W H A T ’ S
I N S I D E
MO NT HLY C O L U M NS FREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................5 POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................6 ON THE MARK ....................................................7 BACKLASH..........................................................8
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INDUSTRY INFOBITES .....................................10 MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................12 GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ..............14
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Publishers
Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil
Contributors
Mark Byers, Victor Cruz, Bill Heald, Dr. Seymour O’Life
Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 620 Augusta, NJ 07822
WE’RE OUTTA HERE ........................................16 BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................18 INSIDE SCOOP .................................................20 WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ............................46 UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................48
FE AT U RE S
phone
973.948.4176
fax
973.948.0823
editor@backroadsusa.com
online
www.backroadsusa.com
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BACKROADS GREATEST TRIPS......................22
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TRIBE TALKING ................................................34
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RIDE FOR KIDS FOR 2020................................36
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FIRST NIGHT ....................................................37 EVOLUTION OF THE GAS STATION ...............42 TALISMANS .....................................................44
PR O DU C T R E V IE W S BOOK REVIEWS ...............................................33 GIVI TREKKER ALASKA CASES ......................43 HELITE TURTLE 2 AIRBAG VEST.....................47
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BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACKROADS™, Inc. 2020. 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.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
FREE WHEELIN’ BRIAN RATHJeN
Sanity RideS Oh My GOd Sena COnneCtS God have mercy on a man, that he doubts what he is sure of… The Boss When I began this article it was April 24. It was a Friday. I have a Zoom cocktail party I am looking forward to later today. I wonder how long I will be writing about this pandemic. It’s week six and a new magazine has to be built. This is going to be interesting. Or sad. Soon we will come back. But, today, it seems miles down the road. The next few issues will be like the first year. 1995 – each edition was met with pride and happiness. We were growing. In truth we now have an advantage as we now have all of you. And, we appreciate each and every one of you. This issue marks 25 years. So, rather than look at how bad things have gotten, I refuse to go there. Let’s move forward. It is the little things that pop up, the tiny things that make motorcycling so much fun. A talk with some of the most prolific moto-journalist we know: Clement Salvadori about the industry, a Zoom chat with moto-instructor extraordinaire Ken Condon and crew about moving forward, and the occasional cocktail parties with so many we have ridden with over the years. But, we are a riding publication… so we ride. There is probably nothing greater in the “Social Distancing” realm of things than riding a motorcycle. So….one Pandemic Sunday Shira and I were going to go for a picnic ride. We are decent cooks, but today we thought it was better to have something else. In Newton, NJ there is Hayek’s Markets – excellent, if maybe a bit overpriced. We bought premade and package sandwiches from the local market and packed them into the bikes and motored off. Where we live in northwest NJ, it is very rural, mostly farms, forests and small towns. As we approached High Point State Park (Closed for no real
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good reason at this time – now open) I heard a voice come over my 50K that was in Mesh Mode. “Hey, that’s not Shira,” I thought… or did she suddenly start sounding like a guy. I asked her what she just said and she replied, “That wasn’t me.” That was followed by two other voices asking, “Who was that?” As we approached the shutdown gate to the park, we spotted four bikes – three Ducatis and a KTM. We rolled in about 50-feet behind them. They were chatting back and forth – all of which we could hear. Then it got fun. One woman looked at us and said over the Mesh… “Holy shit, that’s Shira from Backroads…and Brian!” These were Backroads readers and riders that we see from time to time in the region. They, too, knew a ride was the way to stay in better spirits. We then talked about how excellent the Senas and Mesh worked and how quickly we all linked up from a ½ mile downhill away. Helmets came off, Hedz went over faces and we got to spend 20 minutes talking motorcycles, and the current situation. For a few minutes all seemed… right? Well, it did for this part of the day. But that glow disappeared quickly as we lost a beloved family member two days later to the virus. He was by himself. Alone. Alone! We felt so… like Superman holding a chunk of kryptonite. Helpless. Trapped. A month later Shira’s mother passed from complications of this as well. I just got off the phone with Reg Pridmore, unquestionably the greatest riding coach I know. Over the years he has made me smoother, and faster, but, more importantly, more confident. Confidence is a good thing! In the middle of all this I looked to my coaches, my mentors… Reg, Alan, Anthony. It made things easier – but it was the sanity rides that really did the trick.
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BACKROADS • JULY 2020
WHATCHATHINKIN’ SHIRA KAMIL
What a long, StRange tRip it’S been Over these 25 years of producing Backroads, a labor of love and not what I would call work at all (well, I guess the week of production could be put in that category), I have been asked many times how this all came about. I believe this month would be a good time to have a recap of the past 25 years (which we have done with all our great trips in ‘Backroads’ Greatest Trips’ article, but more so to give the back story of how Brian and I, and those who have joined us over the years, got to this point. Backroads’ roots were in the Sport Touring Motorcycle Club, which Brian started with his friend Marty Trionfo in the early 1990s. A newsletter was begun in 1991, which developed and adopted the moniker Backroads in November 1992. In May 1994, David Wilson, a very talented artist who happened to work for MTV at the time, took the helm and designed the masthead, which still graces our cover. Brian, who was still the supreme commander (sort of), asked the club members if anyone objected to his taking the newsletter and making it into a magazine. The general consensus was, ‘Sure, whatever. Where are we riding this weekend?” The year was 1995. When Brian and I decided to take a shot at being magazine publishers, I was working at National Speed Sport News in Ridgewood, NJ. For those not familiar with the world of car racing, National Speed Sport News was considered the bible of auto racing and was owned by Chris Economaki. This name you might remember from ABC Wide World of Sports – Chris had a most distinct voice,
Page 5 an encyclopedia of knowledge regarding racing, and was a hoot to be around. Next time you see me, ask about some of the great stories from that time. We were waiting on our just-ordered Macintosh computers to be delivered (a very different time back them – no immediate gratification with the Apple Stores not in existence as yet), so I asked Corinne, Chris’ daughter and my boss, if it might be possible for us to use their newly acquired Apple computers, after work hours of course, to produce our magazine. As Speed Sport had just switched to this format, Corinne felt it would be great experience for me getting used to the platform, and being the gracious woman that she is, agreed to the request. So the first few issues of Backroads were done under the roof of a well-respected pillar of the magazine world, giving it a very sound foundation as well as good root on which to grow. Our computers arrived, a printer was chosen, and we were off on the adventure of a lifetime. While you can see that our first issue’s writings were credited to some lofty folks, we soon added some very talented and insightful monthly writers: Jon Kadis (the original Road Whisperer), Jeff Kurtzman, Fred Rau, Jeff Bahr (Dr. O’Life’s partner in crime and gone much, much too soon), Bill Heald, Mark Byers and the illustrious and ever mysterious Dr. Seymour O’Life. Throughout the years, these pages have been filled with the travels and exploits of Dan Bisbee, Tony Lisanti, Dr. Gregory Frazier, Mike Stackhouse, Neale Bayly, Pamela Collins, Scott Jenkins, Susan Buck, Tim Winelandand and Victor Cruz to name just a few. Continued on Page 9
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
long enough, we’re talking dozens of changes and cases of oil filters. Over this time period, and say, the last 25 years if you keep a bike long enough, you have witnessed changes in the very oil you put in your crankcase, too. BILL HeALD Think of it: there are all kinds of new additives that do all kind of miraculous things, from stretching out oil change intervals to increasing gas mileage to QuaRteR CentuRy MaintenanCe making your shifting crisper if you have a wet clutch. 25 years ago my helmet I have achieved my seventy years in was a stunning wonder of modern technology, lightweight materials and imthe usual way: by sticking strictly to a pressive aerodynamics. Now, that lid is like wearing a garden gnome comscheme of life which would kill anybody else. Mark Twain pared to my latest Arai. OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but the breed has Ah yes, aging. The passage of the years. The whole concept of time is still really evolved nicely. something physicists are wrestling each other over, and even though some Let me attack my argument on this clear evidence that time is a thing, and of them are quite skinny and not well trained in pugilistic endeavors, they ask you to ponder this: If a quarter century has actually passed, how come I still attack each other with wolverine-like ferocity using only calculus and am able to focus a camera as quickly and sharply as I could in 1995? Oh battered Macbook Pros. But we all have to deal with something that happens yeah, autofocus. It keeps getting better all the time. I swear, I can stop a conas the calendar pages flip and the seasons alter and everything around us and temporary motorcycle in a shorter distance with greater stability than I could within us decays. This would put me solidly on the side that believes time brake when I was a genuine young stud, with excellent reflexes. How is this exists, but I can’t for the life of me really explain what it is in concrete terms. possible if I’m older and less studly now? Oh yeah, antilock brakes and better I do believe there are clues to its existence in the decay of radioactive eletires. I could go on and on. My 675cc Triumph is lighter, more powerful and ments, but when it comes to trying to express the nature of time via mathefaster than the 750s of the 90’s, which is good because I’m weaker and it’s matics I usually leave the room to get a pencil and ultimately end up taking easier to paddle around than the more weighty beasts I used to ride. a nap. But time is a thing, and we have to record its passage if we’re going Of course, don’t think I’m completely feeble 25 years later. I still have the to get to the grocery store when the Bounty truck arrives. strength of fiddy men, or at least 24. OK, four, provided they’re all over 90 Here’s an odd thought: for as long as I can remember, one of the many years old. But it’s a beautiful thing that technology has kind of taken the sting metrics I have used to follow the passage of time is motorcycle maintenance. out of growing older, and enabled us to continue to do what we love to do Life, you see, is a series of oil changes. If you keep the machine in question with a reasonable degree of comfort and safety. It’s amazing what a couple of decades can do when you consider there have been improvements in ever aspect of our riding experience, 1269 DOLSONTOWN RD especially including the apparel front. There are more MIDDLETOWN NY 10940 styles and types of weatherproof gear than paint variations on Harleys, and they work better than ever (al845-343-2552 • WWW.CYCLEMOTIONINC.COM though I still, to this day, manage to find ways to get wet). In the past, people like me have been seen to try Cycle Motion is your provider of motorcycles, ATVs, and unfold and read a map while in motion, which alscooters, and utility vehicles by Kawasaki, Suzuki, Polaris, ways resulted in said map flying away like Benjamin Yamaha and Can-Am. With a large parts department, qualified Franklin’s kite and me doubling down on being lost. But service technicians and a full shop of parts and accessories, now? GPS. Even on the phone. Although I tend to only we're here to meet all your power sport needs. consult it when stopped these days, no doubt an offshoot of that whole map becoming airborne in the wind thing. For every rider - on or off road, whether they like doing it Which ultimately brings me to the state of motorcycle in the dirt, carving the twisties, or cruising the backroads, journalism at the 25-year mark. Some places, like these we have their weapon of choice. pages, are continuing to do what they set out to do and I think that is a beautiful (and rare) thing. But the national motorcycle magazine business has been taken over (like most forms of publications) by the influence of, if not replaced outright, by web-based publishing including zines, blogs, forums and YouTube channels. I tried them for a while, and it adversely caused a flareup in the allergy I have to marketing over journalism, and the proliferation of unqualified opinions. But that’s just me. I think this stems from the first thing I did in college, which was in the biological sciences. I learned the absolute necessity of accurate data, and the need for the unbiased dispersal of information to those interested in the subject (especially when it comes to educating the non-riding public). All the publications I’ve written for in the past, which was quite a few, involved a process of my copy going through at least a couple of editors and in many cases a fact checker before being released into the wild. Our brave new world has few such checks and balances, and while many brag about the “uncensored” nature of the internet it’s the easiest way to get out bad information, often delivered through the market arms of the companies whose products are being written about. True, some older print pubs became too concerned with pleasing advertisers, but I found an easy way of dealing with this problem: I quit writing for them. Loss of income, strangely enough, troubles me less than loss of sleep. After 25 years, it is still my privilege to write for Backroads. This should tell you all you need to know about what I think of the couple at the helm.
