September 9, 2012

 Gypsy Stats:
4 hrs 37 min elapsed time
2 hrs 55 min riding time
122.4 miles
42.0 mph

Beemer stats:
125.9 miles
43 mph
49 mpg

Beautiful day to own a bike in SE PA today

Tim had the annual family day at Knoebel's today, so just two of us to ride, and with afternoon obligations, a short one at that.  But it's a beautiful day to own a bike here in southeastern Pennsylvania this morning and with temps in the high 50's, long base layer, suit liners on, and packin' the heat (plugged in but not turned on) we set off across the county to chase the breakfast pig.  Dave was on his F650GS so we were our own little BMW club of two this morning. We headed out in the bright morning sun to Haag's Hotel in Shartelville - family style breakfast buffet with apple sauce, tapioca pudding, and shoo-fly pie (all previously mentioned) - and a chance to catch up on news, none really good, but none really dire, and talk about plans for another run to W Va, motorcycle playground of the East, later in the month.

Berk County: From this elevation - a plate of ribbon cookies

After breakfast we ran over to Rt 501 and up over the mountain, then back east to Schuylkill Gap and south for the quick route home through Leesport, as we were running short on time.  Nice 125 miles, filled up on Dutch breakfast, and home before noon.  The corn is starting to brown up and dry already - seems early to me - and looks like a bumper crop for the locals.  Funny how the county looks like a plate of ribbon cookies from Google Earth!

In my first 4 decades, I never saw a bald eagle in the wild and never expected to.  In the 90's, I saw bald eagles in the wild twice; in the next decade, 4 times.  So far in 2012, I have seen 5 bald eagles including one this morning soaring above Old Rt 22 west of Shartleville, not in a special eagle-friendly place, not migrating through, just riding the thermals above the Pennsylvania countryside.