This was one of those motorcycle weekends where you think “isn’t this what motorcycles were made for” and “wow what a Honda!”.
Saturday morning, Chris (CB750K8) and I (stock CB750K4) left Boston at 7.30am and headed for the Rockland Lobster Festival, Maine. Estimated 3 hr driving time. We headed up Rt1 to I-95 and then at the Maine border jumped onto Rt1 (“scenic road”) –too many busy touristy scenic villages and related traffic and we got back on I-95 until we had to take Rt1 again this time wider road to Rockland. Sunny day and bright blue sky and apart from a little tourist traffic we had it easy. Arrived at the Lobster Festival in time for lunch – had the Lobster roll after looking at the 100m queue for the whole lobster! After a brief tour of the festival we headed over on Rt17 (and other smaller roads) to Palermo (Chris has a sister there) – was a very nice ride, driving by blue lakes, mountains in the distance and hilly roads with sweeping turns…and little traffic – have to love Maine for that!
Chris was staying overnight and so I set off for Errol, NH (an estimated 2 -3 hr ride or so I thought –famous last words)….I set off from Palermo at 4.15pm and thought Id have enough time to get to Errol before sunset…again famous last words! I was driving into the setting sun which sounds romantic enough but actually puts a strain on your eyes even with sunglasses on (regular not tinted visor) and trying to make sharp twisty turns on poor road surface as challenging! I passed through interesting Maine towns such as Livermore Falls and Mexico before turning North up Rt 17 towards Oqonssoc (at Rt 17/16 junction). As I was riding up Rt 17 (literally as it’s a steep climb up mountains) the temperature which had been 79F got progressively colder as sun dipped lower and lower. I had a t-shirt and a jacket on (with lining in my bag). I was getting colder the higher I climbed and finally at 5.30pm near the top and with a sweeping vista of Maine lakes below me I put on the liner as well! (earlier it had been so hot every biker was in a t-shirt!). After a drive along some empty roads, with lots of twists and turns and forest on either side of the road I came to Oqonssoc at Rt16/rt4/Rt17 junction – time was now 6.45pm and I had 50 miles of gas left….I looked at the map – Errol, NH still looked a while off down a jagged red line on the map. I guessed another 1hr at least…and I was shivering by now and getting tired from the cold. Not good. I found a gas station and even though it was closed still gave me fuel with the card. Saved for another 140 miles! I made the executive decision to find a campsite which I did – lucky for me the one 5 miles up the road had one space left – next to the lake! So far the bike had been trouble free handling the interstate with speed (85mph) and bumpy backroads of Maine (65mph) with ease and now it stood next to my tent, glinting in the moonlight as it shone of the lake (which was surrounded by mountains!).
Overnight temps dropped to 40F!! I was freezing! Woke up at 6am and on the road by 7.15am after a 50cent coffee and homemade strawberry muffin The ride to Errol, NH along Rt 16 was amazing! Cold by amazing! There was a mountain to cross in-between which was shrouded in cold mist – yes I got wet and cold! Visibility was 20feet in places! So much for summer I thought before emerging on the downward slope and back into sunshine and into Errol. However it took me about 2 hours to warm back up again! The ride down Rt 16 was by the river and empty roads again (all morning had been empty roads!!) –then came to some road works and had a mile or so of gravel roads. Passed through Berlin, NH before coming down the Mt Washington Road (wow!! no traffic and long sweeping turns at 70mph!!- fantastic!) and into North Conway continuing onwards to the famous “Kangamangus Highway across the White Mountians. Again little traffic on the way up and none at all coming down the other side – a lot of bikers at the top even at 9.45am. The CB750 got a lot of attention (as it did wherever I stopped – must be the sunrise orange colour).
Came down into Lincoln, NH and saw a car burning on the overpass – went underneath it (yes saw the fire engine racing to it 1 minute later) and headed down winding Rt 3 to Franklin, NH where I picked up Rt127 – wow what a road!!!! This road (at the top especially) is one of the best roads in New England! Its like rollercoaster at the top and then has tight twisty turns and long downhills – this road is amazing! I loved it and was constantly challenged by every turn, rise and dip! After this came boring Rt 202 but only until Rt31 which was another classic road – just wonderful to ride and the weather again was bright blue skies and sunny! Came off Rt 31 and onto Rt119 which led back home through the familiar Rt2/Rt 126 (by Walden Pond)/Rt 20 and finally home – 702 miles later!!!! What a great weekend and the bike ran flawlessly. I on the hand got a little sunburnt.
Thanks for reading,
Andy in Boston