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
ON THE MARK MARK BYERS
MoMents I have had moments on a motorcycle that were simultaneously simple and sublime, quite a few of which came from bicycle race moto refereeing. I remember riding along next to a breakaway in a women’s National Championship. As the three women sped down the road well ahead of the peloton, vying for the gold, silver, and bronze medals, three small birds came down and encircled them several times, then flew away. It was as if they were laying laurels on their heads and having done so, vanished. One of the women appeared to take it in, but quickly regained her focus and bent to the task at hand. It was a fleeting moment, but clearly it imprinted an indelible memory on my feeble brain. I’ve had many such moments. In a National Championship for Masters Men, a couple riders from this area were in contention. One of them, known as “Super Dave” because he shares the name with the comedic stuntman, was in a two-man break that could have decided the race. Super Dave is known as a warm, congenial rider who always has a smile and a good thing to say. I used to race against him when I still did such things…and he beat me regularly. When I pulled up to the breakaway on my moto to give them their time split, Dave looked over at me and burst into his biggest smile, called me by name, and asked how I was doing. Never mind that he was in contention for a National Championship - it was like we were back racing in an industrial park years ago for twenty bucks. He didn’t win, but it was a winning moment. At a National Championship in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, we had a number of races for people under 18. Before one of the girl’s races, I noted a girl with a bible verse and a photo of her father taped to the handlebar. She was very strong and very much in contention the whole race; however, she was beaten in the sprint and took second. So complete was her devastation that she laid down near the finish line on the hot pavement and wept inconsolably. She would not respond to anyone and the medics laid her on the
Page 7 gurney in the back of the air-conditioned ambulance while they tried to elicit her condition with questions. She would not eat, drink, or talk and it took me talking to her about getting a silver medal and the medics threatening to start an IV to bring her out of her funk. Later, I saw her recovered and talking gaily with the winner on the podium. Ah, the resilience of youth. At the same event, in a field of younger girls, I noted that there was a woman there with several children in tow, one of whom was a daughter in the event. From her demeanor and equipment, it was clear that she was probably not going to be that competitive, but she was there to ride a National and that was saying something. She finished last, coming in well behind the winning pack. I remember seeing her standing alone in the bike inspection area, clutching her bike and weeping with humiliation until her mother made it there with her siblings and enveloped her in a big hug, the only balm that would soothe her pain. I felt it from a hundred yards away. One time, we had a group who required special machines because of disabilities, including a number of Wounded Warriors. It was a race against the clock, so they started at one-minute intervals and we motos rode around the course, watching for anything amiss. Within the first mile, I came upon a paraplegic Army Wounded Warrior sitting next to his low-slung, threewheeled handcycle on the shoulder of the road, pulling at a hopelessly-bent derailleur. His frustration was palpable: he borrowed the machine and now it was broken. I rode quickly to where I knew a mechanic was stationed and the mechanic jumped on a pit bike with some tools and rode back to him. The derailleur was horribly bent, so all he could do was split the chain and put the bike in one gear the guy would have to use the entire rest of the course - 12 miles, uphill and down. That guy finished the event, pedaling a onegeared handcycle with just his arms. Army Strong? Damn straight. It was another moment - there are many more.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
BACKLASH
Letters to the Editor
Brian and Shira Thank you so much for not only putting the article in the magazine, but...THE COVER!!? I am very honored to be a part of an issue of Backroads. Really, I cannot express how grateful I am. Let me know if there is anything I can help with down the road. I am currently riding the first three sections of the NEBDR in preparation for doing the whole thing in early August. Take care and good luck with the upcoming riding season. John Ciribassi Early this year on one of those unseasonably warm days, before this COVID shuttered stay home shutdown, I was out riding and came across this quaint little place. The third time I stopped in, again before this shutdown, I was enjoying a sandwich when a lady came in with a copy of Backroads in hand. As it turned out the reason she brought it in, as you well know, it had an an article on the place. Cheers, Gery torak Excellent cover on the May Backroads issue!! And thanks for the memories of the 2019 Fall Fiesta. Now lets get out and RIDE!!! Mike Mosca Brian & Shira, You really sent me down the rabbit hole with the most recent edition of The Backroads Report. Hoping to “just check my email” before hitting my list of daily chores, I spent an hour watching James May’s Meccano “toy” motorcycle lap the Isle of Man. Then it was another hour and a half on Ama-
zon Prime watching Why We Ride. I thought I was done at that point, but the Song of the Week delayed my chore checklist further as the lyrics to America’s ‘Ride On’ reminded me of some familiar motorcycling “lyrics” from the past. These appear on the back of a jacket that I was given at Daytona more than 20 years ago from a Japanese racing team (A.M.S. FU-JI-I Super Flat-Twin) that had brought a BMW to race in the Battle of the Twins race. As is often the case with translations into your mother language, the original Japanese meaning was likely a little different that the final result in English on the jacket. Nonetheless, these lines have stuck with me ever since and when I read “Ride On” by America, this memory from the past immediately sprung into my head! Roberto Mitchell Hello Brian! It was great to meet you both! Also so happy for Jody Whitsell to locate my missing credit card found on the curbside in Highpoint. The Luck! I just sending you a few details about myself: I am a mountain child raised in the Adirondacks of NY but now reside in Morris Plains NJ. I have a passion (some say addiction) for motorcycling and currently own 3: Ducati Monster 696, Triumph Street Triple R and a dedicated track bike - Triumph Daytona 675. I have been riding since 2005 (on a Suzuki SV 650) and have traveled via moto through the European Alps and eastern US states (Tail of the Dragon, Smokey Mountains, Blue Ridge, Blood Mountain, GA, etc.) I have been leading rides for over 10 years through the tri-state area just by memory from the times I got lost. [I laugh to myself thinking -
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
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Whatchathinkin’ Continued from Page 5 Backroads has brought us around this beautiful country and to so many wonderful world locations. The adventures we’ve experienced have filled 300 issues and we hope that you have enjoyed coming along on our travels. We have met so many amazing people throughout these 25 years and developed friendships that have made this journey so much better. From our first Fall Fiesta with a dozen trusting riders at the quaint Chateau Leon in the Finger Lakes to our more recent get togethers with upwards of 100 riders joining our road tours, we have experienced and shared Backroads’ thrills of victory and agonies of defeat. The rallies that had perfect weather, exceptional lodging and routes that went off without a hitch to the present day; so much loss, destruction and sadness as well as our Grand Tour and so many other events which we and all motorcyclists so anticipated having to be cancelled. Through it all, the good and the bad, Brian and I have had a most marvelous 25 years and we so look forward to whatever the next 25 may bring. The first issue of Backroads was dedicated to my grandfather. His words on starting a new business were to ‘plant the seed, nurture it and let it grow on its own’. He was inspirational to our starting this new life but did not get to see the tree grow. I’d like to dedicate this 25th anniversary issue to all those who have been with us throughout these years, have helped and watched the tree grow to a mighty oak, but have finished their earthly adventures and are now exploring other roads. Godspeed Adam, Jeff, Sam, Graham, Irving, Phil, Betty and Selma. baCKlaSh Continued from Previous Page here is a woman leading a group of men through the twists and turns]. It’s all about safety and enjoyment! When I get a chance to grab one of your magazines, I enjoy reading that others, like me, enjoy that long day trip with secret places to eat with great nature view spaces. Take care, stay safe and keep riding! Lisa Knobel Hi Shira and Brian, I hope all is well with you and your family and friends. I wanted to share a situation I encountered last Sunday on a ride out to the Quabbin Reservoir in central MA. I’m coming from Rockport so about a 250mile round trip, Backroads always! Riding alone, packed a picnic lunch, fitted my bandana to my face, geared up and headed out. It was a great ride, temps in the 70s and not much traffic on the road. Unfortunately, it didn’t last. I ended up behind a pack of a dozen bikes, very loud, rude and obnoxious during the last 20 miles to the park. I don’t need to mention the brand, they were all on the same one. I stayed back to protect my ears. But what started to happen over and over again was each time they passed a bicyclist climbing a hill they would slow down, take their feet off the pegs and mimic that they were peddling. At times there was some verbal exchange but there was no way I could hear it. They’d rev up their motors blasting the bicyclist with sound cannons and then speed away sharing high fives as they went. I was shocked, all my 49 years of riding trying to present a positive image to the general public just went down the drain. Once we got into the park and the picnic area, they joined another group of a dozen bikes with probably 30 people
crowded together, no social distancing and no face covers. To add to it they had their stereos blasting songs featuring F _ _ k this and F_ _k that. Not satisfied with that they would take turns to see who had the loudest bike, firing them up and blasting away. All of this with families and kids right there. Just as I finished my sandwich the State Police showed up with the Park Rangers. At that time, I felt it was a good time to leave. norm duLong • Rockport, Ma
Mail: BACKROADS PO Box 620 Augusta NJ 07822
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Got something to say? We’d love to hear it. Letters may be edited, never censored, to fit.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
INDUSTRY INFOBITES
News from the Inside
R.I.P GAURAV A JANI With a very full and heavy heart, we share the news of film maker’s Gaurav Jani’s passing. He left us at 2 AM on May 24, battling multiple organ failure due to complications from an infection unrelated to COVID-19. There is a tremendous sense of loss of a person that cared for so many of us as if we were his own. Indeed, the sheer number of lives Gaurav touched while living life on his terms, full of passion and courage, is glorious in itself. But Gaurav’s indomitable spirit of living his dream and achieving what most deemed impossible, was more than an inspiration for us. He brought us together as a big family that will forever celebrate his life. May he ride to even higher heights, continuing to inspire us with what he saw in the world, and in people like us. Gaurav’s body was cremated on the morning of May 24 in Hisar, Haryana, where he was hospitalized.
SW-MOTECH LAUNCHES USA WAREHOUSE HEADQUARTERS Earlier this year, SW-MOTECH publicly announced that they will be opening their western headquarters here in the USA. Based in Portland, Oregon, SW-MOTECH USA began serving customers starting June 1, 2020. This comes as an effort to support Twisted Throttle’s growing US operations with additional in-stock inventory, promotional funding and technical support. In 2002, Erik Stephens, founder and CEO of Twisted Throttle, purchased
his first group buy of Suzuki V-Strom 1000 products from the German company SW-MOTECH. What started as a favor to fellow members of the online motorcycle forum “StromTroopers” quickly turned into an unrelenting side hustle for Erik, who already worked long hours as an engineer. With the help of a small team of family and friends, Erik was able to keep up with the growing demand and eventually launched Twisted Throttle as the official US distributor of SW-MOTECH products. “The founders of SW-MOTECH, Juergen Swora in particular, took a chance on Twisted Throttle (me) in 2002 when we had no history in the industry by filling our first V-Strom group buy order, referring dealers to us, and introducing us to other European accessory manufacturers that we could work with. Once we started with SW-MOTECH, many other brands rapidly fell into place, including MRA, Givi and R&G. SW-MOTECH was a catalyst in the founding of Twisted Throttle,” says Erik. For the last 18 years, Twisted Throttle has taken the lead for SW-MOTECH business this side of the big pond, creating a strong foundation of brand awareness for SW-MOTECH in the states, primarily across the adventure and sport touring segments of the motorcycle industry. Over the years, the Twisted Throttle team also played crucial roles in product development and redesign for many motorcycles. “Twisted Throttle and SW-MOTECH have worked closely to respond to customer feedback. Over time, we developed the ability to prototype new products in the SW-MOTECH brand from within the USA, including many of the products for North American bikes like the KLR650, DRZ-400, DR650, and the Canadian version of the Honda Varadero. When Euro-designed items didn’t fit USA bikes, we’d test fit and develop adapters or do in-the-field research at events doing installations, then send drawings or information back to SW to allow them to modify their products to have one version for the world. Throughout the many team projects,
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 one thing has remained constant: the drive to improve the riding experience through gear that’s easy to install and doesn’t fail you or distract you in the field,” states Erik. Twisted Throttle and Twisted Distributing will continue to support SWMOTECH retail and dealer sales in the United States for the foreseeable future. With the addition of SW-MOTECH US, Twisted Throttle will be able to offer quicker shipping on more in-stock products and even higher levels of customer support. “My team and I look forward to working with SWMUSA. Our dealer base is sure to benefit from the focused marketing activity and resulting increased brand awareness in the marketplace. Existing dealers and prospective new dealers are welcomed to contact us directly with any questions,” states Ron Santos, Director of Sales.
STOLEN MOTORCYCLE FOUND AND RETURNED TO OWNER AFTER 27 YEARS A motocross bike owner has been reunited with a Kawasaki that was stolen from him 27 years ago. Jonathan Huginski was in 10th grade when he crashed the bike near his school in Waterbury, CT and broke his arm. While he was at the hospital, the bike disappeared. But WVIT reported that Hartford Police recently found it among several illegal motorcycles that were impounded last year during a crackdown in a city park and headed to the crusher. The ones that could be were checked against the National Insurance Crime Bureau database, and Huginski’s showed up listed as stolen. Fortuitously, Huginski now owns a Superfly MotorSports motorcycle dealership and repair shop, so he’ll have no trouble getting the KX-125 back into top shape again.
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Morton’s BMW Motorcycles Presents Dr. Seymour O’Life’s MYSTER IOU S A MERICA the oldeSt RoCK in MaRyland SIDELING HILL WELCOME CENTER 3000 SIDELING HILL, MILE MARKER 74, HANCOCK, MD 21750 301-678-6035 • www.visitmaryland.org Maryland is called the Old Line State. Why such a nickname? It is said that Maryland is referred to as such because it was the dividing line between the land grants given to William Penn and Lord Baltimore Along Interstate 68 in Frederick County, Maryland, is the Sideling Hill Welcome Center, just below the border with Pennsylvania. The state has done a great job with this place and, of course, you can find all sorts of brochures on local attractions and historic sites, along with maps and the much needed and clean bathrooms. Sideling Hill Welcome Center also has one thing that no other Welcome Center can boast. Inside you will find what is believed to be the Oldest Rock in Maryland. Oldest rock… are not they all old? Evidentially not. Last season I was heading towards Cumberland and had a dire need for a bio-stop. After taking care of business I strolled into the center itself and found the oddest thing I have ever seen at a highway rest stop. From the ceiling to the main floor, a dominating spiral display can be found that leads down to an arrow painted on it to bring your attention to a stone resting at the bottom. The Oldest Rock in Maryland. Damn. The truth is, that if you are looking for the oldest rocks in North America you probably will have to
head north way above Quebec. It seems that in North America they are found exposed at the surface in parts of Canada, composing the Canadian Shield, a stable core of the North American continental landmass. The oldest rocks found on Earth are 4.3-billion-year-old greenstone beds found along the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in northern Quebec. But here in The Old Line State you can grab a snack, some brochures and some maps and take a much-needed break and see something special. In truth one of the best rock exposures in Maryland, and indeed in the entire northeastern United States, is located approximately 6 miles west of
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Page 13 Gneiss is often mistaken for granite. Although granite can become gneiss through metamorphosis, granite is an igneous rock in its original form. Plentiful in Maryland, you will occasionally see gneiss used as filler material around drains and water run-off areas. Here, with smaller pieces of gneiss (but still the size of a bowling ball), you will see that it resembles the famous Smith Island Cake of eastern Maryland with thin layers running throughout the rock (or cake)! Gneiss can be almost any color but it is common in grey, black and white. It is a seven on Moh’s hardness scale meaning that it is harder than most minerals. Gneiss is opaque but can have bands of translucent quartz.
