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What an outstanding December! Got to hang out with old friend Brad Gillis of the Night Ranger Band when they came to Clearwater in concert. And my wife and I found out that Spike of the Mike and Spike column in this magazine has season tickets to the lightning games too. Hers are outside since she says it’s too cold inside.
The best was a story one of my old clients up North shared with me. Bob retired years ago and traveled everywhere with his Ellen on their motorcycle. When Ellen passed 4 1/2 years ago Bob didn’t want to ride anymore. When I spoke to Bob during his annual financial review I asked him what he was gonna do this Christmas? He said nothing. I said why don’t you do what you
A Biker Helping Bikers
LET’S AVOID EVER HAVING TO SAY
“I WISH I KNEW BACK THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW”
and Ellen used to do over the holidays. The biker events you guys told me about. He says maybe. And now the rest of the story…..
The weeks leading up to Christmas were filled with anticipation and a renewed sense of community for Bob. He joined the riders for their weekend meet-ups, sharing stories and camaraderie over coffee. He even contributed gifts and volunteered his time to help gather toys for their charity drive.
On Christmas Eve, Bob woke up with a sense of purpose unlike any he had felt since retiring. He put on his riding gear, feeling the familiar thrill through him as he mounted His Road king. The motorcycle roared to life!
The ride through the snow-blanketed landscape was magical. Bob’s heart swelled with joy as he rode in the convoy of motorcycles through his town. Families lined the streets, waving and cheering as they watched the procession of riders spreading holiday cheer.
As they arrived at the community center, the outpouring of generosity from the community took his breath away. Toys, books, and warm clothes filled the area, destined for children who might otherwise go without that Christmas. Bob felt a sense of belonging he had missed for so long.
That night, surrounded by new friends and the laughter of children unwrapping presents, Bob realized he had discovered a new purpose in retirement. In reclaiming his passion for motorcycling, he had also rekindled the spirit of giving and community Ellen had always cherished…
Remember, It’s never too late to start planning for retirement.Time goes bye fast! There is not a one size fits all paint by the numbers solution. All of our situations are unique. You don’t need more money, you just need a better plan. After having the privilege to serve tens of thousands of people over the years I can attest to the statement “That money won’t make you happy! But riding a motorcycle will! “
My passion is to help bikers in life changing ways. Hence the reason I created www.BikerHelpingBikers.com
Call 833-467-2865 weekly
Money School 18 min. Webinars at IslandRetirementAdvisors.com
James Irwin, CSA, FRC SM Certified Senior Advisor® IslandRetirementAdvisors.com
James Irwin with old friend Brad Gillis of Night Ranger
Jamie Irwin with Spike at the Lightning game
MARCH 14-16 2025
RIDE APPALACHIA
We have some big news to share with all of our followers and readers this month as we bring in the new year with a Bang and some BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS we are dying to share with you as we celebrate a New Year and a whole new season to look forward to in 2025! Over the last 4 years we have been able to accomplish some incredible things since our start by bringing economic development through Motorcycle Tourism to Central Appalachia and it is all because of our Partners and Sponsors and of course our supportive Motorcycle Riding Community! Even after over 100,000 Miles of Driving and over 45,000 Miles of Riding across our Mountains and the U.S. to promote the “Last Unexplored Frontier on the East Coast” and our BOA Mobile Application, we would have never been able to accomplish what we have for our People without the support and assistance from those who believe in us and our mission and have from the start. This season we finally reached a number we have been working hard to gain since the beginning and a milestone we never thought possible especially on our small marketing budget and to say we are grateful to you all would be an understatement. Thanks to the support and efforts of everyone we work with in 2024 we were able to reach over 125 Million Riders through our Print Marketing and Social Media efforts allowing us to bring more Bikes to the Old Coal Belt than ever before and more help to our small forgotten coal towns across KY, TN, WV, and VA!
How many bikes visited us and rode with us on the Backroads of Appalachia in 2024 you might ask? Well we are glad you did and you already knew what was coming next and for us it is yet another milestone we have worked endlessly to achieve here with our small All Volunteer team. Over 75 Thousand Riders is the answer and that is just what we can verify and estimate! Now Riders are starting to find out about the “Best Riding in the U.S.! Period!” without the High Cost of Travel and with a level of acceptance everywhere you go here like no place you will ever vist and throw down on 2 Wheels! Riders are discovering what we have to offer them and what makes our People, Culture, Trail Routes, and of course our Mountains and Scenery so special here in Central Appalachia. This also means that many small towns that had no economy before now do and it is all because of the Riders who came to see us this season! Our goal has always been to “Bring the Bikes to Appalachia” and help our people prosper again and now we are finally on our way to seeing that happen!
