything two-wheeled was more than I could refuse. Plus, I conlike two maids, calling our wives to make sure we had some details straight. sider him one of my best friends in the world. The Testosterone Truck was A torrent of sweet caffeine flowed down our gullets as we made our way about to roll! across multiple states, stopping only to fill the truck and empty ourselves.

In the days prior, we exchanged calls like a couple schoolgirls planning a Continued on Page 7

ON THE MARK

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

Page 5

able to actually RIDE the motorcycle and, especially, ride it along with other journalists to get a variety of opinions and insights on said motorcycle, makes for a difficult time when writing about it. Sure, we get the printed words givShIRA KAMIL ing specifics, cost and the flowery words of the company’s marketing people along with amazing imagery in some exotic location. But that doesn’t tell us i Want FoR ReaLZ (and in turn, our readers) how it reacts when we take it on a typical Backroads Just in the last half hour of sitting at my computer, thinking about this route which will, invariably, end up off the pavement and possibly in somemonth’s column and how, incredibly, we have reached the end of this more one’s back yard, how our butts feel after 10 hours in the saddle or what type than disappointing year (as far as motorcycle gatherings are concerned), I of reaction it gets when parked at the local bike night. I must say that being have opened several emails to find announcements about 2021 digital/virtual invited to any manufacturer’s press intro is appreciated and it sure is nice to events. be wined and dined while enjoying the camaraderie of some very colorful First, it was the industry publication Dealernews announcing that AIMmotojournalists. During the release of BMW’s R 18, Brian and I asked (each Expo, an annual ‘powersports tradeshow and lifestyle event connecting manother) if we were meeting in the lobby for drinks afterwards. Sad indeed. ufacturers, dealers, distributors, media outlets and influencers’ under one Opening the second email, and relating to another industry gathering, was roof, would be morphed into AIMExpo CONNECT. I was curiously interthe news about Progressive’s International Motorcycle Shows. In November, ested so I followed some links to get the 4-1-1 and found that, indeed, the they held a press conference letting people know that, of course, the annual trade show, which we always looked forward traveling show, which kicks off in Long Beach, ust being in Munich was most excel- California, would not be taking place but would to with excitement – both for seeing new lent, but being in Munich during a mo- be replaced with Progressive IMS Outdoors. It products and companies but more so for meettorcycle exhibit was beyond. Oh, did I was to be ‘a festival-like outdoor experience ing with those in the industry who we haven’t seen for quite some time – would take place mention it was also Oktoberfest? Yeah. showcasing the thrill and excitement of the world January 21-22, 2021 in the cyberworld instead of motorcycling/powersports, electric mobility of Las Vegas, Orlando or Columbus. Understandably, the ‘in-person’ expe(eBikes), RV, and overland products through a series of immersive activities rience was not to happen this year and, while the unveiling of new products and demo rides for both enthusiasts and interested riders.’ and endeavors via ZOOM or whatever platform is to be utilized would be When I heard this I immediately thought of Intermot, the wonderful trade the ‘new normal’ for the foreseeable future, it just didn’t sit well with me. show we attended in Munich. More like a festival than a trade show, Intermot Most of the information and interest generated by a new widget or combined both industry and enthusiast events, with indoor and outdoor exwhatchamacallit is in the personal presentation, eye contact and tactility. Not hibits, test rides, new product and businesses including tour companies. Just being able to try on those amazing, life-changing gloves/boots/gear, open up being in Munich was most excellent, but being in Munich during a motorcythe latest in luggage to see exactly what will fit or sit on the superb aftermarcle exhibit was beyond. Oh, did I mention it was also Oktoberfest? Yeah. ket saddle that will make my ride soooo much better might make for a harder Back to IMS – It seems that they will be FOR REALZ shows, hitting nine sell to the dealers. markets over a five-month period from June to October 2021, with vendors We have participated in a number of ‘digital’ press intros during this past and, perhaps, demo rides. While the New York IMS at the Javits Center has months and even though the production and information is great, not being Continued on Page 7

WHATCHATHINKIN’

J

Page 6

BACKLASH Hi Brian and Shira: Just had to write and tell you how much I enjoyed The Breackout Part 2 story in the October isuue. With the very limited opportunities to ride the long distances that I am used to because of COVID. It was great to read and enjoy the great pics of the southwest. Several years ago I worked as a motorcycle tour guide for Fred Rau Adventure Tours in the southwest and the article brought back so many memories of a better time. All the roads that you rode, pulled me out of the lockdown blues and reminded me that soon (hopefully) I will be able to get on my bike and ride off into the sunset and put on those long haul miles that love so much.

Be safe marc R. souliere Hello Shira!

This past summer I rode my Speed triple from Bucks county, PA to Boise, ID and when I got home I promptly bought a new BMW R1250R from Hermy’s BMW. I was done doing it the hard way. I’m loving the cruise control, heated grips and huge MRA windshield I mounted. I was at Hermy’s yesterday picking up a part for the bike and I grabbed a copy of Backroads.

I sat down last night and read it cover to cover...fantastic magazine from true lovers of our sport.

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Letters to the Editor Your November article “Whatchathinkin” really stood out to me. I flew F/A-18s in the Marine Corps and A-10 Warthogs in the Air Guard, deploying multiple times to Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Believe me there was no just jumping in and going. It was quite the process of weather briefs, Intel briefs and finally a flight brief with you and your wingman. The initial briefing item was always “Human Factors.” As the flight lead, I would tell my wingman I have no human factors issues (distractions at home, stress, fatigue or any other personal reason for not being able to fly this mission) and then my wingman would do the same. If you weren’t mentally ready to fly then you didn’t. Being human we all have our distractions but the ability to compartmentalize is paramount in tactical aviation and the briefing process enabled us to cut off the distractions and focus on the mission. By the time you started gearing up for the flight you were focused solely on flying.

Riding motorcycles, I don’t have this formalized process. I’m guilty of jumping on the bike and just going, riding miles before realizing I need to get my head straight and focus on the task at hand - not good, like you said.

Your article made me realize I need to step through a similar process I did while flying fighters; check weather, do a quick mental and physical assessment that I’m safe to ride, (Civilian pilots use “I’M SAFE” - Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue and Emotion), come up with a rough idea of my route, gear up, and do a quick pre-ride inspection.

Thanks for the recalibration. tim o’toole Tim, Thank you so much for the letter.

First, thank you for your service. One of Brian’s unfulfilled wishes is a hop in an F-anything. He thought he was going a number of years ago when we did a story on the Kawasaki ZX-14 and the Air Force agreed to letting us shoot it with an F-16. Normally, the journalist gets a hop but, at the last minute, he was told he was bumped for the place kicker of the Eagles. Now, I know you live in Bucks county and may be an Philly sports fan, but he is from Queens and bleeds blue and orange, so to be bumped by a Philly team was more than just a slap in the face.

Second, great purchase in both the machine and the dealer. BMW’s 1250 power plant is absurdly good – so much so that Brian upgraded his 80,000 mile 1200GS to a new 1250GS. I feel badly for the 1200 as it has become a gear hanger in the garage – so sad. And very happy that you found the magazine – we have about 10 years worth online should you want some winter reading: https://issuu.com/backroadsmagazine I like that phrase ‘I’M SAFE’. Riders have a similar one for the machine - T-CLOCS (tires and wheels, controls, lights and electrical, oil and fluids, chassis and side stand) - but using the pilot’s acronym for the body makes perfect sense.

Be well and enjoy life and your new ride – we’ll see you on the road.

Shira Hope y’all are doing as well as possible. I appreciate your email blasts because I stopped getting the full issues of Backroads.

Until now.

Yesterday, when we stopped in our freight forwarder to pick up some packages, the clerk said, Oh, you’re Robert Cooper. I have some mail for you.

Here is the “mail”, 23 issues of Backroads going back to December 2017.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 Now I have a ton of lock-down reading material!

FWIW, we cancelled three tours from last Spring and have not announced any future tours. Our hotel industry is still largely shut down, especially the boutique hotels we use. The DR tourism industry, which is a huge piece of GDP that generates foreign cash, is hurting Big Time.

Onward and Upward...

Warmest Regards, Robert & alida Brian & Shira, As I read your latest ‘Free Wheelin’, I was curious about the subscription details. Yes, many of the titles are gone, much like the death of newspapers.

All media, especially print are supported by readership circulation that sponsors always want to know about.

Rider is still alive and well as I continue to get my copy every month via US Postal Service.

While you did mention BMWOA, you did miss VJMC, the monthly high gloss magazine for the 3,500 member Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. It is well done keeps an active club well informed about rides, meets, personal stories and restorations. This is a very popular magazine especially to source

Page 7 parts. Most members are not limited to only one Japanese motorcycle. I would guess that the 3,500 member collectively have over 15,000 Japanese motorcycles. Even with my 45 bikes from 17 countries, even we have 5… Think about how many of today’s riders started off on a Japanese motorcycle. You know: “You meet the nicest people on a Honda!” was Honda’s advertising pitch 50 years ago!

To a lesser extent, but still a good read is the Vintage magazine for the Vintage Motor Bike Club with 1,800 active members who focus on small scooters, motorized bicycles and old motorcycles. Those of us who collect and restore these elements of yesteryear look forward to a source to exchange NOS parts, services and do-it-yourself articles in every issue.

Burt Richmond

Continued from Page 3 FRee WheeLin’ What’s an avenue, you might ask? It’s defined as a stretch of road that has trees and buildings on both sides. Traditionally avenues were quite grand, but that association has eroded over time thanks, in part, to euphemistic real estate developers trying to make 1269 DOLSONTOWN RD smaller roads seem more impressive. Then there are MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 boulevards, which are even wider streets lined with trees on both sides, plus a median in the middle.

