The Road Glide National Rally — Sharkweek XI

I posted previously about our ride to Ely, Nev. and touring the “Loneliest Road” enroute to the Road Glide National Rally: HERE.

After a taste of authentic Americana on the Gold Rush–era highway that is part of the West’s last frontier, US Route 50, the group settled into base camp — the Carson Valley Inn & Casino.  We registered, set the A/C on high and searched through our bags of swag in preparation for the multi-day Road Glide National Rally (“Sharkweek XI”).

Lake Tahoe

The next morning was an abundance of gorgeous scenery and twisty roads in all directions around the ‘Jewel of the Sierra’ — the emerald clear waters and pine-forested slopes of Lake Tahoe.  We had plenty of time and decided to ride around the entire lake. We started for South Lake Tahoe, then headed northeast in a clockwise route for a tour of the lake. In this direction, you’re closer to the lake and won’t need to cross traffic when pulling over.

Mono Lake

From South Lake, we hopped on CA-89 North, then finally, onto HWY 28. The temperature was perfect in the high 70’s. The lake loop was a nice mix of sweeping turns and straightaways interspersed with views of the lake and mountains; and we appreciated the straight sections with incredibly blue water. The only downside was the amount of traffic in and around Lake Tahoe. Since the pandemic waned and California reopened the traffic and parking challenges seemed exceptionally poor on this trip.

Yosemite National Park Entrance Lineup

The next day was Yosemite National Park. From Minden, Nev. the farm scenery doesn’t abate until you are well past Gardnerville, but improves quickly as we headed south on US 395 toward Mono Lake. Topaz Lake covers the state line next to the highway as you cross into California.

The next real town is Bridgeport, with a population of 464 people and the Mono county seat.  It’s also where the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) is located and I recall from a previous ride in this area that some members of our posse shared a long night of refreshments with military personnel and a jukebox!

Continuing along US 395 we climb up and over several mountains.  It’s one of the more scenic places in the state and to the west is the Sierra Nevada range that forms a nearly impassable barrier to cross. At about 8000′ feet and on the way down there is a pull off spot called Mono Lake Vista Point which offers a great view of Mono Lake and the entire Mono basin (“Mono” means “beautiful” in Piute). The lake is twice as salty as the ocean, and the water is so alkaline that no fish can live in the water, but it is home to some plants and animals that are not found anywhere on Earth.

As you reach Lake’s south shore at Lee Vining, you’ll want to connect with Route 120, the turn-off for Yosemite National Park. The road starts at the Big Oak Flat entrance, elevation 4,872 feet and dramatically climbs above the Valley to an elevation of 9,945 feet above sea level with breathtaking views.

Yosemite National Park

It’s a great ride even if you don’t have reservations and go into the park. We knew that the National Park Service announced a day-use reservation system that was in place for the summer due to COVID-19 and staffing shortages that were creating operational hurdles.  There were hurdles all right.  Everyone’s dying to get into Yosemite!  We had reservations and thought we were special, but it took over an hour to get processed into the park.

Arriving at “Yosemite East” is the highest (9,945 feet above sea level) motorcycling pass in California. To be clear, there are five entrances into the Park, and the road to each of them offers unique sights. Our eastern gateway to Yosemite with the rock formations was awesome, followed by pristine alpine lakes, meadows awash with wild flowers and granite expanses.

Yosemite National Park

We rode through high-elevation — Tuolumne Meadows at 8,600 feet and at Olmsted Point, along the Tioga Road, which looks down on Yosemite Valley from the east — and from a very different angle. You might not immediately recognize Half Dome from this location, but it is one of the most prominent peaks you can see.

We finally arrived in the main area of Yosemite after seeing smooth granite domes and craggy peaks — “craggy” started to describe my demeanor after a couple hours of being patient in RV traffic and delays of rehabilitation on the road surface. There are no areas of solitude unless you explore the wilderness on foot and I’m not sure even then that a whole community of people wouldn’t be following you into the “wild” taking selfies!

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is a famous location, being the first land in the country set aside for public enjoyment by President Lincoln during the Civil War (which was the founding legislation for the National Park Service). And, far more people spend their time cavorting in and around Yosemite Valley than make the winding drive in/out on Hwy 120.

