The blessing of the bikes took place at the New Egypt American Legion Hall.
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| Jack blesses the bikes and riders. |
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Day 10 - 04/21/12 Back to Land
Day 10 – 04/21/12
Back to Land
We woke up to a heavy fog. I woke at 03:00; I couldn’t sleep. We had pretty much packed everything the night before and put our luggage in the hall by 23:30. We had to be down at the bikes by 07:15 so we met for breakfast at 06:15. After breakfast we met at the usual spot outside of the movie theatre on Deck 2 forward. This time everyone had all of their carry-on luggage. We were going to be waiting for a while so most people found a seat in the theatre.
We were called to move the bikes at around 08:00. They had to be moved off of the boat to a place where customs could run the dogs by them. We walked back to the boat to wait with everyone else. While we were waiting bunches of other passengers kept wandering through our group looking for a way out.
They finally called for us to leave the boat and board a bus to take us to the terminal where the luggage was. It was a very short ride. Our luggage was easy to spot. We shared a porter with Dave and Annette and were at the customs desk in minutes. There we were passed through without delay and were free to go; no hassle at all.
We went and got the car, loaded it up and then went back for the bikes. With everything loaded we headed out through the streets of Bayonne to the turnpike and the rough ride home.
Back to Land
We woke up to a heavy fog. I woke at 03:00; I couldn’t sleep. We had pretty much packed everything the night before and put our luggage in the hall by 23:30. We had to be down at the bikes by 07:15 so we met for breakfast at 06:15. After breakfast we met at the usual spot outside of the movie theatre on Deck 2 forward. This time everyone had all of their carry-on luggage. We were going to be waiting for a while so most people found a seat in the theatre.
We were called to move the bikes at around 08:00. They had to be moved off of the boat to a place where customs could run the dogs by them. We walked back to the boat to wait with everyone else. While we were waiting bunches of other passengers kept wandering through our group looking for a way out.
They finally called for us to leave the boat and board a bus to take us to the terminal where the luggage was. It was a very short ride. Our luggage was easy to spot. We shared a porter with Dave and Annette and were at the customs desk in minutes. There we were passed through without delay and were free to go; no hassle at all.
We went and got the car, loaded it up and then went back for the bikes. With everything loaded we headed out through the streets of Bayonne to the turnpike and the rough ride home.
Day 9 - 04/20/12 Barbara's Birthday
Day 9 – 04/20/12
Sea Day – Barbara’s Birthday
Today was another late wake-up, no more rides. Sea Days are lazy days. There really wasn’t much to do. We bummed around the ship most of the day or packed.
At 10:15 we met on Deck 2 forward to reposition the bikes. The room where we normally store them was needed for luggage so we moved them back into the hallways. We finished the job in 17 minutes; super crew of guys. Next we met at 11:25 to have a group picture taken with all of the ETA crowd and the senior officers of the ship. We didn’t buy one of these since we won’t see these people again. We did buy a few photos of us.
Dinner was really nice. Everyone bought a bottle of champagne and shared. Walt and Bonnie weren’t there. It was Barbara’s birthday so they put a candle on a little piece of cake and sang happy birthday for her. It was fun.
Sea Day – Barbara’s Birthday
Today was another late wake-up, no more rides. Sea Days are lazy days. There really wasn’t much to do. We bummed around the ship most of the day or packed.
At 10:15 we met on Deck 2 forward to reposition the bikes. The room where we normally store them was needed for luggage so we moved them back into the hallways. We finished the job in 17 minutes; super crew of guys. Next we met at 11:25 to have a group picture taken with all of the ETA crowd and the senior officers of the ship. We didn’t buy one of these since we won’t see these people again. We did buy a few photos of us.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Day 8 - 04/19/12 Sea Day
Day 8– 04/19/12
Sea Day
Today was a late wake-up, no more rides. Sea Days are lazy days. We went to breakfast in the grand dining room instead of the Windjammer, for a change. We weren’t impressed. We then went down to the photo studio to check out the photos we had taken the evening before. They turned out pretty good. The biker garb with the white background made a nice contrast. Next we made our way down to the main showroom for a session of ‘Ask the Captain’. It was a session of Q&A with the ship’s captain and his main officers. It was quite informative. This ship uses one gallon of fuel for every 46 feet it moves.
After the talk we went back to the photo studio to check out the pictures some more. We’re probably going to buy some so we want to be sure. They aren’t cheap. Most are $20. We finished at the photo studio and headed up to the Windjammer for a little lunch. We were all still pretty full from last night’s dinner so lunch was light. The need for a nap hit me like a truck so after lunch I hit the bed while Barb went up to the hot tubs in the Solarium. After I woke up I joined her in the Solarium. It felt great to just lie in the sun with nothing to do. The sun was slowing shifting away and it was cooling a bit so we returned to our room to get ready for the show. It was formal night so we had to dress accordingly.
The show wasn’t bad. It was an almost winner of America’s Got Talent. He sang with two backup singers. His Motown was the best. Next was dinner. Tonight was lobster…how grand. Most everyone was dressed up for the final formal dinner. Annette took pictures of everyone at the table.
We left dinner any went to Studio B for something called the Quest. This was a blast. They divide the crown into teams, 11 in all. Then they pick four captains for each team. The idea is the MC asks for something and each team has to produce it for points. A great example was to show a tattoo on a woman in a provocative place. Funny stuff. When that was over we went to the Chamber for another silent dance party. This time I got the headphones and was dancing in my seat to some awful music. Fun times.
