Widows Sons Memorial Day Ride 2010

The Widows Sons Memorial Day Ride was a tremendous success!   The Westmark Hotel in Beaver Creek put on a grand show and the Whitehorse Masonic Lodge put out a spread of food and hospitality that was OUTSTANDING!  Our Skagway brothers capped the trip with a great lunch barbecue.  THANKS to EVERYONE!

The Photo Gallery

Presidents Report

Widows Sons Report from the AlCan

Dan McCrummen, President

The Widows Sons Alaska Grand Chapter’s second annual Memorial Day Challenge Ride, a sanctioned ride, occurred over this past Memorial Day weekend.  A total of eleven motorcycles participated, six riders from Juneau, one from Ketchikan, and four from Fairbanks. 

Nine of us began the ride on Friday, May 28 by catching the fast ferry out of Juneau to Haines.  The sky was clear and the forecast was for sunshine and warm weather through the weekend.  Heading north out of Haines we stopped at the 33-Mile Roadhouse for scrumptious burgers, and to top off the fuel tanks of the vapor riders.  The exuberance quickly turned to disappointment when five miles past Canadian Customs we had a bike experience a catastrophic electrical casualty.  Rather than end our ride before we had even covered 50 miles, we decided to continue with our ride with one Brother remaining behind to assist the other Brother with the dead scoot.  And then there were seven…

After passing through Haines Junction, where we purchased some adult beverages for the evening’s social time, we continued on to the south end of Kluane Lake where we had reservations at the semi-remote Kluane B&B.  What a terrific location, miles from the highway and right on the lake!  We were a little concerned when we first arrived as we had to pass through Silver City, an abandoned mining town from the early 1900’s.  The log cabins, although rustic, didn’t appear too accommodating.  We were pleasantly surprised to find more modern accommodations at the end of the road (whew)!  We had exclusive use – four cabins and a two bedroom house.  After consuming BBQ’d Costco dogs we cracked open the libations.  Our Grand Orator, Brother Barnett, provided us stories and entertained us with his efforts to make contact with riders from beyond our solar system.  Unfortunately, or very possibly fortunately, he was not successful.

With the sound of rumbling stomachs almost as loud as the rumbling Hondas, we headed back to the AlCan and traveled to Destruction Bay to eat and get gas.  Of course, some got more gas than others.  Our bellies and tanks full, we headed for Beaver Creek, with a brief stop in Burwash Landing for a photo op and a kidney relief stop mid-way.  Our Road Captain, Brother Barnett, described this section of the AlCan as the best road in the world.  He loved the frost heaves, pot holes (pot holes), washboards, and gravel pits we had to transit.  I consider it more of a love, hate relationship.  I love the smooth stretches, both of them, and hate the other sections, but then this is a “challenge” ride!

Pulling into the Beaver Creek Westmark parking lot we found four WS scoots, all from Fairbanks, appropriately parked.  We also found the riders, with the exception of one sleepy-head, appropriately parked on the veranda at the bar.  Ah, relief for parched throats!

Beaver Creek was again waiting for us and we received a very warm welcome-back at the Westmark hotel.  The Fairbanks Brothers arrived the evening before at this rendezvous point we had grown to 13, ten brothers and three ladies, on 11 bikes. 

It was soon discovered by Road Captain Brother Barnett that Road Captain Brother Worel appeared to have “pinned” almost every female employee at the hotel.  Brother Barnett, not to be outdone, promptly got busy seeking out all the remaining “unpinned” female employees.  He apparently had some celestial assistance in locating them as he quickly had every woman within 100 yards of the bar “pinned.” 

In the early afternoon we had a couple of special events.  I had the privilege of presenting Brother Jon Odsather, a new WS, with his patch.  I also had the honor of recognizing our Widows Sons Rider of the Year, Brother Claude Roberts.  Brother Claude is an inspiration.  Last May he took the ABATE Rider Ed class, bought a new motorcycle, and since then put 13,000 miles on it.  All at the youthful age of 69!  After the Widows Sons presentations, Brother Worel, as Al Aska Potentate, made Brother Larry White a Shriner.

That evening we attended the Westmark’s dinner show, as we did last year, and we all had a great time.  Ahh, Saturday night in Beaver Creek, can’t beat it!

Sunday morning we headed out early for Whitehorse, travelling back over Barnett’s favorite section of highway.  We stopped in Haines Junction for lunch and picked the wrong place to eat.  Two hours later we were back on the road.  Speeding along the highway towards Whitehorse I was trying to avoid some ugly looking clouds south of us.  We had so far avoided the rain and I hoped to keep it that way.  Fighting gusty crosswinds we approached an unusual phenomenon, a green fog!  Apparently the crosswind was whipping through a forested valley and blew a dense cloud of spruce pollen across the highway.  Weird!  We did dodge the rain though, for the most part, arriving at the Whitehorse Westmark dry, and dusty.

