Bike Fest

I wrote this article for The Sentinel in June:

     The 8^th annual Bike Fest transpired on Saturday, June 24th. John Logan, also known as “J-lo” by his compatriots, of “Star Touring and Riding” organized this event. He rides with the local “Star Chapter 339” motorcyclists, who put on this event for the benefit of the city and the promotion of their charity: Youth On Their Own (YOTO).

      Parent Partnership (YOTO) helps homeless teens make it through school, encourages them, and buys clothes and school supplies for them. All the profits made by “Star Touring and Riding” at the Bike Fest were given to this organization, to support their mission.

     This exploit seemed to be quite a success, as it has been in years past. Cottage Grove’s Main Street was closed and more than a hundred motorcycles of all shapes and sizes lined one side of the street. Vendors lined the other side and displayed their goods. The merchandise included motorcycle gear, hot dogs, popcorn, jewelry, and other vendors, such as Western States Insurance and Oregon Concealed. Participants came from all over Oregon.

      Star Chapter 339 raffled off many items, including t-shirts, motorcycle gear, etc, that sponsors donated. A large number of sponsors helped this event, with Big Stuff Barbecue, Budweiser, and Cottage Grove Yamaha Motorsports being a few of them.

     A bike show occurred in the morning, with a number of cycles set out for sale. They had Choppers, bikes with saddle bags, loud Harleys, and other nearly silent bikes. A live band, “No Way Out” played most of the day, giving the event a loud and macho atmosphere, which seemed to fit the motorcycles perfectly.

      They held motorcycle games in the afternoon at the western end of Main Street. These games were quite entertaining, if slightly unusual. Motorcycles raced, but only the last one across the finish line was the winner. Two-seater bikes took turns going through a course, with a passenger on the back, who tried to pick up stuffed animals off the road with a fishing-net. Again, the drivers who maintained the slowest steadiest speed appeared to do best. Another group of two-seater bikes contested in a clothes-pin drop, with seven buckets of different shapes and sizes. Many more games also took place.

      John Logan seemed happy with the turnout, and how the “Star Chapter 339” was benefitting the community. “We just want to help,” he stated. This event was much more difficult to plan than it appeared, and “it took nearly 6 months to organize”. Though it’s the eighth annual meet, it’s only the third to actually take place on Main Street, where it will most likely be continued in later years, hopefully with equal or better success.