Ride Report - Spearfish to New York and return - The End & a few Pix from along the way.
- Thread starter bigjohnsd
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Bugnatr
Well-known member
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bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
Nice, uneventful, beautiful days ride from Buffalo South and East to Long Eddy NY. Long Eddy is down on the Delaware River almost in PA. Here with a group of 30 Upland Journal Forumites shooting Sporting Clays, eating way too much protein and imbibing good whiskey. Pix later today.
1900 miles on this trip, and darksider tire, no apparent wear.
The Grey Ghost just turned over 18K yesterday.
1900 miles on this trip, and darksider tire, no apparent wear.
The Grey Ghost just turned over 18K yesterday.
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bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
A great ride on Friday over to Geneva, down the west shore of the lake to Watkins Glen, then South and East via 17 to Long Eddy. A perfect weather day, mid 70's, little traffic, no problems.
Spent the weekend breaking lots of clay targets, eating, did I say eating, oh yeah, there was some eating going on.
Friday night Shishkabobs, Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Eel, Smoked Trout, Salad, Fresh New Jersey Sweet Corn and Brownies for dessert.
Saturday breakfast, Scrambled Eggs and that Kanuckistani Staple "Pea Meal Bacon". Pea Meal Bacon is a cured pork loin, coated in Corn Meal, sliced thin (1/8-3/16") and pan fried.
Saturday lunch, Italian Cold Cuts to die for with several types of bread and cheeses.
Saturday evening, more Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Trout, probably the best Smoked Brisket I've ever eaten. Thai Shrimp Grilled on skewers, Salad, Fresh garden ripened tomatoes, cake
There were more bottles of brown liquor than I could count, beers from all over the world and several pints of authentic moonshine.
Left Sunday morning after breakfast and made the 5 hour run to Waynesboro PA. First hundred miles was interesting two lane then onto I81 for the duration.
Left Waynesboro at 0800 this morning, bound for Buffalo NY and my friend Frank again. The mountains here generally run North East to South West, hard to travel North West but the TomTom found me an interesting non-highway rout which took me over plenty of mountains, through the Allegheny National Forest, at least they call a 2,000 foot hill back here a mountain. Lunch in Saranac NY then on up to Buffalo where Frank had taken the afternoon off. He took me on a tour of some of his favorite roads, back South on 219 for a ways then on 240 and west on 242 and further west to Mayfield before we beat a hasty retreat back to Buffalo up I-90 in front of a nasty thunderstorm.
Tomorrow is looking like a stay in Buffalo day as the weax between here and Indianna is quite unsettled and ugly. Forecast after tomorrow is for good racing weather though so I should be able to see sprint cars Wed-Sat night in Indiana.
Spent the weekend breaking lots of clay targets, eating, did I say eating, oh yeah, there was some eating going on.
Friday night Shishkabobs, Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Eel, Smoked Trout, Salad, Fresh New Jersey Sweet Corn and Brownies for dessert.
Saturday breakfast, Scrambled Eggs and that Kanuckistani Staple "Pea Meal Bacon". Pea Meal Bacon is a cured pork loin, coated in Corn Meal, sliced thin (1/8-3/16") and pan fried.
Saturday lunch, Italian Cold Cuts to die for with several types of bread and cheeses.
Saturday evening, more Smoked Shrimp, Smoked Trout, probably the best Smoked Brisket I've ever eaten. Thai Shrimp Grilled on skewers, Salad, Fresh garden ripened tomatoes, cake
There were more bottles of brown liquor than I could count, beers from all over the world and several pints of authentic moonshine.
Left Sunday morning after breakfast and made the 5 hour run to Waynesboro PA. First hundred miles was interesting two lane then onto I81 for the duration.
