The Hodaka Club Forum

Weather is lovely, grass is green and the Blue Mountains are blu . . . er, um, they are green too! We have a perfect storm of City of Athena construction and high school construction AND elementary school construction, so campers will experience a few things which are different than in previous years. There will be NO camping/parking in the graveled area near the high school this year. See photos for information on the NEW Camping Areas - "A", "B" and "C". All are on grass (hey, this may be an improvement!) Also note - the Athena mini-mart and gas station has ordered double their normal quantity of NON-ETHANOL PREMIUM GASOLINE to be ready for Hodaka Days. (Hot diggity!)



Ed

I'm still learning. I don't know how to put two photos with one message. So here is the second photo with camper information.

What about the people that camp in the park?

No change for them, same rules as always.
Bob

Hmmmm, reckon I should have said, "RV Campers". Sorry for the confusion.

Yes, tent campers are welcome in the park just like always.

Ed

I haul bikes in for other people to use while they are in Athena, I usually park and leave the trailer in the gravel lot till Sat night, what are my options?

Probably Area "B"

As I drifted off to sleep last night I was wondering, "What have I done?" You see, Mike Perrett and I had agreed that he would call me from Pendleton on Tuesday morning as he was preparing to ride to Athena. The plan was that I could get myself to together and drive from Milton-Freewater to arrive at about the same time. Then the thought hit me, "What if Mike is a five o'clock riser?" "What have I done?" Turns out he IS a pretty early riser, but with consideration for others. When he called at 8:00AM he was already in Athena and the local café where he was planning to have breakfast wasn't going to open till 11 for lunch. With a little guidance he found another place for breakfast . . . HEY! Athena isn't so small! There ARE choices on where to eat! Really!

Ennneywayeeee, I drove over and we chatted for about an hour, put up some signs for RV Campers, checked out the hay bales dropped off at the track, ordered a new sealed beam at the local NAPA store (it will arrive in the morning) and got Mike started on selecting his camping spot in the park. Oh yeah, we also got confirmation from the City's Public Works Director that this morning's sprinkler run in the park would for sure be the last one till this coming Monday! And we bumped into Dale Dvorak who was there to start staking out the bike show area - to be sure that area didn't fill up with tent campers. A good morning!

Mike Perrett at the center of the Hodaka Universe, Athena, Oregon June 20, 2017

The Umatilla TT Ride and Poker Run of about 50 miles for street legal bikes and riders is now marked. Tomorrow morning's time schedule is not attractive. I'm supposed to be at Mike's campsite at 7:00AM to load up the last of the Bad Rock Trail marking supplies and head out on the trail. I guess I'm going to have to work hard to stay on that schedule - at least two guys are pushing me hard. Nate Ewer (our Trail Ride Boss) has pronounced in no uncertain terms that he WILL be riding the TT/Poker run . . . and that if the trail marking isn't done in time, he's leaving the crew and going to ride. I reckon I can't blame Nate, he's wanted to ride the TT for years - and dag-nabbit he's going to this year! In addition, Mike Perrett keeps saying things like, "The day is half over by 8 AM." So I'm getting no sympathy from him!

Did I mention earlier that a mid-week quiz was coming? Don't worry, it is a multiple choice question and not too hard. OK, here we go kiddies, "Is the owner of this property attending Hodaka Days?"

[ ] Yes [ ] No

G'night,
Ed

Yes ----Clarence

Today was the Bad Rock Trail Ride. I've heard that just shy of 150 riders started the ride . . . haven't heard how many made the full 40 mile (or so) loop. Bad Rock Marshall, Nate Ewer, came up with some nifty new trail thanks to an enthusiastic land owner with some good downhill and a steep but short (and fun) climb which had a good "run" to approach it. The weather was clear blue with a few fluffy clouds, a bit of dust and a bit of mud too.

We had three(!) genuine, for real, veterans of the ISDT/ISDE who rode with us today! Tom Penton, Carl Mendenhall and Bill Perkins. Bill is a local guy who was too young for the first Bad Rock Two Day ISDT Qualifier in 1972, but in 1973 he rode a Hodaka 100! Sorry, I don't have the gumption to go find the results sheets to review how he did that year. But he surely must have found something he liked about that type of competition because he went on to ride in several ISDT/ISDE's and is blazingly fast still. It is apparent that he knows how to "kick back" and just go ridin' for fun too . . . cuz he ran the event today on a Yamaha 80!

