Ride Report August 2007 - Maine

[jfheilman]

I hope this is allowed. I have not been able to take many trips this year due to some family issues and, I don't think I posted about this trip when we took it. So.....

In August 2007, I had just purchased my 2007 ST1300A in February that same yea. Three of my friends and I decided it was time to take a trip out of the country. So, we planned the following trip To Canada and Maine and back. I don't remember how many days it was



I had to do a screenshot to get the route in a JPEG format. The Streets and Trips program that developed the route says it was 2,800 miles and ten days.


We left the Waffle House in Irmo, SC on August 19 and headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway.



And had a stop for a nice view on the BRP



Day Two started with a conversation with someone who worked for NHRA racer Kenny Koretsky. Funny the things you see on the road and people you meet.


And some nice roads in, I think West Virginia.



On day three, August 20, 2007 we were in the Finger Lakes Region of New York and stumbled upon Watkins Glen. So we stopped by.

Henry


Billy

Me

And the group together minus me who took the photo


We stopped at a park on Lake Ontario in Oswego, NY. Took some pictures and got a suggested place for lunch






This is our route at this time headed to Montreal with a stop in Horseheads, NY.

 

[jfheilman]

Entering Canada and traveling along the St. Lawerence.






After spending the night at a Quality Inn (I think it was a Quality Inn) in Montreal, we headed back to the USA and our destination of Bar Harbor, ME., via Vermont and New Hampshire.









Lunch stop in Colebrook


And finally Bar Harbor.




Oh, our trip through Vermont, although short was very interesting. There was this lake, it was cool out but there were some sunbathers on the lawn of the house across the street.




Sorry Billy's image blocks the view. Oh and Seymour Lake is very lovely.

 

[Gerhard]

Seems just like yesterday what’s a few years between friends?

Looks like you made lasting memories.

 

[jfheilman]

A continuation of Yesterday and then today in 2007. After leaving Bar Harbor Overlook we ended up here at what appeared to be the place with lots of boats.



As we left the Bar Harbor area and traveling south on US 1 we ran across a nice view. It just off the road but I do not remember exactly where it was expect that I am pretty sure it was just off US 1.


We did not want to take I-95 through New York so we, instead, took I-285 across the Hudson River. I think this is the bridge across the Hudson but I am not sure. But I do remember that I was impressed with the design. Had not seen this design used before.


We then took the New Jersey Turnpike (if I remember correctly) and had the happen chance to stop for Lunch in the Princeton, NJ area and stumbled upon Princeton University. Never been there before.





Travled through Delaware (just a little) and ended up in Aberdeen, MD for a nights stay.


The Travelodge in Aberdeen, MD. An interesting Motel, I must say.
The picture below is of our bikes ready for the ride down to Washington, D.C. for a trip to Arlington and the Viet Nam Memorial Wall.
Apparently Grumpy's Bar & Grill is still going strong today.

 

[Sadlsor]

I wandered around New England, on weekends with some of my shipmates in CT.
That was some 30 years before your trip but I recall enjoying seeing the yachts and the fishing boats, all along the coast of Maine.
I served with guys from NH, VT, NY, RI, MA and NJ so we did a lot of weekend rides to their homes. Lots of nice riding and easy access to thise places from our submarine port in Groton, CT.
Even back then, I95 was a drag, and we avoided it when we could.
Hate to imagine how sulky it is to travel that highway today, I'm sure it's not gotten any better.
Thanks for the ride down Memory Lane.

 

[jfheilman]

Ah yes and you are welcome, I sort of did the same. In the summer of 1970 I was at Windsor, CT S1C Prototype for training after Nuke School in Bainbridge. And then spent a few days for Sub School in Groton. Wife and I did a trip to Maine and Nova Scotia in 1970 for the Antigonish Highland Games. And we stopped at Bangor Maine. And yes I generally do like riding in New England. We have been back several times in the last three or four years. And I just checked and I cannot find any slides of our 1970 visit to Bangor.

Oh, on our trip in 1970 to Nova Scotia, we camped.

 

[treemuncher]

Bar Harbor is likely the most well known tourist trap of Downeast Maine. While it is a treat to visit in some respects, I prefer Beals Island or Cutler for a real taste of a true Maine fishing village. If you stay tight along the coast and head east, the best of Downeast is between Hancock to West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, IMO.

I'm up there most summers for a few weeks so I've learned a lot about the area. If you get up there before mid July, expect a LOT of fog along the coast - day after day of it some years. I just don't do well in crowded areas or overpriced places so BH is not high on my list. The little fishing villages are the most interesting places to visit IF you can understand Downeast-Speak. Be sure to try a Haddock sandwich if you get up there.

