Hill Country

CHESTER, VT – A string of bright, sunny days here in February holds the promise of spring, yet we are still about a month away from the Vernal Equinox, or the first day of spring. This is my 46th year of holding a valid motorcycle license, so naturally these spring-like …

CHESTER, VT – During the off-season, motorcyclists are free to dream about the perfect ride. My version of that ride involves clear, dry air; bright sunshine; and paved country roads through hilly country. I’ve been fortunate enough to live that fantasy many times up here in Vermont as well as …

CHESTER, VT – In March 1992, a high school driver’s ed class in Windsor County, Vermont got invaded by half-dozen grizzled looking bikers in black leather jackets, chaps, and steel-toed boots. All of them were pretty much

CHESTER, VT – As I have aged, my motorcycle riding habits have changed. I’ve set criteria for my riding time, and I no longer ride in the rain if I can avoid. Think back on your wettest ride. Mine was a day-long

BRATTLEBORO, VT – In Vermont, it is less and less of a rarity to run into a celebrity. The first time I ever recall actually recognizing a celebrity in the flesh was a chance face-to-face encounter with filmmaker Ken Burns. I was trying to squeeze into the door of a

CHESTER, VT – Where do you keep your stuff? Where do you keep those toys when you are not using them? Right now I have four motorcycles, three are relatively new. They’re gleaming and happy sitting in my non-climate controlled garage. The fourth is a project that is sitting in a …

CHESTER, VT – If you’ve ever had the pleasure of driving a good go-cart on a curvy track, you know the feeling. You’d swear you were traveling at close to 180 miles per hour when in reality you might be pegging the speedo at 30. This is what a friend …

CHESTER, VT – As the 2016 motorcycling season truly gets going, my thoughts have turned to gear. I’m talking about jackets, boots, helmets, gloves, and those comfort and safety items for the ride. If you are a pack rat like me, you’ve got tons of stuff lying about. This is …

CHESTER, VT – It isn’t a ride I could do every day; there are just too many echoes of my past. I have to be in the mood for a ride like this, running parallel histories through my mind as the road unwinds. It causes me to struggle with keeping …

CHESTER, VT – I’ve bought and sold motorcycles for 45 years, and only once have I purchased one that I never rode for at least a few months. I buy them, enjoy them, and sell them when I’m looking for a different experience. Over the years, I’ve owned everything from …