Welcome to the 2011 Road King Riders Rendezvous Rutland, Vermont June 13 18 2011 Enclosed in this packet is information about each day s routes and activities. GPS Routes are available on the signup page. Road Maps with each day s route highlighted will be available at the Rendezvous. Schedule at a glance Monday 6:30 p.m.: Opening Dinner at the Franklin Conference Center 1 Scale Avenue Rutland. (802) 773-0045 Join us in the back parking lot of the hotel after the opening dinner; talk with old friends and make new ones. This is also the place to find out about any changes in ride plans. Tuesday 9:30 a.m. Pre-ride briefing, Kickstands up 9:45 a.m. Wednesday 8:30 a.m. Pre-ride briefing, Kickstands up 8:45 a.m. Thursday 8:30 a.m. Pre-ride briefing, Kickstands up 8:45 a.m. Friday 9:30 a.m. Pre-ride briefing, Kickstands up 9:45 a.m. Friday 6:30 p.m. Closing Dinner at the Franklin Conference Center 1 Scale Avenue Rutland. (802) 773-0045 Each night we will be gathering in the back parking lot. We hope to see you there! If you are trailering and are able to, please bring folding chairs, as the hotel suites are the only rooms that have deck chairs. Thank You!
We will line up each morning in the back parking lot by building 5. There is a grassy center island with trees that will serve as our evening gathering spot, Please don t be shy, come out and make new friends and get reacquainted with old ones.
Opening and Closing Dinners Monday and Friday 6:30 p.m. Due to the size of our group opening and closing dinner will be held in a banquet hall; The Franklin Conference Center, 1 Scale Ave, Rutland V.T. (802) 773-0045 Price is $19 per person INCLUDING tax and gratuity. Please let us know if you plan to attend Since this is a banquet hall payment must be made in advance. Payment will be accepted starting in May. Details of where to send payment will be announced at that time. The menu is as follows for both nights. Buffet Hand-Carved Roast Top Sirloin of Beef Au Jus Boneless All White Meat Chicken Piccata Mixed hot vegetables Penne Rigati Maple Flavored Baked Beans Baked Eggplant Parmigiana Roasted Potatoes Tossed Garden Salad with Two Dressings (Blue Cheese & Pepper Parmesan) Catherine s Fresh Tomato Salad Assorted Cheese Platter Fresh Fruit platter Homemade Bread & Rolls Assorted Deserts Coffee & Tea Iced Tea & soda on tables Directions: Turn right out of the hotel parking lot, travel 2.5 miles to the intersection of Rt. 4 and Rt. 7, make a left on 7, travel 0.2 miles and turn right on Center Street, Travel 0.4 miles and turn left on Merchant Row (name changes to Strongs Ave.) Travel 0.5 miles. The Franklin Conference Center will be on your Right in the historic Howe Center. There is a large parking lot in front and some spots in back of the building. There is a RR track in front of the building. The Franklin Conference Center is in the First Building and can be accessed from the front or back. It doesn t look like much but I have been assured we will be very happy.
Tuesday, Vermont High Gaps 153 Miles. Brandon Gap (Rte. 73) App.Gap (Rte125), Middlebury Gap (Rte 17) Line up at 9:30 a.m., Kickstands up 9:45 a.m. This ride will cover three of Vermont s High Gap Roads in the Green Mountains, the Appellation Gap, Bandon Gap and Middlebury Gap. Most of the roads in V.T. run North and South except the high mountain passes that run east to west, climbing up one side of a mountain range and then down the other. This ride will be the twistiest of our 4 rides. In order to avoid traffic on Rte. 7 we will get on Meadow lake Drive which winds its way back to Rte. 7 past the traffic. Next we take Rte. 73 East which gently climbs the spine of the mountain. We will take route 73 East to Roue100 North for 5 miles. We will then take a left on Rte. 125 West; stopping and visiting Texas Falls. There is a clean chemical toilet at the falls. We continue on 125 which has been recently repaved. This is a classic Vermont back road, crossing the spine of the Green Mountains. Bookended by two small towns, and running between two main north-south routes, it's easy to get to, and yet provides a relatively traffic-free, lovely mountain road and a challenging mix of fast sweepers and tight, first-or-second gear kinks. Rider from Proctor, VT (9/5/09) Lunch is at Mr. UP s Restaurant 25 Bakery Lane Middlebury VT. They have a nice outside dining area. Phone 802-388-6724 After lunch we pick up Rte. 23 a nice sweeping road with classic Vermont farmland for about 7 miles where we get on Rte. 17 Route 17 starts out easy, then several miles past the town of Bristol Rt. 17 turns into what is called the best sport bike road in V.T. "Eastern 9 miles is the technical section. Bristol is just a convenient landmark on the western side. In places, steep and twisting, whether approached from east or west. Be careful. This eats bikes, rockets and cruisers, alike." - Rider from Barre, VT (8/11/09) Gas Stop will be at the corner of Rt. 17 and 7 in the town of New Haven. *We will line up behind the gas station into two groups. Howie will lead one group for a faster ride, but you don t have to keep up with him. I will lead the other group up the mountain at or below the speed limit. At the end of Rt. 17 we turn right on Rt. 100 and continue 43 miles back to Rt. 4 and back to the hotel. We will also have short restroom break in Pittsfield.
