2017 Ride to Maine for Lobster!

Brad rode 5,860 miles for fresh lobster!

Brad logged 5860 miles from Utah to Maine to get a lobster dinner his year!

There were two goals of the 2017 NoWhereRide. The first was to go to Maine for lobster - accomplished! It was cheaper to buy a two lobster lunch instead of eating a single lobster. These lobsters were fresh and tasty. This was our second trip to Maine for lobster and the fantastic Bay Haven Lobster Pound in Cornish was hands down the best. We had all the fixings. It felt as if we finished a Thanksgiving feast. Brad would have fell asleep on the bike if the roads were not so curvy. We had an intense but brief COLD rain shower on the ride from

Cornish, Maine

Cornish to North Conway, New Hampshire that kept him awake. Brad usually dozes off using cruise control on the long stretches of road out west. During our annual rides we generally skip lunch to keep Brad awake and alert on the motorcycle. 

 

The second goal of the ride was to set up base camp in one small town for a few days taking day trips - mission accomplished! We enjoyed this concept very much seeing more of a region.  By the time we left Anarundel, Maine people were becoming familiar at the grocery stores and people recognized us while at a restaurant 75 miles from base camp. It felt like we were able to experience the community. In years past we'd get ideas to visit places of interest from people we meet at at ma and pa restaurants. Usually those places were hundreds of miles away.  We would ride hundreds of miles seeing awesome sites but also passing some not so familiar sites. The "set up base camp and make day patrols" allows us to become more familiar with smaller regions. This base camp and day ride concept allowed us to get local input for not only points of interest but for restaurants and scenic routes. We will try it again with a Midwest town next year. 

 

Left boot 13 years old; right boot new!

 Ride mission New Boots. It seems that Bill's motorcycle requires a repair each year during the annual motorcycle ride. One year the gear linkage broke while in freezing temperatures of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The linkage break led us to an adventure to find a hotel and repair the shop. One year the engine seals broke in Montana after the bike sat in storage in Illinois for three years while Bill was stationed in Japan.  Usually we stop for tire repairs; flat tire in Kansas (saved us from a tornado but tempted some creep in an LTD), and more rear tire replacements throughout the years. Once the soft tread on a motorcycle starts to get worn it wears really fast given the loaded down bike, heat of the pavement and long duration rides. 

Last year Bill replaced his rear tire and brakes. Yes this happened during an annual ride. So we had confidence the bike and tires were in good shape for this years ride. They were, Bill's 14 year old riding boots were not in good condition. The soles began crumbling off just as quickly as the tires would wear down to the fabric. The soles were wedge shaped causing knee pain when walking. They were fine for sitting on the bike and stopping for traffic signs. So started the mission to get replacement boots. Bill pledged to get new soles but on the old boots when he returned home. So we asked a few new friends where we could find a leather boot vender.  During our lobster lunch we see the lawyer who we met at Bentleys. An inquiry about leather boots resulted in directions to North Conway, New Hampshire and a shop called BootLeggers. The northeast has different styles of boots than we are accustomed to. Bill tried on a pair of logging boots. These boots has a thick heal and we were told many locals like them for riding. They were water proof and comfort. Mission accomplished- Bill rode out of New Hampshire wearing his new logging boots.

North Conway, New Hampshire

 

Base Camp: Our base camp was at Bentleys Camp Ground in Arundel, Maine.  Bentleys is more than a campground. It is a bar and grill, motel and campground for tents and camper trailers. The camp sites on the property are within walking distance to the bar and grill. We discovered Bentleys about seven years ago in 2007 when we made a detour after Bill's bike went into a slide with bald tires in the rain.  So we stopped at Bentleys to find a bike shop to get a new tire.  The staff at Bentleys told us where to go for a bike tire and even called the shop to see if it was open. The bike shop was closed for the day so we stayed the night at Bentleys and got a new tire the next morning. 

We enjoyed staying at Bentleys because we went on day rides and returned to camp where we cleaned up and was able to walk to food and the bar or entertainment area.

Bentley's 1939 Indian Scout Racer 45 c.u.

The food menu offered some good dishes. There were at least three different bars in the bar restaurant area. There was different entertainment each night at Bentleys. One night was open mic night where local bands played two songs each as they rotated thru the night. This produced a diverse crowd present to dance and cheer for their locally known bands. A wide variety of music too. I thought I saw a John Lennon look alike. One band looked the part and tried to play Led Zeppelin with less than desirable results. It was a fun night. 

