Friday, September 13, 2019

Eureka Springs Arkansas - VROC Reunion Day 4 - BBQ

Friday the 13th. Port Dover Day back home, where many tens of thousands of riders would be converging on that tiny town on the Lake Erie shore. It would also be a full moon tonight, the last one on a Friday the 13th for many years. A night of unlucky werewolves.

I chose not to ride yesterday. The heavy rain on the weather radar looked like it would keep me from riding today as well.

Sherm and his Canada Goose jacket

The patch was real

We went to the Gazebo for breakfast with Zeke and Hang. We went in our car, which was good considering the downpour as we arrived. Miss Vickie took care of us again and we even got to sit right in the gazebo for the first time.

Lucky we brought the car


A signal honour sitting IN the gazebo

We stopped briefly at the Dollar General on the way back. There was a Redbox machine outside. In this age of Netflix, Prime, Casting and On Demand, I would not have thought this business model to still be viable.

Aren't these obsolete?

Nature's bike wash

Back at the room, I worked on my bills and blog posts as the cold rain fell. I started feeling a little queasy and laid down for a while. I'm not sure what caused it but it got less intense as the afternoon wore on.

VROC'ers texting each other?

Cassie took a lot of photos this week

I was glad to be feeling better because today was Hot Sauce BBQ Day. Every year, Scott and a crew of assistants prepare some awesome food in a borrowed smoker. This year was no different. The rain let up and did not start again despite the lying weather radar.

The new borrowed smoker

The grill master observes the apprentice

Testing the sausage

Can't be too many cooks...

Lanny and Sandy

Mitch

Solo, Southern Draw and Finger check out a bike

We must have left the gate open

Bribing ESPD with BBQ

Sandy at the head of the food line as usual

Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sides and dessert

I limited my intake due to my stomach and just had brisket and some coleslaw. As usual, it was some of the best meat I have eaten since the Hot Sauce BBQ last year. Then I cheated and had a piece of cake for dessert.

After the food was done, it was time for the group photo. Cassie did the honours from the balcony.



With the food and the photo complete, it was on to the raffle. A lot of prizes courtesy of Riders of Kawasaki and other generous folks were drawn for. The final prize was the 50/50. The raffle sales saw $610 donated to a local weekend kids food program and $609 awarded to winner Jetson (aka Kioti) of South Dakota. Then he donated $300 of his winnings back to the cause.






Dee and Oak

Freya helped give out prizes and hugs to the winners

One surprise out of the blue was the appearance of Cheap B and Wanda. Their unexpected arrival put the final layer of icing on what had been an outstanding reunion. They will be traveling northeast over the coming week parallel to a few of us.

Cheap B and Wanda talking to Lanny and Sandy

I know just how Big Dawg feels

One other total surprise was a visit from Mojo out of Minnesota. A VROC member from the good old days, he only knew Sandy and I, Hot Sauce & Margot and Sherm. He called us Old Timers. He was on his way south to meet some folks and had been unable to get a room at the Inn, so he was staying down the road.

Mojo and Sherm

Hot Sauce and Mojo

A number of folks would be leaving in the morning so there were a lot of goodbyes as we mingled. Sherm had decided he would leave for home tomorrow morning as well. This is always a sad time but we have our name on our room for next year one more time. This was our 130th VROC gathering and I expect we will keep coming as long as they keep happening.



Friday the 13th Full Moon

We turned in fairly early even though Sandy and I were staying another day.

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