Brother "Bolt On" proudly displaying his drink chip which reads "I love this bar" as mayhem ensues outside
One of the locals "bleeding out" during a break in the festivities
A much calmer and drier ride home
The drink will flow and blood will spill...and if the boys wanna fight you better let 'em!
Ahhh Brookfield 2010. It was that time again! I hadn't started my 50 Pan since I returned home last year (see previous posts on that Odyssey). So what the heck I'll take it again this year!
Off with the cam cover, the wheels, the generator, the front fender, the brakes. Fix and replace tires and gaskets, tighten loose parts, change oil, shop vac out the crust in the gas tanks, tighten chains disassemble and clean clutches, etc. All the day before I'm supposed to leave!
Well Thursday morning was looking dreary and the Jersey crew was all waiting until Friday to head up. Work!? where are their priorities!!!
I was sitting in the local diner with my son Jesse looking out the window at the rain...maybe I'll wait 'til tomorrow and ride up with the boys...yeah that would be the sensible thing to do...nice weather, company, help if stranded...Fuck it! I'm leaving today!
I packed my tools, sleeping bag and tent. Duct tape and plastic wrapped everything up and hit the road. My goal was to be having a cheeseburger and a beer at the Crosstown Tavern just south of Hancock NY by 3:30PM. The rain really started coming down around Easton PA I was just hauling ass and only stopped for gas. It rained the whole way up with a little break here and there just to tease my dumb ass.
I hammered through the Delaware Water Gap on Rt 611 and through Marshall's Creek, passing all the bars me and Sam stopped at year before... Just make it to the Crosstown Tavern, was going through my head. I hit Rt 402 heading toward Lake Swollenballsack and man did it fuckin' rain! I couldn't see shit. That is about 34 miles of nothing through the woods (beautiful on a nice day). I hit Rt 6 and passed by Baer's Harley Davidson. My pan was loading up a bit from some slow going through town. I thought about stopping at Baer's and taking a leak and cleaning the plugs, getting dry...then I heard that voice...Just make it to the Crosstown Tavern...I hit the throttle hard outside of town and cleared it out. Rt 191 the last leg to the Crosstown! Another beautiful ride in nice weather...not today!
I finally arrived at the Crosstown...soaked to the skin...I sat down and ordered a beer and a burger, I looked at the clock on the wall and no shit it was 3:30! Made it!
Back on the Pan the rain had stopped! I headed into NY state 1 mile down the road. Shit gotta put on the Buco. I hit Rt 17 which is a major highway for about 11 miles and then off onto Rt 8. Things were looking great. I had about 60 miles to go when the rain started again and man did it rain!!! The last 50 miles of the trip was the worst rain of the day! I made it up Rt 8 and off into the thriving metropolis of Brookfield NY (Tavern, Court House, general store with one gas pump and the Beaver Den Diner). I pulled into the fair grounds just outside of "town". The Empire Chapter folks were gracious and offered me a dry spot in the barn to set up my tent and dry off. It was great that I didn't have to set up in the down pour! What sleeping I did was on concrete...NICE!
I'll have to finish this tale later...happy hour is over in a 30 minutes!