Left Waynesboro at 0800 this morning, bound for Buffalo NY and my friend Frank again. The mountains here generally run North East to South West, hard to travel North West but the TomTom found me an interesting non-highway rout which took me over plenty of mountains, through the Allegheny National Forest, at least they call a 2,000 foot hill back here a mountain. Lunch in Saranac NY then on up to Buffalo where Frank had taken the afternoon off. He took me on a tour of some of his favorite roads, back South on 219 for a ways then on 240 and west on 242 and further west to Mayfield before we beat a hasty retreat back to Buffalo up I-90 in front of a nasty thunderstorm.
Tomorrow is looking like a stay in Buffalo day as the weax between here and Indianna is quite unsettled and ugly. Forecast after tomorrow is for good racing weather though so I should be able to see sprint cars Wed-Sat night in Indiana.
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bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
Like a fool, I thought I had timed a perfect window between fronts and set out to visit an old Shipmate in Wexford, PA, a few miles North of Pittsburgh.
I got about 30 miles West of Buffalo before the skies cut loose. Of course I wasn't wearing my rain gear so my almost waterproof Tourmaster jacket and pants almost kept me dry. I-90 was flooded to about six inches in several places just before the first Travelers Oasis where I stopped to get coffee, fuel and don the real rain gear as well as remove my glasses.
There were several Kanuckistani motorcyclists holed up in the Lee of the building under an awning. I joined them.
After donning my gear I bid the pseudo Frenchmen adieu and ventured back out into the tumult.
After 40 miles, approaching Erie PA the clouds lifted. As I turned South on I-79 I even saw some patches of blue sky. I foolishly thought of pulling over and removing my nowcdry and too warm rain gear, however, common sense prevailed!
About 20 miles South of Erie the skies cut loose again and I was in heavy rain, as in trucks and cars doing 50 mph with their flashers on heavy. I needed to go about 65 to keep my visor clear.
I'm sure they thought I was nuts, I felt nuts but needed to see.
All's well that ends well though, and today has ended well catching up on the lastv20 years with my old Shipmate.
Tomorrow's forecast looks much better for the ride to Terre Haute and the next Sprint Car Race in Indiana's Sprint Week.
I got about 30 miles West of Buffalo before the skies cut loose. Of course I wasn't wearing my rain gear so my almost waterproof Tourmaster jacket and pants almost kept me dry. I-90 was flooded to about six inches in several places just before the first Travelers Oasis where I stopped to get coffee, fuel and don the real rain gear as well as remove my glasses.
There were several Kanuckistani motorcyclists holed up in the Lee of the building under an awning. I joined them.
After donning my gear I bid the pseudo Frenchmen adieu and ventured back out into the tumult.
After 40 miles, approaching Erie PA the clouds lifted. As I turned South on I-79 I even saw some patches of blue sky. I foolishly thought of pulling over and removing my nowcdry and too warm rain gear, however, common sense prevailed!
About 20 miles South of Erie the skies cut loose again and I was in heavy rain, as in trucks and cars doing 50 mph with their flashers on heavy. I needed to go about 65 to keep my visor clear.
I'm sure they thought I was nuts, I felt nuts but needed to see.
All's well that ends well though, and today has ended well catching up on the lastv20 years with my old Shipmate.
Tomorrow's forecast looks much better for the ride to Terre Haute and the next Sprint Car Race in Indiana's Sprint Week.
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bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
Unlike yesterday, I had a nice, quiet, uneventful and dry tide from Wexford PA throug Pittsburgh and the West on 70 to Cloverdale, IN, my base of operations until Saturday.
Any of you Indiana folks want to go for a daytime ride Thursday or Friday? Shoot me a PM with a cell # in it and I'll call you.
Terre Haute tonight.
Later
Any of you Indiana folks want to go for a daytime ride Thursday or Friday? Shoot me a PM with a cell # in it and I'll call you.
Terre Haute tonight.
Later
airboss
Well-known member
Things to do in Terre Haute.
John, you should take a ride out to the Moonshine Store for a burger. You're in the neighbor hood.
Go to Casey,IL and get directions at any gas station, don't trust your GPS, It's going to lie to you.
