NH Fall Ride

[snikr]

Given that Columbus Day weekend is October 6-7-8 and is the busiest in terms of tourists clogging the roads we should avoid that time frame. We could do it the previous weekend, the 30th of September. The weather should be warmer, the color is just coming into it's full display and hasn't been stripped by winds and rain (hopefully) and the tourist buses have yet to invade the state. So I would push for that date.

That weekend sounds good to me. Northern areas will have color for sure. Count me in. Just tell me when/what time to meet. And remember, I'm coming over from Vermont.

Tom

 

[DailyCommuter]

I've been dyin' for a ride like this. I just got it in JULY and have a couple thou on it now but I wish to add to that with a ride like this. Keep me posted please.I like the idea of the week before columbus day as well.

 

[ionbeam]

Looking at the calendar it does seem that the weekend of Sept. 29 may be the best date, with Oct. 13 as an alternate date.

Just throwing something out here... I'm suggesting either Manchester, NH or Concord, NH as a meeting place from which to begin the ride. These two locations are almost equally 130-150 miles from CharlieHoss in Maine; the Albany, NY area; Rhode Island; VT and CT. As people come up from RI/CT they can join and ride up together, same from the western and North Eastern locations. These two cities are also at the junctions of major roadways for those that will slab to the ride due to distance. Some of y'all will have already had a 2-3 hr ride by the time we meet. They may just want to shake hands, sniff farkles and follow only part of the ride together. I would also suggest having the ride on Sunday, in part to give the travelers the choice of making this a 2 day trip and for the reduced Sunday traffic.

[edited on 9-26] The meeting place is now fixed for Manchester, exit 9 from I93. Details are here.

Skip, let me know what I can do to help put this together!

Alan

From last year: [Edited to add that this is part of the route we will be riding, but this was an 'all brands' bike ride, not a FJR specific ride like Skip is proposing for this year. There were two FJRs in last year's ride.]

 

[Nice Rumble]

Point well taken Alan. If you want to lead a group from the Manchester area over to Hancock, that would be helpful. We can coordinate the meet times so that a coffee and muffin at the Fiddlehead Cafe in Hancock would be fitting. Unlike last year, as I did not own an FJR at the time, I would like to keep this an all FJR affair. And riders can certainly peel off at strategic points along the route to fit into their intineraries. We will be close to Rt 91 in Vermont about mid-day for those who need to head south or west. We'll continue to fine tune this as we get closer to a date. And yes, I concur that Sunday is preferable to Saturday for the aforementioned reasons.

 

[DailyCommuter]

:yahoo: [SIZE=24pt]I can hardly wait[/SIZE] . :yahoo:

 

[TheAxeman]

For some reason I was thinking this was going to be broken out into smaller groups but after seeing ION's pictures from last year I think I am opting out. I didn't realize it was a large group riding staggered formation.....To many bad experiences with that type of ride.

 

[KSFJR]

The Axeman's got a good point. If you want to chop the size of the groups (pun intended) it might work out a little better. There is an awful lot of hurry up and wait with long "ques." I have been on trail rides on my horse and the people in the back are either standing and waiting at pinchpoints or going mach III when it opens up. Same principle. If the weekend is right, I still hope to make it. Your pictures are too beautiful.

However, if I am fortunate enough to make it, I respect the wishes of the group and will go along to get along.

Chester

 

[ionbeam]

after seeing ION's pictures from last year I think I am opting out

Makes me sorry that I posted last year's East Coast Sports Club Ride pictures. I was showing the route Skip was suggesting for this year's FJR ride, there has never been an FJR ride (yet). At this point I can only say that Skip and I will meet for a ride-about.

Well, hope to cross paths with you sometime. Very, very, sorry that my pictures put so many off.

 

[Charlie Hoss]

FWIW, the foliage seems to peak around OCT 10, and so does the foliage traffic.

 

[VanHarlan]

I'm sure we can break a large group into smaller groups that and taht the group as a whole can meet up somewhere for lunch, etc.

Either way - I'm in - although I too prefer to ride in smaller groups

 

[snikr]

I too like smaller groups but so far it sounds good to me. Just need firm date/time/place.

Tom

 

[DailyCommuter]

there could be a picture of a thousand bikes lined up and I'd still be in. As long as a route is planned and stuck to there is no reason fo me to be up yer ass or anyone to be up mine, I'm bringing my wife for that.

