Gorgeous weather and a great ride topped off with a backyard wrestling match = great way to end the weekend!
Ride Begins at Mexican Heritage Plaza
Beautiful weather without a cloud in the sky greeted the 30 or so riders who made it out to the Mexican Heritage Plaza on Alum Rock Avenue and King Road. Due to technical audio difficulties, the ride started a bit later than the original 1 o’clock meet-up, as the host of the ride, a.k.a. Autonomous Brand, had to get the amplifier on his sound system fixed. However, no one complained as they were grateful to have music during the ride.
Rolling Out Through East San Jose
About 2 o’clock, the wheels hit the street as the group headed westbound down Alum Rock Avenue on an adventure towards North San Jose. As the group proceeded, we were met by a small group as we turned up 28th St. From this point, we made our way by San Jose High Academy, down 21st street, and North Bayshore before getting to the first regroup point at Luna Park.
The Luna Park Regroup
I’d say it was about a thirty-minute rest stop where the usual regroup activities take place. People are drinking refreshment, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. People are taking smoke breaks, both legal and illegal. There was a nice area with picnic tables and little shade where most of us took refuge, and the party off of the bikes began. And then it was back to the streets.
Casualty at the Mobile Home Park
We exited the park and proceeded North on Oakland Road toward our next tourist attraction, a mobile home park. The mobile home park was also where we experienced our first casualty/flat tire of the ride, unless you count the flat before we left, but we weren’t riding, so technically this was the first of the ride. So, in a sense, suppose this was the second regroup, and as soon as things got patched up and the hillbilly landscaper left us alone, we were once again rollin’ and out of the mobile home park.
Through the Neighborhood Maze
From that point, the ride got a little hazy. It could’ve been due to the beer or the blunts or the heat or the combination of all three and the zig-zagging through neighborhood streets, which was a nice change of pace and scenery as we got off of the main streets for a bit. What I do remember is riding by the San Jose Municipal Golf Course en route to our last regroup at Townsend Park.
Final Stop: Townsend Park
Townsend Park experienced many of the same activities as Luna Park did, but riders were more tired by this point, as we had reached about the ten-mile point of the ride, according to the route maps that were provided at the beginning of the ride. However, for those who were attending, the reward for all that riding still lay ahead. At the end of the ride was another ride to backyard wrestling on the east side, presented by UGWA.
Post-Ride Entertainment: Backyard Wrestling by UGWA
For those who’ve never seen backyard wrestling in person, you’re missing out. This was my fourth time attending, I believe, and it was just as fun and entertaining as the first time. There was a keg again(which I enjoy every time!), $5 a cup includes free refills! Shortly after the table incident, police arrived on the scene to provide the audience with a warning about the noise level, basically saying “keep the oohs and ahhs down,” which is kind of difficult after seeing someone go through a table.
The Main Event: Royal Rumble and Bikini Baby Oil Match
So the cops left and let us be and enjoy the show. There were some good matches after the table slamming, followed by a King of the Ring/Royal Rumble type of deal, which lived up to the hype. I’d say there were about ten or more wrestlers involved in the Royal Rumble match, and every time someone was coming, you could hear the crowd, “…four! Three! Two! one!”
Conclusion: A Wild Ride to Remember
After the Royal Rumble was the part of the match that I, and I’m sure most of the other attendees, were waiting for. The Bikini Baby Oil Match!! A littlkiddiedy pool was set up next to the r, ing and as advertised, baby oil was added. The ladies were introduced, and in the pool, they got and began to beat each other down! However, the highly anticipated match was short-lived as the police came back and ruined the evening. Upon their second arrival, they broke up the party a nd everyone had to leave.
