Cheaha....4 Cabins...1 deluxe hotel room...2 chalets...LEFT OPEN..until MONDAY

[RedValk]

they just called me. They wanted me to release the 4 cabins, 2 chalets, and 1 deluxe hotel room...as they have NON motorcycle folks wanting to take them. I talked them into keeping them open until MONDAY....THIS COMING MONDAY (19 April). after that, they'll release to the public...which means...they'll be gone within 24 hours.

SO IF YOU NEED A ROOM....here's your LAST chance. You could get several guys....multiple couples...into those chalets...split cost...they are FANTASTIC to stay in! VERY nice...worth every penny. Some of the cabins can hold more than two folks...but they'll all hold at least two folks. ONE NICE HOTEL ROOM....

again, LAST CALL 1-800846-2654

ONE LAST THING...the hotel management mentioned somebody talked about possibly getting a room...but....OPTED TO STAY DOWN BELOW IN ANNISTON. I've given this speech MANY times. Here it is .....one more time:

I....knowing what i know from years of experience....would NEVER, EVER stay down below. PERIOD. First, EVEN IF YOU ARE STONE COLD SOBER....going up and down that mountain...in the night time...in the fog....often in the rain...with the curvy roads...low visibility from the THICK fog...deer and critters jumping out on those curvy, foggy roads......even sober, i wouldn't do it......and i know that mountain VERY well.........

Now, if you also happen to like partying....and I DO....then with all the alcohol freely flowing up top...the band /DJ playing late....ALL ACTIVITES....prizes....dinner....contests...music...etc...going on after dark...and running late? NO WAY I RIDE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN...in the dark...in the fog...often in the rain....animals jumping out....often COLD....

Quite a few folks have stayed below back in the day.......when we had 150-200 folks coming...and just did NOT have the rooms up top. THE ONES WHO STAYED BELOW ONCE, NEVER.....did it again. Many would come back and tell me "tales" of horror riding down that mountain at midnight when the festivities conclude.

So me, i'm saying ...IF AT ALL POSSIBLE....stay up top. You may save a couple of pennies staying down below..............but.............you'll most likely regret it later!!!!!!!!!!

OK, you've been warned. EVERYTHING...........goes on up top......at the Baldrock Lodge..........AFTER DARK. the only thing going on in the daylight.....is the group ride. that's the ONLY thing that goes on down off the mountain...or during daylight!

Stay up top, or...................take your chances.........

[RedValk]

TODAY....is the cutoff. They release the rooms TONIGHT.

Git-r-Done......

You need to be up top...........or you WILL NOT....be having the "full Cheaha experience" (though you MAY.....experience the Cheaha weather experience!)

[RedValk]

Git-r-Done!!!!!!

[Super Santa]

Tim, I got a msg from Craig that he was not going to make it.  He and I were sharing the room up 'at the top'.  So, I have room for one, I think, although I am not sure just what the room is.

If you can shed any light on that I would appreciate it and perhaps we can find someone to split the cost on it with me and get Craig off the hook, although he has already paid.

[RedValk]

that room sleeps up to 4. it has one queen bed and a stack of bunk beds. so you should be able to share with at least one more....possibly more? Unfortunately, that is one of the drawbacks of staying in the private lodge....in that i can not refund any money once the last bill is paid. we paid that back the end of March....in fact, between paying for the lodge ($2000 this year, we got it for HALF price...it's normally $4000 for two nights in May! We lucked out "strattling ...30 April and 1 May...they gave us both nights at the April rate...which is HALF the price of May nights!)....the band...and the shirts...we'll just have enough money to reimburse Phyllis/Lori...and even Sherry....who are "fronting money" for all the other stuff...until we collect the last few payments...raffle sales...50/50...and donations....that get us to break even up top!

Hopefully you'll get someone to share/split cost. It's a great room as you know...right there at "party zero".............

[Super Santa]

OK, as I am in charge of the room now, I am claiming the queen for myself.  Two beds available in a bunk configuration.

Any takers?  PM me or auroxat aoldot com

Hate to have that room all to myself.  Make me feel like I'm unsociable or something.

[RedValk]

another note...the following people never paid....so i ASSUME THEY AREN'T COMING?

Brooke Hunter of Oxford, AL
David Moody of Ohio
Janie Wyatt of Huntsville, AL

It would be nice if you could confirm you are or are not coming. IF NOT COMING...we can save some paper, matierials, tickets, name tags, etc....that come in the packet we create for you. that would also mean 3 less folks to plan for food and supplies and such.......

anyway, if you could...just sound off and let me know if you are coming... or drop me an email. I'm going to ASSUME you are NOT coming....though i suppose Brooke...living in Oxford...might be there as close as she is! (Oxford is 19 miles from ground zero!).

