The Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse and an array of motorcycle industry elite will once again be teaming up for the fourth installment of the yearly celebration. This year’s event which will be held on Thursday, March 10th, will recognize currently enlisted and returning active soldiers. In addition, funds raised during the vent will be given to Soldiers’ Angels. Serving others according to the mantra, “May No Soldier Go Unloved”, Soldiers’ Angels is a volunteer-led non-profit that provides aid and comfort to active servicemen and women of the U.S. military as well as veterans and their families.

Biker Fusion 2010 left to right: Mandy Rossmeyer, Shelly Rossmeyer-Pepe, Ken Conte, Carrie Repp, Mike Cole, Andy George, Dar Holdsworth, Kyle Shorey, Bryan Fuller, Donny Loos, Steve Broyles, Paul Wideman, Kris Krome, Athena Ransom, Matt Hotch and Rollin Carroll. photo credit: Michael Lichter Photography

Since its inception in 2003 Soldiers’ Angels has supported over tens of thousands American military personnel stationed throughout the world. They currently have over 225,000 Angel volunteers assisting veterans, wounded and deployed personnel and their families in a variety of unique and effective ways, including sending hundreds of thousands of care packages and letters to deployed service members.

Not only is it a chance for motorcycle enthusiasts to rub elbows with an impressive list of world-class motorcycle builders and industry leaders, Biker Fusion 2011 is a celebration for those who have chosen to serve and defend our country. This year’s event has also been created as a reminder for those at home to continually support our troops. Morale is crucial for our servicemen and anything from a small package to an encouraging note can go a long way. By donating to Soldiers’ Angels, you will be rest-assured that you are sending needed and wanted items to America’s soldiers.

Renowned for its hot bikes and hot parties, Daytona Beach Bike Week and the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse’s Biker Fusion event will also consist of a live auction, entertainment and a number of great bikes from an impressive line-up of builders. Organizers are expecting record-breaking crowds in addition to record-breaking donations. You won’t want to miss it!

This year’s Biker Fusion sponsors include Hot Leathers, K and G Cycles, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, R and R Promotions, Rise Above Consulting and The Doghouse.

Since 2008, the Legends Ride has attracted some of the hottest celebrities and legends of motorcycling from around the world, including American Idol’s Steven Tyler, comedic icon Pee-Wee Herman builders Arlen, Cory and Zach Ness, Brian and Laura Klock, Michael Prugh and many more.  Special guests already confirmed for this year’s ride scheduled for Monday, August 8th include America’s Favorite Survivor, Rupert Boneham as well as South Dakota’s own Survivor, Holly Hoffman.
The Legends Ride has set a new standard for giving back during the Sturgis Rally and has risen over $150,000 for local charities in just three, short years.  All Riders’ tickets will again benefit local Black Hills Charities, including the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.

2010 Legends Ride featuring Pee Wee Herman

“We are thrilled to continue the tradition of the Legends Ride,” explains Rod Woodruff owner of the Legendary Buffalo Chip.  “Last year’s ride was featured on the Tonight Show as well as Sturgis the Wild Ride on the Travel Channel. This level of favorable publicity will no doubt help us continue to raise money for charities and the fourth consecutive sellout of the event.”
The 2011 ride will begin in Deadwood as the Deadwood Tobacco Company and the Silverado-Franklin Gaming Complex roll out the red carpet for Legends Riders.  From Deadwood, riders will enjoy a beautiful 55-mile ride to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip for a special Riders reception, live auction and double-headliner concert.

“The City of Deadwood and the Deadwood Chamber couldn’t be more excited for the 2011 Legends Ride. We have an opportunity to help raise a lot of money for charity while having the opportunity to ride with some motorcycle industry legends,” said George Milos, Director of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce. “We are honored to be a part of this worthwhile event and want to thank Rod Woodruff and the crew at the Buffalo Chip for their hospitality. We are confident that the 2011 Legends Ride will be bigger and better than ever.”

Tickets for the 2011 Legends Ride will be available for purchase on February 1st and can be secured on www.legendsride.com or by calling the Sturgis Buffalo Chip at (605) 347-9000.  The Legends Ride requires a contribution of $150, 100% of which goes directly to its chosen charities.

The Legends Ride would not be possible without the generous sponsorship of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Custom Chrome Inc., First Interstate Bank, Hot Leathers, Interstate Batteries, Knology, K & G Cycles, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, Progressive Insurance, the Renewable Fuels Association and Victory Motorcycles.

Bikers from across the country will be converging on Fort Lauderdale this December 2-5 to start this year’s holiday season off with a bash by attending the 12th Annual Fort Lauderdale Harley-Davidson Bikers Bash. The Southeast region’s premier biker event, this year’s bash will consist of a number of police-escorted rides to the area’s hottest spots, great food, bars, live music and casino fun all to benefit local Boys and Girls Clubs.

Weekend festivities will kick off at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Bikers Bash VIP event and will culminate at the South Florida President’s Council 23rd Annual Christmas Toys in the Sun Run, the world’s largest motorcycle parade sponsored by Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse. Last year’s Toy Run drew thousands of bikers and raised over $750,000 to benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. Since the first Toy Run 21 years ago, bikers and supporters have raised in excess of $7,000,000 used for cancer treatments and other special needs for kids as well as feeding thousands of needy families during the holidays.

Another highlight of the weekend will be the Bikers Bash VIP event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Hosted by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Seminole Tribe of Florida, the event will include dinner, live entertainment, and a charity auction to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. Last year’s charity auction raised over $175,000.

Attendees at this year’s Bikers Bash celebration will also have the opportunity to witness a number of great bikes from an impressive line-up of builders. Builders lined up this year include Todd Silicato of Todd’s Custom Cycles, John Shope of John Shope’s Sinister Industries, Dave and Jody Perewitz of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication along with Eddie Trotta of Thunder Cycle Design.

Todd Silicato of Todd's Custom Cycles

Todd Silicato- Custom bike builder and fabricator from Huntington Beach, CA, Todd Silicato has been building custom cars and motorcycles for most of his life. Builder and owner of Todd’s Cycles, Silicato’s custom built motorcycles and motorcycle parts have been featured in countless motorcycle magazines worldwide. Creating a blend of old-school craftsmanship and modern, state of the art technology, Silicato’s bikes look and perform like no others in the industry.

John Shope of John Shope's Sinister Industries

John Shope- A premier custom motorcycle builder based in Phoenix, AZ, Shope is founder and owner of Sinister Industries which specializes in custom ground up bike builds, one off motorcycle parts and custom hotrods. For over 20 years he has been building the baddest and most creative bikes seen on roads and highways throughout the nation.

Dave Perewitz owner of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication

Dave and Jody Perewitz- Dave Perewitz is considered one of the deans of the custom motorcycle industry. Founder and owner of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication in Bridgewater, MA, Dave Perewitz has over 30 years experience building and customizing motorcycles. A self-taught designer, mechanic, painter and fabricator, Perewitz’s one-of-a-kind, hand-built choppers are a delicate blend of engineering, design, performance, power and personality. Perewitz’s daughter Jody has also taken to the family business.