Remember grill closes at 12:30 Sharp!
John, you should take a ride out to the Moonshine Store for a burger. You're in the neighbor hood.
Go to Casey,IL and get directions at any gas station, don't trust your GPS, It's going to lie to you.
Remember grill closes at 12:30 Sharp!
steve_g
Well-known member
hey john, glad to hear you were in wexford (4 miles from me). it would of been fun to meet but i'm down in oklahoma for work this week.
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
Great idea!
Headed there in a few minutes, then on to Bloomington IN for the next Race tonight.
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
I pushed hard to get to Moonshine before 1230, only to realize once I was there that I wasn't on Eastern time any more.
Lunch was good.
Nice ride down to Washington Indiana, then back up to Bloomington for the Race, which rained out before the Main Event.
Slogged back to Cloverdale, wet the first 15 miles then just a little residual road moisture.
Packing up in the morning to ride with Alan-C and CAV47.
Lunch was good.
Nice ride down to Washington Indiana, then back up to Bloomington for the Race, which rained out before the Main Event.
Slogged back to Cloverdale, wet the first 15 miles then just a little residual road moisture.
Packing up in the morning to ride with Alan-C and CAV47.
Cav47
Adventure Seeker
See u in a few hours.
airboss
Well-known member
Wouldn't you know i'm on call this weekend, can't stray more than an hour from base.
Know you all will be having a good time.
Know you all will be having a good time.
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
My purpose in coming to Indiana was to attend the final four races of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Indiana Sprint Week. This series, for 410 CU" 800+HP Open Wheeled, non-winged, 1375# "Sprint Cars" has long been a favorite of mine. This is the fourth time I've made the trek so to speak, the second time on a bike.
The first race was in Terre Haute at the famed "Action Track" a long and fast 1/2 mile dirt oval.
The track was fast and a young Rookie showed the veterans the way to the checkered flag.
Thursday I revisited a favorite restaurant of mine in Greencastle IN, "Almost Home" is a real slow food kind of place, I had a leisurely lunch there and finished it off
while observing a number of ladies my Mate "Festar" would have certainly been interested in and accomodated by!
Thursday night was at Putnamville, only a few miles from my base of operations at the Cloverdale IN Econolodge.
Putnamville is a 1/4 mile track and was quite fast and tacky on race night. there were 47 Sprint cars vying for 24 starting spots, competition was fierce,
and the race was one by a cagey veteran.
Friday Night the race was in Bloomington IN. After having received a recommendation to try lunch at the
The Gray Ghost and I made the trip across the Wabash and got there in time for a good lunch.
The "Double Pork Burger" was excellent and I can only hope the Sprite Zero somehow offset the calories from the Moon Pie.
Not much escaped the Eagle Eye of the old bird behind the counter, the place was packed with locals, tourists and then the tour bus arrived.
Following a great lunch I headed via the TomTom's "Curvey Road" feature to Bloomington IN, another 1/4 mile bull ring.
Unfortunately, the Thunderstorms were building over St Louis and althoug the preliminary races were completed the main event was thoroughly rained out. I hid under the concession stand awning until there was a break in the torrential downpour and then donned my rain gear and scurried back to Cloverdale.
Saturday morning, after drying out consolidated dirty laundry in my compression bag and repacked the bike for the trip home, having just one bag liner to bring inside for the rest of the trip.
I rendezvoused with Alan_C and CAV47 in Martinsville IN and Alan led us on a great ride back and forth across Southern Indiana ending up just North of Tell City see https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/164258-ok-hoosiers-cloverdale-to-haubstadt-tomorrow-morning/ for details of a great ride.
After a great but hot and humid ride I ended up in Evansville IN for the evening after cruising along the Ohio River from Tell City. Stopped briefly in the village of Troy IN where my mother was born, only the second time I've been there, was there once 15 years ago with her. Couldn't find the house she was born in, my mind is failing.
