After Jackie's dad was shot this summer, I kept wondering to myself, what would be the best way to help out and give back just a fraction of what her family has done for me. My dad and I came up with the idea of planning, and carrying out a large-scale benefit motorcycle ride. We started preliminary planning near the end of July and set of the ride for September 27Th. Over a two week period I struggled to give the ride an appropriate and fitting name. Late one night while brainstorming in
bed, I decided to call it the H.O.G. - W.I.L.D. Ride, which would be an acronym for Honoring Our Guardians- Who are Injured in the Line of Duty. With the help of my dad and some very close friends we were able to make all the necessary arrangements for an all-out ride. In the week leading up to the ride, we were all very busy collecting donations, raffle prizes and fine-tuning for the big event. Throughout the planning I was very impressed at how willing people and companies were to donate and help out. A good friend of mine, and co-worker designed our ride logo, ride pin and flyer from scratch. It turned out awesome!! We had a ton of small posters and flyers printed that we handed out in the weeks leading up to the ride. Local stores were great and very willing to hang a poster up in their window. I got a lot of positive feedback on the flyer and a ton of people wishing Captain Terry and his family well. As the ride date got closer we all crossed our fingers, and prayed for nice weather. We got our wish! That Saturday morning the weather was beautiful. We had made arrangements to hold registration and depart from the new Timpanogos Harley Davidson dealership. Anyone who has not been in the new store MUST make it a point to check it out sometime. It is a very cool building that was designed and constructed to use around 80% of its materials from the now demolished Geneva Steel (a favorite place of mine to explore during tear down). 
With the help of close family members and friends we set up registration around 9 in the morning. Since this was to be the first ride I had ever hosted, I had NO idea if I should plan for 50 or 500?!?!? So I planned on 200-300 and hoped for the best! Come to find out, our attempt at getting the word out, worked VERY, VERY well. Before we knew it, we had a huge line that ran down the sidewalk and deep into the parking lot of the dealership, which was packed full of the coolest bikes I have ever seen. The entire time, more and more bikes just kept rolling in. It was incredible to see how excited people were to help out with a good cause and join us on a beautiful fall ride in the mountains. Soon we were running out of the 300 shirts and pins that I had ordered for the ride! AND THERE WAS STILL A HUGE LINE. We assured people that if they didn't get a shirt right then, that we would have the necessary amount printed and delivered to them. 
When it came time to depart we had 400+ riders!!! The Highway Patrol and Salt Lake County Sheriff Department were kind enough to send a handful of bikes to lead the way and a couple to bring up the rear. We pulled out the dealership and headed south on I-15. I was at the very front of the line and throughout the trek to Nephi a kept looking in my mirrors on long straight-aways to see how far back our group ran. All I could see was a huge thick trail of motorcycle headlights that ran back further than I could see. Our group made a quick fuel stop in Nephi then headed up the south side of Nebo Loop. It was a beautiful fall day and a perfect day for a ride in the canyon. The leaves were all at their most colorful point and the air was crisp and fresh. We finally made our way into town, where the Payson Police Department pulled a car with lights and sirens in front of our pack and escorted us through police blocked intersections allowing us to all stay together as we made our way back to the I-15. I am sure that from the air we would have looked like a 5-mile long string of leather-clad ants. We headed north on I-15 to Lehi. Upon exiting the freeway, we were greeted with a familiar sight. A Lehi Police Cruiser pulled in front of us and lead the way through town. As we approached from a distance I would see two Police cars pull into and block every intersection. Wow! we really got the royal treatment ( I could get use to the blocked intersection thing. Especially each morning on my way to work.) We pulled into Wine's Park where a fully catered BBQ, a Coca-Cola Trailer, and a Live band awaited us. (Thanks Mellors, Coke, Tour Ice, TwinLabs, and Peace & Quiet) There was also around 100 more people, who didn't own a bike, that came down to buy a lunch ticket or T-shirt to help support our cause. Every family member and friend that did not go on the ride had made the park look like a well decorated and organized banquet hall. Riders ate delicious food as they chatted, admired bikes and enjoyed the live Rock and Roll being played by Peace and Quiet. After lunch we raffled off a vast amount of very cool prizes. Such as.....