Jody Perewitz of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication

Around motorcycles since the day she was born, Jody has had a hand in building numerous motorcycles as well as focusing her talent toward the marketing and growth of the Perewitz name to an instantly recognizable brand. Through these efforts she has gained the respect and admiration of the motorcycle industry in her own right. Eddie Trotta- You have undoubtedly seen Trotta’s custom choppers on the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off series, in person on the Hard Rock Custom Bikes Tour, or have caught a glimpse of one ripping down the road. Trotta who owns Thunder Cycle Design in Fort Lauderdale, FL, designs bikes that are so distinctive you know that it’s an Eddie Trotta. Trotta has built hundreds of bikes with his name plastered all over TV and in bike magazines throughout the world. With a clean and classy look, Trotta’s bikes have lines similar to those of an elite sports car.

The combination of these two premier events raised over $250,000 for local charities last year and they’re anticipating raising even more this year. Come and join thousands of bikers as they celebrate their passion for riding while helping the children of Southern Florida. A rocking time for a great cause, you won’t want to miss this year’s Bikers Bash festivities. For more information regarding this year’s event visit bikersbash.com.

After being canceled completely last year due to the bad economy, Love Ride organizers went back to the drawing board and switched things up this year. Rather than going another year without the event, they decided to scale things back and hold a “retro” version.

Love Ride "Retro" 2010

Love Ride Retro 2010 will take place Nov. 7 with Jay Leno (has served as Grand Marshal at every Love Ride since 1985) leading the ride from the Glendale Harley-Davidson dealership and winding up at the Calamigos Ranch in the Malibu Hills, site of the original Love Ride in 1984. The ride will be capped at 1,000 bikers and the sign up fee is $100.00 (with all proceeds going toward Autism Speaks) and are available at http://www.loveride.org.

With help from celebrities such as Pee Wee Herman (actor Paul Reubens), Survivor star Rupert Boneham, former Guns and Roses guitarist Gilby Clark, MTV’s Riki Rachman, actor/bike builder Lorenzo Lamas, and an array of celebrated bike builders and motorcycle enthusiasts participating in the 2010 Legends Ride donated $52,650 to Sky Ranch for Boys and the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum.

Hosted by the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground and sponsored by the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, the third annual Legends Ride drew hundreds of riders, media and celebrities on Monday, Aug 9, the first day of the 70th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  The bikers each contributed $150 to participate. The group assembled on the street in front of Deadwoods Historic Franklin Hotel, then took the 50-mile, escorted ride through the Black Hills past Nemo and Sturgis. The ride ended at the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground east of Sturgis. At the Chip, they were treated to a private reception and Monday night’s concert lineup that included Trailer Choir, Buckcherry and ZZ Top.

Sky Ranch for Boys, one of this year’s Legends Ride recipients, is a group care center and school that has been helping troubled boys since 1960. The boys receive counseling and drug-and-alcohol treatment. They also learn to ride horses, develop a work ethic and, for some boys, pilot an airplane. The 3,000-acre ranch is located on the far western edge of Harding County, S.D.  The other recipient, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, has been a Legends Ride beneficiary since the first ride in 2008. Located on Sturgis Main Street, the museum celebrates the history of motorcycling and the heritage of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. More than 70 vintage motorcycles are on display, including a 1910 Flying Merkel, a 1912 Indian Twin and a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow.

To date, the annual Legends Rice has raised more than $150,000 for charity. Rod Woodruff, president of the Buffalo Chip, said the generosity of motorcyclists is not a surprise to him. Bikers are some of the most giving people anywhere, he said. Woodruff noted that during a traffic jam en route to Deadwood Monday afternoon, bikers struck up conversations rather than beeped their horns.

George Milos, director of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, said the Deadwood business community is proud to host the start of the annual ride. It’s a good cause and a fun event, Milos said. He said the Silverado-Franklin Hotel and Gaming Complex and Deadwood Tobacco Company, both Deadwood businesses, have been generous with their sponsorship and help in staging the event.

“The Legends Ride would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, said Buffalo Chip Sponsorship Director Lon Nordbye. We would like to thank Anheuser Busch, Black Hills Harley, First Interstate Bank, Hot Leathers, Interstate Batteries, K & G Cycles, Knology, Lehman Trikes, Pepsi, Progressive, the Renewable Fuels Association and Victory Motorcycles.”

Word is spreading that the Legends Ride is the ride to be on during the Sturgis Rally. The August 9 Legends Ride, one of the largest charity-celebrity events in motorcycling, is on track to be at full capacity once again in 2010. This is the third year for the Ride, and it sold out the first two years.

The Legends Ride begins in Deadwood and takes riders on a scenic path to Sturgis and the Legendary Buffalo Chip through the Black Hills of South Dakota. Celebrities and the nation’s top bike builders will join the riders. The Legends Ride raised nearly $100,000 for its charities in its first two years. Contributions from the 2010 Ride will benefit The Sky Ranch For Boys and the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.

“The Legends Ride continues to gain momentum as the premier ride during the Rally, and it’s great to see such charity and support from riders,” said George Milos, executive director of the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, a partner in the Legends Ride. “2010 looks to be bigger and better, and we look forward to donating even more to charity and having a lot of fun while we’re at it.”

An all-star roster of celebrities are scheduled to participate including Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubens), America’s Most Beloved Survivor, Rupert, and Lorenzo Lamas, plus masterbuilders Roger Bourget, Brian and Laura Klock, Michael Prugh, Mike “Kiwi” Tomas and many more. Rod Woodruff, the Buffalo Chip’s owner, said “We’re all thrilled with the generosity shown by Legends Riders and look forward to making it
all look good to a national television audience.”

Betsy & Genevieve at 2009's Legends Ride

Legends Ride riders donate $150 to participate in the ride, 100 percent of which goes to the two charities. That tax-deductible contribution entitles the Riders to participate in the pre- and post-ride events in Deadwood and at the Buffalo Chip. Other benifits of paticipating include: free parking, complimentary food and drink at the post-Ride reception, meet-and-greet opportunities with master builders and celebrities, a special souvenir gift pack and attendance to concert performances by Trailer Choir, Buckcherry and ZZ Top.

The pre-Ride schedule in Deadwood runs from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Silverado-Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex on Deadwood’s Main Street. Other Deadwood Legends Ride event locations include the Deadwood Tobacco Co., where riders can enjoy a stogie with tobacconists and avid motorcyclists John and Vaughn Boyd. The Silverado-Franklin will also showcase the works of top motorcycle and Black Hill’s artists. The riders depart Deadwood at 3 p.m. as the convoy heads through the Black Hills and Vanocker Canyon before reaching the Buffalo Chip for the pre-concert reception and auction, which begins at 5 p.m.

The 2010 Legends Riders will also have a chance to bid and ride away from the reception on the 2K10 bike built by Michael Prugh and students at Western Dakota Tech in Rapid City. This is truly a custom bike, designed by Michael Prugh with parts actually manufactured just for this one-of-a-kind Screaming Eagle-powered bike built specifically to support the Legends Ride. Prugh, of Prugh Design, has been a feature builder of the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off series, and has been featured in numerous industry publications.

“This bike is an absolute work of both form and function,” says Lon Nordbye, Buffalo Chip Sponsorship Director. At the conclusion of the live auction, it can be assured that its owner will be riding off with one of the best custom motorcycles built in 2010.”

