Polar Bear Grand Tour - Best Pictures and Videos of the 2019-2020 Season

From a letter by Bob Hartpence, Polar Bear Grand Tour Chairman, regarding the Covid-19 virus:

I hope you are all safe and healthy.

I am very sad to say our Polar Bear Grand Tour season must end early. Due to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) travel advisory released March 28, the subsequent request by our President to restrict unnecessary gatherings until April 30, and the calendar itself, our opportunities for Polar Bear rides are gone for the rest of this season. Our ride to Bahr's Landing on Maech 8, 2020 was our final run for the 2019-2020 season. Certainly the founders of our Grand Tour never envisioned this situation when we formed the rules. As Chairman, and with agreement of our Flight Leaders and the rest of your Staff, I am making the difficult decision to end this season. Rides cancelled or suspended will not be made up. Therefore, I am going to award 60-point pins to every Polar Bear who currently has 50 or more points. Patches, rockers and pins will be available for the 2019-2020 season will be available at the beginning of our 2020-2021 season. If you went to Daytona, let me know. Remember this is on the honor system. You can register for the 2020-2021 season online on the first page. If you would like, you can send me the money for next season.

By Walter F. Kern

The Polar Bear Grand Tour consists of 550 motorcycle riders who ride their motorcycles throughout the winter season each Sunday to points within NJ, NY, PA, CT, and DE. These polar bear riders have nothing to do with the other polar bears who are often found in the water in groups for special occasions.

We present here a gallery of the best Polar Bear Grand Tour motorcycle pictures and videos for the 2019-2020 riding season. My definition of "best" is probably different from yours. I just looked at the nearly 1000 pictures and 50 videos published during the season and picked what I liked best—whatever caught my eye or I thought was different or offbeat. The pictures and videos are ordered by run. I selected 26 pictures and five videos. Since our last run was to Bahr's Landing leaving five cancelled runs after Bahr's, there were no pictues or videos for these five destinations, reducing the total numnber of"best pictures.".

All of these pictures and videos were taken by guest Polar Bear rider-photographers, since I spent the greatest majority of the season in Florida. I did do all the processing of the pictures and videos and the management of the website remotely from Florida. Also, all the captions presented below were done by me.

I want to publicly thank the Polar Bear rider-photographers who took pictures and videos for me this season. They were (including runs covered): Bernie Walsh(15), Dave Thompson(16), and Gary Rosen(19). All best pictures selected were submitted by Bernie Walsh (17), Gary Rosen (9), and Dave Thompson (1). All best videos selected were submitted by Dave Thompson(5). Thanks guys for your assistance, and I hope you will all continue to take pictures and videos next season.

Cape May V.F.W., Cape May, NJ, Oct. 27, 2019: Joy at Start of Season - photo by Gary Rosen

Irish Eyes Pub, Lewes, DE, Nov. 3, 2019: Hi there! - photo by Bernie Walsh

The Eagles, Bridgewater, NJ, Nov. 10, 2019: Spyders are popular - photo by Bernie Walsh

The Eagles, Bridgewater, NJ, Nov. 10, 2019: Newer BMW - photo by Bernie Walsh

The Eagles, Bridgewater, NJ, Nov. 10, 2019: Older BMW - photo by Bernie Walsh

De Thomasi's East 5 Points Inn, Vineland, NJ, Nov. 17, 2019: The new black. - photo by Bernie Walsh

Hillbilly Hall, Hopewell, NJ, Nov. 24, 2019: Bob in the rain - photo by Bernie Walsh

Montgomeryville Cycle, Montgomeryville, PA, Dec. 1, 2019: Hungry Herd - photo by Gary Rosen

PJ Whelihan's, Blue Bell, PA, Dec. 8, 2019: Two bunnies - photo by Gary Rosen

O'Connor's, Eastampton TWP. NJ, Dec. 15, 2019: Toys fill the table - photo by Dave Thompson

O'Connor's, Eastampton TWP. NJ, Dec. 15, 2019: Tightly packed - photo by Bernie Walsh

PIC-A-LILLI INN - Shamong, NJ, Jan. 5, 2020: Push-Pull - photo by Bernie Walsh

PIC-A-LILLI INN - Shamong, NJ, Jan. 5, 2020: Good spacing - photo by Bernie Walsh

PIC-A-LILLI INN - Shamong, NJ, Jan. 5, 2020: Polar Bear pillion - photo by Bernie Walsh

Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA, Jan. 12, 2020: Book keeping - photo by Gary Rosen

Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA, Jan. 12, 2020: Women riders - photo by Gary Rosen

The Exchange - Rockaway, NJ, Jan. 26, 2020: Bob being Bob - photo by Gary Rosen

Franklin House Tavern, Schaefferstown, PA, Feb. 2, 2020: Amish wagon. - photo by Bernie Walsh

Hooters - Wayne, NJ, Feb. 9, 2020: Something is following me. - photo by Bernie Walsh

Hooters - Wayne, NJ, Feb. 9, 2020: Bob and Hooter women - photo by Bernie Walsh

Hooters - Wayne, NJ, Feb. 9, 2020: Amy's Shelby - photo by Gary Rosen

Hooters - Wayne, NJ, Feb. 9, 2020: Amy's Shelby Engine - photo by Gary Rosen

Pub 199, Mount Arlington, NJ, Feb. 16, 2020: We got patches today - photo by Gary Rosen

Lighthouse Tavern, Waretown, NJ, Feb. 23, 2020: KaBoom! - photo by Bernie Walsh

Long Valley Pub & Brewery, Long Valley, NJ, Mar. 1, 2020: One of many groups - photo by Bernie Walsh

Bahr's Landing, Highlands, NJ, Mar. 8, 2020: Been there - photo by Bernie Walsh

Bahr's Landing, Highlands, NJ, Mar. 8, 2020: Harley's future? - photo by Bernie Walsh

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