We barely got our scoots parked and we were off to Whitehorse Brother Jacques Boily and his wife Mary Anne’s home where they again hosted a fantastic BBQ.  A crowd of about 20 brothers and family members were treated to great food and warm hospitality.  Brother Jacques is full of surprises and this year he showed us his new $10,000 rocking chair.  What a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, he is certainly a talented carpenter!  The evening ended with me having another opportunity to do something good; I presented Brother Jacques with an Alaska Widows Sons challenge coin, and Brother Dave pinned Jacques wife.

Monday morning, Memorial Day, most of us headed towards our respective hometowns.  Others stayed an extra day in Whitehorse, enjoying the wonderful hospitality of the local brothers and their families. The Southeast riders took the long way around to Skagway, going through Jakes Corner, Tagish, and then Carcross before heading south.  In Skagway we were met by Brothers Ron and Rick Ackerman at the White Pass Lodge and treated to hamburgers and hotdogs.  It was great to finally take a peek inside their lodge room.  After getting our bellies full again, we rolled down to the ferry terminal and caught our ship home.

Looking back, we had beautiful sunny weather, limited traffic, and we met Masonic brethren at nearly every stop.  Thanks go to John Barnett for his extensive efforts in planning the ride.  Terrific job John!  Thanks also to the Whitehorse and Skagway brothers and their families for their warm hospitality.  The Supreme Architect also deserves a round of thanks for looking over us and providing great weather.

Look for pictures on our website at www.widowssonsalaska.org.  Until next year, see ya on the road!

 The Photo Gallery

SE Riders to Kluane Lake

Waiting for the ferry

Donn Heflin lookin' good in her chaps


W.Bro. Jeff Defreest showing off his new ride!


Securing bikes on the ferry


Lunch at the 33-Mile Roadhouse north of Haines

SE Riders at Kluane Lake B&B

W.Bro. Jeff at Kluane Lake B&B


Kluane Lake


The cabins at Kluane Lake B&B


Larry & Claude at Kluane Lake


Bob & Donn Heflin's rides at rest


W.Bro Jeff showing off one of the cabins at Kluane Lake B&B


Bro. Larry White relaxing with a cigar

SE Riders Kluane Lake to Beaver Creek

On the road again... 

Breaktime at Destruction Bay


Photo Op at Burwash Landing


Widows Sons President W. Bro. Dan McCrummen

Beaver Creek, Yukon

Our bartender in the Trapline Lounge asking " That was 5 Crown Royals ? "


The outdoor deck at the Trapline Lounge


President Dan and our bartender


President Dan pinning one of the lovely servers


Waiting for dinner


Telling it the way it was...


President Dan and one of the servers again


Bro. Jon Odsather getting some attention from "Gussie"


W. Bro Claude Roberts enjoying himself


Bro. Larry finally got his turn with Gussie


W. Bro. John Barnett with another lovely server


Our lady guests being interrogated by the RCMP

Motley bunch...

 
Pontificating


Marlis Homeleski entertaining the boys


Bro. Jon trying catch up with the big boys...


Yes - the Beaver Creek Beaver


Rider of the Year Claude Roberts


Foo Foo Drinks


Foo Foo Again


Widows Sons Groupies


W. Bro. and Shrine Potentate Dave Worel demonstrating
how to drop quarters from his posterior

Bro. Larry White with another Widows Sons Groupie

The Road Captain explaining how cool Honda VTX's are... and she believes him!

Ride to Whitehorse

Gearing Up


W.Bro. Jeff ready to roll


Making sure everything still works


Fueling stop in Destruction Bay


Rider of the Year


Beautiful Haines Junction


Photo Op on the way to Whitehorse

Whitehorse, Yukon

Our host - Yukon Brother Jack Boily


Chowing down


W. Bro. Jeff trying to find a passenger (female) for his new bike


Sooooooooooo much food!


Perfect weather - Great company!


He's right - no He's right...


The Potentate pinning Jacks wife


Yukon Brother Jack Boily receiving the gratitude of the Widows Sons for a grand feast


Thinking about whether to eat more or have another beverage...

After the barbecue - libations at the Westmark!


Our cute Westmark bartenders

The Ride to Skagway

Carcross & The White Pass Railroad


Carcross


White Pass Train - Engine 96


Trying to steal a train


Ice Cream Stop!

At the border at White Pass
 

President Dan


Memorial Day at White Pass


President Dan and Secretary Jeff


Bro. Larry and Road Captain John find another Widows Son Groupie


Guardian of the Membership Bob finds a Groupie too...

Looks like twisties ahead!

Skagway, Alaska

Barbecue with our Skagway Brothers


Another Photo Op in Skagway


Waiting on the ferry again...


Reviewing trip photos on the ferry

Picking up strays in Haines...

MORE TO COME!!