Follow-up to Big Toy Run

The day started off pretty nippy.. Couldn't have asked for a prettier day,
though.. We left "La Casa" about 9:30 AM and drifted down the the parking
lot at West End, in downtown.. Hey.. Hey.. that parking lot was beginning to
fill up completely.. The two overflow lots filled up and that is a heap of
motorcycles.. stacked.. We spent the next couple of hours just visiting and
fellowshipping.. Good crowd..

Nobody seemed to have a guesstimate about how many bikes came in, but the
word came from Ft.Worth, there was an equal number, there.. The bikes began
staging out right on time at 1:00 and all told, the flow was smooth enough
all the way to the convention center in Arlington where we connected with
all those bikes coming in from Ft.Worth.. Sure looked to me like a good
turnout.. My own guesstimate was far in excess of 50,000, but we won't know
for another two or three days..

The only complaints I heard were about three little bottlenecks coming out
of downtown Dallas and entering IH-30.. Nothing serious and sure not
important when co-ordinating that many motorcycles.. The crews all did good
jobs and the DPD was right on the ball.. I saw a couple of breakdowns, but
didn't even hear about a wipeout, which is unusual.. Good safe ride for the
bikers and the kiddoes will sure have a Merry Christmas, thanks to all their
efforts... Good Job .. DFW..

Your friend in Irving
Bill Walker

 

I showed up at DFW Harley shortly after 8am (between 8 and 8:30) and found
the lot empty. Wasn't any one there. I'm not sure which time zone that "8am"
was that Waco was talking about, but they must've pulled out right at 8am.
On my way out, I saw a Valk sitting at the McDonalds with a huge stuffed toy
sitting on the back. I started to hook up with that guy and get a bite to
eat at the same time. I figured I'd try a few more places first though. I
went by the Cracker Barrel and found the lot full, but those were just a
bunch of yuppie bikes sitting there with a bunch of riders trying to impress
someone on their rides. I was on my way over to the IHOP when I hooked up
with a couple Texas Choppers just as I merged onto the highway. I rode with
them and realized they were riding to the run.

After I got there, I looked around for faces that I knew, but there wasn't
anyone that looked familiar...and with that many people/motorcycles, wasn't
any way to easily find anyone. As the ride got ready to get underway, I
must've got in the crowd of the "rookies", because those folks around me
didn't have any business on a motorcycle...much less in a run like that. I
kept trying to find someone else to get around as we rode out, and some jerk
kept ripping up next to me telling me to get back. I finally invited his
ragged ass to "get back" on the side of the road with me or get the hell out
of my way. He yelled something at me and I told him what he could do with
himself and invited him once again on the side of the highway to either
discuss it or he might want to get that crap Harley out of my way. As I came
out of the line again trying to get around a couple others, he ripped up
there and started to "block me" in there and I tried to kick that ragged
Harley and his puss gutted ass into the Trinity. As dangerous as that ride
was riding with that bunch...in that close placing, there wasn't any sense
in me getting in with those riders who were having problems just trying to
stay upright. I figured it wasn't worth the effort to keep going and I found
an exit.

Funny, but Mr. IWANNARIDEYOURBIKETOO didn't seem to wanna try and "block me"
again.

After that, I went to grab a burger and relax for the rest of the day. It
was a good day for riding after it warmed up. I knew I'd be out there for
sometime and have to deal with what I brought, so I wore my Joe Rocket
instead of the leathers. I was thinking of turning back after I started, but
once it warmed up I was sure glad I wore what I did.

 

<>~~<>I figured it wasn't worth the effort to keep going and I found an
exit.
Funny, but Mr. IWANNARIDEYOURBIKETOO didn't seem to wanna try and "block
me" again.
After that, I went to grab a burger and relax for the rest of the day.
It was a good day for riding after it warmed up. I knew I'd be out there
for sometime and have to deal with what I brought, so I wore my Joe
Rocket instead of the leathers. I was thinking of turning back after I
started, but once it warmed up I was sure glad I wore what I did.
"Brian Walker''
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<>Happy Holidays<>Bjay,.

 

<>in part<>~~I figured it wasn't worth the effort to keep going and I
found an exit.
Funny, but Mr. IWANNARIDEYOURBIKETOO didn't seem to wanna try and "block
me" again.
After that, I went to grab a burger and relax for the rest of the day.
It was a good day for riding after it warmed up. I knew I'd be out there
for sometime and have to deal with what I brought, so I wore my Joe
Rocket instead of the leathers. I was thinking of turning back after I
started, but once it warmed up I was sure glad I wore what I did.<>Brian
W.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~That's awful that you never found any of
yer buddies, to have a decent enjoyable ride in the annual event.....~ 0
Well, there's always next year......fewey

<>Happy Holidays<>Bjay,.

 

With that many bikes in one place, it's damn near impossible to "find"
anyone.. LOL.. I got lucky and "found" ol'Waco, because I pretty well knew
who he'd be riding with.. Pure luck..

At the convention center in Arlington, I kept bumping into guys from around
the state that knew me, from other events.. All told .. there were a lot of
things that didn't go quite well in co-ordinating this Toy Run, but that's
to be expected, although it is frustrating..

The Big Toy Run in DFW is for a good cause, and one day a year is not too
much of a sacrifice.. Next year, we'll do 'er again.. That's the good part..

Your friend in Irving
Bill Walker

 

I was surprised that Brian, got so frustrated that he quit the ride. To
me, riding with folks I dont' know on such a large event of Bikers,
joining together, for the kids, is quite a thrill to me.....nothing
would keep me from continuing. Course, I only rode with our little group
of 350 over here.......I'm gonna do ya'lls big ol ride next
year.....we'll see....eh

<>Happy Holidays<>Bjay,.

