JUN 2022 #112
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Contents
JUNE ISSUE 112
FEATURES
Honor Their Courage and Sacrifice Band of Generations Happy Father’s Day Born To Ride Dads John Shopes Dirty Bird Concepts Bill Hall Kentucky Riding Treasures
COLUMNS
13
6 9 13 19 30
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Nefarious James Craven Moorehead CMA
DEPARTMENTS
Contents Page Letter From The Editor Dave Nichols Ride Safe Ride Smart Movie Review-Hell Ride BTR Kids-Special Tribute
REPORTS
ON THE COVER
27 37 40
2 4 8 33 40
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Cave Spring Georgia Ride Destination Generation to Generation
06
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23 28
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John Shopes Dirty Bird Concepts Dirtytail Super Surprise Info: 623.465.5263 Photo: John Covington Model: Chelsea Skinner
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BORN TO RIDE Magazine
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Letter from the Editor
DAVE NICHOLS
FROM THE HELM
EDITOR
Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com
ART DIRECTOR
Peter Soutullo art@borntoride.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erick Runyon
ART DEPARTMENT
Juan Guzman, Jared Hartman, Erick Runyon , Peter Soutullo, Craig Miller, Beatnik Steve Werner art@borntoride.com
WEB DESIGN/ELECTRONIC MEDIA Juan Guzman
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Nancy Ray nray@borntoride.com
MULTI-MEDIA SPECIALIST
CELEBRATING DAD! HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! This month we are celebrating Father’s Day and honoring dads in all forms. We’re talking about biological dads to be sure but also father figures; those who do so much to enhance people’s lives. One such Big Daddy is John Shope of Dirty Bird Concepts in Arizona. Read about how he changed one employee’s life forever in these pages. John’s amazing Dirty Tail is our cover bike this month. See how his generosity changes the lives of his employees and all who know him.
Jared Hartman, Craig Miller Jasper Harris
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JP Brady, Neale Bayly, Susan Hurst, Spyke & Mike, Eric Albright, Eric Vician, Myra McElhaney, Paul Murray, James Gladstone Greg Blackwell, Felicia Morgan, John Sullivan
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We are also celebrating stepdads, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. All those men in people’s lives who step forward and do the right thing day after day for their family, extended families and for our great country. Here’s to the men in our lives who set a positive example. Speaking of, we will feature a story of Ron Galletti’s Uncle Gee Fidel (Ron’s dad’s father figure) who fought in World War II, flying B-17s. It’s a tale of courage and sacrifice you won’t want to miss. Then there’s the bond of generations. Check out the story about a father and
son “wall of death” duo who risk their lives to bring thrills and smiles to eager crowds wherever they perform. And that’s not all. This special Father’s Day issue will also showcase biker dads out there with photos of dads and their kids at biker events from coast to coast. Then there’s a heartfelt Generation to Generation poem from France by legendary bike builder Alan Bernard’s family. The jazzed up June issue of Born To Ride is packed to the seams with fun features and emotional tributes to all the fathers out there. Plus, check out a movie review of Hell Ride, get the latest rant from Nefarious James, look back with the words of Craven Moorehead, and more. Speaking of awesome events, Born To Ride’s Great American Biker Bash is coming this Sunday, August 21st. Watch for details and a major band announcement right here in the magazine that keeps on giving.
Don’t forget to join our BTR Facebook group and if you have a biker-friendly business, support Born To Ride by advertising to those who ride. Lastly, here’s to our own father figure, the original nasty savage, Ron Galletti, father to his own two wonderful kids and dad to all of us here at the Born To Ride family. Here’s to you, Ron! Now, let’s get out there and ride!
— Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com
HONORING THEIR COURAGE A June is here and let’s not forget Dad. Father’s Day is a day honoring fathers, celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It compliments Mother’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s reading this ad and Happy Father’s Day to all the mother’s reading this if you are a sole parent, mom and a dad of the family. Grandfathers, step-dads, uncles, brothers and sisters, you all deserve to be noted for what you do to be a figure in a child’s life. If dads not there someone who steps in as a fatherly figure. As the originator we have only one father but it’s up to life to keep it all together, life, family, growing up in a household that’s strong and loving. Happy Father’s Day to my dad! A Marine and NYC Police Officer for 28 years. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me in my life. I admire you for who you are and how you always provided for the family. I love the way you loved your grandchildren and I’m proud they loved you back! To anyone reading this, call your dad and tell him Happy Father’s Day. If you’re not speaking, now is the time to start speaking to your father again.
