Memorial Day Ride

A cold and rainy Spring is not something motorcycle enthusiasts dream of during the dark days of Winter, but that's exactly the type of weather we've had this year in southwestern Vermont. We finally had perfect motorcycle weather today:  bright robin's egg blue sky with a few puffy white clouds drifting by, bright sunshine, and the temperature hovering just under 70.

Mike had a loose plan for today's ride, based primarily on food:  ride south on Vermont route 7 to North Adams, MA where we could pick the Mohawk Trail heading east. Turn north on Route 5 outside Greenfield, MA to Putney, VT and the famous Curtis' BBQ. Continue on Route 5 to 103, heading back toward home with a quick stop for ice cream.

The one good thing about all the rain this Spring:  everything is a lush shade of green. As we traveled on the winding, twisting roads I felt enveloped in everything green:  leafy trees, grass, new-mown hay, and pine trees with some late-blooming lilac bushes contributing a splash of purple and white.

We rode through several small towns as we followed the Mohawk Trail, and slowed to watch Memorial Day parades and tributes. I thought of a quote I heard recently:  Heroes don't wear capes; they wear dog tags.

Parts of the Mohawk Trail wind steeply through the Berkshires, twisting back and forth alongside the Deerfield River. Mike likes to zoom along these roads, but slowed down so I could take this picture warning of steep roads for the next 2 miles.

Curtis' BBQ in Putney never fails to draw a crowd on a sunny, warm day. We joined several other motorcycle riders at the picnic tables while we enjoyed ribs, corn muffins, and homemade lemonade. There's something about eating outside with the smell of the wood fire and the slow-cooked ribs combining with the sound of Chris playing his guitar and singing classic songs from the 1970's that makes the day complete.