Just go round in circles, uh-huh

I awoke yesterday to a chilly 43 degrees, this is definitely not one of my favorite numbers when it comes to temperature. 43 is not one of my least favorite either, pretty much any temperature where body parts start to turn black and fall off from the cold are the most despised in my opinion, but any temperature below 70 is on my least favorite list. Preferably I would have the numbers in a range from, you can wear a tee shirt when you wake up, you can jump in the lake at 2am and like it, to your skin is turning red and the tires are melting to the pavement. I like to wear the clothes I wore and not have to add or remove anything because of the temperature. Everyday should start at 72 and go up from there and never drop lower than the start number.

Now, having wasted a good five minutes of your time reading that bunch of gibberish, truth, but still gibberish, let's get on with the day.
I made a cup of coffee, got dressed, (yes coffee comes before getting dressed, don't want to be disgusted, don't walk into my house until after coffee). I gathered all my riding needs, camera, phone, wallet, keys, lighter(s), and cigarette(s). Put on my chaps, my hoody (over two shirts), my leather jacket, and full gloves. I decided to tough it and put the helmet in the saddlebag. Started up Kurt's bike and hit the road. I made it about 2 miles before I stopped and put the helmet on, noodle was chilly.

I arrived at Dunkin early to talk to the other members, arriving at 8:05 for a 9:00 A.O.B. allowed me plenty of time to visit with, myself. Gone are the days, it seems, of lots of bikes and bodies having coffee and talking.

Shortly after 8:30 the bikes started arriving. Mister Gallup (of Gallup Hill fame?) was leading our motley bunch on a trip north to see foliage. having just been up there I expected that foliage to be of the greenish tint and was rewarded with that view of nature. Dave took us up Raymond Hill, 163, 82, 354 and into Colchester to meet up with the rest of the contingent. this was the first and only incident of  Cigarette Soccer on the trip, since I put the pack in play and no one behind received it, the game was over, We then cruised up 2 to 84 and 91 north to Brattleboro Vermont. honestly I wasn't crazy about all the highway running but on day trips you have a choice, highway up real roads home, real roads up - highway home, or real roads up and it's no longer a one day trip.

We arrived in Brattleboro in good time and rode down to the tracks at the Connecticut Rivers edge for lunch at the "Whetstone Station" restaurant. beautiful location over hanging the river at the bridge crossing to New Hampshire, Outside balcony and roof top dining also available but with limited menus. I had a beer aged in a wine barrel with citrus and vanilla beans stirred into the process, it was good, more reminiscent of a dry white citrus wine than a beer but it was good, as a one off. Switched to jack Daniels and a coffee. I avoided the menu item called Tim's favorite, bacon, burger, Vermont cheese and peanut butter may go well together, and I have had Thai and Vietnamese food with peanut butter in the mix, but somehow I just couldn't get past the Vermont cheddar peanut butter combo. Instead I had the brewers burger, rib,brisket, and chuck ground together and cooked over open flame with Vermont cheddar. It was an excellent choice. Linda had ordered the same thing but didn't receive her food with everyone else, the waitress finally came over and explained about a little mistake in which Mr Gowin had actually received her order. I asked him and backed me up, excellent burger! The temperature had gone up and with it the gear started to be shed.

Back on the bikes, Dave took us through town and onto the Molly Stark Trail (route 9). If you have never been on this road it truly is a must, it runs west up and over Hogback mountain with a series of climbs and drops and plenty of sweeping esses and corners. I will suggest if you do plan on going, go when it is Summer, the closer to leaf peeper season you get the slower it will get. (Look dear !! A RED TREE!!!)

At Searsberg he took us south down towards North Adams on route 8. Another fun road. We had a couple quick yells back and forth and rode up the Mohawk trail to Florida where I took the lead over the ridge and down Whitcomb Hill road for a road less traveled and to visit a piece of History. Whitcomb has two hairpins, one long and sweeping, the other short and abrasive with a falling rock, dripping water area at the apex. We hooked a left on River road and made a stop at the east end of the Hoosac Tunnel. (4.75 mile active railroad tunnel through Florida Mountain). pictures were taken, the railroad bridge over the Deerfield river looked at, then back on the bikes. dave took us down river road to Zoar road and back to the Mohawk Trail. (up river would have taken us along the west side of the bear Swamp reservoir, through Monroe bridge and to route 100 in Readsboro Vermont. 

We headed east through Greenfield, picked up 2A to 202 in orange, (Where Doug and I  turned north the week before on our way to Rutland Vermont), down the west side of the Quabbin to Belchertown, and 181 into Palmer for Whiskey bread Pudding. (Although some people had Lava Cake, I just don't get it at all). with darkness on hand, and the fact that the run along the Quabbins crags in the shadows had given us a taste of the temperature drop we opted to re-bundle for the ride home. We slowly lost people all the way home, a couple here, a couple there, I gave Dave a final good night at 214 and 117 in Ledyard Center.

New Ride !!!

Someone needs a Selfie stick

Weirdly, the preceding week we took a ride to Rutland, and down through new York without an issue, same bikes. 

After pulling out of the gas station on route 32 at route 84 I suffered a charlie horse on my left calf outer. I tried like hell, moving my leg around to get rid of it only to have the inner calve knot. Tears in my eyes, I almost broke off the ride to walk it off, but instead kept trying to find a way for the muscles to relax or stretch to stop the pain. I came up with the idea of using the crash bar since there were nno forward pegs. I lifted the leg up and stretched it on the bar, at which point the upper thigh muscle, on top on the bone decided it was it's turn to cramp and give pain. This lasted through Willington, West Willington,  Eagleville, Willimantic, Franklin, Yantic, onto 395 south, and along 2A without abatement. Slowly as I reached the end of 117 in Center Groton the muscles decided to call it a night. I rode home on 184, pulled in the driveway, just about fell off the ride in the garage and hobbled inside the house. Not what I would say was my most enjoyable 49 miles.