Christmas Shopping

It’s time to share my new obsession, Triumph Bonneville. I see one in my future. Will it be an SE or a T100? Only time will tell. Last Thursday, December 22, I drove down to Paul Blouin Suzuki/Triumph to test ride a Bonnie and an America. I was accompanied by my friend Cappy, aka Black Douglas. I know it seems ludicrous, test riding motorcycles in late December in Maine, but in spite of the freezing rain the day before the salesman at Blouin encouraged me to come down. As we headed south, the freeway continued to improve and by the time we arrived at around 12:30 the roads were clear and the temps were in the low 40s.
After receiving a little sales pitch, I rode the Bonnie first. I slowly proceeded to the parking lot exit getting comfortable with the controls and turned right on to busy US 202. This took me up a fairly steep hill. No issue with the Bonnie in first, second or third. It seemed to have a lot more low-end torque than I'm used to. As I headed west I was fighting a stiff head wind and I really missed the wind protection provided by the windshield and fairing on my NT700. Several miles down the road I turned on to state route 17. It goes north thought a small town and then up and over a big hill with a similar descent on the other side. I rode out about 3 more miles and then headed back. The total trip was about 10 miles.
 In addition to all the low-end torque, the transmission was butter smooth. I didn't notice any "snatchy throttle", the controls were almost perfect. There seemed to be a wide zone in which the various gears were content. As I left the traffic light I began to wind it out. The acceleration was terrific. I notice a 35 mph limit sign so I backed off. As I exited that speed zone and rolled on the throttle the acceleration was awesome. The bike seemed to surge out from under me. I was hitting 70 mph and the bike was still in 4th gear, ready for more. I don't think I ever hit fifth except to figure out what gear I was in. I negotiated a U turn and headed back, the bike turned on a dime. A gentle push on the handlebars was sufficient to change directions. I like the upright ergonomics and I concur with Suzie that the seat is hard but satisfactory. I cruised back to the dealership totally in awe of the experience. I'm sure you know how one can sometimes build something up so much that the actual experience is a let down. That certainly wasn't the case here. I was absolutely shocked how much better it was than what I expected.
 Then I jumped on the America, a black one. My only complaint that I didn't care for the way the clutch set up. A slight squeeze disengaged the transmission, and therefore I had to let the clutch almost all the way out before it reengaged. I'm sure that a small adjustment would solve that problem. However it took a little getting used to, especially out in traffic. I took the same route, except this time a moving van pulled out in front of me. She stopped on a dime. The bike handled extremely well, though not quit as responsive as the Bonnie. Of course that's all do to the greater rake angle and longer wheelbase, like all cruisers. Cruisers want to go straight and they do it well. The four 90° turns required a good lean and I felt extremely comfortable. It has the same butter smooth transmission and awesome acceleration.  As I rolled out SR 17 I was hitting 70 mph and decided to shift up to fifth. After the shift I realized that I wasn't yet in fifth, I was still in fourth. If you follow that you’ll notice that I was doing 70 in third gear. The bike was completely happy doing, no strain on the bike at all. I think the only time you would ever get into fifth would be cruising on the freeway.
 Can't say much about the sound of the bike, either one, as I wasn't focused on it. I liked the America very much and I could be very happy with one, but I find the shorter wheel base and more upright forks of the Bonnie more to my liking.
 What will happen in the spring???

Slow Day in the Motorcycle News

Interesting times in Veazie, Maine. It’s early December and the weather has finally turned cold, or at least coldish. Still probably a bit warmer than usual. I watched the weather forecast last night and was shocked to hear that we’ve already had 17” of snow. None of it lasted long at all so it’s a bit hard to believe. Scarlet has been garaged for about a week. There have been some opportunities, but to some extent, what’s the point. It is quite chilly and there is some salt and sand/gravel on the roads. The cover is on, there is fuel stabilizer in the tank and she’s covered. Leave well enough alone? The only news on the motorcycle front is that two friends are looking at bikes. One lives nearby and is looking at a Suzuki GT380 from 1975. The bike is much older than he is. We looked at it yesterday and it will be a bit of a project but I’m excited for him. It looks a little like this:

My other friend is looking for a Victory Kingpin. He loves the styling and the huge engine would be fun. I’m not sure I would like the weight or turning radius but to each his own. His search has demonstrated to me that late model Victory cycles are hard to come by. I continue to fantasize about a Triumph Bonneville SE or perhaps a Moto Guzzi R7 Classic. That will be an interesting continuing story.

December 4

The days continue to get shorter and shorter, but only for about 3 weeks. In fact, daylight will be back to what we have now in about six weeks.

What is more important is that our extraordinarily warm autumn continues. Our high temperature was forecast to be in the mid-40s. Therefore right after lunch I jumped on the cycle and headed out to verify that King’s Mountain Christmas Tree Farm was open. It’s about 10 miles down there, mostly on back roads. The roads were clear except for an abundance of mud near one of the farms. Easy does it.

I saw a couple of other bikers out there, one on a big cruiser and one on a small Ninja. I wore a particularly warm LL Bean wool sweater under my jacket, long johns under my Firehose jeans, and my Olympia Wind Tex gloves. Though I had wool socks on I decided if I ever get any heated clothing, I’ll start with socks.

