By Gary Wamsley
Berthoud Recorder

Watching more than a 1,000 motorcycles roll into town was quite a sight. They were not nearly as noisy as I had anticipated. This was the first time that the Realities For Children motorcycle poker run came through Berthoud and, of course, our first time to sponsor it. We were not quite sure what to expect.

We were one of five stop over points on the ride and we wanted the riders to see what Berthoud has to offer and to enjoy their stop here. Thanks to the hard work by all the BMX families, I think we succeeded. The bikers seemed to enjoy Fickel Park and the local bands that provided the music. Berthoud was the only non-commercial stop on the ride and when I asked the afternoon group, for whom we were the last stop, they rated us as one of the two best places.

I helped a little in setting up the tents for the motorcycle rally, but I was a little stiff and sore from the base ball game on Saturday. The Berthoud Blues, masquerading as a Loveland team, played the Territorial All Stars in a vintage base ball game sponsored by the Loveland Historical Society. I acquitted myself adequately in my fielding play at first base and as behind (catcher), but I have never been a very good batsman. While I did manage to get on base twice, none of my hits got out of the infield.

Not having played for a couple of years, I discovered some muscles were just not prepared for the adventure. By the time I got home from the game my thighs were already beginning to complain. That is what I should expect from trying play the game as if I was still in my thirties. In spite of the discomfort, I plan to play in the Berthoud Day game. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed playing and I think everyone would enjoy coming out to watch. While the vintage in “Vintage Base Ball” refers to the age of the rules, many of the players are also vintage.

In addition to those events, the school activities are coming fast and furious. We have photos of both the elementary schools’ fifth-grade showcases and the middle school band performance as well as the senior class Baccalaureate. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is enough room in the newspaper for all the photos. Be sure to check our Web site at www.berthoudrecorder.com for additional pictures.

The big finale of course will be the high school graduation and the send off of our seniors into the wide world of taking care of themselves. I have noticed that parents have mixed emotions about seeing their fledglings leave the nest after all these years. Some will be glad to have the spare bedroom, but many are shedding a tear or two over the thought.

This week also saw the retirement party for Berthoud High School Athletic Director Rusty Mathena. It will seem strange for a while without Leonard Sherman and Rusty Mathena at the high school. They have been great to work with and I will miss them.

With all the events coming, I am sure to see you around town.