What we do here has always been about our People and now our “Uniquely Appalachian Points of Interest” and our small businesses are finally starting to see the Bikes across our supporting States and we are now ready to take our Mission and Focus to the next level and bring even more Riders here on our journey to make our Region Number #1 if you Ride a Motorcycle! Now that we have given you our Gratitude and thanked you all for helping us help our people begin to prosper again let’s get to those BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS we promised you! First let’s start with a well deserved award from our Annual Christmas Party! Our Annual “Media Partner of the Year” Award goes to one of our Marketing Partners at the end of each season and is chosen by our staff and our Group here on the Bike Side! Now before we get
this out let me say that ALL of your Media and Marketing Partners go above and beyond for us each season and before we drop this first announcement we would like to thank Reasons to Ride Great Lakes, Reasons to Ride Appalachia, Cyclefish.com, and Bikers Info USA for everything you do for us and our Region and as you can tell by the numbers you read earlier and it is truly a team effort! In 2024 we truly reached the next level and this organization truly went above and beyond for us this Season to help us reach that 100+ Million Media Mark we have been chasing and they also have a lot to do with our visiting Riders from the Southeast Region each year. I am proud to say that Our first BIG ANNOUNCEMENT goes to our Media Partner of the Year 2024:
BORN TO RIDE TV and Magazine
Thank you Ron Galletti and Debra and all the Staff at Born to Ride for doing what you do with us here and for helping us “Bring the Bikes to Appalachia” from the beginning! Together we are truly making a difference for the People here in our Mountains! Respect Earned!
OK now let’s get to some more BIG NEWS moving into 2025 while we work to expand our efforts and throwdown some more great routes and rides for all our visitors next season and bring you even more to love here on the Backroads of Appalachia! As many of you may already know who have already visited us or have attended one of our events at home over the last 4 seasons then you may already know what is coming next as I have been evangelizing this GPS Enabled Motorcycle Application to everyone who visits us and have from the beginning. We have always recommended this App as the companion to our own as we used it for our rides and events here at the WCMG before we developed our own in-house BOA Mobile Application. As a matter of fact I used a lot of the feel and functionality of this application as a basis for our own! Now
before I give you the name let me explain to you why we have used this app from the start and still do! Here in our Mountains there are very few Map based applications that work effectively due to our lack of cell phone signal here in our mountains and trust me I have tested them all extensively. There is only one that works perfectly other than our own consistently and that application is REVER! As part of our ongoing relationship with our partners at REVER we are bringing you our most popular routes from our BOA Mobile Application with all the great functionality REVER provides that our own App cannot do to certain limitations and before next season begins we will have all of them up for you to enjoy! This will include all our “Uniquely Appalachian” POIs as well as all of our most popular and most requested Annual Rides rides such as THE IRON KY, The Miners, Shiners, and Heroes Ride, Our Lighting Strikes Twice Ride, Our All Aboard Ride, and a whole lot more! Many new custom rides will be released by us and our “All Volunteer” Group that we have never made public until now! Straight from our local Riders here in Appalachia who built the BOA Mobile APP and from our own experience hosting over 180+ events across our Region. Now you may be asking yourself where is all this great stuff and where can you find it? Well you’re in luck as we have already got started with our partners at REVER and we have already created the Backroads of Appalachia Community and you can find 10 of our popular routes from our Mobile App right now in REVER! Just download the REVER App and check it out in our new community now and stay tuned as we continue to add more content from our BOA Mobile App to REVER for you to enjoy and do not miss our article next month as our friends at REVER give us a special discount code for all our Riders who follow us out there! Now the next question is where can you find all those custom rides and routes we have created here at the WCMG that we give to
visiting Riders who come see us here each season at every event we do? Well that brings me to our last BIG ANNOUNCEMENT and one we have been waiting for for a long time now. When we first started our Group our focus was to bring motorcycle tourism to our home trails such as Copperhead Trail KY and Rattlesnake 192-Brake on the Snake. This is why I named our original group the Whitley County Motorcycle Group as that is where we started and that was our focus. After joining forces with BOA in 2021 our group quickly expanded our efforts across the Central Appalachian Region with BOA starting with our home state of KY! We developed and designed multiple routes in the BOA Mobile App in our home state and then into other States like West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee! Our target and goal has always been the most economically impacted small forgotten coal communities first and by the way, these areas also have the best Riding and Scenery you will ever experience and we have worked and ridden hard here in our group to bring you the absolute best we have to offer here in our neck of the woods. These roads have always been there and were built many years ago to reach these towns over these mountains and our mission has always been to let the world know it and bring Motorcycle Tourism to them bringing them new Hope and a new Economy to replace the Loss of Coal. As many of our Partners will tell you, we hold off on many things until we reach certain goals and milestones we have set forth for our people first and our commitment to them. Now that we have reached some of those initial goals it is time to bring the rest of our local riders together across our Region and take what we do to the next level making our totally unique group even better and bigger! There is only one group you can reach out to here in Central Appalachia for local information and assistance while you are visiting us and everyone can join us here and be part of it! If you are coming to visit us let us know and someone in our Group locally will ride with you! That is what we are here for! We already have Riders in our group from around the world and now that we have the foundation in place with all we have created with BOA, which was always our first priority, now it is time for our group and commitment to our people to expand here on the bike side of the house. For our last BIG ANNOUNCEMENT(BOA LIVE! Show Reference)I am proud to announce that next season our “All Volunteer” Motorcycle Group will become what we truly are now! It is my pleasure to announce that next season the name of our Group will become the “APPALACHIAN MOTORCYCLE GROUP”! We are Riders for our Region and we do it all absolutely free and always have as our goal has never been money or likes or followers or reach, it has always been about our people and proving to the world that we truly do have “The Best Riding in the U.S.! Period!” and everyone is welcome here. Look for our new community coming soon on REVER and all those Custom Rides we promised that we have developed including some new ones you won’t want to miss! Thank you all for helping us “Bring the Bikes to Appalachia” and economic development to our people here. We look forward to next season right here in the place we call home on the Backroads of Appalachia! You’all come and see us now ya here!
