I don't have notes from Sunday, so I'll do the best I can.
We met outside the Super8 for the Punxy ride that Garry had laid out as one of the four loops from Clearfield. Temperature was just right for the jacket with vents closed and no liner.
We gassed up next to the Days Inn, and headed for the hills.
The site of all the action on Saturday nights in Clearfield
Jeff, Eric, the Multi, Dave and Frank ready to roll
The first part of the ride was great, lots of twisty backroads. We stopped on a particularly nice open curve to get some more action shots.
Dave was first to come by
Then Eric on the Griso
Jeff on the Bandit
And finally Frank on his WeeStrom
During this photo stop, at Eric's insistence, I took the Griso for a quick spin. Man, do I love the Guzzi motors. Just sitting on it and listening to it rev is almost reason enough to buy one. I took it very easy on my brief ride, but I came away impressed. The ergos of the Griso are a bit tight for me to have as an only bike, but it made me want the Norge even more than I already do.
Me on Eric's Griso (photo courtesy Dave)
It wasn't long after that stop that we got kind of lost. Our route crossed itself, and both Frank's and my GPS seemed to get confused. We tried a couple different roads to try and get back on track, but to no avail. At one point we ended up in a paved dead-end, with dirt/gravel roads leading off in 3 different directions. Back we went. It was during this 'route finding' that talking to Dave on the Q2 was particularly useful. We both had GPS's, so we kind of knew what was going on, and we could compare notes as we went as to what might be the best route back, what our ETA would be, etc. I felt bad for Jeff and Eric, who must have been scratching their heads as we went by those 2 car dealerships for the 3rd time ("look kids, Big Ben, Parliement"). Not knocking Frank, or his navigation skills, but sometimes the GPS just lets you down.
My tracklog from the morning's ride
Even with our best guess at a route we still made it back to Denny's by 11:30 and in time to meet most everyone who was showing up. Caught up with most of the folks from the night before, plus MadJack (from the Stoudt's run in 2008) and probably more people who I can't recall. The weather was great, and it was good fun kicking the tires and catching up with folks.
Eric and Dave at Denny's
Dave and I at Denny's
Worshipping at the alter of the 2 pound burger
Jeff, Eric and Dave at our corner table at Denny's
Gorgeous KTM SM-R
Eric heading back for the long slab ride home
Dave heading back to Wyckoff Run on the way home
Loved this helmet
And this button engages the hyperdrive
Looking back from Denny's
RDoug heading out
JETSET heading for home
East Coast Chaos crew leaving
Jeff and I decided to ride most of the way home together, slabbing it for the most part on 322. It was hot, hot, hot for most of the ride home. As slabs go, 322 isn't too bad a ride. Pretty scenic, some decent curves, and not a whole lot of traffic. We pulled off for a little while around Thompsontown to get a drink.
Jeff enjoying a cold drink and some much-needed shade
90 degrees in the shade
I headed out back of the place to answer's nature call, and Jeff and I made jokes about washing my hands, tipping the attendant, and so on. So of course this cracked me up at when I turned the corner.
Back on the road to Harrisburg, I got confused and split off into downtown instead of following Jeff on 322. No idea why I did that, but I paid for it with a slow, hot ride on surface streets trying to find my way back to the highway. Took the PA Turnpike to 476, then the Commodore Barry Bridge back to NJ. Only when I got to the farmlands of south Jersey did the heat dissipate and the ride turn pleasant.
Stopped on the PA Tpke, still really hot out
Home by 7, exhausted.
The route home