Tuesday, Vermont High Gaps 153 Miles. Turn Route #/Road Travel in Miles Left 4 1.2 Right Meadow Lake Rd. 1.7 Right Chittenden Rd. 2.7 Left Holden/ N. Chittenden Rd. 3.4 Left Furnace Rd. 1.7 Straight Adams Rd. 1.8 Right 7 8.2 Right 73 17.0 Left 100 5.1 Left 125 3.0 Right Texas Falls Rd. Left Back on 125 17.1 Left Bakery Lane Right to Mr. Up s Restaurant Left Back on 125 0.1 Right 23 7.3 Right 17 3.4 GAS STOP Left 17 25.8 Right 100 35.5 Stop at store/gas station for break Continue 100 7.9 Right 4 8.1
Wednesday - Smugglers Notch/Barre Harley Davidson. 208 Miles Line up at 8:30 a.m., Kickstands up 8:45 a.m. This ride will take us up Rt. 4 to Rte. 100. One minute, it's slaloming along a rocky riverbed through dense cover of birch and maple; the next, it's soaring up to a sudden vista as if God has suddenly pulled away a curtain. There's a reason this stretch of highway -- some 200 miles from Massachusetts to Lake Memphremagog -- has been called the most scenic in New England. Michael Blanding, Yankee Magazine 68 miles out from the hotel we will stop at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Due to the length of this ride I would like to keep the time here to ½ hour. This should be enough time to taste some samples of Vermont made products and use the restroom. We continue up 100 to Stowe and make a left on 108 (Mountain Rd) and drive through Smugglers Notch. "This is a MUST ride road, the highlight of our Vermont tour. Smugglers Notch is unbelievable, one lane tight with views straight up, winding thru boulders as big as a room. Butch, Menace and Adirondack (8/17/09) *Since we will have riders of varying skill levels, once we get to the pass where the road narrows I will stop and let the tail end of the group catch up, then after the bike in front of you leaves count to 5 before taking off yourself. We continue on Rte. 108 to the junction of Rte. 15 and head east (right) to Morrisville where we will have lunch at the Stone Grill Restaurant. 116 Vermont Rte. 15 Morrisville, (802) 888-4242 This will also be our gas stop at the station across the street. Next we turn down Rte.100 for a mile or so then get on Rte. 12, which parallels Rte. 100 and is just as scenic. After 29 miles we will get on I89 for about 6 miles, then take Rt. 63 over to Barre for a visit to the #1 Harley Dealer in the state. (There are only two though :-) After the dealership visit, we head down Rt.14 for about 4 miles and the make a right on Rt. 64 back to I89. Now this section of the interstate is quite scenic and a better choice than Rt.12 for that section is really bumpy and the speed limit on I89 is 70 so we can save a good ½ hour. We get off at exit 3, Rte. 107 which will run us back into 100 South, to Rte.4 and back to the hotel. NOTE: If you would rather explore the town of Stowe then go to the HD dealer after lunch, make a right on route 100 South to the center of town. There is a big parking lot behind the church with access to the Stowe recreation path. If you decide to do this please let us know so we don t think we lost you. Follow Rte. 100 back to Rte. 4 and to the hotel. If you don t want to go to the HD dealer stay on I89 and the follow the directions below.
