Saturday was the Iron Order Poker Run for Vets

I arrived at the Waterford VFW hall at Cross Roads and Boston Post Road a little before 11 AM. It was a busy morning and I was relieved to have made it at the time Jason said he expected to be there. As I pulled up I saw a bright, green Ultra Glide that could only belong to Dave Adams and was greeted by two members of the Iron Order.

As I stepped inside another member, Lawman, provided a paper that detailed the stops and included a spot to mark the card drawn at each stop. He also gave me a map and directions to the other stops, but the print was very small. I purchased some tickets for the raffle and fifty-fifty and went to sit with Dave & Rich (Hartford County Chairman) who were talking to another member called Nomad. Evidently the Iron Order is nationwide and international, and Nomad was, as his name indicated, not member of any one crew or location.

Marty and Tammy arrived on separate bikes and Jason showed up a short while later. 

The ride wasn’t officially supposed to start until Noon, but we were informed that they were already set up at the Old Saybrook VFW so we decided to run the route backwards. Actually we didn’t follow their route at all as Dave, Marty and Tammy were all familiar with the area and formulated our own route which was very enjoyable and precluded us from trying to decipher the fine print.

We were warmly received at the Old Saybrook VFW and it wasn’t long before Dave struck up a conversation with Crusher, the President of the New London Chapter, Old School Crew.

All of the Iron Order members have club names. If Dave had one, it should be Ice Breaker. His gift for the gab got everyone talking.

On the ride out to Old Saybrook we hopped onto I95 to cross the Connecticut River and saw a parking lot for miles on the Northbound side. (My wife got stuck in this same traffic about 7 hours later, but that’s another story). So we decided to head up to the bridge at the Goodspeed Opera House. From there Dave wove a beautiful ride through East Haddam and Lyme; full of partially shaded roads and single file twisties. But he kept the pace a little slower for Tammy who did a great job of holding her own and was never far behind. 

Our next stop was the RAFA (Retired Armed Forces Association) in New London.

At this point the air conditioning and ceiling fans were a welcome relief from the shade free environs of New London. But food beckoned and we were off to the Old Saybrook VFW, our last stop. They put on a nice spread of baked ziti (that got this Italian’s approval), a better than average salad, pizza, chili and hot dogs. The only downside was that you had to buy your drinks, even soft drinks, at the bar. I guess the VFW had to get something out of it.

I never expect to do well at poker runs and I’m seldom disappointed, but today was different. I started out with an Eight of Clubs and picked up a Five of Hearts in Old Saybrook. Then in New London my luck changed and I drew a Five of Spades. I would have been excited, but Tammy already had me beat with a pair of tens. Finally back at Old Saybrook we got to draw two cards. My first card was a Five of Clubs, giving me three of a kind and my second card was the Queen of Spades. For a dollar more I drew another card hoping for another five and four of a kind, but I drew the Queen of Diamonds and a Full House! Thanks to the low turnout, I actually had the best hand and won the grand prize a nice, large glass mug with the Iron Order logo.

 Dave Adams ended up with the worst hand and also won a prize.

All of the New London Motorcycle Club did well with the raffle.

 Marty and Tammy each won matching grease guns and assorted related materials

Rich won twice, but I don’t recall what he won. I won a $20 gift certificate to Smokey O’Grady’s in East Haddam. It got to the point where the Iron Order members started moving to our table to improve their luck….and it worked for Nomad who won twice!

All in all we had a very good time and the Iron Order really appreciated our participation and expressed their hope to do the same for us. Hopefully we can make a better showing at next year’s event.

Vincent Sileo

A long way for a short distance

The Sunday ride was a tour of off the highway route numbers. The Club left Dunkin in Montville shortly after 10am. The ride ran down 32 to 163 over to route 82. We took 82 through Salem four corners to East Haddam where we picked up route 151 in Moodus. We stayed on 151 following it through Haddam Neck  to Cobalt and route 66. We turned east then picked up 16 through Westchester and Colchester then out to Lebanon where we grabbed route 207. We crossed through Lebanon Center and picked up route 32 in Franklin, then 203 through Historic Windham Center. 203 took us to 14 and we ran east through Scotland, Hampton and Canterbury crossing 169, then staying on 14 at the 14/14a split. We took that to Central Village. There we picked up 12, following that north through Wauregan and Danielson to Dayville for our destination, lunch at Zips Diner. The ride was just under 90 miles at 87.3 (according to Google Maps), which had we taken the more direct (as in highway, 32-163-395-101) it would have been a whopping 36.5 miles . We arrived at around 3 minutes after noon.

