This, my most recent adventure was courtesy of my daughters. They got together and got me tickets to see the B-52s. It was my birthday on the 8th. Yes, I'm a Taurus. Textbook one actually. That is why my concert tickets evolved into an East coast road trip. 

When my daughters were younger, it was a family vacation road trip is always an adventure but long family road trips together are truly adventurous! The first year we drove down to Disney World. In hindsight it created a monster...four of them to be exact. Every year as I was booking my vacation time, little reminders, subtle and not so subtle, would begin around this time of the year, usually my birthday, with things like: torn pages of east coast road maps, an old disney world pass, and a picture of Mickey and Pluto, would show up rolled up in my napkin at the dinner table, under my pillow or tucked into my briefcase allowing me to discover it during a high level meeting at RCMP Headquarters or CSIS. Always good for the image of 'Tough Guy'.

For this East coast road trip, Kayle and I are riding from Montreal to North Carolina and back. Unlike earlier family trips where we spent nearly a month and stopped at MANY spots along the way including: the mountains of West Virginia, Niagara Falls, Maine, Boston, New York City, and Washington DC, this time we have a timetable to work within. You see I must be back in Quebec to meet Belt Drive Betty. 

Now, I consider Betty as the Diva of Dynamos. The Executive of Exhausts. The Princess of Primaries. The Queen of Quadrants. The Regent of Rockers. The Softtail of Hardtails. You can see that I'm excited. I don't meet many celebs every day.

Betty will be in Quebec, and what a great time to get together for a road trip. With any luck I can show her some of my Quebec or at least a restaurant for dinner.

So, Why the B-52s?

They are well known that the B-52s are the World’s Greatest Party Band. Duh! And thirty years and over twenty million albums into their career, there can be no doubt as to why The B-52s remain among the most beloved of rock stars. Any mystery concerning the longevity and ongoing appeal of the band is immediately solved when exposed to a unique B-52s concert experience or so I am hoping. From the timeless gems of "Rock Lobster," "Planet Claire" and "Private Idaho" to the more recent classics “Channel Z," "Love Shack" and "Roam", the B-52s’ dance-rock tunes start a party every time their music begins. And everyone knows we Irish like to party.

Why the East Coast?

Well, the whole East Coast road trip centered around getting my "Love Shack" shimmying body to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Saturday. The B-52s are headlining the year's Band Together NC benefit concert.

Kayle and I plan to visit family staying in my Mom's old home in North Carolina. In the early days of my parents, they took the time to plan for the future, and in doing so, picked up one or tow properties, here and there. 

The first part of this trip atop a used (Demo) Honda Goldwing GL1800AL I just had to have. After the UK road trip with Taffy, I was spoiled with the ride of the Goldwing. I will likely maintain a Harley, but have decide to downsize from my Road Glide Custom to a FLHRS I've had my eye on for some time. A club member was selling his so we are making a trade...plus cash of course. 

As we wind our way towards NC, we will end up enjoying New York City - our overnight stop. The ride took us 8 hours, stopping for food, and a walk. Leaving at 4am we arrived in the Big Apple around noon.

Of course, for this to be one of the most enjoyable road trips, we would have to live it up (I'm a Taurus of course!). Adding a few hotel stays at all of the other stops along our way, gas for driving some 2700 kilometres return, touring and eating out along the way definitely adds to the costs. But I don't care. I can't take it with me.

We are staying across from Central Park in Manhattan, a great base to experience the city.

Continued Part II: That's a Lot of hotel Suite! ....

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