Twenty Years of the Oakland, California H.O.G. Chapter By Bob Gilbert March 5, 1988 is the founding date of our H.O.G.® Chapter. It was the second Harley Owners Group Chapter to be chartered in the Bay Area, the first being San Jose which was chartered on January 26, 1987. Bob and Tracey Dron and the first board of directors selected the name California Bay Area H.O.G Chapter because members came from all over the Bay Area to belong to a H.O.G. Chapter. The name was changed to Oakland, California H.O.G. Chapter in 1990 by a vote of the members after several other H.O.G. Chapters were started in the area. A few of the old California Bay Area Chapter name rockers are still around. Even though the name California Bay Area Chapter embraced a lot of Harley riders in the San Francisco Bay Area, the name was not recognizable to people who lived outside of the Bay Area. For example a group of California Bay Area Chapter members rode together to Sturgis for the 50th Anniversary of the Rally and it seemed that wherever we went people asked, “Where are you from? Where is the California Bay Area? Is it Humboldt Bay, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay or San Diego’s Mission Bay?” This and the advent of additional chapters in the Bay Area led to the selection of a new name, a name that left no doubt as to where we are from. When the Chapter was formed in March 1988 Bob Dron selected John Allison as the founding Director. John was an employee of Bob Dron Harley-Davidson. This is when the dealership was located at 744 East 12th Street. Dan Rodham was the Assistant Director until September then Lee Wilson took his place. Nancy de Halas was the Secretary until September and Robin Wilson took over. The Treasurer was Jennifer Diaz, the first Road Captain was Dave Bishop, Craig Wendt the Sergeant of Arms, Aram Attarian and Mercy Erpen-Beck were Newsletter Editors and Dolores Allison was the LOH Rep. The original plan was to have the Director / Assistant Director serve a term of two years. The Assistant Director automatically moved up to be the Director. However good this plan looked on paper it never worked out. Club members had other obligations and it was difficult to maintain this line of succession. In 1989 Lee Wilson was elected Director and Craig Wendt was his assistant until June when Frank Mattos took over for Craig. Frank picked up the nick name “The Hammer” in 1995 while he served as the Sergeant of Arms. Big John Thiel served as the Director in the years 1990 and 1991 and the Assistant Director in 1997. Kenny Rogers lead the chapter first half of 1992 but was replaced by Assistant Director Mark Strausburg in July. R.C. Ellis was Director for the first half of 1993 but had to step down because of the death of his wife Donna and Assistant Director Reed Bagnes completed the year. Gary Costanzo was elected Director in 1994 and in 1995. Half way through 1995 Gary relinquished the gavel to his Assistant Director Dave Asplin who was then elected to serve a full term in 1996. The 1997 Director was Roger McCleod. Chris Tyler served two full terms in ’98 and ’99. He was followed by Bob Weaver 2000, Bryce Randall 2001, Jerry Kroll 2002, Dan Stapleton 2003, Dan Mattingly 2004, Sam McCroskey 2005, Pete Neves 2006, Carl Ensor 2007 and Had Thompson 2008. The Chapter, under the leadership of Past Director John Thiel, established the first B.I.G. (Bikers Into Giving) Run in 1990. The name was the inspiration of Mike Felder. The Run pin was designed by Robby Padoang and his basic design has been used for all of the B.I.G. Runs. The first Run was a benefit for the Alameda Food Bank. Entry into the event was a donation of canned food. Run pins were sold for $5.00. The run started at the 12th Street dealership location and consisted of a police escorted parade of bikes around Lake Merritt and then to the Warehouse Bar on 4th Street. The block of 4th Street in front of the Warehouse was closed down for the event festivities; bikes parked in the surrounding neighborhood. Participants bought their own BBQ from a street vendor, libations were sold in the Warehouse, a stage was set up on 4th Street for the band, participants dined and danced in the street, looked at the bikes and partied until the sun set. During 1991 the Chapter sponsored a contest to name the Oakland California H.O.G. Chapter Newsletter. Yours truly won the contest with the entry H.O.G. CALL. The second B.I.G. Run followed the same format that was used for the first. However in 1990, the helmet law was signed