Bill-Jude/York Bike Night Parade 2009

Sorry I wasn’t smiling for the camera, but I didn’t know Bill’s cousin snapped us as we went by with her phone camera. For those that wanted to see us this is the best I could do, she just sent it in an e-mail. I’m seeing Ethan tomorrow so I wont be online sorry to Entrecarders for not dropping Sunday and Monday.

It rained on Saturday so we were unable to ride the bike and we felt sorry for all the bikers traveling in the rain, but they at least had two nice days for York bike week and bike night in downtown York. Although we had fun riding in the parade I prefer standing on the side watching and looking at all the different bikes as they pass by.

The little kids are spoiled by the Easter bunny and the clowns in our other parades because they toss them candy and some of them made me feel bad because they were holding their hands out begging for candy and I honestly hadn’t even thought to get any. Below are a few more photos I managed to get before the camera went totally bonkers.
Unique Trike

Parade Bikes Moving Out From Fairgrounds

York’s Finest Keeping Everything Under Control

Scary Looking People Watching

Historical Central Market/ Parade Route

White Rose Party Corner

No one knows yet if this is our last York Bike night in downtown York where they block off the roads so the motorcycle parade starting from the York fairgrounds to downtown can run without interference. People line the streets to watch the parade. We usually like to go downtown and watch the parade and then walk around and check out the vendors and listen to the bands, but this year we decided to ride in the parade. They started lining up around 5 and it was very well planned out so it went off without a hitch at 6:00 last night. I just noticed the time is off on my camera.

I tried to take some pictures, but my camera was acting up.  I bet there were at least 2,000 bikes and it seemed like a lot more than 2 years ago. We missed it last year because we were in Kentucky. I think everyone is afraid that this is the last one since Harley may be moving their plant and they are the big draw and sponsor for this event. People come from all over the country to have fun, socialize, take demo rides and ride in the parade, it’s a big event for York and pulls in a lot of revenue, if Harley moves their plant then York will be hurting. I’ll post more tomorrow.

Haines Shoe House
Address:195 Shoe House Road., Hellam, PA
Directions:Just south of Rt. 30, west of Hellam, north off Hwy 462 on Shoehouse Rd.

I enlarged my photo below so you can see the door into the sole of the shoe house that’s where you’ll find the snack bar area. You can get ice cream and drinks and  you can also purchase souvenirs.

I have lived in York, PA since 1968 off and on and permanently since 1987 and as many times as I passed the shoe house on the freeway I never bothered to check it out till a couple years ago. Bill and I decided to take the tour of this unique structure that was built in 1948 by “Colonel” Mahlon N. Haines as an advertising gimmick.

It’s a wood frame structure covered with wire lath and coated with a cement stucco. It measures 48 ft. in length, 17 ft. in width at the widest part and 25 ft. in height. The interior has five different levels and contains three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen and living room. I loved going through and the lady that owns it now has her guided tour tone all ready and you can tell she’s told this same history many times.

She tells you all about how it was used as a honeymoon cottage for the shoe company employees and tells funny little anedotes. You’re not allowed to take photos of the inside, but it’s adorable and my imagination and romantic side was working overtime.  It has stain glassed windows and a lot of memorabilia. I loved that we finally took the time and took the tour.