40-year Americade volunteers tell about the rally's evolution, its allure

LAKE GEORGE | Over the four-decade history of the Americade motorcycle rally, founder Bill Dutcher as well as his son Christian, now the rally's director, have said a key element of the success of the event — which draws riders from all over North America and overseas — has been due to the dedication and expertise of its dozens of volunteers. This year, on the 40th anniversary of the nation's premier touring motorcycle rally, Christian Dutcher noted that three of Americade's volunteers have assisted in conducting the rally for every one of those 40 years. The rally was founded in 1983 and was held annually through 2023 except for 2020 when the COVID lockdown canceled it. These 40-year volunteers are Bill Hawkins of Albany, Ray Vaillancourt of the Cleveland Ohio area, and Donna Stamper of Tennessee. On June 2, the next-to-last day of the week-long 2023 edition of Americade, they offered their thoughts about the rally's evolution and their motivations for volunteering every year of its 40-year history. In their early years volunteering for Americade, they were all residents of Northeastern New York: Stamper was from Queensbury, and Hawkins and Vaillancourt were from the Albany area. All three were members of Capital Region motorcycle clubs. They said Bill Dutcher, in organizing the rally in early 1983, visited the several largest motorcycle clubs in the region and recruited volunteers. Stamper said she was a member of the Adirondack Riders Club based in Glens Falls, and the two men said they were members of Spitzie's Roamers Club based in Colonie. Stampler said she volunteered because her husband was a motorcycle rider, but he died in 2008. "I like meeting the same people over and over and over," she said, referring to socializing with Americaders year after year. "I just like doing it," she added, shrugging her shoulders. Stamper added that in her duty at Americade's registration tables, she "looks for the faces" of Americaders to recognize her friends so they can socialize later. Stamper also has worked getting motorcycles lined up, or "staging" them for the rally's various group tours. Hawkins noted that Stamper's dedication to volunteering at Americade is demonstrated by the 1,000-plus miles that she annually drives from a Nashville suburb to Lake George in order to help run the rally. Also, Hawkins recalled when Bill Dutcher recruited motorcyclists from Spitzie's Riders prior to Americade's debut in 1983. "We were experienced motorcyclists, and that's what Bill was looking for, as well as riders who had good rapport with people." When asked about his motivation to volunteer without fail for 40 years, Hawkins said he started riding motorcycles when he was 18 years old, and that he's now 79. "It's sort of my way of giving back to motorcycling," he said, adding that he has eight motorcycles parked in his garage, but he now rides a three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder due to health reasons. "I have an artificial knee and a pacemaker, so I figured it was time to grow up and stop falling over — and ride on three wheels to be safe." Hawkins recalled how only 1,700 or so people attended the first Americade, which has since hosted up to 60,000 people in its heydays in the 1990s and 2000s. He also said he enjoys going to motorcycling events of all sizes and being recognized by other motorcyclists as a road tour leader, an event coordinator, or a rally greeter for Americade. "Americade wants experienced volunteers who are knowledgeable and can help people decide what they want to do at the rally," he said. Vaillancourt continues to volunteer although he doesn't ride motorcycles now due to health issues. He said that he's witnessed changes in the demographics of those attending — participants are now older, rather than in the rally's early years when the prime attendees were sport/touring riders who were in their 20s and 30s. Also, rally-goers are now attending with their family members. Hawkins agreed, noting that he only saw 100 or so riders in their 20s or early 30s this year. "In recent years I've seen very few 'crotch rockets'" Hawkins said, referring to high-powered sport bikes. "Most of the bikes are touring motorcycles or cruisers." Vaillancourt jumped back into the conversation. "….Except on the weekends when you get the 'Klingons' coming up to Lake George who want to raise Cain," he said with a smile. Donna said the term 'Klingons' didn't refer to Star Trek villains, but rather motorcyclist daytrippers who want to be seen on the street but don't want to pay registration fees. Hawkins said there's another variety of Klingons that pull into the village on Friday and Saturday nights during the rally with couches and beer coolers in the back of their pickups, seeking to park and watch the custom motorcycles cruise down Canada Street. "They're weekend warriors," he said. Hawkins added that in recent years, more and more riders are bringing their dogs, particularly this year. He noted that the volunteers now put out dog dishes and make sure they stay full of water. Stamper said that Americade has become multi-generational — that those children who attended with their parents a generation ago are now returning as adults who ride. "Through the years, we've watched them grow up," she said. Hawkins recalled that in the rally's earliest years, local officials, merchants and motel owners were wary of a motorcycle rally being held in the village — except for Robert Blais, who was mayor at the time. Blais retired this April, after holding the title of the nation's longest-serving present mayor for several years. "Local officials weren't totally accepting of the idea of a motorcycle rally, but after two or three years they realized we weren't attracting the 'one-percenters,'" he said referring to rowdy "outlaw" motorcyclists. Vaillancourt said that in 1983, most businesses and many motels were closed down — but it's common knowledge that in ensuing years, merchants and other business people have discovered that Americade boosted the local economy — by up to $42 million annually, according to an independent study. "During the 1983 Americade, there were few hotels or restaurants open — if you were hungry, you'd have to go south to a pizza place by Route 149," Vaillancourt said. Hawkins concluded by saying that his longevity in volunteering wasn't really too remarkable. "There are many volunteers just behind us who have worked at Americade for 25 or more years," he said.

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40-year Americade volunteers tell about the rally's evolution, its allure

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