150 bikers celebrate Christmas in July

The day started with Santa but ended with sweat; started at 60 degrees and ended well above 90 degrees.

Santa and the Individuals

The 14th Annual Christmas in July Motorcycle Run raised several thousand dollars again for the children at the Anne Carlsen Center in Jamestown.  It’s a school for children with disabilities and it’s an event that the Jamestown Individuals Motorcycle Club plans year round.

I got there late because just as I was set to leave Wilton, a huge storm popped up. Hail, rain and wind kept me indoors for a bit longer than I expected.  (As it turns out the storm produced a tornado about 10 or 15 miles from my home.)

Once the storm passed, I hightailed it down I-94 the 130 miles to Jamestown and got there just as the bikes were set to leave.

The last leave the staging area for me to fall in behind

I sat at the local gas station down the road from the staging area until the bikes passed. I was the last in the line.  Since this is a community event, the police were on hand to direct traffic through Jamestown, giving the riders a free route through town.  Since I was the last, I rode through town with a squad car cruising behind me with its red and blue lights flashing.  Geez, I don’t like seeing that in my mirror!

Lined up at Anne Carlsen

One of the meal servers

Once we got to the Center, we were treated to a meal served by Anne Carlsen staff.

The kids all got backpacks presented by members of the Jamestown Individuals and Ladies Individuals.  I understand there were also more gifts and gift cards for the kids.

From Jamestown we rode in a group on Highway 52 to Pingree, over to Woodworth, Carrington, Kensal and finally the Individuals Clubhouse at Spiritwood.

It was one of the most well-organized rides I’ve ever been on.  It included safe conditions, good food, good conversation, good people, and of course more than one good-looking biker babe such as Bobbie on her Fatboy.

Each stop was brief.

The ride captain announced each time we were to leave with directions of where we were headed next as well as warnings, such as for the broken pavement or the water over the road.

(This year, most highways in the prairie pothole region of North Dakota have water over the road.  Late in the summer, some water has backed up to just the edges of the pavement.)
At Spiritwood, we had roast pork and all the trimmings.

Chowin down on roast pork at Spiritwood

I left quickly because I had 130 miles to travel back to the west, and I could see the first indications of more storm clouds building. Sure enough, before I got home, I could see in my rear view mirror that I had missed the storms.

Christmas in July is one ride I recommend.  The Jamestown Individuals Motorcycle Club is to be commended and copied.  They do it right.

Will you be there in 2012?

What motorcycle rides in your community support local causes?