Hatt's San Quentin Toy Run 2013

I've been going to Hatt's Toy Run for quite a few year now.  I enjoy this ride.  Riding in the cold to deliver toys just gets me in the Christmas spirit.

We started at Pier 15 in San Rafael and rode to San Quentin Village, a small residential community located just outside the East Gate of San Quentin Prison.  A charity called Centerforce collected the hundreds of toys to give as Christmas presents to children of San Quentin inmates.

 

 

I like it when people let kids sit on their bikes.  The kids love it and probably will never forget the first time they got to sit on a real motorcycle.

  

We left San Quentin Village and headed north on Hwy 101.  It's quite a sight to see when a couple of hundred bikes get onto the freeway.  It is also a really good idea to pay attention cause it would be really easy to sightsee for just a second and have a crash.

 

 

Everybody made it without any crashes and minimal disruption of civilization.  The destination was music, beverages and food at the Elk's Club in Novato, CA.  All my friends did very well in the raffle and poker hand, but Marie was really happy because she won a TV.

 

Strange Stuff in the Pavement

I saw this Honda car working its way up through the pavement, very strange.

Logan's Run

     I remember riding on the tractor with my Grandpa.  Think Logan will remember riding with his Grandpa?  

Mammoth Motorsports

Damon Podolny, owner of Mammoth Motorsports, stepped up and helped me get the Vulcan 500 ready for last years Stampede.

He turned up the aluminium slugs to solid mount the motor, gave me some significant parts and labor discounts and put the bike on his dyno to get things tuned just right.  

Check out Mammoth Motors website at 
http://www.mammothmotorsports.com/
or go to the shop at 5706 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park, California and the phone number is 707-585-7677.  

40 horse, more than enough!

Yikes Spikes

     In the cartoons when someone is really surprised, their hair stands on end and their hat flies off.  When I saw a four inch metal spike sticking out of a manhole cover, my hat would have flown off if it wasn't strapped on.  But I can tell you my hair did stand on end.
  

     It turns out that they are repaving the road and the thing is a rubber spike.  I have no idea what it's for, but if its purpose is to scare motorcyclists, then it's working just fine.

Real Reality

   

     We see it in the movies all the time, a guy gets shot and the next scene he’s all better and fighting with the bad guys. We know that’s not reality, but it seems real.  We don’t experience the reality of people being seriously injured every day so our reality can seen more like the movies, that is until real reality shows up. 

     Dennis Carley rode in Stampede 7, in 2012.  On July 17, 2013 he was in a motorcycle accident in a place called Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Dennis’ injuries were severe. 

     His mother started a chronicle that details Dennis’ day to day life since the accident.  It’s not Hollywood, it tells a story of terrible injury and excruciatingly slow progress to an uncertain future.

     Read about Dennis’ recovery at http://www.carepages.com/carepages/WeLoveDennis    

Smoke Out 14

     I had a great time at the Smoke Out last year, so I was really looking forward to this year, Smoke Out 14.

The mini-bike races attract some very interesting mini's.  Every time I see neat mini-bikes, I promise myself that when I get home I'm going to get that old mini out and make it cool.

The crowd always find Beardo and Speedo entertaining.

Valardi and Miyagi, born to wrench.















     Last year the Stampede riders were welcomed to the Long Riders Lounge, this year not. Fortunately, Dr. Eric Hahn a chiropractor who had a booth at the Smoke Out, showed true Southern hospitality and invited us share his booth and rain shelter.  If your back needs adjustment and you are in Raleigh, NC., look up Hahn Family Chiropractic.

     There were great bikes at the Smoke Out this year, but rat bikes and rat rods caught my eye.

There were a lot of painted ladies, both young and...

The Stampede Trophy went to Paul Corey.

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I had a great time at Smoke Out 14, I think the Smoke Out is the best of all the bike rallies.

Stampede 8, The Route

     The evening before the start of Stampede 8, Charlie the Nomad passed out copies of the route.  Simply stated, the route went from Tokeland, WA to Green Bay, WI via Highway 12, a winding secondary road.  Then turned south through Chicago and hit Highway 50 south of Indianapolis, IN.  The route followed Highway 50 through small towns east to Washington, DC and on to Annapolis, MD. From there south to Pinebluff, NC.
   

 Paul Corey, from West Virginia, won.  His time was an impressive 69 hours and 25 minutes to cover 3600 miles of hard riding.  He finished 10 hours ahead of the next finisher.

Stampede 8, 2013

     The Stampede is a cross country race for choppers. The rules are simple: rigid frames or struts (no rear suspension), no windshields, no fairings, no hard saddlebags, no rubber mounted engines, no chase vehicles and this year a 550 cc displacement limit.
     Here are some of the bikes of Stampede 8, in Tokeland, Washington.
    

Paul Corey, watch this guy.

Best looking bike.

He went out with his boots on.

One of the main boys.

The other Maine boy.

Miyagi's

Beardo's

Tank art, right?

Tank art, left.

Honda Magna V30 dressed

Undressed

Velardi Gonzales, best dressed!