Back on the road after a pause in Yosemite’s Valley we could see a build-up of cumulus clouds and it wasn’t too long until we heard the rumble of thunder.  It’s generally known that if you hear a rumble of thunder, a thunderstorm is within 10 miles, but we were making great progress back out through the park and thought we’d likely “outrun” any storm by pressing on.

The “wet” arrived!

As we rode toward the east entrance there were flashes of lightning and before I could do any mathematical calculation of dividing the number of seconds by five to get an estimate of the distance, there was another flash, then another as the skies opened with a downpour of water mixed with hail!

“I want to be out riding in the rain,” said no one on a motorcycle!

The Posse

Doused with wetness, we pulled off the road and kept a wary eye on the lightning flashes across the sky while putting on rain gear. The temperature dropped more than ten degrees and the thunderstorm produced intense rainfall with more hail, which led to some localized flooding on the roadway. As we rode on the storm dissipated a bit, but never stopped delivering us the wet stuff.  Riding SR120 in the rain as it drops quickly in elevation to Lee Vining was a new experience and we needed a break and to get some fuel. Refueling at the local Chevron station set a new record for the cost to fill my Harley-Davidson at $5.899/gallon, but the mini-stop was worth it!

‘Glider’ Lineup

The thunderstorm followed us as the heavy rain and traffic created that white milky substance you often see on the roads as a result of fresh rain on oil-soaked roads. In Bridgeport, we stopped for a while under an abandoned gas station awning during another intense shower and when it let up a bit we rode in a misty rain soaked road straight through to the Carson Valley Inn & Casino. The late afternoon was much too wet and it was a welcome relief to arrive back in the high 80’s and dry out a bit.  Many ‘Gliders’ were caught in that storm and it was the talk of several groups during dinner.

The next day, Battle Born Harley-Davidson hosted a BBQ with refreshments for the 200+ riders that attended the Road Glide National Rally.  The group lined up the motorcycles for a “selfie” and proceeded to buy up the inventory of t-shirts.  We took a step back in time and visited the old west town that’s famous for 1859’s Comstock Lode silver ore discovery — Virginia City — and took in the sights, and culture.

In 2020, the RoadGlide.org (37,000+ members) became a non-profit and that evening was their annual raffle event which can generate significant donations for a good cause. It was reported that the group generated a new record of $3,200 and delivered a check for that amount to the Boys and Girls Club of Carson Valley.  Awesome, just straight up awesome!

Sharkweek XI Raffle

I also want to provide a huge shout-out to Butt Buffers seat cushions.  Given the high temperatures on this trip, I had been thinking about buying a seat cushion to improve air flow.  My Mustang leather seat got too sticky and sweaty on this trip. Fortunately, the Butt Buffers Pebble Polymer model that I won during the raffle offered up all of the benefits of a seat cushion with a super-comfortable ride, it also provided significant air-flow. It’s a really well made and great product, which I used for 500+ miles during my return trip home.  Many, many thanks to Peter for the donation to Sharkweek!

I departed for Oregon very early the next morning, needing to ride 580 miles.  It was perfect riding temperatures with cool, crisp air departing Minden. From Susanville I took CA-44 through Lassen National Forest.  I rode toward Old Station and then took CA-89 toward Mount Shasta.  I like riding this route. The road is good and traffic is moving quickly for a two-lane road and although some parts of it are burned down from forest fires, it has varied and interesting scenery.  I was all about miles today so, there was no time to tour Lassen Volcanic National Park.

On this road trip, there were a lot of hot miles and even more smiles. The things I like about SharkWeek are the people, seeing friends, meeting new friends, the rides, not talking about work, and the gorgeous scenery across Idaho, Nevada and California.

I hope everyone had blue skies and tailwinds for their ride home.

Road Glide National Rally 2022 (Sharkweek XII –  August 1-5, 2022)
Road Glide Org

Photos taken by author except Sharkweek logo and Road Glide line up courtesy of Ron Cushing a.k.a “Stray Mutt”

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Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally – CANCELLED

Concerns over ongoing restrictions forced the cancellation of the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally planned for July 9-12th 2021.

Organizers came to the decision due to the State of Oregon’s restrictions, and having no line-of-sight to a method of safely hosting this event while still being in compliance with the state’s guidelines. “The show must go on” is in our DNA, we are now working through the ramifications of this unfortunate situation.

