Category Archives: TRAVEL BLOG

GlideFest 2019

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NEW Travels: July 24 – July 28 (Due to tropical Storm Barry)

Travels: July 17 – July 21

GlideFest is an annual ride with some seasoned riding friends to various destinations around the Country. The ride has been going on for many years and this year finds us heading to Bluefield, Virginia (about 50 miles north of the Virginia/North Carolina border and 85 miles north of Cherokee National Forest) and the awesome Back of the Dragon.

The Back of the Dragon travels along Rt 16 and spans 3 mountain ranges. It climbs to over 3,500 feet and offers 32 intense miles (and 260 windy curves) of exhilarating riding fun. Check back for more information as the date gets closer. Follow these links for more details.

http://www.backofthedragon.com/the-road.html

https://www.appalachianbackroads.com/back-of-the-dragon

Overall route spanning Wednesday – Sunday

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Travel Day!

It’s almost 4:00AM. Kat and I are working to leave here as soon as possible towards our first ride-through destination… Front Royal and Skyline Drive.

The day is done and it was a beautiful day of riding. Total distance was about 450 miles but I was weary when we arrived at the hotel and forgot to check the mileage, especially with Fred, Tim and Leroy preparing to leave for dinner. Wednesday morning was crisp and cool with temps in the mid-60’s much of the way. Although the temps started to warm a bit as we arrive in Front Royal the temps dropped back into the 60’s as we entered Skyline Drive (SLD). Fortunately Kat and I were dressed warmly and felt good.

As we negotiated SLD it felt good to glide the bike through the twists and turns. The Road Glide Special handled the twists in performance-like fashion and I could tell Kat was enjoying herself, especially with this being her first time on SLD. With the weather being so nice it was easy to lose focus and enjoy the ride but the “animal crash zone” signs that appeared from time to time were a stark reminder to keep a watchful eye on the road. In fact Kat mentioned several time that she saw deer on the sides of the road. Unfortunately, no bear 🙁.

During our way south we decided to stop at several overlooks to take pictures and some video and enjoy the strong cool breezes blowing across the mountains. It felt great to sit with Kat and look out across the blue-toned mountains with the breeze blowing across our faces. If we weren’t following a plan I believe we may have laid on the stone wall and taken a snooze in the warm sun. But alas, the Road called to us to keep moving. Great memories made though on there on the wall.

As we prepared to start our journey south some folks in a car approached looking like they wanted to talk. So Kat and I abliged and had a nice conversation with a family of Kentuckians on their way down SLD and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Once we waved goodbye to our new friends we quickly hopped on the bike and were off but with a slight change of plans. Instead of heading down to Rockfish Gap to exit SLD we decided to exit at Rt 33 to save more time for our next stop… The Natural Bridge. More on this latter as it’s now time for Thursday morning breakfast with the group. Hopefully I’ll catch up with my writing later today. Until that time we’re off…

Rolling Thunder XXXII – 2019

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Travels: May 26, 2019

It’s been some time since I attended a Rolling Thunder but with it being reported to be the final ride, and it being Kat’s first RT, I thought this would be a good time to ride. Read on to find out more about this solemn and powerful event.

The day started cool as we rode briskly from our home in Hanover, PA to Frederick Harley Davidson to begin our Journey. We were surprised how well Frederick HD prepared for the event and how big an event it actually was. We were also happy to see the complimentary breakfast sandwiches, coffee, fruits and other perks being given away. As we ate and woke up with the tasty coffee we watched the other riders pouring in and started realizing this was truly going to be big.

After we finished eating the kickstands up call was given so we prepared to leave. The excitement among the riders was thick in the air as we began systematically leaving the dealership. As we rode we felt a sense of being part of something worthwhile especially with all the people waving as we rode under the overpasses. Judging from Kat’s responses on back I knew she was having a good time as well. As we rode we could tell the temperature was rising but it wasn’t until reaching DC and slowing that it became apparent it would be a steamy day with heat and humidity.

With this reported to be the last Rolling Thunder the attendance was incredible with estimates in the hundreds of thousands. This became clear as we tried to get into the Pentagon parking lot but had to park on the entrances with thousands of other riders. It was hot but they were giving cold water out to those who wanted it. Kat and I made the best of it for a couple hours but eventually decided to veer past the parked bikes and head west towards clear pavement and open country.

As we made our way west then north towards Pennsylvania we had open riding and time to contemplate the day’s event. Although we weren’t able to get fully into RT we realized our participation to that point was fun and meaningful for us. As we pulled into our driveway we looked forward to a cool shower and some tasty Thai food we picked up along the way. Until the next journey…

GlideFest 2018

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 *Click HERE to Track My Adventure*

Travels: Jun 20 – Jun 24, 2018

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GlideFest is an annual ride, with some seasoned riding friends, to various locations around the U.S. The ride has been going on for a number of years and this year finds us heading to fellow rider LeRoy’s backyard in Northwestern Pennsylvania, just south of the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). The ANF seems like an awesome place and I’d like to spend some time there camping, boating and fishing at a later date.

*Check it out here..  Visit ANF    U.S. ANF

On this trip we’re hoping to visit Kinzua Dam & Skywalk, the PA Grand Canyon and the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville. Check back to see where we end up…

GlideFest Map
The epicenter of our adventure

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Travel Day

After getting home from work yesterday I realized I’d better mow & trim my jungle-lawn so I decided I’d finish packing this morning. After some good coffee, leftover pancakes w/maple syrup and yogurt I’m ready to throw my gear on and head out. Check out the (*Click HERE to Track My Adventure…) link above to see how it works. More to come…

Shoving off at 9:00am

The riding day has been ideal. Temperatures in the 70’s with lower humidity. I only encountered a few short-lived rain storms that barely dampened me.. unlike most others in our group as I’d find out later.

My route took me along the Susquehanna River trail with some stunning views of this mighty river. My problem was that I couldn’t find an adequately safe area to pull over so I couldn’t get any photos. Oh well, it’s imprinted in my brain ;-).

With only about 50 miles or so to go I decided to stop off in Boalsburg at the Pump Station Cafe for some good coffee… and a cannoli. Boy that cannoli was good… the coffee was too.  Pump Station Cafe

The rest of the journey to the base hotel Best Western in DuBois has been great. Many farms and mountains as far as I could see. It proved to be quite the pleasant ride.

