Club Happenings

Sorry this his issue is a bit late going out. There was this little gathering in North Carolina that had a few of us a bit occupied.

I am very happy to announce that Neil Baldwin, #5762. Burlington, ON has accepted the appointment as Northeast Newsletter Editor. Neil has been a member since 2003, and we first met at the 2004 national rally in Johnstown where he organized the great conversation ice breaker “Biker Bingo” game that was played at the no host social. Neil will be a tremendous asset to the newsletter. This issue will be his first issue, and you will see changes due to his influence. I hope you like the new look and feel of your newsletter Overall I expect the transition to be nearly seamless as Neil has published newsletters using the same program we currently use.

COG Northeast has gained several new members since last newsletter. Check out the list of our new members toward the end of the newsletter. If you would like to contact one of them you can look up their profile Member List section of the COG web site (www.cog-online.org), or you can ask me or your local AAD for the info.

National Rally

Kudos to the national rally team. It was a terrific event. Later in this issue Norm & Lorie give a brief summary of their trip to Fontana. We had a good time riding there together .The return trip was also a blast too. Steve & Sue Cerutti and myself left Fontana @ 6:30 AM Friday, heading over to Cherokee, NC to pick up the BRP. We spent the day riding the full length of the parkway, stopping in Boone, NC for lunch. During our trip up the BRP we saw 2 separate black bear crossing the parkway. Add to that the 4 deer and a fawn, a black kamikaze squirrel, a bazillion turkey, and the almost unavoidable packs of chrome plated turtles. We arrived at the motel in Harrisonburg, VA @ 9pm and hooked up with the rest of the NE crew that decide to slab it out of Fontana.

If you have not heard already, the 2010 COG Natrional is being nosted by the NC Area in Tomah, WI, July

2009 Activities

The Spring Fling rally in the bag. Many thanks to Guy Young for organizing this event. Nearly fifty people converged at Natural Bridge and enjoyed some great riding and camaraderie. Dave Geyer, our NE Web Editor, has created a Spring Fling rally report page where he has posted links to photo pages that were sent in by several members. Guy Young reported, “The Rally almost went off without a hitch, but a deer strike on the last night of the event had us filling out an Injury Report for the AMA. Fortunately, the rider came out of it with only some minor bruises; the bike, however, faired a lot worse. He wound up renting a van to carry his wounded ride back home. For those of you who came, I thank you. You helped make this Back to the Bridge event a success. I'm sure the folks at the Hotel will be after us again to host another event there, and we can do that at some point in the future… just not the immediate future. We need to allow time for the pleasantness of this place to sink in and to “age” in our memory banks for a couple of years. When the time is right, however, the bung will be pulled and a Back to the Bridge II will be in the works.”

The NJ region is beginning to get some activity thanks to Mike Aldea, COG-528, who hosted a few social gatherings. Mike reported “We had a group from PA a couple riders from Upstate NY and one couple who came all the way from RI. Of course the only local people from North Jersey to show were Rip Parsells (ex-COG), Vicki & myself... Now the only question is how to get the members in the North Jersey area to come out.”

I’ve noticed that wrench sessions are very much in demand and well attended this year. In the past months there was one in Connecticut, Virginia and Massachusetts. These are as much fun to host as they are to attend, even if you just go to hang out or watch the guys work. If you missed these, Philadelphia area members have another opportunity to attend a wrench session next month. See the newly added events below.

Looking ahead to fall, Jason Kaplitz will host the Northeast Regional Fall Foliage Rally September 24-27 in Wellsboro, PA. Online registration has been open for this event for a few months, and the mail in registration flyer is in this issue or you can download them from the COG web site. The club strongly encourages member to use the online system to register for rallies. It saves on paperwork and handling of checks by the organizers. As an incentive, the only discount offered for this event goes to COG members who register for the rally online. Seven members have already registered online. Let’s get those rooms booked and registrations completed.

Newly Added Events

• 7/18/09, (PA) Philly Area Tech Session, 9am-4pm: at Barry Lassoff’s (#8108) home in Villanova, PA.

• 8/15/09, (NY) Howe Cavern Ride, 8:30 am meet time for 3 hour ride to Howe Cavern tour.

• 9/10/09-9/13/09, (ME) Acadia Area Camp & Ride weekend at Lamoine State Park in Maine.

• 10/10/09, (ME) Mid Coast Ride, Come enjoy the Maine mid coast scenery & foliage on the Boothbay & Pemaquid Peninsulas.

See the ride online or printed Event Calendar in this issue for details and contact info for these events and many more.

Remember… deadline for the next Northeast Area News is July 31. Deadline for the next Concourier is June 30.

Until next time, ride safe.

Cognitions: Random thoughts from the Northeast Area Director by Steven Smith #3184

Issue 3, 2009

Page 2 NORTHEAST AREA NEWS

NE Area STAFF

Area Director

Steven Smith, #3184 203-720-7575 nead @ cog-online.org

Newsletter Editor

Neil Baldwin, #5762 905-875-8607 hikerboy @ sympatico.ca

Web Editor

David Geyer, #8542 Merrimack, NH dhgeyer @ yahoo.com

Assistant Area Directors:

Massachusetts (VT, NH, ME)

Kevin Martin, #145 Dracut, MA 978-459-6275 cog145 @ verizon.net

Connecticut (RI)

Norm & Lorie Walton, #7011 Cromwell, CT 860-836-5162 ctaad @ live.com

Metro NY/NJ

Terry Faherty, #792 Staten Island, NY 718-227-2099 tmcefah @ aol.com

NY Hudson Valley

Mike Flynn, #4493 Bedford Hills, NY 914-239-3721 keltwolf @ optonline.net

Western NY

J.R. Healy, #6591 Hamburg, NY 716-648-6729 dafonman52 @ yahoo.com

Pittsburgh (Western PA)

Joe Cyprych, #4665 McDonald, PA 724-796-1401 cyprych @ windstream.net

DelMarVa & Philly burbs (PA/NJ)

Bob Chappell, #1283 Claymont, DE 302-791-0582 cog1283 @ comcast.net

Virginia/West Virginia

Kurt & Sue Nordstrom, #6049/A Spotsylvania, VA 540-582-9414 ironhorsefun @ mindspring.com

Greater Toronto, Canada

Dave Clancy, #5452 Hamilton, Ontario 905-389-7681 davecla2 @ sympatico.ca

Happenings from Virginia & West Virginia Kurt & Sue Nordstrom #6049+6049A

Well, it’s that time of the month again… our new northeast newsletter editor has sent me a nasty gram informing me to get off my lazy A$$ and send in my submittal. The weather in our area has been crap, one minute it is a cold rain, the next minute it will be in the high 80’s, low 90’s it really has been a strange spring. But despite the unpredictable weather the COG riding and event season does go on.

