Too Windy

CT Bears at Brian's H-D, from left, Pogy, Chris, Scott.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Brian's Harley-Davidson, March 17, 2019.

By: Chris Loynd

Brian's Harley-Davidson, this week's Polar Bear destination, is less than an hour from my folks' place in Wilmington, Del. It's always good to visit Mom and Dad, so I invited myself to dinner Saturday night. Home is where you're always welcome.

Mom surprised me by inviting my longtime, like since the fourth grade longtime, friend Lenny and his mom to dinner. We had a great time.

I did not say anything to my folks, did not want them to worry. But Saturday's ride was one of the least comfortable of my 17-year, 150,000+ miles, riding career. I've ridden in a lot of stuff. Plenty of rain of course. Through a hail storm in South Dakota. I've done some very windy riding before, but on my Harley.

My Springer has a heavy front end. The Softail sits low to the ground and the weight is low. Russ Curtis and I rode in a wind so strong at Sturgis one year that we gave up on our ride and turned tail for our lodgings.

Saturday I was on the Honda ST 1100. It's not as heavy as the Harley. It sits up high. It's covered in flat plastic panels catching every side wind. I felt like I was balancing on the edge of a knife for four hours.

Crossing the Tappan Zee bridge was an adventure, but I was still fresh. Crossing the Commodore Barry Bridge from Jersey to Pennsylvania in the last half-hour of my ride was truly nervy.

After getting pushed around, 'pert near into the next lane at times, on the New Jersey Turnpike, I got off at Exit 7 to take I-295 south instead. I figured it would have more trees and protection. As I rode, I tried to read the terrain for open spots. The wind was gusting from the west. When there was a break in cover like an open field, I laid over the Honda's airbox to streamline my profile a bit.

Sunday morning the winds were diminished. I lit out for the Polar Bear destination after Mom's delicious scrapple breakfast. Pogy and Scott had started out a whole lot earlier that morning and were waiting for me when I arrived. I would have been there about 15 minutes earlier, but I messed up on my navigation two miles from the exit.

Interstates 95 and 295 intertwine just south of Brian's H-D. I opted for 95 north when I should have stayed left on 295. By the time Garmin sorted it all out, I was banging along the backroads retracing my steps.

Pogy and Scott were gracious and allowed me time to eat a bit of lunch and enjoy some stories. The Brian's H-D HOGs do a wonderful job hosting the Polar Bears each year. They have free food, excellent traffic control and friendly hospitality all the way around. One of the HOGs who was managing traffic took time out to take our group photo for us.

On the way back, I-295 got me again. Instead of splitting off to follow it, my GPS directed me east through Trenton, then north up Route 1 through Princeton and the Brunswicks South and North. We finally joined the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 9. It's a route we've done before. As I recall, Grumpy favors it, especially to dodge turnpike traffic.

Nestled in Route 1's suburban sprawl, Sunday's wind wasn't so bad. Scott had business elsewhere and split off from Pogy and me on the New Jersey Turnpike to take the George Washington Bridge. Pogy and I pursued the Garden State Parkway for the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Since it was a longer haul, and we now have more daylight than in previous months, Pogy and I made time for the stop at the top, Chez GSP, a.k.a. the Montvale rest stop, or as Token2 calls them "services." Pogy treated me to a hot chocolate and celebratory glazed donut.

CT Blogger earned his Gold Rocker on this trip.

Chris and Pogy at the "stop at the top" of the Garden State Parkway.

Ride to Brian's H-D

Photos for this ride are available only from the Polar Bear Grand Tour website. Fonz earns his gold rocker.
Photo by Bernie Walsh.

Polar Bear Motorcycle Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Brian's Harley-Davidson, Langhorne, Penn., April 8, 2018.

Report by Pogy:

Got a call from The Captain and Anonymous Ed saying that they would not be riding due to family obligations – Fonz called saying that he was departing at 10 due to work so I call Grumpy and he advised that he was riding and would see me at the pickup point – Right at 0920 he and Mac rolled up so there were the three of us – I took the lead with Mac as tail gunner – we made good time and I did ok as lead until we got about 5 miles from Brian’s – Grumpy jumped in front and got us there arriving just at 1130.

As always, they had food – three meatballs in a bun, some potato salad and chips – Yum! Yum!  Not bad for free 

As we were leaving the building, the Fonz showed up – chatted with him for a few and  were on the road by 1230.  I was in the lead again but not for long – Grumpy took over – he got us on the right track and stayed in front – Ride back was uneventful and we parted at the exit for 15N – I continued to 95N and was home by 1450

Grumpy and Fonz took some pictures – 

See yawl next week and ride safe

Pog

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.