The Legends Ride is sponsored by the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce, Deadwood Tobacco Company, Silverado-Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Black Hills Harley-Davidson, First Interstate Bank, Hot Leathers, Interstate Battery Systems of America, Inc., Knology, K & G Cycles, Pepsi Cola Bottling Co., Progressive Insurance, the Renewable Fuels Association and Victory Motorcycles. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit legendsride.com

South Side Kustoms is building 20 limited edition, pink ribbon “Real Divas Ride” custom bikes based on their Untouchable Bobber. Each bike will be numbered with limited edition badge on the frame and a 6″x3″ enamel pink with gold trim ribbon on top of the gas tank.

Southside Kustoms Divas For A Cure - Limited Edition Untouchable Bobber

To see the list of customizing options go to South Side Kustoms’ site at south-side-kustom.com. You can also follow them on Twitter: @southsidekustom. Learn more about the Divas For A Cure program at realdivasride.com.

*3D renderings done by Bo Asciu. Custom Eyes Concepts http://customeyesconcepts.com/

Dayton Callie, Theo Rossi, Mark Boone Junior and Kim Coates during their USO tour in the Persian Gulf

The eight-day USO tour visited Kuwait and Iraq, and touched more than 2,000 service men and women. Among the installations visited were Camp Arifjan, Camp Taji and Joint Base Balad. This was the first USO tour for the quartet.

In 2009, 157 USO celebrity entertainers traveled to 25 countries and 8 states, entertaining more than 275,000 troops and family members. “Leading up to this USO tour, I was very excited and couldn’t wait for it happen.” said Mark Boone Junior. “Now that it’s over and after spending time with the brave men and women serving on the frontlines, I can say that this trip has exceeded my expectations.”

All photos courtesy (and copyright) of the USO.

The actors came to Iraq to show their support for service members overseas. Kim Coates said, “I loved every moment of this trip, from being in the desert meeting service members to sharing this experience with my cast mates. I know that each of us walked away from our USO experience with a greater sense of how much these young men and women sacrifice on a daily basis. I can’t wait to do it again!”

They all signed autographs, held meet and greets and posed for photos with all service members. Theo Rossi said he was humbled by the experience. “We are a country at war, if you watch the news you know that. But this trip wasn’t about the war. It was about the troops and letting them know that they aren’t forgotten and that we appreciate the sacrifices they make every day.”

Even Dayton Callie seemed to be at a loss for words. “Thank you to the men and women who serve this country and thank you to the USO for making this trip happen. I honestly don’t know what else to say, this was an experience of a lifetime and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.”

Kim Coates discusses his experience about visiting service members during a USO tour with a military reporter.

Seems like they had a great time going out there and boosting the morale of all those soldiers.

Sporting polished chrome and miniature American flagswhipping in the frigid reeze, a multitude of seasoned bikers made their way to Daytona Bike Week 2010 to support the “A Walk with Heroes” Veteran Tribute. The tribute, sponsored by the Legendary Buffalo Chip in conjunction with the Plaza Resort & Spa, has been heralded as one of the largest and most successful Veterans Tributes and celebrations in the United States.

R. Lee Ermey speaks at the "A Walk with Heroes" Veteran Tribute

The homage which included a selection of prestigious speakers, top level entertainment and the largest balloon launch in Veteran memorial history was supported and attended by more than 75 Veteran related associations and ten Veteran
motorcycle organizations. Highlights of the tribute included a replica of the Vietnam Wall which was escorted to the Plaza Resort & Spa by Rolling Thunder along with a number of other Veteran related motorcycle groups, a ceremony and evening of entertainment to formally honor Veterans of every branch and a balloon launch to pay tribute to fallen heroes.

Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey was also on hand as the event’s keynote speaker. A former Marine and award winning actor best known for his performance as the abrasive drill sergeant, Hartman, in the critically acclaimed film, “Full Metal Jacket”, Ermey also stars in his own shows on the Discovery and History channels including “Mail Call” and “Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey”.

A well known and outspoken advocate for the United States Marine Corps, US Armed Forces and Veterans groups, Ermey has also just announced that he will be participating in this year’s salute to Veterans at the Legendary Buffalo Chip during
Sturgis Rally Week 2010. Known as the best party anywhere, the Legendary Buffalo Chip is also synonymous for taking special pride in honoring America’s Veterans. To find out more about the Legendary Buffalo Chip’s tribute to Veterans check out their website at legendarybuffalochip.com.

Related post:
A Walk with Heroes veteran tribute in Daytona

An impressive list of world-class builders, industry elite and media gathered at the Doghouse Bar and Grill on Main Street Daytona to raise funds for Soldiers’ Angels. A volunteer-led non-profit that provides aid and comfort to active servicemen and women of the U.S. military as well as veterans and their families, Soldiers’ Angels go to great lengths to demonstrate care and concern for those who daily fight for our freedom and safety.

Special hosts at this year’s celebration included Major General (retired) USAF, David Scott and Master Sergeant U.S. Army Special Forces, Scott Neil. Bert Baker, of Baker Drivetrain and Bryan Fuller of Fuller Hot Rods were the evening’s emcees, directing the night’s festivities.

A highlight of the evening’s celebration included a presentation of the Special Ops Sidehack built specifically for wounded Special Ops veteran, Romy Camargo. A Special Forces soldier paralyzed by a gunshot wound while serving in Afghanistan, Romy has achieved a number of personal freedoms others take for granted, but one major hurdle remains- once again feeling the wind in his hair from a motorcycle. As a result, Romy’s friend, Special Forces teammate and custom bike builder, Izzy Izquierdo along with three additional Special Forces brothers created a bike/sidecar combination just for Romy. Funds for the bike were raised by the Post 911 Foundation.

Special Ops Sidehack

Romy is presented the Special Ops Sidehack

Preceeding the event, Romy was accompanied by a large assembly of motorcyclists and a police escort from Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley Davidson Beach Street Daytona store to the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse amongst the cheers and applause of thousands of bikers there to offer their support to the war hero.

The smile says it all.

The night’s additional festivities included a live auction with proceeds going to Soldiers’ Angels. A number of renowned builders were also on the scene such as Steve Broyles, Paul Wideman, Izzy Izquierdo, Matt Hotch, Cory Ness, Athena Ransom, Bryan Fuller, Kyle Shorey and Matt Olsen. The night’s revelry was all set amidst artwork in the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse by Mike Lichter, Sara Liberte, Paul Cox, Peter Grant, Jeff Cochran and Buck Wild.

left to right: Mandy Rossmeyer, Shelly Rossmeyer-Pepe, Ken Conte, Carrie Repp, Mike Cole, Andy George, Dar Holdsworth, Kyle Shorey, Bryan Fuller, Donny Loos, Steve Broyles, Paul Wideman, Kris Krome, Athena Ransom, Matt Hotch and Rollin Carroll. photo credit: Michael Lichter Photography

Sponsors for this year’s event included the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse, Hot Leathers, Bare Knuckle Choppers, R&R Promotions, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona, Spectro Oil, Baker Drivetrain, K&G Cycles, Rise Above Consulting, Limpnickielot.com, Intrepid Powerboats, Keyboard Motorcycle Shipping.com, and Lefty Brothers Cycles.

A good time with a purpose, this year’s Biker Fusion event proved to be a celebration of compassion and philanthropy amongst the motorcycle industry. Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse’s Biker Fusion has quickly become an industry staple and will continue raising support for our troops for years to come. To learn more about the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse visit them online at www.hrroadhouse.com.

