I was lucky enough to be able to go on this ride as it was to be my longest, for sure. The itinerary and logistics looked awesome to me and yet nerve racking, as I had only met 1 of the 6 other riders, and I would be riding my 21 year old bike (92 FJ) and depending on my maintenance skills. :biggrin: Thanks to an invitation from fj johnnie, I looked forward to the big ride. Based on the route he was looking at, the ride to and from Parrsboro, NS would be 1800kms one way without any visits/detours/tours along the way. At the end I tallied 4,427kms, or 2750 miles. A long ride for me... :yahoo:
I was to ride with a Bandit 1200, a Boulevard 1500, a honda 599, an 86 GPZ 900 ninja, a 90FJ, and another 90fj. The group would head from the Niagara region of Ontario across the border there, and then east below Lake Ontario, while I would ride to the border from Napanee at the east end of the lake and cross there.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_7_12_45.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_7_28_01.jpeg)
I was in contact in advance of the trip with Doug (carsick), Travis (Travis398), Bob w (weymouth399), and Glen (RACER111V), and was hoping to connect with them again while I was down there... I thought it would be great to see them and have each join us in the ride if they could, and even show us the good roads on our route, and good places to eat.... :good:. It worked out perfect as Travis and Doug took some time to meet up with us along the route at the beginning. A week later, on our return trip, I was also able to see Bob and Glen at the track, eat, watch some good racing, get some good laughs and pictures too. In Nova Scotia, a friend of the group was waiting for us with his 1990fj as well. He had a beautiful route planned for us on a road which the locals call the 'Mini Breton', along with a visit to Cape D' Or. The city of Boston was on our agenda, as well, on the return ride near the end of the week. The group had a buddy there too awaiting our arrival. I knew that would be neat to be riding right downtown Boston!
The experience is something I really miss, now, as the route, the people, and the trials and tribulations were so much more than I expected. The 'trials', for me would be a slow leak in my front tire for 2 days that I had to top up during the rides. .... That's it!!! A can of slime (thanks Bob) fixed that right, and got me home. Otherwise the 92FJ shined! The list of good times and laughs is huge!
------------------------------------------
On Sat the 20th I was to join the group in Rutland, Vermont, which was probably 6 1/2 hours of riding from Napanee. The Rain poured hard at 6am when I wanted to get away.... so I delayed 'till 7:15ish before even pulling the bike outside. I managed to get away between the downpours and lucked out all the way to Lake Champlain.
Since Doug (carsick) lived on the east side of Lake Champlain I wanted to make a detour so I could meet him for a quick tour through the mountains in Vermont. I hadn't been through Smugglers Notch before and this would be a great time to ride it. He had told me of another couple places and if we had time we could ride them too... After we were done, I would still have another 1 to 2 hours ride to Rutland.
So, I crossed the border into Ogdensburg, NY and took #37, which was dry by then, along the ST. Lawrence River past Massena. Hwy 37 is a NICE 2 lane hwy that has been redone and I made good time there and enjoyed the views. Eventually I rode onto hwy #11 which took me to the top of Lake Champlain where I fueled up, grabbed some vittles, and called Doug.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_8_01_47.jpeg)
I was 375km into the trip.. taking a picture of my odometer at fuelups made it easier/faster to figure out mileage totals later... :mail1:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_8_46_36.jpeg)
Ooops... I had made better time than I thought!!!!... I was probably 2 hours early and caught Doug off guard.... Hehehe. He was probably still in his superman jammies! :mocking: After telling him that the weather was looking great except for a small dark cloud off in the distance, we decided on a time to meet just north of Smugglers Notch.
Well, I set off and... Sure enough... I kept heading in the direction of that dark cloud... And... It kept getting bigger and darker and uglier and..... then dumped everything it had on me. I was sure it was from Napanee. Doug had to ride through that too. By the time we met, though, it was clearing and drying up.
Smugglers Notch was a neat ride as the windy road narrowed as we neared the top. We took a couple pics there and headed down the other side. Nice twisties. We then rode onto the Appalachian Gap.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_30_07_13_7_08_25.jpeg)
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NICE roads there too. After a few pics at the top and the twisties on the way down we stopped for a drink and to decide on where-to-next.. I was on the bike for 8 hours by then, so I decided it was best to start the last leg down to Rutland. It was only 45 mins from where we were. Doug decided to come down too to meet the group. Even the ride down on the highways was twisty.... And we made good time. What a treat that ride was Doug! Thanks!
So I finally got to meet the bunch I would be riding with for the next 7 days!!! It was great to see johnnyV (V for the Viagra Region) again. As they recalled their ride for the day their sense of humour came out and it wasn't long before the jokes and laughing started!
At one point we all had our helmets on in the hotel room trying to pair our scala radios. I wish I had taken a picture of that!! They had the G9s and I had the older G4 so I didn't get set up properly to talk with them while riding.... Just yet. We would just try again tomorrow after the ride to Bangor. We all decided to get on the road early as the weather looked great and we would be riding on some awesome roads on the way to Bangor. Travis had mentioned that he could meet us early afternoon at the rest stop 4-5 hours into the ride, and then lead us on a nice detour, so the day looked like it would be a great one! From the jokes and laughing, I could tell that the group had been friends for a long time....and... it was going to be a great time!!! :drinks:
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_9_29_02.jpeg)
A nice bunch of steeds!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_11_08_13_9_30_54.jpeg)
Nice Trip :good: how was the performance of the bike?
I fell in love with Nova Scotia! The scenery...the roads...the people...Wow, the maritimes have a special place in my heart. If only it wasn't raining 6 out of 7 days a week! :shok:
Cap'n Ron. . .
:good2: Great report. Many thanks. - Destination, Commitment, FJ, Rain and a few Mates- doesn`t get any better.
Quote from: fjman on August 12, 2013, 12:04:45 AM
Nice Trip :good: how was the performance of the bike?
Awesome! just awesome!!! What an all around great bike!!! It can carry lots with ease, and still keep up with the spirited riders! (I should travel lighter) .... It was comfy too. Every now and then an idiot light on the dash would come on ... flashing.... "C'mon!! Is that all you got??" .... or.... Wake me up when we get there!" :good:
I had a slow leak in my front tire... Otherwise the 92 just shined!
Quote from: Capn Ron on August 12, 2013, 02:17:00 AM
I fell in love with Nova Scotia! The scenery...the roads...the people...Wow, the maritimes have a special place in my heart. If only it wasn't raining 6 out of 7 days a week! :shok:
Cap'n Ron. . .
+1... I have had better luck with the weather there, too.
Yes the FJ's ran well. Not a single complaint from a single FJ. The guys riding them however, well that's a different story right Paul ? We had one that moaned a little about certain things. Gravel roads, no massage parlors along the way, not enough frappacino mocca whatever fancy boy drinks along the way. Too many hours in the saddle. But after toughing it out the moaning was reduced to a whimper. The scenery, the friendships , the roads , the beer , the food. Wags had no idea what he was in for. Traveling with 4 super sarcastic people .A big shout out to Suzie on her 1200 bandit. She drove with us men and complained not once . About anything. Ever. We had an awesome trip and I am sure we will do another trip next year. Wags has more details to follow on the rest of the trip.
Quote from: fj johnnie on August 12, 2013, 04:28:26 PM
Yes the FJ's ran well. Not a single complaint from a single FJ. The guys riding them however, well that's a different story right Paul ? We had one that moaned a little about certain things. Gravel roads, no massage parlors along the way, not enough frappacino mocca whatever fancy boy drinks along the way. Too many hours in the saddle. But after toughing it out the moaning was reduced to a whimper. The scenery, the friendships , the roads , the beer , the food. Wags had no idea what he was in for. Traveling with 4 super sarcastic people .A big shout out to Suzie on her 1200 bandit. She drove with us men and complained not once . About anything. Ever. We had an awesome trip and I am sure we will do another trip next year. Wags has more details to follow on the rest of the trip.
yeh!!!! That's for sure!! Hahaha!
During the trip. We had to ride through good SOLID RAIN.... A few times..., gravel roads knowing the leader had no idea where he were going (LMAO), high winds, and longer days in the saddle than expected. BUT, we endured:). With a group of 7 riders, making good time on the road should be hard to do. We did pretty well! As the issues popped up we dealt with them without slowing down.....
Smokey (& the Bandit) did just awesome keeping up with us! She did well just to put up with us, let alone ride along...!
You, 'GP', '4cross', 'flyboy', and 'smokey' & 'Zigzag', were a hoot to ride with ! Everyone had a great sense of humour!
GOOD TIMES!!!
:drinks:
We gotta do that again!
Just Awesome!