Hancock in Washington County, where Interstate 68 cuts through Sideling Hill. Just riding through it is spectacular, but the Sideling Hill Welcome Center is well worth exploring as is taking in the cut itself. You’ll find 810 feet of strata in a tightly folded syncline are exposed in this road cut. Although other exposures may surpass Sideling Hill in either thickness of exposed strata or quality of geologic structure, few can equal its combination of both. This exposure is an excellent outdoor classroom where students of geology can observe and examine various sedimentary rock types, structural features, and geomorphic relationships. It is called Gneiss (pronounced nice), which is a foliated or banded metamorphic rock composed mostly of granulated minerals like quartz. The materials could be of a very small grain the size of beach sand or larger fused pieces like quartz crystals. Foliation means that the rock is composed of materials aligned in layers that run all the way through the rock. Metamorphosis describes rock that changes from its original form because of extreme heat, pressure, chemical action, or some combination of all three. While the amount of pressure required to cause metamorphosis is up for debate, the amount of heat is generally accepted to be 212 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit (if you come here on most summer days, you might know what that feels like!). The raw material that formed the gneiss was aligned in bands or layers by the process of metamorphosis.
Riding up to the cut in the mountain it is obvious, if you are aware, that this is very different in so many ways. Taking the steps to the view above was well worth the effort too. So, if you ever feel you are getting old, take a road trip along I-68 and stop at the Sideling Hill Welcome Center and see what really old really is. O’Life Out!
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G REAT A LL AMERICA N DINE R RUN the hillSville dineR 525 NORTH MAIN STREET, HILLSVILLE, VA 24343 276-266-3066 • FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK OPEN 5 AM TO 2PM M-SAT, CLOSED SUNDAY It doesn’t matter if you’re flying the I-77 slab toward Charlotte, or exploring the more sedate US Routes in the foot of Virginia like US 52, 58, or 22, the Hillsville Diner is well worth a stop. Only 7 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway, it’s claimed to be the oldest continuously-operating diner in Virginia and that’s easy to believe: it is a classic, railroad-car-style diner made by the Jerry O’Mahoney Diner Company of Elizabeth, NJ. The company made about 2,000 of them in their factory from 1917 to 1952 and trucked them to locations all over the country. The Hillsville Diner is believed to be the oldest “Southern Style” (non-stainless-steel) O’Mahoney diner left in the country, and it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. A neat feature of these diners is their portability and The Hillsville is no exception. It was originally in Mt. Airy, NC and was frequented by a young Andy Griffith, who later based the TV town of “Mayberry” on Mt. Airy. In 1946 the diner was moved about 20 miles up US 52 to Hillsville, VA, where it resides today and is owned and operated by the Bradbery family. The de-
tasty places to take your bike
sign and facade are an unmistakable feature of Main Street in this quiet Virginia town. The day we were there, Boy Scouts were selling popcorn on the sidewalk outside and there were plenty of other motorcyclists parked outside - a good sign. They specialize in food made from scratch, including their famous biscuits and gravy. Unfortunately, we got there a little late on a Saturday morning and the first words out of the server’s mouth were, “Sorry hon, we’re out of biscuits - it’s been busy.” Not to worry, as Betsy and I had 2 pancakes, sausage/bacon, and 2 eggs for the handsome price of $6.49 each! Talk about country-diner value: the most expensive thing on the menu is biscuits & gravy with 2 eggs and country ham or grilled tenderloin for $7.69. Top it off with a bottomless cup of coffee for $1.25 or soda for $2.25 and you’ve got more than you can eat or drink for about ten bucks. My pancakes were as big as the plate and served with a pat of butter that would make Georgia chef Paula Deen
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BACKROADS • JULY 2020 blush. The overeasy eggs were perfect and the sausage was a trifle spicy, just like I wanted. We sat at the counter on swivel stools bolted to the tile floor and the facing of the counter and walls were subway tiles, just like a great diner should have. The front is small, with about 12 stools, but they’ve added a rear section with 8 or 10 tables to handle the inevitable crowds. The restrooms were also scrupulously clean. The only drawback I can possibly see to the Hillsville Diner is their hours: they serve only breakfast and lunch, closing at 2 PM every day, with breakfast normally only served until 11 except on Tuesday, when for some mysterious reason it’s served until 2. They’re also closed on Sunday, so plan your trip accordingly. There’s plenty of on-street parking, but don’t be surprised if there aren’t a bunch of motorcycles already there. ~ Mark Byers
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WE’RE OUTTA HER E
a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads
SheppaRd’S plaCe bed & bReaKfaSt 172 BOON ST, NARRAGANSETT, RI • 401-742-5903 • WWW.SHEPPARDSLODGINGS.COM • NIGHTLY RATE STARTING AT $125 We were heading to last year’s DirtDaze Rally being held at Suicide Six in Vermont but before getting there we had a few stops along the way. One of them was an overnight in Rhode Island - Narragansett to be exact. Each summer my sister and her family, who have spread around the country and the world, gather at a beach destination for a week. This year’s was at her alma mater in Rhode Island. Finding a reasonable lodging option at the beach in August is pretty near to impossible, so when I came across the Sheppard’s Place for $125/night, I booked before really checking the actual location in Narragansett. Once I looked on the map to see where it was, I was ecstatic to find it located around the corner from the house they had rented. It looked like my niece’s request of ‘hangin’ with Aunt Shira and Uncle Brian was going to be an option. Pulling up to the front of 172 Boon St, located next to the local playground and basketball court, we found the quaint home ensconced in lush plants. There is off-street parking, which is always a plus when traveling by motorcycle. Jessica, the hostess of the B&B, was just coming out of the house carrying a covered cake dish. ‘Um, I just need to take care of this little guy and I’ll be right back,’ she said, carrying the little field mouse back to wherever it may call home. Seems the house cat Leo brought a friend for lunch but Jessica saved it from that fate. We entered the split level home and found our room on the lower level complete with queen bed, private bath, air conditioning and plenty of closet space should you be staying longer than one night. We emptied
the bikes and settled in, strolling the beautiful secret garden out back and grabbing a cup of coffee from the Keurig in the common room, which was very comfortable with a large sofa and cable TV. Wandering back out to the garden, it was amazing how reminiscent it was of Monet’s garden that we had visited in France. There are pathways and seating areas, ponds and statues and it is an extremely peaceful and pleasant space to relax and unwind. We headed around the corner to check in with the family then took a nice walk to the water, which was less than a mile away. The beaches and the surrounding shops and restaurants will supply plenty of entertainment for a weekend’s getaway. The Towers, a prominent building in the middle of town, is an historic structure and the only remnant of the Narragansett Pier Casino build in the 1880s.
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Page 17 If you’ve wanted to visit the tiny state of Rhode Island during the lovely summer months, or any time of year for that matter, but have been put off by the ridiculous rates, the Sheppard’s Place Bed & Breakfast has just taken care of that situation. Along with the rooms and suite on Boon Street, they also offer rooms at 16 Campus Avenue in South Kingston near the University of Rhode Island and at 8 Lindsley Drive, also in Narragansett, which is petfriendly and hosts their menagerie of dogs, ducks, chickens and rabbits.
Along the rocky beach you’ll notice balanced rocks, or cairns, which seem to defy gravity. These are the works of Douglas Barrington, who has been practicing this artwork for many years. The main question is always ‘How much glue do you use?’ His response is, ‘Replace the word ‘glue’ with ‘patience.’ Finding the rock’s dead center or fulcrum is the key to the balancing; with the longest time he’s taken being one hour. You will be amazed at these structures and they add a beauty to an already beautiful coast.
After a great dinner and visiting some of the local drinking establishments, we returned to the Sheppard’s Place for a fitful night’s rest on a very comfortable bed. Come morning, coffee was available early and, while waiting for breakfast, we continued our relaxation in the garden. Leo, the mighty mouse hunter, came to visit for a spell, making us feel right at home. We were soon sitting down to a complete breakfast with eggs, waffles, yogurt, fresh fruit and juices before packing the bikes and moving to our next stop on this road trip.
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Frontline Eurosports Presents
B IG CITY GETAWAY MohiCan faRMS 45 MOHICAN RD • BLAIRSTOWN, WARREN COUNTY, NJ 07825 973-886-0032 • WWW.MOHICANFARMLLC.COM We always like to try to bank articles, ideas, and little “wish lists” – by early May we know many things should have been happening. Our little crop of morels will be showing up along the forest road that leads to Backroads Central (seriously and decadently good - the real deal), the elms and oak and maple (we had ash, but who does now?) are getting their greens. It all opens up in the first week of May. We all have family and every May the Fourth we get to sing Happy F’n Birthday to our nephew Daniel (Jersey’s best coach; trust me on this) But, today I talked to another rider, who knew who we were, while filling up the 800 horsepower Dodge Durango (Okay that is a fib, but we’re desperate - geesh). He asked me if we were running low on articles. Never.
daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind Take Mohican Farms. Up here in the Forest of the Iroquois, we have more old roads, old farms, and the little backroads than you can imagine. You might think I’d know them all, but not the day the red-head stole me for a ride. “I heard of this great farm… Jenny and Robin said it was well worth the effort.” Because, at this time, cream rises to the top, and I mention these women… well, because cream rises to the top and if they recommend a farm stand in northwestern New Jersey we are on the way. So, back to our story. We were at the very beginning of this REM song that had become our spring and she yells “gear up, let’s go.” Red hair, the curviest thing in an Aerostich…. I follow. She whisks me west, and then north past Bridge Trail. Our friends Flip and David live up this road. BMW should look at this one. AWESOME! But Shira’s route this day continued to lead me along some little tiny roads
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 that, after three decades, this Road Whisper admits he missed before. Is that not a great thing? Wow…. This was an awesome route. But then we pulled up to the most amazing farm stand. Shira puts her signal on and stops at Mohican Farms. This could be the neatest farm stand in the region. Ostriches running wild. Angus Cows, Donkeys, Dwarf Nigerian Goats, Berkshire pigs, Cornish Hens, Heritage Hens for eggs, duck eggs, ostrich eggs, Great Pyrenees Guardian Dogs, and Alpaca. Wow…. Who knew? Very pretty Garden State spot along some of the finest miles of asphalt in the state. So, after a great 30-mile loop along roads I had never been on before we have lunch and dinner stowed into the saddlebags. Our loop does just that, running back north and into the Walpack Valley.
