Ride to the Catskills 2009

[Pillage]

This a ride I lead each year for TheGSResources.  Any Banditos interested?

6th Annual Catskills Ride (West Point) May 30 & 31, 2009
Here are the meeting points with departure times. Please try to be ready to leave each point on time so we don't cause anyone to have to wait a long time. Besides most of us can't wait to get to the Catskills .
Meeting points ................................Depart time
1. Exxon/Dunkin Doughnuts ................ 6:30 AM
Boston Road (Exit 32 495)
Westford, MA

2. Denny's ....................................... 8:35 AM
Queen St (Ex 32 Rte 84)
Southington, CT

3. Gas Station ................................. 10:00 AM
Corner of Rt 52 & 5th Ave
Exit 8 Rte 84 - go north on 52
Newburgh, NY

Last year we all hit the highway early so we could meet on SR-52 just off of Rte 84 at around 10:00AM then rode around the Catskills for the rest of the day and ended up at cheap hotel (with a bar next door) in Newburg. Then did mostly back roads home on Sunday. The weather can go either way that time of year, but it's a cheap trip, we hit some great roads and end up at a bar we can walk to. So all in all it's usually a great trip. Anyone interested?


__________________

[PitterB4]

I would love a trip like this!  Spring is just way too hard for me, though - lotsa travel for work, baseball for my son and me, trackdays...  If you do something like this in the summer or fall, post up!

[Pillage]

If we are going to meet for a ride Newburgh is almost exactly in the middle (about 200 miles for each of us).  I've only ridden the Catskills in the Spring, because there's hardly anyone on the roads.  I'll keep posting rides here, but most of the time I'm headed north for the notches (mountain passes of northern NH & VT).  Maybe we could do another upstate NY ride in July or August?  Anyway, I hope you can make it sometime.   

[Pillage]

WaHoo, Catskills, No rain & in the 60's, No tourists (except us), yeah!

So whose in? Is this right?

Definite: Me, Jethro, Skip, Pano, SPChips, Wingnut
Maybe: ALB80-850, JohnRidesFar, JoeRidesFar,
Next time: KGB, Fi

My cell number hasn't changed, if you need it PM me and I'll send it to you. I've updated the first post, do we need any other meeting/pick-up points or are we set?  FYI, Sunday has changed to early breakfast then highway home for Mother's Day.

[PitterB4]

How'd you make out, man?

[Pillage]

Man what a ride!  No rain and high 50's to low 70's the whole trip.  We picked up riders along the 200 miles to get to the start and met another there. So seven riders at the start and one actually lived in the area, knew the roads we were riding and could ride the daylights out of his modernized 1980 GS1100E Street Fighter.  We did 200 beautiful miles all over the Catskills.  These GSResources Rides are great... Fastest riders up front, but everyone knows that we regroup at every intersection and no rider is left behind so everyone has a great time and rides at their own pace.  The toughest part was after closing the bar next to the hotel I got on the bike at 6AM and made it home in time for Mothers Day.  I sure was tired but MAN WHAT A RIDE!
I will set up anther out that way later this summer!   

[PitterB4]

Sweet!  I'll save my new Diablos for the trip. 

[Pillage]

Sorry Rob, the summer slipped by without another trip to NY state.  Next year for sure.

[plbandit]

Hey pillage I hope you do this again in '09!

[Heaven Bound]

The folks in region 6 on ST.N are talking about having the eastern region gathering in the Catskills next year...I will check back closer to the time and look at the route in detail.  Maybe even solicit a guide?  Any roadside pics of the route?

[Pillage]

If anyone is interested let me know.
I updated the first page for this years ride.
May 30 & 31, 2009

[PitterB4]

Well, the track bike is sold and I'm not traveling much with the new job so this spring may be more doable.  Let me look at the family schedule.  Would you welcome a Kawi and a Triumph (may bring a friend)?????   

[Pillage]

Absolutely.  A lot of the guys on the GS Resources website don't even own GS's anymore.  Right now there will be an FZ1, ZZR, a couple of GS's and my old B12.  Here is a link to the posting...   

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=136568   

BTW, there are more than a few GS guys that ended up with Bandits and are on this site too.