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Louisiana Biker Magazine Volume 1, Issue 4, April 2016 Publisher - Dubois “Frosty” Daniels
Associate Publisher - Angel “Boss Lady” Bowman Associate Editor - Tommy “Tomcat” Patterson News Editor - Stacey “Snoopy” Conly
New Orleans Editor - Ainnsley Begnaud Event Coordinator - Jackie “Firefly” Hower
Contributors Ginger Williams, Robert TuTu, Angela Lingefelt, Sherri Harris, Terri Price Barras, Rebel Rageur Jared Dorsey, Ashley Dorsey, Jason Wilson, Randall Cobb, Ashley Roy, Joanie Nerrettig, Barry Tanner Sr. Technical Advisory Board Dave Ervin, Rob Rangold, Joe Vincent, The Professor, Max Materne
On the Cover - Rider: Ashley Roy Bike: Hammond Harley Davidson Street 500 trainer On the Calendar - Model: Amber Tala Bike: Dyna LowRider from Eaglerider New Orleans Special Thanks: Alan and Marjorie Stanton, Larry Friedman, Nikki Jackson, R. E. Daniels, Dennis Brody
Publisher’s Note This has been a rough month in many parts of our state. Severe rains caused massive flooding all over, including around my own neighborhood. Many staff members were affected, and many events we had planned to cover for this issue were cancelled, or just unreachable. Despite the road closures, the power outages, the missed events, and occasional loss of Internet, I think we have come up with a pretty good issue for you. We have Part 2 of our “From Passenger to Rider” series, this time Ashley took the rider’s course at Hammond Harley-Davidson. It was her first time ever riding a bike on her own, and she did a great job. It was a lot of fun for me just being around to watch her do that. We got to go the the Lafayette airport to see the Wings of Freedom Tour, that was definitely worth the trip. We didn’t get to fly in one of the planes this time, but that is in the plans for next year. Our online growth has been phenomenal, and now we are growing our print circulation as well. We have been printing more and more copies each month, but there are never enough to go around. We are increasing by 25% this month, and will increase 25% above that for the May issue. At that point, we’ll be printing twice as many copies each month compared to any other magazine in the state, as far as we know. I hope that’s enough to go around. Thanks for the support, and we’ll keep doing what we do. 100% Original. 100% Louisiana, 100% Motorcycles.
Frosty
Table of Contents
From Passenger to Rider - Part 2
Ashley attends the Harley-Davididson Rider Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana’s Rally at the Capitol
Protecting your Right to Ride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Wings of Freedom Tour
World War II Aircraft visit Lafayette Regional Airport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 From Passenger to Rider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Theresa Neff ’s RidingSafety School . . . . . . . . . . 8
Distribution Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Tabfest Charity Jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ABATE Capitol Rally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Ozanam Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Reader’s Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 DayTripping - River Road . . . . . . . . 18 Reader’s Pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Wings of Freedom Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Confederates Lost Brothers Run . . . . . . . . . 25 Teri Medlin Memorial Benefit . . . . . . . . . . 26 Billy Doherty Racing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Southern Santa & Rebel Moon . . . . . . . . 28 Thumper Jane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
From Passenger to Rider
Part 2- Harley Rider’s Academy
by Ashley Roy I’ve only ever been a passenger and a dreamer up until I took the beginner riding course at Hammond Harley Davidson. As a passenger, you learn the leans, and develop an ear for the engine’s pur; all of which minimally help you for operating your own motorcycle as I soon learned. This was something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while now and couldn’t have been more excited to be able to do it. The first two nights were class work where we learned the basics of the gears on the bike, safety precautions, and riding gear.There were twelve of us in the class; a doctor, retired policeman, a pastor, etc. All from different backgrounds; all with this common interest. We each had different levels of experience and entered the class with minimally different expectations. Throughout the class we formed a bond and respect for one another, cheering each other on and genuinely being happy when someone got an exercise they were struggling with. It made me kind of sad once it was all over. Not only did we all form this “brotherhood” and respect, but we all watched each other grow alot in our knowledge and skills of riding. I can say I was, and am genuinely happy for each of my classmates for doing as well as each of them had done! Now as far the exercises that we learned. This was a beginner course to introduce you to the basics of riding a motorcycle for any type of rider. These little words minimize the difficulty of what you actually need to know to operate a motorcycle. It took me a little while to get each exercise down and let go of that fear of failure I had, but I eventually got the hang of most of the tasks we completed. The instructors were exactly how I expected they would be upon entering the course. They had a love for the ride, respect for 6
the bike, and were committed to their students. I am extremely thankful for their instructions, tips, and faith that they carried for each and every one of us. From the lean, quick stops, knowing where to look, and mastering the clutch, throttle, and brakes; they emphasized the importance of safety to take with us to master on our own. Overall, I would recommend this course to anyone who is even remotely interested in becoming a rider. I had entered the course, being just a passenger and only ever shifting a four wheeler. I left with the knowledge and foundation of skills to ride and operate a motorcycle on my very own.
