All is set for Caribbean Eagles 10th Annual Bike Fest, which will be held in St. Maarten from November 8 to 11, and if you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to do so early to be part of this international event.
Up to yesterday, Wednesday, a total 54 bikers from Martinique, Guadeloupe, Marie Galant, St Barths, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Croix (whose bikes are already here), Anguilla, Monaco, Paris, Canada, USA and Luxemburg had already signed up for the event.
Caribbean Eagles President Jane Therond-Netto told Out ‘N About that many bikers sign up at the last minute so registration numbers are expected to increase. She said the first set of riders began arriving from France on Wednesday; also, Anguilla will be coming with a group this year and Caribbean Eagles is “very excited” about this development. “For us, we share brotherhood, honour and respect.”
Therond-Netto said the event is a very important one for the country. “We showcase the beauty of our island; and once the bikers visit, they keep coming back – each time staying longer and telling friends. All the bikers that came before keep coming back. This year is our 10th anniversary and Hubert Pop from Curacao is coming for the 10th time. That must mean something.” She said bikers are a special group of people, sharing the same passion, “but more important, you first need to meet them and become friends, then they become more than family and that is for life.”
For riders already on island, registration will begin at 4:00pm at the Caribbean Eagles clubhouse on Orange Grove Road in Cole Bay on Thursday, November 8. Riders arriving on Friday, November 9, can register from 4:00 to 7:30pm. Bikers that are signed up already can start the weekend with a sunset ride to enjoy the beauty of St. Maarten. The ride will bring them back to the Club on Orange Grove 11 to enjoy a welcome party with food, shows and live music.
An around-the-island ride will begin on Saturday, November 10, promptly at 11:30am. Lunch, games and dancing will take place at Karakter Beach and participants will then ride again and stop at the TelEm parking lot, where there will be a car show. At 7:00pm, bikers will meet again at the club where they will enjoy many activities such as a wet T-shirt contest, entertainment by Control Band and shows.
On Sunday, November 11, bikers will meet at the clubhouse at 11:00am and the final ride will begin at 11:30am. Bikers will meet up with a car rally and ride one part of their route with them, following which the bikers will go to Emilio’s and enjoy the activities there at discounted group rates for those not afraid of the adventure. At 7:00pm on the same day, the bikers will meet at the club to enjoy music, Jell-O wrestling, a prize giving ceremony and “a surprise.”
International riding rules will be followed and helmets are required for all rides. Riders without helmets will not be permitted to ride with the group.
Therond-Netto urges automobile drivers to take special care when driving during the Bike Fest weekend as there will be many bikes on the road. She said there will not be any “willies and burnout aloud” during the rides. However, at the end of the Fest, bikers will have a “burnout competition.”
Persons who would like to rent their bikes for the fest can call 1 (721) 520-7015.
