The annual Love Ride celebrated its 23rd year of fund raising, which benefits 30 various charities. This year was no exception, with a record breaking $1.56 million raised. The most noticeable changes this year were the lack of attendance, a higher entrance donation and a change in the food vendor. We overheard slight grumblings throughout the day about long beer lines, the cost and how the food was just plain cold.
Walking through the vendor area (located on the grassy slopes, surrounding the traditional stage at the lakes edge) used to take the remainder of the morning and well into the afternoon-this was no longer the case. There were noticeable absentees from the vendor area and what once was rig after rig parked nose-to-tail, was now serving as a close-in motorcycle parking lot (where we parked). As we wandered around during the different activities, we wondered what had reduced one of our favorite fall events into just a mere afternoon's adventure?
Most of the vendors we spoke to expressed the same feelings regarding excessive costs of parking and displaying at the lake. It was getting to be too much. Sales are not allowed. It’s difficult to recoup expenses for setting up, salaries, food and lodging. The majority of the vendors also complained about set-up time. The organizers decided that it was necessary for vendors to arrive days early in order to facilitate setting up, which also added to their overall costs. The only products allowed to be sold at the lake are food, drink and Love Ride t-shirts.
But the weather was exceptionally kind, with highs in the 70s and sunshine right up until dusk. Traffic on the way out to Castaic from Glendale was cool and we made good time, but coming back into the San Fernando Valley was a whole other story. Even though the headliner band The Black Crows set was done in the early afternoon, there was still a race to hurry up and head south on the 5 Freeway.
Unfortunately, we were all racing to inevitably share crowdedf lanes with the traffic returning from the holiday weekend. Some cagers were even more annoyed than we were at the anticipated, unpleasant experience. But as fate would have it we arrived home with no dings or dents.
Hopefully there will be some major improvements next fall.
–Frank Kaisler
