Costumes Are a Hit at the Anthem Moonlight Ride
Greg Leasure and his Shake Weight parody outfit took home first prize in last year's Moonlight Ride costume contest – and more great get-ups are in store this year.
By: RaShauna Hobbs
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Bike riders of all ages and experience levels will come together at Sports Backers Stadium for the Anthem Moonlight Ride on August 4th at 8:00 p.m., and whiz through Richmond dressed like some of the most well-known characters in pop culture history. Last year’s Moonlight Ride had appearances from Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, but neither could stack up to the Blue Moon Costume Contest Winner, Greg Leasure’s Shake Weight Muscle Man.
Leasure delighted the entire crowd by coming dressed as the Muscle Man, mocking the infomercial for Shake Weights. At the time Greg and his wife Lizzy had just relocated to Richmond from Arizona and figured the Anthem Moonlight Ride would be a fun way to explore the city, dress up, and enjoy the ride and post-race party.
A Hawaii native, Greg was no stranger to a bike as he was a competitive BMX national champion and a top 10 rider in his age group.
“For close to 15 years I used to travel about 200 days a year competing in BMX races, and after that I stuck around bikes by working with the BMX sanctioning body,” Greg said.
“I was really looking for something fun to do on a bike,” Greg explained. So, he got connected with the Anthem Moonlight Ride. It didn’t take him long to realize this was more than just a bike ride, it was a chance to take in the sights and sounds of Richmond under the lights, along with 2,000 other riders decked out in crazy lights and creative outfits.
For his award-winning costume, Greg said he owned the muscle shirt for a long time and figured the shake weight would just complete the outfit. Though he took home the first place prize, Greg admitted that his favorite costume was a man wearing a jumbo sombrero and giant glasses.
This year the Anthem Moonlight Ride is expecting even more outrageous costumes and wacky lights along the “Full Moon” (17-mile) or the “Half Moon” (8-mile) courses that participants can opt to take. Every rider receives a blinking light for their bike, a participant t-shirt and an invitation to the Agee’s Post-Ride Party, which will feature complimentary pizza and ice cream, as well as a free concert from local favorites Farm Vegas starting at 9:00 p.m.
And, for the 21-and-over crowd, a free Blue Moon beer at the finish is a sure way to cool down after the scenic ride.
The route of the Moonlight Ride will take riders through Richmond and down to the near West End, with participants of all skill levels taking part. From beginners all the way to experienced BMX riders like Greg Leasure, all types of cyclists are represented and welcomed.
Greg tells all those riding this year, “Be safe and have fun!” There’s no need to argue with words of a wise BMX champion!
Online registration is open on www.sportsbackers.org until August 2, 2012. For more information please email [email protected] or call (804) 285-9425.