Fall Run Will Once Again Thunder Out of Adams

ADAMS, Mass. — A group of local volunteers will revive a long-standing tradition that has lain dormant for the past four years: the Fall Run.

The popular motorcycle ride had been sponsored by Custom City Cycles and was an annual event in Berkshire County from 1982 until 2017. Originally a small group of friends, the ride quickly morphed into a 2,000-plus rider event that raised more than a half-million dollars for local charities, especially Shriners Hospital.

In 2017, however, Mike Roberts, an owner of Custom City, announced that the Fall Run would no longer happen. According to the Fall Run's new webpage, "Mike joked … that it may take someone like Jay Leno and a million dollars to bring it back.

"We are here to tell you," the organizers continued, "there is no Jay Leno and no million dollars, but a small group of volunteers are meeting weekly planning to bring back the ride that brought to much joy to so many people."

Jeff Snoonian, one of the founders of the revival, does not even ride a motorcycle.

"I'm a civic-minded guy," he told iBerkshires. So in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdowns, Snoonian decided to do something about it. "You can't just sit around while COVID was happening for a year and a half."

He reached out to Mike Steuer, a longtime rider and past participant in the Fall Run, and said, "like two idiots, let's get the Fall Run back together."

"We found more idiots," he said, who quickly agreed to get working. "The response so far has been incredible."

Snoonian said they have three or four dozen volunteers now, but probably need around 50 more to really run the ride smoothly. Steuer noted that the volunteers are the key to running the Fall Run. The "people that are involved are what's gonna make this happen," he said.

The group is excited to welcome motorcyclists back to Berkshire County.

"People made it part of their fall pilgrimage," said Dave Boyer, another founding member of the revival, referring to previous years' Fall Run rides. Indeed, Boyer told iBerkshires that riders in previous years came from as far away as Buffalo, N.Y., and parts of New Jersey.

Snoonian mentioned that some of the final Fall Runs raised tensions between the group's organizers and the town of Adams. This year, Snoonian said, that couldn't be further from the truth.

He said, "the second I walk[ed] into Town Hall, and mention[ed] what we wanted to do, they said, 'whatever you need, we're behind you 100 percent.'"

The 69-mile ride will begin at Bowe Field in Adams, go south through Adams on Route 8, take Route 116 into Ashfield, and then come back via Route 112 and 8A. It will also finish at Bowe Field.

The Fall Run was always a charity event, and the organizing committee gave more than $500,000 to the Shriners throughout the ride's history. This year's Fall Run also aims to donate the proceeds — this time, to the American Legion Riders and local American Legion posts in order to help veterans and their families.

The Fall Run will take place Sept.19. It begins and ends at Bowe Field, after which there will be a party that will be open to the public for free (with a suggested donation of $5). David Nicholas, owner of the Bounti-Fare restaurant, is providing the catering. They are also having a series of raffles at the afterparty, as well as some live bands, and will be hosting a fundraiser golf tournament at Forest Park Country Club prior to the ride.

Registration is available now through the website. The cost is $15 per person until August, after which it will cost $20. Riders can register any time up to and including the day of the ride. Volunteers can reach out to the group via the Facebook page or website.

Steuer is most looking forward to the sheer sense of wonder that observers get when they see the caravan of bikes go by. It's "surreal," he said. He likened it to "thunder coming down the road."

Structure Fire in Adams Closes Schools, Calls in Mutual Aid

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
09:43AM / Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Fire Chief John Pansecchi, in white, talks strategy on Wednesday. 

ADAMS, Mass. — At least eight fire companies responded to a Wednesday morning a structure fire in the old MacDermid Graphics building.

Firefighters and responders from Cheshire, Dalton, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lee, Savoy, North Adams, Pittsfield, Williamstown. Hinsdale also sent its rehab bus and Northern Berkshire EMS was on the scene with its rehab trailer. 

The fire was reported at about 7:30 a.m. and black smoke could be seen looming over the old mill building at 10 Harmony St. Harmony and Prospect streets were closed to traffic. 

The Adams Police Department posted on Facebook that Hoosac Valley Elementary School and Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School classes were cancelled for Wednesday. The schools are located not far from the structure.

Their post also reads, "Children on the bus already for Hoosac Valley Elementary School will be brought to the middle school gym at Hoosac Valley High School."

"BArT was already in session and will be evacuating to the Adams Visitor Center."

 

Fire Chief John Pansecchi said firefighters are approaching the blaze by pouring water at it from every angle.

 

"We have a fire in the building, looks like we have a lot of fire in the building and we're trying to get to it," he said. "Places have already collapsed prior to the fire, place that have collapsed since the fire, so not a lot of activity inside the building."

 

The mill, the former W.R. Grace, is made up of a number two- and three-story structures covering about 236,749 square feet. The fire was located in a long building toward the back of the property that runs alongside the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The roof was fully engulfed in flames and collapsed in on itself around by 8 a.m.

 

Trucks from Williamstown were being situated in the Russell Field parking lot and firefighters were trying to find a location where they could attack the blaze from the trail. 

 

Pansecchi said the building is supposed to be vacant.

 

"I was working when the call came in," he said. "My guys did a great job getting set up putting some hose lines and being prepared and got some plans put together when I got here to extend that and that's what were looking at."

 

The cause of the blaze is unknown at this time but the state fire marshal was on the scene. 

 

Pansecchi said firefighters are providing observations from the outside and the North Adams drone has been deployed to determine the extent of the blaze. The buildings are large and unsafe in most cases to enter. 

 

"We're making good progress but we're not at a point I'd call it contained," he said. "There's already places that have caved in prior to this."

 

He's been joined by fire chiefs from the various departments, who have been aiding the attack from different fronts. 

 

"It's a really big help [having them] because you've got so much going on fighting a fire you don't think of the other things," the Adams chief said. "They start making suggestions."

 

Some of the structures on the complex date to 1881, when Renfrew Manufacturing built to produce jacquard textiles. It was the last asset of the company, and its machines and inventory were stripped out in 1927. 

 

The mill's had various owners and periods of vacancy over the last century, but was probably best known as W.R. Grace, a specialty chemical company that bought it as part of the acquisition of Dewey & Almy Chemical in the mid-1950s. 

 

MacDermid took it over in 1999 but closed the plant three years later, putting 86 people out of work. 

 

The property has been vacant since and was purchased by 10 Harmony Street LLC for $53,500 in 2019, according the online assessor's records. Principal of the LLC is listed as John D. Duquette Jr.

 

This is a developing story ....