January 2025 - Issue 318 by The Carolinas' Full Throttle Magazine

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Mark Infield

Founder - Ride In Peace 12/06/1949 - 7/02/2021

Molly “WildThing” Infield Executive Editor / Financial Ofﬁcer Molly@FullThrottleMagazine.com

Lincoln Infield Managing Editor / Art Director Lincoln@FullThrottleMagazine.com Maggie Infield Production Assistant / Dancing Queen

Lincoln, Alan, Scott, Christian, Trisha, Bill, Len, Rob, Brenda, Pam, Lorna, JB, Greg

Alan Dockery, Lincoln Inﬁeld, Brad Patton, Kathy Lynn Parnell, Wally Wersching, Chi, Len Montgomery, Rob Harper, Len Montgomery, Bill Gallaway, Jerry Andrews, PeeWee, Brenda Reece, Scott Wicker, Cruising Gal

WildThing, Alan Dockery, Lincoln Inﬁeld, Kathy Lynn Parnell, Wally Wersching, Floyd Baker, Bill Gallaway, Jerry Andrews, Rob Harper, Cruising Gal, Christy Gonzales, Scott Wicker, Brenda Reece

APPY NEW YEAR YALL! SPARE ME THE WHOLE “NEW YEAR NEW Me” BS. We know you have good intentions, but your’re not sticking with that diet! Look, the good news is that we made it through another year and even though winter didn’t ofﬁcially start until December 21, it is January and we are that much closer to spring. Daytona is less than 60 days away so get those wrenches turning or the service appointments made, cause all that shit you busted ripping around during 2024 aint gonna ﬁx itself! Speaking of Rally Season, the beginning of the Carolinas’ rally season is the Outer Banks Bike Week, April 19-27 and is featured on the front cover and on pages 4-5 of this month’s magazine. We make a point to go to the Outer Banks Bike Rally each year and party out on the coast. We will see ya there!

The January magazine is “The Toy Run Edition” as nearly all the events from November 15 - December 15th were toy runs and so that’s what we covered. Each year the calendar ﬁlls with jolly do gooders who absolutely refuse to allow their community to go without during the Holiday season. My hat is off to you all. It just go to show ya, bikers will make any excuse to get together with their friends and go ride.

If you’re looking for something to do there are a couple events goin on in the January Cruisin’ Calendar to choose from. Here in the Carolinas’, with the right amount of gear, you can ride all year long. Even if there isn’t an event going on near you, there are open roads and places to go. Get out there and ride your motorcycle, that’s what it’s for!

Last call for bike show registrations! The Carolinas’ Full Throttle Magazine 3rd Annual Custom Bike Show, Presented by Carolinas’ Biker Lawyers will be on February 1st inside the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. If you haven’t already registered your bike for the show…ya better get on it! We have 25 classes and $12,000 up for grabs. All bikes must be pre-registered for this show! Check out the bike show ad for more info or give us a shout. Don’t miss this bike show…it’s the biggest indoor bike show in Greensboro on February 1st…I will promise you that!

Deb Printup, Harriet McDowall

HE CAROLINASʼ BEACH rally season starts in the Outer Banks on April 19-27, 2025. Outer Banks Harley-Davidson will be hosting their 23rd Annual Outer Banks Bike Week and it needs to be on your calendar. Everything about the Outer Banks begs you to get away and get back to simpler things, like riding your motorcycle down endless beach roads beside natural beaches and beautiful dunes. Harbinger, NC home of Outer Banks Harley-Davidson is on the mainland of North Carolina and less than three miles from the Wright Memorial Bridge that takes you to the Outer Banks and its 200 miles of beautiful coastline. That makes for a heck of a ride. Of course, if you want to ride the entire way, you’re gonna need to get on the Ferry. But just imagine riding the NC coastline with your friends, riding over eight major bridges linking the islands and the mainland and visiting the ﬁve historic lighthouses along the way. Now THAT is a great riding destination. Not to mention the other area attractions along the way like Jockey’s Ridge State Park, in Nags Head, The Wright Brothers Memorial, in Kitty Hawk, and the “Lost Colony of Roanoke” in Manteo, NC. You can seriously do some enjoyable riding in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Flight Harley-Davidson in Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head Harley-Davidson in Nags Head. The Harbinger location is the epicenter of the event hosting a week’s worth of entertainment including the International Bikini Team Ms. Outer Banks Bike Week Competition, multiple bands, a lot full of vendors, guided rides and a Full Throttle Magazine Custom Bike Show.

