Top_Speed1
Panama Canal Crosser
Well, I'm a slacker compared to the likes of Fred W with his 'OTF' Ride Report. I just can't take away from the fun like he can to do a day by day as it happens RR. Sorry, this one will be pale in comparison, the RR does get better the further she goes. To keep the RR organized, not only for you but for my reference down the road... I will post each days RR on a post w a map of the route I (we) took. I got lots of pics and seeing how a post is limited by an image count, this seems more practical as well. Hope you enjoy our sights, activities and mayhem.
My Disclaimer? Take any pic or phrase you wish and have fun with it. Yes, I'm that kinda guy. All pics were taken by me or my close friends with either my camera or my phone. All are HD quality or better (graphics wise) but with photobucket degrading them anyway, does it really matter?.
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Color me backwards a bit first. If you read my Kick-off thread?... Well, you don't have to, but in a nutshell I had the best ribs in 'my' area (pic'd below). My food **** RTE goal (visiting some of the best BBQ locations on Earth) was to see how bad I could beat it down ...if at all of course. Well I guess we'll see in my future Days posts as Memphis and Nashville Food **** hits here... but, it won't come into play for a few days yet. So my goal was tosample devour some of the finest Midwestern and Southern BBQ. Mucho thanks to many of the Food Network Shows, mainly Triple D (Diners, Drive-ins & Dives). Hey, Guy knows B-B-Q!
So my Local entree (Seneca Lake Bistro, Geneva NY)
Lets get it going!
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DAY 1
Weds 9/17/14 (544 Miles)
Pretty boring route for at least myself, has some on and off slab but more so on. I just went this exact route back in July for the MOA Nationals in Minneapolis. It would still be a new experience for my buddies that will accompany me. I routed thru Niagara Falls, entered in thru the Rainbow Bridge. Why? Simple. Early in the AM this has little to no traffic crossing into Canada. Ft. Erie has trucks. Lots of them, same as Lewiston. At 8:45am we breezed thru like we had nexxus passes.
Waiting for Steamer to show at my house; 6am, just getting a hint of light. Love this peaceful time!
I had per-arranged with Mike (Wine Guy) to meet Stan and myself at the Blue Line Diner. Owned by hockey great (and legend) Marcel Dionne. The very friendly (and busty-busting out) waitress said she was his daughter (not sure if she was pulling our stick or not?). I picked this place from some yelp and urban spoon raving reviews. Not easy getting a good non touristy place to eat in N-Falls.
Pretty early on in the trip, but this baby made my No.1 Breakfast!. Home-fries were def fresh cut 'tators, crispy and yes, I like my Ketchup
Now granted, most of our Breakfasts in/on this trip were Continentals offered by the hotel/motels that we stayed at. We still got in some others as well, later gator. (and this saying has some meaning down the road)
Next up, we had to gather in 2 more Kanadians, eh! We arranged to meet these prior ride buddies; Charlie and Owen, just outside the Woodstock rest-stop... (Steamer is always fiddling with some kind of baggage, and who knows with that boy)
After crossing at Port Huron (Sarnia) I'll refrain from posting those images as both myself and Fred W have already covered this gig. So, we come across a joint named "Cheap Charlies". Well having our own Cheap Charlie along with us, we had to stop here for lunch...
The food wasn't worth any FP imagery (normal pub grub) but Mike was going around shooting up the walls. I was thinking... "man, we need to get this guy out more often!"
I routed away from slab fer awhile. Once we got back on and heading up North past Saganaw MI, ....boring! I think the guys were falling asleep on me.
We made it in to our bed-down spot; the Comfort Inn (Gaylord MI) at sun-down and just as the guys were thinking... "Showers" "Beer" "Food". C'mon KJ, get some stuff a rolling! And, Canadians need good guidance and direction... if ya didn't know
Across the street we walk to a Beer Store. How convenient!? (Did I mention I stayed here a Month ago when I went to Minny?) lol. We opt for the 8% brews. Hey, we needed a quick fix and how better than 8% pound+er's. They weren't very good, but it quenched pretty good until we walked about a 1/2 mile down the road to an Applebee's
We were walking, no limit type of night.
L->R Mike (Wine Guy) - KJ (TS1) - Stan (Steamer) - Owen (Owen) - Charlie (Huey Lewis). Yes, it's hip to be square! and I think we sang that song to our waitress!
So we trained it back to our Comfort Inn (insert Sheep jokes here). It was a great start to the trip. Not a lot of riding pics... yet!
This was still a point A to B thingy.
So that was Day 1 of 12. Pretty much straight forward as to what we had to get done. We did hop in the jacuzzi when we returned to our motel, I'll spare you those images. Stan did say "hey, I'm the only buff one in this bunch!". I LMAO, he says it so serious!
