Anthony DeFrank:  

We finally went on what I call “the North motorcycle” trip. It was a good time overall with a few glitches that were overcome with patience and perseverance. My wife insisted on following me to the Poconos in the car with the family dog. So off we went. The plan was for her to head back to VA Monday when I headed to Plattsburgh to visit some old friends from grad school. The ride from Northern Virginia to the Poconos was beautiful. Stayed off the highways and rode through and around small towns in Virginia and Pennsylvania. The best part was route 402 in PA: a quiet country road with gentle twists and turns. A good machine below you and a nice day around you. Can it get any better than that? Like a smile from someone you care for. It’s always good. A few changes from the old days. I wear more protective gear now. My jackets have shoulder, elbow and spine armor and my pants have knee pads. In the past it was denim in warm weather and leather in cold. No more. It may not be safety first, but it is on my mind more. The same with the bike itself. My current ride struggles to stay at 75 MPH. That’s what I need now. As Dirty Harry Callahan would say, “A man has got to know his limitations.” A few years ago when I would ride my son’s Ninja I found myself driving 85 on the highway just because I could. No more. The reflexes, and bones aren’t what they used to be. The older I get the more these long rides take forethought. Every long ride isn’t exactly like standing at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, two out and three on with a full count and the score tied in the 7th game of the world series, but it’s close, especially in the rain. It’s a game, but it’s also a battle, because everyone else on the field has moves they can make that you need to anticipate. So I’m more defensive. We arrived in Masthope, PA mid afternoon, about 310 miles from home. Even at my advanced years there was no discomfort after the ride. Keep in mind this is a twin cylinder 250, not some luxo-tourer that mimics sitting on your living room couch. Not even a fairing to break the wind. Love it. As Toby Keith would say, “I a’int as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” Yes, you can do the things you always loved as long as you never stop doing them. The next day of R&R went quickly, but as night fell it started to rain. I have a number of great rain-soaked motorcycle stories, but when it was still pouring the next morning we decided to park the bike and drive to Plattsburgh and on to Vermont. I had driven to the Poconos in the rain last year. Not a fun ride, but gratifying to have made it in one piece. One thing you learn when...Expand for more