On September 12, 2009, Chamberlain Lake Campground owners Michael Reed and Roland Soucy presented the first “Hope, Strength & Joy Ride” to benefit the Connecticut Foundation of Make-A-Wish. T-shirts commemorating the event were given to motorcycle enthusiasts who registered at Chamberlain Lake Campground in Woodstock, Connecticut. The donation fee per biker was $20.00 and $10.00 per rider. Pastries, coffee, orange juice and bottled water were served after registration and a cookout followed the benefit ride.

spectator, pronunciation: spek′tāt′ər, noun: one who looks on or watches something; onlooker

Welcome to Kickstand Alley, a motorcycle blog with a decent blend of news, pictures, opinions, tales and tidbits related to one family’s experience with motorcycles.

Flying Moto Cross, courtesy of http://www.freegraphicssite.com

Hello, my name is Kerry Atkins. I am the third oldest and only girl of six children raised in a military family during Vietnam. My dad always seemed to have a motorcycle kicking around, or at least access to one, when I was a kid. But it wasn’t until my older brothers outgrew their mini-bikes and bought dirt bikes with tobacco money in ‘72 that I took notice. Jeff bought a Suzuki 90 and Mark, a Yamaha 100. In fact, I totally blame them and their dirt-bike antics for kicking my family’s passion for motorcycling into higher gear.