Ride report - Green Mountains to the Adirondacks

[Scout63]

I took a break this week to clear my head and hauled three bikes to Vermont. I brought a KTM 690 Enduro R, Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 and the Ducati 860.  After two full days of trail riding around Mount Snow in Southern VT and the Lincoln-Ripton area near Sugarbush with my best friend, he went home.  Yesterday I explored the Adirondacks for the first time.

I took back roads from Warren VT over the Route 17 Appalachian Gap





then north to Huntington and west through Hinesburg to Charlotte on the east side of Lake Champlain. Outside of Charlotte I found where they grow Hondas.





The ferry to Essex NY leaves every 30 minutes.  I met a great couple riding their Harleys back to NJ. It’s easy to trash talk Harley owners, harder not to really like them in person.

From Essex I rode straight west towards Lake Placid, stopping in Elizabethtown for a wonderful cheeseburger and a quart of oil. The local Napa had the right o-ring for my dipstick and my favorite VR-1 50wt.





Lake Placid was pretty and had a waiting-for-the-season-to-start vibe. I took a quick picture of the Olympic facility and kept going.





From there Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Long Lake in succession with a quick stop in each to get a picture.









The roads between the lake towns are wonderfully smooth two-laners with uphill passing lanes and 70 mph sweeping corners.  The Ducati was in its natural hunting ground and the Contis boomed away.  Sometimes I listened to music in the helmet but mostly just listened to the bike. I could feel each firing of the pistons hammering the pavement.

From Long Lake I took Route 84 east to Newcomb and picked up Route 84, the Blue Ridge Road, east to North Hudson.  This was about twenty miles of 30-40 mph curves with no houses and no traffic. It is a gem of a road.

Then straight up 87 back to Essex. I had a work zoom hearing which took place in a great tavern overlooking Lake Champlain next to the ferry terminal. I had two sips of a great stout but no more since I had to ride home.





Just as the hearing ended I jumped on the bike and coasted engine-off down the hill and caught the ferry across at sunset back to Charlotte.







From there the worst part was the ride over the Lincoln Gap home. It was dark and the lower parts of the gap road are graded hard-pack with patches of loose gravel. On a KTM in the daylight it’s a hoot but in the dark on a vintage street bike just stressful. I was glad to be home. Here are the maps.

[kidsmoke]

beautiful shots, Ben, and sounds like a banner day. Curious, I note no bag of any sort on that Ducati. Are you a backpacker? Surely you have some minimal tools along etc? I know you take great care of your machines, but still....

I like to keep that stuff to minimum, and I'm curious how others address that issue.

[spmoto]

Really sorry I couldn't join you, Ben. Looks like you've been having decent weather. It's been very cold and rainy here for the past few days with no end in sight. Hope you enjoy the rest of your break.
Steve
P.S. The 860 looks fantastic in all black. I can almost hear those Conti's singing!

[cliffrod]

Looks like it was a great ride, Ben.  Glad all went well and I love seeing the pics.

[PJPR01]

Love the ferry pic!  That's a postcard!

[Scout63]

beautiful shots, Ben, and sounds like a banner day. Curious, I note no bag of any sort on that Ducati. Are you a backpacker? Surely you have some minimal tools along etc? I know you take great care of your machines, but still....

I like to keep that stuff to minimum, and I'm curious how others address that issue.

I always wear a backpack with a BMW tool roll with some extras, a mini fire extinguisher, water and an expanded first aid kit. On the Vitpilen I use a magnetic tank bag.

[s1120]

Sounds like a wonderful ride. You know a lot of people love those roads on a 10-10th, full out sport bikes, but as you said, there is quite a lot of joy in letting those old bikes eat up those roads, in a nice smooth, booming only slightly illegal way. Ive said it many times before. No matter how much I dislike living in NY, upstate has some of the best motorcycle roads in the country.

[Stretch]

That sounds like great riding, Ben!

                               -Stretch

[adaven]

I was on that ferry last week while taking my son back to Burlington. Since we’re navigating by GPS we’re only on the “main” roads from Syracuse to Essex. They are indeed beautiful twisty rolling roads that capture your attention.
Nice you were able to explore the area by motorcycle.

[mechanicsavant]

Just an FYI . Another great stop in the area is “Sporty’s Iron Duke saloon” in Minerva NY . Don’t let the name scare ya . It’s on Rt.28n . The museum alone is well worth the stop .Camping & cabins are also available . I’ve no relation to the business, just a great stop . If ya get a BLT have a friend w/ya !

[Scout63]

Just an FYI . Another great stop in the area is “Sporty’s Iron Duke saloon” in Minerva NY . Don’t let the name scare ya . It’s on Rt.28n . The museum alone is well worth the stop .Camping & cabins are also available . I’ve no relation to the business, just a great stop . If ya get a BLT have a friend w/ya !

Definitely on the list for next time.  I was within 19 miles when passing through Newcomb. Thanks for the tip.

[s1120]

Just an FYI . Another great stop in the area is “Sporty’s Iron Duke saloon” in Minerva NY . Don’t let the name scare ya . It’s on Rt.28n . The museum alone is well worth the stop .Camping & cabins are also available . I’ve no relation to the business, just a great stop . If ya get a BLT have a friend w/ya !

When I was a kid I had a friend that had a camp up there. I havent been there in over 30 years though. Back then you only had one bar on the main road, and a small general store just down the road from there. Had a lot of fun up there as kids.

[JJ]

Great photos and ride report!  Thanks for sharing!

As a teenager, my family spent time at the American Legion camp at Tupper Lake.  Fond memories from there.

My very first overnight motorcycle adventure was with some two wheeled friends at Lake George, summer of 1977, on my blue Yamaha RD400.  That trip hooked me for future overnight motorcycle trips!

[Dilliw]

Great report!  Brings back memories of my time in Schenectady, and my EV has been on that ferry!

[chuck peterson]

Newcomb to North Hudson…

North Hudson to Newcomb…

Quite the moto heaven…

I saw a wildcat looking back at me one time..