I planned a trip, oh to hell with it, Lake George, Day 2

We woke up, always a good thing to have happen as you get older. I won't go over the details, they're disgusting and grewsome, lets just say, lack of real food all day, too many Motrins without food and a late steak diner aren't the best idea. Anyway, Pancake (Doug) being Pancake doesn't leave anyone wondering whats for breakfast, just up the road is the Adirondack Pancake House, who would have thought. We loaded the bikes, checked out, took a ride around town getting some photos, earlier post for morning shots. Then headed for the Adirondack Pancake House which....was not open. Luckily for the the Bisquick mix minded riding along with me, on the other end of town was Flapjack Petes. he was in, and so were we. Now right here I'm going to give you a riding tip, something I learned along the way, something anyone riding a 1000lb bike should know by now, you do not pull straight into a steep downgrade angled parking spot. You pull forward and roll back in, or you find another spot. You would think everyone riding a touring bike would know this wouldn't you. Nuff said. I waited as the "other'" rider reverse pull, front brake, reverse pull, front brake, etc extricated himself and we both pulled into an uphill slot. It may have been he wasn't actually awake yet, perhaps he hadn't enough coffee, or it was the smell of the smoked bacon wafting in the air that had him distracted, but as I came around the bikes I noticed a small garden hose with strategically placed holes spraying the bushes, I changed direction and walked around the bikes, saying as I went I wasn't going that way, The next thing I heard was , "What the, oh, wait, what" as he walked over getting hit by two fine streams of water. Flapjack Petes interior is reminiscent of a hunters Lodge, dead stuffed fish mounted on the walls, moose antler chandeliers, hanging canoe skiff looking boat and fish baskets. The food was really good, smoked bacon to die for.

The french toast by the way is two two inch thick pieces of French toast filled in between with about 2 or so inches of raspberry jam. I hate raspberries, I didn't go there.

The temperature was climbing fast, we headed down route 9 to route 254 and into Hudson falls, There was a hot Air Balloon meet going on, I guess their really a big thing up there. There were flight crew trucks towing balloon trailers all over the roads and filling the lots. Supposedly they had been going up in groups all day, and more would arrive and do the same, looking skyward the entire time I was there I saw not a one.

We arrived at Chicane's and Heather's and were invited to try the Grom. I have to say it is not what I was expecting, it looks small, but it's rugged and you sit rather tall on it, sort of like bar stool riding. The thing turns fast but no matter how hard he tried Doug could not get full lock in the loops.

Why am I reminded of the movie Tommy Boy? Fat Man on a little bike.

I did notice one thing, while I got some actual riding shots of Doug on it, he has me looking more like I'm not sure what to do with it.

After years of talking to Chicane and Heather the night before was the first time Doug and they had actually met. So what did we do about that? We decided to try and ruin Chicanes life. We put heather in the Queens chair on Doug's Limited. She usually rides on teh back of Chicanes Sport bike, we figured this way, after riding in comfort she would be busting his balls to get a Touring bike. She just got here learners and is in the process of practicing to get her license, We wish her luck and a lifetime of safe rides.

With Heather loaded in place Chicane took us on a cruise of the local country side and for a visit to a house they are building for a client. He was taking it slow until Doug told him to open it up a bit, He lit it up and took off, Doug kept it a little cooler with a passenger on back but I had no qualms and lit up the Street Glide. Kurt, Nice bike, shame you weren't riding it this day. The only reason I had to let off is because I hate helmets, which means it is just placed on my head not fastened. At 80 or 90 it is fine, when you actually start making some wind, it wants to leave. It is difficult to go hard into a sweeping turn at speed when you have to reach up with one hand to hold the helmet in place.

Slowing back down to ride as a group he lead up along a canal, through farm land, over Bacon Hill, (BACON HILL!!) and to the construction site where we met and talked with his father who was working the house that day. (Linda, ask Doug about your new microwave.)
(Somewhere along the ride we had a woodchip truck pass in the opposite direction spewing debris everywhere, Chicane closed his visor, Doug and heather dipped down behind the windshield, I, had no windshield, I was just ducking and dodging and squinting my eyes. Got hit with a wood piece about two inches long just below the knee, it smarted. Kurt, the bike does look bad ass with that spoiler thing, but you may want to look into putting a short windshield on there. You could do what I did on Felicity, short 12" windshield with the smoked Street Glide version behind it. Most people didn't even notice the clear windshield when they looked at the bike, and it beats duckin and weavin.)

From there Chicane lead us back north to Fort Edward so I could get some station shots and we had lunch at Ye Old Fort Diner on East Street. the building looks like it may have been standing during the French and Indian war and not had much maintenance since but inside the walls are covered with photos and memorabilia and the food is rather good and the service friendly. With the plan for the next day to be down to Sing Sing Prison, then Croton on Hudson engine terminal and shops with a run down the Catatonic Parkway (Taconic) to get there, we said our good byes and split up. Next year Doug is thinking about going back to Lake George with Linda and perhaps be able to hook up with the two for some riding.

