Born to Ride Southeast #128 - October 2023

OCT 2023 #128

Contents

OCTOBER ISSUE 128

FEATURES

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COLUMNS

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CMA

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Bert’s St. Petersburg Bikefest United Hatzalah’s Responders Ride Appalachia Biker Artist Potter Babe Of The Month

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Craven Moorehead Nefarious James Spyke and Mike

DEPARTMENTS

Contents Page Letter From The Editor Dave Nichols BTR Kids

REPORTS

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Have You Joined the BTR Group?

Craig Can Fix It Reader’s Ride and Mallory Leather Lids Get Your Events Listed

ON THE COVER Bert’s St. Pete Bike Fest November 16, 17, 18, 19, 2023 OCC Roadhouse www.saintpetebikefest.com

Start Born To Ride TV and Magazine in your city! Call 888-795-5779

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2 4 40

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The information contained herein is provided by Born To Ride Magazine or by its advertisers. BTR makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information in the issue. Born To Ride Magazine does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information throughout this magazine. Use of such information is voluntary on your part, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after your independent review. Reference herein to any specific manufacturer, company, commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement of or recommendation of said by Born To Ride Magazine.” “Born To Ride Magazine (including its employees, contributors and agents) assumes no responsibility for consequences that may result from the use of the information herein, including the use of the information obtained at www.borntoride.com and it’s linked sites, or in any respect for the content of such information, including (but not limited to) errors or omissions, the accuracy or reasonableness of factual or scientific assumptions, studies or conclusions, ownership of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the violation of property, privacy, or personal rights of others. BTR Magazine is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. No guarantees or warranties, including (but not limited to) any express or implied warranties are made by BTR Magazine with respect to such information contained throughout the site.” No part may be copied without written permission of the publisher, Born To Ride, Inc. P.O. Box 3021, Brandon, FL 33509. 888-795-5779, Fax 813-689-2996. ­­

Progressive Casualty Insurance Co. & affiliates.

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WHEN I RIDE, EVEN the FAMILIAR SEEMS STRANGE and GLORIOUS. The air has weight.

AS I PUSH THROUGH IT, ITS TOUCH is as INTIMATE as WATER TO A SWIMMER. from Season of the Bike

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BORN TO RIDE Magazine

PO BOX 3021 Brandon, FL 33509 PUBLISHER

Ron Galletti 813-785-3895 888-795-5779 rg@borntoride.com

CO-PUBLISHER

Letter from the Editor

DAVE NICHOLS

Deb Galletti dgalletti@borntoride.com

FROM THE HELM

EDITOR

AUTUMN AMAZEMENT!

Dave Nichols editor@borntoride.com

ART DIRECTOR Peter Soutullo art@borntoride.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Erick Runyon

ART DEPARTMENT

Erick Runyon , Peter Soutullo, Craig Miller art@borntoride.com

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Deb Galletti DGalletti@borntoride.com

SALES & MARKETING 888-795-5779

ROAD CREW

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

SCENICRIDECONSULTANT Steve Finzelber-Finz Finds

ON THE ROAD TEAM John & Heather

CONTRIBUTORS

JP Brady, Neale Bayly, Susan Hurst, Spyke & Mike, Eric Albright, Paul Murray, James Gladstone, Scott Odell Indian Rider Bill.

The Phantom

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ron & Selena Hawks, Doug Bright Daniel Gallant, Scott Odel, Eric Albright, Chopper Dave, JP Brady, Erick Runyon, Craig Miller Vic Lawall

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FRAN HAASCH LAW GROUP www.LawFran.com 866 LAW Fran ADVERTISE BORN TO RIDE OFFICE

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HOWDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! 1st off as the terrible was continues with Israel and Hamas we remember honor and tribute United Hatzalah’s Motorcycle Responders , Israel’s most active volunteers from a past feature that we ran in 2018. We can only hope that these riders are safe and continue saving lives as their country is at war.

Daytona Beach, Florida has an 82-year tradition of luring bikers to the beach for some two wheeled shenanigans. But the early days of Daytona centered around racing bikes on the beach. This coincided with the first running of the Daytona 200 back in 1937. The first race happened south of Daytona Beach on a 3.2-mile course. Ed Kretz was the first winner with an average speed of 73.34 mph. The party grew every year and eventually turned into a solid week of partying. Nowadays, Daytona Bike Week in March draws bikers from all over the world for the first big rally to welcome warm riding after a long cold winter.

