I would like to first of all apologize to my readers as there was nothing posted for Friday the 14th. Unfortunately my whole staff was off yesterday due to weather conditions. Yes weather conditions. I don't know about anywheres else but it was real foggy around here.
However I was there in Port Dover on Friday to take part on one of the nicest days that this event has ever enjoyed. It was estimated by Norfolk County constable Kari Lee that there was somewheres over 15,000 attendants to the event at it's peak. The day started out for me at my usual 5:30 a.m. Out to my Garage for a smoke and a coffee with my faithful Dog Max at my side. Only it was different this morning, at 6:00 you already heard them starting to roll a slight thunder in the distance. The sun was just starting to break when they started to heading out of my neighbourhood. Onesey's and twosey's at first then larger groups went past our house. Vroom, Vroom Boys and Girls Lets rock and roll. What a beautiful sound in the Morning. I was ambitious to ride but there was still frost on the grass it was just a little early for this dog. Billy Grant and I were finally able to head out of town at 12:00 after a few licencing issues and a little technical difficulty (thanks for letting me use your plugs Jay, so a part of you did go to Dover not to spoil your run). Perfect Day for a ride though, It was about 10 degrees Cel.( perfect temp for those V-twins to just pop) and the Sun was just a shining. It wasn't long before Billy and I were riding in a pack that grew and grew as we got closer to our destination. Shit by the time we were to Boston, , we were riding in a pack of nothing less than 20 riders and you could see larger groups ahead as you rolled over the hills. There is nothing like it. That to me was a pretty good tell tale the streets of Port Dover were going to be packed with wondering old souls. Who would have ever thought you could have such a fine day in November her in Southern Ontario. Everyone was out. We came into town just around 1:00. and just as expected the streets were packed with every kind of bike you could imagine. Spots to park were hard to find as we winded through the streets looking for a spot. As Luck may have it though as Billy and I cruised through the heart of town one block east of the Cenotaph. We got our first taste of Port Dover hospitality. We heard this Girl shout, hey do you need a place to park?, pull in to my back yard she said. free parking. We pulled in when she introduced herself as Kate (most call her Cat, she said) and she also said we were welcome to use her facilities if we needed and as she reached out and already had a piece of wood in her hand to use for my kickstand. How Cool is that? As we got off our bikes and started to shed the layers I commented on her Random act of kindness and she said " Well you either become a part of it and embrace it and enjoy it or get of Dodge, where you belong" The crowd was spectacular as usual, and if you enjoy people watching it is always a spectacular place to be. As we got to main street and started towards the water, trying to eventually get to our destination " The wall to have our group shot" an event tradition. Holly smokes, it was a feet to just trying navigate through all the people, and of course through the path of bikes constantly trying to parade down the main street through the thousands of bikers wondering aimlessly just sucking up the nice weather. We worked our way towards the Erie Beach Hotel for a feed of Perch. Billy was kind enough to buy me lunch. Along the way we decided to stop and pick up our patch for the event from On the Fringe. What a freaking Zoo. But there was no other option as there were no other Vendor's at the event. Good for the local business I suppose. As we got to the Hotel they were just opening the Patio, and as Luck would have it, Billy and I walked right in at the right time. We pulled up our chairs and basked in the Sun. There we had a couple of pints to wash down the road dust and enjoyed a great feed of Lake Erie's finest Perch MMMMMMMMMMM!!!!. We didn't hang around the restaurant to long though as we new that people were lined up down the street, awaiting anxiously to scarf up some of the good grub being served. We could see the Light house and the pier from our perch on the patio up we got and off we went down the beach toward the sun . With in a couple of minutes we were at the Wall at the beginning of the Pier We were only there a couple of minutes and who shows up but old reliable Rick (other wise known as clutch or the previous Mayor of Shefield) Later joined by Terry who rode in from Burlington. BRRRRR. We didn't hang around too much longer waiting for stragglers, as we wanted to make over to the Timmy's Drive through for coffee and start to head home before the sun dropped. It was pretty awesome to stand on the corner at the bottom of the hill and watch all the bike's leaving towards home. Goin like hell and lighting it up, not wanting to get caught out when the sun went down. BRRRRRRR! There were all shapes and sizes, even one fellow with his dog on the back complete with goggles. We hung there for a while took in the sites and listened to the roar and chatted with a few friends until it was time to head out. As we made it back towards the bikes Billy had to make one more stop before we left. He wanted to get to the liquor store so that he could purchase a token of thanks for Cat and her crew for keeping six on our Bikes. The Ride home was good. Cool but good. It was Terry Billy and I for the most part hitchin up with the odd straggler along the way. We were home in Kitchener by 5:30 before the sun went down and preparing for the party to follow.
see next Posting.
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