In Loving Memory Albert Galletti April 10-1928 October 9-2016
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My Uncle “Gee” was my dad’s father figure in his life for many years because his father worked many hours. He came from Italy and worked with marble but then later became ill and couldn’t do much with my dad. That’s when Uncle “Gee” stepped in and helped my dad in life as a father figure. So in this month of June, as a special Father’s Day tribute, we would like to honor my Uncle “Gee” Fidel Galletti who was a real WWII war hero pilot who flew B-17s. Most of all, he was my dad’s hero. This story is courtesy of The 390th Memorial Museum and my cousin, Marie Galletti Mitchell. Ron Galletti As Marie Galletti Mitchell and I corresponded regarding her story in the Sq. J, I found myself reflecting on how I enjoy talking with and writing to our descendants. They are special people … people who realize the importance of what our 390th did during WWII. Allow me to quote from one of Marie’s letters: “What a group of good-looking, virile young men in Dad’s crew! Dad is first on the left in the front row. Laverne Dillow was killed in action. What a waste of life it was for him to have died so young! When Dillow went missing, his mother wrote to my mother to ask for news of her son. My mother has kept that letter in her wartime scrapbook ever since. Now that I’ve gotten older (age 61), I realize how many years and how many of life’s chapters young men like Dillow have missed. So true…and today we honor those living and we memorialize those who have passed on to their reward. Heroes all ... and we hope that this story adds yet another chapter to their lives … let it be so!
THE WARSAW AIRDROP OF 1944
On September 1, 1939, Nazi tanks rolled into Poland and started World War II. By September 18, 1944, the Polish resistance, which had bravely fought Hitler’s military might for five long years, was trapped in Warsaw with food, ammunition and other supplies running dangerously low. The Poles called upon the Allies to provide supplies by airdrop. The Allies agreed, and airmen of the 390th, along with the 95th and 100th, were called upon to replenish the patriots of Warsaw with the supplies they desperately needed. There was a catch, however. Warsaw is situated west of the Vistula River from Russia, and the Soviets had an unstated plan: Joseph Stalin wanted to weaken Poland in order that Russia could add this formerly sovereign nation to its empire once WWII was over. So while Stalin orally agreed to the Polish Airdrop, he kept delaying it by refusing to allow Allied planes to land on Soviet soil. (At that time, B-17s could not carry enough fuel to fly from England to Poland round trip.) Meanwhile, the Poles were getting weaker, and thousands died fighting Nazi soldiers on the streets of Warsaw. Finally, in September
1944, Stalin relented, giving the Allies permission to land about one hundred B-17s at some makeshift airfields in Russia. On September 18, 1944, my father, First Lieutenant Fidel Galletti, along with his crew of eight men, climbed into their Flying Fortress to complete their 23rd mission of WWII. These airmen would fly for 10 hours that day to provide the Poles with the supplies they desperately needed. My father’s log for that day reads, “We were to drop supplies to the Polish partisans holding parts of the city. Load was 10 containers and 2,800 gallons topped off. Bombing altitude was to be 14,000 feet. We ran into weather about 50 miles west of target and did several 360s trying to get over it. Colonel Tuesdale [command pilot of the lead plane] gave up trying to get on top and decided to go under as the base of clouds was at 12,000 feet. We got to the IP [Initial Point] and started on the run when fighters hit us. We were flying 565 #2 in the high of the high and out of position as they hit us. They came out of the clouds, and the tail, waist and ball opened up on them. Nine of them attacked from six o’clock level, and Rogers [tailgunner] had the best shot at them. He got the fourth coming in. Two 20 mm shells hit in the cockpit alongside of Spencer [co-pilot], and the oxygen started burning.” Behind the pilot and co-pilot were two oxygen tanks. Flak from the German ammunition pierced both tanks, setting the highly volatile gas into a blaze which quickly spread throughout the cabin. The co-pilot, William Spencer, found himself sitting next to a three-foot hole in the side of the plane, with oxygen burning all around him. His only option was to jump from his seat, through the hatch and into the nose. Before he leapt from the cockpit, he used the interphone to order the crew to bail out. At the same time, my father pulled away from the formation so that his plane, if it went out of control, would not bring down any other B-17s. He then set up the autopilot and hit the alarm bell. Both my father and the co-pilot were unaware that the fire had eaten through the communication lines, rendering it impossible for the crew to hear the orders to bail out of the crippled aircraft. Meanwhile, the interior of the airplane continued to burn, and the plane was filling with smoke. The airmen, while still able to breathe through oxygen masks, were unable to see through the dense smoke. The crew would have to act quickly if they were to save their lives and those of the Polish people they had flown so far to help. Top Turret Gunner Eduard H. Daly, reacting quickly to a five-foot hole and a fire in the waist of the plane,
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AND SACRIFICE, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
