The Tire Tracks, by the Members of Texas Area A Retreads

were vendors all over.  I believe more than are at Ruidoso, New Mexico, to give you an idea.  There were also factory bikes on display there. That new Indian Millennium model is looking good! A little pricey at $ 26,500.!

The real campers at the rally, were flooded out.  They were forced to move into the barns Friday night because the ground was so saturated, things were either sinking or washing away.

The 6th street party was calmer than usual.  New rules for parking, means no parking on 6th street unless you are in the parade and you cannot start your bike before midnight, if you want to leave, you must push your bike off of 6th street.  Safety factor now, too many people walking the area, and quite a few locals turned out to see the bikes, even though it was still raining Saturday night. ( it was on the evening news)

We got up early Sunday and it wasn't raining, so we decided to head for home.  Again, made it about 20 minutes before it started to rain again, pretty hard for a while, so we pulled over in a gas station with about 50 other bikers trying to stay right side up.  It finally quit raining about 30 miles from Houston.

All in all, we enjoyed the rally, and plan to return next year, with better rain gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R.O.T. RALLY
Republic of Texas
JUNE 9-10-11
Austin, Texas

by Pete & Camille Soullas

Camille and I attended the R.O.T. Rally in Austin.  We searched all day Thursday looking for the rain, didn't find a drop.  Then we got on the bike to head for Austin, stayed dry for about 20 minutes. It rained off and on most of the way but stopped after we checked in.

Considering the weather, the turn out was great.  It rained pretty hard, off and on throughout the whole rally.  One of the vendors told me that by Friday afternoon, there were 12,000 people registered, and more coming in all night and Saturday. The vendors struggled all week to keep things dry, some won and some didn't. Some displays were ankle deep in mud. If you weren't inside or in the barns, it got pretty messy out there.

We didn't ride the Hill Country because of the rain, so
Camille just had to have a tattoo!  Of course she got a fake one to trip out the grand kids.  They were angry with me because I didn't get one!

Retreads that showed up in the rain were Bob and Mabel  Abrasley, saw them wandering around in the vendors area, absolutely dry,
they 4 wheeled it!.  Also saw Don and Candice Spurlock. Don was watching the guy on the dyno machine, we couldn't believe the shortest guy there was driving all the bikes up a wet, muddy ramp and his partners were catching him as he got to the top. If you want to know which bike came out on top of the testing, and which one embarrassed the new Harleys, just ask Don.

Getting back to the vendors for a moment, there

Did You Know?


URL for the Houston Area A Retreads is:

http://www.biker.net/retreads/

The link to the newsletter(s) has been moved there. It is no longer pointing at my home web page.  - Editor

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