Born To Ride Southeast #122 - April 2023

BORN TO RIDE Magazine

PO BOX 3021 Brandon, FL 33509

PUBLISHER

Ron Galletti

813-785-3895

888-795-5779

rg@borntoride.com

CO PUBLISHER

Deb Galletti dgalletti@borntoride.com

EDITOR

Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com

ART DIRECTOR

Peter Soutullo art@borntoride.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erick Runyon

ART DEPARTMENT

Juan Guzman, Erick Runyon , Peter Soutullo, art@borntoride.com

WEB DESIGN/ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Juan Guzman

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

Nancy Ray nray@borntoride.com

MULTI-MEDIA SPECIALIST

Jared Hartman, Craig Miller Jasper Harris

SALES & MARKETING

888-795-5779

ROAD CREW

Vick Velosity, Mark Crowder, Doug Bright, Birdman Mike,

SCENIC RIDE CONSULTANT

Steve Finzelber-Finz Finds

ON THE ROAD TEAM

The John & Heather Show

CONTRIBUTORS

JP Brady, Neale Bayly, Susan Hurst, Spyke & Mike, Paul Murray, James Gladstone

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ron & Selena Hawks, Scott Odel, Chopper Dave, JP Brady, Erick Runyon, Craig Miller

LAW FIRM

FRAN HAASCH LAW GROUP

www.LawFran.com

866 LAW Fran

BORN TO RIDE OFFICE

888-795-5779

HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

FROM THE HELM

BIKERS, PLAYBOYS, LEESBURG & MORE!

As we roar into April, we’ve got a passel of righteous rides and badass doin’s to report on. Born To Ride’s rad leader Ron Galletti looks back on three incredible trips to the Playboy Mansion with our sponsor Fran Haasch as we remember the late, great Hugh Hefner. Hugh turned his passion for the playboy lifestyle into mass appeal through Playboy magazine. On any given night, Hugh would ride herd over a bevy of beauties and every movie star and rock star you could imagine as they all enjoyed his miraculous mansion and poolside grotto.

Next up, we’ve got a mind-melting feature about a killer book on the biker culture called BIKERS: The Men, Machines, & Myths. Check out too-cool one percenter photos by Jim “Flash” Miteff in this historic and powerful look at biker history, published by Jim’s daughter Beverly Roberts. You need this book on your bookshelf!

Gator Harley-Davidson for three full bars, great food, and more. VIP tickets are on sale now at leesburgbikefest.com. I know you think that’s all we’ve got, but you’d be wrong. We’re also talkin’ up the tremendous Tallahassee Bike Fest that’s happenin’ on April 14th through the 16th. It’s Tallahassee’s annual motorcycle and music festival at Apalachee Regional Park. Listen to the wild rock of that pixie with an axe, Jasmine Cain, plus veteran band Blackbird Anthem, and that jammin’ Godsmack tribute band, Wicked Serenity. For more info visit www.tallybikefest.com. In this lip-smackin’ issue you’ll meet mighty Meelissa, our Born To Ride Babe of the Month photographed by dashing Daniel Gallant. Ride with us to the Showtown Showdown Biker Bash to check out some classic American iron including a righteus 1947 Harley and a sweet Indian. More? You want more? We’ll give you more!

Just turn the pretty pages and you’ll find a biker movie review of the film that started it all… The Wild One. “Hey Johnny, what are you rebelling against?” Say it with me now, people… “Whaddaya got?” We’ll also meet up with that biker helpin’ bikers, James Irwin. Meanwhile, Nefarious James reminds us that in a world of wimps, BE SUPERMAN.

Also in this awesome April issue, we look forward to Leesburg Bikefest on April 28th through the 30th. Yes, the three-day Bikefest is back and burnin’. Ride on out to Leesburg and rock out to Buckcherry on Friday, Warrant on Saturday, and Whey Jennings on Sunday! And that’s just the beginning. You’ll also tap your engineer boots to bands such as the Blackwater Swamp Band, Hypersona, Nova Rex, September Dogs, a Tom Petty Tribute, Torn, Time Machine, the Beautiful Bobby Blackmon, the Usual Suspects, Bobby Friss and more.

