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Am I considering the correct three wheeled conveyance?

I have worked/volunteered at Stronghold since '95; so yes that is the exact place I am referencing; the castle was Walter Strong's summer home-he was the owner of the Daily News in the 1920's. I am glad my concern is qualified; I have seen gold wings parked in camp for the Old English Faire, but have never seen a bike go up or down the road with my eyes-I have mountain biked it myself and nearly wiped out.

Ah!! Well we solved that one pretty fast. When you described it... it sounded exactly like that road... because it looks like the worst possible entrance to a place I have ever seen. It goes straight-up and turns sharp immediately. Treacherous... no doubt.

I have only lived in this area for around 11 years. I love history and Stronghold was one spot I ran across fairly soon (regarding its history). Every year I keep thinking I would like to get up the hill to see it, because it sounds interesting and I would like to see what he had built "back in the day". However, when ever I am by there I am either on my motorcycle or Spyder... and there is no way I am going to risk going up it. I may be able to make it on the Spyder, but I don't know what else happens as you go up that road -- thus never wanted to risk it.

By the way... when he built that, it was nothing more than a gravel and dirt country road along the river to get there, and it was a long way from where he worked every day -- which was a mystery to me as to why he would pick a spot so inconvenient. He surely had some horrible days getting back and forth from work.

Anyway... It appears they have done some work on the main entrance to the place over the last couple years, making it possibly easier to go up to the house. If you go there every year you may already know about it.

I know there was another entrance just to the north of the newer entrance that was extremely steep and had a major-sharp turn right away -- which looked like a Jeep would have a tough time getting up.

I'll try to double-check the entrance again to see if it is easier -- however to do that I will have to get down that direction, and I am not sure when that will happen -- other than for certain on May 10th -- when I know I'll be passing-by in a car heading south for my son's graduation. I could drive up the entrance and see then and let you know.

Also, I have one person I know that lives in Byron, IL (just north of Oregon, IL) that may know more details. I'll see her tomorrow and will ask about the new entrance.

Again... I can see why you would have a concern with that road. You certainly weren't crazy.:thumbup:
 
Ah!! Well we solved that one pretty fast. When you described it... it sounded exactly like that road... because it looks like the worst possible entrance to a place I have ever seen. It goes straight-up and turns sharp immediately. Treacherous... no doubt.

I have only lived in this area for around 11 years. I love history and Stronghold was one spot I ran across fairly soon (regarding its history). Every year I keep thinking I would like to get up the hill to see it, because it sounds interesting and I would like to see what he had built "back in the day". However, when ever I am by there I am either on my motorcycle or Spyder... and there is no way I am going to risk going up it. I may be able to make it on the Spyder, but I don't know what else happens as you go up that road -- thus never wanted to risk it.

By the way... when he built that, it was nothing more than a gravel and dirt country road along the river to get there, and it was a long way from where he worked every day -- which was a mystery to me as to why he would pick a spot so inconvenient. He surely had some horrible days getting back and forth from work.

Anyway... It appears they have done some work on the main entrance to the place over the last couple years, making it possibly easier to go up to the house. If you go there every year you may already know about it.

I know there was another entrance just to the north of the newer entrance that was extremely steep and had a major-sharp turn right away -- which looked like a Jeep would have a tough time getting up.

I'll try to double-check the entrance again to see if it is easier -- however to do that I will have to get down that direction, and I am not sure when that will happen -- other than for certain on May 10th -- when I know I'll be passing-by in a car heading south for my son's graduation. I could drive up the entrance and see then and let you know.

Also, I have one person I know that lives in Byron, IL (just north of Oregon, IL) that may know more details. I'll see her tomorrow and will ask about the new entrance.

Again... I can see why you would have a concern with that road. You certainly weren't crazy.:thumbup:
The old entrance as it were, is impassable; the conference center is one of my favorite places. It's only one visit per year, yet is an important one to me-so if it is not manageable on a Spyder that would be disappointing.
 
The old entrance as it were, is impassable; the conference center is one of my favorite places. It's only one visit per year, yet is an important one to me-so if it is not manageable on a Spyder that would be disappointing.

If you are only coming for the Old English Fair, that is in October (if memory serves me well) and the information I was given today might have been old-news for you by then last year -- because they said they were still working on the main entrance last summer and the day they went up the road it was being graded and muddy.

Well... that work would likely have been done by October... As you know there is only one sharp turn just a bit up the entrance, then it is almost a straight-shot up the rest of the hill.

After knowing how much work was done on Rt-2 along the river, and hearing about the work in the entrance (grading and graveling)... I would think a Spyder would make it up there. If I were you, I would do it.

Again, I am going to drive by it on May 10th, so I'll drive up it with my car and confirm it.

Good luck on finding your Spyder...
 
Ride it like you stole it !

Took the RT on a Praire Dog hunt in Wyoming with my buddy who had a BMM G/S side car outfit ........... check out my avitar...... Pick your path and GO ! :thumbup:
 
Never owned a side hack but rode a few and piloted several.

i hate dirt to gravel roads unless I am on an "an enduro or woods machine,". When I have to go off reading (an infirm surface) I slow way down. That eliminates many things to including therapeutic messages from the back seat Queen.

Side hacks can be loads of fun because at any moment you Want to or don't want to you can raise the side hack off the ground . With a skilled hack passenger it becomes a whole lot of fun providing your passenger is quick, athletic, fearless and brain dead all in a nanosecond.

I doubt that your any of the above as you sound to much like a sane person.

If the side hack gets into soft surfaces what little exposure I had 52 years ago was it tended to drag the rig into a right hand turn right now. What are you considering on hanging the hack rig on?
I was considering a Ural, it's a Russian copy of a BMW R71, attached hack with a driven hack wheel.
 
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