The 8th Annual Layne Creed Memorial Ride was held this past Saturday in Mt. Airy, North Carolina.
(photo credits Layne Creed Memorial Ride)
You may remember that I wrote about this ride in 2012. Check out this link to learn about Layne Creed, his family, and the reason behind the ride. Over the years, the Memorial Ride has raised well over $55,000 for local EMS, the Surry Community College, and the Children’s Center of Surry, which is where all of this year’s proceeds will go. In honor and memory of Layne Creed, this memorial ride has become a favorite of North Carolina and Virginia bikers, and has done incredible things for the community that Layne called home.
Each year a group of friends rides down from Virginia, and this year we were geared up for rain.
As always, the Poker Run starts at 13 Bones in Mt Airy, NC, a local restaurant known as much for their charitable donations as they are their good food. A poker run is an organized event where motorcycles (or boats, cars, bicycles) and their riders visit five checkpoints, drawing a card at each one. The one with the best poker hand at the end is the winner … although really, it is the children that are the winners.
A new checkpoint in the ride this year was Round Peak Vineyards.
As is obvious from the photos, the clouds threatened rain all day long.
Luck was with us though and we rode on dry roads.
The donations are still coming in, but the last I heard, around $7000 was raised. An incredible amount of time and energy is put into the ride each year, but the Creed family gladly does it to benefit the children of Surry and Yadkin Counties …
(photo credit Velvet Creed Leonard)
… and in honor of their loved one, Layne Creed.
You can visit the Layne Creed Memorial Ride on Facebook and see lots of photos of bikes, riders, and fun!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 
I do love a good convoy – is it still called a convoy when it’s bikers? We recently had the ‘Big Rigs for Kids’ event and for almost a whole day you can hear those air horns booming happily as hundreds of kids in hundreds of big trucks glory ride about the city, collecting donations, having adventures and laughing a lot!! I love when caring, brave people turn a tragic event into a day of celebration and joy and raise money for their charity yo boot!
Despite the cloudy skies those bikes all look sparkly and shiny and the people do too 🙂
The Big Rigs for Kids sounds like a blast for a good cause. How fun!!
And truly … I like “yo boot” – 🙂
That sounds like fun, too, Pauline.
That’s ‘to boot!’ Yo indeed!! 🙂
Great post and images Laurie 🙂 Looks like you had fun even though the skies were cloudy.
And you know? the clouds actually kept the temps down, so it was comfortable riding. Fun day!
Looks like a fabulous Poker Ride and what a wonderful tribute. As always, your photos are great.
Thank you … the family has done an incredible job with this annual ride.
Off to check your blog and see if you’ve posted about the Scotland / UK results 🙂
Yes I remember this posting well my sweet friend and it is nice to know that he has not been forgotten. I doubt that he ever will be and this is a nice thought.
Have a lovely Friday and weekend 🙂
Andro xx
Your comments always make me smile, Andro.
Thank you and I hope the weekend is lovely for you!
Thank you LB
and keep snapping
the shutter on
your camera, your
choices of photograph
are always very good,
and more importantly,
appealing to all that
visit your blog 🙂
Have lots of fun today 🙂
Andro xx
Bikers are certainly known for such events and for breathtaking $$$ totals raised. So glad the rains held off. Tomorrow is the Mississippi River Flood Run ( you can read more here:http://www.floodrun.net/). There will be hundreds of bikers converging on this area for the weekend! DH and I have chosen to “hide out” at the RV, however, since we’ve been in high gear for the last few weeks. Thanks for the great post, Laurie!!! Hugs……………………..
Oh what a cool ride! THanks for sharing the link. Maybe someday I’ll get up there to ride in it.
Enjoy your quieter weekend. I’m quite sure you deserve it!!
The weekend is now “history” and was relaxing (in between the stormy moments!). Now to charge into the week!!!!! LOL!!!
Another good reason you ride that bike.
Yes, and so glad to be able to participate in this ride. You know, I never met Layne Creed, but I swear I fell in love with him as I was researching for the first post I did. What a guy.
Hope you are well and enjoying the end of baseball season!
What fun…I always wondered how the poker run works…now I know!
It’s a great way to have fun while doing something good for the community!
Great photos for a memorial ride …
Thank you! It’s a bit challenging to be a photographer and a participant, but the photos turned out ok.
I remember this from an earlier year. It must be a source of support for the family, to have so many people remember Layne Creed each year. What a fun way to raise money.
You said it right, Crystal. The family celebrates his life surrounded by friends and knowing they are doing so much good … yet it is still so hard for them.
Laurie, what a fabulous event. Congratulations on the fundraising. I love seeing groups get together, doing something they love and creating a benefit for others at the same time. I love that photo of the bikes heading down the road. Also, I nearly reached into my monitor for a grape. So clear, present and tasty…how did you do that?
Love your blog, your energy and your great shares.
Alys, thanks so much for making me smile this morning! So glad you like what I post ❤
Those grapes! Of all the wineries I've visited, I've never been able to get that close to vines so covered in grapes. Huge, juicy bunches everywhere!!
Given your love of wine, it seems fitting that you could get up close and personal with the vines.
My father-in-law grew wine grapes in his day (he died in 2008). The familly had a small, 11 acre orchard in Calistoga. The harvest was always an event, but the production unpredictable from year to year.
Have you been to California? We’re swimming in wineries up and down the coast.
so many bikes and riders 🙂
Yes! and it was a smaller turnout this year because of the rain … still, a great success though!
Great cause, great ride, great photos, love the grapes. Ironically, I rehab homes with my sons in a Philly neighborhood named Mt. Airy. Be well, LB.
jim
Another connection! (Mt Airy) 🙂
I’m traveling to PA in a few weeks, by the way. Not close to you, but in the same state 🙂 My friend and I take an annual “Road Trip to Watch the Hokies and Explore a Cool Town” and this year we are going to Pittsburgh to watch the Hokies vs Pitt. I’m very much looking forward to exploring the city for the first time in 20 years!
Wonderful event and beautiful photos of the journey. Glad the rain held off for you all.
Thanks Sheryl! It truly is a great annual event, full of family, friends, fun, and fundraising!