Plus, don’t miss the poker run for Wreaths across America, get a free breakfast and enjoy a worship service with CMA, and hit

If you enjoy this rip-roarin’ issue of Born To Ride, you can do somethin’ for us. Namely, join our Born To Ride Facebook Group and be a part of the lifestyle we love. Check out Boss Hogg Radio every Thursday night for the best of biker talk and promote your passion through Born To Ride. If you have a biker-friendly business, we want to hear from you. Advertise in Born To Ride to reach our loyal following. We are here for you! Want proof? Ask Attorney Fran Haasch. She’ll tell you how Born To Ride is helping her to get the word out on how to make the roads safe for motorcyclists. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, Fran will help you out at 866-LAW-FRAN.

All this and more is twistin’ the grip in this here April Scooterpalooza of a magazine. We hope you enjoy every oil drippin’ page. Now let’s get out there and ride!!

— Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com

THE END OF THE LINE

Riding the Devils Triangle, a fantastic technical ride in Petros, TN, Pete rounded a corner and saw it. Shutting his bike down and dropping his sunglasses to take in this castle-like structure with an unmistakable almost ominous allure, he instinctively knew what this could become.

Making a call to a friend, he asked “what do you think about a prison....I think we should stay out of one”, was his business partners’ reply. A brief conversation between two motorcycle enthusiasts, one being a marketing media entrepreneur, and the other a gritty yet amiable businessman, led to the renaissance of Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.

Brushy, as it’s called for short, in Morgan County, TN opened in 1896. The original wooden prison was built in a steep mountainous ravine and used the sheer rock cliffs as its security wall. The prison was rebuilt in 1920, of locally obtained stone, and today looks like what a maximum-security prison should look like-rougher and harder than the worst inmates it once housed. A literal fortress of penitence. Although the terrain and formidable walls and chain link fence topped with concertina wire discouraged escape, its most famous prisoner, James Earl Ray, along with six others, managed to scale a fence and flee into the countryside only to give up after 50 hours into their newfound freedom.

In 2009, the prison ceased operations ending its 113-year history as such. After few years of legislative legalese, countless meetings with state and local leaders and concerned citizens, the transformation from a maximum-security prison to a tourist destination got underway. In August of 2018, the prison opened its doors to the public. Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the main gates of this Alcatraz of the east.

Passing by the looming guard tower, at the main entrance of the prison off of County Rd. 116, in Petros, TN, the full grandeur of the facility comes into view. The main cell block, capable of housing up to 1,200 inmates’ is dead ahead inviting you to “the end of the line”. Other facilities-guard quarters, infirmary, the power plant (now a functioning moonshine distillery, a separate event center (on-site catering available) capable of hosting large groups for meetings, reunions, etc. and an extensive museum filled with inmate ledgers, personal effects, uniforms, chains, shackles, makeshift weapons and countless pictures of the prison and its inhabitants all make up the visiting grounds.

The welcome center is the first stop for incoming visitors. The center houses The Wardens Table, a 120-seat restaurant serving some of the finest prison grub ever. Adjacent to the restaurant is a massive four thousand square feet gift shop. Here you’ll also find moonshine tastings and sales, merch sales and prison tour tickets. There are two types of tours-the cellblock tour, often led by a former inmate or a prison guard, and the paranormal tour. The paranormal tours consist of three or six-hour night tour, both of which are led by professional Ghost Hunters that take participants deep into the prison beyond the boundaries of the general cellblock tour. These tours employ the latest equipment to detect radical temperature fluctuations, faint ghostly murmurs, unsolicited movement and at times actual apparitions. As you can imagine, these tours are in high demand and require advance registration

Future expansion is just as bold as the original vison. Primitive and RV camping, walking trails, festival grounds, rent-a-room hostel and much, much more.

