By Lulu

I had the most fabulous trip last month and the article will be in next month’s issue, but I had to take a minute here to rave about the Lone Star Rally in Galveston, Texas. This year I went to work the event and had the opportunity to watch an event unfold from the beginning to the end. It was unbelievable the amount of work that goes into putting a 4 day bike rally on. All the details from security, change for registers, signage, parking, bar set ups, stages, sound systems, employees, airline flights, shuttles, bartenders schedules, contests, emcees, celebrities schedules, housing all these folks, vendors…and the list goes on and on. It isn’t like Sturgis or Daytona where the bars host the event. The Lone Star Rally is like bringing twenty Barnum & Bailey 3 Ring Circuses to town with no elephants to put up the tents! Watching the Lone Star Rally staff work this magic was craziness. There were glitches along the way such as torrential rain that flooded streets, heavy winds that destroyed tents, heavier traffic that created delays for celebrity events…but the team handled all this without missing a beat and for the most part the half million bikers that ride into town for this didn’t know a glitch ever existed. The bikers all seemed genuinely just happy to be there. The crowds were fabulous and seemed to truly enjoy the Mardi Gras like atmosphere this historic seaside town has. The next motorcycle event you ride to consider the work required to put it on for you. Just as we want the communities to appreciate the dollars we spend in their towns, I saw firsthand the work the event organizers, individual vendors and the bar staff put in to throw these parties for us and we need to be appreciative of their efforts! I worked my butt off, although my jeans still fit the same!

Next year ride to two wheels to Texas for the Lone Star Rally, buy a cowboy a beer and don’t forget your sunscreen!