Pump Station Cafe
Nice cup of coffee & great cannoli

After pulling into our hotel I was greeted by the friendly familiar faces of Leroy and Fred then Bill and Bob. As we talked a few others shows up, although no Phil and Nancy yet. After a quick trip to the grocery store, in Fred’s truck, for some snacks and beverages we decided to take the short walk to eat at the DuBois Diner. I had the Reuben sandwich and we all caught up on the past year of happenings with life, family and motorcycles. Now back to the hotel to continue…

Your Choice..

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Thursday, June 21, 2018

Flight 93 Memorial

(Flight 93 Memorial)

After a great night of sound sleep I woke up early, as usual. With a little time before complimentary breakfast I decided to dry Dory from a night of rain. Best Western hotels have a deal with Harley Davidson for various discounts AND many offer bike wash stations and/or drying towel service. In short order Dory was pristine once again. Time for breakfast.

Breakfast and coffee were very good and the company was great. It was so nice catching up with the guys on a year of happenings. As we ate we planned out the day. After breakfast everyone dried their bikes, gathered their ride gear and in no time we were off. A couple guys decided to stay behind as they weren’t feeling all that well.

The day was intermittent sunny, cloudy and rainy. No big downpours but at times we had to wear our rain-gear. The 100 mile ride to the Flight 93 Memorial was fun although the time at the memorial was very somber considering the circumstances in all those passenger deaths. As I walked around and looked at the pictures and artifacts real sadness struck me at times. I’d been here a couple other times and the sadness is always there. If you’ve never been here you should come.

Afterwards we stopped at the close-by Lincoln Café (The Lincoln Cafe) and were treated to a fresh, home-made meal. I got a steak sub which was awesome. After lunch we cruised the back roads to our hotel. The ride was in and out of a little rain but it was a fun ride none-the-less. Once back I showered and decided to do some blog posting before dinner. The weather tomorrow is forecast to be very rainy… we’ll see ;-).

Breakfast fun
The wall was the flight path
Our route from the hotel
Our group
The rock in ther distance marks the plane crash
Let’s not forget
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
My tasty sub

For dinner we found a great, nearby Italian restaurant called Luigi’s and boy we were glad we did. The food was authentic, fresh-made and quite good. I opted for a Caesar salad with shrimp as I was not very hungry after my big lunch. Luigi’s has an interesting history and quite the memorabilia on their walls.  (Luigi’s Ristorante)

After dinner we went back to our hotel only to find that Phil & Nancy had arrived. The rest of the evening was spent catching up, celebrating their arrival and the official introduction of Jack into our group.

GF Numbskulls
Luigi’s was a great Italian Ristorante
My Caesar salad
Jack being inducted by Phil
Our new Numbskull patches
Jack being inducted by Phil

Friday, June 22, 2018

Kinzua Dam & Skywalk  Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally

After another good night sleep and tasty breakfast we’re busy scoping out the rainy weather trying to decide on the day’s destination. More on this to come…

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Storms everywhere!

It was decided to head south to the Johnstown, PA Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally instead of the Kinzua area due to weather concerns. Before we got on the road we walked to nearby DuBois Harley Davidson and were treated to quite an interesting dealership. As you’ll see from the photos the dealership’s inside theme was as if their store was a small town with a road, streetlights, parking meters and more. As I think more about it I’m sure I’ll think of other unique aspects but it was very cool. Oh, check out the urinal with the clutch operated flush.

Tracks to somewhere…
The clutch flushes 😉
My kind of bench
Inside DuBois Harley
Inside DuBois Harely

The weather for the ride was drizzly at times and very rainy other times. Just before reaching the rally it poured so we decided to stop to let the rain subside a bit. As luck would have it the place we stopped at were giving away free breakfast sandwiches. Several of us took them up on the offer and the sandwiches were good. Soon we were back on our way and reached the rally uneventfully.

As we entered Johnstown Leroy decided that we’d park in an indoor garage, which was a nice touch considering the weather. I decided to wear my rain-jacket and good thing as we were pummeled with rain. As we walked around I saw the normal vendors that are at most MC rallys. Having been around biking for 37 years there’s very little I need so the vendors weren’t of much interest to me. We did find a place offering cheap beer and great french fries outside under a large tent which was timely as it started pouring. So there we sat drinking beer, eating great fries and socializing. It was fun but soon the rain slowed and out we were to finish our vendor tour.

Before too long we decided to hit the road on our way back via some twisty roads. The ride back was fun and uneventful. Soon we were pulling into our Best Western and I made a beeline for a quick hot shower then to the lobby for dinner. For dinner it was decided to walk to the Hitching Post which was pretty lively with some sort of party or celebration going on. We were seated at a large heavy wood table and had an attentive waitress taking care of us. I was surprised to hear that our waitress had three daughters as I do. I wound up with an awesome cheeseburger and a tropical drink that our waitress promised I’d enjoy (as she was also a mixologist). The drink was good but every bite of that burger was great. I was satisfied!

After dinner we walked back to the lobby and did some end-of-day reflection but soon dispersed for a much needed rest. Tomorrow I’m thinking we’ll head to the Kinzua Dam & Bridge Skywalk…. I hope!!

By the way, in one photo you’ll notice flood marking on the wall of City Hall. The area is in a flood area and has had some real doozies.

Waiting out the heavy rain
Going through Punxsutawney. See Phil?
Flood marks
Nice dinner

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Kinzua Dam & Bridge Skywalk

(Kinzua Bridge)

Well, here we are at our final riding day. It’s 9:00AM and having just finished a nice breakfast with most of the group I decided to save my photos to Dropbox and do some posting. The weather is looking stormy as it’s been each previous day but I think we may be heading to Kinzua. It’s a 10:00AM kickstands-up call so I’m going to finish typing for now and go get my gear ready for a day of exploring and adventure. More to come, after I get back home.

The Kinzua Dam was very nice as dams go. After a short time looking around and taking some pictures I’d had enough. I wanted to see the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk. A few people in our group opted to return to the hotel to pack for Sunday’s return trip home. That’s a shame as I felt the bridge may be the highlight of the day. Not only WAS it the highlight, the ice cream parlor a few miles from the bridge was AWESOME!!

As you’ll see from the photos the bridge was stunning. Although it was raining the four of us walked out to the end of the bridge. I believe I read that the bridge is 300 feet tall with part of it having collapsed from an F1 tornado passing through it. It was an awesome  spectacle with much of its structure laying below on the valley floor. If you get up this way you definitely have to eat ice cream and see the bridge.