The ride was cut short because once I verified that Christmas tree farm was open, I needed to get home so we could go out, get a tree, get it home and up. That process negated any more time on the cycle. Even if the temperature gets warm enough, the window is so short and as the sun goes down it gets so cold.

Thanksgiving Day

It was only last Sunday, four days ago, that I rode to Bucksport and beyond on the NT named Scarlet. Highs were in the mid-fifties and it was sunny, barely a cloud in the sky. I took the back roads which is now my favorite way to get there from Brewer. As I prepared to head for home, I stopped at the Bucksport Dunkin Donut shop for two pumpkin donuts, perfect for an afternoon snack for me and my sweetie.


I'm glad I took that ride. Yesterday we got our first serious winter storm. Sure we got snow at Halloween, but it was only an inch or so and it was gone in a day or two. Yesterdays storm brought eight to ten inches. As the road surfaces were still warm, there was a lot of melting at the bottom and the driving was treacherous. Needless to say, Scarlet didn't make it out of the garage, and unfortunately probably won't for four months or so.

It's that time of year when there is no golf, no fishing and worst of all no rides on Scarlet. Sounds like time for indoor projects.

November 13

November 13, Bangor, Maine. Doesn’t strike you as an ideal time and place for a motorcycle ride, does it. Well, it wasn’t bad.

I got some yard work done in the morning, raking oak leaves. The scarlet oak in the front yard was given to me many years ago by my cousin George. It was a tiny, little twig of a tree, temporarily planted in a coffee can so we could haul it from Ohio to Maine. Unfortunately George passed away, but the tree is thriving and I still think of him from time to time when I look at it. It’s always the last one to shed it’s leaves and though there are still a few clasping the branches, the great weather suggested to me I should get a jump on the raking. I rake by hand, no blower or fancy leaf-picker-upper attached to a tractor. I do it the old fashioned way, and believe it or not I enjoy it. Must dredge up some distant memory or feeling from the past.

I called my friend Alex from Belfast early in the morning and planned a rendezvous at the Bucksport Dunkin Donuts at noon. I took the back roads, though this time I didn’t lollygag. These quiet back roads weren’t as deserted as they have been maybe because churches were letting out. I reached my destination about twenty minutes early and Alex was waiting. We nursed our coffee and caught up. Alex is a talker so I mostly listened. We then decided to head out on the road for a little spin. Castine was our destination but we planned to keep an eye peeled for a diner or similar style eatery. They ride was pleasurable but a wrong turn got us back to Bucksport a little earlier than planned. We were approached by the Bucksport police while loitering in the parking lot in front of the Subway. Turns out he was just curious about the bikes. Alex has a burgundy NT700 just like mine.

From there it was on to Verona Island and then across the Penobscot Narrows bridge. Just Barb's in Stockton Springs was our destination. I had a hankerin’ for fried clams, but the $17.50 asking price pushed me in the direction of fish and chips. Lunch was great, but the sun started getting low in the sky, which means the deer will be on the move and the temperature will start to drop. We parted ways and headed for home thinking about our next ride, maybe in April?

The Halloween snow storm dampened our spirits here in Vacationland but we got off easy. More than a week has passed and many of our southern New England friends are still without power. The heavy wet snow, up to several feet, brought down tree limbs which in turn brought down power lines. A minor catastrophe.
All we really had to contend with was a little inconvenience for a few days, salt and gravel on the roads. Since then we have been experiencing Indian summer. So the motorcycle is still out, as is Suzie’s Honda VLX. Have I mentioned what a great ride it is? This 600 (actually 583 cc) engine is a V-twin that puts out a smooth 38 horsepower. It’s a pleasure to ride and therefore I took it on the back roads to Bucksport.
The leafs are long gone from the trees, at least the few that had any color this year. Without clouds, the brown oak leafs stand out against the cerulean autumn sky.
I like the back roads. No outside agencies dictate the pace. There is a speed limit, but no one prowls these deserted roads to enforce it. I like the roads because you can go as slowly as you want, no one to hold upl. One can therefore take all the time required to study the surroundings.
These past several weeks the rides to Bucksport have been pleasurable but cool. The Dunkin Donuts has been an important stop. A hot coffee, maybe a pumpkin donut and some time to linger at a table in the corner and warm up. Yesterday the coffee break was outside in the sun, on the retaining wall near the propane tanks. We don’t need no stinkin’ heated building on a day like that.
Stopped at a few cemeteries I passed along the way. The correlation of willow and urn motifs and slate tombstones continues to hold true.
I arrived home at about 4PM on this first day after daylight savings time ended. By then the sun was already approaching the horizon and the temperature in the long shadows began to plummet. I wouldn’t have wanted to be out there any longer. The fall riding season is definitely coming to an end, but it was great to get out there and take advantage of one of the last fleeting opportunities.

Maine, motorcycles, late October

A front is fast approaching. A significant nor’easter is predicted, and it’s only October 29. What’s in store for us this winter?

I decided to try to get in a good ride. Problem. It was only about 38° when I set out but the high was only supposed to reach 45°. I suited up with long underwear, wool socks, my fire hose jeans, and a LL Bean wool sweater that zips up into a turtle neck beneath my jacket. The Olympia Windtex gloves along with my heated grips kept my hands warm, until perspiration produced a cooling effect. Same with the feet, toasty warm for a while, then bone chilling cold. If ever I resort to heated clothing, I’ll start with electric socks.