Thanks for posting......................I love reading these ride reports............and the pictures!......Pictures are a must! :good:
The GPZ 900 Ninja is actually an 85. Not an 86 as I stated earlier...
A nice bike!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_15_08_13_7_01_25.jpeg)
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 15, 2013, 08:06:50 PM
The GPZ 900 Ninja is actually an 85. Not an 86 as I stated earlier...
A nice bike!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_15_08_13_7_01_25.jpeg)
Now all he needs is a shot of him chasing an F-14 Tomcat down the runway, with Kelly McGillis on the back! :yahoo:
Quote from: Firehawk068 on August 15, 2013, 11:15:57 PM
Now all he needs is a shot of him chasing an F-14 Tomcat down the runway, with Kelly McGillis on the back! :yahoo:
Really?? ....GP! ... you dawwwwg!!!
The pictures are now flowing in, now, so I can move ahead with the report. We did have this picture in the hotel room at the end of the evening...
This is us getting ready to watch another rerun of Motogp. :rofl:
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Really, we were pairing our scala radios.... " ....Can you hear me now?......... Can you hear me now?"
That's our story and we are sticking to it!!!
Excellent story... my idea of a great trip!
Notice how 4cross is drinking beer with his helmet on? Also if anyone wants to know how much stuff an FJ can carry and still hit 200 k ask Wags. I think he needed a periscope to see over his tank bag!!!
Quote from: fj johnnie on August 16, 2013, 09:48:38 AM
Notice how 4cross is drinking beer with his helmet on? Also if anyone wants to know how much stuff an FJ can carry and still hit 200 k ask Wags. I think he needed a periscope to see over his tank bag!!!
:biggrin: :drinks:
Monday July 22 : Day 2: From Rutland, VT to Bangor, Me
On Sunday morning we got an early start at 730am as the ride to Bangor was a long one. The weather looked much better and we were looking forward to the twisty roads and the scenery of riding through the mountains. The most direct route would have been to head north to highway #2 and ride it all the way to Bangor, Maine. That was described online as being approx. 6 1/2 hours of riding without breaks and fuelups. Naturally, the consensus of the group was to try to stay off the highways, or interstates, as much as possible to be able to enjoy the riding. A plan to ride through some state parks in the White Mountains area would only add an extra hour, or so , and add some really nice roads that were part of the North East Summer FJ Rally routes in the past.
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Perrrrrrfect! Just what the doctor ordered. We could head east on #4, catch I91 north for a short bit , then cut off towards Lincoln, NH on the #112 -the Kancamagus Hwy through the mountains heading east. Its name somehow got changed to the 'Kankerfungus hwy', the 'Scankamangus hwy' , etc.. hahaha! We would ride on it through New Hamphsire to Fryeburg, Maine where would we would turn north on the #113, and ride to #2. We were hoping that somewhere around there that Travis could meet up with us and suggest a restaurant for good eats and a rest. From there if he could join the posse and show us some good routes on our last 3 hour jaunt, it would make the day perfect!
Well, he did, and what an enjoyable day it turned out to be!!!!!
Bright and early we set off from Rutland, Vermont , on #4 east. The weather was just perfect and we were all stoked for the ride. We were probably on #4 for a good hour or more to start. Wow! What an awesome road to ride on a bike!! That road turned out to be one of the better ones for the day. The pace, I thought was great... not too fast, not too slow... it seemed like we all enjoyed that pace... we could make decent time, too, as the traffic was light for the most part, and it was fairly easy to get around. :)
From there we rode onto I91 North. It went fairly quick as the scenery was quite nice and the traffic was light. Our leader at the time, '4cross', had his GPS leading us to the exit and then across to Lincoln. It was funny to watch him point to the exit we were supposed to take while humming along at speed..lol ... Oh well.... there were lots more exits... We took the next one and got on a road that was supposed to take us to Lincoln, NH. That road turned out to be an awesome road ! Maybe, in that area, all the roads are that good! We had fun on that one and we spread out a little bit as the traffic was light ... and Lincoln came sooner than expected. Good Times!! Then it was time for a stretch and a fuel up.
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Gp had to check his carbs as his bike was missing a bit and he wanted to see if he could find dreaded rust in the bowls. He could access them easily and drain them to see. Sure enough, there was. He knew what to do as he was pretty much ready to go when we were. However, the problem was not solved yet, and the miss would return.... He sure didn't slow down much though. We trekked onto the Kankerfungus hwy, and looked forward to the ride to Maine through the mountains.
Because of the traffic, however, the ride was a little too slow for us. The hwy was packed with campers and tourists. The scenery was beautiful, but the condition of the road and the traffic was disappointing. We were only 40 mins to Fryeburg, Maine where we were to take #113 north. With a quick message off to Travis to update him of our progress, we set off. 113, as expected , was a GREAT run! With very little traffic, we sported along it nicely! The video posted by Glen in the NESR 2013 thread is the road. At the end of it at hwy#2 we stopped and exchanged big grins.
We headed East on #2 through West Bethel (NESR campground location), then Bethel, and then I kept my eyes peeled for the Sunday River Brewing Co. that was to be our rest stop and restaurant.
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GOOD CHOICE, Travis! A nice spot! Right on the highway. Travis showed up within 15 mins(?). Pretty good timing when he had a long ride himself. His 1100 was nice to see too. It was the first red and white FJ to see on the trip and it didn't disappoint!!
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After a good break, meal, a stretch or 2, and some pictures, ... Travis led us on a nice ride off the main drag without losing travelling time. The routes were #43 and #148. FUN! The scenery may have been nice, but it would have been blurry!! The roads weren't straight , or level! I was more focused on keeping Travis' rear tire in sight! My Camel (FJ) shined here as it handled well with the load on it and still had a lot of snot under the hood! So, I realized that we were taking a longer route to Bangor, but without losing time...lol.
Eventually, with only an hour left to Bangor, Travis had to start his trek back home with an hour's ride, himself. Thanks Travis! What a sweet tour!
I wish I had taken more pictures of that ride, but I had just met and rode for the first time with the group... so I didn't want to expose my picture happy habit just yet ! lmao!! What a great group to ride with! Just my speed...
We rode into Bangor and found our Hotel pretty quick; The Hampton Inn. We unpacked, and headed to Walmart in hopes of finding a battery for GP's GPZ... :) We had luck there getting what we needed, and opened up shop right there. A local who happened to walk by us saw the 1990 FJs and got really excited. He had one too.. figures eh? He had a good chat, wished us luck on the trip and went on his way.
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A rollback waiting to happen!
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Without a charge on the battery GP's bike fired to life easily and .... that meant that we didn't have to push!!! Cool!! By then we were having alot of laughs having a great time! ..... an awesome end to an awesome day!
Good reporting there herr Wagar. We couldn't get that swing loaded on your bike because of all the crap you brought.
Quote from: fj johnnie on August 17, 2013, 08:56:50 PM
Good reporting there herr Wagar. We couldn't get that swing loaded on your bike because of all the crap you brought.
hahahaha!!!! We'll try again next time!!
I could be a top 5 contender for having the fastest CPAP on 2 wheels!!!!!
Top 5 ?. I think 200 plus kph looking through a periscope must be a record!!!!Seriously , we knew who to ask for tools when we needed them, and the only thing we needed that you did not have was a wheel nut wrench for the bandit!!!
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 18, 2013, 08:47:31 PM
Quote from: fj johnnie on August 17, 2013, 08:56:50 PM
Good reporting there herr Wagar. We couldn't get that swing loaded on your bike because of all the crap you brought.
hahahaha!!!! We'll try again next time!!
I could be a top 5 contender for having the fastest CPAP on 2 wheels!!!!!
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 18, 2013, 08:47:31 PM
I could be a top 5 contender for having the fastest CPAP on 2 wheels!!!!!
Sorry, the CPAP speed record is considerably higher.
Quote from: ribbert on August 18, 2013, 10:10:55 PM
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 18, 2013, 08:47:31 PM
I could be a top 5 contender for having the fastest CPAP on 2 wheels!!!!!
Sorry, the CPAP speed record is considerably higher.
While using it? ? ? ? ?
(Just kidding... Hahahaha!!!!!)
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 18, 2013, 10:21:03 PM
Quote from: ribbert on August 18, 2013, 10:10:55 PM
Quote from: paulfj03 on August 18, 2013, 08:47:31 PM
I could be a top 5 contender for having the fastest CPAP on 2 wheels!!!!!
Sorry, the CPAP speed record is considerably higher.
While using it? ? ? ? ?
(Just kidding... Hahahaha!!!!!)
No need at that speed, just open your mouth.
Quote from: ribbert on August 18, 2013, 10:55:57 PM
No need at that speed, just open your mouth.