Related post:
Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse Biker Fusion: good times for a purpose

If you’re in the Denver area, this event looks like SO MUCH FUN!

The renowned and always anticipated 4th annual Love Thy Chopper old school chopper art show will be held Saturday, June 26 at David Uhl’s Studio in Golden, CO. A community art event for charity, the show will feature local and national talent and showcase the chopper in a formal art gallery setting.

Love Thy Chopper Art Show

There will also be a ride in Chopper show that day where a number of hand-built custom choppers will be displayed during the show. In addition, an array of local and national artists has donated an assortment of art work to be sold with proceeds benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver. Several artistic mediums, ranging from spray can art to fine giclee prints, will be displayed and available for sale. Food and beverages will be provided by Tambien Restaurant.

LTC 2009

This is more than just a chopper art show and ride in bike show, there will be live bands, a skateboard demo and a whole days worth of festivities. You won’t want to miss this one! Get more information online at myspace.com/lovethychopper.

Veterans will be front and center at this year’s Daytona Beach Bike Week thanks to a collaboration between Daytona’s Plaza Resort & Spa and the Legendary Buffalo Chip. One of the largest Veterans Tributes in the United States, “A Walk with Heroes” will include prestigious speakers, top level entertainment and the largest balloon launch in Veteran memorial history. A highlight of the highly anticipated Veterans Tribute will include a replica of the Vietnam Wall to be escorted to the Plaza Resort & Spa by the Rolling Thunder and a number of other Veteran-related motorcycle groups on Thursday, March 4. The memorial which contains all 58,195 names of those who were killed in combat during the Vietnam War will provide overcoming and raw emotion to all who experience it. In addition, the wall will be staffed with honor guard during all three days of display with a “Change of Guard” ceremony taking place every half hour around the clock. Also on exhibit will be a number of memorials including the Walk of Heroes Collection; the “Cost of Freedom” tribute; WWII, WWI, and Korean War Tribute Collection; Gold Dog Tag Collection for casualties since Vietnam and the War on Terror; 9/11 Tribute; and Civil War Memorial.

The culmination of the “A Walk with Heroes” Veterans Tribute will include a ceremony and an evening of entertainment. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 6th to formally honor veterans of every branch. Civilian and Military guests will be encouraged to purchase balloons from their charity of choice and write a note to fallen heroes. At 6:45pm the balloons will be released. Following the balloon launch, a live concert will kick off a night of entertainment on the Plaza pool deck. Bands performing include the Glimmer Twins, the only Rolling Stones tribute band officially endorsed by the legendary group and Jimi Taylor, a Jimi Hendrix tribute band.

Walk With Heros

In addition, Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey, former Marine and award winning actor will be the featured speaker at “A Walk with Heroes” on Saturday, March 6th. Ermey is best known for his role as the hard-nosed, abrasive Drill Sergeant Hartman in the critically acclaimed film, “Full Metal Jacket”. He also stars in his own shows on the Discovery and History channels, including “Mail Call” and “Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey”. He is also well known for being an outspoken advocate for the United States Marine Corps, US Armed Forces and Veterans groups. Ermey will be joined by Sgt. Major Gene Overstreet, former Sgt. Major of the United States Marine Corps.

“Our goal is to raise awareness for Veterans groups, and also to raise money to keep them going,” says Gene P. Carroll, Post Commander and National Committee Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. “By the time the 3 days are up, we hope to have raised more than $150,000 for Veteran’s charities and, hopefully, inspired visitors to give, year-round, to help support the men and women who have fought for this county.”

The public is invited to view the memorials and are welcome to join veterans for the ceremonies on Saturday, March 6th. There is no charge to view the memorials or participate in the ceremony. For more information on the “A Walk with Heroes” Veterans Tribute visit buffalochip.com or plazaresortandspa.com.

Suckerpunch Sally Rally & Music Festival March 20th, Shreveport, Louisiana

Admission is $20, which gives you access to live music, great vendors, tattoo artists, food, custom motorcycles, hot rods, rat rods, custom motorcycle raffle and even some activities for the kiddos. Some of the entertainment will be provided by:

• The Nomads
• Gray Schuler Band
• Built for Speed
• Dragstrip Phantoms
• Michael Dearmond
• Cody Cooke
• and many more…

Suckerpunch Sally's old school choppers

You can purchase raffle tickets for $20 to win a custom Sucker Punch Sally’s Chopper, which will be awarded the day of the event. The adult portion of the evening will bring the after hours party, complete with bikini contest. Sounds like a kick-ass party!

Gates open at 10am. Learn more about SPS  and their custom choppers & stripped-down bobbers at suckerpunchsallys.com.

During this year’s 69th Annual Daytona Bike Week, hundreds of female motorcycle enthusiasts and Harley-Davidson Motor Company are banding together to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and their efforts to find a cure for neuromuscular disease.  On Tuesday, March 2, 2010, the MDA and the Motor Company will host the 3rd Annual Harley-Davidson Women’s Ride.

MDA and the Motor Company will host the 3rd Annual Harley-Davidson Women's Ride

The Harley-Davidson Women’s Ride will feature hundreds of female motorcyclists who’ll ride through the streets of Daytona celebrating their freedom and passion for the sport, as well as supporting the important work of the MDA.  All of the ride participants will be encouraged to secure pledges and donations from their friends and families to support MDA Summer Camp programs across the country.  The first 500 eligible riders will receive a 2010 MDA pin, Women’s Ride flag and riders who raise $600 will receive a one-of-a kind charm.  Also, the top three fundraisers will receive a Harley-Davidson jacket.  Last year’s ride raised more than $65,000 for MDA Summer Camps.

Ride staging will take place between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. near Gate 70 of the Daytona International Speedway.  The ride will depart at 10 a.m. and continue to Riverfront Park on Beach Street.  Female riders of any brand of motorcycle interested in participating in the ride, or those interested in pledging support for the riders can go to www.mdarides.org.

In addition to the Women’s Ride, the Motor Company is also hosting a women’s area at Riverfront Park on Beach Street throughout Bike Week. Experienced women riders or those just looking for information on how to get started can learn more about the sport by participating in bike lift seminars and getting information about learning to ride. They’ll also be able to enter a raffle to win a new Pink Label Collection item from Harley-Davidson MotorClothes®.

HD's Women's Pink Label Layering Tank

For more information and to register for the 3rd Annual Harley-Davidson Women’s Ride, visit mdarides.org.  To learn more about Harley-Davidson and women riders, visit harley-davidson.com/womenriders.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s Web site at http://www.harley-davidson.com.

Hot Leathers is doing its part to assist in ongoing emergency relief and recovery efforts in Haiti.

On January 12, a series of earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 6.5 to 7.3 devastated Haiti.

Hot Leathers will donate $1 from every web order placed now through February 14 to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief and Development Fund. This donation will support the ongoing emergency relief and recovery efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include deploying personnel, sending relief supplies, and providing financial resources.

Visit them on the web at hotleathers.com to not only browse their remarkable selection of quality motorcycle apparel and accessories but to also make a difference in Haiti.

Thank you for your support.