I’m of the viewpoint that organizers likely made the decision that hosting an event for a few thousand people with mandated indoor/outdoor occupancy limits and social distancing requirements was too risky due to enforcement and liability issues. Additionally, the pandemic’s adverse impact on manufacturers and industry vendors has led to significant supply delays and shortages, which adds even more risk for small businesses.

Maybe in 2022…

Images courtesy of Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally.

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Scootin’ America Stalls But Adventures To Continue

I never had the opportunity to meet or hang with Adam Sandovalas and Scooter “Trash” Sandoval, his Chihuahua.  He’s traveling around the U.S to every Harley-Davidson dealership raising money and awareness for the children of fallen soldiers. Basically it’s a ride, stop, meet and greet, throttle up to the next dealer and repeat.  You can follow along on his web site at Scootin’ America.

Similar to the USPS slogan, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will keep Adam and Scooter from the swift completion of his task.

I remember seeing a Facebook post back in June of Adam and Scooter stopping at PDX Speed Shop and recall thinking it would have been cool to shake his hand and listen to a couple of his stories on this cross country adventure.  I admired the fact that here is a person willing to put his personal life on hold and do what he believes in to get the job done.

Many of us have thought about doing something similar or noteworthy on our motorcycle.  I’ve heard and been part of the discussions in my own riding circles.  Take a couple months to do this or a bucket list dream ride of doing that, but more often than not we stop – just short of pulling the bike out of the garage.

Adam has dedicated a couple of years time to ride thousands of miles on his 1996 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide and spread the word benefitting those who need a hand.  I could drone on about Adam and his accomplishments, but this has already been done. I could write about his dedication to see this project through to the end and his drive to make a difference, but there are plenty of photos of the endless handshakes and well-wisher’s.

What I really wanted to bring attention to is that on July 2nd, on the way to one of the first Harley-Dealer stops of the day, a lady driving in oncoming traffic came across the center line and hit Adam. Scooter was okay, but they Life-Flight Adam to the UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh where he was admitted. He was stable and underwent surgery on July 3rd. He is progressing well given the situation and started the first day of physical therapy on July 5th.  If interested you can follow his updates on his Facebook page HERE or on his Twitter page HERE.

His stated goal is to fix himself up along with the Harley and complete his mission for our soldiers.  If you want to know how-to-help please visit HERE.

To read that Adam wants to get back out there and finish the task got me to thinking that innovative marketing is the underbelly of Harley-Davidson success and wouldn’t it be cool if they provided a bit of positive outreach and started a fund to loan or buy him a new bike!  This is something that would clearly serve all and is a win-win-win.

Harley-Davidson’s U.S. Media Relations Manager is Jen Hoyer.  If you have some passion about this her contact info is HERE.

Photos are courtesy of Scootn’ America.

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Burning Through The Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest…bounded on one side by the pacific ocean and the other side is the mountainous Rocky’s.

It’s perfect for finding a two-lane crowd-free by-way and rolling past acres of lush forest.  Those acres can turn into meandering hours of riding the countryside on a motorcycle.   In fact, the Pacific Northwest HOG rally will be hosted in the picture-esq Northwest (Portland) in a couple of weeks where we will deliver the aesthetic vision of why we ride!

Welcoming the 1000’s of riders to the adventure will be hot and dry weather.  Not only will they encounter the best weather temps, but they will also have to deal with wildfires.  Yes, the west could be described as being on fire!

Wildfires In Oregon and Washington State

The fires across the region have forced evacuation, burned down structures and created breathing issues for some.  Twenty minutes outside the Portland metro area the air is thick with particulate and smoke permeates the sky for miles across the region.  In Washington state over a 1000 people have been evacuated in Chelan county.  The Warm Springs fire (Countyline 2 fire) in Oregon has exploded into the largest fire at 36K acres.  U.S. 26 is closed at Oregon 126.

According to NatGeo, on average more than 100K wildfires clear 4-5 million acres each year in the U.S.  In 2014, some 1.2 million acres burned in Oregon and Washington and sadly this year it’s looking like a repeat.

