One thing about this event is how well it’s run and the extreme enthusiasm of the organizers behind it. Led by Mary Compeau who Mitch can’t say enough good about, it’s got all the usual rally checklist features like a lot of motorcycles, (constant) live music, great watering holes, excellent food, bike builders, stunt shows, tattoo contests, poker runs, and vendors galore. One of the main attractions besides the beautiful scenery in every direction is the magnificent unfinished Boldt Castle you can tour (on foot) sitting alone out on a private heart-shaped island aptly called Heart Island. Hey, if there’s choice between watching one more slow-riding contest or hopping on a boat for a tour of a castle with a tragic love story behind it, “Where’s the dock?” Plus the Thousand Islands River Run the most important thing to me at any rally, there’s great riding.
It’s a free event and you can’t get much better than free, but TI River Run’s Mary Compeau has an offer that’s hard to refuse if you are attending. You know how you spend tons of money at rallies on official trinkets that often turn out not to be too official? Well TI River Run has this deal going where you pre-register for the event and drop $20 to pre-register. “Hey, what about the ‘free’ part?” Well what you get for your twenty-bucks is a lot ─ an official event T-shirt, official pin and patch, official sticker, and an official bandana. I don’t think Mary has you over her house for a barbeque or anything like that, but it is a lot of TI River Run swag and who doesn’t like swag?
I love riding around way upstate New York and actually went through the Alex Bay area years ago. There’s just a different feeling up there that’s hard to describe, but not hard to love. I’ve really got to get off my fat ass and let Mitch parade me around the area next year. This event’s so organized they had the 10th annual event already planned for 2016 with three days of peace and love and motorcycles on June 24-26, 2016. For more info, check out the official web site at http://www.tiriverrun.com/.