Pinkies Ride for the Kids 2004

It was cold!  Whatever made me want to do a toy run in December???  At 6:00 in the morning???  I needed to have my head examined!  But I had told the radio station I’d be there so there was no backing out, no matter how cold it was.

Dan was out warming up the bikes as I made sure we had enough clothes and our toys were secure.  The Princess was being stubborn but I couldn’t blame her, it was 26°.  Soon I heard her engine smooth out and I guessed it was time to go.

It was still dark but the sky was starting to pink up in the east.  It promised to be a glorious day; we just had to stick out this early morning cold.  The excitement of riding momentarily overcame our trepidation of riding in the cold.  For me, riding was a huge ego trip!  I’m a middle aged woman riding my own Harley.  Not one of those cute little Sportsters, either, a full bodied, hard tailed classic Harley-Davidson Panhead.  As I open the throttle and guide her through traffic, the rush is indescribable.  I’m reminded of a thought I had years ago – we were riding through Oklahoma City in late August 1978.  We were stopped at a traffic light when a station wagon full of little leaguers pulled up beside us.  All those little boys had their noses pressed to the windows staring at us.  Then the light changed and we left them behind, but I could feel their eyes follow us.  Then it dawned on me how easy it would be for me to be in that car watching someone else ride by.  When we ride, the world seems to stop and watch us go by.  This morning was no different.  Except this time I knew the people we passed thought we were insane.  Most of them had had to scrape the ice from their windshields before they could leave their houses and here were a couple of crazy people on motorcycles.

I could hear Dan’s radio on his bagger when we had to stop for traffic lights. Occasionally I’d hear Don Hall, the DJ, remind his listeners that Pinkie’s Bikers would soon be gathering to begin the toy run and invite others to join us.  It was the first morning of KZSN’s Toy-A-Thon and Don’s sidekick, Brad Streeter would be on the roof of Wal-Mart until 16,000 toys had been donated to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.  The Marines would be there with their trucks to take the toys to their distribution center.  Don and Cathy were expected to be out front to greet the people who came with toys to donate.

Since it was Thursday morning, I knew a lot of people wouldn’t be able to get off work to go on a motorcycle ride, so Don was also announcing on the radio that we were accepting donations to take with us.  I’d get so excited whenever someone would drive up and hold a toy out their window for me.  I made sure I talked to each of them and thanked them for their generosity!  It sure made me feel good!

But Dan and I were the only ones there for the ride!  I was starting to get worried.  Then over the morning rush hour traffic I could hear a rumble of a Harley, then another and another.  Soon there was a hand full of die hard bikers, all with toys strapped to their handlebars, seats and sissy bars.  These were my friends and I was humbled.  I had never done anything like this before and they took off work and braved the 26° weather to support Pinkie’s Ride for the Kids and donate toys to needy kids.  For all of us this wasn’t the only toy run we’d participated in this year.  We all felt that no matter how much we did, no matter how many toys we gathered or donated, there would always be needy kids.  This was just one more opportunity to make a few more kids dreams come true.

By 8:30 , there were 7 bikes and 12 riders and my son in my truck with toys in the back.  As we left the meeting place, people in the cars we passed, waved and honked at us.  I waved back as I assumed they were listening to the radio and heard Don say we were coming.  With all these toys, it must have been oblivious we were doing a toy run.

We didn’t have far to go to get to the Wal-Mart but I knew the grin on my face was frozen in place.  Big Daddy with KZSN lead the ride with me and soon we were there.  Don was standing between the two lanes of bikes as we rode by and we were on the air as the first large group to kick off the donations.

We met all the radio personalities, the Marines, Jeff Bates and of course, kids.  I got Cathy to sit on my bike with me and maybe next year she’ll go for a ride around the parking lot.  We could only wave at Brad as he wasn’t allowed off the roof until the goal had been met and Pinkie’s Bikers had gotten them off to a good start.

I’m already planning next years ride and planning for more riders and more toys.  It takes so little to put a smile on a child’s face, braving the cold is a small price to pay.  Besides, giving and sharing God’s gifts made me feel so warm inside it didn’t matter how cold it was outside.  By the time we left Wal-Mart, the temperature had started to come up and it was above freezing.  See, I told you it was going to be a glorious day!