My goal was to reach Wag It. Suzie was there with Skye for a rally competition. I thought I’d surprise them and pop in. She would have loved the pop in. I knew the approximate location and I got close but couldn’t find it. I didn’t look hard because that’s about when the cold was setting in and the needle on my fuel gauge was well below E. I headed for home and got gas and coffee in Belfast, lingering in McDonald’s with my coffee waiting for my feet to thaw.

The ride had started out sunny, and the direct rays of sunlight helped warm the body in spite of the cool temperatures. Even at 11 AM, the shadows are long here in October. Oaks are the only trees with leaves, brown leaves with minor hints of orange and yellow. As the day progressed it reminded me more and more of my youth in Ohio as it became overcast, gray and brown. There were many other signs of autumn. Men raking leaves, others splitting wood, the smell of wood burning stoves.

When I returned home I tidied up the garage, the Burgman and snowblower exchanging places, the latter near the door.

Back Roads

Last weekend, while Suzie and I were out for a ride, we discovered some great, two lane, low traffic, country roads that enable one to go from Brewer to Bucksport. We did take state route 15 south from Brewer to Orrington, but that wasn’t necessary. The road was so peaceful. Restricted speed limits, lack of traffic, crisp autumn weather, the road less traveled.

The sky was a mix of sun and clouds as we went east on Center Drive in Orrington, past the Old Fair Grounds, the Orrington Public Library, and the Center Drive school. Many private homes also lined the road. Temperatures only rose to the upper 50‘s but we were both prepared for the chilly conditions as we dressed in layers. Center Drive is pretty straight with a minimum of turns but has some modest elevation changes. Mother Nature cheated us this year as the fall foliage lacked the bright reds that we are accustomed to seeing in the autumn. Aside from a few farms the land is wooded but on a few of the rises, clearings afforded views of distant mountains. One of these is the turn out at King Mountain Christmas tree farms. On a clear day you can see Mt. Katahdin in the distance. If only I had taken my camera. After about four miles there are some large sweeping turn and here you need to keep your eyes open as you don’t want to miss the turn on East Bucksport Road.

This thoroughfare, with it’s gently sweeping turns, crosses several hills and valleys with small streams. We passed a small flock of wild turkeys, but little else. East Bucksport Road becomes Buck Mills Road as it passes a few gravel quarries. Farms become more numerous and then less so as one approaches Bucksport. Traffic picked up as we approached the town. The road name changes to Central Street and private homes abound. Eventually we entered Bucksport proper and Central Street ended at Main Street where we turned left. About a half mile down the road we reached Dunkin Donuts and we each had a small coffee and split a pumpkin donut. The latter should be a fixture on their menu, not just an autumn specialty item.

Knowing that the temperature drops rapidly at sundown at this time of the year, we concluded that it was prudent to take route 15 back, just to save time. Though we reached Veazie by 5 pm, the shadows were already long and the temperature was falling. Note to self, next ride be back before 5.

The rest of Columbus Day weekend

This Columbus Day weekend has been filled with motorcycle adventures. The Saturday ride has been documented. Today is golf which should be interesting as I haven’t touched a club in weeks. Arrgh, but that’s for some other blog.

Sunday was yet another fantastic day in vacationland, high pressure dominating the weather. Temperatures peaked in the mid-80s, unheard of in middle October. While the bride worked I headed to Monson for Bar-B-Q at Spring Creek.I went up 43 to East Corinth where I caught 15 and took it all the way to Monson. Both roads were in good shape but each contained a few bumpy stretches. On the way home I took 150 towards Skowhegan. This takes you to little towns like Harmony, Athens, Hartland and St Albans. The roads were fun to ride and I’ll go back there again soon

I can’t figure why such a good barbeque establishment is located in Monson, Maine. At one time it was a vibrant town where the economy was based on quarrying slate. Hundreds of men worked the quarries. The high school teams were known as the slaters. Later Moosehead Furniture was located there. Now the population isn’t sufficient to require a high school and Monson is little more than a stop on the road between Guilford and Greenville and a stop on the Appalachian Trail. The slaters are no more.

At Spring Creek, I couldn’t decide between the beef and pork for my sandwich, so she made it half and half. The coleslaw came in a generous portion and the only beverage to have with such a meal is Moxie.

I was a little disappointed with the fall foliage. It seems as though the many trees have lost their leave before the bright colors appeared. I think the cause is a blight that affect maple trees and all the rain we had in August and September.

Monday I took Skye and Ailsa to doggy day care and got an early start on my ride. It was west on I-95 to Newport, then US 2 to Skowhegan where I enjoyed a coffee and a single sour cream glazed donut at Tim Horton’s. Then off to Kingfield via Madison, North Anson and North New Portland. As I approached Kingfield the views of Sugarloaf Mountain were spectacular. I poked around the Carrabassett Valley a little before heading down route 27 to Farmington where I failed to meet up with my friend Dave Gibson.

