A group estimated at more than 200 curious residents and members
of various non-profit groups turned out for the Hollister
Independence Rally Committee’s 2003 kick-off party.
A group estimated at more than 200 curious residents and members of various non-profit groups turned out for the Hollister Independence Rally Committee’s 2003 kick-off party.
A continuous stream of people flowed in and out of the YMCA’s main activity room Saturday between 1 and 5 p.m., getting a better sense of what the annual motorcycle rally has to offer.
“It’s been pretty good. We’ve had a lot of groups show up and a lot of volunteers show up,” HIRC President Michael Chappelear said. “We’re hoping to get a lot more volunteers and to get the public more aware of what we do during the rally and to get the community involved.”
The kick-off party was the first of its kind since HIRC revived the motorcycle rally in 1997 – the 50th anniversary of the so-called Hollister “invasion” on which the film “The Wild One” was based.
“We’ve been planning this for a couple of months now and it’s been a lot of work for our directors and office staff, but it’s come off pretty well,” Chappelear said.
Robert Weir, a board member of the Rancho San Justo-Marguerite Maze middle schools band boosters, attended the event along with several representatives from other local non-profit groups.
“And we’re looking to volunteer here as a fundraising event for the band,” Weir said. “We have three competitions a year and we raise money for their travel and uniforms and everything to participate in the competitions.”
Along with the public, the party also brought in a number of local elected officials.
“I’m interested in it both from a government standpoint and from the standpoint of a hobbyist,” City Councilman Robert Scattini said.
Scattini, who rides a 1997 Honda Gold Wing and a 2000 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic, had a dual assignment at the party.
“I’m appointed to the committee from the City Council but I’m also a motorcycle enthusiast who loves riding motorcycles, and I’ve been going to this event for years,” he said.
Even Scattini was impressed by the public turnout for the event.
“You have a lot of people coming and going who just want to check things out and see what this is all about,” he said. “I think they have this set up well, especially with the chance to talk to the old-timers who were here in 1947.”
Scattini said he, like a number of other people who attended the kick-off event, was happy to get a chance to talk to brothers Joe and Jess Bravo – former San Benito County residents who were two of the original Tophatters motorcycle club members who experienced the so-called “invasion” in 1947.
“It’s a lot different than it was years ago,” said Joe Bravo, 79. “There was so much commotion that you were busy trying to pay attention more to what was going on than you were the people around you. It got pretty wild there for awhile.”
Bravo said even with everything that was going on that 4th of July weekend 56 years ago, the damage was not as extensive as subsequent news reports made it sound.
“It was not as bad as they put it,” Bravo said. “What happened is that they let this get out of hand and then when they tried to control it, people were drunk, and you know what liquor does. But by then it was too late and that’s when the trouble started.”
Jess Bravo, 82, said modern rallies offer more for motorcycle enthusiasts to do than they did in his day.
“It’s a lot different now – more activities I think than before,” he said.
Jess Bravo said the event in 1947 did get out of hand, but as the legend grew so did the reports of damage.
“They were a little rough, but not as bad as everybody thinks it was,” he said.
