Colorado Rider News

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Laurie Montoya

Heated riding gear in Colorado

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JANUARY 25, 2022 BY MOTORCYCLE RIDER NEWS LEAVE A COMMENT

TFLBike is Colorado-based, and we ride whether summer or winter. Buying the kit, you need to start riding with a heated vest and gloves is expensive, though. Motorcycle Rider News shares a TFLBike product review on heated riding gear and is the reward worth the investment.

What costs less is stacking layers when you go out to ride, but many jackets can restrict your movement and get in the way. Plus, nobody wants to carry all those layers everywhere you go once you dismount.

We teamed up with Revzilla to test out some basic Gerbing gear and see if it is worth the price. TFLBike can be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram

Please take a minute to watch this video and give us your thoughts

https://youtu.be/AMJDugBd-gg

Motorcycle Safety BEGINS with ME? What Does That Mean in TODAYS Terms?

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For several years, the tagline Watch for Motorcycles or Look Twice Save a Life really hasn’t had the punch that we riders would hope for. The biker community continues to be injured in epidemic numbers. In 2021, the State of Florida had over 5k accidents and over 500 fatalities. Colorado and Nevada during a pandemic saw a 33% increase in motorcycle accidents and fatalities. This is no longer a local issue, but a national problem that requires motorcycle riders to take a different approach, which is to BE READY and INFORMED.

Today we will talk about 3 topics

  • Trauma kits versus First Aid Kits
  • Accident Scene Managment Safety classes
  • Motorcycle Insurance and why the cheap becomes expensive.

Trauma Kits versus First Aid Kits

At first glance, it might be easy to confuse a trauma kit with a first aid kit. Both are bags full of medical supplies. And they may even carry some of the same equipment. So to understand the difference, you must look at the underlying focus of each type of medical kit.

First off, a first aid kit is designed to treat basic, superficial wounds that people suffer every day. They help with injuries such as small cuts, scrapes, and stings that don’t require a hospital or a doctor. These are the type of injuries most often treated with a first aid kit. Most first aid kits include bandages, burn cream, antiseptic, and over-the-counter medications

On the other hand, a trauma kit is designed to treat severe, life-threatening injuries long enough to treat the injured until paramedics or EMTs can arrive on the scene.

We’re talking about life-threatening injuries from situations such as car or motorcycle accidents. Tragic events when getting someone stabilized and transported to an emergency room is of the utmost importance. In such situations, most over-the-counter first aid kits are not nearly enough, and a trauma kit is best.

Now, it’s important to keep in mind that the primary focus of a trauma kit is to save lives. This means they often forgo items that might alleviate a victim’s temporary discomfort and pain. Why? Because these items are considered secondary to keeping them alive.

It’s a bag full of life-saving tools designed to keep someone’s vital functions working.

Trauma kits on your bike can be vital to stabilizing an injured rider until medical assistance can arrive. Trauma kits can be purchased for a reasonable amount given the care they can provide to render aid. If you are interested in getting a trauma kit, there are some motorcycle organizations that can help you get the trauma kit you need.

If you are interested in making the PLEDGE today to have this life-saving item on your bike, BikerDown Foundation offers riders a fully loaded trauma kit that will fit easily on your motorcycle – click here. You can also contact RoadGuardians (ASM) also offers a fanny pack trauma kit – click here

Accident Scene Management Classes

ASM has trained over 40,000 motorcycle riders thru their nationwide instructor and class hosts

For 10 years, BikerDown Foundation with the help of RiderJustice, Full Throttle Law, and other sponsors has sponsored Accident Scene Management Basic (ASM) and Advanced classes to give motorcycle riders basic training. ASM has trained nearly 40,000 motorcycle riders through the expertise of its instructors. ASM is the largest motorcycle trauma training organization in the world and classes can be done in-person or online.

