Sidecar Saturdays : Games and Awards
Day 4: Saturday: This is pretty much the last day of the rally, tomorrow morning, everyone will pack up and head home.
Today was going to be a long and busy day. Sidecar games. Catered dinner. Door prizes, 50/50 raffle, awards from the sidecar judging, the sidecar games, and the sign-up sheets (longest distance, youngest/oldest, etc). After a quick breakfast, we wandered over to Walmart to buy Opa a fancy crank radio, so that he could listen to his news stations on the radio. We went to the field around the corner from the camp to participate in the sidecar games. Opa said it was too hot for him to stand out and play. Luckily, a wonderful lady named Cathy with a dark green Ural asked to be my partner and vice versa.
Game 1: Sidecar passenger had to play cornhole from the sidecar while never stopping and maintaining the line in the grass.
Game 2: Sidecar passenger tries to make the basketball go through the hoop while the driver never stops the bike, while driving on the line.
Game 3: "Catch and Release" Sidecar passenger has to use the net to pick up and then drop the collected stuffed animals.
Game 4: Blindfolded course, led by the directions of the sidecar passenger.
There were many that lined up to play and before the second game had started many had dropped out and by the start of the third game, many had left the field entirely. It was incredible to be surrounded by such a fun group. We told each other fake rules and joked about screaming "Heeeyy Battterbatterbatter!" and other things just to mess with some. Everyone did wonderfully. Everyone was a fair sport about it. Some would fake some poor sportsmanship. I jokingly bribed someone, "If you pay me $200, I will tell you how to lose." Everyone was supportive of one another and it seemed that everyone was having a grand old time, even in the miserable heat. I ended up sitting on the fender and on the top of the seat in Cathy's Ural and I would fold the seat over or leave it up, so she wouldn't have to sit on the super hot surface. Some people struggled with the sidecars that folded open/closed over them (like Hanngian's). Some struggled with the seat being too low or reclined too far back to get a strong foothold or position to play some of the games. We would play and line up for the next round. You would occasionally see some drive down the road or get on the main drag just to get some breeze to cool down. After about an hour and a half, we were all done, and thankfully the games were done.
We all had gone to find AC or shade back at camp to wait for our catered dinner. I spent some time with Opa and our camping neighbors, Chuck and his wonderfully sweet wife, (who's name I cannot remember for the life of me). We shared some stories, they asked about the games. We lined up and ate dinner. Opa and Chuck went back to the shade and I stayed with his wife to listen to the awards.
They started with the sidecar judging awards. The judges' choice sidecar was a beautifully painted black Harley with flames, on a trailer, because the clutch is blown. I told Opa about it later, he laughed, "If it can't move, it shouldn't qualify, and how can you NOT fix the clutch? It takes about 30 minutes to do! I did one on the side of the freeway in the Texan dessert." Awards went to some based on the judge's opinions and some came from other rally attendees. My favorite descriptions were of some of the of the different categories. "This bike looked like it had been run through hell and back and never been touched since", everyone knew it was "Dave the Spain". "This was the nicest vintage" -- even though it is a 2014. It was perfect. Honorable mentions to a Kurtis Kar, a Watsonian, an Aerial Square Four.
We quickly moved on to the sidecar games. There were 1st and 2nd place awards for each game. However, some games had ties, and the actions of some just touched me. -Granted, I don't remember all of the winners and which place in what game- the important part was one specific couple that yielded or offered to yield to 2 game awards. Game 1: 1st place winner was one of the Rally hosts and his grandson, 2nd and 3rd was a tie. The couple that tied gave their award to the other team. When he announced that he and his grandson won first we all jokingly booed, and a few made clear to the younger man (maybe 12-14) that "we" were booing his grandfather and not him. Again, it was all in good fun. Game 2: 1st and a tie for 2nd and 3rd. The tie was between Cathy and I and this incredible pair that I mentioned, they gave us the award, I let Cathy keep that medal (there was only one medal per team per event winner). Game 3: Winners were announced for 1st and 2nd, if I remember correctly, this one was the one that the couple didn't give their award away for, as there was no tie. Game 4: This was judged by the fastest time. "1st place with the shortest time at 30.8 seconds...Erika and Cathy." This was the medal that I kept, now Cathy and I had matching medals. 2nd place was awarded to Brian, who was a kind older man driving a nicely painted Honda Goldwing.