But it has a smaller, younger brother too called Biketoberfest. This year’ Biketoberfest will take place from October 19th to the 22nd and motorcycle races in the form of the Daytona 200 will be happening at the Daytona International Speedway. Marked as the last big rally before winter winds howl, Biketoberfest has something for everyone, and you can bet that your brothers and sisters from Born To Ride will be there to carry on this proud twowheeled tradition. We hope to see you there!

During Biketoberfest, be sure to ride on over to Adamec Harley-Davidson in St. Augustine for its Biketober Pit Stop. Come and check out the Harley-Davidson Demo Truck and ride a new Harley or two. It’s happening from 11am to 6pm every day from October 19th to the 21st at 380 Outlet Mall Road, in St. Augustine.

See the ad in this issue.

Wait till you see the Readers Ride and Mallory Griffis on a very cool Rigid Sporty with photos

by Eric Runyon. But wait, there’s more! Saint Pete Bikefest is gearin’ up to blow the doors

off out at Bert’s Barracuda Harley-Davidson on November 16th through the 19th. Join the Skyway Charity Ride with Paul Teutul Senior from American Chopper fame. Put your ride in the Bike Show Mafia ride-in show. There will be ten great bands playing over four days, plus pro wrestling, and wild and wooly Redneck Biker Games! Visit www. saintpetebikefest.com for more info.

Stand up for your rights with Nefarious James, and try the blackened chicken if you dare with Spyke & Mike.

Look to Born To Ride to keep you in touch with the lifestyle you love. Check us out on Facebook and Instagram (we added over 1,000 new friends on IG last month!), and remember, if you have a biker-friendly business, we want to tell the riding world about you! Advertise and support the best biker magazine in the south here at Born To Ride!

Alright, that’s enough lollygagging, let’s get out there and ride!!!

— Dave Nichols

editor@borntoride.com

Following a visit to our headquarters by Ken Engelman, I reached out to Born To Ride. Ken, who is an American, was on a tour around Israel to see how the country uses and works with motorcycles to respond to medical emergencies. He was very impressed with our operation and suggested that I reach out to Born To Ride.

After looking at your website and online media, I thought that this would be a terrific place to tell the story of how motorcycles are used to save lives here in Israel.

United Hatzalah’s motorcycle responders are Israel’s most active volunteers. We come from all backgrounds and religions to provide the very first response to medical emergencies across the country. While some of our men and women only began riding later on in life, their mission to save lives, combined with the need for speed in shaving off response times and the simple enjoyment of riding a motorcycle combines to make all of us riders simply born to ride.

I am thankful that you are helping us spread the word. Hopefully, we’ll be able to bring our model of lifesaving to other locations as well and help more people.

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When United Hatzalah’s (Hatzalah is Hebrew for Rescue) Founder and President Eli Beer said that he would create an emergency medical service system that would enable first responders to arrive at the scene of a medical emergency with a national average response time of fewer than three minutes, people didn’t believe him. When he said that first responders were the tools that saved lives and not ambulances, people didn’t believe him. When he put EMTs, paramedics, and doctors on motorcycles and built a box in the back to carry all of the lifesaving

equipment present in an ambulance aside from the bed and backboard and called it an ambucycle, people thought it was crazy.

Now after 12 years, 5,000 responders, and 750 ambucycles people believe.

Having attained those goals, United Hatzalah of Israel is now set to enhance its current response system to enable first responders to arrive at the scene of an emergency with an average response time of 90 seconds across the country. It sounds absurd, especially when most Western countries, provinces, counties, and cities

“This is such a real International story of passion for life we are honored to tell.” Thank You, Ron Galletti

have set a goal of attaining an average response time of 8 or 9 minutes. But most of those authorities don’t use ambucycles and highly trained volunteer responders who drop whatever they’re doing and rush out at a moments notice to respond to emergencies in their local vicinity. 90 seconds seems like a dream. But, as Eli and United Hatzalah have already proven, when you are dealing with speed and ambucycles, dreams very quickly become a reality.

