Hundreds of bikers, tired and thirsty from a day of riding, feasted and drank Monday at a party hosted by ASU alumnus John Eby, owner of Acme Roadhouse in Tempe.
The "Monday Madness" party at Acme is one of the events during this year's Arizona Bike Week.
Eby, who earned his business degree from ASU in 1985, said he helped Bike Week get off the ground eight years ago when founders needed venues to host the social events for local and visiting motorcycle enthusiasts.
"Community involvement is very important to us and giving back is very important," Eby said. "[The event] helps us be involved in the biker community."
More than 600 riders turned out at Acme Roadhouse on Monday afternoon after finishing the Fourth Annual Sunshine Acres Charity Poker Run to Tortilla Flat, near Canyon Lake, approximately 16 miles northeast of Phoenix, said Stacia Prappas, marketing director for the Chandler Harley-Davidson store. The store hosted the event.
The run is part of the Eighth Annual Bike Week, which started March 26 and runs through April 4. The $14,300 that was raised went to the Sunshine Acres Children's Home in Mesa.
Acme Roadhouse, one of more than 50 sponsors of the event, provided a lunch buffet and drink specials for the bikers, who come from all over the country to enjoy Arizona's spring weather and the loads of Bike Week entertainment, said Whitney Market, marketing coordinator for Arizona Bike Week.
"We're one of the top five motorcycle rallies in the country," she said. "It's big and well-known and well-run."
The annual party is one of the top days of the year for Acme, said General Manager Jeff Jennings. He said that he has seen the parking lot filled with between 700 and 800 bikes in past years.
Cover band Chalmers Green kept the leather-clad riders entertained with classic hits from bands like The Doors and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
Run participants were eligible for more than 100 raffle prizes, ranging from Harley-Davidson teddy bears to tickets for an upcoming Rush concert, Prappas said.
The riders also picked up cards at each stop of the run to make up a poker hand. A woman from Manchaca, Texas won $500 for the high hand and a man from Peoria won $250 for the low hand.
Recent ASU psychology and communication graduate Eva Kirchstein said she enjoyed bartending during the event.
"We're used to the usual college crowd," she said. "It's nice getting a different crowd in here. It's great business for us."
Reach this reporter at timothy.taylor@asu.edu.