Pilot-Fidel Galletti grabbed a fire extinguisher, put out the fire in the rear of the cockpit, then passed the fire extinguisher to my father. My father worked on putting out the fire up front, all the while knowing that if any flak were to nick the nearby primer fuel line, the plane would explode. The primer, next to the punctured oxygen tanks, was constantly charged with gasoline. Whenever fighter planes and ground antiaircraft artillery hit a plane, shrapnel can boomerang around inside the aircraft and hit anything or anybody in it, including, of course, the primer line. Fortunately, once the fires were extinguished, the worst was over. The primer was never nicked, and no one but the pilot sustained even minor wounds. However, danger still threatened the aircraft and its crew. The right tail elevator, necessary to stabilize the aircraft, had been almost torn off, and the cables to the tail section were nearly severed. One of the duties of a pilot is to keep his plane stable, but the damaged tail elevator pulled against my father, physically moving him back and forth as he tried to control the aircraft. In effect, the damaged tail was working against him for control of the plane. In addition, my father was concerned that the torn tail cables, which had been shredded into wires, would get caught in the pulleys through which they threaded on their way from the control stick to the tail. Fortunately, this was not the case and finally, almost miraculously, after what must have seemed like hours of German attack, the Flying Fortress set down as scheduled on an improvised landing field in Mirograd, Russia. In spite of fire and the damage to the plane, bombardier Harry Evje had been able to drop the supplies on target, thus fulfilling mission #23 of my father’s crew: to assist the Polish dissidents in resisting the Nazi army. In August 2005, a CNN documentary, “Warsaw Rising,” filmed from Warsaw during the airdrop, shows the B-17s approaching the city. They looked so heroic as they flew in to the rescue! In the words of narrator David Ensor,
“Suddenly, in the sky – a miracle!” In the same documentary, Nina Januszowska Thiessen, a Polish underground courier, recalls of the airdrop: That was the most wonderful picture, when the American planes came. They were very, very high, so you didn’t see anything; you just heard the mmmm [sounds] of the heavy bombers. Then, all of a sudden, there was –like flowers. The parachutes were multi-colored, you know. And those multicolored flowers brought hope that Warsaw would live another day. Over 2,500 years ago, Herodutus, “The Father of Western History,” declared that the purpose of written history was to memorialize glorious deeds. The Polish Airdrop of 1944 is one of modern history’s glorious deeds. America can be proud that the crew of B-17 #565, along with hundreds of other young American airmen, bravely risked their lives to take part in this gallant operation.
Happy Father’s Day to all the Fathers who are Born To Ride!
Galletti Crew #95 Pilot – Fidel Galletti Co-pilot – William Spencer Top Turret – Eduard H. Daly Radioman – John Dudar R. Waist Gunner – Franklin Mesmer L. Waist Gunner – Laverne Dillow Ball Gunner – Virgil Burton Tail Gunner – Arthur K. Rogers Bombardier – Harry Evje Navigator – John J. Vitou
Terry Longpre
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You should be especially aware at intersections, where other vehicles can cross your path of travel. There are many things to scan for, including traffic devices, road surfaces, and the traffic and pedestrians around you. In a slow, tight turn, such as turning around in a parking lot, it helps to counterweight by leaning in the opposite direction of the motorcycle and direction of the turn. Put pressure on the outside footrest. Info: www.msf-usa.org
Story by Tom Rose | Photos by Tom Rose and Ives Brothers
The Ives Brothers ride the wall
Shawn Ives and his two sons, 26-year-old Kile and 29-year-old Cody, are keeping two-wheeled history alive with their Ives Brothers Wall of Death. Creating a bond of generations, a father figure is so important in developing a family business and this particular family has a trust and belief in each other that will last them all their lives.
Wall of Death setup in Eustis
This amazing story began many years ago when Shawn was a stunt rider in the Globe of Death, a spherical cage in which riders loop-the-loop and perform all kinds of mind-blowing stunts. The two boys joined their dad in the globe and then moved on to the Wall of Death about six years ago. BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 9
The Ives family travel together eight months out of the year, crossing the country, setting up the Wall, performing, tearing down and moving on to the next show. Dad serves as the announcer for the show and the brothers ride the Wall. Part of their show consists of both brothers on the Wall at the same time. This requires the utmost in precision timing and focus. It is so dangerous that many Wall of Death shows do not even attempt duel riders. Visiting the Ives Brothers Wall of Death at the Eustis Spring Bike Rally & Music Festival, I felt a bit like Kurt Vonnegut’s
character, Billy Pilgrim in the novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Like Billy, I felt unstuck in time (Billy, uncontrollably, moved back and forth from his past as a soldier in WWII to the present). Yes, I was at the Eustis Spring Festival, April, 2021, but attending the Ives Brothers’ motorcycle thrill show, I could have been at a county fair in 1921. Vintage motorcycles, a huge hand-built wooden barrel, and daredevil riders defying gravity with tricks and stunts on the wall! It’s a great experience, and these death-defying walls of Death have been around for over 100 years.
