Congratulations to Dawn Patrol MC on its 75th anniversary this year! More than 600 people showed up to help the New Jersey-based club celebrate at their 75th Anniversary Memorial Day Classic on May 27. A 60-mile poker run took riders through Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, and ended at the beautiful, secluded property surrounding the Dawn Patrol MC clubhouse in Bradley Gardens. The party included a barbecue and other food, biker games, music, door prizes and trophies for the best-represented club. The next celebration will be their 75th Anniversary Labor Day Run on September 2, starting at their clubhouse. Check out www.dawnpatrolmc.com for more details… Ted Danforth has just completed a 6,000-mile ride from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation, targeted specifically for juvenile arthritis. Danforth left his home in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, on June 10 and arrived in Prudhoe Bay on June 25. He is on his way home as we go to press, so I’m not sure how much in donations he was able to raise, but he did post some stats on his blog: 5,956 miles in 12 days with an average mileage of 496 miles per day. Danforth made a few stops for events such as D2D (Dust to Dawson), a gathering of motorcyclists who travel to Dawson City in the Yukon for a weekend of activities including a poker run, biker games and banquet. To find out more about Danforth, his ride and his fundraising efforts, go to ja4ja.wordpress.com… A bill to amend the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to add a motorcycle safety and awareness component to the required five-hour driving course has unanimously passed the state Senate. The bipartisan bill, S7138, was sent to the Assembly where it was referred to the Transportation Committee and determined unnecessary because it’s very similar to S1184/A2587. ABATE of New York is trying to work with legislators to have the bills combined, or work out some other solution so that the bill can be passed in this legislative session. I don’t know how many states have incorporated this mandate into their motor vehicle statutes, but it’s to our benefit as riders that other vehicle licensees be educated on motorcycle safety and awareness… In June 2011, Harry T. Storz III, then 42 years old, was involved in a motorcycle accident in his hometown of Philadelphia. He was riding his ’95 H-D Dyna when a 21-year-old driver crossed four lanes of traffic and struck Storz, who was nearly killed. Storz, the father of three boys, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital where he was in a coma for two weeks, having sustained a broken neck, punctured lung, and fractured jaw, ribs, and both arms and wrists. Storz was classified as a complete spinal cord injury (he remains a paraplegic), and had two heart attacks during his eight weeks in the hospital. He entered a rehab center where he stayed for seven weeks, and upon release, his retired parents took him into their home in Villas, New Jersey, so they could care for him full-time. The effort and expense is never-ending, and they both suffer from health problems themselves. A fundraiser for Harry was held by Boilermakers Local Lodge #13 in Newportville, Pennsylvania (both Harry and his father were union boilermakers), but the family needs a lot of help with his day-to-day care and medical expenses. If anyone can assist the Storz family, please contact them at 609.886.2462. Meanwhile, they are waiting for a miracle… Harley-Davidson of Washington, D.C., has made some changes at its Fort Washington, Maryland, location. In addition to spiffing up the dealership’s showroom, HDW Ltd. has promoted Scott Barber to general manager. Scott comes from within the HDW family as he has been service manager at sister dealerships All American Harley-Davidson and Clinton Cycles. Congratulations, Scott, on your new position!… Harley-Davidson of Seaford is continuing its efforts to support Operation We Care. The Seaford, Delaware, dealership is partnering with Grotto Pizza again this year. Starting July 11, bike nights will be held every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Grotto Pizza at 22925 Sussex Highway in Seaford. It’s a great reason to enjoy some of the Grotto’s delicious pizza, because 10 percent of your meal check will be donated to Operation We Care to help with postage expenses for sending care packages to the troops… I think the extreme heat in the Northeast is getting to people. A dispute between neighbors in Staten Island, New York, escalated with a woman spraying “Hate you” on a house across from where she lives. She also spray-painted his Cadillac and his Harley-Davidson with orange paint, knocking the Harley to the ground before her vicious attack. Cops showed up too late to stop the wild woman who was still outside her house yelling, “I hate you! You will see what happens to you!” When the police brought her to the station house her left hand still had orange paint on it. The alleged perp, Denise Dunn, 47, was charged with second- and fourth-degree criminal mischief and making graffiti… Back in January, New Jersey Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam introduced A-508 (Senate companion bill is S-1685) that prohibits law enforcement agencies from establishing checkpoints based on vehicle type. We have started a campaign to get our state legislators to support and even co-sponsor these bills. If you are against motorcycle-only checkpoints in New Jersey, you can find out how to contact your legislators at www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp.