If you’re looking for some great riding, high end concerts and a one-of-a-kind destination getaway, Brushy in Petros, TN is it!

More info at: tourbrushy.com

Behind the walls of the prison proper, is the gymnasium, two modern day super-max facilities as well as a high-tech music stage that can seat up to five thousand concertgoers in the main recreation yard.

A Guide to Tallahassee’s Top Motorcycle & Music Festival

Tallahassee’s annual motorcycle and music festival, Tallahassee Bike Fest, is gearing up for its another year and has recently begun announcing musicians and events! Set to take place on April 14 through April 16, 2023 at Apalachee Regional Park, the rally will host mapped and guided motorcycle rides, workshops, bike shows, audio competitions, musical performances, biker church, a kid’s corner, and more. Anyone can attend and find an activity to enjoy. VIP passes are also available!

Highlighting the capital city’s stunning nature and scenery was a priority for Tallahassee Bike Fest’s CEO and Tallahassee local, Giavona (G) Williams. Riders of all types of bikes are encouraged to join mapped rides on some of Tallahassee’s best roads for riding, featuring rolling hills, canopy roads, and breathtaking views. With nearby beaches less than an hour away, you can truly experience all the best parts of North Florida during your visit! “We don’t care if you ride three-wheels or two wheels, sport, metric, or baggers,” says Tallahassee Bike Fest’s CEO & Founder, Giavona (G) Williams. “We just want every rider and non-rider alike to come and enjoy what our great city has to offer. There is A LOT to explore to keep your schedule full!”

Porsche Taylor, Founder of Black Girls Ride will conduct a classroom style rider workshop on Saturday at Red Hills, and then lead a ride immediately following the workshop.

Whether you love rock, country, or blues, Tallahassee Bike Fest has incredible performances scheduled throughout the weekend that everyone will enjoy. Among the musical talent

is Jasmine Cain, an award-winning, female rock artist with a powerful voice and compelling song lyrics. Blackbird Anthem, an award-winning, veteran band, will also be returning. Blackbird Anthem creates a sound reminiscent of the age of vinyl where rock, country, and blues merge. Wicked Serenity, their first year at Bike Fest, is a Florida based premier Godsmack Tribute Band!

The kid’s corner will be back this year for future riders with STACYC’s grass track, face painting, temporary tattoos, and more on Saturday and Sunday only.

G has always had a passion for giving back, especially when it comes to helping veterans. As a veteran herself, supporting the veteran community is a cause near and dear to her heart. As a result, G is donating a portion of the rally’s proceeds to Team Guardian, a local veteran nonprofit dedicated to providing dignified transport for fallen veterans and first responders.

G is thrilled that the rally has generated a lot of excitement, especially amongst last year’s attendees! She can’t wait to host an even larger turnout and create a fun and memorable experience for her beloved motorcycle community.

Did we also mention that it’s free to attend? Plan to stop by anytime between April 14 through April 16.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A MORE COMPREHENSIVE SCHEDULE OF THE EVENTS HAPPENING AT TALLAHASSEE BIKE FEST 2023, PLEASE VISIT THEIR WEBSITE: TALLYBIKEFEST.COM.

April 14-16

Tallahassee, FL

VENDORS | MAPPED RIDES | ENTERTAINMENT BIKE SHOWS | POKER RUNS | AND MORE!

JAMES IRWIN

HAVE YOU MET JAMES IRWIN?

TELL US A LITTLE OF YOUR BACKGROUND AND EXPLAIN WHAT A CSA IS?

I am in financial services. I help people avoid transferring money unknowingly and unnecessarily. Sure when you say financial services it can have many meanings. Of course we help people invest their money and find places for them to put their money. What I do that’s UNIQUE is I help people find places where they could be transferring money unnecessarily and then I bring that back to them. First, to increase their accumulated assets to make their future more solid. And secondly, to help people increase their present lifestyle so that the journey along the way is pleasant. That is what I do. I help people find money that they are losing unnecessarily.