On my way to Skowhegan, I stopped at Old Oak Cemetery near Norridgewock. I’m intrigued by old tombstones. I’ve found a weeping willow with or without an urn that is common on slatetombstones but rare on marble or other stones. This was the jackpot, including one that decorated the grave of a revolutionary war veteran. I’ll be going back there to spend a little more time.

I have to admit that my lunch was a #1 value meal at McDonald’s with medium fries and diet Coke. Then back to Newport and the interstate home from there.

Moody's Diner

When it rains it pours. I go forever without a post and now a second post in little more than a week.

Last week it rained and poured duringthe trip to Freeport. This week couldn’t bemoredifferent. A high pressure cell dominates the weather in New England. Yesterday there wasn’t a cloud to be seen and we flirted with record high temperatures in Bangor, Maine. So Suzie and I mounted our steeds and set out for a ride. The best part of this was that she rode her new Honda Shadow 600 VLX, a 2006 with only 2950 miles. A week ago two friends of mine who go by the names MAC and Karl, recommended this bike for her as a step up from the Suzuki Savage 650. I walked in to see my friends at Bangor Motor Sports to ask their professional opinion about this matter. It so happens that the had just taken one in on a trade. Silver, saddle bags, sissy bar, “Hell Cat” windshield; striking. I chit chatted and went home to see what Craigslist had to offer. Two late model VLX’s. Humph.
To make long story short, after a few offers, denials, counter offers, etc, we got the silver VLX at Bangor Motor Sports. These guys are good to work with, fair, and the take care of you at the service department.
We headed down to Hampden went west on 202 all the way to Unity Pond. The US highway is well maintained except for a short section near Troy. It offers views of trees, farm fields and distant mountains. The rate of travel is 50 to 60 mph over sweeping curves, up and down hills. Easy riding today except for a few wind gusts that moved the bikes a little.
A left on Maine 220 takes you down to Waldoboro. The road is narrow, typical of rural highways in Maine, with significant elevation changes. Tight curves abound, as do dangerous intersections where 220 crosses roads with higher traffic volumes, which isn’t saying much. Road conditions are pretty good for the most part.

On the corner of 220 and US 1 is found Moody’s Diner, an icon of the mid coast area. Interestingly I’d never been there before. Their fare is basic, nothing fancy, just good food. I had the cheese burger platter, with onion rings and coleslaw. Delicious. I was most happy when a woman approached Suzie admiring her new bike. I think that made her feel pretty special.
Our route was 1 to 235 to 131 to 3 to get to Belfast. 235 and 131 are narrow Maine State highways. Plenty of tight, blind curves and hills with blind crests. This means fun. Near Union we stopped at a boat ramp on Seven Tree Pond to stretch our legs an snap a few pictures. This time it was my turn to accept some compliments. We saw a couple admiring the bikes and the guy asked about the NT and told me of a friend who also has one and likes it very much.
In Belfast we caught Maine State highways 141 to Monroe where we got 139 to Winterport were we stopped at Hillcrest Orchard to acquire two bags of McCoun apples. I know that the late Steve Jobs named their premium computer the Macintosh because it was the best Apple, but I disagree. I’d a called it a McCoun. It was then back to Veazie to tend to the dogs.

I checked my odometer as we arrived home. I knew I was getting close. The reading was 10009 miles and today was one year to the day that I purchased the bike. Hurray!

LL Bean in the Rain

Since the purchase of my Honda NT700, I became an active member of a web-based forum dedicated to that model bike. Actually, reading members posts prior to my purchase helped me decide that the NT was for me and I haven't looked back. The members are dispersed around the country and it is truly a great group people. Some of the New Englanders have now held two "mini" rallies in Maine. The most recent was last Saturday, October 1.
The event was planned well in advance and we decided to go rain or shine. It was rain.
I left the house about 7:45 in a light drizzle which turned into a downpour before I got to Winterport. It came down in buckets, cats and dogs. I met my friend and fellow NT owner, Alex, in Belfast and we headed east on Route 3. The rain had let up when we first departed. Our reprieve continued as we headed south on 131 through Appleton to Union, where we caught 235 south Waldoboro. The rain began again in earnest as we took US route 1 to Brunswick then US 201 to Topsham. Here we visited Tri-Sports and perused motorcycles and motorcycle gear. They're in the process of preparing for winter and bringing out the snow sleds and snowmobile gear so it was a bit disappointing. There was a 20011 Triumph America that was a bit over priced but was very pretty.
We jumped on I-95 and went the 10 or 15 miles to Freeport where we met Mac and Karl. Linking up with them was harder than it should have been. I had lost Mac cell phone number and failed to feel my phone vibrate during his first call. We shared some stories, eyed each other's bikes and had lunch. It was then down route 1 to Falmouth and Street Cycles. Here I drooled on a couple of Triumph Americas and Bonnevilles.
Our departure up US 1 to I-295 occurred in a light, steady rain. As we headed north the rain eased up and the dry pavement enabled us to go a bit faster. We exited I-295 at Gardiner and followed route 126/9 to Bridge Street where we crossed the Kennebec River and continued to follow route 9 to route 3 which led us to Belfast. The rain returned making for a soggy ride. I got some much needed fuel in Belfast as I parted ways with Alex. It was then up 1A to Bangor and on up route 2 to Veazie, retracing my path from earlier in the day. I got back at dusk.
What did I take away from the trip. My waterproof boots are no longer waterproof. My socks were soaking wet and as the sun went down and temperature dropped by feet go really cold. My waterproof gloves are no longer waterproof. My hands got wet. I took 3 pairs of gloves, so that helped as did my heated grips. My Frogg Toggs rain suit performed perfectly, except my crotch got wet. Can't figure that one out. Maybe the zipper leaked. I need a little better rain gear but with it, riding all day in the rain ain't so bad.
Finally learned that route 131 and 235 are great roads, fun to ride, and I'm going to visit the again as soon as I can so I can lean into the turns and roll on the throttle.

