Lake George Area in New York's Adirondacks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2008
CONTACT: Kate Osterhout
Sawchuk Brown Associates
(518) 462-0318
kosterhout@sawchukbrown.com
Americade: There's Much More To It Than You Might Think
World stunt champion, expanded activities highlight world's largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally at Roaring Brook Ranch in Lake George
WARREN COUNTY, NY (May 14, 2008) - From June 2 through June 7, more than 50,000 motorcycle riders and passengers will make their way to the Lake George Area in New York's Adirondacks for Americade, the world's largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally.
They'll come to see Chris Pfeiffer, the 2007 and 2008 Indoor Street Bike Freestyle World Champion, in his first performance in the Northeastern U.S. They'll also come for a wide range of activities, including 21 motorcycle mini-tours, expanded TourExpo tradeshows with 240 vendors, demo rides on new two- and three-wheel motorcycles from 17 manufacturers, day and moonlight boat cruises, two rodeos, 50+ seminars, two parades and nearly $100,000 in door prizes.
"Some people think of Americade as bikers revving their engines on Canada Street in Lake George," says Bill Dutcher, veteran motorcyclist who started Americade - then known as Aspencade East – in 1983. "In fact, chances are, the motorcycles that people hear there on Friday and Saturday nights probably aren't even involved in Americade. Americade is so much more than that, with the motorcycle trade shows, boat cruises, rodeos, mini-tours, dozens of activities and demo rides.”
"Americade is a gathering of friendly, fun-loving folks for whom motorcycling is a social hobby," Dutcher added. "The Lake George area is riding heaven, with its unexcelled natural beauty, many scenic roads, pine-covered mountains, secluded lakes and ponds, and rushing rivers and streams."
Headquartered at Roaring Brook Ranch two miles southwest of Lake George Village on route 9N in the Town of Lake George, Americade has grown consistently over the past two-and-a-half decades from 2,000 participants in 1983, becoming the biggest week of business in the Lake George resort community.
In 2007, Americade and its TourExpo had a $46 million economic impact on the area, according to an Economic Impact Study by the State University of New York at Plattsburgh's Technical Assistance Center, released in October 2007.
"This event brings significant lodging, food, attractions and shopping revenues to the greater Lake George region," the study said. "In addition, the event provides valuable destination recognition for the area as a result of the worldwide media coverage it attracts. This exposure further benefits the region's tourism-based economy.”
The study found that more than 66 percent of Americade participants stayed in either a hotel or motel, while 20 percent stayed in campgrounds or RV parks. In addition, many participants said that, due to their positive experience at Americade, they would be inclined to visit the Lake George Area in New York's Adirondacks again.
Every morning during Americade, between 7:50 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., several thousand motorcycles assemble at the foot of Lake George, a 32-mile glacial lake, for the "roll-out" to mini-tours that take them up winding roads, through verdant forests and alongside rivers where water is high from spring runoff.
On one mini-tour, called "Steel Wheels on the Upper Hudson," motorcyclists ride 90 miles round-trip through beautiful countryside and then board an old locomotive with open air cars and unique, restored 1920's coaches that runs through parts of the wild upper Hudson River that are only reachable by this classic train. The trip also includes a BBQ lunch at a dude ranch.
On another mini-tour, called "Beach Party and Stone Bridge," riders steer towards Pottersville and visit a massive, billion-year-old stone bridge and the largest natural marble cave entrance in the eastern U.S. After a short walk on nature trails along a gorge, past waterfalls and caves, they ride to a private beach party at a luxury summer camp. For a complete list of mini-tours and other activities at Americade, see www.tourexpo.com or www.Americade.org.
Special events during the week include:
- Stunt riding exhibition by Chris Pfeiffer, the 2007 and 2008 Indoor Street Bike Freestyle World Champion, on Saturday, June 7 at 11:30 a.m. at the BMW BBQ at the end of the Americade Parade
- Riding shows at Roaring Brook Ranch, featuring intricate maneuvers by a Michigan-based 8-motorcycle "drill team" on Tuesday, June 3 at 5:00 p.m., followed by a riding skills show entitled "Total Control"
- "Balloon Glow," four or five tethered hot air balloons lit internally at Roaring Brook Ranch on Wednesday, June 4 at 9:30 p.m.
- "Light Parade," 30 to 40 motorcycles lit up with neon lights at Roaring Brook Ranch on Thursday, June 5 at sundown (around 9:30 p.m.)
The Lake George Area in New York's Adirondacks is home to many events all year long. For more information on this event and many others, please contact the Warren County Tourism Department at 800-365-1050 ext. 5100. The Lake George Area is an easy-to-reach, affordable, year round vacation destination for the whole family. There is a wide range of lodging, camping and dining options, with easy access off I-87. For free information on lodging, camping, dining, events and activities, visit www.VisitLakeGeorge.com.
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FACT SHEET ON AMERICADE
What is Americade? The world's largest multi-brand motorcycle touring rally, a convention of riders and passengers who enjoy riding tourers, sport tourers and cruising motorcycles
Attendance: 50,000+ people annually in recent years
Location: Headquarters at Roaring Brook Ranch, Route 9N, Lake George, New York
Dates for 2008: June 2 - 7
Special event for 2008: Stunt riding exhibition by Chris Pfeiffer, the 2007 and 2008 Indoor Street Bike Freestyle World Champion, Saturday, June 7, at 11:30 a.m at the BMW BBQ at the end of Americade Parade.
History: Started in 1983 by veteran motorcyclist Bill Dutcher and a small staff, the first "Cade" in the East was called "Aspencade East," named after a touring motorcycle rally in Ruidoso, New Mexico called Aspencade. Dutcher arranged with the Aspencade organizer to use the name for the eastern touring rally. He chose Lake George, gateway to the Adirondack Park, because it was a large, friendly resort community with many scenic roads, easy access from interstates and exceptional natural beauty. The first TourExpo tradeshow, offering everything from top-quality riding gear, to seats, luggage, motorcycle trailers, chrome, lighting or sound systems, and other products made for motorcycle touring, was held at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The first year of Aspencade East drew more than 2,000 people.
In 1986, the name Aspencade East was changed to "Americade," because the new name better reflected the multibrand, national rally that it had become. By then, attendance had grown to nearly 10,000, making it the largest touring motorcycle rally in the world. That year, the TourExpo was moved to a large, gravel parking lot on Beach Road in Lake George Village, so it would be closer to accommodations and riding activities. In 1994, the Tour Expo was moved again, to the Million Dollar Beach parking lot next to Lake George, which remains one of its two locations today. The second TourExpo location, used since 2004, is The Forum, Lake George's convention center.
What goes on at Americade? Every year, new tours and activities are added. Americade 2008 features a drill team show, scavenger hunts, 17 manufacturers offering demonstration rides on new "bikes and trikes," two TourExpo tradeshows, two rodeos, boat cruises, 21 motorcycle mini-tours throughout the Adirondack Park, competitions in a number of categories, 50+ seminars and clinics, featured speakers, stunt shows, charity poker runs, parades, hot air balloons, parties, fireworks and more.