A CSA is a special designation. The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) educates and certifies professionals who work with seniors. The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® credential applies to professionals who are able to demonstrate their competence and knowledge of working with older adults into their professional practices. By creating a network of qualified professionals, SCSA strives to create a strong and safe environment for seniors and those working with them. The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) educates and certifies professionals who work with seniors. The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® CSAs understand how to build effective relationships with older adults because they have a broad-based knowledge of the health, social, and financial issues that are important to older adults. Through certification, Certified Senior Advisors agree to uphold the Highest ethical standards for the benefit and protection of the health and welfare of older adults. Currently there are less than 3400 individuals nationally in financial services that have earned this recognition.

In addition I am also a chapter president of AFEA The Nation’s leader in non-profit financial education! AFEA is a an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, AFEA’s mission is toinform and empower Americans to take control of their finances by providing comprehensive financial education in communities nationwide.

A BIKER HELPING BIKERS, TELL US ABOUT THAT CONCEPT AND WHY YOU ARE AN AVID RIDER?

It’s a way to give back to the community I love. Bikers have told me in the past they don’t want to work with the suits of society when it comes to financial services. Even though my national HQ is located in the most prestigious building in Tampa loaded in suits, you’ll never see me in one. I usually ride my Harley to work

and enjoy setting of car alarms in the garage from the rumble of my bike.

I got my first minibike at age six. Had a brief sponsorship from Ducati racing sport bikes and have owned numerous Harleys. There have been only a few years when I have not owned a motorcycle in my lifetime. The feeling and therapy it affords me is priceless. I will never stop riding.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU TO HELP VETERANS GET EVERYTHING THEY ARE ENTITLED TO AND GIVE US A FEW EXAMPLES HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Veterans are the reason we enjoy our freedom! A country that creates them needs to take care of them. We can never THANK them enough. I have found many get frustrated trying to understand what they are eligible for. The general information that are given is like trying read an IRS tax code. I have helped many enhanced their health benefits, reduce Medicare cost,gain disability benefits and help with long term care benefits. As a CSA we are educated on ways to help.

WHAT IF WE ARE ON MEDICARE OR KNOW SOMEBODY WHO IS? WHAT CAN WE DO TO AVOID SCAMS?

Just call me 833-467-2865 it would take pages to list all the ways people get victimize and many don’t know till they use the plan. I get calls everyday about this. As a CSA a lot of people who were mislead get referred to us. I offer unbiased advice based on your needs not mine.

healthinsurance65.com IS YOUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN HELP WITH RETIREMENT INSURANCE, MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY,VA AND LIFE PLANNING AS WELL AS INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.HOW IMPORTANT IS THE TRUST LEVEL THAT YOU CAN BE THAT PERSON TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR CLIENTS FUTURE?

Its very important! My services are unique since they is no cost to the client and without judgement. I have worked with folks with hundreds of dollars to well know celebrities with millions of dollars. Everybody get’s the same treatment. Most Financial Advisors charge a fee just to talk, I don’t. In the past before slowing down in my sixties I was for several years the #1 producer in the country with many well-know insurance companies. I was always unbiased and did what was best for the client not me. This is how I built my business. My dad alway said to me “ You brought this on yourself” and “What goes around comes around” and of course “One day you’re gonna thank me for this” So this upbringing has earned me a blemish free reputation.

TELL US ABOUT THE MOVIE YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE” THE BABY BOOMER DILEMMA”?

The move is a documentary critically acclaimed a must see by Forbes magazine among others. The trailer to the movie is on my website www.healthinsurance65.com anyone who goes there can request a FREE movie streaming pass since it is no longer in theaters.

YOU OFFER A FREE BOOK MISSION ONE MILLION ON YOUR WEBSITE HOW DO WE GET IT AND WHY READ IT?