Navigation:
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Day 1 Central NY to Gaylord MI
Day 2 Gaylord MI to LaCrosse WI
Day 3 & 4 NAFO Rally
Day 5 LaCrosse WI to Hannibal MO
Day 6 Hannibal MO to Fayetteville AR
Day 7 Fayetteville AR to Memphis TN
Day 8 Memphis TN to Nashville TN
Day 9 Nashville TN to Maggie Valley NC
Day 10 EOM Rally
Day 11 EOM Rally
Day 12 Maggie Valley NC to Central NY
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My Disclaimer? Take any pic or phrase you wish and have fun with it. Yes, I'm that kinda guy. All pics were taken by me or my close friends with either my camera or my phone. All are HD quality or better (graphics wise) but with photobucket degrading them anyway, does it really matter?.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Color me backwards a bit first. If you read my Kick-off thread?... Well, you don't have to, but in a nutshell I had the best ribs in 'my' area (pic'd below). My food **** RTE goal (visiting some of the best BBQ locations on Earth) was to see how bad I could beat it down ...if at all of course. Well I guess we'll see in my future Days posts as Memphis and Nashville Food **** hits here... but, it won't come into play for a few days yet. So my goal was to
So my Local entree (Seneca Lake Bistro, Geneva NY)
Lets get it going!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 1
Weds 9/17/14 (544 Miles)
Pretty boring route for at least myself, has some on and off slab but more so on. I just went this exact route back in July for the MOA Nationals in Minneapolis. It would still be a new experience for my buddies that will accompany me. I routed thru Niagara Falls, entered in thru the Rainbow Bridge. Why? Simple. Early in the AM this has little to no traffic crossing into Canada. Ft. Erie has trucks. Lots of them, same as Lewiston. At 8:45am we breezed thru like we had nexxus passes.
Waiting for Steamer to show at my house; 6am, just getting a hint of light. Love this peaceful time!
I had per-arranged with Mike (Wine Guy) to meet Stan and myself at the Blue Line Diner. Owned by hockey great (and legend) Marcel Dionne. The very friendly (and busty-busting out) waitress said she was his daughter (not sure if she was pulling our stick or not?). I picked this place from some yelp and urban spoon raving reviews. Not easy getting a good non touristy place to eat in N-Falls.
Pretty early on in the trip, but this baby made my No.1 Breakfast!. Home-fries were def fresh cut 'tators, crispy and yes, I like my Ketchup
Next up, we had to gather in 2 more Kanadians, eh! We arranged to meet these prior ride buddies; Charlie and Owen, just outside the Woodstock rest-stop... (Steamer is always fiddling with some kind of baggage, and who knows with that boy)
After crossing at Port Huron (Sarnia) I'll refrain from posting those images as both myself and Fred W have already covered this gig. So, we come across a joint named "Cheap Charlies". Well having our own Cheap Charlie along with us, we had to stop here for lunch...
The food wasn't worth any FP imagery (normal pub grub) but Mike was going around shooting up the walls. I was thinking... "man, we need to get this guy out more often!"
I routed away from slab fer awhile. Once we got back on and heading up North past Saganaw MI, ....boring! I think the guys were falling asleep on me.
We made it in to our bed-down spot; the Comfort Inn (Gaylord MI) at sun-down and just as the guys were thinking... "Showers" "Beer" "Food". C'mon KJ, get some stuff a rolling! And, Canadians need good guidance and direction... if ya didn't know
Across the street we walk to a Beer Store. How convenient!? (Did I mention I stayed here a Month ago when I went to Minny?) lol. We opt for the 8% brews. Hey, we needed a quick fix and how better than 8% pound+er's. They weren't very good, but it quenched pretty good until we walked about a 1/2 mile down the road to an Applebee's
We were walking, no limit type of night.
L->R Mike (Wine Guy) - KJ (TS1) - Stan (Steamer) - Owen (Owen) - Charlie (Huey Lewis). Yes, it's hip to be square! and I think we sang that song to our waitress!
So we trained it back to our Comfort Inn (insert Sheep jokes here). It was a great start to the trip. Not a lot of riding pics... yet!
So that was Day 1 of 12. Pretty much straight forward as to what we had to get done. We did hop in the jacuzzi when we returned to our motel, I'll spare you those images. Stan did say "hey, I'm the only buff one in this bunch!". I LMAO, he says it so serious!
Navigation:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Day 1 Central NY to Gaylord MI
Day 2 Gaylord MI to LaCrosse WI
Day 3 & 4 NAFO Rally
Day 5 LaCrosse WI to Hannibal MO
Day 6 Hannibal MO to Fayetteville AR
Day 7 Fayetteville AR to Memphis TN
Day 8 Memphis TN to Nashville TN
Day 9 Nashville TN to Maggie Valley NC
Day 10 EOM Rally
Day 11 EOM Rally
Day 12 Maggie Valley NC to Central NY
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