That will cut down the need for meal breaks :bad:.
Quote from: ribbert on August 18, 2013, 10:55:57 PM
No need at that speed, just open your mouth.
Apologies to all who've seen it - Very funny line from Burt Monroe in The World's Fastest Indian when he's asked by a small boy what would happen if he opened his mouth at 200mph - he replies that it would probably blow the backside out of his trousers.. :biggrin: :rofl:
James
Quote
No need at that speed, just open your mouth.
Quote from: FJmonkey on August 19, 2013, 03:10:32 AM
That will cut down the need for meal breaks :bad:.
Quote from: tmkaos on August 19, 2013, 04:09:09 AM
... probaly blow the backside out of his trousers.. :biggrin: :rofl:
Hilarious!!!!!!!!! :rofl:
Monday July 22: Day 3
The ride from Bangor, to Parrsboro would be another long one as the riding time looked to be 6.5 to 7 hours in the saddle slabbing it a lot of the way. We would have to forgo some nice coastal roads to be able to make it there fairly early, that day. The plan was to stay for 2 nights there for a good visit and have some good rides and relax.
Parrsboro is a small village located out on the big cape at the end of the Bay of Fundy. Cape D'Or is the name of the end of the cape, and was one of the attractions that we would be taken to as part of our rides while there. The biggest tides in the world are in the Bay of Fundy and it is mind boggling to watch the water rise and fall, and to see its effects. Every 6 hours and 13 mins, the tide will rise/fall up to 50ft. Really cool. In some places the ocean recedes, and then returns 5km .... Every 12 hours!
http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/things_to_do/ecozones/highest_tides.php (http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/things_to_do/ecozones/highest_tides.php)
Highway #209 is the road along the shoreline of the cape and it is referred to as the 'Mini Breton' by the locals. We would get to ride it while we were there.
A long time and close friend of the group lives along the shores near Parrsboro and he would lead us on a nice ride or 2, show us his beautiful home and how he is affected by the tides, and fire up the barbeque for us. Parrsboro is a typical maritime shoreline village that offers the genuine maritime lifestyle. A slower, relaxing pace that is so luring. Big 'H' also rides a 90FJ.
Full moon at Parrsboro, NS
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Monday July 22: Day 3 - Bangor, Maine to Parrsboro, Nova Scotia
The Ride
The ride will head north east a bit to the border at St Croix, New Brunswick, , then on to Fredericton, Moncton, and then Parrsboro. Riding around the big bay and its inlets requires the long wide loop on the TransCanada Highway..... A four laner that we would munch the miles quickly on. But, before the border, we would ride some more fun roads...
Again, we wanted to get an early start at 730ish .
Perfect riding weather again !! Sunshine and no humidity!! Excellent!
Flyboy and his ride
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'4cross': ready for takeoff
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Wags , johnnieV : all systems go
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Zigzag & Smokey and their rides
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We started by making good time on I95 north to Howland and intending to head to Lincoln before getting on route 6. We came to a round-about in Howland and followed the road across Piscataquis River. After a while the road started to become a little less of a throughway and more of a country road. Eventually, the yellow line disappeared and I assumed we were on a GPS wild goose chase.... but the GPS had proved us wrong before by getting us to the right spot by these country roads.
Eventually, though, the road turned to gravel :scratch_one-s_head: . We slowed to a stop and decided what to do. We started up again and went ahead with this road. Being the 'tailgunner', I dropped back as I was going through 6 bikes of dust, now, and had to chuckle.... Yup! The GPS had led us on a phantom road. :wacko2: We were all still on a high and in a good mood from the adventure and the travelling, so we didnt even care really! None of us were going to miss any appointments because of an extra mile, or....... 50! :rofl2: GP was the leader at the time, so he has to take the heat for that one :biggrin:. ... and we would be sure to have fun with it! Maybe he entered the destination as Parrsboro, MANITOBA by mistake! :crazy: :hang1:
Eventually, I came up on the group stopped at an intersection and a local had stopped and was trying to sort out directions for us. GP mentioned that he was 'a local electrician who had to see to a panel for some grandmother who got him out of bed at 10am.... oh... The nerve ' ,eh? hahaha! GP thought he was pretty cool as he talked alot of some awesome fishing at a nearby lake..... After a good long chat and probably some fishing advice, we headed on our way. We quickly got back onto the hardtop and picked up the pace. I was listening to some music on my Scala radio, relaxing, doing an excellent job of 'sweeping'..... until.... a song called The Ghosts of Cape Horn by Gordon Lightfoot came on..... YIKES! Not really a song I wanted to hear then :flag_of_truce:. hahahaha!!! The pace continued to pick up as the roads got much better. Eventually, we came to that same round-about in Howland...... We had just gone around a 50 mile block.. hahaha... BUT, this time we went the OTHER WAY!! :dance2: :yahoo:. We were headed now to Lincoln where we would turn east on route #6 and make the run for the border.
'4cross' later would take a picture of the GPS's memory of our route travelled (the blue line).
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_21_08_13_5_32_50.jpeg)
A small town called Milo was pretty much at the farthest point of our detour. GP ended up with a teeshirt as a reminder of the fun run.
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Lincoln was a small town and a place to refuel, have a drink, and shoot the breeze. Across the road (in the background of
the picture below) was a Napa Autoparts store... 4Cross needed replacement bolts for his topcase mount plate, and GP
thought about adding a fuel filter between his petcock and carbs. He bought a large cylinder one, and a smaller cone shaped one.... The cone shaped one worked and did not starve the carbs as far as I know..... We all headed over and the guys got all the parts they
needed right there. Then we fired up all the steeds and pointed them towards route #6. I remember somewhere along here
Zigzag was behind me in formation. I noticed his feet up on the highway pegs which were mounted out on the engine guard
of the big Boulevard. It dawned on me what the fellas were joking about earlier in the trip when he was in that riding
position....He could have used stirrups instead of the footpegs... LOL!!!
Fuel up in Lincoln, Me
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Route #6 was a fast road and a lot of fun to ride! We made good time on that road. What ever traffic there was didnt hold
us up a bit. Good Times! When we arrived at St Croix, NB Customs moved us through there pretty quick just like a toll
booth. We took a quick break and got back in the saddle again. Frederickton was the next stop, and we would make good time
on the way there...Everyone kept up nicely as the weather was perfect and we were now just a few hours from the last stop
for a couple days.
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We rolled into Fredericton pretty quick and looked for a gas station and a place to grab a quick bite.
Back into the groove and headed for Moncton. We found a Petrocan Just off the exit of the highway there. Another fuel up
there and then Parrsboro was next on the radar. We were almost there so the pace picked up even more with all the
bikes humming along as one big swarm. As we rounded the end of the big bay the cross winds were REALLY strong there. The
wind turbines were hypnotizing if you watched the blades for too long. We exited the big 4 lane highway #2 at Amherst.
This was probably the longest part of the trip for me.... roughly a half hour ride down the big cape to Parrsboro.
The roads were awesome , but the traffic really slowed us down.
Finally. We made it.
Parrsboro, NS
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The Sunset Motel in Parrsboro was on the outskirts of the village. It had lots of newer cabins out back and there were 3 of
them with our names on them. The view out the front door was awesome....The sunset, the hills, the whole bit! We had the
ones farthest back and it was nice to be able to have the whole back area to ourselves and the bikes. We were unpacking,
relaxing and getting settled and Big 'H' showed up on his 90 FJ. We were to take a spin down to the harbour to the
Harbourview Restaurant for a bite and we had timed it right in the evening for some nice pictures.
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The Harbour at low tide
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After dinner it was getting dark out so we were just going to head back to the cabins and relax/crash.... Along the way, on Main St., there was a Timmies, so we had to stop in there....
WOW! What a day!
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Tuesday July 23: Day 4
The plan for the day was to relax, enjoy a ride on the 'Mini Breton' lead by Big H, and then head out for a tour of the
shore line and for a nice barbecue at his place. Rain was in the forcast for some time early afternoon, so we had to get
in as much riding as possible before then. We all had breakfast at the mini restaurant in the owners' home. They did the
cooking and serving and it was just like a 'bed and breakfast' . Homey, quick..., good food.... excellent! Wifi was available
there too. That was a bonus as I had no phone reception there.
Big H showed up on his 90 and we all got ready for the ride and headed out.
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The Mini Breton was an amazing road!!! Big hills with the tight curves. When we neared the end of the peninsula Big H led us up a gravel road to some steep hills . Up and down we went on this gravel road. The gravel was loose, and the inclines were steep, so we took our time, and.... wondered where the heck we were being taken to... LOL. We came to a scenic lookout called Cape D'Or. The sights were amazing! The shoreline there was made up of high cliffs and we would have a closer look at from down below at the light house.
