2009 Run Review Wildwood Blue Rally @ Long Beach, WA

Hit the road around 10am on Friday, day off and slept in since this was a short jaunt to the coast.  The weather reports called for not so nice weather and since I was hauling the gear, choose the car this weekend.  Much easier to throw wet gear into a plastic bag in the trunk than trying to strap it on the bike.  Made really good time with a few stops for road construction but gave me a chance to eat my lunch I grabbed once I got off the freeway.

Sitting there in traffic and the drive down Hwy 4 on the Washington side (much better view than Hwy 30 on the Oregon side) I remember why I love living in the Pacific NW.  Not religious by any means, but we do live in God’s country.  The trip there would have been great on the bike, have been on this road before and still puts me in awe every time.  Moving through the construction zones, no long waits just a 20 minute delay to my trip and violating the speed limit put my on the site on time.

This location is a campground which the bikers had one side, and a bunch of baseball players on the other.  Check in was fast and great smiles greeted me on my way in.  Daryl had met the run coordinators on the Golden Dale rally and they were happy to see us there to cover this first event.  From the looks of the setup they did a great job.  My wrist band is on and now time to find a nice spot to throw up the tent.  Man, it was hot already, but not too far off the coast rain clouds were heading in.  This area had plenty of trees and found a nice one to setup camp under.  Daryl would follow later in the evening due to his work commitments.

Camp setup, time for me to wander around and meet new people and see the wares of the vendors.  Love camp hopping, the stories and running into old friends and ran into many I have not seen in a while.  Later in the day met a special character named Kenny with a bottle in each hand sharing with anyone his spirits and stories of rallies past.  From his attire, this man has seen many of roads, rallies and later find out that a trap, jacket under his head and stars are his bed to rest.  Ran into some old friends from rallies of old, Shauna and Mitch of Brock Ent. and really good to see them again.  Talked about old times and caught up of what/how we are now.

Clouds are starting to roll in; cooling it off a bit but still nice temperature out and the music has started.  Daryl arrived, setup his stuff and I asked for a ride into town to chat about the event and get some food.  Hoped on the back cause I have a bit of a buzz going and should not be driving.  Found some good seafood and headed back to camp.  Things were picking up a bit, but as I have found on many runs, Saturday night is the bomb.

Moved over to a covered area with a nice bond fire burning to warm up and ditch the sprinklers that were happening and was greeted with smiles.  Here I met the other people from Aberdeen area where Kenny was from a big man with a nice smile named Paul and shy Mike sitting back in the shadows.  Shauna joined us later after closing shop and a few others.  Oh my, what a blast, laughing till our sides and face hurt, don’t ask me about what cause passing the bottle around I know it was stupid stuff.  Telling stories of runs pass and such and me with my quick wit kept the party rolling into the morning.  Damn people, its 5am I’m hitting the hay for a few hours so can take a walk on the beach before the bike games in the afternoon.

There was a poker run, did not go but many from camp did and was pretty deserted when I got up.  Cleaned up and headed into town for something to eat, walk on the beach and check out the knickknack shops in town.  It was overcast and warm, not too windy and really not a bad day at all.  Time to head back to camp for the bike games that will be starting soon.

The Bike games were great, many participants in each one, but the one game I think I liked best was the balloon toss.  I have seen this at Iron horse run, but think why I got a kick out of it is what they filled with water was a bit different.  Instead of balloons, they used condoms and was really funny when they caught them as they stretched a bit more than a balloon does.  Check out the pictures of the bike games, you will see what I am talking about.

Games over, time for some dinner and I will enjoy the sound of some good tunes and great conversations.  Sitting over chatting with Shauna, Mitch and Mike at the vendor booth we saw these men putting up a contraption in the middle area in front of the band.  Stripper pole was set up and the men just were having a ball dancing on the pole.  The women did take it over and everyone who did it or watch had a blast.  Think I would like to see that out next year on Friday night as everyone got a kick out it.

Well the music ended, was starting to get a bit wet so a troop of us made it back to the covered campfire for some more wise cracks and laughter.  My stomach and face still hurt from the night before, and well we did a repeat till the early am again.  Oh well, bet the neighboring tenters really were POed at us.

I will say for a first rally these guys did a great job and will be there again next year.  Thanks for letting Biker-Events cover your event and will be there again.  Check out our fun in the picture section.

Joan signing off for now till Run21 then off to Sturgis this year.

~Catch me if you can~