There was an 80s rock band who were the main band for another night. These performers were in costume and changed costumes at each break. Really entertaining and fun atmosphere. There was a country western performer one night that attracted a large crowd. He got most of the audience engaged and dancing too. Each evening the crowds were very different. Early one evening we were surprised at a much older crowd- senior citizen older. It was a birthday party for a young lady turning 82!  The band catered to this group of senior ladies and their birthday party. Every other song was ladies choice where they combed thru the crowd picking a man to dance with. Bill became a favorite for one classy senior. These gals were referred to a Q-tips. Skinny and white tops like a Q-tip! 

Day Ride Old Orchard Beach.  We rode north until we were just south of Portland. Then turned toward the coast and discovered Old Orchard Beach. A cool breeze was blowing off the waves as they crashed on the beach.  There were no people in the cold water but many small groups gathered on the beach enjoying the sunshine and open sandy strip of beach.  

Day Ride Lunch at New Brunswick via Biddeford and Saco Maine: During this day patrol we rode thru the town and noticed a cemetery with dates of the 1800s etched into many of the grave stones. The towns of Biddeford and Saco date back to the 1600s. We ended up at Old Orchard Beach south of the boardwalk at the Brunswick sports bar-hotel for

lunch. We ate lunch on the beach looking directly at the ocean and seeing the local volleyball teams play. There was a huge pile of firewood on the beach for a bonfire. Nice place to visit during the day and night. The pier boardwalk has a carnival area enjoyable for kids and adults.  Hotels, restaurants and shops all along this area of Orchard Beach, this was the tourist area.

During our day rides Brad noticed that there were dozens of ice cream shops throughout the eastern Maine towns. The ice cream must be really good for ice cream shops to be so abundant in this cooler or cold climate area. So we had to discover which shop served the best ice cream. After asking a few people we narrowed our selection down to the “Fielders Choice.”   This ice cream shop was well known for their sundaes. The names of the sundaes were baseball themed such as the Closer, the Slider, and Muddy Cleat to name a few.

After our visit in Maine we rode west through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and into West Virginia.  We rode in two and a half days of rain.  Both our rain suits leaked at the seams to the point that our pants were wet.  Brads feet were soaked. His boots waterlogged. We stopped at a hotel and spread our wet clothes and gear out along the room, cranked up the heat and let it start drying.  We ordered a pizza for dinner and got some much needed rest. 

The next morning most of our clothes were dry except Brad’s boots.  Brad and Bill are both Marine veterans and know all to well the unpleasant feeling of warm dry feet in cold wet boots.  Brad grabs the pizza box from the trash, pulls out his pocketknife and begins to cut the pizza box into insoles for his boots.  He said the pizza box inserts worked great!  Improvise.  

Brad's Dry Pizza Box Boot Inserts

We met Bill’s childhood friend, Scott, who taught Bill how to ride a motorcycle.  They were in elementary school when Scott had an old Suzuki RM50.  Scott sat Bill on the dirt bike and told him to let out the clutch when he was ready to go.  Bill revved the throttle, popped the clutch and nearly crashed into the back of Scott’s Dad’s truck.  They had years of fun on that RM50.  We were glad to meet Scott in Nutter Fort for lunch.  Think that was funny, you should have heard Brad tell jokes and stories (true stories as usual) while we were at Franklins.

Nutter Fort, West Virginia

  Brad was on a roll; he was like a professional standup comedian.  People in the bar laughed so hard their eyes were watering.  We had a great night there with the after work regulars and a couple celebrating a birthday.  This was one of the highlights of the trip.

Bill and Brad rode west into Indiana together before parting ways.  We found the oldest bar in Centerville Indiana – perhaps self-proclaimed, the Brown Jug on Historic Route 40.  The regulars welcomed us with stories and many laughs.    Brad went west and Bill went east.  Bill rode route 50 from west to east across the entire state of West Virginia.  The eastern side of the state is comparable to the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee.  The twisty turns up and down the mountains are similar.  The biggest difference is potholes!   Bill was lucky enough to ride over eastern route 50 in the rain.  He went onto ride Skyline Drive before going home.    

near Richmond, Indiana

West Virginia Rt 50 east

    

Rt 50 West Virginia

Next year we'll ride thru a small town in the midwest.

