Cycle Connections

On Sunday, November 6, it was a chilly 40-mile ride from my home in Lee’s Summit to American Legion LeRoy Hill Post #19 in Gardner, Kansas where registration for the Toys for Tots Ride began at 10:00 a.m. The ride fee was $10 and a new unwrapped $10 toy. By the time the ride began at 11:00 a.m. the turnout had exceeded expectations with more than 50 people participating in the all-Kansas ride. Many were members of Chapter 19 or other area chapters.

The Thunder Beach Rallies have taken on a different “vibe” since the shakeup of the venue locations that used to run up and down Front Beach Road. Some of the older business’s that had been venue locations for years are no longer venues, and a few new ones have been added.

The “Old” Guys made their way to the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on October 12, 2016 for the start of the Barber Vintage Festival, presented by Triumph.

The inaugural TNT Poker run was held on October 29, 2016, and Red Rock Harley-Davidson graciously opened their doors early for biker registration. 40 riders participated in the run, which raised funds and awareness for the new Veterans Transition Resource Center in Las Vegas.

The 12th Annual Las Vegas Marine Riders Toys for Tots Poker Run was held on November 5, 2016. The Las Vegas Marine Riders were looking to break the 2015 Toys for Tots donation total of $21,000. Did they do it? Read on to find out!

With so much going on, it’s likely that I didn’t get a photograph of every award winner. Apologies to any who were missed. The bike show award list was prepared from a photograph of the list that was used to announce the winners. It’s a bit sketchy but is the best we have.  Click here to view the Sparks Halloween Bash article.

The annual Sparks Halloween Bash at Sparks America, Oklahoma, always brings out lots of great costumes.  Here is a sample.  Click here to view the Sparks Halloween Bash article.

Every year around Halloween time, Sparks America Campground plays host to a huge Halloween Biker Bash. This year’s event happened on the weekend of October 20 through 23. It was cold and wet as I left the Kansas City area behind and headed for Sparks, Oklahoma, where the weather was, thankfully, warmer and dry. When I arrived, I learned that in addition to all of the usual biker events there would also be a wedding. Friday evening, Jessie and James would be married on the Sparks America stage. Jessie is the daughter of Willy and Bambi who are well known…

On Sunday, September 24, 2016, around 60 bikers gathered in the parking lot at Rider’s Harley-Davidson in Trussville to register for this years ride to the Burkett Center. This is an annual fundraiser benefiting the Burkett Center, sponsored and coordinated by the CMA Pinson Chapter: C.H.R.O.M.E Cross Cruisers, and the Burkett Center PTA.

Have you ever had one of those rides you do every year, for many years running, and it never rains that day? Well for us, one of them has been the “Ride for Kids,” benefiting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. We have been a part of this wonderful event for over 10 years and never seen a drop of rain. It’s like God told Mother Nature: “You can’t rain on this day!”

Again this year, Kansas City is proud to be the home of the nation’s top Bikers for Babies® event with over $600,000 raised for March of Dimes and more than 4,000 attendees including 3,300 who registered to ride. Beginning in 1995 with 130 riders and $3,000 raised, the RIDE has become the top one-day charity ride in the nation year after year. The September 18 RIDE began and ended in the infield at Kansas Speedway for the 16th consecutive year. It’s a perfect venue for a huge event like this one!  

On September 23 and 24, the Heartland Police Motorcycle Challenge was held at Gail’s Harley-Davidson in Grandview, Missouri. On Friday, the competitors were able to familiarize themselves with the layout of the course and make some practice runs. The partner barrel race competition that is usually a part of the Friday agenda was not held this year.

Sunday September the 11th, 2016 started out as the most beautiful day to go for a ride. Well over 200 motorcycles rolled into the American Legion Post #171 on 1st Ave. North in Birmingham, Alabama, where everyone was so excited about doing this ride and coming out to show their support and respect for the lives lost on September the 11th 2001, and also for the first responders.

Thousands of motorcyclists converged on Gail’s Harley-Davidson in Grandview on Saturday, September 10, to honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and to show appreciation for veterans and active military, police, and emergency services personnel. The rally started at 9:00 a.m. and featured vendors, children’s activities, pre-registration for the Bikers for Babies RIDE, and displays of Grandview emergency services vehicles as well as vintage and current military vehicles. Visitors to Gail’s enjoyed live music from School of Rock, The Suburbans and Hudson Drive. At about 2:30 p.m., jumpers…

Gates opened at noon on Friday, September 2, for the 41st Annual A.B.A.T.E. of Kansas Labor Day Rally at Lake Perry’s Paradise Point area. The area is located on the east side of the lake far to the north and provides a perfect location with acres of shaded camping. Admission for the weekend was $50 for non-members, $30 for A.B.A.T.E./M.R.O. members, plus $30 for RV’s/Campers/ATV’s. Discounts were offered for active military. At the registration tent there were separate lines for those who had pre-registered and those who had not. Everyone received a packet including a rally booklet, pin, and a…

Even as a seasoned Sturgis rally attendee, I’m always in shock and awe at the number of beautiful and hardworking ladies that travel to Sturgis every year to work as bartenders and food servers.The rally would be much different, or even not possible without them, so this year I did a special pictorial dedicated to the sexy servers of Sturgis.

On Saturday, August 13, 2016, after leaving a memorial ride we had been on earlier, we headed over to the Birmingham, Alabama chapter of the Veteran’s Brotherhood for Chow Call.

It was such a beautiful day as we rolled up for the 10th year memorial ride for one of the sweetest, most loved men we have had the honor of knowing and calling a friend. For 10 years now, Larry “Mad Dog” Rogers has been a VERY missed man.

The Las Vegas Marine Riders Toys for Tots Kickoff Party was held at the Leatherneck Club on June 25, 2016. Marine Riders from California and Arizona, as well as other motorcycle clubs and individuals attended, and even the 105+ degree temperature didn’t deter anyone from attending to the event.

Competitive motorcycle events have always been a part of the annual Sturgis Rally. The man recognized as the father of the Black Hills Rally was Clarence “Pappy” Hoel who owned an Indian Motorcycle dealership in Sturgis and was one of the founding members of the Jackpine Gypsies club in 1936. The Gypsies’ first event was a motorcycle race with nine competitors and a small audience. From that humble beginning grew an annual rally with attendance ranging from 400,000 and 600,000 each year. Motorcycle competition is still featured at the rally with moto-X, drag racing, hill climbs, ½-mile flat track, short…