Sea Day
Today was a late wake-up, no more rides. Sea Days are lazy days. We went to breakfast in the grand dining room instead of the Windjammer, for a change. We weren’t impressed. We then went down to the photo studio to check out the photos we had taken the evening before. They turned out pretty good. The biker garb with the white background made a nice contrast. Next we made our way down to the main showroom for a session of ‘Ask the Captain’. It was a session of Q&A with the ship’s captain and his main officers. It was quite informative. This ship uses one gallon of fuel for every 46 feet it moves.
After the talk we went back to the photo studio to check out the pictures some more. We’re probably going to buy some so we want to be sure. They aren’t cheap. Most are $20. We finished at the photo studio and headed up to the Windjammer for a little lunch. We were all still pretty full from last night’s dinner so lunch was light. The need for a nap hit me like a truck so after lunch I hit the bed while Barb went up to the hot tubs in the Solarium. After I woke up I joined her in the Solarium. It felt great to just lie in the sun with nothing to do. The sun was slowing shifting away and it was cooling a bit so we returned to our room to get ready for the show. It was formal night so we had to dress accordingly.
The show wasn’t bad. It was an almost winner of America’s Got Talent. He sang with two backup singers. His Motown was the best. Next was dinner. Tonight was lobster…how grand. Most everyone was dressed up for the final formal dinner. Annette took pictures of everyone at the table.
We left dinner any went to Studio B for something called the Quest. This was a blast. They divide the crown into teams, 11 in all. Then they pick four captains for each team. The idea is the MC asks for something and each team has to produce it for points. A great example was to show a tattoo on a woman in a provocative place. Funny stuff. When that was over we went to the Chamber for another silent dance party. This time I got the headphones and was dancing in my seat to some awful music. Fun times.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Day 7 - 04/18/12 Puerto Rico
Day 7 – 04/18/12
Puerto Rico
Today was our last ride day. It was another early start. We met at the Promenade Café at 06:15 for a quick breakfast then headed down to Deck 1 to get the bikes ready. This is going to be a short day since we have to have the bikes back on board by 12:00. We were off the boat almost as soon as the boat was docked. I was one of the first bikes off for a change so I had to sit the longest. We were greeted by a group of motorcycle officers; the Governor’s special task force. They were to be our escorts for the day. First we had to get fuel. We pulled into the street and next to a truck. In the back was a drum full of gas with a pump. Each bike was refueled and now we were ready to go.
We took off through the streets of San Juan with the police officers blocking the streets and lights for us. This allowed us to get right onto the freeway where they blocked the on ramps and traffic for us. We raced along as a group at over 60 in the 45 zones, zooming around construction zones and just blowing through traffic lights. The police escort really speeds things up. We turned off the main highway and started up the back roads up into the rainforest. The road was full of curves and was mainly a sharp uphill. It was a fun ride with all of the curves. We stopped at the base of a waterfall for some pictures then turned around and headed back to the city of San Juan.
On the way back to San Juan we really opened up, over 70 in some spots, all with a police escort and blocking. We turned off of the main highway and continued along the oceanfront. Here the roads weren’t so great. We had to continually point out pot holes to following bikes. We entered the city, still with the police escort and rode through old San Juan, down the cobblestone roads. Everywhere we went people were taking photos and waving…much like the parade atmosphere of Bermuda. We parked in the median strip of the road on the waterfront, as directed by the police, and walked around the shopping district for about an hour before it was time to load the bikes back on the ship. We did the nitrogen thing and the inspection thing one last time then loaded the bikes.
After we finished with the bikes we met in the Promenade Café. There we made plans for the afternoon. We went to Johnny Rocket’s for lunch. It’s a 50-60’s diner that serves great milkshakes and burgers. After that it was time for a nap but first we went to the photo studio to check out the latest photos. While in the studio we came up with an idea. At 17:30 we met at the photo studio in our biker garb. They shot the pictures with a plain white background. We’ll get to see the pictures tomorrow. We went back to the room and changed into our ‘evening clothes’ to go to the big show at 19:15.
The show was pretty good. It was a singing and dancing tribute to singing and dancing movies. We left the show and went right to dinner. Tonight it was John and Carrie and Barb and I. We had a really nice dinner. Good food, good people, good conversation. After dinner we went down to the Royal Promenade for the big dance party. It was a lot of fun. The place was packed, the music was loud and people were dancing everywhere. When that ended we went up to the outdoor solarium for an adult dance party. It was too cool and windy up there so we took a short walk then turned in for the evening.
Puerto Rico
Today was our last ride day. It was another early start. We met at the Promenade Café at 06:15 for a quick breakfast then headed down to Deck 1 to get the bikes ready. This is going to be a short day since we have to have the bikes back on board by 12:00. We were off the boat almost as soon as the boat was docked. I was one of the first bikes off for a change so I had to sit the longest. We were greeted by a group of motorcycle officers; the Governor’s special task force. They were to be our escorts for the day. First we had to get fuel. We pulled into the street and next to a truck. In the back was a drum full of gas with a pump. Each bike was refueled and now we were ready to go.
We took off through the streets of San Juan with the police officers blocking the streets and lights for us. This allowed us to get right onto the freeway where they blocked the on ramps and traffic for us. We raced along as a group at over 60 in the 45 zones, zooming around construction zones and just blowing through traffic lights. The police escort really speeds things up. We turned off the main highway and started up the back roads up into the rainforest. The road was full of curves and was mainly a sharp uphill. It was a fun ride with all of the curves. We stopped at the base of a waterfall for some pictures then turned around and headed back to the city of San Juan.