Let’s Ride Appalachia!
—Jay Fryman (FryDaddy) Founder, Whitley County Motorcycle Group Backroads
of Appalachia Journalism Team
NEW YEAR, NEW START, NEW HOPES, NEW DREAMS
Well, well, well! 2025 is finally here. I’m sure many of you are relieved that 2024 has come to an end. As the saying goes, “New Year, New Start. New Hopes, New Dreams.” We all have our own interpretations, but you get the idea. This year brings a lot of exciting new things to look forward to: new motorcycle events, beloved returning favorites, fresh content in Born to Ride, and opportunities to meet new friends. This is the year to let go of the old and embrace the new.
and work to restore our nation to one that the world will once again respect and admire. We have brilliant minds among us; it’s time to utilize them. Let’s move beyond our grievances and get back to work. We need to rise up and contribute to the positive changes necessary for us to be a strong and united people. Every American citizen deserves a roof over their heads and food on their
The new President is one of those changes. Regardless of personal opinions about him, he will be in the White House. With that in mind, it’s time to welcome the potential for new opportunities and prosperity for our country. Let’s put aside hate and division
tables. Rather than relying on handouts, we should extend a helping hand to empower our citizens to be self-reliant and independent from both the government and other countries. Refuse to be a laughing stock of weak cry babies that throw a tantrum at every little insignificant thing. Be proud. Part of pride comes from feeling
accomplished and knowing you had a productive day playing your chosen trade. Earn the respect you desire through your actions and achievements. Those who only demand respect are often the ones least deserving of it. It’s challenging to elevate yourself when you focus solely on your own shortcomings. Instead, hold your head high and show your worth through what you do. Support the goals of those around you. I’m not suggesting you give them money; rather, you’d be surprised at how far a few words of encouragement can go in helping someone achieve their aspirations. It’s important to cut off any negative influences in your life. It’s easier to go farther when you travel light, so if someone around you is consistently putting you down or being negative, it will hinder your progress.
Additionally, be realistic about your goals. Don’t wait for a lucky break like winning the lottery or holding out for a management position to achieve success. Instead, seize every opportunity that aligns with your plans. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s all worth considering.
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year; it will be what you make of it. Til next time
— Nefarious James American
A LOVE CONNECTION WE CAN ALL RELATE TO CRAIG & HUNNY
It’s always a super magical moment when you find that one true love that loves you unconditionally, loves your friends unconditionally, brings you unlimited amounts of happiness, and will hop on your bike to travel wherever you want to go without complaining.
This is a very special cover story for Born To Ride Magazine that I’m so honored to write! Many of you already know our cover story subjects today, and that would be Craig of Craig Paints Bikes and his amazing sidekick, Hunny!
I was so happy to have been able to spend some time talking with Craig. His passion and talent for painting bikes and restoring vintage gas tanks is remarkable. “I’ve been painting for 15 years, doing my work with local bike builders. In 2011, some of my work was shared with viewers of the Discovery Channel’s Velocity Show. On this show, Santiago Choppers built a café racer that I had the pleasure of painting.”
Craig decided to start his own painting business in 2008, changing gears from his successful talent as an electronic repair technician. “I repaired and trouble-shot VCRs, DVDs, camcorders, and the like. I could pretty much fix anything.”
There is absolutely no doubt that Craig is multi-faceted and talented in anything he touches. That also includes the inseparable relationship he has with his pit/healer sidekick, Hunny! What I enjoyed most when I started talking with Craig about Hunny is how his voice changed; his tone and way he spoke about Hunny was absolutely wrapped in love and compassion, his words laced with affection and happiness! Many people reading this article have met Ms. Hunny at events, at Craig’s shop, and most importantly, sitting on the back of Craig’s Harley! “I raised her like a child, she is a good citizen and doesn’t get in anyone’s way.” Hunny has a special endearing relationship where people feed off from her infinite amounts
of love and compassion. She’s very empathetic, and she knows how to read people. Like most, she loves the attention, and we love to give it back as well. “Hunny is a pit blue healer mix. The combination of these two breeds is very intelligent. I brought her into my life when she was 7 weeks old. At 11 years young today, she’s still very energetic, and when hanging out at the shop, she usually hangs out near the door in the parking area, always greeting everyone that comes to the shop.”
Criag’s success in the painting and tank restoration is mostly word of mouth. He also has a good social media presence, a great website, many positive reviews from his customers, and all the bike shops that work with him know him and recommend his talent for one’s painting needs.
When I asked Craig what his most memorable paint job was, hands down, he said, “The Discovery Channel café racer bike. I received a phone call from Santiago Choppers. He came to me with a proposition. He showed me an idea he had and said, ‘This is on the horizon with the Discovery Channel, and I want you to paint it. As a painter, you always want different looks and ideas from your previous work. You don’t want to get into the rut of doing the same things repeatedly.” Santiago Choppers was producing a new bike every 10 days and Craig had to come up with different designs every 10 days. The exposure on the Discovery Channel was a fantastic springboard for Craig and his talent. “With the Discovery Channel project, I had to stay within the parameters of what Santiago wanted for a paint
job for the TV show café racer bike. The frame was a beautiful glossy, clear coat, where you could clearly see the welds. The headlight bowl was painted candy red. The wheels took 40 hours to complete. They were color-matched to the candy-coated chrome, with checkerboard design.”
