Retrospective

As riding season comes to an end it’s time to look back at the highlights, and there were many. Here’s my top ten list (in chronological order).

1. Early in the season my friend Duane got a Triumph Thunderbird. We started riding together and it was obvious that Duane had the fever, bad!

2. Suzie decided that the Honda VLX was just a bit too heavy, so she went back to a Suzuki S40. We got it from a nice couple over near Skowhegan. It’s a great little bike, but too small for me. Perhaps she just wanted to keep me off her ride!!

3. My buddy “Cap” took the MSF course and got a Bonneville T-100. I picked it out for him, ha! This acquisition made him very happy and sent him on a helmet buying binge. He too has it bad!

4. During our annual trip to Ohio Suzie and I met up with Tim. He teaches at the regional campus of Kent State University where Suzie and I met in 1971. Tim also rides a Bonneville and we had a great ride on twisty eastern Ohio roads. 

5. With Cap, Duane and I riding Triumphs ,and knowing that Jim rides Triumph as well, it was inevitable that the Triumph Riders of Maine would form. We went on numerous rides around the state this summer and a grand time was had by all. Gary joined us for a ride late in the year and we hope he continues in the future. We also let a number of non-Triumph riders join us on many rides. They are honorary members.

6. One day in August Jim said to me “Lets ride out to Ohio” and we did. I was still on the Honda NT700V and it performed very admirably. It was my longest adventure to date. I learned a lot from my pal Jim.

7. In September a subset of the Triumph Riders made a trip to New Hampshire and stayed in North Conway. The weather forecast was good, but it was also wrong. I rained much of the way out. We got a bit of a reprieve on Saturday morning, but it turned for the worse in the afternoon, rain and cold. We did alright as we were reasonably well prepared.  

8. Though the NT performed well on the first New Hampshire trip, it was apparent that a bigger, more powerful, heavier motorcycle would have done a better job. Fish at Paul Blouin Performance offered me a great deal on a Trophy SE.  The rest is history. 

9. In October, a different set of Triumph riders made a second New Hampshire trip. This time we stayed in Lancaster. Issues on this trip were limited to early sunsets, slightly chilly temperatures, and a really crappy motel. We rode in beautiful northern New Hampshire, snuck into a little corner of Vermont, and visited the eastern townships of Quebec. Also we learned not to visit North Conway on Columbus Day weekend. 

10. Duane and I make an epic late October trip. We took back roads and little used state highways to ride to Damariscota and Metcalf’s Sub Shop. After a great lunch we headed over to Morse’s Sauerkraut in North Waldoboro. I’m still eating the kraut three weeks later. Delicious. The bright sun, good roads and lack of traffic made this one of the best rides of the season.

Disappointment

With forecast of temperatures in the upper 40s, I planned to take the Beast out for yet another final ride of the season. It was pretty chilly, 30s when I was preparing for the ride. Long johns, knee-length wool socks, wool sweater, balaclava, neck tube, the whole 9 yards. When I finally mounted the Beast, inserted the key and twisted it there was nothing, absolutely nothing. How disheartening!

I put the battery on a tender, but it still hasn't taken a charge and that was hours ago. I'll let it sit over night and check in the morning. Perhaps it's just a faulty battery. Let's hope. My fear is an electrical short some where hard to find. Yikes!

I rode the Bonnie instead. Windscreen was in the basement, no heated grips, no fairing. I hadn't been on it for a while and it felt good, but dang I got cold.

The last ride, well maybe

Fall is just getting underway in many parts of the country but here in Maine it's winding down. Snow can now fall at any time and with it comes treacherous roads. Not only because of the frozen mess but the roads get covered with salt and sand. Though many have put their bikes away for the year, some of us relish every last chance because each ride may be the last of the season and the roads won't be clear until March, maybe April.
Last Saturday was a special day, temperatures crested in the middle 60s about 15 degrees above normal. It was like we stole one. Duane and I set out for Damariscotta at about 10 am. The temperature was already 58°. We rode to Hamden on the highway, and from there it was back roads all the way to Metcalf's Sub Shop. State and county roads with little traffic cutting through farm fields,  woods and wee villages. Does it get any better than this? Not much. Parked cars by the road side and people wearing blaze orange reminded us that it was the first Saturday in hunting season. We soon spotted a successful father and son team using an ATV to bring their bounty out of the woods.
We hadn't gone too far before the temperature reached 63° where is stayed the remainder of the day. The sun was bright, hardly a cloud in the sky. The many hills along the route kept the riding interesting. Sometimes we wound around the hills and sometimes it was up and over. The pavement was good.
Most of the trees had lost their leafs. No yellows, reds or orange, just drab, brown oaks or naked branches against the blue sky.
The small #17 sub at Metcalf's satisfied my hunger. We sat out on the deck but the breeze kept us from roughing it out by the harbor. It was up Route 1 to Waldoboro then up 220 to Morse's Sauerkraut. When I asked for a 5 pound bucket of sauerkraut it didn't sound as big as it looked when they brought it out. Now I'm glad I got that size, as we're about half through it  in just a week and we've enjoyed the sausage too.
We return home in time go hose down the bikes and give them a good cleaning. Now if I don't mess it up, it's ready to be put to sleep for hibernation. I'll probably mess it up.