Serk
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« on: June 07, 2025, 04:56:37 PM » |
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KK is the lucky kiddo to come along for Inzane 2025... I noticed there's a Renaissance Festival 15 minutes from GZ so we decided to head out early so we could check it out.... Day one. Thursday 6/5/2025. Rowlett, TX to Dyersburg TN. 530 miles KK started counting tire carcasses on the road. 41 today. Texas, Arkansas, Missouri (Didn't even notice we'd be going into Missouri on my route planning until we saw the "Welcome to!" sign) and Tennessee.... Boring miles, blessedly uneventful.  Day two, Friday 6/6/2025. Dyersburg TN to Point Pleasant WV. 518 miles Tire carcasses - 57 The route was close enough to Point Pleasant WV we elected to detour just a tad. Kali had her motorcycle accident back in 2021 less than a mile from the Mothman statue, so KK and I decided to finally go see it (And taunt Kali a bit of course). I startled KK a bit when we got near when I suddenly yelled, swerved to the side of the road and emotionally started taking pictures. It was the exact spot Kali went down. The road was greatly improved though!  Saw the Mothman statue. Checked out the tourist trap shop. Checked it off my list.  We were close enough to the big power plant that was the scene of the last pre-accident pics with Kali that we chose to go over there and semi-recreate those pics... Kali in 2021:  KK in 2025:  Brief Kali interlude - she's now The Voice of the Cavalry, does the planning, setup and announcements for ceremonies for The First Cavalry down at Fort Hood...  Day three, Saturday 6/7/2025. Point Pleasant WV to Lewisburg WV 166 miles Tire carcasses - 13 Today we went to the West Virginia Renaissance Festival. Nice smaller faire, very hilly. The parking lot was just a muddy track, no gravel. I really thought I was going down several times, but we made it... Had a good time at the festival, saw some traveling performers we know from Scarborough Faire (The faire outside Dallas) and several we'd not seen before... Felt really weird to be at a Renaissance Festival while wearing pants!    From there we carefully exited the mud pit parking lot and made our way to GZ early, settled in and just chilling a bit now... See some of ya'll soon, and missing those of ya'll that can't make it...
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Oss
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Posts: 12615
The lower Hudson Valley
Ossining NY Chapter Rep VRCCDS0141
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« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2025, 06:01:37 PM » |
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Pants?
Then it hit me KILT
I may be slow but I get there
Oss
That is what Highbinder said about me and not just him lol
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If you don't know where your going any road will take you there George Harrison
When you come to the fork in the road, take it Yogi Berra (Don't send it to me C.O.D.)
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2025, 03:22:38 AM » |
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Great post and pics Brian, thanks for sharing.  I'm sorry I won't be in WVa to hook up. Apparently, everyone in your family is taller than me. 
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Shortie
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« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2025, 09:05:15 PM » |
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Haha! Hello everyone. I figured out how to make an account. Yay.
-Kk
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bassman
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« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2025, 11:59:34 AM » |
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Great report....hope they continue until you're both home safe and sound following a "wild and crazy time" at InZane. Also, thanks for the update on "our soldier".
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2025, 12:29:41 PM » |
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Haha! Hello everyone. I figured out how to make an account. Yay.
-Kk
Welcome KK.
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Serk
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« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2025, 03:00:35 PM » |
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Day four, Sunday 6/8/2025. Lewisburg WV 0 miles Tire carcasses - 0 KK helped get packets ready and helped with registering attendees. Then Early Bird dinner. We didn't leave the hotel, and I didn't take my usual plethora of pics but:    Day five, Monday 6/9/2025. Lewisburg WV and surrounding area 128 miles Tire carcasses - 3 Heard there was a bridge in the area. Put the bridge in the GPS, it gave me 3 options. Two of them were the same time estimate, but one was half the mileage; took the half the mileage route, two lane twisty roads, was a nice fun ride. Saw the big bridge. New River Gorge Bridge - longest single-span arch bridge on Earth outside of China (And China doesn't really count anyway  )  Rode the old one way road down to the bottom. 10/10 would ride again.   For some dumb reason I elected to take the "Twice the mileage, same time, mostly freeway" route back to GZ. I regretted that most of the way back, but we got back. KK helped some more with registration and raffle tickets then fulfilled the legacy of her big sister by doing the Vanna'ing for the raffle...   And now KK (Er, Shortie I guess?) has requested ice cream for dinner... I 'spose she's earned that, so off to get the kid some ice cream...
