Thanksgiving Leftover Traffic

Hillbilly Hall Connecticut Polar Bears, from left: Jim, Mac, Anonymous Ed, Captain, CT Blogger, Grumpy and Token2.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Hopewell, NJ, November 27, 2016

By: Chris Loynd, a.k.a. CT Blogger

My winter motorcycle compadres often remark on the crazy nature of our Sunday jaunts to nowhere New Jersey. Most riders put their bikes away for the winter: filled with fresh oil and Stabil-laced gasoline, tires on plywood bases, nourished by a steady drip of electrons from a low voltage battery tender.

We choose instead to plunge into Thanksgiving weekend traffic and other dubious adventures.

Temperatures were just over the freezing mark in the morning Sunday, but climbed to the upper forties for the ride home. It was just cool enough for me to wear my full electric suit. For years I polar beared with just an electric jacket and gloves. I'm glad to now also have electric pants and socks. All wired together and thermostatically controlled, the warmth makes for a wonderful sensation.

Why ride in winter?

For me it is a combination of positive joys. Prime among these is riding my motorcycle. I enjoy that so much, I was loathe to give it up all winter long. Then there is certainly the camaraderie. There is something special about having your friends bust your balls once and a while to keep perspective on life. It's also fun to get a few whacks in yourself, be honest! Then in some weird way, there's also the organization. Riding in the Polar Bear Grand Tour, instead of just doing a pick up ride now and then, adds purpose. You sign in, log your miles and earn patches and pins. In software circles they call it "gamification." Even if it is a silly sense of achievement, it is an achievement all the same.

I also enjoy riding well with others. Keeping a tight formation, good organization, managing traffic as we navigate our group of motorcycles down the road is a pleasure in itself. We rode quite well this past Sunday.

Captain, who is always willing to step up and lead a ride, also encourages full participation. Two Sundays ago he started in on Ed.  Captain thought it was about time Ed took a turn at the front of the pack and told him so. Ed joined us last year, is a good rider, and has quickly become a regular Connecticut Polar Bear.

So last Sunday, Captain pretty much tells Ed it is his turn to lead. Ed apparently did not take Captain seriously the week before. "I'm not ready," he said, "I mean, I don't know where we're going."

"How did you expect to get there?" Captain asked. "Just follow you guys," Ed answered.

But Ed did not falter. He ran out to his bike, powered up the GPS, found our destination and took the lead.

We all agreed he did a great job. He set his cruise control and kept a steady pace. Mac was his wing man and I've never seen Mac ride so tight. Usually he rubber bands and wavers side-to-side in his lane. Not last Sunday. Especially on the ride over where traffic was lighter, Mac was right in place behind Ed. We found out at lunch that Mac also has cruise control and liked the predictable pace.

Grumpy was a little loose in formation this last ride. He was third bike of seven. I was behind him. Grumpy opened up a pretty big gap now and again. I pressed up closer on Grumpy's flank, goading him back into place. My machinations had minimal effect. Grumpy leads a lot of rides. And if you fall back far enough in the pack, you become the defacto leader. I'm not sure what was on Grumpy's mind.

Ed noticed, as did most of us. And when Ed teased Grumpy about it at lunch, he found out Grumpy's nickname is earned, not given.

New guy Jim is looking to become a regular. He rode with us to Cape May, then joined us on this ride. He's signed up, a new Flight B Bear. Jim mentioned at lunch that he was out in North Dakota this past week. "What's in North Dakota that entices you there in winter," we asked. Turns out he was there protesting the oil pipeline. I think Jim will add an interesting element to our political spectrum.

One thing we all agree upon is the fun of riding motorcycles in winter. Well, at least I think we do. You can comment below why you are, or are not, riding with us from Connecticut to have lunch in neighboring states from October to April.

On the way home, we knew we were in for Thanksgiving traffic. An early start Sunday morning got us back on the highway midday. My GPS initially predicted I'd be home by 3:00 p.m. We speculated that we would be out ahead of the worst of the traffic. We were right, right up to the Connecticut border.

