I wrote this story for the 20th VRCC birthday anniversary on 1 August 2019.
Over 900 illustrated pages about YOU....a different breed of Cruiser Rider who resisted the V-Twin cult.
This story is an attempt to summarize the VRCC past in a comprehensive way, the �Big Picture� so to say.
Now, I can hear yourself thinking. How can somebody, living in a different country far away, write about events he did not attend.
I have to admit, it crossed my mind as well, many times. Well, I figured the only way around this is to have the entire text made up of quotes, comments, pictures and stories previously posted by yourself on this website.
So the story is made up of your own excact feelings and words. It's basically a rearrangement of already published information on VRCC web- and archive pages in the past.
I concentrated on the early days because that information will be lost first while recent events may still be fresh in our memory.
During the course of 20 years VRCC the amount of pics, links and clips has become so overwhelming that I had to drastically restrict myself.
One of the restrictions being 'if no pics, no publication' in this history.
I apologize for all the great stories not mentioned because the associated pics were not easily accessible for the public reader.
This history is divided in a General Part i.e some facts and figures/how it all began, followed by a few pages about each individual Chapter and more in detail about the Inzanes. Many trip reports cross several State/Country Lines. So, don�t take the Chapter bit too strict.
I will start with the US side of the house, followed by Europe in pretty much the same sequence and some pages about Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
An index is provided so you can jump to your area of interest. There are no page numbers in this format, however.
Finally, I used less pics than intended to save webspace. So bear with me if you think some parts are made up of too much text.
Many articles have been written about the Valkyrie Motorcycle. There is an abundance of clips on YouTube and other media.
That is why I deliberately did not spend much time on the bike but focussed mainly on its Rider.
I also apologize for the sometimes poor editing and quality of pics. Since I wrote this story in Word/PDF, I had to edit the text and resize each picture again to make it look right, given the tools on this website and my limited knowledge of PHP/HTML.

The average biker I know is not much of a writer. Also, one Chapter's website may be loaded with dozens of pictures, rides and trip reports every year and another looks pretty static. While they both may be equally active. It�s hard to tell if you are an outsider. Or you communicated via closed bulletin boards/groups that I did not have access to. Or you published a great report but the (Photo Bucket/Stash) pictures didn�t show up for unregistered members. Not having been there personally, I am the first one to admit that it�s impossible to address all the VRCC events over the past 20 years, let alone properly and within their context. This is where YOU come in.

What does it take to send me a mail to this adress and say, Hey Beer, you forgot me. I�ve been to this VRCC happening and it was awesome. And tell me why and add some links or pics. Or wave the BS flag and tell me that I�ve got it all wrong for that matter. Or tell me that a link is dead since there are a lot of links included. So, let�s say this is just a start. Only together we can make this a true documentary. Let�s make this work.

A word about Privacy
You may well see yourself back in a picture or comment in this history. Some Riders may look at this as an infringement of their privacy and personal life.
Please note that I only used public information previously posted by you on a website that is accessible to everyone. I avoided using true names except when they were specifically published online.
Moreover, I will not print hardcopies of this history, nor is it downloadable from an external website. The only two places that it will be published are the VRCC US and this website.
The VRCC EU website is now undergoing maintenance. When that is finished, the history might show up there as well.
This story is about the Club, Rides and Events, not about matters of a personal nature.
I see this as a great opportunity to promote our VRCC and your (Chapters') part in it. Because there is much more to be told.
The mighty Valkyrie motorcycle and its Rider deserves it.
If, for any reason you do not want your information to be disclosed in this history however, write me to this adress and I will erase it.

Beer van Huet # 7609
VRCC Lowlands Chapter Rep.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INDEX

GENERAL

Introduction
Bike Origin
Patent
NHTSA
Coins
- Special Interstate
- VRCC
Brochure
Video Commercials
Numbers and Genealogy
Performance - Project Bonnevalk
Publications
Nickname
High Mileage Valkyries
Around the world by Valkyrie
Valkyrie Clubs and origin
VRCC origin
VRCC characteristics
No of members
Inzane � general
Artwork
- Chapters
- Events
- Other
Tattoos
Vanity license plates
Songs
Members age
RIP

VRCC US CHAPTERS

Ohio
Virginia
Texas
VERMIN/Washington
Indiana
New England Chapters
New Jersey
New York
Delaware
Michigan
New Mexico
California
Bouvet Island
Alabama
Kansas
Illinois
Iowa
Louisiana
Minnesota
Missouri
Carolina
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Florida
Arizona
Nevada
Arkansas
Utah
Colorado
Wisconsin
Georgia
Kentucky
NothWest
Oregon
Idaho
Alaska

VRCC CANADA CHAPTERS

Ontario
Quebec
British Columbia
Alberta

WORLDWIDE EVENTS

Thor�s Hammer
Valhalla Voyage

US INZANES
I � XIX

VRCC EUROPE CHAPTERS

Italy
Austria
Lowlands
Germany
United Kingdom
France
Spain
Ireland
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Czech Republic & Moravia
Finland
Slovakia
Poland
Switzerland
Latvia
Russia

EU INZANES
I-XIII

WORLD

Japan
Australia
New Zealand

CALENDARS

APPENDIX with links

INTRODUCTION
Every now and then a motorcycle comes around that is instantly regarded as �classic� by experts and the public. This was also the case when the Honda GL1500C Valkyrie came out.
The bike was declared �Cruiser of the Decade� soon after its introduction in Chicago on 19 January 1996.
No wonder, because its revolutionary design and performance left the competition way behind.
It was also the first (and last) completely mechanical Power Cruiser ever built.
Normally when a bike gets older, it�s left to collect dust and spider rags, stowed away in the back of a garage or displayed by a collector somewhere. And it's Club, like old soldiers, will just fade away.
Not this baby. On the contrary, a new breed of Riders has joined the Club with the same enthusiasm and spirit, bringing a new �lan to the VRCC.
It�s still alive and kickin� as day one, considering the novelty is gone.
Being a member of the VRCC for some time, I have always been amazed by the dynamics and spirit of this club, its members and the long-lasting friendships with complete strangers I would have never met otherwise.
I consider the average Valkyrie Rider an individual who has been around, of which the majority doesn�t have the urge to constantly put his/her hair on fire and still prefers the power, looks and culture over a HD or Goldwing.
Time flies. Soon the VRCC will celebrate its 20th anniversary and before you know it, it will be forgotten how this great club started and evolved in what it is today - a true icon of passion and determination.
So, I took it upon me to search the web for the VRCC history, its past highlights, memorable individuals, events and issues. Not only from the US but worldwide.
Since It is impossible to even mention everything that has been going on, I took the liberty of selecting information which was public, easily accessible and considered appropriate.
It�s easy to misinterpret something you read on a web archive however, so the story is entirely made up of quotes by local Riders themselves.
I merely rearranged them and tried to put it all in a comprehensive order to create an overall VRCC picture.
I regard this story as a living document and any addition or correction is welcome and appreciated.
I do hope that you�ll have as much fun reading it as I have had in writing it down and perhaps it will bring back some good memories.

Honda Valkyrie by Fred Rau, a friend of Joe Boyd
Between 1997 and 2003 Honda had what was declared the "Cruiser of the Decade" in a Flat 6 Valkyrie.
The problem that I believe that it is no longer in production is that the man responsible for it was killed in a motorcycle accident and no one at Honda wanted to take the ball. The following is a letter that was printed in a magazine that will explain: A letter posted at motorcycle consumer news on line. "Interesting that maddjack would note that "Honda never really marketed the Valk." I'll tell you a story, strictly from my own perspective as a "kind-of" insider:

Of course, Honda did market the Valkyrie, but I agree, never with the kind of enthusiasm they often show for other bikes in their lineup.
The Valk was pretty much the brainchild and "baby" of one guy at Honda who really believed in it. His name was Joe Boyd, but around Honda they called him "GL Joe," because of his love of Gold Wings. The majority of the marketing experts at Honda never believed the Valkyrie concept would work, but Joe used his considerable influence and personal charisma to push the project through. Of course, the Valk became a success. Never a huge one, but a success nevertheless. And I personally believed that since Joe had proved so many people wrong, that those same people were reluctant to aid in the Valkyrie's rise.
ot that they intentionally stymied it, but I just don't believe the project ever got the kind of all-out support it deserved, just because Joe had stepped on so many toes in his headlong push to make it a reality.

Around the time the new 1800 GL was becoming a reality, Joe was killed in a tragic accident at the Honda test track. With his death, the prime motivating force behind the Valkyrie project died, also. I personally believe we'd have an all-new, radical, Valkyrie 1800 today, if Joe had lived. Not the Rune, as amazing as it is, but something much more practical and affordable. As a side note, I would like to add that Honda paid a quiet, yet memorable tribute to Joe, for several months after his death.

I rode with Joe a number of times. We were casual friends, and used to ride across the Mojave Desert together, as we both loved the old back roads out there. Along the way, one of Joe's favorite things was to stop in at the tiny town of Amboy, at one of the last remaining original Route 66 tourist stops, Roy's Cafe, and get himself a chocolate milkshake. If you remember, for about six months, several years ago, in virtually every major motorcycling magazine in the country, Honda carried a full-page ad with a picture of a Valkyrie, sitting under the Roy's Cafe sign in the Mojave, with a setting sun in the background. It was a quiet, memorable tribute to the man that was easily understood by those who knew him.

Often, a radical or interesting new bike is developed primarily because one person, with the influence, drive and passion to see it built, puts his weight behind the project. Love it or not, such was the case with the Rune, which had Honda VP Ray Blank as its "Angel." One could say the same of Pierre Terblanche, and the Ducati 999. And such was the case with Joe Boyd and the Valkyrie. Whether such bikes are a design, marketing or financial success is really irrelevant -- I think -- What is important is that we have an industry in which such things can happen, because they push the envelope. True innovation rarely comes from a committee decision.
Enough of my maudlin remembrances. Just thought you might find it interesting.
Now if Honda had continued to market the Valk I believe that it would run circles around all the V-Twin Harley want-a-be's. There is an unlimited amount of customizing that can be done to them where they don't look just like the one down the street

Honda Employees Killed Testing Motorcycle
Accident: Colleagues describe Mission Viejo, Redondo Beach men as highly experienced riders.
May 29, 1998|VALERIE BURGHER | TIMES STAFF WRITER

Two Honda Motor Co. employees were killed Wednesday afternoon evaluating a motorcycle prototype (which would later become the CBR600F4 �Red), the company said Thursday. The accident occurred about 2 p.m. at the Willow Springs Raceway near Rosamond in Kern County.
It was still unclear Thursday exactly how the accident occurred. Authorities are investigating. Honda spokesman Peter ter Horst identified the men as Dirk R. Vandenberg, 48, of Mission Viejo, who was the manager of product evaluation, and Josef Boyd, 49, a Redondo Beach engineer.

One man was making a routine test run of the vehicle when he lost control and struck the other man, who was photographing the test, ter Horst said. Both were taken to Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, where they later died. Company officials said they could not yet confirm who was riding the prototype and who was taking photographs. Honda employees perform similar tests at least three times a month, ter Horst said.
Torrance-based Honda and the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration have opened investigations. "There's still a lot of chaos around the situation," said Cal/OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer. He said Honda and Cal/OSHA will examine training records and the protocol for vehicle testing and interview witnesses to determine the cause of the accident. "Honda is going to be looking at the prototypes very closely to see if there are any mechanical issues," Fryer said. "At this point, it's very early to start putting the pieces together."

Honda colleagues described the men as avid motorcycle enthusiasts and highly experienced riders.
Boyd was known around the office as "G.L. Joe," after one of the company's motorcycle models. Vandenberg owned a collection of at least 10 motorcycles. "They had at least 100,000 miles of riding time each [and] were very competent and qualified," said co-worker Mike Spencer. "I'm sure it was just a complete freak accident." Vandenberg's love of motorcycles had taken him from a Michigan motorcycle dealership to a development position in Torrance. He came to Honda 21 years ago and worked his way up from the service department, co-workers said.

"It was a passion," said Jessie Carrera, an administrative assistant at Honda. "Dirk was a true expert." Vandenberg frequently spent vacations outdoors with his wife, Donna, and sons, Andrew, 16, and Nick, 9. "He was always a fun-loving, outgoing individual who enjoyed jet-skiing and go-carting and water-skiing. Anything that had an engine on it interested Dirk," said Spencer. "They'll be greatly missed." Said ter Horst: "It's a terrible tragedy for everyone in the company. It's a very unusual situation when people are injured during testing."

CBR600F4
The Honda CBR600F4 was a sport bike produced by Honda between 1999 and 2000. It was the last of the CBR600 series of Honda sport bikes to be carbureted
The words, "Dedicated to Super Evaluators Dirk Vandenberg and Josef Boyd", are embossed in raised letters on the inside of the Honda CBR600F4's upper fairing.
This dedication was made because two of Honda R&D's senior product developers were killed during the final testing of this model.

PATENT
The Honda Gl1500C Valkyrie (as shown below) was patented in the US on 5 November 1996 under USD375281S by Honda designers
Makoto Kitagawa and Masamoto Ito.

NHTSA SAFETY TRACK RECORD
The GL1500C Valkyrie has a clean record in terms of recalls, investigations and complaints, with the exception of one official complaint in 2002 about the lack of hazard warning lights.
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2001/HONDA/GL1500C%252520VALKYRIE

SPECIAL COIN
When the Interstate came out in 1999, this 1st Mass Production Coin was issued by Honda to the assembly line personnel and staff.

GENEALOGY by RP# 62
The national release date of the first Valkyries was May 25, 1996 � all were 1997 models.
All Valkyries and 27 F6C export versions were built between 1996 and 2003 at Honda�s manufacturing facility in Marysville, OH. Based on extensive research and serial numbers by RP Brown, a total of 48.420 Valkyries was produced, of which 6670 were exported to Europe, Australia and Japan.
Black ones were made every model year on each of the three models. The rarest I know of is the copper and black ones made for the European market. Rarest in US: the '01 Black and red Interstate (160 made)

The Japanese Valkyries have an (electrical) reverse gear. The VINs on the Japanese Valks don't begin with 1HF.
They are in the format SC34-1000000.
I originally posted my findings on Rattlebars' site and later on Dag's site. It shouldn't be taken as absolute, but as an educated guess as I put it together based on a few facts and some extrapolation.
When we visited the Honda plant back when Valkyries were in production, they told us that Valkyries were built in color lots of 20 for a specific market.
For example, they would assemble, 20 black standards for the California market, the 20 red and white standards for the 49 state market, 20 green and creme tourers for the Canadian market, etc.

There's always been a lot of interest in how many of what color were made, so back in the day I wrote Honda to see what they would tell me and actually spoke with a representative at the plant on the subject. Naturally, they consider production information as proprietary and wouldn't give me specifics but they did say I was on the right track.

Given the above, I began data basing VINs and noting color and mfg. date. I would get them off of bikes at events, off of Ebay, off of bikes at the dealers and from several VRCC members that sent them in. I've got thousands at this point. Being able to correlate that many by year, by type (standard, tourer, interstate) by market, then by color, they start resolving themselves into groups. Looking at the serial number ranges within those groups then gives an idea of how many were made. For example, knowing that they were made in lots of 20, I look for serial numbers within that group that are more than 20 apart.
This gives an indication of how many lots of 20 were made. It�s not 100%, but its close and the more numbers in database, the more accurate the guess.
That said, if there's still an interest in this, send me your VINs along with color and mfg. date and I'll sharpen the pencil.
Over the years and pending the US Dollar currency value, more US Valkyries ended up abroad.

So, you've got a really fast motorcycle. How do you prove it? You could put it on a dyno and e-mail the numbers to all your friends, or you could do it the hard way.
Mr. C. Ray from Nashville, Tennessee knew he had a seriously fast Valkyrie, and he wanted to prove it to the world, so that nobody could dispute his claim! To add a twist, he didn't want a single purpose, rocket shaped speedster. His record setting bike would also be his every day rider, and a bike he would continue to tour on!
What makes Mr. Ray think his Valkyrie is so fast? Let's start with the "La Monster Supercharger System" featuring a reliable "Magnacharger" supercharger. While that may sound powerful, the real magic was in the internals of the motor and cylinder head, prepared by Dan Paramore of DPR Racing, in southern California. Dan engineered, designed, and built a Stage VI custom cylinder head for Ray, by modifying and reshaping the combustion chamber to increase quench area ("squish band"), then he fully ported and polished everything, before installing the ceramic coated valves into the heads. The results of DPR�s work were astonishing! A 20-percent increase in intake flow and a 30-percent gain on the exhaust side. Mr. Ray even flew Dan to Nashville to cut, polish, and work his magic on the pistons too! Once the heads were finished, and assembled, Dan focused all his grinding skills on the supercharger's manifold, to increase its capability to match the new heads.
To safeguard the engine when running under full boost, the compression ratio was dropped to 9.1:1. The valve springs were specially chosen and shimmed to make valves close quicker. Dan had a special set of cams made to his precise measurements, and the cam timing was altered to close the exhaust side a bit earlier, so the blower could cram as much boosted air/fuel into the cylinders as possible. Dan and Mr. Ray worked together to rig a double diaphragm clutch spring system to make sure the plates wouldn't slip. All these items are internal to the engine and the naked eye would never know...

The single glaring obvious horsepower boost comes from the two bottles of nitrous oxide strapped to the rear fender. A "Nitrous-Express" tunable system is adjusted to come on at full boost, and ramp up time of delivery, making it possible to get extreme horsepower, without extreme wheel spin! A Dynatech ignition system and a Supertrapp exhaust system were chosen for their performance and reliability. It all came out to about 165 rear wheel horsepower give or take one or two!!!

Anyone who's ever been to "Speed Week" at the Bonneville Nationals is aware upon entry, that they are entering a world governed by rules and regulations, mostly for safety. All our players on "PROJECT BONNEVALK" arrived on Monday of "Speed Week"
The first day was spent setting up base camp and navigating thru the tech inspection. At first, they were confident, according to the "RULE BOOK"; the BONNEVALK could be configured to set four open speed records. All the bike had to do is complete qualifying and backup runs at any speed to set each of these records. However, Dan and Mr. Ray didn't want to set anything but solid, respectable records that others would have to work to beat. So, they disconnected the nitrous bottles and got ready to enter in "supercharged gas" class as their baseline.

Tuesday of Speed Week got off to a slow start with a two hour plus wait before each run was in order. Lucky teams get three runs in one day. Dan was going to drive "BONNEVALK" for the records, and he needed two licensing passes before he could attempt a qualifying run. Mr. Ray also wanted to see how the BONNEVALK's jetting was working at the 4200-foot altitude. So, Dan's took off and made his first pass, at a disappointing 117 mph. A jetting change and a little more throttle allowed his second pass to hit 147 mph, a little bit more respectable, and also earned Dan his license, and the team resolved to hit the ground running on

Wednesday began with another jetting change and a valve clearance check. Although the carburetor was still running a bit lean, the supercharged engine was running clean, without a hitch, but had still never been put to full throttle on the salt! After seeing how slow everything was progressing, we revised our goals to setting only two records for the week, instead of the original four; first with gas, and the second with nitrous.
By the end of day three, with every run producing faster speeds, we settled on the last run of the day at 156 MPH, as the qualifier for our first record. However, upon arriving in the impound area (where timing officials inspect vehicles), they experienced the great, unbending weight of the "RULE BOOK". When a machine arrives in the impound area, the officials perform a visual inspection, to make sure the machine qualifies for the class. When they looked at BONNEVALK, everyone's heart sank as the officials pointed out the unsealed fuel tank. Being time trial novices, none of the team members knew that an official had to witness "event-sanctioned-gas" being put into an empty tank, before the official seals the gas cap shut. Unswayed by our teams� pleas, the official explained that the only way to insure the integrity of the records was to follow the rules to the letter. The team recategorized Wednesday as a testing and tuning day, to save face on paper

Thursday began with more jetting woes. Despite the fact that Mr. Ray had installed a 220-main jet, the largest one made for the 45mm Mikuni, the plugs said the bike was running dangerously lean during the long wide-open throttle portion of the timing run. Dan and Mr. Ray resorted to drilling out a jet and calculated that it measured the equivalent of a 245 main. The change yielded a 158 mph pass through the lights.
Talking with people in the impound area the previous day had alerted Dan and Christian to a loophole in the rules that allows competitors a second chance at a better qualifying run without sacrificing the current run time. The rule book said that contestants have an hour after a timing slip is issued to deliver a bike to the impound area. So, scuttlebutt went, if you could turn around the second run in less than an hour, you could still use the first run if the second wasn't any faster.
The line was significantly shorter on day four as Speed Week ran down, and a second run in an hour was feasible. Naivet� and the desire to post the best record possible got the best of the team, and Dan got back on the BONNEVALK for a second run. Midway through the timed mile, as he tried to make himself as small as possible (to cheat the wind), Dan's knee hit the ignition switch, killing the engine --- AND the run. They arrived with the bike in impound, with only a minute to spare.
Unfortunately, a couple of seasoned veterans pointed out that the exact wording of the rule governing record runs contradicted the popular sentiment expressed by the old salts the team had talked to. So, to dispel any appearance of impropriety, BONNEVALK hit the salt again, and rewarded the team with a timed mile of 161.352 mph (gas only, no nitrous)! The improved speed was a result of bumping the fuel pressure up to four PSI to force the fuel into the carb faster, to counter the still present lean problem.
The bike was tucked away in the impound area without incident, and the team went back to the hotel in a celebratory mood. A record was within their grasp.

Day five, the final day of speed week for us, and thanks to a miscommunication about the hotel departure time, Team Project BONNEVALK arrived five minutes too late for the backup runs. Not being part of the escorted procession from impound to the starting line is the equivalent of breaking the seal on the gas tank.
Once again---but this time on the last day of Bonneville Speed Week---the team found itself back at square one. The only option they had available to them was to run the bike for another qualifying time after the morning's back up runs. Then in the afternoon, they would have one last shot to back up their qualifier. The dream of setting more than a single record was abandoned.
One more misstep and the week (and a whole lot of money) would be wasted.
The fates cast their cruel eyes once again on project BONNEVALK during the final backup run. For the first time the engine sputtered, sounding like it would give out. Paramore pulled in the clutch, preparing to coast through the timing lights at the end of the track. However, when the engine settled down at idle, he released the clutch, and gave it the berries. The result was a disappointing 149.763 mph. Only the displacement test remained between Christian Ray and his speed record.

Since BONNEVALK displaced a stock 1520 cc in a 1650 cc class, the record was a fait accompli before the measurement was taken. However, the chastened team waited anxiously for the final signatures on the record form before beginning the celebration. After five days on the salt, months of preparation, and more money than anyone was willing to admit spending, project BONNEVALK had a certified land speed record at an average speed of 153.956 mph. (we went faster, but this was the official record!)
Although Mr. Christian Ray didn't get the four records he's initially hoped for, he struggled, persevered, and won the privilege of being able to say he owns "World's Fastest Valkyrie" --- at least for this year. But Ray and Paramore are planning for another attempt at the record. Dual carburetors will address the jetting issues while better streamlining and narrower bars will help BONNEVALK push less air. They're already dreaming of the magic 200 mph mark! (and that's STILL without the NITROUS!)

Dag Verpeide
The Valkyrie has it all - long distance touring capability - excellent handling � smooth - vibration free - and awesome power... and it looks like a motorcycle, it oozes presence. Taking this bike through the twisties is a real pleasure. Handling is light and completely predictable and the low speed handling is surprisingly good for a bike this big. The powerful six-cylinder motor has a strong pull from less than 1000 rpm to the red line.

Daniel Meyer
Daniel Meyer is a pilot, engineer, skier, and above all, an avid motorcyclist with over a half-million miles under his belt.
The six-foot, three-hundred pound, blue-eyed Texan can often be found wandering the highways and byways of America on The Dragon, his F6 Valkyrie motorcycle.

Daniel wrote 4 Volumes of Life is a Road, an award winning motorcycle adventure series Life is a Road

If you are interested in what has been published about the Valkyrie since the beginning, you MUST visit Michael�s blog. �The Honda Valkyrie Pages � The Honda Valkyrie in Print and Pictures�
The blog contains an almost complete collection of magazine articles, publications, brochures and other interesting information. A second part is under construction, containing Valkyrie manuals, Mods, Add-On Installation Instructions, etc. The Honda Valkyrie Pages

In 2018, Peter looked at the development and detailed history of the GL1500 Valkyrie/F6C. Paperback or Kindle
The Honda Valkyrie

The GL 1500C Valkyrie is sometimes also named Fat Lady or Dragon.
The Fat Lady part is pretty obvious; they hardly come any fatter than this beast.
Back in Sept. 1, 1996, when the first internet site dedicated to the Honda Valkyrie, "The Valkyries' Lair,� was launched, it contained the tag line, "For Those Who Ride the Dragon." Craig referred to the Valkyrie as the Dragon because of the definition of a dragon:
"*Dragon (n.) A legendary fire breathing beast of great size; renowned for its immense power and ability to fly." The moniker caught on and we continue riding dragons to this day. If you start trying to associate anything else the dragon just fits, Unicorn, Minotaur, Ogre, Troll, Ox. The list could go on but, it seems that with the bulk, nimbleness, power, and smoke rising from the tire the DRAGON just seems to fit. Also some people think dragons have something to do with the Valkyries.

VRCCTV
A former website maintained by oZ with various Valkyrie videos.
VRCC TV

Comment from Scott in 2004
oZ has put a ton of effort into VRCC-TV and it has turned out way better than I expected. oZ and I have been in an extended argument (discussion really) about that for a while. I didn't think it would fly and he proved me wrong. I watched that free-style video a week or so ago and it�s pretty awesome!
You can spend a day checking out all those cool videos!

YOUTUBE
There is an abundance of Valkyrie or VRCC related material on YouTube. If applicable for this history, I have published a link.

MAINTENANCE
The Honda Valkyrie is probably one of the technically best documented bikes.

If still not satisfied, use the excellent search function of the BBS.
If you want to do a maintenance or repair job yourself, again YouTube has many instructional videos readily available. I especially recommend those of Dag Verpeide from Norway and the carburetor videos from D-Ray Smith. In the appendix, a range of technical YouTube video addresses is listed.

NICKEL TRICK
Demonstration of the smooth-running Flat 6 boxer engine. You can put a nickel (or Euro) on its side on the engine block. It will not topple over when the engine is started or revved up.

In 2017, a list was made up of high mileage Valkyries by VRCC members. Only over 100,000 miles would qualify.
Two individuals really stood out from the crowd. DDT with a 1999 Tourer marked over 546.000 miles (878.700 km), followed by Tank with a 1998 Standard and 449.487 miles.
Unfortunately, Tank�s bike was destroyed on 28 Dec 2013 and he was lucky to have lived through it. More than half a dozen Valkyries had reached the 200.000 miles and beyond mark and over 100 bikes went way over the 100.000 mileage.

I've now shared 431,000+ extraordinary miles with my best friend... She and I have been many places together, and we've shared many amazing experiences. My journey of life has been enhanced, enriched and changed beyond all expectations through the chance joining with this incredible partner. All very much unplanned and unanticipated, I might add, since I actually bought her as a second bike to help keep the miles down on the Gold Wing I had at the time.
Last December, Gordon (Lucky 13) replaced the final drive for me... the seventh time that has had to be done. The major culprit here is the lack of proper greasing of the splines and/or changing the final drive fluid. In our travels, we've had to replace tires many, many times, often in a place we haven't been before or figure to ever visit again... The mechanics at the various dealerships always swear they did the proper treatment to splines, etc., but I stopped believing them long ago... If you can do it yourself, you're better off by far... If you're like me and can't, then you, like me, will just have to take your chances and be prepared to live with the consequences...I�ve been through five or six drive shafts and universal joints (couplers), replaced the alternator twice - both times with 1500 Gold Wing alternators. The thermostat and water pump have been replaced, although the latter was done as a precaution only, as there was no problem with it. I just figured it was going to crap-out sooner or later, and I was contemplating another ride up to Alaska at the time, so... I didn't want to have that to vex and disturb my serenity.
Other than those major repairs, the rest has all been routine stuff... OK, I've also been through a truck load of tires, too!!! I did replace the gas tank with an Interstate tank finally, but that had to do with reasons (fuel capacity mainly!) other than any problem with the original Tourer tank. Hard Six did a desmog for me, as well as change out the risers and cables along with several other things... Do all y'all realize we have some truly expert mechanics in our club?
While it seems, theoretically anyway, that the engine and transmission are indeed not bullet-proof, I've had no experience or reason whatsoever to prove they are not! Nothing other than changing fluids, replacing timing belts, syncing carbs and adjusting valves have ever been done to the engine... nothing. No rebuild, overhaul or repair at all... not even the rings or clutch. And, the things that have been done could each be counted on one hand.
I did replace the Speedo cable twice, the Speedo itself twice, and the gear at the front wheel once... Turns out that last problem was the culprit all along... An expensive and irritating problem that took a while for this non-mechanic to finally solve...
I'm often asked what my next bike will be... I always respond with, "We're going to stay together until one of us can't go any more... Depending upon which one of us that is, I'll decide what comes next then..." At the moment, it does appear she will outlast me.

In 2018, an update by Willow revealed the latest order, with the top 3 being
DDT � 1999 Tourer � 591.000 miles
tank-post142 � 1998 Standard � 449.478 miles
Indianabill � 1999 Tourer � 403.000 miles

Kiyoharu retired in October 2000 at the age of 56. He was still in good health and decided to undertake a trip around the world. He calculated that he could spend 5000 yen (45 USD) each day, including accommodation, fuel and food. Although not nearly enough in Europe, America and Australia he figured he would get even on average when travelling through the other continents.
He wanted to start in Russia, China or India, but there were no cargo flights to Vladivostok, only during summertime. Transportation to China was limited to 125cc motorcycles and it would take the Japanese embassy more than 6 months to clear customs to India. Because he got a cheap deal (730 USD) by the Kuroneko Yamato Company, he decided to ship his Valkyrie by boat to the Netherlands instead to start off his adventure.
He could not repair his motorcycle, only change the oil.
During his preparation, he discovered that he needed a carnet for his bike, visas and an international driver�s license. These licenses are only valid for 1 year. Quite a problem, while he would spend a year and a half in Russian territory alone.
Most of the European countries were OK without a visa but getting into Central Asia, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was harder. For Japanese residents it took about a month. You had to state the day of entry and exit, however. That was tough. For America and Australia, he could not get visas through the embassy so he obtained them via internet or travel agencies.
He did not speak foreign languages but managed to get by with his hands and feet. Especially in restaurants, this resulted in funny situations and unexpected dishes. He had a book of youth hostels with him, which worked out reasonably well. Calling Japan was always cumbersome; he would put a number on the back of the card, put it in, put it in and put it in again.
He was not using alcoholic drinks on a regular basis. During his travel, he discovered that his physical strength and fitness would deteriorate in about a year. He caught a cold in warm Egypt and severe stomach aches in Nepal, where he took a cheap dumplings meal. Had to be taken to a hospital where he got local medicine. Suffered fierce diarrhea in Mexico and Portugal.
Of all the medicine he had taken along from Japan, the one he used most was a cold medicine.
As far as clothing was concerned, he had 3 pieces of underwear, 3 short- and long sleeve shirts and 3 pair of socks. He washed his clothes when he washed his body, except in Tibet where he did not undress for 10 days. His most useful cleaning item was a baggy towel that he often used without soap.
The toilet paper quality is different in each country. In case of hard paper, he soaked it in water. Some countries rinse with hoses. It's definitely a good feeling.
He flew to the Netherlands (No. 1 at the map) and spent his first night at a hostel in Amsterdam. He got a biscuit by an elderly man not knowing it contained strong marijuana with sleeping pills. When he awoke, he was in a hospital bed and robbed of all his cash money. He did not remember paying the hospital fee.
So begins his diary of the first day of a total of over 5 years. Truly amazing and very interesting to read. He literally rode from the Himalaya to the Sahara Desert and from Alaska to the African jungle. And has a great sense of humor. It is beyond the scope of this VRCC history to write down even his travel summary. The summary itself BTW is 177 pages long. If you take the time to translate his Japanese writing online or want to see all of his pictures, you can follow his journey from day to day.
http://www.baikunomatsuo.sakura.ne.jp/indexe.html

Here just a sample of his pics. Notice a rendez vous with the Austrian VRCC Chapter (second row-3rd pic)

Before you bought your Valkyrie, you read every website that had anything to say about this bike.
Before you bought your bike, you told your S/O how this was the last bike you would ever need and how you would be a better person if you owned this bike.
Before you bought your bike, you had a picture of a Red & White Valkyrie pinned up on the wall and one that you carried with you to show all your friends what you were going to buy.
Before you bought your bike, you knew more about the Valkyrie than you did about your S/O.
After you bought your bike, you found yourself volunteering to run to the store for milk.
After you bought your bike, it now takes 45 min. to get down to the corner store to buy milk.
After you bought your bike, you find yourself feeling a little sick a couple of hours before the work day is over, yet you still get home late.
After you bought your bike, you now feel like some kind of rock star.
After you bought your bike you felt as if you had to tell all the poor lost HD riders what a great bike this is, and you now kinda feel sorry for them.
After you bought your bike, you now check the VRCC message boards more than you do your stock quotes.
After you bought your bike, you now have a funny little nickname you want everyone to call you.
After you bought your bike, you spend more time reading the VRCC message boards than you do watching TV.
After you bought your bike, you now have the VRCC store in your speed dial and you feel like Hal is one of your old army buddies.
You might be a Valkoholic if when you can't ride; you visit your garage for extended periods of time for no other reason than to stare @ the Fat Lady with lust in your eyes.
You might be a Valkoholic if you now crave Chrome more than Money.... Money only gets you more Chrome

This website appeared September 1st, 1996 and was the first internet site dedicated to the Honda Valkyrie. Craig Buhl ran the site, which contained the tagline, "For those who Ride the Dragon." It did, in fact, predate the VOA, as well as F6Rider.
Participants of the World Wide Dragon Rider Organization (WWDRO) were inherently opposed to discrimination or prejudice of any kind directed toward other Supporters of the WWDRO with particular emphasis placed on bias based on gender, race, religion or politics. In addition to providing services to current Dragon owners, participants wish to aid non-owners who want to learn about the F6 series of motorcycles without fear of attacks based on their current brand of motorcycle. Participants believe that the ideas of all individual riders should not be subject to ridicule so long as they do not specifically violate the Fundamental Principle of the organization.

Craig
I have not been able to spend any non-working time on the internet since the end of March 1999 and it has finally become obvious that commitments to family, work, clubs, and riding the Dragon do not give me enough time to properly maintain all of my personal internet projects. I have finally made the long-postponed decision to stop updating The Valkyries' Lair and remove portions that are consuming a large amount of my storage space.
I will leave this reduced version of The Lair up, (at least for a time) for historical purposes. The Valkyries' Lair (appearing September 1, 1996) was the first internet site dedicated to the Honda Valkyrie. As such I felt it provided an important place for people who were interested in the Valkyrie to get at least some information 'on demand' rather than having to wait for it to appear piece meal in the press. However, there are now a number of sites dedicated to the Valkyrie including a Valkyrie Owners Association (which appears to have undergone some major modifications since I was last on in March). Several of these sites are providing far more information than I was able to do and I feel that internet fans of the Dragon are well provided for.
While sometimes time consuming The Valkyries' Lair has been a great deal of fun. The Lair and a growing number of other internet sites have shown that the internet provides a mass communication device which gives the people who buy the products as great a voice as the people who sell them. I am proud of the fact that The Valkyries' Lair has been non-profit, non-commercial, and never attempted to generate revenue. The Lair never accepted advertising, gratuities, or donations and I congratulate all other sites that continue that tradition.
The Valkyries' Lair has been a great experience for me and I hope it has been of some value to other fans of the Dragon.

A sponsored sub-section of the Gold Wing Road Rider Association [GWRRA] was originally set-up for Valkyrie-owning GWRRA members to share the common interest, and uncommon enthusiasm for the bike.
Rich Doell mentioned 180 paid-up members. According to RP they were "tolerated".
It did piss everybody off enough to start their own club.
In Europe, the GL 1500C Valkyrie was not recognized by the Goldwing European Federation (GWEF) until 2014, when the GW Valkyrie was introduced.
The Australian Wing Riders Association has been in existence since 1999. Its founding members ensured the constitution accepted the inclusion of Valkyrie owners/riders as full ordinary Members.
This group picture is the on-site awards ceremony at the Oct.'97, 1st Annual Valk-SIG Ride-In to Salem, VA (GWRRA Virginia District Rally), Valk-only Bike Show. This show was separate from the Gold Wing show.

�Cool Breeze� who won Best in Show, with Rich Doell left � and Marty Rood right of Cool Breeze

Around 1998, the VOA was founded. The VOA split off of GWRRA because Valk owners didn't like being called "Boosters" (GWRRA's name for non-Wing members). According to Paul XX, a senior VAOI member, the 1st Pres was Jon Proctor who was also responsible for the first web site. He ran it for about a year until he got into an argument about money with the board. So he tried to pull the plug on the website to shut members down in retaliation. Gale Scalzi, (oZ, from what later would become the VRCC) was running a Valk website that just had articles and he kindly offered to put up a message board to continue. Here�s a link to the May 1999 F6Rider VOA board.
https://web.archive.org/web/19990504132427/http://www.f6rider.com:80/
According to a VRCC comment, due to a management disagreement some owners left soon after the VOA was founded and the remaining principle drove it into the ground (managed to avoid jail time for a lottery fraud). So, the VOA was reorganized and renamed to VOAI (International) which still exists today.

One of the things that grew out of the VOA was local Valkyrie clubs. Most of them started out as VOA chapters, but then they broke off on their own.
One of the largest of these groups was "Valhalla Six Guns" in Texas. It was a very active group that has grown to love one another. https://web.archive.org/web/20000229033517/http://www.valhalla-six-guns.com:80/

Serk
There's really no secret to it, but short version - VSG had a ride across Galveston island. Didn't respect Bandido turf, flying VSG colors. Bandidos took offense to this and pulled the VSG group over. There was much internal strife inside VSG about we shouldn't hafta take our vests off because they say we shouldn't vs. we wanna play bikers, we gotta play by biker rules...
It got pretty ugly after a while, and I just took the vest off entirely. I'm not a biker. I don't pretend to be, I'm a guy that likes riding a motorcycle. The real bikers play by some, to me, very odd rules... I ride to relax and get away from stuff like that, so... The vest stays in the closet now... This eventually became the stance of those who owned and ran VSG, so the colors were officially retired before the group itself finally withered away to nothing...
It was a fun group while it lasted...

VOA rally in Montrose, CO in '99 - Even an airplane was rented for the group picture of this first official rally of the VOA

Lamont
I rode there from San Diego with my first experimental blower with a car carburetor on it. I was lucky to make it there and back as it was fouling plugs like crazy and getting 20mpg It was the start of something great though.

Mark T
This pic was actually taken at Crawford CO. Looking west; just out of site to the left the main street turns S and right there is Pam Cocker's Mad Dog Ranch Fountain Cafe. Pam and Joe Cocker hosted the VOA rally here at the town park just out of view to the right. Joe Cocker acted as Master of Ceremonies and announced and handed out awards and such to the membership. It was a good day, beautiful weather and a coup to have a celebrity such as Joe Cocker validate and participate with our club. Pam was a supporter of bike club rides to visit her town and cafe as she was a biker herself with a Gold Wing trike, a Shadow IIRC, and perhaps other bikes. Apparently to the consternation of some of the small town locals who disapproved the zillionaire celebrities changing their quiet little town. Cool lady, she invited me to take her trike for a spin so I did.
Here's a shot I took of the Mad Dog Ranch Fountain Cafe, on 08-11-02. You can see the park where the festivities were, on the right edge of this pic.

Here's the mansion Joe and Pam put it a few miles east of Crawford. Yours Truly and wife in front - we stayed overnight as houseguests.
Very impressive "Big House" to say the least - Have only seen such a place on shows like "lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".

Gale Scalzi (oZ) founded the VRCC and asked Mark T to co-edit it with him around 1998-99. Mark declined as he was too busy with his pipes business. He offered the same to Lamont Bryden, who had joined immediately when the club was founded, hence his lowest member # 001 and who was looking to sell his welding business and get into computing. He accepted and they co-partnered the editing/management of the club from the left coast until a few years later Gale bought Lamont out when he wanted to move to Tennessee. Lamont took the skills he had learned to start up several bike forums from his new digs.
For the average VRCC website member and Forum reader, oZ was more like operating in the background while Lamonster was very visible and always looking for publicity. So, I guess they complemented each other.
In an F6Rider article, the VRCC is described as a collection of maniacs, appreciating the machine they call the Valkyrie. It�s all about a culture and a community around this amazing bike where they discover each other through their common interest and the good sense that made them all Valkyrie Riders.
The members are of all walks of life and have one thing in common, their passion for the Valkyrie.
It�s something that goes beyond race, nationality, religion and politics. It�s truly amazing to see how well these otherwise completely different people are getting along.

Having a strong web presence on F6Rider already, oZ and I kicked around the idea of starting our own Valkyrie club. We learned quite a bit about the downfalls of other clubs and decided that we could run a club without the political structure that seemed to be a hindrance in other clubs. We felt that we could do this free of charge if we could just sell a few shirts and patches to support the website. We both had a passion for the Valkyrie and figured that with our HTML skills, and the love of the Valkyrie, we could really put together a great website. The question was, if we build it, will they come? We told a few other folks what we had planned on doing and the response was great. I called the then acting vice president of the VOA (Animal) and told him what we were going to do, and he said go for it, and sign me up. He is VRCC # 0006.
At that time the VOA was still on the F6Rider server. oZ and I were running the VOA website and helping out Animal with the transfer to the new server and building the VRCC at the same time. It was a pretty crazy time. A lot of changes have taken place at the VOAI and things are looking pretty good over there. They have a great webmaster working hard to get the site in shape.
When we started the club, we were not sure what to call it. We thought about calling it F6Riders, but we had heard a rumor that Honda was going to change the Valkyrie to a flat 8. Well that would mess up our plans for sure. We sat down and kicked around a bunch of names and we finally settled on the "Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club". The VRCC had a nice ring to it. Next, we had to come up with a logo. We decided to go with the Viking Warrior with wings and a sword going through the middle. oZ put it together and we called that our logo. Right away folks were asking why the sword? They felt that was divisive. Hey the sword was no big deal to us so we got rid of it. Then the next thing we had and got rid of was a members only board. We decided that we didn't want anyone to think that anything was going on there that couldn't be said in public. I think that was a good move too. oZ and I never felt like we were quite done with the logo. oZ would change it from time to time just to see if anything would click with us and the members. Then one day I was riding with my Bro Brad, and he had on one of oZ's 1520 shield shirts and I got to thinking that maybe we could take the logo that we had now and incorporate it into the shield. oZ started working on the art and when he showed it to me I knew that was it. It really looked cool. Once again oZ nailed it.
We were able to keep with to our vision of having a free club by the new support of sponsors, Direct Line being our first sponsor. The club grew faster than we had ever imagined, and the additional support of the other sponsors really helped us to grow. We are able to give a discount on Valkyrie parts to our members and it still doesn't cost them a dime to take advantage of the purchasing power we now have as a club. At over 22000 (as of 2004) members to date, it takes a lot of resources to run a club this size. Whenever we have asked for help, the VRCC members jump right in and give a hand. That is one of the best things that has come out of building this website. The friends we have made here will last a life time. How can you put a price on that? Like the commercial says "VRCC members, priceless"

Editor�s Note
Talking about costs. Back in 1996 when oZ started the site he was charged by how much bandwidth he used. He started out with a service that cost $35 a month. As the user base grew to 1000's and visits to the site grew to tens of thousands he had to pay for that increased bandwidth which ran into the hundreds of dollars per month. His wife said, "Stop, we can't afford this!" But they had an idea and put it in place and that one idea saved them from closing the early site.

Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club was started because of the need to provide a place where Honda Valkyrie Riders could band together and share the combined wealth of knowledge about this great motorcycle. A simple place with no political structure and where malice toward other Motorcycle Riders will not be tolerated.
Membership in the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club will be offered free to any individual who rides the Honda Valkyrie or is in the process of obtaining a Valkyrie. The reason for free membership is so the founders can retain full control of the club, web site and activities without political controls or paid membership dictation and expectation.
The VRCC will not compete with other Valkyrie clubs and all message boards are open to all members and all potential Honda Valkyrie riders to post appropriate messages, including other clubs or organizations or events.

Editor's Note
When the Valkyrie was introduced in 1996, it started a whole (Power Cruiser) market segment that was far ahead of its time. Aftermarket companies soon came out with a wealth of Valkyrie accessories for better looks, handling or performance. If that was not enough, many individual specialists and craftsmen designed and produced tailor-made solutions for the ultimate Valkyrie chromaholic and power fanatic.
Pipes, blowers, trigger wheels, ignition mods, extra fuel capacity tanks, center stands, all sorts of lighting options, hard/leather bags, seats, covers and a wide range of bling, of course. Soon, the first factory Valkyries were transformed into radical monsters of every imaginable color, shape and appearance. Ranging from volcano-like tanks to the darkside and everything in between. Even the 6 mighty cylinders were attempted to drill out to get even more cubic inches and power. Unsuccessful, to my knowledge. All these factors together, and the introduction of the internet, resulted in a wide exchange of ideas and not a single bike being equal to the others.

A few examples of some more radical alterations and customizing in the early days

Many good features, as well as mission statements were incorporated from previous websites and in less than 4 months, the VRCC counted over 2000 members. The homepage varied considerably from todays. It was very personal, assertive, interactive and user orientated and contained a lot of attractive news items.

Lamont in particular, who had a nitro super charged beast, really got a lot of folks looking at the Valk.

WOwee! over 1830 members eh?? Are we at the point of exponential increase in membership at the VRCC? Big stampede...Build a better mousetrap (so to speak) and they will come running! I gotta admit - it is THE site to be with! No politics! yeah! Excellent format and tech articles! Other than a decent SO, what more could one ask for? Now if only more bikers out there were aware of the Valk with this site for support!!! Awesome...Keep the ball rolling fellow Valkers!!

In 2005, the present day VRCC homepage layout was created and updated as well as the bulletin boards in 2009 and regularly ever since.
As the man behind the curtain (oZ) puts it: Well, the latest news is this, our new look and style for our Splash or Homepage. I think it Rocks! It loads in a fraction of the time it took the old page to load, I think is easier to navigate and just better all the way around. Like to thank Scott, W0QNX, F6Gal (as always) for jumping in and taking on web authoring duties. Special thanks to Scott and Connie for making this page happen.

2009 - Scott
The time has come to make a change here at the VRCC. We are changing message board formats!
We would like to invite you to head on over to the new message board, register your account, and get started posting. We will all work together to learn how it all works. If you can't figure something out, just ask!
Please note though, that you will have to register on the board, and provide a valid email address. Don't worry though, you have the option to hide your email address in your profile settings if you choose to do so!
In the coming days, we will be shutting down this old board as the transition is made so you might as well get started over on the new board! (General and Tech boards, but Tech Archive will remain)
The days of endless spam will finally be behind us!
We'll see you on the other side!

Any website and board is basically just another means of communication. In case of the VRCC, it is primarily meant to promote this great motorcycle, exchange ideas and information and arrange for common rides or events. Once this framework is provided, it should belong to all members alike. After all, without members, the club ceases to exist.
On the other hand, since the VRCC does not charge any membership fees and has basically no hierarchy, its operators are not obliged to adhere to political controls or paid membership dictation and expectation.
In the VRCC Staff today, Connie, Scott, and Misfit each have one vote. Carl and Lori each have a half vote. If the Staff ends up in a tie vote, oZ has the tie breaking vote. No one person has more power than the others.
From day one, the VRCC website has been very active. I have never seen a group of people like it who are so dedicated that you can almost expect an answer to any question or remark on a message board within a few hours. Someone was always willing to answer a question, provide suggestions, share an adventure, etc. The breadth of knowledge that exists on the board is truly amazing. Members were describing their latest mods or maintenance issues in depth to provide other users an abundance of Valkyrie information. I think the resulting database easily beats that of any other bike website, no matter what.
The VRCC is home to some fantastic people. It has relevance, is interesting, can be controversial, allows freedom of expression, and keeps drawing me back in. Thanks to all of those of you that were there from the start, either as founders, members, participants, or whatever. You all contributed to make this group what it is - a family!

Now that we are looking 20 years back, many Valkyries have moved into different hands. The new kind of Rider is nevertheless equally enthusiastic and causes an entire new �lan to the VRCC. Even to the point of creating �rat- like� bikes with stretched saddlebags and hands-on extendable pneumatic shocks, LOL

F6Gal
If you look at the number of newbie posts from those that are shocked at the lengths that members will go in assisting them. Or non-newbies just needing a bike checked out or picked up.
If anyone breaks down or wrecks anywhere, a post here or a phone call to one of us, will generally get the ball rolling for the unfortunate individual. I've had people loan me a bike or make the offer, when I had to fly to an event, because of time constraints. I'll loan a bike to anyone that needs one... in fact, we now have several Valkyries, so we have one for winter visitors.
While I agree that the flavor of the board has changed, I think our members are as selfless as ever.

I do think that the personality, the aura of the VRCC and InZane has changed over the years. I'm sure the beginnings were magical when the bike was new and the honeymoon with Honda was yet all foreplay and orgasm, but someone who has attended nine of the ten InZanes said in July of 2010, "This was the best one yet!"

Back in the beginning, there were several boards sponsored by Hal Greenlee. When Hal decided the Valk was a dead end he abandoned ship, however.
As the club became more popular and difficult to manage additional owners or "principles" were brought in to keep things running smoothly and to facilitate the rallies and daily operations. Over time these principles have included Mark and Lynn from CAT Specialties, Rob and Daryl Weber from SoCal, Connie and Michael, Dave Ritsema, Scott from OK, Willow, Motomomma and Damon (Misfit). In 2015, Gale Scalzi (oZ) resigned and Connie �F6gal� Hammond took over.
Thanks to these wonderful people, who managed to keep the VRCC alive and kicking for almost 20 years now, in good times and bad, the Valkyrie community lives on and has become an example of how a MC should be run.
Does that mean that everything within the VRCC has been going smoothly and without wrinkles?
Well, no. On the contrary. It is inevitable that people have differences of opinion. This sometimes causes friction and you even get clashes once in a while. Personally, I think that is only natural, shows the vitality and strengthens the Club afterwards.

Since many people distrust the use of Face book/Twitter and other, more recent online communications, the website still serves a purpose.

As Bruce (DDT) put it
Quote. It is a very special 'place', this electronic clubhouse we all regularly attend. Nothing like anything I've ever experienced or witnessed and nothing like it might have been. The folks who make the decisions and find a way to keep things going do an incredible job of providing this forum upon which we all rely for more than we may know...
Where else have we met so many kindred spirits...? Folks who are 'like me', yet so very different...? Folks from all over North America mostly, but around the world, too. All levels of the socio-economic ladder are represented, all walks of life, all religions and political persuasions can be found in our ranks. And, for the most part we get along... well, at least no worse than any 'normal' functioning family.
Overcoming challenges and 'finding a way' are but part of the story, though. There has to be more to lure us back again and again than merely surviving... At the heart of it all, I think, is our own love of our machines, our need for social belonging and acceptance, and our strong desire for interaction with other like-minded people. A place where we can express ourselves and feel our views are at least respected, if indeed not embraced.
Not a 'safe space' where we can soothe our bruised egos and feelings in a warm, group think, touchy-feely space, but one where openness and disagreement are allowed. The 'heat of verbal combat' is tolerated within reasonable limits so that ideas and beliefs can be tested and tempered and explored in the pursuit of truth, of logical conclusions. We don't always do a good job with this, and our overworked moderator(s) have to rein us in sometimes... Still...
I'm proud to be here amongst this group of amazing individuals. My life has been enriched enormously by my association with everyone who is a part of this 'special place'... I'm deeply impressed by the largely thankless efforts of our leaders who have overcome huge obstacles to keep the lights on and the boards available to us. And, therein lays the cornerstone... It's all of us that make it what it is...
So, when we're tempted to attack individuals instead of issues, when 'winning the argument' is more important than finding the truth, we all threaten to weaken our special place. It has survived, however, because our leaders have applied a deft hand to the gavel, have come down hard when necessary, gently when appropriate, and they've demonstrated the wisdom to know when to do what... nearly all of the time.
We are a well-functioning organization populated with good, sincere people, and led by wise, insightful, visionary people who deserve our loyalty and admiration... Like I said, "I'm just proud to be here!" End of quote.

No. of Members
If you would apply for a membership right now, you would end up with a number in the 38.000 range.
This has no meaning, however. The member list has been active since the formation of the club and there has never been an effort to keep it current or remove inactive members.
Instead, the message boards are a better way to estimate interest although it must be said that there are members who absolutely do not frequent the message boards and there are also a lot of members who do not bother to login when they read the message boards.
On average, some 350 people log in daily, just over 1000 every week and some 1500 each month.
In Europe with approx. 2000 active VRCC members, Germany has the largest Valkyrie community, just over 500.

Rules of the Road
In the past, the VRCC staff was spending an inordinate amount of time reviewing messages to ensure that they reflect the spirit of the VRCC. This was a huge waste of time and resources � time and resources that would be better spent working on things that enhance the club, rather than on things that have no business being part of this club. While we are loath to censor anyone, apparently someone has to do it...We choose YOU!
It�s time for a little common sense, self-censorship, ladylike and gentlemanly behavior, and time for a few of you to take a deep breath. More about this a little later.

We know that some of you would like a hard and fast, black and white laundry list of DON'TS. There are some. They include activities that are unlawful, harmful, threatening, sexually explicit, defamatory, obscene, racial and/or ethnic slurs, personal attacks; harassing, offensive, vulgar, abusive, hateful or bashing comments or content; and similar pictures or links, especially those aimed at sexual orientation, gender, race, color, religious views, national origin or disability. There are plenty of places on the Internet where you can find nude pictures. This is not one of them. If you wish to post nude pictures, do so on one of the boards or groups where it is acceptable.
Then there is this gray area where political views and general bad behavior seem to be the norm. Let�s all agree that it�s unlikely that you will ever convince me that your stupid political views have any worth, and that the probability of me convincing you of the merit of my equally stupid political views is remote. Get over it and move on. A good rule of thumb might be�. if you don't see it on Leno, don't post it here�. if Jay can't say it on TV, you can't say it here. Another one might be�. If I am going to be embarrassed by something my ten-year old child sees on this website, then it doesn't belong here.
As we mentioned earlier, we won't be monitoring the board as closely as we have been. We will depend on YOU to do that. When YOU find something that doesn't meet our standards, send a note to the Support Staff. If we agree, we will remove the post. If we don't agree, we don't agree.
If we have to pull an entire thread that has degenerated into finger pointing and name calling, some good posts might be lost, possibly one of yours among them. Sorry.

For those of you who like to walk right up to the line and delight in challenging the Staff, you may suddenly find yourself without a member number, handle and/or ability to post. Don't bother to email us and ask why, we don't have any interest in explaining the facts of life to you. We would like everyone to strive to make our boards a positive experience. As my mother would say, play nice or go home.

Inzane
Not long after the VRCC was founded, the principles started organizing a nationwide rally, Inzane, where Valkyrie Riders from all over the country could meet, discuss issues about their bikes and have a party.
In Europe, the same occurred between the Nation Chapters. In addition, this is the place where (EU) Chapter Reps can discuss common points of interest and nominate the organizing Chapter for the next Inzane.
Since Inzane is a focal point, the history will be centered on these meetings.
The term Inzane originates from the town of Zanesville (OH), where Valkyrie Riders would start their homecoming ride to the nearby Honda Marysville Plant. The location was chosen because of its proximity to HDL & the Honda plant and the city's name. Population was also a factor; the population center of the US is northeast of the geographic center, but that is overall population, not MC's or VRCC membership. The similarity with insane is not only funny but equally appropriate, since most Riders considered themselves pleasantly disturbed with their brand-new Valkyrie power cruisers. Normally the registration for this US event will not start until January because of IRS issues.
Thanks to the dedication of Connie Hammond aka "F6gal", Scott Oakes aka "Scott in Ok", Carl & Lori Holmes aka "Willow" & "Motomama" and Damon Kinter aka "Misfit" this nationwide VRCC meeting lives on and remained as popular as day one. We owe these people big time.

Willow
Inzane has been for the past several times in the second half of July, but we do have to be open to when we can negotiate a week with the hosting hotel. The Ozarks Area (northwestern Arkansas/SW Missouri) has been discussed. Two issues arise. Those from dry climates are concerned about the level of the humidity. The other issue is finding a hotel large enough and willing to host the event.
I don't plan many rides, but I once got some advice from someone who does.
"Plan a ride that you'd like to go on even if no one else joins you."
Now planning a gathering is a different animal. A gathering requires reaching a critical mass to be successful. For that, at least for me, the attractiveness of the gathering will depend most upon the scheduling and what else is or is not happening at or near the same time.

Dave Ritsema
Having worked on the Inzane staff for many of the events, I know how hard it is to put an event together. Even on a smaller scale like a state ride there is always a group of people that put a big effort into the event and it can be frustrating if the turnout is less than you were hoping for. I appreciate the efforts of all those fine folks that have put on events for us to enjoy.

F6gal
We require a hotel with 150 to 200 rooms and a banquet facility that will seat 300-400 and we do our best to get the basic room rate below $100 per night.

Based on our bike count, hotel bookings, and the number of ppl served at Sat. dinner, we�ve estimated the attendance IZ1 at about 475 and IZ2 at 445. So with all that said, this is my best calculation for each InZane:
IZ1 - 475 - Zanesville, OH
IZ2 - 445 - Zanesville, OH
IZ3 - 310 - Zanesville, OH (This is why we started moving it around the country)
IZ4 - 436 - Paducah, KY
IZ5 - 296 - Paducah, KY
IZ6 - 526 - Frisco, CO (First year we went West)
IZ7 - 415 - Johnson City, TN
IZ8 - 326 - Johnson City, TN
IZ9 - 318 - Frisco, CO
IZ10 - 515 - Bellaire, MI
IZ11 - 351 - Bellaire, MI
IZ12 - 320 - Eureka Springs, AR
IZ13 - 312 - LaCrosse, WI
IZ14 - 362 - Asheville, NC
IZ15 � 364 - Spearfish, SD
IZ16 � 403 - Morgantown, WV
IZ17 � 308 - Billings, MT
IZ18 � 319 - Roanoke, VA
IZ19 � TBD - Toas, NM

Two years we broke 500. We seem to be dancing in the low 300s range these days. As you can see, without fail, each successive year in the same location attendance is lower, which is why we started moving it around. Seems folks want to see new places... go figger

Serk
Plotted on a map looks something like this: (Repeat locations make the numbering a little wonky)

When rumors started that Honda would cease the GL1500C production, the VRCC did everything possible to persuade Honda not to do so. Below VRCC statement of 2001 was eventually supported by over 12000 members.

The members at the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC) would like to take the time to let you know that we love our Valkyries and we ask, no we beg you not to drop this line for 2002.
We have a group of over 7000 members in just over a years� time that have formed lasting friendships and feel as if we are part of a big family. We are not sure if you realize what you have created here when you produced such a great bike.
If sales are not what they should be it may be because the Valkyrie is an intimidating machine to look at, but once you take a ride on one you are hooked. Maybe more focus on demo rides might help to get sales where they should be.
Take some time and read what our Harley to Honda survey says about this great bike. Many of us bought the Valkyrie because it was in a class all its own. Many of us would buy another Valkyrie if you made the same improvements that you have in the new Gold Wing. Take a look at our poll on �I would sell my Valk and buy a new one if..."
The VTX is a great looking bike with lots of performance features, but it's still not a Valkyrie. There have been rumors that Honda will drop the Valkyrie line and replace it with the VTX. The VTX is a great answer to the Road Star, but it is not the answer for the new breed of riders that you have created when you introduced the Valkyrie. We like the fact that we are not riding a "clone" bike. We have the respect of most Harley owners because of this.
Please don't limit us to a 4-year production bike. Give us the 1800 motor, and then give us just a little more power than the GW.
We hope that you will take our comments to heart and check this page daily before you do anything that you may regret, as well as us. Thanks for taking the time to read what your loyal customers have to say.
If you want to get a pulse on how your Valkyrie customers feel about this bike, check out our message boards.

A special thanks is at order to oZ, founder and one of the great artists behind the VRCC artwork.
oZ designed and patented the VRCC logo, obviously inspired by the Norse mythology.
He was associated with the F6Rider website store and quite involved in designing patches, posters and the like for every event that took place. He was one of the first ones to sell killer t-shirts for the Valkyrie.
https://web.archive.org/web/20061206115914/http://valkyriewear.safeshopper.com/
Many times, when somebody wanted to have a work of art for his/her particular idea or event, they ended up with oZ. In 2015, oZ resigned as formal VRCC Leader. The F6Rider Store is now run by Sarah Morrison.
Later on, Mark from CAT Specialties continued this tradition to design and produce the Inzane and special events artwork and T-shirts.
Interestingly, the VRCC US is not authorized to use Honda's name and they can issue a cease and desist and even sue the VRCC for using it. That is why none of the VRCC shirts have the word Honda on them.
In Europe however, Honda recognized the loyalty of Valkyrie Riders and is sponsoring many VRCC events.
The (US) patented VRCC logo has caused turmoil in Germany, where Club Riders and a Valkyrie shop have been engaged in a legal struggle to claim the exclusive rights (patent) of Gale�s Viking emblem.
During the course of VRCC history, many other Riders and Chapter members in the US and abroad have gone through great lengths to make patches, illustrations and posters as well. Running the risk of not publishing an otherwise beautiful and important piece of art, it would be very disrespectful not to put a small collection of them in this overview (not in any particular order).

Country, State and Area Reps
Because of the phenomenal growth the VRCC has introduced Area Representatives within a State.
This club should be all about getting VRCC members together for riding and sharing the fellowship of the VRCC. As long as members are willing to meet as a group and someone is willing to coordinate where and when to gather, there can be a chapter with an area representative for that group. This is not a political office, this is just someone who agrees to keep to the VRCC mission statement and is willing to post messages or send email to get members together for rides.
Basic Rep responsibilities - (you are certainly welcome to do more):
Frequent open communication through the regional message boards. The goal of the regional boards is to allow a larger number of members to know what�s happening in neighboring states as well as their own.
We also encourage reps to encourage members to use these boards to communicate with each other about rides they will be participating in or even places they are going where they would like other members to consider joining them.
Quarterly email would be great. We have an interface that will allow State Reps and Area Reps (through their State Reps) to email all members in their state.
Monthly website updates are suggested. State and area reps need to share their website, the state website is a resource to tell about activities past and alert members of activities planned throughout your state and can include information about neighboring states.
At least monthly (seasonal in areas with winter) plan to attend rides or meet & greet ride-ins. Don�t feel like you need to do all the work, take advantage of all the organizations in your area listing rides, i.e. other groups in your state or area that are sponsoring rides for various causes and join in. We'd like you to make at least one of these events, or something you plan yourself, an official state supported ride that you will attend.
Create your own VRCC business cards with the download template. If you would like original business cards with your state &/or chapter information drop an email to the F6Rider Store to review details and if there are any costs.
State Reps added responsibilities;
Website communication is the responsibility of the state rep and webmaster and should be considered one of the key elements of the State Rep position. It is important to recognize that our membership is web savvy and will expect to use this resource as a way to know what�s happening where and how they can be involved.
Having web savvy members doesn�t necessarily mean they understand databases so be sure to keep track of this provided online page. You will need to send members to this web page when they need to update their email and such.
In countries abroad, the Country Reps have the same responsibilities and duties as the State Reps.
The Country Reps are listed in http://members.vrccservices.com/reps/countries.php

First off, I would like to thank all of you for your help in getting other VRCC members together in your area. We have grown so much as a club that it now makes sense to break the areas down by cities, counties or areas. The original "Chapter Leader" will now be called the "State Rep.� but will also be the "Area Leader" for their city, county, area.

I would like the "State Reps." to work with the other chapter leaders in their state. It would be nice if the "State Rep." could put together a state ride with all the other chapters in their state. If you only have one chapter in your state, you might want to put out a call to the members in your state to start their own VRCC chapter. This would take the load off of just one guy or gal.
We look forward to a great year in the VRCC and with your help we will give all Valkyrie riders a year of great fellowship with others who enjoy this great bike and great club! You folks are the ones who make this thing work. We thank you for that.
If you are thinking about becoming a chapter Leader/Rep., but are not sure what all is involved, here are some guidelines.

First off, the chapters are run by its Members. The VRCC is here to support your chapter in any way that we can. We will help you to promote events, fund raisers, or any other chapter lead activity. From time to time we will donate T-Shirts, pins patches or parts from the F6Rider store or ask our sponsors to donate stuff to help you raise money for your chapter. Many of our chapters hold 50/50 contest in order to raise money to support the chapter. Remember that we do not charge a membership fee at the national level, so these gifts come from the support that YOU have already given to our sponsors, and we thank you for that. If we had a membership fee like most other clubs we would obviously have more resources to do more in the way of promotion, but we built this club with the idea that even with free membership we could do some great things here. I think that the concept has exceeded our expectations.

Many of our chapters have their own VRCC chapter website. This is not a requirement to have an active chapter, or to be a chapter leader, but it is a great way to promote your chapter. If you are good at getting folks together for a ride but do not have the time or skills to put together a chapter website, ask your members if anyone of them would like to volunteer to help in that area. You can find all the VRCC chapters on the Hot Links page and at the bottom of this page. Take a look at them and then you can get an idea what some of the chapters have been up to. We are willing to provide free web space on the Valkyrie Rider's servers for your website so you won't have to incur the hosting fees.

Some of our chapter leaders have used the membership list to provide them with the contacts they need for a mass email to their chapter members. This is another great way to keep in touch with their members and let them know about upcoming rides in their area. One problem with this is that some of the members have put in the wrong email address when they signed up. Somehow, we need to figure out how to get the message to these folks to correct their emails. We do have phone numbers for most of the members, and when they fill out the membership form they can check if it is alright to share their # with others. Those who are on the VORTEX list have their phone # there too in most cases.

Being a chapter leader can be very rewarding and also very frustrating. Some chapters have no problem putting together 20 to 40 guys for a ride, and some chapter leaders can't even get folks to respond to their emails.
I think the problem is not so much the chapter leaders fault, but the members in their area. Some folks just don't like being in a group, I can understand that. If YOU are a chapter leader that has a good turnout at your meetings, we would ask you to do a little write up on how your chapter works, and what you do to get the members together. I will post them here for other leaders to look at. Hopefully this will help get the other chapters off of the ground.

We are going to set up a chapter leader�s meeting once a month so that we can talk about what is working and what needs to be changed in order to help each chapter leader. It will be a good time to get to know each other too. We are still working on the details of just how to do that. Don't know if a conference call or a chat room would be best. We'll have to experiment.

Promoting your chapter can be done in many ways. First off you can print out VRCC business cards to hand out to folks you meet on the road. This is a great way to get folks to the site and to let them know about your chapter. You can modify the card to meet your needs as long as it is still a VRCC card when you get done :-) Another way to promote the club and your chapter is to print out the membership form and keep them in your saddle bags, or hand them out to your local Honda dealer.
If you have a rider who does not have a computer but would still like to join you can get their info and sign them up online yourself. When you come to the email part, just put in yours. Let them know that you will give them a call when one of your meetings comes up.

If you are now a chapter leader and you are not doing anything with your chapter because of one reason or another we would ask that you would pass the hat to someone that may have more time or may have some good ideas on how to get the chapter going. We have folks that have told us that their chapter is dead and that their chapter leader has not responded to emails to them. We all have things come up in our lives that change our plans. If this is the case with you, please email me and let me know that you are no longer able to be the chapter leader to your state. We do want to thank you for your support in the past and hope that things will work out so that you can once again be involved in the chapter.

I hope this helps in your decision to be a chapter leader and gives you some good guidelines on what it takes. All you really need is a great desire to ride with other Valkyrie Riders.

Note from the editor
Most State Chapters have their own website with contact info, events, rides, trip reports and pictures.
Some don�t have own Boards or communicate via Yahoo groups. A few State Chapters Boards are now incorporated in the VRCC Main Chapter Website.

This art work is based upon intarsia technique. This technique involves wood mosaic. It is made of several pieces of wood having different color or texture. In this artwork, I used only one kind of wood which was pine. That is why it is 'intarsia based.' The overall size of the art work is 2 ft. by 4 ft. which is approximately half the size of my 1997 Valkyrie.

Lamont in 2000
This page is brand new and I need your plates!
Send me a pic of your Vanity Plate and I will post it here.
After we get a good collection of plates we will take a
vote for the best plate and give out a FREE T-Shirt

During Inzane XI, Scott took some more vanity plate pics.
Santa won the best License Plate award at the Saturday night banquet.

Here a few from Europe
In some countries vanity plates are not allowed . I know they have been causing trouble with speed cameras.

Some Riders are quite creative in designing their plates.
This one from Greg Cramer, �L8RT8R� (later tater) is a tongue in cheek way of saying that you are reading my plate because I am in front of you and I�m from Idaho, the potato state.

F6Gal
The original term was coined to refer to a quick release system for the Interstate trunk, making it "convertible."
The solo seat seems to be the natural progression.

Jeremy Soane asked me to do a music video for his song 'Ain't gonna ride with me no more'. An accomplished songwriter, he is in the process of making a CD of motorcycling songs. This video includes many shots of the amazing Honda Valkyrie. Sit back and enjoy!

20-25 1 (0.5%)
25-30 1 (0.5%)
30-35 3 (1.5%)
35-40 3 (1.5%)
40-45 13 (6.7%)
45-50 10 (5.1%)
50-55 32 (16.4%)
55-60 41 (21%)
60-65 44 (22.6%)
65-70 24 (12.3%)
70-75 17 (8.7%)
75-80 4 (2.1%)
80-85 0 (0%)
If you are here talk to us 2 (1%)

Another, similar poll was held in 2018 amongst 187 Riders and the same percentages more or less moved down one block with the CG now between 55-70.

As of 2016, the median age of the American motorcyclist is 47, up from 40 in 2009 and 32 in 1990.

A brand-new Valkyrie was an expensive bike. Even more so in Europe, where the USD price was almost doubled due to taxes and duties. It exceeded the price of an average family car. This meant that the buyer had to have financial resources. The price was simply not affordable for the average high school graduate. The main target group in terms of income and expenses was more like 30+ years old.

Most young people prefer sport bikes. They are more interested in novelties, speed and maneuverability and not so much in comfort, mechanical issues and reliability. Many want to ride to the limits and sadly, too often just beyond and end up as a bunch of flowers laying in a twist of the road or next to a tree somewhere.
The Valkyrie Rider's loyalty is outstanding. The first Valkyries are over 20 years now and its Riders enjoy them so much, that they kept on riding the bike ever since.

These arguments are all irrelevant if the Valkyrie had become a cult bike. However, due to the relatively small numbers, limited production time and promotion, lack of innovation and follow up, the Valkyrie never became a mainstream cult bike.
Or perhaps, the reverse is true as well. Because the Valkyrie did not become an instant cult bike and bestseller, the production ceased.
It stands to reason that young folks nowadays are reluctant to buy a 20-year-old bike, no matter what.

In Europe people are guided more by price/quality relationship than emotion. For a new 2014/2015 model GW Valkyrie you would have to spend $ 30.000,- The prize of a GL1500C Valkyrie has stabilized at around $ 7500,- .
We see many Riders from different bikes switching to the Valkyrie, now that they become affordable. They all praise the bike for its quality, spirit and comfort.

Willow in 2011
The Honda Valkyrie has been well established as a "cult-bike" over the past ten or twelve years. We're actually slipping away from that a bit as the age of the Valkyrie is causing it to be the target of some buyers just looking for an inexpensive entry into the big cruiser world. There are still a large number of us, though who are devoted "cultists."

Momz
The Valkyrie was not a sales success.
It intimidated a lot of potential buyers, dealers did very little to promote the bike as did Honda.
It seems that it did not fit the "cruiser" model (no V-twin, USD forks, no floor boards, etc.).
But the smart buyers saw a real motor cycle that really could not be pigeonholed.
I worked a dealership when the bike came out and that summer I only saw one sell. And that was a Red/White standard to a gentleman with a long white beard, he went by the handle of "Santa Clause".
True story....and he was not our VRCC Santa.

Willow
I believe Honda is the traditional loved bike the world over as evidenced by their domination in worldwide sales. It's popular with us and attractive to many if not almost all the people we encounter. However, as evidenced by sales history, the Valkyrie simply was not a business gold mine for Honda. One can argue many reasons why including Honda's failure to effectively market the Valkyrie, its appearance of massive size, or that it just doesn't fit either the V-twin image or the Goldwing style.
There certainly are a lot of Harley Davidsons sold in the USA, primarily due to their excellent marketing.
We like the Valkyrie. It is a classic. It stands out as different among cruisers. We're glad the world isn't scarfing up their diminishing numbers as it gives us chances to accumulate a few more.

oZ
I would so own a Wing, great bike. I had a PC 800 that was covered in Tupperware and I liked it until I knew about the Valkyrie.
But it is my goal to take the Valkyrie brand somewhere else. I draw all the graphics for the F6Rider store... I NEVER PUT HONDA ON THE SHIRT DESIGNS! Honda does not deserve the credit for making the Valkyrie. A bunch of suits decided to drop the Valkyrie (after we lost Joe Boyd). In my humble opinion when sales of the Valkyrie dropped the suits wet themselves.
With a little courage, and smart marketing Honda could have started a new following! Like us... the VRCC got it and we bought a crap load of Valkyries. They just needed some time for the rest of the world to catch up with what we knew, that being it is not about a fashion statement, (think Gucci, Couch Purses, Cartier, Harley). C'mon, who'd buy a Harley for performance, quality or best bike in a category.
Don't mean to slam Harley owners, there are some reasons for owning one like heritage, etc.
But for the motorcyclist, not the "bikers" (think guys with money trying to be a bad asses for the weekend), but true riders, who actually ride (not trailer to events) these true motorcyclists need a serious machine.
The Valkyrie motorcycle is just such a machine. Performance, ride ability, long distance capable, and speed!
Oh the hell with it, if I need to explain it, some folks will never get it... Get on your scooter and ride!!!!!

With a club of this magnitude it is inevitable that people pass away. Some of old age, others in the prime of their lives due to an accident or illness.
Riding a motorcycle is all about emotion. You feel free and have a powerful and great looking machine between your legs. You can ride aggressively, concentrating on the track or road and on operating the bike on its limits or just cruise along and enjoy the surrounding scenery. If you are a lone Rider, that�s just fine.
If you prefer company, this feeling creates a special bond. This is especially true with the Valkyrie. The bike is quite unique and its Riders few. Riding a Valkyrie makes you special. You neither belong to the masses of Harley and Goldwing Riders or wannabees and look-a-likes and yet still make an overwhelming statement with the bike. The Valkyrie community is relatively small and personal. Everywhere you go and meet other Valkyrie Riders, you are not lost in the crowd but have a lot of opportunities to talk about your bike and much more. This is why the VRCC has become a big family. I would like to add that having the partners of every Rider recognized as equal members, the involvement only increases.
So, if somebody falls away from this community, it always causes deep sorrow and grief. Today, you have fun together, make friends together and enjoy yourselves together and tomorrow you may witness the funeral of that very same person.
Even if you don�t know him/her personally, it feels like a distant family member had died. We keep their thoughts, feelings and emotions alive by keeping on riding the Valkyrie in their memory.
Our condolences go out to the people they left behind. Wives or husbands, children, family, relatives and friends. They have to bear this burden most of all.
The moment we die, we are all equal and should be treated equally. This makes it very hard to name someone in particular. Running the risk of not showing proper respect and piety to others, I have nevertheless meant to name a few Riders who have shown extraordinary involvement in the VRCC.
Their names will appear when appropriate in this history.
In memory of Riders who have passed away, the VRCC EU website has their names listed on this page http://valkyrieriders.eu/rip.htm

There are literally thousands upon thousands of posts on our message boards.
Some of them are just too good to let scroll away... below page is dedicated to them.
You're sure to get a kick out of these "VRCC Classic Messages."
So, click away and enjoy the wit and style of your fellow members.

The State- and Area Chapters are the �backbone� so to say, of the VRCC.
It is impossible to even summarize the complete history and all the activities of each individual VRCC Chapter. Besides, if I try and do that, my Valkyrie would sit in my garage all the time.
I think we all agree that that would be a major sin and contradictory to the objective of this story: Ride it as if there is no tomorrow!
As an example however, you will find some information or excerpts about local Chapters and events in the following pages which were easily attainable online. The order is random and does not imply significance.
Not having been there myself, it is hard to describe any Chapter�s past origin, spirit and highlights in just a few pages. Many great trip reports had to be omitted as well, since an outside reader has no admittance to Photo Bucket w/o registration. So, I apologize if a particular or significant area of interest is not mentioned. Additions are always welcome. Let�s make this work info@vrcc.nl

Willow in 2010
Our local chapters vary greatly. Some are very well organized holding regular meetings, rides and wrench parties. Some maintain contact by means of local message boards. Most are rather loosely organized with only an occasional event planned.

Regional chapters that have their own message boards (to my knowledge) include Texas, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Kansas, Southern California, Arizona, New England, Washington, and likely a few others. Many are maintained under the VRCC message board structure, but certainly not all.

In 2013, Lamonster showed up on the VRCC board again wishing everyone a MERRY x-MAS.

Lamont rode this bike to Montrose CO �99 first VOA rally from San Diego with his first experimental blower with a car carburetor on it. He was lucky to make it there and back as it was fouling plugs like crazy and getting 20mpg. It was the start of something great though.
Glad to see the VRCC is still alive and well and many of the old members are still here. I've been down many roads since the Valkyrie was a big part of my life but I still love the bike as it was, not too thrilled about the New Valk but it is growing on me. Had a F6B for a little while and loved it, reminded me of the Valk in many ways. Smooth power and handled like a dream. Unfortunately, a deer took it out along with me and the wife. I was waiting to see if Honda was going to add cruise control to the F6B and if they did I was going to get another one but instead they added a new Valkyrie
Anyway hope to see you guys on the road one of these days. Still living in East TN and still playing with Spyders. Take care.
The old Valk was taken apart by the new owner to make a chopper out of it and as far as I know it was never put back in running condition. The guy had more ambition than talent to see the project through. Bothered me a little bit but it was his bike to do whatever he wanted with it
I had the Boss Hoss for five years and it was replaced by the Spyder and that's pretty much what I've been playing with the last 6+ years. I still have a love for two wheels and my next bike will most likely be a V8 Chopper that I want to build from the ground up. Still have my M109R but never ride it and it needs some TLC before I can.
I'm no longer involved with Direct Line and the only site I run now is my Spyder site. I still cruise all the boards from time to time just to see who's still in the wind that I know.
Spending more and more time on Facebook and keep in touch with a lot of old VRCC friends on there. Starting a new shop in MO called Lamonster Garage where we will build custom Spyders and I hope V8 Choppers. Should be a fun project. Good to see the guys here that responded. Wonder if oZ is still around?

oZ
LaMonster, yup, behind the curtain as it should be! I'm no longer actively involved with the management of the VRCC, I still have a 1% share in the group having offered the rest of my ownership on to Misfit, Damon Kinter which to my great relief he was willing to procure. I'm still a member and proud of my #2 membership number! Got me curious so I searched my computer for LaMonster stuff and I've got a ton of photos. Got photos of you mostly tearing your new Valkyrie apart and experimenting with it to make it more awesome.
Anyway many, many great times and memories, Karen, Justin and I were fortunate and thankful to have crossed paths with you. Till this day it blows my mind that a conversation on a front porch in El Cajon California led to the organization of the VRCC!

Lamont
Thanks for the pics and thanks for teaching me how to build a webpage. F6Rider was the first Valkyrie site I had ever seen and to run into you and having you take the time to help me pretty much changed my life forever. I know we didn't always see eye to eye but it was a great life lesson that has shaped me into what I am today. Pretty sure you came up with the "Lamonster" handle and it has stuck. Hope we see each other on the road someday and I can share some stories with you that will be chuckle. Take care Bro

oZ says Goodbye�
On 28 March 2015, oZ wrote an open letter on the VRCC website
I officially left Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club some years ago when I resigned from the Board and my shares happily went to Misfit. I have had nothing to do with neither the organization of the InZane Events nor the management of the club since November 5, 2013.
It was decided not to make an official announcement of my leaving back then, so I thought this is a good time to do so since I have: Sadly, I left the F6Rider Store some months ago as I�m just getting to old for all this crap. I have sold the F6Rider Store (for like $1) with all its holdings, its website, equipment, business contracts/relationship plus commitments and non-compete assurances from past vendors who made some shirts, hats and patches for us. This is the �the girls� entire thing now. So F6Rider or the VRCC is not under my management in any shape, form or matter. I say this as I still get a lot of emails from members about the store and the club, please address all email queries about the store to f6riderstore@gmail.com
, or use the Contact Form on the site. I am not sure where to send your questions about the VRCC.
I am dissolving the Stanard Group Inc which owned the F6Rider Store; the Corporation had a good 20-year run. I plan to create some content for the new owners when I have an idea or they ask � I do not plan to charge a single penny for any art I create for the new owners of the F6Rider Store as it is a passion of mine to do t-shirt art. They will be commissioning other artists to carry on as I go into semi-retirement from creating Valkyrie graphics.
For the record Workerbee, my wife and I wrote off $6,000 dollars losses from the F6Rider Store last year and a grand total of over $70,000 since we opened it in 1996, plus $20,000 dollars to buy out a VRCC partner back in the beginning. Don�t feel bad that�s an average of about $4,736 dollars a year.
I am the only partner to lose money on the VRCC, mostly because I never saw it as a for profit business. But with the VRCC paying for my travel and lodging for the InZane events I think of those trips to the rallies costing me only about $4000 a shot, not bad to pay for a vacation. The Fat Lady banner was one of my ideas and something I wanted to do for a long time so I�m glad that I got that done. I understand there may be some issues with the banners but I've been assured that it was not my doing so that�s good.

It is the girls goal to make F6Rider profitable AND if they don't carry the torch there will be no official Valkyrie only store so the only place to get Valkyrie shirts will be off those crappy print a shirt dumps that charge an arm and a leg with art done by some dork who is not a graphic artist and never put his ass on a Valkyrie. So, support the girls if you can and keep the last bastion of Valkyrie apparel alive. (Side not, Sarah has 1000s of miles on a Valkyrie... as a passenger (O:
Again my friends, so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night, adios and adieu.
PS I will still be lurking on the board and we�ll see if I can keep my damn fingers off the keyboard to make some weird posts.

Mojo
Ohio Chapter was started by Ragnar from Columbus. He handed over his duties after Inzane 3 and KansasCityKid then became Ohio Rep.
We had a nice group with get together rides and tech sessions. Although it is less active now, the Chapter still has a very lively BBS
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/forum/vrcc_oh.cgi?review=1554920

Webmaster
Ohio is a great place to be a biker. Valkyrie Motorcycles were built right here in Marysville, Ohio. Just about every biker here has been to and seen the Honda Motorcycle Plant, AMA Motorcycle Museum, and Mid-Ohio Race Track. Most every Ohio biker has also experienced what it's like to take an extended ride in the late afternoon sun through rolling hills, to flat farmlands with billowing crop. Sometimes even getting caught in a fresh summer rain is pleasurable, as lush greenery from grass and trees greet and excite your senses. Every turn begs to be ridden as you seek new rural roads awaiting your discovery. Come on Brothers and Sisters join up and ride with us and experience the joy of sharing the road.
We are group that rides, whatever... we enjoy riding, so it doesn't matter what brand name bike your riding, you'll be comfortable riding with us, you'll be accepted as one of us, and you'll be family like one of us.
Ride Ohio in 2006 with the Best Motorcycle Chapter in the Nation, become an Ohio Dragon Rider. It's fun, it�s entertaining, it's family, and most of all It's FREE to all!

Editor�s Note
When asked for some Chapter anecdotes and/or highlights, I received the following answers.

Doc Moose - Greatest Ohio VRCC contribution was the invention, modification thereof, and implementation of the world famous "Pool Party" at the Inzanes. If memory serves me right, I believe that it was our own "mojo" that originated the idea and it became a monster event at Inzanes.

I recall a great pork chop dinner...
Some stinky catsmish breakfast being eaten... a groped waitress... flying quarters... some great pool parties... some good times wrenching on bikes... a few good lies being flung about..

Ghost
The first time was when I met Ragnar and some others for the first VRCC group ride on Nov 6th 1999 at McDonalds in Dublin OH. I had been riding a bike since August and didn't have a clue on what I was doing. There were six of us that showed up and we went on a ride to Waldo. I remember asking them at what point I needed to shift into 5th gear.
Second time was the first Honda homecoming, I was riding with ragnar and dragbars from Bellefountaine to Marysville on 33 and decided to try and catch dragbars, I glanced down and the speedo and and the needle was bouncing around 117. Scared the hell out of me and I slowed down.

It was mostly due to absolutely PERFECT weather the entire weekend, but BB&BKII had an incredible showing and was a rousing success!!
On Saturday, we opened the garage doors at 10 am and by noon there were about 20-25 bikes in the driveway with about 40 people attending!
Some pics....

Fudgie came from Fort Wayne, Indiana and was able to quickly take care of a small turn signal problem. Fudgie and Yeah, Just Dale

Then..... the food was served!!!! JoAnn busted her butt for three days preparing the food. The brisket alone was a 22-hour smoke! We had smoked... brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken thighs (wrapped in bacon), mac and cheese (that was smoked too), and all the fix'ins to go with it. Everyone got a shirt to commemorate the occasion

Up on Sunday morning... met with 18 bikes and about 25 people for a 150-mile ride through western Pennsylvania.
Great lunch at Primanti Bros (Google it, really great sandwiches).

Editor�s Note
Rumour has it that one time in the past the entire VRCC Staff was falling in the Ohio River.
Maybe it�s time by now for someone to clear this up�.

F6gal
It was at InZane 5. However, it was only oZ that took a drunken tumble down the embankment to the river. Whether or not he actually landed in the river, is a matter of urban legend. Due to his inebriated state, oZ is not a reliable historian.

Our goal is to bring Valkyrie riders and others who love to ride together by listing Events geared toward local and major rides. We have Pictures posted of our Virginia members and a list of popular Links that you may enjoy surfing through. If your planning a trip you may want to check out our Weather page while you are here and if you like what you see and would like to become a member of the VRCC please Sign up today. Our Classified section is open to anyone who would like to use it along with our Forum which can be used to communicate or just list an event for others to see. Also feel free to enjoy a game of Poker while your here!

Editor's Note
The VA Chapter was founded in 2001. On their website at that time, it states Ray Powers as State Contact, soon followed by Mike 'Spanky' Bermingham.
After 27 October 2004, the website does not reappear on the Wayback Machine.

Jess from VA
There has been no active VA VRCC chapter since 2005 that I ever heard of.
The current Chapter Rep is Don aka 'Highbinder'. A very active and hospitable Rider.
VA has more notorious Riders, both in the saddle and on the BB, who exploit many activities in local groups or with adjacent Chapters. People asking for inquires are directed towards nearby Riders.

Hawk
My Greatest memory would have to be InZane II that was where I met the most of ya'll. First I met Ragnar at the restaurant there on the corner of the intersection. I finally met Lamont and saw the Lamonster for the first time. Right then and there I had hoped to own a bike like that some day (I also remember saying if I had a bike like that I wouldn't touch it, HAHA, guess it is just in my blood) There was Mosa, Dragbars, RayO, RJ, TJ, TNT, I think I met Sarge there also, and the list goes on, every person I met that weekend was like running into long lost friends, it sold me on this group!!!! I also remember getting talked into the Burnout Contest, WOW that was a mistake HAHA. Talk about an addiction, that was GREAT!!!!!
The second greatest memory which I will never forget was the summer I got to work for Directline on the rally circuit. I remember talking to Lamont on the phone telling him I was being "restructured" out of a job I had done for 18 yrs. He told me call Hal and shortly there after Hal offered me the summer job driving for Directline. Granted me and that Ford truck and 40' trailer didn't always get along as a matter of fact I never in all my life had so much trouble with a vehicle and trailer. Talk about a string of bad luck and misfortune But getting to meet more of the group and seeing old friends at all of the rallies was GREAT, I never had enough time to visit with ya'll but it was still good to see everyone. I will also never forget the trip home from Wing Ding on the 4th of July. I will also never forget Ragnar bringing over the 1300 VTX for me to ride while we were at the Homecoming, talk about a real friend!!!!!!! I agree with Lamont if I never make another friend, I already have more GREAT friends than a man deserves!!!!!!

2011 - Hillbilly Run going partly through VA by waterboy79
Highlight video of the Valkyrie Hillbilly run on June 11th, 2011. Semi random clips set to music.
I left the engine sound in the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3RXcAyX7Rk

Tracy and Don were here with the Hot Dog stand... this is Highway 16 in Virginia.
Lots of bikes, several groups two or three times bigger than our group .

MITM will be on Labor Day weekend and involves riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We will have a group riding from the northern end of the BRP and another group riding from the southern end of the BRP.
Smokin' Joe is handling the arrangements for the southern end and will post those details here once he has them worked out. He is also working out the details for Saturday night. I am handling the northern end.

My friends, the end of an era has come, the legendary Smokin� Joe has resigned as our leader of most group rides. Can I blame him? NO!! Joe has probably organized more rides than anyone else (hell, probably than everyone else combined), however this last one gave him the rest.
It seems that the last couple of years something has changed, the group rides have had major issues, I am not sure what it exactly is, however last year�s MITM was already an omen for Joe that he may not want to do this anymore, and this year�s 11-13 hour ride or nightmare (from the reports I heard) was the straw that finally broke his back.
That all said, it makes me sad to see the last great group organizer retired, (I won�t say quit, he retired) and it makes me wonder, now what? How many more group rides will there be? Or will there be any group rides? Yes, there are other rides and organizers and no, I am not trying to knock them, but Joe's rides are rides of legend, just alone the "lighting fires and kicking tires" after the ride are something you do NOT write home about.

Joe my friend I understand your decision and I support it, the last few years have been different than before and I am not sure what that is, different people? Or different mentality? Not sure what, but there has been a change.
Thank you for all the rides you have organized and all the great times that were had. I feel it a privilege that I got to ride side by side with you on a few occasions.
Can�t wait to share the wind (not just the parking lot) with you soon, ride hard, ride safe.

Oss
Joe has been there for us (along with Highbinder) but so has Doc Moose with the early Indiana rides, and Rainman (Steve) who has taken over the mantle, Taz does his Praire du Chen ride and Chrome and Rick do the Powwow's every memorial day or thereabouts RedValk did Cheaha and DOTS (my personal favorite of them all)
And don�t forget our own administrators who put on Inzane every year.
I hosted one powwow and I have been pretty darn frustrated just trying to get my own Columbus weekend series of rides what with the hotel prices and these liberals scaring away potential riders (just kidding baldo and meathead) I have 4 bikes possibly committed to coming if the weather holds from out of state.
We may not all agree politically (there is an understatement) but we all have this love for the Valkyrie and get along once we are together.
I am just really pretty damn proud to consider Joe a friend and if he wants to retire from doing the job of trying to herd cats on these long rides well I am ok with it.
The joke in my house is I can keep up with Joe just fine, until he leaves the parking lot, but seriously he does his best to keep the group together what with the different abilities of the riders.
My suggestion is that in future group rides, people be HONEST and state are they a rose sniffer rider or peg dragger and that the group hand out a piece of paper like at a poker run with turns and stops shown so all can enjoy the ride at their own pace and so the leader does not lose the joy of riding his or her ride.
Ice it was a pleasure seeing you again and hope to see you at future events. We have not seen the last of Joe be sure of that, once he retires he will be riding like DDT.

DDT
Folks who bother to put these rides on fascinate me! The amount of effort is much more than any of us can know, and the 'rewards' never approach the amount of grief they receive. Negative feedback always outweighs any positive comments, and most of us can't appreciate the fretting, worrying, and apprehension these good people bear just to pull off a decent event.
It pleases me to know and witness these events do take place, and that there are selfless folks willing to make them happen. I applaud them as do others, but I can certainly understand how burnout occurs and 'retirement' follows...

As mentioned, Smokin�Joe is a legend in this regard. His unique personality alone is a huge draw, his riding skill is amazing, and his willingness to bite the bullet and allow the rest of us to tag along is nothing short of magnanimous... I hate that this day has come; but, frankly, I've been expecting it for a long time. If there is any surprise at all, it is that things have lasted as long as they have.
Thanks, Joe, your contributions have been enormous... While I treasure your friendship more than anything else, I do sincerely appreciate and respect all you have done for our organization and for us personally. You truly are 'an impact player'...

Smokin�Joe
It was an outstanding get together. And I agree folks that let a little rain stop them from coming missed the best one yet IMO.

Ice
Joe I agree it was our best MITM we've ever had.
This being Petra's first solo ride to one of these, she had a blast. Not sure if I will ever get her on the back of the Valk again . Even the rain did not bother her, in her own words "I even had a blast riding through the rain" and that is saying something. And of course, the ride home could not have been better weather if you would have planned it.

As stated earlier, the Texas Valkyrie Riders were already pretty well organized within their 'Valhalla Six Guns'.
In 2002, the VRCC TX Chapter was run by Keith "Ensign Pulver" Ray, who resided in Magnolia:
Just wanted to invite any and all to our first Bike Night on Thursday November 15th. at 7 PM. Location is Willie's Bar & Grill at I-45 North & Hwy 242. Located between Conroe and The Woodlands/Spring. If you know someone that would like to be added to our email list let me know. We will be meeting every month, every third Thursday for a Bike Night at this same location. Come and enjoy some good bikes and some good food. For more detailed directions or more information on the formation of the local club email me.
Soon Texas encompassed the following Chapters � TX East, San Antonio, El Paso, Bryan, Jefferson, Houston, and DFW. Later, the following Texas VRCC Chapters evolved: Centex North (Austin area), Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and Centex South.
The DFW Chapter of the TX Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club was founded in June 2003

Jimmy Curtin
I started the DFW VRCC chapter in June of 2003. I had bought my Valkyrie earlier in the year and had made a few rides with different motorcycle groups. I found the national VRCC on line and reached out to them to see if there was a group here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. The President of the VRCC told me that there was not a local club and he challenged me to start one.
So, I developed a flyer talking about starting a Valkyrie club and posted it at Al Lambs Honda in Dallas. Our first meeting was a total of five riders. Over the next few weeks we posted flyers at all the Honda dealerships throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Within six months we had 30+ members and by the end of the first year we had more than 75 members.
My best memory of the club was the Thor�s Hammer handoff ride where we rode to Oklahoma to receive the Thor�s hammer banner. We had dozens of bikes and it was a really great celebration.
Members of the DFW VRCC have made every Inzane rally since 2003. Although smaller in membership now, the club is still meeting monthly and riding as much as possible.

Hotglue #43
Texas Valk riders have been going to the hill country for a long time.......
1998..... a ride up on the 3 Sisters and the Willow Loop... north of F'burg.....around 30 Valks... stopped at a BBQ place.... and the more ya chewed it.. the bigger it got. That was when we started having the BBQ�s here at the home place... and the start of the gatherin' O the Fools BBQ......next year will be the 13th annual!!!

T-Roy
Ahhhh .. Bandera ... I remember it well... the beer ... the music... the women ... the bathroom ... How is ole whats-his-name anyway?

Rainmakers rain chasers: Ron, David and Mark. The weather was overcast and cloudy for the first part. Then roads dried up and occasionally the sun came out. Mark planned a great route
The route between Leonard and Wolfe city match 455 curve for curve, plus the pavement was better and the traffic was less. Hwy. 34 going through the Caddo Grass Lands was pretty and taking 1550 /137 into Paris made for a nice easy ride. The food was great at Rio Verde and then we visited the Eiffel tower.
From there to Bonham where we toured the Sam Rayburn museum. Then on to home
The Valks hummed along, hugged the pavement, ate the asphalt and performed flawlessly.
We have the best bike ever made! Nice day 200 plus mile ride and we broke the Rainmaker's spell (at least for a day!) Not a drop of rain!
Captain Speedo and Rainmaker

2009
History was made once again as the DFW VRCC welcomed David Garb as our fourth prez at our July '09 monthly meeting. Longtime member Gary "SideCar" Touchstone, David Baron, First Lady Janet, and first timer, Dave Barnett and his fat lady show their support as the decisive moment is captured by world renowned lens-man Jeff "Wanderer" Latimer.
Valk riders throughout North Texas are surely resting easy knowing that we are in such capable hands. Congratulations and much appreciation also goes to Jim "GodFire" Hoffmaster for his dedication to his new role as VP. Thanks to all that have had a hand in keeping alive the rolling momentum that pays homage to the Cruiser of the Decade in North Texas!

Daniel Meyer - What are we doing?
Well check out this video. We're gathering pictures for our own version.
Scroll down, pick a city that needs a picture, and go for a ride!

Get a picture of your Valkyrie in front of something with the city's name. Be creative! Be fun! Include a short bio and or city information, Valkyrie info/year/name and other stuff...
http://valkyrieriders.com/tx/video2008.html

Editor's Note: Isn't it a small world - gentleman in left pic is in Dag Verpeide from Norway

LemonDrop's Interstate converted into a Super Valk Interstate (Solo Seat without top box).