Cody Ives, ready to ride the Wall
The Wall of Death has its origin in the board track motorcycle races of the early 1900’s. A type of racing that was so dangerous and deadly for both participants and spectators that it was eventually outlawed. The sport evolved into the Wall of Death thrill shows that were extremely popular at fairs, circuses and festivals. The Wall is a cylinder constructed of wooden slats some 25 feet high and 30 feet in diameter. Spectators view the show, looking down from the top. Once upon a time, more than 100 Walls of Death arenas performed across the county, but now the Ives Brothers are Inside the Wall of Death
"This requires the utmost in precision timing & focus..It is so dangerous that many wall of death shows do not attempt duel riders. "
one of only four remaining. There is little difference in the shows of today and those back in the early years. There is nothing quite like the Wall of Death Show… you have to experience it. It will scare you, thrill you, excite you and amaze you. As the bikes roar around in the barrel, the structure itself vibrates as if it is about to explode. You’ll expect the riders to lose control and crash over the BTR 10 | BORNTORIDE.COM
top into the spectators.
I’ve seen a number of Wall of Death shows going back to my first one at the Duval County Fair in Jacksonville, Florida in 1946. The Ives Brothers Show is as good as it gets. The legacy and tradition is alive and in good hands with these father and sons daredevil performers. This is far more than just a carnival act. And the brothers are not just stunt riders, they
are skilled motorcyclists and racers. Like I said, you have to see it to believe it.
Born To Ride is proud to celebrate Father’s Day with this inspiring story of a dad and his boys, keeping an important part of motorcycle history alive and kickin’! Learn more about the Ives Brothers at their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ivesbrothers
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY BORN TO RIDE DADS!
Dad: a son’s first hero, a daughter’s first love. Happy Father’s Day!
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Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.
My father was an amazing man, the older I got the smarter he got. -Mark Twain
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SE I R P R U S R E P U S S E V GI S S O B T S E B S D L R O W Hot on the heels of his success at creating oneof-a-kind custom baggers at Dirty Bird Concepts in Phoenix, Arizona, motorcycle mastermind John Shope came up with the next great idea: the Dirtytail. These Softail-based customs not only look incredible, they do the one thing that no stock Softail has ever done, namely, offer decent handling. “These bikes are something I’m very proud of,” John says. “They are comfortable and handle really well.” The Dirtytails can convert the entire Softail line, From Evos to M-8’s, into the motorcycle of your dreams. And they can be designed in a variety of looks, from lowriders that are a nod to the Cholo bikes seen in East L.A., to pavement pounding racers, to wide tire moto-mavericks, even to old school chop jobs with panhead covers and spoked wheels. All marry the love of Shovelhead FLH bikes that included rear shocks rather than a Softail swingarm for a low, lean look. And did we mention they ride and handle great? With over a million Softails on the road today, John Shope has the answer for turning your tired stocker into a head-turning temptress. Any Softail can become a Dirtytail. The bike you are drooling at here was the very first Evo-powered Dirtytail that John built. But there’s more to this story. Y’see, John has an employee who has consistently gone above and beyond to help John and the company to flourish. Rob Martinez has been with John for over eight years, and chances are, if you’ve called Dirty Bird Concepts, Rob is the guy who answered the phone and got you handled. Anyway, Rob bought a 1999 Harley Heritage Softail with just 5,000 miles on the clock with the hopes of turning it into a Dirtytail someday. He even had a photo of a candy apple red paintjob that he was dreaming about. Rob bragged that he would have the stock Softail converted into a Dirtytail in just two months. Shope said it would take at least a year. “I told him that bike would look exactly the same a year later,” John recalls. “Six months later, Rob hadn’t done shit to it and I called him on it. He said that he would have the bike finished as soon as he got back from vacation.”
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PHOTOS JOHN COVINGTON
That’s when John Shope formed a plan to give his employee the world’s best Christmas Bonus. While Rob was away on vacation, John and the crew went over to Rob’s apartment and loaded up the stock Heritage right out of the parking lot. The would-be repo men took the scooter to the shop and tore it down. One look at the old Evo made John think of a name for it, “Rob’s Rusty Roach.” The Dirty Bird team had six weeks to turn the sow’s ear into a gold purse. They even toyed with the idea of presenting Rob with a fake bill for fifteen grand as payback for all their hard work. The Softail swingarm was exchanged for a Dirtytail unit with rear shocks and air ride. The neck was cut to accept a Dirtytail 26-inch neck and raked triple trees for better handling. Meanwhile, Dirty Bird’s paint wizard, Manny, created a mindblowing candy apple red paint scheme with badass graphics for the tanks, fenders and nacelle.
Guy’s Upholstery handled the sweet solo seat and the wild wheels came from SMT including that 26-incher up front. John went for an open beltdrive and upswept dual fishtail pipes for killer old school looks and internally wired apehangers to give the Dirtytail even more attitude.
When Rob got back from his vacation, John had him come straight to the shop from the airport. The world’s best boss was standing right next to the Evo Dirtytail and the conversation went like this: John – “That’s your bike.” Rob – “No, it’s not.” John – “Dude, that is your bike!” Rob – “No, it’s not! No way!” John – “That’s your Christmas Bonus.” Rob – “For real?”
