Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

GREAT essay. Definitely has me thinking. I had meningitis as a baby and was isolated for a while during treatment. Antihero may be on to something.

Gotta finish Montreal off soon as I've been gone for several days already!

But before I go--a few more Montrealean signs:

One of my favorites:
Catching falling poop is strictly prohibited





This one alerts pedestrians of the dangers presented by giant Newton's Cradles:



Fairly self-explanatory:

No one likes a showoff


This is simply cruel:

People in wheelchairs are prohibited from riding bikes


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at the start of the ride report you discussed the bike being a chick magnet. now you are talking about all this mental stuff and making everyone think, and some brains hurt! hahahahahaha

it's good to be diversified and dynamic, keep it coming.

I think you might have skipped from page one to page 38. I've been talking about 'mental stuff' the entire time.

But to answer your question, the bike is still a magnet. I'm not, though--and don't care to be. Relationships never favor those who care the most and morality prevents me from caring the least. So I'm pretty much fucked.

Possibly not the case in your opinion, but the Panigale seems to be the relationship you need right now. And she is being truly faithful.

And from a woman who doesn't know you apart from your words and your talent at photographing beautiful bikes and scenery ----- you're definitely not fucked (at least not in the bad way).

Hanging out for the next update.

hahahaha!

i have followed the report post by post. i was just trying to be funny, not busting your chops. i am still following and that proves it's good stuff. i do appreciate your efforts.

as for you caring more, your bike cares less than you. it is a cold object. hummm

It's cool, didn't take it personally.

As for the bike--Imagination may be the father of all terrors (and the source for all discontent), so I think it's only fair to use it every now and then make believe....

Ok, so Montreal--hope you're hungry! First couple days there I had some really bad meals. I actually went to lunch (take out), came home, took two bites and threw it away. Went out again to a different place and had a lamb gyro, which was nearly as bad. But things got better. The highlight was Au Pied de Cochon. Chef Versys recommended it and it was the most memorable meal in Montreal. Pics speak for themselves:

Foie Gras Cromesquis that explode when you bite into them:


Apple Foie Gras was savory, succulent and crispy, buttery, salty, sweet, squishy, firm, textured, silky and rich:


The one brazenly awesome dish they make especially for anorexics is called "Duck in a Can, which is Duck, Potato, Fois Gras, a thick slice of fat and other unhealthy goodness canned in the morning, then baked (in the can) in the eve. I'm sure it's probably tainted with mercury during the whole process, but it's worth it.

Didn't stop there, though. A piece of Bambi's shoulder cut and grilled to perfection at RoadKill Cafe (O'Thym):



Sushi at Tri Express was so good it had me thinking about licking instead of biting:



Grilled short ribs at Kazu:



Vegetarian bean curd with seedless sunflower seed glaze:



M-16 Beef Rendang at Gado Gado:



Though I've had some of the worst meals of the trip in Montreal, the pics above are proof that persistence pays off.

One last goodbye to my apt:

To put things in perspective, I often don't eat anything except Arnica until 2 or 3pm most days and often just have bread and beans or a can of tuna for dinner. So when I'm presented with a page or two of menu items I tend to take the 'nothing succeeds like excess' route.

One of the last nights in Montreal wandering the streets:


Then back to the loving arms of the open road (and my first fall colors):






I found out how much wood a woodchuck can chuck on the way to Maine:

Wow...you're still here?! It's bleeping cold and the roads are horrible!On your way down to the US if you can...you must check out Tracy Road near rte 9 and the 87 in Upper NY state...Often considered the best motorcycle road in this area.

I'm interested in the Panigale but dealers up here aren't very accommodating and I will not purchase a bike without at least a 60 min ride. I did demo the BMW S1000rr on two separate occasions for 90 mins and it is comfortable for distance riding...at least for me. How are you holding up on your bike so far?

D.

My cabin for the night.


Met up with the CTO of our company in Maine, along with his son, had a few drinks, got to drive his new A7 (techno-tour-de-force) and had a lobster roll for the first time. Then crashed hard, woke up early, worked frantically and headed to Boston.

Yeah, it's fucking cold and it's been wet and slick. I did get a one piece rain suit, H/H underwear, and have a neck bootie now. As long as the neurons are firing and I stay warm. The Panigale fits like a proverbial glove now. I've actually gotten drowsy on it a few times I'm so comfortable.

