12th Annual Rumble through the Tunnels
Portsmouth, VA…If you were on the road on Saturday Oct. 6th, 2012 and it seemed like you were seeing an unusually large number of motorcycles rumbling throughout Hampton Roads, you can stop rubbing your eyes. They were everywhere. Over 450 motorcycle enthusiasts were on hand to show their support for the men and women who proudly serve our country.
Fleet Ride, the motorcycle event better known as “Rumble through the Tunnels” rolled into its 12th anniversary on Saturday Oct. 6, 2012. Both military and non-military riders, some who rode as much as 4 hours, were out in force to participate in this one of a kind event.
Rumble through the Tunnels was started 12 years ago by Bayside Harley-Davidson’s owner Maurice Slaughter and retired Navy employees who wanted to show their appreciation to the local military community. They chose the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society as the benefactor of the fundraiser.
Founded in 1904, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is a private non-profit charitable organization that provides financial, educational and other assistance to members of the Naval Services and eligible family members and survivors when in need. Hampton Roads is a Navy town, and those in this community are keenly aware of the sacrifices made every day by our military families. We are fortunate to have organizations like the NMCRS in the area to help these families.
Safety was once again at the forefront of this year’s event. Riders were escorted by the Portsmouth Sheriff's Department Motorcycle Unit and City of Portsmouth Motor Squad from the dealership, through the city of Portsmouth to the Mid-Town Tunnel. We then looped back around through the tunnel, where the two-way motorcycle traffic in the tunnel lived up to the Rumble through the Tunnel legacy. Special thanks to the Portsmouth Sheriffs Department, City of Portsmouth Police, and City of Norfolk Police Departments who controlled traffic at the intersections and kept the parade rumbling along without incident.
The riders ended up back at Bayside Harley-Davidson where riders enjoyed live music from the Cory Daniel Band and several food vendors who were on-site to provide lunch for the riders. Numerous vendors were also on-site with all kinds of motorcycle gear and services to include leather riding gear, pinstripping and powder-coating services, motorcycle insurance and lots of beautiful biker jewelry. Lots of good food, live music, and vendors kept everyone busy until the formal donation presentation to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society of the $3,585.00 super-sized check.
There were also 10 beautiful local ladies competing for the title of Miss Fleetride 2012. The girls competed in Jeans & Leather, Bikinis, and Patriotic wear. They were also judged on stage presence, poise, as well as their responses to the question on “What is Fleetweek, and what does it mean to you?” The top three ladies will also serve as the Bayside Harley Girls for 2013 in advertising and promotions.
Including this years event, Bayside Harley-Davidson has raised over $79,000 for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. Please mark your calendar and join us next year, October 5th, 2013.