Other fun facts: lanes are narrow roads in rural areas, 845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM while drives are longer, winding roads whose shape are Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, often influenced by lakes, forests, and other natural feascooters, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, tures. Terraces follow the top of a slope, places are roads Yamaha and Can-Am. With a large parts department, qualified with dead-ends, and courts are loops without a thruway. service technicians and a full shop of parts and accessories, But, always remember that somewhere in the future we're here to meet all your power sport needs. there will be a Backroads route that says something like this…

For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it ‘Take Murder Gulch Highway along Bloody Creek to in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, Dead Man’s Curve.’ we have their weapon of choice.

It’s all good. Trust us. , on the maRk

Continued from Page 4 Traffic was charitably light most places and we made excellent time, pulling into my drive before the news came on. What would normally have been a trail of tears for me turned out to be an amazing trip: I got the chance to spend a lot of time with someone with whom I don’t normally get to do that. Plus, we scored two awesome bikes. Yeah, I hate Interstate driving, but if Dangerous called tomorrow to see if I wanted to do it again, the answer would be “Hell yeah!” I still have a half dozen bottled waters and a couple V-8s… , Whatchathinkin’ Continued from Page 5 not been that great for the past several years, I am hopeful that the combination of lack of contact with other human beings and the revamping of the format will bring renewed interest and excitement. I am more than a bit curious about the New York show being held in Brooklyn. Navy Yards? Prospect Park? MCU Park?

Wherever it is held, any demo rides should be interesting. You can follow the updates and see the complete schedule online: motorcycleshows.com Here’s to 2021, which I am dubbing the Year of the Hug (or at least handshake). Let’s get back to all the rallies that we’ve missed, riding to Lake George for Americade, traveling the thousands of miles for that obscure BMW gathering and supporting the local club rides.

Let’s get back to FOR REALZ. ,

Page 8

IN DU STRY INFOBITES PROGRESSIVE IMS OUTDOORS REVEALS 2021 TOUR DATES AND LOCATIONS SPANNING NINE MARKETS The organizers of the nation’s leading consumer motorcycle tour today announced the official dates and locations of its inaugural Progressive IMS Outdoors tour.

Developed in partnership with the powersports industry’s leading OEMs, the 2021 IMS Outdoors tour will span five months, taking place between June and October, stopping in nine cities throughout the U.S. The reimagined, festival-like outdoor tour combines the familiar aspects of the IMS brand that has kept enthusiasts returning for the past 40 years by showcasing the latest in motorcycles and powersports while broadening the event experience for attendees to learn and immerse themselves into brand-new market products including electric mobility (eBikes, eScooters, etc.), RVing, and much more to bring the thrill of powersports and beyond for both enthusiasts and interested riders.

The new completely-outdoors experience will feature more two- and four-wheel demo opportunities on motorcycles, ATVs, eBikes, eMotorcycles, and other powersports vehicles for attendees than ever before spanning both on- and off-road tracks. IMS Outdoors is an evolution of the IMS brand that brings more qualified riders into the industry – the largest and only industrywide effort to do-so – by introducing existing riders to alternative forms of entertainment and transportation that naturally compliments the motorcycle lifestyle and enabling new riders to test their balance on electric bikes, fourwheeled machines, and more in a welcoming and safe environment.

More than ever before, the new larger venues for the 2021 IMS Outdoors will support more demo ride opportunities for attendees to test the latest mo-

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

News from the Inside torcycles, ATVs, scooters, SxS, and electric mobility products (eBikes, eMotorcycles), and much more.

Demo opportunities will vary per market stop and will have options for both licensed and non-licensed attendees.

Industry professionals and enthusiasts can stay informed and connected on all things two-wheeled conveyance on continuetheRide.com. To subscribe to the industry and consumer e-newsletters and learn more about the IMS digital products, please visit continuetheRide.com.

The 2021 Progressive IMS Outdoor dates and cities are as follows: DENVER • Loveland, CO • JUNE 18-20, 2021 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • Irvine, CA • JULY 9-11, 2021 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA • Sonoma, CA • JULY 16-18, 2021 CHICAGO • Elgin, IL • AUGUST 20-22, 2021 NEW YORK CITY • Brooklyn, NY • SEPTEMBER 3-5, 2021 PENNSYLVANIA • Carlisle, PA • SEPTEMBER 10-12, 2021 NASHVILLE • Lebanon, TN • OCTOBER 8-10, 2021 CENTRAL FLORIDA • Lakeland, FL • OCTOBER 15-17, 2021 ATLANTA • Conyers, GA • OCTOBER 29-31, 2021 City venues will be announced early-2021. The latest updates can be found at motorcycleshows.com as well as tickets, which will go on sale April 9th.

MOTORCYCLE SALE CONTINUE TO ROLL The good times keep rolling, as the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) reports a new-model sales increase for the third quarter this year. Year-todate sales of new motorcycles and scooters through September increased by 10.2% compared to the same period last year.

Erik Pritchard, MIC President, and CEO, directed a message specifically to the thousands of people who work in Powersports across the nation: “Many of us have faced tremendous challenges and genuine hardship,” he

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 said. “Think back on all the ways you’ve adapted your business to meet this crisis and get through the pandemic. Think back to how quickly you adapted to online commerce. Think back on your first home delivery. Recall all of your hard work. Recall the relief when the MIC’s government relations team persuaded the federal government to declare dealership employees essential.

Our industry is enjoying the results of those efforts and you should enjoy the moment.”

THE RETURN OF THE AMERICAN EAGLE Avon Tires is proud to be featured on a faithful restoration of a motorcycle previously ridden by the famous stunt performer, Evel Knievel. After months of work, the 1968-spec ‘American Eagle’ Laverda, a bike on which Knievel made a host of jumps during the late 1960s and early 1970s, has gone on display at the Evel Knievel Museum in Topeka, Kansas.

Louis “Rocket” Re, a friend of the late Evel Knievel and a stunt rider himself, tracked down the original Laverda several years ago in the state of Montana. After befriending the Laverda’s owner, Re was given permission to carry out restoration work and feature the finished article at the Evel Knievel Museum. During the rebuild, Re approached Avon Tyres to authenticate the Avon Safety Mileage MKII tires fitted to the bike.

As he researched the bike’s history, Re uncovered a magazine advert that featured Knievel, an American Eagle Laverda, and Avon Tires, with the headline reading: “The man on the bike is Evel Knievel. The tires are Avon!”

On Friday, November 6, the restored Laverda was formally rolled into the Evel Knievel Museum and placed alongside other iconic items, such as Knievel’s original Mack Truck. It will remain on show for two years, prior to being returned to the owner.

DESPITE PANDEMIC MOTORCYCLES MEASURE SUCCESS “Even in the middle of a global pandemic, we’ve succeeded in getting pro-motorcycle legislation passed and advanced our political agenda,” said National Coalition of Motorcyclists’ Legislative Task Force Chairman Frank Ernst to open the LTF Meeting during the recent NCOM Convention in Indianapolis.

In reviewing a legion of legislative victories over the past year, Ernst highlighted the fact that determined and resourceful bikers successfully lobbied to repeal a mandatory helmet law in Missouri and passed anti-profiling in Idaho, all the while dealing with the worldwide spread of Coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns, social distancing, travel restrictions, and related complications.

Riders’ rights activists from across the country went on to present the gathering with their examples of legal and legislative accomplishments despite the odds and obstacles. “If we can rise above a deadly plague to effectively promote our issues, imagine what we can accomplish when life gets back to normal,” summed up Ernst to conclude the productive Convention forum.

HOME RECYCLING OF OLD MOTORCYCLE IN EUROPE MAY END Europe has rules in place for the collection and destruction of cars that have come to the end of their life, but motorcycles are currently exempt from these rules.

That may change if it’s up to the European Commission.

Page 9 According to the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations, these rules are part of the End-of-life Vehicles Directive aimed at the prevention of waste from vehicles that have come to the end of their life. The directive also tells the EU Member States to set up systems for the collection and de-registration of all end-of-life vehicles, and to have all vehicles that have reached the end of their life ‘transferred to authorized treatment facilities’ to be demolished in an environmentally friendly way.

“If motorcycles were to be included in the scope of the directive, that could mean the end of so-called home recycling,” says FEMA, explaining that “recycling” of motorcycles and motorcycle parts is an integral part of motorcycle use. “Home recycling, where you end the bike’s registration and take it apart for reuse of its parts, is a significant part of the motorcycle culture,” according to FEMA, adding that; “Home recycling helps to keep bikes on the road with used spare parts, instead of using new parts that have to be produced from raw materials.”

FEMA insists that the private reuse of motorcycle parts is one of the best ways to prevent waste and to prevent the unnecessary use of raw materials.

This way, motorcyclists play their part in the circular economy as well as being environmentally friendly.

“Inclusion of motorcycles in the scope of the directive could also mean a serious threat to historical motorcycles,” said Wim Taal, FEMA’s communications officer. “These bikes are especially dependent upon available and affordable original spare parts to keep them in working order. And who wants to see old-timers disappear into state approved demolishing facilities?” ,

Page 10

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN

tasty places to take your bike

honey’s caFé and ice cReam shop 34 oak st, deposit, ny 607-298-2014 • houRs: th-mo open at 8am ‘tiL 8pm We were heading to our last night on the road during our 2020 Summer Squeeze, traveling from the Tailwater Lodge in Altmar, NY to the Hancock Hotel and following, more or less, the excellent route that Paul Donoghue had supplied. We were pretty close to our landing spot but, according to the route, we were to make a stop at Honey’s Café for a bite. Since it was much later than lunch time and much too early for dinner, we decided that it was the perfect time for an afternoon ice cream break.

