Hardwick , MA

[ionbeam]

But this time you'll get to turn South!

Yup, that's the fun direction, I've been going the money direction. Successfully so far.

 

[Asphalt Junkie]

The route has been tweaked (but not tested) and I think we're ready. It'll be kickstands up at 10:30 a.m. from the Dunkin Donuts at 220 Great Road (Rt. 2A/119) in Littleton -- across the street from the Toyota dealership. For those who want to gas up before the ride, there's a Mobil station at the junction of 110 and 2A/119. The route out will get us there by about 12:30-ish -- just in time for lunch!

We're Mapsource novices, so the route is in two files - one out and one back, but we don't know how to post them here. Can someone point us to a "how to" or volunteer to post the files for us?

Jack, we hope you're okay with all this because, after all, this WAS your idea. Feel free to take over at any time...

 

[bbdig]

Sounds good to me. I just provided the idea, you guys with all the electronic goodies, take care of the details. I normaly just jump on the bike and start driving with no particular destination or route. See a road that looks unfamilar and take it.

 

[Fred W]

The route has been tweaked (but not tested) and I think we're ready. It'll be kickstands up at 10:30 a.m. from the Dunkin Donuts at 220 Great Road (Rt. 2A/119) in Littleton -- across the street from the Toyota dealership. For those who want to gas up before the ride, there's a Mobil station at the junction of 110 and 2A/119. The route out will get us there by about 12:30-ish -- just in time for lunch!

We're Mapsource novices, so the route is in two files - one out and one back, but we don't know how to post them here. Can someone point us to a "how to" or volunteer to post the files for us?

Jack, we hope you're okay with all this because, after all, this WAS your idea. Feel free to take over at any time...

Posting files involves having an account somewhere that you can host them on. Like I get a (limited size) web hosting account with my internet service from Comcast. In addition to uploading and hosting web pages there, you can also just upload individual files and provide others with a direct link to them. I'd be more than happy to host your route files on my account if you want to email them to me. I'll PM you my email address to send them to.

@Tony and Alan - The route I'm looking at to get to Littleton should take us about 45 minutes.

Let's meet up at the Country store in Windham at around 9:15AM. That should give us plenty of time.

 

[ionbeam]

I also have personal web space where I can host files and personal web pages. Paul, you will need some type of FTP software to up/down load and manage your web space.

I expect that we will be at the Country Store/Honey Dew Donuts Shop @ 9:15 or earlier. If this changes I'll email ya.

 

[bluejag]

Just jumped on and caught this, should be a great day for a ride :yahoo: unfourtunatly Gail and I are still helping her lil'sis get moved into her new home in Merrinack N.H. in time to have the clan up for Turkey Day (had I seen this earlier we could have come up with an excuse to come play LOL) we WILL be on the bike but heading in the wrong direction :angry: Hope you all have a awesome day and the very best Thanksgiving with your families JAG

 

[Asphalt Junkie]

Got home late last night so we never did anything about getting the routes distributed in some way. We just emailed them to Alan as we already have his email, with a request that he forward them to Fred. At least this way there will be a few others who have it today.

 

[ionbeam]

...We just emailed them to Alan as we already have his email, with a request that he forward them to Fred. At least this way there will be a few others who have it today.

Check your email Fred!

 

[Asphalt Junkie]

...We just emailed them to Alan as we already have his email, with a request that he forward them to Fred. At least this way there will be a few others who have it today.

Check your email Fred!

Thanks! And we'll be interested to hear how we did creating the routes given that we are somewhat new at this. Hopefully we won't be going in circles all day!!!! See you all later this morning.

 

[Pepperell]

The route was great!

The bread (and the rest of the sandwiches) were awesome!

But best of all were the riding companions.

...and we're home safe.

 

[Fred W]

I just got the GPS routes... Let's go do it again!!

IMO, this was such a great ride I'd do it again in a Hardwick heartbeat. Mega Kudos to the Junkies, both navigator Gina and ride master Paul. The roads selection was superb. And the ride leading was perfect. A quintessential late fall ramble.

And a high five to Captain Jack for instigating the affair. The idea man always has to get his share of the credit, I say.