Wildfires In Canada, BC

In scanning the reports I got to thinking about the last time I’ve taken a motorcycle trip during the summer that wasn’t marred with a wildfire.  Of course it depends on how many miles I’ve traveled, but in a typical week long ride during the summer I realized that it’s been a fair number of years where I didn’t pass near or through a burning wildfire during a ride.  I’ve had multiple trips to Sturgis.  Through Yellowstone Park, through Glacier National Park – both with fires on multiple trips.  There was U.S. Route 550 or the “million dollar highway” that had a San Jan National Forest fire.  There was Beartooth Highway (U.S. Hwy 212) and a lingering wildfire.  I’ve taken a couple extended trips up north to British Columbia Canada and the land of lumberjacks was on fire both times.  In most all cases we were not close enough to see flames, but dark smoke and particles filled the sky for many miles as we navigated across the country.

In Washington and Oregon there are now 31 major wildfires currently burning.  See the map.  In Canada BC, there are even more.

In addition to the economic woes that these fires cause it does makes one wonder whether motorcyclists should even consider traveling the west during the height of the summer fire season.

But, life is for living and I’m not talking about the thrill of a car ride snaking through the marquee Going-to-the-Sun-Road in Glacier.  It’s about feeling small in a very big world and how that is a great thing on a motorcycle.  So, I’ll continue to plan motorcycle trips to ride the west – wildfires and all!  Sure some of my photos will be filled with smoke obscuring the mountain views but, just know that I’ll have a big smile underneath that slightly wetted down dew rag covering my face!

Photos courtesy of the Oregonian and NWCC.

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Pendleton Bike Week

“Why aren’t we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that.” — Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), National Lampoon’s Vacation

As riders across the northwest embark on wheeled tours this summer — two and three-wheelers, like the iconic movie, National Lampoon’s Vacation — in the pursuit of some quality wind in the face time with friends it’s important to be vigilance and travel safely.

According to the American Automobile Association, the number of travelers on the roads this summer could be the highest in ten years because gas prices are the lowest they’ve been in five years.

Rally season is coming up fast and I wanted to highlight the Pendleton Bike Week (PBW) on July 22nd – 26th.  In its inaugural  year and what riding a motorcycle is all about.  Great Rides, Concerts (Too Slim and the Taildraggers), Hamley’s Steakhouse, 45. Cal Poker Run, the PBW Motorcycle Show, and REAL Western hospitality at the Hardtail Saloon.

What about the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally (HCMR) in Baker City you ask?

Eric Folkestad, is one of the founders of the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally, sold his interest in the event to his brother, co-founder Steve Folkestad, and is helping promote this new motorcycle event in Pendleton. The HCMR is remains intact and runs July 9-13th.  They plan to cross-promote each of the events.

My viewpoint is that most riders won’t go to both events as they will likely make a choice. However, another rally won’t hurt the northwest and provides calendar alternatives for folks.  A key sponsor is Rattlesnake Mountain Harley-Davidson, Kennewick, and they will have a sizable chunk of real estate at the Pendleton Convention Center, headquarters for the rally. Wildhorse Resort & Casino is also a sponsor.

The Folkestad brothers deserve a big shout-out for making both rallies about safely riding the scenic byways of Eastern Oregon and not about partying and debauchery.

Pendleton is an appealing venue and the rally is a perfect ‘back to the basics’ ride in the west and social event with old friends.

See you there!

Photo courtesy of PBW.

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The 5th Annual Children’s Cancer Association Joyride

It only takes a little to give a lot.

Sure we hear the accusations all the time.  This charity spent less than 3 cents on the dollar helping kids.  Another charity spent more than half of their fund raising contributions on consulting and publicity.  Another charity paid the charity’s founder and their consulting firm millions.  The claims go on and on and unfortunately some are true.

However, there is one charity, the Children’s Cancer Association – Oregon, that is highly rated, especially in the areas of accountability and transparency metrics.  You can review the information for yourself HERE.  They are one of the good guys and can always use our help/support.

The CCA and Paradise Harley-Davidson are pulling together the 5th annual JoyRide for fundraising and this year it comes together on Saturday, June 21st.

It’s a unique opportunity to join local riders in support of CCA’s Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin program.  The JoyRide benefits a retreat home on the Oregon Coast, which provides families with seriously ill children and teens battling serious illness an extraordinary place to retreat, relax, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Independent of what you ride, bikers of all kinds will gather together for a JoyRide in support of CCA.  The JoyRide will kick off at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel. Participants will ride to the Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin in Pacific City, where there is a celebration of the rider support. The JoyRide is open to individuals or teams.  Registration information is HERE.

See you there!

Photo courtesy of CCA.

