Along The Road

CANTON, CT – A global pandemic can quickly cause folks to reflect on all the simple pleasures that many of us have had to do without lately – like a leisurely ride through the countryside on a warm, sunny afternoon with an ice cream stop along the way.  Together, motorcycles …

SOUTHWICK, MA – It’s helpful to be polite when visiting the Gristmill Cafe, but only because it’s a cozy eatery with tables so close together that it’s sometimes necessary to make room for neighboring diners to come and go. “Always Ridng” columnist Paul Siciliano had suggested stopping there for lunch …

NEW LEBANON, NY – It doesn’t have a tin roof, rusted or otherwise, but the The K Shack is a funky little shack that has been serving up shrimp tacos, pulled pork and other roadside fare for slightly more than six weeks, having opened on July 4. Owner Kelly Hagan …

COPAKE FALLS, NY – Because it was only built in 1857, the Taconic Wayside Inn can’t ever claim that “George Washington slept here,” but old pictures posted online by the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society reveal that New York Yankees’ slugger Babe Ruth once visited. Other old pictures show an establishment …

OWLS HEAD, ME – What do three guys who need a place to fly their vintage airplanes do when nearby locations are scarce? They buy a prime piece of land on the Maine coast, build a runway, construct a road into the property, and put up a building to house …

HUDSON, MASS. – It is filled with what Colin Rixon succinctly calls “the tools of war.” Inside the 65,000-square-foot American Heritage Museum are more than two-dozen tanks. There’s also a variety of other armored vehicles among the more than 90 total; a V-1 flying bomb from World War II, a …

HUDSON, NY – It began with four pieces of apparatus in 1925 and has grown into an impressive, multi-gallery repository filled with approximately 60 retired firefighting vehicles. Not only does the FASNY Museum of Firefighting amaze visitors, it also prompts staffers to reflect on the past. “I can only imagine what …

(Editor’s note: THIS EATERY HAS CLOSED) SHEFFIELD, MA – Its name comes from the nearby Bash Bish Falls. It has been open for nearly four years, but RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland only heard about Bash Bish Brew & ‘Que recently when a friend discovered it, came away raving about its combo …

NEW PRESTON, CT – In a pub filled with artifacts, the shiny, red 1920 Indian Scout “motocycle” enclosed in glass behind the bar stands out. “Every part on it is original,” reports John Harris, owner  of the White Horse Country Pub & Restaurant, who obtained it out of a museum …

PORTSMOUTH, RI – Automobiles showcased as pieces of art. That’s the accomplishment of the Newport Car Museum where 70 exotic, stunning and rare models covering 65 years of motoring (1954 through today) are on display. “‘Oh, wow’ is the most heard exclamation as they walk through and see the galleries …

DERBY, CT – It’s a place that’s easy to drive by. That because House of Bones BBQ is located in an odd spot on busy Route 34, just east of Route 8.  Heading south, House of Bones BBQ comes quickly into view as you come around a corner. The problem …

(Editor’s note posted Dec. 14, 2021 – Bob’s Diner has closed since this story was published.) BREWSTER, NY – It was shortly after stopping at Bob’s Diner here recently that I mentioned the visit to someone, who immediately responded, “That’s a greasy spoon.” Well, yes, and that’s what makes the …

WILMINGTON, VT – It’s no exaggeration to say that Dot’s Restaurant is the diner too beloved to close. It could have easily stayed shuttered after Tropical Storm Irene came through in late August 2011 and caused the Deerfield River (which runs through downtown) to overflow. Dot’s sits above of the …

GAYLORDSVILLE, CT – There are always those places in your locale that you continually pass by and just never really notice – until a heavenly smell comes billowing your way and draws you in. Enter The Old Oak Tavern. Established in 2016, it’s located at the southern end of South …

VERNON, CT – Asked on Saturday afternoon at the opening of the New England Motorcycle Museum what his plans for Sunday were, museum founder Ken Kaplan replied simply, “Sleep.” He quietly added, “I haven’t slept much in the last couple weeks.” The Café Fever motorcycle show that officially launched the …