The New Indian Scout

     I went by the Indian display area in downtown Sturgis and saw the new Indian Scout. My first impression is that I like it. I don't know anything about it so that impression could change, but for now, I like it.
     It was also a good chance to get a photo with the new bike.

Marie's Iron Butt, 1000 miles in 24 hours

     Marie had been thinking about doing an Iron Butt ride for about two years. She told me that she was ready and that when we leave for Sturgis, she wanted to do the Iron Butt Association's Saddle Sore 1000.  

     She got her first gas receipt at about 2:00 AM and was off. The route she chose was from home in wine country to Rawlins, Wyoming via Highway 80.  The variety of terrain, rain, hot and cold temperatures and fatigue was a real challenge. 
     The route started by heading east over the Sierra Mountains and across the Nevada Desert to Salt Lake City. Then up into the Rocky Mountains and over the Continental Divide, finishing at Rawlins, Wyoming.  Total distance according to Google Maps 1024 miles.

     Just east of Reno, taking a short break, that Sportster 

looks good in the morning light.

     After leaving Wendover and the rain at the Nevada/Utah state line, she passed Bonneville and headed across the salt flats at about the 600 mile mark.

     Tired and happy with a feeling of accomplishment, she got her final gas receipt in Rawlins Wyoming. Marie did a little over 1000 miles in 20 hours.

Smoke Out 15

     That cool southern vibe, great bikes, beautiful girls, drag racing, mini-bike racing, the pigs in the ground and a taste of that rye moonshine, what a party! That's the Smoke Out.

Last year the Stampede riders were left out in the rain. This year Paul Corey and his crew from Coreyco, stepped up and brought a shelter that was a great place to hang out, especially during the afternoon thundershowers. 

     Paul's Coreyco boys also roasted the pig. Probably the only thing, man or beast, that wasn't having a good time, although he did get the apple.

     The Horse, Backstreet Choppers magazine, organizers of The Smoke Out, brought their lovely models, who graciously posed for photos.

     Rockingham is a raceway after all, and what would a raceway be without a dragstrip. Run watcha brung! 

The competition at the mini-bike races was intense, but a few of the competitors seemed less than serious.

     There were plenty of cool bikes...etc.

     

     A few people showed up for the awards. Chris Schreiber finished The Stampede in first place and took home the trophy for Stampede 9.

  

Stampede 9 was history and Smoke Out 15 was winding down, 

a few Stampeders posed for this photo.

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. 

Stampede 9 Results

     There are a few hours left to finish but as of now 17 of the original 38 have arrived in Pinebluff, North Carolina..  The course started in Oakland, Calfornia and followed Highway 80 to Davenport, Iowa.  From Davenport it went through Indianapolis, Indiana and on to Columbus, Ohio.  From Columbus the route dropped down to Highway 50 and headed east through Washington DC and out to Salisbury, Maryland.  Then we headed south through Norfold and Portsmouth and on to Raleigh, North Carolina and then on Highway 1 to the end at Pinebluff. The total mileage was about 3200 miles.

     I'm updating the list below.  Stampede 9 is over and as far as I know this is the finishing order.  I'm really curious about what happened to those who did not finish.  Please let me know what happened if you did not finish.

Here's the list of finishers.

1.     Chris Schreiber         #25  arrived at     10:38 pm   Tuesday        61 hours 38 minutes 
2.      Ray Watson (me)     #16                      11:00 pm                         62:00         
3.     Jay Jacobs                 #26                      5:25 am    Wednesday     68:25   
4.     Pres Merrium            #2                        7:00 am                           71:00 
5.     Speedo                     #36                       11:13 am                          74:13
6.     El Nomad                 #13                       2:50 pm                           77:50 
7.     Paul Corey               #14                       5:20 pm                            80:20
8.     Rob Doughty            #17                      7:16 pm                            82:16 
9.     Frank Dotson           #17                       6:40 am  Thursday           93 hours 40 minutes
10.   Nathan Friesz           #11                       6:42 am                            93:42
11.   "Grampaw", David Gooden     #7         2:38 pm                            101:38
12.   Brandon Fletcher      #9                        3:15 pm                            102:15
13.   Andrew Starons        #33                      3:42 pm                            102:42
        Jason Anderson        #15                      3:42 pm                             102:42
14.   Mike Shultz              #29                      5:20 pm                             104:20
15.   Kurt Stender            #30                       5:37 pm                             104:37
16.   Kemet Periot            #3                        5:15 am   Friday                116 hours 15 minutes
17.   Jessie Silva               #19                      7:50 am                             118:50
18.   John Rogers             #38                       3:48 pm                            126:48
19.   "Truck House", Josh Biemold   #4       7:02 pm                            130:02
20.   Caleb Johnson          #12                      7:00 pm                             130:00
21.   Velardi Gonzales       #1                       7:08 pm                             130:08
22.   Chris De Baer           #35                      7:00 pm                            130:00 

Note: The Stampede left Oakland, California at 0600 Pacific time and the finishing times are given in local time which is the Eastern Time Zone.

My Stampede Bike

Stampede 9 starts Sunday, I'll be there.

Marty Schilber and Paul Arvin, Master Mechanics

     There are new rules for this years Stampede, one of which is that the bike must have a kick starter.  I ordered a kick starter kit from Ledsled Customs of Dayton, Ohio.  My skill level is "shade tree" and time was getting short so I went to see Marty Schilber of Santa Rosa V-twin.

That board looks like it might have been used a couple of times before.

     Marty put the gear drive cams in my Electra Glide and that was 80 thousand miles ago, so he's got the skills.  
     He pulled the transmission and replaced the main shaft with the kicker shaft. Ledsled had drilled the kit for mid pegs, I don't think they had actually done a sporty with mids and a lot of fitting had to be done.                                   

                                                   


 

The kick starter takes up the space where the rear brake master cylinder sits, so it had to be relocated.  Marty said he knew a really good fabricator and recommended Paul Arvin, owner of J.F.R. Chop Shop (Just Fucking Ride, cool name, huh?) in Santa Rosa. 
     Paul, who knew of the Stampede, worked overtime to get the relocation bracket built and the master cylinder plumbed in time.  It works great and looks good.

     Its good to do business with people who know their stuff and that you can trust to do things right and deliver when they say.  In Marty and Pauls case they did more.
     
     You can contact Marty Schilber at Santa Rosa V-Twin, located at 1240 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa, California (707) 523-9696

     You can reach Paul Arvin at J.F.R. Chopper Shop, 40 Maxwell Ct., Santa Rosa, California (707) 548-1839