Day 15 – Monday June 14th – Ellicott City to Wells ME

Miles travelled = 528

This is Willie Nelson calling. “Back on the road again….”

Left about 0700, after a great relaxing weekend with old friends. It was going to be another warm day in Maryland, but as I rode east, it became cloudy later in Pennsylvania, with low clouds through New Jersey and New York. It started to clear in Connecticut, and was a nice day through Massachusetts and New England. However, rain appeared in New Hampshire, and I could see a storm coming, so bedded down in Wells, Maine, just as a storm hit. I cannot complain as it is been mainly a dry tour, all be it a hot and humid one. To-day was the coolest for riding since I was in Northern California.

I actually passed the Harley Davidson factory in York, PA

The ride today was fairly interesting. Maryland is a very nice state, very rural with some attractive scenery. I had planned to head slightly north of New York, but missed a road and so ended up heading east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I think I gapped and associated US76 with I76. Anyway, once on the turnpik there was nothing for it but to ride it. It feeds into the New Jersey Turnpike, (I95), so I went with the flow. Actually traffic was not bad, the only hold ups were a couple of slow tolls, and a real mess at the toll for the George Washington Bridge.

The roads through New Jersey and New York are in bad shape, especially for a fully loaded Harley. So despite my planning, I ended up hitting Manhattan. The view was pretty good though, even with the low clouds.

Once clear of New York and into Connecticut, the roads were better, and the scenery great when along the coast. I decided I wouldn’t chance Boston, so headed up I395, picked up I90 (where have I seen that road before), and then I495 around the upper limits of Boston. That was a trip down memory lane, as when I was working for a large US computer company, some of the places and roads I passed were regularly frequented.
And so onto I95, and New Hampshire,

then Maine.

So far in these two States, I95 is a toll road. I feel as if I have done nothing all day but give money to people in little wooden huts. The George Washington Bridge was a rip off, $8 for cars, I got it for $7.

So tomorrow I head for Madawaska, and Corner 4. With reasonable travel, I should make it tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I will have continued good luck with rain. Today was the first real downpoor I have experienced since leaving Seattle. I had to ride a mile down the road this evening in it to get a meal. Horrors.