June 24 "Here comes the rain again..."
Motorcycles and rain are not a good combination. But I ended up safe and sound, and warm and dry in another motel--so much for my idea of motorcycle camping!
I slept late (8:30), but the morning went very well. Part of the ride was through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Back in the '70s, when we lived in Carlisle, Pa., our trucker friend Scott used to tell us about the stretch of road the truckers called "The Ho Chi Minh Trail" because it was so dangerous. That was Route 209 between Milford and Stroudsburg, Pa. Since then, the feds built Interstate 84 for the trucks and turned the Ho Chi Minh Trail into a beautiful scenic road along the Delaware River managed by the National Park Service. Now no trucks are allowed.
link to Delaware Water Gap NPS site
I continued on Route 209 beyond the national park area, and it was more of a mixed bag. I swear I saw a Pocono Mall, Pocono Village, Pocono Estates, Pocono Market, Pocono Liquors, but little sign of the Pocono Mountains themselves.
Outside of the quaint little town of Jim Thorpe, Pa., there was road construction that reduced travel to one lane at a time, controlled by a flagman. He had us backed up into the center of town and out the other side. That put me about an hour behind schedule.
Then, in Pottsville, Pa., a sudden thunderstorm broke out. I took refuge in a Burger King and waited it out. After about an hour, I continued on my way. But I only got about two miles down the road when the skies opened up again. This time I parked under a gas station roof and waited another hour. I was quietly meditating there when a huge clap of thunder and bolt of lightening shocked me out of my reverie. About then a nice woman who was pumping gas at the pump next to me asked where I was headed.
"I was hoping to get to Carlisle, but that's not happening," I replied. "I think I'll find a nearby motel, if this lets up."
"Well, there are lots of motels in Pine Grove," she said, "and it's right on your way." She gave me directions, and off I went.
Just before Pine Grove, a third thunderstorm hit me, but I persevered. I was doing all right until a big truck ran through a puddle in the other lane and splashed me from head to toe. I was so relieved to get to Pine Grove and the intersection with Interstate 81, where there were three motels. I chose the Hampton, and I'm glad I did. It has a guest laundry, a heated indoor pool, and free Internet--hence, this update.
Traveling alone has always had its appeal to me. Although I miss my friends, I enjoy the random exchanges with people like the woman at the gas station who steered me in the right direction, like the friendly waitress at the restaurant last night, and like several guys who stopped by to talk motorcycles when I stop for gas or food.
I also feel a sense of fraternity or comradery with the motorcyclists I pass on the road. We all exchange a friendly wave. It's usually some version of two fingers pointed down, as if to say, "two wheels on the road," or "rubber side down."
I'll continue to keep the rubber side down, but I am a lot more confident about that when it's not pouring rain.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
June 23 Good recovery
First of all, more about Wednesday evening. My gracious host, Dana, took me for a delightful walk around Roger Williams Park. I had already enjoyed my motorcycle tour of the park, but this time, she showed me some beautiful footpaths and we explored more remote and natural parts of the park. I feel like my time in natural surroundings began earlier than I expected. I had a restful night's sleep and a hot shower in the morning, and got under way by 7.
Today, Thursday, started off beautifully. I breezed through Providence and headed west on U.S. 44, a nice old road through rural western Rhode Island. There was a lot of natural scenery punctuated with small towns. The same pattern continued into Connecticut. I had no trouble finding the home of my old friend, Michelle, in Vernon, Connecticut. Her house overlooks a beautiful pond. I saw lots of birds, including a green heron and a Baltimore oriole. Once again, a touch of Mother Nature's beauty. I enjoyed a lovely meditation sitting on her back patio while Michele was getting ready to go out to lunch--or breakfast--let's call it brunch--at the Vernon Diner.
Then I got back on the road and enjoyed cruising along U.S. Route 202 across rural central Connecticut. But all good things must come to an end, and my riding pleasure did when I approached Danbury, Somehow the turn-by-turn directions I had typed out before the trip let me down. I found myself lost in downtown Danbury in rush hour. I have gone through the city on Interstate 84 many times, but my goal of avoiding highways turned out to be a disaster this time. I probably lost about two hours before I got back on track.
By the time I got to my destination, Fahnestock State Park in New York, around 6:30, the park office and camping office were both closed. The campground looked sad and uninviting. The park's big attraction--a beach on a like--was also closed. There was no place to get food. So I continued on west in search of dinner and a motel. It took a while, but I finally ended up at a very comfortable Holiday Inn Express in Fort Montgomery, N.Y. Even better, I had a delicious dinner at the restaurant next door.
One more thing: I crossed the Appalachian Trail this evening in Fahnestock State Park. This will be the first of many crossings, since my goal is to stick as close as possible to the crest of the Blue Ridge all the way don to Asheville.
All in all, I feel like I rescued what could have been a very uncomfortable evening. Life is good.