I'll have my gps so no fear of getting lost. Maybe at the outset of the ride we can make a quick list of waypoints so anyone could punch 'em in and we dont have to be all bunched up. If any of you have bike to bike radio's we could break down in groups that way so that there is one or two in a group that can communicate with the other groups. I dont know what the range is like up there in the mountains but maybe it would work out. I am planning on getting my Starcom set up and a two way radio to hook to it after I discuss it with Jeff at Bike Effects. So I'd be happy to be a group leader.

Can I please be green Leader. I was such a big Star Wars fan when I was young.

"Green leader green leader. Whiskey is a go , I say whiskey whiskey whiskey....." O.K. I'm getting a little to excited now. :clapping: :help:

Are we goin are we goin are we goin???? :hyper:

 

[v65]

Looking at the calendar it does seem that the weekend of Sept. 29 may be the best date, with Oct. 13 as an alternate date.I would also suggest having the ride on Sunday

If you go the weekend of the 13th I have vacation and can do any day. If you go the 29th Sunday will be out, we have a 250 mile trip back home.

 

[jmarran]

Please, please, please if you must have this on a Sunday, the only one I can't do is the 30th.

I'm stuck in busy-land on the 30th, but not Sat. the 29th. Then I'm busy on every Saturday (but free all Sundays) in October. This is what happens when your girlfriend is a wedding photographer. The good news is I got a free Nikon D200 in the deal though!

 

[coldinvt]

Please, please, please if you must have this on a Sunday, the only one I can't do is the 30th.
I'm stuck in busy-land on the 30th, but not Sat. the 29th. Then I'm busy on every Saturday (but free all Sundays) in October. This is what happens when your girlfriend is a wedding photographer. The good news is I got a free Nikon D200 in the deal though!

Lol... He thinks it's free!!

Okay, so a couple things:

1. VanHarlan - VT in late Oct. can be snowy!! Prob'ly not, but you never know! Oh, and if you are coming, let me know and maybe I'll tag along for a spell...

2. [safetyrant] If you ask me (and I knew you would) group "formation" is generally unsafe. What if rider 1 needs to swerve (into the path of rider 2) then brake? Things could get pretty hairy! Groups should ride with a 2-second minimum following distance, just like following a car. When you get to town, scrunch up into a 1-second "stagger" as conditions allow, but spread out again as soon as the road opens up. As always, the ride should be dynamic, never set in stone. [/safetyrant]

3. I can't do the weekend of the 30th but October's open! Peak foliage up here is prob'ly that first week in Oct. A little later in S.NH?

I'd LOVE the route for my Zumo if someone could post that up!

Ride safe,

Rob

 

[dcarver]

Just don't have that scenery where I live.. Maybe next year I can play too.. I really would like to explore the other coast, see this kind of scenery.. in a time frame that's truly relaxed and CBA style..

 

[ECDriver]

If you fine gentlemen ever nail down a date. I might be able swing by and at least say hi! Riding up from AZ to see the relatives, leaving around the 25/26th of Sept. for NH. Phoenix should be down to a pleasant high 90's by then :blink:

What I remember from living there is winter can start in Oct and end around May! You guys might get snowed on if you ride in OCT!!!

 

[DailyCommuter]

Maybe the way to decide the date is through a simple poll. Make a list of dates. The one with the most votes gets picked. Most of us need to do some advanced planning to pull this off so lets try to get on the ball, so it doesn't fizzle out completely. Please

 

[Nice Rumble]

Those that are still interested in this ride, can we get a a vote as to which date works best for you? I vote for the 30th of Sept for reasons stated in one of my previous posts. I cannot do it Columbus Day weekend. That leaves the 13th of Oct. I can't do it on the 14th as I'm hosting another ride for a different group that day. If we go further out, 20/21 Oct we run the risk of cooler weather and less color. I still say we should push for the 30th of Sept.

 

[ionbeam]

I just 'spoke' with Skip and it looks like we will try for the main 'Bridges' ride on 9/29 and then have a consolation ride (or rain date) *again* on 10/13

Suggestions:

We have a start point for a group ride and a lunch point so the solo-only types could join us for a quick 'glad to meet ya' at either the start point or at lunch then they can be off solo again.

While a Sunday ride will have less traffic, a Saturday ride would let some of the longer distance riders take a room and have a relaxed ride home on Sunday. Just a thought. I've done several one day rides to/from Albany, NY; Monroe, CT; Abbot Village, ME and they were long days for pleasure rides.

The Bridges ride is roughly 5 hours long, including a leisurely lunch. The route is all secondary roads through very pretty farm lands, rivers, lakes and forests. Last year's ride ended at a farm with a monster trebuchet that was hurling pumpkins almost 1/2 mile down range. Note that the wheels are about 6' in diameter, see it in action