I have embarked on a week long road trip around New England to get a sense of how the new gear and motorcycle feel. It is still pretty cold around this time, but I look forward to testing the gear out in these conditions! Let me give you a glimpse into my New England Trip.
Before I left, I noticed some pretty bad dry rot on the front tire. Since I was going to have it apart anyways, I thought it would be a good idea to test out some of the tools I’ll be bringing with me.
Fixing the front tire on the motorcycle
The good news is I got everything apart by hand! I even tried balancing the tire while it was on the motorcycle by loosening the axle, and it worked pretty well. No shakes regardless of speed! I mounted the tire, replaced both valve stems and gave the bike an oil change.
After finishing, I was very ecstatic about leaving. I grabbed anything I could in my sight and just left without thinking twice about what I left behind. I mean, it is my first trip fully loaded! This could make or break my dreams, right? Well, not really, but you get the point. I was pretty determined to make this happen no matter what.
My general route around New England
My trip consists of five destinations:
Phillips, Maine
Conway, New Hampshire
Burlington, Vermont
Jeffersonville, Vermont
East Granby, Connecticut
Many people who own the Suzuki V Strom talk about the seat being uncomfortable, but I found it to be fine once I got the hang of how to sit. There are probably more comfortable seats on other bikes, but this will have to do!
I cannot say a single bad thing about the Klim Kodiak Motorcycle Gear. Having researched plenty before buying this gear, I realized I made a good decision after the first day wearing them. I left Boston at 75 Degrees, and with some of the vents on the gear open, it felt like I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
First stop: Maine
Ready to go!
By the time I got to Maine, things started getting very cold. At some points along the road, the temps dipped down to 32 degrees. With the vents up, I didn’t feel cold at all with minimal clothing on underneath this gear. It is worth every penny I spent.
A smooth 4-hour ride and I made it to my first stop; Phillips, Maine. My family, friends, and I have been coming to this place for about 10 years now. It is such a beautiful place to be rain or shine. Mountain ranges in the background, and the [Sandy River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_River_(Kennebec_River_tributary)) right at your feet!
The Sandy River in Phillips, Maine
It has been real nice to unwind up here for a couple days. You can hear the sound of the rushing river from the house. One thing I noticed while I was up here? The river gets much louder during winter. How could it not? This powerful rush of water rises about 6 feet higher than it does in summertime!
White Mountain Hostel
White Mountain Hostel
This place did not disappoint. Very clean and cozy, with a record player in the common area! It was great meeting everyone who was staying there as well. With the time of year being just between ski and hiking season, it wasn’t very packed. I stayed the night and headed off for the Kancamangus Highway, a bit of a scary ordeal, in fact.
The Kancamangus Highway is a 55 mile stretch of road, with nothing but forest around. It really is beautiful year round, however I had only seen it in summer time before this trip. In typical New England fashion, it starts snowing unexpectedly. I kept warm with the gear I was wearing, thankfully. Some snail paced riding through these icy curves. 55 miles that I could have done without, although it was a great lesson on keeping the bike upright and steady in slick conditions. Probably the scariest part of my New England trip!
I made it out of the Kanc…
I stopped for gas, and realized the heavy rain was starting to come in a lot earlier than expected. Because of this, I had to cut my trip short, and start heading back to Massachusetts. If I were on the road during my big trip, I would have set up shop somewhere for a couple days until the heavy rains died down. It seemed to be a good stopping point where I was at for this mini trip.
There were plenty of little things that went wrong on and before this trip, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. I learned so much about how the motorcycle feels with all the weight in the back. How to change and balance the tire with hand tools, how to make sure I keep the chain clean from all dirt and debris and what I will need with me on my trip.
This whole trip was a big confidence booster for what I am about to do come July.
‘Til Next Time,
Pete – A Traveling Teacher