Contents
March Issue 166
Features Krista Grotte-Nation’s Fire 20 Harley-Davidson 2018 1200 Sportsters 31
Columns
12
Woman’s World-Myra McElhaney 28 Craven Moorehead 69 Spyke & Mike 63 Christian Motorcycle Association 60
Departments Ride Safe, Ride Smart 7 Everywhere Eddy-Is Everywhere 43 Born To Ride Events-BornToRide.com 66 Born To Ride Kids 60
Reports
47
Sam Swope 10th Annual Charity Ride 12 Fun Bar Bike Night 34 75 Chrome Shop 38 Tribute to RoadBlock 1%er 47 Leather Lids 48 Craig Can Fix It 65
On The Cover
Krista Grotte The Movie Nation’s Fire, Coming in 2018 Photo: Kevin Kelii
Start Born To Ride TV and Magazine in your city! Call 888-795-5779 The information contained herein is provided by Born To Ride Magazine or by its advertisers. BTR makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information in the issue. Born To Ride Magazine does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information throughout this magazine. Use of such information is voluntary on your part, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after your independent review. Reference herein to any specific manufacturer, company, commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement of or recommendation of said by Born To Ride Magazine.” “Born To Ride Magazine (including its employees, contributors and agents) assumes no responsibility for consequences that may result from the use of the information herein, including the use of the information obtained at www.borntoride.com and it’s linked sites, or in any respect for the content of such information, including (but not limited to) errors or omissions, the accuracy or reasonableness of factual or scientific assumptions, studies or conclusions, ownership of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the violation of property, privacy, or personal rights of others. BTR Magazine is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. No guarantees or warranties, including (but not limited to) any express or implied warranties are made by BTR Magazine with respect to such information contained throughout the site.” No part may be copied without written permission of the publisher, Born To Ride, Inc. P.O. Box 3021, Brandon, FL 33509. 888-795-5779, Fax 813-689-2996.
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Ad Index 75 Chrome Shop 39 AAA 6 Affordable Motorsports 58 Al Estes Bail Bonds 64 Allstate - Jeff Ard 64 American Rebel Rendezvous 53 Angel City 30 A.P.A.C.K. 57 Attorney Fran Haasch IFC, 7, BC Biff Burger 62 BTR Cigar Club 54 BTR Facebook 56 BTR Lifestyle 54 BTR Patch 54 BTR Radio 68 BTR TV-This TV Tampa Bay 65 BTR TV-Great 38 4, 66 BTR TV-ABC 20 71 Cabbage Patch 14 Charlottes Webb 27 Cherokee Blue Ridge Run 5 CJ Seats 68 Copperhead Lodge 58 Cycle-Rama 59 Dirty Harry’s 19 Fort Myers Bike Fest 10 Fun Bar 35 H-D Crystal 72 H-D Florida 55 H-D Lakeland 33 H-D Barracuda 37 H-D Black Widow 36 H-D War Horse IBC Heart Strings for Heroes 46 High Octane Saloon 50 Leasure Automotive 56 Leesburg Bike Fest 40 Love Jugs 44 Nation’s Fire 26 Peggy’s Corral 52 Police Athletic League 18 Progressive Insurance 3 Ocala Bike Fest 70 Old Town Bike Night 49 Rivers Edge Bar & Grill 48 Run for the Wreaths 45 Sam Swope Charity Ride 13 Salty Shamrock 8 Screwie Louie’s-Scooter Haven 29 Shriners-Sam Swope 30 Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 42 The Ride Factory 61 Thunder Beach Panama City 41 Trikes By Design 61 Tropical Tattoo 16 Tropic Trailer 56 Twisted Tea 17 Wanted Gi Joe 59
BORN TO RIDE Magazine
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PERSONAL PROTECTIVE GEAR
Many activities and sports require protective gear. Riding a motorcycle does, too. Even a low-speed fall can leave you scraped, bruised or worse. Crashing at higher speeds and hitting the ground or another vehicle can be disastrous. Riding is more enjoyable when proper gear is used, and it can make a huge difference in a crash. Quality riding gear helps keep you comfortable and focused, helps keep your body protected, and may help you be much more visible in traffic. You want to be seen by car drivers. Your helmet and jacket should be brightly colored and have reflective material, especially if you ride at night. Consider clothing with body armor (rigid inserts that help in protect your spine, elbows, knees and other areas). The right gear helps in all riding conditions. In the event of a crash, it may reduce or prevent injuries. You should dress for a crash as well as for the ride. Every rider and passenger should wear a quality helmet built for riding a motorcycle. Added should be proper eye protection, sturdy over-the-ankle footwear with non-slip soles, long pants that will hold up in a slide, a good jacket, and full-fingered gloves. This is often referred to as ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time. For more info, go to www.msf-usa.org
10 th a nnual S am S wope
Charity Ride
In Memory of Sam
We Ride So Kids Can Walk
BTR 12 | BORNTORIDE.COM
Help Us Bring Love To The Rescue on Sunday March 11, Ride so Kids can Walk.
