Sun City Carolina Lakes Motorcycle Club
The following information about the motorcycle group that started the Friends of Buford Massacre Battlefield comes from the website The Carolina Rider and created on Monday, Feb 13, 2012.
Sun City Carolina Lakes Motorcycle Club is made up of residents of Sun City Lake located in Indian Land, SC who are riding enthusiasts. Robert M instigated our meeting with an email to me saying "Sun City Carolina Lakes Motorcycle Club in Indian Land, SC has many stories, photos and sage advice to share with our brother and sister riders since most of us began riding in the mid 60's or early 70's" He asked club leader Ken O to join us in a little chat in the palatial Club House. Robert moved to SCCL 3 years ago from Jersey and Ken's been their half that long coming from Pennsylvania. The riding group started about 5 years ago casually by folks who had moved in and wanted to connect with others who shared a love of motorcycles. Pretty much like most things- just wanted to ride. Today things are more organized - very well organized with a full charter and hierarchy of leadership. Members come together for breakfast and lunch rides locally, head up to the BR Parkway frequently, and go on much longer rides (they're doing an Outer Banks Lighthouse Tour this year!) in smaller groupings.
"We're loving our lives!," both men share enthusiastically. "You know, most of us gave up our motorcycles while we were raising our kids and now that we're retired we're able and wanting to get back to it," explained Robert. Retired truck drivers, teachers, lawyers, business professionals, military & law enforcement officers. There's about 50 on the roster of this club from 55 years old and into their 80's with most rides involving 6-15 bikes at a time. Their big annual New Year's Day ride this year had 25 bikes and about 50 people - some in cars. For that big event, they encourage anyone and everyone to go leaving Sun City Carolina Lakes at 9am sharp. "We call kickstands up and windows down and we roll!," shared Robert, as he further explained that they make the car drivers put their windows down so as to have the full ride experience!
I asked these two guys about their take on the giving nature of riders. Ken said "Giving is easy. We give in appreciation for all we have received. We give to our community, we give to our country. We give to protect the freedoms we have here - the freedom to ride!" I loved his answer and I was struck by something else unique to this particular group.... While I'm a born-n-bred Carolinian who has deep roots in this community that I support, the folks at Sun City Carolina Lakes are primarily what my Mama always affectionately called "transplants" - they're from everywhere else but here. And this group of riders is just as into community outreach as anyone else who calls The Carolinas home. With members passionate about history they have taken on a huge project of protecting and preserving an historical site near them , support area boy scouting, get involved with the youth of the community, give to needy families. "This is our adopted home," shared Robert "and we want to do whatever we can do to help and support our new home and the communities around us!"
Sun City Carolina Lakes Motorcycle Club is made up of residents of Sun City Lake located in Indian Land, SC who are riding enthusiasts. Robert M instigated our meeting with an email to me saying "Sun City Carolina Lakes Motorcycle Club in Indian Land, SC has many stories, photos and sage advice to share with our brother and sister riders since most of us began riding in the mid 60's or early 70's" He asked club leader Ken O to join us in a little chat in the palatial Club House. Robert moved to SCCL 3 years ago from Jersey and Ken's been their half that long coming from Pennsylvania. The riding group started about 5 years ago casually by folks who had moved in and wanted to connect with others who shared a love of motorcycles. Pretty much like most things- just wanted to ride. Today things are more organized - very well organized with a full charter and hierarchy of leadership. Members come together for breakfast and lunch rides locally, head up to the BR Parkway frequently, and go on much longer rides (they're doing an Outer Banks Lighthouse Tour this year!) in smaller groupings.
"We're loving our lives!," both men share enthusiastically. "You know, most of us gave up our motorcycles while we were raising our kids and now that we're retired we're able and wanting to get back to it," explained Robert. Retired truck drivers, teachers, lawyers, business professionals, military & law enforcement officers. There's about 50 on the roster of this club from 55 years old and into their 80's with most rides involving 6-15 bikes at a time. Their big annual New Year's Day ride this year had 25 bikes and about 50 people - some in cars. For that big event, they encourage anyone and everyone to go leaving Sun City Carolina Lakes at 9am sharp. "We call kickstands up and windows down and we roll!," shared Robert, as he further explained that they make the car drivers put their windows down so as to have the full ride experience!
I asked these two guys about their take on the giving nature of riders. Ken said "Giving is easy. We give in appreciation for all we have received. We give to our community, we give to our country. We give to protect the freedoms we have here - the freedom to ride!" I loved his answer and I was struck by something else unique to this particular group.... While I'm a born-n-bred Carolinian who has deep roots in this community that I support, the folks at Sun City Carolina Lakes are primarily what my Mama always affectionately called "transplants" - they're from everywhere else but here. And this group of riders is just as into community outreach as anyone else who calls The Carolinas home. With members passionate about history they have taken on a huge project of protecting and preserving an historical site near them , support area boy scouting, get involved with the youth of the community, give to needy families. "This is our adopted home," shared Robert "and we want to do whatever we can do to help and support our new home and the communities around us!"
