It’s happened before—the SoCal skies darkened, bringing rain and slick streets, attempting to dampen the spirits of charitable supporters of the Love Ride organizers and participants. But rain, this time, wasn’t supposed to happen. Love Riders had raised their kickstands, and were set to hit the black ribbon highways of Los Angeles, and roll north from Glendale Harley-Davidson, riding some fifty miles to Castaic Lake for the last time. Some fifteen thousand strong were forced to brave the inclement weather on their quest to bring their light of love in support of Love’s Last Ride.
As before, time and time again, motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country, and parts of the world had saddled up to celebrate this final Love Ride Grand Finale. Its thirty-two year run had found its destined end. Historically, it would leave its mark in scribing a rich heritage as the single greatest, one day motorcycle fundraising event in the world, by benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project. Faithful messengers of love persevered, riding through the Sunday morning shroud of black and gray rain-mixed skies in their quest of bidding a fond farewell to the Love Ride and its well deserved legacy.
The Love Ride had always been about showing care and compassion for those less fortunate with heart-led strength, and its founder, Oliver Shokouh, would again, lead the way.
“It’s been my honor to serve these causes for decades. And I’m eternally grateful for the outpouring of support that so many gave this year, as we ride off into the sunset with over $1,000,000 raised for Wounded Warrior Project, and a total legacy of over $25,000,000 for charities to date. Lives are changed, because of your attendance and participation over these years, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” ~ Oliver Shokouh
The 69 year old “Ugly Oliver,” as monikered by his Ugly MC brethren, would ride his Electra Glide, once again blessed with a huge outpouring of star power support from longtime entertainment industry celebrities and motorcycle luminaries owning, and sporting the Harley-Davidson brand.
Jay Leno, clad in faded blue Levi denim and leather, rolled in the rain aboard his green Ultra Classic, answering Oliver’s call and saddling up for Love’s Last Ride, capping off his thirty-one year reign as Oliver’s grand marshal.
Willie G. Davidson, wife Nancy, son Bill and daughter Karen were also there again, along with Oliver’s Ugly MC brother, Easy Rider, Peter Fonda, a founding luminary and honorary grand marshal, seated neatly inside his custom-crafted Mogwest, three-wheeled roadster.
“I’ve always supported our vets and what they’ve done in serving our country. We keep sending them off to war, and they come back broken and forgotten. With twenty-two vets committing suicide every day, we just have to do more to help them. I’m proud to have been involved with the Love Ride from the beginning, and glad we’re supporting Wounded Warrior Project this year going out.” –Peter Fonda
Another honorary grand marshal, lured from the acting pool of notable thespians in Hollywood years before; current Scorpion co-star Robert Patrick and Boozefighter MC Chapter president returned to lend his star power support in bringing folks to the Love Ride’s final roundup.
Emilio Rivera from Sons of Anarchy returned, bringing along fellow SOA journeyman actor, Mark Boone Junior. Longtime friends and supporters Lorenzo Lamas; film and television actor and a Love Ride Foundation officer with guitarist/lyricist Robby Krieger from The Doors also faithfully answered Oliver’s reveling call.
Actress Catherine Bell of JAG and Army Wives fame also came to attend and support Love Ride 32. Others from the entertainment realm, included opening Love Ride band act Social Distortion; George Gray, comedian, game show host and announcer for The New Price Is Right; actor Phillip Winchester from the current television cable series, The Player as Alex Kane, as Sgt. Michael Stonebridge in Strike Back, and with film credits Flyboys and In My Sleep.
Other notables included actor/musician/bassist and singer Sean McNabb, who also appeared in several episodes of Sons of Anarchy, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress, and model for The Huntress, Kristy Swanson, who proudly carried in her motorcycle’s sidecar, one the Love Ride 32 honored guests representing the Wounded Warrior Project, former Marine Corps gunner, Sal Gonzalez. Sal, born and raised in East L.A., proudly served for two and a half years, until wounds he received in combat with one resulting in the loss of his left leg from the knee down, brought him home. He was honorably awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and Purple Heart.
