Hunnert Car Pile Up 2010

    
     Decatur, IL is the new home for the Hunnert Car Pile Up that was formerly held in Morris, IL for the past eight years. This past friday Oct. 8 a group of us from the Honda Chopper and Chopper Underground online forums met at Friends Creek Campground between Argenta & Cisco, IL to camp for the weekend, do some riding & partying, and to attend the Pile Up! We arrived friday evening to a warm welcome from the attendees that were already on site. That evening we saddled up and rode to the square in Clinton, IL for dinner, where the Pile Up organizers arranged for a pre-party that included cars, bikes and live music.

      Saturday morning found us a bit groggy from our late evening at the camp ground after returning from Clinton. Once we all had our morning coffee, soda or beer, and got around, we once again straddled our scooters this time heading for Decatur, stopping off for gas and a bit of grub before rolling on to the show.
     Once at Progress City on the east side of town, where the event was being held, we were coralled into the bike parking lot. Acres upon acres of old hot rods  littered the grounds, with a two wheeled machine scattered in here and there for good measure. There was a great mix of cars, trucks and vans. Everything from "rusty & crusty" to "the nines & shiny" were well represented. The vendors and swap meet areas had a lot of decent vendors too, hocking everything from shifter knobs & paintings, to tee shirts and old vintage steel for your project. Some overpriced, and some a helluva deal!

     Our group of 12-15 got split up almost immediately after entering the grounds. It seemed I couldn't go twenty feet without running into someone I knew, so the rest of the group kept moving while I chatted away. After walking in circles for a few hours and sweating out the few cans of beer we each drank, we sorta lingered around the Lucky 13 booth and the bathrooms as our group reassembled.
     Around 3 p.m. everyone decided we'd pretty much seen what we wanted to see and needed some rest from the unseasonably warm sun beating down on us, so we gathered up the remainder of our crew, picking up a few more peeps throughout the day, and headed back to the shady confines of camp.

     After scarfing down some pizzas and washing them down with a few cold beverages, we once again manned our machines and headed out to local hot rod aficianado, Aaron Grote's house for his after-party. Upon pulling up to the property we were flagged as where to park by some fellas at the entrance. The place was packed with more of the same old rides that had been at the Pile Up hours prior.

     We stuck around for a few hours chatting with other like minded folks and mingling a bit while listening the garage styled punk bands he had lined up. Later in the evening we deciding to head back to the campground where we could celebrate Chris' birthday party in true fashion....and that we did! Hijinx & Shenanigans abound once back at Friends Creek Park, where we were up until the wee hours of Sunday morning before deciding we'd better rest up for our varying return trips home later that day.
     It was a great weekend with unseasonably high temps in the mid 80's. We couldn't have asked for better weather. The riding was great and the company was even better. I can't wait for next year when the Pile Up returns to Decatur, IL!!!