Gen. Franks to lead bikers
In celebration of the grand opening of the Gen. Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum, Gen. Tommy Franks will lead up to 1,000 bikers in the Rumble Motorcycle Parade through downtown Hobart to his recently renovated facilities.
The bikers will participate in the Freedom Motorcycle Ride and Poker Run from Lawton to Hobart and one biker will win a 2008 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200C. The motorcycle rally and the 2:30 p.m. Rumble Parade will be May 23 in conjunction with an entire day of events in Hobart’s Memorial Day weekend “Celebration of Freedom.” Fifty entries are set for a 1 p.m. “Celebration of Freedom Parade.”
Registration for the Freedom Motorcycle Ride begins at 9 a.m. at Pro-Team Harley Davidson, 301 S.E. Interstate Drive in Lawton (no pre-registration required). Gen. Franks recommends attaching an American flag to the motorcycles.
The last bike leaves Lawton by 10:15 a.m. Riders pick up cards at designated stops - through Medicine Park, the Wichita Mountains, Saddle Mountain, Roosevelt, Blair, Quartz Mountain Lodge - and ends at the Hobart Regional Airport, southeast of Hobart on U.S. 183. The last bike must arrive by 2 p.m. After the awarding of prizes, bikers may visit the museum, take photographs with Gen. Franks and stay for the evening concert.
For places to eat and spend the night in Hobart or for more information, call 580-726-5900 or check www.celebrationoffreedom.net. Accommodations will be available for bikers to camp out. For more information, contact retired Army Col. Michael Hayes,a member of the museum’s board of directors, at mth@tommyfranks.com.
“I think everybody will love the route through the Wichita Mountains and the wheat fields, which reflect this part of the country; it’s a good ride,” Col. Hayes said.
Celebration of Freedom Parade participants will convene at 12:15 p.m. at the former Eugene Field School on S. Main in Hobart. At 1 p.m., the parade will travel north on Main Street past the Gen. Tommy Franks Museum. To enter the parade, call Sylvia Quintero at 580-752-5636, Connie Preston at 580-752-4005 or Marilyn Thrift at 580-726-3242.
“We anticipate around 50 entries - local floats, military floats, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, in addition to many antique cars; and we’ve asked them all to use a military theme,” said Quintero, Freedom Parade chairman.
The event-filled day also includes an airport fly-in and pancake breakfast, a carnival, Arts on the Square art show, softball tournament, quilt show and fishing tournament.
Topping off the day will be a concert by Country Music Star Neal McCoy, three-time platinum recording artist, performing live on a mega stage with Wayne Newton and other entertainers and speakers. To show appreciation to the nation’s heroes, Hobart will offer free concert tickets to active duty military and dependents, National Guard, Reserve and all who have ever served in the military (with identification).