Sal conveyed his sentiments to the crowd with restrained heartfelt emotion:
“I just want to take this time and thank Mr. Oliver for putting this on and having us as the beneficiaries. You know Wounded Warrior Project has been a part of my life ever since I got into the hospital. And a gentleman who worked for us walked in with a backpack with our logo on it, and our logo is everywhere. It’s plastered all over the place and you see it everywhere you look. But what this logo to me means, is us helping each other out. We lose twenty-two veterans a day to suicide. And with you guys’ help, and with the help of The Love Ride, maybe one day, we can turn that twenty-two into zero. God Bless you guys!”
Also in attendance as another honored guest veteran of Love Ride 32 and Wounded Warrior, was Petty Officer 3rd Class, Raymond “Doc” Andalio. Doc served as a Navy Hospital Corpsman for 12 years. In 2003, while serving in the desert wasteland of Iraq, he sustained battlefield injuries resulting in multiple bone fractures, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and respiratory problems. Coming home, he was forced to cope with invasive mental stress (PTSD). In comments by Andalio, given during an impromptu video captured backstage with Robert Patrick, Emilio Rivera, Lorenzo Lamas and Catherine Bell, Doc related on camera with humility:
“I am blessed to be around this love, this love that is given to us Wounded Warriors. As you can see there is nothing missing you know. So it is always a good thing, it’s all in there, for the job that I did it’s a big honor. So thank you, and with all the support, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Thank you…”
Doc was further quoted in a post Love Ride 32 Cycle World article stating:
“Wounded Warrior Project and the Love Ride have our backs. I am deeply grateful to all the attendees who helped. I met so many motorcyclists who were vets, and being around all those people and love felt like heaven. Raising money for awareness shouldn’t be a job; it should be shared and given with an open heart. And it showed with this last Love Ride Grand Finale. The one million dollars from everyone there will not only make a difference to a lot of people now — but also in the future.”
The Foo Fighters hit song, My Hero, performed live by Foo Fighters lead singer/guitarist and bandmates in front of the thousands in attendance, is seen with its interlacing tribute to the Wounded Warriors in this video made by Sullen TV, honoring those who served and presently serve our country. Within this video appears Love Ride front-man Jay Leno, Wounded Warrior Sal Gonzalez, Robert Patrick, Love Ride Founder Oliver Shokouh, Emilio Rivera, Wounded Warrior Raymond “Doc” Andalio, Lorenzo Lamas, and Catherine Bell enjoined together at the historic Love Ride 32 Grand Finale… Love’s Last Ride. To see the video, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I1b4PMqZ_Y&sns=em
During the Love Ride 32 festivities with its hustle and bustle of organized activities, Oliver and I barely spoke a word to one another. A week or so after the thousands attending the Love Ride Grand Finale had fired up their scoots, headed home and the dust had settled, we finally had a chance to talk and he shared some of his final comments regarding the end of the ride and his lifelong labor of love.
“ The Love Ride has been such a huge part of my life and my family — and all the volunteer friends that I gained through the event planning, the celebrities that have come out in showing their support, and my friend Willie G and his family — that it has been a very bitter-sweet thing for me to deal with! Though I’m proud of all of our accomplishments, and I would definitely do it all over again… I am sad to see it end, but nothing lasts forever — and the Love Ride is no exception. We do intend to keep the foundation alive, and perhaps a couple of years from now we may do some kind of event — not like The Love Ride, but some type of remembrance that is not so management and time intensive! My group of volunteers and me are no spring chickens anymore, we’re all burned out and tired, and feel that 32 years is a good run! I’m relieved that I don’t have to do this anymore because it’s a lot of work, even though I felt good about doing it. There have been so many great moments and memories I have from contributing, giving back and seeing for instance, the MDA kids smiles on their faces, and engaging the Autistic kids that got up on stage and got them talking on stage was pretty incredible.”
All photos in this article provided by permission, courtesy Chuck Null.
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