Founders Day - Part One
It's 7:05 pm, and I just walked in the door.
The Founders Day ride was on Sunday and was unusual to say the least in that it took the ride a little over two hours to get to Enfield.
Did you say “Two hours”?
No...I did, you just keep reading and stop interrupting.
So, put your feet up, grab a coffee, light a smoke and let me 'Splain:
Two members did arrive to send us off, Lane arrived on bike but would not be able to make the ride, while Evert had put on his riding gear, pulled his bike out only to find that there is an issue with the transmission or clutch because the bike has a bit of a grinding noise issue and it went back into the garage.
Eighteen bikes arrived at Dunkin for the ride to pay our respects to the Clubs Founders resting place in Easthampton Mass.. Two of the bikes joining the ride were non-members and either one of them didn't know the ride was to Massachusetts or he was unaware that Massachusetts has a Helmet Law. With no helmet, the two riders would not be coming along, so first, there was an attempt to find a spare helmet, just about everyone there had a spare, none had one with them. The only other option left was for them to go retrieve the missing brain bucket and since he lived near Lake Hayward it was decided to take a short detour south before starting the northbound run. At the time we had no idea this detour would lead to another, along with a missing bridge, a U turn, and some dirt tracking.
With an alternate route planned, Tom took us out route 163 to 82, then onto route 11, at which point Ernie Thody took the two guests around the column to take lead for the helmet. Ernie took us off the highway onto Witch Meadow then along Lake Haywood to the riders house.
Leaving his house the ride brought us out under route 11 at Colchester, Tom took us up 85 into town then made a right at the park onto route 616 the Norwich Colchester turnpike. A rather large sign at the beginning of the road would leave a person to believe the path would be blocked and a long return ride made necessary "Bridge closed ahead" usually has that outcome. But being intrepid, Tom continued on, I was wondering though. As we came down the hill towards Sherman brook, there was construction on the bridge but one lane was open, there I thought, no work on the weekends. But a little further on there was a stop sign planted in the middle of the road. The bridge which was closed was at the Yantic River (coming out of Savin Lake). We would get to make a U-turn (there always seems to be one on Tom's rides). We went past the sign and made the turn, we started to head back up 616 figuring on picking up route 2 for the bypass, but as we came back past the stop sign, the Heneys were pointing for us to make a right turn and head up Roger Foot road, Tom asked them if this would take us around the bridge and they confirmed it. To be honest I hadn't even realized there was a road there, I thought it was a driveway...a dirt driveway, but sure enough, it is a fairly nicely packed dirt road, and we headed up it. Myself I would have given it more gusto, being "Founders Day" it would have been like an homage' to the Clubs dirt racing days, and the 90 degree right turn onto Taylor Bridge road would have given us a great flat track, kick the back of the bike's tail out, corner. Tom being ever so mindful of those following would not take the opportunity even after a CB communication suggesting it. A right on Geer brought us back to 616, where we continued our eastward trek through Bozrah to 32. Passing through Willimantic on 32 I mentioned to him how this was probably the longest amount of time (an hour and a half) it had taken the Club to get from Montville to Willimantic.
Route 32 took us through Coventry, Eagleville, Mansfield Depot, Merrow, South Willington, West Willington, and Tolland to Stafford Springs where we picked up route 190 west. West Stafford passed by as did Somers, Somersville, Hazardville, and Enfield. Stopping at a light in Enfield, Paul Neves cruised up to the front to inform the leaders that there were a few people who needed to use a restroom after the 2 hour and 5 minute ride to get as far as we had. So Tom turned into a Mickey Dees. A dozen or more people headed to the head and a couple grabbed a bite or two. I believe Mike H wolfed a couple burgers down quickly while I had a four piece McNugget and a coffee to refill my coffee cup on the bike. While not the original location picked for a helmet stop the proximity worked out well and we placed the uncomfortable things on our heads while we were there, a few bikes headed for fuel while others used the facilities. When they didn't come back in a timely fashion we set off to retrieve them. The delay at the station was because the machines there did not accept plastic and each person had to prepay, fill up, then go back for the change.