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #9 on: June 09, 2025, 03:25:18 PM » |
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Thanks again for posting and the story. 
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Hook#3287
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« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2025, 05:05:26 AM » |
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Your a lucky man, Brian. Seems like just yesterday you were posting about having triplets. 
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carolinarider09
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« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2025, 10:13:21 AM » |
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Having fun and good times. Excellent. Glad you are both having fun and living the life.
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Mooskee
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« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2025, 10:22:51 AM » |
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Nice ride report Serk. I wish I could be there this year, but my back has gotten so bad I dead walking any distance at all. It would be excruciating to just walk around the hotel. I will really miss the fun.
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six2go #152
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« Reply #13 on: June 11, 2025, 07:48:12 AM » |
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Thanks for the report Serk. At least someone is letting the rest of us see a little bit of the happening. I remember the early Inzanes when people would actually post videos from the Inzane locations.
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Serk
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« Reply #14 on: June 15, 2025, 02:34:13 PM » |
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Apologies for not updating this, been busy living it.  Just a quick update, KK and I had a great time at IZ25, then went through western New York, Niagra Falls, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and now back in the USA in Stratton Maine, time to point the bike home tomorrow... Will try to update and post pics and such later but wanted to check in and say Howdy!
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #15 on: June 15, 2025, 03:19:50 PM » |
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WOW. That is a big trip. 
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old2soon
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« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2025, 02:52:40 PM » |
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KK/Shortie has the energy I used ta have!  During the raffles and auctions she stayed Busy! I'd met the triplets and his Wife the night before Kali Graduation from Fort Leonard Wood But I've yet to meet Kali as when Kali graduated it was the height of covid!  Again KK Good Job!  RIDE SAFE.
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam. VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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Serk
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« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2025, 04:39:29 PM » |
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Gonna try to catch up on this a little bit: Day six, Tuesday 6/10/2025. Lewisburg WV and surrounding area 7 miles Tire carcasses - KK decided to reTIRE this tire counting thing (Mostly) Took KK to see a cave just a few miles from GZ... It was no Carlsbad Caverns, but it was still a nice diversion... (Lost World Caverns)   That evening was Block Party (And KK's first ever group ride experience of any kind. She liked it!)   Day seven Wednesday 6/11/2025. Lewisburg WV and surrounding area 51 miles Joe Boyd Memorial Charity Lunch Ride to Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park KK's first group ride of more than a few blocks, she REALLY liked it!      Lunch was provided by the charity (Children's Home Society of West Virginia) and was some good home cooked food. I think they were trying to give Motomama a run for her money on the pies and desserts!) Speaking of Motomama's pies and desserts, that night was the pie auction...  KK enjoyed "Vanna'ing" during the raffle...  I had my annual "I'm not diabetic tonight" slice of Sopapilla Cheesecake...  After all the pies had been auctioned, a surprise bonus pie entered the auction, and Motomama HAPPILY destroyed any who would bid against her for the honor of delivering it...   Okay, still a lot more to get updated on, but been a long day riding today, will try to update more once I'm home for real... Posted from Hope Arkansas...
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« Last Edit: June 20, 2025, 10:19:47 AM by Serk »
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #19 on: June 19, 2025, 05:41:32 PM » |
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Thank you Brian. 
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Serk
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« Reply #20 on: June 20, 2025, 10:18:59 AM » |
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(Will get back to the day by day once I've recuperated a tad, but...) Eighteen Nineteen States. Two Canadian Provinces. Fifteen days on the road. 4,915 miles. ...KK and I are home. 
