The destination was unknown but the weather outside was so perfect that a motorcycle ride was an easy decision. The trike was full of gas and mp3 music and ready to go in any direction. Heading west on Route 35 and then north on I-684 and west on I-84 got me to the Taconic Parkway in just under forty miles. The scenic 105 mile Taconic has quite a history dating back to the 1920’s. The ride was enjoyable until the TomTom Rider GPS somehow came loose and flew off the trike. Pulling off the road and going back to get the TomTom without getting run over was a challenge and after retrieval it was clear that this damaged TomTom would be no more — it had served me well since 2005.
Heading northwest on route 82 from the Taconic brought me to historic Hudson, New York, a city named after the adjacent Hudson River (315 miles long) and ultimately after the English sea explorer and navigator Henry Hudson. Hudson is only about 2.5 square miles with a population of about 7,500 but it has a very interesting main street with shops, restaurants, and even an Opera House which is in the 1855 former Hudson City Hall. I chose the American Glory for lunch and it was a real treat. A cup of chilli with a piece of cornbread, a small salad, and a WiFi connection to use the iPad. What more could anyone ask?
The second hundred miles of the ride was across the backroads of New York to Great Barrington, Massachusetts and then south through Sheffield and into Connecticut. Turns out the the Iron Bridge crossing the 149 mile long Housatonic River is closed for repairs and there was a twenty mile detour. No problem — some more nice roads to ride! It was a great day to enjoy the scenic views of rivers, mountains, farms, and an infinite number of antique shops. The total trip in the motorcycle log is 222 miles. It will soon be time for 15,000 mile service on the trike.

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