Saving critical seconds in the field of EMS and beginning the process of prehospital treatment in the case of any medical

emergency faster is the mission. In Israel, United Hatzalah is doing exactly that and providing treatment before an ambulance can arrive. By utilizing its fleet of ambucycles to get emergency personnel through traffic faster, a national network of trained EMS personnel, and advanced geolocation technology similar to UBER, United Hatzalah has already succeeded at lowering the average emergency response time to 90 seconds in major cities such as Jerusalem, parts of Tel Aviv and others. Other organizations are following suit and thus the patients benefit from the resulting flashmob of responders who

rush to an emergency at any time day or night. Arriving at patients faster and beginning treatment is key to raising their chances of survival, and ambucycles are the key to arriving faster.

The concept of the ambucycle came to life during a terror attack in the crowded Jerusalem neighborhood known as Beit Yisroel. This neighborhood is known for its narrow and crowded streets. On March 2, 2002, a Palestinian terrorist blew himself up in a suicide bombing that killed 11 civilians including two infants. Ambulance crews and medical volunteers rushed from all over to

Born To Ride Magazine, Real Editorial Content, Real Value for you the Reader

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provide assistance, but the streets were already full of hysterical pedestrians and drivers fleeing the scene and the rescue teams couldn’t get through the traffic for a lengthy period of time, preventing life-saving aid from reaching the injured and dying.

Seeing the carnage and resulting traffic congestion, the idea was born to put medical responders with a full complement of equipment on motorcycles, allowing them to cut through the traffic and reach patients during the golden hour following illness or injury.

Ambucycle responders receive fully accredited medical training and equipment appropriate for their level of caregiving. They also receive specialized driver training that

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earns them certification to use their ambucycles at high speeds as emergency vehicles.

The ambucycles all come equipped with lights and sirens, which drivers are allowed to employ, only after passing the extra level of training and an internal test.

The volunteers who make up the organization are as diverse as the country, with volunteers coming from all religious and political backgrounds. “In the northern region, we have Druze, Muslim and Christian residents volunteering alongside their Jewish peers. In the South, Bedouins work handin-hand with other responders. The organization boasts six exclusively Muslim chapters across the country including Kfar Kassem,

Taibe, Shibli, Wadi Ara, Nazareth and east Jerusalem and large swathes of other chapters are mixed bringing responders from all backgrounds to work together. That is why our name says ‘united,’ that is part of what we do,” Beer declared.

United Hatzalah has active branches in three other countries including Panama, Ukraine (Kiev and Uman) and in the United States (United Rescue of Jersey City, NJ).

It has also built partnerships with other EMS organizations in Brazil, Argentina, India, Mexico, South Africa, and its model of lifesaving is being developed in more than a dozen others. Already, the concept of the ambucycle has been adopted in many of

“As war continues in Israel we can only hope and pray these heroic

these countries as well as in Zurich, Sweden, where a similar but smaller organization known as Hatzolah Zurich, has begun to employ ambucycles due to the results that were seen in Israel.

The work that these organizations do is not aimed at being the transport vehicle to take an injured or sick individual to the hospital, but in being the immediate response to save critical seconds and begin treatment before an ambulance can arrive. In the case of mass casualty incidents (MCIs) or trauma, triage can begin, and immediate medical treatment can already be taking place before the ambulances arrive, enabling the ambulance teams to simply load the patients

onboard and transport them to the hospital for continued care.

This model has stood up under real-life situations including terror attacks, natural disasters, and everyday medical emergencies such as car and bicycle accidents, illnesses and traumas. In Israel, the organization responds to an average of more than 1,000 calls daily.

This front line of community-based EMS response is a force multiplier for emergency and disaster preparedness at the highest level and fulfills the Judeo-Christian value of “love thy neighbor.”

Perhaps what is most impressive about the entire organization, is that all of its ser-

rider first responders are safe and continue to save lives” Ron Galletti

vices are offered completely free of charge to the patient. In the 12 years that the organization has been operational, none of more than 2,500,000 people who have been treated by its volunteers has ever received a bill. Instead, all of the money comes from donations from both inside Israel and international supporters.

“I made the commitment when I began this organization, that no one should ever hesitate to call for emergency medical assistance because they can’t afford to pay an ambulance bill. Therefore, all of our services are free, they have always been free, and they always will be free,” Beer concluded.

