First Sacramento Toy Run - Mike Felder Insurance

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TOY RUN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of the beauties of Northern California is the diversity of cycling "happenings" that are offered. Each year since moving here I promised myself I would attempt to experience them. The list is a hard one to chose from....The Redwood Run, The Mile in San Jose, Laguna Seca, Sears Point, The "Sunday Morning" Ride, Speedway, Alice's Restaurant, Sacramento Mile, and a couple of hundred more that I am still not aware of. That is the category that the Annual Toy Run to Sacramento fell into. Each year, cyclists come from wherever, and bring a toy to be donated to those who are less fortunate. WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR A SUNDAY RIDE! Get in some riding, meet a couple of new friends, and do a good deed. I was sold on the idea immediately when I heard about. I was looking forward to join my riding group on Sunday and ride to Sacramento with my stuffed animal as my co- pilot. I immediately started out on an aggressive plan to secure every bolt on my Sportster in preparation. Six thirty on a Sunday morning is a good time for a few things. None of them could be put in print here. To be in total darkness trying to calculate what 42 degrees would be with a wind chill factor of 60 miles an hour, is not exciting. But, the orphans need the toys. So on with the long underwear, sweaters, thermo-nuclear Batman socks, scarfs, gloves, chapstick, and helmet, and I was off to meet the other members of my party. Warming up a Harley in the midst of Suburbia before sunrise on a Sunday, is what keeps you from being invited to block parties. But, if they only knew what I was doing for the needy while they were sleeping, they would have welcomed the noise. My friend Jack and I were off to supply Christmas cheer. The ride to Sacramento was challenging, invigorating, though-provoking.....In other words...it was cold, wet, and I kept wondering who it was that told me that these gloves were warm. The group I rode with was great. Perfect formation, ample notices on lane changes, and a guy in the back who always made sure that the lane was clear to change into. There are those of us who fantasize about our cycles being a modern day form of a horse. Riding into a town after days out on the plains. That the other members of the group are brothers, bound by common needs, values, or even beliefs. Well, I definitely fit into that group. Put me in a group of riders and I'm hallucinating that Pancho Villa or Jesse James is up front there somewhere and I am but a trusted servant of the gang. So you can imagine how thrilled I was that the final leg into Sacramento saw our group over 50 strong. I cannot explain the feeling of looking out over thirty bikes, two abreast, in front of you and still seeing twenty of them behind you in your mirror! The only thing that rivals that is watching the process of a lane change. Windows on cars start to roll up, faces staring in terror and disbelief, cameras come out, cars cannot give you more help and courtesy if they tried. (You know how fifty cycles change lanes....Anyway they want to!) Obviously Sacramento doesn't let all these people just swarm up to the Capitol Building. There is a waiting area. Everyone hangs out there for a couple of hours, bumps into friends, check out the booths for pins, food, leathers...(I checked out the gloves!) I knew I had get a picture of this. Standing on top of the tallest thing I find, I could see bikes as far as my vision would allow in both directions. Well, enough for trying to capture this on film. Eventually the ride from the staging area to the Capitol started. Seven thousand cycles slowing inching up to a stop sign waiting to be given the go ahead in groups of five hundred to drive the final half mile. A real test for cooling systems, electric starters, and your ability to keep consciousness while sucking carbon monoxide. After parking at the Capitol, I dropped off my stuffed animal. I grew pretty attached to the little sucker on the ride. Wiping the dew off his brow, taking a couple of pictures of him, just basic sharing the whole experience with him. But deep down inside, I knew that some little kid somewhere would enjoy him just as much. I handed him to one of the marines collecting toys, gave him some instructions about his care, and was assured he would be fine. I got a little misty eyed about the whole thing. I needed something to make me feel a little better....so I went inside the Capitol and used the men's room. It was amazing how good I felt after returning to them some of what they gave to me. The people I had the pleasure to ride with were great. I thank each and everyone of them for making the ride so enjoyable. And to anyone out there who has not experience this part of riding up north, I would definitely put it on your calender!!

Information in this article is probably correct as of the date it was written. Please check with your insurance agent or call Mike at 800-729-2537 before you make any life changing decisions based on what you read here. Comments are always welcome.