Thursday, September 03, 2015

Dam good ride!

During last Sunday morning's motorcycle ride I visited Holtwood Dam on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.  Even though I've ridden past the turn-off for the dam hundreds of times, I'd never stopped in.  Later, I stopped at another dam on the Susquehanna, Conowingo Dam, which is in Maryland, and a dam I've visited many times.  For instance, clicky here.

Holtwood Dam


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Monday, August 31, 2015

Road Eats: OleyTurnpike Dairy

I recently stopped in the Oley Turnpike Dairy, located south of (surprise!) Oley, Pennsylvania on (wait for it...) Oley Turnpike.  I first worked up a hunger by negotiating the twisties on PA 345 through French Creek State Park; it was early, so I had the whole park to myself. The blindingly bright low sun dappling thru the trees, making it difficult to spot potholes, gravel and deer, just added to the challenge.  The dairy started making its own ice cream back in 1970, and over the years, a diner and small petting zoo were added.  I'm not a big fan of private roadside zoos but as this one had only farm animals, and appeared very well-kept, I guess it's OK.  (Nothing like poor ol' Ricki the bear at another PA diner I've visited.) The diner was very busy, the grub decent enough, and the service was friendly if a bit harried.  As I was in the parking lot gearing up to leave, a tiny woman who had to be in her mid-80s told me how she'd motorcycled all over the country until she got "too damn old" to continue.  As I pulled away, she still had that wistful look in her eyes.

 






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Friday, June 12, 2015

Nothin' to see here; move along please!

It's difficult to get photos of oneself in motion on a motorcycle.  Below are some from the last few years, mostly shot by event or roadside photogs. You don't really need to see them; I just decided to catalog them in one place for future reference.  Yeah, I know a couple are just me standing around...



This and the 2nd below were taken at nearly the exact spot 3 years apart.

Too much civilization; get me outta here!





T'was a slow news day obviously. Posted at my American Legion hall.

Photo by Rod Don

Don't distract me with your camera; I'm trying to not ride into that stream.


Can you can spot the error in this image?




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posted by Doug Just Doug at 12:43 PM 3 comments

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Dealer Enthusiasm

About 150 miles into yesterday's ride, I was looking for a suitable rest and hydration stop when I passed a large Harley dealer with a lot full of motorcycles and people, and a BBQ vendor going full blast.  A quick 180 and I parked up.  I've passed Chesapeake Harley-Davidson  in Maryland dozens of time previously, and these weekend gatherings always seem to be happening. There were picnic tables under a tent, rocking chairs on the shaded front porch, food and drink (non-alcoholic I'm happy to report), and a mobile stage for the band that I imagine followed later.  The dealership is impeccably clean and the employees were friendly without feeling the need to put on the sales pitch. Large flat parking lot that even had a roundabout to keep traffic flowing in and out. Quite the oasis for riders. I was there for about 45 minutes and watched 40-50 bikes come and go.  And I know this isn't all that unusual for H-D dealers. Which had me wondering why none of the Big Four Japanese or Euro dealers near me do anything similar.  Sure, most dealers have an open house or a special event or two each year, but nothing consistent, nothing I know I can count on during any given ride for a little break. All it would take are clean restrooms and drinking water. I'm not a "lifestyle" rider, and I know that's a little part of it, but c'mon man, show a little enthusiasm for motorcycling and motorcyclists! And as I'm sure the H-D shops well know, having more riders hanging out, walking by those shiny new machines on the sales floor, leads to a few more sales.  Know ye of such shops?

"One of these things is not like the others..."

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Friday, May 15, 2015

Mid-Week Ride Report

Wednesday seemed as good a day as any to ditch work in favor of a long day-ride through the Amish countryside.  It was also the first day of my motorcycle club's annual rally HQ'd in Bird-In-Hand, PA, so I checked in there as well.

My famous map/nav skills took me down a gravelly road for a couple of miles.

Obligatory Pennsylvania covered bridge shot.

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 2:26 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 27, 2015

2015 AMCA Meet, Oley, PA

This past Saturday I rode up to the Antique Motorcycle Club of America's annual meet in Oley, Pennsylvania.  Two days later, my legs are still sore from repeated crouching down to shoot photos of so much great vintage iron; everything from Concours-quality restorations to bikes that looked as if they were just unearthed from the back of a barn that morning.  More than you may think were ridden to the meet, too.  Below is a mere sampling; click here to see many more from 2015, and click here to see motorcycles from 2013's meet.