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Theresa Neff’s RidingSafety School By Stacey “Snoopy” Conly Theresa Duurloo Neff is a very busy lady! She is a Motor Maid, which has been called the oldest women’s motorcycle club, she is a legislative coordinator for A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana, she coordinates the Vets for Vets event every November, on Veteran’s Day coordinates visits to the Veterans Home and the VA, she’s a wife of the National President of the Confederates, she’s a mother of a son serving bravely in our Nation’s Military, and the grandmother of a very precious granddaughter; plus she assists in many other areas in the biker community. You’d think with all of this she would have no time for anything else, right? Wrong! Theresa runs a riding school called RidingSafety. RidingSafety serves the greater Shreveport/Bossier City, LA area and has been in operation for over 14 years. The goals are “to teach good riding habits, hone riding skills, and make riders aware of the hazards of the road.” There are four Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses offered by RidingSafety: Basic Rider, 3 Wheel Basic Rider, Experienced Rider, and Advanced Rider. Basic Rider (BRC) is for new riders or riders who haven’t ridden in some time. The motorcycle, helmet, and gloves are all provided for you. The 3 Wheel Basic Rider Course (3W BRC) is for both new and experienced 3 wheel motorcyclists to learn how to maneuver your trike and avoid hazards in the road. The Experienced Rider (ERC) is for current riders who own a motorcycle, have ridden over 1,000 miles in the last few months and over 3,000 in the last year. The Advanced Rider (ARC) is for current riders who are “comfortable and proficient on your motorcycle with a desire to hone your skills to a whole new level.”
Sure there are many different riding classes you can attend, but they don’t have Theresa. Theresa is an instructor who will likely remember you years down the line and has genuine care for any who attend her class. She has great love for her biker family and will make sure you know the course and are comfortable on your bike before letting you go. If you’re in her class, you’re going to have fun and you’re going to know the course. Although I’ve known Theresa now for approximately three years and have had her support, watching her teach her class was an amazing thing. There were a total of eight men, and I watched as they intently listened to what she had to say. I know Theresa’s care for the biker community, but seeing it first hand in the class was a wonderful thing. She didn’t just casually watch as they rode the course, she made sure they were comfortable and accurate; she listened to what they had to say. And although I see the respect for Theresa from the Confederates and those of us in A.B.A.T.E., to see it in the eyes of these 8 men who have never known her outside of this class was amazing. If you are in the Greater Shreveport/Bossier City area and interested in Theresa’s class, visit http://ridingsafety.com/ And you can also find RidingSafety on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/RidingSafety-145178715533471/
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by jCallender
2016 Tabfest Charity Jam
Event Date: Sunday, April 17th 2016 Time: 10:30AM until 6PM Location: 41446 East I-55 Service Rd. Hammond, Louisiana 70403
Find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/tabfestCharityJam Louisiana Biker Magazine has proudly partnered with the Hammond based artist collective, The Workshop, for The 2016 Tabfest Charity Jam. This is the event’s 4th year of presenting good music, great food, family fun and most importantly; a chance to make to difference in a child’s life. Together we will be collecting pop tabs and cash donations for the Ronald McDonald House Charity of Greater New Orleans. The Hwy.16 Scrap Yard of Amite and The Workshop will provide a mountain of cans to be tabbed throughout the course of the day. All event-goers are encouraged to spend at least a few minutes pulling tabs for the cause. This year’s event will include over a dozen musical acts playing everything from metal to jazz rock to hip-hop. The MC duties will be shared by hip-hop duo Cappastron and Jason Johnson. The headlining band will be regional fan favorite ZYNC. Also playing: Shadow Giant. Jojjo Rocs Live, Troy Bennett, Slapface!, The Angry 88, Common Situation, Cappastron, The N.W.S., Little Bird, Woods Colt, W.C. Toes, Sally and Charles Dean Jefferis. Other exciting activities will include surprise givea-ways and the drawing of six lucky raffle ticket winners. 