harrypottar
magical member
No, nothing, the spyder ran like a champ. You often see post of rides going awry so I thought I would post a nothing happened ride report.
When I first moved to the USA I worked for a company in Lowell, MA. I worked there for eight years and been gone now some seven years. The owners (brothers) ride Harley's and we used to ride a few times together. Some years we still meet and ride to Laconia for the day but we have not even done that in a while. Then out of the blue I get an email asking if I wanted to join them for a weekend "sausage fest" ride (men only, no wife's). Apparently they started this new tradition last year and are given a "hall pass" for the weekend very wild hogs type of affair. So this year they thought they would invite me, originally there was 15 plus myself, employees, friends and family (brothers), so I thought why not should be fun.
These guys are good people and good fun, so don't get me wrong, there all middle aged white collar workers with Harley's with more chrome than miles. One of the owners Harley is 10 years old and only as 11,000 miles or so on it. The type that will watch Sons of Anarchy, ride there Harley's to a pub fifty miles away and thing they're bad **s. Last time I rode with them was on the Goldwing so this will be interesting to see there reaction to the Spyder.
The plan was to set out VERY EARLY Friday and ride up north into Canada through New York and back down through Vermont and New Hampshire and get home some time (midnight) Sunday night. So as the week progressed the 15 riders whittled down one by one, one had the Hall Pass revoked by the wife ( didn't see that in Sons of Anarchy), one had bold tire so couldn't ride?, then the weather forecast scared a few etc, etc.. In the end there was a total of eight of us leaving VERY EARLY Friday morning.
So we all meet at 11.am at one of the riders houses, where we drank coffee and waited for the stragglers to arrive. There was tons and tons of trash talk, about strip joint, bars, pubs, night clubs, picking up some ladies and having a real ruckus of a time. We're going to arrested the towns we pass through aren't going know what hit them. So finally every body arrive and we all set to go. Our posse, all mean bikers, enough to scare any toddler in ear shot consisted of a Honda VTX, BMW GS 1150, Suzuki Boulevard, Yamaha, three Harley's and me on my Spyder with Trailer in tow. First impression of the Spyder was really funny, the usual its not a bike etc but they did all like the amenities and the trailer. Now I have to say at this point the rider on the GS is an experienced rider been all over on and off road so he was finding this all amusing as well.
Now its raining, raining quite hard, I have all my rain gear on, heated grips on, music all set, its now midday and I'm chomping at the bit to get going, but I'm a guest so I just sit and wait. Finally we all set, the cruisers all start there engines and rev there loud after market pipes while they wait for there bikes to warm up?. Ok lets go, in gear we off, yeah forward let the party begin.... Well two blocks down the road we have to to stop for gas as no one as filled up, twiddle thumbs as they all take off the rain gear, gloves etc fiddle for money and get gas.
Now we off for good, kick stands up lets roll, we're in Gardner MA, heading north, still raining very hard but we're on are way to Canada!. So after a very slow ride we finally make it 33 miles out of town to Keened NH, where we have to stop at the Harley dealership so we can look around. After some coffee, glove, boot cover and warm gear purchases (30 minutes) we're ready to go again. So now we head out of Keene NH north heading to Canada!. Again some slow wet weather riding we make a great run this time we make it 24 more miles to Bellows Falls Vermont, where we stop for gas, the station as a Dunkin Donuts inside, so coffee's, donuts, egg and bacon sandwiches a bound (45 minutes).
At this point at should also point out that no one (except my Spyder) as a GPS, the leader of the pack as a hand written map of routes turns and miles to travel. The plan is to head north through New York, they wanted to go through Lake George, they have never been. So there talking about it being another 300 of so miles and the next leg is 270 miles long. Now I go to Americade and its only 260 miles from my front door, the back way. I look at his directions and happen to mention that leg is not 270 miles, but 27 miles, it only a total of 85 miles from where we are. They all now in high sprites "will be there in an hour", (not the way where riding). So back on the road, it only 85 miles away, even though its still raining we should make it in good time.
Wow, this next leg was impressive, we made it a whole 51 miles to Rutland VT, where?, you guessed right we stopped for gas and coffee. Now one thing I have not mentioned that this journey as taken 4 times what it should have done, novice riders in the rain, hand written directions left to memory, countless and I mean countless missed turns and u-turns back to where we should be. So in Rutland, I kindly offered to lead with the GPS, this way we can stay on track, its only 54 miles more to go to get to Lake George then on to Canada!
