Ride for Kids - Wisconsin

At OÔÇÖDark-thirty this morning I got up to do my third Ride For Kids ÔÇô a motorcycle ride to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The first R4K that I did was in Chicago, and it was a great experience, so I was really happy when the charity decided to host a ride in Wisconsin for the first time last year.

Like last year I decided to lead a WI BMW Club ride to try and get more people involved in this great event. So this morning I got up, got the /6 out, got gas, and since I still had plenty of time, I took the long way to the freeway ÔÇô along the lakefront. HereÔÇÖs the fair Hilda, still a bit sleepy, and Lake Michigan. A lovely morning.


I got to the meeting spot a bit early and I was the only one there. Do all ride leaders worry that no one will show up for their ride???


I am so glad that I took the airhead today. I havenÔÇÖt ridden her in a while and it is always fun to rediscover why I fell in love with the bike in the first place. Compared to my 1100RS the R90/6 feels so small ÔÇô almost toylike, and it is extremely light and nimble. I actually enjoyed the clunky transmission and the other quirks of the bike.

Also, it was kind of fun to be on such a naked, relatively raw bike. I get spoiled on my 1100 that has RID, GPS, ABS, shocks, brakes, etc. I am especially addicted to my GPS telling me exactly where I am, exactly how fast I am going, and exactly what time it is. Without the GPS and other input, I really concentrated on the gorgeous morning and the experience of riding the airhead.


Here is a CU of the note on my gas cap. Its all the directions that I really needed for the whole day. Maybe I dont really NEED a fancy-dancy GPS after all.


Eventually some other riders showed up, including a WI Club member and this totally custom rig. At the Ride for Kids, there are always several patients and survivors there, and he borrowed the bike so that he could offer one of the kids a ride. So cool.


At about 7am we had a nice little group of bikes, and we took off west towards the start of the ride in Middleton, WI.


Part of what I like about the event, besides the fact that I get to ride my motorcycle and help a great cause, is that they serve breakfast. HereÔÇÖs me enjoying donut number 1


Manic mechanic thought that I needed another donut despite my protests. Really though ÔÇô I had more than my fair share! HereÔÇÖs manic mechanic, me, and gsmetal.

It turned out that there were lots of hacks ready to take both patients and survivors on the ride ÔÇô here is a totally suh-sweet rig owned by a guy named Tom.


Here is one of the patients ÔÇô a young lady named Susan. She was totally psyched to be in the sidecar but wasnÔÇÖt too thrilled about the helmet.


After a brief riderÔÇÖs meeting everyone headed to their bikes. HereÔÇÖs manic mechanic and PunkinÔÇÖ getting ready to go. One of the things that makes this ride so much fun is that there are all kinds of bikes and people from all over the state participating. I traveled about 100 miles to get to the start and I met people who traveled much further than that. And I thought that I had to get up early!


The ride was about 45 miles through some lovely farm country and rolling hills. Lots of people sit on their porches and wave to us ÔÇô itÔÇÖs nice. At the finish there is lunch and a finishing ceremony.


I almost forgot - another thing that makes this ride special is that motorcycle officers from the surrounding counties get involved by blocking off intersections on the ride so that we donÔÇÖt have to stop. AND many of them are not even getting paid to be there. Nice. After talking with some of them though, I realize that they were having just as much fun as we were!


You can visit this website to see if there is a Ride for Kids in your area:
Ride For Kids

excellent report BG. Nice pics. Nice donuts - especially the knarly chocolate looking thing - shoot, i might even get awake at "o-dark thirty" for a snack like that.

Thanks!

Rebecca -- great report!

I sent a link to this thread to Mike Traynor, the RFK's top dude. He rides an R100RS and will really enjoy what you've done here.

Ian

Great pictures Boxergrrlie. I'm on the task force for the Hudson Valley Ride which was held yesterday.. We raised $124,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of which I think about 93% goes directly to research, scholarships or family support. I believe about 4 million dollars will be raised this year on the 36 rides. One thing I did notice is the scarcity of BMW's.. 90% of the riders were on Harley's and these weren't the poser Harley guys.. These guys and gals are the most generous bunch of riders there are and come through year after year. No more Harley bashing.