A cloud of dust slowly dissipates amidst the backdrop of barren land revealing a woman of power, strength, and integrity. Krista Grotte is walking tall with a couple of awards in her hand as she steps out of the dust. The sun shines on her silver-blonde hair, the glow of her pale yellow and green colored eyes tell the tale of truth, struggle, pain, and wisdom. Welcome to Hollywood. Hollywood is by far the most challenging place to find success. It is even harder to find an income when your career path is acting. You hear BTR 20 | BORNTORIDE.COM
of struggling actors who must wait tables and work odd jobs at all hours while running to auditions, workshops, and classes with the hope of someday booking quality roles. A common question people and family ask an actor, “So, when are you getting a real job?” Hollywood is not nice. You must spend much of your waiting table salary to pay for the work it takes to book a job in a movie. Then, of course, there are the expenses of everyday life, which you need a second and third job for. There is the rejection, the
stereotyping, the body image issues, the inability to just pack up and move to Hollywood and the home life and kids to support. It is an actor’s dream to just have that “break” of simply booking a decent paying role. For many actors, that “break” never comes. Those who are highly successful, most have family in the industry and the rest work incredibly hard while running into a bit of luck and the right people. An actor must develop a thick skin, handle rejection without shedding a tear, and move on to knock on the next door. An actor
deals with people who may snicker and whisper to others about their struggles or how stupid they are for trying to pursue such a thing. Krista is different, this woman is a diamond in the rough. She shared her story as a single mother and an actress who resides nearly 3,000 miles away from Hollywood. I asked her, ‘How did you get yourself this far on this Hollywood journey?’ Krista stated, “It’s very simple, I am an actress first and foremost because I love it. I never worked on a movie with the intent of being famous. That
sounds very stupid and tacky to me. If you pursue this rough life for any other reason than that you love what you do, I promise you, you will fail miserably. It takes so much stamina, 16-hour days on set, the rehearsals, the memorization, the lights and cameras in your face, living as your character and taking on their struggles ... delivering dialogue naturally and not missing a beat, all in front of an entire cast and crew silently watching. Then there is the vulnerability of your true self as you play the role, you are stripped down mentally. The cut
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downs, the compliments, the people criticizing every single piece of you physically and emotionally. I don’t listen to all the haters who cut me down along the way. I let myself play some stereotypical roles knowing, in the back of my mind, I will use each opportunity to focus, learn, and grow as an actress. That is just what I did. I went through some horrid bull, boy did I ever, but I kept moving.” Krista Grotte is a force, not only did she star in the upcoming Nation’s Fire as Gloria Nation, she was one of the executive producers. Executive producing is quite a risky investment and must be just as emotionally taxing as being an actress, especially when you are overseeing every penny spent on such a huge production employing so many people, locations, and companies. Krista said, “Hey, I love to gamble when the odds are in my favor. Business is fascinating and just as important to understand in this industry. If there is no strategic business plan, I wouldn’t take the gamble. Even as an actor, you are running a business because you are your product.” Krista Grotte has been standing taller and stronger after every setback. I have reviewed a timeline of her career, it is evident in her work that she has truly worked with extreme dedication, she has overcome challenges, and grown immensely as an actress. I write with pride when I say that she has dusted herself off with each heavy blow and kept on fighting for what she knows without a doubt is her life’s calling. She speaks with gratitude toward every person and feels blessed to work with and learn from them. She takes her passion seriously and looks at the bigger picture of using her story and success to help others. Her dream is not stardom, but to ride off into the sunset with a story of her own journey and leaving the dust to settle wherever it is meant to fall. And now an interview with Krista Grotte....... BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 21
Krista: Hi, I’m Krista Grotte. I play Gloria Nation, and I’m the executive producer of Nation’s Fire. BTR: Thank you for taking time to interview with us! Give us an idea of how this project came to be and how you became the executive producer. Krista: Well, initially I did not intend to be a producer on this show. It was interesting … I had been working with Ron for years, hosting Florida bike events. That was a life-changing experience for me. It allowed me to get very, very close to the biker BTR 22 | BORNTORIDE.COM
community; that’s my heart right there! I worked with Thom Churchill on many films projects. Thom and I came down to the 20th-anniversary party with Born To Ride TV and did an event where we promoted our most recent film, Check Point. We thought it was a great opportunity to promote Check Point because it was a war movie and a human-driven story about struggles and overcoming those struggles. We thought what better place to showcase that than to the bikers? Pro-American, Ride or Die people. You know what I mean? So, that’s
where we came up with the concept. That’s where we discussed it. Our dream for years was to come up with a biker-oriented movie. That’s where the concept of Nation’s Fire was born. BTR: How is it different being the star of the film versus being the star AND producer? What are the challenges you face? Krista: Whoo! That’s a good question! Challenges being faced by a producer versus an actress … first of all, I’ve never produced anything at all. I’ve always been an actress. I would receive my script, read
Nation’s Fire, A Suspenseful Action Packed Drama you don’t want to Miss! Starring Krista Grotte.
the script, and prepare for my role. Here, it’s all that times 100! There are so many moving parts that go along with producing. And of course, financially, that’s a whole other animal. Initially, we were seeking investors for Nation’s Fire. Creative Producer Ronnie, Writer/Director Thomas and I traveled from NY to Texas interviewing potential investors. The process of elimination through trial and error gave my husband Bob and I an education of the risks in this industry. We kind of liked it. No risk, no reward! So we
decided to skydive into the project ourselves, and with help from Jerry Roberts we were off and running. BTR: As a producer of this film, Nation’s Fire, what is your vision and goal in making this film? Krista: As the producer of Nation’s Fire, my goal in making this film was to know we would get a strong, powerful motorcycle movie out there, something that’s different from anything else out there you may see. As Bruce Dern talked about in his interview; a lot of movies out there are exploitation films that feed into that whole culture of negativity and stereotyping that all bikers are dangerous, drug users, etc., and that they separate themselves from society. But in truth, that’s completely the opposite. When you really live in that world and understand that culture, there is no better place to be. That’s what I wanted to share with the world with Nation’s Fire. It’s because it’s how I feel and how every other biker out there feels. There’s an experience and a comradery when you’re all together – and you don’t have to know anybody. Being out here today on set with authentic bikers, there is so much love in the air! I have never experienced that feeling anywhere else in the world. Throughout all the events I’ve done, and the riding I’ve done, and charity events I’ve attended – these people will give you the shirt off their back AND take a friggin bullet for you at the same time. To me, I live by that. People have to take care of people rather than all this selfish world that we live in and experience. To me, this is the realness, this is what I want to show. Of course, you have your crazies and your insanities, but that’s life! We all have a little bit of that in us. I don’t care what anyone else says. We will be portraying that in the film as well. In the end, the story is all about people coming together, bonding in brotherhood and sisterhood, putting aside themselves to do what’s right. They take care of things they feel they need to take care of. That’s what I want to portray. I also want to portray the strength in women. I know that in the biker culture, women are seen as showpieces for the men, sex toys for that. It’s not just the biker culture! That’s everywhere in the world. Don’t get me wrong; we love to be sexy and love to show that, but we can also kick some