With everyone back in formation the rest of the run was uneventful, we took 91 north into Massachusetts, through Longmeadow, Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke where we jumped off onto 141 for the ride over the hill into EastHampton. A left turn onto main Street saw the Guards deployed, they were sent ahead to go past the cemetery make a U turn then hold the lane for the Club, they did so with Military perfection arriving back at the entrance just as the tail-gunner made the turn in. There they pulled in and made a u turn in the cemetery positioning themselves for the Clubs exit. A better job could not have been done if I do say so myself, and....I just did. So Great job to the newly appointed, yet to be tried, Road Guard Captain (Appointed) and myself. @@
/ ,
Tom gave a short speech graveside about the Clubs Legacy, The Club posed for some pictures and we were off to Lunch, Once again the Guards worked their magic and the Club pulled safely into the street for the ride to Easthampton Village Pizza, which strangely enough does not serve pizza until after 3pm and instead of water they give you Sprite. I, whenever... Every time...always... I won't go there right now, it will be on the next post. Anyway, Until 3 pm you have to eat real food, either Breakfast or lunch, and Lunch includes Diner ,meals. Plenty of food was devoured consisting of items like Greek Salad, Bacon Burgers, Stuffed Grape leaves, Chicken Rice soup, Prime Rib, Leg of Lamb, Seafood Fra Diavlo, and many other tasty dishes. We were there for quite a while which...because...I...@#$%...next post.
Anyway, that is all I have to report on at this time, many people had places they had to be at by certain times and because of the lateness of the day a direct route home was chosen.
I...made.... a different choice....as usual.
The Founders Day ride was on Sunday and was unusual to say the least in that it took the ride a little over two hours to get to Enfield.
Did you say “Two hours”?
No...I did, you just keep reading and stop interrupting.
So, put your feet up, grab a coffee, light a smoke and let me 'Splain:
Two members did arrive to send us off, Lane arrived on bike but would not be able to make the ride, while Evert had put on his riding gear, pulled his bike out only to find that there is an issue with the transmission or clutch because the bike has a bit of a grinding noise issue and it went back into the garage.
Eighteen bikes arrived at Dunkin for the ride to pay our respects to the Clubs Founders resting place in Easthampton Mass.. Two of the bikes joining the ride were non-members and either one of them didn't know the ride was to Massachusetts or he was unaware that Massachusetts has a Helmet Law. With no helmet, the two riders would not be coming along, so first, there was an attempt to find a spare helmet, just about everyone there had a spare, none had one with them. The only other option left was for them to go retrieve the missing brain bucket and since he lived near Lake Hayward it was decided to take a short detour south before starting the northbound run. At the time we had no idea this detour would lead to another, along with a missing bridge, a U turn, and some dirt tracking.
With an alternate route planned, Tom took us out route 163 to 82, then onto route 11, at which point Ernie Thody took the two guests around the column to take lead for the helmet. Ernie took us off the highway onto Witch Meadow then along Lake Haywood to the riders house.
Leaving his house the ride brought us out under route 11 at Colchester, Tom took us up 85 into town then made a right at the park onto route 616 the Norwich Colchester turnpike. A rather large sign at the beginning of the road would leave a person to believe the path would be blocked and a long return ride made necessary "Bridge closed ahead" usually has that outcome. But being intrepid, Tom continued on, I was wondering though. As we came down the hill towards Sherman brook, there was construction on the bridge but one lane was open, there I thought, no work on the weekends. But a little further on there was a stop sign planted in the middle of the road. The bridge which was closed was at the Yantic River (coming out of Savin Lake). We would get to make a U-turn (there always seems to be one on Tom's rides). We went past the sign and made the turn, we started to head back up 616 figuring on picking up route 2 for the bypass, but as we came back past the stop sign, the Heneys were pointing for us to make a right turn and head up Roger Foot road, Tom asked them if this would take us around the bridge and they confirmed it. To be honest I hadn't even realized there was a road there, I thought it was a driveway...a dirt driveway, but sure enough, it is a fairly nicely packed dirt road, and we headed up it. Myself I would have given it more gusto, being "Founders Day" it would have been like an homage' to the Clubs dirt racing days, and the 90 degree right turn onto Taylor Bridge road would have given us a great flat track, kick the back of the bike's tail out, corner. Tom being ever so mindful of those following would not take the opportunity even after a CB communication suggesting it. A right on Geer brought us back to 616, where we continued our eastward trek through Bozrah to 32. Passing through Willimantic on 32 I mentioned to him how this was probably the longest amount of time (an hour and a half) it had taken the Club to get from Montville to Willimantic.
