CroMag Campout 2014 Sept. 17-21, 2014

(from 2011)

doG I have girly hands....

thx hate i missed it

...hey, just finally got the chance to sit down and say a great big thanks to Clark for another fantastic CroMag! Also a big shout out to "Team Skunk" , I could not ask for a nicer group of folks to ride with - lets do it again soon!

Post up some of the video if you get the chance!

PS, great pictures there Beez, but you need to trim those nose hairs!

Once again, late to the party...... Just now finding the time to be able to sit down and give my little writeup the effort it is worthy of! Certainly no match for the effort that Clark, SixWatt, and I’m sure countless others put into making this such an awesome event! Thanks so much guys!!!

It’s amazing how fast life seems to move with too many things getting in the way of taking time out to do the more fun things in life! That’s why, I think for me at least, it makes it even more memorable to be able to get to events like Cromag to meet up with old friends and to make new ones!

Awesome job, Sean, on putting the picture montage together! Sorry I wasn’t able to get to this sooner. Thank you again, for letting me hang out with the bigger displacement dogs for the ride up on the PDR! Glenn, thanks for the use of your spare sleeping bag - I would’ve survived just fine without it, but it sure added to the comfort level! Was nice to share the coals and hangout while enjoying some of your shared provisions! Hopefully, I’ll get to return the favor someday. KyleB - what can I say? You sir, are without a doubt, da man! Thanks for the coffee!!!!!

In no particular order, here are some shots.......

The small group of misfits along the PDR that theothersean led astray.... maybe it ws the official looking road sign that told him his GPS was wrong!


Here was a nice home settled in a small valley typical of a lot of Vermont’s well-groomed properties that I discovered. Found it on a late afternoon solo ride after having chased Cjbiker, Racepace and Racer111V all day on some fun class IV roads and atv trails. We got back a little early and I was still itching to ride, so left a ride plan and expected time back with Glenn and headed out to explore! Thank you Tumu for sharing the tracks, I followed some of it to find many of these photos.






Another nice little place nestled amongst the mountain scenery - poor bastids!



I have a weird fascination with old cemeteries and always look for the ones with military markers..... They are a part of history. Not sure where/what Camp Griffin was in Virginia, but it would make for fun to investigate. Guessing it was a family plot.









Rode past a little bench overlooking the Green Mountains and wanted to check out the view. I wonder if the person who put it there ever gets to just sit there and relax and watch the sunset or sunrise . . . .






Dinner, compliments of the Barnard General Store. . .



Looking forward to next year’s Cromag already! Hope to make a riding calendar and make as many events as possible for next year! Recompence is out for me this year.
Hope to do a few fall foliage or ride to eat events!

Welllll…I've finally got a little time to myself and nothing in particular I need to do so I'll turn this into a little RR for you all. I just sent BikerAl off on her long journey home to BC, but more about her later. I didn't take many pics on my trip but here's a smattering of what it took to get to CroMag and home. I only got back to my house last Saturday, it was a bit of a haul.:loll

Packed up to roll at mom's house


Meandering up the Northern Peninsula with the Long Range Mountains on one side and the water on the other. The wind was not blowing 80 like it was the last time I rode this way thankfully.



I got to St Barbe the night before to catch the ferry to Labrador, the moon was cool, my pics not so much.


Literally just as I was about to get on the boat my clutch went soft and I knew it was the o-ring in the slave cylinder. I turned and ran back south 5 hours to a dealer that used to carry KTM looking for a little help. No way was I going to ride 600 km's of dirt with no clutch We got it sorted and I camped nearby on the Port au Port peninsula that I'd always wanted to see


Undecided what I was going to do and time to kill I went south on the island to Burgeo, another place I had never been and had heard plenty about. Pretty town with beautiful beaches.










As you all know I said fuck it and started for the mainland, the boat was fine and it was a decent ride to friend of the family in Bridgetown and from there the ferry in Yarmouth. Big thanks to Evil Clown who put me onto MargaritaMotoress who kindly gave me a bed for the night so I didn't have to ride far in the dark.

The next day was Tuesday and I was making a pilgrimage to Ebenezers to check out their famous cellar full of beer. I said it was Tuesday…Damn!