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Looking down at the light house and cafe halfway down to the water:
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We all walked down the trail to the bottom and took some pictures, and .... almost went swimming..:)
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4cross decided to climb down to the point
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He would have to be quick... the tide was moving in fast
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About 15-20 minutes later, the plateau he was standing on, was under water (this pic is without the zoom lens).
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The tide came in quick on GP. He almost got wet.
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After a drink and a snack at the cafe, we made the trek back up the trail to the lookout and the bikes. A slow and careful ride back to the hardtop would prove uneventful , and we would continue on hwy 209 around the cape.
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Around the other side of the cape, the road would not hug the coast as much and it would straighten out just enough for us to pick up the pace nicely. Traffic was almost nil. We only had to pull over once for GP there as he was trying out the larger fuel filter on his bike.... it wasn't working as it had starved the carbs... so, quickly he by passed it until we got back to base camp. :)
Roadside pics
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When he fired the ninja up again he led us on the way back on a brisk fun ride. We had lunch at the only restaurant in a hamlet called Joggins. It was pouring rain when it was time to head back. I was the only rider who had neglected to bring a rainsuit! Man, did I get soaked and cold. It rained so hard all the way that the 20 minute ride turned into a 45 minute one. We made it back though, crisp and clean, no caffeine!
I love the pics, and the ride report.......................Sometimes I miss being near the coast, but I sure do love the Rocky Mountains...............
Excellent post!
When we arrived back to the cabins, the owner made good on his offer to store all our bikes is his garage to keep them out of the rain. Wow! He was serious... slowly but surely we fit all 7 bikes into the half of their garage. "As long as there is room for the mrs to pull her car in." The owners were really nice people! He collected a few liscence plates too....
We got the bikes in.... no prob!
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In an hour or 2, big H , and Mrs Big H, would bring a couple of vehicles to pick us all up to take us out to their place for a nice barbecue.
On the way there we stopped into the local grocery store and stocked up on the necessities.... such as steaks and beverages and snacks... We were treated to a tour of the shoreline by their home too. We were taken to a local dock to see how it and a local's boat dealt with the tides going up and down so much. I think the pictures tell the whole story... We all took lots.
low tide:
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A muddy Bay floor:
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Compared to high tides:
The same dock:
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The bay inlet is full
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After digesting the tides there, we loaded back up and headed to Mr and Mrs Big H's home just up the road.
Their home is a beautiful spot with a view of the changing tides that are less than 100ft in front. We relaxed, and had a few laughs, and relaxed some more on the front porch while taking in the view and the fresh air.
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At the end of his driveway, across the road, is an inlet of the bay during low tide.
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Then high tide:
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I loved the genuine 1970's rotary dial telephone they had there!!!! So Cool!!
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Zigzag gave us an excellent demo on how to use it!
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We ate an awesome meal there and relaxed..... then it was time to head back to the cabins.
We partied on like crazy when we got back!!!
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GOOD TIMES!!
Day 5: Wednesday July 24/13. Parrsboro, N.S.
On my list of 'must do's' in the maritimes on the FJ is to ride the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton. I was hoping to be able to cross that off my list on this trip. Wednesday was another relax, or ride, or visit day, so it was a perfect time to look into it. I also had a relative in Halifax that I wanted to catch up with and I was hoping to fit that in too. Some of the group was going to have a 'down day', and some were going to do some bike maintenance.
I was in the mood for another good ride and 4cross was keen as well. As much as we wanted to, though, the Trail was just not in the cards. After looking at the travel time to get there (even on the FJ), completing the Trail, and making it back to Parrsboro, we were looking at a 12 to 14 hour day. The kicker was the damp weather...... and the chance of riding through rain here and there just didnt 'turn our crank'.
We looked at a ride on the Mini Breton locally, again, or a possible run to Prince Edward Island. After looking at the weather in the area of the island, we decided to make that run. We would cross the Confederation Bridge from the mainland over to the island. The bridge is a 13+ km ride out over the ocean.... a pretty cool ride in itself! A small town called Cavendish, on the far (east) side of the island, had a nice beach and tourist attractions. It seemed like a great spot to see, take a rest, and stick our toes in the Atlantic.
Checking air pressures before the PEI run:
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So, with a plan, now , we fed and watered our steeds and prepared for a fun ride. I borrowed John's scala that was already
paired with 4cross' so we could communicate the whole way. It is a G9 that fit and worked fine in the G4's cradle attached
to my helmet. Too easy! If I recall correctly, the rest of the gang would visit Big H again, look for a message parlour, and
complete some maintenance on the bikes.
The run to P.E.I. would prove to be an exciting, fast run for 4cross and I as the weather cleared more and more as we
neared the bridge, and the traffic was light. At fuel up in Parrsboro, however, I happened to check my tire pressures
and had to top up the front alot more than normal.... hmmmm.... I thought at the time that I should keep an eye on that...
By the time we were ready it was close to noon, but the island wasnt that far away and we werent going to stay long.
The ride to the bridge had us riding out on the roads we rode in on and I really noticed here how awesome the roads were!
We made very good time out to the big highway, and then from the exit to the bridge on hwy #16. That was a fairly straight
road and the wind was behind us, so the bridge came pretty quick.
Awesome! The weather had then cleared, the sun was shining and there was no humidity. Perfect!! Surprisingly, the traffic
on the bridge was almost nil, so we could poke along, take pictures, try to knock a few seagulls off the side railings, watch the
mainland dissappear, and PEI get larger in front of us... In a car, it is hard to see over the sides of the bridge, but,
sitting up on a bike, ... the view is much better!!!!
Crossing the Confederation Bridge
On the horizon is Prince Edward Island
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New Brunswick in the background
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4cross was getting very good with the camera, and I wasnt worried about my picture happy habit anymore....
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Almost there
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When we arrived on the island, we took some pictures, and set the gps to get us to Cavendish using the backroads, only....
It is not really a big island, so getting lost was not really an issue. If you went to the wrong end of the island you would
still only have a 30 to 60min drive.
Confederation Bridge, Prince Edward Island
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So we set off... those backroads to Cavendish were amazing! They werent tight twisties but nice hilly sweepers that had
beautiful views!! We kept a decent pace and chatted all the way...
Fantastic! Great write up and pics.
That tidal inlet looked pretty wacky. So the green grass that gets covered by seawater stays alive? Talk about adapting to conditions, lol.
Quote from: X-Ray on September 03, 2013, 08:50:41 AM
Fantastic! Great write up and pics.
That tidal inlet looked pretty wacky. So the green grass that gets covered by seawater stays alive? Talk about adapting to conditions, lol.
Yeh! The grass is called sea grass. ....... Pretty cool eh?
So the day that GP and 4cross went to PEI I ( fj johnnie ) was left behind to keep track of all the happenings. We all got up later than usual on Wednesday as it was a late night Tuesday. As you could see in the pics from Wags we stayed up and partied hard. At least until 11. I know crazy eh?
GP had an idea to add drain lines to his carbs so at each fuel stop he could drain out the rusty crap in his float bowls, without dripping fuel onto a hot motor. I had to replace two bolts which had broke on my Givi rack which I custom built. ( Turns out Ikea furniture bolts were not as strong as I thought they would be ) . Flyboy wanted to go to Halifax for a massage/ manicure/ pedicure/ coffee enema or something. Smoky and the Bandit needed to do laundry, tighten Suzie's chain and do some chillin. Also it turned out that Smoky's Suzie did not like the rain and refused to turn over.
GP headed to the NAPA store to get some fuel line and fuel filters. They were small, and cheap so he bought extra. As he was re-assembling his Ninja he showed Wags and I the extra line coming from his fuel petcock that he didn't know where to put. Wouldn't you know the Ninja has a vacuum operated petcock similar to the 84-87 FJ. Naturally we gave him a tutorial on the petcock. I am sure he listened attentively as everyone does when we wax on about our FJ's. GP disassembled said petcock , removed all the debris etc and re-assembled everything with his new fuel drainage lines.
While doing this work I managed to find a local garage with the bolts I needed. (Napa did not have them but sent me to someone who did.) My rack was quickly re-installed and was better than when new. Also Flyboy quickly realized that manicures, pedicures, massages etc where not a popular in Nova Scotia as in perhaps Tokyo or Singapore. Or wherever he's from. So he went to an airport to look at plane porn. Not plain porn!!
