| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
It actually started on Thursday when I had to go visit one of our remote transmission facilities where we have a 345kV tie with Niagara Mohawk. (take a look on the South side of Pleasant Valley, NY and you can see a nice aerial) I'd never been that far North on the Taconic Parkway and oh my goodness was I in for a surprise. As I was driving in the pickup, through the rolling hills and lush forests two things were going through my mind . . . I can see why this area is so steeped in American history and I can't wait to get a bike here. The meeting went well and on the way home I decided to take a bit of a "detour". I usually stop in Tarrytown and fill up at Coffee Labs Roasters, next to the Tarrytown Music Hall, meander across the Tappan Zee and head down 9W. I always follow 9W, take the u-turn at the Alpine Approach and go up to the Overlook which allows me to park the truck and spend a couple hours getting in my daily 15,000 steps hiking the trails on the way home. Well . . . I couldn't get the route out of my mind and yesterday, at 4:30am I woke up thinking about it. . . couldn't get it off my mind . . . so I tossed a couple things in the Buell and headed out at 0600. First I wandered across the Brooklyn Bridge and into SoHo for a cup of coffee. There are few places like New York City in the still early morning hours. Then it was up the West Side Highway where a Carnival Cruise ship was working it's way, with the help of a cadre of tugs, up the Hudson to dock in NYC for the fireworks. Gotham, if your timing is right, has like zero traffic and the only thing I saw today, which was on the opposite side, was the fatal carnage of a drag race gone bad on the Gowanus. As I hit the Saw Mill Parkway . . my mind was clearing and the Deep Tracks on the XM radio was carrying me away. The Taconic State Parkway is an amazing road reminiscent of a road built in the same era that Woolworth and others were building their buildings using gold foil and marble instead of wood trim. It's literally breathtaking. The road surface is nearly perfect and as you get North the road rises and falls, bends and turns and is simply miles and miles of a sensory experience that was heightened by the music. It was literally a riding symphony that I thought couldn't get better. I was wrong. Having, as I typically do, no particular destination in mind, I simply entered Bethel, NY (after hearing about an upcoming concert at the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival) and never gave a second thought to where it was. As it turns out . . . my poor navigation and good luck conspired to provide me with a treat. It turns out, and I have no idea why, there are TWO Bethel, NY, never mind that the one I eventually arrived at disappears when zoomed on a map. I left the Taconic and started wandering back roads, blindly following commands. As I rode along in the early morning I found myself among a collection of the most lush horse farms I've ever seen . . they reminded me of an early morning ride through Lexington, KY. The grooms were out exercising horses and the hunter-jumper equestrians were out doing their thing. The views of the lush, likely 150 acre, farms were groomed like the fairways of a fine golf course. Eventually I got to where Bethel, NY was SUPPOSED to be to find . . . well, nothing. But by that time I was grinning ear to ear. Next I sat out to find a way across the Hudson and headed for the Kingston Bridge. Once again my poor navigation and a GPS determined to provide the "shortest route" worked in my favor. As I was riding the Ulysses down a gorgeous dirt road shrouded in a canopy of trees I rounded a corner as a Dow was coaxing two spindly legged newborns fawns across the road. I killed the motor as the kids, who obviously had not yet acquired any fear, got their first lesson. The second of the two, rather than cross simply walked parallel to the edge of the road. I saw still an allowed mom to do her coaching. Before long I saw a familiar site, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. I'd been a guest there several years ago when Saab sent Vickie and I to Lime Rock to test drive the new Saab Viggen with a group of journalists. The every Saturday and Sunday shows will make you think you've been transported back in time and I've vowed to time my next Ulysses visit to the area to include a ride down the Hudson in a biplane. By now the GPS was telling me I needed to point myself to NYC to make my promised "home around noon" target so I shot across the Hudson, straight down 9W to the United States Military Academy at West Point (by the way, the Hudson Valley guys have seen that view when you round the curve on the mountain top and the ski slopes come into view, but it never fails to amaze me), slipped past Bear Mountain where and laughed as I headed down the Palisades Parkway and saw all the cars backed up for miles heading North . . . I'd gone, indeed, the right direction at the right time of day! Well . . . as I was passing Alpine I couldn't help myself and had to take the Henry Hudson Drive. I hope I'm not divulging a local secret here but it's got to be one of the most spectacular views . . heading toward New York City, winding along a narrow path, with the Hudson on the left and rock cliffs on the right as you ride under one of America's most spectacular bridges, the George Washington Bridge. Still weak from the hours of sensory overload, I slipped back down the West Side Highway watching the cops prepare for the fireworks and headed back to my favorite coffee spot in the East Village. I sure miss my S2 but I've got to tell you this Ulysses is just about the perfect bike for a day and a ride like this. I've love to sit and chat . . . but I'm off again. . . . I've got to find Woodstock.  