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Top Ten Mysterious Americas • What's in a Name • Recap of New Sweden 450 • Riding the Rattler Backroads will give you great roads to ride and interesting destinations once you arrive.
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Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
Volume 21 No. 8
AUGUST 2015
Discoveryin theJungles
of India
MYSTERIOUS AMERICA TOP TEN • WHAT’S IN A NAME
RIDING THE RATTLER • NEW SWEDEN 450 RECAP
W H A T ’ S I N S I D EMONTHLY COLUMNSFREE WHEELIN’ ..................................................4
WHATCHATHINKIN’ ...........................................5
POSTCARDS FROM THE HEDGE.......................6
ON THE MARK ....................................................7
BACKLASH..........................................................8
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD ........................10
MYSTERIOUS AMERICA..................................12
BIG CITY GETAWAY .........................................14
GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN ..............16
WE’RE OUTTA HERE........................................18
SHIRA’S ICE CREAM RUN ...............................20
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE............................46
INDUSTRY INFOBITES.....................................49
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR ...................50
FEATURESA PLANE IN THE JUNGLE ...............................22
RIDING THE RATTLER......................................28
TOP TEN MYSTERIOUS AMERICAS...............31
NEW SWEDEN 450 RECAP .............................36
WAR AND OTHER FUN PLACES.....................40
PRODUCT REVIEWSAVON TRAIL RIDER TIRES................................11
REDVERZ SOLO EXPEDITION TENT...............42
DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS.................................43
MICHELIN ANAKEE III TIRES...........................44
Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure
Publishers Brian Rathjen • Shira Kamil
Contributors Mark Byers, Victor Cruz,Ken Glaser, Bill Heald,Shahwar Hussain,Barry Houldsworth,Dr. Seymour O’Life
Editorial Office BACKROADS, POB 317Branchville NJ 07826
phone 973.948.4176
fax 973.948.0823
email [email protected]
online www.backroadsusa.com
Advertising 973-948-4176
BACKROADS (ISSN 1087-2088) is published monthly by BACK-ROADS™, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. BACKROADS™ may notbe reproduced in any manner without specific written consent fromthe publisher. BACKROADS™ welcomes and encourages submis-sions (text and photos) and suggestions. Include phone number withsubmissions. BACKROADS™ will only return material with enclosedsufficient postage. The written articles and opinions printed in BACK-ROADS™ are not necessarily those of the publisher and should notbe considered an endorsement. The Rip & Rides® published are rid-den on the sole responsibilty of the rider. BACKROADS™ is not re-sponsible for the conditions of the public roadways traversed. Pleaserespect the environment, read your owner’s manual and wear properprotective gear and helmet. Ride within your limits, not over them.
22
36
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ThaT’s The Dream
There is a Chevy commercial floating around
the airwaves and WiFi these days; so in addition
to your television you can probably see it on a
pad, pod, phone, app or urinal screen near you.
In this particular commercial Chevy is touting that their car is, as one com-
menter put it, “merging the physical freedom of the car with the virtual
freedom of WiFi.”
During the commercial a young woman exclaims, “That’s the dream.
To have WiFi in your car.”
Really? That is what will make or break the deal?
It seems like everyday you hear of some horror story involving some
clueless texting, talking or social networking driver. Young women
seem especially fond of this.
I am not against the use of social networks - the internet, emails or
texting; I save my delving into the social media pool for when it is
called for and appropriate.
Just the other morning I saw a video of a young woman who realizes
that no one is really paying any attention to her as she goes through her
life. She snuggles up to her boyfriend in bed and he holds his phone up to
check for messages. She gets a strike bowling and goes to get a high five cel-
ebratory slap only to see all her friends are studying their phones and no one
has noticed her great bowl. It is her birthday and every one at the party is
recording Happy Birthday on their phones, not really seeing her.
She is at lunch and telling a story when she see that, once again, nobody
is listening as they are all deep into their virtual lives.
It is really an eye opening video and it lets you see that the world and civ-
ilization is hand basketin’ down a self-centered spiral of banality.
One of the cruise lines had a commercial running during the evening fea-
turing a cruise line that has faux skydiving, faux surfing, and even faux bar-
tenders – probably with crap faux booze.
I would rather put my face in a bowl of angry asps than get on another
cruise ship.
There was a cartoon in The Week (a newsmagazine, like this – an actual
paper magazine) that had a bunch of kids all standing around a playground.
Swings, merry-go-round and slides all empty and unused while each child
stares at his phone or pad.
Do you have friends that cannot let go of their pad/phone/tablet?
I have found myself leaving my cell phone in my tank bag and checking
quietly, privately if and when I remember.
My friend Cherrie told me that she and her riding companions all put their
devices in a basket on the table when they go for a lunch ride. The first to
reach for their iPhone, Droid or tin can and string have to pick up the tab.
This strategy seems to work at preventing cellphonitis from spreading.
I think it is just a sign of these times – like the new boodle of ads that run
all over the national glossy magazines. These are aimed at younger, new rid-
ers just getting into motorcycling – what I like to call the “Bipster.”
For those of you who don’t know what a Bipster is – it is this new combi-
nation of young man - part biker/ part hipster.
A Bipster. (Continued on Page 11)
F R E E W H E E L I N ’BRIAN RATHJeN
Page 4 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
IT’s The lITTle ThIngs
Getting ready for a road trip, of any length, you want to make sure that
you have all those ‘little things’ that are so handy when
in your own garage. You know, that small piece of
duct tape in just the right spot, the zip tie to hold that
loose thing, a small Swiss Army knife. I know that
in the tank bags on both of my bikes, I keep dupli-
cates of many things that are indispensible – a small
spray of Plexus or similar face shield cleaner and
small micro towel, an emergency snack bar or small
bag of nuts, a pad and pen. I go through my collec-
tion every so often to weed out the ‘not so neces-
sary’ items that have taken up residence – the patch
from the last rally, the brochure from Dr. O’Life’s
last excursion, several key cards from hotels.
Riding on your own bike, from your own garage,
with your own things around you is very comfortable.
You have a routine, you know where things are and
that you have whatever you need for most circum-
stances. How about if you find yourself heading out of country, flying to dis-
tant lands and taking a seat on someone else’s motorcycle?
That’s a whole different packing story.
First, you’ll need to find out if the bike you’re using will have any storage
– tank bag, saddlebags and/or top case. If you have to bring your own tank
bag that makes things just a tad easier, as you can pack whatever you need
in it and just strap it on. I’ve found that most everything that I carry in my
tank bag can fit inside either both boots and/or my helmet when packing up.
I speak to many people who insist on taking their helmet with them on carry-
on, so they know they will, if all luggage is lost, at least have their helmet. I
understand the concept, but (fingers crossed and knock on wood) I’ve never
had my checked bag with helmet disappear in over 100 flights.
I pack different things for different destinations. For example, on our last
trip with Adriatic MotoTours to Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, I opted to
bring a number of mini rolls of toilet paper. Having been in this general re-
gion before, I was aware that their toilet facilities vary greatly – from luxury
with a bidet to a simple hole in the ground, perhaps with a dry spot to put
your feet. Depending on the water situation, I’ll take along some Pepto or
Imodium – don’t want that dilemma on a road trip. That’s enough potty talk.
Everyone has a packing list, I hope. There have been too many trips where
I have had to buy either a belt or watch because I failed
to follow mine. Again, on this last trip I opted to leave
my timepiece at home – I had my iPhone, after all. I
found myself constantly asking Brian what time it ‘re-
ally’ was, as my ‘watch’ was always on NJ time. Not
doing that again.
I have a thing for gloves. I will always have at
least three pair of gloves with me – my go-to Held,
a lighter weight and a warm, waterproof. When on
my own bike, I’ll have a bag with all my electrics
(liner, gloves and thermostat). Again, taking this on an
‘other people’s bike’ ride depends on location, but I’ll usu-
ally bring the liner, as it can be used as a ‘walk-about’ jacket as well. The
latest set of gloves residing in my top case are Held Steve Classic and two
pair of Eska, one a Tour Waterproof and the other a lightweight summer.
I also have a thing for little zip-lock bags. I’ll have one with liquids
(cleaner, chain lube, etc.), another with medical (after bite, band aids, eye
drops, cortisone cream) and another with bike band aids (zip-ties, small duct
tape roll, extra fuse, small screwdriver). It’s like having a traveling Snap-On
tool caddy in your luggage. These can also be stashed in the nooks and cran-
nies of your riding gear.
Don’t overlook the little things that you may find in places like Marshal’s
or any dollar store. On a recent foray, Brian came across Hang Tight Mini
Bungee Cords. The package of 10 assorted sizes was $3.99, so we had to buy
WH AT C H AT H I N K I N ’SHIRA KAMIL
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 5
FacT-FInDIng mIssIon
Brake pads. We know what they are, where they
are and what they do. They are often neglected as
they do their jobs in a silent manner (usually), and
years can go by before we need to do anything to them. But when you need
to renew the things (for they do have a service life), it’s really a straightfor-
ward job as motorcycles are not cars or Space Shuttles, and in so many ways
they are much more accessible and simpler to fiddle with. I found myself in
the situation where the wear markers on
the OEM front pads have come very close
to their service limits, so I naturally said,
“Ohh Ah. There’s a lovely set of brake
pads that need a bit of mending, yes?” I should point out the bike is a Tri-
umph, and I often speak to it in a horrific British accent which, I think, it ab-
solutely hates. I feel bad about it, too, yet I persist. That’s a bit strange, isn’t
it? Perhaps I should seek counsel about this, and record the analysis in a col-
umn for your consideration.
Fortunately for you, this isn’t it.
Anyway, back to the pads. I secured a new set of Galfers and was all ready
to slap them on, but then I had a thought. Maybe I should let the pros tackle
this job. Allow me to explain, as that might seem a bit odd for me to pay
somebody to put le pads on le Street Triple R considering I just mentioned
how it’s an easy job on motorcycles. I live a little over an hour from my Tri-
umph dealer, and why would I go to all this trouble for something so simple?
An excellent question, and you never cease to amaze me with your perti-
nent queries. The reasons I elected to do this are basically twofold: first,
there’s a back way to get to the dealership that is a really lovely ride. The
roads are great, and you go through some small towns that actually have
functional Main Streets with shops, diners, all that vanishing Americana that
is so priceless in this big-box, digital age. The other reason is a bit less ro-
mantic and more pragmatic, and involves the importance of visiting a deal-
ership from time to time just to find out how the weather is, sales and busi-
ness wise, in this tiny snapshot of the industry. In my travels over the last
couple of decades, I’ve visited many a motorcycle concern and I’ve had the
privilege to visit big ones, small ones, rural ones, urban ones (like NYC, LA,
Miami, etc.) and regardless of the location or size a well-run dealership is
usually staffed by some pretty savvy people who are more often than not
very honest and excellent sources of industry information. The dealer I take
my Triumph to has no idea what I do for living (well, to be honest neither do
I), so the fact that I’ve been writing about motorcycles for a couple of decades
is unknown and I’m treated pretty much like a sane, rational customer. So
armed with an appointment, the plan was to have a bit of light service per-
formed while I snoop around and talk to people, drink their coffee, oogle
their floor stock and generally be a minor nuisance and take the temperature
of the facility. It’s amazing what you can
pick up in such a visit, and in this instant I
came away feeling very optimistic about
the current health of the industry.
I should first point out that this dealership (in addition to Triumph) handles
Can-Am, Royal Enfield and Kymco, so they cover a lot of bases. You can
go with Can-Am if you want another wheel (and more brake pads), or Kymco
if you wanna hang with scooter trash (a term of respect, I assure you) or get
all Royal for a bit of nostalgia. Among other things I learned through my
brilliant interrogations was that they had had trouble moving Triumph Day-
tonas for a while, even having some leftover ‘13s until this spring. Now they
sold three 2015 models in just a few weeks, which I was told could be due
to recent high-profile racing victories so the old adage “race on Sunday, sell
on Monday” still seems to bear fruit. Overall, it seems it was a good Spring
and I can’t help but wonder if the hellish Winterfell-style winter we had may
have had something to do with it. I know I was certainly ready to carve up
some miles after what seemed like years of arctic conditions, and roads that
were better suited for snowmobiles screamed for two-wheeled traffic when
the suckers finally thawed out. Anyway, there was a decent amount of traffic
on the floor and this was a good sign since this was the middle of the week.
We discussed many other matters that overall painted a picture of a healthy
dealership, well-stocked with parts, apparel and accessories with some seri-
(Continue on Page 7)
P O S T C A R D SF R O M T H E H E D G E
BILL HeALD
Page 6 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
MOTORCYCLE SCHMOOZING
VIsIon
The difference between a tightrope
walker and the rest of us is vision:
when we look out over the chasm
spanned by that tiny wire bridge, all
we see is the void. When a tightrope
walker looks out over the chasm, all he
sees is the wire. Motorcycling is that
way: the most successful pilots look at
their terrain and see the positive pos-
sibilities – the good lines and the escape routes. The least successful motor-
cyclists see an environment fraught with peril and focus on bad lines and
obstacles and, unsurprisingly, embrace them. In this way, motorcycling is
an allegory for life. Where is our vision? On the problem…or the solution?
While I consider myself a better-than-average road rider, I still have to re-
mind myself to focus on the good things – the safe and graceful lines between
hazards. I also try to make sure my focus is far enough up the road to give
me a big-picture view of the situation rather than a close-up of the bumper
in front. Just as it is necessary to have a good long-term outlook on life, it’s
necessary to look far enough ahead when we ride.
Largely due to some excellent training, I do pretty well
on the road. One arena in which I’m pathetic however,
despite years of practice, is in the dirt. Practice doesn’t
make perfect when you’re practicing bad habits!
The reasons are clear: I focus on the trail in front of
me and on the bad lines and hazards rather than the
good lines. It’s not surprising, as I’m an over-50 guy
with a day job and an aversion to abrasion. I mounted
a GoPro atop my helmet in the “Teletubby” position and
it clearly reveals my head is too far down and that I look
at the holes and roots that I don’t want to hit. It is em-
barrassing, to say the least, to a guy who has spent a fair
amount of his life dual-sporting and dirt riding, that I
still have so much to learn. One of the reasons, other
than a dearth of places to ride, is that I haven’t had the
kind of excellent offroad training that I’ve had on the
road.
I also know this because I dirt-ride with people who
are far more skilled than I. My friend Dangerous Dan
is an amazing dirt rider. In Richard Bach’s book “Illu-
sions,” he describes a guy who flies his light plane with
such mastery that he never gets any bugs on it. Danny
is like that: at the end of a muddy mess of a ride, his
bike is the cleanest one. His line selections are master-
ful, which is made even more incredible by the fact that
Dan only has vision in one eye. The key is not that he
has but one working eye, but that he focuses it precisely
on where he needs and wants to go…and then he goes
there. Danny sees the wire, not the void.
We’ll be riding along and there’ll be a gnarly section
– a big stream crossing with an undercut bank – and
he’ll stop and say, “Put your front wheel right on top of
that big root and gas it hard and you’ll go right up.”
Then, he promptly does it. He then parks his bike, be-
cause he knows that more often than not, he’ll have to
pull mine off me as I lay pinned by it to the bottom of
the stream, the steaming header pipe welding the crotch
of my nylon riding pants to my thigh. My problem is
not only one of vision, but of commitment: Danny will
totally commit to the crossing and hitting that root with
the front hoop while wheelying through the stream.
While he’s totally committed to the task at hand, I’m
mentally calculating the insurance deductible should I
get it wrong, and that vision of the negative is frequently
my undoing.
There’s another quote from “Illusions” that says,
“You teach best what you most need to learn.” I hope, therefore, you’ll find
my pathetic tale of motorcycling vision a catalyst for your own instructional
journey. Either that, or I hope you’ll get a cheap laugh at the mental image
of a fat, old, profanity-spewing engineer pinned to the bottom of a muddy
stream by a 260 lb Yamaha dirt bike. Either way, I have a vision of my own
on which I need to focus: I see myself taking some off-road training this year!
O N T H E M A R KMARK ByeRS
PosTcarDs From The heDge (Continued from Page 6)
ously nice machinery on the floor. The biggest thing I always look for is the
mood of the employees for that can tell you things sales figures and foot traf-
fic cannot, in this case it was upbeat, engaged and positive. This is a dealer-
ship that sells brands that aren’t the top sellers for the most part, yet things
were good. In this way I think it’s a great indicator of motorcycle success at
least in my neck of the woods.