April gave us the Bunny Hop 125, in reality it was actually 129.6 miles but whose counting. The weather was overcast, cool, and a little bit of Virginia liquid sunshine prevailed in the early morning hours. After about 10 AM the sun decided to peak out and it got down right warm just before lunch. Riding between Fredericksburg and Richmond VA the group of approximately 10 Coggers and one guest conquered the back roads of towns called Massaponax, Ladysmith, Beaverdam, Buckner, Bumpass (yes Bumpass), Partlow and Spotsylvania Courthouse. This area is rich in Civil War history with many historic battlefields. We arrived in one piece between noon and 1 PM at Hard Times Café and Cue Club for a hardy lunch. Many thanks goes out to all that attended this event, many of you traveled well over 3 to 4 hours each way just to spend a couple hours riding the back roads in Virginia. This is a true testament of the commitment of the Coggers within the organization.

May brought us the Wrenchfest @ OWO (One Wheel Only) at Pat Sprague’s residence in the mountains of Virginia. Please look in this newsletter for Pat’s write up about the event. All I can say is a good time was had by all that attended. The food was delicious and there were copious quantities. Sharry Sprague out did herself. COG needs to start an electronic recipe book for all these good vittles we have been sampling over the years.

May also brought us the Spring Fling at Natural Bridge, VA. Unfortunately Sue and I could not attend this event as our youngest son was finally graduating from college. Some things just get in the way of our motorcycling; we will have to see about changing that :-)

The bulk of the events and riding for this season in VA & WV is just about to begin. June will bring us the National Rally in NC. Hopefully your bike is serviced, tires are checked and properly inflated and your route has been planned. This area has some of the best riding roads on the eastern seaboard and a good time should be had by all. Russell Fleming will be hosting an event he started years ago called the North South Get Together at his residence in MD on June 26–28. July 11 will be a meet, eat and greet in White Post, VA. August 8–10 Dog Days Campout in Arbovale (Boyer) WV. September 18–21 is the Down in the Holler camp and ride in Breaks, VA. October 16–18 will be the Fall Foliage Ride at the KOA in Harpers Ferry, WV. November 13–15 will be the all time favorite of many, The Brrrr Ride at the Natural Bridge KOA.

So, all you members that I/we haven’t seen in the last two years in the VA & WV region, it is time for you to come out of hibernation and join the rest of us for some COG fun and fellowship.

What’s next……Sue and I have started planning for the 2010 riding season. I would like some feedback on what you would like to see happen in our area over the next year or so. Please send us your ideas and/or thoughts to ironhorsefun@mindspring.com , subject line on the email should say 2010 COG ideas.

Lastly, our new editor would like a picture to post next to our article to make it more personable. Well, I searched through the last two years of COG pictures and came up with these two pictures. I was in a foul mood (someone had stole the makings for my long island ice tea) and Sue was feeling a little nutty that day.

Greater Toronto Area, Canada Dave Clancy, #5452

Not much to report but we do continue to get together at the Mohawk Inn, right off the 401 at Guelph Line, the second Tuesday of each month. Officially the meet-up starts at 7 but hungry people usually turn up earlier. Everyone’s welcome! It’s casual food, good conversation, and the Inn even gives us our own room to meet in.

Pittsburgh (Western PA) Greetings Joe Cyprych #4665 Hello fellow Coggers. Well we’re all smack in the middle of another great riding season and looking at the schedule there are a lot of great rides remaining. I hope that some (or all) of you can get out and attend some of these events. We are also still continuing our Sunday meet greet and rides and I usually show at all of them unless we are away on a weekend ride so contact me before hand if you are planning on going to one, or just show up, there may be someone there and you can hook up for a ride (my whole intention of doing this). Anyhow we have attended some great rides already this year and met up with a lot of old friends and made some new ones. That’s just one of the things that sets this club apart from others is that everyone you meet, we all share the same passion for the club and the great sport we all enjoy. So come on out and meet some of the gang. With that if you ever need more info or have a ride idea contact me, hope to see you all soon. Take care.

ISSUE 3, 2009 Page 3

Editor’s Notes, Etc.

COG is on the web! Membership renewal, activity calendar, rally registration, COG library and archive, tech pages, classifieds, discussion forum, and much more

www.cog-online.org

There are 3 newly added to the events calendar. See Steve’s column on page 1.

Read Terry Faherty’s report on the Spring Fling at Natural Bridge on page 4 and see additional photos and coverage from Guy Young at www.cog-online.org Click on Area Pages and then Events & Rides.

The Next newsletter deadline is July 31, 2009.

The Next Concourier deadline is June 30, 2009.

Northeast Area News is a bi-monthly publication for Northeast Area members of the Concours Owners Group. Submissions are welcomed and members are encouraged to share their COG experiences and upcoming events. Please send submissions to: Neil Baldwin 2089 Maria St Burlington ON L7R 1K8 (Canada) hikerboy @ sympatico.ca

Submissions by email are ideal to cut down on retyping, but frankly we’ll take it any way we can get it. If you snailmail something (e.g, picture) please clearly state if you want it returned. Submissions may be edited to fit space.

Many of the opinions stated in this publication may make no sense to those sound of mind and may just be conveniently ignored. If you use any of the information in this rag to incur damage to yourself, your motor or any innocent or not so innocent bystanders it is you own fault… you were warned!

©2009 Concours Owners Group

Greetings New England Coggers! Kevin Martin #145

Here we are deep into the Spring riding season with summer just around the corner, and I have the pleasure of reporting on a few successful local events that have already passed, along with what’s being planned in our area over the next couple of months.

Since the COG winter social in March, we’ve had several local rides and activities that I’d like to briefly mention. In April I hosted my first ride of the season out to the north shore are of Massachusetts stopping for lunch in Rockport after a brief tour of Cape Ann. We had an unexpected large group that day with 15 bikes and 18 people joining in on the ride and one additional member meeting us at the restaurant for lunch.

Generally trying to circumnavigate the North Shore area with a group that large would be a problem, but actually traffic was relatively light all day and the group stayed intact on all of the secondary roads I picked without anyone getting lost. We had a little change in lunch plans as the place I picked wasn’t open for the season yet, but my Zumo bailed me out by directing me to another eatery with a view of the ocean. It was a great day for a ride to lunch and back.

On May 2nd, Greg Habel and Pat Mulloy hosted their annual spring tech session down in Monson Mass at

Pat & Sherry’s house. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it due to a family commitment but from the email traffic and webshot pictures I’ve seen, the guys & gals put on another successful Tech Session. Thanks again folks for stepping up to the plate and volunteering to host another fun COG event.