Court | ||
| Court |
Not sure if this will work . . but here is a rough sketch of the route. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?vps=40&jsv=165c&hl= en&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=1166658324 61485013922.00046df493f208a0b7c81 | ||
| Cyclonedon |
Court, great ride story, now bring on the pictures! and we all know that you don't travel without a camera! | ||
| Court |
Hahahahaha . . . I was waiting to see who'd notice. My camera went to Nikon for a rebuild . . . . But I'll be headed back sometime soon. | ||
| Blake |
I know exactly what you are talking about re the Henry Hudson Drive. A gem of a road right near the city. I spent the weekend mixing and pouring concrete for the new shed out back. Sixteen piers total, seven still to go. It's a shame you've left yourself absent any hard labor chores and must endure riding around on a motorcycle. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
It's a shame you've left yourself absent any hard labor chores and must endure riding around on a motorcycle. yeah Court! quit screwing around and get to work! Your too damn young to retire! I had to work yesterday! Hmmmmm doesn't that sound odd? I had to work or should I say I was lucky to have a job that actually I got paid to work? | ||
| F_skinner |
Nice ride you had there. I spent the day with another Bueller and we ate, talked Buells and watched the hail and rain come down. Spending the day in the garage amongst my bikes and in good company while tearing down another project was almost as perfect as your ride. I sure miss my S2 but I've got to tell you this Ulysses is just about the perfect bike for a day and a ride like this. I spent a lot of time trying to find fault with the Uly and it does have little quirks but it is the bike I would not hesitate to get on and ride to CA, NC or NY. It is a fine machine and perfect for so many things. I think more than one S2 guy has found himself on a Uly. | ||
| Spiderman |
I hung drywall all day the 4th LOL  | ||
| Moxnix |
Rob Iannucci, founder of AHRMA, owns the harbor at Kingsport on the Hudson. He's restoring PT boats there. | ||
| Froggy |
You mean breathtaking dodging the ricers doing 100+, soccer moms on the cell phone, deers with no fear, and cops around every bend? Sure. I commute on it every day, and once every few weeks I ride the entire thing from end to end without stopping. It isn't so bad once you get up north, but you still have to deal with the wildlife and the police. Oh, and last summer I had to dodge a tree that wanted to fall on my car. | ||
| Court |
Blind men and elephants . . . . | ||
| Crusty |
I went to the AMCA vintage meet in Rhinebeck a few weeks ago, and got nabbed for speeding on the Taconic. Today I got the fine in the mail. $150.00 fine plus $85.00 surcharge. That's $235.00 for going 70 in a 55! The Sheriff told me he was letting me off easy; I'd hate to see what would have happened if he stuck it to me. I'm going to be walking funny for a while... | ||
| Froggy |
Crusty, I got nabbed on the Taconic not far from there doing 90+ (Hit 110 a few turns before). Ended up getting it knocked down to a blown stop sign, but I was still walking funny after that. Now that I think of it, every speeding ticket and I have ever gotten and 75% of my total pull overs have been on the Taconic... | ||
| Cyclonedon |
I'm going to be walking funny for a while... Hey Crusty, at least you'll be a little lighter in the wallet when walking funny!  | ||
| Ulynut |
heading toward New York City, winding along a narrow path, with the Hudson on the left and rock cliffs on the right as you ride under one of America's most spectacular bridges, the George Washington Bridge. I know why your navigation is so poor. You confuse your lefts and rights. | ||
| Froggy |
Nut, my lefts and rights must be confused too, I have been down the road he is talking about, its awesome and there are some parks and stuff. I went to take a photo a few months back but my camera was dead (again). | ||
| Court |
Heading South down Henry Hudson Drive . . . . this road goes about 9 miles, passes under the George Washington Bridge, and pops out, back around civilization, in Fort Lee.  | ||
| Ulynut |
Sorry, I was thinking Henry Hudson Parkway. I didn't realize there was another road named after him. |
