Easy Rider Runs 1 & 2
Held in the Auckland area the Easy Rider Run celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the release of the all time classic biker movie "Easy Rider" Note we have NO PICTURES on this story- if you were there and took some photo's we would like to hear from you. Easy Rider 2 was held on Dec 6 2009 there is a review with pix at the bottom of the page
Easy Rider "The movie" A celebration. Lee Rusty
A Rusty Nuts M/C "one off" event to celebrate the release of the "Original Biker Movie" in 1969. 30 years have passed since Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper met up with Jack Nicholson and "went looking for America- but couldn't find it anywhere". We got our motors running and headed out on the highway for a fun day to mark the occasion.
The Rusty Nuts M/C always keep an eye out for motorcycle milestones etc, to use as the basis for runs and events.
The movie "Easy Rider" was made in '69. What year is it now? 99! There must a run in there somewhere.
Indeed there was. 30 years since the classic old movie was made, since what is probably the best-known biker anthem was written. You know the one.
"Get your motor running,
Head out on the highway.
Looking for adventure,
In whatever comes our way.
Got to go and make it happen".
Well, that's what Rusty Nuts do they make things happen. However there is only 1 possible date left in the year that will allow us to even advertise the event for 3 weeks. After that we would run out of '99. Not much call for a 31st anniversary run. So the 18th of December it was.
Our badge maker Theo Meyer Ltd in Auckland was given a roughed out drawing of what we required.
Something that commemorated both the movie and the songs that came from it.
We decided that the quickest (time being our biggest factor) type of run to plan was a mystery run. In double quick time a run route was planned out, and checked. Instruction sheets & entry forms printed out.
I had a copy of the movie on tape, and Vern Rusty had access to a big video projector & screen, and cinema sound type speakers. We had the route, the movie to screen and only needed a venue to hold the lunch type get together & screen the movie. The Hamilton M/C came to the rescue with use of their clubrooms.
In keeping with the American theme we decided on hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch. We took 'on the day entries' only and minted an original run of 30 badges. The Badge has a yellow background with a featured Captain America helmet (painted to resemble the Stars and Stripes. Around the out side of the badge is the wording " Got my motor running, got out on the highway".
Starting at the Moto Mail Bike/car Park. 28 riders and pillions turned up to take part on the day. The route took in mostly back roads from Pukekohe, Tuakau, Huntly, Matamata, Tirau, Kihikihi, and Te Awamutu, to Hamilton. After lunch Riders found their way to their respective towns and cities.
Furthest travelled for the day was Steve from Palmerston North, unless you count Liz who came from Great Britain. Others came from Hamilton (short ride home).Up until this run, the rarest 1 off type RNMC badges was those minted for the Pork Pie Run. That had 52 starters. These badges will be rarest, possibly forever. (Minting less than 30 would be cost prohibitive).
To all those who attended a big thank you for making the day so enjoyable. To Don & Frog a big thanks for looking after the BBQ. To Vern for the screen and sounds and to Gail who did the registrations. Also thanks to Ron who checked out my route and instruction sheets.
- - Lee Rusty.
Easy Rider 2009The Easy Rider Two was run on Dec 6 2009. This is the write up that appeared in the Rusty Trumpet.