Or, “Why I’m So Anti-Social.”

I enjoy riding with my friends, I really do.  There are things you just can’t do on your own, like talk about a section of road just after you pass through it.  Well, I guess you could talk about it alone, but you wouldn’t get another point of view on it, and you might need professional help.  Talking with riding buddies over breaks and meals usually brings forth some knowledge of new roads, riding or mechanical tips and tricks, or other general motorcycling news.  Then there’s the peace of mind that if something bad happens, friends are right there to help out.  But, because my riding buddies and I have busy schedules, I find myself riding alone when I do have time to get out and ride.

So, how come when I run into other sociable riders on the road, I’m so anti-social?  I head out on a Saturday morning with a destination in mind, get about halfway there to stop for fuel or breakfast, and find myself being eyed-up by like-minded bikers who seem to want to socialize.  I tend to get my helmet on quickly and get rolling before an in-depth conversation ensues.  Why?  I’ve tried to answer this question for weeks now, and I think I have it figured out.

First of all, I’m on a schedule.  When I ride alone, I only answer to myself as far as where and when to stop and how long my breaks will be.  At some point, I decide when I want to arrive at my destination, where else I want to explore, and what time I want to be home that night.  I’m very flexible when I ride with others, allowing for a general concensus to guide decisions on the fly and I can adjust the itnerary accordingly without a problem.  However, when I’m alone, I want to make the most of my riding time, and talking to strangers (even the friendly ones that are riders just like me) cuts into my time on the road.

The other reason, and probably the main one, is that impromptu conversations disrupt my groove.  After the first hour or so on the road, I’m in a zen-like state: it’s just me, the bike, and the road.  We’re getting along just fine, and every time I stop, the Bandit and the road call to me to get going again.  At diners, I like to sit near a window where I can look at the Bandit and the road.  Sometimes I pass up great photo opportunities simply because I’m in that state of mind and don’t want to stop, even for a minute.  I don’t think I would be a good cast-member for a show like “Long Way Round” - that’s all about getting to know the areas they pass through by spending some time off the bikes and getting to know people.  I’m happy snapping a handful of pics when nobody is around and moving on; its all about the road, not the locals.

I would equate it to being on a date.  You’re there with your date, someone you like a lot, and it’s just the two of you getting to know each other better.  Things are getting really romantic, you’re focused exclusively on each other and everything is going well, when…your friends show up and want to hang out.  Yeah, I’m happy to see my friends and I enjoy hanging out with them, and the date doesn’t mind, but it does kind of change the whole mindset and disrupt a different kind of good thing I had going.  I guess one isn’t necessarily better than the other in the end, but the change of pace mid-stride is what I don’t like.

If I didn’t despise multi-lane highways so much, I’d probably be a natural Iron-Butt contender.  But, I prefer a slower pace these days, tooling along back roads, enjoying the scenery while searching for smooth twisty tarmac.  If you see me out there, don’t hesitate to say HI; I might be in the mood to chat.  Just don’t be mad if you wave, and I wave back then throw on my helmet and speed off.  I’m just enjoying the road, and it’s calling to me louder than you are.

What an incredible day of riding!  The weather was around 80 degrees and not too humid, the skies were bright with plenty of puffy clouds, and the roads were winding and not too crowded.  It just doesn’t get much better than this in PA in the middle of August.

I got a late start on Saturday morning, mostly due to my own indecision, whether to meet up with internet forum buddies at Hawk’s Nest, or take my very first trip to the famous Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.  I decided that I should not put off doing new things, so with an initial route in mind, I hit the local BP station and was fueling the Bandit at 9am.

The first hour and a half were completely unnoteworthy: the PA Turnpike to the Northeast Extension north, to Rt 6 West in Clarks Summit.  A few miles past Wyalusing, I saw a sign proclaiming a scenic overlook coming up on the left, so I decided to make my first stop for some photos.  There were already a few bikers and scooteristas on the scene when I pulled into the Warrior’s Path overlook.  Below is a spectacular view of the Susquehanna River valley.  The first thing I noticed as I dismounted the Bandit was a hawk, not a hundred feet way, gliding over the valley just a few feet below our level.  He must have circled around at least three times in the few minutes I was there, maybe checking out our bikes.

