The rally in the valley
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The weather was off and on, rain and sun, but it wasn’t enough to keep me from riding my motorcycle to Cottage Grove for the fifth annual Bike Fest. The Star Riders Chapter 339 puts together this bike rally the first Saturday in the month of May. The event is held rain or shine and I was determined to make it as I had been planning to go for the entire year. Although there was only a slight drizzle during my trip, for the most part it was very pleasant.
Once I arrived at the rally, finding bike parking was a breeze as there were plenty of spaces both inside and outside of the roadblocks. The event was the length of three city blocks, with bike games including the slow race where the last one across the finish line without putting their feet down was the winner.
There was also a cone weave and my favorite game, the donut on a string. In this game there is a donut hanging from a string, and participants ride on the back of a bike to try to grab the donut using only their mouths. Since this is a family friendly event, the donut is in use instead of the more traditional hot dog.
Along the main drag of the rally, vendors were lined up selling knives, jewelry, and leather wear. West Coast Leathers had a sewing machine set up in their tent to sew patches onto your jacket or vest.
Despite the unpredictable weather, including winds that tried to carry the main registration booth away, most everyone had smiles on their faces. There was a feeling of camaraderie amongst the motorcyclists; any who had ridden their bikes to Cottage Grove that day knew the ride home was going to be cold and wet. However, there was still the spirit of riding, just a good reason to get out on the bike and make some miles.
Even after a few hours, the weather never really let up and I had to leave. The band was starting to pack up, the wind was picking up so I fired up my bike and made my way out of town. Although I had been there for a few hours, it seemed as though it was so much shorter. Even though the Bike Fest is small by most other rally standards, the Star Riders do a great job of making sure that there is plenty to keep all participants entertained.
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