Kenny G.'s Teutonic Taconic Trek: May 7th, 2000 Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, but dawn is something Kenny G. hates to even think about, so his ride was scheduled for a much more "humane" late AM hour. An intrepid band of Nassau Wings turned up at the Southern State Police Barracks after a restful night, including Jaime and Denise, Kevin N., Laszlo, John D., Richard C. and Roberta, and of course, Kenny G. This was billed as a "brunch run," so what better way to work up an appetite than to tackle the twisties of the Taconic Parkway. This is one of New York's premiere motorcycling roads, particularly in Dutchess County. It is replete with Esses, switchbacks, off camber curves, and of course the infamous armco guardrails with very little give. Jaime brought his new Buell to do it justice, and with Kenny G.'s Dyna Low Rider, and Kevin's Road King, the club may have temporarily styled itself as the Nassau "Hogs." The ride went up to James Baird State Park, where the rustic restuarant overlooks a scenic golf course. The food was reasonable and filling, although a swing shift of waitresses did leave the service with something to be desired. So after our ride to eat segment was fulfilled, it was off to take the back roads (52, 45, etc.) to the Franklin D. Roosevelt estate at Hyde Park. The main house was being refurbished, but we hooked up with an extremely knowledgeable tour guide to view the first floor. Although raised in a very wealthy environment, the Delanos and Roosevelts were careful not to spoil their offspring, and Franklin had a rigorous training in foreign languages. The house was his favorite even in later life, and he believed that the grounds were sacred from native American times. Although one of our members suggested razing the home to build an amusement center, the guide rolled her eyes at this unbelievably crass suggestion. The adjacent library stands as it was in 1945, at the time of FDR's death. A full display of the events of his life, and even his custom hand-controlled Ford was available for viewing. So why label this a "Teutonic Run" you may ask? Well, both German and Dutch ancestry heavily populated this region of New York right through the late 19th century. It also may have a little to do with our member's BMW's! With our fill of history, and good company, it was time to "wring" the bikes out back on the Taconic towards "Long Eyeland." I certainly enjoyed the day, and would like to thank all those who joined me for bikes, food, and history. It doesn't get much better than that. Kenny G.