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« Last Edit: June 22, 2025, 11:10:46 AM by Serk »
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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henry 008
Member
    
Posts: 1531
BRP
willard, oh
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« Reply #22 on: June 20, 2025, 12:31:55 PM » |
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And still smiling!  you guys are awesome 
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Safe Winds... Brother 
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RDAbull
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« Reply #23 on: June 20, 2025, 01:38:38 PM » |
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It's been fun following your travels. I wish I could have talked my sons into going on rides with me, but they just have never been interested in motorcycling. I looked at the old pictures of when the trips wre born, they are still as cute as they were then. Sorry I missed IZ this year, catch up with you next year. Roger
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2015 GoldWing Trike 1999 Valkyrie Interstate Trike, gone but not forgotten
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Serk
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« Reply #24 on: June 21, 2025, 09:19:49 AM » |
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Day eight Thursday 6/12/2025. Lewisburg WV and surrounding area ~1 miles Bike Games , banquet and beginning good byes... Week flew by. As it always does. KK at her post at registration (DO NOT POST THAT PIC OF ME EATING!!!)  Bike games were fun as always. KK and I took 2nd in Bite the Wienie (She HATES hot dogs, nearly gagged it out early) and the tennis ball snatch... (Well, KK placed, I just sat there riding the bike around.)    Thursday evening banquet, final raffle, charity presentation, etc always a good, and somewhat emotional time...    (When they put KK at the staff table, she wanted to crawl under it and hide. hehheh...)  Rare pic of that ugly dude that chauffeurs his kids around the country on a motorcycle...  Doing the raffle thing...  KK (And technically mine, but mostly KK)'s stack of awards (Which made it home and will be put up shortly by Shortie)  Willow demonstrating proper usage of one of the raffle prizes reminded me of a cross between a Woody Allen movie and a Mel Brooks one...  TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER! Once screen time ran out (I limit how long they have on their phones each day) KK tucked her best friend in to bed for the evening... 
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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bassman
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« Reply #25 on: June 21, 2025, 09:51:50 AM » |
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Another great read....THANKS !!!!! I do better with pictures also 
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Serk
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« Reply #26 on: June 21, 2025, 06:52:43 PM » |
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Day nine Friday 6/13/2025. (Friday the 13th. Good thing I'm not superstitious! Much...) Lewisburg WV to Corfu, NY (Just east of Buffalo) 496 miles Out early Friday morning, north bound. Not a lot of pictures today. Scenic overlook in West Virginia:   The destination in NY was chosen so that I could meet my manager. Since my entire team is remote, I've never met my manager, so decided some face time would be a good thing. Had a very good visit with her over dinner. Some rain outside Buffalo but not TOO bad...  Edit to add: Our motel in Corfu had an old fashioned phone, so I took the opportunity to borrow it for a minute and upgrade the phone holder on my bike...  
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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hubcapsc
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Posts: 16783
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #27 on: June 22, 2025, 10:59:17 AM » |
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TJ
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« Reply #28 on: June 22, 2025, 12:40:15 PM » |
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Serk
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« Reply #29 on: June 22, 2025, 01:12:02 PM » |
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Day ten Saturday 6/14/2025. Corfu, NY to Brockville, ON 353 miles (568 sillymeters) I'd been teasing KK that it was illegal to speak English in Quebec, so she'd (After 2 years of middle school French) need to be my translator. At the border crossing at the Rainbow Bridge, I mentioned to the Canadian customs officer it was her first time to Canada, I know they don't usually stamp passports anymore, but if they could... He looked right at her "I will, but only if she can speak to me in French." In that moment I think she thought I was serious about the Quebec thing, but she managed a few brief sentences in French, which surprised the customs officer coming from the little girl on a motorcycle flying a Texas flag, but she got her passport stamped.  We'd heard there was a little waterfall nearby, so we went to check it out. Luckily we got there early(ish) and got princess parking. Parked so close the bike was getting wet from the mist...   Took the obligatory boat ride into the mists (We did it from the Canadian side so it's the "Hornblower" instead of the "Maid of the Mists", but same thing basically.)  From there headed towards Toronto where I met a long time World of Warcraft friend for the first time face to face, then headed east. Stopped and got KK a forbidden Kinder Egg ($2,500 fine per egg if you're caught trying to smuggle these into the USA, so had her eat the candy on the Canadian side.)  Made it to a small motel in Brockville, ON for the night. Harley and Spyder parked in the room next door, nice guys. Didn't (Admit to) speak a lick of English. Our first real exposure to Québécois folks.. 