On May 16th, COG member and owner of Whitehorse Gear, Dan Kennedy, went all out again and hosted another Open House and Club Day BBQ up at Whitehorse in Conway NH. I led another fairly large group of Coggers up to Conway via some of my favorite twisty roads to stop in for some shopping, eating, and socializing, and to my surprise the crowd was much larger than I expected or have seen in past events. Of course having great weather really helps out, but Dan and his Staff get all the credit for hosting a great event. This event is really catching on and getting to be quite popular with riders of all types of motorcycles and New England area Clubs. The final event for May was Greg Habel and Pat Mulloy’s camping weekend and cook out at the West Thompson Lake Campground in Connecticut on May 29 & 30. This is another event that I was unable to make, this time because of my daughter’s graduation. Timing is everything. I don’t have any specifics on this event but the weather was real nice on that Saturday for the graduation so I expect that the group had a great weekend. At the end of July I’ll be leading a ride out to the Yankee Candle Shop and Sugarloaf summit in western Mass

In a few days as I write this, I’ll be hosting a ride out to the New Hampshire coast to meet for lunch at one of my favorite seafood restaurants, Petey’s Seafood in Rye NH. I generally host this ride in the early spring before the tourist season hits so I’m hoping that Petey’s isn’t too crowded for lunch. Coming up in late June is a ride out to western Mass called the Pioneer Valley / Berkshire Ride then in July I’ll be hosting a ride out to Vermont’s Hogback Mountain & 100 mile view, riding back into Mass on great roads like SR100, SR112 and others. In mid-July, COG member Mark Jenson will be leading a ride from Brattleboro Vermont out to lunch at the Pine Tree Diner in Grandville NY, with a possible visit to the Slate Valley Museum if time permits. Look for Mark’s Vermont Back Road Ramble Ride on the COG calendar and join in on the fun. The theme of a COG ride every month continues throughout the summer in the Northern New England area, so keep an eye on the schedule and join us for a ride. Hope to see you all at one of our Club events this year, ride safe and enjoy this sport.

Connecticut (RI) Norm & Lorie Walton, #7011

The weather has really turned around after the long winter!! We met up with several other Connecticut members for a nice run to the shoreline with little traffic on great roads in the Branford to Old Saybrook area We topped the day off with some great eats at Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook. We closed the day with a nice ride up the east side of the CT River.

Although the Shiftin’ and Grinnin’ Rally in NC is over, we’ll carry the memories for a long time to come. We began the journey from CT early and met with Steve Smith, who was our leader for the trip. Next we picked up Steve and Sue Cerutti and Bob Barbanti in NY who traveled with us to Harrisonburg, VA, which completed the first 470 miles of the trip. We met Wess Heavner from Independence, MI at the motel and later Gerry Barnett joined us at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant for dinner. A toast was made for the completion of the first half of the journey. The next day started as early as the first, with 450 more miles to travel. We traversed the highway first and then moved off to some great back roads as we entered NC. Route 209 was particularly challenging, but a lot of fun! We arrived at Fontana Dam in the early evening, checked in, and met many old and new faces at dinner that night. The roads in NC are tricky, but a lot of fun. We rode the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway with many different people. But what stands out in my mind about our trip are the people and the camaraderie. Many nights were spent “settin on the porch” at the lodge enjoying some cold beverages, listening and telling stories to one another. I could not think of a better way to spend my vacation time!

Northeast COGgers at the National

Page 4 NORTHEAST AREA NEWS

What’s up in Metro NY/NJ Terry Faherty #792

Greetings from your humble NYC/Metro AAD! After a heckuva good start to the season, thanks to the Spring Fling in Natural Bridge, it’s time to get things rolling. I’m planning another day ride for Sat, June 20th leaving from the IHOP off exit of I-80, through northern NJ and the Catskills with a lunch stop back in Port Jervis. Next up is a ride through the Catskills, starting from Kingston, tentatively scheduled for Sat, July 11. I’ll keep updates going on the forum as time gets closer. I’d also like to maybe get a pub crawl together for Manhattan on Sat Aug 1, if there’s enough interest. Please send me an e-mail or through the forum if you’d like to do this. Maybe we can even hit Blue Smoke for some BBQ? Lastly, I’m seriously considering a non rally in Lake George Fri Aug 14 to 16. No banquet, just riding on Saturday and out on Sunday. I’ll keep all plans on the forum and website as they develop. The season’s finally here, so let’s ride!

May 2nd Tech Session in Monson, MA Greg Habel and Pat Mulloy. Pictures by Sherry Mulloy

Three years of Tech Sessions and they just keep getting better. Working with our AAD Kevin Martin a few months in advance we were able to have him list the event in the newsletter along with placing it on the online northeast event calendar on www.cog-online.org. A posting in the Scheduled COG Rides, Trips, and Events section of the COG forum boosted additional interest. The list of attendees quickly started to build with requests for assistance coming in via email, telephone and the forum. John McClean from northern Ontario put in his requests even before the scheduled date, knowing it was a not-to-be-missed-event. Pat and Sher generously opened their home “bed and breakfast” style for long distance riders, John and daughter Christine. First time attendee Ben Otuno from the NY Catskill Mtn. area stayed at a nearby motel while his bike cooled overnight for a stone-cold valve adjust the next morning.

Saturday morning Tracey and Greg arrived to help setup the breakfast area and any last minute 3 bay garage preparations. The sweet sound of Connie exhaust rumble started to break through the quiet morning air just before 9am; eventually ending after more than 20 Connies had arrived with representation from CT, MA, NH, NY & Ontario, Canada. We lined up bikes in the garage based on space and equipment needed. Greg spent much of his time with Ben doing a valve adjustment on his bike. For Greg this was one of those cherished COG bonding moments with new wrencher Ben as he got to teach and have Ben participate in each step. Greg remembered his first valve adjustment and how initially daunting it seemed until seeing it done in person. Pat was initially focused on tire changes but came to the rescue of Stan Baker who’s throttle cable broke a few miles away leaving him stranded. Pat used his truck and Coggers to bring the bike back to the garage. Thanks to Pat’s Connie parts bike (Thanks to Dan O.) Bob Watkins was able to swap in a used spare cable allowing Stan to ride home. While Pat was on the road rescuing Stan’s bike, many Coggers pitched in to keep the activities moving along. Special thanks to all of them for stepping up and providing the much needed assistance. At one point we had what I would call a “Bafflectomy Frenzy” in which one bikes’ Bafflectomy (removal of the exhaust baffle via a drill) spawned a few others to give it a try. Test runs were made by Carl Dye to compare before and after. He noted a deeper but not louder exhaust rumble.

A scrumptious lunch was provided by our hosts complete with covered outside seating and beautiful sunshine thanks to Mother Nature. Thank you to those that left monetary donations to cover food expenses, it was an unexpected surprise.

All in all the day went very fast and was lots of fun. We did learn one lesson though – always check John’s brake pad installation with at least 3 people before letting him back on the road! An inside joke that I am too embarrassed to tell.

As with all our tech sessions the focus was on getting the work done, and teaching others. Thank you to all those that attended, participated, and continue to make it so much fun to host. See you next year! Greg, Pat, Sher, and Tracey.

ISSUE 3, 2009 Page 5

COG Wrench Fest at OWO, May 1-3/09 Pat Sprague #1887

Rainy weather conspired against us but quality trumped quantity as six Coggers rode in at OWO, with four of them to camp for two nights.

Mike Schmidt of Florida was first to arrive Friday on his R1150 RT, soon followed by Virginians Roger Somero on his Wee Strom and Tom Hofsiss on his ZG1000. John Lippy rode in from Maryland to add his Connie to the corral.

About the time tents were pitched, biscuits and ham were ready. Good timing. Introductions got on between guests and Charlie and Strom, our Shiloh Shepherd puppies, who are our “new kids on the block.”

