Military, mayor, stunt-bike rider celebrate 67th Annual Sturgis Rally Military Appreciation Day

  • Published
  • By Maj Karen Roganov
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Military and civilian motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country toured the world-famous Black Hills en route to the 67th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to celebrate Military Appreciation Day Aug. 7.

Sturgis Mayor Maury Larue, one of the lead riders, departed from the Ellsworth flight line and was followed by a group of motorcyclists 11 columns wide stretching the length of a football field in front of the PRIDE aircraft hangar. Just outside the base, about 100 more military and civilian bikers waited at a second gathering site near the Box Elder Police Station. Together they roared toward Sturgis in the 7th Annual Dakota Thunder Motorcycle Club police-escorted ride.

"It was a sight to see for the many tourists along the 57-mile stretch, who were photographing and taking video of the riders," said Senior Master Sgt. James Russell, Dakota Thunder Motorcycle Club president.

The day began with event registration and a ride past the occasional deer dotting across grassy areas throughout Ellsworth. Once at the flight line staging area, riders could position themselves in front of two B1-B bombers and an F-16 for a static photograph with their motorcycle. Afterward the Black Hills Chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association parked the riders in a tight formation. If they were hungry, bikers could buy a burger cooked up by the 28th Security Forces Squadron booster club, the Defender's Association, as well as buy Dakota Thunder Sturgis t-shirts.

While waiting for the 11:30 a.m. "pegs up" start time, bikers had time to chat about motorcycles and hometowns. Dave and Judy Arnold traveled in from Sitka, Alaska, which included a three-day ferry boat ride to Seattle with their motor-home and cycles in tow.

"She's the red-headed mistress," Judy said jokingly about her husband's Heritage 2007 Softail classic. Being a retired Air Force and civil service military couple and parents of adult children, the Arnolds said the new Harley and the Dakota Thunder ride were their gifts to themselves for past hard work.

Also among the crowd and special guests of the motorcycle club, was Larry Friese, a former Marine Corps prisoner of war at the "Hanoi Hilton" in Vietnam, who was also a naval officer later after an inter-service transfer. He received a share of the attention during the military appreciation day. "Welcome home," said numerous people to acknowledge his time served in Vietnam.

Before taking off for the hills, the riders gathered beneath a stage to hear Col. Scott Vander Hamm, 28th Bomb Wing commander, express appreciation for the crowd's commitment and support to "fight the global war on terror." The 12th Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Norman Seip, also was on hand as part of a larger base tour to hear the concerns of Ellsworth Airmen, provide immediate answers, or staff "solutions back home," at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Being an avid rider himself, he also gave a few safety tips to motorcyclists. "I'll make this short and sweet, because I am. Keep your hands on the handlebars."

In addition to military appreciation, another theme of the day was the emphasis on personal protective gear. Military-wide, the services continue to "foot stomp" risk management in response to increased motorcycle-related injuries as more people take up motorcycling.

One man, Jason Britton, a stunt-bike rider and safety proponent from the motorcycle industry was on hand to relay his message about riding wear. He also helped lead the Dakota Thunder run. Before that, he signed autographs at the base exchange for a few hours and filmed for several upcoming AAFES public service announcements on the importance of proper protective riding gear.

"It's not just a matter of 'if' you will crash, it's a matter of 'when,'" he said speaking from experience. Britton, who has both hearing and taste loss resulting from motorcycle-crash injuries, took to the road in full gear -- helmet, gloves, over-the-ankle riding boots and jacket. Unlike the majority of downtown Sturgis riders ranging from women in halter tops to men with no helmet or novelty helmets that won't provide proper protection during a crash, said Russell.

After an energized ride past the sweet aroma of pines from the national forest punctuated by a vivid blue sky and a light splattering of cottony clouds, the group arrived at Mayor Larue's tent. There, Army National Guard Master Sgt. Todd Bartel was the Military Appreciation Day recipient of an American flag and a standing ovation for his combat operations in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The events ended with a low, fast flyover by an Ellsworth B1 bomber. Cheered on by the bikers, the wake of engine noise was the only thing that day that could "out-loud" an endless stream of Harleys parading the Sturgis streets.