Raphael Poch

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RIDE APPALACHIA

FALL IN APPALACHIA As Fall starts to take over here in Central Appalachia we are getting ready for one of our most popular times to ride here in our region. As the last month of our season draws closer we bring you some of our most attended rides and events designed specifically to showcase one of the most spectacular displays of Nature on the planet. There is simply nothing like the season changes that occur here in the oldest mountains on earth as cooler temperatures move in and Mother Nature begins to display her full palette of colors. Regardless of if you are using our Free GPS-Enabled Mobile Application to experience this incredible display or if you are planning to attend one of our events here on the motorcycle side of Backroads of Appalachia, riding here at this time of year is simply unmatched. There is absolutely nothing like it as people from all over the world come to our mountains to see and experience this amazing landscape transformation.

We have 3 great events on our schedule this year designed to showcase these colors which include our WCMG Lady Riders “Ride for the Cure Event” for Breast Cancer with Wildcat Harley Davidson in London, KY, Our First Annual “Mountain Mainstreet Invasion” here at home in Kentucky and of course our last ride of the season each year with our 3rd Annual WCMG Fall Leaves Ride for St Judes in the Smoky Mountains the last weekend in October. From the overlooks on Kentucky’s Highest Mountain on the Dragonslayer 160, to the 180 degree view of 3 states from the Pinnacle at Cumberland Gap, to the 360 degree views of our BTR 12 | BORNTORIDE.COM

mountains on “The Knob”, our Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application is your Fall ride guide with over 5000 miles of “Appalachian Awesomeness” covering 4 states. With so much to see and do here in Appalachia at one of the most beautiful times of the year, you cannot go wrong regardless of which direction you decide to take as you are surrounded by a wall of colors throughout your journey. Pictures and video cannot even come close to what you will experience here in person before the leaves go to ground and winter moves in. Perfect Temperatures, Spectacular Views, Incredible Riding, and 3 Fall riding events are waiting for you right here and so is the Whitley County Motorcycle Group. For more information on these events check out the calendar in the Backroads of Appalachia Mobile Application, Or our website at www.backroadsofappalachia.org, or find us on Facebook! So what are you waiting for? Come and ride with us here in October and see one of the most incredible season changes on planet earth!

Let’s Ride Appalachia!

-Jay Fryman

Founder, Whitley County

Motorcycle Group

Backroads of Appalachia

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BIKER MOVIE REVIEW

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 BTR 14 | BORNTORIDE.COM

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. …

The Phantom Movie Review

Do you have a favorite Biker Movie we don’t have? Let us know: info@borntoride.com

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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

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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.”

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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 more Info on David Meaders and his Artwork, www.folkpottery.com

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Roosterz Rod Shop John Benedict, Jim Cecil and Tim Hahn out of Clearwater, Florida. The boys specialize in traditional American hot rods, custom cars and motorcycles.

Tim found this scooter on eBay and bought it with thoughts of it becoming the Roosterz shop bike. They took apart the Sportster motor and gave it a refresh, changed up the front

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end to a 2-inches under stock springer by D&A and changed out the front wheel. They handmade many of the one-off pieces right at Roosterz including the sissybar and hand shift. They also modified the pipes and massaged every part on this Sporty to make it the gleaming groundpounder seen here. The orange, purple and pink paint on the gas tank came with this awesome

Do you want to get your motorcycle seen right here in Born To Ride Magazine?

eBay find, so they have no idea who the original painter was but it sure fits the look of this little badass.Roosterz has been involved with Born To Ride for quite some time, participating in Chopparama and the boys are creating an event that is a killer swap meet that includes burn out contests and ride-in car and bike show. For more info or to check out some killer

customs visit www.roosterzrodshop.com or call 727-289-2896.

You can also find Roosterz on Facebook and Instagram.

A friend of John’s named Trey Davis recently saw the shop bike and just had to have it. He’s now the proud owner of this month’s Reader’s Ride.

—Dave “Chopper Daddy” Nichols

Send a few photos and your contact information to: info@borntoride.com or call 888-795-5779

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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

ARE YOU BORN TO RIDE? Craven Moorehead Another Month, Another Baseless Story

I was just sittin here in the trailer park watching Jerry Springer when I was reminded what time of the month it was. Oh crap … I didn’t turn in my column yet this month and yeah, it’s a short month.

