Snowshoe Mountain resort and the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) got some good news in July when the nine West Virginia chapters of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) voted to hold their 2012 state rally in Pocahontas County.

The last time the HOG held their rally in Pocahontas County was in 2005, when more than 900 motorcycles and 1,100 riders arrived to enjoy a weekend of touring country roads and a variety of special events.

Steve Drumheller, with Snowshoe's sales division, and Cara Rose, director of the CVB, were among those who worked to attract the motorcycle group back to Pocahontas County. The resort agreed to some rate discounts and the CVB agreed to coordinate special events for the bikers, including a pig roast picnic.

Drumheller said the group reserved 1,100 rooms at the resort for the rally weekend.

As part of the deal, the HOG insisted that Snowshoe not host another motorcycle rally for 45 days before or after the HOG rally. Drumheller said he was unsure why the group insisted on the condition.

The HOG rally will be held July 13-15, the same weekend that Snowshoe has hosted the Freedom Fest motorcycle rally for the last six years. Drumheller said resort management had not decided whether the Freedom Fest rally would be held in 2012.

The Freedom Fest was open to riders of all different models of motorcycles, but has declined in attendance over the last few years. The HOG is the official riding group of Harley-Davidson and open only to Harley-Davidson owners.

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