Mt Jewett Tastee Freeze

Kinzua Dam

Small waterfall
The crew from afar..
Kinzua Dam
Nice views
Dory showing off

IceCream & Kinzua Bridge Skyway

The tracks to nowhere..
Lot’s of tasty flavors
Great ice cream shop
Kinzua Bridge & Skywalk
Those of us who made the ride; Leroy, Paul, Tim & me

This being our final evening we decided to walk to Hoss’s Steak & Seahouse. I had some ribs and broccoli which turned out a bit on the overcooked side. All in all we had a nice dinner and conversation before walking back to the hotel. Once back we decided to gather for a parting group photo to include new member Jack and two new interesting recruits whose names escape me.

After our photo op we stayed around a bit to discuss the trip and some possible ideas for next year. Floating around was the idea of shooting over to eastern Ohio in Phil & Nancy’s home state (or at least one of them). After some drinks, ride planning and goodbyes I was off to get organized and get a good night sleep. My plan was to pack and be ready to head south towards home before breakfast, figuring I’d eat on the road.

Sunday, June 24, 2018

The Ride Back Home

I was up at 5:00am, packed by 6:00am and riding away from the hotel by 6:30am. With rain in the forecast, go figure, I decided to wear my usual rainproof riding gear. After a quick goodbye to Canadian Brian, I was off.

For this ride home I wanted to glide south along the mountain ridges which looked great on the map. Not always trusting the GPS to follow my route instead of its own I wrote down the roads on a piece of paper. From DuBois I essentially followed these routes South and/or East. There’s a Harley Ride Planner link of the route below.

In retrospect this proved to be an absolutely gorgeous route that I’m anxious to ride both ways some time soon. I’m certain the sun, cool temperatures and dry roads helped but I could only think that this ride epitomized why many of us ride with the sights, sounds, smells and feeling of gliding through the breeze. I could smell the strong aroma of honeysuckle in the air, feel the warmth of the sun against my skin cooled by the cool morning breezes, hear the thumping of the tuned engine making easy work of the hills as I glided up and down.. left and right.

I did make one stop for bacon & eggs at Nick’s Diner right on Rt 22 near Lake Raystown. I’m glad I stopped as the food was good and I met two riders who were camping at the Lake. We had some good conversation as I enjoyed my tasty breakfast. Within 45 minutes I was off and enjoying this fabulous ride home while thinking about this year’s GlideFest adventure overall. It certainly proved to be a very wet journey, all-the-more glad I learned to ride in the rain and practice this critical skill on a regular basis. I would admit that I’ve had some of my most memorable rides in modest to raging downpours although I’d admit I prefer sunshine, cool temps and dry pavement. This trip was very nice and enjoyable and now I’m looking forward to my next adventure, somewhere…

Harley Ride Planner- route home

Key Roads Home:

  1. Rt 219
  2. Rt 729 (past Lumber City & Glen Hope)
  3. Rt 453 (through Tyrone & Birmingham)
  4. Rt 22 (through Alexandria, Huntingdon & Mt Union)
  5. Rt 522 (past Shirleysburg to Shade Gap)
  6. Rt 641
  7. Rt 997
  8. Rt 30 (past Gettysburg and on to Hanover)
Ride Home

The awesome route back home

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Dory is packed for the ride home

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Breakfast spot near Lake Raystown

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Mmmmmm

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Glidefest NumbSkulls DuBois-PA 2018

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Glidefest NumbSkulls DuBois-PA 2018

Shark Week VII

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CANCELLED: Due to the purchase of my new home in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania I regrettable had to cancel what would have been an awesome ride.

Travels: Jul 24 – Jul 30, 2017

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This blog is about the 7th annual Shark Week road trip. The host hotel is in gorgeous Cherokee, North Carolina and we’ll be riding some of the most beautiful areas in and around the Great Smoky Mountains such as; The Cherohala Skyway, Tail of the Dragon, Smoky Mountain Parkway and much more.

This is my first time to Shark Week so while I’m not sure of everything to expect. I am certain though it’s going to be an awesome time in one of the most beautiful areas east of the Mississippi. Check back closer July 24th for more…

PS: For those who don’t know, the term “shark” refers to the Harley Davidson Road Glide model that has a front fairing shaped like a shark’s nose.

GlideFest 2017

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CANCELLED: Due to the purchase of my new home in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania I regrettable had to cancel what would have been an awesome ride.

Travels:  Jun 17 – Jun 25, 2017

This trip is all about our annual GlideFest road trip and gathering. For 2017 our epicenter will be Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and all points surrounding this historic area. Check back near June 21’st for more on this awesome road trip.

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Spiritual Journey to Cherokee

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Travels:  Nov 27 – 29, 2016

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This trip is about a personal journey to uncover missing information in the Cherokee ancestry of my friend Kate. Kate and her family have been researching this for a number of years and recently she’s done phenomenal work in connecting the many dots of her past.

On this journey we were hoping to get some deeper insights from research at the Cherokee Museum and from the legend Jerry Wolfe himself. We’re also hoping to have some fun along the way and meet some interesting folks. Read on to see how this adventure unfolds.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Spiritual Journey

My friend Kate and I headed down to Cherokee, North Carolina to do some research on Kate’s Native American ancestry. She has done quite a bit of research trying to discover as many connections as she could while filling out her family tree. We made a Monday morning appointment with Eastern Cherokee Elder and “Beloved Man” Jerry Wolfe, who is a legend of sorts in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He was the first man to be honored as “Beloved Man” in 200 years. We were hoping Jerry could provide some deeper information on the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Kate’s family. We were also looking to perhaps meet with him again in the Spring 2017.

Our ten hour drive down was uneventful but fun. This was actually the longest road trip Kate and I have been on so far. Due to the weather, we opted to drive the car instead of taking the motorcycle and we enjoyed the scenery and our conversation throughout the journey. Fortunately the weather cooperated and we arrived in a blink of an eye. Okay, almost that fast.

By the time we arrived it was fairly late. We ate along the way at a roadside Waffle House and stopped to grab sandwiches later to keep moving. When we arrived at our hotel destination, the scenery was beautiful, although dark.

I looked forward to a warm shower and comfy bed after the drive. Monday should prove to be quite interesting. Lights out!

Cherokee Lodge – 1593 Acquoni Rd, Cherokee, NC

We booked this hotel as the price was right, it was centrally located and Native American owned. We were very happy with the hotel as it was in a nice location, it was clean and the staff was friendly and helpful.

Kate getting some pics of the elk
Our elk

Monday, November 28, 2016

Monday at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian

After a good night sleep, we got up fairly early, and asked about where to eat breakfast. As we walked back to the hotel room, we noticed some elk that were wandering around. The locals told us that it is normal to see the elk passing through for their breakfast, too.  We stopped and took some pictures, trying not to spook them.

