Toys for Tots ride

The holiday season always has a way of bringing people together for the less fortunate and this year was no exception. We participated in the Legacy Vets/Vietnam vets M/C toys for tots ride. Last year this ride helped to give a Christmas for over 2000 local children, this years turn out was even better than last year.

The registration fee for this ride was 10 dollars or you could bring a toy for a child. Chik fil a had a deal where you could buy a sandwich for a child and get one for you.

C,Ben and I headed out, payed our entry and got ready to ride

The longer we waited the more people showed up.We could tell this was going to be a huge turnout. Since this was C's first ride since she started riding solo we would sandwich her between us where we could look out for her.

Mrs. Clause told santa she was tired of making toys to help kids and wanted to make some money for them so they tagged along too.

There was a blessing of the bikes and riders and we were off on our ride.We headed south on hwy 17 heading west on some back roads turning north and ending up at the Legacy vets clubhouse. We rode through small communities on the outskirts of Jacksonville and saw some places that living here all my life I didnt know existed. We went through one area where what could be considered the rolling hills of Florida were and it was really cool we could see bikes in front of us and in back of us for as far as we could see.

Parking at the clubhouse was interesting. Bikes were everywhere on both sides of the road.The police stopped traffic so everyone could park and cross the road safley. This is when the party started.

We were all treated to food and a live band. T shirts were given away and the beer was cold. While a biker friendly watering hole usually is a part of our rides none of us are advocates of hardcore partying and riding afterward so we ate and listened to the band and prepared to go

AND THEN............

Mrs. Clause decided when in Rome...... she said its so cold in the North Pole that she never gets to wear any of her sexy stuff, so why not try it out in sunny Florida. WHOS BEEN NAUGHTY NOW SANTA?

All good days must come to an end and we finished this one at the Steel Pony on 103rd street and Jammes rd. on the westside of town.Some of Santas helpers were there helping out as well. When we were leaving there a guy stopped me saying I looked familiar. It turns out that we were friends from high school and havent seen eachother since. He told us he works for Dixie Biker magazine and was always looking for people to ride with and help add personality to his stories. Buddy we are glad to have bumped into you again.

Wow its been a long time since this ride so I lost count on the miles