Lots of crashes among friends lately. I did this piece with that in mind and for an art show at The Bonny Studio, which is also where I'm taking life-drawing classes.
This is the largest and most complicated painting I've done. Came out nice I think.
Bikers have a saying, "Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly."

RainMaker
61 Valkyrie Riders signed up for this great event in Fredericksburg where everyone was invited..
This is a ride where we probably don't know everyone, either. And getting together with fellow Valkaholics is a great thing! You'll learn a lot and have fun since we tend to be a group of do-it-yourselfers. Many of the riders do bring their better half in the pillion seat as well. You will find a welcoming group and one who is always happy to have a new member. You will, of course, have to bring a goat for a midnight sacrifice and steal the wallet of a close friend to prove your worthiness.........
Hope to meet you in October!
Man, it was hard. To check it out, had to stay at the peach tree for 3 days, drive around on great roads, drink too much wine, eat too much good food with my child bride. Inhumane!
Seriously, it was my pleasure and I'm happy it was a success. Besides, without me there, it didn't rain out!
Kudos to Rocketman for taking the ball and running with it and to the ride leaders for making the trip fun

Troll
Tigger moved on to the next life at about 7:30am CST Sunday morning in Ada, OK, due to the effects of diabetes, primarily kidney and heart issues.
We had talked numerous times about this time as it approached, and he as was ready to go as any of us can be.
Tigger and I were the closest of friends almost from the moment we met. He opened the first tattoo shop in Deep Ellum, Tigger's Body Art, which still bears his name.
Back then, in the early 90s, folks on Main Street would line up three deep to watch through the giant plate glass window while he and his artists tattooed and pierced away.
As far as I know, the first tattoo shop in Dallas to take that "theatrical" approach. Many tattoo shops followed in Deep Ellum, many using that same tactic. Tigger can be credited in large part for the growth in popularity of tattooing in Dallas.
He was a biker, a free spirit, and quite the hedonist until diabetes made him modify his lifestyle drastically. He was always fun to be around, and a walking, talking education in living the outlaw lifestyle without hiding.
He was a skilled promoter, held degrees in several fields, including oil refinery design, and endlessly encouraged my musical endeavors.
He was my running partner in good times, my solid friend when times were not so good. He extended himself to me emotionally, spiritually, and financially when needed, and, hopefully, I was able to provide the same support for him when needed.
I hope I was as good a friend to him as he was to me.
A benefit party to celebrate his life (his request) will be held. Proceeds will be turned over to his son Matthew and daughter-in-law Erica for use as they see fit to handle necessary expenses.
They are just beginning to get established in life and have three small children who will grow up with only the faintest of memories of their Grandpa.

The luckiest woman in Flour Bluff had the big yella bike packed and ready to be on the road at 7:00 a.m. of a Saturday morning; we needed to be in Leander, Texas by noon. We were going to join fellow VRCC members in a ride celebrating the life of Laser Pat, who has left this world to ride into the land of souls.
Gravity, as we all know, is an invisible force that drags you down. �Escape velocity� is the speed required get free, in this case, 70mph. In short order we�d freed ourselves from the city and were bound north-west on US-181
The day began overcast and the air became misty as we rode, the predicted high temperature of 83� F. (28 �C) looking more like wishful thinking, all the time. Despite the gloom, the spring wildflowers lined the roadside, showing off their finery. The day began overcast and the air became misty as we rode, the predicted high temperature of 83� F. (28 �C) looking more like wishful thinking, all the time. Despite the gloom, the spring wildflowers lined the roadside, showing off their finery.

The road is familiar and, despite an increase in truck traffic, we were able to relax and enjoy brilliant flowers that, in some cases, stretched for as far as the eye could see, maybe further. The sun finally made her appearance and, in good time, we were making our way through Austin. While making passably good time in traffic, I spotted the familiar back-patch of our cruiser club and made a friendly overture (grinned like a madman). Introductions were made at a traffic light and member �Bull Goose� fell in with us. With next to no trouble we found our way to the Lucky Star Ranch, home of the Big Red Bunkhouse.

We rolled into the circular drive and parked our bikes. Eventually, thirty motorcycles lined the drive waiting to be ridden on some of Laser Pat�s favorite roads.
There were Honda Valkyrie motorcycles of every description as well as a few Gold Wings, Harley-Davidsons and dual-sports.

At, or near, the appointed time, we rolled out in three groups of ten to honor our departed friend and brother by doing what he loved to do in the place he loved to do it. Some of us think it no coincidence that the weather was perfect.

The Texas Hill Country is recognized as having some of the finest motorcycling roads in the country. While I�d ridden over lots of it, the area just west of Leander and Austin was new territory for me. The land begins to roll, here, north of Lake Travis.

There are long sweepers where we let the old girls stretch their legs. The route was about 50 miles, all told, and entirely enjoyable.

We returned to the ranch where we saluted Laser Pat in words and song. The Lucky Star Ranch is thoroughly charming place, replete with folk art and pleasant surprises at every turn. Never one to miss a chance to fondle jugs, I posed, here, alongside one of the many fountains. There was a camper trailer on site�� as well as a tree house with a spiral stairway.

Not everyone knows this, but I�ve always wanted to own a wooden white man. In short, the location for the celebration was well chosen. The observance was something memorable. We did what we believe Pat would have wanted: we had a good time doing the things he loved to do, riding the Hill Country and enjoying our friends. The road goes on forever.

Thanksgiving Jaunt
There are certain advantages to bucking Thanksgiving Day traditions. For one, my missus prepares a great seafood gumbo instead of the usual �turkey with all the fixin�s�. And, while the rest of the world feasts or watches The Game, it�s possible to ride through the city on streets that are nearly empty. The luckiest woman in Flour Bluff and I decided to take advantage of the situation by riding around Corpus Christi Bay to the town of Ingleside for a picnic. She stashed picnic stuff in the saddlebag, hopped on the snatch pad and off we went. The day was beautiful, breezy, the temperature topping out near 75�F (23.8� C). We weren�t the only motorcyclists out enjoying the day, either.

Northbound over the Harbor Bridge and a picture postcard view of the USS Lexington Museum. The couple we�d seen on the Bayfront found their throttles, she giving us the accepted �low wave� from her Shadow VLX as they went by. You meet the nicest people on a Honda.

Riding through Ingleside, we made our way to the city park named, �Live Oak�. Live Oak Park is plenty spacious even on days when there are more than the ten-or-so visitors we saw in addition to ourselves. Who can resist being able to make a photograph of their motorcycle with an uncluttered background? Note the very groovy way the saddlebag lids open to the outside.

While I sat and absorbed the peacefulness of the day, Jill serenaded the trees with her Native American flute. We were surely enjoying the day, but the clock was walking (as it�s known to do, in these parts) and it was time to head back to the big Bluff and make ready the feast.

Gathering of Fools
We packed our tent and an extra pair of socks and headed for the fifteenth annual, �Gathering of the Fools�, at the home of Hotglue and Flamingo Babe, south of Houston, TX. These folks define hospitality. Our bedroom was one of the best, no motels, for us.
Hotglue is a Renaissance man whose talents range from fabrication to preparing top-notch barbecue. If you�re from Texas you know that�s not a claim made lightly.

The Gathering of the Fools is a much-anticipated event for members of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club, some of whom rolled in from as far away as California and Virginia.
The Honda GL1500 C, CT and Interstate is affectionately known to some as, �The Fat Lady� (advertisement: The Fat Lady Has Sung), and to others as, �The Dragon�.

As you can see, while we love our Valkyries, the gathering is hardly exclusive. Some of Flamingo Babe�s cronies from the CanAm owners turned up, as well riders on Wings, Harleys, rockets and dual sports.
Saturday, the yard and the street began filling up with every description of Valkyrie.

The annual ride was dedicated to Laser Pat (GBNF); the route included a stop at this spacious bar and grill for lunch, drinks and socializing. Back at the ranch, we wandered the bikes and found these beauties:

The Super Bee bike is really slick and I had to capture it for a friend who is a fan of classic American cars.

This rider stood out in a sea of black Valkyrie Interstates. Motor trikes were under represented. This trike is owned by a woman who can take most riders to school, when it comes to riding the twisties.

The meal was fantastic, as per usual, and the fellowship was cold beer for the soul. Now, I can�t speak for everyone, but it�s been my experience that motorcycling folk are about as big-hearted as they come. Hotglue informed us that he and his associates in the Lions Club support a camp for disabled children and asked that we also support the cause by participating in some fund-raising activities at the Gathering. We did.

What a weekend. We had a wonderful time with Hotglue, Flamingo Babe and the good folks and their fine machines, we ate the way God intended and had the opportunity to support a great cause, as well.

TP has tiny little white balls that he carries around and likes to show them to everybody...
Gear Jammer doesn't like to play in sand...
Jim and BJ does like to play in sand....
Gear Jammer has every known piece of equipment on and in his bike.... except gasoline
Willow can make a stock paint job look like a custom paint job very simply...looks great Carl...
A stock 1500 Goldwing center stand will bolt right up to a Valk and will not drag in the curves.
If Bandit ever stops farming he can get a job as a prison guard anywhere in the country...
Crazyhorse has a surprise for Smokin'jo
If you want free beer in Texas all you have to do is enter the store naked and FREE BEER!
My angle sensor works great....
Jim's angle sensor works great too!!!!
Wizard can't get up fast from the dining room table......
Lyn-Del doesn't have a hearing aid....
If you tell Hotglue a funny joke he has to go to the bathroom immediately after laugh his A$$ off...
If you give Wizard 30 days to think he can come up with a good idea...
If you haven't ever been to the Gathering of Fools you're missing out on one of the best ride in's around...

2014 MC Rider- My ride from Ft Worth, TX to Colorado on my Valkyrie (very nice)
My Colorado motorcycle road trip on my Honda Valkyrie. Visit The Million Dollar Mile on my Colorado motorcycle road trip. 2,142 miles on a 1999 Honda Valkyrie from Fort Worth, TX to The Million Dollar Highway on a motorcycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEw2pkfgfak

I don't believe any of us ever saw this man without a smile. Our beloved brother and friend, Pat Jamail, passed away on Sunday, March 11, 2012. A native of Houston, Pat was a well-respected home builder and remodeler, and an active member of the Austin Homebuilders Association.
Pat was an adventurous soul and amongst his hobbies were playing and listening to live music and traveling cross country on his Honda Valkyrie motorcycle with his favorite gal TX Deb.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, George E. and Constance Fay Jamail and his beloved Great Dane Riley. He is survived by his loving family; Ronald and Sydney Jamail, Mark Jamail, Kimberley Jamail-Ewing, Donald Ewing, Stacey Jamail-Robinson, Carl Robinson, Emile and Lori Jamail, Michael Jamail and Christopher Van Winkle, great niece Genevieve Jamail, great nephew George E. Jamail and partner, friend and love Debbie Adams. He had many loving aunts, uncles and cousins. He will be missed by all.

VERMIN was founded by Bob "Croozermon" Bidwell and John "jmac" McFarlane and is dedicated to Valkyrie motorcycle riders in the Pacific Northwest since 1998.
The VERMIN are the WA Chapter of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club and its Riders live in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska.

Bob "CrooZermon" Bidwell
The VERMIN (or Valkyrie Riders and Members in the Northwest) started from humble beginnings. "Jmac" (John MacFarlane) and I met on the GWRRA Special Interest Group Message Board in the spring of this year. At the time, there had been some discord concerning the status of the Valkyrie owners in the GWRRA as only being allowed "booster" status, rather than inducted as a full member to the GWRRA. Instead of becoming involved in the melee, John and I found each other sharing the same thought: "I just want to go ride with someone who owns a Valk too!!� We found that we lived less than 15 miles from each other and decided to put out the word for a visit to an ABATE Swap Meet in Enumclaw the following weekend. Only he and I showed up...it was a pretty uneventful meet but John and I struck up an immediate friendship and decided to ride together again. This next time, we put out the word on the board again as well as posting flyers in the local Honda dealers. This time SEVEN VALKYRIES SHOWED UP on our first Vermin ride to LaConner, WA!!
As time went on, we continued to post messages, post flyers at the dealers and stopped to talk to every Valkyrie we could find on the road!! And the group continued to grow...and grow...and GROW!! We have had as many as 26 BIKES AT ONE TIME!!
When the Valkyrie Owners Association (VOA) was formed, it seemed natural to form our
little group as a regional chapter of the organization. To date, we have ridden with EVERY VOA MEMBER IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AS WELL AS MOST OF THE MEMBERS IN OREGON!! We have organized rides to LaConner, Anacortes, Leavenworth, Winthrop, Marysville, Mt. St. Helens as well as ride-ins to the local "Oyster Run" and even a ride at the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota...and HAVING A BALL EACH AND EVERY TIME!!
Through it all, we have maintained one steadfast idea: JUST RIDE!! To ride is our main goal and many lasting friendships have been formed because of it.
If there are ANY Valkyrie owners out there who would like to be included in one of our many runs, all they have to do is contact me or one of the other Members listed on the "Members" list and we will give you the info for our next ride. Believe me, there is NOTHING like riding with a bunch of Valkyries!!
Come experience for yourself! Ride safe, fast, far and often!!

Website Statement
The Valkyrie Riders and Members In the Northwest is a Non-profit Motorcycle Riding Club based in Western Washington State. The VERMIN aka DRBs have Members primarily from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska. We have had Members from the East Coast, but they seemed more interested in collecting our really cool Logo Patches & Pins than riding in the PNW.
Club Membership has ranged from 7-125 Members. Annual dues are $25.00. The Club is first and foremost a riding club with the comradery of good friends getting together a close second. Members often join up on weekends for informal, usually unplanned and always unstructured rides.
If a Valkyrie/Goldwing Rider or a Rider of any other Bike who just enjoys the company of fellow motorcyclists...check us out.

1998, Sunday, September 27th 1998
The Oyster Run and first recorded ride of VERMIN on their website.
About a dozen of us started out in Renton (in a little fog), Crooze, Rusty. Loki, Jessie with his latest in VOA fashion, customized in his own style and Shelly. Rusty has a unique "guitar case" saddlebag on his Valk.
He said something about being "on his way to Woodstock"!
You'd need a helicopter picture to do justice to all the bikes in Anacortes. Went on for about 6 blocks, parked 4 deep up and down the street.

Registered years ago.. member # 3477 but never really posted much.
I�m from the Seattle area & one of the original founding members of The VERMIN Club.
I have had 3 valks.. best bike ever built.

1st was a 97 tourer.. green & cream..it had custom paint & every bit of chrome goddies available. I hit a 6 point deer (killed that sombitch) riding solo in 1999 & lived to tell the story.
I rode my bent up & broken bike 250 miles home.
All my VERMIN riding buddies gave me the monicker �The Deerslayer �. Got The bike fixed up & continued to ride it until... I was leading a VERMIN ride in Oregon when a woman who was parked on the shoulder decided to make a u-turn in front of our group.
Killed the bike.. but somehow my wife �Dragonlady� & I survived... just barely.. were messed up bad.. DragonLady had multiple broken bones. I woke up to a couple buddies �The Bro� & ��Ratdog� yelling at me. Blacked out again. Woke up in The ambulance with a 35 VERMIN escort to the hospital. Physically we have never fully recovered from that accident.... but damn lucky to survive.

3rd is a 97 Green & Cream. A fellow VERMIN who hasn�t been able to ride it much... recently offered it to me.
The bike is in great condition & just broke in at only 34,000 miles. Couldn�t pass it up .. feels like brand new out of the show room... Loving it!

Ratdog & I hit it off on his 1st VERMIN Ride & became best buds...
We rode together every damn weekend rain or shine.
We even did 2 official Iron Butt rides together .. 1000 miles with-in 24 hours.
we came in, in just over 18 hours & got the belt buckle to prove it.

2001 �Resolution Ride
Over 40 bikes of all shapes and sizes showed up for the Cycle Barn's 'Resolution Ride 2001'. 16 Vermin on 15 Valks were there dominating the turnout...as usual.

2003 - The Spiral Highway
This is Hwy 95's "old grade" into Lewiston from the north. It drops 2,000 ft. in ten miles. This was the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend (2003), a warm up to Lolo Pass

VERMIN holds monthly meetings at Gators.
The food is excellent, the portions are large, the menu is varied and the service is very good...and the girls are (picture not available any longer)

Right the Award that PW Fabricated & Presented at a major Rodent Run in Hope, B.C. Canada

2009 - Redline
I was voted in as Vermin Club President in the fall of 2009, just a few months after purchasing my Valk and joining the Vermin Club. Nobody else wanted the job and the membership thought why not initiate the new guy! Well... OK... you guys voted me in!
I proposed several changes to the Club, one of the first was to break ties with the VOA and join the VRCC. The proposal was voted in and the Vermin Club became the Washington State Chapter of the VRCC.
With my newbie enthusiasm, we were fairly active during that period of time. Vermin membership has dwindled in recent years, but at one time was well over 100. The Club still meets once a month, second Saturday, for breakfast and a ride if weather permits.
Since joining the VRCC the Vermin Club joins the British Colombia Chapter annually for their Valhalla Rally. Some of us also ride with the Idaho Chapter on occasion. We enjoy meeting and riding with other VRCC members whenever possible!

2010 - Scott in Ok
I would like to welcome the latest chapter of the VRCC, the Vermin Club, from Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. Many of the Vermin have been VRCC members over the years, and many still are. Recently they decided to officially join the VRCC as a Chapter. Join me in welcoming the Vermin to the VRCC.
I would also like to thank Chapter leader, Redline for his patience with me getting things setup for them.

2017
Decisions Vermin Club meeting
1. The club will only be buying dinner for members at the Christmas party.
We will not be buying dinner at Valhalla
2. We will be transitioning the Vermin website to point to the VRCC NW forum rather than try to
keep our existing site running.

On behalf of the Vermin Club, I would like to thank Scott for his efforts. The Vermin are proud to now carry the VRCC banner. As the Washington State Chapter, we would like to round up all the lonely VRCC members roaming aimlessly along the back roads of the Pacific Northwest and give them a good home. We have some good rides on the calendar...check us out. Washington State has some of the best riding in the country and the Vermin Club would love to share the wind with you. Need a reason to ride to the NW? Join us on one of our rides.

Zippermon
VERMIN. The Best Damn Valkyrie Riders club inna werld! If ya don't think your club is the best, go elsewhere. Besides, who else would be so proud to be a DRB! With the inclusion of the Vermin into the VRCC, finally the bar has been raised.

Ratdog
"VERMIN" have always been around... the difference is the association being "official". Before, there used to be a WA Chapter of the VRCC, which "resided" on another area of WA State from where the VERMIN world HQ was. The WA chapter fell by the wayside (for a few years). Now... ya have rodents comin' in the front door. As for the logo... the VERMIN's original director ("Crooz") and the one and only oZ combined their efforts to come up with the logo/patch.

2018
Lilian Blanchard and her son Tom hosted the Vermin site and decided it was time to take it down. The BB is now incorporated in the Northwest Valkyrie Riders of the VRCC website

Larry �sarge� Taylor
The early Indiana website http://www.geocities.ws/cinvrmc/history.html starts with this statement:
In the fall of 2001 I thought it would be great to find a Valkyrie Motorcycle Club in the Central Indiana Area, representing all Valkyrie Owners and MC Riders.
I had searched the web for other Valkyrie Clubs in this Central Indiana Area and none were to be found. My motive was selfish, to dramatically increase the number of Valkyrie Enthusiasts rides that I could actively participate in.
Fortunately for me, I found the Hoosier Valkyries Indiana Chapter of the VRCC, Paul Weber and Jim Morse. Not knowing how difficult or easy it would be to find other riders, I put the question forth to Paul "Hoosier Daddy" Weber and Jim "Moosfa" Morse, who welcomed the idea of a Central Indiana (INDY) Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club to enlist members for additional group rides. Next step, to contact all interested parties for input, ideas and support.
I received some excellent feedback and the best of wishes from many people that I met on the 2001 Hoosier VRCC Fall Ride.
Enter LaMonster, who welcomed a local INDY Chapter of the VRCC, and the rest is History...
We have now joined the ranks of a local Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club. We welcome all potential members; whether you are already a member of the VRCC, VOAi or other group, join us for great times and fun rides. We span from North Central Indiana to the South-Central reaches of the State with all surrounding counties of Indianapolis represented.

Inaugural Indiana Chapter Ride-in
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/in/home.htm
We thought we'd share some pictures of our first ever Indiana gathering.
The purpose of this ride was to meet and introduce ourselves and begin planning for what is eventually a bigger movement state-wide to get established like the other Midwest Chapters have.
In the thumbnails below, you can see some of the shots we took on a typical overcast day. The date was Sunday April 30, 2000 and we had four Valkyries meet at Tony Roma's for ribs. These are the photographs we took outside the restaurant. Joe Smith has the white and blue Valkyrie I/S, Don Smith second from the left has a black standard, Scott Townsend has the black standard bike in the foreground and to the right, leaning over his red and white is Paul Weber.

Paul Weber
Paul has been the Indiana State contact person for the VOA and VRCC since their inception. As the lead organizer, Paul has been working to make give the Indiana group a national identity. We have a great group of riders, not posers and that is what it's all about!
Welcome Fellow Hoosier Valkers, and other enthusiasts of fine chrome and shiny motorcycle equipment! My name is Paul Weber and I welcome you and any other riders of fine motorcycles who wish to join with us for roadworthy fun. We want to bring you our philosophy on motorcycles and leisure time activities including our favorite steed, the Honda F6 1520cc Valkyrie in all its glory!
It is our hope that we can organize the willing to join together for several group events which will bring us out en-mass. The gatherings of years past have been wonderful sight to behold, as well as a chance to meet and greet and share our passion for life via motorcycling.
Maybe this sounds a like little much, but unless you have ridden the Valkyrie, you just can�t know what we�re talking about. Those of you who have Valkyries know what we mean! One of our long-term goals is to plan at least three seasonal (spring, summer and fall) day- rides in various portions of the state, with someone from the area planning out a route that is scenic, interesting and worthy of a group cruise from other riders coming in from other parts of the state.
That is, maybe we could have a fall ride in or around the Brown County/Nashville area; we could roll the hills of southern Indiana as the green pops out on the trees and fields; we could blast through (at 55 mph?) the flats of northern Indiana. With these rides being planned by the local riders, we shouldn�t have to worry about whether the roadways are good, scenery is tops and a cozy rest stop is along the way for lunch/refreshments along the way or at the end of the line. Each of us surely has a favorite area to ride and would like to share it with other riders.
These rides would be attended by any and all who could make it, and hopefully over a Saturday or Sunday to allow those who work for a living to make it! We would also like to have a presence in any regional or local motorcycle gatherings just to spread the word about our group and expand to others who might benefit from our group, or we may benefit from them!
Most of us are members of the VRCC or the VOAI, BBR or many other club memberships, and we want to support and promote any and all groups that support us.
The bottom line is that we enjoy our motorcycles and the fellowship of others who appreciate riding a fine motorcycle in our beautiful state. We are not asking that you be responsible for committees, projects, etc... like most other clubs. We�d like to be able to allow our members who want to ride in an area and have other members ride with them be able to post a message and have someone respond with suggestions. This would allow a local to let you know what to avoid or which roads to ride, and maybe join in on the fun if company is desired!
Our main goal is to promote the fun and fellowship of riding one of the finest motorcycles in the world, and join with others for support on many levels (technical, mechanical, physical {rides, get togethers!} and cyber).
We need any and all input from riders throughout our fine state to determine how we can best serve the needs of our affiliate members. If you have any suggestions, or would like to be a part of our group, please drop us a line and we�ll get you on our e-mailing list so that we could keep you posted on events and rides that may interest you.
We may have a local message board to allow for the exchange of local and regional information as well as links to the national sites. Thanks for taking the time to stop by, and please leave us a note to tell us what you think. Many thanks to former VRCC member Scott Townsend for his efforts in getting us together and for getting us on the Web to begin with, and best of luck to Scott who has since sold his beloved Valk and left the area for the left coast... Good luck in all of your future endeavors Scott!!!
Remember, when you see another biker, wave, even if they aren�t on our favorite steed, after all, we�re all bikers no matter what we ride!
Ride safe and I�ll see you on the road... Keep the shiny (painted) side up!

1st Inaugural Hoosier State Ride a Huge Success! by Paul Weber, state coordinator
That's the feeling I got on Saturday during the Inaugural Midwest/Hoosier Ride-IN! We (Scott Townsend, Don Smith and Joe Smith) had discussed the potential for a State Valkyrie Ride-IN on April 30th of this last spring.
We decided it would be a good idea and tried to compromise on a good location for the gathering and the ride itself. Since Indiana is a rather large state, north to south (I know, there's Texas, California, and others that are bigger, but we're here in the Midwest, where the law keeps us from going much past the double nickel in most roadways) we had to look for a central location to get the closest opportunity for the most people.

We decided Indianapolis would be a starting place, and later it was refined to Greenwood (south side of Indy). Then a ride destination was needed. Time was critical, so we wanted an hour out to the venue. Nashville, IN is an artist colony settled in the hills of Southern Indiana, with many interesting roads in and out, also near Brown County State Park, a fine place for short rides and scenery.
Scott sent announcements out to the Hoosier members via the listing from the VRCC and VOAi national sites, and we did get some responses back from a number of people requesting more information. We worked on the plans for the gathering and ride and refined them as best we could. Scott kept saying "build it, and they will come!�
I was leery, as I had heard from others about how hard it was to organize such an event and get any real turnout.
Our first State organizational meeting was only able to garner the four VRCC members mentioned at the start of this article. We continued to post on the regional board, the VRCC calendar, Competition Accessories pages and smaller posts on the general message board. After talking with oZ about some details and suggestions, I was more enthused and encouraged about the event
Every day we had more responses to our posts and personal e-mails. I can't tell you how many late nights I spent sending messages to our membership to encourage attendance. We had set the date after checking to be sure there were no local college football games or other events to conflict with our group ride, and we also had to deal with weather.
As it turned out, the weather was our nemesis! Weather reports were calling for clear skies (NO RAIN, but we had a rain date!), but we had cool weather. VERY COOL weather, as in RECORD LOWS (40 degrees in the morning). This kept several away, but not the dedicated!!!
We had over 50 bikes in attendance, and the last count I heard was 47 VALKS in one place at one time. In INDIANA!!! Our goals were met, no, EXCEEDED by the great VRCC membership in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Florida and even an Oregon plate!!!
I did not personally get to greet everyone, but I hope they all had a part of the sheer joy I got from this gathering. I get goose-bumps (even now as I write this!) when I think about this group outing! The group meeting spot in Greenwood started small, then grew, and grew and grew as more and more bikes arrived!

We have photos and they will be available on our website soon, and we'll send them to oZ/Lamont for posting also if they want. After leaving for Nashville, it was an easy hour�s ride south. After we were there, we were met by Don Barnes from Ohio with his lovely S.O. Becky (on her own ride!) with two or three other couples in Nashville (our lunch gathering place)!
The looks on the people�s faces as we cruised into town (small village with a single main street and 20 mph limit!) was really amazing. They were totally awestruck!
Special thanks for arranging this event go to Scott Townsend for his tireless efforts and web mastering, Jim Morse for his encouragement and leadership (?) abilities!, Don Barnes for his help and guidance (also a drawing give-away), Hal & Chris for their generosity, oZ for his encouragement/generosity/wisdom and help, and especially for all you Midwest/Hoosier Valk riders for making our gathering something I'll always remember and cherish!
You are all GREAT! Looking forward to the next one! See you then...
Keep the shiny (painted) side up!!!
Paul (Hoosier Daddy) Weber VRCC #370, Indiana State Contact

2000 Covered Bridge Ride Report
We had 19 brave souls come out for the Sunday, October 29th, 2000 ride through Parke County, the Covered Bridge Capital of the US. Sixteen bikes (three were riding two up) and fifteen of them were Valkyries!
The early morning temperatures (we met in Bellmore, IN at 10-11am) were in the upper 30's and low 40's. When Mark Huntzinger and I arrived at the meeting place around 10AM, at the corner of US 36 & US 59 in Bellmore, there were already 6 or 7 bikes on site. From that point, we watched as the others showed up, mostly one by one.
Most arrived in full leathers, including their chaps, some with electric vests and all! I was even guilty of putting on my recently acquired chaps (from the State Ride IN to Nashville in September!).

Wasn't long till we were able to shed some of the extra warmth to allow for the warmer afternoon sun to keep us comfortable. The riders bikes included many two-toned Standards, several Interstates and a few Tourers. We even had Dave Sproul and his wife Cheryl from central Illinois with his 97 red & white custom that looks like an early design study for Honda's own Valk Interstate!
All told, the group included (at least the ones we could remember): Larry Beemer, Jim Tsareff, Phil Emerich (gr I/S), Rick M. (Y/B STD), Dave & Cheryl Sproul, Mark Huntzinger, Jim White (Sabre), Garvey? (from Greenfield), Steve Shea, Paul Weber, Jim Morse (ride organizer and leader), Don Gastineau, and Jeff Cole.
There were three others that we could not remember the names. Sorry, but it's hard to keep track! We need to do sign in's so that we can track who was who!
The sunshine during the afternoon was fabulous. You couldn't dial up a better late fall day. It was pointed out to those with CB's that it was likely that most of the trees were "PAST PEAK" color by our own 'agronomist', Jim "Shooter" Tsareff. He also pointed out (as he did in the fall Ride-IN) that "the sky was so beautiful; it looked like someone had painted it just for him". Responses ranged from groans to laughter. I posed a question to him about the brown field to our left (a cornfield that had already been harvested) as to whether the corn had peaked or not!!! He responded that it in fact had.
We all had plenty of time to kick the tires and look at new goodies, getting ideas for our next acquisitions. A short visit to Billie Creek Village was the first order of the day, then on to the downtown Square of Rockville, Indiana. The diner we stopped in was named "Weber's Family Restaurant"; no nepotism was involved, as they didn't even offer me a discount for my own lunch! I'm sure the food would have met with VFT-BOH (Valkoholic Food Tester-Band of Hooligans) member Tiny's approval, but in his absence, I, MGM-BOH (Minister of Good Meat) gave the food and ambiance two thumbs up, way up!!!
If you went away hungry, it was your own fault. After the lunch, we had our 50-50 drawing and luck was with member Mark Huntzinger of Bloomington.
Mark is usually riding with his daughter Meg, but she opted to sleep in on this brisk fall morning! Good thing Mark didn't! Several other potential riders had her sentiments and slept in also, as this was a frosty cold morn and it did keep some away!
Those who came along for the ride had a great day, even if the bulk of the riding was done getting to and from the meeting place. We all enjoyed the talk and fellowship as well as just examining all the things we could do with our bikes that somebody else has already tried. Exhaust systems were of great interest as there must've been 10 different systems present in our group! Even though there were several of the same basic bike (two tone 98's), not one of them was identical to the others due to customization.
Individuality, that's one thing that brings us all together, and makes us have this common lust for the fat lady! Looking forward to the next group ride, which may come along at any time, or maybe some time after the real Millennium kicks in?
Ride safe until then... Keep the shiny (painted!) side up...
Paul Weber (Hoosier Daddy) VRCC #370; Indiana State Contact MGM-BOH

2001 - Scouting road conditions for the 1st Inaugural Central Indiana (INDY) Parke County Covered Bridge Ride.

Highlander � Second Indiana Ride-In
It was a dark and stormy night, and the painters were frantically trying to complete a 12 hour job in 3 hours. The hands on the clock whirled past at a horrifying pace.
�We are going to miss the Indiana ride-in,� I screamed. It was 3:30 am on Friday 5 October 2001.
Quickly, I grabbed the clear coat and asked Valeria to stand back. �But, I�m not done,� she exclaimed... �The police will come by if that compressor wakes the neighbors.�
�I do not care; I will not miss this event for any reason. We can fix the paint when we get home.� At 4:30 am, Valeria having succumbed to the paint fumes, we decided it was time to rest. At 6:00 am, I started to reassemble the parts laying about the garage floor, and by 5:30 pm, it was time to don the leathers and head out into the cold, rainy, Southern Illinois weather. Valeria and I were on our way to Bedford, Indiana.
The air was a brisk 45 degrees, and the rain was pelting down as we pulled out onto the narrow streets of DuQuoin. The Valkyrie was warmed up and performing admirably as we hit IL 51 north, then IL 154, across the bridge over Rend Lake and I-57 North. The miles ticked away as we neared Effingham, and time to refuel, and get some hot coffee.
We headed down I-70 East until we reached Indiana. We pulled into the rest area at Exit 1 and drank some more coffee. I studied the Indiana map on the wall, and discovered a more exciting way to reach Bedford, Indiana, our goal for the evening.
I decided to take IN 46 to Bloomington, then take SR 37 to Bedford. The air grew colder as we neared our goal, but the landscape was lighted by the near full moon peeking through the clearing sky. The rains were over and it would be a great day to ride tomorrow. Five hours after we first roared into the rain and cold, after several rest area stops for hot coffee to warm our frozen fingers, we pulled into the Bedford �Super 8.�
�Are there a lot of early arrivals for the VRCC ride-in,� I asked the clerk.
�What is the VRCC ride-in?� she asked quizzically.
�We are not amused,� I exclaimed, with a slight hint of panic. �Where are the others who were to be here? This is the right motel, this is the right day, isn�t it?�
�Is there more than one �Super 8" in Bedford,� Valeria asked.
This is the only �Super 8" in Bedford. Here are your reservations,� the clerk answered with a yawn.
We unpacked the Valkyrie and raced upstairs to the room. A mad search through the phone book, a quick call to Domino�s pizza, and by 1:00 am, the delivery was complete. All that remained was to set the alarm for 7:00 am, and off to sleep.
The incessant buzzing of the alarm finally did its job, and I grabbed the phone to call �Hoosier Daddy.� �It�s Highlander,� I said as he answered... �What time do things begin today,� I asked.
�I will be right there and we will ride to Indy together,� he said. Within a short while, we were discussing the events of the day. The two Valkyries roared to life, and it was off to Indy, and the Indiana ride-in.
The nasty weather and long ride had taken its toll on the �Quickening�s� paint and chrome. Paul directed me to a car wash, and as I passed the wand over the surface of the bike, the highly polished front forks turned a dull gray. We raced to the gathering point, and I ran to the Sears Auto store for aluminum polish. Many present offered suggestions, but the store had some �Never-Dull� wadding that helped.
The weather was incredible. The sun shimmered in the clear blue sky, and the temperatures soared to sweltering 45 degrees � very pleasant riding weather, and excellent for ice cream. By noon, we rode en-masse to Nashville, Indiana, and received our instructions for the day. The many Valkyries gathered at Indianapolis, were complemented by a like number when we arrived in Nashville. It was like a large family gathering. Many faces we had met a year ago greeted us, and there were many new faces.
There were no strangers present, just some friends we had not yet met, and that great Hoosier hospitality was in ample supply. The plan was for smaller groups to follow the various routes skillfully planned and mapped by Larry Beemer, who rides a silver and black standard Valkyrie with totally awesome six-to-six pipes that sounded so sweet.
I know the pipes sounded so awesome, because Valeria decided that we came to ride, not shop, and we took the longest ride, led by this gentleman. I have to get those pipes.
We arrived at Ryan�s in Bloomington, Indiana right on schedule. The participants were in a room by themselves, and we had a great time. The many items gathered as prizes for the drawing were spectacular, including some really killer leather caps with purported magical qualities.
Parts for the Valks, chrome yo-yo�s, chrome underwear, 9-11 T-shirts, and an extra-large spandex tank top. Many different vendors participated by donating many wonderful prizes. Following the festivities, a group headed back to the Bedford motel.
Sunday morning started with a blessing of the bikes by �Hollywood� and two gentlemen from the Indiana Chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association. Then it was time for the group photo. Unfortunately, some had departed Saturday night, so the group looked smaller than it was. Then more prizes were drawn, and the pre-ride festivities ended by �Hoosier Daddy� presenting those who had not won anything, a prize. However, everybody was already a winner, because, in my humble opinion, everybody who attended the ride were winners. The various rides were the best prizes of all. I only regret that Valeria and I had to head home that morning, because I have to go to work at 3 am on Monday, and she has classes to attend.
We decided to travel a different path homeward, and we were rewarded with more spectacular fall colors along route 50 and 231 on our way to I-64. The �twisties� on 50 were a treat, and the scenery was breathtaking.
Valeria and I wish to thank �Hoosier Daddy� and the many Hoosier riders who helped in the planning and execution of this wonderful event. Paul remarked many times that he too was overwhelmed by the assistance provided by his members. It was obviously a group effort, and it was also evident that those present were very happy participants.
A heartfelt �Thank you� goes out to the planners and participants for making this annual event so memorable. It is easy to distinguish between an event and a labor of

Dave Ritsema
I have lots of memories, some better than others.
But certainly my FIRST VRCC memory was pulling up to the Hotel at InZane 1 all by myself after a 9 hour ride. I had never even been on more than a 4 hour trip before and didn't know a soul there except for some names from the message boards.
Sure wish I could remember the name of the first guy I met, really friendly older gentleman with a tie dye shirt and a maroon and cream standard like mine.
Shortly thereafter I met Don B, who was the event coordinator and kinda followed him around trying to make myself useful.
As the Valks kept pouring in I kept meeting more and more folks, and I left that place feeling like I made 800 new friends. Met Lamont, Hal, Dragbars, Mosa, Vicki, RJ, the list goes on and on. Everyone I met was really nice and made me feel like part of the family.
Promised myself I would come back each year, and have been lucky enough to do it so far.

Cattman
I lurked on the boards for 9 months before finding Blue Ice in Jacksonville FL in Feb,2002 I flew down from Indy and bought the bike and made it to Daytona Sunshine Mall the next day for the first day of bike week.
Met Lamont, Hal, Chris and many others and then had the ride of my life back home to Indiana on the first day of March. 6 hours of thunderstorms in Florida followed by temps down to 30 degrees by the time I got to Birmingham and 8 degrees when I pulled in the garage. Rode to IZ2 with Sarge, RJ, Blackdog and others and then met Mosa, DB, Vicki and the wild Canadians.
Then the past 2 years at the Hoot and Lamont's BBQ I had the chance to introduce my wife to many more new friends, Highlander, Yogi, Rocket and their special Dad Big Ern, V-man, Holmes, Big Jon and Leann, and Lamont's special lady Chris. Lamont is a special person to all of us and we all owe him many thanks for his love of all motorcycles and putting up with all of us.

Editor�s Note
By looking at the countless enthusiastic responses on the board, the DRU has recently become one of the great events to be. As Rams put it in 2017:
The DRU is a wonderful event, IMHO the focus is on the right things with a ride added in for fun.
I always try to make the DRU, the camaraderie is the event focus. We all love our bikes and I enjoy the hell out of riding mine and seeing others but, I go for the wonderful people that attend.
That my friends, is what gets me to an event. While I enjoy a spirited ride now and then as much as anyone, almost every time one occurs, someone ends up dumping a bike and getting hurt. My "spirited rides" are always when I'm solo or, when I'm riding with someone that I've shared a lot of wind with and know how they ride. Large group rides should be done at the speed limit or, at the capability of average riders. I consider myself an average rider. This is how Steve leads his rides and I fully support his method.

DRU 2015 � Over 70 Riders from 10 States Rams
Just got home from The Dragon Round Up. One of the best organized motorcycle events I've been to. The roads were great, the friends/family were wonderful. Rainman and Gavin did an excellent job of working out the details. Thanks Steve and Gavin. I sincerely appreciate the effort you went to.
Gavin_Sons
We also just got home. This was biggest ride yet, on Saturday we had 64 bikes on the ride. A little drizzle a few times and a little rain during our lunch stop, but over all a great day. These things could not happen without you guys. Thanks for putting in the miles. Hope it's even better next year
Regis
This was a great event, wish I would have had more time to spend and the ride was the best 1 yet . Steve goes to a lot of work putting this on and it shows by the distance people travel to be there. Was cool to see the bike "ALI" and talk to DDT about it 1st hand. What a great story there. I�ve noticed that a lot of other brand bike forums come and go but the VRCC is still a thriving group. Hope everyone got home safe!
JoeValkIS
What a GREAT weekend!!! Thanks to Rainman for setting this up. This was Monica and my first Round-up and it won't be our last. It was a great time, the weather was (mostly) excellent!! And it was good meeting the folks...seeing old friends...and making new ones.
For us, it was a 798.5 mile weekend...and we only hit a total of 8 miles of interstate. The back roads through Illinois and Indiana were fabulous!!! Here are a few pictures I took from the ride on Saturday.

Jabba
Some things I proved while at the DRU...
You can do tight circles and figure 8's on a Valk with a Car Tire in the parking lot.
300 lb. men CAN do cartwheels while intoxicated.
Jabba can drink enough to get intoxicated.
Just because you drink tequila, it does NOT guarantee waking up in the morning with one or more of the following:
In Jail.
With your nose splattered all over your face.
In bed with a fat girl.
I also confirmed that the VRCC is an awesome bunch, and we can party and have a great time without fighting or causing any serious trouble.

Gavin_Sons
There was a few hairy moments with wet leaves on the road but we all managed. We had right at 100 people show up. It was raining the morning of the ride so only 46 bikes went with us. The others met us at Lunch. I'd say there was a total of around 75 bikes. It was and is always a great time. Lots of lies were told and even fixed a couple bikes in the parking lot. Can't wait �til next year. Gig
I want to thank everyone that went the extra mile to bail me out Friday.
Needed to go 320 miles to reach Ground Zero that day, but battery & alternator decided to take a crap at the 300 mile mark around 5pm. Called Gavin and told him the situation, he let me know that Bill Bakin had a spare alternator I could use. Cool.
I had two (2) embedded mechanics with me, so Ryan ran to auto parts store and scored a new battery while Ben & I pulled all non-essential fuses so we could shoot for a quick sprint to GZ before the new battery died. Just made it. Cool.
Ben & Ryan are both good mechanics, but neither had done a Valkyrie alternator job before, so I allowed them to gain knowledge of that job on my bike in the parking lot.
Gordon, Bill Bakin, and others assisted with Mitcho adding technical supervision. Roger da Bull added tools and even a battery charger (we ran the power cord through his hotel room window all night for the charger!). A true group effort, LuLu & Wimp even provided the liquid refreshment.
Thanks to one and all for getting my sorry ass back on the road! You guys rock!
Now I need to get alternators repaired and get Bill's loaner back to him
Thanks again.

DRU 2017 by Kep
This had to be the best DRU yet. Excellent weather, great ride , great people , great food. My daughter and her fianc�e now know why we attend , they thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. A great big thanks to Steve and Diana and everyone that has a hand in putting this together, we are truly blessed to call you family ! I really hope my daughter�s wedding doesn't interfere with next year�s DRU. Would sure hate to miss it. I am seriously considering having another Northern Indiana ride-in near the end of October at my place like I did last year...I will give a good heads up. Thanks again for such a great time in Corydon

Dalai Lama
I joined the VRCC in 2000 and met Randy Govertsen who was the CT VRCC chapter leader. The CT VRCC chapter leader previous was non-responsive and nothing was happening, so Randy petitioned to oZ and Lamont to take over the chapter and did so. Randy joined the other VRCC representatives who pretty much decided that we were really a New England group about that time.
Because each state here in New England is pretty small and within a (sometimes long) day�s ride, each state pretty much sponsored a couple of rides per season.
So people from all over would go to Maine on one weekend for a �Pie Lady� (pies were on the kitchen counter and you went in an helped yourself and left money in a box) ride up in the north woods of Maine, another weekend CT would put on a poker run, another weekend a ride to Newport VT, later in the fall an October Fest ride up in VT, and NH a pumpkin festival ride, etc. You get the idea.
During the winter months, the CT VRCC chapter representative, Ron Bouchard (who no longer has a Valkyrie but is still quite active), setup a series of breakfast gatherings once a month here in CT and we regularly get folks coming from NH and MA, etc. Pretty much once during February we have a gathering of the New England folks, the early years were in Plymouth MA, and lately have been in Portland ME. We end up with probably 25 to 50 members showing up for these events.
We became a close-knit family over the years. We have watched each other�s kids grow up, celebrated triumphs over adversities, and mourned our tragedies.
The New England forum was/is the means of us staying together. A core group of folks have been friends for nearly 18 years through the VRCC. Many have moved on from the Valkyrie to other rides, but are still members, friends, and riders.
At ring of a phone, most all here will drop anything to go help a fellow rider. For example, my pickup and trailer were used by a friend (I was on vacation) to go help a fellow rider that went down in Baie-Comeau Canada, a 750-mile one-way trip.
The New England forum is how we stay in touch. We pretty much police ourselves on the board and try to stay positive and not let things like politics come into play

Orca - My first New England VRCC ride
My fascination with the Honda Valkyrie started long before the bike hit the showroom floor. I had V90 Honda Magna that I bought new at Green River Power Sports in Gill, MA.
I was reading magazines about the new Valkyrie and couldn't wait to see one in person. I went to the Honda dealer in Auburn, MA and asked when they would be getting one.
I went there the same week it was delivered. WOW, I had to have one. I signed up to the VRCC just to hear about other riders and their bikes. I was a member for well over a year before I got my Valkyrie.
I looked on the NE board and read about this ride going to Marcus Dairy in CT. A bunch of riders were all meeting in Marlboro, MA, then head to CT.
Well I got on my bike and headed out. Just before the meeting spot I figured to top off the tank so I'm ready for the trip. I'm on Rt. 20 filling my tank at a gas station by myself.
I hear someone yell from the other side of Rt. 20, at another gas station, "Hey, buddy, are you going on the ride to Marcus Dairy?" I said "Yes�, and they said for me to come over after you fill up and we'll ride to the meeting spot. Cool. I pull into the gas station were these four bikes were and noticed they all have Maine plates on the back of the bikes.
I thought to myself, either Marcus Dairy has the best cheeseburgers in the nation, or these guys are just nuts. They all introduced themselves. Olaf, Laddyboy, JeffL & V-Man.
So off we went. We get to the meeting spot and I park the bike. Not knowing anyone I start to wipe the bike down and clean my glasses. Within minutes there was fifteen or so Valkyries in the parking lot. I thought that was the coolest thing. You always see Harley's together or Goldwings... but this bike had something special about them, I didn't realize until later what that was. Just then, I guy all dressed up in his biker gear, he looks like Alice Cooper, comes over to me with a box of fresh pastries from a bakery and say's "Dig in"...... I'm thinking, I'm going to like this club!!!! We haven't ridden one mile yet and we're already eating!!!! Valkrocket was his name.
Then I meet Tangeman. I see him eat like six of these pastries; I think I'm going to like this group. These guys are crazy. They ride hundreds of miles for food.
After some ball busting, we all gear up and headed out. The ride was a full day and everyone made me feel like I've been part of the group for years.
I've never looked back..........
Since that first ride I've been to Zanesville, OH for InZane 1, Key West, Canada, & 21 states in 15 days. Road trips that will be remembered for a life time.
It didn't take long before I realized what was so special about these bikes. It wasn't the bikes; it was the people who ride them. A member from the club once told me, that we don't have to see or talk to each other for months and he can call me just to tell me I'm a "Fat Bastid�, that's it.....and we all laugh..... but it's true.
I hope to be back on two wheels very soon and continue this journey.

After a few winter meetings at various places, the archives mention Marcus Dairy's �Super Sunday� on Sunday, April 15th 2001.

Rabbai
Well the title just about covers it all. Sunday, certainly was SUPER.............
VRCC members from all over New England were there to catch the "deals" and the "rays". Yes, it was hot! Connecticut set records for not only its temperatures (92� an all-time high for the day), but also its humanity. The Humanitarian Award of the year (NE-VRCC Style, of course), goes out to the Connecticut Yankee, who after finding out about ValkRocket's electrical problems, loaded Ron�s bike onto a trailer and drove Ron and TwoMaidens back to Plymouth, Mass.
After a well-deserved dinner the Connecticut Yankee headed home, not returning till 2:30 AM the next morning. Of course, had ValkRocket not been held back by that "RustBucket" he probably would not have developed the alternator problem to begin with. Way to go Don Hibbard!!!!! You sir, are the essence of what makes this New England Valkyrie Riders Cruisers group, the best there is.
I read in the Danbury news that they estimated between 10 and 12 thousand bikers made the trek to Marcus Dairy�s Super Sunday, another record.
I sure hope all of you get to experience the Super Sunday some time when you�re looking for something to do on a lazy Sunday morning.

The Adventures of the New England VRCC
Take a look at this great website with trip reports and some very nice pictures from wayback
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/

Mystic/Abbots Ride � Randy "Rabbai" G and the Mrs.
We had a delightful trip out to Mystic via all sorts of back roads (and one bad move on my part which led us into a "dead end - with a view") touring a lot of Connecticut's coast line and ocean views. Abbott's turn out (once again) to be a big hit and the ride home was fantastic. Thanks to Buffalo Bill for sharing his knowledge of the local area and leading us down that terrific Route 217. It's five miles of pure ... I want to do that again, but faster!!!
Thanks too, to Clue Collector for leading us to a great spot (one of his afternoon favorites), Harry's in Colchester, for "more" ice cream and refreshments on the trip home. To those of you here in Connecticut who didn't make the trip, if you had the day off and chose not to come, you blew it. I believe everyone had a great time.

Depot Honda-Rye, New Hampshire � VMan
Don "V-Man" Chembars posted on the NE Bulletin Board that there was going to be a few motorcycles at the open house at Depot Honda in Rye, New Hampshire.
Little did that tidbit declare the storm of motorcycles that over took the place that day. You could tell by the hoard of bikes that motorcyclists were tired of the long cold winter and were not about to let an opportunity for a gathering pass them by. VRCC Members "guestamated" at about 40 - 50 showed up and just "covered" half of the parking lot. For the Dalai-Lama, the BoZ, the Clue-Collector and I, it was a fantastic 2 � hour, 80 MPH ride up, to near the Portsmouth Circle and the same coming back.
What a terrific way to "bring in the New Year". CJ (Dragon 1) showed off his latest chrome goodies, and new VRCC members were met and greeted, some for the first time.
If V-Man posts this for next year, I suggest you find the time.... it�s a fun ride.
Of course, the annual Inzanes were not the only place where Valkyrie Riders would meet. Dozens of rides were organized by the Chapters as well as by individuals, within or thru special Biker events every year like the �Covered Bridge Ride� in Indiana and other States, "Cheaha Mountain Rally� in Alabama �Dragons On The Beach� and �Valhalla�, multiple State events successively in Florida and the NW.

My first group VRCC ride I did was "Covered Bridge" hosted by JJ and Snowdog (Jack and Andrea). This ride was a New Hampshire ride but living in a border State we joined in.
I met some very good people that remain friends today.
New England was full of riders at that time ... I've ridden 250+ miles just to get to the departure point many times! Many of us agreed that we needed to have a BIG get together that was somewhat of a "central location" and easy to get to. After talking to all the State Reps at the time (DC, Smitty, JJ, Olaf) it was decided Southern Maine would be a good spot. I live about as Southern Maine as possible so I offered my house/yard. Thanks to "O", Kim and my girls we put out a good spread of food, music and plenty of laughs. This became known as the "Annual BBQ" but I think it only went a total of three years (times change not always for the better).
After the BBQ I lead a seacoast NH/ME ride and we stopped for some photo ops. I wish I had a better camera at the time and I also wish I had more experience editing pics ... they could have been better!
I've met a lot of really great people that I consider "family" through the VRCC for that I am thankful. Many of us don't own a Valk anymore and some did not own a Valkyrie when I met them (but do now)!

Redvalk
Between the BBR, the VRCC, the Southern Cruisers, the Rune group.....and yes, even to a certain extent, even my early days with the VOA....I have so many fond memories I wouldn't know where to start. I've been to every InZane...worked on the Staff lately (and enjoyed the heck out of that) ...been to many Hoots and Daytona�s over the years where I have met up with so many of you I can't mention all of ya'. Now I can be hanging out at just about any major rally...just hanging out on Main St....and folks I know will come by and say hi. That�s GREAT!
But I actually think I have even more fun at the smaller rallies (by both the VRCC and the other groups). The Helens, the Panama City Beach rally, the Cheaha rally I put on, the first BBR rally in Ashville. I really like going to those smaller regional rallies.... cause it seems like you get to do much more face time with more people.
I like that. At bigger rallies, it seems like folks kind of pair off into groups of folks they know and hang out. When the rally is say more like 100 folks or so.... seems like everybody just kind of acts like one big happy family!
I just know over the years.... thru ALL these organizations...I�ve met some mighty fine folks...and have been fortunate enough to gain a lot of lifelong friends.

The Massachusetts Chapter is also one of the members of the VRCC New England Chapter. In New England, we like to refer ourselves as a one big family and therefore, most of our functions and rides are planned on a regional level with members attending from all over New England. One of the goals of this website is to try to bring together more members from Massachusetts in order to have a better representation of the Bay State in our various activities. Remember, the more we are the more fun we have!

The 'Yankee Siege' catapult is actually called a "Trebuchet". It is a counterweight, gravity driven machine with a sling at the end of a long throwing arm. Trebuchets are thought to have been developed first in China, refined in the Middle East and refined again in Europe.
Trebuchets would be built on the site of an actual battle campaign. The materials would be gathered locally and the machine would be constructed about 250 yards away from the castle wall. This distance was just out of reach of the bow and arrows that the defenders would use. When the trebuchet was completed, it would hurl huge rocks at the castle walls. Castle walls would range from 6 feet to 15 feet thick. The rock projectiles would weigh about 250lbs each. Repeated firings of the machine would hurl the rocks at the same spot on the castle walls until the walls themselves were pulverized. A gap in the castle wall would then allow the attackers to enter the castle and lay siege to the occupants.
For two hundred years, 1300-1500, the trebuchet was the ultimate military siege weapon. The invention of the cannon, around 1500 A. D., spelled doom for the trebuchet.

David's Teddy Bear Run was a large success! David was an awesome guy and was lost way too soon!

Our prayers are with David, Botman and Dave and their families � We will never forget

9Ball
There was a small NJ contingent that got together frequently when the VRCC was a young club and the Valkyrie was still in production.
Dan Stocker was the first State Leader...then Pack Rat

Oss in 2013
Dan Stocker passed away about 4-5 yrs ago (andym: spring 2008) of a sudden heart attack. He was always willing to share his knowledge of these bikes and is missed for that and his friendship

2010 mhalloc � New Jersey to Nashville.....Natchez Trace....Back to New Jersey
What a GREAT ride!!! Total Miles - 2,452 States Visited - New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi
Cool Roads - Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway, Natchez Trace
Parks (sites) Visited - Shenandoah Valley National Park, McGavock Confederate Cemetery. Shiloh Battlefield
Memorable Events - Watching my Dad fly his R/C model airplanes, visiting my sister's horse farm, Music by Lee (??) in Luray, Hearing my brother-in-law�s band in Nashville
Valk Sighting - I/S on 109 bypass in Gallatin, TN on Saturday, May 29th, 9:30 A.M.

2014 - andym
There are lots of NJ Riders and yes we are all busy and its hard to find the time to gather BUT ..........I can say with certainty that some of the nicest folks I have ever met are Valkyrie owners. I have been a member of other groups and found there was always a good percentage of macho a**holes in the group but never with the VRCC and VOA . I would like to propose that we locate a diner or place to meet on Sundays about once a month during the nice weather somewhere central to the folks in North and South . I realize there are some folks way north and way south so maybe it would make more sense to do a north and south gathering?
I have tried to get a list of active Valk riders in NJ but got a limited number of responses . If you guys are open to this idea I can post the list I have and see who is interested. Im thinking the best idea is to get 2-3 guys who will meet and then post the Sunday breakfast meetings on this website and hope more people join us as time goes on. We can do a ride after breakfast ..Thoughts?
Some places I can�t think of for breakfast (We can shortlist 5-6 places and rotate)
The Clarksburg Inn - Millstone
The Cabin -Howell
The Pavillion in Avon (NJ Shore)
Dan and I went to a beautiful old cabin in the Pinelands past the Vincetown Diner for pancakes
I need a show of hands and some input . I don't mind doing the work and organizing but I need to know there is an interest

Our mission is simple. It is to ride the "dragon"! It is to establish friendships with others, promote freedom of expression, and preserve our right to ride. Don't be mislead! There are those that would have your bike look like a metal box on two wheels!
Our chapter encourages brother/sisterhood among all motorcyclists. For no matter what kind of bike one rides, there remains a common ground. But for those of us that have chosen the Valkyrie, there has been an awe-inspiring experience that cannot be denied. For it is a motorcycle that blends beauty and performance, power and strength, speed and agility! And because of the hard work of others, and the loyal owners of the "dragon", we have the VRCC. A club that has made it possible for Valk enthusiasts to meet and ride with others, to communicate and participate from coast to coast and even around the world! Our NY chapter wishes all other chapters the very best and safe riding year after year. Ride on!

Dino
Years ago I was President of the NY State Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC) For several years we hosted a "Meet and Eat" event for members attending Americade in Lake George NY., one of the largest MC gatherings in the country every year. Here's a pic of a customized Honda Valkyrie. The bike is iconic, powerful, and can be customized in unique ways. Incredible bike!

Burnt Rubba
The day�s events will begin at Roaring Brook Ranch with the Valkyrie Judging... A ride of 75 +/- miles is planned following the judging, motoring through the Adirondacks rolling twisties!!! This should be Awesome!!!!
Following the ride we head towards Warrensburg to the BBQ location.
If you cannot make the ride, the BBQ is scheduled from 1pm till 4pm...
At the closing of the BBQ we can all ride down to Canada St. Friday evening for some site seeing and adventure...Canada St. in the evening can be much like Daytona or Laconia...
Fireworks are scheduled at 9:30 pm @
Prospect MT. But again, only registered Americade participants can climb the MT. Watching them from below is just as spectacular!!!!
This promises to be a great event, but only if you join in the fun!!! Meet VRCC members from all over for this one!!!

Dino
The past two years we have met at the Mobil Station on 9n South, just a 1/2mile from the Valkyrie Judging at Roaring Brook Ranch. Last year, with over 140 riders, the Mobil Station was a problem as we jammed traffic and had a difficult time getting started safely. We proceded up the Northway (87)to mile post marker 63 where there is a good sized rest stop and we reorganized and then continued with our ride. I believe this is the best spot to START the ride. The rest stop is at mile post marker 63 about three miles north of exit 23. I am looking to have a "roach coach" there to serve everyone coffee, water, juice, whatever, to hold folks off until the bbq. The bbq will again be at Schroon Valley Resort off of exit 24. Check out our NY website for the info or e mail me. This year we will have a DOUBLE food line to get everyone through much faster and we should have individual road captains for each group of 30 or so bikes with each captain knowing the route. Ride will start at 11:30am instead of 11am. I will change the flyer and get that out to everyone. Ride safe and hope to see you there! Ed Mulligan will be one Road Captain and we are looking for others...I can only ride part way due to preparations for the bbq, which will be the best ever and the best deal in town for $10.00...Hope to see you there!

Oss - (Ossining) NY Chapter Rep
AKA known as ossiningvalkyrie in the old chatroom. Shftr and others asked me to shorten it to ossvalk and for a few years ..around the time of d.o.t..s. Oss became my handle.
Oss is a very active Rider and has maintained a great weblog with nice trip reports, videos and pictures
https://ossvalkyrieride2014.wordpress.com/category/oss-rides-west/

It is indeed unusual, actually a miracle if I stop long enough to ponder it but it is true nevertheless
Due to the fact that someone on a Valkyrie parked next to my 750 Vulcan at Americade I avoided a big mistake.
Instead of getting the brand new 1500 Nomad that I had all but put a deposit down on, I got to hear the dragon song and lust after my own machine
I showed a picture of an Interstate (altho the one I saw was a black standard) to my wife who immediately noted that the back seat looked "wonderful" and would I mind getting one
Who has a wife like that to say get yourself one of those Valkyrie's so we can ride off into the beyond together
So I did, and now on my 2nd and 3rd ones having had all 3 years of Interstates the 99 has 170000 and my 01 has only 108000 (got it with 3000)
And this club, to be able to be welcomed into a family of wonderful open hearted people, some of whom do speak kinda different, but who all are just the best folks you could meet

Can�t remember the last time I had this much fun with a group of people.
Friday was just an awesome day with a best of the Hudson valley that folks have been talking about all weekend, Croton Dam from below and from the walkway, 301 to Cold Spring, the tunnel on 9D, the Goat Trail, Cliff Road from West Point to Bannerman Island overlook, Perkins Memorial Drive Seven Lakes Drive and great fellowship.
Guess who came for dinner Friday and moved in. Gig from Michigan who just started a job in Jersey, but he is gone now to ride a 10 speed thru NYC
Got to share great times with BigD and Little D from near Buffalo, see Dyno Dave from Wappingers Falls, Dan-Bury from Ct, Karen from Mass and Ron-Bou from (where is he from anyways lol), meet Matt and Lynn from Mass, my good friends, Rick and Deb from Shippensburg PA and Chrome and Sue from London Ontario, meet Stewart & Kristin (D's brother and fianc� from Lagrangeville NY
Saturday we added my friend Bonzo from Chester NY (Mazel Tov on your daughters upcoming wedding)and my good riding buddy G-Man and his son Eric (Cheryl, Gman's lovely wife and daughter Keiko came later in the evening)

Saturday ride we went straight up 9 to the Goat Trail and over the Bear Mtn bridge where Bonzo was waiting and he led us all into 7 Lakes to Arden Drive and 17A, across the ski area ridge roads the back way to the Delaware Water Gap Port Jervis and up to Hawks Nest and lunch 30 miles beyond. IT poured at lunch but only sprinkled on us for about half an hour on the way back.
A stop at Orange County Choppers where Chrome got Sue a T shirt that he will have to say what it says cause I am a gentleman but it sure is a nice shirt.
We took 84 to the Taconic back home and Bonnie and I prepared a nice spread for dinner. Was a fine evening and day.
Yesterday was supposed to be T storms all day so we took 3 cars to NYC and the sun was out all the way. We boarded the Circle Line at 11 and what a terrific view and experience if you have never had the opportunity it�s one of the great values in NYC, and a fine 2 hours on the water and feeling the breezes in the harbor.

Outdoor lunch at a diner on 10th Ave and then back to the docks where the line for Intrepid was too much so we went back home for ice cream and telling of tall tales till dinner. The rain started as we drove home and it was a good thing we had the cars. NYC is tough sometimes even for me and for folks from small town America or Canada it could have been a bad scene. Sometimes prudence is best and it was in this case.
Thanks everyone who came. Hope you had as much fun as I did and see some of you in 2 weeks at the Blue Grey

JoeValkIS
Marcia and I rolled in this evening about 7:15p CST from our first PowWow. We left London, ON this morning around 7:00 EST and arrived home 13 hrs. later with a mere 711 miles (10 hrs. 54 min moving time). For the weekend, we logged 2011 miles. Not bad for a 6-day vacation.
We want to thank our gracious host and hostess, Adrian and Suzanne, and their boys, Adrian Jr and Jacob, for all your very hard work in pulling off an excellent time. We also want to thank Dougger and Sandi for hosting us on our wet trip up to London.

Storms chased us out of St. Louis early Wednesday morning and didn't catch us until we got to Ft. Wayne, IN. And when they caught us, they hit with a vengeance. We finally made it to Dougger's house near Ann Arbor late that evening appearing a lot like drowned rats. Our drive from there to London went MUCH less eventful. Heck, even the border crossing was without incident.
Dinner Thursday night was EXCELLENT!!! Those steaks were HUGE!!! And expertly prepared. Thanks Rick for being the appointed grill master.
During the ride on Friday, my bike developed a nasty grinding noise/feel. Once we got back from the ride, we tore into it only to find the left rear wheel bearing was toast. Our attempts to pull the bearing was met with frustration and I ended up having to take the wheel to the local Honda dealer to have them pull the outer race out of the wheel. About an hr. later, and only $20 lighter (including a new dust seal...we had a bearing), the wheel was ready to go back on the bike. It was a great ride once the bike was back together...

Today was an uneventful day, other than the heat and the 711 miles (which is Marcia's longest day ever on a bike). She did great but is paying the price with a sore hiney.
It was very good seeing our old friends, meeting new friends, and riding with both. Thanks so much for opportunity to see the London areas.

Hotdog
I've had a couple of trips that I think I will never forget (for the right reasons). A solo journey that was just me and machine for 1000 miles on day one. Lonely but precisely what I needed at the time. Then there was the trio of valkyries scorchin the asphalt on the way to Daytona. Mosa, George and me, Ethan.

Lamont, you just had to start this thread the day after I filled up the tanks on both bikes and treated them with Stabil! You cut me deep brother, you cut me deep.
Hey Mosa, I have five weeks vacation next year..

2016 - Columbus Weekend Ride by Oss
Yesterday was a lot of fun but I took just a few pics. From here at home we were 11 bikes if I remember,
The colors made a substantial improvement with the cool temps of Friday night and Saturday saw reds popping and burnt oranges on the goat trail, all thru the 7 Lakes Drive and 106
The reflections off of the lakes on either side were serene and as expected we saw no traffic.
Also as expected I made a right on 94 instead of a left and Dan caught me and made a left onto a side street and the rest of the group did not. I rode about 5 miles down the road and found them at a pull out and we regrouped only losing about 20 minutes or so,
Pine Island highway, really just a street stretches all the way to route 6 winding thru black soil farm country and then 6 is downhill like lolo pass only much shorter down to Port Jervis

We stopped down the road for the 1st scheduled break at Hawks Nest and then xman led to a gas station in PA as Harry and The Bull did not fill up before we left. It worked out as we all topped off and emptied bladders that may have been full at the Exxon
Looking at the time we went further west instead of north on 55 to that good restaurant overlooking the Delaware River and that stop was a long stop as only one waitress working,
By then its afternoon and we only had gone 90 something miles so considering some had driven already 3 hrs. to get to my house I decided Not to head up into the catskills and risk getting back at 8pm, NJf6Cowboy and MHallock rode home to Jersey from the lunch stop and Xman lived only 10 minutes away so he split as well

We took 97 back to Hawks Nest for another look from another pullout then 84 to 17 to 6 6 is a great climb and then a long descent over the Shawgunk chain which stretches to Mohonk and New Paltz before becoming the Catskills Colors were popping and since Meathead and Brenda missed it yesterday we rode up to Perkins where we enjoyed a nice stop
Bonnie said when I called her it had just started to rain in Ossining so we headed home and caught no rain at all.
Dinner at a Portuguese restaurant and I will let Meathead talk about the ride home. Baldo by the way arrived as we were leaving our house for dinner in the mommyvan so he climbed in as well.
Now it�s still raining windy but should stop in an hour or so. So the ride will go on but probably closer to 11am as when I was out at 8 in was slippery with wet leaves
Thanks to all who came

Oss-Hudson River Ride
Like HarryC said in the other thread I had a great time
The folks that put in the effort and the miles to come is what makes the ride so great

Today we headed up the goat trail in some pretty fair fog and upon crossing Bear Mountain Bridge and looking up I made the call to head to Fort Montgomery, (below the fog line) which was the site of a bloody battle 240 years ago today for control of the Hudson River.
Luck was with us as today was a re enactment and there were camps set up on site of the fort grounds including a Scottish - British group and of course our Colonials with tools and things they used at the time. Very cool stuff. After walking over to the cannon emplacements with the commanding view of the turn in the river I walked over to the re enactors in a few areas.
I got a lesson on the 75 caliber musket long gun (cant wait to see the pics) from what was supposed to be Scottish (but the reenactors were Irish lol) and I think we all had so much fun that the ride became well behind schedule asap. But who cares
(except for Stan and xman waiting on the route lol)

Climbing over route 6 the fog broke the sun became bright and the view of the valley beckoned us onward to route 208 where
we saw Stan waiting for us next to his magnificent Valkyrie Interstate (one of my favorite valks I have ever seen) and we headed north on 208 to 52 around Walden NY
Next stop was at the top of the Shawangunk mountain where the fog had also burned off and the view was stunning from the overlook
About half an hour later we found xman at the turn for Claryville Rd and headed for the covered bridge which eluded me for a spell, No fear after a change in direction we made it there and it was definitely a covered bridge
Claryville Road into Frost Valley Road from 55 to 28 is about 25 miles long and was epic as Harry said, just yellows burnt oranges and reds and riding mile after mile no traffic no other vehicles just us and the road in the woods This is now my favorite road for its solitude, incredibly long length free of any stop sign or road crossing, diversity and sheer quantity of twists and turns one can take at whatever speed feels best to the rider.

Same with heading up 42 from the 28 turn off climbing mile after mile with stunning reds and yellow on mountains and hills.
It rained during the lunch stop and Stan and Tom split off from there as they live well west of the Hudson. The road was slick descending into the canyon by Catskill NY east of Tannerville but the Taconic was dry the whole way No speed appreciation awards but the cops were out.

Ice cream after a stop at Croton Dam (upper and lower) where we got pics of a B24 flying overhead ! And then I got some help putting LED's into my fog lites then dinner at the Portugese restaurant
Now the crew has gone and all are heading home at 1st light

Thank you Jim, Bob, Craig, Mark, Larry aka George, Harry, Stan, Tom and of course my wingman G-Man for helping make this ride weekend It truly was epic and it felt great finally getting to show off this 250 + mile route to southerners and new englanders
Next year I hope to do this again Can�t wait to see the pics which I hope Jim and the others will post once they get home.

2003 Charlie Cavanaugh
The Delaware VRCC Chapter has been here since its inception back in early 2001. We have engaged our members into meeting for different rides and events. We met in the beginning, but since we are spread across the whole state, sometimes it was difficult to get together. Last year I sent out emails to all our members to invite them to a "Bike Night" they have every Wednesday night at the New Castle Hooters located on route 13 near the New Castle County Airport. Before the summer ended we had a couple of good get-together's. One night we ended up with 10 or 12 Valks not only from Delaware, but also New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Met quite a few members at Hooters Bike Night and had a real good time. There are a lot of awesome Valks out there!!

I am the local chapter leader for the VRCC. We are located in the Saginaw, Bay City, Midland area of Michigan but also cover areas from Flint and all places beyond.
We are primary a Valkyrie club with over 900 members in Michigan and 30,000 members worldwide, however we do not discriminate on what kind of motorcycle you ride, everyone is welcome to ride with

MI Chapter has a significant number of Valkyrie Riders with lots of activities, during its history divided into

Capitol City by Gary Swan
Macomb by Bill/Julie
Rogue Riders by Gary aka "Romeo"
Southern by Greg
Southeast by John aka "bounty hunter" followed by Momz
Genesee - Shiawassee by Norm
Grand Rapids by Gary �Stitch� House
Northern MI by David �Timberwolf� Spencer
Tri-Cities by Joe �Riding Dragon� Errante
St Claire by Joe van Poucker
Washtenaw/Wayne by Brian "GiG" Leggieri

Note from the editor
An apology is at order. Michigan is a very active Chapter with lots of great stories by RTAZ and other members of annual St. Ignace-, Bunkers Picnic, Fall- and various other rides. Unfortunately, the majority of pics are stored by Photo Bucket and not accessible for non-registered members. In order to keep the history readable, I decided to omit all stories w/o public pics. Additions are always welcome info@vrcc.nl Let�s make Michigan complete!

RTaz
Our Tri-City Chapter has ridden over 5000 miles in group rides in 2005. We start the season out with a BBQ at my place in Bridgeport around the 1st Sunday in May. We have had an organized ride in June, to the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. We rode around Lake Superior in July, and to Paducah Kentucky. In August we rode to St. Ignace, Michigan for the weekend. September is our Lumbermans Monument BBQ and October is our Fall Color Tour to Traverse City.

ValkGS
We are located in the Lansing/Mason area, but our members are from Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Jackson and Clinton Counties. We are a new Chapter, (one of seven Chapters in Michigan) just getting started. While we love our Valkyrie motorcycles, all bikes and brands are welcome - it's the 'good folks' camaraderie we're lookin� for!! Come ride with us!!

Michigan Madness
Michigan Madness 2007 was held in Mason in May. This was the first event sponsored by the new Capital Chapter. We met at the "City Limits�, had a great lunch, 50/50 drawings, door prizes, blessing of the bikers then rode to Jackson for ice cream. A great time was had by all!

Winter Blahs� setting in yet? Well, by Feb they�re going to be hard to deal with� so why not come to the ALL STATE WINTER GATHERING? Every member and friend of the VRCC is welcome. We�ll have door prizes, 50/50 drawings, presentations to make, calendars to coordinate, food to eat, me to make fun of, and great people to enjoy a great time with. PLEASE let me know if you�re planning on coming so I can make the best arraignments possible. Email me with any questions you may have at Rtazvalk@sbcglobal.net Where? Soaring Eagle Inn & Conference Center Mt Pleasant MI www.hiresort.com When? Feb.7th 2009 Here are some of the particulars, we�ll meet at 3:00-5:00 pm for social hour, we�ll eat about 5-5:30�Dinner Buffet will be available for under $20. Prime Rib and Shrimp are featured. During dinner we�ll begin the �meeting� portion.
We�ll be finished by 7:00ish. Then Boomer�s Lounge will be open with DJ featuring Classic Rock type music, nice dance floor, and a great bar.
You could spend the night if you want to; I�ve gotten a room rate of $109 if you mention the VRCC.

Stitch
Just wanted to say THANKS to all who came out and enjoyed our Poker Ride today, there were about 35 all together, and I think all had a great time. Weather started out stupendous, warm & sun-shiny - then 'Michigan' happened ... what can I say??
Congrats to Ray (happened to be a Wing rider) who won the poker hand for $165, and to Jim T. for the worst hand - still netted him $65. Then we gave out $95 in various prizes.
Had about 20 raffle prizes, and some THANKS to Adrian, who donated several patches from his store, and to Scottie who had a couple tool kits to offer. Dawn, Scott & Bernie had the privilege to split up the BUG SPLAT contest - BIG bucks here!!
Here's where we started

Look at the weather (to start with anyway) with a shot or 2 of all the great folks who ventured out

Charles Schell
Back To The Homeland, Back To The Birthplace -- Marysville, Ohio
On my way home from my grandson's birthday party, I stopped in Marysville to take a quick look at the Honda plant. This is where my bike was created back in 1999. They do not make motorcycles there anymore, once they were done with the Valkyrie the plant was transitioned into car manufacturing.

After I took a few pictures of my bike at its birthplace, I hit the Highway heading west again and stopped at the next little town to grab some lunch. After parking my bike in front of the Waffle House, a company that should be paying me for all these mentions in my blog, I cut the engine and got get off my bike. As I did, an elderly woman came out of the diner and then gave my bike a rather stern look and frowned. I braced myself waiting to hear something derogatory about motorcycles.
"Do you know why that bike runs so good?" She asked staring at me with piercing eyes.
"No M'am" I said not sure where this was going.
"Because it is a Honda." She said forcefully �Do you know why that 1999 Valkyrie Interstate still looks so beautiful?"
I was impressed, I don't think I ever met a woman in her 70s who knew anything about motorcycles � � let alone enough to recognize both year and model just by looking at it.
"No M'am" I said again.
"Because, we built it right here and we did a damn good job." She said this and didn't bother to wait on my response or reaction � � she just continued on to her car.
"Thank you" I said to her as she walked by, she gave me a small wave with her hand but did not stop.
Now, that is pride in where you were from and what they do there. Made me smile all the way home.

I feel compelled to say what�s on my mind. I have never been the type to participate on these forums boards as you can tell by my posting stats, though due to my recent medical condition I have had a lot more time on my hands and recently been on here more frequently. You guys kind of sucked me in.
In the past years I was an active member and held the position of Co-Leader of a local VRCC chapter, the once great �Southeast Michigan Chapter�. It became the largest and most active group in the state, thanks to my co-leader Big Bob, captains Momz & Ed, past leader Big Bill, Hypre Dave, and to all the members willingness to participate as a group. We held weekly group rides, dinners, BBQ�s, charity drives, and a whole lot more. And did we have fun doing it. Some of my best friendships resulted from the membership of this club.

Two years ago, I resigned from the leadership position and was blackballed from the state chapter due to inner-circle politics (but that�s another story). Though I was never a big participant national level, I also pulled away from entire club, until now.
When I recently got sick my good friend George �Momz� posted on this board for well wishes, and I was overwhelmed by not only the replies to the thread, but all the calls and e-mails I received from this club membership. Needless to say, it touched me. I never realized how many of you cared, enough so to respond the way you did, about something so trivial as a gallbladder removal.
In closing, I want to say THANK YOU to all my VRCC friends and declare � I�M BACK.�

Smokin'Joe and Highbinder have put together their ride this year to Franklin WV. The motel in Franklin is sold out. I reserved 4 cabins 1 mile north of the motel, they each have 2 double beds, and 2 have kitchens. So far it looks like I have 4 definite and 3 somewhat interested participants. The cabin's owner said there is room for additional air mattresses or sleeping bags in the cabins, but I'd rather not make it too crowded, unless there are no other accommodations nearby. These are all of the cabins at this site, so we will have the place to ourselves. All you fence sitters need to give me a thumbs up or down sosen I can nail down the participant list.
Participants:

2013 - Cracker
What a great trip, started off a bit wet with 2 days of riding through storm after storm, but after that the weather was Great!
Time was limited, so we had to ride the interstate much more then we'd like too, but we had 3 full days of awesome riding, sightseeing & meeting some good people & good times!

Hot new info 2001
Kathy Camarenas has graciously agreed to take over the helm as our new fearless leader. Kathy loves organizing rides, so expect to see a lot more in that department! Thanks Kathy!!

Comment from participant.
A great time was had by all or it would appear so by the photos presented. We had some great weather, sights, food and brew - as only one can in New Mexico. I would like to thank Kathryn aka Dragonryder2 and the crew in Albuquerque for making the event a great one and all the riders that showed.

Aaron horsing around at Ruidoso Downs Handoff to �D" from Texas who offered �Drool Beer� in return.

2010 Gary - Leaf Peaker Ride/ Jemez Mountains
I had originally wanted to head up to do the Cumbres Toltec Hwy 17 ride between Chama, NM & Antonito, CO but alas had to stick closer to home and went with my backyard mountains instead.
I always seem to either be too early or just too late to make the Jemez colors but decided to go for it since it was a beautiful day and I was up for a ride anyway.
The weather was clear, temp running about 50 degrees, yep that's t-shirt weather for some. Got to take advantage of it now since the colder temps are on their way.
I did bring along a long-sleeved t-shirt and gloves in case it gets cold. Temps can easily drop 5-10 degrees where I was headed. Heading out Hwy 4 I make my way upward.

The temp was dropping, good thing my window thermometer is on the Standard and not the IS otherwise I probably would have listened to my hands when they were telling me "now would be a good time to put on them gloves and maybe them sleeves!!!" I left them in the saddlebag to keep them nice and warm. Still only teaser colors so far...

Here's what I'm calling today's Money Shot. This is what I was referring to as one of my favorite spots.
I continue on due west via hwy 4. I didn't really find the reds and yellow/oranges I was hoping for so I took a stroll along the stream. At this point I was somewhat out of road for colors but the weather was still great, the tunes were flowing through all 4 speakers of my new-to-me-this-year IS so I headed on further west and looped around and down to Santa Fe to have lunch in the old town plaza area, finally rolling back in about 5:00. Another great day and ride.

Bandit and Ladybug
Wow, what a weekend! It was great seeing so many familiar faces and some new faces as well. We enjoyed each one of you more than you know. You are so generous and with your donations we will be able to deposit $1,670.09 into the Food Pantry account. This is so exciting and will be a blessing to so many. Again thanks so much for traveling such a distance and we are truly blessed to call you "family". Look forward to sharing the wind with you again. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Misfit in 2010 - about incorporating a Tech Session
I think that most folks coming to Tucumcari do a fair amount of wrenching on their bikes. I am not sure that we need a tech session here. I could be wrong but I think that if someone is having a problem or has a tech question that we will be able to help them. This is supposed to be a ride in like a backyard BBQ. Not a rally with vendors, tech sessions, formal rides and such. I just don't want the folks that put this thing together to think that they have to do new and better things each year to keep us interested in coming back. One of the best things about this gathering is the informalities. I vote that we just hang out and enjoy the company and if someone has a problem or a question that we all do all that we can to help them out. There are other gatherings that are shutting down because it turned into too much hassle for the folks laying out the $$ and putting in all of the time and effort. Sometimes less is more. On the other hand, folks that know me know that I will do whatever it takes to make this year a success and if that means that the folks showing up want a tech session then I will do one. Does anyone have an idea on what they need a tech session on? I can't wait to hang out with all of you again.
Bring it on!

Lyn-Del
I have to agree. Sometimes it feels like the original spirit of gatherings gets lost in the constant quest to get better, when best was what you started with - good friends, good food, good times.
Remember the start about the folks who took their first cruise? They didn't want to "waste" the money they spent by just sitting around, so they participated in every game/function on the ship's calendar. And didn't enjoy the trip at all.
I think the Tucumcari gathering is exactly what it should be. And how could you top a wedding, anyway?

It's been sometime since I last posted a ride report in this forum. While I've never stopped riding, I did stop making the reports for a while. I must admit it was easier, no taking pictures and struggling to capture the ride using words. Then a few weeks ago I spent some time looking at my old reports and the memories it evoked made all that extra effort worth it.

�.we took a cruise around several of The Mammoth Lakes followed by June Lake Loop

In 2000, the Golden State Valkyries (VOA Chapter) and VRCC NorCal Chapter had a common website.
Chapter Rep was Mike Ver Velde 'Harpo'

I ain't seen no stinkin rule that says all rides must be 100 miles before we stop! More opportunities for socializing and pictures! If these long rides are keeping good guys like you away from joining us, we can certainly plan a short stop trip or two so you (or spouses with bikes that prefer shorter trips) can join us. Its the people that make this group worth being part of!

2009 - Big Rick Stuart
A ride north from Alice's on Highway 35, Skyline Blvd, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a really popular riding and driving area.
It can be very crowded on weekends, but this was on a thursday so it was pretty empty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7n1baEZgRA

If you are interested in the very first VRCC Riders, this link from 2003 shows low numbers
Early VRCC Riders

Dennis from Blythe
This weekend, today, this evening..
Az Riders And I are meeting at the Hacienda Casino, just north of the Hoover Dam, at 3:00 our time. The Vegas Riders are going to escort us.
Although they are booked for the weekend. But there has to be something around there.
Just in case any of you awsome Riders are interested.
See you at least in Laughlin..
Just a month away. Oh Ya !!

Sue & Vic
We are here from 4 states. F6Gal, Sue & Vic, Irene and Lenny, Dennis from Blythe, Psycho, Medussa, Rick and Debbie, Chuck. We are having a barbecue at Lenny's and etc.
And Dennis from Blythe ( His name has been changed to Disco Dennis because of the way he was caught dancing while riding his bike and listening to his CD player in the desert)says he cannot wait to see the Vegas Riders show up tomorrow for Breakfast.

Rick Taylor
It was a great time indeed. The Saturday ride was a hoot. I'm sure glad the Ranger that pulled us over didn't take you and Madussa to jail.

It was a great November ride. Temp. about 70, blue skies, great friends. Great thing about California is we rode thru places that had the leaves turning color as they do back east, then through mountains, desert and pine. Devil's Punch Bowl was remarkable and amazing to see the power of Mother Nature.
Devil's Punch Bowl was created from the movement of the San Andreas Fault, that sucker moves a little too much and I'll be treading water... But the fault is what shaped most of California making the beautiful works of nature including the Devil's Punch Bowl and for that matter the mountains that we look up on every day from the LA area.

We all gathered at Hansen Damn, had a 50/50 "New Guy" won a hundred bucks. Some coffee and donuts thanks Rob & Daryl and we were gone.
First stop, Bear Divide in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mtns. Highest Peak, Mt San Antonio (Mt. Baldy) 10,080 feet

Marty Rood, many time contributor to F6Rider Webzine and author of "Group Riding" which get published for all our ride-ins was there, as well as Gary & Sally, our SoCal leader and his Navigator Pook!
Devil's Punch Bowl was his idea for a ride, and a great one it was. And not to forget, Rob & Daryl, Rob's our SoCal Webmaster and Daryl the spark plug that gets everything done.
To explain Devil's Punch Bowl would take an article, maybe I can get Pook to do just that. These rocks were formed laying flat. It is the famous San Andreas Fault movement that tossed them about.

The group included Donna, Joe, Mark, Lyn, Workerbee, oZ, Pook and Don Mark & Lyn of CAT Specialties. Members first, vendors second.
I love vendors that actually ride Valkyries! I love these guys; they've done much 4 VRCC

This is going to be a big ride, so consider the following a MUST READ. Attended by 224 Riders.

Yep folks, I have to say that the VRCC Bakersfield Bash was a Great Event, but there were things that we would hope should never happen again.
Unfortunately, the worst of it was that we had two riders go down. Timmer/Tim Powell never even made it to Bakersfield-had a get off in Big Bear, and the other was Psycho/Michael Bradford. As I understand it, Mike was the worst of the two with a broken shoulder. We all hope that they are on the mend, and that their recovery will be quick and complete. As an aside, I asked F6Gal, as both these individuals were from the Arizona contingent, was there something about the fabulous scenery/roads or amenities in California that made riding out here more distracting? All I got in reply was something to the effect that one of them was actually from TEXAS, hmm?
I would be remiss if I did not mention our Guardian Angel that once again was there when the need was greatest. Sonny from Lemore has a new moniker. We call him �St. Sonny� now. He provided transportation, trailer, and a lot of his personal time going back and forth to help out our fallen brethren. Thank You Saint Sonny��

There were some other issues that I will mention later but to the good part first.
Well actually, the bad luck struck even before the event got started.
Chris, from Direct Line, deserves a big round of applause for making all those "Chrome Addicts" not suffer withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, their truck never made it to Bakersfield due to some mechanical difficulties. Chris pulled some strings and waved a magic wand and got as much as he could on short notice shipped to Bakersfield. As I said, a lot of people went home with some good stuff, but others have to wait for another day. Chris just sold most everything.
CAT (alias Mark) was there with some neat T-Shirts and other assorted paraphernalia. (I�m still wondering why there was no access port in those briefs.) And not to be forgotten was the neat stuff that CAT & Direct Line donated for the raffle. Can you believe folks were starting to moan cause we were giving so much stuff away? Think it might have had to do with looking forward to the 50-50 drawing. We had stuff from Stemnut, Chaparral, CAT, Direct Line and F6Rider.

As the charity of choice this year, �Make a Wish Foundation� was the benefactor, we brow beat, and head locked several folks, & Daryl and Dottie twisted arms to the point that we had over $500 in the kitty for the eventual winner, Kevin/Torknot, and the Bakersfield Make a Wish Foundation.
On a personal note, I would like to thank the guy that gave me what I thought was the NEATEST taillight I have ever seen. I failed to get his name, but it was won by this other party, and then, for who knows whatever reason (by the grace of my lucky star), gave it to me. A Big personal Thank You. It�s installed and is so COOL!!!

Marty R. has to get the biggest Thank You (if his hide hasn�t been tanned and hung on the barn by now, but more on that in a minute), for making this all happen. He went out of his way, only he knows how far, to lay the groundwork for all the great riding, accommodations, and various other sundry items.
At this point I wish to mention something that was an unfortunate situation that caused Marty considerable distress and probably some embarrassment to the VRCC. Allow me to explain.

Due to the fact that there were a specific number of registered individuals that indicated that they would partake of the dinner ride and breakfast ride, Marty had to make arrangements with the local eateries and concessionaires to provide the necessary staff and "vittles" to feed a mass of hungry bikers. Well, as it was on an "honor system" as to participation, a considerable number of folks had a change of plans. No one is being blamed, as we all know SHxx happens. [Gary D. & Sally had an unfortunate death in the family but elected to honor both personal events and spent the whole day commuting.]
The problem is that when venders/merchants expect us, on our verbal promise, to provide them with a customer base that does not come to pass, they, in turn, incur losses. That does not bode well for them to provide further support to our activities.
I mention this now because when the question comes up as to why we might charge $25 for a catered meal (that one might think they could go get for $10 at the local beanery), it is not just that we are trying to be benefactors for a charity, but there are "guarantees" that we have to make to continue doing these events.
Example:
Breakfast that was to be $6 for 200+ riders turned out to be $9 because fewer than 100 showed up (as I remember there were less than 30 bikes).
So be forewarned, doing anything on the "honor system" has gone by the wayside.
We all hope that Marty has not had to sell his home and move out to town. Maybe just keeping a low profile will suffice. Thank You Marty and we know you have "Survivor Skills".

One final note, LaMonster is alive and well as is his bike, just ask the motel mgr. With the new engine and sufficient rubber on his rear tire, he provided late night entertainment with a sole burn-out contest, obviously he was the winner. I was approached by some of his admirers to participate but I don�t get the deal on my tires that LaMonster does.
Everyone had a great time and the weather could not have been better.
To quote Lamont, �Do you realize it is 10:00PM and we are sitting here in our T-Shirts?�
Eat your heart out you easterners��

At that time, there were rumours on the boards about how some folks might be making money at the Zanesville Ride-In

Our first All-State Valkyrie Ride-In was such a success we would like to have another large Valkyrie Ride-In. This time instead of riding the Southern Sierra as we did before, this time we'll ride Yosemite!
This once in a life time ride is open to the whole nation, heck the world, and not just Valkyrie riders (all bikes are warmly welcomed!) but anyone who enjoys beauty and is willing to help two great causes. AND THIS MAY BE YOUR LAST CHANCE TO RIDE THROUGH THE VALLEY AS THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE IS WORKING TO CLOSE THE PARK TO VEHICLES (see article) which is actually not a bad idea, but I know I want to ride Yosemite once more in my lifetime!
The fact that we'll be riding magnificent Yosemite with other Valkyrie owners and with knowledgeable guides from the area makes this a once in a lifetime opportunity. Riding your Angel* through Heaven by day and gathering the Valkyries for cavorting, fellowship and swapping stories in the evenings. It don�t get better than this.
I am sure there are 100�s of Valkyrie owners from all over who will be delighted to ride their Valkyries through truly one of the most spectacular wonders of the world, Yosemite! Participation is limited so register early. Entrance to Yosemite Park which is now $20.00 (USA) per private, non-commercial vehicle for a 7-day stay.

Gettin Ready for the 210 mile - ALL DAY - Sierra Ride? Marty & Dave Did a Great Job on the Ride & the Map!

We're Expecting a Big Crowd Remember These Bikes? Haven't Forgotten The Great Ride, Have You? Chicks In Chaps!

The California high desert is an astounding place. Passing just to the west of Death Valley (the lowest elevation in the U.S.) and then climbing thousands of feet above sea level, the road showed us weeping vistas, rugged small towns, and great salt lakes. Huge mountain peaks above us to the west, and desert valleys far below us to the east created views that seemed to go on forever. On several occasions we would round a turn or crest a hill and the view over hundreds of miles of desert would make me gasp. It was a recipe for absolutely intoxicating riding. It was dark when we pulled into the hotel parking lot many hours later. I was surprised to find my hands shaking from exhaustion. It had only seemed like minutes.
We spent the next three days exploring the park and surrounding country from the saddles of our motorcycles. Winding roads, high passes, steep grades in one case, a published 26%--all kept us moving. Hundreds of miles of curves, granite outcroppings, sheer cliffs, and huge trees kept us looking. Hearty cooking from small town caf�s and restaurants kept us nourished.
There is a grove of Sequoia trees here. The largest living things on the planet, they are another sight that is impossible to appreciate in pictures. The scale of these behemoths simply must be experienced to be understood.
Standing there, awed by the towering trees, I burst out laughing as a busload of tourists began unloading in the parking lot. Here, in the shadows of the mammoth grove, they were getting out of the bus and photographing the motorcycles in the parking lot. They hadn't even noticed the trees. Perception colors experience, and there is a difference in how a place is perceived that is created by how the observer travels there.

All too soon my time in California came to an end. It was time for Steve and I to part ways. He needed to head home to Los Angles, and it was time for me to start finding my way back to Dallas. As we shook hands outside the hotel, preparing for our departure, he looked at me and asked, The short way or the long way.
I thought about the land between here and home. Hmmm, I've not seen Death Valley yet, and the Mojave Desert is just around the corner. Once more through Yosemite would be a welcome distraction too. Maybe I could squeeze all that in a day or so. Of course, time was running out, I had to be back at work soon. The long way now might mean a long, fast, and hard run the rest of the way home.
Ah well. The journey is the reward. I grinned and grasped his hand. The long way of course!
I'll see you on the road.

All I can say is "Wow!"
1200 miles of twisties in 4 days, and that doesn't count the Los Angles freeway system!

Left Los Angles Thursday morning for Yosemite National Park. My friend and host Steve took me up the "back way"...an extra couple hundred miles...but well worth it for the 350 mile romp through the high desert, and then the climb into the pass in Yosemite (I'll post pass names later...my brain is a bit fried).
We spent all day Thursday, Friday, and Saturday banging through and around Yosemite. Amazing roads there, and gorgeous mountains. Oh yeah, of course, there are the BIG trees too. Unbelievable! (I'm pretty sure that particular forest is actually part of Texas...things are only supposed to be bigger in Texas!).
A personal note: TKAT...I'm not gonna make it over! Thought I could, but I've broken some stuff (and fixed some stuff) and damaged some other stuff...and now I've got a front tire acting up. Ah well...the fun of motorcycle trips. I'm only 1200 miles away from home or so...(she'll make it).
Today...that's TODAY alone...I ran through Yosemite (and the pass), and then through Death Valley. I have some strong impressions of both, but those will have to be written up later. From 9950 feet to 282 feet BELOW sea level in just a few hours. Temperatures ranged from about 44 degrees at the summit in the morning, to 114 in Death Valley this afternoon.
So, basically, I'm fried....oh, and I turned down the girl the motel room came equipped with (gotta love cheap motels) so I'm intensly lonely too.

Mikes1800 - a 2016 Impression
On the Valkyrie Interstate in Yosemite National Park, September 21, 2015. Riding down Wawona Rd through Yosemite Tunnel towards Yosemite Village. Tunnels are cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdEiIJb2Uio

Laborman
I wouldn't have met all of you if it had not been for getting in the VRCC. When I bought the Valk, I didn't know anyone who had one, much less anything about the bike. I searched the net for Valk and stumbled on to the VRCC. I sat back, lurked for a while, and then joined in. I was treated to many great stories and a lot of advice from the "stars" of the board at that time...Lamonster, Dragbars, Mosa, Smilin Jack, Tennessee Iceman, TNT and JDubya, Speedie, and many, many others. I went to Daytona and met up with the group. What a thrill it was to meet all these people...and, what a treat it was to be accepted by other riders who I had never met. There ain't nothing like the brotherhood of the group.

Later I went to Hotglue's 5B's BBQ and met more of the group. La. chapter was started, I met Jack in New Orleans and Anita and others. I have been treated to the wit of Sarge, the craziness of Craze, the hospitality of Hotglue, Lamonster, DB, TnIceman, Big Jon and the Razorback wife, Mosa and his parents (at Inzane), Smilin Jack, Hurricane, RescueRoy and his wife, Gary Williams and Connie, and many others I can't think of......that's the problem with getting old....speaking of old, can't forget RJ...HA!

I met lifelong - best friends - Michael P, Beverly, RPBrown and Cheryl, and Trap in Helen. I've ridden to New Mexico with Michael P, and then to Sturgis in 2004 with the entire group. I have been blessed to meet and keep such great friends that are friends for life. Like Lamont, DB, Mosa, TnIceman, BigJon, and others who formed lifelong friendship, I too have formed lifelong friendships with all of you. I have been treated to "open house" from TNT and JDubya, ridden with Speedie and others from Tn.

For me, it�s not just the memories of where we all came from, but it is where we landed today. Anytime, anyplace, anything you need, I know I can count on all of my friends and riders. My memories are of the rides, the gatherings, and the longing to get some planned for 2005. I miss all of you and look forward to the rides next year.
So, what are we waiting on????????Let�s get some trips planned for 2005. Just think, in a couple of years the question will be "What are your best memories of the BBR

2004 - Moon Ride
This mooning of Amtrak is a 25 year tradition that we'll participate in so shine up those (butts) bikes.

First of all I want to say how great it was to see Terry and Janice today. Terry has a stroke a few years back and I can't believe how well he is doing. I know he appreciated having lunch with us and all the good wishes from us. He has such a great laugh and still knows how to have fun.
22 bikes started out with us this morning with Phil and 2 of his friends meeting us at Hell's Kitchen. He got the time wrong and thought we had left from Tom's Farms when in fact we hadn't even arrived yet. 2 new riders meet up with us. Sergio Meiron and Mike McIntee. It was great to see them and hope to see them in the future. 4 riders broke off early for personal commitments but it was nice to have them with us even it was for just a short time.
Joe's Crab Shack took good care of us and the food was pretty good also. They have a nice view of the boats and Newport harbor. Greg R and Wayne helped with the 50/50 and wouldn't you know it I was the big winner. It was a nice $70.00 pot. Thank you Terry for picking my winning ticket. He really got a kick out of it. For those of you who didn't make this ride you missed another nice day and I hope to see you next month for the Ride to Death Valley. It will be a long one with some roads that I know I have never been on. I'm looking forward to it very much.

Mr. & Mrs. Blythe & Carolyn & Michelle have pulled out all the stops for our adventure to Blythe!
With a catered lunch, dinner and riding in the middle you're sure to have an adventure to remember!