[eric in md]

im waiting to see the weather before i ride down there i might need too share a room last minute !!  really im tryin to make it just have to see how the cards fall... well see thanks

[RedValk]

hope you make it. We're doing this.....the last one (IF we do anyting in the future...it would just be show up...no plan...no lodge...no meals...no bands....no....you get the picture).........with a BANG! the band friday night. Reelay the DJ with Karaoke Saturday night. Hawaiian theme night with catered meal by Lori....and Sherry is actually building the "limbo torture contest device" as we speak (ok, she is buidling it tonight...or tomorrow  ).

This.........is it..............#10. We'll have one hell of a last party....last one out...will turn out the lights on Cheaha................at least...........as we know it...........

You'll get your moneys' worth. Speaking of that, NO PROBLEM just coming at the last minute...and paying up top....THE SAME AMOUNT. we'll work with you. Just please...if you can...do register AS SOON AS YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE MAKING IT. We really need that head count for FOOD!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Kaiser]

Tim,

You may have stated this before in one of the other Cheaha threads - but why is this the last one?

[RedValk]

many reasons. One, i keep seeing attendance going down the last several years....which...i attribute to the economy, a bike no longer made for years....etc. Folks have to make choices...and some are making choices to go other places (other than Cheaha). I understand that....BUT...the math just no longer makes sense. IF we tried to do this again next year...in the lodge....with catered meal..etc...well, i'd have to charge folks over 25 a piece to TRY and cover the budget...and we'd still probably come up short. And i just don't feel for THAT kind of money, you'd be getting a good return on your money. There is after all ...."power in numbers"...and now that some can't go or have chosen not to go...our numbers are down...and...our budget will have to go down...and ....our activities will have to go down.

then there is the hassle. putting this on...on THIS kind of level...takes planning and work. LOTS of planning and work. LOTS of help from folks....like Jack and Phyllis...Lori...Road Captains...etc. For me, it just takes hours and hours and hours, days and days....yes....weeks of planning and work and coordination. My work here at the office is now even more demanding. my daughter is in college living over at Auburn...and i have to upkeep our 35 acre Ranch and house...AND...her place in Auburn.

So...it's economics...stress...a 100 little and not so little things....all adding up.......and finally....being overcome.....

The kicker is ....in addition to the math not working out with our numbers going down.......the final blow is I've always said when the negative things ....stressing on me...outweighed the positive things...i'd stop doing it. I don't make a damn dime on Cheaha. I do it for the folks. but i look around and see the dwindling numbers....and i see folks going to other things......with different agendas...and i just figure....why go to the trouble? Maybe it's time to move on and let someone else or some other event carry the torch?

So there it is. WE MAY DO SOMETHING ....next year. But if we do anything, it will DEFINITELY have NO LODGE....and thus FAR FEWER rooms up top (like the old days)....NO CATERED MEALS....NO BANDS...probably not much of anything. IE...just show up. I'm not saying come May next year a few of us might not show up at Cheaha. But their will be no....or not much formal agenda.

I just took the dwindling numbers of attendance the last few years...and the rising costs....to be a sign that ....Cheaha...the "formal, well planned, hard worked event".....had finally run its course.

[Kaiser]

Well, I for one truly appreciate all your hard work in organizing this event and am REALLY looking forward to it.  It's just a shame that I've only had my Valk for 9 months or so thereby missing out on all the past events.

I do not blame you at all for saying this is the last "big" Cheaha event.  Hopefully for many years to come several of us will gather for a ride-and-eat type event - one that does not require so much planning.  And, of course, if that event happened to occur a little closer to me, that would be great, too. 

Thanks again, Tim.  I'm sure that this year's Cheaha gathering will be one of those memories-of-a-lifetime events.  And it would not happen without all your efforts.

[RedValk]

i sort of wanted to have LAST year be the last big one...but...Carl and Lori sort of talked me out of it  

I suppose i should never say never....but...i don't want to start coming off like a "Brett Favre"    

you know, Cheaha is retired...no it isn't...yes it is...oh...I can't make up my mind.

i DO know...I'm NOT getting the lodge. the only dates availabe were Mother's day weekend (and Thunderbeach weekend....the 6 May 2011 weekend). that made that decision EASY! let's see...Mothers Day weekend...Thunderbeach weekend...oh, and it's a weekend in May...so it would be 2000 PER NIGHT...so $4000! With numbers going down...the economy...and those "interference issues"...no way could we afford 4k! No lodge...means no commercial kitchen. Which means no Lori to cook food (she did it in the past...running between multiple cabins/chalets...borrowing keys...vehicles...cooking in multiple places...running ragged...then gathering all the food from multiple places and bringing it up to the Pavillions. She had to spend pretty much an entire better part of Saturday doing that...giving up going on the group ride...etc. A TON OF WORK. She won't do that ever again...AND I DON'T BLAME HER!). No Lori, means no catered meal.

etc, etc.

