Photos Only: Cape May Closer to 2016-17 Season

CT Bears, Cape May, NJ, end of season ride, from left: Grumpy, Mac, Thomas (finance to Princess), Princess, Token2 and down front Captain and Pogy.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Cape May, NJ, April 30, 2017.

Last ride of the 2016-2017 Polar Bear Grand Tour season.

Because both Christmas and New Year's fell on Sundays this season, the polar bears extended all the way through April, offering unseasonably warm weather for bears, but not so bad for motorcyclists.

CT Blogger, Chris Loynd, started a new business and missed the last few rides of the season. Grumpy sent a nice note with these photos saying there's always next year. And hopefully there is.

If you're of a mind to help me out a bit, please LIKE my business Facebook Page: you can search @DigitalPizzaCT or use this link: https://www.facebook.com/DigitalPizzaCT. You won't get any spam or even see many posts because of how Facebook works. But more likes helps my ranking. You can also see my new website at: DigitalPizzaCT.com.

Meanwhile, I hope to do a bit of riding this summer, in between finding new customers and helping them get more customers.

See you in October!

Remember, ride safe, and warm,
Chris

Chris Loynd, a.k.a. CT Blogger

Pogy made it! Red rocker to commemorate a very interesting season.

Mac made 60 points.

Captain this year's only Perfect Attendance rider.

Photos Only: Easton, Pa.

CT Bears in Easton, Pa., from left: Grumpy, Token2, Mac, Fonz and Captain with Pogy down front.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Easton, Pa., April 23, 2017. 

Just for the history books, there was some confusion on this ride. The restaurant said they were not reminded ahead of time and therefore did not expect the bears. However if you Google Cheeburger-Cheeburger in Easton, Pa., well, we'll see if they are on the schedule for next season.

Fortunately, our bears had already decided on an alternate eatery based upon last year's slow -- and not so good -- service. Token2 found a place and they all ended up together for a nice lunch and ride.

Photos Only: Kingston, NY

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Kingston, NY, Hickory BBQ Restaurant, April 9 2017.

Langhorne, Pa.

CT Bears in Langhorne, PA, from left: Mac, Grumpy, Captain and Fonz.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Brian's Harley-Davidson, Langhorne, PA, April 2, 2017.

By: Captain

Good weather makes for a great ride. Mine started at 7:00AM when The Princess called to let me know that she would join us at the bus stop for the trip south. At 8:00AM I arrived at the DD for coffee, Mac arrived soon after. At 8:30AM Pogy called to let me know he would join us at the Darian Service area. Johnny B. (Grumpy) showed up rested from his Daytona, FL trip. We left the DD on time heading down I-95 to PA with Grumpy in the lead and MAC bringing up the rear. As we passed the Fairfield Service area the Fonz joined as our Sweep, still south bound we passed the Darian Service area, no Pogy! We forged ahead toward the next pickup in NY. Alas no Princess at the stop. We stopped and called to check on Pogy and here comes the Princess at slow speed. She hit a pothole and deflated her front tire. We were able to get air in the tire and she went to the near by HD dealer for repair. The rest of us continued on to the destination arriving at 11:45AM. 

We checked in and went upstairs for a bite. Brian's HOG chapter had a tasty spread, hotdogs, meat balls, salad and desert with coffee and soft drinks. They accepted donations for MD, great job everyone. After eating Fonz did some shopping then we did our group photo under the sign in the parking lot. The ride home was very pleasant the temp. high of 63 and sunny. We stopped at the top on the Fonz dime. Headed home arriving at 4:15PM.

Chatterboxing

CT Bears in Augusta, from left, Mac, Token2, Pogy, Fonz and Captain.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Augusta, NJ, March 26, 2017.

By: Token2

Chatterboxing

The numbers bulked up from the prior week with five CT bears on the road. 

The ride began and finished wet, dank and generally miserable. The sorry state of the day was, as always, significantly improved by the bonhomie of the diverse group of souls (and soulless) blokes that make up the pool of CT Bears!

Pogy must have made an absolute flyer out of the Darien rest stop as he found himself in the unusual positon of being the lead bike. Everyone refused to pass him and so it was that he led the ride. Quite competently it has to be said. Meanwhile Fonz who was picked up from a ramp in Fairfield and who covets the sweep role must have been head faked by Mac who perhaps switched off his riding lights to avoid Fonz noticing he was there. Anyway,  by the time T2 (your reporter for the ride) was collected on I287 in White Plains a sense of calm had taken hold and he slipped into the cradle. Fiddling with his heating controls while getting in line (naughty lad) resulted in his speed dropping a tad inviting Mac to take a closer (and first) look at the apparition of the green machine (What the hell is that? Mac asked later.). Mac handled the rear with aplomb despite  an occasional  long awaited call from the front and impatient early departures from the middle (yes, guilty as charged your honor).

