CYCLISTS TAKE TO ROADS SUNDAY IN SUPPORT OF AMERICAN TROOPS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Because some men and women serving in Operation Desert Storm also are bike riders, members of the Southeast Missouri Chapter of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) thought a good way to demonstrate their support for the troops would be to hold a motorcycle parade.

And that's just what they're going to do.

The parade will begin at 1 p.m., Sunday, rain or shine, at Shelter No. 1 in the North Cape County Park, and will go through Jackson and Cape Girardeau.

"There are a lot of troops over there who own and ride motorcycles," said Randy Eggimann, chairman of SEMO HOG's Support Our Troops planning committee. "We wanted to show our support for these men and women in our own way, and in a way they would understand, with a motorcycle parade through Jackson and Cape Girardeau."

Eggimann said the parade is open to all motorcyclists regardless of the size, make or model of their cycles.

"We welcome anyone who owns or rides a motorcycle to ride with us Sunday," he said. "We will provide ribbons and flags for the motorcycles prior to the start of the parade."

Eggimann explained the organization was invited to participate in Saturday's Desert Storm Support Parade in Cape Girardeau, which many club members who do not work on Saturday will do.

"When plans for the Saturday parade were being drawn up, we were not aware of them," he said. "In fact, I understand we were planning our own parade on the same night that the Saturday parade was being planned."

Eggimann said from North County Park, the parade will turn west on North Kingshighway and proceed toward Jackson, moving along East Jackson Boulevard to the Highway 25-34-72 and Highway 61 (Hope Street) intersection. From there it will move north on Hope Street to Main, left on Main, and west to Highway 72.

After turning left on Highway 72, it will proceed east toward the stoplight intersection and continue eastward on East Jackson Boulevard to Interstate 55. From there, the parade will move south on I-55 to the Route K exit at Cape Girardeau.

The parade will move east on Route K to West End Boulevard, go north on Boulevard to Broadway, then west on Broadway to Kingshighway, and north on Kingshighway back to the North County Park, where it will end.

Eggimann said an accurate count of the number of motorcycles expected in the parade is impossible, but it could be in the hundreds or more.

Eggimann said the parade will be videotaped as it moves along its route. "We plan to send a copy of the tape to the Cape Girardeau area Naval reserve troops serving with the Navy's fleet hospital in the Persian Gulf," he said.

The Harley Owners Group is a nationwide organization of members who own and ride Harley motorcycles. In addition to Sunday's Desert Storm support parade, the local HOG chapter conducts an annual Christmas toy run and food drive and supports the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other civic activities in the community.