Yearly trip to Pennsylvania

[dorkburger]

minor update

minor update

I heard from my cousin regarding the Ducati. After mulitple baths of PB Blaster and an extraction kit purchased for the ocassion, the sheared bolt was liberated from the engine, much to his relief.

Also, I had commented on my curiosity of fuel mileage with the recent carb work.... I have no real numbers. I typically reset the trip meter on the first ride of a given year and count the pitifully low miles ridden per season (approx 1500 this year). I couldn't be bothered tracking numbers, but made some observations. 75-85 mph on the highway its still pretty thirsty. I assume I can thank the jet kit for that. At 55-65 on the smaller roads however, it seemed to do much better on fuel then in years past.

 

[WolfworksCustoms]

Hay...if yer ever in NE Pennsy...shoot me a PM....Im just a 1/2 hr from Milford....

 

[Zagg]

I was curious when you mentioned PA... Cedar Run sounded familiar so I googled it to check the location and sure enough it's 9 miles from Slate Run. I live in central PA, but we have backpacked the Black Forest Trail a few times very near your families' Inn. Wolfe's general store was the stopping point on a couple trail adventures to get some much needed real food after days of granola bars and instant mashed potatoes.

I have not done any riding up there (rehabbing my first bike now), but it is BEAUTIFUL country and there are countless options from 78 / 81 / 322 to work your way there. There are so many mountain / small town / creek roads. Most of my adventures in my 20's came with a backpack on but you end up on a road trip as well trying to navigate to your trail head. I can't wait to find these roads again on my bike.

Thank you for your story. Don't question your methods. Just like the pics, it's the details that make your adventure ours. They paint a picture for us that we couldn't see clearly without sagging book shelves, breakfast sandwiches, and the spirits of those that were with you.

 

[dorkburger]

Hey Zagg. I actually looked up you're area when you joined.... There's an Old Navy truck in the Google image.....

We spent 2 weeks every summer growing up in Slate Run. When I was young Wolfe's was a tiny store, a fraction of what it is now. Same owners still. We used to ride our bicycles on parts of the Black Forest trail.
As a kid up there we had to entertain ourselves... the place we stayed had no phone or tv (Hotel Manor payphone is what the parents used if needed). I think that's why I'm not a huge amusement park fan where everything is engineered and laid out for the consumers entertainment... minimal thought process is needed, and the fun of exploration and discovery is all but removed.

My father took me on my first motorcycle ride up there on a mid 70s Suzuki 250 enduro.

Good memories up there. Its so cool to see that the Bald Eagles have made a comeback in the valley.

 

[dorkburger]

....... so goes another good fellow.

....... so goes another good fellow.

Recieved word this morning that Bill passed. Cancer takes another.....

I didn't know Bill that well, but knew him enough to know he was a heck of a nice guy, and I enjoyed riding with him on our trips. He was good friends with Frank. Childhood friends who lost contact, then met up by chance later in life. The two of them rode together tens of thousands miles in the years after that chance meeting. He was the type of rider who would ride with anyone, any time, to anywhere....it was about the ride for him. He will be missed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think as motorcyclists, we more then most, have an intimate knowlede of fickle nature of life. Such is the reality of our passion, in which a simple ride could end devastatingly. When we were on our trip I made a comment in a gallows humor nature. I noted that if this ride continues as the years pass, me being the youngest by 20 or so years, could conceivably be going it alone..... unless that fickle points at me sooner.


From 2012 I think. Crappy picture of a rainy foggy ride. Bill is in the orange rainsuit.
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Bill is on the left..
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[WolfworksCustoms]

There's an Old Navy truck in the Google image

If its a '53 GMC 3100...I sold it to em...shouldda kept it....sold it fer like $600 and it RAN....dumbazz me....

Central PA too....great biker friendly campgrounds.... http://www.steelsteedscamp.com/ Ive met the owners, its right on the river, and REALLY affordable....plus, they just opened up a pub/bar/restaurant and one end of the property....great ride over to there too especially thru the Alleghenies or from the East, the Pocanos, or drom the north, the Delaware River Valley.....

 

[WolfworksCustoms]

RIP to all lost brothers....I just lost one down in Tennesee up in the hills....70's....and the man could outride almost any youngster on The Dragon....RIP Joe, aka Old Dog
Bunch of us were gonna go down there this past summer and surprise him with a pig roast (30 of us from all over !).....he'd just got outta the hospital in the spring....was back in a month later....he never saw mid summer....still gonna go down there and spend some time by his grave....mebbe leave a gremlin bell...but I owe him at least that...

 

[dorkburger]

Sorry for you loss.
I love hearing about older gents who can that still tear it up...

 

[WolfworksCustoms]

Well DB....he'll never be forgotten....because as soon as I get down that way, Im chisellin his name into one of the rocks along the Dragon.....
Hell, the guy I bought my GS700 from is in his 80s....still rides, owns like 16 bikes....he went down a few weeks ago on some gravel, lil road rash, but turned out he had a minor stroke....I gotta get up there to see him soon....i even told him if he didnt have any family close, Id move in for a bit to help him out....just how i am....I got nobody to answer to, so if I can help a friend, I will....but he got MANY more miles left in him....hell, he looks and acts healthier than me....and he got about 20 yrs on me....god bless him....