We were in need of strong coffee and a healthy breakfast. With this in mind we decided to take the hotel clerk’s recommendation and go to Peter’s Pancakes. Peter’s wait staff and our hostess were friendly and inviting. The coffee was hot and strong and the breakfast was tasty and filling. Kate and I did some last minute planning over coffee then were off to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

When we arrived at the museum we were both feeling a bit intimidated. We were imagining our meeting with the authentic and very well respected (and revered) member of the Eastern Band of Cherokees. When we walked into the lobby,  Jerry Wolfe was sitting behind the museum desk as humble and unintimidating as you can imagine. After introducing ourselves we waited a few moments for the Most Beloved Man to join us in the lobby. He was very friendly as well and seemed excited to speak with us.

When Jerry came to us he looked at me and the first thing he said was, “You know Cherokee women come first.” I thought about this for a short while and was certain I’d be hearing it again at some later point, lol. I was actually in complete agreement. He then waited for Kate to sit then sat next to her. After some pleasantries the two of them exchanged information about Kate’s ancestry. Jerry was a soft spoken, peaceful and respectful man who spoke with purpose. He produced a handwritten list with a variety of Cherokee names that Kate could review. After about 30 minutes it was clear that our time with Jerry was over as he became interested in some other people that had walked in. We did not want to keep him any longer than he was able.  Before leaving I asked if I could get a photo of Kate and Jerry together which would be a very special memento for us.

Before leaving the museum we went to the gift shop to find some Christmas gifts. We found many interesting things to buy and some research materials for Kate. After leaving we decided to hit a nearby coop artist gift shop for additional items and we weren’t disappointed. Qualla Arts & Crafts sells the artwork and jewelry from over 350 local Cherokee tribal artists and offered some beautiful works. As it is a Coop, proceeds from sales benefit the artists as well as the community. Of course Kate and I bought a variety of gifts here including some special mementos.

After this gift shop we were ready for another hearty meal. We drove to the nearby Wize Guyz Cafe. We both found it to be clean, friendly and a nice place for lunch. We asked the owner about where we should go next. He gave us directions to two local waterfalls to visit after lunch, Mingo and Soco Waterfalls. Mingo falls has a long wooden staircase to climb to gain access to the falls. This was a great way for us to burn off some of our tasty lunch and no problem climbing for two fit people like us. The setting at Mingo was very beautiful. We spent a little time here taking pictures from the small bridge. After making our way back down we were off towards Soco Falls.

On our way, after seeing sign after sign along the road that said “boiled peanuts,” and “indian owned,” and “native crafts,” we happened by a roadside location call Bear Meats Indian Den. Judging from the name we weren’t sure what to expect but it sure looked good from the outside. Once we went in we were greeted by the friendly owner offering us to taste some freshly boiled peanuts. Now I had never tasted boiled peanuts before but have to admit they were quite good. Kate thought so too so we added them to our tally of take-home goodies. After buying some more authentic Indian wares we were off to the falls. After a short and twisty drive we came upon Soco Falls. After a short hike down a steep dirt path we were at a wooden deck overlooking the falls. I’d admit that even though it was a bit dark by now these falls were not nearly as interesting as Mingo, but still beautiful. After a short stop, we headed back to our hotel.

After taking a moment to consider our dinner choices, we decided to hit Paul’s Restaurant to enjoy our final dinner in Cherokee. Dinner was very interesting, and we wished we were more hungry because Paul’s offered traditional native meals, like frog legs, fry bread, and a number of other dishes. We voted together to go for the fry bread, and since it was quite sweet the waitress suggested we start with that as an appetizer. It was delicious.  The rest of our meal was light, and consisted of soup and salad.  Next time, we noted that we definitely want to go back there when we are really hungry.  The service had some questionable ratings, and that was one of the reasons we chose not to go there earlier. We want to express our delight with a wonderful waitress, home cooked food, and an awareness that it is not fast food, because it is prepared to order. The reviews were either not correct or created by some very impatient people, in our opinion.  After a nice meal and conversation we were headed back to the hotel to pack, shower and call it a day.

The Cherokee Museum
Breakfast time
Kate with Most Beloved Man, Jerry Wolfe
The stairs at Mingo Falls
Mingo Falls

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

The Long Return Home

The time had come to return home. Kate had accomplished much of what she came for and we both had some fun too, and some great food. My goals simply were to support Kate in her search for information, be a good companion and to drive. It was a great time and I do look forward to returning in the Spring.

After our last breakfast at Peter’s Pancakes we were off and running. As we headed home I thought a lot about this journey especially being the longest road trip Kate and I had been on together. I had enjoyed the time and felt we were good “car” travel companions as we had been on a few motorcycle trips previously. As we made our way towards home we stopped at an out-of-the-way Goodwill thrift store to check things out. Now I’ll admit that I’d never shopped at Goodwill before but was amazed at the deals I walked away with. Two pairs of nice jeans for $4.00 each and a few shirts. Kate also was able to find some deals. I had to openly admit to her that I may become a Goodwill shopper from now on ;-).

As I recall the rest of our trip home was fairly uneventful. About 10 hours of driving we pulled into home at about 10PM. It felt good to arrive. After a little talk-time we were drifting towards dreamland with the next road trip dancing in our heads.

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Blue Ridge Parkway
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Our elk friend

Seneca Rocks Climbing

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Travels:  Sep 09 – 11, 2016

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This trip is about our annual excursion to Seneca Rocks, West Virginia for climbing, caving, hiking, camping, fishing.. and other fun as we think of it. These trips are spearheaded and guided by local climbing expert (he wouldn’t admit this) and all-around swell guy Mark “Indy” Kotchte.

Mark is quite a unique and talented individual and I always look forward to spending some time together climbing and catching up on life. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and fun had by all.

Indy Adventures

Friday, September 9, 2016

Departing for Seneca, WV

It’s been the usual busy week leading up to the Seneca weekend with little time to pack. So I gave myself three hours this morning while getting Samantha ready for school. Thank goodness I waited to take my shower as the humidity is stifling. I plan to leave work early to get a good jump on the 4+ hour ride to the campsite.

Arrived at Seneca around dinner time then made fast work in setting up camp. After a great freeze-dried meal of chicken and mashed potatoes I was right as rain. Speaking of which I was treated to a three minute downpour while enroute to Seneca.. quite refreshing. After some socializing I’m off for some early rest to see what tomorrow offers up.