With the help of close family members and friends we set up registration around 9 in the morning. Since this was to be the first ride I had ever hosted, I had NO idea if I should plan for 50 or 500?!?!? So I planned on 200-300 and hoped for the best! Come to find out, our attempt at getting the word out, worked VERY, VERY well. Before we knew it, we had a huge line that ran down the sidewalk and deep into the parking lot of the dealership, which was packed full of the coolest bikes I have ever seen. The entire time, more and more bikes just kept rolling in. It was incredible to see how excited people were to help out with a good cause and join us on a beautiful fall ride in the mountains. Soon we were running out of the 300 shirts and pins that I had ordered for the ride! AND THERE WAS STILL A HUGE LINE. We assured people that if they didn't get a shirt right then, that we would have the necessary amount printed and delivered to them. 
When it came time to depart we had 400+ riders!!! The Highway Patrol and Salt Lake County Sheriff Department were kind enough to send a handful of bikes to lead the way and a couple to bring up the rear. We pulled out the dealership and headed south on I-15. I was at the very front of the line and throughout the trek to Nephi a kept looking in my mirrors on long straight-aways to see how far back our group ran. All I could see was a huge thick trail of motorcycle headlights that ran back further than I could see. Our group made a quick fuel stop in Nephi then headed up the south side of Nebo Loop. It was a beautiful fall day and a perfect day for a ride in the canyon. The leaves were all at their most colorful point and the air was crisp and fresh. We finally made our way into town, where the Payson Police Department pulled a car with lights and sirens in front of our pack and escorted us through police blocked intersections allowing us to all stay together as we made our way back to the I-15. I am sure that from the air we would have looked like a 5-mile long string of leather-clad ants. We headed north on I-15 to Lehi. Upon exiting the freeway, we were greeted with a familiar sight. A Lehi Police Cruiser pulled in front of us and lead the way through town. As we approached from a distance I would see two Police cars pull into and block every intersection. Wow! we really got the royal treatment ( I could get use to the blocked intersection thing. Especially each morning on my way to work.) We pulled into Wine's Park where a fully catered BBQ, a Coca-Cola Trailer, and a Live band awaited us. (Thanks Mellors, Coke, Tour Ice, TwinLabs, and Peace & Quiet) There was also around 100 more people, who didn't own a bike, that came down to buy a lunch ticket or T-shirt to help support our cause. Every family member and friend that did not go on the ride had made the park look like a well decorated and organized banquet hall. Riders ate delicious food as they chatted, admired bikes and enjoyed the live Rock and Roll being played by Peace and Quiet. After lunch we raffled off a vast amount of very cool prizes. Such as.....- Knight, Wolverine Muzzle-loader rifle
- NAA .22 caliber pistol
- 2 spray-in truck bed liners
- Large Craftsmen tool kit
- Overnight stay at each of the following- Anniversary Inn, Ruby's Inn, The Homestead, Daniel's Summit Lodge and Falcon's Ledge (with free fly fishing lessons for two)
- $100 FARM police supply gift card
- $200 Cabela's gift card
- Fishing passes for private lake
- Weekend Harley Davidson rental
- V-twin tune up
- Saws-all
- Angle grinder
- Luxury Kitchen Faucet
- $400 dental whitening gift card
- AVON gift cards
- TwinLabs Supplement gift bags
- Men's and Women's motorcycle jackets
- Wasatch county golf passes
- Motorcycle gloves
I just now noticed the very reason I don't update my blog very often. I have a bad habit of getting very long-winded! Sorry :( I will try and wrap it up.
Everyone had a great time and the ride turned out very well. We even ended up in a newspaper or two! http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/282873/
I want to personally thank anyone and everyone that helped in planning, preparation, artwork, donations, and all of the help that was needed at registration and at the BBQ and all the work that was done while we were out riding. I also want to thank every who joined us on the ride to show their support and thanks to Jackie's Dad and family. I also want to graciously thank TwinLabs, Action Target, Skaggs, and Mountainland for monetary donations that they made to help offset costs. I also want to give a huge thanks to Mellor Engineering along with Mellor Reception Center for being so willing to take care of every element of cost and serving of the BBQ. With the help of everyone we were able to raise a substantial donation. THANKS TO ALL!!!
STAY TUNED FOR:
HALLOWEEN 2008
GAGE'S 1st BIRTHDAY
-UNTIL THEN, PLEASE ENJOY THESE LOVELY PICTURES-