For real, Rob. That’s what happens when you have the world’s best boss. To see the entire video of how this Dirtytail came to be, check out youtu. be/L3jxGeBPjuA. For info on John Shope’s parts, products, swag and custom bikes, visit www. dirtybirdconcepts.com or call 623-465-5263. And watch John play the bad guy in the new biker film “Rough Boys”, coming next year.
— Dave Nichols
Born To Ride Magazine, real editorial content for you the reader every month
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PHOTOS JOHN COVINGTON | MODEL CHELSEA SKINNER
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CAVE SPRING
Cave Spring is located in Floyd County and is 25 minutes from Rome, Georgia and less than 5 minutes away from the state of Alabama. It is like any typical off-the-interstate, sleepy small town in the South. With a population at just over a thousand, it is more a community of friends and relatives than a city. Everyone you meet is overflowing with hospitality and you always feel like you’re minutes away from the possibility of enjoying a cup of black coffee, or a beer on the porch with a new friend.
their own land. Named after a cave and fresh water spring that is located at Rolater Park in the central part of the town, the cave is made of limestone and features stalagmites. The cave is open year round to visitors and locals alike. The spring pours out from the side of a rock building that surrounds the entrance to the .25 mile cave. From there the spring flows into a sparkling pond from Rolater Park and then into a 1.5-acre swimming pool filled with the cold spring water.
So mark your calendars for July 29th and 30th, the Cave Spring Motorcycle Rally and Music Festival is held at one of Cave Spring is actually located on the Trail those places that is quintessential Georgia of Tears in Georgia. The Cherokees once and a place that is worth driving through occupied huge portions of Georgia, Alabama, on any road trip or ride. While you’re there, Tennessee and North Carolina and Cave make sure you bring in your bike for the Spring was home to a major resistance at Choppertown ‘Live’ Ride In Bike Show. It’ll Beaver Dam of the Cherokee against the be the coolest thing to hit Cave Spring since whites who were forcefully removing them from stalagmites!
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THE CLOCK IS TICKING I’m not gonna waste any time getting to the point. With the way things have been going with our country and the citizens of this country’s mentality, it’s extremely evident we have a problem. Again, our rights are under attack on multiple fronts, and we are allowing it to happen.
This past month we’ve had more horrific events taking place committed by our own people against our own people. Again, our Second Amendment rights are under attack. All of this due to the act of another mentally disturbed individual. Every time there’s a shooting with mass casualties, the antigun crowd comes out in force. Our media then broadcasts who the shooter was along with all the excuses that go with why he committed his heinous act. My first question about this entire incident as well as ones that have occurred like it in the past is, why in the world would you want to give the gunman any notoriety whatsoever? If you want these acts to calm down or disappear, stop giving these animals their 15 minutes of fame. Leave the person committing the act anonymous and just call him or her exactly what they are; just another loser looking to get their 15 minutes of fame. Broadcast the victims, for they are the ones that had to pay the ticket for the special kind of animal’s desire to be remembered. Instead of a headline saying, “so-and-so committed a mass shooting at a school or mall or “wherever,” instead let the headlines read that another mentally disturbed individual has committed the act with never mentioning their name. Let them know their act may be put down in history, but not their name to give them any credit or satisfaction. The anti-gun crowd wants everyone to think that guns are the problem. We had
guns in the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, ’70s etc. and never had these types of incidents occur within our society. And if we did, they were extremely rare and very rarely heard of. Instead, the media now sensationalizes the acts of maniacs and losers. We don’t have a gun problem, society has a mental disorder problem. Recognize it for what it is. Maybe mommy and daddy didn’t give Junior enough attention. Maybe they’re not the most popular kid at school and get picked on. Well guess what? That’s been happening forever, yet it doesn’t cause us to go pick up a gun and do what these people are doing. This stems from psychological problems. Unfortunately, in today’s society, children are brought up much differently than even 20 years ago. Parents are afraid to discipline their children for fear of being reported to DCS or they just don’t care. I understand people need to work to make ends meet and to be able to take care of their families. I get that. But they had to do that in the past as well, but somehow were able to manage. Our society today has plenty of job opportunities available, but they tell us we have and employee/workers shortage. Last time I looked, our population in the United States has not decreased. There’s a difference between having a shortage of workers and having a shortage of those who are willing to work! The solution to fixing high prices is not to increase everyone’s salary but to lower the cost of goods and services. That’s great that a Walmart employee may be making $17 an hour, but what good is that going to do when everything else has increased even more so than those salaries. There is no sane rationale behind it. To say we have a shortage of food, fuel, affordable housing,
Tell Jim what you’re thinking, what do you want to say to him? editor@borntoride.com
etc. is nobody’s fault, but what we allow our government to get away with. After all, higher prices mean higher taxes collected. Higher salaries equal higher taxes. Higher housing costs equal higher taxes. And where do those taxes collected go? Like they always say, follow the money. If you’re sitting around waiting for that management position, then it’s no surprise that you’re not willing to work. There are so many programs now available that just give people money for no reason other than they want it, is ridiculous. Wake up America. We’re losing it all, and a majority of people are just standing by watching it happen. Ben Franklin was quoted as saying, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Well spoken, if I do say so myself.