Craig’s painting business has evolved to gas tank restorations. Many older bikes have gas tanks that are rusted insides or leaks that need to be sealed. How did this new venture start? “In 2012, I had a bike we were going to put in a show in Atlanta. The bike’s gas tank had a major leak. I found an epoxy that dries in 24 hours. I needed to find an easier way to deal with these gas tanks where the repair of the gas tank would last a long time – preferably for the life of the bike. In between paint jobs, the tank restorations took a couple years to catch on. Advertising helped a lot – especially with Born To Ride Southeast.” Craig worked with many bike shops out of state. These shops were shipping tanks to him since he provided great results with a perfect product. “I know how to keep a tank from getting scratched up. There’s only one tank for your bike; the older the bike gets, the harder it is to get a gas tank specific to that bike. Sometimes you can’t save them because people don’t understand the liners inside the tanks. Latex paint is not a permanent solution.” Craig has a lifetime guarantee on all his tank work. He’s that confident with the product! He fixes the holes and paints the tanks back to the original paint job. He will cut a tank open to pull out the nasty, failed, latex liners. With his immense talent, you wouldn’t see the completed, new weld. Craig’s joy is finding a gas tank that is unique, and one-of-a-kind, needing his help.
In addition to his painting and gas tank restorations that you’ve just enjoyed reading about, Craig is also an avid motorcyclist, owning 5 different bikes. Two of his bikes have been given the “Hunny Seat of Approval” where Craig built and fabricated her own, private Hunny Seat on these two bikes! How did Craig get Hunny used to riding
behind her beloved dad? “I started Hunny’s motorcycle riding just a short 2 years ago. We would take quick trips to the gas station or a friend’s house. When I put her vest on, she knows it’s time to go!”
Craig and Hunny have taken trips around Tampa, Brooksville, and Sarasota. Craig added, “She really enjoys the scenery when we’re riding. She notices the fences and recognizes the cows (her healer instinct kicks in). When there are a lot of children around, Hunny will herd them together, with lots of love and playful joy!” For her birthday last year, Craig and 14 friends went to the local Yummy House. She gets her own seat, her own glass of water, birthday hats for everyone, and ending the evening with everyone singing happy birthday! People tell him all the time that she acts better than their kids! Craig said, “I keep trying to squeeze as much fun and great memories into her life as I possibly can.”
Hunny has met hundreds of people including the Mayor of Tampa, Paul Tuetel of Orange County Choppers, and her dear sweet friend, Bane The Suave Pitbull, that many of you know. Bane always wore a tie and sporty sunglasses. Sadly, Bane crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year.
Winding down this fantastic conversation, I asked Craig what he enjoyed the most with his innovative life. “I really enjoy being creative with different projects that come my way. I think that my excitement is working on a one-of-a-kind gas tank, with it being the only one available for a specific bike. Color-matching the paint to an original paint design is fun, keeping it old school and like new for the customer.”
Thank you, Craig, for sharing your unique and beautiful story with the readers of Born To Ride Magazine!
— Susan Hurst
Craven Moorehead
Angels are Real, Happy New Year
I had a yard sale this weekend. I put signs out on the main drag and the other streets to direct people in. Just before it got totally dark, I jumped into the old Dodge pickup to go retrieve the signs. I was at my 3rd stop (on RT 60 & Jerry Smith) when the truck ran out of gas. I’m standing in the turn lane realizing that I would have to walk back to the shop to get an empty gas can, and then walk back to the corner of Turkey Creek and 60 to get some fuel and then walk back to the truck. By this time it was dark. I swear to you, I could not believe what happens next. This isn’t Winslow Arizona – but a girl in a Ford Expedition rolls down her window at the stop sign and asks me “what’s wrong.” “I’m outta gas” I replied. So she says “Come on, I will give you a ride.” “Lemme see if I have my gas can.” After a short search, I realized that the can was not in my truck. Knowing that I had run out of luck, I just walked to the passenger side of this really nice truck and got in. Oh my God in heaven, I looked at her and she was absolutely beautiful!! Long blonde hair, perfectly dressed, hot body, and to top it all off she was within my wheel-house of maturity. I am really surprised that a woman of this stature and elegance would even stop and look at an old ‘scooter-trash’ looking dude like me much less actually wait around and piss people off at a busy intersection while I took the time to look for my gas can. But she did, and evidently she is very brave. After a short introduction and some small talk she asked me which gas station I wanted to go to – the RaceTrac or the Sunoco. So naturally I said, “RaceTrac.” She told me that after she picked up her friend on the other end of the road she would give me a ride back to the disabled hillbilly truck. She went out of her way to drop me off at the gas station, and I reminded her that she was truly an ‘Angel’ for giving me a ride. When I went inside the store, I searched for a gas can. Yeah, there was only one left. $12.99 plus tax which equals almost all I made in the last two days of the yard sale. But I was on a mission to get the truck back, knowing that the battery would be dead soon because I had left the parking lights on. Anyhow, when I get to the counter a girl that I’ve seen in my frequent visits to the store (which is also very cute and extremely nice) is wondering why I am buying a gas can. I asked “Do y’all rent these?” to which she replied – “No, they aren’t for rent.” But she would go check her car to see if she had one that I could borrow. This was yet another effort by someone to help me with a problem, with no expectation of recompense. She
returned and apologized, which was not necessary and I paid for the can and headed to the gas pumps after telling her the story of the beautiful angel that had given me a ride. “I saw her drop you off and I thought maybe she was your girlfriend or wife.” “I wish” is all I could say, and we both laughed.