Awards then shifted to oldest combined age of the rig, oldest combined age of rig and rider, oldest and youngest passengers, oldest and youngest drivers, longest distance traveled (most direct route), grand touring, and a few more. Remember that cool couple that I was talking about? One of them, Barb, got the longest distance and come to find out, she has this cool touring business in Jim Thorpe, PA (link to her business below, definitely check them out). They past 2 awards to the only children that came to the rally. They made special comments to the female drivers; the oldest female had a brightly painted Burgman with a road runner painted on a bright lime green paint job, and made comments about me being in my 20's.
Then it switched from awards to door prizes, and I don't say this lightly, Cathy won every single door prize, minus maybe 10 of them. There was a rally admission ticket to the Hoosier Beemer rally in September. They decided to call on anyone who wanted to go and then give it to whoever picked the closest number. The "judges/leaders/whatever" chose a number and wrote it down, then everyone who had raised their hands had to guess. "67." "73." "17.""32." The guy asked, "Erika, Are you sure that you want to go?" "Yes. why?" "Well, You're going!"
Live music ran from the end of the awards until about 11:00. I had packed up, showered, and suffered the miserable heat. It was too hot to go to sleep until about midnight. There were "Father's Day Fireworks" at least, that's what I'm assuming was the reason for fireworks. So, I ended up walking over to the Snack Shack, ordered some ice cream and sat along the river and watched the fireworks before going to lay down with my fan on. There was going to be a long day ahead.
Here is some information for that cool pair that I was talking about earlier: Barb and Ed.
((http://www.jimthorpesidecartourz.com/))
((Ed's Instagram: bikenuttz))
Today was going to be a long and busy day. Sidecar games. Catered dinner. Door prizes, 50/50 raffle, awards from the sidecar judging, the sidecar games, and the sign-up sheets (longest distance, youngest/oldest, etc). After a quick breakfast, we wandered over to Walmart to buy Opa a fancy crank radio, so that he could listen to his news stations on the radio. We went to the field around the corner from the camp to participate in the sidecar games. Opa said it was too hot for him to stand out and play. Luckily, a wonderful lady named Cathy with a dark green Ural asked to be my partner and vice versa.
Game 1: Sidecar passenger had to play cornhole from the sidecar while never stopping and maintaining the line in the grass.
Game 2: Sidecar passenger tries to make the basketball go through the hoop while the driver never stops the bike, while driving on the line.
Game 3: "Catch and Release" Sidecar passenger has to use the net to pick up and then drop the collected stuffed animals.
Game 4: Blindfolded course, led by the directions of the sidecar passenger.
There were many that lined up to play and before the second game had started many had dropped out and by the start of the third game, many had left the field entirely. It was incredible to be surrounded by such a fun group. We told each other fake rules and joked about screaming "Heeeyy Battterbatterbatter!" and other things just to mess with some. Everyone did wonderfully. Everyone was a fair sport about it. Some would fake some poor sportsmanship. I jokingly bribed someone, "If you pay me $200, I will tell you how to lose." Everyone was supportive of one another and it seemed that everyone was having a grand old time, even in the miserable heat. I ended up sitting on the fender and on the top of the seat in Cathy's Ural and I would fold the seat over or leave it up, so she wouldn't have to sit on the super hot surface. Some people struggled with the sidecars that folded open/closed over them (like Hanngian's). Some struggled with the seat being too low or reclined too far back to get a strong foothold or position to play some of the games. We would play and line up for the next round. You would occasionally see some drive down the road or get on the main drag just to get some breeze to cool down. After about an hour and a half, we were all done, and thankfully the games were done.