Page 19 For those who may be unfamiliar with this part of New Jersey, it is a long and steep valley – forming the 1,700-foot Kittatinny Mountains to the east and the Walpack Ridge to the west at around 1,000-feet and down the middle runs the Flat Brook – a popular fly-fishing spot. Over many years heavy floods took many local lives and the Federal government decided to create a large earthen dam near Tocks Island. The proposed dam was to be 3,200 feet long and 160 feet high, mainly of earthfill construction. At the New Jersey abutment, a section of concrete gravity dam structure was to accommodate overflow spillways controlled by Tainter Gates together with an intake structure for a powerhouse just downstream. The reservoir created by the dam was to extend 37 miles upstream to Port Jervis covering 12,000 acres. This Tocks Island Dam was not very popular and the project’s momentum was slowed in the early 70s from objections voiced by New Jersey Governor William T. Cahill, who was concerned with land acquisition issues raised by local residents, by the potential adverse environmental impacts of the project. The further studies prompted by Cahill’s objections and by questions raised by his successor, Governor Brendan T. Byrne, in 1974 revealed that better and more economical options existed to reduce flood damage and improve water supply than the dam. The dam was disapproved by a majority vote of the Delaware River Basin Commission in 1975. Still, the valley was now virtually empty, with only a few buildings standing and it remains under the auspices of the National Park Service who, by the way, is doing a superior job of paving those once bumpy roads. When done this will be awesome and the ride to Buttermilk Falls and Tillman Ravine will be a joy on which to motor. Back over toward Route 206 and south towards Backroads Central, we would get in just as the sun was setting. Seek out Mohican Farms; we promise you will not be disappointed. Here’s a 130-mile loop from Rockaway, NJ at Routes 80/15 on some fine northern New Jersey backroads. Bring a cooler back, stock up on some fine fresh produce and other goodies, and make yourself a delicious dinner that night. Enjoy! Download GPX file here: www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/k3xeea
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andeRSen faRMS and iCe CReaM Shop 383 LAFAYETTE RD/ ROUTE 15 NORTH, SPARTA, NJ WWW.ANDERSENFARMSNJ.COM OR FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM FARM: MON-SAT 9-6 • SUN 11-5/ICE CREAM: SUN-THUR NOON-8PM • FRI + SAT 11AM-8PM We’ve been living in the beautiful northwest area of New Jersey for over 20 years. We moved here because this is where we would take our bikes for a great day’s ride when we lived in Bergen County. Back then it was pretty empty, the roads were wide open and there was much to do and see when we did stop for a break. Farms were bountiful and numerous, and many had farm stands offering fresh produce, newly bloomed flowers and milk from the cow standing right next to you. Over those 20+ years, things changed. Many farms, which had been in this area and thriving for many, many decades, sold their property to developers, more people discovered the serenity and beauty of the area thus bringing more congestion, the need or want for big box stores instead of the Mom + Pop shops that made this area so special, and the inevitable Friday afternoon crawl up the single lane Route 15 as folks made their way from their urban homes to their homes in the country for the weekend. I may make it sound worse than it is as I do want to keep some of the emptiness, but I certainly invite you all to take a ride to my neighborhood, or lack thereof. There are still a great assortment of farm stands, farmers markets and dairy stands offering homemade ice cream. One of the more recent additions, as far as ice cream, is Andersen Farms. The farm itself is also relatively new (circa 2003) compared to some of the generations-old ones in this area. Nicole and Tor Andersen had a dream of farming for a living and somehow convinced Tor’s parents to sell their home in Lafayette, NJ and buy a farm in Frankford. As many parents are apt to do, they supported their children’s ideas and ambitions and today, Andersen Farms is a thriving and growing business, as well as a very happy place to visit. Here you will find a multitude of fresh produce, locally grown baked goods, jams and other delicious condiments and foods. Their plants are hearty and will make a fine addition to any garden. Their Farm in a Box program will have you supplied from June through November with a sampling of a little bit of everything they have to offer – from home grown to locally sourced – including a recipe or two from the farmer’s wife, Nicole. But I am here to speak of ice cream. I had stopped at the farm stand in April to pick up my super-fresh whole milk and cream to make some ice cream. I spotted a sign that they would be selling their own homemade ice cream soon. I made a mental note to keep an eye on the progress, as I do pass them often. In the middle of May, while making such a pass, I saw the sign ‘Homemade Ice Cream Now Being Served.’ A stop was made - what a wonderful visit it was. There were 12 delicious flavors from which to choose
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Page 21 – your basics and such names as Dutch Man’s Delight (sweet cream with Holland American Bakery’s Speculas cookies, caramel swirl and a sprinkle of nuts), Greta’s Goat Tracks (chocolate with dark chocolate pieces, marshmallow swirl and Gertrude Hawk caramel cups) and Party Time (cake batter ice cream with pieces of confetti cake and rainbow sprinkles). You can have it simply served up on your choice of sugar, waffle or wafer cone or cup or add a plethora of toppings for your sundae such as Breakfast: a warm waffle, 2 scoops of ice cream, a sprinkle of candied bacon, whipped cream and a drizzle of Andersen Farms homemade maple syrup – or Dirt: 2 scoops of ice cream, brownie + Oreo cookie hash, gummy worms, whipped cream and sprinkles. They also offer milkshakes, floats and ice cream sandwiches. I went for a combo cup of Lemon Meringue Pie (lemon ice cream with pieces of graham cracker and a marshmallow swirl) and Judy’s Coffee, which was just that - a creamy cup of Joe in ice cream form. Brian, who also enjoys a good coffee bite, scooped up that along with the Double Cookies & Cream, his litmus test for any new
ice cream. All were delectable; made much more so by the serene and playful setting at the farm. After grabbing your scoops, take a moment to read the entertaining artwork just off the window. Not only are they funny, you will learn that the real word for brain freeze is… sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia. There are a few picnic tables to enjoy your dessert or continue walking and visit the residents of the farm. The day we were there the baby goats were having a play date and feeling their oats. If the sight of these adorable creatures doesn’t warm your heart, you don’t deserve to have any ice cream. With all the wonderful riding in this portion of New Jersey, Andersen Farms makes a great stopping point before, during or after your ride. Come with empty saddlebags as you surely will be tempted to bring home some items, but please leave the baby goats – remember, they do grow up.
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Welcome to our 25th anniversary edition. We thought hard and heavy on how and what to include in this silver jubilee edition of our favorite motorcycle touring magazine. Much like our annual ‘Best Of’ issue each January, for this we gathered everybody – Byers, Heald, O’Life, Lisanti, Bisbee, Collins and Kurtzman at Backroads’ Central and the oh-so-cool Monkey with a Gun watering hole and put our heads together (Well, six feet apart together). The Winchester brothers were even able to summon the spirit of the late and great Jeff Bahr. This was it. This was big. Twenty-Five years of riding the Backroads. Before we began Dr. O’Life and engineer Byers had been hard at work on what they called “The Way Back Machine”. A mash-up of O’Life’s old Xerox Alto computer, some cutting edge military software Byers “borrowed” and they ran it through a big old honkin’ RCA television in a wooden cabinet. It wouldn’t let you actual time travel but, more like the Guardian of Forever, it would give us quick glimpses of the past. Turning it on, an image appeared. Was that the Hawks Nest one hundred years back. Indeed. Byer’s made an adjustment and July of 1995 came into view. The Red
Apple Rest to be specific, and the annual running of the Ramapo 500. The evening before an abused Dodge Caravan had pulled up to the restaurant, now long-shuttered but still to be found along Route 17 north of Tuxedo, New York. With the permission of George and Vicky, the owners, a few hundred copies of a new motorcycle publication were dropped off – spaced evenly along the tables to be discovered the next day when hundreds of riders would be pouring in to beginning the yearly overnight 500-mile trek. A black and white newsprint periodical, it was just 16 pages from front to back. Across the masthead, it read… Backroads - The Local Source for Motorcycling Enthusiasts. Thus this journey began. And a long, strange trip it’s been. In fact , with over 75plus rides, rallies, and events Backroads has held more riding events than any other riding publication on the planet. And, that is a fact. So pull on your riding gear and strap your helmet up tight – this’ll be fun. O’Life and Byers dialed back the machine
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 and began to add a cooling system for this long-time viewing haul. They bickered a bit and we saw Byers stare down O’Life and say something like, “Seymour, you’re asking me to work with equipment which is hardly very far ahead of stone knives and bearskins.” They finally got it together and that was good, as this next H.G. Wells journey back would take in a quarter-century of miles, smiles, and the making of some serious friendships and two-wheel camaraderie. Every band puts out a “Greatest Hits,” here at Backroads we now offer you our “Greatest Trips!” Enjoy!
the Road So Far… Timeline: July 1995: Backroads prints first edition. Although read by all who grabbed one, many are used that night to light campfires at the Ramapo 500.
the Fall Fiestas In the summer of 1998, we had a thought that it would be fun to hold a gathering of Backroads readers, willing to spend a few days at some little getaway and do day rides, hang in the late afternoon, enjoy some choice restaurants and generally have a great motorcycle weekend. Thus began our yearly riding escapes. The first Backroads Rally was a Fall Fiesta. Shira found a small inn, just north of Watkins Glens, right along Hector Falls on Route 414. The place was called Chateau Leon (now the Waterfall Resort) and we had about a dozen riders come along – some of whom we have stayed close with and still ride with today. It was the beginning of something wonderful.
Page 23 Over the years we have held 21 Fall Fiestas. Long Lake, New York was our first run-in with Mother Nature – a mean ol’ lady that would dog us every now and again on our rallies and events. It was “Friggin’ Cold!” And, we have the picture to prove it. Along the way we did Fall Fiestas up and down the eastern side of the United States. They were all fun but, like all things, some stand out a bit more than others. “Seymour, could you dial in 2011? Location… New England!” In 2011 we had a Fiesta we had dubbed the New England Romp. It was planned for midSeptember. (For some reason our ‘Fall’ rallies always end up during the last week of summer – but it’s just semantics). In late August of that year one of the most dangerous and destructive hurricanes in decades – Irene - pummeled the east coast, leaving a wide path of death and destruction, right along the routes that we had planned. The long Fiesta would take us first to an inn in Massachusetts, north to the coast of Maine, then back into Vermont and the Gray Ghost. Although riding with friends, the increasing damage and destruction left by Irene made everyone aware of the might power of Mother Nature and brought a somber mood along the way. The rally was excellent in many ways, but also disheartening as riding Vermont it was obvious how bad this was, but nothing prepared us for the Catskills.
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“We found that our planned route was not going to happen so we made a large loop along roads that were still open to the Andes. We had promised our riders only the best in barbeque this day and Frank and Cherie came through in a big way with their outstanding smoky delights, creative sauces, and the best mac & cheese in the world. We even brought a few racks of ribs back for dinner later that night. We routed up by Grand Gorge and then through Prattsville. The scene in the town, or what was left of it, was beyond anything we had seen so far. The town was devastated when the local creek rose over 15 feet in under 12 hours and we heard, at one point, the rain spilling off the Catskills sent a volume of water that was greater than Niagara Falls through the town. A large white FEMA tent dominated a muddy lot. Homes were crushed and mangled, torn off their foundations. American flags jutted from poles stuck in the mud; the misery of this tragedy was enough to make you want to cry for these people. You barely heard about this from the big news networks, but I am sure there will be yet another sad story about Katrina next week. It is amazing how some news people decided what is worth reporting over and over again. Back at the Hunter Inn we parked the bikes for the day and meandered back to the Octoberfest and the Colors in the Catskills Rally.” It was staggering and something we’ll never forget. Other Fall Fiestas filled the years. And the gathering has grown – with some riders moving on and others seamlessly taking their place. As with all our rallies, it was supposed to be about the riding, the inns, and the miles… but it has ended up being about the friends and riders who have joined us.
the Spring Breaks Ahh, at least we actually held these in the middle of spring. Usually around the third weekend in May – which usually falls right on Shira and my wedding anniversary. Except for the 25th – we did not mind. What better place to celebrate than with all of you? The first Spring Break followed on the heels of the first Fall Fiesta. We held it at Catskill Corners, right on Route 28 in
JULY 2020 • BACKROADS the middle of the oldest mountain range in the nation. As with the Fall gatherings, the Spring Break events traveled far and wide and, I think, were always more excitedly looked forward to happenings, as all were eager for a road trip after the winter months. I keep a list of all these and on that I register my comments on the weather. I like to write ‘perfect’, but that doesn’t happen too often as ‘rain happens’. Mostly they all have ‘sunny/rain’ but more than one said ‘dreaded ‘snow’. How’s the saying go…Man plans and God laughs. But sometimes we have figured out how to get the last laugh. Mr. Byers, brings up the spring of 2003 and Virginia and the Mountain State of West ‘BY God’ Virginia. In 2003 we had the idea to explore the Appalachians of Virginia and then spin to the west and run the spectacular roads of West Virginia. It all seemed right, perfect and ready to be ridden. And then, it started to rain. Biblical downpours (I know… Rain? No way!) and our planned route along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway was nixed by a deep and unfathomable fog. We are masters of Plan B and if the mountains were shrouded with doom & gloom, the wonderful Fort Valley and Camp Roosevelt Roads along the George Washington Forest were spectacular, if still wet. We ain’t sugar, but not everyone was so sweet about the situation… “Somewhere along the line, I caught the feeling that some folks were displeased with the weather, and perhaps I was to blame as if I am so friggin’ almighty. Little did I know how even so-called good friends would turn against me. Later that evening, while I was in the middle of a bite of fried chicken, a coup/assassination was attempted by Sam Yasgur and friends. A water pistol at close range can be as dangerous as a monkey with a gun. The weather changed for Sunday. It got worse. I wondered if any of those guys had a real weapon. Heavy rains poured down on us for a good part of the day, but even the wet weather couldn’t dampen the ride as we did some of the more scenic routes in West Virginia. Low clouds covered the mountains and every so often the sun would threaten to make an appearance, but never seemed to muster up the strength to do so. The streams that followed so many of the roads were swollen to the brink and running fast and muddy. There was a lot of water involved in this trek. That night many Spring Breakers said that their wet weather riding had greatly improved. We knew that would happen and we’re glad to have helped. As my friend and MSF coach Paul Donoghue would say... “Practice, practice, practice...” At least it had not snowed… yet.” But, as is Mother Nature’s way, the sun came out as we began our ride home from West Virginia. Yes, I did choose the spot to stop and park in a small town; my blue-blocking sunglasses not registering the blue ‘no parking’ line. Tickets for all – which the magazine paid. But, as I said, we had the last laugh. About a month later everyone that had attended the Spring Soak, I mean Break, received a package in the mail. Inside was a heavily sealed ziplock bag and inside that was a tee shirt. But not just a tee shirt. One with a specially designed Kamil original bit of art. It depicted an angry cloud pouring heavy rain on the Backroads logo. In the rain were the words… ‘When It Absolutely,
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 Positively Has To Be Ridden…’ Below that Spring Break 2003. But, just like a late-night TV ad… wait, wait there’s more… All the tee shirts were sealed in ziplock bags, as each one was soaked in the tub before being sent off to each Spring Breaker. Nice, right? Yes, kids – we spare no expense or effort when it came to our peeps. Indeed, by the time they got to each home, over many days of hanging with the USPS, these shirts had taken on the same musky of the entire trip. A beautiful thing it was. Let’s see Roadrunner do that! Timeline: February 2006 - Backroads goes from full newsprint to a glossy cover. At dealerships around the northeast owners repeatable have to pick the magazines up off the floor.
the Summer Squeezes In 1999, besides partying like Prince, we held a mid-summer’s escape at a resort in mid-Vermont called the Grey Bonnet. It was excellent in every way and we had a great turn out, with some serious riding over the weekend. This first outing was dubbed ‘Summer Sojourn’. Over the next 8 years, many of our summers were caught up in our own riding adventures, some of which we’ll toss out here later. But, during that time, our friend Byrd had mentioned a place he had found in West Dover, Vermont called the Gray Ghost. The Ghost is owned by Carina Thornson, a
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Swedish native, and as Byrd had promised, it was one of the homiest, down-to-Earth and motorcyclefriendly places we had been to in a long while. In the summer of 2007, we thought we would revive the summer event with a novel idea and a new name. The Summer Squeeze; Squeezing a rally into the beginning of the week. We thought this might be a problem for some and we’d have less of a crowd. But, we were wrong and the Summer Squeeze has become one of Backroads most popular and anticipated rallies. Truth is that Vermont is very popular in the summer and the weekend can find some of their roads filled with folks looking to capture the quintessential New England flair. The cops know this as well and are out in force on Saturday and Sunday. But, Monday and Tuesday things are a bit different in the Green Mountain State. Even Route 100 sees light traffic and the backroads we favor are virtually empty and belong to us. So, the idea of the Squeeze… As of last year, we had done 8 Summer Squeezes. Along the way, the Kitzhof Inn joined in the fun and another great Inn, the Big Bears Lodge, was right up the road as well. We now had three great inns all within walking distance. We usually bed at the Gray Ghost. We always looked forward to seeing Carina and her boyfriend Mark and especially the girls Sophia, Emma, and Natalia, whom we have watched grow from happy kids into young women (scary, I tell ya). A hearty breakfast every morning, excellent riding in every direction, bonfires, and adult beverages on the porch each night and
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Carina’s guitar, upon which I have taken a personal upkeep promise, with new strings, bridge adjustment, and the like each summer. When our riders go to West Dover it is like coming home. All the Summer Squeezes are a boodle of fun, but if I could return to one it would be the summer of 2012 when my mother and my aunt joined us at the Gray Ghost and we took them falconing. Right around this point, the Wayback Machine began to smoke and Byers and O’Life had to open it up to replace some old vacuum tubes with the spares that were even older. High fiving each other, they poured a tumbler each of 15-year old Pappy Van Winkle and fired up their gizmo and dialed in Vermont 2012.