The weekend temps never exceeded 60 nor dropped below 50 F. After breakfast Saturday we holed up in the garage to adjust Roger’s engine bash plate and measure Tom’s bike for a Givi top case and a “summer windshield”. Hi-tech stuff here. More tires were told and lies kicked as about 1/10th inch of rain fell. The remainder of the day was dry.

Bob Dombrowe, our COG Secretary/Historian arrived ala Nissan and joined in the camaraderie for the afternoon. Kurt Nordstrom, VA/WV AAD, rode in on a new MG Stelvio; trick bike! Bob and Kurt had later commitments and departed OWO. The rest of us had a late lunch/early supper and retired to the firing range to waste some tin cans. Fun!

Around the campfire more technical discussion ensued re cot and tent construction, with a final discourse on the qualities of Sharry’s pecan and apple pies. No unanimous decision was garnered here, and it was deemed that more testing would be appropriate. Roger was Apprentice Firemeister and did a great job.

Rain fell after midnight and all day Sunday as our guests headed home. It was good to see everyone, and great that our COG friends could get away, come together, and enjoy the weekend with each other.

Blue Ridge Ramblings Terry Faherty, #792

Having recently been un-retired, I found myself at the bottom of the vacation pick heap at my new place of employment. Resigned to the choice “ski weather weeks”, I was shocked to find that the week of the Spring Fling in Natural Bridge was still open. I had originally planned to hit the Backroads Magazine Spring Break in Hancock NY, which was scheduled for the weekend, but, for me at least, the Blue Ridge trumps the Catskills any day! Reservations were made and the new online registration system put to good use. Next stop….Natural Bridge!

Having the full week to play with I decided to leave NYC on Tuesday and stay in Front Royal, Va. The better to fully enjoy the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge the next day. For old times sake, I stayed at the Super 8, sight of my first COG rally. The dreaded National of ’92, aka the Snow Rally. It was biblical, all we needed was a plague of locusts! It is also a stone’s throw from the northern entrance to the Skyline Drive. I pulled out of the barn just after 8 am, allowing the rush hour mess to subside. This was to be a shakedown cruise for my new Garmin Zumo 550, so with the direct route preloaded I was off and running, with my feminine companion passing along the pertinent directions via my Scala Rider Bluetooth headset. Shockingly I hit zero traffic, even on the dreaded I-495 of DC fame. Before I knew it I was pulling off of I-66, with Ms.Garmin depositing me at the Super 8 without a hitch at just after 1:20 pm. I lounged around the room and relaxed. Tomorrow, the real riding would start.

After a 5:45 wake up and a quick bite at the free buffet, I was packed and rolling. After stopping to top off the tank, I was pulling onto Skyline Drive by 7:15. The Skyline is actually slightly more technical in spots than the Blue Ridge and makes for a fun ride. The only fly in the ointment is the 35 mph speed limit. I stuck to the old “no more than 15 over” rule and rode the pace for the duration, staying as close to the 50 mph as I could through the turns. I’ve found that that maximizes fun, while it minimizes the danger to your license! It was tough to do in the early morning due to the local fauna. Now we all know about the deer on the Drive, they’ve been so inured by the tourists feeding them that they usually don’t run till you’re right on top of them! Even more prevalent though were the Kamikaze Squirrels. These evil beasties would congregate in groups on the roadway, apparently lapping dew off the tarmac. They seem to prefer the curves too! They also have a disturbing habit of changing direction, willy-nilly. Usually just as you think you’re about to clear ‘em! Not such a big deal in the straights, but downright nerve-wracking in the curves! Thankfully after stopping for some real breakfast chow, the squirrels were gone thanks to sun drying the roads. It was a wonderful morning of riding on the Skyline, with little traffic and fine weather. Before I knew it I was pulling off the Drive at Waynesboro and refilling the tank for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wasting no time I remounted and made a beeline back to the Parkway. As I climbed up the ridgeline, I adjusted my speed accordingly, as the Blue Ridge has a more manageable 45 mph limit, making for a nice summons avoiding 60ish pace. What a pleasure this road is! If you haven’t done it, you really owe it to yourself. Mid-week in May is perfect timing as the tourist traffic is almost non-existent. No cross roads to worry about, just a perfect ribbon of pavement to enjoy! All too soon, I found myself pulling into Otter Creek for a bite of lunch at about 1 pm. After a passable chicken salad sandwich, and waiting for the staff to figure out the new computer, I exited the parkway onto Va Rt 130, an extremely tasty bit of twistalicious pavement. This would deposit me at the Natural Bridge Hotel, headquarters for the rally.

The next two days were spent solo riding the Blue Ridge, first south, then back north. I was not about to waste my time in the area. Roads like this just don’t exist anywhere near my neck of the woods. Many tasty beverages were sampled in the parking lot, as the usual cast of COG characters kicked tires and schmoozed. The requisite banquet on Friday night was filling and delicious. Guy Young, the intrepid host, did a fine job! On Saturday, I took a ride out to Monterey, Va, with Scott Kaplan from Maine. The route was quite enjoyable, with one fortuitous wrong turn becoming a sweet twisty ride….NICE! I just love wearing out the sides of my tires! =D We barely made it out of Monterey after lunch as a VERY black cloud moved it, spitting raindrops. After about 5 minutes, though, the rain was left behind and the sun was out. We pulled back into the lot with just about 240 miles under our belts, and feeling good. I was shanghaied to dinner in Lexington courtesy of Scott and his lovely bride. He had trailered down and had a four wheeler. I was to help with the grunt work getting his Connie back on the sled. We succeeded just before the skies opened up with a heavy

thunderstorm. As we enjoyed more beverages and conversation we began to worry becasue my rommie for the trip, Mike Aldea, hadn’t returned. I finally went back to the room and noticed the message light blinking. Unfortunately, he didn’t know that his phone had connected and all I heard was him talking to an unknown person. It took all of a second to realize he had gone down and was being cared for, but I had no idea where. I let Guy know and as we were about to call out the hounds, the phone rang again and it was Mike. Thankfully he was OK and about to be released from the hospital at Lexington. He had successfully made it up the Parkway through the rain, and was on Rt 130 about 10 minutes from the hotel when a deer came out of the gloom directly in front of him. He was bruised up but his beloved Connie suffered serious damage. Thanks to Rick Riczinger, he got organized the next day and got the bike into a van for the trip home. Having had a serious get off myself back in 2001 I know how it feels.

My own Sunday ride started at just before 7 am when I pulled out of the hotel lot with a light rain threatening. I was slabbing it home up I-81 to I-78 and home. Not much to tell about it other than some serious wind and c-c-cold temps! I got back to Casa Faherty at about 2 pm, seriously wiped out. Mike’s bad luck definitely put a damper on the trip but up till then it had been one for the books. My riding for the rest of the season will be pretty much limited to weekend day trips, so I made the best of this one. Americade will have to wait due to lack of vacation. There goes the streak… 15 straight! The national was a no go for the same reason. Next definite trip is for the Wellsboro Fall foliage rally. I’ll be there... will you?

