by Mike Walker

    With the Motorcycling season in full swing, the Valley Knights men packed up a U-Haul truck with $1400 of food and drinks and headed for the 5200 foot level. For one weekend these valley men were mountain men. 31 members and guests went on this, the 23rd annual group campout, on the shores of lake French Meadows.. The weather cooperated and the days were filled with motorcycle and buddy competitions as well as good food while the evenings provided roaring bonfires with the welcome bar set up nearby.

    Attending this year were members of Gay & Lesbian Out door Adventures, Sac. Valley Bears, GDI's and Rainbow Motorcycle Club of San Francisco, Constantines, Valley Grills Classic Cars, and Knights Of Malta.

    Brotherhood and camaraderie were at their height in the evenings as newfound friends helped make a chilly sleeping bag warmer. By 2 A.M. only a few were still around the fire placing bets as to whether the bears would invade the camp as they had done twice in past years. The late rising full moon by this time bathed the 80 acre site in an almost daylight glow. The late night calm is occasionally interrupted by the sound of a mutually shared physical joy or the rumble of a snore in a far distant tent.

Mark Nave 'Taz’, the club engineer, assembled a plywood and Styrofoam "ice box". The campsite has no electricity and the club decided several years ago that the generator was too noisy.

The Friday night dinner menu called for 15 gal of beef stew prepared in advance. Club President Mike Butler and Mike Walker cubed 20 lbs. of round steak Thursday night

One more picture before the advance team departed Sacramento at 11 A.M. Friday.

Lunch break in Foresthill, Chuck Biffel & Mike Butler started to dance surprising Gerard Wing. John Bernal & Paul Johnson of the rainbow M/C(far right) seem to be saying that this is one redneck bar that will never be the same.

The Knights newest prospective member, Doogie Hodges, checks the propane before connecting to the Range.

The main kitchen area is setup and ready for dinner when the rest of the campers arrive.

Woody Miller got in line for beef stew but Chef Mike had to check out the beef first!

Biting a wienie might seem easy until you realize, it is done from a moving motorcycle. Only 3 men were successful and were judged on the amount bit off.

Tom Bascue's Sunday continental breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, bagels -cream cheese, sweet rolls and gallons of fresh coffee. Most of the campers will leave by noon and spend the afternoon winding down the mountain through hundreds of hair pin curves.

No sooner was the mountain clay washed off the Valley Knights Motorcycles than the members made immediate plans to rub their leather chaps against the wrangler jeans of the rodeo cowboys by scheduling dinner at Verona Village just prior to the Aug. 20 Sierra Stampede. The clubs road captain, Gerard Wing , has a swimming hole day planned and extensive plans are also underway for the Motorcycle Clubs 23 Down & Dirty anniversary Party Saturday, Oct. 30, 1999.