This is a looooooooooog history of the Valkyrie. I just copied the area specific to the New England area. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Lots of pictures of old faces, old names etc. A lot of work went into this.
Dalai Lama
I joined the VRCC in 2000 and met Randy Govertsen who was the CT VRCC chapter leader. The CT VRCC chapter leader previous was non-responsive and nothing was happening, so Randy petitioned to oZ and Lamont to take over the chapter and did so. Randy joined the other VRCC representatives who pretty much decided that we were really a New England group about that time.
Because each state here in New England is pretty small and within a (sometimes long) day’s ride, each state pretty much sponsored a couple of rides per season. So people from all over would go to Maine on one weekend for a “Pie Lady” (pies were on the kitchen counter and you went in an helped yourself and left money in a box) ride up in the north woods of Maine, another weekend CT would put on a poker run, another weekend a ride to Newport VT, later in the fall an October Fest ride up in VT, and NH a pumpkin festival ride, etc. You get the idea.
During the winter months, the CT VRCC chapter representative, Ron Bouchard (who no longer has a Valkyrie but is still quite active), setup a series of breakfast gatherings once a month here in CT and we regularly get folks coming from NH and MA, etc. Pretty much once during February we have a gathering of the New England folks, the early years were in Plymouth MA, and lately have been in Portland ME. We end up with probably 25 to 50 members showing up for these events.
We became a close-knit family over the years. We have watched each other’s kids grow up, celebrated triumphs over adversities, and mourned our tragedies. The New England forum was/is the means of us staying together. A core group of folks have been friends for nearly 18 years through the VRCC. Many have moved on from the Valkyrie to other rides, but are still members, friends, and riders.
At ring of a phone, most all here will drop anything to go help a fellow rider. For example, my pickup and trailer were used by a friend (I was on vacation) to go help a fellow rider that went down in Baie-Comeau Canada, a 750-mile one-way trip.
The New England forum is how we stay in touch.
We pretty much police ourselves on the board and try to stay positive and not let things like politics come into play
2000
Don of Stamford - Connecticut Yankee in Yosemite Valley the Trek
Orca - My first New England VRCC ride.
My fascination with the Honda Valkyrie started long before the bike hit the showroom floor. I had V90 Honda Magna that I bought new at Green River Power Sports in Gill, MA. I was reading magazines about the new Valkyrie and couldn't wait to see one in person. I went to the Honda dealer in Auburn, MA and asked when they would be getting one. I went there the same week it was delivered. WOW, I had to have one. I signed up to the VRCC just to hear about other riders and their bikes. I was a member for well over a year before I got my Valkyrie.
I looked on the NE board and read about this ride going to Marcus Dairy in CT. A bunch of riders were all meeting in Marlboro, MA, then head to CT. Well I got on my bike and headed out. Just before the meeting spot I figured to top off the tank so I'm ready for the trip. I'm on Rt. 20 filling my tank at a gas station by myself. I hear someone yell from the other side of Rt. 20, at another gas station, "Hey, buddy, are you going on the ride to Marcus Dairy?" I said "Yes”, and they said for me to come over after you fill up and we'll ride to the meeting spot. Cool. I pull into the gas station were these four bikes were and noticed they all have Maine plates on the back of the bikes. I thought to myself, either Marcus Dairy has the best cheeseburgers in the nation, or these guys are just nuts. They all introduced themselves. Olaf, Laddyboy, JeffL & V-Man.
So off we went. We get to the meeting spot and I park the bike. Not knowing anyone I start to wipe the bike down and clean my glasses. Within minutes there was fifteen or so Valkyries in the parking lot. I thought that was the coolest thing. You always see Harley's together or Goldwings... but this bike had something special about them, I didn't realize until later what that was. Just then, I guy all dressed up in his biker gear, he looks like Alice Cooper, comes over to me with a box of fresh pastries from a bakery and say's "Dig in"...... I'm thinking, I'm going to like this club!!!! We haven't ridden one mile yet and we're already eating!!!! Valkrocket was his name. Then I meet Tangeman. I see him eat like six of these pastries; I think I'm going to like this group. These guys are crazy. They ride hundreds of miles for food. After some ball busting, we all gear up and headed out. The ride was a full day and everyone made me feel like I've been part of the group for years. I've never looked back..........
