MADAWASKA, ME!!!!!

July 4, 2010

Well, I got here about 6:30 PM. I had a beautiful ride up from Farmington. I got a late start. Yesterday whipped me some. I figured that I was about 1 1/2 Hrs ahead of where I planned on being this AM so no big deal.

I want to cover my travels on July 4th. I started early. 7:45 AM. I ran the Thoughway for about 60 miles. All I will say about the toll system is that they have good roads so there is fast travel. However, they really rip off the motorcycles especially when they are pulling a trailer. So I got trailer charges. They about doubled my costs. I just sucked it in, paid and muttered to my self and got off the !@ #$ %!!!! things and got on the back roads.

I got off near Rome, NY and got onto Hwy 8. What a wonderful ride. Lots of sweeper with a mix of twistys. Traffic was light so I could just let that Wing roll. I was really please with the power. I could pull the trailer thought the corner like it wasn't there. All I heard was a deep rumble of that 1800 adding power. I rode 8 up to I87 and then dropped south to Glen Falls and took 4 into VT. I was into traffic by now. Many people touristing. I worked on patience a number of times because they were not traveling at speed limit. Again, when I was outside of traffic it was just great rolling the twistees and sweepers. The timber was like WI, very green with multiple shades all the time. The whole area reminded me about the Mississippi River Valley and the WI bluff country around the that area. Love My Harley and I had done quite a bit of riding in that area so the pictures were fresh in my mind.

It was breathtaking peaking a hill and looking over the wide vista that spread before me. I just couldnot figure a way to take it as a picture. I will never forget the views though. A special treat.
To continue the trip. I followed US4 to VT 100 and then 107. These were a couple local roads that swept through the Green Mt. Again, some great riding and beautiful vistas. I went Noth on I91 to Montpelier VT and hooked up with Hwy2. 2 took me across the rest of VT, NH and into ME. One special treat was at Danville VT. It was hot all day and I wanted an Ice Cream treat. As I left Danville I was planning on stopping at a gas station to get an Ice Cream bar. As you leave Danville, there is a steep hill about 1/4 mile of longer with about a 8% grade. I saw the station and then ahead, about 1/2 way up the next hill were flags saying Ice Cream. This was a no brainer decision. I did the Ice Cream shop. What a treat. It was a little family run operation with chickens, dogs and other animals wandering around. The Ice Cream with Gilford. They had a Black Rasberry no sugar, no fat added. The size and price and quality would easily equal the Hawkeye dairy. If anyone get near St. Johnsbury VT they absolutely need to make that run over to Danville and the Ice Cream shop.

NH was very pretty also. A warning to anyone going east on US 2 into Maine. If you are thinking about overnight facilities, stop at Gorham NH. They have a number of old style motels and resturants. Use them unless you want to run over to Farmington ME. That is about a 2 hr drive. There is not much for overnight facilities between the two.

The Comfort Inn at Farmington was a nice stay. There are also several other motels there. They also have several good restrurants. Once I got settled down, I slept well. Continue later. Milo