Published: June 28, 2009 12:52 am      

Bikes, Bugs & BBQ

Beetle, motorcycle enthusiasts converge

Beckley’s fourth annual Bugs, Bikes and Barbeques attracted more than 100 Volkswagen Beetle and motorcycle enthusiasts to Jim Word Memorial Park Saturday evening.

This year’s event featured everything from newer model and vintage Volkswagen Bugs and motorcycles to live entertainment by the Backtimers and food by numerous vendors.

Specialty prizes and trophies were awarded.

Jill Moorefield, director of Beckley Renaissance, said this year’s show appeared to be a great success.

By 5:30 p.m., Moorefield said, 40 motorcycles and Bugs were already registered, while Neville Street was filled with participants and spectators.

“It looks like it’s going to be a lot bigger turnout this year than in the past,” she said.

“We finally got blessed with some beautiful weather and we’re really excited about all these people uptown.”

Jimmy Graham of Crab Orchard brought his 1973 Super Beetle to the event. He makes Bugs, Bikes and Barbeques a family event each year by bringing his wife, children and grandchildren.

“I had a heart attack and my wife bought it for me as a physical therapy type thing. I rebuilt the engine myself and I re-did the whole thing inside and out,” he said.

Graham’s red Bug was adorned in a lady bug theme inside and out.

“I love it,” Graham said, referring to the event.

“You see so many different friends here. People you haven’t seen in a long time. The food’s good, they have barbeques, hamburgers and a little bit of everything.”

Eric Adkins drove from Hinton to show his 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle, which he inherited from his late grandfather.

Adkins travels West Virginia and Virginia with his late grandfather’s Bug. He says the car has won around 60 trophies.

“I like this because it’s the only one around here,” Adkins said of the event.

One section of Neville Street was lined with vintage and modern Bugs, while the other was consumed with assorted motorcycles.

Susie and Joe Cochran of Beckley made Bugs, Bikes and Barbeques a date night. Susie brought her 2006 Harley Davidson Sportster and Joe brought his custom-made motorcycle, which he built himself.

He says he prefers a custom-built bike because “I can have it the way I wanted it.”

“You’re not going to find another bike like this. There were certain things I wanted it to have, and that’s the only way to get it, it to make it yourself,” he said

Joe says he’d like to see the area organize more events like Bugs, Bikes and Barbeques.

“There are a lot of people in the bike community. We can’t get together like this. There’s more riders today than they’re used to be and I’m tickled to death to see them all out here. And this is just a fraction of the community.”

— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com