Traci has been the owner of Honey’s Café for the past 2 years and, as she said, prays for many more. They are open year round, with varying hours during the winter months. There are outdoor tables available and, during non-regulated times, can seat 75 indoors. Traci hopes to add a deck on the

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT We hope to see you soon!

OPEN FOR DINE-IN or TAKEOUT. Visit webpage for menu See daily specials on Facebook.

Curbside Delivery Available.

Tues: 4-9 • Wed: 12-9 • Thurs-Sat: Noon-10 Sun: Breakfast 9-1/ Lunch-dinner Noon-8

RivertonHotelandRestaurant

the Riverton hotel and Restaurant At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA

610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.net

Member of

side of the building to increase their outdoor seating, as people seemed to really enjoy that during the nicer weather. In addition, she is hoping to get their liquor license in place by spring.

Their ice cream of choice is Hershey’s, a high quality and premium brand, and they carry a boatload of their flavors, from chocolate and vanilla to dark chocolate raspberry truffle and cold-brewed caramocha (my personal favorite). They also offer soft ice cream for you custard fans.

Sundaes are built ‘by the scoop’ – so one scoop, one topping. I got a giggle from their pricing example: ‘Another example: if I got a small Sundae because I was worried about what others would think if I had a 3 scoop sundae but I wanted Hot Fudge, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow toppings, that would be $1.00 Extra because I added two additional toppings. And by the way, NO ONE will ever judge you here so order what you really want not what you think you should get.’

There are shakes, flurries, floats and splits.

Some of their more fanciful creations are the Unicorn Cone and the Peek a Boo Cotton Candy Cone, which is just that - a cone with cotton candy and hard ice cream on top.

What a sugar rush!

If you’d like to sit your ice cream atop something, Traci has an amazing assortment of home baked desserts which are too numer-

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

ous and varied to even begin to list. If you can imagine it, it is here. Pies, cupcakes and cookies are available daily, as well as specialty cakes and other home baked goodies.

I only wish that we had gotten here during mealtime, as their menu is as enticing as their desserts.

Honey’s serves breakfast, lunch and more and everything is fresh and, as they like to say, farm to table.

Breakfast will get you omelettes, wraps, sandwiches and platters including pancakes, waffles or any combination. French Toast Sandwich is your choice of meat, cheese and eggs between 2 thick slices of French toast. Personally, I’d go for the Breakfast Burger: a sugar encrusted donut with bacon, your choice of cheese, over easy egg and a farm fresh 1/3lb burger and a side salad! Now that will jump start your day! And you’ll be happy to know that breakfast is served all day.

Come lunch time the menu features sandwiches, salads, wraps and an assortment of wieners to suit just about any taste – Brendan’s Big One will have you chowing down a deep fried dog, wrapped in

Page 11

bacon, and topped with chili, jalapenos and raw onions. Holy Moly! Their burgers (all fresh Angus from their own farm and sans antibiotics or steroids) will give you a variety from a Classic burger to Jack Daniels, topped with sautéed Jack Daniels + brown sugar onions and everything in between.

Traci wouldn’t let you down and will always have something special on the menu. One thing that caught my eye was the Spaghetti and meatball grilled cheese…homemade melted fresh mozzarella on top of garlic bread with Spaghetti, sauce and meatballs.

I am drooling just typing this.

You’ll find Honey’s Café and Ice Cream Shop on Route 8 in the middle of some very tasty riding. We’ll offer up one ride from the north and one from the south because, well, we can. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the food and, of course, save room for ice cream. , ~ Shira Kamil Become a BACKROADS HUNTER. Send us your Great All American Diner Run to share with our readers. email text and images to: editor@backroadsusa.com

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTER IOU S A MERICA the Washington sycamoRe county Road 519, hope, nJ Platanus occidentalis. The Buttonwood. The American Sycamore.

Just a tree? I do not think so.

Since Backroads has been calling the woods of northwest New Jersey our home we have been riding around this region and, on occasion, have come across some serious trees…

But one does stand out and it seems to have been standing out since the founding of our nation.

There have been others here in the Garden State. There was one particularly fine oak tree, also named after George Washington, in Basking Ridge.

The Bernards Oak, also known as the George Washington Oak (of course), was chopped down after it was found to be dead. Formerly located on the grounds of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church in Bernards, legend says that George Washington once had a picnic under the tree with the Marquis de Lafayette but it died in 2016 and was taken down a year later.

Still, the town had an actual celebration for a tree. A tree.

Trees are such a part of our history.

So it seems that each time Washington traveled, where he went, where he stayed, where he took a pee, has become history. Don’t get me wrong – I am a huge Washington fan.

But, we are currently looking into anything that points out that Washington overnighted on the property that is now Backroads Central. As my friend Cherrie always says…

“It could happen!”

But let’s get back to trees we can actually see.

You may rightfully ask, ‘What’s this got to do with Mysterious America, Seymour?’

Well, hold your hat and I will tell you.

Before we get to the big kahuna of trees let’s talk about some other trees of note in the Garden State.

Not far from one of the now gone Washington Oaks is the Devil’s Tree.

The Devil’s Tree is a solitary oak tree, with some dead limbs, growing in an undeveloped field on Mountain Road in the Martinsville section of Bernards Township.

According to the experts at Weird NJ (and they are) they noticed evidence that many attempts had been made over the years to fell the unholy oak, but all have failed. The tree stands all alone in the middle of a large field off Mountain Road. Its trunk has been severely scared by axes and chain saws, some wounds appearing

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 to be quite old. Why no one has yet been successful in toppling the timber they could not say for sure. Nor do they know what has become of those who have tried.

The stories of this one particular tree have become the stuff of legend; Really bad legend.

This region was once home to the central headquarters of the KKK in New Jersey – they held many demonstrations in our town and held many meetings throughout the hills. As per KKK policy, often they would lynch local African-Americans to set an example, not only to other African-Americans but also as an example of their principles and resolve. The Devil’s Tree, perhaps used for such heinous events, is still there and worth a quick stop while riding through Mysterious America Heading north in Belvidere is another interesting tree of note: The Belvidere Shoe Tree, a 400-year old White Oak, which got its name as barefoot locals sat to don their shoes before heading into a nearby church. It then became a tradition of sorts.

The tree and the shoes can be found along Oxford Street, just minutes from one of our favorite eateries in the state – Thisilldous, simply amazing food.

Back on County Road 519, and just south of Hope, New Jersey, is a most magnificent Ent. Right on the side of County Road 519 south and just a bit hard to miss is the Buttonball Tree, and the 400year-old sycamore has a notable history. On July 26, 1787 General George Washington (him again?) was traveling from Philadelphia to New-

Page 13 burgh, New York. He traveled with the Moravian Bishop John Etwein of Hope Village. It was in Hope that the pair decided to stop for some rest and respite from the sweltering sun. It is believed that under this ancient tree is where they found their shade.

According to the New York Times Antiago Porcella, of the state’s Bureau of Forestry, “This sycamore near outside of Hope, in Warren County, is New Jersey’s biggest tree.”

“This can’t be disputed,” added Mr. Porcella, an expert on trees and keeper of the list of the “biggest” of almost every variety of tree that grows in the state.

Well, that works for me.

But, in the grand scheme of things, as the days turn into months, then years, what have these trees seen? History, dreams, hope, tragedy?

One does have to wonder when looking at the majesty of something like this.

Welcome to Mysterious America. ,

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Frontline Eurosports Presents

BIG CITY GETAWAY miniBike mania aaca’s exhiBit FeatuRes LittLe motoRcycLes, Big memoRies 161 museum dR, heRshey, pa • 717-566-7100 words + images: Pamela Collins First impressions. We make them automatically when meeting people, often based on appearance alone. Older, younger, fit or sporting a paunch, a guy with a man-bun or woman with closely-cropped hair, smiling or stern— we immediately form conclusions about how they seem.

And so, it goes with motorcycles. We render judgment—slow, fast, or really fast, chromed or matted with mud, retro or futuristic—we snap to conclusions.

Take, for instance, those miniature two-wheeled scoots, the ones of teeny displacement and teenier tires. They sport cute names like the Joy Ride, the Papoose, the Tom Thumb, and my personal favorite, the Doodle Bug. Awww, shucks, and gee whiz!

HOW CUTE ARE THEY!?!

Undeniably very cute. But—These petite transporters, whether named scooters, mini-scooters, motorbikes, but for this story’s purpose collectively referred to as minibikes, carry a serious and heavy burden. Because, like the best friend who orchestrates your blind-date with your eventual spouse, these machines introduce many to an everlasting love affair with motorcycling, the ever-spinning romance of life on two wheels.

Hershey’s Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum’s new exhibit, titled “Minibike Mania,” features 42 minibikes that illustrate the importance these cutesy creations have played in our sport’s development.

Whether viewed as motorcycling’s “gateway drug” or simple, useful transportation in their own right, minibikes serve a much bigger purpose than their little statures suggest.

Rob Kain, co-curator of the exhibit, says this exhibit grew from the enthusiasm churned by a 2015 exhibit called Motorbikes for the Masses, which featured many smaller rides. That spurred the idea for this “minibike only” show that details the history and evolution of these diminutive rides, from homemade examples to fine, restored machines often used for racing.

I confess, minibikes are not part of my backstory, so I saw this as a new motorcycle history lesson. Once the initial and overwhelming cuteness shock

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daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind of these hobbit-sized machines passed, I realized and appreciated the engineering, inventiveness, and creativity—much of it homegrown in barns and garages—exhibited throughout the display.

