Jerry DeMille and Scott Bevens left their homes in North Hollywood at 4 a.m. Friday to get to the Hollister Independence Rally. The longtime friends said the trip was worth it.
“We’re having a good time,” said the 74-year-old DeMille, who owns 20 cars, 30 motorcycles and 85 bicycles. “I like this rally for the fact that they block off so many streets, which makes it feel like a special event. There are a lot of different vendors, and the Globe of Death is something you don’t see too often.”
The Globe of Death feature stunt riders who who ride motorcycles inside a mesh sphere ball. DeMille had his 1963 Harley Davidson FL on display, one of the hundreds of bikes out for spectators to see. While the Hollister Independence Rally routinely draws thousands of people from out of the area, there are plenty of locals like Don and Susan Jones who come back every year.
“We’ve been to every rally,” Susan said. “It’s nice for us because we live close by, and we can come here, take a break and come back.”
Even though the Jones’ said the Rally was similar to ones in years past, they keep coming back because of the food, the people and the vibe.
“It’s neat meeting a variety of people with the same interest,” Susan said. “Over the years, we’ve literally met people from all over the world. They say they come here because it’s in California, and that’s a big plus for them.”
Said Don: “They also commented on how there are a lot of great places to ride here.”
With a variety of food options available—deep fried seafood, hand-dipped corn dogs, fish tacos, barbeque and pretzels were just some of the choices to grub on—one can’t go wrong with a selection.
“There are not enough days to get through all the food,” Susan said. “Everything is so good, and it’s almost a can’t miss (in terms of getting a great meal). If I had to pick one that’s my favorite, I’d go with the handmade potato chips—which I don’t think is around anymore. The tri-tip (sandwich) at Johnny’s is also a must-have.”
Speaking of food, the Indonesian Satay BBQ stand was a popular choice. Ambrosius Nartapura and his wife, Xeiduy, own their own business and travel all over the state and parts of Arizona throughout the year. They serve tasty, mouth-watering skewers hot off a grill. The Nartapuras were born in Indonesia before immigrating to the U.S. 33 years ago.
This was their second year bringing their business to the Independence Rally. They live in Los Angeles and found out about the Rally after talking with bikers at the Las Vegas BikeFest. The couple regularly sets up shop at motorcycle rallies, and they’ll be back in the Bay Area serving their delicious cuisine at Outside Lands in San Francisco.
“This is a nice place to be at,” Ambrosius said. “The weather is nice—not too hot—which makes working out here easier.”