Rider Justice ASM Basic class shows riders how to properly roll over a victim so that they can prepare to remove them from the road.
M. Busch got her Trauma kit at the Full Throttle Law ASM Basic Class

The basic 100 series class teaches you what to do in the first 5-30 minutes after a crash until professional help arrives. Some of the topics you will learn are helmet removal (many believe you don’t do that, but what if the rider isn’t breathing and needs CPR?), securing the scene, rescue breathing, moving the injured rider, controlling bleeding, and much much more.

Class attendees completing their ASM Basic Class in Las Vegas

Good Samaritan Law

Legal concerns can come up at the scene of an accident. Questions on legal issues come up in our basic and advanced classes, and there is a part of our instruction that deals with this. Many students ask me, “If I help someone at the scene of an accident, will I get sued successfully?”  Fortunately, in most states, there are statutes that legally shield you from liability. In Colorado, we have Revised Statute  13-21-108. This is the Colorado Good Samaritan Law.  In Nevada, there is NRS 41.500. The statutes in both states say that you are shielded from legal liability when rendering aid at the scene of an emergency or accident. There are some things you have to remember for this to apply. First, the person you are helping is not a person you are required to treat, and you are not there being compensated as part of your job. For example, Paramedics responding to the scene are not covered as it is their duty to respond and treat them. Volunteers on a rescue squad are protected from liability even though they have to react as they volunteer. 

Second, if you act in good faith and do not do something completely negligent, you are protected under the Good Samaritan Law. There is a scene in a funny movie where a woman performs a minor surgical procedure on someone she believes is choking. She has never been trained to do this and only saw the procedure performed on a television show. This woman would not be shielded from liability. For the record, we do not teach minor surgical procedures in Accident Scene Management, not even the advanced class.

Motorcycle Insurance and what that really means after an Accident

Call one of our motorcycle attorneys TODAY and get your FREE Insurance Reviews

Insurance coverages/Reviews – Bike insurance, 2nd to safety gear, motorcycle insurance is the most essential item you can have for your bike.  It outranks 85.00 Harley-Davidson shirts, cool chrome accessories, jackets, and rain gear….it outranks everything.  Without good bike insurance and add ons such as under-insured or uninsured motorists, the injured riders will be surprised how un-insured they are and what the current bike insurance covers.  RiderJustice.com, Full Throttle Law, Upstate Biker Lawyer, and Two-Wheel Attorneys has always offered any biker a FREE insurance review to discuss what your existing insurance covers.  In Colorado at the Colorado Motorcycle Expo, be sure to stop by the Rider Justice booth in February and get their suggested levels of insurance to keep you covered in the event of an accident.

At the scene of a motorcycle crash:

  • Do not move your bike from where it landed after the impact.
  • Take pictures of the entire scene, including your bike, the car, the intersection and debris.
  • Get contact information from any witnesses.
  • Take videos of witnesses explaining what they saw.
  • Take a picture of the other driver’s insurance card.
  • Make sure a police officer comes to the scene and files a report. (Never, ever, ever exchange insurance information with the other driver and leave the scene. You need that police report.)

Motorcycle Awareness begins with US, the motorcycle rider.

So in the event of an accident, having these 3 things in your arsenal will not only protect you and help you recover, but also help you help others. We must take control of our ride, in the event of an accident that trauma kit, ASM Basic class that you took, and the right kind of insurance, can actually help you SAVE LIVES of a friend, family member or complete stranger on a ride.

The Holidays are HERE, where did the riding season GO?

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As we travel into the holidays, it has been a riding season filled with highs and lows.  One of the highs is that in Colorado, we went back to some of the normal we never realized we took for granted such as going to concerts, sporting events, and our beloved biker bars.  We still have some of the most remarkable motorcycle riding and rides in the country.  As I travel all over America, one thing that always brings me home to Colorado is just how majestic and beautiful our state is.   Riders saw many of our events and rallies came back such as Four Corners and Freedom Fest.  The lows are that our community and nationwide are facing shortages of goods, rising inflation, soaring gas prices, with the holidays less than a few weeks away.  Another low I must mention, is that the biker community has lost too many riders to distracted driving and we are breaking records every year with the number of motorcycle accidents.