Seeing all these possibilities and doubling down that it’s a great motorcycle location, OBX H-D owner Maurice Slaughter started the Outer Banks Bike Week 22 years ago and has provided a spring destination for riders from all over the East Coast. The last eight years the event has been coordinated by Sherry Burgess who works tirelessly to provide entertainment for rally goers at all three Outer Banks Harley-Davidson locations. That’s right THREE Harley-Davidson locations who participate in the event. Outer Banks Harley-Davidson in Harbinger, First

The sister sites, First Flight and Nags Head H-D, also get in on the action hosting guided rides, the Harley-Davidson Demo Truck, MotorClothes Apparel sales and providing party locations. Sherry says, “I love the anticipation I build up planning this event. I get so excited as the dates quickly approach. I can hardly hold it all in. I love seeing individuals from various backgrounds coming together through their shared passion for motorcycle riding. I take great satisfaction in offering our community and individuals the chance to immerse themselves in the motorcycle culture, enjoying live music, exploring custom bikes, browsing vendor offerings, and connecting with fellow riders. Planning this event can be extreme at times but to see something you work on diligently resulting in a successful outcome where your hard work pays off and the project is completed thoroughly and with high quality; essentially, your persistent effort makes it all worth it. I can’t wait to connect with both new and familiar friends. I love to hear about their adventures and experiences within the motorcycle Industry.”

Although the Outer Banks isn’t made to party all night long, there are a number of local bars that provide some night life for the Rally each year, even some of the beach road hotels end up with parking lot parties. Fine dining your thing? The Outer Banks restaurants can certainly dish up some world class meals and there are even some famous hot dog eateries in the area. The Outer Banks really has it all. Sherry wants you to “Get rev up and mark them calendars! You’re ofﬁcially invited to a roaring week with me April 19th-

APRIL 19-27, 2025

OUTER BANKS

Cruisin’ Calendar

JAN 1 ANNUAL OLD 87 NEW YEARS

RIDE American Legion Riders Post 87, 409 W High Dr., High Point, NC. Meet at 12pm, KSU 1pm.

JAN 1 SPRINGERS NEW YEAR’S DAY RIDE 405 Rocky Knoll Rd., Greensboro, NC. 1pm.

JAN 1 CRAZY’S 17TH ANNUAL NEW YEARS DAY RIDE Pine Tree Tavern, 3880 Bethania Station Rd., WinstonSalem, NC. KSU 12:30pm, rain or shine. Being canned goods to help the needy. Crazy, 336-340-9059

JAN 1 8TH ANNUAL BRASS NUTS RIDE

VFW Post 670 & Auxiliary, 3928 Doc Bennett Rd., Fayetteville, NC. Reg 9am, KSU 11:30am. Cold weather challenge ride, chili cookoff, live music, tattoo artist, cigar boutique. Hosted by: CVMA NC CH 15-1. FMI, pro@cvma15-1.net

JAN 1 NEW YEAR DAY RIDE Two starting locations, Shell Station, 5095 Dortches Blvd., Rocky Mount, NC @9am. WAWA, 5003 Raleigh Rd., Wilson, NC @9:30am. Cash bar & food avail. T-Roc, 252-955-2853, Highway Dre, 252-8018843 or Tin Man, 252-717-2829

JAN 4 PINE TREE TAVERN’S JOE

SMITH DAY 3880 Bethania Station Rd., Winston-Salem, NC. 1pm, live music all day, food & drinks avail., come help celebrate Joe’s 84th birthday. 336-815-1220

JAN 4 COX’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON

NEW YEARS BALLOON POP 2795 NC Hwy 134, Asheboro, NC. 9am-5pm, pop a balloon at check-out to see what’s inside, hotdogs. www.coxsharley-davidson. com, 336-629-2415

JAN 4 7TH ANNUAL MICKEY SEIGLER

MEMORIAL POLAR BEAR RUN The Country Kitchen, 116 E. Main St., Dallas, NC. Reg 9:30am, first bike out 10:30am, dice hands for CBA members, $15/1 hand & 1 meal ticket, $25/3 hands & 2 meal tickets. Dice hands for non-members, $20/1 hand & 1 meal ticket, $30/3 hands & 2 meal tickets, incl CBA/ABATE membership. Best & worst hand, raffles, 50/50. Benefits Gaston CBA’s charitable & legislative work in NC & Gaston Co.