Page 6 NORTHEAST AREA NEWS

Recurring Events (ON) S. Central Ontario Dinner Get-Together Join us for dinner and socializing. All Welcome. Meet at 6:30pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Mohawk Inn, located on the northwest corner of Hwy. 401 at Guelph Line, Exit 312, next to the Mohawk Raceway & Slots Entertainment Facility. 9230 Guelph Line, Campbellville, Ontario. 905.854.2277 (www.mohawkinn.com) Contact: Dave Clancy, davecla2@sympatico.ca or 905.389.7681.

(PA) Meet Greet and Ride Sundays Meet Sundays at 10:00 am at Kings Restaurant located in Imperial, PA, located right off the Imperial exit of routes 22 & 30. Rides will begin the 1st week in April until the 1st week in Nov. We’ll decide a ride or destination with whoever attends, or I will have a route ready if we need it. If you have a ride idea, or need additional info or directions contact Joe Cyprych 724.796.1401 or cyprych@windstream.net Hope to see you there.

Calendar of Events

(CT) Ride to Mount Greylock 06/21/09 - We will meet at Sunday 9:00AM At Dunkin Donuts at the intersection of Rt 44 and 219, 495 Main St, New Hartford, CT. We’ll depart around 9:30AM and ride through the Berkshires to the Summit of Mount Greylock 3,495 above sea level. Contact Norm Walton ctaad@live.com or 860.836.5162

(MA) Pioneer Valley / Berkshire Ride 06/27/09 - This ride will include some of the best motorcycling roads in western MA, including 112, 116, 202, 8A, and a number of unmarked county roads. Meet at the Blue Moon Diner, 102 Main St (Rt 68) Gardner MA for breakfast. Ride leaves at 9 am. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(MD) North & South 12 Get-Together 06/26/09-06/28/09 - Location: Martha & Russell Fleming's House, 2610 Old Fort Schoolhouse RD, Hampstead MD 21074. Friday June 26 for camping, come and setup your tent and have a cookout in the evening. Camping in the back yard at the Fleming's on Friday and Saturday night. Saturday June 27 Breakfast, Ride and Cookout. Breakfast will be held in the driveway. Serving Bacon and Eggs, Juice and Coffee. Starting at 8:00 am then you can leave at your free will on one of many route that could take you in PA, VA, WV and MD of 260 miles or 1 of 2 short routes of 100 miles or a DUAL Sport Ride that Jay Schaffer has laid out and end back here for a cookout that will start about 6:30 pm. Sunday June 28 Breakfast will be held one more time in the driveway. Starting 8:00 am with a guided ride there after. Lodging in Westminster, MD: Boston Inn, 533 Baltimore Blvd 800.634.0846; Days Inn, 25 South Cranberry Rd, 800.329.7466; Best Western, 451 WMC Drive, 800.528.1234. Lodging in Hanover, PA: Hampton Inn, 800.426.7866; Super 8, 40 Wetzel St, 800.800.8000; Clearview Motor Inn, 901 Carlisle St, 717.637.3701. Directions From Westminster to the Fleming's: Route 140 to Route 27 North 6 miles, Right on Old Fort

Schoolhouse Rd. Fleming's is 1 mile on left at top of hill. Directions from Hanover to the Fleming's: Take PA 94 south into MD where it becomes MD 30. Continue to Manchester. Turn right at MD 27 (Sheetz store on left) 2.4 miles. Then a left onto Old Fort Schoolhouse Rd. Fleming's is 1 mile on left at top of hill. Please give me a call if you plan on coming so that I know how much food to fix. Contact Russell Fleming fleming@qis.net or 410.374.9687

(PA) Cook Forest Camp and Ride Weekend 07/10/09-0712/09 - We will be holding this event at Kalyumet Campground, (www.kalyumet.com) 8628 Miola Rd, Lucinda, PA 814.744.9622. This has turned into an annual event with a great turnout every year. The campground is very motorcycle friendly and they have a very nice campground. Come out and join the gang. The Cook Forest area is an awesome place for riding. Great roads, plenty of attractions to visit, awesome scenery. You can just kick back around the campfire and relax. They are holding an area for us, so when calling for a reservation mention you’re with COG. They allow two tents per site, so you can share a site if you would like. They also have a cabin and sleeping rooms for rent for those who prefer that. Hope to see everyone there. Contact me if you need more info. Joe Cyprych 724.796.1401 or cyprych@windstream.net

(VT) Hogback Mountain – 100 mile view 07/11/09 - Join me for a ride to the summit of Hogback Mountain to check out the 100 mile view. The summit of Hogback Mtn in Marlboro Vermont on Rte 9 is about 2,400 Ft. in elevation and the view on a clear day is great, plus they have a great gift shop and museum onsite for anyone that’s interested. Meet at Cliff’s Cafe, 268 Main St. Townsend MA for breakfast, ride leaves at 8 am for Vermont. If it’s not too crowded, we’ll have lunch at the Hogback Skyline Restaurant at the summit or an alternate lunch stop is a great little pizza/sub shop just east of the Wilmington Center Mobil Station on Rte 9. After lunch, we’ll take Rte 100 & 112 South back into MA. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(VA) Mr. B’s BBQ 07/11/09 - Ride to eat, eat to ride, repeat! Plan your own route, enter it in your GPS and don’t be late for some of the best BBQ in the state of VA. Join your fellow VA & WV Coggers for lunch ride to Mr. B’s BBQ. Plan on meeting around noon at Mr. B’s BBQ , Route 340 in White Post, VA. next to the Post Office in White Post on RT 340. Contact: Kurt & Sue Nordstrom: ironhorsefun@mindspring.com or 540.582.9414

(VT) Vermont Back Roads Ramble Ride 07/18/09 - This ride will be hosted by long time New Hampshire COG Member, Mark Jenson. Meet Mark at 8:30 AM at the Brattleboro, VT Dunkin Donuts, just south of the rotary on VT RT 5 at the intersections of NH RT 9 and Exit #4 off I-91. This is a 185 mile loop ride on State and county roads with a lunch stop at the Pine Tree Diner in Granville, NY [mile 90] Optional visit to the Slate Valley Museum

(www.slatevalleymuseum.org) returning back to Brattleboro, VT around 4PM. Contact: Mark Jenson mjenso@comcast.net 603.756.4143 or 603.513.8633

(PA) Philly Area Tech Session 07/18/09 – Member Barry Lassoff has offered to host a tech session at his home, 737 Woodfield Rd, Villanova, PA from 9am to 4pm. Barry has a 2-car garage with a lift and tire changer available for use. He has a limited assortment of other basic tools available (wrenches, sockets) so bring along extra or special tools you will need. You'll need to bring your own parts, tires, fluids, etc. Tire changing demo and practice wheels/tires available. No Fees, just show up prepared to have fun, work on your bike, shoot the breeze, whatever. For more info or directions contact Barry Lassoff: b.lassoff@verizon.net or 267.884.6268

(CT) Ride to Battleship Cove, Fall River MA 07/18/09 - Gerry Barnett will lead a ride to Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA to visit the ships, subs, and boats there. It is a fascinating place with lots to see. If you haven't been here before or lately, there are some great additions to the museum. You might want to bring walking shoes to change into. Expect 3 hours est. roundtrip + 4 hrs exploring. Lunch can be had on the USS Massachusetts or various other places in Battleship Cove. We will meet at 9:00AM at Dunkin Donuts, 307 Boston Post Rd, Windham, CT. We expect to return here around 4PM. At the Eastern end of the highway section of Rt 6 near "Romantic Willimantic" at the entrance to the Windham Airport off Rt 6 (Boston Post Road). Garmin Mapsource route is available to anyone who wants one. Email me. Contact Gerry Barnett gbwinger@yahoo.com or 860-265-2090.

