Mt Graylock                     
by Mike Lallier

Despite a good chill in the air on Saturday, we started off for Mt. Graylock. Instead of a bike check, the nine of us that decided to brave it to the mountain did a personal check. Wool hat (√), heated gloves (√), face mask (√), extra layers (√). After all that, the plan was to head up 495 to the Mass Pike to exit 2 (basically New York). What I didn't figure on was all the coffee stops we needed to make and the pit stops t hat came with them.

The chill did get to one of us, about halfway on 495 one rider decided it was too cold and headed back south. I thought he meant the Cape. At the writing of this, I haven't heard from him. So I'm not sure how far south h e was going.

We made it off the Pike on to Rte. 7 North where we stopped for lunch at a great biker cafe called the "Forge." At this point, Donna told me her heated vest was not working. So during lunch, I tried to fix the problem. After checking all the fuses and wire connections, I couldn't find what was wrong. No big thing, it was much warmer and she really didn't need it then. So from there, we headed North on Rte. 7 about a 1/2 mile and entered the state park by the back way. It's a little longer but a much more gradual incline with many over look views.

At one point, at one of those overlook points, a hang glider had just jump off the edge minutes earlier and was gliding down to an open area that seemed to be miles below u s.

Once at the top, we found that the rangers had set aside a biker parking area. We spent about an hour on the top, taking photos, climbing the tower, walking though the gift shop and lodge. It's about 4:30 p.m. and w e are still at the top.

Now I'm thinking, I am going to be in big shits with Donna (again), that's my wife if you didn't know. I say (again) because little things seem to happen on our adventures. Not bad things, just little things like not taking the rain gear when it didn't look like rain only to have it pour later in the day.

You see, I failed to mention she was on the fence about going today. I told her it was going to be a beautiful clear sunny warm day and that we would be home before dark. Well, it was a clear sunny warm afternoon. In my mind, three out of four isn’t bad. So we get home a little after dark, t hat's not so bad?!

Well, now we start to head down Mt Graylock and the sun is below the tree line. We get off the mountain in Adams and decided to take Rte. 2 all the way back to 495. Out of Adams, going east, was just a beautiful ride. It reminded me of Sturgis with its winding hair pin turns and long sweeping down grades. The ride back was due east with a full moon rising up from the east casting, what seemed to be, a spot light on the road all the way to 495. The dark cloud on this part of the trip was the cold, it was settling in fast. It felt like the upper 30's now and the weather had reported frost in the area. I didn't think we would ever get off Rte. 2.

When you’re cold, that's all you seem to think about. You try to get down low, hug that motor tight with your legs, switch hands on the valve cover, keep your arms in tight. Basically, just try to get in a comfortable groove and don't move. Well, I was in such a groove, and I just about missed the exit on to 495. Now, it was about 10 p.m. and we are just getting on to 495. I'm still thinking, we have two hours to go. Oh well, so much for getting home before dark. At this point, all I wanted was warmth. I figured it was late now about 11 p .m. so what's a little more time?

We made it to Middleboro and just had to thaw out so we stopped at the Honey Dew. The temp was now 41 degrees but it didn't feel as cold (that's the Cape Cod ocean water affect). What a difference a cup of coffee makes. We were now in a cheerful, up beat mood. We then headed off down 495, a few bikes had pealed off for their homes and we pulled into ours in Sandwich at 1 2 midnight.

The point of this story is: go with the flow, shit happens, be thankful you’re around to do it all over again tomorrow.

Would You Know What to Do?      
By Paula McCallum

On Columbus Day, Bill and I took a ride up to North Plymouth to the Family Kloset for his Halloween costume. It was a beautiful day for an Autumn ride with a lot of other bikes on the road. Parking our bikes along the curb, we walked to the store, noticing several bikes going by. Just then, I realized that I'd left my wallet on the bike and turned around to get it. At that precise moment, BANG! a motorcycle crashed. A bike lay on its side while its two riders were laying in the street.

According to Bill, who witnessed the accident, the pickup truck in front of the bikes had stopped abruptly to allow another car to take a turn. The biker had been distracted, glancing in our direction. When he turned back to the road he had to slam on his brakes. The back end started to fishtail out as the brakes locked. He must have then released the brake which catapulted him and his passenger right off the bike.

I asked Bill to call 911 but found out later that someone in the store had already called. My Accident Scene Management class, from April, kicked in as I ran over to the bikers. The woman was writhing in pain while her husband struggled to help her but thankfully there was no blood on either of the downed riders.