So I take the lead, trying to increase the pace a little while being mindful of the skill level, rain and there all on two wheels. We finally made it to Lake George, it now 5.30 at night, very wet and very cold. During Americade, you can not move for bikes and on lookers, wall to wall people, but late September, Lake George is a Ghost town. We had the pick of hotels and got a nice place for decent price.
So we all split to our rooms, I had the trailer so I had plenty of spare warm dry clothes, after a hot shower, I joined the rest of the bunch at the front of the hotel. Where the plans a foot for a killer night, Woman song and beer and enough money left to bail us out of jail. I will spare you the long details, but after a dinner and a couple of bars ( I don't drink btw) we all ended up back in our rooms, tuck up and snoring by 10.30. Guess the ruckus will after wait for Saturday night. The woman of Lake George have been spared the wild party of the century.
I'm up bright and early Saturday morning, trailer packed ready to get to Canada!, but sadly found myself watching TV waiting for every one to get ready. Well by 10 am we where all showered and ready to go, go.. Canada!.. no go for breakfast. Must get the energy to ride to Canada.....
So off we go, we walk through Lake George which is very dead, no-one, I mean no-one. We hit a pancake house as every hard core bikers does, fill up on pancakes and coffee and head back to the hotel. Its still raining, every one as been drying there clothes on the hotel heaters so there still a little damp. We have the traditional start the bikes, rev the after market pipes to warm up the engines for 10 minutes. While we do some route planing, I have ridden around there before so I explain we can take route 9 through the mountains which are covered in mist or we can take 9n along the lake. We can stop for lunch in Plattsburgh before heading across the border to Canada!.
Off we go, 2 miles down the road to stop for gas. Now while they take turns to gas up, the day before when I had lead the charge, they had all been overwhelmed with the power speed and handling of the Spyder even with a trailer in tow. They where all very impressed and had changed there opinion of the Spyder. However, even though I had been mindful of the wet road, rain and novice riders they felt I went too fast, so they took the lead, after all it route 9n all the way to Canada!
So off we go, ran if coming down pretty hard, I had my heated grips on, music playing and my Baker Air Wings set to give me a perfect warm bubble of rain free air. Rather than repeat the long text above the ride was fun, very fun but slooow and full of gas/coffee stops. Each gas/coffee/snake stop was met with great enthusiasm, we where gold and wet but it was great fun, we will be in Canada by 12, the next stop make that 1.30, the next stop make that 3, the next stop make that 5. Along the way we stop to take picture and sight see and have a good ole buddy time. There impressed that I had been that way before as I talked about Lake Placid and SITA. I didn't mention Magog rally in Canada that would have just been showing off.
We're at one of our famous coffee stops at a gas station 20 miles shy of Plattsburgh and chatting with the owner of the station, as with most of these stops the Spyder is getting all the attention and of course the "i would rather be on that in this weather than those". Then he mentions how far the Canadian border is and that the crossing of Lake Champlain is limited now. We can carry on to Plattsburgh then ion to Canada or take the Ferry across to Vermont. Then he says, there a ferry that runs from here to Burlington in 20 minutes.
So that was it, cold and wet we decided to skip Canada, get the ferry to Burlington, stay the night and run to Canada in the morning. So we got the ferry from Port Kent to Burlington, an hour long ride in mist and rain.
So now we're on the Vermont side it late getting dark and we start looking for a hotel, where out of luck no hotel with eight rooms or even four rooms with separate beds. We ride south to Waterbury/Stow area, Still no luck, I used the GPS lodging feature to call around but all booked. So on again south to Montpelier, berlin and to White River Junction stopping at most exits for bedding for the night. But no luck, we had one hotel in White River calling around for us but no one could fit us in. It was full of leavers spending money and no body wanted eight cold wet bikers.
