2019 Hogs Quotes
Please note. Quotes have possibly been edited to protect the innocent. Any request for clarification will be considered and then totally ignored. Remember history is written by the victors or in this case the author.
Tug “You can look at the navigation screen to see the bends in the road ahead”.
Mark T “I know how to use the navigation system” (Even though he had issues with his unit on day one”)
Tug - “Does anyone need Steve to find a light switch for them” (After Steve could not find the light switch in our room to turn it off. – (Note – I could not find it until the morning either.)
Dilligaf to Tug “I bet you a $100 your bike won’t start next time.” (It stated every time on the trip. Have not see the $100 yet!)
Mark T “We rode on time today” (Followed by great laughter from all the gang.)
Tug – “First time in history” (on leaving on time)
Mark T to group “Tug had a good idea today.” (First time ever said"
Mark T – “Are you cold Tug?”
Tug (with his jacket on) “No I’m just ready.”
Tug – “Why don’t we just have lunch before we go.” (An inference that we were riding late.)
Anonymous – “Did you hurt yourself? (After Dudley gently laid his bike down at a gas station exit.)
Dudley – “No I’m used to falling.”
Dudley. - “I’m going to go and lay down”. (on his way to his room.)
Anonymous - “haven’t you laid down enough already today”.
I’m having trouble with Uber. I should try Lift. (Mark T blaming technology.)
Mark T – “They carded me (asked for proof of age.) because they card only those who look under 40.” (He really believed it”)
Anonymous – “Yes – the waitress thought you would be paying the check and leaving a very big tip.”
Waitress – “I loved your accent. Here, have a free bowl of vanilla ice cream.”
Mark T – “The gang is riding earlier each year.”
Anonymous – “Yes. By five minutes.”
Tug – “On every trip we should have taken a photo of every Harley dealer we had any repairs done. “
Mike W. – “My phone does not have that much memory."
Steve S - “Are you informing, educating or just complaining.” (Said to a rider whose name escapes me.)
Dilli's expression when he was told “that broken down motor home” had a Honda badge on it. (He and his brother ride Hondas.)
“Where the fug is Tug. (Mark T’s nicer version of a previous saying”
Anonymous – “Where is Little willie Dilli”
No one – “Boy the salty dog knows how to cook a great hamburger and salad. The service is so fast.
Tug - “Sure you can call her. You have six minutes” (Comment to Mark T when he said he was going to call his lovely wife just before we were due to leave.)
Mark T asked a little boy outside a restaurant to pick the best bike with the following summation “This ones all plastic. This one is made in America and so is this one. This one is the fastest and Italian. (Guess which one the little boy chose.)
Tug – “Do you have lemonade ………….. yet? (to waitress)
Woman pointing to one of our esteemed and very sexy riders outside restaurant and saying to her thirty year old husband “if you look as cool as this in ten year’s time it would be really great. (Modesty stops me saying who the rider was.)
Anonymous - “Will you please card me”. (A leading rider begged the Longhorn waitress when ordering drinks. She smiled politely.)
Tug - “You have Worcestershire sauce, lemonade, and blended frozen margarita – three out of three” Longhorn Steakhouse.
Anonymous - "I taught that “woman” everything she knows."
Friday, August 16, 2019
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Day 10.
Last night we ate at the Texas Steak house. They had Worcestershire sauce, lemonade and blended margaritas. Full marks. The hotel was newly refurbished. At night the boys sat around the fire, smoked cigars, drank and talked of how nice their wives, finance, girlfriends were and how they are looking forward to getting home.
I'm now home safe and sound. The boys from Buffalo went in one direction and Mark T, Kameron and myself rode 288 miles home. (Mark "Dudley" rode from Nashville to Miami in one hit. Over 950 miles!)
Tomorrow I will post the quotes from the trip. They are reasonably accurate and any derogatory ones about me are were lost somehow.
We did 9 days of riding at an average of 284 miles per day. Longest day was 426 miles from Indiana PA to Princeton, WV. Average mpg 41 mpg. Average gallon of gas was $3.16 US per gallon. Highest $3.52 and lowest $2.80 Used 63 gallons at a total cost of $200.38 or 7.8 cents per mile.
Last night we ate at the Texas Steak house. They had Worcestershire sauce, lemonade and blended margaritas. Full marks. The hotel was newly refurbished. At night the boys sat around the fire, smoked cigars, drank and talked of how nice their wives, finance, girlfriends were and how they are looking forward to getting home.
