WHATCHATHINKIN'

November. It’s that weird month that can really go either way as far as weather and riding. We all know that it will be chill, we assume it will be wet, but we all hope that it will be a month of Indian Summer. For the most part, the leaf-peeping will be done as the leaves will have disappeared, so the roads will be a bit emptier and cleaner. There is apple-picking and pumpkin hunting on the agenda for the upcoming holidays. For those who camp, I applaud you always (not really, but it’s the nice thing to say) but especially in spring and autumn with their fickle weather temperaments. Actually, the cooler temps are more my style, as you can always put on another layer but shedding them to the skin is both frowned upon and far from ATGATT. Not only does the crisp weather make for better riding, it makes for better sleeping, with the windows wide and the breeze coming through. And better sleeping leads to better riding, and so on…

So, what’s on your agenda? I think there will be some cleaning and straightening of motorcycles and garage space, finishing or starting of projects that have been put off during the main riding season. Unfortunately, our ‘barn’ is neither insulated nor heated, so many projects are best attended to in the evenings or before Mr. Freeze hits the northeast. We had a TON of ash trees taken down this summer (damn you, ash bores!) so the gathering, splitting and stacking of these behemoths will be done so we’ll have a renewed supply of wood for the fireplace. I truly love Backroads Central, and look forward to returning every time we head out on the motorcycles, but, as everyone who owns a home knows, the work is never done and while we might be able to put it off when the sun is high and the roads are calling, the piper has to be paid and November seems like a good time to do that.

But, come those ‘Indian Summer’ days, there is no amount of ‘Honey Do’ list that will keep us from heading out to explore. Right next to that list sits the one with a plethora of places we’ve found that need to be visited. The weekend of Nov. 6-7 you can explore Warren County NJ’s History Trail. 2024-45 brings its bicentennial, so why not start the celebration early. You can read all about it and download a map here: www.warrenhistorytrail.org

Personally, I’d like to do a few more southern rides before the snow flies. West Virginia is practically next door and, with its amazing roads and quaint towns, a week of finding those places that have thus far eluded us would fit into November quite nicely. While the riding might not be as tantalizing, spending a few days along some shoreline appeals to me as well – no crowds, restaurants without a wait and, perhaps, some shell searching.

And there is always the great past time of planning rides for next year. We already have our Spring Break Rally sorted out, as you will see in the pages of this magazine. We’re off to the Valleys of the Susquehanna, with a little twist and shout action, both on the roads and in the rides. We are working to put together some great rally gatherings for 2022 which we’ll share as soon as the details are finalized. Wherever we go, you know it will be great because of the wonderful people who always join us – our Backroads Family, new and old.

Again, I’d like to head south for a little winter respite. I’m talking REALLY south, like South America - perhaps Peru. We have not visited Machu Picchu yet, or the Nazca Plains or the Atacama Desert. So many places, not enough time. I’ve mentioned that we are trying to get to all the major league baseball stadiums, and getting to Florida in the spring is on my list – Miami and Tampa Bay are not places to visit when the heat starts up. We had a super time in Austin for the MotoGP in October, seeing Valentino for his farewell tour and watching Marquez continue his romp on COTA. We are planning a return in April for the 2022 round, tickets already bought.

Keep an eye on these pages, as well as our web and Facebook sites, for upcoming events and rides. Enjoy the Between Times and we’ll see you on the road.