I get a few dollars worth of gas and started hoofing it back down 60 toward the truck. A fellow in a pickup truck stops and says “Man, I heard the story about you running out of gas, and I actually saw that hot girl that dropped you off, so if you want me to, I will drive you back to your truck – just in case she doesn’t come back to get you.” I accepted the ride and the man even offered to hang for a minute just to make sure that I could get it started. I thanked him profusely and told him that I was very appreciative. We conversed about the ‘paying it forward’ thing just like the beautiful girl that brought me there did, and of course, I also told him that he was also an angel unaware.
I poured the gas in the tank leaving just a little to dump into the carburetor for good measure. After grinding the battery to the point of death, she finally fired up and as usual the old worn out hillbilly Dodge didn’t let me down. It’s been a very long road with me and that truck. I picked up my signs and went home.
This isn’t a fabrication or fantasy by any stretch of the imagination. This is a TRUE story that you should ALL take heed to. I don’t care if you believe in God or whatever deity it is that you worship. It’s none of my business. I can tell you this; there are good angels walking this earth, paying it forward every day that they live and breathe. Personally, I try to help people whenever I can, and I am not prophesizing or preaching here so don’t get the wrong idea. But do yourself one favor – help people if you can. Your reward may not come immediately, so have faith and push on. In the end, it doesn’t really matter, but you only take with you what you have put in. Here’s the kicker. That beautiful woman did come back to look for me, she slowed down, got into the turn lane and after seeing me pouring gas into the tank she just blew the horn and drove away. It is what it is, but I believe that you should take every opportunity that presents itself to you. Perhaps I should have been more patient and had a little more faith in humanity, but alas I did not. Sometimes it is hard to make the right decision based upon faith alone, but I did accomplish the mission and made it back home intact.
My agent called to get me booked for some gigs coming up in the near future. I told her this story. She may not be impressed, but she questioned me about why I didn’t get this girl’s phone number. I should have. I learn something every day and my faith in people has been restored to a great extent. Angels are everywhere regardless of your religion. …
Everything happens for a reason I suppose. But if anyone knows who this beautiful angel is, then let her know that she has a fan that would love to repay her in so many ways. Later that evening. … The woman somehow tracked me down. I was in my shop, working on an old computer when I saw a truck pull in. It was her! I went over to the window and she, in a sweet as sugar voice asked me if I would mind checking on what the strange ticking sound in the motor was. I of course obliged and after she opened the hood, I began examining the motor. The truck was so tall that I had to sort of get up on the front tire and lean under the hood. I had only been under there for about 20 seconds when something moving behind me startled me and I glanced over to see her standing behind me. All of a sudden, she began pulling on my leg, just like I’m pulling yours!
Maximizing Fun for Motorcycle Enthusiasts: The Perils of Comparing Others
Our motorcycle culture thrives on individuality, camaraderie, and the shared thrill of the open road. Yet, there’s a subtle, destructive habit many riders fall into: comparing themselves or their rides to others. While admiration and friendly competition can spark motivation, constant comparisons often dim the joy that motorcycles bring.
Imagine your bike as a crystal. When held to the light, it reflects your unique personality. It might be a sleek street machine or a rugged adventure bike, but it’s yours—tuned to fit your life and tastes. When you focus on how someone else’s ride is flashier, faster, or more expensive, you risk dulling your
appreciation for the machine under you. Human connections can be just as fragile. The relationships we build in the motorcycle community—whether with riding buddies, club members, or a partner sharing the passion—are like that crystal. If we overlook the qualities that first drew us to these people, the bond can weaken. Neglecting to celebrate what makes them special can lead to feelings of inadequacy, resentment, or distance.
Rather than comparing, embrace the diversity that makes motorcycle culture so rich. Appreciate the scrappy café racer builder, the weekend cruiser, and the long-haul tourer equally. Recognize that
“Our motorcycle culture thrives on individuality, camaraderie, and the shared thrill of the open road.”
everyone’s journey is different. Ride for the freedom, the wind in your face, and the joy of shared experiences—not to measure up against someone else’s dream. Before your next ride, take a moment to reflect: Whose presence do you appreciate? Whose unique qualities make your riding life richer? Strengthen those bonds, both with people and machines, and you’ll find the true joy of motorcycling: freedom, connection, and fun. Ride On!