I'm now home safe and sound. The boys from Buffalo went in one direction and Mark T, Kameron and myself rode 288 miles home. (Mark "Dudley" rode from Nashville to Miami in one hit. Over 950 miles!)
Tomorrow I will post the quotes from the trip. They are reasonably accurate and any derogatory ones about me are were lost somehow.
We did 9 days of riding at an average of 284 miles per day. Longest day was 426 miles from Indiana PA to Princeton, WV. Average mpg 41 mpg. Average gallon of gas was $3.16 US per gallon. Highest $3.52 and lowest $2.80 Used 63 gallons at a total cost of $200.38 or 7.8 cents per mile.
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Day 8
Nashville TN to Huntington West Virginia. 356 miles through mainly Kentucky. Beautiful scenery and great roads. Great lunch in a family style restaurant. As we were going into the restaurant a lady said to her thirty five year old husband "If my husband looked as good as you in ten years time it would be really cool." Modesty stops me saying who that cool person was. Honest truth.
Tonight we went across the road to "Taste of Asia" and had Hibachi. I also had the best Tom Yum soup I have had in years. Not as spicy as I would like but still great.
The hotel is a Holiday Inn that was totally refurbished and changed to a Marriot Delta. Very nice. The boys are smoking cigars and drinking whilst I slave away at the keyboard.
Mark "Dudley" Clark left Nashville this morning at 4:30pm and covered 950 miles in the day. He has to be worn out.
Nashville TN to Huntington West Virginia. 356 miles through mainly Kentucky. Beautiful scenery and great roads. Great lunch in a family style restaurant. As we were going into the restaurant a lady said to her thirty five year old husband "If my husband looked as good as you in ten years time it would be really cool." Modesty stops me saying who that cool person was. Honest truth.
Tonight we went across the road to "Taste of Asia" and had Hibachi. I also had the best Tom Yum soup I have had in years. Not as spicy as I would like but still great.
The hotel is a Holiday Inn that was totally refurbished and changed to a Marriot Delta. Very nice. The boys are smoking cigars and drinking whilst I slave away at the keyboard.
Mark "Dudley" Clark left Nashville this morning at 4:30pm and covered 950 miles in the day. He has to be worn out.
Day 7
No riding today. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame for a few hours, nice lunch and then a nap for yours faithfully. Tonight we are going to a football match at the local stadium. Dinner of hot dogs I would guess. Tomorrow is a long haul of 320 miles to Barboursville, West Virginia. Two more nights away and three days of riding before home.
At lunch today the waitress said "what do you want you-all" I though she was saying "What do you want UHaul" and having a shot at Mark T. (On a previous trip Mark T hired a UHaul to get his broken bike back to Syracuse .)
No riding today. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame for a few hours, nice lunch and then a nap for yours faithfully. Tonight we are going to a football match at the local stadium. Dinner of hot dogs I would guess. Tomorrow is a long haul of 320 miles to Barboursville, West Virginia. Two more nights away and three days of riding before home.
At lunch today the waitress said "what do you want you-all" I though she was saying "What do you want UHaul" and having a shot at Mark T. (On a previous trip Mark T hired a UHaul to get his broken bike back to Syracuse .)
Friday, August 9, 2019
Day 6
Today we rode from Gatlinburg to Nashville was just 230
miles of mainly highway. We left at 9.11am which is a world record start for this group. Fuel consumption was 42.9 mpg. A nice rainstorm caught
us twenty miles from Nashville so we pulled over and put on our rain gear. Yes,
you guessed it. No more rain. The speed
limit was mostly seventy miles per hour and a lot of cars and trucks were passing us. Mark T has done a fantastic job with navigation and leading. Looking out for dangers, deciding when to overtake safely, finding where to eat. Mark T planned most of the trip and booked all the hotels up to now. I give him a hard time about everything but I know he will not read the blog but his lovely wife and mother will read this and know how much the gang appreciate his effort. (Even if he has funny legs.)
We arrived in Nashville at 4.30 pm central time so we had time to do some laundry and have a shower. Dinner tonight was at a famous BBQ place called Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint. Apparently it is famous and the food was good and the service fast. We walked around town and the place is crazy with all the live music and crazy buses and pedal bars. Seems like every second one was for hen's parties.