Route 32 took us through Coventry, Eagleville, Mansfield Depot, Merrow, South Willington, West Willington, and Tolland to Stafford Springs where we picked up route 190 west. West Stafford passed by as did Somers, Somersville, Hazardville, and Enfield. Stopping at a light in Enfield, Paul Neves cruised up to the front to inform the leaders that there were a few people who needed to use a restroom after the 2 hour and 5 minute ride to get as far as we had. So Tom turned into a Mickey Dees. A dozen or more people headed to the head and a couple grabbed a bite or two. I believe Mike H wolfed a couple burgers down quickly while I had a four piece McNugget and a coffee to refill my coffee cup on the bike. While not the original location picked for a helmet stop the proximity worked out well and we placed the uncomfortable things on our heads while we were there, a few bikes headed for fuel while others used the facilities. When they didn't come back in a timely fashion we set off to retrieve them. The delay at the station was because the machines there did not accept plastic and each person had to prepay, fill up, then go back for the change.
With everyone back in formation the rest of the run was uneventful, we took 91 north into Massachusetts, through Longmeadow, Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke where we jumped off onto 141 for the ride over the hill into EastHampton. A left turn onto main Street saw the Guards deployed, they were sent ahead to go past the cemetery make a U turn then hold the lane for the Club, they did so with Military perfection arriving back at the entrance just as the tail-gunner made the turn in. There they pulled in and made a u turn in the cemetery positioning themselves for the Clubs exit. A better job could not have been done if I do say so myself, and....I just did. So Great job to the newly appointed, yet to be tried, Road Guard Captain (Appointed) and myself. @@
/ ,
Tom gave a short speech graveside about the Clubs Legacy, The Club posed for some pictures and we were off to Lunch, Once again the Guards worked their magic and the Club pulled safely into the street for the ride to Easthampton Village Pizza, which strangely enough does not serve pizza until after 3pm and instead of water they give you Sprite. I, whenever... Every time...always... I won't go there right now, it will be on the next post. Anyway, Until 3 pm you have to eat real food, either Breakfast or lunch, and Lunch includes Diner ,meals. Plenty of food was devoured consisting of items like Greek Salad, Bacon Burgers, Stuffed Grape leaves, Chicken Rice soup, Prime Rib, Leg of Lamb, Seafood Fra Diavlo, and many other tasty dishes. We were there for quite a while which...because...I...@#$%...next post.
Anyway, that is all I have to report on at this time, many people had places they had to be at by certain times and because of the lateness of the day a direct route home was chosen.
I...made.... a different choice....as usual.
Lunch..beforele the Ride Home - Part Two
You should read the previous Founders Day ride post first, because this takes place during lunch.
After visiting with the Stongs, the Club,
wait...
During the Speech Tom made Graveside, he said a Club member had asked why should we want to go to a Cemetery, a State away, to see a stone for someone he had never met and wouldn't know him if he walked up to him. Tom said, that if Ralph did walk up to him it would be an event. That's funny.
Anyway, after visiting and paying our respects and introducing newer members to the Clubs origin, we headed to route 141 for lunch at the Village Pizza House.
As I have said in the past and people who have eaten with me have come to learn, if the Club is stopping for food and you are hungry and want to eat, DON'T SIT WITH ME. For some reason, I am always...ALWAYS at the last table to be served, we can be the first to give our orders, but always, ALWAYS the last served.
Today...Life out did itself. I sat at the main table, (we took up one long table and two booths). One waitress worked the south side of the Table and Tom who sat at the head of the table, another waitress took the north side of the table and the booths. Not only did the southern boys get their food first, but they got to eat it and receive their checks before the northern boys (my side) got to even see their food. The booths received their food and still we sat. Honest to God, Prime Rib, Seafood Fra Diavlo, and Bacon Burgers disappeared before our plates arrived. Now I could see if it was because we had ordered complicated meals which may have needed extra preparation but, Welles ordered a Greek salad, that's lettuce with a couple onions on it, a few bits of black olives, a couple stuffed grape leaves and three small bricks of feta cheese. He was the next to the last person to receive his food. Remember Giant Prime Ribs had been devoured totally, not a speck of the meat left, not a globule of fat...all gone...before Welles gets his salad.
