Long Beach event as seen through

the eyes of a motorcycle rider

FOR EVERYONE who participated – and even for the spectators – the Gay Pride celebration on Saturday and Sunday in Long Beach was one for the memory books.

A select few, however, have a unique perspective.

Rarely – if ever – have I been part of such a special group.

About 30 gay motorcycle riders from Southern California and beyond, under the leadership of Bert Simon and Lou Willsea, gathered early Sunday morning in a nondescript parking lot in North Long Beach.

We did not arrive there by accident. Weeks if not months of planning had already occurred. Many emails arrived in my inbox advising about the details.

Watch the video below the fold.

BUT THEY WERE not the only ones who had done some preparation. I shot my first video less than one month ago. It is available on my YouTube channel, but I’m not going to tell you how to find it: it’s far too amateurish.

A week ago today I shot a much better one. For the Bike Week celebration kickoff, I had obtained a special mount for my iPhone which captured a handlebars-view of the action. See it here

Thanks to some marvelous critique from two friends who really know video – Marty Trailer and Garry Bowie – my understanding of the medium expanded exponentially.

The medium truly is the message, as Marhsall McLuan taught us all about 40 years ago.

Video is unlike anything I have ever worked with before. My entire life has revolved around the printed word; I have done some image editing, but this is my first experience ever creating video.

It is different.

The one you are about to see if you have read this far, is without a doubt my best attempt to date. I have progressed to the point of even adding special effects. See if you can spot them.

As you will see in the video, everyone was briefed in a parking lot before the parade by Bert Simon, road captain of the Satyr’s Motorcycle Club of Los Angeles.

What follows is the parade and celebration seen from the perspective of a motorcycle-rider participant.

Very few of us have it. Now it is available to the entire world.

This is the perspective of a motorcycle rider.

The love and connection we felt from the crowd makes me weep as I write these words. I’m sure I am not alone.

WE MADE THE FRONT PAGE of the paper. Check out this story and picture from the Long Beach Press Telegram.

According to the story by Kelsey Duckett: “Thousands of spectators lined Ocean [Avenue] between Lindero and Alamitos avenues to cheer, dance and celebrate with each of the 126 parade entries.”

The parade and entire Pride Celebration, Duckett wrote, which spanned Saturday and Sunday, is the city’s second largest event.

“The event generates about $10 million for the local economy, according to a 2004 economic impact study by Long Beach Pride.”

I guess we 30 guys are now part of history.

Future generations doubtless will see us in the One Archives.

It is a legacy for which there is only one word: PROUD!

Celebrate with us for five minutes and enjoy the video.



