Thursday, July 8, 2010
Notes from the terrified!
NOT a small stretch of unpaved, narrow dirt road.....a mile of narrow unpaved dirt that was cliff side. Absolutely terrifying for someone with a fear of heights. Why do I set myself up for such emotional torment? Well, I love being frightened and I thrive on accomplishment......and Mandi is VERY persuasive! At one point, I was so overcome with fear that I started breathing rapidly and started to get light headed. "I can't make it", I whispered into the SCALA rider. "I have to turn around, I'm so sorry...." "Yes you can, Guss!" (my nick) "YOU CAN DO THIS!", Mandi said with confidence. "Just talk to me." And talk we did. All the way up and back down, Mandi warned me of oncoming traffic, letting me know when I could safely hug the inside of the road. Had we been unable to communicate, I surely would have had a panic attack and perished on the side of the mountain!
Live Free or Die.
By Mandi
Ok, I was under the impression that Mt. Washington in New Hampshire was precarious for it's unpredictable high winds and low temps. I had no idea the road was so severe and gravel in a short stretch and narrow at certain points. Not for the faint of heart not for the fear of heights or if you are having an emotional day. It was a test of nerves and skill and desire to live through it. The cool thing is that Mt. Washington is in the path of the Appalachian Trail it also has it's own Post Office with it's own zip code 03589. It also has a gift shop that requires several chains to stay anchored in its location. Funny the state motto is Live Free or Die. Don't prisoners make license plates? That was always the joke. Anyway we are alive but with a greater appreciation for Mt. Washington.
Ok, I was under the impression that Mt. Washington in New Hampshire was precarious for it's unpredictable high winds and low temps. I had no idea the road was so severe and gravel in a short stretch and narrow at certain points. Not for the faint of heart not for the fear of heights or if you are having an emotional day. It was a test of nerves and skill and desire to live through it. The cool thing is that Mt. Washington is in the path of the Appalachian Trail it also has it's own Post Office with it's own zip code 03589. It also has a gift shop that requires several chains to stay anchored in its location. Funny the state motto is Live Free or Die. Don't prisoners make license plates? That was always the joke. Anyway we are alive but with a greater appreciation for Mt. Washington.
Monday, July 5, 2010
ROCK LOBSTER!!!!
Rock Lobstererer er er....motion in the ocean ooh aah....down down down....(I hope you are hearing the B52s in your head as you watch this video!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friends in the strangest places.
Just so happens that my friend and colleague at the Free Press Susan Tusa's daughter is up running around Acadia National Park. How cool for Barb and I to have a picnic lunch with Andra and her pup Syd on Cadillac Mt. in Acadia. We had fresh strawberries, freshly baked bakery bread, apples and of course Vermont chedar. But most of all it was cool to hear of Andra's travels she made me feel 26 again (her 26th birthday was yesterday). She is doing some gypsy traveling with Syd and learning about the world and its beauty. She is a beauty.
Acadia FINALLY!
If nothing else we made it! Yesterday July Second was a great leisurely drive up the coast from Rockport to Acadia. Now we are camping with no electricity so it makes blogging multimedia a bit difficult...videos to come so stand by. Our drive was great we stopped in Camden for lobster more lobster. We can't get enough. We stopped at this place owned by L.L. Bean's granddaughter Linda Lorraine Bean. Go figure. Anyway the lobster roll sandwich was fabulous. Acadia is beautiful. We are camping no showers so we heated water over the fire last night (the one you see) and had our own little bird bath.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Maine
Thank you Frank for rebuilding my wire harness! Not only that, they took the stock links off of a bike on their floor to install on Pearl! Clearly, Mike and his team at Menneto Powersports went out of their way to get me on the road in only 3 1/2 hours! In addition to good service, they unfortunately had insight from having installed the lowering kit for one of their customer. It ripped his wiring harness out too. They will no longer install the links and I'll encourage Dan at Tom Clark to do the same. An important note is that this is an aftermarket product, not a Victory product. Victory rocks!
There's more to the towing story, but I was too distressed to share it when I was writing from the repair shop the other day. Feel my pain as I write......I was riding in the truck with Sean (our towing hero). Mandi rode ahead so she could grab fuel. We were to meet at the service station.