JAN 4 NEW YEAR’S KICKSTARTSHOP, SIP & JAM Tobacco Road

Harley-Davidson, 1126 S. Saunders St., Raleigh, NC. 10am-4pm. Live music, warm drinks, hidden surprises. www. tobaccoroadhd.com, 919-832-2261

JAN 4 CRAPPY CHRISTMAS PRESENT EXCHANGE Fort Bragg HarleyDavidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd., Fayetteville, NC. www.fortbraggharley. com, 910-864-1200

JAN 11 14TH ANNUAL CBA CHILI

COOK-OFF Cox’s Harley-Davidson, 2795 NC Hwy 134, Asheboro, NC. 9am5pm, $10/contestant fee, $5/all you can eat judging fee, $1/extra vote, 50/50, prizes. www.coxsharley-davidson.com, Gena, 336-963-3438

JAN 11 CUSTOMER APPRECIATION

PIZZA PARTY Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson, 1126 S. Saunders St., Raleigh, NC. 12-3pm, free pizza, gift card rafﬂe. www.tobaccoroadhd.com, 919-832-2261

JAN 11 HOT TODDIES & HOT DOGS

Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd., Fayetteville, NC. www. fortbraggharley.com, 910-864-1200

JAN 14 FREEDOM BIKER CHURCH

BIKER B.A.B.E.S. GIRLS NIGHT OUT

Mulligans Arcade & Tavern, 176 Bratton Dr., Garner, NC. Ladies 18+ a night of food & fun. Christy@freedombikerchurch. com, 919-868-3697

JAN 14 ABATE OF SC LOBBY DAY SC

State House, 100 Gervais St, Columbia, SC. 9am-1pm, make your voice heard.

JAN 18 BIG HOUSE POLAR BEAR

RUN Chris’s Place, 2667 S. Live Oak Dr., Moncks Corner, SC. Reg 11:30am, KSU 1pm, $20 worth of personal hygiene items or cash donation. Shirts avail., beneﬁts incarcerated Veterans in the Lowcountry. Spons. By Warhorse Brotherhood MC. FMI, Old Dog, 843-729-1815

JAN 18 RISE & RIDE PANCAKE

BREAKFAST Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson, 1126 S. Saunders St., Raleigh, NC. 8-11am, free pancake breakfast. www.tobaccoroadhd.com, 919-832-2261

JAN 18 SUMMER IN JANUARY PARTY Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd., Fayetteville, NC. www. fortbraggharley.com, 910-864-1200

JAN 23 MODEL UNVEILING WATCH PARTY Thunder Road Harley-Davidson, 4870 Riverside Dr., Danville, NC. www. thunderroadhd.com

JAN 24-25 STUDS OF STEEL The Masters Gentlemen’s Club, 1901 Mr Joe White Ave., Myrtle Beach, SC. Doors 7pm, Show 9-11pm. www.studsofsteel. com

JAN 25 CHILI THROWDOWN 2025 Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson, 1126 S. Saunders St., Raleigh, NC. 11am-4pm, live music, chili cook-off prizes. www. tobaccoroadhd.com, 919-832-2261

JAN 25 NEW-YEAR NEW-MODEL YEAR CELEBRATION Fort Bragg Harley-Davidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd., Fayetteville, NC. www.fortbraggharley.com, 910-864-1200

FEB 1 3RD ANNUAL FULL THROTTLE CUSTOM BIKE SHOW Greensboro Coliseum 1921 W Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC. 10-7pm. $20/person, Kids 10& Under Free. 25 class bike show with 200 custom motorcycles and $12k in cash prizes, 100+ vendors, live music, live pinstriping, chopper photo gallery, tattoo booth, Perewitz Cycle Fab Paint Show. Bike show registration $20/bike, bikes must be pre-registered. 336-8855400 www.fullthrottlemagazine.com

FEB 8 FROG LEVEL MC 50TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY 8520 County Home Rd., Ayden, NC.

