The Seattle Cossacks Stunt Drill Team wowed crowds Aug. 20 at the Red Lion Hotel Vancouver at the Quay.
The team performed to kick off the 2010 Washington State H.O.G. Rally — a weeklong motorcycle trek across the state that starts in Vancouver.
The cossacks formed 70 years ago when a group of bike racers and hill climbers used stunts to entertain themselves between events. They eventually found their stunts could also entertain crowds.
The day after the team performed, Harley-Davidson enthusiasts left Vancouver to wind down the Columbia River Gorge and across the state to Yakima, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Spokane and Kennewick. Some riders also caught the Oregon rally, which starts the day after Washington’s ends.
Gregg Shaffer, rally coordinator, said the annual ride attracts bikers from across the nation. Some come from other countries including Canada and Australia.
