Hill Climber on a Harley © 2008

Milwaukee is readying itself for the descent of 500,000 Harly-Davidson bikers, all coming to town this Thursday through Sunday for the company’s 105th Anniversary party. Yes, the city will nearly double in size in a matter of days as half a million Harleys and their riders come together in one big demonstration of enthusiasm/love for the cycle that made Milwaukee famous. (Hmm, that might have been another product’s slogan, but the saying goes for Harleys too.)

This statue of a Hill Rider, modeled after a rider and his competition cycle produced in 1930, stands at the entrance to the new Harley Davidson Museum. An H-D artist and enthusiast, Jeff Decker from Springville, Utah, created the bronze sculpture by welding 200 pieces together. It was unveiled earlier this summer at the Museum located just south of downtown Milwaukee.

If you love bikes, it’s a museum well worth your time.