On to Maine

It was another grey morning so we put on our rain gear right from the start. Traffic was light as we made our way down to the bridge to the US. This bridge has the worst road surface of any I have found, although there are more patches than holes these days. The lady border guard was pleasant and we even got chatting about the Maine mass murderer who had been a cook at the Sudbury Inn where we would be staying. Quiet border crossings mean bored guards and you can never tell what’s going to happen then. This one worked out well.

Off the bridge, we took SR 37 east through the large Mohawk reserve that spans the border. Gas stations, casinos and cigarette shops line the road for miles. After leaving the reserve, we connected with 122 East through the little town of Constable. This place looked less than affluent, but it also had a sense of honesty about it. Simple folk doing their best to get by.

We reached US 11 and followed it across upstate NY past dairy farms and cornfields to Champlain where we stopped for the usual breakfast. I’m back in the US so McD biscuits are again an option. There was a couple on a Harley headed east who turned out to be from Caledon, Ontario. They were returning from a Maritimes trip and so we talked travels for quite a while before heading our separate ways.

Crossing the north end of Lake Champlain into Vermont at Rouse’s Point, the sun made its first appearance. We eschewed the southbound interstate, instead following Highway 7 south to St. Albans where we stopped and took off the rain gear and sweaters. This, of course, ensured that the clouds would reappear which they did before we left town. The rest of the day was alternating sun and clouds but it never came close to raining. Departing St. Albans didn’t go according to plan. I’m sure the sign for 104 South was missing and, by not making the correct turn, we were committed to I-89 South. I guess I could have turned and gone back up the on ramp the wrong way, but that did not seem prudent at that juncture.

The miscue was a good thing. About ten miles south, we got off and cut over to 104A. This was an entertaining road, winding over to 104 with little traffic. Turning onto 104, we started the diagonal run to St. Johnsbury Vermont, about 40 miles away. The road wound pleasantly through farming valleys, small towns and the tree lined Green Mountains. Eventually, it gave way to SR 15, “The Grand Army of the Republic Highway”. More of the same except that we got behind some slow traffic near the end that we couldn’t pass. The last turn was onto US 2. We saw two Vulcans a few vehicles ahead and moved to catch them. I thought they were Homer and the Montreal crew headed for Bethel so we fell in behind them and followed them around St. J. on the truck by-pass. We separated when I exited to go back to Highway 2 and later I found out it wasn’t Homer anyway when he arrived on a different coloured Nomad.

US 2 was OK. We were now in the White Mountains with the NH “Brake for Moose” signs. Once again, who wouldn’t brake for a moose? The foliage in some places is very much like Algonquin Park. Other places looks more like Northern Ontario. I feel at home here. This was our first time across 104 and 15 and I would recommend the route to anyone looking for a nice ride.

After Gorham NH, we crossed the Maine border and passed through the thriving, if tiny, West Bethel before coming to a stop sign in Bethel. I wasn’t sure if I’d remember where the Sudbury Inn was, but there it was, only a half block up from the stop sign. There, out front, was Ol’ Phart Joe’s Nomad and one wheel trailer along with a few other bikes. People were standing outside or sitting on the porch waiting for the Suds Pub to open at 4:00. We checked in and found our room on the third floor. After the long climb, we found an entrance hallway, bathroom and bedroom with two queen size beds and all kinds of space. It's #21 on the Select Rooms section. Not bad. Dropping the gear, we went back down and socialized until the pub opened. That cleared the VROCers off the street in a hurry. Joe the bartender was on top of nearly everything and Sandy and I split a chicken Caesar wrap and fries along with drinks.

The evening consisted of socializing in the bar or the smoking area (parking lot) as more people arrived. Later, we had a make your own pasta supper, also in the bar. It was good to see all the New England people again, since we missed this run last year. Other than Homer and his wife, we were the only Canucks which surprises me since Bethel is not that far from Southern Ontario. It is only about 255 miles from Cornwall.

After supper, Sandy went up to the room. I spent some time talking to Ron and Lorie Russell and Manjo and Linda and then decided to turn in. Up in the room, Sandy pointed out that the Inn had WiFi, so I dug the computer out. The signal in the room wasn’t good so I went back down to the lobby and logged in. After posting a Blog, checking the mail, getting the newsgroup posts, checking the NASCAR pool for Steve Cifra and looking at stock quotes for Ol’ Phart, I was just about to turn in when the desk got a phone call asking for VROC. I was the only VROCer still downstairs, so I took it. Joliet Jake, who posted earlier that he couldn’t make it due to work, was calling from a bar in Conway New Hampshire to rib Ol’ Phart about it being bedtime. He was amazed to learn that Joe was already in his room.

After hanging up with Jake, I did go upstairs and climbed into bed for the night.

Blogger Problem Fixed

OK, it was my fault. I published two pictures back on the 7th side by side and the total width was wider than the post column size so it kicked all the limks to the bottom. It looks better now.

Blogger Problems?

Jax Emailed and asked what happened to my older posts. I checked the here and see the profile and archive links sections are missing. I'm hoping this is a temporary Blogger problem and will check it over the next few days. If they don't appear, I'll have to start looking for the problem.

We have WiFi here at the Sudbury Inn in Bethel Maine so look for new stuff over the next few days.

It Was A Dreary Day........

