Friday, September 15th is our day off from riding. Competitors welcome this day for repairs, searching out parts, replenishing supplies, and perhaps a nap? Not likely, but definitely not a 7am call time to pick up course instructions! Staff also take the time to refresh, service the vehicles, and prepare the course instructions for the remainder of the event. Johnsonville donated brats and we had a grilled in the parking lot. Riding resumes tomorrow as we make our way to Garden City, KS.
September 14, 2023
What an eventful day! The morning started out with a page full of emergency course instructions necessitated by three separate road construction projects that were supposed to be finished by now, but were not. Navigation was a challenge (understatement of the year), with numerous riders missing turns. However, everyone that completed all of today’s miles made it to the end-of-day checkpoint on time.
Today was also the first day that riders encountered big truck traffic and high-speed roads, with the course directing riders on and off Route 160. However, the miles ridden off the highway brought competitors over really nice backroads with really good curves and miles of beautiful countryside.
Our arrival some 275 miles later at the Twisted Oz Motorcycle Museum in Augusta, Kansas, was quite festive, with motorcycle enthusiasts and mainstream media from miles around on site to greet the riders. Cannonball alumnus Kelly Modlin has created an incredible vintage motorcycle museum which opened in 2016 with over 70 vintage motorcycles he’d acquired and tons of very cool memorabilia, plus several interesting antique automobiles.
Kelly rolled out the red carpet for riders, crew, and staff, grilling up steak filets, chicken, and fish, with sides of baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and even homemade ice cream for dessert! This gourmet meal was the best of the entire event. Admission to the museum was free, as it always is, and riders enjoyed the unique, fascinating exhibits that are spread across two large buildings. This was truly an evening to remember.
The number of riders with a perfect score dropped slightly from yesterday’s 44 to 42. And 11 bikes did not start today, with four ending up on the trailer. There’s also been a change in the top three points leaders! #99 Todd Cameron and #1 Dave Currier still hold, respectively, first and second places, but after #109 Alex Trepanier changed a blown-out inner tube, and just 30 miles from the day’s finish, he dropped a valve and grenaded the piston, causing his 1912 Indian single to end up on the trailer. However, Alex wonders whether even though he lost his third-place position (for now, anyway), if there’s a prize for having FIVE flat tires! #52 Doc Hopkins and his 1916 Harley-Davidson J with the wicker sidecar has moved up to the overall 3rd place position. Doc still maintains top points in Class 2, and is the first in Class 2 to crack the top three points position this year. All other class leaders remain the same.
Tomorrow is a day off from riding the course, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a day of rest. Riders and crew will be doing maintenance and repairs, running personal errands, and doing laundry. And I imagine that some will be going back to Twisted Oz to spend even more time with Kelly’s fabulous collection.
September 13, 2023
Good fortune has shone upon riders this past week with another day of near-perfect weather. This morning we were greeted by cool but sunny conditions as riders prepared to depart Cape Girardeau and head to Branson, Missouri.
Navigation was a lot easier today than it was on Tuesday, with less turns and lengthier stretches along several scenic highways. All the riders loved the route, which consisted of long, sweeping, banked curves through farmlands and forests along most of today’s 282 miles. Highway 160 was a great example of a perfect riding road for these very reasons—except for some road rehabilitation that funneled traffic into a single lane, causing several delays as groups of riders waited for pilot cars to lead them through the construction zone.
Gas station stops can also cause delays—not necessarily because the pumps are busy, but because it’s usually impossible to just “gas and go.” Other gas station customers are drawn to these unique antiques, and always have many questions to ask of riders. But this type of delay is often part of the charm of the Cannonball, as most riders enjoy sharing their passion with the rest of the world.
The ease of navigation on today’s route was much appreciated, because when a rider misses a turn from the course instructions, it is sometimes difficult to find one’s way back to the route. What can be even more of a challenge is that the rider must now constantly calculate, in their head (since GPS navigation is against the rules), the revised mile “markers” on the instruction sheet, for the remainder of the day.
A few of the day’s sightseeing highlights included riding along Bull Shoals Lake, cruising through Mark Twain National Forest, and crossing over Table Rock Dam just before riders arrived at the final checkpoint at our hotel. And speaking of the hotel, what a magnificent place of lodging! Chateau on the Lake in Branson is a favorite among both Cannonballers and Chasers, with spectacular views of Table Rock Lake.