 

At the point it had become, it was no longer "fun". I was spending much of
my time avoiding others with their bad "habits".

There are just some places where people who are learning to ride shouldn't
be. Then you had the others who were too busy waving and horn honking trying
to be Dennis Hopper that they didn't notice themselves crossing into my lane
of traffic and causing me to have to either hit the brakes, go to the other
side of them or just pull out and look for another place to ride. When I
would go to the other side of them and give them a look, they would get
annoyed that I took their place...not realizing that they weren't there any
longer.

Riding with your own group, you know how they ride and know what to expect.
If someone doesn't ride steady, then you know it and know what they'll do
and how they'll do it. I'm not out there for an "obstacle course" or to bang
up my motorcycle....whether some kid has a NeoPet or not. I found a good
home for that NeoPet and still have a motorcycle intact.

 

########There are just some places where people who are learning to ride
shouldn't be. Then you had the others who were too busy waving and horn
honking trying to be Dennis Hopper that they didn't notice themselves
crossing into my lane of traffic and causing me to have to either hit
the brakes, go to the other side of them or just pull out and look for
another place to ride. When I would go to the other side of them and
give them a look, they would get annoyed that I took their place...not
realizing that they weren't there any longer.
Riding with your own group, you know how they ride and know what to
expect. If someone doesn't ride steady, then you know it and know what
they'll do and how they'll do it. I'm not out there for an "obstacle
course" or to bang up my motorcycle....whether some kid has a NeoPet or
not. I found a good home for that NeoPet and still have a motorcycle
intact.^^^^^^<>brian<>^^^^^
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I understand, 0 yeah! But, it almost sounds like you have never rode in
such an event. Our little 0l' event here, was similar in ways to how you
described.
Like, We took off with 4 other bikes, but, they wood drift back and, or,
get ahead, and I would be riding along side a stranger....at times. But,
nothing alarming ever happened. I guess, our bunch around here in
Bowie/cass/miller and where ever counties from Louisiana, are a little
more courteous. ya rectum sore?


<>Happy Holidays<>Bjay,.

 

X-No-archive: yes

You two are describing the reason I quit doing toy runs. After
watching one group do wheelies past the main group one year. Then the
next year having the guy behind me go down less than a mile from the
start, as we were just entering the highway. These situations happen
too often to be freak coincidences. There were too many low-skilled
riders in close proximity to each other. If I participate, I drop off
my toy and meet the main group at the destination. Otherwise, I just
donate (toy, whatever) to the charity.

 

XXXZZZZ<><>You two are describing the reason I quit doing toy runs.
After watching one group do wheelies past the main group one year. Then
the next year having the guy behind me go down less than a mile from the
start, as we were just entering the highway. These situations happen too
often to be freak coincidences. There were too many low-skilled riders
in close proximity to each other. If I participate, I drop off my toy
and meet the main group at the destination. Otherwise, I just donate
(toy, whatever) to the charity.
--
Mark Johnson, Ft. Worth, TX
http://www.bikes-n-spikes.or
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
well, dogGoneIt, Mark you need to find you a smaller version of the
Toys/Tots ride.....it's simply thrilling to ride with our little ol'
country group of about 400 over here, in east Texas. I just hate to hear
ya'll out there, not enjoying riding with all kinds of bikes and folks.
Shoot, over here, even the Banchees (so-called gang bikers) ride along
side us, and nothing but
''courteous-ness'', happens...........(g) ......h0h0h0&oh

<>Happy Holidays<>Bjay,.

 

X-No-archive: yes

"you need to find you a smaller version of the Toys/Tots ride.....it's
simply thrilling to ride with our little ol' country group of about
400 over here, in east Texas."

What I described was a smaller toy run of about 400 bikes. I never
would mess with all the waiting and log jams of the D/FW
meet-in-the-middle ride. Way too frustrating and too "parade like" in
it's average speeds. I quit doing parades years before I quit doing
the mass rides (like toy runs). I still support the causes with
danations and toys, so the kids don't get forgotten.

I still do group rides (if bigger total group break up into smaller
groups of 5 or 6 max). I also don't ride with the groups that want to
turn public roads into their own personal race tracks (the sport bike
on-upsmanship where everyone tries to lead, pull wheelie/stopies, pass
on blind curves, force bicycles off the road, or do triple digits in
areas where there's other traffic sharing the road). Too many things
to go wrong with a lot of people in close proximity on public roads
with impatient cagers wanting to be where your group is.

I sorta fit in between the parade/cruiser/Wingster group and the
sport/ricky-racer group. I wanna go faster than the rose snortin' pack
but the "risk it all" set has too high a body count for my tastes.

Ride your own ride and let's meet at the stops along the way. Maximize
your fun and safety while I do the same. If you want to spend 45
minutes at a gas station while I want to save 35 of those minutes to
use at the destination (or by taking a longer route), then neither of
us gets pissed at the other. If our riding style meshes, then it's a
rare and cool thing.

 

X-No-archive: yes

Good point. While 15 is doable on the FJR (lots of low end torque) to
hover around there instead of 30 can really get your jumpin' and
jivin' unless you want to caramelize your clutch fluid.
--
Mark Johnson, Ft. Worth, TX
http://www.bikes-n-spikes.org
"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you
smarter, taller, richer and remove the crabgrass from your lawn. The
Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then
they get elected and prove it." P.J. O'Rourke