Thanks to all who came out for the Seventh Annual Team Cramp Reunion Ride and Chili Cook-Off! As always, the party was a great success thanks to the efforts and hard work of the Team Cramp Crew. With everyone scattered from Houston to Dallas and beyond, it's easy to lose touch with old friends. It's great to have this opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and ride like old times (sort of).

First, thanks are in order. To the Team Cramp Crew, Ben Coffman, Jerry Dietsch, Randy Heideman, Ed Hixon, Bill Newkirk, Darren Porter, Randy Porter, Greg Schaefer, Brad Whitworth, and Mike Williams, for making the party possible. To Terry McNally for providing the First Place Chili Trophy. To Mark Watson for organizing the golf game. To Ed Davis, Ed Hixon, Bill Steitenroth, Bill Hance, Ron Kent, and Mike Rice for serving as Judges. To Bill and Jodie Hance, Mark Watson, Randy Heideman, Bill Blackburn, Jan Heideman, Ginny Davis, Shannon May, Dru Phelps, and many, many others for their help with the pre- and post-party preparations.

Sunshine and blue skies brought the campers out on Friday to kick off the weekend festivities. The Team Cramp Crew prepped the track and, after a delicious steak & pasta dinner served up by Master Chef Mike Hance, serious pre-party celebrations began! Saturday brought perfect weather for golfing and riding, cool and misty. The Team Cramp Golf Team led by Mark Watson, Ed Hixon, and Bill Newkirk, enjoyed a morning on the links. Golf scores remain a mystery, but it appears much beer was consumed. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the riding got started early. First time attendee, Rob Brandon from Austin took this year's First on the Track Award! What a great ride we had! Some of the fastest riders in Texas were in attendance. It's not often we have the opportunity to ride with Kirk Spencer, Kirk Dillon, Mark Rakestraw, Steve Mullholland, and of course Buddy Byrnes!

The Third Annual Poker Run, generously sponsored by Iron Eagle Motorcycles, Lonestar Metalwerx, Circle F Enterprises, and Classic Auto Body, had a record number of participants (21 riders)! Thanks to organizers Darren Porter and Brad Whitworth, dealer Mary Ann Thomas, and volunteers Denise, Michael, Dru, Shannon, Lance, Randy, and Jan who manned the stops.

We had seventeen entries in the cook-off competition this year, with lots of newcomers, including Collin Byrnes who, at 13, holds the record as our youngest chili cook! All the entries were winners and picking just one was a tough job, but our well-seasoned panel of judges, Bill Hance, Ed Hixon, Ron Kent, Mike Rice, and Bill Steitenroth, directed by Chief Judge Ed Davis, rose to the challenge! In the eclectic Mystery Category, Lance Ferguson took first place with a delicious and delicately seasoned shrimp gumbo and Tim Akers took second with a delightfully cheesy crawfish etoufe. The hotly contested Beans Competition brought the Bean Czar Title back to Grimes County with a first place win by Fritz Weighot; Tim Akers, took second, with Garvice Risinger (from Madison County) taking third. The Chili Category contained a contentious collection of competitors, but the 2004 First Place Chili Trophy went hands down to Jill Tinkham! Tom Aylett, a new competitor this year, drove down from Dallas to take second place in the Chili Category, with Tim Akers (does that name sound familiar?) taking Third. (We'd like to mention here that Akers came dangerously close to reaching his Triple Crown goal!) And finally, in the fashionably incorrect Haute Couture Competition, Secret Fashion Judge Tim Akers (who subbed this year for TC's Official Secret Fashion Judge Terry McNally) had no problem selecting this year's Fashion Faux Pas! The First Place Best Dressed Tiara and Mink went to the stunningly attired, highly accessorized team of Buddy and Collin Byrnes! Second up was Six Shooter Kevin Felle showing his Cowboy Couture line, with Mike Hance taking third with his signature collection of After Five Party Couture.

After the final chili was tasted and the last bean eaten, the party moved to the Team Cramp Bar for some good conversation and after dinner drinks served up by Master of Mixology Mike Williams and his friend Jagermeister. Williams' Surprise Spritzers and Jill Tinkham's signature Jillo® Shots provided a refreshing side to Trey's grilled dove breast dessert tidbits. True to Ben Coffman's prediction, and despite Williams' best efforts, Sweet Willie remained standing all night! Not so lucky, a number of others succumbed to Williams' Jagermeister Power Drinks, including Williams himself, who was forced to remove himself from his post behind the TC Bar. Some time later, after a lengthy search and rescue mission led by Mark Watson and Dru Phelps, Williams was found deep in conversation with a duck decoy in the bathroom of the guesthouse. Shannon May, TC's Official Greeter, takes this year's title as First Man Down, providing entertaining conversation for all those who stopped by to visit.

An exciting Post-Party Event was the installation of Randy Heideman in the elite and exclusive Team Cramp membership! Heideman passed the stringent initiation test and the Team Cramp Boys toasted their new comrade!

The good times continued on Sunday as a few brave souls and bad heads hit the trails for one last ride… until next year!