100% of all proceeds from the raffle will be donated to The Ronald McDonald House Charity of Greater New Orleans. As event-goers harvest tabs and enjoy live music, local chefs Chris Cruz, Kevin Cote and Rudy Rodgers will be donating their time and resources to produce an amazing Louisiana style feast. As per the Tabfest tradition chef ’s will prepare crawfish, jambalaya and pot luck meals as long as supplies last. So come out, join the fun and bring all the tabs you can.
This year’s event is held in honor of our fallen brother Lucas “Mr. Yummy” Leemans who was both great in stature and generosity. Lucas has provided delicious food and unyielding dedication since the very first Tabfest in 2013. He will be missed. This year’s event organizers are jCallender, Damien Michael DiMattia, Tommy ‘Tomcat’ Patterson, Sason Black, Rudy Rodgers, Sara Ciolino, Andrew Kinchen, Donnie Vicknair & Joanie Rodgers. On Thursday, April 21st Tabfest and Louisiana Biker Magazine will host a special Biker’s Night event at the Santa Fe Steak House located in the Hammond Square Mall. The event will be an extension of The 2016 Tabfest Charity Jam and will include live music and a special one night raffle. 10% of all sales between the hours of 4PM and 10PM (including dine-in, takeout and drinks ordered from the bar) will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. 100% of the one night raffle will also be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Come join us, have a steak and help a child. Event security provided by: The Bearded Villains Event Sponsors: Louisiana Biker Magazine, Santa Fe Cattle Co., Gnarly Barley, Tommy’s On Thomas, Phil’s Wrecker Service, Pot-O-Gold, Chef ’s Hot Wings & Things, Tangi Lanes, Creative Designs, Hwy.16 Scrap Yard, Gallagher’s Grill & Courtyard, The Winchester Tattoo Company, Steppin’ Out, K. Gee’s Cafe, Red, White & Brew, Pat Gallagher’s 527, Tangi Vision Center & Duhe Legal & Consulting Services, LLC., Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, Cupcake Concept, Magnetic Shmorgasbord, Bayou Booksellers, Tacos and Beer, Blackened Brew, and Sysco. 10
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A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana
Rally at the Capitol
On March 14, 2016 we held our 3th Annual Rally at the Capitol and turnout was awesome! Bikers from across our state joined together to talk with legislators about issues that affect motorcycling. We are working on some great bills this year. We have for many years championed the idea that helmet usage for adult riders should not be dictated by the government. We believe in safety equipment! However, we believe that it should be your choice. There is a bill in the house that addresses this issue. HB 337 restricts the safety helmet requirement to motorcycle operators and riders under the age of 21. We believe Louisiana would be able to attract more tourism and tax revenue if this bill becomes law. Another bill (HB 248) will allow for the issuance of “In God We Trust� specialty license plate for motorcycles. Our GNO Chapter Vice-President and motorcycle attorney Glen McGovern has championed a bill (SB 171) with enhanced penalties if a car driver fails to yield. The failure to yield includes situations in which there is no stop or yield sign. This bill is aimed at protecting all public road users and pedestrians from distracted drivers. In addition, we are currently
