2001 Ride Reports
courtesy of Rabbai
This is my "we done it" page. Whether it was a planned ride or an
informal get together.
This page has been constructed to give a sort of report (or results) of the
happenings of the
Connecticut Valkyrie Riders
Sunday, January 21, 2001 -
VRCC New England - "PMS" get together at the Plymouth
Marina's, Mayflower Restaurant, Plymouth, Mass. During the height of the
Plymouth's area first Nor'easter in years. A group of us got together for lunch,
lies and laugh's. Some driving as far as 175 miles (one way) to be part of this
group that has become more of an extended family than a bunch of riders whose original
focus was the "World's Greatest Motorcycle" and the country's most scenic
roads. We call this
the Dragonfire
attending;
Paul S (Tangeman)/Ava, Hanover, MA
Randy G (Rabbai), Western, Watertown, CT - CT Rep
Ron (Valkrocket)/Carol-Anne, Plymouth, MA
Steve Mile/Bev/Steve Jr, Cape Cod, MA - MA Rep
Dennis, Cape Cod, MA
Martin, Wooster, MA
Olaf (Maineman)/Sherry, Brunswick, ME - ME Rep
Don (V-Man)/Kim, Southern, Berwick, ME
Ed (Burnt Rubba)/Deb, Central MA
Tony C. (Weatherman), Boston, Metro West, MA
Bobaloo/Spouse, VT - VT Rep
Tom Charron, Central MA
Brett (dalai-lama)/Trudy, Western, Watertown, CT
Gene/Peggy, RI
Glenn (Hoss), Worcester Area MA
Thierry (Grd_Zero), Worcester Area MA
Kim (He’s New !), Cape Cod, MA
Weatherman's note: Posted on the New England Bulletin Board, Sunday, January
21st, 2001, 8:35 PM.
A special thanks to Tangeman and Valkrocket. Last November, Tangeman suggested we get together for lunch during the winter. The man’s got a heart as big as he is tall! And to
our paisano Valkrocket, thanks for making the arrangements with the Mayflower Restaurant and sweating out the details on headcount and weather with
the me.
The Chapters leaders got together after lunch to plan rides for this coming season. Watch the Board because it’s gonna be awesome!
Friday, February 2, 2001
A small group got together
at Senior Ponchos Restaurant in Southbury, CT for dinner, drinking and dallying.
The Mexican flare got us merrymaking on Margaritas in short order. Guess who
came . . .
Ron (IronHorseMan) and Cindy
B,
Barry (The Boz) and Judy B,
Brett (the dalai-lama) and
Trudy with son Steve,
Randy (Rabbai) and Chris G. CT Rep
A really great time was had
by all. The roving Mariachi Band made for a great evening and only more VRCC'ers
would have made it better.
* * * *
Saturday
February 24th, 2001 *
* * *
Report on
The NYC Jacob
Javits Center Motorcycle Show for 2001
Saturday, February 24th, 2001. MainMan (
Maine State VRCC Rep) is up and out of his place in Brunswick, Maine about 03:45 hours. The evening before he had called me and asked what I was doing today and I twisted his arm into coming to Connecticut (a 4 ½ hour ride in itself) so we could go see the "Big Daddy" of Motorcycle Shows in the Big Apple (another 2 hour ride). Sure enough, 09:00 hours and Olaf drives in the driveway right on schedule (even after my giving him bad directions), with that ever pleasant smile we all know and love, and a fresh cup of coffee, off we go, Olaf, Chris (my wife) and I. Two hours later we pull into a parking lot across from the Jacob Javitts Center and I don the ever popular "horn hat" so a friend can spot us and give us our tickets that she stood in line for. With a twinkle in our eyes, smiles on our faces and money in our pockets, up the escalator we head, to the NYC Motorcycle Show for 2001 (the "BIG ONE, THE BIG DADDY OF THEM ALL). What a damn disaster . . . . . we should've stayed home and watched it on the tel-e-o, or gone to a movie. A good flogging would have been more fun. Keel hauling might have been worse, depending on the size of the vessel . . . . This show was terrible, miserable and I for one will never be stupid enough to do that again. You think I’m kidding, you think maybe my expectations were too high . . . . You’re thinking maybe I’ve got it all wrong . . . Ask anyone you know who went, ask Olaf, this was terrible. So what was wrong you’re wondering, what was so terrible that the Rabbai will never do the NYC Motorcycle Show again. Planning and Consideration for both the consumer and the vendors. Floor layout and the "severe" lack of comfortable room. I am positive the NYC Fire Marshal could have written tickets every minute of the hour for the Fire Code Safety Occupancy Violations. Planning on the part of the Jacob Javitts Center and/or the Show Promoters showed an absolute lack of any concern for the comfort and safety of