The main Body of the Club met for a 10am A.O.B. at the Montville Dunkin Donuts, After the preceding days of 101 degree F. temperatures with Humidity hanging at the 89% level, Sunday was a fantastic reprieve. The storms the night before destroyed the humidity and heat leaving a fantastically warm sunny comfortable day.
We hit the road with Tom leading and headed down 32 to New London where we jumped on I-95 north for the short hop to exit 88 in Groton and route 117. We took that north then picked up route 184 in Center Groton for the ride to the second rendezvous at Micky Dee's in North Stonington where we met up with a rather nice size group of riders. Usually this stop produces one or two bikes.
Tom lead us out of the lot and we headed east to Clarks Falls Road (rte 216) which took us to Ashaway RI. Tom and Jim switched positions and Jim lead the rest of the ride. A left on 3 and a right on 216 again brought us down to route 91. We stayed on 91 to it's end in Carolina RI at which point we turned right on rte 112, crossed over the Amtrak Boston New Haven line then hooked a left on Old Shannock road. This took us through the village of Shannock, past the horseshoe dam and deposited us at Rhode Island route 2. We turned east on 2 and followed that till we jumped on route 138 in the Town of Kingston. We had one issue with a traffic light in Kingston but after turning onto route 110 we regrouped.
We made a rather short notice turn onto Curtis Corner rd (it's always good to run a test to see if people are paying attention). This took us into the Town of Wakefield. In Wakefield we picked up 108 south. Traffic was a little heavier here as was the heat of the sun with short interval lights created a bit of idling time for the bikes. Once we got everyone back together Jim lead us down 108 to Galilee Escape road. (I wasn't aware that there were so many people trying to get out of that area they actually named a road after it). Truthfully it's a nice area, Galilee is the home of many fishing businesses and the air is full of the flavours of the sea. This area is also open to sea breezes and the temperature dropped noticeably as we hit this straight road. We made a loop through Galilee and took Sand Hill Cove road back to rte 108 at Point Judith. Here it was a matter of turning one corner, passing through an intersection and pulling in the parking lot at the Bon View Inn. "Hammerhead Grill" is on the second floor).
The Hammerhead, being on the second floor, has a front patio (smoking), an air conditioned main dining room and bar, and a back deck patio which overlooks Narragansett Bay. Most of us opted for the sea breezes and sunshine of the rear deck but we also filled two tables inside. The Seafood Chowder was excellant as usual and the Blackened Tuna sandwich was mighty tastey. I do have to say the service here was a bit iffy, they were quick taking orders and keeping everyone in drinks but the food was a little slow in arriving. (Once again I arrived to have our table's order taken first but waiting as other tables ate) but this I believe is due to the place being slammed by so many people arriving at once and taking over the place. The other great benefit about this place is the waitresses are pretty damn cute and the young thing in the striped dress serving as hostess turned some heads. (Oh to be in my twenties again, or thirties, or forties?)
The return trip I can give very little information on, mainly because I wasn't on it. Danny and myself headed out to Twin Rivers Casino above Providence on route 146. After passing through the Narragansett Beach area, and cruising up rte 1A dealing with traffic, we found ourselves at route 138 and route 1 and 4 and realizing it was 2:40 with sometime still to go to get there and a limited time to do so because of pending engagements we decided to take route 4 to 102 to route 3 making at stop at Del's frozen Italian ice in Hope Valley before taking 3 into Westerly and 234 to Old Mystic and 184.
I do want to thank the Road Guards for their service, it wasn't what I would call perfect or by the practiced protocols but there were some short notice curves thrown in. Again Thank you and I will chat with you after I talk with Tom about what would have made it a little better and easier.
Sometimes flexibility is required.
klay
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