June 20' 2016

We got up and walked to breakfast at the Blueberry Muffin restaurant on the main drag North Conway NH and just guess who had to include one with their eggs and ham breakfast special?

We packed the bike and rode over to Whitehorse Gear for a look around. The selection of mesh gear disappointed. Enjoyed a conversation with four riding buddies from Presque Isle, Maine. One guy approached me by saying "tell me you don't like riding that Beemer" He knew quite a bit about the bike and was sure that I enjoyed riding it as he did his older Honda Gold Wing. When I told him we were on our way to the west coast and riding to California 2 up he said he only dreamed of doing that. I asked him how old he was and when he responded "62" ( just retired a year ago from farming) I told him I was 68 .... So don't stop dreaming! He said his wife would never take that ride. I know how lucky I am to have a "biker chick" who will spend hours a day riding with me wherever!😍

We took Hwy 112 "The Kanc" (local nickname) for the Kancamagus Hwy through the White Mountains National forest to Lincoln, we took 118 all the way to Hwy 4 and moved over to 12 at Lebanon and followed it to Bellows Falls, VT our destination for the day. Short days in the saddle can be a treat with the twisties and hills that this route provided. However, human threats are never far away! A young guy in a SUV decided to pull a left turn into a driveway from the open road near Cannan just as we approached. If it were not for the excellent brakes on the BMW his passenger and Gayle and I would have been in the hospital at best! As many times that the human threats rear their ugly heads I continue to be surprised. Look Twice Save A Life !!

It is always good to spend time with Nicholas and Jessica catching up on their lives and enjoying Jessica's great food offerings

No pictures today because we just wanted to ride and all the pull overs in the National Forest were filled with tourists and bikers.

While in Bellows Falls I took the time to make a protective grill for the oil cooler on the K1600GTL  using the ideas mentioned on a BMW forum. Nicholas had pre-purchased a galvanized mesh (normally used as eaves trough cover) and plastic coat spray come Lowes for me. I made a cardboard template first then fabbed the grille and coated the rough edges with plastic.

We were treated to Bellows Falls version of Southern Vermont Idol by Rick and Karen Holloway and cheered on their "entertainer" son Ezra as he took to the stage.

I got a new SIM card for my phone that would assist us with a data plan and cheaper phone calls within the USA. The first time ever that we have had a US phone number!

Nicholas and I traded bikes for the ride to Keene NH and I once again I got to follow his lead on the back roads home. What a great Father's Day treat! We actually repeated one section of twisties because a farmer with a load of hay slowed us down on the first pass through.😀

To finish off that day we were treated to supper at DUO's restaurant in Brattleboro, VT.

July 20th was a slow day of completing the oil rad grille and installing it on the bike and cleaning the bike ready for departure the next day.

2016 and on the road again

L

Can you remember where all this stuff goes? Just put it somewhere and we will figure it out along the way! We managed to be riding by 10:30am

Excited to be once again heading down the road for another summer adventure.( the first one for us both was in 1974 on a CB550 Honda Four) Don't try and do the math it is difficult counting that high!

We plan to stay off the FREEWAYS as much as possible because we want a slower pace and enjoy the country side. Light traffic on the Hwy 3 down to St Stephen NB  where the US border crew felt like it was a work to rule day. Only one gate open and the slowest employee working. When he took a lunch break two officers  replaced him to pick up the pace a bit. Once at the gate and flashed the passports (he was surprised at the length our our planned trip) the 40 minute wait was over. Bikers do not enjoy stop and go traffic anywhere!

Rest break at the Irving's near the beginning of the Airline Maine Hwy 9 then off towards Bangor. Great ride to East Holden where I took a left down a short section of Hwy 46 to Bucksport. A quick Subway lunch while getting out of the sunshine. (Warm day) one stop on Hwy 1 to take a tourist picture of the bridge acoss the Penobscot River. This cable stay design is unique in the USA (one of 3) opening on Dec 30, 2006 after conception to completion schedule of 42 months at a cost of $85 million.

Recognize that biker chick I travel with?

Continued on to Belfast to pick up Hwy 3 to Augusta. A bit of a search to find Hwy 202 to get us to 302 which we took through Fryeburg to arrive in North Conway our destination for the first day out.

We had started seeing many groups of riders later in the day and White Mountain Highway looked like a Harley Convention as we stopped to use WIFI at MacDonalds to find a room for the night.

Sure enough when I checked in the girl on the desk confirmed that it was Biker week here in NH. I have only been to Laconia once and that was before I even owned a bike in June 1973. (Again forget the math)

Time for a walk around before chowing  down and bed time. Hard to hear each other on the sidewalk with all the Harley's trying to out do each other's pipe roar! 636km on a warm summery day put me out quickly once horizontal!😎