It was supposed to be sunny today according to yesterday’s Global TV forecast. The morning, however, didn’t dawn as fog and then cloud obscured the sun. After packing our gear, I pulled the bike out and checked the tire pressures and oil level. The bags were loaded and we set out shortly after 9:00. We didn’t get far. I’ve been complaining about the lack of work on the Regional Road 55 widening project. Now they are working and we were held up for about fifteen minutes as they blasted a section of rock cut and then had to use a loader to clear the rock and blasting mats off the roadway.

Under the grey skies, we finally headed out Highway 17 east. We made it to Sturgeon Falls before the McDonalds breakfast ended and had the usual. Then we were delayed several times by flag persons between there and North Bay. In North Bay, I’m sure they time the traffic lights on 17 so that someone traveling through will catch every red light. I know we did.

East of North Bay, there was nothing special to comment on except for many more construction zones with many flag persons. It looks like they are doing this whole highway at once. The high point was a car highballing the other way that drifted over the centre line into our lane. I evaded as he cut back to his own side. That got the adrenalin flowing for a while.

Near Pembroke, it started spitting a light rain. We stopped at the Big Irving for gas and continued towards Ottawa. Around Arnprior, the light rain turned to a heavier precipitation just as the sky lightened. This is typical for this type of weather. Then it stopped for a while. Rather than go through Ottawa on 417, I took 416 south towards 401. This was when the rain picked up again.

We stopped at a service centre on the 401 so I could check the detailed map. I got off at the Long Sault exit and followed Highway 2 into Cornwall, stopping at a small motel we stayed at two years ago. We ordered supper delivered from the King George and settled in for an evening of reading and TV. It is the first night of the new Survivor season. The forecast shows rain across New England tomorrow, contrary to previous forecasts, so the weather man is not my favourite person right now. In any case, it’s only about 255 miles to Bethel, so we’ll be there regardless of the weather.

Home Days

It was cold again Monday as we headed back up to Sudbury. Nothing special about the trip but we did stay dry. Arriving home, we unpacked the trailer and stowed all the gear for the winter. The bike will be heading out again on Thursday for Maine and Arkansas.

Tuesday, nothing got done by me. Sandy was busy doing laundry and organizing, but I just laid back. I was feeling bad thinking I had to leave Wednesday, but then I checked the reservations and found we were scheduled to arrive in Bethel Friday so I had a one day reprieve.

Today I caught up the blogs and will do a few other chores. I expect we will leave tomorrow after 9:00 AM and head for Cornwall.

Guinea Pig Intros

While we were away, Heather's guinea pig Penny got her final shot for suspected mites and Heather cleaned the cage and all the related items. Now it was time to introduce her to Coco, the new pig.

For neutral ground, Heather fenced off the apartment hallway and we put one at each end. They ignored each other for a while but then closed in, playing peek-a-boo around Heather. Eventually, they got down to butt sniffing and we atched for any hostile signs. None. Coco ended up following Penny around like a caboose.

After a while, we put them both back into the large habitat. Although Coco avoided close contact with the larger Penny, they both went about the business of eating, drinking and generally running about without any confrontations. Watching guinea pigs is more fun than watching fish by a long shot. It looks ike they have a happy future together.

Birthday on the Road

Today is my birthday. I am 54 but it doesn't feel like it.

The sun rises really late when you are on the far west end of a time zone, particularly eastern. Also, the temperature dropped overnight resulting in a huge amount of dew on the bike and trailer. Good thing we tore down yesterday. So I spent some time outside in the cool dark wiping down the bike. Then we hit the continental breakfast and hit the road before 7:00 for the 550 mile trip to Cambridge.

As we headed north on SR 37 towards the Circle City, I noted that (to paraphrase Robert Duval) I love the smell of dead skunk in the morning. There is something visceral in the pungent odor. The sun peeked above the horizon like the Red Rubber Ball in the song as it wrestled with the haze. As we hit 465 south of Indy, the sky clouded over and the temperature dropped some more. I am amazed that, two years later, the I-465/SR 37 exchange is still under construction.

We stopped at a Love’s/McDonalds and fueled. We were looking for some food but this Mickey D’s was so screwed up and the large girl taking orders looked so miserable that we moved on up the road. There was a much better one in Warren Indiana. After the usual light breakfast, Sandy broke out her rain pants and electric gloves.

Just south of Marshall Michigan, the odometer rang up 77,777 kilometers, an auspicious number, while Garrison Keillor was in the middle of reciting The Raven on PBS. Spooky. While moving through Lansing Michigan, a young lady in a mini-van decided to move into my lane without signaling. I moved just enough to keep from getting hit and leaned on the horn. After about ten seconds, she got the idea and moved back, but she gave me a look that suggested she though all this was my fault. Just another menace on the highways. At the next gas stop, I put on my rain pants and both of us added sweaters to our layers.

Near the border, the sun came out again. We had a quick border crossing. The headwinds, cold and higher (130 KPH) speeds really hurt the fuel economy. We arrived in Cambridge about 5:15 PM.

Kicking Around Elletsville

We were up about 7:30 this morning and made straight for the coffee on the deck. We found Marlene visiting with Evil's attack Pomeranian, Annie. I usually don't like small dogs but this one is an exception. Scotty and Marlene had decided to go home a day early to see if there was any sign of Sam the cat, and left shortly after everyone was up, amid a flurry of hugs and goodbyes.

