Started out great. Woke up early and rested and made it to the Cape May Ferry in time for the 8:30 departure. I was first in line - motorcycles load first. The crossing was uneventful, a much nicer boat than the Long Island Ferry Boat. Once across, I rode down the Delaware beaches which were not much different than any beach towns in South Carolina or Florida. Delaware led to Maryland and then to Virginia where I crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge After getting into Virginia, I started looking ahead for a place to stay the night and found state parks in both both Virginia and North Carolina near the state line on I-85.
As the day progressed, I started watching Fridays weather which was getting progressively more ominous. I eventually decided to make it a really long day and ride all the way to Douglas Lake to my Friend Marty Hill's lake house. I got there about 1:30 a.m. after riding about about 690 miles.
Got up Friday morning, did some laundry and napped on and off until Marty and friend Carl showed up in the afternoon. We drank some beer, cooked some brats, took a pontoon boat ride, played some poker and told a bunch of lies. It was a good end to a motorcycle adventure.
After breakfast Saturday, I took the short ride back to Clinton and made it safely home.
Totaled 2527 miles. 52.6 gallons of gasoline. 13 States + D.C. $38.00 for parking (one night at the Sonesta in Boston), 2 Ferry Boats ($61.00). Probably about another $30 or so in tolls. 8 cans of vienna sausage, 1 box of Ritz crackers, couple of bags of trail and party mix. Lots of good memories and another adventure in the books. Thanks for sharing it with me.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Day 5
A good riding day! Michael convinced me to get up when he did, at @ 4:45 a.m. Got away from the hotel by 5:30. It helped that all I had to do was put my roll bag on the bike and hit the road. I had left everything else loaded up. Getting out of Boston was easy that time of day, the air was clear and crisp and the ride was nice. If it had not been overcast, the sunrise over Cape Cod Bay at Plymouth would have been great. As it was it was peaceful watching the sky get light, several fishing boats heading out of the harbour and a few folks out and about.
From there it was on through Buzzard Bay, Newport RI and New London Connecticut to the Ferry across Long Island Sound. I felt like the Marines invading Grenada trying to navigate Long Island. All I had was a tourist map that had no highway numbers. Didn't make the route I intended, but eventually made it to NYC and across the Verrazono Bridge into New Jersey.
Needed to make some time time, so I stayed on the Parkway south until I got to the Belleplain State Forest where i stayed the night. Nicest camping site of the trip. Few people about, tent site was a bed of pine needles, mostly quiet, no traffic and near the facilities. Very restful.
From there it was on through Buzzard Bay, Newport RI and New London Connecticut to the Ferry across Long Island Sound. I felt like the Marines invading Grenada trying to navigate Long Island. All I had was a tourist map that had no highway numbers. Didn't make the route I intended, but eventually made it to NYC and across the Verrazono Bridge into New Jersey.
Needed to make some time time, so I stayed on the Parkway south until I got to the Belleplain State Forest where i stayed the night. Nicest camping site of the trip. Few people about, tent site was a bed of pine needles, mostly quiet, no traffic and near the facilities. Very restful.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Long day
After watching the forecast for Friday, I decided to ride through the night to my friend Marty's lake house at Douglas lake. Glad I did, looks like rain on I-40 from here to Asheville and beyond. Again no Wi-fi here. So just a short post. Check back Monday for a recap of the last couple of days. I had a great time.
Accuracy:35.93974642[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=35.93974642,-83.42018199
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Day 5- sort of...
No Wi-Fi. Barely a phone signal. Short recap of the day. Plymouth Rock, Buzzard Bay, Goat Island, Ferry boat ride, NYC and traffic traffic traffic. More tomorrow with pictures.
Accuracy:39.24359509[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=39.24359509,-74.85347133
Early start today
Accuracy:41.957743[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=41.957743,-70.6625034
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Day 4 Boston
What a day. No rain! Blue Skies! After a great night sleep in a real bed with a decent motel breakfast, I headed north at 8:00. Took about an hour to run north on I-95 to Maine and then back to Boston. I got to the Sonesta Hotel about 10:30, parked in my $38.00 parking place and changed into shorts for a visit into Boston.
After studying the mass transit map, I realized it was only about a 25 minute to the Old North Church. From there I just followed the Freedom Trail which is a great walking tour of several famous Boston sites. I did not get to Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution, but made it past all the other stops in about 2 hours. Pictures on several of the sites in the Day 4 slideshow.
