PacNW Event: Isle of Vashon TT

[Greg Field]

If any of you PacNWers (that includes you loopy Canadians, eh) want to join in on a great vintage bike event, it's coming up on August 27th. I help run it, so I won't be much for company that day, but if you need a place to stay while in town, let me know. I've got a gay-raj, gated yard, and limited places to crash.

 

It's not really a TT at all, just a gathering of 2,500-5,000 folks who like old bikes, on a beautiful rural island that's a short ferry ride west of Seattle. The main event is a nice ride and poker run (not from bar to bar) that culminates in a great bike show and field events.

 

I'll be on the Eldo or V700, but V11s are always welcome . . .

[Greg Field]

Sure. What would you like to know?

 

The VME web site lacks detail—including the date, which is only published in the club newsletter and only in the newsletter immediately prior to the event, until people like me post it elsewhere—because if we publish details all over the event gets mobbed by the squidly types who thinks it is a real race and end up splattered all over the countryside. We are after quality, not quantity. We want real motorcycle enthusiasts, and we get them, including a lot of old racers. I figure it's a safe bet to invite the V11 types, as those drawn to Guzzis and V11s generally are of the type we seek. People gather for breakfast around 8:00 in the little town on Vashon. The poker run starts about 9:00, but I think you can get started as late as 11:00.

 

It's kinda funny, those squids have even been known to goad some of the "geezers" in the VME into a race, not knowing that it could be a guy like the recently deceased Jim Pomeroy or other formerly national- or world-caliber racer, and get their R1 or Gixxer asses waxed by a gray hair on an old BSA. They slink off to the ferry saying, "That's gotta be a factory racer; there's no way a stock BSA could pass me in a corner." Never mind that even a factory BSA racer put out what 60 hp?

 

On a normal year, it's just a really pleasant ride in a nice setting, followed by a bike show and field events at the Vashon Island Sportsmen's Club. Once on the club grounds, you'll note ice-water dripping from many a saddlebag. Yes, beer is allowed, if not officially sanctioned. You can walk around sipping on a cold one looking at all the great old bikes. The highlights of the field events is the Australian pursuit, a very challenging event on a grass track that usually sees the 80-plus-year-old eternal champion of the event punt more than a few aggressive young guys right off the track. Watch out challenging the geezers at the VME. Some of these boys have been competing, not just riding but racing actively, on motorcycles for 70 years. The best of them are from the Tacoma Ducks, which may just be the last REAL motorcycle club in America, excepting possibly the Rose City MC in Portland.

 

Volunteers who work the event can camp at the Sportsmen's Club Saturday night. If anyone wants to volunteer, I can likely find you a job. I may or may not camp there. I may stay at home that night, depending on factors such as who might need a place to stay. Another option I might take is to camp at the Vashon Eagle's Club. They have really cheap food and drinks and camping.

 

Anything else you need to know?

[motogruvi]

Sure. What would you like to know?

 

The VME web site lacks detail—including the date, which is only published in the club newsletter and only in the newsletter immediately prior to the event, until people like me post it elsewhere—because if we publish details all over the event gets mobbed by the squidly types who thinks it is a real race and end up splattered all over the countryside. We are after quality, not quantity. We want real motorcycle enthusiasts, and we get them, including a lot of old racers. I figure it's a safe bet to invite the V11 types, as those drawn to Guzzis and V11s generally are of the type we seek. People gather for breakfast around 8:00 in the little town on Vashon. The poker run starts about 9:00, but I think you can get started as late as 11:00.

 

It's kinda funny, those squids have even been known to goad some of the "geezers" in the VME into a race, not knowing that it could be a guy like the recently deceased Jim Pomeroy or other formerly national- or world-caliber racer, and get their R1 or Gixxer asses waxed by a gray hair on an old BSA. They slink off to the ferry saying, "That's gotta be a factory racer; there's no way a stock BSA could pass me in a corner." Never mind that even a factory BSA racer put out what 60 hp?

 

On a normal year, it's just a really pleasant ride in a nice setting, followed by a bike show and field events at the Vashon Island Sportsmen's Club. Once on the club grounds, you'll note ice-water dripping from many a saddlebag. Yes, beer is allowed, if not officially sanctioned. You can walk around sipping on a cold one looking at all the great old bikes. The highlights of the field events is the Australian pursuit, a very challenging event on a grass track that usually sees the 80-plus-year-old eternal champion of the event punt more than a few aggressive young guys right off the track. Watch out challenging the geezers at the VME. Some of these boys have been competing, not just riding but racing actively, on motorcycles for 70 years. The best of them are from the Tacoma Ducks, which may just be the last REAL motorcycle club in America, excepting possibly the Rose City MC in Portland.

 

Volunteers who work the event can camp at the Sportsmen's Club Saturday night. If anyone wants to volunteer, I can likely find you a job. I may or may not camp there. I may stay at home that night, depending on factors such as who might need a place to stay. Another option I might take is to camp at the Vashon Eagle's Club. They have really cheap food and drinks and camping.

 

Anything else you need to know?

 

 

i would very much like to attend the "TT" this weekend but have had absolutely no luck in confirming the event by any other source than this posting. can you confirm that indeed there will be the annual rally this coming weekend, aug. 26th and 27th? thanks for any additional info.

[Greg Field]

It's Sunday only. Saturday, too, if you are a volunteer at the event.

[Steve G.]

It's Sunday only. Saturday, too, if you are a volunteer at the event.

I miss the "good Ol' days" when we used to camp out in the rifle range at the gun club. It was much quieter there, and we would partake in the -------festivities-------, over by the pond. Yes, the smoke show contests, the people's bikes rear wheel hooking up, and catapulting into the watching people, or the deck tables. Public sexual activities, huge amounts of alcoholic beverages. It could not go on forever though, and the final straw was member of the Vancouver branch of the Mods & Rockers, and former employee of British Italian Motorcycles [that's right, Canadians party like animals] , who decided riding his bike into the pond might be an upstager. We got the bike out, and him. He was covered in this algea like slime, which when it dried out the next morning smelled like fresh cat shite. Remembering seeing him walking around in the hot sun at the gun club the next day [yup, it gets warm in that little tree surounded area] with this crud baked onto him and his leathers, well, it still gives me face aches from laughing. Good times!

Ciao, Steve G.

[Greg Field]

I'll be on the 7:35 ferry from West Seattle, if anyone wants to join up and have breakfast in town . . .