10 days til Nelson's Ride 2009 (August 23rd, 2009)

Update - 8/13/08

Calendar:

NEW - keep the date open - SEPTEMBER 27 - Peabody, MMSF "Friends of Tony Plante" Event coming - watch for details at the 10th Annual "Nelson's Ride"

Thursday, 8/14 at 7:00 p.m. - pre-ride Walk Thought with volunteers and city officials, then Riding the Route, meeting at Stage Fort Park, Gloucester

Saturday, 8/15, at 7:00 p.m, MMSF Supporting Club, Aces and Eights RC Open House, Essex - see www.acesandeightsrc.com

Saturday, 8/15, at 8:00 p.m., VFW - Lowell - MMSF supporting Event for young Lowell rider, Rob L'Hussier - who lost his leg - see flyer on www.MassMSF.org

Thursday, 8/20, at 7:15 p.m, FINAL Nelson's Ride volunteers meeting - Ipswich VFW (www.NelsonsRide.org)
Saturday, 8/22, Blackstone Valley MSF - "Touring the Valley" Ride - Northbridge, staging at 9 - RIDE leaves at 11:00, see http://www.bvmsurvivorsfund.org/events.html

Sunday, 8/23, Gloucester - 10th Annual Nelson's Ride !

"Nelson's Ride started a movement in Massachusetts that has sparked others nationwide, to promote motorcycle safety and awareness to reduce accidents and allow the riding community to take care of its own," said State Senator Bruce Tarr and State Rep. Brad Hill, who have been with us since year 2000. If you ride, if you care, . . . Stage Fort Park is the place to be Sunday, August 23rd !

TEN (10) days and counting down to the 10th Annual "Nelson's Ride," Sunday, August 23rd at the beautiful Stage Fort Park, off Routes 127 and 133 in Gloucester.

Advance purchase for a discounted Ride Tickets (free entry to door prize !) at only $10 per person is available on-line at www.NelsonsRide.org and limited 10th Annual Event t-shirts ($10 in advance), MMSF Raffle tickets ($10 each) drawing at Nelson's Ride (need not be present to win) and 10th Annual Patch & Pin sets ($10 for set, cannot be split up). Day of Event, $15 per person and $15 per Event shirt, while they last !

On-Line advance sales via credit card for “Pre-Mailing” ENDS Monday night, August 17th at 11:59pm

On-Line advance sales via credit card for “Will Call” pick-ups ENDS, Friday night, August 21st at 11:59pm

Advance purchase also available at these below supporting businesses:

Beverly, Cycles 128!
Ipswich, Whittier Motel,
Ipswich, VFW, 110 County Road (Rte. 1A)
Peabody, Provanzano Law Offices, 16 Bourbon Street
Newburyport, Seacoast Cycle
Rowley, Gypsy Cycles, 295 Newburyport Turnpike (Route 1)
Rowley, Eric's Auto Clinic, 24 Central Street in Rowley
Salem, Witch City Cycles
Salisbury, Black Death Cycles, 25A Atlantic Ave., Salisbury (call first at 978-462-8834)
Wakefield, Stewy's Custom Cycles

Some of the above listed supporting shops are CLOSED on Saturday or close at NOON, or 3 or 6 - be sure to check with the business near you for their hours before heading out to them - get your tickets now !

And you can Ride or Drive to participate in the Event (no cars on the Ride). Special Nelson's Ride car parking area will be available at the Stage Fort Park - watch for signs and traffic directors.
==============
Some highlights and updates for the 10th Annual "Nelson's Ride" -
First, consider bringing a blanket, lawn chairs, swim suit (for a jump in the ocean if you’re game) and a fun attitude for a GREAT Event! Ride or drive, special Nelson's Ride car parking area will be available.

VENDORS - final call for Vendors ! We need to pull permits this week (by Friday) from the City of Gloucester for all vendors ! Write us at http://www.massmsf.org/contactus.html

The FINAL Ride Route, a 30-mile SLOW RIDE - planned and mapped by our Road Captains Sherm of Christian Motorcycle Association and Eric of Star Touring Chapter 240, is posted on www.NelsonsRide.org, with a map and expected times the Ride will be traveling past various landmarks on the Ride Route. TONS of thanks to the communities and Police of Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, Wenham, Hamilton, Ipswich, and Essex.

Gordon Cornwell College and the Myopia Hunt Club have been GREAT notifying their employees and attendees - to expect traffic delays and wish the are proud how our motorcycle community comes together for the Survivor's Fund.

Over the next 10 days, over 2,000 "expect traffic delay" flyers will be distributed along the Ride Route - which will 'clear the roads' somewhat and also bring out spectators to watch you ride by. Over 1,000 bikes at an average cost of $10K per bike = $10 million of iron horses on this EVENT ! As a community, riders have a lot of 'economic clout' when we get together. Ride proud, Sunday, August 23rd !
TONS of thanks to the Road Guard groups and volunteers already helping, include: Boston HOG, North Shore Riders, Boston Cruiser Club, Fire and Iron Chapter 777, the Aces and Eights RC, the East Coast Biker Chicks, Star Touring Chapter 240, Xtreme Riders RC, Woman on Wheels, the New England Riders Association, and several independents. Special Road Guard Parking will be marked off. Write us at http://www.massmsf.org/contactus.html if you can Road Guard.

