Thousands of motorcycles with their drivers and passengers. plus thousands more spectators filled the entirety of Main Street and some of the surrounding streets with a sea of chromium and brilliant paint. This was Motorcycle Mania 2011, an annual event in Middletown, Connecticut for the past several years. Follow are a sampling of photos from the event.
I don’t know what motorcycle they rode in on but I am pleased they agreed to be photographed (obligatory eye candy)!
Note: Click on any photo to enlarge
There were a great variety of machines on display including Harleys of every description, Honda comfort bikes, Spyder trikes, and conventional trikes; also spotted was a single Ducati and a Victory. There were quite a few female drivers but always solo and of course the usual pairing of guy driving and gal holding on in back.
No motorcycle rally would be complete without a cast of colorful characters and this event was no exception:
During Memorial Day Weekend Andy Bordick of Hebron repainted the iconic Eagle Rock on Rte 66 in Hebron, Connecticut. Sadly, over the just ended Independence Day Holiday Weekend vandals defaced the Eagle with red paint, creating a bloody mess. The vandal’s political intent can be inferred by a close look at the top and bottom photos! Reportedly the damage is to be repaired today.
Bloody Vandalism – Independence Day Weekend 2011
Andy Bordick Repainting Eagle Rock on Rte 66 in Hebron – Memorial Weekend 2011
June 9, 2011; 4:00 PM. While it is not clear exactly how this happened but it appears that a car Westbound on Washington St attempted to turn left onto West St and either struck or was struck by and oncoming motorcycle. The motorcycle was demolished and the operator was thrown to the pavement; the car’s airbag deployed. Both drivers were taken from the scene by Hunter’s Ambulance whose quick arrival was due to the fact the ambulance station is near that intersection.
A 22-year-old Bristol man is in critical condition following a serious motorcycle accident on Washington Street, police said.
Lucas Espinosa was traveling east on Washington Street, Route 66, when his motorcycle collided head-on with a 1999 Pontiac Grand AM attempting to turn left onto West Street about 4 p.m., police said.
The driver of the car, Jeanette Mosier, 21, of Middletown, was taken to Middlesex Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Police said she was later released…Espinosa was taken to Hartford Hospital. Police said they did not know if Espinosa was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.”
Update June 11: Middletown Press is reporting today that Mr. Espinosa’s condition has been upgraded from critical to fair.
The Scene at Washington and West St - Middletown 4 PM June 9, 2011
“Mike DiPiro clearly seemed to feel he was the luckiest man alive.
DiPiro co-owns an accounting firm, Guilmartin, DiPiro & Sokolowski, at 505 Main St. He was on the second floor when he heard something crack on the floor above. He and an employee, Chris Conley, went up to investigate.
The century-old brick building, a former school, had a gym on the third floor. DiPino and Conley got there just in time to see 2-foot thick ceiling beams bending and cracking. “I said ‘Chris! Run!’ and we grabbed our jackets and ran in front of Luce where we called 911.”
DiPiro and Conley were the only ones in the building. At around 10 a.m., as they watched firefighters string caution tape along the front of the building, they heard another crack. The third floor crumpled into a cloud of brownish dust.
“A fire guy said ‘Run!’ and we ran; we were lucky we didn’t get hit by bricks.” A fireman’s helmet fell off and was crushed in the rubble…”
The 120 year old structure was solidly built; some details of the construction including the two foot thick ceiling beams can be seen in the above photos.
Unlike veteran field birder and blogger Brownstone Birder I don’t feel comfortable with field I.D. of many smaller birds. However, this year’s harsh Winter season has provided many occasions to view birds at close range at my feeders. I have managed to photograph birds that I have seldom, or perhaps never, seen in field and wood. Attached herein are several photographs of birds seen through my back window here in Middletown. (Note: a loss of image clarity is the inevitable result of shooting through window panes; oh, and please correct me if I have misidentified any bird) (All photos: click to enlarge)
Jason Neely, a Middletown photographer, is displaying his work at the New England Emporium beginning on January 14th. The New England Landscapes series is made up of twenty photographs taken in Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut–including many from Middletown.
Jason’s work was featured in the August 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine and was also used by the band Weezer on their 2010 release “Raditude.”
A portion of all sales will go to the Middlesex Cancer Center.