The minibikes travel a fifty-year timeline, from 1948 until 1998. Tecumseh and Briggs & Stratton were popular engine manufacturer names, with a lot of the bikes being singlecylindered, between 50and 200-cc’s churning out between three and five horsepower that could take a rider up to 30 miles per hour “if you held on,” chuckled Kain.

Kain explained that the baby-sized bikes first appeared as mini-scooters or just little motorcycles, which could be airdropped with paratroopers in World War II. English companies Corgi and Excelsior both made these tiny, folding motorbikes. After WWII, the excess little machines were improved, then sold in Europe and the United States. American distributors sold these as the Indian “Papoose.”

Go-kart racing actually birthed the minibike movement, as racers fashioned motorized machines from kart parts to run around the pits. The term “minibike” eventually defined the class in 1952. Detroit’s Michrina brothers began commercially building minibikes to sell to fund their kart racing (the popular “Lil’ Indian) and established essential early minibike design— rigid frame, air-filled go-kart tires, single-cylinder flathead 4-stroke horizontalshaft engine, centrifugal clutch, and basic brake and throttle controls. Another manufacturer…Rupp…began producing street-legal bikes. Soon these little rides began rolling over roads, woods, and hillsides. The stuff of dreams for kids everywhere, minibikes represented freedom and independence.

Plus, if you couldn’t buy one brand-new, you could always make your own.

And thousands did, part of the reason for their popularity. Take an old lawnmower motor, some small tires, pieces for a frame, some fasteners here, wiring there, and voila…a minibike. Kain says not to underestimate the importance of this can-do attitude, which spurred mechanical inquisitiveness, engineering knowledge, and a lot of quality parent-child time working on a minibike project.

In fact, you could buy the plans for a model called the Tom Thumb and build it yourself. The exhibit features one of these minibikes, along with the plans and the accompanying story and adver-

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 tising that appeared in Popular Mechanics. You’ll also find a couple of homemade bikes in the collection.

Some minibikes also scored highly on the convenience scale with their surprising portability. Want to take it on vacation? No problem. Just fold it up, plop it in your car’s trunk, and off to the beach you went. The exhibit features several of these folding bikes, some of which morph like a transformer toy from a suitcase-looking container into a ready to ride minibike— ingenuity and practicality at its finest.

Looking at the 42 displayed machines you can’t help but chuckle. You see names like the Volcano, Scat, and Grasshopper, ones that look like miniaturized Easy Rider choppers, one in Day-Glo orange. You could have ordered one through the always-present Sears catalog. You’ll see manufacturers such as Benelli and Artic Cat—many companies already involved with small engine production parlayed that into minibike sales. A top of the line 1971 Rupp Black Widow in an untouched, original condition is one of the collection’s highlights, along with a Benelli Quarterhorse racing minibike and Benelli Volcano, a two-speed two-stroke 180cc bike that could hit 56 miles per hour and is one of only 200 imported into the U.S. Kain says the minibike industry made a huge step forward when Honda began selling its iconic Z-50 in the United States, nicknamed the Monkey Bike because its small size forced riders to straddle it with their elbows and knees sticking out, so they looked like a monkey. “It changed everything. For the first time, you had solid engineering and you didn’t have to mess with stuff,” he said, adding the bikes could shift gears with no clutch, and Honda “marketed the heck out of them. You could just put gas in them and go.” The exhibit contains a Z-50 along with a mini-Trail 50 and Trail 70.

Kain said minibikes hold a special niche in the heart of many motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike. “They gave you motorcycling freedom without having to ride on the road. In a non-electronic age where fun was had outdoors, the best recreation you could have was something with wheels and

Page 15 tires and a motor on it. Minibiking is where it started for a lot of us.”

But—progress butted in. “Minibiking was part of our culture in the ’60s and ’70s. But then look at what happened in the ’80s…arcades and video games that cost a lot less money than spending a couple of hundred bucks on a minibike. I also think ownership of property hurt the sport…not everybody has a few acres to rip around or are friends with a farmer that lets you do that. Liability is also really destroying a lot of fun, vintage motoring in America. Back then it was your own dumb fault if you fell while riding across a vacant lot…now everybody is lawsuit-happy.”

Kain laments what today’s kids are missing. “This is so much better than playing with electronics. You get wind in your hair and bugs in your teeth.

You get mud on your jeans…your jeans might even wear out,” he said.

The museum has many other exhibits related to our love of rolling down the road. “Yeah, It’s Got a Hemi!” delves into the history of the famed motor that uses hemispherical combustion chambers. Associated mostly with Chrysler products, the “hemi” isn’t exclusive to that brand. In fact, the museum offers fine examples of cars that utilized that type of engine throughout the years, including MG, Jaguar, Delorean, Porsche, as well as Dodge and Chrysler.

Another exhibit, “Look…They Gave Me a Map” illustrates the history of what truly began as portable billboards. Gulf Oil distributed the first road map in 1914 mainly for advertising purposes. They eventually grew into miniature art works that not only showed where to travel but where to find the company’s service stations…all in a glove-box sized package. Road maps had their artistic heyday during the art deco period and the exhibit features some beautiful examples.

It also delves into how maps have changed, morphing into the digital ones prevalent today.

The museum also features other exhibits, permanent and rotating, featuring vehicles ranging from scooters to Horseless Carriages, to a magnificent collection of Tucker automobiles.

Those looking this winter to get a dose of two- and four-wheeled fun while diving into nostalgia should visit the museum. The exhibit runs until April 23, 2021. For more information visit the website at www.aacamuseum.org. ,

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

WE’RE OUTTA HER E

a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads

the Weekend escapes This column, We’re Outta Here, was created for the quick escape. A place for a quick scoot out of work for an early start on the weekend and mix up a few days of great riding, good food, and a comfortable bed.

We thought this month, being the Best of Backroads, we would offer up some of our favorites. A little mix in a few different directions. All of them are fun, different, and well worth the ride.

Hmmm, maybe a road trip linking them all together?

First Up: the inn at BiRch WiLds 3236 W. Lizard Creek Rd, Lehighton, Pa 18235 570-818-4433 • innatbirchwilds.com This was one of those incredibly special places we came across serendipitously. We followed the digital trail to their site and we immediately were enthralled by the most unique thing; a giant brass bathtub.

Photography is a funny thing as it can make the normal seem extraordinary.

But, when we arrived at the Birch Wilds the room, the ambiance, and the tub – let’s just say if you are looking to relax, impress or just be pampered, you found the right place.

Cheryl and Rhonda, the owners of the inn, could not be nicer. It is a hard thing to be an innkeeper. It takes a special love of people and both these women exude this.

The pool was most welcome after a long day’s ride exploring the northeast parts of Pennsylvania. They have a super property and grabbing a glass of wine and walking up the hill for the view is a must.

Dinner and breakfast were above the line…

They have a quote on their website, from Harriet Van Horn, and it fits to a T. “Cooking is like love ... it should be entered into with abandon or not at all” We could not agree more.

So, make plans to visit the Inn at Birch Wilds.

Oh, by the way… the tub was romantic.

Second up: the staRLight hoteL 8722 NY 28, Big Indian, New York 845-254-4449 • starlite-motel.com Yup, just a couple of hundred miles north is another very neat place.

Like the Birch Wilds, The Starlite is a woman-owned establishment.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 We have stayed with Michelle several times and, in truth, this is the classic Catskill Getaway.

The rooms? Modern, clean, comfortable. The price? Just right.

But there is a feel about the Starlite that keeps us coming back again and again.

There are many restaurants up and down Route 28, but grabbing some food and bringing it back to The Starlite to grill up your dinner to be enjoyed al fresco or in the large gazebo cannot go wrong.

We have always lucked out with nice neighbors for the night and Michelle has always been a total class act, she is always there enough to make sure all is good, but never intrusive.

We are big fans of this Catskill classic and hope you will be too.

One more, cause we can…

the gRay ghost

290 VT 100, West Dover, Vermont 802-464-2474 • grayghostinn.com Let’s stay with the XX feel of this month’s We’re Outta Here!

Women innkeepers rule.

Carina Hellström and her family have been running a superbly class act in the southern part of Vermont for decades.

The Ghost has become almost a second home to us and walking into it

Page 17 feels exactly like entering our own living room.

In the back, there is the hot tub, the pool, and, at night, a monstrous bonfire.

The front porch is always inviting and it always seems that Carina’s guitar gets involved in one way or another. That can be good or bad depending on the alcohol intake and strummer.

The Gray Ghost is located right on Route 100 in the southern part of Vermont with miles of great roads – both gravel and paved. You can put together a great combination of both and spend a fabu-

lous weekend exploring the hamlets and villages that make Vermont so enticing.

Whatever you are looking for you will surely find it along the backroad of the Green Mountain State.

So here is a little threesome of We’re Outta Here. All excellent, all womenowned, and all big-time favorites of ours.

We think they will be yours as well. ,

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Van dyk’s homemade ice cReam 145 ackeRman aVenue, RidgeWood, nJ • 201-444-1429 • vandyksicecream.com mon-thurs 11a-9 / Fri-sun 11a-10p • cash onLy I grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey – Cliffside Park, to be specific. To be even more specific, I grew up on a dead end street, overlooking the Hudson River. It was a very quiet and idyllic spot – we were safe, there was no traffic and, every once in a while, the Good Humor truck would wander down our way. That was indeed a treat for I was a lover of ice cream at an early age. Strawberry Shortcake, Creamsicle, Chocolate Éclair, Toasted Almond or just a good old-fashioned Chocolate Pop – I loved every one of them. Simple times, simple ice cream.

