Chadds Ford Antiquing

The overcast began to break up shortly after my return from the morning ride so we took the MG and headed to Chadds Ford to enjoy the afternoon and do a little antiquing on the way.  We headed out using our regular route on Goshen to Garrett Mill and across the Pike to 926 and Creek Road.

Once we reached Route 1 on Creek we took a right stopping at Spring House Furnishings and Brandywine View Antiques before ending up a Brandywine River Antique Market (the White Barn), the place where we bought the photo of the 1920s hottie a couple of weeks back.

Brandywine View Antiques is changing locations and they did have very many good things left in stock but the most interesting thing about it was the place.  The business was located in an old, three story, farm house with a big porch all around.  The people that originally build this place must have had money because, while not a mansion by any means, they did build a very nice, large house for the era (probably early XX century).  I hope the house doesn't get torn down.

We didn't find any great treasures but I did buy an illustrated book on the history of cavalry at the White Barn.  After that we stopped at Mushrooms, next to the White Barn, for a late lunch.  We both had soup and sandwiches which where very good.  They have really good mushroom soup and we bought a quart of that to bring home.  As we ate I kept an eye on the sky because it was getting progressively darker as the afternoon moved on so after lunch we headed back on a reverse route for home.

On the way back we pulled over to Thornbury Farm to get some tomatoes and found a flock of Rhode Island Reds had taken over the road.  They had broken out of the farm across the street from the farm stand and where quite content to just mill around the road and parking lot completely unphased by anything.  After leaving the farm stand and turning back on 926 we fell in behind an orange McLaren and followed it all the way to 352 where it turned off towards the Pike.    

It never rained while we were out, actually it never rained all afternoon, but the threat seemed real enough to cut the ride short.  When we got home I put the top up, firs time I've done so since I got the car, and cleaned it.  I also attempted to install chrome edging to the leading seams and succeeded in getting the starboard front bumper done but I don't think it will hold.  The edge of the fiberglass is of varying thicknesses and I don't think the edging will stand up to the shake of the road.  That was an hours worth of work so I want to see what happens before I consider doing the rest of the car.

Top up.  You can see the chrome edging on the starboard fender

Nice ride, if not very long.  I think the brakes are feeling a little spongy but I'm not sure that is not just in my head.  Will have to keep an eye on that.

The exotic tally now stands at 17 Teslas, 17 Ferraris, 11 Maseratis, 5 Bentleys, 5 McLarens, 3 Cobras, 2 Austin-Healeys, 2 Lambos, 2 Unknowns,1 Rolls Royce, and 1 DeLorean.

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Friday Night Dinner Ride

Friday evening we took the MG out and went to the Fellini Café in Newtown Square to get dinner.  We eat at this Fellini fairly regularly and we always enjoy their food.  From there we took a little ride up Goshen to fuel up at the Wawa on the West Chester Pike and 352.

After we refuel we continued on the Pike towards West Chester looking for a coffee shop.  We found a Starbucks on the corner of the Pike and Five Points Rd.  Much to my surprise, the Starbucks was closed so we just continued up Five Points Rd to the Paoli Pike and took that to Ellis Rd.  At Ellis we made a ride and returned to Strasburg to follow that back home.

In the field across from the Oreo Cow Farm, on the Pike side of the road, we saw a young buck feeding.  We have seen a doe feeding there several times before in the early evening but this is the first time we have seen a buck.  On one of the rides I took with our great-niece we saw several turkey buzzards feeding on a dead deer in this same spot and it always worries me that one will jump out on the road in front of us.

It wasn't a long ride and it was basically an excuse to refuel but we were both glad because the evening was very nice and the weather perfect for riding.

At the gas station the tank took 4.297 gallons of premium at $3.159 for a total of $13.57.  Mileage since last refuel was 26.99 mpg on 116 miles traveled.

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Más Mexicali Cantina

Courthouse Clock Tower from the Terrace

Despite our previous misadventure with dinner in West Chester we took a ride out there on Friday night to eat at the Más Mexicali Cantina on State Street.  We took the MG on our regular West Chester route, up Goshen/Strasburg to the Pike and then straight into town on Gay Street.  All the parking spots in the downtown area were full so we had to find alternative parking in a structure on the corner of Walnut and Chestnut.  This arrangement worked out pretty well because, as long as one doesn't stay for more than three hours, it's cheaper to park here than in the open lots.