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| Michele got this shot of me in her driveway just before I put my helmet on. |
Then I got back on the road and enjoyed cruising along U.S. Route 202 across rural central Connecticut. But all good things must come to an end, and my riding pleasure did when I approached Danbury, Somehow the turn-by-turn directions I had typed out before the trip let me down. I found myself lost in downtown Danbury in rush hour. I have gone through the city on Interstate 84 many times, but my goal of avoiding highways turned out to be a disaster this time. I probably lost about two hours before I got back on track.
By the time I got to my destination, Fahnestock State Park in New York, around 6:30, the park office and camping office were both closed. The campground looked sad and uninviting. The park's big attraction--a beach on a like--was also closed. There was no place to get food. So I continued on west in search of dinner and a motel. It took a while, but I finally ended up at a very comfortable Holiday Inn Express in Fort Montgomery, N.Y. Even better, I had a delicious dinner at the restaurant next door.
One more thing: I crossed the Appalachian Trail this evening in Fahnestock State Park. This will be the first of many crossings, since my goal is to stick as close as possible to the crest of the Blue Ridge all the way don to Asheville.
All in all, I feel like I rescued what could have been a very uncomfortable evening. Life is good.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
June 22 Roger Williams Park, Providence
mileage 4836
I decided to make the first day a short, easy shake-down cruise--and so it was. Instead of taking Interstate 195 from the Cape to Providence, I stuck to the back roads, mostly on Route 6 through little towns like Marion, Mattapoisett, and Seekonk. I also went through Fall River, where I stopped at Burger King for a veggie burger.
I arrived in Providence in a quick little summer shower, which I mostly avoided by stopping at a gas station with one of those large roofs over the pumps.I was much earlier than expected. (I had told my very generous host for the evening that, Dana, I didn't expect to arrive until about 7:30) I decided to explore Roger Williams Park, which I remember enjoying when I lived in the area in 1970. It was much more beautiful than I remembered--perhaps they have improved it in 45 years! I was drawn to one particularly beautiful spot with a lake and a man-made waterfall. There was a resident flock of ducks and geese, and a statue I took at first to be St. Francis. But the plaque said it was a statue of Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) "Dreamer of Peace, Founder of the World Harmony Run." He was both a runner and a meditation teacher--two of my favorite things! I was glad that I brought my inflatable zafu (meditation cushion). So I took off my motorcycle boots, blew up my zafu and sat near the statue of Sri Chinmoy, near the lake, and listened to the sounds of the waterfall and the waterfowl. I had a beautiful meditation that set a nice tone for my trip. I did my usual morning sit before I left, but my mind was lost in planning and anticipation.
I also cruised through Johnson & Wales University looking for free Internet, but their Starbucks was closed for the summer. So here I am at a nearby McDonald's enjoying a lobster roll and an opportunity to update my blog.
I decided to make the first day a short, easy shake-down cruise--and so it was. Instead of taking Interstate 195 from the Cape to Providence, I stuck to the back roads, mostly on Route 6 through little towns like Marion, Mattapoisett, and Seekonk. I also went through Fall River, where I stopped at Burger King for a veggie burger.
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| My inflatable zafu |
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| Sri Chinmoy |
I also cruised through Johnson & Wales University looking for free Internet, but their Starbucks was closed for the summer. So here I am at a nearby McDonald's enjoying a lobster roll and an opportunity to update my blog.
June 22 Under way
starting mileage 4737
current mileage 4739
I made it two miles!
First stop: Nirvana Coffee in Barnstable Village for an iced chai tea. Packing up was harder than I expected. I had to pare down my gear, including my favorite hooded sweatshirt. As it is, poor Black Jack is heavily loaded. I stopped after two miles to make sure nothing shifted. All is well.
I made it two miles!
First stop: Nirvana Coffee in Barnstable Village for an iced chai tea. Packing up was harder than I expected. I had to pare down my gear, including my favorite hooded sweatshirt. As it is, poor Black Jack is heavily loaded. I stopped after two miles to make sure nothing shifted. All is well.
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
June 21 getting ready
Today I got my latest toy for the trip: a cell-phone mount for my motorcycle. This one is made by Cirro and includes a built-in charger, connected to the motorcycle battery. Jack and the good folks at Cycle Services in Hyannis installed it for me. I wanted to take a picture of it with the cell phone mounted, but I needed the phone to take the picture--modern life.This afternoon I have to take case of business and make sure all my finances are squared away for the month. I also have to make sure I have everything I need for the Wildacres Writers Workshop, which is the main point of the whole trip. OK, perhaps it is not the main point, but at least it is the destination. Then I'll start loading up the motorcycle with everything I will need for a month.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
June 18 getting ready
I am planning to keep a blog to record my month-long motorcycle odyssey from Cape Cod to Asheville, N.C., and back. I plan to leave on June 22 and return July 22. My companion is Black Jack, a 2012 Honda Shadow 750 motorcycle (named after a beloved cat). Two weeks of the trip will be spent at the Wildacres Writers Workshop in Little Switzerland, N.C. You should be able to find it at www.jamessmotorcycleodyssey.blogspot.com .
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