FROM THE PUBLISHER

MAIN OFFICE: 12467 Kinsman Rd, Burton, OH 44021 • (440) 273-8072 OFF-SEASON OFFICE HOURS: TUESDAY - FRIDAY 10AM - 3PM

RETAIL STORE & OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday - Friday • 10am - 3pm

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Derek Armstrong Smith • ThunderRoadsOhio@gmail.com • (440) 785-7331 SALES & MARKETING Iron Cowboy Productions, LLC • info.ironcowboy@gmail.com • (440) 678-8608 DIGITAL MEDIA Timothy Cermak • DigitalMedia.TRO@Gmail.com • (440) 273-8072

LAYOUT & DESIGN Bob Mazur • Bobmazurphoto.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THUNDER ROADS OHIO are available for $34.95. Check or Money Order, payable to Iron Cowboy Productions, can be sent to: Iron Cowboy Productions 12467 Kinsman Rd, Burton, OH 44021 You can also order online - www.ThunderRoadsOhio.com To update your address or other questions, email: Acct.TRO@gmail.com

NATIONAL FOUNDERS Toni McCoy Shearon & Brian Shearon 1528 Matlock Drive / Chapmansboro, TN 37035 Office 615-792-0040 / Fax: 615-792-7580 email: thunderroadsfounders@yahoo.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF ITS CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY AND IS NOT TO BE HELD LIABLE FOR ERRORS BEYOND THE COST OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE ERROR, SLANDER OF ANY GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL, FAILURE TO PRODUCE ANY ISSUE AS SCHEDULED DUE TO REASONS BEYOND OUR CONTROL, ANY AND ALL SUITS FOR LIABLE, PLAGIARISM, COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND UNAUTHORIZED USE OF A PERSON’S NAME OR PHOTOGRAPH. OPINIONS AND CLAIMS MADE BY ADVERTISERS AND AUTHORS ARE THEIR OWN, AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE POLICY OF THUNDER ROADS MAGAZINE OR THUNDER PUBLISHING. PUBLISHER DOES NOT PROMOTE THE ABUSE OF ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUGS. The start of the new year always seems to be a time of contemplation, as we look back on the past year and look forward to the new. It’s not just because of new year’s resolutions, especially in Northeast Ohio where we are often snowed in or simply kept off the road by salt and ice. It’s hard not to look forward to the year ahead and warmer times, which often leads us back to consider what we accomplished the year before. These days this is a sobering thing as many of us have been challenged by so much this past year. If it wasn’t COVID restrictions, it was the onslaught of never-ending madness on the news. It’s inevitable that we think back to a time before COVID and the political craziness that seems to have torn our country apart. If it wasn’t COVID and draconian mandates to restrict us for our own good – it was the ensuing “supply chain disruptions”, staffing shortages, or simply rising costs that seemingly turned our lives upside down. Many of the routines and traditions that we had come to just assume and take for granted were suddenly gone. And worse, many of the relationships and ties that strengthened our lives – were suddenly gone. Many of us have lost friends and family the last few years to not only COVID – but the other malaise that it caused. Depression, alcoholism, suicide, and other tragedies took many more from our lives. And then there are the relationships that we’ve lost due to our jobs changing and our community landscapes evolving to reflect the changing times. In the motorcycle community, many of our bike nights and even the largest of our rallies have been cancelled or rescheduled for dates to be determined. As I look back at the last two years, I’m left with one overwhelming goal for 2022 – we need to WAKE UP and get back to living. We need to get out and celebrate life, restore the relationships we had, and TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY. This isn’t a conspiratorial challenge or rally cry for the right (or left). It’s about saving what we’ve largely taken for granted – until it was taken away from us… or we simply turned our back on it. December 7th, 2021 was the 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor – and on that day I found myself watching a ceremony being held at the USS Arizona. It was just by chance that I was even watching it – as I’ve largely given up on watching the evening news. But I happened to be visiting family, and they had it on. They showed over 50 Pearl Harbor Survivors gathered at the USS Arizona, and they reflected on that day. They commented on the emotions they felt, and they recalled the sentiment across America that day. The country rose up – unified in outrage and a sense that we needed to defend our nation. We needed to stand up for our freedoms, our way of life. My generation had a similar experience on 9/11. When challenged in a manner such of those days of infamy, our nation has ALWAYS unified and stood firm. We’ve risen to the challenges and stood for what we believe in. Our history is full of instances where we have risen and not only defended ourselves – but the world itself from those that would do it harm. Sadly, there are examples of the exact opposite as well. When our country loses focus and we become divided. During such times, we are our own worst enemy and we are at the mercy of others. And sadly, the world pays the price as well. Whether you believe that someone or something is orchestrating all of this, it’s the culmination of years of social decay, or a perfect storm of unfortunate coincidences – we are at such a point. Our country has been torn apart, our communities divided, and even our family ties broken. FOR 2022, WE NEED TO REVERSE THIS COURSE. We need to get back to living as a nation united. We need to reach out to those friends we’ve lost and reconnect with family estranged. We need to support the local businesses and events we value and set down our phones. We need celebrate life in the real world and get out of our homes. We need to remember that we are ALL BROTHERS and SISTERS – and we need to shout this for all the country to hear. Thankfully, we’re bikers – and that means we should also get out and ride, RIDE TO BE HEARD! As luck would have it – the Piston Power Show is BACK ON! And hopefully, we will soon have good news regarding Ohio Bike Week! Planning has already begun on bike shows and bike nights for the upcoming season. Now it’s on you as riders – to get out and support these businesses and events. It’s on you to live the life we want – and our country needs. And we hope to be riding alongside you. Ride Strong!

D. A. Smith

Publisher Thunder Roads Ohio

FEATURES

10 ORGANIZER OF THE YEAR

12 MACHINE GUN PREACHER

18 SPORT TOURING

22 PISTON POWER SHOW 2022

DEPARTMENTS

06 FROM THE PUBLISHER

08 ROAD TALES

14 MOTORCYCLE MINISTRY

16 BIKE SHOW FEATURE

26 CALENDAR FEATURE

30 IRON & INK

32 BUCKEYE FIREARMS

34 TRO NETWORK: Where to get the mags!

36 MARKETPLACE

37 SERVICE SPECIALISTS

42 UPCOMING MOTORCYCLE EVENTS

46 FUNNY STUFF

48 RECIPE FEATURE

49 WORD SEARCH

50 PARTING SHOTS

52 SPONSOR LISTING

On the Cover:

Daniella Calabrese poses with a custom bike at the I-X Piston Powered Auto-Rama! Photo by Bob Mazur. The show returns to Cleveland in April.

See page 22 for more details!