Left 6 Am Wednesday morning to meet a bunch of gals I know on a motorcycle forum in Chatham, NY for breakfast. Met some Blue Knight riders there (retired police officers), and they bought us breakfast - great way to start a trip!
Then we rode to Lake George, NY to experience a bit of Americade (a biker rally). Yes, I know I went backwards to get there - I could have gotten to Lake George in just a little over the time it took me to get to breakfast. We spent some time walking around and shopping before finding our hotel for the night.
Thursday we left to go riding thru VT, taking the Essex Ferry from NY to VT. We stopped at the Dutch Mill Restaurant in Shelbourne, VT where the owners took great care of us. Mary (owners wife and hostess) was great. She had a fantastic sense of humor and was very friendly. The owner ran out to move his van when we arrived so that all 10 bikes could sit on fairly level ground. The food was very good and I heartily suggest stopping by there if you are ever in the area! She took pics with us - and this one really captures her spirit and personality (she is in the dress and the cook is the guy in back):
We ended up in North Conway, NH about 8 PM to spend the night. Then on Friday we rode thru the White Mountains. Some of the gals braved the Mt. Washington auto road even thought the weather was sucky (very foggy and fairly cold). I didn't go, with my fear of heights (and no gaurd rails on the road), and opted to do an alternate ride on the Kanc and thru a few of the notches. We got to Bentley's in Maine about 6 PM, where we spent the night.
Yesterday morning we road to the beach to walk the sands, then we all started the trip home. Some of the gals came from TN and GA, so they still aren't home now. There were several NY gals, who made it home shortly after I did - about 3 PM. I had a great time with the gals - I had never even met 8 of the 9 women. The one I had met, it was just for a short time 2 years ago, so I was unsure how the personalities would work out. But we did great together and I look forward to another ride together - perhaps next year.
Here are a few pics from the ride: Americade, ferry ride, VT, Kanc, Bentley's
What a wonderful time you must have had! Somehow, I hadn't envisioned such a large group when you were anticipating the trip.
I can't imagine your having a fear of heights - remembering how you sat on the edge of a ledge in the Grand Canyon. Perhaps you had a teen's feeling of invulnerability, then.
Glad you had such a great experience and hope that you get to reprise it many times to come.
Posted by: Cop Car | June 08, 2014 at 10:58 AM
Maybe the heights issue is from my seeing issues. The fear got noticeable in my 20's and got became gradually worse for several years where I would actually start to have a panic attack going over bridges that I had gone over before without any issues. For the most part it is manageable now. Who knows?
Posted by: bogie | June 14, 2014 at 06:34 AM
I guess you are your father's daughter after all! When we were at the Royal Gorge some years ago, your dad stopped the car to have me drive across the bridge. He just could not do it!
BTW: Did I tell you that your dad, as it turns out, had cracked both bones in his right wrist when he took that fall 3 1/2 months ago? He told Dr N that his wrist was still hurting, so they took a better x-ray which showed the cracks. He is wearing a wrap-around brace these days. Supposed to see the doc again in a week or so (been wearing the brace for 1 1/2 weeks.)
Posted by: Cop Car | June 14, 2014 at 12:34 PM