Having said that, we'll need to know whether to turn right or left out of the hotel each morning and with that reality in mind, I created a "plan". Also, given the need for these two pensioners to have solid WIFI, high thread count sheets and a flat screen TV to watch each night, the destinations laid out in the plan are pretty well set in concrete....can you spell Hampton Inn?
Day One: Albany to Penn Yan, NY.
Today's route takes us quickly away from the Empire State capital city and into the Catskill Mountains. Heading west through these ancient mountains we'll motor along the southern tier of New York, pass through Ithaca and Watkins Glen and then skirt along the western shoreline of magnificent Seneca Lake. Halfway to Geneva, we'll steer due west and cruise into Pen Yann which is situated on the north end of Keuka Lake .
Day Two: Penn Yan to Watertown, NY.
Today we'll head west towards Naples, NY which is situated at the south end of Canandaigua Lake. The first third of this ride takes us through my childhood/teenage/college age stomping grounds and I won't need a map for the first few hours. We'll ride up the western shore of Canandaigua Lake, through Cheshire and into Victor...where I grew up. From there, the route is iffy..its unfamiliar territory for both of us and Butler maps doesn't cover it. Oh well, just a couple of wanderers depending on the kindness of strangers. Our day ends in Watertown, NY...a genuine shit hole if there ever was one.
Day Three: Watertown, NY to Plattsburgh, NY.
This plan is credited to Mike Miller, who HATED my original plan to ride along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Mo betta, he said, to seek out the secrets of the Adirondack Mountains...his old stomping grounds. The people at Butler Maps happen to fully agree...all of the roads beyond Booneville are highly rated motorcycle roads...sounds good to me!!
Day Four: Plattsburgh, NY to Kennebunkport, ME
Today's route starts in New York, crosses Vermont and New Hampshire and ends up near Kennebunkport, ME and the Atlantic Ocean. We will ride the best roads Butler offers and pass through the White Mountains and the Green Mountains. I expect this route will reveal some of the most New Englandish scenes we will see on the entire trip. If we make it to the coast (and why wouldn't we?) I plan to stuff myself with lobster rolls.
Day Five: Kennebunkport, ME to Burlington, VT
Today our route is a bit of backtracking though I'm sure we'll find a different route back to Vermont. Mike Miller helped on this route as well and he and Butler maps collaborated to pick out some really great roads.
Today will be our final day on the GS's. It is mostly mountain roads through western Vermont and uses very highly rated roads courtesy of Butler Maps
