BIKERS 4 KIDS RALLY 2003

by Luu-ez

Hum.. It all started, when I met a friend on the internet. There's a Biker party in Springfield, Missouri, on July 11-13, So, I thought, Wow.. that would be a nice ride, get the hell out of here, and go see how people in the mid west party down there. The party is called Bikers4kids. But first let me explain about the people who run this event.

Mike & Melanie Flood of Rural Stone County, love riding there motorcycles, but it is the love of kids, that inspired them to start bikers4kids. Learning about a woman, who's child had been kidnapped, by her ex/husband, the Floods wanted to help raise $ to hire a private investigator. So they held a party with about 50 biker friends who were able to give the woman the money she needed to get her kid back.

But, the next year, her friends asked her when she was going to do it again, so a second event was held, this time 200 people, enough $$ to find 2 missing kids. Since then the event has attracted thousands of bikers. Duane my internet friend is a Private Investigator who goes after these kidnappers
& brings these children home! So far 103 children have been brought home through there efforts.

At the party some brought there kids in strollers and backpacks. Patience and brother Isaiah 2 get the kids finger prints and photos on a CD for the parent and then the information is deleted from the computer. This can be carried in a pocket or wallet and can be updated; if a child goes missing the information goes to law enforcement agencies all over the internet.

This is a very good cause, and a great way to both help find missing children, and protect those at home who may be at risk. I really wanted to meet up with these people.

Finally it's Tuesday, the bike is packed ready to go..

Said my good byes to all. I'm riding this solo. I'll be back and tell you all a good story!

Now, I can't sleep well, just want the clock to be time to go. .

In the morning, I look outside and it's pouring down rain, along with thunder & lighting. There goes my dream of riding out of here in beautiful sunny skies. The internet weather is calling for tornado's and it's flooded all over Ohio.

It was the most miserable day, that we have had all summer. I thought about waiting till Thursday to leave. I was stuck to the TV. I said fff it, I'm going! If, I don't, it's going to be worse tomorrow, & I got to be there Friday, for the party. I'm No sissy by No means, & I'm glad I have the balls { yes balls.. I only carry mine higher} most would have not gone!

Off to get fuel, check my tires. There were many BLACK clouds, storms every where, I stopped at Pikes Peak, Truck Stop, to fuel up, check how everything was riding. Checked the radar there, it said tornado's & golf ball hail, coming right in at me. Well, I'm not turning back. I'll watch the skies, & go from there. The whole way, it poured, and the winds, they tossed me around, like a rag doll. I rode on.. Out past Dayton, somewhere, I just knew my luck had run out. The skies had another plan for me, I knew it, in my gut, I had to stop.

The skies were so black & the lighting covered the sky. I knew I had to find cover, NOW. I rode around, found a motel, with a door to the outside of it. I'm pushing my bike inside, but, shit it's not wide enough. Dam. I walked over to the bed and ripped off the blanket and bedspread, took both pillows, put them on the front fender and gas tank, then threw the blankets over it. It came down in golf balls. It poured all night. The bike survived! I had only made it 250 miles, that day.

Come morning it was still raining hard. But I got on the road again. The weather says, they were tornado's in my path, through Indiana and Illinois. I left again... It poured all the way till I got to Missouri. Then, finally in late afternoon of Missouri, the sun was out, I made it! Whew, what a ride! I rode 633 miles in a day. Not too bad, I thought. Gas & go..

Friday I met up with my friend Duane and we headed out to the party. Forty acres of bikers!

After checking in, we head down one of the worst hills a campground has ever had! All of a sudden there's this big hill. That just drops, I cannot see the bottom, my first thought is. oh my god, I'm not 4 wheeling on my bike. When I came back from my panic, Duane is gone. SHIT! Men & woman are watching me {not many woman ride, in this neck of the woods} I'm not about to Sissy Out, let me tell ya! So, I took a deep breath, and said oh ffff ! When I got to the bottom I was shaken, my blood was pumping, I turned around to see what I had just come down & I thought I have to go back up it, to get out of here.

Later in the evening, we start to hear Thunder and then came the Lighting. It was really pretty to see those huge skies light up. Almost like the forth of July. They would stay in the sky for long minutes, before showing you the next, like a slideshow. Awesome~!

