DUANESBURG Thousands of bikers expected for annual Harley Rendezvous ‘We don’t anticipate any problems,’ acting sheriff says BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
Thousands of fat boys, rockers, maybe some knuckleheads and some flatheads will be visiting the 31st annual Harley Rendezvous Classic today through Sunday. The ’vous draws in excess of 5,000 motorheads and their kin to the 200-acre Indian Lookout Country Club — 80 acres set aside for camping. There, they enjoy days of music, camaraderie, lots and lots of alcohol and plenty of unusual sights. Problems are few, despite the appearance of thousands of bikers on choppers in the quiet hamlet of Mariaville, said Schenectady County Acting Sheriff Gordon Pollard. “We don’t anticipate any problems whatsoever. They come in and want to have a good time,” he said. The Sheriff’s Department will maintain normal patrols in the area, Gordon said. He said traffic to the event was flowing smoothly with no problems reported. An army of volunteers helps keep the peace inside the gates and will lend a hand to help someone fix a bike or set up a tent, officials said. ...........>>>>.........>>>>.........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01103
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Brad Littlefield
June 26, 2009, 7:38am
Guest User
I'll be on duty with DVAC this weekend as two crews are scheduled to support the additional calls that may result from the Harley Rendezvous and the fireworks. I hope that everyone enjoys the entertainment venues in town and that they all remain safe.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Good luck Brad and thanks. Important to note that the ambulance corps has enough staff to cover the residents in town for the entire weekend in addition to the Rendezvous and the Fireworks event. Been a long long year and a half of rebuilding the corps but people like Brad made it happen.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
DUANESBURG Gathering provides a haven for bikers Rendezvous draws thousands to site BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
For 25 consecutive years, “Hambone” has attended the Harley Rendezvous Classic. The 52-year-old Ware, Mass., resident likes the annual motorcycle gathering at Indian Lookout Country Club for several reasons: “It’s a good time and there’s no cops.” And that is what makes the rendezvous attractive to many visitors. It’s held on private property, giving it an almost “anything-goes” atmosphere. Police may patrol outside the grounds, but they do not set foot inside. “This is all about the right to assemble,” said Frank Potter, who owns the country club and runs the rendezvous. “Most people want to gather and assemble and have fun,” he said. Potter won’t estimate the size of the crowd, but it is at least several thousand. Kemp O’Connell and his father, J. Daniel O’Connell of Waterford, hosted the first rendezvous on Potter’s property in 1983. Opponents at the time feared that the bikers would bring drugs, weapons and mayhem to the community. In 1987, O’Connell was convicted and served 120 days in jail for serving alcohol at the 1986 rally without a permit. In 1989, Potter obtained a permanent special-use permit from the town to operate the event on his property. Since then, the event has generated little if any controversy. “We started fighting. Now, we are building,” he said. In fact, local merchants eagerly await the event. All along Route 159, the road leading to the rendezvous, vendors operate food stands and businesses post “Welcome Bikers” signs in their windows. Inside the gates of the rendezvous, dozens of vendors sell everything from hot dogs to leather chaps and motorcycle muffl ers. Potter estimates that the bikers have pumped millions of dollars into the local community over the years. “Bikers are spenders. They are big tippers,” he said. Mike LaBelle of Massachusetts said he was making his visit fi rst to the rendezvous. “I’ve been to bigger bike events, but this is totally different. It’s a closed event, and at other events you have a [state] troopie in your back pocket wherever you go,” he said. Potter said the rendezvous is a place where people can come for three days each year to forget “that life is hard today.” Beer sold by the bucket no doubt helps. .............>>>>..............>>>>..........http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00902
it seams the event producer directs the bikers thru our town for some reason
our town should take advantage of this event instead of fighting it
my experience with attendees has always been positive
even in the early years(late 70's) when i met a group of lost riders at the old mobil near 890 exit 2 ad assisted getting them to frosty acres back then - $20 went a long way then
and again this year after all the rain we were discussing the mud on their bikes at the dunkin donuts at 5 corners following the event
would have been a great time for a bike wash fund raiser as the mud causes the bikes to overheat on the highway
if not the town the we here should cobble some web info together to assist the riders with their passage thru town
if it does not currently take place have our ems and vol fire depts work up a mutual aid plan to assist brads crews
Over time our town has taken away their "freedoms" it is time we return them. we should also not let a few bad apples ruin the bushel everyone mouths the words but few mean it.
I agree that, based on my experience, the overwhelming majority of these folks are well-behaved and respectful citizens who come from all over the map to our town to enjoy a relaxing weekend and to reconnect with friends. They spend money in our communities and support the volunteer organizations, including the fire department (South Schenectady?) that holds a Bikers' Breakfast each year. I further agree that the towns should support these folks right to assemble.
I find few in Duanesburg who are unaccepting of these guests.
This year, during the Rendezvous, I was assigned to cover the town and was not on the crews who worked the event. I must defer to others on DVAC to provide a debrief on the event itself.
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