Reader Stats, for those who were wondering. All three of you.

So here's the statisitics of who's reading Southern Comfort! I really think the UK support is dreadful, and I want some quick answers from Linda and Charlie about readership over there. Don't people in the UK care about anything but fox hunting!?!?! And China ahead of Canada? Geez. And I won't quickly forget that South African dropout. Here today, gone tomorrow.....

United States 1,144
Germany 29
China 26
Canada 18
Japan 18
Denmark 2
Australia 1
Switzerland 1
United Kingdom 1
Israel 1

And then.......

Going to be hard to top the recent events in this blog. No, I don't mean the blog posts, although I am certainly flattered by all the terrific complements about the writing and narrative. Thanks to everyone for all the nice notes about it. I'll mention my belated success to my creative writing teacher at University of Baltimore.

What I mean is that I can't imagine another event remaining in the Northern Virginia riding season that is on the same level as East Coast Sturgis, and I damn sure ain't up to another 3,000 mile ride anytime soon. But believe me, if I had the money and the time off from work, I'd sure as hell try it.

So without another ride or event, I don't know if I'll keep up the blog or let it collect some dust. I think I'll update it now and then, just to see how it goes. No one wants to hear what I think about stuff, and I refuse to discuss religion or politics (on here, anyway), so that leaves just women to talk about, and I damn sure ain't going there. My future ex-wife may be one of my readers! Hey, maybe I could write some posts about relationship advice, or about online dating! LOL

I will mention that the Delmarva Bike Rally down in Ocean City, Maryland, was on and off my schedule for months. I kinda wanted to make that one, if for no other reason, it was the last of the year. But the hangup....actually there were two....was mainly the heavy-handed attitude of the Maryland State Police and the Ocean City Police.

The city hosts the event, and then the police do everything in their power to make your ride in, during, and back out, as miserable as possible. WTF? The cops seem to want to ensure no one gets home without a ticket. Last year, there was...without any exaggeration....a cop every quarter mile on RT 50 just waiting, and they had folks pulled over everywhere. As my friend Bev says, when Ocean City starts becoming biker-friendly again, she'll consider going back. John and Cathy say the same thing, and I can't disagree.

There's also the not-so-small fact that the regular tourists are mixed in with the bikers, meaning you run a slalom course around mini-vans driven by distracted folks from God-knows-where, and they damn sure ain't watching out for motorcycles. They're watching the kids, the GPS, plus that little cutie on the corner in the bikini (OK, me too...).

And last year, our hotel was split about 50-50 between bikers and some senior senior-citizens..."walker-class". They stationed themselves in the lobby and just watched, pointing and laughing right along with us. That was actually fun, and I think they had a ball. We got along great.

And I also have some family stuff going on down in Texas that requires a little attention, and that's the other reason I ain't going. Might need the time or money (or both) for that.

Hey, when I was in Texas last weekend, I couldn't help but notice there's no helmet law, and there were more than a few bobbers on the road, telling me that the laws to get tags for a scoot aren't so strict. A+ for Texas!

Still, I'll miss those Cancun Cantina girls in OC! Damn, damn, damn....... Who knows, maybe I can run down for the day......Riding V E R Y slowly. Yeah, right.

Cowboy

East Coast Sturgis, Event of the Year

Rain on the way up.....

Well folks, as they say, you just had to be there to appreciate it. It's absolutely amazing just how fucking crazy a bunch of bikers can actually get when left alone, unsupervised, for 4 or 5 days.

Now, I'm sure everyone has been to a wild party or two (you have, right?) and maybe even flashed a little. (Oooo la la) Or how about attending a little sexy fantasy party? Well, kids, that was Sunday School! East Coast Sturgis is a party to end all parties, and it's not for the easily-offended or weak-hearted. I've always thought I've been around and seen a little more than the average Joe Citizen, but this place had me mesmerized, and this was my second ECS! Do you ever get used to this?

Here's the crew......What a great bunch of Bros and Babes!

Everything after this is bad.....The map for the Poker Run.

 

You start with about 5,000 people, and put 'em all on bitchin' Harleys. Then everyone checks their restraint, morals, and strict religious upbringing at the gate. Now add unlimited booze, and maybe some controlled substances, to that mix. Rev up the crowd with kick-ass bands and crazy contests, including a motorcycle demolition derby! What you end up with challenges your senses, and you just can't believe some of the stuff you see people wear, or don't wear, and the things they do.

You get some idea of the event's tone when you read the flyers: No colors, no dogs, no kids, and no attitudes! For the entire weekend, I never saw a single confrontation of any kind, and nothing was stolen, even though bikes were unlocked, helmets hanging on the bars, and saddlebags loaded with stuff. Bikers may be a little nuts, but we get along for the most part, and we respect each others stuff. Society could take a lesson from that! Cops (they had an outpost outside the event) stayed outside the gates, letting the promoters and the bikers handle themselves!

