By Richard Ostrander

            From all the reports received, the attendant’s of our chapter’s fifth run based out of the Lake Tahoe area had a great time. This was the first time the run didn’t carry the AMCA National Road Run moniker because of our yearly National Meet (A Chapter can’t hold two events per year). We believe the down turn in riders from the usual 100 or so to just about 35 could have been influenced by this decision. It could have also been the “Milwaukee Madness”, the Davenport meet, or some were tired of the same roads around Lake Tahoe. We may never know.

            For the riders that did attend the weather was mild, the roads great and the scenery spectacular. The riders, for their modest seventy-five dollar package, received a great banquet dinner, and a box lunch in Bear Valley on Wednesday, a carry bag emblazoned with our Chapter mascot “Rust E. Nutts” in orange and black, a great T-shirt with a multi-colored rider and mountain scene, and a brass car badge. The badge was a reproduction of the original AMCA’s Twentieth Anniversary badge made in 1974.

            The Super 8 motel was a good substitute for the one we used to use, It was torn down to build a huge multi-million dollar housing unit of some sort with an attached tram to the top of the adjoining mountains. The banquet was attended by around forty-five members and family at the Mulligan’s restaurant next to the motel.

            Monday’s ride took the machines around the west side of the lake and up over Mt. Rose and into historic Virginia City for lunch. The return trip was through Carson City and the South East shore back to the motel. A 100 miles plus ride.

            Tuesday took the group down Kingsbury grade, through the Minden/Gardnerville area, and out to Wellington, Nevada. After a much needed gas stop we proceeded through a long, protracted, and very scenic valley to the lunch stop in Bridgeport, CA. It’s name was derived from Jim Bridger, the first white American to enter California. It was also the jumping off spot for Joseph Walker, the second white American guide to enter California and the first American to view Yosemite Valley.

            After lunch we climbed over Devil’s Summit headed north. The Walker River named for the aforementioned gentleman was to our right. We then passed through the town of Walker and just before Topaz Lake came into view we turned a hard left and headed west up and over the daunting but very scenic Monitor Pass. One that the young Kit Carson, a Joseph Walker companion traversed. The group then proceeded through the small but colorful town of Markleeville on their way to Kingsbury Grade and back up to the motel. The days jaunt totaled close to two hundred miles. I only rode the second leg because of other commitments but the trusty scout loved it. I believe over the three days riding we had only three machines suffer minor glitches. The third day, Wednesday, saw the riders go back through Markleeville and up the thrilling Ebbets Pass climb to Bear Valley and a lunch stop. The climb down or ride down is a test of one’s gear box, brakes and motor compression. The 180 degree switch backs in the middle at a 24 percent grade are really trying. It was back through Markleeville and to the motel.

     There was a good mixture of machines in attendance, sixties beemers, all types of vintage English machines, plus the usual assortment of American iron. Late and early Indians and Harley’s, from Scouts and Chiefs to Pan Heads, Knuckles, early Shovels & Sportster’s. Some riders had come a far piece. Like Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota and all over California. What appeared iffy at first turned out to be another great event. A special thank you to the Crawford’s, Moores, Hardmeyers, Miltons, and Kergels for making it all come together again.

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