We arrived in Nashville at 4.30 pm central time so we had time to do some laundry and have a shower. Dinner tonight was at a famous BBQ place called Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint. Apparently it is famous and the food was good and the service fast. We walked around town and the place is crazy with all the live music and crazy buses and pedal bars. Seems like every second one was for hen's parties.
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| View from the mountain yesterday |
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| Hard to see but every floor is packed with people sitting at open windows. |
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| People sit on both sides pedaling and drinking.. The driver sits at the front. no motor |
Day 6
Only 124 miles today that was mainly curves and bends. We went to Clingmans Dome which was the highest peak in Tennessee at 6,303 ft. Amazing views over green valleys. On these trips you tend to just meet receptionists, gas station cashiers and waiters. Today we stated riding at 10 and finally stopped for lunch at 1.30pm. We had to wait over an hour for burgers and salads. Not sure what happened. I ordered my burger well done. It was a religious experience. A burnt offering. The three salads came fifteen minutes after the rest of us.
We then rode to a motorcycle museum called Wheels through time. We were there a few years ago. The owner had a TV show a few years ago. Amazing range of old bikes. Dinner was pizza by the fire. A great day had by all.
Tomorrow we head off to Nashville. Should be interesting as we normally do not stop in a big city. Sunday we head home and arrive back in Syracuse on Tuesday.
Only 124 miles today that was mainly curves and bends. We went to Clingmans Dome which was the highest peak in Tennessee at 6,303 ft. Amazing views over green valleys. On these trips you tend to just meet receptionists, gas station cashiers and waiters. Today we stated riding at 10 and finally stopped for lunch at 1.30pm. We had to wait over an hour for burgers and salads. Not sure what happened. I ordered my burger well done. It was a religious experience. A burnt offering. The three salads came fifteen minutes after the rest of us.
We then rode to a motorcycle museum called Wheels through time. We were there a few years ago. The owner had a TV show a few years ago. Amazing range of old bikes. Dinner was pizza by the fire. A great day had by all.
Tomorrow we head off to Nashville. Should be interesting as we normally do not stop in a big city. Sunday we head home and arrive back in Syracuse on Tuesday.
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Day 4
Today was 168 miles through mainly national forests. 168 miles does not seem much but we were all over mountains and the roads were extremely bendy. A new parkway called Foot Hills was just opened and the roads were perfect and very little traffic. We then went on to The Tail of the Dragon. It is a stretch of road with 318 curves in eleven miles. We had ridden it on previous trips and it was reasonably busy. Four photographers sit on different corners taking photos they hope to sell.
Trucks are not allowed and there is many accidents on the short road.
We then went through the Smokey Mountain parkway. The speed limit is generally 25 to 35 mph but the sweeping bends were great and the whole parkway is safe with no overtaking.
At night we caught Ubers to take us to a steak place down the valley. Good food and good friends. Last night after dinner the boys lit a fire and had a few drinks. The stories get told of previous trips and why kids aren't what they used to be. We are all getting old. At the restaurant half the table was "carded" (proving they were old enough to drink.) The waiter told us that they carded anyone who looked younger than forty. Mark T was very proud that he was carded. The truth be told, I think the waiter thought he was paying the check and wanted to get a big tip. We didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. He could not wait to call Phyllis and tell her that he was included in the under forty group. (Special hello to Christine, Mark's mother who is reading this blog. Knowing this I will have to tone down any comments.)
Tomorrow we have another tour of the local area. Hopefully a very special motorbike museum and more parkways.
Today was 168 miles through mainly national forests. 168 miles does not seem much but we were all over mountains and the roads were extremely bendy. A new parkway called Foot Hills was just opened and the roads were perfect and very little traffic. We then went on to The Tail of the Dragon. It is a stretch of road with 318 curves in eleven miles. We had ridden it on previous trips and it was reasonably busy. Four photographers sit on different corners taking photos they hope to sell.
Trucks are not allowed and there is many accidents on the short road.
We then went through the Smokey Mountain parkway. The speed limit is generally 25 to 35 mph but the sweeping bends were great and the whole parkway is safe with no overtaking.
At night we caught Ubers to take us to a steak place down the valley. Good food and good friends. Last night after dinner the boys lit a fire and had a few drinks. The stories get told of previous trips and why kids aren't what they used to be. We are all getting old. At the restaurant half the table was "carded" (proving they were old enough to drink.) The waiter told us that they carded anyone who looked younger than forty. Mark T was very proud that he was carded. The truth be told, I think the waiter thought he was paying the check and wanted to get a big tip. We didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. He could not wait to call Phyllis and tell her that he was included in the under forty group. (Special hello to Christine, Mark's mother who is reading this blog. Knowing this I will have to tone down any comments.)
