Craig, Rob, Kevin, Action Dan, Ron, Kelly
Yes, the Darkside Adventures Team was truly dark in 2021. To bring you back up to speed, the last time we were live was February 2020. The Rona virus was just starting, and within weeks of our return to the states… well you know, you lived thru it (hopefully).
The Michigan and part of the Indiana contingent of the Darkside Team did do a Loop the Yoop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for about a week in February of 2021, but a full fledged Team effort was delayed… until now.
Due to continuing restrictions in Canada and our weariness of what the scene was going to be, our faithful Leader Craig put together a 10 day ride on the East Coast of the good ole USA. We departed today, Saturday January 22, 2022, and we are currently outside HorseHeads, NY. We are headed to Plymouth, New Hampshire, where we will park our trucks and trailers for the duration of our saddlebag ride.
While the tried and true Team Members are here, Fearless Leader Craig, Bullet Catcher “Action” Dan, Stick, the old man Ron Nicks, Yamaha Kevin, Chip Nasty, Hedgehog Phil, Rimel, and Ski Doo Matt, we also have a couple newbies on this run. We will get to their introductions later, if they make it past day 3.
We are excited to ride the East Coast, obviously it is new territory for most of us, me anyway. I hate to admit this, but I never really looked at the North American map very closely on our previous trips to Quebec and New Brunswick. I see now how close we were to the U.S. border, Maine in particular, on those prior trips! You should check it out for yourself, just don’t belittle your writer for my lack of geography.
Yamaha Kevin and his tasty breakfast sandwich
The Michigan crew met at Craig’s shop in Fenton, MI, and after a tasty breakfast sandwich prepared by Fearless Leader himself (bacon, egg, cheese on a English muffin) and a quick run back to my house down the road for a forgotten item, we were on the road by 9am, not to far off our scheduled 8am departure time! I believe the Indiana crew got a bit of an earlier start than we did, as when I called Hedgehog around 7:45 am to check on them, they were apparently misdirected in the cornfields of Indiana… I think Ski Doo Matt had his GPS programmed for the nearest Miller Lite dealer, instead of New York!
Shockingly, we had an uneventful ride from Michigan, thru Ohio, part of Pennsylvania, and into New York, about 590 miles, and we arrived around 5pm. The most shocking part to me was, for years I insist upon leaving Base with a clean, freshly waxed truck and trailer… and it never fails… we drive on wet, snowy, salty roads and the black truck looks gray/brown after just 30 miles. Not today… my buddy RS would be happy, we arrived with mostly clean trucks, as the roads were dry and the sun even poked out a couple times. The Indiana crew beat us in by about 45 minutes, and Chip Nasty already had our room keys for us! I love it when things go smooth ( I am aware I probably just jinxed myself).
My new wing man ( this is my third for those keeping track) and I are sitting at the Texas Roadhouse, across from the Fairfield by Marriott that is our lodging for tonight, enjoying a delightfully cold tall Coors Light draft in the bar area, while I type this effing blog for my 6 followers ( I used to have 8, but they keep dropping like flys on me). The rest of the crew, there is 12 riders on this tour, are pre-gaming in the hotel room. Apparently our dinner time is 7pm, hope it works out, cus this place is packed right now. The Titans vs. Bengals game is on, and I’m ready to get off this writing gig for the night.
It feels good to be back, I will even admit it feels good to be back doing this stupid blog that I bitch about all the time, and I am really looking forward to 10 days on the trail with these guys… it’s been too long, and they’re a good bunch of guys.
Tune in tomorrow night and see how Day 2 on the Road goes.
Bye for now, and “GO BUCS”
Stick
Rob and Stick