A nice ride, my pads were installed in short order and I gained a lot of in-
formation for a minimal output of time. All in all, a morning well spent. These
days, since you can pick up damn near any part, accessory or riding apparel
on the Internet we often don’t visit the dealer as much as we used to. I think
this is a mistake. And to think this trip was spawned by a bit of maintenance
I typically handle myself, and was about to do. Maybe it was fate, as I could
have taken the top of the brake fluid reservoir, pushed the pistons back in the
calipers to make room for the new, fatter pads, and spilled brake fluid on my
tank and scarred it for life. You see? Everything happens for a reason.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 7
Ecuador
Hey Backroads,
I hope all is going well for you all. I’m home in New Hampshire and ready
to take on summer.
I just wanted you to know that I took some time to re-read your fine article
on riding in Ecuador. I had read it quickly when it first came along. But this
time around I really got into your writing and want to congratulate you again
on a job well done. It is always interesting to read people’s experiences in
foreign countries as they notice the culture, music, foods, way of life and are
able to comprehend what they see. You have a gift.
All the best,
Bob Rand
Thanks for another great Backroads Rally, leading into Americade made
for a great 10 days of riding! Great friends, food, and roads, it does not get
any better.... and ended the ride home with a stop at Motorcyclepedia to hang
with Dr Gregory Frazier to talk motorcycles and travel.
Mike M.
Congrats of 20!
Hi Shira and Brian,
Congratulations on reaching your 20 year anniversary. It has been a joy
watching you guys grow into a beautiful Peony and still blossoming. Thank
you for creating a wonderful publication and for creating a forum for us to
meet the most wonderful people that we have come to know all these
years. Looking forward to twenty more.
Nuri and Michael Wernick • Mayor of 9th Street
Brian & Shira,
So today I stopped home for a pit stop between appointments and of course
I check the mail. That white envelope was right on top with the PO Box 317
as the return address. As is my addiction, schedule be damned - I have to tear
into the latest issue of Backroads. I paged through quickly (I am in hurry ya
know) but read Free Wheelin’ and Whatchathinkin’. In reflecting on your
20 years of moto-publishing awesomeness, I noticed you were thanking a lot
of people for your success.
Well I have news for you two. In your absence both at Americade and this
past weekend after some adventure riding, your ears had to be ringing. Dur-
ing these occasions, I found myself amongst a group friends, yes bonafide
friends, that I did not know before meeting you two. Most of us came to the
same conclusion- we would not be together if not for a certain couple from
NJ. Therefore rather than thanking us, there are legions of us that should be
thanking YOU. If there were no Backroads, I would not have riding memo-
ries (limited as they are) I would not have these friends I enjoy riding with,
I would not own the bikes I own, hell I wouldn’t even be wearing the right
gear! But, it is the friendship, kinship and camaraderie that you two created
that are bigger than any magazine you could publish.
Thanks for truly the best gift of all.
Tony Lisanti
Backroads,
Congratulations Brian and Shira on 20 years of Backroads!
Back in 1995 my wife and I got married. Six years later I took my MSF
course and have been nuts over motorcycles ever since. Wife came before
bike, so she often wonders what all the fuss is about motorcycles!
Twenty years is a long time to do anything, but putting out issue after issue
of Backroads must have been challenging and at the same time rewarding.
Back in the early 2000’s I remember picking up my first free copies of Back-
roads at Country Rode Motowerks in Rochester, NY.
I’ve grown as a rider along side Backroads, from newbie to enthusiast to
motorcycle instructor. I’m positive your efforts have helped shape the rider
(and person) I am today. ~ Jon DelVecchio
Page 8 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
BACKLASH Letters to the Editor
In your Welcome to the Jungle column in June, Brian Rathjen criticizes
the use of the classic staggered group riding formation because of a potential
increased risk in an emergency situation, and he includes Motorcycle Safety
Foundation’s Group Riding formation graphic with an added comment, “This
is not space cushioning.”
For fairly straight roads, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation indeed recom-
mends a staggered riding formation in which the leader rides in the left third
of the lane, while the next rider stays at least one second behind in the right
third of the lane, the third rider stays in the left third of the lane at least one
second behind the second rider, and so on, so that the minimum following
distance is 2 seconds behind the rider directly in front of you. This allows a
proper space cushion between motorcycles so that each rider has enough time
and space to maneuver and to deal with hazards. Of course, regardless of
formation, disasters can and do happen, as Mr. Rathjen points out.
For reference, MSF chose 2 seconds as a minimum following distance be-
cause it takes a normally alert motorist 1.5 seconds to perceive and react to
a stimulus before they apply the brakes. So, if a rider notices brake lights
activate ahead and can brake about as quickly as the motorist they are fol-
lowing, 2 seconds is enough time to avoid rear-ending the vehicle. And if
swerving would be a more appropriate evasive response than braking in a
particular situation, it can generally be accomplished in less time, with a
greater space cushion.
While a longer following distance might be better, research indicates that
the majority of rear-end crashes happen when the following distance is more
than two seconds (the “100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study,” NHTSA/VTTI
2006). This could be a result of motorists using distance to compensate for
their purposeful inattention (“risk homeostasis”).
For the riding group, a single-file formation with a minimum 2-second fol-
lowing distance is preferred on curvy roads and construction zones, enter-
ing/exiting highways, under poor visibility conditions or poor road surfaces,
or in other situations where an increased space cushion or more maneuvering
room is needed. In most street situations, more time and space is better than
less. But a bigger gap can have diminishing returns as far as being seen by
other highway users. A group catches the mind’s eye much quicker than a
single rider.
A single-file formation on a straight road can have another disadvantage:
motorists encountering an interminably long line of bikes may try to cut
through to get to their destination. This is one reason the MSF also recom-
mends that groups not exceed seven riders. If there are more than seven par-
ticipants, more than one group should be formed, and the groups should
behave as separate entities. This also allows riders of different skill levels
to self-select into different groups.
Even when riding in groups, each rider has responsibility for his or her
own time and space management. An individual’s safety takes priority over
the integrity of the riding formation. It is important to be cognizant of not
only what is going on in the traffic jungle, but to also manage risks created
by the proximity of fellow riders.
For the record, MSF strongly advises against side-by-side formations, as
they do present an unreasonable risk: If one rider suddenly needed to swerve
to avoid a hazard, that rider may get their handlebars entangled with those
of the motorcycle they’re riding alongside.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 9
SPACE CUSHIONING • THE MSF SPEAKS Ken Glaser • Director, Special Projects MSF
12 Stepper
Yes, I share a similar two wheel addiction: I have checked your 12 step
program and wish to acknowledge that my passion for restoring and riding
vintage Italian 175 giro bikes only has one cure: death. May I go out with a
big smile on my face and grease under my fingernails doing what I love on
serpentine roads.
Burt Richmond
My name’s Tom. And I’m a bikeaholic. :-)
Hi Tom
900 mIles on a moTorcycle – IT’s all DolPhIns!
I recently spent a few days with friends enjoying the best
scenery and back roads the Catskills and Adirondacks have
to offer with a good friend and the wonderful folks
from Backroads magazine.
It’s hard to put into words what a great trip this was. The
weather was perfect and the ride pace set by my good
friend Mike was spot on – fast enough to enjoy the roads to
the full but without being a hero. We passed through beau-
tiful scenery and little towns with architecture that looked
like something out of a fairy tale, with beautiful old stone
churches with tall spires. I spent a good deal of time
checking those out thinking how great they would be to
photograph from the air – my current obsession.
While on this trip I finally realized that the bike I bought new in 2001 is
now old. But it still rides great and, despite being at least 50hp down on most
of the bikes we were riding with, can hold its own. After 15 years the old
girl can still fly.
Mike and I were joined by Jeff, an honest to goodness private detective
sadly minus the obligatory fedora. Hanging out with Jeff and MB was a blast.
They both have a quick wit and even mundane items such as ordering lunch
or dinner became a laugh fest with us and the wait staff laughing out loud.
My cheeks ached from laughing so much.
During one of our lunch stops we discussed how sad it is that so many peo-
ple are too afraid to enjoy life. When I told people I was going away for sev-
eral days of motorcycle riding many assumed the worst. As Jeff put it, people
are afraid to go in the water because of the one in a million possibility of
being eaten by a Great White when they are far more likely to encounter Dol-
phins.
This led to the catch phrase “It’s all dolphins” being used for the rest of
the trip. This caused a few raised eyebrows with the wait staff:
“How was dinner guys?”
“It’s all dolphins!”
On Backroads rides most riding is done
in your own group with everyone meet-
ing up at the end of the day for some
lively chat and a few drinks.
If this is your first time with Backroads
the first thing you will notice is just how
friendly people are. Everyone is family.
People will walk up to you, shake hands
and start chatting as though you have
known each other for years. Brian and
Shira somehow know everyone person-
ally and have great stories of their own
but, as hosts, are in much demand.
Our little troop all had things to do and so couldn’t stay the whole four
days and so we headed home early on Saturday morning. I followed MB
down as far as Lake George where we had breakfast and then went our sep-
arate ways, with him blasting home on the highways while I took a more me-
andering route down through the Catskills and Bear Mountain.
I arrived home mid afternoon on Saturday after about 900 miles of amazing
back-road riding in near perfect weather. My BMW performed flawlessly
and now needs to be rewarded with a service and a new rear tire, which is
completely shot.
It’s a shame that many people will never experience something like this
because of fear of the unknown. Yes, things can go wrong. But more often
things go right and, personally, some of the most amazing times I have started
out as a disaster and ended with the making of new friends and memories. I
once heard the quote “Everyone dies, but not everyone lives” and that res-
onated with me personally. Don’t be afraid! Get out there and enjoy life.
It’s all dolphins!
Page 10 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD Barry Houldsworth
With the ADV segment of motorcycle ever expanding U.K.- based Avon
Tires has extended its adventure touring motorcycle tire range with the launch
of a new adventure sport tire, the Avon Trailrider.
Applying the latest know-how in terms of carcass
construction, compound characteristics and tread pat-
tern development, the Trailrider blends the all-season
road capabilities of the critically-acclaimed Storm 3D
X-M sport touring tire with a rugged, off road-styled
tread pattern.
Avon engineers and test riders focused on stability,
wet grip and mileage on a wide range of large-capacity
dual-sport machines. The resulting design offers im-
proved capability over the outgoing Distanzia tire. It’s
also a tire developed in Britain, on British roads, in
British weather — so it promises the ultimate in per-
formance for U.K. riders.
“We’ve designed the Trailrider carcass construction
to deliver improved grip and handling,” said Avon mo-
torcycle design engineer Ashley Vowles. “Our chemists
have come up with a new super-rich silica compound,
using the latest compounding technology to enhance
wet grip without affecting mileage.”
The Trailrider will be available soon in a large range
of sizes — six fronts and 12 rears — and will be pro-
duced in radial and bias ply constructions.
Look for an on the road test later in the season.
Free WheelIn’ (Continued from Page 4)
They are these terminally cool, 20/30ish guys with the required lumberjack
beard, ¾ helmet and rugged looking faux designer jeans and flannel shirts.
They usually can be found at local downtown brewpubs drinking some sort
of craft brew made from things that beer never should be made of.
Kumquat and sewer water or some such stuff.
I might have been there too, if not for being a petulant white guy from
Queens who is on the bad side of 50.
These are the same kids who never seem to move off the machine at the
gym, ‘cause they are too busy textercising their friends that they are working
out at the gym.
Is it me? Most likely – but, it just seems that so much of today’s faux fun
is made up, manufactured and then broadcast, posted and shared over and
over.
Bad enough I have to use a screen just to write this.
There seems to be more crap, distractions and feldercarb wherever you
look.
In truth my Dodge Durango R/T (make mine a Hemi, please) also has WiFi
and a number of apps.
I think. I am pretty sure – but, I have not turned them on.
Probably never will.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTAVONTRAIL RIDER TIRES
(Continue on Page 11)
WhaTchaThInkIn’ (Continued from Page 5)
them. We took just one of the smaller ones along last trip, and it came in
VERY handy for an unforeseen purpose. Similar shopping expeditions to the
dollar store resulted in numerous pair of reading glasses in various strengths.
I don’t know about you, but we have these strewn around the house, garage
and all pockets. To find well-made and stylish ones for a buck apiece is a
boon. You’ll never know what you’ll find for a dollar that may save your
hide on a motorcycle trip.
To combat the bane of overweight luggage charges when having to bring
all your riding gear and accouterment, remember that you need very minimal
regular clothing, as most of your time will be spent on the bike in your riding
gear. Let me say one word: EXOFFICIO. These folks make high perform-
ance outdoor gear that has no rival. From their underwear to dress shirts, you
will need the absolute minimum for any length trip. Just rinse at night and
by morning it’s ready to pack. It may be a bit on the pricey side, but consider
the alternative of paying $50-$100 for overage on your baggage.
Remember to make your packing list, check it twice, and don’t overlook
those little things that will make your trip, whether on our soils or far way,
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 11
The hIll IncIDenT
Barney & BeTTy hIll’s close encoUnTer
Date: september 19 & 20, 1961
Location: route 3 a few miles south of lancaster, nh
Postal Worker Barney Hill and his wife Betty, who had
a Master’s Degree and was a supervisor for the Child Wel-
fare Department, were returning from Montreal where they
had been vacationing.
It was a clear night with a crescent moon lighting up the
heavy woodlands and mountains that surround the region.
Around 10 pm they were heading south towards the
town of Lincoln when they spotted what they first believed
to be a very bright star.
This star began to move in an odd manner and they both
began to watch it.
Near Woodstock they pulled the car over and followed the bright flying
object with binoculars, believing it to be a plane of some sort.
Both Barney and Betty claimed that they saw a craft with multi-colored
lights, and rows of win-
dows on a flat-shaped ob-
ject, which now seemed to
be moving toward them.
Frightened they jumped
back into the car.
After resuming their
journey home, they were
not able to see the strange
craft anymore. Oddly
though, they heard a beep-
ing sound. They then no-
ticed they were thirty-five
miles farther down the road than a minute or two ago.
How could this be?
The next day Betty called nearby Pease Air Force Base, and reported what
she had seen.
Against Barney’s wishes (he did not want to come
forward in the beginning) Betty reported the incident,
speaking to Major Paul W. Henderson, who told Betty;
“The UFO was also confirmed by our radar.” At this
time, neither Betty nor Barney recalled any abduction.
Soon, however, Betty began having nightmarish dreams
of her and her husband being taken aboard a craft of
some kind, against their will. In a matter of weeks, two
writers got wind of the story, and after interviewing the
Hills, made an intensive log of the events of the night.
They discovered that there were two hours of unac-
counted time in the Hill’s story, even allowing for stops
for the Hills, and breaks for their dog, who also had
made the trip with them.
The Hills also decided to report their encounter to a
national UFO group. UFOlogist and astronomer Walter
Webb visited the Hills on October 21st, and set in mo-
tion what was to become one of the most remarkable
investigations in UFO history.
Then the dreams began. Disturbing images filled the
Hill’s nights eventually leading them to seek help and
this led to hypnosis to find the underlying cause of her
“anxiety syndrome.”
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What came out was
startling and the first
of many abduction
cases in the United
States. The Hills re-
lated that their car had
stalled, and then the
alien craft landed on
the road in front of
their vehicle, form-
ing a kind of
roadblock, hailing them down. The Hills
claim they were taken into the craft, and
given medical examinations by these
aliens, and before being released, were
ordered under hypnosis not to recount
any of the details of their incident.
The entities were described by the Hills as “Bald-headed beings, about
five foot tall, with greyish skin, pear shaped heads and slanting cat-like eyes.”
This was the very first mention in UFO folklore of the so-called “Greys.”
The Hills were taken into separate rooms during their examinations. These
“tests” involved both physical and mental procedures.
After these events, the Hills were taken back to their car, and the last thing
they remembered was an orange glow disappearing into the night sky. It is
very important to note that the Hills tried to keep these events out of the
press, but unfortunately, an inaccurate version of the events was leaked to
the press, after which, the Hills decided to come forward with the true events
of the case.
Since then movies have been made, books have been written and the debate
on the validity of the Hill’s story continues to this day.
Along Route 3 you will find an historical marker - placed by the State of
New Hampshire – so somebody believes the “Hill Incident” is of importance.
You will find it right outside the Indian Head Resort.
Just south of it you will run into an Irving Fuel
Station. This is where it gets really good as the
owners of this gas station have embraced this local
Close Encounter legend and have covered the out-
side and most of the wall space inside with all
things pertaining to aliens, outer space, close
encounters, abductions and the like.
Both the sign, the Irving fuel station and the
region are well worth visiting – But, if you are
riding down this
part of Route 3 on a
dark night who
knows – you just
might become part
of Mysterious mer-
ica yourself.
