September, 2008

MMR Motorcycle Gang Invades Nova Scotia

On August 9th, when the Portland Maine to Yarmouth N.S. ferry landed in Yarmouth at approximately 3 p.m. N.S. time, the MMR invasion of N.S. began. Quiet streets that were used to polite tourists walking around soon were exposed to the sound of loud reverberating pipes as the roughneck MMR gang rode from town to town. After spending the first night in Yarmouth and partaking of a giant feast at Rudder’s restaurant, MMR left for the Dartmouth/Halifax area, stopping at several well known scenic areas, including Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg, which is the mooring place for the famous Blue Nose Sailing Schooner.

After terrorizing that general area, it was off to Baddeck on Cape Breton Island by way off the south coastal route. Of particular interest on that route were Clam Harbor, Sheet Harbor and the world famous town of Ecum Secum. After traversing the south coastal route and then heading inland at Sherbrooke, we made our way over the Canso Causeway (connecting the mainland to Cape Breton). Once over the causeway, we had about another hour’s ride to Baddeck. Pulling into the Silver Dart Motel, we were greeted by a spectacular view of a large inland lake.

The next morning we headed our for the highlight of the trip, the ride around Cabot Trail, one of the most scenic drives in North America. We split up into several groups for the Cabot Trail and, as we wound our way around this 180 mile route, along the ocean and above it at a dizzying height, we would alternately pass the other group back and forth as each group stopped at various points. Nova Scotia means New Scotland, and it is in this part of N.S. that one is reminded of the beautiful scenery of the highlands of Scotland. Even the names of the various quaint villages are reminiscent of Scotland. Ingonich, Inverness, Dingwell and Margaree being but a few examples.

Each night of the two nights we stayed at the Silver Dart, we partook of a sumptuous buffet meal overseen by a giant stuffed lobster (see pictures below). The food was terrific and the view out the windows was beautiful. drive around a large lake over towards Sydney, while the other group headed down to Wycocomagh and over route 252, back towards the ocean coast. Both groups wound up back on the other side of the Canso Causeway as each left Cape Breton Island behind. From there is was on towards Cape George, Antigonish and that night’s destination, New Glasgow.

The scenery was almost as good as the Cabot Trail on the Cape George peninsula and our group stopped at a beautiful spot called Boyd’s Seafood in the Lakeville area for lunch. That night we ate supper at Crofter’s in New Glasgow. Traveling on from New Glasgow on Thursday, day 7, we started out in sunshine, but the weather graduallyturned cloudy as we approached Amherst. We cut across Route 2 from Amherst to Parsboro and ate lunch in Parsboro at the Harborview restaurant. From there we headed to that night’s destination, Truro, driving the last 1/2 hour in moderate rain. Our other group drove in the rain for 70 miles and arrived rather damp and somewhat out of sorts as that is no fun.

The following day, Friday, Dave, Pam, Kathleen and Rod decided to stay in Truro for the blueberry festival, while the remainder of us drove the north coast to Windsor. Hawk and Karen came close to running out of fuel as the route had gas stations few and far between and we had not fueled up the prior evening. In the afternoon, we drove along the Bay of Fundy and arrived in the Digby area around 4 p.m.. The highlight of thst leg was a Royal Canadian Mounted policewoman executing a u-turn on the highway and following us off the road into a gas station. An irate motorist had called in complaining that we were blocking both lanes of the highway and not letting people pass us. It was explained to her that we were driving defensively and that it was difficult for anyone to pass 15 bikes without creating a dangerous situation. She left us with no citation being issued and with a smile.

That night we ate dinner as a group (the blueberry kids had caught up to us by then) at Dockside Restaurant after doing some window shopping in Digby. The next day most people slept in for a bit, while Hawk and Karen got up early and drove down Digby Neck to Long Island and Brier Island. I had been there on our 2005 trip and loved the two islands. Each one requires a short ferry ride on a relatively small ferry across a small channel.

The logistics are somewhat complicated as one has to get to each ferry at a specific time for economy of travel. Suffice it to say that we had to be on out toes to catch esch ferry coming and going and not get into a situation where we might be late in getting to Yarmouth for the 3 p.m. ferry back to the good old U.S. of A. The two islans are like traveling back in time 100 years or so. We stopped at the only store in town on Brier Island, had a home-made muffin and coffee, and fueled up (unbelievably they had a gas station albeit with only regular fuel).

From there we boogied back to Digby, grabbed our bags and headed to Yarmouth, arriving at 1 p.m., where we joined the remainder of MMR and once again ate at Rudder’s. The ferry pulled out at 3, we all slept, gambled, watched movies and landed in Portland around 8:30. We stayed overnight there and then various groups headed back home on a gloriously beautiful riding day. Another great adventure for MMR!