the visitor. Without exaggerations, we were shoulder to shoulder from start to finish. If you stopped anytime to see a vendor you were impeding the flow of traffic and were subject to being pushed, trampled and cursed. The floor plan went something like this . . . .Take a big box, say 10 feet by 10 feet and in the center of that put another box 6 feet by 6 feet. now you have a corridor of 2 feet all around the inside box. Now give half that space (1 foot all around) to the small venders (ei: mom and pop small company trying to make a buck or two) and leave the center box for the big venders (ei: Honda, Suzuki, BMW, Kawasaki - you get the picture). Now fill the 10 by 10 box 15 feet high with people. All pushing and shoving and trying to go in different directions, all at the same time. It was a whore house on payday and the deal was two for one. The irony of it is the place has "LOTS MORE ROOM" if they decide to use it, but they didn't. Now, I’m not sure how this is going to effect the Promoters or the Jacob Javitts Center, but my opinion is, if you have anything else you could do . . . anything at all . . . The NYC Motorcycle show is not worth the time and expense of going. Buy the time you get into the City, by whatever means you choose, park and pay for parking your car, pay the "new" $12.00 entrance fee, get pushed around like cows, or sardines at best, grab a bite to eat, buy a few souvenirs, drive home again . . . folks, it just ain’t worth it. See the pictures, check them out. And if you end up doing the NYC Motorcycle Show ever again . . . well, shame on you. Me, I’ll pass.
See the pictures at ....(http://community.webshots.com/album/10534507CuyfuSOWGM) ....
* * * * S
unday March 25th, 2001 * * * *22 degrees
outside and I left the house at 08:30 heading for Patty's Pantry. As I'm coming
down the ramp at Exit 16 off I-84 West Bound, I see "the Boz" getting off on the East Bound
side. He heads for the Mobile station and I head for my first cup of coffee.
Richie and Robert Haxhi (brothers, as Patty's is "family" owned), make
good coffee and excellent conversationalists. This weeks discussion turns to Mrs
Richard Haxhi's being "in the family way", and how proud the expectant parents
are. Five minutes later the Dalai shows up and most of the "regulars"
are here. 09:00 and it's time to roll . . . . Marcus Dairy, here we come.
Boz takes the lead and with his new tires and trigger wheel he's showing off on
his first real test. He pulls out with what I call, "gusto". Lily's not having a
hard time keeping up and somewhere in the rearview mirrors the Dalai Lama is a
spec barely recognizable.
Twenty five minutes later we're pulling into Marcus and this feels good. The
crowd was small, maybe 50-100 bikers in all, but it's early in the riding season
for the most part. A quick walk around to see the bikes and accessories and
we're heading in for breakfast. Of course while eating, the Connecticut Yankee
shows up and our table is complete. Don gives us a heads up on his tentative
plans for this year, we share our thoughts for the upcoming Memorial Day ride to
Washington D.C.. It's good to see old friends. After breakfast, we're outside
kicking a few more tires, checking out the latest doodads and thingamajigs and
getting ready to head home. It's still cold, but the Dalai and I head back to
Watertown in what had to be the longest way I could think of. Maybe next week
will be warmer, after all, it's Vermont on Sunday. I hope some of you can make
it.....
Rabbai
* * * * * Sunday April 1st, 2001 * * * * *
New England get-together in Saxtons River, Vermont, at
Averill's Restaurant
Those of you
who didn’t come made a mistake, they know how to throw a party !
Sticky buns and coffee almost as soon as we walked in the door, drinks, live
entertainment (a Willie Nelson impersonator who would have made the master
himself blush), and a buffet "all you can eat" that included, roast
pork, turkey, pheasant, dressing, chicken lasagna, mash potatoes, gravy, salad,
cranberry sauce and more sticky buns, all cooked to perfection for a $10.00 per
person cover charge. You should have canceled your plans, rearranged your
schedules and beaten a path to the back door of Bobaloo’s and Averill's
restaurant in Vermont. We met Dino (New York VRCC Rep) and his lovely new bride
Lolita, Dennis made the trip from the cape and brought Sally (his new bride) and
we finally got to meet Karen, our only trike driver. All the regulars were there
and no one walked away either hungry or regretting they came.