Be Good, Be Well, and Ride Safe
—Dave “Letterfly” Knoderer
Ray V. Gordon is The Owner & Founder of Leather Lid Inserts, an established Leather Saddlebag Accessory business based in southwest Florida. They’ve 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 yrs 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 Ft. Myers FL, Ray sold the business so he could retire (he thought) and bought himself a new Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. Just like everyone else with leather saddlebags,
his also started to sag and cave in. He saw a need to fix this problem. Ray says, starting this new business was something he just fell into by fixing his own saddlebags and then behold, friends of friends and others witnessed what Ray did and wanted him 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 ABS lid and bag reinforcement kit that would be 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 and/or if they are starting to lose their shape and their parts, or if you have brand new bags and you want to prevent them from ever caving in, please keep Leather Lid Inserts in mind. For all your leather saddlebag accessory needs as a do-it-yourselfer or if you want them to install, visit www.LeatherLidInsert.com and order your DIY Kit or Find an area Dealer Installer.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A DEALER INSTALLER CONTACT RAY AT 239-339-7294 OR RAY@LEATHERLIDINSERTS.COM RIDE SAFE!
Leather Lid Inserts 18160 Old Bayshore Road N. Fort Myers, FL 33917
He’s a Biker, an Artist, a Potter and He May Be a Philosopher, Too
One of the best parts of my work for the last 30 years has been the people I have met and worked with. I have shot interviews with world leaders as well as icons of the music, film and sports industries. For the most part, these shoots are fun and every once and a while they’re exciting. But many times it’s the person I don’t know beforehand that will leave the biggest impression on me. Meeting fellow biker, David Meaders is one of those times. Now to hear David speak about himself, he’s just a “rednecked hillbilly” who would just like to “live up to his reputation as the second laziest man in this part of the country.” But he is also one of the last of his kind, especially here in Georgia. His family has been making pottery since his great-granddaddy built their first fire kiln in 1892.
I visited with David on a warm north Georgia afternoon and the first thing I see is four horses, I mean four dogs challenging Stuart and me as we rode up the gravel driveway to his home and potting studio. Nestled in a little wooded cove with a pasture across the drive, David lives and works on his grandmother’s old homestead with four British mastiffs—and recently he had a temporary addition to his family with five little pups. There are old pottery jugs sitting on top of the fence posts that surround his home. His Harley-Davidson Wide Glide sits outside his studio door, while Leroy, Sabra, Brutus
and Number Five warn us to wait until David says it’s alright to come inside the fence. He comes out of his studio with a grin on his face and a hand in the air to greet us.
The first time David remembers getting on a motorbike he was nine years old, “First time I got skint was about 1960, I believe about everybody’s been skint by a mini-bike, most dangerous machine ever made, most fun I ever had.” Since then he’s ridden everything from Bultacco to Norton to Triumph to Harley. His ride now is a ’02 Harley-Davidson Wide Glide with a dropped down front end and several other modifications, which basically make it a “hot rod.” He used to take it to the drag strip and consistently ran around 13.10 seconds in the quarter mile, which is somewhere around 107 mph. David’s wife of 32 years, Anita, passed away in July of 2002. “Hospice came in to be with his father two days after Nita’s passing” and 31 days later he passed away as well. David never had time to grieve the loss of his wife because he had to take care of his father. “I didn’t realize how tired I was physically, mentally, and emotionally until after that was all over with.” Shortly afterwards he bought the Wide Glide and without it “I probably wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today.” Riding that Harley “gets me out of my head, totally and completely.”
Sometimes David will throw a leg over his bike late at night or early in the morning and ride his favorite road, the Richard B. Russell Parkway. “My favorite time to go up there is when the moon is full and there’s no clouds. Nobody around you, there’s no traffic. See you can run 20 mile an hour if you want to or you can run 50 mile an hour.” To David life is precious but simple, “Life to me is making a little pottery, riding that Harley and chasing those fair haired petite women.”
David is the nephew of Lanier Meaders, who is probably the most famous folk potter in the US. The Meaders family history of potting began in 1892 when David’s great grandfather John Milton Meaders and his sons built their first log shop and fire kiln in White County, Georgia. As early as the 1830s, as many as 70 potters were operating within a four mile radius of Mossy Creek in White County. Storage jars for food, pitchers, bowls and cups as well churns were all coming out of this small north Georgia region. John Milton hired some of these local potters and in turn they taught his sons how to pot. It wasn’t considered a folk art then, these were necessities of life. In 1967 the Smithsonian Institute came to White County to shoot a documentary on the old way of making pottery and (David’s GF) was going to be one of the subjects, but he became ill and his uncle Lanier stepped in to do the job. One of the most well known styles of folk pottery is the face jug, and David is keeping the art form alive, but he likes to call his jugs “Goober Heads.”
The face jug evolved over the years into also being called the ugly jug. It is said that some people would store their alcohol in them and wanted to be sure to keep the children away. So by the 1920s they were making them even uglier to maybe frighten the children or at the very least be able to warn them off.
David says, “There has been a Meaders continuously, from the day they started (in 1892) until today making pottery.” And he is still doing it the old way. He gets his own clay from Georgia creek sides, makes his own glaze, mixes and hand turns the clay and fires it in his old brick kiln. Many people have asked him if there’s any difference in how he and his grandfather potted, and “I say yeah, I got a chainsaw and electric lights.”
For me the only bad part about my afternoon with David is when I have to wrap up what I’m doing, strap everything back on my Road King and say goodbye. But I always want to ask for one parting thought, one life philosophy you might say. With David it came easy, “Get up every morning and see what happens, I mean that’s it. What can you do about it? I have no control over nothing, the only thing I have any control over is my attitude. You leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone. Don’t kick your dog, don’t hit women, and sure don’t hit kids.”
