Four-day Grand Lake rally begins with motorcycle ride for fallen heroes.
The four-day premier "Grand Lake Rally" set for Sept. 11-14 in the four counties surrounding Grand Lake will open with an historic "Fallen Heroes Ride," led by The Blue Knights, The Red Knights and the motorcycle color guard from the Tulsa troop of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The Blue Knights are a nationwide organization of riders who are law enforcement officers. Riders in The Red Knights are firefighters.
We already have over 100 members of The Blue Knights and The Red Knights leading that ride," said Grand Lake Rally Chairman Brian Ruth.
"The ride will stage in the Grove Civic Center parking lot at noon, and we'll leave from the Grove Fire Department, traveling to Miami, Vinita, Pryor, Spavinaw, TiaJuana, Disney and back across the Pensacola Dam to Langley, where the ride will end with a huge fish fry and concert by The Law Dogs, a band consisting of members of The Blue Knights, at Langley City Park beginning at approximately 4:30 p.m. on 9/11," Ruth said.
Each community will greet the riders with escorts consisting of representatives of police and fire departments, other law enforcement entities and emergency services vehicles.
Vinita Mayor Joe Johnson and Darrel Hicks, two locally famous fish-frying masters, will head up the fish-frying operation at Langley at the conclusion of the ride.
Donations will be accepted, and The Blue Knights have designated the Blue Star Mothers, a nationwide volunteer organization that ships "care packages" to troops overseas, as their charity. The fish is provided by Terry Frost, owner of Cherokee Yacht Club, and cooks are donating their time and equipment, so all donations will go to the Blue Star Mothers organization.
A guitar, autographed by southern rock stars Molly Hatchet, who will be performing on Saturday during the rally, will be auctioned off as part of the fundraising at the Langley event.
"This is going to be a great tribute," Ruth said. "It has evolved into a wonderful opportunity, not only to recognize and pay homage to those we lost on 9/11 and those who continue to serve our country, but also to recognize our local civil servants who work so hard to serve and protect us every day. On top of that, the money we raise goes to a group of dedicated ladies who are putting together care packages and support for the guys and gals who are currently engaged in our conflicts overseas. It's very conceivable that we will have over 500 riders in this one ride," he said.
The Fallen Heroes Ride is the opening ride of a four-day Grand Lake Rally. It is a family-friendly event (children under 12 are admitted free to all events) and is not limited to motorcycles, Ruth said. Everyone is encouraged to attend any and all of the events over the four-day rally.
Friday, Sept. 12, festivities at the Grove Civic Center will include a "demo days" with more than two dozen motorcycles, a beer garden, food, a motorcycle display including many vintage bikes, and live music, as well as several guided rides around the Grand Lake area.
Saturday's events on Sept 13 begin with a Poker Run, leaving the Grove Civic Center at 8:30 a.m., traveling to J.R. Spanky's east of Grove, Wyandotte Casino, the tip of Monkey Island, the Pensacola Dam between Langley and Disney, Grand TailGators in Langley, and will end in historic downtown Ketchum, Oklahoma, less than two miles from the designated Saturday "rally grounds" at South Grand Lake Regional Airport just north of Ketchum.
"The airport rally venue will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13," Ruth said. "We have all kinds of vendors -- everything from food, beverages and commemorative clothing, to casinos and people selling airplane parts. We'll have helicopter rides for as little as $20, as well as a display by the historic War Birds, a fly-in including amphibious aircraft, bike drags down the runway and a full afternoon of fabulous entertainment, as well as the announcement of the poker run winners," he added.
Western Justice will open the entertainment at noon, followed by a fashion show hosted by Peggy Reeser of Pizazz' by the 'C' with fabulous models, including Miss Sturgis 2008. Then Hurricane Mason will perform as the opening act for headliner Molly Hatchet. Molly Hatchet will perform at approximately 5:30 p.m.
"This is one thing that every community around the Grand Lake area will have an opportunity to be involved in. It's all about Grand Lake - and we're delighted to have an event that is growing in such proportions that we are going to have an opportunity to share this great tourist attraction with so many new visitors," he said.
Riders who want to participate in the "Fallen Heroes Ride" should contact Dan Brown at 918-782-9712.
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