To cut a long story short we had dinner in White River then we decided to head home. It was dark, cold and raining but I finally made it home and 12.30. Despite the cold and rain I had a really great time. None of the bikes had any issues, the Spyder ran great and was properly the warmest ride to be on out of the bunch and certainly got al the attention. This was all about the ride and not about the Spyder, I have total faith in that it will take me anywhere I want to go in all sorts of weather.
harry
When I first moved to the USA I worked for a company in Lowell, MA. I worked there for eight years and been gone now some seven years. The owners (brothers) ride Harley's and we used to ride a few times together. Some years we still meet and ride to Laconia for the day but we have not even done that in a while. Then out of the blue I get an email asking if I wanted to join them for a weekend "sausage fest" ride (men only, no wife's). Apparently they started this new tradition last year and are given a "hall pass" for the weekend very wild hogs type of affair. So this year they thought they would invite me, originally there was 15 plus myself, employees, friends and family (brothers), so I thought why not should be fun.
These guys are good people and good fun, so don't get me wrong, there all middle aged white collar workers with Harley's with more chrome than miles. One of the owners Harley is 10 years old and only as 11,000 miles or so on it. The type that will watch Sons of Anarchy, ride there Harley's to a pub fifty miles away and thing they're bad **s. Last time I rode with them was on the Goldwing so this will be interesting to see there reaction to the Spyder.
The plan was to set out VERY EARLY Friday and ride up north into Canada through New York and back down through Vermont and New Hampshire and get home some time (midnight) Sunday night. So as the week progressed the 15 riders whittled down one by one, one had the Hall Pass revoked by the wife ( didn't see that in Sons of Anarchy), one had bold tire so couldn't ride?, then the weather forecast scared a few etc, etc.. In the end there was a total of eight of us leaving VERY EARLY Friday morning.
So we all meet at 11.am at one of the riders houses, where we drank coffee and waited for the stragglers to arrive. There was tons and tons of trash talk, about strip joint, bars, pubs, night clubs, picking up some ladies and having a real ruckus of a time. We're going to arrested the towns we pass through aren't going know what hit them. So finally every body arrive and we all set to go. Our posse, all mean bikers, enough to scare any toddler in ear shot consisted of a Honda VTX, BMW GS 1150, Suzuki Boulevard, Yamaha, three Harley's and me on my Spyder with Trailer in tow. First impression of the Spyder was really funny, the usual its not a bike etc but they did all like the amenities and the trailer. Now I have to say at this point the rider on the GS is an experienced rider been all over on and off road so he was finding this all amusing as well.
Now its raining, raining quite hard, I have all my rain gear on, heated grips on, music all set, its now midday and I'm chomping at the bit to get going, but I'm a guest so I just sit and wait. Finally we all set, the cruisers all start there engines and rev there loud after market pipes while they wait for there bikes to warm up?. Ok lets go, in gear we off, yeah forward let the party begin.... Well two blocks down the road we have to to stop for gas as no one as filled up, twiddle thumbs as they all take off the rain gear, gloves etc fiddle for money and get gas.
Now we off for good, kick stands up lets roll, we're in Gardner MA, heading north, still raining very hard but we're on are way to Canada!. So after a very slow ride we finally make it 33 miles out of town to Keened NH, where we have to stop at the Harley dealership so we can look around. After some coffee, glove, boot cover and warm gear purchases (30 minutes) we're ready to go again. So now we head out of Keene NH north heading to Canada!. Again some slow wet weather riding we make a great run this time we make it 24 more miles to Bellows Falls Vermont, where we stop for gas, the station as a Dunkin Donuts inside, so coffee's, donuts, egg and bacon sandwiches a bound (45 minutes).
At this point at should also point out that no one (except my Spyder) as a GPS, the leader of the pack as a hand written map of routes turns and miles to travel. The plan is to head north through New York, they wanted to go through Lake George, they have never been. So there talking about it being another 300 of so miles and the next leg is 270 miles long. Now I go to Americade and its only 260 miles from my front door, the back way. I look at his directions and happen to mention that leg is not 270 miles, but 27 miles, it only a total of 85 miles from where we are. They all now in high sprites "will be there in an hour", (not the way where riding). So back on the road, it only 85 miles away, even though its still raining we should make it in good time.
Wow, this next leg was impressive, we made it a whole 51 miles to Rutland VT, where?, you guessed right we stopped for gas and coffee. Now one thing I have not mentioned that this journey as taken 4 times what it should have done, novice riders in the rain, hand written directions left to memory, countless and I mean countless missed turns and u-turns back to where we should be. So in Rutland, I kindly offered to lead with the GPS, this way we can stay on track, its only 54 miles more to go to get to Lake George then on to Canada!
