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November 8, 2008 – Breakfast ride to the Cracker Barrel in Londonderry, NH83 Miles(Dave, Dennis, Roy and Jeff & Pam) We headed north through Lowell and Dracut. Rt. 128 in NH was a very nice ride. We opted for taking the fast route home by going Rt. 93. |
November 1, 2008 – Ride to Gloucester/Rockport and lunch at Farnham's123 Miles(The Anchor, Paul, Jackie & Dave, Zeb, Phil & Linda, Jeff and Art & Pat in their Corvette) Our usual scenic coastal ride with lunch at Farnham's. |
October 25, 2008 – Ride to Rochester, NH Harley-Davidson dealership180 Miles(Roy, Jake and The anchor) The ride was a little cool but not as cold as last week. There was a big party, a rock band and flea market at Rochester HD. Jake sat on a few bikes; is he looking to make a change?? After grabbing a coffee and looking around for a while, they headed off for lunch at a diner close by. Routes: 128N 107 125N 202E Great Rd. to 16N 11W to Rochester HD Back to 16S 125S and got home about 3:30 PM. |
October 18, 2008 – Ride to Castle In The Clouds, Moultonboro, NH241 Miles(Roy, Phil & Linda and Jeff) This was a chilly ride but the weather was nice otherwise. We made for the last lunch served this year at the restaurant at the top of the mountain. Great food but a long wait. We got to sit out on the patio and were able to move our table into the sun thankfully. Routes: 93N to exit 3 111E 107N 156N 152N 4/202W 202A N 126 28N 109N 171 to Castle In The Clouds 171 28S 126 125S and home |
October 11, 2008 – Ride to The Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, CT230 Miles(Roy, Dave & Jackie, Joe & Linda, Frank, Phil & Linda, Dennis and Pam & Jeff)
Joe and Linda led us on one of our rare trips through Connecticut. The roads were perfect for motorcycling and the beautiful foliage and weather made this ride perfect. The Vanilla Bean Cafe was a great lunch destination. It was loaded with bikes and the food was good. I think we need to consider Connecticut more often in the future. Joe, thanks for leading! It was nice to have a break. |
October 4, 2008 – Ride to the Kancamagus Highway350 Miles(Roy, The Anchor, Jack & Sandy, Paul, Joe & Linda, Phil & Linda and Pam & Jeff) |
September 20, 2008 – Ride to Bentley's Saloon, Arundel, ME192 Miles(Roy, The Anchor, Dave & Jackie, Paul & Denise, Frank, Phil and Pam & Jeff) |
September 13, 2008 – Ride to Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA142 Miles(Roy, The Anchor, Steve, Don and his son Dan, Paul and Pam & Jeff) |
August 30, 2008 – Ride to Murphy's Grille (now Digby's Saloon), Sunapee, NH246 (Me)/276 (Roy) Miles(Roy, The Anchor, Pam & Jeff) |
August 23, 2008 – The Quabbin226 Miles(Roy, Paul Cuniff, Kathy & Matt, The Anchor, Pam & Jeff) |
August 16, 2008 – Breakfast ride to Parker's Maple Barn in Mason, NH138 Miles(Roy, Dave LeBlanc, The Anchor, Pam & Jeff)
Again, it started off as a cloudy day but burned off later on. Breakfast at Parker's was great. Nothing like a 1/2 rack of maple flavored ribs, 2 eggs and a plate full of home fries in the morning! From the restaurant we rode on some back roads, some of which were dirt, but thankfully well groomed. I really enjoyed Rt. 31. It was about 19 miles of nicely paved road with gentle hills and curves, no traffic and nice weather. Near the end we decided to make a stop at Kelly's HD. Dave ended up seeing a beautiful 2006 Street Glide with low miles and a decent price. He was real close to pulling the trigger. We finally left and the Salesman came out to the parking lot offering another $400 off. I don't know how Dave did it but he left to think it over. It will be interesting to see if he takes the plunge! Routes: Rt. 119 West to Rt. 13 North Left ob Mason Rd. to Parker's Maple Barn Continued on Mason Rd. and took a right on Old County Rd. Left on Isaac Frye Hwy Left on Rt. 31 Left on Rt. 124 Left on Mason Rd. to Old Turnpike Rd. and back to Rt. 119 in Townsend. From there we just road on random roads until picking up Rt. 3 South to Rt. 3A in Tyngsboro. We had a cup of coffee after visiting Kelly's HD and headed home. |
August 10, 2008 – Destination was Mainiac's Cafe in York, ME162 Miles(Roy, Phil & Linda, Dave LeBlanc, The Anchor, TJ & Sue, Scotty Moses and Pam & Jeff). John McTague met us at the restaurant.
It started off as a cloudy day but burned off later on. The beaches were much busier than expected for a less than perfect beach day. Lunch at Mainiac's was good and we will be going back. Routes: Rt. 128 North to Rt. 1 North Rt. 1A North Rt. Rt. 1B back to Rt. 1 Rt. Rt. 103 to York and back on to 1A Rt. We went through York village to Ridge Rd. to Rt. 1 South Rt. 91 to Mainiac's Rt. 1 South Rt. Rt. 1A in Rowley to Jeffrey's Neck in Ipswich Rt. Rt. 1A to Beverly and home (it looked like rain) |
August 2, 2008 – Destination was the Flying Goose/Four Corners Grill234 MilesRoy, Phil & Linda and Pam & Jeff) It wasn't very sunny when we left but it did come out faintly for some of our ride. We did hit another dirt road but it wasn't too bad. Yes we got rained on near the end of the day. In fact it was raining so hard by the time we hit Littleton, MA on Rt. 119 we had to stop and take cover. It let up just a little but picked up again soon after. It was real difficult to see. We all made it home safely and I think I am speaking for everyone when I say the it was still a great ride and we would do it again, rain and all. Routes: Rt. 38 to Rt. 495 S Rt. 119 West Rt. 13 North Rt. 77 North Rt. 77/114 North Rt. 114 North to the Flying Goose Rt. 11 East Rt. 3A South to Old US 3 Rt. 127 Rt. 103 to South Rd. Rt. 77 Rt. 13 to Rt. 119 to Rt. 495 and home |
July 26, 2008 – Brattleboro, VT, The 2nd New Hampshire Turnpike270 Miles(Roy, Phil & Linda, The Anchor and Pam and Jeff) We certainly had good riding weather for this great ride. We took Rt. 2 west rather than Rt. 119 to save some time but I question whether we did or not. Give me Rt. 119 any day. also, there were some rumblings from the peanut gallery that I went too fast. I never even hit 75, really!! How about those two old farts on Harleys that passed us like we were standing still??!! Anyway, we had lunch at or usual place, The Riverview Cafe. Those bastards put a 20% tip on our bill automatically. The service wasn't that great; what if we wanted to leave 15%?? To be honest, the best thing about this place is the view, certainly not the chow. Next time, I vote we go to either the Top of The Hill Grille on Rt. 5 or the other BBQ place further up Rt. 5 on the right(Mort's Roadhouse??). Both places had a lot of bikes parked outside.