Eric Albright
For
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Biker “Exploitation” is a term coined by producers, actors, and ultimately YOU the viewer. Not all biker films are actually geared at the (exploitation) or in other words, the “bad” angle of the biker lifestyle. Some of these actually “miss the target” and simply feature the motorcycle as secondary component to the plot. However, in literally every film involving bikers or the biker ‘lifestyle’, one thing you, as a viewer can count on is the presence of the Police. Electra Glide in Blue has the unique twist of actually using story of a motorcycle cop as the baseline.
In this film, Blake plays a motor officer named John Wintergreen. His character is not really into being a ‘traffic cop’ as he has aspired to become a homicide detective. In my opinion, if you had to be a cop, what better job than cruising around on your departmentally funded Harley? But hey, this review isn’t about me, it’s about the film!! Back to the chase, and no code-4!
John Wintergreen patrols the rural Arizona highways with his partner “Zipper.” Wintergreen is laid-back but upright about enforcing the law, while Zipper is predominately lazy. Zipper likes busting Hippies (remember them?) even going so far as to plant evidence on a young ‘hippie’ during a search of his van. Wintergreen again proves to be the polar opposite of his partner Zipper, as he continuously states how much he hates riding his motorcycle, and Zipper’s only real dream is to own his own motorcycle. Zip spends a lot of time reading comic books, and eating junk food while John takes his job seriously. One
MOVIE REVIEW
of the things about Wintergreen that is out of place in this film is (in one scene) he is firing his pistol at an “Easy Rider” poster in the police firing range. … It gets worse! Crazy Willie, an older local – perhaps homeless- person comes in contact with John and Zip near an old shack in the desert. They almost playfully chase Willie on their bikes and finally capture him. He tells John about his friend Frank who had committed suicide in the shack. John goes to the shack and discovers the body and believes the case is not a suicide, but a murder. The coroner later arrives and disagrees with John who was feverishly taking notes. After a shouting match with the coroner, in walks Detective Harve Poole, who admires Wintergreen’s savvy, and arranges for Wintergreen to be transferred to homicide as his ‘driver’ to help with the case. Harve and John return to the shack and find a large statue of Jesus, which is full of “Reds” and as the investigation continues, John and Harve interrogate a group of hippies, looking for a drug dealer named Bob Zemko. The theme of good cop – bad cop comes into play as Harve roughs some of the hippies up after John had nicely questioned them. John’s initial joy at being promoted is short-lived, as his relationship with Harve deteriorates after he finds out that John has been sleeping with ‘Jolene” (Harve’s girlfriend) and the waitress at the local bar. But when Jolene mocks Harve’s sexual prowess (implying that Harve is impotent) and brags that Wintergreen can “go three times in one morning” things just go downhill for our hero and he is demoted back to traffic. After a wild motorcycle and car chase the pair capture and question Zemko. More good cop - bad cop scenes cause Wintergreen to eventually realize that Crazy Willie committed the murder; the victim was an old friend of his who had taken to selling the drugs and hanging around with a younger crowd. Jealous, Willie had murdered his friend and arranged it so it appeared to be a suicide. As usual there is some stolen money, and the search for this money is when Wintergreen discovers another terrible fact: Zipper’s dream was to own his own motorcycle, and had stolen the dead man’s drug money (initially blamed on Zemko) to pay for it. At Zippers trailer in the desert, the movie’s theme is uncovered when zipper shows John the “Electra Glide in Blue” sitting in the yard. Later, Zipper is drunk and begins firing his gun at Wintergreen, missing him but striking a random passer-by. Wintergreen then shoots Zipper in self-defense, and Zipper dies in his arms. Back in the desert on patrol, Wintergreen spots the same van that was featured earlier in the film, and he pulls it over. He recognizes one of the hippies as the very same one that Zip had planted the drugs on in the beginning of the film, and decides to let them go. They take off down the highway, but Wintergreen realizes that he still has the hippie’s Driver license in his hand. As he tries once again to pull the van over to return the license, the passenger opens the rear window and fires a shotgun killing Wintergreen. It’s a very sad ending to a really weird flick! For me, this is where the whole deal goes bad. The movie is loaded with plagiarism of the iconic film “Easy Rider.” Yeah, I believe that “Electra Glide in Blue” truly is a ‘cult-classic’ sort of piece, but the constant blasts from Easy Rider kinda turned me off.
BORN TO RIDE Magazine
Ron
813 785 3895 rg@borntoride.com
dgalletti@borntoride.com
Erick
TO A BETTER AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
Well, we made it my BTR friends. It’s a new year to forget about the past year. We’re off to a better and more prosperous 2025.
Don’t get me wrong last year was great until two hurricanes changed our lives, changed the present, changed the way we will think and do things this upcoming year.
Mike breaks in, “Spyke like you, I’m ready to bring in 2025 and I know what you’re doing. It’s January and you’re leading up to what you’d like to laugh at, make jokes about and generally put me down, my New Year’s resolutions. Well yes, this year like all years past I have many and hopefully will adhere to a few. I believe you have the same for me.
