Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/763593
49 www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS nJanuary 2017n by Robert Filla GALVESTON, TEXAS, NOV. 3–6—It was a respite, a much-needed pause, a break in families divided over political ideals, and the continuous bombardment of cable news. Lone Star is the last major rally of the year and riders on both sides of the political aisle set aside differences to embrace the brotherhood of the road, electing to party no matter whether that party was Republican, Democrat or Independent. And this year the Lone Star Rally on Galveston Island provided everything needed to forget about a presidential election looming just days away. During its decade-and-a-half existence, the Lone Star Rally has seen some tumultuous years. In 2005 Hurricane Rita hit the island causing such damage that the event had to be shifted from September to October. And then three years later Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston forcing a rescheduling all the way into December. But the island slowly rebuilt and the rally kept step, march- ing alongside the city battling every- thing from disgruntled residents to city offi cials trying to appease disgruntled residents. It even snowed one year… in Galveston. And last year torrential rain saw the lightest attendance in memory. But through all these trials, the Lone Star Rally has proven to be one of the most popular motorcycle events in the south, is consistently the largest in Texas, and has become a vital component of the Island's eco- nomic stability, rivaling the Galveston Mardi Gras and the annual Dickens on the Square. And although the media pundits had worked feverously to stir up a storm by force-feeding America their own political biases, any rider worth his salt knows a lot of differences can be overcome when you simply say, "F**k it, let's ride." And ride they f**king did with attendance fi g- ures bouncing between 400,000 and 600,000 depending on which news source you select. That huge variance typifi es how diffi cult it is to accu- rately measure numbers through the gate when there is no gate (Lone Star became a free event when it moved from the southwest of Houston to the Island during its early years). One of the greatest lures in cre- ating the largest motorcycle event in Texas (other than the free admission) is that, no matter which day or days you decide to attend, there is some- thing to keep you occupied. Running from Thursday through Sunday, even though Friday and Saturday are the most jam-packed, every day has some- thing to offer. Thursday kicked off with the Run Down the Shore, a short ride presented by Cycle Source maga- zine that began at Beach Central along Seawall Boulevard and ran up to Sea Wolf Park, giving riders the chance to explore a Navy sub and destroyer escort. From there the group rode to Pier 21 along Harborside Drive for a picnic-style lunch. Pier 21 was also the site for the ongoing, four-day Cruise- In Car, Truck, Rat Rod and Hot Rod Shows, each day featuring a different fl avor of four-wheel custom. Two music venues are offered during Lone Star, Saengerfest Park on The Strand ( the downtown historic district), and Beach Central Park that faces the Gulf waters. Both stages presented local talent throughout Thursday but also had major performers Uncle Kracker, Bobby Friss, Jared Blake and Jasmine Cain belting out the tunes. Not too shabby of a Thursday to rev up a rally. Unfortunately, Thursday evening also included the only motorcycle-re- lated deaths that occurred during the event. That's when a young couple from nearby Katy, Texas, was cross- ing Seawall Boulevard in front of the Galvez Hotel to gain access to the beach. A couple aboard a bike was unable to avoid them resulting in an accident that claimed the lives of the pedestrians and sent the riders to the hospital, both in critical condition. As tragic as that occurrence is, consid- ering there were half a million extra people zooming around on two wheels for four days, most rallies of this size experience worse. Friday afternoon activities fea- tu red bike games and a motorcycle rodeo at Beach Central. Competition included a barrel roll (using empty aluminum beer kegs, one of which was only half empty making for some interesting kinetics), a bite-the-dan- gling-hotdog contest and a slow race. Held on a stretch of level asphalt, the competitors' lanes were quite narrow, squeezed in between the two curbs of a one-lane passage. So narrow, in fact, that two bikes bumped front ends during the slow race (no harm done to either). The overall win- 16TH ANNUAL LONE STAR RALLY OUTRUNNING POLITICS Ideal conditions offer solace for the weary Adding those more eclectic characters to a rally is like adding peppers and spice to a pot of chili The ladies of the Red Hat Society held their annual meetup during Lone Star Rally weekend and were a natural See "Lone Star Rally," page 58, column1