serious ass, too. To me, it’s a metaphor for the struggles that we face in life: raising our kids, overcoming all the daily struggles we face a single-parents, struggling in the workforce – how different it really is for us. To me, that’s what Glory Nation – the female biker in the movie represents as women – we are soldiers too. We strap up our boots and handle our business. That’s what this is all about and that’s what I want to tell the world! BTR: As a creative producer on the show, you’ve worked with Thomas Churchill for a long time. On this film, you are now a part of the casting process. How much do you trust him in casting the roles, how much are you involved in the casting of this film, and are you happy with the cast? Krista: As far as Thomas Churchill goes in the casting of this film, there is nobody that I would trust more. That’s honest to God truth. I’ve worked with him on so many projects! He has perfectly placed every single person into their characters to the point where you couldn’t see them playing anybody else in their role. As far as me in the casting portion of the film, I loved getting in there! We had a casting call in LA when we had to do a lot of the in-studio shooting. For me, it was actually quite a bit of fun! You see all these amazing actors come in. You would never realize how many different ways people perceive their dialog, perceive their character, or play their character. It’s absolutely fascinating. You can learn a lot from that as a fellow actor. There were moments when people came in and they will just bring you to tears. Thom and I know about that magic which brings us to where we are. We both know it’s all magic. It has been falling into place – magically – everywhere! It was meant to be! It’s fate! We know right away when they walk in that room and read for us that they are right for the part. We’ve been very lucky with Nation’s Fire; the people who were handpicked to come in and read were placed in the movie. BTR: What do you like about working with Thom Churchill? What makes him a good director? Krista: I think that Thomas Churchill has a heck of a future in store for him. I’ve always BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 23
known that. One thing I’ve always known is that this guy is so talented when it comes to writing and directing. He is so creative, his mind is constantly going, and he is quick! He will come up with these different shots, and you say to yourself, ‘Wow! I see where he is going with this!’ A lot of directors don’t have the capability that Thomas has … his creativity and swiftness. Even with the characters that he writes! He’s like Captain Sharktooth! When reading his scripts, you don’t want to put them down! You actually feel you ‘know’ the characters. When you see it come to life it truly brings tears to your eyes. He is truly creative and talented. He is an excellent, excellent director and I wouldn’t have had anyone else direct this movie. No way! BTR: How do you find working with other actors when they know you’re the person who hired them. Does it affect you when interacting with them as an actress? Krista: Not at all! In fact, working with the actors who knew I was behind the hiring process, I really didn’t want them to know BTR 24 | BORNTORIDE.COM
that. I wanted to be another actor working with them. I didn’t want them to feel intimidated by me thinking, ‘Oh, she might fire me!’ Absolutely not! We are a team, that’s what we do, and we help each other out no matter what. I want everybody to be as happy and as comfortable as possible. That’s what I care about. The more comradery we have, the more established relationships we have things will go smoothly. We are all pros. That’s what we do to make a great movie! BTR: What are some of the big scenes you like in the film? Are there some action scenes you particularly like in this movie? Krista: Action is my favorite thing to do. I really have a love for doing fight scenes. I don’t know if it feels good to me or what! I’m athletic so I enjoy throwing the punches, lifting the weights, and doing my thing. It gets a lot of aggression out. I have a lot of favorite scenes in this movie. It’s really hard to choose anything. I remember doing the Unity Run with the authentic bikers, just seeing hundreds of
bikers coming in from all over the state, I got emotional. Trust me, I’m not that emotional. But I did get emotional knowing they were all here to support the film. They wanted to be a part of this; they are so proud and so happy! Hearing the roar of all those engines! It was another one of those “magical” experiences. I love all the action scenes in the movie. I saw Paul Sloan in his fighting scenes. They were just phenomenal. These guys just killed it. The “hood of the car” scene – I absolutely loved doing that. Tommy Goodwin our stunt guy was phenomenal. There was so much! My film son, Wyatt Walter … there were so many emotional experiences with him and his character. I commend his parents for being a part of that. BTR: Do you have a release date for the movie? Krista: The post-production is probably the most misunderstood process in filmmaking. After the shooting process commences, people begin asking “where is the movie?” The answer is that on any large budget
production if done right, post-production takes about a year. There are many phases in creating a production from concept to fruition. There is a Pre-pre-production phase, this is when the concept is born, which in this case was at the Born To Ride 20th Anniversary Celebration. The script had to be developed while the search for funding and a team to professionally fill all job requirements had to be underway. Then the budget is created. This budget consists of all departments that need to be hired. Departments include set builders and design, actors, stunt coordinators, f/x team, makeup artist, wardrobe, props, vehicles, locations, city and county fees, payroll company, grips, lighting crew, camera, sound crew, catering, SAG union requirements, set medics, explosive and gun professionals. Next step in the process is production. This is where the money is being spent and we go into full-blown production; 12 to 16-hour days ensuring every department and every
person is operating on schedule. You can imagine how stressful that can get. Once we wrap shooting, sleep for three days straight then it’s on to post house. There are 13 steps involved. Post-production consists of creative picture editor, who must go through hours upon hours of footage and start piecing the story together. Next is sound department, then on to ADR department (ensuring every piece of dialogue by talent is clear, Foley department, secure the music; I am proud to say we have music by Tommy Roxx, who has been so supportive and helpful in this production and music by our very own Creative Producer Ron Galletti of Nasty Savage. Post continues on to re-recording all sound mixes, then M&E department for Foreign distribution languages, titles and credit department, digital cinema packaging, poster art, and trailer! Then it is sold for distribution to the masses. BTR: Last question: How would you like to have the public receive this movie? Krista: The way I want the public to receive
Nation’s Fire, Born Losers Meets Vertigo on a Kill Bill Roller Coaster Hell Ride!
this movie is to understand that this is life, this is the reality. I know there may be some controversial content in this movie, but again, that is the reality. We just can’t sweep it under the rug and say, ‘This type of stuff doesn’t happen.’ It does! That’s where the saying comes from, ‘They don’t do this in the movies.’ When Thom wrote Nation’s Fire, there were a lot of elements in the script that we both could relate to. I understood the main character Gloria Nation’s pain. I have experienced something similar with my son’s friend who was living with us and passed away in our home. It shattered the hearts of his beautiful grandparents and family who loved him, raised him and stood by him. It took a piece of me away too and changed me forever. He was under my care. I was home at the time of his death. It represents a piece of the struggle of humanity that exists in this movie. That’s what I was talking about earlier when I said that we, as women, strap up our boots and take care of business. Like Krista Grotte on Facebook. BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 25
Women’s World
SARAH ANDREA FROM STRASBURG
Ohio remembers riding in a car as a teen and seeing a woman on a motorcycle. “That’s so cool!” she thought. Growing up in a strict religious family she learned traditional family roles so when she married, she rode on back of her husband’s motorcycle without giving thought to riding her own. After Sarah started working for a motorcycle dealership, others encouraged her to take a safety riding class. She passed the class, got her license and bought a Honda Shadow as her first bike. She’s been riding for eleven years now and has a HarleyDavidson Softail Deluxe Heritage. Now she’s the Director of Operations and Training for Ohio Motorcycle Group which consists of four dealerships. Sarah finds the group a female-friendly workplace. There are two female general managers and women working as technicians and in service, parts and sales departments. The group holds an annual Ladies Adventure Weekend for women riders. When they needed additional
