Cheaha Rally

[Radio]

Need all info on Cheaha Rally with link to register, please......

[gwise]

I don't think it is happening this year. I have been wrong before. Haven't heard a word about it.

[..]

Cheaha has faded aaway. Gone but not forgotten 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I'd be willing to bet some of us that look forward to this ride year after year will still show-up the first weekend in May ( 4-5-6 ) . Then again maybe not  I went last year and the numbers was way down from years passed.  Dragon's On The Beach that went down in November has been gone for several years in Panama City Beach, FL I thought back then some of the other Florida members would step-up and take this ride over as it always had a great turn-out of Valkyrie's. That never happened and it's dead now     No doubt my favorite Cheaha was when we got to get the bikes out on Talladega Superspeedway I remember looking down and doing 120 mph into turn ( 4 ) ....What a RUSH.

[eric in md]

yep i was there ... passing joe going two wide into turn 4 he though he was going fast 

[RedValk]

Sadly, after 11 years....I feel it's time to let it go. We had some really great years....some really fantastic events. But after building to its "haydays"...several years ago...when we were approaching 200 people and wondering where we would put them all UP TOP....I notice it started losing attendance a couple of years in a row. So I thought about ending it LAST year...but some folks talked me into doing it again. Last year, we had our smallest attendance EVER...even going back to the very FIRST year 11 years ago! There were slightly less than 50 folks all total. For me, as busy as I am...it was a tradeoff between doing it RIGHT (and if you've been to Cheaha, I think you know what I mean by doing it RIGHT)...or just having folks show up. I'm never one to do stuff "half a$$"....so I just can't deal with NOT putting the effort into making it a first class event.

The dwindling numbers....told me...along with the economy...our dwindling numbers...etc...that most likely, SOME folks had kind of lost interest in the "Cheaha format". So....I thought it best to move on....

Memories...we had some great memories. Yes, as Joe mentions...running the Talladega track...all those Valkyries...that was VERY special. Other years come to mind....the Honda races where we had our own "Valkyrie area"....doing the Barbers Museum....MANY, MANY good rides up and down that mountain. And.........the parites....Saturday nights up top...JUST US...Reelay the DJ...the storms....the sirens....the Friday night rock and roll band...the Lodge the few years we had that (VERY expensive...as in $2000 PER NIGHT)...the stripper poll....with Dana and others on it!! 

That was another thing...the budget had swelled to around $5000 those last few "big years". Finding ways to "creatively finance" $5000 was getting harder and harder (thus...those bigger years we had to actually charge a fee...like $15 a few years....but I think YOU MORE THAN GOT YOUR MONEYS WORTH...with the food...prizes...bands...etc.). Plus, not ony was it hard to finance...but i had TO FRONT MOST OF THE MONEY out of my pocket. All it would have taken was some bad weather...and poof....I'd be holding the stick!  So i tried one year of going "low key"...though it goes against my grain to do so. We still had some activities...The DJ...the ride...the pavilions....but...the numbers just weren't there for me to want to do more work this year on it.......

If someone says they are going the first weekend of May...I'd probably show up...as it's almost in my back yard! That said, i have no idea what room availability is up top. ....

I go up there pretty often. Riding Cheaha...for me...is like Joe riding the Dragon. It's a VERY common experience for me. I'll miss the people....that's what always made the event for me (as it does most events...I can ride...good roads...ANY TIME. For me, it's ALWAYS been about the people. If i can't hang with my friends and work hard...and then party hard....I DO NOT WANT TO GO).

RIP Cheaha....time to meet your brothers and sisters in Valk Heaven...along with CBR, PCB, Helen GA, etc, etc, etc....

[Radio]

that's sad........I made it three years.....always a great time!! We still need an Alabama State Rally, so what will we do?

[Oss]

I never got a chance to go the the Helen Georgia rides or Cheaha but I will
always be greatful that me and Bonnie got to go to the Dragons Over the Smokies ride
DOTS that you helped put on.


Hope to see you down the road somewhere, missed you in Maggie Valley this year

[santa]

Thanks Tim for all the work you have done for all of us over the years. Had a GREAT time everytime.
Santa

[Thunderbolt]

As has been said, Tim and Sherry always put on a good show and even had a redneck taxi to get you back to the hotel.  O.K. so what am I going to do that weekend?  I ususally use that as the first stop on a vacation week or two.  I guess we will think of something.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

As has been said, Tim and Sherry always put on a good show and even had a redneck taxi to get you back to the hotel.  O.K. so what am I going to do that weekend?  I ususally use that as the first stop on a vacation week or two.  I guess we will think of something.

