Been So Busy I Hadn’t Talked About Beyer’s Lake!

Been so busy with the aftermath of the Sunday Beyer's Lake Run that I realized I hadn't actually done a run report on the ride or event!

The Annual Beyer's Lake Memorial Day ceremony it put on by our local Red & Black chapter.

Rain, wind – in this year's case…hail – does not stop them from performing the ceremony.

Bikers from all over the state come to pay tribute to those who gave their lives defending our nation.  It's a humbling (and for me tearful) ceremony as we honor, and for many of us remember the lives lost.

The ride from Anchorage was uneventful.  A bit on the chilly side it was a good ride to Wasilla (some wrecks, but they were cages).  Once we made it outside of Wasilla was when the weather turned.  There were spots of reall bad rain but overall, you could getaway with just chaps.

The roads were, of course, great till just past Willow.  With the rain, the road scarring from the plows this winter made some spots "exciting" but manageable. 

We met up with HOG members who went to the "Meet in the Middle" (a HOG overnighter just outside Denali Park where the Anchorage, MatSu and Fairbanks Chapters meet & greet then ride to Beyer's Lake for this event).

By the time we reached Trapper Creek (where we go to Cash Creek to meet with the R&B for muster to Beyer's Lake) it was raining. By muster it had turned to a good rain where I decided I needed to put on the rain gear.

I ended up DAMN glad I did!

By the time we reached the muster location (Mary's Mt. McKinley View Lodge) it was coming down pretty good.  It let up just a bit at Mary's so the wait/briefing was tolerable.

The parade to the lake was rain/hail, but as we were taking it easy it was also tolerable.  There were some heaves on the way to the memorial, but at our slow speeds, easily manageable.

By the time the ceremony started we had a break in the weather so that by the end we actually had sunshine!  Minx and I rode to Mary's where I dropped the rain gear and went to Cash Creek for the after event bash.

Of course, it's where we heard about Face & Mary (Red & Black members)…who went down on their way back from Beyer's lake.

On their way back to Cash Creek they were behind a trailer who had no brake lights and stopped suddenly.  Face went down with the motorcycle and Mary was ejected. Face was airlifted from the scene and Mary was shuttled to Talkeetna and airlifted from there. Mary's only major injury was a cracked pelvis on her right side, however this is the same side as a leg injury she received in 2004.  Face had multiple injuries – shattered shoulder, cracked ribs, lung damage, left ankle, left and right leg.

This, of course, sombered the Cash Creek bash but knowing Face & Mary were alive kept everyone in as best spirits as possible. 

We stayed till @4ish and the ride home was sunny (with spots of clouds) back.

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June 5, 2007 · Filed Under Biker, Clubs, Road Reports

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