[DTBickfo]

Where are you staying?

 

[823Jim]

Not going this year, but went a couple of years back. We stayed at the KOA at Lake Bomoseen near Castleton, Vermont. A little out of the way, about an hours ride from Lake George. Our little group did not mind the ride to get from there to Americade activities, it was kind of the whole point of the trip from Michigan was to ride the area and see as much of the area as possible. Rode different routes to Lake George everyday, rode up to the Ticonderoga ferry crossing of Champlain and even further north to the bridge crossing at Crown Point.

The group..............Me on ferry ride...........The ferry........................The Champlain bridge

Bigfoot in Vermont...........Koa campground............Waiting in line for the ferry

Have a great trip and enjoy the area.

 

[sr71]

Where are you staying?

My two sons and I are going, Tuesday through Friday. Staying at Fort William Henry.

 

[Davagail]

What's the cost to get in amercade? Thanks

 

[DTBickfo]

What's the cost to get in amercade? Thanks

Costs depend on what you want to do. Pleas follow the americade link.

HOME - Americade

americade.com

 

[ChiefC]

Staying in Queensbury Holiday Inn Express. Hoping for as little rain as possible in the Lake George region.
We have been going to Americade for twenty plus years, now we pretty much just ride the great roads, hang out on Canada street during the evening. Do the expo one day and maybe a demo ride or two.

 

[sr71]

Chief, Sounds like my normal itinerary. First time there with both of my boys. One went last year both this year. Been doing this almost from the beginning. The folks that I rode with are getting older and don't ride anymore but at 75 I'm still hanging in. I like the Lake Placid, Saranac Lake ride. Also going to Fort Ticonderoga again this year. Haven't been there since they changed the admission fee. Come back on the ferry into Vermont.

 

[Davagail]

Thanks for all the information everyone. Gret forum for new wing owner

 

[ChiefC]

What's the cost to get in amercade? Thanks

Here is the link to the pre-registration and info page: HOME - Americade

Like I said in an earlier post, we don't "register or pay the event fee". We use it as a time to ride the area with like minded individuals. We buy a one day pass $20.00 per person a day. That gets you into the vendor area as well as the demo rides. My opinion only, but anything else does not interest me. Some people may like the large group rides with a ride captain and pre planned lunch, that's not for us. The riding is great with lots of nice destinations, Vermont, covered bridges, we even went to Montreal years ago. I'm sure you will enjoy your time there.

 

[Nelsress]

Wow! You guys are planning for an event that's next June!! I bought my first Wing in 1990, an 82 Interstate but have never made any of the Goldwing specific events. If it attracts that many people that I need to make reservations a year in advance, it sounds too crowded for me!!!
That said, I'll have to go to the links above and see what all the event entails. It's held in an area that's got great riding roads all around, that's for sure!
LOL, when I read the title of the thread I thought, 'Maybe I'll ride to that this summer.', not knowing that this year's event has already come and gone!

 

[sr71]

Got home from Americade 2022 Saturday afternoon after four days at Lake George. We stayed at Fort William Henry and were pretty disappointed in the venue. The staff were all good people who helped in many ways. There was no evening meal service in the hotel restaurant, nor was there any bar service available. Breakfast buffet was for the most part acceptable except for the fact that the food was luke warm at best. for almost 18.00 bucks a pop it was disappointing to say the least.
Now for the Expo and vendors, or should I say "lack of vendors". I believe that there were at least a third of the vendors that there used to be. Kuryaken was there with a very small booth. They usually have a tractor trailer full of all of their wares. The guys in the booth said that they sold the tractor trailer. No Bridgestone truck either. The demos seemed to be doing well and there was a good number for you to pick from.
To sum things up, it would not surprise me if this were the last Americade. Even the parking on the main street of town, Canada Street, had as many cages parked on it as bikes. Glad I got to bring both of my boys with me this year as I probably won't be going again. Guess I'll have to find another rally to go to.