2014 Greg Cremer
Riding down the Pacific Coast Highway on a motorcycle has been on my bucket list since I first rode it in the rain on a Yamaha 650 twin back in 1978. Well, fast forward to February 2014. The bike is a 6 cylinder Honda Valkyrie. Smoothest sport cruiser on the road. My brother and his wife and I took a trip down to Santa Barbara, CA from southern Idaho in February. We trailered the bikes to Sacramento (mainly because there was so much ice on the road and it was -17 outside). Then rode from Sacramento down, and then back up again on Coast highway 1. What an awesome trip! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jwLHUhQiTI

2017 Magellon - San Francisco, Oakland, Concord, Sacramento, San Jose Valk'ers

Wayback shows the first appearance in 2004 and last in 2013. Bouvet is a virtual brother chapter of SoCal and located at the most remote island in the world in the Antarctic.
Occasionally, the BV Chapter published a Captain Webb Memorial Swim on the message board.
https://web.archive.org/web/20041026031644/http://www.valkyrieriders.com:80/BV/brdc.htm

There is a nice Inzane VI, Frisco CO Trip report published on the BV website with many pictures still online. Open the links to read the �to the point� accompanying comments.

Bouvetoya Riding & Drinking Club would like to thank the Southern California Valkyrie Riders for making their first trip to the United States a success. InZane is the first motorcycle rally we've ever been to, and we are having a great time!
We wish to say a very special thanks to Dave Ritsema for joining us for dinner & making our First InZane a memorable one. In return, we invite all our SoCal Brothers and Sisters to our 5th Annual BVI VRCC Event

DDT
I fell into riding with the AL bunch on a spur of the moment whim... back in '99. Yep, I just showed up unannounced at one of their local rides, then rode with a couple of them the next day up to Cheaha (my first time up there).
That's where Tim RedValk shared his idea of starting an annual event ride to that place, and the rest is history... In a round about way, that weekend is largely responsible for subsequent events that lead to my living in Wetumpka for seven years!

.....greetings from Wetumpka (just north of Montgomery). I'm afraid if you're looking for a 'group' to hang with, you'll likely be disappointed... There hasn't been anything 'organized' for a couple of years now, and nothing seems to be indicating there will be. Lots of reasons for that, the primary one being there simply aren't a lot of Valks concentrated in one area.
We're scattered all around, though, and for a reason (meal, over-night ride, long weekend excursion, etc.), I'm sure several of us would be inclined to meet up. The point has been made that there are lots of things to see and explore in our state (and in the adjoining states, as well), and that is certainly true. Our area is rich in history and natural wonders, and there is much to stimulate adventurers and the curious.
If you are free to ride most of the time, let me suggest you start up some conversations on the board, perhaps even toss out an idea of your own regarding where you might like to ride or what you might want to see.
You could even just pick a town and/or a restaurant and announce when you'll be there... Then, see who shows up!
Meeting up with SmokinJoe on his ride would be an outstanding way to meet some of the more colorful and interesting characters in the Southeastern US (possibly even a Yankee or two), and I assure you that you would be glad you did... I'll be there too, so we can talk more, if you'd like...

My first post since moving to AL. over the weekend took an 800 mile trip to Cherokee, Gatlinburg, Pigeaon Forge, Deals Gap and the Cherohola Parkway. Great Ride only got rained once.

Redvalk
To be honest....between the BBR, the VRCC, the Southern Cruisers, the Rune group.....and yes, even to a certain extent, even my early days with the VOA....I have so many fond memories I wouldn't know where to start.
I've been to every InZane...worked on the Staff lately (and enjoyed the heck out of that)...been to many Hoots and Daytonas over the years where I have met up with so many of you I can't mention all of ya'.
Now I can be hanging out at just about any major rally...just hanging out on Main St....and folks i know will come by and say hi. that's GREAT!!!!
But Ii actually think I have even more fun at the smaller rallies (by both the VRCC and the other groups). The Helens, the Panama City Beach rally, the Cheaha rally i put on, the first BBR rally in Ashville. I really like going to those smaller regional rallies....cause it seems like you get to do much more face time with more people. I like that. At bigger rallies, it seems like folks kind of pair off into groups of folks they know and hang out. When the rally is say more like 100 folks or so....seems like everybody just kind of acts like one big happy family!

I just know over the years....thru ALL these organizations...I've met some mighty fine folks...and have been fortunate enough to gain a lot of life long friends.

Daniel Meyer in Life is a Road
At the Cheaha Mountain Ride in... well, RedValk had a treat for us. He arranged for us to tour the Talladega Speedway...and by "tour" I mean, run laps. Yeah, okay, they didn't let us really open 'em up...it was three laps and they kept us under 100mph (for the most part). They didn't want us on the high banks on the corners seeing as how we're "untrained"...but nevertheless...whipping that big Valkyrie around the superspeedway was a really cool experience.

There's a couple thousand miles worth of running to get there and back again, as well as the outstanding Cheaha Mountain event itself...but those are other stories...

Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC)
Alabama Chapt
CHEAHA MOUNTAIN RALLY
April 22 � April 24, 2005
At Cheaha State Park

We will have dinner on top at the restaurant for those that want to watch the sunset Friday night. Immediately after we will have a dessert social and fire in the Pavilion (Pavilion #1) (bring your adult beverages!). Saturday we will have a breakfast buffet at 0830 up top, followed by a group ride starting at about 1000. The group ride will be about 175-185 miles and will include a stop for lunch at Sinclairs on beautiful Lake Martin. After the ride we will have a FREE cookout starting at about 500-530 PM, followed by FREE door prize drawings, followed by either a band playing or DJ from 7-11 PM. During the band/DJ�. there will be a 50/50 drawing. Make your reservations now by calling 1-800-846-2654, as space is limited. This year we will again have the VRCC CAT Store (Valkyrie clothing and related items) producing a rally shirt available for sale!

If you need directions to Cheaha State Park e-mail to Tim (REDVALK) at the email address below.
All bikers are welcome to attend this event (though it is mainly a Valkyrie event)

2009
First, thanks to Blinker Buddy....we got the units...and they'll make GREAT prizes!
Now....on with Cheaha updates. 120 registered....14 states and Canada.
the shirt cutoff for ordering is 15 April ...that's just a few days away! we'll put all the order for shirts in THIS week....so.... Git-R-Done.......
Now for some updated info from our Scouting trip this last weekend.

1. it was a typical Cheaha APRIL experience (and why we moved Cheaha back into May last year...like the good old days!). You guys know the drill.... SEVERE storms moving thru the mountain and that part of Bama ALL Friday evening! Sirens going off.... hail...high wind.... when hail starting getting pretty big...we went in and looked at TV...and bingo, they were showing video of a TORNADO...up on CHEAHA. we recognized from the video...the tornado was going over the radio tower...about half a mile from our Chalet!!!! that�s a bit close.......... Dropped down into the high 30s Saturday night.... we HAD to have fires both nights. But then..........we aren't going in April. But I thought I�d bring back some memories for you Cheaha veterans!

2. Then, something funny happened. Some guys on BMWs and sport bikes...about 6 or 7 of them...were staying at the chalet right across from us. they heard us ride up on the Valks...and a couple of them came over to talk. They asked us if we were going to be up on Cheaha ...."for the big Valk thing".... the first weekend of May? We said "yep". They said.....man, we wish we knew who was putting that thing on. I said "you're looking at him!". then ...the funny part. They said how the heck did you block off the WHOLE mountain? They belong to some group of riders...and they waited until the race dates were posted at Barbers...and as SOON as they got posted...THEY....TRIED...to get all the rooms up on the mountain top. but "some Valkyrie group" already had em all! they wanted to know how we got em', how we put on the event, on and on. They basically picked my brain for quite some time...trying to figure out how their group could put something on up top. I of course invited them to join us!
Don't know if any of them will, but I just thought it was kind of funny how they wanted to know if WE KNEW...who those Valk folks were that "hogged all the mountain top" during race weekend. And... they also commented, that "those Valks sure do have a distinct, cool sound" when they're running up and down the mountain

3. As for Barbers....EACH REGISTRATION PACKET...will include a map of the Barbers grounds for race day info. It includes the Tram pick up points (from the sound of things, we're going to want to park our bikes...and ride the Tram...the day of the event.... but you can ride your bike around the perimeter.... but you'll be competing with the traffic of about 30,000 folks....and all those Trams stopping at about 10 pickup points along the way!). The map also shows other details and location of things.

4. THOSE GOING TO THE RACE...you need to have your RACE TICKET...available....cause the group ride will terminate with a left turn on Barber property...taking us right to the gate. to speed up the process of getting thru the gate...you NEED THAT TICKET! Once in the 'park', we'll go to the Expo area.... where the Fan Zone and vendors and Honda exhibit are. We'll be parking right near the Honda exhibit...in the Fan Zone/Expo.....and there will be a sign that says "VRCC".... just for us! another thing,
I recommend bringing a kickstand "foot"...as it looks like some of us will be parking in the grass.

5. those going to the MUSEUM....you'll have special parking too...with a sign that again says "VRCC". You guys are parking in the parking lot....so no kick stand "foot" is needed. all you need is your CHEAHA DISCOUNT COUPON...which will be in your registration packet. It gets you 20% off your museum ticket. there will be ONE food vendor in the museum. (there will be NUMEROUS food vendors in the race area...as well as motorcycle vendors.... but you need a race ticket of course).
6. Make sure you get in the right group...race or museum. First two groups.... are me then Sherry...and ARE RACE groups. Third group is Santa/Tom...yet to be determined if it will be a race group or museum group...depends on how many tickets we sell. Fourth group IS a MUSEUM group, led by BamaJack.

7. Bass Pro is right next door and has an excellent sandwich shop inside it ...if you prefer to eat OFF SITE.

8. If we sell out of discounted race tickets (they are $25...verses $40 at the gate) ...we can PROBABLY get more if needed. Don't worry about ticket availability. (but we MUST sell out the 100 tickets we already have...if you don't get one Friday...and you show up at the gate...and WE DON'T SELL OUT THE 100...you won't be allowed to get one for $25 at the gate...it will cost ya' $40. GET YOURS UP TOP...........for $25)

9. They also have Paddock tickets you can get...if you want to be RIGHT THERE...in with the pit crew. that's extra.... but I know of some who are doing that! (you can get those on site from the race folks).
Shirt cutoff is 15 April.....THIS WEDNESDAY. the order goes in THIS week. we won't get any extras....so...GIT-R-DONE!!!!!!! And get those registration fees in too!!!!!!! you know the drill........$15 per person....don't delay....if you haven't sent in the $15 and you are registered....better....Git-R-Done!!!!

flatsixrider
Cheaha is my favorite event of the year. The riding is great, the festivities are great, the food is exceptional and the company is without equal.

ChrisJ CMA
Queen Dinky and I rolled in home at 12 noon. Not one drop of rain the whole trip...that�s the ride up, the whole Cheaha and the ride home. Never has happened before. I hope all the rest of youse guys and gals have a safe and easy ride home like we did. The trip was great, food was the BOM riding was good and I got to carve some twisties with Willow. It�s all about the people at Cheaha

2011 - 11th Annual Cheaha Mountain Rally With over 50 registered participants

I look at this again every so often, it always makes me smile... the King of the Hill part and
the way it ends with so many different colored Valkyries all lined up....
I went to the last two Cheaha�s where we had the lodge... I never win anything, but I bought a
bunch of tickets and won all the Big Mike chrome the first year, and a Rattlebars radiator cover
the second year, plus the Daniel Meyer compendium book, a neck cover, a Red and White Valkyrie
model, and I don't remember what else...

Britman
Apart from all the great people I met at various Cheaha's; doing 135 on the back straight at Talladega and being overtaken by Coot will make me grin every time I think of it.
That and pulling onto I20 being followed by Coot on his Connie 14 and Sam on his older Suzuki GS 1000. Giving the ST some gas, looking down at the speedo and seeing the needle flick by 115. OOPS! Still in the moment I guess.
Then of course there's the weather. Ah the weather. Having to block the entrances to the cook out building with the picnic tables to try and stem the rainfall slicing thru the air.
Oh yeah, and the black-haired woman with cowboy hat who showed us how to really use a stripper pole. Lotsa tongues draggin on the floor and husbands checking it out with their peripheral vision.

RIP
The Cheaha Rally is now dead! After 11 years, the event is no longer being held. We had a good run, including a LIVE BAND up top in 2010, running the Talladega track for 3 laps, several visits to Barbers Museum, and many great rides, dinners, DJs, and parties up top of the mountain!

A good reason to live in Kansas. You've got the chance to go any direction at about the same distance.
Got to keep an eye on those twisters, though.

2011 Whistler
The wrench party did get changed till after November 1st due to a conflicting event at the proposed location. Not sure of the exact date yet, but I am sure Joe will chime in and get it set soon. Joe Studebaker is our state go to guy about our Valks, pretty good wrench who loves these machines and working on them. You'll find the VRCC is a family who are all willing to help with projects and problems, country wide and internationally too! You found us so I am assuming you have found the tech board as well, a great resource for anything Valkyrie related.

This Kansas board is new and in its first few weeks of operation so we are learning here too. We also have a face book page called the Kansas Valkyrie Riders if you�re so inclined. Guys and Gals are stilling learning about this board.

I am in North Newton we have several riders around the Wichita area. There are several in the El Dorado area, Augusta, etc. I will let them intro themselves. I work a 24/7 job that has me in and out and all kinds of weird hours and no schedule, but I try to keep up with the boards when I can and meet up with riders and rides when I can. The Kansas group is a growing fun bunch and I am sure you will find it the same as well. We try to get together when we can and that is the best way to meet a lot of us, just show up. We will try and post rides, eat and meets, whenever they happen. We love out of the way, hole in the wall type places, so if you have one set a date and give us directions. We are not real formal, although we are trying to get a bit more organized, we usually start out by talking about riding and then doing it.
John

Nov 2011 Ride
John it was good to see ya! I glad you were able to make it especially having to leave so early to get south here, but it was worth it. Dana pegged it when he said the best chicken fried steak around, it was awesome. A real "Daniel Meyer" kind of place!
We had a great group Wayne and Marlin, William, David, Gary and Ginger, John, Cyndi and I, all led on a nice ride by Dana. After we waddled out of the 160 Cafe we rolled down to Dexter and the Henry Candy Factory.
They weren't making candy, but they had a bunch on the shelves. Wayne, Hoser, and Marlin left us after eating. Dana, Gary, and Ginger took off after the candy factory. David, William, Cyndi and I all rode the Grouse Creek road, up and back from Dexter. It was fun and pretty. We met some other bikers that were riding as well and they said we should come back in spring when everything is green. Told us this was voted the #1 ride in Kansas, I had not heard that but I could see why.
The last of us split up at Winfield and went our separate ways. All in all, a great day to ride, great roads, great friends, great food, and everyone went home safely what more could you ask for.

2012 Whistler
I have accepted the Kansas Representative's job from Valkhound, Dana McCoy. Joe Studebaker had expressed interest as well, but with everything he has going right now, declined it at this time. We, Joe and I, have discussed maybe changing this to a term limit type position to let everyone have a shot at it and keep fresh blood and ideas flowing. For now, I will do it unless there is some opposition to it. I have a lot of ideas, but I want your ideas as well. This will not be a dictatorship, well at least to start.
My first order of business is I would like to get a contact list together of the Kansas Riders. I am looking for names, handles, addresses, phone numbers, email, etc. I will make a contact list and send it to those on the list only, in other words if I don't have your info I'm not giving you anyone else�s. That sounds bad doesn't, hopefully you understand what I am doing here. Please be respectful of everyone�s privacy and don't give out anyone�s info unless you have their permission. Also if you have a cycle trailer, shop, etc. in case someone travelling needs help and you�re willing to assist if you can, make a note of that as well. Send this to jdwhistler@hotmail.com please.

Another thing I want to try and get established is a monthly meeting. You can ride to it, drive your minivan, or walk in. This is just an opportunity to get together socially and catch up, plan some rides, maybe work on some projects, or something. It will never be mandatory to attend, if you can great, if you can't try next time. I am putting up a poll thread for this and will have it up for a week, so be sure to vote, majority rules!
I will stop there for now. I have been thinking about this for some time so I have lots of things to throw at ya, but I think this is enough to get started with. If you don't have my cell number email me I will get it to you.

2013 - Hoser
The weather has broke, I've done two lunches with two different Romeo lunches. Gonna do the SE group tomorrow, did Central today, Eastern group yesterday. Anybody got some spare gas and lunch money? Should total 400-500 miles by tomorrow evening. Here are some random pics from today and in the past.

21st FFR (Friends, Food and Riding)
Whistler is in the house! What a great day for riding clear skies, mild temperatures, light wind, and great people to share it with! The day started for me meeting Dale and Alina just down the road from the house. A quick hi nice to meet you lets ride!
Over to El Dorado to meet up with Gene and Dawn who were patiently waiting for us, then came Larry and Marsha, with Kenny not far behind. Intro's all around, a quick safety chat, and then we let Kenny lead us, on six Valkyries, on a very pleasant, easy going, stress relieving ride through the Kansas country side. Man, I so needed this!!

A short break at Strong City with a little tire kicking. We stopped outside the Casey's who was baking fresh rolls. It was too much for Larry who had to indulge in a fresh pastry! I was good and did not partake, awesome will power at work here I might add, but I had to keep my eye on the ball, LUNCH! Kenny says you mind if we go by the historic courthouse? Nope, not as long as we are not late to lunch! I don't care where we go! A guy has to have priorities don't you know!

We pulled into Emporia and followed Dave to the Casa, who turned the corner right in front of us coming from the other direction. More intro's while a table is being set up to hold us. Just as we sit down Lori, Carl and Kaden show up, followed by Ginger and Gary! What an awesome turn out. The staff did an excellent job getting us taken care of. The food was plentiful and good. I muttered to myself all the way home "I can't believe I ate the whole thing". It was a great meal and conversation all around. Carl was gonna table dance for us but Lori put the brakes on that!! LOL! It was good to see Carl and see him in the wind again! Folks started trickling out here and there, off for other important engagements. Goodbyes and come agains were heard all around.

Dawn, Gene, and I took an easy ride back east on 50 and made a quick stop to check out the prairie grass preserve just north of 50 on 177. Kinda of neat, you could spend a bit of time there wandering around the trails, etc. We then continued on to Cassody where we stopped for a cool drink, thanks again Gene! We took a county road west out of Cassody that leads straight to Newton. Just a nice ride through the green countryside.
At Newton I bid Dawn and Gene a goodbye as they went south to the big city and I went north a few miles to home.
It was a great day, with great friends, both old and new. We missed many who couldn't make it and look forward to doing it again, hopefully sooner than later!

Well, we had a great weekend with friends, fun, and of course food! Cyndi and I arrived at Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson about 15:30. Huh, we weren�t expecting to get there till about 16:00 to 16:30, but that darn throttle just kept creeping backward the closer we got. Well so much for the easy cruise up! We checked in and decided to explore the town. It has changed quite a bit since we were there last. We did find a great old fashion soda shop to quench our thirst.

Dave and Pam arrived a bit later, after we got them settled in and a short discussion, it was decided we were it, so��..Let�s eat! The Midland has a nice little bar/hospitality room in the basement. It just occurred to me that we spent a lot of time in basements this weekend! So, while we caught up and were enjoying our salads in pops Lori and Carl, surprise! It was a pretty good meal and the waitress was kept hopping!
After a small walk it was of course, Ice Cream time, back to the soda shop! We had a good time with the staff and enjoyed homemade waffle cones/bowls and ice cream. Once the cracks were filled it was back to the Hotel where Pam and Dave introduced us to the �Mexican Train�. About 11 it was determined we ought to get some sleep, someone has kickstands up scheduled for 8 a.m., WHAT!

Saturday we woke up to cool cloudy skies, jackets and chaps in July? Really! Dalen and Jeremy, on his super sharp 1100 Blue Shadow, arrived around 7:30ish. Introductions and tire kicking began and someone said a lie was told, but it has not been proven yet! Fuel up and we are off!
We had a very strenuous ride by Wilson Lake, across the Dam and into Lucas! Someone in the planning department neglected to see what time the city of Lucas opened, huh! So, our 9:00 arrival time found everything shuttered and quiet! Well, almost.
We were given a grand tour of the city�s Public toilet, and it was impressive! Lots of creativity. Not sure who gave us the tour, but he was sure knowledgeable and informative.

The manager of the Flying Pig Art Museum is walking around fresh out of bed looking for coffee. So I ask, what time do you open? Eleven, um that�s problematic. It must have been the �Oh� as he said, are you wanting to see it? Yep we were, well come on in! What a neat place. Small town America you have to love it.
Off to the Butcher Shop for free samples of some awesome sausages and cheeses. It was great fun watching Carl trying to City Slicker the Country Hick owner! The owner wins, it was great fun! This business is 92 years old, third generation, very cool and worth the trip.
Went to another Museum and seen some really interesting handcrafted art, made out of everything from recyclables to pop tabs, including a motorcycle. A wooden farm scene where everything moved was very cool.

We finished the Lucas tour with a stop at the Garden of Eden, another example of being slightly off center! It is truly a unique formation of concrete and recycled items, built before it was popular to do so!
We had decided to skip the Cathedral on the Plains at Victoria, so there would be no rushing through Lucas. I truly wanted this to be a relaxing social event. The only thing really on a schedule was a tour in Ellinwood at 3 pm.
So off to Russell and Meridy�s a very well know establishment in this part of the country. Most of us had the traditional Chicken Fried Steak. It was pretty good, we have had better, but we have had a lot worse for sure. Once everyone was full it was off to Ellinwood.
We rode to Ellinwood via a cruise through Hoisington, passed Barton County Community College, and into the back way of Ellinwood. Ellinwood has a yearly �After Harvest Festival� with a parade, etc. We arrived after most of the activity, but still had time to get �eyeballed� by the Kansas Sidewinders Chapter, who has a clubhouse downtown.
We were here to tour the underground city, which we did! It was very interesting and informative. Carl even came close to getting a haircut and shave with the cut one, pull three clippers. He passed at the last minute! I do think he was seriously considering the 5-cent bath though.

After the tour it was off to Ellsworth, past Claflin and into Holyrood for a fuel stop. It was determined we were way ahead of our 6:30 dinner reservation, so we changed directions and headed back to Wilson, via the county roads! When we got to Wilson, Dalen and Jeremy went to get Shay so she could at least have dinner with us.

After a short respite we headed for Ellsworth to the underground, back alley entrance that you would expect for a place called �Pretty Boy Floyd�s�! The decoration was neat and the food was great, from Alligator to Rib eyes, it was all good. Great conversation, great food, and great fun! No dessert again, man these meals were awesome.

We bid Shay and Dalen goodbye, Jeremy passed on the return trip so we did not get to say bye to him, but he is welcome anytime we ride. Enjoyed meeting you Jeremy! A quick ride back to Wilson got us there right at closing time for the Soda Shop. Despite mine and Dave�s best efforts at begging in the front window at the cleanup crew we could not convince them to let us in! Well maybe it wasn�t such a great place after all. No, it was pretty awesome.

Back to the Hotel for the finish of the Mexican Train and a midnight turn in. It was a great day.
Sunday brought the dreaded goodbye depression. Carl and Lori headed for the big city. Dave and Pam followed Cyndi and I to McPherson,
where I got called to work (really) and we lost Dave and Pam somewhere around a Braum�s!
Cyndi and I hit the interstate and flew home. I unloaded the bike and changed clothes, grabbed my bags and off to my 12-hour train job, ugh. It was a great weekend, very relaxing, and very enjoyable. Now back to the grind!

The Illinois Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club is divided into the Southern Chapter, Fox Valley Chapter and The Greater Chicago Land VRCC.

Greater Chicagoland Area - Terry aka "TLVALK/TAZMAN" #978
Southern Illinois Area - Bill aka "Highlander" #4638
Fox Valley Area - John aka "John" #7229

Higlander observation
A 30 year quest for the ultimate motorcycle. �The phrase instituted by Honda many years ago could be said to be the spirit of The Valkyrie Riders and Cruiser Club.
The nicest people in the world are Valkyrie Riders.

2000 Greater Illinois Valk Round-Up Pics - Great Time Was Had By All......Time Was Just To Short

We started out as a gaggle of Valkyrie riders in the Fox Valley area of North-Central Illinois. The group was formed, in November 2000, to allow us a simple and fun way to get together for rides, meetings, and other types of fun. We consider ourselves somewhat informal, although we did become a chapter of the VRCC (Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club) in January of 2001.
During 2002 and early 2003 a number of members traded in the 'ole reliable Valk for other bikes. At the same time we had an increasing number of non Valks showing up and discussed a name change. At that time we picked up Fox Valley Riders by simply dropping the Valk part. We are, and always have been, open to riders of all types, kinds, ages and sexes.

Well let me see. When I bought my 1st Valk in 2000 the 1st thing I did was do a search on the INTERNET to see what info I could find out on the bike I just bought. I found the VRCC site and also the VOAi, joined up on both right away. Through the VRCC I found out a wealth of info right away,and still do. I also got my 1st let down as I learned the Valk was being discontinued.
During the spring of 2001 I was getting ready to attend a Fire Convention in Indy and sent an e-mail to Sarge and had a few phone calls with him in reference to info on the area, found out that we both shared the same ideals on life. When the BBR first started he was the 1 who sent me the invite to join up.
Now shoot ahead a little, I saw a message posted by RJ & Dave Ritesema about a Power Tour that RJ was doing and that he was supposed to be in the South Bend area. I had been wanting to meet some of the VRCC members and got involved in the tread, well Dave invited me to his house, not knowing anything about me, had a small BBQ in his back yard. Unfortunately RJ ran into problems and wasn't able to make it so I didn't get a chance to meet him until last year at INZANE IV.
Now we move to the 1st Asheville meet. My plans were to ride from Illinois to somewhere around Lamont's, sent him an e-mail about somewhere to stay and he told me that I could just stay at his place, again he had no ideal about me but was going to open up his home. Unfortunately my plans got canceled and I wasn't able to go.
I do get down in the dumps with the VRCC at times due to the various attacks that still go on, ( I wish the differences could be put to rest) but for the most part I have made a lot of cyber friends there and here.
Now we shoot to the recent past and INZANE IV this was my 1st motorcycle rally that I have attended, there I was finally able to meet face to face a lot of the people I have talked to, met RJ, Sarge, Rat Dog, Oz and his wife, TNT and husband, f6gal and a lot more so sorry if I didn't mention your name. This also being the 1st for my wife also, she has never really been into motorcycles, and was Leary about going, she had a great time (so much so that we are going down earlier next year)
But above all the best thing about both the VRCC and BBR is when someone has a problem everyone jumps in to do what they can to help, (re: When Badnuff had his accident and the recent passing of Botman Nick)
Sorry if this was long, but I could go on, so I will leave it at this.

Highlander
My greatest VRCC moment was going to the Honda Hoot in 2000. I had been lurking on the VRCC board for about a year and decided to try the Valkyrie. It was a Tuesday. I test rode the Valkyrie, for about two hours, and bought it the moment I got back to the dealers. I joined the VRCC that night. The next morning I took the Valkyrie in for the 600 mile check before leaving for the Honda Hoot. I had found a someone looking for a roomie at the hoot on the VRCC site, Ray Pilot. Did not know him, never met him, just said heck yes, he rides a Valkyrie. I was going because I had heard some guy named Lamonster would be there. I also met Dragbars, Mosa, Hoosier Daddy, Chris and Hal, and put many faces to the names on the board. I also got a Lamonster T-Shirt, still have it, always will. As the result of this meeting, I decided to become the Southern Illinois Rep. I had always ridden alone before Lamont came along, because Lamont was the VRCC to me. I learned so much from everyone, and as a result, formed a close group of riders in our area. We ride at least once every weekend, every month of the year. None of this would have happened if I had not gone to meet the humble man we all call our friend Lamonster.
By-the-way, recently, I received a package in the mail. Since Lamonster is now the proud owner and rider of a Boss Hoss and does not own a valkyrie anymore, he decided to send me something. I was more than surprised to find his vest, his VRCC vest, in the package. He knows that I love the Valkyrie, and do not plan to change bikes, so he sent it to me. Words cannot express the way I felt. I rode all over Southern Illinos to see my friends in the �new� vest. I must admit that even as I write this I get a lump in my throat, and a tear in my eye. Lamont is perhaps the most generous person I have ever met. He is always there for advice, technical details, a call to someone in the hospital to lift their spirits, and just the best friend anyone could ever have. Those who ride with him, and join this forum know this as well as anyone. We are all of the same spirit. If you do not believe it, let any one of us need a friend, and everyone is there for us. I owe him more than he will ever know. You will always be #1 in my book my friend.

2017 Patrick Russell � Facebook discussion about riding in Illinois
Just got back from a 3-day Ozark Ride (Pig Trail, Arkansas Dragon). Completely spoiled me because I live in Illinois where roads are generally flat and straight.

RJ
Let's see here. I bought the Valk in late 1996, rode it 7,000 miles in 2 1/2 months and put it away for the Winter.
Got it out in March and went to Daytona. Met up with Dragbars, Smilin Jack, Lamont, Earthdog, Warren in Atlanta, and a whole bunch of others.......
Went back home, rode a bunch of miles that summer, like 48 to 50,000, which included Sturgis. Now this is where it is sticky. I don't remember if it was this year or the next one I met up with LaMont again in South Dakota, he was a doing Trigger Wheels in Custer. I tried to assist him on one but I was more in the way than helpful. He had it down to a short procedure.

It had to of been the 2nd year as I had 113,000 miles on the Valk and he was amazed. Told him I was retired and on the road about 3 1/2 weeks out of every month. Only came home to get more $$$ and stay for a couple of days before leaving again.
That was the year I made 4 round trips from my house to the West Coast and 2 round trips to the East Coast on MGM. One of those trips was my 2nd time around on the 4 corners. Did the 1st 4 corners on a Wing when I retired in June 96.
Wore out 2 sets of Bushtec Trailer tires during this summer bunch of runs.

Somewhere in there, Vicki (TNT) met me in Mississippi at the Casino when we stopped there on Hot Rod Power Tour. I had the Trike. She rode down from Memphis to meet me and JDubya showed up later.
We all had a good feed, conversation and etc. Don't remember if I made any $$$ on the slots or not, I think I did.
I attended one of Vicki and Jim's BBQ's, met TJ, Danny, Little Jon and LeAnn, TN Iceman, Mosa, mamasue, Inky and a bunch more I have forgotten. Old age and the forgetter isn't retaining stuff in memory any more like it used to.

Went to Hotglue's BBQ after I met him and Flamingo Babe up in Wisconsin at the VOAi Rally. I met JeffK, JoK and some others at Hotglue's.
Went to Bakersfield Bash and met Master Blaster, Physco, and renewed my acquittance with f6gal. Met 2ftAGL and Katy when we hauled Physco's bike to Phoenix after he wrecked it.
Met Sonny in Lemoore, Rudd, Mark & Lynn, Dennis, Tammy and their girls, also. Saw Sue & George again, Met Sue on Hot Rod Power tour in Bakersfield the year before.

At InZane I met a bunch of hoodlums, LOL, and struck up some good friendships. Sarge out of Indianapolis, I met him after he gave me assistance on locating some trailer tires and a wheel......
Met Doc Moofsa, Hoosier Daddy, Shooter and some others at InZane.
I sure hope I got all the first time meeting places right. Nape came up to me an introduced himself at InZane at Denny's one morning.
Met Hal and Chris that same year..... Also met that other Canuck with the Black/Silver flamed Tourer, Steve & Jen. eh.
Well to you I have failed to list, again my forgetter has forgotten more than most people has remembered. So I'll apoligize for it now. I know I have left out a bunch of people.

Thanks to those who were able to join us today. (Rob & Terri, Fuzzy & Eve, Brad, and 2 extras from the Atlantic area whose names I can't remember~sorry!) The weather cooperated, but we had a heck of a tail wind on the way home.
We wound our way down to Bethany and had lunch at Toot Toot's yummy buffet. We then split off at different spots to head home. We ended up coming home by way of hwy 69 and having fond memories of Frank Flickinger (especially the arguing he engaged in with RJ!!) as we came through Osceola. Brad headed on to Ankeny and Kevin and I swung by Route 65 HD Shop in Indianola to see if our oldest son was done with work and wanted to stop at Dairy Queen with us.
He is their detail kid, aka: shop rat, grunt help, gopher, wash & wax boy. They don't seem to care that he rides a Kawasaki KLR650 and we don't seem to mind that he has a full time job!!

Hope to see some of you that couldn't make it this time later this summer!
Mike & Robin...we missed you today. Sending you thoughts and prayers as you deal with this bump in the road. Take care.

RJC TJC
Russ �R.J.� Bullard passed away at his home Thursday, November 26, 2015. Russ was born in Panora, Iowa to James and Alice Bullard.

He proudly served in the United States Marine Corps for three years, during which time he earned two Purple Hearts. Russ retired in 1996 from the State of Iowa. He had a passion for motorcycles and riding his Honda Valkyrie. Russ enjoyed charity poker runs with his son, Rex and visiting 48 of the 50 states with his daughter, Valarie on his motorcycle. He also loved attending the sporting events of grandsons, Austin and Noah and dance recitals of granddaughters, Meghan and Addison.
Russ was a member of the American Legion, American Legion Riders, VFW, AMA, VRCC and various other motorcycle enthusiast clubs.

Russ is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Bev; children, Valarie Meyer, Rex (Amber) Bullard and Debbie Shepard; several grandchildren; and a host of extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project in loving memory of Russ.
A memorial service will be held, Noon, Sunday, November 29, 2015 at Hamilton�s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street. Visitation will occur one hour prior to the service. A burial will occur at a later date at Iowa Veteran�s Cemetery.

2018 - RJC TJC
I was wondering if anyone was interested in being the state rep for Iowa? I will try to do things if there are no takers. The State Rep is not a hard job. Just try to plan some rides and some winter get togethers with help from others in the club.
Yes some will not be happy with the way you do things but most will. You just have to remember you cannot please everyone just do the best you can. We would like this to be our last year to be the State Rep.
We have had a great time meeting and making new friends.

Iowa Riders at Deals Gap Just got over the bridge into Nebraska before they closed it on the way home. Bit damp on the mighty Moe.

Our goal is to have the best and most active VRCC State Chapter in the U.S.A.!

Area Reps
Jack Guenther - New Orleans soon changed to Southeast Louisiana
Dennis aka "Grunt of New Orleans" #7130 - Kenner, later Delta Area
Dusty Rhoads - Lafayette, later Southwest Louisiana

In 2004, two additional Area Reps joined the team
Bruce Pincock - North Louisiana
Neal Boudreaux - Capitol Area

I wouldn't have met all of you if it had not been for getting in the VRCC. When I bought the Valk, I didn't know anyone who had one, much less anything about the bike. I searched the net for Valk and stumbled on to the VRCC.
I sat back, lurked for awhile, and then joined in. I was treated to many great stories and a lot of advice from the "stars" of the board at that time...Lamonster, Dragbars, Mosa, Smilin Jack, Tennessee Iceman, TNT and JDubya, Speedie, and many many others. I went to Daytona and met up with the group. What a thrill it was to meet all these people...and, what a treat it was to be accepted by other riders who I had never met. There ain't nothing like the brotherhood of the group.

Later I went to Hotglue's 5B's BBQ and met more of the group. La. chapter was started, I met Jack in New Orleans and Anita and others. I have been treated to the wit of Sarge, the craziness of Craze, the hospitality of Hotglue, Lamonster, DB, TenIceman, Big Jon and the Razorback wife, Mosa and his parents (at Inzane), Smilin Jack, Hurricane, RescueRoy and his wife, Gary Williams and Connie, and many others
I can't think of......that's the problem with getting old....speaking of old, can't forget RJ...HA!

I met lifelong - best friends - Michael P, Beverly, RPBrown and Cheryl, and Trap in Helen. I've riden to New Mexico with Michael P, and then to Sturgis in 2004 with the entire group.
I have been blessed to meet and keep such great friends that are friends for life. Like Lamont, DB, Mosa, TnIceman, BigJon, and others who formed lifelong friendship, I too have formed lifelong friendships with all of you.
I have been treated to "open house" from TNT and JDubya, riden with Speedie and others from Tn.

For me, its not just the memories of where we all came from, but it is where we landed today. Anytime, anyplace, any thing you need, I know I can count on all of my friends and riders.
My memories are of the rides, the gatherings, and the longing to get some planned for 2005. I miss all of you and look forward to the rides next year.

So, what are we waiting on????????Lets get some trips planned for 2005. Just think, in a couple of years the question will be "What are your best memories of the BB"

Warlock took us on some awesome roads in Mississippi yesterday
I have to say, I think this has been the best ride so far on my trike. Lots of curvy roads and decent weather, well, at least until we were on our way home. We hit a bad patch of rain.
My trike started to fish tail and that freaked me out, but within a few minutes it cleared up and all was fine.

I don't know what Warlock and Beekeeper were doing here, looks like an exchange of money

After riding lots of twisties, we made it to the famous Old Country Store for some good grub. It might not look like much from the outside, but they serve the best fried chicken and home cooking...

Moonshine on her Valk, let me tell you, that girl can ride, she was right behind Warlock the whole time

Thanks Warlock, you never fail to put on a great ride! We put in a little over 400 miles, loved it!

2009
I am Strider - the Grand Poobah of the VRCC Chapter of the great state of Louisiana!!!!

Thor�s Hammer
The banner was passed from Gregg Buchanan, representing Arkansas, to Ron Moore at Springhill on Thursday, February 12th, 2004. It was then passed to John Charles and TB at Natchitoches.
JP Sonnier, Dusty, Rick, and others brought it to Baton Rouge where members of the Florida VRCC and the Southeast La VRCC met them. From there it was taken to New Orleans and then Mississippi on the 18th (Wednesday).
Mississippi handoff was at Kentwood from Steve Walters to David Hamilton of Magnolia

2008
Strider - Valhalla Voyage
I left out of Lafayette at 8:00 am and turned Traveler north towards Alexandria - the meeting place of the Louisiana gang.
It was mid 40's and warmed up into the upper 70's throughout the day. When I left out, it was perfect chaps and light jacket temps. The sun was shining and it was one of those days that you KNEW was perfect for riding, greeting, eating and meeting.
It felt so good to be back in the saddle again, I twisted the throttle a little harder than I normally do and made Alexandria in a little over an hour.
The Valhalla Voyage package was heading out of Arkansas with Curley Wolf and was Louisiana bound.......
When I arrived at the meeting place (Shoney's in Alexandria), Green Eyed Dragon was already there and we drank a cup of coffee and waited for the others to arrive.
Green Eyed Dragon had worked shift work the night before and hadn't gotten off until 5 am. He was operating on an hour or two of sleep.
Hard6 and Valkyrie John left out of Lake Charles around 8 am as well and arrived about 30 minutes after I did.
About 5 minutes later, Aurox arrived from Houston, Texas. Aurox is another of our adopted Cajuns, since he far rides to everything we put on. He had left around 5 am in 30+ deg temps and would put in almost 700 miles yesterday.
We went kickstands up and rode the hour or so to Winnfield. Curley Wolf was already there when we arrived............

2010 - Strider
What a great country this is.....just throw your leg over a saddle and go out and dig on it....It's all there for the taking (in)....Sure brought some great memories to this ol' outlaw.

2011 - Sugarbee
There are a bunch of good Valk riders in the Louisiana/Mississippi area. Magoo, Beekeeper, Bird, Moonshine, Monty, Dragonfly, X-Ring, Warlock. We are on the east side. On the west there's Strider and Hard6

2011 - Wolfgang1952
This was taken a couple of weeks ago at my LOCAL (Louisiana Open Carry Awareness League) club meeting.
I had it posted on one of the gun forums. It was suggested that I post it here on the VRCC also and there are few more at home.

The goal of our site is to serve Valkyrie Riders in Minnesota by listing Local, Regional and National events and rides. We also welcome all of your 2 & 3 wheel friends to our events.

State Rep in 2004 was Jerry aka "Ebony Rider" #161 soon accompanied by Tom aka " T.P." #21957

Locations of past VRCC Minnesota Annual Ride In's
2002 Little Falls
2003 Spicer
2004 Cloquet
2005 New Ulm
2006 Red Wing
2007 Kasson
2008 Alexandria
2009 Nisswa
2010 Preston
2011 Two Harbors
2012 Bemidji
2013 Motley
2014 Grand Rapids
2015 Glenwood

2007 - Great Fun at the 5th Annual MN VRCC Chapter Ride!
Hosted by Jerry & Cathy McEathron

On August 18th & 19th the 5th Annual VRCC MN Chapter Ride took place in Red Wing, MN; the historic rivertown nestled along the banks of the mighty Mississippi.
On Friday early afternoon the group met in Wal-Mart parking lot and took a 2-hour scenic tour of the rural Red Wing and surrounding area. The tour ended almost on top of the world at Memorial Park where everyone took in the breathtaking view of Red Wing. We then ventured to Miesville, MN to indulge in the famous and delicious hamburgers at Kings Grill & Bar! Then the Valkyries took us back in time to the Little Log Village near Miesville where for a couple of hours we envisioned a simpler life. Friday ended with food, laughter and camaraderie at McEathron's in Red Wing.

Saturday morning the group met again at the McEathron's with new comers too. Together we enjoyed breakfast and conversation. Everyone got to meet our leaders of the day Brent & Emmy Bauer. Brent and Emmy lead the group throughout the scenic hills of rural Wisconsin. We fed trout and ducks in a trout pond in Plum City, Wisconsin, we enjoyed lunch at the top of the bluff in Arcadia, Wisconsin at Hanson's Hideaway.
We devoured ice cream cones at Nelson Cheese Factory and road more scenic rural roads than one could imagine! We saw eagles, a raccoon, deer including a fawn with spots but thankfully not on the road, and so much more!
The Annual event ended with more conversation, "Valk Talk", when we would get together again and even some group discussion about the 6th Annual event ...and of course we had to bring out more munchies as we didn't want anyone to go away hungry!

What a great group of fun folks and a fun weekend. We are so happy that everyone made it home safely and talk about coming back for the 6th Annual Chapter Ride, where ever it may be in beautiful Minnesota.
A sincere thank you to all who participated!

2009 - Strider
Thanks again to TP and Nancy for showing the Northern Hospitality that they did for all of us out of staters that came up and enjoyed the Minnesota Ride In, P in the Headwaters, Eat some Walleye Fishies, Groove on the Lake Superior, Stand on Straight Down Bluffs, Check out a Cascading River, Iron Mines, Wheel Wrenching, Check out the Bobby Dylan Homesteads, Ride a Lutsen Alpine Ride, Ride the Mississippi thing that you fine folks put on!
Even the day that we just spent enjoying fellowship and allowing me to wash (the softest) clothes was greatly enjoyed. You two ROCK!!!!
The reason that this video is going to be in PARTS is you filled every minute with awesome memories!!!!!!!!!!!! From the moment I left home until I pulled back into the garage, I passed a very large time!!!!!
Folks, I passed a VERY, VERY LARGE TIME UP YONDER!!!! AGAIN, I thank you!!!!! Just don't get no better!!!!!!
I mean, this was one of my more favorite rides ever!!!! I can never reciprocate the hospitality that was shown to me up yonder - and I THANK YOU!!!!
This is one of those rides that lets you know why you ride - also let me remember, THAT IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE!!!!
You sure are a brother and sister to me - AND I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH some other brothers and sisters - IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE! Thanks again!

Note Part 1 and 2 may not show in some countries due to copyright issues. Part 3 is just fine.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uqrm9kXrf4
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBCdH7gnXI4
Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncOOV1x-Ntg

2012- Fall Color Ride
Nancy Paradeau - Back at the motel after 180 miles of fabulous color and a great ride.

2017 Dan Schultz - City of Forest Lake
It was a great day for a ride in MN, there's about 12 of them each summer.

Early State Rep North Carolina - Rich aka "Acuna" #13879
Currently listed NC Rep - Matt aka "TruckRacer" #22351
Currently listed SC Rep - Mike aka "hubcapsc" #26351

Mosa
I met many GREAT people along the route, and interestingly felt like each one of you guys was family from the moment we met ( either on internet or first time meeting in person)...

The VOA ride-in to Montrose in 98 was the first time I met a lot of you guys - LeMont, Gale, Paint it Black in Toronto ( yes...thats PIBIT to you newbies), Tim/Redvalk, Hotglue... a lot of great memories... rode from Virginia out there, flew in my ( then girlfriend, now wife) Sandy, we toured around, then she went back and I decided it was only another 900 miles to LA to see my folks so I scooted out to LA for a 2 day visit, then raced back to Virginia solo... That BTW was the beginning of the VRCC and by the time I got back to VA, the membership #s had grown so I only got #279....

The trip meeting up with LeMont was almost surrreal in how we clicked with all we met....remember how those guys liked MY bike better'n Lamont's at that Kentucky Hotel? lol... ya ya, blower bike, wow LOOK at that BLACK one... hahahaahah... Hookin up with Dragbars and then TNT on that trip ( remember us picking up yer Valk for ya Vicki??? )...I gots pics of that trip somewhares...

The Yosemite cross country last minute trip... Rode from VA to Nashville to pick up Dragbars, that nite got a call from PIBIT, ,met him in StLouis next day... then the 3 of us ROCKETING cross country into Denver where I got that bald rear tire changed... left at 6pm next nite and rode... and rode and rode... 28 hours strait if I remember right.. from Denver to Yosemite NONSTOP ( well PIBIT got some sleep waiting for us to catch up, and woke up in the sprinklers at that gas stationi...lol)... riding thru the fires outside of yosemite in that escort, no sleep, was real real strange... fire burning at side of road as we went by... arrived in Yosemite at 10pm or sumething liike that and I got VALKCABBIE's old room as he got MARRIED that day and got the honeymoon suite...lol... REMEMBER THE 4-WAY burnout contest there in the parking lot? 4 blower bikes all nose to nose....
Aaron did the wheelie in the parkinglot and almost went into the lobby... hahahaha...

I remember the Daytona trip with Ethan and George... MAN we TORE that stretch of I95 UP!... from DC to Daytona in about 11 or so hours!... I rember Ethan got the nickname BARBIE since at each stop he either put clothes on or took em off...lol.. and George.. always takin up the rear,,,, he got the nickname " Whar's George" ... we seemed to find just the right openings between the pylons ( i mean cars) and could get 2 bikes thru but not the 3rd... always George left behind...lol...

VRCC in Rolling Thunder ... Had several gatherings over the years at my townhouse south of DC ... Saw Crazy Rick and WIA ontheir Hoss's .... had a rained out picnic in MD, but didnt phase most of us, went anyway... the Northeast riders were there ( a little late but still there...lol)... the Mid Atlantic guys were there... with that newly done up TRAILER QUEEN bike that yellow Dragon ( what an AWESUM bike!)...

Rocket, Yogi and Big Earn visiting... again seein them at TNT and JDubya's BBQ and helping pick up that downed Interstate.... racing back home on the tennessee and virginia interstates.... what a trip!...

2009 Big IV � Trip Report
We met up in a large parking lot on the edge of Lincolnton, NC about 11:00. Just a few friends getting together. 6 bikes. 9 people. The ride could have used more Valks. Otherwise, 78 degrees, beautiful.
We rode to Kings Mountain State Park. We looked around the museum for a little bit. Then we took off and rode down to Cowpens, SC. We ate at a little place in Chesney, SC that had a giant Rooster on the roof and motorcycles in the parking lot.
The food was good, a museum inside the restaurant of the 50s. Then we ran around through Gaffney, into Shelby, out through Cherryville, and back into Lincolnton NC. Not a bad 150+ miles.

First INZANE! what a trip! Second INZANE! just as fun!
EACH one of em a unique and full memory...
All I can say is that on my motorcycle, and because of my motorcycle, I have met and feel I have my BEST friends anyone could have... I know I have been scarce round these boards recently, but in my mind, and my soul, I am still here!...
We gotta do this more often! create some NEW memories!

Thumper
It was a great ride! Cherohala Skyway....Hellbender....Blue Ridge Parkway....on the greatest motorcycle ever built with some of the greatest people I know.

2012 Stanley Beasley � Video Teasers
Franklin/Highlands NC area......GA, NC, SC all have a few 3,000-6,000 foot "hills" where they come together

Guest
As long as I am alive and Joe and Britman and Stanley and Lucky 13 and Willow, Motomama, and Strider and Frog and Strong Eagle who never rides with us, and 1000 others are around. the VRCC will thrive.
Come to the Fall Color Ride in the North Carolina Mountains and you will see it is going to be around for a long time. I will pay for your room and treat you too whatever you like beer, wine or whiskey or wild woman if you just show up.
Your opinion will change and you will start having a good time. That was an official Invitation by the way, not empty talk. Bring a few friends we will bend over backwards to make you feel at home. Safe winds Brother
Big Al here if you need me.

2013 Duffy - Last Sunday we had a group of 12 bikes led by Britman to Lake Hiawassee NC. A beautiful day.

Santa
Met up with Duffy and his friends from England at Winghot restaurant in Cullman, Al. Had a good time.
We rode right into the rain on Friday and it rained all night in Memphis. Next morning sunshine!

Duffy
Good to see Santa and Winghot in Cullman. Of course the lunch was great! Thanks again Wayne!
Steve n Glynis can't wait to go home and tell their two granddaughters they met Santa riding his Valkyrie in Alabama, USA!! They got a picture of him and his Valk with his S Klaus tag.
Thanks for coming out and meeting us Tom! See you at Smokinjoe's Fall Color Ride.

Beale Street in Memphis Friday night At the Downtown Grill in Cullman: Steve, Glynis, Wayne and Tom

2017 hubcapsc - hillbilly ride pictures
I got invited on a ride this weekend back before Reb announced the Hillbilly ride... I ended up riding all weekend with these hillbillies: Britman, Ian, Mark, Steve and Duffy...

headed out to meet them at Cashiers NC, and stopped along the way at Smokin' Joe's "lake that looks like a Christmas tree"...

Britman sent us explicit directions for the ride and told us all to commit them to memory, so we all knew every detail of the ride route... Crabtree Mountain Road out of Canton North Carolina is a good start to any ride...

Duffy got a little squirrely going over the top, but he kept it out of the ditch... the debris in the road was only partially responsible for the close call.
I have other pictures going down this hill, any ride that goes down this hill is a good ride. Crabtree Mountain Road dumps out right above The Rattler

We bounced off the side of Asheville but never got into any tourist traffic, even though it is Memorial Day weekend, Britman had all kinds of little roads planned out that took us under I-26 and past Asheville...

A cow leaped out into the road among us, crossed all the way to the right and back again, but it all happened so fast my "picture every five seconds" camera only caught the retreat to the left.. After "snaking" us past Asheville, Britman took us on 19w up through a little bit of Tennessee... 19w is one of several great roads I got introduced to on this ride... here's a Wiki picture by some guy named Mark Clifton, not my picture

19w's too curvy for trucks, but not curvy enough for Britman, so we took Piney Hill Road for a while. I was hoping for some good pictures there with maybe the other motorcycles coming back at me on some of the tight switchbacks, but the camera battery pooped out somewhere along the way... not before we came to this tree in the road, though...

You know you're on the real back roads when you have to clear the trees out of the way yourself. We got back to the house on the lake after about 275 miles or so... very few stops, a nice big loop and numerous new-to-me roads, a great ride!
Duffy discovered that he'd worn his tire down to the threads when we got back It was raining this morning (Sunday). We all left out to find a phone and or some Internet service - I hoped I'd remembered correctly that Schroader's Honda in Hendersonville (40 miles away) was open on Sunday. We found their number and HOORAY they were open and could fix his tire. I split off from the group at that point and headed back home down the hill to South Carolina. I hope Duffy made the 40 miles OK and that they're all headed back to Georgia on good tires as I type this...

Editor�s note (not related to the above report)
Riding at sandy beaches can be fun. And who can resist a nice picture of his Valkyrie right at the shoreline��
(Editor) I couldn't :D .....until it gets deep enough and loose enough so she can�t power through it.
This picture is Wizard�s Valk�in sand that got too deep. And BTW...Forget about deflating your tires with this baby...

2004
The Sooner State Valkyrie Riders is the Oklahoma Chapter of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club or VRCC for short. If you are a VRCC member you are automatically a part of the SSVR, but not exclusively so. We are an online community of Valkyrie riders in Oklahoma, and our community is open to all riders regardless of affiliation. In other words, we don�t care what you ride, as long as you ride! We are a little biased about what constitutes a great motorcycle but don�t let that scare you away. We get together and ride as often as possible, and have several groups rides throughout the year. This website, like the VRCC is offered free to everyone. Our site consists of the main website, message boards, photo gallery, and event calendar. If you have questions about the awesome Honda Valkyrie, or the SSVR post a message on our message board or click the email link on the sidebar.

Trix
This was once a very active group and many of us OKC'rs did get together regularly. The BBQ's we had on a yearly basis the first few years grew bigger and bigger each time.
It takes a lot of phone calls and emails and reminders, tho... lemme be the one to tell ya!!!!
Quite a few of these guys and gals aren't really big into group riding, it just seems to take forever to get from point A to point B that way, but if you post a ride/event, make a few calls, really push it, they'll come out of the woodwork eventually
It's a really good group, with lots of great people!

Wow, did we ever have a good time! We had riders from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and even one guy from New Mexico! Don rode in from the Clovis, NM area so he could get a chance to check out what the VRCC was all about and see what others had done to their bikes. Oh, and did I mention Don only has one arm? That�s right, he rides with his left(only) arm only and he's one hell of a good rider! He also tried to blame a few guys for stealing his right glove a few times...

Scott
I want to thank everyone for your participation here on the message boards, and the various emails and PM's of support and interest in "Sooner Valks" in general. With that said, a little news of the "what�s going on" category...
We've grown quite a bit in the last 3-4 months, and with that I had to bump up our hosting plan this week because we're already running out of disk space. A welcome upgrade as far as I'm concerned, as I was tired of juggling backups around to save space. Right now, we're averaging about 50-60 unique visits to the forums, and website per day respectively! Not much compared to larger more popular websites, but quite a bit for our little corner of the web. Compared to the number of posts on the website per day, we've got lots of folks lurking in the shadows just seeing what�s going on.
I also finished installing an update to the main webpage today. Mostly back end stuff to make my life easier. It will however, add some nice new features once I get time to get them set up. One of those is a Link section, which I setup tonight. I added a few links off the top of my head and welcome any links you might have that are appropriate. So, be sure and let me know if you have some links you want added or think others might find useful.
Rides? I'd like some feedback on this. I've put a considerable amount of effort into the Ride-In in May and look forward to those that will be able to make it. However, my gut feeling is that most folks would rather attend a shorter day ride type of event or even less. If you are interested in meeting some other Valk riders in Oklahoma, and would like to participate in a ride, what would it be? A dinner ride? A lunch run? A day ride? Destinations? Would you like a ride that�s closer to where YOU live? Heck, I and several others just need an excuse and we'll show up in your town for a ride.
Invite us, I dare ya.: shock: Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. I'd really appreciate the feedback.
Speaking of rides. If you are looking for place a to ride on a mini vacation this summer, be sure to consider attending Inzane IV in July. I've been to the last two "Inzanes" and had a great time each year. This year however, is going to be the biggest and best ever. Pre-registration is double what it was this time last year. I'm on the event committee and let me tell you, we've got some great stuff in the works. The location is Paducah, Ky, which if you are on a tight schedule is only a day ride away. However, if you have plenty of time, there are some GREAT roads to explore between here and there.
Well, I better quit before I fall asleep at the keyboard.
Oh, and I'll be in OKC on Saturday for the poker run (unless the weather craps on us). If you'd like to get together later in the afternoon, or for dinner drop me a line. I'm always up for a Valk meet.

Note from the editor
On the Sooner Valks BB http://forums.okvalks.com/index.php/board,1.0.html I came across Gary�s Trip Reports. He makes many cross-country trips with his Valkyrie, is a very gifted photographer and frequent uploader.
If you fancy nice scenic pictures, his reports are a must read. Some examples.

Goose, Blackjack & I met at Mazzios in Stroud at 2pm today. We went north on hwy99 headed towards Yale
Yale OK on hwy51, was the home of Jim Thorpe. This was very interesting to visit; this elderly lady was the tour guide for the Okla Historical Society. She was very compassionate on accurate history of this athlete.

We had a good time today and hopefully we can put together some type of ride about once a month from now on. I got back to Yukon about 830pm with about 260 miles today.

We are going to Gettysburg to check out the History !!!
It's called The Blue/Grey ride....
Heck you might even want to meet up and hear a bunch of Valks roaring down the Super slab...
We have Valk riders coming in from all over the US & Can...

The Tennessee Chapter was formed in June 2003 by Steve and Sue Silva and counted 380 Riders.

Mission Statement
Our goal is to highlight the Valkyrie community here in Tennessee, as well as provide riders everywhere with information about riding in Tennessee. We feel our state has beautiful scenery and some the nicest motorcycle roads you'll find anywhere.
From the mountains to the rolling hills and lakes, you'll find something to float your boat here. Throw a leg over and come ride with us!

Highlander
My greatest VRCC moment was going to the Honda Hoot in 2000. I had been lurking on the VRCC board for about a year and decided to try the Valkyrie. It was a Tuesday.
I test rode the Valkyrie, for about two hours, and bought it the moment I got back to the dealers. I joined the VRCC that night. The next morning, I took the Valkyrie in for the 600-mile check before leaving for the Honda Hoot.
I had found someone looking for a roomie at the hoot on the VRCC site, Ray Pilot. Did not know him, never met him, just said heck yes, he rides a Valkyrie. I was going because I had heard some guy named Lamonster would be there.
I also met Dragbars, Mosa, Hoosier Daddy, Chris and Hal, and put many faces to the names on the board. I also got a Lamonster T-shirt, still have it, always will. As the result of this meeting, I decided to become the Southern Illinois Rep.
I had always ridden alone before Lamont came along, because Lamont was the VRCC to me. I learned so much from everyone, and as a result, formed a close group of riders in our area. We ride at least once every weekend, every month of the year.
None of this would have happened if I had not gone to meet the humble man we all call our friend Lamonster.
By-the-way, recently, I received a package in the mail. Since Lamonster is now the proud owner and rider of a Boss Hoss and does not own a Valkyrie anymore, he decided to send me something. I was more than surprised to find his vest, his VRCC vest, in the package. He knows that I love the Valkyrie, and do not plan to change bikes, so he sent it to me. Words cannot express the way I felt. I rode all over Southern Illinois to see my friends in the �new� vest.
I must admit that even as I write this I get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. Lamont is perhaps the most generous person I have ever met. He is always there for advice, technical details, and a call to someone in the hospital to lift their spirits, and just the best friend anyone could ever have. Those who ride with him, and join this forum know this as well as anyone. We are all of the same spirit. If you do not believe it, let any one of us need a friend, and everyone is there for us.
I owe him more than he will ever know. You will always be #1 in my book my friend.

Lamont
I have so many VRCC memories. I guess one of first and greatest memory was when I rode my Valk from HDL in Shady side Ohio to HDL in Sunrise FL and along the way I met Mosa in Kentucky and we rode to Dragbars place in TN.
Mosa was like a long loss friend and I had never met him before. He loved to ride and he kinda knew where he was going and that was a good thing for those of you that know me. We got along great and we both liked to ride at a good clip.
We got to TN and met Dragbars for the first time and the same thing happened, it was like we were old buddies again. I really can't remember all the other folks I met during that time but this is back when a hardcore bunch of riders and friends were being formed. I do remember meeting the famous TNT on that trip. I still consider these folks some of my best friends. I've told Dragbars that if I never made another friend for the rest of my life I have already made more friends than any one man deserves.
That trip is one of the main reasons I live in East TN now, I fell in love with this place then and told my wife that someday this is where I want to live. I guess dreams can come true.

Here's a link to some of the pics from that trip. http://www.valkyrieriders.com/JustPics/hoot2k/hoot.htm
Honda Hoot 2002 with Lamont and Dave Despain (and Hal with orange shirt in the background)
This Valk was supercharged with 8 lbs. of boost, a progressive shot of nitrous and had flame throwers so I could shoot 6' flames driving down the road. Those were the days my friend

SmokinJoe
The first 12 years or so in Asheville, NC, and Knoxville, TN the Honda Hoot was pretty cool to check out however the last few years wasn�t much .... Honda ran off most of the other brands and the vendors went with them.
I guess you couldn�t expect much more after all Honda killed the greatest cruiser to ever roll down the highway when it dropped the Valkyrie.

TnIceman
I miss my Valk a huge amount... I love to ride so much and to be bikeless a terrible disease... LOL but worse than that... I miss meeting up with some of the best friends a man could ever ask for and sharing a ride with them.
Any ride is a good ride but a ride with your friends is a great ride.
I have made so many great friends over the years and I have an entire album of pictures that I pull out from time to time just to remind myself of all the great times.
One of my very first rides... Met Dragbars for the first time and we headed for the mountains of East TN... It was a great ride and I think he was testing me a little... LOL... as the Speedo kept climbing... Man that was a great day and one heck of a cold ride home... Stopping every 30 miles just to warm up.
A few months later I headed out to meet up with the group riding (or was it flying) to bike week... Pulled my baby out of the garage and it was flurrying just a little... Just bundled up and hit the road...
(that was the trip that we almost got thrown under the jail for speeding, image that...)
The trips to Vicki's... the BBQ is Texas... Ashville... Niagara Falls... Toronto...
Lamont�s sewing party...The Hoot... InZane... Way too many stories... but they all put a smile on my face.
To all those friends I don�t get to see as often... (as life seems to get in the way, LOL) I may not get to ride with you guys right now....but I never forget the rides we have shared.

Tinman
If it wasn't for the VRCC I wouldn't know any of you now. The day after I joined, Steve Myers from Greeneville Tn. e-mailed me saying he was another Valkyrie rider and had seen my post on the VRCC.
He invited me for a ride with a group that met each weekend. That's where I met my best friend to this day.....RayO. Since that day, my list of friends kept growing because of the Valkyrie and the VRCC.
I first met WIA, Dragbars, and a few others on a very cold wintery ride in Knoxville. Remember the day Socrates went down? That ride has been etched in my brain all these years.
How everybody stopped the ride and blasted to UT hospital to check on him. Thats when I knew I was part of a special family.
Vicki, TnIceman and Lamont came the next year in Daytona, then again when I hosted a dinner during the Hoot as the East Tn. Rep. A lot has changed since then, but two things remain the same..... our friendship and the love to ride.

Dragons Over The Smokeys was held in Johnson City, Tennessee in 2006. That was the year InZane was held in Frisco, Colorado. Redvalk did an excellent job on that gathering and helping with the two subsequent InZanes in Johnson City.

Oss
This one was set up by Tim and Dave in 2006 as the big rally was out in Colorado. It was the days of the old chat room with dozens in the place at a time. Met lots of great folks some of whom are still with us.
Bonnie and I took 3 days riding down pulling the Bushtec trailer. Stayed in Front Royal then next day rode thru Skyline Drive and had a nice ride to Peaks of Otter around mile 88 on the BRP and stayed the nite.
Great restaurant and we walked around the lake and sat out watching the bats flying and eating bugs. Very peaceful place.

Next day continued south on BRP in occasional heavy fog and rain. She was not a happy camper for sure but never complained once. We did see some awesome sights such as fog rising very fast and pouring up into the heavens over the road and over the peaks. Very surreal. Deer crossing occasionally and very light vehicle traffic. We stopped often for pictures and to just take in the scenery.
We left the BRP around Roanoke to pick up 81 and made it to Johnson City in time to go swimming in the pool. It was HOT. Had met Don and Tracy earlier in the summer and met Raymond, BlackPearl's captain and his wife Rhonda at the pool.
Dana was his best friend and was doing belly flops and really making some big splashes! Funny thing I could not close the trunk of the Valk once I got to DOTS and Hard6 and Rusty and Warlock took the whole trunk apart finding the tiny magnet battery from a led kits light inside the latch. Have no idea how it got in there. When they put the trunk together there were no extra parts. What an experience.

Next day we rode to Wheels Thru Time with some nice folks from the Deep South Rusty & Donna, Warlock & Coolbreeze, Bird and Moonshine and her brother Magoo Once we got past the fact that they talk funny we had a great time.
Bird was a pretty steady rider what with Cindy totally standing and turning around while taking pics. That would un nerve me no doubt.
I know that DOTS is where I met many folks. Detn8er, Strider, Hard 6, maybe Smokinjoe and many others I did not know who they were but they loved riding their Valkyrie as much as we did�we had a great time
Thanks Redvalk for the effort it took to set that event up and if I am wrong and it wasn�t dots don�t correct me, sometimes one is better off in their memories than realitywas there too
On the way back we made it to near Allentown a bit over 500 miles before Bonnie said she needed to stop and sit in a swimming pool It was pretty damn hot and I found us a place with a cold pool lol! Last time she would ride for 8 hrs. nonstop
Now I fly her to rides that are more than 500 miles away or we take multiple days to get there

John Schmidt
I remember DOTS that year (2006), it was the year I also attended InZane the first time it was held in Frisco, CO. One highlight I remember about DOTS is I got the "Oldest Rider" award at the tender young age of 68 if I recall.
I wish they would have another InZane up there, great riding, great memories.
GOOD times! Don't forget Wicked Wanda and Bones helped plan that. Lori had me in the movie �Diary of a Mad Black Woman" after I won the prize at the tent...
Yep, Doc/Lady Di and Sindee/I still remain close along with Murdoc/Messy, Threevalks/Janellen, Bones/Wicked Wanda, Wegs/Momma T, OP2/Candy, Navy Dad/ Navy Mom, KC Kid, Screwtape/Blinkie, Shaggy, Highbinder/Lady Draco and many friends...

Always a pleasure to see GIG, Fudgie, Blackdog, Hardsix, Strider, WQNX Raymond, Willow/Motomama, Normandog, Dave Ritsma (Da Boss) and all of our buddies...
Who could forget Paris chasing everyone's daughter around the parking lot at wee hours of the morning... Or the famous "I have A Dream" speech by the great Tennessean Smokin Joe!
Sadly we lost our great friends RJ, Big Dan, and B.S. Nicely and others but they are not forgotten...
I know that I've truly been blessed with some of the best times in the VRCC over the last 17 years

Highbinder
I almost forgot how much fun that ride was...I especially liked the video and music, loved the way you left the sound of the bikes in there, good job. I'm starting to get excited about this years ride...I'll see you when we do the scouting ride..

T-Bird
Ron,
You did a great job on last years ride, making one of the best events of the year. The 4-H club was great group and some pretty good cooks too cooldude

2012 - DubsValk
I penned this the day before our Hillbilly gathering in Marion. I hope you like it.
Tomorrow morning I will hoist my leg over the two-wheeled beast and point her head North to Marion, Va. Saturday morning a 100 or so of us will ride into the West Virginia hills. To the land of fresh air, smokey blue mountains, fog gently rising from the valley floors, fading into the warm morning sun. Maitwan and the Molly Mcguires, Williamson and the Hatfields and McCoys, Coal Field and Rocket Man, home of Chuck Yeager, Jerry West and Bernie Watkins! A hundred bikes will crawl their way into the West, Virginia coal fields, visiting, Bishop, Big Creek, War, Coal Field, Welch, Maitland, Keystone, Northfork, Bramwell, Bluewell, Bluefield and other obscure dots on the map that used to be thriving communities.
A place where bald eagles still soar high and proud, deer and cattle graze together in high mountain pastures and sip from the same cool, fresh streams with beginnings high in the lofty peaks of the Blueridge.
I'm going home for a brief respite where fond memories abide. Where the heart beats faster and the brow lines fade as the tension from a hectic world is devoured by this special place of places.
The roar of our bike's exhaust will herald the return of a son, trumpet his arrival, announce his presence and, sadly, his departure.
Ah, Beautiful West Virginia, you haunt my memories and I will always love you!

Hubcapsc - 2016 Trip Report
I left out of Seneca, SC, on Friday... most of South Carolina was covered by the hurricane rain, but my corner is still shriveling from drought.
I have a way I like to get up to Knoxville from here... I pass through Georgia and North Carolina before I get to Tennessee. Right before I get to Tennessee, I pass The Fields Of The Wood. I stopped this time and got this picture

The trip is all great roads. Until you get to Knoxville. The way to Wimps house gets gnarly where 129 (part of 129 is The Dragon) hits I40.
I called Wimp when I was about an hour out. He said I40 would be a parking lot, and sure enough it was. He told me an alternate route, and I made it right to his house
We left from Wimps house and got on I75 (which was busy, but not a parking lot) and headed out to Clinton where the motel was. We all went to eat nearby, Joe and his wife carried some folks to the Restaurant so they didn't have to ride their bikes.
We've stayed at this motel before here's us getting ready to leave from the Hardee's next door

With last year's several bad accidents on our minds, Joe has started several rides recently with a prayer. He called on me to say the prayer this time, everyone gathered around there in the Hardee's parking lot...
Joe took us up into the Great Smoky Mountains on our way through to Cherokee...

The problem with places like The Great Smoky Mountains is that there�s good trails here and water falls there and all the trail heads turn into nasty quagmires of congestion..

I didn't see any...
We finally got to the gas stop at Cherokee around 1:30 or 2:00... with 230 miles of BRP still to go
Here's Lance, looking like a secret service agent, Wimp trying to figure out where to feed dollar bills into the gas pump, and Dennis, smiling as usual...

Punisher and Gordon hiding in the bushes, Joe's bike, JimmyT's bike, Barry's Bee and Wimp's nephew..
We headed off down the parkway, planning to eat in Asheville. Some of us missed the exit. I was following along behind the bike in front of me when all of a sudden we all pulled off to a side area... we realized we weren't with The Group anymore.
Out came the cell phones... Some folks decided the heck with it and headed to Ground Zero on main roads, some folks headed back to The Group who were already sitting down to eat at a Ryan's in Asheville, and me, Roger and Roy took off down the parkway towards Sparta. We got to roll hard from there, it was kind of a relief, we didn't hit any real clogs until past Craggy Gardens...
We stopped and actually put on our long sleeve shirts... I'll miss summer, but this great cool air was real fine We decided we couldn�t make it all the way to ground zero on the gas we had, so we dropped down to Linville for gas... hmmm... it's only 6:30, let's eat at this good restaurant! It was good too, but it was almost 8:00 by the time we got back on the parkway. Deer were crouched in every field waiting to pounce into the road at dark.
We passed a couple of Valkyries. Then made a quick stop, right at dark. One of the Valkyries pulled up behind us, it was Bill and Trish... the other Valkyrie was Mitch, he'd gone the other way looking for a group of four or five others � apparently The Group had split further after we had left out at Asheville. They were glad to be with us because they thought we knew how to proceed ...
Off through the darkness we went, 40 or 50 miles of BRP left to go. Then we came upon another big group of Valkyries... it was what was left of The Group, and they were at an intersection, Joe had led some down the hill to get gas.
So we were mostly all back together. We all ditched the BRP at that point, so off through the darkness down some secondary road on a route unknown to me ... some of the folks behind me were falling behind, so I fell back and
barely kept The Group in sight in front of me and the others in sight behind me.
Finally we passed a sign that said we were on 221, I knew how to get all the way to the Motel from 221. We came to an intersection, so I let the ones in front go on and waited for the ones behind. Before we came to any turns, we came up to The Group waiting on us again, and finally one more
jog to the motel, a little after 10:00... whew!
Mitch didn't show up until a half hour or so later, then pretty much every one chilled. I chilled until about 1:00 am, some folks chilled a couple of hours longer than that ...
A bunch of us headed to a sit-down breakfast place nearby Sunday morning and we talked about our plans. I had brought the North Carolina red book with me, and my plan was to "go south"... Punisher and 3Fan and "Ginger" liked my plan and off we went on pretty good roads, some gravel, but no
traffic. Until we hit Boone... good grief... Labor Day... we didn't get sucked irretrievably into the traffic with the help of the red book, and pretty soon were zooming down 105 (instead of stewing miserably in the combined 221/321 Boone traffic snarl).
Mark and Debbie peeled off when we hit 40 and headed to Maggie Valley.
Me and Punisher continued on back roads until we got to hiway 11 in South Carolina. We had to pass near Lake Lure to get to hiway 9... gahhh... holidays and tourist traffic... turning onto 9 across the flow of tourists from Chimney Rock/Lake Lure was exciting.
Carolyn fixed a great supper and Punisher stayed in our plush, well-lit guest cabin... we took him out to the good breakfast place near I85 so he could head on home and got bitten by the holiday again... the good breakfast place was PACKED and it took long enough for him to get halfway to Atlanta...
We've changed the plans for next year... we'll gather from all our disparate places directly at the Sparta hotel on Friday next year, ride in a group or groups all day on Saturday, and get back to Sparta Saturday night with plenty of time to hang out in the parking lot each night... no riding on the parkway in the dark...

RayO
It's really hard to come up with ONE favorite time, especially if you narrow it down to the VRCC stuff. I have met a lot of great people through the internet, related to bike events. I've made some great friends, some of the best friends I have ever had.
One great trip I will always remember was the trip to Daytona when a few of us stopped over at Smiling Jack's and he fed us an excellent steak dinner and put us all up like we were family.
This happened AFTER spending a night at TNT & JW's, where we were so welcome also. The ride was great, but the friendships were what made the trip stand out so much.
Once in Daytona, it was "another Bike Week" but it was the reason for the ride, just like the bikes are the reason for this board, but it sure has created a lot more. Thanks to all of you for the comraderie.

Lamont
I guess one of first and greatest memory was when I rode my Valk from HDL in Shady side Ohio to HDL in Sunrise FL and along the way I met Mosa in Kentucky and we rode to Dragbars place in TN.
Mosa was like a long loss friend and I had never met him before. He loved to ride and he kinda knew where he was going and that was a good thing for those of you that know me. We got along great and we both liked to ride at a good clip.
We got to TN and met Dragbars for the first time and the same thing happened, it was like we were old buddies again. I really can't remember all the other folks I met during that time but this is back when a hardcore bunch of riders and friends were being formed. I do remember meeting the famous TNT on that trip. I still consider these folks some of my best friends. I've told Dragbars that if I never made another friend for the rest of my life I have already made more friends than any one man deserves.
That trip is one of the main reasons I live in East TN now, I fell in love with this place then and told my wife that someday this is where I want to live. I guess dreams can come true.
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/JustPics/hoot2k/hoot.htm

BigJon
Where Do I start?
Who knows!!!
But I do know this, Met Jim and Vicki at Wal-Mart in Memphis.
Vicki invited us on a ride, that was in June or July 2000.
Then met Danny at a Bike Night sometime there soon after.
They both invited a Wing Rider to visit the VRCC.
So I got to visiting the board and lurking.
Then in 2001 LeAnn and I went to Honda Hoot, Inzane I, and who knows what else.
But since buying the bike we have made some really great friends all over the country (not even going to try to start naming you guys and gals.)
Picked up and moved to East Tennessee, Thanks to LeMont moving out here and asking for help in building Mrs. LeMont a sewing room and us coming to help with it, and discovering how gorgeous it was on the "right side of the state".
I am greatful and proud to call all of you friends.
I would definetly, be happy to introduce you to any of my blood family, as family, you might as well be!!!

TnIceman
I miss my valk a huge amount.. I love to ride so much and to be bikeless a terrible disease.. LOL but worse then that.. I miss meeting up with some of the best friends a man could ever ask for and sharing a ride with them. Any ride is a good ride but a ride with your friends is a great ride.
I have made so many great friends over the years and I have an entire album of pictures that I pull out from time to time just to remind myself of all the great times.
One of my very first rides. Met Dragbars for the first time and we headed for the mountians of East TN.. It was a great ride and I think he was testing me a little.. LOL.. as the speedo kept climbing..
Man, that was a great day and one heck of a cold ride home.. Stopping every 30 miles just to warm up..

A few months later I headed out to meet up with the group riding (or was it flying) to bike week.. Pulled my baby out of the garage and it was flurrying just a little.. Just bundled up and hit the road..
(that was the trip that we almost got thrown under the jail for speeding, image that..)
The trips to Vicki's... the BBQ is Texas.. Ashville.. Niagra Falls.. Toronto..
Lamonts sewing party..THe Hoot... InZane... Way to many stories.. but they all put a smile on my face..

To all those friends I dont get to see as often.. (as life seems to get in the way, LOL) I may not get to ride with you guys right now.. .but I never forget the rides we have shared.

DDT
It all started with a couple in Ocala, FL... Mark & Pat Croft. Mark had a Valkyrie and posted on our Florida board.
I responded, and we rode together for a time. I'd been pondering on the difficulty we'd had trying to put group rides together... Mark and Pat were also perplexed by this...
Members in Florida were scattered all over this geographically rather large state, and hooking-up meant everybody had to make a long ride just to join up with other riders to then begin a group ride.
An idea popped into my thinker muscle one fine day... I called it 'The Great Florida BBQ Quest'...
I just so happen to really like BBQ. Mark & Pat do too. The idea of the 'Quest' was that we'd simply announce some BBQ joint somewhere in Florida we would be trying out on the following Saturday, and we would invite any interested riders to join us for lunch. The idea was that we would visit that place to 'evaluate' its offering, but the real reason was to provide an excuse to ride and meet fellow Valkers.
Since meeting early in the morning and doing a group ride seemed impractical, our thinking was that we could all ride from our various locations and still meet up... Those who lived close enough to each other could join up for a mini group ride, and everybody was free to ride wherever they chose. Eventually we even did a few 'overnighters' to extend our time together and our ability to ride together.

The response was very light at first. In fact, it was not unusual for only the three of us to show up for the 'meet & greet'... Still, we kept it up, and we would post a little write-up about the ride, food, etc.
In time, a few folks at first began to show up... then more and more... until we had rather impressive turn-outs and loads of fun!
The VRCC had already been established... more or less. The message board was operational, and we did use it. However, a couple of other boards were also used back then, and hearing about this one elsewhere is how many folks got attracted to this board...

The VRCC was an interesting innovation at the time. It just sprung up out of the minds of a couple of very creative folks, and it used a novel and previously unheard of business model... No membership dues!
All successful clubs before this one had relied on dues for much of its funding, but the VRCC relied entirely upon advertising mostly, but donations and contributions too. What a concept!!! Membership rolls exploded immediately!!!
The success in Florida came from a couple of important factors, I think... First, the no-dues aspect of the club was extremely attractive and offered no participation barrier to anyone. The second was the message board.
This provided what I call 'an electronic club house in cyberspace' that neutralized the huge obstacle of distance. The third, and in our case arguably the most important, was the participation of couples and not just solo guys.
We were richly blessed in that way, but it didn't occur to me right at first. In short order, however, it became obvious, though, and more than anything else, I credit that to the long-term success. Mark and Pat are a wonderful couple and perfect 'hosts' or center pieces for such an activity to revolve around. Other couples soon, too, began to become 'unofficial leaders', catalysts of a sort, around which still others were drawn...

That was more than fifteen years ago! I recently moved back to Florida, and I've had the great pleasure to join in on a couple of their activities... Things have naturally evolved over time, and new faces have replaced many of the ones I'd known way back when... But, the participation levels, closeness, affection, and friendship are still alive and well!

New 'leaders' have stepped up to fill the void when the old ones have stepped aside, but... The VRCC with its 'culture', message board and the Valkyrie motorcycle at the core, this group has found a unique way to come together and celebrate that special bond that we know on a much larger scale... Good folks treating each other with genuine respect and affection... sharing a slice of life that simply cannot be found anywhere else.

Mark47
I wanted to connect with Florida Valkyrie riders and posted on the national board. DDT responded. We met, took a ride and the rest is history.
Pat and I would ride during the week finding places to meet and then post that we would be at a place on Saturday at x hour and things went find. After a few regular eating places DDT came up with the idea of BBQ.
After that BBQ was the primary nutritional component. We had 42 one Saturday and once there was me. My passenger wife and one other. Never was there a time that no one showed up at one of my posting.
Amazing to me but rewarding to know that others wanted to gather and talk bikes and be with other riders.
Not much else to report but that I am still grieving over having to put my helmet on the shelf and I still have thoughts of buying a bike for riding by myself since my bride can't ride anymore because of back discomfort.

Valkyrie Central Website
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/mark/home.htm
Excellent archive with over 50 great and still active Event/Trip Reports and other memorabilia. Pictures are better quality than the ones below and contain comments.

John Schmidt
Saw a pic of myself in Eustis, '05, hadn't realized it was that far back. I see Paul (Easygoer) and Dave Bastedo in a couple shots, often wondered whatever happened to them.
We used to have an impromptu gathering loosely referred to as the Breakfast Club, usually met at Luigi's in B'ville. Dave and Paul often showed up. Another couple whose names I don't recall, he was a retired local LEO, sheriff's dept. I believe.
Never forget Red, traded bikes about as often as weather changed so you never knew what he was going to show up on. Think he was involved in a lot of rental properties.
So many regulars in the past often wonder where they are now. I often have been kidded about my slow riding, Jeff Parker (Flavalkrider) used to joke about "John actually got out of 3rd gear."
But I can't hold a candle to Easygoer when it comes to "easy" riding style. If he were to match DDT's mileage, Paul would have to live to be 150. I miss the really good old days of riding in Florida

Ocala 2000
A friendly and diverse group of Valkyrie riders gathered on July 22 in Ocala Florida to kick tires, share experiences and cruise the back roads of Marion County. The group consisted of eight bikes and ten people.
1997 through Y2K bikes were represented and no two bikes were identical. One bike was so unique and customized that the owner had been invited to ship and display the bike at a motorcycle rally in Germany, at the rally sponsors expense.
In contrast one bike seldom gets washed by anything other than rain. One bike's odometer was pushing 70,000 miles while another had barely past 2000.
Paint finishes ranged from Honda's bumble-bee black and yellow, to "extreme" custom airbrush motifs.

The riders of these bikes consisted of young retirees to working folks with many years to go. Their attitudes and interests around motorcycles ranged from the 'fast long-distance rider' to the 'local poke along'.
With regard to the care and maintenance of the bikes, diversity was evident in these two quotes "I do all my maintenance myself if at all possible", "These hands don't fit a wrench".
Though experiences and attitudes about riding were diverse there was uniformity in their spirit to help each other out with answers of 'how do you do that' and "where did you get that.'

Starting with a breakfast at Denny', followed by 'Show and Tell, the gathering was topped off with a ride through the horse country of Marion County and a few twists and turns through the Ocala Forest.
Bruce led our parade which started with 7 bikes and concluded with 2. The decline during the ride was due to other commitments that some of the riders had which required them to drop out part way along the route.
A good time was had by all.
The common thread that drew such a diverse group together is the love of riding and in this particular case the love of riding a Valkyrie. The Valkyrie is in a unique class of its own. It has the classic lines of the hot-rodding cruiser bike but the comfort of the ride meets or exceeds any tour bike made. It has a 1500cc engine with a motor sound that combines the whisper of a 747 jet and the rumble of a 1960's mussel car Hollywood Glasspack muffler.
With its sport look and its touring comfort, the Valkyrie has been a hit with many rider types. It has more power than any interstate hiway will allow and it can be set up with more creature comforts and gadgets than any two-wheeled toy could ever use.

Dennis from Blythe
There was the first ever Honda Valkyrie Charity Custom Cruiser Bike show, held in Daytona, in 2001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RccFTCAldEA&feature=youtu.be

2000 - Smilin Jack
I purchased my Valkyrie in Southern Ill, drove all night to get it and returned to GA the following day. Joined the VRCC and soon was involved in many of the activities such as the fund to help fellow members who were hurt.
It was Lamont and Sonny in California who really got me involved with the VRCC. Although I had not ever met either of them.

Then....I had a ride to Daytona with a lot of folks TNT. JW, Christian Earthdog and a host of others. What a blast.... I knew I found a great bunch of folks and met Lamont in Daytona also with Highlander whom I had posted with many times on the board. The rest is history.... Some of my dearest friends are right here. My daughter also joined us in Daytona and made a special friend with Christian....after a comment she'll never forget at dinner.

There are so many folks that ride Valkyries in GA because of Jeff and I letting them on our bikes. we have a great group here in GA and really feel great to belong to this group on the BBR.
I have had the opportunity to see a lot of folks on the road while traveling such as RJ and others in Arizona. Folks like Ray Hall, Ray Oubre, Big Don and a host of others have made a life time of memories.

I was treated to many great stories and a lot of advice from the "stars" of the board at that time...Lamonster, Dragbars, Mosa, Smilin Jack, Tennessee Iceman, TNT and JDubya, Speedie, and many, many others.
I went to Daytona and met up with the group. What a thrill it was to meet all these people...and, what a treat it was to be accepted by other riders who I had never met. There ain't nothing like the brotherhood of the group.
Later I went to Hotglue's 5B's BBQ and met more of the group. La. chapter was started, I met Jack in New Orleans and Anita and others.
I have been treated to the wit of Sarge, the craziness of Craze, the hospitality of Hotglue, Lamonster, DB, TenIceman, Big Jon and the Razorback wife, Mosa and his parents (at Inzane), Smilin Jack, Hurricane, RescueRoy and his wife, Gary Williams and Connie, and many others I can't think of......that's the problem with getting old....speaking of old, can't forget RJ...HA!

I met lifelong - best friends - Michael P, Beverly, RPBrown and Cheryl, and Trap in Helen. I've ridden to New Mexico with Michael P, and then to Sturgis in 2004 with the entire group.
I have been blessed to meet and keep such great friends that are friends for life. Like Lamont, DB, Mosa, TnIceman, BigJon, and others who formed lifelong friendship, I too have formed lifelong friendships with all of you.
I have been treated to "open house" from TNT and JDubya, ridden with Speedie and others from Tn.

Eustis - Friends at Friendly's
Thirteen riders started the year off about as good as anyone can; with a motorcycle ride and hooking up with fellow riders. They all arrived at Friendly's Restaurant near 441 and 19 for some tire kicking and conversation.

San Antonio
San Antonio Florida was invaded by 19 riders on Saturday of Aug 10. We had warm temps (not really hot) clear skies, good conversation and lots of nice rides to check out.
It was a demonstration that last minute events can work. The announcement was sent out on Friday evening around 7 PM.
It was good to see and chat with the regulars, the infrequent and the new folks. The beauty of our group is that you do what you want when you want without any criticism. Come when you can. You'll always be welcome.
When you get a chance to ride the back roads around San Antonio take advantage of the opportunity. There are more hills and turns in this area than most anywhere in the state.

Florida Boy's Barbeque in Brooksville
Red showed up with a new (Debbi dubbed) "baby bike" and Bill showed up with a new Goldwing. Jim had the biggest surprise as he brought a new woman; just a family friend so you gossips will have to look elsewhere.
Deb was exhausted from her late-night hours. She and Fred brought some picture she took at Fall Panama City event. It was good to see Tom back with an Interstate after his flirting with a sport bike. Rick's bike is still a chrome thief's dream.

Minneola
It started with a "Friendly's" meeting in Eustis. A little introducing and tire kicking developed into Bill suggesting a ride to Minneola. Bill was proclaimed ride leader and started our excursion. About a third of the way there Jimmy became the leader.
About halfway there Robert and Ela got caught at a light, so mark dropped back to serve as a connecting dot between Robert's vision and the lead group. Finally, the cars turned off and the gang was together again just in time to see Bill and Jimmy switch leader position again. It was a merry ride with all arriving safe and sound and together. What more can one ask for. The weather was absolutely terrific and the surroundings of the outdoor Grill was relaxing and fascinating.
The lake had skiers, sail boats, motor boats and two airplanes. Yep two Pontoon planes, one departing and one arriving, served as part of the floor show. Thanks for the suggestion Bill. We'll do it again sometime.

I ride because it is fun. I ride because I enjoy the freedom I feel from being exposed to the elements, and the vulnerability to the danger that is intrinsic to riding. I do not ride because it is fashionable to do so.
I ride my machine, not wear it. My machine is not a symbol of status. It exists simply for me, and me alone. My machine is not a toy. It is an extension of my being, and I will treat it accordingly, with the same respect as I have for myself.
I strive to understand the inner-workings of my machine, from the most basic to the most complex. I will learn everything I can about my machine, so that I am reliant upon no one but myself for its health and wellbeing.
I strive to constantly better my skill of control over my machine. I will learn its limits and use my skill to become one with my machine so that we may keep each other alive. I am the master; it is the servant.
Working together in harmony, we will become an invincible team.
I do not fear death. I will, however, do all possible to avoid death prematurely. Fear is the enemy, not death. Fear on the highway leads to death, therefore I will not let fear be my master. I will master it.
My machines will outlive me. Therefore, they are my legacy. I will care for them for future bikers to cherish as I have cherished them, whoever they may be.
I do not ride to gain attention, respect, or fear from those that do NOT ride, nor do I wish to intimidate or annoy them. For those that do not know me, all I wish from them is to ignore me.
For those that desire to know me, I will share with them the truth of myself, so that they might understand me and not fear others like me.
I will never be the aggressor on the highway. However, should others mess with me, their aggression will be dealt with in as severe manner as I can cast upon them.
I will show respect to other bikers more experienced or knowledgeable than I am. I will learn from them all I can. However, if my respect is not acknowledged or appreciated, it will end.
I will not show disrespect to other bikers less experienced or knowledgeable than I am. I will teach them what I can. However, if they show me disrespect, the teaching will stop.
It will be my task to mentor new riders that so desire, into the lifestyle of the biker, so that the breed shall continue. I shall instruct them as I have been instructed by those who came before me.
I shall preserve and honor traditions of bikers before me, and I will pass them on unaltered.
I will not judge other bikers on their choice of machine, their appearance, or their profession. I will judge them only on their conduct as bikers. I am proud of my accomplishments as a biker, though I will not flaunt them to others.
If they ask, I will share them.
I will stand ready to help any other biker that truly needs my help. I will never ask another biker to do for me what I can do for myself.
I am not a part-time biker. I am a biker when, and wherever I go. I am proud to be a biker and hide my chosen lifestyle from no one. I ride because I love freedom, independence, and the movement of the ground beneath me.
But most of all, I ride to better understand myself, my machine, the lands in which I ride, and to seek out and know other bikers like myself.

Rick Flanders, 'Flask', from Florida is renowned for always having an assortment of flasks with him, and all contain various chemical concoctions sure to lubricate the imbibers!
One of those 'special containers' is the largest of that type I've ever seen, and it always gets passed around... Nope, I didn't get a selfie, but I surely took a turn!

First Chapter Rep was La Manza Davis in Glendale, CA shortly afterwards followed up by F6gal, Phoenix.

Sunday's ride has got to be dedicated to Lynn Morris, who gave up her anniversary weekend in Laughlin because she could tell hubby, Ken, really wanted to ride with us. What a gal !!
Yes, it was another absolutely gorgeous Arizona winter day. Eight bikes made it for the ride. New folks today were Ken & Lynn on a Black Tourer, Doug & Charly also on a Black Tourer, and Randy's son Cameron on his red Magna.
And our returning compatriots: Jerry & Donna, Red Wing; John Q, Blue/Silver I/S; Randy, Black I/S; Diane, Purple/White Std; and, of course, moi on my Dark Red/Cream Tourer.
The route we took today is one of my personal favorites; no matter what time of year the scenery is always breathtaking, and today was no different. We headed out SR60 under sunny skies. SR60 heading into Miami has a fair amount of twisties... pretty good entertainment value. We stopped for Mexican food and socializing in Miami. Then it was on up 88/188. Long, lazy curves with the lake and mountains for a back drop... just incredible.
I only wish I could take pics while riding so I could share the experience. We stopped for pics and more socializing at the lake station and again at a rest stop before heading down 87. 87 is another beautiful scenic route, although I thought this stretch was a little bit prettier last time when the fall colors were at their peak.
I know I say this everytime, but it's true... Another great ride!!! Thanks everyone who made it, hope you had as good a time as I did. BTW, I love that Valkyrie, what a machine!!!!!

Shade, you say....Nearby!
Rest Rooms, you say....We Got Em !
Gasoline, you say....Just Down The Street!
Something to Slake Your Thrist, you say....We'll Have It!
Plenty Of Valks & Valk Goodies to Oogle At, you say....OF COURSE!
A Place To Rest Your Road Weary Bones & Some Shade So You Can Stop
Workin' On Your Tan For A Bit, you say....Well NOW, You're Askin For Alot,
BUT WE'LL HAVE IT!

Scott - Ride the Rail Winner Sandy � Bite the Weenie Winner Scott (left) - Slow Race Winner

Grand Prize (W&W) Mild Custom Wild Custom

April 2003 - Seems like some Riders got inspiration by a real-life event in Baghdad.

Total trip = 4,514 mi. What a bike. She ran strong and purred like a kitten all the way home. On Sunday I got an unofficial Iron Butt ride in. Made it from Paducah to just short of Tucumcari NM.
I would have made it all the way but I was freezing my butt off. I wasn't ready for 50 deg. and rain. I got lost in one hell of a thunder storm (frog drownder) just North of Memphis that added about 100 mi. to the trip. Glenn... you should have been there to keep me from getting lost. I'll need a new rain suit... that old one just didn't hold up to 90+ MPH sustained winds all day. I managed to hold it together with duct tape until I got home.
At the speeds I was running.... I managed to hit reserve at 95 mi. and at one point, ran out of gas at 140 mi. Good thing I had that extra gas can.

2016 ke6aza - 1st Annual BBQ At The Barn
I want to thank everyone for coming out and making this event the success that it was. We had at least 29 people. I am not sure of the count. It was really good seeing old friends and making new ones.
I didn't get any pictures so I hope other people did and will post some. We have met some really great people through this club. I have gotten a lot of enjoyment, good memories, and great friends from riding with the VRCC.
It is nice to be able to give back a little. I am looking forward to sharing the road with my VRCC friends, old and new. Donna and I sure had a great time. Donna is already talking about doing a BBQ again next year.
I hope everybody has a safe trip home. Again, thank you all for coming.

Well the first thing I want to do is give a big Thank You to Wayne for setting this great ride up and making the hotel arrangements. I know you will all agree that Wayne did a great job.
It was a great day to ride. Wayne served up some wonderful weather and roads for us. We all meet at Buffalo Bills for a nice lunch at the Buffet. I think it was around 15 bikes total. Curmudgeon from the Nevada chapter joined us as well as a new VRCC members Doug and Helen. It was Doug's first ride with us and he emailed me and said he had a great time. Looking forward to seeing him and Helen again in the future.
After lunch we all loaded up and Wayne lead the way to Lake Mead. A few of us even had a little fun with some roll on drag racing down hwy 93. I must say all are bikes are equal. We made a couple of stops along the way for gas and a break but the most beautiful spot was at Lake Mead. The lake was very low but nice all the same. We finally got to the hotel around 6:30 to check in and we meet for dinner at 7:30 in the buffet. They were very nice in seating us all together and it was fun. Wayne and Teri were the big 50/50 winners. It was his first time and I think it was great since he planned the ride and all.
Although the weather was great on Saturday it was a different story on Sunday. I was a cold and windy ride home. Lou, Rick, Rob and I did make a stop in Baker for a strawberry shake despite the cold though.
That's about it. Hope to see you all next month for Darkwing's Joshua Tree ride.

Went up to Mt Charleston this AM to escape the heat for a little bit, had a nice breakfast at the lodge out on the balcony, nice cool 70 degrees, rode around the mountain for awhile enjoying each others company and the beautiful senery. Then back down the hill to hell! It's starting to get cooler in the evening and mornings finally, been working alot of hours latley and hav'nt posted in quite a while but think about all of you often. I hope all enjoyed Inzane,wish I could of gone, heres a few pic's from today.

Took off Saturday with two other couples to head to Kingman AZ to meet a bunch of other hooligans but one of out brother had nothing but trouble so it took us way to long to get there and the had left. We did finally make it to Kingman and had a bite to eat, I had planed all along to split off and ride to Flagstaff and spend the night, so that's what I did and the other limped into Laughlin for the night and then back home in the morning. I woke up in Flag and had breakfast and headed north to Page AZ and then across to Kanab UT, then ST. George UT then home to Henderson NV. Nice ride just just the last 300 miles were total $hit. Gust of wind up to 50 mph, cross winds from both sides, head winds, cold and clouds coming in like crazy, needless to say I was high tailing it for home so as not to get wet if it could be avoided, and it wasn't my day to get wet, thank God. The wind beat the hell out of me and it was time for the hot spa, oh yeah baby.

The Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Arkansas Chapter is only now getting its feet planted firmly on the ground, and so it falls to the membership to help us fill out the "weakest" section of our site.
We need PHOTOS, STORIES, TECH NOTES and TRIP ROUTES
In short, we need everything and anything that might be of interest to fellow Arkansas Valkyrie riders. Email me as much or as little as you want - if it fits, we'll add it!
You will find our members friendly and helpful. There is NO political structure here and therefore NO politics. This club is all about the love of the Valkyrie and the people who ride them.
What more do we need. The VRCC will be around for the long haul just like F6Rider Webzine, we ain't going nowhere folks! Oh I forgot to mention, it's FREE!

In years past, we had an Arkansas Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club group. I've also enjoyed many rides with the VRCC group and have met more good friends there than I can count.
A great event VRCC has done in the past is the Robbers' Cave Event where AR, TX, OK, etc., met at Robbers Cave State Park in NW OK and rode Hwy. 1 (I believe) through Queen Willimena where we lunched before looping back to Robbers Cave Park for social time.
David Mills lived in Fayetteville/Springdale-area and was very active in the AR Valkyrie Group in years past. A group of us who attended Bikes, Blues, & Barbecue rode together in the parade and had a get-together that was led by David and his wife.

Don Taylor, David Mills lived in Fayetteville/Springdale-area and was very active in the AR Valkyrie Group in years past. A group of us who attended Bikes, Blues, & Barbecue rode together in the parade and had a get-together that was led by David and his wife. Last I heard, they had an accident and I don't know if they're still riding.