Pick up in the rain

Well boys and girls, time for another of my infrequent posts. Today I had to pick up my NT700V from Bangor Motor Sports. It was in for service. Nothing drastic, just the 8000 mile service and I got new tires. The old tires were the originals. They were badly worn and I was in serious need of replacements. I went with Michelin PR2s. I'll let you know how they work out. Also my wife had ordered a new windshield for the Savage. As the time to depart for the pickup approached, I explained to here that as it was raining, she could drive me over in the car and that we could go another day to have her windshield installed. We she wasn't going to let 54° and rain stop her. I always like to keep my Frogg Toggs with the bike in case of rain, but my bike was at the shop. Thankfully my Olympia Airglide 3 jacket has a waterproof liner and the trousers of my golf rain suit were not other wise being used. Suzie also suited up in waterproofs and we headed out. I had only two complaints. My "water proof" boots leaked and my face shield fogged up. Otherwise no issues. It took a few minutes to get the windshield on the bike and when we headed for home the rain had quit. Because of my wet feet I got a bit cold but am fully recovered.

Mini Tank Bag

Yesterday was a fine day for a motorcycle ride, partly cloudy with highs in the mid 70s.

We recently acquired a 2000 Suzuki Savage for my wife. The folks at Bangor Motorsports checked it out for us. This involved an inspection (required annually here in Maine), a tail light was replaced and the oil was changed, probably for the first time ever. She is now addicted to the thing and wants to ride constantly. However, she lacks the confidence to go on her own. I know it’s a hardship, but I have to ride with her pretty much every time she’s free. My only complaint has been that every time we head out she asks me to take her wallet and anything else she wants to bring along. There is no place to put anything on a Savage and the NT is a little like a two-wheeled closet. I was determined to rectify this situation. I learned that Friend & Friend Power Sports in Ellsworth had a Cortech Super Mini tank bag and we decided to head south to see if it would fit on the Savage.

As we headed out of Bangor though Brewer on route 1A, the traffic wasn’t too bad. That’s good as she still lacks a little confidence on the Savage. The traffic in Holden was even thinner and the pace wasn’t too fast. At East Holden 1A and 46 cross and sometimes there can be a little bit of a traffic jam. Today it was colossal. Northbound traffic was backed up for almost three quarters of a mile. Why? Good question. It may have been people headed to the American Folk Festival in Bangor or just people headed home from a vacation on the Maine coast. Alternatively it my have been the approach of tropical storm (hurricane) Irene. In any case I’m glad we were headed south.

At Friend and Friend we perused the motorcycles, chatted with a few salesmen and located the tank bags. The Super Mini bag was perfect, big enough to hole a wallet, bottle of water, camera and a few other small items. It’s a hit and I’m off the hook. We got the one that’s magnet mounted. Easy on, easy off. Magically it becomes a small purse when removed from the bike.

We cruised through the typical Ellsworth traffic nightmare and continued south on route 3 towards Mount Desert Island. Just a bit more than two miles is the intersection with Beechland Road. Just beyond that on the eastern side of the road (left) you’ll find Crazy Dave’s Pit Barbeque. Throughout the summer months Dave sets up his mobile unit here, unless he is out doing a festival or fair. We had pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and soda. Highly recommended.

It was off the Rooster Brother, a store for cooks located were route 1 crosses the Union River Bridge. We looked around the store, and before we left we bought two coffees, and chocolate chip and ginger cookies. We sat on a small bench overlooking the Union River and savored the treat before heading home.

We made our homeward path on route 1 to Bucksport. Traffic can on route 1 can be very heavy during the summer but we were lucky. In Bucksport we crossed the bridge onto Verona Island. Historic Fort Knox, not the one with the gold, can be viewed from the bridge. To exit Verona Island on the western side, one uses the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. It is a cable-stayed bridge that opened about 5 years ago. It comes complete with an observation tower that extends over 400 feet into the air. Route 174 is found at the western end of the bridge and connects to route 1A. You pass though the villages of Winterport and Hampden as you return to Bangor. Traffic was light and we returned safely home, super mini tank bag in hand. Asphalt and weather was great!

Route 15 South

Ride: Sunday July 24, 2001

Where: Route 15 from Brewer to Caterpillar Hill roadside picnic area and return.

Road conditions: good to excellent - some new pavement, significant bumps are few and far between but route 15 south of route 1 has many small bumps.

