Mailpouch Flyby Recap

VersysRider · 04-29-2012

[ARTICLE]By Betty Lise Anderson

Well, I had a great time this year at the Mailpouch Flyby, in Marrietta, OH. Actually, I have to say, this is my all-time favorite event, which is saying something because I’ve never been to an MSTA event that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

Mailpouch is so much fun; we always go down on Thursday, to eek out one extra day. We live in Columbus, just a couple hours away (if you slab it, that is, yuck). Every year I think that I might have to be at work on Friday, in which case I’d go down Thursday for the evening, go back to work on Friday, and return. It’d be worth it. You’d be amazed how many other people have the same idea.

Marietta is such a cool place, with or without a motorcycle. There are lots of things to see and do, and lots of places to eat and drink. Well, ok, I’ve read that there are lots of things to see and do, we’re usually out riding, but I can vouch for the eat-and-drink part.

On Friday, we took a trip to the Beallsville Diner (pronounced goofily, in typical Ohio fashion, as “Bellsville”). The food was good, and the scenery delightful. In that part of Ohio, there are lots of hills, lots of curves, and lots of beautiful views. In fact, I would characterize the roads as technically challenging, although not so much that you can’t enjoy yourself. The Mailpouch Flyby is so named because of the all the barns painted with ads for Mailpouch tobacco; said barns that you fly by because you’re there to ride your motorcycle. When we returned, we got showers, and wandered over to the registration room to volunteer.

Volunteering at registration is a blast. You basically sit around and chit-chat with whomever walks in. You meet every person at the event. Some people come back and hang around the registration table even after they’ve registered. Folks are always nice and it’s particularly satisfying to greet the new members and try to make them feel welcome. If you’ve never volunteered at an event, consider it. A couple hours of your time goes a long way to helping the organizers, and it’s so much fun. If you’re not into volunteering (maybe you planned to spend that evening installing some new farkle in the parking lot in the dark – I have seen it!), you can certainly appreciate the folks who do. After all, they’re spending their vacation waiting on you, and the volunteers all pay admission just like everyone else.

Jon and Janet Campbell, who organize the event, always provide dinner BOTH Friday and Saturday as part of your registration. MSTA members are known for their interest in motorcycles, safety, and food. Friday we had hamburgers and hotdogs with all the trimmings, and really tasty cookies.

The hotel had a pool out back, and a big grassy area for the party. The Campbell’s think of everything – they brought plenty of chairs and citronella torches to keep the bugs away, and festive lights.

On Saturday, we decided to ride one of the routes provided. The weather was good; in fact, this was one of the most pleasant Flybys, weather-wise. Along the way, we discovered that route 124 was closed, so we had to improvise, and ended up at Millie’s Diner in Galion — well-rated by Urbanspoon, but we must not have ordered well because our lunch was unremarkable at best. But who cares? It was a beautiful ride and a beautiful day.

Saturday night brought another delicious dinner courtesy of Glen Hall from his Buffalo John’s truck (awesome) and his many volunteers who served and cleaned. The Salisbury steak is a tradition (and a darn good one) and after dinner, more volunteers brought around fancy cheesecakes and petitfours, and lots of them! The meal was served for many hours, creating a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. Door prizes and the awarding of the Ohio Member of the Year followed, honoring Tom McKiernan, who does so much for us all. I was disappointed, however, that the Pink Grip Award is apparently on hiatus. Following the awards and more desserts, there was plenty of tire-kicking for all in the hotel’s ample parking lot.[/ARTICLE]

**Brick** · 05-07-2012

I have a new Mail Pouch barn to add to the event. I think Ya'll should add this one to your event ride. It's located here in North Carolina the intersection of NC 181 and Brown Mountain Beach road. It has been "built" there on what at one time was a camp ground but now it seems to be a private property. Obviously it has been relocated to this spot.
Hmmm... I wonder from where?

**stevegrab** · 05-09-2012

Originally Posted by Brick

I have a new Mail Pouch barn to add to the event. I think Ya'll should add this one to your event ride. It's located here in North Carolina the intersection of NC 181 and Brown Mountain Beach road. It has been "built" there on what at one time was a camp ground but now it seems to be a private property. Obviously it has been relocated to this spot.
Hmmm... I wonder from where?

Brilliant, we'll have a ride that goes from Marietta to NC and back, all in the same day, what's a 700-800 mile day to those wild MSTA riders.

**Brick** · 05-10-2012

Oh hell the fun way from my house, 11 miles further south, is more like 450 miles to Marietta... so that would mean a 900 mile day on VERY curvy roads. I'm not nearly young enough to do that!

Originally Posted by stevegrab

Brilliant, we'll have a ride that goes from Marietta to NC and back, all in the same day, what's a 700-800 mile day to those wild MS
TA riders.