by Governor Pete Wilson and went into effect on January 1, 1991. The OPD informed all of the 1991 B.I.G. Run participants that they had to wear their helmets during the Run through the city streets. Several riders from the Modesto H.O.G. Chapter decided to turn the Run into their personal helmet law protest and refused to put on their helmets. During the parade around Lake Merritt an OPD officer instructed the protestors to comply with the new law. Unfortunately a couple of these miscreants decided to give the officer the digital salute, popped wheelies and rode away from the parade. Their actions put the kibosh on the B.I.G. Run as a parade around the lake. In 1992 the OPD refused to give the Chapter permission to have the parade around the lake and to shut down 4th street for the post B.I.G. Run party. The Run in 1992 was a parade of bikes escorted by the CHP from Bob Dron’s on E. 12th Street South down the Nimitz Freeway to the V.F.W. Hall in San Lorenzo. This location was too small to handle the number of bikes and the caterer could not feed everyone in a timely manner. There was mutiny and many riders left the event vowing never to return. The format in 1993 changed. Directors R.C. Ellis and Reed Bagness moved the event to Alameda. The Alameda County Food Bank was still the charity but this year there was a non-escorted ride to the Elks Club in Alameda where the Chapter hosted a ride-in bike show and a BBQ with a live band. $1,300.00 was raised for the Food Bank. In March 1993 the Oakland, California H.O.G. Chapter held a five year birthday dinner party at the Blue Dolphin Restaurant at the San Leandro Marina. In November of that year the Dron’s moved the dealership to 200 Hegenberger Road. This location, when it opened, was the world’s largest Harley-Davison dealership. Willie G. Davidson and a host of factory executives flew to Oakland for the Grand Opening Party which was attended by the Chapter Board of Directors, community leaders, representatives of the press corps, and friends of Bob and Tracey. Craig Chaquico entertained the entourage with his guitar music. The Board of Directors during the term of Director Gary Costanzo wanted to have a Harley Day at the A’s Baseball game in ’94. The run pins were even yellow and green that year. But the A’s wanted the H.O.G. Chapter to donate $42,000.00 to the A’s Community Fund as the price for hosting the event. Needless to say this literally priced the Chapter out of the ballpark. The Teamster’s Hall on Hegenberger Road became the start and end location for the B.I.G. Run in 1994 and 1995. In 1994 we had an observation run and in 1995 a poker run. After the B.I.G. Run in 1995 Dave Asplin moved up from being the Assistant Director to become the Director. In December, Dave organized the first Oakland H.O.G. Toy Run. Participants rode from the dealership to City Hall and presented their toys to Mayor Harris. After the run we cruised down to Arlen’s in San Leandro and had a free burger at his annual Christmas party on East 14th Street. It was several years later that the City of Oakland hosted the Holiday Parade and the Toy Run format changed to include participating in the parade as part of the Oakland California H.O.G. Chapter Toy Run. And this is when, through the efforts of Neil Goodhue, the OPD started to provide the police motorcycle escort from the dealership. Under the leadership of Directors Dave Asplin, 1996, and Roger McLeod, 1997, they organized their B.I.G. Runs to end at the Byron Station in the town of Byron. These Runs were poker runs. It was a great destination and we had a lot of fun but the second year we were there it was very hot. So hot that it seemed as though we did not have to fire up the grills to cook the meat. The sun did the cooking for us. After two scorching Runs the Chapter Board of Directors were not sure it wanted Byron as the endpoint for the run and later that year a fire destroyed the Byron Station. Byron was out as a B.I.G. Run destination. 