June 15th - South Jersey / Philly / Delaware Get-together ?

[FJR_Jim]

From my other post (South Jersey / Philadelphia Riders), it seems that there are quite a few of us in this area. I wanted to see if you guys were interested in getting together for a ride. I had several ideas floating around for a ride depending on interest.

1. Lunch in Annapolis, MD. I figured some of us could meet in the Cherry Hill, NJ or Philly area and head down into Delaware for Rt 213S to the Bay Bridge. We could pick up the Delaware area riders along the way.

2. Lunch in Lancaster, PA which seems sort of equidistant from several of us. I dont know many roads from NJ to Lancaster (Route 23 comes to mind), so I would have to call on a PA guy fo the lead maybe.

3. Breakfast in New Castle, DE (Arners on DuPont Hwy) and then a ride down Rt 9 or anywhere else.

4. Other ideas?

I was thinking something easy for an ice-breaker to get to meet each other. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Bravo12]

Well, for traveling south, I'd say go to Cape May and enjoy the Cape May to Lewes ferry.  I think its at least $25 one-way for a bike, so price-wise its probably not for everybody, but its a fun and relaxing break.  Ocean City, Maryland is a decent lunch spot, but probably gonna be getting crowded in the next few weeks.

As for the suggestions above, I like the lunch in Lancaster idea.  From NJ (and even from Philly), its sometimes best to shoot across the PA turnpike into the Reading area before hitting the back roads, or else you spend two hours just trying to get away from traffic.

Oh, and I'm not into Harleys (just check out the Top Ten list on my website), but the plant in York, PA is a popular destination, and the roads around there are pretty nice, too.

[JReazor]

Any of those could work for me but if a run down 213 in to MD is in the cards, I might suggest lunch in Chestertown, MD just to avoid the RT. 50 drone.

There are also some good places to stop in the Kent Island/Kent Narrows area. That would put us on 50 for a while but this side of the bridge isn't as bad as the D.C. side.

[kendenton]

There's always New Hope/Bucks County area...

[chiltech500]

there are some 1/2 decent roads in bucks and less traffic except 32/New Hope  

[jackinthebox4]

Lancaster, Pa sounds good.
horse droppings may be an issue, however.
my experience has been that they let go at the apex of the corner.

[Xodus]

Lancaster, Pa sounds good.
horse droppings may be an issue, however.
my experience has been that they let go at the apex of the corner.

You are correct about that...  

[Doug Just Doug]

I'm not sure I'm available that day, but just as an FYI, the 3rd-Sunday breakfast ride-in at the Lawn F.C. near Hershey is that day.  And if you're looking at lunch stops in the Lancaster area, the Gap Diner in Gap (where else?) has that m/c-only parking lot out front.  Hershey Farm on 896 north of Stroudsburg and the Bird-In-Hand on Rte. 340 near, well, you know where, are fairly m/c-friendly joints as well.

[Bravo12]

There's always New Hope/Bucks County area...

New Hope is a bottleneck on Rt 32, not that it needs one on the weekends.    Besides that, its not uncommon on a summer weekend for Souderton PD to set up a "Loud Muffler Check" checkpoint, where they only stop motorcycles and shake the riders down for their paperwork, no matter how loud or quiet your exhaust.  Oh, and I was stopped for one of those when there was a classic Corvette with straight pipes three cars in front of me, and they were waved through.  Every bike gets stopped, no other vehicles get stopped.  The best part is: they don't have any sound-measuring equipment at the checkpoint.  Even if they did, PA code states a certain dB level from 50 feet away while the bike is travelling 35mph; try measuring that under the 202 overpass at a standstill.  

Anyway, there are decent roads there, if folks have never been, but between the traffic and the locals' intolerance of bikers over the past decade, I prefer to shoot right past it, up 611.  611 is just as good as 32 once you get above Easton.  Besides, right now there is a huge stretch of 32 under construction just a few miles above New Hope (not far above Dilly's) all the way up near Easton.

