Some of the Club did their own things (what ever they may have been), some rode to Meriden Mountain and Cabelos. For me, while a group had the scheduled Cape Cod weekend trip, I went to New London on Saturday and checked out the Antique Bike show on the Waterfront pier. From there I went to Groton and Mike's Famous HD to order more toys for the bike. I found the place was packed with Hog members and Mikes was serving food. Leaving there I headed down 117 in Groton Ct to the Mystic Marriott (Not in Mystic), for the Rally. There I ran into three other members of the Club (two working, one sitting in the AC). I moved outside to get some patches sewn on my vest (Sewing Hog Wild - The Slipper Lady), then grabbed a drink and wandered around the vendors before moving up to watch the slow races and ring catch. I chatted for a bit with other HOG members from all over, before heading home.
Sunday:
A group of eleven of us met at the Equinox Diner off exit 90 off Interstate 95 in Mystic for breakfast, then nine of us headed out for a ride while the other two had other commitments.
We ran north on 27 into Old Mystic, Ct. Then turned onto rte 234 and ran through the corners before heading straight up Taugwonk to North Stonington. We crossed 184 onto Jeremy Hill rd then right on 201 to route 2, crossed 2 onto Main Street then up Wyassup rd to route 49. 49 north through Ekonk to 14 east. We continued on 14 stopping in Sterling for the passengers to don Helmets before continuing into RI. The original plan was to head across the Scituate reservoir then down 116 to 117 and 33 to 3 and 102, but because we had a late start we grabbed 117 to 102 for the shortened version. 102 is a fairly straight main road but still suffers from Rhode Island Goat trail disease and we were forced to run single file to save those who would have been stuck on the right side of the lane in broken pavement. We ran south to Lilibridge crossed rte 3 and followed 102 to North Kingston. (route 102 south of rte 3 is an entirely different creature, seems someone down here actually paved the road). Passing under rte 4 we grabbed Old Baptist road (avoiding route 1 traffic) and headed into Quonsit for the Rhode Island National Guard Air Show. A rather nice find was that motorcycles were directed through the general parking area and led to an area at the main gate for VIP parking. We ran into two more members there and a prospect. We checked out the show and the amenities and tried to avoid being burnt to a crisp. I tried Bud Light Lime while I was there and found it was OK, but with the heat of the sun streaming down on the tarmac I found that plain ol water was the best thing to have. At 4pm the show was over and we headed out.
The only draw back to the parking area was that it was a field and it being hot and dry when we returned we found the bikes covered in dust and dirt. We lost four members right away as they headed for the interstate and home, the rest of us headed out and picked up rte 4 south to route 102 then a left on RI 2 and a quick ride through tour of the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery. I have only been to two State Veteran Cemetery's and have to say Rhode Island did it right with statuary in memory of the fallen of every war and a beautiful layout, unlike the mud pit Connecticut has for their fallen heroes.
From there we continued down rte 2 to Shannock where we turned right on Shannock rd which took us to rte 112 then 91. 91 took us through Bradford and into Westerly RI and Pawcatuck Ct. In Pawcatuck we picked up 234 and followed that until turning left on Deans Mill rd. Deans Mill is a unique rod in that it is about 1 lane wide and has a double yellow line painted down its' center, as though it was designed for bikes. Then it was Mistuxet to Jerry Brown, then Coogan and we arrived back at the Equinox for dinner. Arriving here we found that one of the bikes had been used as a restroom by a bird, A blue and white Harley with slime down the windshield and across the front fender. Dinner was good, drinks, salads, shrimp cocktails, steaks, chicken stir fry, a Massive burger, Blackened Shrimp Alfredo, and the 2nd VP had some sort of Chicken in a cream slime sauce served over some unidentified matter. Then it was Ice Cream and we split up and headed home.
All in all a great day, and sunburns to prove it.
As for lessons learned today...OK,
Milwaukee harness boots are not designed to be used for walking. While stolling around the air field my feet were killing me, arriving home I found that every toe has a blister under neath it.
klay
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