Short cut - As you are heading south on route 15, about 4.3 miles past the turn off to route 199, route 15 takes a very sharp left turn. Here you should “turn right” onto Hinckley Ridge Road. After another ~ 3.9 miles there is another fork in the road. You don’t want the left branch is Union Street and takes you into Blue Hill. Instead take a right (i.e. go straight) on Beech Hill Road. In about two-thirds of a mile you’ll reach an intersection where you will go right onto the Mines road. This will put you back on route 15.

There’s a marina and small park in Bucksport, both of which will provide excellent views of Bucksport Harbor and Fort Knox, The latter is now a state park which is across the bay in Prospect.

Caterpillar Hill picnic area provides scenic views of Penobscot Bay and it’s many islands, and the Camden Hills on the west side of the bay.

Brewer to Bucksport - good quality two lane road. Gentle curves and modest elevation changes, with occasional glimpses of the Penobscot River and Mt Waldo. Overall quality of this stretch of road is very good to excellent. Current road construction is aimed at eliminating severe bumps and could slow you down a little. Be careful at the five railroad crossings along the way, some of which cross route 15 at an oblique angle. Speed limit is variable as you go through several small towns where the speed limit is 35 mph. Traffic is variable depending on time of day and day of the week. On the weekends you’ll see many other bikers. As you approach Bucksport you pass the paper mill. There can be significant truck traffic when wood chips and other raw materials are delivered. Opportunities to pass are limited.

Route 15 merges with US 1 in Bucksport and the two are one for about four and a half miles and this stretch of road will likely have the most traffic as it is the coastal route to Acadia National Park. The road is excellent with passing lanes on the hills and wide shoulders. At the Shell station, route 15 branches off to the right and heads for Blue Hill. The route climbs over some ridges the exceed 400 feet above sea level. This high ground crosses blueberry fields and other open fields that were probably farmed in the not too distant past. These offer views of distant mountains and hills.

In or near Blue Hill, depending on where you took the proposed short cut, you will proceed west on 15 out of Blue Hill. The stretch passes by passed now abandoned copper mines that were active from the 1880 to the 1960s. This four mile segment it through wooded terrane and the road has some sharp, banked curves with rapid elevation changes and can be bumpy in some areas.

At Gray’s Corner, route 15 goes left and 176 goes right. As this is a ride on route 15, go left. The road quality is great as it knifes through both wooded and open countryside. The open areas are strewn with boulders deposited by retreating glaciers 13,000 years ago. As the road cuts across the west side of Caterpillar Mountain you’ll find an overlook equipped with picnic tables. Here you can look out over Penobscot Bay with it’s many islands. If the humidity is up the view will be hazy and if it’s down it will be crystal clear.

Round trip on the ride is about 2 hours.

Copeland Hill

Copeland Hill is found in the town of Holden, Maine only about 7 miles from my home, as the crow flies. It’s about 800 feet tall. The best way to reach it is by either Wiswell or Copeland Hill Road. The latter crosses the northwest side of the hill at an elevation of about 400 feet. Valley View Road can be accessed from Wiswell Road and crosses the hill on the same side at an elevation of 600 feet. You can reach Tower Road from Wiswell Road and it goes to the top. All the road surfaces are good.

I’ve lived in Maine for 30 years and had never been to Copeland Hill before last Friday. I was out for a ride to get some ice cream, one scoop of Gifford’s Deer Tracks on a sugar cone, and thought it was time to go up on Copeland Hill. I was astounded by the view. Looking to the north and west you can see out over the central Maine lowlands to mountains that are more than 60 miles away. I was only on Copeland Hill Road, the lowest of the three roads on the hill. Unfortunately I had no camera and the lighting wasn’t great anyway. I can’t wait to go back and visit Valley View and Tower Roads. Pictures will follow.

NT700V

NT700V is a relatively new motorcycle put out by Honda in 2010. Because Honda bills it as a sport tourer and as a commuter, many call it a compromise bike. It isn’t the best as anything but my experience suggests that it is pretty darned good at most things.This report is based on my ride to Kittery, Maine last Saturday for a total of 388 miles. We did quite a bit of interstate highway riding. The NT had no trouble cruising at 75 mph, with engine humming along at 5000 rpm. If I needed a little more, there was still plenty of throttle.
My bike is stock except for three modifications: heated grips, wind deflectors and 1.2 inch (30 mm) risers. It was pretty chilly early in the morning, so I did use the heated grips though I probably didn’t really need them. The wind deflectors made a huge difference. They’re mounted on the fairing and look like a V turned on it’s side. You might wonder how well deflectors with a hole in them work? The answer is great. The engineer who designed them must have gotten an A in aerodynamics. Wind shoots above and below the grips and my hands were well protected. Lastly one can’t believe how much difference 1.2 inches difference in the position of the handle bars makes, but it’s huge. Onprevious bikes I would have been sore at the end of a 388 mile ride. I was tired, but there was no soreness in the lower back, arms or shoulders. With limited options for leg position you might expect leg fatigue but it wasn’t the case. However we did stop a few times to stretch and drain the old bilges. And the seat, on various forums I have heard many complain about seat discomfort and the need to change it our for an aftermarket variety. I have no complaints at all.
Though comfortable cruising on the highway, it is still fairly nimble with the 28° rake angle. So good on the highway and in the twistys. If you like a variety of riding conditions but can’t afford a stable of speciality bikes, the versatile NT700V Honda might be the bike for you.

