Layover In Utica

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Cheryl and I are on Day #2 of our first two-week vacation since our honeymoon and our first ever two-week motorcycling trip. To be as forthright as possible, not all two weeks will be spent on two wheels as we are hauling our bikes on a trailer for 5 or 6 of the 15 or 16 days we will be gone. Our principal destination is coastal Maine for the first of 5 mostly motorcycle days

Day 2 landed us in Utica, NY where we were to meet two of our four vacation mates. We arrived at about 1:00pm on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Our room wasn’t ready at the hotel so we offloaded the bikes for an 80 mile loop that included a stop for a bite to eat and a visit to a Tour of Honor 2022 memorial site.


I plotted out a route to the Tour site very quickly. It turned out to be a great one despite the hasty preparation. NY5 was pleasant enough to get us moving. The fun started on Peterboro Road with steep grade changes and majestic views of the surrounding hills and valleys. After our Tour of Honor stop, we took PA13 north along Chittenango Creek which added significant curviness to the aforementioned elevation changes. Road contains and quality were top notch. I think this part of The Empire State would be worthy of a multi day exploration on a motorcycle.





Stopped and split a panini at the Peterboro General Store and Deli. Good sandwich. Friendly folks.





The Tour of Honor stop was in Cazenovia, NY at Memorial Park. As with all of these sites, the visit was awe inspiring.



Got back to the hotel and Glen and Laura were just arriving. Loaded our bikes, took a quick shower and headed for dinner. The pizza joint we stopped at was adjacent to Hapanowicz Brothers Meat Market which we had passed and commented on coming and going on our MC mini-tour.

“I had no idea that we would be at the home of not just ‘Polish Wedding’ kielbasa but also ‘Big Party’ kielbasa”, Cheryl remarked into our communicator.

“What’s a Polish Wedding or Big Party kielbasa?” I asked

“No idea, but this must be their home. Says so on the sign”.


It’s 5:30am on Day 3. Rain is supposed to escort us to Maine today, helping to convince me that trailering sometimes has its advantages.


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