It’s an interesting short informative read. Not dull and boring. Everyone who reads it or watches the Movie has said they are glad they did! I guess eventually someone will give it negative reviews but so far all positive!

IS IT TRUE YOU OFFER MONEY SCHOOL WEBINARS SEEMS LIKE A GREAT WAY TO LEARN AND THEY ARE ONLY 20 MINUTES FREE OF CHARGE?

Yes the Money schools webinar invites are easy to watch and simplify complicated subjects free of charge.The book is for anyone wanting to get out of debt, build wealth, and create financial independence.

People will have a chance to meet you at Gibtown bike fest and Thunder by the Bay this year. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM AND WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS SHOULD THEY BE ASKING?

They can ask me anything love talking motorcycles. And they should be asking themselves if they current financial plan (Only works in good times?) Or (causes you stress?) Or (is your 401(k) now a 301(k) or a 201(k) If any of those questions are yes they don’t have the right financial plan.

As you know bikers are very charitable people giving back to the community in many meaningful ways. I’am of course a biker and that why with the help of many generous people we offer these FREE BOOKS ,WEBINARS, MOVIES and CONSULTATION. A biker helping biker that’s what its all about!

Leave behind the superficial selfie culture of today and take a photographic journey with Jim Flash Miteff, back to his 1960 s America; a time when people were real, emotions were raw, and life was lived on the edge. Prepare for a wild ride down the highway of history and into the rowdy and radical world of Bikers the legendary men, machines and myths of Miteff s generation. Not your typical “girl next door”, Beverly Roberts, the daughter of Outlaw biker Jim “Flash 1%er” Miteff, was riding on motorcycles before she could walk.

When Beverly was as young as eight years old, while helping develop the pictures her father took of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, she dreamed one day these photos would be shared with the world. Now, more than 40 years later she has published a handpicked selection of her father’s photographs.

THE MEN

Portraits of American Bikers: Life in the 1960s is the first in the series of three books that make up the collection. Portraits of American Bikers: Inside Looking Out (the second book in the series) will be released in April of 2010. All three books in the Outlaws MC series are published by Flash Productions, LLC.

The Outlaws Motorcycle Club began in McCook, Illinois USA in 1935 and is currently one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world with chapters all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia. A retired stockbroker, Beverly owns the publishing company named after her late father. “It is my hope that in a sea of misinformation about bikers and their way of life, my father’s images will offer a glimpse of truth for those who seek it.”

“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.”

-Gilbert K. Chesterton

THE MACHINES

“A Motorcycle is a bicycle with a pandemonium attachment, and is designed for the special use of mechanical geniuses, daredevils and lunatics.”

THE MYTHS

“Myth is the hidden part of every story., the buried part, the region that is still unexplored because there are as yet no words to enable us to get there. Myth is nourished by silence as well as by words.””

-Italo Calvino

-George Fitch, Atlanta Constitution, 1916

RIDE APPALACHIA

As we prepare for our biggest motorcycle season yet here at Backroads of Appalachia and the Whitley County Motorcycle Group, we wanted to let everyone know a few important facts about who we are and why we do what we do here. Backroads of Appalachia is a 501-C3 Non-Profit Organization that strives to deliver economic development to the small forgotten coal towns in Central Appalachia through Motorsports Tourism and other development projects. The Coal Industry left our region almost 20 years ago, taking our livelihood and local economies. It brought poverty to towns that once flourished as they supplied the United States with our greatest commodity, Black Gold. Us mountain folk then began to realize that while the coal companies might have taken the minerals from our region, the roads they paved to get to the minerals exposed the true diamond in the rough. The roads in the hills and hollers these coal trucks once hauled coal on expose some of the best rides and sites in all of Appalachia. There simply is nowhere that compares to the backroads of Appalachia- and that’s why we call ourselves the last great outdoors. Explore the backroads we call home on our new “Backroads of Appalachia” mobile app that is available on

