This was probably the best trip I can remember on four wheels! (Sorry. I'm a motorcyclist at heart, and some things can't compare to a perfect sport-touring trip, but I can see how a Subie on/off-road tour can come really close!) With that said, this was definitely the most fun I've had in a charity fund-raising event. This is the kind of long weekend I would have loved to do on our own, but raising money for a charity, SOA supporting us with shwag and the raffle prizes (thanks to all the sponsors) made it seem like we were getting much more back than we were putting in. Kudos to Mike and the other 48hrs founders for coming up with the idea of making a fun vacation into an incredibly fun fundraising event and sharing it with the rest of us.
Some memorable moments:
1. The Pine Barrens - Just a handful of us trekking into the unknown. I took it easy, since I haven't really been off-roading with my Fozzie before. Lots of fun, and a great rally-style cornering demo by Billy! Next time, maybe we'll bump up the tire pressure before-hand? Luckily, the weather cooperated, and we were relatively dry while getting Billy's tires sorted out.
2. The GSP - Torrential rain, 50-foot visibility, and maniacal north Jersey drivers made for some of the worst driving conditions I've endured on four wheels. I blinked and the group was gone.
3. The ice road heading into Cooperstown - Weary and worn, we trudged through the night onto snow-covered roads that were freezing quickly. I thought I was having a little difficulty, but it turns out I was doing no worse than anyone else. I guess the Geolanders aren't as bad as people say.
4. The tight twisty "is this really paved?" snow-covered road on the way to Lake George. Was it Route 8? The tight curves and slick snow covering the road made it perfect for getting the rear a little sideways at relatively safe speeds. I didn't do too much drifting with the Fozzie, but I learned where the limit of traction was on my tires and had some fun in the process.
5. The raffle part of the dinner was the most entertaining thing I've seen in a long time. I laughed my azz off through most of it. I love the idea of everyone coming away with a prize. While I obviously have no idea how much individuals spent on raffle tickets, but I would wager that the majority of us at least got our money back in prizes. Huge props to all of the businesses and individuals that donated prizes.
6. The 100-mph run with Bruce to try and get to Abby before the trooper wrote the ticket. If we had heard about it a few seconds earlier, we could have hit the previous exit to double-back. I dove into the one turn-around area, hoping a trooper wasn't sitting right there; I was already working on a story that "one of our group stopped and we didn't know why, so we were rushing to get to her..." I'm not sure the Stateys up there would even extend any courtesy; the NJ state troopers are kind of jerks about it, and I know a few of them that say the same about NY Stateys. And then Joe and Sarah were behind me and not having a CB they followed us (at full speed), not knowing what we were doing until we caught up with the rest of the group at the rest stop.
I definitely met some wonderful people this past weekend. Very much like my last motorcycle, a Suzuki Bandit 1200S, the Subaru brand definitely attracts a certain type of like-minded people. I'm glad I got to meet and talk with some of you. I wish I had a few more days to get to talk with everyone that was there, but there's always next year.
Some shout-outs:
Mike and Ted - Great job organizing this whole thing and making it work. Practice makes perfect, I guess, and you guys did a bang-up professional job with it. I'd go into combat with you guys any day of the week.
Trenton - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Haha! Heal up and get back on the bike, bro.
Todd - Great job organizing the eateries, and i still owe you a beer or two for the floor space at the BnB!
Kyle - Thanks again for the directions to dinner Friday night. I probably would have found it with the gps eventually, but your help got me there in time to be the first one served at my table.
Joe & Sarah, and Dave & Holly - Two wonderful couples that I had several great conversations with. I hope you'll all be at the next 48 hrs!
Billy - Great driving in the Pine Barrens. I was crapping my pants thinking you were gonna slam my Fozzie coming around the corner, but I trusted you a little more with each successful pass. I wish I would have made it out to Duffy's Saturday night to hang out, but the fatigue caught up with me as soon as I stopped moving. I'll designate one night at next year's event to get my drink on, no matter how tired I am.
Jessie & Sandy - Sorry about that close call; I'm used to really short yellow lights here in PA. Nice save, though. Love that monster Legacy! You folks rock!
Abby - Sorry we didn't get back to you quick enough to help out with that NY State Trooper. Not sure he would have extended us any professional courtesy, but I could have tried. Next time, I'll stay in the back in case something like that happens again (hopefully, to someone else, right?).
Bruce - There are no words nice enough to describe the hospitality your parents extended us at the BnB. I was so comfortable and slept very well, considering I was in "floor space"; the air mattress and down comforter are at least as comfortable as my own bed at home. And the breakfast was the best meal I've had in a long time. Thank them again for me when you get a chance. And thanks to you for setting that up.
Alex - Great job with the cards. I'll continue to give them out to recruit some more Subie drivers for next year.
And big props to everyone who attended. I know I talked to many other people, but I don't remember everyone's names off the top of my head. Suffice to say, I enjoyed every single conversation. If I looked uninterested, it was either because I was tired or I had to go to the bathroom.
See you all next year (if not sooner)!
Edit - Just a thought, since waiting until next January seems unbearable: Would there be any interest in a summer/fall event involving camping and more off-roading? Something like Route 6 in PA, with a trip to
Paragon Adventure Park? I've been wanting to put together a trip in the late summer or early fall (like mid-September) to go camping and do some light off-road exploring. I'm totally hooked on the idea of making group vacations into charity fund-raisers now. Speak up if you're at all interested, and we can start throwing ideas together.