My other ride, which I just purchased, is a 1985 Kawasaki 454LTD. Being 25 years old, OEM parts are difficult to find.A friend told me about a motorcycle repair shop in Richlandtown, PA that has parts for older Japanese motorcycles. However, he did not know the name of the shop. So my goal for the day is to search for the shop and explore some roads in the area.
On a bright, sunny day my wife and I left after breakfast for Richlandtown. We took some familiar roads to get to the Easton area. From there I tried a new route, Morgan Hill and Old Well Roads (Markers B to C on map). Wow what a find! Only a couple of miles in length, the numerous curves made up for it. One of those great motorcycle roads you'll ride and turn around and do it again. From there I took SR 611 and SR 212 to get to Richlandtown.
In Richlandtown it wasn't difficult to find what I was looking for. Right on Main Street was Larry's Service Center with an older Kawasaki parked outside, so we pulled in. The owner of the Kawasaki was one of the employees who was early for work. However, soon the owner and other employees showed up and opened the shop. As it turned out, most of their business is with used OEM parts for Japanese bikes rather then motorcycle service repair. The shop is crammed with all types of parts. I found one of the parts I was looking for and they were going to look in their warehouse for others that I needed. Not a fully successful mission, but at least I know where to go for parts for my Kawasaki.
Leaving Richlandtown, we took Union and Richlandtown Roads. Union Road is a nice back road in very good shape. Richlandtown Road had more curves and shade then Union, but the road was rough in places. From there we took SR 563 and SR 63 to get to Green Lane.
In Green Lane we stopped at Rockwell's Restaurant for lunch. The food was very good and the service was excellent.
Right outside of Green Lane is Green Lane Park, which is administered by Montgomery County. I grew up about 20 miles away and a trip to the park was a 'big deal'. We looked froward to swimming, fishing, picnics, and other summer activites. I haven't been there for many years, so we took a ride over to the park and stopped to walk around. There were still many of the features I remember from my visits as a kid. One thing missing was swimming and the beach along the lake. There is still some good fishing in the lake and a new amphitheater.
Leaving the park, we picked up SR 29 for a couple of miles and then took Knight and Kutztown Roads (Markers G to H). Knight Road goes through an area where there are equestrian trails, another feature of Green Lane Park. Very scenic along with some elevation changes. Once you cross SR 663, Knight Road becomes Kutztown Road, another good route with little traffic.
Kutztown Road brings you to SR 100. I took it north for a short distance and turned onto Huff Church Road. From there I took a route of back roads to get me to US 222 and SR 863. Again, it was a return to back roads for the leg of our trip back home.
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Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Columbia County Covered Bridge Tour
Columbia County is home to over 20 nineteenth century covered bridges. No two covered bridges are alike and this reflects the antiqued craftsmanship used to construct these spans.
On a perfect day for motorcycling, sunny with a forecast high of 75 degrees, I planned an itinerary to visit several covered bridges in southern Columbia County. Most of the thoroughfares on the route were back roads, some not much wider then a country lane. The back roads and covered bridges provided a one of a kind experience.
The spans visited include the Hollingshead, Davis, Ester Furnace, Richards, and Krickbaum Covered Bridges. Each had their own character. For more information on the Columbia County Covered Bridge Tour, download their brochure.
Following are some photos of the Hollingshead and Richards bridges.
After a stop for gas and a rest in Elysburg it was still before noon, so I decided to take ‘the long way home’ and head west instead of directly home. As they say, “Never ask a biker for directions if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere.” On the way home we stopped for lunch at the Red Lion Cafe on SR 443 just east of Pine Grove. Food and service was very good and they have delicious homemade baked goods. Off the beaten track but worth the time.
Some of the roads on the route that are listed on MotorcycleRoads.US include SR 93, SR 225, and SR 125.
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On a perfect day for motorcycling, sunny with a forecast high of 75 degrees, I planned an itinerary to visit several covered bridges in southern Columbia County. Most of the thoroughfares on the route were back roads, some not much wider then a country lane. The back roads and covered bridges provided a one of a kind experience.
The spans visited include the Hollingshead, Davis, Ester Furnace, Richards, and Krickbaum Covered Bridges. Each had their own character. For more information on the Columbia County Covered Bridge Tour, download their brochure.
Following are some photos of the Hollingshead and Richards bridges.
After a stop for gas and a rest in Elysburg it was still before noon, so I decided to take ‘the long way home’ and head west instead of directly home. As they say, “Never ask a biker for directions if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere.” On the way home we stopped for lunch at the Red Lion Cafe on SR 443 just east of Pine Grove. Food and service was very good and they have delicious homemade baked goods. Off the beaten track but worth the time.
Some of the roads on the route that are listed on MotorcycleRoads.US include SR 93, SR 225, and SR 125.
View Larger Map
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