Polar Bear Motorcycles: Disappearing Buffet but Snow in the Background

CT Bears in Long Valley, NJ. Snow in the background is rare for this season.
From left: CT Blogger, Captain, Thumper and Pogy down front.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Long Valley Pub, Long Valley, NJ, March 3, 2019.

By: Chris Loynd
Photos by: Chris Loynd and Grand Tour Photographers Gary Rosen and Bernie Walsh.

Turnabout is fair play. So this week, Pogy took the lead and I was sweep. All-in-all, I thought the ride was pretty smooth. Only Captain was tucked between us. Grumpy and Anonymous Ed were at Daytona Bike Week. With just three of us, lane changes should have been a breeze. Perhaps my only complaint was that our leader tended to hang out in the left lane a bit too much. As sweep that gets a bit challenging because cars backing up behind us tend to get a bit testy.

Twenty miles of matching speed with a FedEx truck on I-287 was a bit much. Every now and then, Pogy eventually noticed the cars zooming up on the right and then cutting him off. Then he'd move over to the middle lane.

When I had the opportunity, I tried to suggest lane changes from the back by moving over. But with only three bikes in line, drivers were moving into my space behind Captain. I ran the risk of being trapped and separated from our group. I also think Pogy's mirrors may not be working.

After observing Pogy in his truck on the following Sunday (see next week's blog) I think I understand. He's one of those Connecticut drivers who figures the left lane is best and safest for all circumstances. Grumpy is one too. And on Connecticut's congested interstate, it's hard to argue. But using Connecticut lane strategy on New Jersey's I-287 or Garden State Parkway is like applying Mad Max rules to the Natchez Trace Parkway. (That's a wonderful ride, by the way. If you ever find yourself in Mississippi with time on your hands, I highly recommend it.)

By the way, a tip for car drivers, flipping the bird at us as you drive by really does not change anything, especially when directed to the sweep rider. When I first moved to Connecticut I battled road rage fighting through rush hour traffic from Stratford to Stamford every day. A standup comic cured me. Here's his schtick:

"You people having a fit in traffic. What do you think you're accomplishing? Let me ask you something. A guy cuts you off. You blow your horn, flash your lights, make obscene hand gestures, tailgate. Now what do you think happens? Do you really think the guy who cuts you off gets home and says to his wife, 'I feel so bad. I cut in front of this guy on the way home. He was so upset. I feel terrible.' Do you really think that's what happens?"

Anyway, we got to our destination restaurant Long Valley Pub in good time. In fact we got there a half-hour before the kitchen opened. Our server bade us welcome nevertheless and brought Captain his coffee.

We were joined by Thumper. He was waiting for us as we pulled into the parking lot. Based upon my Connecticut Polar Bear departure email, he tried to catch us on I-287. But I guess with Pogy poking along in the left lane, he got tired of waiting.

Reminded me of former Connecticut Polar Bear Clark Makinson. Clark was from Connecticut but spent a lot of time in New Jersey caring for his elderly father. We were a lot looser in those days. None of this calling Captain in the morning to tell him where and when you will be joining us or if you're riding that day.

We'd be riding along I-287 or the Turnpike or Parkway and suddenly Clark was in our line. Sometimes you'd spot him on the shoulder waiting. More often than not, he just appeared. Rarely we'd meet him at a rest stop.

While we waited for the cook to arrive, Pogy and Captain entertained us with a spirited discussion of whether or not and when the Merchant Marines were an official branch of the U.S. military. Pogy was a Merchant Marine before he was a U.S. Marine. Captain was in the Navy. I'm too ignorant to know who won the argument.

Next Thumper unfurled his geek, engaging Pogy in a discussion of the F4U Corsair engine. Next was how helicopters work, pretty much from Igor's first one to modern day.

Sadly, Long Valley Pub has new owners. Captain asked the manager about the fabulous buffet and the manager claimed it was never there every Sunday. He asserted it was only offered on holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving. He should know better than to try to fool a biker when food is on the line.

Long Valley Pub for years was a prized Polar Bear destination. They had an amazing buffet with breakfast and lunch goodies of every sort plus a dessert table. It was a bit on the expensive side, but worth every penny. As we ate our sandwiches Sunday we reminisced about smoked salmon with capers, shrimp. king crab legs, fresh bagels with cream cheese, carving stations with rare roast beef and moist turkey, puddings, fruits, eggs, bacon . . . .

One thing I observed about the restaurant was that it was uncharacteristically empty. In years past, it was crowded. We got there early to be sure of a seat. My compadres said it was perhaps a forecast of evening snow. But I blame the buffetless fare.

Our sandwiches were very good, still a bit on the expensive side.

Pogy got us home well before the snow, Thumper dropping out on Route 80 to head to his now New Jersey residence.