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Highlands Today

Rain Doesn't Dampen Bikers' Spirits

Jesse Osbourne/Highlands Today

Bill Padgett of Sebring checked out the 173rd Airborne Vietnam Tribute Bike Saturday morning on the circle at the Run to the Heartland festival. "I check out everything on the circle. I love the circle," Padgett said. Crowds were much smaller than the expected 60,000.

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: October 7, 2007

SEBRING - At 10:20 a.m., Kate Anson was seated at Steelhorse Enterprises, a company which makes accent lights for motorcycles. She overheard a group talking about the 60,000 people who were supposed to show up the Run for the Heartland.

"There's not 60,000 people here," she scoffed. "Maybe 500."

Five hundred bikes? "That's generous," she smiled.

Don Elwell, who manages Kenilworth Lodge, and Dave Greenslade, executive director of Avon Park Chamber of Commerce, came to the same conclusion.

By 10 a.m., 190 bikers had signed up for the poker run, said Pat Alexander, who was taking $10 from each. The cross country course directs motorcycles to Neibert's Fish Camp, Devane Park in Lake Placid, Henscratch Farm and Winery off State Road 66, the Watering Hole, Thunder Chopper Works and back downtown to the Blue Crab. Riders get a playing card at each of the seven stops. The best hand wins a prize.

Event organizers said the thunderstorms on Friday dampened Saturday's turnout, and more rain was expected.

"The weather yesterday really hurt us," said Lora Todd, marketing director for Heartland Riders Association. "But right now the weather is holding out good. The circle is filling up. They're pouring in as we speak. Everyone's just laying on blankets and sitting on chairs and relaxing. It's just a very, very good event."

At 11:30 a.m., Todd could count 300 bikes looking down one spoke of the circle.

Friday night was peaceful and so was Saturday morning, said Sebring Police Commander Steve Carr. "There's normally no problem at these events."

Which is when Jerry "Motorman" Palladino rode-in on a black-and-white bike. His dark blue uniform and gold star in the center of the gas tank and made it appear as if he was a motorcycle cop, and so did the siren and the alternating blue and red lights. But look closely at the official-looking sheriff's star, and the words "Pasco County" and "Motorman" are printed inside.

Turned out "Motorman" was there to demonstrate how to negotiate three traffic cones on a 700-pound bike without falling over. Apparently, it's not as easy as it seems, because bikers in the audience admitted they couldn't.
There was no prize to the biker who came from the farthest away, but the most unusual bike had to be the three-wheeler shaped like a Model T.

Sunday

"We still have the "Motorman," Todd said. That's at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

"And we have the blessing of the bikes," Todd continued. "That's really moving."

The Sunday morning worship service starts at 9 a.m., and continues until noon. LJ Ministries is in charge of the event, with music by Jokaroha, and special appearance by arm wrestling champ Bobby Hopkins and karate master LaSala.

2007 Run to the Heartland Photo Gallery

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