2016 Ride to Glacier National Park

Montana August 2016

The 2016 NoWhereRide took us to Glacier National Park, Montana. This was the second attempt at going to Glacier.  During the first ride near Glacier we ended up following the Louis and Clark Trail into Oregon. That year we rode the entire Oregon Coast from north to south - what an awesome detour! This year we met in Missoula. We did some white water rafting, experienced the Testy Festy and took in the sites of the huge mountains of Montana. 

Tour Bus at Glacier Nat Park

Bill rode west from northern Virginia toward Missoula. Wanting to travel quickly I rode over the mountains of Cumberland and got into the toll road. That toll road stretched from Maryland, thru Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and into Illinois. The toll road was nice in that most of the travelers stayed to the right except to pass - the rule or etiquette that most drivers in northern Virginia do not follow. The toll way had petroleum stands and restaurants also known as “Oasis” which allowed me to stay on the toll way without taking exits for petro or food. I was rolling on the smooth surface of the toll road and feeling really good about the ride. I didn't stop for sites because I've been thru the area many times. 

Entering Glacier Nat Park 2016

When I arrived in Indiana, I paid another toll. This toll caught my attention because the amount due was $17.75. That was the birth year of our Marine Corps! I stopped at an Oasis to fuel the bike and stretch my legs.  I had been riding fairly fast on some of those long straight roads across Ohio. I drank a bottle of water and walked in a circle around the bike. I was amazed how the air-cooled motor performed at high speeds for hours and hours in the heat.  As I walked around the bike, I was looking for fluid leaks and noted all the bugs that will be tough to wash later.  My ride bell was still attached to the bike. I had that bell since 2001 on my Softail Deuce that was destroyed in a garage fire - I kept the bell thinking how lucky I've been riding over the years.  

Earlier that year, I had participated in a new motorcycle rider safety course that was being designed for the Marine Corps. I've taken MSF Courses every other year for the past 17 years and this new course was a blast! I learned so much about riding and gained some new techniques to control the motorcycle. My bike had just passed a state safety inspection just weeks before the bike trip. I felt like I was more prepared for this bike trip more than any other trip. Then as I continued to walk around my bike, I spotted it - the bald rear tire!  Brad will tell you that each year something always happens to my bike…maybe there is some truth to it.  I usually replace tires – not by choice but by necessity because the tires get slick quick!  My engine gaskets blew one year causing a few day delay for repairs. 

 

I've been known to ride until the tires are bald, seriously smooth, and then going just a little further before I get a new one. Not a good idea since the bike uses tread to stop, accelerate, turn and keep me alive. Brad and I were riding in the rain along some switchback roads near Maine one year.  I applied the brakes and slid thru a turn.  Fortunately the bike remained upright. It got my attention and pucker factor up. The next morning I got a new tire.

So, I continue to ride but not as fast as I have been earlier that day.  Now it is getting dark as I stop for gas in Chicago.  The bike appears to be sitting low in the back and higher in the front.  I am determining where to stop for a new tire.  I’ve experienced many Harley shops that require appointments and it really puts me off, especially when I ride to unfamiliar towns and need services such as a tire repair or blown seals.  I spent a few years living in Illinois so I was a little familiar with the motorcycle shop offerings. I knew just the shop that would accommodate my bike without an appointment, Tom Workman’s Harley Davidson.  Tom has a family operated Harley Davidson Dealership in Rock Falls, Illinois.  They have worked on my 2006 Street Glide many times. So I decided to ride about 3 hours further on this bald tire. 

Bill, How much further did you plan to GO?

I spent the night in Tampico, Illinois, birthplace of Ronald Reagan. I arrived at Workman Harley Davidson in Rock Falls just as they opened for business.  My customer information was still in their database.  The staff treated me like family.  Once the rear tire was off the bike, the mechanic brought it out to show me.  He didn't know how the tire was holding air!  The rubber was gone exposing the fabric woven threads.  I am lucky the tire didn't blow out in the middle of the night as I rolled down the I-92 toll-way with those cable type guardrails. So I got a new tire and brakes. Turns out my rear brake pads had no surface area left - perhaps no rear brakes kept me from hitting the brakes and rupturing the tire?  Glad I took that safety course that gave me confidence in using the front brake more forcefully! 

