Isle of Vashon TT

(Frank) OK. Great Britain has the Isle of Mann TT, and it is older and world famous but the Isle of Vashon TT is closer and the ferry ride is only 20 minutes. So there we went and it t’was fun. They had a Poker Run on which we did not ride, a Concourse Bike Show in which we did not enter, and bike field events at which we did not attend. It was wonderful. We walked around downtown (all of) Vashon and watched bikes and people, bought two Vashon 27th Annual TT T-Shirts and BTP’s and went to son Michael’s house for lunch. Daughters Kimberly and Stacie and clans came over for the day and we lounged away the afternoon.

(Cheryl) Ok, I admit it. I enjoy seeing the crowds of motorcycle people and hearing the various sounds of the bikes. It’s a rush. The ferry ride was especially fun because on the way over we got to go around the line of waiting cars and form up with the other bikes on the dock. We roared onto the lower interior floor of the ferry, hopped off the bike and Frank immediately had several bikers gathered around him asking about Nortons and his in particular. Great way to start the day. Getting off the ferry was a bit trickier for some. It turned out to be a free for all because the ferry people forgot their protocols and just let ‘em rip! One lady got tangled with the guy next to her and scooter and all went down on the ferry dock. Luckily no injuries, and she was soon pulled over to the side recuperating from the mishap while the rest of us roared on to downtown Vashon. It’s a pretty ride through the trees and along the water from the south end ferry dock. We took it easy and let people pass, so we had a gentle ride into town where we parked front and center to begin talking bikes.

Of course, Frank cleverly parked next to a nice café where we had a great ham and eggs breakfast. Michael and his two kids found us there and soon Stacie and her clan showed up. After breakfast Kimberly dropped Rowan off and all of us took a walk down the street sizing up the bikes and taking pictures. While the rest of us drove up to Michael’s, Frank stayed in town a bit to kabitz with fellow enthusiasts. On the way home last night the Norton started running badly, so Frank stopped to assess the problem and off-loaded me to Stacie’s car for a ride home. It turned out to be a loose wire, and Frank wasn’t far behind my arrival at the trailer.

Today we’re just kicking back watching movies and loading the Nort back into the toy hauler. Tomorrow morning we head for Illwaco, WA, and a nice RV park on the ocean at Long Beach. Thursday morning we’ll see the Spruce Goose not far from Portland, Oregon, and that’s as far as the planning goes!

Love from the intrepid travelers,
Steve McQueen, the Biker Chick, and Peanut the wonder dog