Paul (Tangeman) should have paid triple, it took a lot of food to fill that boy.
Ed (Burnt Rubba) was seen searching the kitchen, he wanted gefilta fish. Don
Chembars (V-Man) liked the sticky buns so much, he was caught wrapping up the
leftovers for the trip home.
The day will long be remembered by those who made the trip.
Once again, I’d like to thank you, Bob and Averill (and your crew) for hosting such a terrific get together. I personally look forward to the Fall Foliage Run, when we'll be passing by your place . . . . . again. Rabbai
* * * * * Sunday, April 15 th, 2001 * * * * *
Marcus Dairy's "Super Sunday"
Well the title just about covers it all. Sunday, certainly was SUPER .............
VRCC members from all
over New England were there to catch the "deals" and the
"rays". Yes, it was hot ! Connecticut set records for not only it’s temperatures
(92’ an all time high for the day), but also it’s humanity. The Humanitarian
Award of the year (NE-VRCC Style, of course), goes out to the Connecticut
Yankee, who after finding out about ValkRocket's electrical problems, loaded Ron’s
bike onto a trailer and drove Ron and TwoMaidens back to Plymouth, Mass. After a
well deserved dinner the Connecticut Yankee headed home, not returning till 2:30
AM the next morning. Of course, had ValkRocket not been held back by that
"RustBucket" he probably would not have developed the alternator
problem to begin with. Way to go Don Hibbard !!!!! You sir, are the essence of
what makes this New England Valkyrie Riders Cruisers group, the best there is.
I read in the Danbury news that they estimated between 10 and 12 thousand bikers
made the trek to Marcus Dairy’s Super Sunday, another record. I sure hope all
of you get to experience the Super Sunday some time when your looking for
something to do on a lazy Sunday morning.
Rabbai
* * * * * Saturday April 28 th, 2001 * * * * *
Depot Honda - Rye, New Hampshire
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Don "V-Man" Chembars posted on the NE Bulletin Board that there was going to be a few motorcycles at the open house at Depot Honda in Rye, New Hampshire. Little did that tidbit declare the storm of motorcycles that over took the place that day. You could tell by the hoard of bikes that motorcyclists were tired of the long cold winter and were not about to let an opportunity for a gathering pass them by. VRCC Members "guestamated" at about 40 - 50 showed up and just "covered" half of the parking lot. For the Dalai-Lama, the Boz, the Clue-Collector and I, it was a fantastic 2 ½ hour, 80 MPH ride up, to near the Portsmouth Circle and the same coming back. What a terrific way to "bring in the New Year". CJ (Dragon 1) showed off his latest chrome goodies, and new VRCC members were met and greeted, some for the first time. If V-Man post this for next year, I suggest you find the time .... it’s a fun ride.
Rabbai
* * * * * Sunday, May 6 th, 2001 * * * * *
Franklin
Delano Roosevelt's
Hyde Park, New York
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This was a very impromptu ride that showed up on the NE bulletin Board "all of a sudden". Chris (my Conscience) had been thinking about a ride over there for a year but never found the time. I called Dino (the VRCC Rep for NY) and asked what it was all about on Saturday, and that was all it took. 9:00 hours, Sunday, Barry, Judy (Mr & Mrs Boz) Chris and I were off to Hyde Park, NY. Where we met up with a small group of New York State VRCC'ers. I’d mapped out a route that followed all back roads and with that we were off. About two hours and 80 miles later we were at the Diner "Eveready" in Hyde Park. Eveready’s is a fifty’s style dinner on Rt 9 just about ½ mile up the road from the entrance to FDR’s Homestead. It’s got fantastic food, shakes and if you dare, try the "egg-creams", made the way we did in old Brooklyn the home of the official "Vanilla Egg-Cream". Hyde Park is a historians delight. Artifacts and FDR’s way of life are well preserved and well presented. Go some day, enjoy the trip, enjoy the view of the Hudson River, enjoy Eveready's.
