Rip's B.A.D. Ride XIII
June 12-13, 2010, Southern California
We had such a good time at Rip's B.A.D. Ride in 2009, Kimberlee and I just had to attend again! This is a fundraising event for the American Diabetes Association. Bikers ride in from multiple start points in the area, converging on Oak Canyon Park for fun, food, and live music.
We attended the V.I.P. Party at Knotts Berry Farm the night before the Ride, and found our friend Chino, who we met at last year's Ride. The party featured plenty of food and a silent auction, backed up by music by Seville and the Ohio Trio. Chino has a knack for spotting Larry, so we mingled and checked out the auction without worry. Chino, as usual, spotted him before we did! Larry was happy to see us, I think.....
Later in the evening, there were presentations by a number of people involved in Rip's B.A.D. Ride, followed by the main event (for us), Larry Hagman! He auctioned off some J.R. beer along with other memorabilia, including a signed shirt. He raised $500 from that auction. No, I was not the winner! We got to chat with Larry for a while, and took some photos with him before he left. We stuck around a bit longer before calling it a night.
The next morning was the Ride itself. Kimberlee and I headed for Oak Canyon Park the wimpy way, by car! The sight of so many motorcycles parked in one spot was impressive. We walked around, checking out the vendor's booths and taking photos of custom bikes, until we heard the presentations beginning on the main stage. Sure enough, before long Larry was announced, and we enjoyed watching him again! Afterwards, there was a stunt bike show with multiple riders on a bikes forming pyramids, doing handstands and similar feats of balance and agility. Music was provided by Turn the Page, A Bob Seger Tribute Band.
We found Larry, looking wonderful in jeans and B.A.D. Ride XIII jacket, and got to spend some time with him. Later, we caught him trying out some motorcycles at some of the dealer's booths! Too soon for us, he had to leave, and we said our goodbyes. We stayed with Chino and his friends for the rest of the event. Once again we met many, many wonderful people. Can't wait for Rip's B.A.D. Ride XIV!
Click to watch a video of Larry at at Rip's B.A.D. Ride
For the complete story of a series of Larry Hagman events, see About This Site.