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talking with legislators about a bill that would allow lane splitting under certain conditions. Lane Splitting at low speeds can help reduce traffic congestion in metropolitan areas. Lane Splitting research from California indicates a 30 percent reduction in motorcyclist being rear ended. Please call your representatives and ask them to vote in favor of these bills! We had a great time at the State Capitol and we are looking forward to another great year in working to protect the rights of motorcyclists! We had the opportunity to talk briefly with our new Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. We look forward to working with him in helping our great state attract a greater amount of motorcycle related tourism! If you would like to become a member of A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana go to our website (abateoflouisiana.com) and contact a chapter near you! We look forward to seeing you on the road! Ride Safe, Ride Free Donnie R. Brown M.B.A. State Legislative Coordinator A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana 13
The Ozanam Inn
Giving Back to New Orleans
Saturday, March 19th the Mardi Gras Indian organization, Young Brave Hunters, along with the “G” CALL MC New Orleans and supporters came together to prepare breakfast for approximately 100 people and lunch for approximately 150 people at the Ozanam Inn, a non-profit organization located in the heart of downtown New Orleans. Since 1955, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Ozanam Inn has provided hope and a path to independence for people who are struggling in their darkest hour. The Ozanam Inn offers overnight shelter, daily showers, clothes, toiletries, blankets, weekly health and dental check ups, information for job placement, legal services, and three hot meals a day to those who are in need.
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Twice a year a specific grant is received by Mr. Anthony Davis to prepare a hearty breakfast followed by a delicious lunch for all who walk through the doors. This breakfast included grits, eggs, sausage patties, biscuits and grapes. Lunch was Rosemary chicken, scalloped potatoes, green beans, salad and cake. Life isn’t easy. When we make mistakes, sometimes all we need is a little help and encouragement to get our lives back on track. As Big Chief James said “What we can do together, we could never do alone.” For more information about services provided and donation items needed, visit www.ozanaminn.org. by Boss Lady
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Day Tripping
River Road - Dyna Low Rider
by Frosty By March 14, the flood waters were starting to drop a bit, but we were still running into road closures in many parts of the state. It was the kind of a day when you might ride down a road just to see where it goes, only to find out it goes underwater. Once I got south of the lake, I took the I-310 down to Luling. The Hale Boggs Bridge has always been a favorite of mine, I really should have stopped to get a picture from the other side. I turned onto the River Road, LA-18, and you just can’t ask for a better ride than this. I don’t know if any of this area flooded, but the roads were in great shape this morning, and I saw no signs of damage. The scenery is terrific, a great variety from plantations, to small towns, to chemical plants and just open country. Eaglerider has GoPro cameras available for use, but there were none available this day. Next time I will know to reserve one so you can all see pictures from the ride. I was planning to jump on 61 to head into Baton Rouge, but that was closed. I crossed a bridge and eventually ended up in Sorrento, and took 61 from there into Baton Rouge. I was too late for the Rally at the Capital after all the road clisure delays, but I heard they had a very good turn-out. The Dyna Low Rider proved to be an excellent choice for this trip. This model is one of my all time 18
favorites, and they just fit me well. Every control is just where I expect it to be, and the seat and handlebar positions are pretty damn close for a production model. It doesn’t take much change to make them perfect for me. I did burn through more gas than I expected, but I guess we’ll have to blame that on the guy twisting the throttle. I took the long way back to New Orleans, and met up with Angel, Tony Dowell, and his wife Margaret at Coyote Ugly. This is going to be a regular stop for us, we really like it there. Afterwards I went further into the Quarter, met up with Amber to take some pictures, and ended the ride just after sunrise. We’ll ride the River Road again soon, and invite readers next time.