We went back over to Wee Willie's again for breakfast and got the same girl serving us. I took the computer since they advertised WiFI, but I couldn't find the proper access point. Sandy had a good idea and suggested that we get a motel room for tonight so we wouldn't have to tear down wet in the morning. I wasn't for it at first, but the idea grew on me and, after breakfast, we wandered over to the same Super 8 in Bloomigton that we stayed at two years ago and got a room. Surprisingly, the room was ready and they let us into it right away. The TV showed the Shuttle launch at six minutes and counting so we settled in and watched them light it off. I also used the WiFi to download Emails and the newsgroup.

When we got back to Evil's, some were heading out for a scenic tour. We declined and moved our chairs into the shade to pass the time. Evil put some leftover brats, sausages and hot dogs on the grill for lunch and we finished the potato salad. Then we packed the trailer a little differently so that the folding aluminum table would be more accessible since it was needed first after setup. I decided I didn't like the tongue weight so we opened it and repacked it with some heavy stuff at the back. This resulted in a more reasonable load on the hitch.

As the scenic tourers came back, Snake and KT showed up. Although they live nearby, Snake had dry sockets from two wisdom tooth extractions and KT had broken her leg and was on crutches. Despite this, they were their usual cheerful selves.

It was about now that Evil and Skeeze came out to say that they had received a call that Kegs had passed on. It was a relief to know that his suffering was over, but we will certainly miss him. For those who didn't know him, a look at the VROC memorial page will let you see a glimpse of a fine individual. Ride on, Brother Kegs.

Supper was interesting. Earl spent all day preparing gumbo and alligator. The gumbo was interesting. As Earl said, it wasn't hot. My mouth didn't burn with the spices and my stomach didn't react. All the same, about half way through my bowl of gumbo and rice, I broke out in a massive sweat. So did others. I never had this happen before. Then I tackled a bowl of alligator which really does taste like chicken. After the fine meal was all over (thanks Earl), we adjourned to the fire.

Around the fire, we remembered Kegs. Then, on a happier note, they brought out a birthday cake for Evil's wife Bobbie, Patricia Reed (Mrs. Batman) and I. Patricia and I blew out the candles and everone got a piece.

After saying many goodbyes and thanking Evil for an excellent weekend, Sandy and I headed for the motel shortly after the cake. I was going to Blog but ended up working with tech support trying to connect. Finally, after going over all my computer settings, the guy reset the gateway and I connected right away. That lasted three minutes and I was disconnected again so I gave up and went to bed.

Nashville (No, the other one)

We woke up slowly this morning. I could hear voices talking above us on Evil's rear deck so we eventually got dressed and wandered up to find he had a couple of pots of coffee waiting for us. After enough had arisen and got caffeined, we headed down the road to Wee Willie's restaurant for some breakfast. Willie's uses a wireless system for taking orders, communicating them to the kitchen and handling the bills. Quite efficient because, as the final order was taken, the first food was arriving.

After breakfast, a few returned to Evil's but most of us, led by Jax, headed out for Nashville. Indiana, that is. The weather was sunny and warm. Once we cleared the intersection in Bloomington, the ride was stately and pleasant as we wound through the Indiana hills. Getting parked in Nashville, a major tourist spot, was difficult until we stumpled on a whole unused parking area in the back. Jax said to be back by 1:30 for the return ride. Remember that because it will be important later. Some fellow asked where we were from. Tennessee, Iowa, Michigan, Ontario, Kansas, where do we begin.

Most of us wandered as a group down the main street. Nashville is strange in that it caters primarily to art galleries and biker shops. We spent some time in the Pit Bull leather shop where Stonewall bought a really flashy jacket two years ago. The one thing I almost got was a sticker for my helmet that said "Damn, I got old fast". Then we sat out for a bit and watched traffic go by. The picture shows Deb, Brillo, Sandy, Scotty, Marlene and Jax. Then we wandered back down the street with Scotty, Marlene, Big Dave, Beth, Zeke, Sandy and I stopping for ice cream. Lots of time before 1:30. After ice cream, we stopped at the gas station on the main drag to use the facilities. It was about 1:20 when I saw Jax lead the rest of the group out of the parking lot and head back towards Bloomington. Talk about abandoned. I found out later it was all Brillo's fault since he told Jax it was OK to go.

Piper was still wandering around at 1:30. I gave Scotty my Indiana state map so he and Marlene could take the scenic way back. Big Dave and Beth opted to wait for Piper, not knowing he had said to go on without him. That left Sandy and I with an interesting run back. I could never have ridden like that in the group. After passing a truck, two bikes and four cars I had an open road and wound into the limited speed corners with gusto. It was a good ride and we beat Jax's crew back to Evil's (they had stopped at a Harley shop).

We sat back under the weeping willows and passed the time with Skeeze, Earl and the others as they returned. Earl is rebuilding his house in New Orleans and we have been really interested in the progress. We talked so much that we worried that there would be nothing to talk about around the fire tonight. Before long, the supper bell rang and we adjourned to the deck. Evil and Earl had grilled brats, Italian sausage, hot dogs and hamburgers, complemented by corn, beans and potato salad.

The fire was lit with style and some gas. As we sat around, we drank a toast to comrade Jeff "Kegs" Kegley of Pennsylvania. Kegs has been suffering from esophageal cancer for some time and, after a valiant fight, was near the end. This was according to a phone call from Tommy "Rabbi" Willcockson who had been up to visit him. Kegs is a wonderful guy and has been a driving force in many charitable aspects of our gatherings.

Sandy and I went to bed fairly early tonight.

