Late summer tar run Day 3 --geeezers in the Aderondacks- NY - ON

Marilyn Mason masonjs at nrtco.net
Sat Sep 19 19:32:09 PDT 2009


It dawns bright & fair in Warrensburg NY and 54F (12C) hey!! I'm in the USA. 
Use the language of the people.
I grab the continental the hotel offers and chat with 2 large guys who came 
in after me on a Goldwing and an 80 Boulavard.  The two boy together weighed 
more than the Goldwing.
I take my time as I have to be out of Canada 48 hours to be able to escape 
having to pay taxes on my tires.  I can't hit the border until 14:20 hr.  So 
I check my bike carefully, adjust and lube my chain then take a bath and a 
shower.
I head north on # 9 then #26 in the Aderondacks --I do love riding here 
before and after the tourist season, its like you own the road as no one is 
on it.  No really serious twisties but aways nice curves, beautiful scenery 
and excellent pavement.
The NY state speed limit is 55 mph (90 kph) and I'm meticulously checking my 
guages.
At  Indian Lake the entire town is a yard sale of old camping, fishing, 
hunting and canoeing gear.  I stop and check out several stalls more to get 
values of items as I own tons of this gear and insurance prices are always 
handy.  Plus I can learn a little info on stuff that is handy.
Blue mountain Lake and long Lake have the same sales.  I notice cargo 
trailers from VT, Me, NH and PA taking advantage of the late summer, early 
fall end of season sales.
Now I am actually calming down and realy enjoying my ride but still careful 
of my velocity.  Unforturnately 90 Kph (55 mph) is the low limit on 6th and 
it lugs going up hill.
I come over a hill between Long and Tupper Lakes and just let the bike coast 
in 6th down hill and around a curve.  I can see a vehicle on the side of the 
road at the bottom of the hill.  It has a light flash on one side of the 
roof then the other.  It does this a couple of times and I wonder WTF is 
this.  Then the entire roof rack lights up and I check my gauges (I'm under 
60 KPH) and hit the brakes.  This ain't doing my heart much good.  It is 
exercising it well.
I pull up to a NY State Trooper's SUV and ask "what's trouble".
"You were speeding"
"Sorry I've got a metric speedometer how fast was I going?"
"58 mph"
"Sorry"
"Try to watch it"
"Yes sir"
Jesus H 3 mph over.

I continue for about 15 minutes, rise over a hill and there are 1/2 a dozen 
or more white and green "official type vehicles" , more flashing lights than 
Times Square on New Years Eve and a lot of armed people dressed in military 
green.  I think calm down Jim they didn't prepare this for you.
I get down to a walking speed. The green and white vehicles are all amrked 
"Border Patrol".  I notice ther are several vehicles in the parking area 
with doors open, occupants standing outside and all of the contents of said 
vehicles piled on the ground.
I also notice among the official SUVs a non descript Camaro facing south 
sort of a charcoal maybe blue, black wheels and tires and I'm guessing some 
serious kick ass V8 under the hood.
I'm about stopped when some guy who looks like Rambo with a shaved head and 
an automatic rifle waves me through.
I am more than glad to move along as my heart rate is getting to the point 
that I may need defibbulation.
I pull into Tupper lake and have a lunch at the Main Steet Cafe. 
Recomended!! This time of year it is full of old people.  I leave Tupper 
Lake and a light rain follows me to Colton.
I have requests for stuff from the USA (some think I'm driving a semi - 
Juggernaut).
I stop at a super market  in Ogdensburg and buy 2 dozen Rolling Rock and a 
dozen Payday candy bars.
I actually wind up with a small crowd in the super market parking lot 
watching me empty my saddle bags and top trunk to load the beer into socks 
and repack my gear and tires..  After I get it all packed a woman said where 
were you when I was packing my daughter off to college last week.
Now I have to face the bridge and the border crossing.
I crawl over the 1.5 mile bridge the metal deck is not tossing me around too 
bad.  It can't get a grip on slick tires.
I am sweating profusly when I get to the Canadian border guard.  He looks 
like a 17 year old.  I pull my passport out of my teeth and hand it over. 
He checks it then asks me to remove my helmet. I get it off and he waves me 
on.  I get about a mile away and stop as I can't remember getting my 
passport back-check-its there in my pocket.
I'm out on 416 these f#$%ing Canucks are crazy.  In a 100 kph zone I'm doing 
120 and most people are passing me.  I can't do too much more as the tire as 
pillion passengers jerk the bike around at 140 kph.
I arrive home about 18:30 hr much to the delight of my wife--no its not 
love--she's just happy we don't have a $350.00 fine and she doesn't have to 
drive my truck somewhere to pick up me & Yella Dog.
First thing Friday morning I went to Renfrew and layed out $75.00 to 
reinstate my licence.

Jim



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