Lombardi Ride 2006

This morning we decided to join the Lombardi Ride from the House of Harley to Lambeau Field. For a $50 donation per person, you got a tour of Lambeau, lunch, and a little party in the Lambeau parking lot. Not to mention the pin and bandanna that is standard at most motorcycle events. So we packed our jackets, sunscreen, rainsuits (just for good measure) and a few bottles of water and headed out.

As we waited for the ride to begin, we chatted with fellow Milwaukee HOG chapter members. I was surprised that almost none were going on this ride. With more than 250 bikes lined up, almost all were not part of our chapter. Most chapter members were part of the volunteer troupe, taking in the paperwork and donations in order to attend and some were already in Green Bay to prepare for the lunch and attend to parking all the bikes in an orderly fashion as we arrive in the parking lot.

As we waited for the ride to begin, we saw Gilbert Brown chatting with John Schaller, the owner of House of Harley. As they finished their conversation and got ready to speak to the group we took the opportunity to ask to meet Mr. Brown. He allowed us to take a picture. He was soft-spoken and not as large as I had imagined he would be in person.

Surprisingly this was not the highlight of our day. The tour of Lambeau was wonderful. We got to see Paul Hornung's Heisman Trophy and touch the grass on the field. Walking through the tunnel where the players come onto the field was also a thrill. I wasn't all that impressed with the luxury boxes though, sitting in the stands seems like a better option to me. Not that I will ever get the opportunity to compare.

We ended our short stay in Green Bay with dinner at Curly's on the second floor of the stadium and rode back home by taking Highway 32 & 57. It was a gorgeous ride on a beautiful day.