I got my plate after him, The waitress actually had to walk back into the kitchen to drag mine out and drop it in front of me. Last of the Last.
Now I believe our waitress must rely more on her looks than her service for her tips, because she was young and cute, but let me tell you, the other waitress, the older woman, a tiny little older woman, with years of serving experience, ran rings around her.
Now my waitress may have been cute, but I sure as hell wasn't getting anything from her, so her looks meant nothing, I'll take Granny and a full plate anytime. It's like going to a strip club, the girl dancing maybe hot, she may be naked, she may be shaking her goodies all over the place for you, but what are you getting? Nothing you can use, (at least not in public) So now tell me, who's more important, the girl you give the dollars to, to see a skin wiggle, or the girl you give the dollars to that brings you your drinks. Hell...in my book...the waitress wins everytime.
After visiting with the Stongs, the Club,
wait...
During the Speech Tom made Graveside, he said a Club member had asked why should we want to go to a Cemetery, a State away, to see a stone for someone he had never met and wouldn't know him if he walked up to him. Tom said, that if Ralph did walk up to him it would be an event. That's funny.
Anyway, after visiting and paying our respects and introducing newer members to the Clubs origin, we headed to route 141 for lunch at the Village Pizza House.
As I have said in the past and people who have eaten with me have come to learn, if the Club is stopping for food and you are hungry and want to eat, DON'T SIT WITH ME. For some reason, I am always...ALWAYS at the last table to be served, we can be the first to give our orders, but always, ALWAYS the last served.
Today...Life out did itself. I sat at the main table, (we took up one long table and two booths). One waitress worked the south side of the Table and Tom who sat at the head of the table, another waitress took the north side of the table and the booths. Not only did the southern boys get their food first, but they got to eat it and receive their checks before the northern boys (my side) got to even see their food. The booths received their food and still we sat. Honest to God, Prime Rib, Seafood Fra Diavlo, and Bacon Burgers disappeared before our plates arrived. Now I could see if it was because we had ordered complicated meals which may have needed extra preparation but, Welles ordered a Greek salad, that's lettuce with a couple onions on it, a few bits of black olives, a couple stuffed grape leaves and three small bricks of feta cheese. He was the next to the last person to receive his food. Remember Giant Prime Ribs had been devoured totally, not a speck of the meat left, not a globule of fat...all gone...before Welles gets his salad.
I got my plate after him, The waitress actually had to walk back into the kitchen to drag mine out and drop it in front of me. Last of the Last.
Now I believe our waitress must rely more on her looks than her service for her tips, because she was young and cute, but let me tell you, the other waitress, the older woman, a tiny little older woman, with years of serving experience, ran rings around her.
Now my waitress may have been cute, but I sure as hell wasn't getting anything from her, so her looks meant nothing, I'll take Granny and a full plate anytime. It's like going to a strip club, the girl dancing maybe hot, she may be naked, she may be shaking her goodies all over the place for you, but what are you getting? Nothing you can use, (at least not in public) So now tell me, who's more important, the girl you give the dollars to, to see a skin wiggle, or the girl you give the dollars to that brings you your drinks. Hell...in my book...the waitress wins everytime.
Founders Day...part three..the ride to the shoreline
Everyone had to be somewhere, If it wasn't a football game it was a birthday, if it wasn't a birthday it was an evening out with their wives, everyone was saying how they were going to take the straight route home, the highway back to their lives. Well not everyone.
I walked across the street from the restaurant and sat on my bike, Sandwich walked up to me and asked which way I was going back, I told him everyone is doing a straight shot home, I could see the look of disappointment in his face.Was this a kindred spirit, a person who, if he had the chance would get on his bike before the sun was up and stay on or at least with that bike all day? I say with because there are times when you have to get off the bike, eating is one of those times, you can eat sitting on your bike but most places won't let you ride them in the door, and for the sake of being sanitary you usually get off the bike to take care of whatever you may not want to be sitting in for the rest of the day.
Here it was, a reason to ride, someone to cruise with, I rode across the street, I bid adieu to the Road Captain then Sandwich and myself were off.