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| Waterfall Stop |
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| The Streets of San Juan |
After we finished with the bikes we met in the Promenade Café. There we made plans for the afternoon. We went to Johnny Rocket’s for lunch. It’s a 50-60’s diner that serves great milkshakes and burgers. After that it was time for a nap but first we went to the photo studio to check out the latest photos. While in the studio we came up with an idea. At 17:30 we met at the photo studio in our biker garb. They shot the pictures with a plain white background. We’ll get to see the pictures tomorrow. We went back to the room and changed into our ‘evening clothes’ to go to the big show at 19:15.
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| 70's Dance Party in the Royal Promenade |
The show was pretty good. It was a singing and dancing tribute to singing and dancing movies. We left the show and went right to dinner. Tonight it was John and Carrie and Barb and I. We had a really nice dinner. Good food, good people, good conversation. After dinner we went down to the Royal Promenade for the big dance party. It was a lot of fun. The place was packed, the music was loud and people were dancing everywhere. When that ended we went up to the outdoor solarium for an adult dance party. It was too cool and windy up there so we took a short walk then turned in for the evening.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Day 6 - 04/17/12 St. Thomas
Day 6 – 04/17/12
St. Thomas
I woke up at 04:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I was excited to go on another island ride, one that was supposed to be the most technical of the rides. It was also an early start day. We were to meet at Deck 2 forward by 06:45. We had breakfast with Dave and Annette at 06:15 then headed downstairs. Everyone worked together to get the bikes ready to go then we sat. We had to wait for clearance from the US Virgin Islands authorities. We waited for almost an hour to be cleared.
Once we were finally cleared we headed over to the gas station for fuel. I hadn’t used much fuel but they filled me up again. We’re not supposed to have more than a quarter tank at the end of the rides. I had been ending with about a half.
We also met up with our escorts, the local motorcycle club and a police officer. The local club members and the officer would be running interference for us all day; blocking intersections and traffic lights.
From Mountaintop we dropped down to Megan’s Bay in less than 5 miles. It was a real screamer for the engines and brakes; especially the switchbacks. Megan’s Bay has a beautiful beach where we hung out for about an hour. We left Megan’s Bay and headed up a steep hill. Near the top I went to downshift and the bike hit neutral. I had to stop to restart in first causing the line to slow. Luckily the bike behind me went around or it could have been a real mess.
We rode for awhile, up, up, up, down, down, down, around and around. We finally ended up at our lunch spot, Iggies. It is supposedly a secret hot spot where famous people like Stevie Wonder and Dave Mason have been known to pop up. It had a nice beach so after lunch we pulled up chairs and napped. It was wonderful.
We left Iggies heading for a hill known as Donkey Hill. It was supposed to be a treacherous, super steep hill where we were instructed to use only first gear and high revs. After we all passed the hill and ended up in the port we were all wondering if that was it. It wasn’t that bad. I think everyone was in second for the hill…we were on the little Honda.
Back in the port we parked the bikes and went shopping. Great deals on watches and booze. Soon enough it was time to get back on board. We rode to the ship, did the nitrogen thing, were inspected by customs and then pushed the bikes back on. Things were complicated by fresh paint in the storage area but we worked around it.
Back in the room we were lying down when we heard all of this cheering and whistling going on outside of the ship. We were pulling out and all of the noise was coming from a neighboring ship where they were cheering our departure. Still not quite sure why.
The evening was pretty sedate. We dressed nicely for dinner so we decided to have our picture taken by the ship’s photographers. We’ll see how they turn out tomorrow. Otherwise it was business as usual…a great meal then off to bed.
St. Thomas
I woke up at 04:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I was excited to go on another island ride, one that was supposed to be the most technical of the rides. It was also an early start day. We were to meet at Deck 2 forward by 06:45. We had breakfast with Dave and Annette at 06:15 then headed downstairs. Everyone worked together to get the bikes ready to go then we sat. We had to wait for clearance from the US Virgin Islands authorities. We waited for almost an hour to be cleared.
Once we were finally cleared we headed over to the gas station for fuel. I hadn’t used much fuel but they filled me up again. We’re not supposed to have more than a quarter tank at the end of the rides. I had been ending with about a half.
We also met up with our escorts, the local motorcycle club and a police officer. The local club members and the officer would be running interference for us all day; blocking intersections and traffic lights.
We headed out, on the left side of the road. We started out pretty flat but that didn’t last long. Soon we were going up and down hills and around corners. St. Thomas is a very hilly, curvy island. There’s also little to no shoulder. Our first stop was a place called Mountaintop; 2500’ above sea level. It was an overlook above Megan’s Bay.
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| View of Megan's Bay from Mountaintop |
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| The beach at Megan's Bay |
We rode for awhile, up, up, up, down, down, down, around and around. We finally ended up at our lunch spot, Iggies. It is supposedly a secret hot spot where famous people like Stevie Wonder and Dave Mason have been known to pop up. It had a nice beach so after lunch we pulled up chairs and napped. It was wonderful.
We left Iggies heading for a hill known as Donkey Hill. It was supposed to be a treacherous, super steep hill where we were instructed to use only first gear and high revs. After we all passed the hill and ended up in the port we were all wondering if that was it. It wasn’t that bad. I think everyone was in second for the hill…we were on the little Honda.
Back in the port we parked the bikes and went shopping. Great deals on watches and booze. Soon enough it was time to get back on board. We rode to the ship, did the nitrogen thing, were inspected by customs and then pushed the bikes back on. Things were complicated by fresh paint in the storage area but we worked around it.
