I just experienced my first Oyster Run. Over these past months I've realized that Anacortes likes to have a lot of "Festivals". I use quotations because most of the events are laaammmee. Like super lame. For example: Anacortes Festival of the Arts was basically a few mediocre, overpriced artists selling pieces they created in 1992 and local volunteer organizations selling overcooked burgers. Shipwrecked Days was supposed to be a "super awesome giant garage sale" but in reality it was people trying to sell their JUNK. Which people DO do at garage sales but, 'cmon, a semi-functional espresso machine from 1980 for only 50 dollars? Seriously? Then, there's The Waterfront Festival, some weird Pirate convention and a Croatian Festival (uhm, excuse me Anacortes, but putting the word "festival" at the end of everything doesnt make it "festive) . So all this talk about Oyster Run never really had an impact on me... until Saturday morning when all the bikes started pouring into town. I watched bike after hog after trike cruise by in countless numbers. Convoys of them! Bikers decked out in leather and tattoo's with crazy custom bikes.
(above)They don't call it Oyster Run for nothin'. Oysters Rockafeller is the way to go for all you novice oyster eaters.
As far as the eye could see...
Sunday, on which Compass was closed (thank the Lord), over 30 thousand (yes, thousand) bikers found their way into town. And all up and down Commercial Ave. there were tents selling leather jackets, giant skull rings, custom saddle bags and even a tent with a tattoo artist ready to go!!
check out this bling, yo! Im thinking about upgrading our wedding rings to one of these bad boys.
Just one of the many custom bikes. I like to refer this one as: My Little Indian Pony.
And here we have some crazy stunt guys. (And take a gander at the awesome, leather pony cuff sported by the blond in front)
Good fair food and crazy biker people. My only regret was dressing too conservatively. While I consider myself to be stylish by Vogue's standards, the biker community seems to favor high-healed boots, short leather skirts and leopard print faux fur. Today, I sported none of these items. I felt like a little girl in my tights and pointy toed flats. Mer. However,I made it better by consuming a couple of beers and head-banging to a mediocre cover band. That and, I'm not gonna lie, I took a substantial bite of a stellar looking hotdog. It was exhilarating and well worth the 3 hour stomachache that followed. At one point while the band was playing their rendition of a Jethro Tull song, a drunk biker stumbled on stage and demanded a mic. He then began to wail on his harmonica in a totally awesome, semi-cohesive solo. When he finished, I cheered as if I were one of them. I may have even gotten a little teary eyed. So to sum it up, Oyster Run might be the only thing that Anacortes does right. In other words: Take note from the biker peeps and get more awesome. Stat.
