PA to VT - A Recent Retiree's Ramble

[sjbmw]

Well done! Thanks for posting!

I hope the MOA goes back to Burlington again, VT is awesome.

[bobs98]

Excellent report (again!) Terence!

Too bad about Frost Valley Road, but glad you enjoyed Peekamoose Road this time. NY 30 is a great ride, isn't it?

We saw lots of destruction remnants along VT 100 during our GMR ride a couple of weeks ago. It's amazing how much of the roads have been fixed, but sad to see so many destroyed and abandoned houses.

Oh, and congrats on the retirement! Looking forward to riding with you soon.

[sudani]

Really enjoyed your travel log and photos. Thanks for taking the time to stop and take photos of places I haven't traveled yet.

[terham]

Day 4
It rained a little more overnight and was damp in the morning, but trying to clear. I was up at 6:30 and went through my routine of breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and broke camp. For the second day in a row I packed a very wet tent fly into my dry bag – at least it was dry on the outside. Packing a wet tent isn’t so bad on your last day. I put on my last pair of clean, dry socks and hit the road by 8.



I rode into Wilmington a short distance away and walked around a little.





I also found out who Molly Stark was by reading the statue about her.

As I headed west on VT 9 towards Bennington, it got quite cloudy and cool. It was trying to clear but would take a little longer.



I stopped in Bennington and finally saw a moose, among other wildlife.







I walked around the cemetery where Robert Frost is buried and went to the Bennington battle monument. I would’ve liked to have spent more time in Bennington.







The skies were clearing and the hills to the east were brightening but I headed west into NY state, picked up NY 22 south and wound down through the Hoosick River valley. Nice scenery but a crappy road surface.







In Hillsdale, I headed west on NY 23.



As I headed west I started to catch glimpses of the Catskills and crossing the Hudson on the Rip Van Winkle bridge gives a really nice view of the Catskills in front of you. They are rounded and wooded, but rise up abruptly and give a nice backdrop to the Hudson River.

I gassed up in Palenville and headed up into the Catskills, past Kaaterskill Falls.

[terham]

The ride video on VT 9 westbound towards Bennington.

[terham]

I was headed to Hunter Mtn so I could ride NY 214 to Phoenicia.



I rode this road many times when I attended Color in the Catskills a couple of years ago and wanted to ride it again. I was not disappointed.

In Phoenicia, I turned west on NY with Arkville my destination. I had heard about Cha Cha Hut BBQ, and this being my last day on the road, was looking forward to treating myself to a proper lunch that required lots of napkins. They’re only open Thursday through Sunday, so wasn’t able to stop on my way through on Monday, but today was the day.



I arrived at 1:45 anticipating a great lunch and a bit of a rest only to find they don’t open until 3 on Thursdays. I settled for eating my last two Clif Bars in the parking lot and discussing BMWs with an RT rider trapped in a cage. I’ll have to return…

I headed west and picked up NY 30 south, one of my favorite roads.







This was one of, if not the best, routes on this trip, with a sunny day, no traffic and a curvy road.

I turned off past Pepacton Reservoir and headed south and had my only “moment” of the trip. The road from the reservoir rises and I saw a view I wanted to take a photo of. Thinking the bike might move backward on the side stand due to the slope of the hill and the shoulder, I thought I’d back the bike into the guardrail to hold it. I put the bike in neutral and backed up on an angle slowly, but when the right saddleback contacted the guardrail, the bike tilted to the left, downhill side. I was holding the bike on a downhill, left-leaning angle with my left leg and couldn’t straighten the bike up because I was against the guardrail. I couldn’t lift my foot to put the bike in gear or try to lower the side stand and I couldn’t move the bike forward. I couldn’t reach the guardrail to hold myself so I could lift my left foot to put the bike in gear and couldn’t get off the bike without it coming over on me. In retrospect, I might’ve been able to pull the clutch with my right hand and reach down with my left hand and put it in gear. I practice yoga but have never tried the downward facing SOL man, so balancing precariously and out of options, I flagged down a passing motorist. I had him hold me and the bike up, put the bike in gear with his foot and help me get away from the guardrail so I could be on my way. If it wasn’t for that help, I think I’d still be there.

It went from a bad day to a good day, and there was color everywhere.



I started to retrace my route from Monday and ended up back on home soil.



PA 402 was the last fun ride of the trip.

I ended up at home around 7 after a 400 mile day and a 1260 mile trip. Three out of four days were dry and four out of four days were a blast.

[rdalland]

I practice yoga but have never tried the downward facing SOL man,

LOL

Looks like a great trip Terence, thanks for sharing!

[terham]

Ride video westbound on VT 9.

[terham]

I think I have this video embedding figured out...

Southbound on NY 214 video



Southbound on NY 30 video



Southbound on PA 402 video

[71243]

Ride video westbound on VT 9.

Thanks for sharing !! I really like that sound track? / song? Would you post the name please. Great easy listening music!!

Ron

[71243]

Thanks a Big'ol Bunch! for sharing. You have a talent for photography & narrating the photos. Really enjoyed it!! Glad you had a good & safe trip!

BTW; I ate lunch in that sandwich shop / store in Tyson Village, when I was up that way in 2007, after Americade.

Ron

[dancogan]

Thoroughly enjoyed your trip, albeit vicariously. Great photos to along with the dialog. Thanks!

[bogthebasher]

Nicely done. Thank-you for posting; I know it takes a bit of doing. This is definitely a different (and very scenic) area than I am used to on the western side of the continent.

[179219]

You have a gift of picking camp sites! A couple of those camp photos
are, as they say in the movie.... "real nice clark"
And, your a lucky guy to have "flagged down" a passing car with what
you had going on.... what did you use, the "neck wiggle, helmet bob" method!?
Thanks for the great report.

"travel'in john" ; 04R1150R

[terham]

Thanks for sharing !! I really like that sound track? / song? Would you post the name please. Great easy listening music!!

Ron

Thanks Ron, glad you like it. That's "Midnight in San Juan" by Earl Klugh.