35,000 miles What is 35,000 miles? 35,000 miles is 17 MMR bikes and 23 riders driving approximately 2,000 miles each accident free. Congratulations to MMR riders and Road Captains on the Nova Scotia Trip driving 35,000 miles accident free. It is a tribute to MMR that we completed this trip accident free. Led for a majority of the miles by RC Jerry McHale with Hawk, Dave Larsen and Bill Ferguson chipping in at various points, MMR observed all of the hard learned safety lessons of past years to complete this 10 day international trip accident free.

There were only two minor incidents of which we are aware. One was a gear shift lever working its way loose and the other was a fishtailing incident after brakes were applied too rapidly. This is remarkable for the miles driven and the number of bikes involved. Each day as groups of MMR were shepherded around by the RCs, we were all constantly vigilant to road hazards, wet roads, cars attempting to enter out formation, traffic in residential areas, moose on the loose, drunken drivers, unfamiliar roads and road weariness.

Additionally, if you have never ridden up or down a slippery steel ramp onto and off of a ferry, you don’t know how challenging this can be to avoid a skid and fall. During the last few days, many people were beginning to get worn out and consequently the number of miles driven those days was purposely planned to be less. Good planning by our trip organizer, Bill Ferguson.

Electric Scooter Has Environmental Benefits, Gas Savings and Star Appeal by Alan Pollock
The Cape Cod Chronicle is conducting a summerlong experiment with a 100-percent electric scooter, loaned to us by the manufacturer, Vectrix, Inc. This is the third in a series of three articles. CHATHAM —

If commuting 50 miles for less than $1 without any tailpipe emissions doesn’t get your attention, maybe this will. Sir Richard Branson rode a Vectrix electric scooter. And Leonardo DiCaprio and Jay Leno each own one. But while fame is fleeting, the manufacturers of the 100-percent electric scooter say the Vectrix is the wave of the future. With a carbon footprint that’s just a fraction of a gasoline-powered car or scooter, the Vectrix is about as friendly to the earth as any powered vehicle on the road. When the scooter’s nickel metal hydride batteries are exhausted, plug the power cord into any household outlet, and in a few hours, the bike’s ready to go again. With this kind of carbon savings, and since the scooter is almost entirely recyclable, it wouldn’t be hard to find environmentally- minded people who like the idea. But how does the scooter measure up on the road?

The Chronicle has been test-driving a Vectrix since the beginning of June, and we’re getting the hang of it. But since it’s our first experience on a motorcycle, we decided to get the opinions of local motorcycle riders. Assistant Harbormaster Wayne Julin is a longtime biker. He rides a Harley, and takes part in regular regional and national bike shows. And he was glad to take the Vectrix for a quick spin. “This thing is fun,” he said. “And it’s definitely the wave of the future.” Julin said the scooter handles well, and has a weight that’s comparable to a regular motorcycle. Would he ride the Vectrix scooter with his Harley friends? “No way,” he laughed. “It needs to be black, and there needs to be a little more chrome.” Bob Denn of Cape Fishermen’s Supply is an avid cyclist, and is a regular fixture around town on his 33-year-old Honda 500. He was one of the volunteers to ride a Vectrix scooter in Chatham’s Fourth of July parade. “It’s an easy motorcycle to ride,” he said.“And for a scooter, it has excellent power.” Though it’s tough learning not to shift—the Vectrix has a no-shift planetary gear drive—it is very stable owing to its low center of gravity. It would be an excellent choice for commuters, Denn said. “And for stop-and-go traffic, it’s the best motorcycle I ever rode,” he said.

The maintenance on the scooter would probably be a lot simpler than on a regular motorcycle, Denn added. Asked to try out the Vectrix, Chatham Police Officer Lou Malzone, one of the department’s motorcycle officers, had his reservations. “The first thing you think of when you see a scooter is, it’s underpowered,” Malzone said. But the Vectrix’ power and acceleration impressed him, as did the adequate tire size and brakes. “It’s very roadworthy,” Malzone said.

He was particularly impressed by the scooter’s regenerative brakes, which slow the scooter by engaging the motor like a generator, charging the batteries. “That’s a nice little feature,” he said. “I didn’t touch either the front or rear brake.” With gas prices as high as they are, more people are trying out motorcycles, or digging out the ones that have been collecting dust in the garage, according to Rick Gleason of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association. “It seems like we’re seeing it now, though there are no facts to back that up,” he said. “It’s something to be very excited about, more people getting into motorcycling.”

