Michigan Spyder Owners "Beach and BBQ" Event

[bjeffrey]

I ran into the Marketing Manager from Motor City Power Sports in Bloomfield Hills, Mi yesterday and he informed me about a BRP / MCPS (Motor City Power Sports) sponsored event.

http://motorcitypowersports.com/Default.asp

Here are the details relayed to me:


Michigan Spyder Owners “Beach & BBQ” Event


Sunday, August 17th at Pontiac Lake


Ride starts from Motor City Powersports (Registration starts at 10am and ride leaves at Noon)


Cost is $0 (except gas for the Spyder)


BRP will provide food, music and Sea-Doo’s for the Spyder owners to take out on the water.


You are encouraged to bring your spouse or friend…on the back of your Spyder of course.


Beach & BBQ Event is from 12:30pm-4:00pm
Activities include:
PWC Riding
BBQ
Volleyball
Badminton
Baggo


Contact:

Steve Martin (yes that is his real name)
smartin@motorcitypowersport.com

I told Steve I will try and keep a count of attendees from SpyderLovers.com

Brian

[bjt]

I'm going, though with my dealer's group (Nordride). See you there.

[bjeffrey]

My co-pilot (wife) and I will be there. It killed me not to do the UP ride with you guys. I still haven't been past the bridge.

Brian

[bjt]

There's always next year. We are thinking of another one or two day ride up that-a-way again this year to do the Tunnel of Trees ride. From there, you are only 30 - 45 minutes from the bridge. I'm sure we'll post details if we decide to make the trip.

ps. The Mackinaw bridge has two lanes each direction. The center lanes are steel grating, the outer lanes are asphalt. Riding on that steel grating with the Spyder is fine when it's dry. When it's wet, it feels scary. :yikes:

Naturally, when we came home in the rain on Monday, the outer lane was closed for maintenance crews so we had to ride the steel grating. It felt like riding on marbles. I throttled back to 35mph just to feel semi-safe.

[daddydarko]

I'm in too. Can't wait. Gotta try and squeeze into my speedo.

[retread]

Hope to be able to make it, bought my Spyder @ Motor City, exported it to Indiana. I should be near there on my way to or from a job.

[bjeffrey]

ps. The Mackinaw bridge has two lanes each direction. The center lanes are steel grating, the outer lanes are asphalt. Riding on that steel grating with the Spyder is fine when it's dry. When it's wet, it feels scary. :yikes:



When I was considering doing the UP ride, someone at work had made the comment "YOU ARE GOING TO DRIVE ACROSS THE MACKINAW BRIDGE ON YOUR SPYDER?'. I thought it was funny at the time....maybe not so...

[Mr K]

I plan on going to this event it sounds like a blast

Large group of spyders on the road. Wow can you see the people stopping and looking

I rode with another owner Rando last week and with just 2 spyders folks did not know what to think.

Hope to meet a bunch of other local owners

[bjeffrey]

Right now it appears the weather will be close to perfect for sunday but that can always change.

I received 2 phone calls last week from a marketing group out of Colorado promoting the event, I guess they are really trying to push it. I haven't been at a Spyder get-together yet so I am really looking forward to this.

[bjt]

I have every intention of being there, rain or shine. If it isn't any warmer than it was last Sunday, I will not be trying out any SeaDoos. :D

I would like to meet all of the SpyderLovers.com forum members who attend but I'm not sure how I would know who you guys are. Maybe you can find me as I'll be the almost bald, tall guy wearing a black SpyderLovers.com t-shirt.

[Mr K]

well bring some extra t-shirts with you size extra large i will buy one and then i will find you. And then folks can find me

I will be the older guy with a full head of hair with glasses

[daddydarko]

I will be the older guy

Spyder gatherings are like AARP conventions so you'll have to be more specific. I hear the prizes include polygrip, Matlock DVDs, and Metamucel.

:joke: :p

[dltang]

For all you guys attending and any other folks that want to be part of the Mid-Michigan Spyder club go to this BRP link and get signed up. http://spyderryder.brp.com/spyder-community/en-US/Club/OwnersClubs.html

We are small and just getting started and you don't have to be from Mid-Michigan to be a member. I will announce rides periodically and just hope we can get some friendly faces together for fun.