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Wings of Freedom Tour at Lafayette Airport
by Frosty The Wings of Freedom Tour came to the Lafayette Airport February 29 through March 2nd, and Barry Tanner Sr. whi flies the King Air for Acadian Ambulance invited us to come out and see it. Besides being a pilot, Barry is an avid motorcyclist, and former state champion in flat track racing. He is really just a terrific guy, very interesting, and we hope to work with him more in the future. The Wings of Freedom Tour takes a group of restored World War II aircraft around the country, as part of the living history events sponsored by The Collings Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. Visitors are able to view the aircraft up close, tour the interior of the bombers, and even ride along on flights. The P-51c is the last surviving dual-control Mustang in existance, but for a price, you can take a flight in that, and even take the controls for a bit while in the air. The other three aircraft are a B-17 Flying Fortress, a B-24j Liberator, and a B-25 Mitchell. The B-24j, named Witchcraft, is also the last remaining example of its type still flying. WWII Veterans can tour through the aircraft at no cost., and one of them on hand was Lloyd J. Guillory. Mr. Guillory has been an architect, artisan, and author, but in World War II he was a P-51 fighter pilot. It was quite a special event to get to talk to him about his experiences, and take a picture of him with the Mustang Betty Jane. Other Veterans were also in attendance, including a bus from the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home. The men on this bus were not able to walk around, but their bus was allowed to drive out on the runway and circle the planes, giving the vets a good view of everything.
The tour is celebrating its 27th year and visits an average of 110 cities in over 35 states annually. Since its start, tens of millions of people have seen the B-17, B-24, B-25 & P-51 display at locations everywhere. The tour travels the nation as a flying tribute to the flight crews who flew them, the ground crews who maintained them, the workers who built them, the soldiers, sailors and airmen they helped protect; and the citizens and families that share the freedom that they helped preserve. The next time the Wings of Freedom Tour comes to Louisiana, I plan to have enough cash on hand to fly that P-51.
The Wings of Freedom Tour Collings Foundation Keeping History Alive (800) 568-8924 www.cfdn.org
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Gone But Not Forgotten Confederates Lost Brothers Run 2016
Most people believe when someone passes on that you bury them and place a simple marker to add them to the growing garden of stone. In our world, that is not the case. There are celebrations in their honor and we wear their memory on us as a daily reminder of their legacy. Every first weekend of March, The Confederates Motorcycle Club conducts their Annual Lost Brothers Run. The first stop is Macedonia, Arkansas to visit Tyrone. Tyrone was a patch holder in the Macedonia chapter. He rode a 1949 Panhead. Tyrone was known for playing one hell of a game of nine-ball, his cooking, and his ability for catching flathead catfish. Most of all, he was known for being one hell of a brother. The next stop was Ringgold, LA to visit Confederate Hollywood, who was the very first Confederate prospect. Hollywood rode a Heritage Softail and was a nomad. He was a heavy equipment operator, loved to fish and hunt, and was known for his leadership. Hollywood was most of all known for always being there for his brothers at anytime and
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anywhere. At this stop, everyone enjoyed eating sloppy joes and sharing stories of past experiences about the ones we were visiting that day. From here we rode on to Castor, LA to visit Confederate Billy Reeves. Billy rode a 1979 Shovelhead and a 2009 Dyna prior to passing in 2014. Billy worked offshore most of his life and loved to hunt and fish. He was known a lot for his comedy and could always keep you laughing. Our last and final stop was outside of Quitman, LA to visit Confederate Snoopy. Snoopy was a tour manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd and their tour bus driver. He also drove a tour bus for many other big name bands; such as, ZZ Top and Danzing. Snoopy was Sergeant At Arms for the Ruston Chapter; he rode a Shovelhead and an Electra Glide. He was known for his love for his brothers and love of music. Brotherhood can never be bought; it’s earned. Brotherhood is eternal, even after passing from this life. Memories are carried with us forever. by Flip Flop
