PrairieSpyder
New member
Well, I've been home a week now, and have had time to process my 2017 SpyderFest experience - what there was of it. It's too bad the weather didn't cooperate better, but I can say I saw some old faces (not just in age 
) and some new. Like many say, you meet up with about a thousand of your closest friends, but no one will remember your name. So to all my newer friends, I'm sorry I can't name you all specifically. But I really enjoyed your company.
I had only 3 goals for this year:
VENDOR VILLAGE
It seemed like there were fewer attendees this year. I suspect it was because many folks were budgeting their time and money to go to Homecoming next month, instead. There were definitely fewer vendors in the exhibit hall. Lamonster was set up at his own location in Nixa. ISCI wasn't there, nor was Extreme Kempy (I think that's the name; they sell gear and are always fun to shop at). BRP had a big presence at Vendor Village, with a wheel-of-fortune type game and small give-aways. But they didn't bring the big truck full of Can-Am clothes and gear. I guess that's good for me. (See #1, above.) On the other hand, they had some nice comfy couches in a carpeted area. A good place to relax and rest my feet.
I noticed a couple new vendors. Some guys took photos of folks before their guided rydes, and had 8x10 prints available the next day. They also had other types of photo products available. That was a good business idea, and I wish I'd thought of it myself. There was also a RV/houseboat on display. It's a narrow houseboat, that doesn't exceed the 8.5' width limit for the highway. It was really nice inside.
I had some fun conversations with folks at Vendor Village. I got a big bullet from MachineGunner. I got some hugs. I caught up with the stories of some of the people I'd previously met. I had breakfast with Vanessa on Wednesday morning and met her newest baby and learned more about PitBull's expansion plans.
I did buy an event t-shirt, but then I also bought 2 more at the GOS table. All-in-all I think I did OK on my first goal.
EAT
The theme here is definitely BBQ! :bbq
eople who arrived Tuesday or sooner, met up at the Rib Crib for all-you-can-eat ribs on Tuesday evening. I walked through a couple times looking for Mike but didn't see him, so i shared a table with some SF newbies. Mike told me later that he was there; this experience and trying to locate him the next day makes me conclude that Mike has the power to become invisible!
Wednesday evening was supposed to be at the fairgrounds with BBQ (!), Spyder games and lawn-mower races. But because of the rain the games and races were canceled and the BBQ was moved to the Lamplighter - cooking and serving outside and eating inside. In this case BBQ meant "cook-out" with burgers and brats. [Note to MoGang: start the brats cooking much earlier so they'll be more thoroughly cooked.] Again, I looked for Mike, and couldn't find him. He must have had his invisibility power engaged.
Thursday evening's meal was pulled-pork BBQ at the American Legion. It was really good, as were the beans they served with it. It was followed by good live music. Lucky for us, the rain didn't start until later that night.
I can't speak to the food the rest of the event as I went home on Friday.
RYDE
Mike finally got ahold of me by cell-phone message from someone else's phone. I met him and seven others at the BWCH and we headed for Hwy 125 to Peel's Ferry. A few things I learned:
As many have already reported, the rain on Friday looked like it would move out by the afternoon, but the forecast for Saturday was dire. So I got myself west on Friday, riding out of the trailing edge of the storm. Then as I rode north toward home, it got cool again and started to drizzle just as I pulled in. I'm sorry I had to cut the trip short, but I really had a good time at SF this year and will definitely be there next year.
) and some new. Like many say, you meet up with about a thousand of your closest friends, but no one will remember your name. So to all my newer friends, I'm sorry I can't name you all specifically. But I really enjoyed your company. I had only 3 goals for this year:
- Vendor Village: don't buy anything except an event t-shirt,
- eat with Mike (Blueknight911) at Rib Crib, and
- ryde to Peel's Ferry with Mike.
VENDOR VILLAGE
It seemed like there were fewer attendees this year. I suspect it was because many folks were budgeting their time and money to go to Homecoming next month, instead. There were definitely fewer vendors in the exhibit hall. Lamonster was set up at his own location in Nixa. ISCI wasn't there, nor was Extreme Kempy (I think that's the name; they sell gear and are always fun to shop at). BRP had a big presence at Vendor Village, with a wheel-of-fortune type game and small give-aways. But they didn't bring the big truck full of Can-Am clothes and gear. I guess that's good for me. (See #1, above.) On the other hand, they had some nice comfy couches in a carpeted area. A good place to relax and rest my feet.
I noticed a couple new vendors. Some guys took photos of folks before their guided rydes, and had 8x10 prints available the next day. They also had other types of photo products available. That was a good business idea, and I wish I'd thought of it myself. There was also a RV/houseboat on display. It's a narrow houseboat, that doesn't exceed the 8.5' width limit for the highway. It was really nice inside.
I had some fun conversations with folks at Vendor Village. I got a big bullet from MachineGunner. I got some hugs. I caught up with the stories of some of the people I'd previously met. I had breakfast with Vanessa on Wednesday morning and met her newest baby and learned more about PitBull's expansion plans.
I did buy an event t-shirt, but then I also bought 2 more at the GOS table. All-in-all I think I did OK on my first goal.
EAT
The theme here is definitely BBQ! :bbq
eople who arrived Tuesday or sooner, met up at the Rib Crib for all-you-can-eat ribs on Tuesday evening. I walked through a couple times looking for Mike but didn't see him, so i shared a table with some SF newbies. Mike told me later that he was there; this experience and trying to locate him the next day makes me conclude that Mike has the power to become invisible! Wednesday evening was supposed to be at the fairgrounds with BBQ (!), Spyder games and lawn-mower races. But because of the rain the games and races were canceled and the BBQ was moved to the Lamplighter - cooking and serving outside and eating inside. In this case BBQ meant "cook-out" with burgers and brats. [Note to MoGang: start the brats cooking much earlier so they'll be more thoroughly cooked.] Again, I looked for Mike, and couldn't find him. He must have had his invisibility power engaged.
Thursday evening's meal was pulled-pork BBQ at the American Legion. It was really good, as were the beans they served with it. It was followed by good live music. Lucky for us, the rain didn't start until later that night.
I can't speak to the food the rest of the event as I went home on Friday.
RYDE
Mike finally got ahold of me by cell-phone message from someone else's phone. I met him and seven others at the BWCH and we headed for Hwy 125 to Peel's Ferry. A few things I learned:
- your GPS provides a map to navigate by, even when you don't give a destination to go to, saving having to stop and pull out a paper map now and then.
- Mike's name should be "Jack" as in jack-rabbit for the way he jumps out from stop lights.
- Double yellow lines do not mean no passing in Vermont (!)
- Twisties are much much much much . . . much more fun on my F3T than on my previous RTS. On the RT, I had to slide my butt across the seat to help counter the turn and I sometimes felt like I was only tenuously connected to the Spyder as the centrifugal forces worked against me. On my F3T, it's like I am part of the bike and I never was concerned with navigating the turns or crossing into the other lane. The only time I was concerned was once when there was gravel on the road. I'd love to do a timed ride on a twisty course on an RT and then again on my F3T.
As many have already reported, the rain on Friday looked like it would move out by the afternoon, but the forecast for Saturday was dire. So I got myself west on Friday, riding out of the trailing edge of the storm. Then as I rode north toward home, it got cool again and started to drizzle just as I pulled in. I'm sorry I had to cut the trip short, but I really had a good time at SF this year and will definitely be there next year.
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hyea:
