From shows to roads

If you’re a rider, you know what happens when you ride in the rain. You know what it feels like doing this:

What happens when riders ride in the rain? They get wet!

Riding in the rain may dampen the body, but it doesn’t dampen the soul of a rider.

Riders stay plucky and upbeat.  They faced the worst that a spring storm has to offer — hail included — and they made it to their destination.

Now that warm weather is here, the late-winter run of motorcycle shows is ended for the year. It’s time to ride!

Saturday, riders with the Second Brigade Motorcycle Club spent more than 6 hours riding in beautiful warm May weather…but as prairie-dwellers know, keep your eye on the sky toward late afternoon, that’s when storms roll in.  And roll in they did on Saturday. The riders hustled to make it to their last destination, Lucky’s Bar in Bismarck.

Flaps rides in to the last stop.

The annual Armed Forces Day ride is the Second Brigade’s major fund-raiser of the year. The club spearheaded a move to place a POW-MIA monument at North Dakota’s Veteran’s Cemetery.  They got U.S. Department of Defense approval for their engineer architectural drawings and have spent each year actively raising the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed for the monument.

Riding in the rain is not the most pleasant experience.  At 60 mph, every rain drop stings.  It doesn’t take more than five or ten miles before leathers and layers are soaking wet.  Riding with others bonds the group who has braved the worst weather of the season.  Once inside where it’s warm and dry, they laugh and drink — and bid on silent auction items, raising money for the POW-MIA monument.

Second Brigade brothers get the silent auction items ready

Black and red escape the rain.

In earlier years, if you browse back in the 2Wheels archives you’ll see more road and ride photos of this annual fund-raiser. But alas, this year, only the last stop is all I was able to join.  But next year…more time to raise money with the Second Brigade for the POW-MIA monument. Are you donating your time and money to the monument?

 

Second Brigade raises money for POW/MIA monument

Sea of Bikes for Armed Forces Day ride

I don’t know if it was weather or the growing passion for patriotism among bikers, but this year’s Second Brigade Armed Forces Day ride was bigger than I had ever witnessed.  In years past, only 25 or 35 riders would show up.  This year, 142 bikes were on hand with 170 people signing up for the fundraiser on May 15, 2010.

The group left from The Shop, a veteran-centered motorcycle shop in Bismarck owned by Viet Nam Vet Butch Olson

Leaving The Shop

Butch was not the only participant who has laid their lives on the line.  The crowd of bikers included Viet Nam Vets MC and Legacy Vet MC.  Many of them carry scars from when they said America and its freedoms were worth fighting for.

Little boys waving send off the riders from The Shop

So, it’s fitting, in my opinion, that we non-veterans show them respect and encouragement whenever possible.  I’m glad to know I’m not alone in my support for these men and women.  Even a little family with young boys were there to send off the riders.

In this case it was a ride to raise money for the POW/MIA monument at North Dakota’s Veteran’s Cemetary.  The work of raising the money has been headed up by Second Brigade for several years.  The red tape has been cut, designs have been approved and now the club is raising money for the monument.  It’s estimated more than $100,000 will be needed.

Vietnam vets at Washburn

This ride put the group $5,000 closer to its goal.

Viet Nam vets at first stop, Washburn

The first stop was Wasburn, and a few more riders joined the group there.  Then, it was on to Mercer, Wilton and back to Bismarck.

On the patio at Mercer

At each stop, the hosts had food ready for us. From corn dogs to tacos or sloppy joes, the crew dug in, hung around, visited, and enjoyed the day.  The Mike Koch family, including their veteran sons were on hand as a group.

Mike Koch family

South of Mercer

Riding North Dakota is the spring or early summer is as good as it gets.  The highways are clean and open. The fields rolling and the colors are green.

So if it’s patriotism, good weather, great riding, people who are the best in the world — fund raisers like this can be successful marking the service by our military, and in this case, making certain those left behind are not forgotten.