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| St. Thomas |
The evening was pretty sedate. We dressed nicely for dinner so we decided to have our picture taken by the ship’s photographers. We’ll see how they turn out tomorrow. Otherwise it was business as usual…a great meal then off to bed.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Day 5 - 04/16/12 St. Maarten
Day 5 – 04/16/12
St. Maarten
Here it is, 05:30, and I can’t sleep again. I’m really excited about riding around St. Maarten. Barb and I spent our honeymoon there 27 years ago. I doubt we’ll recognize much although I did look through our old pictures. I went for a walk and found out where everyone is first thing in the morning…they’re walking round the running track.
It’s VERY windy today. It’s supposed to be in the low 80’s. No jackets today.
We didn’t have to meet until 11:30 so we had time for a nice breakfast. After breakfast it was meeting time in the Deck 2 Forward conference area. A couple of people were late…targets for ridicule. We had the bikes ready to go before the ship was docked. We’re always the first people off of the ship. The regular passengers have to wait for formalities and go through a check-out. We just mount up and disembark. We rode down the gangway into the sunny heat of St. Maarten. We were in a canyon between two large cruise ships and were told to keep the revving down. Those Harley riders love to rev their engines. We met up with the local motorcycle club, the Caribbean Eagles and headed out.
St. Maarten doesn’t look anything like I remember. First off, I don’t remember it being so hilly. It’s also very built up and dirty. We headed over to the gas stop to get our ration of fuel. Since my little Honda uses less fuel than the big bikes I had more fuel left over from the previous ride so they almost filled me up. We left the gas station and went to the Harley Dealership. It’s a Harley thing. You have to visit the local dealerships for shirts, patches, etc. After the dealership it was time to ride. The roads in St. Maarten (Dutch side) and St. Martin (French side) leave a lot to be desired. There are speed bumps everywhere. T is officially the isle of speed bumps.
We rode by the airport and stopped on the road at the end of the runway. The area was full of people. Here’s the deal. Whenever a plane lands it comes in so low you could almost hit it with a baseball. Well one was coming in while we sat there, right over Barb and I. The people wait around to feel the jet blast as the jets pass. At takeoff it’s much stronger. People actually get blown over and pushed around by the jet blast when they take off. Nutty folks.
We continued our ride around the island to the French side. The roads had lots of speed bumps and pot holes and curves which kept our speeds down…and traffic. Lots of traffic, especially in any populated area. We had a lot of trouble keeping the group together. The local motorcycle club ran interference for us by blocking traffic where they could so that we wouldn’t be cut off by cars.
We ended up at Waikiki Beach. It was a nice beach with a restaurant and beach chairs. The weather was crappy…way too windy and mostly cloudy…so we didn’t change into our bathing suits. We had a little lunch and relaxed. It was a nice break. The road into Waikiki had two big speed bumps at the entrance. Even I bottomed out on the way out. (My bike has a little more clearance that the big Harleys). Someone even had their guardian bell knocked off. Bad karma.
The road back to the Dutch side was more of the same…curves, potholes and speed bumps. We ended up on the waterfront street called the Boardwalk. We parked the bikes for about 1 ½ hours and walked around the shopping district. The girls found a chocolate shop, hit up a jewelry store and I got my customary Hard Rock café pin.
We moved on to the cruise ship dock for a little duty free shopping. The girls went ahead and boarded the ship while we waited around for the time to load the bikes. We moved the bikes back onto the dock where security inspected our bikes and Steve did the nitrogen thing to our fuel tanks again. We loaded the bikes and had them chocked in 12 minutes. That’s what we were told. I think it took a little longer.
It was back to the cabin for a shower then off to a casual dinner in the dining room. Our assistant waiter was super attentive since Dave had said something to the head waiter the meal before. I was given my diet cokes before asking and coffee came as soon as I started falling asleep right at the table. It was a long day and everyone turned in as soon as the meal was over.
St. Maarten
Here it is, 05:30, and I can’t sleep again. I’m really excited about riding around St. Maarten. Barb and I spent our honeymoon there 27 years ago. I doubt we’ll recognize much although I did look through our old pictures. I went for a walk and found out where everyone is first thing in the morning…they’re walking round the running track.
It’s VERY windy today. It’s supposed to be in the low 80’s. No jackets today.
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| Getting ready to launch. |
St. Maarten doesn’t look anything like I remember. First off, I don’t remember it being so hilly. It’s also very built up and dirty. We headed over to the gas stop to get our ration of fuel. Since my little Honda uses less fuel than the big bikes I had more fuel left over from the previous ride so they almost filled me up. We left the gas station and went to the Harley Dealership. It’s a Harley thing. You have to visit the local dealerships for shirts, patches, etc. After the dealership it was time to ride. The roads in St. Maarten (Dutch side) and St. Martin (French side) leave a lot to be desired. There are speed bumps everywhere. T is officially the isle of speed bumps.
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| St. Maarten's hills. |
We rode by the airport and stopped on the road at the end of the runway. The area was full of people. Here’s the deal. Whenever a plane lands it comes in so low you could almost hit it with a baseball. Well one was coming in while we sat there, right over Barb and I. The people wait around to feel the jet blast as the jets pass. At takeoff it’s much stronger. People actually get blown over and pushed around by the jet blast when they take off. Nutty folks.
We continued our ride around the island to the French side. The roads had lots of speed bumps and pot holes and curves which kept our speeds down…and traffic. Lots of traffic, especially in any populated area. We had a lot of trouble keeping the group together. The local motorcycle club ran interference for us by blocking traffic where they could so that we wouldn’t be cut off by cars.