Since that first ride I've been to Zanesville, OH for InZane 1, Key West, Canada, & 21 states in 15 days. Road trips that will be remembered for a life time.
It didn't take long before I realized what was so special about these bikes. It wasn't the bikes; it was the people who ride them. A member from the club once told me, that we don't have to see or talk to each other for months and he can call me just to tell me I'm a "Fat Bastid”, that's it.....and we all laugh..... but it's true. I hope to be back on two wheels very soon and continue this journey.
After a few winter meetings at various places, the archives mention Marcus Dairy's ‘Super Sunday’ on Sunday, April 15th 2001.
Rabbai
Well the title just about covers it all. Sunday, certainly was SUPER.............
VRCC members from all over New England were there to catch the "deals" and the "rays". Yes, it was hot! Connecticut set records for not only its temperatures (92’ an all-time high for the day), but also its humanity. The Humanitarian Award of the year (NE-VRCC Style, of course), goes out to the Connecticut Yankee, who after finding out about ValkRocket's electrical problems, loaded Ron’s bike onto a trailer and drove Ron and TwoMaidens back to Plymouth, Mass.
After a well-deserved dinner the Connecticut Yankee headed home, not returning till 2:30 AM the next morning. Of course, had ValkRocket not been held back by that "RustBucket" he probably would not have developed the alternator problem to begin with. Way to go Don Hibbard!!!!! You sir, are the essence of what makes this New England Valkyrie Riders Cruisers group, the best there is.
I read in the Danbury news that they estimated between 10 and 12 thousand bikers made the trek to Marcus Dairy’s Super Sunday, another record. I sure hope all of you get to experience the Super Sunday some time when you’re looking for something to do on a lazy Sunday morning.
Connecticut Chapter
2001 Trip Reports
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/weedonit.htmThe Adventures of the New England VRCC
Take a look at this great website with trip reports and some very nice pictures from wayback
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/Want to see more....
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/weedonit.htmMystic/Abbots Ride – Randy "Rabbai" G and the Mrs.
We had a delightful trip out to Mystic via all sorts of back roads (and one bad move on my part which led us into a "dead end - with a view") touring a lot of Connecticut's coast line and ocean views. Abbott's turn out (once again) to be a big hit and the ride home was fantastic. Thanks to Buffalo Bill for sharing his knowledge of the local area and leading us down that terrific Route 217. It's five miles of pure ... I want to do that again, but faster!!!
Thanks too, to Clue Collector for leading us to a great spot (one of his afternoon favorites), Harry's in Colchester, for "more" ice cream and refreshments on the trip home. To those of you here in Connecticut who didn't make the trip, if you had the day off and chose not to come, you blew it. I believe everyone had a great time.
Depot Honda-Rye, New Hampshire – VMan
Don "V-Man" Chembars posted on the NE Bulletin Board that there was going to be a few motorcycles at the open house at Depot Honda in Rye, New Hampshire. Little did that tidbit declare the storm of motorcycles that over took the place that day. You could tell by the hoard of bikes that motorcyclists were tired of the long cold winter and were not about to let an opportunity for a gathering pass them by. VRCC Members "guestamated" at about 40 - 50 showed up and just "covered" half of the parking lot. For the Dalai-Lama, the BoZ, the Clue-Collector and I, it was a fantastic 2 ½ hour, 80 MPH ride up, to near the Portsmouth Circle and the same coming back. What a terrific way to "bring in the New Year". CJ (Dragon 1) showed off his latest chrome goodies, and new VRCC members were met and greeted, some for the first time. If V-Man posts this for next year, I suggest you find the time.... it’s a fun ride.
Of course, the annual Inzanes were not the only place where Valkyrie Riders would meet. Dozens of rides were organized by the Chapters as well as by individuals, within or thru special Biker events every year like the “Covered Bridge Ride” in Indiana and other States, "Cheaha Mountain Rally” in Alabama “Dragons On The Beach” and “Valhalla”, multiple State events successively in Florida and the NW.
My first group VRCC ride I did was "Covered Bridge" hosted by JJ and Snowdog (Jack and Andrea). This ride was a New Hampshire ride but living in a border State we joined in.
I met some very good people that remain friends today.