* * * * * Saturday, May 6 th, 2001 * * * * *
New
England 1000
Iron Butt
copied from the New England Bulletin Board upon their return
Posted by MaineMan on Sun - May 20 - 10:19am:THE TRIP:
We met at the hotel in Augusta at about 1430, had dinner and then went out to
get ourselves registered for the IB. got to bed around 10pm. Wake up call was
0130. Tried to sleep, couldn't!
V-man and I got about one hour before the hotel room phone rang. Weather
forecasts said intermittent showers moving in from Ohio, should be clear by
morning, inland should be "WONDERFUL." Hooray!!! We left before 0200
had to go to the IB officials house about 8 miles from where we were to get
checked out. No rain, we left Augusta close to 3am. We hit Bangor, got fuel and
headed out RT 2, a dark and windy two lane road, famous for its selection and
abundance, in wildlife. Not 5 minutes on RT 2, it started to rain and fog up
wicked. Our glasses and goggles were useless. It poured and poured! You didn't
need to drink, just had to open your mouth. It did this for seven friggin'
hours! We were soaked and frozen. The battery in my cell phone got wet and
shorted out, despite my thick cordura/kevlar jacket. By the time we got to
(near) Montpelier, VT, the rain had stopped for the most part. We stopped at a
local laundry mat and I tumble dried every stitch of clothes I had including my
boots. It was a much needed break. We took off again. Just when we thought the
weather would hold, those mountainous valleys seemingly held the storm clouds
dumped on us some more till we got to Burlington, VT. Man, what a ride! Over 300
miles in six or so, very wet (and cold), hours. Despite all of the nasty weather
we averaged about 50 mph. In Burlington VT we picked up I-89 to I-91 and rode
down to New Haven CT. The weather was beautiful, but hot and we ran 80-85 mph.
We were doing 75mph right thru the middle of New Haven just keeping up with
traffic! From New Haven, we picked up I-95 and went up to Providence RI, down
195 to Falls River and New Bedford, came back up 495 to 24 North bypassing
Boston, and headed up I-95 towards Maine. Once we hit RI, the weather started
getting really nippy, but was clear. By the time we hit the Maine line, our
teeth were practically chattering. We ran up 95 about 75 mph and finally hit
dense fog (in places) as we neared Augusta. TC and Brett said they couldn't even
see thru their windshields. It was coooold! We checked in and got our beautiful
IB plaques. I said my goodbyes to my old friends and new friends and we all
headed back to the hotel. I peeled off at I-95 and headed back to Brunswick for
another cold 40 miles. All I could think about was my luxurious bed and warm
down comforter. On the highway, I turned on my high beams (looking for deer and moose) only
to have darkness. My right spotlight also had burned out. I just slowed down a
bit for safety, but it was surely crisp outside. The last four miles, I really
had to concentrate on keeping myself upright, I felt like I was drunk. Got to
bed at 0230 and woke up at 0900 because the phone rang. Now I'm off to get
Runaway and meet up with V-Man, Tangeman and TC. We are going to V-Man's for a
bit. That's the saga. I'm sure the others will color in some of the blank spots.
I was a great trip because it shows you what you can do. It also confirmed, once
again, what a great , reliable, performance machine we ride.
Posted by Craigster on Sun - May 20 -
2:55pm:
In Reply to: Iron
Butters (Long) posted by MaineMan on Sun - May 20 - 10:19am:
Oh, oh, I think this this Spiderman handle is gonna stick!!
Great story MM, all I can say it was great to meet you guys, and I had a great
time with great people. Man what a ride.
Look forward to some of the more social events, we sure don't get to talk much
on a 1000 miler!
Some impressions....
Man you guys can all ride! I gotta tip my hat to ClueCollector, any guy that can
ride a naked bike that far in that weather deserves respect. Great ride Joe...
and that's after he did a dry run on the route a few weeks ago! Insane! I was
inspired to see that.
The guys on the run know I was hurting bad the last 100 or so miles.
I just hit the wall with fatigue, and was trying to do anything to find a way to
stay alert. I really appreciated everyone giving me some extra time to get my
head together.
Everyone just wanted to get it over with, and I was holding things up. Sorry
about that again everyone.
That Rt 2 is one of the best bike roads around, even in the rain. Especially from Gorham into Vermont. Awesome scenery. And the twisties are great too.
I feel bad for anyone that has to drive Rt 91 in New Haven everyday. I almost got offed by a couple of SUV's that decided they needed the space I occupied on the ramp to 95. I believe they felt that there was 2 feet of space between me and the concrete wall, and that should be enough. It's one thing to have that happen by accident, but it's another when the look at you while they run you off the road. I damn near bought it!
