Director's Welcome

Welcome and thanks for visiting our website.  You are now in Mobile, AL home of the 2008 Alabama State HOG Rally, Battleship Alabama, the best seafood in the world, Mardi Gras, the Mobile, AL HOG Chapter 0040 and YEAR ROUND RIDING.  Our meetings are on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 9:00 a.m.   We alternate between Mobile Bay Harley-Davidson in Mobile (odd months) and Eastern Shore Harley-Davidson in Daphne (even months).   Please join us if you are in our area. 

Our hangouts are provided by and located at our sponsoring dealer Mobile Bay Harley-Davidson.  In Mobile we meet at HOG Heaven which is located at the dealership at the intersection of Cottage Hill and Pleasant Valley Roads.  Our meeting room at the Eastern Shore Harley-Davidson Shop, on Hwy. 90 in Daphne, AL doesn’t have a name yet.  Daphne is just a short, scenic ride across Mobile Bay.  If needed, excellent, fast service and an extensive stock of parts are available and be sure to check out the latest in motor clothes and collectibles at both locations. 

The Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, with its beautiful white sand beaches, is only a short ride away.  Roll into fun...literally! Pump your brakes for a detour as you turn off to adventures unknown.  Then you can ride onto the Ferry and cruise on over to Dauphin Island, where history spans three centuries.  Dauphin Island is a barrier island just to the south of Mobile and is the home of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a marine research laboratory, and historic Fort Gaines.  There are many exhibits set up just to spur everyone's interest and, when you get hungry, some of the best seafood in the world is right here.  Then it's on to Bellingrath Gardens, a botanical garden of unmatched proportions, with an abundance and array of colors, fragrances and scenic views.  Throughout the year this 65 acre Garden Estate is in full bloom with camellias in the winter, azaleas in the spring, roses in the summer (the 2004 Top Public Rose Garden in the U.S.)  chrysanthemums in autumn and Magic Christmas in Lights during the holiday season.

Can't fit your golf bag on your bike?  Not to worry, you can find everything you need at the 21 golf courses locally available as a part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

Mobile is home to Mardi Gras, which actually started here in 1703 when it was a colony of French soldiers. After having survived a particularly nasty bout with yellow fever, they decided to celebrate, but since party favors were few and far between in the New World, the men opted to paint their faces red and just act crazy for a few hours. They must have had fun because it became an annual event.  Mardi Gras has grown into a series of parades, street parties, balls and the central Gulf Coast's premiere biker event…The Abba Shrine Biker's Ball.  This year's dates are February 16-18.  Please check out this event and join us.

Our Harley Owners Group maintains a calendar of regional events that may be of interest to the motorcycle community.  We often have organized chapter rides to these events, but many other rides are included on the calendar so individuals or small groups of riders can get together and ride out to something of interest.  Our activities calendar is posted both in our newsletter and printed copies are available at the shop.

We who live on the central Gulf Coast are fortunate to have access to miles of beautiful roads, both forested and coastal, to enjoy year around.  Come on down and join us.  Our Harley Owners Group enjoys showing off the advantages of life on the central Gulf Coast.  Please feel free to contact me at director@mobilehog.com.   I, and the other Chapter members, will do whatever we can to make your trip to the Gulf Coast a memorable one.

Diann Ragazzo

Chapter Director