Press release:

The Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse’s Biker Fusion party is sure to be the hottest event in Daytona during Bike Week 2010. The event will be held on Thursday, March 4 and will benefit Soldiers’ Angels, an organization committed to increasing the morale of deployed troops, assisting in getting soldiers home safe and healthy and comforting soldiers wounded in action.

Biker Fusion charity event in Daytona 2010

The Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse and motorcycle industry elite have once again teamed up for the third installment of Biker Fusion. Last year’s event raised more than $24,000 to provide backpack care packages for Black Hawk Medevac Units. An opportunity for enthusiasts to rub elbows with motorcycle builders and industry elite, this year’s event will consist of a live auction, bikini contest, a number of great bikes from an impressive line-up of builders, and an opportunity to give back to those who are serving us overseas.

Special Ops veteran, Romy

wounded Special Ops veteran, Romy, will be presented with the Lefty Brothers Special Ops Sidehack

A special highlight of the night’s festivities this year will include a presentation of the Lefty Brothers Special Ops Sidehack built specifically for wounded Special Ops veteran, Romy. The Post 911 Foundation and biker community assisted in raising money to build the Sidehack and the Special Forces Motorcycle Club will be in attendance to support fellow comrade, Romy and award him the custom-built ride. Bike builders Bryan Fuller of Fuller Hot Rods, Paul Wideman of Bare Knuckles Choppers and Izzy of Left Brothers will also be featuring bikes throughout the week at Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse.

"ROMY" by Lefty Bros. Cycles

Exceptional motorcycle builders along with key media figures and motorcycle icons will be making appearances to chat with guests and show their support for our troops. The Biker Fusion event is by invitation only but the general public can buy entrance for just $50, which will benefit Soldier’s Angels. The Third Annual Biker Fusion Event is sure to be a good time with a purpose.

Related post: Biketoberfest 2009 in Daytona

Press release:

Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse Heats Up in Preparation for 2009 Toys in the Sun Run

Start this year’s holiday season off with a bang by attending the 11th Annual Fort Lauderdale Harley-Davidson Bikers Bash benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. Bike enthusiasts from across the country will converge on Fort Lauderdale for the most happening motorcycle event in the Southeast on December 3-6. Weekend festivities will kick off Friday evening, December 4 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Bikers Bash VIP event and will culminate at the South Florida President’s Council 22nd Annual Christmas Toys in the Sun Run-the world’s largest motorcycle parade.

11th annual Toys in the Sun Run

Biker Bash festivities begin Friday, December 4 with a police-escorted ride from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to the Admirals club Marine Academy and then along beautiful A1A to the Quarterdeck Restaurant on Las Olas. The kick-off party at the Quarterdeck will include lunch, cocktails and VIP motorcycle parking.

The Bikers Bash celebration will commence at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ballroom. Hosted by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the 11th Annual Bikers Bash is the premier VIP motorcycle event of South Florida. This year’s event will include dinner, live entertainment and a Charity Auction all to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County. This year’s event will feature the musical styling of the Jake and Elwood Blues Revue- the #1 Blues Brothers act in the world and the only Blues Brothers act sanctioned by the Belushi estate and Dan Aykroyd. This high energy show will surely be one that you won’t soon forget.

Also performing will be the Purrfect Angelz. This elite show troupe of talented women includes dancers, singers, fire twirlers, aerial artists and acrobats and are top in talent and beauty. You won’t want to miss this stunning and sexy performance.

Attendees will also have the chance to see a number of great bikes from an impressive line-up of builders. Industry giants Paul Yaffe, Eddie Trotta with Lorenzo Lamas, Rick Fairless, and Athena Ransom will have motorcycles on display at the Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse as the last stop for 2009. Also featured will be the last bike that the late Jerry Graves built before his death.

Dave Perewitz

The highlight of this year’s Biker Bash VIP event includes a drawing for a FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide donated by Bruce Rossmeyer Harley Davidson. Tickets are $20/piece or 6 for $100 with all proceeds to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County.

The weekend culminates early Sunday morning for the 22nd Annual SFPC Christmas Toys in the Sun Run. Touted to be the world’s longest motorcycle parade, the ride will be held Sunday, December 6, with all proceeds going to benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. Riders will meet at the Aero Toy Store for a continental breakfast then line up for a Bikers Bash police-escort to the Pompano Race Track in Pompano Beach where tens of thousands of riders will gather for the parade ending at Markham Park in Sunrise, Florida.

The event cost is $10 and one unwrapped toy per person. Those arriving at Markham Park without a toy will be charged an additional $10 entry fee. However, riders will be able to purchase toys at Markham Park before entering the event. No preregistration is required unless you wish to be a VIP rider. Bikers Bash VIP’s will assist in leading the world’s largest motorcycle parade along Interstate highways I-95 to I-595 to Markham Park where the festivities of the day will take place. A VIP catered tent will provide home-base for Bikers Bash participants to park and enjoy the catered lunch, concert, vendors, bike show and much more.

Join in this year’s Biker Bash festivities to include a myriad of police-escorted rides to some of the area’s hottest spots, great food, open bars, live music and casino fun as motorcyclists celebrate their passion for riding while helping the children of Southern Florida.

Rescue Ink receives a tip about a man allegedly mistreating his young dog. The guys drop by unexpectedly and find the man’s puppy living in a basement in deplorable conditions. The team is contacted by New York Animal Care and Control about an unusual case. Rescue Ink comes face to face with a school of illegally-owned flesh-eating piranhas.

Rescue Ink investigates a home where two dogs are chained up and basically ignored. The older dog, a Rottweiler, is suffering from exposure and malnutrition. One Rescue Ink member bonds with the Rottie – but will the dog pull through and learn to trust people again?

Find out tonight at 10pm on the National Geographic Channel.

Related posts:

• Rescue Ink exclusive interview unleashed
• Rescue Ink: an in-your-face-approach to animal welfare
• Rippin’ news
• this fall: Rescue Ink “Unleashed” will air on NatGeo

By now there have been countless articles and blog posts written about Rescue Ink, but in case you haven’t been introduced to them, they are a group of tattooed, biker-types who were all friends that banded together to form they’re own animal rescue group.

Because they are not affiliated with any other organizations they do not get any kind of state funding, therefore they rely heavily on donations (and many times end up reaching into their own pockets). They answer only to themselves and because of that they are not tied to any kind of bureaucratic policy. Basically, when they show up to deal with a situation, they get results by any means necessary (within the law, of course). And chances are they don’t need to show up again.

With the whirlwind of a media blitz for Rescue Ink that happened last week, I had the pleasure of being able to interview Joe Panz, Big Ant and G.

Joe Panz from Rescue Ink

[RK]: I assume people make some snap judgments about you guys as being scary biker dudes.  I’m wondering, what is their reaction when they find out that you rescue animals?

J. Panz:  We are scary guys; we just rescue animals. You can’t judge a book by its cover. Right, Ant?

Big Ant:  Yeah, that’s right.  We’re tough guys and we’re showing that tough guys can do a good thing.

G : Our image works.  It does the job; it gets the job done.

J. Panz:  Listen, when we show up at your house, we give you a moment of pause. We make you think. You don’t know who brought us there, you just know we’re there and you know we’re there for a reason.  The reason is there’s a problem with you and an animal.  So you’re going to listen to us and you don’t want us to come back.  You’ll never know who called us, so you’ll know somebody’s always watching.

Big Ant: After we fix the situation, I might say, we usually never get invited back for some reason.

