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[ST] Ride report part 1 of 2 (Long)



Let me begin by apologizing for not remembering everyone's names that I 
met last weekend.

Last Friday I posted that I would be heading up to Branchville on 
Saturday to join the Triumph Across America. I would do Sunday's ride to 
Hermy's and then head home Sunday after the festivities in port Clinton. 
I heard from Steve Kreckman who was riding up from the Philly area. We 
were set to meet near exit 153 on the Garden State Parkway. I managed to 
do some errands before packing and heading out.

As I walked out the door it started to rain. I threw on my rain gear, 
gave the Blue Devil a circle check then headed out. Stopped to gas up 
and add some air to the tires. By time I was under way again the rain 
had stopped. By the time I got to the meeting point it had stopped 
raining and the roads were dry. I shed my rain gear while waiting for 
Steve. He and his BRG Trophy were caught in a traffic jam (a typical day 
on the roads in NJ) and arrived a little late but we still had 
plenty-o-time to get to our destination. We continued up the GSP to 
I-287 crossed the Hudson on the Tappan Zee and headed up the Saw Mill 
River Parkway.

The SMRP is a fun road when there are no cars around, but alas, there 
were plenty. Where the SMRP ends at I-684 we took the NY-35 exit. NY-35 
is another fun road, but the car thing slowed us down again. We stayed 
on 35 until Ridgefield, Ct. We then turned down Branchville Rd. Same 
type of road, same car situation. Branchville Rd hits US-7 about 50 
yards south of Branchville Motors.

As we pulled in we were directed to a cordoned off parking area. Besides 
the private parking area, there were party tents, a registration area 
and the area for the concours. Several riders had already arrived from 
Great Bay and were drying themselves out. Some headed out to check into 
their hotels and dry out.

One of those riders on a Speed Triple popped a wheelie while heading up 
US-7. That was the only squidly behavior that I saw all weekend.

I chatted with a few people. I met Andy Kay and the Florida contingent. 
One of them was pulling a metal flake custom Meriden on a trailer behind 
his Goldwing. Another rider, not from Florida, on a blue ST with an 
under seat exhaust told me that Linda Combe had gone down on an oily 
exit ramp in Hartford. I learned when I got home that she was okay. I 
also chatted with a gent from outside Chicago who rode an immaculate 
blue 95 Trophy4 as well as cop from Bridgeport that rode a Speed Triple. 
The Branchville staff was extremely friendly and hospitable. I will be 
stopping in there on future runs to Hartford.

As for the Triumph staff, I was surprised to see a woman who used to 
work at Big City Motorcycles in NYC. I asked her about them closing and 
she had left two months before they closed. She was now with TOA. Mike 
Vaughn is a very personable fellow. Very willing to just chat with 
people. Far from being a stuffed suit.

Once the festivities got under way there was a band playing. They had a 
barbecue with hamburgers and hot dogs. I, being the leather wearing 
vegetarian, had to settle for tortilla chips and salsa. I also grabbed a 
piece of the birthday cake. Mike Vaughn read a letter from John Bloor 
and then started to raffle off the TAA swag. I didn't win anything. The 
concours awards were given out and people started to head out. I headed 
up to my hotel. Gassed up the Blue Devil. Checked in then made a beeline 
for the bar. After two beers and watching the Red Sox loose I decided to 
call it a night.

Part 2 to follow

- -- 
Steve Lawler

2001 Sprint ST "Blue Devil"

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
             -- Walter Bagehot


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