Bikers travel for kids

Many of the bikers knew the families associated with this fundraiser; others had heard about the “good cause.” Altogether, they brought 122 motorcycles out Saturday for a fundraiser for local children with serious illnesses.

Organized by Jeff Dalton, Michael Bishop and Chris Bower of crusin4charities.com, the motorcycle ride was part of a double header that included a concert with Nashville singer Kevin Sharp.

The bikers left the Food Lion parking lot at approximately 10:30 and headed toward Hillsville, where they were joined by 20-30 more bikers. The ride then continued to Carroll County High School, up Rt. 58 through Meadows of Dan, and then on to Route 8, up Stuart Mountain, and to the concert site at Floyd County High School.

Bikers came from far and near. One Louisiana couple, headed to a Harley event, had noticed “Floyd” on a map, and since that was their last name, decided to travel to town for the weekend. Tim and Patricia Floyd had found out about the bike run at the bed and breakfast in town where they had spent the night.

Some of the bikers were related; others became acquainted. Mike Hamlin of Ironto and Bob Repass of Christiansburg had never met before this ride. Hamlin said he had been riding a motorcycle since he was 18. He came out for the ride “to help the children.” He said comradery was a plus. Repass, who rode motorcycles a lot in the Sixties and Seventies, just got his license back last month. He said rides were a good way to meet a lot of people, but this time the cause had brought him to Floyd.

“It’s a good charity,” remarked Billy Bishop of Christiansburg. Bishop’s son Gary, a Radford resident, was also riding in the benefit Saturday.

Brothers John Whitaker of Narrows and Rick Whitaker of Christiansburg also rode their motorcycles. They said this event was “something that had a meaning to it.”

Also participating Saturday were brothers Todd and Mark Cawley.

It was the first bike run for Tommy Gleim of Willis, but his father Arthur, a Check resident, had been in previous runs. Arthur, who will be 70 in September, has been riding motorcycles since 1954. He was on a 2002 Softtail Saturday, but he used flathead Harley-Davidsons of the Forties and Fifities. He added that he had a couple of old Army models - WLAs.

Gleim said he intends to keep riding “until I can’t ride.” He is looking into buying a three-wheeler.

Tony Nixon, who came out for the ride, said he admired Kevin Sharp and what he has done. He heard about the event by “word-of-mouth.”

Anthony Simpkins of Floyd was one of several riders who knew the families for whom the money is being raised.

Shannon Nichols said he went to school with Kassidy Foster’s mother. Kassidy, a Check Elementary student, has bone cancer. This is Nichols’ first ride. “I just had to ride.”

“It’s a great idea,” said biker Robert McNabb, also a local resident. “When I heard about the two boys (Chance Harman and Joshua Cantrell, who were diagnosed with brain tumors) in the winter, I thought about organizing something.” Then McNabb said he heard about this event.

Dean Sutphin, another Floyd County resident, said he enjoys riding but when you’re doing it for a cause it’s a good thing.

Floyd County Sheriff Shannon Zeman also rode a motorcycle Saturday. The Sheriff also serves as president of Medical Charities, where the money was to go. “It’s a great turnout,” he commented. “I feel like this will continue to grow.”

Vietnam era veteran Bill Smith of Floyd has been riding motorcycles for two and a half years. He was influenced to take up the hobby by co-workers on the Veterans Committee at Volvo. He and others went on a poker run to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC May 26.

Smith said the challenge in riding a motorcycle is that “you’re invisible. People don’t see you.”

Fortunately the ride this year “went like clockwork,” said Bishop. “It couldn’t have been better.”