The man had already taken off his helmet and was sitting up clutching his left arm while focusing his attention on his wife. I informed him, and another biker who had come to help, not to move her, that they should remain still and don’t remove her helmet. It had a large scrape on the right side, so obviously, her head had hit the ground. She was conscious but said she was having a hard time breathing. She was now laying still, possibly in shock. I let her know that I was just going to undo her strap but was leaving the helmet on and unzipped her sweatshirt to help her breathe. She was in a good position, on her side with one knee on the ground and her left arm under her head. I took off my jacket and placed it under her head as well. I kept speaking with her so she’d stay with us and instructed her to take deep breaths in and out.

I told a woman to go get the license number on the truck who'd been involved in the accident. The pick up did stay pulled over for a short while but then took off before she could get his information.

The other bikers who'd been riding behind the downed riders, picked his bike off the street, rolling it over to a nearby driveway. There wasn't much damage, only scraped along the right side with a bent headlight. I asked the man if he was OK? He said his arm was broken. He then asked “Is my bike OK?” so I responded, “Who cares? You're still alive and that's all that matters.” After a short while, he told the biker by his side that he needed to lie down. He later complained to the firemen, that his ribs hurt as well as his arm.

A police officer was on the scene within minutes and cut off traffic with his car. He made a call to let the dispatcher know that two people were down. I told the officer she was having a hard time breathing. He took down their names and asked them if they were on any medication? He also walked around to the bystanders to ask people what happened? He then asked about the bike, who moved it and why, and what position was it in when it went down?

The firemen soon came blocking traffic in the opposite direction. They provided the woman with an oxygen mask. A woman beside me, started to light up a cigarette but I cautioned her not to light up near the oxygen. The firemen asked the couple where the pain was and put a collar on the man's neck. The ambulance arrived and they took the man out first and then the woman on a board.

While I was able to help and did react to the situation instead of just standing around, I did miss a few key elements from the class, I should have...

Would you have known how to react in this type of situation? Maybe we’d all benefit from a refresher course with Accident Scene Management or by taking a beginner class. A sign-up sheet will be at the next meeting. A minimum of 15 people is required. What do you have to lose? When you may just save a life!

Paulatics                       
by Paula McCallum

Even though I am running unopposed for President of the Manomet Mystery Riders, I'd like to ask all of you for your support in this coming year. As you may have noticed, I am very active with the Mystery Riders as the Vice President and the Newsletter Editor for the past few years. (which yes, I am still going to do).

But don't worry, I won't let the title of “President” swell my head. The Mystery Riders aren't lead by just one person as we are on a Thursday night ride. It takes an entire board of 9 members who are willing to give of themselves to serve our group. The Vice Presidential candidate as well as our Secretary are veteran officers and road captains of the MMR. I am grateful to have their council. Where would our group be today without their fine leadership and dedication? (I'll skip buttering up the Treasurer's position since I ‘m biased in that department.)

Many of the E-board candidates are fairly new members, some are road captains while others are willing to serve the MMR for the first time. We’ve gotten to know them on our Thursday night and Sunday rides or have probably hung out with them at the "Wall." We've had great times together on trips like Vermont, Laconia and in Sturgis.

All of the E-Board candidates attend our meetings and kick up their heels at the Cabin Fever party. You may not realize it, but you probably met some of them when they took your ticket or handed you a burger at the summer cookout. Or you may have gotten to know them by the stories they tell in our newsletter. It may seem like a hard decision to make, in only choosing 5 E-Board members, but really, any of our 13 candidates would make fine additions to our board.

I look forward to working with the entire MMR as well as the Executive Board to plan our next exertion, to map out a new route to a hip new ice cream joint or to continue giving aide to local charities that we’ve always supported.

We’ll all work well together because of the bonds we've established. Most importantly, we should never forget that we're all friends, that we came together because of our passion to ride. I've been reminded, that no one's vote is more important than another’s. We are all equals.

Thanks to our members for being part of the Manomet Mystery Riders and for having the faith in me to serve you as President. Our new officers will continue the efforts set down by all of those who've come before us. Trust me, we won't let you down.

Clem Envy
By Clem Walsh

MMR members Clem Walsh and Barry Knowlton and three friends returned Tuesday, September 26, from a weeklong trip to Las Vegas. All five rented 2007 Harley Ultra Classics from Las Vegas Harley Davidson and rode a counter clockwise loop over the Hoover Dam to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and continued on to the North Rim the following day. They then rode through the Zion National Park as well as Death Valley, (100 degrees as opposed to 40 degrees the night before at the North Rim), the Mojave Desert National Park in Southern California and many GREAT roads and towns along the way. Along the route, they ventured into Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California for a little over 1,500 miles. A wonderful and safe trip was had by all!

When I grow up (retire) I want to be just like Clem. Unfortunately, Clem couldn’t come to our Halloween Party this year because he is currently on a trip to Italy and England with his lovely wife. Go Clem! - Paula