However, if you were fortunate to have grown up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, your ice cream indulgence had a bit more elegance. Van Dyk’s Homemade Ice Cream, serving up their excellent flavors for more than 40 years, is housed in a very unassuming building and tucked into a small side street. The parking lot is a bit difficult to maneuver, there’s no place to sit (well, we did a little stooping when we were there) and during the hot summer months the lines can be somewhat ridiculous. But when you walk out with your reward of their creamy deliciousness on a cone all that will melt away, same as the ice cream if you don’t eat it fast enough.

My sister Rowena, who still lives in Bergen County, asked if I had ever been to Van Dyk’s, knowing of my never-ending search for places with which to fill this column. Miraculously, I never had so on a visit ‘down below’ we took a spin to the ‘burb of Ridgewood to give it a shot. Although is was the middle of August, it must have been an off time as there was plenty of parking and no line. With cash in hand and mask on face, we went in to see what the flavors of the day might be.

There were many, but I stopped when I saw Peppermint Stick. This is like the unicorn of ice cream, as so many will churn up a batch of pink ice cream with peppermint flavoring which is decent, but without the necessary bits of peppermint stick mixed in, it just doesn’t fly in my book. Looking through the remainder of the list, I tried to figure what would pair well with peppermint and landed on Salted Caramel Truffle.

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BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 Excellent choice, Shira.

Both were spot on, creamy and extremely satisfying. The Peppermint Stick was brimming with crunchy chunks of peppermint stick (DUH!) and some lovely bits of chocolate chuntks. Seeing as I was in ice cream nirvana, I really don’t remember what my sister chose, but I do remember that we had to bring a pistachio milkshake home for Rich, my bro-in-law. I found it funny that this was his go-to, as I would think the chunks of pistachios would clog up the straw. But, then again, there are those who eat their milkshakes with a spoon. I relate that to those who eat pizza with a knife and fork…

Van Dyk’s will serve you up your vanilla, chocolate and strawberry but for those more inventive you can get peanut butter, cotton candy, maple wal-

Page 19 nut or blueberry pie, to name just a few. Their servings are a good size and you can get them in cup or on cone. There are sundaes and milkshakes as well as packed containers to savor at home. They are always adding new flavors, so stop by often to sample them all.

While I was always satisfied with the visits to my dead end by the Good Humor truck, I know I would have had a much sweeter childhood if I had grown up near Ackerman Avenue in Ridgewood.

Take a spin to the time machine that is Van Dyk’s Ice Cream and think back on simpler times while savoring your ice cream of choice. ,

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

The Best (and Worst) of Backroads 2020 e love this edition of Backroads. each year we have a gathering of our friends and cohorts and our frenemies, but all people Backroads loves. Our writers come from around the states – but this year, slightly held up.

The legendary simian watering hole was shuttered (not so shuttered, don’t be silly) yet we all chatted back and forth – between email, texts, and Zoom.

So, after 25 years of giving you the BeST of Backroads each January… this year we give you the BeST & the WORST! This year calls for it. We’re allowed.

The important stuff…

So… how are YOU!? Are you all right? Can you still look into a loved one’s eyes each morning or call your mom at the end of the day? We do hope so. It is a precious thing.

Can you roll out your motorcycle on a beautiful day and just ride? That’s still a good thing – no, a great thing, right?

Unlike the past decades of ‘Best of’ issues, this one will be a bit different. Surely we will touch on all the wonderful things that make Backroads a fun read. We are in the fun business, right? But, we will tell it the way we see it.

The Best & Worst of 2020 is just that.

So, let’s start from the beginning and maybe way too much information…

The Backroads’ season usually starts early; maybe a trip south or west to better climes and a few weeks on the road. We are a touring magazine, so we tour. This year we were excited for a surprise party for Shira – yes, 60 and still a Goddess. But the night before - the world kinda… stopped. A party was downsized and brought to our home – but the writing was on the wall. 2020 was not going to be normal.

We had a great night and suddenly knew we were into Plan B-mode before the Plan A even started.

The Great All-American Diner Run 2020 Well, things might have gotten screwy around here as Mr. Fudd would say, but we all still needed to eat and this column has always been a favorite …

So let’s look at the Best of 2020.

SECOND RUNNER UP • OSCAR’S RESTAURANT 123 WeST 10Th STReeT, ROANOKe RAPIDS, VIRGINIA • 252-537-2048 • www.oscars.coffee We were riding south from Virginia International Raceway and Shira had vectored us towards the tiny town of Roanoke Rapids in North Carolina. This town has its own story of industrialization, but Shira just thought she had spotted a cool place to eat.

She was wrong. It was much cooler than cool.

Welcome to Oscar’s Restaurant. Oh, for sure the food was comforting, homey and delicious, but it was the other things that had me all sorts of jumping around.

Guitars. Some here were very, very special guitars. Over the years the owner befriended many a famed musician and the names on the guitars told that story.

Amazing… and we are very happy to include them in the “Best” part of 2020.

FIRST RUNNER UP • SAMBO’S TAVERN 283 FRONT ST, LeIPSIC, De • 302-674-9724 • www.facebook.com/sambostavern A friend and fellow rider Alan had been talking up this rustic bar along the Leipsic River for a long time – the crabs were to be legendary.

So, one week we spun down in between New Jersey allowing and not allowing travelers to enter the state to meet some friends for a few days in this small chunk of the US. Sambo’s was all Alan had promised. Great 50s-style and feel. The staff was friendly and fast and this classic Delaware Marsh restaurant certainly is our new “go-to” spot while riding down the Delmarva. But, it was not just crabs (more rock salt than Old Bay) that shine here at Sambo’s - the other offerings from the sea and the shore deserve attention as well.

Stick to the backroads when coming down here. Route 9 is an unnecessary bear and the coast is beautiful.

1ST PLACE GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN 2020 • CUZ’S UPTOWN BBQ 15746 GOV. GC PeeRY hIGhWAY, POUNDING, MILL, VIRGINIA • 276-964-9014 • www.cuzs.com Uptown is a bit of a stretch as this wonderful eatery is tucked into the far southwestern corner of Virginia, near the borders of West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. You know…. where some of the best riding in the United States is found.

We try to get down to this part of the Appalachians a few times each year and although we sometimes run across a great place serendipitously, as we can see in this year’s “Best of” we have friends who feel part of the team and let us know, point us in the right direction – or simply stomp their foot down and say ‘YOU WILL GO HERE!’ Like Sambo’s in Delaware, our friend Commander Carey Dixon (USCG) insisted we make a trip to Cuz’s. When a Commander speaks up you should listen.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

Page 21 We almost passed it – but hit the brakes and made a u-turn. Lovely deep gravel driveway – right Shira?

Strolling inside what looked like, and was, an old dairy farm it was like entering another world.

Surely not the middle of the mountains in Virginia.

Cuz’s is … eclectic (to say the least) and for nearly four decades they have sourced the best and freshest ingredients, both locally and from around the world, to make some of the greatest plates that will ever be placed in front of you.

Come hungry.

Let us throw a few out to you… the fried catfish, barbequed pork ribs, a smoked prime rib, oyster kabob. (oyster kabob?) How about smoked ribeye with mushrooms? I know.

You are saying how can I ride after all that? You do not have to.

Just a short stroll from Cuz’s are their cabins. There are only two – so plan ahead. Park the bikes late in the afternoon, enjoy the property and pool and then wine and dine and, as you just have to walk back, wine again or beer as they have an excellent selection.

It is wonderful when a choice for the Best of Backroads all comes together – Congratulation Cuz’s!

So worst? 2020 was our 25th year in print. Big year for us. But it was stunning and painful to see our fellow print publications fall by the wayside. each time they struggle up, we cheer and happily sit on the couch with that perfect 4 o’clock winter light shining on Clem, eric or Mark’s words.

Then the 24-hour news comes on. Feh. Our Grand Tour Rally that would have been really grand, I tell ya, had one hotel cut us down and the rest fell like dominoes. It was like our own little Kobayashi Maru. Like Kirk said… I don’t like to lose.

So, getting back to the Best… we began to cobble together small weekend getaways. The first to State College, Pennsylvania.

Big City Getaway 2020 But let’s move onto our second category in the Best of Backroads 2020 – the Big City Getaway. These pages have always been about having a neat destination and then adding a great ride to get there. This year we had a number of fun places but three stood out, so let’s begin.

SECOND RUNNER UP THE AIR MOBILITY COMMAND MUSEUM 1301 heRITAGe RD, DOVeR AFB, De 19902 302-677-5938 • amcmuseum.org Where do old airplanes go? The lucky ones go to the Air Mobility Command Museum—the only museum dedicated to airlift and air refueling history. Backroads has always been fans of aircraft and flying.

Motorcyclists and pilots have a lot in common. So, visiting Dover Air Force Base and their very impressive Air Mobility Command Museum was a great treat. During this covidy summer the indoor displays were shuttered but the outdoor static display is truly something to see. We also love that this is totally free – good for the U. S. Air Force!

FIRST RUNNER UP NEW ENGLAND MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM 200 WeST MAIN ST., ROCKVILLe, CONNeCTICUT 06066 860-4547024 • www.newenglandmotorcyclemuseum.org Brought to you by our correspondent Dan Bisbee, this superb motorcycle museum is located in a 200-year old, 150,000 square foot facility that was known as the Hockanum Mill but is now a true New England treasure. Created by motorcycle enthusiast Ken Kaplan, it holds one of the largest collections of vintage and custom motorcycles in the Northeast. With over 25 different brands of motorcycles, extensive motorcycling magazine archive, and memorabilia from the most iconic events and superstars in the industry’s history, there is something for every motorcycle enthusiast.