Don't see this brand every day.






Liter bikes aren't new; this model was Lawrence of Arabia's favorite ride.

Beverly Hillbillies meets The Munsters?


This had a number plate autographed by Jack Penton, too.










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posted by Doug Just Doug at 10:08 AM 1 comments

Friday, March 13, 2015

Finally, a real ride this winter.

Made a wrong turn on the way to work yesterday.  Funny how that happened on a relatively warm (~40F) sunny day.  Spent the day wandering around Maryland's eastern shore.  I chose that area of Maryland over my usual Pennsylvania haunts because the eastern shore roads get plenty of sunlight, so ice wouldn't be a problem, and they're very lightly traveled, so trucks wouldn't be a problem (this was a workday for everyone else, after all). Also weighing against PA is experience, which tells me that its back roads would be full of new potholes/broken pavement, salt/dirt/mud and lingering ice in the shady areas. It wasn't a huge ride, 205 miles, but it was sorely needed.  Since 2015 rang in, my riding had consisted of a small handful of commutes, and a few rides of barely 100 miles each.   I'm hoping the constant freeze/thaw/freeze cycle we've been in this winter is finally done, but March is a rather fickle month for the motorcyclist.


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posted by Doug Just Doug at 11:03 AM 1 comments

Monday, November 10, 2014

New ADV Online Magazine



Stumbled across Road+Trail, a brand new adventure touring publication, while perusing ADVrider.com today. Give it a look; great ride reports!

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 12:58 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Pics from Ephrata, September edition

Saturday was miserably hot, humid and stormy, but Sunday's weather for the monthly ride-in at the American Legion post in Ephrata, Pennsylvania was close to perfect.  Here are a few of the bikes among the many hundreds that caught my eye.

Water buffalo in very good, unrestored condition.

Grimli would ride a Grom methinks.

Not sure, but may be ~1959 Valiant model. There may have been an engine shroud originally.  





Check out the brake details on the new EBR

Nice street tracker; check out the headlights.

One of the original Japanese sport-tourers.

Ha!

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Ride Report: Union Hotel, Port Deposit, Maryland

Last Sunday I was invited to join three Americade friends to a ride-to-eat event at the Union Hotel and Tavern near the old Susquehanna River town of Port Deposit, Maryland.  The hotel dates to the late 18th century, and has been a weekend favorite of local motorcyclists for years.  I've ridden past the event many times but never stopped because it seemed too "biker" for my tastes.  However, though 98% of the bikes there on Sunday were cruisers, the crowd was mellow and the staff very friendly. The blues band was excellent (though louder than a set of open pipes) and the BBQ was top-notch. Alcohol was sold, but so was a variety of beverages for those of us who need every brain cell when riding. Looks like I've found another RTE to add to the ol' ride calendar; it would also make a nice early afternoon rest stop on the way home from strafing some of my favorite roads in the PA/MD Susquehanna areas.  Brunch is served beginning at noon Saturday and Sundays.










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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Throw Back Thursday: The flightless bird who traveled around the world

One day in August, 2008 I took place in an around-the-world relay to benefit Riders For Health, involving an ostrich Beanie Baby, and a Pelican case to which each rider would add local trinkets. I was part of the 3-rider Delaware team which took the bird and case on a very hot, humid and occasionally rainy tour of some of our state's historical and otherwise notable sites.  The case eventually visited all 50 states before heading overseas and completing the ATW trip.  For a time, the bird was held for ransom in Indonesia.  His whereabouts are currently unknown, but there are rumors of a possible second ATW tour.

Taking the hand-off from the Pennsylvania lead rider.





The bird distracted this officer long enough for him to forget to ticket us for the totally illegal parking job we did in order to secure the photo below.



Meeting the Delaware state bird, a Blue Heron.

Meeting some strange old birds.

Found a lady friend along the way.

So this is where your state politicians "work"?

Handing-off to the Maryland lead rider near Chestertown, MD.

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posted by Doug Just Doug at 2:31 PM 0 comments