[Mr K]

Yes i just got called by me Dearlership they are trying to get everyone to go it sounds like.

Make sure some one brings a camera. This many spyders in one place will be nice

And also the trip up will be nice.

it looks like the weather for sunday is going to be good

[Director]

I'm in too. Can't wait. Gotta try and squeeze into my speedo.

Just remember the potato goes in the front, not the back.:2thumbs:

[BRPjunkie]

We plan to drive up from Jackson and ride over with the C&C Sports group from Brighton. Let's hope the weather forecasts are right for sunny and 80. We would really like to bring our 1988 Sea Doo for the BRP folks to see, but the Spyder won't pull it.

[bjt]

Spyder gatherings are like AARP conventions so you'll have to be more specific. I hear the prizes include polygrip, Matlock DVDs, and Metamucel.

:joke: :p


http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Thinking/old-025.gif If you win the Metamucel, will you give it to me? :D

[bjt]

well bring some extra t-shirts with you size extra large i will buy one and then i will find you. And then folks can find me

I will be the older guy with a full head of hair with glasses


Sorry bro. Lamonster is the only official, licensed distributor of the rare SpyderLovers.com tshirt. :joke: :D. I had to ride all the way to Valcourt, Quebec to get mine from his mobile shop (his Bushtec trailer). :)

[ataDude]

http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Thinking/old-025.gif If you win the Metamucel, will you give it to me? :D

Bahawaaaaaa! :D :D :D :D

.

[Zerocool]

Just remember the potato goes in the front, not the back.:2thumbs:

You owe me for dry cleaning... I JUST SOILED MYSELF!!! :yikes:

Very funny!

:nopic:

[bjt]

When I was considering doing the UP ride, someone at work had made the comment "YOU ARE GOING TO DRIVE ACROSS THE MACKINAW BRIDGE ON YOUR SPYDER?'. I thought it was funny at the time....maybe not so...


You remember the story of the Yugo that got blown off the bridge years ago, don't you? :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


From a Wikipedia article about the Yugo: Full article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo)

In 1989, 31-year-old Leslie Ann Pluhar, driving a 1987 Yugo over the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, was literally blown off of the bridge's 36-inch railing by 50 MPH gales. This event was widely publicized at the time and is still referenced today in terms of the car. But in actuality every driver that day had been warned against traversing the bridge. Pluhar had insisted on making the crossing, and officials said later that excess speed was a factor in her death.

June 6, 2000 Detroit News article about the Mackinac Bridge. (http://info.detnews.com/redesign/history/story/historytemplate.cfm?id=156) About 3/4 of the way down is another account of the car blowing off the bridge.

[bjt]

One other thing just occured to me, since this is an official BRP event, does that mean that we will get one of the special BRP event pins for this? http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Thinking/thinking-020.gif I can imagine it would be somehow related to the Woodward Dream Cruise just like The Homecoming pin had Americade on it.

[bjeffrey]

You remember the story of the Yugo that got blown off the bridge years ago, don't you? :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


From a Wikipedia article about the Yugo: Full article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugo)


June 6, 2000 Detroit News article about the Mackinac Bridge. (http://info.detnews.com/redesign/history/story/historytemplate.cfm?id=156) About 3/4 of the way down is another account of the car blowing off the bridge.


1998 to late 2000 I was living in West Palm Beach, Fl. I didn't keep up with much going on up here that's actually the first I've heard about it.

The wife and I are going to head up within the next month but we'll probably take the Jeep.

[Bionic Pope]

They now have a lower sped limit on Big Mac an they will close right down if things gets two windy.

They has lost many a boat to.

[draboo]

I m from the Upper Peninsula and have crossed the Big Mac many times,tho just a few on a motocycle. The steel grating does make a motocycle a bit "weavey",but I m sure a Spyder will ride over the grating just fine.

