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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Outer Banks Bike Week

Sorry for a lull in the action on Southern Comfort, but it's just that time of year. The bikes are getting a thorough check-up before riding season, chrome is getting polished, and those paint jobs get a new coat of wax. And most folks I know are just itching for that last chilly day to be behind us so we can get on with riding season 2011.

The first rally for my crew in 2011 is Outer Banks Bike Week, centered around Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, where the Wright Brothers made their first flight. Key sponsors of this event are Bayside Harley Davidson, Outer Banks Harley Davidson and Nags Head Harley Davidson.

For some of us, this event is uncharted territory, but Fred's been there (Remember Fred? He makes regular appearances in Southern Comfort.), and he swears this event will kickstart us into the 2011 season. If you don't hear from Fred after OBX Bike Week, there's a chance he misled us.

This year, we have confirmed that Charlie and Linda from the UK are going, along with a contingent of us US folks, but the guest list is a little hard to nail down. Ever try to organize a bunch of bikers? It's like herding fucking cats, and somehow, I keep finding myself in the middle. Some kind of secret desire for abuse is getting fulfilled, but I think I'll opt for the whips and chains next time. That's gotta be a hell of lot more fun. (and no, don't ask.)

Last year, our first April rally was Blue Ridge Bike Fest which wasn't bad really, but was actually just an indoor bike show that you went to over and over and over. They had a few things set up outside, but overall, it was nothing special, at least in my opinion. The highlight was when John, Charlie and I appointed ourselves judges for the Bikini Contest, and for a while, that took away the monotony. Of note, we weren't invited back, so I think it musta been because of something John or Charlie said to the winners.


What else......

Next week or so, my bike is headed to Patriot Harley Davidson in Fairfax, Virginia, where Jeff & Co. in the service department are going to go over it, making sure it's ready for another long ride this July. (I'm gonna go get lost again for a couple weeks.) It's due for brakes again, an oil change, and other little odds and ends. I put about 7-8000 miles on it last season, and I need to be sure I didn't rattle anything loose. I might have to go for another set of tires too...will wait to see what Jeff says on that.

Besides waiting for OBX, I've been scouting some local.....well, sorta local....DC area joints, and to my utter amazement, tucked away in a little town north of DC called Olney, Maryland, there's actually a few biker-friendly bars! And the icing on the cake is that there's a whole slew of pretty ladies in them that ride, wanna ride, or just wanna be looked at, and Southern Comfort plans to cover all areas to make sure nothing is missed. Stay tuned for an update!

Cowboy