The last 100 miles up 95 was as intense a ride as I can remember. We were hauling ass, with the halogen lights on, doing 75-80 at midnight and looking for deer, knowing we had to make time, and everyone had been awake for almost 24 hours. Seven guys bearing down hard on a goal that was so close to being done....I did see a deer near the road too near Augusta.. could a been a hallucination, but I don't think so! I will remember that part of the trip for a long time.
All the bikes ran great... we do ride a great machine, don't we?
Dalai, Tangeman, Maineman, V-man, ClueCollector, TC... thanks for having me.. It was fun! You guys are really great.
Craigster.. (or is it Spiderman.. jeez do I hope someone already has that handle.)
Posted by dalai-lama on Sun - May 20 - 8:40pm:The dalai
Posted by TC on Sun - May 20 -
8:21pm:
Thanks guy's... I had a great time!!!
Tangeman and I (Dalai Lama and Clue Collector in tow) Blew off a Hardley around
North Andover, MA.... we chewed him up... and spit him out... like he was on a
moped!! He had to be shocked!!
The Iron Butt was all I expected and "MORE".. the weather sucked the
first 300 miles or so.... But with the determination from all of the Crew... we
made it...
I will post more tomorrow night... When I am all rested...I am beat!!
I did 1645 miles since Friday.. The guys south of me did more... What a weekend
!!!!
Thanks to all the guy's that were there... It helped me accomplish a very
important goal !!! I will say again that I am very proud to be a part of the
VRCC New England Chapter .. I also want to thank "DC" again for
hooking me up with you all...He was with "us" on this one for sure...
Thanks again all... I'll post more tomorrow. I'm going to take a shower and
"crash"
"TC"
* * * * * June 11th thru June 23rd, 2001 * * * * *
Florida Ride Report
All in all Olaf and I had a great time. Leaving Monday June 11th, Olaf met me in the service area on 95 south bound between exits 22 and 21 at 9:45 ish. The original plan called for 09:00 but traffic and the weather was something we were to be plagued with the whole trip.
Our first day had us sightseeing Perth Amboy, lunching at the famous "Coney Island Hot Dog Palace and continuing onto the DC area where we spent our first night, lounging in the hot tub and swimming in the pool. Olaf had put on over 600 miles today and this was a welcomed stop.
Our next day had us barreling down the pavement towards Florence, South Carolina where we spent our second night. The Motel 6 was comfortable and affordable. Like as tired as we were we would have really noticed anything different. After a quick dip in the pool and dinner, it was beddy-bye time and nobody argued.
The next day we were up and out early enough to get to Savannah, Georgia by noon ish and this was after already "touring" Hilton Head, South Carolina. As soon as Olaf heard that I’d never been there before, he turned into "instant" tour guide. We had a brief stop, seeing the local sights, drinking establishments included, and a quick "walk through the Olde Town section".
Next stop ... St Augustine.
We pulled in early enough to unpack, hop back on our Valkyries and go running through the "tourist sections" of St Augustine. We slept good that night as I recall. We have now traveled farther away from home on a motorcycle, than I had ever been and this was turning out to be a fantastic adventure.
I gotta say, somewhere between Florence and St Augustine, we ran into the remnants of hurricane Allison. To this point, I had never driven in such downpours in any of my motorcycling life. It poured, and it poured and after it stopped ... it started again. This was to be the curse of our trip for the next ten days.
Miami turned out to be the next stop, I
didn’t know Florida was "that" long. After a full day of riding we
entered the town that was to be our home for the next four nights. I have always
been one "up for a challenge", so when Olaf offered dinner in a
"Cuban" restaurant, I swallowed, bit my tongue and said ... SURE ...
What I was introduced to, was to awaken culinary taste buds I didn’t know I
had. Guys and gals, I gotta tell you, if you ever have the opportunity to do
"Cuban" and you turn it down, you’ve done yourself a tremendous
injustice. What the Latin community does to food is like comparing the fireworks
of this countries 200 birthday in New York City to ...
just lighting a candle.
And don’t miss the coffee. REPEAT ... don’t miss the coffee.
