Going back to remember the Toby Keith Ride!

Harley-Davidson and country music were both born in the United States.  Synonymous with hard work, craftsmanship and loyalty, fans of both came together at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson for a special benefit:  the dealership's  fifth annual ride to see headliner Toby Keith perform at the First Niagara Pavilion.   The tickets for this specific concert and Hot Metal's ride and party were available only at the dealership, several weeks prior to the event.  

Choice pavilion seat tickets in the “Hell Raiser Section” were sold for $35 each and $11 of each ticket price went to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  Over 280 Hot Metal H-D VIP ticket packages were sold.

This was by far the largest turnout to date. On the day of the concert,  those 280-plus country music fans and motorcycle enthusiasts from all over southwestern Pennsylvania rolled in for the 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. tailgate party at Hot Metal H-D, where they enjoyed country music, prizes, food and refreshments, and a chance to win a backstage tour of First Niagara Pavilion.

Keith's 'Hammer Down Tour' with special guest Kip Moore began at  7 p.m. so once the tailgate party wound down at Hot Metal’s parking lot, all 280-plus Toby Keith fans mounted their bikes and enjoyed a leisurely hour-long police escorted ride over the winding back roads of the South Hills to the venue. The best part of the ride? Riders were able to keep moving, without any stops at intersections or for traffic because of the Allegheny County Police Department's and several other municipalities' assistance along the route. That procession of motorcycles, thanks to the accompanying police, was an awesome sight to behold.

When it came time to reach the front gate of First Niagara's parking lot, our riders were waived right in and ushered to a VIP parking area, designated specifically for motorcycles, while other concert-goers had to wait their turn at the gate. 

The three major television stations in Pittsburgh came out to cover the event at Hot Metal because of the size of the ride and the charity it supports.  For me, the day was a blur, but in the end, the event was all about the Ronald McDonald children, and the money we motorcyclists raised to help their families.

Hot Metal Harley-Davidson is holding another police-escorted ride to the First Niagara Pavilion and tailgate party at the dealership for the Kid Rock, ZZ Top, and Uncle Kracker show on Saturday, September 7th.  The tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at Hot Metal Harley-Davidson Monday through Sunday.  More information can be found atwww.hotmetalharley.com.