Sean and I headed down the ramp to exit the highway. My head was turned so I could watch Pearl as we rode along. I had my helmet on so Mandi and I could continue to communicate. When making the right turn into the gas station to meet Mandi, I watched my sweet Pearl tip and fall on the flat bed truck. I started screaming "F@#K...F@#K"...F@#K..." My heart sunk and I was filled with saddness and distress apparently Mandi could pick me up faintly in her helmet and almost left the gas station without paying because it freaked her out she had no idea what was going on but could hear my panic.
At that point Mandi rushed out of the store only to see Pearl on her side and the tow guy and I struggling to lift her. The three of us lifted and repositioned Pearl. I was out of my head, biting my forged steel Beam sun glasses so hard my teeth prints are imprinted on the right stem. It was all I could do to keep from weeping. What can I say, I'm an emotional woman who loves her motorcycle! I'm so grateful Mandi was there! I think Sean was too....
Thank you my friend!
PS. After a long day of riding from Brattleboro VT. July 1st we made it to the coast of Maine. We were exhausted but the pay dirt was finding little cabins on the gorgeous rocky coast line, a beautiful sunset with wine and a turning point in our otherwise crazy trip. We still laugh every time Mandi repeats Barb's famous line during the Pearl melt down..."Why is this happening to me" a now useful humorous catch phrase that fits with most everything.
PSS. We are now off to Acadia...where I imagine it might be hard to post so bare with us. Thanks so much for your attention to this blog. Love, Mandi and Barb
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Some days the bear will eat you some days you'll eat the bear
by Barb
Where to begin....
My new Victory Vegas 8 Ball, aka Pearl, is a little tall. Even wearing my Doc Martin's with 3 inch heels, both feet can only be flat to the ground if my right leg is against the exhaust. I typically put just my left foot on the ground and keep the right one on the peg. So, just a week before the trip I decided to see if I could lower my bike some. I wanted to ensure good footing knowing that I'll fatigue some over the course of riding 6 to 8 hours a day for fourteen days. I went searching online and found lowering links that would bring me 1 1/2 inches closer to the ground. I ordered the lowering links with 2nd day air delivery! I was so excited!! I took the bike to dealer for the links to be installed on Thursday. The next day I rode to Thunder in the Mountains with my friend John and found that the bag bracket was hitting the belt guard. John gave her a test ride and said that he was hearing another noise. Upon inspection, he also noted a line on the tire. So, I took Pearl back to the dealer the next day to have them take a look underneath to be certain that nothing else was hitting. I expressed concern that the bike would be damaged and of course the warranty wouldn't cover the damage, plus I was leaving on Monday morning for my big trip. They took a look and gave me the go. No need to swap back to the original link........let me just put it this way and you can watch the video.. a big shout out to Menneto Powersports in Clifton Park NY
Where to begin....
My new Victory Vegas 8 Ball, aka Pearl, is a little tall. Even wearing my Doc Martin's with 3 inch heels, both feet can only be flat to the ground if my right leg is against the exhaust. I typically put just my left foot on the ground and keep the right one on the peg. So, just a week before the trip I decided to see if I could lower my bike some. I wanted to ensure good footing knowing that I'll fatigue some over the course of riding 6 to 8 hours a day for fourteen days. I went searching online and found lowering links that would bring me 1 1/2 inches closer to the ground. I ordered the lowering links with 2nd day air delivery! I was so excited!! I took the bike to dealer for the links to be installed on Thursday. The next day I rode to Thunder in the Mountains with my friend John and found that the bag bracket was hitting the belt guard. John gave her a test ride and said that he was hearing another noise. Upon inspection, he also noted a line on the tire. So, I took Pearl back to the dealer the next day to have them take a look underneath to be certain that nothing else was hitting. I expressed concern that the bike would be damaged and of course the warranty wouldn't cover the damage, plus I was leaving on Monday morning for my big trip. They took a look and gave me the go. No need to swap back to the original link........let me just put it this way and you can watch the video.. a big shout out to Menneto Powersports in Clifton Park NY
Pennsylvania Grand Canyon
by Mandi
Pennsylvania is so beautiful. So beautiful in fact that a gaggle of bikers we met were all from Canada and frequent the region frequently if I may be redundant. The Grand Canyon is a slice of beauty no doubt if you are ever traveling Route 6 through the northern portion of Pa. east of Wellsboro it is a worth while stop. Perhaps they shouldn't call it the Grand Canyon though. It's kind of like calling the Allegheny River the Nile of Pennsylvania...but the view is gorgeous in its Appalachian Mountain tradition.
