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Last weekend, "The Great Indian V Harley Race" was held in Oakhurst California. And the results are in.
The winner of the event was "Harley"!
The reviews of the event are coming in and it seems everyone had a great time.
Here is a review from Red Fred:
Red Fred had this to say:
It was a true Class Act! About 50 Indians from all over met with about 25 HDs. There were guys from Eastern Canada, Mexico, West Virginia, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Australia etc...... A great turn out, with some cool bikes & people that I haven't ever seen or met yet.
The headquarters Hotel was awesome, but some opted to camp, or stay elsewhere, so we didn't really get to mingle & socialize all together in the parking lot (one of my favorite past times).
The event was patterned after the Australian Great Race, which is run like a European timed, distance rally. Not really a race, but a contest on speed, navigation, discipline, and some riddles thrown in.
For instance, the first days ride was too a destination of historic significance. We were set off from the Hotel parking lot at 3 minute intervals, and timed to our first check point (providing you even got there). That check point would then record your time taken to get there, and you got docked if you went too fast, or too slow! Then you were asked a riddle question for extra points.
We arrived to the hotel late, and were the last to leave the Hotel. But there was already an HD casualty returned to the parking lot; a beautiful Knuck bobber with non-vented gas cap!!!!!!!!!!!! We had already missed the send off from the parking lot, so weren't even in the race for the first day, but we never had any intention of participating anyway. Soon we saw the usually cris-cross of lost bikes meeting from opposite directions! A tell-tale sign of having fun. 2nd casualty was a Scout which threw a chain, due to the back axle nut being loose. Not a good start for author Jerry Hatfield on a borrowed bike, from Bob Stark no less! My riding buddy and I soon we so lost, that we were off the map. We did manage to find a great Lodge, with a deck overlooking Bass Lake, and the Cris Craft boat event that was running there. All from the comfort of a shaded deck, big cold pints, and excellent food. Soon, other wayward souls wondered in, who were also hopelessly lost.
The next days ride took us in the other direction, and into Yosemite. The check point stops contained riddle questions based on the first days ride. So we were losers on that one.
I must mention the magic of the first night though. 3 tour buses were arranged to cart us some 8-10 miles to a steam train depot. There we had an excellent steak BBQ with all the trimmings. The food was better than a 5 star restaurant! Then we climbed aboard the old train, and chugged off into the mountains and forest, only to stop some miles later in the middle of no-where. A quick few steps found us in a clearing with a roaring bon-fire, and a stage with a band. We howled at the moon, until the old train took us back to the buses. A true class act.
The roads & scenery were awesome, the organization, and food was second to none. We got real lucky with the weather, as on the last day (day of departure, after the Rally had finished), the place was covered in snow!
I managed to lose part of my mustache & beard, and some vital top cover while trying to stomp out a burning Sportster. The bike survived, and was able to finish the run though. Of all the entrants, I would say only about 3 took the rally part seriously. Those 3 were duly rewarded, and so Harley takes the first Great Race Victory here in the States. The trophies were awesome!
All in all, a great time, and a class act.
RF.
The winner of the event was "Harley"!
The reviews of the event are coming in and it seems everyone had a great time.
Here is a review from Red Fred:
Red Fred had this to say:
It was a true Class Act! About 50 Indians from all over met with about 25 HDs. There were guys from Eastern Canada, Mexico, West Virginia, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Australia etc...... A great turn out, with some cool bikes & people that I haven't ever seen or met yet.
The headquarters Hotel was awesome, but some opted to camp, or stay elsewhere, so we didn't really get to mingle & socialize all together in the parking lot (one of my favorite past times).
The event was patterned after the Australian Great Race, which is run like a European timed, distance rally. Not really a race, but a contest on speed, navigation, discipline, and some riddles thrown in.
For instance, the first days ride was too a destination of historic significance. We were set off from the Hotel parking lot at 3 minute intervals, and timed to our first check point (providing you even got there). That check point would then record your time taken to get there, and you got docked if you went too fast, or too slow! Then you were asked a riddle question for extra points.
We arrived to the hotel late, and were the last to leave the Hotel. But there was already an HD casualty returned to the parking lot; a beautiful Knuck bobber with non-vented gas cap!!!!!!!!!!!! We had already missed the send off from the parking lot, so weren't even in the race for the first day, but we never had any intention of participating anyway. Soon we saw the usually cris-cross of lost bikes meeting from opposite directions! A tell-tale sign of having fun. 2nd casualty was a Scout which threw a chain, due to the back axle nut being loose. Not a good start for author Jerry Hatfield on a borrowed bike, from Bob Stark no less! My riding buddy and I soon we so lost, that we were off the map. We did manage to find a great Lodge, with a deck overlooking Bass Lake, and the Cris Craft boat event that was running there. All from the comfort of a shaded deck, big cold pints, and excellent food. Soon, other wayward souls wondered in, who were also hopelessly lost.
The next days ride took us in the other direction, and into Yosemite. The check point stops contained riddle questions based on the first days ride. So we were losers on that one.
I must mention the magic of the first night though. 3 tour buses were arranged to cart us some 8-10 miles to a steam train depot. There we had an excellent steak BBQ with all the trimmings. The food was better than a 5 star restaurant! Then we climbed aboard the old train, and chugged off into the mountains and forest, only to stop some miles later in the middle of no-where. A quick few steps found us in a clearing with a roaring bon-fire, and a stage with a band. We howled at the moon, until the old train took us back to the buses. A true class act.
The roads & scenery were awesome, the organization, and food was second to none. We got real lucky with the weather, as on the last day (day of departure, after the Rally had finished), the place was covered in snow!
I managed to lose part of my mustache & beard, and some vital top cover while trying to stomp out a burning Sportster. The bike survived, and was able to finish the run though. Of all the entrants, I would say only about 3 took the rally part seriously. Those 3 were duly rewarded, and so Harley takes the first Great Race Victory here in the States. The trophies were awesome!
All in all, a great time, and a class act.
RF.
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