Rainforest Run revs up
Jerry McHaffie of Port Angeles stands by his cycle at Tillicum Park in Forks during the Rainforest Fun Run in 2008. -- Photo by Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News
2009 Rainforest Run
Schedule of events
Today
8 a.m.: Check in, booths open.
7 p.m.: Twilight cruise.
All day: Music.
Saturday
8 a.m.: Check in, booths open.
1 p.m.: Bike games.
9 p.m.: Miss Rainforest Run contest.
All day: Music, poker runs.
Sunday
9 a.m.: Brunch at Elks Lodge.
11 a.m.: Awards ceremony.
12:30 p.m.: Fun run, meet at Tillicum Park.
Music lineup
Friday
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Northwest Coastal Drummers, from the Quileute, Makah, Hoh, Taholah and Queets tribes.
Noon to 1 p.m.: Alex and Drew, with Alex Huelsdonk (guitar, vocals) and Drew Berger (vocals).
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Traveling Band, playing honky tonk bluegrass, from Quinault.
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.: 20 Questions, with Adrian Martin (lead guitar, vocals), Sue Zalokar (vocals, guitar), from Forks.
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Country Gold, playing '50s, '60s, '70s rock, with Terry Roszatycki (rhythm guitar, vocals), Clovis Mannly (drums), Jerry Robinson (lead guitar), Phil Adams (rhythm guitar, vocals), from Port Angeles.
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Marilyn Kay & Co., playing progressive bluegrass, regressive country, with Marilyn Kay (singer songwriter), Jr. Agne (flatpicker, dobro, bass and baritone vocals), Skeeter Powell (rhythm, vocals), Bubba Simpson (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, tenor vocals), Jerry Hegarty (bass guitar, bass vocals), Rochell Munger (banjo), from Poulsbo.
8 p.m. to midnight: Muddyshoes Band playing country, rock, blues, with Muddyshoes (lead guitar, vocals), Jarred Rowe (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Pete Ross (drums), John Rydman (bass), from Quinault.
Saturday
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Ambush, playing hit songs, with John Gerard (bass, vocals), Mark Denson (drums, vocals), Guy Koplitz (guitar, vocals).
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.: Therapy Sessions, with Sally Milici (guitar, vocals), Roger Lien (guitar, vocals), Pete Larson (harmonica). Dave Lenahan (bass), from Forks and Beaver.
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Nandina, reinventing songs, with Sue Zalokar (guitar, vocals), Dave Gedlund (lead guitar, vocals), Joe Morton (drums), from Forks.
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.: Crescent Blue, playing bluegrass, with Ken Lambert (lead guitar, vocals), Mary Meyer (guitar, vocals), Barney Munger (five-string banjo, vocals), from Forks.
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Thom Davis, playing traditional Delta- and Piedmont-style blues on the guitar. Davis is from Port Angeles.
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Loose Gravel, playing bluegrass dance, with Scott Jamieson (mandolin, fiddle), Jerry Sullivan (dobro), Barney Munger (five-string banjo), Spider Wright (bass), Dick Martin (guitar), from Forks.
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Ambush, playing hit songs, with John Gerard (bass, vocals), Mark Denson (drums, vocals), Guy Koplitz (guitar, vocals).
Schedule of events
Today
8 a.m.: Check in, booths open.
7 p.m.: Twilight cruise.
All day: Music.
Saturday
8 a.m.: Check in, booths open.
1 p.m.: Bike games.
9 p.m.: Miss Rainforest Run contest.
All day: Music, poker runs.
Sunday
9 a.m.: Brunch at Elks Lodge.
11 a.m.: Awards ceremony.
12:30 p.m.: Fun run, meet at Tillicum Park.
Music lineup
Friday
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Northwest Coastal Drummers, from the Quileute, Makah, Hoh, Taholah and Queets tribes.
Noon to 1 p.m.: Alex and Drew, with Alex Huelsdonk (guitar, vocals) and Drew Berger (vocals).
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Traveling Band, playing honky tonk bluegrass, from Quinault.
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.: 20 Questions, with Adrian Martin (lead guitar, vocals), Sue Zalokar (vocals, guitar), from Forks.
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Country Gold, playing '50s, '60s, '70s rock, with Terry Roszatycki (rhythm guitar, vocals), Clovis Mannly (drums), Jerry Robinson (lead guitar), Phil Adams (rhythm guitar, vocals), from Port Angeles.
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Marilyn Kay & Co., playing progressive bluegrass, regressive country, with Marilyn Kay (singer songwriter), Jr. Agne (flatpicker, dobro, bass and baritone vocals), Skeeter Powell (rhythm, vocals), Bubba Simpson (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, tenor vocals), Jerry Hegarty (bass guitar, bass vocals), Rochell Munger (banjo), from Poulsbo.