As we were heading back to the tent, the winds were really kicking up. We were camped along the river about 40 feet from the banks. Everyone all took cover, under a shelter. And the winds became so very strong! I sat down at the picnic table and never moved again. I realized when I decided to come
here that I would be in Tornado Alley, but I guess I never gave it much thought after that. I never thought it would happen while I was there- boy......, was I sadly mistaken!

A little dog was going in circles. I reached down picked him up & held him very close. And told him.. " Auntie Em, Auntie Em.. This was the real deal. People were hanging on to the poles, it was impossible to stand, the wind so fierce, it was twisting with the rain, you could see it, curling all directions, lighting every where, thunder. The winds were well over 80 mph. People who lived here didn't know what to do! And since we were on the river, we really got whipped with it! There was Baseball size hail. Tents were flying threw the air, motorcycles were falling over, the stage was destroyed with equipment, vendors forever lost there shit, it threw down trees, telephone poles, a tree went down on a tent, no one was hurt, electricity was out for days, lines were down everywhere, no water, no nothing. The roads we used to get there, were closed, it was a disaster. I was waiting for bodies to go flinging threw the air like rag dolls!!! All of a sudden it quit: dead silence. But, when everyone thought it was over, mother nature, showed us another round, much worse than before. I really thought I was going to die, .With nowhere to hide, the winds were packing 100mph. I don't know how long it lasted, long enough, to scare the shit out of me.

Come daylight, is when you seen the damage, EVERYWHERE. Now, I only have 1 thing on my mind! There are ponds of water everywhere, you could swim in it. I looked at that hill and I was sick. I'm not about to ask any man to get my bike up it! Hum... I watched men put there trucks in 4 wheel to go up. fff I 'm thinking. If I can get a running start at a short distance, and luck. maybe. My blood was pumping, I took a deep breath, put it in gear, got up the speed and up I went. My bike was slipping and sliding all over that hill coming up. Everyone was clapping when I reached the top.

Later in the afternoon, when all damage was sized up, did the party start again. There was a bike show, loud pipes, tittie, tattoo contest, poker run plus many more events. I had entered the bike and tat & loud pipes. Took 1st place for tattoo and bike. I was presented with a trophy for: 1 Riding from Pittsburgh, Pa To Springfield, Missouri 2. Being a Woman & riding it Solo 3. Having a good looking ride. They said I earned it!

There were bands all day long and well into the evening. Black Oak Arkansas played. Although Temperatures reached a 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity, it was so nice to party with these people. I met many good bikers, and exchanged numbers to keep in touch.

Sunday morning they had Church Services, for all who wanted to attend, with Brother Doc Reynolds of the Ozark Christian Riders, delivering the message. Attendance was a handful, but I was there. There was another storm festering in the skies. I said my good byes to all, I was not sticking around for
another round.

Tuesday I hooked up some people I had met there, had some work done on my ride while we shot the shit, funny how when you meet some people, you feel like you have known them before, they even resemble your friends back home, and you feel like you have know them forever & you have somewhere, some time, someday.. And you smile.

Wed, I packed the bike and hit the road to come home.

The first day I rode to Chester, Ill. found a State Park, set up camp, got up Thurs. And rode all the way in to Cheswick, Pa. 666 miles in a day!

Oh, and 1 more thing, I saved this for last, I kept track of my miles, there and back , they are exact mileage, not even off by one. I added it up 3 times, thinking I was mistaken, but it said 883 miles one way and that's exactly what my bike is 883 Custom Sportster! Oh, yes my ass was a that sore, more so my back.

I'm going on another big trip in 5 weeks, heading out west, Solo, to Sedona Arizona, Grand Canyon, Texas, 4 corners rally Colorado. 4 weeks of traveling, I can hardly wait. As, your reading this, I'm probably on the road

WHICH DOES GO ON FOREVER, AND BELIEVE ME, THE PARTY NEVER ENDS!

Luu-ez

Ps. I have completed my 2nd trip, just got in last week (9/30/2003). Total traveling miles 6,206! Solo Female Rider! Which i plan to write a book about it. It was the journey of a life time!

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