Assorted 2009 Cape photos

Saturday night

           I put the parents to bed, (times change) and headed out on the road. The temperature had changed from the day, the warmth of the sun had gone away leaving it comfortably cool with a light fog. I rode around for a while then headed over to the “other” side of the Thames river to meet up with some other members of the club. I arrived just after they had eaten and while I was offered some food I declined. Don't get me wrong I love food, all you have to do is look at me and that will be apparent, but the combination of what they had seemed, I don't know, wrong perhaps. Now this is strange because I usually eat things that others find disgusting or different to say the least. My favorite pizza is Bacon Mozzarella and anchovies, I love blood sausage, pickled tongue (any tongue for that matter),I have had frog legs and turtle soup, Octopus salad, and love raw oysters, I love grease and salt, sushi is fantastic as are cracklins, but I just could not get my head around pizza and Chinese, I don't know why, I love both, but the combo as I said sounds wrong.


            After they finished the get together, each headed off in their own direction, leaving Dana, Dave, Steve, Evert and myself. Evert had to get home because he had to get up to go to Massachusetts in the am, I know this because he said he had to leave, he said that at least once every 15 minutes from the time I showed up at 9:30 til around 11:30. Dana went his way and Dave and I were going to cruise with Steve for a while on his trip home. Steve mentioned we should get on our bikes and head to Cape Cod for breakfast, Dave and I decided that would not be a good idea, my reason is that I have to be home early because the home health care people don't arrive until 8:30am and I have to get the parents started before the girls arrive.

             Getting ready to hit the road Dave opened his saddle bag and realized he had no leathers with him, while this was great during the day, the cool of the evening and the fog required a tad layer of protection, I offered to let him use the chaps in my bag, told him he could wrap them around and use them like a leather scarf, he declined. So it was me and Steve heading west.

         I didn't follow him far, I kept thinking about getting up in the am, so I traveled south with him to Four Mile River road then waved him off and made my way back to Mystic. I stopped for coffee at Norms in Groton then got back on the bike.

           I have not ridden a “quiet” bike in a long time, and it was actually nice, (I must be getting old).The air was cool and soft, the roads empty, and all I could hear over the low rumble of the bike and the wind. I headed to Mystic and just got lost in the sensations, Mystic came and went, no highway here I was just sailing on back roads, the bike sounded like it was in stealth mode, I could hear the tyres on the pavement, Stonington passed by as did Westerly, RI, and Hope Valley and Exeter. Foster came and went North and South Kingston were a joy, the air smelled of green, green as in Spring and life. As I passed ponds you could hear the frogs singing, the tyres rolling along the pavemant, the wind in my face, Wakefield and Narragansett cruised by then it was Charlestown and Ninigret Park. The air flowed by, no cars, just pavement and trees, dark houses and business disappeared in the mist as I passed. Shelter Harbor, Misquamicut, Watch Hill and Westerly then back in Connecticut, up 49 into North Stonington, I love back roads, no lights in windows, no street lights, just the sky above the road and the darkness of the woods going by, the sound of the tyres and the muffled noise of the engine. Ledyard, Center Groton and home to Mystic. Four am I put the bike away and walked inside. A cup of tea, a cigarette and bed. Maybe we should have done the Cape...






At 6 the alarm went off. Sunday begins...
 
klay

The definitive N.L.M.C. ride

If this club exists for eating as some people have stated then this was the day. A.O.B. Was at 11:15am so riders lined up early for donuts and coffee. At 11:15 we drove to Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Italian sausage, salads, kielbasa and sauerkraut. From there we rode to Steamers, Scallops, clam fritters, fish and chips, leaving there we rode to donuts and iced tea. From here members went off in different directions and I beleive at least two headed to another Coffee.

What could be more N.L.M.C. than that.

Now let me fill in a few blanks...

With an 11:15 departure time it meant that members arrived early at D&D in Montville to socialize and perhaps partake of that facilities finery. Leaving there the club headed down 32 and across the bridge into Groton and route 184 for the open house at Mikes Famous Harley Davidson. Mikes had a live band, plenty of food, the Haymond Girls, a couple vendors and test rides.

Leaving there eight bikes headed to Mystic Ct. to visit with the wingless one. Everyone did exactly what was expected of them by abusing him and examining his bike. Turns out "Lefty" only suffered minor damage to the bike, a scraped muffler, scraped turn signal , loose mirror and a scraped and bent engine guard. Bubba found a splitting maul and offered to straighten the item out right there and then but Jerry didn't seem to keen on the idea.

Finished harassing the wounded we headed to Mystic for lunch, those of us who knew we were heading here either partook lightly of the morsels at Mikes or abstained all together. At Cove it was Seafood and refreshments then a little more seafood and refreshments. A young mother with her daughter was waiting to order when she noticed Dave's sleeves, "Patriot Guard" she came over and started thanking the guard riders for what they do then joined us as we ate. Her husband is in Afghanistan and she is lost without him. While we were there her cell phone rang and it was him, they were fresh back from a patrol and had been ambushed. She stayed with us for the better part of the time that we were there.

From Cove we started spliting up, Jim “did I mention it was Raining” Skerrit headed home, Bub, Gene. And Rick followed us up rte 27 then continued north while Carey, Bob, Dave and I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for ice tea and coffee.

From there Carey and Bob headed west to find the next Dunkin, Dave headed out and I went to the hardware store then home to spend a few hours plying with the plumbing.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this rider from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

klay