Trail ride from someone who didn't go on it.

Without the bike I figured I would head up to the old Fitchburg Railroad, The Boston and Maine, Guilford, Pan Am Railways, Railroad line across upper Massachusetts, The 4 3/4 mile Hoosac Tunnel to be exact.  

That said I jumped in the car and headed out. I stopped at Mickey Dee's in Montville, grabbed a medium coffee and a sausage McMuffin (no egg). I pulled back onto 32 at 9:20am... 20 minutes after the boys on the bikes headed north. An Epiphany!!!  I CAN CATCH THEM. I have more cylinders!!!

I hit 163, up onto 395, let's say I was possibly in the area of maybe having an infraction of the speed laws or two, or three, Onto route 2. The bikes, according to the RC, should be traveling at 70mph. How long can it take to make up the distance. You know what...coffee in the holder, a sandwich in my hand, reclined a bit, music cranking.  There really is no sense of speed out of the wind I forgot how nice a car can be. 2 became 84, 84 onto 91 through Hartford.  Bradley went by, smooth as glass, window open, cigarette in hand, reclining. Massachusetts state line, hit the pedal...Massachusetts State Cop, standing up pointing a radar gun. Luckily I was tucked in. (radar Cops would become the motto of the drive, all day). Through Springfield, through Holyoke, motorcycles parked at the overlook, won't be the Club though, we stop for nothing, we care not for scenery, we stop for no one, I zip past the overlook, Patches, Patches!!!!  NLMC Patches!!!! What the hell are they doing looking at Holyoke?  I continued on, Through North Hampton (Cop), I picked up the Mohawk Trail west and pulled over in Shelburne. had a smoke, enjoyed the scenery, had a naturist touristy moment looking at the river, the forest, the flowers and flutter-bys. Waved to the Boys as they rolled by.

 I trailed them for a while then jumped off in Charlemont and headed to Rowe. I cruised up through the Deerfield River valley to the tunnel where I found the railroad at work on the tracks....No trains due til the evening. So I whipped the car around and headed up the back side of Florida mountain and rolled down into North Adams. Three turns and I found the bikes parked at the side of the road.

Now this may be just my opinion, but, the Brewhaha ? I mean any place that is a coffee shop and advertises "cuisine" and "Espresso" is a trend shop, usually over priced and Yuppie-fied. sure enough I walked in to find the troops deciding on what to eat. I did find bacon on the list, way down at the bottom of the menu Grilled Cheese with bacon. Everything else was breakfast or stylized food. I was torn between the smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers bagel or the Turkey Wrap. Most everything else danced in the land of Vegan. The Turkey wrap seemed to be the choice of the day, it was the only thing this small group of bikers could identify as having seen it before. All four of us ordered the same thing. The RC and Doug, after studying the menu and deliberating on the selections ordered grinders....across the main road and up the street at Subway. Now I always thought a good General made sure his men ate first then joined them, our General made sure we ordered first then bailed out for real food. The wrap was made with a brownish beige-ish tortilla possibly whole grain wheat, had turkey in it, some sort of squishy fruit maybe old soft apples, and a couple other things I have yet to determine. I can say that the next trip to north Adams I will probably cross over the bridge and eat at the "Hot Dog Ranch" (more than just puppies) or "Jacks Hot Dog Stand" open since 1917.
After lunch the bikes headed south and east,  I headed north and east. Never to see them again...yet.

I got home around 10:30pm after a cruise across Massachusetts, down through Rhode island and through Connecticut on back roads. I forgot how nice a car can be, window open, nice cool fresh air....still...warm toasty and comfy inside, take another hit of that Cafe' Americano Grande, excuse me mam.do you have a light?



klay