Seneca Rocks
Dory
My campsite
Dinner… mmmm

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Day 1

I woke this morning remembering loud chirping and some other strange sounds as I was lulled to a deep sleep last night. As I stretched myself awake I hurriedly boiled water for my freeze-dried eggs n bacon and French press coffee. It’s hard to explain but I’ll say that being far out in nature breakfast just tastes that much better, so I took my time and savored it.

After breaky I headed over to see what Mark and guests were up to. Lots of discussions about caving, climbing and the swimming hole. It all sounded good to me but by not bringing the bike trailer I had to forego the caving gear. When all was said and done I decided to hit the town to do some blog posts then head out to Blackwater Falls State Park to explore. I’ll hit the swimming hole later to cool off.

It was a “cool” ride for the appx. 40 miles through the mountains and the high elevation to reach Blackwater Falls. After touring through the park I decided to stop at Sirianni’s Restaurant for lunch. Nice place with a history.. The food’s good too ;)).

After heading back to camp I stopped at the store to do some posting and find out where the swimming hole is. Fortunately it’s very close by so onward I went. Great place with VERY COLD water. I was so hot from the past two days though I just jumped right in clothes and all. It took about 10 minutes for me to catch my breath from the cold water but then had a great time swimming and splashing about. After a while I got out to air-dry then headed to the store. While there I met up with some climbers from camp who mentioned they were heading to the swimming hole. I did a quick ride to camp to alert the others in case they wanted to swim. I then headed back for another dip.

More swimming and much-needed exercise with several others from camp then once thoroughly chilled we decided to join some at the Upper Deck for dinner. I partially dried, hopped on the bike and headed over for a tasty BBQ sandwich and comradery. Once finished I rode back to camp then settled into my tent to read and sip some 12 year-old Angostora 1824 rum. A nice ending to a great day.

The View
Tasty Breakfast
Swimming hole-1
Swimming hole-2
Swimming hole-3
Fellow climbers at dinner

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Day 2 & Departing for home

After a cooler night of sound sleep I woke up very early to the pitter-patter of some raindrops on the tent. After zipping the tent rainfly closed I was back off to sleep. After waking (to a clear sky) feeling refreshed I ate breakfast and drank my last cup of morning brew as I thought about the day. I decided not to do a morning climb (with a small group that was heading over to the cliffs) as this would put me home way later than I wanted. When I’m tenting it by motorcycle there’s always a lot of post-trip maintenance to do to keep all the gear working right.

After meeting in the pavilion I learned that most were already packing to get a jump on the return trip home. After some talk of the trip, future trips and some goodbyes I went back the break down my camp. After packing my world into two bags I strapped everything onto Dory and said some final thanks and goodbyes. It’d been a fun trip that I enjoyed. I’m thinking of mentioning it to Samantha and the girls next year who may want to come out and give caving a try. Packed and ready off I went to the store to do some blogging. Darn, their wifi is down, so onward I go..

The ride home was cool, crisp and clear and thoroughly enjoyable. The mountain views, valleys, veggie and flower gardens all looked just a bit better in the coolness of the high pressure system that made it’s way in. As me and Dory glided down the backroads then roared onto the highway I felt the twang of not wanting to leave such a beautiful area. As I progressed I thought many things, as usual, while my senses were bathed in the wonders of nature. I must have had a smile on my face the entire way back ;-).

I stopped once for gas and to grab a sandwich at a big Wawa west of Frederick, MD. After a long 30-40 minute break, and some conversations from patrons passing by Dory, I threw a leg over the saddle and made a bee-line for home. After arriving I washed and dried my gear, clothes and dishes then finished some weekend chores. As I drifted towards sleep I recounted the short but fun weekend with friends out in nature… just the way it should be.

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GlideFest 2016

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Travels:  Jul 28 – 31, 2016

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This road trip is dedicated to fearless Fred and the hardy bunch of motorcyclists I had the good fortune to meet some years ago in Marietta, Ohio. This well-traveled, experienced group of riders hail from many different parts of North America but come together for an annual ride at some beautiful destination throughout the country.

This year’s excursion will find us centered in Beckley, West Virginia for three days of comradery and riding pleasure in the hills and twisties of one of my favorite states. Stay tuned for more details…

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Day 1 – Heading Out

I was packed and on the road by 6:00am, heading out Rt-70 towards Harper’s Ferry then out to Winchester, WV. I decided to craft a country-roads route on the computer from my home to the hotel in Beckley, WV, then upload it to the GPS.

After a brief time on I-81 I took Rt-48 west then Rt-28 south through the mountains and Seneca Rocks (no stopping to climb Mark, lol) then on to Marlinton, WV for lunch at the Greenbrier Grille. The riding and views were great as there was a lot of twisty mountain roads on Rt-28. Dory just ate up the miles ;-)).

After a tasty lunch by a stream in Marlinton I followed the preset route to explore some more great roads before heading to my hotel In Beckley, WV. I expected nothing but rain and storms on this trip but didn’t get a drop today. I’m looking forward to seeing the guys and Friday’s ride…

After I got to the hotel I met up with some friends to catch up on the past happenings and talk about Friday & Saturday’s ride. The weather will play a big part of our weekend as it looks like storms every day. Not everyone is thrilled with the forecast and some decided to stay home. Although the rides would need to be more conservative I just enjoy getting out, rain or shine, and that’s what my rain gear is for anyway.

After dinner and drinks we decided that we’d reconvene at Friday’s breakfast to decide on Friday’s riding.

Preparing Dory for a long ride..
Passing through
Heading towards Rt-28 south
Kac Ka Pon Restaurant for breakfast
Seneca is coming 🙂
Lunch by the trout stream- Greenbrier Grille
Arrived in Beckley WV

Friday, July 29, 2016

Day 2 – Friday’s Ride

After a nice breakfast at our hotel we decided to follow Saturday’s more interesting ride plan for the day. This was prompted by the unpredictability of the weather and the general feeling that Friday would be better than Saturday. While Phil and Nancy headed to the local golf course to play “18” (yes, they strap their golf bag to their motorcycle 🙂 the rest of us mounted up and headed out for the hills.

It felt so good be be out with the group again and being a very experienced group we tend to have spirited rides. While I can’t recount all the roads we were on (some of the group actually can) I will tell you that we were curving left and right, up and down and every conceivable combination of these movements. For a while the air was cool and I had a good time getting better acquainted with Dory up close and personal on some great roads. After a while we decided to stop for lunch at the same Greenbrier Grille that I visited the day before.

