It was a film that captured the imagination of US youth and still seems to have a grip on the greying crowd. The annual Legion Riders Legacy Run arrived in Ft. Wayne, IN. on August 22 with veterans on Harleys, seeking to raise funds for a scholarship fund for the children of military parents killed in active duty.
A large Star-Spangled Banner hung from a fire truck ladder and waved above the nearly 400 Legacy Riders that snarled traffic before noon.
Jim Solberg, a 75-year-old retiree from Ingleside, IL, told The Journal Gazette of Ft. Wayne that the motorcycle sojourn was a lesson in public awareness, adding that the local encouragement was inspiring. "We love that. That lets us know people are aware of what we’re doing,” the intrepid adventurer told the media source. He’s a freedom loving retiree, unprepared to hang up his Harley boots for an active lifestyle or independent living community.
The American Legion intends to raise $450,000 during the 1,200 miles biker trip that twists through six states. The annual ride finishes in Minneapolis, the site of the 2011 American Legion National Convention.
Marlon Brando in The Wild One might have been more dramatic, but the Legion riders know how to keep busy. They're rebels with a cause.