Motorcycle Cannonball Miscellany

[aka HAWG]

vince leaving the motel in kitty hawk

[aka HAWG]

vince arriving at motel in greenville NC

[aka HAWG]

any other word on vince's continuing on - can the axle be fixed for him to continue????

vince is my favorite for the class one winner - go vinnie go

aka HAWG

[HarleyCreation]

here is vince's pope on the pier in kitty hawk

What a sweet little OHV machine. One of the choicest bikes on this run. I like the orange striping too. I wonder if that was the stock paint job color? Pope's were mighty nice machines. The mystery is whether or not Perry E. Mack had a hand in that motor.

[MJW]

Sounds like salzay(?) had a spare Pope in his support trailer and offered him the axle, how cool is that?

[Blupacer]

Following the Cannonballers

Seeing the Cannonballers arriving in Hot Springs on Thursday evening(16th)and observing extensive repairs being done at several locations(Landers H-D, Convention Center, Friday) made me aware of how amazing this trek across the USA really is. Reading each daily internet posting tells the hardships they are encountering and the group effort to keep these ancient fabulous machines rolling west.

All the participants we encountered were so enthusiastic about the Cannonball and gladly gave information to onlookers on their respective machines, all with the determination to go all the way to the finish!

Having read (Bert Wilson's Twin Cylinder Racer) early boys adventure series, isued in 1914, of such a cross country adventure I thought it was somewhat exaggerated with chapters like "runaway locomotive,broken dams,racing an air ship,flaming forest" that our hero encountered on his trip westward!! I think he has nothing on our Cannonballers!!
Steve

[wlwood]

New post up now at: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/ind...t01returnid=97

This should have been a tough day for bikes and riders. It started in 37-degree cold at 7,000 feet and ended at about 100 degrees at 500 feet, with a difficult pass in between. But everybody made it through OK, and we still have a 10-way tie for the lead.

Bill Wood

[c.o.]

I don't know how I missed this earlier but at the end of this clip is some good footage of Katrin and Dieter getting their bikes going.



I have to agree that Vince's Pope is one great little bike but I'm still rooting for that little J A P single!!!

It's almost over folks.... now what are we going to do for excitement???

[Tom Lovejoy]

Yesterday my nephew and I rode 600 miles on modern machines, to watch the Cannonballer's roar over Sitgreaves Pass - it was awesome!! I have not ridden that far in a day in more than a decade and it was hot. When we got there, we stood in the hot sun for almost 3 hour's, just watching and talking. Did alot of screaming and jumping up and down as they went by, they were awe inspirring!! Watched Henderson's, Excelsior's, Harley's, Indian's, Vince on his Pope, all roar by - it was too Cool !!
Got to meet Katrin and Dieter, Sean Brayton, Frank Westfall, watched Katrin start her awesome little machine. Some serious road's their riding, again awesome stuff.Got to chat with Bill Wood and just had a blast, then rode back home. Tired and burnt and very impressed with what we saw and heard, very neat folk's and gut'sy, all seemed in very good spirrit's.I got some good pictures if I can figure how to post here - that's a big if, but will try.Hope to meet alot more at the pier, but it was an awesome day! hats off to all the Cannonballer's!!!!

[c.o.]

Good for you Tom!!! It's good to hear that you got to soak up a piece of the event!!! If your having too much trouble posting pics shoot me a pm with your e-mail and we'll get'er done..

[wlwood]

The 3,300-mile Cannonball comes down to its final challenge tomorrow--a 115-mile stage culminating in a 30-mile run through LA traffic on roads we're told have 100 stoplights.

Today's stage saw no significant changes at the top of the standings, although Katrin Boehner had to overcome a flat tire out in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

If everything stays the way it is, Brad Wilmarth is poised to become the overall winner of the Cannonball on his 1913 Excelsior, But we'll see how these old bikes stand up to modern traffic.

Here's the latest post: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/inde...t01returnid=97

Bill Wood

[cdf6333]

Let's make em ride back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MJW]

They must be over the finish line by now, I wonder who won...

[c.o.]

If the riders and their machines were consistent I'm guessing we already know. But then again..... things can change awfully quick!!!! I'm anxious to hear the results!!!

[exeric]

I sure hope an Excelsior is going to take this thing. Think about the historical significance of a motorcycle that ceased production in 1931; and winning a bona-fide race in 2010. That would be the coolest thing to happen in the whole racing world of 2010.