DINER:   4 ACES DINER

Location:   Lebanon NH on Rt 4 just before crossing bridge into Vermont.

PIE:  Varies by the day.  Call ahead to insure your favorite wll be available 603.298.6827

WAITRESS: Alyssa - Very nice.  Blonde, sweet, sassy, sexy and fun!  Understands that it's all about the PIE and that there is mucho innuendo there.  Lee, you gotta meet Alyssa!

FOOD: EXCELLENT SPECIALS - I had the breaded pork cutlet with stuffing apples and raisons, real mashed potatoes, summer squash on the side, bread and butter and large Pepsi.  $8 included tip.

PARKING:  EXCELLENT SIDE OF DINER PARKING, paved, plenty of room.

Other info: 

I stopped in this past Thursday as that looked to be the best weather day we were going to get for a while.  Glad I took the trip.  The trip was actually a scouting expedition to try to find an alternative for a ~200 mile day trip ride that included a Rt 5 Vermont ride home. (RT 5 = nirvana)  To get there from Mass, take Rt 13 out of Townsend, up through Milford NH through classic little NH towns like Mt. Vernon, New Boston, Dunbarton and finally into Concord.  Skirt Concord by proceeding straight where it meets Rt 77 and you will avoid Concord altogether and come to Rt 103 which will take you to Rt 127 which then goes to Rt 4 West.  (it's actually north and west).  This will take you through some towns that the world forgot.. towns with names like Salisburh Heights, Danbury, Grafton and Canaan.  You will feel transported into some time zone that isn't earthly.. thinking perhaps you have travelled back into 1925, except here and there you see cars that are newer.. how do people live out here?  what do they do?  where do they go?  there is some poverty, that is certain.  this isn't "ski area/tourist New Hampshire" this is rural NH.  No Honda dealerships out here.. no anything dealerships out here.  But beautiful twisty winding roads, that I share with a deer a couple of tractors, a 12 wheel dump that the driver waves me around and then gives me the "thumbs up" as I pass ... my headphones are singing G-L-O-R-I-A by Van Morrison.. and then Stormy Monday by Allman Bros.. I love my compilation tapes of my old classic music..  I am in some special motorcycle tour space where I only get when I'm all by myself.. riding.. meditating.. being with me.. being one with my motorcycle.. making love to the FatLady and the road.

Lebanon is a pretty big town, not quite a city, once you get there.  Some bikers pass me going in the other direction.  We wave, sharing the beauty of being gifted to ride on a beautiful day in beautiful country..  I realize I'm hungry and need to find a diner.  It's past 1PM when I come to the 4 Aces.

Alyssa gives me a big warm smile when I walk in with my helmet and gloves in hand.. "I'll be right with you," she beams! (it's so great to meet friendly people when you're on the road alone..) She has my large Pepsi in front of me, a smile (gorgeous blonde ponytail American girl next door type about 32 years old..I want to marry her immediately!) and paper and pencil in hand.  She smiles and says, "Have the pork cutlet; it's great." She doesn't need to tell me twice.

The coffee is excellent, the cook comes out of the back room and complements my bike.. Talks to me through my entire lunch, tells me about his Road King, he is big, muscular, bald and as nice as they get.. big Tats on each arm ..a gentle giant.  Says he really likes my Honda.. shrugs and says he's just had Harleys too long to change.. I understand I tell him. (as if he is talking about some sort of addiction)

He walks me out to the parking lot to "hear my pipes" ...his bike is in back near the kitchen.. it's a really nice Road King.. all dressed out and chromed.  He tells me it's dirty but I could have eaten off the engine.  no oil leak under this one.

I ride off, promising I'll return.  .. he tells me if we bring in a bike group to call ahead and he'll have an extra waitress on and tables reserved and whatever PIEs we want.  I leave there feeling like I've made a friend. 

I cross the bridge into White River Junction Vermont, and take a left onto Rt. 5 south.  It is a beautiful day, my Fatlady is singing sweetly beneath me, the road is absolute heaven and I've got J Geils on the tape player.  I am indeed a lucky guy.