The Rt. 5 ride in Vermont is very scenic going along the Connecticut river and the road is just perfect for cruising at 50-55 mph. Going east into NH we picked up the 2nd NH Turnpike in Claremont, NH. This rural route took us almost all the way back to MA in a southeast direction. Some of the roads were dirt but smoother than even some of the paved roads. Great scenery all the way. Not a Dunkin' Doughnuts to be found until we got to Pepperell, MA! Frank picked up his new RK Classic on Friday. It may be lucky that he didn't come with us on this ride. I can just imagine how pissed he would be riding his one-day-old HD down those dirt roads!
Routes: Rt. 2 West Rt. 5 North in Greenfield, MA Lunch in Brattleboro at The Riverview Cafe Continued on Rt. 5 North Rt. 131/12/103 East to Claremont Picked up the 2nd NH Turnpike and followed it all the way to Amherst, MA Rt. 122 South Rt. 113 In Pepperell Rt. 3 south and home at 5:30 PM You know what? You shoulda been there! |
July 19, 2008 – Only 1/2 day. It was hazy, hot and humid so we opted for a pool day102 Miles(Roy, Phil & Linda, Steve!, The Anchor and Pam and Jeff) We decided to stay away from the crowded beaches and headed inland riding on random roads through Andover, Boxford, Topsfield, Beverly, Hamilton, Wenham, Ipswich, Essex, Beverly Farms, Rowley, Groveland and North Andover. Riding through these towns never gets old in my opinion. It was a scenic ride and not hot as long as we were moving. I got home at just about noon, grabbed a Genesee and jumped into the pool. |
July 12, 2008 – No Ride. I wimped out with a cold0 Miles |
July 5, 2008 – Ride to Ossipee (twice) and Pine Knoll Camp Ground273 Miles(Roy, Phil & Linda, Pam and Jeff. We met Jake & Deb and two of their friends at PPP) Routes: Rt. 125 N. Stopped at Pam & Phil's Sisters House in Epping to see their new Vette Rt. 16 N Rt. 153 N to Poor People's Pub Rt. 153 N to Ossipee Lake road to our kids' rented cottage Rt. Back to Rt. 153 N to E. Madison Rd. Rt. 113 W Rt. 16 N to Pine Knoll Camp ground in Albany, NH Rt. 16 S to Ossipee Lake Rd. to Roy's cottage where he will be for the week Rt. 153 S to Pam and Phil's parents camp on Province Lake Rt. 153 S to Rt. 125 and home.
What a perfect day for a ride. It was warm with no humidity. Some clouds but a good amount of sun too. We did a lot of visiting on this ride and still managed to rack up a few miles. Pam and I got home at 9:00 PM so it was a long fun day. I didn't feel tired I think because it was not too hot and not humid which can wear you down. |
June 28, 2008 – Black & White restaurant, North Spencer, MA193 Miles(Roy, Anchor, Pam and Jeff) Routes: Rt. 119 W Rt. 101 S Rt. 68 S Rt. 122A Rt. 31 to the Black & White restaurant Rt. 31 N Left on Browning Pond Rd. Rt. 148 N Rt. 122 I could not find the road in Barre I wanted so we took some other nice back roads north to get to Rt. 2 and home.
Only three bikes today for our round-about ride to the Black & White restaurant. I think people are losing interest. Is there a way to make our rides more attractive to more people?? Let me know. It was a very damp day but not really raining. We hit only a few drops. We found some nice roads around Barre to keep in mind for future rides. |
June 21, 2008 – Newport, RI250 Miles(Don, Stacy and Jeff) Routes: Rt. 95 S Rt. 24 S Rt. 138 Rt. 138A Rt. Belleview Ave. (the Mansions) Brenton Point State Park Back to Downtown Newport, lunch at the new Christie's Rt. 138A to Rt. 138 W over the Newport and Jamestown Bridges Rt. 1 to Rt. 4 to Rt. 102 N Back roads to RT. 126 Rt. 495 N and home
This was another day of beautiful weather. I don't know why only two bikes showed up- even on a Saturday. We took the usual route down and back. It was disappointing that Christie's, as we have known it, no longer exists. It is now an exclusive members only club. The "new" Christie's is accessible from the same parking lot and is one street over. It cost us $10 each to park! The new restaurant has outside seating and was OK. Maybe a little fancier than we are used to. Prices were not as bad as you might guess. We headed home after lunch and I got home around 4:30 PM. |
June 8, 2008 – Ride to Purgatory Chasm, Sutton, MA163 Miles(Scott, Dave, Anchor, Paul, Jeff & Pam) Routes: Rt. 62 Rt. 225 Rt. 27 Rt. 111 W to Stow Rd. to Rt. 117 W Rt. 85 S Rt. 135 W in Hopkinton Past Rt. 140 to Maple Ave. Pleasant St. to School St. Cross Rt. 122 and Rt. 146 Left on Purgatory Rd. We went South on Joe Jenny Rd. to Rt. 16 to have Lunch at The Lodge Deciding to get home fast we got on Rt. 395 N to 290 to 190 N to Rt. 2 and home.
