Showing posts with label Rat Bikes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rat Bikes. Show all posts

Monday, October 13, 2008

ABATE Toy Ride

All summer long I've planned on going to certain motorcycle events and because something has come up I haven't been able to. Well, Sunday was the ABATE Toy Ride and I kept telling Dan...we are doing this...don't make plans...no one is stopping us from going to this. My wish came true and we were able to go! YAY! Dan shined up the Glide and we headed over to meet Monique and RJ...our new riding buddies! They have actually been our friends for a few years but it wasn't until recently that RJ and Monique crossed over to the wild side. I say this because they've always been bikers...just bikers on bicycles. And instead of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally they are used to going on RAGBRAI. Which, if you have ever gone on this 7 day bicycle ride across Iowa, it sometimes is wilder then Sturgis.

It was a beautiful day for a ride on Sunday. After picking up Monique and RJ we made our way to I - 235 and headed east to the Capital. Because of my shear excitement about being able to go on this toy ride I got us there plenty early so we road around a little while and then headed back to the parking lot that is east of the Capital. As you can tell we were still pretty early.


I love Rat Bikes and this one was one of the coolest I saw on Sunday. Thanks to the nice biker that told me I could post it. I'm bad...I forgot to get his name but he did say he enters "Bone Rattler" in Rat Bike shows.



As the time goes by more and more people begin showing up. I decide to walk around and get some pictures and chat it up with some people that I know.



Yes...there is a Santa and Mrs. Claus. And Mrs. Claus wears leather chaps, with fringe. COOL!


I even ran into a reindeer and an elf.

You see so many cool things when you just walk around and look. I was like a kid in a big parking lot candy store. One fun find after another.






This is one of my favorite pictures that I took on Sunday. I want this to be me. I want to always be a cool biker chick until I can't swing my leg over that scoot anymore. You go Biker Momma!

And this is in no way making fun of the Iowa State Patrol but the photo cracks me up a little. These two Iowa State Patrol walking among a whole lotta bikers! Do you see the humor? Come on...you have to see the humor!

I mean, check out all the people that showed up for this event.

I know you are all wondering if we actually went on a ride. Yes we did! At one o'clock on the money the parking lot of steel horses sprung to life as people got in line to ride out of the Capital parking lot and down SE 14th Street. I had no idea what to expect but boy was I in for an amazing surprise!






SE 14th Street had a Des Moines police officer at every intersection so that we could blow through every red light. I know Dan was loving it because he has this red light bad karma thing that follows him so I know he was like, yes...yes...yes! I had chill bumps the entire ride. There were people along the way that were waving and honking. It was the coolest feeling and it was all in the name of helping kids! What better way to spend your Sunday afternoon...riding and donating a toy so that a little child can have a brighter Christmas. Awesome!

I'm really glad that Monique and RJ joined us for this event. I know we all really enjoyed it. The riding season is drawing to an end here in Iowa but I know there will be many more weekends of fun ahead of us!


Happy Riding! IHG :)