“We were looking for a way to get people to come ride with us,” Tom said. “So we came up with this. There’s isn’t a rider who doesn’t like going for ice cream.”

Abel Gallardo, the president of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, said that the group’s ﻿love of ice cream is one of the many quirky aspects of the organization.

“It’s a funny thing — our members just love ice cream,” Gallardo said. “We have to go into cities and say, ‘If there is one thing you don’t want to run out of, it’s ice cream.’”

Those ice cream sales are only a portion of the $3.4 million the rally is expected to bring to the city.

This is the fifth time the convention has come to Madison, the group’s most frequent destination.

Several events were planned for the Wing Dingers, from classes to something Gallardo called a “Cirque-like performance” on Friday night.

You can also see ﻿members on group rides through the countryside.

Many said what really brings them here is the people.

“We have friends from all over the country that come to these events,” said Brian Richards of Knoxville, Tennessee. “It’s like a big family reunion.”