Purgatory Chasm was an interesting destination and the back roads we took made for a very nice ride on a very hot day. Only Pam, The Anchor and Scott made the entire hike through the Chasm. They looked pretty beat (especially The Anchor) when they got back. We rested for a bit then headed for lunch at the lodge. Paul headed home to watch his son play baseball. The Lodge is a great lunch stop. They make great cheeseburgers! |
June 1, 2008 – Ride to Wachusett Mountain178 Miles(Scott M., Roy, Jeff & Pam) Routes: Rt. 129 Rt. 225 Rt. 27 Back roads to Rt. 140 N to Wachusett Mountain Rt. 140 to 2A looking for a place to get a coffee. We ended up in Fitchburg. Backtracked to Rt. 2 west to Rt. 140 N Rt. 12 N Rt. 119 east Rt. 202 N to Lilly's Restaurant Back to Rt. 119 east to Rt. 40 N. Rt. 3 south to Rt. 129 and home.
Wachusett Mountain was a little bit of a letdown because everything was closed and there was no road to the top of the mountain. The ride to get there was nice and the weather was perfect. Later, As we were pulling into Lilly's restaurant there was a huge group of bikes doing the same thing from the opposite direction. We parked and ran in to get seated before them. The waitress told us it would make sense to get our orders in ASAP which we did. It turns out that there were about 50 bikes from the Concord, NH HOG chapter. We had a great lunch then headed north. This was a fun ride but the highlight of the day was discovering that a bird had taken a dump on Roy and his bike. It doesn't get much better than that! |
April 20, 2008 – First ride of the 2008 season!162 Miles(Scott M., The Anchor, Don and Roy) Routes: Rt. 62 Rt. 129 Rt. 4/27 119w Rt. 13 N to Goffstown (saw snow!) Headed towards Hudson for Lunch to a place that Don knew of but a sign on the door said "No attitudes, no colors" and there were no bikes parked out front. The owner probably saw this group pull up and quickly hid all of the women and put that sign on the door. Wise decision. Our group has a growing reputation for trashing fine establishments like this one and taking no prisoners! They ended up a few doors down at a pizza joint that was pretty good. |
| END 2007 SEASON***BEGIN 2008 SEASON |
October 28, 2007 –Ride to Seacoast HD110 Miles(Scott M., Jake, Deb and Roy) Routes: Rt. 62 Rode through Topsfield, Boxford, Georgetown, Byfield and W. Newbury Rt. 1n 110w Breakfast at Connies Seacoast HD- met Moe and Deb there 1s 107w 108s 97 and home at around 2:00 PM |
October 13, 2007 –Castle In The Clouds, Moltonborough, NH290 MilesRoutes: 95n 107w 125n 152w 156s R on Deerfield Rd. in Nottingham 107n in Deerfield 4/202w 28n L on Pork Hill Rd. L on 171w to Castle In The Clouds R on 171 to 109 25e 16s/25e 153s 16s 125s 107e 95s and home |
October 6, 2007 –Ride to Provincetown, Cape Cod333 MilesRoutes: 95s 3s 6A 6 28 6 3n 95n and home |
September 29, 2007 –Kancamangus Highway Ride319 MilesRoutes: 95 107 125 153 16 Lunch at Pine river Steak House Kancamangus Highway, Rt. 112 Rt. 3s Rt. 175s (beautiful road!) Rt. 3/25w Rt. 132s (beautiful road!) 393/202/4e 125 and home |
September 16, 2007 –Ride Through Vermont and New Hampshire283 MilesRoutes: 119w 5n 12e to 103e 10s in Newport, NH 31s 202s 12 140 Rt. 2e and home |
September 1, 2007 –Ride to Meredith, NH240 MilesRoutes: 95 107 3/11n in Laconia Lake Shore Rd./Rt. 3 Rt. 104w Rt. 132s 393/202/4e 125 and home |
August 25, 2007 –Ride toMilesRoutes: |
August 18, 2007 –Ride to The Black & White Restaurant, North Spencer, MA184 Miles
We had only three bikes and four people today, The Anchor, Roy and Jeff & Pam. Routes: Backroads to Rt. 27s 62/117w 70s 62w 31s Stafford St. to 56n 68n 2a east 495n and home
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August 11, 2007 –Ride to Bentley's Saloon, Arundel, ME203 Miles |
August 4, 2007 –Ride to Brattleboro, VTMiles |
July 21, 2007- Ride to Evan's Notch, NH380 Miles
Jeff and the group decided they were going to do the Evans Notch ride, so the group met in TJ, Jake and I made arrangements to meet up with the group at the Yankee Smokehouse, in We went inside and got a table and ordered our food. The place was not crowded, so we knew once the rest of the group got there, they would be seated and served quickly. We saw Jeff, Pam and the rest of the group at the stop light, we all waved, but they didn’t see us. (What does that mean Rick?) They pulled in, parked were seated and ordered and we all got our food at the same time. Jake and I have driven by the Yankee Smokehouse so many times but have never tried it. Well, we will definitely go back. I had grilled chicken salad and Jake had a roast beef sandwich which we both agreed was great. I think everyone enjoyed their meals. Great suggestion TJ. After lunch many of the group went right next door to gas up and we were on our way. Jake told Jeff about a way around the traffic on 16 in The ride on 113 toward Evans Notch is one of my favorite rides. I took many pictures on this ride. The views are spectacular, so I had couldn’t control myself. Please be sure to check them out under pictures. After about 45 minutes, we passed a sign that said something like Road Closed 7 miles ahead. I told Jake I thought that was at the end of Evans Notch and he said “I guess we will find out.” It really didn’t matter, this route is always fun to do. I always notice different things that I didn’t see the prior trip. I never get tired of it. We stopped at a spot that Jeff said he had always wanted to stop at before, but the area comes up so quickly we usually miss it. This time he was prepared. It was such a great spot. I really liked to big huge rock that I got to sit behind for a bit. I thought it was very sweet of Jake to be my guard. (see the pictures) We met a very nice couple that was sitting in the rest area in their mini-van. They were probably enjoying the quiet before we showed up. But they were very nice and told us about an out house further down the road. (sorry couldn’t wait; neither could Jeff) I am still amazed that Pam had toilet paper in the bike. Jeff, she is an amazing woman…….. We got back on the bikes and headed toward Rte 2. Once again we saw a couple of road closed signs, but we all kept at it. Thinking…..there must be a way around it…..you can do anything on a bike. Well, I guess not. “Hey Jeff, the road is closed.” The bridge at the end of 113 was completely demolished and blocked off. (I guess we should have listened). So what…We all had a good laugh about it, and you know, we have never done Evans Notch in the opposite direction. (there is a thought for a different ride) It was a nice ride back. We took 113 b instead of going straight down 113 and that brought us back to a spot that Once we hit Conway TJ and Rick and Val went to get supplies for the evening. Rick and Val stayed with TJ. (next time you see TJ, ask him about his midnight swim) The rest of us stopped at the Beep Beep gas station. Jake told Jeff about another route they could take that they might like to do on the way back. I believe it was 113 to 113A to 25. Jake and I have done this ride many times. Nice ride. Judging from the time you all got home I assume that you did do this route. I am interested to see how you liked it. Jeff, I will let you take over from here. (Jeff here)Deb is right that 113 to 113A and back to 113 is a great ride! We ended up on Rt. 107 out of Laconia for our ride home. 107 seemed to never end. It is a beautiful ride but I was dog tired and ready for a beer. We took 107 all the way to Seabrook and got on 95 to get home. Pam and I drove in at about 9:30 PM Drive Safe! See you next time.