Pennsylvania is so beautiful. So beautiful in fact that a gaggle of bikers we met were all from Canada and frequent the region frequently if I may be redundant. The Grand Canyon is a slice of beauty no doubt if you are ever traveling Route 6 through the northern portion of Pa. east of Wellsboro it is a worth while stop. Perhaps they shouldn't call it the Grand Canyon though. It's kind of like calling the Allegheny River the Nile of Pennsylvania...but the view is gorgeous in its Appalachian Mountain tradition.
Delicacy for a home girl.
By Mandi
This entry is dedicated to Diane!
Invented by the Pennsylvania Dutch, scrapple is the trimmings of pork mixed with corn meal and flour and formed into shapes. Not the Spam Lamb like shape reminiscent of the one in that M.A.S.H. episode (ya know the one where they don't have an Easter lamb?) but more like bricks. Delicious bricks of pure Pennsylvania spicy meat heaven.
This entry is dedicated to Diane!
Invented by the Pennsylvania Dutch, scrapple is the trimmings of pork mixed with corn meal and flour and formed into shapes. Not the Spam Lamb like shape reminiscent of the one in that M.A.S.H. episode (ya know the one where they don't have an Easter lamb?) but more like bricks. Delicious bricks of pure Pennsylvania spicy meat heaven.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Well-arranged!
by Mandi
Barb and I are having a long day. We decided to alter our route for reasons of punchiness and timing. So we dragged into the Atlas Motor Lodge 2 miles from Poughkeepsie NY on 9-w at about 8:30 PM. This place should be on momandpopmotels.com site just a cool vibe here, very clean and reasonably priced at 63.00ish a night. Ok, we pulled in really late because we have been absorbing Rt. 6 and forgetting really how far our target goal is (Maine). So more to come on all trip adjustments in the AM with some multimedia of our quick adventure to the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. GCP represent! We need to crash and I have had a chaotic trip plagued with a bit of absent mindedness. But luck has seemed close behind thankfully due to the help of nice people who understood it all. So I will say good night with the fortune cookie note I received. Simply stated.
"Well-arranged time is the surest sign of a well-arranged mind."
That one is going in the tank bag.
But please tell me this, what is well arranged time? And is a well arranged mind overrated?
Barb and I are having a long day. We decided to alter our route for reasons of punchiness and timing. So we dragged into the Atlas Motor Lodge 2 miles from Poughkeepsie NY on 9-w at about 8:30 PM. This place should be on momandpopmotels.com site just a cool vibe here, very clean and reasonably priced at 63.00ish a night. Ok, we pulled in really late because we have been absorbing Rt. 6 and forgetting really how far our target goal is (Maine). So more to come on all trip adjustments in the AM with some multimedia of our quick adventure to the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. GCP represent! We need to crash and I have had a chaotic trip plagued with a bit of absent mindedness. But luck has seemed close behind thankfully due to the help of nice people who understood it all. So I will say good night with the fortune cookie note I received. Simply stated.
"Well-arranged time is the surest sign of a well-arranged mind."
That one is going in the tank bag.
But please tell me this, what is well arranged time? And is a well arranged mind overrated?
Monday, June 28, 2010
PA Route 6
By Mandi
Hey we are staying at a place where the sign reads "Potato City Country Inn" For hungry, thirsty, sleepy people. We figured it was reaching out to us so we stopped for the night. Oh and we saw a big ass bear.
Hey we are staying at a place where the sign reads "Potato City Country Inn" For hungry, thirsty, sleepy people. We figured it was reaching out to us so we stopped for the night. Oh and we saw a big ass bear.
Standing at the fuel pump, Mandi realized that her ATM card wasn't where it should be. She quickly came to the conclusion that she left it in the ATM machine when we stopped at the grocery store the day before. We rode hopefully to that store, chatting on the Fedex delivered SCALA rider intercom headset. Thankfully, the same good luck followed the seemingly endless comedy of errors that's plagued the first few days of her vacation....IT WAS THERE!
