These pictures are from a ride I took over October second and third Thru the Catoctin Mountains in upper Maryland. Saturday started out on the rainy side when I left Woodbridge (Va.) but by the time I had ridden the first 60 miles north I encountered very little rain for the rest of that day. As luck would have it one of the roads I had planned on riding through the mountains was closed but as a result I cam across an antique gas engine show while taking the detour route back to Rt. 153. This was particularly fortuitous as I have been writing a series on the history of motorcycles and one of the articles dealt with early engine design. During my research I had read about a number of the early innovations but had never seen them in a working engine. Naturally I had to stop to explore the exhibits some of the engines going back as far as 1903. After looking over the exhibits I continued on to my destination, the Oktoberfest put on by a local BMW riders group just outside Thurmont Maryland. Sunday was a typical bright sunny Autumn day and the ride home through the mountains and Virginia farmland was a great ending to a perfect weekend on the road.