Michael got in about 2:30 and I meet him back at the Hotel. We walked back into Boston Central and the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Several street performers, lots of places to eat and shops and street vendors. Michael took me to Mikes Pastrys for a cannoli. He had been there before and highly recommended we go back. We were kinda of full after that so for dinner we went through the Quincy Market where Michael got a bagel pizza and I picked up a cuban sandwich.
Since by now I had been walking for 6 hours or so, we headed back to the Hotel. Will clean up some now and make some planes for the trip south tomorrow. Plan to leave when Michael does at 5:30 so I can get on down the road before any afternoon storms.
After studying the mass transit map, I realized it was only about a 25 minute to the Old North Church. From there I just followed the Freedom Trail which is a great walking tour of several famous Boston sites. I did not get to Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution, but made it past all the other stops in about 2 hours. Pictures on several of the sites in the Day 4 slideshow.
Michael got in about 2:30 and I meet him back at the Hotel. We walked back into Boston Central and the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Several street performers, lots of places to eat and shops and street vendors. Michael took me to Mikes Pastrys for a cannoli. He had been there before and highly recommended we go back. We were kinda of full after that so for dinner we went through the Quincy Market where Michael got a bagel pizza and I picked up a cuban sandwich.
Since by now I had been walking for 6 hours or so, we headed back to the Hotel. Will clean up some now and make some planes for the trip south tomorrow. Plan to leave when Michael does at 5:30 so I can get on down the road before any afternoon storms.
In for the night. Sonesta Hotel very nice.
Accuracy:42.3670011[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=42.3670011,-71.0750686
Anything you want can be found here!
Accuracy:42.3602377[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=42.3602377,-71.0552744
Walking the Freedom Trail in Boston
Accuracy:42.3575374[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=42.3575374,-71.0636426
Monday, August 4, 2014
Day 3
A good riding day. Started out with blue sky's and good roads. Stayed on the Interstate up to Albany, little traffic and a good road - albeit a tool road. Took Hwy 9 through Vermont, the Molly Stark Byway. Several towns that I wish had the time to explore. The vistas were nice as the sky was trying to clear in the mountains. The weather changed as I neared the end of Hwy 9. Just pulled under a gas station canopy when the bottom dropped out, hardest rain yet. Didn't look like it was going to quit anytime soon, so I suited up and took off. It was off and on rain for about an hour as I detoured through New Hampshire just so I could say I was there and then into Massachusetts.
The sky's turned blue again and off came the rain gear. Two separate crashes on the highway slowed me considerable as I neared Boston, I travelled through Concord, Lexington and Medford, the towns in Paul Reveres Ride. Traffic was heavy and I dreaded the upcoming Interstate to get to the airport area where Michael's motel was. I was a bit relieved that traffic was moving out of town and not in. Short lived though, I missed the exit to the airport, went another 10 miles or so before I realized my mistake and had to turn around. traffic toward the airport was near standstill, but eventually I made it. It was only then I discovered if I had looked a little closer at my map, I could have skipped the interstate all together and saved about 90 minutes getting to the motel. Oh well, at least I have a bed to sleep in tonite.
Tomorrow will be spent exploring the area around Boston. Michael should be back around 3 and has a hotel downtown tomorrow. No glympses tomorrow.
The sky's turned blue again and off came the rain gear. Two separate crashes on the highway slowed me considerable as I neared Boston, I travelled through Concord, Lexington and Medford, the towns in Paul Reveres Ride. Traffic was heavy and I dreaded the upcoming Interstate to get to the airport area where Michael's motel was. I was a bit relieved that traffic was moving out of town and not in. Short lived though, I missed the exit to the airport, went another 10 miles or so before I realized my mistake and had to turn around. traffic toward the airport was near standstill, but eventually I made it. It was only then I discovered if I had looked a little closer at my map, I could have skipped the interstate all together and saved about 90 minutes getting to the motel. Oh well, at least I have a bed to sleep in tonite.
Tomorrow will be spent exploring the area around Boston. Michael should be back around 3 and has a hotel downtown tomorrow. No glympses tomorrow.
