History

     In an age of instant gratification and short-term memory, 24 years may not sound like a long time, but for the Louie Run it merely marks a new beginnings; not just the beginning of another long-awaited riding season, but a remembrance of those who rode before us, so that they may continue to ride with us. This year’s 24th Anniversary of the Louie Run embodies the spirit of those lives we remember and celebrate.
     Just two short decades ago, a handful of local bikers rode together to the cemetery to pay tribute to a lost friend, Louie Ivcovic. Louie was a local businessman who owned the Peppermint Stick Lounge, and he had given the bikers a place where they could meet, relax, and enjoy the company of fellow motorcyclists. At a time when most businesses were turning bikers away, Louie put out the welcome mat and gave them a home.
     Louie had welcomed them into his life, and now those bikers felt compelled to nurture his memory and keep Louie alive in their hearts. The group agreed to return the following year and never let the memory, or the man, be forgotten.
     As the years went by, more friends joined in the memorial ride, and unfortunately, more friends had been lost. From these humble beginnings, the Louie Run was born. It didn’t take long before the gathering grew into an event, with sheer numbers creating logistical difficulties, but the Peppermint Stick Alumni rose to the challenge by organizing and coordinating what had become one of Northeast Ohio’s premier rides.
     The Louie Run had outgrown the cemetery as a gathering place, so as participation increased, new starting points and destinations had to be arranged. The early years saw start-ups behind the Great Lakes Mall and at Ridge Jr. High in Mentor, with parties in an old barn on SR306, at the Mentor Marsh/Captain’s Quarters and the Last Lap/Vagabond/City Limits.
The ‘90s began with lineup, ceremony, and pullout at the old Towmotor Parking Lot, Downtown Cleveland, and Lakeland Community College. The tributes were then followed by great parties at Geneva-on-the-Lake and the Antioch Tavern.
     The mid-90’s brought the next biggest change, as the Lake County Fairgrounds became the destination point for the greatest numbers of participants to date. Due to those large numbers of riders, the ride needed to be divided in ‘96 into a number of smaller runs, leaving from different starting points throughout the region, all arriving at the Fairgrounds in sequence. Fresh into the new Millennium, over 9,000 riders took part in the Louie Run in 2001, a record that’s just waiting to be broken. Those years also brought many other additions, a larger variety of vendors and food, bike games, several bands, and the introduction of the Memorial Wall, a visual remembrance to those who have gone before us.
     Likewise, the ceremony that always precedes the Run evolved to include all the participants’ memories. In 1986, the now traditional rubbing of a fresh drop of blood into the pavement as a symbol of motorcycle awareness, safe riding practices, and the brotherhood of bikers was incorporated into the memorial ceremony, a tradition that RedBeard carries on still today. Another year saw the addition of a spiritual invocation in the Memorial Tribute. The Memoriam continues its evolutionary course with each successive year, as does virtually every aspect of the Louie Run.
     In honor of Louie, a very charitable man himself, the event developed into a fundraiser for charity, and has since raised over $200,000 for carious charities and charitable organizations in Northeast Ohio.
     The Louie Run took on a patriotic flavor in the late 90’s, when a new 20’ x 30’ American flag was unveiled at the Ceremony and served as colorful reminder that Bikers are American and Proud of it. Amidst the backdrop of several smoke grenades, a troupe of veterans began presenting the Live Vietnam Memorial Statue, a moving memorial that must be seen to be fully appreciated.
     A 20th Anniversary doesn’t come along every day, so in recognition of this historic landmark the 2003 Louie Run departed from the typical one-day event by adding a concert on Saturday featuring Rick Magee and the Road House Rockers as well as the Armstrong Bearcat Band. Of course, the Legendary Burnt River Band made its 20th consecutive Louie Run performance on Sunday following the Ceremony.
     Twentieth Anniversaries are traditionally recognized as the Platinum Anniversary, but the precious metal is only valuable here on earth. On Heaven’s Highways, it’s the size of bikers’ hearts that really matters.
     2004 brought the worst weather we’ve ever had, but the fact that so many people did come out demonstrates the true dedication and commitment to our cause that’s shared within the riding community. Several thousand wet and shivering riders battled the elements to take part in the 21st Louie Run. People huddled under vendor canopies or gathered under the Big Top as the Louie Run continued its warm hearted 21 year tradition of remembering those motorcyclists who are now riding Heaven’s highways and to honor their memory though charity.
The more things change, the more they remain the same, and the one thing that has remained constant throughout the years is the commitment to keeping the memories of or dearly departed alive through our thoughts and deeds. Although Louie himself was not a biker, he will certainly be looking down on us and smiling in appreciation and approval. Long into the future, bikers will continue to celebrate Louie’s generosity and hospitality and pay him the highest tribute by giving him and other fallen riders a home in our hearts, and one more day to share a ride together.
     Little did that small group of mourners gathered in a cemetery in 1983 know that their actions would lead to such a massive memorial, attracting thousands of riders each year from all around the region and raising tens of thousands of dollars for dozens of worthwhile causes.
A lot of changes have occurred over the past two decades, from those small selfless groups of the eighties, through the growing pains of the nineties, to today’s masses of organized charity riders. But since its inception, the Louie Run philosophy has been that, “Our Brothers & Sisters are never truly lost, so long as their Memory remains in the Wind…”