SNOB II pics and ride reports

[Corbeau]

Well, SNOB II was a low-key affair, but fun was had by all...

Hurricane Helen arrived to Sutton on Thursday and spent the better part of Friday getting things ready. One by one I checked off the items on my list, as Helen went shopping for groceries.

The first to arrive was Delegate1K, from Connecticut, on a brand-new aubergine FJR. He was soon followed by NHFZ1, from NH, on a, er, FZ1 (First gen,, 100+ k miles on the odo, for those keeping score at home...) I then received a phone call from Flyer and his SO, Anne, who had taken a rainful two-day ride from Niagara Falls, NY, on his almost-new Duc Multi 1200S. He was calling from the inn where they were staying. Since Helen had proposed to drive them back later in the evening, I fired up the Ford Escape and picked them up at their quaint B&B. (“It’s too quaint,” said Flyer, “the room doesn’t have air conditionning...” Little did he know, nights are cool up here in the mountains and AC was not required...) When we arrived back at SNOB-Central, jimmy had already arrived, on his spotless red VFR.

After a great supper (see the SNOB menu post elsewhere), it was time for drinks and bench sportriding on the deck. We were joined by @philnews -- not yet on STN, that’s his Twitter handle -- who rode in (squid!) from Sherbrooke on a Connie 14, almost new. Phil regalled in our tales of covering incredible distances over the continent in search of the twistiest roads. See, he comes from a 800-cc cruiser background and has now seen the light. Except for that ATTGAT thing (he rode in in a t-shirt) and accepting a can of Bud, as he was riding back to his two young children later in the evening.

The next morning, after a great breakfast (see the SNOB menu post elsewhere), we were joined by Flyer and Anne. The gravel road in to access SNOB-Central is rather steep, and when Flyer stopped on it, in front of the chalet to let Anne get off, he came to a stop on the soft gravel on the edge of the road. His front wheel then locked-up as he slid a foot backwards and the Multi took a nap on its right-hand side, pinning flyer. (Anne was able to hop off before the tipover, but not before the chain turning backwards left an impression on her sneaker... Not her toe, thank goodness...) Flyer was shook up and the only thing hurting, apart from his pride, was a right shoulder muscle, which he sprained picking up the bike after its first tip-over, a few minutes before. I’ll let him explain that one... 

We drank many coffees as we were boosting flyer’s ego, which meant multiple pee breaks for our Quebec ride. Flyer decided to sit out on today’s ride... Half of the roads travelled were as last year, half were new. We went up 215 and around Brome Lake, then over Bolton Pass on 243, south to Mansonville and then we took -- in absolute peace and quietness -- Vale Perkins Rd and its sweepers. A quick stop at Mont-Orford to use the facilities, through the park and we were in Magog, once again stuck in traffic. No Spyder convention this year, thankfully, but a crapload of cars made us overheat. The bikes fared much better. We took 141 south to Ayer’s Cliff where we had a late lunch at a great diner, Chez Maurice, where jimmy was able to practice the french he learned at a community college over the winter. Someone made a comment that my rear tire was at the wear bars... (That’s called foreshadowing, folks...) A couple of backroads took us to North Hatley, on the other side of Lake Massawipi and then we slabbed at bit to avoid the traffic in Magog. Down the 245 to Mansonville, on back roads to Abercorn and then back to SNOB-Central after going through Frelighsburg, Dunham and Cowansville. My GPS told me that the ride was exactly 200 miles.

We were met in the driveway by DmCole (and his trusty R1), who had a slow ride from Brockville, ON. After a great Mexican-themed supper (see the SNOB menu post elsewhere), there was more beer and relaxation by the fire pit.

Sunday morning started with a great breakfast (see the SNOB menu post elsewhere) as we mapped out our US ride. Delegate1K and NHFZ1 would join us until our southermost point, somewhere near Conway, NH, before returning home. I told Helen before we left “Don’t worry, we wont be back too late, as we can slab it back on I-93 and 91 if needed...” (Remember those words, folks, they’ll come in handy...)

Grab your maps of VT and NH, they’ll come in handy.



OK, welcome back. Follow along... We crossed into VT at Abercorn/Richford and I lead our group of six -- Flyer was now with us -- down a pretty nice county road linking Richford, VT and Montgomery, VT. At Montgomery Center, VT, Flyer and Delegate1K took VT 242 to Jay Peak and then VT 100 south while the rest of us crazy adventurers rode  8 miles of gravel, washboards and potholes over Hazen’s Notch, on VT 58. Once we all met up on the other side of the pass, we followed 58 west, 5A north an 105 west to Island Pond, VT, to fill one tank and empty another. VT 114, all the way to Canaan, VT, was 30 miles of sweepers, with fresh asphalt and no traffic. Then we followed US 3 in NH south to Colebrook where we took NH 26 west through Dixville Notch, by one of the last grand resorts of NH, the Basalms Wilderness. There was a bit of construction (read “packed sand”, not “gravel”) on 26, before we were on NH 16 south. That road follows a river, which means it sweeps right and left, but the pavement is of unenven quality.

We stopped for lunch just north of Berlin, NH. I can’t remember the exact name, but it seems a favourite of the blue-rinse set. At lunch, someone remarked that there was not much thread left on the centre of my rear tire. No cords showing, yet, but anyone could see that the tire was almost toast. So were flyer and DmCole, who decided to head back to Sutton, while Delegate1K bid us adieu as he was heading to Connecticut.

The three of us rode down 16 in the shadow of Mt Washington, dealing with a bunch of Sunday drivers along the way, until we reached US 302, where I requested a stop so I could check my tire. I decided not to push south any further (Hurricane Mountain Road and Whitehorse Press in East Conway would have to wait for another trip.) DmCole had told me after lunch “there’s no way you can come back on the Interstate, you’re going to kill what’s left of your tire. Stick to the back roads where you can lean and use the sides!”

So the two red VFRs, on three and a quarter tires, were led by an FZ1 on US 302, then down on the gorgeous Bear Notch, south of Bartlett, NH. That took us to the Kanc (NH 112), where NHFZ1 left us. The Kanc was full of traffic -- six cars tailgaiting each other in front of me -- and then we railed on corners eastward on NH 112 and US 302. We rode north on VT 232 through Grotton State Forrest. That road full of frost heaves had crushed my nuts many, many times a few years ago at ESTN in Stowe, but it had been fixed now and jimmy and I made the most effort to stay on the edge of our tires. Me for safety, him, for the fun of it.

A quick hit of US 2 to West Danville for gas -- at a scary-in-the-Deliverance-meaning-of-the-word gas station/general store. My tire was still holding up. We took VT 15 northwest, where we flew by Roscoe parked on the side of the road. Fortunately, he was in deep conversation with Billy-Bob, standing by the passenger door in his wifebeater, his head in the window. Roscoe didn’t move, to our relief. VT 100 north took us to VT 118, which we took to East Berkshire and then VT 105 north to Richford and the border.

By the time we got to SNOB-Central (for another great supper, see the SNOB menu post elsewhere), I didn’t have much rubber left onthe Bridgestone.

How much was left? Later in the week, I rode twice into town, 4 km away. The second time I parked, that is after 10 miles of riding since we got back from our 300 mile ride, I could see the cords.