So all our repairs were made and all we needed to do was tighten Suzies chain. Well Suzie did not have a wrench to fit her wheel nut so off she went as a damsel in distress to see if someone in town could tighten it for her. Although the garage had the tools they refused to work on motorcycles. Lucky for the damsel BigH happened to be riding by. He convinced them to lend her the tools and did it for her. While her chain was being attended to GP, myself and Flyboy drove to the same garage to get fuel. GP undid his gas cap, removed the key and set them on his gloves. Which were real close to the open tank. Can anyone guess what happened next? Sure enough the keys fell right to the bottom of his tank. At this point I wanted to tell him he should have a floating key chain. As he was none too happy I kept my sense of humor in check, if only temporarily. The garage lent him a magnet on a stick but to no avail. So we went to get the spare key I made everyone bring and he was at least able to drive back to the cottages. Once there he got a coat hanger and promptly fished them out.
Quote from: fj johnnie on September 03, 2013, 07:58:35 PM
So the day that GP and 4cross went to PEI ...
Ooops... That's Wags and 4cross went to PEI.
... Hard to keep track eh...
Quote from: fj johnnie on September 03, 2013, 07:58:35 PM
Sure enough the keys fell right to the bottom of his tank. At this point I wanted to tell him he should have a floating key chain. As he was none too happy I kept my sense of humor in check, if only temporarily.
Man, that's hilarious!! What he will do for attention! LOL!
Big H tightening Smokey's chain
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Day 5 : Wednesday July 24, 2013 cont'd
Maintenance on bikes back at the cabins
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3 FJs at the cabins
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Looks like BigH is getting a hole in his haircut.
Day 5: Wednesday July 24/13. Parrsboro, N.S. ... the PEI ride cont'd
We rolled into Cavendish and, of course, we homed in on the beach there. I had heard it was a large beautiful beach and a must see the next time I was onto PEI. It is located in the Prince Edward Island National Park. We parked the bikes and headed down to the water to check it out and get some pictures. It was fairly full at the time and the water wasnt too bad. A beautiful day!
This day was also 4cross' 25th birthday!! What a great ride to do on a birthday... Prince Edward Island's backroads and the
Confederation Bridge in the maritmes, Canada. JohnnieV also tells me it is a milestone for him too. On this day 25 years ago he returned home from his motorcycle trip to Victoria, BC with his brother and a buddy..., and then later that same evening he met his future wife! Very cool!
Cavendish Beach
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The beach sand dunes in the background
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Prince Edward Island National Park
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We got lots of pictures and I did dip my toes into the Atlantic... and looked to see if I could see Newfoundland...lol. Nope.
We then were ready for a bite and a drink and since time was a factor, we decided to eat back at the tourist shops closer to town. We were going to ride around the south end of the island back to the bridge and hopefully get the same type of riding in.
On the way there, however, we saw a few cars pulled over with people taking pictures of some thing along the roadside...
We stopped and had a look and took some of our own pictures of 3-4 foxes watching us, and waiting for some more tourists to throw food at them. Cute eh?
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Since no one tossed food or snacks to them, one fox thought he would give us his regards:
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We then rode on and stopped and grabbed a bite. Then we filled our tanks and set the GPS again to take the back roads back to the bridge around the island as best we could. The rush hour traffic was starting to build and get in the way, ...but we did pretty good for getting around it. The sun was starting to get a bit lower in the sky as we paid the toll to get back to the mainland. Its free and easy to get onto the island, but not as free and easy to get off.... Sort of like Australia? ....no?.....LOL!
The ride back on the bridge was just as fun and we took our time again since the traffic was light.... Back on the mainland in New Brunswick we made very good time heading back to Parrsboro. The roads were awesome riding off the main highway again. However, I remember thinking , is it just me? or is the front end of my bike stiffening up a hair? I wasnt going to stop and check as we were having too much fun, and we were almost there.
Back at the cabins the gang was there outside as we pulled up. We all exchanged stories of the day over a cold one, as they had had an eventful day too.
Happy Birthday 4cross!!
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After getting settled I thought it might be a good idea to head into town, fuel up my bike for the ride to Maine tomorrow, and grab a pizza or 2 for us to munch on. I went to the end of the main street and since I didnt see anything, yet, I turned around and headed back. The stores didnt seem to be open.... Well, I saw some fellas outside at Timmies and they looked like locals that would know...
The small town shut down for the evening pretty quick as usual. They mentioned that the pizza place closed at 6pm, as did the only gas station! Wow! I was directed to a grocery/convenience store up the street that may still be open. The may have food there...
Well, instead of coming back with pizzas and a full tank of gas, I came back with frozen pizza pockets and sausages for the microwave.LOL
I would have to get fuel in the morning, too!
Another great day!! Time to Shut her down.
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I wanted to thank you for this trip write-up...It brings back such great memories!!! I took the ferry over to PEI on my FJ...spent three days riding around, camping, enjoying the sights and taking in the warm hospitality of the locals there. Great trip report!
Cap'n Ron. . .
Correction Mr Wagar. 25 years prior I was riding the east coast when 4cross was born. On an FJ 1200.
Quote from: fj johnnie on September 06, 2013, 06:39:48 AM
Correction Mr Wagar. 25 years prior I was riding the east coast when 4cross was born. On an FJ 1200.
Ooops.
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 03, 2013, 09:23:09 PM
... Hard to keep track eh...
:crazy:
Day 6: July 25th. The ride From Parrsboro to Ellsworth, Me.
This ride was going to be a day ride that would get us close to Boston, our next destination. We would head out from the big cape towards Moncton, N. B. , then head for St. Jean on the north shore of the Bay of Fundy. St. Jean is situated on the mouth of the big St. Jean River which flows into the Bay of Fundy ... during low tide. During high tide, the river flow at the mouth reverses as the water level in the Bay rises higher than the river. Hence, the St Jean is famous for its 'Reversing falls'. In its rivermouth some shallow parts flow down through some rapids (or 'falls'). When the tide changes, the water flows back up the river over the same shallow parts, or rapids.
It is actually neat to watch the river stop flowing, and then flow in the reverse direction. Our ride would take us across the bridge in St Jean over these reversing 'falls.'
From there we expected to ride a 2 lane road along the coast to St stephen, NB at the border with Maine. We would cross there and then head south along the coast to Ellsworth; our next stayover.
-----------------------------------------------------------
We got an early start again on the Thursday morning. A familiar routine we were becoming accustommed to. That morning was a bit more crispy than we expected. The low temperature overnight went down to 11C. It was warming up..., but it had a long way to go. We headed over to the Owner's house/restaurant for a good breakfast before firing up the bikes. After chatting it up and telling them how thankful we were and that we really enjoyed our stay, we got ready to settle up and head out of town. But, as a nice thankyou/gesture, our last breakfast was on them. Really nice touch!
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We headed back to the cabins and with final preparations we pulled out. I had considered going into town to fuel up my bike, but we were sure I had lots to make it to the next stop along the way. I happened to be the last and as I pulled around the pathway towards the parkinglot, I noticed how sluggish the front end of the bike was! Oh oh. I didnt check on that tire pressure. I pulled out onto the road on my way quite a bit behind them now. My speed could only reach around 80-90kph, and in the corners I had to keep the bike upright which meant slowing right down. The cold on the aluminum rim usually lowered the tire pressure back where I live and I was used to having to top up the tire pressures late in the riding seasons quite often. I knew we didnt have to go that far to our fuel up and I was hoping that the tire would warm up nicely to help me out.
It was slow going. JohnnyV showed up looking for me and the group was waiting along the roadside a couple miles ahead. I knew it was pretty low when I went into a good wobble while braking on approach..., so I just hollered "flat tire" as I went by and kept on going. GP hollered back..."ok! You lead!! They all filed in behind me and we plugged on. As we went through the small towns I kept a good eye out for service stations, or any place that might have air. Finally, just outside one of those small villages there was an autobody shop. The name of the village was Maccan, N.S on Hwy 302 and the place was Phil Brown's Auto Body Shop right on the highway. I pulled right up to the main garage door so that their air hose could reach. All the other bikes pulled up nearby as well and we drew the attention of the guys there. A fella had already come out to see what the problem was before I could get my helmet off. Within a minute he had put the guage on to see what the pressure was. It was 14lbs. He topped it up and we both scanned it for a puncture, but we couldnt find one. I was still hoping it was the valve, or the bead not sealed. We had a great chat there and he rhymed off a list of bikes he had and a couple were yamahas.... so he was familiar with the FJ. Figures, eh? He wished us good luck on our trip and we set off at a proper pace.
Just before St. Jean
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A Canadain Tire in Amherst, N.S. would be our fuel up before Moncton, and St Jean,NB. We were back in the groove now and we had only lost maybe 20 minutes (?). It was along here somewhere that while I was listening to music, that my scala piped up saying "Rider B connected." My wife was set up as rider 'A' , so I must have been able to pair with one of these riders! So I pressed "B' to connect to talk.
