100 miles for a cup of coffee

[Momz]

Today my riding buddy "Kickstand" and rode down Hines Dr. to meet another riding bud, "Dave" in the village of Northville for the best $3.99 breakfast ever. We met at my house with the temperature of about 45 degress, but the sun was shining and the roads were dry.


After breakfast Dave suggested that we go to the town of Chelsea. Chelsea is a small historic town on M52 and is surrounded by lakes, woods, farms, and state recreational areas. Chelsea is also noted for the "Jiffy Mix" plant, art gallerys, resturants, the world famous "Purple Rose Theater" and the hometown of actor Jeff Daniels.

Kickstand and Dave said that since I was a "human GPS", that I should lead the group. I could have taken an easy route,...but where's the adventure in that? So I took those guys on some major "rural" routes through the middle "nowhere" and "just east of lost". We even rode miles of unpaved farm roads that wound around little lakes and marshes, deep forests and past farms that were far more than a century old. We finally made it back to some paved twisties and on to M52
We all wanted to visit "Zou Zous Cafe" for a bottomless cup of their famous brewed coffees and their outdoor tables.



Chelsera is also famous for being the Birthplace of the Flanders motorcycle from 1911 to 1913.
Flanders motorcycles were made both in Chelsea as well as the city of Pontiac.
This is a shot of the old Chelsea plant (across from the Jiffy Mix plant).


I've enclosed a picture of a 1912 Flanders.


Kickstand's fractured clavicle was starting to bother him and since we had our fill of great coffee we decided to head home. The temps were now in the mid-seventies, so we headed home via North Territorial Rd. into the city of  Plymouth. Through Plymouth and on to Hines Dr.; the trees were just starting to turn color and Hines Dr. is particularly scenic, with it's curvy roads, lakes and environmental restored wetlands. We all broke off and headed home, well satisfied with a great ride, good food and fine coffee.

I hope it stays nice for a while, because days like today are just a gift from above.

[Momz]

Does anyone know of a "great ride" to a long gone motorcycle plant, boardtrack, or a unique M/C museum?

We (Nomads/Tres Gimps Amigos) need to plan for next years activities. Us "old guys" still need to learn a little M/C history lessons.

[Dag]

"100 miles for a cup of coffee"  --  quite normal I think.
That's what we VRCC`s are known for. Riding, food, coffee and good friendship 

[LandElephant]

Define long trip?  There is a nice small motorcycle museum in Solvang Ca.  Unique auto museum in Tupelo MS.  Motorcycle / car collection in Reno Nv.  I believe there is a small auto museum in Auburn IN.  There is a large private motorcycle museum / cars in Santa Barbara CA where Honda Rider Club held their 10th Aniversary Bash.  For the life of me I can't remember the name but have been there twice.  Was owned by the late Otis Chandler, owner of the LA Times Synicate.

Any good ideas for you?

Charlie Morse
Land Elephant

[Momz]

I've been through "Wheels Trough Time" in Maggie Valley NC twice.

The "Henry Ford Museum" in Dearborn MI used to have a large M/C display, however it was reduced several years ago when they made their displays more "tourist friendly".

"Rockys" motorcycle accesories and camping store in Flint MI has quite a collection of interesting machines.

Town and Country Motorcycles in Cement City Mi has a small collection at the back of their dearlership and at the "Artesian Wells Resturant" next door has the remainer of the "T&C" collection on an overhead display.  

The Barber Motorcycle Museum is on my personal "bucket list".

[PJR]

The Curtis museum in Hammondsport NY has nice selection of motorcycles and airplanes. Nice riding through Finger Lakes region of NY also.

[Momz]

I've been through the Curtiss Wright Museum years ago.

But virtually across the road (bottom of the hill), there was an old centennial farm that is private motorcycle museum called "The Vanishing American" and it was dedicated to old time board track racers. The owner of that museum also has the worlds largest colection of Suzuki RE5 rotary motorcycles of the mid-seventies.
The museum is no longer open to the public though.

But the Finger Lakes area of NY state is definately one of this country's best motorcycling Shangrila's (OOPS,....let the cat out of the bag).

You can bet that the Nomads/Tres Gimps Amigos will be visiting these and more before we become compost!