Exhibit and Dining Space at New England Emporium
Jason Neely Photographs Exhibited at New England Emporium
The photos in this post were made July 25, 2010 in Middletown CT at Amatos Toy and Hobby store on Main Street. (click to enlarge any photo) The event is described in an article in The Middletown Press:
“MIDDLETOWN — More than 150 members of the National Lionel Operating Train Society attended a private showing of a 3,000-square-foot train exhibit at the 70th Anniversary celebration of Amato’s Toy and Hobby Store Wednesday evening.
The train exhibit includes seven operating model train layouts and local railroad memorabilia along with the never-before displayed, extensive pre-war Lionel train collection of Amato’s owner and founder, Vincent Amato.
“The visual of what everyone has put together is really neat,” said Diane Amato, Vincent’s daughter and coordinator of the event. “When you see this room, you will be amazed….” www.middletownpress.com/articles/2010/07/14/business/doc4…
Amatos Toy and Hobby is located at 395 Main Street; Middletown CT 06457
In addition to the wonderful layouts of operating model trains of various gauges there were showcases of Mr. Amato’s collections of trains and other toys. Also, much memorabilia and information about early railroading in Middletown. So, I have included some historical photos and information later in this post.
Vincent Amato, Prop. and Train Collector Extraordinaire
O'Rourke's Diner - Main Street, Middletown
One of the seven model train layouts
Model Train Layout with Winter Motif
Mr. Amato's Personal Collection of Lionel Standard Gauge Trains
Shipyard Scene in Miniature
A few words and photographs about early railroading in Middletown and central Connecticut: From the late 19th century and well into the 20th Middletown was a busy railroad center with several North/South and East/West lines passing through the city. In 1888, for example, 29 passenger trains passed through here on a daily basis. Even though all passenger service was discontinued by the middle of the 20th century there is still active freight service in the city. The most interesting reminder of the glory days of railroading in Connecticut Valley is the iron swing bridge connecting Middletown with Porland. This bridge was constructed in 1884 to carry the so called “White Train” of the New York and Boston Airline RR across the Connecticut River, and thence through the rolling hills of eastern Connecticut to Massachusetts and on to Boston. (see photo below)
The White Train commenced operations in 1891. Popularly known as the Ghost Train. It was made up of gleaming white coaches trimmed with gold. The parlor cars’ interiors were finished in mahogany and furnished with velvet rugs, silk curtains and upholstered plush chairs. The train’s schedule was so well advertised that people came from miles around to wait at stations or crossing to see it go by. The fast express was replaced in 1895 by the Air Line Limited.(see 2nd photo below) The Airline Railroad fell into decline because of the need for heavier equipment and longer trains which could not navigate the steep grades and numerous curves. Although the name Airline Route gives one the impression of a straight and level roadbed, this was not the case here.
Airline Railroad Swing Bridge Connecticut River-Middletown to Portland
The White Train or Ghost Train
Four of the early Middletown Train Stations (none remain)
High Street, corner Washington Street; Middletown, Connecticut. May 7, 2010.
This Greek Revival masterpiece was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001. This house is frequently cited as one of the premier examples of Greek Revival Architecture in the Northeast. The house remained in the Russell family for five generations and was finally deeded to Wesleyan University in 1937.
Samuel Russell (1789-1862) became fabulously wealthy in the China trade in the early 19th century. He smuggled Turkish and Bengal opium into Canton and brought back fine porcelain, silk, and tea to Europe and the United States. In 1828 when his house was built Russell was in Canton, and his friend Samuel D. Hubbard worked with Mrs. Russell to supervise the building of the house. In 1831 Russell returned to Middletown and his new home where he resided until his death in 1862.
The 2009 Middletown Connecticut Memorial Day parade and ceremonies were dedicated to our World War II veterans, The Greatest Generation.
Marty Reardon Sr., (pictured below) commander of the 7th District of the American Legion, will speak. After 15 years as commander, Reardon is stepping down.
The keynote address was given by U.S. Army Captain Gluth, who heads the recruitment services office in New Haven.
Am enthusiastic crowd lined both sides of Main Street to watch the hour long parade. There were contingents of marching bands, little leaguers, boy and girl scouts, fraternal and service organizations, military formations, farm tractors, and of course, a selection of fire apparatus, old and new, from Middletown and several nearby towns. Our mayor, Sebastian Giuliano, and the Connecticut Secretary of the State, Susan Bysiewicz, and Rep. Rosa Delauro were on hand as well as other local politicians.
The last photo is from the ceremony at the South Green where the wreath laying took place. Pictured are two vets in colorful biker regalia. Mayor Sebastian Giuliano is visible (grey suit) on the platform, between the men.
ConservaCity 
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