Usually, I ride in the company of scooterists scooting around Southern New England at a social pace. In July, a new plan for fun emerged. Some people with large motorbikes travel long distances in short periods of time. These endurance runs can have names like the Saddle Sore 1000 (1000 miles in 24 hours) or the Iron Butt Rally (11000 miles in 11 days). Imagining the sense of freedom, riding the open road, camaraderie of man and machine, male bonding or just bonding if women come along, and Robert Persig and his son in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," I invited a few friends on my quest for freedom. When the day arrived, two men joined the party. Jay and Mark are motorbike enthusiasts who will ride anything with a motor. They both own Stella classic style scooters and large BMW motorcycles. For such a long ride, they choose the larger bikes. Mark has been riding for about 28 years, since the age of 12. Before that, he was commonly seen riding on the back of his dad's bike. Mark is a responsible engineering type who likes to get out for a taste of freedom on two wheels. Mark is quiet, friendly and jovial. Jay is an engineer for a major corporation. He delights not only in the aesthetics of riding, but he appreciates every technical aspect of riding, bikes and gear. He understands and will explain how to rejet a carburetor, the inner workings of a GPS, and the physics of understeer. Has Jay read "Zen..."? I don't know, but he could write most of it. Mark and Jay enjoy all types of riding - mountain biking on single tracks in state parks, riding scooters along the Massachusetts coast, long stretches of highway, and fast rides on the winding back roads of New England. Today's ride will be the latter. Jay planned the ride to travel over two lane 50 mph roads throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. We planned to take all day. This ride will know no limits in time or location. I have never been on such a long ride before. I spend a lot of time researching what I should pack for 600 miles on a motorbike. The site www.micapeak.com provides various checklists with recommendations for all kinds of motorcycle trips. Http://Motorcycles.About.com includes a short article by Walter Kern with very smart advice on what to pack and how to pack it. Walter's best piece of advice is to "Use removable bags in your saddlebags to be able to easily move the contents from your bike to a motel or campsite." After consulting Mark and Jay, I decide to bring a few tools including a CruzTools Outback'R M14 (www.cruztools.com). I pack a small, bright flashlight, a sweater, granola bars, two bottles of water, a change of clothes, rain gear (so it would not rain), and a cargo net. As a 46 year old man leaving home for a day of physical hardship, I bring along a few health supplies, a bottle of Tylenol, facial tissue, and antacid tablets. Mark and Jay use different face shields depending on solar conditions. I stock three pairs of glasses. My Ray Ban Wayfarers with non-polarized lenses. Polarization causes interesting color variations when peering through a Lucite windshield and helmet visor. A pair of cheap yellow lensed sunglasses for dusk, and a pair of clear safety glasses round out my selection. I use the safety glasses when I ride with the visor up on warm nights. My gear is never complete without my cell phone and my wallet. My wallet is flush with more cash than I anticipate needing, two credit cards, license, and a few business cards. I carry a map of New Hampshire and Vermont, a pen and some paper. One last item I would never attempt a long trip without is good old silver duct tape. All of my gear and supplies fit in the trunk and glove compartment of my 2002 Honda Reflex NSS 250 leaving room for gifts and souvenirs. As the day goes by, I find that I do not need anything that I cannot pull from my bike's compartments. I am especially happy with my choice of medications as the day wears on my middle aged body. We meet up at Jay's house about 30 minutes north of Boston. I pull into his driveway along side Mark's BMW, a 2001 R1150 GS. Mark is ready to ride. Jay pushes his 2006 R1200 GS out of his garage. His grin so wide that it appears his head might separate mid-face. BMW R - GS bikes are powerful sport touring machines. I asked Mark and Jay why they chose these bikes. Jay wrote, "I chose the GS for exactly what it is marketed to be, a big Trailie or Adventure Tourer. Do I fully exploit it's capability, not a chance, but it does what I want and it can go places I had difficulty going on past bikes. My most recent bike prior to the GS was a 2000 Triumph Sprint ST, a Sport tourer with a 955cc fuel injected triple. The ST was in general a more sporting motorcycle, with a more forward leaning riding position. I have found with the GS I give up about 30 mph on the top end and a slight bit of high speed handling in exchange for light off road use (heavier off road use if I could handle it, the bike surely can). Exactly what I was missing with the Triumph for the types of roads we have around New England. I chose the GS, not because it is a BMW but because it seemed to be the best combination of looks features, performance handling of all the current offerings I saw. I looked at the Triumph Tiger, KTM 950 adventure, V-Strom, Capo-Norde, 1150GS, as well as a number of sport touring motorcycles and found I kept coming back to the 1200GS." Mark was more succinct, "Mine is a 2001 R1150GS, I bought it new in mid 2001 and just turned over 63,000 miles. Before owning the BMW I always thought, nah I can't own one of those ... way to expensive but then I got to demo one and