women to lead rides, Sarah stepped up. On one of the rides, the group stopped for lunch and as they were paying at the cash register a shy waitress stepped up and said, “My boss said I should talk to you.” The young woman dreamed of riding a motorcycle but didn’t know how to get BTR started. 26 | BORNTORIDE.COM The women who’d all ridden in on their bikes were eager to share their stories of learning to ride and encouraged her to BTR 28 | BORNTORIDE.COM
follow her dream. Sarah loves the camaraderie of female riders and how welcoming, encouraging and helpful they are to each other. As a coach and author of a book on career strategies; it wasn’t long before Sarah had an idea for a book about women who ride motorcycles in order to share stories and encourage others. Women Who Ride: Rebel Souls, Golden Hearts and Iron Horses was released early this year. It’s a compilation by and for women motorcycle riders. The book, available in paperback and on Kindle, features women from twenty-five states in the U.S. as well as women from Canada, Australia, and Thailand. They range in age from twenty-three to sixty-plus. There’s even a story submitted by a man. He wanted to make sure Sarah knew about Sadie Grimm who rode in a cross-country race from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to the town of Winnipeg Beach at age 19 and was the first woman in Canada to win a race open to men way back in 1914. There are three sections: Rebel Souls which includes stories of Finding Courage, I’m Too … and Cool Grandmas. The Golden Hearts section includes stories of Loving Support, Inspiration and Free Wind Therapy. The Iron Horses section includes stories of Oops!, Just Ride and Who Will I Ride With? The book is available on Amazon.com and at www.WomenWhoRideBook.com. Sarah says that writing the book has lead to meeting many amazing women. Her editor, Nicki Snyder, got her motorcycle license in 2008. Sheryl Roush, whom Sarah met at a Toastmasters event is a speaker and coach who encouraged her and guided her through the book writing process. Sheryl
introduced her to June Cline, the Southern, Savvy, Sassy Harley-riding Humorist who wrote the forward for the book. Liz Miller invited Sarah to appear on her Motorcycles & Misfits podcast which lead to her hearing from a wide variety of women who ride and either wanted to take part in the project or made an introduction to another rider. It’s meeting women like this and having them introduce her to others that Sarah loves. In the introduction, she says, “It is not however, just the riding that I have fallen in love with…It is the women who ride. They have this beautiful camaraderie that is hard to find anywhere else. They come together to ride and nothing matters about their personal lives except the fact that they ride.” If you’d like to submit a story for the next edition of Women Who Ride go to www. WomenWhoRideBook.com and follow the submission guidelines. Myra McElhaney
If you would like info on Born To Ride Womens Club, Email info@borntoride.com
NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON FORTY-EIGHT SPECIAL AND IRON 1200 SPORTSTERS
FUSE THROW-BACK DESIGN WITH MODERN PERFORMANCE
High Handlebars, Cool Graphics, and Garage-Built Attitude Harley-Davidson adds to the long legacy of its Sportster motorcycle line with the introduction of the Iron 1200 and Forty-Eight Special models. The latest in a line of 100 high-impact motorcycles the company plans to introduce by 2027, these new high-bar Sportsters combine throw-back styling trends from the custom-bike scene with the solid foundation of the Sportster platform and the punchy performance of the Evolution 1200 V-Twin engine. Since its introduction in 1957, Sportster motorcycles have been repeatedly reimagined, in the hands of both the Motor Company and bike owners: The Sportster as a bobber, a chopper, a scrambler and a café racer; as a hero on flat tracks and drag strips and road-race courses; as an accessible entry-point for first-time riders,
and as a custom-of-one cruiser. “Since its inception, the Sportster has offered the perfect combination of size, power and character that makes it appealing to so many different riders,” said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson V.P. of Styling & Design. “A Sportster is a relatively easy bike to strip down and reinvent. What we’ve done to create the new Iron 1200 and Forty-Eight Special is what Sportster owners have been doing with their own bikes for generations.” New fuel tank graphics distinguish both the Iron 1200 and the Forty-Eight Special, and combine bold color stripes with a formal typeface, color and graphic elements originally popular in the 1970s. “The art on these two fuel tanks reflect contemporary trends we are seeing on custom bikes and in design in general, a move away from more complex and intricate art to a look that’s very simple and clean,”
said Richards. “It’s also important to note that these graphics respect the shape of the fuel tank and in the case of the Sportster, that tank shape is a classic design element in its own right.” Iron 1200™ The Iron 1200 recipe starts with power. A 1202cc Evolution® 1200 V-Twin engine delivers 36 percent more torque (73.0 ft. lbs. vs. 53.8 ft. lb.) than the 883 Evolution engine that powers the Iron 883, the original urban brawler in the Sportster family. The Iron 1200 brings more punch to the street fight – more power to blast away from green lights and more mid-range to muscle through traffic. More power means more rowdy fun. The satin-black Mini Ape handle bar is an essential element of the garage-built chopper look that adds instant attitude. This 1.0-inch diameter handlebar offers an 8.75-inch rise, 32-inch spread and 6.5-inch pull back, that
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BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 31
opens the rider triangle with a fist-in-thewind posture. The gloss black speed screen framing the headlamp is a West Coast styling influence that amplifies the attitude of the tall bars, is intended to offer some wind deflection at speed and provides a space for easy personalization. The fast-back Café Solo Seat flows to the rear fender and is shaped to help hold the rider in position when the torque of the Evolution 1200 kicks in. A classic 3.3-gallon Sportster fuel tank features multi-colored striped graphics that wrap around the tank profile. The dark engine finish helps draw the eyes to the bright tank graphics. Fuel tank paint color options include Vivid Black, Twisted Cherry and Billiard White, always contrasting with the Vivid Black speed screen. The entire powertrain has been styled with a popular color: black upper and lower rocker boxes, black exhaust and muffler shields, and black timer, primary and derby covers. Chrome pushrod tubes and tappet covers are the only brightwork and highlight the V-Twin engine shape. The Iron 1200 is finished with all-black 9-Spoke wheels (19inch front and 16-inch rear diameter) and a solid black belt guard and rear sprocket. The Harley-Davidson Smart Security System and anti-lock braking system (ABS) are factory-installed options for the Iron 1200 model. Forty-Eight® Special The burly front end of the Forty-Eight BTR 32 | BORNTORIDE.COM
Special – a 130mm front tire framed by 49mm forks secured in massive forged aluminum triple clamps – looks especially menacing when topped with a gloss-black, 7.25-inch high Tallboy handlebar. “We specifically selected the Tallboy bar for its
That 2.2-gallon “peanut” Sportster fuel tank features rows of bold, horizontal stripes framing a simple Harley-Davidson text logo. The fuel tank is available in three color options: Vivid Black, Wicked Red, and Billiard White. The Evolution 1200 engine features a black top end and an expanse of brilliant chrome below, including chrome primary, inspection and derby covers, and solid chrome muffler and exhaust shields. Chrome lower rocker boxes, pushrod tubes and tappet covers contrast with the black cylinders to highlight the V-Twin engine shape. High-performance Michelin Scorcher 31 tires front and rear are mounted on Black Split 9-Spoke Cast Aluminum wheels (16inch diameter front and rear). The Harley-Davidson Smart Security System and anti-lock braking system (ABS) are factory-installed options for the FortyEight Special model. About Harley-Davidson Motor Company? Since 1903, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has fulfilled dreams of personal freedom with cruiser, touring and custom
shape,” said Richards. “It offers less pullback than the Mini-Ape, a look that really works with the steamroller front end and the smaller fuel tank on the Forty-Eight Special model.”
motorcycles, riding experiences and events, and a complete line of HarleyDavidson motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise, riding gear and apparel. For more info, www.h-d.com.
See one at your local Harley-Davidson Dealer, Tell them Born To Ride sent you.
