One of the beauties of living in New England, besides winter, are some
of the beautiful back roads we have. I work out of my home, when I'm
not traveling, and yesterday I spent most of the day on con-calls and e-mail
getting a proposal ready. But, I had a little break at 2:30 and needed to
be back at my phone at 4 for another con-call. What to do? Well, I live in
Ashby Ma., so I figured a little ride up Rt. 31 for coffee at Percy's
Natural Food store in Wilton NH, would be just the ticket for a little
coffee break. Naturally I gotta take my FatLady!
On the way I decide to take a little detour through Greenville
NH, and come across a sign that says Rt.45 Temple NH. I'd never been on
that road and it was like God told me to take it. I gotta tell ya, it was
like God made that road for me that afternoon. Absolutely glorious!
Riding down that road the vista of Temple Mt in the background, horses
and cattle grazing on the side of the road, beautiful tarmac below the
FatLady, not a frost heave or pothole in site.. curves like ya dream
about (well some of us dream about) ...little country homes hidden
on the side of the road, robbins, and then the center of Temple..
right out of a Norman Rockwell painting from 1945.
Times like this, for me, when motorcycling becomes a spiritual experience.
Nice, makes me grateful to be living and healthy and alive.
Then, down another untraveled back road to Wilton and French Roast at
Percy's. Two Wilton cops sitting on a picnic table in the sun outside the
store with the same idea as me. I pulled in and shut down the FatLady
(with the 2Bros 6-into-6ers purring) and gave 'em a smile. By the time
I came back out with my coffee, the cops are almost sitting on her...
they are giving her the twice-over. "Nice motorcycle" says the younger one.
"Lot nicer than most of the bikes that come through," says the other.
We chat a few minutes and then they depart. I finish my coffee and then
take Rt31 south back to Ashby, my con-call and the end of a day.
There's a lotta nice songs about country roads, they're my favorite riding
roads. I'll always opt for the smaller road to stay off the interstates if
I can. It was great discovering this Rt. 45, not long, but a jewel just the
same.
I got my new FatLady and I've got more vacation coming to me than ought
to be legal. What's your favorite back road? I wanna take it! New England
may have the nastiest winters, but we sure have the best backroads!
All the best,
Steve L.
"I took a wife named Daisy many years ago,
Daisy went woods crazy on the very last spring snow."
"She walks around without her clothes and yodels through the day"
"I'd take her to a doctor, but I like her that way"
- Up on the CP Line -
- Traditional Folk Song -