Routes: 95n 107w 125n 16n 41 113 153 16 302e 113n to the Evans Notch and washed out bridge 113s 16s 113s 113a 113 107e 95s
Deb |
July 14, 2007- Ride to Newport, RI241 Miles
The weather couldn’t have been more gorgeous….We met in
We stopped next at a Dunkin Donuts to get some much needed water, Ice coffee, coolatta, and gatorade. It has been a long time since Jake and I have ridden so long that we look forward to just getting a cold water or ice coffee. (Truthfully we all wanted a cold beer.) Suzanne said she may come with us again, but not on a ride that far. We got back on the bikes and headed home. Once we were on 495, everyone sort of peeled off to make it home for that cold beer. Jake and I took 93 to 128 and got home at 6:30. When we got home of course we opened a beer together, and said what a great time we had. We are really lucky to have such a great group of friends. Jeff, as always, you planned a great ride. We all appreciate how much you put into these rides and I think I speak for all of us when I say “Can we please stop to pee more often?” (only kidding). Seriously, thanks. See you all soon. Drive safe. Routes: 95s 24s 138s 138A s Newport Bridge Jamestown Bridge Rt. 1 Rt. 4 (mistakenly) 102n Back roads to Rt. 126n in MA 495n and home
Deb |
July 7, 2007- Ride to Old Orchard Beach, ME260 Miles
We had 5 bikes and 6 people for this ride to Maine. Dave, Jackie, Roy, Anchor, Jeff and Pam. It was a pretty decent day for riding. To save some time we hopped on the highway to get to Rt. 107 in NH. From there we took the back roads north and west planning to loop around to the east and right into Old Orchard beach.
We usually like to find a Dunkins' for our breaks and I followed a sign for a Dunkins' that took us a little father west and off our route then I expected. to make matters worse the Dunkin's had a small parking lot and was jam packed. Luckily a couple cars left and we were able to park. Never again. On the way back to pick up Rt. 4, I missed the left turn which was a pain in the ass for everyone.
Getting back on track we hit some very nice roads out in the country. The wind suddenly picked up and we were inadvertently blown a little more north than we realized and wound up in Portland, north of Old Orchard Beach! After a scenic ride through downtown Portland we found the coastal road and got on Rt. 1 south. Everyone was getting hungry so the search for a restaurant was on. We came across Governor's Restaurant and Bakery in south Portland. This turned out to be a decent place. Just don't get the steak tips. They looked gray in color and the Anchor said they didn't taste good either. Dave, Jackie, Pam and I took advantage of the Bakery and all had a giant desert. I'm the only one who finished it all, and it shows!
From there we kept heading south on Rt. 1 and finally reached Old Orchard Beach. Unfortunately we sat in a lot of traffic and really couldn't see the ocean. I don't need to go back there for a very long time. Continuing south on Rt. 1 it was getting late so Jackie and Dave split off to Rt. 95. They had another obligation that evening. The rest of us soon got gas and headed south into more and more traffic. We got fed up and took Rt. 9 west (I think) that brought us back to Rt. 4 and much nicer riding. We stopped at another Dunkins' and headed home, again getting on the highway. Another great ride.
Routes: 95N 107W 150N 108N 4N 4/202N 22E 1S 9W (I think) 4S 236S 103S 1S 107E 95S to home
Jeff |
July 5, 2007- Ride to Farnham's seafood restaurant140 Miles
The Anchor and I were the only riders today. The weather looked pretty bad in the morning but they day turned out great. We stayed fairly close to home because we had visions of clams dancing in our heads. On our very circuitous route we found some interesting back roads that eventually brought us to Wingaersheek beach in Gloucester. It would have been nice to actually see the beach but God must have given permission to someone very special to have exclusive rights to this part of earth so they can charge $20 to park. We took a break just outside the guard shack then headed for Farnham's. We were not disappointed! We then rode to Seacoast HD where John finally got himself a rainsuit. We headed home after that. Routes: We went through Andover, Boxford, Topsfield, Wenham, Essex, Gloucester, Ipswich and north on Rt. 1 to Hampton and back to Rt. 62 and home.
Jeff |
June 30, 2007- Ride to the Quabbin221 Miles
This turned out to be the best weather we have ever had for a ride to the Quabbin. We had seven bikes and eight people including Scott M. a new rider with the group. Scott got his new HD Softail Standard about a week ago. Hopefully he will become a regular rider with the group. The other riders were Dave & Jackie, Rick & Val, The Anchor, Roy and Jeff. We stopped at Dunkin's in beautiful downtown Fitchburg for first break. We got to the Quabbin close to lunch time but we visited all of the sites before eating (the scenic overlook, the tower and the museum). It was then a short ride to our regular lunch place; Hawley's Family Restaurant. The Anchor and I were thinking about the chicken parm dinner all day! We had a great meal and rode north on Rt. 202 paralleling the west side of the Quabbin. We then went east and picked up Rt. 62 and headed home. I got home around 5PM, the others probably got home around 5:30 PM. Sorry Rick and Val, I know you had hoped to be home earlier.