most devices. No matter what bike you ride- we have a trail for you here in Appalachia that is sure to take your breath away. While in our mountains, be sure to explore one of the more than 1,300 “Uniquely Appalachian” points of interest highlighted in our mobile app, including the mom & pop general stores that have served as the backbone of these mountain towns for decades, the hidden waterfalls and gems that us locals treasure, and some of the best country cookin’ of your life! Just picture yourself riding down the Dragon Slayer, the trail that started it all; imagine the epic scenery as you ride along the more than 200 twists and curves through the oldest mountains in the world and the highest peak in Kentucky. We understand you have countless options as a rider- and while many other destinations are fascinating, nowhere out adventures Appalachia. So now you must be wondering- Who is the Whitley County Motorcycle Group? In collaboration with Backroads of Appalachia, the Whitley County Motorcycle Group is a group of riders just like yourself. We love our Appalachian region- and we would love to welcome you to the place we call home! So if you are on Facebook, like the Backroads of Appalachia Facebook page and join the Whitley

County Motorcycle Group to stay up to date on the rides and events we have planned this year and everything motorcycle that is happening in Appalachia. We ride over 8 thousand miles each year in the WCMG all for charity and great causes while also helping our region and promoting our amazing trail system and mobile application. Our WCMG Road Crew is made up of local riders here in our region who grew up riding these roads and each year these riders volunteer their time to train on our routes to prepare for our season and upcoming events. Although we are just public riders on public roads we do our best to ensure that everyone who comes to ride our mountains has the best experience possible with safety in mind. Everyone is welcome to ride with us in the WCMG regardless of what you ride, where you come from, or what other groups you may belong to. We even have one of the fastest growing Lady Rider Groups in the Southeast The mountains are calling- will you answer?

Let’s Ride Appalachia!

-The Backroads of Appalachia Journalism Staff

THESHOWTOWNSHOWDOWN

SHOWDOWNBIKERBASH

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.

Cave Spring is actually located on the Trail of Tears in Georgia. The Cherokees once occupied huge portions of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina and Cave Spring was home to a major resistance at Beaver Dam of the Cherokee against the whites who were forcefully removing them from 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 28th, 29th and 30th, the Cave Spring Motorcycle Rally and Music Festival is held at one of those places that is quintessential Georgia and a place that is worth driving through on any road trip or ride. While you’re there, make sure you bring in your bike for the Choppertown ‘Live’ Ride In Bike Show. It’ll be the coolest thing to hit Cave Spring since stalagmites! For more information/vendor info call 706.331.3005.

LA TRIP TO THE

FOR THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

Thanks to Attorney Fran Haasch for 3 Amazing Trips to The Playboy Mansion to Support Wounded Warriors.

Hugh Hefner the Iconic Legend of the Sexual Revolution turned Silk Pajamas into a Work Uniform.

MELISSA MEET

PHOTOS BY DANIEL GALLANT

Meet Melissa Hagood, aka LilBit, born and raised in Natchez MS. She moved here when she was 15 and completed her bachelors degree in 2015.

Melissa is a mother of 3 kids and an active member of the motorcycle community. She is a contributing member of West Coast Florida Riders, a social media based riding group of over 8000 members.

WCFR has a monthly bike night at Showtown Bar and Grill, the site for this amazing photo shoot. You can find her usually at the WCFR Swag tent at these events.

The beautiful machine you see here is a 2014 Yamaha Stryker, owned by WCFR’s own Jason Cole.

BE SUPERMAN

First off, welcome to April 2023. You made it so far, good for you. I’ve had the privilege of spitting out my opinions on the pages of this magazine for more years than I can remember. Many of you have read through many of my ups and downs as well as a multitude of my viewpoints. Some agreed with and others maybe not. Some things I’ve posted are from my own mind and others from great individuals who lived through the development of this great nation. Yes, I’m opinionated and I’m good with that. Others have their opinions as well, and currently, they have the right to have those. Some of my posts have been disturbing to some, others opened people’s eyes to look beyond the counter top.

