EASY RIDERS
Americade bikers rolls into Lake George
Yoed Rosado can’t get enough of a good ride.
The 30-year New York City Transit Authority worker, president of The Bronx-based Familias United motorcycle group, already owns seven bikes and is looking for more.
He and fellow club members are among the thousands of people in Lake George for this week’s 36th annual Americade, the world’s largest touring motorcycle rally, which continues through Saturday.
“It’s my hobby,” Rosado said smiling. “I have a 2012 Honda Gold Wing, a 2018 Harley-Davidson and a ‘95 Kawasaki. It’s pretty hectic in the city so we usually take rides up past Bear Mountain and into Connecticut, or New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”
One of Americade’s most popular attractions is daily group rides throughout the region to destinations in the Adirondacks and Vermont.
But Rosado, who’s attended the event for 17 years, said his favorite aspect is the unity Americade promotes for people with like-minded interests.
“Everybody coming from all different places, coming together, like one big family,” he said.
Highlights on Wednesday’s entertainment schedule are a Northeast Drill Team championship, a
"Everybody coming from all different places, coming together, like one big family." — Yoed Rosado
“King of Rock” boat cruise Lake George, and a comedy show featuring Alonzo Bodden, a former grand prize winner of the reality television series, “Last Comic Standing.”
Bikers John Smith and Larry O’Connor, of Freeland, Md., stopped at Americade as part of a trip through the North Country. They plan on riding up Whiteface Mountain’s Veterans Memorial Highway on Wednesday. “I’ve been wanting to come up for years,” said Smith, a 2016 Harley-Davidson Ultra owner. “It’s the first time I’ve been able to get away to do it.”
O’Connor said he enjoyed checking out all the Americade Expo vendors, who have all kinds of motorcycle accessories and apparel for sale.
Weather is expected to stay cool for riders on Wednesday before climbing into the mid-70s with mostly sunny skies on Friday and Saturday, when a free first-ever, two-day Block Party takes place. Canada Street (Route 9) will be closed and nearly a dozen bands will perform on a large stage near Shepard Park.
Marie and Tim Doucette, of Skowhegan, Me., spent most of Tuesday taking free demo rides, as manufacturers give people a chance to try out their latest-model machines. Marie currently owns a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.
“I rode BMWs, Indians and a Moto Guzzi, which has a lot of jump to it,” she said. “They were going pretty fast on the whole ride. The Indians steer really well. They’re very smooth, but their engines sound like a sewing machine. You’ve got to have something that sounds like a motorcycle. The Moto Guzzi really sounded like a bike.”
Is she in the market for one?
“Probably not because mine’s paid for,” Doucette said. “But you never know. The door’s open.”
Moto Guzzi, founded in 1921 in Genoa, Italy, is the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production. It’s now part of the California-based Piaggio Group Americas, which also makes Vespa scooters and Aprilia, a highperformance sport bike.
Moto Guzzi is a more standard motorcycle, wellknown to veteran riders.
Spokesperson Shane Pacillo said Americade provides a good sales audience because of the large number of potential customers that drive long distances to get here each year.
Of course, he also tries to have a little fun during the week-long event.
“The roads around here are fantastic,” Pacillo said. “Last year we were able to get on a team ride and went out to Vermont for a couple hundred-mile run. If we’re lucky we’ll be able to do that in the next couple of days as well.”
SUNY Potsdam student Colin Cunningham, of Queensbury, is working on getting his motorcycle license, so he’s getting lots of good ideas as an Americade parking lot attendant.
“I love motorcycles so it seemed like a pretty good job,” he said. “I’m shopping around. I really like looking at the Indian demo bikes. They’re awesome. Plus, all the people are really interesting, really cool. People from all over the country are coming. It’s interesting to meet them all.”