For some reason, I was dreaming that it was July but alas, it wasn’t.

The thought of time, days and deadlines didn’t really cross my mind.

I was simply relaxing here thinking about going to Daytona for Bike Week and other pleasant thoughts – or unobtainable dreams and not so much about obligations and tasks that really need to be done.

It’s a slow and simple life out here in the country, and there is little motivation to get too excited about things that must get done in a certain amount of time. At this point in my life, I have little or no concept of time, either previously elapsed or remaining in the future. It’s one of those deals. As long as I wake up above ground I assume that there are endless possibilities. If I make it from the bed to the kitchen for coffee anything is possible and after a half a pot or so, I can consider functioning as a regular human being – whatever that is. Often, I wonder what a ‘normal’ life is. Most of us have jobs, ambitions and the enjoyment of reaping the rewards from our various occupations. That’s the thing that keeps most of us driving on, pushing forward and continuing to do chores that we don’t really like to do as a simple matter of survival. Fortunately, I enjoy writing and sometimes it allows me to be able to relate what’s going on in my life, at least it gives me a minute to see which way the road is going to turn – so to speak. None of us really know. This is a long road and the twists and turns often remind us that, even though we think we know where we are going, sometimes fate has a different idea and we can find ourselves on a back-road to nowhere in minutes.

It’s okay people, just enjoy the scenery!

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Once, I was involved in a motorcycle organization that often demanded that I be somewhere at a certain time. I remember that in this scenario, I couldn’t get there the day before to enjoy a bit of down time because believe it or not – I had a job!

Again, this was years back when I was lucky enough to be employed so I had to do something that I would not normally do. No, I didn’t get on an airplane and ask for a ride to the event, I got up at 4 AM and met with some of the guys so we could be there to attend the gig and do our part to help the community and our group.

It’s a beautiful thing to leave early on the bike and watch the sun come up on the horizon, hear the crisp sound of the pipes almost all in unison and feel the brotherhood of the road!

I don’t know if there is a better feeling and at the end of the day, even if you are tired, you know in your heart that the journey was worth it! So is the good feeling we get as bikers really worth it?

Of course it is. Even though we are often given a bad rap by the media or sometimes looked down upon by the local authorities, in the end it all seems to be worth it. I suspect that most of you would agree on this subject and yeah, it costs a few bucks to stay wide-open in the fast lane but we can all look back the good we have done as a loosely knitted community of people that all share the same passion!

The freedom and benevolence of motorcycling and living on the road are much more important than the nay-sayers comments and opinions of our unique lifestyle. I don’t know about you, but I certainly wouldn’t change a thing! The experiences and journeys that we share out there on the highway are far more important than the opinions of the unknowing. If you want to denigrate the life that we lead, at least try it once and hey, if you don’t like it, simply move on. There is no need for negative commentary and foolish myths that have persisted for generations and beyond simply because we are different. Let’s just keep up the good work and keep helping our organizations and communities like we always do. It is our destiny after all.

So now. Thunder Beach is upon us. You are likely reading this at the event, or perhaps before or after it, but either way simply be reminded that the people next to you are your brothers and sisters who came to enjoy the same scene that you did. Years ago, I wrote an entire article regarding this unique event. I can’t remember if it was titled ‘Come for Vacation and leave on Probation’ or whatever but keep this in mind – there are a lot of people out there who still don’t ‘get’ our lifestyle and some don’t like it too much.

Unfortunately, certain factions of the local authorities aren’t big fans of this event and I can tell you that it isn’t a pretty scene in the Volusia County Jail. All I can do is attempt to implore the thought on all of you to do your absolute best to stay the heck out of trouble and don’t fall victim to the potholes and downfalls that can ruin a good time! We are all out here to have fun so let’s keep it at that and enjoy the event and the nuance that is the biker life!

