| Author | Message | ||
     Jb2 |
Hey all it's that time of year again for Big Jim's Ride in Franklin, North Carolina. The dates for this year's event are May 27th and 28th. Host lodging is at the Franklin Motel(800-433-5507)as in years past. The rooms are cheap with restaurants and gas nearby but, most of all, it's close to the host location. Friday evening we'll gather at Brian and Sharon Sellers for a cookout and socializing at his place in the country. Saturday will consist of several independent rides led by participants. Everything is close to Franklin including 128, 64, Wayah Bald Road, 129, the Smokys, The Blue Ridge Parkway, 178 and for the adventurous, Bob's Place. We encourage everyone to group-up and go off on their own adventure. I believe last year we had three separate rides going on at the same time and all intersected each other at some point during the day. At 5:00 pm on the 28th we'll line up in the parking lot of the Franklin Motel and take Big Jim's Ride out to Lost Bridge which is about 10 miles from town. We socialize, make new friends and reaffirm old friendships. Afterwards we ride back to Franklin for the gathering at Mike and Sue Breedlove's. We start off with a meal fit for kings. After the feast Lou "Mystic" Usher provides the entertainment for the evening. If you are a guitar picker and would like to play don't hesitate to bring your instrument to play Lou's breaks. In years past Lou plays almost non-stop but over the years he and Carol have become family. With that in mind it'd be nice to give him a chance to hang with us a little more and work maybe just a little less. Food at the gathering is provided but you will have to BYOB. There's a good selection of beer at Ingle's just up the street. If you're repeating at this ride then you already know what you're in for. If you've yet to make your first appearance then you don't know what you're missing. If you are a member of this board this is your invite! Ride Safe Always, JB2 | ||
| Prior |
 Looking forward, Brother! Hopefully I'll have Heather along too... | ||
| Court |
For anyone who has never attended and is within any reasonable distance . . . this is one of the most moving and enjoyable experiences a person can have in motorcycling. It highlights everything that's right about motorcycling and the mindset of those who passionately ride. Big Jim was a Father to many motorcyclists. Some of us who never met him learned some of our most valuable lessons from him . . about motorcycling and about life. I keep a set of his engineering books and an ABB hat atop my desk to serve as reminders . . but attending this ride is perhaps one of the finest ways to recharge your batteries. Court | ||
| Jb2 |
Court, thanks. | ||
| Whatever |
I am in! Just ran through Franklin a few days ago. Probably camping.  | ||
| Jb2 |
Char, this is great news! It'll be good to see you again.... I think!  You can camp if you like but the rooms are cheap enough and crawling into a tent after a night at Mike & Sue's... well. | ||
| Glitch |
I can't wait! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks, Glitch! Love that song, and Lou's the real deal to be singin' it. JB2, was that shot at Mikey's?  | ||
| Jb2 |
FB1, Yep that shot was at Mikey's last May. I believe there's a couple of YouTube videos from last year's gathering. The song Lou wrote called "The Gathering" is on there too. If I only knew how to upload the player like Glitch... | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
JB2, here the command prompt for the YouTube video above... \ youtube{V7h3JE-aZ1s} ...except there shouldn't be a space between the \ and the youtube{V7h3JE-aZ1s} portion of the command - I had to put the space in there so it wouldn't launch the YouTube player when I post this. So, use the command above, without the space, and WITH the code at the end of the particular video you want to post - the code will be similar in length and formatting as the one above - and when you preview your message, if you've done it right you should see the video ready to post. FB1 | ||
| Jb2 |
Thanks Grandbrother! Wow, can't believe I got 'er done. This is from 2009 and you probably don't remember too much of this night... if I remember correctly. | ||
| Ulywife |
Carlos will be joining you guys this year. He's looking forward to it. He's been carrying the load around here for the past 4-6 weeks. He needs to decompress and you guys are just the ticket! | ||
| Jb2 |
Kristi, I know the feeling. Been thinking about you guys with the loss and all. We look forward to helping Carlos unwind a bit. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
JB2, you're welcome. Hey, I remember I wanted to launch the RK over Mikey's Bronco! Both vids above are from '09. Right behind the lamp Lou's using you can see Alex, and sitting to his left (on the right looking at the vid) is me, with Denise sitting in my lap. Cool, we're Almost Famous!!  | ||
| Jb2 |
Ferris, we yeah couldn't figure out anything that rhymed with Ferris that sounded like Evel Knievel so we talked you out of it. You were really disappointed that night but we had your best interest at heart. And, of course, we didn't want anything to happen to Denise either. | ||
| Jb2 |
Ferris, BTW you and Denise were way famous before YouTube ever came along! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Ferris Polaris? Nah, then I'd have to ride a Victory. I bet if we had dumped a little of that clear liquid in the Mason jar into the RK's tank we coulda made it with room to spare... | ||
| Denisea |
Hey Jb2 - Look who else is Almost Famous - that toe-tapping good-looker sittin' in the chair to our left. Whodathunkit? All these celebrities caught on one vid. PS: I was too ignert to have known the jump would prolly not have gone so well. Well, maybe not just ignert, more like inebriated. | ||
| Jb2 |
Denise, good looker? Yes you were uh... well uh... inebriated. I'm just glad we didn't let Ferris make that jump. | ||
| Reepicheep |
If somebody wants to get hurt, I'll trailer up the KDX-200. Or better yet, Jacks KX-60... that thing is downright mean (and makes more power than my KLR-250 did). | ||
| Jb2 |
Okay. Sounds like a plan. Lou, Mikey and I can build the ramps Saturday morning. Jumping starts after supper. You in Ferris? | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
In? I don't know any other way. | ||
| Bhuff |
Ok Im a lurker no more!! Jb2 you know I will be there.. this will be my fourth trip to Franklin and will someday call Franklin my home town, when I grow up as my wife says.. I have met some great people on Big Jims ride over the years and have built friendships that will last a lifetime, even got to play along with my new family member Lou a few times... Can not wait for May!! | ||
| Twig |
I've been wanting to join in for a few years now. Looks like it will work out this year, so count me in. Still, no Porsche keys for Mikey!  | ||
| Jb2 |
Twig, Mikey will be stoked that you're coming. He's still talking about his ride on the BRP in your Porsche. I wouldn't give him the keys either. | ||
| Jb2 |
DAMN SAM! Good to see you on the BWB Bhuff! Good times are in store for all. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Bhuff, there will be a very special Garrison acoustic on hand for anyone who wants to pick along with Lou. This is all a big secret, though, so please don't tell U4euh anything about it................ | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
By the way: Welcome to BadWeB; it's about ••••••• time. | ||
| Bhuff |
Thanks for the welcome ... I be just a bit on the slow side!! | ||
| Prior |
I'll be there, and if the weather is good, so will Heather (and as much has I hate to think of it, the bike can go in the back of the pickup just so she can go)... |
