Three New York State rides I would like to take on my motorcycle

Surely one doesn’t need a reason to go for a ride on their motorcycle but sometimes having a purpose can turn up the volume on the excitement level, make the journey more like a quest rather than an aimless ramble. Here are three New York State rides with a theme that I would like to take on my motorcycle:

Mail Pouch Tobacco Barns

From the first time that I saw a Mail Pouch Tobacco advertisement painted on the side of a barn in West Virginia a few years back, I found them incredibly charming. New York State is home to a good number of these wonderful slices of Americana. Planning a motorcycle route to photograph some of these barns seems like a great way to spend a weekend. When I think of a barn, I think of a farm. When I think of a farm, I think of rambling country roads and that’s just what I like.

An Around the World Ride

Two summers ago after a trip to Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay, an idea was born. Tour the world without ever leaving the state of New York. The Empire state is home to cities such as Amsterdam, Vienna and Poland. Make a collection of photographs of the “Welcome to…” signs from each stop. Coordinating lunch stops or meals from the namesake city would only add to the experience. Eat to ride, ride to eat, international style!

New York’s Gentle Giants

My interest in Muffler Men statues is already well documented. Though they all come from the same basic original design, each Muffler Man, Big Indian and Halfwit that remains standing ever vigilant over the decades is indeed different. I’d love to see them all. My home state is a fine place to begin to grow my collection of photographs. Getting to each one by bike would make the journey even sweeter.

So how about it? Do you have any ideas for rides with a theme?

Welcome to New York Sign at Orient Point New York

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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6 Responses

  1. goldenchild says:

    The GCR, aka “Grilled cheese runs”, often mistaken for “Golendchild’s rides”, this isn’t the case. So what’s a GCR? We hop from diner to diner (traditionally out on LI), and look for decent grilled cheese sammies. If they have cheese fries to go along with the grilled cheeses, all the better. The whole point of the ride is the cheese… up until recently that it.

    Now, in addition to the cheese, it’s also about getting our yayas out with “night twistys”. I know a few great roads on the north shore that are pretty downright technical, which is surprising given it’s the Island and all.

    Last GCR we did, we found a diner in Syosset that has TRIPLE DECKER grilled cheeses!! We’ll be going there for a while me thinks.

    The other theme that I like to do are the “Spring Tune Up” rides that I lead. They take place in early spring and I guess it’s theme would be the mellow pace and the curvey but mellow route. It allows people that have taken the winter off of the bike (chumps. LOL) to get reaquainted with riding again. So far, they’ve been a hit.

    As the Spring Tune Up ride season comes to an end, another type of riding season be gins. I like to call this the “Skill building” season. I take folks down the worst roads I can find, they’re usually either all dirt or all gravel or both. If they’re paved, the roads are the crappiest, bumpiest I can find. This is great way to learn how to handle the bike IMO… a literbike + downhill hairpins on dirt at 45mph = big fun!

  2. bikenhoop says:

    I like theme rides. I rode the length of highway 299 (ocean to Nevada) one weekend. Another organized ride is the Eureka to Yreka ride that follows the Klamath River canyon for most of the trip. I’ve also done barn rides, windmill rides, and waterfall rides where it’s all about the pictures. Lots of options here in NorCal.

  3. OG says:

    I started with the thought of “Caves of PA” and then the concept morphed into “attractions advertised on those teensy billboards on somewhat less used rural highways..” I mean, seriously, who would not want to see the World of Pigeons!

  4. FUZZ! says:

    @OG
    You had me at caves and roadsign attractions. But then.. the birds. I think the more appropriate question is who WOULD want to see world of pigeons?

    PA has a plethora of oddball things to see. You’ll never go hungry for kitsch in the Keystone state. You could probably just pick one county at a time and have a full day each time!

  5. Joni Jones says:

    Fuzzygalore » Blog Archive » Three New York State rides I would… http://tinyurl.com/yfjqswr

  1. January 3, 2010

    […] July of 2009 I posted a listing of 3 New York State rides that I would like to take on my motorcycle. I am slightly modifying one of those rides to make a […]

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