Dinner at the Cantina was good, not the best Mexican I've ever had but not bad at all.  We sat on the terrace which is a happening spot for the younger crowd but since the weather was so good it was a shame to sit inside.  After dinner we took a walk to Gemelli for gelato, great as always and then a short passeggiata through the downtown area.

On the way back we took a short ride around the University area and then headed out Market to the Pike.  I overshot Strasburg but got on it from Ellis and then did the reverse ride home.  I am really loving the rides in the early evenings.  The weather has been great at this time of day, even when it has gotten hotter during the day, and it is really an enjoyable experience.  

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Oreo Cows

Oreo Cow Farm

Shortly after I got back from my Bullet ride after the concert at the Easttown Library on Sunday afternoon we took the MG out for a spin.  We decided to go try a new place to eat first, Fat Jack's BBQ in Malvern.

We headed out Earles Lane toward Goshen and within a couple of blocks from the house we saw a white Tesla going in the opposite direction.  I am convinced that this has to be the same Tesla I've seen twice before on Earles Lane because it is too much of a coincidence but without getting the plate it would be impossible to confirm.  The fact that PA does not require plates in front makes confirming this even more difficult.

Once on 252 we took Newtown Rd to Sugartown rather than stay on 252 just to make the ride a little more enjoyable because of the country lane feel of Newtown Rd as opposed to the more highway feel of 252.  At the corner of Sugartown and 252 where Sugartown turns into Darby Rd a dark (could have been green, black, or blue) Tesla turned onto Darby in front of us.  We stayed on Darby to Devon and took that left to Warren.  At Warren we took the right and followed it out to Old Lancaster and then Old Lincoln to 30.  We then continued on 30 until we got to Fat Jack's.

Fat Jack's in not much from the outside being set up in the far corner of a strip mall.  However, the food is amazing.  We had South Carolina mustard sauce BBQ (which for some weird reason they call Georgia style) and burned ends.  It was really delicious with very generous portions.  We both had the sandwiches which came with real fries and coleslaw.  I'm not a big fan of slaw but this was very good and it did not drown out the BBQ, being just a small enough portion to give flavor and crunch without overwhelming.  The place was clean and decorated with funky signs and posters, including a scaled down reproduction of the Spanish version poster for Barbarella.  Random but very cool.

Belted Galloway/Oreo cows

From there we headed back on the reverse route to Warren but once there we stayed on all the way out to Providence and took the left on Sugartown to Goshen.  At Goshen we took the right and headed out towards Strasburg Rd.  When we reached Duttons Mill we noticed some Belted Galloway cows in the pasture on the right.  We have never seen these cows here before.  There's another farm all the way where 926 dog legs on Newark Rd that has Belted Galloways but there's no good place to get off the road to take pictures.  So I took a right on Duttons Mill and, of course, I had some Yankee with his tail on fire immediately on top of me so I couldn't pull off.  No worries, we made the block back to Sugartown and Goshen and this time I was able to pull off on a bit of grass by the cows to take some pictures.

After the pics we just turned around on the road and headed back up Goshen/Strasburg to West Chester.  Once in West Chester we drove around town and into the campus of West Chester University.  The campus is in an urban setting but has some interesting older building some dating back to the turn of the last century.  From there we headed back to downtown and stopped at our favorite gelato place, Gemelli, for chocolate espresso and salted caramel gelato.  Just excellent!

On the way back we took a right at Five Points Rd and followed that down to Westtown Rd.  We had never been in either of these roads before.  Five Points is fairly straight and suburban but once on Westtown the road turns more country and with twists just like most country lanes in the area.  Westtown eventually leads out to 926 for our loop back through Garretts Mill and Goshen.  This is a good route to know as another way to get in and out of West Chester without having to use the Pike.

Another great ride at the perfect time of day.  Great weather and temp and no issues from the car.  Can't ask for better.  Nothing but rain yesterday and today so no riding, not even commuting on the Bullet, for the last two days.

Jane Fonda en Barbarella

Oreo cow

Farm

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Memorial Day Ride

Fellini Café, Chadds Ford

Since the emergency brake had decided to let go by Monday morning we took the MG out for another spin.

We headed out to an estate sale in Ardmore at around 10:00.  We had to take a run around the West Chester Pike because Ardmore was having its Memorial Day Parade that morning.  The sale was supposed to have some motorcycle things but other than some Harley memorabilia there was not really very much motorcycle stuff there.