With the little hand on the one, we left the city a little later than expected, but joking and laughing wildly we sped away like mad women hoping to leave the bad luck behind us. And so we did..
And here we are, after a beautiful day of riding, more dry than wet, at the Potato place, watching the locals shoot pool.
Tomorrow we ride to Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon. Watch out Deb and Jason, I feel a book report coming on!!
With the little hand on the one, we left the city a little later than expected, but joking and laughing wildly we sped away like mad women hoping to leave the bad luck behind us. And so we did..
And here we are, after a beautiful day of riding, more dry than wet, at the Potato place, watching the locals shoot pool.
Tomorrow we ride to Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon. Watch out Deb and Jason, I feel a book report coming on!!
Why I love my hometown!
Here is my friend Doug's adventures with a knife I gave him years ago. This guy is a great writer and garden aficionado. So glad you found your knife buddy.
http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/10177/1068416-47.stm
http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/10177/1068416-47.stm
By Mandi
IN A HURRY!
While I was in in a hurry and making a hasty departure from Detroit on Thursday June 24, 2010 I forgot a very important piece of equipment that I had placed on my back-up helmet at home. That piece allows Barb and I to communicate via helmet to helmet. Thank goodness it was a Friday. Had a good friend of mine Rebecca, find the piece I needed she removed it from my other helmet with the help of an iPhone video we made and she FedExd the device to Pittsburgh in time for our launch. HOLLA OUT TO FEDEX!!!! HOLLA TO REBECCA!!!
IN A HURRY!
While I was in in a hurry and making a hasty departure from Detroit on Thursday June 24, 2010 I forgot a very important piece of equipment that I had placed on my back-up helmet at home. That piece allows Barb and I to communicate via helmet to helmet. Thank goodness it was a Friday. Had a good friend of mine Rebecca, find the piece I needed she removed it from my other helmet with the help of an iPhone video we made and she FedExd the device to Pittsburgh in time for our launch. HOLLA OUT TO FEDEX!!!! HOLLA TO REBECCA!!!
Bagels and Bongos
By Mandi
Bagels and Bongos!
Just drove in from Detroit.
Greetings from Pittsburgh, the location of the official launch of Black & Bleu (now Pearl) 2010 trip to and through New England. We are hoping to score on some fresh Maine lobster before BP oil finds it’s way up coast. But before I go on about our future I want to take you back a bit to our last year finale. Barb and I literally had to Kamikaze our way back it was a tight trip and seemingly a blur as I write this. However I do recall a pinnacle moment. I think it is one of those melt downs you experience on every long trip that requires a bit of grit. Barb and I had stopped on one of our delirious hammering afternoons in some state I don’t quite remember it wasn’t Kansas I can tell you that for sure but it wasn’t Texas either. Any way we stopped at a non descript gas station for yet another can of Amp energy elixir which by that time made up 90% of our bloodstream and hurts my teeth just thinking about it. We were both checking out cell messages and txts when Barb got this look on her face I will never forget of pure pained emotional surrender. Barb had stumbled upon a voice mail she had saved from her mom who passed away earlier in the year, Barb is actually her mother’s namesake. Barbara Nicholas the II. And they look so much alike. We both just hugged and cried. We cried from exhaustion, emotional fatigue and the bit of relief we needed from our most awesome trip. That was difficult to leave behind us, the beauty of Colorado in exchange for reality. So on that note I won’t give Barb too much shiite for buying a new motorcycle. I swear she goes through motorcycles like some women go through purses (I will let her tell you about it). And since I am not privy to any dynastic wealth that I know of, I am elated to have my Sportster running like the fine oiled machine it is (touch wood). I am at my mom and John’s who are now away for the weekend and I did the little treasure hunt around the house in their absence ( I know she is regretting leaving me here unattended and this entry is a true test to her keeping up with this blog). I was looking through junk in the attic found the bowling ball with my name engraved found Tana’s old diary (my sister) hey she had an entry written in pencil that I (Mandi) was finally good when the babysitter came, like, shaa as if I was ever not good when the babysitter came (can you hear the resentment in my tone?). Though we did go through a lot of babysitters, I can assure you I wasn’t the reason. Sorry, I digress. I also found my album collection vinyl that is…very cool. Beatles, Sex Pistols, Joan Armatrading, Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles and of course Bagles and Bongos. What the what? Bagels and Bongos? Not mine. Or some thrift shop dynamo perhaps! The best score however was a little block of wood. Something I must have devised as a last minute mother’s day gift circa 1979-80?. It has a spark plug (Champion n-3 for you bike nuts) from my old Yamaha TY-250 trials bike screwed into a block of wood kind of trophy like and a note scribbled in ballpoint pen with my shouty hand writing. “Voted No 1 Motorcycle Mama of the year” You should know she helped me to buy that bike when I was 12ish, a huge sacrifice back in the day. I know dad was disapproving (they were divorced) but he must have had some cheddar in there too. I felt that was a significant archaeological find and appropriate for this coming trip. I left it at my mothers place sitting at the kitchen table where she and John will find it after her get-a-way weekend. A spark of good juju.