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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bassman
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« Reply #30 on: June 22, 2025, 02:53:06 PM » |
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Génial !  (Might need some help from KK on this)
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HayHauler
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« Reply #31 on: June 23, 2025, 06:07:01 AM » |
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GREAT reports Serk & KK!!! Really enjoyed taking the virtual ride with y'all. Hay  Jimmyt
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henry 008
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Posts: 1531
BRP
willard, oh
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« Reply #32 on: June 23, 2025, 07:09:54 AM » |
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Safe Winds... Brother 
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Serk
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« Reply #33 on: June 23, 2025, 08:23:16 AM » |
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Day eleven Sunday 6/15/2025. Brockville, ON to Stratton Maine 367 miles (591 sillymeters) (Sorry to drag this out so much, but trying to make the updates decent. Also admittedly I do this as much for myself as for ya'll, I still go back years later to the reports I've made and re-read 'em to bring back the memories...) Up from Ontario through Quebec and into Maine today. Took a detour up to Ottawa and Parliament Hill... Tried to talk them into trading California for Alberta but sadly no luck.....  Got some Poutine in Quebec.... Good and VERY filling! Even between the two of us we couldn't finish a medium order...  Crossed back into the USA. The border agent was surprised we managed to talk the Canada side into stamping her passport, he said they ONLY do that for immigrants now. But he was so impressed he agreed to stamp her passport too, but gave the full speech as if she weren't a US citizen, it was rather amusing... (No pic though, they don't like pics at border crossings.) Scenic overlook somewhere in Maine.  Saw out first (Sadly roadkill, happily wasn't roadkilled by us at least) Moose. (Again no pic) Made it to the White Wolf Inn in Stratton Maine. Lovely place. Very old school, quiet peaceful. Ya' know it's gonna be old school when you get an actual room key.  Quiet stream running behing the inn:  View from our room.... I could spend some time in this area I do think...  Only a few days left. This was the apogee of the trip, bike pointed back south and west (Mostly) from here...
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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carolinarider09
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« Reply #34 on: June 23, 2025, 11:17:24 AM » |
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Excellent Report Serk. And, just for the record, we have (wife and I and then with my Riding friend) mad a similar trip several times. Back in 2014, on one of our trips to Canada, is where I hit a deer on the interstate in West Virginia. I was on my ST1300-A and the right rear side case got damaged, front fender needed to be replace (but only after I got home). My friend was on his Goldwing somewhere behind me (don't know left or right) but..... he missed the deer as it swung around my bike. Deer hit was not "flat on" so the deer sort of wiped around the right side of the bike. It was dead. Trip continued on. Just had to use Duct Tape to keep the side case closed. My friend and I picked up our wives at an Airport in Maine and continued to Canada. And yes it was 11 yeas ago. If you are interested here is video I made of the trip. At the 34 second mark, you can see the red mark on the side of bike made my the deer. https://rumble.com/v5xq182-trip-to-nova-scotia-june-2014.html
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Serk
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« Reply #35 on: June 24, 2025, 07:41:04 AM » |
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If you are interested here is video I made of the trip. At the 34 second mark, you can see the red mark on the side of bike made my the deer.
