Cheaha thanks.....................

[RedValk]

I want to PUBLICLY thank so many....again....for making the event a success. In the old days....years ago (we've done 9 of these thangs', ya' know .... )....there would be like only 50-75 folks up top...we'd just flip some burgers...do some riding. the first year or two Sherry did ALL the work with me. then it grew...and we needed some help! Others, like Danny Bobbitt (sold his Valk long ago...but did have that yellow Wing and kept coming back until THIS year!)....Jerry and Lynn Carter (sold their Valks long ago)...would pitch in. Then, Jack and Phyllis stepped on board....and took over registration. What a blessing that was!!!!!!!!!!!

but now days....the last several years....with the numbers ranging from about 125 registered (THIS year...we were DOWN in numbers....economy and such????????).....to 185 at our peak a few years ago....a "couple" of folks just can't do it all!

SO.............I'd like to thank the following:

Our Sponsors:


   VRCC
   MGM Honda ($200/prizes)
   Reelay (DJ and karaoke equipment)
   Lori/Motomama and crew (catered food!!!)
   Clocks4Bikes (clock)
   S2S Accessories (Frank from SC) (prizes)
   Daniel Meyer (books)
   Blinker Buddy (3 blinker buddies)
   Big Bike Things (prizes)
   S&S Motorcycle Accessories (Hard 6 from LA) ( prizes)
   Valkyrie Bling & More (Grand Prize =  radiator grill & lower engine guard cover and fork filler and 6 neck pieces)

Also on that list, is Danny Bobbitt....who contributed the last of his "worldly" motorcycle items. He is the friend who is no longer riding due to his health. And i guess we can put me on this list too, as i contributed some items......

Without these Sponsors, it just wouldn't be the same. they gave generously. Mike Terry, what a Grand Prize! Hubcap from SC won it. Our 50/50 winner was Monica from GA.

Now, I'd like to thank the following for doing ALL the work they did. THERE COULD BE OTHERS THAT ARE NOT ON THIS LIST? But, these are the HEAVY hitters as it were.....

Santa...Road Captain and all around help
Anita and Stormrider....Raffle sales....kitchen help (lots of kitchen help!!!!!!)
Tim/Slowroad and Angie.....kitchen help....lots of kitchen help...and helping clean up....constantly.....even "caught" Tim going around moving all the outside furniture back to where it belonged!
Joy and Reelay.....DJ and karaoke......ALL THE DESSERTS FRIDAY NIGHT! where would we be without the tunes....and all those sweets friday?
Susan (my daughter, the Vet Grad student!) and her girlfriend Cody/Wildthing....constant help in the kitchen and driving the "taxi trailer"...and whatever work her mother put her up to!
Lori/Motomama and Carl.....THE FOOD..........ALL THAT FOOD.........need i say more?
Sherry............picking up all that food....hauling it up the mountain Thursday (while I goofed off riding up the mountain  )....driving the Taxi Trailer...race ticket sales....and ALL THE OTHER work...that I put her up to!

And last, but NOT LEAST.........BamaJack and Phyllis. You guys probably don't realize, but they do ALL the work on ALL the stuff in the packets. ALL OF IT. they work  with me and Sherry....on and off....for MONTHS. YES, months....in advance.....putting that stuff together. every little detail of the event....we coordinate, bounce off each other...go over and over...until the plan is perfected. Phyllis works on those packets on and off....a few hours each day....for weeks...if not months. That's how YOU....get that final product.

Yea, i do quite a bit of work too....so i'll give myself a pat on the back 

One last thing, it IS looking like NEXT year's dates WILL be 30 April - 2 May. I just have to get the park to confirm it. They kept saying those are race dates, but i just went out and googled Talladega....and it clearly shows the TENTATIVE dates for Dega' are 23-25 April. SO, we should have 30 April - 2 May for us. So all of you that made reservations for next year before you left, SHOULD be good. THOSE WHO DID NOT.............better call soon....i think the rooms are ALREADY gone....so you need to get on the list....take a cabin or chalet...etc. You know the drill, when it comes to rooms up top, IF YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[..]

Yep, all rooms are booked as of right now.

Durn.

[RedValk]

probably some cabins and chalets left....and you can get on the list NOW and be at the top of the waitin list!

one year out.........and the rooms are filled already...........go figure!!!!!!   

[stormrider]

Tim, I wanted to reserve the same chalet we've been using as soon as we checked in on Friday. They said it was booked along with everything else by folkes thinking Talladega would be that weekend, not Valk riders. Unless they notify those folkes they can legally hold the rooms if they forget to un-reserve them until three days out. The clerk told me Talladega people were reserving rooms for April 23-25 and April 30-May 2 to be sure they would have a room since at the time of this years race it was uncertain to them when it would be next year.  You may want to do some more checking on it. They did say that the next weekend, May 7-9 is wide open, only a couple rooms reserved. You may want to do a poll of Valk riders and see if they were able to reserve for the weekend you are saying. If the Talladeega folkes have the rooms tied up then we want be able to reserve until those that have them reserved release them. It could mean that we want know about a room until next April. If they are like me, they will forget to call and cancel once the actual Talladgea date is known.

[RedValk]

Steve, this happens EVERY year.....you guys just may not know it's going on....but I DO!!!!!!!!  They'll release all those rooms (race folks)...NLT January. Myself and the hotel people stay on top of it.

Yes, they tried to get me to go ahead and commit to doing it 7-9 May....cause that was 'wide open'. Why is it wide open? MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND. i told them I'm not interested. I've already confirmed the race is 23-26 April. Just like ALL THE PAST YEARS, the race crowd will  realize it little by little...and as the months go by...and i keep hounding the hotel (see my post on thanking helpers above)...I work on this...coordiante...HOUND THE HOTEL...for months on end. I'll be pushing the hotel folks to release those race rooms starting in JUNE!

but, over half the people are OUR people. The other half...will start releasing slowly in the coming months.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. Cheaha....30 April - 2 May. GET ON THE WAITING LIST...as the race folks release ...YOU ....want to be on the list. Steve, Paul, Gary and COnnie...etc....are you listening??? 

[stormrider]

Seems crazy from the race folks end of things. You would think they would know from one year to the next what weekend they'd be racing at Tallagega. Go figure. We didn't have this problem last year reserving the chalet for this year so was just kinda surprised nothing was available. I put us on the waiting list for the chalet and a room so maybe we will end up with something or we may stay up top if anything is available there.



Saturday after the races.