G:  After we educate them, right?

J. Panz:  Yeah, we never had to show up for a second time, not yet. But we do check up.

[RK]: Obviously Rescue Ink relies heavily on donations from the public, and the motorcycle community as a whole is known for being very generous and supporting a lot of these different causes.  Have you guys ever tapped the community for fund-raising, like in the form of a bike raffle or benefit rides?

Big Ant:  We have our own. We try to do fundraisers on our own.

J. Panz : We try to do fundraisers as much as possible but I tell you the truth, lately we’ve been going to everybody’s fundraisers, raising everybody [else] money and neglecting ourselves. That’s why we’re trying to send newsletters out now and telling everybody exactly what we’re doing trying to raise money for specific animals that need help and medical attention right away. We’ve just been running ourselves ragged trying to help everybody because right now with the economic times being the way they are, everybody’s crying for help. We’re just spread very, very thin trying to help everybody out. Quite frankly, we hope the TV show promotes awareness and people will start to donate so we could do more for the communities, and more for the animals and more for the other rescue groups.

[RK]: It makes me wonder now that you guys have your own television show, whether this national exposure will encourage the biker community to step up and organize some rides to help you out.

Big Ant: Yeah, I’m very well known in the biker community so I get a lot of feedback that everybody’s behind us.  Like Joe was saying, the money’s tough but we do have good backing and hopefully it just gets better.

G:  The thing is now we’re the ones that get called on to help and now the helpers need help. So we hope that everybody will go to our donation page and help donate, and help us so we can help others. We don’t want to stop here. We’ve got a long way to go.

J. Panz: There’s a lot of animals out there and a lot of people that need help. No shortage of that.

Big Ant from Rescue Ink

[RK]: Does it surprise you when people you show up to help turn violent on you when you’re just there trying to do the right thing (like in the 1st episode-the guy who was shooting feral cats with a pellet gun)?

J. Panz: You can’t fix stupid. People react however they’re gonna react. We negotiated with the guy but he decided to do something else when we left. We came back and we tried to help him out and tried to do the right thing, and he didn’t want to do it.  So we let it be known to him that if he continues this course of action, we’re gonna have a problem and it’s gonna escalate real quick.

Big Ant: We gotta feeling that every time he picks up a pellet gun, he probably has us in mind.

J. Panz: Yeah, I just want to say the thing that sets us apart from other rescue groups, anybody can take an animal out of an abusive situation.  The person abusing an animal could just get another animal.  What we do is we address the problem at its source.  We talk to the person abusing the animal. They’ll go from an animal, which can’t defend himself, and can’t talk and lives in the moment. What we do is we nip it at the source.

Big Ant: That’s why we stop it where it starts.

[RK]: So because of that approach, do you feel like your organization is more effective than say other rescue organizations?

J. Panz: We do whatever is necessary. We don’t leave a note on your door. We don’t give you a ticket.

G: We don’t go through the red tape.

Big Ant: We don’t sit and just talk about it. We go and do it.

[RK]: I’m sure you guys have seen a lot of really horrible situations on the calls that you’ve gone out on, and I’m wondering if there’s any particular situation that has stuck in you head over all this time that you could share.

Big Ant: The worst was the 180 cats, right? Yeah, we had a house with 180 cats and we had to actually catch every cat to get them spayed, neutered, and that one pretty much still sticks in me.

[This is the case that I heard of earlier this year that enlighteded me to the existence of Rescue Ink. Read the original post here.]

J. Panz: It’s still going. It’s an ongoing thing. I think there’s like 40 cats left and we’re down to adopting them out.

Big Ant: But we were at one point, if we’re doing adoption events every weekend, we got them out.  With that case, these people called all the rescue groups and as soon as they heard 180, they hung up on them and said, “Well get back to you.”  That’s the difference with us again.  They called us.  We showed up at their door.  They were surprised.  They were like, “I can’t believe that you’re here.”

J. Panz: And we didn’t have the money. We didn’t know how we were gonna do it; we just did it.  We still owe people money probably. I don’t want to talk about it. It was a Cat-tastrophy!

G from Rescue Ink

[RK]:  I assume this is your full time job that’s going on, rescuing the animals. How are you guys supporting your families?

J. Panz : [It's]…very, very difficult.

Big Ant: Yeah, we’re trying to do our work as much as we can, but if something comes in, we’ve gotta go. That’s it.  Money, yeah, we need the money and everything but suffering and suffering has to stop. You know?

[RK]: You guys are actually still trying to juggle your jobs and rescuing?

J. Panz: Well it’s not really juggling anymore; it’s trying to pick it up from off the floor.

G: Trying not to lose it.

J. Panz: Yeah, which we’re all struggling. We’re all struggling. You know what the problem is? Everybody sees a TV show and everybody sees this and they think we’ve got millions of dollars. That’s not the case. It’s not the case at all. We struggle with every single time we go out on a rescue. We struggle; you’ll see it on the TV show.

We get money to pool out of our pocket to get gas. We pool our money to eat. We go to rescue some horses and we’ve got to come up with $500, but you know, who’s got $20? Who’s got $7? Who’s got $100? We come up with the money and then we’re like, “I can’t believe we just spent our gas money. How are we gonna get home?”

Big Ant: And believe me, we write a lot of IOUs.

J. Panz: Yeah, we write them on ice cubes, on nothing that sticks! [laughs] No, we pay all our bills. You’ve got to give us time and we pay everybody.

Big Ant: Yeah, in time we’ll catch up but with donations, it would make it a lot easier. We could go into the situation a lot happier, and then we could go do what we’ve gotta do and not worry about the money. Let’s worry about the animal.

J. Panz: Yeah, you know what it is? Every single time there’s a phone call, every single time there’s an e-mail, there’s money attached to it.  When a rescuer calls and says, “Listen, there’s an abusive situation over here.  A guy let the dog out. He ran across the street. He got hit by a car and the dog’s been crying for three weeks now and the guy’s telling us get the hell out of here. He says he doesn’t have the money to fix the dog and he’s not letting anybody else help him, and this, that, and the other thing.”

We have to go in there and talk to this guy and get the dog out of there and get him medical attention.  That’s gonna cost $1,500 to $2,000. We find ourselves putting out an e-mail blast to try to raise the money and we’re already gone on the rescue. We don’t wait for it; we’re just hoping it comes. Then by the time we get back, we’re like, “Okay, how much are we in the hole now?”

The other rescue groups, they do whatever they can too.  They say, “Thank you.”  We say, “You’re welcome.”  But the plain, simple fact is we’re not a city organization.  We don’t get funding from the city.  We get funding from no one.  We get donations, that’s it.  This is what people have to realize.

[RK]: At least your money is actually going to help animals and it’s not towards an advertising budget that sends direct mail pieces to people who are just going to throw them away.  I hate when I get those in the mail.

J. Panz: One guy came in and goes, “What are you gonna do?  I’ll sue you.” We’re that guy’s nightmare. Sue me?  Go ahead, go ahead, sue me.  That’s why it doesn’t matter. We’re there to take care of a situation by any means necessary, within the means of the law. I have to keep on throwing that in there because the lawyer will get mad at me if I don’t. It’s the way things are. You don’t send a boy scout after a bad guy.  We never said we were angels.  We’re just there to help and we’re on your side.