All I can say is, I sure hope we have a few more days like today left in 2011.

 

[MarFJR]

We made it home!

Great day out! Good to see so many make the most of this very rare November Day. Hope it will repeat next weekend!

 

[ionbeam]

Awesome day, awesome ride! A major hanks to the instigators and travel guides. This was yet another bonus day at the trailing edge of riding season.

 

[MrM0t0]

Lame Ram mounted iPhone pic of the start.

Google Map clip of the route as recorded by MotionX GPS on aforementioned iPhone.

And as the cherry on top of a great Sundae, I walked away from a performance award on the way home. I was moving RIGHT along on 495 S and got pointed out by an unmarked Trooper standing outside of his car. You know when they step right out in the travel lane and point at you? That kinda thing. I knew he had me even before that so I was on my way over to the breakdown lane anyway. Zoomed right on in about 100 feet past him. Key off, gloves off, helmet off, waiting, wait some more. No movement from him. After 5 mins. or so he says over the PA "You're all set...you're all set." Thank you Officer friendly. Big bagger of a bike, pulled right over, and gray hair makes me a minimal threat to the Commonwealth. Gotta be fightin' real crime.

A great route from the Junkies logged 249 miles for me today including the ride to and from Providence, putting me at 9,100 miles for the year on this great bike. I hope to be healthier and more sociable next time I meet y'all.

 

[ionbeam]

Pleased ta meet ya MrMOtO! Glad that you managed to avoid being one of the waffle butts out side at lunch. It was interesting to discuss hawks, gloves and hang gliders with ya over lunch. It was special that the Line Queue ran about an hour before being able to serve the customers their orders.

On this day, the Rose 32 business was better than good. Also very pleased to read that you managed not to become embroiled in imperial Storm State Trooper situations.

 

[FJReady]

Well it looks like we missed a nice ride. Fortunately the bride and I got a chance to scoot down around Cape Ann and the north shore a bit. Probably the last day for the Silverwing this year. The FJR will be carrying on with commuter detail. We went right by Woodmans- the smell alone nearly locked my brakes. Ahh, fond memories of the wonderful ride a few weeks ago.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

Russ & Sarah

 

[bbdig]

Nice routes Junkies. :yahoo: Definitly could do that again, hopefully with a shorter line at Rose 32. :lol:

Thanks, Jack & Jane

 

[Asphalt Junkie]

Glad you enjoyed yourselves! And yes, thanks to Jack for tossing out the idea for the ride and the destination. We firgured the Covered Bridges would have been the last of the Northeast rides for the year, so this one was a great bonus. And while it was fun when the two of us di the ride last weekend (totally unaware that we were within striking distance of a great lunch destination), it was even better having all of you along yesterday! And our son even decided to go get his bike out of storage and join us--another bonus for the two of us since we didn't get to ride with him much this season.

John and Gail (Bluejags) decided to make a surprise appearance at our morning meeting spot. Great to see the two of you again! We would have loved to have you along, but the ride is definitely a keeper and hopefully you'll be able to join us the next time we make the run.

We arrived at our lunch destination half an hour ahead of schedule, which was perfect since we hadn't anticipated the half-hour waiting in line just to order. Getting to sit outside for meal this late in November was another added bonus, and we even managed to scrounge up enough seating for all 14 of us to sit and share a meal together!

Other than one missed turn and an unintended up and back on one road, the gps route seemed to worked out pretty well. In the old days Gina used to create routes by writing out turn-by-turn directions, and a route like this would have been next to impossible to follow. While she's not quite willing to give up her extensive map and Gazeteer collection, I'm sure we'll be putting the Mapsource program to good use in the future!

Happy Thanksgiving all!

 

[ionbeam]

...And our son even decided to go get his bike out of storage and join us--another bonus...

:blink: I toally missed that yesterday! I saw Craig(?), but didn't make the connection.

 

[Fred W]

...And our son even decided to go get his bike out of storage and join us--another bonus...

:blink: I toally missed that yesterday! I saw Craig(?), but didn't make the connection.

Same here. :huh:

I just thought he was a nice, somewhat younger friend of yours.