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| RatDog | | Chaac |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 09/12/2012 | | Posts | : | 516 | | Location | : | Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Aug 2016 - 00:49 Post title : In Vermont - Again! | | | Long story short - an old pal of mine used to ding around on guitar back in high school. Got a bit more serious about it around 10 years ago. Now he's in a band. One of the guys in the band has a vacation house in Vermont. He's a sponsor of a Law Enforcement Against Drugs group. They run a summer concert series where local bands open up for big acts from days gone by. Well my pal and his band got to open for Marshall Tucker last Friday night! Following a long spell of extreme heat and humidity the weather report was looking good - and my lovely wife not only gave me the OK - she actually encouraged me to go have a good time! Imagine that. Well alrighty then.... Here are a couple choice photos.
The trip up was great even though I thought I could get out of PA on my normal Bennington route sans GPS but missed a turn and due to my unspoken rule of "never turn back" added about an hour and 50+ extra miles onto my trip up. The good part about that was I got to ride along a different NYC reservoir - this one on NY 10. It was a prettier ride but lacked the crazy twisties you get on NY 30. I rolled into Pittsfield MA in time for a late dinner. Lucky me it was "Third Thursday" and the streets in town were blocked off. Had the most fantastic kebob and dirty rice with salsa for $10 ever. As I headed out of town on Route 7 for the last 90 miles north, the skies darkened suddenly and opened up in a serious downpour. That's not what I needed after 10 hours and while on a dark, narrow, twisty mountain road. Of course no road trip is complete without breaking out the rain gear - and happily the storm did not last long. Soon I was cruising on the highway part of route 7 through misty fog and under the light of a full moon.
On Friday, I drove to the top of Mount Equinox, tallest peak in the Taconic range at 3800 some odd feet. Later in the day I rode up VT 30, across VT 140 through the forest and mountains - where I saw a bear cross the road in front of me (not unlike Bob's VA Skyway video!). By the time I focused on him (or her), it was already entering the woods on the opposite side of the road - and no, I don't know why he crossed the road! Then it was back down Route 7 to the concert location in Manchester. Then suddenly blue lights!!! Crap, 62 mph in a 45 zone entering a village. $165 smackers and 3 points. My bad for having too much fun and not paying more attention. Grrr.
Going home I hit VT 130 west to NY 22. Then I rode nearly the whole length of the Taconic Parkway. Great motorcycle road. Kind of a blend of highway and country road. Around Newburgh NY I hit i84 west and slabbed it home on PA 476 and PA 276. 902 miles roundtrip over 3 days. Fantastic!
Summit of Mount Equinox
MedRock! That's my bud with the fedora on rhythm guitar.
Marshall Tucker Band! Still rocking after all these years! Sounded great!!!
Approximate Route North
Mount Equinox Skyline Drive
Mountain Forest Loop
| Paul
2012 Triumph Thunderbird Storm ABS (stealthy and fastest matte black!)
Previous Bikes:
2001 Suzuki Bandit GSF1200S
1981 Yamaha SECA XJ-750
| | Post edited by RatDog on 22 Aug 2016 - 02:30 |
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| AZCactus | | Taranis | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 01/05/2013 | | Posts | : | 4,524 | | Location | : | AZ |
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| | Posted : 22 Aug 2016 - 01:54 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: RatDog) | | | ...nice descripitive story from cops to concerts and country roads in between! It felt like i was riding alongside 
| 2009 Thunderbird 1700 Big Bore
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| RatDog | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 09/12/2012 | | Posts | : | 516 | | Location | : | Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 22 Aug 2016 - 13:26 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: AZCactus) | | | 
| 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 : 23 Aug 2016 - 03:16 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: RatDog) | | | Nice writeup, Paul! Very jealous about everything but the ticket. 
You're going to have to behave yourself for a whole year, now.
| 2013 Blue Marble Haze Thunderbird 1600 ABS
2009 Black Bonneville A1 ("Mag")
Buncha farkles
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| VABird | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 28/09/2014 | | Posts | : | 1,373 | | Location | : | BEDFORD, Virginia, United States |
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| | Posted : 23 Aug 2016 - 10:55 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: PapaSmurfMC) | | | Very nice! Hope that it didn't supercede the BRBBR!
| The ride may be fun, but in the Great Scheme of things, it really is about the destination! John 3:16 
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| edbob | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 04/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 931 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 24 Aug 2016 - 15:25 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: RatDog) | | | Thanks for that. I've driven the Taconic and a few of these roads many times during my college years - way cheaper than the thruway and bridge tolls when going from Albany to NYC and back. In those days I used it because I couldn't even afford the gas in the tank and had to give rides to people who would pay for it. It was a fun ride and I dreamed of someday having a motorcycle to take on it when I could afford it. The irony is now I can well afford a motorcycle and the gas that goes in it, but have no time thanks to a demanding job and family (both of which I love dearly by the way). Soon I'm taking the time to do it on the bike - thanks for reminding me. I will find a way... 
| "You will ride eternal shiny and chrome"
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| RatDog | | Chaac | | | | Reg. Date | : | 09/12/2012 | | Posts | : | 516 | | Location | : | Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| | Posted : 25 Aug 2016 - 02:29 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: edbob) | | | Bennington 2017?
| 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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| TBird77 | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/06/2012 | | Posts | : | 33 | | Location | : | Lower Bucks County, PA, United States |
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| | Posted : 30 Aug 2016 - 23:44 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: RatDog) | | | Paul,
Great pics and write up! Looks like you had a great time
| Kitch
My gals: '72 CB175 (Goldie), '73 CB500 Four (Sunshine), '93 CB750 Nighthawk (Precious), '12 NC700X (Aeon Flux), '15 Tiger Explorer ABS (Miss Foxxy Shagwell)
| | Post edited by TBird77 on 30 Aug 2016 - 23:44 |
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| VABird | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 28/09/2014 | | Posts | : | 1,373 | | Location | : | BEDFORD, Virginia, United States |
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| | Posted : 31 Aug 2016 - 01:22 Post title : Re: In Vermont - Again! (Re: TBird77) | | | Just got back from New England myself (convertible trip with my wife).
Went as far up as Bar Harbor, but hit 11 states in 8 days. 2300+ miles.
Great WX too!
| The ride may be fun, but in the Great Scheme of things, it really is about the destination! John 3:16
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