Thru the Peephole: Musings on the Strange, Interesting, and Maddening Characters We Meet “On the Road”
By Allan Gereg of St. Clairsville, Ohio.
Chapter 12: The Luray Harley Riders–On Beer… and the Police!
Here it was, approaching another glorious summer for riding the famed BMW, and Doug and I decided that we would try another rally. We decided to sign up for the Blue Ridge Mountain Rendezvous Rally near Luray, Virginia. This one was a little different than past ralllies we attended in that it was open to all marques. We thought that this year would be a good one for a trip South, and to begin the tour we would participate in The Blue Ridge Rendezvous… I don’t know what struck us about this rally… the name perhaps… it just sounds romantic in the strictest sense… A Rendezvous… like the kind the old-time fur traders and mountain men had for the yearly exchange of furs for necessities and luxuries unobtainable until then–what a hoot and holler!… or like the one in the darkness of a damp Paris alley where the trench-coated Allied spy secreted information to a confidante that would later save thousands of patriots’ lives… or the more benign tryst between Humphrey and Ingrid at the piano… As Time Goes By ?…
Whatever the reason, we traveled to that Rendezvous in the Blue Ridge.
We found a very nice wide open campground on a hilltop with trees for shade mainly along the perimeter of the grounds… it was plenty large enough for all who attended. We found a decent camp spot and set up… in a while we had neighbors–on one side was a courteous Gold Winger on a new 1500 and on the other, By God, a fellow Ohioan on another Wing! We sat at the picnic table we shared and “shot the breeze” about What, Where Who, and How… the Gold Wingers were interested in our BMW’s and asked a myriad of questions–in turn, this was the first living motorcycle I’d ever seen that had a reverse!? How Strange! I guess I’m just a “seat of the pants” type–no radios, CB’s or TV’s for me!… just lean and basic is all I’m after! (Is there in development the “Ultimate Tour-All” including built-in bathroom with a “designer” tissue dispenser?… perfect for the 1000 in 1’ers!) But Hey! Each to His Own… One Man’s Turkey is another Man’s Turkey Buzzard!
Another plus at this rally, it seemed, was that there would be good security at the campground; we noticed as we were setting up, a local police car was driving in the grass up thru the campground, the officer chatting with the campers… maybe he got clearance from the chief to use the cruiser tonight… a little extra money for the town’s till?
Anyway, the evening’s festivities began, and under the pavilion we got to watch some local (not loco!) Luray Cloggers prance around… hey, yippee, y’all! Afterwards, we sat on the hay bales provided, and waited to see if we were winners in the door prize drawings… Sure Enuff!… that Douger won a set of Pirelli’s… What a Lucky Man He is! And our Ohio camper buddy won a cash prize and proclaimed that he would Buy the Beer with his windfall… that made me happy. Just in case, we made our own foray into town for liquid refreshment… we returned with beer and ice to find the socializing in full swing… notice how a drink or two is oftentimes a good “ice-breaker”; it soothes and loosens the tongue and eases the inhibitions… and sometimes makes you fall down!
Yes, we were having fun meeting new people from all over the East, riding all kinds of bikes, including BMW’s. As we drank beer together, we made “friends” with a couple of “hard-core” looking Harley riders from Pittsburgh. One was an older, squirrely guy with a grey beard and moustache and leather Harley cruise cap… the other was a younger version with dark hair showing around the red bandana tied on his head (was he a misplaced Pirate far from the sea?). They looked the part of “Harley riders”- chains on the wallets, the leather cap, and, of course, engineer boots. I guess they drank the part,too… but then, so did two BMW riders I knew real well! We drank and laughed with the Harley-ites while they were joined by a third engineer-booted Harley man from somewhere in New York… he was a little rougher sounding and looking than our Pittsburgh “friends”… I kinda think like a “skull-crusher” type… Cro-Magnon Man on Harley! Anyway, we ran out of beer, and the Harley boys went for more… they returned with saddlebags full of Coors and ice… Eat, Drink, and be Merry… for Tomorrow You Will be Sorry! !
By now, most sensible campers had gone to bed… but not us!? I was really having fun… I hadn’t drunk this much beer since Hector was a Pup! The storytelling was getting broader and the laughing was louder… the Harley guys were “gettting off” on stereotypes and joked that they weren’t in any hurry to go back to the tent and sleep since they let the 12 year old girl loose at dusk! They must have told that story before… an ongoing joke perhaps… or does that explain the presence of the police in the campground earlier?… were they looking for a 12 year old? Ah, get outta here!… just coincidence! ?
Finally we all gave out and decided to go to bed… and quite surprisingly I awoke the next morning able to stand up and feel every extremity! I actually didn’t feel too bad!… wow!… must be the mountain air!
Our friendly Gold Wing rider next door was already up, showered, and packed, ready to head for home. He asked us how we slept… Ah Fine, Yes, Fine, Fine!…He said he could have had a better sleep if it wasn’t for those damn Drunkards who stayed up half the night yelling and laughing… probably those Harley Riders, you know?… Ah, yes, yes,… that’s probably who it was all right…