Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own

The title is reference to the U2 song, but it’s fitting for the ABATE/Shriners Toy Run which is this Saturday, December 5, 2009.
Rider participation reached new highs last year with more than 6400 motorcycles participating in the toy run and bringing generous levels of donations for needy kids.
The weather looks like it will be most [...]

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It’s All About Kids

The 8th Annual Musician’s Toy Run Benefit is set for this Saturday, November 7th at Trails End Saloon.   The ABATE/Shriner’s Toy Run is a motorcycle event sponsored by ABATE of Oregon where hundreds of riders take toys to the children at Shriners Hospitals for Children.  The actual Toy Run will take place on December 6th.
Like previous [...]

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Street Vibrations Snippet

The weather, the gambling action, the leather and the chrome all attracted higher attendance for Street Vibration 2009.  Maybe the lack of hype or the “sky is falling” press about impending club-on-club violence helped?  There was a positive “vibe” in the city which I’ve not observed in a couple years.  I ask and didn’t hear [...]

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Visiting Old Places – Street Vibrations 2009

A lot of people mistakenly assume that gambling originated in Las Vegas.  The fact is that Reno, NV gambling was the hottest and most entertaining until the 1950’s when Vegas started to staked its claim in the market and solicited clientele away.
Prior to the explosive rise of Indian Casino’s and online gambling, Reno and the [...]

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Free The Colors Ride Finalized

For those of you participating in the Free The Colors Ride, below is the finalized OVMA ride route. The map is only an approximation of the ride route:

(A) Join the ride at the beginning in McMinnville. Leave Shari’s parking lot at 11:00AM SHARP! Be there early.
(B) Join the ride at the first scheduled stop. Leaving [...]

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Street Vibrations Trip – Day 2

I was up early on day 2 and stood for a moment in the motel doorway, contemplating the Road King as though it were some postmodernist sculpture in the sunrise. Its gleaming chrome “big twin” engine, pipes, polished black-on-black fenders, beach bars and seven-inch headlight is nirvana in terms of form and function. I suspect the low [...]

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Chicken Little Strikes Street Vibrations

The story of Chicken Little is an allegory about alarmists, which concludes with an admission about ill-founded apocalyptic predictions.
Thinking about how “The Sky is Falling“…on my return ride from Street Vibrations yesterday…I couldn’t help but wonder if the speculation, rumors, concerns, worry and numerous citizen calls created an apocalyptic “environment” for the rally? 
I was in [...]

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Giddy Up

It’s here! Street Vibrations 2008 starts Thursday … and at least for me, anyway I’m headed out on the road and the journey starts tomorrow. 
With part time hobbies of blogging and photography I try to “cover” the various rallies, especially any event I attend.  You’d think Harley-Davidson would comp an oil rag or an oil [...]

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Entertainment Finalized For 105th Anniversary

Nothing compares to the feeling you get pulling onto the open road at the outset of a journey.   I’m a week out from the 105th Anniversary departure and Harley announced the final entertainment line-up for the celebration.  Rock on Garth!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28TH
The Anniversary will kick-off with CLUB H.O.G. 25, which celebrates the 25th Anniversary [...]

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This Is Not A Sales Pitch – Yeah, Right

It showed up in my inbox.  I was randomly selected by the “Harley Research Team” to participate in an online survey. 
As a registered ticket holder for the Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary event, I was unique (like the other 100K+ people attending) and “got” to take a survey to help Harley plan for my stay.  Well isn’t [...]

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