The race on Saturday evening was in the village of Haubstadt, my phone was dead so i have no pictures, the track, another 1/4 mile Bull Ring was well prepared and the racing was great.
Sunday morning i was up at 0530 and on the road by 0600 bound for Madison Wisconsin. I took the Western bypass around Chicago (I-64 to I-57 to I-74 to I39 to Madison) A few thunder showers along the way but once North of I-90 the temperature and humidity dropped and it was a most pleasant ride. My purpose in stopping in Madison after only 437 miles was to attend another race, this time in Sun Prairie WI, the home of the Badger Midgets.
Angell Park Speedway has been in operation since the early 1930's and is the home of Midget racing in the Midwest. The track is owned and operated by the local Volunteer Fire Department. Aklong with the Midget race there was a Winged Sprint Car race and several other smaller supporting classes, micro midgets, winged cars powered by 600cc sport bike engines and Legends Cars, non-winged miniature old stock cars powered by 1300 cc MC engines. The Winged Sprint Cars don't interest me as the races are generally parades, especially on a somewhat dry and slippery track. I watched the Micro's the Legends and the Midgets race and left early before the Winged Sprint Cars took the track for their final.
Once again I was up early on Monday morning and on the road at 0600 CDT headed for Spearfish, one time zone and 817 miles away. I arrived home at 1745 MDT
The mileage for my entire trip is in Trip 2 below:
I didn't need my GPS to get to Sioux Falls SD on my first day and forgot to turn it on, but if one ads the mileage from Spearfish to Sioux falls to this number they result is close to Trip 2
Some Observations after a few days to reflect:
A great trip, my first as a Darksider. I would have burned up a Pirelli Angel GT on this trip, especially riding in the heat. Although the Darkside experience is more economical it makes my sports car drive like a truck, I have a new set of Angel GT's on the way.
I sincerely believe that "People of Walmart" may be filmed entirely on location in extreme Southwestern Indiana!
I believe i have more teeth than almost all of the other race fans combined at the Haubstadt race.
With the National BMW Rally being held in Billings MT the coming weekend there were lots of Beemers of various Ilk on the road. They all waved when i passed them. Having ridden with the FJR groups, and especially me Mate "Festar" I don't understand right lane 2-3 mph below the speed limit?
Either I am extremely lucky or I have a crappy detector or the LEO's just don't use it much, but my Radar Detector only went off a few times while approaching patrol cars. Having tested the detector with Ka and Laser here in town I don't think it is the detector.
There are some nice roads to ride in the East, however the speed limits are often sub 45 mph and there is always traffic to contend with.
The FJR is a great Touring Bike!
Next trip - a week on the road in the Northern Rockies with Festar after the Sturgis Rally, then a venture to Lapine and Reuben Run4
The first race was in Terre Haute at the famed "Action Track" a long and fast 1/2 mile dirt oval.
The track was fast and a young Rookie showed the veterans the way to the checkered flag.
Thursday I revisited a favorite restaurant of mine in Greencastle IN, "Almost Home" is a real slow food kind of place, I had a leisurely lunch there and finished it off
while observing a number of ladies my Mate "Festar" would have certainly been interested in and accomodated by!
Thursday night was at Putnamville, only a few miles from my base of operations at the Cloverdale IN Econolodge.
Putnamville is a 1/4 mile track and was quite fast and tacky on race night. there were 47 Sprint cars vying for 24 starting spots, competition was fierce,
and the race was one by a cagey veteran.
Friday Night the race was in Bloomington IN. After having received a recommendation to try lunch at the
The Gray Ghost and I made the trip across the Wabash and got there in time for a good lunch.
The "Double Pork Burger" was excellent and I can only hope the Sprite Zero somehow offset the calories from the Moon Pie.
Not much escaped the Eagle Eye of the old bird behind the counter, the place was packed with locals, tourists and then the tour bus arrived.
Following a great lunch I headed via the TomTom's "Curvey Road" feature to Bloomington IN, another 1/4 mile bull ring.