I just don't think MOST folks really realize just how much time....work...effort...goes into something like this? Ask Jack and Phyllis. they know ALL too well. Oh, they could tell when i got my new position as the Boss. They could INSTANTLY tell how little time i NOW have to work this stuff...and how i'm finally "working for living again"    It has become evident just how much of this stuff i was working....ah...hmmmmm.....during business hours! Now, there isn't enough time in the day. Pre rides (2 of them). Meeting with restaurants. Meeting with the Military park. meeting with Cheaha folks. Planning out meals. Buying supplies....beer. Working on packets...name tags. getting shirts. Coming up with designs. Working out pricing of said shirts. dealing with tracking numbers...orders...payments...shirt sizes/colors/types/etc....and on and on and on. Lining up sponsors...prizes...  

Ok, i'll stop. But i just feel like IF we have anything again, it just doesn't warrant doing ALL THIS WORK........we've been doing in the past. we're reaching "the law of diminishing returns"...I suppose  

i suppose folks have ONE LAST TIME...to twist my arm up top...to try and change my mind........but.......no matter what...no lodge....................no bands......etc.

[big turkey]

Hell man I enjoyed the Pavillion and the outdoors more any way.

Why not Pavillionize the thing, cater the food, BBQ and Beans.

Relay the Dee Jay.

If he can.

Make it one night and not two.

Ride more , I mean serious miles and just rest the second night.

A lot of people just like seeing other motorcycle people and fellowship.

That's the old Cheaha and the one I liked the best.

So consider a down size and get togther as the event and Cheaha can go on forever.

Big Al

PS Just a Thought.

You know INZANE moves around , so why can't Cheaha do that as well.

Another Idea.

They just keep coming.

This is all I can do to keep the Tattoo contest going and that is my favorite part.

Can I be  Judge Again?????

Sick Cookie I know.

[big turkey]

 

This does not have to be it.

I think I can scrape up enough to rent the Pavillion and all the rest the crowd can do.

A raffle could be held for a 50/50 drawing.

Band , my God we can scrape that up too.

Won a few of these myself 50/50 drawings and was riding a Kawasaki at the time.

Joe hood winked me to Dragons on the Beach and that trip payed for itself.






And Tim 25$ is not a lot to charge for admission.

I bet if you went to 30 people would still come.

I would.

Give it some thought but the main thing is to have fun this year.

Big Al

[eric in md]

ok im off them days ... now where do i get to sleep?? any open rooms ?

[big turkey]

I like the T Shirts.

I like the home cookin.

Pins are great.

But it's the People that show up that are the coolest thing.

These are real life characters.

Santa

DDT

Early Bird

Smokinjoe

Warlock

Wizard

Lucky 13

Detonator

Bandit

Me

and the List Goes on

Popcorn

Werner

Duffy

Two Tone Valk

Three Valks

Me

Highbinder and Lady Draco

Punisher

Me


and all the other fun folks, that make it a get together.

Sorry Karl forgot you man.

But there are too many to mention.

So if'n we just meet in the parking lot and kick the tires I have had a blast right there.

Get my Drift.

You folks are great that put this on and I want to Thank each and every one of you folks.

Big Al

[eric in md]

got a room hope all works out im in 

[big turkey]

Ok Eric now your in.

What a ride it may be,.

Good to hear it Little Feller.

Big AL

[Willow]

Twenty names and I didn't make the list.  

And Al made the list thrice.    

Glad you're going to make it, Eric.  

[RedValk]

Twenty names and I didn't make the list.  

And Al made the list thrice.    

Glad you're going to make it, Eric.  

yea....I was hoping to make Al's list. Guess we'll just have to try harder Carl    


Eric....FANTASTIC!!!!!!

[motomama]

Al...I guess I didn't make the list either.    But my food did...does that count? 

[RedValk]

Al...I guess I didn't make the list either.    But my food did...does that count? 

You....are on a list of your own. The "gotta have this meal" list! 

Hey, speaking of lists...send me any lists of stuff i need to get....for EITHER night....things are getting hectic!

[motomama]

Al...I guess I didn't make the list either.    But my food did...does that count?  

You....are on a list of your own. The "gotta have this meal" list!  

Hey, speaking of lists...send me any lists of stuff i need to get....for EITHER night....things are getting hectic!

Things have been hectic here for a while.  In between doing the weekly meals at church, Inzane stuff and some additional responsibilities I have picked up at work, I have had my hands full.  We took the weekend trip to Hotglues, and now I am trying to catch up on things here.  I will work on it this weekend and get it to you.  Thanks.

[RedValk]