Ride to the Rockies, Day Eighteen
In the morning I repeated my breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and then walked outside to take a look at the many bikes gathered in the circle in front of the inn as they bike show registration got underway. There was a wide variety of vintage Japanese motorcycles arrayed around the circular driveway, from daily runners to showroom condition pristine examples of rare models. People lined up at the registration tent or rolled their beauties into place among the other entrants, while I snapped photos for use in the magazine.
More group rides departed early for the rolling Indiana countryside so they could return in time to get their bikes registered for the show before voting began at noon. I didn't join in, thinking the less miles I put on my ailing chain the better my chances would be of making it home with it still in one piece.
Groups of vintage bikes rolled out of the inn all weekend to enjoy the rolling countryside around Mitchell, Indiana
After shooting enough to feel secure that I had sufficient photos to go with the upcoming article and having voted my choices for the various classes, I sought the refuge of the pool once again while the day heated up and the final dinner was being prepared for the evening's awards banquet.
By six, it was time for the massive buffet and I tried to restrain myself as I passed down the long group of tables covered with three entrees, salads, sides, and desserts. As dinner proceeded after I had finished I wandered about taking more pictures. The event moved on to awards for the day's bike show, followed by awarding of the many raffle prizes.
The grand prize for the raffle was a Shoei NeoTec. I had been riding in a helmet I hated, a Fulmer M2, that pulled my hair so bad when I took it off that if I didn't wear a doo-rag I could barely extricate myself from it. Also, the seal at the top of the visor on the right was hanging down refusing to do its job no matter how many times I “fixed” it. I was waiting anxiously for the grand prize winner, the last ticket, to be drawn, keeping my fingers crossed I would finally have something decent to wear. Numerous other prizes were drawn without mine being called, so I figured my chances were improving, but someone else won the coveted prize at the end of the night.
As dusk settles in the VJMC members gather on the patio for drinks and conversation
Drinks on the patio again followed the formal dinner and I put away my camera to freely enjoy the last time with my friends and fellow members before we would all depart in the morning. While I did not plan to get all the way to Valdosta the next day, I wanted to get as far as practical so the ride down there would be an easy one the following day, so I made it an early night, went upstairs to repack, and went to bed early.
Miles so far still 6464.1
