Stage 14 Results are in:
Click Here for Stage 14 Results
The Grand Finale for the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball will be held at the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA tomorrow all the motorcycle will make there way from The Dalles, OR to the Skamania and will start arriving at about 2:30PM this will be a spectacular finsih to the 16 day journey that we have been on!!! We will also try and live stream this……So stayed tuned!!!
The Results for Stage 13 are in:
Click Here for Stage 13 Results
It’s the beginning of the end and riders have begun to lament over what life will be like when they aren’t living and breathing Motorcycle Cannonball. Of the 107 who toed up to the starting line in Portland, Maine, there are still 99 riders left in the race and 44 of those riders have perfect scores. Chris Tribbey and his 1911 Excelsior, the oldest machine in the run, held first place for most of the race but suffered a broken valve in Stage 10, brake failure in Stage 12 and after 4 miles on Friday, his rear brake locked up. Despite all that, Tribbey got the old girl back in the race to finish out 151 miles of glorious riding through Montana, Idaho and Washington with a smile. Dean Bordigioni is currently in first place on his 1913 Harley-Davidson.
Each morning a different flag girl is randomly chosen to wave off the riders and Friday that gal was the Cannonball’s own sweep rider, Polly Marinova, who was given the honor that added to the excitement of the send off. To jazz things up a bit for the support crews, there’s a daily challenge among the crews to see who can get to the hotel first each afternoon. The revelery in the pits at night is a combination of serious wrenching with less serious ribbing between the riders and crews and the whole place takes on a fun feel as the Cannonball family collectively works to keep each other on the road.
The day ended at Lone Wolf Harley-Davidson in Spokane Valley with a bike night celebration, live music and a warm welcome for the Cannonballers who utilized the time to wrench on their rides as fans looked on.
Saturday’s ride will be the last full day of competition riding and will cover 303 miles into Oregon after a hosted lunch at Rattlesnake Mountain Harley-Davidson in Kennewick, Washington. Racers will arrive in The Dalles, Oregon to display their bikes on Federal Street from 5:00 to 6:30 so come on out and be a part of this rare opportunity to see history in the making.
The Results for Stage 12 are in:
Click Here for Stage 12 Results
Thursday morning kicked off with rain, cold, and concern as riders were given a choice of going over the famous Logan’s Pass through Glacier National Park or a secondary, lower section of the park due to concerns for the old machine struggling over steep inclines, the descending declines with little to no braking power, and possible weather though the upper route, but none of the riders were daunted. Everyone took the high road and were rewarded with glorious vistas and an incredible riding experience. As the international group of motorcyclists stood at the half-way point and enjoyed the brilliant fall foliage against the breathtaking mountainscapes, riders expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to experience the magnificence of Mother Nature’s splendor. For the staff who had to backtrack the route for stragglers and came in late themselves, their experience included snowfall. Otherwise, riders just arrived at the evening finish in Kalispell, Montana rain soaked but elated over the day’s ride.
Stage 13 will take the group over 254 miles into Washington’s Spokane Valley for a hosted dinner at Lone Wolf Harley-Davidson where the riders will have their bikes on display until 6pm. Every is invited to come on out and share in the fun.
Cannonball stops to visit a city are reminiscent of the days of yore when people would come out to see traveling performers as they passed through town. Entire communities would gather to socialize and take in an event and the Motorcycle Cannonball offers a glimpse back to a time when life was lived at a much slower pace. These are traveling, functioning time capsules. A rolling museum if you will, and the simplicity of the machines appeals to people of all ages, classes and races. There is no discrimination of any kind when it comes to old motorcycles, unless of course it’s about the marque. Harleys and Indians will forever rival and during the Cannonball, Hendersons and Excelsiors join in the bravado, too.
