|
June 2001 - 3rd Annual New
England VROC / Laconia Bike Week Rally Wrap-Up
Well, Laconia Bike Week is finally
over. Weather was in the mid 90's with humidity at or near 100%, so it was
like riding in a soggy convection oven. Still, nearly 60 VROCers joined us
at the Kaw Pasture once again for a few days of festivities. Staying cool
was a challenge, so lots of folks gathered under the canopy at the Kaw Pasture
and consumed lots of ...errr... liquid refreshments! <file:
KawPasture.jpg>
Friday was the big day of events.
We started out with a small group ride (about 12-14 bikes) out to the Nubble
Lighthouse in York, Maine. In the foreground is Bobcat and his wife Jewel
with the lighthouse in the background. <file:
Litehouse.jpg> The view was spectacular and the cooler air most
welcome.
Here are a few pics of the bikes on the
ride and back at the Kaw Pasture...
<files: Bikes-1.jpg,
Bikes-2.jpg, Tiger-1.jpg, Tiger-2.jpg, Tiger-3.jpg, Drifter.jpg,
RetroClassic.jpg>
The highlight of the week was the
pig-roast and Ol'Phart Joe's annual CLAP Raffle. We roasted a 70 lb. hog
and a 25 lb turkey (No... not a HD and it's rider!). The were
hickory-smoked for over 5 hours and they tasted superb! You rednecks would
have been proud!
<file:
Pig-1.jpg>
This year total contributions of goodies
totaled over $6000 with six grand prizes work from $250 to $570 each.
There were lots of winners of chrome, leather and power goodies, and few VROCers
went home without winning something. This picture only contains a few of
the goodies as the table was jam-packed when the drawings began.
<file: CLAP Table.jpg>
Congratulations go out to the Grand Prize
winners:
Saturday began with a breakfast at the
Country Cookin' restaurant and then a 170 mile tour through some of New
Hampshire's backwoods roads. Ol'Phart led a pack of about 25 bikes, but
7-8 of them fell back and set their own pace after one bike experienced vapor
lock in the stifling heat. A short stop by a clear, fast-running stream
helped cool off a few ladies who ventured in. Can you say WET
T-SHIRTS!! <files: Stream-1.jpg, Stream-2.jpg>
We arrived back at the Kaw Pasture late
afternoon and many of us donned out bathing suits and took a dip in the pool to
cool off. Boy! It felt great!
With the threat of rain on Sunday, some
folks broke camp and headed home Saturday night. A few die-hards hung in
there and left on Sunday morning... and got thoroughly soaked in the down
pour. But everyone made it home safe and sound.
So another great gathering of VROCers
came to an end. There were many new faces, many "old" faces, lots of great
stories, lots of smiles, lots of laughs, and lots of miles put on our
steeds. Bobcat & I will look forward to an even bigger turnout next
year, and maybe... MAYBE.... more of our southern VROC brothers & sisters
will join us next year. Kilo and Babe represented y'all well... but us
Yanks were a bit much for them! 'Bout time you Rebs come up and "invade"
the north for a change!! :-)
Thanks to all who joined us and made this
a great time. All I can say is... VROCERS ARE AMAZING PEOPLE! And
I've got some AMAZING FRIENDS.
Ride safe,
Ol'Phart Joe
~V~ 655
|