1ST PLACE BIG CITY GETAWAY 2020 • VAN SANT AIRPORT 516 CAFFeRTY RD, eRWINNA, PA 18920 610-847-1119 • vansantairport.com Occasionally when gathering the Best of Backroads we have had some testy arguments. This year it was more sedate; a Zoom call argument could always be won by somebody getting up with no pants. O’Life… really? You’re a doctor!

So this one was a toughie.

And although each one of these places are worthy of the number one plate for 2020 – we give it to Bar and Dannie Eisenhauer and Van Sant Airport.

The Red Apple Rest. Marcus Dairy. Pizza City. The Chatterbox. All these places, which we all knew we could ride to ‘On Any Sunday,’ are gone. But, each weekend this tiny airport above the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, draws hundreds of riders, car enthusiasts, and a good deal of pilots flying in as well to enjoy the perfect American day. Motorcycles, cars, airplanes, people, friends, non-bullshit, and lots of smiles. Certainly that. They have food, the roads leading to and from the airport can be a blast and it seems to be one of the last big riding destinations in this part of America. Enjoy, bring a camera, there will be a lot to see.

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Worst (and maybe some best) hot on the heels of our State College Weekend we ran another gathering up the pole and a boodle of you joined us for our Summer Squeeze typically a Green Mountain Classic. Although some hotels in Vermont were, and are, still not going to bend the mandated rules (remember the Kobayashi Maru?) some were like old family.

Let me be clear here. We played by the rules. We are socially distanced (a nice pass on the outside does not count). Some were happy for a hug.

Others needed to eat outside - sequestered. Still – motorcycling is inherently social-distancing and we did well.

This summer you had to choose how comfortable you’d be. But, having some great riding friends from Philadelphia, I felt the need to quote one of their forefathers… Ben. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. “ So, let’s move on to one of my favorite monthly scribblings…

We’re Outta Here 2020 Don’t we all feel a bit like this right now? While we may not have been able to roam as freely as we would have like, we still were able to find some very interesting lodging along the way, all of them with more than a bit of history in their walls. Let’s dive right into it.

SECOND RUNNER UP • THE BLACKBURN INN 301 GReeNVILLe AVe, STAUNTON, VA 24401 • 540-712-0601 • blackburn-inn.com Oh, I love this. The Blackburn’s website says… “Experience a historic slice of paradise at our boutique hotel in Staunton, VA. Our singular, serene property sits on a sprawling 80 acres of well-manicured grounds.”

Right. Oh, for sure it is beautiful and wonderful in so many ways.

But we came for the things that most don’t see. This building is an architectural masterpiece. The origins of Blackburn Inn date back to 1828, when the Virginia state government first created the 80-acre Western State Hospital.

Within a matter of years, the site became one of Virginia’s busiest hospitals.

Dr. Stribling, now in charge, hired architect Thomas R. Blackburn to head the renovation project in the mid-1830s. Blackburn was a respected protégé of Thomas Jefferson, who himself was a noteworthy architect. Together, Stribling and Blackburn directed the magnificent renovation of the complex, which saw the addition of spacious room wings, verdant gardens, and a magnificent cupola on top of the main hospital building. When construction concluded in 1836, the Western State Hospital stood as an architectural masterpiece.

Yes, it is a stunningly peaceful hotel. But, the past is still here. Our doors had slide windows, to peak in on patients, long painted over. O’Life was calling me every hour to see if I had seen or felt something. Let us throw a bit of Mysterious America into our #3 spot, shall we?

FIRST RUNNER UP • MONADNOCK INN 379 MAIN ST, JAFFReY, Nh 03452 • 603-532-7800 • monadnockinn.com This is one of those jewels that we simply ran across. It has character and comfort. Well priced and a full bar and smokin’ restaurant. It has all this… and a Porsche 911 with a big block Chevy engine in it. I was sold. But, I’m easy this way.

Located in the picturesque historical village of Jaffrey Center in the Monadnock region of southern New Hampshire, the inn has eleven unique and inviting guest rooms, and there is a three-bedroom petfriendly annex, the Currier House, one block away. It boasts a magnificent view of Mt. Monadnock, the 2nd most climbed mountain in the world. Well, that’s what we have been told.

Thorndike’s Restaurant’s dining rooms and screened porch, and the Parson’s Pub, worked well for us. Certainly, the Monadnock Inn is worth seeking out and fits well in the Best of 2020.

1ST PLACE WE’RE OUTTA HERE 2020 • THE RIVER INN 1008 ROLPh’S WhARF ROAD, CheSTeRTOWN, MD 21620 410-778-6347 • rolphswharfmarina.com When down exploring the upper part of the state of Delaware we were told about The River Inn. We had ridden past this road a dozen times over the years and never knew what was waiting down the road.

We’re Outta Here is all about the escape. You WANT to escape here. It is part marina, part Tiki Bar, part of world Delaware. The home is beautiful and our room, called the Dreibelbis Room, was very nice. Vaulted ceilings, a very comfortable bed, and a great black cat named Friday the 13th as a friend for the stay.

That night we had dinner with friends, old and new, a pictureperfect sunset and an hour’s notice for the ISS (International Space Station) passing overhead. The “Girls Night Out” crowd was split down the middle between this old guy has nothing, and this old guy has something. The nice woman that worked for NASA was on my side. She called the ISS as it rocketed overhead. What a perfect night.

Morning coffee on a porch that has seen more sunrises than God was amazing.

The River Inn is your perfect escape. Don’t expect The Ritz. Expect real.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

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Inside Scoop 2020 While we may be giving you the best and some of the not so great things that have taken place in 2020, there has been NO bad ice cream to be had. We hit some distant spots but, when it came down to selecting the crème de la crème, the top three were pretty close to what Backroads calls home. Cut a big slice of your favorite holiday cake or pie and scoop out some of these great ice creams to top it all off.

SECOND RUNNER UP • LEO’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM 816 W hIGh ST, CARLISLe, PA • 717-960-0000 • leoshomemadeicecream.com Sitting on the outskirts of Carlisle, PA, you’ll find this pleasant shop, complete with outdoor gazebo under which to enjoy your ice cream. While Leo’s has over 100 flavors in their rotation, they usually have about 20-ish on their daily menu; certainly enough to give you pause before ordering. The roads surrounding Leo’s are quite tasty as well, so plot out a ride and make Leo’s your destination – coming in third on the podium is still standing on the podium and nothing to sneeze at.

FIRST RUNNER UP • GOOSE BROTHERS ICE CREAM 81 WALNUT BOTTOM RD, ShIPPeNSBURG, PA 717-477-0010 • goosebros.com Here’s another stop on the Ice Cream Highway that sits within a small Pennsylvania town with great roads surrounding it. Goose Brothers was on my radar a few years back when visiting Shippensburg during a Backroads’ rally but was never visited. Like Leo’s, Andy and Matt Ulmers were involved with dairy growing up and took over the keys to the shop in 2008. They have been creating some delicious flavors since, with Grapenut being one of their top sellers. If you join us on our Spring Break 2021, you will be able to taste first hand why Goose Brothers made it to the second spot in this year’s Best of Backroads.

1ST PLACE INSIDE SCOOP 2020 • ANDERSEN FARMS 383 LAFAYeTTe RD/ROUTe 15 NORTh, SPARTA, NJ • www.andersenfarmsnj.com Although Nicole and Tor Andersen are relative newcomers to farming and ice cream, they have soared to the top quickly in both endeavors. They started their farm in 2003 and, just about a year ago, Nicole decided to add ice cream to their already impressive farm store featuring fresh produce, dairy and other sundry items as well as very hearty plants and vegetation for your garden. Her ice cream is full-flavored, always consistent in texture and clean on the palate. She tries to use locally sourced ingredients as much as possible and her chocolates are very high quality as well.

You can sit at one of their outdoor picnic tables while enjoying your ice cream, as well as visiting the baby animals – usually goats – who are very entertaining. Combining great ice cream, a family-friendly setting and some super riding, it’s easy to see how Andersen Farms was awarded the cherry on top of the ice cream for 2020.

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Let’s talk about the other stuff. We lost life. You lost life. But, we found life as well.

In late April, and through May, our family was pummeled by COVID-19. Our extended nephew Adam was taken. I was sick (being half-Kryptonian this was special and enlightening). Shira’s mom passed. The world began to fall down. Shira lost taste and smell. In the middle of all this – beyond any reason - our friends from the Chai Riders came and spent time with her to sit Shiva for a short bit… regardless of her illness.

Who does that? Well, they did.

In a day Shira was ill beyond anything I had ever seen in my life. But she woke up as the sun rose one day, and smiled. So, there is my worst. I hope you have nothing like it.

A few weeks later we loaded up a honda Goldwing and NC750X and began a long trip across the country. We wanted to see our friends, see our nation, see our son and his gal. We had a mission, but we were amazed at how resilient the nation was. The thought that most of the nation did not want ‘little temporary safety’ was obvious.

Mysterious America 2020 So we move onto Mysterious America. A tough column in the best years. But, this time around we kinda all shrugged about what to do or choose. Certainly, we hoped Doctor Seymour O’Life would have helped a bit more but he had not been heard from since his December vacation in Wuhan, China. So, we were left on our own. Still, there is a lot of mystery in America, and even this year we could find some.

