Latham New York, July 3rd
Latham New York, just outside of Albany, you know the capital of New York…and I bet you thought New York City was the capital. I asked the manager at the hotel I checked into what Albany was famous for and he had no idea. Even asking all of these patrons at the local Applebee’s don’t know, the neighborhood friendly bar and grill. My day started out in the rain so fitting that it ends up in the rain and now you have an idea just how far I got.
Well, as you might be able to tell from the pictures, the day started out in Geneva by the Lake, almost in the lake, yea the puddling in the parking lot and remember how I couldn’t wait to get out of the place? I did wake up early, even before the alarm went off, but when I looked outside and saw the rain, I figured I should try to sleep a little more because then it just might go away. An hour later, and still no luck, that an hour after that, you got it still raining that it’s gonna be one of those days. At that point I figured I’d check out the weather station to see what they had to say about the rain in the area, no luck. This dive motel doesn’t have the weather station, but after flipping thru the stations, this place isn’t so bad after all, porn, and not the Cinemax type of porn, this is hardcore. Yep, I changed the station as quick as I saw what was on, that now I know what Butch does in the office all day. This place isn’t so bad after all because it kept me dry for the night and got me going in the morning.
Bike packed and me packed for rain that it was time to hit the road so I asked Butch the quickest way to Buffalo that was scenic, but without many stops. That would be the freeway that he pointed me in that direction. Remember 80 was comfortable yesterday, well, 70 today kind of reminded me of the white lining in California, what a rush. All the while I was cruising down the freeway on a bike in the rain I was not only thankful that James and the crew at Kutter Harley set me up with new tires, but how a ride like this is all about the feel, especially when you can’t see out of your glasses as well as you’d like. They really need to make a pair of riding glasses that work well in the rain. I know, the full face helmet seems to make a difference, but I had a problem strapping on the brain bucket already today.
I did make a stop to get a picture of the Pennsylvania state line and even the New York line, which was more important…as soon as I cross that line I need to put on the helmet to avoid getting pulled over like I did a couple of years ago. When I made the stop, a biker which I passed earlier stopped to make sure everything was ok. It’s the code, you see a biker pulled over, and you make sure there’s nothing wrong. He was on his way to Albany to visit a Vietnam War buddy, give the guy a lot of credit, putting his life out there in Vietnam and now on a bike in the rain.
As I’m cruising down the road in the rain and not able to see much, I’m thinking how much of this biking thing is all about the feel. Sometimes you feel it and other times you don’t. If anything, all of the world’s problems and worries get blown away by the wind, so the faster I’m going in the rain, the more my brain is being drained. Pretty good rhyme don’t you think.
A stop at Buffalo to the original Buffalo wing place was definitely in order and Norm is a great bar tender, Not only did he take great care of me; giving me the Birch beer they have since they don’t have Root beer, but he even remembered me from 2 years ago. Not only the same question I asked today when I walked in whether they had WiFi or not, but where I sat at the bar those 2 years back. Now either that takes a really good bar tender, or maybe, just maybe it’s me? right, it’s the bar tender.
Check out those wings, don’t they look awesome, isn’t your mouth just watering….they were great. By the time I was done with lunch in the middle of the afternoon it looked like the rain gear could get packed away because I wouldn’t need it any more. Did have to don a jacket since it was a bit nipply, but not such a bad ride heading east - that was until my last service stop along the toll way. Do they realize how hard it is packing a ticket away at one stop and pulling money out at the next? they really should do something about the bikes going through. Anyway, it was a fairly comfortable ride hitting the normal toll way speed of 80 without any rain, but the day wasn’t over that you got it, rain just outside of Albany. At that point I got some info from some guys at the last stop of which way I should head to find a hotel and that’s how I ended up here, the Microtel in Latham.
Well, I did need to feed me and have a few brews to clear the days ride that I checked out Carrabba’s across the road. Yea, their ‘A’ is burnt out, but I’m sure I’ll hear plenty of that when I get to Canada. I told Jeff, who was taking good care of me that the only other Carrabba’s that I had been to was in Yuma Arizona a couple of years back that I hope their food is as good as it was then. He told me it’s the same recipe, but I did have to ask, what about the same cook. Anyway, Jeff took great care of me and while he was taking care of me, Kevin and John were enjoying some of my pictures, especially those from Sturgis which have never been shared.