THE LIFE & TIMES OF MOTORCYCLE R.I.P. Craven Moorehead, Your Words Will Live On Forever

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ES & THE PEOPLE WHO RIDE THEM

MEET NATALIA PHOTOS BY DANIEL GALLANT

Hello My name is Natalia Brattseva I am from Surgut, Russia. I am very passionate about everything I do, I enjoy my life and every moment of it, proud of what I’ve accomplished and know that I am unstoppable and there is nothing that could stop me from dreaming and making my dreams come true. I try to make people around me smile and believe in themselves and when I succeed - I feel that I am happy to be a part of this world and make someone’s day better.

Motorcycle : 2009 Triumph Speed Triple 1050 : Vincent Hruska BTR 32 | BORNTORIDE.COM

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STANDING UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS Welcome to October. We have two great events coming up. Biketoberfest and Halloween. Feel fortunate that we have the ability and live in a country that allows us to have these type of functions. Like the Beastie Boys stated, you gotta fight for the right to Party.

With that said, know this: Standing up for your rights and what you believe in can be a challenging and daunting task. Still, it is an essential aspect of personal growth and societal progress. It means speaking out against injustice, discrimination, and oppression and advocating for change.

At times, standing up for your rights may require confronting those in positions of power or authority, which can be intimidating. However, it is essential to remember that everyone has the right to express their opinions and beliefs (even if they’re wrong…lol) and to be treated with dignity and respect.

You are affirming these fundamental principles by standing up for yourself and others.

One key aspect of standing up for your rights is knowing what they are. This means being informed about your legal and constitutional rights and your rights as a member of various communities

and groups. It also means being aware of the rights of others and recognizing when they are being violated.

Once you clearly understand your rights, the next step is to take action. This may involve speaking out publicly, organizing or joining a protest or demonstration, or working with others to effect change through legislative or policy means. It may also include seeking legal recourse, such as filing a complaint or lawsuit.

“Feel fortunate

that we have the ability and live in a country that allows us to have these type of functions. Like the Beastie Boys stated, you gotta fight for the right to Party.”

Standing up for your rights can be long and challenging, but perseverance is essential. It may involve facing

Tell Jim what you’re thinking, what do you want to say to him? editor@borntoride.com

opposition or hostility, but staying focused on your goals and remaining respectful and professional in your interactions with others is important.

Name calling is not a necessity.

At the same time, it is crucial to recognize that standing up for your rights is not just about yourself but about creating a more just and equitable society for everyone. By advocating for change, you contribute to the larger social and political discourse and help to shape the world around you.

Living in the United States affords you the ability to protest what you feel or know to be unjust. Unfortunately, we live in a time where people have their understanding of our rights twisted and are utilizing tactics to take those rights away from us.

Don’t give up the fight, people. Lady Liberty needs you now more than ever.

Remember that Lady Liberty is the symbol, but we give her a voice. Make it heard.

--Nefarious James

American Patriot BORNTORIDE.COM | BTR 35

BLACKENED CHICKEN downwards telling her, “You’ll hate them when you’re older. I used to have big eyes and they made my eyelids droop. Gravity and age, it’s horrible! You poor girl. You just don’t know what you’re up against...” I won’t bore you, my avid readers, with the other petty accusations.

It’s time for the big O’s this month, my BTR friends. Time for a LOWER electric bill, LOWER humidity, and LOWER precipitation.

Mike and I are excited for cooler weather and fall activities. It couldn’t have come sooner as Mike’s list of stores that he’s banned from has grown.

He received a certified letter for a criminal trespass notice from Target in the mail last week. We only visited the new store two times and that was enough for them. Like most establishments nowadays, I could not go in with Mike so he perched my feathered ass on the mirror. I always wondered what he was doing in the store for an hour only to come out with one item or nothing at all.

Let me read y’all the two major complaints: First, Mike was spotted in the eyeglass department trying on different pairs. He put on a dark pair and started walking around the store. With his arms stretched out in front of him, he was feeling everything he could like a blind man. He came across a manikin, started fondling her chest and butt then screamed, “Oh no, my ex-wife works here!”

Second, he walked into the cosmetics department, went up to the counter and the clerk asked, “How can I help you?”