Even the Tappan Zee approach was not much worse than any given Sunday. But as soon as we exited I-287 we got slammed as only Connecticut can do. Half the group took for the Merritt Parkway. Ed likes I-95, so does Captain. Sandwiched between them I figured it was "six of one, half a dozen of t'other" and stayed with them. As we got to the end of I-287 the traffic came to a dead stop. Looking over the bridge to our right, we could see the same condition on I-95 approaching us for as far as we could see.

"Merritt?" Ed asked, as I pulled up next to him. "I don't know," I replied, "Maybe it will break up after Stamford." "Not that," Ed said with a nod over the south side of the bridge. "It's your call," I said, "I'll follow you." Ed decided to turn around and head back up 287 for the Merritt. We let Captain know, and the three of us were off.

Mostly the Merritt was moving. But traffic ground to a halt at each and every on-ramp. It was like trying to stuff just one more bite of turkey down your overfilled gullet. The parkway was not entirely stop-and-go. Here and there we clipped along. But of the extra hour-and-a-half it took us to get home, a full hour or more was claimed entirely by Connecticut traffic.

Remind me again, why do ride these rides in winter, on a holiday weekend?

Token2 and new guy Jim.

Ed prefers to remain anonymous, at least in showing his face.

Phone check upon arrival.

Hillbilly Hall between seasons in its decor.

How does Captain always manage to attract liberals?

Lunch, around the table from left: Captain, Token2, Grumpy with camera, Anonymous Ed and Mac.

Bob photo of the week.

Flight A leaders.

Flight B leaders.

See you next week!

A Tiny Taste of Polar

Connecticut Bears in Vineland, from left, Ed (slightly less shy than usual), CT Blogger, Grumpy and Captain.

Motorcycle Polar Bear Blog, Polar Bear Grand Tour, ride to Vineland, NJ, November 20, 2016

By: Chris Loynd, a.k.a. CT Blogger

Saturday night my bike was parked outside. It usually resides in a garage, albeit an unheated one. Our Sunday ride was down to southern Jersey. It's three-and-a-half hours from Connecticut one way, but less than an hour from my folks home in Delaware. Mom and Dad always enjoy a visit, even a brief one. Mom treats me to my favorite foods. This time, fried chicken and chicken hearts, sweet rice and homemade coleslaw with apple pie a la mode dessert for dinner; scrapple and eggs with toast and homemade strawberry jelly for breakfast, if you're interested. (Thanks Mom! Hi Dad!)

Mom and Dad's Prius takes their garage. I parked my Honda ST1100 out front. When I arrived Saturday afternoon temperatures were in the balmy 70s. I wasn't wearing my electrics, but packed them all the same based upon the forecast. It was windy however, very windy in Wilmington, harbinger of dramatic change as it turned out.

While we were watching TV later that night it started raining. Remembering my Airhawk seat was strapped to the bike, I went out to retrieve it so I wouldn't have to start my ride Sunday on a wet seat. Imagine my surprise to find my cushion covered in snowy, slushy, stuff.

It truly was a dark and stormy night with heavy rains and snow squalls.

Morning dawned sunny, but cold, just above freezing. Winds were still gusting, which was fortunate in one way. Streets were blown dry after the overnight rain. And the wind didn't push my Honda and me around too, too much.

This Sunday was the first time I wasn't too hot. Previous rides of this year's Polar Bear season have been in the 60s and 70s. It's tough to decide which layers to wear. Once you commit to long johns under your riding pants, it is almost impossible to change your mind. The last ride of last season I was so dang hot I stripped the insulated lining from my riding pants, hopping around in a bathroom stall on the Garden State Parkway trying my darndest not to touch anything.

My ride over to Vineland from Wilmington was comfortable. I had my electric layers on, but dialed in the gloves only, about one-quarter power.

My timing was perfect. As I was waiting to make the next to last turn to our destination restaurant, I saw my Connecticut compatriots ride by. Ed was unmistakable in his safety yellogreen jacket. Despite the fact they were headed in a direction my GPS did not recommend, I made a right turn on red and fell in behind.

