Ride for Kids

TORRANCE, CA - Sunday, May 4th - American Honda was the site for the annual Ride for Kids. This event was started as a fund-raising effort for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. It provides an opportunity to highlight the survivors and families of children who have suffered from this disease.
It all started with a call from my Sister. She invited my son to go on a motorcycle ride on Sunday. I thought it would just be toting my son on the back of my bike and following my Brother-in-law around town. She then mentioned that it was the Honda Ride for Kids event. This has to be the biggest motorcycle event around. So I let my son choose what he wanted to do. Ride with Dad or 'hang on for the ride' with his Uncle. He chose to 'hang on'. But that's OK... Cause once I got there, and was directed to my 'spot in line' (at the front of a row of bikes) I sorta figured I was in this for good. I had to sign in and register (which was very easy to do) and get my son registered as a passenger. I had no qualms putting the $35 down for participating in the event at all. You could tell this would be a great time and I could feel the anticipation everywhere.
After grabbing a bagel for my son and going back outside, it really sank in. The parking lot was a sea of motorcycles. Hundreds of bikes of all sorts were parked and waiting to go.
On the way back to the parked bikes, a Harley Davidson motorcycle demonstration team was showing off their stuff. We found a spot on the side of the road and watched as they maneuvered their bikes and bodies into formations no sane person would attempt. Hanging off the front of a Harley is a position I would rather not experience. They stood in pyramid formation 4 Harley's wide while turning in a tight circle and made it look easy to boot. It was quite a show.
With my Son on his Uncle's Triumph they started to roll the first motorcycles off the line. The bikes in front were 'escorted' by the local police. Their passengers were either Survivors or a family member riding in memory of one. Some of the kids were riding in sidecars and others were on large 'trikes'. Then the rest of the field got to follow. Sounds of motorcycles filled the air. Some were quite noisy. But when the wave of engine noise hit our row it sent shivers down my spine. It was one of those things you'll never forget. Bikes of all makes and models rumbling all at once. Like a swarm of bees waiting to take flight. A very cool experience.

Tomorrow - the ride... and how all this relates to my son.