Routes: 129 west Rt. 225 west Rt. 2a west Rt. 101 west/south Rt. 32 south Rt. 32a south Rt. 9 west Rt. 202 north Rt. 122 east/south Rt. 32 south Rt. 62 east Rt. 129 and home
Jeff |
June 23, 2007- Roy's ride to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, VT450-470 Miles
We knew this was going to be a long ride and the record for the number of miles the group has ever done. Considering that, we met an hour earlier than usual at 8:00 AM. We got going about 8:10 AM and drove non-stop for two hours to exit two off Rt. 91 in Brattleboro, VT arriving at 10:05 AM. Right off the exit on Rt. 9 was a gas station where we thought Moe and Deb might meet us. I guess they decided not to come today. We got gas, used the restroom and got on our way at about 10:40 AM.
Heading west on Rt. 9 we soon picked up Rt. 100N which will bring us all the way to Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury, VT. The ride up 100 is as good as anything I have ever heard or read. The road is very well marked but I still managed to get confused, especially when some old fart asked me directions and said we are on rt. 30. (I had pulled over to see what everyone wanted to do for lunch). I insisted that we were on Rt. 100 and continued on. A short time later I saw a sign saying we were on Rt. 30 with no mention of Rt. 100! After stopping again and getting confirmation from Phil & Linda's GPS that we were in fact still on Rt. 100 we continued on without incident. (Rt, 100 and 30 are the same for a while.)
We stopped at a nice place for lunch called The New American Grill (I don't remember where we were). We all had a great meal with fast service and were back on the road in no time.
Many miles later, with an aching butt, I spotted a really nice Rest/Info area, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We stopped in for a break and found out we were about 40 miles south of our destination; Ben & Jerry's. But there was dissention in the troops. It was getting late and The Anchor and Roy were afraid they were going to turn into pumpkins soon. They were thinking that we should cut our trip short. After some discussion and realizing we had come too far to turn around now, we decided to keep on going.
It wasn't long before we arrived at Ben & Jerry's. It was surprisingly crowded but parking was easy. It turned out that the next tour was in 6 minutes so everyone, well almost everyone, got a ticket and went on the 1/2 hour tour. It was OK but certainly not a life changing event. After the tour we found the two mopes, Roy and The Anchor, and waited while some of us got an ice cream cone. We left and immediately found a gas station for our ride home.
We left the gas station at 5:00PM and drove down Rt. 89 for a full 1-1/2 hours. By then we needed a break and found an Irvings service station with a Dunkins and got gas and coffee. The service at this Dunkins was extremely slow and to make matters worse they ran out of coffee! Well that was our last break and we stepped up the pace a little (75-80mph) to get home at a decent hour, which we did. Pam and I got home at 8:00 PM, everyone else arrived home closer to 8:30PM. What a great ride this was!
Routes: 128S Rt. 2W Rt. 91N Rt. 9W Rt. 100N to Ben & Jerry's Rt. 89S Rt. 93S and home
Jeff |
June 16, 2007- Ride to the four Corners Grille in New London, NH245 Miles
Well it's Saturday again and Boss Hog had to go somewhere. The sun is shining and Tj/Cindy, John, Frank and I met at the DMV. The first idea was to go west but that wasn't going to work because I had friends coming to visit from Upton. We changed our plans to go north to the Four Corners Grille in New London, NH. We had a good meal and Tom got Cindy a birthday cup cake with a candle. The waiters sang happy birthday 128S and home Roy |
June 13, 2007- Ride to Laconia224 Miles
Six of us took the day off for a ride to Laconia; Jake, John M., Roy, TJ, Jeff and Dave Brigham who drove up from Charlotte, NC and continued on to Michigan after our ride. We met early at 7:30 AM hoping that we could beat the crowd and getting a good (and free) parking spot at the Weirs. The ride up turned out to be a little wet unfortunately. We had a great breakfast at a cool diner on Rt. 11 in Rochester, NH- I can't remember the name of it. Arriving at the Weirs we encountered no traffic and drove right in and found parking. We ended up walking the entire concession areas on Lakeside Ave. and on Rt. 3. There was a lot of interesting stuff. We did everything we could to get a picture of TJ with a girl so we could get him in trouble with Cindy but he was on to us. After all that painful exercise and a sausage sandwich for some of us it was time to move on. Jake, TJ, John and Roy decided to head home since the next day was a workday and they all get up early. Dave and I went to Meredith HD where Dave needed to get new rain pants. The old ones got melted to his pipes during the ride. Dave wasn't happy with that. There were quite a few people at Meredith HD but it wasn't nearly as crowded as the last time the group went there. I think the whole Laconia event is much busier on the weekends. Dave and I continued on down Rt. 104 and stopped at Billy's Grille. After a good meal there then gassing up, we took the fast way home on Rt. 93. Dave had a hotel reservation in Concord so we parted company there. I'm glad Jake, Roy, John and TJ decided to take Wednesday off even though the weather wasn't the best. Wednesday was the only day Dave was going to be around and it was good to have the group together. thanks for making Dave feel welcome too!
Routes: Rt. 28 Rt. 114 Rt. 125 Rt. 16 Rt. 11 Rt. 11b Dave and I went up Rt. 3, to Rt. 104 to Rt. 93 and home. I believe the others went home the same way we drove up. Jeff |
June 10, 2007- Ride to York, ME175 milesWe had 3 people and 3 bikes; Frank, Roy and Jeff. I found this to be a very relaxing ride since we had absolutely perfect weather, bright sun and no sweating, even wearing a leather jacket. Traffic was light maybe because it was a Sunday. There were many bikes though. The sights on Rt. 1A were as beautiful as ever. We tried a different lunch spot in York called the Mainiax Cafe which just opened two weeks ago by a friend of ours. I think we all enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere. I hope we can go again with a larger group. I know Roy and others, including me, really like the Bluff (our usual destination) so we will still go there too. We took a new route home by following Rt. 91 West and eventually found our way back to Rt. 1A. After Frank & I split from Roy on the way home we had a close call with a speed trap, but due to my keen eye and superior intelligence and reflexes, I was able to find the brakes in time. This would have been Frank's first speeding ticket ever. Sorry Frank! Well I wish more people had ridden today because you really missed a rare perfect riding day.