Colorado Rider News will be celebrating our 3-year anniversary of publishing in December 2018 when we launched our first issue at the Children’s Hospital Toy Run.  We continue to listen to the power sports industry, and riders to cover things that you want to read about.  CRN has expanded another publication called Motorcycle Rider News, a more national publication to increase our reach with the motorcycle community.

Children’s Hospital Toy Run

Speaking of the Toy Run, it is back for 2021.  Children’s Hospital and Mile-High Harley with the help of Rocky Mountain HD is working with volunteers and dealerships to make sure the event goes off without a hitch and that riders have the traditions they expect, as well as all the updates on things that have changed.  Registration will be online this year, and Mile-High HD will be hosting the official after-party for the event.  Take a moment to read about the Toy Run in more detail in this issue.

Dirty Dogs Roadhouse Christmas Shop N Swap

It would not be the holidays without the Dirty Dogs Christmas Shop & Swap, this time-honored tradition gives those biker vendors and last-minute gift buyers a day to purchase gifts from vendors they would not normally see until the Colorado Motorcycle Expo.  This event is also a time to spend a fun day with friends before the holidays send us off to our families for the holidays. So, take a moment to check out the flyer and save the date.

Motorcycle Safety and Awareness is always in the minds of every rider.  The weather is holding in November and December is predicted to be a light month for snow.  We must as riders remember that the weather at higher elevations, or in the morning before the sun comes out can have black ice or frost.  Please consider wearing some additional safety gear this fall or winter to keep you a little safer in the event of an accident. 

We wish all riders and readers of this publication a Happy Thanksgiving and a very blessed Merry Christmas.  We welcome your comments and thoughts on what CRN can do better in the future and enjoy the ride!

Please ride safe out there!

Laurie Montoya

Publisher

Colorado Rider News

info@coloradoridernews.com

FOCUS ON GIVING: Adopt-A-Family for the Holidays – Donations for Families OPEN until December 11th

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By Laurie Montoya, President Founder of BikerDown  Foundation

BikerDown Foundation is in our 9th year of Adopting Families for the Holidays program in Colorado.  The program started with the desire to help 2 motorcycle families that had suffered a tragic loss due to a motorcycle fatality.  While we knew we couldn’t replace the loss they were feeling, we could ensure that the family wasn’t alone and that the children had Christmas under the tree.

The Adopt-a-Family program has helped almost 500 families over the years, and the need for families in the Denver and surrounding areas continues to grow as rent and the cost of living increases.   2020 and now in 2021, families have not recovered fully because of the pandemic, and Christmas presents are just not in the budget for their children.

As we enter the holiday season, many begin to feel joy and excitement as we get closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  However, many families in our community start to WORRY about how they will make their children’s Christmas wishes come true.

This year, the Adopt-a-Family program goes back to our grassroots and has limited each state to 25 (in Colorado 35) families to ensure that we meet our fundraising goal.  We see this as a challenging year for all.

BikerDown, with the help of Dirty Dogs Roadhouse in Golden, will host a Freezin for a Reason, Chili Cook, off and Toy Drive on December 4th, and we ask all attendees to bring an unwrapped toy or donate $10.00 to taste the chili.  All teams are encouraged to pre-register for this event, and we will have great prizes for the winners.

All of this wouldn’t be possible without the help of Walmart, Rider Justice, BikerDown sponsors, riders, and our biker-owned business supporters, and each family receives a $250.00 Walmart gift card.  Adopt-a-Family has a direct line to Santa Claus, and he always comes to visit the children and bring some gifts for them.

WILL YOU DONATE TODAY?  Adopt-A-Family is taking donations on our website  www.adoptafamilytoday.org. If you would like the meet the families, and read their stories, you can view that on our Meet the Families page on the website link listed above. You can also scan this QR code that will enable you to donate quickly and easily.  