Fargo, North Dakota 2016

Fargo, North Dakota.  I could have rode thru Iowa and used a more direct route to Missoula but I enjoy the fact that I've rode in every state except Alaska and Hawaii.  I cannot remember much about North Dakota.  I know I rode to the state line during a Sturgis rally while playing the ABCs of Touring.  So this time I decided to detour north east thru Minnesota and across North Dakota.  I ended up in Fargo and took a selfie to show I was there.    

On the western end of North Dakota I entered Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Badlands of North Dakota.  They are a little greener than the Badlands of South Dakota.  I did not see as many prairie dogs as you’d see in South Dakota.  So while I snapped some photos.  I was walking along the cliffs overlooking the river to get a good photo.  As I walk back to the motorcycle I note the kids I saw playing in the parking lot were staring at me as I come walking thru the grassy area.  Then I notice the "Beware of Rattlesnakes" sign.  Thankfully I had on my leather boots!

MISSOULA, MONTANA

In Missoula, Brad arrive a day ahead of me. He discovered the downtown bars and Testy Festy.  We decided to spend some time around town, go see the festival and do some whitewater rafting.  The white water rafting was the highlight of our stay. 

We hired a guide from Montana River Tours.  We floated down the Alberton Gorge.  Our tour guide was awesome.  He told us some history of the river and described the river at different water levels during the year.  There was a family on the raft with us.  The family had two middle school aged boys. Brad told camping stories and talked about his culinary skills using a Dutch Oven.  

We were in a calm stretch of water and the dad and two boys jumped into the river for a swim.  Brad was telling the mom about his favorate Dutch oven recipes.  The dad had a GoPro on his helmet and Brad was interested in getting some photos from the helmet cam.  The discussion was interrupted as we had to pull the boys back into the raft as we preparing for more rapids.  During another calm on the river, the mom yells over at Brad, "Hey give me your email. I'll send you some photos and you can send me recipes!"  The dad was sitting in front of me on the raft.  He turned to look at Brad; the guys face was priceless- he immediately asked what had happened and what photos was his bride offering to send to her new friend?!?  We all got a good laugh out of that moment! 

Glacier National Park 

Flathead Lake, MT 2016

After the white water rafting trip down the Alberton Gorge we stopped in Missoula for dinner. As we ate, a group of about 14 bikers from Portland, Oregon came into the restaurant.  Turns out the group planned to ride thru Glacier National Park too.  They had the trip all planned out to where breakfast, dinner and hotels they were staying it.  Sounded like a trip that took months in the planning to make reservations and plan the route.  We were warned that there would be no hotels this time of year at Glacier.  It didn't bother Brad and I because part of the fun is finding a hotel.  Besides we had sleeping bags and are no strangers to sleeping under the stars. 

Whitefish, MT 2016

We departed Missoula and rode toward Glacier National Park.  We rode around Flathead Lake.  The water was a unique shade of blue that captures your attention.  We ended up at a small railroad town called Whitefish.  Whitefish had horse tie up parking areas along the Main Street.  Neat town.  We saw the old locomotives, had lunch and decided to stay the night and enter Glacier the next morning.  

Glacier Nat Park 2016

There was a hand full of hotels in the town.  Just as we signed for our room at the Pine Lodge, a large group of bikes rolled into the hotel parking.  It was the riders from Portland who we met in Missoula the day prior.  We lounged around the pool and went to dinner and drinks with the group.  The group was staying in Whitefish as few days. They planned to ride from the northeastern entrance of Glacier and back to the hotel.  Brad and I rode east and was not returning to Whitefish.  We passed the group the next day going opposite direction on the Going-To-The-Son-Road in the park. 

While in Whitefish we met a former Navy Sailor.  He was our bartender.  We told him our plans for riding thru Glacier. The sailor showed us some photos of a hidden lake.  The lake looked like a postcard.  He said it was a short hike and the site was worth every step.  I made a mental note of the trailhead location and when we arrived at the trailhead - Brad took some persuading but agreed to go for the hike.  So off we go hiking with our biker leather jackets and boots.  This hike was the highlight of visit to Glacier.  The sites were breathtaking. 