 

[Fisk]

I live 40 minutes south of the village and have been to LG many many many times. i am very spoiled as I can just ride up if the weather is good. Lately the attendance is way down and this year I just wasn’t feeling the urge to go. Being local I can tell you there are awesome riding roads in the adirondacks. The Saturday of, we were in the area but just avoided the crowds. must of been 150 bikes at sporty’s bar in Minerva by 1pm so we rode over the blue ridge to North Hudson for lunch. Americade used to be huge for the area, now not as much, with attendance way down and the accidents way up its not looking good. The guy that crashed his crotch rocket into the family on the bike path killing two didn’t help either.

 

[bcihil]

Amer

I live 40 minutes south of the village and have been to LG many many many times. i am very spoiled as I can just ride up if the weather is good. Lately the attendance is way down and this year I just wasn’t feeling the urge to go. Being local I can tell you there are awesome riding roads in the adirondacks. The Saturday of, we were in the area but just avoided the crowds. must of been 150 bikes at sporty’s bar in Minerva by 1pm so we rode over the blue ridge to North Hudson for lunch. Americade used to be huge for the area, now not as much, with attendance way down and the accidents way up its not looking good. The guy that crashed his crotch rocket into the family on the bike path killing two didn’t help either.

Americade changed when Christian took it over. Many events were eliminated and the crowd changed. I attended fot 28 years, but the last two I went to changed my mind. Beer and food trucks everywhere. Not an enjoyable experience any more.Turned into a northern Daytona.

 

[Fisk]

Americade changed when Christian took it over. Many events were eliminated and the crowd changed. I attended fot 28 years, but the last two I went to changed my mind. Beer and food trucks everywhere. Not an enjoyable experience any more.Turned into a northern Daytona.

I am not looking to discourage americade because I am glad it’s there for me, but you are right it is way different now. It just seems like it now is how much can we charge both the attendee’s and the vendors to give to charity. $20 just to get into the expo where they charge a couple thousand to the vendors for the space so they raise prices to cover their costs. Yes the demo’s are fun but the bike manufacturers have deeper pockets then the vendors. So less motorcycle vendors and more non motorcycle type vendors. There are a ton of volunteers and lots of people want to see it succeed and I hope it does. Lots of great mountain passes and lots to do. Problem is with so many internet sales less people want to shell out $20 to go shop where no deals are to be had because the vendors are just trying to break even for the week. Just IMHO

 

[bcihil]

I agree that charging $20 to get into the expo hurt the vendors. When the vendors were located in the Beach parking lot, there were at least 300 of them.As far as the charity end of the cost, they also stopped the Saturday BBQ that used to be run by the Rotary, a charity. Now it's food trucks that make a good profit selling less than appetizing food. And the Fireworks that WE paid for in our registration are free to the general public. Of course that makes even more profit for the food and beer vendors.
The changes that were made have a lot to do with the lower attendance.

 

[sr71]

I am not looking to discourage americade because I am glad it’s there for me, but you are right it is way different now. It just seems like it now is how much can we charge both the attendee’s and the vendors to give to charity. $20 just to get into the expo where they charge a couple thousand to the vendors for the space so they raise prices to cover their costs. Yes the demo’s are fun but the bike manufacturers have deeper pockets then the vendors. So less motorcycle vendors and more non motorcycle type vendors. There are a ton of volunteers and lots of people want to see it succeed and I hope it does. Lots of great mountain passes and lots to do. Problem is with so many internet sales less people want to shell out $20 to go shop where no deals are to be had because the vendors are just trying to break even for the week. Just IMHO

When talking to a vendor who has been there for years, the fee for the area which she occupies cost her company ten grand. Add this to the cost of fuel for the trucks to come from the mid-west and get home again and you can see why the vendors aren't there.

 

[bcihil]

When talking to a vendor who has been there for years, the fee for the area which she occupies cost her company ten grand. Add this to the cost of fuel for the trucks to come from the mid-west and get home again and you can see why the vendors aren't there.

Takes a lot of sales just to pay the fee. I'm sure the Town of Lake George is only getting a small portion of that money. Wonder where the rest goes? I know a lot of the smaller vendors were setting up in Warrensburg Fairgrounds. No admission fee there and I'm sure the vendor fees were a lot lower.
Americade is pricing themselves out of existence.
The first 10-15 years I was there, the attendance was close 70,000.