The photo was taken at one of our sight seeing and rest stops at the top of the infamous Ryan's Grade (check your copy of the Bad Rock Movie for information on Ryan's Grade).

It was grand to have the ISDT Vets with us today!
Ed

Funny, I rode the wheels off a Yamaha 80 exactly like that one when I was a kid. That all looks too fun!! It has a stock reed set-up they called "Torque Induction". Cool bike!

Sounds like you guys had a great time! I was in Colorado and arrived Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening I managed a "fall" & cracked a rib! Couldn't ride all week, but rode home today. Darned bad luck! Well, there's always next year! Maybe I can come up and fall off a bike on the Bad Rock! Victor

I really enjoyed myself at hodaka days this year. Missed the Saturday night banquet though. My son of about 32 years, had not been around Hodakas, went with me and had a good time and then he tells me he would like a Wombat. Not my favorite but he sure can have one. It was so good to see all the old friends. Athena is such a nice town with friendly people. I always hit the yard sales and again great people. The Badrock was FUN I was at gate #one with John we really never run out of bull. Thank you Ed, Bruce, Bob, Greg, Doug, Lee, Jay, all others and the old PABATCO clan. To all the land owners that let us on their land How nice. One cannot have a better weekend!--------------Clarence

Wow, I'm glad everyone had a good time. As always I'm quite envious of those who participated in the event. My excuse is always "It's a long way from Kansas." Every year I keep trying to figure out how to get the wife and bikes there. There's always next year I keep saying. All excuses but it's cool that you guys did it. We do cheer you on! Bravo!

Max and Eweleen

Go. Next year. You may not live to regret it.

(I'm saying that to me, too).

I've made the trip from upstate NY for the 4th time this year. 2800 miles 1 way more or less. For the 50 th a couple people came from Australia, you can get there. Just click your heels together.

A philosopher from Australia once asked me, "How is waiting to travel to Australia going to make the trip better?"

Hodaka folks mayhaps ought to ask themselves the same sort of question. Will delaying coming to Hodaka Days make the experience better? It is a haunting question for a vintage motorcycle rider, no?

Ed

On a slightly different tangent, years ago at Mid Ohio I was going to get Jim Pomeroys (?) autograph, but everytime I saw him he was busy so I let it slide figuring I'd catch him later. Shortly after that MO he passed away so I didn't get my chance, so now I work harder at getting things done cause you never know. If you have the time and means, get it done, cause you never know.......

Some folks have said they have doubts about the announcement I make at the Rider's Meeting for the Bad Rock Trail Ride. Each year I mention that it is considered good etiquette for "off-brand" motorcycle riders to lay their bikes down in the creek crossings to provide good traction for nearby Hodaka riders. I have no idea why anyone would doubt the truth of the statement . . . we observe good etiquette when our trail clean up crew goes out to take down the trail markers. Seeing is believing!


Really!

Ed

Does one off brand work better than another for that purpose?

Too funny!!

Here are a couple of newspaper articles about Hodaka Days which were just published. The Milton-Freewater newspaper (Valley Herald) is a weekly publication, so while it took a bit of time for the article to be published . . . they sure did their homework! Note: I have it on good authority from the Editor that Mr. Bailey may not be assigned to cover the event next year since he came back talking incessantly about the concept of getting a motorcycle again! He has a history with both dirt bikes and street bikes.

The article from the East Oregonian features a photo first created in the mind of Stu Gillard. Stu then went to work to "make it happen". He borrowed a ladder from his motel and drove to Hodaka Days, rode part of the parade . . . then hustled back to his chosen location, set-up and climbed the ladder to get the shot. It is a CLASSIC parade photo. The Parade was led by a Umatilla County Deputy Sheriff on the Police Bike given to the City of Athena by the Hodaka Club. Stu got the banner, the Police bike and the 90 or so Hodaka Motorcycles fading into the distance of beautifuld downtown Athena.

Um, the photos didn't "attach" - I'll try again.

It looks like attaching photos is beyond my pay grade.

My photobucket account won't allow image links anymore . . . unless I sign up for a $39.95 per month subscription.

I've tried the instructions provided by Rick Mott on how to use the "Attachments" feature here on the Forum . . . and that isn't working either. Rick's last instruction is, "Click on "place inline" " . . . but there is no "place inline" thingy to click on, so I'm stuck.

Ed