Rt. 1 N Rt. 1A N Rt. 1B N Rt. 103 E/N to York Rt. 1A in York, past Long Sands beach Nubble Rd to the lighthouse Back through York Villiage to Ridge Rd. Rt. 1 S Rt. 91 W and to the Mainiax Cafe Rt. 91 W Rt. 236 S Rt. 103 E Rt. 1A S Rt. 101 W Rt. 1 S and home
Jeff |
May 26, 2007 –Ride to TJ's camp in Albany, NH260 Miles
We had three bikes and four people, Roy, Anchor, Jeff & Pam, for today's ride. While it was warmer when we left and a little cooler up north, It was a perfect day for riding. We left right at 9:00 AM and made good time, even skipping first break. I managed to mess up the time we saved by taking a wrong turn onto Rt. 16 south from Rt. 125. I have no idea why I did that other than I went temporarily brain-dead. Of course, The Anchor followed me while Roy waited for us on Rt. 125. About 15 miles and $1.00 between two tolls later, we were back heading to the Poor People's Pub. We had a good lunch at the Pub (no Reuben for me thank you!).
Instead of following Rt. 153 all the way to Conway, we decided to take a shortcut over to Rt. 16. I wasn't real sure about which road to take but it turned out OK. Roy was thinking of a different shortcut that we should try out sometime. We passed the Pine River Steak House and it looked like a good lunch destination for the near future.
Heading North on Rt. 16 we soon arrived at Pine Knoll campgrounds. Steph had just arrived and was checking in. Cindy and TJ had been there since Friday. The campgrounds were packed with people. We also got a chance to check out Jake & Deb's beautiful site at Pine Knoll. No wonder we don't see them or TJ every weekend- they are too busy partying at the campground!
I had hoped to head north after our break at the campground but it was getting late and we decided to head home on Rt. 16. After one more stop at Dunkin' Doughnuts in Epping, we ended up getting home at a reasonable hour. This was another fun ride, especially being able to ride in our t-shirts.
Rt. 62 Haverhill St. Rt. 114 west to a new shortcut to Rt. 133/125 Rt. 125 in Haverhill RT. 110 Rt. 108 Rt. 4 west Rt. 125 north Rt. 153 Shortcut to Rt. 16 to Pine Knoll Campgrounds Rt. 16 south to Rt. 125 and home.
Jeff |
May 12, 2007 –Ride Through New Hampshire178 Miles
We had a great ride on Saturday. There were seven bikes; Pam and Jeff, Phil and Linda, Tom and Cindy, Val and Rick, Deb and Jake, Roy and last but not least John. It was a really sunny day and we were all excited to be back on the road. We met at our usual spot in North Reading and hit the road about 9:30. We spent more time than we expected getting reacquainted after the winter. Val and Rick joined us after almost a full year of being MIA. They spent most of their summer last year on their boat. We rode for about an hour and a half and Jeff pulled into a Dunkin Donuts because Pam reminded him that there wouldn’t be a bathroom for quite a while…..Thank you Pam. We are always grateful when you ride with us. Bathroom breaks are so appreciated. We talked some more in the parking lot, and headed toward Alton. The sky was crystal clear. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but who cares, we were riding again…Finally. The route was in my opinion, one of the best routes we have ever ridden. The winding road was so peaceful. Everything is green and you could see flowers popping up everywhere. Yee ha for spring. We stopped at Johnsons for lunch. As always, Jeff, you made an excellent choice for lunch. The food was fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. I think we all enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great….. After lunch we went out to the parking lot where we met a couple with a Harley. Jake, John and Roy spoke to them and it turns out that he had just gotten a new radio for his bike. His wife gave it to him for his birthday. Sorry Jake, highway pegs will have to do. The next time we go to Johnson’s let’s eat outside, and then get ice creams-----Sound Good? We got back on the road and headed toward home. The weather really cooperated. It was a bit windy, but the sun stayed out the whole way home. We stopped again at another Dunkin Donuts. This was an interesting spot. We saw what looked like a homeless hang out underneath an old railroad bridge. Good to know. You never know when you may need that kind of information. After a small hot chocolate we headed home. The cousin’s party was that night at Jeff and Pam’s house so we all headed home early. Jake and I got home around 4:00 and we traveled about 180 miles. We put the bike away, and sat on the back deck with a cold beer. There is nothing like a nice day out on the bike traveling with good friends. I took some pictures, so if I can figure out how to send them to Jeff, you should be able to access them on the website. Rt. 1N Rt. 107W Rt. 27/107W Rt. 156N Rt. 152 Rt. 4 Rt. 202A Rt. 126 Rt. 28N Rt. 11S Rt. 16S to Rt. 125 and home Deb |
May 6, 2007 –Ride Through Gloucester, MA108 Miles
TJ/Cindy, Phil/Linda, The Anchor and Pam/Jeff rode through Gloucester with intentions of going to Rockport but everyone agreed that it was a little chilly. We decided to head for the American BBQ instead. We had a great meal there, as usual. This was another Sunday ride. We plan to be back on our regular Saturday-full-day-ride schedule next week.
Rt. 62 Haverhill St. Rt. 114 west Rt. 133 Salem St. in North Andover Rt. 97 to Beverly Rt. 127 Rt. 133 to Rowley Rt. 1 to home
Jeff |
April 29, 2007–Ride Through Gloucester, MA95 Miles
We (Pam & Jeff) got home around 1:45 PM after riding 95 miles through Gloucester, Ipswich and then to Beverly and home. We stopped at Nick’s Roast beef in Beverly for lunch (Pam’s favorite). The 95 miles includes visiting Candice & Dave and Kelly & Jeff. It was a little cold but dry.
Rt. 62 to Beverly Rt. 127 Rt. 133 Rt. 1A Rt. 62 back to Tewksbury
Jeff |
| END 2006 SEASON***BEGIN 2007 SEASON |
 | December 24, 2006- Christmas Ride. Local/Gloucester Miles unknown
Jeff |
October 25, 2006 –Ride to the CooCoo's Nest in Wakefield, NH193 Miles
This was supposed to be a 1/2 day ride because the weather this time of year is pretty chilly. It turned out to be a full day. I guess I miscalculated how long it would take by just a little (2-3 hours!). Believe me, I heard about it. I don't think anyone was disappointed, maybe just a little cold. My Daughter Candice came for the first time. I think she had fun and really only complained about how cold her feet were. We'll see how soon she comes back! It was about 32 degrees when we left the house. Phil and Linda said it was less than 30 degrees when they left. It did warm up during the day and became pretty comfortable. The CooCoo's Nest was good as usual. I can tell how good the food was by the amount of burping I do on the ride home. The riders today were Moe and Deb, Phil and Linda, Roy, the Anchor and Jeff and Candice. Six bikes total.