O’Life out!
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 13
InTernaTIonal sPy mUseUm
800 F ST NW , WASHINGTON, DC 20004
202-393-7798 • WWW.SPYMUSEUM.ORG
The red Sunbeam Tiger makes its way down a Wash-
ington D.C. street carrying one of our nation’s most
formidable weapons of espionage.
The agent comes to a halt and springs from the car
to walk into a non-descript building and through a se-
ries of heavy automatic metal doors to approach a lone
telephone booth.
Which, after coin inserted and dialed correctly, drops
him into the subterranean headquarters of CONTROL.
Yes, kids we are talking spies today… Both real and,
well, not so real.
We’re not sure and we’ll never tell.
It is said there are more spies in Washington than any
other place in the world. I do not doubt this.
There is no shortage of museums in our nation’s cap-
ital either, but the first place on my list was the Inter-
national Spy Museum.
The museum was conceived back in 1996 by Milton
Maltz and opened to the public in 2002 at its current
home (it might be moving in the future) and was part
of the rejuvenation of the Penn Quarter in D.C.
Today the museum draws nearly 60,000 visitors an-
nually and lets you take on the role of an international
spy yourself.
When we arrived I was given a choice of identities,
choosing something that fit me well, a 57-year old
Brazilian carpenter traveling to Portugal to visit my
family. This cover identity seemed to work better than
my traveling companion who became a
young female Vietnamese microbiologist
travelling to Bonn, Germany. During our
walk around the Spy Museum we were
approached a few times by ‘authorities’
asking about our travels. I simply blath-
ered my pequeno Portuguese and moved
on. My compatriot was arrested and shot
as a spy.
Okay, not really – but the role-playing
gave you an idea of how hard it must be
to be a real spy in the real world.
The International Spy Museum does an
excellent job of combining both real and imaginary covert op-
erations with displays that embrace both.
Page 14 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
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BIG CITY GETAWAY daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind
Unlike the NSA Museum outside Fort Meade, here at the Spy Museum you
can have more than a bit of fun.
Spies always seem to be crawling around air ducts in building. Well, here
you can give it a shot with sound meters to keep a watch on how quiet you
are or are not.
Spies use gadgets and the ultimate gadget has to have been James Bond’s
Aston-Martin DB5, which you will find here at the Spy Museum.
Every few minutes the DB5 comes alive with its bullet-proof shield rising
in the back, its tire slashers sliding out from the hubcaps, the machine guns
shooting from the front turn signals and the license plate spinning around.
Why this stuff is not standard on today’s cars is beyond me.
Of course Agent 86 is there, as is my favorite sexy spy – Emma Peel from
The Avengers.
The hard facts and heady consequences of the real world of true espionage
are made clear as well with artifacts that tell things in a clearer light, such as
what looks like a simple U.S. mail box. The truth is that this mail box, that
stood on the corner of 37th and R Sts. NW in Washington D.C., was used as
a dead drop marker for one of our nation’s most notorious spies - Aldrich
Ames. Ames worked for the CIA, but was selling secrets to the KGB. To let
his Soviet handlers know he had information for them he would mail a letter
at this box and covertly run a chalk line above the Postal insignia on its side.
The mark let the Russians know Aldrich would leave information for them at
another dead drop.
This very same mail box now sits at the International Spy Museum.
Other artifacts and stories are seen and told here.
Washington’s Culper Ring, that we did a series on last
year, are highly touted as is the simple pigeon that had
a camera strapped to its chest to take overhead shots be-
hind enemy lines during World War One.
While we were there they had a special display on
007’s nemesis’ called Exquisitely Evil – 50 Years of
Bond Villains.
They all were there. Mr. Big, Oddjob, Auric Gold Fin-
ger (who had the best line ever - “No Mr Bond, I expect
you to die!”), Ernst Blofeld, Rosa Klebb and Jaws. The
Spy Museum even had the chrome teeth actor Richard
Kiel wore for the role. As Maxwell Smart might say…
“Not to let evilness win over goodness” all the Bond
women were there too. No misogyny here – just great
characters that were easy to look at – when they weren’t
trying to kill you.
We spent a good part of the day here at the Interna-
tional Spy Museum in Washington D.C, and we wonder
when you are ready to step up for Queen and Country,
if you have what it takes to become a spy? O’Life out!
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 15
hIllBIlly hoT Dogs
6951 OHIO RIVER RD, LESAGE, WV
304-762-2458 • WWW.HILLBILLYHOTDOGS.COM
According to a recent report in USA Today,
“Boulder, Colorado, ranked as the city least
plagued by obesity, according to recent research.
Among the 10 cities with the lowest level of obesity,
another two also are in Colorado — Denver and
Fort Collins. Cities with the highest obesity rate
were led by Huntington, WV. Two other cities in the
state, Charlestown and Martinsburg, were also in
the top 10 cities ranks by high obesity rate.”
With that in mind if you want to look sleek and
sexy in your riding gear, head to the mountains of
the west. If you just want some seriously good and
highly caloric foods, head to the Mountain State.
homeWrecker!!!
If you have any luck when you visit this fine dining establishment, you
will hear those words coming from the order counter. This is what lured us
to the western shores of West
Virginia – the possibility of
seeing someone else tackle
this monster of a meal.
Always in search of spec-
tacular culinary adventures,
we spied Hillbilly Hot Dogs
on the Food Network. Guy
Fieri was doing his best to
wrap his mouth around this
mega-dog, with not much
success. What, you may ask,
does this Homewrecker con-
tain that makes it so enor-
mous? Here goes: it’s 15
inches long and contains
three and a half pounds of
deep fried sausage and a deep fried one pound weenie topped with sauteed
peppers and onion, shredded and nacho cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos,
habanero and chili sauce, mustard, ketchup and creamy slaw. If you can man-
age to get this down, and keep it down, in twelve min-
utes, you are awarded a Homewrecker t-shirt. Beat the
current record and get it for free.
You can use that $16.99 for Tums.
Sonny and Sharie, owners of Hillybilly Hot Dogs,
and ‘perpetual honeymooners’, set up shop in 1999.
They wanted a down-home, relaxed and fun place to
serve their fast food at a slower pace. They built the
original 12 x 16 building, which has since been upscaled
with several ‘dining buses’. Looking much like Monkey
with a Gun on steroids, the grounds are littered, literally,
with items from customers, antiques (of a sort), and
stuff that most of us haven’t seen for many a year: 8-
track tapes, vinyl records, typewriters, milk machines,
creepy baby dolls, etc. They continue to enhance their
décor, and will happily display your contributions.
Should you be a’scared of having to face the Home-
wrecker, bestill your fears. There are many, many other
choices in weenery to be found on their menu. Begin-
ning with the basics, you’ll find your deep-fried beef
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Page 16 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Rollin’ Fast Cycle Sports Presents
GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN tasty places to take your bike
From this point, the options are almost endless.
How about an Egg Dog – little bit of ketchup
and nacho cheese on the weenie, topped with
scrambled egg, jalapenos and salsa. Or maybe
you’re feeling a bit under the weather? You
might want to wolf down a Stacy’s Flu Shot –
one tasty weenie loaded with jalapenos and
topped with their homemade chili sauce, guar-
anteed to kill anything that’s ailin’ in your head.
There are suggestions from their customers that
have made it onto the menu such as the Pineap-
plelachian Dog – your beef weenie, bbq sauce,
country ham, shredded cheese all topped with
crushed pineapple. Hmm, perhaps I’ll take a
pass on that one, too.
If you are just along for the ride and not a fan
of the beef tuber, fear not, they have many
other fried fixins to clog your aorta. Always a
favorite are the deep fried pickles, with or with-
out ranch dressing, mac ‘n cheese wedges, also
deep fried or spicy Goat wings. They offer a
number of beef burgers, with or without all the
fixins. Trying to keep the cholesterol at a man-
ageable level? How about a healthy grilled
chicken sandwich or a Lockwood Veggie Dog?
And, to keep you vegans at bay, there’s a small, very small, variety of ‘rab-
bit fixins’.
The day we visited, we were joined by our good friend Tom Watson, who
had recently retired and moved south. He was making his way to our Back-
roads rally, and I surprised Brian with the meet-up. As we pulled in to the
parking area, Brian saw the blue Gold Wing and commented that it looked
like Tom’s. Big smiles all around when he realized that it was his. We settled
in with our various choices in weenie wackiness and enjoyed catching up
over some extremely tasty hot dogs. And, naturally, no hot dog run is com-
plete without some dairy delight afterwards. Hillbilly Hot Dogs has you cov-
ered with their adjoining ice cream stand where you can have your ice cream
straight up or a la mode over some homemade pie du jour.
If you find you’re in this part of West ‘By God’ Virginia you owe it to
yourself to make a stop at Hillbilly Hot Dogs. They have two locations: the
original in Lesage and their expansion at 1501 3rd Avenue, Huntington, WV
• 304-522-0044. If you happen to be with several like-minded individuals,
order up that Homewrecker; it’s worth the price of admission just to hear
them ring the bell and yell, ‘homeWrecker!!!!!!!’~ Shira Kamil
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BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 17
BlUe hIlls Farm
7805 ROUTE 52, NARROWSBURG, NY 12764
845-252-3864 • WWW.BLUEHILLSFARM.COM
Roughing it in the Catanos
We have been accused of being a bit snobby
when it comes to camping.
As if not having access to a decent warm bed
along with a hot shower and all the amenities of
home would cause us to wilt and wither away.
Some say that both Shira and I are pampered
little children who think a carabiner is the auto-
mobile that will take us to dinner.
Well, we protest these unfounded accusations
and remind a few of you that we have done our
fair share of hard-nose, out in the wild, far off the
beaten path camping in our day. Yes, indeedy.
Ever ridden in the jungles of Central and South America or even to the end
of the world on a Ramapo 500?
Well, we have. Umm, okay we usually did stay in a lodge or B & B of
some sort and there was almost always a good meal involved.
But still…. we know how to rough it
if we want.
We rarely do. Want that is – but, you
will see our point in a moment.
Looking to rough it a bit and get
back to Mother Earth we went is search
of someplace that would allow us the
chance to get down to the nitty-gritty.
To experience how God, nature and
the folks at Campmore wanted us to
live. To just go for a ride and camp out
under the moon and stars – in the wild
with minimal amenities, comforts and
not even the internet.
We found such a place.
Far north and west of the backwater
town of Manhattan you will find the
wild river called the Delaware; three hundred miles of raging water cutting
through gaps, farmlands and cliffs and filled with rocks, rapids and deadly
schools of sunnys, eel and shad (in season).
Along parts of the river there is no cell service.
We’re talking remote; especially north of Port Jervis
past the road named after a wild predatory raptor’s aerie.
Right near the deepest part of the river Delaware – the
part with the most water filled with deadly schools of
sunnys, eel and shad (in season) – you will find the
Page 18 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Rip & Ride®
BLUE HILLS FARMS - GLAMPING7805 ROUTE 52, NARROWSBURG, NY 12764845-252-3864 • WWW.BLUEHILLSFARM.COM
From Port JervisRoute 23 SouthBear right at CR 653 Clove RoadRight to Rte. 521Left at Old Mine RoadBear right at CR 560Cross Dingmans Bridge $1Straight at Rte. 739Left at Silver Lake Road/CR 2004Right at Rte. 402Left at US 6Right at Rte. 590 (Hawley)Follow Rte. 590 towards LackawaxenLook for Woodloch Resort SignLeft at Welcome Lake Rd - SR 4003 Following this road Right at Welcome Lake Rd. SR 4003Right at Peggy’s RunwayHARD downhill right at Rte. 652
USE CAUTION!!!Cross Bridge into Narrowsburg NYLeft at Rte. 52 to Blue Hills Farm
Bergen County Harley-Davidson PresentsWE’RE OUTTA HERE a weekend destination keeping you on the backroads
small town of Narrowsburg. Once only
populated by ex-pat Queens and Brook-
lynites it has now become home to West
Villagers from New York and with them
more interesting restaurant menus and
more interesting prices.
Right outside of this frontier town you
will find Blue Hills Farm, owned by Jane
Luchsinger and, here at her farm, you will
find camping the way we like it.
Blue Hills Farm is a “glamping” expe-
rience offering many of the same ameni-
ties you might find in some fine hotels.
The tent at Blue Hills Farm offers a
queen size bed, refrigerator, coffee maker, loveseat,
chair. There is an attached luxury bathroom with an
oversized shower with spa jets.
While the motorcycles are parked and cooling
after the treacherous ride up Route 97, with its alti-
tude changes and smooth-style pavement, you can
open a bottle of wine you bought at the Wine Shop
in Narrowsburg (they call it a liquor store – but, we
prefer wine shop) with the tiny corkscrew from your
Swiss Army knife and take a seat on the porch at-
tached to the deck upon which the tent rests. This
deck is not carpeted and is created out of a material
they call lumber.
It harkens back to the days when Narrowsburg was a hub of the lumber
industry and the river, now full of deadly schools of sunnys, eel and shad (in
season) was also filled with lumber and jacks heading down stream to the
ports and canals.
Dinner can be found at some of the restaurants in town now owned by
West Villagers from New York, with more interesting restaurant menus and
more interesting prices.
But, splurge. You’re roughing it and
should at least have a good last meal.
At night snuggle down in the way-too-
comfy Tempurpedic bed, with your honey,
and enjoy a night under the stars (or rain –
it could rain - just saying), with nature
right outside the tent’s flap. Yes, the region
was once home to bear, mountain lion,
beaver, Big Red Eye, angry Iroquois with
rabid and feral dragons and even mastodon
(but, you probably won’t have to deal with
the mastodon). If you get up to pee and see
a small black and white cat shuffling along
the forest floor – makes friends - it’s fun!
When the sun rises the next day and Variations on
a Theme by Erik Satie is playing in your head you
will find a filling morning 4 course breakfast -
served in a tree house - with homemade muffins,
fresh fruit, eggs, and meat along with fresh juice and
hot coffee.
Okay, we’d make do.
Spending two nights kinda, sorta, maybe roughing
it in the forest of the Iroquois is an excellent idea as
the surrounding roads along this river region, lying
between the Poconos and the Catskills, the Catanos,
has some great rides to offer.
So, why stay at a hotel that just left a light on for
you when you can get back to nature and really rough it along the ancient
river called Delaware?
Seriously, Blue Hills Farm “Glamping” is a great escape and highly rec-
ommended for those looking for something different and special.
Just stay away from the little black and white cat.
Your “Glamping” experience is waiting from June 1 - October 15 and you
can reserve the tent for $220 per night.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 19
WInD-chIll FacTory
794 NY 9N, TICONDEROGA, NY
518-585-3044 • WWW.WINDCHILLFACTORY.COM
OPEN DAILY AT 11AM • CHECK CLOSING TIMES AND DATE
While putting our Spring Break rides, I knew that I needed to include an
ice cream stop. Surely there would be a plethora of homemade, delicious op-
tions in the Adirondacks. Well, due to my high standards, the options dwin-
dled along the route I had planned. But I delved further into the maps and
came up with, what would turn out to be, a lovely stop.
Just a short hop from the beautiful shore of Lake Champlain, a stone’s
throw from Fort Ticonderoga, the good folks
at the Wind-Chill Factory have been
swirling out soft-serve ice cream for
almost 20 years. Starting back in
1996, with just two machines and the
friends and family of owner Bob
Porter, chocolate and vanilla ice cream
was the basis of sundaes, milkshakes, ba-
nana splits and, of course, cones. Their grill
options were limited to hot dogs, Michigans,
NY pretzels and nachos.
By the following year, they
had grown to include a much
more varied grill menu and
today have four machines
and quite a lunch menu.
Their ice cream flavor selec-
tion has grown as well. You can
still, and always, find chocolate and
vanilla as well as vanilla frozen yogurt,
but are also offered changing flavors of
black raspberry, maple, creamsicle, strawberry,
banana, peanut butter, coffee, bubble gum and cotton candy.
Their sizes range from baby to large, and are very reasonable
compared to what you’ll find in downtown Lake George or Saratoga. On our
stop, after a very nice lunch at the Indian Lake Restaurant (look for that in
an upcoming GAADR), I was not as famished for ice cream as I should have
been, so opted for a kiddie serving of coffee. When presented with my order,
I smiled and said they must have made a mistake and given me a medium or
large. Nope, that’s a kiddie – enjoy! Nuff said…
If you feel the need for more of a good thing, you can wrap your mouth
around a number of flurries, smoothies, floats and sundaes – regular and spe-
cialties such as Oreo fudge, Snickers fudge, Butterfinger caramel or Peanut
Butter Lover’s, to name just a few. You can have your ice cream in a cup or
cone – regular or waffle, dipped or un, sprinkles or not.