In for the night
Accuracy:42.4011601[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=42.4011601,-71.00583413
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Day 2
Another day that did not go quite as planned. The new route to D.C. was fine, but as soon as I got there it started raining. As I got the rain gear out it cleared a bit and I decided to risk it and put all the gear away. Good choice for once, although it was cloudy, the rain held off until I got to Pennsylvania. Anyway, D.C. was a mess. I thought maybe on the weekend there would be less traffic, as it was there was plenty. One should walk in D.C. Getting out was a challenge also. Roads were well marked getting there, but getting out found me stopping and map reading and even googling my location on the phone.
Getting through Maryland was easy enough, even downtown Baltimore. Not much to say about that part of the trip. Pennsylvania brought its own troubles with the rain. On again off again on again off again. It was bothersome enough - and coupled with the longer than expected transit through DC, I changed my route again and cam through the lower east part of the state and the Delaware Water Gap. Ended up just a few miles shy of the New York line at the River Beach Campground in Milford, PA. The campground seems nice, but I can hear the truck traffic on the interstate. Oh well, I'm tired and should be able to sleep through it. Not sure how I am going to get to Boston tomorrow. Have to look at the weather and hope the rain fades away.
Getting through Maryland was easy enough, even downtown Baltimore. Not much to say about that part of the trip. Pennsylvania brought its own troubles with the rain. On again off again on again off again. It was bothersome enough - and coupled with the longer than expected transit through DC, I changed my route again and cam through the lower east part of the state and the Delaware Water Gap. Ended up just a few miles shy of the New York line at the River Beach Campground in Milford, PA. The campground seems nice, but I can hear the truck traffic on the interstate. Oh well, I'm tired and should be able to sleep through it. Not sure how I am going to get to Boston tomorrow. Have to look at the weather and hope the rain fades away.
Accuracy:41.3432937[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=41.3432937,-74.759604
Washington is not a place to drive in
Accuracy:38.89203728[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=38.89203728,-77.03549728
Sunday Morning
Well, I didn't make it to Sherando Lakes last night. It wasn't right on the Parkway like I had originally thought. Instead, I finished up the Parkway and stayed at Misty Mountain Campground off the top of the Parkway. Got there just as the office was closing at 9:00. Got the tent set up and talked a bit with a group of 8 bikers from western Pennsylvania on their way down the Parkway. Quiet time didn't start until midnight since it was a weekend and there was one camper full of kids who took advantage of that.
Got up and away a little after 7 and am know deciding how to proceed, Guess I'll hit the Interstate after I get through DC and follow it into PA where I can pick up a real map at the welcome center and then find a slower route northeast to the Poconos and New York Catskills. Not going up the Skyline either, I have adjusted my route on the Harley map to show me going up hwy 29 through the rest of Virginia.
Realized last night I forgot toothpaste and thought to myself I would wait and get the little free tube at a motel later - bad idea. After I got moving this morning, my bad breath started blowing back in face. I'll be stopping at CVS for a tube here shortly.
Got up and away a little after 7 and am know deciding how to proceed, Guess I'll hit the Interstate after I get through DC and follow it into PA where I can pick up a real map at the welcome center and then find a slower route northeast to the Poconos and New York Catskills. Not going up the Skyline either, I have adjusted my route on the Harley map to show me going up hwy 29 through the rest of Virginia.
Realized last night I forgot toothpaste and thought to myself I would wait and get the little free tube at a motel later - bad idea. After I got moving this morning, my bad breath started blowing back in face. I'll be stopping at CVS for a tube here shortly.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
In for the night.
Accuracy:38.03877849[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=38.03877849,-78.73961632
Day 1
So far so good. It was raining just a bit when I got up this morning, but it cleared out and I got off right at 8:00. Rode up I-40/I-81 into Virginia. Don't really like interstate riding, but sometimes you just got to make time. Slower than I thought cutting across highway 58, the Crooked Road. Curvy and slow from Damascus to Galax. Hit the Parkway at Meadows of the Dan and soon hit thick fog (low clouds) Had to the rain gear out, which helped with the cold also, and drive slow. Don't know if I'll make it off the Parkway tonite. Stopped here in Roanoke for a bite and to get this on the blog since there is no internet at the Parkway campgrounds. Hope I can get a space at Sherando Lake. Well hitting the road - clouds are building again.
Foggy and cool on the Parkway
Accuracy:37.13666952[meters]
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&geocode=&q=37.13666952,-80.11196786
Virginia
Made it to Virginia with only 2 pit stops. Gotta quit drinking so much coffee in the mornings. Only a few more interstate miles before I cut across the bottom of Virginia on hwy58 to the blue ridge parkway.
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