Fog, Fuel, and a Long Ride to Breakfast

Morning Fog

A few things were different on this ride. It was the first foggy morning in a long time. I love riding in fog. Mostly because photographs appear more dramatic and ethereal. I wasn’t sure how Dave felt about it but since he was waiting on his motorcycle when I arrived at his house I figured everything was ok.

Thinking about fog I was reminded of a ride on a Kawasaki KLR in the fog and took a look at an old post that highlights some of the ethereal moments in that kind of light. If you don’t ride in fog you may want to have a look at what you’re missing.

And for once I didn’t need to stop for fuel. My plan was a relaxed sixty mile ride to breakfast but outdated information from Google Maps upended it and we ended up having to ride almost twice as far before sitting down to eat and having to choose between bacon and eggs or a bacon cheeseburger.

Bacon and eggs is aways the clear winner.

Empty Roads

In the heart of Pennsylvania is a massive range of forests and mountains that make up the area known as Pennsylvania Wilds. It’s crisscrossed with dirt, gravel, and paved roads. And as a motorcycle rider, the most attractive feature is the emptiness of its roads. At one point Dave commented that we had seen more motorcycles than cars. Unusual in most other areas of the Commonwealth.

Stopped here along the Quehanna Highway I had three things on my mind. First, would we see any of Pennsylvania’s native elk herd. The story of Pennsylvania’s elk is an interesting one. Second, how hot would it get. The forecast suggested it may hit 90F. And third, this was getting to be a long ride to breakfast and I was already hungry.

Already Disappointed Twice

By the time I pulled off the road somewhere between Benezette and Driftwood I was hungry and frustrated. The original breakfast destination at the Medix Run Hotel was closed. And somehow I failed to find the Elk Cafe in Benezette condemning us to a long ride to breakfast in Renovo 44 miles in our future.

Along with the empty wilderness and sparse traffic is an even sparser number of places to eat. Before leaving the house I had a nice big chocolate chip cookie in my hand. I wish I had brought it along. Such is the occasional disappointment in life.

Socky’s Diner in Renovo, Pennsylvania

I had a rough idea of the diner’s location but it took a few turns to finally arrive and see three adventure bikes parked out front. The riders, all from Canada were getting ready to depart for home after two days riding in the Pennsylvania Wilds. We compared bikes and road notes and wished each other safe travels. My stomach was ready to eat.

Socky’s is one of those neighborhood diners in small towns that have no pretense about being something they’re not. Renovo has had many incarnations of success from it’s start as an old growth lumber town to being a major locomotive service facility for the Pennsylvania Railroad. But like so many places in Pennsylvania the closing of that facility marked the end of the kind of vitality that had dozens of bars and restaurants.

Choices Made with Time and Energy in Mind

The fastest route home would cover nearly 70 miles and take an hour and a half with no stops. And that route would be a bore. And my almost 72-year-old ass was already sending warning signals. So I had to engage in the complex calculations of old man riding mathematics which involved many variables including time, temperature, buttock stability, and spousal expectations. Hyner View State Park wasn’t far away climbing up the mountain to take in the view would add a there and back hour of riding.

After the final calculations I chose a route that would take us through some empty, winding roads, almost not traffic, and also include a nice, long stretch of dirt and gravel.

The Dirt and Gravel Urge

I still get a little thrill when I exit the pavement onto a dirt and gravel road. Deep inside there’s a sense of adventure and riding into the unknown even though I’ve been on this particular road many times. I own a Royal Enfield Himalayan, not for a long ride to breakfast, for exploring the hundreds and hundreds of miles of dirt and gravel roads near home. And every time I look at a map I realize how few I have ridden.

I don’t know how much longer it will be before time catches up to me and riding on these sorts of roads would be a bad decision. But for now the urge remains strong and the available places to explore seem inexhaustible. I’m already plotting the next exploration which will no doubt include a long ride to breakfast.