Day #57
Saturday October 6, 2007
Saturday October 6, 2007
Guilford, CT to Allentown, PA
239 miles today (25,851 - 26,090)
11,523 miles total
0 new states today
31 states total
I made breakfast in my room again, since I had both a microwave and a fridge.
This place even had CAT5/6 dataports! YEAH!
I didn’t leave Guilford until nearly 9:30 AM. I had to get on the interstate, I-95, right out of the gate this AM. Twice I had to hit 4 lane, but only for short stretches. But it was a good morning of riding. The sun was shining, the weather was very pleasant, so it wasn't too bad. I had mapped a route that would take me AWAY from New York City, so I was looking forward to being "out in the country" for a little while.
I traveled through New Haven, the home of Yale University. Once founded as a seminary, now a "progressive" university. I took CT 34 through beautiful, rolling country side. Out of New Haven, I followed a river for many miles. The Yale crew club was practicing/racing and well as a lot of individuals in their long, skinny boats. I rode until intersecting US 6 then turned west back toward NY. My morning coffee (and donut some days!) stop was in Derby, CT where I met a man TOWING his Harley to Cape Cod. He said his wife didn’t like to ride that far, so they trailer it over there and then ride on the Cape all weekend. Lots of bikes are getting trailered these days to various destinations. I have a pin and patch I purchased in Sturgis that says “I RODE MINE” which in some folks minds gives credibility or something like that to the experience. Some of the "hard core" folks look down on those that trailer their bikes to events
I made breakfast in my room again, since I had both a microwave and a fridge.
This place even had CAT5/6 dataports! YEAH!
I didn’t leave Guilford until nearly 9:30 AM. I had to get on the interstate, I-95, right out of the gate this AM. Twice I had to hit 4 lane, but only for short stretches. But it was a good morning of riding. The sun was shining, the weather was very pleasant, so it wasn't too bad. I had mapped a route that would take me AWAY from New York City, so I was looking forward to being "out in the country" for a little while.
I traveled through New Haven, the home of Yale University. Once founded as a seminary, now a "progressive" university. I took CT 34 through beautiful, rolling country side. Out of New Haven, I followed a river for many miles. The Yale crew club was practicing/racing and well as a lot of individuals in their long, skinny boats. I rode until intersecting US 6 then turned west back toward NY. My morning coffee (and donut some days!) stop was in Derby, CT where I met a man TOWING his Harley to Cape Cod. He said his wife didn’t like to ride that far, so they trailer it over there and then ride on the Cape all weekend. Lots of bikes are getting trailered these days to various destinations. I have a pin and patch I purchased in Sturgis that says “I RODE MINE” which in some folks minds gives credibility or something like that to the experience. Some of the "hard core" folks look down on those that trailer their bikes to events
and then ride them around there.
The ride through the rural southeastern portion of New York, was as beautiful as the ride through the northern portion. Hills and curves, trees in falls colors, rocks formations of every size and shape, it was all just striking. But the shocker of the day was yet to come. All of my mental pictures of New Jersey are a city “across the river” from NYC. Just kind of a dirty, polluted and dangerous place.
The ride through the rural southeastern portion of New York, was as beautiful as the ride through the northern portion. Hills and curves, trees in falls colors, rocks formations of every size and shape, it was all just striking. But the shocker of the day was yet to come. All of my mental pictures of New Jersey are a city “across the river” from NYC. Just kind of a dirty, polluted and dangerous place.
But as I got off US 6 and onto 94 the scenery just improved and the ride became breathtaking. Rural NJ just shocked me! I wasn’t prepared for the narrow, twisty and hilly 2 lane road. It was a blast to ride! And as I could, I would glance out at rows of corn, some cut into mazes for the kids at roadside stands. Families were going through the pumpkin patches picking out the pumpkins for jack-o-lanterns I’m sure. At some places, the road narrowed even more as dozens, literally dozens of cars lined the road to visit the roadside fruit and vegetable stands. It was just a striking picture, and one so far from what I would have expected. If Rhode Island was the most frustrating state I have ridden in, then Jersey would win the prize for “most surprising!”
I hit I-80 late in the afternoon and had to ride it just a little before hitting PA 33.
I might as well have been on the interstate, as it was all 4 lane and moving at what seemed like 80 mph. It was a pretty easy trip into Allentown where I stopped and reviewed my map for the KOA. I had about 10 more miles to go, as this KOA was 7+ miles off the freeway.
When I arrived there, they gave me a spot near the office and bathroom, but it was down a steep bluff and across the little brook that ran through the camp.
It was great! And as I set up camp, little did I know I was drawing an audience.
When I stepped out of the tent portion, nearly set up, two ladies were standing there “amazed” they said that such a big camper could come out of a small trailer.
These two ladies, each driving their own camper/van, were just touring the country together. One was from LA and one from San Diego. We visited quite a while. I also visited with the campers next to me, and the retired Chicago police officer who was across from me. I made dinner, settled in and called it “a good day.” I went to sleep just thinking how great is was to be in such a beautiful place and to be surprised by the landscape of New Jersey! My one regreat today is that I did not make ONE single picture of anything in New Jersey. But I was there...honest!