BTR 34 | BORNTORIDE.COM
Fun Bar in Bartow, 3379 US Hwy, Bartow, Florida 33830, 2nd Friday of Every Month
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IS AMERICA STILL THE LAND OF THE FREE? By RoadBlock 1%er
RoadBlock 1%er
R.I.P
Your Legend Lives On
After 30 years in prison, I expected a changed world when I was finally allowed to go home. There were many technology changes like cell phones and personal computers, and “convenience” changes, like drive-thru restaurants and self-service gas stations. Those, I could understand and appreciate. And the modern motorcycles! What an experience that was to ride for the first time in 30 years. However, the most overwhelming change I encountered wasn’t good: I saw the destructive direction our country has taken in those three decades, all at the hands of the U.S. government. Over the past 30+ years, it has quickly morphed into the very thing this country’s citizens have fought against and died for over the last 200 years, both here and overseas. America is no longer a nation of “We the People” protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. America is now what the government and politicians so proudly refer to as “A Nation of Laws.” They are determined to make the Constitutional rights and protections this country was founded on a thing of the past. WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. government’s power-mongers chose to follow the path of the Soviet Union, China, Germany and other dictatorial governments in the past. Those countries began their destructive rule by declaring segments of its populations to be undesirables who didn’t deserve the same rights as everyone else (consider the harassment of today’s motorcycle riders). Those governments then began a propaganda blitz to demonize, discredit and dehumanize the selected groups. Once this was done, they persuaded other citizens to spy on the targeted groups and report
everything to government agencies. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN in the US: Our government and politicians have slowly taken away our constitutional rights and individual protections under the guise of protecting American citizens from harm. The government claims that in order to protect us, we must allow them to spy on us, and track and collect all of our private phone and internet conversations. Furthermore, our neighbors, doctors, and teachers are being pressured to report personal information about our families to these agencies. The sickest thing they have done so far is to adopt one of Hitler’s favorite programs and recruit American children to spy on and report on their own parents. Playing on our fears, particularly from the 9/11 tragedy onward, the government has pretended to benevolently protect us from harm. Instead, what they have accomplished is gaining almost total power and control over our lives. THEIR ATTITUDE ABOUT OUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY: To demonstrate how successful the government’s plan is, I’ll relate a conversation I recently had with a military officer working for Homeland Security. Bear in mind this man swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic. I asked him if he thought the government’s invasive collection and storage of everyone’s personal phone and internet conversations crossed the line. He said: “Why should people worry about it if they aren’t doing anything wrong?” Does anyone realistically believe the government will not manipulate or abuse the harvested information? Most of us know better.
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? Who or what will protect us from the government power-abusers and their unconstitutional practices? After the signing of the “Declaration of Independence,” no legal constraints were placed on the new U.S. government, which promptly got out of control. (Policing malicious politicians has always been a problem for America’s citizens.) In response, on September 17, 1787, our forefathers solved that problem. In their wisdom, they gave American citizens the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Constitution and Bill of Rights were designed to keep an abusive government in check. But unlike criminal law, which is prosecuted by the government, enforcing constitutional law falls squarely on the citizens, who must become the prosecutors. I don’t advocate armed rebellion against the government. I believe constitutional law will trump the abusive laws set out by boughtand-paid politicians. Those same arrogant politicians don’t want you to know that laws are a two-edged sword that can cut both ways, and they have no immunity when it’s prosecuted properly. The fact that most people don’t understand how constitutional law works has made it possible for a select group of tyrants to escalate their misuse of power to an intolerable level. The government demands that the American citizens follow their law. It is time for the citizens to demand their government also follow constitutional law. RoadBlock 1%er www.FreeRoadblock.us www.wtroadblockharrell.com
Born To Ride disclaimer: The viewpoints of the writer do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of this publication nor the parties associated with this publication. Therefore, any message inferred or gleaned from the writer’s words are solely the intellectual property of the writer and should be viewed as such—his or her opinion.
“Respect and Sorrow to RoadBlocks Family, Friends and his Brotherhood who loved him so much.” Ron Galletti BORNTORIDE.COM BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR | BTR 31 47
Ray V. Gordon is the owner and founder of a new business based in SW Florida called Leather Lid Inserts. He’s coined the phrase “We take the sag out of the bag” because that is exactly what they do. Ray has been riding motorcycles since he was 14-years-old and has watched the motorcycle industry grow and is glad to be a part of what it is today. After 35 years of owning and operating a successful aluminum company in Fort Myers, Ray sold the business so he could retire— he thought and bought himself a new Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. And just like everyone else with leather saddlebags his bags started to sag and cave-in. He saw a need to fix this
problem. Ray says, “Starting this new business was something I just fell into by fixing my own saddlebags, and then friends of friends and others wanted me to fix their saddlebags too!” As an inventor and entrepreneur, Ray took his creative background and put his skills to work by experimenting with several different types of materials to finally come up with a patented lid and bag reinforcement kit that is designed to help keep the original shape of any leather saddlebag made on the market. So, if you’re tired of looking at your caved-in leather saddlebags, or if you have brand-new bags and want to prevent them from ever caving-in, please keep Leather Lid Inserts in mind. For all your leather saddlebag needs (insert kit, replacement belt straps, buckles, quick release) as a do-it-yourselfer or if you want them installed for you, visit www.LeatherLidInserts.com or call office 239-543-8360 to find the area dealer installer who is closest to you. You can email Ray at ray@leatherlidinserts.com or call his cell 239-339-7294 for bag and installation questions.
Leather Lid Inserts 18160 Old Bayshore Road N. Fort Myers, FL 33917 P.S. Leather Lid Inserts will be set up during Bike Week at Destination Daytona and out at Trader Jacks on Hwy.17 in Deland. RIDE SAFE ...