One of the phenomenons that occurs as riders make their way across the nation is that the Cannonballers become ambassadors for the sport of antique motorcycling. At every gas station, meal break and break down, there are curious people who just want to look at the machines, hear them and stand in awe that the old dinosaurs still run. Yesterday was just such a situation when we found ourselves in an impoverished part of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Packs of dogs wandered between the vehicles as pedestrians roamed the tarmac asking drivers for cigarettes, or lights. One of the Cannonball riders was working on his 1925 Brough Superior, attended by two of the local residents. Motorcycle Cannonballer, Brian Bossier Sr., intoduced the pair as the grandfather who helped to push his cantankerous old bike and his grandson who went to fetch him water as he wrenched in the afternoon sun. On the periphery, a variety of people wandered about but stopped to pay attention to the ancient machine amongst them.
“You know, Margaret Ann has always been a good starter,” Cannonballer Brian announces. “Let’s see if she’s ready to start now.” He puts away his tools and pulls on his gloves as the man and his grandson stare at the magnificent old girl. The first kick doesn’t even provide a hiccup. The second is the same when suddenly a man from across the parking lot with no shirt yells, “Start Margaret Ann!” And she did. The old bike thundered to life as a war whoop echoed through the chaos of the gas station and everyone smiles and waves goodbye as Brian continues on the route to Billings. Watching the energy exchanged between strangers who came together to offer respect, support and encouragement for a little 93-year old lady who was doing her best to deliver her rider to the finish line was a pretty inspiring thing to see.
The first day after the only day of rest for the group brought long miles, cooler weather, and an upset in standings. Most riders spent the day off the road wrenching and prepping for higher elevations and more grueling miles, so there was no rest for the already weary travelers as they journeyed across Wyoming and Montana’s Big Horn Mountains and past the Custer Battlefield National Monument before arriving at Beartooth Harley-Davidson for an evening dinner in the parking lot in Billings, Montana. The group will spend the next two days traveling across the Big Sky state.
The day’s big news was that Chris Tribbey’s little #9 Excelsior “that could” decided to take a break by throwing an exhaust valve early in the day and finished with 149 miles out of the 299 routed. First-time competitor, Chris Tribbey, has slipped to 66 place, leaving Dean Bordigioni, a four-time racer, as the only Century old classification, Class I rider with a perfect score. Also moving up in rank is Byrne Bramwell, in second, Fred Wacker in third, and the always smiling Andrea Labarbara in fourth place. It is, of course, still anybody’s game since things change quickly along the back roads and there’s no predicting what might happen. Other riders who suffered engine catastrophes are #22, Jeff Lauritsen, who is on his second engine and wrenching to get back on the road after 130 miles, and everyone’s favorite Georgia rider, Doug Jones, who came off the road after 137, and there were a few others who shared the sweep’s trailer space as well. Besides Chris Tribbey, #20 from Connecticut, Denis Sharon, also lost his perfect score when the engine of his 1916 H-D seized after 129 miles. We’ll keep an eye out for them all at the green flag as riders head out for Stage 11.
Also being watched closely will be rider #15, Mike Carson. After he and his son, Buck, were involved in a crash back in Indiana, Carson has been nursing several broken ribs, a broken clavicle and is in need of surgery. Early on he announced that he would ride again after the day of rest, despite doctor’s orders, and the news that he was out of the race was published here. That was proven quite wrong during Stage 10 after Cason arrived at the finish line with a perfect score of all 299 miles. Never say never.
Stage 11 is predicated to be cold, intermittenly wet, and will involve an elevation change from 3100′ to 7400′ over the 248 miles before riders pull into Big Sky Harley-Davidson in Great Falls for a hosted dinner, so come on out and cheer the road warriors on. Who knows what the day will bring!
The Results are in,
Stage 10
Sturgis, SD to Billings, MT
299 Miles
Click Here for Stage 10 Results
The Results for Stage 9 are in,
Stage 9
Pierre, SD to Sturgis, SD
294 Miles
Click Here for Stage 9 Results