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Page 20 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
If you did not stop at the wonderful Indian Lake Restaurant as our group had, you can set a base for your ice cream dessert with a great variety off their grill
menu. Their pizzas start off with fresh hand-stretched dough, use homemade sauce and all natural ingredients. Their burgers are quarter pound, 100% top ground
beef, flame broiled, the Philly cheese steaks use 100%
black angus and their fries are hand cut daily. You can
have a Michigan Dog, an Adirondack favorite, several
offerings of chicken and wraps or a nice fresh salad.
Seems no matter what you decide you’ll be as happy as
can be, knowing you’ll have ice cream to boot.
From day one, the Porter family has had a stringent
quality control, with Bob’s son Brandon the first vice-
president. He has since passed that position along to the
other kids, who make a daily test of the ice cream vari-
eties to ensure you get the very best they can make.
The Wind-Chill Factory has a number of tables and
chairs on which you can relax, enjoy your treats and
watch the lazy traffic go by on Route 9N. They are open
to serve from May through October, but please check
before going to make sure they are open. I can’t think
of a better way to end a ride in the Adirondacks then
stopping for a healthy helping of ice cream at the Wind-
Chill Factory. Enjoy, and we’ll see you further down the
road on Shira’s Ice Cream Run.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 21
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The sky had promised rain sincedawn and when the cloudsopened up in the afternoon,the rain came in thick andhard. Big blobs of rain stungmy face through the visorlesshelmet, forcing me to takeshelter in a shed by the side ofthe road. In Nagaland, you will findsheds like these all over. They are meantfor the villagers who have to walk very longdistances to get to the nearest town.
Page 22
Words : Shahwar Hussain • Photos: Anuj Singh
There were a few old men in the shed waiting for the rain to stop so that
they can carry on home. But the rain didn’t look like it was going to stop
anytime soon and a man got a fire going. He put a piece of bamboo in the
fire with water and tea leaf inside and let it boil. I got talking with them as
the man poured strong black tea in a bamboo mug for me and offered me a
handrolled cigarette. The man who spoke the least, said the most interesting
thing which set my mind racing. As I strapped on my helmet when the sky
held, the drone of an aircraft drifted down to us from afar. He looked heav-
enwards and said... “I hope this won’t fall like the plane in the jungle...” My
helmet came off in a flash and I said “Plane in the jungle?” He said he once
saw the remains of an airplane in the jungles many years back.
An airplane in the jungles! He pointed to the blue mountains yonder and
said it lay beyond the third range of mountains. Vague, but I will trace it out,
I thought.
Tracing it out was easier said than done. It took the jungle 9 long years to
share its secret with me. I got to know that the remains of the airplane lay
scattered over a large area under the jurisdiction of a new village named
Tsurevong.
Public transport in Nagaland is not the best in the country and we didn’t
want to be at its mercy. So, my photographer friend, Anuj and I decided that
motorcycle was the best way to
travel to these far flung vil-
lages where you can see life in
all its rustic glory.
Dimapur to Pungro is 400
odd kilometres and it took us
almost two days to do that. Of-
froad conditions, single lane
mountain roads and wrong
turns cost us a lot of time.
A few kilometres out of Kohima and
we were free of the usual traffic which
gradually disappeared totally after
Mima. The unpolluted mountain air was
refreshing and there was a fragrance
from the jungle that drifted into my nos-
trils.
We passed a number of small villages
and towns that have those magical ori-
ental names. We rode through Mima,
Cakhabama, Pfutsero, Chizami, Losami,
Lanye, Jessami, Meluri, Akhegwo,
Longmatra, bypassed Kiphire town and
onto Pungro.
It would have been so enjoyable to
spend a couple of days in these far flung
villages and see life that has remained
relatively unchanged for millennia except for a few modern trappings.
But I was stuck with the airplane in my head.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 23
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Virgin forests and rolling hills. The view can be outstanding.
As we approached Pungro, I watched the beautiful Zinki river flow gently and disappear across a bend
as it made its way ultimately to the Chindwin river in Myanmar.
By village standards, we reached Thronghokiy late, and a teacher at the local school put us up in the
newly built government guest house. His wife made some lovely fish curries for us.
We had another 45 kilometers to go in the morning to Tsurevong village and it was all offroad. Throng-
hokiy had sent word to the village and someone would wait for us somewhere on the way.
Along the dusty road we passed Pungro village, New Vong, Lekhimro Hydel Electric project, Moya
village, and finally to Tsurevong...the village beyond the blue mountains...
K. Athong, who is one of the village heads (Gaon Bura) met us on the way and led us to the village.
Tsurevong has no electricity, no proper roads and no schools for the village children. They all go to
schools in Pungro. It is a new village with only 38 households, set up a couple of years back.
It is in these distant villages of Nagaland that
one gets to see village life in all its rustic glory.
They still hold on to many of the customs and
traditions that are all but lost to the people in the
big towns.
Cool wind from the mountains drifted down
as we sat outside the headman’s house sipping
sweet tea. I waited impatiently to meet old man
Kimusai, the only man who had seen the aircraft
come down in flames from close quarters.
By the time I finished my third cup of tea, the
old man appeared. He was in his 90s but he
walked straight and although he carried his red
walking stick, he never really seemed to use it.
Speaking the local language is a great help and he
warmed up to me immediately. Kimusai and I sat on a
large rock in the midst of some teak and alder trees that
overlooked the valley.
The old man had a faraway look in his eyes as he nar-
rated the story while we sat on the smooth rock face.
His memory was sharp and he spoke as if it happened
just yesterday. It was in late 1942 but the exact date es-
caped him.
Kimusai used to stay at Salomi village all those years
back and had just got married. The hills were very
thickly forested back then and he wanted to treat his
new bride with a wild boar feast.
In fading light, Kimusai stood under a tree at the very
top of a hill when he heard a loud wailing sound. He
said “I saw a giant bird with fire on its wing circling
close overhead. It was crying out loudly’. As he
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Page 24 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
The Zinki river makes its way to Chindwin in Myanmar
Making pottery in the village of MimiLife is hard in these remote villages
watched, the circling plane very narrowly missed hitting one hillock and an
instant later came down in the forest just below the hill where he stood.
“There were a thousand fires and it made an ear splitting noise as if the
moon had come crashing down on earth!” said Kimusai. He was a brave
hunter and a warrior but he had never ever seen such a
massive explosion so close. He dropped his kill and ran
all the way to the village.
Those were the early days of Christianity in Nagaland
and many still held on strongly to their pre-Christianity
beliefs. The burning aircraft was seen as a message from
heaven and that the Gods were angry. Prayers were
held, mithuns were sacrificed and nobody was allowed
to go to the jungle to hunt. In a few days’ time, the vil-
lage started running out of food and livestock. So Kimu-
sai and a couple of hunters decided to investigate the
giant bird from the sky and made their way to the site.
They had never seen an aircraft before but knew that
it was not some bird from the heavens. The fire had died
down but there was an overpowering stench of burnt
flesh and a very large area of the forest lay scorched.
As they cautiously made their way through the debris, they found human
remains - three dead bodies in different degrees of dismemberment. Two of
the mutilated bodies were near the aircraft while they found a third corpse
stuck on the branches of a tall tree, high above the ground. It was not dis-
membered but mutilated and bloodied.
Kimusai and the others buried the three airmen some distance away from
the aircraft. They collected a few things from the site including a gun and
didn’t return there for many years.
“The place was haunted by the spirits of the men who died there” Kimusai
said. He didn’t specify how and I didn’t ask anymore.
It was most probably a C-47 transport plane that had taken off from Chabua
airbase in Assam. Before the United States was officially engaged in World
War II, American pilots flew these supplies planes across the high snow cov-
ered jagged peaks of Himalayas to ferry supplies to the armies of Chiang
Kai-shek in Kunming in western China who were fighting against the Impe-
rial Japanese army.
These sorties were fraught with danger. The planes were up against natural
elements like snow and 200 mph wind and also the Japanese Zero fighter
planes. This infamous route was nicknamed ‘The Hump’ and ‘Skyway To
Hell’ by the brave airmen who flew the planes. More than 700 planes went
down in this region during the war. Some fell in the deep jungles of
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Burma.
Like so many others, this plane never made it back to base after dropping
its cargo in Kunming.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 25
debris like these keep popping up during farming
A landing gear, still shiny after all these years.
The evergreen jungle soon
overgrew the area and it was only
in 1967 that the villagers ven-
tured into the area again. Kimusai
shifted to a new village,
Longkhimvong, which was being
established some kilometres
away from the crash site and led
the villagers to the aircraft. They
started clearing the forest for cul-
tivation and the huge bulk of the
downed aircraft was revealed.
The villagers knew the worth
of aluminium and they piled logs
on top of the plane and set it on
fire. Some made utensils out of
the melted aluminium while oth-
ers sold it off. They also made
fantastic machetes and knives out
of the steel and Kimusai’s son
Samuel still uses one.
Kimusai is a great storyteller
and by the time he finished, the
sun had gone down the hill and
the skies turned a flaming red. He
had a faraway look in his eyes as he stood up with a deep
sigh and made his way home.
That night we stayed at a community hut by the side of the
village church. Dinner was of rice, boiled vegetables and
meat of some jungle fowl. The headman’s wife made some
jungle fowl soup which was unbelievably delicious. No
restaurant can ever replicate that. We sat in the kitchen by
the fire and ate the simple food served with a liberal dose of
affection. Since there is no electricity, the villagers burn
pieces of pinewood and they act as candles.
The concept of breakfast as the world knows it does
not exist in most of Nagaland. So at 7 in the morning,
we were served rice and vegetable and with a full stom-
ach, we made our way to the crash site.
The site is a few kilometres downhill from the village.
We headed there with Thuviki and Retringia leading the
way. The fact that some parts of the forest were burnt
off recently for jhum cultivation made things a bit easier
for us.
It was evident that the villagers had not burnt the for-
est at the crash site for a few years. The grass was taller
and thicker and the trees bigger. I could hear a stream
but could not see it initially because of the thick under-
growth. Retringia slashed a path with his razor sharp
machete and we followed close behind. It was deadly
quiet and except for the occasional call of the lone eagle
that circled the sky, ours were the only noises.
We found a still shiny landing gear, some twisted
wheels, parts of gearbox, crankshafts, a fan of some sort
and some other heavy parts were scattered over a very
large area. We walked down stream, slashing away the
thick foliage and found a number of large engine parts.
I am sure a concentrated search would reveal a whole
lot of parts.
Even though the area had been burnt and cleared in
the past, we were surprised to find pieces of unburnt
fabric and rubber hose pipes scattered in the area. A
whole lot of parts are buried underground and some
keep popping up during cultivation almost every year.
Page 26 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADSMen from the Yimchunger tribe singing traditional song.
It is offroads most of the way and it is fun
Dinner at the kitchen. The plates, made from the aircraft aluminium,are crafted in the traditional style. Pine wood work as candles.
A couple of years back, a villager dug up a radio set and a rusted and loaded revolver! Excavating
the place will call for a major effort. It will be almost impossible for an excavator to be brought
down the hill through the forest and manual digging will be a huge exercise.
It is an overwhelming sense of discovery, something that I have searched for a very long time.
And the fact that the headman told me that I was the first person from mainland India to visit the
site made it even more satisfying.
As I sat on a fallen tree and looked down the valley, I couldn’t help but imagine the plight of
the crew as they came down in flames. Even if they had survived the crash, it would have been
near impossible for the wounded to survive the dense jungle crawling with wildlife.
After half a century, nobody knew where the three graves were but I said a silent prayer for the
men who died so far away from their homeland.
The remains lay in a far and obscure place but it is well worth a visit. It makes us realize the
kind of hell that the soldiers went through during a long and bitter war.
Visit these places before civilization spoils it all...You wouldn’t want to see a KFC outlet spoil
the beauty, would you?
Contact for Permits :
Lisapila Anar P.R.O. Tourism Department, Nagaland • Nagaland House, New Delhi
For adventure motorcycling through these interiors:
Chain Reactionwww.chainreactionindia.com • +91 98103 20041
Entry Requirements:Foreigners need to report at the police station at Dimapurand also at the police stations of the towns they visit.
Stay:There are a variety of good hotels at Kohima to choose from but beyond that it isonly home stays and a few government guest houses like in Pungro. Expect sim-ple accommodation and local food. So contact PRO Tourism if you decide to go.
Best Time: October to April is the best time to visit.
Money: Only cash. Credit and debit cards are just 4 inch pieces of colored plastic
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 27
Most of you know about the 13 miles and 318 curves of the overcrowded
overhyped “Tail of the Dragon” in Deal’s Gap, on the Tenn-North Carolina
border. It’s got a “Tree of Shame” orna-
mented with sheared-off fairings, cracked
headlamps and scraped helmets. A small
motel sits there with leather-clad gentle-
men scholars smoking and drinking, and
a ginormous souvenir stand so heavily
commercialized as to make the whole
thing comic. On weekends you can expect
to tail a line of slow-moving trikes and
club cruisers. Average daily traffic is
1,400 vehicles. Here’s another number:
41. That’s the number of deaths since
1995. There’s no fun in that. Buy the T-
shirt and off you go….
Hopefully you’ll go in the direction of
Fines Creek, NC or Hot Springs, NC,
where the serenity and solitude of Route 209 awaits to greet the unsuspecting
rider. It’s a treat in either direction. At Fine’s Creek there’s a general store
and their sponsored billboard announcing: “You Just Rode The Rattler. The
last 24 miles 290 curves.” Riders from Asheville hop on the Rattler for a day
ride. We met a codger wearing a T-shirt that showed a squirrel shaking with
Parkinson’s: “I’m so old I can’t remember where my nuts are.” A shirt you
would never see on a man in NYC. People in this part of the country wear
humor like a baseball cap.
On a last minute impulse some buddies convinced me to fly down to At-
lanta to attend the Georgia Mountain Rally at the Hiawassee fairgrounds. We
rented bikes from WOW motorcycles in Marietta, a $60 cab fare from ATL
airport. They are part of the Eagle Rider rental network. This was the fourth
time I had rented from Eagle and every experience was positive. Friendly
service and they go over each bike before releasing it. The Suzuki V Strom
1000 – great ergos, all-day comfort, but lacking steel-braided lines that made
for slightly delayed braking – set me back $500 for four days. But the vendor
gods at the Rally site were generous this year and I somehow won a pair of
Michelins Pilot 4s that covered my rental. The campsites are located on a
postcard-perfect Lake Chatuge with clean updated restrooms. The fair-
grounds are set up in a quaint village-like setting
(Continued on Page 30)
Page 28 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
RIDINGtheRATTLER
Victor Cruz
with permanent booths, easily the nicest bike rally site I’ve ever seen. Eats included Friday night chili and Saturday night grill-your-own steaks. A big event, the
Rally rolled in 670 riders, 200 more than last year. The oldest rider was 84.
Perfect weather matched the amazing mountain and county roads in every direction. Quality roads with no frost heaves. A visit to the “Wheels Through Time”
museum in Maggie Valley should be on your agenda. We’re talking about the area south of Asheville, NC, where GA, NC and TN all meet. Many roads here
are twisted like pretzels and will give you a run for your money or the runs, if you don’t know
how to hitch a ride on their hairy backs. It’s true what they say about Southerners. Over-the-top
friendly folks who pick up conversation as though you were picking up from where you left off.
Cheap restaurant prices. Grits, BBQ, trout and jambalaya on the menu. Plenty of gentrified towns
like Bavarian Helen, Dahlonega, and Highlands, NC. Not a whisper of banjo playing honky-tonk
heard in the breeze.
… And the only
thing that bites back
is The Rattler…. The
road hisses back and
forth, snaking up
and down a ridge,
rearing up to spike
you with its fangs,
the venom rushing
to your head to in-
toxicate your eye
sockets. Scenery is
hillbilly classic.
Cabins and porches
like pioneer homesteads as if Ralph Lauren staged it,
aged barn wood topped off by rusted tin roofs. Sagging
barns, their spines broken by the weight of generations
come and gone. “The Rattler!... The Rattler!” you shout
out loud, yelling it inside your muted helmet. At the end
is Hot Springs, NC, where you can toast over Cuban
sandwiches and fried green tomatoes at the Iron Horse
Station. From there, you can find roads into Tennessee.
