Another sellout success for America's premier streetbike show...
The 2003 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show gets really wild!
Long Beach CA, July 21st & 22nd, 2003: The 2003 edition of the Los Angeles Calendar Motorcycle Show saw the continued growth of America’s premier outdoor custom/performance streetbike event. This year’s event at the beautiful Queen Mary Event Park and facility in Long Beach was another sellout success, packed to capacity both days for exhibitors and spectators.
The LA Calendar Bike Show offered fans two days of non-stop entertainment that included the exciting new Jardine West Coast Horsepower Dyno Shootout, which was jam-packed with bikes roaring at full throttle for hundreds of spectators, plus Sunday’s Bike Show Contest for Customs, Sportbikes and Vintage Bikes. Fans also enjoyed the SB2 Supermoto Nationals, featuring America's top motocross and roadrace stars and free admission to the historic Queen Mary ocean liner.
Performing throughout the weekend were two incredible live bands. The Show's featured act was the world's premier new pop vocal group The Beu Sisters, four beautiful sisters - Danielle, Candice, Jilaine and Christine - flown in from Florida especially for the Show. It was their first west coast appearance and featured performances of their critically acclaimed new first album "Decissions" with songs featured on the soundtracks of 2 hot new movies, "Lizzie McGuire" and "How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days." LA's hottest blues band, 2000 lbs. of Blues also wowed the crowds.
An exciting addition to the Show this year was the Iron Works magazine Reader's Olive Crest Saturday Charity Ride, benefiting Southern California's largest children's home and family shelter. Over 150 riders assembled at the Olive Crest corporate home in Santa Ana and rode their bikes in convoy to the Show were they were treated to VIP front gate parking. In all, ride participants were received some $120 in value including all weekend Show admission for their one low $35 charity donation to the great family services provided by Olive Crest. 30 orphaned children from Olive Crest were honored as guests at the Show on Saturday and were treated to an extensive guided tour on the Queen Mary. All the kids said they had an incredible time and the Olive Crest charity Ride will be come a regular feature of the LA Calendar Show.
The 2004 edition LA Calendar Motorcycle Show returns the weekend of July 17-18th, 2004, with complete details and pictures of both this year’s and next year’s LA Calendar Bike Show on the website at:
www.FastDates.com
The 3rd Annual 9-11 MEMORIAL MOTORCYCLE PARADE
San Francisco - CA Organized by patriotic American Scot NitrosMike McPherson, the 9-11 Memorial Motorycle Parade was a great success! Once again, the parade was located in San Francisco and was held on Sunday September 21, 2003 in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon, World Trade Center, airline passengers, police, fire fighters, EMT's, families and friends. The parade started from the Dudley Perkins Harley Davidson dealership (thank you Tom Perkins). It was a very hot summer day in San Francisco and a beautiful event, with no complaints, accidents, arguments or fights.
The bikers started arriving at 11:00am and the crowd swlled to overtake 3 of the 4 lanes in front of Perkins HD before departure time. Private fire engine collector James Whitecastle displayed one of his 97 fully functional fire engines flying a large flag from the extended ladder. I know some guys that own 3 or 4 Harleys, but 97 fire engines? That’s a lot of chrome to polish!
The San Francisco Police & Fire departments, Paramedics & Emergency Medical Technicians, The Blue Knights International Police Motorcycle Club and the Wind and Fire International Fire Fighters Motorcycle Club escorted 500 to 600 motorcyclists on their decorated bikes through the streets of San Francisco. The police blocked traffic at every intersection for the bikers! The emergency vehicles all had their lights on and sirens blaring. The roar of the red, white and blue decorated motorcycles in the parade attracted an enormous amount of attention and media coverage. Bay area television station 3 NBC 11, newspapers and radio stations covered the event. People heard and felt the ground vibrate blocks before the bikers arrived. The onlookers smiled from ear to ear and waved back at the bikers shouting, “I love America!" "God Bless America!" and "USA #1!”
The patriotic parade departed at 1:00PM and went down Market Street, thru the Embarcadero, crowded Fisherman’s Wharf and ended at San Francisco Maritime Museum about an hour later. NitrosMike lead the parade with S.F.P.D. Motorcycle Officer Lt. Mike Lawson, immediately followed by an enormous S.F.F.D. fire engine #36 and Battalion Chief Jim Barden in his chauffeured commanders truck. The S.F.F.D. also followed up the rear of the parade with several large fire engines and an EMT ambulance.
As the motorcyclists turned onto Market Street, thousands of San Franciscans videotaped and photographed the event. The tourists visiting Fisherman’s Wharf looked on in amazement. They were astonished to see the bikers, police and firemen getting together to honor our heroes and celebrate the red, white and blue! As the bikers turned onto Beach Street the Stuart Highlanders Bagpipe and Drum Band greeted them with drum rolls and music. As they continued to the Maritime Museum they passed under a huge 50 x 30 foot American flag suspended 100 feet in the air from the Fire Truck 16 Hook and Ladder. A fireman photographed the event from high atop the ladder. A large group of bikers, policemen, firemen, tourist and passersby gathered under the American flag erected especially for this event in honor of the heroes and victims of 9-11-01 with a moment of silence and to "Pledge Allegiance to the Flag".
Awards were presented for most decorated bike, long distance rider (one patriotic biker rode all the way from Colorado), club participation (Pathfinders MC) and certificates of recognition to the volunteers. The group enjoyed the Stuart Highlanders Bag Pipe and Drummers Band, followed by NitrosMike delivering a patriotic speech. For closing ceremonies the group shared a moment of silence in remembrance of the 9-11-01 victims and heroes followed by the Stuart Highlanders playing “Amazing Grace”. It was an extremely emotional event.
Through the sale of 9-11 memorabilia by Mitch Mendler E.M.T. Firefighter / Paramedic of San Diego, money was raised for the widows and orphans of 9-11-01. The donations received from participants at the event were forwarded to the San Francisco Fire Fighters Surviving Families Fund I.A.F.F. Local-798.
In 2004 we are expecting 500 to 1000 decorated motorcycles. It is tenatively scheduled for Sunday, September 12, 2004. Participants may meet at Dudley Perkins Harley Davidson at 123 So. Van Ness, San Francisco, California, USA at noon - parade at 1:00PM. This will be an incredible photo opportunity so bring your camera. We would like to see all the motorcycles going down the street with flags on the bikes or red, white and blue decorations. There will be a large police and fire department escort. The Scottish Pipes and Drummers will be greeting the motorcyclists and playing through out the event. You are invited to join in the group moment of silence for the victims of 9-11-01 and the "Pledge of Allegiance" under the enormous flag. This ride was a great success in 2001, 2002 & 2003. The 2004 parade is simply a support ride to show strength, solidarity, and unity against terrorism and to honor our heroes and the victims of 9-11-01. The 2004 ride will also benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.
Thank you once again for your support! Hope to see you in 2004.
NitrosMike
http://home.netcom.com/~nitrosmi/parade.htm