Unfortunately, the Thunderstorms were building over St Louis and althoug the preliminary races were completed the main event was thoroughly rained out. I hid under the concession stand awning until there was a break in the torrential downpour and then donned my rain gear and scurried back to Cloverdale.
Saturday morning, after drying out consolidated dirty laundry in my compression bag and repacked the bike for the trip home, having just one bag liner to bring inside for the rest of the trip.
I rendezvoused with Alan_C and CAV47 in Martinsville IN and Alan led us on a great ride back and forth across Southern Indiana ending up just North of Tell City see https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/164258-ok-hoosiers-cloverdale-to-haubstadt-tomorrow-morning/ for details of a great ride.
After a great but hot and humid ride I ended up in Evansville IN for the evening after cruising along the Ohio River from Tell City. Stopped briefly in the village of Troy IN where my mother was born, only the second time I've been there, was there once 15 years ago with her. Couldn't find the house she was born in, my mind is failing.
The race on Saturday evening was in the village of Haubstadt, my phone was dead so i have no pictures, the track, another 1/4 mile Bull Ring was well prepared and the racing was great.
Sunday morning i was up at 0530 and on the road by 0600 bound for Madison Wisconsin. I took the Western bypass around Chicago (I-64 to I-57 to I-74 to I39 to Madison) A few thunder showers along the way but once North of I-90 the temperature and humidity dropped and it was a most pleasant ride. My purpose in stopping in Madison after only 437 miles was to attend another race, this time in Sun Prairie WI, the home of the Badger Midgets.
Angell Park Speedway has been in operation since the early 1930's and is the home of Midget racing in the Midwest. The track is owned and operated by the local Volunteer Fire Department. Aklong with the Midget race there was a Winged Sprint Car race and several other smaller supporting classes, micro midgets, winged cars powered by 600cc sport bike engines and Legends Cars, non-winged miniature old stock cars powered by 1300 cc MC engines. The Winged Sprint Cars don't interest me as the races are generally parades, especially on a somewhat dry and slippery track. I watched the Micro's the Legends and the Midgets race and left early before the Winged Sprint Cars took the track for their final.
Once again I was up early on Monday morning and on the road at 0600 CDT headed for Spearfish, one time zone and 817 miles away. I arrived home at 1745 MDT
The mileage for my entire trip is in Trip 2 below:
I didn't need my GPS to get to Sioux Falls SD on my first day and forgot to turn it on, but if one ads the mileage from Spearfish to Sioux falls to this number they result is close to Trip 2
Some Observations after a few days to reflect:
A great trip, my first as a Darksider. I would have burned up a Pirelli Angel GT on this trip, especially riding in the heat. Although the Darkside experience is more economical it makes my sports car drive like a truck, I have a new set of Angel GT's on the way.
I sincerely believe that "People of Walmart" may be filmed entirely on location in extreme Southwestern Indiana!
I believe i have more teeth than almost all of the other race fans combined at the Haubstadt race.
With the National BMW Rally being held in Billings MT the coming weekend there were lots of Beemers of various Ilk on the road. They all waved when i passed them. Having ridden with the FJR groups, and especially me Mate "Festar" I don't understand right lane 2-3 mph below the speed limit?
Either I am extremely lucky or I have a crappy detector or the LEO's just don't use it much, but my Radar Detector only went off a few times while approaching patrol cars. Having tested the detector with Ka and Laser here in town I don't think it is the detector.
There are some nice roads to ride in the East, however the speed limits are often sub 45 mph and there is always traffic to contend with.
The FJR is a great Touring Bike!
Next trip - a week on the road in the Northern Rockies with Festar after the Sturgis Rally, then a venture to Lapine and Reuben Run4
Goodman4
Pressing on
Thanks for sharing BigJohn. I'm trying to decide if I head NE for our trip next year. Your homeland and Montana are calling me back that way, though.
