The Hill Gang Advances on Big Sky Country
Paul Hastings reporting from Columbia Falls, MT, just outside Glacier National Park
For the first time in the 2001 Camp Daughery Rolling Rally, two new states greeted the Hill Gang riders. After roaming through Washington on their first loop, the riders crossed the northern Idaho panhandle and ventured into northwestern Montana yesterday.
And what a welcome they got in both states as beautiful river gorges, magnificent mountains and clear blue lakes attracted their attention during the 290-mile ride from their Spokane base.
“Today has been absolutely beautiful,” Diamond Arnie Kremer said, “with the multiple bodies of water surrounded by mountains. And we passed a lot of beautiful ranches.”
Except for an occasional biker or two, the Bad Boys had the roads to themselves as they wove alongside Lake Pend O’reille and Clark Fort River in Idaho and the Paradise River in Montana, even spotting a moose crossing in the shallower waters.
A rider on the four previous Camp Marta trips, Kremer liked the change of venue for this year’s trip. “I think it’s great we get to see different places,” he said. “We need to be THE bikers. We don’t need 100,000 other bikers getting in our way.”
But the most phenomenal view was that provided by coming over the Cabinet Mountains and getting their initial look at Flathead Lake, a look that never seemed to end. That was because Flathead is the largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi River. The deep blue water covered 30 miles in length, 20 miles in width and is 1,800 feet deep in spots.
But a bunch of the Hill Gang have other things besides views on their mind.
Joel Semanko is on a convenience store chicken crusade. His goal is to find the best deep fried chicken with the JoJo’s accompaniments and the wonderful Uncle Dan’s Ranch Dressing. “The type all the finest food marts carry,” he said.
“A guy needs to be familiar with all the good body parts of the chicken,” Semanko, an emerald, said. “I’m partial to chicken fingers.”
At each mid-day food/gas stop, after fueling his Harley-Davidson, he heads toward the food counter to see what’s available. Helping Semanko in his quest are David Humphrey, Jack Daughery, Frank Sorrels and John Oroczo.
“David Humphrey is my primary source of inspiration,” Semanko said. “I think he’s more excited about it than I am. As a medical doctor, he understands the true benefits of fried chicken.”
He said the 76 gas station in George, WA., has been the best so far. “However, I woofed some chicken down with Ken Nelson in Tonasket that was a close second,” Semanko said, “but the odor was not quite right.”
Next to the motorcycles, food has become a topic of conversation among the Hill Gang. Humphrey likes Arizona Green Tea with honey, Kremer his Good ‘N Plenty candy, Rick Matthews likes Pecan cookies, Sorrels goes after pickled garlic and Jeff Moore, Jack McLennan and Orozco are competing to see who can eat the hottest peppers .
But Daughery, the leader of Bad Boys, has designated the first officially licensed food of ILD. Peanut Food Bar Cookies, made and supplied for each of the five motorcycle trips by Mary Hastings, have become the Official Cookie of the Hill Gang.
The one food considered a requirement in the constant 90-plus degree days has been ice cream, from Dove Bars to an impromptu party in the Columbia Falls hotel’s breakfast room following dinner last night, helped by fresh, frozen strawberries provided by Rita Daughery.
Today, the riders will tour Glacier National Park and Lake McDonald via the Going-to-the-Sun Road and then head south to Missoula for the night.
Quote of the Day: “I’m in Harley Heaven!” screamed 17-year-old Tina, a worker at the A&W in Sandpoint, ID., when she opened the restaurant’s back door and saw the 17 parked Harley-Davidsons belonging to the Hill Gang. “I love them. I’ll have one by the time I’m 35. That made my day, right there.”
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