Back Roads to Bloomington

After checking tires and oil, we headed south on SR 52 in a fog bank. Scotty led, Marlene went second and we brought up the rear. At the Ohio border, the number changed to SR 109 and the fog continued. There were no curves on this part of the route. As we crossed US 24 at Napoleon Ohio, I recognized the McDonalds as one we stopped at in June headed for Custer. Sad commentary that my landmarks are fast food restaurants, but it's better than no landmarks at all. From Napoleon, we took SR 424 along the Maumee River. This was an interesting route with many twists and curves in it. We went through Independence on our way to Defiance and, for a moment, I thought I might be in Missouri.

As we neared Defiance, Scotty stopped in a park rife with history. This was where a plaque said Chief Pontiac was born and, across the river, was the site of the post-revolutionary Fort Defiance. Many Indian gatherings were held here and the large stone shown tells of the French Indian Apple Tree, the largest on record with a nine foot diameter.

We continued on US 24 across the Indiana line and then went south on SR 101, across US 224 and south on US 27 through Berne and Geneva. The Swiss background here was shown by the gingerbread on the McDonalds "Swiss Chalet". We followed SR 67 across to Muncie and then went south on SR 3, stopping for lunch at Bill's Diner in Newcastle. I found in advertising on the menu that there was a local lawyer named David Scott but Scotty was unimpressed. At Rushville, we turned southwest again on SR 44. This was quiet, except for traffic in the towns, until we got to Franklin. The stretch from Franklin to Martinsville was a winding stretch with corners marked at 40, 30, 20 and even 15 MPH. The pavement was perfect and we rolled through with smiles on our faces. The only thing I didn't understand was a series of "Construction Ahead" signs. We never found any construction. At Martinsville, we headed south on SR 37 and then cut off at Bloomington on 46 to Elletsville where our friend Pat "Evil" Shea lives.

Arriving at Pat's, we pulled down into the back yard and found many friends already set up. Earl from Louisiana, Jax from Tennessee, Skeeze from Georgia, Brillo and Deb from Iowa, Mad Mike from Illinois, Bassman from Oklahoma. We set up the camper and then went out with the gang to the Hoosier Grill just down the road for supper. I want to know who put the melon scented hand wash in the men's room. The blow drier, on the other hand, was almost violent. After supper, we returned to the yard, found Piper had rolled in from Kanas and then started a bonfire. Big Dave, Beth and little Zeke arrived late by car from Iowa. Dave's sidecar hasn't been mounted yet but Zeke, nine months old, will be a chair rat soon. Sitting around, we talked about movies, books, music, martial arts and other topics. I found my way to bed about 2:00 AM leaving a few diehards still expounding.

Heading For Michigan

We left Cambridge about 9:00 AM under mixed skies. The ride down the 401 to London, surrounded by Michigan bound garbage trucks from Toronto, was uneventful. When we got to London, the entire Wellington Road exit (the main route into downtown London) was closed due to construction but Wellington was still accessible via Exeter Road. We followed my memory to cousin Dawn's house.

Dawn is actually my mother's cousin. Their mothers were sisters so I guess that makes her my first couisin once removed. She invited us in and put the coffee on. We talked about some of the goings on over the summer. Dawn and her husband Earl had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary over the Civic Holiday weekend. Before long, John Grandmont showed up carrying his own cup of Timmie's coffee. Not surprising since his son Adam works in the Tim Horton's empire, managing a district of 42 stores in Rhode Island and Connecticut. This may be the way we take over the world. John and I were in the Bawating High School Concert Band together. In his case, the music took since it became his profession and his children are musically gifted. Who would have known back when he was known as Hawkeye or Charles Ulmer Farley and played the tuba. We told stories and compared notes on a variety of things until it was time to leave.

Outside, as noon approached, a large black cloud was threatening. We made tracks for the 402 west to Sarnia and got clear of it, just skirting another one in the process. You can see a troubled sky in the photo. After a brief stop in the pleasant town of Strathroy to get some tent seam sealer (the trailer wasn't totally watertight during the weekend rain), we made it to Sarnia and crossed the bridge with very little traffic. On the US side, the border guards were on a heightened state of alert. We could see them opening trunks and climbing in vehicles. When it was our turn, the guard asked if I would open the bike trunk. We climbed off and I did. Satisfied, he told us we could go and noted that "DAD" should get back on the bike first. This made Sandy's day, or possibly week. This was the place where the guard asked if Sandy was my DAUGHTER back in July. Once again, (four times out of six), we weren't asked for any ID.

My plan was to avoid Detroit by going across I-69 and taking US 23 south. Showing once again that I better hurry up and get that GPS, I missed the I-69 exit in a flurry of road construction and found that we were headed down I-94 direct to Detroit. By the time I figured this out, it was further than I wanted to go back so I resigned myself to a tour through Motor City. On the way, I saw a sign for I-696 to Lansing. Knowing that Lansing was west of US 23, I figured this might work and made the ramp. This took us by Royal Oak, Southfield and Farmington Hills, some of the better appointed communities in the area. Eventually, we reached US 23 and turned south towards Ann Arbor where we stopped for a quick bite to eat. It was a little busy as the university seemed to be getting out and they had lane closures in town due to line painting, but it seemed like a nice place. South of Ann Arbor, we took SR 12 west and SR 52 south to Adrian, where I found Scotty and Marlene's place by luck.

Marlene was still at work, but Scotty was home. He told us that one of their four cats, Sam, hadn't come back from his outing the night before and they were very worried. He was a very timid cat and this wasn't usual behaviour.