Right on schedule the clouds rolled on by as we kept with the raptor flavor of the trip and a few of us rode over to the western side of the mountains to a ride up Mt. Equinox. At 3,848 it is the highest peak in the Taconic Range and the 5.2-mile road is a blast to ride, both going up and coming down. We ran into a bit of low ceiling at the summit but the views at the picnic stops along the way were superb. Heading north towards Manchester we had arranged for my mom and aunt to fly raptors at the British School of Falconry. We had been here a few years back and thought it a wonderful thing to do, actually fly Harris Hawks that are bred and used for hunting, and I knew both Mom and Aunt Eileen would be thrilled by it. And they were, as were Mark Byers’ wife Betsy and our friend Courtney. Dawn at the school spent a bit of time explaining how this sport, one of the oldest on the planet, works and how delicate, yet ferocious, these hawks really are. To see the look on the ladies’ faces when the Harris Hawk swooped down to land gracefully and ever so gently on their gloved arm was priceless! While we were flying birds others headed to the American Precision Museum, in Windsor, to see things a bit more technical in nature; while others just went for a nice ride on what turned out to be a wonderful day. Over the last two and a half decades there have been some special events and rides as well. We are limited in space so I’ll bring up two stand-outs…
the ten / ten tour • Our tenth anniversary Journey In 2005 we wanted to do something on a more grand-style. A BIG ride and, being Backroads was ten years old, we put together a ten-day tour, which would cover ten states as well. The rolling rally would journey up through New England, west toward New York’s Finger Lakes and then south – even-
tually ending At Smoke Hole Cabins in West Virginia. We had many riders who could not swing all that time off – but rode with us in New England and a week later met us in the Mountain State; most excellent. Still, many did ride with us for the entire Ten / Ten Tour and it was a true blast. “Boys, the northeast of the United States – summer 2005, if you please!” “You got it Jefe”, bellowed a broadly-smiling O’Life - now on Pappy 2.5. Like earlier in this trip, the rains from the night before ushered in a cooling front and Thursday’s ride south was done in pristine riding conditions.
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 The road took us down through Pennsylvania and then west on Route 6 before we cut along some state roads that Shira had mapped out on a previous Backroads Rally in Wellsboro. These roads rose and fell with the contours of these ancient and endless mountains; running along rivers and streams and through deep pine forests that seemed to close in on the bikes as we passed. We grabbed lunch in an old-style hotel in Renovo that Tim and Pam knew and then we made our way to Route 26 and ran south towards Raystown Lake and the resort there. Pulling up to the lodge we were happy to see even more Backroads alumni. It seemed each day we would lose a few, but then gain a few others. It was really wonderful and touched Shira and me in a deep way. Raystown Lake, being in a state park, was dry. We knew this so, before leaving the Wine Trails of the Finger Lakes, we stocked up. We had an impromptu cocktail party before heading down to the lake for dinner. Timeline: June 2006 - The magazine goes full glossy from cover to cover. Toilet paper stock skyrockets and the Dow has one of the best days in its history. We shit you not.
the Backroads 250 Although we serve the entire northeast and have stories from around the planet, we are a New Jersey-based publication. But please do not thnk Jersey City or even Bergen County (although we did start in Englewood and our first four editions we created at Chris Economaki’s National Speed Sport News offices in Ridgewood, as Shira worked in the auto racing industry for years.). If you looked at a map of the Garden State, we will be found in the far northwest corner. Backroads Central is surrounded by forests and farmlands. We live on a prime riding road here in Sussex County and we take great pleasure (when home) to sit on the porch with a coffee on a Sunday morning and watch the motorcycles come by. Like they say – “On Any Sunday!”
We deal with OEMs and companies around the nation and at more than one Media Intro of a new model, I would hear…‘New Joisey? What Exit?’ Although I considered tossing a few of these guys into a car trunk, I thought that would just germinate the stereotype, so I let it slide off me. But, in truth, Backroads’ home state has some wonderful riding to be had and Shira and I thought it was high time we did a bit of showing off – thus the Backroads 250+ “It’s a Jersey Thing” came about.
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We even received a letter from then Governor Chris Christie welcoming all who participated. It was held on a brilliant Saturday in mid-June and would meander a tad and actual 259.1 miles, according to the GPS, nearly 7 hours to complete from its starting point at the old Chatterbox Drive-In in Augusta, New Jersey (now sadly closed) and have its finish at Down to the Bone BBQ on Lake Lackawanna in Stanhope – now called Brooke’s Beer Garden. But the fun part was that every single mile would be along the very best riding roads that Backroads could find and they would all be in New Jersey. This ride was a huge hit and, to this day, riders still go back, again and again, to run this now New Jersey Classic.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS The boys now had their bourbon replaced by steaming cups of coffee (Thank you, Shira) and worked their mojo getting the WBM (as we began to call it) focused in on June of 2013 and Jersey! This is Big Red Eye territory and we can tell you from personal encounters that there is something roaming these woods for sure. You might have noticed the red eyes on our 250+ logo. At this point, if you stayed on the route, you hadn’t passed a fuel station in over 105 miles. Think about that! No gas in over a hundred miles while riding in New Jersey. Who’d have thunk it? During the middle of the ride, the route passed under the gigantic Paulinskill Viaduct. When it was built back in 1908, the Paulinskill Viaduct was considered to be one of the ‘wonders of the world’ and for a brief time, it was the largest structure of its kind in the entire world. A Jersey first! Like Springsteen and Backroads. Some miles down the road the route paralleled the Delaware River, through the old industrial town of Phillipsburg, and then past old windmills, over tiny bridges, and around stunning reservoirs. For those who were not familiar with one particular road, the name Shades of Death caught their attention. It caught ours some twenty years back and we have ridden it a hundred times since. Yes, there is a story and it is definitely a part of Weird NJ.
Mystery Rides “Who’s the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?”
~ Obi Won Kenobi
Although some riders need to know exactly where they are going and how they will get there – many have been willing to put themselves in our hands and end up where we bring them. After all these years many have come to trust that we will come through with a great route and interesting destination. We do our best. Over the seasons we have had Mystery Runs that followed circuitous and twisty routes to such destinations as the Martin Guitar Factory, tours of famous and deadly train wrecks of the past, the Pez factory but the most fun, for a few of us at least, was a Mystery Run we put together during Americade of 2016. We had a stellar turn out for this one - and stellar in the operative word here as even the ad for this in Backroads was a huge clue for those who studied it well. Shaded in the background was a familiar chevron. Some got it, others were a bit clueless. While I was setting up the ride in their minds a Fusion sedan rode past us and, following my lead, off-road editor Tony Lisanti fell into character. “Fascinating Captain, an old 20th-century transportation vehicle… It runs on an internal combustion engine. I believe that marking to be a company once called Ford.” Half the group laughed, the other half had a mix of concern and the “Oh Oh Look”. I continued to weave my bull sh… I mean the story for them. We then rode up to the northern end of Lake George towards Lake Champlain and the town of Ticonderoga … not far from the famous fort. Here we entered a building along Montcalm Street and we instantly teleported to a starship with a familiar desig-
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
nation number: NCC 1701… the Enterprise. Americade happens in July this year. If you go, make time to ride to the future and tour and follow in our stellar wake. So much fun. “Mr. Byers, Dr. O’Life this one is easy; lock and beam it in… We had about 40 riders show up – most with no real idea of where they were to be going and just a very few armed with the truth of where the ride would take them. After a brief meeting (where they were told they were timetraveling Star Fleet-types with amnesia) small groups rode off in staggered “Away Teams” for the 40-mile backroads romp to the town of Ticonderoga; Shira never quite locking on the difference between Impulse and Warp Drive. This day we would get to meet the creators of this new voyage and tour
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the sets of the Enterprise, all constructed to the exact specifications of the originals. Sickbay, engineering, transporter room and, of course, the bridge. The people at Star Trek New Voyages could not have been any nicer or more accommodating and our group went from having questioning looks on their faces to big smiles. We toured sickbay, the transporter room, engineering. Kirk’s quarters (where Shira said “the magic happens!”) and just strolling down the hallways of NCC-1701 was a geek’s dream come true. I do believe this Mystery Ride was the biggest hit! The highlight was a group shot on “The Bridge.” Personally, sitting in “the chair” felt exactly like I thought it would… It felt right.
Page 30 We did have a string of International Meals on Wheels, riding to Irish, Greek, Italian and Peruvian restaurants in the middle of the week – with varying success on this due to choices and weather. You can’t always hit home runs, we thought. But, while speaking international Backroads has afforded us a remarkable opportunity to travel around the planet. Europe, South America, Africa, and across North America. All these trips were remarkable in their own ways, but we thought the best out of the country trips were the ones we did with our friends and readers. In 2011 we worked with Edelweiss Bike Travel and brought nearly two dozen riders with us to Germany where we began a weeklong journey across the incredible Alps. It was an experience many will never forget and we thought one of the best ideas we had ever had… Seymour and O’Life had found the bottle of Pappy Van Winkle again and, after telling each other a private joke that they thought was so funny, they brought up the European Alps summer of 2011 The smell of something beginning to burn permeated Monkey with a Gun… Our group was going to split up again this day, as many wanted to tackle Paso Del Stelvio with its 48 switchbacks on the northside alone. The pass is the highest paved road in the eastern Alps. From lush fields and forests below it quickly rises into rocky tundra on hairpins that are packed close together. It is not for the inexperienced rider or those afraid of heights. The payment for mastering the Stelvio this day was a superb view, a great lunch, as time was spent wandering around the shops and cafés on top. Then the group had the fun and exciting chore of riding back down the southern side. Shira and I had ridden Stelvio a few times before, as well as the Gavia
JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
Pass back when it was still dirt, so we decided to run another route and enjoy the Ofenpass; one we had heard of but had never ridden. But, first we all rode together to the medieval town of Glurns. This place was sacked in 1499 and when rebuilt they made it a walled city. Today just 800 people call Glurns home, but it is a home that is as charming as can be. We all stopped for coffee and then our groups split up, with most heading to Stelvio and Shira and I joining with our Canadian friends Bruce and Gail Brown to explore the Ofenpass. I had not gotten a chance to ride the Ofen, but was very pleased with the manner that this sweet piece of asphalt rode up and over the pass. Long and open curves that laced along a deep forest; which finally gave way to a more barren feel that is so common in this region. With Stelvio so close by it reminded me of the difference between the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway down south; one tough and technical, the other just a pleasant and sweepy ride with a view. On this route, we quickly crossed into Switzerland.
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Page 31 fuel for the bikes and the hotel. As usual, Edelweiss had gotten there before us and, even though we had gotten in a bit earlier than everyone else, our bags were waiting for us in the room. Not a half-hour later one half of the rest of our group rode in, the others still out on a longer route. It seems everyone did well with the Stelvio Pass and they all now have the “Mother Road” under their belts.
At the summit we stopped for a big lunch, enjoying the vista and watching the dozens of motorcycles ride by. Right about then, things started to get a bit wet; but such is the Alps. We were headed towards the town called Livigno and, along the way, crossed back into Italy and then rode through the tightest tunnel I have ever encountered. Running just one-way; the far end of the tunnel opened up to a huge dam with a tunneled roadway that sped alongside its deep green lake bordered by incredibly high, steep and barren cliffs. Soon we picked up the sign for Pontresina and in no time we had found
7 years later we put together another big trip, this time to the middle of the planet to spend the Spring Equinox on the Equator with Freedom Tours and a trek through Ecuador. Court and Sylvain run a smooth operation and Ecuador was amazing, from the high capital of Quito to the Pacific Ocean, over the Andes Mountains and down into the Amazon Rain Forest. How astonishing to be on the Equator at the exact moment of spring. Yes, shadows disappeared. Ecuador is on eastern standard time and they use the American dollar. If you are looking for a true riding adventure then Ecuador is calling. But, will you answer? For the last time, I ask Byers and O’Life to power up the Way Back Machine – they both looked at each other and made that “oh oh - really?” face. Dials were turned, looking for Ecuador in 2018. But now… a definite odor permeated the air in MWAG and a distinct hum began and then slowly got louder…much louder. The Way Back was on a dolly and they turned it towards the wide double doors of Monkey with a Gun. Do these two look scared?