We ended up at Waikiki Beach. It was a nice beach with a restaurant and beach chairs. The weather was crappy…way too windy and mostly cloudy…so we didn’t change into our bathing suits. We had a little lunch and relaxed. It was a nice break. The road into Waikiki had two big speed bumps at the entrance. Even I bottomed out on the way out. (My bike has a little more clearance that the big Harleys). Someone even had their guardian bell knocked off. Bad karma.
The road back to the Dutch side was more of the same…curves, potholes and speed bumps. We ended up on the waterfront street called the Boardwalk. We parked the bikes for about 1 ½ hours and walked around the shopping district. The girls found a chocolate shop, hit up a jewelry store and I got my customary Hard Rock café pin.
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| On the Boardwalk in St. Maarten |
We moved on to the cruise ship dock for a little duty free shopping. The girls went ahead and boarded the ship while we waited around for the time to load the bikes. We moved the bikes back onto the dock where security inspected our bikes and Steve did the nitrogen thing to our fuel tanks again. We loaded the bikes and had them chocked in 12 minutes. That’s what we were told. I think it took a little longer.
It was back to the cabin for a shower then off to a casual dinner in the dining room. Our assistant waiter was super attentive since Dave had said something to the head waiter the meal before. I was given my diet cokes before asking and coffee came as soon as I started falling asleep right at the table. It was a long day and everyone turned in as soon as the meal was over.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Day 5 - Just some pictures
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| Waiting for Fuel |
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| Good Times |
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| On the Ride |
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| St. David's Lighthouse |
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| One of our Guardians |
Day 4 - 04/15/12 Second Sea Day
Day 4 – 04/15/12
Second Sea Day
Today we slept in a bit. I’m starting to acclimate to the new times but we’ll be turning the clocks back again tonight so that’ll screw me up a bit. I went for a walk to take a few pics while most of the boat was still asleep. The place is empty at 06:30.
We met Dave and Annette in the Windjammer for breakfast at 09:00. That ran until about 10:30. It’s great when you don’t have anywhere to be. After breakfast we changed into our swimsuits and headed for the hot tub. It was crowded and deck chairs were hard to find. On a sea day everyone has the same idea. We found four chairs on an upper, upper deck and put our stuff on them. We went into the hot tub for a while then returned to the chairs. It was getting cloudy which made it cool for lying out so we gave up and returned to our rooms. More relaxing and hanging out.
Next it was lunch before the big Ice Show. Yes, there’s a skating rink on the ship. It’s not huge but it’s big enough for an ice show. The show was actually pretty good. It was called the Seasons on the Explorer of the Seas. After the show it was off to the casino to lose a few more dollars to the machines.
Dinner was at Portofinos. It’s the high end restaurant on board. It costs an extra $20 and is by reservation only. The whole ETA group decided to go, 52 of us, so it made for a fun evening. Great food, great conversation, great evening. The Captain and his staff also attended.
We ended up in the Chamber where they were having the silent dance party. Everyone gets a pair of wireless headphones that can be switched to either of two DJ’s playing different music. It’s really funky. Everyone is dancing, quietly. That is until they start singing. Before long Barb and Annette were singing aloud, along with a lot of other folks. So much for the silent part. I fell asleep in the chairs so we decided it was time to call it a night.
Second Sea Day
Today we slept in a bit. I’m starting to acclimate to the new times but we’ll be turning the clocks back again tonight so that’ll screw me up a bit. I went for a walk to take a few pics while most of the boat was still asleep. The place is empty at 06:30.
We met Dave and Annette in the Windjammer for breakfast at 09:00. That ran until about 10:30. It’s great when you don’t have anywhere to be. After breakfast we changed into our swimsuits and headed for the hot tub. It was crowded and deck chairs were hard to find. On a sea day everyone has the same idea. We found four chairs on an upper, upper deck and put our stuff on them. We went into the hot tub for a while then returned to the chairs. It was getting cloudy which made it cool for lying out so we gave up and returned to our rooms. More relaxing and hanging out.
Next it was lunch before the big Ice Show. Yes, there’s a skating rink on the ship. It’s not huge but it’s big enough for an ice show. The show was actually pretty good. It was called the Seasons on the Explorer of the Seas. After the show it was off to the casino to lose a few more dollars to the machines.
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| Portofinos Dining Room |
We ended up in the Chamber where they were having the silent dance party. Everyone gets a pair of wireless headphones that can be switched to either of two DJ’s playing different music. It’s really funky. Everyone is dancing, quietly. That is until they start singing. Before long Barb and Annette were singing aloud, along with a lot of other folks. So much for the silent part. I fell asleep in the chairs so we decided it was time to call it a night.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Day 3 - 04/14/12 First Day of Riding
Day 3 – 04/14/12
First Day of Riding
We started the day at 06:15 with a wake-up call. I went outside on the balcony to find that it was mostly cloudy, windy and still a bit cool. Not a good first impression of the day. Barb and I got ready to go and headed down to the Promenade café for a quick breakfast with Dave and Annette. We met them along with Steve, the tour leader, and had a little bit to eat and coffee. Not enough coffee for me but it would have to do. The ship runs by the clock we had had places to be and things to do…on time. We met up with everyone down on Deck 2 where we said goodbye to the girls, for now. The bike operators all headed down to Deck 1 to get our bikes.
