The Right Coast Ride

What is the RCR?

The Right Coast Ride (RCR) is an annual gathering of the Denizens of Doom, usenet's very own motorcycle gang. It is aimed at bringing together biker geeks from the "right" coast of North America -- from the eastern seaboard to the Mississippi River. The RCR has been happening every year since 1992 as a floating event, moving around to various sites within the area bounded by the Mason-Dixon Line on the north and the North Carolina/South Carolina border on the south.

You do not have to be a "member" of the Denizens of Doom, have a number, know who the Keeper is, or even know anything about bikes or computers or anything like that to attend. Everyone who reads this is automatically an honorary Computer Geek on Bike and will be welcome, as will friends, family, and children.

List of RCR's


Year
Date
Location
Near Town
State
Grand Oompah
Att.
RCR-I 1992
July 25-26 High Country Cycle Camp Ferguson NC Ed Green 34
RCR-II 1993
July 9-10 Cass Cass WV Dean Cookson 63 +/-
RCR-III 1994
July 8-10 High Country Cycle Camp Ferguson NC Cliff Weston 67 +/-
RCR-IV 1995

Camp Westmar Thurmont MD Jim Bessette 97 +/-
RCR-V 1996
June 21-23 Camp Westmar Thurmont MD Mr. Bill 103 +/-
RCR-VI 1997
July 18-20 Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park Dawson Springs KY Martyn Wheeler 35
RCR-VII 1998
June 6-7 Camp Westmar Thurmont MD Mike DiTullio 50 +/-
RCR-VIII 1999
July 24-25 Riders Roost Ferguson NC Catness 57 +/-
RCR-IX 2000
June 2-4 Renfro Valley KOA Renfro Valley KY
Josh Fielek 41 +/-
RCR-X 2001
July 6-9
ACE Adventure Center
Oak Hill
WV
Dave Lawrence 49
RCR-XI 2002
June 21-23
New Market KOA
Harrisonburg
VA
Dave McElvain 43 +/-
RCR-XII 2003
June 27-29 Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground Cruso
NC Sharon Wheeler 28 +/-
RCR-XIII 2004
June 25-27 Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge Robbinsville
NC Jim Kerick 41
RCR-XIV
2005
July 29-31
Willville Motorcycle Campground
Meadows of Dan
VA
Bill Jennings

RCR-XV
2006
July 7-9
ACE Adventure Center Oak Hill WV Dave Lawrence

RCR-XVI
2007
June 22-24
Riders Roost Ferguson NC Cliff Weston

RCR-XVII
2008
June -29
Camp Westmar
Thurmont
MD
James Revell

On the Naming of the Event

"I had just moved here from CA four months earlier when the planning started.  "Right" was a pun -- being a term for both "East" and "correct," e.g., this is the right coast to be on!"
-- Ed Green, Grand Oompah RCR-I

The Traditional Boundaries

The geographical boundaries of the RCR have been much discussed, usually on an annual basis.  The boundaries are actually guidelines rather than rules -- it is up to the individual Oompah to decide where to hold the RCR.  The definitive answer is, however:
There is some variance in folks' memories about whether the area includes South Carolina and/or Pennsylvania; I believe that both are excluded.

The Wonder Twins

(group photo) Only two Denizens have to date attended all the RCR's: Dave Lawrence and Martyn Wheeler.  This group shot was taken at RCR-VII (photo: Josh Fielek), when there were five who had attended them all.  Left to right, they are: Ian Howie, Mark Cervi, Dave Lawrence, Mr. Bill, and Martyn Wheeler.

The One True Motorcycle

(photo) One motorcycle has been ridden to no less than ten RCR's to date.  No other individual bike comes close.  This is Mark Cervi's 1987 Moto Guzzi SPII, here pictured at RCR-VII (photo: Josh Fielek).

Full List of Attendees

A full list of anyone who's ever reputed to have attended an RCR.  This page is rather large -- please be patient.  It's also out of date, of course...

The RCR Awards

The more recent RCR's have had award ceremonies.  This list of awards is mostly incomplete until I can get more information on it.

Ian Howie's RCR Photo Gallery

This is the definitive photo record of the Right Coast Ride.