Syracuse New York

I’ve made it as far as Syracuse NY today sitting in Tully’s bar and grill with a bunch of bikers from Syracuse and not NY, go figure...it’s Indiana. Today was another scorther, but nice to ride when there’s no threat of rain, not that I don’t mind riding in the rain and it’d give me the chance to try out my new rain gear, more on that and today’s trip after I cover last nights adventures. 

As you might’ve gathered from my writings last night, I was drunk. The great thing about Yehaa’s is they had Pabst beers for a buck and a half, you bet, $1.50 a can so I definitely had my share and didn’t mind the tab either. Remember I did have a Jacuzzi in my room so I definitely needed to throw a party in it which is just what I did, the only problem is it was a party of one, me and me only. Something from the Boom fest would’ve been ok, but the only chick I really talked to was Sherri and she already had her kids to get home. The jacuzzi did get more of a workout since I figured I’d use it one more time before heading out today.

I actually was up early and it turned out to be a beautiful ride along Highway 2 to Cleveland which was only 2 hours away. A big difference from my other travels when having gone around Chicago that this ferry gig just might be the ticket. The only problem as I do believe I pointed out yesterday was the sweat in the belly of the ferry trying to strap the bikes down...sweaty and dirty. Today’s featured band at the Rock and Roll hall of fame was none other than the Grateful Dead which had me trying to remember all day who my friend was who happens to be a big Grateful Dead fan and even now, I don’t remember. If you’re the one, send me a text or something so I can show you the pics. I did take a different way to the fame other than I normally do and that was only because I exited earlier than I needed to. For some reason many of these towns I’ve been riding through I’ve seen the slum or low income part of town and thank God am still around to talk about it. Maybe nothing like South Chicago you don’t want to take a wrong turn at, but I’m sure some spots I shouldn’t be stopping if I don’t have to. 

While I was at the fame I decided to call Bill the father of a curler Zac I happened to play when his dad was in town. He did tell me that if I’m ever in the area, since I did tell him I always make a trip thru Buffalo to look him up and he’d be more than happy to put me up for a night if I needed it. Well, if I’m in Syracuse that means I didn’t need it, but thought I’d at least let him know I was gonna be in town for my usually trip to the Anchor bar. If you don’t remember that place, than you obviously don’t read my blogs...the original Buffalo wing place. Well he wasn’t going to be able to join, but I did have a good talk with him and got a little info on where I should travel to while thru NY, the Anderandecs which apparently the other riders next to me, remember the ones from Syracuse plan on traveling tomorrow. I still haven’t figured that out with my handy phone map how to make the trip work, but I have to make a stop at the Harley shop tomorrow which is suppose to be one  of the largest in New York and maybe they can help me out. Now that I’ve seen Chris’ new bike and the problems I’m having with mine, I think I’ll buy a new one when I get home and no, there won’t be any trade in cuz I know I won’t get much for this one. The problems today were the normal lately with the cruise not always catching the switch on the radio which yes I do need to have the radio replace, but I think I may have broke something in the front and that was because of a hard hit I took yesterday which I forgot to mention. 

While riding around yesterday in Toledo trying to find myself a motel for the night I hit a pair and it was more like three rails worth of tracks faster than I should have that all I could do is hold on for dear life and make sure to keep things running straight because for the hits and bumps any turn of balance would have sent me to the pavement. Well, in the whole thing I did lose a turn signal cover, but definitely bottom out on something that this bike may be in disarray. As Chris has already let me know, last year in fact is my shocks are shot which causes my rough ride which I haven’t been happy with for quite sometime. I knew I broke something in the summer of 2006 on my big bike trip, but the shop keeps telling me my shocks are fine.

Ok, I know, enough whining. So how about the rest of todays travels. From Cleveland my next stop was going to be Buffalo for the famous buffalo wings a the Anchor bar that I only have a 3 hour trip to make. I did think I’d ride along the lake shore a bit more and stay off the freeway, which was my 3 hour route that I soon found out, I’m better off on the freeway than this crazy road. 45 mph top speed and that was only between towns, once in a town, which there are many it was down to 23 mph. That didn’t last long so I eventually made my way back to the freeway for a fast ride to Buffalo and I don’t know why, but I swear every time I’ve traveled I90, it’s always under construction. The wings and Birch beer were awesome as usual and with not only an early start to the day, but an early start from the Anchor bar I have a lot more riding I can do.

For some reason Buffalo didn’t want to let me go today. I asked the bartender for directions and as he pointed out, just take North street straight North until I hit I90. Well, I don’t know if I missed something on the turnabout, but I definitely didn’t see any I90, only 190...see the difference? I or 1? I did stop at a gas station and thanks to a couple from the area they put me on the right track. Once I finally figured out that 190 south would get me to I90 East I was set, the only problem is I needed gas before getting on the toll road that had I thought about it while stopping for directions I would’ve filled up than. Off the freeway to a gas stop and once again, no easy way back on to I90 East. After a couple of stops for directions and I mean a couple I was finally back on the road  I needed only to notice I’d already been this way, nothing like a full circle going back to Go...and that’s how I’ve ended up in Syracuse NY and have a place to stay and have already been fed. 

I did stop and talk the bikers which were just here, but left on my way in looking for a cheap hotel and they were just checking into the Hampton that when they told me it was  over $100 with an AARP card I figured I can find cheaper, which I did at the Quality Inn, just next door. Not much cheaper, but I’m also not a AARP card carrying member, that I’ wasn’t too disappointed with the price. Much better than last night, price wise, but the front desk also helped me out with a place to eat. The Dinosaur downtown was definitely the biker place for bbq and it wasn’t bad at all. I did make some friends, but know jacuzzi to share tonight that oh, well, just me and me alone. Ok, now that the biker friends have left and I have another beer on order, time to sign off and more drinking to do.