5th annual Biker Bash - Findlay OH

Just 65 miles ride (with construction detour), the 5th annual Bike Bash in Findlay OH is a great destination. Its a family friendly event (Friday 8/27 from 5pm-9pm) with live music, great food, and bike parking on Main street which they block off for the evening! Its free and a LOT of fun. There are auctions, 50/50 raffle, services, food, etc where proceeds go to United Way of Hancock Country.

2010 Interlochen

Four hundred miles riding north from Columbus Ohio to Interlochen Michigan. Its the annual VROC rally held in NW lower peninsula near Traverse City. After the long (repeat LONG ride for me anyway), I get to set up camp. There is very little better than a motorcycle and tent. The grounds have the hottest showers around. Oh does that feel good after a long ride and sweaty day.

The best part of the time is the people. We had probably 30 VROCers and shared the park with the Goldwing riders and a couple of small Harley groups. It is amazing how such a great diversity in people, machines, and friendships can enjoy the same lifestyle. We had some tough weather, and also great weather.


There are a lot of great things to experience on these rallies. One of my favorite is the local food. We ate at a restaurants that served huge amounts of good food, a tavern that had good perch right on the lake (they would even cook up your own catch as you came in from a day of fishing), and my favorite - The Cherry Hut. This area is famous for its cherries, and this restaurant has some traditional fare as well as cherry burgers, cherry chicken salad, and wonderful (I mean WONDERFUL) Cherry Pie.

Areas all over the US have some amazing history. As we drove around, we took route M37. It dead ended at the Old Mission Lighthouse. It is half way between the equator and the Pole at the 45th parallel.


But all good things have to end. And with most camping trips, there are plenty of challenges that inhibit sleeping comfortable. We had a huge storm which flooded the tent, and then the final night the mattress we slept on a 1/2 inflated mattress. Why we did not get up and inflate it with the pump, I will never know. But we got up, broke camp, and started back on the 400 miles home.

Sleep deprived, we rode off about 40 miles and grabbed breakfast. Three cups of coffee, but still drowsy. Stopped at McD's for their heavy duty caffeine which eventually did the trick.

Its that time again! Interlochen!!!

In a little while, I will be able to head back up to Interlochen for a VROC rally. Its about 400 miles up there, about 7 hours if I road straight through. I wont! I will probably stop every 100 miles or so, fuel up, get some water, stretch the legs, and take some additional ibuprofen for the saddle sores. There is a common knowledge rule that states that if it is the Interlochen weekend, then it is rain season. The first year I went, I rode back in thunderstorms and tornado warnings virtually the entire trip. The last time, it rained while I was up there and the tent flooded. Yet, it is a good time!

After we get up there, we will have to check in, and then drive back into the camping area of Cycle-Moore. Its a couple of large circles of gravel roads with plenty of sandy ground to pitch a tent. The bath house is known as the showers with the hottest water.

Wow - Time slips by too quickly!

I appologize for the LONG delay on posting an update on the Michigan ride. It was a great ride North. Stopped a few times, had some water, then got back on the bikes.

I had a great time in Michigan with my friend and their family. A little (ok, a lot) of drinks, a little work, and a lot of fishing. The place was nice (see below) and we had some interesting drink/gun discussion combination.


Here are the two GPS runs. First one was on the way up, second is the return trip. Had to make it on my own due to a job possibility.