Night ride to Bangor

During my very first long distance motorcycle trip, I traveled from New Jersey to New Hampshire to attend the legendary motorcycle races and rally in Laconia. When the rally ended, I decided to extend my trip and pay a surprise visit to relatives in Bangor, Maine, about 250 miles away.

I left Laconia at about 4 p.m. on a pleasant summer day and began the second leg of my New England trip along twisty, hilly secondary roads.

My route, which I was piecing together pretty much on the fly, soon became a succession of small towns separated by long, empty stretches bordered by thick stands of white birch and pine trees.

As I cruised past lakes, through alpine valleys and over rushing streams and rivers, I was thoroughly enjoying the combination of beautiful scenery and a subdued riding pace.

However, after the sun and the temperatures went down, chilly air soon filled every low-lying hollow. At the bottom of every hill, I'd plunge into a pool of cold, damp air that began to seep into my bones.

My motorcycle didn't have a windshield and my army fatigue jacket did a poor job of keeping me warm. I had to fight through the shivers to remain focused on my driving and on the road.

What makes night riding different?

Night riding, especially when traveling along unlit country roads, requires an extra measure of vigilance. I soon felt very isolated. My entire universe existed within the cone of light illuminating the road ahead and the edges of the woods on either side.

I became aware of every little glint of light winking at me from the sides of the road. I'd wonder, is that the reflection of a bottle or beer can, or the eyes of a raccoon or possum preparing to dart across my path? Is that a deer or a moose in the clearing ahead?

Even though I could not see the features of the land around me, I knew by the sharp, clean changes in the air when I was passing pine trees, birch trees, lakes, streams, swamps or wildflowers.

The few houses that I sped past were completely dark. Occasionally a dog would bark to alert the world of my presence.

Did I see a ghost?

I was well into the trip when something happened that still puzzles me. As I cruised along yet another lengthy section of deserted, tree-lined byway, I thought I saw someone along side the road about 100 yards ahead.

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