then the more I read about them and the technology they put into them, I wanted one, sucked it up and bought this GS ..... haven't looked back since.... I love it !! Yes, most BMW's are nice and quiet, I've kept my exhaust pretty much stock which helps out a lot. Chose my bike for a number of reasons ..... first was BMW technology (ie no dive front suspension, ABS brakes, single sided driveshaft swingarm, heated grips, etc...), then was reliability.... this boxer engine has been around since the war and is pretty bullet proof and then I DO like the style of the bike, both for it's comfortable riding position AND what it will do. Being a "big traily" rather than pure street bike let's me have more confidence to explore / ride dirt roads around new England. It's just very comfortable for me .... coming from dirt bikes growing up and I have to say I love that I can take the bags off, ride it hard and keep up with most sport bikes around the twistys OR take it down a dirt fire road & thru some mud and a small stream crossing OR put my full hard bags on it, load them up and strap 50 lb of MORE gear / tent /etc to the rear and it'll tour all day anywhere I point it." I chose my Honda Reflex for comfort, convenience and its ability to ride at highway speeds. The Honda name stands for durability and smart design in modern scooter circles. There many people riding 20 year old Honda scooters every day. My Reflex is my daily commuting vehicle. I appreciate the automatic transmission and the great gas mileage (60 mpg). I have put 10,000 trouble free miles on this bike in two years. This Reflex has only required maintenance procedures in that time. My mechanic (www.xtrememotodesign.net) lightened the variator in the automatic transmission to increase acceleration. Unfortunately, the engine revs higher at lower speeds which brings my MPG down to only about 60. This bike will ride all day at 70 - 80 mph and keep the rider pretty comfortable. The integral trunk is great for stowing the gear that most commuters like to carry. I ride with my cell phone, rain gear, flash light, camera, a few tools, a water bottle, cargo net, extra gloves and different tints of sun/safety glasses. For this trip, I throw in a sweat shirt just in case. For a full report on the Honda Reflex see the Associated Content article on the subject. All of the bikes are have full gas tanks, which gives each a range of 180 to 200 miles, and are ready to roll. We ride down Main St to US 95 and then head north into New Hampshire. From this point, the travel log must be a bit fuzzy. Jay points out that many of the roads we travel will be quiet and have little traffic. Unfortunate side effects of writing about trips like this are the increase in traffic and resulting police presence. Jay has years of experience with this issue. His comment reminds me of a line in the Eagles' song "The Last Resort", "...Call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye." We ride north on route 2 for a while, and head into New Hampshire on a two lane road. Our first restroom break is the chance for Mark and I to add a layer under our riding jackets. This mid summer day is not as warm as we expect. The temps range from the mid fifties to the low seventies. Jay hooks up his Widder electric vest. Jay asserts that the electric vest keeps him warm down to about 20 degrees on a fast ride. If you have any issues with regards to in which and how to use Best Camera Backpack, you can get hold of us at our own web page. This vest has connections built into the shoulders to attach electrically heated gloves. The vest connects to the bike's power supply through its standard "BMW" connector which looks like a small cigarette lighter outlet. We ride through wooded areas and farmland. We slip into Vermont without notice, or maybe I was looking at the scenery and not the signs. We stop for breakfast at about 8:30 AM, at a diner in Vermont. Jay and Mark are familiar with this establishment. They recommend the breakfast sandwich. The breakfast sandwich is your choice of any bread, two eggs, any meat and any cheese. It seems that scooterists and motorcyclists enjoy meeting at diners. There is even a scooter club in Worcester, Ma, they call the Diner City Scooter Club. After breakfast, we head north. I recognize the names of some of the towns we pass such as Brattleborough, and Rutland. We ride twisty two lane roads with 50 mph speed limits. Jay pushes his 1200 beyond what my Reflex can muster. Mark brings up the rear on his 1150, making sure that I don't get into trouble. At a stop sign, Mark intimates that I am taking some corners too fast. He is afraid that I may "scrape a peg". My scooter doesn't have pegs per se, so I imagine that he refers to either my side stand or running boards. I decide not to lighten up. Riding quickly through the corners is a little unsettling for me. I do not usually ride like this, nor do I have much experience. The Reflex is very forgiving as I go into corners faster than I should and hit the brakes at just the wrong time. While I feel out of control at times, I do not feel like my bike is out of control or running wild. I follow Jay as best I can. Passing cars and trucks on the left, sometimes with oncoming traffic, takes a lot of planning on a 250 cc scooter. Watching Jay, the expert, fly past traffic on his BMW is magical. In my mind, I'm already shopping for my dream bike, a 1980's vintage Honda CB 750. Sooner than we expect, it's time for lunch. When we get to Waterbury, VT, I insist that we stop at Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory. Mark and Jay are more than willing to accommodate. The GPS's tell