During the hike Brad’s stomach growled like a bear!  He must have been thinking of the huckleberry pie we were going to get later that day.  We walked past a large family who had stopped along the trail to eat sandwiches.  Brad stood next to the dad and warned him about the hungry bear in the area looking for a sandwich.  The man’s eyes widen at the thought of a bear.  He asked Brad is we had seen any bear.  Brad rubbed his stomach and told the guy he was hungry and was about to turn into a bear if he didn’t get a sandwich.  The guy immediately walked away leaving Brad hungry.  I guess the guy had too many kids to feed and didn’t want to share with some strange man hiking a trail wearing biker clothes. 

Further up the trail Brad strikes up a conversation with another gentlemen.  The conversation turned to food and how we were going to stop at the “Café” for the best huckleberry pie around.  The gentlemen asked Brad if he liked barbeque.  Brad told the man that he loved to eat but he does not like BBQ!  Turns out the gentlemen owned the Red Hot and Blue BBQ franchise.  He was familiar with where Bill lives and he still owned a house in the Washington DC area.  You never know who you’ll meet hiking in Montana!

Brad hiking to Hidden Lake 2016

My handy dandy camera stopped working during the hike.  My cell phone has a camera but it was turned off and buried at the bottom of my saddlebag on the bike.  Luckily Brad had his phone to take some photos on the hike. 

During the hike we saw some white mountain goats, rams, and something that looked like large squirrels.  The squirrels stole a loaf of bread from a family having a pic nic.  Yes, the whole loaf of bread!  The animal perched himself on an outcropping of rocks where we could see him handing out slices of bread to his animal family. 

HUCKLEBERRY  PIE!!!

Bill at Hidden Lake lookout 2016

After riding thru Glacier we had to stop at this house turned into "Park Cafe" which boasted the best Huckleberry pie around.  I ate my first bison burger and piece of huckleberry pie that day.  Both were really tasty!  We rode to the Canada boarder and then headed south toward the Louis and Clark National Forest. 

Top of the World 2016

We rode Bear Tooth Pass!  Elevation 10,947 feet!  The switchbacks and overlooks made for a white-knuckle motorcycle ride!  We stopped at the "Top of the World" gas station and general store.  Check out the photo of the gas pump.  The numbers roll instead of digital display. 

There was a brief decision point to choose between riding thru Yellow Stone or the Chief Joseph Scenic Bi-way.  We chose the scenic bi-way.  The scenic ride offered some amazing views.  Brad got to use his handy dandy air compressor and tire plug kit.  He helped a couple repair a flat tire on tier BMW bike and get back on the road.  

Brad can fix it! Chief Joseph ByWay 2016

Chief Joseph Scenic ByWay 2016

BearToothPass 2016

Brad and I plan no details of our trips.  We avoid chain restaurants and prefer the local diners.  Often we bring our paper road atlas into the diner and discuss where to go next.  This year we got some directions thru Wyoming from a gentleman who worked as a surveyor.  We rode east on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and ended up in Cody, Wyoming.  We spent the night there at a hotel with a friendly cockatiel; it tried to take the sunglasses off Bill’s head as we checked into the hotel. 

Cody, Wyoming 2016

From Cody, Wyoming we rode to Laramie, Wyoming where the idea of the annual bike ride to nowhere was conceived years before.  Laramie was the town where Bill and Brad rode to after being at a Sturgis Rally with a few other friends.  The rally was fun but Brad and I enjoyed riding thru the Black Hills, Custer, Devils Rock and aimlessly riding around much more than the organized rally.  So it was in Laramie where we had the idea to meet and ride aimlessly to nowhere instead of attending the organized motorcycle rallies. 

Brad getting ideas of where to ride. Wyoming 2016 

Heavens Peak 8,897 feet

That evening in Laramie, we walked around the town and heard a live band.  We go to watch a Colorado band called the Symbols perform.  I liked the performance so much that I ended up with an autographed CD from the band.  The band members and roadies provided some good conversations in the bar.  One woman and her boyfriend were hula hooping around the bar.  The hula-hoops were their means of transportation.

Our ride together came to an end.  Brad left Laramie riding west toward Utah and Bill rode east toward Virginia.  I had to stop due to a severe thunderstorm.  I was drafting behind a tractor-trailer truck because visibility was a few feet!  So I couldn’t see and the lighting across the Iowa sky spooked me so I took shelter at a car dealership and got back on the road when the rain lightened it.

Rain and lightning go away! Iowa 2017