Wooo Hooo!!! Let me just make a side note here real quick, the other day I bought a three pack box of candy, it was Kit Kats, Reeses Peanut butter cups and Hershey candy bars. The Kit Kats went first to go, six of them, then the peanut butter cups and six set of six packs, until the only thing left were the Hershey bars, well I just decided I needed something sweet so I walked downstairs, opened the freezer, ripped open the Hershey bar side and dumped them out to get one...under the Hershey Bars? More Reese Cups packages !!!! Life is good.
Having left in the morning with only 8 cigarettes I had been conserving them all day, but as the Club pulled into the restaurant, Reuben (Sandwich-get it?) and myself pulled in to top off the bikes and he picked me up some smokes, so after lunch...we were ready to roll.
We went north east on route 10 to Northampton. As we rode along with the warm sun lit blue sky we noticed to the right and south of us there was a thick cloud bank stretching for miles, Reuben said it looked like it was solid and you could cut out a section with a knife like Daffy Duck.
And I want to take a second here to ask a question, The town is called Easthampton, Pronounced East Hampton, gee Gomer, it soundz just like its spelt. You drive north to the town line and you enter Northampton, Now, its not pronounced how its spellid, For some reason, it lost an "H", It's not written as North and Hampton, but they say it like it is, Northhampton. But the way it is written, it sounds English. NorthAmpton, "Bloody hell, the missus's mum is comin in from North ampton, I ate the flippin inlaws".
We picked up route 9 cruised east through Hadley to Amhurst, then down through Belchertown and the Quabbin Reservoir, then through Ware (where Reuben informed me he was cold) to West Brookfield, and Brookfield where (ware?) Reuben informed me he had to take a leak, I told him that it was a good thing, it would keep him warm, he informed me that if I thought for a second he was going to piss himself while we were riding I was gravely mistaken. I turned onto route 148 and immediately turned into the dirt driveway used for launching boats in the Quoboag river and stopped. Reuben did what he had to and then put on his Gerbing (heated gear). I had my own issues, the leather jacket I had worn was suffering from a broken zipper and the only point that would stay closed is where ever the zipper tab was at that moment The entire ride home I had a cool breeze blowing in my coat. We started out again, cruising down 148 to Sturbridge then picked up 20 east, then hooked a right onto 131 which ran down through Southbridge. I hooked a right onto 198 and as soon as we cleared town and the state line I stopped. The reason was the fall colors, with the overcast and the dark sunglasses the scenery was being wasted, so I put on my ambers and threw Reuben a set of clears, from that point on it became a really enjoyable ride, no traffic, fall colors, 6th gear running over hills, down into valleys, through S turns and sweepers all the while the Autumn smells of leaves and wood smoke filled the air. We raced down 198, hooked a left onto 197 at Eastford, ran east and north to 169 in North Woodstock then took 169 south through South Woodstock, Pomfret, and Brooklyn. We flew south, leaning into the corners and arrived at Canterbury where we stopped at the Dunkin for coffees and apple pie. We wasted a good half hour or so there then sped off on 169 to Butts Bridge which took us over to Jewett City. By now the sun was down and we cruised on, we slowed for the downtown area of that City metropolis then made a left on 138, kicked some more carbon out of the pipes as we screamed along past the airport that isn't, to Glasgo, pulled a right on 201, raced south through the twists, turns, drops and rises on the road that Craig referred to as a Goat trail. I have seen deer crossing these roads many times in the past and was happy not to see any this night. Reuben dropped off at some farm his future wife and mother of his children to be was at and I continued my spiral to the sea, 201 to 184 and home. 7:05 I walked in the door, a great end to a fantastic day.
Did I mention the Turkeys crossing the road? No...maybe I'll do that some other time, it was in the early afternoon and that was a day ago, when the sun was shining.
I will tell you though, the first thing I did when I got home, was to pull the Gerbing out of the storage box and lay it out to go in the bike in the morning.
If you don't have it with you...
You can't use it.
I walked across the street from the restaurant and sat on my bike, Sandwich walked up to me and asked which way I was going back, I told him everyone is doing a straight shot home, I could see the look of disappointment in his face.Was this a kindred spirit, a person who, if he had the chance would get on his bike before the sun was up and stay on or at least with that bike all day? I say with because there are times when you have to get off the bike, eating is one of those times, you can eat sitting on your bike but most places won't let you ride them in the door, and for the sake of being sanitary you usually get off the bike to take care of whatever you may not want to be sitting in for the rest of the day.
