Well, Valley Scooter of Washington/Westenders Tour di Mari 2 is now officially history. For three delightful days, scooterists from as far away as Canada mixed, mingled, rode, bowled, ate, made new friendships and renewed old ones. With the generous support of their Title Sponsor and many other kind supporters, the Westenders Scooter Club has put on another great really for the 2009 riding season!
The Rally started Friday afternoon at Jack Block park in West Seattle. Tony B. and his hardworking crew from Kent Kawasaki/Valley Scooters of Washington fired up the grills and served up a wonderful BBQ for the assembling Swarm as they arrived and received their Rally Packs, which were chock-full of goodies from the Westenders and many of their supporting businesses (for a full list of our sponsors and supporters, please click on the 'Rally' tab). Be sure to patronize these excellent establishments, and thank them for supporting scootering in Seattle!
After dinner, the Swarm saddled up and prepared for the first ride of the Rally. Led by Hairy LaPinch, we Swarm toured West Seattle and it's environs, winding up at West Seattle Bowl for an evening of bowling and socializing. Later in the evening, GrumpyGus led a party to Showbox SoDo to see a rollicking performance of the smoking hot ska band Tiny Hat Orchestra! GrumpyGus has long been a fan of this group, and had waited for thirteen years to see them perform live. Was it worth it? "Absolutely!", declared the Westenders 'Top Chef'!
The next day started with breakfast at the Skylark Cafe. The Skylark is the perfect place to start a day of scootering, since they serve hearty breakfasts and some of the best Bloody Marys in West Seattle! The folks at the Skylark even put extra staff on to ensure that the Swarm got fed in a timely manner.
Once everyone was suitably fortified for the ride, it was time to depart on the Rally's highlight, the famous Tour di Mari 'Water Ride'. Designed in 2008 by Westender Hairy LaPinch, the ride is a delightful long tour of the best sights the Seattle area has to offer. Led by Doc and his trusty sidekick, Rusty the Wonder Dog, the Swarm went on a ride that took them to Puget Sound, Lake Washinton, Portage Bay and Lake Union, the Arboretum, and finally ended up on the beach at Golden Gardens Park for GrumpyGus' Gourmet BBQ!
Westender GrumpyGus is passionate about music and cooking, and he likes his rally spreads to be something a few cuts above the usual 'burgers and dogs' fare. This year he outdid himself, as the rallygoers enjoyed a 'Top Chef' - quality menu that included:
- Grlled chicken in fig sauce glaze
- Lamb brochettes romescu
- Pesto Salmon
- Salad Nicoise
- Pasta Salad
- Orzo Salad
- Tabbouleh Salad
Once the Swarm had eaten until they couldn't take another bite, it was time for the raffle. Tour di Mari 2 was blessed with generous supporters who donated over $3500 worth of prizes, so it seemed like practically every participant went away with something!
After the raffle, beautiful trophies that were handcrafted by Vespa Club of Seattle President 'Pastry James' Martin were presented. Best Modern Scooter was won by Jodie Henry with were beautifully decorated Vespa GTS250, Peter Knowles claimed the Best Vintage trophy with an impeccable Vespa GS, and Canadian Terry Cambell won the trophy for Furthest Travelled!
Later that evening, Westender Bodhi led the Swarm to the Marco Polo Bar & Grill in Georgetown for an evening of live music!
On Sunday morning, the Swarm met again at C&P Coffee (official coffeehouse of the Westenders SC!) in West Seattle. Westender EZ was awarded the Hard Luck prize for not only having the front bearing of his Vespa GL go south on him, but having two of his trucks break down while trying to retrieve his scoot! Fortunately, the Hard Luck Award happened to be a gift certificate generously provided by the Marco Polo Bar & Grill, and everyone knows one of their pressure-fried chicken dinners, washed down with their cold beer, is an excellent salve for a bad day!
Once everyone had their coffee, Click led the Swarm on a delightful ride though some of Seattles oldest and stateliest neighborhoods. One of Seattle's most prominent photographers, Click has an artists natural eye for beautiful scenes, and he took the Swarm to many of his favorite spots for panoramic views, winding up at Queen Anne hill's famous Kerry Park. Once there, prime minister Roger Tango thanked everyone for attending, and officially declared Tour di Mari 2 at an end.
The Westenders Scooter Club would like to thank everyone who put in lots of long hours to make this year's Rally an outstanding success. We would also like to thank all the individuals and businesses that supported us, especially our Title Sponsor, Valley Scooters of Washington. Lastly, we would like to thank all our new friends who came from near and far to ride with us!
Coming August, 2010: Valley Scooters of Washington/Westenders Scooter Club presents Tour di Mari 3: Riding down to Brighton!
