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Date: January
25th, 2002 On a night that should have seen the city covered in snow, approx. 90 Zen Riders and friends gathered to celebrate another successful year of ZEN! Oddly enough, with no snow on the ground, the only motorcycle to show up was a Victory Sport Cruiser, the one being given away at the inaugural Ride Against Diabetes! Fittingly, the room at Dave and Busters was a nice deep red, the kind of red all us Zen Riders are used to showing off at the shows and events that we attend. 6pm: the Zens start to trickle in. Handshakes and hugs all around, and you can feel the excitement in the air. This is a place that can bring out the kid in any adult (one hopes, anyway). A quick tour of the facility showed that this was definitely an adults video game playground. Motorcycle simulators, connected car race games, billiard tables, bars, and much more. Back to the "Show Room", and more Zens were arriving. The hottest topic had to be the weather (seriously) and how many Zens expected to go riding on the upcoming Sunday (yes, January 27, 2002 was planned as the 1st official ride!). Digital cameras were flashing all over, people were chatting, smiling and have a grand old time. It was approaching dinner time, and the room was starting to overflow with people. Gazing around the room, I paused for a moment, looking at people smiling, laughing, and genuinely enjoying each others company. I got that warm and fuzzy feeling, and at that point I knew I was proud to be a Zen Rider! Opening remarks from our President and we were all treated to a fantastic meal. Roast beef, chicken, pasta, vegetables, HOT buns, corn on the cob & salad started us off. We may have been shoehorned into our tables, but no one seemed to mind. Conversations about the past years' events were chatted about, prompted by a running slide show of archived images. All the rides we had been on, the fact that we were hosting a new event this year, transponders and the likes were all bantered about. Apres dinner was very special this year. This is when the real excitement started. We were treated to an incredible display this year, both by Sheriff, and then by Stylz. "Stylz LetterZen" was a great hit. Let's just say that anyone who has been with the club for the last year or more was not immune to a good "roasting" by Mr. Stylz (and Senor Duke as his accomplice!). In true comedy show "style", we Zens were kept rolling with laughter. I swear I saw people falling off their chairs at some point. I, myself, was not immune to the "roasting," and that made it all the more enjoyable. Excellent job, by an excellent couple of guys. Can it be topped next year? Possibly. Knowing this bunch, probably. Buddy and Sheriff followed up by handing out all the awards. There were many people to be recognized this year, and in my mind, all were instrumental in making this the great club that it is. Here is a quick list:
Lastly, Sheriff followed up with the raffle prizes, of which there were many! Highlights included first aid kits, wrist watches, and satellite systems! The holders of tickets 327, 328, and 329 unfortunately left early, so they missed their clean sweep! After this, the only thing left to do was go play. Buddy wrapped up the show, thanking everyone for attending. (We had special guests — Billie from the Canadian Diabetes Association, and Fuji and Mrs Fuji from Wayne's World) Then, it was off to play, in this vast oasis of adult games. All kinds of Zens were spotted playing games, smiling, laughing and enjoying themselves immensely. All in all, it was my impression, that a good time was had by all. It was great to see "most" of the family of Zen together. It's unfortunate that not everyone could be there, but we know they were with us in spirit! I look forward to next year's event already. In closing, all I can say is beware of the camera's flash, everyone! People are out there, Zen Spotting everyday! Who will be next? It could be you... Until next time, keep the shiny side up, keep your chin up (spring is coming), and above all else, come out and support our new club ride, "The Ride Against Diabetes." Gonzo Article: Gonzo
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