New England clam chowder group ride

[Fred W]

Hi Chris,

I'm working with CJ to get the routes into GPS format. I can tell you that the mileage per day will be low (120mi on Friday and 235 on Saturday). But I believe the smileage will be high!! Try and join us if you can.

 

[ChrisW]

Hi Chris,
I'm working with CJ to get the routes into GPS format. I can tell you that the mileage per day will be low (120mi on Friday and 235 on Saturday). But I believe the smileage will be high!! Try and join us if you can.

Cool.

Shouldn't be to bad to the left of rte 1. The tourists don't really start pouring in til June. I'd avoid rte 1 east of Bath though, and pick the roads that cross it.

Rte 127, 215, 32, 105, 220, 173, 3, 1 is the way to get from Bath to Belfast. On the other hand there are some nice loops on the other side of rte 1 down into Bristol on 130, and 32. 220 and 97 down to Friendship. Port Clyde is excellent as well.

Camden Hills SP is cool too, and has an auto road up Mt Batte.

There are some nice loops to the south of rte 1 after Belfast. North of there the roads are pretty flat and straight.

Point is, don't be afraid to stay off Rte 1.

Hope I can catch up along the way.

 

[Fred W]

Because this is supposed to be a Chowder / tourist ride we are trying to do as many loops to the right of RT 1 as time will allow. Also it will be necessary to hit the dreaded RTe 1 for some of the food stops.

I'd love to send you the routes to look over if you have the ability to view them in Mapsource.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

[SIZE=24pt]UPDATE 3-13-10[/SIZE] This ride will be May 21-23, ride starts at 0900 from the Kittery Trading Post in Kittery, ME. This is a three day event, but will be segmented for those who can only make a single day ride to try to accomodate as many people as possible.

What do you think you'll be doing for daily mileage. I'm assuming your not going straight up I-95.

I'm trying to swing a ride the weekend before, so I might just try to hook up for a few hours on one of the 3 days your in my area.

Did you get a head count?

Chris,

As Fred had stated, the first day is "only" approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding. Add in food/rest/pee/sightseeing stops and it turns into an eight hour day rather quickly.

As for head count, I'm looking at approx a dozen to 15 peeps. We'll see what happens...... myself included :angry2: . I'm really wanting to get a new job to replace the one I just lost as soon as possible and I'm afraid since I can't convince my wife to let me loafer until a later time, that my own ability to attend this ride may be in jeopardy! How bad would that suck? Yeah . . . . .

Trying to wrap up the mapping so Fred can post them in a separate thread. Timing conflict between mapping and job hunting, etc. sucks! Thanks for those route tips, will keep 'em in mind!

As Fred eluded to, there are lots of places/things to see and do on Mt Desert Island than can be had in a single day. People are free to break off into their own subgroups and do separate rides, or indulge in other activities if they wish. I will be planning on riding a good portion of the day, but ending earlier than the other two days to allow for some rest from the saddle as well as partaking in the sights and sampling of the local fare. I think dinner/drinks on Sunday could almost take on a mini-banquet feel commemorating the First Annual Chowdah Ride!!

 

[TheAxeman]

I don't think you guys need to go to crazy with a ride itinerary/routing for Sunday. I think everyone can probably figure things out for themselves. I will probably do the park loop/thunder hole/Cadillac Mountain/Jordan Pond and may take a ride down to the seawall in Southwest Harbor. I definitely can't go to Bar Harbor without having breakfast at Jordan's Restaurant.

 

[Fred W]

Thanks for the feedback, Chris.

By Jordan's Restaurant, so you mean the little one on Cottage street (within walking distance from our motel), or the Jordan Pond House restaurant in the park? I've never eaten at the former, but can attest that the latter makes some damn fine pop-overs.

 

[TheAxeman]

Both are winners for sure. I was thinking of the one in town but crumpets on the lawn at the Jordan Pond house works also.

Anybody mind if my brother riding his Beemer F650GS joins us? I told him he has to ride sweep and wash everyones bike at the end of each day. :lol:

 

[Iris]

"........ approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding."

That's 30 miles an hour. Really, four hours??

 

[Canadian FJR]

A couple of us are planning to try the Maine 400 endurance rally this year which is taking place on the Friday. After the rally is finished and a few lies are told the plan is to head over to the Casco Bay Inn. We can then tag along on Saturday and maybe Sunday. I believe the rally wraps up in Hermit Island so I figure an hour will get us to Freeport. Looking forward to meeting some new folks.

Canadian FJR

 

[zip]

Awright, then. I've now got reservations for Friday night at Casco Bay Inn and Saturday and Sunday at the Bar Harbor Motel. From Salem, MA, I'm exactly an hour from Kittery Trading Post, so will simply head up Friday morning.

If we do a big ride in Acadia on Monday, I may stay somewhere halfway home on Monday night and drive home early for work on Tuesday, but we'll see how it goes. With the new Russell seat, I'm feeling a bit more durable.