Wild Hondas

I had a great ride and at the very least it means I have something about which to blog. I belong to an internet forum, NT-owners.org. The members all have NT’s or at the very least they are very interested in them. There is a small cluster of participating NT owners in New England and we had our first Kittery, Maine “Rally”. Four of us, Karl, Max Alex and me decided to get together and kick tires, tell stories and have some lunch in Kittery Maine. Oh almost forgot Tom, Karl’s son, joined us as well but he was on his Victory Hammer. Excluding Tom, the average age of the group was 62.5 only slightly older than the average male NT owner.The plan was to meet at the Kittery Trading Post at noon. To make that deadline necessitated an early departure from Bangor, so I left my house at about 7:20. It was a remarkable morning, with the temperature in the low 50’s, light breeze and dark gray clouds that hung low in the sky. It reminded me of getting up and out of the B&B in St Andrews Scotland for a walk before breakfast, an east coast of Scotland May morning. I filled the tank with $3.99 gas at the Citgo station near Exit 189 on I-95. There was little traffic on route 1 as I headed to meet Alex at the McDonalds in Belfast. After introductions, a coffee and a pit stop, we departed for Kittery. Alex took the lead going west on route 3. The pavement was in good shape, the road is wide with a generous breakdown lane, and Alex knows the lay of the land. He slowed us down in all the danger spots and didn’t elsewhere. As we approached Augusta his local knowledge really came into play as we hit the back roads, avoided the trafficand magically appeared at the on ramp to I-95 in Gardner.

I took the lead as we headed south passed Freeport, Falmouth, and Portland and continued down to the Kennebunk rest area. Here we drained the bilges and stretched our legs. From there it was an easy cruise down to Kittery. Traffic was light and the ride down was reasonably uneventful except for a couple of wind gusts that really got my attention. Thankfully I was wearing brown trousers. It didn’t warm up much and the clouds continued to hang low.

It didn’t take long to locate Karl, Mac and Tom, just look for old guys and NT’s. We introduced ourselves, talked about the ride down and other pleasantries. Soon it was as though we were old friends. There was some exploring of the Kittery Trading Post. As you might guess it is outdoor equipment, guns, archery supplies, clothes, etc. By the way this place was amazing, especially for fishing gear both salt and fresh water. Eventually hunger began to get the better of us and when the piece of fudge that Mac bought didn’t sustain us it was time for lunch.

We set out for Wild Willy’s going north on route 1 based on the

advice of Norm, a greeter at the trading post. Where else would we go? Other than an unexpected stop for gas by Alex, the trip was easy. Wild Willy’s is all about burgers! I went with the Willy

burger with the works. Haven’t had such a good and sloppy burger in a long time. At some point we asked Tom, age 29, if he felt like he was with the Wild Hogs and he had to admit that he did. Karl thought that Wild Hondas was more appropriate. After some more stories and histories we finished those burgers and headed north. The sun had come out a little more and it had warmed up quite a bit.

The group exercised poor judgement and I was chosen to lead. I accidently led us off Route 1 on to route 9 and eventually pulled off were we could all talk this dilema. Karl wanted to go to the ocean and the very next intersection happened to be Beach Avenue, so we took a right and ended up at the beach in Kennebunk. A sea breeze cooled the air as water temperatures are still in the upper 30’s. This didn’t stop surfers from taking advantage of the waves. This was definitely the high rent district. I glanced around for George and Barbara but saw no evidence they were in town. After some more pictures, we decided with was time to head north so I could get in before dark.

We parte ways and headed home. Alex lead as we headed for Biddeford and route 1 which would take us to I-95. Away from the coast it was quite warm, at least while wearing a lined jacket. We buzzed up I-95 to I-295. At Gardiner, Alex and I parted ways as I thought it would be faster and there would be less likely of a chance meeting with a deer on I-95. Traffic was very light and the riding was easy. However, I did see some potholes between Waterville and Pittsfield that could swallow an NT whole. Be careful if you ride that stretch of I-95. The shadows were getting long as I pulled into Bangor, and the temperatures were falling. The breezes continued to be strong all the way up to Bangor but either I got used to them or the gusts weren’t as strong as earlier in the day.

The ride turned out to be 388.4 miles, my longest one day ride by more than 100 miles. Most of it was on the interstate, or slab as the experienced bikers call it. I probably put more slab miles on yesterday that all previous riding combined.

I learned two things. On the interstate, I was startled several times as cars passed me. This taught me to look over my shoulder before a lane change. Secondly I learned that toll booths are a real pain when you’re on a motorcycle. The primary reason is getting those gloves off and on. If I had it to do over again, I would have the lead rider pay tolls for the entire group so only one person has to take the gloves off and put them back on.

