Arr!! This Jack Tar Goes Looking for Booty

It's about 6 am in the morning sun is out and it is suppose to be a spectacular day for a ride. I planned the ride yesterday, so all I have to do is send the route to the GPS. That goes without a hitch, which is not always the case. Sometimes you don't find out until you are in route and the GPS just doesn't want to cooperate. Somehow a route shaping point, a waymark is corrupt.

Out of breakfast with MeAsWe and back home. Earlier I tried on my riding suit and zipped it up with no problem. Breakfast seemed to just push my midsection just a wee bit more and it was a struggle getting it zipped up. I did have another layer underneath since it is mesh.

First stop is Harrisville, RI for AR in the name. I must have 3 pictures of this place. One for the Villain tour for Ville, one for the Double Down tour for the RR and now the Talk Like a Pirate Tour .



Not the greatest photo or the most interesting but it does do the trick. I do try to provide some history or interesting facts about the places I visit. In Harrisville there is nothing really interesting. Kind of goes with the picture.

Headed for Harmony, RI. I didn't even know there was a town called Harmony within 100 miles where I live. No a whole lot here. In the beginning of the 20th century there was a place called the Yan-Yan-Kee Club. Kind of sounds like a New England version of the KKK. I was headed for some church but came across this place.



With the last stop and this one, I realized I left my spring clamps home (someplace in my room)that hold the flags in place so they don't blow away or blow around and have a way to mount them somewhere on the bike. Note to my self stop at the first hardware store.

I am headed due south, well sort of, heading west first and then south for I-395. Most of the time I avoid the interstates but figured it was good to get the bike up to speed, blow out what ever is in the internal part of the engine and exhaust and see if any weeble or wobbles that shouldn't webble wobble. Like stretching your legs. Plus I have been down CT 169 a ton of times.

Somewhere between Harrisville and Harmony or Harmony and I-395 I stopped at this place. Why ?? Well the totem pole caught my attention and the colors were so springy.

Off the exit around Mohegan Sun and come across a Tractor Supply Co. These have been popping up here and there. They claim to be the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the United States. (their words, not mine)I would have guessed they originated out of someplace like Kansas, but it was Tennessee.

Before I got into the store, I kind of expected an Aubuchon look and feel store, one like I used to go to with my father in the 1950's with lots of shelves, drawers, wooden floors, crummy lighting, something with a nostalgic feeling. First thing I see is a whole section off to the right of Boots, not a Walmart presentation of boots, but a rather nice display, sort of like the old department stores. Lighting was bright, but not too bright. Got my clamps and got out of there.



Tried to be artsy in taking a picture of the clamps. Having the background out of focus, focusing you on the clamps. Almost pushed them right out of the frame. I should stick to chasing down places.

The clamps are way stronger than what I needed. All I wanted was something I could squeeze between 2 fingers. I could use these to permanently fix a muffler that's hanging down from a car or clamping a mirror back to the bike that gotten broken off. However I do have a roll of duct tape in the GIVI for such an occasion.

Back out on Voluntown Rd. Dang I missed the turn, so I simply let the GPS decide the route versus making a U Turn. Sometimes things happen for a reason. The road I ended up on was very picturesque even if the trees didn't have leaves on them. A couple of shots enroute and one I just stopped because I liked the shape of the road.





Ledyard just has to be a Pirate town. It sounds like a yardarm to me. Ledyard was named after Colonel William Ledyard, who was killed with his own saber after he surrendered to the British. Those BASTAHS. Comedian Andy Dick supposedly grew up in Ledyard, but I think that is a stretch. He may have spent some time there. Doc Hammer of Venture Bros fame was born in Ledyard.



As I made my way toward the ocean or is it Block Island Sound, I figured I would have to come back down this way to capture some of the historical places. It just oozes history. I pass the Ninigret National Wildlife Preserve and make note to myself to come back down here with my Blue Goose Passport book for the stamps. Off on Scenic 1A and into Charlestown. See the Historical Society building, just no where to comfortably park the bike. I have the fire station as a target, but just don't like the size of the sign. Too small and I have to park a bit away. Settle on this.

Now I know why this place oozes history, it was settled in 1738 and named after Charles II. It is also the headquarters for the Narragansett Indians and the location of their reservation.

Down the road a piece or should I say up RT 1 is Narragansett for the highlight of the day. At the corner of RT 1A and Strathmore Rd is Peter Toth's Whispering Giant I have to get a picture of the giant, with my bike and the rally flag. I also have to get a picture of any plaques that are available.





A much better focus on the carving.

Now for the really exciting part of the trip. Head north to West Warwick RI. Most folks try to avoid the cities on the bikes, but I get just about the same enjoyment of seeing an urban setting as a rural setting. Yeah ya gotta pay a little more attention to the drivers, the pot holes, the pedestrians, the traffic lights, but once you get over that there is some beauty in the cities.

West Warwick exists solely due to politics. West Warwick was once part of Warwick, and the Democrats at the time wanted to consolidate their power and isolate their section from the Republican part of the town. Lots of old textile mills in the area.





One of those mills I happened to pass coming in.



Next up is Warwick, which was settled in 1642, making it pretty damn old. Lots of history in this place. James Woods, the actor, grew up in Warwick.

This is what I wanted to tag for Warwick, just no place to park.

My itinerary had me heading for Barrington and Warren, but decided I got all season and can hit them up another day. I brought up my favorites in the GPS and headed for Chartley MA. Up thru Providence, which I really don't like, matter of fact I detest riding on I-95 thru Providence, I miss me exit and end up on RT 146 heading north. With that miss I am on a path for home and just decide to head for the barn.

Off onto Quaker Highway pass the old Quaker DriveIn and see a monumental picture that I just had to have. Make a U-Turn and head back, turn into the street, make another Uwey and park the bike kinda of in the middle of the street so I can the bike and sign in the frame. Dismount, get the camera out of the tank bag, lens cap off, bend down do I am pointing the camera up at the sign. AND THEN IT HAPPENED. In the matter of seconds it went for 70 degrees to 69 degrees. Really now, I was just about ready to pull the trigger. Did anyways.



Given the winter we went thru 70 degrees was monumental.

Last pic of the day is a fun type picture. This remind me of Charles Lee Ray aka Chucky or Stephen King's clown in the movie It. Don't let the smile on this guy deceive you.



So the day was suppose to be just around 200+ miles and ended up around 170 or so. Still a great day of riding Willie style.