Wednesday - Smugglers Notch/Barre Harley Davidson Turn Route #/Road Travel in Miles Left out of Hotel 4 8.1 miles Left onto 100 60.7 Right to Cold Hollow Cider Mill Right out of parking lot 100 6.5 Left 108 17.6 Right 15 15.3 Left to Stone Grill Restaurant Left out of parking lot Right into gas station Right 100 1.3 Left 12 26.5 Right 2 1.7 Get on I89 South 6.6 exit 6 Straight 63 12.2 Right 14 0.4 Right to Harley Dealer Right out of parking lot 14 3.6 Right 64 3.8 Left I89 South 21.0 exit 3 Right 107 12.7 Straight 100 10.7 Right 4 8.2
Thursday - Byways and Covered Bridges, 205 Miles Line up 8:30 a.m., Kickstands up 8:45 On this ride we will cross two covered bridges and ride past two more and travel on parts of four of Vermont s designated Byways and Scenic Routes. We head East on Rte. 4, at about 25 miles the Lincoln Covered Bridge will be on your right. We continue another 14 miles and turn on Ret. 106 South in the town of Woodstock. In West Windsor we will take Rte. 44 down to Rte. 5 and the Connecticut River. *At the intersection of Rte. 44 and Ret. 5 the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge is straight ahead about ¼ mile, after you cross the bridge there is a gravel parking lot on the right. There may not be enough room in the parking lot for all of us so at the intersection of Rte.44 and Rte. 5 I will make a left turn and pull into the gas station/convenience store. This will be our regrouping spot and restroom break. Visit the bridge before or after taking a break. After our break we continue down Rte. 5 (Connecticut River Byway) to Rt. 131 (Cavendish Road Scenic Route) other scenic roads we drive down on our way to our lunch stop are 106, 10, 103, 35, and 30; in Dummerston we will take a left onto E. West Rd. and cross the Dummerston Covered Bridge to Rte. 5. (E. West Rd is narrow and has a few tight turns!) where we go South to the town of Brattleboro where we have our lunch and official gas stop Choose from Pizza Hut, Ninety Nine, Brickford s Family, Wendy s, Friendly s, KFC, Taco Bell, McDonald s, Chinese, Village Pizza and Steak Out. All within ¼ mile of each other on Putney Road (Rt.5) After Lunch (1 hour) we will regroup at the Pizza Hut. Please get gas before regrouping. There is a gas station across from Pizza Hut and one a little further down Rte. 5 After lunch we hop on the Interstate (I91) for one exit and get on Rte. 9 East (Molly Stark Scenic Byway) and take it to the town of Wilmington where we take a right on Rte. 100 North. After 40 miles we will stop at the Vermont Country Store. A great place for a break; they sell all kinds of neat stuff and have samples of a dozen or so cheeses and ham, jams, spreads and crackers. They also have an outside ice cream stand. Back on 100N we go a little further to Rte. 155 and Rte. 103 and then some back roads to keep us off the high traffic busy Rte. 7 back to the hotel. NOTE: If you would like to shorten your ride after lunch by 20 miles follow these directions. From Pizza Hut take 5 South 2.2 miles to Rte. 30 North, take Rte. 30 all the way to Rte.100 North in the town of Jamaica and pick the route back up. Please let us know if you plan to do this
Thursday - Byways and Covered Bridges, 205 Miles Turn Route #/Road Travel Miles Left out of hotel parking lot 4 28.2 miles Right 106 12.7 Left 44 10.5 At intersection of Rt. 44 & Rt. 5 the bridge is ¼ mile straight ahead, our rest stop/regrouping area is to the left at the gas station. Cross Covered Bridge Right to parking lot Cross Back over the Bridge Right at light to gas station. Left 5 5 miles Right 131 9.0 Left 106 9.4 Right 10 3.0 Left 103 9.5 Right Depot Street 0.2 Cross 11 Straight 35 7.2 Right Main St 0.1 Left Townshend Rd 6.6 Right 35 3.4 Left 30 9.7 Left W. Dummerston Bridge Rd Cross Bridge Right East West Rd 4.4 Right 5 3.3 LUNCH Right out of parking lot 0.1 Straight on Ramp I95 South 2.9 exit 2 Right 9 17.2 Right 100 47.4 Left/Straight 155 10. Right 144 0.2 Left 103 6.7 Right E. Claredone Rd
Lincoln Covered Bridge Will Drive Past R.W. and B.H.Pinney, Built in 1865 Pratt Arch, 136', spanning Ottauquechee River adjacent to Route 4, approximately 3 miles west of Woodstock village. Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge Will Cross This Bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the US and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world. The bridge is 449'5" long and consists of two spans of 204'0" and 203'0". It has an overall width of 24'0"., a roadway width of 19'6", and a maximum vertical clearance of 12'9". It is posted for ten tons. West Dummerston Covered Bridge Will Cross The bridge is built in two spans, resting on a central pier, that extend a combined length of 267 feet along the floor. It is the 2nd Longest Bridge in Vermont and open to traffic for the longest time. The gable ends overhang the floor at each end of the bridge by two feet; hence, along the top of the trusses, the bridge is 271 feet long. The bridge is 22 feet wide, with an 18-foot roadway. Creamery Covered Bridge Will Drive Past Town Lattice, 80' spanning Whetstone Brook on Guilford Street, leaving Route 9. Sidewalk and slate roof added in 1917.