BikerDown Foundation Expands to Florida

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By Executive Director

BikerDown Foundation has been assisting motorcycle riders who have been injured in an accident in Denver, Colorado, for over 11years.  Founded in 2010, this organization started with 6 motorcycle riders at the Platte Bar and Grill on Sante Fe with only 1 mission. How do we help injured riders at home?

It is clear that none of us knew what we were in for and how many injured riders would seek the assistance of BikerDown Colorado.  You see, back then, riders only heard of their friends who went down in their groups.  Remember the days of Biker-or-Not?  Facebook at that time was not as popular as it is today.  If you want to know what is going on in our biker community, all you need to do is turn on your phone or computer.  Any event or cause is publishing an overwhelming amount of information, and it is just a swipe or clicks away.

BD Florida 1st Introduction Dinner

Social media quickly elevated BikerDown Colorado as a resource of assistance, and in our 1st year, we helped about 27 riders with their recovery.  Over the years, BikerDown has grown with demand and now provides medical equipment, fundraising thru our BDFundme, and a variety of resources and financial management to help get that injured rider thru the most challenging times in their life.  In 2020, BikerDown Colorado helped 58 Colorado motorcycle fatalities and over 200 accidents.

Fast forward today, BikerDown has chapters in Colorado (National), Arizona, Las Vegas.  In November, BikerDown launched a Florida chapter in the Ft. Meyers area and hosted their first introduction dinner to give leaders in the biker community information as to How We Can Help Bikers Better NATIONWIDE!

Expansion is a necessary step to help riders on a more national level.  Currently, BikerDown receives 3-5 help requests on our website from riders outside of our chapter states, injured riders desperately looking for assistance and resources to help them thru recovery.

BikerDown Florida will be sponsored by the Sunshine State Biker Lawyers and the law firm of Carmen Dellutri out of Ft. Meyers, Florida. After visiting with Carmen and Casey Byrus, his marketing manager, it was clear from day 1, that this firm truly cares about injured motorcycle riders. They also bring additional assistance to the biker community, such as probate/living will document, bankruptcy, and a full legal staff to help our biker community with any needs they may have.

Colorado Riders supporting BikerDown in their Annual Look Twice Save a Life Ride

All of this would have never happened with Colorado riders who donated and assisted BikerDown to reach this level.  Our Board and members should be proud of what you have helped create for injured riders all over the country.  BikerDown didn’t invent the concept of helping injured riders, but we have the BEST program and resources that give injured riders hope and a sense that they are not alone thru their recovery.

Letter From the Publisher – Fall is Finally HERE!

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While Global Warming is a topic that many would like to debate, there is absolutely no doubt that in Colorado, we have experienced one of the warmest summers on record this year with temperatures rising above 100 degrees for more extended periods.  We Colorado riders are so fortunate to head up the mountain for relief when the temperature is unbearable in town.

The fall season is here, and fall colors are upon us, and you only have a week or so before all those beautiful fall colors will have fallen softly to the ground, and in a blink of an eye, winter riding will be upon us….are you ready.  Halloween can be seen in every store, with Thanksgiving not far behind.  I then realized that we are but a blink away from the Children’s Hospital Toy Run and  86 days away from Christmas.  Where did our summer go?

Motorcycle Fatalities continue to RISE – Our biker community in Colorado has suffered 9 tragic motorcycle fatalities in the last two (2) weekends of September.  My calculations as President of BikerDown are that we have recorded 77 fatalities on the motorcycle so far in 2021.  The more significant statistic that will surprise many of you is that rider error accidents/fatalities are up this year.  That is a staggering number of deaths.

I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said or covered in previous issues of Colorado Rider News. Still, motorcycle awareness and safety are no longer about Look Twice Save a Life or Watch for Motorcycles bumper stickers on cars or Can you see me now As*hole t-shirts or patches.   MOTORCYCLE SAFETY MUST BEGIN WITH US!