He summoned her to come close and said, “You’ve got really big eyes! Can I touch them?” Before she could react, he started pulling on both of her eyelids, dragging them BTR 38 | BORNTORIDE.COM

So, now Mike has reverted to making individual stops at places that will only see him once in a lifetime. For instance, we visited a Twisty Treat the other day and Mike ordered an ice cream cone. He asked the kid serving him if he believed in unicorns. The kid handed him the cone, shook his head, and said no. Mike looked him right in the eye, jabbed the cone into his own forehead, galloped out the door screaming loudly, “Neigh my ass! BELIEVE! Now you have just served one.”

Before leaving the parking lot, Mike went online and ordered Applebee’s boneless chicken wings to go. We rolled out and cruised down the street. He pulled up in the first parking space for pick up and walked away from the scoot heading for the bathroom to wash his face that was dripping with ice cream, leaving me sitting perched on the mirror.

A young lady came out and looked around finally realizing that the order was for the motorcycle in front of her without even seeing me. Mike walked out of the front door and said, “Did you put handy wipes in there for Spyke? She likes her cousins, but she doesn’t like them sticking to her talons.”

The gal walked close by me, heading towards Mike and I squawked very loudly. In complete shock she screamed, dropped the bag and rand back inside. I cackled at Mike, “Dude, you freaked out that little missy with the whole wet nap thing.”

He turned and said, “Well, you scared the hell out of that damsel by ghosting her

until she walked by you!” The next day he decided to go through the drive-through at Chick-fil-A with me on the scoot. Mike pulled up to the order pedestal and the guy asked for his order. He told him, “I want a chicken sandwich with no chicken, just the fixings.” The guy questioned his order and Mike yelled out loudly, “I want a chicken sandwich with no chicken, just the fixings!”

The voice came across the speaker, “Pull up to the first window, please.”

Mike roared the Harley around the corner and stopped at the window. The guy opened it and said, “Did I hear you right? You want a chicken sandwich with no chicken?”

Mike looked at him, pointed back to me sitting on the back rest and said, “Yeah, dude, I brought my own! Can I get her blackened?”

I squawked loudly, “Dude! The only thing that’s getting blackened is your eye and if I could make a fist, I’d do it! You need to pull out of the drive-through and get my wings in the wind, your knees in the breeze and the Fat Bird 3 wheels rolling down the road while you still have two good eyes!”

-SPYKE

Do you have a riding pet story? Let us know, Spyke wants to feature them! editor@borntoride.com

RONNIE and EMILY’S

CHRISTIAN MOTORCYCLISTS ASSOCIATION Ah, another rainstorm. Here in the state of Florida, we have a significant rainy season. Every day from July to the end of October our forecast is generally clear in the morning with an almost guaranteed rainstorm or two in the afternoon. Each time we go on a bike ride during this season, we take the chance of riding into the rain. There are days where I have ridden under what looks like clear skies and then out of nowhere rain begins to fall. I look up and think “WHAT!?” as there isn’t even a cloud in sight; behold, the infamous Florida “sun shower”.

One day, I was approaching an intersection near my home and could see a wall of rain over it. My clothes had stayed dry the entire ride, that was until I reached the light. I rolled right into that wall of rain and sat in it until the light changed. As I proceeded through the intersection, I found myself immediately out of the rain. I couldn’t believe it! The rain cell was only over the intersection. Driving home, all I could do was shake my head in disbelief. As Floridian’s, we know rainstorms are going to happen but we still have to prepare for the unexpected.

Rainstorms bring problems for bikers like wet clothes and hydroplaning. Rain gear and properly inflated tires with good

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tread provides a firm foundation for the biker and bike as they make their way through a storm. So when storms in our life happen, what firm foundation do we have to stand on?

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 7:24-25 about firm foundations: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock”. Building our life on the bedrock of Jesus and around His teachings will carry us through the storms of life just like good tires on our motorcycle will help us get through the storms and trials while riding.

Teach’s Takeaway, Rain is going to come. We need a firm foundation.

Jesus is the firm foundation for the storms in our life.

Let’s build our house on the bedrock of Jesus.

I have confidence in my ride because I take care of my tires and bring my rain gear, always prepared for the unexpected. In the same way, I take care of my relationship with Jesus and have confidence in my day to day life because He is my firm foundation. The rains are going to come, so build upon the bedrock. Ride on.

Fellow Soldier in Christ,

Wayne (Teach) Masiker

Christian Motorcyclists Association wayne.masiker@att.net

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