Yet, our government expects us to give up both our liberty and our security. For what? For the false promises of our government keeping us safe and free? Do you see that happening right now? I sure don’t. Step up people! Don’t vote based on red or blue or any other color or gender. Vote based on principles. Vote on policies that will protect our freedoms and liberties. Treat the underlying mental issues our society has created. Fix our country. Time is running out. If I went out to the parking lot and kicked over your motorcycle, I’ll bet you’d get pissed off enough to say something. Yet you’ll have your children’s futures taken away by the greed of others. Your loss, their gain. And you don’t say a damned word. Change legislation to hold those in office accountable. The clock is ticking. — Nefarious James American Biker BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 27
GENERATION TO GENERATION In
a house which becomes a home, one hands down and another takes up the heritage of mind and heart, laughter and tears, musings and deeds. Love, like a carefully loaded ship, crosses the gulf between the generations. Therefore, we do not neglect the ceremonies of our passage: when we wed, when we die, and when we are blessed with a child; When we depart and when we return; When we plant and when we harvest. Let us bring up our children. It is not the place of some official to hand to them their heritage. If others impart to our children our knowledge and ideals, they will lose all of us that is wordless and full of wonder. Let us build memories in our children, lest they drag out joyless lives, lest they allow treasures to be lost because they have not been given the keys. We live, not by things, but by the meanings of things. It is needful to transmit the passwords from generation to generation. They say apples don’t fall too far from the tree. Alan Bernard of Santiago Chopper has followed in the footsteps of his forefathers; he is a fourth generation bike builder and rider. Thanks to Alan, Born To Ride is proud to present four generations of bike-building Bernard’s.
A poem by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Fernand Bernard - Great Grandfather 1904
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
Roger Bernard - Grandfather 1932
Gaston Bernard - Father 1957
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Alan Bernard, Santiago Choppers - Son 2008
Happy Father’s Day from Born To Ride to All the Fathers out there reading this.
RIDING THE DRAGONSLAYER In my last column I mentioned pointing my bike in a direction, any direction, instead of having a predetermined route or destination in mind. Well, I kind of did both recently. Last week I pointed my bike north into Kentucky. East Kentucky, to be exact. I connected with a friend who’s the motorsports event coordinator for Backroads of Appalachia, Mr. Jay Fryman. Jay, as his title infers, is responsible for marketing, and delivering a total motorsport’s tourism initiative. I say total because it includes motorcycles, adventure/dual sport bikes, side by sides, Slingshots, and a vast number of car clubs with the end game of getting drivers and riders alike on the roads of east Kentucky. The overarching organization, Backroads of Appalachia, and its Founder and Director, Mr. Erik Hubbard, in conjunction with 32 county Chambers of Commerce and tourism heads, envisioned reviving the forgotten coal communities of Eastern
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Kentucky through the development of a comprehensive motorsport tourism strategy. Part of that strategy includes trail development. So that we’re clear, a “Trail” is a designated route on current day highways, byways and of course, backroads. And right now, there are over 31 paved trails that snake, wind, and climb their way through some of the best riding in the country. Jay wanted me to ride the trail that inspired it all, The Dragonslayer-160. Leaving from Williamsburg, Kentucky and heading east, I had the opportunity to ride with a road crew from the Whitley County Riders Group as we rode out to Lynch, to connect to The Dragonslayer. The journey was as beautiful as you can imagine, rolling hills, hollers, and the countryside of Kentucky. And if the beauty and roads aren’t enough, the region is rich, I mean rich with history. As we rolled along, passing the rustic ruggedness of abandoned mines and the communities that once fueled the Industrial Revolution, and an occasional Civil War memorial, I realized that this was also the region of the famous Hatfield and McCoy feud. The Dragonslayer-160 comes in with 226 curves in 22 miles. It also boasts the highest mountain peak in Kentucky, Black
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Mountain at 4,144’ where it overlooks one of the largest strip mines in the Appalachia Mountain chain, and then rapidly drops down into Appalachia, Virginia, the official start of the Dragonslayer-160. Upon arriving at Lynch, we stopped at the welcome center to meet up with Erik and other riders. It’s important to note that part of the revitalization of these communities is workforce development and employment. Because this is truly a community effort; the welcome centers are predominantly staffed with those in addiction recovery. While at the Lynch welcome center, Jay handed me one of their latest Trail cards, a 4” x 9.5” laminated card with a trail on each side. It’s not enough that there are over 32 trails, all of them uniquely named for Kentucky; Revenue Runner, To The Holler, Miners Slope 179, The Appalachian Autobahn and so forth, there are also trail cards that depict a geographical layout, a map if you will, of the trail and QR codes to scan for points of interest, fuel, food, attractions and more. Slip it in your pocket and go. Coming out later in June, is their interactive App. Simply scan the QR code and it’ll upload to your phone for point-to-point and turn-by-turn navigation. All in all, there are over 2,600 miles of pristine trails and hundreds of points of interest on the trail cards. If you’re interested in the re-discovery of America by getting on the road, be sure to check out BackroadsofAppalachia.org. Let’s Ride Eastern Kentucky! –Indian Rider Bill