Snow Beaters

Langhorne Polar Bears, from left: Token2, Grumpy, CT Blogger, Pogy, Mac, Captain, QEd and Princess.

Motorcycles Polar Bear Blog, ride to Brian's Harley-Davidson, Langhorne, Pa., March 20, 2016.

By: Chris Loynd

Snow was forecast for the afternoon. We looked at the hourly forecast and decided to risk it. Unfortunately, our route took us toward the approaching storm. Fortunately, we beat it home. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania sprayed that horrible, corrosive, sodium chloride and magnesium salt all over the roads, in great quantities.

We used our Early Departure Protocol (EDP) and arrived before lunch was ready. As soon as the local HOG Chapter hosts had the hot stuff available we ate and ran for home.

Except for my GPS taking me a way that I've never been before, with the pressure of a half-dozen riders behind me, it was a smooth and uneventful ride.

It snowed Sunday night.

Salt crap all over the highways.

Grumpy earned Red, Token2 60-point pin.

Monday morning.

Langhorne, PA, March 24, 2013, Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog

Polar Bear Blog, Langhorne, PA, March 24, 2013.

By: Chris Loynd

Yes, I know it has been about a year since I wrote about the Connecticut Polar Bear's motorcycle adventures on this blog format. My privately hosted blog has been available all year. Click here.

But this ride was special, and worth sharing more broadly. Polar Bear founder Bob Hartpence celebrated his 75th birthday, at the meet, arriving on two wheels. And it got me to thinking, since I celebrated my 57th birthday exactly one week earlier. Here's my entry:


One of the rides close enough to my ancestral home, I decided to spend the night with Mom and Dad and rode to Wilmington on Saturday.

It saves me a couple hours' of early morning rising on Sunday. From Wilmington to Langhorne is a less than an hour hop up I-95 through Philadelphia.

Sunday morning traffic was non-existent, so the ride took me even less time. I was half an hour early. I settled in with a cup of coffee and expected to soon see my Connecticut compatriots.

But I didn't.

Seems this week's ride leader, Grumpy, figured he knew better than his GPS.

I've often waxed and waned on the virtues of these satellite-enabled computers. And I have myself gotten into trouble by blindly following the dang thing.

Grumpy missed his exit. Token²rode up to rescue the lead -- as Token² has done for me before -- they arrived, albeit late, at Brian's Harley-Davidson.

No worries for me. I enjoyed swapping some stories with a guy and two girl Polar Bears from the Jersey Shore.

My guys eventually came strolling in, walked right past me actually, and I joined them for Brian's free lunch.
Several of our guys earned rockers and pins this run.

Fonz earned his gold rocker this ride -- and held it up for the camera every chance he got. (Take a closer look at the group photo above.)

Fortunately, I earned my gold rocker too, in time to have it sewn onto my vest. Brian's H-D for several years now has had seamstresses available.

 Unbeknownst to my buddies, I signed-in and got my rocker downstairs, then zipped back upstairs to get it sewn onto my vest.

That's the whole point of earning it on or before this run, right?

Meanwhile, the CT Bears downstairs in the parking lot were wondering what was holding up the group picture.

A highlight of this week's run was Bob Hartpence's birthday. Bob is one of the founders and the leader of the Polar Bear Grand Tour.

First, I thought it salient that Bob's family had to travel to the Polar Bear destination in order to celebrate their patriarch's birthday. No way Bob misses a Polar Bear ride, even for his own birthday.

Second, I was shocked to learn Bob was celebrating his 75th birthday. I thought he was much younger; most of our Connecticut bears concurred.

Bob is at every meet, on two wheels whenever weather allows. He's always fun and positive and quick with a joke.

Bob gives me hope.

Last Sunday was my birthday. At 57 I can just now see 60 on the horizon. It gets me thinking about how many more years of riding and fun and even life I have ahead of me.

If I can be on two wheels at 75 like Bob, well maybe the future looks longer than I thought. I can't imagine I'll be still riding like Leo at 90-plus. But who knows?

Meanwhile, I figure to hang around with enough old guys to feel young and enjoy my Polar Bear adventures as the years roll on. And with than in mind, I confidently paid my money and signed up for the 2013-14 season.