Four Seasons' Frosty Ball Run

Not frosty, but everyone had a ball

by PhillyDude

NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE, FEBRUARY 10---Over 500 Mid Atlantic riders gathered for the 26th annual Frosty Ball Run, sponsored by the Four Seasons Motorcycle Club. Despite the ride's descriptive name, this year's gathering saw temperatures hovering around 50 degrees, making for perfect riding conditions in the state of Delaware. With a total distance of approximately 40 miles this year, the Frosty Ball Run was designed to bring out the year-round riders, no matter what the forecast. But with overcast skies, mild temperatures, and dry pavement, there was no one complaining about cold weather this year.

Other Frosty Ball Runs have not been blessed with such comfortable weather.

"Last year, we had a high temperature of only 32 degrees," recalled Bobby Harkins of the Four Seasons MC. "We still had 360 people show up for the one," he laughed. When pressed to think back to a time when Mother Nature absolutely refused to cooperate, Harkins brought up a Frosty Ball Run from the ride's very early days, when it wasn't only cold weather, but also a significant snowfall that kept the rider home. "There were about 10 people... we just went around the corner to the pizza place."

Several neighboring motorcycle clubs joined Four Seasons for the Frosty Ball Run this year, including the Tribe MC and the members of First State H.O.G., making the paring lot at the run's end point, M.R. Docs, a patchwork of colors and coalitions. The majority of the motorcycles, however, were Harley-Davidsons. Once they reached the restaurant, the riders enjoyed a nice buffet and beverages, and the air was full of tales of previous Four Seasons MC rides and plans fot the impending riding season in the Northeast. In fact, many motorcyclists consider the Frosty Ball Run to be the unofficial kickoff to the spring schedule.

The run took riders on a route designed to take advantage of the senic beauty of the region, and included country lanes with picturesques names like "Beaver Valley Road." And even if you got a little lost along the way (because what fun is a ride with your friends if you don't end up a little off course?), somehow riding along in the middle of February with no sign of snowfall, following a peaceful creek as it winds its way through the Brandywine Valley, and crossing an old-fashioned one-lane covered bridge, made even the unplaned detours enjoyable.

"We'ed really like to thank everyone who came out and supported the club and the event," concluded Harkins. "We hope everyone had a good time." He also noted the the club's next event, the May Day Poker Run (May5) was one of the larger fundraisers for the organization, and welcomed any and all riders to join with Four Seasons on this date.

Four Seasons MC hosts severalrides throughout the year, most notably their companion ride to the "Frosty Ball," known as the "Sweaty Ball," scheduled this year for Sunday, August 11. All Four Seasons MC rides leave from Prices Corner at the intersection of Route 2 and Route 141 in Wilmington, Delaware. For more information, check out the club's website at www.fourseasonsmc.com.