Location: Hog and Heifers Saloon
201 N 3rd St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Date: March 16, 2019; 10:00am—6:00pm
The first ever Hoody Hoo Throwdown is coming to Las Vegas this March. The event will feature a motorcycle scavenger hunt where riders can mob in and around the city, hitting cool spots and earning points as they go. On March 16, 2019, riders will have four hours to hit as many waypoints as possible, using the free ride-tracking app REVER to track their progress and points.
At the end of the Throwdown, the rider with the most points takes home a $1000 cash prize, courtesy Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys®. Second place will receive a $500 gift card from Biltwell, Inc. Third place wins their choice of one of several items provided by Monster Energy. An award will also go to the rider with the most total miles, along with a few surprise awards.
The event culminates with the award ceremony and after party. 100% of net proceeds from this event will be donated to the Veterans Charity Ride (VCR), who help disabled vets get back on the road through a number of programs, including their well-known annual ride to Sturgis.
There will also be a silent auction with 100% of gross proceeds going to the VCR. Items for the auction have been donated by Monster Energy, Liberty Sport, Kaqun Wellness, CycleGear, and more.
A New Take
The concept of a moto-scavenger-hunt isn’t new, but the specific format for the Hoody Hoo Throwdown provides a new twist. One of the event organizers, Johnny Killmore, says this: “I think we are all getting a bit tired of doing poker runs, riding from bar to bar on a designated route. And for me, I prefer to ride alone, but I know a lot of people who love the social aspect of motorcycling. I wanted to make an event that catered to both types of people while adding some friendly competition just to make it interesting, all while helping out a cause that matters to me.”
From that idea came the Hoody Hoo Throwdown. Using Las Vegas as the backdrop means needing to highlight parts of the city that are interesting to locals as well as those attending from neighboring states. “So many visitors just think of the Strip when they think of [Las] Vegas,” Johnny says. “I want them to see some of the histories of this area, the Art District and even the sprawling suburbs. Locals will also have a good excuse to get out of town and hit some roads they haven’t seen in a while, or ever. They’ll also hit areas in town they don’t normally go to… maybe reconnect with the heartbeat of [Las] Vegas.”
The kick-off point will be the Hogs and Heifers Saloon on 3rd St. Riders will meet up from 10-to-11am to get signed in, go through the safety brief, and get any technical questions answered. At 11:30 am waypoint locations will become visible in the REVER app, giving riders 30-minutes to create a route that features as many of the 80-plus waypoints as possible.
“Making this a navigation and route planning challenge was important to us,” says co-founder Jacob Jades. “We want to encourage people to ride smart and safely, with the primary focus on cracking the code of what route will give the most points in the least time.”
At 4 pm riders will be back at Hogs and Heifers where the scores will be finalized and the awards ceremony will happen. The silent auction will also conclude and the afterparty will begin, hosted by Hogs and Heifers. Nearby hotels and parking mean there is no need to drink and ride, allowing the after party to run all night.
People not registered for the ride will still be able to make bids in the silent auction. Hogs and Heifers Saloon will also be open to the general public during the event, including the after party. Tito’s Handmade Vodka has teamed up to offer drink specials, with a portion of proceeds going to the VCR as well. Those who cannot make the event but wish to contribute can also donate directly to the Veterans Charity Ride via their website.
How to Be a Part of the Throwdown
Tickets are available for $69. However, promotional codes are active from now until March 1st. Use “CallRussBrown” at checkout to get $30-off registration. For those riding 2-up, use “2up4ever” to get $10-off. Day of sales will be available for $101. For more details and to register, be sure to visit the Hoody Hoo Throwdown Eventbrite page. Also be sure to follow on social media to get up-to-the-minute information, added prizes, as well as some hints about waypoint locations. The Throwdown’s Facebook page and Instagram accounts like be updated regularly.
The Hoody Hoo Throwdown official website is also a good source of information, with official rules, updates, and a place to sign up for direct email updates. This is a great opportunity to explore Las Vegas and get a new understanding of the city, hang out with friends, and of course to ride motorcycles. It also helps an organization that is getting wounded and amputee veterans out of their head and back into the wind. For more information about the Veterans Charity Ride or to donate directly, visit www.veteranscharityride.org.
