So, we put a wrap on SFO 2016 this morning with the departure of all of the attendees. I'll expand more as I respond to others ride reports as they begin to roll in. But I did want to say thank you to everyone for your over generous comments. Mrs. Bandit and I were just happy that everyone seemed to enjoy themselves as much as they did, that there were no riding incidences and everyone arrived back at camp or at the hotel safe and intact each evening. As many have already alluded to, we spent a couple of days blistering the roads of east Alabama.
The total count was 20 bikes, three of which were riding two up. A few riders weren't able to make it due to last minute issues, ranging from flu to flat tires. Those that did make it were treated to a smorgasbord of great food, great music, great riding and most of all, fantastic camaraderie. In addition, we had six or eight non-riders that joined us each night for dinner, including my sister who lives nearby and my brother who drove in from Dallas, TX for the weekend. Also, Mrs. Bandit's daughter and her boyfriend offered to operate the "tipsy taxi" service that served to ferry the riders that were staying at the hotel to and from our camp each night. All in all, I believe we counted 32 one of the nights and somehow managed to have leftovers every night. With the exception of the boiled shrimp, which would have been enough had everyone been aware that there was also kielbasa in the pan, but it blended in with the potatoes and many just didn't know it was there. I guess I'll be eating kielbasa all week, darn it!
One of the non-forum locals who attended told me that he was surprised at the friendships that developed among so many people who had never met before this past weekend, except having had a general knowledge of some of them through their forum participation. I think that just goes to show that most of us are kindred spirits, especially when it comes to our love of riding and a genuine respect for one another. In fact, each day we went out as a group of 20 and managed to ride together all day. At times we split into two groups of 10 that followed the same route, but separated by 5 or 10 minutes. Pants led a group and Poolboy ran sweep for him and I took the other group and Cornbread took the sweep for my group. That allowed us to all visit the same places and enjoy each others company at each of our stops for breaks and eat lunch together. Surprisingly, it worked out very well.&
I'll let others tell the stories of their various itineraries and places we visited as a group through their proper reports. But here are just a few of the pictures that Mrs. Bandit and myself captured throughout the weekend.
First up, our group pic. Someone else will have to post theirs, because my camera decided to find a bad setting for the "official group" pic. Somehow the settings on my camera were fine during the line up and cat herding process.... but not for the actual group pic. I think Pants got a good one, he'll post it up later.
You might have already heard, we had quite a feast each night! No pics from the burgers and dogs Thursday night, but here's one of the shrimp/kielbasa corn boil Friday night.
..... and then Saturday night, leftover corn and potatoes from Friday night to go along with our smoked ribs and BBQ butt that had been on the smoker ALL Day while we were riding Saturday!
Both nights the meals were off the charts! I can't thank my friends enough for coming in and doing the cooking for us. Here's our BBQ champ, Stan and his lovely wife Casey, who arrived at 7 a.m. Saturday morning with the smoker to get the ribs and butts going on the "low and slow" mode. They were fantastic!
...and man, who could ever forget our "concert" Friday night?? Mr. Allan Barlow came in and showed us all how it's done Friday night. You wouldn't believe the set list he played for us if I told you, but I'll mention a few of the songs for you anyway... how about Jimi Hendrix "Purple Haze" for starters, David Bowie "Space Oddity" (Major Tom) believe it or not... and he was kind enough to play a dedication request that I made to Mrs. Bandit, Rolling Stones "Wild Horses", among many, many others, then after a couple of hours he closed out with The Allman Brothers "Whippin' Post". I'm sorry you missed it if you weren't there...
I even joined him onstage for one song. I AM the "Undisputed Air Guitar Champion of the World" after all.... I have the T-shirt to prove it!
Pants and Co. provided the lighting effects for the show!
We visited the highest point in Alabama, Mt. Cheaha.
Took a stroll down the nice boardwalk out to Bald Rock.
...and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this young lady right here! FJRferrier is da bomb!
Of course we did a little riding and socializing too...
more to follow....