At the Grille we sat outside in view of the stream while enjoying some good food and fun conversation. After lunch we headed back to the mountains for more gliding through the hills. Although dark clouds were seen much of the day some ominous rain clouds grew up ahead in the direction we were traveling as we headed back to our hotel. Although my spidy-sense told me to pull over to don the rain gear we collectively decided to race the storm back. We lost and about 10 miles from the hotel it poured. So we all hunkered down behind our windshields and limped back. After a warm shower and some tumbling in the clothes dryer we were good to go (the clothes that is).

At dinner we talked about the day’s events and what’s on tap for Saturday. Due to the worsening weather part of the group decided to head back home Saturday. A handful of us decided to stay and give Saturday a try. Good thing we did as Saturday turned out to be another good riding day.

The View
Getting ready to ride
Parking lot planning
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Snacky snack
My little friend
Samantha’s mascot
The GlideFest group
Paul & Fred
Mmmmmm
Nancy doing some wishful thinking..

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Day 3 – Saturday’s Ride

After a hearty breakfast and some weather talk those of us that stayed headed to New River Harley Davidson for coffee and “stuff”, taking the scenic way. We happened to catch an antique car show going on at the dealership which was a nice touch. After spending some time here we took the long route back to the hotel.

As we headed back we came to a strange stretch of great twisty road with fresh blacktop that appeared to be carved into the mountains. It had some steep walls and actually reminded me of roads out in the mid-west. It was the strangest road I’d seen in a good while. Good thing it hadn’t rained as fresh asphalt tends to be slippery when wet. I’ll have to ask one of the guys what that stretch of mountain was called to put it on my redo list. Scott may remember.

Continuing on we negotiated more twisties before arriving back at our hotel. After some cleanup we decided to hit the local Pizza Hut. After some great veggie pizza we walked back to the hotel and landed in the lounge for our evening recap of events and boy has it been eventful. After drinks and conversation I headed to my room to pack some things for an early Sunday return trip. I decided to head back with Bill, Leroy and Scott who were all heading north to points in PA and NY State.

Another awesome day!
Breakfast planning
New River Gorge
New River HD-2
My next bike..
New River HD-1

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Day 4 – Returning Home

After a 6:00am breakfast we did our final bike packing, fueled up and were off. It was a foggy, cool morning and I really enjoyed it. We generally headed up Rt19 and made our way to Rt79 heading towards Morgantown, WV. I enjoyed the leisurely pace and the great sweepers of Rt79. Eventually we stopped at the Pilot station near Morgantown to fuel up and say our goodbyes. We decided it’d been a good trip and looked forward to maybe taking a Fall ride.

As the group of three headed north up Rt79 I headed east on Rt68 back towards Baltimore. The heat started going up the further east I went, which is typical. As I made my way home I thought about the trip and how nice it was to get away. I thought about my daughters and how much they would enjoy trips like this. Although it drizzled a little on and off it never really rained on me. Amazing how much it rained everywhere but not much on me.

As I pulled into my home part of me wished I was still out there exploring in the hills. Ah well, I guess that’s what planning future trips is all about. Until the next ride… ~Dan

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Garden Island of Samal Resort in the Philippines

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Travels: Apr 18 – 29, 2016

I’ll be traveling north of Australia and into the South China Sea to experience the culture and beauty of this special place nestled within the 7,000+ islands that make up the Philippines.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Heading out on my journey to the Philippines

Taking the train up to Penn Station and on to JFK Airport. This evening I’ll be hopping a flight to cross the Atlantic on my way to the Philippines, in the South China Sea, and the Garden Island of Samal.

Quick Facts: Although the earliest human inhabitant was carbon-dated 67,000 years ago it was in 1521 that Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived to claim the islands for Spain. During colonial period the rule of the Philippines changed many times. In 1945 the Philippines became one of the founding members of the United Nations and on July 4, 1946 they became recognized by the United States as independent.

Located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is an archipelago consisting of 7,641 islands and has an area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers. The highest mountain is Mount Apo (9,692 ft) and most mountainous islands are covered in tropical rain-forest. Situated on the western fringe of the Pacific Ring of Fire, there are many active volcanoes. Due to this the Philippines are second biggest geothermal producer behind the United States and a rich source of various minerals.

With Its’ population of more than 100 million it is the 12th most populated country in the world. It’s a founding member of the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the East Asia Summit. Although comprised of 19 different languages, Filipino and English are the official languages. The currency is the Filipino peso and their time at this posting is currently 12 hours ahead of the US EST.

In April 2014 President Obama visited the Philippines where the Enhanced Defense Cooperative Agreement was signed. In January 2015 Pope Francis stayed in the Philippines for a series of public tours. In December 2015 Filipina Pia Wurtzbach won the Miss Universe 2015 contest.

Philippines Wikipedia

The flight
The flight 2
Mmmm, airline food
The Philippine Islands

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Arrived in Manila, Philippines

I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) after a long flight. Actually two flights totaling about 18 hours in the air. The good news is I got caught up on a lot of missed rest, lol. After a short 2-hour delay I’ll be back in flight for my third leg and a short haul south to the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City.

It’s hot and tropical here and these are the friendliest people just talking, talking and talking. Have no idea what they’re saying but boy can the girls/women carry on a conversation….

Watching the flight
Nice view

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Arrived in Davao City, Philippines

I arrived at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City, Philippines after a short hall from Manila. After figuring out customs to get my bag I met a helpful fellow who steered me in the right direction and out of the customs area.

After getting out the doors I met up with my friend Jacque. After the brief but necessary greetings we were off to catch a ferry ride to the Island of Samal. About 20 hours in the air and I’m finally feeling grounded, lol.

Nice view
Tourista :))

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Garden Island of Samal- day 1

After a short ferry ride we arrived to the island. Then a short van ride brought us to our hotel, more of a tropical villa of sorts. After doing a little unpacking we grabbed dinner under the cabana overlooking the beach. And a fine meal it was with good company and a mild breeze. After dinner I decided to zonk out (some might call it passing out, lol). Whatever you call it I had a much needed and refreshing night sleep.

After waking we headed over for another tasty meal to start our day. Afterwards we decided to have one of the MANY motorbike riders cart us into the local town to use their internet. I have to say that it almost seems the bikes outnumber the cars but that may be a slight exaggeration…NOT! They do have quite a large motorbike population easily outnumbering cars so I’m feeling right at home. In any case it was a sight seeing the three of us squeeze onto that small motorbike ;-). In all my years of riding I’d never been a passenger until now.