We all had gone to find AC or shade back at camp to wait for our catered dinner. I spent some time with Opa and our camping neighbors, Chuck and his wonderfully sweet wife, (who's name I cannot remember for the life of me). We shared some stories, they asked about the games. We lined up and ate dinner. Opa and Chuck went back to the shade and I stayed with his wife to listen to the awards.
They started with the sidecar judging awards. The judges' choice sidecar was a beautifully painted black Harley with flames, on a trailer, because the clutch is blown. I told Opa about it later, he laughed, "If it can't move, it shouldn't qualify, and how can you NOT fix the clutch? It takes about 30 minutes to do! I did one on the side of the freeway in the Texan dessert." Awards went to some based on the judge's opinions and some came from other rally attendees. My favorite descriptions were of some of the of the different categories. "This bike looked like it had been run through hell and back and never been touched since", everyone knew it was "Dave the Spain". "This was the nicest vintage" -- even though it is a 2014. It was perfect. Honorable mentions to a Kurtis Kar, a Watsonian, an Aerial Square Four.
We quickly moved on to the sidecar games. There were 1st and 2nd place awards for each game. However, some games had ties, and the actions of some just touched me. -Granted, I don't remember all of the winners and which place in what game- the important part was one specific couple that yielded or offered to yield to 2 game awards. Game 1: 1st place winner was one of the Rally hosts and his grandson, 2nd and 3rd was a tie. The couple that tied gave their award to the other team. When he announced that he and his grandson won first we all jokingly booed, and a few made clear to the younger man (maybe 12-14) that "we" were booing his grandfather and not him. Again, it was all in good fun. Game 2: 1st and a tie for 2nd and 3rd. The tie was between Cathy and I and this incredible pair that I mentioned, they gave us the award, I let Cathy keep that medal (there was only one medal per team per event winner). Game 3: Winners were announced for 1st and 2nd, if I remember correctly, this one was the one that the couple didn't give their award away for, as there was no tie. Game 4: This was judged by the fastest time. "1st place with the shortest time at 30.8 seconds...Erika and Cathy." This was the medal that I kept, now Cathy and I had matching medals. 2nd place was awarded to Brian, who was a kind older man driving a nicely painted Honda Goldwing.
Awards then shifted to oldest combined age of the rig, oldest combined age of rig and rider, oldest and youngest passengers, oldest and youngest drivers, longest distance traveled (most direct route), grand touring, and a few more. Remember that cool couple that I was talking about? One of them, Barb, got the longest distance and come to find out, she has this cool touring business in Jim Thorpe, PA (link to her business below, definitely check them out). They past 2 awards to the only children that came to the rally. They made special comments to the female drivers; the oldest female had a brightly painted Burgman with a road runner painted on a bright lime green paint job, and made comments about me being in my 20's.
Then it switched from awards to door prizes, and I don't say this lightly, Cathy won every single door prize, minus maybe 10 of them. There was a rally admission ticket to the Hoosier Beemer rally in September. They decided to call on anyone who wanted to go and then give it to whoever picked the closest number. The "judges/leaders/whatever" chose a number and wrote it down, then everyone who had raised their hands had to guess. "67." "73." "17.""32." The guy asked, "Erika, Are you sure that you want to go?" "Yes. why?" "Well, You're going!"Live music ran from the end of the awards until about 11:00. I had packed up, showered, and suffered the miserable heat. It was too hot to go to sleep until about midnight. There were "Father's Day Fireworks" at least, that's what I'm assuming was the reason for fireworks. So, I ended up walking over to the Snack Shack, ordered some ice cream and sat along the river and watched the fireworks before going to lay down with my fan on. There was going to be a long day ahead.
Here is some information for that cool pair that I was talking about earlier: Barb and Ed.
((http://www.jimthorpesidecartourz.com/))
((Ed's Instagram: bikenuttz))
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