 

[jfheilman]

Is the image above similar or the same place as the second image in my 1:00 PM Post yesterday.

Also, the wife and I did a trip up that way a few years ago (well several times but....) we found this restaurant in Ellsworth ME. And I do have the T-shirt. It was a nice place for lunch and pie. I can't find the date we took that trip but I will look some.

Helens

 

[treemuncher]

Is the image above similar or the same place as the second image in my 1:00 PM Post yesterday.

Also, the wife and I did a trip up that way a few years ago (well several times but....) we found this restaurant in Ellsworth ME. And I do have the T-shirt. It was a nice place for lunch and pie. I can't find the date we took that trip but I will look some.

Helens

Unless you made it to Old Shore Road in Harrington, then no, not the same place. That's the beach out front of the camp where we held LobsterSTOC a couple of times. I've also been to Helen's several times but swore them off for high prices and meager portions. I would make a recommendation for the Bluebird Ranch Restaraunt in Machias or Deano's take out in Millbridge for a better value if you like haddock burgers as much as I do.

Thanks for posting your ride report. It's always interesting to see where others have been. Maine has its charm and a lot of really rough roads but lots of scenery that is worth the ride. I did a nice little 1.5 day ride a couple years ago to run the coast, up along the Canadian border to Fort Kent, then down the westernmost roads that they allow motorcycles on, westerly to Jackman and then back to camp. That was over 900 miles in the least civilized portions of the state but not off in the woods. They don't allow any motorcycles in Baxter State Park nor any of the timberland regions. There's still plenty to see on what you are allowed to ride on but I don't like those rules.

 

[Fawlty]

A continuation of Yesterday and then today in 2007. After leaving Bar Harbor Overlook we ended up here at what appeared to be the place with lots of boats.



As we left the Bar Harbor area and traveling south on US 1 we ran across a nice view. It just off the road but I do not remember exactly where it was expect that I am pretty sure it was just off US 1.


We did not want to take I-95 through New York so we, instead, took I-285 across the Hudson River. I think this is the bridge across the Hudson but I am not sure. But I do remember that I was impressed with the design. Had not seen this design used before.


We then took the New Jersey Turnpike (if I remember correctly) and had the happen chance to stop for Lunch in the Princeton, NJ area and stumbled upon Princeton University. Never been there before.





Travled through Delaware (just a little) and ended up in Aberdeen, MD for a nights stay.


The Travelodge in Aberdeen, MD. An interesting Motel, I must say.
The picture below is of our bikes ready for the ride down to Washington, D.C. for a trip to Arlington and the Viet Nam Memorial Wall.
Apparently Grumpy's Bar & Grill is still going strong today.

Great photos! Thanks for posting. We toured around New England in the fall of 2018 (by car). Beautiful area. We spent a few days in the Bar Harbor area and loved it. The place with a lot of boats could be North East Harbor.

 

[jfheilman]

Thanks for the feedback and the name does sound familiar but I cannot be certain.

I missed posting one of the more "important" parts of this trip. This happened yesterday in 2007,
One of our group, Henry, riding the Harley, served in Viet Nam. He had never been to the Viet Nam Memorial or Arlington National Cemetery. So, we made sure that we stopped there. We did not want to go into D.C. to park our bikes so we found a Honda Dealer (I thought it was a Honda Dealer but the building in the photo says Polaris) near a "Bus Stop" and asked if we could park our bikes there. They had no issue and we left our three Hondas and one Harley there fully packed and took the bus to Arlington.

Us at the Bus Stop. Oh, I got the Harley Davidson Cap at one or our stops at a Harley Dealership.



We let Henry visit the Viet Nam Memorial on his on and joined him later on.



Arlington


And the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.


I put together some of the images I took at Arlington into a Video. I used Trace Atkin's song "Arlington" as a music sound track. Therefore I don't think I can post it on YouTube. The link to the video in my DropBox account is below

Arlington

We stopped for the evening of August 24 somewhere in Virginia before heading down to the Outer Banks.

And it looks like Rumble might have allowed me to upload the video with music so here is that link

Visti To Arlington - August 2007

 

[jfheilman]

Today I will close out the report with our travels toward the Outer Bank. Two things, my friend Henry who rides the Harley was very interested in our stop at the "Grave Digger". We went by this same place a couple of years ago and it was not the same as it was in 2007. We also stopped at the Wright Brothers Monument.













Next the Wright Brothers.











I thank you all for the comments and feedback. I appreciate you letting me relive this trip. It was a wonderful fulfilling and just a great ride. So many things you cannot put into words or even pictures. And yes, I can still see them today.