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CCA 4th Annual Charity Ride

You open your mailbox one morning and there inside is a letter from a charity asking for your support. You read it and either toss the material or are inspired to donate, writing out a modest check and popping it in the mail. You feel good knowing that you sacrificed something to support a cause you think is important.

But the problem we’re confronting is so much material imploring us to listen it’s a challenge to separate the signal from the noise.  

“Noise” means… useless information.  “Signal” means… truth.

Once upon on a time information was scarce.  You had to hunt for it, nobody pointed a fire hose at your face, which is what logging onto the internet is like today.  It’s a tsunami of information and with your time limited where do you place your attention?  As consumers we’re inundated with noise.  To the point we ignore almost everything that’s incoming and we only pay attention to our trusted filters who are most often friends.

I only have time for incredible and so do you. 

Which is why I’m raising awareness about the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).  

How many charity rides do you participate in a year?  If you are like most motorcyclists you probably support a couple a year.  It’s not always about the ride; it’s about giving back to your community and helping the incredible non-profit organizations with their cause.

That’s what the 4th annual CCA Joyride is all about.  Paradise H-D is a key sponsor of the event to raise funds for The Alexandra Ellis Caring Cabin™. The Caring Cabin provides children and teens facing cancer and terminal illnesses who are in treatment in Oregon, along with their families, an extraordinary place to retreat, relax and create once-in-a-lifetime memories.  The Caring Cabin is the only retreat home of its kind in the western U.S. and is on 24 wooded acres near Pacific City.

I hope you’ll consider joining the charity ride on Saturday, June 22^nd.   A new route (HERE) is planned this year that winds through Portland and SW Washington, making stops along the way at some favorite locations. At kick-off, riders will receive a JoyRide Passport that will guide them to each location and where they will learn more about CCA along the way.  Each stop will feature beverages, giveaways, and opportunities to interact with CCA volunteers or families.  Riders who visit all of the stops will be entered into a drawing for a Grand Prize.  You can register HERE or if unable to attend the ride you can sponsor a rider HERE.

There will be an award’s ceremony at the Corner Saloon which is the final stop of the CCA Joyride.

Photo courtesy of Paradise H-D and CCA Joyride.

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The Laughing Devil Tickle Monster

Thomas “Gypsy” Quinn – Laffing Devils Motorcycle Club

Pardon me, but your character is showing…

Companies that support reality programming are a bell weather of the culture.  Reality TV programming is an expansive industry label, and runs the gamut from Michael “Mike” Rowe (Dirty Jobs), Adam Savage (MythBusters), Jake Harris (Deadliest Catch) to Thomas Quinn (The Devil’s Ride).  The one consistent characteristic of these type of TV shows is the dramatization of “real” events and occupations.

And in The Devils Ride dramatization, there includes an element of criminality and deviance which is posed as “entertainment” and is a constant factor in their so-called everyday motorcycle club life.

Speaking of lifestyles and the failure to realize the impact on other people…  Thomas “Gypsy” Quinn (age 43 ), ex-president of the Laffing Devils Motorcycle Club (now disbanded) and star of Discovery’s – The Devil’s Ride, was arrested August 28th on suspicion of committing a lewd act with a minor.  Specifically he was arrested on suspicion of having oral sex with his minor stepdaughter.  Mr. Quinn was arrested at 10am outside Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, CA. and bailed out the next day.  I don’t have independent confirmation, but it’s been reported in motorcycle forums that the stepdaughter is a child of his ex-wife and that she was 10 years old at the alleged time of this event.

As all the facts come to light and if the arrest results in a conviction – I point this out because Mr. Quinn and his ex-wife have been in a contentious battle for custody of children (different children than the alleged victim), and this could be an attempt to pit one parent against the other through the kids “crying wolf” prompted by the ex-wife.  Crazier things have happened and as of Sept 5th Mr. Quinn still has not been charged. He was supposed to be arraigned on that day, however San Diego’s District Attorney is still mulling over charging him.  So, it’s prudent to maintain the innocent until proven guilty theme.

But, speaking of guilt — when a publically traded company Discovery Communications (DISCA) maintains tacit support (by its silence) of a reality TV actor accused of child molestation – its sending a powerful message.  I’m not cutting Discovery Channel any slack on this.  It’s my viewpoint that David Zaslav, CEO Discovery Communications or David Pritikin, Discovery Channel Executive Producer of The Devils Ride missed the opportunity to build a meaningful and authentic connection with its viewers.  The company should have released a formal response about the arrest/allegations, but as is often the situation the economic incentive, and publicity has them instead remaining silent.  SILENCE from the very same company who just released an award winning documentary, “Sin By Silence” to raise awareness of domestic abuse!  In this post-Sandusky era of saying nothing to avoid bad publicity… that is shameful.