The Arkansas VRCC chapter is hosting a Valkyrie ride-in on April 28-30. The ride-in will be located in Hot Springs Arkansas at the Clarion Inn. Plan to arrive the evening of the 28th and join the group ride on Friday the 29th.
The ride on Friday will be up Hwy 7 to Jasper for lunch and winding back down to Hot Springs for dinner in the evening. The route will be roughly 300 miles. Saturdays ride has not been decided yet, leaving Sunday for your trip home.
If you have never had the chance to ride the mountain roads in Arkansas you don�t know what you are missing! So, don�t miss this one!
Check out Scott�s pictures from the early days

Jack B
My wife and I had never been to the Smokie Mountains and wanted to go there to see and ride along the mtn roads on our way to InZane. I e-mailed Vickie to find a good place to stay in the area since I knew she had recently moved there. Vickie and J-Dubya offered us a room and their hospitality. My wife was apprehensive since she had not met Vickie and I really didn't know her except over the web at VRCC and Big Bike Riders.
Vickie was persistant and we stayed with her and J-Dubya for the few days we were there. We even took our dogs, Sasha and Oakley. While there, we met TJ and the Boyz. Vickie showed us the area as well as Southern Hospitality I think most of us think is dead.
Another time was HotGlue's BBQ in Friendswood(aptly named). Mark and Flamingo Babe throw an awesome party. Best food and hospitality in Texas. While there, Texas riders showed us the area.
We met DC, Speedy, and many more of the folks we had "met" thru the VRCC and BBR. All treated us like family(heck, better).
Since then I have been to Vickie's for her BBQ, been back to HotGlue's again, and had Mark meet me in New Orleans for a few beers. Sarge has come to visit New Orleans. Yogi and Rocket and Big Ern has come to visit.
Wow, too much and too many good folk to mention. I guess bottom line is I have the VRCC to thank for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this.

2011 - Des - Weekend trip to Zion National Park (very nice pics)
Kendall, Michael K, Duane (Wizard) and I spent a wonderful weekend riding to & around Zion National Park in Utah.
Kendall & I had been to Zion a few years back with some Cajuns -- but it's such a beautiful experience that it's certainly worth a 2nd, 3rd, 4th trip.
The ride up was glorious once we got up around Payson and beyond. Weather was much warmer over the weekend than we expected but once we were north it was a nice weekend -- until Sunday afternoon when we dropped back down into this hell we call the Valley of the Sun.
All total we rode about 1040 miles, which is a short trip for Kendall and I -- but this is our 1st real ride since we came home from Elko, NV in May. We headed out on Friday morning and was back home before bed on Sunday.
Stayed at a wonderful little place called Mt. Carmel Motel & RV Park. Owner was an elderly lady and couldn't have been sweeter.

High points (outside of the companionship) was the couple of close calls with a pair of Bambies and the tourist chasing a herd of sheep back and forth across the road right in front of us! ***#$%@#$% tourist #$%@#$***

On the way back home Sunday Michael took us around be Jacobs Lake which is a really nice area and spectacular ride --- swung back up the hill to the look out on the way to Page so we could catch a couple of the road side vendors (looking for me a new watch) --- parked the Valks and no sooner did we get 2 steps away from our Dragons they were swarmed by about a dozen tourists off a bus that was there checking out the vendors. It was hilarious (pictures included)
If you've never been to Zion I would highly recommend adding it to your bucket list -- it's worth the kick!
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/115641274842795544115/album/AF1QipNIdQaf2ZsRqU-cPBJ2ZxL8tfJ9UfsiZSBzc4c7?source=pwa

2018 - fudgie's X country trip
Left July 26th and got home last night. 4,176 miles. Trip was mostly Utah. Did Rocky Mntn NP, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, Escalente, Capitol Reef, Capulin Volcano, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
I been putting off Utah for many yrs. Ever since I talked to strider about his "Billy & Wyatt" trip, Utah has been on my list. Made it happen this yr. smitten

Did some Pony Express stuff and center of the US in Kansas.
Stayed in Estes Park which was ok. Hotel was awesome. RMNP/Colorado I coulda skipped. No offense! RMNP reminds me of Beartooth pass/ Chief Joeseph HWY so I got bored fast. Now the wind river Canyon? was really neat.
Went to Shooters grill in Rifle Co also.
Spent 2 nights in Moab. Rented a Jeep and did 8 hrs of off roading in Canyonlands NP. Wow is all I can say.
Dixie National forest South of Torrey UT was awesome. They had a light up sign that said "motorcycles use caution. curves next 100 miles". Awesome mountain roads.
Bryce Canyon was my fav but Zion made you say wow!
Did 2 nights on the North Rim. Had a forest fire there so they shut one of the roads down but we made it before they did.
2 nights in New Mexico. Gorgeous mountain riding. Better then CO imho. Stayed at the haunted St James Hotel. Hit 4 corners again also.
Stayed the night in dodge City KS and won my money back at Black jack in the casino. Evil Got me a souvenir Harley shirt from the dealer. Evil
We rode curves for 7 straight days and I was tired of it. crazy2 Was so glad when we got to Oklahoma/KS. Had a lot of 100 deg days but wasn't bad. Thx heavens for Yeti, sheep skin, and long sleeves.
No humidity so its a lot more tolerable. It was 100 in Moab and we were walking around town and I didn't even sweat. 7 miles of rain so no rain gear needed. Also was stopped by 4p so no clear glasses were used. 2 yrs in a row for it!
I think were done with the travels for awhile. Going back to Sturgis next yr. I miss it and my friends.

Finally got my cd of pics back for our annual Jul/Aug trip. Here is a sample of over 400 pics I took. 16 days and 4200 miles. 38 deg to 110 deg. Loved every min of it together. smitten
Ready to roll!
Awesome pics http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,103086.0.html

Initial State Rep was Spencer aka "Popsmcwhly", shortly after followed by Damon aka "Misfit" up to this day. The above CO website adress also mentions Raymond aka "Whooray" as State Rep at some point in time.

Well my story is just one of many in my short 1.5 years of owning the Valk. On the way to InZane IV this last year when I found myself in Sleepy town AR. On a Saturday Evening I was lucky enough to make it to the Hotel.
I made it to the hotel with Steel wear bands popping out of my rear tire.So here we are, Saturday Night in Mountain View AR. (Small Town) With a tire that is about to pop. On our way to Inzane. What to do?
Well called a few towing companies, $300-500+ to get me and the bike to the next Large city. Motorcycle shops wernt going to be open till Tuesday. I was a sitting duck.
I called my friend in KY who I had met through the VRCC board, and he said lets post a help message. I thought, What the heck it couldn't hurt. I was about to have the bike towed to Memphis TN to wait till Tuesday for the Honda shop to open.
Well sure enough I got a phone call Saturday night from a fella in FL but no help there. So we went out for supper and I tried to find a local who wanted to make a couple Hundred to trailor me and the Valk to either Memphis or Little Rock.
No Luck. Sunday Morning comes and the phone rings again. It is a VRCC member named John. He says he is about 1.5 hours north of us. He then says I have a old spare Avon, A lift and all the tools to change the tire.
And that he could be there in the next 2 hours. WOW now here it is Sunday morning and this fella who I have never talked to or met before is willing to but his Sunday plans on hold and come out of his way to help a complete stranger.
I am blown away by this, and accept his offer. So me and my 2 ridding buddies waited for him to show up. We started taking apart what we could to get to the rear tire before he showed up.
Sure enough John, my new best friend in AR pulls up in his truck. Oh by the way thank God John also new how to change the tire. I have changed dirt bike tires on the trail but nothing like this.
So here we are in the parking lot of the Best Western tearing it down. Well it took all 4 of us to monky that tire off the rim but lo and behold 2 hours later the tire was replaced and the bike was put back together.
Now this fella John has just saved my bacon. And I donated a nice cash reward to him for his troubles and the old Avon. So we were back on the road again only 4 hours behind schedule.
Now I had never really been much of a group person before. But let me say this really opened my eyes to the power of the group. We met up with John and his lovely wife @ Inzane a few days later.
Awesome people associated with this group. I also met a bunch of other really nice people at the ralley. This by far is one story I will never forget. Out in the middle of no-where and SOL when the cavalry comes a callin.
Amazing I owe a favor back to someone in need at some point so if you ever find yourself SOL in Colorado, Pops will come a callin.

I made a run up to southern Colorado today to check on my place in Alamosa. The weather was great, a tad nippy starting out in the mid 50's.
The forecast had scattered showers so I had planned on getting wet at least on the return trip.
I got out of the house before 8 and was on my way. No stop at my usual spot to check out Rio Chama just before Abiquiu this morning since I had hoped to minimize my rain experience today and it was slated for somewhere around 11:00.
As I rolled into Chama I could tell the train was either getting ready to or had just taken off from all the black smoke in the air.
Lots of camera folks out after the train this morning. Got a few shots of the Rio Grande Express just north of Chama.

Have you taken one of those great motorcycle trips, and marked one off the ole bucket list? I have several still on my list, but when I got my first Valkyrie in 1999, that bucket list trip was to Colorado.
When I was young, my family would take a trip every summer to Colorado on a family Vacation. It had been twenty years and I wanted to go back and do it all again on a motorcycle.
That trip came together in 2005 with BlackPearl's Captain and Rhonda, Gary(NM), and Buzz(an early VRCC guy who was riding his BMW).
It all started in Alamosa, Co staying at Gary's house.
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,39043.0.html

I'd left off in San Clemente, leaving my bike at my sister place in SC.
My son and I headed back to New Mexico in his jeep to hold a Yard Sale at my place. Following the Yard Sale, we came back to San Clemente via the more scenic route vs I-40.
We headed due NW to Mesa Verde NP. Mesa Verde offers some nice roads and scenic views, especially by bike.
If you're into cliff dwellings, this is the place for you. We have our own in Bandelier NP in my own backyard, this place exceeds that.

Imagine coming back from a long day at the... hunt, and then having to climb up to your complex with your days score? We did see a fellow Valker on the trip, didn't meet them but seemed to be a family of 4 on this pup with AZ plates.

South side distant view of Monument Valley traveling along Hwy 160W just before Kayenta, AZ. We did an overnighter in Kanab, UT and hit Zion NP in the a.m.
Since this was tourist season, camp sites and most motels were booked solid. We lucked upon a decent place to stay, The Treasure Trails Motel and then had a nice dinner at The Rocking V Cafe. What kind of ale do you drink when in Zion???

Had a great trip, spending time with my son, daughter, dad and family in general.

2014 Poindexter Throckmorton - Heroes & Valkyries on Skyline Drive
Awesome narrow road on top of a 900ft high hogback ridge near Canon City Colorado. Dropoff cliffs on both sides of the narrow road. Traversing the ridge in this video on Valkyrie motorcycles, filmed at 720p front and rear views, picture-in-picture.

I suppose but if we can make it to Crawford we'd like to see what has happened to the Mad Dog Ranch Fountain Cafe. We have a history there 15 years ago, many trips to visit, stayed at the house, as friends of Pam & George Magenta (her brother) and acquaintances of Joe. Ate in the cafe many times. Pam had a GW trike, and a Shadow. I rode her trike - the only one I've ever been on. She openly invited bike clubs on their web site. Kind of annoyed the townfolk, I understood.
She and Joe hosted the VOA ride-in at the town park across the street around 2003 I think it was. Pretty cool, Joe Cocker giving out the club awards.
George had a black and jade '97 or '98. Very aggressive rider, he had a mishap with his niece on the back. We have some pieces from the Cocker's house yard sale around 2008, signed by Joe.
We haven't been back since they closed the cafe and now that Joe is gone and Pam has sold the "big house". As I said before, I noticed the Cafe is up and running again, on a recent ride - I wasn't leading and we just sailed by - I understand from a Western Slope VRCC local (He posted in this thread), under new ownership.
Back in the day, this was a High Country Cruisers ride I think - that's a HCC T-shirt by the front door. That's George Jackson (who built my "George" bike) behind his yellow wing.

Well I�m just getting around to posting pictures of my Annual Fall Color Ride to Colorado that I took last week. I was a little early this year, but still got some good colors. I had a great ride and the weather was pretty good most of the ride.
When I got to the top Wolf Creek Pass the bottom fell out on the way down. Heavy rain, strong winds, lighting, very close thunder and of course hail (Not to mention I was almost out of gas with 235 miles on the current tank).
This went on for about 15 miles, but then I had blue skies again into Pagosa Springs. It was a great trip can�t wait until next year. Enjoy!!

The current Chapter�s Message board starts in 2004, mainly with concerns about the cold weather

Welcome to the Dairy State, please bring some warm weather with you . You'll find that the VRCC is a loose organization here in Cheese Land, I don't know why, but even my Honda Riders Club chapter based out of Sportland 2 in Oak Creek suffers from apathy. As always the Wisconsin VRCC Chapter will be what you make of it.

On Saturday Jack, Lee, John & Travis led John, Denise, Marilyn and I on a ride from Two Rivers to the Kettle Moraine State Forest and back.
We left Jacks place near Two Rivers, WI and proceeded south through Manitowoc to county highway LS to Cleveland where we topped off the tanks. From there we went to Kiel, WI and onto Elkhart Lake where we stopped at a point behind the Road America race track where we watched what appeared to be Porches on the track. We left that stop and went onto Greenbush, WI where we got onto the Kettle Moraine Forest Scenic parkway and followed it through the twisties to a point near Hartford, WI. From there we dropped down to the man's mall commonly referred to as Cabelas, for a short walk about and then it was back on the road to Two Rivers and a barbecue at Jacks'.
In all we put on just a little over 200 miles before it was all said and done but we had great weather and roads. We saw some of Wisconsin�s finest country out there. It was just awesome. There were a total of six bikes and eight riders
When we got back to Jacks' place he threw a cookout for us that beyond words. Thanks for the great ride Jack! Marilyn and I are looking forward to the next one!

Trip Report to da nort
Earlier today, John and Denise Horton, Marilyn and I took a ride up into da nort woods to see the fall colors and some of Wisconsin�s Waterfalls.
We left Green Bay and rode up Interstate 43 until we hit US 41 / 141 and got to the Hwy B exit at Suamico. There, we got off the slab and followed the county roads J and S into Oconto, WI where due to road construction; we stayed on Cty Hwy S until it put us back out on US 41.
We then followed 41 through Peshtigo, WI until we got to the western edge of Marinette, WI. At the intersection of US 41 and WI 180, we turned left or North and started to follow the Menominee River on the Wisconsin side.
The Menominee River forms from the confluence of the Brule and Paint Rivers and is part of the border between the states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It runs from its� head waters north of Iron Mountain, MI to where it discharges into the Bay of Green Bay at the twin cities of Marinette, WI and Menominee, MI.

We stopped at a Marinette County park that was along Hwy 180 near Mc Allister, WI for a short break and some photos along the river and then we proceeded to Wausaukee, WI where we once again hooked up with Hwy 141.
We turned north and followed it to Pembine, WI where we topped off the tanks. Then we rode south about two miles to Cty Hwy Z where we turned east and rode the eight miles or so to Miscuano Island and the Four Seasons Resort where we had lunch.
The Four Seasons Resort was built as a getaway for the rich and famous lumber barons back in the late 1800�s. It�s on Miscuano Island which sits in the middle of the Menominee River.
A steam train would bring the guests to the island via two trestle�s which are now used as the roads onto the island. Once the guests were on the island, they would be entertained by golf, tennis, canoeing, fishing and swimming.
You can still do that there today.

After lunch at the Boundary Waters Caf�, we left the island and returned to Hwy 141 for the trip back down to Green Bay. Before we would get to Green Bay however, we stopped at Dave�s Falls. Another Marinette County Park.
There we walked through the woods to the Pike River and one of a series of waterfalls. Because its fall, the water is much lower than it was in the spring and some areas that were flowing then, were dry but the views were worth the walk.

After we had seen the falls, we saddled up for the ride back to town. We were about seventy miles out at that point so we got onto the bikes and pointed them south until we hit Crivitz, WI where we stopped for a beverage.
Then it was back to Green Bay where John and Denise peeled off to the left and Kewaunee and Marilyn and I went down the street to our home.

2008 Copper Harbor Run
Mrs. K. and I hit our door today at approx. 3:30 PM after our trip with Michigan's Misguided to Copper Harbor. As always, we had a great time. Many thanks to Timbr and Chili for setting up such a way cool event.
We definitely need to get more Wisconsin dragons into this herd!
Marilyn and I left after work on Friday and rode up to the cabin in Channing, MI where because of the time, we spent the night. This ended up being a good idea because of the storm that blew over us that night.
She was a good one and boy did it rain.

When we got up on Saturday morning, the skies were clear and it was comfortably warm. We hit the road from Channing at about 09:00 AM and proceeded up M95 to the intersection of M28 & Hwy 41 where we turned left and pointed our Dragon west towards Lanse, Baraga and the Keweenaw Peninsula.
When we got to the Baraga State Park we pulled off the road for a short break and some photos of the Keweenaw Bay. After we dewatered, we pressed on until we hit the town of Chassell, MI where we got stopped by the annual Strawberry fest parade. Ironically, Timbr, Chili and Black Dog were there somewhere enjoying the festivities too.
We drove the parade route at a foot per hour and didn't see anyone we knew so once it was over, we kicked the dragon into hyper speed until we got to Han#### where we stopped for fuel.

When the beast was sated, we once again turned our attention to the ride and headed north to the tip of the Keweenaw and Copper Harbor. The farther we ranged the more desolate it got. There were however small pockets of civilization.
Towns such as Calumet and Laurium. We really wanted to go to Gay, MI and have our picture taken in front of the Gay Bar but we were running late and wanted to get to Copper Harbor before the end of the day.
We rode Hwy 41 all the way to its end and then found the motel. Nothing fancy but nice, quiet, and clean. The dragon got fed earlier so once we got checked in, we walked up to the Tammerack Inn where the girls took care of us and we had lunch.
Then it was off to the local junk shop for a tee shirt, ice cream or whatever Mrs. K wanted.

Copper Harbor, like most of the little towns up there are just full of little artsy shops and museums like the Finnish Homestead museum. It takes you back to an earlier time when life may not have been so hi tech but just as complicated.
The next time we go there, we're going to leave early enough to ride the loop and get some bread from the Monks. We also want to ride to the top of Brockway Mountain and get some panoramic pictures.

Around 4:30 PM RTaz and Devlin pulled in and we paid them a quick visit. Then, a little while later Blackdog rapped at our door and checked in on us.
From Steve we learned about the dinner plans. Chili had made reservations for the group to have dinner at the Keweenaw Mt. Lodge at 7:30 PM.
So after a little goofing around at the motel we waited until the leader said "saddle up" and we all mounted our dragons, wings and VTXs and off we went up to the mountain and its lodge.
Holy wha, what a dinner! Dinner was superb! A salad and Prime Rib buffet fit for a King and what a place, absolutely gorgeous! The lodge has its history back to the 1920s or 30s and is comprised of a series of guest cabins, motel, the lodge itself and a beautiful golf course.

After dinner, we all returned to the motel for the evening�s festivities. Gary wanted some pictures of his dragon on one of the piers so out he drove and because he's such a stud muffin, all the girls decided that they had to have their picture taken with him around his dragon. After that we set up a Goldwing that had an XM radio and listened to the tunes until IT happened.
Someone had set up (I think by magic) three chairs in the middle of the circle and RTaz said "it was time". Earlier in the day I poked him about becoming one of Michigan's Misguided.
After all, we now own property in upper Michigan and I figured what da heck?

Well, wouldncha know Old Nick himself was there that night and Black Dog, My Bride and I was led to them chairs where Black Dog said to me "if they start putting fire wood around our feet, run!"
Then, all the misguided got up and started dancing around us and Old Nick appeared and we were initiated into one of the most prestigious and venerable groups in the VRCC. Michigan's Misguided.
I don't think I have laughed so hard in a long time. It was fabulous!
We had a great time and I want to thank Timbr and Chili for all the effort they put into this ride. Mrs. K and I are signed up for the next one!

2008 Midwest Valk Ride In
Yes, it is that time of the year when the roads of Southwest Wisconsin call out to us to ride and have a very enjoyable weekend up in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and beyond.
Lee, Dale and I left for Prairie Du Chien on 9/11. We hit some light rain 25 miles into your trip. On with the rain suits all the way there. It was wet but no heavy rain. We stopped for lunch in Beaver Dam, then we stopped in Spring Green by The Ring Brothers to see the Good Guys street car of the year (2nd year in a row they won). It's a small shop that builds some of the best cars in the nation. Look for it on the cover of an upcoming Hot Rod mag. One more stop at a Honda dealer in Richland Center.
Once in Prairie Du Chien, 12 bikes went for a ride on Hwy C lots of turns & hills, then out to eat. The next day we rode north. This is a great place to ride all hills and some tight turns and great scenery. We ended up in Melrose. Dale & I headed home since I had to be home by noon on Saturday and they were talking about rain & more rain so I got home at 10 pm. Dry but tried. Lee stayed till Sunday. They went for a ride on Sat. but it was wet and no fun so they cut the ride short.
On Friday we had 12 or 14 bikes (not sure) On Sat I think they had about 18. Should have had 40 plus bikes but with all the rain some played it safe and stayed home.
Great ride, weather sucked.

2009 Kaz - The New Fox and Hound
Is definitely on the list for a run on the Valkyries this coming summer. Besides, the deserts alone are worth the ride. This was the first of the Wisconsin VRCC winter meetings and it was a huge success. I would like to thank everyone for coming.

Hello Everyone,
We are Don (thedon) and Barb (Barbo) Bartz. We are the new state reps for Wisconsin. We live in Watertown which is in the South-central part of the state. We have been members of the VRCC for 4 years and were asked at Inzane XIII if we wanted to be the reps. We gladly accepted. Since Inzane we have received information on how to get an email list of all the Wisconsin VRCC members. We got that. Thanks Scott!!! Thanks to NICO from the Chicago area for sending me his survey which I edited and sent out to everyone on the list. If you did not receive an email with a link to the survey, please send me a PM and I'll get it to you. We look forward to, hopefully, getting the word out on rides or events from all parts of Wisconsin. Please check the Wisconsin board often as this will be used for posting of events.

After many exceptional rides with Earthdog he mentioned that he road to Daytona with some crazy folks. He told me they actually left him in the dust.... Jeff had his Valkyire at that time and thanks to Gary Williams showing off on Hwy 60 near Suschess I decided it was time to plunge and get a Valkyrie.
Nov 16, 2000. I purchased my Valkyrie in Southern Ill, Drove all night to get it and returned to GA the following day. Joined the VRCC and soon was involved in many of the activities such as the fund to help fellow members who were hurt.
It was Lamont and Sonny in California who really got me involved with the VRCC. Although I had not ever met either of them.
Then.....I had a ride to Daytona with a lot of folks TNT. JW, Christian Earthdog and a host of others.. What a blast....I knew I found a great bunch of folks and met Lamont in Daytona also with Highlander whom I had posted with many times on the board. The rest is history.... Some of my dearest friends are right here. My daughter also joined us in Daytona and made a special friend with Christian....after a comment she'll never forget at dinner.
There are so many folks that ride Valkyries in GA because of Jeff and I letting them on our bikes. we have a great group here in GA and really feel great to belong to this group on the BBR.
I have had the opportunity to see a lot of folks on the road while traveling such as RJ and others in Airzona. Folks like Ray Hall, Ray Oubre, Big Don and a host of others have made a life time of memories.

At the height of the activity there were some 75 or so bikes gathered in Helen, GA. for the weekend.
For those who couldn�t or didn�t make it, and have never been to Helen GA, it is a small, picturesque German Village nestled in the northeast corner of The Great State of Georgia.
As we neared Helen the roads just got better & better. Vicki managed to scrape her pegs several times and declared she had done this in Jim�s (DIA BOH) honor, as his job kept him from attending the Gathering.

On Friday, guys and gals were arriving at the host Motel for the Southeastern Gathering of the Valkyries. The event was sponsored by the Dixie Desperados and was hosted by Dave and Debbie Lott.
Friday evening, as we waited in line to buy shirts and such, conversing with those who were also waiting, we enjoyed drinks and chips with one of the best cheese dips I�ve ever had, and those who met me can testify to the possibility of my having tasted many.

The host Motel was a choice of shear genius; I�ll go into that a little later. The rooms didn�t have all the little niceties like a refrigerator, microwave, or coffeepot, but they were spacious, clean, and something high on my list, had plenty of hot water.
The beds were also comfortable so I�d give it at least an 8 rating so far.
As the evening approached, the dinner meal was drawing near. Earlier I had walked across the street in search of some adult beverages and supplies. We found a nice German Restaurant with wide selections on their menu.
The group we were with decided to make that our restaurant of choice, and as we entered, we found it was Karaoke night. For some this is a fun thing, for me it means loud music and no conversation.
As is usually the case, there were some really good singers who must do this often, but there were also the rank amateurs who almost made you run for the doors? The Karaoke Master had a little fun with the group of Valkyrie riders by starting a song most people knew, then shoving the microphone into someone�s face to sing a verse. Fortunately, it never got to me. Not only did I not know the words; I couldn�t see the monitor either. Not to mention I can�t carry a tune in a bucket.

At my table was a friend, John Rogers, who attends a guitar work shop almost every year, so he�s not only familiar with a number of songs but does have a little experience performing in public.
He selected a song and sang to the delight of all. One of the better singers if I do say so myself. John is one of the parties I rode to the event with, he, on his Yellow and Cream Valkyrie, me, on my Magenta Goldwing, Miss Vicki, my SO, on her Purple and White Valkyrie with the beetle bags, and Lynda and Donnie Nelson on their White Goldwing.
After dinner, and enough song to last the evening, we headed back to the Motel, and this is where the choice of Motel really showed its brilliance. Since all the room entrances were to the parking lot instead of a central hall way, groups of riders were pulling up chairs from the rooms and pool area to form up small �Parking Lot Camp Fires.� The only thing missing was the fire. It was great to sit and hear the stories of how everyone found themselves riding the Valkyrie, the personalizing touches made to their Bikes, and how many guys wanted their Ladies to ride their own Valk!

As a rider myself, and having had the opportunity to do a little time on my SO�s Valk, it�s easy to understand not only why so many have made the change to �The Fat Lady, or The Dragon�, which ever you prefer, but also why they are so excited about the Bike, and how it draws an otherwise diverse group into a close-knit knot of friends. At one time I had already written an article on �Why a Valkyrie?� It may be still on my hard drive if anyone�s interested.
As the night grew old, almost as if by magic, most everyone turned in for a little sack time before the coming day�s rides.
Saturday morning came quickly, and the activities in the parking lot started early. The Deals Gap ride was pulling out at 08:00 sharp because it was pretty much an all-day ride.
This ride was being guided by Bubba Hog (Hal Hogan), who is well known for his ability to take the twisties with the best of them.
A short time after the Deals Gap riders pulled out, two more groups formed up. The common choice, it seems, of the two groups was the Highland ride, but fortunately we took different paths.
I estimate there were at least 25 bikes total between the second and third groups to pull out. Our paths did cross at some point during the ride, and I believe both groups were in Highland, NC at the same time, but we never caused a problem with traffic anywhere we went. It seemed we rode about 6 or 7 hours with a lunch break in the city of Highland, and traveled the States of Georgia, North Carolina, and a little piece of South Carolina.
We were led by Mark Bo and Tiny, who did a great job of navigating the back roads. All totaled, the Memphis group rode in 6 states this weekend, the above mentioned three as well as Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.

As our host had commented, you can�t make a bad turn in this neck of the woods. Every road has its challenges and was fun to ride. Mark�s SO, Miss Karen, was riding her own V Star and she hung with the best of them.
Strangely, Sunday morning as we were getting ready to leave I noticed her front tire had most of the center tread intact and the side tread worn down about a sixteenth of an inch. Not like riding in Memphis where we wear our tires flat.

After returning to the Motel for a little refreshment, we heard about Phil Ferguson, the fellow from Alabama, who lost it during his ride and was taken to the Hospital. He was riding one of the other two purple and white Valkyries.
Vicki and I had talked with him earlier that morning while refueling. This was sad news and dampened our spirits, but we soon heard he was banged up and had a few broken bones but nothing life threatening.
Later on the web page a picture showed Phil sitting up in the hospital smiling with the V sign for Valkyrie. I�m sure I speak for everyone when I wish him a speedy recovery and an insurance adjuster who rides.

Before the planned group dinner at Unicoi Lodge we visited the local leather and T-shirt stores for a little shopping. There was a nice leather jacket that John wanted, but the price was a little too steep, so we had to let it go.
The owner demonstrated a pocket hidden in the jacket he said would be perfect for carrying a piece (Handgun). He commented that he always carried one when he rode. I asked why he felt it necessary to carry a gun, and he related an incident that happened to him. �I was riding, approaching an intersection when a four-wheeler ran the stop sign. He asked if I knew what he had done, to which I replied�� You shot the SOB�!? The owner, after hearing my reply, looked at me a little funny and said�� No! I laid my bike down!� It was about this time another customer distracted him and we all looked at each other trying to figure out what that story had to do with carrying a gun. I guess you had to be there?

After that amazing story we went upstairs to the shirt shop and I selected a T-shirt for my upcoming weekend with my brothers on Dale Hollow Lake. We then headed back to the Motel to prepare for the ride to Dinner.
Now this was pretty impressive too, some 50 or so bikes about 99% Valkyries, pulled onto the main drag through town to ride to dinner. I believe we counted 56 bikes at the dinner, and a few more later at the group photo.
The Lodge was a huge place who served dinner to others as well as our group; we did however have our own dining room. On the menu were�let�s see, shrimp cocktail, salad, beef tips, pork and sauerkraut, scalloped potatoes, notice the �S� on potato, nobody eats just one, and many desserts. For Banquet food, it was pretty good.

After dining, Dave got up to say a few words, and updated us on Phil Ferguson�s condition. It sounded like Phil would be OK. Dave and Debbie got a standing ovation for the work they had put into making this ride the best motorcycle event I�ve even been to.
There were door prizes too, and as they were drawn, a strange thing happened. Dave asked the Rabbi to draw from the hat, actually more like a piece of Tupper Ware. With his head twisted away and looking to the heavens, he drew about three or four names of people who were sitting close to him. Bill Carty and his wife, from the Nashville, TN area, were both winners. This looked a little strange, but that�s about it. He reached into the hat, and drew I believe five times.

Now luck is a strange thing and can be amazing too. One of the guys from the Memphis group, Mr. Ed Bell riding a Red and White Valkyrie, won the $40.00 gift certificate from the leather shop mentioned earlier.
Ed knew John wanted that expensive jacked from the leather shop, you know, the one with the carry pocket, so he offered the certificate to John, who added it to the already generous 10% discount, and picked up the jacket for the ride home.
It�s nice to know people of this caliber, and the amazing thing is we were with a whole room full of them. Lastly, while picking up the jacket, they asked the owner if he was going to take a loss on the jacket and he said no, he wouldn�t make much but wouldn�t lose either�another winner.
After dinner, at the Motel, another evening of �Parking Lot Campfires� was under way. Miss Vicki treated some to her special recipe Margarita, a real treat.

I�d also like to mention one other aspect of Valkyrie life. Those of you who go to the VRCC website and visit the chat room will be familiar with Barbarian and his �Band of Hooligans�. Well, they were well represented too. Of course, the ranking member of the Band of Hooligans on site was the VP, Miss Vicki, my own SO. Also in attendance was Mark Bo, DCO i.e. the Director of Culvert Operations, Tiny, VFT i.e. Valkyrie food tester, Bubba Hog, DOVAH, i.e. Director of Valkyrie Approved Highways, and 8ball, NPTI i.e. National Pool Table Inspector. (If any other Hooligans were present and I missed you please forgive Miss Vicki & I). Conspicuously absent�Barbarian himself. After making all the noise about Black Valkyries being fastest and challenging my SO to a race to prove his theory, he candied out. ;-) It�s probably best he wasn�t there, as I understand it, the race was supposed to be a straight-line race, and as we all realize, there would have been no place to hold it.

At the dinner, the people who had the longest ride from home to Helen were recognized, and it was a couple of guys (sorry I can�t remember all the names) from Pennsylvania. However, after dinner at the parking lot campfire, who should arrive�late but still smiling�Crazy Al. He had come from some point north of Chicago.
He pulled up on his Black Valkyrie, with GPS and radar detector wrapped in Baggies, and a hand-written scrolling device for directions. I think Al deserves some recognition for having ridden the furthest and dealing with the worst weather and still making it even if it was all but over when he got there. A true example of the Valkyrie Spirit! As the British would say�� We Shall Endeavor to Persevere!� He did however, get to enjoy some of the campfires.

Sunday morning started out dark and rainy. A quick glance of the parking lot showed all the chairs had been returned to their proper location and no signs of the parties the night before.
I had to make room in my Wing to stow the old jacket John had worn to the event (typical of an ex-Harley rider), and with this done, most of the Memphis group was ready for the road.
We rode for about an hour and a half before we ran out of the rain, but it took several more hours before the clouds cleared and the sky looked good. We arrived home some 10 hours later.
I know this doesn�t do justice to the weekend, but I didn�t want to take weeks writing up the event. It�s also just one man�s experience, and I never really got to see the West Side of the Motel.
I really enjoyed the weekend and look forward to next year�s Helen Gathering as well as Montrose, CO. in July.

The Annual Southeastern Gathering of the Valkyries takes place in Helen from Friday through Sunday. While focused on the 'Cruiser of the Decade' - the magnificent Honda Valkyrie - the event is open to all riders and makes of motorcycles.
The primary objective of the Gathering is to allow Valkyrie owners to get together at the beginning of the prime riding season and taste once again the delights of the north Georgia roads. We start with a Reception and Registration on Friday evening.
For those that arrive early, there will be a couple of escorted rides around the area on Friday afternoon. Saturday will be a full day with lots of rides (escorted and self-directed) and a group ride up for another great dinner and door prizes.
Sunday morning will see folks starting to pack; but some may get in one more ride before heading home.

Warren
Gosh there are so many but for me the coolest thing was the fact that the Valk group changed my life. I have a bunch of great high speed riding memories that I'll never forget but it's been the people that are my favorite story.
I have never been a people person. I have had a few close friends in my life but not just a whole bunch of friends. I had wrenched on a few bikes before the Valk thing but never met so many folks that loved to tear their bikes apart and make them "better."
I rode out to Montrose for the VOA rally all by myself. That was right after I got my first new Valk and wanted to see what this whole thing was about. The rest is history. On the way home I was deep in thought about how a lot of my life had been wasted by not reaching out more to people and making new friends. Long story short...since that time I have made a bigger effort to meet new people and make new friends. Who ever woulda thunk that having a love for bikes would lead to having such a big love for other people that also love bikes (there's a lot of LOVE in that sentence ) I still have a long way to go in the area of people skills but this fine group of Valkyrie folks and BBR folks has made me a better person.

Thursday evening: tire kicking in parking lot and BLUE MOOSE lounge for
socializing

Friday: 11:30 kickstand up Lunch group ride to OUTLAWS for
some "Q"
Friday Evening at 5:45 kickstands up for group ride to Tony Romas for group dinner. Afterwards, Tire Kicking and REELAY the DJ in the BLUE MOOSE Lounge

Saturday Morning: Kickstands up at 9:00 for group ride to the WALL in Milton, FL then lunch.
Saturday Evening: PAVILLION Party with Reelay the DJ, raffles, Chinese
Auction, Grand Prize, Ladies tattoo Contest (if wanted) and socializing.

Duffy
I am happy to report that I will be riding up to meet Yuri (Ice) and Petra, and Andy and Biene from Germany Sunday.
We plan to ride around that area some (maybe Skyline Dr and New River Gorge..) and may head further south. Anyone in the area want to hook up Monday thru... (?) next week let us know.
It will be great to see the Germans again, they are all very nice. Andy and Biene invited me to stay with them in Berlin when I went over for Werner's memorial service in 2011. They are awesome
And Ice heard I was trying to hook up with Andy while he is here visiting his mom and opened his home. What great people VRCC friends are, around the world. Thanks Yuri and Petra!
See y'all Sunday.

Andy
This Club Rocks, what great people are here.
Hope to meet some of you on our way down south.

Well, Yuri, Petra, Duffy, Andy and Biene and I departed Winchester VA for a long WVa loop yesterday... Seneca Rocks, then up the mountain to Cacapon State park and Blackwater Falls. We did not get any rain, we got a snowstorm.
Stopped in a nice custom coffee shop and took a break, and watched the heavy blowing snow with some humor. It slowed, we got on the road, and it started again. I've been in colder weather and in snow fluries before, but never ridden a motorcycle in a near whiteout blizzard that covered my windshield before. Everyone lived. Off the mountain and halfway home the sun came out and 50* never felt so good before.

Smokin Joe, always a great time at one of your rides....even if you don't ride It's all about the company now, But I had a great time hanging with the women folk Saturday!
Joe, Rick & Christy, Mark, Preston, Gorden, Roger, Mike, Robin & Judy, Keith, Jane, Big Tom, Jim & wife, Duffy, Coot, Lance, Stanley, Binky, Skin head Joe, Dan, & Trish, Tom & Joyce, Mac, Gig, LuLu, Mitch, Dex, & Sugar thanks for all the good memories over the years, you guys are family, A special thank you to 2 great roommates every year, Steve (Rainman) Hal (hal47)
I hope to start caging to more of these rides

P.S. Britman, I never did get to talk with you, hope to see you in the future, I miss that damn accent!

State Representative - Ron aka "blackrams" #29981
Chapter Rep Western Kentucky - Edwin #22174

2009 SmokinJoe
Hwy 160 from Cumberland to the highest point is awesome after you cross into Virginia it's marbles in every curve comin' off the mountain.
It was a beautiful day to be riding.Sign is just letting you know you're at the highest point in the Blue Grass.

2010 Lady Draco � Whiskey Run
Each year Highbinder and Smokin�Joe set up a big ride a VRCC Event �This year was not different� This year�s destination was Bardstown

Saturday morning staging. And of course, some tire kicking. Ya always like to see what someone else has done to their Valk. We had 60 bikes but a few riders heard that big rains where coming, and some locals just stopped by to say Howdy.
Pibit headed home to Can... To try and beat some heavy rain up his way.

So, we now left with 54 bikes in all� Heading to Makers Mark Distillery. Ah time for Dragon herding� Highbinder takes point. Wow!! That is some line of riders� That's our buddy Smokin'Joe behind me.
The group stayed together very well. Highbinder is an excellent Dragon herder� We had other CB's in the group that really helps to keep a group of Dragons together. Our buddies Thom & Mike rode Drag.
They are way in the back...

With that finished it was time to take in a little country side ride and eat at the River Bend State Park. The rain was holding off... Once we snaked our way to the state park... Bandit knows what's under a kilt: evil.
He told the ladies: augie at this point my cameras batteries died...Once we ate we were to go to the Corvette museum, but it was so bloody hot that we all scattered like a covey of quail and headed back to the hotel.
Once back to the hotel everyone jumped in the pool

We sure had a grand time. With our old and new friends.
Bikes ~Good Friends~ Whiskey~ Pool. It just doesn't get any better than that... Yes, life is good...

5 years ago we started these rides, 1st was the Blue/Gray Ride to Gettysburg, Pa., 2nd was the Whiskey Run to Bardstown, Ky., 3rd Hillbilly Highways to Franklin, W.Va., then Hillbilly Highways II to Marion, Va.
This year its back to Kentucky to the Cumberland Gap�.if you haven�t join in on any of these rides in the past now is the time!

The ride starts at the Landmark Inn in Corbin, Ky. on Friday May 24th and ends Sunday morning May 26th�.Friday night is when everyone gets acquainted around the pool area and parking lot, kicking tires, telling stories, and enjoying the company of your fellow riders�The ride starts out Saturday morning at 9 am taking a leisurely ride thru the back country of Kentucky, over the ridges and along the rivers until we get to the Cumberland Gap stopping at the visitor center and museum, from there lunch at Ryan�s. After lunch we head back to the motel stopping at the Cumberland Falls State Park along the way�this area is rich with history and historical places and great scenery, so if you can, come join us and experience the camaraderie of the VRCC and what makes this club so special, riding the Valkyrie Motorcycle or whatever you may be riding.

2010 JimL
With this nice weather we are having (high of 78 today), Phyllis and I decided to ride up into southern Kentucky and buy some Sorghum Molasses that were just made in this Mennonite community. This place is just off Highway 100 in Allen County Kentucky near the town of Scottsville.
Very interesting place, I will no doubt come back again. After a couple of minutes it became clear that German was the official language....but it was the strangest dialect of German I had ever heard. Once I got back home I looked it up and it is referred to as "low German". Anyway everyone we spoke to were very fluent in English also.

There is a very high probability that we will be having some molasses cookies in the very near future.

Highbinder - What I learned at the Kentucky Memorial Day Ride�
1. I learned that after doing 5 years of these rides that each one is as good the last one or better..
2. I learned that in KY,VA. And TN., the speed limit is just a suggestion�.
3. I learned not to stand next to trailers that look like boats because they leak..
4. I learned that riding between Fudgie and Kip is not a healthy thing to do because their bikes are kissing cousins�
5. I learned that Oss�s slow ride abilities can be put to use as drag rider and he does a great job�.
6. I learned that when you blow your horn with 75-100 Valkyries in the parking lot, it looks like someone yelled �START YOUR ENGINES�, people snapping down helmets, putting on gloves, buttoning jackets, adjusting sunglasses, engines revving and hands on the handlebars waiting for the first bike to move�you�ve have to see it someday..
7. I learned that Lawdog, one of our latest members, can stop 4 lanes of traffic without getting off his motorcycle, good job Lawdog..
8. I learned that if you want a manly message delivered to your wife just grab 3valks and have him deliver the message, it gets profane results�
9. I learned that with all the spare parts that Valk riders carry, if you put them all together you could probably build another motorcycle�
10. I learned after 5 years these rides, that you can put 75-100 motorcycles together in one ride and keep it together for a couple of hundred miles and still have fun, these rides seem to bond the riders closer together, having all the bikes in one group at gas and break stops, folks share ride experiences with each other and such�plus one big group meal together�� with almost all the folks being together from the start of the event to good-byes on Sunday�seems to work, because each year I see a lot of the same friendly faces every year�.its the bikes that start the bond and it�s the bikes that strengthen it..
11. I learned that when you call Ryan�s Restaurant and tell them you coming with 100 people in about 1 hour, they tend not to believe you,..Robin and Judy went ahead and informed them we were really coming and they still had their doubts..when we pulled into the parking lot they were all smiles...
12. I learned a lot about the bikes we ride, talking to different people who have tried different equipment, tires and such�we have a great time talking bikes..
13. I learned that next years ride will be called �Return to Hillbilly Highways� hope to see you all again next year�

2013 Robert H - Kentucky Mountain Ride
Another great ride with the VRCC crowd. Rode some bodacious roads. If you have not ridden the Daniel Boone National Forest or Cumberland Gap area, I highly recommend it. What a great time. Fantastic ride.
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC-lvR7Qxo4

2013 SmokinJoe's Kentucky Ride
This has been a long wait getting here and the time is finally here cooldude Some folks have been on the road several days getting here. I've got ( 5 ) bikes at a local motel here in my hometown with riders from Louisiana, Georgia , Alabama and Illinois. Along with these folks and my local ridin' buds we will have 10 bikes ridin' up to Kentucky today. We plan on making a ride getting to the ride as we cut up through the woods with a pass through the beautiful Big South Fork. Everyone ride safe and we'll see you in Corbin this evening

2013 - Meet, Greet and Eat in Kentucky
Rams
Wanted to invite all interested Valkyrie Riders to the Meet, Greet and Eat I'm hosting in Frankfort, Kentucky. I've met quite a few of the Valkyrie Riders in this and the surrounding area but, we don't get together often so, I (in conjunction with a couple of others) decided to host a gathering of Dragons and their riders here in Frankfort. I am still firming up some details but those will be ironed out as soon as I have a headcount on who or how many are attending. I know this is short notice for some folks and I know money is tight also. That's one of the reasons it's only a one night and one day event. I can't afford to go far either
Yes, it was wet before and during our ride. Sure enough, the weather cleared and the afternoon was clear blue and twenty-two (visibility), just my luck. Sad But, I'm glad you folks made it home safe and sound. My last visitor John left about 10:30 last night. He headed back to Nashville after a Mexican Restaurant dinner. Said he wouldn't need to stop for gas but once. Not sure exactly what he meant. Huh?
Regardless, I sincerely hope everyone had a good time. I'm going to have a long discussion with my weather scheduler. She definitely let me down. BUT, it was wonderful visiting with those that did make it and hung out with a few Kentucky Good Ole Boys. I'm going to try and make the Indiana Dragon Run and hope to see you there.

BradValk48237
Thanks Ron For a Great meet and ride..... screw the rain..LOL still was fun!! Got to meet new Valk riders and see some new country.... Had a great time...
I retraced our route from yesterday this AM and the went east along 42........ better the second time! cooldude
Thanks again and we will be back....... I will post some pic's when I get them loaded.

Blue Moon
Had a great time, Ron. Thanks for putting it together. My wife and I stayed over another night and no rain on the way home on Sunday -- Just 85 miles.
Liked Stinkys on the Creek and the back roads I have never ridden before. Even my wife commented on the nice ride.
Sorry we missed the lunch with you all in favor of hanging with the wingers -- but we are members of the NKY chapter and felt obligated to participate when invited.
We even went over to the KY Vietnam Vet Memorial with the wingers after dinner -- very moving. Almost hit a deer -- close.
Great to see and meet Valk riders I had not met before. We will see you all on the Dragon Ride in IN.

Blue Moon
A pic of some KY valk riders during the Vallhala Relay (mugs) a few years back. Location is Keenland Raceway, Lexington
.

I am the guy in the black shirt with the mug. Churchhill Downs.

In 2010, VERMIN from Washington State and the Pacific NW was incorporated in the VRCC.

The new Washington State Chapter, the Vermin Club, extends an invitation to join us on our excursion into Idaho to ride Lolo Pass, May 14-16. The Lolo Pass area is a central location for WA, OR, ID, MT, and Southern BC Valk riders.
Lolo Pass, elevation 5,233 feet, is a mountain pass in the northern Rocky Mountains on the border between Montana and Idaho, approximately 25 miles west-southwest of Missoula, Montana.
It is famous as the location where the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed the summit of the Bitteroot Range via the Lolo Trail on their outward and return journeys in 1805-06.
If you like curves, this is one of the best roads West of Deals Gap. US Highway 12, consisting of predictable, constant radius sweepers along the river with some twisties up towards the top of the pass, is Valk nirvana!
The road surface is abundantly wide and generally in good repair. However, as great as the road is, the scenery is better, it�s beautiful country.
The Vermin will arrive in Orofino, Idaho Friday afternoon/evening, May 14th and be staying at the White Pines Motel. We reserved the entire motel, it�s not real big, as of this writing rooms are still available.
There are other motels in the area if needed.
There will be a meet and greet dinner Friday evening at the Ponderosa Cafe. Saturday we ride US Highway 12 towards Lolo Pass and stop for lunch at Lochsa Lodge.
Continue on to Lolo, fuel, turn around, and ride back to Orofino for another fun filled evening. The Vermin will ride back to Seattle on Sunday. So...round'em up and ride'em to Idaho...we�ll meet ya there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utQu38FVQzg- Warning: This video contains annoying BMW sounds.

VRCC ROCKS....I know that there are a lot of us Valkyrie riders out here and I just wanted a place where we could make contact without going to the "VRCC general board"
First of all if any of you in your areas are having a get together at any time please put a note here so everyone can read it. If given enough advanced notice it could be possible for others to attend that are further away.
INZANE....If you have never been, you need to go...seriously, I know you won�t regret it. I�m already planning on going to the next one... we have the dates. We can meet up and ride out together wherever it is.
Get together with someone from your area and share a room if possible. I know the VRCC members and they want to help you love on your Valkyrie.
Thanks for your time and let�s stay in touch.... now get out there and ride.

The Oregon Chapter was founded in January of 2002 by Kirk Baumann, Doug Filer and Ric Martin.

2005 - Craig "FlatSixRider" Adrien
With some encouragement from a few fellow Valkyrie riders, I (Craig, FlatSixRider) have decided to resurrect the Oregon Chapter website. With much thanks going to Kirk Baumann who designed the website and assisted in starting the Oregon Chapter nearly 4 years ago. Having had the good fortune of meeting several local riders, I feel there is a need to organize more rides and meetings. Let's show the likes of RatDog, Strider, Oz, and f6gal what we can do!

Our goal is to highlight the Valkyrie community here in Oregon, as well as provide riders everywhere with information about riding in Oregon. We feel our state has some of most beautiful scenery and best motorcycle roads you'll find anywhere.
From the steep rocky coastline to the snowcapped mountains to the high desert rim rock canyons, you'll find something to float your boat here. Turn the Fat Lady on and go for a ride!

Since Oregon is a large state, we encourage members throughout the state to plan rides in their area. Feel free to send us the ride info such as dates, meeting places, locations, etc. and we'll post it on the site for you.
A big thanks goes out to Lamont & Oz for creating a place where all Valkyrie riders can come together and share their knowledge and camaraderie.

2002 Ride-In by the Kirkster
We had a pretty decent turnout for our first ride-in. All in all, we had about twenty people for breakfast each morning and eleven bikes on our Saturday ride. Our route took us from Bend through Alfalfa and across the dam at Prineville Reservoir.
Then in to Prineville and out to Smith Rock State Park. From there we went to Sisters for lunch and on up the McKenzie pass road to the big lava fields. We went back to Bend after that and relaxed a bit before meeting for dinner.
Sunday, we had a big breakfast and chatted for a long time in the IHOP parking lot, before everyone went their separate ways home. We had members from Klamath Falls, Heppner, Hermiston, Bend, Redmond, Spokane and the PDX area.
It was a great weekend and many new friendships were made. We will definitely do this again... it was mucho fun.

50's Cruise In at the Lake September 15th, 2001
A few of us from the Portland area took a nice little cruise to a car and bike show in the tiny mountain town of Detroit Oregon. Drifter (Doug Filer) entered and walked away with first place in the stock category leaving a few Harley riders scratching their heads but acknowledging the work Doug put into his ride and giving him due respect. Sadly, I missed the obligatory "rolling burnout" that Doug did during the parade of winners but I was able to capture the award ceremony.

Wow, what a trip!
It all started on Friday morning, June 29th. I met Ric (Valkano) and George Yarbourough at the Elmer's restaurant in Clakamas, OR for breakfast and then we took off for what was to be a great weekend of riding in the incredible natural beauty of Central Oregon.

Friday, June 29th, 2001
I met Ric Martin (Valkano) and George Yarbourough at the Elmer's at OR 211 and I-205. After a nice omelet and coffee, we took off up the twisty Clakamas River Road and over the lower Cascades to Detroit, Oregon. Detroit Lake was all but dried up due to the drought this year, but we stopped for a photo anyway. It was the 3 musketeers on 3 black Valks, heading for the hills.
From Detroit we headed over the high Cascades to Sisters. The Harley dealer in Bend has a shop in Sisters to sell t-shirts, hats, stuffed animals and all those other Harley accoutrements.
We decided to park there while we ran across the street to get a bite to eat.
After leaving Sisters, we headed to Bend to check out the Bend Bikefest. The event was sponsored by the Norwestars (a Yamaha club) and there were mostly metric V-Twins there at this point.
We saw one Valk there (black of course) and what do you know, it was Musclehead (Tom Rudd). Now we had 4 black Valks (Hmmm, where are all the 2-tones... Still back in Portland? LOL!)
We chatted with Tom a bit but he had to go to work, so we rode out to Prineville.
I was staying with friends there and Ric and George were heading back to Portland that evening. We stopped for gas in Prineville and the kid at the service station said, "Man, this is the most impressive motorcycle I've ever seen".
I told him he'd probably never see three at the same time anytime soon.
As Ric and George headed west back to Portland, I headed up the steep dirt road to Uncle Cliffie's hideaway, where fried chicken, jo-jos (potato wedge fries) and cold beverages were awaiting my arrival.

Saturday June 30th, 2001
Cliff and Jerrie have had a peacock squatting on their land for about a year. If you've never heard a peacock squawking at 6am you're luckier than I am, and Clyde who lives on the end of the ridge don't like the daggone thing either.
So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I heard a gunshot while lying there in bed at 6:30am. Clyde missed, so I guess old "Biggie" gets away with it this time.
After getting my usual daily dose of java, I called Musclehead to see what the plan was. We met at the Bikefest at around 11:00am and walked around to check out the machinery.
There were actually some Valks there that day including a wild custom named Valkzilla. We walked around for a bit and then took off for a ride up on the Cascade Lakes Highway.
Upon our return to the Bikefest, we were informed that we had missed the bikini bike wash. DOH!
Tom and I hung around at the Bikefest for a while and then I decided to head back over to Prineville. When I got back to Cliff and Jerrie's, I stuffed the Valk back in the woodshed and headed in to get some grub. After dinner, we dragged some chairs up on top of the ridge to do some stargazing.
The night was crystal clear and the breeze was cool. As the sun tucked itself away behind Grizzly Mountain, the sky above us was transformed into a black swatch with a billion twinkling pinpoints scattered across the horizon.

Sunday July 1st, 2001
I woke up Sunday to a homemade breakfast of waffles, bacon and plenty of hot coffee (black, of course). After helping Cliff load some junk in his truck for a trip to the landfill, I packed up my gear and prepared for a scenic ride home.
One more time down that daggone dirt road and then off to my first scenic stop.

Smith Rock State Park is only about 8 miles from Cliff's place as the crow flies, but on the road it's about 20 miles. The beauty of this place never ceases to amaze me and I stop here every chance I get when I'm in this neck of the woods.
After leaving Smith Rock I headed back to Sisters and grabbed a bite to eat.
After lunch, I decided to take the scenic route back over the Cascades and I headed up McKenzie Pass. Mother nature did some serious regurgitating up here and there are huge lava fields that stretch for miles scattered between the high Cascade peaks.

The road is narrow and twisty and you really have to watch out for gravel in the turns. As I was pulling over at a scenic overlook, what to my wandering eyes should appear, but yet another black Valk! It was Keith (K-man) and Terri Odoms from Bend.
Keith is involved in the Christian Motorcyclists Association and is a member of the Prison Ministry Team. He told me that he rides his Valk into the prisons and that really gets their attention. Keith has been with the VRCC for a while (member # 498)!
OK, so I'm only about 10,000 behind him at 10,419.

After riding down the twisty McKenzie pass road, I hit Highway 126 and backtracked about 20 miles so I could pick up Highway 20 to Albany. I practically had the whole road to myself for miles, but finally hit a string of vehicles with trailers.
The first chance I got I kicked it down a gear and blasted past them. When I was gassing up in Albany, the attendant asked me how to pronounce the name of my bike. He said he had never seen one and that they get bikes coming through there all the time. He couldn't stop staring at the Valk and my head was getting too big to fit back into my helmet at this point.
Well, it was all highway back home from there on out. What a great weekend! To Ric (Valkano) and George, thanks for riding out with me. It was a blast! To Tom (Musclehead), thanks for the ride to the Cascade Lakes area and thanks to your daughter for the extra roll of film! Keith and Terri, it was great meeting you and I hope to run into you again out there in God's country! And finally, to all you folks out there in VRCC land... come and visit us out here in the Great Northwest.
We'll show you a good time!

2015 - Whooray
We (Kirk, Gary, Greg. Merle and me (Raymond) certainly had a great time on the Pacific Coast last week. From Boise and back we did about 1800 miles all total.
We stayed in Lincoln City the whole time and took in as many sights as we could up and down the Oregon coastline. Like I said it was a great ride with great friends except........ :( the smoke from all the fires.
We had smoke from Boise to just west of Eugene Oregon.
On the way back, we even went to Crater Lake and rode the rim but the smoke was so thick that you couldn't see the beauty of the lake its self, maybe next time.

2014 ��.and Greg has more!
Riding down the Pacific Coast Highway on a motorcycle has been on my bucket list since I first rode it in the rain on a Yamaha 650 twin back in 1978. Well, fast forward to February 2014. The bike is a 6-cylinder Honda Valkyrie. Smoothest sport cruiser on the road. My brother and his wife and I took a trip down to Santa Barbara, CA from southern Idaho in February. We trailered the bikes to Sacramento (mainly because there was so much ice on the road and it was -17 outside). Then rode from Sacramento down, and then back up again on Coast highway 1. What an awesome trip!

2014 Nogrey
I've been riding Honda Valkyries for about 5 years now. I've personally taken maybe 20 Honda Valkyries from junk to beautiful. I currently own all 3 models. I have sold or caused several friends to buy them and enjoy riding with my Valk buddies. My question is this: What does it take to have an "Official" "Idaho Chapter" of the VRCC?

Willow
Just you and Whooray (Chapter Rep) and a few Valkyrie riding friends.

Redline
Our Idaho brothers have started a Chapter Board for Northwest Valkyrie Riders. I found this video staring our new member LocoMech and his wife Gina. The video was produced by VRCC member Greg Cremer (Nogrey) from Nampa, Idaho. It's worth a watch.

It was a BLAST for Gina and I. It was our first a definitely not last meet-n-greet with them. What awesome people to spend time with! Greg is a first-rate videographer and they showed us an awesome part of their wonderful state.

Greg Cremer/Nogrey
I just have to say, as I get ready to ride to the Oregon coast with some of my best friends. It wouldn't be so where it not for the Valkyrie. I honestly believe that someday, it will be heralded as one of the greatest motorcycles ever commercially built. Even if it isn't, and I really just can't believe that it isn't, it's the most amazing bike I've ever seen, heard, or ridden. Call me smitten, but this is the bike for me. I know, the triumph rocket is awesome, so is the Hyabusa, and a myriad of other smokin' machines. But none of them garner what I perceive to be the "true American Motorcycle". I mean, there's a bike in my mind that I see to be the "Charles Bronson" bike. The "real" sports cruiser. It's the Honda Valkyrie, a true biker�s motorcycle. Just my opinion.

2014 Nogrey - Great ride to Bogus Basin
Had a great ride today(short but sweet) Rode up to Bogus Basin in Boise with Greg, Gary and Shaun. Good times! Found some really nice older sports cars in the parking lot at the top. What a great day! We had a huge breakfast, then went and saw some Indian Motorcycles, rode to the top of Bogus, then had a huge pizza for lunch. Man, that's the way to spend a Saturday!

2008 Alaska Journal by Bonnie and John Bowman
On my first trip up through Canada I entered through Sweetgrass, Montana and rode up through Edmonton and to the Alaska Highway. I'd recommend this route. Your only other choice, in my opinion, is to enter through Blaine, Washington at Peace Arch Park. This is where we entered Canada on the second trip. Once in BC, you can pick up the Sea to Sky Highway and on the Cassiar Highway. Sounds great, but this route proved to be slow-going.
The Cassiar was only paved in sections. Once on the Cassiar you'll go all the way to the AK HWY before you find a place to stay...unless you're camping. We only made 190 miles in eleven hours of steady riding on the Cassiar because of construction, rough roads, etc. If we hadn't thought to pack a sandwich, we'd have not eaten because it is desolate. If this all this appeals to you, and appreciate a bit more of an adventure, then enter in Blaine. If you want to make 4-600 miles a day, enter in Sweetgrass.
Either way, the scenery is stunning and you'll have a blast. I think you can click on the PDF below and see our "Alaska Journal."
http://www.okvalks.com/files/alaskatrip.pdf

RJ
The Milepost was the best information I ever found for my runs to Alaska. Been up there 3 times. 1st trip was on a Cog-A-Sock-I 2 stroke, in 1979. vibrated the fairing off of it. That was a fly into Alaska and ride the bike to my home.
Son was up there, graduated from the University of Alaska, and moving back here. NO room on the moving van for the Cog. He had a truck & heavily loaded double axle trailer loaded to the gills to bring back and his wife, Army brat, had a car, so good old natured dad said he's ride it down...... I probably should have rented a trailer to put on the back of Kathy's car and then drive it, but hind sight is not always present at the decision making time.
For many years I said I'd never do it again. I got a 86 Wing SEi with fuel injection and rode it a round trip, then in 98 my Valkyrie made the round trip. Wing I pulled a trailer, will never do that again.
That sucker was all over 7734 behind me. Couldn't run over 70 with it on, mostly around 55 to 60 and that makes for a long trip from Fairbanks to the states............

Well, the big adventure to Alaska has concluded. We came out from the ride down HWY 37 just up the road from where we'd stopped on that first day to don the Gerbings.
We turned south again and headed through Kamloops for the return to Washington state...
Forest fires had dictated our route selection once we'd left Hyder... We did make the ride out to Prince Rupert, though... I hadn't planned on going out there, but the ride to the coast at Hyder had turned out to be such a pleasant surprise, I thought "why not?" That was a most pleasant surprise, as well! Great scenery and a good road all the way following along a river.
I'd wanted to ride down HWY 97, then across HWY 99 through Whistler, BC, but fires had parts of both of those roads closed at the time, so... We took what was available - the detour east off HWY 97 on HWY 24 back to HWY 5.
It was at HWY 5 the big loop had been completed.
I'd also thought about swinging over to Jasper and down through Calgary to visit friends there, as well. However, there were also fires being reported around Banff and in the national parks in that area, so, I passed on one of the top rides in all of North America. Natural events do play a roll more than we might suspect, and that was certainly the case this time.
Ahhhh, but what an adventure it was! It started out as a whim... I suppose you could argue that it had been in the back of my mind for some time, and the combination of opportunity and lack of reasons not to go had pushed me to pull the trigger.
Possibly, I think it is conceivable that my subconscious had been moving me imperceptibly along that path for longer than I knew... Who knows?
As with all 'open-ended trips', this one afforded me the luxury of coming and going, staying or moving on, as events and opportunities presented themselves... No boundaries or limits to force me to go one way or another, I could literally just roll with the flow... I like it that way...
There were several surprises on this outing... and all were pleasant. First, the roads were vastly superior to what we'd encountered back in '94! I've made mention of that already, so I won't go into it too much here, but suffice to say, there were no really bad stretches like I'd worried there might be. I guess what we see depends to a large extent upon what we look for and what our frame of reference is, however...
That nice guy trying to be helpful back in Ft. Nelson on the way up, who'd tried to warn me off taking that ride in the first place... To him, the road was terrible, and he was clear on that.
Myself, I found it, in comparison to really bad stretches I've encountered over the years, to be a wonderful road! Not perfect by any means, but there was nothing I came across that had caused me to think about turning around and abandoning the trek...
The bugs were another surprise! My recollection of mosquitos, flies, and other insects was seriously bad!!! Not this time. The locals told me that the weather since winter had been too cold and otherwise not good for them to develop like they certainly can, so they were not nearly the annoyance this time that I'd experienced on the previous journey... Luck of the draw, I guess... Some years it can still be like I remembered, just not this year... thankfully!
Wild life viewing seemed much better this time... We did see plenty on the previous trip, but there just seemed to be more of it, and greater varieties of it this time. A real bonus, as I do enjoy seeing critters unlike anything to be found where I'm from...
The novelty alone is fascinating, but the thoughts it generates, and the fantasies it creates make this aspect of travel that much better...
Fuel and motels were never a real problem. I wasn't sure what to expect this time, but even modest caution and watchfulness got us through this challenge with no issues... Prices were even not as bad as I'd expected.
Very high, to be sure, but again, ones expectations play a large roll in how things are perceived.
Contact with Native Americans was very different, and I'm particularly happy with the way that turned out, and that I had a chance to gain a different perspective... The vast majority of my previous contacts, but based upon an admittedly small base of actual contacts, had caused me to see them as quite reserved, stoic, even a bit stand-off-ish... Not so this time!
I had many contacts on this trip, and they all without exception were pleasant. I found them to be warm, friendly, and just like any other folks! A really good lesson here on being careful about forming opinions with limited information or experience!
What you think you see may not be what is actually the case!!! And that goes both ways... where we are mentally at any given point can influence how others see and respond to us!
Contacts generally with all people were most positive and pleasant! I was amazed at this. Usually I get along well with everyone, and I easily meet folks along the way.
This time, however, it all seemed better... easier and even more enjoyable than usual...
I suspect it must have something to do with me and the aura I projected this time. I am a work in progress, and I have been evolving over the years... Is it possible I've actually 'improved' a bit?
That brings me to one of the biggest revelations of all... the roll my own thinking, perceptions, and state of mind plays in the interpretation of events unfolding around me.
How much of the 'difference' in everything I thought I saw was really pretty much the same as it had been before, and how much had my own thinking and perception evolved over time? I was clearly in a different mental place twenty-three years ago than I am today, so... Hmmmm...

2018 bg
This is a short video of my friends Doug and Dave.....they are twins and were my riding buddies when I lived in Michigan.
They are BMW riders and I would tag along on my Interstate. We had numerous great rides in Northern Michigan, The Upper Peninsula and Canada. They documented their last trip to Alaska....they have been 2 times....and this video is done in a professional manner. Enjoy the ride........make a memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ERGm3SZYY

threevalks
Jane and I left West Virginia June 10, rode to Chicago to start the route 66 Mother road Rally. We joined 56 other bikes for 12 days on Route 66 to Santa Monica Pier, Ca. From there we headed north with 7 couples including our VRCC brother and sister Robin and Judy. Three days later Robin, Judy and New York George & Judy dropped off to continue their separate rides home. The 5 remaining couples continued on to Alaska.
We have taken the Alaskan Highway thru British Columbia and the Yukon. We visited Dalson City for 2 days, returned to White Horse YT, then to Beaver Creek YT. After 28 days and 7100 miles. (Jane ain't killed me YET) we crossed the border into Alaska and rode to Chicken, turned around and rode to Tok to spend the night. We're headed to Valdez tomorrow. Then 9 more days in Alaska before going to Glacier National park and parts yet to be determined.
As our main man Bruce said after his trip up here last year, if you're thinking about riding to Alaska. Do It, you will not be disapointed. You will not believe the amazing beauty of this great continent.
This size of it is mind boggling. Snow covered mountain tops, lakes upon lakes, spruce trees large and small. We have met people from all over the world, bikers, motor home campers, blue hair bus tours, and best of all locals, and as Will Rogers said, I never met a man I didn't like.The roads have been great, compared to what I've heard for years. The are a few rough spots, a few off and on miles of gravel, but really not all that bad. I am yet to bottom out.
The road to Chicken has so far been the worst we've traveled to date, quite a bit of gravel and washboard.
So far we have not been attacked by bugs, though the bike does babe a pretty good collection each evening. Unlike Bruce I have started off each day with a somewhat clean bike so I can collect a fresh batch.
Weather wise, the temps have been high 40's in the mornings to mid 70's in the afternoon. We've had maybe 12-15 hours of off on light rain since leaving the US. It looks like it rains all the time in Valdez, so our rain time may go sour tomorrow.
I know I should post pics, but I am doing this on a tablet. With all the hoops you need to jump through, I'm not computer savvy enough to resize this, download that, etc, etc, etc.
Maybe I need to take a picture posting class from Dennis.
One last quote from Bruce, and I'm outa here. If you are considering riding to Alaska, don't just talk about, DO IT. Start saving you Nickels and dimes, cause it's pricey.

Yes, it IS expensive. Costs a lot to get anything up there, obviously, and then costs more to those who want/need the stuff sold back to them (food, gas, everything), but the trade-off this time of year is the near-constant sunlight. (We set off fireworks into a huge canyon at 2 AM on the �night� of July 4th, after playing volleyball until well after midnight, all with sunlight still keeping things semi-lit. Fun!)
Depending on what you�re up to (camping?/motels?), mosquitoes can be worse than brutal. They have specimens that look like pterodactyls in little Lucite blocks on key-chains with the words �I Gave Blood in Alaska� imprinted. Seriously.
Back to camping/hiking: it can be dangerous. Follow all food rules, �stay out� areas, etc. as if they were important. I could give you a couple of funny stories about my experiences up there, but I�ll wait until you get home safe before I share. I�m not trying to take away your fun!
Gas up whenever you get the opportunity when going off the �beaten path�, which is not as evident as you may be used to. Gas stations/restaurants can be very sparse, depending on where you head. (I remember thinking at the time, while behind the wheel of a monster motorhome with a gas-tank that required second/third mortgages when filling up, that my bike, with a slightly 100+ mile range at the time, would never make it w/o additional gas brought along.)

Gravel roads are NOT the same as here in the rural Midwest. The individual pieces of gravel can be really large, some slippery-round, some razor-sharp, so just know what your tires and bike (and you) are capable of and be prepared for flats.
People who may occasionally drive by are usually helpful in a pinch. They seem to kind of have a �code� up there to survive. They also don�t seem to �suffer fools lightly�, either. �Don�t go where ya don�t know.�
I have a friend there who is a professional hunting/fishing guide, complete with float-plane, who gave us a week-long tour beyond belief. He impressed upon me that there really are things you�d better pay attention to.
He flew me hundreds of miles over areas WAY back into the hinterlands and we could see crashed aircraft deep in the woods, some of WWII vintage, that he said no one knows the stories about.
There�s no one up there to save your butt when you need it, and I don�t care what apps you have in your smart phone.

There are some roads that are just the opposite of what I described above, with stunningly beautiful scenery, smooth pavement and sweeping curves. What could be any better? Just don�t get numbed into not watching for moose around those curves.
Re-read that last sentence as many times as necessary, and if traveling after �dark�, ask yourself, �why didn�t I read that one more time?�
Best to all of you, ride safely, and thank you for sharing your experiences from up there. Especially with your limited access/tablet capability. More people should put that place on their bucket lists.
If they had only known how amazingly varied their experiences can be in that vast state, they�d have put that much higher on the list! Bravo to you guys!!

2001 1st Annual Canadian Ride to the Falls
Come hang with us, you hosers! Drink some of that good Canadian Beer and smoke Cuban cigars.

2009 Bludragon
It was a pleasure to meet fellow Canadian valk riders at Inzane.
I also want to thank chrome for the VRCC Canada souvenirs. Stephanie will be sending you pictures soon so you can post them. The one with Oz draped with the Canadian flag is too much
We made it home safe and sound on Saturday night.
We visited Flaming Gorge, Grand Teton and Yellowstone not to mention some incredible mountain passes in Western Wyoming

Chrome
Hi Louis and Stephanie It was real nice and a pleasure meeting you two folks. Glad you made it home OK. I would love to see some of the pics your lovely daughter took.The one of Oz really interests me.
No problem on the Canadian Valk swap. Anytime.
Happy trails

Hotglue # 43
On one of our trips across Canada we were circling the great lakes. I saw a sign that said �Lake Nipigon� sounded cool... had to go.... we ended up on the most northern paved road across Ontario.
We were in the Arctic water shed, the sun just barely set. then came back up. It was cool!!!!! Schedules and hard plans are for when you are at work, not so much when you are on a road trip. I guess that's why a lot of our 'last day on the road' before having to be back to work were 1000 plus mile days...LOL

Bienvenue au Chapitre Qu�b�cois du club VRCC
Ce site a �t� cr�� pour tous les conducteurs de Valkyrie au Qu�bec.
Ce sera aussi un point de r�f�rence lorsque les gens auront besoin de d�tails au sujet des randonn�es
au Qu�bec.
Notre but est de fournir autant d'information, de trucs techniques, etc. que possible afin que vous puissiez pleinement profiter de votre Valkyrie.

Note de l'�diteur
le Chapitre Qu�b�cois fonctionne via un forum de discussion Yahoo r�serv� aux membres
Donc, l'information est difficile � obtenir
Veuillez fournir plus d�informations s'il vous pla�t et faisons du Qu�bec un groupe merveilleux info@vrcc.nl
Merci beaucoup

2011 � Quicksilver
Recent trip 5000 km rain some, clouds some and sunshine when we needed it.

Valhalla rally
An annual event the weekend after Father's Day in June, typically alternating between a location in BC and WA. Zero vendors, but we do a cool gift exchange and have an awesome party around the campfire on the Saturday evening.
We have held this rally for the past 6 or 7 years...starting in New Denver BC (Kootenays) then to Post Falls ID for a couple of years, last year in Soap Lake WA, then to new location this year in Port Angeles hosted by the Vermin club in WA. Usually about 30 -40 bikes from AB, BC, WA, OR have attended....a real good group of folks and a great time.

olddog1946
Valhalla was originally set up to honor the Canadian group of Valkers and I believe, is still mostly Canuks. I made the Last Valhalla and a great time. There weren't more than 50 there, so it's nowhere near the turn out you get with Inzane, nor did it have the events/vendors but still a good time with some fun people.

Whooray
I have never been to Valhalla but I have been to several Inzanes, so I don�t know of any differences. I can tell you that Inzane is a fantastic event that been going on for some time. For the most part it is held at a different place every year giving all an opportunity to see places they may not have seen before and to meet other Valkyrie enthusiast just to share the love of the mighty Valkyrie.
I have met so many folks that I now call friends and I add many more each time I go. For me it just keeps getting better with each Inzane and I have always left Inzane looking forward to the next one.
I love the VRCC and for me it�s just being part of a close-knit family unit.
I have talked to Nogrey about the Valhalla in 2015 and even though it�s the weekend after Inzane as of right now we are planning on coming up and joining in. Soooo...if we don�t see you at the NW meet n greet in CDA or Inzane in Spearfish SD we will see you at Valhalla in Soap Lake WA.

2017 msb � Valhalla Report
Well, it's in the books...a GREAT time was had and everyone made it home safe (in one respect or another...more about that later).
Our annual June Valhalla rally has become a must attend event over the past 8 years or so for folks in the PNW, BC, and AB, and such great friends have been made that it just made sense to plan another meetup later in the year so we could get together more than only once a year, or twice if we travelled to Inzane together as was the case this Summer. So... Valhalla-2 (Valhalla Light?) was born...taking place this past weekend at Johnny's Motel in Grand Forks BC. At total of 10 bikes (oh...and 1 BMW convertible from our BC VRCC rep of all people...who apparently was worried about the remote possibility of a few drops of rain), and 16 folks in all made the trip. Maybe not a big event by Southern or Eastern US standards, but for us up here where Valks are a rarer breed...not too bad for a 2 Province and 1 State meetup...
Friday AM, Buffalo Bob from Everette WA along with my bride Lisa & I meeting up in Hope BC with Dusty from Vancouver Island for the ride out to Grand Forks.
Following a very long and very hot summer in BC, temperatures have cooled considerably just this past week, although the forecast was for mostly sunny skies for the weekend. Great morning for a ride through the #3 Crowsnet Highway going East. Nothing quite like riding on new pavement through the mountains...

Great morning for a ride through the #3 Crowsnet Highway going East. Nothing quite like riding on new pavement through the mountains...
After a bit of a chilly few hours through the mountains, a welcomed stop at Deadwood Junction in Greenwood for a hot coffee. Greenwood is the smallest incorporated "City" in Canada with a population of about 600 permanent residents but was once a hub of the copper mining industry that was instrumental along with the silver mining and lumber industries that built the province of BC. A neat little "city" with lots of history and places to explore the relics of mines, smelters, etc.

After letting the beard grow earlier this year, I've become hesitant to trim it...it's the only real hair I have left now as I'm well passed the magnificent "Serk" level of flowing mane that I sported in my younger years, and it feels good blowing in the breeze. Although not quite the same, it does bring back a bit of nostalgia to the times of feeling the "freedom" of riding helmet-less with a full beard and head of hair (one of my several "thank Heavens I survived" periods...now thankfully decades in the past). Our youngest daughter is a bit nervous however, as she gets married this December and I've informed her that I'll be renting a Red suit for the occasion...her Mother ensures her that I'm joking
Arriving at Johnny's Motel in Grand Forks on Friday afternoon...bikes coming in from the North, West, East and South.... a perfect location for such gatherings. Very accommodating for groups of bikes, car clubs etc., with nice clean rooms, carports, BBQs, and a nice backyard along the Granby River to relax and hang out. Will also be the site of Valhalla 2018

Good friends Steve & Margaret from Kelowna BC, and newcomer Murray from Salmon Arm BC
"Cousin" Dave from Spokane Valley WA and wife Linda making their grand entrance, fresh off a ride to Alaska. Linda's first public showing of her new F6B, moving on up from her VTX
Gordon and wife Tess arrive from Richmond BC in the aforementioned BMW convertible...really Gird, it's only a 5-hour ride to Grand Forks...
Those Albertans are sure camera-shy ... Mike & Christina also joined us it all the way from Lethbridge AB

Saturday AM we head out early for the day...up through the Crow�s nest Pass East to the Kootenays. Somehow, I find myself in the lead...WTH!!! I guess because our route takes us through my hometown of Nelson and I know my way around, everyone suggests I should lead. I never lead groups...I hate leading groups...I find myself looking in the rearview constantly instead of keeping my eyes on the road.

A bit of residual smoke from fires in Galcier MT and surrounding areas in BC. It's been a terrible year for fires...sadly most have been human-caused by either careless smokers or campers. All back-country ATV-ing and motor cross, and a lot of camping has been banned in BC this past month.

A stop at the vintage DQ in Nelson...this was built in 1957 and has remained open in its original form since. I grew up several miles across the lake from town and have great memories as a kid of our once a month (treats were not so easy to come by back then) family outings to the DQ
The "official" beverage of Valhalla gatherings...it's so bad it's good. As with most things like this, there's a story behind the Legend of Fireball...but one has to attend a Valhalla Rally to hear it
A perfect ending to a great day of riding through the Kootenays. Food, drink, great friends new & old, more stories to tell (and embellish), and more memories to add

Redline, the Vermin club of Western WA President making it back just in time for Happy Hour after taking the long way around on the day's ride. Steve, apparently dazed and confused after listening to that new bionic deer whistle of his all day, having a hard time deciding which beverage to down first

Sunday AM finds the group splitting up to go their separate ways home. Buffalo Bob heads West on #3 with the Mrs. and I at a brisk pace, hoping to beat out the forecasted oncoming rain (a VERY welcome forecast for most BC'ers btw). After splitting up with Bob as he heads to the border crossing and with the raindrops starting to hit the windshield, I crank her up to 165 km/h (100 MPH) on the long straightaways on the last leg of my trip home. About 10 minutes from home I ease up to 115 as we approach the hills, when one of Canada's finest gets me squarely in his sights and pulls me over. Luckily AFTER I slowed down, so only 41 over instead of 85 over. Nice guy, said he was a rider himself and commented that my Valkyrie was a beauty, but he just couldn't let me go for going that fast.
After checking me out on his computer and acknowledging that I had a good record (last ticket over 12 years ago) he gave me a bit of a break.... reduced the fine to 75.00 if paid within 30 days for only 20 over (from what otherwise could have been a whopping 240.00 fine and a much larger blemish on my record) and said to "take it easy on that fine machine".

Told him he was being extremely fair, and that I was going to do a Ride Report of our trip and asked a favor. He was happy to pose for this pic...said he'd try his best not to smile. Almost worth the 75.00
Glad that the Mrs. and I along with everyone else made it home safe, dodging the weather, critters, and... except for me...speed traps. I'll chalk this one up to a unique punctuation mark on a great weekend, with a lesson learned that just because you can go fast, you shouldn't necessarily do so.... especially only 10 minutes from home!!!

2015 gordonv
Well it is now official. I have been handed the reins from Dennis to the BC Chapter of the VRCC. After about 13 years, Dennis wished for someone else to take over. He will still be around, ridding his Thumper, attending the Rallies when he finds the time from his busy retirement life.
Thank you Dennis, for your time spent in promoting the enjoyment of the Valkyrie MC. In arranging all the rides, rallies, and all the other things that I'll most likely learn about first hand. I hope I can do half as well as you had.
Also to Willa for putting up with you and your recreation/hobby. I hope my wife comes around and gets a little more social at these events.

2012 Gryphon Rider
About 5-10 years ago I organized the Alberta chapter, then it was led by Mike Warren from Edson for a few years, but I don't think anything formal has been organized recently. There are a couple of us that show up semi-regularly at the CMA Saturday breakfast at Drifters Restaurant at the Esso truck stop on Barlow Trail and 50th Street SE in Calgary. If the weather holds, I'll be joining the weekly Tuesday CMA pie run this evening, meeting at 6:30 at Denny's at 19th Street & 16th Avenue NE. You (and any others) are quite welcome to show up at either of these locations, or PM me to get in touch.

Lendirk
I started looking for an alternative to the GW. I found it in my current bike, a 2000 1500 Valkyrie Tourer. To be honest, I think I'm enjoying it even more than the 'Wing. It has a certain "personality" and character that you just don't see in the Goldwing. ..............and it gets noticed a lot more too. I'm looking forward to many more years with this bike.

Randy thought this was a great place to stop and get a couple of photos before crossing the border into Montana..... he was right!

Besides local, state and cross country meetings, the VRCC Staff came up with a brilliant idea to pass on a token throughout the entire VRCC world community.

Thor�s Hammer was an effort to carry a token, being a hammer and banner across the World. There would be one Hammer and Banner, first carried through North America ending on July 21, 2004 in Paducah, Kentucky at InZane 4.
From there, the plan was to hand it off to a representative from Europe. After Europe, the Hammer would move on to any other country that wants to participate.
Australians have already expressed an interest in taking it on a trip around Down Under. Many other countries have expressed their desire to escort the Hammer, as well.
The relay kicked off from Southern California on January 24 2004. The goal was to have the relay/banner hit all the countries possible and have it back in time for InZane 5.

A little history to bring you all up to speed
The original idea was to carry some token from SoCal to Maine. As our members read the idea, they came up with a new concept... to have it touch each state... which leads to making each of the extreme 4 corners of the U.S.
Then the Canadian's came in, so now we�re going through each Province that borders the U.S. (except Manitoba, where we didn�t have anyone request to ride).
We were also contacted by our members in Europe, Australia, and many other countries... so the plan was revised again to include them.
The Token became a banner per members' suggestions. A banner that could be signed by each rider and his companions who move the relay along.
Then a suggestion was made to have each state "pin" the cover of the banner... so, now we're doing that too.
This idea took off like wild fire; it was growing so quickly, that we knew we had to get it going ASAP. So, things got put together as quickly as humanly possible and the banner hit the road on Sat, January 24th.

Workerbee and oZ make the first leg of the relay, sign it and hand it over to NautiBrit from SoCal

Background
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norseman Leif Eriksson, about the year 1000 AD.
In 1960 archaeological evidence of Norse settlement in North America was found at L'Anse aux Meadows on the northern part of the island of Newfoundland, in what is now the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Although this proved conclusively the Vikings' pre-Columbian discovery of North America, whether this exact site is the Vinland of the Norse accounts is still a subject of debate.
There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings did reach North America, approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus and John Cabot.
Now it's time to take our Voyage through lands that the Vikings traveled... That would include North America and Canada and Western Europe.

Editor's Note
The bottle of wine sometimes accompanied the tokens but was no prerequisite during the handover

Valhalla Voyage was a relay across the world of a mug and banner with names and places.
Dag Verpeide of Norway had provided a pair of Viking Tankards. They quite appropriately had dragons as their handles.
We were planning to relay those around North America starting with the VRCC head office in San Dimas, California and ending at Inzane VIII in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The relay would also carry a VRCC banner and a log book of sorts that participants could sign and enter comments. A fabric bag was used in which to transport the banner to each state�s delegation.
They could, if they desired so, attach a state pin.
The objectives of the relay were twofold. The first was obviously to ferry the artifacts around the country, passing them through the hands of as many VRCC members as possibly.
In keeping with that goal, we had been posting updates on where the banner was along the way.
The second, and possibly more important goal, was to provide a reason for interaction, socializing, and the sharing of a common task between VRCC members throughout North America and the world.
Valhalla Main Page http://valkyrieriders.com/Valhalla/default.htm
A schedule had been forged, that kept the VRCC on track for Inzane VIII. Members were asked to keep an eye on it so they would know when the Voyage would pass through their area.

Oss and Alana taking the banner from NE crew in Danbury CT at the old Marcus Dairy from left G-man, Bonzo, Boz, Dynodave, Oss, RonBou, Danbury, Dalai-Lama

The Valhalla tokens were handed over from oZ to Hannes and Spreemaikl during InZane 2008 in the U.S.
They carried the voyage to Europe to continue their mission.
In Europe, these volunteers waited impatiently for their turn
http://valhalla.valkyrieriders.eu/lop.htm

Thursday

Opening Ceremonies
At Noon Games
How-to Seminars
Local Twisties Run
Observation Run
Poker Walk
Ride to Honda
Custom Valk Show
Surprise Guest at 1700
Giveaways at 1900

Friday

Games
How-to Seminars
Tug o War Berths at 1300
AMA Museum Run
Observation Run
Poker Walk
Giveaways at 1900
State Rep Dinner at 2030

Saturday

Games
How-to Seminars
Poker Walk
Observation Run
AMA Museum Run at 0900
BOH Challenge
Giveaways at 1900
BBQ and Concert at 2000
Valk Raffle at 2200

Chili Pepper.
The first gathering in Inzane was absolutely the best... magical even. Everyone was so excited about meeting each other in person and the aftermarket for Valkyrie accessories was very hot at the time.
Spent a lot of time oohing and aahing at all the new things available, lots of bolting on of new CHROME! Going on in the parking lot and discussions about how to tweak the engine.
They had a dyno-drag in the back field so you could race in place, so to speak. Dragbars had the first or second blown Valk there and blew a cylinder on the dyno-drag...two weeks before heading to Bonneville to try to set a record.
The place was abuzz with excitement from day one. Plus, there were great roads everywhere.

This 59-page comprehensive guide by Barbarian the Mad Serb, with diagrams and links, showed how to fix common problems and do routine maintenance. Also includes answers to some questions asked by owners of the Valkyrie https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByyPaxZD7mK-d0RpQXFpZ1FsUmM/view
The major sections in the manual are from Rattlebars and Carl Kulow
During the 2001 meeting, Barry Bosworth, Dragbars, Larry Heath, Mike Myrick, Crazy Al, Valkrocket, Big Al from MD, Mel van Ruyskensvelde, Dave Ritsema, Dave Wehner and Nape gave hands-on demonstrations of technical maintenance.

Left to right: Fuzzy (the original Fuzzy from Michigan), MaryMatic, Bagger John, Chili Pepper, Rdkll, Sir Lancelot

Worker Bee and Rdkll came in 2nd in the hotdog contest Dragbars ex-girlfriend, Vicki, LaMont, RonBou, Barbarian the Mad Serb
...to Mosa and Dragbars on a Reflex scooter.
Note F6gal�s bike on the right, LOL

Barbarian the Mad Serb remembers, he thinks, the second (or was it the first?) Inzane meet in Ohio. It was great and was good to match up real people to those I met on the VRCC site. Postings on this site were a riot back then.
Lots of funny stuff happened. Heck, we even had a Band of Hooligans who made lots of trouble for the rest of us on the VRCC web which ultimately led to a showdown of Lamonster vs. Baad Dude on the dyno.
It was claimed that Baad Dude cheated and therefore was disqualified and Lamonster won the match! Hahahh. The bottle of Geritol is still being carried after all of these years. Then there was something about sheep-don't remember that though. Hahahah.

Chili Pepper
Sir Lancelot came all the way from Birmingham, England. Ronbou (who has since passed on from brain cancer) couldn't come to Inzane because of work or something...met Sir Lancelot at the airport, took him home, and loaned him his Valk to ride from Connecticut to the rally. How many folks do you know who would do that for someone they had only talked to in a chat room? That was what this club was like back then. No politics, no nastiness...it was a very special place.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's still a special place for some but it will never be like that again....

Dave Ritsema
My first VRCC memory was pulling up to the Hotel at InZane 1 all by myself after a 9-hour ride. I had never even been on more than a 4-hour trip before and didn't know a soul there except for some names from the message boards.
Sure wish I could remember the name of the first guy I met, really friendly older gentleman with a tie dye shirt and a maroon and cream standard like mine. Shortly thereafter I met Don B, who was the event coordinator and kinda followed him around trying to make myself useful. As the Valks kept pouring in I kept meeting more and more folks, and I left that place feeling like I made 800 new friends. Met Lamont, Hal, Dragbars, Mosa, Vicki, RJ, the list goes on and on.
Everyone I met was really nice and made me feel like part of the family. Promised myself I would come back each year and have been lucky enough to do it so far.

Solo 1
Riders coming from Inzane in Zanesville arriving at the Honda Homecoming in Maryville's Honda motorcycle plant.

PSUbag
The meet up at Walmart during InZane 1 was pretty dang impressive! It was just amazing to see so many Valks at 1 place. Famous ones even! And if it weren't for the VRCC, I'd of probably never met some REALLY great people who live fairly close to me, Shftr, Rocket, Yogi, Holmes, Mosa, Steve etc.

Lamont
The first InZane we got a new Valkyrie through Hal and Honda and we were able to raffle it off. I'll never forget the look on ValkRocket�s face when he won that bike. It made Hal so happy that his eyes started to leak a little bit.
That was a very cool thing to be a part of.

Editor's Note
To my knowledge, there were two VRCC occasions where a Valkyrie motorcycle was given away during a raffle. First one was during Inzane 2001 by HAL and Honda.
The second one was during EU Inzane X in 2016 in Belgium, celebrating the 20th Valkyrie anniversary by Consolidated Motor Spares and Honda.

Valkyrie Riders Cruise over to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum at AMA Headquarters
InZane Rally in Zanesville is in conjunction with the Honda Homecoming in Marysville by Bill Andrews

They call themselves "Valkoholics." And with good reason. Comprising a 5-mile long parade on the way to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, 200-plus members of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club are as dedicated a bunch as you'll find anywhere.
The target of their obsession, of course, is the unique flat-six Honda Valkyrie motorcycle, the bike that arguably launched the power cruiser class.
The Honda Valkyrie-loving riders had converged in Zanesville, Ohio, for the InZane Ride-In. The rally features bike shows, raffles, games, and day rides - like the one to the Museum.
The riders had traveled from all points in the U.S., some from as far away as California, Florida, and Massachusetts.
Rick Dondero, from Costa Mesa, Calif., rode his Valkyrie Standard four days to get here. "The VRCC is a different kind of club," he said. "There's no pretentiousness with these riders."
Ron Conperchio rode his Valkyrie, dubbed the 2 Maidens, from Plymouth, Mass. The name is derived from the two horse back riding, most decidedly females, found on either side of the Valkyrie's gas tank.
Did he go "In Zane?" "Yeah, absolutely," he said, "and this museum is really neat."
The VRCC gathering was in conjunction with the Honda Homecoming in Marysville, Ohio, occurring over the same weekend.

Lamont first showed up with his blown Valkyrie at Inzane I
He had the kit for sale and at IZ II several others added blowers like Dragbars, Lamont, Mosa, TJ, and PIBIT

Dragbars from TN is the bike to the right of LaMont, not sure on the others even though I was there

Right pic - ValkRocket originally from New England, he won the raffle for the Valkyrie Standard at IZ-1 even though he already had one.
He borrowed a trailer from oZ to get it home

TinMan - Early days memories
If it wasn't for the VRCC I wouldn't know any of you now. The day after I joined, Steve Myers from Greeneville Tn. e-mailed me saying he was another Valkyrie rider and had seen my post on the VRCC. He invited me for a ride with a group that met each weekend. That's where I met my best friend to this day....RayO. Since that day, my list of friends kept growing because of the Valkyrie and the VRCC.
I first met WIA, Dragbars, and a few others on a very cold wintery ride in Knoxville. Remember the day Socrates went down? That ride has been etched in my brain all these years. How everybody stopped the ride and blasted to UT hospital to check on him. That�s when I knew I was part of a special family. Vicki, TnIceman and Lamont came the next year in Daytona, then again when I hosted a dinner during the Hoot as the East Tn. Rep. A lot has changed since then, but two things remain the same.... our friendship and the love to ride.

RJ - Early days memories
I bought the Valk in late 1996, rode it 7,000 miles in 2 1/2 months and put it away for the winter.
Got it out in March and went to Daytona. Met up with Dragbars, Smilin Jack, Lamont, Earthdog, Warren in Atlanta, and a whole bunch of others......
Went back home, rode a bunch of miles that summer, like 48 to 50,000, which included Sturgis. Now this is where it is sticky. I don't remember if it was this year or the next one I met up with LaMont again in South Dakota, he was a doing Trigger Wheels in Custer. I tried to assist him on one but I was more in the way than helpful. He had it down to a short procedure.

It had to of been the 2nd year as I had 113,000 miles on the Valk and he was amazed. Told him I was retired and on the road about 3 1/2 weeks out of every month. Only came home to get more $$$ and stay for a couple of days before leaving again. That was the year I made 4 round trips from my house to the West Coast and 2 round trips to the East Coast on MGM. One of those trips was my 2nd time around on the 4 corners. Did the 1st 4 corners on a Wing when I retired in June 96. Wore out 2 sets of Bushtec Trailer tires during this summer bunch of runs.

Somewhere in there, Vicki (TNT) met me in Mississippi at the Casino when we stopped there on Hot Rod Power Tour. I had the Trike. She rode down from Memphis to meet me and JDubya showed up later. We all had a good feed, conversation and etc. Don't remember if I made any $$$ on the slots or not, I think I did.
I attended one of Vicki and Jim's BBQ's, met TJ, Danny, Little Jon and LeAnn, TN Iceman, Mosa, Mamasue, Inky and a bunch more I have forgotten. Old age and the forgetter isn't retaining stuff in memory any more like it used to.

Went to Hotglue's BBQ after I met him and Flamingo Babe up in Wisconsin at the VOAI Rally. I met JeffK, JoK and some others at Hotglue's.
Went to Bakersfield Bash and met Master Blaster, Physco, and renewed my acquaintance with f6gal. Met 2ftAGL and Katy when we hauled Psycho�s bike to Phoenix after he wrecked it. Met Sonny in Lemoore, Rudd, Mark & Lynn, Dennis, Tammy and their girls, also. Saw Sue & George again, Met Sue on Hot Rod Power tour in Bakersfield the year before.

At InZane I met a bunch of hoodlums, LOL, and struck up some good friendships. Sarge out of Indianapolis, I met him after he gave me assistance on locating some trailer tires and a wheel...... Met Doc Moofsa, Hoosier Daddy, Shooter and some others at InZane. I sure hope I got all the first-time meeting places right. Nape came up to me an introduced himself at InZane at Denny's one morning. Met Hal and Chris that same year.... Also met that other Canuck with the Black/Silver flamed Tourer, Steve & Jen. Well to you I have failed to list, again my forgetter has forgotten more than most people have remembered. So, I'll apologize for it now. I know I have left out a bunch of people.

Well, I am the first one back...although I am think I am still InZane. As Dennis said in an earlier post, it was a tremendous first meet and we will be doing it same place, same time next year. So mark your calendars! Pictures will be slow in coming but will be posted when Rob and Dennis get back. The biker of the New Millenium now carries a cell phone and a laptop instead of a buckknife. However, the days were so jampacked no one has had the time to get online.
We had a huge turnout, with 2 people coming all the way from Britain and a lot of Canadian members. The longest ride in was from British Columbia. We gave away a beautiful black standard to ValkRocket from Massachusetts in the raffle. You wouldn't believe the fantastic paint jobs and all the goodies on people's bikes. Hopefully, we got a lot in photos and they should be available next week.
Sounds like you guys had a great ride last weekend. Too bad we can't be in two places at once. Brice's photos look great.
Start planning for Zanesville next year. It is great fun and we would love to have more of the SoCal team there. We missed you all. Dennis from Blythe was a great hit and Michelle and Carolyn from Blythe had a good time giving hugs to all, helping to sell raffle tickets, and riding with Bobaloo to Marysville. Wait till you see the photos of all the Valks then. One of the Honda people said it made her "well up" and they called all the people in the offices to come and see us arrive.

.......We got home at 2:30 this morning and had to be at the office at 8AM. These are just some random thoughts as my brain starts to unclog.
This was the most unbelievable event we have ever been part of. Everything exceeded any expectations I had for a first-time event put on by a bunch of "novices".

........Saturday was the day of days. Drag Dyno running wild all day. Weather was perfect. The awards ceremony which started to bring some tears to my eyes. The story of how Sir Lancelot from England was able to ride a Valk to Inzane. TJ getting a surprise award for the coolest Valk (and I spoke to him later and he was still pumped about the award).
Ron Comperchio winning the new Valk- - -that brought some real tears as he is a great guy who has been a great supporter of the VRCC from the early days.

The crowd that showed up at the West Virginia Penitentiary (the rain hurt the attendance) saw some neat stuff and everyone seemed glad that they came.
Gosh, it�s gonna be hard to top this one but I have a feeling that the committee can do it next year.
And if you want to find out if your buddy really went to Inzane- - see if he can tell you how we got the Dyno trailer into the field at Inzane. You had to be there to see it- - words will never describe it. Better yet, can 40 guys push a 40-foot trailer or can a Dodge pickup pull a 40-foot trailer?? Only those that were there know the answer.

............Finally, the biggest thing that made it a success was the people . . .. members who attended, volunteers who helped and people who just pitched in when something needed to be done. I won't name names because I don't want to forget anybody but we had many volunteers who worked the event the whole time and didn't get a chance to do any riding or any of the outside events. That's dedication and to everyone I say thanks for the best event ever.