The next couple of days found us wondering around, sometimes by ourselves and sometimes together. I looked up some of my old family homesteads, saw one of my old schools, walked Miami Beach and got the oil changed in Lily. Saturday we did Key West. For me, this was the whole reason for this trip. To ride Lily down US 1 to the end of the Keys. To bask in the sunshine of my old Florida, maybe even to grab a quick drink at Hemingway’s hangout "Sloppy Joe’s". Enjoy some "real" Key Lime pie, and get a picture of me and Lily at the "Southern most tip" of the contiguous United States. Well, I did it all. Once again I got "feeling good" at Sloppy Joe’s, got my pictures, grabbed some souvenirs for family and friends, walked Duval Street, felt real good, acted like a jerk. But, like the man said, "it doesn’t really matter, ‘cause you ain’t never gonna see any of these people again". God bless philosophers and bar room singers, sometimes they really do know what they’re talking about ... Did I mention I lost the keys to Lily ?? Yea, somewhere in Key West, is Lily’s keys. Thank God for "the hidden key". It would have been a long walk home without it.
Next we were off to Gainesville where we were to spend the next two nights. Olaf thought long and hard on this, the decision was, Alligator Alley (Rt 75) or the Tamiami Trail (Rt 41) ?? As luck would have it he chose the Tamiami Trail, where I picked up lots more pictures, and an Alligators Claw (he doesn’t need it any more), and ran into my first "State Prisoners Working" road gang of the ride. This is a wonderful concept we should learn from. It gets them out of their cells doing something constructive, it helps offset the cost of their incarceration and makes "jail" a place you don’t want to go to, something we here in New England fail to communicate.
Once we got back into civilization, my first order was a Honda shop where I could get another "set" of keys made for Lily. Paranoia had set in and being with only one key made me very uncomfortable. Next we were back on Rt 75 heading for Gainesville. Earlier in this story I told you about riding in the remnants of hurricane Allison, well this was to be the initiation, the test run, the ..... walk in the park if you will. What we ran into riding up 75 just out of Fort Meyers all the way to Gainesville was pure hell (or more rightfully put ... high water). Rain coming in torrents, so hard .. so long .. that seeing beyond our windshields was an impossibility. Lightening, so fierce .. so often .. that the hair on your arm stood on end. Hail, so intense that it was the "final straw" and we pulled over. We tried hard that day to make time speeding out from cover at every opportunity, running from overpass to overpass, only to be beat back again by nature and her elements. This was the most fierce storm I had ever witnessed, and I was riding a motorcycle right through the heart of it daring mother nature to "zap" me. We were foolish, we deserved to be hit. we should have stayed put, but we covered ground. What should have been a leisurely four hour run turned into eight hours and when we hit Gainesville, we were drenched, everything we owned was drenched, but our Valkyries kept running throughout all of it.
The next day Olaf looked up some old friends in Gainesville and I headed across the state for another trip back to St Augustine. I had some unfinished business there and this was the perfect opportunity to collect some information. I had always been told that my maternal grandfather was the Sheriff of St Johns County (St Augustine’s area) for the better part of 25 years. Well as it turns out, my memory or the tales I was told were embellished. Grandpa Fischer was only a Deputy Sheriff, but for the better part of twenty five years. Grandpa Fischer was the last deputy to incarcerate anyone into the "Olde Jail" and none of the paperwork was not to be found because the "new owners" failed to see the importance of that and now they only showcase the present Sheriff and some of his accomplishments as well as some of the history of the "Olde Jail". St Augustine has turned out to be, "Tourist Town, U.S.A.". For those of you lucky enough to know the area from years before will do well to keep those thoughts sacred and never return. You’ll find a city you don’t know anymore and probably wouldn’t appreciate.
Saying good-bye to Gainesville was tough for Olaf. Good friends rarely leave each others company without a certain amount of anxiety of when the next "get-together" will be, or how they will fair till then. But we were off to Knoxville and the Honda Hoot.
Running as far and as fast as we could, got us to Sweetwater, Tennessee, forty miles south of Knoxville. Did I mention the rain ?? Yea, it rained again today. To date it has rained every day but two along this trip. We are well experienced and accomplished in riding in the rain. Too well. Olaf broke down and let me eat in one of my favorite "fast food" restaurants, "Long John Silvers". It just so happened that this particular one had to share the building with an A&W Root Beer joint and he ate hot dogs while I gorged myself on fish and chips the way I like them best, "Long John Silvers" style.