During the evening, I got on-line via Scotty's router, updated the newsgroup and checked my mail. We talked politics and VROC for awhile and then turned in without any sign of Sam.

Slow Day In Cambridge

Heather had to go back to work today. Since we are a day ahead of schedule we stayed over.

I posted blogs and almost got around to posting bills. Sandy puttered around. We both plsyed with guinea pigs. I made some travel plans for the rest of the trip and the next one.

We also watched testimonials to Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. He seemed invincible until this freak incident. They say he is only the 3rd on record to be killed by a stingray in Australian waters.

When Heather got home, we had supper here and then watched some TV before turning in.

Tomorrow we will stop in London and visit our old friend John Grandmont and Cousin Dawn Martin before going to Scotty's in Adrian Michigan. The next day, we will ride to Bloomington Indiana with Scotty via the back roads. Two easy days with good people. Life doesn't get any better.

West Montrose Ontario - Cyclefest (Four Days)

The 27th Annual Cyclefest, hosted by the Waterloo Wings in West Montrose (near Elmira) Ontario is in the record books. Sandy and I have only missed one of these (2000 when I went to V2K in Colorado and she was helping the kids move into residence). It wasn't the wettest on record (that was 1988) but it was still pretty wet.

Sandy, Heather and I headed over to the campground Friday morning. I rode towing the trailer and Sandy went with Heather in her car. Our old rally friend, Fred Poyser, already had his large house trailer situated so we selected a spot next to him. Fred is 77 and is still fitter than many people I know who are 40 years younger. He manages to fit a GL-1800 Wing into the kitchen area of the trailer. Watching him load and unload is amazing.

Since Kim and Mike wouldn't be out until after work, we had their tent as well. Heather's 7 x 7 went up first. Easy enough since this is the one I used on the road for a number of years. Kim and Mike have a 9 x 9 Woods EZ Tent. This one virtually sets itself up. Once, that is, you figure out how it is supposed to work. Then we tackled the dining screen. This gets set up once a year and it went better this time when we ignored the instructions and tried a different method. Lastly, our camper trailer went up. Then we helped our long time friend, Maggie McLeod, set up her outfit (see picture). It was a little more complicated than the others, but thanks to her having numbered the poles, we were successful.

Sandy, Heather and I went to the Crossroads Restaurant in Elmira for a light, late lunch. That was until we encountered the lunch buffet. So much for light. Later, when Kim and Mike showed up, we and Maggie went to The Gorge restauarant in Elora for a light supper. Light. Yeah, right. But the food there is very good. We spent the evening around the bonfire as WWW members cooked hot dogs and boiled peaches and cream corn for the masses. Sandy and I turned in before midnight.

Saturday morning was grey and overcast. People started heading out on the poker/observation run in rain suits, and the liquid sunshine started falling on the camground at precisely 10:38. We mingled and visited and then took Kim and Mike with us to the Crossroads for another lunch buffet. The rain continued falling, usually lightly but sometimes with more authority as occasional wind gusts tugged at the tents. Sandy and I took a nap for a while and then we visited some more. My son-in-law Mike learned that I could play euchre when Ray Albert (a Freedom Rider from Sudbury) and I trashed he and Maggie 5 games to 2. They actually played better than the score shows, but I'll never tell him that. Then we had some hot dogs, again cooked by the club, and some of us had some more of the delicious corn. Since the rain never let up, there was no fire and most of us turned in early.

Sunday morning wasn't raining. It was, however, grey and overcast. We had breakfast at the site and then I took a little ride out and around. Not far, just enough to scuff the tires a bit. I did get this picture of the rally site looking across the Grand River. For lunch, a vendor had a hot dog wagon at the site. They were excellent. After lunch, the field events were held between showers. Weiner bite, slow race, ring toss, etc. The riders and the spectators all had fun. I went for another ride out to Maryhill and was back in plenty of time for supper. The caterers did a fine job with turkey, stuffing, ribs, potatoes, veggies, etc. There was a choice of carrot cake or Black Forest cake for dessert. Due to a fluke, I had both. The awards ceremony after the meal saw attendance pins handed out and plaques for the events. Terry Appleby of Sudbury and his daughter Amber won the Observation Run again. This is becoming a habit. The skies cleared for the bonfire and three singing guitar players arranged for by the Wings entertained us. They were very good. After the shut down at 11:30, some of us stayed up for a while but I was in bed not long after midnight.

It was misting again this morning as we broke camp and folded up wet tents. After goodbyes to everyone, we took the tents and other wet gear to Kim and Mike's where we hung them from rafters in the basement to dry. Then we came home, watched a few DVD's and hit the hay.


xxxxxxx

Cambridge Ontario - Wasaga, Sudbury and Back

I had a 1:00 PM appointment at J&R Cycle on Highway 26 between Stayner and Wasaga Beach to get a new Metzeler ME880 tire installed and, if necessary, replace the front brake pads.

I left Sandy and Heather cleaning guinea pig habitat at about 10:00 and rode up Highway 24. Remembering the construction on Highway 7 in Guelph, I took a detour around the north side of town on Highway 6. I found that Highway 6 and Speedvale Drive were also under heavy construction. So much for that bright idea. Leaving Guelph, I continued on 24 to Erin.