Onward west and into Wysox, PA when my stomach started grumbling.  I had promised myself lunch before 1pm, and it was about that time when I saw Pipher’s Diner on my left.  It’s a kind of run-down diner; I guess it would be called “rustic” in these parts.  The waitress brought me my soft drink (a plastic cup of ice and a can of Coke) and a menu.  The prices seemed reasonable, but I was nervous when the waitress finally came back and asked “Did you want to eat?”  I started wondering how many people came into this diner and didn’t eat.  I kept it simple, and ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries, and when it came out, I realized why the prices were so reasonable.  The burger pattie was about the size of a McDonald’s burger (read: small), but it tasted good and the bacon was cooked to perfection; the fries tasted like frozen ACME brand fries thrown in a dirty fryer, but enough ketchup can fix almost anything.  All in all, it wasn’t a bad meal for five bucks.

Moving again on Route 6 west, I had a constant view of the spectacular sky.  If I didn’t still have a long ride ahead of me, I could have stopped and watched the clouds for hours.  Passing through the town of Troy, it reminded me of the opening scene in the Brad Pitt movie, where Achilles takes on the opposing army’s giant, and ends up taking him down with one stab of his sword - experience and skill over brute strength, just like the sedate pace I had found to carve precisely through the corners and avoid the occaisional bump in the road.  A little while later, I passed through Pitts, PA just before hitting Wellsboro.

Entering Wellsboro, the signs to the “Grand Canyon” put me on PA 660 (Main Street) south.  I followed the signs and stayed on 660 all the way to Leonard Harrison State Park, the site of Pine Creek Gorge.  Entering the park area, there is a long parking lot that loops past the visitor center and the platforms that overlook the gorge.  Just before the visitors’ center, there is a section reserved for motorcycle parking on the left.  I headed through the entrance, camera in hand, and overheard more than a few kids pointing out the “motorcycle man” to their parents as I stomped through the area in my leathers.  The view was spectacular, and I could have spent an hour there just gazing at it, but just five minutes off the bike and the road was calling me back.  I’ll have to plan another trip up here (preferably with more time to spend gazing), maybe in the fall when the leaves start changing colors.

Doubling back up 660, I picked up PA 362 west.  362 looked fine, except for the raised reflectors threatening to shred anything that crosses them.  About half a mile in, though, most of the road was covered in gravel, with only the tracks of the car tires being clear.  I did my best to stay in the tracks, occasionally crossing the gravel in the middle for lane position.  It was after 3pm when I was back on Rt 6 west, and I decided I should start my return loop soon.

I turned south on PA 144, which was a really nice twisty road.  The posted speed limit was 45mph, and it was a hoot to ride without going more than 10mph over.  When 144 met up with 44 near Carter Camp, the road went south; as in, it got pretty crappy.  Lots of patches and bumps made PA 44 less than pleasant.  Still, a lack of traffic made it tolerable.  At this point, I realized I should have refueled before I got off Rt 6; the Bandit was hitting 170 miles since the last fill, and I hadn’t seen a gas station in 25 miles.  I think the road might have been more enjoyable if I wasn’t sweating being stranded.

The immediate plan was to follow 44 down to US 220 east, but when 44 met with PA 664, I made a quick change, as PA 44 looked like a gravel road from that point on.  It probably wasn’t gravel, but there was enough gravel on top for me to make a course change mid-corner.  Down 664, I made a left in Woodward Township and hit PA 150,…and a gas station.  190 miles on the odometer, and the tank took 4.2 gallons, indicating 45mpg and ~36 miles of breathing room before I would have been walking.

