Aidan’s Ride Through the Countryside, a ride held in honor of Aidan Seeger, the son of Bob and Elisa Seeger of Indian Larry Motorcycles in Brooklyn, New York, was held in Morgantown, West Virginia on October 26. Aidan was only 7 years old when passed away from adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) in 2012. The ride was followed by a party at Schmitt’s Saloon where bands entertained and prizes were drawn, and more than $12,000 was raised to benefit the Aidan Jack Seeger Foundation that Elisa formed to raise ALD awareness. Through the Seegers’ efforts, New York State now screens newborns for this terrible disease, and the hope is that all states will eventually add ALD to the list of diseases included in newborn screenings. To donate or find out more, go to aidanhasaposse.org… Seacoast Harley-Davidson in North Hampton, New Hampshire, hosted the first-ever By Land, Air & Sea raffle drawing on November 10 to benefit the Veterans Count Seacoast program. Over $40,000 was raised, with the grand prize of a Street Glide going to M. Falzone of North Hampton. Other prizes included a stand-up paddleboard package, an off-road bicycle and various other goodies. Veterans Count is a program of Easter Seals and provides financial support to military families. Another New Hampshire business that is very active in fundraising for Veterans Count is the NASWA Resort in Laconia where the after-party for the 13th annual Land & Lake Poker Run was hosted on July 20. Over the 13 years the event has been held, over $700,000 has been raised. Veterans Count has distributed nearly $1.5 million to New Hampshire veterans, service members and their families… ’Tis the season for toy runs, and the granddaddy of all the region’s events kicked it off with the 33rd annual “For the Kids” DelVal ABATE Toy Run on November 3. About 4,000 motorcyclists, led by Santa Claus and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery, rode through Philadelphia to deliver toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program… The same day, the Brunswick H.O.G. chapter organized its 15th annual Roy Run for Toys for Tots. The ride left from Brunswick Harley-Davidson, the H.O.G. chapter’s hosting dealership, in Troy, New York, and ended at the Shop Rite Plaza in Troy. The event raised over $4,000… Also on November 3, Blackstone Valley H.O.G. conducted its 20th annual motorcycle run to benefit Christmas Is For Kids. The riders left Precision Harley-Davidson in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, before ending at the North Attleboro Elks Club, and in spite of the cold, miserable day, they brought with them 15 bags full of toys… Later in November, the Staten Island (New York) Bikers Association led the 19th annual Toys-2-Tots Motorcycle Run and Toy Drive. About 500 riders participated this year, and the event provides toys to approximately 1,500 Staten Island children and disabled young adults, some of whom have not yet recovered from the effects of Hurricane Sandy in late 2012… Liberty H.O.G. conducted its 15th annual Toy Run, with nearly 1,000 riders participating! The large attendance was attributed in part to the appearance by the Fugawi MC from the History Channel show We’re the Fugawis. The ride left the hosting dealership, Liberty Harley-Davidson in Rahway, New Jersey, bringing over 3,000 toys and gifts to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick, and with the money collected, Liberty H.O.G. will be able to donate $5,000 to the Bristol Myers-Squibb Children’s Hospital as well… On November 17, Hannum’s Harley-Davidson, Tri-State H.O.G. and Riddle Hospital partnered with Operation Warm to get coats to needy children. Registration was at Hannum’s in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and about 100 motorcyclists rode to Riddle Hospital in Media to deliver the coats. Since 1998, Operation Warm, a national nonprofit, has distributed over 40,000 coats just in Delaware County… A few months ago, James Kohle, proprietor of the Mountain Rest Inn in New Milford, New Jersey, passed away after a battle with cancer. Jimmy had taken over the bar from his dad Bob who passed away in 2012. There was a short period of time after Jimmy’s death when the future of the Mountain Rest was uncertain, but new ownership stepped in and, under the direction and hard work of manager Gina Kooken, the bar held its grand reopening on November 2. And on the 3rd I saw Rob Nussbaum’s country rock band Out of the Woodwork play. Rob is a busy guy as he also owns Retrocycle, an antique—and modern—bike shop in nearby Boonton, New Jersey. Anyway, it was great to catch up with old friends and acquaintances that I hadn’t seen in years since everyone seems to have turned out that weekend. The Mountain Rest is an old-time biker bar way out in the woods—one of the few still left in this area—and some of the old customs are being revived, with some new events being added. Although the kitchen hasn’t been reopened yet, the Swing-In deli has provided catering on the weekend, and there are pot luck dinners on the third Friday night of every month. I’m looking forward to some of the Christmas events being planned, and in the summer, enjoying the outdoors beer garden once again. To those of you who live in or around Northwest Jersey, I hope to see you there!
