bs0407-4

Boxer Shorts July, 2004 - 4 of 4

Damn Yankees Go Home

by Dana Lewis

In preparation for this year's 9th annual Damn Yankees Rally I was looking through my box of jumbled papers and past notes. I got a new perspective on the history and progression of this annual club event which I share with you now.

Originally, we called it the Bavaricade when then YB Prez Dave Swider decided to have a club rally in our home state of Massachusetts. The timing was such that it overlapped with the Americade rally in Lake George N.Y. Clever, eh?

It was first held in 1991 at the rustic Bucksteep Manor campground in Washington, Mass. After two years in a row at this location we decided to move the rally. It was suggested by YB member John Doran that we try the Mohawk Family Campground on Rte 2 west in Charlemont. This site worked much better and had more user-friendly facilities. Around this time the Yankee Beemers were approached by the BMW Riders Association to find out if we'd be interested in hosting their National Rally. Of course we took the challenge. We put together a site search committee and started hunting for a place in Massachusetts that might be suitable to hold a motorcycle rally with 2000 attendees.

The short list of candidates included a place called the Heath Agricultural Fairgrounds in Heath, MA. AJ Cycle BMW Mechanic David Adie told me of the site. He lives in the town and worked on Heath Police Chief Lorin Gowdy's F650 police bike. (The first BMW F650 police bike in the nation) David said "Give him a call." I jotted down the phone number, went home and dialed him up. As the phone began to ring I got nervous. Keep in mind that this was the first time I'd ever had a conversation with a policeman where I didn't need a "license and registration".

Not knowing what to expect I anticipated a hard sell on my part to a small town mentality. I had in front of me a list of facts, figures and documentation from the past five years from BMWRA supplied by BMWRA for reinforcement.

Photo of Lorin Gowdy by Dave Harmacek "Hello", a gravely voice answered.
"Yea,...ahem,...Hi, I'm calling on behalf of the Yankee Beemers of Massachusetts and was wondering if you'd be interested in us coming to Heath to hold a National rally in your town?"
Silence...
"Hello?"
"Sorry, I was paying attention to the dog. Whadja say again?"
"I said I'm with the Yankee Beemers and we want to hold a rally in Heath."
"Oh yea? No kidding!, I got a couple of beemers myself."

Then he launches into a 20 minute story of how he recently did this "2 hot dogs and a soda" tour with his brother where his R100RT caught fire at a gas station when the fuel line leaked into the hot motor and the gas tank burst into flames that shot fifteen feet into the air. He kept going on about it and seeing I was on my business phone I needed a quick answer so I could get back to work. I had to interrupt to get a word in.

"So what do you think?"
"About what?"
"About having a national rally in your town?"
OH, that... Sure, why not? I'll have to set up a town meeting to pass this but it shouldn't be a problem. I'll call you with a date on the meeting."
"Thank you sir."

I hung up. (Whew!) One hurdle down. Chief Gowdy got back to me about a week later. The next town meeting was mid-week in late February at 6:00 p.m.

Sounded great to me. (Little did I realize) I immediately called Deb Macchi and asked if she'd come along for moral support, as I'd never had to speak in front of a town board before. She agreed to come along.

One thing I didn't consider was that it got pitch dark at 4:30 p.m. this time of year and that Heath was atop the steep, twisty hills of western Mass. The drive was treacherous and scary. I almost went off the slippery, icy road several times, which only added to my anxiety of public speaking to a small New England community trying to sell it a motorcycle rally.

This assembly of townsfolk had the faces of a Norman Rockwell painting. Sturdy, lived in faces with clear eyes and no nonsense. I was intimidated. Having not yet met Chief Gowdy, I did not know what he looked like but I figured his uniform would give him away. Well, if he was there I never saw him as there was no uniform in sight. He probably came in his civvies.

At one point of my pitch, a woman asked, "Is this a (motorcycle) club?" This was my cue. I had been instructed by BMWRA to never use the word "motorcycle" in the proposal. My response was to be "Why, is there a problem with that?" Putting a political football in her arms. "Well, ahem, I guess not," was her response.

We left the meeting feeling pretty confident. The Heath Fairgrounds president told me although they had their reservations from a previous "biker" rally held there, they'd consider another try.

As it happened, BMWRA turned down Heath as being a little too rustic and out of the way for their criteria. But I had a better idea anyway. The Heath Fairgrounds and surrounding roads were a perfect setting for a club rally and I assured the townsfolk that after the National rally we'd be back. I pitched the site to Prez Dave and he gave me the go ahead to set it up.

A year later we moved the Bavaricade rally to Heath, re-named it The Damn Yankees rally and the rest is history.

Since then we've continued to fine-tune and improve the rally. The BEST change we made was when Rob Nye came along and turned it into a charity event giving all the proceeds back to the town of Heath.

Then, with the help of YB member and 2002 Best Damn Yankee recipient Lorin Gowdy, this rally continues to be one of the Best events we do. Lorin's mystery rides are always unusual. In the past he's taken us into the middle of a mountain to tour an electro/hydro power plant, up into an abandoned fire tower and ridden in the woods of the state forest.

The hay rides to the town beach and up to the blueberry hills are a wonderful addition to the fun factor too. We've even seen some nocturnal pyrotechnics in the starry night sky. His behind the scenes contributions and advice are very valuable as well.

Lorin's been known to throw me the keys to his truck and his home for any purpose we need. His generosity and trust are endless. The townies couldn't be nicer, either. Their genuine hospitality makes you feel right at home and the participation by the volunteer fire department chicken BBQ and the church ladies blueberry pancake breakfast are a wonderful treat not to be missed. Local story teller Carol Stowe (distant relative of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, 1852) adds character to the mix with his infamous rolling bonfire.

All this keeps us coming back for as long as they'll have us.

Heath, where the roads are fabulous, the locals are friendly and the pies are home made. For one brief weekend we can call it home where as they say: "God Loves Us Heathens".

We expect 300 to 350 attendees this year as the regional Moto Guzzi club will be joining us. We'll all be there. Will you? August 6-8, 2004

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