We were the first to start a worldwide Valkyrie Club with no membership fees or dues, and now we will be the first worldwide Valkyrie Club to try and pull off a FREE National Ride-In!
We are going on our third year as a FREE club with over 16,000 members to date, so we decided to see if we could pull off a FREE Ride-In to boot.
We have worked it out with Honda Direct Line to pick up the tab if we can't raise enough money with 50/50's or other voluntary ways to pay for this event.
We have decided to structure this event so that it is much easier on your pocket books and cuts down on the work we have to do with trying to register 1,000 to 2,000+ crazy bikers.
The event will still have lots of great things to do with lots of vendors, but instead of including a dinner and a ride pin in a registration packet, you will be able to purchase that on your own if you so desire when you get there.
What will this mean to you? Well if your a couple, you have an extra 80 bucks in your pocket when you get there. What does this mean to us? We will have a lot less work trying to keep track of everything that's going on and can spend more time having fun with you all. This will be more like what we do with our local chapter rides except with vendors, rides, bike shows, Drag Racing, Burnout Contest and whatever else we come up with, (all voluntary).
We would still like you to Register HERE so that we can get an idea of how many folks are showing up, and we would still like for you to be able to make a donation to help a needy child, and have provided a way for you to do so when you register if you so desire. Those of you who pre-register now will receive a lanyard and name tag when you show up at InZane. There is an option for purchasing a BBQ dinner too that will only be offered to those who register now. The dinner will be on Sat. the 27th.

As part of Honda Homecoming 2002, more than 700 Honda Valkyrie riders roared through the gates of Honda of America Mfg.'s Marysville Motorcycle Plant Friday morning with one goal in mind - a world record.
Other Honda motorcycle models joined the procession to push the total number to more than 800. Organized by Lamont Bryden, president of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club, the parade of Valkyries left Marysville at 11 a.m. en route to a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is believed that the previous world record of 180 motorcycles for an organized model ride will be shattered by nearly four times that amount.
Bryden said the guidelines were received and everything was done to make it official. The Honda Home Coming event that started in 1989 as an open house to thank Honda motorcycle buyers has grown into a national rally that attracts 6,00 to 8,000 motorcyclists annually from across the country.

F6gal
The official bike count for the Valkyrie March was 328. Honda said they clicked thru over 800, but I honestly don't know how we could have missed counting 500 bikes.
Event registrations totaled 476 (riders and co-riders), which more closely correlates with our bike count.

Comment from Dave Ritsema
The 2 first years are a bit vague (we've learned some lessons along the way). At InZane 1 & 2, the Honda folks said they counted over 800 as we passed through the plant entrance. However, that is far more than we counted for our official Guinness record breaking paperwork, which was just under 350 (I don't have the exact number at hand, I think 346 at IZ1). Despite redoubling our efforts to get every bike counted at IZ2, we had less than the year before (330ish). The 800 count (meaning about 1200 attendees), simply doesn't make sense from the hotel room and Sat. dinner count. Based on our bike count, hotel bookings, and the number of people served at Sat. dinner, we�ve estimated the attendance IZ1 at about 475 and IZ2 at 445.

Highlander
Like their namesake, true Valkyrie riders have it in their blood to ride. They ride because they can, they ride because the Valkyrie is pure riding pleasure, it is a form of therapy � if you will. I had to miss InZane I because of an accident aboard �The Quickening.� It was one of the worst feelings in the world � not being at InZane I. This year I was determined to attend at any cost.
It was not just the �1,000 Valkyrie March to Marysville� that inspired this devotion, although I must admit, I broke into tears as the procession started to leave the Wal-Mart parking lot and I saw the people waving and clapping. One particular image is uppermost in my mind � one small boy, not more than five, who possessed that smile as he waved � you know the one � the one that says: �One of these days, I will be in that group.� I smiled and waved back, as did every other rider. The returned wave was greeted with a cry of delight as he realized that we knew what it meant to be accepted. It made me very proud to be what I am, a Valkyrie rider.

As we rolled out onto the highway from the on ramp I could see the row after row of Valkyries still getting ready to join the procession from the parking lot. The pride and excitement was very powerful, although it seemed as if we were barely moving. I was about to settle down when I watched people waving and cameras flashing as we approached an overpass. The policemen guarding the on ramps, closing them to traffic as we passed, waved and smiled. Cars going the opposite direction were honking as they passed all admiring the sheer beauty of the event.
The only melancholy moment occurred when a group of Harleys� passed the procession, and we could not give chase. Not that I had any animosity toward the bikes or their riders but because both parties seem to enjoy the same spirit, and that chase is a valuable part of that spirit.

My friends that accompanied me to InZane said I was looking everywhere, squirming in my seat like a small child on their first ride. I finally settled down, but as we turned into the plant entrance, the tears returned. Along the road were workers in their white uniforms, pointing, clapping, smiling, and crying . . .did you ever see people so proud of the product they make on a daily basis that they cannot contain their joy. I mean, they see thousands of Valkyries as they proceed down that assembly line, but parade them past the workers with each rider�s individual alterations, and it creates an overwhelming experience. It happened at the plant, and I found myself tearing up again. You see, they, of all people, appreciate the spirit of the Valkyrie. One heck of a lot of people were involved in this one event at InZane, and the planning must have seemed unattainable to this group one year ago, but they did it to perfection.
In all, every event at InZane was fun; the rides were awesome; the vendors went out of their way to please; the tech sessions were well done and well attended in the 90+ degree heat. Columbus bike night was made special that night because of the presence of so many flat six wonders. The Zanesville appreciation ride with the sheer beauty of the flashing lights adorning the many custom rides; the family atmosphere, where everyone is welcomed equally; but that is all as expected when the VRCC is involved � primarily because it is a family gathering.

My favorite part of InZane was watching two new Valkyholics encounter the Valkyrie family. Tony and Susan Beard of Herrin, Illinois are very devoted to each other. They are never apart � even at work. They have ridden many bikes and have experienced the joy of riding for some time. Tony rides a Black 2000 Valkyrie Interstate, while Susan rides a Gold Wing trike conversion (she wants a black Valkyrie trike, but Valks don�t have reverse). They joined the Southern Illinois VRCC in May 2002.
They are among the growing number of members who do not have Internet so it was the first they had heard of InZanity.
They have made every ride of the Valks of Little Egypt, and they became caught up in the spirit, and decided to go InZane with me.

I don�t think they ever stopped grinning. Even that night they were exhausted and lay back on the grass at Ground Zero waiting for Mountain Man to finish the lettering on �The Quickening.� Susan, whose bike suffered some damage during our last ride, bought lots of chrome for Tony�s Valkyrie, while saving some money for accessories to dress up the �Purpl 1" when she gets it back. I must admit that their spirit touched me too. I spent more time cleaning my bike at InZane than any time prior � Susan is well known for having every inch of �Purpl 1" spotless, and Tony is no slouch when it comes to the shiny bike either.

However, at InZane, this couple noticed something special right away. They noticed that the mood was very different from �The Honda Hoot,� and other rallies they have attended where they met new riders and made friends. They discovered that here, in Zanesville, Ohio, they would meet Valkyrie riders from all walks of life, but nobody tried to be anything other than helpful and considerate. The people they met were not just friends, they discovered that they were accepted into the family without question. They were allowed to do as they pleased: ride if they wanted; or watch the Mountain Man work his magic; or vendors installing chrome, new exhaust pipes, swarming over the bikes so as not to delay the riders; the games, the fun, the atmosphere created by the founders and organizers.
They were with me when we witnessed some F6 gal pile asphalt and rubber on her beautiful, newly painted Valkyrie while learning to do a burnout. Her friends watched her, silently, and then pointed out that she really should park her bike somewhere else when doing burnouts. After a shared chuckle by all, everyone showed genuine concern for the bike trying to decide how to clean the particles from the paint without causing harm. This was all a part of good-natured ribbing among friends � never intended to offend anyone or belittle someone for a slight error in judgment.

This is the difference between the VRCC and other groups. Family and fun go hand in hand. Helping your fellow rider, making people feel a part of things, going out of their way to assist . . . those kinds of things. I think this is why some of those who dwell mostly on the boards believe that the Valkyrie riders have developed cliques, because they respond more quickly to those who have been to InZane than to others. The reason is not that we do not acknowledge your posts, it is that we have a special bond to those we have met on the road. We know them more personally than those we have only met on the boards. We have shared rides, tall tales, humor, tragedy � you name it. Once you meet people up close, there is a bond that cannot be broken, and you also know what each individual can accept as good-natured ribbing.
For example, while sitting the tent watching Dragbars, Lamont, Crash and others replace the clutch in that black and chrome, milk bottle enhanced world record holder, a man walked up to Lamont and said a wing rider�s front brakes were locked up and the bike could not move. The bike was on the road, not in the parking lot. Immediately, and without hesitation, the group discussed possible causes and solutions, and some on them headed out to help. That is what I am talking about � that Valkyrie spirit.
I have been flamed repeatedly for my beliefs about this spirit. I have oftentimes said that one either has it, or you never will. Those who lack this spirit do not last long, or they flame and ridicule those that do. That which you do not understand, you must try to destroy. Those who possess the spirit are long lasting. They do not look for other bikes; they are content to own what I consider to be the best cruiser on the road.
I am not flaming those who move on to other bikes, I am just saying that they lack the spirit because if they had the spirit, and/or understood the spirit, they could never forsake the Valkyrie. They would also show up at InZane to support the 1,000 Valkyrie ride rather than make snide comments about those that choose to be there.

I see this spirit in Tony and Susan. I saw and felt that spirit at InZane. It was the spirit that caused the tears to roll down my cheeks as the procession started towards Marysville, Ohio. It is that spirit that makes me proud every time I climb aboard �The Quickening� and bring those six cylinders to life. It is that spirit that makes me proud when I see children and adults admiring the phat lady when I ride by, people on the streets who stop and turn to see the ultimate cruiser. You see it is all about the bike. Maybe that is why those who embody this spirit are so different � they realize that the Valkyrie is what this is all about � they leave their own egos at the door. And so it is at all VRCC events, local and national.

Hawk
My Greatest memory would have to be InZane II that was where I met the most of ya'll. First, I met Ragnar at the restaurant there on the corner of the intersection. I finally met Lamont and saw the Lamonster for the first time. Right then and there I had hoped to own a bike like that someday (I also remember saying if I had a bike like that I wouldn't touch it, HAHA, guess it is just in my blood) There was Mosa, Dragbars, RayO, RJ, TJ, TNT, I think I met Sarge there also, and the list goes on, every person I met that weekend was like running into long lost friends, it sold me on this group!!!!

I also I remember getting talked into the Burnout Contest, WOW that was a mistake HAHA. Talk about an addiction, that was GREAT!!!!

The second greatest memory which I will never forget was the summer I got to work for DirectLine on the rally circuit. I remember talking to Lamont on the phone telling him I was being "restructured" out of a job I had done for 18 yrs. He told me call Hal and shortly thereafter Hal offered me the summer job driving for DirectLine. Granted me and that Ford truck and 40' trailer didn't always get along as a matter of fact I never in all my life had so much trouble with a vehicle and trailer.

Talk about a string of bad luck and misfortune but getting to meet more of the group and seeing old friends at all of the rallies was GREAT, I never had enough time to visit with ya'll but it was still good to see everyone. I will also never forget the trip home from Wing Ding on the 4th of July. I will also never forget Ragnar bringing over the 1300 VTX for me to ride while we were at the Homecoming, talk about a real friend. I agree with Lamont if I never make another friend, I already have more GREAT friends than a man deserves!

Mosa - Early days memories
I met many GREAT people along the route, and interestingly felt like each one of you guys was family from the moment we met (either on internet or first time meeting in person)...
The VOA ride-in to Montrose in �98 was the first time I met a lot of you guys - LaMont, Gale, Paint it Black in Toronto ( yes...that�s PIBIT to you newbie�s), Tim/Redvalk, Hotglue... a lot of great memories... rode from Virginia out there, flew in my ( then girlfriend, now wife) Sandy, we toured around, then she went back and I decided it was only another 900 miles to LA to see my folks so I scooted out to LA for a 2 day visit, then raced back to Virginia solo... That BTW was the beginning of the VRCC and by the time I got back to VA, the membership #s had grown so I only got #279....

The trip meeting up with LaMont that he mentions was almost surreal in how we clicked with all we met.... Hey Lamont, remember how those guys liked MY bike better'n yers at that Kentucky Hotel? LOL... ya ya, blower bike, wow LOOK at that BLACK one... hahahaahah... Hookin� up with Dragbars and then TNT on that trip (remember us picking up yer Valk for ya Vicki???)...I got pics of that trip somewhere...
The Yosemite cross country last minute trip... Rode from VA to Nashville to pick up Dragbars, that nite got a call from PIBIT, ,met him in St Louis next day... then the 3 of us ROCKETING cross country into Denver where I got that bald rear tire changed... left at 6pm next nite and rode... and rode and rode... 28 hours strait if I remember right.. from Denver to Yosemite NONSTOP (well PIBIT got some sleep waiting for us to catch up, and woke up in the sprinklers at that gas station...LOL)... riding thru the fires outside of Yosemite in that escort, no sleep, was real, real strange... fire burning at side of road as we went by... arrived in Yosemite at 10pm or something like that and I got VALKCABBIE's old room as he got MARRIED that day and got the honeymoon suite...LOL... REMEMBER THE 4-WAY burnout contest there in the parking lot? 4 blower bikes all nose to nose.... Aaron did the wheelie in the parking lot and almost went into the lobby... hahahaha...

I remember the Daytona trip with Ethan and George... MAN we TORE that stretch of I95 UP... from DC to Daytona in about 11 or so hours... I remember Ethan got the nickname BARBIE since at each stop he either put clothes on or took �m off...LOL... and George... always taking up the rear, he got the nickname �Whar�s George" ... we seemed to find just the right openings between the pylons (I mean cars) and could get 2 bikes thru but not the 3rd... always George left behind...LOL.
VRCC in Rolling Thunder ... Had several gatherings over the years at my townhouse south of DC ... Saw Crazy Rick and WIA on their Hoss�s.... had a rained out picnic in MD, but didn�t phase most of us, went anyway... the Northeast riders were there (a little late but still there...LOL)... the Mid Atlantic guys were there... with that newly done up TRAILER QUEEN bike that yellow Dragon (what an AWESUM bike!)...
Rocket, Yogi and Big Earn visiting... again seeing them at TNT and JDubya's BBQ and helping pick up that downed Interstate.... racing back home on the Tennessee and Virginia interstates.... what a trip!
First INZANE! What a trip! Second INZANE! Just as fun!
EACH one of �m a unique and full memory... I thank you LaMont for making me remember those trips and more...

All I can say is that on my motorcycle, and because of my motorcycle, I have met and feel I have my BEST friends anyone could have... I know I have been scarce round these boards recently, but in my mind, and my soul, I am still here!
We gotta do this more often! Create some NEW memories! I am planning a trip up into Canada late spring/early summer next year... will DEFINITELY look you northerners up on the way... no destination yet, just pointing north and going....
See ya on the road, Mosa!

Smilin� Jack - Early days memories
After many exceptional rides with Earthdog he mentioned that he road to Daytona with some crazy folks. He told me they actually left him in the dust.... Jeff had his Valkyrie at that time and thanks to Gary Williams showing off on Hwy 60 near Suschess I decided it was time to plunge and get a Valkyrie.
Nov 16, 2000. I purchased my Valkyrie in Southern Ill, drove all night to get it and returned to GA the following day. Joined the VRCC and soon was involved in many of the activities such as the fund to help fellow members who were hurt. It was Lamont and Sonny in California who really got me involved with the VRCC. Although I had not ever met either of them.
Then....I had a ride to Daytona with a lot of folks TNT. JW, Christian Earthdog and a host of others... What a blast.... I knew I found a great bunch of folks and met Lamont in Daytona also with Highlander whom I had posted with many times on the board. The rest is history.... Some of my dearest friends are right here. My daughter also joined us in Daytona and made a special friend with Christian....after a comment she'll never forget at dinner.
There are so many folks that ride Valkyries in GA because of Jeff and me letting them on our bikes. We have a great group here in GA and really feel great to belong to this group on the BBR. I have had the opportunity to see a lot of folks on the road while traveling such as RJ and others in Arizona. Folks like Ray Hall, Ray Oubre, Big Don and a host of others have made a life time of memories.

Yogi
Like many others. I wanted the Valk from the time Honda had the commercial of the guy riding across the salt flats in a power slide. I wheeled and dealed for 6 months before I got the Black Tourer. I had been a member of the V65 Owners group so I figured there had to be a Valk group. Happened upon the VRCC and joined immediately. Everyone then was great and it just seemed like a big extended family.
My first real rally was IZ2 where I met pretty much everybody. Since then I have solidified some real true friendships. There aren't many people I'll ride 600 miles for just to eat a hamburger with, but Lamont you have created a wonderful thing. The best part is that many have moved on to other bikes but we all still have the same bond. Like Warren, I had few close friends. But now because of the VRCC and the BBR, my circle has gotten MUCH larger.
My favorite get together has got to be Maggie Valley last year. The closeness and the conversation were great, Wheels through time and the ride through Deals Gap following Lamont dragging everything through the corners on the Boss and breaking the tire loose on every straight. I was laughing so hard for 11 miles my face hurt.
Another memory is at the Honda Homecoming when Lamont had the remote starter on his bike at Hal's tent. Seems there was a little guy checking the bike out and when Lamont hit that starter from about twenty feet away I thought the kid would jump over the bike.

Warren
For me the coolest thing was the fact that the Valk group changed my life. I have a bunch of great high-speed riding memories that I'll never forget but it's been the people that are my favorite story. I have never been a people person. I have had a few close friends in my life but not just a whole bunch of friends. I had wrenched on a few bikes before the Valk thing but never met so many folks that loved to tear their bikes apart and make them "better." I rode out to Montrose for the VOA rally all by myself. That was right after I got my first new Valk and wanted to see what this whole thing was about. The rest is history. On the way home, I was deep in thought about how a lot of my life had been wasted by not reaching out more to people and making new friends. Long story short...since that time I have made a bigger effort to meet new people and make new friends. Whoever woulda thunk that having a love for bikes would lead to having such a big love for other people that also love bikes (there's a lot of LOVE in that sentence ) I still have a long way to go in the area of people skills but this fine group of Valkyrie folks and BBR folks has made me a better person.

The Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club (VRCC) is proud to announce the 3rd Annual International InZane Valkyrie Rally. The event is to be held July 23 � 27, 2003 in Zanesville, Ohio. All motorcyclists are welcome.
One of the primary goals of this VRCC event is to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Together, we will make the heart-felt wish of a child, with a life-threatening illness, come true.
Also, the Red Cross will be at the event, accepting blood donations.
Scheduled activities include: Back to the 60's Rock and Roll Night, Poker Run with guaranteed $1000 first prize, People�s Choice Bike Show, 1000 Valk March to the Honda Homecoming, Valkyrie Drag Races at National Trail Raceway, Dyno Runs, Bike Games, Raffles, 50/50's, Rides, Pizza Party, Tech Clinics, Burn-Out Contest, and of course, LOTS of vendors!
The �1000 Valk March� is intended to promote the presence and needs of motorcyclists everywhere.
The VRCC will attempt to break their previous record in the �Guinness Book of Records� for THE GREATEST NUMBER OF MOTORCYCLES, OF A SINGLE MODEL, ON THE ROAD AT ONE TIME.
1,000 Valkyries on the road this time? We hope so!

During each Inzane, participants hold the People�s Choice Bike show.
Ever since the first Inzane there were four categories for the show: Wash�n Wax - Wild Custom - Mild Custom � Non Valkyrie.

Grand Prize - Wells Cargo, TC Trecker Enclosed Trailer Second Prize: A Cool Scooter from PJ's Noveties

Vendors, Vendors, Vendors!
60's Rock 'n Roll Night
Poker Run - $1000 First Prize
1000 Valk March, Drag Races
Dyno Runs, Tech Sessions
Bike Games, Raffles, 50/50s
Vendors, Vendors, Vendors!
Rides, Pizza Party,
$1000.00 Bike Show
And Plenty of Other Stuff!!
Did We Mention Vendors?

Valkyrie Motorcycle National Rally Custom Bikes by oZ
Custom Valkyries, Custom Valkyrie Motorcycle, Valkyrie Rally

Since Honda stopped manufacturing Valkyries in 2003, it was decided to hold the nationwide VRCC meetings each time in different areas of the country.
By doing so, the �burden� of having to take leave and spend money for riding all the way across the nation to a meeting would be shared. For an experienced long-distance rider, 800 miles or more per day was considered an attainable target.
For one who has not become accustomed to long distance riding, 500 miles per day is a very aggressive target. In either case, it was recommended to plan for more time than you think you'll need so you could enjoy the ride.

Video by oZ
1000 Valkyrie March from Paducah KY to Metropolis IL. Watch as 100's of Valkyries roll pass on the ride of 2004. With background music and commentary by the videographer this is a video that is going to give any Valkyrie fan goose-bumples!

Pops
On the way to InZane IV this last year when I found myself in Sleepy town AR. On a Saturday Evening I was lucky enough to make it to the Hotel. I made it to the hotel with Steel wear bands popping out of my rear tire.
So here we are, Saturday Night in Mountain View AR. (Small Town) with a tire that is about to pop. On our way to Inzane. What to do? Well called a few towing companies, $300-500+ to get me and the bike to the next Large city.
Motorcycle shops weren�t going to be open till Tuesday. I was a sitting duck. I called my friend in KY who I had met through the VRCC board, and he said let�s post a help message. I thought what the heck it couldn't hurt.
I was about to have the bike towed to Memphis TN to wait till Tuesday for the Honda shop to open. Well sure enough I got a phone call Saturday night from a fella in FL but no help there.
So, we went out for supper and I tried to find a local who wanted to make a couple Hundred to trailer me and the Valk to either Memphis or Little Rock. No Luck. Sunday Morning comes and the phone rings again. It is a VRCC member named John.
He says he is about 1.5 hours north of us.
He then says I have an old spare Avon, A lift and all the tools to change the tire. And that he could be there in the next 2 hours. WOW now here it is Sunday morning and this fella who I have never talked to or met before is willing to but his Sunday plans on hold and come out of his way to help a complete stranger. I am blown away by this and accept his offer. So, I and my 2 ridding buddies waited for him to show up. We started taking apart what we could to get to the rear tire before he showed up.
Sure enough John, my new best friend in AR pulls up in his truck. Oh by the way thank God John also knew how to change the tire. I have changed dirt bike tires on the trail but nothing like this.
So here we are in the parking lot of the Best Western tearing it down. Well it took all 4 of us to monky that tire off the rim but lo and behold 2 hours later the tire was replaced and the bike was put back together.
Now this fella John has just saved my bacon. And I donated a nice cash reward to him for his troubles and the old Avon. So we were back on the road again only 4 hours behind schedule. Now I had never really been much of a group person before.
But let me say this really opened my eyes to the power of the group. We met up with John and his lovely wife @ Inzane a few days later. Awesome people associated with this group. I also met a bunch of other really nice people at the rally.
This by far is one story I will never forget. Out in the middle of no-where and SOL when the cavalry comes a callin�. Amazing I owe a favor back to someone in need at some point so if you ever find yourself SOL in Colorado, Pops will come a callin�.

Rides, Parade of Lights
Downtown Paducah Night,
Vendors, Vendors, Vendors!
Pizza Party, Raffles, 50/50s
People's Choice Bike Show
And Plenty of Other Stuff!!
Did We Mention Vendors?

Bob
A number of years ago, when we had our Valkyrie Interstate, we attended the annual Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC) Rally in Paducah, KY. The rally was called �INZANE IV�.
The first rally was held in Zanesville, OH and this was the fourth iteration. We participated on a group ride and when I say group ride, I mean GROUP RIDE. Over 400 Valkyries rode from Paducah, KY to Metropolis, IL and stopped in the town square near the larger than life statue of Superman � Metropolis, you know. Before you say, wait the group shouldn�t be larger than 5-7 motorcycles, we had police escort all the way. It was impressive!
We got there and took pictures near the Superman statue and then rode back to Paducah.

RTaz
Well a number of years ago Devl and I were at Inzane IV in Kentucky and my alternator on my Interstate went out on me, well we were in the middle of nowhere along the Ohio river and a couple of bikes came zooming by next thing you know they turn around and come back and asked if we were okay.
Well we had a wrecker coming but it was about an hour away. These two guys offered all kinds of help and sat with us for quite a while, the wrecker came and took us back ground zero we never even got their names but we were real grateful for their kindness. They were from the Great State of Texas and I really appreciated and enjoyed their company.

Norman dog
That was a trip down memory lane. 1st year Inzane was in Paducah (and the only time I've pulled a trailer with the valk) we took 5 days gettin' there and a brief tour of Kentucky. Toured 2 distellerys. Makers Mark was the 2nd. I remember you could smell the mash workin' off about 31/2 miles before we got there. And we had a picnic lunch at old Abe's childhood home. Thanks Joe. Glad you and Don had a good weekend.

It�s that time again, time to get signed up for the Largest Valkyrie Ride-in on the planet! July 20-24, 2005, Valkyrie riders from all over the globe will be converging in Paducah, Kentucky for our 5th Annual VRCC 'InZane' Ride-In.
Many exciting events are planned, including a celebration of the arrival of the World-Famous Thor�s Hammer. Thor�s Hammer has spent the last 7 months traveling through Europe and will conclude its journey at InZane.
The program consists of a blow-out party, 1000 Valk March, tech sessions, demo runs, bike rodeo, raffles, bike show and guided rides. And, most important- best possible companion with good Valkyrie friends from all over the nation.

Introduction of the "Dragon's Lair!
Last year there were several comments that we lacked a converging point... somewhere to hang out, kick tires, swap lies, etc. So, in an effort to keep the InZane atmosphere alive and well, we proudly introduce the Dragon's Lair.
The Dragon's Lair will be a tent set up outside the convention center. We'll be hangin' there every evening, so park your bike nearby, wear your tire-kicking boots and bring your tall tales, 'cause this is going to be the place to be!

Community

Rodeo/Biker Games

...and of course, each time the bar is raised

Nice bikes, paintjobs, custom bikes, radical bikes, it�s all there at the People�s Choice Bike Show

Temperatures
Black Dog
In Paducah, we were standing out side at 10:30 in the evening, kickin' some tires and having a cold one... I had sweat rolling down my face, back & legs, AT 10:30 at NIGHT!!!
I don't remember if it was the first or second InZane held in Paducah KY, but one of the nights I was hangin' with a Rider, and he had some home made 'Stupid in a Jar'...
He gave me maybe 3 - 4 oz, and said that I'd be good for the evening, and I should just sip it...
I do know we had a great time that night, and I also know I woke up face first on my bed, still with all my clothes on, probably in the exact same position I fell in to...
I remember thinking, "this stuff ain't so bad"... That's the last thing I remember thinking
Michael K
I recall Paducah being on the,"boiling wet wool blanket" side of hot!!
Lyn-Del
My first Inzane ... Paducah KY, temps were somewhere around 113 as I recall. The good news was that the vendor area was indoors.
Solo 1
By far the best public fireworks display that I saw was at Inzane in Paducah. I can't remember if it was IV or V. They set them off from a barge in the Ohio river and i had a great balcony seat outside of my room on the 3rd floor.
Hot with high humidity but no mosquitoes.

Lady Draco
Some of you might remember the ScooterDog cart from the 2nd Paducah Inzane 5 !

Carolyn Schmidt
How cool getting married at a motorcycle rally.
Patrick and I renewed our vows at InZane 5 in Paducah for our 25th. It was wonderful, we had a minister from the local CMA officiate, then we wrote our own vows to each other.
Best wishes to you both. Looking forward to seeing at a rally this year.

This Inzane has been the largest by far, with 526 participants. A huge turn-out that was held at what would become ground zero twice.

F6gal
The first 5 Inzanes were held in the East. In 2006 the VRCC went to Colorado for the 6th and broke all previous records for attendance. Despite heading East again, Colorado held the attendance record until 2010.
That year, (first) Michigan beat out Colorado by 3 attendees. Since then, the club has not broken 400... Although WV came very close. The worst year (attendance-wise) was 2005 in Kentucky that was the only time we did not break 300.
Attendance drops drastically if we repeat a location.
I have no clue as to the location of �the center of the Valkyrie universe�. But it would probably be hot and humid and would get really boring after a couple of times there.
People want to see new places (evidenced by attendance drop at repeat locations). It doesn't matter where it is; some people aren't going to like it. The VRCC can't help that.

John Schmidt aka Stuffy
I recall in 2006 (believe that's the year), the first InZane in Frisco, CO took place. Then a short time later that summer we had DOTS (Dragons Over The Smokies) in Johnson City, TN.
That year I attended both and had a great time but left Colorado early due to family issues. I have no idea what the attendance was at either event, just know I had a good time.
The DOTS event had to have been a younger crowd that year, reason being.... I got the "Old Farts" (Oldest Rider) award at age 68. Good memories of both but doubt I'd be able to do it again.
I guess if I were to make the trip to SD (Inzane XV- Spearfish), I'd trailer the bike to a friend or relative's place in the Midwest, and then ride the rest of the way.
I figure from Florida I would need to consider at least one week for travel to/from, and then add a week on location. Not sure I can make that happen, but we'll have to see.

Bill and BigMac Justin from Viking Jim from Sophie�s

Karen from F6 Store F6Gal oZ

Crash RJ Dave Ritsema

Scott Des Connie, Mike and Dave

People�s Choice Bike Show

Poker Run

(What happened with this injured individual ?) Bike Rodeo & Balloon Toss

Gryphon Rider
At Inzane VI in Frisco, Colorado, I did a clinic on collision avoidance (swerving) and emergency braking. About eight riders participated, IIRC. I was an active instructor at the time.
One difficulty with doing this is the availability of clear pavement and the prevention of passers-through.

oZ
Reading the thread on our message board got me thinking about InZane 6 in Colorado: What I get from reading all those posts on our message boards is this is going to be an adventure!
Distance Traveling: In my adult years I did very little long-distance traveling, it really started when I got my first Valkyrie, went to the VOA National Rally in Montrose Colorado.
One of the best parts of that event for me was the ride, it truly was an adventure. From heavy monsoon rains, to crossing vast wide-open spaces, to experiencing the Navaho Nation. Gas Stations without corporate signs.
Having the opportunity to meet a seasoned Navaho gentleman and discuss my destination with him. He shared his land with me and gave suggestions as to what was ahead, what it meant to him and how he loved the land.

Then my five trips east for the InZane Events, I discovered it is America the Beautiful, from Arizona through New Mexico, truly awesome and enchanted lands. From peering up at unbelievable skies at night.
Crossing Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, farming, small towns�
Watching the lay of the land change as I traveled east, from dry arid to lush woods, the further I went east the more wooded this great country became.
And how spectacularly different our America is. Man! Rivers, big astonishing rivers like I never saw before, and thunder storms, and weather, we don�t have that in SoCal, now I know what they mean when they say, if you don�t like the weather wait a minute or so.
New Experiences: Just as I never really appreciated or even knew how wooded the country side is east of the Mississippi, those coming west if for the first time or re-visiting will discover or rediscover some interesting differences.

Like weather! Where we�re going they have weather too. The terrain is so massive, the mountains so great they effect the weather patterns. And if you never breathed the rarified air above 8,000 feet, the clearness, cleanliness, the inability of pollutants to reach those altitudes is a wonder.
And speaking of cool, just like me discovering that the east can actually be a very warm place in the summer, kind of a shock again for someone who comes from a place that�s known as a warm destination, (Southern California) well fact is I didn�t know warm and discovered the wonders of humidity. I panicked the first time my classes fogged up when I walked out of the air-conditioned hotel, an adventure right there.
Well just like the warm I discovered in the east during the summer, I believe some will be amazed at how cool the Rockies can be. And I believe the lack of humidity will be an adventure for some as when the sun sets and there being little humidity to hold whatever heat is accumulated at that altitude and how quickly the warmth dissipates.

But it is not always cool in the Rockies, being at those altitudes the sun can warm you as there is a lot less atmosphere between you and the sun. Taking a break and putting your head down to soak up some of that warmth is wonderful and surprising how fast the radiant warmth from a sun unfiltered can warm your body. You�ve all seen the pictures of folks skiing in short sleeves.
And yet you�ll get up from your warm respite swing your leg over your Valkyrie and be surprised at how you can go from being comfortably warm to surprisingly chilly, remember it was the solar radiant that was warming you the thin air doesn�t like to maintain a whole lot of heat.

Altitude, especially high altitudes is an adventure you may find interesting. You will discover your trusty Valkyrie behaving differently at altitude, especially high altitudes.
We have roads waiting for you that reach up and touch the face of God, where you peer down at cloud tops. You�ll experience vistas and beauty reserved for folks you fly in open cockpit airplanes and you have arrive via you Valkyrie, who needs an airplane when mother nature has delivered up the means to get there on you motorcycle.
You will experience surprising changes in not only temperatures but at each elevation are different foliage, from broad leaf trees at the 4,000 to 5,000 feet elevations, to evergreen pines at higher elevations, even long living, almost bizarre trees the survive at the tree line, to crossing the tree line and again joining the few creatures and plants that seek out a living at such extreme elevations.
To stand at towering elevations and survey physical drops of thousands of feet, to look down on worlds just miles away that have completely different vegetation.
To experience waterfalls and streams fed from almost glacier like formations, to see snow in late July. These my friends are truly remarkable and memorable experiences and maybe even adventures only available infrequently.

And to do it on the finest motorcycle, to share it with old and new friends and brothers and sisters that share your love of the freedom provided by the two-wheel experience.
Don�t be surprised by this remarkable place, try to take it in, take it home with you. And when you�re in your cubicle, office, in the field doing what it is you do to pay the mortgage you will have a new view on life, Gods handy work, and your ability to look around you and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings.
Its food for the soul these adventures. And to be able to experience them not from a tour bus with some tourist guide leading you, but to have folks among you that live in these incredible mountains, who grew up here and are excited about sharing their corner of the earth with you is invaluable.

As my good friend Daniel Meyer would maybe say, Life is a Road; Get on it and Find the Adventure.
Spirit: These mountains, these altitudes will affect you, let�s be upfront about that; they will not coddle you this is not this is a formidable environment that man worked hard to make accessible.
This is not a pleasure cruise with warm breezes and hotel or ship board waiters waiting on your hand and foot. This is rugged, wild, terrain, with altitudes and places were men and women worked very hard to make available to us.
We have picked a place that Six Flags and Disney don�t have to build some amusement facility to improve on the experience is awesome, inspiriting, sometimes harsh, always astounding. But these mountains just may speak to you.

From the time you get up and open your door and glance out at magnificence, to exploring incredible altitudes and vistas that act as an introduction to God�s handy work and Mother Nature�s finest efforts.
You, your companions in the VRCC and your Valkyrie just may transport you to a place you never been before, not specifically a location, but maybe a state of mind. Maybe an adventure you couldn�t image, maybe an emotion you�ve never felt before.
Welcome to High Country Cruising!
Your acquisition of the Valkyrie Motorcycle and your participation as a member of the VRCC has delivered a rare opportunity for you, carpe diem.

Maybe and truly a once in a lifetime adventure. From the discoveries on the route to the Rockies, to actually experiencing the magnificence of God�s handiwork, the opportunity awaits you, and hundreds of other likeminded, two wheeled adventurers who will experience the exploration, the awe, the companionship of renewed friendships, opportunities to meet new brothers and sisters you didn�t know you had, playing in the brilliance that are the Rocky Mountains: that may, just may hold a revelation for you.

InZane 6 winner of Belly Tank
The winner of the raffle was Rick but he graciously gave the ticket to Mike. Mike had been at our booth trying to get on the list for purchasing a tank & installation but we had run out of tanks until the drawing for the raffle.
Rick went to purchase a few raffle tickets since he knew Mike really wanted a tank. He walked back with some in his hand and told Mike �this looks like the only way you will get it so you better go buy tickets" which Mike did.
Rick won the drawing and Mike got the tank. Thank you all for participating in the raffle.

Winner Rick Wery (aka Valkstr) from Alaska Recipient Mike Glover from Michigan The winner and the owner with the installed tank

During the Tech Session, Roger from R&M left no less than 14 happy customers leaving with newly installed belly tanks.
Quite an achievement, considering a new bung had to be installed, even using inert gas.

Oss
I was behind Misfit and Lil'Bit on this stretch of road and LD was on the beast taking pics and dancin like usual She passes at about 90 or so laughing all the way Yep I got passed by a girl
On the way back it poured ! Misfit was running a ToyoProxes T1 and I was so impressed with his bike in the rain I got one the next year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YaNHTyb0gg

Mick Manchester (from UK)
Memories of 07 and Johnson City, leaving for the ride into town, great weekend, great company, great adventure, great year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH-dGHGkb3s

Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005
The North American Valhalla Voyage ended in Johnson City, Tn with Smokin'joe handing the Tankards back to the VRCC President, oZ at the Inzane opening cermonies!

Video by JoAnn Gibb
VRCC InZane 8 - Honda Valkyrie riding the second part of the Snake near Mountain City, Tennessee
Valkyrie On The Snake - Inzane 8 - 8/08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_v8UpF5Oqw

Oss
Don and Tracy led a ride up to their slice of heaven
I was behind Misfit and Lil'Bit on this stretch of road and LD was on the beast taking pics and dancin like usual
She passes at about 90 or so laughing all the way Yep I got passed by a girl 2funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YaNHTyb0gg

On the way back it poured ! Misfit was running a ToyoProxes T1 and I was so impressed with his bike in the rain I got one the next year.

Wednesday
10:00am�Tank Removal, petcock service, air-filter change.
Scratching your head and saying, �My Valkyrie has an air filter?� We�ll pull a tank and remove/replace the air filter. We�ll also show you how to quickly test the petcock function (something you should do every time you pull the tank).
3:00pm� Inbound Valkyrie Clinic
Did you pick up a new rattle in Barcel�? Did that whine that never bothered you at home seem to get louder the further away you got from your dealer? Bring your machine and your questions and we�ll be happy to recommend a fix, earplugs, or perhaps a bus ticket. We�ll have duct-tape!

Thursday
9:30am�Brake Pad replacement. (Tent)
Learn how to change your brake pads. Arrive on time or you�ll miss this one, it really is that easy!
2:30pm� Older ladies just do it better!
High mileage Valkyries and how to get them there. The �weak points� and less common maintenance items on a Valkyrie. U-joint/driveline, fuel system, shifter seal, power shaft seal, steering head bearings, alternators. I�ll have a bike for pointing out things and some aged parts and examples. Discussion session

Friday
4:00pm� Petcocks
No, we don�t have any chickens, and please don�t bring any. We�re talking fuel valves here; how they work, why it�s important that they do, what the insides look like, how to rebuild, and when to replace.

Saturday
2:00pm�Anatomy of a fat lady�s rear end. (Tent)
IF there�s a weak spot on the Valkyrie, this is it. Serviced improperly, this piece of tail will eventually cost you a lot of money or worse, leave you standing beside the road wondering at the fickle nature of these creatures.
Join us as we explore deep in the cracks and crevasses of the Valkyrie�s nether regions. Want to know how to remove the rear wheel? Curious what all the �spine� fuss is about? Do you know about the * three * o-rings you need to replace? (Your average dealer doesn�t and won�t). What �4 bolts� and why the heck should you loosen them? (Your average dealer doesn�t and won�t). What about the drive shaft? You�ll hear people talk about the u-joint but what�s the other big �gotcha� hiding back there? Expect this one to run a bit long.

3:30pm� Open Forum Tech Talk
Got a question? Got a problem? Bring your Valkyrie maintenance questions. Moderated by experienced Valk wrenches, we�ll do our best to answer your questions or help you out. No questions? Come anyway. These sessions are popular, Interesting things come up and everybody learns something

GiG
I could write a book about the Pool Parties in Johnson City!
The Dick Tease, introduction to White Lightnin, the Jerry Springer incident, on and on, but the best one was at the very end.
A HUGE dude was smoking circus sized cee-gars and drinking some kind of funky jungle juice concoction all night. Seriously, the guy was 6'6", 280#.
He couldn't seem to make it out of the parking lot at 4:30 am, so I went in the lobby and got the luggage cart, took it to the parking lot and loaded his ass on the cart.
Then I took him to the elevator and delivered him to his room.

Solo1
I no longer can ride to these events but whenever I think of Inzanes I think of this video. Chris, my son (Psychotic Bovine) did this tape. Mark, my son (Mad6Gun) is in the lead with a mutual friend of ours in the middle.
I can relate to this video as I drove the Snake in my Miata at the second Johnson City Inzane and watched Mark do a low speed slide out (sick feeling on my part) in front of me. He was ok.
Although I'm not making Inzanes anymore, I can still relate to them through this video. In fact it's my favorite but don't tell Chris. His helmet barely fits his head now!
Looking back at all the Inzanes that I've been to, they all have been great.

Valkyrie Motorcycle Newscast
Michael, Willow and Scott give some insight as to the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club's National rally and the charities we support. The news transmission shows Michael on his bike and Willow and F6Gal interviewed.
https://vimeo.com/9398770

??? ?????? 2013 - Inzane VIII National Rally - Block Party in Downtown Johnson City, July 30, 2008
https://youtu.be/W_c_d5yByfs

F6Gal
There were 4 awards that either weren't printed or disappeared into a cosmic black hole. So far this is what we have:

Highest Mileage Bike - Willow with 141,849
Most Miles Ridden to IZ9 - Meandering Route - Clint with 6250 (Waiting to hear from Lyn-Del or Wizard)
Newest Valkyrie Rider - SMS (Cal) with a mere 10 weeks
Oldest Rider - I know MasterBlaster is 70... anyone older than that?
If you can beat any of these stats, speak now or... well, you know.
Rhonda and Cowbell won the F6 Neon light.

Motomama
Nickster did receive the award for the furthest distance ridden to Inzane. He and his father did have one heck of a ride to get there and home (Alaska). I do have to admire them for that. They are definitely great people!

Scott
The winner of the sign donated it back to be auctioned off for the Charity, which was the Starlight Childrens Foundation. Rhonda and Noah purchased the sign, for the staggering amount of $1000. The money went directly to Starlight in memory of Steve (OldSkool). There was not a dry eye in the building.

RP
The poker run stop I was manning near the top of one of the mountains near Frisco

oZ
Workerbee and I our finally out.
It was our intention to discover more of Colorado - but never left the hotel, just to pooped to go exploring especial in an Exclusion vs. a Valkyrie.
Had dinner last night with the last remaining Valk people Darryl and Little D. Great time they are working very hard to get their bikes back to New York.
We plan to drive all the way through to SoCal, hence a 3:15am departure time.
The rally was fantastic, we had a blast. Great people, good times.
Sorry to be leaving would have stayed more but work rained on our parade and want me back or else we may have had a chance to see more.
This is the first time we stayed to actually see some of the terrain, again work put an end to that. If I could get medical insurance I would so be done with my job which sucks.
In these hard economic time I figure I'm blessed to have a job. I'd like to give kudos to all the members who were there to just help the staff but I'm afraid I might leave someone out.
Special thanks to F6Gal, Willow, Motomama and Scott from Oka.
Thank you all for a fantastic meeting. Looking forward to seeing you next year. If I do lose my job I will be attending other local rallies just for the fun of it.
Ride safe again thank all of you for supporting the VRCC

Motomama
Through all of the generous donations, the auctions, ticket sales, etc., the members of the VRCC at Inzane IX contributed a total of $5,874.00 to the Starlight Childrens Foundation! WooHoo! The generosity of our group sure does make me proud to be a member of the VRCC! You guys ROCK!

2010 was the 10th Inzane anniversary. According to Connie, Zanesville was under discussion for a reunion of sorts, but the hotel had changed ownership and was not that cooperative... also, not really big enough for the attendance we anticipated.

Willow
Something will be handled a bit differently this year. The VRCC will be taking room reservations. We haven't done that before, but the resort offered us a block of rooms at a great price if we would do the filling and room assignments.
Check-in will still take place at the resort desk, and payment will be made through the resort, but the VRCC will be giving the resort personnel a list of room assignments and will be responsible for being certain they're all filled.
Can you feel the pressure? One of our staff had to provide a substantial deposit out of her own pocket to guarantee this block of rooms.
The block we've been provided consists of some forty-five King suites and some ninety double queen rooms. The King suites each include a kitchenette (seems almost wrong to add the "ette"), a fireplace and a single king-sized bed
Did I mention bike games and tech sessions?

Some thoughts by oZ
One thing I'm especially looking forward to is the possibility of more Canadians at the Michigan rally, heck isn't it a lot closer?
No wait closer doesn't really work. If there are Long Riders it's got to be Canadians. My first encounter with a Canadian was about 11 years ago when I met PIBIT (Paint It Black in Toronto). Where'd I meet him? Mariposa California right outside of Yosemite for reference. That was the first "Unofficial Valkyrie Riders Rally". I had run the idea past some who thought it wouldn't work. Wouldn't work? We raised over 6 thousand bucks for charity and had a bunch of people there; it was the spring board for InZane!
But for me the best and most surprising thing was people like Pibit. Now that I think about it I think there were two Canadians there, neither knowing each other before meeting there. We also had a slew of folks from the other side of the Mississippi. It was an eye opener for me and proved two things to me and one discovery.
1. Valkyrie riders are motorcyclists be it cross country or hitting the twisties. Their enthusiasts.
2. Also, I've found they�re not about the fad, or trying to be cool or having the bike du jour. They based their ride on performance, like maybe I can ride this thing to anywhere!
And my discovery, the thing that attracted me to the Valkyrie, the speed, handling, sophistication and elegance of the big ol' machine also attracted others. Maybe having preference for excellence goes beyond motorcycles, maybe, just maybe that's why I've met so many excellent people on Valkyries.
If I don't see you sooner then I'll see you in Michigan.
The Village of Bellaire was awesome to us and except for under estimating how many people we would have there (the VRCC staff told them, think they didn't believe us) Shanty Creek was great.
So many people have told me what a great time they had this year it's almost overwhelming!
I would also like to thank everyone that worked to make InZane X great but it is a big list and fear I would leave someone out, a bad thing.

I threw a video if you are interested.
One more thing and I have to say it again: Michigan Rocks!
https://vimeo.com/13963656

Brief Outline of Inzane
The registration page will tell you what's included.
There will be a couple (or three) group rides and a selection of self-guided rides in the registration packets.
Tourist things to do will abound in the area as it's a vacation destination, albeit a small town in the woods.
The Saturday night banquet, a Joe Boyd memorial shirt, and an InZane X pin are included with early full registration.
Additionally, you'll want to purchase raffle tickets to take part in the excitement as we give away TONS of stuff each night and then MEGATONS of stuff on Saturday.
You'll want to do the Poker Run for our selected charity at $15.
Tech sessions and rides are on a show up basis.
She'll want to come. She'll make friends and have a great time.

10 years of VRCC � Open letter by oZ
I love my VRCC mates! I was blessed to be in the right place at the right time for the opportunity to start the VRCC and the blessing is folks like you, friends from the get go! I've been thinking about it and the VRCC seems to me to be more than just an interest group about Valkyrie Motorcycles. To me it seems to be a brotherhood, sisterhood since it is the ladies, girls (: that add so much to the caring aspect of our organization.
I can't even cover all the kindnesses I've seen, the outpouring of not only care but support our members have given, and not just to our own brothers and sisters but to anyone needing support be them riders or not.
We're a blessed group and I hope, no I almost know this organization of brothers and sisters is not a passing phenomenon. Thank goodness for the VRCC.
Again, three things. I'm blessed to have been in the right place at the right time to watch the VRCC come into existence, I'm blessed to have hundreds of friends who have my and each other�s backs and I'm blessed to have a cornucopia of wise people, diverse in wisdom and with our numbers of individuals able to provide guidance not only in the love and feeding of the Valkyrie Motorcycle but in advise in all matters.
I guess were like a family.
oZ, your humble and inspired fearless and neurotic semi-leader

Timbrwolf
Wow....what a trip! . ....we were on the road for..oh..wait....we were only 45 minutes away...
. .....was a GREAT time.....lots n lots of Valks....and a TON of great people....folks just kept coming up and introducing themselves....and saying this was the best Inzane in years....and how much they were diggin on Northern Michigan........and even though we didn�t get rooms at Shanty Creek ...we were jealous cuz Staff picked an excellent place to hold the Event and if I had to describe it in a single word I�d have to say...lush.....very fine resort.....lots of Valks and other bikes...and the folks attending were outstanding...good friends of ours, Dave and Fran came up to stay at our place for the weekend and we made day trips up to the ride in...saw good friends like Solo1...Blackdog...W3....met Big D...Robin from New Jersey...saw our good friends TP from Minnesota....Laser Pat and his wife from the Great State of Texas....got to take a great ride with Oss and his lovely wife Bonnie and show them the beautiful Rt 119.....saw Kaz from Wisconsin....our good friend Dave Pettit....and we can�t forget our good friend...Daniel Myers from Texas...that Invitation stands Daniel....one day I need to fulfill...My Mission of creating a ...BAB...and watching you enjoy it ! .. ...and spent our evenings hanging out at our good friends ...George and Pams camp site with a TON of great friends...Pam is a camp fire Gourmet and whipped up some fine vittles for everyone....and we got to dig on some sweeeeeeeet Northern Michigan wind....like our good friends Hot Glue and Strider are fond of saying....we had us a Verrrryyyyyy LARGE TIME !!!
A HUGE Thank You to ALL of the Staff....and everyone else who worked tirelessly to make this happen for the Masses of the VRCC...they did an EXCELLENT Job!!!!

laserpat
We had a blast!!! You Michiganders rock!! Great people made us feel so at home. A total stranger offered to take us out on their boat for a cruise, amazing roads, can�t wait to come back. Will post pictures when we can.

F6Gal
Ok, we took a week to ride after InZane, I'm getting caught up with things at home, and I realize that I haven't made an appropriate post InZane post.
First, thanks to everyone that attended, it was an amazing success.
We had a final attendance count of 515 (falling short of the previous record by just 11). We donated $7001 (+ $20 Canadian) to Camp Quality.
As usual, the InZane staff went above and beyond. Year after year, there is a handful of people that donate an unbelievable amount of time to making InZane happen and making it an enjoyable experience for all of us. Please join me in thanking these fine folks:
oZ; Willow; Motomama; Scott & Joni; Psycho; Tim (RedValk) & Sherry; Misfit & Lil' Bit; Lyn-Del & Wizard; and Daniel Meyer... please take a bow.
In addition this year, we had the help of the phenomenal Michigan chapter: RTaz (State rep) & Devl; Pat & Carolyn; Stitch; John & Alane; Big Bill; Romeo; Scar; Big Bob; Skinhead; Bill Bunker; Ed Smalling; Greg Graves; Joe Errante; Jules; Mike & Kari; Norm Bacon; (sorry don't know all of your handles); and all the other MI members that chipped in... please take your bow, as well.
Youse guys are all the bomb. Thank you so much! Oh, and thanks Michael Terry for finding our awesome ground zero. thanks

RTAZ
I have been to many InZanes in the past but this was our first time to be involved with the National Staff from the planning stages on InZane X to the actual event....I must say the Staff have done this many times and they know what ground work needs to be done for such an event...I have seen them at the event work 24/7 to make sure all our brothers and sisters where taken care of...I saw Lori trying to eat a dinner but not being able too because she wouldn't turn off her phone...I've seen Connie limp around all day long on a sore foot because she needed to take care of business....I saw Scott standing out in the hot sun day after day making sure everything was going okay....I saw RedValk setting up his DJ equipment and spinning tunes along with Sherry...I saw Willow answering a questions all day long being pulled from one end of the resort to the other...I saw Pat and Carolyn working day in and day out to see that everything was running smoothly...I saw Misfit and Lil-bit working out under that canopy day in and day out...and helping us MiVRCC folks out setting up stuff and carrying boxes and stuff...I saw Lyn-Del and Wizard sitting out ALL day long in the hot sun being our security at the vendors gate....I saw Oz and Karen working at the F6 store talking making the members feel welcome and I saw the Michigan Chapter leaders step up and do a great job welcoming people Jewels and Big Bill ,John and Alane at the blood drive, Scar and Suzy Q for helping us when we needed you for your day in and day out work on our website and forums here in Michigan, Joe with the banners, Big Bob and Big Bill at the Bike show, Slyk Willy at the bike games, Romeo & Juliet, Mike B & Kari helping out where ever they could, Stitch for the great job he did with the poker run....Greg Graves for helping set up and running around helping members in need, Ed and Judy for all the hours in the Michigan welcome table area....all of the countless MIVRCC members for the behind the scenes help the contributed...Patrica and Paula at the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce was a major help for this event they truly made our event a great success in Bellaire ...the Village of Bellaire should be proud of their efforts...the Traverse City CMA members for their services and prayers.... all the great folks from Michigan welcoming all of our brothers and sister from around the world...I can't say enough about how proud I am of our State.... I am truly sorry if I forgot anyone I am still in the rush of InZane excitement ...I hope we have the opportunity to do this again I know we can make it even better.

Solo1
I was over to Mark's house last night and he brought me up to speed on this year's Inzane. As usual, it was a good event for him and all. The get offs that he and Chris had, brought out the fact that there are still good people out there. The Ski patrol, the couple in the Mercedes SUV, and others, all helped in making a bad experience not so bad. I can't say enough about Loth and his wife who was with them and rendered a steadying hand. Twila has a sore knee but it's getting better.
During Mark's talk, I was thinking back to the five Inzanes that I attended. I keep thinking of RJ who I had good conversations with at both Paducahs and Johnson City. I remember sitting on my balcony at Bellaire with John Schmidt, contemplating the foibles of life as we indulged in a scotch and soda.
I most certainly remember accepting the special award, at Bellaire, for the oldest member even though I didn't ride to Inzane That was totally unexpected and was worth just as much to me as my Sagamore of The Wabash Award given to me by the mayor of New Haven.
I also remember the Covered Bridge Rides undertaken by 'Doc" Morse of Crawfordville, Again, RJ stood out for me there as his birthday was celebrated during the CBR. RJ is still on my mind as we were both Korean War veterans, me in an Army medical support group, and he as a combat Marine.
I remember the CBR and Hollywood doing his wheelie on Doc's residential street.
Last year I drove the Miata to Corydon and met still more Valk members. I was welcomed, even though I came on four wheels instead of two or three. I would hope that Steve continue the DRU as it's similar to the CBR.
Overall, it is indeed memorable to me that all this good stuff was brought about by a common love of a motorcycle that was no longer made after 2003, a long 14 years ago!
It is amazing to me that one motorcycle has done so much to bring together such a great group of people.

Joe (ridingdragon) Errante
The Michigan VRCC will be represented with 80 members at Inzane XI this year. That's awesome!! The schedule of events has now been published and will prove to be a great time for everyone.
We are still looking for vendors.... motorcycle related or not. If you know someone who may be interested get me their name and number A.S.A.P. Also, we are looking for more volunteers to help out during the week�s event.
Pam and I are looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Charles Schell
I had never seen so many Valkyries in one place or so many friendly people. Since I'd only owned my Valk a couple months when I went, it was a very special treat to be around so many like-minded riders. Being a newbie got me an award.

If You Are Going InZane, Joining In Is Half The Fun
After getting parked, I wandered over to the registration table to get signed in. Everybody there was real friendly and curious about me -- they wanted to know where I was from and what my name was and things like that. I thought it was because they were interested in me as a person but I came to find out that they were just looking for my registration form.
Once I got my packet of stuff and name tag (which I never wore) I was sent down to the raffle ticket part of the registration table.

K-Dog's Rune

At the raffle ticket table I met Sparky51. We had actually conversed online earlier in the week when I volunteered to help sell raffle tickets. When in doubt or if you are ever going to an event you've never been to before and they're looking for volunteers � � do.
Usually the best thing you can volunteer to do is to tend bar. However, failing that -- offer to help with anything to do with gambling. The reason is easy, if you don't know these people a quick way for them to come to you is to either give them a drink or sell them a chance to win something. Since the bars weren't open, gambling was my only choice.

I ended up staying longer than I was supposed to but I was promised time and half. Actually, I guess I was paid in blueberries. After making pies, there was a bowl of left over blueberry pie filling in the kitchen. Near the end of my shift, this bowl made its way to the table with a stack of spoons to be shared by all present. After some discussion, it was determined that whipped cream or ice cream would make this tasty snack even better. The bowl disappeared then reappeared a short while later with ice cream on top of the blueberries. The volunteers rejoiced and ate of the bowl. Thinking back, this was probably a bit riskier germ-wise than a double dipped chip, but volunteerism strengthens the immune system.

After I put in my volunteer time --- I spent a little while wandering through the parking lot and looking at the various bikes. I was really stealing ideas for improvements on my own bike but I was also enjoying looking at what other people had done creatively to theirs. I'd never seen so many variations on a theme.
The next group participation thing that I took part in was the Poker Run. The only Poker Run I had ever been on before was done en mass with several hundred riders going from location to location to pick up cards. This one was a bit different in that everyone was riding the route in small groups. Right after I got mounted up there were four bikes getting ready to head out, so I just tagged along with them.

Membership of our group changed several times as the ride progressed; some people joined while others left. In the end we were a group of 7 and had a trike riding with us.
The ride was 102 miles through small towns and country roads around the area. Some places I had been to before, like Charlevoix, other places were brand-new. It was all pretty and a good site seeing ride.

I rode last in the group so that I could shoot video and get pictures of everybody else. Riding in this position also prevented me from being responsible for any of the navigation, that falling to the bike in the lead. So, now I can safely razz that person about the number of times we got lost. Actually, we only got lost twice and not that badly. But we did get lost.

The problem with joining a ride the way I did was that I never had a chance to find out who I was riding with. I do know that midway through we were joined by Valky Claus, who was from somewhere in Texas. Aside from that, I'm not sure of anyone's names or where they were from except for the bike directly in front of me that was from Canada -- I know enough Canadian that I was able to read his plates. (Note: if it was you I was riding with, please let me know and I will add your name to this rather than leaving you anonymous � � unless you are leading and got us lost then you might want to remain unknown

My Valk among the other Dragons

My poker hands actually started out very well, I was going for a straight in one hand and a straight flush in the other. That ended when I picked up my fourth card, which shafted one hand completely and left me with a pair of 8s in the other. Not exactly the way I had planned on the whole thing ending up. However, I did have a great time on the ride and managed to come up with a nice video from it.

When I went to the awards dinner, I really didn't expect to win anything. My poker hands were lousy (but not lousy enough to win the worst hand contest), even though I bought raffle tickets, I usually don't win the good stuff, and even though I had planned to, I did not enter my bike in the beauty contest. So, I was really there for dinner and some socializing. For those keeping score, Jody was right, there was barbecue � � even though I was, also right because I said we were getting chicken.

There were many certificates given out. Person who rode the longest distance, oldest rider, youngest rider, some prices for the bike rodeo and a special award for the rider who was newest Valkyrie rider. Guess who won?
Well, I'd only been on the bike for 2 1/2 months even though I�ve put almost 4000 miles on it.
As a whole, our table was doing very well with raffle prizes. I won some bike wax, a sticker, some Seafoam and a doo rag. As the evening wore on, each of us at the table had won a couple of different things except for Jody, who went the entire evening without winning anything until the very last drawing � � which was for a prize valued at over $600. Any guesses as to who won that one?
In the end, the real winner was Camp Quality, a very worthy cause. Aside from individual donations that were made, a bucket was passed around that netted over thousand dollars� VRCC handed them a $7,500 check at the end. Valkyrie riders are very generous
I do wish to thank the people who shared the table with me: Momz (and his wife whose name I did not catch), Banker, Jody, JJ, Turtle Dove & Green Dragon. Thank you all for the good dinner conversation and for sharing a bottle of wine.
Then came the time to say goodbye. I packed up my doo rag, Seafoam, sticker, bike wax, event T-shirt, InZane pin and my framed Certificate of Achievement then got ready to head out. Prior to leaving, I was hoping to get my bike blessed since I had heard that was part of rally as well. Since I did not own the Valkyrie when the annual blessing happened in Baldwin earlier in the riding season, I wanted to be sure to get my bike blessed while I was here.

I noticed a fellow biker wandering through the parking lot and I knew he had been sitting at the biker ministry table. Therefore, I walked up, introduced myself, and met Loren who was a Chaplain. I asked him if he would please take a moment and bless my bike. He smiled and explained that it was more important to bless the rider than the bike but he would be more than willing to do both.
We went over to my bike and he said a brief prayer for the bike and or the rider. I have to admit, I've never heard a prayer that included good mileage and mechanics, but I was grateful for it. Which brings me to one failure that I made that day: I meant to hand Loren a donation for his group and forgot all about it because I was in such a hurry to be headed home. So, Loren, drop me an e-mail or someone drop me the ministries' address and I will be glad to send it on.
Overall, I had a great time. I wish I had been able to stay for the entire event and maybe next year I will be able to go to Arkansas and do just that. It may have been an advertising slogan back in the 70s, but good things do happen on a Honda -- and even better things on a Valkyrie.

Hoser
2 Brothers Power Sports were very good to me on the way to Bellaire. Blew up a rear wheel bearing. They sent a trailer to me, hauled it 24 miles to the shop, installed a new one, sent me down the road within three hours after correctly replacing the left side bearing for a measly $275.

Spurs
A big thanks to Willow, Motomomma, OZ, Scot, unmentioned spouses and Del Lynn, Wizard, Sister Bling and all others not mentioned for putting on a great show. Just another great event!!!!

F6gal
Another successful InZane is in the history books.
I hope everyone had a great time!!
We thought we raised $7500 for our charity, Camp Quality; but then realized that didn't include the money from the chair lift rides... so the final number will be a bit higher.
Thank you all for continuing to make InZane a successful event year after year.
Thanks to all that attended and to all that volunteered some of their time.
Please join me in thanking the IZXI crew, they did an awesome job!
VRCC staff (besides me): oZ, Scott from OK, Motomama & Willow
The rest of the crew: Pat & Carolyn, Psycho, Skeeter (Joni), Misfit, Lil' Bit, Doogie (Chase), Joe & Pam Errante, RTaz & Devl, Sister Bling, Lyn-Del & Wizard, Stitch, John & Alane Schaefer, and Daniel Meyer.
Hotglue and Timbrwolf did a great job cookin' up burgers & dogs for early bird dinner on Tuesday... and FlamingoBabe was helping with everything! And Dave Ritsema was back.

Scott
We're trying something different this year. Having the weekends to travel, and the event during the week. It will also help avoid the busy weekend traffic in Eureka Springs

motomama
We have a block party scheduled for Tuesday night at Pine Mountain Village (which will be blocked off for us). The shops in that area are staying open late for us so that those who want to shop can do so.
Dinner will be set up there for us. (I would highly recommend checking out the ice cream parlor in the village after you get your fill of BBQ).
Following the BBQ and shopping, we will be attending the Pine Mountain Jamboree (tickets for this show ALONE are regularly $24).
The show is awesome! Several of us went to the show back in September and we loved it! A combination of BBQ dinner and the Pine Mountain Jamboree show will cost us $17.50 per person and the tickets will be available for purchase at the Registration Desk. This is an awesome deal they are providing us we, so let�s try to have a BIG turnout for this. Following the show, we will have the Parade of Lights, led by the mayor on his motorcycle, back to the hotel.
You really don't want to miss out on this evening activity!

InZane started on Friday the 21st for me... My buddy Jim from work followed me up to the little gas station where 28 merges with 19/74 near Bryson City, NC..

Wimp had been before, but not me or Jim...
We ate at a sandwich shop in Bryson City, and then Jim headed back, he wasn't going to InZane... me and Wimp headed over the Dragon (what a traffic jam that place can be) and then to Joe's house on a non-direct route.
Wimp headed home and me and Joe and Charlie the Land Elephant went to eat at a steakhouse in Joe's Minivan.
You can see this bit of Fontana Lake along the way to the end of The Road To Nowhere...

As we started out on our Ride from Knoxville to Nashville, we only had a few riders...

Santa was there when we got to the meeting place in Nashville...
Mac was one of the next riders to show up, he saved us from riding I40 from Nashville to Memphis by showing us hiway 100... we had a bunch of riders by the time we burned up 100, I'm impressed with
West Tennessee, the drought burden seems minimal there, stuff is green, there a lot of nice farms, woods and rolling open land.

My forks seemed like there was a leak starting when I looked last week. I figured (hoped) it would slowly leak. It fastly leaked, all over stuff, the air wings, the motor (and then I could smell oil fumes as I rode)...
On the way to InZane the little camera mostly took pictures of fork oil

When we rode I40 from Knoxville to Nashville, it was overcast and even rained a little... it was a really nice ride... all the rest of the ride, there and back, and while we were there, was really hot.
The drought became obvious in Tennessee near Memphis, and Arkansas seems like a disaster area. We stopped to rest in the shade many places...

We rolled in on Sunday. On Monday I rested and visited tech talks and started asking around for fork seals and other stuff I might need in order to change my leaking left fork seal.
The rest of the folks I rode up with went out for an all-day ride and continued saut�ing their bodies in the sweltering heat and sun.

By Tuesday noon, I had two bags of tools, a motorcycle lift, two sets of fork seals, fork oil, and a pan to drain the old oil in. If I tried to list everyone one who helped me, it would end up being most of the attendee list thanks again everyone.
I began to remove parts... I got the forks drained and wiped down enough to work on...

As I was on the road, I didn't have the special chairs and plumbing parts I use at home to rebuild forks:
So Joe (Stude31) jumped in with his Honda fork tools and zip-zap-zoop, as quick as that, he pulled the old seals out and expertly inserted the new seals, gathering lots of interest along the way.

The next day we rode off to the Joe Boyd picnic at the dam... there's a nice swimming area, some guys even went in with their jeans on, I wished I'd had shorts or something. It was hot .
Arkansas has lots to offer. But they need rain bad. A really good strong rain came right as the bike show started

After all the Inzanity, a bunch of us took off for Memphis. Near the end, on 64, a crop dusting plane gave us a wonderful show.
He was dusting crops right beside the road, swooping down over and over, perpendicular to the road, and only just a little over our heads when he crossed the road. He looked like he was swinging from a pendulum and did all these gymnastic twists and rolls at the top of each swing. After we thought it couldn't get any better, he started hitting a field parallel with the road. Several of us saw him coming in our rear-view mirrors (that would have been a money shot!) and then ZOOM, right past us.
In case he was spewing out too many harsh neuro-toxins or anything, I held my breath... Terry has some pictures while he was doing the perpendicular passes...
We were roasted as we approached Memphis, here's the final gas stop of the day...

We stayed at a small motel near where we stayed on the way there. They fetched us to a Memphis BBQ joint in a van. The next day some of us headed down 40 to Nashville, and me and Allen burned up hiway 78 to Tupelo Mississippi.
It is a divided hiway, not too much traffic, signs say that soon it will be I22. When we got near there, we rode down the Natchez Trace a mile or two and drank water in the shade...
This stuff was growing where we stopped, leaves kind of like dog wood, what is it?

We left there and wondered into the heart of Tupelo and ate good eggs and grits at a busy diner. Allen took off maybe down 45 and I headed out of town on 78.
Switched over to 74 right after I passed into Alabama... a real good road...Drought evidence lessened, and everything was growing and green again in North Alabama... Stopped at the Natural Bridge... it cooled down nicely after I passed through the gates and went down into the woods...

I continued on through here and there and passed into Georgia near Fort Payne...

I stopped for one more night in a motel as it started raining a little near Calhoun Georgia... it was glorious as I rolled home through the cool green North Georgia mountains this morning... after all that broiling heat.
It was hot by noon or so, but I left early. A fellow on a Harley at a gas stop told me he'd recently sold his Valkyrie, and he missed it...
Thanks to everyone who put up with me on the ride, everyone who helped me rebuild my forks, and everyone who made InZane possible

Paul Weber Shoots a Ride at InZane Arkansas 2012

This design was also available on T-shirts
https://vimeo.com/48177869

Motomama
This morning, we were able to present our Inzane XII charity, NW Arkansas Special Olympics, with a check for $6,800.00. They are thrilled and could not say enough about our group's generosity!
In addition, we spoke with the mayor and the police chief this morning at breakfast, and they said we were the best group they have ever had host a rally in Eureka Springs!
They had nothing but good things to say about our members! Kudos to all who attended! I, for one, am very, very proud to be a member of such a fine group of folks! VRCC members ROCK!
Once again, you all exceeded our expectations! Way to go!

Took out at sunrise on Saturday. Was set on making it to Arkansas, taking into consideration the high temps.
Was somewhat geared up, had my new vest and bandana to help with the Hades-like ride ahead.
And of course...Great view heading down the hill
I'd whipped up some green chili, beef, egg, potato burros for down the road to minimize breakfast stop delays. They hit the spot.
I cracked out the vest and bandana near noon or so. It seemed to do quite well, covered by a new JR mesh jacket for about 90 minutes. It then began to feel a bit like weighted armor, which might do well in a fall, not so much though when nearing peak heat.
I did manage to get it recharged when I grabbed a late lunch at the Cherokee Restaurant. Temp there = 107. Again, the recharged vest was good for 60-90 minutes. Eventually removed entirely along with the mesh jacket.
Took the turnpike from OKC and on into Arkansas. The stopping for toll booths and tossing out coins got old and costly. How does that saying go, "May the sun be always at your back" (or is it the wind)?
As I was passing through the Tulsa general area, the temp read 102 at 7:30 p.m...I did manage to catch the sunset behind me as I was heading toward Siloam Springs AR.
Alas, I hit AR, it's 9:00 pm, I fuel up and find a room at probably the nicest Super 8 I'd ever stayed at. Took a dip in the pool and called it a night.
I hit a few nice spots on a not-so-direct route to Eureka Springs. I thought this place was pretty neat. I immediately thought of Gordo for this place. Hwy 303N heading toward War Eagle Bridge/Mill.
I moved on to The War Eagle Bridge and Mill (they had fans going inside), another neat place.
I cruised past Beaver Lake and took in the sights. Stopped briefly, spewed out some more fluids from most pores, and decided to get back moving, into some wind at least. Note the dog (center screen) doing it right to beat the heat, as well as retrieving a stick.
I later met a couple of Valk riders from Kansas City at the Pea Ridge National Monument. We toured the facility, gathered some history and then rode on into Eureka Springs.
I apologize for my poor memory, one of the riders was HB but I can't recall the other (Tim, Terry?). We all 3 happened to be sporting Mark T pipes, and in a different put up. A nice tour into Eureka.
I hit my first couple night stay location, The Brackenridge Lodge, unpack and stroll over to the Rowdy Beaver to grab a bite to eat. Everybody should have a Rowdy Beaver... Angus Burger, good stuff.
I stop off at a scenic overlook located in town, cruise a few of the in town roads and then make my way back to the lodge.
Ground Zero is a mere .68 miles so I decide to stroll over, meet several old and new-to-me group members, chat for a spell, still full from my RB Burger, watch as others enjoy the BBQ and then head back to my room.
Monday, it's the Castle Rogues Manor lunch ride and tour.
Did I mention it was HOT
I picked up a hitcher, or two. There were plenty of these at the event. I decided to check out The Christ of the Ozarks site. I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched the whole time there...
That next day I took out on a very nice all day self-guided tour of some of the back roads to include sections of Scenic Hwy 7, Hwy 21 and The Pig Trail - Hwy 23 back into Eureka. Very nice cruising and only one deer sighting.

We had a spot of rain on Thursday, the day of the bike show and a nice dinner to follow.
I met up with on old riding partner from Oklahoma, Rumblebee and we got to catch up a bit before calling it a night.
My plan was to be on the road by 6 a.m. A nice morning ride back, catching glimpses of a colorful sunrise. It was comfortable t-shirt riding weather with a somewhat cool but foggy mist in the air.
I elected to make my way over to and down I-540S to I-40 to avoid the toll road. I-540 definitely is not your normal interstate travel.
I stop off in Salisaw, OK for fuel and an Oklahoma style ham and egg breakfast at the 18 Wheeler Restaurant.
I caught up with Ron in Elk City and he and his wife Carla put me up for the night. I had dinner with friends, meeting up with several I hadn't seen in about eight years.
A nice visit indeed! Ron, an old riding partner, and I got together with some of the old Breakfast Club crew and grabbed a bite at the Cherokee Restaurant.
We parted ways and I made my way back through the Texas Panhandle just in time to catch the hue emitting from the stockyards just west of Amarillo. It almost brings tears to your eyes.
I'd stopped off at a rest area and enjoyed some water, a peach and an apple. A nice view heading up Hwy 285 north of Clines Corner, the temps were tolerable.
A healthy ride, 2,115 miles round trip, out for 8 days, and met up with many old friends and several new.
Thanks again to all those that worked to make this event possible, you did a great job!

Weekdays change
In years past, the rally used to be Thursday through Saturday. This created a problem for many riders. It took them a complete week, the beginning of the week just to get there, and when it was over Saturday it left many riders using part of the next week to get home. This really messed up travel and vacation times. So, by moving it to mid-week, most participants only need to use one week with a weekend on both ends to travel.

Daniel Meyer
Tech Sessions at La Crosse were demonstrated by International Motorcycle Book Author and Valkyrie Repair Guru, Daniel Meyer. �Be there or you�re not going to know what you need to know�.

Monday, July 15
10:00 am: Tech: Inbound Valkyrie Clinic
3:00 pm: Tech: Tank Removal, Air Filter change

Tuesday, July 16
10:30 am; Tech: Anatomy of a petcock
2:30 pm Tech: Older Ladies do it Better (High Mileage Valkyries)

Wednesday, July 17
2:00 pm: Tech: Brake pad Replacement
4:00 pm: Tech: Clutch/Master Cylinder Fluids

Thursday, July 18
2:00 pm: Tech: Anatomy of a fat ladies rear end
3:30 pm: Tech: Round Table Discussion

BobB
IMHO you cannot get a better education on your Valk than Daniel provides at these sessions.

gregk
I don't think you can find a finer guy than Dan who comes to these events every year and is willing to pull his bike apart and give us these demonstrations. His effort and time that he shares with us doing this on his own and without any charge deserves a standing ovation. Hats off to you Dan!

bfn
had a great time in La Crosse...ground zero hotel staff were superb (excluding the food shortage on banquet night of course)....room was great....Valk staff was superb as usual (however, the Thursday banquet draws/awards took more time than it should have)...hot 'n humid weather was a bit of a surprise-but hey.....locals were all very friendly....glad to attend - looking forward to next year!.

Bungholio
Did the 1,000-mile Iron Butt from Michigan to Rapid City, SD (19 hours) and then spent two days enjoying the Black Hills area. You guys have hit a home run with this location choice.
I won the longest "ride in" for the LaCrosse InZane XIIV coming from Palm Springs, CA.

Editor�s Note
Some WI Riders went thru great lengths to promote this Inzane, LOL
Besides Cheese Curds and beer, graphs were presented to stimulate Riders to attend.

Schedule of Events doesn't appear ready yet, but it'll come.
In the meantime...in no particular order.
There is usually a ride to honor Joe Boyd, the father of the Valkyrie. It was he who had to
pull a lot of strings to get the powers that be at Honda to give him the ok to produce the Valk.
There is a poker run.
There are usually daily rides...both sanctioned and individual.
There are daily Tech sessions, led by Daniel Meyer with opportunities to ask questions.
There are daily 50/50s, raffles. etc.
There is a bike rodeo that members can sign up for.
There are bike contests...customized, cleanest, etc.
Vendors will be present.
BigBF will be there to perform work on your bike if needed.
There is a "little" bit of BS thrown around.
There is a Parade of Lights night ride where LEDs are allowed to be turned on.
There is a Dinner on the last evening in which the local charity is given their check from us.
Lots of raffles, prizes and laughs at the dinner.
There might be a party or three at the swimming pool.
And that's about it...

Daniel Meyer
So, y'all may recall my father-in-law (Henry) visiting Inzane 12 in Eureka Springs. He rode a Shadow at the time but came in his cage just to drop by and visit my better half.
He had a ball meeting folks and checking out Valks. He apparently liked what he saw.
By fall he had a 2001 low-mileage standard.
He rode his new-to-him Valk to Inzane 13 this year (LaCrosse) from his North Carolina home. That was something over 1200 miles each way for him. He's had motorcycles on and off over the years, but this was really his first long trip.
He won the oldest Valk rider present award (he's 77) and again, had an absolute blast meeting a bunch of fine folks and learning a lot about his motorcycle. (his words, and high praise from him).
I chatted with him on the phone last night...
So what's a 77 year old first-time-long-tripper say about his over 2400-mile excursion?
"I like this machine more every time I ride it. That is one fine motorcycle."
and "Headed out tomorrow for a couple-hundred mile ride to the coast."
Hooked him.

Hubcap's InZane ride report and pictures...
I left from SC on Friday morning... I wonder what she cut up after I left?

Met up with Joe and Gordon and Wimp near Fontana Dam... We rode over the Cherohala skyway, and a bunch of other good roads I'd never been on, spent Friday night in Cleveland TN where we met up with Allan and Terry, and hit the road for real on Saturday morning

We got to Gary and Rosie's house, in Shipman Illinois, Saturday. They rolled out the red carpet at their awesome home.

Off we went the next two days up The River Road... not really a particular road, really, just roads that follow the river system.
While we were at this place, Joe surprised me with his infinite knowledge of the Fugawi Indians local to the area...

We went over the Illinois River on this cool ferry... it was made of two boats connected with a big hinge.
One boat held the ferry traffic and the other boat had the motor. The motor boat swung back and forth
on the hinge to go back and forth in the river...

We stopped at River overlooks, it is really cool to see the effects of the river having been dug out over time..
Here are some images, on the (expanded) bottom one you can see the train going through the valley...

Mike
We got to Ground Zero in the afternoon on Monday and kinda split up. I went straight to a pub on the marina and got a steak, salad and lots of iced tea...
Tuesday I led a ride down highway 33, I picked it out of the Red Book, it had a good curvy section... and lots of farms and places with giant windmills... I flubbed the gopro, and only got one picture - me stopping the "take a picture every 5 seconds" sequence...
The next day Me and Allan went on the Joe Boyd ride... in Motomama and Willow's air conditioned car...

On Thursday, we followed Pete on a ride up 108 (a road I independently picked out of the Red Book for its curves) that started with breakfast at a local place Pete and his wife (JoJo?) knew about.
Later in the ride, after the curvy part was over, I did something I'm ashamed of...another rider's hat flew off, and two bikes (including me) stopped to get it. We took off from there on the short route to the motel,
and the others didn't know it and it messed up their ride.

Four of us rolled towards home on Friday morning, Allan split off first, Joe split off at Effingham, and me and Terry kept on South... Joe made it all the way home in one day, me and Terry took two days.
We stayed at this joint in Paducah Kentucky... we didn't get there till about dark, but they left the light on for us...

Joe rode in one day and went through at least three big cities we missed.
We went through Nashville and it was pure hell. I've been through there before but not from the North... it�s like the gnarly part where all the Interstates come together lasts 20 miles... traffic was intense, and it was hot.
Right at the end of the hecticness, sunblock got in Terry's eyes and blinded him, he was able to pull over five lanes to the side and clear his eyes... it would not have done at all for this to have happened earlier...
While we were all still together, we came upon a big truck carrying a large John Deere tractor... running in the fast lane.

Allan and Joe whipped around him, and then traffic prevented me and Terry from getting around him... he stayed in the fast lane for miles... traffic started backing up behind us and me and Terry had trouble with one car that passed each of us on the right to snipe a place in front of us with inches to spare... I asserted my place but didn't give my life for it. Right before the log jamb cleared, a giant dump truck spewing gravel became part of the mix... yehaw!

Me and Terry jumped off the Interstate not long after Nashville and rode over the blessed green mountains toward Chattanooga on hiway 41, what a relief! My rear brakes started making a noise right around then...
if we have a wear indicator squeak tab on our pads, I think that is what it is... I always use the front brakes, but you have to be extra aware when you're using just the front brakes...

After I split off from Terry, I took 64 to 76 and home. In the last couple of hours, I was in Tennessee and North Carolina and Georgia and South Carolina.

Last year, my left fork seal blew and I rebuilt the fork in the parking lot. This year my right fork seal blew and Troute Dude and Mitch took my fender off and ran the Seal Mate fork tool on my seal... it�s not like a new seal with fresh fluid, but it sure did stop leaking!
Thanks everyone for everything... what an adventure...

Whooray
I can tell you that Inzane is a fantastic event that been going on for some time. For the most part it is held at a different place every year giving all an opportunity to see places they may not have seen before and to meet other Valkyrie enthusiast just to share the love of the mighty Valkyrie.
I have met so many folks that I now call friends and I add many more each time I go. For me it just keeps getting better with each Inzane and I have always left Inzane looking forward to the next one.
I love the VRCC and for me it�s just being part of a close-knit family unit.

Dave Ritsema
VRCC is alive and well, just attended InZane last month in Asheville NC with my new F6B and had a great time. They even have a new tech page for GL1800 that I am helping add content too as several members have new Valkyrie's and the F6B and Goldwing are close relatives from a tech standpoint.

Britman - When you see a group of Valkyries like that it gives me goose bumps. Very cool.

Zappo
Had a great time in Asheville, never laughed so much in my life
The rides in the mountains were great, I think my riding skills bumped up one notice on this trip.
Thanks to all you guys for accepting Fran and I into the club and making us feel welcome.

Woton and Biker Girl
Many folks have already posted in their own way about their Inzane memories, but the wife and I wanted to take the time and personally thank our officers (especially the local arrangement folks) and the volunteers who made Inzane XIV such a great experience.
Back in our working day we both were involved in local arrangements to pull together events like this. It is an incredible amount of work, and while we were on salary we must remember these folks are not compensated for their time!
We did not stay at Ground Zero - opting instead to let one of our out of state visitors have our room, but it appears the Clarion was a good choice for the event and cooperated nicely with our motley crew throughout.
Other than getting lost on the first day's lunch ride, the memorial ride to Fletcher Park, AND on the poker run (and we're from NC!!) the food, friends, and fellowship made it a great week.
There were some darned nice bikes in that parking lot as well. Thanks to all who came up to us, kicked the tires on our bikes, and became our friends. Thanks again to our leaders for a great Inzane XIV. Your efforts were truly appreciated.

Video by Visit Spearfish
In the summer of 2015 Spearfish was proud to host the Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club Inzane XV! Here are a few highlights.
Inzane 2015, Spearfish, SD - Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2348KNGILo

F6gal
As it turned out, Spearfish attendance was about the same as Asheville. In terms of sightseeing, Spearfish to Deadwood is 17 miles, Sturgis 21 miles, Devils Tower 69 miles, Rapid City 49 miles, Mount Rushmore 65 miles, Crazy Horse memorial 70 miles, Custer State Park 73 miles just to name a few.

During Inzane XV, a VRCC challenge coin was introduced by Damon �Misfit� Kinter
The coins were made of 98% brass and plated in silver.
The VRCC ordered the coins and sold them at Inzane to raise money to support the VRCC web site.
The people that bought them are using them as challenge coins.

.......Finally got up to I-90 that would take me into Spearfish. Met a group of Valks at the gas station and got an invite to roll in with them, but I had to check in with the house and get gas, so I told them I would catch up.
Got rain for a few miles and sat out for a minute to let a HUGE storm cross the interstate before I got to it....great thing about that area of SD is you can see for MILES.
Finally got into Spearfish and Donna and Hard6 was waiting with a cup of coffee for me. Got registered and the bike cleaned at the Valkwash Station. The hugging got started and eventually it was time to go to the park for the BBQ.

The free BBQ was AWESOME. I had not had a real meal except for the pizza since I had left the house, so this sure was a welcome sight!
Then it was back to the Hotel for some MAJOR tire kicking and lie telling and let's just say that a lie or two was told. Sure was good to see old brothers and sisters again! It was parking lot party just like old times.........

The next morning, a group of us met up at Ground Zero and rode the north loop over to Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Hard6 and I had seen Devil's Tower before, so we split off from the group and he and Donna and I rode the south loop (dodging deer) back to 90 and back to South Dakota and rode over to Deadwood.
Rode around town and went back to the museum to check it out. Downstairs they had over 50 wagons of different kinds.

When we got out, we were hungry, so we rode through Deadwood looking for a place to eat and didnt see anything.
Rode through the construction downtown and didnt want to go back through the mud, so we went on to Lead and found a hippy coffee house there that turned us on to a burger joint going out of town and man, it was worth the wait.........Lewie's - about a mile out of town going towards Spearfish Canyon - in a corner.

After lunch, it was time to ride out towards Spearfish Canyon. What a GREAT RIDE. We had the road to ourselves - no traffic at all except 2 bikes.
We were able to really RIDE the road and it was a HOOT! Lots of sweet curves and nothing tightened up - very sweet ride and we were able to ride it at speed. Most sweet ride. Great scenery....

Then that night, my brother from another mother, Dana the VALKHOUND came rolling in from Kansas.
Since he does Sturgis all the time and knew the roads, Hard6 and I asked him if he would lead us the next day - "sure" says he - smile says we!!!! So, there was another night of lie telling and the air was filled with LOVE!

So, the next morning we met up and rode over to Belle Fourche for breakfast at a place that Valkhound knew.
It may not have looked like much from the outside, but let me tell you, this was NOT a hole in the wall kind of place - this was pure HIGH CLASS, let me tell ya..

Since I had two pieces of pie the night before (with ice cream to wash it down), I passed on desert for breakfast - time for that later.
So, we rode out with Valkhound leading and Donna, Hard6 and I smiling behind and went and saw the house he use to rent for Sturgis and then blasted down Spearfish Canyon again.....stopped at the waterfall and worked on Hard6's addiction - we have him down to 2 cigarettes at a time now. Great ride...then Dana led us over to Lead and the mine there.

...wound up over at Crazyhorse Monument - as you can imagine, looks the same as it did 5 years ago or so.....Took a shot and lo and behold, there was Hotglue and Flamingobabe coming down.......A wave and a honk and the took off another direction than we were going.

Then we went over and took the Iron Mountain road. Saw some buffalo on it as well.......
At an overlook, got to see Mount Rushmore.........

Got a call from Misfit to see if I could run over to do the auction for Motomama's pies. You betcha. So there was a raffle and karaoke singing (Man, whoever that was that did Bad Company did a GREAT JOB).
There was also beautiful woman doing some strange dancing........

That night stood/sat out in the parking lot with old friends and told lies until like 2:00 am. GREAT DAY! Thanks Dana for the day brother.

Next morning was cool with a good chance of rain. Went over and caught up with old friends again. Bike games were going on. Asked Little Bit if she wanted to ride on the back and do the water balloon game.
Well, let's just say I needed a bath anyway. Motomama was looking for some people to road block for the ride over to lunch, so Early Bird and I took off and blocked when the folks got off the interstate. Good number of folks!

After Pastor Dean said a prayer for safety, TP, Nancy and I went out to the parking lot. I had wanted to go back to Deadwood and see Wild Bill's grave and they were going as well, so off we shot.
Wild Bill's final resting place..........And (Calamity) Jane's......

TP and Nancy were going to hang around, so I shot back to ground zero and told some lies with old friends.......Here are three legends (DDT, Early Bird and Hotglue). Proud to be able to call them friends and brothers.

Very, very cool. Well, I had to roll out the next morning. I HAD to be back for Saturday and in case the weather just closed in on me, I decided to roll a day early.
When I got up Thursday morning, things were not looking good for a dry blastoff.

Oh well, not going to get much better any time soon, so chaps and jacket liner on and blastoff back towards the south. Wet, cold and foggy ride. Thanks Dana for telling me about the slick roads around Rapid City.

Every once in a while a discussion pops up which State is most eligible for an Inzane Meeting.
Having the Staff going through all kinds of demographic and geographic data, LOL.
BTW, the geographic center of the country is Lebanon, KS and the population center of the country is Laclede County, MO

Guest
Damn, I guess the west end of the country just gets to pound sand while everything is held back east, huh ?
Oh well, we will just keep all our beautiful scenery here where it belongs. but I cannot help to notice that not too many folks take a trip back east on a bike, but everyone on this board seems to have ridden through Colorado, or across hwy 50 or up the west coast.
Don't know what you have missed till you have ridden the million-dollar hwy. or through northern Colo. /southern Wyoming.
Remember that true grit was filmed in the wilds of Idaho and Oregon. And a plus, we actually have motels and places to eat in this country. We even have paved roads and modern plumbing.

Participant POV
It was great to see everybody, see old friends and meet new people.
I left Blythe Saturday morning around 7 AM headed for Provo, UT. I ran into heavy rain about 30 miles before Provo, I located a hotel for the night. It was about an 8-hour day.
Back on the road about 7 AM and arrived in Spearfish about 5 PM, about 10-hour day. Total miles to Spearfish from Blythe, CA. Was around 1225 miles.
I did not go to the Early Bird Night BBQ Sunday. Monday, I stayed at ground zero and helped set stuff up, and help getting registration packets out to the new arrivals.
Tuesday, it was raining most of the morning, but after it stopped, Dave (BigMac), John and I rode to Sturgis and Deadwood to have a look around.
We took a tour bus around Deadwood; the tour guide told us about the town history and took us up to the MT. Moriah Cemetery, and to the grave site of Wild Bill.
Wednesday, there was the Bike rodeo, and the Joe Boyd Memorial Ride. Joe Boyd was one of the top guys in the American Honda, and he got the Valkyrie project approved.
It was about 2 years later that Joe was killed in a track incident for those who don't know who Joe Boyd was, I didn't.
Thursday, there was a scheduled poker run but it was cancelled due to the rain. John, Dave and I, again rode thought the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway, and took some photos.
We returned back to ground zero just in time to see the People�s Choice Bike Show. Then was the Dinner and Awards.
Connie (F6Gal), Michael (Psycho), Willow, Motomama, Scott in OK and the rest of InZane staff sure did a great job putting all this together.

Friday morning, 6 AM, Wayne (One Way) Dave (BigMac) and I headed out of Spearfish, SD and had an overnight stay in Coalville, UT. at the Best Western.
Coalville is a really small town, maybe smaller than Blythe, hahahahah.
The hotel person was very nice. Wayne asked the lady that checked us in, if she had any rags we could use to wash off our bikes, they were trashed with bugs. Which she was kind enough to give us.
Saturday morning, Wayne, Dave and I were back on the rode around 7 AM, just after the complimentary breakfast. We stopped every 100 miles or so for a rest, water and munchies. We also topped off our tanks.
My new F6B took less fuel to top off, then Dave's Interstate and Wayne's Tourer, by a little better than 1 gallon of gas. Our last stop together at just over 100 miles, my tank took 2 gallons of gas, truly amazing gas mileage.
We said good bye at that stop.
There was still a 100 plus miles to Wayne's house where Dave stopped for the evening. I continued my way back to Blythe.
When I got to Needles, CA. right at the Interstate 40 and the Hwy 95, where I needed to go. I run right up to a rainy lightning storm, it was moving over the mountains toward me from the Lake Havasu area.
I was on the 95 and was headed eastward right into this storm, before the road headed back south. Big rain drops started hitting my windscreen,
I could hear the rain moving right at me, the lightning was very close, so I twisted the throttle hit triple digits to escape this electrical storm. What a rush, hahahaha. 2funny
I was home by 5:30 PM.

LTD
Just got to sitting here thinking of the next Inzane at Spearfish and realized the VRCC Committee has outdone themselves this time I believe this will be the best Inzane in history.
I know I will probably get slammed for that statement but so be it. Listen to these distances from Spearfish, Deadwood 17 miles, Sturgis 21 miles, Devils Tower 69 miles, Rapid City 49 miles, Mount Rushmore 65 miles,
Crazy Horse memorial 70 miles, Custer State Park 73 miles just to name a few all of this an hour or less! Deadwood really looks awesome they still have the saloon where Old Hickok got his head blown off table chair spot everything, gambling blackjack, slots, poker, $1000-dollar limit get hot at blackjack and pay cash for a new Valkyrie. Alright be careful on that one. Museums, old mining caves so many attractions even if you didn't ride you couldn't do it all in four days.
The helicopter tour over the badlands looked like a lot of fun too. Plus, riding either up there or back I�ll be hitting Amarillo Palo Duro Canyon native Texan never been! The state is so damn big excited about that too.
If you never have been to an Inzane don't miss this one come see what it�s all about you won�t regret it. Hey I admit I�m excited as hell can�t wait till June see you there!!

Greg Cremer -INZANE XV (The Movie)
This video is about INZANE XV held in Spearfish, SD. June 2015. A gathering of nearly 300 Valkyrie motorcycle enthusiasts.
This video highlights the trip of 5 riders trekking from Washington, through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota. Featuring such places as Yellowstone Nat'l Park, Beartooth Highway 212, Devils Tower, WY, Mount Rushmore, Deadwood, Custer, and of course, famous eating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypI4kgSLEYM - First video may not play in some countries due to copyright issues (AC/DC music)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfJTqHvA9Nk

Rik
Just got back from Spearfish SD for Inzane 15. Thought I�d jot down a few notes and share some photos with anyone who couldn�t make the trip. Attendance was good with 340 plus people!
http://motowing.com/motorcycle-trips/spearfish-trip

If ever you need parts or services that these fine folks provide, please look them up and show your support to those that support us.
Also, a very heart felt thank you to individual club members who stepped up to help to support our club and the charity.

Da Prez
Denver Dave and Robin
Ed and Christy Hatter
Carl (Willow) Holmes
Jack Gunther
Jimmy (Hayhauler) Turner
JP (Hard6) Sonier
Kevin and Jody Smith
Michael (Psycho) Bradford
(Big) Mike Terry
Randy (Buzzkill) and Elizabeth (Hollyday) Anderson
Ron Polkinghorn
Scott Oaks
TP and Nancy
I truly hope that I have not forgotten anyone.

With so few Valkyrie vendors these days it has become increasingly harder to obtain prizes for our raffle drawings.
Since we don't charge dues to belong to this club Inzane is our only real source for revenue to keep this site and club afloat. It amazes me every year as the event gets closer and I am scrambling to come up with decent prizes.
I get nervous that there won't be anything to raffle off and that we will have to cancel the drawings all together and then folks like these step up at the last minute to save the day. Amazing.
I really do care about this club, it's future and it's members. Without this support it would all go away.
If you appreciate what these vendors do for our club, please show your support by buying from them or if you don't need anything at this time maybe just post your appreciation in this thread.
As far as our member donations maybe shake their hand the next time you see them or thank them here on the board.
To all that donated prizes and or time at the event as volunteers I can't thank you enough. I am proud to call you friends.

Misfit
Is there anyone that is not going to InZane that would like to have one or more of these? We sold challenge coins at InZane last year although we did not promote them very well.
They seem to have taken off, at least around the circle that I run in and also in Europe. I will be sending a couple hundred of them to our European friends for their InZane.
The plan is to get as many of these into the hands of the VRCC members as possible without causing a huge headache. These will be available for sale at Inzane XVI for $10.00 each. My buddy Deadpan drilled a hole in one to put on his key ring.
Those that are planning to attend shouldn't have any issue obtaining one. The problem is for those that would like to have one and are not planing on attending. It would be great to have one of your friends that is going to pick one up for you.
At some point I may be willing to ship these, but I doubt that will happen before InZane. I am not sure what the shipping cost would be at this point in time. I only have a few of last years design left. I can certainly have more of them made if there is enough interest in them.
I would personally think that most would like to collect both styles. I carry one always. According to the official challenge coins rules, that you can read here http://www.coinforce.com/challenge-coin-rules.htm you don't want to be caught without one!
Either last years silver coin, or this years anniversary coin are acceptable in any challenge. These challenge coins are not only meant for the drinkers, the non drinkers could challenge for ice cream, pie, soda, etc. They are heavy weight, heirloom quality coins and not a cheap trinket.
For any of you that are not going to be attending InZane but are going to be attending Gatherin' of the Fools, reply to this thread and I will bring you one for the same $10.00.

........It's beautiful here, up in the WV hill country. The weather is awesome, warm but with a constant cool breeze coming off the lake. Upon arriving this morning, I tried to check in but was told that it was too early, so I went out and talked to some of the other folks who have ridden in for this event. About four hours later, I checked with the front desk again. Still no rooms available. By this time I was exhausted, hungry and badly in need of a shower as I didn't take one at the crack hotel, due to my fear of scabies. Instead of going back outside, I plopped myself down on a leather couch directly across the lobby from the front desk and went to sleep. It worked. About 30 minutes into my nap, the manager was so disturbed by my snoring that she went outside and got another biker, mistakenly assuming that we all know each other, to wake me up. Good news, my room was ready. Funny how that works!
Upon arriving in my room, I wanted a shower immediately. I turned the water on and watched sadly as it dribbled out in a drought friendly trickle. Sigh. This simply will not do. I am a man after all, am I not? I want a shower that can peel the hide off of a coconut. I rummaged around in the Mothership's tool kit until I found what I needed. I disassembled the showerhead, removed the weenie restrictor and reassembled it. The de-neutered shower head now puts out a pressure worthy of my time.
After a much needed shower and some clean clothes, I went downstairs and volunteered to assist with registration. It was nice to be able to put faces to the names I've been communicating with on the internet for all of these years. These are truly nice people, who have ridden in from all over the country for this event. Even more surprising was a large contingent of German bikers who flew themselves and their bikes to the U.S.A. just to be here. Another guy rode all the way from northwestern Canada.
....Today was the official kickoff with lots of folks still arriving. Everyone that I've met has been extremely welcoming and most are very different from the way that I pictured them on the VRCC board. I'm sure they feel the same way about me. The main difference that I see here versus other motorcycle events that I have attended is a complete lack of posturing and strutting. No one has anything to prove and everyone is happy to talk about themselves, their bikes and the ride here. These people are not afraid to laugh at themselves.
I also met riders from Germany and Poland today. Great folks!
No riding for me today as my backside needed a break after the mad dash from L.A. It actually felt weird to wake up this morning and not load up the bike and hit the road before first light.

