Hundreds of motorcyclists gathering here for Buckeye Rally this weekend

CANFIELD

Rudy Copeland had a big smile as he hugged Linda English. “We were friends in different parts of the state” for years, English joked.

The two are among about 300 motorcycle enthusiasts who began a three-day rally at the Canfield Fairgrounds on Thursday.

The event is the Gold Wing Road Riders Association’s annual Buckeye Rally, which continues today and Saturday.

Copeland is the district director for Ohio for the GWRRA and said the event has been in Xenia, Wooster and Tiffin, among other parts of the state.

“We’ve been trying to get it here [Mahoning County] for years,” said English, of Austintown. “You could ride a lot of places around here.”

Becky Jones of New Springfield, assistant Northeast Ohio district director of GWRRA with her husband, Roy, said, “It’s never been in the Northeast [Ohio region] before. It is such a joy to me for it to be here” in the Valley.

The Joneses direct the local Chapter M Buckeye Travelers of the GWRRA, which meets at 5 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of the month at the Yankee Kitchen restaurant, 6635 Market St., Boardman.

GWRRA has more than 72,000 members in more than 800 chapters worldwide and is a 38-year-old, nonprofit social organization for owners and riders of Honda Gold Wing and Valkyrie motorcycles. All motorcycles are welcomed at the event.

Copeland said about 200 patrons had arrived Thursday and 310 people had pre-registered for the event. Thursday’s activities featured registration, some seminars and ended with a ride into western Pennsylvania.

Read more about the event in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.