BIKER BRIGADE

Valley Life editor

What do you get when you gather more than 700 Harley-Davidson riders in one place for one weekend?

Some say a family reunion for a "Bear of a Rally."

The Alaska state Harley Owners Group (HOG) "Bear of a Rally" is going on this weekend at the Alaska State Fairgrounds. Riders from around Alaska have shown up in full force, as well as Harley riders from as far away as Scotland and France and all points in between.

"It is truly like a big, happy family. There's lots of camaraderie, and everyone shares the common interest of riding Harleys," said Vera Hershey, the state rally coordinator. "That common denominator makes us one big family."

The rally, which runs through this afternoon, is a highlight of the summer for many of the riders, with the blazing hot sunshine only an added bonus.

"Everyone comes to meet new people, ride together and just visit each other," said Jim Fleming, a Wasilla resident who said he's been riding Harleys off and on since 1952. "I met a group of four people who rode from Michigan, up over the Arctic Circle and now they're here. You meet some real interesting people."

Dorothey McPherson, for example, met her boyfriend at the 1999 state HOG rally in Fairbanks.

"He told me that I couldn't get into heaven unless I rode in a Harley parade," she said. "Now I'm one of the rally organizers."

There are three HOG chapters in Alaska, with more than 2,400 members -- a third of which are women. In the fall, the Valley's own HOG group -- the Denali Harley Owners Group -- is organizing. Each year, the event alternates between Fairbanks and Anchorage. The 11th annual event included runs to Matanuska Glacier and the Willow Trading Post, an event in Anchorage and other events like barbecues, a group photo in Hatcher Pass and lots of visiting.

There are safety seminars, and plenty of activities for children.

"We stress safety quite a bit," Hershey said. "This year we've got two state troopers who are riding their new Harleys along with us on our rides."

The sense of wide-open spaces and freedom epitomizes both what Harley-Davidson and Alaska represent, and that's exactly what brought some of the riders to Palmer for the rally.

"I've never been to Alaska. I wanted to see the gorgeous landscapes that you all have here," said Dan Hope, who rode his Harley from his home in Winnipeg, Canada.

People riding come from diverse backgrounds, from business owners to professionals. While there was lots of leather to be found at the rally, stereotypes don't mean a thing.

"The first thing you think about when you talk about a Harley rally is the Hell's Angels and a bunch of tough guys," Fleming said. "But really, they are a really good group of people. I look forward to this every year."

About 75 people volunteered to help run the event. Hershey attended a rally coordinator training program in Florida in January, and has been working hard ever since to make sure the state rally came off without a hitch. She said she couldn't have done it without the rally's committee, which consists of April Weinrick, McPherson, Stacey Horn, Paul Loughman and Michael Beaumaster.

"We've had lots of good support from our vendors and sponsors, and all of the volunteers have been great," Hershey said. "It takes a lot of work to put it together."

Only HOG members and a guest could attend the rally. There are more than 820,000 HOG members around the world.

As of Friday morning, when the opening ceremonies took place at Raven Hall on the Alaska State Fairgrounds, there were 550 people registered, with more than 100 people expected to register at the event.