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33 TRAILS • 2,600 MILES OF ROAD • OVER 500 POINTS OF INTEREST
BI KER M OVI E REVI EW
Confusion and chaos pretty much sums up this movie. It is the modern day version of all the biker exploitation “B” movies ever made. Curiously, Larry Bishop (as Pistolero) appeared in a variety of films including The Savage Seven, Mad Dog Time and Kill Bill to name a few. His collaboration with Quentin Tarantino in this most recent effort, would lead one to believe that “Hell Ride” is a major cinematic production destined for the A list. Sadly, it falls short of that mark. The story revolves around Pistolero and his gang “the Victors.” The main characters are himself, the Gent and Comanche who set out to avenge the death of his ol lady Cherokee Kisum. Cherokee, it seems, was murdered by the 666er’s, a rival gang. But wait, let’s back up! This is exactly what makes the flick so confusing. … We flash back and forth from 35 years back to 35 years forward. It seems that Bishop as the writer, director, and star is the only one who understands what is going on at any given time. I was lost after viewing it twice, but again I digress. The film is soaked with girls, drugs, and murder. I like all those facets in a biker exploitation film, but the chaotic pace leaves one wondering where the plot is. It seems the Victors MC have an
underlying code of deceit and distrust. As the movie rolls along, several of the members of gang are killed by the Gent and other Victors—leaving only Pistolero, the Gent, and Comanche in the gang. Ahhh, but there is another member hiding in the desert! Eddie Zero, played by Dennis Hopper appears as a (possibly retired) member of the gang. How they were able to get Hopper to appear in this mess was a mystery in itself, and I was surprised, and entertained for a moment until I saw David Carradine playing rival gang member “The Duce.” Evidently, the Duce and Pistolero had some under-thetable dealings and this conflict led to the ongoing battle between the two clubs. The 666er’s use arrows and darts to carry out their hits while the Victors use the more conventional revolvers, available at Wal-Mart. The Victors trademark murders–you will see a few of these involve the tying of one to a chair, the cutting of the throat, and the soaking of the subject in gasoline, which is then ignited by the tossing of a Zippo lighter, also available at WalMart. Somewhere in my recall, it seems to me that this ritual was borrowed from the 666er’s when they did in Cherokee Kisum. In the end, the Victors cut off the Duce’s head, and Eddie Zero delivers it to the 666er’s hangout in a nice wicker basket (see Wal-Mart above). He departs and rides off down the road until his motor quits for some reason. He gets off his vintage ride to repair it, and sees the 666er’s pull up behind him. The leader of the 666er’s, (played by Vinnie Jones) shoots him in the back with a dart fired from an air powered device that looks like a Shark Gun. He collapses on the highway. Much to the 666er’s surprise the Victors pull up behind them and the Gent kills all of them, but only wounds Jones who falls to the pavement. Pistolero in a strange twist of role, shoots Jones with a small crossbow, then reloads and fires a dart into Jones’ gas tank. As the fuel surrounds Jones, who is bleeding cussing and etc, one of the Victors cuts his throat, and Pistolero tosses the classic Zippo into the pool of gas. In the next frame, Hopper gets up off the pavement, and removes his armor-laden jacket – arrow still intact- and hands it to his girl who gives him a similar jacket. They depart the scene, and the three meet in the desert where the 666er’s had previously buried some sort of lockbox containing some sort of (something). … There are three keys that have 666 stamped into them. There is a short argument, and Comanche digs up the lock box and the others give him the three keys. What’s in that thing you ask? You will never know, because the shot shows only Comanche’s face from the inside as he opens the box. I think it was empty, but what do I know? The trio then fire up their motors and ride off in three different directions as the credits roll. If you are a fan of naked ladies, cool classic motorcycles, and blood and guts, this film is for you! However, if you were expecting a plot, a story line, or a coherent slide show of pleasant desert scenes you aren’t gonna be too happy. Tarantino once told Bishop “It is your destiny to write, direct, and star in a movie.” Sometimes destiny is not all it’s cracked up to be! I would reluctantly give this film 2 out of 5 stars, because there were two REAL stars exploited in this mess. It is rated R for ridiculous, and runs approximately 86 minutes. In my opinion it should be 86’ed altogether.