Hello again from Morgantown! Wow, three days in the same place. Pretty soon, I'll have to pay taxes here. I'm really enjoying myself but today, I felt the first stirrings of itchy feet. Soon it will be time to ride again. I'm not even half way through this trip as I still have 3000 miles to go.
Today I attended two Tech Sessions given by one of the VRCC members who has written several books about his journeys aboard his Valkyrie. Many of you who know me personally may find it strange that I would willingly listen to someone tell me how best to work on/care for a machine, as I tend to have a pretty good grasp of those types of things. In this particular case, I am more than happy to learn from someone who has successfully ridden the same bike I have for well over 200,000 miles with mostly original parts. That seems like the kind of guy worth listening to.
Later was the group ride (video and pictures below) to the Block Party. This was a ride to a shopping center here in Morgantown in which many of the establishments had agreed to give club members a discount as well as donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity.
At the Block Party

This year's charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They are helping a young man with Cystic Fibrosis achieve his dream of taking a Disney Cruise with his family. A worthy cause to be sure.
Two things stand out from the ride and block party:
First is how much I absolutely detest riding in a group. Hate it.
Always have, always will. It eliminates any of the sense of freedom that comes with motorcycling. Today, (as frequently happens in group rides), the group broke up into several smaller groups, following no clear leader and going every which way. In the video you can clearly see us pull up to an intersection where bikes are turning every possible direction.
Cluster. I ride alone and I like it that way. I'm not being anti-social, I just feel that in a group, I give up all control and a good bit of safety as I am not familiar with the other riders' riding styles or skill levels. For me, ride your ride, let me ride mine and I'll see you when we get there

Second was a totally unexpected encounter with a woman front Kuwait. Yeah. In a West Virginia strip mall, who would have guessed? Another member and I were wandering around the parking lot looking for a BBQ place when she approached us. She asked us very politely what the occasion was that brought a couple of hundred motorcycles to the mall.
We explained that we were all owners of a very special type of motorcycle that was only made from 1997-2003 and that most of us communicate fairly regularly through the club's message board but that many of us had never met face to face. This event serves as a yearly gathering for us. She asked several other questions and then filmed us for a snap chat. After learning that some of the proceeds from tonight�s block party would be going to charity, she offered to make us all a special kind of sweet from her country. When we told her that she shouldn't do that due to the cost of making them for 350 of us, she seemed sad. She said that she wanted to do something for us, as a way of giving back. Wow. I told her that what she could do is tell people that she met a large group of bikers tonight and that they were really nice folks who care about their community. She brightened at this and said that she would do that .

Perhaps one person's perception of motorcyclists was changed tonight and perhaps she will, in turn, help to change other people's perceptions of us. Maybe somewhere down the line this will result is someone paying a little more attention to us on the road or having a little less unease when we walk into a store or restaurant.
Anything that gets rid of the stupid Sons of Anarchy image is always good. She was a very nice woman, genuinely interested and it was a pleasure to talk to her.
Following this exchange, I found the BBQ joint and has some truly succulent smoked brisket. Good stuff!

Kep - Lost My Virginity in Morgantown, WV
I suppose that headline raised some eyebrows. It was my (and Mrs. Keps) first Inzane and it was great. Met a lot of great people, saw some nice bikes, got a little riding in and a free bike wash (4 minutes from the resort when we got hit by hail, sleet, wind and rain), Won a handlebar clock in one of the raffles, but since I already have one I gave it to Jim and Carole (from PA) who were sitting at our table, and found out afterwards he is an avid clock collector. Only drawback at the event was the A/C fan in our room was so loud Mrs. Kep couldn't sleep 2 of the 3 nights. Told them about it the first day and they said they would send someone but never did. The manager did end up giving us back one night�s stay. Had a neat experience on the way home...we spent the night at H.I. Express in Marysville, OH and after we ate dinner we stopped at Walmart for a few things and (as usual) some guy in the parking lot commented about the paint job on my Valk. He knew it was a Valkyrie because he said he worked at the Honda bike plant from 1997 to 2003 installing the fork/font wheel assemblies on them...WOW...he may have even helped build mine, I thought that was pretty cool. Looking forward the Indiana Dragon Round-up and the next Inzane... A great Big thanx to all those that help put this together, I know it's a lot of work but it makes for a great time for all.

Willow
We have held InZane thrice west of the Mississippi, twice in Colorado and once in Spearfish, South Dakota. People from the west travel many miles to attend InZane in the east. This year we had a handful that rode about 2400 miles to InZane and our friends from Texas were some 1300 miles away. Next year's location will likely cause people from Virginia to require a 2,000-mile ride and the folks from Texas up to 1600 miles while only reducing our California friends to a little under a thousand miles.

Romeo
Had a great turnout in Morgantown. The Rogues enjoyed the festivities, as they always do.
Here's a picture of the crew from the mitten. We missed Gig and Lulu in the picture

Bill from Philly
I wish to thank the staff, volunteers and most of all the great people I met at InZane. I headed down from Philadelphia solo, not sure what to expect. I have been to Americade twice, a great event to see the latest in motorcycle equipment and spend money. After a few days at InZane I realized this event was about an amazing bike and the people who own them. I liked the wheeling and dealing at the swap meet, I picked up some new items for my 2003. I met the Attic rat himself, after discussing his performance work on Valkyries I looked him up, on line. What a great Reputation he has, could not find any negative comments about his work and his fees were more than fair. I believe I�ll be calling him soon. I was impressed by the group�s spirit of giving, the blood drive and the $7500 donation to the Brain Trauma Rehab Center. I have been a member of this group for 8 years, this was my first InZane, hopefully not my last.

When I checked the VRCC post office box today, there was a letter from Make a Wish and I wanted to share it with all of you. I am still overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and generous giving from our members for this charity. Thank you all!!!!!
Dear Lori and Members of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club:

On behalf of Make-a-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia, I want to thank you for your generous donation of $8,050.00 from the proceeds of your many fundraising events. We're thrilled to recognize Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club as a Wishmaker in our annual report, newsletter and on our website donor list. We are delighted to let you know that your donation will be used for the wish-granting expenses of two local children!
Drew is a 10 year old boy from Fairmont, WV, who is living with Cystic Fibrosis. Drew, like many young boys, loves playing basketball, anything pertaining to Star Wars and Adam Sandler films. He truly is the outdoorsy type and he loves to go camping with his family. When wish-granting volunteers met with Drew, he knew the perfect wish would combine his two favorite things -- adventure and time with his family. Drew told his volunteers of his dream trip, which involves cruising on the open ocean with his mother, father and sister. This summer, Drew will embark on a dream cruise to the Caribbean. He is eagerly counting down the days until he can soak up the sun on the vast decks of the ship!
Aidan is a 6 year old boy from Morgantown, WV, who has received multiple organ transplants. Aidan is a friendly little boy who enjoys playing with his brother and sister at the playground. Being Mickey Mouse's biggest fan, it was no surprise when he expressed his dream of visiting Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Aidan was thrilled to see this wish come true, as well as visiting the beautiful Sea World, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks. While at Disney, he was able to meet some of his very favorite Toy Story characters, Buzz Lightyear and Woody. This vacation was an experience Aidan and his family will never forget!
Our goal is to make this time in our wish kids' lives just a little bit better, a little less scary. We offer them a chance to dream and a time to forget all about doctors and hospitals - even if just for a little while. Thanks to our very generous donors, these children will experience their wishes come true and are on their way to a brighter, more positive future.

Sincerely
Leandra Clovis
Northern WV Regional Manager
Make-a-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia"

....We made Ground Zero and ate hamburgers and hot dogs at the pool.
I rode with Roger (RDAbull) on Monday, we figured out a route from Ground Zero back to 219. We found this place while we were on route 50... Ron has led a group of us by here before... route 50 is twisty, uphill and bumpy...

On Monday I had the closest encounter with a deer ever... it beat Sunday, hands down...
I was in a twisty uphill section, I think 50, maybe not... forest, I think it was downhill to the right and uphill to the left... guardrails... you can imagine the guardrails are four or five feet beside you as you are going along. All I saw of the deer was as she leapt over the guardrail to my right... she must have done this right beside me, if she had done it in front of me, I would have hit her, if behind, I wouldn't have seen her.
Roger had the luxury of braking when he saw her, but he was still moving when he got to her and she was dancing around in the road then. We got on by...

Monday morning me and Stanley Steamer went over to a near-by Mom and Pop restaurant for breakfast. Good food and quick service. Roger and I went there
Monday night when we got back (we only got lost for a little while), there were a few other Valkyrie riders there. There were numerous Valkyries already there when we showed up for breakfast the next morning. We had them slammed the rest of the week. They were happy because it was good
business, but I bet they were worn out by the time we left. The food was always good. I got a slice (about 1/4 of a pie) of blueberry pie with ice cream one night.

It's a good thing I got that pie, Lori's pies went out of sight! Judy and Robin's table got a banana cream pie, and they brought a slice of it to our table, and all of us who had not yet "jumped ship" got some of it, delish
A lot of money was raised for a good cause. And there was plenty of food that was all good at the VRCC dinner this year ...
Wednesday a group of us headed to the breakfast joint and then on to this giant insane asylum nearby...

We split up after the tour, the early eaters going our own way - after we figured out how to get our bikes to run again... to a nearby restaurant that Stanley had seen. And then to Stonewall Jackson's boyhood home..

After Jackson's Mill I had the bright idea of us going back on 119, which we had seen nearby. I forget how Sinkhead got stuck leading when it was my idea, but he led confidently. Not really the way I was thinking, but hey - he has a GPS.
After a while he decided 219 just wasn't cutting it, since we wanted to be on 119. We decided to back track a few miles and pick up one end of 90, and that led us most of the way back to Morgantown. 90 turned out to be way better than the bumpy roads I'd picked out to travel between Morgantown and 215, and so I used it again on the way home.

Pics from Jaroslaw Jarek AKA 'Cicik' who came over from the Czech Republic with Krak Les and Celia Dealmeida

Hayhauler
We don't care how you get there.... just that you get there safely. Hope to meet you. I will be the short fat guy selling raffle tickets in the evenings.

Misfit
We started doing Monday through Thursday with the Early Bird Supper on Sunday evening a few years ago. This allows for travel on the weekends before and after.
You use less vacation time this way and hotel rates are generally cheaper on the weekdays.

F6gal
Last year, based on complaints from the previous year, I decided to post dates as soon as we knew them and locations that we were considering (rather than waiting until everything was set).
Last year, you said you appreciated that; this year it appears that's not good enough. This is by far the earliest we have ever announced the dates and general area. I kind feel like we're damned if we do, damned if we don't.
If you make plans based on Yellowstone for now, you will be in the ballpark; with only minor refinements needed once we know the exact location.

Misfit
Thank you Mr. McCain. Its comments like yours that make things worthwhile. There are some folks that need to go back and review their general board post history and compare positive post's to negative ones.
I think some would have to dig pretty deep to find a positive post, about anything. Thank you to all that have made it a point to put InZane, the volunteers of this great club, and the VRCC staff in a positive light.
Sometimes it really is a thankless job no matter how hard we try. I look forward to sharing Inzane 17 with you. No doubt some of us Easterners are going to be disappointed at next year�s Inzane location.
BikerGirl and I typically ride between 450-500 miles per day on our road trips. It would be a four to five-day trip each way for us to ride the 2200 odd miles to reach a Ground Zero somewhere in Southern Idaho or Northern Utah, and that is if we stopped to see nothing along the way. Add the five days for the actual event and we're over a two-week commitment of time and expenses to attend Inzane XVII.

Brian Ecton - Inzane 2017 Joe Boyd Memorial Ride
The bikes departing for the 2017 Joe Boyd Memorial charity ride at Inzane 2017, Billings Montana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8NBLitr7OI

BINOVC - VRCC Inzane 2017 Ride to Downtown Billings
June 27, 2017. VRCC Inzane Valkyrie Rally. Police escorted ride into downtown Billings from ground zero (Red Lion Motel) for an evening block party.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awTEj4_6VIQ

SerkDFW - Inzane 2017 Billings Montana
Some of the footage I shot with my drone (Mavic Pro) at the VRCC Inzane Valkyrie Motorcycle rally 2017 in Billings Montana.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R428nUPGdrI

BigMac - Ride Report for our trip to InZane 2017

Tetons as usual are just beautiful.

Travel blog by the Alien
�.Valkyrie folks are some of the greatest, most down to earth people you'd ever want to meet.
These are family folks who want to get together to celebrate the finest motorcycle ever made, share some wind and stories, all while raising money to give to charity. Great Great People!!!
So much so, that solitary nature or not, I've ridden across country twice to hang out with them.
https://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/The-Alien/

Willow shining up ATADude's Valk Daniel in his natural environment
Daniel: I don't recognize myself in this picture... :-\ (also, stolen! :)

Crazy horse Monument... The Memorial was started almost 70 years ago�. It is impressive, but they've still got a LONG way to go.

JimC - Beartooth Pass adventure
I will leave the actual message and firsthand experience to 98T, Mad6gun, and Psychotic Bovine, as they are the ones that actually went through this adventure.
The pictures were taken from one of their spouses as a good Samaritan picked them up and gave them a ride down the mountain in a car after seeing their dilemma.

Jim & Linda
These pictures are of Lothair from Wisconsin, and Mark and Chris Dunges of Indiana. They went up the beartooth pass and on the way down 20 minutes later hit a snow storm.
All three had their wives on back, and a passer by picked up the woman, pictures from the passenger seat while following behind them. (Talk about the ultimate pucker factor)

Solo1
Chris told me that it WAS the ultimate pucker factor! No brakes, no sudden changes in throttle, just get offs with no warning.

Serk
It was snowy, cold and miserable when I did it I think 2 days before this in the cage with the family.
I've suddenly got NO regrets about doing that road in the cage, the weather can change on ya' so quickly there! Glad the get off wasn't any worse, with the drop offs on that road.... *Shudder*

98T
So... we had a VERY enjoyable ride to the top... a little drizzle but nothing serious. Great views on the way up. We stopped at the scenic overlook - took pics... and headed up.
We crossed over the summit and there were people skiing up there and some people stopped to watch. The plan was to go just over the top and see a little of the other side.
We went to the Top Of the World store there and spent a little while there. Then we headed back up and over.
About 2 miles up we hit a little sleet but the road seemed fine. In just a couple turns later it was slushy but seemed ok. Then in just under 1/4 of a mile, it turned really ugly!!!
Plowing a couple inches of snow with our tires. Couldn't turn back... couldn't go forward.

I'll let Mad6Gun (Mark) and Psychotic Bovine (Chris) fill you in on their take as they were behind me.
We had a "delay" at the top for a while and I was seriously worried about getting snowed in up there. No cell signal... no tow trucks... nothing!! Then the pavement looked like it was melting a little better so we started out.
My wife and Mark (Mad6Gun)'s wife got a ride in an SUV behind us 3 and we started out. The first 2 miles were ok... riding in wet car tracks... but then it got WAY worse a little farther down and the last 2 miles back to the scenic look out point were very scary... the "pucker factor" was at 100+%.
We stopped there for a while and talked to people who said just a "few turns back" the weather was better.
So, after a long wait there, we found another nice couple in a small RV who were going to turn back and head down to Red Lodge and they offered to take our wives in their camper back down.
Here's a pic while we were holding up at the scenic view parking lot.

We headed out and sure enough - about 1000 feet lower in altitude, we were blessed with only wet pavement. Another 1000 feet lower and it wasn't even wet!!! What a difference!!
So glad to be back on dry pavement and not in snow/sleet/ice!!!
At the scenic lookout, I advised a group of adventure riders NOT to press on... but they had knobby tires and were sure they could make it through. I wonder how they made out??
A couple other Harleys rode by while we were there... I wonder how they did?
For all I know, it was warm and sunny at the top 45 minutes later!!! Man did the weather change fast up there!!
I live in Wisconsin and am very used to driving in snow.... but I've NEVER done this on a bike and don't ever plan to again.
Our guardian angels (and sheer adrenaline) kept us warm and kept us pressing on hoping to find better road conditions farther down the slope.
Mark or Chris...you have anything to add???
The whole ordeal seems like a bad dream now and I probably left some stuff out...
Cross "riding in snow on a Valk" off my bucket list.

Psychotic Bovine
Ok, here is my story, well, the parts that Loth didn't mention.
I ended up dropping pretty far behind Mark and Loth. The conditions were getting worse by then, and I could barely see between my glasses fogging up and my face shield icing over.
I was taking it slow to say the least. I felt the Valk trying to slide, it also felt like my steering inputs were doing nothing. It was like the front wheel wasn't even connected to anything.
I was keeping a very delicate touch on the throttle. Then, just like someone kicked the rear end, I was down and watching the Valk slide away and do a 180 ending up in the opposite lane facing the way we came.
Someone in an SUV stopped and helped me pick it up, there was no chance I could lift it on my own without any traction. He also picked up my broken left highway peg.
I got on the bike again and got it turned around (barely). I rode at less than a walking pace around the next curve and saw the turnout of the ski lift about 200 yards ahead.
I was barely moving and keeping my feet down but ended up dropping it again (no damage). Two blokes from Britain stopped and helped me get it upright again, but the road crown was so bad I couldn't get off of it to set up the side stand.
One of them walked the 200 yards to the turnout and brought back a few people including two women from the ski patrol.
With 5 people pushing and me in the saddle steering it, we got it up to the turnout where I finally got off of it and put the stand down. One of the guys while pushing it mentioned what a nice bike it was!
I guess Mark's wife, Twila was talking to someone that said I was down a ways back (this was before I got the bike picked up the second time). She couldn't see where I was (visibility was about 100 feet most of the time), but the woman she was talking to told her I was down and "It didn't look good." People are so dramatic. I was fine, just wounded pride. As Loth said, the roads got a bit warmer and we were able to make it down to the next turnout that had restrooms and such.
After that, enough cars had gone by, and the temp was above 35, that we made it down the mountain. I never thought I would be happy to see rain and 40 degrees

MAD6Gun
OK here is my story. We had lite rain when we left Billings. Not enough for rain gear. Continued off and on all the way to Red Lodge. We put our rain suites on in Red Lodge. We left Red Lodge and headed up the pass.
Was beautiful scenery all the way up. A little light rain and sleet but nothing was sticking. Went over the top to the Top of the World store. Bought a couple of things. We were there maybe 45 minutes.
We left and headed back up. Like Loth stated it started out with a little sleet then slush they a full-blown snow storm. Too late to turn back we trudged on. Neither Loth or myself knew Chris went down until someone told us after I went down.
We were slowing down when the bike came out from under us. My wife hit her knee on the bike and I got a bruise on my left leg from the handle bar.
After I got up and checked on Twila Loth helped me get the bike back up but when I tried to move it off the crown the tire spun and put me in the gutter next to the road. I just laid it back down gently.
By then ski patrol made it to us and they were tending to Twila. Four guys help me pull my bike back on to the road. Loth had moved his bike down the hill to another overlook. I rode mine down to Loths.
We both left our bikes there and went back up to check on our wives and Chris. By then Chris had his bike upright and at the overlook. We decided to ride our bikes off of the mountain.
So off we went with the wives in a car behind us. I will tell you riding down that mountain in the snow sucked bigtime. After a short stay in another overlook waiting for cars to get rid of some of the snow we took off again this time our wives were in a nice couples RV. After another 1000 feet down the snow turned into rain and the roads cleared. I was never so glad to see rain and 40 degrees in my life. We were reunited with Dawn and Twila in Red Lodge.
We got back on the bikes and headed for Billings. I Never want to do that again. Minor damage to both bikes, broken highway pegs. Nothing I can't fix. Except for Twila's hurt knee we all came out of unscathed

My 2001 Honda Valkyrie GL1500C Touring Bike Other Guys with Valkyrie's I met on the Pass leaving Wyoming heading into Montana

In Chief Joseph's Highway Pass A Mountain Lake at about 2 miles or higher at the top of Bear Teeth Pass. This was June 2017.
I couldn't believe the ice on the Lake.

Just a beautiful high mountain lake. Black and White. A picture of the INZANE Bikers. We drove into Billings for Supper.
Nice town. Nice people.

ke6aza's Bucket / Inzane 2017
I wanted to do the tour at Little Big Horn but there wasn't enough time. Donna and I have been there before and I stopped there on the way home from Spearfish 2 years ago.
The whole area has a lot of great ridding. I still need to do the Badlands. We were going to try to go over Going To The Sun Road but it still wasn't clear of snow.
Two Valkyries were rumored to have gone down on the Beartooth Hwy and couple of days after we did it, due to fresh snow. I heard both riders were ok and were at the awards dinner.
http://s350.photobucket.com/user/ke6aza/library/Inzane%202017?sort=2&page=1

Roanoke was held in June 11-15-2018 and listed 319 pleasantly disturbed participants

Carter Johnston
InZane 2018 map showing where everyone is coming from (as of 2 June).

Big Bopper
Been home for 1 week and ready to go again. 8,000 miles since leaving May 16th with Run For The Wall. Roanoke was great seeing, and making so many friends.
Thanks to Dr K and Miss Cindy, I had a great ride on Saturday heading down from MI. Believe it or not I ran into Hot Glue and her husband "What's his name" LOL at a gas stop in Mississippi.
Not unusual except is was on Sunday, 3 days after the event. Had lunch in Dallas with Disco Dave (great place) and finished the last two days in 110 plus temps.
I love my Valk and would live on the road if it weren't for one pesky thing! No it's not her, it's the $$$$$. Maybe one day,

Meathead
Started out at 3:30 am. I was too hyped up and couldn�t sleep. Brenda was already gone the day before taking her Mom to Phoenix for radiation therapy. Everything went good and I was making good time.
Listening to the audiobook really made the Interstate not quite so boring. About 5:30 pulling in for gas near Amarillo I hear something. Turn down the sound on my headset. At first as I was coasting in I thought it was a front wheel bearing.
But when I get stopped and helmet off it�s obviously coming from the engine. Sounded terrible and I wasn�t sure what I should do. Checked for hotels and found one about 5 miles away. Get to the hotel and unloaded.
By this time I�m pretty sure the noise is coming from the alternator. Once the nut came loose on the drive hub and it made a funny noise. Thought maybe I�d get lucky and that would be it. But it wasn�t.
But I detected a little side play in the drive side. Had much help here on the forum offering to send one and other help, which I am eternally grateful for. Ended up getting an alternator shop to rebuild it the next day in record time.
Day 2 I only got in 350 miles because I didn�t leave till 5:30. The next 2 days are pretty uneventful. I was trying to catch up to my SoCal and AZ buddies. But I had only minimal sleep for a couple days and I was running out of steam.
Got to Roanoke Sunday, my wife had flown in Saturday. Brenda was hungry so we went to eat and pick up some essentials (beer).
Monday hooked up with my Massachusetts buddies and some locals for a spirited ride around the hills there. I still don�t know exactly where we went. One place was called Blueberry Ridge. It was a good ride.
Tuesday we rode with Rainmaker, Speedo, and Dennis from Blythe to Mt. Airy (Mayberry). Another good ride.

Wednesday we hooked up with 3fan and a bunch of others for a ride to pay homage to Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. I very enjoyable and informative ride.

Then the fun began with a little backwoods riding. It was the most fun of all.
Thursday I took Brenda on a ride on the BRP. We only did 60 miles of it and then some other back roads. But it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Each night there might have been a little beer drinking and a little BS�ing. Friday Brenda and I were off to DC for a few days.
We went to the Arlington cemetery that afternoon and then rode across the Memorial bridge and rode around the city a little.

We spent the next two days looking and acting like tourists.
I dropped Brenda off at the Roanoke airport and headed to the tail of the Dragon. It was ok and I�m glad I did it. But I really didn�t enjoy it. I have heard so many stories over the years of people over riding into your lane.
I was hyper vigilant of that and really couldn�t enjoy it that much. But....Pete had recommended the Cherohala Skyway. I took Joyce Kilmer Road over as a short cut. The Skyway was the bomb !
I thoroughly enjoyed that road. Nice big sweepers at a good speed, perfect pavement, beautiful views.

Made it to Chattanooga for the night. I was really tired and got a hotel right as I got into town. Big mistake ! I battled traffic across town in the morning and had a few close calls.
The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful along interstate 40 the whole way. Met lots of interesting, friendly people all across the country.
Had a great time visiting with old friends and meeting many that I have wanted to for years. It was a great event !

Okay, now that I've had time to at least partially recuperate, process pics, let the trip digest and settle down, I'm gonna sit down and try to write it out.
Going from Dallas to Roanoke, on the excellent advice of many here, we detoured to Cherokee, NC and rode the first (Or last, depending on your orientation) 85 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Loved it, have to go back and do the whole thing sometime. Glad we did it (And the road through Great Smoky Mountain National Park!) in lieu of US129, no regrets there at all.
I could take a month and just ride around that area and still not get all the good roads I suspect.
From Asheville we superslabbed it to Roanoke where we found Valkyries!

Many lies were told, friendships were rekindled or made, faces were put to names, etc...

And then there were the nightly raffles with Vanna White Jr proudly running prizes out:

I was ever so gently admonished for being a little TOO generous with my arm stretches while distributing 50/50 tickets...

Some pies were auctioned off for a great cause (Seeing Carl go from one end of the room to the other enticing the high bidder with a free sniff was just a bonus!)

With the generous financial assistance of my table mates we were able to get this plate of painfully delicious sopapilla cheesecake (That Kali is STILL ranting about how awesome it was!)

After the pies were bought and consumer, there were some Karaoke shenanigans (But I wasn't NEARLY inebriated enough to get up there myself! You're welcome...)
For one of our day trips around the area Kali and I headed out to the National D-Day Memorial. That was one you didn't want to miss.

From there we wandered around a bit, rode a little of the VA part of the BRP. It was beautiful as well, and fun, but the NC side definitely gets top marks.
There were long stretches of thick pea soup fog. Luckily I love that kinda stuff, kept me on my toes, and luckily also there was almost no other traffic, but it definitely made or an interesting ride!

Back at the hotel, the spot out front became one of the main social gathering spots (Until the hotel decided to threaten to call the cops on us for imbibing in a non-imbibing approved spot, but oh well)

Have to wonder if this sign had always been there, or if they put it there just for our �benefit�?

The fruit infused waters they (almost) always had in the front lobby I initially thought were gimmicky, but will admit I quickly became a fan of. (Especially the watermelon!)

I usually don�t do group rides, but Kali was requesting we do at least one since she�d never been in one before, and I�ll admit there is a certain thrill to having the roar of bikes all around you, so we did the group ride downtown to the Transportation Museum for the block party.

Lots of cool old cars, airplanes, bicycles, and trains. And more trains. And model trains. And big trains. And BIIIIIIIIG trains:

Loved this pic of a lone Valk on the deserted streets downtown headed back from the museum:

We did the poker run in there somewhere (First one of those I'd ever done) but evidently left the camera in the saddle bags the whole time. The route was amazing, loved it!
Back at the hotel.... Man, they'll let anyone in here!
And suddenly, it was Thursday night, the week was almost over, time for the final evening's festivities:

But alas, we had miles to go the next day, so we called it an early night and packed up and prepared, said our first 15 or 20 rounds of goodbyes, got up good and early Friday morning, had a quick breakfast, and said our final goodbyes to Inzane VXIII

We did a 2 day 1200 mile plus run back to Dallas/Arlington after the best week ever in Roanoke.
Thanks to staff for what I think was the best Inzane ever. I can't recall having more fun with my motorcycling buddies or meeting more Valkaholics.

hubcapsc trip report
Me and Stanley Steamer traveled back and forth to InZane.
........Anywho... it was great to arrive at InZane and find the motel ate up with stinkin' Valkyries!

Many bikes stayed parked in parking places near where the above picture was taken.
Many folks hung out near the bikes and among the bikes each night and drank beer and laughed and talked loud, since, besides the riding, visiting is what they came here for.
After a few days the motel started sending people out to tell us to stop having fun. They had little success.
I ate breakfast every morning at the motel restaurant. It was set up, I guess through the VRCC?, that breakfast was free for us.

Joe wanted to go on a Red Book ride, so I looked for a few roads that would be good for Monday.
The ride was basically this area:

After we circled back to 311, several folks headed back to the motel, and the more adventurous of us headed to Paint Bank on 311. We had to go over a hill top that kind of protruded into a cloud.
If I could have figured out a safe way to chicken out, I would have, but just keeping on going seemed best:

After we got over the top, we could see again, and we made it to Paint Bank.
There's a little country store there, with a nice restaurant inside. The cloud was lessened when we headed back over 311 back to the motel.
On Wednesday a bunch of us followed Mark (3fan4life) from 10:00am until about 8:00pm on a long winding route with lots of historical stop-overs. We stopped at Washington & Lee at the Lee Chapel.
We stopped at Stonewall Jackson's grave site. We came to a giant waterfall that had previously been moved to its current location to facilitate a mining operation.
We stopped at a covered bridge. The covered bridge was our downfall... you had to travel down a snakey little road to get there, and we traveled the wrong way down the snakey little road when we left.
Pretty soon we were on dirt, and pretty soon there were some pseudo-gnarly hills to climb. Everyone handled the dirt with no trouble.
I don't really know Mark's route, I just followed... we were on the 501 for a while:

Too bad I put the smaller SD card in the camera on Wednesday, I don't have any pictures of the dirt road. We made a gas stop and I used the last twenty minutes or so of space on the SD card for this:

When the Valkyrie or Flat Six Custom, I should say, was launched in Europe, people from different countries started organizing meetings soon afterwards.
Not only were the new biker owners attracted to each other�s taste but if you think a lone Valkyrie is a head twister, wait �till you see a whole bunch of Valkyries. Your eyes would pop out!
First on a local scale, these meetings were soon attended by Riders from abroad who also wanted to participate in the fun and excitement. So, they grew bigger by the year.
Since the summer holiday season was generally avoided, many countries were organizing meetings at more or less the same time in spring and fall. This caused a scattering and overlapping of events.
Pity, since each event was prepared with a lot of effort. As a result, it became hard to choose which event to go to.
To ensure deconfliction, in 2006 the EU Chapter Leaders decided that in the future one major international European Meeting would take precedence over all local meetings. And they called it the EU Inzane.
Unlike the US, where Inzane is organized by the same staff using a similar setup routine, the meetings in Europe are always held in a different country by different people.
So, each time the EU Inzane will be quite different, pending on the culture, possibilities and initiatives of the organizers.
Also, there are usually no individual events to pay for but everybody is welcome to all the events, using an all-in entrance fee, including accommodation and food. So when you arrive, everything is arranged- and paid for except bar consumptions.

Editor's Note
The Valkyrie Riders in Europe are far outnumbered by those in the US, obviously.
In some countries, only a dozen or so VRCC members constitute a Chapter.
As is usually the case, only a handful of the same active Riders is organizing most of the events, group rides and meetings. The majority of members is either too busy or doesn't want to go to all the trouble at their own expenses. They are happy to ride along if the occasion arises.
The same applies in Europe. So, sheer numbers only will not dictate the amount of activities, on the contrary. You will notice that the European VRCC scene is equally active as in the US.
As far as International Meetings are concerned, travel distances and times are considerably shorter than those in the US. That could be one of the reasons why, for instance in 2017, the number of EU Inzane participants outnumbered that of the US.

The European Chapters have a common EU website EU Website

The website is primarily meant to communicate with US Chapters and is now undergoing major reconstruction by Andy.

EU Inzane
The idea of a European Inzane meeting started as early as 2001 by EU biker Peter # 3307 from Austria. He proposed the idea of founding an EU website and also an EU-wide meeting, along the USA lines:

Peter
In Mariazell, there was a discussion between the representatives of the participating nations (we were with 5 people) about the possibilities of a European Chapter, and still be part of the US VRCC.
The objective was to bring all the Chapters closer together.
All were enthusiastic about this idea and we defined as goals:
A common, independent European VRCC website in English, overarching regional Chapters like in the US. Meetings, initiatives and activities could then be coordinated, avoiding overlapping of events.
In addition, smaller Chapters would have the opportunity to present themselves in a website (at that time Poland, Switzerland, Norway, etc.).
The website will be maintained by the German webmaster and Silvano (Italian Country Rep) will liaise this to the US Chapter.
In the future, we want to organize a European meeting as a season highlight (possibly in the town of Walhalla, close to Regensburg) - with the help of all the European Chapters - to become something like Daytona.
It would take another 6 years for the first EU Inzane to materialize in 2007, however.

As mentioned earlier, in the early days every VRCC Chapter organized its own meetings, often frequented by members of other nations. Italy and Austria were among the first to organize larger, international meetings.
Lamont Bryden, during that time the VRCC USA frontrunner, visited one of the first Italian VRCC meetings. Here is his story:

Lamont
Driving in Italy or anywhere in Europe for that matter can be challenging for an American to say the least. The roads are very narrow, the street signs are unfamiliar and traffic can be a nightmare. Parking is very limited and everyone seems to be in a hurry to get where they are going. Stop signs and speed limits are only suggestions. Pedestrians and bicycles don�t stand a chance with the motor vehicles. One of the first things you learn driving in Europe is to never make eye contact, to the European that means you have seen them and you understand that they are coming through. I was involved in a wreck in Germany from this very thing. The drivers there don't give an inch.
Cruising on the motorways can be a very stimulating experience. Speeds can reach well over 200 kilometers and at that speed there is very little room for error. This brings me to the "Death Ride" part of my story.
I went to Italy to test drive a Valkyrie and a Gold Wing that has a new transmission developed by Mario Moto. It is an overdrive transmission with a new 4th and 5th gear. I must say that both bikes were simply amazing to ride with this modification, but that's another story.
Now understand that I left San Diego on Friday to go to Milan, Italy, and came back from Milan on Monday so jetlag was a factor on the rest of this story. Still, without the jetlag I think it still would have freaked me out.
Mario Moto is a well-respected rider and mechanic in Italy. He was a professional racer for many years and has many trophies for his accomplishments. When I first met Mario on this trip, I watched him side saddle a Valkyrie and turn it around in a very narrow alley. Most people have trouble with the Valk at slow speeds so this was truly impressive. Little did I know I was soon to be much more impressed by his riding skills. Now this guy doesn't look like a psycho, does he?

Mario is a great guy but doesn't speak a lick of English that can be a problem because I don't speak a lick of Italian. If it wasn't for Silvano we would have never been able to cut a deal on these transmissions. Sil did a great job putting this whole thing together for us. It was a little bit awkward to drive back to my hotel with Mario in the car because we could not communicate for the whole time we spent alone together. This is when I decided to break my own rules and go ahead and ride on the back of Mario's GW to the airport. I was told we could save a least an hour by taking the bike because of the heavy traffic.
That sounded like a plan, and then I didn't have to feel all weird about driving all the way to the airport and not saying anything. This may have been the worst decision I have ever made in my entire life.
This is how the death ride started on Monday. I was told that Mario would pick me up at 7am to take me to the airport. I packed all my junk and the 6 transmission gear sets into one bag. The bag weighed about 80lbs. I checked out a little early just in case Mario showed up sooner than 7am. I sat and watched at least 40 to 50 cars run the stop sign where I was waiting for Mario to pick me up. When I say that stop signs and speed limits are only suggestions, that is what I mean; I only saw one big truck actually stop at the stop sign the whole time I was there.
Mario wasn't early, in fact he was just a little bit late so I'm thinking maybe it's a good thing we took the bike. Mario strapped my bag on the back of his rack and I mounted the bike and was ready to roll. There were at least three things, maybe four that should have given me a clue that this was a bad idea.
1.) Mario is an X racer that took much pride showing me all the parts on the bottom side
of his GW that were scraped off.
2.) When talking with Sil's son about riding on the back with Mario to the airport, his
comment was "oh, I guess you won't be getting any sleep on the way there". Now I
thought he meant because I was going to be on a bike and not in the van. Little did I
know.
3.) Mario has a seatbelt for the passenger, that should have been a good indicator of
how he drives.
4.) Guys are NOT good passengers.
This alone should have made me opt for the van ride but I have never been very good about making the right choice the first time. So, I jump on the bike and we're off. The first thing that went through my mind as we went through the back roads was man I hope we don't fall over in the turns. I had my bag on top of a rack that weighed 80lbs., I weighed 200lbs and Mario was maybe 170lbs. We took the turns like Fast Freddie in Daytona. As we went into the turns I had to fight every natural instinct to upright the bike with my body English. I started to really concentrate on being a good passenger and not complicate the situation by wanting to take control from the back seat.

When you go into a turn you already have in your mind how fast you should be taking that turn from your experience, it is very hard to reprogram your thought process on the fly when you feel like you�re going twice as fast as you should be. Okay, so the guy is a much faster rider than I am on my Super Charged Valkyrie and I'm just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. I was amazed at how well the GW did in the turns. So here I am trying to keep cool and just enjoy the ride. Well, the enjoy the ride thing was soon to be a fleeing thought.

As we ran the twisting roads at well over the posted speed limit I got a taste of what was to be the next 60 minutes of my life. We started to pass cars and trucks at a very high rate of speed on a road with very little room to pass, not to mention that there was a solid white line indicating that it was illegal to pass in these areas.
I soon began to realize that I was going to be on the ride of my life. This would turn out to be the safest part of the trip. Those of you that know me know that I am a pretty much a macho kinda guy and would be considered an extreme thrill seeker. I have bungee jumped out of cranes, and I help build, and jumped out of Mega Bungee which was the tallest bungee tower at the time it was built (210'). I was an ironworker for many years and have walked the edge of many a high-rise building. I have worked in many dangerous situations that some would call crazy.
I have been in situations where I have been threatened by knives and guns and have on more than one occasion been in fights with weapons that have landed me and others in the hospital. I have had to testify in a murder trial against prospects for a well-known outlaw biker club. All that being said, I must say that those experiences put together did not add up to the fear that I was about to experience. I am humbled and a little ashamed that I did not take this ride better than I did, maybe it was the lack of sleep for three days, maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I just looked the grim reaper in the face and this time I didn't like what I saw.
Once we got out of the back roads and on to the motorway Mario really cranked it on. I like to go fast just as much as the next guy, maybe even a little more, but once again, guys don't make good passengers. This was not the scary part. At first the traffic was not that bad so we were zipping along at around 180 to 200 kilometers. Then we came to a section of the motorway where traffic was at a crawl. Traffic may have been at a crawl, but that didn't mean we had to slow down very much. Now I'm from California and I logged in many a mile splitting traffic so I didn't think much of this at first. The GW is a very wide bike and very top heavy and takes a little longer to stop then most bikes, or so I thought.
At first Mario would ride in between the cars and big trucks at a speed that felt okay to me, but as the traffic increased, so did Mario's speed. We would squeeze into spots that if there were any surprises at all we would be toast. As the trip went on, so did the level of fear. At first I would try and keep my cool but I soon began screaming out loud things like "Oh my God, were going to die!" or "this is going to hurt, this is going to hurt", I found myself praying that God would forgive me of all my sins and just let me live another day to tell about this experience. And yes, I may have screamed like a girl once or twice.
Here's how the rest of the ride went. We would run up on a car or truck at let's say 180 kilometers and get right on their bumper, so close that all I could see is the back of their windshield, and then Mario would honk his horn a couple of times and if they didn't move out of the way within two seconds he would pass them on the left, the right, or right down the middle if there was no room for the car or truck to pull over. When the traffic was heavy but still moving we were weaving in and out of cars at an average speed of 140 kilometers! If I held my elbows out from my side, I could touch the trucks on both sides at the same time doing 140 kilometers! I started thinking of what kinda of injury I was likely to incur at these speeds.

At first, I thought I might lose a limb or maybe just suffer some broken bones but then as the traffic slowed down we moved over to the emergency lane and really picked up the pace. If anyone would have pulled over or been stalled in that lane we would have hit them at a rate of speed that was not survivable. It is common practice for motorcycles to ride in the emergency lane in Italy. The bad thing is when Mario saw another bike ahead of him he would crank it up even faster to pass them in a lane that's just not big enough for two bikes! At this point I was looking death right in the eye and I could smell the stink of his breath.
I was sure that I was to be remembered as the Valkyrie guy from the U.S who died on a GW in Italy. The thought of being fortunate enough to be injured was gone; I knew I was going to die.

Along the way I would see road signs that said "Airporto" and thought to myself that this is great, we're almost there, but nooooo, we're not even close. At times we would take an off ramp that I thought was the off ramp to the airport but it was just another motorway on ramp. Oh, those were fun too, if the off ramp had a speed limit of let say 40 kilometers, we would take it at 80 kilometers, but that's not the fun part, the fun part is that traffic was stopped when we were doing it! That's right; we were passing cars and trucks that were trying to merge onto the new motorway at twice the speed limit! There were times that I just closed my eyes because I couldn't bear to see how it was all going to end. Because I could not talk to him, I would do things like squeeze him with my legs, well that worked about as well as squeezing a horse with your legs that just meant go faster to him. Then I tried patting him on the back to slow down, that just meant go faster to him too. Then I tried to think of all the reasons why I might survive this ride.

First thing that came to mind was that Mario is still alive and his bike is a 1988 that was real clean looking other than all the parts scraped off of the bottom side. Then I thought, hey this guy is a racer, this is not a big deal to a racer, but then I thought even Freddy Spencer has his bad days. I finally realized that my life was in God's hands and I'm either going to make it, or I'm going to die. This is just part of the death therapy.
I would like to say thank you to Mario for changing my life. There are several things I walked away with from this trip.

1.) I walked away from this trip.
2.) I now realize that no matter how crazy you think someone is, there's always Mario to
put them in their place.
3.) I can't think of anything in life that could possibly scare me now. If I was approached
4.) by a car jacker, and he stuck a 45 in my face and told me to get out of the car or
he will blow my head off I would literally laugh at him and tell him to try and go scare
someone else, I lived through a ride with Mario to the airport for 70 minutes straight.
5.) I walked away from this trip.
6.) My wife's driving will never scare me again.
7.) I am now prepared to give my 15 year old driving lessons.
8.) I walked away from this trip.
9.) I now realize that Fear Factor is for wimps and I don't have to waste my time
watching it on TV.
10.) God is not finished with me yet.
11.) I walked away from this trip.

I do have one real regret and that is that I didn't get this on video. There is no way that you can experience what I went through by me writing this story. If I knew I only had a week to live I would go back and do it again with a video camera so you could get an idea how frightening this was to me.

I in no way mean to be disrespectful to Mario in this story, he�s a great guy and I still call him my friend but if you gave me the choice to have me strapped to a piece of plywood and have my 15 year old son blindfolded and throw sharp knifes at me or take another ride to the airport with Mario, I would tell my son to do the best he could.
Update to this article!
I just got an email from Silvano regarding something I said at dinner that I forgot all about. Seems I made the comment that the Gold Wing was an old man�s bike here in the U.S. Man was that the WRONG thing to say! It's all coming back to me now. Here is the reply I got from Silvano. "Take in consideration that we live in the earth of Ferrari & Lamborghini and the speed is in our blood. I don't ride like Mario, but I'm very close. Mario is very special with his GW and I think is one of the best riders of the world.
Now you can say that GW is not for retired bikers...."

Left is a picture of Mario explaining what he is going to do to me on the way to the airport. You can fill in the blanks.

These are my Bro�s; they made me feel like a King. Sil and the Sheriff have really put together a great club here in Italy, but there were members there from Austria too.
They are all great people, and like most of us, they love to eat. Some more pics I took of that memorable event

LaMonster - If you liked this story, feel free to link it on your site or share it with a friend.

VRCC Italy kept playing an important role in organizing all kind of domestic and international events up to this day. Thanks to the relentlesss efforts of Silvano �Sil� Merati, followed in 2011 by Alfredo �Fray� Martelengo.
Sil was always a real gentleman with a great passion for the Valkyrie and its community. Thanks to people like Sil and Fray, who keep organizing meetings and show up at every Valkyrie event, both locally and abroad, VRCC Europe has become one big family.
In terms of visibility and achievement, you can compare Silvano as well as Einstein from Austria and Bobbievalk from the UK with oZ�s and Lamont�s role in the early days.
Guys with 10W40 in their veins, sense of humor, vision, passion and organizational talents.
Being a small Chapter, at some point VRCC Italy existed only of Goldwing and Trike Riders. VRCC Italy now has 15 members in 2017.
Given that the club is a formal association, every year each member must confirm whether to stay in or not.
So, every year the number may vary some. As in most Chapters, the wagon is being pulled by a handful of dedicated, active members.

This meeting was one of the initiatives in the early days to host an international VRCC meeting.
Schedule of events.
The registration point will be open every day from 9am until 5pm at the main entrance of Lido Degli Estensi, south of Venice, on the Adriatic coast. Registration is compulsory. A special area and program will be reserved exclusively to Valkyrie�s riders. Every biker who registers will be given a welcome package which will include the program for the manifest, plus a gift and a special card to allow the bikers special discounts at the authorized points. Also, with the card they can enter certain areas, e.g. the market, concerts, strip-tease and entry to the main street. This also will allow the bikers free parking. The cost of the registration, valid the whole week, it has fixed: Pilot Lit. 45.000(�. 23) and Co-Pilot Lit. 35.000(�. 18).

Accommodation.
Bookings for hotels, apartments and camping will be taken as of 15 March 2000.
Special varied discounts will be given to all bikers during the manifest
Wednesday.
"Hey Guys, think of an example of BIKE WEEK Daytona, in Europe for the first time."
From day one we will have vendors in the authorized area, concerts, show bike, cruising along the main street on your bike. In other words, the general view�. we leave you free to imagine the beach, human fueling; you know what I mean, your stomach pal. Choose from pizzas to specialty fish dishes where you can try a taste at the local pizzerias and restaurants. We would like to emphasize the fact that the manifest is not being held in a limited zone, but in a vast area, where you have to move around on your bike.
Thursday & Friday.
Possibility to participate in various tours.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
Drag Racing competition.
Monday.
Possibility to participate in various tours.
Tuesday.
Closing of manifest.

Garda Lake 2001 Note the customized 'Iron' or rather 'Wooden' butt saddle with eagle head

There is a midwinter motorcycle event in Europe, called the Elephanten Treffen in Thurmansbang-Solla/Loh, Bavaria about 40 clicks from Passau. 5000 to 10.000 bikes of every make and model gather every year up the mountains in the snow.
No such thing as comfort here and a real challenge for both the bike and its Rider. In 2003, Italian Valkyrie Riders participated in this event.

Blessed with such a nice country and climate, our Italian Bros have all kind of options, however.

In 2008, 2011 and 2013, our Italian Bros made trips to the Nordkap in Norway, 3000 miles one way from Rome�A distance from Boston to LA. Impressive.
Dag Verpeide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GsP9YbJpNs

Beer from Holland and Bobbie from the UK with spouses Christine AKA 'Steinchen' from Austria

Hello my friends, this is our first ride out as new VRCC.
I'm calling everyone I know, within reasonable distance to come and ride with us along the Garda roads to spend a sweet weekend with us.
The event 'll take place the 7/8 of May. We arranged accommodation at a B&B with double-rooms for 50 euro. Triple-rooms are available as well.
During the 2days Rally, we'll be going up and down the Garda hills, along the local picturesque villages. The first day�s meeting point is at ancient vineyard 'CORTE' in Berettina, just a few km away from the DESENZANO autostrada. We 'll be there to guide you to the meeting.
Before you will depart, we 'll give the farthest biker a gift.
Best regards Claudio dal Ponte

THE ITALIAN WAY TO DO A BIKE SHOW
Montichiari, in the province of Brescia, is the stage for �Rombo di Tuono�, a festival dedicated to motor vehicles.
�Rombo di Tuono� has become a reference show for professionals and a must for fans. Indoors concerts, entertainment and gorgeous bikes and trikes, customized cars, and so many stands of accessories, custom parts, clothing, tattoo artists, painters, and other top of the line artists and mechanical geniuses.

The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre built in the first century and is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. Capacity was nearly 30,000 people
It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there.

Dressed up as Roman Warriors�.and this ain�t Hollywood folks, but the real thing, LOL

Lynn (UK) collecting her award at the Italian Valkyrie meeting, Longest Lady Traveler
Very nice plaque and a bottle of wine, super time was had by all

The Austrian Chapter has just over 200 members and was basically laid down in the cradle, so to speak by Peter Hecht in 1999, who also established the first contacts with Italian, American and German members abroad.
The first Austrian website by Pizzabert members followed soon afterwards in 1999 and was taken over in 2000 by Christine as webmaster.
In 2001, Peter �Einstein� Prajczer was elected by the members to act as Austrian Chapter Leader.
In due course and after having visited various meetings in Italy, Austria, Germany and Holland, other contacts have been established with Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Finally, also the Finns, Lithuanians and Russians were welcomed aboard.
In December 2016 after 15 years, Einstein handed over his Chapter Rep duties and closed his website, remaining a regular member. He and his wife Christine �Steinchen� have, and still do, given their all for the VRCC.
These two great folks have been among the �backbone� of the club in terms of welding the EU Chapters together. They have attended every meeting, both local and abroad, greatly contributing to the spirit and joy.
No matter what the cost, distance or date, you could always count on their presence. On top of that, they have organized over a dozen international meetings themselves, each far exceeding 200 participants, which were amongst the best around.
The VRCC owes these folks big time. What a couple; great respect!

The Chapter and new website is now run by G�nni, equally determined to keep the VRCC alive.

Three meetings were held in Austria, of which no statistics are present, however.
During the first meeting 26 bikes from Vienna and surroundings attended.
Soon followed by a second meeting with the presence of Italians and Swiss.
Finally, at the third meeting Germans, Italians and Swiss bikers came along again and this process steadily evolved in larger numbers due to the internet.

86 bikers participated in the Int�l F6C Valkyrie Riders Meeting in Mariazell from 17- 19.8.2001
68 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
2 - F6C Valkyrie sidecars
3 - Valkyrie Interstates
1 - Goldwing Trike
12 - Goldwing
25 � Guest bikers on various bikes
9 participating nations - A, B, CH, D, GB, IT, NL, NO, PL

151 registered participants on the announcement 15-18.8.2002
84 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
2 - F6C Valkyrie sidecars
2 - Valkyrie Interstates
7 - Goldwing
16 � Guest bikers on various bikes
10 participating nations - A, B, CH, D, GB, IT, NL, NO, S, USA

276 registered participants
141 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
2 - F6 Rune
7 - Valkyrie Interstates
1 - Valkyrie Trike
18 - Goldwing
17 � Guest bikers on various bikes
14 participating nations - A, B, CH, D, GB, F, IT, NL, IRL, NO, S, HV, USA, PL

Beer
During this first weekend of August, a Meeting was held in Vienna, which can only be described in superlatives. There were more than 270 participants with over 180 bikes. Apart from a large contingent of Austrians and Germans, 12 other nations were represented, including 20 enthusiastic participants from Poland.
We left a week earlier to RV in Koblenz with the Brits, who were doing a European roundtrip.
After a night stop in Regensburg we arrived at the hotel 'Am Sachsengang' in Vienna on Wednesday. We were warmly welcomed by Einstein and Christine, who had left nothing to chance. The day before the official Meeting started, there were already 100 participants. The accommodation and organization were excellent and people were getting in the mood right away. In the evening, we were taken by Peter & Christine to a nearby restaurant: "Dass war cheaper" LOL and could enjoy a meal with humungous schnitzels hanging over your plate. Later on, we went to the bar at the hotel to meet and greet other participants and after closing time everyone went to bed. The next day we decided to visit Vienna with a group. A day-trip ticket for the U-Bahn proved very useful. Vienna is truly a beautiful city with a lot of culture, terraces and atmosphere. The historical inner city was originally built by the Romans as a military post against the German tribes and became a city in 1221. Very famous are the Stephansdom, Schloss Sch�nbrunn where the Austrian emperors lived, Prater and many, many more. Everything beautifully restored and not hard to imagine you were walking around in a capital of a once great empire, consisting of most parts of Europe.
We opted for a nice beer and a chat with friends at a sunny terrace. That evening we could enjoy a meal on the banks of the Danube (Insel) that, due to the beautiful warm weather, was transformed into a tropical holiday paradise.
When we returned to the hotel, the parking lot was already packed with Valks. As a matter of fact, they were parked everywhere. A beautiful sight. Especially the two brand new Runes drew a lot of attention.
Of course, there was also a spectacular bike-light show for the LED Lovers.
After we had met many friends and acquaintances, we went back to Vienna the next day, this time for a tour with the bikes. In the evening there was a huge party with an extensive buffet, excellent music from a Country & Western band, fireworks and lots of drinks. Folks were dancing everywhere, even in the parking lot outside.

On Saturday all the bikes roared through the Austrian landscape.
We hardly met any other traffic, well done. This day was dedicated to Klaus & Veronika's biker wedding, who exchanged rings on a nice spot in the presence of all participants, city mayor and officials. Speeches were held and presents given to the newlyweds. Congratulations, what a nice couple and great moment.

After lunch, we rode to a lake in the vicinity to take a group picture and enjoyed the sun and wind. That evening there were more wedding presents and a Tiroler music group played typical Austrian �slap your thigh� songs. The next morning it was time to say goodbye and we continued our way through Mariazell, Jaufenpass and Hwy 111 through the Karnic Alps and Timmelsjoch towards home.
The 2004 Austria Meeting has been one of the largest and best VRCC event I have ever experienced. The organization and accommodation were excellent and the weather remained warm and sunny.
All-in-all, an unforgettable experience.

Dianne, Tony (RIP), Beer and Bobbie Italian and Brit Mob

203 registered participants
99 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
2 - F6 Rune
7 - Valkyrie Interstates
19 � Goldwing
2 � GW Trikes
16 � Guest bikers on various bikes
14 participating nations - A, B, CH, D, GB, P, IT, NL, IRL, H, T, HV

In Feldkirch, 250 registered participants from 13 nations attended with 166 bikes from Belgium, Germany, England, France, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and USA.
Hanne VRCC#20305 arrived from Kiew, Ukraine (longest distance travelled)
Antonio VRCC#13833 (oldest participant) from Italy
Edi VRCC#21832 (second oldest participant) from Austria
Lukas und Christof (two youngest participants in sidecar) from Germany

Steve B's Blue Supercharged Monster

Jenneke and Gerard at the Stelvio Pass with 48 hairpin curves

276 registered participants
115 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
1 - F6C sidecar
9 - Valkyrie Interstates
3 - Valkyrie Trike
23 - Goldwing
24 � Guest bikers on various bikes
14 participating nations - A, B, CH, D, GB, F, IT, NL, DE, IRL, NO, S, HV, P, CZ

Beer
From 19 �till 22 August 2010 the 10th anniversary of VRCC Austria was celebrated in Hotel Donauschlingen in Schl�gen. There were over 270 participants from Italy, Poland, Wales/UK, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium with over 160 bikes and 115 Valkyries. It is always great to look at the differences between all the individual Valkyries and what kinds of accessories and custom paints have been used. Ideal for getting ideas.
On Wednesday, 50 Riders showed up early. The hotel was located on a quiet, magnificent spot in the curve of the Danube River and mainly utilized by bicycles and tour operators. This was all about to end by the arrival of the Valkyries.
We were welcomed by Peter and Christine, who had arranged the whole meeting to perfection. After a nice meal we all went to the bar to mingle again. The organization had designed 3 routes in Austria and the Czech Republic, ranging from 150 to 350 km. Everyone could ride one of these routes by him/her self or in groups. The rolling and slightly hilly terrain contained many panoramic views. Both the primary and secondary roads were full of curves and ideal for motorcycle riding.

On Thursday everyone arrived and after diner there was a party at the bar. Gerard & Jenneke, Stefan, Henny & Janni, Eric, Robert, Yvonne and Cynthia & I were present from the Benelux.
After a great ride out the next day, there was a nice diner-dansant with speeches and live music from a local band Waxdraht (Wax wire). The band started with some covers and soon switched to wild Tiroler music. Our Austrian hosts were wearing lederhosen and Dirndl dresses for the occasion. What a great party. Even the hotel personnel joined in after closing time and I remember we were drinking J�germeisters and someone was playing guitar until I went to bed at 4 AM.

On Saturday there was a big elephant walk with all the bikes for a tour of 120 km. in the Linz area. What a nice view, all those Valkyries behind each other for a few miles long. We had a very nice lunch break with local Austrian (nonalcoholic) summer drinks.

In the hotel, Valkyrieparts sold bling and spare parts and a tailor sewed patches on your jacket. The diner consisted entirely out of Austrian N�del. N�delsoup, N�del main course and N�del desert and the spirit was very nice with a disco and someone attempted to make a burnout on the dance floor. Luckily, he went outside again and proceeded with his burnouts writing smileys and VRCC on the parking lot. The personnel from the hotel were treated on a small evening ride with some lighted Valkyries around the hotel and were visibly pleased. Needless to say, the party went on for quite some time afterwards.
Sunday, we said goodbye and proceeded back home for 600 miles through some traffic cues and heavy rain showers.
This Austria meeting was characterized by a very nice, relaxed spirit, splendid hotel and really cooperative personnel, beautiful weather (30 ?C in the sun) excellent ride out possibilities and a great organization. Thanks to the Austrian crew, you�re simply the best!

For some Riders, washing is an almost daily ritual, LOL

190 registered participants
97 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
6 - Valkyrie Interstates
5 - Valkyrie Trike
18 - Goldwing
15 � Guest bikers on various bikes
13 participating nations - A, B, D, GB, F, IT, NL, DE, NO, S, HV, P, SK

Beer
On 15-19 August, the Austrian VRCC Treffen was held in Schl�gen, a small village at the Danube's hairpin, the 'Donauschlingen'. It was the third time Peter and Christine organized the Treffen here at the hotel / wellness resort. It was fantastic weather all the time and we have been able to ride our hearts out.
Eric had arrived on Wednesday as well as Gerard, Jenneke and Stefan from the Lowlands Chapter. This time, they had taken the car train for a change. By the looks of it, I think they already had a party on the train during the trip from Munich to Austria.
Hanne had flown in from the Ukraine to ride his Valk that is kept in the Netherlands. Finally, Beer and Cynthia were also present. We were all warmly welcomed and the organization was excellent. As usual, we first went to the bar to have some drinks and then to the room to freshen up. There were 190 bikers present with 141 bikes, mainly consisting of members of the German and Austrian Chapters. But there were also Norwegians, a Swede, a small group from the Czech Republic, a few Brits and 12 Italians with Silvano. Many friends were present, which made it very enjoyable that first evening.
On Friday we left after a nice breakfast for a trip in the surrounding area. Stefan, our road captain, had a route prepared to the Czech Republic and we made a wonderful trip through rolling, wooded terrain with little traffic on the winding roads. Colin and Ingrid had joined us and also Sandra, member of the hotel staff with whom Hanne had been talking to, the night before. After a 230 km ride, with regular stops on a terrace, we arrived at the hotel again. Colin decided to jump in the Danube, being towed in a tire tube behind a speedboat. Bummer�his body did not fit into the tube so he had to hold it with his hands. This cost a lot of power and was very funny to look at but if you�d known Colin, as strong as they come in Ulster, he could easily handle that.

The Ulsterman in his natural habitat Lots of interesting Valks Easy going in the sunshine, life is great

That night we all went aboard a cruise ship for dinner. The Danube cruise lasted about 3 hours. Very nice scenery and we really enjoyed this trip on the river. Back at the hotel, there was a disco where we had lotsa fun with a special dance on the floor and pole dancing by the ladies.
At the parking lot, where all the bikes were parked, the entertainment continued. The Germans had stripped a Valkyrie and modified it with a head of wild boar as a headlight. They made burnouts, writing smileys and the letters VRCC on the asphalt. The hotel owner, a biker himself, enjoyed it as much as we did. Everything was being thought of because a spare tire had to be fitted after 15 minutes. No business like show business, LOL.

The next morning there was the usual joint ride with all 140 bikes together and this time 3 other ladies from the hotel staff accompanied us. In the rolling terrain with many curved roads, you could often see a large part of the bike posse. A beautiful sight of course and a lot of pics and films were made.
Along the side of the road, the 'locals' were waving at us and after 65 km we stopped for lunch. Very nice with a salad bar, a stew and BBQ ribs after a nice ride and once again another great meal, a professional fireworks show was given at the hotel.
Outside, the burnouts continued, this time for an attempt to make Olympic rings. Unfortunately, the radiator cap popped off and the Valk lost its coolant. The steel wires of the rear tire were strangled around the axis of the rear wheel. Although I'm not a burnout fan myself, I found it very reassuring to see how much damage the Valkyrie can actually take and just keep on riding.

Anyway, later the hotel staff could have a backseat ride on LED-lighted bikes that made a lot of noise around the hotel with their horns and sirens. At midnight the disco resumed its music and the party went on inside. The next morning we had breakfast and rode home on this very hot Sunday.
During this Schl�gen 2012 Meeting we had a lot of fun and made nice trips. The organization was excellent and the weather great. What more can you wish for. As a matter of fact, the spirit was so great that the complete hotel staff joined our party after their shift. Sure thing, I will definitely come back to this place.

Lunchtime on Saturday

27 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
1 - F6C sidecar
5 - Valkyrie Interstates
1 - Valkyrie Trike
2 - Goldwing
3 � Guest bikers on various bikes
14 participating nations - A, D, S, P, CZ

Local newspaper story
JOIS (gsch). Die �sterreichische Motorradfahrgemeinschaft des weltweit vertretenen Motorradclubs VRCC (Valkyrie Riders Cycle Club) traf sich zum Season�s End heuer erstmals in Jois. Am Freitag reisten die stolzen Besitzer der schweren 6-Zylinder-Maschinen aus dem In- und Ausland (Slowakei, Tschechei, Schweden, Polen, Deutschland) an, um gemeinsam den Ausklang der Biker-Saison 2013 zu befeiern. Gar nicht �hart� stand eine Bootsfahrt am Neusiedler See am Samstag von Illmitz nach M�rbisch zur Besichtigung der Seeb�hne am Programm, sowie eine Kutschenfahrt durch die Pannonische Steppenlandschaft. Die Zeiten vom Rowdy haben sich wohl zum unverbesserlichen Romantiker hin ge�ndert. Trotzdem viel auf Hochglanz aufpoliertes Chrom, Leder und laute Motoren, wie es sich f�r ein richtiges Motorradtreffen geh�rt. Rauhe Schale und offensichtlich doch weicherer Kern...

168 registered participants
76 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
1 � Valkyrie sidecar
7 - Valkyrie Interstates
1 - GW Trike
14 - Goldwing
15 � Guest bikers on various bikes
12 participating nations - A, B, D, GB, F, IT, NL, DE, NO, S, HV, HV, P, USA

Donauschlinge (curve )

Hotelstaff would later (after hours) join in and party.......

95 registered participants with 71 bikes
51 - F6C Valkyrie STD bikes
1 � Valkyrie sidecar
3 - Valkyrie Interstates
16 � Guest bikers on various bikes
6 participating nations - A, D, GB, F, P, HV

The joint Belgium and Netherlands Chapter has 175 members and the address is http://www.vrcc.nl/valkyrie/nl/
The name Lowlands has been chosen because a big part of the Netherlands is up to 20 feet below mean sea level. There are just over 400 F6C/Valkyries estimated in the Netherlands.

Although the Benelux is of small importance in VRCC Europe, it�s convenient, central location played a significant role in welding the EU Chapters together.

Beer
When I first saw the Valkyrie on a business trip in New Jersey, I instantly fell in love with the bike. You could tell straight away that this was something really special. The power and looks just drooled of this monster.
I had been to the Laughlin River Run before and this was not another look-a-like or wannabee but a machine that made its own, unique statement. Back in the Netherlands I traded in my Yamaha Virago 1100 and bought my new Flat Six.
I went looking for as much online information as I could and soon joined the VRCC.
I also discovered other Valkyries in my area and early 2000 I joined Karel and Tinneke, Eddie van Laethem and 6 other Valkyrie Riders at the shore of the River Schelde in Antwerpen for a first group ride. I was really excited seeing all those Valks together and very much liked the kind of Riders as well. Different and very friendly. Not bragging about their bikes and simply out for some fun together. We stayed friends until this day.
I guess a similar story applies to more people in the Benelux. Later in 2000, Walter Melchers organized a meeting and there, with great enthusiasm and pzazz, the Benelux Chapter was founded and really started to kick in soon afterwards.
Walter had visited the Austrian and Italian Meetings before and launched the Benelux meeting in Heerlen soon afterwards in 2002, being the first official International Meeting north of the Alps. The organization consisted of Walter, Roadmaster Stef, Ed van Laethem, Ronnie and myself.
After a second, similar meeting in 2003 the Benelux Chapter Rep and other staff members ended up in a difference of opinion on the way to proceed, which could not be resolved.
In the following years, various local VRCC rides were organized by Gert and Anthony �Crazy Mosquito� in the Ardennes, G� and Mara on the river dykes, Patrick and Yolanda near the coast, Melis Jan en Maarten between the rivers and a great weekend with Karel and Tinneke at the Bison Ranch �Don Diego�.
After these successful highlights, the club members gradually became more individual and folks started riding their own trips without the VRCC fuzz. The Benelux Chapter kinda faded away with only its dormant website http://users.cuci.nl/miwa/ left as a remnant.
In 2008, the Chapter was revitalized by Beer van Huet and Stefan Martens and is still up and running as �Lowlands� with 175 members until this very day.

Beer - 2002 Final Report
The international VRCC Benelux Meeting from 24-26 May 2002 exceeded all our expectations. The sight and sound of 105 Valkyries and 21 other bikes was an experience we will not soon forget in the Benelux. Thanks to the widespread participation of all EU VRCC Chapters and riders from 10 nations. To our pleasant surprise, riders from Germany, Sweden and even the Federation of Russia all showed up on Thursday as planned. Marvin from Eurowing had also just arrived after driving his truck 1600 nonstop clicks from Italy to support the meeting. Talking about long distance, there were 7 attendants who covered over 2000 kilometres and 42 members with over 1000 kilometres one-way travel distance to join the event. The welcome ceremony of our newly arrived guests lasted until the bar closed in the early hours of the morning. The next day, delegations from the UK, Italy, Austria, Greece and Norway, together with most of the other Benelux riders checked in and spent their time walking around the bikes and getting to know each other. A ride with approximately 45 bikes was undertaken on Friday to the three-country landmark, where a snack and beverage was presented by one of our main sponsors, the KEPU Company. Again, experiences and interests were shared that day on the lot and at the bar, accompanied by the sound of a 4-member Dixie band. Also, a video of last year�s meeting in Austria was shown for the attendants who were interested. On Saturday, everyone was aboard. Although rain was forecasted, the weather fortunately stayed dry for the duration of the event. At one o�clock, a roaring column of over 120 bikes steadily moved across the Benelux landscape to the �Molen�, where a meal was served. During this stop, all riders could witness the astonishing accuracy of the whiplash, presented with skill and cunning by �More danger� Pete. The ride continued as planned, without any malfunctioning bike, thanks to the reliability and durability of the cruiser of the decade. Plaques and certificates were presented to each nation and Silvano in particular was mentioned for his activities on the EU internet site. Larissa Klijn (11 years old) was proclaimed �Valkyrie� of the meeting and Paolo Fraccascia rewarded for his best looking �Sherrif� bike. The accommodation at the hotel �Valk� was such, that most of the rooms overlooked the magnificent sight of over 100 bikes at the parking lot. In the evening a party was organized, accompanied by the swinging sound of two local female singers, followed by the music of yet another local, but nevertheless outstanding blues band. As a surprise, a Flat 6 was driven on the dance floor during the evening and Rocky, our Italian not-for-long bachelor, was entertained by a lady with remarkable reflexes and shapes. Needless to say, that the party went on until the sun was rising again. Finally our beneficiary, the Make-A-Wish foundation, who makes wishes come true from terminally ill children between the ages of 3-18 years, received a cheque, thanks to all our sponsors and participants.
We would like to thank all the people involved in this meeting, including Eddy for accompanying our guests and friends from the UK, all the safety riders who made a steady ride possible, the photographer for her nice shots, the security people who guarded our bikes at night, the VRCC members of the registration desk and the lottery, the hotel manager for his nice food, service and acco and the people of the stands. A special thanks to the people who voluntarily made videos and photos and all the other members who put countless hours in the organization. Finally, I would like to thank all the VRCC members and participants who made this meeting a success by attending with such a good spirit. We are working hard to edit and multiply the video�s and make them available to your Chapter soon. We are looking forward to share more good rides and feelings at the other VRCC meetings.

Spectacular if you've never seen Melvin and Sean, your accessory mounted Peter 'More danger' with his whip
more than 15 Valkyries at one place while you wait

2003
In 2003, another international meeting was hosted by the Benelux, this time with 197 participants from 11 nations. Horst Niels from Germany won a prize for his outstanding Valkyrie specimen together with Adriano Bavia who managed to attend with a Valkyrie with genuine horse saddle. During the party, a Flat 6 appeared on the dance floor and Steve B from the UK, who turned 50, was put in the spotlight. All profits and revenues went to the Cliniclowns.

Two ladies from Cliniclowns Gary (RIP) and friends collecting cliniclowns noses Knight Beer

Pitstop at a memorial site Modified genuine horse saddle Lucky winner of ladies underwear

During that time, it was popular by some in the UK to address each other on the bulletin board with Medieval �Knight� names and tales. Hence, this proclamation during the Benelux meeting to call forward Steve B. and celebrate his 50th birthday.

During the early days Stefan �Roadmaster� Martens became close friends with the UK Chapter members and organized several, what they called �Chat Weekends�. Small scale international meetings and if you look at the pics, it was great fun.

We were blessed with exceptional nice Wx. Besides great rides in Overijsel and Drenthe, we went to Giethoorn. This town has a streetplan made of waterways/canals. Ulsterman, our DJ did not like the choice of music so he took his bike, rode a total of 250 km back to his home and came back with decent stuff. These small scale Int'l meetings are a perfect setting to get to know each other better and, although there was a well organized plan, flexible enough to play it by ear.

Henny has been around VRCC Benelux/Lowlands from the first hour and was one of the driving factors behind the Club.
A true friend who could always be counted on.
He died of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 57. His death is a great loss to all of us but most of all to his wife Janni.

Joop was an active and social Valkyrie Rider and Club member.
He combined his skills and hobby and developped many useful Valkyrie precision instruments.
But most of all, he was a friend you could always rely on.
He passed away at the age of 58 after a battle with cancer on 26 January 2018.
Our thoughts and condolences to his family and friends.

K�ln/D�sseldorf Mid Germany Westfalen North Germany East Germany South Germany

Hartmut Ali Pascal Blacky Broesel Ruth

VRCC Germany, represented by Ronny AKA Umbra and with its 502 Riders is the largest Valkyrie community in Europe.
As in every large country, the VRCC is faced with great distances between members. In the US, this has been overcome by the introduction of State Chapters and Area Reps. In Europe; a whole country would become a Chapter. While not as large as the US, some countries still face the same difficulty in managing the club and not knowing what�s going on thousands of kilometers further down the road.
In Germany, the VRCC solved this issue with the introduction of the so called �Stammtisch�, literally translated as tribe table: �Nortlichtern�, �Niedersachsen�, �Kelten�, Osten�, �Westfalen�, �Hessen�, �F�hre�, �Bayern� and �Schwaben�. There, the local area members can meet and sit down at their club table in the pub.
In 2008, when VRCC Germany was faced with legal issues about the VRCC patch patent, it became a necessity for the club to create a legal entity, called the �Rathaus� (Town Hall). Ideas, initiatives and concerns from the various �Stammtisch� are passed on to the Rathaus and taken back by elected �trusted� members

Preceded by Micha Bergmann and later, Sven Siemonsen, Andy became the lasting Germany Country Rep for almost 2 decades. He started in 2000 and resigned in 2018. As VRCC Germany grew larger, Andy needed additional support. Each Stammtisch now has a representative, nominated by democratic election. These Reps, called trusted people (comparable with Area Reps) meet each other on a regular basis and together with the Country Rep and webmaster they form the Rathaus eV. Decisions made by the Rathaus then apply countrywide.
Since Germany has the largest group of VRCC Riders in Europe, the Chapter also represents the whole continent as far as communication with the VRCC US principles is concerned. Andy Sch�ler and his wife Bine from Berlin regularly reside in the US to visit their family.
As a matter of fact, he has his own Valkyrie in the US since Inzane V, Paducah. So he was nominated to take this upon him and act as EU Rep. Andy therefore, also presides the annual Chapter (read: country) Rep meeting during the EU Inzanes.
Thanks to G�nni, the first webmaster of VRCC Germany, the following history information is still available:

On 3 July 2000 8:17 Micha Bergmann VRCC #1645 wrote to Lamont Bryden VRCC #1 the following email

Subject: German Chapter
Hi Bros,
I�m searching for my German Chapter in your Chapter-list. But I can only find the Italian and the Netherlands Chapter. Please, be so kind and post the German Chapter also. I just begin to organize all the Germans a little, and it�s important that a newcomer sees the whole member list.
I'm in close contact with the Chapters in Italy, France, Russia!! and Greece. Thank you so far ...
Feel the power of six
Michael #1645

Lamont responded at 23:13 the same day:
We have members in Germany but no Chapter contact at this time. You can see the members by doing a search on the world page. If you like I can set you up as the contact for Germany. I will be in M�nchen on 13 of September I think. We will be at Trade Fair for Motorcycles and Scooters. It would be great if we could meet up with you and some of the other VRCC members there. Let me know.
LaMonster

On 4 July 2000 10:46 Micha Bergmann forwarded the following email to a group of people, which were members of the forum.
The addressees were:
G�nni (Icke) VRCC#4733i; Harry VRCC#4642;
Hans VRCC#4588; Guido VRCC#4438;
Bernd VRCC#4294; Gerhard VRCC4276;
Steve VRCC#4250; Fraenkie VRCC#3218;
Kim VRCC#3163; Obelix VRCC#1548;
Sabine VRCC#1305; Martin VRCC#1605;
Manfred VRCC#1077; Ludger VRCC#426;
Harald VRCC#31; Paz VRCC#1114;

Hello members,
Since our German Chapter does not appear in the Chapter list of the VRCC, I made a request to LaMonster. You can read his answer below. When you all don�t disagree, I will act as German Secretary. Please mail me if you approve of this. In August, an English Valkyrie Chapter meets in Switzerland. If you like, you can ride as well and join them. Next year�s Meeting of the Italian Chapter will probably be held at Lake Garda. It would be great if a larger group of German Riders would attend. Okay... tell me what you think about it.
I appreciate alternative proposals as well. O, yes.... on 13 September LaMonster comes to M�nchen. We should be there with at least with a small representation. If you want to join��send me a short mail.

With these emails, the German VRCC Chapter was born. Of the 15 F6 Rider addressees, 7 responded and Micha Bergmann became the first German Country Rep.
On 7 July 2000, the first website was launched by G�nther Langnickel, aka G�nni or Icke.

On 8 July 2000, according to a Honda statement, 800 Valks were sold in Germany, 200 in Italy and 25 in Russia.

On 11 July 2000 Lamont aka Lamonster wrote, that the website homepage should be more recognizable as VRCC Germany Chapter and the website was altered accordingly.

On 13 July 2000, the first Forum of VRCC Germany was established where everyone could post his ride-outs, meetings, questions and wishes.

After some time, it was a feeling that an own homepage would be the optimum for VRCC Germany and its members. So G�nter bought the domain and the Chapter became independent of hosting sites. It turned out to be a right decision. People started noticing the website and the number of members rocketed sky-high.

On 2 May 2001, G�nter "Icke" VRCC#4733 received a Certificate of Merit from LaMonster and Micha Bergmann for his VRCC Germany webmaster achievements.

The VRCC chain of events at the F�hre Langel (Cologne) Chapter started more or less like this.

Klaus
When Christa and I were in March 2000 at the F�hre (ferry crossing, later to become the Chapters meeting place) for the first time, there was no other F6 in sight anywhere. The more or less regular meetings came later.
The idea to organize a German "ride in meeting" was mainly discussed over the internet. Micha Bergmann our secretary, our webmaster G�nter, our current webmaster Martin, Gerald Samer and I followed up. Thomas and Frimo were also present in one of these conspirative �Schuld� meetings.

Frimo
In April 2001 I got my Valkyrie. By chance I discovered the website �Valkrider�. It had a map of Germany, which was divided into regions. I just registered and from then on, an avalanche broke loose. Thomas had discovered the newcomer first (HUHUHU THOMAS) and Thomas informed Klaus (HALLO KLAUS) ... at this time we resided at the Biker-Pitter. From there on, there was a monthly Stammtisch at the ferry-Langel....have not thought it possible, what it has resulted in to this day, and all this without Press and so!!! Personally, I wish it could go on so well for a long time ... a come and go of a hard-core group... you and Tina were almost always there!
It was the 2nd Sunday, 14.10.2001 when we met for the first time in Schuld ... Ochsy and Carmen and G�nter were there as well. Christa and Klaus started talking about the first F6 meeting in Schuld.
The Austrians had their first F6 meeting in Mariazell. There was a great spirit. Pity I was not there.
On that very Sunday, Thomas called me. I've caught another Rider by the name of Frimo on the map!
Klaus replied," He's sitting next to us here in Schuld�.
Next, I attended the first meeting at the F�hre Langel. Since the season was about to end, many came by car. In January 2002, I had just 13000km on the clock and lay in the hospital. A VW Passat suddenly crossed a junction and I was sitting on my Valk and not in my Mercedes. Klaus and Thomas came to visit me. You guys are great.

Klaus
In 2001 the Austrians already had their 4th meeting in Mariazell and their 5th meeting lined up in Hopfgarten in 2002. ... Oh yeah, I just remembered the first time we met Ochsy. That was during breakfast in the "Black Eagle". Gerald and Elvira had organized something over there. I think this was after the first German meeting, but before the first Benelux meeting.... Ochsy as always, came too late!!

Thomas
2000 Well, if I look back, I was also part of it since 2000. For me, the internet was the most important thing.
I found the F6C homepage of G�nter Langnickel and logged in. The first personal contact with other VRCC members was during the very first meeting in Schuld. Whether or not any other form of contact previously existed, I don�t recall. Only that there was the homepage of G�nter Langnickel and everything ran via his website. In Schuld, the first discussions about a German meeting were held and I still had no motorcycle at that time. Klaus must have been thinking "What kind of fella is that anyway, comes over here, doesn�t even have a bike and is interested in a VRCC meeting "(BTW my trailer for the meeting was already sitting in my garage), LOL.
2001 On February 18, 2001, I got my Fat Lady. It was my first motorcycle ever. My start model, so to say.
The first time at the F�hre Langel was in spring 2001, before we went to the Garda lake Meeting. At some point, Klaus suggested that a "Stammtisch" on Thursday at the F�hre would be a nice idea. When exactly, I do not know anymore. Hence, the regular F�hre-Langel Stammtisch was born.
In April 2001, Angelika and I participated in the Italian meeting, which took place at the Garda Lake. It was cold. No heating in the chalets and freezing. While usually during this time of the year the temperatures range should be between 20 and 24 degrees Centigrade. In Garda, we met Sven (former secretary of VRCC Germany), Martin and Bine (webmaster), Andy and Bine (VRCC secretary), G�nter and Jutta Langnickel (former webmaster), Micha and Astrid Bergmann (former secretary of VRCC Germany), Ecke and Petra (Triggerwheel), Silvano (webmaster Italy and Europe), Sheriff, Mario (mechanic of VRCC Italy), Einstein and Christine (they know everyone from Austria), Obelix (with his Goldwing ) and Steve B and Glynis (UK folks, he builds the big tanks). The first European contacts were established.
After some hard organizational labor, Klaus held the first VRCC Germany meeting in May 2001. He was supported by Christa, Rita, and Peter (from Schuld). But he certainly can tell that much better by himself. During Schuld 2001, further contacts were made. The VRCC community was growing in the USA, Europe, Germany and also at F�hre Langel. Klaus and I were chasing every F6C to "capture" the Rider. Klaus even caught a F6 Rider at a warehouse, because his Flat Six stood in the parking lot.
In late summer / autumn 2001 I made the first "F�hre Langel� Homepage and put it on the web. The address was http://faehre-langel.bei.t-online.de/ (not active anymore) I then organized the first Goose Dinner in November 2001 in D�sseldorf.

2002
Highlight in 2002 was, of course, the second VRCC Germany meeting, which Klaus and I had organized. In the preparatory phase, there was hardly a day when Klaus and I did not talk to each other at least once. Klaus could pick up the phone and say "Hello Thomas" unseen�. and was always right. We were greatly supported by Christa and Angelika and on location by Bikerpitter and Rita who assisted us in work and deed. In November I assembled everybody for another Goose Dinner.

2003
Because I was rather pissed about various website issues, I bought the Forum myself in September 2003 and integrated it into the homepage, which was well received.
In October 2003, I bought another 300 Mb of web space at Evanzo, the homepage consequently moved to another address [url=http://www.faehre-langel.de]http://www.faehre-langel.de[/url]
November 2003. O well��. the traditional Goose dinner was again held in D�sseldorf-Urdenbach.

2004
The F�hre Langel forum was taken over by Hartmut in September as well as the job of webmaster.
So, that's it. There are certainly many more anecdotes, which we will save for the Stammtisch.
Andy (from Berlin)
There was a page of Volker Momberg that is now no longer active. With the first friends of the F6C. I still have the first response by Guido, our "Photo of the Day" winner on 26.05.99.

G�nni
Well, I might as well join in and write how I became involved in the F�hre Langel and the VRCC.
I got my Valk in April 2001 and my dealer told me that F6�s were always meeting at the F�hre Langel. Since I am a bit slow, it was not until I was cleaning spilled fuel over my tank at a gas station that some other F6 Rider came over and told me what a nice bike I had. It was Dieter R�der. He invited me in at the F�hre and I was very glad that I went there. Very nice people.
Then came the first meeting in Schuld. Unfortunately, I was only there on Saturday and could not enjoy the entire meeting. So there I was.

Initiated by one of the founders of F�hre Langel, Klaus K�tting, the first German VRCC-Germany meeting was held in the Eifel. The venue was the famous Bikertreff Haus Waldfrieden. The meeting was a great success, thanks to the commitment of the owners of the Waldfrieden house, Rita and Peter. Even today the participants are still talking about this first meeting.

During the ceremonies, we were welcomed by the Knights of the nearby castle, LOL

All revenues of the Schuld meeting went to the cancer fund. Here we see Klaus handing over the cheque.

The first meeting in Schuld was a great success and so much fun for all the participants and organizers, that it was repeated the next year. This time, Klaus K�tting received active support from Thomas M�nzer. Like the first one, this F�hre Langel meeting was a true winner

If you look at the VRCC Germany membership numbers and the entry times, you�ll notice a big entrance wave in 2003. Previously, folks like Werner, Ede, Br�sel, Valkvetter, Ernst, Coolair, Georg, Szymi, and Franky populated the board. The VRCC was founded by experienced Valkyrie Riders eager to assist new Riders.
Since 2003, the forum has changed from a technical forum into a more general communication platform. Jokes were introduced as well as cake recipes and of course we still got tips from our gifted mechanics such as Berni, Coolair, Pekardo, Klaus, Knud, Dirk, Sven and more. One can say the board became more fun to read and the seriousness was put somewhat aside.
Everyone was looking forward to the annual meetings in Germany before 2003. The �Schuld� meetings were �big�, countrywide meetings. Now, numerous �smaller meetings� were arranged, like the Nordlichter meeting, season-end in Bavaria, fall meeting in Spessart and the legendary �Maibaum� meetings of course.
At these events, we all had great fun and our community was almost growing by the day. Just super.
The �die hard� veteran members of the F�hre, who had committed themselves totally to the VRCC spirit, and the �club status� were gradually making place for more fun orientated bikers and non-biker partners. Which were recognized at a very early stage BTW. Bikerpitter # 10905 and Jacques M�der # 16153 were declared honorary members. Bikerpitter was the innkeeper in Schuld and Jacques a very dedicated Honda dealer, for their great commitment at the first meetings. With everybody�s consent.
A few years later, Mike (Chromi), also one of the first hours at the F�hre, and his wife Erika became grandparents. The grandchild was issued a VRCC membership number, and the buggy transformed with VRCC memorabilia. This was, besides a funny gag, a true tribute to the VRCC.
The F�hre Langel Chapter also gave a VRCC patch to Didi with his VTX to express the gratitude for his hard Chapter work. With us, it does not matter what you ride, as long as you ride and comply with the Chapters� basic rules. The possession of a Valk is not a prerequisite for membership, with us everyone is welcome.

Bison
When I bought a F6C in 2003 and learned about F�hre Langel on the Internet, I was skeptical at first.
This skepticism was immediately gone when I visited the Stammtisch. I found a community that was fun, which was helpful, honest and open. There were no ranks and classes; no "I have more to say than you".
I saw familiarity, reliability, security and "a word was a word". And all had the same sign on their backs.
The patch from the VRCC. I also wanted to be part of this community. So I looked at the website of the VRCC in the US and completely agreed with the views and rules and regs of this club. Also the Mission Statements mirrored what I experienced at the ferry. Fairness, openness, etc.
Then came the 2003 meeting in W�stenrot. This was the first meeting I attended, and I met folks from the North-East, the Bavarians, the old and the new federal states and this continued in L�ben, Gifhorn, Ha?furt and so on. I only felt friendliness, exuberance, familiarity, willingness to help and reliability. Just great!

As mentioned earlier in the Europe introduction, in Gifhorn the VRCC Country Reps came together and decided that in the future each country in turn would organize a Europe-wide Meeting, starting in Karpacz, Poland in 2007. This, by no means would exclude Chapters from organizing their own meetings. Due to the organizing complexity-, effort and sometimes large amounts of advance payments for such a meeting, the individual countries were asked to deconflict this EU Inzane with their local meetings.

Larry, a US military serving his country in Germany soon became a regular visitor of various meetings and VRCC EU family member all around Europe with his Valkyrie

2008 Landshut
Valkyrie Riders from all over Germany celebrate the city�s 800 years existence

Beer
On 23-26 June 2011 a Meeting was organized at the M�hnesee by the Westfalen Chapter. When I arrived in the shining sun together with Sjaak, I found Henny, Janni and Jules already there. I was warmly welcomed by the reception committee and it was good to see so many friends again. Colin, Ingrid, Angelika and friends ran a great deal of the organization and made sure we did not get anything short. Even a tailor was there for sewing your patch on your vest. WOW. There were about 240 bikers and more than 150 Valks at this meeting. The accommodation was from origin a Union Hotel and was beautifully situated at the lake, only a few hundred meters from the dam.
After I had admired some other Valkyries (the Germans are always very active with modifications, customizing and accessories) and had a chat here and there, we went to dinner with nice schnitzels.
And needless to say, some nice German beers to top it off. In the evening we were welcomed by Pascal and a disco continued in a cozy atmosphere.

On Friday there were 4 rides set out in the beautiful Sauerland, which varied from advanced to relaxed.
After the previous night, I decided to take the last one. It was indeed a beautiful trip and we rode with about 40 Valkyries. Unfortunately, the weather became increasingly threatening and it started to rain with intervals. There were of course some breaks and we had lunch on a terrace in front of a pastry shop. After we consumed a German (pastry) calorie bomb with our coffee, we drove 170 km further and arrived at the hotel, where we discovered that Jobo had had an accident. He slided over an oil track on the road and the Valkyrie had toppled and hit the asphalt on both sides. Fortunately, there was no personal injury but the machine was seriously damaged. The Valkyrie was brought to the hotel with the ADAC road assistance.
I heard Jobo was well insured so the main personal damage was shaking emotions and a great deal of fear and anger.
Both Peter and Mischi had their parts and accessories shops installed on the site. Furthermore, there were three more stands with LED lights, heated handlebars and a tailor.
Needless to say that many happy customers left the shops with chrome and parts. Even a completely pimped Valkyrie changed ownership. After another nice dinner we were taken to a cruise ship on the M�hnesee. On board a magnificent rock'n roll show was given by the 'Crazy Chicks'. Two slick dudes, complete with greasy hair and three ladies, who seemed to come straight out of the 50�s, performed a swirling musical show. Of course, no one could sit still and people were dancing everywhere. All bikers were transported to and from this event by coach.

On Saturday we did the 'Elephant Walk ' for about 120 km. The row of bikes seemed endless and we spent lunch in a covered terrace on a lake nearby. Again, this day was not blessed with sunny weather either, but that did not jeopardize the good spirit one bit.
The ride ended in Soest, where everyone could do some shopping. After a delicious BBQ back in the hotel there was a raffle with prizes that varied from chrome polish to a set of tires and an expensive helmet.
A little later, we were treated to a Blues Brothers act, very well done with the necessary humor. After that, we had a great time with Jobo's singing.

This Germany Treffen was characterized by a cozy, relaxed atmosphere where everything was organized to perfection by a great team who, I believe, slept 4 hours all week long. And this paid off. All participants felt at ease and enjoyed themselves, thanks to the translation of Colin who interpreted all the speeches and instructions (Colin is Irish born and emigrated to Germany). On Sunday, I arrived home, tired but satisfied, a few pounds heavier and with a very dirty bike. This meeting had really been a top hit as a matter of fact a new standard has been set. Very well done and may thanks again, Orga Team!

Valkyrie Song by Jobo
Ein Lied auf das sch�nste Bike der Welt. Aufgenommen und gesungen von Jobo auf dem Honda-F6C-Treffen 2011 am M�hnesee, Deutschland......
Translated: A song about the best bike in the world. Sung and recorded by Jobo at the meeting.

We owe Heike, Ingrid and Marita big time for great riding, an excellent program, super party and entertainment

Werner died of cerebral hemorrhage while swimming on 10th of May 2011
He was well known and respected throughout the entire VRCC. He was one of the driving forces behind most Meetings including L�ben, Giffin and Brunswick and participated in Inzane and Cheaha.

2014 Dyke Tour
Rides and meetings are not limited to state/country borders, obviously. Adjecent Chapters meet each other regularly. As was the case between Faehre Langel and Lowlands in 2014 and 2015.
Lowlands invited their German Bros for a tour along the River Meuse. It was a great trip until after lunch at the 'Laughing Fish' Restaurant when we were caught by a hell of a thundershower and got soaked to our bones.

In 2015 Faehre Langel took Lowlands to the Eifel for an overnight stay. Beautiful weekend trip that took us to the Biker Treff Haus Waldfrieden in Suhl where the first German meeting was held.

German Riders have a better forecaster, sunshine all over! Bison's bike

We were doing a game of skill, balance and cunning, LOL Put your butt and feet in 2 wobbling beercases that are dangling on a broomstick between 2 chairs.
Hold your balance and wipe away 4 towels off each chairback.

2017 Numbers
According to harrycologne, there were 1209 Valkyrie motorcycles registered in Germany on 1 January 2017.

Jorg stopped over in Wisconsin in between work assignments. It seems that one of his appointments was cancelled due to the fact that it was smack dab in the State of Texas. I guess he felt that it would be a little drier UP NORT.

Here we are during I believe Jorg's first Wisconsin FISH FRY, in an old original Wisconsin Supper Club. The meal is served family style, and all you can eat! It consisted of fried fish, baked fish, fried chicken, french fries, American potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, and German potato salad (Jorg said it wasn't genuine, but we didn't care) A good time was had by all, and no one left hungry.
Saturday consisted of about a 4 to 5-hour ride on the scenic drive through the Kettle Moraine Forrest to and from a nice biker bar that served a great lunch. Jorg borrowed Don and Barb's standard, and they doubled up on their trike. It was fun seeing Jorg, hope he does it again soon.

2018
In an attempt to resolve the different feelings and opinions within the Chapter, VRCC Germany organized a round table conference in March in the town of Suhl. All Valkyrie Riders from Germany as well as representatives from abroad were invited to participate in this meeting. After the very well organized and constructive conference moderated by Hartmut and Andy everyone left the meeting in good spirit

2018 Carmen
In January, Carmen started to organize a new area Chapter in the East.
�I would like to organize regular meetings in our region. I hope I�ll get a lot of support from the Eastern region. To start off, I sent an e-mail to all known bikers in the Eastern region with support from Andy.
Everyone interested, I ask for a short info. I will then, hopefully with a lot of feedback, create a website and set a favorable location for all of us. As I've already said, this is a serious attempt to make something happen�.
Greeting Carmen from Ahrensfelde # 38630

Hartmut - A small but special meeting.
Perhaps you know that we are doing a tour with Colin in Ireland, his birthplace.
He showed us around and we were very impressed by the countryside and , most of all, the friendly people.
I happened to be calling Pascal and he told me that Ronny was crossing the Scottish waters as captain of a navy corvette. Well, I said to myself: "Why not give him a call."
Ronny's answer was: "We can meet in Belfast in two days. I'll tell you where I will dock in the harbor ".
He did not have to say this twice and Colin changed the planning accordingly and we rode to Belfast.

Sad that we already had to say goodbye in the late afternoon. But when I left, I challenged Ronny with the VRCC Coin��bad luck for him, LOL. But he had already offered coffee onboard.
The next day around 6:00 pm, a car pulled up in front of our hotel in Portrush. And guess who was there - Ronny. He stood in the doorway, showing the flag of the VRCC Westfalen. "I still have to pay my debt."

We spent a very nice evening together that started with a meal and lasted until dawn.
Truly amazing to see how being a VRCC member carrying his Challenge Coin can lead to surprises and team spirit abroad.
Again, a big thank you and well done, Westfalen Chapter. On one hand for Ronny who spontaneously arranged the meeting and of course to Colin, who instantly adapted his plan.

1 May 2018 - Andy�s resignation as Country Rep and Rathaus Treasurer.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4820/30986160987_e7602eddbb_o_d.jpg

My dear friends,
I have struggled with my decision, but I see no future for me as State Representative of the VRCC Germany.
It was a great and sometimes hard time, but I look back onto it with good memories.
I will be happy to continue being the link between you and our friends in the USA and maintain the EU Website [url=http://valkyrieriders.eu]http://valkyrieriders.eu[/url] and his Sub Domains in the future
Andy, VRCC #7759

2018 � Kelten Treffen by Mister
One of the 2018 highlights was definitely the �Kelten Treffen� from 18-21 May in Altenburg.

Bison
Hello Mister, dear Celts,
We got home again in good weather and relaxed traffic conditions. Thank you for the great organization of this nice meeting with great excursions into the past. The location, the staff, the program, the rides, everything was excellent. We will certainly talk about this meeting for a long time. And we have learned a lot of new things. Now we know that these tough guys have women who are surprisingly good with guns and rifles, and that ironing with wine is much more fun. Many thanks to all participants for the great spirit and atmosphere.
Lissy and Hartmut

2001
Bob Gibbons, from South Wales UK, purchased a Honda Valkyrie F6C in 1998, Bob had visited Daytona Bike Week in the USA a couple of times and spotted a Valkyrie and thought that that was the Bike for him.
At that time neither Bob nor any of his friends had Home Computers so did not have access to the Internet.
A friend, Ian Jones at that time riding a Kawasaki Vulcan, purchased a Computer for his Business and started searching the Internet, Ian found a Website known as Valkyries Lair and enrolled Bob and himself to the Forum.
On this website there was a Valkyrie Owner from Bristol England, Steve Morrish. Then another Valkyrie Rider, Steve Jones, joined the Forum and he was from Cardiff South Wales, not far from Bob and Ian.
Although we had not met either of them a contact was made.
Ian searched the Internet and found a Website, �Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club� (V.R.C.C ), and enrolled Bob into the Club, the enrollment form for Membership to the Club required a User Name or �Handle�
Ian entered� BobbieValk�, Bob Gibbons from then on was known as Bobbievalk.
Ian purchased a Valkyrie Interstate, and soon after The Valkyries Lair Website closed.

Ian began searching the Internet for Chrome Accessories and found a dealer, called Chris, who was setting up a business selling Parts & Accessories. This Business soon became Honda Direct Line.
Bob and Ian were attending Daytona Bike Week in March that year, 2001, and arranged to meet Chris to get accessories.
Bob had his own computer by now and started communicating with American V.R.C.C members, Ian and Bob made contact with Lamont Bryden, one of the Founder Members of the V.R.C.C and they all arranged to meet at Daytona

At Daytona we were encouraged by Lamont starting the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club United Kingdom Chapter.
We had his blessing and support for our venture the VRCC UK , so that's when it all began .
On our return to the UK Ian set about opening our first VRCC UK Website and his �Handle� became �La Prez�.
http://web.archive.org/web/20010516211015/http://vrccuk.co.uk

We had not met any other Valkyrie riders at this time but we had email addresses from the two Steve�s, Morrish and Jones , and others we had found. It was then decided we advertise our first ride out, this was to the Forest Of Dean in Gloucestershire England. We arranged to meet at The Forest of Dean Steam Railway.

We had around nine Valkyries turn up and here we all met for the first time, the rest as they say is history.
Soon we had more members joining us, some at that time did not have Valkyries but soon they realized how good a motorcycle the Valkyrie was and it wasn't long before they purchased their own.
In those early days of VRCC UK it was nothing to have around 18 Valkyries out on a Sunday ride and we rode most Sundays. We started going abroad for weekend trips and holidays as a group, here we met other Valkyrie Riders and VRCC Clubs throughout Europe, we met good friends and I am proud to say they all remained good friends to this day.

2003
September 2003 was to be our turn to organize VRCC UK's first event, VRCC UK Euromeet, it was held at the Holiday Inn in Newport South Wales, this was a super event, the weather was kind in as much we had a mini heat wave, our Italian Friends brought with them heavy sweaters to keep out the UK cold, but it was warmer in Wales than it was in Milan for that weekend.

2005
It was our second Euromeet this time in Carmarthen and another great event held in South Wales, by now our Club Membership had grown. In 2007 it was The Lakes, held in The Lake District Cumbria, a taste of Northern England for our intrepid travelers from across Europe, and I'm sure they were not disappointed.

