Happy New Year and welcome to 2013! Many Long Islanders attended parties and events on NYE and enjoyed a chance to sleep in New Year’s Day.

However over 550 of us awoke to a very cold morning and got on our bikes and rode for the kids of the American Cancer Society’s Camp Adventure program.

This program sends children coping with cancer and their siblings to summer camp on Shelter Island each year. Very simply it’s a place where kids can just be kids and forget about the cancer and just maybe the cancer will forget about them.

We gathered on our bikes at the awesome Cradle of Aviation in Garden city and after a blessing from Monsignor Vlaun took off into the 20 something degree wind chill and leisurely cruised about 45 miles to Long Islands newest venue the Emporium (thanks Gus, Tim, Matt and your entire staff for a job well done).

We arrived safely with police coverage on the entire trip to the rock and roll of the Voodoo Rhythm Devils and hot food and a satisfying libation. The collective efforts of rider’s passengers and raffles helped amass over $13,000.00!

Thank you to all who attended and supported in any way. Special thanks goes out to Nassau County Police, especially the two Highway patrols on bikes, the New York State Troopers, Suffolk County Highway and COPE patrols, Patchogue Public Safety Patrol and the Civil Air Patrol for keeping us safe and orderly the entire trip.

I would also like to thank our sponsors Nassau County Harley Davidson, Full Throttle Magazine, Cavalier and Associates, Security Dodge, South Shore Sportsman, Local 138, Maddhousecreations.com and Agloves. Our sponsors help insure that every cent raised from the run goes to Camp Adventure.

Also much love to the Village of Patchogue for the welcome and support. Finally I would be remiss if I did not mention the collective efforts of my WBAB brothers and sisters who came to work and/or support the run. Jason, Mike and the entire street team nailed it once again. God Bless and ride safe and free in 2013!