Years ago I was driving onto the ferry in Woods Hole on the morning of the Run to the Rock motorcycle rally. Behind me were about a dozen bikers revving their engines. As they rode onto the car deck, the ferry Islander acted like a giant echo chamber and as the decibels rose, suddenly the air was filled with a chorus of car alarms. I have to say – it was pretty darn funny.

And in a way, it was a metaphor for what the Run to the Rock is all about: It can get a bit noisy at times, but the bottom line is, it’s fun. And what a lot of people don’t realize is that it also raises a ton of money for a lot of Island charities that can use the help.

The annual Run to the Rock – this year on August 8 – began in 1981 when James Parquett, Paul Humber, and a handful of other Vineyard bikers invited a few of their off-Island friends over for a party. Through the years, word spread and the event has grown to the point where this year there could be several hundred riders from as far away as Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Today the Run to the Rock is officially run by the Martha’s Vineyard Harley Riders Inc., a group of carpenters, plumbers, doctors, lawyers – you name it – who are united in their love of riding big bikes and a desire to help out Island charities and organizations. Two years ago, the group became an official not-for-profit club.

The event now acts as a fundraiser that contributes to around a dozen Island organizations including the Red Stocking Fund (which provides for needy Island kids), Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, Martha’s Vineyard Youth Hockey, and The Safe Haven Project (a camp for children with HIV/AIDS).

“We love kids, and helping them out really touches our hearts,” explains Mike Dow of Edgartown, president of Martha’s Vineyard Harley Riders. “All the money we raise stays on the Island – I can’t believe that we’ve become the biggest contributor to the Red Stocking Fund.”

But let’s be honest, the Run to the Rock is not entirely about doing good. It’s also about having a good time. The event itself is not a ride – although some bikers travel great distances to get here – rather it’s an all-day cookout held off Old County Road in West Tisbury. As you can imagine, feeding an army of bikers is no easy task, but a stalwart crew of cooks, including Lani Bonito of Oak Bluffs and “Big John” Powers of West Tisbury, pull it off admirably serving up everything from fish and chips to ribs.

There’s also a raffle (this year for a Harley Ultra Classic) at the cookout, and a bike show where everyone gets a chance to show off their ride. As Mike puts it, “There are some beautiful bikes on this Island.”

There’s a bike rodeo that features around a half a dozen contests ranging from a slow-ride competition, which truly tests the riders’ skills, to something called a “weenie bite.” Mike jokes, “I’m not sure that I really want to get into that here.”

And of course, what would a biker rally be without rock-and-roll? The Offshore Cycle Band plays a great mix of blues and rock. Lead singer Kent “Bear” Riley now lives and works in Arkansas, but for many years he was a mechanic at Offshore Cycle in Tisbury. He stopped playing with the band when he left, but last year he reunited with the group and plans do so again this year – great news for Offshore Cycle Band fans.

There’s also the occasional guest appearance: Last year, comedian Lenny Clarke of Chilmark dropped by for a set that people are still talking about. And who knows what else the afternoon will bring.

So if you’ve got a bike and you’re up for a good time, you know where to go. As Mike explains, “There are only three rules: no colors [motorcycle club insignia]keep your attitude at the gateand have a ball.”