Tomorrow we have another tour of the local area. Hopefully a very special motorbike museum and more parkways.
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Day 3
Yesterday was supposed to be 336 miles but ended up as 426. Not sure what happened but it was a good road. Speed limit was 70 most of the way and the road was a little rough. The thruways in New York are very straight but the ones we rode wounded through valleys and there was hardly a straight stretch.
Today we ride from Princeton West Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee - just 222 miles of amazing countryside. Most of the ride will be through a national Park called the Cherokee National Forest. The speed limit will be 45mph so we will have time to look around.
We are staying at the rebuilt Buckberry Lodge which was burnt down a few years ago when two teenagers lit a fire nearby and it ended up burning the whole place down. The owner rebuilt and it will be interesting to see what it is like compared to the old place. We are staying at the lodge for three nights and will be riding the local area which has some famous motorbike rides.
Yesterday was supposed to be 336 miles but ended up as 426. Not sure what happened but it was a good road. Speed limit was 70 most of the way and the road was a little rough. The thruways in New York are very straight but the ones we rode wounded through valleys and there was hardly a straight stretch.
Today we ride from Princeton West Virginia to Gatlinburg, Tennessee - just 222 miles of amazing countryside. Most of the ride will be through a national Park called the Cherokee National Forest. The speed limit will be 45mph so we will have time to look around.
We are staying at the rebuilt Buckberry Lodge which was burnt down a few years ago when two teenagers lit a fire nearby and it ended up burning the whole place down. The owner rebuilt and it will be interesting to see what it is like compared to the old place. We are staying at the lodge for three nights and will be riding the local area which has some famous motorbike rides.
Monday, August 5, 2019
Day 1
Packed and hit the road by six thirty. Said goodbye to my bride (who had arrived back from Maine the night before) and had a quick bagel at the diner. Rustins naturally. Arrived at the meeting point an hour early (Its always better to be early than late!) I was excited to get going. Met up with Kamron Clark and Mark Tryniski and off we went. The day was spent mostly on the thruway sitting on sixty five. We turned at Buffalo (150 miles) and headed south to Pennsylvania. First stop was Ellicottville NY for lunch with the three riders from Buffalo. The countryside is really beautiful with rolling green hills and bubbling brooks everywhere. We hit a little bit of rain but Mark T was tracking his weather radar and managed to miss most of it. We waited a couple of hours at a gas station rather than getting soaked and ended up doing 363 miles at 45.2 mpg. We arrived in Indiana, PA at about eight thirty and headed straight to the dining room. Nice hotel. Not as nice as the accommodation in Nova Scotia.
Packed and hit the road by six thirty. Said goodbye to my bride (who had arrived back from Maine the night before) and had a quick bagel at the diner. Rustins naturally. Arrived at the meeting point an hour early (Its always better to be early than late!) I was excited to get going. Met up with Kamron Clark and Mark Tryniski and off we went. The day was spent mostly on the thruway sitting on sixty five. We turned at Buffalo (150 miles) and headed south to Pennsylvania. First stop was Ellicottville NY for lunch with the three riders from Buffalo. The countryside is really beautiful with rolling green hills and bubbling brooks everywhere. We hit a little bit of rain but Mark T was tracking his weather radar and managed to miss most of it. We waited a couple of hours at a gas station rather than getting soaked and ended up doing 363 miles at 45.2 mpg. We arrived in Indiana, PA at about eight thirty and headed straight to the dining room. Nice hotel. Not as nice as the accommodation in Nova Scotia.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Saturday, July 27, 2019
440 miles today to Kennebunkport Maine. Eight hours riding including two hours stuck in traffic bumper to bumper moving very slowly. A bit hard on a very hot Harley. 11 gallons at nearly 40mpg (US gallon). 47mpg (Aus). Called into Rhode Island. Forty five done. Now only to visit Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, North Dakota and Alabama.
Friday, July 26, 2019
2019 Syracuse to Nashville
2,100 miles in ten days starting on Sunday August 4th. At the moment we are riding only 210 per day but there will be daily rides on top of this which will be easy. The group is getting older particularly Mark T. They tend to be up late and early to bed. Plus they tend to want to have a nap when we stop at Harley dealers for repairs.