First we un-chocked them from their stands then we had to wait for customs to come through and inspect our saddlebags. I guess they didn’t want us taking anything funny onto the island. When we were cleared by customs we pushed the bikes down half the length of the boat to the gangway exit. Finally, off of the boat and on the dock. On the dock the Bermudian inspectors checked names and license plates then did a safety check “brakes…ok”. While this was going on the girls came down and met us. Now it was time to go! We all loaded up, hopped on our bikes and headed out. We went about a mile to another parking lot where we met up with the local cycle club…The Bermuda Long Riders. They were joining us for the day’s ride. They’re only allowed to have bikes up to 250cc so it was interesting to see what they were riding. In the parking lot we received ride instructions from the police and ride leaders. We would have a police escort and blocking wherever we went.
We departed from the parking lot to head over to the fuel station where we each took on 8 litres of gas. This would be more than enough for the day’s ride. Now we were finally ready to go riding. We took off on our first leg and headed out. Driving in Bermuda is a trip. Traffic drives on the left and they have a lot of circles. This is also the first time this group has ridden together. The roads are tight and curvy and there was a lot of traffic for a little island but traffic was of little concern to us. With the police escort we didn’t have to stop for lights or intersections.
Bermuda is a beautiful island. Everything is so clean. The water is clear and blue and the houses are painted all shades of pastel colors. The thing that was most striking was how friendly the people were. Everywhere we went the people would line the streets waving and cheering as we went by. It was like being in a parade. The bikes were beeping their horns and the riders were waving back. This went on all day, everywhere we went.
First Day of Riding
We started the day at 06:15 with a wake-up call. I went outside on the balcony to find that it was mostly cloudy, windy and still a bit cool. Not a good first impression of the day. Barb and I got ready to go and headed down to the Promenade café for a quick breakfast with Dave and Annette. We met them along with Steve, the tour leader, and had a little bit to eat and coffee. Not enough coffee for me but it would have to do. The ship runs by the clock we had had places to be and things to do…on time. We met up with everyone down on Deck 2 where we said goodbye to the girls, for now. The bike operators all headed down to Deck 1 to get our bikes.
First we un-chocked them from their stands then we had to wait for customs to come through and inspect our saddlebags. I guess they didn’t want us taking anything funny onto the island. When we were cleared by customs we pushed the bikes down half the length of the boat to the gangway exit. Finally, off of the boat and on the dock. On the dock the Bermudian inspectors checked names and license plates then did a safety check “brakes…ok”. While this was going on the girls came down and met us. Now it was time to go! We all loaded up, hopped on our bikes and headed out. We went about a mile to another parking lot where we met up with the local cycle club…The Bermuda Long Riders. They were joining us for the day’s ride. They’re only allowed to have bikes up to 250cc so it was interesting to see what they were riding. In the parking lot we received ride instructions from the police and ride leaders. We would have a police escort and blocking wherever we went.
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| Ready to go...it was cold. |
We departed from the parking lot to head over to the fuel station where we each took on 8 litres of gas. This would be more than enough for the day’s ride. Now we were finally ready to go riding. We took off on our first leg and headed out. Driving in Bermuda is a trip. Traffic drives on the left and they have a lot of circles. This is also the first time this group has ridden together. The roads are tight and curvy and there was a lot of traffic for a little island but traffic was of little concern to us. With the police escort we didn’t have to stop for lights or intersections.
Bermuda is a beautiful island. Everything is so clean. The water is clear and blue and the houses are painted all shades of pastel colors. The thing that was most striking was how friendly the people were. Everywhere we went the people would line the streets waving and cheering as we went by. It was like being in a parade. The bikes were beeping their horns and the riders were waving back. This went on all day, everywhere we went.
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| At the beach. |
Our first stop was at one of the lighthouses. There are two on the island. The ride up was nerve wracking because the bikes all came to a stop on the steep uphill. I hate stopping on steep uphills. I guess I should consider it practice for the upcoming islands; especially St. Thomas. The view from the lighthouse was great. We didn’t go up because of the cost and time but from the base we could see most of the island. We left the lighthouse and headed out to our next stop which was a little beach. It was a little slice of clean sand cut into the rocky shoreline. We were met by some of the Long Riders who brought us some wonderful homemade gingerbread cake. What a nice gesture. We only stayed here for a short time since it was too cold to even go wading.
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| ...gossip and nag. |
We rode on to the town of St. George. It’s at the opposite end of Bermuda from where the boat was. It’s a nice little town. Again, everyone was out waving and shouting. Cars were beeping their horns too and no one seemed to mind that traffic was being held up for us. In St. George we parked the bikes and walked around for a while. We found a café where we were able to get some hot coffee and a hot mocha for Barb. We returned to the bikes where the Mayor of St. George presented our group with a certificate of recognition. I’m still not sure what for. Then it was on to the main event… a skit put on by the town where there is a woman that had been found guilty of being a ‘gossip and nag’. Punishment is dunking in the harbor. She puts up a fight but in the end is dunked quite a few times until she repents. The crowd loved it.
We left St. George and rode a short distance to a ‘club’ near Clearwater Beach. We could see the other lighthouse from here. Here we stopped for a lunch buffet put on by the Long Riders. It was a nice spread of BBQ, fish, etc. It was cold in the shade so after we ate we went out and sat in the sun, out of the wind, where Barb got a bit of a sunburn. The sun is hot when it’s out here. It was a nice, relaxing time.
After lunch we got back on the bikes and headed back to the boat, without stopping. Again, it was like a parade. We’ve been told not to expect the same reception on the other islands, especially St. Maarten. The ride back was great. The group was riding well together, everyone was used to the roads and we were moving a bit faster. Most of the riding was 25-35mph…2nd gear, 3rd gear, 2nd gear….