There was no official event tonight, although many friends and spectators hung out in the pits (the hotel’s lower parking lot). And some of the riders took advantage of the more informal atmosphere. For instance, #60 John Bartman’s support staff cooked up a grill full of bratwursts. Now, that’s a solid crew, especially for John who, as many of us know, loves good food.
Once again, eight machines did not start today, but the number of riders with perfect scores has dropped to 44. And for the SIXTH day in a row, #99 Todd Cameron, #1 Dave Currier, and #109 Alex Trepanier came in, respectively, first, second, and third in points. There’s been a shift in points leaders in one of the classes, though. Class 2 is still led by #52 Stephen “Doc” Hopkins (1916 Harley-Davidson J), and Class 3 by #30 Keith Kardell (1923 Harley-Davidson JD). Class 4 is now led by #200 Andy Babister (1926 Rudge Special) due to #34 Ben Pierce’s 1926 Neracar, a fan favorite, losing compression and ending up on the sweep trailer. #117 Shannon Heling (1924 Harley-Davidson J) still leads Class 5, #73 George Unruh (1924 Harley-Davidson JD) still leads Class 6, and #138 Mark Zenor (1938 Norton) holds onto the lead for Class 7.
Tomorrow we ride 270 miles to Augusta, Kansas, where Twisted Oz Motorcycle Museum hosts the entire group. Everyone is invited to meet the riders and view their bikes between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., as well as viewing the wonderful museum collection.
September 12, 2023
This morning brought cooler weather to Clarksville, Tennessee, as riders departed for Stage 5 of the Cannonball. We spent a little time on a four-lane highway, but entering Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area transformed the ride into another world. Land Between the Lakes boasts 170,000 acres of pristine forests and lakes, and there was hardly any traffic on the gently flowing roads throughout the area.
We crossed back over the Cumberland River and proceeded to the Kentucky Dam with its impressively huge hydroelectric plant on the Tennessee River. There, the river flows into Kentucky Lake, which features an astounding 2,000-plus miles of shoreline—Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive was part of today’s route as well. Just a few miles beyond this magnificent engineering example, the course instructions suggested that riders look for Possum Trot Quickmart in Calvert City, Kentucky. We were told the store has killer pie and coffee, so of course some of the riders (and staff) just had to find out.
The city of Paducah, Kentucky, hosted riders for midday snacks and water, and to give riders and their machines a break. As with most stops, folks from the local community and beyond gathered to check out the antique motorcycles and meet the riders.
Riders continued to Metropolis, Illinois, which became the legal “Hometown of Superman” through a resolution passed in 1972. A 15-foot painted bronze statue that sits outside the county courthouse, and there’s a very cool souvenir store across the street. You can bet that a bunch of riders posed for photo ops with the Man of Steel while on their way to Missouri.
Our final stop of the day was in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; between the Cannonball and the Cross Country Chase, this was the fourth time we’ve stopped there. Cape is one of our favorite cities, and once again, they rolled out the red carpet with a big party—including live music—downtown on Water Street. The city also hosted a dinner for riders, support crew, and staff, and a band played live music outside the pavilion.
Today’s 200-mile ride was a test of navigation skills. We would be on a road, get off the road, then get back on the road. Riders began doubting themselves and their choices, and numerous people missed turns. In fact, about 20 riders blew by the first turn in Land Between the Lakes. However, the riders greatly enjoyed the course. #50 Robin Andreason on her 1914 Harley-Davidson 10B commented, “I really liked the ride today. It was long, flat, and easy.” #30 Keith Kardell, riding his 1930 Harley-Davidson JD, concurs: “The route was exactly the right ‘temperature’ for me, not like all the curves the other day.” But Keith! You were a racer and a stuntman! “Yeah, but I was a flat line racer.”
We also got to see a bit of redneck engineering on #180 Allan Pleasanton’s 1928 Indian 101 Scout. Yesterday, his bike was on the side of the road while he was in a hardware store across the street looking for something to repair or replace his malfunctioning oil tank which no longer wanted to hold oil. He spotted a plastic antifreeze overflow jug and decided it would be perfect as an external oil bag, so he affixed it to the right engine guard and has been running that way for two days. MacGyver would be proud.
Eight machines did not start today, and 51 riders still have perfect scores. And for the fifth day in a row, #99 Todd Cameron, #1 Dave Currier, and #109 Alex Trepanier came in, respectively, first, second, and third in points. All the other points leaders in each class have maintained their leads as well.
