IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – The 20th anniversary of Iron Mountain’s Veteran Tribute Ride is bringing back handshakes with living heroes after a pause during the pandemic. The cost to join is just $20 per person, supporting local veteran organizations within a 50-mile-radius. Drivers will meet at Riverside Auto on Saturday morning, with registration from 8:30 -10:30 CST. The route includes a stop at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center to greet community living residents. The organizing committee even ordered enough T-shirts to give one to each of the Community Living Center residents at the Oscar G. Johnson VA for the pit stop
According to the committee president, rider turnout varies with the weather, but the event has seen up to 400 bikes in years past.
The committee president asks for patience as the ride passes through, noting police escorts and Longriders Motorcycle Club members assisting at certain intersections.
“Watch for the bikes, of course,” cautioned Priddy, who has been helping organize the ride for 18 years. “They don’t stop at stop lights and stop signs when there’s that many of them. We do have police escorts at certain intersections, usually the big ones. But we’ll also have the Longriders who have been kind enough over the years that they get some of their guys up in front, and they go ahead and block off certain side roads to keep people there while the ride goes through,” she shared. When we can, we have the National Guard, always tried to have a Jeep or something following us and leading us. They’re not always allowed to do that. So, I don’t know if there’ll be one this year.”
The charity motorcycle ride isn’t just for bikers, anyone with a car can participate.
“Any biker, any car enthusiast. Anybody. You don’t have to have a motorcycle,” stated Priddy, adding, “If there’s 4 people in the car, it’s $20 each person.”
Priddy noted that year’s ride features a special end-point to celebrate its 20th anniversary, with an after-party in the works.
“This year being the 20th, Riverside Auto got together with Grow Max, with the Maxx Entertainment Center and Dave Fraser and said ‘hey let’s help make this bigger and better’. So that’s why we’re ending there this year. And hopefully going forward, maybe it will end there as well,” remarked Priddy. The after-party entrance fee is $10 at the door which includes dinner with a special menu by Smokler’s BBQ & Catering: A pig roast, chicken, and mashed potatoes. The Maxx is providing a music line-up with the band Next Myle as the main act.
“You show up on the day. You get your door prize ticket, you get your road ride rules, and you get your wristband,” informed Priddy, adding that it’s a great event to involve kids in, to remind them of the reason the holiday is celebrated.
“We try to have bikes in front with the flags and stuff. And then just get the kids out there so they see. That they know why we’re celebrating. That this isn’t just a weekend to go boating and camping. We couldn’t do anything we do if it wasn’t for our veterans,” she stated.