Sure enough, My G4 tuned into the guys' G9s and it was like a party line with laughing and joking going on! I joined in the conversation and surprised them. Good times!! Apparently, I had paired with 4cross, and I could talk to him and whoever else he was connected to. I was able to talk to all the guys with the G9s (4 other guys). So that meant that my G4 was now a G5.... hahaha!
We were slabbing it now and Moncton came and we turned south towards St. Jean.
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We got off the big highway to ride a road parallel and it was a great choice. This road was nice and hilly and not very straight with nice views.
Day 6 : July 25th continued
We were getting close to the time for a fuel up and I would have to top up my tire as well as I could barley feel the front end of the bike starting to stiffen up again. The stop was a quick one, and we were on our way.
4cross was leading the tour on this side road, and was doing a splendid job of it. He and GP had the GPS's down quite well and rides like this made it easy to let them have their way with deciding which routes to take. Heading southeast, we neared St. John (corrected spelling) and started to get nice views of the Bay when we crested the hilltops. We could comment and discuss the views, the route, and joke and laugh as we rode, so, the ride was seeming alot shorter. Missing a turn, or getting on the wrong road was easily corrected.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_15_09_13_6_46_19.jpeg)
We rolled into St John and on highway #1 we headed right through the centre of the city. From the highway, I could see the Digby ferry in the harbour and we followed roads that I was familiar with from staying there a few years prior. We were lead over the bridge which spanned the 'reversing falls' and had to stay with the traffic flow, so it was a quick view.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_15_09_13_7_21_29.jpeg)
Reversing Falls (Rapides Réversibles) @ Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_uc9-9QW8A#ws)
We crossed the bridge, turned right , then a quick left near the Moosehead Lager brewery. The laughing started when we were trying to get on the right highway to head to St. Stephen at the border. We got a hundred yards down the onramp of highway 7 before we realized it was the wrong one. We just turned around and headed back to regroup.... Then we missed the on ramp of #1 and followed the highway around a bend and it put us right back into the city. The laughing and jabbing continued as we somehow got back on the highway headed back out of town looking for highway #1.
Another Fuel up
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_15_09_13_6_50_14.jpeg)
The highway was not as I remembered it a few years prior.... It was a 2 laner that has been straightend out and expanded to a 4 laner... So we were going to slab it to the border. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant just outside St George, topped up our tanks, tires, and stomachs.
Topping up our tires
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_09_09_13_9_14_23.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_09_09_13_9_39_58.jpeg)
St. Stephen wasnt far down the road and a local had given us directions to the best/quickest way through. All the bikes were humming along nicely, and my tire seemed to stablize, so we made good time and enjoyed.
After crossing the border we headed south on highway #1 along the coast to enjoy the views. the traffic, however, did not want to agree with us. Campers, motorhomes, etc., were hard to get around. Just outside of a small town, somewhere along route we pulled over to inspect Smokeys chain as it was making noises ..... it needed further adjustment and we decided it would be fine for the short jaunt left to Ellsworth. The ride took a bit longer than expected for the day, but we rolled in, found our hotel, walked over to the Walmart and Home Depot for an axel wrench for Smokey's Bandit, and a small compressor for me to use on the roadside if needed. It was a busy day. We tried to get in a good ride to make the last leg to Boston, tomorrow, as short as possible. All went well.
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 06, 2013, 12:47:59 AM
I wanted to thank you for this trip write-up...It brings back such great memories!!! I took the ferry over to PEI on my FJ...spent three days riding around, camping, enjoying the sights and taking in the warm hospitality of the locals there. Great trip report!
Cap'n Ron. . .
I've read bits and pieces of you mentioning your trip, Cap'n. I see the route on your signature map. That would have been an EPIC/MONUMENTAL ride. WOW!!! Have you ever done a writeup for it? As I go along with this report, the memories come back clear as can be... its like its still happening. I just wish I had taken more pictures.
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
I just wish I had taken more pictures.
I say this after every ride and reslolve to take more NEXT time. Never happens. When the riding's good I hate stopping.
Noel
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 08:58:46 PM
Day 6 : July 25th continued
........ and I would have to top up my tire as well as I could barley feel the front end of the bike starting to stiffen up again.
Last week you reported finding it at 14 psi. while on your trip. Doesn't the possible consequences of that worry you?
Noel
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 06, 2013, 12:47:59 AM
I wanted to thank you for this trip write-up...It brings back such great memories!!! I took the ferry over to PEI on my FJ...spent three days riding around, camping, enjoying the sights and taking in the warm hospitality of the locals there. Great trip report!
Cap'n Ron. . .
I've read bits and pieces of you mentioning your trip, Cap'n. I see the route on your signature map. That would have been an EPIC/MONUMENTAL ride. WOW!!! Have you ever done a writeup for it? As I go along with this report, the memories come back clear as can be... its like its still happening. I just wish I had taken more pictures.
It started as just a ride to see my dad on his birthday in NY...and turned into an epic journey! Following your writeup...and the Alaska 2013 writeup...I've been thinking about documenting my journey here... I took a lot of pictures, but there are never enough...It would be fun to re-live it through the FJ community if folks would be interested...
Cap'n Ron. . .
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 16, 2013, 04:01:44 AM
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 06, 2013, 12:47:59 AM
I wanted to thank you for this trip write-up...It brings back such great memories!!! I took the ferry over to PEI on my FJ...spent three days riding around, camping, enjoying the sights and taking in the warm hospitality of the locals there. Great trip report!
Cap'n Ron. . .
I've read bits and pieces of you mentioning your trip, Cap'n. I see the route on your signature map. That would have been an EPIC/MONUMENTAL ride. WOW!!! Have you ever done a writeup for it? As I go along with this report, the memories come back clear as can be... its like its still happening. I just wish I had taken more pictures.
It started as just a ride to see my dad on his birthday in NY...and turned into an epic journey! Following your writeup...and the Alaska 2013 writeup...I've been thinking about documenting my journey here... I took a lot of pictures, but there are never enough...It would be fun to re-live it through the FJ community if folks would be interested...
Cap'n Ron. . .
:good2: Bring it on Cap`n. I love all these documentaries. Even more interesting when we live so far away - Part of the X factor that makes this campfire so special. The fact it`s born from a family obligation makes it even more pertinent. imho :drinks:
Quote from: The General on September 16, 2013, 05:31:34 AM
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 16, 2013, 04:01:44 AM
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
Quote from: Capn Ron on September 06, 2013, 12:47:59 AM
I wanted to thank you for this trip write-up...It brings back such great memories!!! I took the ferry over to PEI on my FJ...spent three days riding around, camping, enjoying the sights and taking in the warm hospitality of the locals there. Great trip report!
Cap'n Ron. . .
I've read bits and pieces of you mentioning your trip, Cap'n. I see the route on your signature map. That would have been an EPIC/MONUMENTAL ride. WOW!!! Have you ever done a writeup for it? As I go along with this report, the memories come back clear as can be... its like its still happening. I just wish I had taken more pictures.
It started as just a ride to see my dad on his birthday in NY...and turned into an epic journey! Following your writeup...and the Alaska 2013 writeup...I've been thinking about documenting my journey here... I took a lot of pictures, but there are never enough...It would be fun to re-live it through the FJ community if folks would be interested...
Cap'n Ron. . .
:good2: Bring it on Cap`n. I love all these documentaries. Even more interesting when we live so far away - Part of the X factor that makes this campfire so special. The fact it`s born from a family obligation makes it even more pertinent. imho :drinks:
+1 for sure there!!
Cap'n, you may enjoy working at it as much as we will enjoy reading it!
Quote from: ribbert on September 16, 2013, 03:46:13 AM
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 15, 2013, 09:23:06 PM
I just wish I had taken more pictures.
I say this after every ride and reslolve to take more NEXT time. Never happens. When the riding's good I hate stopping.
Noel
Exactly!
Quote from: paulfj03 on September 16, 2013, 06:45:43 AM
+1 for sure there!!
Cap'n, you may enjoy working at it as much as we will enjoy reading it!
Thanks for the encouragement Paul! I started a thread in the Trip and Travel Reports section called "Your dad only turns 80 once..."
It'll be a fun ride! :yes:
Cap'n Ron. . .
Day 7: Friday July 27, 2013 The Last Leg to Boston
This ride is a memorable one for me as I hadnt ever had to worry about the FJ, or any of my air cooled bikes, overheating. We had to
ride through downtown Boston in the slow stop and go traffic on a hot muggy day and the FJ was VERY warm! I was sure I was going to overheat it and cause bad things to happen, ........but she handled it.