Christian Motorcyclists Association Trust and You too will get the Power During the vicious cold fronts, we’ve faced in the last few months I got a lesson about my bike, as well as about my life. Strangely enough, the bike didn’t go anywhere during the experience. Part of the education had to do with moving the bike for different reasons. I had to back the bike out of the garage, no big task, but being sick and feeling poorly for a while, it had been a time since I had been on my ride. Just picking it up off the kickstand seemed to be a monumental effort. I know I was recovering from the crud but did not expect it to take so much effort and for me to have so little strength. Once it was time to put the bike back into the garage, I discovered another training taking place. Since there is a slight incline from the driveway to the garage floor, and the bike itself weighs over 800 pounds, I hit the trusty start button. There were a few groans made by the ride, a losing effort to start up, and a final grunt of defeat. No power! I had spent time before the freeze warnings covering the outside spigots, setting some of them to drip all night. I had brought in what plants I could, and I went to turn on the heater BTR 60 | BORNTORIDE.COM
in the travel trailer, only to find out I was out of propane. Thank goodness we had some extra 20 pounders for the grill, and I hooked one up and then had glorious heat in the travel trailer! There’s nothing quite like power in a 20-pound canister. With all that preparation, I did manage to miss a critical task. I forgot to hook the trickle charger up to the bike. The cold snap killed the reserve battery power, and there I sat in the middle of the driveway, on a dead bike! Fortunately, I thought to go ahead and hook up the power charger, and a few hours later I could fire up the bike and put it away. The power made all the difference! There is an incredible offer in the Bible, in 2 Timothy 1:7, that tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” God denies us having to live in fear and adds three promises that are positive in nature. If you have a spirit of love and a sound mind and you allow God to overcome any fear that may try and take us captive, He will give us power. This power that He promises is to help us overcome any and all adversities we may face in life and emerge from difficult situations as the victor. What does it take to get this power? Trust in the Lord with all your heart and accept Him as your Savior. Then you too will get the power! In The Wind, Denny Dingler
Check out BornToRide.com for more articles from Christian Motorcyclists Association
Biff Burger’s
21st Anniversary Bike Celebration Saturday March 24th, 2018 12 NOON - 12 MIDNIGHT
TM
3939 49th St. N. St. Pete, FL 33709
50/50 Raffle Drawings
FOR MORE INFO CALL 727-505-0865 or E-mail: info@biffburgers.com LIVE ON THE CHECK OUR WEBSITE OUT & REGISTER Biff Burger Stage ONLINE AT: biffburgers.com Sponsored by Fran Haasch
Biker games start Bearded Brothers 2-6pm @3pm & include: Greg Billings 7-10:30pm • • • •
Slow Race Loud Pipes Plank Race Burn - Out Pit
AWARDS: • Top 15 • Bike of The Year • 20 Best of Show Classes
Blue Water Production
Sponsored by;
FREE PIG ROAST
Serving Time 1-2:30 pm & 5-6:30 pm ALL BIKERS WELCOME! Thank You For All Your Support Over The Past 21 Years.
Registration 5-8:30pm Day of Show $15.00 Trophies @ 10pm
NAM E :_________________________________________________________ M A K E , Y E A R & M O DE L : __________________________________________ A DDR E SS:______________________________________________________ PH ONE :_____________________ E-MAIL:______________________________ M A K E CH E CK PA Y AB L E T O : B IF F -B UR GE R A ND M AI L T O 3939 49th ST R E E T NO R T H • ST . PE T E R SB UR G, F L 33709
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Spyke & Mike Stop everything, safely place your cold one somewhere, and check this out my BTR friends. There’s a new sheriff in town and he’s setting the bar up a notch. Mike breaks in and babbles, “Spyke, please tell me it’s Quick Draw McGraw! I loved that horse with the gun and red hat. Grandpa and I were just talking. …” I cackle loudly over him, “Dude! What did I tell you about hanging out with Grandpa on Saturday mornings in front of the TV? No, you dumbass, it’s Paul Teutul Sr., head honcho at the infamous Orange County Choppers regime. The man has brought his young guns, VIPs, and some badass pro-street marvels into town.” “They’ve set up one awesome showroom at the Maserati-Alfa Romeo dealership just off the interstate. So, if you’re looking for an OCC big bore V-twin, and money is burning a hole in your pocket, they’ll take good care of you. If it’s only a little bit of money burning well, they’ve got official OCC t-shirts for sale. Maybe there’s a special build that you just have to own and ride before you die. They may want to build it for you. If it’s something really wild and crazy, the scoot build-up might even land you an appearance on their upcoming reality TV show. Right now, it’s being filmed at various locations across the country. The most recent stop was here at the grand opening in the beginning of February.” Mike interrupts, “Yeah man that was a great spread they put out. There were tables full of high-end tapas style finger foods, sandwiches, and desserts. And with two fully stocked open bars, I always had a drink in my left hand and food in the right while waiting in line to meet the man and other important peeps who rolled into the dealership that evening. There were even a few local big names in the house that I spoke with. They heard about the building of the Fat Bird 2 and want to add their special touch to your masterpiece when it comes back.” I tell him, “Yeah, all that food and alcohol made you fat and happy! It’s a good thing the line went fast otherwise your ass would have been passed out in the lounge area they had set up. Then you would’ve missed the Kodak moment of me hanging with the big man.” He bellows, “And I wouldn’t have gotten a free T-shirt either!” I roll my eyes and chirp, “Master you’ve got to stop hoarding everything you get your hands on. You’re becoming a pack rat. There’s a huge box of stuff taking up space in the garage now.” He tells me, “That’s all going to your BTR fans at the next event. Everyone loves to see you and get free swag.” “Speaking of the next event, how’s my ride coming along? I’m
SUCH A SMART BIRD
going through withdrawals and getting tired of riding in the truck and sticking my head out the window like my canine friends.” Mike replies, “Craig the Painter is still saying your ride will be ready for Daytona, but I’m not holding my breath. He’s an artist and artists are, shall we say, lost in time.” I tell him, “No more lost than you are in your own time and space equilibrium. I know Ron, Debbie, Craven, and Jesse will vouch for me on this one. “ Craven called it something else that I can’t type here ‘cause we almost missed his Daytona 500 party. This year the cops did not show, the weather was perfect, and there were no complaints ‘cause the ole bitty of a neighbor was Baker acted into the psycho ward a few weeks beforehand. Seems she yelled and threw things at the postman one too many times. His band played this year and they kept the party rolling right until the drop of the green flag. He also upped the entertainment by pitting dancer moms from various gentlemen’s clubs against each other in the wrestling pit. (AKA kiddie pool filled with whipped cream, jello, and honey) It was a sweet and sticky sight, to say the least. The cabbage patch coleslaw wrestling event leaders at Bike Week could take some pointers from him. Mikes’ eyes light up and he belches out, “Speaking of pointers, my good friend, and partner in crime, MC Sharpie, is hosting an event at the Salty Shamrock, March 24 with headliner Pat Travers. He asked me a few weeks ago if we would come on down and put in our two cents worth with the Mike & Spyke show. I told him that it would be our pleasure as long as they’ve got green beer and cabbage.” I cackle, “Mike you’re always a day late and a dollar short. St. Patrick’s Day is the Saturday before the event. I bet you’d even be late for your own funeral.” Mike turns and says, “Awww Spyke, you’re like my best friend and four-leaf clover.” “How’s that?” I ask. He replies, “Because they are hard to find and lucky to have! So tell me Spyke, what do you get when you rub a pillowcase with a stone in the Gulf?” I scratch my head with one wing and say, “Dude that’s easy a salty sham rock!” Mike replies, “Spyke you’re such a smart bird. We’ll have to make like the little green guy and haul some lucky charms, green cheerios, and jelly beans in a bag with a small hole in it. That way they can slowly fall off the scoot as we ride over. I’m looking forward to getting my knees in the breeze, your wings in the wing, and the Fat Bird 2 wheels rolling down the road, spreading sweet leprechaun poop along the way.” SPYKE
Do you have a Favorite Pet like Spyke? Let Us Know and we’ll feature your story. 888-795-5779
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 63
Fuel Tank Rusty? Craig Can Fix It!