8 p.m. to midnight: Muddyshoes Band playing country, rock, blues, with Muddyshoes (lead guitar, vocals), Jarred Rowe (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Pete Ross (drums), John Rydman (bass), from Quinault.
Saturday
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Ambush, playing hit songs, with John Gerard (bass, vocals), Mark Denson (drums, vocals), Guy Koplitz (guitar, vocals).
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.: Therapy Sessions, with Sally Milici (guitar, vocals), Roger Lien (guitar, vocals), Pete Larson (harmonica). Dave Lenahan (bass), from Forks and Beaver.
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Nandina, reinventing songs, with Sue Zalokar (guitar, vocals), Dave Gedlund (lead guitar, vocals), Joe Morton (drums), from Forks.
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.: Crescent Blue, playing bluegrass, with Ken Lambert (lead guitar, vocals), Mary Meyer (guitar, vocals), Barney Munger (five-string banjo, vocals), from Forks.
5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Thom Davis, playing traditional Delta- and Piedmont-style blues on the guitar. Davis is from Port Angeles.
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Loose Gravel, playing bluegrass dance, with Scott Jamieson (mandolin, fiddle), Jerry Sullivan (dobro), Barney Munger (five-string banjo), Spider Wright (bass), Dick Martin (guitar), from Forks.
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Ambush, playing hit songs, with John Gerard (bass, vocals), Mark Denson (drums, vocals), Guy Koplitz (guitar, vocals).
By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
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The 2009 Rainforest Run is also a music festival.
Organizers of the second annual West End rally, which begins today and runs through Sunday, have scheduled 13 music acts in hopes of taking the Rainforest Run to another level.
"We hope, in the near future, to become one of the premier motorcycling events in the whole country," said Bob Wishon, lead organizer.
The Rainforest Run's central location has been changed from Tillicum Park in Forks to the Round House 110 Business Park, at 100 LaPush Road, just north of the city.
Wishon said the business park has the electricity required for the music festival, a covered roof and a new dance floor.
"Musically, it was a better location," he said, adding that it will give riders a better reason to stick around.
The new site also helps the city avoid an awkward overlap of motorcycle enthusiasts with Twilight fans. Twilight is the popular novel-turned-movie about vampire love -- the first of four in a series, all based in Forks.
Vampires, motorcyclists
"I'm not sure vampires and motorcyclists mix," Forks Mayor Nedra Reed said.
The Rainforest Run is not affiliated with the city of Forks, but city staff, including events coordinator Pat Soderland, are helping out, Reed said.
"There's a dedicated group of individuals who work very hard, other than their normal jobs, to put this event on," Reed said.
"It has been a very good event for the community."
Registration for Rainforest Run, which includes poker runs to Neah Bay and LaPush, is $35.
The cost of the music festival is $5. Several acts from the North Olympic Peninsula are featured.
Wishon said the Rainforest Run draws an eclectic group of riders -- everyone from loggers to hippies.
"We welcome all brands of motorcycles and people from all walks of life," he said.
Wishon spent the year attending motorcycle rallies across the country to glean ideas and promote the Rainforest Run.
During his travels, he rode in Leather Meets Lace, a charity rally that ends at the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles. He met Gene Simmons of Kiss and the Playboy Bunnies at the estate of Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner.
"It's a rough job, but somebody's got to do it," Wishon said.
The inaugural Rainforest Run surpassed major rallies like Sturgis, N.D., for first-year attendance, Wishon said. More than 1,000 riders turned out in 2008.
Reed said some people equate motorcycles with problems, but the inaugural Rainforest Run was trouble-free.
"We're not Sturgis West," Reed said.
Family event
"It's family event," Reed added. "We're really looking forward to it."
The State Patrol and Clallam County Sheriff's Office will supervise the event.
Many law enforcement officers will be on motorcycles themselves and enjoy the event, Reed said.
Wishon co-organizes Rainforest Run with Dan Roth. Both are from Forks.
"It's a very friendly community, and the community is really supporting this event," Wishon said.
He said Rainforest Run will keep a family theme during the days and take on a slightly more mature flavor around 11 p.m.
In addition to the business park, Cycle Camp, which Wishon owns, will host rally-goers at 1071 Mora Road, near LaPush.
Reed said the Rainforest Run is one of the last major events of the summer on the West End.
"This is kind of a 'Visit Forks and play' event," Reed said.
For more information about the Rainforest Run, visit www.rainforestrun.com.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: August 13. 2009 9:08PM
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