7000 miles on a Goldwing

[Leigh Betsch]

So my wife and I are heading east for a 3 week bike trip. Going to VA to visit the daughter at UVA, then onto Maine to visit the sister-in-law, then up to Nova Scotia to visit Friends, then across Canada and back to SD and tranquility. So my question is "Got any must see woodworking stuff to see along the way?". I'm thinking about furniture museums and wood shops. Any suggestions?

[Karl Brogger]

Frank Lloyd Wright's house is somewhere in rural Wisconsin. Also many buildings that he designed.

Other than that, I have no clue.

Goldwing or not, 7000 miles in 3 weeks earns you an iron butt award in my book.

[David Christopher]

LN is in maine

[Jim Kountz]

If you're going to be in Blacksburg, VA head over to 81N and take it to New Market. There is the Woodshop of Charles Neil. I stopped in on him last year just out of the blue and he gave me the grand tour of the shop, shared some advice and gave me a box of General Finishes stains and gels. Heck of a nice guy and he does fantastic work. Also in Berryville, VA you have the Headleys shop. Fifth generation master cabinetmaker Jeff Headleys shop. Again just a great all around guy and an absolute master craftsman. His brother Mack is head cabinetmaker in Colonial Williamsburg. They are both some of the finest woodworkers Ive ever had the pleasure of meeting
And in Winchester, VA Moxon timbers is a cool place to visit. Ever see Cherry and Mahogany piles so high you need a 20 ft ladder to see the top?? Lots of exotics and veneers too. Only bad thing is trying to haul the 500 bd ft minimum they have on the Wing!! LOL

[Curt Harms]

I don't know if these are on your route but I enjoyed the The Shelburne museum (http://www.shelburnemuseum.org/)just south of Burlington, VT. and the American Precision Museum (http://www.americanprecision.org/) in Windsor, VT. The Shelburne museum has an impressive collection of hand woodworking tools as well as furniture, wooden utensils, sleighs, wagons etc. There was an exhibit of Shaker culture when I was there. If the weather cooperates, the riding in that part of the world should be pleasant, certainly different than S. Dakota.

[Scott T Smith]

One of the most spectacular furniture museums in the US is located in Wilmington, DE. It's called "Wintethur" and is the ancestral home of H. E. Dupont

http://www.winterthur.org/visiting/visiting.asp

Dupont had a wide variety of interests, including antique furniture and horticulture, and he turned his estate into a living museum. One of the things that he would do is to purchase an entire room from a historic house (that was scheduled for demolition), and then take it apart, transport it to Wintethur, and rebuild it exactly inside his mansion. He would then search and fill it with authentic and accurate furnishings for the period as well as the geographic location.

Become a member before you go, and be sure to take both the general tour as well as one of the "2 - hour" tours. You will not regret it.

You also might want to see if George will entertain any visitors in Williamsburg, VA.

A Goldwing is a great road bike; I hope that you have a great trip!

[Ed Sallee]

I visited these fella's in their shop near Trenton, NJ.... very hospitable folks and quite skilled craftsmen. Well worth a visit, just coordinate with them and they'll show you everything they have....

Very nice - hand carved period furniture.

Artisans of the Valley (http://www.artisansofthevalley.com/)

Just click the name up there for the link..

[Mitchell Andrus]

The lighthouse route in Nova Scotia. I used to have a house 'tween Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. The fisheries museum in Lunenburg is a must see. If the Bluenose II is in you may catch a ride on a nice day. Blue Rocks is about 20 mins east of Lunenburg and is a dream spot for picture taking of an old fishing village and if you're into geology, have at it. Also.... a must... the Ovens. Not to be missed. Seriously. Natural caves carved by the ocean.

http://www.ovenspark.com/index.shtml

Watch the Youtube.

Try to catch the Bay of Fundy as the tide comes in. The highest tides in the world. I've been on the flats and couldn't outrun the water as the tide came in.

If you can manage it, at the border between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (Amhearst, I think), there is an emormous flower garden. At dawn a bag piper walks the elipse and plays to the rising sun.
.

[Dennis Peacock]

The sites would be nice....but just the ride alone would be all it needs to be for me.

[Rod Sheridan]

http://www.cityofkingston.ca/visitors/museums/maclachlan/

The Maclachlan woodworking museum is interesting.

Also in Badeck NS is the Bell museum, and of course the Bell home isn't that far away.

If you can manage it, ride the Cabot trail counter clockwise, phenomenal bike ride.

Downtown Halifax is very nice, marine museum, and of course some of the dead from the Titanic are buried in Halifax.

Regards, Rod

[Leigh Betsch]

Thanks guys some pretty cool stuff here. I don't have the route planned yet, kinda just like to go head in the general direction and "Wing" it. Maybe a stop over in Kingston on the way home would be good. Don't know how much time we're going to have at any one location but I really would like to see some Shaker stuff while in the area. Plan to avoid most big cities and take the back roads from VA to ME, (if there are any back roads back east). A swing through VT and the museums there is a definite possibility. If we can crank out 700 to 1000 miles on the first couple of days, make VA in two days, We can have a few more days to check out the wood shops there. Thanks again for the info.

[Eric Larsen]

and take the back roads from VA to ME, (if there are any back roads back east).



It's MOSTLY back roads, back east. Since I don't know the routes you're taking, I don't really have much advice. There's a good, recent, "what to see in New England (http://sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=1145793&postcount=1)" thread you can read, though. All the advise is spot-on.

Try to find a family-run maple syrup shack along your route. Prepare for sticker shock. But you DID ask for wood-related things to see. The family-run outfits are the equivalent of "single malt." You'll never taste better syrup. Give them a call before you visit. Many sugarers are out of stock by summer.