What’s my point in my opening statements?

It’s my way to look back and reflect with the hope that my words have helped to enlighten others to be free thinkers. To look beyond TV and false media and get back to the ol’ school way. Research your news. Back statements with real facts, not fantasy stories made up by the ones with a hidden agenda. Hold those accountable who mean to do us wrong and drive this nation into the ground. Stand up against legislation that doesn’t have the people’s best interest in mind. Hold our representatives

accountable whose actions are only in their best interests not ours as a nation. Bring to justice the fat cats that finance the structured collapse of our society, not allowing those on their payroll to pass legislation to protect them from prosecution.

emperor hoped to distract the poor from their poverty in the hopes that they would not revolt. Now apply this to politics and today’s leaders and it should scare the sh*t out of you or at least concern you.

There is still the power of change left in your hands until they take what’s left of it away. It’s already in motion. In the near future being a biker or rider or whatever you want the title to be, may be a thing of the past. Like hippies, zootsuiters, flappers, civil rights protesters, and other past cultural norms, these may all be gone.

We The People should mean all the people. Get it together. Converse, communicate face to face with each other.

Look at what’s going on. Have the balls to pull off the scab and see the infected mess that’s being covered up right in front of you.

at the fabric of our nation and the argument put out there for debate is what gender individuals are. It’s the emperor of Rome method. Let the Games Begin. The Romans continued the practice, holding games roughly 10 to 12 times in an average year. Paid for by the emperor, the games were used to keep the poor and unemployed entertained and occupied. The

Superman’s motto was “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.” not “Lies, Deception, and Whatever they Say.” Be Superman. Ride Free. Think Freely. Discover Truth. Be What an American is supposed to be.

— Nefarious James Patriot & Freedom Fighter For the American Way

The entire review could be summed up in a sentence: “This film created an image and a lifestyle that yet endures.” Yes, the image of a young Brando sitting on his Triumph motorcycle, dressed in a black leather jacket, tilted cap and a stolen trophy attached at the headlamp, is certainly one that literally everyone has seen at least once. Some of you still live that image today!

This film arguably started the biker exploitation explosion in this reviewer’s eyes, and set the tone for hundreds of “B” movie skirt riders that are still being spawned as we speak. Released in 1953, The Wild One was based on a short story The Cyclists’ Raid by Frank Rooney, which was published in Harper’s magazine in 1951. Rooney’s story was inspired by the Life magazine expose dubbed “The Hollister Riot” published in July 21, 1947, after the famed ‘motorcycle weekend’ on July 4th. Curiously, that event is still celebrated in Hollister to this day! Further research will show that this piece was not as well accepted as some of Marlon Brando’s other work, such as Streetcar Named Desire and the film was actually banned in the UK for 14 years! What is Johnny rebelling against? “What have you got?”

The story starts out when Brando, starring as Johnny Strabler, and his gang the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club roll into a small Midwestern town and interrupt a motorcycle race being held there. A member of the BRMC steals a trophy, and presents it to Johnny who

is the president of the gang in a show of respect. This trophy will become a focal point in the rest of the film, as it was not ‘won’ in actual competition, but won by the club as a spoil of confrontation. Johnny never actually states that he won the trophy until the gang heads to a local café, where Johnny meets Kathie Bleeker (played by Mary Murphy) who is the daughter of the local constable. Johnny tries to impress Kathie by stating that he won the trophy in the race, and asks her out to a dance being held later in the evening. Kathie refuses, and as the gang causes more and more disturbance, the locals in the town prod Harry Bleeker (the local cop played by Robert Keith) to deal with the gang. At this point in the film, it becomes clear that Kathie is actually attracted to Johnny, and his wild lifestyle, but the romance never seems to work out. …