Do you have a favorite Biker Movie we don’t have? Let us know: info@borntoride.com
The Phantom Movie Review
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Craven Moorehead It’s Summertime Again
So summer started in May evidently. Daily rain and high temperatures have made their way into the area and Hurricane season started a week early. Can’t complain too much I suppose - at least it isn’t snowing. It seems that lately, all I write about is the weather. It could be said that my life has become mundane and boring. If you observed that and thought the same thing then I guess we were both thinking alike. I remember back in the day when every moment was an adventure. Not so much anymore. Time is passed looking out the window at the rain coming down and listening to the dogs snoring. Yeah, I know you wouldn’t think that dogs snore and perhaps most don’t but for some reason mine do. I suspect that they learned that bad habit from me. They have picked up other bad habits as well but as boring as my life is lately I shouldn’t keep talking about it here and causing you, my dedicated readers to fall asleep while reading this article.
I recently was advised that I have to move from where I have been living. This is a serious problem. I am used to having a variety of nonspecific problems and other unpleasant situations, but so far, I have been fortunate enough to have a place to live. Well, not so much now, but somehow, I will find a way to survive. Seems harder this time but I will get over it one way or another. Stuff is expensive nowadays. It didn’t seem to be this bad a few years back. I do remember when a gallon of gas was more expensive, but I have never seen housing go to this limit. Even the grocery store kicks your butt every time you go in. It must be the economy that allegedly is better than ever or perhaps it is due to the unemployment rate that is lower than ever (according to the regulated media) but from where I sit, I can’t tell. If there is light at the end of the tunnel I can’t see to see it, or it is very dim. Not sure which at this point. So as we go through life with hopes and dreams of peace and prosperity, we still must accept the ups and downs and try to survive to the best of our ability. All I can advise is that we all keep keeping on and don’t let life drag us down. So no more bad stuff! I keep a positive attitude and continue to pray for better days. How does everyone else do it? I’m no expert but I suspect that most of you do the same thing. Being negative never produces a positive result. I like to get feedback from my readers and good or bad I take all your comments to heart. Born To Ride has been here for years serving the biker community in every way possible. Your opinions and comments are always welcome and appreciated. I sincerely hope that each and every one of you has a fantastic summer season and that the rain stays away from your ride to wherever it is you are going. CRAVEN
R.I.P. Craven Moorehead, Your Words Will Live On Forever
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100 Page Online Exclusive @ BornToRide.com Scan Code to see this Episode come to life.
RONNIE and EMILY’S
CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION Years ago, I had two businesses, one of which used promotions and contests to encourage its’ associates to work hard so they could earn prizes. I’ll never forget the grand prize for one such convention – a brand-new custom chopper. The winner could choose from either the bike, and it was awesome, or $35,000 in cash. Picture this, a slightly raked out front end, an S&S motor, and if it wasn’t rubber, leather or painted blue and yellow, it was chrome! It was hands down the most beautiful bike I had ever seen, and 25 years later, it still makes my heart beat. And the winner, a little old lady, passed the cash so her husband could take her for rides on that gorgeous chariot. When I saw the bike on the convention floor I was filled with covetousness, I just didn’t know better at the time. I didn’t even have a bike of any kind when that all happened, but I wanted that lady’s bike. There was another situation that caused me to covet some of my friends because of their incredible skills at slow speed riding. It just amazes me when I see the skill some folks have with two wheels. When I first noticed that I was having feelings of covetousness or envy, I was momentarily embarrassed for myself. When I stopped focusing on what I
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could not do on a bike and learned to appreciate my friends’ riding talents, everything got better, including my handling of my bike. It is still an ongoing process of practicing and learning and trying to pick up pointers when I see great riding skills. I have the same type of bike; the big variable appears to be time devoted to riding and riding often. When I learn to overcome my jealousy and envy, I will find myself no longer coveting those friends who ride so well. The Bible addresses the issue of coveting. In Exodus 20:17 we are told, “Don’t set your heart on anything that is your neighbor’s.” (The Message) It is normal to appreciate things, be they physical or emotional. The issue at hand is not to want something in spite of it belonging to someone else. If we covet something, we set our hearts on that item, trying to get what we want, even if it takes inappropriate actions such as stealing and conniving in order to take possession of the desired item. This is true, not only for physical items such as homes, cars, or motorcycles, but for emotional issues, such as breaking marriage vows and relationships. This can lead to lusting after someone else’s spouse, or to broken promises. The sad part is that such actions can harm those not even aware of the coveting. Even children feel the pain of betrayal. Learn as I did, to lean on God to provide the contentment that will overcome coveting. When you do your best, God will do the rest! In the Wind, Denny Dingler
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