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Yet, the image on the screen did that willowy Event Horizon thing, and here was Middle Earth. We left the same way we came in, through a tunnel of banana trees, with their giant leaves and hanging fruit, making time for a tour of a local banana farm which was both interesting and beautiful as it seemed to go on forever. By this time the early morning mist had morphed into an early morning rain that would be our companion to the top of the Andes.
JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
A typical Ecuadorian lunch was to be had at a street-side restaurant, filled with locals and National Police. Soups, and rice with your choice of beef, shrimp, or tripe. It was hard to go wrong and we just soaked in the local color as the rain banged off the metal roof – sounding more dire than it actually was. Continuing west, the start of the Andes Mountains was not an easy affair, as the rocky giants seems to stand abrupt and defiant against the Pacific to the west. The road wound around the mountains and disappeared into a white cloud that enveloped the tops, then quickly cloaked us. What started as a hearty charge up the peaks slowed to a white cane, four-way flasher scenario that ascended ever and ever higher. Around 10,000 feet we broke through the clouds on the far side and as we entered Cajas National Park the brilliant sun of Middle Earth made its return. The stop at 13,000 feet was nothing less than breathtaking, and so was the air here. Just a brisk walk to the baño made you slow down as the air was so thin. It was phenomenal to take this all in and all agreed that this day’s ride was the best so far. Remarkably the riding would only get better from here. We rode down to the colonial city of Cuenca, fighting the tough late afternoon city traffic but eventually found ourselves at the palatial Mansion Alcazar. This was once the presidential mansion and easily one of the nicest places we have ever stayed on any tour we have ridden. Rose petals placed around the rooms, deep, hot, and strong double showers and NSA quality Wi-Fi. As this journey back ended, the Way Back Machine was screaming and so were Byers and O’Life to get out of the way. They both got behind that old re-purposed RCA TV and began to run with it towards the steep hill atop which Backroads Central sits. Gravity took hold and the Way Back Machine rolled way back into the woods…where it exploded with some serious thunder and debris scattering around through the Forest of the Iroquois. The Way Back Machine was no more. There you have it – Backroads Greatest Trips. We hope you enjoyed the journey back in time with us and we hope that, by the time you have this in your hands, you will already have a bunch of great miles and smiles behind you. Ride smart. Ride safe. Ride the backroads…
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
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BOOK REVIEWS
THE COVID BOOK CORNER • READS TO KEEP YOU ON THE ROAD IN YOUR MIND With a forced downtime for so many of us we have come across two new books that fit Backroads and, we hope, our readers perfectly. Shiny Side Up by BMW-familiar pensmith Ron Davis and Sleeping Around America by Andrew Beattie. Both books arrived at the perfect time and I had a good time bouncing between them over a week. Shiny Side up MuSingS on the iMpRobable inClination to tRavel
by Ron Davis Ron Davis is a familiar name to anyone who is a member of the BMW MOA, as he has been an associate editor for the BMW Owners News as well as writing for a number of other publications. The book’s subtitle gives you an upfront on what you will find inside. Ron Davis has collected the very best, funniest, and sometimes serious and poignant columns he has written over the years and brought 47 of them together in one book. Written from a true rider’s and mechanic’s perspective, this is a book that you will get, but your non-riding family and friends will not. In fact, Ron’s second chapter titled ‘How to Lose Friends and Influence Absolutely No One’ is precisely about that. I know from personal experience when we are gathered at Shira’s sister’s house for a meal and they start talking March Madness, I bring up Moto GP and Qatar and Thailand and Marquez and Rossi and I see their eyes glaze over and they quietly speak of how they wished Shira had married some serious ball & stick guy rather than a motorcycle rider. Each chapter is relatively short and thus allows even reader like me – with limited attention span - to enjoy a few chapters at a time. From his very first article on How to Change Your Oil you will be hooked and I promise you will be nodding your head in agreement. Shiny Side Up - Musings on the Improbable Inclination to Travel on Two Wheels, printed by Road Dog Publications, is an excellent read for the rider who is not on the road like she or he wishes to be. You can find it at the usual source for around $18 in paperback. on tWo WheelS
Sleeping aRound in aMeRiCa: ReviSiting the RoadSide Motel by Andrew Beattie As you know each month Backroads features a neat getaway, inn, hotel or B & B in our We’re Outta Here! column. Sometimes research is key for this and with Sleeping Around America author Andrew Beattie might have saved us a bit of time. Leave it to a Canadian to put together a guide to the best, odd, old-style, quirky and wonderfully flavorful roadside motels in the United States. Sleeping Around in America: Revisiting the Roadside Motel follows Andrew’s 50-day journey around the United States and his discovering and seeking out 50 roadside motels that harken back to the past and are just oozing with fascinating character and a flavor all their own. I was happy to see there were a few at which we stayed and have featured in Backroads. Chapter 23 ‘Pretty in Pink’ on the Madonna Inn, in San Louis Obisbo, made me chuckle as we have been there many
times – hard not to stay at such an iconic and, let’s say, different inn. In Texas Andrew headed to the Austin Hotel with its very phallicy neon sign. Austin is weird, but the hotel is very cool; we dug it and so did Mr. Beattie. Closer to home Sleeping Around in America’s first stop in the lower 48 was in the Catskills of New York and Kate’s Lazy Meadows which is just outside Mount Tremper on Route 28. Kate’s Lazy Meadows is owned by Kate Pierson, the singer from the B-52s, and her partner Monica Coleman. Think Love Shack comes to life. Although it is easy just to pick up Sleeping Around America and choose a hotel or region – I preferred to read it cover to cover and follow along with Andrew. Books can transport us and this book did just that. If you are a lover of old, quirky, different, and interesting motels and of Americana itself then I highly recommend Sleeping Around in America: Revisiting the Roadside Motel which you will find on Amazon for $29.95. If you are planning a road-trip across the nation it is money well spent.
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TRIBE TALKING Over the years we have met so many great people and have been blessed with making many friends and riding companions from all around the nation and the world. So many riders, so many different stories, and life experiences. As our friend Mike says… “It’s all good!” There has even been a FaceBook page created for those riders who attend our rallies or are just fans of the magazine; a Backroads tribe of sorts. The PBFS, which stands for Post Backroads Fun Syndrome, is there as a forum for upcoming events, discussions on gear and bikes, and generally allowing so many who look forward to our rallies and events to stay in touch with their friends who are sprinkled across the land. We asked for their thoughts on how Backroads had affected their twowheeled life and what it means to them. We thought we’d share some of these thoughts…they all were great but we saved the best for last. Thank you all! I met Brian & Shira at a Ride for Kids in Harriman but don’t remember the year- 1998 or 1999. In 2001 they were kind enough to publish my first story. All these years later, many stories published, one of my photos on the cover and many memorable trips - the thing that stands out is all the friends I met along the way. Backroads is more than a monthly publication. Brian and Shira are more than the proprietors - I am privileged to call them friends and have been on the receiving end of their kindness and generosity for 20+ years. Happy 25th Anniversary and here’s to the next 25! Tony Lisanti When I was growing up no one in my family rode motorcycles nor did any of my friends. Backroads magazine has created a family for me for what I love to do most. John O’Leary We remember picking up copies of the magazine at Brian’s HD in PA for a while, many years ago, always sad when they didn’t have them in stock. When we were headed to the motorcycle show at Javits one year we saw you
had a table. It was like meeting royalty - it’s the editors!! We were shy, you two were hilarious and welcoming. You said join us for a rally or a local event. Well, we did - maybe it was the hot dog run, perhaps a 250 or VT? We don’t remember really. What we do know for sure is it was the beginning of being part of a beloved community filled with laughter, spectacular rides, and friends for a lifetime. Backroads is a way of living - all about the journey and who you share it with! Thank you for sharing it with all of us! Andrea Williams Still I remember reading a copy back in the late 2000s, during a time I only had my permit and was amazed at this mode of traveling around by motorcycle. Seemed like embarking on adventures like that was so exotic and fun, but seemingly unattainable. Fast forward, after getting my license, then my first bike (and many more) I just decided to go on a Backroads rally in 2015, after my divorce, by myself to Lake Placid. Best decision ever and can’t be happier that I’ve found so many new friends that share this crazy passion. I also happened to meet my fiancée, Keene, that same year. It’s more than a print magazine. Happy 25th Backroads!!! Thanks Brian and Shira Lisa Veliath Backroads has given me a second family with plentiful reunion opportunities every year! Kimberly Harvey My mechanic played matchmaker and hooked me up with Kimberly Harvey. On our first trip together, I followed her to Canandaigua for my first Backroads experience. Met Alan Kovitz, Shira, and Brian and many more who I can happily call my Moto Family! Laurie Mack Backroads Magazine is a wealth of information on motorcycling on every level. Such diverse subject matter about two wheels is impressive. The rallies are always exciting adventures. So many new discoveries, and rediscovering old ones. No matter how long it’s been since the last rally when you see your
BACKROADS • JULY 2020 friends, it’s like no time has passed. You can pack a year of stories into a weekend with thirty or more people. I’ve found so many towns, attractions, and people that will stay in my memories forever. It was a baker’s couple... James Michael Happy 25th Anniversary Backroads! Sandy and I are relative newbies to the Backroads family. Right from the start, we were made to feel welcome. Now we truly feel part of the family. The motorcycles brought us all together but the friendships that we’ve made keep us coming back. John Mawhinney Happy 25th!!! Since day one it’s been the honesty in your writing. It’s refreshing every time I open that envelope and smell the ink. My mood changes to one of joy every time I read the columns: Sending Postcards From The Hedge about Whatchathinkin’ when you’re Free Wheelin’ and you get the Inside Scoop on Mysterious America on your way to the Great All American Diner Run. It’s always On The Mark! Vasilli Rallis
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS Ride 4,600 Miles: With over 4,600 kids diagnosed each year with a brain tumor you can pledge to ride 1 mile and raise $1 for each new Star this year. every mile you ride will raise awareness and funds for a cure. everyday Hero: At the PBTF, they meet heroes every day when they work with their Star families. Suit up with a homemade superhero costume to honor them. Pledge to wear your costume every time you ride and share photos on social media. (Why does publisher Rathjen have that hidden closet at Backroads Central?)
2020 Ride for Kids Is Going Virtual Choose how and why you #RideforKids this summer! With COVID-19 changing the way we must do things there are some things that really must be done. The annual Ride for Kids, created by the Pediatric Brain tumor Foundation, is one of these. Each year 4,600 children are diagnosed with brain tumors and according to a study by the National Center for Health Studies, brain tumors and leukemia are still the most common childhood cancers and they’re still the top two killers, causing more than half of all childhood cancer deaths. Crushing in so many ways. You can help. Do not let the ‘virtual’ moniker turn you away – you are gonna ride, my friend. The ‘ZOOM’ you will be doing will be the ‘ZOOM’ the way we really like - on our motorcycles. We love win/win scenarios. The RFK has six challenges – each different and each offering a great opportunity to get out and ride – but with an underlying mission as well. When you register and commit to one of the ride challenges below, they will send you tips and ideas for your ride. As you ride, ask others to commit alongside you by donating to your ride. 13 Ride for 13 Kids: each day, 13 families will hear the news that their child has a brain tumor. Show them that they aren’t on this journey alone. Commit to 13 rides in honor of the 13 kids who will be diagnosed today.
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Honor8 Ride: Caregivers give their all for the PBTF Stars. Commit to an 8-hour ride to honor the sacrifice they make every day and fundraise for the financial relief and research to help the kids they care for. Ride every Day: Cancer never stops, and neither does the PBTF. Show the kids with brain tumors you’re there for them by getting out to ride every day through August 30 and sharing your rides on social media. Custom challenge: Do you want to ride a different distance or create your own destination rid? You could even host a Bike Club Ride, Bike Skills Rodeo, concert, or other public event. It’s YOUR ride… Get creative. As you can see, unlike the yearly ‘Ride’ this pandemic year might have a silver lining for the Ride for Kid with other superb opportunities to ride bikes and raise cash for one of the most important motorcycle charities in the nation. Which one of these can you do? team.curethekids.org/event/2020-hudson-valley-ride-for-kids/e253386
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
Words and images: Brian Rathjen The moniker First Night usually brings with it thoughts of the New Year. The first First Night was relatively recent, conceived by Clara Wainwright and held in Boston on December 31, 1975, to give artists and musicians an alternative to the regular hooliganism that beset Boston’s New Year’s eves. This First Night had nothing to do with this, although, like New Year’s Eve, it had been too long off the motorcycles and the need to get going was readily apparent. We want to be transparent here, so in that tone let us tell you May was rough for us in many ways. COVID-19 burned through Backroads Central – me first and then, when I was coming off this, Shira lost her mother to it and a few days later she was wrapped in a blanket with me keeping score of temperature and O2 levels. It was not till the last week in the month that we both felt well enough to ride. First short baby jaunts around the lake, then a longer 300+ ride for me.