Second Runner Up The Haunted Lighthouses of the USA Okay, sure, I know, every lighthouse is haunted. But we liked that our first example was a cat. A cat! Moving along all the nation’s lighthouses… the remoteness and openness to nature, the elements and the dark make lighthouses easy prey to “ghost stories.” Except, some are true.

Ask the Winchesters or Jimmy Olsen or go to Moose Island. We had fun with this.

FIRST RUNNER UP • CAMP MERRITT MEMORIAL MONUMENT BeRGeNFIeLD, NJ The mystery here, for us at least, was that we have ridden past this monument for decades and never knew what it was all about.

Although dedicated to all the troops who passed through this camp on their way to Europe in World War One, it is especially meant for the nearly 600 who died from the Spanish Flu – a topic that seemed to run with today’s headlines.

It is well worth stopping and seeing the monolith and reading the well-placed history around the circle.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

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1ST PLACE MYSTERIOUS AMERICA 2020 THE NARRAGANSET RUNE STONE NORTh KINGSTON, RhODe ISLAND Now here is what Mysterious America is supposed to represent.

Found off Rhode Island, this rock is seven-foot-long by five-foot-high stone and has two rows of Runic letters on it, although it is unclear from where the markings came. Traditionally, a rune stone is a large stone marked with Runic symbols, typically of Scandinavian origin.

The Narragansett rune stone’s widely accepted story starts with a quahogger discovering it off of Pojac Point in December of 1984. Many came to the conclusion that the inscriptions were of Nordic origin. Nevertheless, wherever it came from and whoever carved it is still up for debate. Plainly seen is the Hooked X – a Knights of Templar symbol.

We’re here to tell a story and have fun riding to something that makes you go ….what? The Narraganset Rune Stone? This is that.

This was easy… Our #1 Mysterious America in 2020.

We certainly hope that the bests far overshadowed the worsts for everyone.

We know that a bundle of folks came along for our Plan B rallies and, from the smiles we saw when the masks were off, we think everyone was happy to be out riding, among their Backroads family and friends and perhaps that might have been the best vaccine for that period of time. We have our Spring Break on the books and hope that you will make the good call to join us. Until then, stay happy and celebrate your bests.

Ready to go for a ride? We hope you are. ,

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Some things take time. Then things can happen very quickly.

Like spending months considering a new machine to replace my aging BMW. The Triumph Tiger 900 was on the shortlist, as was the Honda Africa Twin – both in and around the same ballpark price and power-wise.

Then there was a week when I considered a second machine – more like a want than a need - if you know what I mean. A Triumph Thruxton with fairing painted to match an early 70s Gulf racing livery. But how many times would I actually ride that? Our bikes work for a living. This would be a nice afternoon jaunt machine – and still land in the same price as the others.

Yes, there was the BMW R1250GS. I have ridden the GS for years, and when they work they are amazing.

When they don’t they are amazingly expensive.

Yet, here I was slowly being seduced by a machine at Garcia Moto, a dealership hundreds of miles to the south in Raleigh, North Carolina.A GS – but lacking a few of the ‘bells & whistles’ that bring the price up towards the mid-20s range.

I could hear Dana Carvey doin’ George Bush –“Ain’t gonna do that…”

But this bike was in the same range as the Triumph and Honda.

When I finally pulled the trigger on this, I was on a jet the next day for the short flight to the Tar Heel state. Papers signed, hands shaken, gear stowed and I was rolling over the Neuse River, named such by English explorer Arthur Barlowe in 1584 for the Neusiok (which means “peace”) tribe, on a new 2020 GS – kinda wonderin’ “what just happened?”

The plan would get better as this was the week before our annual pilgrimage to Virginia International Raceway and Reg Pridmore’s sensational CLASS Motorcycle Riding School. With me already a hundred or so miles south of the track, Shira would make her way to Front Royal that Saturday with some friends

for, what may be, the last CLASS at VIR. I had two days to meander around North Carolina. What an excellent way to break in a new bike!

First up was a quick shot over to the little town of Clayton to visit my cousin and his family. This was right about when the signs, signs, everywhere the signs began to show up.

How many of us know a great motorcycle road? We all do, right? But across from my cuz’s development is the real deal – a road called Motorcycle Road. In truth, I have never seen that anywhere.

To be clear – it was just a road and nothing for which to create a Mecca.

But, in the town of Clayton was something else that should be seen.

At the town’s police station there is a sculpture called “Cornerstones” by an artist named Christian Karkow. From the front you will see the slabs of slate pushed out to form a relief of a police officer. But, from the inside it portrays the void left when a police officer dies in the line of duty, creatively conveyed by slabs of slate, pushed out to form a kind of pixelated policeman.

On the outside he is part of the community, but inside there is a loss of an officer. When you understand the context it is very moving.

I continued on what had become a weird sign-chasing trek across North Carolina. Heading to the town of Dunn I found what I had come for, but then, as it always happens, a bit more.

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021 First up was a nod to a Rock & Roll legend. Link Ray was born in Dunn and is considered one of the most influential guitarists of his day. It is said that he created the “Power Chord” the major modus operandi of modern rock.

What, not familiar with Link Ray? Pay attention next time you hear that twangy guitar during that Jack Daniels commercial. That’s Ray’s ‘Rumble” which was banned in New York and Boston as the police thought it would incite ‘youts’ to violence… it was called Rumble, right?

On the other side of “Authority”, I found the General William C. Lee Museum. When Major William Lee returned from Europe, concerned over Germany developing airborne combat troops, he pushed for the U.S. Army to do the same. The reply he received was “Major, I am sick and tired of hearing your nonsense about airborne warfare. No American soldier is ever going to have little enough sense to jump out of an airplane even in a parachute, and I don’t want to hear the word airborne spoken in this office again. This is a direct order.” The only thing Major Lee could say was, “Yes, sir.” A few weeks later, Major Lee, as the junior officer in the office, answered the telephone. “What are you folks doing toward developing airborne warfare?’ the caller wanted to know. Under direct orders not to even use the word, Major Lee replied, “Just a minute, and I will let you speak to my superior,” and he handed the phone to the Colonel. “Who the h___ wants to know?” asked the

Page 27 Colonel. “The President of the United States wants to know and I am calling on his behalf” was the reply. The Colonel handed the phone back to Lee and ordered, “Tell this man anything he wants to know.”

For this, he earned the Distinguished Service Medal for his early leadership in airborne forces. By August of 1942, Lee was the first commander of the new 101st Airborne Division based at Camp Claiborne in central Louisiana.

The rest is incredible military history. In fact, every Airbrone soldier who jumped during D-Day yelled Billy Lee in his honor as they jumped into Normandy.

Now motoring south and to the west, I passed into the Cape Fear River regions. I crossed over at the ruins near Smiley Falls and then came across something just a bit on Seymour O’Life’s side of things.

Along the side of the road were a collection of…umm, artifacts? This is the Hattadare Indian Nation. According to Roadside America, The park was built, beginning in 1968, by a TV repairman and part-time preacher named James Lowery. He had a little Indian blood and called himself Chief Little Beaver. Lowery envisioned his village as a place where members of all tribes could meet and just hang out. To whatever degree that actually happened, it ended in 1990, when the Chief died.

Although there was a truck on the property, no one stopped me when I strolled around taking it all in – including the sign claiming “The World’s Largest Arrow Head.” Indeed.

The further west I rode the more rural it became. Small middle-class

Page 28 housing developments gave way to farms where tobacco and cotton were still King.

Then I came upon a church even I could get behind. The Barbeque Church!

Although started by Scottish Highlanders and with a quirky name for sure the Barbecue Presbyterian Church was named after the nearby Barbecue Creek, which was allegedly named by a settler who said the mist coming off the creek one morning reminded him of the smoke from a barbecue pit. The church still sits on the corner of Barbecue Church Road and Highway 27 in Harnett County. At the time, it was spelled barbeque, and was known as “an island of Whigs in a sea of Tories.” Indeed a fairly significant battle between the British and Patriots happened here in the spring of 1781.

By now I was keeping eyes peeled for any sign of note.

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

Barefoot Welding? It seems okay for Kenny.

The Wife of the Sheriff of Mayberry – oh sure, you betcha she was born in North Carolina.

The largest Pig Farm in the county? Who could pass that up?

By evening I had ridden to Salisbury. Southern fried chicken and a comfy roadside hotel made the night. Strolling back to the hotel I could hear music driftin’ up from the south. What was that about?

The sun was up but the thermometer did not get the memo.

I am used to September being much like the rest of the summer, but this was the last week of that season and it seemed Mother Nature, who has been playing with us all year, was not quite done yet. But the new GS was already hooked up for heat, but I refused to bow to the pressure.

Besides it was a short ride to my first stop of the day, but along the way I found out why I had the music at night – China Grove – Whoa ho China Grove, North Carolina – and just south of that Kannapolis – and a statue of their home town hero and NASCAR legend Dale Earhart – The Intimidator!

Continuing of the quest for things a bit different, all the while making

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

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my way to the border with the Old Dominion State and VIR, I decided to go tiger hunting; and DID I get tigers… and lions, and leopards and more. Outside of Rockwell is a nonprofit endangered wildlife preserve dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation, and preservation of exotic animals – mostly big cats, but they have several other beasts as well.

Since I could not bring Spenser T with me, I’d have to settle for larger feline fun.

I have seen lions, and tigers… and God knows Backroads Central has more than its share of bears…but here at Tiger World you get as close to these big cats as I have ever been, maybe ‘ceptin Africa.

Tigers are big. No! Tigers are ginormous and beautiful.

My planned quick stop lasted 4Xs as long, but that was okay – I loved every minute. There was a lot to see and Tiger World is run very, very well.