Before we get started, I want to praise you for being so festive this past Christmas season. You went from being the very merry kiss bird with the adults to being Santas little helper and making all the little kids smile and believe! You even held up one of your resolutions from last year. You made at least one person smile and say; Spyke, you made my day! At least once a day and that made my heart happy. So let’s see if you can top that this year.”I squawk, “You know Mike that’s going to be a hard target to hit.
But I’ll shoot my best birdshot! First, I must give you praise and thanks for respecting my wishes and making it happen. I couldn’t have done it without a daddy like you! Now we’ve gotten the cheesy part out of the way let’s get on to your ill-faded resolutions.
I just have to let you know the odds are stacked against you. 23% of people failed their resolutions by the end of the first week and 43% failed by the end of January.”
Mike replies, “OK my little buddy. Thanks for the encouraging words. So, my first one is:
Turning 2025 resolutions into a reality, one resolution at a time.”
I cackle, “Oh no my repeat offender, you start with this one every year. I know that is your goal but it’s always the first one you blow! How about picking just one and not becoming a statistic”
Mike returns, “I’m going to lose the weight I put on in 2024. But in my defense, I had a lot on my plate last year and never found a more accurate scale!”
I chirp, “I have your solution. It’s called the ‘push’ theory. You just push yourself away from the table, resolution kept!”
Mike returns, “well then, I have to push away from the deli meat counter, but it will be hard to quit cold turkey.”
I squawk loudly, “don’t use my cousins name in vain! You butchered and served him up on Thanksgiving.”
Mike blurts out, “Sorry my little buddy, all puns intended. This year, I’m gonna stop procrastinating and buy a cheap hairpiece for my bald spot. Eventually, it will be a small price toupee.”
I tweet, “Well there’s two more resolutions that I don’t think will make it to the end of January, try again.”
“Mike retorts, “I’m going to clean all the mirrors in the house. Honestly, I could really see myself doing that and searching the house for my favorite watch I lost last year. I just hope I can find the time.”
I scream, “Dude, well if you didn’t throw the clock out the window and try to see if time flies, you’d be ahead of the game.”
Mike babbles, “Speaking of throwing, I’m going to relearn how to throw a boomerang and hope it comes back to me instead of going through the front window. Man, that was a pane to replace!”
I toot, “Mike the only thing you’re good at is throwing up!”
Mike comes back, “Well, that won’t be happening. I gave up drinking for the new year.”
I cackle, “No my falsified father. I believe you meant to say: I gave up. Drinking for the new year!”
Mike replies, “OK my funky colored chicken. I’m done with you picking me and my resolutions apart. Let’s hear yours.”
I cackle, “Alright my ding-dong daddy. First and foremost, I’m giving up cats. They taste too much like chicken. Next, I’m going to chirp, squawk and screech more. I’m done with you telling people that I’m a human trapped in a bird’s body. Last I’m going to fly more and ride less. I’m tired of you saying that you’re my Uber driver and I have an unpaid bill. Lastly but not least, It’s time to settle the ultimate question. I’m calling DoorDash for a chicken and GrubHub for an egg just to see which one comes first!
This one is for all my avid readers and especially you, Mike. Before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, be sure to lift your left leg. That way y’all will start off the new year on the right foot!”
Mike laughs, “OK, my funny feathered friend. Wrap up the story because both of us need a little wind therapy. I’m going to pull the scoot out of the garage. I need to plop your talons on my shoulder, get those wings in the wind, my two knees under the triple trees and the Fat Bird 3 wheels rolling down the road, blowing out 2024!”
— SPYKE
CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION
Nightfall has come. It is a new moon. There are still several more miles to go. A lone bike rides full throttle ahead. Does that sound like the beginning of a bad story?
We have all had to ride in pitch black on our own. Some scenarios after sun down riding may include rain, other reckless vehicles, being tired, to name a few. Before sunrise, we may have heard stories of accidents when the rider was alone. Riding with others is always a better option. The more bikes the more lights. The more lights, the better are the chances that we are seen and given our right of way. Sometimes our circumstances require that we make that trip alone but when we can, we try to ride together in groups. There is more safety in numbers. Safety is always of paramount importance.
We are in the midst of the winter months. There seems to be more night hours than daytime during this New Years season. Riding in general can come with its own unique challenges. There is a verse in the Bible that reminds me of the importance of being with others not with just our rides but, throughout our lives. Let us read together Ecclesiastes 4:12 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triplebraided cord is not easily broken.” As a military veteran, this passage resonates with me. There are many areas in my life when circumstances just go better when I am with someone else. Someone who can stand back to back with me.
Each person that I surround myself with, brings with them a skill set that helps me in my life. We stand back to back or together in unity to conquer the challenges we have in our lives. You may have heard the saying “Teamwork makes the dream work”. The verse that I really like about teamwork is Ephesians 4:16 “He (God) makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Can I tell you that being together, working together, protecting one another is the design that God has put into place for each of us.
Teach’s Takeaway,
- Life is more difficult and danger can increase when alone
- It is by God’s design to help one another and work together for the good of each individual.
- We are to bring our God given talents into the body to help each other grow.
Riding alone is sometimes dangerous. Riding together brings about a certain amount of protection. Together we pool our talents and abilities which makes the entire group function better and grow. Allow God to use you to allow the entire body to grow. Ride together, ride safe and ride on.
PHOTOS
