By Dean Poling
VALDOSTA — Get your motors and your Christmas spirits running!
The 17th Annual Outback Riders Toy Ride roars through town Saturday, Dec. 19.
Hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts and bikers will gather to ride through Lowndes County and Valdosta to present The Salvation Army with hundreds of toys for needy boys and girls in the area.
Last year, a record number of motorcycles participated in the Toy Ride. Don Brotherton, an Outback Rider member, said organizers hope to meet or surpass that number. In 2008, some 1,561 motorcycle riders joined the Toy Ride.
“It all depends on the weather,” Brotherton said.
The better the weather, the more motorcycles participate.
Bikers from all walks of life, riding all types of motorcycles, are expected. They will come from not only Valdosta-Lowndes County and the immediate surrounding area, but riders will participate from
North Florida and throughout Georgia.
Many area Outback Riders have spent the past few weekends traveling to similar rides in other areas to support their efforts and to attract more riders from out of town to the Outback Riders’ traditional ride the Saturday before Christmas.
To accommodate the expected hundreds of motorcycles, pre-registration will be available Friday night at Mikki’s, 402 Northside Drive, Brotherton said.
Registration starts 10 a.m. Saturday at the start site of Preferred Outlets in Lake Park. All riders need to register is a new, unwrapped toy.
At 1:15 p.m., Jim George of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) will present the Blessing of the Bikes.
At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the motorcycles will leave Preferred Outlets, traveling along Highway 41 to Valdosta, making their way to Five Points, where The Salvation Army will collect the toys.
All registered Toy Ride participants are automatically entered for door prizes and a 50/50 drawing following the ride.
And as always, Santa Claus will trade his sleigh for a motorcycle for the Toy Ride.
