Long Ride for Old Guys

Connecticut Polar Bears in Lewes, Del,, from left: CT Blogger, Grumpy, John J. and Mac.

EDP Connecticut Bears in Lewes, Del., from left, Fonz and Anonymous Ed.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Irish Eyes Pub, Lewes, Del., November 3, 2019.

By: Chris Loynd
Photos by: Grumpy and Chris

Welcome to Polar Bear Season, 2019 – 2020. Our season always starts with two long rides, Cape May, N.J. and Lewes, Del. We had a nasty Nor'easter for Cape May and none of the Connecticut crowd was up to the long ride in the rain. Years ago we made our bones in the rain, riding a ridiculous Cape May run in the rain all the way. We saw DOT snowplow trucks on the Merritt Parkway clearing water off the roadway.

The Lewes weather was better, much better. I rode down on Saturday for a visit with my folks in Wilmington. It also lets me ride one-quarter the distance the day before. Lewes is 570 miles round trip for us. That's a good touring day, in the summer.

By the time we took our stop-at-the-top, the last rest stop on the Garden State Parkway, we were all feeling more than a bit sore. Many of the New Jersey bears take this ride in two days, staying at a hotel in Lewes Saturday night. We may be getting there too.

John J. seemed to be doing the best aboard his Beemer. (Or he just complained the least.) Mac was sore. That's double-tough because he comes farthest, with almost an hour of riding to our Stratford jumping off point.

Grumpy was feeling sore and had some back issues earlier in the year that didn't help.

I was on the Harley Springer. When I had the restoration done I let my builder talk me into beach bars. They look cool, yes. But I was getting a pain underneath my shoulder blade, I think in part from the spread of the bars. Great for looks, maybe not so much for touring.

Pogy decided it was just too far for his back and sat this one out.

Captain was ready to ride and showed up at the Dunkin' on his Honda Goldwing. But when it was time to leave, his voltage indicator showed the system wasn't charging. Despite his long standing reputation of having no fear of tow trucks, John decided to head home instead of risking it.

Fonz and Anonymous Ed applied EDP (Early Departure Protocol), leaving before 6 a.m. They ate at the diner in Lewes and then somehow talked the Grand Tour Flight B leaders into letting them sign in early. I caught them leaving just as I arrived around 11:10 a.m. The rest of our Connecticut crew showed up right on time.

We enjoyed a good lunch and caught up with each other and all decided we are happy to start the season.