The ride was going to be half coastal route and half slabbing to make good time and make the day on the bikes as relaxed as can be.
The maps showed us that the ride should be just over 4 hours on the road. Although, We would hug the coast again for a while before getting onto the interstate heading into Boston. We would cross 2 really cool looking bridges on the way; the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and the Leonard P. Zakim-Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge right in the big city.
Another friend of the group, who is from the Niagara region, lives and works in Boston. He was awaiting our arrival and was going to take us to a couple nice spots for a beer and some nice seafood. "Chef Van O" had reservvations for us at the Atlantic Fish Company on Boylston. A very nice spot and I was looking forward to seafood. We had some rooms reserved for us at the Sheraton Hotel downtown on Dalton which was 2 blocks away.
What a great time it turned out to be!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_39_27_1.jpeg)
Day 7: Friday July 27, 2013 The Last Leg to Boston cont'd
In Ellsworth we awoke to more rain. Flyboy had pulled the Bandit around to adjust its chain under the canopy of the front door of the hotel. I had picked up a can of slime that I was hoping would stop, or slow down the air leak in my front tire. But I had bought the one that does not fit inside the spokes of the rim. Awww NUTS! I would have to exchange it for the one with the hose to attach to the valve. Silly me. But not today, .....We had some riding to do, and I could just top it up at fuel stops. With the chain adjusted, and all our rainsuits on, we headed out in the pouring rain.
We only had to drive maybe a half hour to an hour before it started to clear up. It took a while, but we started to dry off nicely. We had to cross a couple of bridges as we crossed the Penobscot River. One of them was the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Its design is really cool in that the lanes for traffic were on the oustide, and the pillars and suspension cables were on the inside. I had not seen that type of bridge before.
Penobscot Narrows Bridge
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_24_09_13_10_01_49.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_24_09_13_10_00_57.jpeg)
We trudged along and we would ride through more rain on and off
Stops and Fuel ups along the way
Still a wet ride
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_29_50_0.jpeg)
Finally, dry roads
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_29_55_2.jpeg)
Just before the rest stop and fuel up here, the fuel filter in the 900 had filled up and clogged. We pulled over as the bike was starved of fuel again. It only took 5 mins to pull it and install another one. We were getting quick at that task. With it in, the 900 fired up nice and happy, and we twisted the throttle to get back onto the Interstate.
GP's "Shoie Dooie" was quite evident here. That is not his haircut. That's his helmet head.... LOL
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_29_57_3.jpeg)
Getting ready to rock'n roll... again...
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_25_09_13_6_11_57.jpeg)
But first, the 'men in black' return after pushing Zigzag as his starter was acting up.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_30_54_0.jpeg)
Lunch and a break was in Brunswick, before our last fuelup. We turned onto the main drag (south, if I remember right) and rode a block or 2 and saw a place called The Big Top Delicatessen (pretty sure). We cruised up a bit to a parking space and pulled in. The rain had paused for a bit and it was getting very humid and warm. We walked back up to The Big Top and it was around the lunch time rush hour so the lineup was long. We didnt have to wait long, though, and a nice hot philly cheesesteak filled the void for me nicely. Our gear was still wet and we chuckled at our black and blue hands with the dye on them from the gloves. That was actually a good spot; crowded, but good. After a good rest we headed back out to the bikes and decided to get right on the Interstate and get to Boston. The sun was peeking through then and the roads were drying up... so, we made much better time.
I remember riding in up high on the skyways... It was I 93, and we were hitting the stop and go traffic.
Then we crossed another one of those cool looking bridges; The Leonard P. Zakim-Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge . NeatO!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_27_09_13_5_38_28_1.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_27_09_13_5_38_28_0.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_27_09_13_5_38_28_2.jpeg)
By this time flyboy and I looked at each other and we were both thinking the same thing: The FJs were getting hot. He pointed to his engine telling me it was getting hot. Any movement helped... and we were hoping it was enough. Finally, we got off the interstate and onto the streets of downtown. We were lucky to be connected by our scalas because we couldnt stick that close together. 4cross had the GPS and was following it to the Sheraton hotel on Dalton St. We were going around in circles and because of the traffic we were getting split up. Eventually he disappeared around corners but was still giving me directions... lol. It worked well as it was like he was dragging a carrot on a long string behind to get me to follow. My Fj stalled a couple times here and there and I had to keep trying the starter to get it to turn over to restart. The starter would have been very hot too.
Eventually, we made it to the same spot all together..phew!! I was nervous of damage been done to the engine... but,... nope,... it wouldn't miss a beat.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_30_57_1.jpeg)
Nice underground parking for the night
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_30_59_2.jpeg)
Yes Paul the trip into Boston was a good one. The Scala G9 units allowed us all to communicate as we got separated on the last leg leading up to the Sheraton. Within minutes of us all getting separated we arrived at the same destination from all different angles.
Quote from: fj johnnie on September 29, 2013, 07:30:29 PM
Yes Paul the trip into Boston was a good one. The Scala G9 units allowed us all to communicate as we got separated on the last leg leading up to the Sheraton. Within minutes of us all getting separated we arrived at the same destination from all different angles.
:rofl2: :drinks:
As Paul stated about the heat, all three FJ's were a little warm. I can usually tell when it stalls quite easily when engaging the clutch.( That it's getting too hot) . It got to the point where myself and flyboy both shut our bikes off and pushed them down the bike lanes. At that point we were going faster than the traffic so it served two purposes. However it didn't take long and I also began to overheat. By that point we were within site of the Sheraton, and both bikes started right up and took us to our rest stop. What an awesome place to stay. Quite a contrast to the little cottages in Parrsboro!
We had a friend meet us shortly after arriving in Boston who wanted us to enjoy the local pubs. We obliged him as we are typically polite Canadians. Poor 4cross was asked for I.D. The Canadian drivers license was not sufficient for the lunks at the pub and he was asked for his passport. At this point we pointed out to the lunks that there were plenty of other fine dumps to imbibe in and we left. It occurred to me that we did not fit the profile of their "preferred" clients. It also occurred to me later that that was a compliment. Many other places were happy to show us what a great city Boston is.
Yeah, Friday night in Boston was a blast eh! Chef VanO met us at the hotel shortly after we found our rooms and brought up our gear. After that, he led the group on a short walk over to Boyslton St. It was warm and dry enough after a shower there and the skies were clearing. I caught up with them about a half hour later...... A cool pub/'bar and grill' called the Pour House was where we had ended up. We bellied up there and had a great visit.
Chef VanO, Flyboy, and JohnnieV..... GOOD TIMES!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_33_01_1.jpeg)
At one point the waitress asked our bartender if he liked the Tshirt he was wearing. He said 'sure' ... so of course I asked the waitress what
'Elysium ' stood for .... she replied that is was an up coming movie to be released and the shirt was a promotional thing. She then asked the 3 of us standing there if we would wear one if she gave us some.... of course we said yes! How could we turn down a clean shirt! LOL!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_32_58_0.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_33_03_2.jpeg)
We were all in the mood for some awesome seafood. And AWESOME it was!! Chef VanO had connections with the head chef at the Atlantic Fish Company Restaurant and we were treated like ROYALTY! We sat at the best table in the house, we were served a VERY LARGE 3 tiered tower of assorted seafoods for all of us as an appetizer! Lobster, shrimp, scallops, fish, Crab, etc etc etc. Compliments of the Chef! Just Grand!
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_35_22_3.jpeg)
After the meal we toured Boylston St. before heading back for the night.
The restaurant next door had temporarily closed due to the tragic bombing during the marathon.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_35_20_2.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_33_06_3.jpeg)
Just down the street is the finishline
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/5/351_19_09_13_9_39_27_0.jpeg)
A great big THANK YOU to Chef VanO for putting together that fabulous outing for us!!! Unforgettable!
Day 8 : Saturday July 28, 2013 : GP and 4Cross head for home from Boston, and the rest of us stay over in Albany, NY
I make a detour to the New Hamphshire Motor Speedway.
The ride from Boston to Albany was going to be a short one for those of us that wanted a break before the last leg home. Most of us all got up relaxed and were in no hurry to make time on the road. I was feeling the effects of the night out before, so I was not as quick in the morning. GP and 4cross decided to make the final run home to Canada, so they had approximately 8 hours worth of riding yet. The weather was looking better and they hoped to make good time. With 8 hours of riding, they would have to make their fuel stops quick. At around 10am they were all loaded up at the front doors of the Sheraton, so they fired up and headed out.
a picture out of the hotel window overlooking downtown boston
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_36_0.jpeg)
GP and 4 cross ready for the last long leg to Canada
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_22_42_1.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_22_41_0.jpeg)
Their trek home by 4cross' GPS
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_36_47_0.jpeg)
My plan was to go to Albany, as well, for a stay over with JohnnieV, Flyboy, Zigzag, and Smokey, as the ride home from there would only be around 5 hours. It would be a fairly short ride to Albany and the weather was great: warm with some sunshine. I would make a detour to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway near Loudon, NH on the way, and see Doug, Bob W, and Glenn. Doug was racing his bike and Bob W was there competing in the legends races as well. It would be a short ride for me to get there; try to catch some races and shoot the breeze in the infield... A speedway of that size was a new experience for me. I was to meet the rest of the gang in Albany later in the evening.
