The call of the open road drew more than 350 bikers to the 31st annual Polar Bear ride, hosted by the Salt Lake Motorcycle Club.

Under better weather conditions - last year was clear and sunny - there would have been five times as many riders, said Fred Schuman, the club's vice president.

"You'll see every walk of life here," Schuman grinned. "It's good clean fun and camaraderie at its best."

Schuman, 64, first caught the biking bug in 1959 while delivering newspapers on a Cushman scooter. Almost 50 years later, he has worked up to a hulking Harley - a big cruiser he and his wife can ride together.

For Schuman, these events are a way to connect with people and nature.

"Animals, beautiful green valleys, the changing fall colors - you can see it all from a bike," Schuman said. "I get on my bike and I feel like I'm 24."

Snowfall south of Salt Lake City trimmed Sunday's 130-mile planned loop to an abbreviated 50-mile jaunt west to the Flying J near Lake Point, then a return trip ending at Farmington's Davis County Fair Park.

For Lamoin and Robin Hale, of West Valley City, this was their first Polar Bear ride. Both have a machine, but Sunday they rode together for warmth.

"Yes, we're crazy," the 40-somethings laughed while waiting for the event to start.

"We made it," said an exhilarated Robin Hale in an afternoon phone interview after the ride. "It was very cold, but fun."

The Hales, along with the rest of the crowd, chowed down on homemade chili at the Davis Fair Park, while close to $5,000 worth of donated items were raffled off.

"My husband won a gift certificate to One Man Band's Diner in Santaquin," Robin Hale said. And that can mean only one thing - they'll need to rev up for another road trip.

Shane Ellison, 34, drove his Harley-Davidson Street Glide from Provo to participate in Sunday's Polar Bear event.

A proud member of Salt Lake City's 42-year-old Barons Motorcycle Club, Ellison said he enjoys the "rush" of the ride as well as having to pay less for gas to go somewhere.

A 10-year biker, Ellison acknowledged he has three goals for road traveling: ride fast, ride hard, be safe.

Although seemingly contradictory, Ellison said that trio is achievable.

"Don't ride next to someone who doesn't know how to ride, and always watch the brake light in front of you," he said.

While some bikers care little about speed, they all agree about the need for self-protection.

"We wear helmets, goggles, gloves, jackets and leathers on our legs for protection," Schuman said. "And you're a defensive driver every second you're on a bike,"

By keeping safe, there's always the next ride. The Salt Lake Motorcycle Club has 40 planned events scheduled through the end of the year. For more information, visit www.slmc1.com.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com