After we get done here at the cafe I think we’ll be heading back for a swim before dinner. Then it’ll be time to explore. More on that later…

Great breakfast & meal hut
Me and Jacque
The Island view
Tasty breakfast
Our standard transportation
The beach

Friday, April 22, 2016

Garden Island of Samal- day 2 & 3

It’s now Friday afternoon and I’m inside listening to a small tropical rainstorm pummeling us. This morning though we woke to another sunny, beautiful day with birds and lizards both chirping away. Hunger’s is calling…

After waking I tried Skyping with Samantha but due to spotty wifi and cell service it wasn’t to happen. I did manage to call her to catch up but I could tell she was a bit sad about not being able to see each other on video. I’ll try again in a couple days. This has also made checking and responding to Facebook posts tedious at best.

After a tasty breaky (breakfast) we jumped in the water for a brief swim… that lasted a few hours, lol. We just didn’t want to get out as it was so warm and refreshing. Once low tide arrived we decided to get out. It was at that time that we noticed all the sea urchins with their long pointy spines everywhere. Good thing we were wearing our sandals :-). I’ve heard that there are box jellyfish around the islands so you do need to be vigilant as these are deadly. Speaking of deadly, I was just told that this IS the Pacific and South China Sea so there are the very poisonous sea snakes around. I won’t be swimming out to sea any time soon.

As a side note I have to admit that things are a bit different in third world countries (and countries like the Philippines that are working hard to remove the third world status). Things as simple as washing, using the commode or even drinking water take on a whole new meaning. What’s amazing is how well the locals I’ve seen here, and in other similar countries, handle such things. For drinking it’s been bottled drinks for me all the way (or using my rum to kill any water born pathogens). Fortunately I had a crash course ahead of time and good local help.

LUNCH TIME! Jacque and I headed back to our hotel cabana for lunch. While I can’t read the menu we’ve been eating some great local fare by Chef Dale that’s vegetable and meat based. I’ve been a bit surprised how good it’s been and have been looking forward to our meals. What’s struck me most though is how mannerly, polite and friendly the locals are. From the airports to our resort this warmth has played out.

Lunch was great then we spoke to our hotel friend Anna Marie about catching a motorbike tour tomorrow. Yes, the three of us squeezed onto the small motorbike again, lol. Wish Big Blue was here ;-). More on this in my evening blog-post tomorrow. Now off on the motorbike to find our evening dinner at the Farmers V Restaurant somewhere, um, out yonder and down that dirt road.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Garden Island of Samal- day 4

Dinner last night at Farmers V was good with all its outdoor splendor. I can see this is a favorite stop for locals and travelers alike.

This morning (Saturday) I had some trouble getting up. It seems a large group of locals from Davao came over for a weekend retreat. Since karaoke is a BIG thing here in the Philippines they had music and screaming all night long, despite the 10pm noise curfew. I put my travel earplugs in so I could barely hear it but could feel the beat of the music until about 2:00am.

The morning was the usual great cup (actually 2 cups) of coffee and nice breakfast. After this we went to the end of the concrete jetty to watch the fish and waves in the clear waters, begging for me to jump in. I was good/bad, depending how you look at it, and didn’t jump because we were preparing to take a motorbike tour of some key places around Samal.

We’re now packed, our ride is here and we’re all squeezed together ready to hit the roads. By the way I just found out our drivers name is Wyndel (an excellent motorbike rider) husband of our key hotel contact Anna Marie.

ISLAND TOUR here we come. First we decided to hit the Hagimit Falls (at the Hagimit Nature Resort) which proved to be a gem of a natural resource. As you’ll see from the pics it’s a series of swimming holes along a winding river created from a deep natural spring nestled back in the forest, or is that jungle? We had some conversation about the difference, lol. It doesn’t matter because swimming in the cool, crystal clear water was a great cool down from the hot ride to the falls. We wound up spending a good deal of time swimming in a few different areas. After a while we decided to go back to the Farmers V for lunch.

After a tasty bite and great orange soda we decided to have Wyndel (nicknamed WingWing) ride us to the famous Monfort Bat cave on the far side of the island. It was clear from the ride that there are many new resorts under construction. I think the future may be bright for Samal Island.

For all my motorcycling friends I have to say that there seems to be at least 5 motorbikes (smaller motorcycles) to every car that I see, perhaps much more. I guess with the costs considered it’s the most economical way to get around but it seems that everyone is riding one; girls, boys, men, women. Many solo but many others are carrying 2 and even 3 passengers (sometimes with a small child on the handlebars). There’s even been some with animals and very large hay bales attached. In any case I felt right at home, lol ;-).

The bat caves were great as they were very exposed and all the bats were visible with many flitting around. It looks like National Geographic even did a show on these bat caves with their 2006 estimates to be around 1.8 million animals. If we’d had more time we could have come back to watch the spectacle of them leaving for their evening meal.

After arriving back at our resort we decided to cool off with a swim at the beach. We also asked our driver to buy us some of the local Philippine rum called Tanduay Rum. After a strong rum-n-coke we headed to our cabana for a good dinner of soup, BBQ wings and veggies. After that it was time for bed and to do some blogging and reminiscing of the days events. Not sure what Sunday will bring but I do know breakfast coffee will be good ;-).

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Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Garden Island of Samal- day 5-7

Sunday began as most days with a nice breakfast and a swim amongst the tropical fish and two cute starfish. This is a good talk and meditation time to start the day ;-). After all our previous activity we decided to take it easy today.

Monday we did the usual and stayed at the resort to wash clothes, talk and get organized. A very casual but fun day polished off by a relaxing dinner and some local rum.

Tuesday’s breakfast seemed much nicer than usual. I’m not sure that it was the bacon, egg, toast and fruits or the excellent coffee or even those extra blueberry pancakes we shared. Perhaps it was the great company and ambiance. Yes! Let’s go with this last one ;-). After that l-o-n-g awesome breaky we decided to do a motorbike ride into town to look around for some pasalubong (gifts). Unfortunately we couldn’t find local carvings or anything of interest so with the heat rising back to Punta Del Sol we rode. With the ocean tide being so low we decided to hang in and do massages this afternoon.

By the way someone asked me about costs. A nice resort room can be had for $40+ per night, a nice dinner for two $8-$12, a bottle of good local rum $5, all day motorcycle inland tour for two $20, massage for two $5 and the associated memories… Priceless! There’s a great deal to say about the country and people, more than I can type here. I’ll just say that I’m often in awe how little the people in their villages have but how clean, structured, educated, simple, hardworking, appreciative and loving they are. They live a simple life making due with what they have and not longing or being jealous for what they don’t. A religious people, family is #1, loyalty is important and words truly mean something to them. I’ve come to appreciate and value their culture and admire their qualities and simplicity. They’re a cute people too :-)!