My ride was supposed to be a bland one as I was to just take I 93 to Concorde, then head to Loudon and the speedway. I got away around 11am and the traffic was heavey again and it was slow going to get out of Boston. I was moving enough to keep the engine temperature down, so I wasnt worried about over heating. About an hour into the ride, I was in the left farthest express lane and came upon a Suzuki marauder in the median with the rider obviously trying get his bike fixed and back on the road. I was going slow enough that I was able to beep and ask him if he needed help. He waved and said yes. I pulled over and walked back to him and his bike. He told me he had lost his clutch and had no idea what to do. The master reservoir wasnt showing any fluid through the window.... but just as I had the top off of it to look for fluid, a Trooper pulled up with his lights on to stop the traffic. We had to cleanup and put things back together and the fella was to call for some help. We were not allowed to work on the bike there.... Understandable; the traffic was going by only a meter away from us. The trooper stopped all of the traffic and had us push the fella's bike over to the brakedown lane. The fella said 'no worries ' and got his phone out. I ran back across the interstate to my bike and the trooper let all lanes of traffic go except for mine. He waited for me to get going and then let the rest go. I wish I had pictures of that incident, but I couldn't just pull out the camera with all the traffic waiting. Away I went on to Concorde, then to Loudon and the NHMS.
Day 8 : Saturday July 28, 2013 the ride to Albany, NY and the NHMS
My Detour to the NHMS.
The ride there was much better as the traffic had opened up and i could make some time. When i arrived at the Speedway I found the front gate and headed on in to see if I could find the guys. It was around 200pm and the bike races were in full swing. I went through the tunnel and putted around the infield looking for Bob or Doug. Of course I found Bob first as I recognized his car pretty quick sitting out in the open. Glen was there too, as he had rode up on his KTM 950.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_51_6.jpeg)
It was great to see them again, shoot the breeze, and have a few laughs. Glen and I headed to the restaurant there on the infield and had a good bite and it was great to catch up on the latest. When we headed back Doug was tearing up the track so we tried a couple different vantage points. Pretty cool to watch. As we stood looking through the fence at one of the corners one rider low sided and slid onto the grass. He just got up, sauntered over to his bike, picked it up, and walked it away.. kind of neat.. but not. I'm sure it was dissappointing for him. It was cool to see Doug in action #613
Doug at NHMS
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_10_10_13_8_57_19_0.jpeg)
It was neat to sit in the driver seat of the Legends car. It was not as easy as I thought to get into, and even harder to get out.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_43_3.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_49_5.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_46_4.jpeg)
Doug's set up nearby.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_38_1.jpeg)
My first time on a track bike
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_54_7.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_11_59_9.jpeg)
Doug and Glen
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_08_10_13_9_15_57.jpeg)
What a great day there. It would make an excellent home base for a rally, too. Thanks, guys, for everything. Hope to make it down again sometime soon.
Zig Zag, Smokey ,Flyboy ,and myself continued on to Albany. As I was not in charge of the route I have no idea which road(s) we took to get from Boston . Suffice to say we headed somewhat north of the I90 and took a windy hilly road. The countryside was beautiful. Many beautiful small towns. Nice villages with small non chain restaurants. Many farmers markets selling fresh vegetables etc.
Another thing we saw was a few small towns completely boarded up. Some streets with 8-10 buildings appearing abandoned. This was probably somewhat a by product of the Interstate by-passing traffic from these areas. One town in particular whose name escapes me was in a beautiful area. A nice quaint town on a beautiful two lane highway with many nice flowing curves and rivers to follow. It seems the average person does not have the affliction for the road less travelled as the typical FJ rider does. Most traffic passes by on the freeway only a few miles away. All of its rest stops occupied by Starbucks or McDonalds. What a contrast.
Albany is a beautiful place to stop. We had a wonderful room downtown. It was Sunday so nothing was happening, which is just the way I like it. We went to a nice Belgian micro-brewery type pub on a street with many pubs and restaurants. As it happens they had 16 different beers on tap. Also they had a sampler of four for ten bucks. Hmmm. 16 different beers and 4 people. How does that work? Simple we thought. Order four samplers. One of each kind of beer. The owner of the establishment brought them to our table, astonished. It seems no one had ever done that before. How else are you going to discover other things you may like? Turned out we had awesome food and a great night.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_14_10_13_8_42_38_0.jpeg)
The ride for me to Albany was actually a great ride as the roads were pretty direct, but twisty and scenic. I tried to make good time , but I think I was 3 hours anyway. I scooted along route #9 through Vermont, to New York and then again on #7 to Albany. T'was a great ride.
As I came into Albany it was dark, and there was construction along the interstate at The Clinton Avenue off ramp.... so I missed it. ARGH!! I somehow ended up at the Empire State Plaza while trying to get turned around to head back. I headed back on the south mall arterial and got back on the interstate and immediately caught the Clinton Avenue off ramp. Finding the Hampton Inn Suites was easy, then.
Here we are... there is our room ... right there. lol
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_14_10_13_9_27_01_0.jpeg)
I now had 3949 kms under me on this ride with a ride home tomorrow of 5-600kms
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_14_10_13_9_20_02_0.jpeg)
Just 5 of us now
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_14_10_13_9_27_04_1.jpeg)
I wasnt looking forward to the ride the next day, as it was to be straight slabbing on the highways and...the end of the big ride... :biggrin:
The ride home:
It was raining again that sunday morning.... how fitting... we had planned to run along the roads next to the interstate 90 to make it more interesting. The weather changed our minds for us, and we were to start on the interstate and see if we could drive out of the rain. Before we left I used a can of slime on my front tire. It is supposed to seal a puncture temporarily to get you home. I followed the instructions, but I couldnt place the puncture at the bottom when injecting the slime because I hadnt found one, yet. I just did the best I could in the rain and then putted around for 5 mins spreading it out in the tire, and then we headed out.
About 45kms west on I90 the rain was still happening and we pulled into a service station/rest stop for a quick fuel up.
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/6/351_21_10_13_8_29_02_0.jpeg)
After another 160kms we were just outside Syracuse and the rain had paused and we were drying off. Another rest stop was a place to grab a bite/snack and fuel up again. I checked my front tire and it was ticketty boo. It hadnt lost a pound... so the can of slime actually worked.... and it would get me all the way home too.
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This was my last stop with the group as I was to cut north on I81 when we hit syracuse. It would only be a 2-3hour ride home for me from there; straight north to the border, the 401, and then west to Napanee. The group would continue heading west to Buffalo and Niagara and cross the border there. They had approximately 3 hours of riding left as well. After a good rest, some muchies, we bid goodbyes and saddled up. From Syracuse I hit a couple small bouts of rain, but nothing that I would need a rain suit for.... My ride went great back into Canada and home.
A big thanks to Doug for the nice tour in Vermont through the mountains, to Travis for guiding us on a nice tour through the mountains in Maine, and Bob and Glenn for the visit and tour of the speedway in New Hamphshire.... very cool indeed.
A great big thanks to fj johnnie for the invitation to ride, to the whole group for welcoming me along, to Big H for the hospitality, the tours, and the rides,... and Chev VanO for the Tour in downtown Boston!! The routes, the stays, the comraderie, the seafood, and the laughs were second to none! For me, it will be one to remember for sure....a blast and a half!
What a great trip! What a great tribute to this forum!!!
Paul,
I truly enjoyed your trip! Your expoits in Boston, your ride through the Birkshires, kickin it in Albany...all my old stomping grounds!
Thanks for the write-up...I'm sad it's over, but I was happy to be along for a few miles!
Cap'n Ron. . .
Thanks Capn,
I'm sure you can appreciate how much work is put into it. :). I enjoyed working on it and will remember much more from the trip because of it.
I made some really great friends on that ride. We keep in touch and (of course) are planning to do something next year, too.
I have to say, and I'm sure you'll agree, it is really neat to ride across the border into 'another country' on bikes, and still feel like you are riding at home in your own backyard. Where else in the world can you do that? Not many.
Paul
Ps: keep up the great work on your report! Hope it never ends!