We leave Cape Girardeau tomorrow morning and head to the Branson, Missouri area. At 283 miles, it will be a long day with no hosted stops along the way, however, the public is invited to meet the riders and view the bikes at Chateau on the Lake, between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
September 11, 2023
Early this morning, Stage 4 riders left our Knoxville airport hotel through a bit of fog that cleared up rather quickly. The entire day was a delight, with temperatures not climbing into the 80s until this afternoon. The course laid out for riders was a lot more mellow than yesterday’s serious twists, turns, and elevation changes. The riders I spoke with were very pleased with the scenery as well as the roads along the 270-mile route, which included rural areas, small towns, and a few mid-size cities.
Rider #45 Dana Lasher, who built her 1929 Indian Scout 101 from a basket case, commented, “Yesterday I took the curves really slow because I couldn’t tell whether they would get more severe, but today, I could see around the curves so the riding was a lot easier.”
Another factor contributing to the day’s enjoyment is that there were fewer mechanical problems, with only three bikes ending up on the sweep trailer. In fact, when I asked Matt Miller #146 Matt Miller (1926 Harley-Davidson JD) what his favorite part of the day was, he joked, “That I didn’t have any breakdowns.”
Competitors greatly enjoyed riding over the Watts Bar Dam and Lock as they crossed the Tennessee River, with its stunning views from high above. We also passed through Red Boiling Springs which sounded inviting, but riders had to push on to reach the end-of-day checkpoint on time. Further on was a bit of drama as an 18-wheeler tried to turn from a country road onto the route we were traversing, blocking the entire intersection and causing a temporary delay. Fortunately, the big rig was positioned in a way that riders could carefully snake around it and didn’t have to wait until a backhoe managed to get the cab situated properly to clear the turn.
The afternoon brought us to the Cumberland River which we followed for several scenic miles. Riders began to arrive mid-afternoon at Appleton Harley-Davidson in Clarksville, Tennessee, where we were treated to a wonderful dinner. Lots of motorcycle enthusiasts from the community showed up to learn about the antique machines and find out more about the Motorcycle Cannonball. And the dealership staff generously offered the use of their service department, even offering to stay as late as needed to finish any necessary repairs.
There were seven Did Not Starts today, and miraculously, not only did the 51 riders who had perfect scores yesterday maintain their perfect scores today, but all top points riders in each class held onto their leads. Yes, for the fourth day in a row, #99 Todd Cameron, #1 Dave Currier, and #109 Alex Trepanier came in, respectively, first, second, and third in points.
Tomorrow morning, riders leave Clarksville and head to Paducah, Kentucky, for a lunch hosted by the city, followed by a hosted evening event in downtown Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The public is invited to both events which promise to be great fun.
September 10, 2023
Cannonball riders and crew woke up to a dark and very overcast morning, with the roads wet from rain that fell sometime during the night. Based on the weather forecast, we expected another soggy day, but eventually the fog and mist rose to the top of the mountains and the sun made a welcome appearance in the afternoon.
This morning’s route took riders along curvy backroads with gradual ascents and descents, through rural towns and lightly traveled byways. Some highlights of the morning included the ride through Chimney Rock State Park and around Lake Lure in the Blue Ridge Foothills. Our mid-day stop took place at Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, where a huge crowd awaited the rolling antiques. Fortunately, the spectators were patient because a road closure by law enforcement held up most of the riders for more than an hour due to some sort of “suspicious activity.” The number of people that turned up for the Cannonball welcome exceeded crowd size from our previous stop there, and riders greatly appreciated the support. The museum staff provided riders, staff and crew with a delicious lunch, access to the museum shop and equipment for repairs, and free entry to the world-class museum, opened over 20 years ago by the late Dale Walksler and now run by his son Matt.
The afternoon took us along the Blue Ridge Parkway for a while, and the route included 13 tunnels, which can be challenging because many of these ancient machines have very weak headlamps, necessitating auxiliary lights at both front and rear. Even more difficult were the changes in elevation that became more pronounced—from 500 feet to almost 5,500 feet—with long, steep ascents that challenged both engines and brakes. Riders were forewarned that today would be among the most difficult days, and sure enough, the 261-mile course took most competitors about 10 hours, not counting the mid-day break.