As Johnny and his gang leave the café, they encounter Chino (played by Lee Marvin) and his gang. Johnny and Chino are old enemies, and it is inferred that they were both members of another – larger- gang. Their rivalry escalated when Johnny broke off and formed the BRMC. Chino tries to recover the stolen trophy, but is unable to do so. As in all films of this nature, a fight breaks out between Johnny and Chino - Johnny wins. During the melee, a citizen hits a motorcycle with his car, and Chino drags him out of the car to beat him up. It is at this point that Harry the Cop arrests Chino. Harry was going to arrest the citizen also, but he lets him go in fear of future retribution. With Chino in jail, Johnny returns to the café to once again ask Kathie out. She again refuses using the ‘trophy’ and the alleged theft as an excuse. … (I guess she didn’t want to be a “Trophy” wife!)

Later that night, Chino’s gang abducts the citizen from his home and in a hilarious scene attempt to put him in jail with Chino. They actually get him into a cot in the cell, but Chino is too drunk to get up, so they just leave him there. He later breaks out! How you ask? The locals form up a vigilante squad to run the bikers out of town. When they go to the jail to retrieve their neighbor, Chino escapes and disappears into the darkness. Later Chino and his gang attempt to abduct Kathie but our hero Johnny saves the day! Kathie and Johnny soon part but the vigilantes capture Johnny and give him a good beating. He escapes, and returns to his motorcycle and as the vigilantes give chase, one of them throws a tire iron at the speeding bike. The tire iron knocks Johnny from his bike, but the rider-less machine careens into an elderly bystander, killing him. …

Johnny is arrested and charged with manslaughter but after Kathie and another witness corroborate his story, he is released from jail. In the end, even though it is apparent that Johnny doesn’t want to thank his witnesses for speaking up for him, he returns to the café to offer the trophy to Kathie.

This film is a classic piece that you will likely enjoy if you are fan of biker exploitation films. I stated earlier that this is the one that started it all, and if you like this kind of action this is a must see! The film runs 79 minutes; it is presented in beautiful black and white, and available on DVD! I’ll give this one five stars, and you will play it over and over again, I promise. …

CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION

Here in the southeast we can boast of an extended riding season. In fact, we make it a point to ride on Christmas day and New Years day just because we can! The spring season is the most beautiful time to ride. The spring temperature is perfect, the environment is nicely green and growing, and it is the ideal time to plan for a long ride or a multi-day trip.

Over the past couple of years we have traveled from Florida to New York. Where would you like to go? Planning for a trip can be fun or it can be stressful. So, what makes the difference between fun and stressful in trip planning? It could be the goal of the trip, the weather, lack of uncertainty, or lack of control when on the road. When making plans for a trip, it’s best to have a destination picked out first. The reason behind the destination could be to visit family or friends, or to attend an event or explore a new place. Whatever the reason, the plan begins to take form and come together as you iron out the details. We are reminded of the proverb that says:

“Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps”. This tells us that no matter how detailed our plans are, we need room for the Lord to make changes along the way.

Although we have a plan, changes can happen and interruptions come to redirect our path. Sometimes it can be

difficult to accept these changes. It is easy for us to only look at the negatives in our new redirected path. Has this ever happened to you? Be encouraged. We read in the book of Psalm 37:23-24 “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand”. What a promise to hold on to when we are on the road and our steps seem to be changing.

When our plan changes, it may have caused us to meet new people or go to new places. It’s funny though, how the redirections or changes may even end up being the best part of the trip! But, only if we let it. Our attitude truly makes a difference when this happens.

Teach’s Takeaway,

- Use wisdom and make excellent plans.

- Allow God to direct your steps.

- God delights in every detail of our lives.

- If you stumble, The Lord holds you in His hand.

Don’t let the stress of planning for a long trip take away from what the Lord can show you. Through prayer, invite the Lord to help you plan your trip. Riding through God’s creation is exhilarating and good for our spirit, and it just might be the best trip you have ever had.

Fellow Soldier in Christ, Wayne (Teach) Masiker Christian Motorcyclists Association wayne.masiker@att.net

RONNIE and EMILY’S RONNIE and EMILY’S