Teamwork and bit of low-rev trick riding were all it took for Susan Katrinchuk and Ray Normandeau to take a bite out of the competition at the 12th annual Western Regional Harley Owners Group (HOG) V-Twin Rivers Rally.
Normandeau's split-second brake stand allowed Katrinchuk to reach up and chop down on a hot dog hanging by a string to win the wiener bite event, one of several bike games events Saturday afternoon at the Civic Centre Plaza.
"He had to duck so I could see the wiener and I had to push myself off the back of seat so I could get up there and bite it, and I got maybe an inch of it," laughed Katrinchuk.
Normandeau's strategy worked perfectly.
"I told Susie that when we get close I'm going to duck and try to judge it so that when the wiener goes over my head I'll hit the brakes and stop, and that gave her a chance to bite the wiener, then I have to hit the gas to keep from falling over, and we timed it just right," said Normandeau.
They also won the roadkill toss, advancing through five rounds of throwing stuffed teddy bears into baskets as they steered slowly through a slalom course.
Part of the 120-member Prince George Harley-Davidson chapter, Katrinchuk and Normandeau were attending their first Harley rally -- a series of events that included drag racing, a parade, a poker run, a show and shine, and a dance. Just being there on two warm sunny days hanging out with fellow HOGs made their weekend.
"We've met some fantastic people, not just from BC," said Normandeau. "There was one fellow from Kansas who travelled 49 states and seven provinces, Jimmy, a 77-year-old from Ashcroft, and an old guy from California who's a Vietnam vet."
Dwayne "Dewey" Esler of Watson Lake, Yukon bit off the second-longest length of wiener, teaming up with Julie Forsythe of Anchorage, Alaska. Forsythe ran into three days of rain on the four-day, 2,898-km trek to Prince George for the rally. Her full faceshield took the sting out of the big bug splatters, but she had to stop to let the buffalo cross the Alaska Highway near Liard.
"In Alaska you either go north or south, so it's good to get out and go to other places," said Forsythe, who flew the Alaska Harley chapter flag in Saturday's parade. "You meet a lot of new people and see people you know at these rallies. I really liked the poker run, just to get out of the city and see the countryside.
"It's been one of the coldest Julys in awhile in Alaska. I got real [sunburned] on Friday. Even though the weather hasn't been good, you ride anyway. I don't want a $25,000 machine to sit in the garage."
Shirley Gingras of Kelowna just completed an eight-day, 3,700-km circular tour of Utah, Nevada and California that took her through Death Valley, where it was 44 C with no shade in sight. So riding up to Prince George in 30 C heat was no problem for her. She's already put about 10,000 kilometres on her bike this year, with plans for a trip down the coast highway from Kelowna to San Diego.
"I've never been here before and I love it," said Gingras. "We really noticed the ditches are full of wildflowers and it reminds me of my home in Alberta. It was a really pretty trip up and the rally has been so well organized. I've met a lot of nice, friendly people. The parade was terrific -- half an hour, slow and easy and we never put our feet down."
Kelowna will host the Western regional rally next year and Gingras was gathering ideas from the Prince George organizers. Prince George first hosted the Western rally in 2007. The event drew 270 participants, including one local rider, Sandy Pendelton, who rode 33,000 km on his bike last year .
"The weather's been the highlight for me," said Les Preston of Prince George. "Everybody's been having a good time. There's a lot of people here who are empty-nesters. They've got some money, they're in the peak earning years of their lives, and they decided to by a motorcycle.
That's what's really increased the popularity of Harleys."
Preston says Harley owners take a bad rap, largely because the Hells Angels/bike gang stereotype. The RCMP showed up, checking to see if there were any rap sheet characters, but none were found among the rally crowd.
"Gangsters back in the '60s rode Cadillacs, does that mean everybody that rode a Cadillac is a gangster -- it's the same scenario here," said Preston.
"These are just people who love to ride and put on lots of miles. We ride our bikes a lot."