Thanks Mom and John thanks Dad and Becky, thanks Annie and Lynn for the great hospitality and food for my send off. Love you all!!
Bagels and Bongos!
Just drove in from Detroit.
Greetings from Pittsburgh, the location of the official launch of Black & Bleu (now Pearl) 2010 trip to and through New England. We are hoping to score on some fresh Maine lobster before BP oil finds it’s way up coast. But before I go on about our future I want to take you back a bit to our last year finale. Barb and I literally had to Kamikaze our way back it was a tight trip and seemingly a blur as I write this. However I do recall a pinnacle moment. I think it is one of those melt downs you experience on every long trip that requires a bit of grit. Barb and I had stopped on one of our delirious hammering afternoons in some state I don’t quite remember it wasn’t Kansas I can tell you that for sure but it wasn’t Texas either. Any way we stopped at a non descript gas station for yet another can of Amp energy elixir which by that time made up 90% of our bloodstream and hurts my teeth just thinking about it. We were both checking out cell messages and txts when Barb got this look on her face I will never forget of pure pained emotional surrender. Barb had stumbled upon a voice mail she had saved from her mom who passed away earlier in the year, Barb is actually her mother’s namesake. Barbara Nicholas the II. And they look so much alike. We both just hugged and cried. We cried from exhaustion, emotional fatigue and the bit of relief we needed from our most awesome trip. That was difficult to leave behind us, the beauty of Colorado in exchange for reality. So on that note I won’t give Barb too much shiite for buying a new motorcycle. I swear she goes through motorcycles like some women go through purses (I will let her tell you about it). And since I am not privy to any dynastic wealth that I know of, I am elated to have my Sportster running like the fine oiled machine it is (touch wood). I am at my mom and John’s who are now away for the weekend and I did the little treasure hunt around the house in their absence ( I know she is regretting leaving me here unattended and this entry is a true test to her keeping up with this blog). I was looking through junk in the attic found the bowling ball with my name engraved found Tana’s old diary (my sister) hey she had an entry written in pencil that I (Mandi) was finally good when the babysitter came, like, shaa as if I was ever not good when the babysitter came (can you hear the resentment in my tone?). Though we did go through a lot of babysitters, I can assure you I wasn’t the reason. Sorry, I digress. I also found my album collection vinyl that is…very cool. Beatles, Sex Pistols, Joan Armatrading, Patti Smith, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles and of course Bagles and Bongos. What the what? Bagels and Bongos? Not mine. Or some thrift shop dynamo perhaps! The best score however was a little block of wood. Something I must have devised as a last minute mother’s day gift circa 1979-80?. It has a spark plug (Champion n-3 for you bike nuts) from my old Yamaha TY-250 trials bike screwed into a block of wood kind of trophy like and a note scribbled in ballpoint pen with my shouty hand writing. “Voted No 1 Motorcycle Mama of the year” You should know she helped me to buy that bike when I was 12ish, a huge sacrifice back in the day. I know dad was disapproving (they were divorced) but he must have had some cheddar in there too. I felt that was a significant archaeological find and appropriate for this coming trip. I left it at my mothers place sitting at the kitchen table where she and John will find it after her get-a-way weekend. A spark of good juju.
Thanks Mom and John thanks Dad and Becky, thanks Annie and Lynn for the great hospitality and food for my send off. Love you all!!
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