On a motorcycle, your fuel tank is the heart and soul your machine What do you do when it’s rusty, when it leaks? Radiator shop over-the-counter stuff? You know it doesn’t work, with you try anyways and guess what? It doesn’t work. I offer an alternative service for the inside of your tank, I remove all rust clean them out and coat them with epoxy tank liner that’s clear and works, I guarantee it with gasoline and even methanol. I even repair failed Kreme and Redkote liners. I save vintage tanks that leak, rusty tanks that nobody would ever think of using again. I turn them around quickly within three days Many of the leading motorcycle dealers use me on a regular basis, (Tampabay Powersports, Tampa Triumph, and Eurocycles Tampa) when they’re tired of cleaning carburetors they call Craig. Prices are 129 any tank any condition, three day turn around.
www.CraigPaintsBikes.com • 813-407-2226
www.B Events Friday, March 2 Brandon, FL (3/2-3/3) Barney’s of Brandon Huge Truckload Event 9am5pm. Huge clearance selection, up to 90% off. 813-628-9418 Saturday, March 3 Gibsonton, FL Rumble at the River Pre-Bikeweek Biker Bash at Rivers Edge. Featuring the Greg Billings Band, meet Nation’s Fire Krista Grotte, enjoy Micro Championship Wrestling & more. 813-671-9196 Homosassa, FL Crystal H-D CMA breakfast (9am-10am) and Chili Cookoff 11am-3pm. crystalHarley.com Port Charlotte, FL Bert’s Black Widow H-D Gear up for Daytona Bike Week & Swap Meet. 941-883-8000 St. Petersburg, FL Bert’s Barracuda H-D Gear up for Daytona Bike Week. 727-527-9672 Naples, FL New Hope Ministries 6th Annual Motorcycle Rally 9am-2pm. Win a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT. Your $20 rally ticket covers lunch & expenses, also your entry for giveaways. 239-348-0122 Thursday, March 8 Kissimmee, FL Old Town Bike Night 5pm-11pm (every Thu). Live music, and more. 407-396-4888 Ocala, FL War Horse H-D Harley’s & Hooters Night (every Thu) at Hooters. warHorseHarley.com Friday, March 9 Bartow, FL Fun Bar Bike Night (2nd Fri) 7pm. Food & drink specials, live music, burnout pit, giveaways, raffles, 50/50, vendors, & BTR TV taping. 863-800-3400 Daytona, FL (3/9-3/18) Daytona Bike Week at Dirty Harry’s. Live music (Bobby Friss, Jasmine Cain, Hairball) drink specials, wet t-shirt contests daily. dirtyHarrysDaytona.com Daytona, FL (3/9-3/18) 77th Daytona Bike Week. officialBikeWeek.com Daytona, FL (3/9-3/18) Daytona Beach 40th annual Bikeweek Swap Meet at Daytona Farmers Market. jam-OnProductions.com 66 | BORNTORIDE.COM BTR 76
There Thereare aresome somegreat greatevents eventscoming comingup, up,sosoget getout outthere thereand andmeet meetup upwith withold oldfriends! friends!
BornToRide.com/events s, Rides & Destinations Lakeland, FL March Badness Lakeland H-D. All monthlong spring celebrations every weekend. Come out and Demo your next motorcycle. 863-8021971 Port Charlotte, FL Bert’s Black Widow H-D Ride-in movie. 941883-8000 Samsula, FL (3/9-3/18) Cabbage Patch. Home of the World-famous Coleslaw Wrestling (3/14 & 3/17). Ridein Bike show (3/13) and Battle of the Baggers (3/15), vendors, live music, daily drink specials, camping and more. 386-4055525 Saturday, March 10 Palmetto, FL Pork Butt’s N Blues Veteran Fundraiser at Peggy’s Corral. 941-729-5442 Sunday, March 11 Apopka, FL Sam Swope 10th annual Memorial Ride 8:30am Bahia Shrine. Police escorted ride, $30 per person; ride ends at Seminole H-D. We Ride So Kids Can Walk! 888-267-8251 Edgewater, FL Leather & Lace MC Bike Blessing 10am-11am Angels Landing. Start the 2018 Daytona Bike Week off on a positive, uplifting start. Join the ladies of Leather & Lace MC at their annual Bike Blessing. Coffee and donuts for all! 941224-5343 Homosassa, FL Crystal H-D CMA Biker Church 10am-12pm. crystalHarley.com Thursday, March 15 Brandon, FL H-D of Brandon Boots n’ Badges Bike Night 6pm-9pm (3rd Thu). Live music, food & drinks, ride-in bike show and more. brandonHD.com Edgewater, FL Leather & Lace MC Bike Rodeo at Angels Landing (L&L Clubhouse). Door prizes, raffles, 50/50, auction, food, music, and cash prizes; $10/per person includes food and fun! 941-224-5343
Ormond Beach, FL Chopper Time Old School Chopper Show 11am-4pm Willie’s Tropical Tattoo. Bands, cash, prizes, BBQ, special guest, 20-class bike show. Benefits Veterans Home and ARNI Foundation. 386-672-1888
Saturday, March 24 Apollo Beach, FL Salty Shamrock Springtime Biker Bash. Live music, food specials, 10-class bike show, BTR TV taping & more. 813-9385282
Ocala, FL War Horse H-D Hooters Girls Bike Wash 11amFriday, March 16 Inglis, FL (3/16-3/18) St. 1pm. warHorseHarley.com Patty’s Day Weekend at Scooter Port Charlotte, FL Bert’s Black Haven. Corned beef cabbage, Leprechaun contest, Green Widow H-D Dog Show. For more Beard contest, fireworks, music, 941-883-8000 Best Campsite contest, 50/50. St. Petersburg, FL Bert’s 727-565-8743 Barracuda H-D Inaugural BBQ Cook-off. 727-527-9672 Saturday, March 17 Gibsonton, FL Rivers Edge Bar & Grill St. Patrick’s Day Party. St. Petersburg, FL Biff Burger 21st Corned beef and cabbage only Anniversary Bike Celebration Noon $7. 813-671-9196 to Midnight. Food & drink specials, raffles, biker games, bike show, Homosassa, FL Crystal H-D awards, live music, pig roast, and Kegs and Eggs 10am-2pm. more. 727-505-0865 Music 12pm-5pm crystalHarley. com Sunday, March 25 Palmetto, FL Peggy’s Corral 21st Ocala, FL War Horse H-D St. Anniversary Party with Soul Circus Patrick’s Day Party with WIND- Cowboys 12pm-4pm. For more FM. warHorseHarley.com 941-729-5442 Palmetto, FL Pirate Pub Crawl at Peggy’s Corral. 941-729-5442 Saturday, March 31 Port Charlotte, FL Bert’s Black Port Charlotte, FL Bert’s Black Widow H-D Inaugural BBQ CookWidow H-D 50 Shades O’Green off. 941-883-8000 Party. Irish Pub ride to the Celtic St. Petersburg, FL Bert’s Ray 941-883-8000 Barracuda H-D Swap Meet. For St. Petersburg, FL Bert’s more 727-527-9672 Barracuda H-D 50 Shades O’Green Party. HOG led Irish Sunday, April 1 Pub Ride, 727-527-9672 Inglis, FL Easter Dinner & Adult Egg Hunt at Screwie Louie’s Sunday, March 18 Scooter Haven. Please donate Samsula, FL Port Orange Police Easter baskets for children of Athletic League 22nd annual Yankeetown & Inglis. 727-565Motorcycle Fundraiser drawing at 8743 the Cabbage Patch. Win a 2017 H-D Road Glide or $14,000 (plus Friday, April 6 ten $100 winners), only 3,000 Homosassa, FL High Octane tickets will be sold. Purchase tickets online portOrangePAL.org Saloon Nature Coast Biker Bash (4/6-4/8). Live concerts, Ride-in Bike show, food & drink Friday, March 23 Ft. Myers, FL 3/23-3/25) Six specials, vendors and more. Bends H-D Bikefest. Concerts, highOctaneSaloon.com contests, free bikini bike wash (Sat & Sun), ice-cold beer, Inglis, FL (4/6-4/8) Screwie food trucks, vendors and more. Louie’s Scooter Haven Spring Rally. Bearded Brothers, Swap sixBendsHarley.com
To Send submitinand yourview events even to more info@BornToRide.com, events visit BornToRide.com help us helpEvents you.