(MA) Yankee Candle & S. Sugarloaf Summit 07/25/09 - It’s been a few years since I’ve hosted a ride to the Yankee Candle Factory in South Deerfield MA and the nearby Sugarloaf Mtn Summit overlook. If you’ve never been to the candle factory it‘s quite a take plus we’ll be riding some of the best roads in central Mass to get there. After touring the factory, we’ll have lunch at a local Restaurant then head up to the Sugarloaf summit which offers a great view of the Amherst area before heading back. There’s a small State parking fee to stop and view from the summit. Meet at Cliff’s Café’, 268 Main St. Townsend MA for breakfast. Ride leaves at 9 am. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(MA) Tri-State Day Ride 08/08/09 - Meet at Cliff’s Café for a ride through NH, VT and back into MA for a three-state day ride. Arrive early for breakfast; ride leaves at 8 am. The plan is to ride to Brattleboro and head north on Rt 5 through Bellows Falls and to Chester and loop back through Grafton and Newfane, pick up Rt 100 south through Wilmington and Jacksonville VT, heading south on Rte 112 back into Massachusetts. Depending on time, we might also stop at the Jacksonville

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Northeast Activity Schedule - View the most up to date info on the online Event Calendar at: www.cog-online.org

ISSUE 3, 2009 Page 7

Winery for their short tour and free samples. Cliff’s Café, 268 Main St. (Rt 119, at the Rt 13 intersection) in Townsend MA. Coordinates: N42 40.027 W71 42.368 Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(WV) Dog Days Campout, Arbovale, WV 08/08/09-08/10/09 - Boyer Station is located in beautiful Pocahontas County surrounded by the Monongahela National Forest. Home base will be the Boyer Motel, Restaurant and Campground, located near the confluence of Routes 28 & 92. The campground has water and electric hookups, picnic tables at each site, hot showers with private dressing rooms, flush toilets (with privacy), sewer hookups for those with a land yacht, dump station, playground and more. The motel has about 20 very rustic rooms. Grocery stores and gas nearby. Kurt & Sue Nordstrom: ironhorsefun@mindspring.com or 540.582.9414; Jason Kaplitz: cog62@kaplitz.com or 814.535.8669

(CT) Ride The Quabbin Reservoir 08/09/09 - Meet at Sunday 8:30AM at Bickfords, 7 Hazard Ave Enfield, CT We will depart at 9:15AM for a ride around the Quabbin Reservoir and then on to Bubs BBQ in Sunderland, MA. Contact Norm Walton ctaad@live.com or 860.836.5162

(NY) Howe Cavern Ride 08/15/09 – Join Bob Barbanti & Steve Cerutti for a 3 hour ride from Newburgh, NY to Howe Caverns, NY. Meet 8:30 am with full tank and empty bladder at the Pilot Travel Center on RT 17K just west of I-84, exit 6. Ride departs promptly at 9:00 am. If you would prefer to stay over, the Comfort Inn Newburgh (5 Lakeside Rd. 845.567.0567) is across the street from the Pilot. 10 non-smoking rooms (5 king & 5 double) have been saved under the name of COG at $109/night. Call on own for reservations. We will take the Howe Cavern tour after stopping for lunch. Be sure to bring appropriate clothing as it is a walking tour and the cavern temp’s are in the 50’s. After the tour you can ride back to Newburgh with Bob or stick around on your own. Contact Bob Barbanti rbarbanti@hvc.rr.com 845.895.1130 or Steve Cerutti steveonline@optonline.net 914.953.4154

(PA) Sport Touring Camaraderie Ride 2 08/16/09 – Organized by members of COG and other sport-touring clubs (FJR, BMW). All brands motorcycles welcome. Meet for breakfast at 9:00am at the Iron Skillet restaurant at the Petro Truck Stop, 1201 Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle PA. Coordinates N 40-13.903 W 077-08.551. There will be 6 rides to choose from between 140 to 200 miles long. One ride will be a mix of paved and unpaved roads. All rides are self-guided and end at the Middlesex Diner in Carlisle PA. For lodging information please contact one of us and we’ll provide information. COG Contacts: Russell W Fleming 410.374.9687 fleming@qis.net or Greg Puterbaugh 717-632-3324 pbaugh1@comcast.net

(NH) Lakes Region Ride 08/23/09 - This is an expanded version of my Lake Sunapee ride. This year we’ll ride three of New Hampshire’s most popular lakes, starting

with Sunapee, then heading north out to New Found Lake and then cut across to Lake Winnipesaukee and back. This is another fairly long ride, so meet me at Cliff’s Cafe for breakfast. Ride leaves at 7:30 am. Cliff’s Café, 268 Main St. (Rt 119, at the Rt 13 intersection) in Townsend MA. Coordinates: N42 40.027 W71 42.368 Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(NH) White Mountains Day Ride 09/05/09 - This will be a full day ride, so plan accordingly. Ride through the Lakes Region and into the White Mountains National Forest heading though Crawford Notch on Rt 302 into Twin Mountains before heading south down Rt 3 and other roads. There’s some beautiful scenery in the White Mountains National Forest and a Sunday is a good day to enjoy the view. Meet at Dunkin Donuts on Rt 110, Chelmsford (Exit 34/495), ride leaves at 7:30 am. (From 495 South, turn RIGHT for 110 West, from 495 North, turn left for Rt 110 west to Dunkins). Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(ME) Acadia Area Camp & Ride 09/10/09-09/13/09 - Join us for a camping & riding weekend at Lamoine State Park, 23 State Park Rd., Lamoine, ME 04605, 207.667.4778. Take U.S. 1 approx. 2 mi. northeast of Ellsworth and proceed 7 mi. southeast on ME 184 to Lamoine State Park. There is spectacular scenery and great riding in Acadia National Park and Downeast Maine. Contact Mike Benham, 603.742.3707.

