Central Georgia Police Memorial Ride

Covid put a stop to many motorcycle events in 2020 and the Central Georgia Police Memorial Ride in Macon, Georgia was one of them. After a year and a half of work organized by the American Legion Riders Post 3, it went ahead on schedule with their 1st memorial ride in 2021. “Born to Ride” magazine was proud to have been one of the major sponsors. Starting from the Macon, Georgia Harley Davidson Dealership, the ride was escorted by a team of motorcycles from the Georgia State Patrol, followed by Georgia State Patriot Guard Riders Captain, “Big Don’ Wilson on his patriot mural and flag adorned Harley dresser, flying a large “Thin Blue Line” flag. After registration, the welcome and safety briefing was given by “Big Don”, Doug McCallum, Director of American Legion Riders Post 3 and Bibb County Sheriff, David Davis. 196 registered American Legion, Blue Knights, Patriot Guard riders from all over the State, as well as those riders that support law enforcement lined up in front of the dealership and went on a 60 miles escorted ride, first through a impressive gauntlet of flags that hung from fire trucks and ended at the Macon American Legion Post 3. At the American Legion there was

a BBQ lunch, silent auction, a drawing for a shotgun and a myriad of door prizes, accompanied with entertainment from a band.

The proceeds from this event went to Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) a National organization whose mission statement is “Rebuilding shattered lives of survivors and co-workers affected by lineof-duty deaths.” I have had first hand contact with Georgia COPS Director, Roger Parker, who came to the aid of the family of a fallen Dougherty County officer, Lt. Cliff Rouse. In the Dougherty County area we have a similar memorial ride each year since 2011 that donates much of the money raised to Georgia COPS. We also travel to the families of fallen officers within the State and present them with some of the funds raised by the ride. Much of the organization and ideas for the Central Georgia Police Memorial Ride came from this ride when Director McCallum got information about the Rouse Ride from then Chairman, Don Cheek, retired Dougherty County Police Chief. In 2020 Nationwide, there were 364 total line of duty deaths, 20 in Georgia. So far in 2021 Nationwide, there have been 150 total line of duty deaths, 12 in Georgia. Our group of 26 riders of combined Sylvester American Legion Riders Post 335, Blue Knights III and Independent Harley Riders Assn. from around the Albany, Georgia area stopped off at different areas along the 110 mile route up to Macon, picking up riders. We stopped off at the new Buc ee’s trunk stop off I-75 Warner Robins for a break. If you have never been to Buc ee’s, it is a gigantic travel center with home to hundreds of gas pumps and a dizzying array of snack and prepared foods that originated, of course, in Texas. Now with 40 stations, it is now a “travel cult” for truck and four wheel travelers. From the amount of people that were in this, bigger than a Walmart Supercenter, you would never have thought there had been a pandemic.

THE INDIAN ON A HARLEY

No matter where you travel on your motorcycle, especially on a Harley, there is camaraderie and friendship that develops along the route with riders that you meet among the way, first that started as strangers and then becoming friends. This was one of these trips when I was approached at Buc ee’s by a man travelling cross country on his 2005 Heritage Softail, loaded down in back with stuff he was carrying on his road trip. He asked what was going on with all our bikes and I told him we were going to Macon Harley for the police memorial ride and told him he was welcome to come along with us. Myron Bryant was Navajo Indian who left his reservation in Shonto, NE Arizona and had ridden down to Phoenix, NE up to Gallup, Albuquerque on I-40 and I-20 and we caught him coming up on I-75S enroute to Shepardsville, near Louisville, KY. Myron followed us and participated in the whole event.

It is amazing who you meet on your travels. It is part of the reason why I ride to events all across the country. —Paul “Gadget” Murray

“AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF OF WORK ORGANIZED BY THE AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS POST 3, IT WENT AHEAD ON SCHEDULE WITH THEIR 1ST MEMORIAL RIDE IN 2021.”

Ray V. Gordon is The Owner & Founder of Leather Lid Inserts, an established Leather Saddlebag Accessory business based in southwest Florida. They’ve coined the phrase “We take the sag out of the bag” because that is exactly what they do. Ray has been riding motorcycles since he was 14 yrs old and has watched the motorcycle industry grow and is glad to be a part of what it is today. After 35 years of owning and operating a successful aluminum company in Ft. Myers FL, Ray sold the business so he could retire (he thought) and bought himself a new Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. Just like everyone else with leather saddlebags, his also started to sag and cave in. He saw a need to fix this problem. Ray says, starting this new business was something he just fell into by fixing his own saddlebags and then behold, friends of friends and others witnessed what Ray did and wanted him to fix their saddlebags too. As an inventor and entrepreneur,

Ray took his creative background and put his skills to work by experimenting with several different types of materials to finally come up with a patented ABS lid and bag reinforcement kit that would be designed to help keep the original shape of any leather saddlebag made on the market. So, if you’re tired of looking at your caved in leather saddlebags and/or if they are starting to lose their shape and their parts, or if you have brand new bags and you want to prevent them from ever caving in, please keep Leather Lid Inserts in mind. For all your leather saddlebag accessory needs as a do-it-yourselfer or if you want them to install, visit www.LeatherLidInsert.com and order your DIY Kit or Find an area Dealer Installer.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A DEALER INSTALLER CONTACT RAY AT 239-339-7294 OR

RAY@LEATHERLIDINSERTS.COM RIDE SAFE!

Leather Lid Inserts

18160 Old Bayshore Road N. Fort Myers, FL 33917

JOHN & HEATHER WEDDING SWEETNESS CONGRATULATIONS