Teri Medlin Chili Cookoff Benefit
by Stacey “Snoopy” Conly
Our Place Bar and Grill on Lake Bistineau held a chili cook off benefit on February 20, 2016 to raise money for Teri Medlin’s medical bills and other expenses. Teri battled breast cancer before going into remission, but she later was diagnosed with brain cancer and lost her brave battle. She lives on through the hearts of many on this day. I couldn’t begin to tell you how many people showed up for this benefit, but you couldn’t walk around on the porch without saying excuse me every few feet. The parking lot and surrounding area was full of people, cooks, vendors, bikes, and cars. Even up and down Cryers Camp Road was full of bikes and cars parked on the sides. It was a true testament to how well thought of Teri was by so many. There were auctions, a bake sale, and a 50/50 drawing. All of this was to raise money for Teri’s medical bills and other expenses. Vendors were Pink Zebra and Stephanie Gorman brought her Premier Designs with Crystal Hammers. Geezer the Rock Band with Weldon Thomas, Joe Toland, Roy Lilly III, and Claude Toney provided rocking entertainment for 4 hours. Geezer the Rock Band will also be performing at the Confederates MC Annual Blowout and A.B.A.T.E. of Louisiana, Inc’s State Rally at Bonnie & Clyde in Arcadia on May 7, 2016.
There was a total of 19 cooking teams: BACA’s River Cities Chapter, which Teri was on her way to being fully patched in; Hell On Wheels Bistineau Chapter; VooDoo Crew; Bayou Thunder Saloon; 3 Guys Cooking; Road Kill; Ron Hudson; Ron Hudson, Jr; David Hudson; Anita Shows; Terry Heffern; Holly Heffern; Stephanie Quibodeaux; Lake Bistineau ABATE; Richard Whittington; Welder Hicks; Keith Kingston; and Dee Hicks. The winners were: Richard Whittington took 1st place; Keith Kingston took 2nd place; Dee Hicks took 3rd place; VooDoo Crew Riding Club won People’s Choice. Diane “Anna” Funderburk states, “Yes she always had a smile, never got mad at anyone, a blessing to all, very dedicated and she was a loving wife and beautiful friend who love to ride” Teri left behind a husband Charles “Bubba” Medlin, a brother (since deceased), a sister, a BACA Family; as well, as many other biker family and friends.
Photography by Rebel Wren of Rebel’s Illusions 26
Billy Doherty Racing
“Fear the Banana” is a unique phrase commonly heard if you were attending an AMRA or NHRA race with 17 time national champ Billy Doherty there, racing his yellow bike known as “the banana.” Lake Charles Harley Davidson has been owned by the Doherty family for 44 years, which helped to mold his passion for both motorcycles and his family. After a tragic accident in the fall of 2012 that caused a 10 month memory loss, Billy has had to overcome many obstacles on top of regaining who he was in racing. After about two years of recovery without a championship title under his belt, he regained his talent to the fullest and was back on track winning titles. This season, with the rules changing motor sizes from 135 to 160 cubic inches, he plans to succeed even further than last year. In April he will be racing in the AMRA and NHRA screaming eagle series at the State Capital Raceway in Baton Rouge. Whether his competitors are “fearing the banana” or one of his other bikes, we will be seeing lots of amazing racing from Billy Doherty. by Ashley Roy 27
Southern Santa&Rebel Moon By Mama S Pictures sent in by Rebel Moon
(And Lil P too)
Most of you have seen these folks around. They’re set up at just about every event you’ve been to in Louisiana, selling everything from Rebel flags to bad ass jewelry to sparkly purses. (I personally own several items off their table!) Just look for Santa Claus in Rebel wear accompanied by a beautiful woman and the sweetest little dog you’ve ever seen. I spent most of my time talking with Southern Santa (SS) and Rebel Moon with Lil P in my lap. Let me tell you, this dog is one of a kind and their whole world! But, they are more than just the people you see at rallies selling stuff. They are affiliated with no patch, but Family to most. Their goal is to help bring these clubs