I may be a day late, but New Hampshire, I really hope to see you tomorrow.
A few day three pics
Well, as you might be able to tell from the pictures, the day started out in Geneva by the Lake, almost in the lake, yea the puddling in the parking lot and remember how I couldn’t wait to get out of the place? I did wake up early, even before the alarm went off, but when I looked outside and saw the rain, I figured I should try to sleep a little more because then it just might go away. An hour later, and still no luck, that an hour after that, you got it still raining that it’s gonna be one of those days. At that point I figured I’d check out the weather station to see what they had to say about the rain in the area, no luck. This dive motel doesn’t have the weather station, but after flipping thru the stations, this place isn’t so bad after all, porn, and not the Cinemax type of porn, this is hardcore. Yep, I changed the station as quick as I saw what was on, that now I know what Butch does in the office all day. This place isn’t so bad after all because it kept me dry for the night and got me going in the morning.
Bike packed and me packed for rain that it was time to hit the road so I asked Butch the quickest way to Buffalo that was scenic, but without many stops. That would be the freeway that he pointed me in that direction. Remember 80 was comfortable yesterday, well, 70 today kind of reminded me of the white lining in California, what a rush. All the while I was cruising down the freeway on a bike in the rain I was not only thankful that James and the crew at Kutter Harley set me up with new tires, but how a ride like this is all about the feel, especially when you can’t see out of your glasses as well as you’d like. They really need to make a pair of riding glasses that work well in the rain. I know, the full face helmet seems to make a difference, but I had a problem strapping on the brain bucket already today.
I did make a stop to get a picture of the Pennsylvania state line and even the New York line, which was more important…as soon as I cross that line I need to put on the helmet to avoid getting pulled over like I did a couple of years ago. When I made the stop, a biker which I passed earlier stopped to make sure everything was ok. It’s the code, you see a biker pulled over, and you make sure there’s nothing wrong. He was on his way to Albany to visit a Vietnam War buddy, give the guy a lot of credit, putting his life out there in Vietnam and now on a bike in the rain.
As I’m cruising down the road in the rain and not able to see much, I’m thinking how much of this biking thing is all about the feel. Sometimes you feel it and other times you don’t. If anything, all of the world’s problems and worries get blown away by the wind, so the faster I’m going in the rain, the more my brain is being drained. Pretty good rhyme don’t you think.
A stop at Buffalo to the original Buffalo wing place was definitely in order and Norm is a great bar tender, Not only did he take great care of me; giving me the Birch beer they have since they don’t have Root beer, but he even remembered me from 2 years ago. Not only the same question I asked today when I walked in whether they had WiFi or not, but where I sat at the bar those 2 years back. Now either that takes a really good bar tender, or maybe, just maybe it’s me? right, it’s the bar tender.
Check out those wings, don’t they look awesome, isn’t your mouth just watering….they were great. By the time I was done with lunch in the middle of the afternoon it looked like the rain gear could get packed away because I wouldn’t need it any more. Did have to don a jacket since it was a bit nipply, but not such a bad ride heading east - that was until my last service stop along the toll way. Do they realize how hard it is packing a ticket away at one stop and pulling money out at the next? they really should do something about the bikes going through. Anyway, it was a fairly comfortable ride hitting the normal toll way speed of 80 without any rain, but the day wasn’t over that you got it, rain just outside of Albany. At that point I got some info from some guys at the last stop of which way I should head to find a hotel and that’s how I ended up here, the Microtel in Latham.
Well, I did need to feed me and have a few brews to clear the days ride that I checked out Carrabba’s across the road. Yea, their ‘A’ is burnt out, but I’m sure I’ll hear plenty of that when I get to Canada. I told Jeff, who was taking good care of me that the only other Carrabba’s that I had been to was in Yuma Arizona a couple of years back that I hope their food is as good as it was then. He told me it’s the same recipe, but I did have to ask, what about the same cook. Anyway, Jeff took great care of me and while he was taking care of me, Kevin and John were enjoying some of my pictures, especially those from Sturgis which have never been shared.
I may be a day late, but New Hampshire, I really hope to see you tomorrow.
A few day three pics
posted by Dalej Webb at 11:52 PM
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