May 29th 2011, was the 14th annual BAD Ride (Bikers Against Distress) in Southern Ontario. This was my second year taking part in this event as a bike handler for MotoLimo.com. We followed the riders along the route in our trucks; ready to pick up any riders who may find themselves…in distress (sorry…I had to say that).

The ride began at the AMC Theatres near HWY 400 & HWY 7 and ended at the Markham Fairgrounds. This was a self-guided ride with several hundred riders in attendance.
The vision of the BAD Ride is to ensure every individual in need receives life-sustaining emotional support. 100% of the money raised by riders on all of the B.A.D. Rides to date has gone directly to the Distress Centres, supporting ongoing programming and many new initiatives that have enhanced access and addressed identified gaps in community services.
The day itself started off rather ominously with the threat of rain but riders came out in droves to support this great event. The threat of rain always affects rider turnout at events like this and attendance was down over last year. Of those showed, regardless of the threat of rain, some donned rain gear whereas others simply didn’t care if they got soaked. Although mostly cruisers and touring bikes, there were also many custom bikes and some rather eclectic ones…not to mention some very eclectic riders too and their choice in clothing left me scratching my head.

As for the route itself, it was well thought out and kept us away from major roads so that we would neither affect traffic much or be effected by it. There were only a couple of intersections that caused us problems. There were also a couple of sections that were nice and twisty but some spots left me surprised that nobody had crashed with the loose gravel (even in some tight corners).

Arriving in Pefferlaw for a break is always a sight to behold. This sleepy little town was woken to the thunder of several hundred motorcycles all arriving at the same time. Once again all the riders had been well corralled by the organizers leaving the streets and sidewalks lined with bikes stretching the entire length of the small town. Once again the locals of the town stood slack-jawed staring at all the bikes rolling around their streets. I’m sure thoughts of an invasion crossed their minds. Not one person seemed upset (they were pre-warned that we were coming) and once they realized that it was a charity ride, they smiled and told us to enjoy our day (although I did see a few ladies clutching their purses rather tightly). Bikers are a very misunderstood breed and can sometimes look a little scary covered in leather and tattoos but not a single rider needed to be feared. Motorcyclists are the salt of the earth and will give a stranger the shirt (or leather vest) off their back if needed. It’s a shame that we are so misunderstood but perhaps that’s a topic for another post.

Most riders just stopped to cool down and rehydrate before continuing along the route but others hung around for lunch. Most just needed a break to rest their sore bums or grab a cold drink as the temperature was climbing and it was getting very humid. Still not a drop of rain. For the MotoLimo fleet, it was just a nice Sunday drive as not one rider needed to be picked up from a roadside breakdown, although we did repair a flat tire at the AMC Theatre at the start and another rider needed a boost in Pefferlaw to get going again. No rider wants to get picked up from the side of the road but especially on a charity ride like this.

Eventually all the riders pulled into the Markham Fairgrounds for some festivities including a live band, auctions, food & refreshments, the chance to get your picture taken with some of the ladies the Whitby Hooters, the comedic brilliance of fellow motorcyclist Mike Bullard, and of course the grand prize draw for a Harley-Davidson FatBob motorcycle.

Since 1967, Distress Centres has been providing an around-the-clock emotional safety net for community members who are socially marginalized, distressed, in crisis, victims of violence or suicidal. Last year, more than 120,000 calls were answered on our help lines. Through our Survivor Support Program, hundreds of other individuals received face-to-face grief counselling in the tragic aftermath of a death by suicide or homicide. Distress Centres was also able to provide service to countless professionals, organizations and concerned citizens through the training and consultation provided by our Community Outreach Program. Each and every service is provided free of charge to participants.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKafv7C8zb8