Ventura : Motorcyclists Stop on Way to Gathering

About 300 Harley-Davidson motorcycle aficionados gathered briefly in Ventura Friday morning, adjusting their gear and hailing friends on their way to a weekend of festivities in Santa Maria.

The riders are members of the Harley Owners Group and were headed to the Western Regional H.O.G. Motorcycle Rally, where hundreds are expected from throughout the United States.

During his stop at the Doubletree Hotel, Scott Lyon of Simi Valley busily adjusted helmets on his two young sons, Nicholas and Christopher, who were in a sidecar. Lyon, who rides a 1976 full-dress motorcycle, with equipment such as tour bags and intercom, said he has been involved with Harley-Davidson motorcycles for 15 years.

“My friends were riding them, and I just got the bug,” Lyon said.

Charlie Neeley of Camarillo was busy showing off the new black leather pants, complete with silver concho belt, she had sewn for the weekend.

She has been riding Harleys for 20 years as a passenger, and she joked about her jealousy of Jinny Lyon, Scott’s wife, who was riding her own motorcycle. “I would love to have my own bike,” Neeley said, “Right now, I’m riding with my ‘significant other’ because getting my own bike could cost lots of money.”

Jinny Lyon said she has loved motorcycles since she was a little girl.

“I’ve loved it so much, I’ve made my world around it. The kids love it too,” she said, referring to her two small sons in the nearby sidecar.

The ride was the first for Judy Taylor of Simi Valley. Her husband, David, joked that Judy always packs two or three suitcases when she travels.

“I’ve had to put on another saddlebag,” he said.