Friday Born on the 4 th of July, Coolidge State Historic Site Line up 9:30 a.m., Kickstands up 9:45 a.m. 58 Miles. Admission $6.00 www.historicvermont.org/coolidge *Option to Visit Quechee Gorge after lunch add 64 miles round trip. After two long rides, todays ride will be a short one, but it will be an interesting one. I learned that Calvin Coolidge the 30 th President of the United States was Born on the 4 th of July. This fits with the theme of this year s Rendezvous Yankee Doodle Rumble Plymouth Notch is the boyhood home of President Coolidge and is where he was sworn in as President by his father August 3, 1923. The homestead remains exactly as it was the night Coolidge took office. In fact, much of the village of Plymouth Notch is unchanged since the early 20th century. The Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site is considered one of the best preserved Presidential sites in the nation. This SMALL town remains as it was when Coolidge was President. There is a small museum with various artifacts photos and sitting areas. The tour includes a short video presentation in a barn with carriages from that era, a tour of the house that the President was born in and lived in for the 1 st 4 years of his life, and the home across the street where he was raised and latter sworn in as President. Other buildings open to the public include the Cilley General Store, the Post Office, the Wilder Restaurant, the church, several barns displaying farming tools of the era, the dance hall that served as the Summer White House and the Plymouth Cheese Factory - established by the President's father where you can sample the granular curd cheese produced there. After visiting the town of Plymouth we will take a nice ride over to Killington for lunch at the Grist Mill Restaurant. After lunch we have a short ride back to the hotel. You ll have plenty of time to pack etc. before heading to the closing dinner. Killington also has gondola rides but they may not be open yet. *For those who still want to ride after lunch we will take a ride down Rte. 4 to Quechee Gorge and three more covered bridges.
Friday Born on the 4 th of July, Coolidge State Historic Site Turn Route #/Road Travel Miles Right out of parking lot 4 1.6 Left Stratton Rd/Cold River Rd 3.4 Right E. Claredone Rd 4.5 Left 103 15.9 Left 100 8.7 Right 100A 1.0 Left into parking lot Right 100A 1.0 Right 100 5.4 Left 4 1.1 Left E. Mountain Rd. 4.4 Right Killington Rd 3.2 Right to Grist Mill Restaurant Right Killington Rd. 0.4 Left 4 8.3 Right to hotel lot Quechee Gorge Option Right 4 27.4 Left to visitor s center Return VIA 3 Covered Bridges NOTE: I have not pre-ridden this route Right 4 East 0.9 Right Waterman Hill Rd. 0.2 Left Quechee Main St 4.3 Right 4 3.4 Right Mountain Rd. 0.1 Left River St. 0.3 Merge 4 East 27.7 Right into hotel lot
Shopping/Restaurants/Gas List not Complete RIGHT OUT OF HOTEL DRIVE Green Mountain Boy's Discount Beverages (beer and wine) US Route 4 East, 206 Woodstock Ave., Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 773-8122 Applebee's Neighborhood Grill 225 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701-3317 (802) 747-7700 Ben & Jerry's Rutland 221 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-1134 Panda Pavilion Chinese Restaurant 283 Us Route 4 E, Rutland, VT 05701-9033 (802) 775-6682 McDonald's 195 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701-3317 (802) 775-0267 Little Caesars Pizza 113 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 773-3434 A Crust Above 215 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701-3317 (802) 747-4700 GAS Mall Mobil 205 Us Route 4 E, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-9902 Bob's Texaco 93 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701-3536 (802) 775-2413 Stewart's Shop 194 Woodstock Avenue, Rutland, VT 05701-3304 (802) 747-6962 Left on Rt. 7 (Main St.) Grand Union Family Markets 14 North Main Street (Rt. 7), Rutland, VT 05701-3259 (802) 775-0292 Burger King 27-29 North Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-0295 Wendy's 21 North Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701-3246 (802) 773-1738 Denny's 376 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-3333 Sirloin Saloon 200 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701-4859 (802) 773-7900 Quiznos Sub Sandwiches 254 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 747-4474 Ninety Nine Restaurant 315 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701 (781) 933-8999 South Station Restaurant 170 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701-4559 (802) 775-1736 Ponderosa Steakhouse 559 RT 7 SOUTH, Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 773-2828 Paynter's Restaurant 476 Us Route 7 S, Rutland, VT 05701-4728 (802) 775-1911 Number One Chinese Restaurant 159 South Main Street, Rutland, VT 05701-4439 (802) 775-9955
Norman Rockwell Art Museum; 1 Mile 654 Rt. 4 East 1-877-773-6095 Close by Indoor Area Attractions Wilson Castle; 7 Miles 802-773-3284 New England Maple Museum; 10 Miles 4578 U.S. 7 Pittsford, VT 05763 (802) 483-9414 Vermont Marble Museum; 10 Miles Route 3, Proctor VT 1-800-427-1396