Backroads through North Reading and Andover to Rt. 114 Rt. 125 North Rt. 153 North We back tracked down Rts. 153/125 and took a little detour in Epping to Phil and Pam's Sister's house. Nobody was home unfortunately. Continuing on Rt. 125 Candice and I split off on Rt. 495. Everyone else stayed on Rt. 125
Jeff
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October 11, 2006 –Ride to The Black & White restaurant in North Spencer, MA139 Miles
It is getting late in the season and the weather is getting cooler. I wonder how many more rides we are going to have before the real cold and snow arrives? Until then we are going to plan shorter rides, maybe with a particular restaurant as the destination and then head home after lunch. We did that today with our ride to the Black & White restaurant on Rt. 31. We left the meeting place at 9:00 AM and didn't see a Dunkin's or MacDonald's to stop at for a coffee and wound up at the restaurant at 10:30 AM! It was too early for lunch so we all had a great and very reasonably priced breakfast. Nobody was disappointed and it was a first for our group (having breakfast). We went a different route on the ride home and still got home early in the afternoon. I got a chill (high 40's-low 50's) in the morning but it warmed up a little for our ride home. I wonder what our lunch destination will be next week?
Rt. 95 to Rt. 2 west Rt. 190 South to Exit 5 Rt. 140 south Right on Laurel St. to Manning St. Left on Rt. 31 to North Spencer. On the way back we exited Rt. 190 to Rt. 117 east to Rt. 27 north and home.
Jeff
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October 11, 2006 –Ride to Weare, NH220 Miles |
October 28, 2006 |
October 21, 2006 –The Quabbin215 Miles
We had a great ride out to the Quabbin on October 21st. There were 6 bikes, Jeff and Pam, Phil and Linda, Jack and Sandy, Deb and Moe, Roy, and Me and Jake. We met in North Reading at 9:00. It did seem to be a bit windy, but we were all happy that the sun was out and it was going to stay sunny for the entire day.
It was great to have Jeff and Pam’s friends from California with us. They were definitely feeling the change in the weather from what they are use to, but they were troopers.
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October 14, 2006 –Short Day- American BBQ98 Miles |
October 7, 2006 –Long Ride Through New Hampshire330 Miles
This was a marathon ride for the group. They started out in North Reading at 9:00 am. The sky was cloudy, and the group wasn’t too sure if they were going to get rained on or not, but by the time they took a break in Epping N.H., the clouds cleared and the sky was a bright blue.
Deb
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September 30, 2006 –Ride Through Keene, NH? Miles
We had a beautiful day for a ride up Rt. 119 to Rt. 12 in Fitzwilliam, NH. We then picked up Rt. 10 in Keene to Newport, NH. Rt. 10 is a great road. We need to do it again. In Newport we got onto Rt. 103e to Rt. 127s in to Contoocook, NH. We stopped in Sunapee at Murphy's Grille and had a nice lunch. After a short distance on Rt. 202/9 we went right on Hatfield Rd. which turned into dirt for a while. I still haven't heard the end of that! After the dirt road we took a right onto Walker Hill Rd. to Rt. 77s and finally to Rt. 13s. We were supposed to end up back on Rt. 119 but I missed a turn and we wound up in Manchester so we took Rt. 93 home.
Jeff
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September 23, 2006 –Ride in e rain32 MilesThe day didn't look promising when we left but two hardy and brave souls, TJ and Jeff, dared to show up at the meeting place. We decided to scratch our planned ride to Keene, NH and do a half day riding through Beverly to Rt. 127 and ending up at the American BBQ in Rowley for lunch. By the time we got to Middleton the rain was really coming down so we made the decision to head home. At least we did 32 miles so don't be looking for us in the Breakfast Club!
Jeff
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September 16, 2006 –Ride to Thompson CT.226 Miles
The group had a great ride on Saturday. There were six bikes at the beginning of the day; Jeff and Pam, Phil and Linda, TJ, Roy, John, and Frank. It was an awesome morning. The sun was out, and we were all surprised at how warm it became during the course of the day. Everyone left the meeting place just after 9:00 and road up 95S to Rt.2W to 190S to exit 5. They took Rt. 140s for a short distance and a right and a left turn ended up on 31S. They met us at the Picadilly Pub in Sturbridge. Jake and I left Salem at 10:00 and headed up 128 S to catch the group. We pulled into the Framingham rest stop so that I could peel my eyelashes off the top of my helmet, and contact the group to find out where they were. I went inside to use the restroom and when I came out (candy bar in hand), Jake said “lets go, we are wasting time”. He handed me his phone and told me to try to reach TJ. (I’m supposed to do this as we are riding on the mass pike “Hello…..TJ?......Sorry I really can’t hear what you are saying…” Now I don’t know about you, but trying to talk on or listen to a cell phone on the back of a motorcycle is pretty crazy, especially when you’re on a highway. The reception in that area is pretty bad even in a car. TJ called and gave us the direction to take and Jake and I caught up with the group in Sturbridge. It was so great to see everyone again. The Picadilly Pub was terrific. I was so excited to get potatoe skins, love those potatoe skins. We were a pretty gabby, probably because it has been so long since we were all together. We even got cake for Tom’s birthday. Sorry TJ we just had to do it. It was pretty funny, a table of bikers with HD t-shirts and singing happy birthday in a really high pitch. After we left the Picidilly Pub, we headed east on rt 20 to rt31s. The homes in CT are incredible. Many of them were all done in harvest decorations. I couldn’t get over how beautiful they all were. The view from the top of a hill on 31 would probably be awesome once the color kicks in, but it still took my breathe away. The scenery was amazing. This area struck me as horse country. I saw statues of horses in peoples’ yards. There were many homes that had stables, and at one spot (four corners) we were about 50 feet from 4 cows and 2 horses, right on the side of the road. We pulled into a gas station to gas up (Jake checked out the tree area), and proceeded to follow rt 31. From there we traveled onto 131s to Rt200 into Thompson, CT. We picked up 193N, but I