I had left myself extra time to ride some of the fun roads so, in Erin, I left 24 and headed for the Forks of the Credit Road. Passing through Belfountaine, the entrance to one of the better riding roads in this area, Meat Loaf came on the radio singing Paradise by the Dashboard Light and I prepared to have some fun. Then, around the next corner, there it was. Road Closed to Through Traffic. Bummer. I sadly turned around, got out my map atlas and found a side road to take me back to Highway 24.

So that all would not be lost, I took 24 to Caledon and then went north of Orangeville on Highway 10 where I followed the Hockley Road through the valley to Airport Road. The run through the Hockley Valley is pleasant and has some winds to it. From there, it was a straight shot up Airport Road to J&R.

John and Rhonda Broderick (above) own J&R Cycle, a small shop selling Honda, Triumph and Victory. They both greeted me as I arrived and John took Quicksilver back to the shop to get to work. Before long, I joined him and helped as we changed the oil, pulled the wheel and installed the new tire. The brake pads had about 25% left, but we changed them anyway and I wrapped the old pads up to carry as spares. Then John took it out for a test ride. I warned him to look out for the wobble but, when he came back, he said the wobble wasn't there. After settling up, I headed out and found he was right. Thinking back, the wobble started when we put the Dunlop Elite 3 tires on in the spring. Now, the old bike was back and I was happy.

I continued on to Sudbury, breaking my 20 Km over the limit rule most of the way. You might wonder why I was headed north again. I've heard on the radio that less than 4% of the eligible Canadian population donates blood. I am one of the 4% and my next donation day was Thursday. I skipped donating many years and then, after I got back to it, I was deferred for a number of years due to blood pressure issues. Now that my BP meds aren't a problem, I give every 56 days or as soon after as I am in town. This year I have a chance to get in seven donations (topping my previous best of six) and I intend to succeed. I could get more in as a plasma pherisis donor, but they won't let me since my O-Negative blood is universal and is more valuable as whole blood. For anyone who hasn't gotten around to giving and is eligible to, I urge you to give it some serious thought. Blood is the gift of life.

Anyway, I got to Sudbury with a smile and without incident, stopped at Harvey's for a burger to go and went home for a quiet evening. One very good thing was that the upper headset cord I had ordered from Calgary was in so Sandy and I would both have unbroken music for the rest of the trip.

Thursday morning, I headed down to the blood clinic for 10:00. Donna, the lady who does the bookings, signed me in and we talked about the trip she and her husband had taken on their bike to the NASCAR race in New Hampshire. The lady who tested my blood iron levels had done the trip as well. Ray, the lady volunteer who greets donors and sees they get to the right places, gave me a hug and a nurse put me through the involved screening process. In the chair, Nathalie stuck me expertly and soon it was all over except for the juice and the donuts. I was surprised to see that a letter I had sent to the Editor of the Sudbury Star on how I thought they could better fix our atrocious roads made the Letter of the Day, especially since I only E-mailed it in on Monday.

From the clinic, I headed directly south. Stopping at a convenience store on the way out of town, I saw Sid Segsworth, the retired manager of Inco's Copper Cliff Smelter. He is looking really well and says he has been golfing a lot. Sid is a very good golfer and was also a pretty damn good manager.

Again I exceeded my self imposed speed limits. I've been careful because, after the one speeding ticket last year, I don't want a second one to screw up my good insurance rates. But the day was nice, the traffic was light and I didn't really care. Today, I was having fun.

At former (damn Mike Harris) Highway 89, I stopped for a McDonald's sandwich. On the way out, I ran into Claudio Bertolli, a retired Italian teacher from the Soo. I spoke with him last month at the Bawating Reunion. Fancy running into him twice after not seeing him for 36 years.

I went through Cookstown to a sideroad around Nottawasaga, down Tottenham Road and then across County 1 to Loretto and back through the Hockley Valley. At Orangeville, since I wasn't going through Guelph construction again, I continued around town on Dufferin 16 and then took Dufferin 3 south through Marsville to Fergus. I even went down through Elora, not taking the short cut, and came into Cambridge the back way. It was another good ride.

We had a quiet evening after packing Heather's car with the gear we would be taking to the rally site tomorrow.

Cambridge Ontario - Cavy Capers

A cavy is another name for a guinea pig. Last spring, Heather got one and we built a 4 x 2 square cube and coroplast enclosure for her. Here, Penny is looking out from the safety of her little log house.

While she has been doing fine and growing by leaps and bounds, Heather figured that Penny could use some companionship. The one stipulation was that both be of the same gender to prevent unwanted expansion. While we were 99% sure Penny is a female, it seemed like a good idea to get a professional opinion.

We booked an appointement at the Preston Animal Clinic to get Penny and the new addition's gender confirmed and get a general checkup. Then we headed over to Pet Save, who have a good selection of supposedly all female GP's. After confirming that we could return it if it didn't prove to be female, she selected a small brown animal. The idea with a younger female is that it should be more submissive to a larger animal and simplify the establishment of just who the boss is. We took the new critter in its box and Penny in her travel carrier over to the clinic.

Jennifer Messer is the vet we got to see. Her manner with both pets and owners is excellent and she owns a variety of pets, including guinea pigs, herself. She confirmed that both patients were female and gave the new one a clean bill of health. The one wrinkle in the plan was that she suspected Penny might have fur mites. This is not serious and is treated with two injections of ivermectin ten days apart. The day after each shot, the cage and everything she might have contacted are cleaned with a mixtue of bleach and water. The down side was that the new pig, now named Coco, will have to remain isolated in the smaller pet store cage until the treatment completed.