No sooner did I catch them, than Grumpy led the group into a parking lot. I assumed he just wanted to say hello. But his GPS was also telling him to go straight at the light I'd just jumped. He just missed the turn.

Ed opened up a space for me and together we turned up the road to DeThomasi's East Five Points Inn. Grumpy was lead, Ed as sweep, Captain and me in the middle. We arrived just before 11:30 sign-in.

Despite having just had a sumptuous breakfast, Five Points tempted me with a well-stocked buffet offering breakfast and lunch. I opted for lunch, mostly all Italian standards. The asparagus bisque was superior! Everything was tasty, in fact I was tasting the meatball for the rest of the day. Maybe Italian was not the best choice on top of Pennsylvania Dutch. There was a culture clash in my tummy.

Our ride back was pleasant. Grumpy took us back north on the more scenic route, through the Pine Barrens, then blueberry country, past Pic-A-Lilli and finally onto the prosaic New Jersey Turnpike at Fort Dix, Exit 7. We had only one wait for a one-lane bridge on Route 206. Even the Tappan Zee traffic was not so bad.

At the top of the Garden State Parkway we broke in two. Captain was late for an appointment and Ed joined him on a quick stop and run. Grumpy and I took time for a cup of coffee and caught up on each other's doings. I'm still looking for work. Grumpy is planning retirement in a few years from a place he's worked for more than 30.

We opted for the Merritt Parkway route home in Connecticut. Just that far from the warm embrace of Long Island Sound we had a little spritz, a bit of sprinkle, then snow flurries. No droplets of rain really, just mist. We didn't even think of rain gear. The threatened precipitation held off all day. Hey, sometimes you get lucky.

As the day slid into night, I turned up the thermostat on my electric clothes. Not to full blast, but I was enjoying warmth on both the suit and the gloves. The little bit of snow never laid on the pavement. It just provided a tiny taste of coming winter in the most pleasant sort of way.

Not everyone would agree.

Token2 did not ride with us this Sunday. He lives near Ridgefield, Connecticut, far from the warm embrace of Long Island Sound. He claims he was snowed in Sunday morning. Really? I mean he's in Ridgefield, not Vermont. He provides the account below. I did some fact checking on your behalf dear reader. You can see my screen grab from the weather almanac. Still, I cannot verify the photos Token2 provides are not Photoshopped. However he did miss a big points ride, and that may be verification enough for any Polar Bear.

Token2's Report:

Dear Chris:

Measurable snow fell overnight in Ridgefield, sufficient to prompt the town to plow (but not treat) the roads. With temperatures at 32F and snow still falling the 7.30am inspection of my long driveway and the local roads revealed snow and slush on top of leaves with larger debris in the roadway. Conditions did not meet my criteria for safe two wheel travel and with the early start time were unlikely to materially improve . With a heavy heart I called Captain to report my intention to bag the ride today. 

Captain is always supportive of riding decisions based on safety and risk assessment. However, as a coastal dweller it was impossible for the Captain to entirely cover his disbelief and while supportive suggested that my bona fides as a card carrying CT Bear might be under threat in this week’s blog. No-one who knows you could ever reasonably suggest that the CT Polar Bear Blog be retitled the LoyndBart news. Unfortunately, I remain mindful that we live in an era of abundant fake stories and an environment where if something is tweeted enough it must be truth. As a consequence I feel compelled to offer you photograph evidence of conditions, knowing your slogan to be “We report, you decide” that you will post this email and pictures.

It hurts to concede the point that my British upper lip may lack the stiffness of youth. In times past I would probably have ridden through the 4 miles of local roads to hit Route 35, which undoubtedly would have been safe, but I like to think I am wiser (others may differ on this point).

Hoping for better things next Sunday. In the meantime a Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I remain yours respectfully,

Token 2.

More photos from Vineland:

Arrival. Brisk with gusty winds.

Bob photo of the week!

Holiday dressing at Five Points.

Departure. Is it feeling colder?