It is a sunny, cool early fall Sunday just like every other fall or late summer Sunday, except it isn’t. On this particular Sunday, and every first Sunday in May and October, the Slimey Crud Café Racer Run takes place. It gets its name from a motorcycle “gang” formed by graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the 1970s. This gathering of motorcycle junkies has taken place since the early 1990s. But it’s more than just a gathering of motorcycles, it’s a community of like-minded individuals that embrace life on 2 wheels.
Just about 15 minutes west of Madison, Wisconsin (depending on the route you take) on that first Sunday in October (and May), lovers of all things two-wheels converge on the tiny hamlet (if you can call it that) of Pine Bluff to soak in the late season sun, swap motorcycle stories, reconnect with old friends and have the opportunity to enjoy an exhilarating (or leisurely) ride on their way to another small hamlet; Leland, Wisconsin, and vice versa. These riders come from all parts of Wisconsin and surrounding states, many covering over 150 miles one way, and each with his or her own story to tell. The crowd is as eclectic as the types of bikes on display; young and old, male and female, from the back-road carving sport bike rider to the laid-back Sunday cruiser, and everything in between. Yet, everyone in attendance has at least one thing in common; their love for motorcycles and the exhilaration they receive from riding them, working on them, and even collecting them.
While it does use the café racer nomenclature, you’re more likely to see the Harley-Davidson and Indian crowd lately, along with those who love and ride classic vintage bikes. Perhaps that’s due to the aging of the American motorcycle rider over the decades and the ever-increasing prices of motorcycles. Or maybe it’s due to the increase in video game popularity among the younger set. In the end, does it really matter? However, what you ride and why seem less important than the fact that you ride. To say it’s a Zen-like, kumbaya kind of moment twice a year wouldn’t be a stretch. Depending on the weather, the gathering often swells to well over 1,000 motorcycles and even more people.
One of the most beautiful and inspiring things about the Slimey Crud Café Racer Run is the lack of sponsorship or advertising. You won’t see vendor pop-up tents, free sample booths, dealer trailers or advertiser banners other than the bratwurst and hamburger stand operated by the Red Mouse Bar where the largest parking lot for the meet-up is found. This is very much a grassroots, motorcycle and motorcyclist-first event that truly celebrates the joy of motorcycling in its most basic and uncomplicated form. And it’s been that way for over 30 years.
The crowd starts arriving early, often before 7:30 am, and continues to swell until late morning, swapping stories, renewing old friendships, checking out each other’s bikes and enjoying the visceral moment (and some sunshine). When the sun starts to rise higher in the sky, many head out onto the twisting and curving backroads of south-central Wisconsin on their way to Leland, or other unknown destinations. Regardless of where you ride to, or whom you ride with, the memories of the ride and connection with other enthusiasts stay with you long after you put the bike away for the day, or the winter. For many, those memories and connections help sustain them through the long, cold winter months when riding is impossible. It is these memories and connections that stoke the passion that keeps riders coming back year after year.
All photos courtesy of Ziegler Shoots and Eva Boyden