Motorcycle awareness is now in the rider’s hands, and how experienced you are in defensive driving.  It is about how fast you ride for the conditions; it is about being more cautious when going thru intersections and stop lights.  Green no longer means GO; it means down shift and see if anyone is coming, looking both ways…before you proceed thru any light or stop sign.  It means if you see someone driving distracted…you do all that you can to stay clear of that irresponsible driver, which is almost impossible because 4 out of 10 drivers are using their phones while it is moving.  

Insurance coverages/Reviews – Bike insurance, 2nd to safety gear, motorcycle insurance is the most essential item you can have for your bike.  It out ranks 85.00 Harley-Davidson shirts, cool chrome accessories, jackets, and rain gear….it out ranks everything.  Without good bike insurance and add ons such as under-insured or un-insured motorists, the injured riders will be surprised how un-insured they are and what the current bike insurance covers.  RiderJustice.com has always offered any biker a FREE insurance review to discuss what your existing insurance covers.  Be sure to stop by the Rider Justice booth next time you see them and get their suggested levels of insurance to keep you covered in the event of an accident.

Motorcycle Safety used to refer to whether you wore a helmet.  This isn’t a debate on where to WEAR or NOT WEAR a helmet.  Now, considering helmet protection and wearing the proper safety gear IS A MUST to stay alive and enable you to recover from an accident.   Companies like Tobacco Motorwear are coming out with stylish denim jeans with Kevlar fibers in them so that in the event of a crash, it can help limit the road rash and damages to your body.  Kevlar riding shirts that you wear over your t-shirts and under your vest and will protect your shoulders, elbows and most importantly your back.  Knox armor in your leather vests or jackets that will protect your spine.  Some will say I will not spend 300 on a pair of riding jeans or I can’t afford it.  We are in a riding age where you can’t afford NOT TO HAVE some safety gear when you ride.  This year I would ask all motorcycle riders to put safety gear on their Christmas list for next year.

Calendar of Events – This month has some special events, and Colorado Rider News is proud to feature them in this issue:

October 16th – Dirty Dogs Roadhouse 4th  Anniversary Birthday Bash – who doesn’t love a party when Mark and Rob pull out all the stops for their 4th-anniversary party.  You can read more about Dirty Dogs with some great photos showing how far they have come from when they started.

October 24th – BikerDown and Rider Justice are hosting another round of Accident Scene Management classes that teach a motorcycle rider how to render aid in the event of an accident.  Class to be held at Arapahoe County Fairgrounds from 8:30 am to 5 pm.  Rider Justice is offsetting the 99.00 class rate to $40.00 to make it more affordable for all riders to have these valuable skills.  For more information, go to riderjustice.com/rj-events/ to register.

October 30th – Dirty Dogs Roadhouse – Halloween party – We all know that Mark & Rob know how to throw a party and their Halloween parties are legendary!  So, get your costume ready for a chance to win great prizes!

We welcome your comments and thoughts on what CRN can do better in the future, and enjoy the ride!

Please ride safe out there!

Laurie Montoya

Publisher

Colorado Rider News

info@coloradoridernews.com

Dirty Dogs Roadhouse – Celebrates 4-year anniversary October 16th

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By Laurie Montoya

When Mark and Rob ventured into the transformation of our beloved Susie’s bar, no one could have imagined the Dirty Dogs Roadhouse that it is today.  A biker bar that is more to us than a bar to catch a quick drink, grab a bite to eat, and hit the road again.  Dirty Dogs Roadhouse is our HOME. 

There hasn’t been a time in the past 4 years that I haven’t walked in and saw someone I knew who said hello.  It reminds me of the TV show Cheers back in the day when Norm would walk in, and everyone said, “Hey Norm.”    It is a place where everyone knows your name, and if you are riding alone or feeling lonely, you can ride up to Dirty Dogs and see someone you haven’t seen in years and melt the stress of live away.

In 2017, so much work went into the first wave of renovations of the original Susies’ building neglected and renovated by others for years.  It would require more than repainting.   Dirty Dogs had to have a certain biker flair but keep the same vision of the Susie’s we loved.  The biker community didn’t disappoint and supported and packed Dirty Dogs from the moment that it opened.

