|  | Topic : Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? |  |
| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 13 Jun 2016 - 03:46 Post title : Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? | | | I left for Americade (Lake George, NY Link ) last Tuesday morning; it's about a 300 mile ride. I was complimenting myself for artfully dodging popup rainstorms for the 1st 200 miles. The New York Thruway opens up to a 4 lane free-for-all around Albany and that is where the skies opened up. Saw the dark wall in the distance so, on the shoulder of the road, got my rain gear on in advance. Not the safest of places to stop but really not any good choices as nowhere to get off at that point and the shoulders under the overpasses were all gravel. Shortly after I pulled over and started getting my rain gear out a NY Highway service truck pulled over right behind me and put all his flashing lights on, shielding me from oncoming traffic. Kudos to the NY Highway department!  I gave them a big thank-you wave and continued on my way. Within a few miles I was jockeying for space cushion with busses, semis and SUVs in a downpour that lasted the next 40 miles. Thanks to my rain gear, I only got wet on the outside (but my poor TBird got all wet and dirty!).
At one of the NY rest stops, hilarity ensued with a NY Harley guy, parked a few spaces over from me, swearing and dumping his tools out on the parking lot because a nut from his shift assembly fell off on the road and he couldn't shift any more. He and his friends were frantically searching the rest of the bike for a less critical part with the same size nut they could move over. I offered all I had that might have helped, a zip tie, but they were convinced they could fix it by taking a nut off of some other part. His wife actually asked me if I had a nut her husband could fix his bike with (while I was standing next to my metric Triumph). The mood wasn't exactly festive so I just said that I was sorry that I didn't. His friend came over and told me that the previous week, the guy had to get a new computer installed and when he brought the bike home and washed it, it wouldn't start any more. He pulled out the brand new computer and poured a cup of water out of it.  He had to put the old computer back in to get it to Americade (and then his nut fell off).
About 6.5 hours on the road with 2 rest/gas stops and I pulled into Lake George where it had already rained. I got checked in, changed, cleaned up the TBird as best I could and covered it with a plastic tarp I'd brought with me because it was supposed to continue raining though the night. And it did. Note: I'd ordered a travel cover the week before but it didn't come in on time, so...the tarp.
Wednesday it rained on and off all day but my hotel was within walking distance so no sense in riding the mile to the Rally and parking there; got my rain gear on and walked.
I won't describe everything that went on, you can see that at the website, if you're interested. Link
Bascially, there's a large commercial expo, a demo area where you can sign up to test ride pretty much anything from most major brands (but not Triumph!), stunt shows, skills contests, guided and self-guided rides through the beautiful Adirondacks, talks, training, concerts, etc. There's too much to do for only 2 full days. Next year, shooting for the whole week.
Thursday the skies cleared but the temperature dropped 20 degrees. I layered up and since everyone else seemed to be heading along the northern lake route, I headed east to Vermont where the roads were twisty rollercoasters and all but deserted. Did a 175 mile loop, stopping in Middlebury, Vermont for lunch then cut back west to Fort Ticonderoga (NY) over Lake Champlain and then south back down the other side of Lake George.
I've never truly seen so many bikes in one place; the rally has supposedly gotten smaller of the last several years and is now down to 50,000 attendees over the course of the week. I think there were at least half that while I was there with most of the remainder coming up on Thursday.
I think I saw pretty much every model and option variation of Harley with a noticeable presence of Gold Wings and just a sprinking of almost everything else but I did not see even one other TBird. On at least two occassions, once in a parking lot and once at a red light, a Harley rider pulled up next to me to tell me he really liked my bike. There were at least as many Spyders as trikes and a respectable showing of Slingshots.
Among the ocean of Harley's, there were some real oddballs, including this one that turned a coffin into a trailer:
At night time, Canada Street was lined with people who set up chairs on the sidewalks just to watch the bikes. According to the rally schedule, one night during the week, the bikes put on a light show; sorry I missed that.
Left for home on Friday morning in beautiful weather. The whole time and in all kinds of weather, the Bird performed flawlessly and the Mustang seat literally saved my butt. For the next trip, gotta get floorboards and bigger saddlebags.
Ride safe,
PapaSmurfMC
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
| | Post edited by PapaSmurfMC on 13 Jun 2016 - 03:48 |
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| | | RatDog | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 09/12/2012 | | Posts | : | 516 | | Location | : | Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 14 Jun 2016 - 13:12 Post title : Re: Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | Been to Americade 2 or 3 times. Fun event. If you ever make it back up there, I recommend a cruise up Route 28N or a loop around the Adirondak Park. There's also this thing called Tracy Road that the folks at Bennington talk up a bit. Never been on that but it sounds good! Finally, there's a (cable drawn?) ferry that goes across the lake between Burlington VT and NY. We happened upon it quite by accident on two different trips. It was lots of fun to load the bikes up and just enjoy the brief cruise. My favorite brewery, Otter Creek, is in Burlington too. Always up for considering doing the Benningtong/Amercade double header if you or anyone else wants to look into it for next year...
| Paul
2012 Triumph Thunderbird Storm ABS (stealthy and fastest matte black!)
Previous Bikes:
2001 Suzuki Bandit GSF1200S
1981 Yamaha SECA XJ-750
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| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 15 Jun 2016 - 03:17 Post title : Re: Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? (Re: RatDog) | | | Hey Paul, great tips for next year.
Yeah, need more days (and better weather) next time. I did cruise down one side of Adirondack Park; roads are outstanding. Very familiar with Otter Creek Brewery  but it's in Middlebury (which Otter Creek runs through).
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
| | Post edited by PapaSmurfMC on 15 Jun 2016 - 03:18 |
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| | | bnz433 | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 10/06/2011 | | Posts | : | 1,842 | | Location | : | Clifton Park (Upstate), NY, United States |
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| | Posted : 24 Jun 2016 - 16:05 Post title : Re: Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | Papa - you were in my backyard. Next year you MUST include Bennington as your lead-in to the Americade. A good number of BTB folks head over there for the doubleheader, too.
I know every road on the 'published' routes, and many that are not. So give me a jingle next time, and I'll link up with ya for a day or so.
Jamie
| Bennington Triumph Bash - 31May-2June 2019. Home of the (tied in '14 & '15) US RECORD T-BIRD FLOCKING!!!!!
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| | | joey1970 | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 22/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 104 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 24 Jun 2016 - 17:50 Post title : Re: Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? (Re: bnz433) | | | I tend to go to Laconia every year because it's only a 2 hour ride. But the past two years.. and especially this year.. Laconia has been a disappointment. I think next year I'll try Americade and just do a day trip to Laconia.
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| | | PapaSmurfMC | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 03/10/2013 | | Posts | : | 871 | | Location | : | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 25 Jun 2016 - 03:07 Post title : Re: Americade 2016 - anyone [else] go? (Re: bnz433) | | |
bnz433 wrote:
Papa - you were in my backyard. Next year you MUST include Bennington as your lead-in to the Americade. A good number of BTB folks head over there for the doubleheader, too.
I know every road on the 'published' routes, and many that are not. So give me a jingle next time, and I'll link up with ya for a day or so.
Jamie |
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Yeah, if I had a choice, I'd do Bennington then Americade then Laconia. But, I only had a few days.  If I get back there next year, I'll hit you up for a tour. 
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
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