Talk about an underrated biker destination. TN surprised
the bourbon right out of me. The hills have peaks like
wizard hats. And if you ever find yourself in Sevierville,
visit Smoky Mountain Knife Works where you’ll see
the weirdness of 10,000 knives in a 50,000 sq ft space.
georgia mountain rally • www.bmwmcoga.org
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www.wowmotorcycles.com/
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Take a ride on one of the Northeast’s
Scenic Byways - Route 97 - 20 miles north
of Port Jervis. Dine with your fellow
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Page 30 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Opus 4050 Fite Rd, , Saugerties, NY12477 • 845-246-3400
www.opus40.org
Located between Wood-
stock, New York and the
Hudson River, Opus 40 is
one of my favorite places
and over the years I have
brought many a rider up to
this incredible sculpture park.
Created by Harvey Fite over three+ decades it is a most incredible place
and it never fails to awe and inspire. In May of 1976, Harvey Fite was killed
in an accidental fall onto the rocks of the quarry sculpture to which he had
devoted the last thirty-seven years of his life. He was seventy-two years old.
Take a ride to Opus 40, truly one of my favorite Mysterious Americas.
Grafton Peace Pagoda87 Crandall RoadPetersburgh, NY518-658-9301
graftonpeacepagoda.org
Off a tiny dirt road, near
Grafton, New York – right off
Route 20 – you will find a most
remarkable place - the Grafton
Peace Pagoda.
The Grafton Peace Pagoda is
one of 80 peace pagodas worldwide, but only two in the U.S. – with a third
now being built in Tennessee.
The Pagaoda has a storied history, but to keep this short let me tell you it
is a place of peace, beauty and reflection.
Riding to it and hiking the short trail to the pagoda is well worth the effort
and you just might be rewarded with a bit of tranquility in your soul.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 31
Dr. Seymour O’Life
It was March of 1996, in Backroads’ second season, that I had the first Mysterious America published in these hallowed pages.
Now some 200+ columns later this magazine finds itself starting it’s 21st year. That is quite a lot of odd, bizarre and mysterious places we have had the good
fortune to discover, ride to and explore.
I hope you have enjoyed the ride.
Recently, while hanging with my posse’ The Tanked Bags at Monkey With A Gun, Backroads illustrious, if hidden, watering hole, the question came up…
“What were the most puzzling and interesting Mysterious Americas over the last two decades?”
Well, that sparked a healthy debate, I’ll tell ya, but with a challenge comes action and after a bit of discussion (real and imagined) we decided to give you, our
respected readers and riders, the Top Ten Mysterious Americas from the past. And, to make sure these were all doable for many of our readers, we decided to
keep it somewhat local and to keep them within a day’s ride, give or take, from Backroads Central, which is located in the hinterland of northwest New Jersey.
These are in no particular order as it is hard to classify and number things of this nature.
Sit back and enjoy and when you can, go ride into Mysterious America!
Top Ten Mysterious Americas (within a day’s ride of Backroads Central ~ 41°N 74°W)
Cardiff GiantThe Farmers’ Museum
5775 State Hwy 80 (Lake Road), Cooperstown, NY 13326607-547-1450 • www.farmersmuseum.org
Even if something is a
blatant lie, it still can end
up part of Mysterious
America.
The Cardiff Giant was
one of the most famous
hoaxes in United States
history. It was a 10-foot
tall purported “petrified
man” uncovered on Octo-
ber 16, 1869, by workers
digging a well behind the
barn of William C. “Stub”
Newell in Cardiff, New
York – a year after he had it created and buried there.
Word of the unearthing of a petrified man spread quickly around the coun-
tryside. People came from miles around to see the Giant, which was identi-
fied as an example of an ancient race mentioned in Genesis by some
believers. “Found” in the heart of New York’s Burnt Oven District, the Giant
benefited from the religious fervor sweeping the area.
In 1947, the Giant was sold to The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown. It
is now on display inside the main barn of the museum.
Columcille Megalith Park2155 Fox Gap Road, Bangor PA 18013610-588-1174 • www.columcille.org
New York State does not hold a monopoly of Mysterious America as the
next three couple from the Keystone State of Pennsylvania and, first up is,
Columcille Megalith Park.
If Britain’s Stonehenge moves your soul then Columcille is a must stop in
our Mysterious America.
Finding its inspiration
and roots from the Isle of
Iona, off the coast of Scot-
land, the standing stones
and buildings of Colum-
cille will take your breath
away.
Riding your motorcycle
to and then strolling
through the expansive
park on a nice day makes
for an excellent destina-
tion. Well worth bringing a picnic lunch and finding a giant column to spread
out under. It cannot be beat.
Many feel Columcille Megalith Park is a place of healing and spiritual
power.I am not sure of that, but it is very cool in the extreme.
Ringing Rocks ParkRinging Rocks Rd, Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972
Located just south of Columcille, just above the Delaware River you will
find a real geological mystery – Ringing Rock Park.
Here, devoid of all vegetation, is a 7- acre spot that is filled with basalt
boulders and rocks that have a most unique ability. When struck with a ham-
mer they ring. Nicely, too.
Different boulders have
different tones and many a
musician has found the one
they want to create some real
“rock” and roll.
Years back a geologist
took a few of the rocks back
to his lab for testing. These
experiments with the rocks
were unable to figure out
what it is about the rocks that
made them actually ring.
Page 32 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
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It is a mystery to this day.
Others have more fanciful explana-
tions such as radioactivity, meteorites,
comets, or strange magnetic fields.
Even supernatural possibilities have
been suggested, and the area has been
celebrated by those who tend to lean
towards the paranormal and supernat-
ural.
Me? I have no idea why these rocks
ring; but they do and this makes Ring-
ing Rocks Park a true enigma.
Wardenclyffe - The Laboratory of Nikola TeslaRoute 25A, East Shoreham, NY
When most people think of electricity and light and power the name
Thomas Edison comes up but I, for one, say nay!
Edison and his “muckers,” as he called his employees (showing how he
felt about anyone working for him) created many things.
The real wizard in those days was Serbian born Nikola Tesla.
He truly is the father of our ‘Electronic World!’
I addition to creating the first
workable power grid, the elec-
tric motor and pushing A.C.
power, he also did many pow-
erful and forward thinking
things.
One was the creation of a uni-
versal electrical source that any-
one on the globe could tap into,
for free, and use the power nat-
urally found in and around our
planet.
To further his experiment he
received the backing of J. P. Morgan
and built a large laboratory on the
north shore of Long Island in the
town of East Shoreham.
When he realized that Tesla
wished to bestow this unlimited
power free to the world Morgan,
ever the capitalist, pulled his money
and Wardenclyffe and Tesla, one of
the planet’s greatest minds, began
their slide in history.
When I visited Wardenclyffe the tower was gone but the building re-
mained, designed by Stanford White, although now a Superfund site. Ironi-
cally cell towers sit across the street and the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant
is not far away. If you are unaware of how great Nikola Tesla was and still
is, take some time and Google him. You will find him to be a fascinating man
and an intricate part of Mysterious America.
Centralia, Pennsylvania • A Town on Fire
Right outside the curiously
named town of Ashland, where
Route 61 has an odd detour, you
will find the remains of remnants of
the once bustling town of Centralia,
Pennsylvania.
This story starts back in 1962
when workers set a trash pile on fire
atop an old and closed coal mine
pit, looking to get rid of it. This was
common practice back then but this
time they created the trash fire over
an exposed vein of anthracite coal.
As you have probably guessed,
this did not go well.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 33
The coal immediately took
to the flames and caught fire.
The local firefighters extin-
guished the blaze but were un-
awares that the seam of coal
had ignited and continued to
burn and spread to surround-
ing coal veins.
Soon it was obvious that the town of Centralia was in dire straights, as put-
ting out this smoldering fire was impossible.
For the next 20 years nearly seven million dollars was spent trying to ex-
tinguish the Centralia fire, to no real effect.
In 1981 a sinkhole opened up and almost swallowed a 12-year boy.
Folks had had enough and the state of Pennsylvania basically condemned
the entire town, and spent $42 million in government funds relocating most
of its residents.
The fire still burns today beneath the ghost town, and it is said there is
enough coal in the pit below to feed the fire for hundreds of years.
You can visit Centralia, at your own risk, and I think it is worth the trip to
visit one of the strangest town sagas in the history of the United States.
Largest Buddha in the Western HemisphereChuang Yen Monastery
2020 Route 301, Carmel, NY • 845-225-1819 • www.baus.org
If you like your mysteries big I have a winner for you in the Hudson Valley,
right off Route 301, an excellent
motorcycle road.
The Chuang Yen Monastery in
Carmel, NY is the home of the
largest Buddha statue in the west-
ern hemisphere.
This monastery is run by monks
belonging to the Buddhist Associ-
ation of the United States or
BAUS and is a great place to visit
with or without the great Buddha.
Beautifully architected and built it
yet another place on this list that exudes serenity.
The Buddha stands 37 feet
tall and is surrounded by
10,000 Buddha figurines on
a lotus terrace in Great Bud-
dha Hall.
It is quite the sight.
But all things are not as
they seem here at the
Chuang Yen Monastery.
When I was there I bowed
silently to three monks as
they quietly passed in their
flowing orange robes. One glanced at my helmet and
quickly walked my way, robe flowing behind his san-
daled feet.
I thought I had done something wrong but then he
asked, “Is that your BMW? Is it the new water-cooled
bike?” Ha… Go figure!
Wing’s Castle717 Bangall Rd, Millbrook, NY
845-677-9085 • www.wingscastle.com
In truth Brian and Shira told me about Wing’s Castle
and it was not long after that I spun my wheels up
through this part of New York state looking for one cou-
ple’s dream.
Pete and Toni Ann
Wing began creating
the castle. Wing re-
turned from Vietnam in
1969, proposed to Toni
Ann and in 1970 the
long illustrious love af-
fair of building a castle
began. This enigma is
still, to this day, 40
years later, under con-
struction... as Toni
states, “ it has become a
live in art project”.
Riding up to it
Wing’s Castle literally jumps out at you – it is a unique
place to say the least.
Whether you’re traveling alone, with a small group or a wholeriding club, the General Francis Marion has a variety of roomsperfect for any event. Luxury is an extension of our Southernhospitality. Contact us concerning reservations today.
Rated as one of the Top Motorcycling
Destinations in the Nation‘The accommodations, the ambiance, the staff
and, best of all, the roads are phenomenal.The General Francis Marion cannot be beat’
Backroads Magazine - May 2014
Restored to its glory years during the roaring 20’s,the General Francis Marion Hotel is steeped in
history and elegance with all the modern amenities.
Located just 1.8 miles from Route 16
- the Back of the Dragon.
260 curve, 32-mile, 3 mountain roller coaster of a ride.
Incredible vistas, panoramic views
and enough roads to ride for days!
General Francis Marion Hotel and the Black Rooster Restaurant107 east Main Street • Marion, VA 24354 • 276-783-4800 • www.gfmhotel.com • [email protected]
Page 34 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Much of the materials used have been recycled from other places and proj-
ects and Wing’s Castle is now a Bed & Breakfast as well – so you can ride
up through this stunning region and overnight in a part of Mysterious Amer-
ica. The Cottage looks like it rolled out of a Thomas Kinkade painting. There
is also the tower room and the dungeon for you kinky brothers and sister.
Either which way you wish to go Wing’s Castle is one of the most unique
homes in the USA.
Desert of Maine95 Desert Rd., Freeport ME 04032
207-865-6962 • www.desertofmaine.com
This stop on our
tour of Mysterious
America is a very long
day’s ride from Back-
roads Central, but
early birders should do
it easily.
I thought this place
a tourist trap till I spent
an afternoon here tak-
ing a tour and explor-
ing the topography and
geology of the area.
The story goes like
this… In 1797 the Tut-
tle family moved to
the 300-acre farm where they successfully raised crops of potatoes and hay
for several years. Failure to rotate crops thereafter, combined with massive
land clearing and overgrazing resulted in severe soil erosion that exposed a
patch of sand about the size of a dinner plate, that lurked right below the thin
layer of topsoil. This was just the beginning of the sand taking over the farm.
Over the years the sand has continued to spread, slowly the sand claimed the
farm, swallowing buildings and pasture.
These days there are
trees buried up to 50
feet by the ever-en-
croaching sand, which
has a sparkling mica
base. Here, during the
summer months, this
sand can reach a tem-
perature far above 100
degrees.
As the spreading
sand grew uncontrol-
lable, the Tuttles gave
in and finally surrendered and the property was purchased for $300 by Henry
Goldrup, who converted it to a tourist attraction in 1925; one of the oddest
attractions in the nation, and the final stop on this quick journey around the
top ten features here at Mysterious America!
If you know of a place that should be shared in the pages of Mysterious
America drop me a line at [email protected] under subject heading
“Mysterious America.”
Until next time – O’Life out!
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 35
My friend Betsy Byers is a serious quilter and she makes some of the nicest
I have ever seen – especially the one she artfully created for Shira and me.
When making these she carefully chooses her materials, fabrics and thread.
Stitching her quilty magic she takes all these pieces and, when finished, has
made something far better than any of its distinct parts.
The same thought and talent goes into making a great ride. It might seem
easy to put Road A into Mountain B along River C; but you go try it. We
give it a whirl all the time – with mixed success. When it comes together and
works it is a beautiful thing and when the New Sweden BMW Club put to-
gether the yearly 450 they got it working really well.
This is the second outing for 450 from the Delaware Valley Club and the
ride would begin and end in the Cherry Hill vicinity. For your modest entry
fee ($60) you would get two full day’s worth of riding, map and written route
sheet – GPS files were available (thank you very much), overnight camping
at some mysterious and beautiful destination about 225 miles away and a
barbeque dinner cooked by Bobby Flay.
Okay, maybe not Mr. Flay, but he was damn close!
Page 36 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
SUSSEXMOTORSPORTS• Family Owned/Operated in Northwest NJ • Near the NY/PA border
• Wide selection of on/off road apparel, jackets, helmets, gloves and boots
• Qualified Service Technicians with over 30 years combined experienceto perform all your Yamaha authorized service
446 Route 23 • Sussex, NJ • Located across from the A&P Shopping Plaza
973-875-3640 • www.sussexmotorsportsnj.com
New Sweden 450The Perfect Way to Start the Season
words & images: Brian Rathjen
With the fairly distant starting point for us, we rode down south the previ-
ous day, taking in a few sights found in the region. We overnighted Ameri-
can-style with a room at the local Red Roof, dinner at TGIF and taking in
the new Mad Max flick. I liked it - Shira thought she was going to see Love
Actually.
Eight a.m. found us, and about 50 others, at Cycle Gear signing the pre-
requisite AMA waiver and hooking up with our friend and local Backroads
alumni Brad Tabaac for the day’s ride.
Okay, Cherry Hill is not the most joyous place in the Garden State but their
ride captain, Phil Levin, did a superb job of getting riders “out of Dodge”
(his words) and quickly into a mostly westerly and northerly route; quickly
leaving behind the Philly/ south Jersey sprawl.
These sorts of weekends are never a race. It is a ride at your own pace sort
of thing. You can ride solo or with a small group. It is a good idea to keep an
eye on your mirror, as more aggressive riders might want to pass. If you are
that quicker paced rider - just pass with skill, smoothness and politeness. No
reason to be “that guy” and ruffle somebody’s leathers.
Along the way we found a few things. The first was a great breakfast in
the Woody’s Towne Café, a little place in Allentown, New Jersey. The second
thing was a sidecar pilot named Wayne (good Wayne, not bad), from
Delaware, who grabbed a spot in the rear and followed along to the end site.
Staying with the foodie theme, we ran across “Liver
Eating Johnson!”
It seems Mr. Liver Eater was a complete bad ass. So
much so that Robert Redford played him in the movie
Jeremiah Johnson. He was born along our route this day
and has a bad ass sign to state just that.
But, that is not why I call him a bad ass.
No, I do because in my research I found he was deep
into badassery and actually has a page on the “Bad Ass
of the Week” website.
It seems there is such a thing.
I would ‘borrow’ their story on Jeremiah, but anyone
who runs such a website will probably heavily frown
on plagiarism, but I will tell you that when his vastly
pregnant wife was slaughtered by a local Crow tribe
(they lived in the Rockies) Jeremiah went more than
ballistic and went about taking vengeance with a
vengeance. And, then it got weird. Here, have fun and
read the story for yourself – I could not have said it bet-
ter! www.badassoftheweek.com/livereating.html
On a lighter note we were making excellent time
along the backroads of the Garden State, crossed over
into Pennsylvania at Belvidere and then headed along
the Delaware to Water Gap where we stopped for liv…
pie, ice cream and coffee.
