Rock The River Fun Run Day 1—Family Time
Loud as it was, the sound of rain pounding the roof yesterday at Manhattan Harbor Marina in Dayton, Ky, wasn’t enough to drown out the voices of 150-plus friends glad to see each other. And the downpour, which delayed the start of the lunch run to the Cabana On The River Restaurant, wasn’t even close to enough to dampen vibe in the room.
Cabana On The River hosted yesterday’s Rock The River Lunch Run. Photos Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
“This is kind of like a big family reunion for a bunch of us from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana,” shouted Chad Miller of Ohio, who ran his Outerlimits V-bottom, a big grin creasing his face. “A lot of us haven’t seen each other for a while.”
Just before 11 a.m., local Mike Caliguri, who has worked closely alongside the Feldhaus twins, Matt and Pat, to organize the event for the past four years, announced the lunch run would start after storm-cell passed.
The 65-boat fleet boasted some absolute classics.
“It’s supposed to clear up in the 30 minutes,” he told the group.
The sound of rain combined with loud hum of a large fan that kept the gooey air moving almost drowned him out
No one seemed concerned. They knew they’d be ripping down their beloved Ohio River at some point in the day. In the meantime, they were together.
The Henschens struck a pose with their loyal bar staff and organizers Mike Caligari, Pat Feldhaus and Matt Feldhaus. Photos by Matt Trulio.
“Worst case, we hang out here all day,” Miller said, then laugnhed and shrugged,
Good to Caliguri’s word, the skies parted and by 12:30 p.m. the 65-boat fleet was on its way to Cabana On The River restaurant, a favorite hang among powerboat fans. The waterfront venue has been owned and operated by Louis Henschen and his family for 35 years. For the past four—now five—of those years, the Henschens have picked up the entire lunch tab, The bartenders even donate all of their tips to the cause, as the event supports the Cecil Dye Foundation.
The kitchen crew at Cabana on the River fed approximately 300 people yesterday.
“This is all about the local community and family getting together for a great cause,” said Adam Henschen, who manages the operation for his family.
Nearby, the Feldhaus brothers and Caliguri paused for to check out the joyful crowed. Though they’re not opposed to producing a larger event, they’re not sure where they’d find the real estate to do it.
The boat mix was both eclectic and classic,
“Our big problem for future growth is going be space,” Pat Feldhaus explained.
By the time group began departing around 2:30 p.m., the venue had fed—and fed well—almost 300 people.
Rain returned for the traditional Rock The River Street Party presented by Smoke Justis restaurant, but it didn’t last long. The celebratory exhibition took over a couple of blocks worth of prime Cincinnati real estate with 20 boats and exotic cars. From Cigarette to Outerlimits, almost every brand in the 124- boat fleet registered for today’s event had eye-catching representation.
Scenes from the Rock the River Fun street party.
And yet there was plenty of space for hundreds of people to walk around. And plenty of options for those wanting dinner or simply to enjoy adult libations while enjoying the hardware view.
“What do think?” asked Pat Feldhaus, who is an unfailing gracious and appreciative host, a reporter. “We used to have it in another place. But I think this is a lot better. “We’re always trying to make it a little better,” he add.
A little early rain didc nothing to dampen a beautiful night.
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