From the estate sale we got back on the Pike and headed out to 926.  Charlene wanted to go to the other antique mall on Route 1 that we had missed on our previous ride on Saturday.  So we took 926 and headed towards Chadds Ford.  When we got to Creek Rd we were so busy chatting and enjoying the ride that I just blew by the intersection and kept going.  I realized once I crossed over the Brandywine in Pocopson that I had overshot so I turned around at the old train station turned into a veterinarian's and headed back to Creek Road.

We followed Creek to Route 1 and then took the right towards Chadds Ford Winery where the antique mall is located.  That portion of one is a divided highway so I had to overshoot and turn around to get to the parking lot.  Once there we milled about, we were in luck because the downstairs portion was open which has been very rare in our previous visits.  There are a couple of dealers in the downstairs that specialize in militaria and in one of those stalls I found an Armed Forces Germany plate that I wanted to buy to put on Montse.  Of course, that particular dealer was not there so I had the desk lady call him and ask a price because, as is usual with anything I want in these places, this was the only thing that was not marked.  He had a range of plates from $8.00 to $12.00 dollars and I would have paid the $12.00 without blinking an eye.  When the lady got the dealer on the phone he asked me to make an offer and I said $10.00, shooting for the middle and knowing he would probably counter with $12.00.  Well he countered with $15.00 which annoyed me enough not to play the game.  Sometimes these antique dealers can really annoy the living dog out of me.

Charlene in the Café

Charlene bought a couple of little things and we headed back to Creek Rd and 1 to stop at the Fellini Café catty corner from Hank's Place.  What a nice surprise!  The food was just amazing and the portions were incredibly generous.  The decor is really over the top and it was the first thing Charlene commented on but I don't care if the food is good and it was fantastic.  We and a couple of older ladies were the only ones there and I could not help but think about all those people standing in line at Hank's.  We will definitely come back to this place.  The have a breakfast and lunch buffet which was not available during our visit because of the holiday but I will like to come back for that.

After dinner we just headed back home via Creek, 926, and Garretts Mill to Goshen.  It was another fabulous day with great weather and a fun ride.  There was no issues with the brakes but then again I did not set the parking brake at any time.      

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West Chester Evening

Old Glory, West Chester City Hall

When Charlene got home from work last night we went out for a ride and dinner at West Chester.  We took the MG out and headed up Goshen towards Strasburg Rd and the West Chester Pike.  We left shortly after 18:15, the weather was still great but the temps had begun to drop below the 80s of the day.  Still nice enough to need nothing more than a t-shirt.

These damned hubcaps are going to drive me insane.  As we were headed up Goshen by the Liseter development my port-side front broke loose and rolled towards the walking path on the inbound side of the road.  We drove to the nearest turning point which happened to be Echo Valley Lane and turned around to pick it up.  Of course, it was nowhere to be seen.  I continued on to the Goshen Trail parking lot, almost at 252 to turn around because there was no other place and came back to the second entrance to Liseter development and parked there.  Charlene stayed with the car and I walked across to the trail to see if I would have better luck.

As I was scanning the side of the trail a jogger asked me if I was looking for a hubcap.  He said he had seen it face down on the trail but he couldn't remember where in relation to were we were at the time.  I still don't understand how that is possible but I fell in next to him because he thought it might be on the way he was going.  We ran for a little bit, maybe 100 yards, before he was wondering if it was behind us.  So I left him and turn around because I felt that we were already way past the point were the damned thing had come off.  I ran back to were I joined the jogger and continued on for another 50 yards or so and sure enough, there it was face down on the side of the trail.  I picked it up and ran back to the car.  I haven't run this much since I don't know when.

I put the hubcap back on and made extra sure that it was firmly seated before we drove off towards West Chester.  We followed the regular route straight up to downtown West Chester.  Once there we parked at the Wells Fargo parking lot, where they only charge $5.00 to park in the evenings, and went to the Side Bar for dinner.  We had brunch there last year on Father's Day and there was no wait to eat inside to it was a sure bet.  We both had salads which were really great so we can definitely put this place on the rotation.