The lines between culture and commerce mean companies, their Reality TV programs and the actors often blur the lines between reality and representation, where the ability to determine what is real and what is not is increasingly brought under question.  There have been a lot of critics about whether the Laffing Devils Motorcycle Club is real.

Child sexual exploitation be it fabricated or real is serious.   I don’t know how this will ultimately play out for Mr. Quinn, but clearly it’s a sad family tragedy.

References: Sin By Silence movie trailer; Fox 5 San Diego; Channel 10 News;  Channel 6 news; 

Photo courtesy of Discovery and Quiet Little Place Productions.

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Good Vibrations Three-Peat

Three-peat is a contraction of the words three and repeat, which has been trademarked for commercial use by retired basketball coach Pat Riley.

The Oregon motorcycle rally called Good Vibrations is set to “3 Peat” on July 13th.  It’s three days of motorcycle fun in and around Salem/Keizer including festivities at Riverfront Park and Salem Harley-Davidson.

Randy Burke, President of Road Shows Inc., (Reno Street Vibrations “fame”) is running at full throttle to make the third rendition of the motorcycle rally in Oregon the best. The  rally will have bike competitions, bike shows, entertainment, concerts, poker runs, wine country tours and is expected to attract hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts to the area.

I’ve provided shout outs in the past for Randy Burke HERE about his efforts to make Street Vibrations a major success.  His company, Roadshows Inc. is a private company categorized under Entertainment Promotion and located in Reno, NV. Online records indicate it was established in the ‘90’s and incorporated in Nevada. Current estimates indicate the company has an annual revenue of $500,000 to $1 million and they employ a staff of approximately 5 to 9.  They are also a fully licensed entertainment booking agency, licensed private event security and event management company.  In addition to Good & Street Vibrations, they produce events in Palm Springs, Lake Havasu, Mammoth Lakes, Myrtle Beach, SC and Milwaukee.

They know how to make magic at a motorcycle rally!

Photo courtesy of Road Shows Inc.

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Reframing The Debate

Darrin Sprechar

Driving a motorcycle in the northwest is an exciting experience. The views, the freedom a motorcycle gives you, the expression of individuality that comes from going down the road on two wheels vs. four, are all attractions that thousands of Oregon motorcyclists experience most every day.

Unfortunately, there’s a darker side to driving a motorcycle. Accidents involving motorcycles are more dangerous to the rider than those involving people in automobiles.

That was the situation last week when Paradise Harley-Davidson (PHD) employee, Darrin Sprechar (43) was involved in an accident on Oregon 217 and sustained serious injuries.  Darrin was transported to Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Health Center after he rear-ended a vehicle on the highway between Southwest Walker and Canyon roads. The crash occurred in the southbound lanes at about 2:35 p.m.

Although Darrin was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, he suffered a traumatic head injury and remains hospitalized and in the ICU.  According to Beaverton Police (Yazzolino) the helmet wasn’t one approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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So, let’s reframe the debate — many of us know Darrin from the PHD Service Department — He’s really a nice guy, has a great sense of humor and is 3-dimensional, just like a real person!  Right now he remains in the ICU and it’s unknown when his condition will improve — so is it really time to debate DOT merits?! Really? I’ve read the posts on the forums and press pages.

Instead I suggest it’s time for a good deed.  One that will help bring some happiness to this family during the hazy shade of winter.  The Sunset HOG Chapter is sponsoring a collection for Darrin to help with medical expenses.  You can bring a donation to the next chapter meeting or mail a donation to PO Box 2078, Beaverton, OR 97075.  Or if you prefer you can make a donation HERE however, be advised that 100% of your donation will not go directly to the Sprechar family after the site takes it’s hefty percent of overhead.

We all hope and pray that Darrin’s injury will quickly heal. If you visit this link the family is keeping Darrin’s status updated daily.  For those of you who do contribute,  I’m sure that Darrin and his family would like to personally thank you for your support.

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Picture courtesy of Caringbridge and Sprechar family.

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