BTW, my Spydie is finally on its way out here from Michigan. It should be delivered here in a week or so. I m getting really fired up and cant wait to do some exploring of this beatiful area around the Pugeot Sound.:)

[bjeffrey]

My :bowdown:wife and I hope to meet many of you tomorrow at the BBQ. I don't know what we will be wearing except I know I won't be in a speedo like daddydarko.

[daddydarko]

My :bowdown:wife and I hope to meet many of you tomorrow at the BBQ. I don't know what we will be wearing except I know I won't be in a speedo like daddydarko.

Here's a pic so you can be sure it's me...

http://www.barcade.com/media/images/3183_mullet_2003usopen.jpg

[Rando]

For those of you who couldn't make it, you missed out on a fantastic day! There were around 50 Spyder's that showed up. The catered food was excellent. I should have some photos posted by tomorrow.

[bjeffrey]

Agreed with Rando....What a fantastic time. Now I know what I have missed in the previous get-togethers. The food was top notch, the Sea-Doo's were a blast. My wife and I made plenty of new friends.

Pics to come also as soon as I figure out where to store them so everyone can see.

[BRPjunkie]

We made the ride up from Jackson and got to enjoy the West Texas Barbeque from where else, Jackson. These guys are really good at catering these types of events and you will be hard pressed to find a better barbeque brisket. We had to make a quick turnaround so we didn't get a chance to meet many, but the Spyder spirit was in full force. So many Spyders with burn marks on the standard muffler that I don't feel too bad that that is the only problem I have (no brake squeals, no sticking parking brake, no overheating). I did notice that some of the burn marks had actually bubbled the paint. Mine just is a dull smudge. Great ride, great food, and hopefully all had a safe ride.

[bjt]

For those of you who couldn't make it, you missed out on a fantastic day! There were around 50 Spyder's that showed up. The catered food was excellent. I should have some photos posted by tomorrow.

Only 50? It seemed like more to me. :D Whatever the numbers, it was an impressive turnout by my standards. Many other Spyder attendees said they were impressed by the turnout too. I hope BRP felt the same and continue to do things like this for Michigan Spyders. The food and company was excellent. Eight of the people who went with us on the U.P. trip were there and it was great to reconnect with them. I got to meet others from the forums too and they were all great people.

There were two vendors there. Jimmy Mels from Mels Monster Garage and Mike Hatcher who makes a Spyder loading attachment for a Rampage lift. One more option for those who want to transport their Spyder. This one lifts a Spyder into the back of a pickup truck and looks like it works very well. His number is (313) 919-2121 for any who are interested.

Also, a red T-Rex showed up and drew a crowd for a while. It was sharp looking but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to get in and out of it. The seat appears to be no more than 6 or 8 inches off the ground and I'm sure anyone over 6 feet tall would struggle to contort their body to fit in the drivers seat.

Unfortunately, I forgot about taking pictures once I started visiting with people so I only have two photos of the Spyders lined up when I first arrived there.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w134/briantangen/Spyder/DSC00004-3.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w134/briantangen/Spyder/DSC00005-3.jpg

[bjeffrey]

Here's the link to the pictures we took.

http://photobucket.com/spyders

[bjt]

Great pics bjeffrey.

[bjeffrey]

Thanks bjt, I just uploaded everything that was on the camera. I have to go through and get rid of some of them.

Winners at the picnic were:

Highest mileage - 8,7xx
Farthest distance travelled to BBQ - From Florida (a friend of Lamont's)
Best Custom Paint - The Orange w / gold pinstriping

I belive these to be accurate.

[bjt]

I wondered who won farthest traveled. I don't think the guy from Florida traveled all that way just for this event. I could be wrong though. The farthest I heard that anyone traveled just to come to the BBQ was a couple from Kalkaska, MI. About 200 miles each way. :)

[bjeffrey]

We had a guy with our dealership that drove up from south of Indianapolis, John I think. I didn't ask how many miles but he said it took him about 5 hrs.

[retread]

Good times, good food, good folks. Really good to meet some of the people on this site, hope to be seeing more next time I can get to one. I've really got to get risers, highway pegs and a better seat first. 900 miles in 2 days with the stock stuff is a little hard on this old body.