Page 37 May 27 was supposed to be the launch date for SpaceX and Bob & Doug making that historic flight. Were we the only ones that said MacKenzie every time they called them that on the NASA channel? It was also my 62 birthday – and with a beautiful day in the region (Okay, not so great at Cape Kennedy) we thought a road trip would be in order, and what I now call First Night was planned; Our first overnight of 2020. If not for COVID we’d have done a baseball stadium tour in Florida in April and a tour of Portugal for our 30th wedding anniversary in May. Instead, on our anniversary, I sat with Shira while she tried to eat a small sandwich, and Shira Hawk’d her temps and O2 all that night. As I often say “Man plans and God laughs!” A week later we were both 110% and ready to go… anywhere. We did a bit of searching and found the answer in this magazine called Backroads. The Hancock House was open for business - rooms, bar, and restaurant. Okay, take-out, but we’d have a porch and two bikes parked outside. Reservations were made and BaseCamp was put into play. I stole a bit of the ride I had put together the previous week and added a bit more here and there. We met our friend Mike Bellantone at High Point State Park (convenient for so many and a great middle-ground for us) and headed north and into New York State, then vectored west over Guymard Turnpike and Peenpack Trail before scooting the Hawks Nest and the Rio Dam region.
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We zigged, we zagged and always following my Kryptonian nose to some of the best Barbeque in the Catskills – Big Kev’s. Take-out? Heck Big Kev’s has been doing this for years exclusively. We rolled up just before the bus got there and while on line we glanced back to see the line had now tripled. But, Kev and crew are pros – the trophies show that – and everybody’s order was expedited quickly and with a happy gusto. It is obvious when people love what they do. Shira had a brisket burrito, Mikey a brisket sandwich and I grabbed a half BBQ chicken and baked beans. Everybody tried everybody else’s plates. All of them were tender and delicious. Big Kev’s rocks in every direction. It is a must-do when in the region and getting a bit peckish. Mike had to get back home and we were going to be heading in the other direction. There were hugs all around. OMG, you say? No social distancing…!? Hell, we were wearing Aerostich suits, we had gloves and helmets on, so I am more than confident we were good here.
JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
Mike sped this way and Shira and I that way. We spun down to the Delaware River and crossed by Barryville before heading west, riding on the Pennsylvania side for a short bit before crossing over into Sullivan County, New York once again at Roebling’s Bridge This is the oldest existing wire cable suspension bridge in the nation. Also called the Delaware Aqueduct, its construction began in 1847 as one of four suspension aqueducts on the Delaware & Hudson Canal. It was designed and built under the supervision of John A. Roebling, who went on to build the Brooklyn Bridge. We rode along Route 97, admiring the ever-present and dramatic falls along the side of the highway and then stopping by Fort Delaware. When open, tours are given depicting early settlers’ life. Blacksmithing, candle making, farming, cabin keeping, musketry and military drills, cannon firings and more can be seen.
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
Impressive fort they have here in Sullivan County. As is her way Shira had a planned ice cream stop, this one right outside Callicoon at Ollie Grey’s – a local staple that has been there for years. They serve Perry’s ice cream, one of the red head’s favorites, and being my birthday I could have anything I wanted (as long as it didn’t say Porsche on it) so a double scoop of Coconut and something called Deep Sea Treasure gave me the sugar rush I needed.
We meandered up and along 97, where the better roads are just a mile or so to the east and easily grabbed along the way. While still on Route 97 we spied a sign we had not before… ‘Route 97 Highest Elevation 1836 FT’. Damn, a full 33 feet higher than High Point – the highest point in the Garden State and where we started this day’s ride. Once again Jersey gets the shaft! About half-past three we rolled into the Hancock Hotel. With 32 mission-style rooms, bar and in-house restaurant, the hotel is a superior place to overnight when in this region. In fact, the Back Country Discovery’s northeast route starts from here. They had opened in mid-May and have supported Backroads for years; add to it the fact that an overnight trip was well overdue, we happily booked a room. We checked in and immediately logged onto the NASA channel. Ahh…17 seconds to go and the fickle weather scrubbed the mission. I so wanted this for a birthday present. But a successful launch on Saturday worked for us too.
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A bit about the Hancock Hotel… We meandered down to the bar, Honest Eddies, to seek adult consolation prizes. Sherrie the bartender was friendly as could be and take out beer, wine, cocktails, and sodas could be had on the porch. In truth, at this point, at least in these rural areas, most restrictions were barely tolerated but the hotel staff were all diligent in their disinfecting of
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS rooms and surfaces around public areas with something called Vital Oxide which sounded pretty kick ass. We got a chance to meet the owner, Russell Bass, and it was good to put a face and smile with a voice I had talked to for years. The same happened the next day when we met the general manager Rosie – who was everything her named claimed. Most excellent. After a bit, we walked the town of Hancock, the square being more than a bit interesting – especially the bronze statue of Hancock native Honest Eddie Murphy. Hey, the same name as the bar at the Hancock House. Murphy was a power hitter and played in three World Series, but got his name from the last, as he was a member of the 1919 Chicago White Sox – the World Series that year is infamously known as The Black Sox Scandal. Murphy sailed through all the controversy and prosecution. Everyone knew he had nothing to do with the scandal and the nickname came about and he was known as Honest Eddie till the day he died in 1969 at age 77. We strolled over to what the natives called the “Marriage of the Two Rivers’, where the East Branch and West Branch of the Delaware meet in confluence. For hundreds of years, virgin trees were felled and floated down river to Philadelphia where most were made into masts for ships. The Constitution, Old Iron Sides, got her masts from Hancock. Later on, Louisville Slugger bats sourced their wood from Hancock as well. Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams came up to Hancock personally to choose the wood for their personal bats. Now the town is known for fly-fishing and, not surprisingly, baseball - as the local Wildcats, now called the D-H Eagles, dominated the sport on a high school level for years. It is also known for the great roads that surround it and it is good to know that the Northeast Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) starts here in Hancock, and the Hancock Hotel is their choice for accommodations. As my friend Ed would say… Fantastic! Back at the hotel we ordered a dinner of fresh salads and soups, beer and diet Coke, all taken to our room and enjoyed on the porch with an extra cocktail table ‘borrowed’ from the terrace next to us. Don’t ask, don’t tell. We had a great night enjoying each other’s company and a Jimmy Buffett concert from Jones Beach from a few years back that Shira dialed up on her phone. As Jimmy would sing… Life was good on our boat. Fade to black…. I am a crack of dawn guy. In the winter that can be near 8 am – on May 28th that has been pushed up to 5:30.
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BACKROADS • JULY 2020
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Soon Shira stirred as well and as we began to think about going home, Shira fetched some morning Joe and I put together a route along roads I was not familiar with in the general direction of Backroads Central. We took breakfast from The Maple Room Restaurant and ate outside as we watched Hancock’s East Front Street begin to get busy for a cool and overcast Thursday in late May. Our route was just over 100 miles, but we did discover some roads new to us. It began to drizzle just a bit (what else is new) and it just gave us an opportunity to polish up riding and work on smooth. We headed down through Port Jervis and over High Point before vectoring westward along County Road 519, always a true joy to ride… even in the wet. By noon we rolled into the barn – happy and smiling. Happy Birthday to me. But, this ride, this First Night, has just struck the match and lit the fire; that gas-soaked tinder that has been waiting to burn since March. It was well time to ride away from COVID and the politics that have developed from it. We’re riders – we inherently take risks. It was time to get riding. To paraphrase Joni, the people in charge (ha!) they should have realized that “we got the urge for going, so you have to let us go.” Let us chose for ourselves. Or, as Shira says. You do you, and I’ll do me.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
Evolution of the Gas Station: Look how far we’ve come…. There are roughly 120,000 gas stations in the country. Many are in places that have too many, and places that have too few. They have morphed. Evolved. Transformed by profit motives and driven by consumer tastes for quick access to coffee, chips, candy, beer and bathrooms. Sometimes people go there for anything but gasoline. Sometimes, when things are tough and rain, snow, hail, fire and virus are upon you, a Backroads rider will take his nice wife there for a meal of roller hot dogs and gallon-size Big Gulp. Think Pittsburgh and you probably don’t think, “Birth of the first gas station”. Well, now you know. Although the Oil & Gas Historical Society admits to there being plenty of roadside filling places before this, the “first pagodastyle, pull-up gas station that offered free air, water, crankcase service, and tire and tube installation” was built in Pittsburgh on December 1, 1913. Note the emphasis on service. That too, has gone the way of the dinosaur. It really wasn’t that long ago when filling stations were just a few gas pumps, a pair of oil changing bays, and a vending machine. Most all of them featured a
bathroom straight from the jungles of Burma. Cracked toilet, pipes leaking, flies buzzing, a cracked mirror. A place where a woman would rather go in her pants than to sit there. And to think you had to ask for a key to this pit hole! How horrible a gas station visit used to be. How nice they used to be, too. In my father’s crew cut generation, gas stations were truly “service” stations. I dimly recall a man washing the windshield, but it was usually a homeless guy looking for a quarter. I remember when they first put up baby changing stations. I thought, oh wow, a good drop-down table for a picnic, or dinner for two. Throw in a Coleman lantern and you’ve got yourself a hot date! They progressed from gas station to filling station to service station to convenience store that just happens to sell gas and diesel on the side. Although oil & gas is the richest industry on the planet bar none, there’s no money in gas. With operating costs and credit card fees, gas stations only make pennies on the gallon. The real cash comes from convenience store sales. Also, only 3% of these stations are owned by Big Oil, the rest are owned by independent retailers. When prices go up, owners make less, since their wholesale costs also go up. Like you, owners too like to see prices drop, which brings thirsty riders inside to buy Red Bull.
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BACKROADS • JULY 2020
Page 43 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
GIVI TREKKER ALASKA CASES
Nowadays, you’re more likely to find an ostrich smoking a vape pen than to find a gas station that will pump the juice for you. (New Jersey excluded.) When you do, you pay a premium. Keep your hands off. I don’t want no stinkin’ body but me filling my too-small tank. The actor Ewan McGregor rode his bike around the world, documenting the event in “Long Way Round”. (Funny how the large caravan support team behind him was not shown in the movie.) While he was in some horrible republic near Russia, the shut-off value on a gas nozzle failed, shooting gasoline into his eyes. Obi-Wan Kenobi went blind for hours. Ever wonder how the gas nozzle knows how to shut itself off? Above the handle, there’s a brain inside of that top knobby thing; it’s actually a vacuum chamber and diaphragm. A venturi ring senses the amount of air pressure, a mechanical linkage in the handle senses the change in suction and activates the auto shut-off. While hard to believe, some 5,000 gas station fires are reported every year, according to the National Fire Protection Association. There’s debate about cell phone use while filling your tank. While the cell phone itself can’t start a fire as good as a cigarette, if you happen to answer a call then step into your vehicle and then happen to pick up static from the car seat, then touch the nozzle – this chain of events has been known to ignite flames. So it’s well advised not to re-enter your car when on the phone and refueling. A cigarette needs no gas station fire advisory. What’s next for gas stations? Throw in a used car dealer? Pop in a pharmacy? A kidney dialysis center? Soon, they will plant a ferris wheel out in back. ~ Victor Cruz
For motorcycle enthusiasts who love comfort but don’t want to sacrifice design, GIVI has created a new line of aluminum cases, the TREKKER ALASKA 36 LTR and the TREKKER II 35, designed to guarantee maximum security and comfort. The first line, the TREKKER ALASKA 36 LTR, is a pair of 36litre capacity side cases that either have a natural aluminum or black painted aluminum finish, with different strengths: Firstly, the 3 different types of materials chosen are all of the highest quality: mechanically finished natural aluminum, stainless steel hinges and reinforced technopolymer for the profiles and belt-strap loops. Secondly, the hook system allows the case to tilt without completely disengaging from the support frame. It is specifically designed to avoid accidentally dropping a case and to facilitate loading and unloading, even when there is a bulky central top case that could make it difficult to access and open the lid. The lid can open completely thanks to the robustness and structure of the rotation hinge, without the use of straps or retention cables that could produce a “guillotine” effect. Lastly, the MONOKEY fixing system has a single lock that uses the same key to open the case and to detach it from the frame. In addition, the TREKKER ALASAK aluminum side cases are completely made in Italy, and the design is new and patented. They have four belt-strap loops integrated into the structure of the lid, set into the contoured lid to give an elegant shape to the whole case. The second line, the Trekker II 35, offers a 35-litre case that is also available as a pair with either an anodized aluminum or painted black finish. This line, in all its versions, is equipped with the MONOKEY fixing system, and can be mounted both as a top case (compatible with Monokey plates) and as a side case. There are optional accessories, such as the elastic net for carrying objects, adhesive rubber accessories, handles, inner bags, stainless steel water bottles with related accessories and much more, allowing the products from the new GIVI collection to meet the needs of every rider. Every one of our machines has a GIVI case on it – and for good reason! www.giviusa.com
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
talismans At the Tour of Utah years ago, a fellow moto gave me an airline-size bottle of Woodford Reserve. I dutifully carried that little bottle the whole Tour and rode without mishap. I am not a superstitious man, but I am very sentimental and I was touched by the token and kept it as a talisman, a word used to describe an object or person with magical powers. At some point, it took residence in the miasma of things inside my office, but I never brought myself to drink it or throw it away. He was shocked when he visited recently and I produced it after so many years. I know a lot of motorcyclists have talismans on their machines or persons. Some have bells or figurines. Some wear jewelry and some have painted figures or stickers. I’m no exception:
one bike sports a wristband bearing the name of the manager’s son with leukemia that I got at the Comfort Inn of Orange, VA. The same bike has a sticker for David, the son of a fellow bike race moto who also had leukemia. Other talismans are more lighthearted. When our friend Barbara first rode my Ninja 650, she said it was “cute” and dubbed it “Kitty,” so now it bears a Hello Kitty sticker
and a Hello Kitty dog toy, both of which she gave me. I get strange looks from the gate guards at work, but if anyone gives me a hard time, I point to the absence of chicken strips and go on my way. Backroads has its own talismans that appear at every rally. Seldom does a morning pass that you don’t find a small, plastic creature perched on your bike. Our kitchen window bears a collection of creatures that appeared on the tank in the morning dew. Dinosaurs lead the pack, but the butterfly, beetle, and llama are neat too. At the Stonewall Jackson Resort, Barbara handed out rubber ducks clad in moto gear and those took residence with others, one of which we were encouraged to steal by a note in the bathroom of a mom & pop motel. One rally spawned little green plastic Army men. Who hasn’t gone to a Rally and found a Backroads sticker on their moto? Our patron saints of print are very generous with their stickers and not only are they on motos, but they’re on diners and hotels all over the world, including one on the beer cooler in the Tiki Bar at Canoa Beach, Ecuador. I’m a sticker freak and all kinds of stickers festoon my bikes, along with my fridge and the splash guard around my garage sink. Getting stickers with a moto parts order is almost as exciting as the parts themselves. Finger puppets! Another talisman from Backroads events, with credit going to Nuri Wernick, is the presence of finger puppets. I’ve seen them zip-tied to mirror stalks, in tank bag map cases, and anywhere else they’ll
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ride. I had an elephant over the Ram mount ball on my RT for a while, but a little kid in a stroller was having a bad day at a bicycle race, so I made a present of it. Betsy still has her Santa Claus puppet. I have hats bearing the names of bicycle races, motorcycle brands, accessories, and destinations. The latest is an Irish wool driving cap that hard-core Scot David Wilson refers to as a “bunnet.” Slainte! Road Byrd gave me a really fine collection of rally bandannas, some of which are both colorful and artful. When Betsy gets time, she’s going to do some arty sewing to bring some of them to life in quilts and pillows. Road also shared quite a few other time-honored talismans: pins! I’ve seen people at rallies with so many pins on their garments that they looked, sounded, and likely weighed, as if they were waring a suit of armor. The military has challenge coins: if someone produces such a coin at a bar and you don’t have one to show in return, you are buying the beer. Some of the coins even incorporate a bottle opener! It doesn’t matter what it is: any item can be a talisman. It could be a ring or an amulet, but it could also be a small, plastic bottle with an ounce and a half of bourbon. The magic in a talisman doesn’t come from a wizard or a shop, it comes from the spirit of the giver and the grateful heart of the recipient. The magic in the talisman is in the meaning. ~ Mark Byers
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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 Ken Condon do tRaCK day SKillS Really tRanSfeR to the StReet? OR What Can a StReet RideR LeaRn at a tRaCK day? As a veteran track day instructor I see firsthand the benefits of track days for the average street rider. However, convincing most riders of the immense value of track instruction is a challenge. Here are the most common questions I get about track days.