us that we are within a couple of miles of the destination. We pull into the factory parking lot at about 12:15 PM. Ben and Jerry's factory is the regional Mecca for New England ice cream lovers. This is where they manufacture treats with names like "Chunky Monkey" and "Cherry Garcia". I spend some time in the gift shop picking up a coffee mug for my collection, a sticker for my bike, and cow spotted socks for my wife and daughters. Outside, Jay, Mark and I refresh ourselves with large helpings of creamy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and crunchy New York Super Fudge Chunk. We eat enough to tide us over until we arrive at our next destination, Newport, VT. Jay and Mark are proponents of laying out rides on large maps just like the ones that gas stations gave out for free when we were kids. The "StateSlicker" maps by American Map (www.AmericanMap.com) are especially handy for riders. These detailed maps are laminated which makes them resistant to moisture. It is easy to see why the big maps are so desirable. Open a map of New Hampshire and Vermont. Notice the interconnecting web of state routes. Any of these skinny, numbered lines is an adventure waiting for someone to ride it. Jay and Mark plot a course that takes us through Stow, Smugglers Notch, and the Northeast Kingdom. I am familiar with all of these areas, but it is a completely different experience to barrel through the countryside on two wheels. Barreling is not how we experience Smugglers Notch. Route 108 is a skinny two lane road lined with cars, trucks, RV's and SUV's. Slow going and a little hair raising is the best way to describe it. Here is a comment from the Smugglers Notch Chamber of Commerce (www.smugnotch.com), "Smugglers' Notch is a spectacular pass at the foot of Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, and the road through the Notch, Route 108, is one of two officially designated scenic highways in the state." Catching our breath at the bottom of the Notch, we head north to Newport, VT, at the northeast corner of the state. Riding into Newport, the most noticeable feature is the large lake Memphremagog. Crossing 26 miles of cool, blue water on this lake will take you to Magog, Quebec. However, geographical analysis (of our StateSlicker map) illustrates that the distant shore that we see is still in Vermont. It is about 2:30 and we decide to relax at a table cloth restaurant right on the lake. The East Side Restaurant at 47 Landing St. is exactly what we crave. The East Side is known for it's generous soup and salad bar, beautiful water views and pleasant, attractive staff. The hostess leads us past their complete soup and salad bar on the way to our table. We cataloged various salad fixings, bean salads, cold shrimp, breads and soups. We sit at a table against a bank of windows overlooking the lake. Our eyeballs are still vibrating from hours on the road when Mark and Jay order an appetizer, Poutine, a Quebecois favorite. Jay describes it best, Quite simply it is French Fries with cheese and gravy on them. In reality it is hand cut french fries carefully fried till golden brown, covered in chewy cheese curds, with a taste somewhat like cheddar but with the chewy texture of mozzarella. All smothered in spicy poutine sauce,something like brown gravy but with a bit of spice to it. Definitely not for the faint of heart or low fat diet. We enjoy the contrast of the well done fries and the chewy cheese curd. The gravy ties the flavors together into a manly melange' of savory grease. Women, this is how to greet your man after a day in the strip mine, or at the office. A plate of poutine at dinner will keep him glued to his arm chair all evening. Mark and Jay order sandwiches, I balance the poutine with a seafood salad. The portions are generous, the service is friendly. We leave realizing that our bikes will have to work a bit harder on the return leg of our trip. The East Side Restaurant, highly recommended by three hungry bikers after eight hours on the road. In the parking lot, we consult the map and plot our course into New Hampshire. Northern New Hampshire does not have as many routes to choose from as Vermont. We ride South and East through sparsely populated regions. Woods and two lane roads and a setting sun characterize the late afternoon. Somewhere in the White Mountains we find US 93. Not ready to join the rest of society, we ride a route that runs alongside the highway until the sun disappears. In Manchester, New Hampshire, we pull of 93 for a relaxing dinner at their 99 restaurant. Over mundane, but well prepared food, we discuss the high points of the day. The patient wait staff ignored our disheveled appearance and loud demeanor. We recap breakfast at the diner, the ride through the Notch, the fast two lane roads in Vermont, the only two police officers we saw who were standing in the parking lot of the police station in that small town, Lake Memphamagog, poutine, and my ten thousandth mile on the Honda Reflex in two years. Home is a straight shot down 93. Mark breaks of first and rides into Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Jay and I continue to 95 North and the Main Street Lynnfield exit. Beeps and waves as we head to our respective homes around 10 PM. The garage is waiting, but my ride is running cool and my head is clear as glass. It takes all of my common sense and effort to raise the door with trembling hands and put my bike away. I do my end of ride walk around my Reflex. I am satisfied with the heavy patina of road grime and bug guts smeared on every forward facing surface. Sixteen hours and six hundred miles and I'm itching for more.