The Reno Toy Run — 38 Degrees, a Dead Battery, and Motorcycle People Are Crazy

Motorcycle people are crazy. I mean that as the highest possible compliment.

The weather was barely 38 degrees. It was December in Northern Nevada — cold, grey, and absolutely not the kind of morning that makes you want to throw a leg over a bike. And yet hundreds of people did exactly that, rode to Harley-Davidson in Reno, and showed up with a toy for Toys for Tots. Because that's what motorcycle people do. They show up. In any weather. For any cause worth showing up for.

The Reno Toy Run

The Reno Toy Run is one of the great annual traditions in the Northern Nevada riding community — a charity ride that brings hundreds of motorcyclists together every December to donate toys for children in need through the Toys for Tots program. The cold doesn't stop it. The short days don't stop it. The riders come out because the cause matters and because this community takes care of its own — and the kids in this region — every single year.

Seeing that many motorcycles gathered in December, riders bundled up and breath visible in the cold air, all of them there for the same reason — it's one of those sights that reminds you why you fell in love with this community in the first place.

My Battery Died

Of course, my battery died.

This is the part of riding that nobody puts in the brochure — the moments when the machine decides it has other plans. Standing in a parking lot full of motorcycles in 38-degree weather with a bike that won't start is a very specific kind of humbling. But here's the thing about motorcycle people: a fabulous family came to my rescue immediately. No hesitation, no eye-rolling, just people who know bikes helping someone who needed help. I learned a thing or two about my bike in the process — which is exactly the kind of education you only get in the field, not in a garage.

That's the motorcycle community in a nutshell. You break down, someone stops. Every time.

Riding Under the Reno Arch

Once we were back on the road, we toured Reno — and that means riding under the famous Reno arch. The iconic Reno arch on Virginia Street, "The Biggest Little City in the World" in lights above you as you ride through downtown — it's one of those Northern Nevada moments that never gets old. Whether you've done it a hundred times or it's your first time, riding under the Reno arch on a motorcycle is exactly as good as it sounds.

We spent a few hours in Reno — a very good lunch, raffle prizes, good company, and the kind of afternoon that happens when you put a group of motorcycle people together with nowhere they have to be.

The World of Motorcycle Clubs

The Reno Toy Run was another step in my education — not just about my bike, but about the world of motorcycle clubs. I've been fortunate to have friends who have introduced me to that world, and every event like this one deepens the understanding of what it means to be part of a riding community. It's not just about the bikes. It's about the people, the traditions, the causes, and the culture that has built up around two wheels over decades.

I am genuinely enjoying my time with friends who are showing me this world. Every ride teaches me something new about the road, about the community, and about myself.

Note to Self: Head-to-Toe Leathers

If I'm going to be a die-hard rider like my friends are — out in December, in 38 degrees, for a toy run — a head-to-toe leather suit is clearly in order. I've been noted. The cold is real and the gear is non-negotiable. Consider this a public commitment to upgrading the cold-weather kit before next December.

See you at the next Toy Run. Dress warm. Bring a toy. 🎁