Cannonball Run

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0cbfd5a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Copperplate Gothic Bold" ><B>Motorides</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Motorcycle Trips Archives "><U>Motorcycle Trips Archives </U></A>   |   <B>Cannonball Run </B>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Ride to Remember 2002"><U>A Ride to Remember 2002</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ride to Nova Scotia 1999"><U>Ride to Nova Scotia 1999</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A KLR on the TLH"><U>A KLR on the TLH</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A BAKERS HEAVEN SCOTLAND"><U>A BAKER'S HEAVEN- SCOTLAND</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tail of the Dragon"><U>Tail of the Dragon</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Where the Hell is Deadhorse Alaska?"><U>Where the Hell is Deadhorse Alaska?</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="0ccd2043.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Cannonball Run </I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="3203a880.jpg" border=0 width="314" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <A HREF="http://www.cannonballbikerun.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cannonballbikerun.com/"><U><IMG SRC="32167630.jpg" border=0 width="359" height="355" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> 9/5/2005</div> <div> Hi Pete, </div> <div> Well I made it back in one piece. It was probably the most adrenalin filled week of my life. Out of 43 entries (a couple didn't turn up and the rest just didn't finish, I came in 20th overall. 2000 miles in 4 days of balls to the wall riding mostly mountain passes and Alpine roads. </div> <div> We had a Le Mans start in Calais harbour as we came off the ferry and I was in 2nd place as we got onto the highway. Boy that x11 out accelerated the best sportbikes in the bunch no sweat. </div> <div> Anyway it's a long and exiting story so I will wait till I see to give you the full works about it. </div> <div> Next week I am getting a dvd with about 300 pics on and I will post you a copy, the film dvd comes out in January and I believe the orders from the USA are flying in for it. There is a big pull-out section in the MCN newpaper this week so I will send you a copy of that as well. </div> <div> Hope all is well on that side, </div> <div> Dan.</div> <bR> <div> 9/8/2005</div> <div> Yo Pete, I am busy writing the Cannonball saga and will let you have it as soon as possible, Macedconia will follow. The article in MCN is being posted off this week and the photo dvd will soon follow. Pity the journalist from MCN thought he was the only guy in the event as all pics are of him and or his bike. Still I left him flat from the Le Mans start (I was 2nd to hit the motorway, just a pity I was topping out at 160mph which is the X11's limit and these other bikes can easy do 180to 200mph) </div> <div> Anyway I stomped them all on acceleration up to 140mph but with a 5speed gearbox I did not want to blow the mill so I had to tap back to 130 and that was that. My overall position was 20th out of 31 starters which considering that I was trying to behave as I have a young daughter to support and that I was double the age of the others and riding a street bike and not a British superstock/sport specced sportsbike I think I was smoking it in the coolest way possible. </div> <div> I am glad to hear that you have friend who has Harleys. The photos of the girls are beautiful, they both get lovlier each day. </div> <div> Cuz Fireballs.</div> <bR> <div> <B>TUESDAY AUGUST 23rd 2005</B></div> <div> The first ever Cannonball Bike Run</div> <div> got off to the most amazing start as</div> <div> a crowd of over 2000 pumped up</div> <div> fans turned up at Ace Cafe London</div> <div> for the Official Launch Party.</div> <div> The parking area simply could not</div> <div> contain the crowd as bikes and people</div> <div> spilled over to the street and</div> <div> verges surrounding The Ace.</div> <div> Onlookers grabbed any available</div> <div> vantage point hoping to witness</div> <div> some action and they weren't disappointed.</div> <div> Before long the air was</div> <div> thick with tyre smoke and the unmistakable</div> <div> sound of engines bouncing</div> <div> off the limiters. The stunts had started</div> <div> and they never really stopped.</div> <div> Even as the Cannonballers moved</div> <div> on to the after-party the action continued.</div> <div> The scene had been set, the</div> <div> fuse well and truly lit and it was time</div> <div> to stand back and watch it all go off</div> <div> for real on the official start tomorrow.</div> <div> Still, the question on many people's</div> <div> minds was the whereabouts of</div> <div> Ghost Rider. Despite officially confirming</div> <div> his entry the mystery Swede</div> <div> had been strangely unavailable in</div> <div> the days leading up to the event.</div> <div> Would he show for the start of the</div> <div> main event?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2f3ae1e0.jpg" border=0 width="430" height="286" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Black" >Calais start  (LeMans style)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2f518a50.jpg" border=0 width="280" height="421" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Black" > Cannes Hotel</FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2f72cc80.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="200" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  It isn't Dover until it's Dover, well it just started when it was Dover really.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>