Today saw 11 Did Not Starts (DNS), two riders that are out of the entire competition, and seven Do Not Finishes (DNF). But only two motorcycles ended up on the sweep trailer, plus a few in crew trailers. The number of riders with perfect scores also dropped again, from yesterday’s 58 to 51. For the third day in a row, #99 Todd Cameron, #1 Dave Currier, and #109 Alex Trepanier held onto their first, second, and third-place finishes, all in Stage 1. The top finishers in the rest of the classes were: Class 2 – #52 Stephen “Doc” Hopkins (1916 Harley-Davidson J), Class 3 – #30 Keith Kardell (1923 Harley-Davidson JD), Class 4 – #34 Ben Pierce (1926 Neracar C), Class 5 – #117 Shannon Heling (1924 Harley-Davidson J), Class 6 – #73 George Unruh (1924 Harley-Davidson JD), Class 7 – #138 Mark Zenor (1938 Norton).
Tomorrow, competitors leave from Maryville, Tennessee, to ride 270 miles to Appleton Harley-Davidson in Clarksville, Tennessee. We cross the time zone to Central Time and gain an hour, which both riders and crew will appreciate as many are already showing signs of sleep deprivation due to late nights in the pits, getting bikes ready to roll the next day.
September 9, 2023
The morning started out with good weather accompanying riders on the first half of the 225-mile ride to Concord, North Carolina. Due to the forecasted rainstorms, riders were permitted to depart the host hotel in Greenville, North Carolina, as soon as they picked up their course sheets. The hope was that riders would stay ahead of the storm front, but that scenario was just wishful thinking.
With miles and miles of rolling hills and gentle curves surrounded by tobacco fields, cotton fields, punctuated by charming rural towns and the colors of crepe myrtles, this morning’s ride was just delightful. This rather gentle cruising mode didn’t last, though. Thunder and lightning warned riders of the eventual heavy rains which caused ponding and flooding along some of the route, as well as toppled trees and debris-strewn roads. Most riders had time to pull over and don their raingear, and some were fortunate enough to be in a spot where they could just wait out the set of storms, all of which passed after a few hours. By the time we arrived in Concord, North Carolina, the weather cleared, and the event hosted by Speedway Harley-Davidson hit full swing.
The dealership went all out to welcome the riders, support crew, and staff, serving up dinner and offering lifts in the service department to those who might need them. The Speedway H.O.G. chapter also provided great hospitality, and many from the local riding community turned out to see the antique bikes and meet the competitors, with some even making the trip over to Speedway from the Smoke Out Rally being held nearby.
Things didn’t turn out so well for the 10 riders (two of whom are permanently out of the competition) who weren’t able to start this morning, though. And a successful finish eluded those eight riders whose machines ended up on the trailers, as well as the rider whose clutch broke just a mile from the finish line. Compounding the day’s storm issues, the rain caused an assortment of mechanical problems with the old bikes, like water in the gas and soaked electronics.
The number of riders achieving perfect scores tends to drop day by day; yesterday’s count of 68 was reduced today to 58. The top three finishers, however, held their positions from Stage 1: First is Todd Cameron #99 with his 1909 Indian single, second is Dave Currier #1 and his 1911 Harley-Davidson single, and third is Alex Trepanier #109 and his 1912 Indian single.
Tomorrow’s 256-mile course will be one of the most difficult; not just because of the terrain, but the hours needed to traverse some of the mountain roads. It’ll be a long, challenging day, especially if the forecasted rain materializes again.
Here are the official Standing after Stage #1 of the 2023 Motorcycle Cannonball
Virginia Beach, VA to Greenville, NC – 161 Miles
Click the link below to view scores:
September 8, 2023
Out of the 77 riders that started the Prologue yesterday, all but one—whose machine was still down from yesterday—assembled at Neptune’s Park this morning to begin Stage 1 of this 17-stage endurance run. The heat of the summer sun stayed with us nearly all day, even through the few short bursts of rain that splattered on riders and their machines.
This particular course was selected partially based on riders experiencing the least amount of traffic leaving Virginia Beach. The route was also quite scenic, taking us through a combination of farmlands, wooded areas, and small towns, and nearly the entire route was lightly traveled along most of the 159 very pleasant miles ridden today. Another factor in choosing the route was the magnificent bridges and waterways in North Carolina, such as the magnificent Albemarle Sound and the lovely Tar River.