The food was good, service was good and the waitresses cute, (spelled y-o-u-n-g). 

After eating the main group headed to the highway for the trip home, Craig and Ginny were to drop off in Plainfield for a ride over to 165 and Buttonwood for Ice Cream.

 Joe, Myself, and Tree opted for Joe's plan of back roads, no lights, and a ride to Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm. (which we would never see).

Joe lead us out of Zip's onto route 101 to Cook Hill road. Cook Hill ran south through South Killingly, across route 6 and turned into Snake Meadow Road. In Moosup we turned left on route 14. We followed that into Sterling then hooked a fast right on Providence road. If you know this area you know it is a down hill right sweeper on 14 which starts to straighten where Providence road turns right. This is a great corner because you can just keep the right sweep going and you will be on Providence road without adjusting your turn. Joe knew this, halfway through the turn his right signal came on... Tree was following him, I was behind Tree. Tree never saw the turn indication. Joe swept onto Providence, Tree didn't, I swept onto Providence, Tree looked back at me as she is still on route 14 with that, "What just happened" look. I have to say I had a good chuckle at her expense. Joe slowed and we bopped along waiting for her to regroup. 
Providence road takes you to 14a in Oneco, where the gas prices still read $1.70 a gallon. (of course the station has been closed for a while). Joe pulled over to the right and parked. He gave us a choice. 14a/49 Ekonk in 4 miles or a little more riding. We chose the later. Joe took us to Newport road, which goes nowhere near Newport but it will take you into Rhode Island. Then Hazard Road, Molasses Hill road, past Arcadia Forest onto Escoheag Hill road which strangely enough takes you through Escoheag. Past Stepping Stone Falls, Stepping Stone Ranch, and Oak Embers Camp ground before depositing you on 10 Rod Road (165). 
Turning right we bounced our way along the broken pavement passing Beach Pond, where amazingly enough the pavement gets real smooth...exactly where the State of Connecticut takes over. We cruised through Voluntown then down towards Glasgo where we arrived at Buttonwood and had ice cream with Craig and Ginny.

Finished we said our fair thee wells to the trike and the bike, Joe picked up 201 north as Tree and Myself headed south. Down 201, onto 2, back on 201, I waved goodbye to Tree at the 201/627 split and headed to rte 184 and home. All in all a good day. 

The bike was on and off in neutral for the ride and for about 12 miles of the ride the little red security key indicator figured it would light up in solidarity with the neutral light, But it appears to be just indication issues because the bike ran fine. The new Heavy breather air cleaner even adds a little more sound to the bike, its sort of a sound of power when you go to full throttle. 

klay

Nationality

I always thought Harley Davidson was an American Company, You know..."Made in America" Then they tell me some of the parts in the newer bikes are Japanese. I know allot of the accessories are Kuryakyn. So I guess the bike is Amer-asian. OK..I can handle that. But...

My Limited seems to be Swiss. 
You know "Made in Switzerland". 

Let me tell you why, My bike has turned Neutral. So I am assuming it takes no sides, I say this because I have all new gears in the bike. I use to have 1st, Neutral, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. But I was riding home on I-95 the other day and found I was in Sixth Neutral, Or could in be Neutral Sixth. Anyway I found I now have Neutral 1st, Neutral Second...you get the point. No matter what gear I am in the bike says Neutral. In Sixth gear in indicates 6 and N.  Now I know it wasn't just neutral because I was still doing .... lets say slightly above the speed limit and the engine wasn't over reving. 

A trip to the shop determined that I was correct. It isn't in Neutral.  Duh-Uh.

They believe it has a pinched wire somewhere so it is going to go in for a check up. In the meantime, I will continue to cruise in Limited Neutrality. 

Do you know how to tell when you are really in Neutral when it always says neutral?

Let me give you a hint...The bike doesn't go when it is in Neutral.

klay