New England was full of riders at that time ... I've ridden 250+ miles just to get to the departure point many times! Many of us agreed that we needed to have a BIG get together that was somewhat of a "central location" and easy to get to. After talking to all the State Reps at the time (DC, Smitty, JJ, Olaf) it was decided Southern Maine would be a good spot. I live about as Southern Maine as possible so I offered my house/yard. Thanks to "O", Kim and my girls we put out a good spread of food, music and plenty of laughs. This became known as the "Annual BBQ" but I think it only went a total of three years (times change not always for the better). After the BBQ I lead a seacoast NH/ME ride and we stopped for some photo ops. I wish I had a better camera at the time and I also wish I had more experience editing pics ... they could have been better!
I've met a lot of really great people that I consider "family" through the VRCC for that I am thankful. Many of us don't own a Valk anymore and some did not own a Valkyrie when I met them (but do now)!
Here are some pics I dug up!
Redvalk
Between the BBR, the VRCC, the Southern Cruisers, the Rune group.....and yes, even to a certain extent, even my early days with the VOA....I have so many fond memories I wouldn't know where to start. I've been to every InZane...worked on the Staff lately (and enjoyed the heck out of that) ...been to many Hoots and Daytona’s over the years where I have met up with so many of you I can't mention all of ya'. Now I can be hanging out at just about any major rally...just hanging out on Main St....and folks I know will come by and say hi. That’s GREAT!
But I actually think I have even more fun at the smaller rallies (by both the VRCC and the other groups). The Helens, the Panama City Beach rally, the Cheaha rally I put on, the first BBR rally in Ashville. I really like going to those smaller regional rallies.... cause it seems like you get to do much more face time with more people.
I like that. At bigger rallies, it seems like folks kind of pair off into groups of folks they know and hang out. When the rally is say more like 100 folks or so.... seems like everybody just kind of acts like one big happy family!
I just know over the years.... thru ALL these organizations...I’ve met some mighty fine folks...and have been fortunate enough to gain a lot of lifelong friends.
2002 Mt Washington trip by Dalai – Elev 6288’
2003 Trip Reports
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/VRCCtrip.htmThe Sturgis Trip 2003 pictures are really great. Thank you, V-Man!
2004 - Plymouth lunch
New Hampshire Chapter
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/NH/home.htm2000 - Bridge Tour
NH, MA and ME VRCC ride to North Conway
2001 BBQ
Hoy´s Fundraiser
Massachusetts Chapter
http://valkyrieriders.com/ma/The Massachusetts Chapter is also one of the members of the VRCC New England Chapter. In New England, we like to refer ourselves as a one big family and therefore, most of our functions and rides are planned on a regional level with members attending from all over New England. One of the goals of this website is to try to bring together more members from Massachusetts in order to have a better representation of the Bay State in our various activities. Remember, the more we are the more fun we have!
Ride to the Trebuchet
The 'Yankee Siege' catapult is actually called a "Trebuchet". It is a counterweight, gravity driven machine with a sling at the end of a long throwing arm. Trebuchets are thought to have been developed first in China, refined in the Middle East and refined again in Europe.
Trebuchets would be built on the site of an actual battle campaign. The materials would be gathered locally and the machine would be constructed about 250 yards away from the castle wall. This distance was just out of reach of the bow and arrows that the defenders would use. When the trebuchet was completed, it would hurl huge rocks at the castle walls. Castle walls would range from 6 feet to 15 feet thick. The rock projectiles would weigh about 250lbs each. Repeated firings of the machine would hurl the rocks at the same spot on the castle walls until the walls themselves were pulverized. A gap in the castle wall would then allow the attackers to enter the castle and lay siege to the occupants.
For two hundred years, 1300-1500, the trebuchet was the ultimate military siege weapon. The invention of the cannon, around 1500 A. D., spelled doom for the trebuchet.
2003 - Teddy Bear Run
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beer1952/44797081754/sizes/l/David's Teddy Bear Run was a large success! David was an awesome guy and was lost way too soon!
2012
Teddy Bear Ride Pics by Terry
Rest in Peace
Our prayers are with David, Botman and Dave and their families – We will never forget
David D’Angelo Dave "DC “Charron Botman Nick
http://www.valkyrieriders.com/ct/davidds_page.htm http://valkyrieriders.com/BotmanMemorial.htm The VT, RI and ME Chapter links are no longer public or active and now resort under
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/board,15.0.html .