Thanks for that, and glad it wasn't much worse! Deer (Or moose!) strikes were one of my bigger fears, always have been... We saw a family of live deer waltzing on the side of the road 17 miles from New York City! I wasn't expecting that!
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Serk
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« Reply #36 on: June 24, 2025, 07:57:24 AM » |
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Day twelve Monday 6/16/2025. Stratton Maine to New Haven CT 332 miles The states up here sure are adorable little things, aren't they? Started the day in Maine, saw moose along the road (Alive and dead), rode in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Found out after we got home we rode through Rangeley, Maine, which is one of the exact spots halfway between the equator and the North Pole. Picturesque little area with a stream somewhere in New Hampshire:   Hunkered down for the night in New Haven CT. Disturbing the check in desk is behind THICK bullet proof glass and "POLICE" is highlighted on their phone's speed dial but I understand that's just the way things are up here near "The City". Another "Found out too late" learned if in New Haven CT one must try the local pizza specialty "apizza", but learned of this right after we'd ordered sushi delivery.... Oh well, the sushi wasn't bad. (White boy sushi, not that raw fish stuff.) Was 46 degrees when we left the delightful inn in Maine, made it to the upper 70's as the day progressed. Spent the first ~150 miles on 2 lane back roads, absolutely beautiful and fun to ride. Pretty much super slab from here on out 'till home.
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Serk
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« Reply #37 on: June 24, 2025, 08:18:46 AM » |
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Day thirteen Tuesday 6/17/2025. New Haven CT to Woodstock VA 395 miles More more and "Get home" mode and less "Stop and smell the roses, and take pics" from here on out... This morning get up and check an item off my stupid bucket list. Ride a motorcycle (In rain and fog) through New York City (In rush hour no less.) I took a screenshot of Waze telling me I'd be in 40 minutes (It was closer to an hour before I thought to grab a screenshot) of traffic coming into The City...  Other than for traffic (And the one bum panhandling IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY!) we didn't stop, or even get off the freeway, so no pics. There was heavy cloud cover over Manhattan so KK couldn't see anything anyway. (It's her curse, took KK and her big sister to the Grand Canyon a few years back and this was the view:  (ABOVE PIC FROM December 2021 car trip for reference, not from 2025 motorcycle trip) KK developed a fascination with bridges on this trip, and she quite enjoyed the George Washington Bridge. I enjoyed that we were traversing it westward, so no $18.31 toll! Not a fan of New Jersey, or toll roads, but I will admit I quite liked one aspect of the New Jersey Turnpike - two sets of 2 separated lanes, with no trucks allowed in one of those sets.... I love and respect truckers, but getting beat up by their wind all day on the freeway wears one down (Further rant on that coming up in another day or two.) Took a detour down to Delaware so I could tag that off my "States I've been to" and "States I've ridden in" lists. Was funny, we crossed a toll bridge and I couldn't tell which state we were from the GPS so asked the toll taker, and she had to stop and think for a second before confirmed we were, indeed in Delaware. (Once I confirmed we were there I changed the GPS destination to "Home") I really wanted to make it to Roanoke this evening, but riding into and through New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington D.C., (After Boston and Providence the day before) had sapped our energy. Made it to the small VA town of Woodstock VA for the evening. 
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« Last Edit: June 24, 2025, 09:25:51 AM by Serk »
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Never ask a geek 'Why?',just nod your head and slowly back away...  IBA# 22107 VRCC# 7976 VRCCDS# 226 1998 Valkyrie Standard 2008 Gold Wing Taxation is theft. μολὼν λαβέ
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Challenger
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« Reply #38 on: June 24, 2025, 09:12:02 AM » |
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Well crap! The pics for todays adventure have disappeared. I will check back later. Thanks for posting your excellent trip diary.
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HayHauler
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« Reply #39 on: June 24, 2025, 09:23:05 AM » |
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"fascination with brides"??? WTH?? Just pickin'. Thanks for taking us along for the ride(s). Hay  Jimmyt
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