The Jury Cancer Benefit Run
It is funny how our initial perspectives of individuals and groups can be so wrong. Before I started the magazine my impression of the Jury was that they were a club that you wanted to stay away from lest you say something wrong and find yourself in a world of hurt. How ironic it is that the club that encouraged us the most and has accepted us the most is and was the Jury. What we discovered was a group of individuals who are friendly, outgoing, welcoming and just plain fun to be around. Wherever we go, we always bump into members of the Jury and each and every time we are welcomed as a friend.
When the Jury conducts a run I try to go if I can. I know that the route taken will offer some varied riding conditions, that the run will be well executed and that I will be treated as a “Guest”. You know that you are a guest when upon leaving the event you are asked if you had a good time and did you get enough to eat. The sure sign of an organization that understands what it means to be a host.
On June 25, 2011 the Jury was conducting their annual Cancer Benefit Run which was leaving the Kick Start Saloon in Hudson Falls. Upon arrival I discovered that the parking lot was full and it was good to see so many friends in attendance. Jim Hull and Jet from Boozefighters Chapter 80 were there and I decided to ride with them at the rear of the run.
The run departed the Kick Start Saloon with 84 bikes and with the Jury providing the blockers we quickly left Hudson Falls and headed to our first stop which was the Boars Nest in West Fort Ann. Brit had plenty of staff on hand and the service was fast and excellent as usual. I had a chance to catch up with Big Dan Nolin. We chatted for a while about his experience at Rolling Thunder 2011 where he was honored by laying a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The time went fast and before I knew it the ten minute warning was issued.
We left the Boars Nest and headed to our next stop which was the Hogs Breath Saloon in Hampton, NY. With the Jury blocking the intersections, the ride moved smoothly through Fort Ann and Whitehall on the way to the Hogs Breath. Service at the Hogs Breath was reasonable and the majority of the ride members hung outside and enjoyed that rare commodity these days called sunshine.
I have come to expect that if you are riding with the Jury, you are going to stop at the Hartford Town Tavern and so it was not a surprise that this was to be the third stop on this run. I spent some time shooting the bull with some of the riders from Leathernecks MC and from Hooch Hoggs. An impromptu horseshoe competition erupted and it was a nice diversion watching those guys play shoes.
The final stop of the run was the Jury’s’ Club House affectionately named “The Tank”. This place is set up to party. There are structures for cooking and serving and plenty of places available to sit and eat. The food was both outstanding and plentiful. I really hate runs where the food is doled out in miniscule portions. The BBQ was excellent and the sides consisted of baked potatoes and a green salad. As you walked through the line you served yourself and were encouraged to take as much as you wanted. If you left this event hungry it was your own damn fault.
Wherever you looked you would see members of the jury taking care of business and making sure that their guests were cared for and served promptly, another sure sign of a club that knows what it means to be a host.
It is easy to see why the Jury runs are well attended and I would encourage those who have not been on a Jury executed run to take part in one. Will it change your life forever, the answer is No. Will you feel like you got your monies worth and were treated as a guest, the answer is Yes.
