November 21, 2010 Elk Neck, Md

November 21, 2010

Beemer Stats:
238 Miles
43 MPH Ave.
45 MPG Ave

Gypsy Stats:
225.8 Miles
9 Hr 37 Min Elapsed Time
5 Hr 56 Min Riding Time
38 MPH Ave

What a beautiful late autumn morning in SE Pennsylvania. I got up early to run hot water over my back before going out to ride motorcycles around in subfreezing weather (we do this because....?) and found Jupiter brilliant in the eastern sky as the morning star thru the bathroom window. Hello World. Does it get any better than this? Let's go RIDE!

I put on the LD Comfort long johns as base layer. The outdoor thermometer read 28 degrees but I figured it would warm up over the course of the day, so I didn't put on on the thinsulate lined jeans, just the sweat pants between the base layer and the riding suit. For top layer, I wore my $10,000 Tee shirt (not to worry, it came with a free motorcycle) over the LD long sleeves, then the Gerbing electric jacket, riding suit with liner, and light blue Frogg Toggs as an extra wind break. I always feel like I'm wearing my pajamas when I put on the Frogg Toggs. I don't know why, probably the color. I need to get a new set in black.

I mounted up, plugged in, and headed out around 7:00 am with the rising sun just lighting the tips of the trees. The thermometer said 28 and meant it. The electric jacket was toasty but the sweat pants were not enough. My legs were chilly. Next time, I figure the thinsulate and flannel lined jeans come out whenever the temp is below about 45.

We are into late November in PA so most of the leaves are on the ground, with just a few die hard yellow Norway maples holding out and the occasional decorative shrub providing a splash of bright red against the grays and browns of the landscape. The corn and beans are pretty much in, leaving stubble in the fields.

I stopped to gas up at the Redners Quick Stop. Usually, I go in for a quick cup of coffee at this point, but today I was so bundled with layers that I didn't think it was worth the trouble of getting out of the riding gear then bundling up again. I could have just gone in with my gear on but I was wearing the balaclava tucked in to all of the layers of jacket and didn't want to be mistaken for a terrorist by the counter clerk.

The temp was up to 35 as I cruised the ridge over to Reading to form up for the ride. I was looking at the map for ideas of where to go today thinking south and Elk Neck, MD when Tim came out and said, "How 'bout Elk Neck, Md today?" Very weird. But of course it being third Sunday of the month it was off to the Masonic Temple in Birdsboro for breakfast first - custom omelets and special today pumpkin pancakes. Plus, this is the only place I know where you can a get a piece of salt mackerel for breakfast without cooking it yourself.

We didn't dawdle over breakfast and were soon headed south into Chester County. When I found us turning off of US 322 onto Birdell Rd, I called for a quick diversion and lead us over to Chambers Lake on the edge of Hibernia Park. The boat launch parking lot provided the opportunity for a group photo with the site of our old house on Martins Corner Rd, now under water, in the background. By this time, the palatial portapotty at the edge of the lot was a welcome relief as well.

The sky was variable, dark gray overcast threatening as we came out from breakfast, blowing over to bright sun an hour later when we stopped by the lake.

On to Elk Neck State Park! Elk Neck, directly south of Elkton, MD, is a peninsula sticking out into the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay. It is known for its great birding, especially raptors including native bald eagles, high cliffs above the water, and its somewhat stubby, 33 ft high, stone light house. We took the 2 mile hike from the parking lot out to the light house and back. No raptors to be found today, but there was a flock of Eastern Bluebirds and a few desultory vultures circling overhead.

Back north across the Chester Co. horse country got us home just as the sun was setting. Well, that's how many daylight hours there are in a day this time of year.