[chornbe]

I'm game, but Rt. 9 has like 3 turns in it and the road is in shitty condition. There are *way* better roads in the area. Del Rt. 82 to 100 to creek road up towards 82 and 282, west to lancaster, down 897. Or out to 345 in French Creek. So many options.

I simply can not understand what is so attractive about Rt. 9.

[Xodus]

I'm game, but Rt. 9 has like 3 turns in it and the road is in shitty condition. There are *way* better roads in the area. Del Rt. 82 to 100 to creek road up towards 82 and 282, west to lancaster, down 897. Or out to 345 in French Creek. So many options.

I simply can not understand what is so attractive about Rt. 9.

You're just biased against Rt.9...  

[JReazor]

I'm game, but Rt. 9 has like 3 turns in it and the road is in shitty condition. There are *way* better roads in the area. Del Rt. 82 to 100 to creek road up towards 82 and 282, west to lancaster, down 897. Or out to 345 in French Creek. So many options.

I simply can not understand what is so attractive about Rt. 9.

Rt. 9 isn't bad south of the canal. Granted, there are better roads but 9 is good for a little variety.

[Xodus]

Rt. 9 isn't bad south of the canal. Granted, there are better roads but 9 is good for a little variety.

I prefer rt.9 in the City of Wilmington/South Bridge area... It's like a race for your life riding through on a bike  

[airborneXX]

Sounds like fun, but I'm booked the next few weekends



Maybe we should all get together on July 13th for the ACS bike a Thon

[chornbe]

You're just biased against Rt.9...  

Oh, I just went thru' my crash-turn the other day with Randy and a few guys from work. I'm no sissy... the knee imprints on my tank and the claw marks on my grips mean nothing. Nothing at all.

I stuck with them 'til about 10 miles south of the big bridge then peeled off to head home. Nothing about the road is inviting to me. The corners are few and far between, the asphalt is in crappy condition, the standing water is all over the place, oh and the asshats driving on it like to block passes. But I'll keep quiet on that, because it wasn't just the cars and it wasn't just the strangers.

Maybe I'm just a road-snob these days.

YMMV

[Rincewind]

Hey guys, I'd be interested in this get-together, but I'm gonna be away.  I'm heading North on Wednesday, touring with some guys.  Sunday I'll still be out, or getting back pretty late.  

So maybe next time.  

[FJR_Jim]

I am really up for anything. Any one of the ideas posted would be a good day of riding. Hopefully, we can continue to get together for several of those rides.

I have never been on 100 and 82 out of Delaware. I did ride 82 from Reading to Downingtown (322) a month or so ago and that was really nice. I've taken the Cape May Ferry and that is always fun. I like The Ugly Mug in Cape May for a nice lunch stop and Lewes is a nice little town. Kent Island has some great seafood - Harris Crab House. I just spent an overnighter at the Hilton Garden Inn on Kent a few weekends ago. Good little marina bar with live music, cold beer and good burgers right out the back door. Bucks County is always a good time and, I agree, 611 north of Easton is really nice. Ever get up to Hawks Next near Port Jervis? Real nice roads and views!

I guess we need to pick something. Sounds like a split between Bucks / New Hope and Lancaster area (York, Reading).

What do you think? Lancaster? New Hope Area? Either OK?

Once we figure out where, we'll have to decide on meeting location and when.

[kendenton]

Wait - June 15th?  That's Father's Day - I'm out.

[Bravo12]

As you can tell, I'm not that fond of New Hope, but I'd be up for a ride to Hawk's Nest.  I've been through that area several times but never really checked out the roads around there.

[kendenton]

As you can tell, I'm not that fond of New Hope, but I'd be up for a ride to Hawk's Nest.  I've been through that area several times but never really checked out the roads around there.

Hawk's Nest is nice, and there's lots of good roads in the area.  It IS a pretty long way for SJ/DE folks though.  Just sayin'.