Break time over and fully
caffeined and sugared we
carried onward along the
New Sweden’s route west
into the Poconos. The roads
up through New Jersey were
fun, but as we headed into
the mountains it got a bit
more interesting.
Along the way Brad vec-
tored off towards home and
by late afternoon we pulled
into the Whispering Pines
Campground, just outside
Stillwater, Pennsylvania.
Wait…. did I just say
campground? Not inn, hotel,
B & B, private estate?
No, I said campground.
Although many believe
we are incapable of embrac-
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 37
ing rip-stop nylon domiciles, we have camped plenty
of times, plenty I tell ya – we would just rather “hot
shower, restaurant and bar it” than finish a 200 plus
mile ride along the curves and then have to build my
home amongst Elly May’s critters.
But, we thought what the hell? The weather was
perfect and the ground grassy and flat, and the com-
pany friendly – so camping it would be.
We could be tough like good ol’ Liver Eater.
We brought along our Redverz that has one of those
little garage areas attached to it that we made into a
sitting foyer – when we finally got it up.
See, we’re not stupid, we pulled out the tent earlier in the
week and quickly learned (thank you YouTube) how to effi-
ciently set-up the tent; which we promptly forgot – but, the
third time was a charm.
Kermit chairs set up in the airy foyer/garage or “garager”
as we call it and it was better than home.
Shira said we should have one of those tents that all you
need do is flip it out and you have your room.
I told we have one – it is called American Express.
The New Sweden Club was more than cordial and made us
feel right at home and they had the evening catered by a local barbeque
that was really five-star, as BBQ go.
Ribs, chicken, pork, baked mac, bean, salad and the best broccoli ever.
Seconds were called for.
After dinner festivities found a boodle of door prizes being given away
and everybody got something and who doesn’t want to get something?
It was right about then that the perfect weather – like a good baseball
season - began to unravel.
We found later that hail, thunderstorms and general mayhem was
called for back home – but we had just gusts and a half hour of heavy
downpour before the rain rolled away and the dark came out and the fire
got quickly lit with a loud “WHOOMP!” that I could hear from Chez
Backroads. I am pretty sure that some flammable coercion was brought
into play here after the rains.
The night slipped by in a very comfortable fashion, with Go-Cots,
clean bags and feather pillows (Hey, it was just one
night and we had the room), reading light and the latest
Reader’s Digest until Morpheus beckoned.
The morning found a field shrouded in a light fog,
wisping in and around the trees, tents and BMW twins.
The bodies of the slain littered the field with the cop-
pery smell of their blood soaking into the ground. Vul-
tures circles high above and…
Oh, sorry - that was the battle of Thermopylae. Where
was I really?
Right, back in modern day Pennsylvania….
New Sweden was having a bit of trouble with the cof-
fee, but an Aerostich Jet Boil got the Joe happening as
the tents began to come down and bikes packed away.
We got out on the very good side of eight a.m. and
began to follow along the New Sweden’s route, which
were loaded onto our zūmo.
Day one was pleasant and easy going. Day two was
far more aggressive, technical and challenging – just the
way we like them.
COUNTRY RODE MOTOWERKS286 Macedon Center Road • Fairport, Ny
585-421-0480www.CountryRode.com
Page 38 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Some of the
roads we knew
and had ridden,
some were new to us – the beauty of weekend jaunts like these.
Up and down through the Endless Mountains and Poconos, along state
parks, through small towns and the occasional larger burg.
Route 339 out of Bloomsburg towards Mahanoy City was especially fun-
tastic as, that early on Sunday, the faithful were still eating breakfast before
leaving for church and the local authorities seemed to be elsewhere.
We found the day’s ride to be very high in the ‘fun factor’ and the perfect
way to finish off the weekend. This day we
even got to help two box turtles along the way,
gathering up those mitzvah points and doing
our small part to save the planet while burning
copious amounts of high test 92 octane fuel.
It is a delicate balancing act we ride.
Local flavor always adds to these rides and
large signs like the one for the Zion Grove
Trout Hatchery tend to stick in your mind, as
did the Virginville Hotel – no luck at that inn,
obviously.
The final day of the New Sweden 450 me-
andered in this way down through Pennsylva-
nia, clipping into Delaware before crossing
back to the New Jersey side of the widening
Delaware River.
The weekend finished up at the Pic-A-Lilly,
in Shamong, New Jersey - not far from the
staring point the previous day.
And, was the perfect place to finish the ride.
We want to thank Phil, Vince, Ron, John,
Nancy and the other members of the New
Sweden BMW Club for putting on the event.
It is only year two, but with the way they
‘quilted’ the ride together, the excellent camp-
site, nice folks and superior roads made for a
superb time all around.
If you are looking for a fun and different weekend jaunt, and enjoy sleeping
under the stars then keep an eye on the New Sweden website for info on next
year’s 450. The club will also be hosting their 33rd Annual Last Chance Rally
the weekend of September 25 through 27 of this year, at the Buena Vista
Campsite in Buena, New Jersey. This rally is well known for even better
food… if that is possible.
I can hear the whole Pig Roast Banquet calling…
Log onto www.newswedenbmwriders.com for more information.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 39
Cross Country Powersports911 Middlesex Ave, Metuchen, NJ (732) 491-2900
www.CrossCountryPowersports.com
War is Hell - William Tecumseh ShermanWhat is it good for, absolutely nothing - Edwin Starr
During the last great battle of the winter season some of us got caught up
in that never-ending crusade against the demon boredom. During one such
clash some websites began to circulate with some of the odder and unusual
town names in these United States. There seems to be a lot out there and the
flow of names, locations and regions quickly became a deluge.
We brought this up on social media and it didn’t take long before we got
a few replies and even some pictures; as it seemed that our friend Larry, who
is a peaceable guy, went to War with some of his friends.
War, West Virginia, that is.
I thought that odd – but not as odd as Odd – the small hamlet not too far
from War.
We thought we’d share a few other quirkily named towns in the United
States. Let’s see if any of you have been to some of them.
If you do not want to go to War, how about an Accident? As in Accident,
Maryland just south of the Pennsylvania border.
Not all ‘small towns USA’ are tiny – there are some monsters out there
like Frankenstein, Missouri and if we have a hand basket we could head to
Hell, Michigan. No, that is not another name for Detroit.
Closer to home there is Intercourse, Pennsylvania (formerly Cross Keys)
or Loveladies, New Jersey. Who hasn’t been there, or wanted to be there, at
least a few times? But, let’s bring the folks from Virgin, Utah to learn how
it’s done.
Let us not forget As-
sawoman, Virginia -
Blue Ball, Ohio -
French Lick, Indiana or
good ol’ Buttzville,
New Jersey. Since we
are now in the gutter of
weird names USA -
know there is a Big
Bone State Park in
Kentucky, the town of
Page 40 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
CIRCLE
CYCLE
570 Broad AvenueRidgefield NJ
web: www.circlecycle.net
201-945-2200
For over 35 yearsCircle Cycle has helped
riders get and stay on the road
Our variety of powersports products is second to none.Whether you’re riding offroad,backroads, or onthe track, we’re here to get youwhere you need to go.
In northern New Jersey there isn’t a friendlier or more
knowledgeable staff than ours. We’re happy to
help you find the parts you’ve been looking for.
Online Shopping AvailableCheck our catalog pages - if you don’t see what you want, give us a call or stop in - we’re always ready to help!
Circle CycleFor the discriminating rider.
WAR AND OTHER FUN PLACES…..
Wiener in Arkansas and Spread Eagle, Wisconsin.
The sign for Dildo Harbour in Canada is too telling
but all these people must vacation in Horneytown,
North Carolina. If I were looking for a fowl place
I might want to ride to Chicken, Alaska, where
there is a sign about getting laid in the town and
then hopefully land in Climax, Colorado!
Hey, Don’t shoot me - I’m just the messenger
here and stopping this theme now - sorry.
Ever been bit in Mosquitoville, Vermont? Me
neither. But there is the town of Satans Kingdom
not far from there.
Let’s have a hearty breakfast in Oatmeal, Texas
or Two Egg, Florida and keep on riding to Bacon-
ton, Georgia - Cereal, Pennsylvania and then along
to Toast, North Carolina. We can wash that down
in Hot Coffee, Mississippi and Tea, South Dakota.
Now I do know we have been to Paw Paw, West
Virginia – there is a great tunnel here for the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
Well, if they have a Paw Paw, how about Pee
Pee… Ohio.
Yep, there is a place named Pee Pee.
On the other side of the nation you can find
Rough and Ready, California - the only mining
town to “secede” from the Union and the Terri-
tory of California then to vote itself back in.
Why am I not surprised?
For those of you who really do not like to
spend your cash (you know who you are) why
not squeak into Tightwad, Missouri.
I think the most remote place on this short list
has to be Unalaska, Alaska in the Aleutian Is-
lands chain.
Okay, maybe we are not riding there.
But if we cannot ride to Alaska’s Unalaska
then let’s wheel it over to Uncertain, Texas – I
think.
Is it raining in Waterproof, Louisiana? Proba-
bly – but it’s an impermeable town. Are there
any good times to be had in What Cheer, Iowa.
Not from looking at the photographs.
Are there any good times in North Carolina?
Why Not. Why Not, North Carolina looks to be
in the middle of nowhere.
There is a Y City in Arkansas and our last list-
ing of strangely named US towns is Zap, North Dakota.
All we need now is Pow and Bam and we could have a Bat-
man fight.
This country is criss-crossed by some of the oddest named
towns you could possibly imagine and the stories on how
some of these places got their odd names could be a book by
itself.
If you have a picture of yourself and your bike in one of
them please pass it along – we’d love to see it.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 41
For those who have perfected the art of being alone, Redverz Gear introduces The Solo
Expedition Motorcycle Tent. The original Redverz design has shed a few pounds and inches
resulting in a smaller version of the biggest idea in motorcycle camping. Designed to ac-
commodate a single camper, The Solo is more compact while remaining notoriously spacious.
The legendary Redverz garage remains unchanged with
area-wide headroom, tall enough to stand in and house
a fully loaded adventure bike.
With room to sleep just one, The Solo Expedition
Tent appeals specifically to the lone traveler. Alterna-
tively, the company’s Atacama Expedition Tent sleeps
up to three. Both designs afford riders the luxury of a
garage to park the bike, make repairs or wait out a
storm. Which tent is for you? Simple. Are you solo?
Or do you play well with others?
Solo travel is uncomplicated and intensely rewarding.
The same can be said for The Solo Expedition Tent.
Two-pole construction makes for fast and easy set up
and one less pole lightens the load. Double-wall con-
struction and a bathtub floor in the Solo sleeping bay
affords maximum nighttime comfort and protection in
a smaller foot print, 90 inches x 41 inches to be exact.
At just 12 feet and 3 inches in length overall, the entire
Solo Expedition Tent fits more easily into smaller pre-
determined camp spaces and the lighter pack weight
makes The Solo ideal when every ounce counts.
The flexible hoop design is rated for 3-seasons and
offers unbeatable performance in wind and rain.
4000mm hydrostatic head on the outer fly and
10,000mm waterproofing on the sleeping bay floor keep
riders dry and secure. Both entry doors pair a privacy
panel with mosquito mesh to allow for complete closure
or ventilation with bug protection.
The renowned Redverz garage design remains un-
changed at 102 inches long by 36 inches wide. Your
bike will fit. Your lounge will be spacious. Your work-
shop will be ample. The Solo Tent sells for $449. For
more information visit www.redverz.com.
MOREROOMS
ADDED TOOUR BLOCK
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME RIDESUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH
We think it’s obvious that the folks at Backroads love baseball, as the riding season and the baseball season always
seem to run together.
Up where we call home, in northwestern NJ, the Sussex Miners Baseball Team will be hosting the Rockland Boulders
on sunday september 6th at 2 pm at Skylands Stadium, in Augusta, New Jersey - and we’d like to invite you come
to the ball game with us.
We’ll meet between 10:30-11am, on sunday september 6th, at Pompton sports center, 444, Pompton Plains,
Pompton, new Jersey, for a leisurely ride taking us along the forests, lakes and farms of the Jersey Skylands.
We’ll get to the stadium in plenty of time to park, get a bite to eat and find our section to see one of the final games
of the season against the two regional rivals.
To reserve your tickets call Group Sales at 973-940-0222 and mention the Backroads group for september 6th. Tickets are just $10/pp, so grab yours today!
We hope you join us for our Take Me Out to the Ball Game Ride.
Page 42 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
SOLO EXPEDITION MOTORCYCLE TENT FROM REDVERZ GEAR
DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS
So here are three scenarios and common results. Motorcycle has a crash. Mirror broken. Motorcycle
has a simple tipover. Mirror broken. Small nuclear device goes off. Mirror broken. The simple fact is
that most motorcycle mirrors can get damaged far too easily.
Almost as infuriating is the fact, for most BMW owners, the way the stock mirrors go on and tighten
seem to have been designed by some sadistic engineer looking to strike back for years of high school
abuse.
The two tightening nuts, convoluted way the BMW mirrors attach and tighten, is a true pain and some-
times it seems that anything striking my mirror (right side in particular) that has more mass than a
flying ladybug will spin the mirror loose.
And then there is the fact that the mirrors that came with my GS are woefully small in size and should
offer a lot more coverage to the rear.
There has to be a better mirror out there… and there is.
Dakar Rally finisher Ned Suesse went and created Doubletake Mirrors.
These mirrors (designed for the dual-sport crowd, but good for all machines) are easy to install, very
adjustable and more or less indestructible.
Utilizing a RAM-style mount they are far less rigid than the stock mirrors and thus have less vi-
bration than what came with my machine.
The coverage of these convex SAE reflectors, encased in a reinforced Zytel (a high tech off-world
resin), is far superior to the stock glass and I was amazed to see there was more to the world behind
me than just my shoulders.
This adjustability allows for a few good things as well.
For we street riders it offers a far better view and range behind us.
The twin Ram balls on both ends of the arm offer a lot of adjustment possibilities.
For those who like to hit the less traveled trails and venture off-road these mirrors can be folded
neatly out of the way, across the bars, if the going gets a bit rough and gravity storms are reported
in the area.
Unlike the stock BMW mirror stalk the ease of installation of the Doubletake Mirrors is very
straight-forward. Simply find a small ladybug and toss it at your standard BMW-style mirror to
loosen it and then unscrew the stalk and toss mirror into waste bin. Repeat for the other side.
Then merely screw the Ram mount ball onto the stock bracket followed by the arm and mirror.
I did think it strange that the ball did not have some sort of nut attached to help with tightening, but
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 43
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914-762-2722HVMOTORCYCLES.COM
Whether navigating the urban jungle, connecting corners along your favoritecanyon road, traversing the globe or taking the road less traveled, the newMultistrada 1200 S is fully equipped and ready for your next adventure. Withfour riding modes to choose from, its exceptional engineering and advancedtechnology adapt at will, delivering extreme versatility, exceptional performanceand refined comfort at the push of a button.
The new Multistrada 1200 SHave everything. Will travel.
444 State Route 23, Pompton Plains, NJ
973-839-1117 • www.pomptonsportcenter.com
•$2500 Bonus Bucks offer is valid with the purchase of new and unregistered 2013 GL1800B/D (F6B) models. Bonus Bucks can onlybe used for purchases at the dealership and must be redeemed on the date of purchase. Offer has no cash value and is not transferable.Redemption value is not to exceed $2500. Check with participating Honda Dealers for complete details. Offer valid through 08/31/2015.BE A RESPONSIBLE RIDER. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION & PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCEOF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, AND NEVER USE THE STREET AS A RACETRACK. OBEY THE LAW AND READ YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL THOR-OUGHLY. Gold Wing F6B® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2015 American Honda Co., Inc. (8/15)
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the Ram-style arm had plenty of leverage and worked just as well when tightened onto the ball. Easy!
Adjust the new ‘oh-so-much-better’ mirrors and go for a ride. A long ride.
The Doubletake Mirrors we installed are their latest offering and are styled to fit the lines of most modern machines and looked especially good on our GS.
Round Doubletake Mirrors are available as well.
So far we’ve been able to knock off and break plenty of other things on this bike but these mirrors are like the Timex watch of bike mirrors. They can take some
serious abuse without any major damage.
As these are a modular system you can pick and choose between arm sizes and base plate applications for different machines and OEMs.
The mirror lists for $25 per unit (you will need two- duh) the arms $13 and the base stud ball around $10 – so you are looking at a $100 investment for mirrors
that can last a lifetime and a good number of various machines.
