ABATE of Southern Oregon has a busy August. First off, on Saturday, August 3, the annual Run to the Coast will be held. This Josephine County ABATE function is in its 35th year, but darned if they didn’t miss getting in the calendar. Riders, meet up in Grants Pass, Oregon, at Papa’s Barbecue & Café at 1720 Redwood Avenue. Sign-in begins at 10:00 a.m. and last rider out will be at 11:30. Cost is $10 per person for the first hand, and $5 per hand after the initial blush with Lady Luck. The high hand will win $300, the second highest $150 and the worst hand (must we be negative?) will still take $50. Then, of course, there’s the normal stuff like the 50/50 and raffle prizes. This is a fun event and a gorgeous ride to Brookings Harbor where there’s always lots to do and good places to put on the feed bag, wet one’s whistle or take a gander at the goose eggs in the Brooking’s Saturday Swap meet. You can buy stuff just like the stuff you have at home (that you meant to put in a garage sale). Questions? Call the always-helpful Spanky at 541.659.8715… For those who don’t remember, Spanky had Spanky’s Antique Motorcycle Supply in Grants Pass years back. He carried THUNDER PRESS for customers well before anyone outside California knew what THUNDER PRESS even was. These days Spanky (a.k.a. Pat Allen) has retired from the M–F thing, but keeps crazy busy. For example, he’s the coordinator for ABATE of Southern Oregon. But aside from that, and aside from his role as president for the United Bikers of Southern Oregon, this week he’s lending a hand to his Mom, Maxine, who managed to fracture her neck when she fell recently. Spanky was pretty proud to share that “she’s 85 and has never had any surgery before.” Those are some mighty fine genetics, Spanky. Spanky celebrated his own birthday (his 64th) July 12… Later in August, Josephine and Douglas County Chapters of ABATE are having their Wolf Creek SOS Campout from Friday, August 16, through Sunday the 18th. SOS stands for Southern Oregon Summer, and you can expect the rally to deliver on live music, games, camping and all the fun you’ve grown to expect. The location is the Wolf Creek Campground, about 19 miles North of Grants Pass. (Take exit 76 off I-5.) Cost of admission is a little less for ABATE members (and why aren’t you one?) at $25, and nonmembers parting with $5 more per head. They ask you bring no pets, fireworks or firearms, and that the camping area is reserved “just for bikes” (OK, bikes and their riders). There are places for RVs, but no RV hookups. Gates open at noon on Friday, and there’s a flyer with more details at www.abateoforegon.net, or questions by e-mail can be directed to freeflitterfly@msn.com. And you can also telephone questions to Spanky at 541.659.8715. I expect he’ll be handy to the phone because Maxine needs a little help in her recovery. While we were on the phone she dropped her lucky scratch ticket penny and her son was there to get her back in the game. Happy birthday, Pat, and speedy return to vigor, Maxine… So, toward the end of August, from Friday the 23rd through Sunday the 25th, there’s an annual event near Malo, Washington, at the Sleepy Hollow Ranch. This is off Highway 21, about 13 clicks north of the junction with Highway 20. This event has been going on since 2000 when only a handful of riders participated. Now they top about 130. Ben Stotts owns Sleepy Hollow and puts the event together for the sustainability of the ranch—it’s no charity, but rather simply a way to make ends meet. Expect a full weekend for $30 a head with a pig roast dinner, live music Friday (Fire Creek) and Saturday (The Sara Brown Band), and the poker run will take riders up and around Chesaw, Wauconda and Bonaparte. It gets about 10 degrees cooler at Bonaparte, but the homemade pie at Bonaparte Lake Resort is worth a trip on its own merit. Oh, the Kokanee (Silver) fishing is pretty swell, too (but I digress). The poker run is $5 per hand, and this is the only thing not included in the $30 per person admission price. There are restrooms, wash stations and camping in the shade by Curlew Creek. It ain’t fancy, but neither is the price. Questions? 509.779.4658, 406.295.5845 or e-mail beaglebiker@talus.net…