G: By us showing how much we’re struggling, we’re telling other people that no matter what situation you’re in, somebody’s out there worse off than you and that’s what we do. We know we’re all struggling but we make sure we make the rescues.  We make sure we go try to save a pet’s life or an animal’s life.

J. Panz: And people too.

J. Panz: There’s a lot of times we go into a situation where there’s abuse, but the abuse isn’t really the fault of the owner due to the fact that they don’t have enough money to feed the animal. They don’t have enough money to feed themselves. Remember that old woman?

Big Ant: We went to her house and the dog bowl was full. The cat’s dish was full. She actually had a couple of rabbits. Everybody was fine. We were like, “This is fine. I don’t know what’s going on.”  The refrigerator happened to open and there’s nothing in there. We went through her cabinets. She had nothing to eat so she was feeding the animals, but she had nothing to eat.

So of course, what’s the next thing we have to do?  We all pool as much as we had in our pockets and went to the store and we had to get this lady food. We said, “What did you eat today?”  She said, “I ate some cereal this morning.”  We help everybody and everything that needs help.

[RK]: Okay so I have a totally silly question for our last question.  I have a lot of girlfriends now that are seriously crushing on all of you guys and I’m wondering, are you going to appreciate all of that additional female attention?

J. Panz: Well, it’s always appreciated, the female attention.

G: We got a couple chick magnets on our team.

J. Panz: The only person you’ve got to watch out for is G.  Everybody gravitates towards G.

G: Yeah, okay.

Big Ant:  All I’ve got is bill collectors and stalkers after me.  That’s all I have.

J. Panz: It’s nice to have people appreciate you.

Big Ant: That’s right.

Rescue Ink airs Friday nights at 10pm on the National Geographic Channel. The official Rescue Ink website (which just got a shiny new make-over) can be found at rescueink.org (where you can make donations online) and you can follow them on Twitter @rescueink or get updates from the National Geographic Channel @NatGeoChannel.

Related posts:
Rescue Ink: an in-your-face-approach to animal welfare
Rippin’ news
this fall: Rescue Ink “Unleashed” will air on NatGeo

http://www.ridewiththe40.org

Over the weekend I was wondering how that ride turned out. I was excited today when I found this article from the San Diego Source:

Fight 93 victims remembered in San Francisco
By JASON DEAREN, The Associated Press
Friday, September 11, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — About a dozen Harley-Davidson motorcycles ridden by relatives and friends of United Flight 93 passengers and crew members roared into San Francisco International Airport on Friday, ending an eight-day journey that mirrored the doomed plane’s intended path.

The 40 people on Flight 93 died on Sept. 11, 2001, after the aircraft crashed in a western Pennsylvania field after being commandeered by terrorists. They were hailed as heroes in tributes for their bravery in confronting the hijackers.

The motorcyclists, led by Ken and Dale Nacke, whose brother Louis “Joey” Nacke was on the plane, left Newark Liberty International Airport on Sept. 3. They pulled into San Francisco just after 11 a.m. Friday, the same time the plane was supposed to have arrived eight years ago.
Jack Grandcolas watched quietly as the motorcycles rumbled in. His three-months pregnant wife, Lauren Catuzzi-Grandcolas, was on Flight 93.

She had called him from the plane after the hijackers took control, leaving a message on his answering machine that there was a problem. It was the last time he heard her voice.

“This is an inspiration to me,” he said, his voice quivering. “The symbolism of this, it finishes the trip Louis and my wife Lauren never got to finish.”

The gruff-looking bikers dismounted their “hogs” and immediately hugged, tearing up as the engines were turned off.

“We made it,” said Ken Nacke, wearing a black leather vest and a doo-rag. “The flight of 40 are home.”

The motorcycles were tailed by a U-Haul truck carrying a replica of the makeshift memorial that sprung up near the crash site in Shanksville, Pa. The memorial was a plain, wooden fence adorned with signed T-shirts, hardhats, plaques and written notes.

The ride also raised money for construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville. The $58 million memorial is scheduled to open on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

Linda White, Louis Nacke’s cousin, stood near the mini-memorial with tears in her eyes, her head covered in an “Easyriders” doo-rag.

White rode on the back of her husband David White’s motorcycle on the last leg of the trip, and was overwhelmed with emotion as they pulled into their final stop.

“I was overcome with the feeling of the 40 people as we came in. They were giving us a big thumbs up for this and a thank you for finishing the journey,” she said.

I actually teared up while reading this article and I’m glad they saw support from others during the ride. The Ride with the 40 website also posted this update:

The ride concluded when the core riders, accompanied by a group of local riders, reached the Western Terminus of the Lincoln Hiway in San Fransisco, CA. The total distance from Newark International Airport to the Western Terminus of the Lincoln Hiway is 3,250.7 miles. Special thanks to all those who showed their support throughout the Journey.

Stay tuned for more updates including pictures, videos, and information on T-Shirts.

I shall do that. Again, if you’re interested in making a donation to the memorial you can do so on the website.

http://www.national911memorial.org

]]> http://www.rippin-kitten.com/2009/09/11/eight-years-later/feed/ 1 http://www.rippin-kitten.com/2009/08/12/this-fall-rescue-ink-unleashed-will-air-on-nat-geo/ http://www.rippin-kitten.com/2009/08/12/this-fall-rescue-ink-unleashed-will-air-on-nat-geo/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:14:15 +0000 Lizzie http://www.rippin-kitten.com/?p=1782 My favorite tattooed, motorcycle riding, animal-rescuing group of guys are getting their own reality television show. Rescue Ink “Unleashed” will premiere on the National Geographic Channel on September 25th.

I first heard of and wrote about Rescue Ink back in January this year and they have been on my radar ever since. Rescue Ink are reformed “bad guys” who love animals and have dedicated their lives to rescuing them from abuse.  They also take the time to educate bad pet owners, no matter what it takes.

Rescue Ink "Unleashed" premieres on the Nat Geo Channel Sept. 25th

Last year the NY Times wrote an article (a really great read and I highly recommend viewing the slideshow that accompanies the article) about them and caught the eye of National Geographic, who approached them to chronicle their animal saving adventures.

Tattoos and kittens: a photo from the NY Times slideshow

I am jazzed to see them get the recognition they deserve. You can’t deny that the juxtaposition of scary looking dudes saving cute lil fuzzies, while “educating” the rotten, neglectful pet owners isn’t a great cocktail for good tv!

Coming to an abuser near you!

Rescue Ink is always looking for donations to help their cause. You can donate at their official website and can also find more info on their myspace page.

Related post: Rescue Ink: an ‘in-your-face approach’ to animal welfare

More than 350 bikes and 500 riders from around the world converged on Deadwood, SD on Monday, August 3 to take part in the Second Annual Legends Ride hosted by the Legendary Buffalo Chip. A record-breaking $61,600 was raised to benefit a number of Black Hills Charities including the Black Hills Children’s Home and the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame and Museum. Just under $40,000 was raised at last year’s inaugural Legends Ride.

Legends Ride 2009

“We are thrilled with the charity riders showed this year. The Legends Ride has once again proved itself a worthy event that brings world-class entertainment to riders and needed dollars to charities,” said Rod Woodruff, president of the Legendary Buffalo Chip. “We will be back bigger and better in 2010.” The Black Hills Children’s Home, recipient of a portion of the monies raised offers a safe haven for children ages 4-13, many of whom are victims of severe abuse or neglect.