Now what? My plans were ruined and I was lost for a new plan until I thought of MZCountryBoy. "Hey Scotty, what are you doing tonight? Want a couch surfer? How about a trip to the Three Penny Taproom? I was rolling out pretty soon.

This is what friends are for!


We went for a bunch of this, many thanks to Mrs MZ for being DD that night


The next day I went to Waterbury in search of lunch and spend some time before getting to Barnard for 5

The Black Back Pub was the first place I'd seen it on tap…sign me up!


The Craft Beer Cellar had the goods


Early crowds are always out of focus


MZ and Good Ole showed up Thursday and got to the important stuff


Plenty of social time


RegFoo brought this aged bottle of Kane to share with me and they won gold at the Great American Beer Fest with it, very nice brew. Thanks Ron!


Guzzi town


Burn!


Not again


Sunday came early enough and I had a nine and a half hour run to Gregster's in Fredericton for the night so I could make an afternoon meeting in Charlottetown PEI on Monday.

This is the water cutter at DME, they build brew houses that can be found in 37 countries, cool machine.


As a beer geek I could really appreciate all these vessels bound for breweries


Tree's been an inmate here since there were about 600 members if you can believe that. He's now puttering around the Shelburne Aviation Museum machining parts for plane restorations. This guy was joyriding the restored tractor they use to pull their planes around


Tree put me onto White Point up on the Cabot Trail a bit further east than Meat Cove. Due to my clutch failing a second time in traffic in Halifax I didn't get on the road until 13:00 on Thursday instead of 09:00 like I'd planned so I was racing as fast as possible again to get to the site before dark. This was the second time racing around the Cabot Trail. I was not disappointed by this recommendation.





Interesting little cemetery right by it that didn't seem to have proper headstones, just slabs of rock


And this. I signed the guestbook.


Before I rolled out I was looking over the bike and it turns out Scott was right about there being a little rub. I guess I shouldn't have tightened up this bolts after all.


All fixed up I rode the 3/4 of a km out the rocky ATV track on my way to North Sydney and the boat. Along the way my machine started to get really buzzy so when I stopped to have a look I saw I was down on oil. After a few inquiries it was time to race to Sydney to try to find a bike shop before 5. No luck so I found a bite to eat and went to Crappy Tire and picked up a quart of Lucas synthetic. Now I was missing the Motorex I'd bought in Moncton that decided to flee the net on the way to PEI. Damn.

I saw a Beemer that seemed to be another traveller parked outside a café and almost stopped for a coffee but kept rolling. I saw the same bike pass me again a little later. It crossed my mind they could be waiting for the boat too. My reservation had been for the last Argentia ferry, 14 hours on board but only 1.5 hours home at the other end. The night before my email said they'd changed it from 17:30 Friday to 23:45 Friday in transit to Port Aux Basques! WHAT?!!! To say I was pissed is an understatement, the whole reason I stayed in Nova Scotia for 4 days was to avoid another 9 hour ride across the island. I was as yet unaware of how many bolts were falling off my bike.

When I pulled into the terminal to line up for the boat the same bike was parked there too, I looped around to line up and park; when I stepped off of my bike and looked over at the rider my first comment was: "you're a girl!" It turns out BikerAl was on her way to Newfoundland as the far end of her journey from British Columbia, she was a long way from home!

We got the bikes tied down and headed upstairs, she didn't have a cabin booked so I offered her a bunk in mine, I sure didn't need all 4 for myself. Plus I know all too well how painful overnight can be in those bloody chairs. Sorry again for my painful photo skills


She checks in on her Ride Report pretty constantly and has a fan club that's been following along. It's a fun read and it will continue to be as she heads back home. Check it out: "She Rides Canada"


I was headed home to meet a friend headed to my house so I ran hard from the ferry and was pleased to hit my place exactly 9 hours after rolling off the boat. BikerAl headed north to Gros Morne National Park but we agreed to see if we would meet up in town. Not only did we meet up but I managed to put off all of the things I was supposed to do and act as official tour guide for a few days.

Checking out the fishing fleet in Hibbs Hole


Checking out rock walls in Grates Cove


I blew by Dildo but still managed to get this almost as good obligatory shot.


She was staying with inmate TRoberts and trying to figure out an exit plan. I was heading back to Halifax in the cage and offered to run with her as far there so we both rolled out again last Friday.