think we got a bit sidetracked, ie MISSING….???? I think we saw colors on the way. They looked a bit scruffy. We headed north onto Rt. 27N and stopped at DD to get some refreshments. Pam, Linda and I were all talking about how thirsty we were and we were so happy to stop and get refueled. It won’t be long before we are all getting DD Hot chocolate. Yum Yum…… We saddled up again and traveled north to Rt 4 to Treble Cove Road in Billerica. From there took Rt 3A to 129 to 128 to Home. TJ was leading the group and as we headed under the 128 over pass he headed toward 129, and we headed toward 128. Later I thought…Gee I think that was the first time TJ lead the group..weren’t we a bunch of poop heads that we didn’t think to follow him, instead of being selfish and only caring about our sore arses……….What a bunch of wimps. Won’t happen again TJ. It was a great day. Long and warm. One of those days that you think about when the cold weather kicks in and you need to go outside to shovel……These are the memories I pull from when I don’t think I can’t handle another cold day………………………………… Riding on a warm sunny fall day is the best. Or maybe it is the spring days just after the long wait of going through winter…Or maybe it is riding with just jeans and a HD t-shirt…or maybe it is all of it. Having a Harley and riding with a great group of people is a blast. Can’t wait to do it again. Life is a gift… and the special people you meet along the way turns that gift into a treasure. Deb
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September 9, 2006 –Ride to Old Orchard Beach, ME217 Miles
Roy lead John M., the Anchor, and Phil K. on this first group ride to Old Orchard Beach. They left Reading and rode to Rt. 125 north to Rt. 4 east and Rt. 16 north. Somehow they lost Phil but waited for him at Portsmouth Circle (I wish I was a fly on Phil's collar to see what he was saying when they lost him). They then went up Rt. 1 to Ogunquit and the traffic was horrible, and to make it worse it was very hot. After getting through Ogunquit it was smooth sailing. The plan was to stop for lunch at the Maine Diner but there was a 1/2 hour wait so they decided to go across the street. Bad idea. They sat right down but had to wait 45 minutes for their food! It sounds like John M. is getting the blame for that fiasco. They finally got going again at 1:30 PM and headed for Old Orchard. When they got there they ran into a big bike rally. After spending some time in Old Orchard they headed for home via Rt. 9 south along the shore and picked up Rt. 111 south onto Rt. 4 south into South Berwick. There they got on Rt. 286 south back to Rt. 1. They stopped at Seacoast HD for a coffee. The Anchor got some gay fruity drink instead of coffee (what a surprise!). Roy said it was a great ride with temps in the 90's. I bet we don't see that temp again this year!
Jeff
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September 2, 2006 –No ride because it looked like rain on the Doppler. But it didn't rain!! |
August 26, 2006 –Rt. 1A to York, ME156 Miles
This is another one of my favorite rides. The weather was again beautiful. Roy, Frank, The Anchor, Pam and Jeff left Reading and picked up Rt. 1 north to Rt. 1A in NH. We followed 1A all the way to Portsmouth and veered off to Rt. 1B. Once arriving into downtown Portsmouth (Jeff did not get lost for a change) we got on Rt. 1 briefly to Rt. 103. We followed 103 into York, ME. We stopped at our favorite restaurant in York, in the Union Bluff Hotel, and had a great meal (do we ever have a bad meal?). From York, we got back on Rt. 1 south to Rt. 91 north. From there we picked up Rt. 236 south to Rt. 103 and back to Rt. 1 through Portsmouth. Riding along Rt. 1 we stopped at Seacoast HD. It looked like they had some special sale going on and there were a lot of people. The Anchor wants to buy a new RK and was not happy with the price they quoted him. It was about $2,000 over what other dealers have quoted him! Some sale. We also got Frank to sit on a bunch of bikes. We may have a convert here! (no pressure Frank!). From there we continued on Rt. 1 south to Rt. 107 west and 108 south to Rt. 125 in Haverhill and home. Another great ride while still getting home at a reasonable time. Boy was I parched!
Jeff (Deb, please come back!! I can't keep writing like this)
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August 19, 2006 –Mystery Ride153 Miles
TJ and Frank showed up for a mystery ride led by Roy. They went Rt. 62 west to Rt. 2 and picked up Rt. 119. In Townsend they went up Rt. 13 to New Boston, NH onto Rt. 114 south by the women's prison. Roy asked TJ if he would like to stay. I'm sure he gave it some serious thought. In Goffstown they headed east on Rt. 293 then 28 south stopping at the 99 restaurant in Manchester. Roy said it was a good meal. From the 99 they continued on 28 south to Rt. 128 in Cow Hampshire and picked up 111 east to Rt. 93 south. They were homeward bound after getting off at Rt. 125. Sounds like it was a fun ride!
Jeff (Deb, where are you!!!)
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August 12, 2006 –The QuabbinMiles- I forget
This was one of the best Quabbin rides yet. I don't think we ever had such perfect weather. I wish Deb was on this ride so there would be more detail but here is the route we took: From Reading we took Rt. 128 south to 4/225 west. 27south 62/117 west 70 south to rt. 62 west in Clinton 122/32 in Barre to Old Dana Road (a new road for us) to Rt. 32A We took Sessions road off of Rt. 32A (another new road) to Sessions Rd to Walker Rd. and ended up on Rt. 9 west to the Quabbin. We saw a Helicopter practice land which was quite exciting. The bikes got covered with dust. After the Quabbin we went to our favorite family restaurant and had a great meal. From ther it was north on Rt. 202 over to Rt. 32 north to Rt. 2 and home. We did a lot of riding and got home at a reasonable time.
Jeff
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August 5, 2006 –I can't remember please help me! |
July 29, 2006 –I can't remember please help me! |
July 22, 2006 –I can't remember please help me! |
July, 16, 2006– Ride to the Summer Bike Show at the Topsfield Fair123 Miles
Jeff |
July, 8, 2006– Ride to Brattleboro, VT>263 Miles
The group rode to Brattleboro Vermont last weekend. There were four bikes; Roy, Mike, John and Jeff. They took Rt. 95S to Rt. 4/225W. From there they took Rt. 225W to Rt. 119W to Brattleboro.
Ride Safe, Deb |
July 1, 2006- Evans Notch343 miles
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