Find out more on their website at www.doubletakemirror.com ~ Brian Rathjen
MICHELIN ANAKEE III TIRE
When buying tires for a bike such as the BMW R1200GS, a little honesty should come into play.
Although most GS riders would like to think they are going off into ‘The Wild’ the truth is most big ADV bikes see a minimal of harsh or adverse conditions
and, in my case, the fire roads and semi-maintained gravel of the northeast will rarely call for full on knobby rubber.
Oh I am sure there are some of you who could bring me to hell and back, but generally most of the ADV available tires lean more to the pavement than the dirt.
Such is the case with Michelin’s Anakee III tires.
We have ridden on the tire company’s previous Anakee tires, but the IIIs seemed to be a far different type of tire from the very start.
Clearly a tire that is 90/10 pavement to dirt, I put on a set just before leaving for the Backroads Spring Break Rally in the hopes of giving the tires a gambit of
riding conditions. As some of you know, on these rallies you should expect sun, rain, great paved curves and a bit of gravel as well.
I did not let myself down.
These tires have now become very popular and a large percentage of the new BMW R1200GS models will come fitted with Michelin’s Anakee III as standard
and our good friend and international man of motorcycles Roberto Mitchello swears by these.
The tech guys at Michelin told us that we should expect a full 20% more mileage over previous generations
of Anakee – which already were impressive, and that the new silica-enhanced tread compound would
improve wet-weather performance as well.
Just looking at the Anakee III tires you now somebody had been doing some serious tire thinking
at Michelin.
The Anakee III is a unique looking tire.
The odd ‘Variable Groove Ratio’ tread pattern uses deep cuts, with startling angles ad
shapes. Michelin call these new lateral grooves ‘a tread within a tread’ and this adds to
the tractability and over-all performance of the tires along with excellent water and mud
dispersal. The idea also is to slow down the ‘scalloping effect’ that is common fault
with many other big block tires.
More precise handling was promised via a more rigid tire casing.
Page 44 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
Long Island Yamaha67 North Broadway • Route 107 • Hicksville, NY
www.LIYamaha.com • 516-935-6969
Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dan-gerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding theMSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com
THE MOST VERSATILESPORT TOURER.Introducing the most performance,power, versatility and value ever packedinto one motorcycle. From commutingand exploring backroads, to touring theopen road and enjoying long sport touradventures, the all-new FJ-09 does it allin comfort and style with Yamaha’s un-mistakable reliability and performance.
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Over the next five days and 1,000 miles I ran the new Anakee III along some great curvy mountain roads, letting
the bike, tires and my confidence settle in after the first 100 or so miles, as I always ride a bit more conservatively
when on fresh and different rubber. The first thing that impressed me was that these tires were both smooth
rolling and quiet.
In the dry, almost perfect conditions in the beginning of the Spring Break the Anakee IIIs offered good solid
feedback and confidence building feel that almost rivaled some of the other tires such as the Avon Distanzia
or Metzler Tourance.
I made the transition to gravel a few times over the next days and the tires seemed fine to me – not having
to think about it works for me.
Later on I rode for a short bit on a power companies unmaintained service road.
I stopped at one point for some photographs and noticed that the road itself was a marly, fine gravel sort of
surface; a little deep too; just a touch before the GS had gotten a bit sideways when I was over exuberant
with the throttle and now I knew why.
Getting off I could see the tires matted with this grime, yet, even though they had a street pedigree, they
were performing admirably along this loose and moist gravel. Far better than I would have thought by read-
ing Michelin’s press material.
Up until then I had been riding in mostly dry conditions with temperatures that had varied from cool to a
high in the low 90s for a spell. Nothing extreme but the final real test would be a few hundred fast miles
through the Adirondacks and into the Catskills with low 40 and very wet conditions.
I had run through a bit of rain, but nothing grand and I had said to myself that, “a good day’s ride with these
tires in the wet was just what I needed to finish off this review.” Yup, yup, yup.
Yes, Scott – the rain was my fault and I am sorry – really.
It was on this day that the new Michelin Anakee III tires really excelled.
They are almost at home in the rain. Expertly dispersing moisture, offering a great deal of confidence and giving
the GS superb control.
At various times during the day’s soak I gave the bike rather harsh input pushing the Anakee IIIs to see when and if they would behave badly and they never
did.
I was righteously impressed with their wet weather performance, which easily outperformed the Metzler and Avons.
The big question now is how long before I feel the need to change rubber.
I have learned long ago that if I begin to question whether my tires need to be changed it is time to change them.
With a couple of thousand miles on the Anakee IIIs, it looks like I will be riding on these tires for a good long time.
Michelin offers the Anakee III for most 17-inch rear wheels and 19 and 21-inch front. MSRP for the tires tested is $276.95 (rear) and $198.95 (front)
But see your local dealer and talk with them about price as, unlike shopping on the web, they can get the tires and mount them for you.
motorcycle.michelinman.com ~ Brian Rathjen
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 45
The ToW
It’s an image that none of us really ever wish to see.
Your machine atop a flat bed tow truck strapped down tightly like a kinky
Wall Street banker in a bordello in Nevada or Quasimodo on the pillory at
Notre Dame.
Your bike, now secure and safe from movement or shifting, begins its solo
journey toward whatever shop it is headed.
We hope that this never happens to you, but the truth is it can and probably
will at some point.
Mechanical failures, or incidents and events on the road may necessitate
getting your motorcycle hauled to a local shop.
It’s really no big deal. Dirt bike riders tow or carry their machines every
weekend.
Some street riders have never even considered it.
We know some motorcyclists that think this is how their machines are sup-
posed to get to the rally du jour.
It shouldn’t be a big deal but there are a few things to think about when
hauling a bike.
The first thing is sometimes simpler is better.
You have a truck. You have a trailer (or friend with said truck and trailer)
- so just do it yourself.
But that is not always an option.
That’s when it is time to get the professionals to do the hauling for you.
Recently I had a rear shock failure on my BMW R 1200 GS (oh my God
– they break?!). It wasn’t the end of the world and, thankfully, it was still
under warranty.
Still, I would need to get this machine down to the closest shop that could
handle this job. In this case Cross Country BMW in Metuchen, New Jersey.
I called the shop and Douglas, the service writer, explained that I would
need to get the machine down to let them have a look see and that the shock
(which ain’t cheap I tell ya) would have to be ordered and, once in, installa-
tion would be quick – just a few days.
Yes, I could have gone for an ‘after market’ unit, and would probably be
better off for it, but the two words “Under Warranty” have a very seductive
lure to them – like the banker’s strumpet in Nevada.
Welcome to the Jungle - The Art of Learning to Ride SkillfullyA column dedicated to your riding survival
Page 46 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
It was early spring, and the warmer weather was yet to break and with it
the flood of riders who needed their bikes worked on yesterday, so I could
be fit in within the week. Most excellent.
I explained that I would ride the machine down as soon as I could and it
was then that Douglas reminded me that, under warranty with a problem like
a non-functional shock, BMW would tow the machine for me under their
roadside assistance. No reason to ride the GS with the limp shock down the
highway, simply have it transported to Cross Country.
I hadn’t thought of this. Duh – it never even crossed my mind.
Thank you Cross Country.
I called BMW Motorrad Roadside Assistance, explained my dilemma and
was assured that a flat bed truck would pick up my GS the next morning and
bring it to the BMW shop.
No charge, even though the shop was nearly 80 miles away from Back-
roads Central.
Right on time the truck rolled into the drive and after a careful loading and
double checking of his straps, the driver waved good bye and rolled out of
the driveway.
I picked the bike up the next week and had a great, if circuitous, ride back
home to the Skylands of New Jersey.
This tow came under warranty and, as of June 12, it will no longer apply
to this machine as it rides out of its warranty.
But, roadside assistance and towing are available to all riders from many
different sources.
BMW Motorrad offers it for just $99 per year which includes 24/7 365 day
a year coverage, towing up to 100 miles across the U.S. and Canada to the
closest Motorrad dealer for you and one additional household member at no
additional cost. Great for a home such as ours, with both Shira and I riding.
The American Motorcyclist Association also offers a version that includes
towing services covered up to 35 miles to the nearest qualified service facil-
ity. Anything over the 35 miles is on you, but most times that is enough. This
is available for no extra charge when you sign up for auto-renewal of your
AMA membership.
AAA, as well as other motorcycle clubs and organizations, offer various
versions of roadside assistance and towing – HOG, Honda and ROK all have
towing packages.
Check your insurance provider to see what they can offer you.
Many motorcycle shops themselves offer free pick-up and delivery of your
machine when service is involved.
To be honest - they want your business - and are willing to go get your
bike to prove that to you.
The bottom line is there are a number of options out there and as long as
whomever you have your towing service with uses reputable local tow com-
panies that know “how to tow” a motorcycle (flat beds always, never a hook
or cradle) then you should be in good shape and will be back on the road be-
fore you know it.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 47
GREEK MOTO ADVENTURES
6 and 10 day tours of the Peloponnese
8 day Exploratory tours
Custom Tours Available
Incredible riding, eating and people
Book your tour today!
Contact:Vasilios Rallis718-730-5220
www.greekmotoadventures.com
Page 48 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
THe
RETURN OF THe
ROAD TOUR
Join us for a 200-mile tri-state self-guided rompthrough New Jersey, New York + Pennsylvania
START/END: Chatterbox Drive-In • Rtes. 94/206, Augusta, NJ
SIGN-IN: 9 -10:30am
Breakfast: Yetter’s Diner • North of Chatterbox • 89 US 206, Augusta, NJ
Optional: $10/bike donation to Backroads’ Little Free Libraries
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16th
ONE DAY
HONDA’S JEFF TIGERT WINS PIKES PEAK INTL HILL CLIMB
Participating in a Honda-organized collaborative two- and four-wheel in-
ternal racing program at the 2015 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Amer-
ican Honda media coordinator Jeff Tigert was victorious in the Heavyweight
motorcycle division while post-
ing the fastest time among all mo-
torcycle entrants. Having set the
Lightweight course record in
2013 aboard a Honda CRF450R,
Tigert returned this year with a
Honda CBR1000RR, and his per-
formance was nothing less than
dominant. Tigert was the fastest
motorcyclist on the mountain on
three of the four practice/qualify-
ing days and overcame a qualify-
ing crash to earn pole position. In the race, his winning time of 10:02 was
over 15 seconds faster than the next-closest rider.
“The week was a stressful rollercoaster of highs and lows and lack of
sleep,” a relieved Tigert said afterward. “Things went really smoothly early
on, but my luck changed in my second qualifying run when I crashed and
went off the course. On race day I had a lot on my mind
and the course was pretty sketchy, but I tried to keep
calm and ride within my limits. It’s such a unique race,
and the competitors are so emotionally connected to one
another. It was a big weight off my shoulders when it
was all over and I was presented with the checkered flag
that goes to the winners.
On Saturday, August 29th, Bergen County Harley-
Davidson will be holding an event that sounds to be a
lot of fun - a Scavenger Hunt, to benefit the Liberty Run
Foundation.
Here’s how it works…
Teams of 4 bikes will register and be handed a list of
places & things to find. The list will be time stamped
and each group will have 3 hours to take a picture of
their group in front of as many of the places & things
on the list. Each place and thing you take a picture in
front of has a point value. Every point your team earns
gets everyone on your team tickets, which will be used
to bid on fabulous Tricky Tray prizes and food & music
is included!
Registration is from 9am - 10:15am at Bergen Harley-
Davidson 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ and entry fee
is $15 a rider and $10 a passenger.
Gather your team today!
ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLISTS IN ECUADORNOW “PACK FOR A PURPOSE”
Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental and Motorcycle Tours
proudly announced that they have become the first mo-
torcycle tour operator in the world to become a member
of “Pack for a Purpose,” a community based project
which is supported by tour operators, hotels & resorts
in 56 countries around the world.
‘Pack for a Purpose’
provides travelers with up
to date information regard-
ing the supplies needed in
the communities of their
travel destinations. By cre-
ating just a few kilos of
space in their suitcases and
bringing supplies for
schools or medical clinics
in need, the initiative al-
lows tourists to create a
lasting and priceless im-
pact on the lives of children and families living in the local areas.
With the help and coordination of Pack for a Purpose, Ecuador Freedom
Bike Rental and Tours has begun assisting and supporting 13 schools in rural
Ecuadorian villages. The isolated village schools are located along the paved
and unpaved routes of Ecuador Freedom’s motorcycle tours, where few
tourists and outsiders are able to visit. Participants in the motorcycle tours
may voluntarily participate in the program by making space in their saddle
(Continued on Page 51)
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 49
TWo-WheeleD
INDUSTRY INFOBITES News from the Inside
EVERY MONTH - WEATHER PERMITTINGEvery Monday • McCobb’s Bike Night, 2391 Hamburg Tpke, Wayne, NJ • 6-10pm
Every Tuesday • The Ear - Spring St, NYC. Come meet some fellow riders and dosome benchracing or whatever. 8pm-ish
Last Wednesday • Tramontin Over the Hump Bike Night. 6-8pm. Live music, greatfood, in-house specials. Exit 12 Rte. 80, Hope NJ • 908-459-4101 • TramontinHD.com
Every Thursday • Bike Night at the Chatterbox Drive-In, Rtes. 15/206, Augusta, NJ.Tire kicking, good food and friends • www.chatterboxdrivein.com
Every Saturday • 9am for coffee and bagels. KSU 10am. Return for FREE food andmusic. Proper attire MUST be worn! No shorts or sneakers. • Bergen Harley-David-son, 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ • 201-843-6930 • www.BergenHarley.com
Every Saturday • Tramontin Harley-Davidson Biker BBQ with FREE Hot Dogs whilethey last. 12-3pm weather permitting. Exit 12 Route 80 Hope, NJ • www.Tramon-tinHD.com • 908-459-4101
Every Sunday • Tramontin Harley-Davidson Rise + Shine Breakfast 9-11am. Specialofferings by Chefs Catering. Exit 12 Route 80 Hope, NJ • www.TramontinHD.com• 908-459-4101
Thru Oct. 11, 2015 • AACA Museum’s ‘Motorbikes for the Masses’. 161 Museum Dr,Hershey, PA (1 mile from HerseyPark just off Rte. 39 West) • 717-566-7100 •www.AACAMuseum.org
AUGUST1 • Woodstock Harley-Davidson Rock-N-Rumble. $5 Bike Wash, food, live music,raffles, vendors and much more • 11am-5pm. 949 SR 28, Kingston, NY • 845-338-2800 • WoodstockHarley.com
2 • Hudson Valley NY Ride for Kids Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Meet: CentralValley Elementary School, 45 Rte. 32, Central Valley, NY • 8-9:30am • KSU 10am •Pre-registration + more info @ rideforkids.org
7-8 • 38th Annual Daniel Boone Rally sponsered by the Carolinas BMW MotorcycleOwners Assoc. Great Riding Roads, Hospitality and Comaraderie in cool NorthCarolina Mountain air. All riders and brands welcome - room for everyone at theKOA campgrounds in Boone, NC. $45 rally fee includes two-nights camping, pinto first 200 attendees, door prizes, Sat. evening BBQ, donuts & coffee sundaymorning, 24 hour coffee, tea, hot chocolate, iced tea & lemonade. Also People'sChoice Award,self-guided route sheets and GPS downloads (on and off-road), feewi-fi and so much more. Full details www.carolinasbmwmoa.org or [email protected]
8 • Vets Summer Fest Ride to benefit Homeless Veterans. Sign in : Tramontin H-D,Exit 12 Route 80, Hope, NJ @ 10am • KSU 10:30am. $20 general admission/$15veterans + military/Homeless Veterans FREE. Vasa Park, Wolfe Rd, Budd Lake, NJ• Family fun, live bands, prizes, food and more • 908-459-4101
9 • NJ Knights of Fire Run for Hope Poker Run. Sing in: 9-11am Tramontin Harley-Davidson, Exit 12 Route 80, Hope, NJ. $20 rider/$15 passenger or walk-in. Endsite:Rockaway Boro Firemen’s Field, Beach St/Gill Ave, Rockaway, NJ. Live music, ven-dors, BBQ + beverages, door prizes • 908-619-9526 • KnightsofFire3NJ.com
9 • Second Generation MC Assn. 12th Annual AMA Dice Run to benefit United Hos-pice of Rockland. Sign in: Rhodes North Tavern, 40 Orange Tpke, Sloatsburg, NY9:30-11am - 100-mile country backroads ride with a few dice rolling stops. AMAsanctioned. Endsite: Haverstraw Elks Lodge. Huge BBQ on the Hudson River withlive music and prizes. Walk ins welcome • www.secondgenerationma.org
14-15 • Motorcycle Mall Suzuki Demo Days. Suzuki Demo Truck brings 2015 Suzukisfor your riding pleasure. Test one or more, find what you like and take it home. 655Washington Ave, Belleville, NJ • 973-751-4545 • www.MotorcycleMall.com
16 • BACKROADS 200. NJ/NY/PA 200+ mile ride. Details page 46
16 • Brit Jam 2015 9am-4:30pm • Haddam Neck Fairgrounds, Rte. 151, East Hamp-ton, CT. Entry: $10. British Iron Association of CT. Connecticut’s finest classic mo-torcycle show and swap meet • www.CTBritIron.org
16 • NJ Blue Knights VIII Law Ride. Sign in 9-10am at various locations. $20/bikeincludes toll into Manhattan. Escorted ride. See ad on page 49 for details.