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| Returning to the Ship |
When we returned to the ship there was a loooong line of people waiting to re-board. We went around them and stopped the bikes. Here our riders (passengers) left and were allowed to re-board at the front of the line! The bike operators had to do the nitrogen gas in the fuel tank thing and then be inspected by customs again. Once that was done it was back on the boat…up the gangway, shut off the engines and push to the storage area. This also got us on board ahead of the long line. After the bikes were safely chocked a bunch of us met in the ‘Café Promenade’ for much needed hydration. The wind really sucked the moisture out of you and we didn’t have water at most of the stops except for those of us that brought water.
We returned to our cabin to get ready for the evening’s show and dinner. It was casual so a quick shower then hop into a change of clothes. We had a little time before the show so we went to the casino to let the penny slots suck away some of our money. The show wasn’t too bad. I’m not even sure who we saw. It was the guy that sang the ‘Happy Days’ show theme song. He sure did work hard. We left before the encore to go to dinner.
On the way to dinner we stopped to check out the photos that had been taken of us. There weren’t any that we really liked so we passed on buying any and went to dinner. Dinner was nice, as always. I had a delicious salmon steak. I really need to skip the desserts though.
After dinner the four of us went to Studio B to check out the 50’s-60’s dance party that ended quickly then we went to a few of the bars to check out the action. The only place that was hopping was The Chamber’, a two story dance club. The music was loud and pulsating. Great club for dancing, not for talking. We ended the evening sitting outside the Schooner Bar.
Day 2 - 04/13/12 First Full Day at Sea
Day 2 –04/13/12
First full day at sea
I woke up about 07:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep. You can’t even tell we’re on a ship except for the very small vibration that is ever present. I’m used to being a lot closer to the water when I’m on the Conch Pearl. I go out on the balcony here and I’m four stories above the water. It’s still quite cool outside but I’m going with shorts anyway. We won’t be outside unless we head to the hot tubs.
We had breakfast with Dave and Annette at 09:00 in the Windjammer Café. We weren’t sure if they would make it. We moved the clocks ahead one hour so that’s one less hour of sleep. It was a long, relaxing breakfast. Again, food, food, food.
After breakfast we went down to meet with the ETA folks to pay for our lunches on the island rides. On the way back we stopped for coffee in the Promenade Café then headed outside for a look at the ship’s bridge. There are observation windows that look down into the bridge area, giving you a bird’s eye view of all of the controls. It’s quite a streamlined operation; very automated, very electronic. We continued walking around the decks, visited the sky bar then around to the back of the ship. Here there is a rock wall, basketball courts, in-line skate track and a miniature golf course. We stayed around and played nine holes of golf. When we finished with the golf we continued on to the Nineteenth Hole bar then up to check out the chapel. It’s in the highest part of the ship.
Since this was a sea day there wasn’t much going on. Everyone was relaxing. It was a bit cool to do the pool thing so Barb and I went to the movies in the afternoon. We saw Zookeeper. Actually Barb saw Zookeeper…I slept. No surprise there. After the movie we went back to the room to get ready for the ‘formal’ dinner. We got a little dressed up and met with Dave and Annette.
They had photographers everywhere with backrounds set up for professional shoots. We had our pictures taken a few times. Then it was off to dinner. There were a lot of tuxedos and I felt akward in just a jacket and tie but it was nice dressing up. Dinner was fantastic as always. After dinner there was a big production show but there was no way we were going to stay up for that so we returned to our cabin where neither on of us really remembers going to bed.
First full day at sea
I woke up about 07:00 and couldn’t get back to sleep. You can’t even tell we’re on a ship except for the very small vibration that is ever present. I’m used to being a lot closer to the water when I’m on the Conch Pearl. I go out on the balcony here and I’m four stories above the water. It’s still quite cool outside but I’m going with shorts anyway. We won’t be outside unless we head to the hot tubs.
We had breakfast with Dave and Annette at 09:00 in the Windjammer Café. We weren’t sure if they would make it. We moved the clocks ahead one hour so that’s one less hour of sleep. It was a long, relaxing breakfast. Again, food, food, food.
After breakfast we went down to meet with the ETA folks to pay for our lunches on the island rides. On the way back we stopped for coffee in the Promenade Café then headed outside for a look at the ship’s bridge. There are observation windows that look down into the bridge area, giving you a bird’s eye view of all of the controls. It’s quite a streamlined operation; very automated, very electronic. We continued walking around the decks, visited the sky bar then around to the back of the ship. Here there is a rock wall, basketball courts, in-line skate track and a miniature golf course. We stayed around and played nine holes of golf. When we finished with the golf we continued on to the Nineteenth Hole bar then up to check out the chapel. It’s in the highest part of the ship.
Since this was a sea day there wasn’t much going on. Everyone was relaxing. It was a bit cool to do the pool thing so Barb and I went to the movies in the afternoon. We saw Zookeeper. Actually Barb saw Zookeeper…I slept. No surprise there. After the movie we went back to the room to get ready for the ‘formal’ dinner. We got a little dressed up and met with Dave and Annette.
They had photographers everywhere with backrounds set up for professional shoots. We had our pictures taken a few times. Then it was off to dinner. There were a lot of tuxedos and I felt akward in just a jacket and tie but it was nice dressing up. Dinner was fantastic as always. After dinner there was a big production show but there was no way we were going to stay up for that so we returned to our cabin where neither on of us really remembers going to bed.
Day 1 - 04/12/12 Departure Day
Day 1 – 04/12/12
Departure Day
It’s 5:30am and I can’t sleep. I’m very excited about the trip. There are still a few things to take care of before we go…luggage issues but they’re just a few minor details of rearrangement. We went out to dinner last night, Chinese, and discussed a lot of what to expect on the trip. It included a demonstration of risqué napkin folding by Dave.
