Lorri Bernson, graduate of GDA-and organizer of the event-was thrilled with the turnout, but then again, she knows that if there's something good that needs attention, the engines will be revving. "Bikers are one of the most gracious and generous groups," she said when I asked her about them. "There are so many charity events that they attend."
That graciousness led to a record turnout for the Ride for Guides; in short, it was a smashing success. The poker run began early on Sunday morning, and stretched into the afternoon, whereupon the riders came back to the Sylmar facility for lunch and a raffle. Up for grabs were baskets full of goodies from various manufacturers and retail stores. I saw seats, Harley-Davidson gear, leathers, gift certificates for various bike shops, and much more. I tried to get in closer for a couple of shots, but only managed to get a partial picture of the teddy bear dressed in S&M gear.
One day, this little guy will be helping someone lead a more independent life.
It wasn't just gift baskets they had to raffle off, though; a gorgeous blue custom-built pro-street-style bike by Ron and Chuck Wendt of Rowe Machine is still up for grabs; one lucky winner will ride off with it in November, and all proceeds from the $10 tickets will go to Guide Dogs of America. We're talking one-off wheels with Avon tires, a 113ci engine, and a six-speed tranny. Great bike, great cause, why not enter?
"Think they'd notice if we took it?" my friend asked, obviously envisioning the pair of us making off like bandits with the Rowemobile and bombing down the freeway to Anaheim.
Some of the raffle baskets, including a very nice seat.
"Nah," I said. "We'll just leave my Nissan in its place." I'm sure Ron and Chuck are just thrilled to pieces that their craftsmanship is inspiring Grand Theft Motorcycle.
The ride's popularity skyrocketed this year; over 500 turned up for the run itself, and judging by the bikes in the parking lot and the amount of food consumed, most of them stayed on through the full event. Compare this to last year's run, where about 175 participated. "We did have a threat of rain that day, which minimized attendance," Lorri said. Still, going from 175 to 500 is no small feat; as word spreads, I'm sure that others will get involved as well. About $22,000 was raised throughout the day-not bad for a bunch of puppies, huh?
"The money will go to the care and training of dogs in our program," Lorri said. "With no government or state funding, the money that it takes to run the school and to provide these wonderful dogs at no charge to the blind recipients is all up to us to raise."