Home Stretch 2025-05-01

How does one write about a boring day on the highway? I guess you start at the beginning and do what you can to fill the page. Doesn't that make you want to dig into this entry.

The hotel was very nice, and included breakfast. One load of gear to the bike on the way to breakfast in the lobby. In the morning light a large boulder of coal stood out in the landscaping around the hotel. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, an orange, banana, and a bagel with cream chease and peanut butter. Jim had waffles plus the bacon and eggs. We started eating just after 0600 and finished up by 0700. Then filled up the bikes at the station accross the streat and jumped back on Rt81 north.

It didn't take too long to hit slow morning traffic. Eventually we got off the highway and started a gridlock bypass through the city of Wilkes-Barre, PA. We made a stop to use the restroom before getting back onto the highway.

Another hour and forty minutes found us refueling, and another bathroom break in Maybrook, NY. The day was just starting to warm up as we left around 1030.

By noon we reached Max BMW in Troy, NY. Another failed attempt to attain a brake lever with the break away tip still attached. The shop was preping for it's BWM test truck riding days. The same truck and bikes will come to Hampton NH next weekend. We checked out a few bikes while refilling out water bladders and draining our human ones.

Jim pulled into Duncan's Diner just down the road for lunch. Where we had sandwiches. Following that I had the waitresses favorite desert. Since they had no strawberry shortcake, I received a grilled glaised donut. Normally I'm no fan of glaised donuts, but grilled it was much better. Probably started as a very good donut before being sliced and grilled.

This area is close enough to home that we travel these roads at least a few times each year. The only surprise was that we pulled onto the road behind a wide load house. Rather funny because we had passed a few on the highways. Now on a small road we figured the impact would be greater and somehow we had been house cursed. To our surprise the house traveled over the speed limits. It never impeeded out travels, and we followed it for a significant period of time.

Two hours later we pulled in for gas and restroom in Keene, NH around 1530. My chain sounded loose, and I confirm it. Out of the cases came the required tools and I oiled the chain. The keeper nuts on both chain adjustment bolts had spun loose. I aligned and tightened the chain, and snugged up those keeper nuts. Before we left Jim might have dropped his bike on a curb.

The home stretch came next. Good weather and traffic as we approached home, tired from our travels. Splitting up in Concord, I headed north on Rt93 to Rt293 and finally east on Rt4.

Confirming via text that each of us reached home safely. My post ride ritual of laundry, dishes and hanging the tent in the garage first. Only this time I had the "extra tent" that I packed up at Iron Horse to hang out to dry. Anne wasn't home yet, so I thawed chicken for dinner and took a shower. Trip complete.