 I took loads of pictures of the madness, but you always knew when something was REALLY going to be off-the-hook when someone said, "Watch, but don't take any pictures!" By the end of ECS, nudity was no longer noteworthy except in certain very good and very bad cases. And yes, not everyone that was running around half-naked should have been! Guys and girls, some of you should cover that stuff UP!

Most of our crew left the event every night, heading back to the comfort of Town Hill Bed and Breakfast, but not even that setting was uneventful. We had a load of laughs watching a husband and wife go at it, each daring each other to a stripping match. One-for-one, items of clothing were removed! It was brilliant! And no, they didn't go all the way, but they were down to the "bare" minimum before it was over.

We also ate some incredible food, went on great motorcycle rides (without getting lost) and made a bunch of great new friends. And the bikes up there were just awesome. Something mechanical to appeal to everyone, and even a Panster! (Sportster bottom end / Panhead top end) Coolest bike ever! What a terrific time we had.

The ride home was less than perfect, and practically all of us rode the 100+ miles home in pouring rain. I even had to buy a coat up there to fend off the elements! But I'll say this: The memories of the previous 4 days kept me warm and smiling every mile of the way. If you ever get a chance to attend East Coast Sturgis, don't miss the opportunity. You may never seen anything like it. And yeah, go with a group of terrific friends, and if you're real lucky, you'll have friends like mine. They're family, they're the best, and I love 'em.

Cowboy

8/17/2010

Sunday, and I'm Outa Here

Plenty of events going on today, but I'm going to hit the road. I'm glad I rode up, and it was fun to see friends, but this event just isn't what I expected. I don't know what, exactly, they could do different, but I probably won't get back here unless someone does some serious arm-twisting.

So maybe, if I push it, I can get back to Alexandria in time to catch the end of the Brickyard 400. I'm reasonably sure Tony Stewart will be winning!!

Now to load up the bike. Who buys all these fucking t-shirts?!?!


Cowboy

Saturday night at MountainFest

It's Saturday, and I'm done for this day. Up early, rode around, visited Triple S Harley Davidson, which was a mini version of the rally. People, food, live bands, and cold beverages aplenty. And yeah, women and motorcycles.

After that I got my LEDs installed, and afterward, checked out more of the area before going back to the hotel. Went back over this evening to make sure we hadn't somehow missed something, and it seems like we covered the bases well. No stones were found left unturned!! Every vendor's goods pawed, all women stared at, and each motorcycle critiqued. We found lots of sub-standard women and bikes, but the real "keepers" offset the rest.

And I just gotta say that people from miles around came to this event, and all too often they were just car people, here to mostly get hammered. It worked. I think it takes a little something away when the crowd is mixed like that, but others seemed to enjoy it, so maybe I'll just chill out and let them have their own party. I'll take East Coast Sturgis. Maybe there's an interim solution. The little town girls can come next year, but boyfriends and husbands gotta stay home.


And so on. Kinda tired, and need to think about riding home tomorrow. Might read a bit and call it a day.


Cowboy
sent from iPhone Land.....

MountainFest, Day 2

Saturday in Morgantown, West Virginia

I'm sitting here on a plush couch in a decidedly up-market hotel (the best M'Town has to offer), and trying to plan a day of fun. I'm not sure fun is necessarily plan-able, but there's so much to do, I feel the need for some kind of agenda.

Mountainfest is held in a park, predictably on the outskirts of town, but there are goings-on at Triple S Harley Davidson that reputedly rival those at the park. And Triple S is on the other side of town.
Oddly, Mountainfest is also popular with car-people, so traffic here is a bear. When mixed with the regular M'Town traffic, on a single lane road, it ain't good.

Bikes got so hot in traffic yesterday, they started cutting off, and anyone with a Softail Harley (like me) got treated to severely overheated crotches and inner thighs from the oil tank that sits just below your private parts. Before you laugh, you need to experience this for yourself. Not good. Bev got toasted so bad, she ride a block on the sidewalk just to get back to the hotel!!!! And me: roasted nuts!

Spent much of last night prowling the fairgrounds and vendors, and of course, taking in the scenery. There's a kaleidoscope of people here, mixed in with the oft-maligned West Virginia folks, and there's plenty to keep anyone's head turning. And I now really think there's some truth to the WV stories about interbreeding.

The have some great bands here, and though I missed the headlining Charlie Daniels Band, I caught Kashmir, a Led Zepplin tribute band, who were pretty darned good.

Time to get moving. The only "must" in my schedule is having my bike available for a 2PM appointment to have some LED lights installed. Now I REALLY need to keep the chrome polished. Actually there's another "must" on the schedule: Charlie said there's some kind of t-shirt contest that's not to be missed. Gotta find out where that is!!!

Cowboy