SMNOE setup

To understand this ride, you have to have some history. I'm an older bike kind of guy. I've been riding Honda V4s for years. That means over 25 years for my '84 Sabre. Well, to keep them running I joined a V4 internet list back in '98.

There's about 500 members on the list, and I've become good friends with many of them. These guys have toured Baja with me and much of the states as well.....even Alaska.

They've even nursed me thru engine overhauls and all sorts of other major V4 repairs. They are a crafty crowd when it comes to the workshop.

Getting ready to touch down in Boston

So anyway, one of them, and his wife, throws a moto-get-together on Labor Day weekend in Maine every year. As I live in SD Calif, it's a struggle to make the party. I had been able to do the party 5 times in the last 7 years, but didn't think that I'd get there in 2010......or maybe never again, since I'm get a little long in the tooth.

Four of the past visits, I managed to get some old POS bike in the east and ride it back to San Diego. One year it was a V4 Magna, then an NX250, and a '81 Silver Wing, as well as a PC800. But I figured that was all over probably.

About a month before the event, I got a call from Jason in Mass about an '83 Gold Wing that was in pretty good shape, and was available at a good price, and why didn't I come back, do the get together, and ride that home to SD.

Well, I didn't know why. Except getting 2 weeks off from my lovely wife, Dee, might be impossible. But I told Jason to sign me up, and that I'd think of someway to get Dee to agree to the trip.

I was even prepared to ask for forgiveness when I got back, if I couldn't get permission up front.

...Long story shorting.....I touched down in Boston, and Jason picked me up at the airport with the Gold Wing, 2 VF500s, and His running NX650 in a trailer behind his pickup. We were on the way to SMNOE (SabMag Event North of Everywhere)

Let me tell you a little about this gathering. Zim and Linda have a place on a small Lake in Maine about 50 miles NW of Bangor Maine. Every year, at least for the past 10, he's invited the V4 list members to come visit for the long LD weekend, from Thursday to Tuesday.

Zim supplies everything, and Linda cooks 3 meals a day for about 40 guest.....that includes beer, and Linda pushes Long Island Ice Tea. :freaky

The guests put a donation box up and make contributions. I've no idea how that comes out.

A highlight of the weekend is a steak and Lobster dinner on Saturday night. The other high lights are day rides to Bar Harbor and such, as well as much wrenching in Zim's 2 story large garage.

Rider's save up there projects to bring them to Zim's for this weekend to get their carbs cleaned, Valve adjusted ....or motor's swapped. It's a pretty intense weekend of bike works.

Ok, you get the picture, the 3Bs, Bike work, Bike rides, and Beer....oh, and plenty of lies around the camp fire.

So here are the players.... Photo by Zim

href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/87yimNuowaIQV9WHx5FGC_YwpAwPhi44CkLobQvcpMs?feat=embedwebsite">From
Drop Box

[left][SIZE="4"] [COLOR="DarkOrange"]Jason and I were not the First to arrive there at about10:30pm. No one was up so we went straight to bed in the Garage upstairs.

Click pic to enlarge......

Other's tented

some motorhomed, and set up across the driveway....

More drove 4 wheels this year than in the past.....were getting older :cry

This was the morning after Hurricane Earl came thru...2.5 inches of rain, not much wind.

More serious work and Partying would start tomorrow, Thurs.....and ultimately the ride back to San Diego[/COLOR][/LEFT][/SIZE]