“Money raised during this year’s Legends Ride will help the Children’s Home continue long into the future… to provide love, safety, and a second chance at many of the things most of us take for granted: Warm meals, bike rides, story time, creative arts and interaction with caring adults,” said Darla Crown, development officer for Children’s Home Society. “We are incredibly grateful to be co-recipients of such a significant donation – it’s truly a testament to the tremendous goodwill and generosity found in the hearts of the motorcycle industry and its enthusiasts.”

Signaling the official start to the 2009 Sturgis Rally, riders each contributed $150 to participate in the star-studded and scenic 50-mile expedition from the Historic Black Hills town to the grounds of the Legendary Buffalo Chip. Participants were treated to meet-and-greets with the world’s top industry aficionados and bike builders before departing and enjoyed a private reception, auction and concerts by Lita Ford and Toby Keith once they arrived at the Chip.

Genevieve Schmitt, Steven Tyler (um...before he fell offstage?) and Betsy Huelskamp

Celebrities that participated in the ride included Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, Lorenzo Lamas and the cast of Easy Riders II. Industry enthusiast and supporter, John Paul DeJoria, of Paul Mitchell hair products and Patron Spirits Company made a surprise $10,000 matching donation to the Legends Ride Charities. He also donated the restored 1938 Indian with sidecar that he and wife, Eloise, traveled on during the Legends Ride to the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame.

Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, and a host of world-class bike builders including Corey Ness, Paul Yaffe, Sugarbear and cigar aficionados were also part of the 2009 ride. Sponsors for this year’s ride include: Biker Incite, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Dirico Motorcycles, The City of Deadwood, the Deadwood Tobacco Company, Ethanol Fuel Producers, First Western Bank, Interstate Batteries, the Lucky Nugget Gaming Hall, Metzeler, Neugebauer’s Fine Jewelery, Progressive Insurance, Sucker Punch Sally’s, South Dakota Pork Producers Council, Taser, the Silverado-Franklin Hotel and Gaming Complex, and Victory Motorcycles.

Boston Bruins Foundation Bike Team: 2nd Annual Boston Bruins Rally for a Cure sponsored by Manchester Harley-Davidson

On Sunday, July 26, join the Boston Bruins for the 2nd Annual Boston Bruins Rally For A Cure sponsored by Manchester Harley-Davidson.

The motorcycle rally ride starts at Nashua Harley-Davidson in Merrimack, NH and ends at Manchester Harley-Davidson in Manchester, NH. Upon the completion of the ride, riders will gather at Manchester Harley-Davidson for an afternoon BBQ, live entertainment, the chance to mingle with Bruins Alumni, as well as win Bruins tickets and autographed memorabilia.

All net proceeds to benefit the Boston Bruins Foundation PMC Bike Team, which benefits the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

• Date: Sunday, July 26
• Registration: 9:00 AM
• Departs: 11:00 AM
• Cost: One rider (operator) costs $30, while an additional passenger costs $20.

If you’re interested, you can sign up at the official site for the Boston Bruins.

Ride with the 40 is being led by Kenny Nacke, a Baltimore police officer and the brother of Louis Joseph Nacke II, one of the passengers on board Flight 93. He and four other Harley-Davidson riders will complete the journey of Flight 93 by departing on September 3rd from Newark International Airport, where the plane departed, and arriving in San Francisco on September 11th at the flight’s scheduled arrival time.

Riders across the country are invited to join them for a leg of the route, sponsor a mile or more of the route at the symbolic suggestion of $93/mile, or just spread the word to friends and family.

I think this is really cool and the word needs to get out. It deserves as much support as the motorcycle community can possibly give. If you’re interested in donating and staying up on the latest news, make sure to visit http://www.ridewiththe40.org.

About a week ago I read an article that said the spring rally in S. Carolina is not neccessarily dead after all. It’ll just be happening everywhere except Myrtle Beach. “Cruisin’ up the Coast” 69th annual bike week will be happening May 8th-17th in Horry County. There’s lots of information at http://www.mbbikeweeks.com and http://www.myrtlebeachharley.com.

“…the City of Myrtle Beach has never played a role in bike week and has made it clear they don’t want to play a role. In years past, over 90% of the events taking place were outside the limits of the City of Myrtle Beach. The new rules and regulations really WILL NOT affect your visit or any of the activities and events.“

So this sucker is still ON and it sounds like as long as bikers stay OUT of Myrtle Beach then none of the new rules & regulations will apply. I’ll be really interested in seeing how this all pans out. Thanks to Dee Hal for sending me an email and giving me a nudge to get a post out about it.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the animal rescue group, Rescue Ink. I love what they’re all about and someone left a comment that I felt the need to bubble up into this post.
From Stefanie:

“Hi, I just want you to know that Rescue Ink is an AMAZING organization. In fact, they’re so amazing that we are holding a fundraiser for them on Saturday March 28, 2009 at Jib Lanes (http://www.jiblanes.com) in Queens, NY at 9:30am. Please tell your friends and family to come down so we can raise some serious money for these great guys!!!”

I hope this fundraiser goes well for them and I plan on donating my next Google Adsense check to them when it comes in. If you’d like to help them out you can either send a donation or buy a Rescue Ink t-shirt.

The other night I caught a promo for this season’s Celebrity Apprentice. Anyone else seen it? Jesse James will be playing for the Long Beach Unified School District and intends for the cash to assist the district’s industrial design classes (i.e. auto shop).

Other than my crush, Mr. James, my other favorites would be Tom Green and Dennis Rodman. Looks like they’re making the “Dice Man” out to be the heavy of the show. I’m looking forward to it. Anyway, here’s a clip:

He sent me a link to the news story where they reportedly pulled 180-200 cats out of this one house. Now, I own a cat myself and I think he’s adorable but I just can’t imagine having 200 of them in my house! Yuckie.

Anyway, the article mentions a group of volunteers called Rescue Ink, “a group of brawny bikers whose Web site promises an ‘in-your-face approach’ to animal welfare” who helped pull out all the cats and are assisting in find homes for all the kittehs. And, of course, my interest was piqued at the idea of a scary bunch of heavily tattooed dudes who have a soft spot for the furries.

I moseyed on over to Rescue Ink’s website and sure ’nuff this organization of “big, scary dudes” will do whatever it takes (within the confines of the law, of course) to save abused animals.

From their site:

“You take a look at us, and maybe your first reaction is to cross to the other side of the street. Just remember to look both ways before you do.

We’re not a gang, vigilantes or a social organization, but we do have that certain “in your face” style when it comes to animal abusers.

You may find us hanging out together at a hot rod show, tattoo parlors, or even hitting up the blacktop together on our bikes for a little road trip, but the main thing that brings us together is our love of animals. We met because we were all doing the same thing on our spare time: rescuing and finding homes for abandoned and abused animals. None of us did it for money; we did it because we cannot stand by while anyone mistreats an animal!“

They have an undeniable devotion to creatures of the 4-legged variety and I think I am now their biggest fan!

In all seriousness, I think these guys are doing some very important work in a very engaging way. If you want to help them with their cause, definitely check out their website, friend them on myspace, send a donation or buy a t-shirt. I’m sure they’ll appreciate any help they can get!