The ride out and back followed the TZB, I287, rte 23 and 15. After hitting Rt 23 a brief stop was requested by T2 to attend to his wardrobe malfunction. With toasty toes and fingers restored the group still managed to dismount at the Chatterbox right on time. Getting a table was easy; for a second week in a row attendance seemed light. Perhaps the forecast of freezing drizzle in the highlands of Sussex county had the more circumspect riders staying home. 

Lunch was typical Chatterbox fare and tasty it was too. Several matters of interest to note, Pogy and Capt.  cozied up in an effort to help elected officials better understand what unity looks like. The reader can be the judge of how helpful that might actually be. T2 got pummeled for bringing up healthcare. Mac and Fonz remained stoic through it all continuing to dip fries in ketchup, instilling much needed tranquility at the lunch table.

The more important matters to document are that Fonz collected his 30 point rocker and with a change in work patterns he is hoping to pick up enough points in the tail of the season to go Gold. Gold was the milestone that Mac achieved on this ride after a week or two attending to other commitments.  

A detour to Montvale for refreshments was agreed as was a prior stop for gas. Pogy and Capt’s unity over lunch started to fray early when the allegedly agreed upon gas stop was by pulled in favor of a different plan. T2 stepped up to accept the blame even though he was far away from the action and tried to heal the wounds by supplying gaily colored pink frosted donuts *with sprinkles* in addition to the beverages. Peace and friendship was restored. Life needs more donut moments.

Fonz missed out on the donut treat, favoring a quick return to CT.

We shall gather again to keep the CT Bear fires burning next week.

Where da CT Bears?

CT Bears in Long Valley, in the back Token2 and Captain and down front Pogy.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Long Valley, NJ., March 19, 2017.

By: Token2

Hi Chris:

Missing the support of a fellow realist, slightly left of center rider (aka fake news communist biker hooligan) these past couple of weeks…need reinforcements to do battle with the Trumpanistas.  So come back when you can!

Where da CT Bears?

A second week of a low turnout for the CT Bears with a complement of three. Where did the rest go?

The forecast for the day had oscillated from half decent to dire predictions of another good wallop of snow. In the end a day that started dull and chilly quickly evolved to be bright, sunny and cloudless with temperatures in the mid 40’s. Sooooooooweeet! The Capt, the resurgent Pogy and T2 (guest reporter) made the trip to Long Valley, NJ. T2 led the way on his new Kermit colored Kawasaki while Capt and Pogy followed at a suitable multi-bike distance to avoid any hint of association with the gaily colored leader. The ride was uneventful, if slightly lonely at the front.

It seemed that not only had the CT Bears hunkered down in fear of the worst but so too had the population at large. Traffic was uniformly light throughout the day and attendance seemed on the low side. The normal challenge to get seated at the customarily popular destination was a breeze. Of course it was made easier by arriving at 11am, but even when we departed the normal  line was absent. The communications director who set the crushingly early departure time was notably absent, allegedly giving up his quest for perfect attendance due to work commitments. He was later spotted on his doorstep at 3.30pm still in his jim-jams. This confirmed suspicions that he wanted a lie-in, still recovering from the change to daylight savings earlier in the month.

Perhaps the low number of Bears staying to eat had to do with a new and blatant segregationist policy to corral the Bears in a small part of the restaurant with a dedicated Bear like fried food menu (cheaper admittedly than the buffet). The Capt. decided freedom was needed to caucus wherever we choose and despite a failed negotiation with the maître d’ grabbed a suitable table upstairs, ably waited on by Bonnie, that gave unfettered access to the customarily lavish (if slightly expensive) buffet.

Pogy’s first plate was piled high with food and was truly a joy to see. After putting the hurt on by lifting 5 gallon drums of honey the plate gave a lie to the suggestion that he is still unable to carry heavy things. As with any good work out it is important to go through repetitions, which Pogy (and we) did. Pogy even went for a couple of the foo-foo desserts. Anyway, stuffed to the gills we better appreciated why the owner of the pub was trying to direct us to the Bear menu. Sorry, dude we are people too and our money is green just like the other customers. I think Bonnie would like us to return as we tipped her well.

T2 who has developed a penchant for collecting brightly colored things showed off another T-shirt, a gift from a friend (now former friend) celebrating his two-wheel purchase. 

A stop at the top finished off the day. Refreshments provided by Pogy. As the picture from the parking lots show the initial shock and embarrassment effected by T2’s new ride was overcome, the Wings cozied up to froggie in the end.

Until next time.

T2