I have no preference on eateries along the route. I'm along for the ride, the camaraderie and cuisine, totally open-minded, and a major oceaniavore. (Though in four days, you may see me eat a burger somewhere along the route.)

 

[ALDAWG]

"........ approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding."

That's 30 miles an hour. Really, four hours??

lol, you guys spent more time planning this ride, than actually riding it! Remember you can't please all the people all the time. Just some of the people some of the time.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks for the feedback, Chris.
By Jordan's Restaurant, so you mean the little one on Cottage street (within walking distance from our motel), or the Jordan Pond House restaurant in the park? I've never eaten at the former, but can attest that the latter makes some damn fine pop-overs.

All this talk of food is making me hungry...

 

[zip]

Thought I'd do some small part in the trip as planning is half the fun with any journey! Here's a possible attendee list as near as I can tell:

(Updated 3/18, 17:50)

Likely or confirmed:

08FJR4ME

Axeman

Axeman's brother, Martin

Canadian FJR

Charlie Hoss

ChrisW (May join locally)

cota95

cota95's spouse, Marcia

De Oppresso Libero

dll

FJReady

Fred W

herfjr

MEM

S76

zip

Zooomm

Maybes, but I can't tell:

Aldawg?

bluejag

Harvey

ionbeam

Nikk

ShinyPartsUp

Sullivan

Taz1300

 

[ionbeam]

Good grief! If Shiny is going to made this junket I'll certainly ride the whole 30 miles over to Kittery and do at least the first day's ride. It's a matter of money, not time -- I've got lots and lots of free time.

CJ, sorry to hear about your job. With the field you are in and with your experience you should be able to find work soon. Best of luck!

 

[TheAxeman]

Thought I'd do some small part in the trip as planning is half the fun with any journey! Here's a possible attendee list as near as I can tell:
Likely or confirmed:

08FJR4ME

Axeman

Canadian FJR

Charlie Hoss

ChrisW (May join locally)

cota95

De Oppresso Libero

dll

FJReady

Fred W

herfjr

MEM

S76

zip

Zooomm

Maybes, but I can't tell:

Aldawg?

bluejag

Geezer

Harvey

ionbeam

Nikk

ShinyPartsUp

Sullivan

Taz1300

I think Marcia (Wife of COTA) and Martin (brother of AXEMAN) can be added as well.

 

[cota95]

Both are winners for sure. I was thinking of the one in town but crumpets on the lawn at the Jordan Pond house works also.
Anybody mind if my brother riding his Beemer F650GS joins us? I told him he has to ride sweep and wash everyones bike at the end of each day. :lol:

My wife Marcia will be on her Vstar so your brother will have help...

 

[Iris]

"........ approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding."

That's 30 miles an hour. Really, four hours??

lol, you guys spent more time planning this ride, than actually riding it! Remember you can't please all the people all the time. Just some of the people some of the time.

I'm glad you laughed. I thought it was funny too.

 

[S76]

I think Sunday we will probably do the Park for half a day and then go back to Har Barbor so the "Shopping Queen" can poke around town for a few hours. This leaves me to people watch on the Main St.

I'm good with that. Hope it's about 90 degrees. :&gt

 

[Fred W]

"........ approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding."

That's 30 miles an hour. Really, four hours??

lol, you guys spent more time planning this ride, than actually riding it! Remember you can't please all the people all the time. Just some of the people some of the time.

I'm glad you laughed. I thought it was funny too.

Let's just say that following CJ's sightseeing route we won't be spending much time on the highways or even secondary roads... Lots of miles along the tiny shoreline roads.

Also a lot of photo-op stops and chowder stops.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

"........ approximately 120 miles, but without stopping, that equates into four hours of riding."

That's 30 miles an hour. Really, four hours??

Well, figuring in length of time for stops, this will really be stretched out over much more than four hours. In fact, my original mapping was longer, but was needed to be cut a bit to get the group into Bar Harbor for the night, instead of Rockport as I had originally suggested.lol, you guys spent more time planning this ride, than actually riding it! Remember you can't please all the people all the time. Just some of the people some of the time.

Well, yes, actually. An ***-load of time.

I'm glad you laughed. I thought it was funny too.

Let's just say that following CJ's sightseeing route we won't be spending much time on the highways or even secondary roads... Lots of miles along the tiny shoreline roads. Feel free to alter the route in whichever way you see fit/best for time-wise to get the group on into Bar Harbor for Saturday night, as this is what the group has decided. My original plan was to stop in Rockland, not BH at the end of the second day. This would allot for some of the earlier portion of the ride I mapped out originally. I figured on an early arrival into BH the next day seeing as how it's a short trip directly there, then having the day to ride and end early for a nice group dinner with a mini-banquet-like atmosphere. But, like I said, I'm flexible and whatever the group wants to do is fine with me. That being said, and again I've never ridden this area, are there better ways to travel the coast other than the smaller coastal routes? The average speed I'm guessing is going to be around 40 mph, unless posted higher. And that's assuming we aren't riding as spirited as Spklbuk would have us do!

Also a lot of photo-op stops and chowder stops.