Bikers to roll for good cause
If you have an interest in motorcycles or want to support Confidence Learning Center, the fifth annual Rally Up North event is the place to be Friday and Saturday.
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The Rally Up North is a 110-mile scenic motorcycle ride of the Brainerd lakes area. The ride begins at noon Saturday at the Old Waterfall on Highway 371 north of Brainerd. The event begins at 7 p.m. Friday at the Old Waterfall where people will have the opportunity to pick up registration forms for the ride. Entertainment that night will be provided by John Pribyl and his band, Fashionably Late.
Registration will continue from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday. Bikers then will take off with stops at Zorbaz on Gull Lake, Moonlite Bay in Crosslake and the Bridge Tavern in Crosby and end at the Old Waterfall at about 6:30 p.m. The rally will end with a pig roast, provided by Doreen Bragg and the Old Waterfall, and entertainment will be provided by Electric Allmighty.
Bikers took off last year from the Old Waterfall on Highway 371 on the 110-mile Rally Up North motorcycle ride. More than 400 bikers participated to raise funds for Confidence Learning Center.
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Cost to attend the rally is $20 per person.
Aimee Spitzack, coordinator of the rally, said a record number of people have already pre-registered. In previous years, about 100 bikers pre-registered. This year there are 200 pre-registered bikers.
"Two-thirds of the 200 bikes that pre-registered are double riders so we're expecting between 1,200 to 1,500 people this year," said Spitzack. "Or between 700-800 bikes."
Spitzack said the rally continues to grow each year. The first year there were 235 bikes and the rally was advertised through word-of-mouth.
Spitzack said today they market the rally more each year. She said bikers come from all across the country and Canada.
Proceeds of the event benefit the Confidence Learning Center, a year-round center near Brainerd for people of all ages with developmental disabilities. Last year, more than $15,000, including the revenue from the custom motorcycle raffle was generated for the center.
Spitzack said for the first time this year motorcycle-related vendors, including a tattoo artist, will be at the Old Waterfall. A mechanical bull also will be at the event as part of the entertainment.
If you go
What: Fifth annual Rally Up North, a 110-mile scenic motorcycle ride of the Brainerd lakes area, which takes off at noon Saturday at the Old Waterfall on Highway 371 north of Brainerd.
Registration: 7-10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. - noon Saturday at the Old Waterfall.
Cost: $20 per person, which includes entertainment.
Why: Proceeds benefit Confidence Learning Center, a year-round center near Brainerd for people with disabilities.
For the third year in a row, Spitzack said an American Hardcore Custom motorcycle, built by Jesse Fossum and painted by Newstyle Customs, will be raffled off Saturday night. The bike is valued at more than $30,000.
Sponsors of the event include Grand Casino Mille Lacs, Bridge Tavern, Moonlite Bay, Midwest Captions, American Hardcore Customs, the Old Waterfall, Zorbaz on Gull, Integra Telecom, Maximum Motorsports and Newstyle Customs.
Spitzack encourages anyone with an interest in motorcycles or the Confidence Learning Center to check out the rally. She said the two-day event is always a good time and so far it looks as if the weather will cooperate. Spitzack said regardless of the weather, the event will go on as scheduled.
For more information on the rally interested persons may go to www.rallyupnorth.com.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.