(VA) Down in the Holler Camp and Ride 9/18/09-9/21/09 - Breaks Interstate Park is a full service state park that sits on the boundary between VA and KY. It’s in a remote area, but has excellent motorcycle roads, limited traffic, and lots of great scenery. FRI & MON are travel days and ther are no planned organized rides. Self-guided routes will be provided for SAT & SUN. There is a lodge on premises with very reasonable rates (about $70, double occupancy). The lodge has only 80 rooms in 6 buildings. I strongly recommend you make reservations early in the year. No rooms are blocked for us and it is first come, first served. I will try to get a room in the building that houses units 111-134. The view out back is spectacular. The lodge also has a restaurant with pretty good food and reasonable prices, and most meals (except when we’re on the road) will be here. The closest town is about 10 miles away and meal options are limited. There’s a very nice campground in the park. Non-electric sites are about $12/night. Ones with water and electric are between $15-20/night. Call to make reservations for the lodge or campground: 276.865.4413 or 800.982.5122 (or fax 276.865.4028). www.breakspark.com. Contact Clyde Watson Clydewatson2@comcast.net or 804.771.3876 (daytime) 804 -921-5896 (cell)

(ME) Nubble Lighthouse Ride, Maine 09/19/09 - I hosted a similar ride last Spring and we had a great time. This year I’ll be riding to Nubble for an early Fall ride and have lunch at the Lighthouse Restaurant again. After lunch we’ll ride the Coast back down into MA. Meet at

Dunkin Donuts, 105 Chelmsford St., Chelmsford MA, Coordinates: N42 36.187 W71 20.752. The start of the ride leaves promptly at 8:30 am. We’ll also be stopping briefly at the Rt 111 Dunkin Donuts & Sunoco Gas station at 1 Hall Farm Rd, Atkinson NH to meet up with other riders from NH. Dunkin Donuts is on right heading east on Rte 111 at the Jct of Hall Rd & 111.Quick Stop at the Jct 111 & 121 in Hampstead NH. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(PA) NE Fall Foliage Rally, Wellsboro 09/24/09-09/27/09 - Wellsboro, PA has proven to be a great location for past NE Regional rallies and we decided to try it in the fall this time. It's central location is an easy day ride for many members and offers great riding and sightseeing at an affordable price. The host town of Wellsboro is located in north central PA, along the famous RT 6 corridor, not far from New York State's Finger Lake Region, and is abundant with museums, wineries, terrific scenery, and great roads. Watch for details. Contact Jason Kaplitz: cog62@kaplitz.com or 814.535.8669

(MA) Mount Greylock Foliage Ride 10/03/09 - Mt. Greylock Reservation has been closed to auto traffic for 2 years while renovations were conducted throughout the reservation. Greylock reopened in 2009 so I thought this would make a great destination. Meet at Dunkin Donuts on RT 110, Chelmsford (Exit 35 / 495) for a ride out the Mohawk Trail into North Adams MA to climb to the summit of Mt. Greylock. Ride leaves at 8:00 am. Mt Greylock is the highest point in the State of Massachusetts (3,491 ft), so bring your cameras to capture the Fall colors of a 3 State view. We’ll stop for lunch in the Berkshires, or maybe have lunch at the Summit Lodge if it’s open. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(ME) Maine Mid Coast Ride 10/10/09 - Come and enjoy the mid coast scenery & foliage on the Boothbay & Pemaquid Peninsulas. These two are perhaps my favorites of the nine rocky mid coast Maine peninsulas that jut into the Gulf of Maine. Meet at 8:30 AM at I-295, Ex. 17, Visitor Info. Center in Yarmouth, ME. Contact Mike Benham, 603.742.3707.

(WV) Fall Foliage Ride 10/16/09-10/18/09 – This year join us in wild and wonderful WV, as we will be based out of KOA in Harpers Ferry, WV (www.koa.com/where/wv/48107) . For those that do not want to do the camping/cabin thing; there are hotels and motels close by, as well as a huge amount of eating establishments within a 10 minute drive. Saturday breakfast will be at Mountain View Diner in Charles Town (www.mountainviewdiner.com). After breakfast we'll have approximately 225-250 mile ride on some roads in the area, covering 4 states and every possible type of road, except dirt, although those will be available at extra charge. From river bottom roads to the tallest peaks in the east, a good time will be had by all. For those that don't want to ride the route, there are enough historic spots to keep you busy for the entire week, let

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Roanoke VA - Randy & Carlene Clark #8698 Emmaus PA - Patrick Burke #8700 Lake Luzerne NY - Jonathan Morehouse #8707 Aliquippa PA - Tom & Sandi Finch #8709 Natick MA - Christian Carlsen #8716 Cheswold DE - Robert Thompson #8719 Northborough MA - Mark Lieberman #8721 Madison Heights VA - Troy Evans #8724 Sandston VA - Alan Thomas #8727 Bethlehem PA - Keith Turner #8733 Stockton NJ - Ken Mills #8734

Syosset NY - Dana Linden #8738 Niagara Falls ON Canada - Howard Smith #8740 Hingham MA - West Frazier #8744 Davidsonville MD - Will Campbell #8746 Hollis NH - Jim Hirni #8761 Kingston MA - Edward Francis #8764 Londonderry NH - Bob Field #8766 Greenbelt MD - Kevin Carrion #8768 Essex MD - Alfred General #8778 Cheshire CT - David Cunningham #8786

Welcome to Our Newest Northeast Area Members! (since the last newsletter)

Page 8 NORTHEAST AREA NEWS

alone a weekend. From John Brown's last stand to some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War are within a few minutes drive. Saturday evening chow at a place TBD since none of my past places are still open. On Saturday, Charles Town Races and Slots offers a all you can eat Seafood and Prime Rib Buffet (www.ctownraces.com). At $21.99 it is a great deal (but expensive) and open for debate. We'll decide at that time. Questions, comments or suggestions, give Jimmy Miller a yell at millerized@comcast.net or Contact: Kurt & Sue Nordstrom: ironhorsefun@mindspring.com or 540.582.9414

(MA) COG Fall Pizza Social 10/24/09 - My Fall Social will be at a different venue and at an earlier time so that weather permitting, members can ride to this event. It will be a lunch time event at Romano’s Pizza, 1794 Bridge Street (Rte 38, Bridgewood Plaza), Dracut MA 01826, www.mypizzamenu.com. They have great food and a large seating area where we can hang out and enjoy the afternoon. There is plenty of parking within view of the dining area. This will be an “All Weather” event, so come on 2 wheels or four. Arrive at Romano’s at 12:30 pm and relax. COG New England will be contributing

to the appetizers to celebrate another great year of riding with friends. If out of towners need direction, contact me. From 495 North or South, take Exit 38 which is also Rte 38 and follow through Lowell and stay on 38 North. At intersection of Rte 38 & 113 (Wendy’s on right), go straight through lights, Romano’s is 1 mile up on the Left in Bridgewood Plaza. From 93 North or South, take Exit 46 to the Methuen Rotary and bear right onto Rte 113 toward Dracut. Follow Rte 113 West for 6 miles to the Rte 38 intersection (Wendy’s on Left). Take Right onto 38 North and go 1 mile, Romano’s on Left in Bridgewood Plaza. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(MA) Big Chill Ride 11/07/09 - Join me for my last scheduled ride of the season. This will be a late seaon Fall ride around the Merrimack Valley area starting in Acton MA and riding through Clinton, Ayer, Groton, Pepperell, and stopping for lunch at Joey’s Diner in Hollis NH, returning back in Acton at MotoMarket before they close. Meet at the Acton Bickfords, Nagog Park, Rt 2A/119. Ride leaves at 9:00 am. Contact: Kevin Martin cog145@verizon.net or 978.459.6275

(VA) Brrrr Ride 11/13/09-11/15/09 - Started by Guy Young

several years ago, this one has become a perennial favorite. We’ll gather at the Natural Bridge KOA just off I-81 and RT 11 to camp on Friday and Saturday nights. For those not wanting to camp the KOA has cabins available with heaters (sort of) that will keep the chill off. To make reservations with the KOA please call 540.291.2770. There are hotels and motels in the area for those that require hard top shelter Budget Inn: 540.291.2896, Relax Inn: 540.291.2143. Saturday morning we’ll meet for breakfast at 8:00 AM at the Pink Cadillac Restaurant (RT 11), just a mile north of the entrance of the KOA. The route will take us over some awesome roads with lunch, then back to the camp for dinner and COG camaraderie. Hopefully there will not be a fire ban and will have a nice campfire this year. Contact Kurt or Sue Nordstrom: ironhorsefun@mindspring.com or 540.582.9414.