together, one little thing at a time; simple things, like introducing one patch holder to another. Anyone this writer has ever talked to about these folks has nothing but respect and love for them. They are held in high regard and in high demand within any circle you speak to. SS started this business 20 years ago, under the name Southern Santa and the Traveling Freak Show. Back then, he was a regular at several VA Hospitals and Homes. He would bring his wares in hopes of brightening someone’s day, even just a little. He eventually tired of all the ever-changing rules and regulations of the VA and starting doing more and more motorcycle rallies and benefits, several of which he could still help raise money for his Brothers in Arms at. In early 2013, Southern Santa met a woman on Facebook (see Facebook CAN be a good thing!) and they chatted back and forth as friends for a while. They connected at a Desperados Cook-Off in Texas, and continued their friendship. In May of the same
year, Rebel Moon would tell SS of her plans to move up north in an attempt to get away from an abusive relationship. SS’s next words would change both their lives forever. “Would you consider coming on the road with me?” It didn’t take her long to pack up everything she could into her tiny little car and never look back. They were married in October of 2015 with numerous clubs from several states in attendance. There were bridesmaids and groomsmen from several of the same clubs. From then on out, the “Freak Show” retired and they became “The Southern Santa&Rebel Moon Show”. They cover several Southern states in their big red van that’s set up for week long stays where ever they may end up.
They are actually hosting a benefit this month (March 19) in Simsboro in conjunction with the Ruston chapter of the Confederates. The benefit is for Baby Trevor, born this past December, weighing only 1.6 pounds. He is currently still in NICU Shreveport. “Because the Confederates are such a huge part of us, we asked them to help. They were quick to offer anything they could give.” There are many Clubs and organizations that will call SS to set up ALL their vendor needs. That way, there’s not too many chickens in the hen house, and everybody will make some money. Ultimately that’s what a good business is all about, right; making money to survive and giving back as much as you can to those who need it. And that’s what they do; they will drive 100 miles just to be present at a benefit, to donate to the auction, and take the chance of going in the hole, just to help someone out. They are quick to offer their hearts and help to anyone.
So, next time you see Southern Santa and Rebel Moon (and Lil P), be sure to stop, say hi and thank them for all they do. OH! And pick something up while you’re there! (Bringing dog treats is always a bonus!) *Below is a list of Louisiana events where they will be set up. To book them for your event contact by phone at 318-210-1558 or email at vkmitch715@gmail.com Book early to make sure they’re free! April 8-9 Geek Fair-Shreveport May 6-7 Confederate’s Annual-Arcadia May20-21 Hell’s Lovers National-Shreveport June 24-25 Watermelon Festival-Deridder Nov 5 Vet Benefit hosted by Theresa Neff of A.B.A.T.E. And several other out of state events as well!
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Thumper Jane
By Joan (Lulu) Nerrettig After 24 years of cages, March 1st changed the game. After months of saving, then pouring over Craigslist for a decent re-entry bike, Thumper called my name, loudly! She’s a 2009 Suzuki S40 Boulevard, equipped with a Jardine, new tires, tubes, brakes, and a synthetic blend for that single stroke, she’s one torquefun mare. A pearl-white thing, sporting a combo silver-gray tank, she holds the ground as I fly through space, grinning and living, once again. Mom’s crematorium brass number tag hangs on Thumper Jane’s fork, and I can look down and see where the tinkle sound is coming from when we hit the wind just right. It ignites memories of Mom on her own mare, her beloved quarter horse, Ginger. I have my bike safety course coming up this week, and after riding during the sun spurts between downpours, I’ll be ready to introduce Thumper Jane to you at HDBC Burgers and Bikes on April 16, when we will hear the coolest band in town, Stumble Biscuit. Until then, happy trails! Lulu
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