Well if Tim is going to officially kill Cheaha     then we should all hook up in the north Georgia moutains around the Helen / Dahlonega area on the first weekend in May.

[BigAl]

WHat happens at Cheaha, stays at Cheaha.

Permanently buried as of this year.

Hot Sauce Al.

Signing off.

[..]

I was doing 135 mph at Talledega when Coot on his Connie 1400 came by me.   

A moment locked in my memory banks.

Thanks Tim.

[Valkhound]

Cheaha was always a great time.    I've got many good memories from there.Think I made it down there 5 times and always enjoyed seeing all the good folks that showed up there. Tim and Sherry put alot into it and  did put on a first class get together all right.  Winghot did a fine job serving up some excellent vittles up top using the Redneck microwave too ! Not to mention all of the people he fed at the Downtown Grille on the way to Cheaha. Folks just don't get any better than that !
Only made Panama City Dragons on the beach once but Swoppie put on a fine deal there too. Pretty risky weather wise leaving Kansas in mid november headed to Florida but well worth it. Remember riding in thunderstorms on the way back to the house only to get up the next morning here at home to blizzard conditions.  ???  I still have to reread Willow's Dragons to the sea writeup every once in awhile just to relive it. 

[thumper]

As has been said, Tim and Sherry always put on a good show and even had a redneck taxi to get you back to the hotel.  O.K. so what am I going to do that weekend?  I ususally use that as the first stop on a vacation week or two.  I guess we will think of something.

Well if Tim is going to officially kill Cheaha     then we should all hook up in the north Georgia moutains around the Helen / Dahlonega area on the first weekend in May.

Bring it...let's ride!

[ChromeDome]

I only made the last 3 or 4, starting with Talladega, and had a great time. Thanks to Tim & Sherry and everyone else that helped to make Cheaha a great spring ride for this Yankee. Met a lot of great people there and always had a fun time.

Just a few pics from some great times ... Up On TOP!



These are from 2008

[ChromeDome]

2009


































I'll post 2010 and 2011 later.

[hubcapsc]

I've always thought this was funny, other King Of The Hill folks might too...

arrivalAtCheaha

-Mike

[ChromeDome]

It would seem that I didn't take any pictures in 2010 at Cheaha, go figure. Oh well I did take some last year.

[Rams]

Looks like a great time, wish there had been names attached to all those pics.  Would have paid good money to see a pic of Dana on that pole. 

[ChromeDome]

In 2010 I went to Key West, FL with Duffy, Werner and FiFi. Prior to the 2011 Cheaha Werner died and I thought I would post a few pictures from that trip in memory of Werner.

4 Wild & Crazy Guys!
Duffy, Werner, ChromeDome, FiFi


Werner at the Southern Most Point


Werner & FiFi


Werner at Hooters entertaing our waitress



Werner getting ready to head out


Surfing the net.


The flag of Bavaria that Werner brought to Cheaha a few years earlier was hung in his honor at the 2011 Cheaha and then given to his cousin.

[ChromeDome]

Looks like a great time, wish there had been names attached to all those pics.  Would have paid good money to see a pic of Dana on that pole. 

That was a tear or two before my time.

[fudgie]

We had a blast at our 1st Cheaha in 08. Really pretty country. Never knew AL was so beautiful. Met alot of good people that year. We still got Kits 1st place tattoo award on the wall.  My embarrasment still haunts me today, right Steamer?  One of our best rallies we been to.

[Stanley Steamer]

We had a blast at our 1st Cheaha in 08. Really pretty country. Never knew AL was so beautiful. Met alot of good people that year. We still got Kits 1st place tattoo award on the wall.  My embarrasment still haunts me today, right Steamer?  One of our best rallies we been to.

I'm haunted.....lol.....








I think this picture sums it up......

[fudgie]

Ah those alway makes me laugh!

[Stanley Steamer]

Ah those alway makes me laugh!

Yeah.....I think we traumatized the folks that year.....especially Lady Draco.....I'm not sure she was having a good time??!!.......

[gwise]

I went last year and several years prior. Really enjoyed the Barber Museum this past year. Thanks to all that put the event on. Maybe somewhere down the road someone will decide to pick up where Sherry and Tim left off. We should be so lucky!!! Really, thanks to all that did all the hard work and planning for the events in Cheaha.
   Gregg