This was the original post I wrote before I discovered that I had left my charger for my phone/GPS on the bed at home.
I packed the bike the night before. The alarm was set for 6 AM. It never fails, the night before a trip I always get a case of insomnia. I think about travel, and lay in bed tossing and turning all night.
Being the genius that I am LOL. I decided a good solution for this would be to gulp down a couple glasses of wine with a whiskey chaser. Sleep problem solved.
It may have solved my sleep issue, but apparently it gave me a wake issue. Yep, I over slept. Ended up waking around 10 AM. So I end up starting my day 4 hours behind schedule with a wicked hangover.
I have my morning coffee, pop a couple ibuprofen, get dressed and head out on the highway. Normally I take country back roads but already being 4 hours behind schedule I decide on the I-90. It’s a straight line to Albany, and honestly the most boring ride I ever took. Unlike country back roads the I-90 has very little to offer as far as gorgeous scenery and fun attractions. No little road side stands, cute towns or interesting attractions. Just a long flat well paved road to get you to your destination quickly
I’m riding the CSC TT250. The tiny engine is open full throttle, and just making the 65mph speed limit. I ride for a couple hours and stop at a rest area to let the bike cool down a bit. I ride for a couple more hours, then fuel up, and again let the bike cool down a bit. The last stop I made was just outside Syracuse NY. I decide no more stopping to Albany. I estimate it’s about a 3 hour drive, the little bike is running great and I feel like it can handle it.
I don’t know what happened, but about an hour outside of Albany the bike starts acting a little wierd. I’ve got a half tank of fuel according to the gas gauge but it seems like it’s kind of bogging out every so often. Seemed like it happened about 4 or 5 times. After the last time, I pull off at the next exit. It’s a small town called Canajoharie NY. I pull into the first gas station I see, Betty Beaver’s Stop & Fuel. The company logo is a busty beaver. It puts a smile on my face, but also sort of creeps me out. The place looked like something out of a Rob Zombie movie. I fuel up, grab an iced tea, and hang out by the side of the building for a bit. I let the bike cool for about ½ an hour.
I ask Google how far it is to Vermont. I’ve got about three hours to go. I’m really mad at myself now, because I wouldn’t of pushed the bike so hard if I had only woke up on time. I look at the time and it’s about 6 in the evening. I’m starting to second guess my trip, and know it will be dark by the time I reach Vermont. It’s also starting to look like rain moving in. Probably best to find someplace to camp for the night.
I go to freecampsites.net. The closest place is about an hour and ten minutes in the opposite direction. Cherry Ridge Camping Area. “Wonderful” I say to myself facetiously. The bike starts no problem and I head to the campground.
The bike seems to be running fine again. No more bogging out. Was it low on fuel? Over heating maybe? I really don’t know and that bothers me to no end.
As I’m riding I realize instantly. These are the roads I want to be on. Passing through rustic small town settings. Looking at cows and horses as they graze next to old wooden red barns by a pond. People wave as you pass. This is the America I love to see and travel. You don’t see that on the major highways.
I stop once at a Dollar General to pick up some work gloves. The sky is starting to look really dark as I leave the store. I’m not looking forward to setting up camp in the rain. I’m hoping if I hurry I beat what looks like an inevitable deluge.
I get to the campsite 20 minutes later. The grounds wet, but it’s not raining. Somehow I missed the shower. I ride in on a dirt rode and the bike slides sideways in a muddy rut. I think to myself how happy I am that I replaced that bald back tire before the trip. The old tire would of left me sprawled out in the dirt road cussing. I sign in at the entrance booth, find a camping spot and get set up for the night. For the most part everything goes smoothly. Tent up, fire lit, I boil some water for some ramen noodles, eat and retire to my tent for the night.
As I lay here in my tent I’m trying to decide how to continue. I’m thinking Vermont is out of the question. I’m not certain about the bike right now, but on top of that, time is becoming a factor. I’d like to be back home by Sunday, worst case scenario maybe Monday. I also don’t want to push the tiny engine of the CSC TT250 as hard as I’ve been.
I suppose everything will depend on how well the bike runs in the morning. I’m starting to think more about the Adirondacks. I’ve never driven through that part of New York in the sunlight. I drove through the region twice, but each time was at night. If the bike runs well through the Adirondacks, Vermont is only another hour or two away. I think by shortening the trip though, I’ll have a more enjoyable ride going home by way of country backroads.
LOL, I never made it to the Adirondacks. After writing this blog post and expending a nice amount of the battery life left on my phone, I went to charge it and discovered I had brought the wrong charger. All the coordinates for the trip were in the phone GPS, and I’d be lucky if I got another 5 – 8 hours out of it. In the morning, I decided to call it a wash. You can read about the ride home here.