the final winter blues for me, copied from the "All HARLEY DRAG RACEING ASSOCIATION"

Message
AHDRA Official Announcement I don’t really know where to start. This is one of the toughest things I have ever had to do. I guess the best thing to do is just get it out of the way. The 2013 AHDRA Championship Points Series is cancelled. I am sorry for holding everyone up, but there was potential to work this out and I wanted to give it the best shot. Unfortunately, it did not materialize. With our declining sponsorship support, most likely driven by our declining racer and spectator attendance, most likely driven by our crappy economy, we are unable to plan a budget that has a positive bottom line. This would be the 5th year of negative cash flow for AHDRA and she just can’t stand it financially. Although they were committed to remaining as a presenting AHDRA sponsor for 2013, Harley-Davidson is moving most of its sponsorship spending to the NHRA’s Sportsman series. Last week’s news from the folks at Rush Racing Products, that they would not be continuing their sponsorship at AHDRA, was the final blow. These were our two largest sponsors and contributed the lion’s share of sponsor revenue for AHDRA. I want to thank Hawaya Racing, Vreeland’s H-D, Irene Fish, Frank Capone, RC Components, Gainesville H-D and all the others that have committed their support for 2013. However, without the level of support from Harley-Davidson and Rush, we can’t make the numbers work. I also want to thank Harley-Davidson and Rush Racing Products for their many years of support. Business is business and though I wish it were different, they made their decisions based on what’s best for their future. I have enjoyed working with Kris Schoonover at H-D and Terry Daniel and Lou Pringle at Rush. These were hard decisions for them to make, and I respect their need to make them. I also want to thank all of the AHDRA members and competitors. You are one great group of people. I have lived and breathed Harley Drag Racing for the past 14 years, and have met some of the finest people I have ever known. You inspired me and kept me going through the good times and the rough times. Please know that more than anything; you are what I will miss. On the bright side, there’s a bunch of places to race this year. AMRA looks like they have a good schedule. And with the Manufacturer’s Cup Series and NHRA offering several new venues, there should be ample opportunities to race. Maybe there’s even an enterprising entrepreneur out there that would like to take up the reins of AHDRA and run with it! I am open to any and all possibilities…… Sincerely, Craig Tharpe..... . . . AHDRA memberships that were mailed in will be returned and if you signed up online with a credit card your card has not been charged. An official press release with more particulars will be published next week.


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Look like a lot of the rides I have planned for this year are now off the table
DEERSLAYER

Sorry about all that, the economy is a mighty deal breaker on many levels...put a positive spin on it..lets meet up early in the season and see if we'd get along. If so I got a couple ride idea's might help you fill in your missing agenda. I think I remember you're from the Worcester area? Come April I'll give you a PM and we'll go from there. In the mean time don't think of this set back as totally bad news...just another opportunity to scout out other things to see and do in America....Big old beautiful country that she is!

First week of April there is a manufactures cup race in Braedton Fl. thinking on that one along with a ride to Key West after the race on Sunday. Going to Rolling Thunder, Memorial Day weekend. June is still the NHRA at Epping that will be daily rides up and back to see the races. If you fit into any of that let me know. Or let me know of any rides you might have. I usually do some day rides up to Laconia for bike week. I use to go up for the hillclimbs at Gunstock but when they went to the other hill and got off the ski jump hill I stopped going. Like to go up for the flat track raceing and the run up Mt Washington if a decent day. Already done Mount Washington years ago on a terrible day and really don't want to do that one again, that was even on my chopper

Either or both or any of the others here:
You ever plan a trip out to the southern CA - I'll happily play tour guide.
I love the East coast - and by comparison I prefer the roads back there to the roads here.
Are they still using that rubber sealer to seal cracked roadways? I remember hitting some of that stuff on a hot summer day and feeling like my tires let loose - gotta love that heart in your throat feeling!!

I was in s. cal in 2011, did joshua tree nat.park then went to Van nuys where some friends live, turned down a trip to big bear instead went to coursegold where a friend lives spent 3 days there and went to kings canyon and Sequia nat park, then to Yosemite, hit Tiago and senora passes on the way out to bonniville, 2 years befor that did the nothern part of ca. then down to Death valley on the wat to Zion and the rest of the canyons on the way to Pikes peak then back home. Love it out west just got tom get thru the midwest to get there

I've nothing planned for the year as spoken saving up leave and money for my ride to Alaska June 23-July 31st 2014, so I'm just winging the season. I have some places I'd liek to go like Finger LAkes in upstate NY, York,PA and Bills Bike Barn(museum) in Bloomsberg, PA. Other then that I figured I'd give you a holler when the weather broke and perhaps meet up some wheres for a meet and greet?

For sure Laconia as its only a 60 mile ride from my house. I go for the day. I have a friend who works at a restaurant down there and usually ride in look around everything and eventually eat there where my friend works and visit for a bit. Never ever going up Mt Washington again..F' that,lol.

And same here RK..you ever get back up this way you got a place to stay. Always have room and time for HD riders.

If you do the finger lakes kinda southwest of them is a state park called Letchworth, great park a lot of waterfalls and great riding and if you are into it, hiking. I camped out there a few times, always do the overflow camping on my bike, less people. I enjoy the ride up Mount Washington when the top is clear, been up there with 40 feet visibilty, not enjoyable but it was my first trip up on my chopper back in 75 or so. Now Pikes Peak I have said once was enought, it is a real long ride up that hill, but amazing at 14,100 feet, and usually clear, glad I went up once. to go up again she would have to have big tits. but thinking about it that was fully loaded after 16 days on the road with camping gear. Unloaded it probably would be more fun in those tight switchbacks and the 2 deer I had to deal with

Not against camping, will do it if'n I have to and have all the equipment still but prefer hotels with A/C,showers,TV mattress. A bar and restaurant in house don't hurt either. I camped last back in 2006. It was pretty good until around 11PM the other campers were very hands on about noise. We weren't noisey other then talking and laughing normally, that was bullsh*t.

There's this really excellent place up in the Ozarks in Marble Falls, ARK called the HUB. What was cool was it had an old 1960's hotel on site. They have camping as well. Rooms were dirt cheap and the owner being a biker himself let us have a huge bon fire too. It was like having our cake and eating it too. The Ozarks made for some excellent riding. Wasn't far from Branson and other neat things to do.

https://hubinfo.com/

That was some trip you took - Sequoia Nat. - Kings Canyon is one of my favorite places on earth. The Generals Highway from the base gate up the switchbacks - with Moro Rock Overlook - and the view of the valley basin in the rear view mirror. I go there as often as I can - averaging every few years. We camp out in the wilderness - no neighbors - just great times. I've been down every pig trail in those woods. Lots of wild life - had to stop and let mamma bear and baby cub cross the road putt'n down the switchbacks one morning on my way to the local town for breakfast and a gas up.
Pic Below:
My buddy rode ahead of me and some others and shot my pic riding through the "Gate Keepers" into the Giant Forest.