Massages were awesome, with some rum, which took us into the night. So what else can you do at night but take a night swim… 😉 With the trillions of stars out this was great but we didn’t venture too far out not knowing what sea serpents are lingering out there… After our swim we rinsed and had a nice dinner. Then, after a call home to check upon things, off to bed we go and the close of another fine day. Tomorrow will be my final full day in paradise.

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Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Final day

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

I head into this final day in the Philippines with bittersweet feelings. I want to spend more time exploring the area and I want to get back home to smoothies, family and the Girls. I’ve been away for awhile and it’s time to return.

The goal for today is to casually prepare to leave this wonderful place while enjoying the day. As usual we had our favorite coffee and breakfast and soaked in the morning breezes and rising sun. The plan for today is to convert some dollars to Philippine Pesos, pick up some pasalubong, grab some lunch at the Farmers V and get a dinner certificate as a gift to Wing Wing and Anna-Marie for all their help and friendship. We’ll also arrange to take an early boat ride tomorrow across the Davao Gulf and a taxi to get into the airport for my 11:40am (local time) series of flights/trains. Until that time.. life and swimming as usual ;-).

After swimming we showered, did some pre-packing then went for our final dinner together in Samal. Besides an awesome dinner prepared by Chef Dale we had a stiff sea wind which caused the flies to take a welcome break. It was a very fitting gorgeous final evening. Now some evening wind-down and a good night sleep to prepare for an early departure in our 8:00am Thursday boat to the mainland.

As we threw some final things together and went over last minute details we mused over all that had happened during the past ten days. It had been a very peaceful yet fun time with all the exploring we were able to do in such a short time. As with all good times the end is near. I think one day Jacque will need to visit the gorgeous land we call America the Beautiful and experience it on 2-wheels…

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Our chauffeur’s wife and helper

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The Island transportation to the mainland

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Our trusted chauffeur & guardian

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Food was good

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Dinner at Farmer’s V Restaurant

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Saying goodbye

Saying goodbye to a wonderful time and lovely place is never easy. Fortunately the memories, pictures, blog posts and pasalubong will make it a bit more bearable. As I start the travel home I’ll be reliving the great memories shared with Jacque in the beautiful Garden Island of Samal nestled within the 7,000+ islands that make up the Philippines.

After our final breaky and coffee we’ll catch the boat to mainland Davao for my 11:40am Thursday series of flights and trains back home. I’ll miss it here but will also be happy to get back to my world.. as complicated as life in the U.S.can be… 😉

Flight from Davao to Manila was super crowded and it took a long time to negotiate my way through. By the time we arrived in Manila I barely had time to get through the three security checkpoints to catch the next plane headed to Vancouver. Thank goodness I don’t have any checked bags for the return trip. I can see by the mob of people I won’t be stretching out as I was able to before, lol.

As expected it was a long, squished flight to Vancouver as I had a big boy sitting next to me. Once the plane is cleaned and refueled we’ll be off to New York. Hopefully I can stretch out a bit.

The flight to JFK was way better with so few people I could stretch out and grab a snooze ;-). A few late night train rides and I’ll be back to my car in the morning. I hope the Aberdeen PD kept a watchful eye on it.

I’m sitting in the railway station, got a ticket to my destination, hmmhm. Oh, musta dozed off here in Penn Station with this Simon & Garfunkel song in my head, lol. Rough looking place as I wait silently for my 4:40am train homeward bound… 😉

Got to Aberdeen and was happy to see my car sitting untouched where I left it. It even started! After a quick thank you call to the local police I was off heading… hooomeward bound, I wish I was hoooomeward bound…  I’m home!!

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TROG The Race of Gentlemen

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Travels:  Oct 9 – Oct 11, 2015

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Join us to experience the greatest race on earth! The Race of Gentlemen is an automotive carnival that celebrates American racing heritage. A true homage to automobile and motorcycle history, hosted by the Oilers CC/MC. Spectators and racers alike will experience a simplier time of when guys were gentlemen and cars were king! Stultz & Green Productions will exhibit their hand-selected group of gentlemen, who will showcase their pre-war machines at the water’s edge on the beach of Wildwood, New Jersey. Commonly referred to as TROG for short, the carefully curated event will give you a history lesson and an unforgettable weekend, all rolled into one.

Race fans, hold onto your seats while vintage motorcycles and automobiles battle it out on the shore against the rising tides for your viewing pleasure. Indian, Harley Davidson, Excelcior, Ford, Dodge Brothers and more! An extraordinary display of why America’s love for vintage automotive will never fade. Do not miss your chance to see these fine men flog their jaw dropping machines on the sand, just like in days gone by. Come one, come all to watch in awe as they roar at the shore!

The Race of Gentlemen

Friday, October 9, 2015

Depart for TROG in Wildwood, NJ

Friday, October 9, 2015

Arrived at our base hotel

This was an awesome motel right in the heart of Wildwood.

The Seagull Motel

This was my first time for this event but I was intrigued by its old-time ambiance so here I am with friend Yu to check it out. One of the cool features in attending the TROG is the beach bonfire on Friday evening and this is a fun time to get to know some of the participants and spectators alike. I can honestly say that there were some very interesting folks here to race and enjoy the festivities. Oh… the bonfire was very nice too as they burned some large wood pallets and created quite the large fire. Fortunately there were some firefighters on hand in case things got out of control. It was a fun time.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

TROG

After a good breakfast we walked down to the official TROG location. There was a good coffee vendor on hand for some tasty brew then we were down to the beach for the races. There were car to car races, car to bike races and bike to bike races. The basic criteria though is that the cars be American made from 1934 or older. The bikes must be from 1947 or older, be American made and be hand shifted. There are other rules which you can find here:  TROG Race Rules.

The races on the beach were fun to watch. The start-girl jumping up and down constantly was a sight to see too. Not sure how she could do all that jumping but she did. Besides the photos I posted I took a little video as well to give a sense of the races. It was very unique and a great break from the norm. There’s talk of some changes to the event and some input from the Harley Davidson MoCo itself. We’ll see how this all shakes out but if possible I’ll be back again.

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Sunday, October 11, 2015

Heading for home

This was a great place to spend a weekend at. As I ride towards home I have many thoughts and visions of such a unique event swimming through my mind. I’m looking forward to the next TROG.