But the key for all riders is safety training, Gleason said. Every motorcyclist should attend a certified rider training class, he stressed. Though he’s never tried a Vectrix scooter, Gleason said it’s encouraging to hear it can travel at highway speeds, since one of the few defenses motorcyclists have in traffic is their ability to zip out of the way of trouble. Though the association is officially advocating for tighter noise controls for motorcycles, there are many motorcyclists who feel that reasonably loud bikes help alert other drivers to their presence, helping avoid surprises on the road.For a scooter that sounds more like a hairdryer than a motorcycle, that might be a drawback, Gleason noted. When it comes to safety, Malzone agreed that a rider education program is a must for all new motorcyclists.

Then, wear a good helmet and proper apparel, including footwear. New riders need to be hyper-aware of their surroundings, and anticipate every possible threat from any direction. “You can never assume that the other person sees you,” he said. Sticking to the speed limit is one way to make sure you’ve got enough time to react to hazards, Malzone said. New riders also need to remember that they’re subject to the same laws that apply to four-wheeled vehicles. That means staying in line in traffic and passing only when it’s legal to do so. “You’ve got to follow the rules of the road,” he said. Malzone said there’s a mental component to safe riding, too. It’s best not to get on a scooter or motorcycle if you’ve got too much on your mind, since it’s so important to be alert, he said. “If you’re in a rush, take your car,” Malzone said.

Safe motorcycle riding means thinking solely about the road. “I think that’s why a lot of people enjoy riding.” Some say a huge surge in popularity for the Vectrix or other two-wheelers might spell an influx of inexperienced riders on the road. But Gleason said more motorcycles on the road will ultimately make conditions safer for motorcyclists. “I think it’s a good trend,” he said. “The more bikes are out on the road, the more accustomed people will be to them.”

Guest Submittal from Paul Cote
Please review and pass along to others on your lists who might be interested. Thanks - PC
Date: August 25, 2008 (Preliminary Report/ Release) (Salisbury, MA) Over $25,000 was raised yesterday for the Massachusetts Motorcyclists Survivor's Fund, Inc., with the 9th annual "Nelson's Ride." Please send your pictures to Contact@MassMSF.org, for posting on our website. Today (8/25/08), the Newburyport Daily News has a full page of Nelson's Ride photo on Page 2, and they can be viewed on this link http:// w w w . n e w b u r y p o r t n e w s . c o m / p u n e w s / local_slideshow_237191945 Unofficial count from the liability signature releases shows 994 motorcycles, 210 passengers and 37 minor children. Raffle winners have been contacted and prize delivery arrangements are being made.

There was one reported accident happening in Amesbury. We do not know who was involved or how it happened. If you know who was involved, or you witnessed this incident (or any other) please advise and/or ask them to contact us a Contact@ MassMSF.org, as we'd like to know what happened. The Ride initially got separated by cars entering it - into four (4) groups. Due to concern for the safety of the participants, Ride organizers, with the fantastic assistance of the Topsfield and State Police, "stopped the Ride" on Route 97 in Topsfield, to regroup and get it back together as one group, and continued on the Ride route without further incident. Send us your comments about the Event and Ride at www.MassMSF.org and thank you for your support. PC

Additional guest submittal from Paul Cote Date: Aug. 23, 2008 (Salisbury, MA) Peggie Blais of Danvers will honor the 9th Annual "Nelson's Ride" as its Parade Queen/ Marshall. Peggie, in 1949, was expecting her third child when her husband traded in their car for a motorcycle. "I thought it was neat. I asked him if girls ride, and he got me a bike too." Peggie, now 80 years young, has been riding ever since. She was recently recognized at Laconia Bike Week by the Rally Association. She and her family are featured in the recently released "History of Motorcycle Week" book published by Charlie St. Clair and Jennifer Anderson.

The Blais family, with six children, made the annual trek to Motorcycle Week in the 1950's and early 1960's, on two motorcycles with sidecars, and winning about 13 Gypsy Tour trophies for 'best look-alike' (kids), youngest child to ride, woman who rode the most miles, and 'best family' awards. Then came three more children. "What do you do, the sidecars weren't big enough," she said. Over the past eight years, she has either rode Nelson's Ride, attended it or stood by her Danvers home waving to the riders. "We had signs reading, 'honk if you love motorcycles and heard about 4,000 horns blasting !" "Its a wonderful cause, riders helping families of riders killed or seriously injured in accidents."

For years, her husband Bob ran the old Witch City Cycles in Salem. He even build a bike in their basement only to find out there was no way to get it out of the basement, dismantled it and rebuilt it in their living room. "We eat, drink and sleep motorcycles," she said, and has passed that onto her children and grandchildren.