16 • 2nd Annual UNICO charity MC Run to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.Sign in: Peterson Field, Fleetwood Dr, Rockaway Twp, NJ @ 8:30 • KSU 10am •$25/rider~$15/passenger. 60 mile police-escorted run thru scenic Northwest NJ.Endsite: The Barn, Greenpond Rd, Rockaway, NJ with full BBQ lunch, live musicand many raffle prizes • 973-975-5554 • www.rtunico.org
18 • Liberty Harley-Davidson Black Top Bike Night @ 6pm. Live music, vendors,food, beverages. 12 W. Milton Ave, Rahway, NJ • 732-381-2400 • LibertyHD.com
20-23 • America’s 9/11 Ride remembering the 14th Anniversary honoring the firstresponders. Police escorted ride from Shanksville, PA to the Pentagon to the WorldTrade Center. Pre-reg closed 8/10/15. More info: www.americas911ride.org
19-22 • Westchester Beemers NY Trio Tour 2015. Sport-touring ‘scavenger hunt’event. 3 consecutive daily rides begin/end Lincoln, NH-based location. Daily ridesaverage 8.5 hours and cover 350 miles. Five/Six checkpoints per day, plus dailywild card bonus opportunities. Rider packets include bonus locations sent elec-tronically 7 days ahead of the Rider Briefing on Day One. LIMITED TO 33 RIDERS.$65/solo • $95/two-up. Details/registration: www.triotour.org • 914-328-7909
27-30 • Killington Classic, Killington, VT. Visit www.KillingtonClassic.com for com-plete details and to register.
29 • Maghogomock Hook + Ladder 2nd Annual Benefit Ride, Port Jervis, NY. Sign
in: 25 Orange St, Port Jervis, NY 9-10am. $20 rider/$15 passenger. Rural ride, goodfood, music, lots of prizes and 2015 Harley Fatboy drawing • More info 201-481-4082
29 • Bergen County Harley-Davidson 1st ever Scavenger Hunt Run to benefit Lib-erty Run Foundation. Sign in: 9-10:15am • 124 Essex St, Rochelle Park, NJ. $15rider/$10 passenger. 201-843-6930 • BergenHarley.com
SEPTEMBER6 • Backroads ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ Ride. We’ll meet at 10am for a leisurelyride through the countryside to Skylands Stadium,Augusta, NJ for a friendly ri-valry game between the Sussex County Miners vs. Rockland Boulders. Tickets$10pp from box office or call 973-940-0222 (mention Backroads). More to come.
17-21 • Backroads Fall Foliage 2015. 4-night road trip to Virginia/West Virginia. 1stnight: George Washington Hotel, Winchester, VA • nights 2 + 3: Isaac Jackson Hotel,Elkins, WV • 4th night: Shippen Place Hotel, Shippensburg, PA. We’ll visit some oldand new stops, and bring you on some great twisties. Full info: www.back-roadsusa.com/rallies.html. As always, gathering is free, just pay your own wayand have a great time. Questions? [email protected] • 973-948-4176
19 • Bob's BMW Motorcycles Oktoberfest & Open House 9A-4P.10720 Guilford Rd,Jessup, MD • 301-497-8949 • www.bobsbmw.com
24-27 • Rolling Thru America - Pennsylvania. Brought to you by the folks who pro-duce Americade, an intimate tour through beautiful Pennsylvania. Visitwww.RollingThruAmerica.com for full details and to register. Limited space.
OCTOBER4 • 8th Anual Veterans Memorial Car, Truck & Bike Show. Woodbourne VeteransMemorial park, 145 Sherman Ridge Rd, Wantage Township, NJ • 11am-4pm. Ben-efits Operation Comfort Warrior. For more information: 973-352-9203 • wan-tagerec.com/veterans_memorial/car_show/car_show.htm
11 • Ramapo Motorcycle Club Fall Foliage Tour. Sign in/Endsite: Rhodes North Tav-ern, 40 Orange Tpke (Rte. 17) Sloatsburg, NY 9am-mid-afternoon. Benefits ValerieFund for Childhood Cancer Research. A guided or self-guided tour featuring thebest autumn pallet Mother Nature can provide along some of the Hudson Valley’smost interesting roads. For more info: ramapomc.org • [email protected]
NOVEMBER15-22 • Backroads tour with MotoCaribe. 8-day all-inclusive South West DomincanRepublic. VERY LIMITED SPACE. For full details and to reserve your seat, visit theirexcellent website @ www.MotoCaribe.com
Page 50 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR What’s Happening
RISINg WOLF gARAgE NYC
EXCLUSIVE MOTORCYCLE PARKING FACILITY
Monthly Parking
Long & Short Term
24 Hour Access
Video Surveillance
Service Area
Personal Storage
Air Compressor
Battery Charging
We p ro v i d e a f r i e n d l y, c l e a n a n d s e c u re
e n v i ro n m e n t f o r t h e m o t o rc y c l e e n t h u s i a s t
By Appointment Only
East Village NYC
Ph: 212 475 5858 • Fx: 212 505 5205
www.risingwolfgarage.com
bags for the needed school supplies and equipment. The motorcycle tour
groups will make stops at the selected schools and distribute the resources
personally during its several scheduled tours throughout the year.
Every traveler to Ecuador can participate in the program even if they don’t
ride a motorcycle. Donations of items brought to Ecuador may be made in
person at the company’s Adventure Motorcycle Travel Center, located in
Quito. A list of requested supplies for the projects can be found at www.pack-
forapurpose.org/destinations/southamerica/ecuador/ecuador-freedom-bike-
rental-and-tours
“Pack for a Purpose is delighted to welcome Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental
& Tours as our newest participant in Ecuador and our very first motorcycle
touring company” stated Rebecca Rothney, Founder and Chairperson. “We
are honored to be able to showcase the wonderful work they are doing in the
communities they visit. Their participation allows us to reach a new set of
travelers, those who tour on motorcycles. We have no doubt they will also
want to Pack for a Purpose so that the trip they take will go much farther
than the miles they travel.”
“As a company we are committed to finding ways to support the local com-
munities that make our motorcycle tours so special.” stated Court Rand, co-
owner of the Quito-based motorcycle tour operator. “I am thrilled that we
are now working with Pack for a Purpose to support our goals of positively
giving back to the community”
FEDS FIGHT MONGOLS…IN COURT…OVER NAME
The trademarked logo of
Southern California’s largest
motorcycle gang is unmistak-
able: a black-and-white image
of 12th Century conqueror
Genghis Khan, wearing sun-
glasses and bell bottoms riding
a chopper while carrying a
sword. For the club’s 600 fully
patched members, the logo is
part of their identity and
motto: “Mongols Forever,
Forever Mongols.”
But today, the Mongols Nation trademark is the focus of U.S. prosecutors’
effort to dismantle America’s most violent motorcycle gangs, from the Mon-
gols to those who shot up a Waco, Texas restaurant over the weekend.
The Department of Justice considers the clubs a criminal enterprise and is
asking a federal judge to make it illegal for Mongols members to wear the
patch or even display the name — allowing cops to literally take a Mongols
jacket right off a biker’s back.
“It not just stripping them of their identity, or robbing them of a recruiting
tool, it’s taking the star off their helmet,” said a law enforcement source in
Los Angeles. “The logo itself furthers a criminal enterprise.”
The importance of the patch should not be underestimated. Donald Charles
Davis, author of “Aging Rebel: Dispatches From The Motorcycle Outlaw
Frontier,” adds, “Men have literally died for those patches. They have great
symbolic value to motorcycle club members in the same way that the Amer-
ican flag has great symbolic value to patriots.”
The Mongol Nation registered their trademark in 2005 with the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office. Unknown to the club at the time, four undercover
agents with the Bureau of ATF had infiltrated the gang.
OBAMA SLASHES ETHANOL PRODUCTIONThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would re-
duce the amount of ethanol requirements for gasoline, reports the Motorcycle
Riders Foundation (MRF). This proposal would cut ethanol production for
2015 and 2016. The EPA cites market conditions and the lack of non-corn
renewable fuel sources like plant waste from being developed on any sort of
commercial scale.
A 2007 law, known as the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), requires re-
finers to blend in an increasing amount of biofuels into the United States
gasoline supply each year. According to the proposal, the levels of ethanol
will still continue to increase, but less than it would have, preventing the
Obama administration from achieving the goals of the 2007 law.
“The EPA has missed several deadlines to lay out the production levels for
2014 and 2015, and this announcement is the reason why,” said Jeff Hennie,
Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs for the Motor-
cycle Riders Foundation. “They know that the RFS amounts were going to
be unattainable, and now we know too.” Hennie also testified at an EPA hear-
ing on the RFS in favor of a study that would examine the lasting effects of
E15 on internal combustion engines.
With today’s domestic oil boom, and the fact that we are consuming less
gasoline than we were in 2007, a void for biofuels was created. Add in the
fact that the US is only importing about a third of its oil, and the need for
biofuel all but disappears.
In its proposal the EPA would increase the levels of blended in 2015 to
16.3 billion gallons, four less than what the RFS requires. In 2016 the EPA
would require about five billion less gallons than the law requires.
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 51
JOIN TODAYMembership $25
Includes Member BenefitsPromoting Motorcycle Awareness& the Benefits of Rider Education
www.MotorcycleSafetyProgram.org
Page 52 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
973-875-2048946 Rte. 23 SouthSussex NJ 074613 miles north of Sussex Borough
Norman GrossSince 1976
Our Reputation Speaks for Itself
Specializing in Motorcy-cle Repair, Parts & Sup-
plies • Cycle TiresMounted & Balanced •Batteries & Hard Parts •Dynojet 250 Dyno avail-
able for testing
For All Your Harley-Davidson Needs
Stocking a full line of heated gearMake your riding season last all
Sussex Hills Ltd. DAYTONA, BIKETOBERFEST,STURGIS AND BEYOND
MOTORCYCLE TRAILERS
BARN TRAILERS718-426-7039 • www.barntruckrental.com
57-05 BROADWAY • WOODSIDE NY 11377 (OFF THE BQE & LIE)
SALESRENTALS
Come Ride the Dragonwww.dealsgap.com
800.889.555017548 Tapoco Road, Robbinsville, NC 28771
Deals Gap318 Curves in 11 Miles
Deals Gap StoreMotel
Bar and Grill
O’TOOLE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON®
Serving New York’s Hudson Valley for 40 yearsFactory Trained Service • New Model Sales
Genuine Harley-Davidson® Parts and AccessoriesConveniently located near the areas of Monticello, Middletown, Ellenville, Montgomery, and Walden
4 Sullivan St • Wurtsboro, NY845-888-2426 • www.OToolesHD.com
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 53
M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
Fire Pit • Free WiFiCooked-to-order BreakfastHeated Pool • BYOB
We welcome everyone from
a lone rider to a full chapter
344 Route 100, West Dover, VTwww.BigBearsLodge.com
802-464-5591
The Charlesworth Hotelis New Jersey’s REAL backroads’ hideaway
Romantic Dining
Comfortable Rooms
Home of the BEST sunset on the Jersey Shore
New Jersey Avenue • Fortescue, NJ • 856-447-4928
BACKAND BETTERTHAN EVER
Touring North Central Virginia?Then ride on over to the NEW
Comfort Inn & Suites in Orange
Motorcyclist Owned & OperatedLarge indoor heated pool and spa • Free deluxe hot breakfast buffet
Microwaves + fridges in every room • Large rooms + suites available
Comfort Inn & Suites334 Caroline St (James Madison Hwy), Orange, VA 22960
540-672-3121 • www.comfortinn.com/hotel-orange-virginia-VA657
Moto-Inn ApprovedTell ‘em Backroads
sent you!
15% Discountto all
Motorcyclists
The newest motorcycle-friendlyhotel closest to Skyline Drive…
just 30 miles away!
route 20, Bouckville, ny • 315-893-1810 • www.yeoldelandmark.com
ye olde landmark Tavern
5 Spacious Roomsstarting at $95.00
Tavern andDining Room Menu
Serving Hours:Mon-Sat: 5-9pm
Sunday: 2:30-8pm
Seasonal April ~ December
Member ofFeatured in ‘We’re Outta Here’ Sept. 2011In the heart of great riding • Between Syracuse and Utica
Cooperstown • Finger Lakes • State Forests
‘50s-Style Drive-In RestaurantFull and Varied Menu
Room for the Whole Gang
Located at Ross’ Corners • 1 Route 15 • Augusta NJ • 973-300-2300
www.chatterboxdrivein.com
THURSDAY BIKE NIGHT IS BACK • join us at
THE CHATTERBOX DRIVE-INGREAT FOOD • GOOD TIMES • EXCELLENT RIDING 320 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ • 908-475-2274 • www.thisilldous.com
Open Daily for Breakfast and Beyond • 7am to 4pm • Sunday 7am to 1pm
Try our Full Throttle Breakfast Special every Saturday + Sunday
Worth the ride from anywhere!
NOW AVAILABLEBarbeque Catering
Flexible • AffordableReady When You Are
Sharing your passion for good food since 1983
Member of
Page 54 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
JDS CYCLE PARTSEST. 1988
247 W. Westfield Ave, Rosell Park, NJ
908-245-2445
• Parts & Accessories• Award-winning Service• Performance Work• Dyno Tuning• S&S Pro Tuning Center• Power Commander
Tuning Center
American • Metric • Sport
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ute
73
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A •
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0.8
28
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TWOWHEELS
WELCOME
CROSSROADSBed & Breakfast
4571 Route 7Ethan Allen PkwyNew Haven, VT
GPS:N44 06.763 W73 10.518
802-453-5958www.crossroadsbb.net
• Great base camp withfour Vermont Gaps just minutes from the door
• Garage Parking
• Tools and CleaningSupplies available
• Homemade three-course breakfast
• Six comfortable roomsand large guest area withWiFi and pool table. BYOB
BACKROADS • AUGUST 2015 Page 55
M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
Page 56 AUGUST 2015 • BACKROADS
M O T O R C Y C L E M A R K E T P L A C E ALL THAT GOOD STUFF
Tues. thru Sat. 11am-10pmSunday: Breakfast 9am-Noon
Lunch and Dinner served until 9pm
Travel along the scenicbackroads of the Delaware river.
Meet the Markopoulos family and tastechef George’s Greek American cooking.
Best bar menu, lunch or dinner.Fresh poppers, perogies, calamari, clams and
crispy wings with 8 different sauces.
John, Christina, chef George and Eoanna welcome you and your friends.
The Riverton Hotel and RestaurantAt Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA
610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.com
Member of
The Riverton
Riverside Cafe & Lodge • 16624 Cty Hwy 17 • Roscoe, NY • 607-498-5305
www.riversidecafeandlodge.com • GPS: 41°58’09”N • 75°01’32.6”W
Riverside Cafe & Lodge, nestled on the Beaverskill River in Roscoe, NYCIA-trained chef • Motel rooms and cabins • Free wi-fiExcellent base location to explore the lower Catskills
The Boat House RestaurantPerfect in Any Season
Brunch, Lunch or Dinner on Swartswood Lake
1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood NJ973-300-0016
Tues-Sun 11A-9PBrunch 10A-2P
Closed Monday
Call forSeasonal Hours
Excellent Ride Destination
Hudson Valley’s
Number One Riding
Barbeque Restaurant
Located on Picturesque Route 9W
minutes from Perkins Drive
and Harriman State Park
just south of historic West Point
1076 Route 9W North
Fort Montgomery, NY
845-446-0912
www.barnstormerbbq.com
Celebrate the Season withsome awesome barbeque!
If you go home hungryit’s your own fault
Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long-sleeved shirt, long pants, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal anddangerous. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information re-garding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation. U.S.A. All rights reserved. • YamahaMotorsports.com
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