Mickey's News and Views

  Last year was the first year and I was hoping for a couple of hundred motorcycles.  We got over 900.  This year I was hoping we could double that number.  This year we had just over 2000 bikes.  It was the best.  We checked in at Sloppy Joe's in the Irvine Spectrum.  We did around a 100 mile ride including stops at Cook's Corner and even a stop at Children's Hospital of Orange County before ending up back at Sloppy Joe's and a concert by 2000 Pounds of Blues.  We were also entertained by the Victor McLaughlin Motorcycle Drill Team.  They are great and I thank them very much for all their support.  The stop at the hospital was incredible.  We were told that when all these motorcycles started arriving at the hospital kids were at the windows checking out the bikes.  A lot of the kids were able to come down to the lobby and hang out with the bikers for a while.  One of the gals, on the ride, made little bandanas for the kids.  We put them on the kids, I pinned them and made them official bikers. 

These kids were very excited.  It was more than a little emotional for me and everyone who participated.  My friend, Fred Miller, who works with The Bobby Sherman EMT Foundation as a paramedic,  came and provided emergency services along the poker run route.  I owe a big thank you to Fred for taking his whole day to help the kids.  THANKS FRED!  By buds, April, Vicki and Pam came out to support us as well.  I can't thank them enough.  They took photos and had a great time. (You can see some of those photos here)  THANKS GIRLS!  I also need to pay a special tribute to Sandie Moore for all the hard work she put out on the event.  She is truly the honcho behind the scenes.  She and her guy Ed put out all the efforts to make this event the success it was.  She has big plans for next year.  It is going to be bigger and better than ever.

  We are going to have vendors after the ride and then proceed into a full scale blues festival that could go on all night.  One last thing about the event.  As I said, the hospital stop was absolutely unbelievable.  On a final note and I think I can speak for all the bikers involved, we get more out of it than the kids.  I will never let go of the feelings of that day.  Thanks to all of you who were part of something that special.  We'll do it again next year.

My son and I went down to the Samson Exhaust Factory and he got outfitted with the Ripsaw Ground Pounder exhaust system.  I took a photo with Kenny Price, the president of Samson.  You can click here and go to their website.  Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

Mickey