Early the next morning we were off ... to the much talked about ... much hyped and anxiously anticipated "HONDA HOOT" in Knoxville, Tennessee. We could hardly wait. Here I was going to have new tires put on Lily, I’ve got 15,000 miles on my Metzlers and they’re tired. Here we bumped into Chris (again) of the VRCC Store fame. We had met him a few weeks earlier in Lake George, New York at Americade, and ran into him again when we stopped at the store/warehouse in Miami and now again in Knoxville. We were putting on the same miles he was, but he used an airplane, we used our Valkyries, who do you think was having more fun ??
Well, back to "THE HOOT". After we had paid our $12.50 entry fee, been stamped and walked a half mile to get to the vendors area, the shock set in, not slowly mind you, it was more like that cold slap of reality you felt as a kid when your mom caught you with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Here we were, rode all the way up from Florida, actually planned our trip to have it coincide with "THE HOOT". Folks, it ain’t worth it. The Hoot turned out to be a dud. If you’ve ever been to Marcus Dairy on one of the "Super Sundays", or gone to a motorcycle show in Boston, you’ve seen better than the Hoot. My advice is .... don’t give a hoot for the hoot. There was no Avon Tire company selling tires. Also, there were no tire companies doing tire sales or changing. There were lots of little "trinket dealers" much like you would find in a "Swap Show" or "Bikers Week" in Torrington, CT twice a year. Honda wasn’t admitting to knowing anything about the "new 2002 Valkyries" as we had been told they would. Full dress riding gear was required by all the manufacturers for Demo rides with the exception of Victory Bikes. Guys, understand something, it was 95 degrees and the humidity was thru the roof, the sun was shining for the first time in days and everyone was feeling the heat. Three hours later, Olaf and I were on our way out of Knoxville (and that was after breakfast at the local Shoneys), and we were headed for the DC area. After one wild and crazy run, from Knoxville, to the junction of the 495 Belt Way and Route 66, late that evening, Olaf and I said our good-byes. After twelve days and over four thousand miles, Olaf was loosing his wing man. I felt sad at saying good-bye, we had had a great ride together. In the next few days, my presence would be forgotten as he hooked up with Sherry, Don and Kim in the Pocono's.
As I sit here at home, Chris near by, familiar CD’s playing in the back ground, listening to Chris puttering about, finishing her spring cleaning, it’s good to be home. The familiar sounds, smells, the grand kids, who were over for breakfast today.
I’ve had the unique opportunity to look into a few more lives these past two weeks and that helps me to appreciate even more what I have. I’m very satisfied with my life and most of the things I’ve done with it.
Thank you Olaf, for your offer ... and your friendship.
Thank you Chris, for your love.
* * * * * July 21st, 2001 * * * * *
Connecticut's Mystic / Abbotts Ride
My personal thanks to those of you who made the trip. I truly was pleased by the
turnout. I know some of you got up "early in the morning" for your
ride to Connecticut. I trust you were as pleased with how the day went as I was.
Joining us from Connecticut were;
Joe (the ClueCollector) & Cathy - A Valkyrie Rider
Dana - riding her Shadow
Michelle - riding her Ninja
Larry Crooker & the Mrs - A Valkyrie Rider
John Mahoney - A Valkyrie Rider
Barry (the Boz) - A Valkyrie Rider
Bill (Buffalo Bill) Morrell - A Valkyrie Rider
Brett (the Dalai) and son Steve - Valkyrie Riders
My wife Chris and I - Valkyrie Riders
and from the Great State of Massachusetts (a Territorial
of Maine ??)
Paul (Tangeman) Sullivan - A Valkyrie Rider
Ed - A Valkyrie Rider, and a beauty too !!
Tom - Valkyrie Rider
and a special thanks to Martin (ValkMaster) who joined us at Patty's Pantry for breakfast on his way to .... In-Zane.
We had a delightful trip out to Mystic via all sorts of back roads (and one
bad move on my part which led us into a "dead end - with a view")
touring a lot of Connecticut's coast line and ocean views. Abbott's turn out
(once again) to be a big hit and the ride home was fantastic. Thanks to Buffalo
Bill for sharing his knowledge of the local area and leading us down that
terrific Route 217. It's five miles of pure ... I want to do that again, but
faster ! ! !
Thanks too, to Clue Collector for leading us to a great spot (one of his
afternoon favorites), Harry's in Colchester, for "more" ice cream and
refreshments on the trip home. To those of you here in Connecticut who didn't
make the trip, if you had the day off and chose not to come, you blew it. I
believe everyone had a great time.
Thanks Again,
Randy "Rabbai" G and the Mrs.
Visitors
since 12/5/2003