I picked up US 220 east, which was highway for a bit then turns into a two-lane road.  US 15 south to I-80, to stretch the Bandit’s legs and put on some quick eastward distance.  I saw a sign for the “Pit Stop Restaurant” with a checkered-flag logo, and thought that would be a great spot for dinner.  Well, if it was open for business, that is.  A quick check of the map, and back onto I-80 east to PA 54 east.  I rode for awhile on 54, until I hit US 209.  I am familiar with US 209 up around the Delaware Water Gap, so I figured I would explore it going south.  Once on 209 south, I realized I was heading in a generally westward direction, and not towards home at all.  At the intersection of US 209 and PA 902 in Lansford, I stopped to check the map and decided on taking 902 east and picking up the PA Turnpike NE Extension south.  Once on 902, however, I saw signs for Lehighton, and remembered there was a huge Bike Night event going on there.

I passed quickly through Lehighton around 8:00pm.  The Bike Night thing looked like it was winding down in the main area, and I knew I still had a few hours of riding before I was home.  Oh, and I still hadn’t eaten dinner.  On the east side of Lehighton, I found Pizza Como on Rt 443, where I sat down and had a huge plate of baked ziti (which I couldn’t finish in two sittings if I tried).  I thought about netting the rest to the back seat for lunch on Monday, but decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.

I picked up PA 248 when I saw it went to Easton.  PA 248 is a pretty nice winding two-lane along the Lehigh Canal for a bit.  It was now dark and I realized my new dual headlights were not aimed properly; it seemed like they were low-powered high-beams, and my high-beams seemed like they were pointing to the sky.  I found an especially dark section of road with a solid shoulder and stopped to adjust the lights, pointing them just slightly downward.  That did the trick, as they now lit up plenty of the road surface in front of me, and the high beams pointed straight down the road.  It was good enough that I could put my tinted visor back down to block the bugs.

I made my way down to I-78 east to my usual stomping-ground of PA 611 south.  I made it back home at 11:00pm on the dot for a total of 14 hours on the road, with a total of 599 miles tallied for the day.  Not exactly an Iron Butt performance, but I did get pictures and had two hot sit-down meals along the way.  I also enjoyed the scenery and avoided any “performance awards” along the way.   If I do this ride again, it will most likely be a multi-day trip, so I can take more time to enjoy the scenery off the bike.  I’d also like to see the rest of Rt 6 across Pennsylvania.  Let the planning begin…

Click here for the full slideshow.

From my personal collection of DVDs (and one future purchase, for sure), I have compiled my ten favorite movies that feature motorcycles.  I would like to mention the “Faster!” movie and the “Long Way Round” series as great choices as well, but I did not include them on the list as they are more documentaries than theatrical productions.  These movies are in order of their appeal based on motorcycle content, not necessarily the movie overall.

10. Batman: The Dark Knight - Not really a motorcycle, but the Dark Knight makes spectacular use of his two-wheeled Bat-Pod.

9. Lost Boys - Keifer Sutherland leads a gang of motorcycle-riding vampires in a California beach town.

8. Matrix: Reloaded - Trinity looks awesome in her black leather aboard a Ducati 916 as she evades Agents on the freeway.

7. Blade trilogy - Each of the three Blade movies features one motorcycle scene, the most spectacular being in Blade II, where Wesley Snipes takes out vampires trying to escape on Ducati Supersports.

6. Motorcycle Diaries - Che Guevara is the main character who, along with his best friend, head north from Argentina aboard an old Norton single.

5. Wild Hogs - A clean fun (and funny) movie about a group of middle-aged guys going on their first long motorcycle trip together.

4. Dhoom! - A chracteristically Bollywood import, “DHOOM!” has some very entertaining musical scenes, and is based around a street racer (on a Suzuki Bandit) teaming up with a cop to track down a theif (who rides a Suzuki Hayabusa).

3. Biker Boyz - A truly heartwarming father and son story hides behind flashy sportbikes and cheesy race scenes.

2. Akira - Made in 1988 and still the king of Anime movies, Akira starts with teen motorcycle gangs battling it out in neo-Tokyo.

1. Black Rain - Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia star as cops escorting a dangerous prisoner back to Japan.  Michael Douglas’ character races Katanas on his Harley XLCR Cafe Racer before battling it out in Japan with Yakuza gang members riding blacked-out Suzuki GSXRs and DRs.

Edit:  I just realized Easy Rider is not in my DVD collection!  If it was, that would definitely be near the top of this list.