In late 2017-2018, came Mark and Rob’s vision to create an outdoor patio area that could accommodate the overwhelming number of riders coming in on the weekends.  For months, customers would go just to watch Mark, Bart & Rob doing the improvements themselves, and you could see the excitement each week as another intricate piece of wall or concrete was poured.

In 2019, the 3rd wave was the outdoor stage area that would enable Mark & Rob to bring bigger entertainment and host multiple riding events simultaneously.  The 4th wave was the upper parking lot to allow more riders and vehicles to park safely.

Dirty Dogs is also where most in our community will start or end their charity rides or hold our parties.  Dirty Dogs Roadhouse is also where we have mourned the loss of the bikers that we have lost over the years.  Munky Mark was taken from our biker community 2 years ago, and it was standing room only as we laughed, cried, and remembered a life that was taken from us too soon!  Mark and Rob ensured that Munky’s beloved bike will forever be displayed at Dirty Dogs for his years of service to the community and love and friendship to all of us. 

The history and biker memorabilia around the bars leave no open space, and there is always something that takes us back to a time when Freedom of the Ride was FREE.  Dirty Dogs brings the best entertainment and great food, including their new BBQ trailer.

Biker bars like this are rare, and for Dirty Dogs to have not only shown impressive growth over the years (with more to come in 2022) but to have also survived the pandemic with little to no income and rapidly changing restrictions from the health department, shows their management is solid. The biker community will support Dirty Dogs thru thick and thin.

Dirty Dogs will be hosting their 4th Anniversary Birthday party on October 16th so SAVE THE DATE and Thank you, Dirty Dogs, for giving the biker community in Denver a place to call HOME! Please enjoy this 3-page spread honoring the growth of Dirty Dogs Roadhouse

Morning Stretch – Choices

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Morning Stretch
Stretch is a new inspirational writer to CRN and avid rider in the biker community

I believe that what we get out of life is what we’ve set ourselves up to get, so there’s no such thing as an inconsequential decision. Our destinies are the culmination of all the choices we’ve made along the way, which is why it’s imperative to listen hard to your inner voice when it speaks up. Don’t let anyone else’s noise drown it out. We should assume every event has significance and contains a message that pertains to our questions…this especially applies to what we used to call bad things…the challenge is to find the silver lining in every event, no matter how negative.

Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it is the courage to seek those answers that give meaning to life. You can spend your life wallowing in despair, wondering why you were the one who was led towards the road strewn with pain, or you can be grateful that you are strong enough to survive it. If I meet with a disappointment, the sooner I know it, the more of life I will have to wear it off.

If you had started doing anything two weeks ago, by today you would have been two weeks better at it. In case you never get a second chance: don’t be afraid!  And what if you do get a second chance? You take it! The life you have left is a gift. Cherish it. Enjoy it now, to the fullest. Do what matters, now. When you’re a good person on the inside, nothing in the world can change that about you. negativity is the result of one’s lack of self-confidence, self-worth, and self-acceptance.: If you can’t accept yourself, then certainly no one else will. Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering! 

Stretch

Letter from the Publisher – We Must Never Forget 9/11

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Laurie Montoya, Publisher

It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.   I know that most of us can remember exactly where we were on that day and how they frantically rushed home to be with their families to ensure that we were all together, as none of us knew what the future held.

Everything changed on 9/11, and it made us understand that there will always be evil in this world and that we must fight that fight abroad and not in our country. It was a time in our country where we all flew a flag on our homes, cars/trucks, and for a very short time, it was us against evil.  

For 20 years, our country hasn’t had an attack of that magnitude, and it seems that pride in our country has faded.  We spend more time arguing and being divided than we are doing to be proud to be American.  There is a reason that millions flock to the United States every year because whether you agree with the government or your neighbor, you have a right to express your opinion and voice against your government.