Maine Coast in April

Last week I got out for my first significant ride of the spring. I did the Bangor to Mt Desert Island round trip on Sunday afternoon. In July this wouldn't be pleasant because of all the traffic, but in mid April no problems. All the traffic? Yeah, Acadia National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country so traffic jams are common around Ellsworth and MDI.
It was a beautiful sunny to partly cloudy day with high temperatures pushing 60°F. Not badthis time of year. The ride up and over the hills between Bangor and Ellsworth was scenic. I passed through Ellsworth with no significant traffic issues and on down towards MDI. The causeway to MDI passes on to a small island, Thompson Island that has a visitors welcome center. As I went by I noticed a fellow rider down on one knee looking at his front tire. Concerned he might be having trouble I circled back and offered help. Turns out he was just admiring all the tread he still had remaining on his tires that were quite old, but he was grateful that I stopped.
One thing to worry about on the Maine coast is air temperature. When the ocean really warms up in the summer, it's about 55°F, so you can imaging how cold it is now. When there is an onshore breeze, the air temperature plummets. In July it can be 85° in Bangor and 55° in Bar Harbor. Well last Sunday the breeze was onshore and as soon as the ocean came into view it got cold, real fast. I hadn't taken lined gloves along on the ride, so my hand were freezing while I was on the island.
On the way home I needed tape to repair a small tear in my Goretex jacket so I stopped atCadillac Mountain Sports in Ellsworth and a helpful sales associate directed me to it. I alsostopped at the Dunkin Donuts for coffee, mostly to warm my hands. By now I was away from the sea breeze and the remainder of the trip was warm.
One more thing. Most of the road surfaces were in great shape with one notable exception. Maine Route 3 between Northeast Harbor and Eagle Lake Road was almost impassable by motorcycle. I recommend you avoid this road until repairs are completed.

Will Winter Ever End

This weekend is the Maine Sportsman's Show at the University of Maine field house. What does this have to do with Motorcycling in Maine? There is a connection. This event is always held the second weekend in March and last year I rode our Piaggio BV250 to the event. It was a beautiful spring day, pleasant temperatures, a fine day for riding.

In contrast, this year there is still a significant amount of snow on the ground, probably a foot and a half of dense wet snow in my backyard. Right now it's raining and the forecast is for it to be heavy tonight. This may eliminate some of it and will probably lead to I some flooding.

The problem is that all of our snow, and freezing and thawing has created a virtual minefield of potholes, frost heaves and ruts on the road. It's as bad as I've ever seen it. So even it the weather improves, the roads will be little more than a slolam course for the next month or so.

When will we ever get some good riding weather?

Micro-marbles

Today I took the bike to Gold's Gym to work out. It extended my streak of consecutive months with at least one motorcycle ride in central Maine to 25. But it was a bit of an ignominious start to the 2011 riding season. I pulled the bike from the garage and let it warm up on the driveway as I donned my helmet, gloves and jacket. I slowly proceeded down my steep, dry, ice-free driveway. As I began to pick up speed, less than 5 mph, I squeezed the front brake. The next thing I knew I was on my left side at the bottom of the driveway. My pride is deeply hurt, my shoulder is a little bit sore, and the pannier lid on my bike is scratched. Other than that, all is well. There must be a thin layer of dust or silt that served as micro-marbles on which to slide.
So learn from my (bad) example. Be careful out there until the roads are cleaned up.

Time for a long overdue edition of Motorcycling in Maine.

I got my first motorcycle in October of 2008, a Honda Rebel. Good little learner’s bike and it served me well. I rode it into December but failed to get it off the tender and our of the garage in January. In February of 2009 we had a little thaw and I was able to take her our and around the neighborhood for a short ride. Almost not enough to be an official ride, but I rode and the streak began.

Since that time I have been able to get out at least once a month. Now this wasn’t on the same bike. I moved up to a Honda Shadow Aero and this past October transitioned to a Honda NT700V. All have been good bikes but the NT is my favorite. It’s not the best bike at anything, but it’s a really good bike for virtually everything. What do I mean? It’s one big compromise. It will do everything well. Corner, accelerate, break, cruise, all well. There’s a great owners group website, www.nt-owners.org, where people share information and stories about their NT’s. I get the sense that most of us who subscribe there are in our 50’s or older, but I digress.

I was sincerely worried that my streak was going to end in December 2010. It was cold or it would snow or it would rain; the elements were conspiring against me! Then on the last day of the month, the last day of the year, we had a break in the weather. It warmed to near 50°F. There was no snow or ice on the roads, it wasn’t raining. I took the cover off the NT and unplugged the tender remembering to put the cap on the connection on the bike. The side streets, though free of ice, were wet and covered with sand and salt. I took great care making my way to US 2 and headed north to Old Town, then back to Veazie, on to Bangor, and back home for a 20 mile loop. On the whole the road surface was dry and suitable, but I took it easy. I extended the streak and it was exhilarating!

I took it easy on New Year’s Eve, or Hogmanay if you prefer. New Years Day 2011 was another mild day. All road surfaces, not just the side streets, were wet, but it was a new month, a new year, and there was a streak to extend. The route was the same and and the streak was extended yet another month. My only regret was that the NT was filthy when I pulled her back in the garage. I wiped down the NT with a warm wet cloth. I still cringe at the mud, sand, silt and salt that I couldn’t get.

Lastly, I was extremely impressed with the protection afforded by the Honda NT700V. On these and other rides when the temperatures were even cooler the fairing and windscreen did a fabulous job of protection from the wind. I’ve seen reviews that the wind deflectors for this bike do an excellent job of diverting the wind away from your hands. I plan to add this feature to my bike in the spring.