2008
We had The Meeting of Friends Aberporth West Wales , this time a smaller event than held before but we enjoyed it so much we went back again to Aberporth for The Meeting of Friends The Return in 2009.
Members from VRCC UK attended most European Events, and got to know a host of other Valkyrie Owners across Europe, many of which remain friends to this day.
2011 saw the 10 Year Anniversary of VRCC UK , the first celebration was The Midlands Bash at East Carlton Park Northamptonshire in August , then in September it was the big 10 Year Party Event The Meeting of Friends in Llangollen, North Wales .

VRCC UK members over the years have attended many Motorcycle Shows and have won a host of Awards at these Events and continue promoting our Club at as many Events as we can attend .

2014
In June 2014 it was the VRCCUK's turn to Host the 8th European Inzane. This Event was held at The Hinckley Island Hotel Leicestershire England. We had participants from all over Europe and 3 from the USA.
There were two Ride outs; the 1st was on the Friday to Bruntingthorpe Airfield for a BBQ and our guests had the chance to have their Bikes photographed alongside Cold War Jets. The 2nd Ride out on the Saturday was to The Heritage Motor Museum at Gaydon.

Northern meet Video by Steve Dee
Panaramic of around 20 Valks standing outside Quality Hotel near Selby on the night before the Great Northern Meet 2014.
Filmed by a novice using a potatoe... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTh93LJiw5c&feature=youtu.be

Although we have lost some Members through the years, VRCC UK still flourishes and continues friendship with other VRCC Clubs and Members throughout Europe and USA

Beer's Trip Report
We arrived the day before, on Wednesday. There was already a lot of activity going on at the Holiday Inn. Ian was there with his RV and trailer and giving his last instructions. The next day some 80 Valkyries arrived.
I was struck by the number of customized bikes. I�d never seen so many before; it was a beautiful sight. Marvin from Eurowing attended, this time without Sean, his mechanic was sick.

You know how it is with these bloody tourists from the continent, after a great day and party, they start to get inventive and open up the hotel indoor swimming pool at 2 o� clock in the morning

After a warm welcome dinner and night, we rode a local tour of 160 km. with 70 Valkyries. The Wx was very nice and after leaving Newport, everyone could enjoy the narrow, curvy roads with hedges on both sides. (�or stone walls, you can never tell), so typical of the Welsh countryside. Sparsely populated in rolling terrain with lots of monuments, sheep and scenery. It did not take much imagination to visualize the myths and sagas of King Arthur. On a hillside, which showed a lot of similarities with the surroundings of a 'Braveheart' set, a break was entered. After that, the journey continued to the Brecon Railway Station that was serviced by a steam train during the season. Because the electricity went out, lunch had to be picked up in the dark station, LOL. That evening we were welcomed by a typical English variety program, inspired by humor and action. We were welcomed by the mayor of Newport. After a performance of an elderly, yet highly frivolous men's choir, accompanied by the well-known school tart behind the piano, a series of acts were performed. Silvano had to endure Pete's (more danger) whip and ended up with vibrating legs and dripping wet. Then followed another swirling show with a dancer on the lazy string and a very original act with ladies who had to inflate a balloon without hands and feet, followed by a balloon artist. The evening went on with a DJ and lasted until the late hours. As mentioned earlier, at 2:00 AM, the indoor swimming pool was rediscovered where the party went on.

This man crawled into a balloon Lady with chainsaw Pete making Silvano sweat with his whip

The next day, another ride out was done, now with the Italians aboard as well because they arrived on Friday afternoon. We stopped at the Chepstow Castle, where a complete Welsh and English army from the thirteenth century was engaged in battle.
An authentic spectacle, consisting of hundreds of people who were completely transformed and wearing heavy costumes, coats of mail, armor and shields.
Due to the sunny and warm weather, most warriors (all athletes) in the surrounding tents were completely exhausted and taken care of by appropriately dressed ladies. I noticed something that I did not realize before. All these men, wearing some 100 lbs. of clothes and armor simply fell down on the ground from exhaustion after 15 minutes of heavy fighting. Completely drained of energy and easy meat for the opponent. Of course, all kinds of souvenirs were for sale and some steel helmets soon changed ownership to Valkyrie Riders.

On Saturday evening, the organization presented itself and a raffle was held with very nice prizes. The evening continued with a super blues band, the sound and lead singer�s voice reminded me of Alvin Lee of Ten Years After. Needless to say, we had a great time at the party. The Euromeet has been perfect. A good location, beautiful surroundings, nice weather and many ride outs all contributed to this great experience.
I have had a splendid time. The UK organizers have put their stamp firmly on the VRCC map with this Euromeet

Riding through the Welsh countryside�very impressive and spectacular for a flatlander like me

$\\$

See how hot it was, our hosts took their bike Great Party Constructing a bike from balloons
for a spin with just their boots on

2005 - Carmarthen
The second Euromeet at Carmarthen and another great event held in Wales.

2007 � The Lakes
Meeting at the Lakes, held in The Lake District Cumbria, a taste of Northern England.

Stef (Belgium) handing Valhalla over to Bob (UK)

The Preseli Hills in West Wales where the Blue Stones to build Stonehenge came from. Some believe that Stonehenge was built there first then after some disaster moved to where it is now.

2010 Newspaper article
A farmer who pursued a group of off-road motorcyclists after they rode on his land killed one of them when his Land Rover Discovery toppled on to him after a collision. Timothy Wolfe, 63, went after the group of five bikers when he saw them cross his field in October 2010. Wolfe had had problems with off-road bikers before and was �upset and angry� about them being on his land and he pursued them so he could �remonstrate� with them. He collided with one of the bikes, leading to the death of father-of-one Gary Greaves formerly from Portsmouth who later moved to Arundel, West Sussex. Wolfe, from Sunwood Farm, Ditcham, near Petersfield, denies the manslaughter of Mr. Greaves and causing actual bodily harm to another rider, Andrew Kirkpatrick, by wanton and furious driving. The group had been taking part in an activity called green laning but had become lost. They had gone across the field of stubble owned by Wolfe to try to find another route, but found it blocked and so the men went back. They then turned on to a muddy track with Wolfe behind. The farmer collided with Mr. Kirkpatrick who in turn collided with his friend Mr. Greaves, 48, on another trial bike. The Land Rover toppled over on to Mr. Greaves, pinning him under the vehicle.
Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-17198054 and https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/crime/farmer-denies-manslaughter-of-motorbike-rider-1-3546341
Sadly to say the Court found him not guilty of the charges against him. We in the VRCC UK are disgusted by this verdict.

2011 Beer - Gary Greaves Memorial Run
Gary lost his life in a tragic accident. He was a kind person, true friend, had sense of humor and charisma. Being an active Rider, he had friends all over Europe. On Saturday, August 20th 2011, a memorial ceremony and ride-out was organized in Arundel, West Sussex in honor of his memory. On behalf of VRCC Lowlands, Stefan, Sophie, Gerard, Jenneke, Lisanne, Jos� and Beer paid their respect. In Arundel, Stefan showed us the chapel where Gary was laid down and people could pay their last respect.

When we arrived at the Hilton hotel, we were warmly welcomed by our UK friends. Pete and Ian with their spouses were present as well. Jos� had taken a flight and stayed overnight at Carol�s place. There were 45 Valkyries at the hotel.
The next morning, Bobbie had arranged a photographer and everyone�s picture was taken before we went to Portsmouth.

As a former member of the Royal Navy, Gary once had dinner with his guests on board HMS Victory, the flagship of Lord Nelson.
So, a small ceremony was held and pictures of the Valkyries were taken in front of the tall ship.

After this impressive stop, we continued to Portchester Castle where the remembrance service of Gary took place. In the cemetery of the church under a tree, a clergywoman took the floor and flowers were laid down under the tree in Gary�s memory.
A very emotional moment, even more so by the clergywoman dressed in a white robe standing in the shade of this centuries-old tree between the tombstones. At certain places you get the feeling that you stand at a somehow mystical, sacred place that has been there forever. This was one of those moments.

After the ceremony we headed for a nearby hillside where you could oversee the Solent and the city. We proceeded on a ride out through the hills of Hampshire and Sussex as Gary would have wanted it. In the evening, 150 relatives and friends of Gary had assembled for dinner where Gary�s Valkyrie was also parked at the entrance. I admired Carol for her courage to give a speech and taking care of presenting raffles for the cancer fund.
Pete (more danger) with his whip gave a whirling show, breaking in halves something that Stefan had between his legs. At 22:00, we enjoyed the show of a true Elvis imitator with an amazingly identical voice. He made us feel like we were in Vegas in 70�s. Soon, people were dancing on the tunes of Elvis� many famous songs. Bad luck for the ladies however; this Elvis did not wiggle his hips LOL. After dinner, we sat down on the terrace for a chat. The following morning, we said goodbye to Carol, Bob and our other English friends and rode back across the winding roads to the ferry at Dover.
I am glad we had the opportunity to pay our respect and be witness of this emotional memorial run. Gary, you will always be in our heart.

Beer - Llangollen Meeting of Friends 2011
No less than 13 Benelux members left for this meeting from 8 to 10 September to celebrate the 10th anniversary of VRCC Wales. On Wednesday we met Stefan, Gerard and Jenneke and other Gerard at a gas station on the HWY A2 and later on HWY A15 Henny and Janni joined us. Martien and Clemy followed by car. They took Johan and Annemiek along. Finally, Robert joined us in Rotterdam. We booked the ferry to Hull and it turned out to be a great evening, especially since Colin, Ingrid and Jobo from Germany were also on board. The next day we rode to Llangollen, a very nice trip of about 320 km inland. We were warmly welcomed at the hotel Bryn Howel by Bobbie and other English friends.
In the evening an informative 'Road Safety' presentation was given by the North Wales police.
On Friday we rode to Llanberis in the Snowdonia National Park, one of the larger attractions in Wales with a 'Mountain Railway' including steam locomotive and the Lake Railway as well as the Electric Mountain and a slate museum
You could also take a walk to the Llanberis pass and the town of Nant Peris with an old church and well. There was a tale, dating from the 19th century, stating that if disabled people saw the two holy fish in the pit, healing would instantly follow.
Some 25 of the 50 Valkyries stayed in Llanberis and the rest rode with Bob for an additional trip. On the way back we passed through the 'Horseshoe Pass' with a beautiful view of the landscape and the Ponderosa Ranch.
That evening wearing 'Funny Shoes' was mandatory. After an excellent dinner, prizes were awarded and we danced to the music of 'The Whole Hogg', a live cover band. During the break the Benelux members performed a sketch and song and our hosts also provided a sketch in the form of a clairvoyant, who had to stop prematurely because he only mentioned seeing dirty minds and erotic activities, LOL.
On Saturday we rode together to the hills, lakes, peat bogs and sheep. Crossing the horseshoe pass and the Nant-Y-Garth pass we visited Ruthin and Llyn Brenig, where an artificial lake was constructed in 1976 as a drinking water reservoir. We continued along scenic Mynydd Hireathog and the Denbigh Lakes to Ffestiniog, the slate capital of Wales. During WW2, all paintings, works of art and crown jewels of among others, Buckingham Palace were safely stored here in a mine.
Unfortunately, Gerard slided on a paved country road and his Interstate ended up against one of the stone walls along the road. Except for a bruised ankle Gerard was fine; his Interstate on the other hand, had a broken screen and a dent in the tank. This caused some delay because the bike had to be checked and his screen taped in. By the time Gerard and his Interstate could ride again, we took a shortcut to the hotel.
That evening the 10th anniversary was celebrated with another live band 'Morty & the Frantics'.
After a copious dinner, speeches were given and some people ended up in the spotlight. Benelux received a beautiful souvenir plaque and Celtic ornament and Beer was given a handy bag to store his passport (since he constantly couldn�t find the document during the crossing).
Stefan was offered a sheep from Wales (he preferred the Belgian specimen) and Gerard was given a present for his bad luck and given the nickname 'Stonewall' Gerard. Bobbie in return received a nice souvenir for his great hospitality. The evening ended with the usual drinks and fun till the bar closed at about 2 o'clock.
The next morning, we thanked Bobbie and his crew for this excellent meeting and hospitality.
On the way back we paid an overnight visit to Tony and Dianne in Newport. U2 are simply the best.
Back on the ferry we had a nice & calm return trip and after saying good-bye, everyone went home on Thursday.
The Meeting of Friends 2011 was characterized by a nice spirit and cozy atmosphere, great rides through a beautiful landscape and for Wales, reasonably good weather (here and there a light shower but nothing of any significance).
The hotel manager was so impressed by the meeting that he gladly offered to make his hotel available again in July 2012. Bobbie accepted this offer so the next Meeting in Wales was pinned down straight away

In 2012 the first Event was The Donyatt Ding Dong together with the Big Six Club in Donyatt Sommerset, then back to Llangollen once more for The Olympic Event, this time it was held in July, another great weekend spent with friends. August Dragons in The Park Transport Gala at East Carlton Park Northampton where rain almost stopped play but all enjoyed themselves none the less and VRCCUK hosted a Club Stand again at The West Wales Motorcycle Show in Carmarthen we won best Club Stand and numerous Prizes for our bikes on show. Later in the year VRCCUK hosted a Club Stand at the BMF Tail End Show Peterborough again Best Club Stand, you can't beat these Valkyries

Tony was a part of the VRCCUK from its infancy and had a big role to play within the Club
He had a knack of welcoming New Members in an entertaining although sometimes peculiar way
He made everyone feel at home within the Valkyrie Club
So many of our members have said it was Tony and Dianne who were the first to make them welcome into our midst and they will always be thankful to both of them for the warmth and friendship they received
Always willing to lend a hand at VRCC Events, Tony enjoyed Testing new Routes and Riding the many Back Roads with The Gang although not all of Bob's Back Roads
On Rideout's He was always there helping to herd us all together and ensuring no one was left behind
He was humorous and enjoyed teasing people and making fun of the situations we found ourselves in
and there were many funny situations we found ourselves in
Tony will never be forgotten
He was , and will always be , a part of VRCC UK
And as we Ride Today , and in the Future , we will not Ride alone
Tony will always be in your Rear View Mirror Riding beside you

2013 Torquay
2013 Started with The 3rd Great Northern Meet in April, we returned to The Lake District and as luck would have it the weather was kind to us, it snowed the weeks before but cleared just in time. Return of The Mac's London Tour as the name suggests we toured London in the capable hands of our Tour Guide Dave Mac, a spectacle to behold as the Valks descended on London on a sunny April Saturday. The Donyatt Ding Dong was again in May and another great weekend. June saw the Summer Solstice Run and some of us went to Raalte in The Netherlands for the Benelux Weekend. August was Dragons in The Park in Corby, a good Ride out and as usual another great Event. The Welsh Lads had a Club Stand at The West Wales Motorcycle Show at Carmarthen, again taking Best Club Stand and other Awards. This year�s Hi Lite was held at Torquay, we had Dragons on The Moor Ride through Dartmoor and a Custom Show was held for us on the Sea Front, another successful weekend with Friends. Mick Manchester Hosted a Ride to France in October and before we knew it the year had ended.

Beer - Torquay Trip Report
A meeting in Torquay was organized by VRCC UK from 12-14 September 2013. This beautiful coastal location in Devon is also known as the English Riviera.
The Imperial Hotel with its bay view was completely styled in the days when Agatha Christie had lived here.

...well, almost

Thursday afternoon we arrived at the Imperial Hotel. Bobbie was already standing by to open the barrier of the large parking garage and it was nice to see him again. He immediately dragged us along, we had to see the latest water-cooled Harley Davidson Electra he has gotten a hold on the very last minute. The bike was supposed to be officially released in the UK a day later. So we had an early scoop.
Theo and Trees from Noord Holland were already at the bar and gradually some 200 plus Riders were checking in. I enjoyed meeting friends again and it was nice to see so many Riders show up at the bar.
After a couple of drinks, we went to the reception where Leita, Sue and Dianne gave us a warm welcome and the usual info and tickets. In the same room, people were displaying parts and chrome accessories that were offered for sale. In the evening there was a buffet and disco. Bobbie had, as usual, spent a lot of work in next day�s route and gave a presentation of a number of historical points on the route that we would pass by. The atmosphere was great and became even better after seeing more friends and a few more drinks, LOL.
In the meantime, Anthony & Lonny, Collin & Ingrid, Robert & Antoinette, Jos & Yvonne and Stefan had also arrived.
The following morning, some hundred Valkyries left for Dartmoor together and the route took us to a remote area where a maximum-security prison was located. We visited the nearby museum and were briefed that this prison was founded in Napoleonic times to accommodate French prisoners of war.

We used lunch at the 'Two Bridges' hotel in an environment that reminded me of the 'Hound of the Baskerville'. At about 16:00 PM we were back in the hotel and many bikes were cleaned and polished by a number of participants because they would participate in a 'custom show' on the promenade the next day to collect money for a charity fund, the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
During the cleaning, TV interviews were recorded by two journalists under training and that gave me a chance to brag about our wonderful machines, the Club and its Riders. But that was nothing compared to what Colin �Ulsterman� Kirkpatrick had to say later on. I really got the impression that he loves his bike equally, if not more than his wife, LOL.
That evening, dinner was in Agatha Christie style and everyone was dressed up accordingly. We had a jolly time pretending to be someone different. Very funny. Later that evening, there was a spectacular cabaret show from Francis, a juggler and of course Pete 'more danger' with his whip. Sam also sang some nice and sensitive songs to the audience. You�re simply the best, Sam.

Because it was great weather, Stefan and I decided not to join the static show on Saturday but take a ride through the area. The ride was very exciting with countless, practically extinct paved curved roads with the well-known stone walls. We ordered something for lunch, called a 'Scottish egg' with 'ale chutney'. It turned out to be a meatball with a boiled egg in it and it tasted very good.
That evening it was ladies� night and all the ladies had put themselves in evening dresses. WOW, I was astonished how well these ladies were dressed up, considering it all had to come out of a hardbag.
There was a very nice raffle and a lot of prizes were given away. I was so fortunate to win free accommodation at the hotel, where Inzane 8 would be held the following year.
After a very nice dinner we went to the dance floor, accompanied by music from a live band, 'Thick as Thieves' who played covers from the '70s and '80s. Needless to say, the evening went on until the early hours. The next morning, we said goodbye and made a nice return trip together with Jack and JJ and we were invited to stay for the night at John�s place in Southampton. Torquay 2013 was a fabulous Meeting, extremely well organized and incorporated everything a Rider can wish for. Very well done!

VRCC Torquay 2013 - ride out on the 13th of September by Bobbievalk
Start of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club (VRCC UK) Friday ride out from the Imperial hotel, Torquay. The destination was a tour around Dartmoor, with stops for lunch at Two-Bridges and a visit to the museum of the notorious Dartmoor prison in Princetown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlt-Ci43IBo and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS-PK6bEeJo&feature=youtu.be

The Winner of The Room Raffle for Inzane 8 - Beer & Cynthia from the Netherlands

I drink to that�. Thanks Bob. We had a wonderful time in Torquay and enjoyed every moment of it. Great organization, company, show, tour and much more.
Please, pass my gratitude to all the other folks of your team who helped out. First time I won a prize at a lottery since 1971, LOL

Hi, I will be supporting France at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Saturday, Do you think my dress is OK?
I am not wishing to offend my Friends, but this is how many in the UK think Frenchmen look, it�s just for a bit of fun and may upset a few Welshmen... Apologies for the Basque Beret but it�s all I had.

Red and black always goes together well as does lipstick and stockings. At the top of Honister Pass..
looking towards Buttermere

2015 again the first Event was The 5th Great Northern Meet, hosted again by our Northern Crew this year it was held at The Ibis Chesterfield North and the Ride out took us through the Derbyshire Dales. Our guys did us proud with the organization and stunning scenery of the Dales. It was May and The Donyatt Ding Dong in Somerset, hosted by Mick Ions a popular Event this with a chance to get your tents out. June some of our Members travelled to France for the 9th European Inzane, another great Event and a chance to ride in the French Alps.
August and it was Jim Stewart's turn to Host the Annual Dragons in The Park Event at Corby, again well attended and another successful event and a favorite with our members.
September it was VRCCUK on The Cliff's Edge, held at The Cliff Hotel in Cardigan West Wales participants enjoyed the spectacular Welsh Coast and Pembrokeshire. Entertainment was endured by Guests as Members performed on a Country Music and Fancy-Dress Night.

Copdock Bike Show.
October, Dave �Zorba� Martin organized a Club Stand at The Copdock Motorcycle Show. The spectacular VRCC UK Club Stand was a real attraction at this great Event and plans are in motion to attend next year�s Show
�OK Brother's & Sisters, here is an update on the Copdock Bike Show.
Date; Sunday 4th October Venue; Trinity Park Ipswich
I have formally applied to the committee for a club stand this year, it will be the first time for us to appear, other members have been to the show and thought we should start to have a presence here to show the world the beauty that is the "Valkyrie"

Ingrid
After 3 super days in Wales based in Carnaerfon and led by our outstanding Roadmaster Stef, who showed us some beautiful places and also made our way into Gloucester a great ride out and very nice adventure. Our VRCC UK friends gave us a warm welcome on our arrival in the Hallmark Hotel. They always let us feel at home straight away. The hotel rooms were super, the food was good and the staff very friendly. The Thursday evening was a nice catching up with old and new friends. On Friday Ken showed us the nice area around Gloucester and of course the funny dress evening with a lot of laughing and Bob was actually playing his base guitar with the band. Great night lots of fun.
The Saturday ride out was a bit rainy and as usual Bob did his best to find the dirtiest roads and river crossings LOL. We had the lunch break at the historical train station in Toddington. In the evening after the good meal the lottery was picked, prices were given out and the very special one (exhausted cup) is sitting now underneath my TV. It was all over far too quick and we are looking forward to meet again next year.

Thank you Jobo to come all the way from Germany and the Illustrious Diamond Geezer from Spain, good to see you Geoff.

Beer - Llandrindod Wells Trip Report
On Tuesday I had an RV with Stefan, Colin and Ingrid at the Kruibeke gas station. We continued to Ypres for the Last Post Last Post For those who have never been to Ypres, this is the place where in 14-18 the German military advance against France stagnated. Here, hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been killed in and around the trenches in 4 major battles. Out of respect for the fallen and as a reminder to what war can lead, this daily ceremony has been held here ever since, for hundred years now. We also spent the night there in a B & B.
It was very nice and sunny weather and it would remain like that during the whole weekend, even in Wales!
On Wednesday we took the 11:45 Ferry from Calais to Dover and arrived in England an hour earlier. Stefan had a very nice route this time and we used secondary roads into the English landscape. Because we were with 4 bikes only, were able to keep a nice pace on the winding country roads. It was pure enjoyment.
We stopped at the 18 locks of Caen Hill and continued to Marlborough where we stayed for the night in a restored Manor House. As it turned out, we ended up in the middle of a cavalry tank range (at that time not active). After having an English breakfast, we rode to Bristol and stopped at the Newport Transporter Bridge This river crossing dated 1906, consisted of a platform where a dozen cars could park and be hoisted over the river by means of a cable construction. There are only a handful of these built worldwide. For a few pounds we were allowed to go up and down with the Valks. Really amazing, as with the locks, to see what sophisticated engeneering could produce after the industrial revolution. From there on we went into the hills of Wales to Llandrindod Wells. A small village 'In the middle of nowhere'.
We were warmly welcomed by Bobbie, Leita and Diana and it did not take long before we had a nice 'pint' of lager and diggin'up memories with our 50 other friends. It felt like being part of a large family. Very cozy and casual. Our hotel was dressed up in Victorian style and the rooms fully modernized. After dinner we danced with Colin 'Ulsterman' as DJ.
On Friday everyone could take a route by themselves and we followed Stef, our roadmaster into the hills of Wales. He showed us a lonely rock from the glacial period on one of the hilltops. The story goes that this rock was erected there 3000 years ago by the prehistorical locals and it is said that people have seen the giant rock move to the nearby river on midsummernight. That's nice about Wales. We would have said that it was a remain of the glacier period. Since it stands up erect and by it's own, in Wales a myth or tale must be attached to it. Absolutely great. And it makes sense too in this desolated area with tombstones and stonehenges of days long forgotten. We proceeded for a beautiful ride through the sunny Elan valley. Absolutely astonishing.
That evening we enjoyed another typical English dinner and Bobbie and a guitarist from his band went onstage . It was the first time that they performed together like that and they played a mix of Country & Western and Blues. Very nice indeed and you could tell that they have done this many times in the past. They sounded like professionals and we loved the repertoire.
On Saturday, a nice ride was made with over 25 bikes to the 'Lion' Pub for lunch. This location is beautifully situated by a river with an historic bridge.
In the evening a DJ played music and lottery prizes were handed out. Also the 'Exhausted Cup' trophy was shown that has been in use since 2008. This trophy is awarded every year to a participant of the MOF who has had some sort of misfortune.

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2008
Tony & Dianne �STELVIO PASS�
For falling off on The Stelvio Pass Italy

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2009
Steve B & Glynis �SOOTY�
While cleaning chimney wondered why the wood sheet was blocking the chimney on removing said sheet got covered in soot , ongoing to another room finding another sheet , removed that and got covered in soot yet again !

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2010
Leita Juster �HOT PERSUIT�
Whilst riding her Valk on A40, she was passed by a Black Car full of Men who immediately re passed her , She wasn't having that , She overtook yet again passing the Car at speed , presumed to be 80mph the Black Car then put on its Blue Flashing Lights
It was a Police High Speed Driving Training Car full of Policemen

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2011
Gerard �STONEWALL GERARD�
Whist Marshalling at a VRCCUK Event in Llangollen North Wales , skidded on grass and ran into a Stone Wall

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2012
Cormac & Penny O'Keefe �FRANKFURT FINALE�
Whist on their very first European Trip on their Interstate , had a puncture on the Autoroute in Frankfurt Germany , had to spend extra days in Germany sorting the repair

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2013
Stuart & Julie Marsden �DRAGONS IN THE PARK�
Whilst parking his Valkyrie at Dragons In The Park , Stuart skidded on grass and dropped the bike , deciding it wasn't safe for Julie to ride her bike on the grass moved it for her and duly fell off that one too

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2014
Jim Stewart �FIRE FLY TANK�
Nearly caught his bike on fire in garage , draining fuel tank & after Painting Tank decided to he did not like colour so Re Painted , whilst polishing after the Re Paint He dropped the Tank on the floor leaving it with a big dent, Also for painting the Fly to it

EXHAUSTED CUP WINNER 2015
Shaun John �HORNY STARTER�
Trying to start his Valk with the Horn Switch on the Rideout for The Cliff's Edge

EXHAUSTED CUP Winner 2016
Colin Kirkpatrick INGRID'S RADIATOR
Colin washed Ingrid�s Bike at Inzane X, found a leak in the radiator, dismantled radiator
then drove from Houffalize to Maastricht to have it fixed at a Dealers. Dealer couldn't find a fault.
Said it was probably too much Rain and the Bike Wash which made it appear to be faulty

EXHAUSTED CUP Winner 2017
Tiger Bob - Bobbievalk tyred out & lost
On the way to Meeting of Friends had a rear puncture and an electrical fault Rac. Recovered Bike to Baz Bikes for repair , Baz ,shop owner, lent Bob his Triumph Tiger. Bob duly fell off it ! ALSO For getting lost on The Welsh Hills whilst Leading The Rideout

EXHAUSTED CUP Winner 2018
Dirk 'Snowwhite' Vosters
Left the gas station in Llandrindod Wells without his wife, Josette who went to the washroom. Did not notice any difference.

On Sunday we said goodbye to our English/Welsh friends and took secondary country roads through Wales and the Midlands to Harwich. On the way we stopped at a Pub for lunch. As is turned out, we stopped in the middle of a roadster and classic sports car event. Just great and what a beautiful sight. After a quiet ferry crossing we said goodbye in Hoek van Holland and returned home, tired but very satisfied. It had been a great week. We have had the opportunity to put some really nice miles on the bike in the hills of Wales every day.
I want to thank our Roadmaster Stef for the way he showed us around. Just super, Stef!
And Bobbie and his crew for the great event and nice company by everyone. You're simply the Best!

A small group of UK members proceeded on a different path with the Valkyrie Owners Club, launched in January 2016 by Mick Manchester and Dave �Zorba� Martin.
During the spring, Dave and Mick toured the majority of Chapters on the continent to explain their POV and promote their Club.
They were full of plans for the future. Just after having finished his 2500-mile tour through Europe, Dave was told he had incurable cancer and only a few months to live. His funeral was held October 13th at 15:00 PM.

Editor's Note
Strictly spoken, the VOC does not belong in this VRCC History. As is the case with the VOAI, Colorado's High Country Cruisers, Crossroads Bikerorden and other Valkyrie groups.
I decided to make an exception for two reasons:

1. The frontrunners of this group have always been very active and loyal VRCC members in the past, both in the saddle and on trhe forums.
2. The tragic loss of Dave (Zorba) Martin.

Rest in Peace Dave (Zorba) Martin
Mick
It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce David (Zorba) Martin, true Brother and Vice Chairman and founding member of the Valkyrie Owners Club has passed away after a short battle with Cancer.
There are so many clich�s I could spout, I won�t because none of them would be sufficient to let those who didn't know Dave know how great a man he was, a true humanist and a true Gentleman.
Until we meet again Brother, always in our hearts.
Our thought and condolences to his lovely Wife Cyndi and family.

Mickmanchester�s Blog 2011-2017 Very nice and informative blog
I first started blogging as a way to keep in touch while I toured the USA in 2007 on my motorbike, enjoyed the story telling so much I continued posting when I returned to the UK.
http://mickmanchester.blogspot.com/2011/

Editor's Note
I would like to thank Alain Latourneur for assisting me with VRCC France.

VRCC France was born in November 2001. Since summer is the best time for meetings, we arranged our first France meeting during that period of the next year in Valence, in the south of France.
We went to "Pic" (One of the most famous restaurants in France) for the occasion. We will meet again in Paris on September 14th: a stroll and a dinner are on the program. Have fun and ride freely ...

2010 to 2103
A period with joint Presidents : The Pirate - John - Yann - Jean - Nico - Rene - Fifi Legnat.
Webmaster: Nico

Since 2014
Split responsibilities by capacity.
Ambassador: Fifi Legnat.
Moderator and responsible for the map of France CrazyValk members: Grand Lu - -
Web Master: Nico
Administrator of the site: Clyde

2003
Some early pics from Loups Noirs de C�te Bretonne de pl�neuf Val-Andr�
(HOG) Party at Papagayo
What a night. It was raining, our ladies were drinking, but we won the leather jacket.

Evreux Meeting
Always fun at the rally in Evreux, with a little film and more !

Les Dinantais avec les Dinannais
They came in great numbers, these Belgians ... And what a beautiful ride we had, led by the Armorians ! Pure happiness, with a nice visit to the automobile museum

2005 Tom - Gorge du Tarn
Here is a short summary of the weekend for members who could not attend.
On Thursday, 5 bikes took the road direction "Saint Rome de Dolan", a small village of Aveyron located between Millau and Sainte-Enimie above the Gorge du Tarn.
After getting to know each other, parking the bikes and settling in the rooms, the evening did not get too long given the distances covered and the travel time of each one.
Present were Jacques (Cogolin, 83, California), Mac Do (Nancy, 54), John & Isa (Bordeaux, 33), Michou & Sylvie (Lyon, 69) and we; Tom & Mag!
On Friday we woke up overlooking the river and relatively early for all (maybe thanks to the warning of Jacques for the makeup of our ladies!) After breakfast, everyone was ready for the meeting so we left a little earlier towards S�verac le Ch�teau (meeting point with Franck, Isa, Bernard and Line).
We took time to drink a coffee and make a group photo before finding future "Corsicans".

After this moment, we entered the A75 to cross the viaduct of Millau and now Mag will be responsible for taking pictures when we ride.

Everything goes well while in the opposite direction a vehicle has crashed perpendicular to the central rail !
To cover the distance, we were not taking much notice of the landscape which we would trespass later in the day. The timing was adhered to and at noon we arrived at the restaurant where Gilles and Cathy (Toulouse, 31) joined us.

The meal was typical for the region, served quickly as requested and it allowed us to talk a bit, share adventures and getting to know other Riders better. I must say that in Thursday's group, 4 out of 8 people had made it to US Route 66 so they made us drool.
It took Franck, Isa, Bernard and Line 14 hours to travel towards the south where we will visit the region.
We took the direction of Albi to head to Millau (the city) and pass under this impressive work ... not easy to find a place to take the picture with the viaduct in the background and only after having crossed the bridge we find a place from where the (previopus page) photo was taken.
Next, we rode in the direction of Vigan on a nice little road in the Gorges de la Dourbe and then back on the Causses not far from Mount Aigoual (gla gla) on random small winding roads with very few traffic.
After an hour, we replenished ourselves in a small inn in the middle of nowhere. I was unable to find it on a map.
We coninued to the cave of Dargilan to do a little exercise (121 steps down and then back with the leather gear and headphones from Mac Donalds given the height of the ceiling!) We visited the beautiful and memorable cave for an hour. After this hour, we rehydrated ourselves in a small inn lost somewhere and that I will be unable to find (it was not in the program on the road book).

In the morning we filled up to save time. At 10:00 everyone is ready and after aligning the motorcycles for a photo, we descend into the Gorge duTarn at a reduced pace and in beautiful sunshine Wx we follow the River Tarn crossing small picturesque villages.
We enjoyed these beautiful landscapes (do not forget to look for the road, LOL) A photo stop on the outskirts of Sainte-Enimie and Gus is putting on his short sleeves for the rest of the trip.
At a quarter to 12, we arrived at the restaurant and parked the motorcycles in this busy little town. The restaurant is a nice surprise! In addition to a warm welcome, we were served as princes with succulent dishes... we wonder if we can make it back on the road again. Everyone had a copious meal and leaves �L�Auberge du Moulin� with a delighted feeling. Certainly worth a recommendation.
We proceeded to Florac with a slightly higher pace and pleasant temperatures.In Florac we started to climb to cross Les Causses on a deserted road, just accessible by motorcycle because of its width! In the meantime overlooking the gorge, we admired all these rock formations and landscapes. We spent two hours just to cross 55 km and at 16:30 we arrived at the dragons scenery stop. This stop was appreciated by all and the video movies of these raptors were very interesting. During our tour, there was a lot of laughter! Thirsty, we returned to the center to take a shower before the evening. Behind some nice drinks and dishes at the cold buffet with the right music playing, all conditions were met for a nice evening that started right away with a toast and anecdotes. We continued getting to know each better and all enjoyed �finally� meeting each other in person. Messages on the Forum will now be different between us. We thought about the people who did not participate and will likely leave the VRCC.
In between two stories of Alain we filled our stomach with food and drinks and had a cozy and meaningful evening. At 2 :00 AM we decided it�s time to go to bed.

2006 - 16 and 17 September 2006 : Nationale � 27000 Evreux / 36 Riders.
Organized by Tom, VRCC president

Patrick Maill� - Gorge du Verdon Video � Spectacular Canyon
Altitude 1500 m during ride through les Gorges du Verdon May 2006

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlsvu

2008 TDM � Terres Du Milieu � 63000 Clermont Ferrand / 123 participants.
Organisation by FiFi Legnat

TDC - Terres Des Ch�taignes � 07510 Saint Cirgues en Montagne : 65 participants
Organisation - Alain/Fifi/Franck92/Le Outard}
http://vrcc-france.com/tdc/index.html

2015 INZANE France - Dragons dans les Alpes � 74120 Praz Sur Arly � 280 participants.
Organisation Alain/Fifi/Franck92/Le Outard
http://vrcc-france.com/inzane2015/index.html

2018 Terre du Beaujolais � 69910 Vill� Morgon : 62 participants
Organisation Michel/Fifi/Franck92/Le Outard

Like many of his countrymen, Colin traded in the wet English climate for a sunny residence in Denia, Spain.
In 2009 he started a VRCC Chapter which has been slowly but steadily growing to over 26 members by 2010. As a token of appreciation, he received a Spanish VRCC flag from oZ.

Editor�s Note
Although the Spanish Mediterranean coastal areas are ideal for year-round cruising in terms of climate and landscape, somehow the Valkyrie sales have not reached significant numbers as in adjacent countries like France and to some extent, Italy. Strange because the Spanish population in general is very outdoor orientated and sporty. Cycling for instance, is very popular.

2009 Calpe Bike Day
A lovely warm sunny day for the annual Calpe Bike Day with about 400 bikes of all makes and models at the beer tent start and about 200 took part in the ride out around the town and along the seafront. I met up with a German Valkyrie owner and a Spanish Rune owner who also owns a Valkyrie. A great day in the sun on a bike.

Pacman
Hello everybody!
New user from Madrid, and proud owner of a '98 STD.
Congratulations with your web, Colin, and I agree: we've got to find more owners to see this chapter growing up. Well, if somebody comes to Madrid, please, contact me and I will put some beers in the frigo

2010 Oliva Matinal
I went to Oliva Matinal today, this is one of the largest matinals held in this area of Spain. I met an owner of a Red and Black Valk who lives in Planes and also another owner of a Black Rune who lives in Gandia. I gave them both details of the VRCC and hope we will see them on here soon.

Colin�s suggestions for a Spanish Round Robin
Hotels in Spain are many and varied. You can find what are called Casa Rurals which are what we would call B&B's. They are not always the cheapest, usually run by non-Spanish. You then have the more usual pensions and hotels with the usual 1 to 5-star ratings. In my experience the lower rating ones are very good value and more than adequate with little difference between 1 and 4 stars in a lot of cases. You will be travelling at the start of the season and so prices should be reasonable. I would expect to pay between 40� and 60� a night, for the room not per person, all reception desks will happily tell you the price. You may well have to pay extra for the secure parking of your Valk.
As to camping hopefully someone else will answer as I have no experience of camping in Spain.
You will have a great time with some fabulous riding roads and scenery. If you get into the twisty stuff you will be in 3rd or 4th so don't forget you will use more petrol than normal and petrol stations may not be that abundant.

2016 - Tumppi (from Finland)
Our 4th winter here in Fuengirola. This time I also brought Lady Rosita here, cause I had an accident with her in Finland in September by a reversing school bus that ran over it. I'll repair her here, I found a good garage by CostaRiders in Boliches.
Done so far some 9000km here in 2 winters, mainly around Costa del Sol and with the jolly crowd on CostaRiders.
I'm still waiting for my USA-spare part order, that ADT Postale kept at Madrid Aero Puerto by mistake 9 weeks ago!!! Alberto-the Valkyrist helped me and now it seems like solved.
It's a pity I've had my lady parked on the street- first time ever, cause there ain't garages at the urbanization. Have asked neighbors, but nothing so far. And we've seen the latest weather forecast.....

Matinal
Today I went to a matinal in Gandia and met up with a Valkyrie rider from Valencia who tells me that there are two more red and white Valkyries in Valencia.
I then went to the matinal in Castell de Rugat and there met up with two more Valkyries one of which was the rare red and black color.
It is rare to see another Valkyrie and to see 3 new ones to me today was excellent.

Beer
I first met Paul, Ann and Conor during the 2003 Italy Valkyrie Meeting. Conor did not have his Valkyrie yet. Very nice folks, we got along real fine and had a great time.
Soon afterwards, I met other Riders from Ireland, Cory O�Connor (Chapter Rep) and of course, he�s always there, Gerry (Valkyrie Irl) Mooney.
Although Ireland only has about 25 VRCC members, their Meetings were amongst the absolute best.

Paul, Conor and Ann Gerry

Perhaps the first of many pleasant surprises you notice in Ireland, besides their great sense of humor, is the speed limit of 100 km/hr. Almost everywhere, even if you can hardly keep up with half as much, LOL .
As in the UK, it is a custom that the evenings revolve around a certain 'theme'. Riders, including women are dressed up accordingly with whatever they can take along in their saddlebags. Sketches are performed by Riders onstage.
This adds up to the fun and makes the occasion much more personal and memorable.
Here a photographic trip report and impression of the 2006 Int'l VRCC Ireland Meeting

Visit to a museum, here the Irish dissidents/ freedom fighters were imprisoned by their English rulers

Steve B's Blu & Blown Monster, notice the tail fin exhausts Henny(RIP), Hanne and Janni (NL)

With Conor Nolan, Susan Watkins, Anthony Simmonds(RIP), Sabine Sch�ler, Andreas Sch�ler, Stef Martens, Henny Lammertink (RIP), Jenneke Gommans, Geoff Jones, Gerard Gommans, Paul Nolan, Samantha Sanger and Glynis Morrish.

We proceeded to Swansea-Cork, took another ferry and arrived on September 9 at the Celtic Ross Hotel & Leisure Center. After being warmly welcomed by our Irish hosts, we went to the bar to taste a genuine Guinness beer.
The next day we were able to enjoy the area, Ring of Kerry and the Killarney National Park
There were about 60 Riders with 40 Valkyries at the Meeting and the spirit was excellent with a traditional Bailey's reception and great weather. On Friday the sun was shining again and we rode 180km on the winding Irish roads to Glengariff, where we had lunch in a real 'cottage bar'. After lunch, we proceeded to the Healy Pass and via a nice route back to the hotel. We stayed at the Beara peninsula, where the warm sea current causes the seawater temperature never to drop below 18 degrees Centigrade. The area and vegetation were subtropical.

In the evening, everybody had to wear a mustache and Ted won a prize. The Irish VRCC members had made a sketch, based on the TV series 'That's your Life'.
In a swirling show, we saw Ted's life passing by as a baby, puberty, ballerina, jockey and exhibitionist, which of course caused a lot of hilarity.

On Saturday it was also dry weather and we went to the Inchydoney beach, where a rope contest was organized. After the contest, we proceeded to Fort Charles
where we received an excellent guided tour and used lunch at a Sea View Cafe in Kinsale.

In the afternoon we continued to the famous Mary cave for a stop and from there on to the Dromberg Stone Circle, , a Stonehenge.

Back in the hotel everyone dressed up as a bum and prizes and memorabilia were presented. Of course, we could not leave without singing some stag songs with a rather erotic pitch. It was a fabulous party, even the next door�s wedding couple and party guests were joining us for a while.
After a firm Irish breakfast on Sunday we said goodbye and rode to the Caha Pass , Molls Gap and Ladies View to the Connor Pass . Just before the Shannon River at Tarbert, near Charlie Chaplin's favorite residence, we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast overnight and headed for the Cliffs Of Moher and Galway to Kylemore Abbey to stay in Clifden. After that, we were heading for Dublin for the ferry to Holyhead. When we arrived in Wales, we had to stop for and visit and proceeded to Caernarfon, where we spent the night in the castle walls in the cozy Black Boy Inn.Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndwwllllogerychogyrogogoch station Via the Peak District, we arrived in Hull, where we took the ferry to Rotterdam.
During the Down @ Out Meeting we had a super bike week. A very cozy Meeting combined with a few extra days with beautiful rides through a landscape resembling a set of the Lord of the Rings, especially with low-cloud ceilings and fog.
Valk and Rider were tested much, but it was worth every penny and mile.

Visiting a pub in Ireland is a must. The music and friendly people...�Jenneke just had to sing along Laura had great fun too.......

Theme of this evening was to dress up as tramps, hobo�s and vagrants..................... Bobbie & Beer in their natural habitat, LOL

Reception with Bailey's...Two typical Irish products, milk and whisky mixed together.....tasted great BTW

VRCC Denmark is divided into 2 Chapters. Denmark North with 30 members, represented by Allan and since 2007 VRCC Denmark with 11 Riders by Preben.
Websites North and Denmark

VRCC Denmark North
An administrative fee is charged for membership. This allows the club to keep track of its members and to keep the website up- and running.

As descendants of the Vikings, I should note that the history of VRCC Denmark began over a millenium ago. After all, these were the people that started riding Valkyries to their heaven, LOL
The VRCC Denmark website states that it's quite easy to see the resemblance between a Valkyrie motorcycle and a Valkyrie woman, they both serve as a means of transportation and are elegant, attractive and have style.
Like the Valkyrie women, the "bike" is a token from the gods.

Tip
If you were to you buy a new GL1500C in Denmark, you�d better bring a war goddess along to the bank for a loan, because the high-chromed Honda costed a fortune in this country (almost 40 grand USD).

Thanks to Lindholmh�je Museum and Aalborg Park Management as well as the valkyrie woman Dorthe and photographer Dennis.
Video Lindholmh�j

Editor's Note
My apologies for the poor pics. I took them of the website but they are low resolution.
Any help from Valkyrie Riders Nord is greatly appreciated

Motorcykeltr�f p� Lolland
Skinnende maskiner i solen og h�jlydte motorer: I dag holdt motorcykelklubben Valkyrie Riders internationalt motorcykeltr�f i Toreby p� Lolland.

NANNA NAGY
Med solskin og bl� himmel var der lagt op til en god dag for motorcykelklubben Valkyrie Riders, der i dag holdt internationalt motorcykeltr�f i Toreby p� Lolland.
Det er det f�rste tr�f af slagsen og 22 valkyrie motorcykler fra b�de Danmark, Tyskland og Sverige var samlet.
Arrang�rene var tilfredse med dagen, og de planl�gger at gentage succesen n�ste �r.
Motorcykeltr�ffet i Toreby begyndte allerede i g�r og forts�tter helt frem til p� s�ndag.

VRCC Denmark Division
A difference of opinion caused VRCC Denmark to split up in two Chapters.
VRCC Denmark North � Previous paragraph � and VRCC Denmark (following)

This group of 11 Riders, led by Preben Nielsen started their own website and Chapter in 2007.
The club is registered in Denmark, member of the VRCC and aims to gather all the Valkyrians
in the country for joint events.

The VRCC story in Sweden starts in 2003, with a ride out weekend in Siljan.
In 2014, VRCC Sweden had 70 members

VRCC Sweden is divided in different areas, each with a separate representative.
North - Thomas Aro
Middle - Oleg Wennstr�m
Stockholm - Bjarne Bj�rnerman/ Arne Rosenkvist - National Representative
South - Lena Aspling Fallgren

To keep track of current members, in 2006 a decision was made to charge an administrative fee for membership. This also allows VRCC Sweden to keep it's website up- and running.

2005 Vaxholm Meeting
VRCC Sweden made a cruise and rode through the Stockholm and Sveav�gen area.

2006 Nordkapp Trip
Note: The geographical latitude of Nordkap (Norway) equals that of Barrow, Alaska

The prettiest built bikes in the world. A VRCC evening in Enk�ping.

G�teborg 2017 Gotland

Bj�rn
The history of the Norwegian VRCC started in 2001 after I went to the Italian meeting in April, where I met Silvano Merati. Sil told me what to do and whom to contact.
I became the Norwegian "leader" in 2001 until 2010, when I asked Dag Verpeide to take over.
Early 2017 Dag asked Bj�rn to represent Norway again due to his illness.
The Norwegian riders are living far apart from each other, so they don't have many meetings. They usually meet each other on international events and keep in touch on Facebook.
There have been three national meetings, R�dberg 2002 and Bud 2010 / 2016. In 2003 we also had an International meeting in R�dberg with approximately 40 Riders all together.
VRCC Norway also organized some off season meetings (winter) without bikes in Bergen 2006 / 2007 and Kristiansund in 2011 and has helped bikers planning trips in Norway or participated as "guide" a couple of times...

Dag Verpeide
Dag also runs several websites about the Valkyrie and was technically as well as socially, very active until he got sick in 2017. He is also a regular participant of the Texas VRCC events.
He has mastered the art of having a drone flying on top of him while he's riding

The Norwegian website, especially from Dag is very informative and most events are taken on video.
VRCC Norway is mainly active on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRCC.NO/

The VRCC websites are occasionally updated but not a primary means of communication

2010 The Honda Valkyrie Ride to Eikesdal
This area is very mountainous, surrounded by peaks up to 1964 meters high, which caused the architecture in this valley to be different than that of other villages.
The natural wonder that is Eikesdal is at the southern end of Eikesdal Lake, the largest lake in M�re and Romsdal province. The lake is about 20 kilometers long and 155 meters deep.
Kleneggen (1964 m) is Eikesdal's highest mountain.
Majestic Mardalsfossen remains a tourist attraction during the summer.
The total height is 655m and this qualifies Mardalsfossen as the world's fourth highest waterfall. Free fall is 297meters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmXby3SJLXc&feature=youtu.be

Editor�s Note
A special thanks to Lasse Kaitasalo for his assistance and great introduction

First a few words to give you, the reader, an idea of the bike scene in Finland. The Honda Valkyrie (sold in Finland as the F6C) is not a common bike anywhere. But in Finland it is even more rare. There are ~ 230.000 bikes registered in Finland of which there are ~ 100 Valkyries. The Valkyrie was imported by the official importer, Otto Brandt Oy, into Finland between 1997 � 2001. That was time when Valkyries were imported before the company replaced it with the 1800 cc VTX in the import pallet. The only model was the Standard. One could purchase a Tour pack with the bike. That included the OEM wind shield, sissy bar and leather bags. I fell in love with the bike at the Helsinki Bike Fair in February 1997, where the Valkyrie (F6C) was first introduced in Finland.

Start
The start of the club in Finland began July 15th 2004 when I bought my first Valkyrie. The very next day when riding to the sea shore in Helsinki I saw another Valk parked on the side of the street. I decided with my girlfriend to wait until the owner came back to his bike and talk with him. While waiting we started to hope that the rider is not also a sailor. The caf� is along the side of a marina and this happened on a warm, sunny Friday. So if we were out of luck, the rider had taken his boat out for the weekend�. Fortunately, this was not the case!
The rider finally came and we approached him. We talked for about over an hour. He had been riding a Valk for a long time already. Imported bikes from the US and also searched the register for information regarding the amount of bikes. At that point Otto Brandt Oy had brought 125 Valks.
At the end of the talk I expressed my ambition to start gathering the contact information of Finnish Valk riders for information sharing and networking. There were only a handful of mechanics that understood the �mindset� of the Fat Lady. e.g. the setting of the six carbs is something that not everyone can do. We agreed that when encountering a fellow Valk rider on the road we would share my contact information.
During that summer every time I saw a Valkyrie, I stopped the rider for a talk. Semi-mild psychological violence was used ;-) to get the contact information. Some were more eager than others to join. The most frequent question was: �What does this cost?�. Shoulders dropped when they heard this is completely free.
The more enthusiastic riders also started to gather contact info and so the movement spread. In the beginning I sent e-mails to the people. There were also a few riders without an email address. They were contacted by phone.
By Christmas I had something like 25 names on my list. We agreed to have a meeting on February 5th 2005 at the Helsinki Bike Show. There were 11 people present. We decided to form Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Finland. I was elected as the leader. It was also decided that the leader�s title is President.

Finnish meetings
Finland is a large country compared to the population. VRCC Finland has had ~ 80 members around the country. The distance from South to the most Northern members is over 1000 kilometers. Therefore, participating in a ride together is not easy.
We organized the first Finnish meeting in Jyv�skyl� in 2005. There were something like 10 Valkyries present. The next meeting was held 2006 at Kaskinen, Finland�s smallest town on the West coast. There were again something like 10 bikes present.
After I had promised that Finland will organize the European Inzane in 2009, we had the first meeting in Asikkala in September 2007. In this meeting I asked the other members to volunteer as organizers and participate in the different duties. The response was overwhelming! The crowds common will was to aim � and to arrange the best meeting ever! From the kick-off we had 19 people working in different jobs to make the meeting happen. I have never seen such team spirit and enthusiasm!
When organizing the Finnish European Inzane we had two meetings at the Inzane location Hotel Vaakuna Kouvola, in order for us to secure all things were taken into account in our preparations. We went through the procedures, menus, etc. several times.
After the Inzane we held a Post Inzane meeting in central Finland for the people who participated in organizing the meeting.

VRCC Finland goes international
The first ever Valkyrie meeting in Europe where there was a Finn present was the Hassfurt meeting in 2005. When riding down with my girlfriend I had our share of mishaps on the road. Our alternator broke in Sweden and delayed us for two days in the south of Sweden. We finally reached Hassfurt late Friday evening.
Harald from Norway had spotted us on the Who�s Coming List. He had been looking for us amongst the participants. When we finally met, he �took us under his wings� and introduced us to the crowd. The wonderful reception and warmth of the community was overwhelming.
In 2006 Gifhorn I participated in the presidents meeting for the first time. In this meeting Andy brought up that people in central Europe had been discussing for several years about how to differentiate one meeting from the many meetings organized in Europe every year. The aim was to lift up one of them for people, that could participate to only one meeting from far away countries. I suggested that this meeting would also be named Inzane, like the world�s largest meeting in the US. But since this would be here �on the old continent�, it would be called: European Inzane. This idea was agreed upon unanimously.
As all of us who ever have been involved in organizing a meeting, not even mention an international meeting know, one year is very little time to make it happen. Courageously Tomo, the leader of Polish VRCC volunteered to organize the #1 European Inzane. Werner and Ede volunteered to organize the following meeting in 2008.
#1 European Inzane 2007 took place in Karpacz, Poland. In this meeting four Finnish VRCC bikes participated. In this meeting I volunteered to organize the European Inzane in 2009 with the Finnish VRCC members.
#2 European Inzane, 2008 Braunschweig, Germany. During this meeting the Finns made an educational learning trip. None of the participants had ever been in a European meeting. There were 12 Finns present on 7 Valkyries and one Yamaha. Ten of our participants were members of our own Inzane�s organizer team for next year.
#3 European Inzane, 2009 Kouvola, Finland, June 25th � 27th 2009.

Editor�s Note
EU Inzanes will be covered seperately in the following Chapter.

Getting a Valk out of a stuck-frozen garage-door for an Early Finn-Spring-Cruise is only a matter of gutt's and machinery!
Concrete goes!! And brings back memories of days driving a Harley.....

The Valkyrie Riders are exploring Finland's cultural historical place at Elias L�nnrot's birth home in thrush. The underlying building is over 200 years old, the image bikers are a little younger, LOL

Finzane
Since 2016, Finland Chapter organizes an annual rally called Finzane. All Riders are welcome.

Babes'n Gents!
The official release of VRCC-Finland's Finzane IV is here. Welcome!
Saturday's Tree Day program includes Snow Shoeing with bikes, Slow Riding, possibly Frisbee Golf Tournaments and finishing with a self service BBQ and chilling at the waterfront in the wilderness.
We are happy to provide tips on landscaping and sightseeing in the surrounding area.

In 2005, Roman registered the VRCC Czech Republic in the US and began recruiting members back home.
The next year, in April 2006 the first 10 members and friends officially founded the club in the Czech Republic.
The founding members were: Roman-Prague, Radim -Trinec, Libor -Kromer�, Old-Prague, Rosta -Jihlava, Radim - Chotebor, Mirek and Jarmila -Kutn� Hora, Rosta - Ostrava, Zbynek �Trinec.
As the VRCC Czech Republic evolved, some changes in the statutes were adopted to be officially recognized by the Czech motorcycle scene.
It was not until November 2012, that the �colors� of the VRCC Chapter on the back were officially approved by all parties.
It should be noted that the MC�s in the Czech Republic are not to be confused with the �outlaw� MC�s, which are neither recognized nor welcome.
The Chapter is now run by President Stanley and his vice Donatelo.

First Ride � Podebrady
Novel wrote: After a crazy winter came the long-awaited moment of the "first run" in 2006. Miraculously, it was a beautiful day and we could proceed for this event on a regular basis.
We proudly rolled in; lots of Riders had a �Cold Turkey� feeling in their eyes. We drove 3 hrs. on our VRCC maiden trip in the direction of Old R�cany, where we agreed to join up with a group traveling from Prague at the local gas station. As it turned out, they had 2 gas stations at Ricany en we ended up at the wrong one, of course. Eventually, we joined up and rode together with our other Czech Bros. In Podebrady we crossed the swollen Elbe and there, Radim Chotebore and Mirek Jarmila of Kutna Hora were waiting for us. It was very pleasing and a beautiful feeling to see the 4 Valkyries riding along each other. Our 11 bikes attracted a lot of attention of the other spectators and bikers, who praised our machines. In Sraz, we held our first informal meeting of members and founded the VRCC. Around 14:00, we slowly began shifting towards home. The journey back took place in a relaxed pace in light rain that reminded us that this is actually April. Anyway, we rode 160 km that day and the muddy bike was clearly a testimony of the fact that the season has begun!

In the following years, many more ride outs followed. Here is a small and far from complete impression.

2007
In May Rosta organized a trip to the cellar, just like the first meeting after the winter months, but also to celebrate 1 year of club activities. The meeting place was chosen in the village of Pavlov area of Mikulov in the cozy wine cellar with a willing cellar-man. There was plenty of wine, food and fun too, I would like to add! However, despite promises, participation of many friends was only half the expected number. From the club: Roman, Rosta, Radim, and Ferda. And not to forget our friends and fans of Libor (remembering a tear in your eye for years with F6C), Radka and friends from Poland Kapiszon and Ola. The weather was fine, and thanks to the excellent organization by Rosti (sorry, no motorcycles, due to an accident) it was a very positive event.
There are also important things for the club: a year after the establishment and management of the club affairs, Roman resigned as President, which was even announced on the radio. We wish him all the best for his enthusiasm, strong nerves and a hand in the club! (Novel).

2009 Burc�k � 18- 20 September 2009
As in last autumn, Dragon organization chose "half-fermented wine� as theme for the VRCC open meeting. Thanks to moving to an earlier date, the weather was beautiful and the meeting was attended by about 40-50 friends on powerful machines.
We visited the museum in Str�nice and the visit was very informative. Pity that some people ate demonstration samples of tasty cuisine products, so after we left there was a sign on the door - " We do not admit Motorcycle Bikers�, LOL. The evening was held with a lively disco with fireworks and roast pig, which unfortunately soon looked more like a roast Greyhound.
Quite a calorie bomb! (Novel).

2012
In 2012, the Riders from Moravia decided to start their own Chapter and website.

Pres Stanley and Vice Donatelo of VRCC Czech Republic together with Vice Taxif�ra and Member Franta of VRCC Moravia

2013
In 2013, the VRCC Club members organized a collection to help people affected by the heavy floods
A full story in Czech can be seen on

YouTube clip of Borneo 2013 Ride out - Cicik Video
I found a record cable tv Mlad� Buky from our action, Czech Republic-Borneo VRCC 2013. I enjoyed it very much!

Javureck� pig-sticking.
We participated at the invitation of Ivo�s and other friends from Javurek's. About 2 min. upon arrival we had our plates full of stew, haggis and greaves. And then it continued throughout the afternoon, evening and even morning with the addition of sausages, prdelacky, cuttings and other aficionados pig goodies. Superfatted stomachs were properly washed down with beer and plum brandy (Javurec�ci traditionally "green"). I guess we all were pretty mixed up with cholesterol levels, but it was worth it and Ivo, Magda and all others who put their hand to the plow nothing less but to punch great praise and thanks. Thanks!

2016 Roman - Legendy Exhibition Prague
I managed to organize the participation of Valk�ria at the prestigious LEGENDY exhibition held in Prague Bohnice. Public participation abundant � There were 8 Valks plus 6 from the Moravian chapter.
I thank Franto Grod for his involvement and organization! The weather surprisingly improved, so there was plenty of action. Thank you all for your participation.

2009
During a VRCC Poland Meeting, Slovakian F6C Riders Billy and Andrew decided to establish a VRCC Slovakia Chapter.

2010
The VRCC Slovakia Chapter became official.
The 10 founding members were Billy, Toni, Andrew, Erika, Peter, Mino, Jane, Firka, Nandy ml., Nanda st. Chapter Presidents were Billy and Andrej.
A Website valkyrieriders.sk was made and Billy announced the creation of the new Chapter to Gale Scalzi of VRCC US and Andy of VRCC EU.
The club emblem was designed and members would wear it in Slovakia and abroad.

2012
A problem arose when Slovakia signed in the VRCC logo. Font and color were similar to another Slovakian MC. As a result, the Slovakia characters were changed.

2013
After long and difficult negotiations (Billy RAST), the new VRCC Slovakia characters were approved and respected by all the MC clubs in Slovakia. It was also agreed to place small pins and patches on the club vest.

Status VRCC Slovakia
VRCC Slovakia is an independent Honda Valkyrie Club and Chapter of the EU- and worldwide VRCC.
The Club organizes an annual international meeting in early May, called VRCC Slovakia: Season Open.
VRCC Slovakia participates in rallies of other VRCC Chapters in Europe and in the EU Inzane meeting and respects the MC�s and their tradition in Slovakia and around the world.
We respect and have good relationships with the Hells Angels Slovakia.

Video I.Zraz VRCC SK - Jahodn� III.
28.4. - 1.5. 2011 Jahodn�, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Czech Republic, VRCC Polska, VRCC Russia, VRCC Slovakia.

2011
Slovakian Goose Roast. Grob, SK. 52 participants from 3 countries: AT, CZ
During this meeting the Valhalla Voyage artifacts were passed on from VRCC Czech Republic to VRCC Slovakia.
Video VRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2011

Video VRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2012
25.5. - 27.5.2012, Ranc u Bobiho, Nov� Tekov, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Austria, VRCC Czech Republic, VRCC Slovakia

VideoVRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2014
9.5. - 11.5. 2014, Nov� Tekov, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Austria, VRCC Czech Republic, VRCC Czech Republic chapter Moravia, VRCC Italia, VRCC Slovakia, CBO Germany.

Nice video VRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2015 /5th Anniversary
8.5 - 10.5. 2015, Ranc u Bobiho, Nov� Tekov, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Austria, VRCC Czech Republic, VRCC Czech Republic chapter Moravia, VRCC France, VRCC Polska, VRCC Slovakia. HOG Pre�ov, RFMC Slovakia.

Video VRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2016
6.5 - 8.5. 2016, hotel Mousson, Michalovce, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Austria, VRCC Czech Republic chapter Moravia, VRCC France, VRCC Polska, VRCC Slovakia.

Video VRCC Slovakia: SEASON OPEN 2017
5.5 - 7.5. 2017, hotel Inovec, Nov� Lehota, Slovakia.
Participants: VRCC Austria, VRCC Czech Republic, VRCC Czech Republic chapter Moravia, VRCC France, VRCC Germany, VRCC Italy, VRCC Polska, VRCC Slovakia, Crossroad Bikerorden MC.
ZOBRAZIT VIAC

Editor's Note
Many thanks to Luzik for his excellent assistance with the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Poland Chapter history

In the year 2003 many motorcyclist rode Valkyries. Within an area, they already knew each other : Admiral, Skala, S2-Marek, Hrabia, Mustang, Fidel, Piotr-Jerzy, Daro, Kapiszon, Jaro, Dario, Jurek, Viper, Istvan, Soprano and many others.
As always in such situations, there is a need for this �one� person, who converts plans and dreams into reality. The most willing at that time to do something were Dudi, Skala and Dario.
It was in October 2003 however, that Kamil, Broda, Dudi and Hrabia decided to materialize those plans and they created a Polish VRCC Chapter.

THE CLUB was created and the colours of VRCC US with upper hanger Poland were adopted.

Since 2004, every week there were meetings of club members and supporters in the restaurant at Istvan in Warsaw. More and more people turned up and after a short while this place became too small.
In April 2004 a newspaper article about the club also contributed to more interest in Valkyrie motorcycle and club.

At the top from the left: Istvan, Siwy, Jaro, Idalia, Mlody, Marcin, Hrabia, Broda, Tomek, Dario, Ozzy, Janka, Iza, Janusz, Dudi, Admiral
Below: Wolf, Ania, Wojtek, Kapizon with wife, Viper with wife, Skala, son of Dario, Chobot, Tadeo, Ygo, Marzena, Dudie's wife.

May 2004 Kaszuby � 1st Nationwide Rally of VRCC Poland Chapter
The organizer was Dario from Gdynia � 14 motorcycles came for the rally: Wolf, Dario, Jurek, Ozzy, J-23, Soprano, Broda, Piotr-Jerzy, Tomek, Marcin, Admiral, Luzik, Tadeo, Istvan.

For the club it was the first trip abroad � 15 bikes plus passengers.
Riding through the Czech Republic to Vienna was unforgettable. These days were very hot; we can still remember how Admiral rode in shorts and flip-flops (although we do not recommend it).
The participants were Wolf, Tadeo, Ad,iral, Waldi (Krak�w),Waldek (Guru), Zbyszek, Pawel, Jaro, Wojtek, Jeffrey, Istvan, Luzik, Jacek, Pilot and Darek (Ciechan�w).
We performed together for the first time as a club abroad. It was a time of making contacts, first acquaintances and making plans for the future.

4 December 2004 Warsaw - First General Meeting of the club VRCC Poland Chapter
Attended by 24 members. A set of rules regulating the club�s life was adopted. The president and club council were elected for 2005.

Board of VRCC Poland:
Wolf President Warszawa
Jacek Vice President Poznan
Jeffrey Vice President Warszawa
Ozzy Vice President Gdansk
Broda Chronicler Warszawa
Pilot Treasurer Warszawa

A schedule of meetings and trips for 2005 was also adopted:
Club opening of the 2005 � Bemowo- Warsaw by Ygo
Support at Maciej�s wedding in June by Maciej and Jacek
II National Rally of VRCC Poland 2005 in Bieszczady in June by Dudi, Marek, Skala, Dario
Thor�s Hammer Poland � Jeffrey, Jacek, Ozzy, Kamil, Broda
Rally in Germany by VRCC Germany
Rally Faak Am See
Wedding of Jeffrey and Agata

April 2005 - Marcin and Ania rode to the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
They rode in the sun, rain and even in the snow. In 4 days, they travelled over 3800 km from Warsaw to Rome and back.

May 26, 2005 - Thor�s Hammer in Poland
By Jeffrey, Jacek, Ozzy and Kamil.
On May 14 Thor's Hammer was picked up from VRCC Austria at the border in Cieszyn.
TH travelled all over Poland and by ferry through the Baltic Sea. Then the Hammer was handed over to the VRCC Chapter Sweden in Karlskrone.

June 2005 II National Meeting of VRCC Poland
Nozdrzec
The organizers were Dudi, S2 Marek.
Present for the first time: Tomo, Virus.

September 2005 - Outdoor picnic
Organized by Chobot plus Arsen, Hrabia, Marek, Wolf(Kamil) and Ygo

October 2005 - End of season Rally in Jura
Organized by Arsen, Marek and Jeffrey plus S2Marek, Kapiszon, Jaro, Grzegorz, Ygo and Robert.

December 2005 - The General Meeting of VRCC Poland Chapter in Warsaw
At this meeting Kamil resigned as President of the club. Tomo was elected as the new President.

May 2006 - Gifhorn, Germany
Participants were : Arsen, Tomo, Luzik, Ygo, Ozzy, Janek, Zbyszek, Ania, Beata, Janka, Ola, Ania.
During the Rep Meeting an idea arises to organize the first European Rally called EU Inzane, like in the US.
Tomo, Luzik and Beata proposed to hold the 1st Inzane in Poland .

May 2006 Poznan � III National Rally VRCC Poland Chapter
By Jacek.
The club is growing more and more. During this rally Dex, Tuga and Mike became new members.

August 2006 Graz Meeting in Austria
Participants were Arsen, Tomo, Luzik, Zbyszek, Misiek, Dex

September 2006 - End of Season Chlapowo
By Mizjo. New members : Nico, Eda, Misiek, Yorgus, Pawel

December 2006 - General Meeting VRCC Poland Chapter
In Osieck by Luzik and Tomo.
At that meeting all Chapter and organization issues of Inzane were discussed.
The chapter now had over 50 members. During this meeting, disagreements about the direction and future of the club are beginning to appear with new leaders, new ideas and initiatives.
The result was the division and creation of a new chapter in May 2006 � VRCC Polska.

June 2007 � Karpacz - 1st Inzane
Organizated by VRCC Poland and Beata, Luzik and Tomo.
Valkyries from all over Europe came over in the rain as of Thursday.
Over 240 participants. The meeting lasted for 3 days and was full of sensations - country dancing, mime show, 'ladies� underwear show, performance of two bands, magic show, a costume parade� It was an unforgettable meeting and rally.

June 2007
After Inzane, the Board of VRCC Poland - Wolfa (Kamil) and Tomo took the decision to change club colors from �red� to �black�.

July 2007
A part of the VRCC Poland members decided to have their own Chapter located mainly in the North, so in the future Poland had three Chapters.

Poland Chapter Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club now consisted of:
Wolf as President, Tomo as Vice President, Luzik, Super Arsen, Waldek-Guru, Tadeo, Pilot, Zbyszek & Galewic, Maciek & Wroclawia, Maro, Nomad and Cezary

September 2007 - Koziolkowo � by Cezary Wolf, Tomo, Luzik z Beata, Cezary z Beata, Tadeo, Waldek

ZS Puck � meeting with Northern Raiders Tomo, Luzik & Beata, Arsen & Ania, Waldek, Maciek, Cezary & Beata

April OS Katowice � Jasna G�ra by Waldek-Guru Waldek-Guru: mega happy with his 100 000 km on Valkyrie

InZane in Braunschweig - Wollf, Tomo, Luzik & Beata, Waldek-GURU, Maro, Cezary & Arsen

Friends from VRCC Austria and VRCC Germany for the first time in Maruda z Grazynka ....

Brewery in Zywiec InZane III in Kouvola, Finland - Wolf z Iza, Pilot, Waldek, Arsen, Maro,
Cezary, Spyder, LaRoch, Endrju, Tuga Northern Raiders, Julian z Irena,
Dudek z Aga, Marek �Lajza�

ZS Kazimierz Dolny by LaRoch - Wolf, Tadeo, Waldek-Guru, Arsen, Pilot, Maciek, Maro-Nomad, Cezary, Maruda, Murzunek, LaRoch and Prospects: Jaro, Spyder, Endrju

Year 2009 was good for all of us, together we rode over 100 000 km, with Murzynek in the lead with 25.000 km and Waldek-Guru deserved a �silver star� for his 134 000 km on the Valkyrie

Editor's Note - Stars
It is a custom in Poland that every Rider who completes 10.000 km on his Valkyrie, is eligible for a star that should be worn on his/her vest.
To get the star however, it should be extracted from the bottom of a filled glass�

Maruda & Grejs � the trip to Gibraltar and to Cape St. Vincent
Travelled 9.000km in 19 days (of which 6.000km inof rain)
In 19 days they traveled to France, Spain and Portugal.

January 2010 in Borneo � Czech Republic - Waldek-Guru, Luzik, Maciek, Maro i Cezary

Editor's Note
Faak am See is a small village located at the most southern lake in Austria. Every year, there is a bike week with over 50.000 bikes. You can compare it with Daytona/Sturgis if you like. It is mainly a HOG event.

Summary of the year 2010:
Club VRCC Poland Chapter has 14 Member's:
Wolf � Kamil, Tadeo, Guru, Arsen, Pilot, Maciek, Maro � Nomad, Cezary, Maruda, Murzynek, LaRoch, Spyder, Jaro, Grzegorz
4 Prospekt's: Endrju, Mamro, Aurel, Mefisto
Cezar did 21.000 km on his bike and winner of the best mileage achievement

2011
On 9 April 2011 there was a congress of Polish Motocycles Clubs
On this congress a new Valkyrie Chapter was founded: Valkyrie Warsaw/Slask (Silesia) Chapter

Visted by Klej, Maro, Guru, Endrju i Hiszpan On the bridge from Denmark to Sweden - 16 km

End of season 2011 Przysucha
We slept in small unheated houses, which turned out to be quite a problem, because the temperature at night dropped below zero.
So, we drank, we danced to warm up, we drank again and danced again ...

Maro has rode 23 000km and won the MAX 2011 badge.

In 2011 there were a lot of changes:
the Management Board was expanded to include the Vice-President � Klej and Sergeant � Maruda.
The Rules, Rituals and Traditions of the Valkyrie Club were finally written.
Mamro became the treasurer.
There are now 14 Member's, 3 Prospects and 1 Honorary Member � Pilot

Each of them has his own private and professional life, unrelated to the Club, but they share one thing: Love for motorcycles and riding the Valkyrie�
And above all � for a short time, forget about the troubles, problems and worries of everyday life and feel the feedom that a ride on a motorcycle gives you

Club�s life rolled from opening seasons to end of seasons - Opening Season in Olkusz

2014 was an important year for our club. Kamil (Wolf) has given up to be a president and member of chapter. So, in September 2014 the new President was chosen:

Nomad was elected President, Vice President - Cezik, Secretary - Mamro, Sargent - Maruda, Road Captain - Spyder

Year 2015 we started in Tlen Bory Tucholskie organized by Cezik and Julian from Swiecko.

On the way home from Roztocze, our Vice President Cezik died on the road.
Goodbye Brother and see you on the heavenly highways ��

Nomad President,
Guru V-ce President
Mamro Secretary
Maruda Sgt. at Arms
Spyder Road Captain
Tadeo, La Roch, Grzegorz, Frendzel

OS Kietlice with perfect Wx and company. Murzynek i Tamago3 are full members...now we have 11 Members

Editor's Note
As mentioned earlier, VRCC Poland which was founded by Wolf in 2003 fell apart in 3 Chapters in 2007.
As a result, Wolf carried on with Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Poland Chapter and 2 new Chapters, VRCC Polska and VRCC Poland Northern Riders were founded.

2017 Trip Report by Ivo
On 7 July 2017, the 10th anniversary of the Polish VRCC was celebrated. The preparation and journey here was in itself a small party. On Monday, July 4, Gerd Schimetzki from Germany joined me at home to start the next day together with our trip to Poland. We had chosen to avoid all motorways.
The first stage led us to the Heidehotel Ana where we were very kindly received. The carport was cleared so our bikes could be accommodated. After a well-deserved meal, we both went to bed in time.
The next day early on the bike, even though this was the shortest stretch in the route. On the way we would still pick up Frank Kletzsch from Warnem�nde (Rostock).
Here we arrived at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The motorbikes were described by the receptionist at the start as "Hochwertiger Metal" (hi value metal) and were allowed to stay overnight on the platform outside the door. As long as we kept the road free for the fire department.
As a result of the early arrival we decided to enjoy the weather and visit the beach.

It turned out that we just walked into a party on the promenade and of course, who would we be different, we enjoyed it to the fullest. Frank arrived out of work the same evening around 10 o'clock.
After a good night's sleep, we left for Poland the next day. Then the party really started in terms of riding.

First, we took a ferry in Warnem�nde and then on the Polish road surface. That went pretty well in the beginning. Until we decided that we were smarter than Garmin and promptly went in the wrong direction. So, we experienced everything that day, from asphalt to panzer Bahn, from potholes to no road anymore. Eventually we arrived at our next hotel at 10 o'clock in the evening. Tired and starving. Of course, the kitchen was closed. We did however receive the address of restaurant Jolka, very friendly and a pleasure for the senses.

Tired but satisfied we rode back to the hotel after dinner and jumped in our bed.
The day enroute to Zamek, Gert decided somewhere along the way that my Garmin was wrong and that he was right. Because of the day before and some stress, he decided to follow his nav kit. Frank and I arrived at the hotel Zamek at 3 o'clock, where we received a very warm welcome. And yes, the Polish schnapps is deadly. An hour later, Gert called to ask for the right address. He was now in the neighborhood but did not know the last part.

What an incredibly friendly people there are in Poland, we were welcomed and new friendships were made.
And to my surprise, we just entered a Polish Miss election. Had a good meal that evening, followed by a modest party and did not go to bed too late.
The next day the Polish had a joint ride to a dam. Quite impressive. But the roads left a lot to be desired.
Coming back again everything was taken care of and after this fun the complete VRCC group was invited at the actual election table. A feast for the eyes.

In the evening we had dinner together in the knight's hall. Some momentos were handed out together with the necessary speeches.
The Valhalla cups have been transferred from Czech hands to Polish hands. After everyone had a chat to each other for a while, we went to bed quietly. On Sunday we all had to go home again.
We left around 10:30. This time without Gerd, due to family circumstances. He had already left at six o'clock. Frank and I once again enjoyed the landscape and the roads, this time with far fewer potholes.
Because we were so fast, we rode to Warnem�nde and we did not make an extra stop in Poland. Had dinner there and stayed overnight.
On Monday, the last day the weather turned bad. For that reason we took the highway. 100 km prior to Hamburg it started raining heavily until Bremen. Frank had already left for his house at Hamburg. And then rain is suddenly no longer fun anymore. I was at home at six o'clock in the evening. Tired but satisfied.
I really met some hospitable and very kind people in Poland.

2007 - Torun.
The first Rally of Northern Riders was held in Tuga in the city Torun

2007 - Puck Bursztynia
The end of the Season. It was an unforgettable happening. Thanks to the fact that one of our club members was a navy commander, we had the opportunity to visit a submarine.
Anyone who wanted to, could go inside and get to know the life of sailors. BTW, it was a ship in active service, not a museum.

2007 - Santas on motorcycles
One of the traditions of our club is participation in the "Santa's on motorcycles" action. This time the weather was good - around 0 C, but there was no rain or snow. As you can see, the turnout was good, and the Valkyrie, as usual, got a lot of attention and interest.

1st Open Rally of Northern Riders � Byt�w
This time we visited Byt�w, a beautiful place. Apart from our club, members of VRCC Poland came to the rally as well. Two days of fun passed quickly and there was hardly time for sleep

The police was inexorable, if you use motorcycle sirens while driving, there is no forgiveness !!!!!

2008 - Bursztynia
This time we visited a beautiful restaurant located on the beach by the Baltic Sea. The local band was playing for us, the trumpets were making a lot of noise !!!!

2009 - Bemowo
This time we visited Warsaw. As the pictures are showing no words are needed�

Gryzzly, as the name suggests was a great motorcyclist. A man with a big heart and humor.
He was with us from the beginning of the Northern Riders and one of those Riders who always
put a good mood into companionship�

2013 � The End of VRCC Northern Riders
Unfortunately, sometimes the time is unrelenting. Several members of N.R. sold their bikes, some began to ride in a different circle closer to where they lived and others moved out of the country. All this caused that the Chapter officially decided to quit ...But some of us still ride with fondness and actively participate in the Valkyrie rallies and meetings and in European InZanes ..

Created by Jaroslaw Jarek on 2 May 2018
The Honda F6C Valkyrie is our passion. Our goal is to ride on the F6C, meetings and contacts with VRCC colleagues and not only. We invite you to ride together and have fun.

At the beginning of January 2001, Switzerland started with eight members as Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club. With the founding of Chapter Switzerland and the publication of its own Swiss VRCC website in December that same year, a lot has changed. On October 1, 2004, the website was redesigned for the first time and revised in 2010 once again. This caused the number of members in Switzerland to increase to more than 80 and we are still growing. The local rides are very popular and at the European meetings more and more Swiss Valkyrie Riders are to be found.
On January 1, 2009, Fr�d�ric Weil from Adliswil became the head of VRCC Switzerland.
Every year, the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Switzerland plans to have local rides and on the first Sunday of May, participate in the "Love Ride" in D�bendorf.
We welcome spontaneous activities such as rides, meetings and excursions that each member can propose and organize. New members are always welcome!

Fr�d�ric has now resigned and VRCC Switzerland is run by Walo, together with Albi and Andy (Blackhawk). The current website has gotten a bit old. Therefore, a brush-up is announced here as well. Walo is in the process of designing the new website. As long as it is still in the making, Fr�d�ric will continue to feed the existing website.

The 14th edition of InZane 2020 will take place in Switzerland. This will probably be in the canton of Vaud (Leysin). The information will be activated early on.

VRCC Latvia was founded in 2008 by Stas Bervyachonok and has 4 active members.
Perhaps small in numbers all 4 are esteemed guests and valued friends who participate in almost every major EU VRCC event, riding an average distance between LA and Dallas or more each time. Rain or shine. Now that�s a true VRCC spirit.

Website
This site is for those who love the Honda Valkyrie motorcycle and want to learn more about the machine.
Members are people who ride these cool bikes and try to unite!!!
In the future, all kinds of help and advice on repair and maintenance of Valkyrie motorcycles are planned, based on personal experience and the experience of other people.
The new (2018) website reflects the official VRCC objectives.

Editor's Note
Valkyrie Riders from Russia have participated in many EU VRCC Meetings and Inzanes as early as in 2002 during the Heerlen Meeting in the Netherlands.

2012 Welcome to the First Russian Rally 2012 on 12-15 July 2012, Moscow, "Aerostar" hotel

It will take place in the most beautiful and crazy city of Moscow
This rally is a must see rally. Are you ready for unforgettable journey and great party?
We've got three action packed days filled with awesome racing, the best bike games and contests, the roar of the bikes, and you can�t miss our joint ride at night in Moscow and a visit to the Vorobievy mountains, a picturesque place where all Moscow bikers meet.
3 days of fun, non-stop music, dancing, drinking absolutely FREE beer and vodka, bands and stage shows and of course, a lot of beautiful girls, all trying to win the �Miss Valkyrie� title.
You can enjoy a safe ride escorted by policemen along Moscow. Our event also includes a barbeque, entertainment, prizes and other activities.

I presume there is no need for a license plate when you ride a Valkyrie in Moskow

2014
VRCC Russia had arranged to do a EU Inzane in St Petersburg.
Unfortunately, the event went sour when politics at that time kicked in.
VRCC UK took over and organized the 2014 Hinckley Inzane Meeting instead.

[img width=500 height=374]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4813/45347699684_8836fe122b_o_d.jpg[/img] [img width=300 height=374]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4823/46022032112_74ccd002a7_o_d.jpg[/img]

2016 ???????? ?????? (closing season)
On September 23, 2016, we closed the motor season, traditionally in Shakhtar, but a day earlier we were going to ride around Moscow at night. Just a short review of these events ...
VRCC Russia ???????? ?????? 2016 (Long) or VRCC Russia ???????? ?????? 2016

Inzane 2010 was organized by Association Inzane France (pr�sident FiFi Legnat � Tr�sorier L�Amiral CoCo � Secr�taire Yann)

Fifi (translated by Beer)
Inzane 2010 will take place at the Azureva Holiday Center of Bussang in the Vosges. - capacity is 400 beds.
It includes three dining rooms, a giant bar, four showrooms (for sponsors, an entertainment room (concert, show or other with integrated sound), a pool, a sauna etc. Finally, all what is necessary to welcome 400 bikers.
The rooms are mostly double, plus some dormitory rooms for singles (5 to 6 max).
The dates chosen are convenient for the French and the Germans since it�s Ascension Day 2010 i.e. 13, 14, 15 and 16 May 2010.
To participate in this fourth European Inzane, you must be a member of the VRCC and / or be the owner of a Honda Valkyrie/Rune or an F6C or body-specific derivatives of these motorcycles (Trike , Side).
One of the two previous prerequisites is enough to validate an inscription.
To organize this Inzane, we created an association called INZANE France under the French 1901 Law .
The association is a non-profit organization and aims for F6C Riders to make demonstrations or discoveries of the regions of France . All members participating in Inzane will be temporary members of this association.

Photos and films of the event.
Photos and road traffic.
Route management.
Ambassador.
English and Italian translation.
Animations.
Computer and computer graphics.
Management of German, Austrian and German translation forums.
Secretary association and management of European forums in English language.
Treasurer of the association, collections and payments.
President of the association, management of reservations and sponsors.

Even if they are not permanent members of the association, the Alsatians (area members) will be consulted regularly for the necessary information, thanks everyone for the work already accomplished: Tchoumes, Dany, Rocky and Anatole.
We will certainly need, as every year, experienced Riders to run the services on the grounds of the holiday center but also on the road carrying reflective vests.

Fourth Inzane will take place on May 13th,14th 15th and 16th, 2010 at Bussang, in one of the most beautiful areas of France : Alsace , close to the German border.

Thursday :
- 2.00pm to 8.00 p.m.: Meeting of the VRCC members and registration at vacation centre AZUREVA, road of Larcenaire, 88540 BUSSANG � Access
- 8:00 pm diner
- 10:00 pm: welcome meeting and explanation of the program of the following days.
Friday :
- 7:00 am to 9:00am : Breakfast.
- 9:00 am to10:00 am : Departure for a trip , freely choosen among 5 courses selected for you. A cold meal for lunch will be delivered in the morning.
- 4:00 to 8:30 pm : the French hour of � Aperitif�, the most difficult moment of the day, having to choose between to the swimming pool, the Sauna, the Bar, meeting members and visiting the sponsors.
- 8:00 pm : Alsatian typical dinner. �
- 10:00 pm : Spectacular evening!!!
Saturday :
- 7:00 am to 9:00am Breakfast.
- 9:30 : Starting the all together trip for a visit of the area of Bussang and Thann , passing by the � Ballon d' Alsace.�
- 12:00 : Local lunch with � Flammekush�.
- 2:00: pm : Restarting of the convoy of the Valkiries.
- 4:00 pm : Visit of Thann and reception by the Mayor.
- 5:00 pm : End of the trip towards the Azureva center.
- 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm : " Ap�ro"
- 8:00 : Dinner.
- 10:00 : Comic evening , prizes ceremony, ending speech�.
Sunday :
- 7:00am to 9:30am : Breakfast
- 9:00 to 12:00 : the Valkyries go back to Valhalla !!!!!.

Valkyrie Riders Slovakia - Inzane IV 2010 - Bussang, France
VRCC Slovakia and VRCC Czech Republic to the 4th European InZane in Bussang, France 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXkOFVvndjE

Andy - Inzane 2010 - route des cretes
Bine and I on our way to the VRCC Meeting Inzane 2010 in Bussang France over the 'Route des Cretes'. Many thanks to the organizers for this Meeting!
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdeern

Saturday's Group Ride

Ceremony Ronnie, always a pleasure to have around. Later at night, he snorts
. brandy through a straw in his nose. Don't try this at home; it hurts like hell

Beer
During the Gifhorn Meeting in 2006, the EU Chapter Reps decided to start organizing Inzanes along the lines of those in the US: let�s all get together, ride and party.
Each country would voluntarily take on the organization in turn during the next Chapter Rep meeting. Nowadays, Chapters are given a two year heads-up to get their act together.
Having organized 3 major EU meetings as member of a team, I would like to spend a few pages on the preparation of an international EU VRCC meeting and give you an �inside� look of some of the organizational aspects.
As Willow once puts it for the US Inzanes:
It's more complicated than a lot of attendees seem to realize. The hosting hotel does provide enough rooms to keep everyone but also provides the parking lot, the banquet hall, and maybe a few other needs some based upon the rooms that are rented in the hotel. Whereas there may be some places such as a nice campground that would be a good spot for a number of riders to gather, they would not necessarily, or even possibly, be meaningful candidates for InZane. For what it's worth, InZane annually provides a fair portion of the input needed to keep up the rather inexpensive VRCC. It takes a lot of work on the part of a few staff members. It's a lot more than simply deciding that here's a nice place so we'll do it there.

Here is a brief example, and by no means complete overview of an EU Inzane preparation. It may- or may not be done totally different by somebody else.

Preparation, organisation and support
There is always a good spirit of hospitality, friendship and common bond during a Valkyrie Meeting, whether it be an Inzane or other meeting. If everything falls in the right place and is running smoothly during these days, the participants enjoy themselves and hardly notice what kind of preparations have preceded the meeting. It appears we take the success of these happenings for granted.
That is certainly true to the extent that the participants ultimately make the party. And in that sense, it is always a pleasure to organize an event for the average VRCC Rider. There is hardly any bunch of people who are so friendly, relaxed and easy going as the VRCC Rider.
In Europe, there is no such thing as a fixed staff that will take care of Inzane meetings. So, each and every time, different people are organizing these meetings in different countries. The downside is that experience will be absent or lost, on the positive side there is no routine except for the fixed dates which usually fall in June. Then the ice has melted up North, there is enough daylight time to travel in the Scandinavian countries and it does not jeopardize the holiday family planning starting in July. Next, you want to avoid other major events which causes people to have to say no. Like local VRCC meetings, major sport/bike events/expos, elections, Olympic Games, Inzane in the US and the like. Finally, it would also be nice to arrange a meeting during a long weekend where everybody does not have to take leave unnecessarily. Doing this for 20 or so different countries takes some time. In the US it makes sense perhaps, to do the Inzane midweek and travel during the weekends. If travel distances are shorter as in Europe, this may not be desirable.

Team effort
First of all, organizing an event like Inzane is a team effort. This sounds obvious but if you are dealing with team members of different backgrounds and/or without previous Inzane experience, it is crucial that they get along really well, are dedicated and willing to go one step further than you may normally expect. Especially since everything they do will be on a voluntary bases.
So, respect, maintaining a good spirit, formulating action items and a time path, delegation of tasks and responsibilities and informing each other is vital. Personally, I have been very lucky in the past to have been a member of a team just like that and would like to use this opportunity to thank the Lowlands team members once more for their exceptional efforts.

Acquisition
Many hotels are usually booked a year in advance by travel agencies. That is why a good time to start the preparation of an Inzane is two years in advance.
Doing business with a hotel- or event manager far in advance can be tricky, however. During the preparation phase, he/she may promise you all kinds of possibilities and/or facilities. Many of these agreements are made verbally and do not show up in the final contract.
It�s a matter of trust, based on local circumstances when the time comes. Now, these managers have a tendency to move around between hotels quite frequently. So, chances are you may be talking to a different manager during the execution of your meeting who is clueless. Or he leaves for his home after office hours and in the evening his personnel doesn�t know or doesn�t care. So the smart thing to do is to have the manager present or on call all the time. If not, you run the risk of lack of food, understaffing, cues at the bar, registration problems, parking issues, etc.
Time to start selecting your core team. Who in your Chapter is crazy enough to load a pile of work on his/her shoulders, start up an Inzane voluntarily and has a network that comes in handy. Most important however is drive and determination.
You will have to open bank accounts. During the preparation phase, you will be responsible for amounts of $100.000, - or more. A wise thing to do is to transform your Chapter in a legal entity so you will not be held personally responsible or liable as organizer for cancellation, theft, damage or injury during the meeting.
There may even be a fatal injury during a group ride out. While the rider and next of kin are usually aware of the risks of riding in a group and accept that poop sometimes happens, the insurance company will take legal actions to prevent having to pay for the loss and/or damage. And starts to sue the organizers for being responsible for the cause.
The VRCC (US) is a Limited Liability Corporation. When I got in touch with oZ about this story, he wrote to me that he had to pay big bucks for legal protection when he started the club and website. �All these costs were very necessary especially in the U.S. where suing people is a favorite pass time; Karen and I had to protect our home and well-being from prosecution and loss of assets and money. One person falling down on a ride, rally or gathering could sue us and I needed a corporate shield�.

There have been few cases where participants have behaved badly in their hotel rooms. Wrecking bath tubs and alike. If the room is made up after the visitor left and the participant lives in another country, the hotel will try and get the organizers to pay for the damage. Things you have to consider and cover.

In any case, EU participants are now asked to sign a paper during registration, stating that they are personally responsible and liable for their own safety and others in traffic. Individual riding behavior and individual traffic adherence is mandatory during all rides and neither the organizers nor the VRCC Chapter takes any responsibility for theft, damage or injury to person or property, caused by actions of participants to any third party in question or vice versa during the meeting. Sadly, these precautions have to be taken to prevent organizers from being sued.

Finally, it is really handy to have someone make up a website with databases for information, registration and payments.

Location
The first and most important factor is where to do the EU Inzane in your country. Congested, populated areas are a no go for obvious reasons. And there are a lot of these in Western Europe. So find a spot where 200 plus motorcycles can ride safely and without too much traffic, traffic lights, bumps and detours. The surroundings must be pleasant and interesting to be riding through. And last but not least, find a suitable hotel in such a remote location that can accommodate over 300 people. Hotels with such a capacity in Europe are usually located in cities and hard to find in the boon dogs.

In some EU areas, the population sees bikers mainly as a nuisance and troublemakers and the local authorities will not grant permission. Worse still, in some cities it is even prohibited to walk the street wearing jackets with your Chapter�s patch or colours. Thanks to riots caused by 1% MC Clubs.

Dealing and wheeling
If you tell a hotel manager you will visit his hotel with up to 400 people, he will be delighted. But when he has to sell no to other people because you reserved the rooms, he usually wants to get a down payment. Just in case. This happens at a time you don�t know how many people will show up. After all, it will be at least another year before the registration starts.
As an example of how things can turn sour, in Russia the Inzane was Cx all together on short notice when political turmoil prevented the organizers from arranging a EU Inzane in St Petersburg in 2014. Thanks to Bobbie and VRCC UK, they picked up the glove and organized Hinckley instead.

In the early days, organizers of an international EU Meeting had to pay a deposit for the hotel arrangement out of their own pockets. This sometimes constituted a considerable amount. I know a Chapter Rep who had a debt of nearly $80.000, taking the risk all by himself.
This issue was recognized and tackled after some time during a Chapter Rep meeting in 2006. To stimulate participation, the Chapters promised each other not to organize a local event during the time an Inzane was planned. Long term reservations and down payments were incorporated to prevent late cancellations and hotel letters of recommendation from previous Inzanes were passed along. As experience grew, an average of at least 200 regular participants could be anticipated.
You may ask yourself why go through all this trouble and have the participants book individually instead.
You can opt for several registration possibilities. Have the participant book and pay the hotel and meals by him/her self and register for meeting events.
Like sometimes in the US, you pay separately for a room, and either a full registration (includes a Joe Boyd memorial shirt, an Inzane pin and the Saturday dinner), the poker run, an event shirt, grand prize raffle tickets and bling raffles or buy a day pass and pay separately for the events and banquet dinner.
Or the participant of an Inzane pays for a complete Inzane arrangement instead. Room booking is done by the Chapter. So, everything will be included except beverages at the bar. The advantage of the latter is that you can arrange group discounts more easily. This is common practise in the EU.

You have to take into account that people spend enough money as it is by travelling and other expenses.
So now you start dealing with the manager. What will be included in the meals and at what costs. Will the hotel make sufficient quantities to provide for second helpings or late show ups. Will there be enough personnel to accommodate and refill the buffets if necessary. Will the hotel prevent cues when 400 people start ordering drinks at the bar at the same time. Will there be a discount for the participants.
The majority of hotels see their profit mainly in bar consumptions. Alcoholic beverages are expensive in the EU. You tell them that VRCC Riders are of a very thirsty mankind species so the hotel has to consider quantity when calculating profit. Hopefully, you will get their regular price of a consumption down. Or have the hotel serve alcoholic beverages for free during dinnertime. Or provide the room fridge for free. Anything. This, to prevent some people from not coming if they consider the price of consumptions outrageous.
At one time, I had a beer company sponsoring free beers for everyone during the whole evening. I had to cancel this offer because the hotel would not permit any other drinks except from the hotel bar. Bummer.
If you are convinced the hotel will offer a fair and realistic price, you can start calculating the participant�s attendance fee. Here you have two choices. Either keep the price down and have the attendants pay just for the hotel arrangement and rely on sponsoring and club sales or come up with an all-in, more expensive price that covers things like a live band, free T-shirt, tokens of remembrance, free entrance fee for a sightseeing trip and lunch for a common ride out, patches, raffles, night guards, etc.
Next, you have to start negotiating about memorabilia like printed T-shirts, pins and patches. There is a whole array of possibilities on the market, all varying in quality and price. A problem with small quantity orders is always the fabrication of a mould for imprinting. That usually is costly. The individual printing thereafter is cheap.
Finally, you want to consider to incorporate extra�s pending on your budget and possibilities, like on site vendors, organize biker games, fireworks, tuning stand, display, shows, etc.

Prepare for ride outs
Riders in the US and elsewhere are blessed with vast areas in remote locations. Not so in Western Europe.
Obviously, you want to select nice country roads for riding.

If you ride in a group, this is considered a rally in many EU countries and police escort is mandatory.
Now, since it is weekend these police officers work overtime for your tour and you have to pay a bundle for their services. The practical solution to this problem has been to tell the Riders that they are legally riding individually. So, the whole group of sometimes over 200 bikes is riding their own trip. They just happened to be in other motorcycle traffic. Next, the local authorities, police and medical services have to be informed about your meeting and rides. This makes sense if a calamity occurs.
In some countries, each individual town authority (town hall) has to be officially informed if you trespass their area of responsibility. So you need to get their permission first. You can imagine if you want to ride a 250-mile tour how many towns, villages and counties you will be crossing. So, you have to be creative again to tackle this issue.
Since the majority of participants come at your party to ride most of all, you have to select, inspect and publish safe and nice routes in the local area.
A small and curved road can be really nice riding alone but affects safety if you ride with a stretched column of many bikes. Wider roads are normally designed for transient traffic and incorporate too many stops and subsequent break down of your group, causing people to lose sight and getting separated from the lead package. Stops in between have to facilitate the planned number of bikes. And you better incorporate a sanitary facility for ladies.

In the past, we used marshallers in the EU to block junctions and a tail chaser to keep the bike group in one piece to provide for continuity of the ride. Sometimes followed by a salvage vehicle to pick up stranded or broken bikes, if necessary. In many EU countries, blocking junctions by bikers is legally not allowed. Only the police can do this. So, if a car decides to pass the blockade, he/she has the perfect right to do so.
In the past, after blocking other traffic the marshallers would overtake the group and join up in front to do their trick again. This has caused problems. Marshallers overtaking the group have been involved in serious accidents. So you better have sufficient numbers to account for single use at junctions or have the group stop and allow for the marshallers to catch up in front again.