After dinner we did the passeggiata through downtown which was full of people and very active.  We stopped for gelato, after all what is a passeggiata without gelato, at a place called Gemelli.  I was favorably impressed with the quality of their gelato.  We had gianduia and espresso which were really good mixed together.  After the passeggiata we cruised up Gay Street to New Street and came back down Market Street which eventually turns into the Pike.  On the way up Gay St we were stopped at a light when two young guys just came up to shake our hands and tell us how cool the car was.  I said it before, this thing is an attention magnet.  We came back home following the Pike all the way back to 252.

Other than the stupid mishap with the stupid hubcap it was a great ride.  It's nice to have headlights again and be able to go out after dark.  We want to make the Friday evening ride a thing for the summer so we are putting the West Chester downtown into that schedule because it is an easy ride, there are lots of restaurants, and it is conducive to the passeggiata.

West Chester

West Chester

 

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The Eleventh Day of Christmas - The Feast of Saint John Neumann

Marilyn!

Early day on the Feast of Saint John Neumann to attend my second day at the ALLS conference.  Met up with my friend Phillip for breakfast at Open City.  They had a really good breakfast there and it appears to be a good place to eat for lunch and dinner as well.  I saw Phillip last in July in Boise, Idaho, where we went for a couple of great rides. We talked a little about work and future plans but we talked mostly about motorcycles and riding opportunities.  I hope that Phillip can come visit us in Pennsylvania in July so we can go out and try some rides in my area.

Down the block from Open City, at the Corner of Calvert and Connecticut Ave, there is a mural of Marilyn Monroe that I passed every morning on my way to work the last time I worked in DC.  I always made threats about stopping a taking a picture of that mural but I never did.  This morning I walked to the corner and made good on those threats.

Headed back to PA in the early evening for the last Day of Christmas and work.

Marilyn!

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Getting Ready for the Show

Shiny and Ready to Go

Friday afternoon, after my ride on the Bullet, I finished prepping Montse for the Historical Car Club of Pennsylvania's show on Sunday at the Delaware County Community College campus.

As I had washed and vacuumed the car on Sunday on not ran it since then. the prepping consisting of waxing and redoing the tires.  This whole process took no more than an hour.  Taking advantage of the good weather and mild temps I took the MG to pick up my wife from work and then to go out to dinner.

At the end of the day it was just a short loop out Church to her work and then out to Route 30 for dinner at Veekoo, which turned out to be a really good restaurant.

To see more pics of Montse, checkout my Flickr page Montse album.

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Father's Day Brunch in West Chester

For father's day my wife and I headed out on the Bullet to West Chester for brunch in a downtown restaurant.  We didn't have anyplace special picked out we just wanted to go and find something there.  The quickest way would have been to head up West Chester Pike but the more fun and twisty ride is up the Goshen/Strasburg to West Chester Pike route.  We both love that route because of the scenery, the hills, and the twists and turns of the road.  No geese on the road today but as we crossed 252 we picked up a New Yorker in front of us who must have been leaf peeping in the wrong season, the guy could go no faster than 30 mph.  All that road is double yellow and with many blind turns so it's hard to pass someone.  Luckily there was a spot along the horse farms before the Providence Rd. intersection where it was clear enough to make a break for it.  Once we cleared him the ride was definitely more enjoyable.

The downtown area of West Chester runs between Gay St. and Market Street from about Bolmar St. to New St.  As you head into town on the Pike it turns into Gay St. and continues up through downtown as a one way street.  At some point, if you bear left, the next street over is Market which runs the other way back to West Chester Pike and the Paoli Pike turnoff.  We followed Gay all the way to New and made the turn to come back on Market settling on a parking lot near the corner of Gay and Walnut.  Leaving the Bullet there, we walked along Gay to find a place for Brunch.

We settled on the Side Bar because they had seating outside and a good looking menu.  The food was great and the weather was perfect for an outside brunch. While we were waiting for our food, a nice older gentleman approached us and compliment me on the Bullet.  We chatted about it for a little while and he was surprised to learn that they are still being made.  He though it was a vintage bike not something with just a little over 600 miles on it.

After brunch we headed back on the reverse route.  No New Yorkers this time and the road was free an clear.  At a couples of places, where I had a tailwind and a downhill slide, the Bullet reached and maintained a little over 60 mph on less than half throttle.  It's nice to know that even with two people on board it is still game. Much fun was had by all.  By the end of the ride we had clocked  a little over 661 miles on the odo.

Looking forward to Ride to Work tomorrow.

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