Today was the last day of the 2016 Feather River Rally in Quincy, CA, and it was a busy one. After coffee and a sandwich, the first thing I did was to ride in to Quincy and stop on the highway in front of the high school. The local high school has a mascot not unlike the logo on Trojan condom packages but the teams are called 'Big Red'. Since my Harley is called by the same name, and my Norton is there fore 'Little Red', I couldn't resist a photo. Jim thinks I am devaluing the name because in his mind there are only two Big Reds, one of them being the famous racehorse, Man o' War, and the other Secretariat, a Triple Crown winner. But, for me, the name applies and I will continue to refer to my 2009 H-D Ultra Classic as Big Red, because it is.
The last day of a Norton rally is traditionally the concours day where people put their Nortons on display in a variety of categories ranging from 'rat bike' to specific models and characteristics such as low production, Roadster, Interstate, and older models to name but a few. Given that there were a large number of Nortons at this rally, many of the categories had a large number of entries and they looked really great. As a Norton afficionado, I really appreciate the variety and condition of these motorcycles. It is obvious that the owners really care for them and most actually ride them, although there was one 1974 John Player Norton that had only 168 actual miles on it. How anyone could own a motorcycle like that and not ride it is beyond me.
I have made the acqaintance of several members of the Northwest Norton Owners Club and as is usual for Norton owners, they all seem to be a great bunch of people. I have been intrigued by the logo of the Whidbey Island branch of the North West Norton Owners' Club because they have taken a different approach. Their 'club' has no executive, no constitution, and no dues. Their meeting are usually held at at one on the guy's place and the agenda consists of one item - drinking beer. Now that's the kind of club that I would like to join!
The Rally usually ends with a dinner where awards are presented for the best motorcycles in a variety of categories. Mark won first place for his Norton single while Clint took third in the Fastback class. Clint was also named Member of the Year, quite an honour, and I'm certain, well deserved.
Ken Armann, who is well known in northern California as a British motorcycle restorer and is prominent in the Northern California Norton Owners was loading his Norton with limited success. Jim offered to help and the Bike was loaded. We noticed that Ken had a Norton logo on his big toenail. Dedication.
One of the people that I met during our time here is a guy named Butch Ambrosius. His Norton is a unique build which he has been riding since 1983. He has rebuilt the engine several times and has more than three hundred thousand miles on it.
On Saturday morning we were up at 5:30, struck camp, packed the truck, and were rolling out by 7:00 a.m. After a stop for coffee in Red Bluff we passed through North Redding and headed north on I-5 past Lake Shasta, Mount Shasta, Black Butte, finally stopping for lunch in Medford, OR. Late in the afternoon we tried to get a room in Salem, OR, with no success, so we drove on to Wilsonville, south of Portland, where we got the last room available at the Snooze Inn. By this time we had been on the road for eleven hours and were becoming desperate to find a room. Luckily for us, we got the last room just before the people in another car were told that there were no rooms available.
On Sunday morning we left Wilsonville at 7:00 a.m., breezed through Portland, drove north to Seattle where the traffic was mercifully quite light and arrived at the border by 12:15. Lines were short so were through Canadian customs in record time, catching the 2:00 ferry to Pat Bay, and arriving at Jim's place in Sooke by 4:00 after 350 miles.
Once again, the Norton Rally experience was terrific. We had great riding, met new people, reacquainted ourselves with people we had met two years before at Howard Prairie, OR. Spending a week immersed in Nortons with people who love these old British bikes is always a great experience. In 2018, the INOA Rally will be sponsored by the NWNOC, so it will be a lot closer to us than the previous two. I'm getting stoked already.
'Little Red' at Quincy High School.
Jim at our campsite
Jim at our campsite
The last day of a Norton rally is traditionally the concours day where people put their Nortons on display in a variety of categories ranging from 'rat bike' to specific models and characteristics such as low production, Roadster, Interstate, and older models to name but a few. Given that there were a large number of Nortons at this rally, many of the categories had a large number of entries and they looked really great. As a Norton afficionado, I really appreciate the variety and condition of these motorcycles. It is obvious that the owners really care for them and most actually ride them, although there was one 1974 John Player Norton that had only 168 actual miles on it. How anyone could own a motorcycle like that and not ride it is beyond me.
Gerry Kaplan, legendary Norton owner & all round good guy.
Doug MacAdam, founder of Colorado Norton Works & owner of Doug's Baja Nortons
Sir Eddie's Rocket
1975 John Player Norton with 168 miles on it.
Mark's HRD Vincent
HRD tank with Mobil Pegasus logo.
I have made the acqaintance of several members of the Northwest Norton Owners Club and as is usual for Norton owners, they all seem to be a great bunch of people. I have been intrigued by the logo of the Whidbey Island branch of the North West Norton Owners' Club because they have taken a different approach. Their 'club' has no executive, no constitution, and no dues. Their meeting are usually held at at one on the guy's place and the agenda consists of one item - drinking beer. Now that's the kind of club that I would like to join!
The Rally usually ends with a dinner where awards are presented for the best motorcycles in a variety of categories. Mark won first place for his Norton single while Clint took third in the Fastback class. Clint was also named Member of the Year, quite an honour, and I'm certain, well deserved.
Mark and Clint with their awards
Ken Armann, who is well known in northern California as a British motorcycle restorer and is prominent in the Northern California Norton Owners was loading his Norton with limited success. Jim offered to help and the Bike was loaded. We noticed that Ken had a Norton logo on his big toenail. Dedication.
Ken's Norton toe
One of the people that I met during our time here is a guy named Butch Ambrosius. His Norton is a unique build which he has been riding since 1983. He has rebuilt the engine several times and has more than three hundred thousand miles on it.
Butch's Norton
Butch Ambrosius and Karen
On Saturday morning we were up at 5:30, struck camp, packed the truck, and were rolling out by 7:00 a.m. After a stop for coffee in Red Bluff we passed through North Redding and headed north on I-5 past Lake Shasta, Mount Shasta, Black Butte, finally stopping for lunch in Medford, OR. Late in the afternoon we tried to get a room in Salem, OR, with no success, so we drove on to Wilsonville, south of Portland, where we got the last room available at the Snooze Inn. By this time we had been on the road for eleven hours and were becoming desperate to find a room. Luckily for us, we got the last room just before the people in another car were told that there were no rooms available.
Trestle on the Western Pacific Railway, near Quincy, CA
Lake Shasta almost full
Bridge decoration
Mount Shasta
Black Butte
Mount Shasta
Love the name
Mount Shasta
Bridge over the Columbia River between Portland, OR & Vancouver. WA.
BNSF train
On Sunday morning we left Wilsonville at 7:00 a.m., breezed through Portland, drove north to Seattle where the traffic was mercifully quite light and arrived at the border by 12:15. Lines were short so were through Canadian customs in record time, catching the 2:00 ferry to Pat Bay, and arriving at Jim's place in Sooke by 4:00 after 350 miles.
Look what we saw at the ferry terminal!
Once again, the Norton Rally experience was terrific. We had great riding, met new people, reacquainted ourselves with people we had met two years before at Howard Prairie, OR. Spending a week immersed in Nortons with people who love these old British bikes is always a great experience. In 2018, the INOA Rally will be sponsored by the NWNOC, so it will be a lot closer to us than the previous two. I'm getting stoked already.
Welcome home!
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