Here it was, a reason to ride, someone to cruise with, I rode across the street, I bid adieu to the Road Captain then Sandwich and myself were off.
Wooo Hooo!!! Let me just make a side note here real quick, the other day I bought a three pack box of candy, it was Kit Kats, Reeses Peanut butter cups and Hershey candy bars. The Kit Kats went first to go, six of them, then the peanut butter cups and six set of six packs, until the only thing left were the Hershey bars, well I just decided I needed something sweet so I walked downstairs, opened the freezer, ripped open the Hershey bar side and dumped them out to get one...under the Hershey Bars? More Reese Cups packages !!!! Life is good.
Having left in the morning with only 8 cigarettes I had been conserving them all day, but as the Club pulled into the restaurant, Reuben (Sandwich-get it?) and myself pulled in to top off the bikes and he picked me up some smokes, so after lunch...we were ready to roll.
We went north east on route 10 to Northampton. As we rode along with the warm sun lit blue sky we noticed to the right and south of us there was a thick cloud bank stretching for miles, Reuben said it looked like it was solid and you could cut out a section with a knife like Daffy Duck.
And I want to take a second here to ask a question, The town is called Easthampton, Pronounced East Hampton, gee Gomer, it soundz just like its spelt. You drive north to the town line and you enter Northampton, Now, its not pronounced how its spellid, For some reason, it lost an "H", It's not written as North and Hampton, but they say it like it is, Northhampton. But the way it is written, it sounds English. NorthAmpton, "Bloody hell, the missus's mum is comin in from North ampton, I ate the flippin inlaws".
We picked up route 9 cruised east through Hadley to Amhurst, then down through Belchertown and the Quabbin Reservoir, then through Ware (where Reuben informed me he was cold) to West Brookfield, and Brookfield where (ware?) Reuben informed me he had to take a leak, I told him that it was a good thing, it would keep him warm, he informed me that if I thought for a second he was going to piss himself while we were riding I was gravely mistaken. I turned onto route 148 and immediately turned into the dirt driveway used for launching boats in the Quoboag river and stopped. Reuben did what he had to and then put on his Gerbing (heated gear). I had my own issues, the leather jacket I had worn was suffering from a broken zipper and the only point that would stay closed is where ever the zipper tab was at that moment The entire ride home I had a cool breeze blowing in my coat. We started out again, cruising down 148 to Sturbridge then picked up 20 east, then hooked a right onto 131 which ran down through Southbridge. I hooked a right onto 198 and as soon as we cleared town and the state line I stopped. The reason was the fall colors, with the overcast and the dark sunglasses the scenery was being wasted, so I put on my ambers and threw Reuben a set of clears, from that point on it became a really enjoyable ride, no traffic, fall colors, 6th gear running over hills, down into valleys, through S turns and sweepers all the while the Autumn smells of leaves and wood smoke filled the air. We raced down 198, hooked a left onto 197 at Eastford, ran east and north to 169 in North Woodstock then took 169 south through South Woodstock, Pomfret, and Brooklyn. We flew south, leaning into the corners and arrived at Canterbury where we stopped at the Dunkin for coffees and apple pie. We wasted a good half hour or so there then sped off on 169 to Butts Bridge which took us over to Jewett City. By now the sun was down and we cruised on, we slowed for the downtown area of that City metropolis then made a left on 138, kicked some more carbon out of the pipes as we screamed along past the airport that isn't, to Glasgo, pulled a right on 201, raced south through the twists, turns, drops and rises on the road that Craig referred to as a Goat trail. I have seen deer crossing these roads many times in the past and was happy not to see any this night. Reuben dropped off at some farm his future wife and mother of his children to be was at and I continued my spiral to the sea, 201 to 184 and home. 7:05 I walked in the door, a great end to a fantastic day.
Did I mention the Turkeys crossing the road? No...maybe I'll do that some other time, it was in the early afternoon and that was a day ago, when the sun was shining.
I will tell you though, the first thing I did when I got home, was to pull the Gerbing out of the storage box and lay it out to go in the bike in the morning.
If you don't have it with you...
You can't use it.
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