 

[Zagg]

I think as motorcyclists, we more then most, have an intimate knowlede of fickle nature of life. Such is the reality of our passion, in which a simple ride could end devastatingly. When we were on our trip I made a comment in a gallows humor nature. I noted that if this ride continues as the years pass, me being the youngest by 20 or so years, could conceivably be going it alone..... unless that fickle points at me sooner.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of life. I have two little girls and as much as they have breathed their youth into me - reminding me of what being a kid is, what happiness is, what love really is, they also remind me of the circular nature of life and they hold a mirror to my own mortality for me to see regularly. They do this simply by living and growing and learning and as they do this I see myself in each step and I realize just how much life I've lived ahead of them (which in turn is a reminder of how much I have left). I don't see it as sad or morbid or negative but I feel it as something very, very real and tangible.

It is bittersweet what you are experiencing but don't forget that all of life is a circle, so it doesn't end with you it simply begins again in a new way. As you age you will undoubtedly bring your children or wife or friends (seems your cousin is already a member) in to create a NEW riding group in which you will be the elder to whom the others look up to. Tradition is a magical thing to be a part of and it is an honor to be able to write your own part into it and a duty to do your best to keep it alive.

 

[dorkburger]

I really can't add to to this... other then to agreee with your sentiment.....

 

[dorkburger]

The writing has been on the wall all summer.............. I finally had to admit.
Not going to make the trip this year...... I may need to name it the every other yearly trip to PA or some baloney. With so much going on at home im even too tired to be angry about it.

 

[Charlie G]

How about:

Semi randomly biannual annual trip to Pennsylvania and parts unknown.......:xsmilie_mrgreen:

I know this is a serious thing.

 

[dorkburger]

I would love that.

 

[Carter Turk]

Nice read and photos. Your narrative seems more introspective than most travel threads, refreshing actually.

If the saddle bags are Chase Harper they'll repair the zippers for free. You have to pay shipping though and send it clean.

My ES gets about 35mpg with pods, Kat gets about 42 with pods. I was only getting 32 mpg before changing all the o-rings.

 

[dorkburger]

Thanks Carter. The tag on the bags says Slip Streamer. They owe me nothing. One of these days I'll actually calculate mileage to satisfy my curiosity. Interesting about the mileage difference between your 2 bikes. My old 1100e (4 into 1 / pods) was regularly in the low 40 range as well.

With the summer ending, the reality of not going this year is starting to bum me out a bit.
With so much going on at home (nothing bad, thankfully, just relentless deferred home projects coming due) I've barely ridden 200 miles this year.

 

[BurntKittyForge]

It's still not toOooOOo LAaAAaaaAAATE!!!

You could still just do it.
Just leave a note for wife saying "Just something I gotta do"...
She might respect you more. Or not IDK , women are crazy,

Wish I could go. I'm pondering a trip out my favorite twisty ATM, and Just realized I've never even tested how low my tank can get with no fuel pump...could get stranded...sheesh I'm getting older ...maybe just wiser. Definately more responsible anyway. No fun. less stupid adventures...less fines and stuff

We're pretty close in age BTW.
Well DHEA vitamins still work until atleast 50 (I read someplace it don't work over 50) ...I wake up early and don't sleep well. Sometimes I attack my old lady middle of night but think she mostly likes that TMI
Oh, causes "hair-loss" ...Noticed I was already loosing some anyway. Got couple years for "comb over"
About to crew cut it myself...If I ever go all the way balding I'll just be a cool short haired balding dude...eff it.

Got some creatine (random walmart buy) a few weeks ago...wierd stuff, My muscles weren't sore at all anymore from work (normally I keep my muscles sore). Then I ran out and was beat the heck up!
Dunno whether that's good or bad thing.
Guess good because have more energy for home in eve.

IF you don't go there's always next year. Not like you Have to go ...
Enjoyed skimming through thread.
Thanks!

 

[BurntKittyForge]

Double post, Because have to add, Your thread inspired me to hit my favorite "twisty" road just now.

Urgh! Had my battery charging couple hours and still just very weak starter, then just click , no start, dead battery...
My work's been so busy this week I've been too beat to feel up to riding all week.
Saw this and felt like heading out.

Well, I thought it was "sealed" , then noticed removeable strip last night, half empty cells...

After Much exciting study on "deionized vs. distilled water for batteries" ...Stupid, effin' battery only costs like $38...added some water and charged , charged ,charged...aaaand no worky!

My favorite windy road runs along Great falls section of Potomac river.
It's a very windy road with trees on each side and hills. There's a park called "Great Falls" , costs $5 to enter and see the little rocky waterfalls (sin) ...there are other pull offs and trails back to river for fishing or wading and a little creek waterfall.
When I get to 495 beltway I either turn around OR take North to George Washington Parkway...it's a scenic route 2 lane with 50 and 55 MPH speed limit running along Potomac into D.C. with view of Georgetown, then monuments and then bridge to poopy city, etc. ,,, fun short ride ...

URGH! Got side-tracked wondering about adding some electrolyte(?) or some type of battery acid to my battery but couldn't find ad from any local parts stores...(I'll Probably just get a new battery but tired "little" costs on this bike whenever thinking GTG)...
Anyway, Inspirational thread !

 

[dorkburger]

...... I came back here intending to fix the Photobucket links... to my surprise they work at the moment. If anyone takes the time can they please chime in and let me know if they can see them as well? I never paid their ransom which is the reason for my surprise.

 

[dorkburger]

Well I may have doomed the whole darn thing by typing it and making a thread...
Life is funny like that. Sh1t happens, life happens... and sometimes sh1t doesn?t happen.
I haven?t been back since 2015. It seems so long ago.

My reason for dredging this up is that it may happen this year, albeit in a different form. Plans are VERY sketchy at the moment, but at least there is a glimmer of hope, hence the reason for the revisit and possible photo link fix...