After getting the pigs settled back in, we picked up Subway sandwiches and a couple of DVD's and then settled in for an evening at Heather's apartment.

Sudbury Ontario to Cambridge Ontario

It's been a couple of quiet weeks. Two trips to the Soo. Mom came through the surgery well and is looking fairly good according to her several doctors. Her GP, Dr. Phil Catania, looks like the best general practitioner I have ever seen. I wish he'd move to Sudbury.

The trailer wiring is fixed. I received the relay box soon after the last trip and pulled a bunch of plastic off the bike to install it. Since the last two units failed, I'm very happy to note that this one looks completely different. I also put a .035 shim in the anti-dive unit on the front fork following directions on the GL-1800 site, and it has smoothed the front end ride out quite a bit. As I put the trailer up on the jacks to set it up for loading, I noted that the wheel bearing we replaced before the Interlochen trip was quite loose, so I popped the cap and tightened it.

Packing was pretty straightforward. If we haven't figured this out by now, there's no hope for us. We headed out down the Highway 69 corridor. Once more, we survived the Highway of Death. Gas and lunch at Parry Sound and then the usual route to Cambridge. Hwy 400, Hwy 9, Airport Rd, former Hwy 24.

We're down early because Heather has taken the week off. After we arrived and parked, we took Heather and her friend Jessica out to Crabby Joe's for supper. They dropped me at Kim and Mike's and went to see Little Miss Sunshine at the show while I helped Mike configure a Wireless Access Point/Router for their new laptop. It was a D-Link and I am used to Link-Sys but it was a piece of cake. After visiting for a while, Mike drove me back to Heather's building.

Heather and Sandy came in quite late and we went to bed shortly after.

Interlochen Michigan to Sudbury Ontario

We got up early, broke camp, said goodbyes and skipped the Grandma's breakfast. I led north on US 31 and we grabbed a quick bite at McDonalds in Charlevoix. On through Petoskey, we continued north and crossed the Big Mac. Again we were on steel grating. The border crossing was uneventful. We stopped briefly to say Hi to Mom and then made an uneventful run back to Sudbury.

This will be about it until the end of August. I'll be making a few runs to the Soo and back as Mom has her surgery. After that, we don't head out until August 28th for the big September trip. Waterloo Ontario, Bloomington Indiana, Bethel Maine and Eureka Springs Arkansas. Stay tuned for further travels.

Interlochen Michigan - The Peninsulas and Traverse Bay

We arose late again. The usual breakfast was had at Grandma's and, when we got back to the campground, we found that Snake and KT had arrived from central Indiana on their Mean Streak. Rather than camp, they had found a motel room over in Honor.

About 11:00, Jack led us out on the day's tour. Ray took another small contingent on an adventure ride, but most came with us bound for the Old Mission Peninsula. This spit of land separates East and West Traverse Bays. We did well staying together as we circumnavigated downtown Traverse Bay. Going out the peninsula, Jack opted to take us off the main road and along the east shoreline. This is a very pretty ride.

Out near the end, we stopped at Haserot Beach to get our bearings and take a few pictures. Then we completed the trip out, stopping at the Old Mission Lighthouse, which sits right on the 45th Parallel. This puts it exactly 1/2 way between the Equator and the North Pole. From here we started back down the peninsula, stopping for gas part way. The gas stop was the beginning of the end of our cohesive group.

Jack started the group out from the gas station after receiving a hand signal from the last rider that he interpreted to mean that all were there. It actually meant that they weren't all ready yet. Passing the gas station on the highway, we immediately saw the error of our ways. Unfortunately, the side road to the west coastline was right there, a hidden right down a hill. At the bottom, I made a U-turn and highballed it back up to the station. Two of the four riders were still there, but Leo and Flattop had already pulled out. I guess they were hauling down M37 trying to catch us but we weren't on M37. I took the other two down to the group and we enjoyed a winding, scenic ride back to the mainland. At the end, we rejoined 37, the only way off the peninsula and, as we turned right towards the city and the Leelanau Peninsula, there were Leo and Flattop.

When we turned right on M22, the road that goes around the Leelanau, a number of the group decided they were done riding and turned south towards Interlochen. As we headed north, we lost a few more on the way as they peeled off to find food. By Northport, Jack, Margaret, Snake, KT, Scotty, Marlene and Leo were about all we had left. We had lunch at a place that was going out of business soon and then started out of town continuing along M22. On the outskirts of town, Jack missed a turn and I became leader by default.

I had studied the map and navigated us down to Leland and then east on 204 and south on 643 to Cedar where we then followed 651 south to M72. This was a very pleasant ride and I didn't make a mis-step. Unfortunately, this was as far as I had explored on the map. But, when you are leader, you can never admit you don't know where to go so I faked it. At this point we were only about six miles from Interlochen but, with my attempt at dead reckoning, it took us almost 40 miles to get there. We zigged, we zagged, we went east, we went west. At long last, we came out on US31 way over by Honor and rode back to camp on familiar road.

The bonfire this last night was enhanced by the Perseid Meteor Shower. Snake and I, with Sandy, KT and a few others, watched the fiery trails across the sky and contemplated the nature of the universe. Snake told stories of Lakota Sun Dances. Oh yes, and we saw a UFO. At least WE couldn't identify it.

It started to get cool so Sandy fired up the ceramic heater in the trailer and we went to bed fairly early.

