'Love to ride:' Thousands of bikers roll into town to celebrate Harley-Davidson's 115th Anniversary

MILWAUKEE -- The bikes are back in town! Thousands of Harley-Davidson owners rolled into Milwaukee Tuesday, Aug. 28 from all across the country to celebrate the motorcycle company's 115th anniversary.

"We left this morning from Gurnee up to here, thought we'd get a little sneak preview of what's going on today," said Dan Beckefeld.

This will be Dan Beckefeld and Christine Waddell's second time attending Harley-Davidson's anniversary celebration.

Christine Waddell, Dan Beckefeld

"I love to ride," said Waddell.

For the Lafayette, Indiana couple, it was love at first ride.

"She used to live across the street from me and I wanted to go over and meet her and I said to myself, Dan, let's do it this way so I rode my motorcycle across the street to her yard and asked her out," Beckefeld said.

It's those stories that keep people coming every five years, bonding with complete strangers about what fuels their shared passion.

"It's really one of the times I can clear my head personally riding a bike, seeing the country... It's a freedom," said Stewart Coates.

For newcomer Stewart Coates out of Weeverville, North Carolina, the 800-mile journey and five-day event is a trip of a lifetime.

"I've been going to Harley rallies since 2010, hopscotching across the United States, loved to ride and this was one that was on my bucket list to check off," said Coates.

CLICK HERE for everything you need to know about Harley-Davidson's 115th anniversary celebration.