Dutchmen riding historic Harleys turn heads

They might not have been flying - except for the trip over - but 10 riding Dutchmen had a brief stop in Thermopolis for breakfast and a refuel Thursday morning. At this time of year, with the weather perfect for riding, and of course the Sturgis rally coming up, motorcycles are becoming a more common sight around town. However, the Dutch riders turned plenty of heads with their Harley-Davidsons, as people caught a brief glimpse of history.

That's because these Harleys are from World War II. Left behind following the war, the motorcycles - the oldest of which was manufactured in 1943 - were restored and made road-worthy.

The group consists of 10 men with varying backgrounds, training and work; the only connecting factor is that they all own Harleys. Though they might feel like young gods on their bikes, the average age for the riders is 60. As for their bikes, they prefer to ride 70-plus-year-old 750 cc WLA or WLC "Liberators" left behind by American soldiers in World War II after the hunt for Hitler. All of them have the same type of motor, which brings several advantages including equal speeds, and the ability to share tools and engine parts so repairs can be made during the trip. Other bikes that have joined the ride include a 1953 1,200 cc Hydra Glide, a 1986 FXC Super Glide and a 1,600 cc Road King - strong and big enough to rush heavy spare parts.

The riders have another reason than just hitting the road with some good friends, as they are raising money for the Dutch Cancer Society.

Two of their Harley friends, Theo Bartels and Paul Punte, passed away from cancer, and they regularly receive messages from family, friends and acquaintances who are battling the disease.

The Dutch Cancer Society provides funding for research and helps finance about 400 research institutions, in the worldwide effort to beat cancer.

In the early years, the riders traveled to Belgium, France, Germany, and occasionally England and Sctoland. They would also see trips to Poland and the Czech Republic. Everywhere they went they visited sites, but also found they and their bikes have an attraction of their own. The riders have made easy friends and "turned quiet pubs to lively ballrooms."

In 1998, they had plans to head to the Harley-Davidson factory in 2003 for a celebration. However, costs and their busy lives stalled that plan, but 10 years later the tide turned in the favor and it became reality. They hit the bike weekend in Sturgis, S.D., the antique motorcycle swap meet in Davenport, Iowa ,and the 110th Harley-Davidson event in Milwaukee. Though late to register for the parade, the Milwaukee Police gave the riders a place of honor in front - along with an escort of six police vehicles - and allowed them to park in an enclosed VIP area.

This trip, the guys started their ride in Denver, and their path will take them up through Yellowstone, to Salt Lake City and Las Vegas before heading back to Denver along a stretch of Route 66.

In contrast to the cities like Chicago and Milwaukee, the riders praised the "dusty gravel paths, wonderful winding roads, infinite highways" in this part of the States, as well as the sites - Devils Tower and Mount Rushmore among them - and the wildlife they've seen.

They hope their ride will produce an enormous contribution to the global fight against cancer, and riders Gerard van Gulijk, Chiel Jongerius, Jan van Kuijk, Ton van Lint, Hugo Plomp, Benno Poelma, Freddy Poelma, Rob Punte, Eric Schenkhuizen and Kees Spierings express their appreciation to all donors. People can keep up with the riders online - facebook.com/backintheusa2016 - and those who would like to donate can do so via Paypal at backintheusa2016@gmail.com or directly to the Dutch Cancer Society.