Party of All Parties
I told you the 105th was gonna rock. Springsteen rocked Milwaukee, but there were lots of great, great - great events. Day and night. A family commitment kept me home. So, Jimmy (always self-less) volunteered to take my place and immerse himself and his wonderful woman in the depths of the 105th party. Off to Milwaukee we sent M & M Jimmy. Armed him with a front and center wrist band for the Springsteen concert. Told him to soak it all in.
And, all I got was a lousy t-shirt….
No. Really. Here is a few thoughts - straight from the Jimmy on his and Marianne’s Milwaukee experience. When you’re done with the read - check out Harley’s videos. Not as good as being there - but, puts a smile on your face none-the-less.
From Jimmy:
“As a Harley-Davidson enthusiast (at least that’s what Bruce Springsteen called us), there are several events that you have to attend …Sturgis, Daytona, Laconia, Hollister, and Reno. Well, add one more to the list of must-dos if you ride a Harley: a Milwaukee anniversary party. After a whirlwind 4-day trip back to where it all began, all I can say is: WOW. So many events to choose from. Where do I start?
‘My first stop was Club HOG’s 25th Anniversary at Miller Park (where the Milwaukee Brewers play). My first reaction was the incredible number of bikes in the parking lot and riding around the area. Inside it was wall to wall people trying to get a spot to see the musical acts that ended with the headliner Kid Rock.
‘The next day was spent checking out all the things going on at the Summerfest grounds (home of the world’s largest musical festival, Summerfest), ending with seeing ZZ Top (well, actually listening and trying to see over what seemed to be a wall of 6 foot 5 inch guys in front of me) perform. Billy Gibbons, lead singer and guitarist, said: ” I was in California this morning and figured I better get on the road to make this show in front of thousands of Harley-Davidson owners tonight”. Their show was 2 hrs of Texas-style Rock N’ Roll.
‘Saturday was the highlight as I spent 2.5 hours living, breathing, and experiencing 105 years of the greatest motorcycle company in the world. The Harley-Davidson Museum has so many things that make you stand in awe. Like one model from every year of production, including Serial Number One. This trip through history made me appreciate Harley-Davidson and makes me proud to own a Harley and work for a company that stands for everything that makes the good ‘ol USA a damn good place to call home. Lastly, The Boss (not my boss Mike James) put on a marathon 3.5 hour 31 song concert that will rank up there for me as one of the best concerts that I’ve ever seen. (and I’ve seen over 100 concerts with everyone from the Godfather of Soul James Brown to Willie Nelson to Rob Zombie). All in all, I came back truly appreciating Harley-Davidson and everything it stands for. The next time you’re riding in the wind, think about the 105 years of history you’re riding and the many thousands of people that are just like you.”
