Riding the Adirondacks



Day one: Effort, PA to Cold Brook, NY – 213.2 mi.

It’s 6:10am and I’m finally rolling the bike out of the garage. What I forgot to pack I’ll just have to buy at this point. I just hope whatever it is I’ve forgotten doesn’t cost more than $5. The sky is clear and temps in the low 50’s. The sweat shirt under the Fristgear mesh jacket isn’t going to cut it in these temps but it’s only 24 miles to work so I’ll make it. Just a “quick” stop at work for 8 hours and I can resume my trip, at least work is in the direction I’m going anyway.



The bike feels new to me this morning because it’s the first time I’ve loaded this DL650 down for a multi day trip. The other trips were on different bikes, one remains in the garage, the others are sold. Braking is more like going two-up and I begin to wonder if the DL1000 should have been my choice but the thought of lower insurance, higher gas mileage soon make me feel I made the right move. The DL650 will leave my car in the dust anyway so all is well. I stop for gas 5 miles up the road to fill it up, should be easy enough to make Cold Brook, NY tonight. About 200 miles from where I’m filling but no problem for a tank full with this bike.

As I finish off the rest of the commute my mind jumps around between staying with the Adirondacks or going with the original plan which was rt. 6 across PA to Erie. Erie’s weather improved a little according to weather.com. I’ve been thinking about riding that road for 3 years now, but the Adirondacks is going to be filled with more scenery and it gives me a chance to get far enough north to escape possible rain. I’ll ride in rain, sleeping in it while inside a one man tent is another story. At work I decide to stick with the Adirondacks. I’m just not up for tenting in the rain if I can help it. As I pull up to the motorcycle parking area I once again get to look at bikes I’ve never seen there before. With 5000 employees you get a good cross section of bikes that show up every now and then. Now if only 3:30 would get here so I can get going!

The end of the work day is upon me and as I exit the building and I’m glad to get an eye full of blue sky and cotton ball clouds. The temps are in the low 70’s and it’s slightly breezy. I ease the bike out of the parking lot and make my way off the property onto Rt. 423 north. To start, 423, 196, and 191 all feel like I’m commuting home with all the traffic but the scenery up here is nice as I make my way to Honesdale. In Honesdale, 191 meets rt. 6 which gives me one last chance to switch plans and head to Erie but I stick with the Adirondacks. After making my way around some construction detours I’m finally getting out in the open as 191 heads out of the busy town but suddenly there’s traffic again. Soon I see I’m approaching the entrance to the Wayne County Fair. This fair looks huge! As I approach, I notice that I must be the only one going straight on 191 as everyone is pulling into the fair. As soon as I pass the entrance there’s no one in front or behind me anymore and now it feels like the trip has started. I looked up the fair after getting home to see what it was all about. http://www.waynecountyfair.com/

191 is a nice road up here which is the furthest I’ve ever followed it. In Equinock the road bends westward and follows the Delaware river up to Hancock, NY where you cross the river over a small bridge. This part of 191 was the best. For the most part, you get the feeling you’re in a tunnel of trees as most branches keep you covered from the sky with just a trickling of the sun getting through. NY State is to my right across the river and there are occasional homes tucked down dirt driveways that have terrific views of the water. There’s no one around and so I make my own pace winding along the river really allowing my mind to settle into the trip. At the time I never would have imagined how the return trip here on Sunday would be the ride into hell. Today I have the best of this road, on Sunday I get its worst.

A dam just on my way out of Honesdale on Rt. 191 south. I couldn’t find any information on it.


Rt. 191 north out of Honesdale following the Delaware River to NY State.


I stop for a quick picture of the bridge and the Delaware but quickly hop on the bike to head west on Rt. 17.

The end of 191 in PA


Looking back at PA and the Delaware



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