STAR 2016 Vermont

[wardie]

[attachment=1][/attachment]This was our first STAR for Nate Davis and myself and we had a blast! Kudos to Dale Hall and Tom Mckierney (spelling?) for providing good sites to see and a pace that was fun, exciting but not pushing the envelope. The Honda demo fleet gave me an opportunity to scratch off my bucket list the F6B Goldwing Harley look-a-like cruiser. Didn't check the tach and put her into the rev limiter at 6k. Bike scared me to death when coming to a stop! Heard all those stories about falling over but was quite surprised how agile an elephant can be. After that demo I jumped on the VFR Interceptor and just fell in love. Very predictable, linear power delivery, and those four cylinders that sound was way cool! Probably move the pegs down a tab though.

Great banquet, Alonso was very entertaining and I walked away with a $50 gift certificate which I redeemed on my way home at Max BMW. Nate and I wanted to stop at Motorcyclepedia in Newburgh, New York. What a great place. My guess probably the largest Indian collection ever and Big Daddy Ed Roths creations were there including the famous "Rat Fink". Managed to squeeze 1895 miles in and just got home at 10:30am today!

Looking forward to the Mail Pouch Flyby!

Thanks Dennis, Ann  and  all the volunteers who made STAR an awesome event.

Congrats to Richard Grabowski for winning the BMW! Nice guys do finish first...enjoy for many years to come Rich. Larry

[Buckeye56]

Betty Lise and I had a great time at STAR 16. Thank you to all of the volunteers who made it possible!

[Brick]

Larry I hadn't realized that you had not attended a STAR before. Glad you made this one. As usual it was great to se you!

The Ohio membership was well represented! It's a great group of friends from the big O-H-I-O.
As you said the VFR is just too smooth! One bike I've never owned but should have. It seems I may have missed my chance as my joints seem to prefer a more sit up riding style that my Super Tenere' affords.


Let's Ride!
Brick

[bcd]

Kris flew back home Thursday. I left STAR for MA, RI and CT and visited an old high school friend, then got home today.  Had a great time.

Many thanks to all the volunteers for a great STAR! We had a very good time.

Congratulations again to Rich for winning the F800. That's an excellent strategy for dealing with VFR R/R failure!

[DirtFlier]

[...Congratulations again to Rich for winning the F800. That's an excellent strategy for dealing with VFR R/R failure!...]

Serious VFR riders wear a bandoleer under their riding jacket with multiple R/Rs poised and ready to go.  :-)   

[wardie]

Thanks Brick and it was great seeing you again. Probably will do Colorado Springs next year but looking forward to the Fly By. Here's some MSTA pics

[wardie]

and these...


have a safe 4th of July and remember it's Independence Day!

[stevegrab]

Just got off the phone with my brother Richard, he and the BMW F800GT at the the BMW dealer in Detroit area getting its first service. We droe to VT and back Mon/Tue to get his VFR and had a pleasant drive on the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86/NY17) across NY. Our hotel in Rutland was a dump, one of the worst I've stayed in from Choice Hotels. They recently bought it and were remodeling, and it was bad enough I'd think they should not even be open (had to go to a nearby Quality to check in, for breafkast, etc.) And some guy was doing contruction shortly after 7AM when we woke up.

But all that is still overshadowed by a great event, and the lack of real serious problems plus the raffle bike winner. Richard saw Bryan Dunlap posted some photos from the lunch ride, one that showed us on our bikes going bye. That is my favorite right now, and my desktop image at work. I need to review my GoPro and regular camera for other notable shots and get some off to Jim Park and the others. That inclues some photos and videos of Richard riding the raffle bike.

[brider]

I absolutely suck at taking the time to take pictures so I have zero but I do want to ask if anyone else saw and then snapped a shot of bald egles nesting on top of the T top telephone poles?  I saw them in NY, PA and I think in VT as well.  Huge nests right on top of the poles.  On the last day before my bike bit the dust I saw one thta you coulde clearly see a bald eagle sitting in it.  Pretty cool.

[stevegrab]

I missed those bald eagles nesting, did see some near home in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on my commute one day. With all the moose, elk and deer signs I'm surprised we saw none of them (maybe some deer but I see those daily on my commute).

I'm going to try and most some pics here, and maybe join the modern era with doing them on smugmug. Would also like to share some of my helmet cam videos with the group.

[bcd]

I did see a bald eagle but did not photograph it.

I've seen them twice this year on my commute, it's cool that they're deep into Columbus now.

[RichGrab]

Thanks Dennis, Ann  and  all the volunteers who made STAR an awesome event.

Congrats to Richard Grabowski for winning the BMW! Nice guys do finish first...enjoy for many years to come Rich. Larry

Thank Larry. Pleasure to meet you as well and I plan on enjoying the Raffle Bike for many years to come.

[RichGrab]

Had the most awesome time attending my first STAR. It was like "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in a way, with twist and turns at every window of opportunity. But you know what, it was just a blast like none other I've ever experienced. And for me, how could it get any better. The solo ride from MI to OH and then group ride to VT was stupendous. The roads in VT were likewise pretty darn good, and the Honda demo team allowed me to try out three bikes - the Africa Twin, the 2016 Interceptor (had to fold up like a pretzel to sit on it) and the F6B. I'd never ridden anything so big, and the girl told me "Don't worry. After you get to about 5 mph, you won't even feel the weight.", and she was right. The smallest tap on the bars and it just turned in - I was impressed.

Thanks to every single volunteer who did anything to make this STAR a great success. And thanks also to all who bought raffle tickets to support the club. I do almost every year, and after my win this year, I vouch that I will buy every year from now on, even if the bike doesn't interest me.

Photos (in order): Loaded up to leave Stratton, the farewell sign in lobby from the EC, night 1 ride home in NY, side of the road on PA 666 (freshly chip and sealed), VFR loaded and ready to return to OH. (Thanks again Steve.) 

[donmoe]

VFR loaded and ready to return to OH.

Rich,

What brand/model trailer is in that photo?

  ---- Don

[HawkGTRider]

VFR loaded and ready to return to OH.

Rich,

What brand/model trailer is in that photo?

  ---- Don

Richard can say for sure, but it looks like a Kendon trailer that folds and can stand up almost flush against a wall.