Great report and great pics, BG. Wish I could have been there. Maybe next year.

DS Ride Ann Arbor, MI Aug 28

Thanks for the link and the heads up. I see there is a road/dual sport ride scheduled for Ann Arbor, MI on August 28,

snoone said:

One thing I did notice is the scarcity of BMW's.. 90% of the riders were on Harley's and these weren't the poser Harley guys.. These guys and gals are the most generous bunch of riders there are and come through year after year. No more Harley bashing.

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I agree, which is why I decided to lead a club ride to this event. At my first Ride For Kids in Chicago, I was amazed at how few BMWs there were. I was also amazed at the Goldwing and Harley folks and how dedicated they are.
Congrats to everyone in the Hudson Valley for raising so much $$!!!

This is why I do it.. Look at this cutie!!

snoone said:

This is why I do it.. Look at this cutie!!

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The sheer bravery of these little kids will absolutely capture your heart. This is a shot of a little girl I met on the Phoenix Ride a few years back. Her story is unbelievable. And check out this photo album to see many more like her. They are simply the best. Sad to say, a number of the kids that are in this album are now walking with God. Brain cancer is an awful disease.



Regarding the participation of BMW riders, one interesting fact is that Bob Henig, owner of Bob's BMW, has been the top fundraiser for the Ride for Kids quite often. He is the Task Force leader for the RFK in Columbia, Maryland.

The situation is this. The ride is a parade format, which many of us beemer pilots don't like. The BMW Motorcycle Owners of Georgia is a big supporter of the event... we help set up and take down the staging area that the Ride start... but very few of us actually ride in the parade. Instead, we head off on our own and then show up at the end point... which is a special event all in itself.

For a while, our club was hosting the Blue Ridge 500, a 500-mile sport tour to benefit the Ride for Kids/Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Now *that* is more up our alley. Unfortunately, the PBTF didn't feel that this type of event fit their branding and the event is being re-staged this year as The Dream House 500.

The PBTF is an extremely worthy cause... and you don't have to ride in the Ride for Kids in order to donate.

Ian

They wont let me back in Wisconsin for that ride.

lorazepam said:

They wont let me back in Wisconsin for that ride.
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Like I said - the officers have as much fun as the riders! Such a great event - supporting the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation AND getting rifraff off of the streets!

Thanks For The Report Rebecca.... I Support The Ride And The Foundation..... My Sister's Nephew Was DX With A Brain Tumor At The Age Of 2 Months...... Although Brandon's Surgery Was Somewhat Sucessful He Still Has A Long Way To Go .....But He Is A Trooper.... ..... He Visits Childrens Hospital In Cincy On A Regular Basis..... And Will Probably Always Have His Stint To Drain The Access Spinal Fluid...... I Agree The Courage Of These Children Is Amazing...... They Do Capture Your Heart....

I'm looking at perhaps doing the Sacramento one...
Do all riders take kids as passengers? Obviously not if there are lots of riders.
How do they get assigned?

lorazepam said:

They wont let me back in Wisconsin for that ride.

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Geez Gale, where actually are you allowed to go? It's a bitch trying to plan a party around you! (I still have a lot of brownie points that I can cash in at the border.)

Mike

boxergrrlie said:

Like I said - the officers have as much fun as the riders! )

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Thanks for the great report Rebecca. Ride for Kids is one of our biggest sponsored event with the Blue Knights

I will be posting pictures at the end of the month.

Mike

Burnszilla said:

I'm looking at perhaps doing the Sacramento one...
Do all riders take kids as passengers? Obviously not if there are lots of riders.
How do they get assigned?

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Stephen - the people who carry the kids are typically the largest fundraisers. Many are also sidecar riders, since sidecars are so easy to carry kids in. Carrying the kids is a huge honor... and the kids are the stars of the show at the Celebration of Life... the event at the end of the Ride.

Ian

Thanks for the reminder

Thanks RV. Nice to see Hilda out and about.

BG, you rawk! I like the airhead. I almost got talked into one this weekend
but my "garage" such as it is is full

Thanks for taking us along!

Ian