When we registered we also made our hotel reservations for the whole weekend. We debated back and forth about staying in Billings, but it would have been late. We knew we would be drinking anyway so just stayed.
Registration was $55 per person and with that you got a rally t-shirt, rally pin and entrance into the banquet. The host hotel made a deal on rooms and it was just under $100 per night with tax. Not bad. We had to buy breakfast as this hotel doesn't have complimentary breakfasts.
Gary and I volunteered to be dealers on the two poker runs. As it turned out we only had to deal on one run. It was a full scheduled for the days. Thursday was registration all day long and there were bike games at the dealership from 4:00-6:00 pm. On Thursday and Friday night were mixers with live music. There was a poker run on both Friday and Saturday along with two observations runs. One went over the Beartooths and the other was to McLeod to the Natural Bridge site. Saturday was the banquet.
We played the games, there was only two. The first was the balloon toss, I had to toss a water balloon over a bar and catch it. I missed the balloon but Gary didn't get wet. The other game was the buffalo shoot. You shoot a buffalo with paint balls. Let's just say that buffalo are safe with me shooting a paint gun. It was all in fun. Thursday's night mixer we had a BBQ of burgers and brats that the hotel cooked for us. It was $5 per person our chapter paid the other half, the live music was a band called 7th Avenue. They played rock and roll music. Had a good time.
We were dealers on Friday and our stop was at Fat Fender Freddies in Laurel. This bar is located just out of town on the way to Rockvale along the river. We had to be there from 12:00-2:00. We ended up staying to 3:00. We were nice and cool inside the bar, many of the participants were coming in fanning themselves so we figured it was pretty warm. Not used that the heat, as June was rainy and cold.
Friday's poker run started from the dealership, made it's way to Ballentine then into Billings with a stop at the museum by the airport, then down to Laurel and back to the dealership. Had to be back at the dealership by 4:00 so that everyone who wanted could participate in the parade. We just had time to get to the hotel to drop off some of our stuff then make it to the Metra by 4:30.
Had a nice turn out for the parade, Billings police dept stopped traffic at intersections for us and it was fun running red lights. The route took us downtown Billings, up 27th St towards the airport, across the rims and back to the Metra. As we were making our way back to the hotel for the mixer we got caught in a short rain storm. We weren't wearing our helmets and that rain sure hurt. We were only in it for a couple minutes but enough to get us wet.
I forgot what the band's name was for the mixer but they were more of a blue grass type of band, not bad just not our kind of music. The hotel cooked a BBQ for us again, same as Thursday only we had to pay full price of $10. Had a good time visiting with people. It was all fun.
Saturday we rode on the poker run. This one took us from the dealership to Columbus, over to Red Lodge, then across Bear Creek and back to Billings. If you wanted you could pick up an extra card in Cody but had to be back in Billings by 4:00.
I had a good hand going, a straight until I drew my 3rd card. That blew that out of the water. We led a couple people on this ride. Instead of heading straight to Columbus we took them on a scenic route. We left the dealership, then took river road to Laurel and then Joliet, took the cut across into Columbus.
For lunch we ate at Bear Creek at the little cafe called Hungry Bear. Their claim to fame is their world famous banana cream pie. Gary and I shared a cheeseburger then we each had a piece of banana cream pie. It was good but not what I would consider world famous.
We got back to Billings pretty early. My hand was screwed up big time. My first two draws were a 6 and 7. Then I drew a 2 and my 4th was a 3. By the time I made it to the dealership for my last card I was on a role for low hand until I drew a queen. I can't even lose to win.
It was pretty hot out in the high 90's. We went back to the hotel and got into the pool to cool down. Our friends had to run some errands in Billings but would meet us at the banquet.
Doors for the banquet opened at 6:30 and would start at 7:00. We went down to the bar at 6 for a drink and visited with people. Found a table to sit at. For the meal we were served prime rib and chicken with a salad and vegetable and dessert. Food was good. Awards were handed out for the oldest rider, the youngest rider. Who rode the oldest bike and who traveled the farthest. Poker hand winners were handed out and also for the games.
The biggest surprise was a group from Korea had popped in, they were invited to stay and eat. They were staying the night at the hotel and was told about our rally going on. That was nice. HOG is worldwide.
There was a sad moment at the rally when a participant was hit by a car in Billings on Thursday. It was the biker's fault for not yielding to traffic. He tried to make a left hand turn across two lanes of traffic. Didn't see the car in the far lane. He is going to be ok, he had to have surgery to remove his spleen. He is from Canada so they are going to be in a huge shock when they get the bill and get first hand experience about the American medical system. Not sure how that would work for them.
After the banquet we went back to the bar for more drinks. Really enjoyed ourselves. A group from Red Deer Canada sat with us and they were funny. We laughed alot. We have been invited to visit them in Red Deer. I can see a road trip in our future.
All in all we had a good time and it was a fast weekend. Glad the weather cooperated and we are finally getting summer. Looking forward to our next get away in August when we visit the Bley's in Meeteetse.
Here are some photos of our weekend. The rest are on picasa.
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| Our poker dealing spot |
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| 1930 Harley owner rode in parade |
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| Saturday night mixer |
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| Poker stop in Bear Creek |
1 comment:
Sounds like it was a blast!
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