Too nice here in New England today to not ride. Perfect sun, no wind,
beautiful colors, mid 60s, a spectacular day!

Stooopid con-calls that pay the bills till 2:00, but after that, I am
AH.. that's north central New England slang for Aouta Heah! Oh yeah..
got the CD player loaded up with 7 or so hours of Tom Petty, lottsa
old Dylan, a little Allman Bros, some Neil Young, a bit of Creedence,
last years John Fogarty CD, Tom Rush, Clapton, Townes VanZandt, you
know, typical old dude music. I'm on the road again.

I take the EGC, the bike is purring and loves the chill in the air. It
runs a little cooler, a little smoother and maybe the air is a bit
denser or something as it just seems to have a few more ponies. ...and
no motorcycle makes more beautiful sounds than that Harley V-Twin,
maybe that's a personal opinion, but it's my personal opinion, so it
must be right. http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/98575189/large

Rt 119 north out of Ashby Mass is wide and smooth and the speed is 55
but the locals do 65 and many of the commuters driving back to New
Hampshire from Mass where they work do 75. Leaving town there is a
sportsman's club, 800 acres separated by 119 and there is a beautiful
pond that the road crosses over with water on both sides. I've seen
moose bathing there in the past.
http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/104274362 but not today. Still,
gorgeous place to ride through. Some people don't realize how
beautiful remote sections of Massachusetts can be. I enter Rindge NH.
I don't have to wear a helmet in this state, but it's keeping my ears
warm and protecting my noggin.

Up into Jaffrey NH I pass by Kimball's Ice Cream, now only open on the
weekends and last weekend is this weekend coming up. Columbus day
weekend. I ride on through Jaffrey and take Rt 137 north into Hancock
NH. A very quaint and scenic small New Hampshire hamlet in what is
known as the Manadnock region, the most south western part of New
Hampshire. http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/88452612 It's called
the Manadnock Region due to the ever present and rather small Mt.
Manadnock. This is a pic from last year, it's more colorful now.
http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/88452616

Great riding area and I come across a gaggle of sportbike guys at the
Peterborough Diner. Nice sportbikes, some pretty Triumphs.
http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/104275211 Gotta love the
Peterborough Diner. Great burgers and great waitresses. The three key
metrics to a good diner, food, waitresses and motorcycle parking. Just
my opinion, so it must be right.
http://www.pbase.com/stevel1949/image/27723013

I head out over into Antrim on 202N and then take a left onto Rt 9
west into Keene. I crank up the Gerbing jacket liner and switch to the
Gerbing gloves. Thinking I should have worn the G pants too, but it
was warm when I left the house. Oh well, a brisk night ride home. The
Harley pipes and singing sweeter than Bob Dylan on the CD/mps singing
Lily and the Jack of Hearts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0V-MC1GUo

What a great ride, sometimes it doesn't take me much to clear the
cobwebs. Half a tank of high-test.

 

Really nice write up and pics oldhippie. I'm an old Dead Head and appreciate your take on your ride. That pond is the kind of water environment I love to come across, pull over and wet a line if I'm carrying my fishing gear. Cool.

Ride safe,

axe11