Please check the online Event Calendar at www.cog-online.org for the most complete and up to date activities listing.

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COG National—Thoughts from the Road Steve Smith, #3184

Norm & Lorie told the tale of our ride south to the national. My return trip home began with Steve & Sue Cerutti (aka the merchandise couple). We departed Friday morning around 6:30am, heading into Cherokee and hitting the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) @ 7:45am. We had no set plan except to ride the BRP as far as we could before dark and stop for the night. We had the BRP to ourselves for the first few hours, except for the black bear that ran crossed about 20 yards in front of us. That was the first of many wildlife sightings we had. During out daylong trip on the BRP we saw a total of two bear, 4 deer and one fawn, a kamikaze black squirrel, and many 2 wheeled, chrome plated turtles. As we climbed in elevation the fog/clouds rolled in and it slowed out pace a bit. We rode the parkway stopping occasionally for breaks, fuel, and a few photos ops. The last time I rode the BRP there were several visitor centers on the parkway that had fuel. When we stopped at Mt Pisgah visitor center to fuel up I was surprised to learn that these are now gone, with the only fuel being off parkway. The attendant provided information on the next nearest fuel and we were off.

Later in the morning we met Chris Lawrence from CT near the Craggy Gardens construction. We parted ways at Mt Mitchell State Park. We continued enjoying a brisk pace on the parkway until we were held up by several cars held up by a pack of chrome plated turtles. They finally turned into an overlook and once again we were on our way. Shortly after noon we needed to find a place for fuel for the bikes and ourselves. And we stopped in Boone, NC for a mid-day break. After a relaxing meal got back on the BRP. Continuing north we stopped at Mabry Mill for a rest stop and to get some photos, then up to Tuggles Gap to fuel up for our last leg of the parkway. By 6:30pm the road was wet from a passing shower and we began to see deer on the side of the parkway, it began to get a bit foggy, and then we came around a curve to find a momma deer and fawn standing in our lane. With 45 more miles left of the parkway and dusk/dark approaching we decide it best to exit at US 60 which was a great twisty road of switch backs taking us down from the mountains to I-81. From there we headed north to Harrisonburg, VA. We knew the rest of the crew had slabbed it there from Fontana and was making an overnight stop. We got there, had some dinner and joined the crew for a beer. The next morning we all hit the slab for NY/CT.

Kudos to all involved with the rally. Even the weather mostly cooperated. I had a great time, but it was bittersweet as we lost a rider during the event. My deepest sympathy to the Perkins family and friends, especially Bob & Melanie Chappell.

C o n c o u r s O w n e r s G r o u p

N o r t h e a s t A r e a F a l l F o l i a g e R a l l y S e p t e m b e r 2 4 - 2 7 , 2 0 0 9

W e l l s b o r o , P A

Wellsboro has proven to be a great location for a NE Regional rally. Its central location is just a day ride or less for many members and offers great riding and sightseeing at an affordable price. Our host town of Wellsboro is located in north central PA, along the famous Route 6 corridor, not far from New York State's Finger Lake Region. It is well known for the old fashion gas street lights. The rally area is abundant with museums, wineries, terrific scenery, and great roads. Rally Headquarters: Penn Wells Lodge, 62 Main St, Wellsboro, PA 800.545.2446 570.724.2111 (www.pennwells.com) A limited block of rooms will be held until 08/24/2009 - book early. Room rates vary (approx. $70/night) depending on type of room. Ask hotel about options. Mention Concours Owners Group to get rooms in our block. Alternate Lodging: Penn Wells Hotel a block away (same number as lodge) Sherwood Motel ($79-$89), (www.sherwoodmotel.org) 800.626.5802. Camping (make your own arrangements): Stony Fork Creek Campground, 658 Stony Fork Creek Road, Wellsboro, PA, www.stonyforkcamp.com 570.724.3096 Rally Fee: $40 per person. COG Member discounts: $35 per person for COG members, their immediate family or significant other. Save an additional $5 per person if event registration is submitted through www.cog-online.org Refund Policy: Prior to 9/15/09, fee paid minus $5. No refund after 9/15/09. Banquet dinner seating limited to first 150 registrations received. Rally fee covers Saturday dinner, door prizes, and other rally expenses. Wristbands may be used to identify registered attendees. Riding: Sample self-guided ride routes available from rally web page. Events: We’ll continue the tradition of the famous full smorgasbord banquet at the Penn Wells Hotel on Saturday; a COG favorite! Questions? Jason Kaplitz 814.535.8669 or cog62 @ kaplitz.com Rally web page: can be found in the online calendar of events at: www.cog-online.org If registering by mail: complete & mail form below with rally fee payable to “Concours Owners Group” to: Steven Smith – Fall Rally, 39 Alison Ave., Naugatuck, CT 06770-3566

2009 Fall Rally Registration Form (Please PRINT Clearly) Name: (One form per person) ____________________________________________ AMA # _____________ COG #____________

Street: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

City: _________________________________________________ State/Province: ________________ Zip Code: _______________

Phone: (______)_____-____________ E-Mail: ____________________________________________________ Country: _________

I will be a: rider/ passenger / guest Motorcycle model: _________________________ License tag # __________________

Emergency Contact Information: Name: _________________________________________________________________

Phone No.: (_______)_______-____________ Relationship:____________________

Please read and sign the following Concours Owners Group Release: I understand that the Concours Owners Group (COG) cannot assume responsibility for my personal safety in this event. I choose to participate in this event voluntarily, based on my own assessment of my abilities, the routes conditions and facilities, and therefore assume all risks. I release and hold harmless COG, its officers, agents and members from any and all injury and/or loss to my person or property that may result from my participation in this event. I further certify that my vehicle and I are in compliance with all applicable license, insurance and financial responsibility laws applicable to my participation in this event.

All participants under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian sign the following additional release. As the parent or guardian of the above participant, and being informed or familiar with the risks normally associated with motorcycle events, I hereby consent to his or her participation in this event, and accept and adopt all the representations and assumptions of risk set forth in the foregoing release.

Participant Parent or Signature: ________________________________________________ Guardian (if applicable) ___________________________________