“i don’t have a sportbike. i have a (tourer, cruiser, adventure bike, etc.), why would i take that on the track?” I get it, the first thing anyone thinks when they hear racetrack is going fast, and that’s understandable. And typical riders aren’t even aware that trainingfocused track days exist. The organization I work for, Tony’s Track Days, organizes typical sport rider days, but also offers “Non-sportbike track training days” for riders of all types of machines.
“i’ve been riding XX years, what will i learn at a track day that i haven’t learned yet?” Most riders only have one year of experience, repeated XX times. That’s because skill development usually stops after the first year when people assume they know all they need to know to make it home in one piece. This false confidence leads to avoidable mishaps. Track days open the eyes of even veteran riders. I continually hear people exclaim that they learned more in one day on the track than they have in XX number of years riding on the street.
throttle skills to a very high level. You will discover the nuances of bike handling, including body position, and discover just how much grip your tires provide. With this knowledge, you will begin to lean farther and brake harder than you have before.
“do the skills learned on the track transfer to my street riding?” Skills practiced on the track absolutely transfer to the street. How can they not? Track riding is fundamentally the same; you still slow before corners, lean into the curve and accelerate out. You will learn to lean farther and brake harder than before…not so you can ride faster but to give you the tools to manage unexpected cornering hazards and maximum braking situations. This is important for those times when you misjudge a corner radius and need to lean more to stay in your lane without panicking. You’ll also improve your braking confidence for the time when a vehicle pulls out in front of you.
Safer and wicked fun! I’ve seen countless riders expand their personal limits much farther than they ever could on the street. They find a rhythm when riding on the racetrack and often become “one” with their motorcycle, what I call “the zone”. This interaction is downright euphoric. And without the typical road hazards, you’re able to focus fully on your skill development. There is no better place to safely discover just how much you can trust your tires and your motorcycle’s capabilities.
“Where do i sign up??”
“Can’t i become a better rider by lots of seat time on the street?” A lot of riders think this. But, typically, those many miles simply reinforce questionable habits. Breaking bad habits starts with awareness of advanced techniques that make riding safer and more enjoyable. Track day learning begins in the classroom and then on the track where you ride each corner over and over until you perfect the technique. Compare that to riding on the street where it’s impractical to revisit the same corner until you get it right. It really is a game changer in increasing cornering and braking confidence.
“What exactly would i learn at a track day?” There is no safer venue for developing advanced braking, cornering, and
Before you sign up, do some research. Every track day organization has a different philosophy. Many organizations cater to the aggressive sport bike rider or wannabe racer. This type of track day has few safety rules and is not what I would recommend for a first-time track day rider. Tony’s Track Days operates in New England and Upstate New York and is well known for providing a friendly atmosphere for more casual riders to enjoy. We cater to new track riders and institute limited passing rules in the novice groups. We discourage aggressive riding and instead cater more to the average street motorcyclist who just wants to have fun and learn how to ride better. Learn more at www.tonystrackdays .com or www.ridinginthezone.com. See you at the track! Ken Condon Riding in the Zone Advanced Rider Training www.ridinginthezone.com Tony’s Track Days • www.tonystrackdays.com
BACKROADS • JULY 2020
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
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HELITE TURTLE 2 AIRBAG VEST
As the season began to roll around this year, we made a lunch date with some riding friends we never get to see enough. One rider, Bill Rogers, rolled up with his Kawasaki Concours-14. We are used to riders wearing Hi-Viz gear these days, but Bill’s was a bit more than that. He was wearing a Helite Turtle 2 Airbag Vest. We have seen previous versions of this vest, but the one Bill was wearing was a step above these. I commented on the Helite and was told that, after a few close calls and the knowledge that another friend had received some very bad injuries at the end of the season, he decided to make the jump and invest the $650 plus dollars on the Helite Turtle 2. Maybe his wife had a bit of influence on this decision, which is okay too. And, think of it as an investment, not a purchase. Let’s start with the easy to see the advantages of this air vest. It is made from a durable and abrasion-resistant 600 Cordura material and although it is available in both Hi-Viz and black, we like the Hi-Viz for obvious reasons. For those of you who do not see the obvious, it is because this is a highly visible vest all by itself. It also has very bold retro-reflective stripes for additional nighttime conspicuity, in addition to being one of the sharpest looking vests we have seen in… forever. The liner of the vest is created from a textile 3D mesh for comfort and freedom of movement. The collar is a soft neoprene and there is an ID chest pocket too. The Helite Turtle 2, available in sizes XS to XLL, closes with three large snap buckles and the many sizes allow for a personal and comfortable fit. Along the back is
a SAS-Tec protector. Between it and the inside of the vest is part of the airbag inflation system. Thus, the Turtle moniker. Not all is perfect, but things do work the way they must. We hate being tethered and celebrate the spring day that the electrics and any wires disappear. But that being said, the Helite Turtle 2 Airbag Vest does operate with a coiled lanyard that will set off the easily replaceable Co2 cartridge ($30) if you and your machine part ways. In the case of a fall, the Turtle 2 vest inflates a significant volume that distributes the energy of impacts very effectively – protecting the back, ribs, and thorax. Inside the flap on the right side sits a Co2 cartridge that will inflate the vest in under 100ms. That is a decisecond. So, before the B is finished in ‘boom’ the vest is at full inflation and full protection. Will it save you from all injuries? Of course not. But if we knew that today was going to be THAT day – we’d want to be wearing a Helite Turtle 2 Airbag Vest. Log onto www.helite.com for more information.
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JULY 2020 • BACKROADS
UP C OM I N G E VE NT S CAL END AR EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTING every Tuesday • Two Wheeled Tuesday at Spiegel Restaurant • 26 1st Avenue, NYC. An eclectic gathering of motorcycles served with multi-cuisine meals. Kick some tires, have some couscous, enjoy the crowd • 212-228-2894 every Wednesday • Bike Night at Rutt's Hut, 417 River Rd, Clifton, NJ every Thursday - Bike Night at Jumboland. 3-9pm weather permitting. Great Food and Large Parking lot to show off your ride. ALL WeLCOMe! Nightly trophy awarded. 438 Route 206, Branchville, NJ • 973-948-6802
JULY 2020 17-19 • Black Diamond Rally by the Black Diamond Beemers. Chet's Place,885 Tizrah Rd, Uniondale, PA. $60 includes 2 nights camping, Fri/Sat dinner, coffee + campfires. PRe-ReG ONLY. send fee to BD Rally, 135 Pierce Rd, Carbondale, PA 18407 by July 3rd. More info: 240-523-3637 19 • NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY. Peruse the list of Shira’s Ice Cream Rides on our GPS Vault and have yourself a sweet day. backroadsusa.com/gpsdownloads.html 20 • Tony's Track Days sponsored by Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training NonSportbike Day, Palmer, MA. Includes classroom sessions with Ken Condon and track time. This is not about 'how to ride' but 'how to ride better.' For full details and registration visit www.tonystrackdays.com 24-26 • Backroads Weekend Escape to State College PA. Full information and booking details on website @ www.backroadsusa.com/rallies.html 24-26 • Soggy Bottom MotoFest 2020. 3-day Adventure and Dual Sport Rally at the Godspeed event + Lodging, Port Matilda, PA. Included in registration: 5 catered meals, 4 rides with GPS files, beer, live music, bon fire and t-shirt. Tent and other bunking available at add’l cost. Details: www.kissellmotorsports.com/Adventure-Motofest--SoggyBottomMotoFest 26 • Katie’s House presents Dan & Mike’s Place Charity Run. Sign in: Ridge Powersports, 725 Rte. 15N, Jefferson, NJ @ 9am. KSU @ 11am. RIders: $20/Passengers: $15. endsite: Angry erik’s Brewery, 2 Camre Dr, Newton, NJ. Just coming to Angry eriks: $10 incl. entry, food, live band, silent auction and 50/50. Don’t ride? Show off your classic car. More info: Katieshouse.klm@gmail.com
AUGUST 2020 9-12 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com 13-17 • Backroads Summer Squeeze 1 • Travel the northeast’s prettiest byways, from West Dover, VT to Stowe to the shores of Lake Ontario with your friends from Backroads. Details here: backroadsusa.com/rallies.html
What’s Happening 20-23 • Touratech DirtDaze Adventure Rally. For schedule, registration and more visit them on the web @ dirtdazerally.com #TTDD2020 21-23 • RESCHEDULED • Babes Ride Out east, Narrowsburg NY. Tickets available at babesrideout.com 22-30 • RESCHEDULED • 97th Annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, Laconia, NH. World's Oldest Motorcycle Rally. Visit their extensive website for full details: www.laconiamcweek.com ends 30 • Ride for Kids Hudson Valley. This year will be a choice of riding options, with opportunities to raise funds for the Kids. Please visit the website for full details and to register for your choice in rides • rideforkids.org
SEPTEMBER 2020 11-13 • Backroads Summer Squeeze Part Deux • Make your way to the quaint hamlet of Boothbay Harbor, Me for a weekend of relaxation, riding and really good lobster rolls. Details here: backroadsusa.com/rallies.html 13 • 32nd Annual Harvey C. Irons Make-A-Wish New Jersey Ride hosted by the Blue Knights NJIX. Sign in: Vasa Park, Budd Lake, NJ • 9am / KSU 11am. Coffee/Donuts at sign-in. Scenic ride through Morris/Sussex Counties, vendors, lunch upon return, live band. $20/person • www.bknjix.org/ 13 • 37 Annual Italian Motorcycle Owners Club Rally, Hamilton Rod & Gun Club, Sturbridge, MA. America's biggest and longest running Italian motorcycle event. Featured machine: Tonti-framed Moto Guzzi LeMans (1976-1991). $10 admission to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation • www.imoc.website. 16-20 • Catskill Mountain Thunder Motorcycle Festival, The Blackthorne Resort, east Durham, NY.A great weekend of motorcycle fun with rodeo games, wall of death, stunt jumpers, large vendor expo, bike show and builders, live music and more. • catskillmountainthunder.com. 21-22 • CLASS returns to Virginia International Raceway. Complete details and registration classrides.com. 20-23 • MotoVermont presents the MotoVermont 400, a four-day, 400 mile dual sport excursion around central Vermont. For full detail visit www.motovermont.com
OCTOBER 2020 9-12 • Backroads Run to the Chincoteague Oyster Festival. 5 hours of everything oyster, hot dogs, adult beverages and more. The music of Island Boy will have you dancing. We’ll be at the Waterside Inn for 3 nights. ROOMS AND TICKeTS ARe AVAILABLe NOW but will certainly sell out so call now (there is no block of rooms for Backroads - first come, first served). Get your tickets online. Full information available on our Rally page.