Rally, ride planned from Rome, Wisconsin to metro Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (WITI) – Thousands of bikers kicked off Harley-Davidson's 110th Anniversary celebration in Rome, Italy this past June.
It was a celebration many here would have liked to join, but if you didn’t make it there for the party, there will be one right here in Wisconsin.
“There were some of us who decided we couldn't afford to go to Rome and meet the Pope, and we wanted to keep it more localized,” said Ron ‘Rebel’ Gasser.
“’But hey, what if we ride home from Rome, Wisconsin?’ And it kind of snowballed from there,” said Bill ‘Cosmo’ Ingram.
Gasser and Ingram, instead, decided to organize their own ride starting in central Wisconsin, from the Town of Rome, which is just south of Wisconsin Rapids.
“We started talking to a bunch of other friends, and said hey, ’Harley's not doing anything. Why don't we get it going?’ So we did,” said Ingram.
The rally starts Monday the 26th in Rome. Then on Wednesday morning the 28th, they'll start the ride at Dyracuse Park, make their way down I-39 to Cottage Grove, then go east on I-94, ending at the Canyon City Wood Grille in Pewaukee. It’s a 3-hour ride, nearly 150 miles.
“We've got right now, 250-plus people preregistered and it's growing daily,” said Gasser.
Their goal is to have up to 500 bikes for the “Ride Home from Rome,” calling this the biggest, most visual group ride coming into southeast Wisconsin for the anniversary.
“We have our rally shirts which has the picture of a Pope riding a Harley. We took that image and blew it up. It'll be on the side of a 53-ft semi trailer,” said Gasser.
“We like to ride together in a big group. It's always fun and exciting,” said Ingram.
Tickets to the "Ride Home from Rome" are $30. A portion of the sales will help benefit the "Bikers for Burn Camp" and the ABATE of Wisconsin “Share the Road Program.”
If you'd like to register for the event, CLICK HERE. You can also get updates by LIKING the Rally in Rome Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.