Group Riding
Leading a large group of Riders can be quite a challenge and responsibility. First of all, your link is as weak as the most inexperienced- or irresponsible Rider.
It is only natural that the group starts behaving like a harmonica. The leader may ride at a constant speed, there are always Riders who prefer to have a gap in between. This makes sense if you have an inexperienced Rider in front of you who hits the brakes in front of- or during every curve in the road. If you let the gap become too wide however and start accelerating to catch up on straight parts you should realize that 50 riders down the road, other Riders will have to ride top speed to overcome this, seemingly small alteration.
One time during a EU Inzane, I experienced a few Riders who were drinking whiskey during breakfast. The Inzane leader, Lasse, patiently explained to them that he couldn�t care less what they were having for breakfast but he could not possibly allow them to participate in that day�s group ride for obvious reasons.
To his surprise, the same Riders were riding along anyway and having more whiskey during lunchtime. Needless to say, this caused some havoc to the point the Riders had to be threatened with calling the police before they could be persuaded to leave the group.
You better inspect the routes just prior to the meeting for roadblocks, WIP, etc. I saw a beautiful customized Valkyrie end up as a wreck in the ditch one time at Inzane because the rider decided to overtake someone else on a curved road in the mountains. At about halfway the curve which he couldn�t oversee, the opposite side of the road was broken up by Work in Progress.

Finally, I have seen several serious accidents happen because Riders were not keeping their lane while being overtaken (not always intentionally, they may avoid ditches, potholes, etc.).

As Britman put it once in 2016, LOL (abbreviated)
Part of the problem is some riders do not want to learn the rules of group riding.
The most important rule is it�s not a race. Something that many seem unable to comprehend.
Then there's the wait for the rider behind you at a turn if you can't see them behind you rule.
Some are simply unable to get this into their heads.
Then there's the rider who waits until the last moment before getting ready to ride. Everyone else around them is gloved and helmeted and they are still flapping their mouths and making the rest of the group sit and wait.
Then there's the rider who thinks that his bike is in some way magical and doesn't need to get fuel when others on the same model bike are filling up and then needs to stop 30 miles down the road.
Then there's the rider who doesn't ever use hand signals to help advise riders behind who may not be able to see the rider ahead brake light or turn signals. If someone ahead of you is using hand signals maybe the riders behind you would like to be advised of the same information.
Then there's the rider who doesn't ride staggered. Especially the ones who move from side to side in the lane as they are rolling down the road.
Then there's the rider who has to be constantly busy with their GPS, their music etc. whilst slowing, speeding, weaving down the road.
Then there's the rider who whines about "when's lunch" or doesn't like the lunch stop.
Then there's the rider who stops in the middle of the lane at a traffic light or stop sign blocking the lead rider from being able to see the tail end of the group in his mirrors.

Sponsors
I was explaining earlier that the organization has a lot of expenses before even a single participant registers, let alone starts paying. Since the VRCC does not charge any money from its members, sponsors are the means to overcome this problem.
As Misfit puts it somewhere on the board, it�s getting extremely hard to get quality raffle prizes donated. Partly because the novelty of the Valkyrie is gone and also because the target group by now is getting too small for any company to be profitable. Where in the early days truckloads of accessories were selling like crazy during a meeting of a few hundred Valkyrie Riders, sponsors now hardly get their travel expenses back. This is equally true in Europe where sponsoring all along is a different ballgame than in the US. It�s strictly business and many companies want to have their investment back right away.
Timing is essential. Your request must be on the table when the company decides over its sponsor events. My experience is that chances of getting sponsoring are always better if you start straight at the top.
Write a personal letter to the CEO or member of Board of Directors.
Read their annual investors meeting reports and pick a few sentences that apply to the VRCC to make him aware that you are involved.
Don�t ask for money straight away but invite him to a formal charity dinner. Make him believe that you know him. Tell him that you also invited other CEO�s, celebrities and public figures.
The majority of sponsor requests/invitations will end up in the dustbin and you will get no answer. Sometimes these letters will be passed on to the lower ranks with a question mark. So, a few months later you start inquiring about your invitation. People don�t know who you are but they now feel they have an obligation. They will get back to you this time asking for more information. Ask for a personal meeting to elaborate on your meeting and proposal. Put on your suit. Think BIG, the way these guys do. Don�t ask for pennies and dimes. You want a brand new, latest model motorcycle or a considerable amount of money to give away for charity. You want your meeting to make impact and impress. There will be lots of publicity. Their gift will be noticed by influential people from over 20 countries!
Of course, you will not get what you asked for but by now you have an insight in the companies� possibilities. Now comes the time to talk alternatives and what you are really out for. This approach sometimes worked for me.
Many sponsors in the EU have no problem in sponsoring a EU VRCC Inzane, provided that they will get their invested money back quickly. Well, it takes no mathematics to figure out that a target group of 300-400 people is too small to be very attractive for any sponsor. So much for your Inzane cash flow and balance. Sponsoring has also to do with publicity. If you can arrange to be in a newspaper or on local or even national TV, sponsors will be more willing to support you. And your meeting needs to support a charity organization, of course. So, you need to do some campaigning. I have always been grateful for the statement of the US VRCC board message that stated that the club had over 20.000 members and 6 million monthly hits. After all, that number is much more impressive than 400 EU Inzane participants. Nowadays, a smart manager will check the number of website visits straight away, however.
How can you get more publicity. Invite a public figure. A movie star, TV celebrity or national country Miss which is my favourite option. Especially if she has been a Miss World contestant. Or any other public figure for that matter. You have to persuade her to come over for your charity funding and enjoy a day�s free ride on the world�s best motorcycle ever. If she accepts, your meeting will be in the news but this also imposes a risk. When she comes completely dressed up with the entire circus around her, you lose control over your own meeting quickly. You can still consider this if you attract many sponsors and substantially upgrade the Inzane meeting. So, it is usually more practical to ask the sponsor for a discount or raffle item.

VRCC Benelux VzW Gemert, 23 November 2015
De Wouw 45
5422 DC Gemert To: Azzam Al Mutawa
The Netherlands Managing Director
Tel: +31 492773661 Kuwait Petroleum
Mob: +31 657975901
Beer.vanhuet@gmail.com Subj: Promotion request

It is my pleasure to invite you to our formal dinner at the hotel Ol Fosse d�Outh in Houffalize on the 4th of June 2016.
After 12 years, the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Benelux has been able to bring the International European Inzane meeting back to Belgium again on 2-5 June 2016. This meeting has been a great success in the past, rendering it the biggest EU Honda Valkyrie event with widespread participation from over 18 countries.
I expect over 400 of these exclusive motorcycles to attend, that are also owned by Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Next year, it will be the second lustrum of these meetings which also coincides with our motorcycle�s 20th birthday anniversary.
All the more reason for an extra celebration. On Saturday June 4th for instance, we will commemorate the fallen allied WW2 soldiers at the War Museum in Bastogne in the Ardennes.
During the meeting, a lottery will be held to benefit the Medical Helicopter Rescue Center in nearby Bras sur Lienne. In this sparsely populated area, timely recovery of sick and injured people is otherwise not possible. All revenues and income of the meeting and lottery will be donated to this charity foundation.
A Valkyrie will serve as a grand prize for this lottery. We have made contact with Miss Universe Belgium 2015, Annelies T�r�s as guest of honor to hand over this prize to the lucky winner.
Unfortunately, the organization lacks � 2500, - to obtain this grand prize. We would very much appreciate your involvement in this event therefore, by donating this amount as a generous contribution.
In return we will promote Kuwait Petroleum every way we can and provide maximum exposure of your company prior to the meeting, during the lottery and afterwards on all our 18 EU websites and Facebook. Your company will be added to the sponsor list on our meeting website and permanently on our regular website. We will submit a full report afterwards, including your name and gift to all VRCC Chapters worldwide with over 20.000 members. In addition, we will send you photos and a video of our meeting without delay, together with a token of our appreciation.
If you wish, I am more than happy to come over and discuss this promotion proposal in person.
I do hope therefore, that you will reply to my request in a positive way and that I may hear from you soon.

Each time I tried to convince over 80 companies to sponsor the VRCC Meeting, ranging from Esso and Shell to provide discount fuel coupons for the Riders during their travel to small local companies with a chrome piece or tool. Out of those 80, only 4 or 5 react. Below an example of an early day letter to Honda Japan that came back to me through the entire Honda EU chain of command, LOL.

ValkyrieRidersClub Benelux Gemert, 17 May 2002
Vondellaan 103
5421PT Gemert NL To: Mr. Hiroyuki Yoshino
Tel/fax: 0492-390090 President and CEO of Honda
Email: beerhuet@chello.nl Subj: Notification

As Chairman of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Benelux (VRCC) I would like to notify you of a disturbing matter within your Marketing/Public Affairs Department.
My Club is hosting an international meeting of Honda Valkyrie/F6C motorcycle owners by the end of May and has requested Honda Europe to participate in this event either financially or with promotion articles.
The main objective of the meeting is to raise funds for the �Make-a-Wish� foundation. This foundation makes dreams come true of terminally ill children between 3-18 years of age.
So far, we have had positive responses from quite a number of F6C riders from Italy, Austria, Greece, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom and the Federation of Russia. Several local- and Japanese companies are sponsoring our event. We are getting promotion articles from our friends in the USA and the meeting will be promoted by various local Honda dealers, online and in the local newspapers and tourist information office bulletins. Furthermore, Miss Netherlands will pay the meeting a visit as guest of honour and television teams will be on location. We have gone through great lengths to promote the Honda F6C �Cruiser of the Decade� in Europe and beyond.
As stated before, early November last year I have sent Honda Netherlands a letter, requesting their support for this event. After several phone calls, I received an answer that the company did not like to be associated with the model name �Valkyrie�; hence no support could be provided. Besides the affiliate lacked money and I was told to get in touch with Honda Belgium who was taking care of business on behalf of the Netherlands section. Honda Belgium was very positive but said the company had to wait for a new budget, so they would get back to me. Late March 2002 I received a mail from Honda Belgium to no avail and that they were handing over the matter to Honda Netherlands.
So far, the �Power of a Dream� has turned out to be an empty balloon as far as your PR department in the Benelux is concerned. We are proud of riding your company�s product and have invested a lot in our meeting. I hate to announce at our f6rider site with over 15000 members and 6 million hits every month that Honda Netherlands is ashamed of the name Valkyrie and thus not willing to promote the model. The least Honda Europe can do is to give us a decisive answer whether or not it will be supporting our meeting. I am turning to you as a last resort to kindly ask for your intervenience in this matter.

Talking about timing, 17 years later the same Honda Europe contributed a considerable amount in buying a Valkyrie as Grand Prize for EU Inzane X as well as providing 3 brand new GW Valkyries for free test rides during the meeting. Unfortunately, the test rides had to be cancelled because an earthquake hit the Honda plant in Japan just prior to the meeting and there were no more models available in Europe.

Some companies in particular have always been very generous and loyal in supporting EU VRCC Meetings like Valkyrieparts in Germany and Bikers Best in the Netherlands. Here are some international responses from the early days. The VRCC owes these companies a lot.

My company is happy to sponsor your meeting by donating one Valkyrie Cruise Control under the guidelines outlined in your letter of March 18 2003. In particular, we would like to send flyers to be distributed to all attendees. We have only one problem - we no longer have computers available for the existing cruise control kit and have yet to get a Valkyrie bike back to do the development work. Nonetheless, we have many orders and are confident we can find a bike to upgrade the kit to the new computer over the next month or so. If your organisation is happy to proceed on the basis that a kit will be supplied in due course when development is complete - not later than July 2003 - then we are happy to be involved. The donation would have a value of around $900 Aussie dollars and include freight to the winner. It would NOT include installation costs however.

Best regards and good luck with the meeting,
Thanks for the update. We certainly appreciate the exposure. We believe we have the best product in the world - but riders are still hard to convince when it comes to the benefits of cruise control. Once they use it and get used to it they can't live without it - but getting that first sale can be tough. The new computer development has now been finalized and looms will be outsourced this week. We should have a product available for the Valkyrie by around mid-June.
Best regards,

Yes, we did receive your letter and can gladly send some Blinker Buddies for your cause and event. We don't really have any promotional materials to send because we haven't done any shows or events yet. Let me know the delivery date and I'll send some out as soon as I can.

Thank you for your prompt reply. We are very interested in participating. We have a European representative that we will contact to assist in making the arrangements with you. We will be in contact soon.

We will definitely participate and very happy to do so. I will work on sending product to you by the middle of April.

We received your letter requesting promotional items for the event on May 22-25, and are only delighted to participate by donating two of our top line gauges -a clock and a thermometer, chrome stainless steel. We'll ship them as soon as you provide the USA address you mentioned in your letter. Thank you for contacting us and for your interest in our products.
All the best!

Happy to hear the package arrived okay. We hope that your members get some good use of the gift certificates. I have included a copy of our logo for you to use on your website and we thank you for doing so.

Thank you for your email message and invitation to be involved. Yes, Tel-Tru is happy to donate 1 unit of the Tel-Tru Valkyrie oil dipstick gauge kit for your event's lottery. I am arranging it to ship by April
16, 2003, to the address in California that you provided. I hope it is a successful event for you.
Best regards,

Thank you for your informing us of your exciting upcoming event. We have our distributor American Lifestyle who is servicing the Benelux market. I have forwarded this to Rudi and Peter to follow up with you. Please feel free to contact with any other information in the future.
Best Regards,

I sent our promotion out today via USPS priority mail. It should arrive there on Monday 4/23/03. It is a small package as the Company is small and hardly qualifies as a "grand prize" but I hope the winner will enjoy it. I believe it will be the first one in Europe. Hope the meet is fun for all.
Best regards,

I would be happy to donate a prize for a worthy cause like yours. The problem is I make covers for all 3 models, Standard, Tourer and I/S. The covers are not interchangeable and they also come in 20 colours. What I might suggest is if you can take some of the Photos off my web page ([url=http://www.winterwoolie.com]www.winterwoolie.com[/url]) and print them up then you can offer the prize based upon the photos. This way if the winner has a Standard or Tourer then I will send them a cover in the colour of their choice for both the Driver and Passenger seats. If the winner has an I/S then they would win a single full cover for both seats.
For a sample I could send you a Back rest for the sissy bar passenger rest and this way you could display it and people could feel the quality. Then you could raffle off the Back rest too.
The winner could contact me and let me know what they want and in what colour, then I could send it direct to that person from New Zealand. Would this be OK.

Sorry for the delay in responding to your previous letter. I have been having some health problems, which has slowed some things down in the Office. We will send a set of the AIR WINGS with UPPERS for the Valkyrie cycle to the address listed on the bottom of your first letter. Shipment should be on Friday, April 11, 2003, for it should arrive at the CA address on April 18 or April 21, 2003. If this is not acceptable, please advice promptly. We will also enclose some product flyers for you to give to the attendants or put on display.
Hope it all goes well for you.

This year, we send you our new Vest B model 2XL size as a grand prize for the lottery which please find in our website [url=http://www.hit-air.com]www.hit-air.com[/url] line up. We may also send you some Hi Air sports caps and flyers. We wish you success in the forthcoming meeting.
Best regards,

I'm changing my name. I received your letter and would be happy to donate one of my accessories for a good cause. I'm a very small business but I will donate something small but very nice. Let me know where to send it and thank you for the invite. I wish I could be there.

Thank you for your interest in Waynes World and for the opportunity to give to a wonderful cause such as the CliniClowns Foundation.
I just received your letter and would gladly like to donate some motor cycle accessories

Execution
A few weeks before Inzane everything has to come together.
A script is handed out with all action items and cell phone numbers to all helpers so they know what-, where and when events are taking place as well as their duties and cases of emergency. Final tuning and adjustments are made.
A day in advance the crew dresses up the hotel with banners and information, sorts out the welcome packages, instructs the reception ladies and hotel manager and checks out the hotel. A final check of the trips is made to see if there have been any changes, detours or alterations to the routes.
Since most participants from different countries are not able to communicate with each other, all the speeches are prescript to be able to translate them in different languages in advance�..it�s truly amazing to see Riders from all over Europe having the same fun and sprit even though they speak different languages.
No matter how well the meeting went, if a collision, accident or theft has taken place, that will always be remembered. So the parking place is physically guarded and blocked at night to prevent theft. Better safe than sorry. The rest is up to the participants. PARTY TIME.

Wrap up
After the meeting and clean up, the organization does a debriefing, sends tokens of appreciation and feedback to the sponsors and completes the financial issues. Finally, after a year or so, the IRS hopefully will approve your bookkeeping and you can have a dinner with your crew and rest at ease, LOL.

Wolf
Beata, Luzik and Tomo organized this great motorcycle event in Europe. It was an honor to be part of this first EU Inzane. THANK YOU!!!
We finally got to this day, Thursday, when the Valkriders arrived from all corners of Europe in the pouring rain. They all came to Karpacz in Poland!!!
Over 240 Valkyrie and everyone eager for the meeting. Some rode more than 2,000 kilometers for this rally, and one individual even 3,500 km!
Everyone was very impressed with the professionalism of the Inzane preparation.
You could hear whispers in many languages: "I have never been to such a motorcycle meeting yet."
Wonderful, wonderful, great .......... etc.
There was a magician, an underwear show, dance lessons, the performance of the best Polish mime, and parade through the streets of Karpacz in costumes from the Grand Theater in Warsaw.
Words cannot describe the atmosphere of this rally and the amount of work put in by Beata, Luzik and Tomo who will be remembered forever.

Editor�s Note
Our Polish Bros have gone through great lengths to make this first EU Inzane an unforgettable experience.
324 members participated from Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden and the US.
Karpacz is a very nice place in the vicinity of Ksiaz Castle, the largest castle in Eastern Europe.
It lies within Ksiaz Landscape Park, a protected area which is part of the Waldenburg Mountains. The castle overlooks the gorge of the Pelcznica river and is one of the Walbrzych's main tourist attractions.

During reception day, dinner was possible until 01:00. Friday night at the hotel a comedian, Karaoke, folkloristic and country dance with nice looking ladies, dance, live music and DJ.
Dinner tables were available until closing time and not unimportant, 1 pint of best the Polish Lager for only � 1,25.

Saturday a joint ride to Czocha Castle with short breaks and lunch. Then on to participate in the event of the city Karpacz - rock concert in support of action for a children's home.
We had special transport passage to the party center where there is live music, DJ, an international tug-of-war competition, bank robbery, individual competitions (the strongest right and left hand), bull riding, country dance, coinage and several other festivities.

And as on Friday: half a liter of the best Polish beer only for 1.25 � and tables full of food until the end of the party from 22:00 possibility to return to the hotel.

Luzik
The Karpacz Inzane in Poland was the first and greatest Valkyrie show organized in Europe. Only preceded by the Inzanes in the US.
The challenge was great, especially because the Polish Chapter and the organizers (Beata, Luzik (Mirek) and Tomo had no experience in organizing such a big rally.
The organization started almost immediately after Gifhorn and lasted for the whole year.
We chose Karpacz for it�s good, central location, easily accessible from all European countries and the available accommodation and a positive attitude of the local authorities were great.
Karpacz met all our expectations. Ground Zero of the rally was Hotel Skalny, and two other hotels close by.

Thursday - The weather was terrible. It was raining cats and dogs from the early morning throughout the day. And not just drizzle but very heavy showers.
The first participants began to arrive at 13.00. As you can see, raingear was obligatory equipment. After registration, everyone immediately went to the rooms to change their clothes and gather as soon as possible at the bar to get warm.
Since we had not planned anything for this evening, everyone got to the hotel in their own time and the registration lasted until late at night.

Friday
After breakfast, we went for a first group ride to the Czocha Castle:

Almost everyone went riding on the first trip. Luckily, the weather was good.
The castle made a big impression. Very old and atmospheric��
The row of motorcycles was several kilometers long, you could not see the end from the start.....

Saturday
The trip to one of the most beautiful castles in Lower Silesia.
It was the main trip of the rally and we invited the police to protect the column of VRCC power cruisers:

Before leaving the castle, Kamil came up with the idea to take a photo from the highest castle tower.
The participants of the trip put together an inscription, 1 INZANE on the lawn in front of the main entrance.

Friday, Saturday - Attractions and fun until the morning. Two bands played during the event:

A display of women's underwear
Words fall short�You had to see it! A true winner and great success.
The male part of the rally didn�t want to end the show�.. Some of them even took the part in it

In the lobby we organized a rivalry contest:
Johnny Walker vs Jack Daniel�s ...... and guess who won?

Yep,

was the winner. Some people could not take their eyes off these red labeled walkers

Smoking cigars is not the healthiest thing, but as you can see from the pictures below, many Riders enjoyed a first class cigar and it sure was a great success ...

You don�t leave a COHIBA go to waste Some cigars even made it to the dancefloor�

We also had a performance of young "magicians" - Bartek and Szczygiel gave a nice show and up �till this day many Riders still don�t know how all that "magic" worked ....

. Ooooo !!!! How are they doing that?

The Spanish temperament was irreplaceable . . . As usual - the Dutch showed good humor and their wooden shoes ....

We also had guests from Ukraine - their shining vests in the dark made quite an impression�

In the evening, a well-known Polish mime actor went on stage.
He did not need words to make everyone laugh...

On Saturday evening we had a great performance of a "Country/Line Dance" band and later, volunteers had the opportunity to copy the steps and join in ....

On Saturday, we had a "parade" on the main street of Karpacz: below the preparation for the parade and the parade itself. Theme for the occasion was �disguise� and some Riders took this very seriously

1st European InZane 2007 � VALKYRIE motorcycle rally. Karpacz will host more than 320 participants of the first European Motorbike Festival of the Honda Valkyrie. The rally starts on Thursday, June 21st, and will run until midnight.
The Rally begins on Thursday 21 June and will last until Sunday 24 June. The Orbis Skalny hotel in Karpacz will be occupied by the participants of the meeting from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Czech Republic, England, Finland, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland and of course Poland. These days the participants will visit the most interesting places in Karpacz and surroundings. Ksiaz Castle and Czocha Castle. Organizers of the Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club Poland Chapter and the Mayor of Karpacz prepared a �6 cylinders� festival on Saturday with participants of the rally and also for spectators and motorbike enthusiasts. The event will be held on the Relaxation Slope from 8 pm. The program will consist of rock bands, presentation of Honda Valkyrie motorcycles, games and contests and the possibility to purchase motorcycle gadgets. During the event there will be a party with star of the evening Stan Borys. Also, on this day at 16:30 a great Honda Valkyrie Motorcycle Parade will cross the main streets of the city from White Jaru to the Relaxation Slope.

Kurt from Switzerland
The VRCC Chapter Poland has organized a successful event all along the line! The Poles have managed, from the first moment to create an atmosphere in which one felt comfortable. In addition to trips, a cozy get-together, food from the rich buffet, there was also enough time to marvel at the small town of Karpacz or the numerous Valks from various European countries, exchange one or the other shop talk, philosophize about the experiences or worries of a Valk driver, or easy to relax. A special highlight was the parade on Saturday through the town, where the roadsides were lined with enthusiastic spectators who waved enthusiastically to the Valk drivers and applauded. The weather did not fully convince, but the few raindrops that clouded the mood a bit during the day disappeared again and made the sun shine from time to time.

Editor�s Note
I took the liberty of translating the late Werner�s experiences and impressions about Inzane Braunschweig because I figured it would be interesting from a background POV. Werner was a very active and social Rider, with 10W40 in his veins so to say, and with previous experience in organizing various VRCC Meetings in Germany. It is quite complete, almost like a diary.

Werner
Let me begin early on.
When we sat together with the representatives of all present countries at the 1st European InZane in Karpacz, nobody volunteered for the 2nd one in 2008. In the end the Poles agreed to do it once again.
Approximately 3 weeks after the meeting in Poland, Gerald called me and told me that he wanted to organize a Northern Germany meeting in 2008.
When I called Andy a few weeks later, I accidentally mentioned what Gerald had in mind.
Andy in the meantime, had talked to a few Chapter Leaders in Europe and they all were a bit unhappy that Inzane would take place at the same place again. Andy asked me if I could imagine myself organizing Inzane 2008 together with Ede and Gerald.
I told him I would have to think about it and first wanted to talk to Ede and Gerald.
When I hung up, I first informed Gudrun (my wife) of Andy's idea.
Her enthusiasm was not huge to say the least. This had also to do with her illness.
But then I convinced her (or better persuade her) that evening.
So the next day I called Ede.
The conversation went something like this.
Werner: Hi.
Ede: Hello.
Werner: Have phoned Andy, he says we should put Inzane 2008 on track.
Ede: We ?
Werner: Yo, together with Gerald. You know, Gerald wants to host a Northern Germany meeting in 2008 and Andy said well, then we can arrange an InZane with him as well
Ede after about 10 seconds: Yo, I�m in.
So then we just had to convince Gerald.
So we called him and informed of Andy's proposal.
He spontaneously went along with the idea but wanted to sleep it over.
The next day Gerald agreed and I called Andy to tell him we�re on.
Andy then contacted the other European Chapter Leaders to get approval for InZane 2008 in Germany.
Everyone was in favor, and the Poles immediately agreed.
So we could (in the meantime it was in the middle of August) start the planning which at first took place secretly.
Since Gerald had already figured out where to host his meeting in 2008, we first looked at his location in the Tulip Inn and decided we would take this hotel.
Now an appointment could be made to see if the hotel was interested in our event.
Gerald made contact with Mr. Klug (manager of the hotel) and we discussed the possibilities with him.
The conversation was very positive so we claimed this location.
The date 22.05.-25.05.2008 looked right as well since there this coincided with a holiday in some Bundesl�ndern.
Now we could start the detailed planning and Ede began to create the InZane page.
Naturally, the next question was which logo to use and Ede started working on it.
After some designs, which somehow did not satisfy Ede and me, Andy came into play once again.
During a phone call between Ede, Andy and me talking about the logo, Andy came up with the idea of talking to oZ from the United States. After all, he is a graphic designer and often makes the logo for the USA Inzane.
Andy then called oZ and he agreed. He asked for a particular design or specification and we told him we would like to have the Braunschweig Lion from the city coat of arms in the logo.
After probably 3 or 4 drafts that took some time, the final logo was produced.
You can certainly remember a draft that we had posted first with the announcement in the forum.
There were concerns from different directions of the country, but like I said, it was not the final draft yet. When it finally arrived, we were really satisfied and received approval from everyone.
Quote from a statement from the USA about our logo:
"Hey oZ, you designed such a great logo for Europe, it's better than the logos of the last Inzane meeting." Have you ever looked at the USA Inzane logo for this year?
Somehow similar to ours, at least as far as the colors are concerned.
At the beginning of September Ede had finished the Inzane Page and we decided to release the registration at 07.09.2007 which was done at 15.33.
On 11. 09. the first 100 participants were registered.
We received a tip to try and convince the Mayor. Gerd Hoffmann to accept the patronage of the meeting. That would open many doors, which proved to be true afterwards.
We have achieved this by promising a donation for handicapped children in Braunschweig.
Gerald had already started planning the rides and used Udo for this purpose. Udo then moved into our team and supported us in many ways.
He also contacted everyone in and around Braunschweig who had anything to do with the meeting like newspapers, radio, television, police, the ministry in Hannover, etc.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention that from 26.08.2008 an action list was made up by Gerald. It stated who was responsible for what and if an item was finished. You can imagine there were many action items by now.
On Sunday, October 7, 2007, we had a press conference with a representative of the Braunschweiger newspaper. I had suggested to Mr. Klug the hotel manager to do it over there on a Sunday, so we could test the breakfast buffet at the same time.
On 10.09. our first preliminary report appeared in the newspaper. Ede published it on our website. The same day, I got a call from Mr. Lehna from the Wolters Brewery asking me if they could get on board as an old Braunschweiger based brewery.
After about half an hour of conversation, I had a commitment by him to donate an amount of money and additional support.
Again, my thanks to the Hofbr�uhaus Wolters who also printed the key fobs and contributed in the cost of the banners. Finally, they have supported us with their good "connections" elsewhere.
At the beginning of October, I called Ritschi to ask him if he would make his 2nd Valk available for the meeting if someone from the US would sign up.
Without thinking he immediately said yes, stating he could not drive with 2 bikes at the same time anyway.

Meanwhile, it was mid-October and we got the 200th participant sign-up, but we were still touching base with oZ to get the final logo. It arrived on October 20th.
Gerald then got the idea of the (Inzane Chairman) hammer and I said no problem, but for funding you need to find a few sponsors from your own area. A few days later he sent me an email with some names and the sums they wanted to donate.
Thus, Gerald was able to pursue his idea with the hammer.

In the meantime, Ede's InZane Page got bigger and bigger. The registration list was getting longer and had to be meticulously monitored.
A good thing I had nothing to do with that because Ede and Gunda had everything well under control.
We could get some sponsors who had to be put on the website.
In November it was relatively quiet except for registrations.
Although we were always in contact, Ede took care of the registrations.
A real important thing happened in November. On 21.11. we got a provisional OK from the Sachsen State Authority for road construction and traffic that our rides would probably be approved.
Another step that was very important for the meeting.
In December, the City Marketing Office in Braunschweig demanded a plan where we wanted to set up the two tents and the motorcycles on the Castle square. They required this information because we would have to be issued a construction permit .............
Since Gerald had already roughly thought up the plan, he made a drawing in a little more detail and submitted it. Shortly thereafter, Gerald came up with the idea of a professional photographer who would take pictures at Inzane.
Ede and I thought it was a great idea and we agreed. Under the condition that we as organizers would have nothing to do with the details.
On December 4th, Gerald and Udo met the police chiefs from Braunschweig, Wolfenb�ttel and Salzgitter as well as the head of the police-Kradstaffel to present our planned rides.
In the meantime, Ede had taken care of the T-shirts, patches and pins and on 11.12. a test print was done.
We had a written commitment from the State television (NDR) to report our event unless more important issues would prevail. This indeed happened in the week of the meeting when they found a dismembered corpse in Braunschweig so we did not make television.
Christmas arrived at the door and it was a bit quieter except for a few phone calls and mails.
On 04.01. we received a message that Mr. Kolan (head of the Kradstaffel Braunschweig) that he was POC for police matters and everything needed to be coordinated directly with him.
On 17.01. we had a meeting at the Wolters brewery with Ede, Gerald and I as well as Mr. Lehna and Mr. Bittner from Wolters, Mr. Gehre from the Tourist Office and Mr. Klug and the Mr. Hatzifiou and L�deking from the hotel.
In this meeting it turned out that the 3 gentlemen of the hotel were uneasy and we went home with a slightly queasy feeling.
That proved to be right because the hotel manager Mr. Klug, with whom we had discussed everything in detail told us that he would probably leave the hotel.
We were flabbergasted because if that would happen before the Inzane we would have to renegotiate everything again with somebody else.

But we told ourselves to wait and see how this situation would develop, we had no other choice anyway. During the conversation in Wolters we also expressed that we wanted to put the Mayor in a sidecar and have him ride a small distance with us.
It turned out that Mr. Bittner von Wolters knew the Managing Director of Schubert Helmets and gave us his phone no. That evening I asked Gerald to get in touch with this man for sponsoring.
It worked out fine.
Shortly after the conversation we received a message from Mr. Klug that we could not get the promised 177 rooms but only 160. In a telephone conversation with him, he said he was very sorry, but could not do anything because it was the Hotel top management�s decision. But he also had a good message. He tried to book the J�geretten for our event and received the confirmation from J�germeister. They wanted to send 2 teams on Friday.
The remainder of January and beginning of February we had a quiet time until 11.02. when we received a message that Mr. Klug did not work any longer at the hotel as of the next day.
That was quite a blow of course. What about all our detailed planning we had verbally gone through with Mr. Klug? We had to make an appointment with Mr. L�deking and Mr. Hatzfotiou to do it all over again.
This conversation took place in March in the hotel. That evening we went well prepared and optimistic on our way to the hotel. Actually, I thought they must want something from us, our money in particular.
To report about our conversation in detail would take too long. We soon became very disappointed. Many of the agreed issues by Mr. Klug were rejected e.g. price fixing for drinks, J�geretten, etc. I objected and told that we had mails from Mr. Klug confirming everything.
The response was: we are not interested, it�s not possible, Mr. Klug had exceeded his competence, etc.
These guys were in a good position. They were aware by our InZane Page that we already had nearly 350 registrations. So, one week before the meeting I received the contract. I noticed the conditions and called Mr. L�deking and summarized in a 1-hour conversation several points that we would not sign for. He promised me to change some things and send me the revised contract again on the next day. Same deal, lengthy telephone conversation with Mr. L�deking because not everything was changed. 2 days later again a new contract. Unfortunately, not compliant with our discussion, so picked up the phone again. Then I talked to him. This time in plain language and all at once, he sent me a contract that was acceptable.
Except for the silly, stupid beverage coupons he insisted on and some other things (including cancellation of J�geretten). So, Ede and I signed.
On 28.02. The next newspaper, the Peiner Nachrichten announced the meeting and Ede put it online. A day later, the same article appeared in the Salzgitter Nachrichten.
On 07.03. Gerald took a ski holiday with his family for a week.
What a rest. One week no mail or call from Gerald.
Sorry Gerald, I could not resist, maybe you have thought the same thing at 16.02. when I went riding a motorcycle in Florida. BTW, in Florida, I came across Tscharly and asked him doing his bodypainting for Inzane again.
He said he would have to rethink since they had done nothing for several years and besides, Wolfgang would have to be there as well.
Punctually on 16.03. (Gerald's holiday was over) 2 Mail's arrived from Gerald.
It was about city tours that we had already canceled and sponsors.
On 21.03. I got a mail from Canada in which a gentleman named Brant Bergstrome told me that he and his wife would like to come to our Inzane and he would like to get a tip on how best to get his Valk to Germany and which airport to fly to.
That would be something I said to myself, participants from Canada at the European InZane 2008. I asked for his phone number and got it 3 hours later.
I called him and told him that he could leave his Valk at home, he would get one from us (you remember my conversation with Ritschi) and he would have to fly to Hanover.
I would pick him up from the airport and he could live with us until the meeting.
The next morning his registration was received with an e-mail with his flight details.
April just flew away, there was plenty of work and coordination to do.
Then came the time for Maibaum planting in W�rth.
Wolfgang told us he wanted to come and we wanted to discuss details about the Bodypainting.
Tscharly had promised to come a long time ago and now only Wolfgang is there.
On top of that, Wolfgang had no time in the weekend so we still had to make a master decision.
The idea was not so wild and looked feasible, it's pretty easy to book 2 girls for it at short notice.
No matter, there was a great Maibaum meeting down in the South and many encouraged me to press on for our event.
Shortly afterwards Steffi came up to me. She would like to surprise Ernst and she and Anna would come to Inzane. Their Flight was booked for Friday.
Ok, I thought. Let's see who we get to volunteer to pick them up in Hanover.
A friend of Gerald helped us out.
The remaining preparation days we spent on a lot of little things that needed to be done or organized. But everything went smoothly because we have been an oiled team for a long time.
Some stress popped up when Tscharly called me and told me that it would work with Wolfgang. It took some phone calls and a few days until we had the girls.
On Whitsun Monday we drove to the final meeting with Mr. Kolan (head of the police motorcycle squadron) to Braunschweig. In a conversation lasting just under 2 hours, we thoroughly and completely went through the two rides and discussed each and every turn.
On my question how it might be with some loud exhaust pipes he said that during the Inzane weekend his colleagues are guaranteed to be a little hard of hearing.
With the topic of sirens he had more problems and we had to promise not to use the horns and sirens. Well, that's what we did, or not, I don�t remember.
Afterwards we rode to Burgplatz to wait for the photographer of the Braunschweiger Zeitung.
They wanted current photos for their preliminary report.
After that was done, the guy from the radio wanted to make an appointment for an interview. That was set on the next day. BTW, there is a recording that we will publish shortly.
The rest of the week was relatively quiet. About 1 - 1.5 hours a day was enough to do what was needed.
On Saturday before the meeting we had to pick up the Canadians Brant & Leah from the airport and combined this with a breakfast at Vossi�s place.
On Monday, Ede and I rode with the couple to Gitte and Ritschi in Kiel to pick up "Brant's" F6.
The grill was prepared and after the meal Ritschi and Gitte brought us on small roads with plenty of curves (all respect, how to avoid the federal roads so rigorously) to Lauenburg. Thanks again.

On Wednesday I went for a nice trip with Brant & Leah through Niedersachsen and Sachsen-Anhalt which ended up at the Tulip Inn in the evening. It was a bit later than planned but at 2.30 we were back home.
On Thursday we went to Braunschweig after a hearty breakfast and on Sunday, after I had brought the Canadians back to the airport, I was back home at 16.00 clock.
These 3 Inzane days just flew by and an were an unforgettable experience for all who were there as well as myself. There has been enough written about it already.
Finally, I would like to thank those who have supported us during the run-up in numerous phone calls and personal conversations, that was good.
A big thank you to those who have supported us financially.
An even bigger thank you goes to the approximately 360 participants from 18 nations.
You have made the 2nd European InZane in Germany an unforgettable event.
Finally, a thank you to Ede, Gerald and Udo.
We were already a great team, nice that I was allowed to be part of it.
I would like to thank Charly, Tscharly, Georg, Ritschi and Berni for accepting the ungrateful task of supporting the police at turns and exits.
Unfortunately, you could not leisurely ride along in the group and enjoy the beautiful landscape but had to concentrate again and again on the next obstacle.
Also, thanks again that you did not want to get reimbursed for the high fuel costs incurred by overtaking the group and driving fast. But they did that without complaining.
During the ride on Saturday I have asked everyone if they were still up to it. If not, I would have replaced them at once.
The answers were all kike this:
No Werner is still going or ... I can do it or ... I'll let you know if it does not work anymore.

Werner (RIP)

Andy and Sabine

Dieter and Nina

Body Painting, Mammut wanted to have one too��

Mammut

Lasse
Participants came from 16 countries, 212 people on 144 bikes.
VRCC Finland put up a handsome organization for the arrangements: 22 people sacrificed their time and money to assure our guests got a good return for their money to participate in our meeting up North.
There were four things the members DIDN�T do themselves: wait tables, cook, clean the hotel rooms and preform as artists (not officially at least)

The preparations were massive for the meeting. I rode my Valk and drove my car approx. 25.000 km to find a suitable hotel and designed the road trips. We took our guests through Southern Finland�s roads all together approx. 700 km.
We had big ride-outs on Friday and Saturday and a smaller ride-out still on Sunday for a smaller group that stayed until Monday at the location, Hotel Vaakuna, Kouvola.

The organizing team held five meetings to set up the practical issues, like select the menus, organize the reception matters, prepare the guidance during ride-outs, etc. etc�.
I want to take this opportunity the express my deep appreciation to the Finnish team: a BIG THANK YOU to all!

Beer - Trip Report
In Kouvola, Finland the third EU Inzane was held between 25-28 June 2009. During this period, just after midsummer night the average Wx in Scandinavia is expected to be nice. More important, the mosquitos have not yet arrived in large numbers.
The distance from my home town to Finland was just over 1550 miles / 2500 km. Because I just wanted to participate in the Inzane event and not stay for a holiday or few days more, I joined Dieter R�der (from F�hre Langel/Germany), who came up with a brilliant idea to rent a lorry that could carry over 35 motorcycles to our destination airport in Helsinki.
This would save considerable travel time and costs. So, I booked a ticket with Air Berlin for a few bucks and went, I admit it, as a �Sissy� to Helsinki.
My fellow Country and Chapter friends, Anthony, Robert, Rob & Harmke and Stuccie decided to travel on their Valks instead. When Cynthia and I arrived in Kouvola we were welcomed by Lasse & Saala, Tuomo and the Finnish team.

Hotel entrance with rooms overlooking the parking place I guess Finnish summers make you thirsty

A total of some 150 Valkyries and 250 Riders from all over Europe participated. It was nice to meet many folks from Scandinavia, Poland, Russia and Germany that I usually do not see.
In the evening during the opening ceremony, we were treated on a typical Finnish alcoholic beverage called Kuksa.
It was served in a sort of birch wood mini saucepan, the size of a shot glass and was supposed to be emptied in one shot. The highly flammable liquid kinda burned through your throat and esophagus on its way down.
I guess it was OK to keep you company in the Finnish winter. BTW, I learned later that you should not confuse the name with Kuksi, which is a 4-letter profanity word.

It was very nice weather indeed, 29 degrees Centigrade in the sun and the next day we rode with all bikes through the country of Santa to Verla. We stopped at a vintage wood mill that belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage.
On the way up, we�ve seen quite a few of the 18.000 (greater) lakes that are spread out all over Finland. There is wood everywhere you look and all the roads are really wide, well maintained and there is hardly any traffic.
Needless to say, that we could ride our hearts out.

Brilliant idea to rest at a lake ... and not so hard to do in a country consisting of 187.888 lakes
. (if you count over 500 square meters of standing water) !

Unfortunately, there was an accident by a �safety rider� on the 235 km ride out. He had to evade a motorcycle that wasn�t looking out behind and his front wheel blocked when he suddenly had to hit the brakes.
His bike toppled over and ended up in the ditch, resulting in a broken clavicle and damage to the Valkyrie. Broken mirrors, foot pegs and dent in the tank. Luckily it did not result in a pile up since the average speed was about 50-70 mph.
A MD happened to be riding along as well and the rider could be taken care of. After some delay we continued the ride out and, in the evening, there was a dance night with live music.
The day after it rained and the organization decided to alter the planned route for safety reasons.
We started off with a static display of all Valkyries in Kouvola Main Street where we were greeted and cheered with great enthusiasm by the local population. Next, we rode to Hamina, another very nice historic village at the Finnish Gulf for a salmon lunch. Just super and very delicious. On Sunday, it was sunshine all over again, Lasse and his team took us for a guided tour to Helsinki and Porvoo. This town at the coast is one of the six medieval towns in Finland, dating from the 14th century. The population speaks both Finnish and Swedish. The Old Town is a popular tourist destination, known for its well-preserved 18th and 19th century buildings and 15th century cathedral. Very well done and organized, Lasse and Orga Team. We enjoyed every moment of it.

Magnificent Helsinki neoclassical Cathedral, built 1830-1852 Phone booth, I only knew the red ones from the UK

Cynthia and I enjoyed this Inzane very much. The spirit and ambiance was great and the organization has done its utmost to make us feel happy. The participation of so many Polish Riders was a first for me and they turned out to be excellent Riders with a great sense of humor. I wouldn�t want to have missed this Meeting for anything in the world and can recommend Finland to any Rider who likes a holiday in a true, untouched nature with friendly- and hospitable people.
I want to thank Lasse and his Orga Team for this great- and well organized meeting. Well done :)

Riders during the static display. Rob dressed up for the occasion. Why not promote your country, LOL

Handing over the Inzane hammer to the French Rep

Poland presents a gift

Handing over the Inzane hammer to France

Russian dressed Rune. Porvoo

Inzane 2010 was organized by Association Inzane France (pr�sident FiFi Legnat � Tr�sorier L�Amiral CoCo � Secr�taire Yann)

Fourth Inzane will take place on May 13th,14th 15th and 16th, 2010 at Bussang, in one of the most beautiful areas of France : Alsace , close to the German border.

Valkyrie Riders Slovakia - Inzane IV 2010 - Bussang, France
VRCC Slovakia and VRCC Czech Republic to the 4th European InZane in Bussang, France 2010
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXkOFVvndjE

Saturday's Group Ride

Ceremony Ronnie, always a pleasure to have around. Later at night, he snorts
. brandy through a straw in his nose. Don't try this at home;
. it hurts like hell

Quote from the 2011 Annual VRCC Sweden Meeting
We have received a good and positive response from most who participated in both Swedish and foreign participants. Unfortunately, the CDs we hoped for were not.
The Chairman thanks everyone who participated throughout the entire process from planning to implementation.

From 3 to 5 June, the EU Inzane took place in Swedish Lund. In a beautiful area and hotel, about 170 bikes and riders assembled for this annual party.
On Monday Bobbievalk and I left for Lund. We took the secondary roads of course, otherwise it�s no fun. We followed the Lingeroute and arrived in Oosterbeek where the Airborne Museum is located in the former Hotel Hartenstein.
Here, the story of operation 'Market Garden' is displayed in a very special and complete way. It truly reflected the atmosphere and circumstances of those WW2 days and made us feel quite emotional. I guess that�s the best compliment you can give to a museum.
After this stop, we continued to ride to M�nster near Hamburg, where we had booked an overnight stay. After a good night's sleep and having breakfast, we went to the Panthers Museum. An exhibition of armored vehicles used by the German Wehrmacht.
A very neat but rather clinical exhibition that could not give us the same feeling as Oosterbeek. On my way to Munster I had seen a sign about an exhibition in memory of the Nazi destruction camp Bergen-Belsen.
After a short consultation we decided to visit. What a huge impression that site made to both of us. The size and intensity of that place was unprecedented. A large exhibition showed pictures, videos and objects, all of which gave a good impression of what had happened. When we stood outside, I noticed that I had not taken any photo inside ......... it did not feel good to take any.
From here we rode to Neustadt in Holstein, a town at the Baltic Sea. Here, we had planned and booked a next stop, and we met Mike, a friend of Bob, who worked in Hamburg. Mike had owned several Valkyries, including an Interstate in the past, but had sold them all. Now that he saw our bikes again, he realized he had made a wrong decision. We did a ride out in Holstein on Wednesday with Mike on a Goldwing.
A beautiful route along the coast and the lakes on a nice day with a temperature of about 26 degrees.......tough luck, LOL
On Thursday morning we said goodbye to Mike and started the last part of our trip to Lund. Took the Ferry from Puttgarden to Brondby and then another 175 kilometers over the highway to Lund.
We have travelled through the tunnel and bridge below and across the Sont, an impressive engineering accomplishment.
At about 15:00 we arrived in Lund, where a number of Inzane participants were already waiting for us. After Bobbie had checked in I wanted to go to a camping site because the hotel was sold out months before. Here again, the spirit of the VRCC kicked in, because both Bob and his roommate Claudio suggested that I could sleep in their hotel room. I have probably been the only camper these days, who used a 4-star hotel room with air mattress and sleeping bag.
In the evening we were officially welcomed by Arne Rosenquist of the Swedish VRCC, who arrived on stage with a Flat Six. He told us about the program and some rules we had to obey. After that, the party started and I really mean started ............ almost. Accompanied by the tunes of a musician it soon became apparent that beer and alcohol prices were "slightly" higher than we were used to. We realized we were now in Scandinavia where � 7.50 ($10, -) is a normal price for a beer or a glass of wine. The following day on Friday a number of visits to historic sites were planned. The first was a Viking village, where men dressed as Vikings explained their conquests in Europe. One of them told about the conquests in England and Scotland and the burning of villages there. Knowing I came from the Netherlands, he explained that they had never burned the Netherlands because the beer tasted so good. When we left, he threatened to conquer England again....... And this time not giving it back.

Then it was the turn of the Swedish version of Stonehenge, a stone circle which meaning is not clear up to this day. The stones are placed in the shape of a boat, but the reason for this remains unclear.
After a snack in the nearby village, we continued to Glimmingehus, a kind of castle and then returned to the hotel. The parking lot showed that everyone had not forgotten the liquor prices of the night before and had taken precautionary measures. Everywhere in the parking lot, Valkyrie Riders were drinking their beer from the supermarkets and were having a great time.
This went on for a long time.
Saturday was the day of the joint ride-out. A very nice experience to see all the bikes together, except for Stuccie who had problems with his bike at first. Probably due to a failing alarm system, the bike did not want to start anymore. After a rigorous emergency fix, his F6 started, but now his blinkers did not work. Knowing that Stuccie wanted to ride with Anthony all the way to the North Cape, a nasty problem. Some fellow Valk Riders tried to solve the problem, but they could not get them to work either. Both Riders eventually went on their way to the Cape and had already made an appointment with a bike shop along the route.
Before we knew it, it was Sunday again, the day to say goodbye. That sounds a bit dramatic, but for the majority it's just packing, gas & go. Bob and I shook hands with old and new friends and then we also left for another 900 kilometers of travel. This time on the highway. It was about 30 degrees and there were many traffic jams along the route. The German car drivers are obviously not used to a bike riding in between cars so they did not give way and that did not help either. Bob had booked an overnight stay in Osnabruck, but due to my obligations at home, I had to ride on. Just after we said goodbye, I hit a huge shower and could not see the road anymore. So, I stopped under a viaduct to put on my raingear and slowly moved on. The shower was over quickly and the sun started shining again. Now it was way too hot for a rain suit, so I took it off. Guess what, it soon started to rain again. This time I kept my raingear on. After a 13-hour ride, I was home again. I felt tired but nevertheless satisfied and happy about this great experience. So, the dates of the next Inzane are already booked................ The Czechs have promised us that the beer will be much cheaper!

French participants with Fifi and Alain

Fray, Italian Chapter Rep with partner

Farewell Ceremony and passing the Hammer to Czech Republic Rep for next year's Inzane

6th European Inzane 2012
Czech Republic - Frymburk 14.6.2012 - 17.6.2012

With a chopper overhead sightseeing service� great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfyK7ZNz-gw&feature=youtu.be (This video may not open in some countries due to copyright issues)

Beer - Trip Report
The 6th European Inzane was held in the largest wellness resort in South Bohemia close to the Lipno reservoir
The distance of 870 km was covered directly or in stages by the Benelux participants. I stayed overnight halfway and the next day, I joined Stefan, Robert, Gerard and Jenneke and Bobbievalk and proceeded on a beautiful route over secondary roads.
The forecast called for temperatures of almost 30 degrees Centigrade all weekend with a cloudless sky.
Lipno turned out to be a very nice location and when we got there the parking lot was already packed with Valkyries and a pleasant crowd. We met many friends between the 327 participants and it was a warm welcome and great reunion.

From left Yvonne, Vivian, Ingrid, Jenneke and Heike. Local welcome refreshment � ehh..looks dangerous

Jos and Yvonne, Stuccie and Desiree, Yvonne and 'Crazy Mosquito' were already there. We were warmly welcomed by the ladies from the reception and received a glass with Slivovitz as an appetizer.
You could tell that Ddrak and his team had done their homework exceptionally well. Everything ran smoothly and everything was thought of. Although all the motorcycles could be parked in an enclosed space in front of the hotel, the place was also guarded with men in military uniforms. Besides Valkyrieparts (a German parts and accessory shop) there was Grocar, a Czech custom shop with six sensationally modified Valks. Including a trailer with a champagne bar.

Grocar customizes bikes to the ultimate. You can even get a cold beer from the fridge of this trailer for your Valk.

The bikes were dressed up with very nice, locally designed and produced bling. This created lots of new ideas for the chrome and accessory enthusiasts.
The Orga Team had even chartered a helicopter for the participants to have a God�s eye view of the location.
Steve B was present with his 'blown' Valk and his bike did not stay unnoticed either. I think there are only 2 blown Valks in Europe. Our own Crazy Mosquito from Belgium and Steve B from the UK.
After the buffet dinner and a word of welcome by our hosts, we spent a nice evening with a disco. At the bar a pint of beer could be ordered for only � 1.80 and most people were taking their drinks to the parking lot admiring over 200 Valks. And let�s face it, what could be more pleasant than a �hands-on� discussion about various and different Valkyries.
The next morning everyone could admire the surroundings on his bike, individually or in groups. In the rolling terrain, forests and fields passed by with many lakes, rivers and fens. A single village consisted of a dozen houses and there was hardly any traffic. The winding roads were generally good and well maintained. We were able to ride at moderate speeds and enjoyed our ride.
There were four touristic sights in the region, most of them dating from the 13th century, such as Krumlov and Hluboka Castle

After riding about 300 km, we returned to the hotel and witnessed a spectacular motorcycle and quad show in the parking lot. These machines were operated by true acrobats, no doubt. A very nice and funny show which was highly appreciated by all participants.

After dinner we spent the evening with a live cover band, a BBQ with a real pig on the spit, fireworks and a performance by a number of ladies. In short, we had a lot of fun.
On Saturday we did the 'Elephant Walk' with more than 200 Valkyries about 80 km to Kratochvile
At this beautiful location, there was a buffet waiting for us with goulash, beer, soda and coffee. Folkloristic music was played by musicians in traditional costume with a kind of bagpipes. Of course, a number of VRCC members had to participate and joined the dances. There was also a falconer with a real eagle, a falcon of course and a very large owl.

After lunch a group photo was taken and we headed back to the hotel. When we arrived at the hotel we witnessed a bike wash by a lady in overall who quickly got very warm and had to get rid of her clothes, LOL.
After the, again very tasty dinner the ceremony started and prizes were awarded. There was a nice disco again and inside as well as at the parking lot it remained very cozy for a long time.
The next morning, we said goodbye and rode home with nice and dry weather. Everyone gets greetings from Steve B and Glynis, Einstein and Christine and Les and Viv, Shunter and of course Colin and Ingrid.
For Einstein and Christine this was their last Meeting together far from home. He had a heart attack and doing well with a stent but the age is starting to play up.
The VRCC Czech Republic Inzane was characterized by fantastic weather, a good atmosphere and a great organization with many extras. Everything was arranged in detail and went very smoothly. If I were to give points for this Inzane from 1 to 10, I would give 11 points, Incredible, the amount of extra's that resulted in a perfect bike weekend where we made a lot of new friends and we will cherish this memory. Thank you, Ddrak and your crew for such an outstanding experience.

Robert, Bobbievalk and Ulsterman Great riding in Bohemia

Riders from Czech Rep, Slovakia, Sweden, Germany and Finland visit Mauthausen, Austria

Finland, Germany, Italy participants ....and from France, Poland, Czech Rep, Slovakia, Germany

Beer
The 6th Inzane Meeting in Czech Republic brings back great memories. It consisted of a whirling sequence of events that were unequalled since. Well done, Ddrak; you folks are simply the best!

We left on three machines to this year's InZane to Poland (Kudowa Zdr�j) . Wallys, Zdenek + Lenka and Cicik + Cicina. On Saturday, Donatelo + Zlatka, Stanley + Martina and Milan + Ivca also arrived.
Jirka + Jana arrived with their trike. On Saturday, the Moravians joined us.
The InZane program, Wx and the rides were great, the party lasted almost until the morning, a good mood has taken place throughout the meeting.
Every evening, the language barriers began to fall around eight o'clock LOL. We talked so much German, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Polish and English that some of us had a problem to speak Czech again by the time we left :) :)

Welcome Norwegian Riders Tumppi from Finland

. Pia and Lasse from Finland

Lez and Viv from Austria

Drinking upside down...a real challenge Ddrak's two beauties

Handing the hammer over to VRCC UK for next year

Cicina

. Some French Riders were growing beards to impress the ladies, LOL

I think these two Riders had a great day

. Petra, Pia and Andrea Karla

. Spectacular Fire Show

In June it was the VRCC UK's turn to Host The 8th European Inzane, this Event was held at The Hinckley Island Hotel Leicestershire. We had Participants from all over Europe and 3 from USA. There were 2 Ride outs.
The 1st was on the Friday to Bruntingthorpe Airfield for a BBQ; our guests had the chance to have their Bikes photographed alongside Cold War Jets. The 2nd Ride out on the Saturday was to The Heritage Motor Museum at Gaydon.
The Friday Night Entertainment was The Great Pretender, a Freddie Mercury Tribute who had everyone on their feet singing and dancing.

Editor's Note
In 2014, VRCC Russia was supposed to hold a EU Inzane in St Petersburg. Political issues beyond everyone's control prevented this from happening and VRCC UK was so kind to pick up the glove and organized Inzane VIII on short notice.
Bobbie and his team had put a tremendous effort in this particular Meeting. The organisation and promotion began over 1.5 years in advance and kept going on and on.
He once told me that he was concerned that many Riders from the continent were hesitant to participate because of the Channel crossing. This usually means an extra day of travel. Something the UK Chapter is all too familiar with

On Wednesday, June 4 we left with the Rotterdam-Hull ferry to Inzane XIII in Hinckley, UK.
It was warm in the Netherlands with occasional rain showers. And�. indeed, we were soaked by the time we arrived at the ferry. No matter because we were really looking forward to the Hinkley Meeting.
When we got on board we met a dozen Valkyrie Riders at the bar/lounge. Monique with her sleek Rune and Frank. As well as Andy and Bine from Berlin, Mammut and more German Riders from Hamburg, Celle and Cologne.
What a nice reunion already and we had a couple of beers and spent the evening telling jokes and talked bikes.
The sea was calm so after a quiet crossing Cynthia and I rode from Hull to Hinckley, a small distance of 200 km. Fortunately it was dry in the UK and the whole weekend would be sunny with the exception of a shower on Saturday.
When we arrived at the hotel around 16:00 hrs., about half of the 215 participants were already present. Of the Benelux gang, Ivo and Cella, Stefan, Richard, Collin and Ingrid, Dirk and Josette, Geert and Jeanique, Christophe and of course Harry Postema were also present. We received a warm welcome and met many friends, including Duffy from the US. It�s kinda like a big family and soon we were having an animated evening with a welcome ceremony and a DJ.
The hotel turned out to be a favorite location for wedding parties; throughout the weekend wedding guests were coming and going, LOL. For the hotel this looked like routine and the staff could easily accommodate both the weddings and the VRCC at the same time in different areas. When I walked outside I saw some very special Valkyries, so I took some pictures of various accessories and paint jobs that were new to me. Steve B had surpassed himself in his last winter project with his Moose Valk. A beautiful pearl sprayed turbo Valk of which many chrome and aluminum parts were sprayed in a transparent, deep blue color.
The wheels were also treated and it had a huge, hand-made fuel tank, required for his turbo. The pipes had received retro shark fins. A pleasure to look at and real treat for the eye. Simple and yet very sophisticated and stylish.
Somewhere else a heavily customized French Valk was being repaired. It would not start.

On Friday we rode with 160 motorbikes to the nearby Bruntingthorpe airfield, where all kinds of military aircraft were displayed on a ramp. A very nice environment to take photos. A/C and MC go very well together.
I saw Vinnie and Laura with their F-104 'Starfighter'. Having flown the �Zipper� myself, it was a great experience seeing this model again. Although it was in bad shape, LOL.

Jet Provost in front of Buccaneers Vinnie's Starfighter

A prototype bike of the nearby Triumph factory was doing test rides on the landing strip and taxiways. (Bummer�an Enduro derative). After a tasty BBQ lunch on the tarmac we left for the hotel in the afternoon.
In the evening there was a spectacular performance by a Freddy Mercury impersonator, the 'Great Pretender'. He had even undergone plastic surgery and really sounded like the great man himself.
A great performance indeed and it was impossible not to start moving at the sound of all the well-known hits. There were a few exceptions, but then Cella stepped up the floor and cheered them into action as well.
Needless to say, we had a wonderful time and enjoyed ourselves until the late hours.

When we started the Saturday ride out, it started to rain and somehow the group got split up in the beginning. In spite of all the precautions, Bobbie had briefed the trip in detail the night before, an unfortunate accident occurred soon thereafter.
In the rear a bike went down and was run over by the following bike. With Riders heavily injured. They were soon transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital.
In cases like this it's best to leave a party and move on with the group. So, after some delay, the group proceeded to the Heritage Motor Center in Gaydon
The Wx cleared up and we were offered an excellent buffet lunch in a huge conference room of the building that was built in art deco style amidst 65 acres of landscaped nature.
This center houses the largest collection of British cars from classic to Formula cars. What a spectacular sight and great to look at. I was so impressed that I exceeded my camera memory card capacity which has never happened before.

After a few hours we rode back to the hotel in nice sunny weather and decided to ride to Foxton Locks. A beautiful building dating from the industrial revolution.
In 1810 ten locks were built here in the Grand Union Canal. The locks were constructed straight after each other to overcome the slope of the landscape. The canal was and is still used by the well-known English 'narrowboats'.
We rested here and had an ice cream and a drink on a terrace.

On Saturday evening there was the farewell and the award ceremony, followed by a DJ. The next day we said goodbye and rode in the sun to Hull back home.
The Hinckley Inzane was very pleasant and well organized. Unfortunately, the meeting was overshadowed by a serious accident. Our sympathies and feelings go out to the injured Riders who will never be the same.

Trip Report by VRCC Czech Republic (translated)
At InZane 2014, this time organized by the VRCC UK Club, we participated with 3 members - Wallys, Zdenek and Cicik on 3 Valkyries. We were previously briefed by Roman to take the Calais route.
Zdenek was in charge of the accommodation during our travel (including the Calais-Dover ferry and back).
Everything was well prepared and provisions for accommodation were no problem at all. We just wondered how it could be so cheap to travel across Europe. On average, one night costed 350, - CZK! (15 $/Euro) Good work by Zdenka.
Itinerary, navigation and overall management was in the hands of Cicik. We got off track a few times, but all along I think the route went pretty fine and without any problems. We set out on CT 05.06. at about 6 am in the morning from our base at Borneo. The first day was 790km (Trutnov-Jelenia G�ra-G�rlitz-Dresden-Leipzig-G�ttingen-Kassel-Dortmund-Gladbeck). Accommodation. The second day we set off on a slightly shorter route, 420km (Gladbeck-Duisburg-Venlo-Eindhoven-Gent-Dunkerque-Calais). Accommodation. We rode to Calais in heavy rain, but before we reached our night stop, the sky broke and the sun lit up until 22:00. In the afternoon we met Roman and Radka by coincidence. They stayed at the same hotel.
In the morning there was a storm and rain. But before we got dressed and had packed our things in the motorbike, the rain stopped and it did not rain at the harbor at all.
We had to wait for 1.5 hours for the ferry to the UK. (Calais-Dover). After boarding and securing the bikes, we made ourselves comfortable on board and were looking forward to the sun that was promised.
After disembarking we rode through the town of Dover without difficulty (Note � left hand driving), and we dashed along the highways to the meeting point. 360km (Dover-Ashford-Enfield-Luton-Northampton-Leicestershire-Hinckley).
The Inzane happening was as advertised and published on most VRCC websites. The visit of the Air Museum (PA) and the Automobile Museum (SO) was interesting. Several times we got wet (we were wearing the T-shirts) since it was quite warm most of the time.
On the day of the return, we left at 8 o'clock. We had about 400km inland in England, visiting Stonehenge. The pleasant, sunny roads of the English countryside were great and we enjoyed the countryside. Only for a visit to Stonehenge we should have reserved about 6 hours more. We continued south and to the harbor. (Hinckley-Coventry-Cirencester-Stonehenge-Salisbury-Southamton-Portsmouth-Brighton-Eastbourne-Dover).
After embarkation it started to rain again, so we arrived in France at Calais in mild rain. Fortunately, our destination for that day was about 3km from the dock, so we did not really get wet. Accommodation.
In the morning after the wakeup call we were travelling for about 850 km (more or less the same route as before). Accommodation.
During the night there was a thunderstorm. After sunrise however, the sun shined again and stayed that way for the remaining 420km. We were back home at around 1800 hours. Tired, thirsty, but full of experiences from a far and interesting journey.
The tachometer showed 3,670 km for the journey.

Glenn Bram Brammall
We've just had the European Inzane here in England. Knocking on 250 people on 160 bikes from 16 countries� [Russia couldn't make it]
We had no vendor's. We just got pissed, ate a load of food, talked bikes and rode our bikes [not necessarily in that order] It's all about bringing people with a common passion together

This is what you get when you�ve had many English beers�.. Another lovely NOT couple��

The Ulsterman, they don�t come any better�. These 2 TV trainees trying to make some sense out of Inzane

Bison�s Valk in front of a Jet Provost This is what happens before the Hammer hits you

]
Reception desk, a joint UK/US venture with Glynis, Naoko and Dianne Thank you Bobbie. ...you and your crew are simply the best

Organisation : Alain + Association Inzane France: Pr�sident - FiFi Legnat � Tr�sorier Franck92 - Secr�taire Le Outard

Inzane IX was held in the French Alps with altitudes varying from 1000 - 4800 meters (3000 - 15.000')

In this particularly warm and sunny week of 5-7 June, it was over 30 degrees in the Netherlands, we went with 24 Riders from the Benelux to Praz sur Arly. The journey was more than 900 km to this village near the Mont Blanc.
Stefan our Roadmaster, had planned a great route and an overnight stay at Le Grande Cascade halfway the distance. We arrived at a very nice hotel with a sunny terrace and we had a few drinks and a delicious dinner. The next day we arrived in Praz.
We were warmly welcomed by our French hosts and it was great to see many friends and acquaintances again. We were amidst 280 participants on 223 bikes. After we had enjoyed a welcome drink, registered, checked in and had a hot meal, we were directed to a theaterlike room where a welcome show was presented in 4 languages with animations from a laptop. And some show it was. Fifi, the organizer was a natural born entertainer. He seemed in total control, spoke English like it was his native tongue and acted like it was his daily bread and butter. Very impressive. After the briefing we had a very nice and pleasant evening. The hotel setup was very nice. Everybody is together at the same place, at the bar, lounge or taking a stroll along the Valks, all parked right outside the entrance.

The hammer handed over to the Lowlands for next year's Inzane

The weather was excellent. It would be hot and sunny almost every day with a regular shower around 6 o'clock in the afternoon to cool things off. On Friday there were 4 different routes through the Alps prepared and after breakfast we received a lunch bag for underway. We rode around the entire Lake Annecy and after that to the Col de la Madeleine, well known from the Tour de France. At the top you had a sublime view of the lake and the mountains at an altitude of 2000 m (6000�).
It was very nice and special, riding over the many (hairpin) curves that you encountered everywhere in large numbers. My cornering technique improved significantly after a while by riding on narrow roads through these mountains.
Especially for us, low- and flatlanders, riding through these mountains was a very special experience. Once in a while a local Frenchman was overtaking us at a much higher speed but they probably knew these roads inside out.

Eric on his way to the mountain top

Col de la Madeleine Hero pic - Lac d�Annecy had to do something about it� people were getting way too serious

In the evening there was a Rockabilly band and the dance floor was packed from the start until late that night.
On Saturday there was the joint ride of 90 km on winding mountain roads and passes with great views over the mountains. Every so often a stop was made to give the marshallers the opportunity to come in front again.
This worked out really well and was introduced to avoid having the marshallers overtake the group. The hot lunch was catered in a small theater in a mountain village and tasted very nice.
After some leisure time the procession went back together to Praz sur Arly, where we stopped at a terrace close to the hotel to enjoy some more sunshine.

Lunchbreak during the mass Ride out

At the VRCC Rep meeting we thanked Fifi and his crew for the good organization and an excellent weekend. Very well done!
I had the opportunity to promote 2016 Inzane X in Houffalize and in 2017 the annual Meeting would take place in Germany. Italy also promised to organize an Inzane.
In the evening the official farewell party started and the next day I took the Inzane Chairman�s Hammer home.
This meeting was characterized by beautiful weather, a great environment and excellent organization. I had a great time they can�t take away from me.

As VRCC Czech Republic CHAPTER MORAVIA we have participated in this year's InZane 2015 in a large number. 9 people, of which 7 members of MORAVIA.
Taxi driver, Lizard, Fisherman, George, Paija, Veronika and Lachtan. And also Helca, who went with Stan.
Excellent action with lots of experiences and captured pictures in a total length of 3,000 kilometers in beautiful, sunny and warm weather all the way to home. And all without a single problem. Valkyrie, great machines.
Outbound via Mikulov, Wieden, Salzburg, Bad Ischl, Lake Wofgangsee, Innsbruck, Brenner, Bolzano, Lake Garda, Sirmione, Bergamo, Milano, Torino, Aosta, Montblanc tunnel, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Meg�ve, Praz-sur-Arly, France.
A trip through the ski resorts again in beautiful warm weather to Lac de Roselend Lake. The next day is a common show.
Homebound via Switzerland, Martigny, Aigle, Les Mosses, Zweisimmen, Lake R�terichsbodensee, frozen lake Grimselsee and Oberaarsee, Grimsel Pass Lake Totensee, Gletsch, Furka Pass 2433m, Andermatt, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria,
Germany, Rakosko, Czech Republic.

. Fifi�s latest creation, he is into customizing now

. Saying Hello to Customs

. Japanese tourists

Great area to catch up on your curve technique

Lachtan with Gerry (Irl Mooney)

Car Train Arrival Briefing

Hotel entrance at early arrival

. On the way up to the Mont Blanc Billy and partner at the top

Waldhorn, typical Alp instruments

. Presentation of Country Reps

With Fray

Thank you, Alain Letourneur for modifying Rembrandt's Nightwatch with a Valkyrie and Rune, dragon, banner,
VRCC logo, hammer, Flemish rooster, myself (Beer) and the Belgium and Netherlands Flag. Excellent job, Alain!

Inzane X in Houffalize has been a great success.
The second lustrum of this annual EU meeting and Valkyrie 20th birthday anniversary has broken all expectations and records. Not just by the large amount of participants, but most of all by the nice and spontaneous cooperation of everybody with a passion for the Valkyrie.
Outstanding support was provided during the prep phase by oZ, the entire VRCC US Staff, F6RiderStore, several EU Riders and worldwide friends. These great people really make the difference.
We arrived a day early to set up the reception, banners, signs, tents and get organized to handle over 350 participants. A road sign was erected on the arrival area where distances to the 18 various capitals of participating VRCC Nations were given.
When the meeting started, the weather also started to clear up and stayed pretty well dry with the exception of an occasional shower late in the afternoon.
All attendants received a warm welcome by the Organization Team and a free welcome drink at the bar. Everybody received a special goody bag with patches, pins, T-shirts, a tire pressure meter, folders and a special CMSNL motorcycle backpack containing more nice goodies.
Since this was also the Valkyrie 20th birthday anniversary, two sets of different shirts, pins and patches were issued, each with a separate design and logo.
The anniversary logo was designed by Alain Letourneur from VRCC France, modified by Gale Scalzi (oZ) and manufactured by Stefan �Road Master� Martens from VRCC Lowlands in Belgium.

Original pin design Original Patch design

. Pin and Patch result

At the reception desk, discount �Fat Lady Has Sung� banners were made available by F6RiderStore. We owe this all to Sarah, she has been so kind.
In addition, special US gold and silver plated anniversary coins, the size of a silver dollar were for sale for each Valkyrie/F6C Rider, designed by Damon �Misfit� Kinter and shipped from the US. Well done Damon, you�re simply the best.

If somebody, anybody no matter where or when, challenges you by showing this coin and you don't have it on you, you should pay him/her a drink

Without these 6 lovely VRCC ladies, Inzane X would have been a mess.
Lonny and Josette from Belgium, Yvonne and Sien from Holland, Viv from the UK /Austria and Ingrid from Germany. They worked their ass off to get everybody checked in and settled. Well done, ladies!

. Lonny Ingrid Yvonne Vivian Sien

Dragon's Cave Cruisertown Special Anniversary Distance markers to each capital
. of participating nations

Nice setup of 2 Valkyries ...........but all bikes are welcome

Over 250 bikes could be parked in Dragons Cave, an underground garage and washed at Colin�s Corner, dedicated to Colin 'Ulsterman' Kirkpatrick, who is widely known to be pleasantly disturbed for his detailing tic.
It goes without saying that high pressure spray, compressed air and the whole nine yards of cleaning items were available in abundant numbers and extensively used.

After check-in, all Riders were having a drink and renewed their friendship on the sunny terrace overlooking the arrival area.
Needless to say, that the nice & cool Belgian beers contributed as well to the relaxed atmosphere. As you know, Belgium has the greatest variety of beers in the world.

In the meantime our tailor, personal friend and party animal Resi and her embroidery machine were making overtime all weekend to stitch all the patches to leather jackets, shirts and sweaters.

In the hall, the grand lottery price was displayed. Thanks to Consolidated Motor Spares and Honda Benelux, the organizers were able to put a Valkyrie on the stand for this special occasion.
The bike was technically completely overhauled by Hans Huijbers, our professional mechanic and VRCC lunatic as well. And brought back to brand new looks by, who else, Colin �Ulsterman� Kirkpatrick's magic touch.
And all this could be yours for a $ 5, - ticket.

During dinnertime, a giant Valkyrie birthday cake of 5 ft long was carried into the hall, welcomed by a big applause. Even 350 hungry bikers were having a hard time to diminish this cake.

In the evening, a welcome speech was given and the organization team introduced.
Riders from all over Europe were having fun at the bar, terrace or parking area, accompanied by the cover band �Old Friends� and, needless to say, the party went on until the small hours.

Photo Booth with funny masks

When you think of it, close to 200 Valkyries represent a small fortune. So, during the night, the entrance of the underground parking, �Dragons Cave� was barricaded and our bikes were guarded. Better safe than sorry.
The next day, we had a professional photographer taking �Hero Pictures� of the bikes and riders in front of a giant 20th anniversary banner. These were published on a public website afterwards for everyone to grab their own picture for free.

Friday was dedicated to small group rides. Everyone could choose and download 3 different routes.
A 70-mile coffee and cake route for the �Old & Bold�, a 140-mile castle route for the �Scenery Rider� and a 180-mile sore butt route for the ones that like to ride like you stole it.

All routes were ending at the Mardissan monument near the War Museum in Bastogne. This giant monument represents a symbol for all US soldiers who gave their life during the Battle of the Ardennes in occupied Europe during WW2.
It was very impressive to see 251 Valkyries and their Riders lined up in front of the monument to pay their respect. I would like to thank our Roadmaster, Stefan Martens in particular.
He managed to open up this possibility for us on the same day that Memorial Day was celebrated by the authorities and Vets just before we arrived.
This was quite an achievement since the authorities were not very keen on having so many unknown bikers around this place with the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels still fresh in their minds.

People were still arriving on Friday. And not everyone without some bad luck. Jurgis and Natalja from Latvia stranded along the highway some 100 miles before Houffalize with a broken U joint.
After 1100 miles of travel, they felt something wrong in the final drive of their Valkyrie. So, they went to a shop in the nearby city, Li�ge to investigate. Since it was almost closing time, the shop owner refused to help and they continued their way.
Some 30 miles further down the road, the joint now got completely stuck and did not move any longer. Now here comes the good part and happy ending.
After standing along the highway in the pouring rain for several hours, they were picked up by a person in a trespassing car. They were brought to his home and this friendly guy returned with a trailer to pick up the bike.
Jurgis and Natalja had dinner at his house and could stay for the night. After we received his call the next day, we drove to this place with a new joint and the bike was fixed.

After the buffet dinner on Friday, everybody assembled in the bar to witness two ceremonies. First there was the presentation of the meeting prizes.
In contradiction to the past, where prizes were given to the nicest bike, furthest distance travelled, etc. we opted to give a lady from each of the 18 participating nations a prize.
Since they represented the true Valkyries of our club, their presence as prize winners was long overdue. After all, they had to pick up what�s left of these tired and brave men after they rode their iron horses and, on some occasions, heavily intoxicated by alcohol during a VRCC meeting. They were each given a famous Belgian Chocolate Plaque with VRCC emblem

It goes without saying that some of these ladies ride Valkyries themselves. Each lady received a token of appreciation.

Next, we nominated �VRCC Legends� who have contributed in an extraordinary way to the VRCC in their country.
Each of these riders were nominated in advance by intercession from their own members.

Valentin 'Ochsy' Ochsenschlager
Patrick Maille
Steve B Morrish
Harry Postema
Stefan 'Roadmaster'Martens
Bjorn Ovnerud
Kamil 'Wolf' Capala
Jaroslav 'Cicik' Malek
Lasse Kaitasalo � Trumppi Multanen will stand in
Magnus �Der Alte� Nielsen
Paolo Lazzari
Peter �Einstein� Prajczer
Duffy Elloitt
Yuri Ludan
Tommy Andersson
Gary 'Valkyrie Irl' Mooney
Jurgis Kreismanis

The Inzane X jury could not verify this from their own POV however. So, they had to prove their worthiness once again.
This was done by eating dry biscuits, followed by inflating and exploding a balloon with a dry mouth and emptying a pint of Lager and a shot of Scotch afterwards.
The fastest time and winner beyond any doubt was Magnus �Der Alte� Nielsen from Denmark who accomplished all this in 49 seconds. Who else than someone with Viking blood still in his veins could accomplish this, well done Magnus!
Every �Legend� received a framed VRCC certificate of recognition. Time to party and a very nice DJ got people on the dance floor until closing time in the early morning. A special thanks to Eric who did his great Joe Cocker impersonation again.

Saturday was the day of the joint ride with over 250 bikes. We called it the 90 miles �Dragon Stampede�.
We received permission and police assistance from the Mayor to ride through the main street of Houffalize and block this road for about 20 minutes. Wow, what a sight and sound!

The drone, which we arranged to take a movie from the air, was cancelled unfortunately. Bastiaan, the operator got sick and had to stay in bed.
Our Roadmaster Stefan managed to lead the posse over 90 miles with only a few junctions that had to be blocked by marshallers. Now this is really exceptional in Western Europe, were you stumble over traffic lights, speed bumps and roundabouts everywhere.

We arrived at the European Space Center where everybody had a free lunch and a guided tour through the facility. It was fun to see folks rotating in gyros and doing moonwalks with reduced gravity, etc.

After getting back to the hotel, we had a BBQ for dinner, accompanied by our legendary Belgian rock singer Dave. After dinner everybody moved to the bar for the departure ceremony and lottery.

During the goodbye speech, all VRCC Country Reps received a nice plaque with the 20th anniversary logo. I would like to thank VRCC Italy in particular, who gave us a beautiful glass VRCC ornament in return. Mille grazie, bellisima.

The anniversary lottery prizes were divided in �prizes� and �grand� prizes.
Over 25 prizes were displayed in a separate room. To save time, the winning ticket numbers of these additional prizes were drawn in advance by impartial VRCC members from several countries.

The grand prizes were displayed in the bar and consisted among other things of an inflatable jacket, offered by Kenji Takeuchi from Hit Air Japan and Anja van der Elst. Jacques Bronneberg generously gave away a set of Maidenhead tank emblems.
Gert van Riessen was so kind to donate a Gerbings heated jacket and set of gloves, Greg Olsen and Jos Ooms from Dimac was in there with a set of Kuryakyn Ergo LED Cruise Boards, VRCC Lowlands with Kuryakyn handlebar grips, John de Weerdt from Bikers Best gave us over $300, - worth of chrome pieces en an anti-theft lock system.
Des Hockley generously gave us a complete Big Boy Ultimate Seat for the raffle and Mike Buttinger from CMSNL and Chretien Berger from Honda Benelux provided the �Jackpot�, a completely restored STD Valkyrie.
These people really make the difference, remember that the next time you go shopping.
The bike would also be transported anywhere in Europe to the residence of the lucky winner for free by the VRCC Lowlands crew as not to cause any problem when winning the prize.
Yvonne and Josette had sold $ 5, - charity and raffle tickets during dinnertime for the past two evenings.
Needless to say, that the lottery got quite some attention by all participants. The drawing was accomplished by two pilots from the nearby Helicopter Medevac Team, a charity foundation who would receive a cheque with all profits and benefits from the lottery and meeting afterwards.

The Jackpot was won by Christine Berthet from St Alban Leysse, France who bought 4 tickets.
Congratulations Christine. She was flabbergasted, to say the least and gave a very emotional speech.

Unmistakable highlight of the evening was Rainer asking Romy to marry him onstage and she said yes. Congratulations from the entire VRCC community.

After the raffle, Dave started playing nonstop for several hours, aided by pouring Whiskey in his beer.
Apparently, this didn�t seem to bother him at all. On the contrary, his nonstop performance was so great, that he kept the majority of participants on the dance floor until 04:00 hrs. in the morning.
And I will tell you, this is quite an achievement in a community where members usually go to bed early the last evening because they have to travel the next day.

After breakfast on Sunday, we said goodbye to the 371 participants and started disassembling and packing up. Tired, but very satisfied we took off ourselves late in the afternoon.
We have had positive reactions throughout. The atmosphere and spirit was great and everything went very well.

Did we have challenges? Yes, from an organizational POV, we had three minor drawbacks. First, we wanted to promote the Valkyrie motorcycle and its 20th anniversary on the movie set of the �Game of Thrones� film series. The studio in Ireland was not cooperative, however. Even a plea to one of the movie stars, the Dutch Carice van Houten resulted in a no go. Next, Miss Universe Belgium, Annelies T�r�s promised to attend as guest of honor. She had to cancel because she had other duties.
Finally, Honda had promised the participants test rides with several new GW F6C�s. Unfortunately, the Honda plant in Japan was struck by an earthquake in April, causing the supply to stagnate. Without GW F6C�s in stock, Honda was left with no other options than to cancel.
Apart from these minor distractions, it has been great and a real pleasure organizing this 10th EU Inzane in Belgium. The VRCC in Europe is more alive than ever and all members in good spirit. We even had Duffy with his wife and Thom over from the US. Let�s continue where we left at next year�s Inzane XI meeting in Suhl, Germany.

Charity donation, almost 2000 Euro from lottery tickets could be donated to the heli rescue team

Editor's Note 1
After the Meeting, the Valkyrie was delivered by Stef to Christine in France.
As it turned out, the bike, although officially imported in the EU and had all the neccesary papers including German license plate and EU certificate of conformity, could not be imported into France.
The original bill of sale from the first owner and seller in the US, more than 15 years ago, had to be provided. We thought of everything, but not such a stupid rule in a Union based on the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within it's internal market.
All's well that ends well. The Valkyrie has been sold and is now riding in the Benelux

We went too see Dave in advance. He played brilliant. He is well known in Belgium and plays for large crowds during parties. Mostly rock covers but with a complete own dimension. He is the type that likes to party, pleasure before business.
We agreed to have a bottle of whiskey on stage, besides his beers. And most certainly, Dave ran on high octane, LOl
Amazingly, his act grew better and better as the bottle of whiskey became more empty. We, as organisation team could tell because we had to stay sober. Anytime we were thinking that he would collapse, he started another set of 90 minutes nonstop.
This figure was absolutely brilliant and could turn a large crowd upside down all by himself.

Finally, I would like to thank the Inzane X Organistion Team for doing such an outstanding job. It hasn't been easy, but we pulled something off the ground the way we intended. Stef, Anthony and Lonny, Jos and Yvonne, Dirk and Josette, Hans and Sien, Colin and Ingrid, Viv and Hans Huijbers, it has been a pleasure having you all in the team. We, as a team hope you all had a pleasant stay with us and are looking forward to CU again in the future.

Schwere Maschinen zu Gast in Suhl
International und laut wird es am kommenden Wochenende in und um Suhl.
Knapp 500 Motorradfahrer der Marke Honda Valkyrie kommen zu ihrem Europatreffen ins Ringberghotel.

All time EU Inzane participant record.

Over 400 Riders from 17 Nations were welcomed by Suhl Mayor Dr. Jens Triebel.

Beer - Trip Report
On June 15-18, 2017, Inzane XI was held in Suhl, Germany. This annual meeting of European Inzanes broke all EU participant records with over 400.
And for the first time more people and Valkyries showed up than the same event in the USA. Thanks to the German crew who managed to keep the registration costs exceptionally low and the large German turnout, who played a home game and registered in large numbers. This time the Benelux participated with more than 15 Riders.

At home, I had arranged a rendezvous with Meks and we rode to the farm of Hans and Monique at de Maas river, where we had a nice cup of coffee. Ludo & Remy were already present.
I got a chance to admire the guitar collection and studio of Monique. A whole collection of Fenders and Gibsons, WOW. No half work and we will probably hear more of her.
The weather was excellent and would remain nice during the whole weekend. Guided by Ludo, we traveled 500 clicks to a Burger King along the A4, about 50 km before Suhl to continue with other Benelux Riders.
Harry and Anita (we are looking forward to see another nice Postema / Talma film production), Ivo and Cella, Ronnie and Dita, Dirk and Josette, Frank and Monique, Gerwin, Anthony and Lonny, Dirk, Robert and Jeanette and Cedric and Hilde were there. Later Stefan and Gerard and Jenneke would arrive as well, they arrived via the Dolomites mountains. And of course, Colin and Ingrid.

We were warmly welcomed at the already pretty full parking space reserved for us. The hotel was nicely situated at the top of a hill and the rooms offered a nice view of the hundreds of Valks. It was already very busy.

Our German hosts had arranged a package of � 185, - per person for 3 nights including free drinks during meals. And the organization left us with no wishes, whatever.
It was of course very nice to see other Riders from all over Europe again and a pleasure to watch the motorcycles. You could have new V-belts and trigger wheels fitted for a reduced price.
In the evening we could enjoy an extensive buffet dinner, speeches and a DJ.
F6gal was there as well. She and her husband had flown over for the occasion and stayed with Andy.

The next day we left for individual rides, that is to say we participated in a group of about 10 bikes behind our Roadmaster Stef, who showed us the most beautiful places in the area.
The Th�ringen Forest was a great area for motorbikes. There were many winding roads in these hilly and wooded surroundings of Germany. Most of them you could ride with a nice pace, passing though sleepy villages where you were not bothered by traffic lights, thresholds and other obstacles. We used the lunch in a biker hotel overlooking one of the reservoir lakes. After a nice ride and a good meal, a cover band performed that night.
Also, in between activities there was a Chapter meeting, announcing that the next Inzane would take place in Austria (Graz).

On Saturday over 350 Valkyries started a route together of approx. 150 km, interrupted by a lunch on a farm. That night there was a farewell ceremony with DJ and every Chapter got a memento.
On Sunday morning we said goodbye after breakfast and returned home. The eleventh EU Valkyrie meeting in Suhl was characterized by an exceptionally high turnout, a good atmosphere, an excellent hotel and a beautiful environment for riding. And that's what it's all about.

From 21 to 24 June the EU Inzane Meeting was held in Loipersdorf, Austria. A beautiful location in the mountains near the border triangle of Austria, Hungary and Slovenia. On top of that, we had sunshine the whole period.
Three days of twisties through the mountains with a sidestep to Slovenia and in the evenings a party and bikertalk. What else can you wish for. That�s what more than 250 participants thought as well.
Belgium and the Netherlands were also well represented with Stefan, Beer, Ivo and Cella, Ronnie and Dita, Stuccie and Debbie, Dirk and Josette, Eric and of course Jos and Yvonne, Hans, Gerard and Jenneke, Ludo and Romy, Anthony and Lonny, Colin and Ingrid, Cedric and Hilde and Harry with Anita, Kris and Hans and Sien. Excellent company.

. Lowlands Riders with Bobbievalk

I left five days earlier following our Roadmaster Stef together with Gerard and Jenneke and half a dozen close friends. These folks ride together for many years now and are completely used to each other�s riding style.
And they ride much faster than I do, especially on the narrow, curved mountain roads. So, a nice learning curve for me. We started by making an 900 km jump to the south, only stopping for gas.
Since we left at 5 o�clock in the morning we avoided most of the usual traffic jams and arrived in Karlsruhe at 9 o�clock. From there on, we left the Autobahn and took the secondary roads to Austria.
With the Wx being that great, Stefan decided to take 5 of the most beautiful mountain passes in Austria, all in one day. I think we did 900 hairpin bends, LOL.
We continued via Bolzano through the southern edge of the Italian Alps and then North of Venice to Slovenia. This country is super for riding. Excellent and clean roads through the mountains with hardly any traffic .
During a few days we clocked a lot of pleasant miles and had a lot of fun in the evenings. Then we rode to Bavaria again to catch up with the other Inzane-goers from the Benelux. After a very nice evening we all went to Loipersdorf together.
We checked in and were warmly welcomed by Gunni and Petra.
The setup was very nice and we could park the bikes in a covered parking lot. I always take a walk along all the Valkyries, just to see if somebody has new bling and/or modifications that will be useful to me.
Amazing how most of these bikes still look like new. Old fashioned Honda quality.
That evening I went to bed early with some aspirin since I had a terrible toothache. So, no party for me.
On Friday we made a very nice ride together with a group of about 15 bikes and on Saturday there was of course the joint ride with all participants at the same time.
We used lunch in an establishment where the majority of Riders could only park at a slope. That caused quite some consternation, LOL.
Not that there wasn�t enough parking place (around the back) but the front Riders decided to stop short of the intended parking.

Casual talk on the parking for lunch Josette and Debbie. Never a dull moment with these two

On Saturday evening there was the usual farewell and award ceremony and the next day we rode home with a large group and an overnight stay in Germany. I had a great motorcycle holiday through the mountains and very nice evenings with excellent company. Thank you, Gunni, Petra and crew for this great and well organized meeting.

Mario, back from long time not seen... Some of Eric's 'Hero Pictures' on the way up

Nice gaggle on the way out Einstein, key figure in welding EU Valkyrie Chapters together for more than 20 years

It goes without saying that, at least some Japanese Valkyrie Riders are making serious trips, as shown by Kiyoharu Matsuo

2006
5th All Japan Valkyrie Owners Meeting No.1 in Odaiba, Tokyo
Odaiba is a popular shopping and entertainment district on a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. It originated as a set of small man-made fortress islands (daiba literally means "fort")
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beer1952/45510170044/in/album-72157702295769455/

The 15th Valkyrie owners club nationwide meeting. Thank you, participants, support personnel and everyone of all the members for your hard work.
We were blessed with the weather, I think that it was a very good meeting. Did everyone enjoy it?
Those who could not attend, please join us next time.
Thanks as well to a lot of supporters other than the participants this time, I think that the meeting ended without accidents.
Thank you very much, all the Riders who took the lead and guided to the final venue.
Everyone was able to arrive safely without any losses.
The place of dissolution is the place where it was all swept away by the tsunami at the time of the disaster. The place that feels the comfortable sea breeze is also the place of the reconstruction (hope) that local people fought despair and made up. Also, at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, work that is still tense still continues. Do not forget.
I think that everyone felt that Iwaki City was also a meeting to feel it. And I felt this time with the people who are having trouble with the Kumamoto earthquake and thought that it was a feast if we could support even a little. It is a wonderful meeting.
Next year is Kyushu! I think that there are many people who are far away, but let's gather there with their hot feelings!
This time, total support money for the Kumamoto earthquake disaster gathered 295,100 yen. Tan of Nagasaki will deliver it to Kumamoto. Felt hot love, including hide, fellows who sent treasure to the charity auction, hot love. Thank you, Mr. Fuku, Hide, Hinode, Mr. Suginami, Yoshimi, Mr. Ishibei, co-sponsoring the welcome drink. I got drunk a lot.
I think that the meeting in Kyushu, Hokkaido and Iwaki city was self-supporting and became a nationwide target this time. I really appreciate your work.

Masayoshi Sampei � Camping/ BBQ and Fuji Speedway Weekend
Impression of Fuji Speedway International Racing Course with Kenji Isoyama and 14 others.

In contrast with other WW GW Clubs, the GW1500C Valkyrie down under was recognized straight away as belonging to the GW family.
One of the objects of the Australian Wing Riders Association (Qld) Inc is in part to �promote recognition of the needs of Goldwing and Valkyrie riders�. To be an ordinary member of the Association, you must be the owner/rider of any of the Goldwing or Valkyrie models.
As an Association, we have been in existence since 1999. Our founding members were all Goldwing owners/riders but ensured our constitution accepted the inclusion of Valkyrie owners/riders as full ordinary members, as there were other Goldwing clubs which did not accept the membership of Valkyrie owners/riders.
Over the past 18 years, our membership has been almost 100% Goldwing owner/riders and as a founding member myself and without going back through all the individual membership records, I can only recall possibly two members who owned Valkyries.

Tony Russell with his Valkyrie and CBX back in 1997, possibly the very first Valkyrie in Australia
There was 70 black ones built before the Bumblebee, some came to Australia after the first Bumblebee
We pulled it out of the crate, bolted it together then road it back to the Blue Mountains.

Road Trip - Texas
0:00 - Canungra to Casino. 3:35 - Casino to Tenterfield. 5:44 - Into a spectacular sunset on the way to Texas. 9:25 - One of the many crazy kanga's and the story of the ride
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKMumJ-XPdI&feature=youtu.be

Phil Russell - Took the Interstate for a ride to the other side of the River before it got too hot today, The Nepean Belle heading down stream in the background.

Custom Valkyrie Pen, Choice of artwork, looks like a bullet, works like a bolt action rifle

Sydney Model Samantha Wilkinson stands behind a Honda 1832cc flat-six Valkyrie Rune super cruiser during the launch of the Sydney Motorcycle Show, 13 May 2004.
Honda's Valkyrie Rune, which is making its Asia-Pacific debut, will join 21 other makes on display at the show which continues through to 16 May.

Footage from the trip to the lighthouse
A little longer as its mostly at 1x speed (a little at 1.5x) to get a better view of the surroundings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl0knSCLuLE

glen rangi 22
Arrival at Paeroa Battle of the Streets race. Hundreds of bikes and we locate some spare grassy area in the local park.

Passmasters track day at Pukekohe Park Raceway
I got the opportunity to get out on one of the local tracks for a blast, Was a great day, I had a nightmare lead up to it with leaking fuel rails, brake issues and tire changes to do so some really late nights but I got there, somewhat tired but glad I did it, you get to know the lean angles before scrapping well....the boards took a bit of wear but with such a smooth surface not to much damage, Here are a few I took and same taken by the people running the training day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi4tuTaOi0E&feature=youtu.be

Another thing we did recently was hit the drag strip, this was to be a base run to later do it again to test the difference to times after the rejet etc....... but what it did do was point out I had an issue with floats as sitting in line waiting it was flooding, so of the line it stumbled and spluttered so Jeff on his VTX got a big jump start.....still managed to catch a couple of times and was getting higher top speeds most times...... but I will have to do it again, now the issues are fixed, times to beat and and all that (Oh at a VTX1800 to beat properly)

The day was put on by Kawasaki so they were free to enter so plenty of them there, but it was only $40 for everyone else.... a fun $40 it was

It was a brilliant winters day, a cool start but followed by an almost cloudless day. The river had dropped after the recent floods
The trip home we split of and did some back roads

A few pics from the BACA 100 mile ride
This ride was not a warm ride, one the daughter chose to miss and I am pleased she did as we had high winds, rain and hail, from the direction it was snowing 100 miles away.... so not pleasant!

We started out with 100 bikes (Not bad considering the forecast) but by the time we got to the first stop that had almost halved! I wasn't going to go but with the bad forecast thought I better support them as the numbers would be down, the work I planned on the bike could wait

Kim Kennerson - Ulysses national president
Kim has been riding since he got his licence on a Honda 175cc 34 years ago. He now has a 1520cc, six-cylinder Honda Valkyrie, an 1800cc Gold Wing and an undiminished passion for the road.
"Only a motorcyclist can describe this, but it's a feeling of freedom," he says. "You know, you're out there and the wind's blowing in your face, you're going down a country road and you can smell the eucalyptus trees - it's just a magical feeling.
The bike feels like an extension of your body."
Kennerson's passion is replicated thousands of times over at Coffs.

I would like to thank Willow for providing the 2010 onward calendar front cover pics.
The previous calendars, starting in 2002 were produced by F6RiderStore. Unfortunately, I could not get a hold of the original files so I took pictures my own.

If you don�t know where you�re going any road will take you there - George Harrison
You can't do much about the length of your life, so focus on the width and depth
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups
Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it
Life is like a hot bath. It feels good while you�re in it, but the longer you stay in, the more wrinkled you get
A fine is tax you pay for doing wrong. A tax is fine you pay for doing well
Excessive comfort breeds weakness
The question is not what you look at...but what you see...
Any day that you ride is a good day
American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
When life throws a curve, lean hard, grind the peg, and throttle up!
If bullet proof glass is stronger than bullets, why don't we use bullet proof glass as bullets?
The key thing is to wake up breathing! All the rest can be fixed. (Except Stupid - You can't fix that)
Tr�ume, als wenn Du ewig lebst, lebe als wenn Du morgen stirbst. (translated: dream that you live forever, live like you�ll die tomorrow)
Only Bikers understand why dogs hang their heads out the car window
Just because you are not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you
You can't succeed beyond your wildest expectations unless you begin with some wild expectations.
You can never be lost if you don't care where you're going

Storing just pictures on a drive, website or cloud is great as long as they are relevant to someone. If not, they will inevitably fade away.
It's a bit like looking at a photo album of your parents. If nothing is written about the picture, they will become meaningless at some point in time.
That is why I hope that my attempt to give the VRCC history a 'face' contributes to a better understanding of what the VRCC is all about.
The classic Valkyrie motorcycle still attracts large crowds at numerous prestigious bike expo's like the one in Hamburg and Berlin, Germany and Padova, Italy and the Copdock motorcycle show in the UK.
Looking back at 20 years of history, I find it amazing how the VRCC objectives still apply to a such a substantial number of Riders around the world.
Besides the joy of riding this mighty and great looking machine, the spirit of the early days still lives on.
Basically they all tell a similar story. It's a great motorcycle and you meet wonderful people you otherwise never would have met. Sincere friends who are willing to help you anyway they can if you have a problem.
The Valkyrie is very well suited for long distance riding. The size, handling characteristics, smooth running engine and upright riding position gives the Rider the opportunity to travel distances with a cruiser that were not practical before.
The VRCC Staff exploited this fact with countrywide Inzane meetings as a result. Soon followed by poineers in Europe like Silvano 'Sil' Merati, Peter 'Einstein' and Christine 'Steinchen' Prajczer, the late Werner Sch�fer, Robert 'Bobbievalk' Gibbons and countless others. Unlike the giant HD and GW Meetings , the VRCC was able to keep their annual meetings down to a personal level. The fact that membership was free, partners were included as full members and the lack of hierarchy further contributed to a bottom-up approach of mutual understanding between Riders. Just open up a VRCC Bulletin board, any VRCC Bulletin board around the world, and you'll immediately notice the difference from any other MC.

I want to thank the VRCC Staff for allowing me to publish the history on the website. You folks are just super
Next I want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped me with this history. Without your personal inputs, the story would simply be just another picture book of the past.
I took the liberty of copying pictures, feelings and emotions from various websites. Thanks to all of you for letting me grab your post or picture for this history.
I realize that a single individual can do only so much. Only together we can make this a true story. So, please follow up if you can and post comments, send me a PM or info@vrcc.nl and let's make this work.