09/27/2026
Well, what can I say? Thank you to everyone who came out to ride with us both weekends!
Although I must admit, I am extremely disappointed by the disrespect, trash-talking, and outright rudeness directed toward my staff through messages and posts. So, let me clarify a few things:
We don’t put on this ride just for fun. Many of us spend countless hours working on it, including sleepless nights planning for every possible fault, situation, and issue that may arise. For the past three years, we have dealt with adverse weather, which is largely beyond our control. To those who made negative comments: We were approximately 30 seconds away from never having this ride again, and there is no guarantee that it will continue in the future.
If a staff member tells you to stop doing something and you continue, you will be asked to leave and will not be allowed to return.
Weather is beyond our control. We were extremely disappointed that we had to postpone the original date. However, without the support of our landowners, we would not have a ride. Holding the event in adverse weather could have jeopardized the future of the ride altogether.
This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We work hard to create a great experience for everyone involved. We understand that we will not be able to make everyone happy, but sometimes that is simply the way things are.
Now, to the riders who came out to have a good time and helped make this a great experience for everyone: THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. The crowd was smaller this year for obvious reasons, but we still came close to achieving results similar to those of previous years.
To our landowners: THANK YOU! You have no idea how much my staff and I appreciate everything you do for us, including the help you provide on the day of the ride. You are not obligated to do anything for us, but every year, we are amazed by what you are willing to do while expecting nothing in return.
To our donors: THANK YOU for donating items for the raffles. Most of the items we raffle off—including some very large and valuable items—are donated. You could charge us full price for these items, but instead, you donate them or reduce the cost for us, and we greatly appreciate it.
To the city council, the citizens of Lansing, and the surrounding communities: THANK YOU! On the day of the ride, you can see how excited local businesses are to have such a large crowd in town. This event is not just a fundraiser for the Fire Department; it is also a fundraiser for a small community that has been impacted by so much. Yet here we are, still kicking!
I did not want to begin this post the way I did, but I will not allow my staff to be disrespected in the way they have been over the past week. All I ask is that everyone do better, please. We appreciate each and every one of you, and we do not want to remove anyone from our ride—but respect is earned, not given.
Thank you again and we hope to see you next year!
Stephen Darling
Chief
