Memorial bike run, show have special guests

  Special guests for Saturday's annual Jason Howell Memorial Bike Run and Bike Show will be Corey Miller, a legendary tattoo artist, and Chica, founder of Chica Custom Cycles, both from California.

  Signups for the memorial fund event will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at Bobby's Territorial Harley-Davidson, 2550 E. Gila Ridge Road. The run will end at Julieanna's Patio Cafe, 1951 W. 25th St.

  Marvin Avila, coordinator of the event, explained, "Proceeds of the memorial run and show will be used to promote professional growth and leadership activities for local high school students in the technology and industrial arts programs. These include welding, electrical automotive, refrigeration, AutoCAD, drafting, carpentry, roofing and other forms of technical education and or trade schools.

  "Bikers will pay $10 to enter their bikes in the show. The package for the day is $25 per person, which includes the run, a special T-shirt, dinner and one ticket for the drawing for a Vizio 50-inch plasma television set, a 550 Kikker Bobber Bike or a gas-powered mini hot rod.

  "Admission to the show only is $5 per adult, children 12 and younger are free. If they desire, they can order and pay for a meal from Julieanna's," Avila said.

  Miller, owner of the Six Feet Under Tattoo Parlor in Upland, Calif., has practiced his talent on people from Japan, Amsterdam, Hawaii, Paris and this country. He specializes in black and gray portraits and dragons, merging traditional and classical into his own designs.

  "He is on 'LA Ink' with four other artists in Kat Von D's tattoo parlor, High Voltage Tattoos, a reality series," Avila said.

  Chica started as a Honda mechanic in southern Japan. After working with friends in Chica Motorcycle Service, he and his family moved to Diamond Bar, Calif. This was the birthplace of his own custom cycle shop.

  "He has a welder for special duties, but he does all the design and assembly himself," Avila added.

   Chica is a series winner for Discovery Channel's "Build-Off" TV programs.

  In addition to the run and show, there will be live band entertainment and auctions, a special one being a leather motorcycle jacket from Arlen Ness, renowned custom bike builder, and signed by him and his son, Cory Ness.

  The fundraiser is in memory of Jason Howell, owner and founder of DMS Roofing, a Yuma business, who died in 2004 in a vehicle accident.

 For information, call 246-4351 or 580 -9539.

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Pam M. Smith can be reached at psmith@yumasun.com or 539-6856.