1996 Dave Asplin turned up the heat on the fund raising effort for Oakland Children’s Hospital. The B.I.G. Run generated over $10,000. This was the first time that the Chapter raised so much. In the meantime the A’s changed ownership and in 1998 Susan Bruss of the A’s approached the Chapter to see if we wanted to have a Harley Day with the A’s at no extravagant charge to the Chapter. Director Chris Tyler and I worked out the details with the A’s and the 1998 B.I.G. Run became Oakland H.O.G.’s Harley Day at the A’s to a benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oakland. Chris, not to be outdone by the fundraising efforts of Dave Asplin, also worked hard so the Chapter could donate $10,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs. We raised money by raffling off a chance to throw out the first pitch at a future A’s game. Run fees included a run pin, game ticket, motorcycle parking and the opportunity to ride your bike onto the track that circles the field for the pre-game festivities. The parade of bikes was led by the Oakland A’s mascot Stomper. We had enough participants to ring the entire field with Harleys. The color guard followed the bikes onto the field for the presentation of colors, the singing of the national anthem and the first pitch. This Run was such a hit with the participants and spectators that the A’s invited us back in ’99. As they say, “Variety is the spice of life,” and interest in the Harley Day with the A’s waned after the event in 1999, so Director Bob Weaver and his Board of Directors change the 2000 B.I.G. Run format back to a poker run. This event started and ended at the dealership. The cool climate of Oakland was preferable to the heat of the inland areas such as Byron. Bryce Randall and the 2001 Board of Directors selected the Road House at Mountain House as the Run destination. It was another scorching year in the valley so in 2002 Director Jerry Kroll and his crew developed a poker run that left the dealership, stopped at the Boys and Girls Clubs clubhouses in Oakland and ended at Fairyland at Lake Merritt. As luck would have it the sun never penetrated the fog that Saturday so the Board started thinking sun for a 2003 destination. Road Captain Bill Singer suggested to Director Dan Stapleton that the 2003 B.I.G. Run be a Gizmo Run rather than a poker run. The Board of Directors liked the idea and a Gizmo Run was the basis for the 2003 B.I.G. Run to the Mountain House. Dan Mattingly and his Board looked to create a twist to the B.IG. Run. History buff and Chapter Membership Officer Ken Lindstrom found pictures of a motorcycle road race that ran between Oakland and Livermore in 1911 and 1912. The race was sponsored by the Oakland Motorcycle Club. Ken brought the pictures to an Officers’ Meeting. After the meeting Mike Baird, Dave Almeda, Bob Gilbert and Ken discussed the photos over few glasses of Guinness and came up with the idea of having the 2004 B.I.G. Run follow the route of the 1911 – 12 road race which was basically the route of the old Lincoln Highway between the two cities. The OPD Motor Patrol escorted the riders from Bob Dron Harley-Davidson up the Nimitz Freeway to the Lake Merritt Boat House. This was as close as we could get so many bikes to the 1911 location of the OMC Meeting Hall on Broadway and the original starting point for the races. Mike and his crew of Road Captains laid out a route that followed the Lincoln Highway from Lake Merritt to the Mountain House. The 1911 – 12 races had over 1,000 participants and ended at the flagpole in downtown Livermore. In 1913 the Livermore Police canceled the event and the race was moved to a closed race course at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. Things haven’t changed over the years. Some police don’t like bikers. The 2004 B.I.G Run ended at the Mountain House, an original roadhouse on the Lincoln Highway but well beyond the end of the original road races. In 2005 Director Sam McCroskey and the Board followed the Gizmo Run format for the B.I.G. Run from the dealership to the Mountain House. The Oakland Police Motorcycle Drill Team was the recipient of the proceeds from the run in a show of appreciation for all of the support they gave the Chapter over the years. Director Pete Neves and his Board implemented the same formula for fun and success in 2006 when the Chapter sponsored the B.I.G. Run with a Gizmo Run to the Mountain House. Saint Mary’s Family Center in West Oakland received the proceeds from the Run. However this year the Run started at the new Bob Dron Harley-Davidson facility located at 151 Hegenberger Road. When the California Bay Area Chapter was founded on March 5, 1988 there were nearly 52,000 members of the Harley Owners Group. Today there are over 1,000,000. Bob Dron joined H.O.G. when there were 15,000 members and Chapter Charter Member and still active member Frank Mattos’s membership number is close to 51,300. What is your membership number? As you can see many things have changed over the years but the premise of H.O.G. to “ride and have fun” has not.