CLEAN UP CREW needed ! - Mark Lombardi of Rhino Liners of Danvers is heading up our 'clean up crew,' and he's lonely right now ! We always burn out at the end and we need 5-10 people to join Mark, - doing NOTHING all day but at the end of the day, break down the tents, tables, signs, etc., load them onto our Mobile Events Van, and walk the grounds picking up trash so we leave the Stage Fort Park cleaner than it was before over 1,500 bikes came. Takes a 'fresh crew' about 1/2 to do all this at 4:30. If you or your group can help, write Mark at marklom@comcast.net

THANK YOU's - Watch and listen before the Ride leaves as several individuals whose families you've helped - step up to say a sincere 'thank you,' . . . to you. Everything each rider does contributes to those in need, they appreciate your help. It all adds up to a whole lot !

PARADE QUEEN - Nelson's Mom, Faye will be riding the Event for the first time with Larry Cahill of www.BostonBiker.com on his "DEMON" Trike. Nelson’s step-dad, Bob Brophy will be riding with our own MMSF Clerk and WOW member, Jacky Kieras. Nelson’s widow, Felicia will be riding the Event with Bentley Warren.

PARADE MARSHALL - The MMSF and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be honoring and recognizing Joe "Sarge" Komola, for his pa st 10 years of service dedicated to motorcycle safety and awareness, and his 39 years of active and inactive reserve military duty to the Country and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Ensure you give Sarge a HUGE ROAR and SALUTE of Appreciation before the Ride leaves.

FOOD - Pay as you eat, will be available from Dean's Concessions of Somerville. They were with us at Raymond's Field and the Topsfield Fairgrounds, and always provide fantastic food and a very generous donation to the MMSF!

50/50 RAFFLES - a morning 50/50 will be drawn prior to the ride leaving at about 11:35 - and an afternoon 50/50 will be drawn about 3:30

SILENT and LIVE AUCTIONS - Big ticket items donated from our sponsors and supporters – register to Bid - and we take cash, checks, charges and IOU's ! Items as of 8/13 include:

Priceless - a beautiful hand-painted EAGLE on a circular saw, created and donated by Joanne Gallant of Ipswich. Last one she donated brought in over $700 and is at the Choat e Bridge Pub (Thanks, Angus!)

$1,300 + value - Scott Ringland of Methuen has donated his "Grounds Crew" landscaping services, 8 hours - 2 men and a truck - they are YOURS for a day, 35-mile radius of Haverhill area please (or cut an extra deal with Scott !). GREAT buy, save your back in September and October !

$800 value - a Lojack anti-theft system (donated by Lojack and installation donated by co-sponsor Cycles 128!
) http://www.lojack.com/motorcycle/pages/motorcycle-recovery.aspx
$683 - Dog Guard of Essex City, Manchester - invisible pet fence in your yard !

$450 value - a brand new, great product - Rhino truck bed liner, donated by Mark Lombardi of Rhino-Liners of Danvers. His own truck will be on display near the Auction table to see the tremendous quality of this product!

$ 375 value - each - two Rider Training Course Gift Certificates, donated by www.Cycles128.com

$ 375 value - each - two Rider Training Course Gift Certificates, donated by http://www.ironstoneventures.com/
$ 250 face value - two Red Sox Tickets, 9/28/09 vs. Blue Jays - field box seats - donated by Attorney Jay Kimball of Lynnfield

If you'd like to donate a BIG TICKET item - contact Jackie Monahan at http://www.massmsf.org/contactus.html

PICK YOUR PRIZE RAFFLE - Shirley and others have been busting their butts collecting donations of gift cards, gift certificates for all sorts of things, over 70 items collected to date and more coming in each day. We will be 'grouping' the items into 15-20 lots - buy your raffle tickets and put them in the bags for only the prizes you want to win ! And if you can't carry all your prizes home on your bike, we'll have a pick-up Thursday night (August 27th) at the Whittier Motel in Ipswich to come in your car and get your stuff!

LIVE MUSIC by Acoustic Outrage - in the afternoon - this great sounding band from the Merrimack Valley - Southern, NH area has played at our Events for Ben Knight in Merrimac last December and at Bill's Ride at Lawrence's Gateway Pub this past April. You're going love their tunes! Get a sneak peek at their MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/acousticoutrage.

BIKER GAMES are back ! Enter and get a prize from the Registry of Motor Vehicles and a chance to win a 'one of a kind' WINNER's medal. Slow Race, Hula Toss, Ball oon Toss and Weenie Bite ! (There may even be a hula hoop contest for those non-riders to play !)

We expect everything will wrap up by 4:30 - then Mark Lombardi's Crew will be 'breaking down' the tents, tables and picking up the grounds.