Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/693447
8 nJuly 2016n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS by Buckshot SACRAMENTO, CALIF., MAY 27–29—When I think of the "North meeting the South," I usually think of the Civil War, and the Battle of Bull Run. Well, let me tell you, this was a no bull run! From the time we got the packet of paperwork, I knew this would be different, and it was. Sacramento Harley-Davidson spon- sored the run, and the planning they put into every aspect was above and beyond the norm. There were six great rides to choose from, each with a dif- ferent route and destination, and each one looked so good that choosing one or two was diffi cult. The paperwork included the route for each ride in detail, plus a map of the route in case anyone got lost. The ride staging areas were identifi ed with colored balloons, and riders were given plastic strips of the same color to tie on their bikes. The leaders of each ride knew the route and did a great job of making the rides interesting as well as relaxing. Reggie and I arrived on Friday afternoon, and checked in at The Red Lion, where we met our contact, Eileen Conwell, who helped us get lined up with where the dealership was located, and familiarized us with the weekend's activities. Then we rode the mile or two to the dealership to check in and receive our packets, which contained the itinerary, the maps of the rides, a patch and a run pin. The folks at Sacramento Harley- Davidson had set up music and tables out in the parking lot, where they fed all of us hungry travelers burgers and dogs, and the trimmings, with root beer fl oats for everyone to top things off. They didn't even seem to mind when some scruffy old glutton showed up back in the line for another root beer fl oat. (Urrrrp!) The ladies shopped till they dropped, comparing fi nds, while us guys were comparing notes on the new bikes, what we'd like to do to ours, and how much room there was in our garages for a couple more. After we'd spent a couple of hours prowling the dealership, it was off to a mixer at The Red Lion. The bar was open, and everyone was enjoying the evening, swapping sto- ries of breakdowns, foul weather, and former spouses. Seems like we never remember the rides where everything went like it's supposed to, but every trip is an adventure of its own. Saturday, the weather could not have been more perfect, being T-shirt comfortable by ride time. The party the night before at "Club 151" (Jim and Allie's room) left us with an inclination to sleep in, but the roar of engines brought us out to cele- brate the morning. We had to choose a ride, and ended up on the Delta Ride, which was 110 miles. Tami, the ride leader, did a fantastic job of leading us through the streets of Sacramento, and took us across sev- eral unique bridges before making a loop around the turnabout in front of the State Capitol. Then, it was miles of riding along the Sacramento River on twisting levee roads. We stopped for a break at a boat launch along the river, and watched magpies fl ying overhead, and fi sh jumping out of the calm surface of the river. Every time we stopped, bottles of cool water were passed out to anyone who wanted it to fi ght the heat of the day that had been building gradually. As you might expect, there were boats everywhere, and lots of the boaters waved as we roared by. I had never ridden a ferry before, but before the day was over, we had ridden two, crossing the river twice without even getting our feet wet! A few of the newer riders were challenged by the steep ramp leading to the ferry's deck, and fi tting 50 or so Harleys and riders on the cargo deck was a real challenge, but everyone made it aboard without incident. We were packed in like sardines, and I had to hold my bike upright during the crossing because the bikes were so close together. It was fun, and after the fi rst "all ashore what's goin' ashore," Reggie made her exit onto dry land at an angle so the hitch didn't catch on the dock. For lunch, we stopped in Rio Vista, at Foster's Bighorn, and found the walls covered with every kind of stuffed animal head imaginable, every- thing from a huge African elephant to a tiny weasel. I made sure I sat below a big Whitetail deer, so everything I had was "under a buck." Being near so much water, I had to have the fi sh and chips, and they were top notch. After lunch, we headed back along the delta, and arrived back at the dealer- ship with no injuries, and nobody lost along the way. Great job, Tami! The other rides were equally as great, and they were to Knight's Ferry, Murphys, Pope Valley and Clearlake, the Three Lakes Ride, and the Wine Country/Gold Rush Ride. They were all well thought out, with the routes chosen to make the most of the scen- ery and history of the areas. Saturday afternoon after the ride, we relaxed at The Red Lion, where we enjoyed the camaraderie in the bar until it was time for dinner, the awards, and the raffl es. The raffl e prizes were cool, and the dinner was delicious. After dinner, the music started up again for those who wanted to dance. Two representatives from each attending H.O.G. chapter were called onstage for the awards and recognition, and there were chapters there from not only California, but as far away as Washington, Arizona, Montana, and surrounding states. On Sunday, the dealership hosted a free breakfast of big, fl uffy pancakes and big fat sausage links, with lots of butter and syrup, and plenty of cof- fee and ice-cold water to wash it all down. By the time we had seconds and thirds, it was hard to move, but we were "burnin' daylight," as my ol' grandpappy used to say, so we slid our chairs back, made our way to the right color balloons, and it was off on another adventure! Some of the riders took off on their own for places like Lake Tahoe, Reno, and San Francisco to enjoy the day their own way, but most decided to stick with the well-organized rides led by the local H.O.G. members. By Sunday night, we were all ready to hit the sack in anticipation of the ride home the next morning. If you've never attended the North Meets South Run, try to make it next year. We had a great time, got our knees in the breeze, and met some great people along the way, and isn't that what motorcycling's all about? 4 8TH ANNUAL NORTH MEETS SOUTH H.O.G. EVENT No Bull Run Friends, ferries and fun Reggie, rollin in da bayou Photo by David Cameron