Charlie St. Clair, the heart and soul of New Hampshire’s famous summer biker convention, has passed away.
St. Clair for 35 years was head of Laconia Motorcycle Week, a seasonal gathering of motorcycle buffs, the largest such rally in the U.S.
The organization he headed as executive director since 1991 announced St. Clair’s death on its Facebook page.
He died over the weekend from injuries he suffered three weeks ago while riding through Avon, Ohio.
“Charlie is incredibly fortunate to have so many friends and family. To everyone who called, prayed, sent messages/cards, and surrounded Charlie with so much love and positive energy, we cannot thank you enough for being there for him and for us,” the post reads.
Laconia Motorcycle Week Association said St. Clair’s accident was triggered by a tire issue on his motorcycle, according to WMTW-TV.
St. Clair, 76, was on his way to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, with a large group of riders when he left the road, the TV outlet reported.
He was inducted into the Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame in 2008 and was awarded “Promoter of the Year” by the American Motorcyclist Association nine years ago.
St. Clair was a four-year member of the New Hampshire House, District 5, Belknap, and the Laconia Planning Board.
He was born in Laconia on April 16, 1950.
The wildly popular biker event St. Clair headed is centered around Weirs Beach and Lake Winnipesaukee.
The nine-day festival, held each June, features scenic rides, hill climbs, vintage and professional races at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and live music.
The oldest national motorcycle rally has roots reaching back to the summer of 1916, when a Gypsy Tour gathered for several days at Weirs Beach on the southern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee.
“In the early 1900s, Gypsy Tours were organized loosely and unofficially as a way for riders to gather and enjoy other related activities of interest including races and hill climbs,” according to LaconiaMCWeek.com.
“It was a way for motorcycle enthusiasts to share their passions,” the group says. “Each year, typically around the same summer weekend, riders would travel long distances, sleeping in tents and swapping stories around campfires, to converge on a favorite location.”
Rally organizers said the event, first organized in 1916, has missed seven summers due to events such as World War II and the Great Depression.
So technically they don’t classify it as an “annual” event since they lost seven years of intervening American history.
The 104th rally is set for June 12 through June 20, 2027.
He’d probably prefer passing in this manner over wasting away in a bed. RIP.