Hawaii State HOG Rally 2008

Hi Guys,

WOW !! -- What a fantastic time we had at the HOG rally this past weekend October 10th - 12th.
Our HOG brothers & sisters from Waipahu Chapter & Honolulu Chapter really took care of us and showed us a great time !! In the true spirit of HOG.

After a fantastic ride over to Oahu on Hawaii Superferry (what a superb vessel/service) and a quick hotel check-in, we started out Friday night (after going around and around trying to find the ballroom location ! ) at the Dole Cannery Ballroom in Honolulu, for the State Rally opening ceremonies and a huge welcome from old friends and now, more new one's, from, both the Waipahu & Honolulu HOG Chapters !! With greeting formalities over and beer in hand, we sat down to a great meal and entertainment and caught up on some past road stories and chapter, goings on !
The night finished off, saddling up and a guided tour to Waikiki where we spent some time in one of those clubs, where the girls, just can't seam to keep their clothes on and expect to get paid for it ?? !!
Thanks, Chris - Director of Honolulu Chapter, for watching over us and getting us safely back to our hotel !! You're the man !!

Saturday morning arrived way too soon - But the fuzzy head was soon cleared with a big slug of Ol'Joe from Starbucks and back on the bikes we found ourselves heading for Honolulu Harley Davidson.
Arriving at 9.00am, Andrea was immediately on the ball (cause we were wondering around like lost sheep - It's a good thing the girls can multi task !! ) and got us signed up with our group leader for the day, Jim Dorman from the Honolulu HOG Chapter - What a joy it was to have Jim and his wife as our leaders, fantastic people and fantastic riders !! It don't get any better than that !! Jim was very accommodating and took us exactly where we wanted to go, which was around the South end of Oahu, thru Kailua and out to Kahuku where we stopped around 2.00pm for lunch at the fresh water shrimp farm for a double order of butter garlic shrimp and a bowl of rice !! We had a little 'banter' from Chris & Nick (Honolulu HOG) about how much we paid for our double order, but we soon told them " we don't care !!" - This was not something we, get to do everyday ! It's once a year !! The double order cost $26.00 - Ah !! But it was good !! - OH !! And HUGE !! Thanks go out to Kathleen & Julie - Our angels and saviours, for showing up at the shrimp farm, just in time with a cooler full of cold beer - Great shrimp, cold beer, great comraderie and great riding - WOW !! - Does life get better than this ??
After a belly full of shrimp and beer and a quick gas stop, we were off once again heading for SunSet Beach and Waimea Bay, the sight of the Eddie Akau surf championship where the waves have to be over 18 feet (on the back side) in order for the tournament to be held. Rolling through Haleiwa we made our way out, toward Mokuleia and up toward Scofield Barracks - A ride down the H 2 freeway soon found us back in Honolulu and AlaMoana Beach park for a bar-ba-cue dinner, great music and a few ceremonies conducted by JT Hasley our regional HOG manager - What a nice guy JT is !

Sunday morning arrived in similar fashion to Saturday morning - Only a little more fuzzy and a much larger head ache !! -- Thanks Guys !! -- I wasn't quite sure wether the head ache was from too many brews or laughing too much !! -- Ah !! -- I know, obviously it was from laughing too much !!

8.00am found us back on our trusty steeds and headed once again for Honolulu Harley Davidson !
Once again Andrea was our hero and got us all organized (thank goodness for our Ladies Of Harley where would we be without them !! ) and we were soon off towards Aiea and some much needed greasy breakfast and a few of those tomato drinks that one partakes in sometimes in the mornings -

" Not me your honor, I had no part of it - Honestly !! "

After lining the stomach with grease & sugar we saddled up and headed toward Kaneoe Marine Base via the most expensive freeway in the USA, the H 3 freeway, $100,000,000 per mile, Oh ! But it's worth every
penny -- What a fantastic road and ride it is, I love that ride !! You climb up from the Honolulu side, then enter the tunnel through the Koolau Mountains and as you travel through the tunnel you drop down towards Kaneoe finally exiting the tunnel with a spectacular view of Kaneoe Bay and the Marine base beyond !! - Superb !! 

There is no better way to see the great state of Hawaii - Than from the seat of a Harley Davidson Motorcycle !! - Riding with the best people in the world !! - My HOG brothers & sisters !! WOW !! What a great weekend !!
After a short stop & photo op at Kaneoe Bay overlook, we were off to the Pali Hwy & lookout via some back roads that I've never been on and down to Waikiki and Honolulu Harley Davidson for the closing ceremonies.

After conveying sincere words of praise and thanks to our hosts for a spectacular weekend spent on Oahu it was time to say our goodbye's, (for now) wipe a tear from our eye's and head back to the ferry for our ride back to Maui.

Once again !!  A huge thank you goes out to all our fellow HOG members on Oahu for your hospitality - We can't wait to do it all over again !!

Thanks to everyone that went from our chapter to the State Rally, it wouldn't have been the same without
you - I had a fantastic weekend and I know you did too !! - Until next time -

- Ride Safe, Ride Often, Have Fun !! - And we'll do it all again - SOON !!

Stewart - Maui HOG Chapter - Director.