We hooked a left on route 4, a right on 197 picked up route 32 south. The weather was warm, 88 to 90, I could feel my face in the sun and knew that because of the helmet and beard blocking everything else I was going to look like Santa Claus with rosy cheeks, the next day. (Later that same day it turned out). At Gansevort 32 makes a 90 degree turn east back towards the Hudson river and meets up with route 4 there in Thompson. Just before Schuylerville we caught a barge being pushed up river it had just come out of Champlain Lock 5. We turned in to visit the lock and caught a small boat inside just before the lowered it to let it out the south end. I asked the Canal operator about the clearance of the barge that had passed through, he said, "Oh that one was easy, five feet each side, the larger ones have a foot of clearance each side and those tug operators don't even let them touch the lock walls".

We continued down 32 to Waterford (32 and 4 are the same road from Saratoga to Waterford, there they split with 4 crossing the river into Troy) On 32 we ran through Watervliet and into Albany. There was only one U turn made, other than the one to get photos of the tug, and that was when route 32 went to the right up a hill in Saratoga and route 4 went straight. I went straight, Doug caught the error and called me on it. 32 took us up and around the Saratoga national Historic Park and back down to the river. Looking at the map after I got back I found that had I gone straight on rte 4 we would have followed the river and rejoined 32 at Bemis heights. This would have been quicker but there would have been no hills to climb.

Truthfully it pretty much feels like one city from Waterford to Albany. In Albany we headed for the Port then picked up 144 River Road. This road has some really nice hills and tight corners and we stayed on it all the way south to route 9 at Hannacroix where we stopped for fuel and drinks. We stayed on 9W all the south through Catskill, Cementon and Saugerites. We drag raced a southbound CSX double stack container train out of Catskill passing it and pulling in at Cementon to take pictures of another. There wasn't time to catch both because as we made the turn to pull in it slammed across the road crossing and was gone a short time later. We filmed the northbound starting off then continued our way to Kingston.

The Object of Kingston was to find the Catskill Mountain Tourist railroad, We stopped for Ice cream on the way to find it. To tell you the truth, it looks like this operation has either seen better days or is in the start up - needs cash stage.

Photos finished we departed town down 9W to cross the Hudson at Highland NY opposite Poughkeepsie. On the way down we found the town Danny, Doug and I ran through on our Albany trip a couple years ago, Saugerites and Saugerites South. These towns are set up in a grid pattern, tight two lane roads with tight 90 degree turns, and no straight routes through town, left right, right left, actually a tad fun on the bike if you're not into speed.

We crossed the Hudson on route 44 Toll bridge, this would be my last cigarette drop as well. We crossed and decided to get west of civilization before finding a spot for the night. By this time, after having dealt with the small bit of traffic through Kingston and Poughkeepsie, I had enough of it. The thought of riding down the Taconic into more of it, then dealing with it all morning as we tried to escape through Tappanzee and White Plains and out 15 had put me off the planned southerly ride. I asked Doug if he minded a different plan and he left it to me. So a Motel and Dinner. Neither of the ones we chose, I would recommend. First, The Cottonwood Motel, route 44 in Millbrook. They give no discounts for...anything. The room (1) smelled like mildew, but since it was dark and we were tired we said the hell with it, Out of the four pillows on the bed I picked the one that smelled the least, this is pretty bad considering I sleep in my house without an issue and I smoke in my bedroom. The Pizzahouse, Rockys, is about 2 miles up the road in town.

A funny thing happened on the way to get pizza, first Dougs windshield was covered with bug carcasses, it was dark and he couldn't see where he was going. Second, either his phone GPS was faulty, the Harley GPS was faulty, or Doug was faulty. We pulled right out of the motel to get the food, only to realize about two miles down the road was that it was in the opposite direction from the motel, so we made a u turn and headed back, past the hotel, up the hill, you could smell pizza, we slowed, nothing. a house with a lot of cars and a party, U turn, look around, Doug pulls over, I make another U turn and pull up on the opposite side of the road. he has us head back west. We arrive back at the motel, Doug is cussing up a blue streak. Retry, flip the phone over, Try Harley again. Left turn out of motel, two miles up, past the pizza smell, another mile or so, a right turn a left turn and a right turn, we're here.
Well they called it pizza but a dab of tomato paste with no seasoning, a piece of dough and a covering of cheese is not exactly the most delicious thing in the world, Basil!!! oregano!!! They are called spices people. We got back to the room, and hit the sack, so endith day 2.

Oh..by the way, according to Pancake I need a new name for the vest, Klay is out, my new name is Red Light. We hit each and every one at every intersection between Waterford and Albany, every damn one.