Members of state and city law enforcement lead more than 100 motorcyclists on a safety ride during the Atlanta Military Motorcycle Safety Rally held Thursday and Friday at Fort Gillem. The ride, from Fort Gillem to Andersonville, was the final event ...

Don’t... clown around and pull stunts on your motorcycle, like professional motorcycle stuntman Darrick Stafford, a rider with ATL Freestyle. The stunt team was on hand to show their skills at the Fort Gillem Post Exchange during the two-day Atlanta ...

Do... get your motorcycle checked for safety issuses. Sgt. Candie Chambers (left), a master driver with the 345th Combat Support Battalion, First Army, follows instructions from Benny Bagwell, a Patriot Guard member from Lawrenceville. Bagwell and ot...

They came to rally.

Some rode big, fat touring bikes, while others guided slim, trim speedsters into the parking lot.

Some arrivals were preceded by the throaty rumble of a Harley-Davidson and some made little more noise than a super-charged weed-eater. However different their equipment might have been, every rider arrived at Fort Gillem's Post Exchange April 23 with unity of purpose - to ride together and to do it safely.

To encourage safe practices, Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem brought experienced specialists to the two-day event.

"This year's theme of the Atlanta Military Motorcycle Rally was to showcase the professionals; the Georgia State Patrol, Henry County Motorcycle Unit, [and] AtlFreestyle and Penson Racing Teams, just to name a few," said Deborah Joyce, U.S. Army Garrison's command safety director.

Joyce said showcasing these professional teams offered Soldiers a place to go to find on adrenaline-rush in a controlled environment.

On the first day, April 22, the PX parking area was a bustle of activity with various safety groups displaying their wares under canopies while AtlFreestyle demonstrated stunts that were examples of "what not to do" on the streets.

"We are losing way too many Soldiers on motorcycles," said Joyce. "Since the beginning of 2000, around 60 per cent of our motorcycle fatalities are single-vehicle accidents. They are hitting something that is not moving. That directly relates to a skill issue."

Joyce said these statistics should encourage riders to continually hone their riding skills, skills that are intended to save lives.

Skills can be sharpened off the bike as well. Among the static displays was the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Traffic Simulator.

Professionals and amateurs alike were exposed to various video traffic and road and weather challenges while navigating astride a realistic controller complete with a four-speed shifter.

Fortunately, the "spills" taken on the simulator did not require assistance from the Fort Gillem Fire Department medics performing blood pressure checks in the next booth. Whether getting their "vitals" checked or getting laughs from colleagues while trying out "drunk goggles," riders wearing everything from the Army Combat Uniform to Patriot Guard leathers enjoyed a day of demonstrations and comradeship. On Friday, the time to ride was finally at hand.

The riders arrived between 8 and 10 a.m. to line up their bikes and go through their pre-ride checks.

Patriot Guard members inspected bikes according to the tires and wheels, chassis, lights, oil, controls, and stand (T-CLOCS) standards.

Only one rider was not accepted. His rear tire was bald. Riders who hadn't signed in the day before were given the opportunity to present their driver's license, bike registration, proof of insurance and their Motorcycle Safety Course card.

All bikers were also inspected for proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

This was no problem for Sgt. 1st Class Gregory W. Franklin, the senior dental noncommissioned officer at Fort McPherson's Dental Clinic.

"I want to be the example not just for my Soldiers and peers but for my kids also," said Franklin, who had his daughter, Vera, riding with him. Franklin refers to Vera as "Little Miss Safety."

"Daddy wear your helmet and don't forget your vest," said Vera. "Ride Safe and don't forget to check the nut between the Handel bars and the seat."

Franklin and Vera joined more than 100 riders on the trip to Andersonville and back. The rally route was more than twice the distance as last year's event, but everyone arrived home safe.

Mission complete.