So I take the lead, trying to increase the pace a little while being mindful of the skill level, rain and there all on two wheels. We finally made it to Lake George, it now 5.30 at night, very wet and very cold. During Americade, you can not move for bikes and on lookers, wall to wall people, but late September, Lake George is a Ghost town. We had the pick of hotels and got a nice place for decent price.
So we all split to our rooms, I had the trailer so I had plenty of spare warm dry clothes, after a hot shower, I joined the rest of the bunch at the front of the hotel. Where the plans a foot for a killer night, Woman song and beer and enough money left to bail us out of jail. I will spare you the long details, but after a dinner and a couple of bars ( I don't drink btw) we all ended up back in our rooms, tuck up and snoring by 10.30. Guess the ruckus will after wait for Saturday night. The woman of Lake George have been spared the wild party of the century.
I'm up bright and early Saturday morning, trailer packed ready to get to Canada!, but sadly found myself watching TV waiting for every one to get ready. Well by 10 am we where all showered and ready to go, go.. Canada!.. no go for breakfast. Must get the energy to ride to Canada.....
So off we go, we walk through Lake George which is very dead, no-one, I mean no-one. We hit a pancake house as every hard core bikers does, fill up on pancakes and coffee and head back to the hotel. Its still raining, every one as been drying there clothes on the hotel heaters so there still a little damp. We have the traditional start the bikes, rev the after market pipes to warm up the engines for 10 minutes. While we do some route planing, I have ridden around there before so I explain we can take route 9 through the mountains which are covered in mist or we can take 9n along the lake. We can stop for lunch in Plattsburgh before heading across the border to Canada!.
Off we go, 2 miles down the road to stop for gas. Now while they take turns to gas up, the day before when I had lead the charge, they had all been overwhelmed with the power speed and handling of the Spyder even with a trailer in tow. They where all very impressed and had changed there opinion of the Spyder. However, even though I had been mindful of the wet road, rain and novice riders they felt I went too fast, so they took the lead, after all it route 9n all the way to Canada!
So off we go, ran if coming down pretty hard, I had my heated grips on, music playing and my Baker Air Wings set to give me a perfect warm bubble of rain free air. Rather than repeat the long text above the ride was fun, very fun but slooow and full of gas/coffee stops. Each gas/coffee/snake stop was met with great enthusiasm, we where gold and wet but it was great fun, we will be in Canada by 12, the next stop make that 1.30, the next stop make that 3, the next stop make that 5. Along the way we stop to take picture and sight see and have a good ole buddy time. There impressed that I had been that way before as I talked about Lake Placid and SITA. I didn't mention Magog rally in Canada that would have just been showing off.
We're at one of our famous coffee stops at a gas station 20 miles shy of Plattsburgh and chatting with the owner of the station, as with most of these stops the Spyder is getting all the attention and of course the "i would rather be on that in this weather than those". Then he mentions how far the Canadian border is and that the crossing of Lake Champlain is limited now. We can carry on to Plattsburgh then ion to Canada or take the Ferry across to Vermont. Then he says, there a ferry that runs from here to Burlington in 20 minutes.
So that was it, cold and wet we decided to skip Canada, get the ferry to Burlington, stay the night and run to Canada in the morning. So we got the ferry from Port Kent to Burlington, an hour long ride in mist and rain.
So now we're on the Vermont side it late getting dark and we start looking for a hotel, where out of luck no hotel with eight rooms or even four rooms with separate beds. We ride south to Waterbury/Stow area, Still no luck, I used the GPS lodging feature to call around but all booked. So on again south to Montpelier, berlin and to White River Junction stopping at most exits for bedding for the night. But no luck, we had one hotel in White River calling around for us but no one could fit us in. It was full of leavers spending money and no body wanted eight cold wet bikers.
To cut a long story short we had dinner in White River then we decided to head home. It was dark, cold and raining but I finally made it home and 12.30. Despite the cold and rain I had a really great time. None of the bikes had any issues, the Spyder ran great and was properly the warmest ride to be on out of the bunch and certainly got al the attention. This was all about the ride and not about the Spyder, I have total faith in that it will take me anywhere I want to go in all sorts of weather.
harry
hyea:Wish we could've joined you :yes::clap:
opcorn:I was just kidding but thank you.