Interlochen Michigan - Cruising by Lake Michigan

We awoke a little later than usual and a bunch of us headed over to Grandma's Kitchen for breakfast. When we returned, we were greeted with this sight. No, Flip had not crashed. This is the way he chooses to work on the underside of his bike when there isn't a lift handy. Flip works on his bike a lot. In this case, he was working on the oil sump screen while trying not to lose any oil.

A group of us set out for a ride led by Scotty, who took us around Crystal Lake and then south along the shore of Lake Michigan. Part way down, we stopped at the lookout at Arcadia Bluff. The view of the lake and sandy beach is spectacular even if we did get a good cardio workout getting up to the platform.

From here, we continued south to Manistee where we cruised through the scenic and historic downtown. On the other side, we came across a museum and the mouth of the harbour. We took time to wander around and admire the sights.

Leaving Manistee, Scotty took us on a tour around the town water tower. This wasn't the plan, but we were a little bit lost. On the main road, we rode up to Onalaska where we stopped for ice cream. From here, Jack took the point, Scotty was second and I was third. We were rocking and rolling through the limited speed curves at a good clip and I don't think any of the three bikes varied their position by more than a couple of inches. This was all fun until I looked back and saw the rest of the group was missing. Quick U-turns and a run back met them riding to catch up. It seems Marlene had gotten stung by a bee, but she was now back on track. Jack slowed down until we got to our gas stop in Frankfort. As we were maneuvering our way to the BP station, Jack managed to run over his own foot with his floorboard causing quite a bit of pain.

I now inherited the lead. We went back around Crystal Lake and continued on to Deadstream Road, where we cruised under a canopy of deciduous trees past camps until we got to Honor. From here, it was a straight shot east back to the campground.

A few of us who had missed the Hofbrau the previous day decided to give it a try. Despite the name, it isn't really a German restaurant any more.

Furhead, an Interlochen regular from Wisconsin, found a friend at the Hofbrau

Leo is being his usual, jovial self

Scotty and Marlene waiting for food

Marlene tackles the infamous Six Layer Cappucino Cake

After the Hofbrau, we got back to the campground and settled in for the bonfire. Tonight, we went to bed fairly early.

Sudbury Ontario To Interlochen Michigan

For several years, the Michigan VROC crew, led by Brandon "Flip" Caldwell, has hosted a gathering at the Cycle-Moore Campground just west of Interlochen (near Traverse City). This is traditionally a small and informal gathering drawing riders from Ontario, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and a few farther afield. The time to head back to Interlochen was upon us once again. This year Leo Laframboise, a long time riding partner, would be accompanying us to his first VROC gathering on his Nomad.

The trailer isolated wiring wasn't fixed because Bushtec inadvertently sent me a wiring sub-harness instead of a relay box, so I will be using hand signals for right turns for this trip too. I called and the correct part should be in soon after we get back.

It was raining lightly as Leo came by. Rain gear went on. Leaving town, we stopped for a few moments at the Chateau Guay Motel to say Hi to Ernie Duncan. Ernie is a VROCer who was on his way back to his home in New Hampshire. This was the first time we have met him, but it looks like we'll be seeing him again in the future.

We set out shortly after 8:00 down the familiar Highway 17 corridor to the Soo. The rain held off and the only thing of note was a transport in a pull-out on the outskirts of Massey surrounded by yellow crime scene tape and guarded by several OPP officers. (We later found out that the driver had pulled over and died of natural causes.) There was one coffee stop in Blind River and we arrived in the Soo about noon.

We stopped at Mom's house in the Soo for a short visit with her and my brother Dave, aka Rabbi. He's visiting from Edmonton for the month. Mom's going to have some surgery done next week and I decided to cancel the second part of this trip (Pennsylvania) so I'd be able to spend a few days down here.

Leaving Mom's, we started across the International Bridge to Michigan. They were doing some construction and traffic backed up so we spent about 45 minutes waiting in line to clear US customs. When we finally got to the booth there was, as usual, no problem. We hauled straight down I-75 to the Mackinac Bridge. As usual, the right hand lane was closed over the main span forcing us to cross on the dreaded steel grate lane. This time, though, instead of being consumed with fear and trepidation I sailed right over even releasing the bars to wave at riders going the other way. Not many waved back. We continued on I-75 to Grayling.

From Grayling, we wandered across M-72 to Traverse City. Unfortunately, the short cut I planned to take around the city was closed due to construction so we were forced to ride downtown with all the traffic. Out the other side, Interlochen and Cycle-Moore were just a short hop.

When we arrived at the camground, most were out to supper. Scotty and Marlene were still there and watched with amusement as we dickered over location before setting up the camper Then we pitched our tent which Leo was borrowing. We zipped down to Grandma's Place for supper and returned to find most of the people had come back from the Hofbrau. Flip and Renata, Jack and Margaret, Furhead, Flattop, Rainman Ray and Fireball Lisa and Bugsplat Ron. There were also newcomers Kevin and Sue.

The evening consisted of sitting around the bonfire sharing stories and then Shelby got out his guitar. He is really good and entertained us as the time slipped by. Bugsplat and Kevin really got into it. At one point, Rainman Ray reminded us that it was here a year ago when we got the call that Wolfman had left us in a tragic accident in Virginia. Shelby played Clap for the Wolfman and there were many tears. Then we tried to remember the verses of Amazing Grace and got stuck after the first. We turned in shortly after, but the songs and partying went on until the wee hours.

Shelby plays Clap for the Wolfman

Lisa, Ray and Leo watch the festivities