Looks like Tracy Road is 150 or so miles west of where I'll be (MV to NYC). Unless it's a different Tracy Rd. than I found on google maps....

Indeed, the "mental stuff" is one of the things which has set this ride report apart from
the rest from the outset.

Of course the writer cannot be responsible for the poor reading comprehension of readers.

Respectfully I submit that it is the vast majority of people who are "fucked",
not you. It has to do with the idea that "the unexamined life is not worth living".




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as was mine, LOL

Hi AntiHero, glad you found redemption within Montreal's finest food spots.
Au Pied du Cochon is one of my favourite restos in town. Mmm, love them Cromequis!

Montreal is a well cultured foodie city. Among the best out of the great cities around the globe IMO.
Its good you got a taste of some of the finer joints.
There are many more to discover, so its more reason to return next summer I suppose.

I love reading your RR and the deep essays that seem to flow with ease. Great writing amigo.

Safe travels.

cheers,
Dave

PM Sent.

Bad news yesterday. SuperChachi, who appeared in Episode Minneapolis and Indianapolis, went down in some oil that had been barfed out of a Buell. Not good for his bike and definitely not good for him.





From the expression on his face you can tell he took it like a champ.


That might have been before being told he had to wear these, though (two broken ankles).


Best of luck to a swift recover, buddy! Wish it wasn't so bad, but I'm happy it's not worse. Back to skullduggery, hijinks and tomfoolery in "only" six weeks! Hang in there.

Everyone else - be safe. Rewards for motorcycling are great, but so are the risks.

Boston was a mess. I made a last minute reservation at a B&B over the phone. The owner said that there's plenty of parking, it's a safe neighborhood, etc. etc., only when I showed up the only non-residential permit parking was 3 blocks away. Nope....wasn't feeling it, so I left. Went into an Embassy Suites or Hilton or something just to unload all my gear and get online to find another place, which I did at the College Club of Boston on Commonwealth. They even had a local parking garage. Excellent.



Course when I showed up at the parking garage they wouldn't let me through....strict policy of no motorcycles. Couldn't bribe the guy, he wouldn't turn a blind eye. So street parking it was for the night.

About the only thing worse than the parking was the traffic and traffic flow--and it's time for some fucking political commentary, which I hate, but fuck me--billions are being spent to try and increase MPG of cars and decrease emissions and lower our dependence on fossil fuels, but has no one thought about perhaps upgrading the metered traffic lights to something, say, more advanced than what was being used in 1960. In Boston and countless other cities traffic is constantly stopped for no reason while we wait for the green light that smiles upon an empty lane. And what's worse is if the lights were timed so that you could hit 5 or 6 green in a row (ala 19th Ave in SF), millions of gallons of fuel would not be wasted. I just don't get it. An intelligent traffic metering system using technology that already exists (motion sensors, logarithms that meter traffic based on optimal flow patterns, a fucking motherboard with a processor, etc.) could do more for fuel efficiency in cities than anything that's currently happening to save it in the private sector.



Anyhow, traffic in Boston made for bad times. And pedestrians are dumb as shit--and arrogant about it--too. The city could save thousands of tax dollars a year by not painting crosswalks, too, since no one uses them.

Anyhow, so I spent most of the first night trying to find where I'd be the second--none of it panned. Fate smiled on me and at the last min. a particular someone got me into the Omni for the night with early check in/late check out. :) Thanks again! They even had a parking garage nearby that allowed bikes.



Right near the hotel was a bustling cemetery. Surprised when I saw this:


After two days being in the thick of it I wanted out. I was not enjoying Boston. People are nice and the history of the city is very cool, but the place didn't click with me. Love the energy of lots of big cities, just couldn't dig Boston. Stayed in Jamaica Plains for the next three days. Couldn't say I loved that, either, but at least it was relaxing.

Also got a chance to try Haggus--which I've been afraid to eat, figuring it would be gross. (Sheep stomach stuffed with meat and oats). Looks like a giant alien's eyeball, sliced open with an exacto knife, then stuffed with gristly bits of ground up toes.


Tasted marginally better than it looked. About the only thing needing updating more than traffic lights is Scottish cuisine.

Got to cross this off my list, too. :)

Did have an incredible dinner at Toro, though. Amazing Tapas and the best marrow to date:



More cemeteries (the only place I could go for tranquility)








That's it. Done with Boston.

You remind me of The Wolverine!!!

My friends in Maine call Massachusetts people "Mass-Holes"

Sounds like they got it right.