Cycles to fill area

BY PAMELA GLASON THORNTON
STAFFWRITER
Union County Post

Hold on tight! Cycles are everywhere! Situated on Honda Parkway in Marysville, Ohio, Honda of America Manufacturing will open its doors for tours and activities during Honda Homecoming – July 26, 27 and 28. Employees who work inside the plants will show visitors around and conduct demonstrations of a how the big cycle, the Gold Wing, is assembled. Tours that give an up-close view of how the line of vehicles are made are
beneficial because they allow guests to interact with associates who are responsible for filling each order as it comes down the assembly line. “One of the defining moments of Honda Home Coming is when customers receive the opportunity to interact with motorcycle plant associates,” stressed Honda representatives. For those who are interested in seeing the process up close, guided tours of the motorcycle plant are conducted to allow persons age 14 and over behind-the-scenes views of final products. Dress and safety regulations must be followed during the motorcycle plant tours.
During the tours, open-toed or open-back shoes, tank tops or midriff-bearing tops are prohibited. Tops that cover the midriff area must be worn. Safety glasses will be provided. No mini-skirts or mini-shirts are allowed on the tour. No cameras or recording devices are permitted. Guided and scheduled tours will be given Thursday and Friday. Tours will be self-guided on Saturday. Tour times are subject to change without notice.
Persons who have been to more than one Home Coming agree that the annual Honda Rider’s Club of America (HRCA) pancake breakfast, held in the Food Court at Honda of
America Manufacturing, Fri. July 27, 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., is not for those who fear flying flapjacks, but is guaranteed to be tasty and fun. The cost of $5 per person goes to
the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the charitable organization that benefits from the weekend of activities. One of the most luminous activities, the Light Parade To Bellefontaine, takes place on Thurs. July 26, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cyclists ride from the Marysville Motorcycle Plant to Downtown Bellefontaine in Logan County.
The popular parade of lights gets bigger and brighter each year as more motorcycles join in the fun ride through Logan and Union counties. Local residents greet riders along the
way to the final destination. Gary & JoAnn’s Lighthouse will sponsor a light competition following the light parade in downtown Bellefontaine. On the way back, a Light Parade to Marysville commences at 9 p.m. on Fri., July 27. The destination is Uptown Marysville in Union County. To lighten the festivities, an Ice Cream Social will be held prior to the
light parade on both Thursday and Friday evening at the Honda of America Manufacturing Big Party Tent, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. each night. Kick back and enjoy ice cream – the pleasure of summer – while you catch up with old friends. Graeter’s provides the ice cream, you just have to be social. Come and join us! The testimonies of brain tumor survivors define add meaning to the Ride For Kids, which takes place on Sat.,
July 28. For the ride, a pack of motorcycles gather to take a scenic tour of the area. Riders who have donated a minimum of $35 each to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation will depart from the Marysville Motorcycle Plant at 9 a.m. and travel a route through Union,
Champaign and Logan counties before they return to the Marysville Motorcycle Plant. The Ride For Kids will take place rain or shine. Participants can register for the Ride for Kids from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at the Big Party Tent on the Honda of America Manufacturing grounds. The weekend has something for everyone. Safety, environmental and technological advancements will be on display to inform the public about vehicle history, maintenance and care. Alcohol and driving are covered in Mock-tail demonstrations that stress sobriety and show how not to mix alcohol with driving.
Job-related seminars and skills Olympics for Honda associates will take place during the weekend that allow workers to gain recognition for their daily performance. In more ways
than one, the three days of activities enable roads to intersect and connect with the future.
In case you are riding around looking for something to do, the information center, which is stationed in the Motorcycle Plant parking lot on each day, is full of ideas. In addition to being the place to register for the giveaway of a uniquely customized motorcycle, the booth offers plenty of options for immediate and future activities. “At the information center, Honda associates will be available to answer questions and help with directions,
maps, brochures, lost-and-found, and a message board,” noted the Union County website.
To obtain lodging information about Logan County, go to www.logancountyohio.com/big_event, Find more at Dublin, Ohio’s Web site, www.IrishisanAttitude.com or at the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism, www.DiscoverOhio.com.