We have three riders from Buffalo (Two with Hondas!!!!) They tend to wear Honda shirts and sit at another table when we eat. We Harley boys grunt and groan when talking about chrome. The Honda boys talk about plastic in whispered soft tones. The thought was that we Harley boys should get Honda bike covers so that no one would steal them. (The bikes, not the covers.) This was rejected because we could not find paper bags big enough to go over our helmets as we were putting the covers on.
Also on the trip are three riders from Florida. I think they will be getting hungry around four in the afternoon because that is when Floridians have early bird specials and have discounted dinners early. One of the Floridians is new to the group. He is in for a treat with us ruff, tuff types. We will all have to speak slowly until he gets used to us slick New Yorkers.
There is three of us from Syracuse. God's country.
We Northerners will all meet up in at lunchtime on day one and ride through Pennsylvania, West Virginia and meet the Southerners in Gatlinburg Tennessee. We have a couple of days riding the area then ride over to Nashville for a full day of sightseeing. On Sunday August 11th we start heading back home and arrive back on Tuesday August 13th. Not sure when they will get home because without our help they might get lost.
2,100 miles in ten days starting on Sunday August 4th. At the moment we are riding only 210 per day but there will be daily rides on top of this which will be easy. The group is getting older particularly Mark T. They tend to be up late and early to bed. Plus they tend to want to have a nap when we stop at Harley dealers for repairs.
We have three riders from Buffalo (Two with Hondas!!!!) They tend to wear Honda shirts and sit at another table when we eat. We Harley boys grunt and groan when talking about chrome. The Honda boys talk about plastic in whispered soft tones. The thought was that we Harley boys should get Honda bike covers so that no one would steal them. (The bikes, not the covers.) This was rejected because we could not find paper bags big enough to go over our helmets as we were putting the covers on.
Also on the trip are three riders from Florida. I think they will be getting hungry around four in the afternoon because that is when Floridians have early bird specials and have discounted dinners early. One of the Floridians is new to the group. He is in for a treat with us ruff, tuff types. We will all have to speak slowly until he gets used to us slick New Yorkers.
There is three of us from Syracuse. God's country.
We Northerners will all meet up in at lunchtime on day one and ride through Pennsylvania, West Virginia and meet the Southerners in Gatlinburg Tennessee. We have a couple of days riding the area then ride over to Nashville for a full day of sightseeing. On Sunday August 11th we start heading back home and arrive back on Tuesday August 13th. Not sure when they will get home because without our help they might get lost.
Tomorrow I'm off on my motorbike to Kennebunkport.(Famous as the President Bush holiday spot.) 422 miles one way and should take about eight hours. I'm riding via Woonsocket, Rhode Island as it is one of the only states I have not visited in the USA. Only a few more states to go to visit all fifty. Will be returning home next Thursday or Friday as I'm riding down to Nashville on Sunday August 2nd. The ten day trip is with the bike "gang" I ride with almost every year. We plan to cover about 2,100 miles.
Friday, March 22, 2019
2019
It is the end of Winter and I'm planning rides for this Summer. Below is all the major rides over the last few years. As you can see I have covered a lot of miles and seen a lot of America. In 2019 I hope to cover three big rides. The first is 3,285 miles around the great lakes solo. No hotels booked, no set distances and I'll wake up when I have rested, ride when I want to and rest when I need to. It will depend on road and weather conditions. Also how long it takes to cross the border into Canada and back into the USA.
Trip two is ride to Cape Cod (Near Boston) for a week with the family. I ride back home and the next day set out with my motorbike riding friends down South to Virginia and Tennessee. This will be a leisurely ride. Waking up at the crack of noon, visiting Harley dealers repairs for bikes other than my own plus long rest stops for cigars and stock price checks.
It is the end of Winter and I'm planning rides for this Summer. Below is all the major rides over the last few years. As you can see I have covered a lot of miles and seen a lot of America. In 2019 I hope to cover three big rides. The first is 3,285 miles around the great lakes solo. No hotels booked, no set distances and I'll wake up when I have rested, ride when I want to and rest when I need to. It will depend on road and weather conditions. Also how long it takes to cross the border into Canada and back into the USA.
Trip two is ride to Cape Cod (Near Boston) for a week with the family. I ride back home and the next day set out with my motorbike riding friends down South to Virginia and Tennessee. This will be a leisurely ride. Waking up at the crack of noon, visiting Harley dealers repairs for bikes other than my own plus long rest stops for cigars and stock price checks.
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