Colorado Rider News wanted to commemorate the 20th anniversary of this devastating attack and losses with remembrance photographs and a timeline to remind us of the sacrifices that so many made and the lives lost.   Some riders will read this publication that wasn’t born before 2001, and hopefully, they will learn that this country should be more united than divided moving forward

In Colorado, our community annually honors these lives lost in rides and personal remembrance.  Since 9/11, we want to thank those who have served for protecting our freedom by attending the  Colorado 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Red Rocks.  This event is a way to connect, honor, and remember the FDNY firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live on 9-11-2001.  Each participant pays tribute to an FDNY firefighter by climbing the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.   We must also not forget the brave souls of Flight 93 that overcame the terror.  Mile-High Harley-Davidson will also be hosting first responders, fire, and police at the Aurora dealership with a free BBQ meal, compliments of Taste of Texas BBQ.

Colorado Rider News and BikerDown Foundation will be compiling a team of other motorcycle riders to come and climb these stairs to honor the fallen and veteran and active military that have fought for our freedom and keeping terrorism at bay from our country.

This will be a day of hope and healing, remembrance and reflection, honoring the heroes, victims, and resilient spirit of everyone affected by 9/11.

Please ride safe out there!

Laurie Montoya

Publisher

Colorado Rider News

info@coloradoridernews.com

WORLD RECORD POKER RUN 2021 Raises over $12k for BikerDown Foundation

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On July 31st, over 144 Registered riders left Port Charlotte, Florida, with the sole desire to break a world record for the longest poker run.  This poker run would take these riders over 3,200 miles, eight states as they made their way to their final destination, 81st Sturgis Rally.

The riders completed their poker run on August 6th at the Buffalo Chip. Their Coppertone tans and pure adrenaline could finally relax and begin to let it sink in what they had accomplished. 

At every stop, they were welcome by dealerships, biker bars, and sponsors.  They did their best to soak up all the local color they could in the short time they had there.  They averaged over 500 miles per day, so they had to rest and be up bright and early the next day to do it all over again when they stopped.   During their evening festivities, these tired riders raised money for the charity of choice, BikerDown Foundation.  To date, these riders and organizers have raised over $12,500 to help injured motorcycle riders nationwide.

A Little History

In January 2021, Sonny and Angie (known as “The Badgers”) from supportbikers.com had the vision to break a world record for the longest poker run and wanted to raise money for a charity that helped the biker community.  Sonny said, “you would be surprised when you take a look at what is out there; there are hardly any charities that help the biker community.” After some suggestions from their steering committee of riders, Sonny began reaching out and writing emails.  BikerDown reached out to me within minutes of me hitting send on my keyboard.

After a few emails and conversations, The Badgers were confident that they had found the right charity.     

One of the biggest frustrations BikerDown experiences is an overwhelming number of help requests nationwide where we do not have chapters.  BikerDown Bylaws prohibit them from releasing funds outside of our chapter states.  The Badgers and WRPR riders have now made it possible for us to give services to riders all over the country.

Starting point for the World Record Poker Run in Port Charlotte, Florida

As President and Founder, I took a flight out to Port Charlotte, Florida, to send off the riders, meet The Badgers and their crew and do all that I could to let the riders know just how appreciative I was on behalf of future injured riders.  I was so impressed with how focused and ready they were for these riders; many had already ridden over 800 miles just to start this ride in Port Charlotte.

My next meeting with the crew and riders was in Golden Colorado at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse, where you could see what the riders’ were experiencing.   They had almost 2,500 miles under their belt, they had been thru the heat, rain, hail, breakdowns, a couple of accidents, but most importantly, they had overcome every challenge as a group.

Conclusion

On Friday, August 6th at 6 pm, all the riders had to report to the Buffalo Chip for their final check-in; they were happy, hugging, and had such a feeling of accomplishment.

BikerDown will forever be grateful to these riders, organizers, and sponsors for what they went thru for their fellow bikers.

All I can say is the next time Angie and Sonny get a crazy idea; I will say I am ALL IN.  Rumor has it they want to do it again next year and break their record.