Not long after we entered into North Carolina, some of the riders and staff stopped at barbecue places such as Currituck BBQ in Elizabeth City. The North Carolina-style barbecue there was delicious and we all ate more than we thought possible.
Although the Prologue is partially intended for a shakedown ride, Stage 1 is when a wide variety of problems began to appear. Keith Kardell’s #30 suffered a seized cylinder, Tyler Golletti #150 had a failure in the cam chest, and #56 Victor Boocock lost a pushrod somewhere on the road. There was at least one flat tire (another rider had a spare tube), and several riders lost gear that rattled off their bikes.
Most of the riders had already arrived at the convention center in Greenville, North Carolina, when the skies opened and dumped a deluge of rain for at least an hour. However, once the rain stopped, everyone was able to enjoy the evening meal provided by the Greenville-Pitt County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
By the end of the day, seven riders didn’t finish the course, and one came in just under the wire, having taken an unintentional detour that added 30 extra miles onto his route. The riders in positions 4, 5, and 6 as of this morning dropped to the back on the pack in the standings due to mechanical failures. Out of the 76 riders that started today, 68 achieved all possible points for completing the Prologue and Stage 1.
Class 1 riders are now the top three spots: Todd Cameron #99 is first overall, Dave Currier #1 second, and Alex Trepanier #109 third. This promises to be quite the competition, with all three being seasoned Cannonball and/or Cross Country Chase riders. Dave took first place in Class 1 of the 2021 Chase as well as the overall top score in the 2022 Cannonball, while Todd won overall in the 2021 Chase.
Tomorrow we head to Concord, North Carolina, where Speedway Harley-Davidson will host a dinner for the riders. The forecast calls for a 97-percent chance of rain, so hopefully everyone remembered to pack their rain gear.
The Prologue: Getting in the Groove
By Marjorie Kleiman
September 7, 2023
The official start of the Cannonball kicked off this morning with “rider school,” led by Jason Sims, Motorcycle Cannonball Operations Director. The meeting kicked off with introductions of the Cannonball staff and all riders, followed by a review of rules, scoring, and penalties, as well as an explanation of the course instruction sheets used for each day’s navigation. A questions and answers session revealed more information, such as the class structure which was revised this year to simplify things. Motorcycles 100 years and older are categorized in Class 1 (600cc or less), Class 2 (601-1000cc), or Class 3 (over 1000cc). Motorcycles between 90 and 99 years old fall into Classes 4, 5, or 6 with the same engine size designations. A new class was introduced this year for motorcycles from 1934 through 1943, which follow Class 4, 5, and 6 start times, but have different handicaps. (Each registered bike is handicapped based on age of the bike, cc’s, and speed of transmission.) And we learned that the oldest motorcycle is a 1909 Indian with the newest a 1942 Harley-Davidson. Fun fact: Riders’ ages range from 23 years old to 81 years (we actually have TWO 81-year-olds in the competition!).
Jason also explained a few other changes for this year’s event, such as a little more time worked into the course to provide riders with more opportunities to stop and enjoy some of the cool locations along the route, take photos, and just relax a little more. And much emphasis was placed on safety as well as having fun, even with changes to times, location, and routes that may happen along the way due to factors such as weather and construction that are out of our control. As Jason puts it, we may occasionally need to “improvise, adapt and overcome.”
Shortly after the meeting, riders began to stage at the nearby Virginia Beach Fishing Pier where we were given permission to stage on the pier itself. This was quite a coup for us; vehicles are never allowed on the pier, so it provided a unique opportunity for both riders and spectators to enjoy the assembly of antique motorcycles along the 73-year-old 650-foot-long structure. Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer even came out to the pier to greet riders and wish us a safe journey!
After scores of photos and videos were taken, 77 riders departed for the 35-mile prologue which took them out to the beautiful Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge before returning to Virginia Beach’s 615 Bar & Grill where owner JR and staff generously treated riders, crew, and staff to a buffet dinner and a fun place to hang out. Although every rider was able to start today, three riders ended up on the trailer and one arrived late.
At day’s end, Jason commented, “It was a good first day—great to see the riders excited and anxious to finally get on the road. Like I said at rider school this morning, ‘The hardest part is actually getting to the starting line.’”
Riders depart from Neptune’s Park in Virginia Beach tomorrow morning for Stage 1, and will finish the first full day at the Greenville, North Carolina, Convention Center.