I finally parked my bike calling the return to my cage the end of my trip. At least 9 bolts fell off and my skid plate/rally boxes rode the last of the way under the net on my top box. I forgot to reset my GPS the first day out, I think I was pretty close to 7500 km's by the time it was all said and done.



I let her lead on route 4 for the fun and we parted ways for the day so she could ride the Eastern Shore and I could race on to the Atlantic Canada Beer Awards that I was judging in.

BikerAl practices her ADV salute.


Was practicing a lot in response to the big patch or roadwork we hit, and not just for our benefit


The friend I'm staying with kindly offered her a bed too, this morning she got a bit of a late start repacking her bike and setting up for the long journey home. Very cool woman on the kind of adventure most of us long for, it was a fun week and I was sad to see her go. I wish her well in her travels.

Oh yeah…CroMag. It was fun to see you lot of miscreants again. See you next year.

Like

Nice ride report and pictorial, Skibum. Glad you made it home safe. It was great talking to you again this year, here's to next. Give 'er!

My my, I got confused for a moment and thought I was back on "She Rides Canada!" So happy you pulled up all wild and crazy as I stood there in my little red toque munching carrots. I thought, who the hell is this guy when he's home....and then I found out. This guy's a wild and crazy amazing man, that's who! Thanks for the grand tour, Mike!

I have not heard from anyone who would like to take the helm of this event. I am going to give it until Thursday and reserve the park again for next year unless I hear from an interested party before then. I guess after six years, it works and folks are still having fun. Thanks to all those who have made it blast....going for lucky 7.

My great fiend Liz put in touch with this thread when I was chatting with her this morning.

WOW! looks like a blast!
I have really liked seeing all the pics from that part of the world, so different from where I am in Far North Australia

Maybe one day, maybe next year, maybe the year after

Cheers
Hay Ewe

This "nice home" on Cloudland Rd. Outside of Woodstock is Sleepy Hollw Farm. It is owned by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. There is a full recording studio in the large barn. Nice digs. Did you notice the electric gate at the top of the driveway? I believe it might be for sale.

Sorry to have missed this. Looks like you all had a great time!!

Dan

Wow! No sh#t!? I had no idea! He has great taste!

No, I failed to see the end of the drive, I had coasted passed and stopped to take the picture. I'll have to tell my 18 yo son, he's totally an 80's rock kind of guy! Thanks for sharing!

At this point should another captain get involved this event would end up in the Italian shipwreck thread down in Jo Momma.

Anyone who thinks they could do better can't. Only issue is if after six years you want to pass the torch.

IN!!!!

Dude you need to lay off the pipe!

Eh, just a party with a few friends. As I have said, I am willing do it as long as it is still fun for everyone. I just kept the fire burning....

I had no doubt you would be!

H2O?

What? Keep the noise down? These are just 115 of my good friends; we were having a fire side chat about some places we had visited recently.

Posted this in a regional thread but this seems to be a better place...

I realize that Clark does an awesome job and I don't want to step on any toes but since he asked...I had some thoughts about next year:

How attached are you guys to Central Vermont?

My husband (Bobnoxious67 here) and I own a campground/recreation area and have been talking about hosting a large ADV event along the lines of CroMag. We are both riders and the location is definitely motor-sport friendly. I figured I'd see what the group thinks about us hosting CroMag itself.

We are perfectly set up for large group events...in fact that is our focus. Treed sites, field sites, bathouse, plenty of parking, central pavillion-ish structure, etc. In fact we have a small amount of single track on site.

However, we are located in SW NH (the Mondadnock region fwiw). I realize having had the event for the last 6 years in central VT, a dramatic location change to southern NH may be a bit of a hard sell. There is plenty of riding in the area, I don't think that's a problem. Some of the CroMag regulars (guymanbro, Junyah, etc.) have spent some time at our place...it's not a complete unknown...

We are Field & Forest Recreation Area in Harrisville, NH. We don't have a website, but our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/FieldandForestRecreationArea

Honestly, if you guys are attached to Silver Lake and that area, it's fine...it totally won't hurt my feelings...I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Thoughts? Ideas?

No it's pie. Andy's always getting jacked up on PIE!