The Ephrata First Sunday Ride-In 2009 thread

[chornbe]

First Saturday night bump.

Anyone going tomorrow?

James, wanna ride up with us? The Wawa on Rt. 41 in Avondale, just South of Rt. 1.

[JReazor]

James, wanna ride up with us? The Wawa on Rt. 41 in Avondale, just South of Rt. 1.

I'd like to but I'm not sure if I'll be on the road quite that early. I'll look for you up there if I miss you at the Wawa.

[chornbe]

I'd like to but I'm not sure if I'll be on the road quite that early. I'll look for you up there if I miss you at the Wawa.

Ok, look for the big white barge, or gimme a call (see PM for #) when you arrive. I don't think I'll have time to get down to Newark to pickup the Sportie. It's at my brother's place at the moment.

[Bravo12]

I'll be there ~10am on my red VFR (with the solo cowl - I took off the racks until my next trip) with the GPS and SPOT tracker.  I'll be with my buddy Joe on his Aprilia Tuono.  I think we are meeting my buddy Todd on his blue '94 BMW K75 in the lower lot by the ball field.  I'll look for you guys.  I have a ~200 mile loop planned that goes up the Susquehanna a ways, up 22 and 333, then down 74 and 944, and back down 22 and 441 towards York.  At any given point, if the weather turns bad we can high-tail it to the PA turnpike and scoot home.

[Doug Just Doug]

This is the rare month I'm missing it...going to Philly.  Don't ask why; it has something to do with my wife, refurbing a room, and a certain Swedish store.  

[Smoker]

Just got home from the park, there was about 30 brave souls there. Didn't see any ST.Ners.


Hard to tell from the pictures, but it was pouring rain, thunder and lightning off and on.

[JamminJere]

Thats about 29 more than I thought would be there...

I was dressed, ready to don my rainsuit... opened the garage door, it was raining so hard I could barely see my work van parked in the turn around 35ft away... I closed the garage door...

Two ducks were hiding in our drainage pipe, looking up at the sky...

JJ

[JReazor]

A few of us stopped for breakfast on the way and got there a little later.

This is PVS, chornbe and Chips at our breakfast stop. It was still coming down pretty good at this point. Exodus and Mike (not yet on ST.N) were also there.


This is what the VFW parking lot looked like. That red spec just right of center is Bravo12's VFR.

[Jeets]

Jerry... you got further than me.  I rolled over after I heard the thunder.  If you're a moving target does that improve your chances for not getting struck?  

[Xodus]

yup... Good time today guys!    

[Chips]

Just finished washing the dirt and gravel from the bike. chornbe and I left the gang at the VFW and struck out towards French Creek State Park. The backroads from Ephrata to Morgantown were dirty and it wasn't much fun so we decided to head down 401E to 282 and head home home. A couple parts of 282 were un-passable in the southbound lane; not a great thing to come upon when rounding a blind corner. But there were no incidents and no pictures. We stopped at the Cattie Shack (former Wooden Wawa) and sat out on the porch for a snack before heading home. Not a bad day considering the weather. JReazor, Bravo12, It was good to meet you.

[chornbe]

Had a good time today, weather and all. Got to meet a few new folks (nice finally meeting you Bravo!).

Chips ain't kidding... 282 was quite interesting. But still a great day of riding. I filled up at the wawa and reset the odo. I pulled in the driveway with about 120 miles on the clock, plus whatever miles I rode after picking the bike up from my brother's place in Newark. A good day. Glad I didn't puss out. I heard the thunder at 6 this morning and damn near just pulled the blankets over my head and said "screw it".  

[Bravo12]

I just got home at 9:15pm!  My buddy Todd and I headed back into town for lunch, then did most of my planned route for the day:  322 West, 722 West, 441 North past Three Mile Island, 322/22 North, 849 West, 34 back east across the Susquehanna River at Newport, left (north) on Juniata Parkway W, back on 22 North (or is it West) at Millerstown, West on 333, West on 75, South on 74 over two mountain passes, East on 944 and then we wandered into Carlisle for some burgers at the Gingerbread Man.

We only hit one little spot of drizzle later in the day, but didn't hit any real rain after leaving Ephrata.  The rest of the day's riding was definitely worth getting soaked this morning.  Great to meet you guys, although some of your faces look very familiar - I'm thinking I might have met some of you at an STN ride a few years ago, maybe.  Anyway, pics to follow soon!

Edit:  OK, maybe I'll get the pics up tomorrow.  I'm beat, and 5am comes quickly on Sunday nights.

[chornbe]

And for the record, he ain't NEARLY so grumpy looking in person! In fact, I saw him smile once or twice.  

[riderx]

We got to Ephrata around 9 yesterday ,  I havent ridden in that much rain in a while..  

[Smoker]

We got to Ephrata around 9 yesterday ,  I havent ridden in that much rain in a while..  

I think I saw you. Black KTM?

[PVS]

yup... Good time today guys!    

Eh... me not so much.  

[Bravo12]

A rainy start to the day in Ephrata:




We headed west to 441 and run up the Susquehanna River, past Three Mile Island, and wound through some back roads parallel to 22/322 (Rt 333 has a fresh chip surface, btw).  The sun eventually came out by the time we looped through Millersville and headed south on Route 74 over the two passes:




We continued south on Route 74 to hit the other pass, Waggoners Gap:




Todd and I ended up in Carlisle for dinner at the Gingerbread Man around 6pm.  Not a bad day of riding, once I got over being damp most of the day.  In the afternoon, the dampness was from sweating under my gear every time we stopped.  The new Champion Double-Dry shirt and shorts helped a lot; everything dried right away once I got moving and the air started to flow.  Hopefully, I won't have to work on the first Sunday next month.  Well, there's always October - it should be cooler by then, at least.

[DosEquis00]

Nice shots Bravo as I think Waggoners Gap is a bird watching paradise somewhat like hawk mountain.

[Rincewind]

Bump