I am not a big fan of zoos, but this is not that.

We’ll ride back to Tiger World in another issue –

but right now I had another couple hundred miles to run before the evening.

Keeping with the animal theme of the day I spied an Animal Hospital that had an interesting take on my Jacobson Effect, a sign for Camel Road – a must-have digital moment for our home - and then a homemade sign in the front of a home that basically stated their hope for their dog in the upcoming election of the house “Because Humans Suck.”

Well, I beg to differ – and at least we don’t sniff each other’s butts – well GS-riders aside.

It seemed to me that, if you keep your eyes peeled, the state of North Carolina would not let you down when it came to history, oddity, and just plain weirdness – or a magical combination of all three.

By evening I crossed another sign and, into Virginia, a short while later Shira rode up behind me while I was waiting to get into the track.

It was time to go back to school – no remote bulltinky here – motorcycling has always been a socially distancing sort of sport. Best done when done well and that is why we were here.

See ya on the road! ,

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PRODUCT REVIEW

JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

RKA LUGGAGE 50-LITER EXPANDABLE SADDLEBAGS

Looking for soft luggage without the need of mounting a frame to my Honda 919, I chose RKA’s 50-liter expandable saddlebags. We have ridden with RKA luggage for a long time – their tank bags and rear seat bags are exceptional in both construction and wear.

Their bags are made from black 600 Denier, solution-dyed polyester urethane-coated and/or 600/300 Denier vinyl-laminated PVC, diamond-embossed material. All zippers are YKK. Rubberized handles make for easy carrying and the PVC coated polyester Slip-Not, an anti-abrasion grip fabric which is waterproof, strong and washable, coats the back of the bags. Cam buckles are used front and rear to keep the bags stable under heavy acceleration and braking and they are finished and lined inside with 3/8 inch foam combined onto a 200 Denier coated nylon. Reflective piping adorns the seams, making them stand out. With the expandable set comes a hard plastic insert to keep the bags rigid. Rain covers are an option, which I chose but have not had to use. They do go on very easily and seem to stay put well.

RKA uses ‘The Pad’ as an attachment point for the bags. They offer four or five different size pad attachments depending on the size of your rear seat. The hook and loop material was more than sufficient for the Honda. The saddlebags are then centered and attached with very strong hook and loop.

Webbing straps are attached front to the passenger foot peg mounts and rear over the fender and under the license plate, through the attached cam buckles.

Even though the 919 has heat shields over the exhaust, I opted to wrap them in exhaust heat wrap tape to prevent any possibility of damaging the bags, as the pipes are high and the bags were resting on them no matter how I adjusted them. The option was offered for a bracket, but that is what I was trying to avoid.

The maiden voyage was to CLASS at VIR – a couple of days down and several more back home. I have learned, over the years, the art of minimal packing. Since I am used to having hard bags on my V-Strom, I use liners to pack so I don’t have to remove the bags each night. I did the same with these, using some older liners that we had. I removed the saddlebags for the track,

leaving the pad in place. Reinstallation was just as easy as the first time. In addition to my packing, I was able to stow some of Brian’s extra stuff, as he had picked up his new R1250GS and was just getting used to the different stowage capacity. There is MORE than enough space for a good week’s worth of travel, as I also had my GIVI top case for my essentials. The bags stayed up, in place and, after a bit of adjustment to the webbing, away from any heat hazard.

As a last selling point, they are Spenser-approved.

What more do you need?

The Sonoma Series 50-liter expandable saddlebags, sold in a set, are $300 with rain covers an additional $40.

If you’d like to customize yours, RKA offers a good selection of colors for an additional $30. The bags come with clearly written instructions and there is a very good video for installation on their webpage, where you can place your order as well • www.rka-luggage.com. ,

BACKROADS • JANUARY 2021

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The Law Office of Paul G. Gargiulo Presents

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

Chain Maintenance For some it is almost a psychological disorder – this need to spotlessly clean and lube the chain after each ride. But for others they are shocked that they need to do anything at all. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Chains need attention, like every other part of your machine, and regular chain maintenance such as cleaning and proper lubrication is key to this task for the chain-gang motorcycles to operate smoothly and correctly.

Prepare to get dirty.

This is not for the Felix Unger’ish.

Chain life usually will run about 20,000 miles… more with better maintenance.

Figure if you are a really active rider every two or three years you are going to be changing your chain and sprockets.

Change everything.

But, with a little bit of effort and the willingness to get dirty, you can give your chain thousands of more miles of life.

Okay, we are not riding MotoGP – but weekly inspection is a must.

Sunday morning ride? Why not make Saturday night a bit more fun. A cup of coffee or glass of wine and go out and REALLY look at your motorcycle. I am not talking “Wow – I really love this bike,” sort of stuff.

But, get down and look at what could possibly go wrong- or what has already gone wrong.

The chain and sprockets are easy. You should be checking your chain and sprockets for damage, wear and free-play in adjustment.

Check for tight spots by rotating the rear wheel. If it will not rotate freely then a new chain may be required.

Tight spots are the death knell of chain drives.

Inspect the rear drive sprocket for wear, making sure that the apexes of the teeth are not curved. Shark teeth do not work.

Check for any rust spots. They are an indication for insufficient lubrication or poor corrosion protection of your chain spray. In our case, where we live, just a very high humidity some evenings that really play havoc on metal. It is an on-going battle.

There are a few chain cleaning products, but I keep going back to the tried & true WD-40. Created in San Diego by a company actually called Rocket Chemical – this stuff works. BUTdoing what it does means a quick and serious lubrication after your chain cleaning is done.

WD-40 is primarily a solvent, which means that it dissolves contaminates so parts get nice and clean. As a solvent, WD-40 will strip away any existing lubricant, leaving your chain and drivetrain dryer than the Sahara desert.

This means that using WD-40 as a chain lubricant is worse than using no lube at all. Clean cold, lube hot.

Many manufacturers call for simple Gear Oil. Who’d have thunk? Solid, strong and just a bit of a devil to apply.

On the easier side there is Chain Wax from Maxima. Solid product.

While the majority of the chain lube should be on the inside of the chain, you should also give a good spray at the rear sprocket, to make sure of getting the O-rings saturated.

We think, no matter what your thoughts are on lube, and no matter how modern your chain is, keeping the driving force of your machine in awesome shape is a good thing. Spend some time. Get dirty. It’s okay.

Ken Condon, our motorcycle guru, has a good video on chain maintenance as well as a ton of other information/education stuff. Check him out on YouTube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHkFAjbNyzs ,

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JANUARY 2021 • BACKROADS

20 20 - 202 1 NJ PO L A R BE A R G RA N D TOU R The destinations listed below may have restrictions on social distancing and mask wearing. Abide by COVID 19 CDC and Site Rules before entering any establishment.

Please check the POLAR BEAR website for updated information.

It is not necessary to be a member of the Polar Bear Grand Tour to do these rides.

There is generally food at the destination and if you just want to go for a nice ride and join other folks, feel free to attend.

Polar Bear cancellations & updates will be posted on the website. Sign-in is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. unless otherwise posted. Check the New Member page for general information about the Polar Bear Grand Tour: polarbeargrandtour.com/newmem.htm

DECEMBER

MARCH 2021 7 • BAhR'S LANDING, 2 Bay Ave., highlands, NJ 07732 • 732-872-1247 • www.bahrslandingnj.com 14 • BRIAN'S hARLeY-DAVIDSON, 600 S. Flowers Mill Rd., Langhorne PA 19047 • 215-752-9400. • www.brianshd.com 21 • The hICKORY BBQ SMOKehOUSe, 743 Route 28, Kingston, NY 12401 • 845338-2424 • www.hickoryrestaurant.com 28 • PLUMSTeD GRILL, 457 Rte. 539, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 • 609-758-5552 • www.theplumstedgrill.com

20 • The hAMILTON TAP & GRILL, 557 US hIGhWAY 130, hamilton Township, NJ 08691 • 609 905-0925 • hamilton-tap-grill.business.site/ 27 • RhODeS NORTh TAVeRN, 40 Orange Turnpike, Sloatsburg, NY 10974 • 845-7536438 • www.rhodesnorth.com

JANUARY 2021 3 • PIC-A-LILLI INN & Chilly Chili Run 866 Route 206 Shamong NJ 08088 • 609-2682066 • picalilli.com/albums 10 • VICTORY BReWING COMPANY, 420 Acorn Ln, Downingtown, PA 19335 • 610873-0881 • www.victorybeer.com 17 • WOODY'S ROADSIDe TAVeRN, 105 Academy St, Farmingdale, NJ 07727 • 732938-6404 • woodysroadside.com 24 • The eXChANGe, 160 e. Main St., Rockaway, NJ 07866 • 973-627-8488 • www.exchangefood.com S31 • SWeeTWATeR MARINA & RIVeRDeCK, 2780 7th Ave, Sweetwater, NJ 08037 • 609-668-1545 • www.sweetwaterriverdeck.com/

FEBRUARY 2021 7 • The FRANKLIN hOUSe TAVeRN, 101 North Market Street, Schaefferstown, PA 17088 • 717-949-2122. • franklinhousetavern.com 14 • LIGhThOUSe TAVeRN, 397 Route 9 Waretown, NJ 08758 • 609-693-3150 • lighthousetavern.com 21 • PUB 199, 199 howard Blvd, Mount Arlington, NJ 07856 • 973-398-7454 • pub199nj.com 28 • LONG VALLeY PUB & BReWeRY, 1 Fairmount Rd., Long Valley, NJ 07853 • 908876-1122 • restaurantvillageatlongvalley.com/long-valley-pub-and-brewery/

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