meet Sat/Sun. 727-565-8743 Saturday, April 7 Lakeland, FL Run for the Wreaths 3rd annual Poker Run 9am Johnny G’s. Door prizes, auctions, raffles, 50/50, food and drink specials, vendors and more. 813504-2372 Titusville, FL Brevard Lawride 8am-4pm American Police Hall of Fame. This is a law enforcement escorted ride through the Kennedy Space Center (federal complex and requires helmets). DJ and live music, raffles, 50/50, amazing BBQ (included with ride), vendors and more. brevardLawRide.org Saturday, April 14 Palmetto, FL Peggy’s Corral Annual Chili cook-off benefitting Florida Sheriff Youth Ranches 12pm-4pm. 941-729-5442 St. Petersburg, FL Highway to Heroes Poker Run Biff Burger 10am. come out for a day to honor the military. Live music, great food, beverages, raffles (autographed guitars) and more. heartStringsForHeores.org Tampa, FL Wage of Mayhem Tour at the Brass Mug. Nasty Savage, Siren, Oblivion, Against my Will and a mystery band. 813-9728152 Sunday, April 15 Palmetto, FL Peggy’s Corral Johnny Cash & Friends Tribute Show 12pm-4pm. 941-729-5442 Wednesday, April 18 Unadilla, GA (4/18-4/22) Angel City Spring Rally. Angel City is the first town built with biker’s in mind. It incorporates an “Old West” theme and has an atmosphere all its own. Bike games, bike show, bike ride, live music, wet T-shirt contest, burn out pit, lots of vendors and two saloons, you are sure to have a kickin good time. Wet and dry camping available. 478-627-3168 BORNTORIDE.COM || BTR BTR 67 77 BORNTORIDE.COM
Craven Moorehead More Random Thoughts for March
Floating along on a cloud of uncertainty, a writer passes high in the sky observing all that is going on beneath him. Or perhaps, I should not refer to myself as a writer but simply an observer. Either way, it is up to that person to decide what is reality and what is fantasy. Sometimes it is difficult to correctly identify between the two because things that aren’t real often come cloaked in an endless pile of substantiating facts and evidence that most people could not refute. Every situation requires careful examination, not just on the surface but all the way down to the core. As humans, we only see what we want to see anyway. So it often becomes a situation where we learn later that something is not authentic. This is not a fault just a fact. I am not addressing the specific issues; I am simply trying to suggest that people look deeply into situations and try to determine on their own whether the content or item is truly legitimate. Using care when checking reality is paramount to preventing dissatisfaction in the future. No, this isn’t all about fake news and some of the other drama that we hear about every day. This is just about checking out the real facts. Last month was really a hoot! We had Valentine’s Day, the return of NASCAR and the Olympic games to deal with and enjoy, plus the US won a bunch of medals so it’s a good thing. Everything considered, there are a lot of great things coming up on the horizon, including Bike Week in Daytona and locally, the strawberry festival in Plant City. Usually, this month is the beginning of the serious riding season, but the weather has been so warm a lot of folks are
already out on the road enjoying the ride. As I said last month, there is no better place for a biker to live than right here. Seriously, a year-long riding season and no snow rocks! However, this year it seems that in Florida spring as we know it was totally skipped and we went directly from winter into summer. Believe me, I am not complaining! Just enjoying the ride like all the rest of you. When you live here and venture out of your trailer park, or wherever you live, you will always experience new and exciting things. Once, I left here on a beautiful sunny Sunday and got on the bike for a ride. With no particular destination in mind, I just started out heading east from where I live and began enjoying the ride. Somehow, I ended up on RT60 in the middle of nowhere, and after a few hours I drank all of my bottled water and was getting a little dehydrated—not unusual when the temps are in the 80s or 90s. In a town without a name and a tavern (I can’t remember the name), I decided to stop and have a beer or whatever just to cool off for a few minutes. Maybe this would be as far as I go for the day or maybe not. I saw this place over on the left and there were several motorcycles parked. I felt like this would be a good place to go hang out because it was apparent that bikers were welcome there. Well, it turned out pretty good since there were other road-dogs who actually knew who me in the establishment, and one or two even offered to buy me a cold brew. This is the kind of camaraderie that you will find when you venture out every now and then to places unknown and destinations undecided. Our world as bikers may be a small one but all our hearts are very massive. As it turned out, I drank a couple of beers, met a few new awesome friends, and had a great time enjoying the air-conditioning and the hospitality. I realized that every day may not be as good as this one, and when all was said and done I ventured back home to savor the memory of the ride and the new people I encountered. Sadly, the next time I went out that way for whatever reason, I discovered that the place was closed, and it was another 30 miles to the next watering hole. I went there without the expectation of anything in particular but the point still remains. As bikers, we all seem to have an unspoken bond that people who don’t ride motorcycles rarely understand. It’s okay though. It seems only the best of the best are in our circle. I know that Bike Week is coming up, and I expect to see a lot of old friends there and possibly make some new ones once again. This is what our lifestyle is about.
Let us know what you think of Craven Moorehead, info@borntoride.com
CRAVEN
BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 69