Now it was time for us to board and check-in. The process was fairly painless and went quickly. Something like boarding an airplane but less stressful. After we checked-in a bus took us to the boat where we boarded and headed for the Windjammer Café; where everyone else that just boarded the boat was going. We met up with Dave and Annette, found a table and had a great lunch. I can tell that food is going to be a problem…not quality but quantity…I’m going to eat way too much!
We finished lunch at about 13:30 and the room was ready. Our luggage had not arrived so we went for a walk about the ship for a quick look-see. It was too cold to spend any time outside but the pool area looks great. There were two brave young girls in one of the hot tubs but everyone else was walking around in jackets. The inside areas are really nice. The casino looks a little small for the number of people on board but then again, they’ll probably be filling the numerous bars on the ship. There is an area called the Promenade where there are a bunch of small shops that look rather expensive. When we returned to the room our luggage had been delivered. We unpacked everything and managed to stow it all somewhere. We really brought too many clothes.
At 17:00 I went down to the bike operators meeting in the Deck 2 Forward Conference Room. Here we went through an information Q&A session and then moved down to Deck 1 to secure the bikes. This is a fun bunch of guys that work well together so far. I’m the only operator with a metric so of course there was a joke about Honda’s being so quiet. Not too mean. It could get worse. I’m alone in a land of Harleys…someday. After the bikes were secured I went back to the room to get ready for the evening.
At 19:00 we went to the ETA welcome reception. Open bar and more good natured ribbing amongst the bikers. Next it was off to dinner. We’re seated at 20:30; late for me but I’m adjusting. More great food and service. We were seated with Dave & Annette, John and Carrie (and JJ) and Walter and his wife. Dinner went on for a long time by the time we had dessert. It was great relaxing and talking with adults. The dining room was getting empty so we moved on to the casino to check things out. Blackjack was $10 a hand so I passed for now and moved on to the $.02 slots, more my speed. I popped in $5.00, ran it up to $12 and finally ended with $.11. That was enough for me. Time for bed.
Departure Day
It’s 5:30am and I can’t sleep. I’m very excited about the trip. There are still a few things to take care of before we go…luggage issues but they’re just a few minor details of rearrangement. We went out to dinner last night, Chinese, and discussed a lot of what to expect on the trip. It included a demonstration of risqué napkin folding by Dave.
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| Waiting to Board |
Later…we left about 09:00. The drive to the port was cold. Thinking about a Caribbean Cruise we forgot about the NJ Spring. The drive didn’t take too long. Dave likes to get out and go on his Harley. We arrived at the cruise port and were flagged into a lot with the other bikes. The luggage was dropped off and the car was parked. The girls joined us for a while, standing out in the cold wind until they smartened up and headed into the cruise port building where we would be checking in later. Dave and I stayed with the bikes to go through pre-boarding and boarding. First we waited for all of the bikes to arrive. Steve, the group leader, wants everything to be punctual. Everything on the ship runs by the clock and the bike operations were no exception. As I like to say “early is on time, on time is late”. Once all of the bikes had arrived we moved over next to the ship. Here the Customs Service ran a drug sniffing dog past all of the bikes. Everybody cleared customs, although there were a few nervous looks from some of the bikers. Next it was time to get the bikes on board. First Steve went around and squirted nitrogen gas into gas tanks to stabilize the gas fumes. One at a time the bikes rode up the gangway and shut off their engines at the top where they coasted forward. Now we took turns pushing each other down the hallway to a temporary parking spot for the bikes. Here they will sit until 17:00 when we will return to move them to their permanent locations.
Now it was time for us to board and check-in. The process was fairly painless and went quickly. Something like boarding an airplane but less stressful. After we checked-in a bus took us to the boat where we boarded and headed for the Windjammer Café; where everyone else that just boarded the boat was going. We met up with Dave and Annette, found a table and had a great lunch. I can tell that food is going to be a problem…not quality but quantity…I’m going to eat way too much!
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| Our Little Room |
At 17:00 I went down to the bike operators meeting in the Deck 2 Forward Conference Room. Here we went through an information Q&A session and then moved down to Deck 1 to secure the bikes. This is a fun bunch of guys that work well together so far. I’m the only operator with a metric so of course there was a joke about Honda’s being so quiet. Not too mean. It could get worse. I’m alone in a land of Harleys…someday. After the bikes were secured I went back to the room to get ready for the evening.
At 19:00 we went to the ETA welcome reception. Open bar and more good natured ribbing amongst the bikers. Next it was off to dinner. We’re seated at 20:30; late for me but I’m adjusting. More great food and service. We were seated with Dave & Annette, John and Carrie (and JJ) and Walter and his wife. Dinner went on for a long time by the time we had dessert. It was great relaxing and talking with adults. The dining room was getting empty so we moved on to the casino to check things out. Blackjack was $10 a hand so I passed for now and moved on to the $.02 slots, more my speed. I popped in $5.00, ran it up to $12 and finally ended with $.11. That was enough for me. Time for bed.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Getting ready for the cruise
Thursday is 'go day' for the motorcycle cruise. It seems like only yesterday that we were making the reservations. I'm trying to pack but I'm running in too many directions. Time to settle down and focus. The bike is ready. It's not as clean as I'd like but it will have to do. I bought fuel, just enough to get me to the ship. I may get another 1/2 gallon on the way. I'm not looking forward to the ride up the Parkway to Piscataway but in the end it's worth it. I'm going to have to wear a backpack to carry the last few items we forgot to pack. We can repack tonight.
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