By CHRISSY PRICHARD

Express News Staff

The 13th annual Thunder in Old Forge motorcycle rally and expo will take place on Friday, June 1, and Saturday, June 2, at the George T. Hiltebrant Recreation Center. Event hours will be noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Many new and exciting activities have been added this year, but none more important than the partnership with our local American Legion Covey-Pashley Post 893 to make Thunder in Old Forge a rally to benefit the Wounded Warriors Project.

One of the co-chairs of the event this year, Ed Booton, came up with the idea to turn the event into a benefit.

Booton has been involved in the program for several years, but this year he had the realization that this would be a great opportunity to support the servicemen and women who protect our country by helping out the Wounded Warriors Project.

“Basically what everyone’s doing here, everyone involved, is they’re giving back. The purpose of this program is to give back and show our support, what we can, for people who answer the call,” says Booton. “They’ve been fighting our wars for 11 years. This is really, really important.”

He anticipates even greater camaraderie this year, not only among riders, but among military personnel and their families as well.

“The riders and the people who come to this event are probably some of the most generous, open minded, and fun loving people I’ve ever met. They’re just really genuine people,” said Booton.

He says the support he’s seen for the event this year has been huge.

“We have a lot of people volunteering who never have before. People are coming out of the woodwork to help in any way they can because they want to be part of supporting this cause.”

Throughout the two-day event, there will be plenty to see and do, even if you’ve never been on a motorcycle.

There will be a food and beer garden, barbecue by Adirondack Cafe, and ice cream from Twisters.

There will be raffles and door prizes, including a raffle for a weekend getaway in Old Forge.  

New to the event this year, professional stunt rider, Ronnie “Reality” Giovelli of Reality Racing will make his first appearance in the Adirondacks at 5 p.m. on Friday.

Filled with wheelies, wild riding and more, his stunt shows are not to be missed. He will perform again on Saturday at 10:15 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

Motorcycle and accessory vendors such as Royal Riding Apparel, Strip Club Choppers, Final Touch Leathers, and NY Biker will be on site offering the latest gear.

Classic biker movies and instructional videos will be shown throughout the weekend, including “On Any Given Sunday” and “Ride Like a Cop.”   

On Saturday, the festivities begin at 9 a.m. with a traditional “Blessing of the Bikes” by Father Shane Lynch.

At 10 a.m., there will be a flag dedication ceremony by members of the American Legion. The flag will be presented to members of the 10th Mountain Division in honor of their service. According to Booton, these soldiers have spent a substantial amount of time in Afghanistan and Iraq, and many are preparing for deployment again in coming months.

Several scenic guided rides will be available on Saturday, led by local guides. At 10 a.m., a group will depart for Long Lake, with a stop for lunch at the Adirondack Hotel.

Another group will leave at 11 a.m., headed for Big Moose to have lunch at the Big Moose Inn.

For a shorter ride, leave at 1 p.m. and head for McCauley Mountain for a scenic chairlift ride.

All rides leave from the pavilion. Pre-registration is available Friday evening, but is not required.

The chairlift at McCauley will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, offering free rides for anyone with a wristband from Thunder in Old Forge, as well as members of the military with current I.D.

The chairlift is also open to the general public, with rides costing $6 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Children five and under ride for free.

Live music will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, as the Johnny Rage Band takes to the stage to provide some rock ‘n roll favorites.

A motorcycle show and contest will take place at 3 p.m. with fun, new categories this year including best home-built bike, oldest bike ridden to the rally, bike with the most bugs, oldest rider, youngest passenger, and more.

With these new categories, more riders will be able to participate, adding to the fun.

Everyone with a motorcycle is encouraged to be part of the Twilight Parade Saturday evening.

No pre-registration is required, just meet at the pavilion at 7 p.m.

Spectators can check out all the motorcycles in town as they cruise up and down Main Street.

Back by popular demand, a free Party Shuttle Bus will be available both Friday and Saturday nights, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., providing safe transportation.

Stops along the route will be at Daiker’s, the TOW Bar, North Woods Inn, the Country Club Motel, Christy’s Motel, and Water’s Edge Inn.

Booton says that with so much going on throughout the weekend, especially some of the new events, that visitors will likely want to come back next year, just so they can check out anything they miss this time around.

“What we’re doing is very different from the standard vendor based program. What we’re doing is a show,” he said.

So whether you’re a motorcycle enthusiast, a proud patriot wanting to help out the Wounded Warriors, or just looking for some fun, be sure to visit Thunder In Old Forge.

In addition to a portion of the proceeds being donated to Wounded Warriors, military personnel will receive free admission with current I.D.

Admission to the two-day event is just $5 per person with free parking.

Event sponsors include the Central Adirondack Association, Coors Light, Blizzard, Adirondack Cafe, North Woods Inn, and Water’s Edge Inn.

For further information or a complete schedule of events, visit www.ThunderInOld-Forge.com, or call (315) 369-6983.