Stampede 9, The Start

Sunday morning and everyone was ready for the start of the Stampede.

Nathan Friesz (#11) making a few last minute adjustments.  A banana with a fork?

Pres Merriam's (#2) very well prepared Sportster...ready to go.

  0555 we took this group photo.

0600 The Start

Stampede 9, NIMBY

     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 the bike can carry no more than 5 gallons of gas and must have a working kick starter.

David Gooden "Grandpaw" (#7) showing how it's done.

     Stampede 9 started at NIMBY in Oakland, California.  NIMBY is a place where artists can have a workspace for projects big and small.  It is billed as the largest do-it-yourself industrial space in the San Francisco Bay Area.  It was a natural choice for place to start Stampede 9.   

      

     The most rigid of the rigid, Aaron "Skip" Lindenstruth's CB-750 (#18) with no front suspension and no rear suspension. 

     Frank Dotson (#17) rode his "62 Panhead that was not only the oldest bike in the Stampede but the oldest bike to ever run the Stampede.

Probably good advise.

Chris De Baer "Beardo" (#35) always rides something interesting.

Last years winner, Paul Corey (#14).

Steff and Sue Brooks' Mayagi built Yamaha SX650's (#23 & 21).

Brandon Fletcher's (#9) copper plated, "Princess Penny".

     

     NIMBY was a good place start Stampede 9.  People arrived from all over the country, renewed old acquaintances, made new friendships, partied, rested from their travels and prepared for the ordeal ahead.  Charlie handed out the route and as the light faded we took this group photo.