FEB 22 CVMA SC 34 ICE TICLE RIDE

Voodoo Brewing Co., 3453 US-17 Bus., Murrells Inlet, SC. Reg 8am, KSU 12pm, $25/rider, $10/passenger incl all you can eat breakfast. Rafﬂes, auction, vendors. Beneﬁts SC Auxiliary Scholarship.

MAR 22 TRIAD HONOR FLIGHT FUNDRAISER Springers, 405 Rocky Knoll Rd., Greensboro, NC.

MAR 22 SAMUEL C. HART AMERICAN LEGION POST 14 BIKE & CAR SHOW 5865 S. Main St., Salisbury, NC. Reg 8:30am, $20 reg fee, show 9am-2pm, 50/50, food avail. Beneﬁts Rowan County Veterans. Jeff Higgins, 330-651-4620, higgins82@gmail.com

MAR 22 HTNJOCO 1ST ANNUAL MEMORIAL RUN FOR JOE WAGNER Plan

B Bar, 519 W. Market St., Smithﬁeld, NC. 9am. Memorial ride, live music, beneﬁts Joe’s family and families in need. Betsy, 919-500-6475 or Scott, 919-437-3698

MAR 22-23 `54TH ANNUAL CHARLOTTE CBA SAW MEET & BIKE SHOW Rowan County Fairgrounds, 1560 Julian Rd., Salisbury, NC. 10am-6pm, bike show w/ $1,000 in people’s choice awards, swap meet, live music, food, vendors, wet t-shirt contest, beard con-

test, cannon ﬁre. www.charlottecba.org, Rick Nail, 704-455-6245, Emily Cook, 704-200-8144

APR 5 CVMA CH 34-1 ANNUAL SPRING RIDE Beavers Den, 3482 John G Richards Rd., Liberty Hill, SC. Reg 9:30am, ﬁrst bike out 10:40am, $20/rider, $10/passenger. Beer, music, vendors, 50/50. Proceeds go to help Veterans in Midlands. Big House, 253-459-3661, Hound Dog, 803-924-9997, Dilly Dilly, 315-777-7772

APR 19-27 23RD ANNUAL OUTER

BANKS BIKE WEEK Outer Banks H-D, 8739 Caratoke Hwy, Harbinger, NC. Guided rides, demo rides, bikini models, live music, vendors, Carolinas’ Full Throttle Magazine bike show. www.outerbanksbikeweek.com, www.outerbankshd. com, 252-338-8866

APR 25-27 EAST COAST BOOTY RUN

Mariner Inn & Suites, 1801 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC. Fri: parking lot pre-party. Sat: ride with lunch after. Sun: breakfast, check out. Call 252-441-2021 to reserve your room, use discount code Booty Run. www.leftlanesyndicate.com

APR 26 KIDS PATH BIKE & CAR

SHOW Cadillac Ranch, 6330 David Moore Rd., Burlington, NC. Reg 8am, $20/bike & car show, $10/general admission, rain date: 04/27. Live music, 50/50, vendors, food trucks & more. Beneﬁts Kids Path of AuthoraCare. Birddog, 336260-1685, Jamie 336-213-2684, Allison Allison@samswishfund.org

APR 26 5TH ANNUAL JOCO ANGELS RIDE 4 RECOVERY Freedom Biker Church, 690 Tarheel Rd., Benson, NC. Reg 9am, KSU 10:30am, 50/50, door prizes, t-shirts, food, music, silent auction, vendors. Christy@freedombikerchurch.com, 919-868-3697 or 919-5503733

MAY 3 RIDE FOR A CHILD Tobacco Road H-D, 1126 S. Saunders St., Raleigh, NC. Reg 8:30am, $20/rider, $25/ with passenger, $30/vehicles. Food Trucks, vendors, live music. Beneﬁts

Vintage Chopper

Modern Chopper

Import Chopper

Greasy Chopper

Radical Bagger 23-26” Wheel

Radical Bagger 30”+ Wheel

Fat Tire 18-26”

Touring

Performance Bagger

Sport Bike

Antique (1965 & Before)

Vintage (1998-1966)

Metric Antique

British Standard Antique

Metric Cruiser

Indian

Victory

Dyna

FXR

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Sportster

Trike

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BIKE & VENDOR REGISTRATION OPEN ON OUR WEBSITE! $ 400 Cash Prize Per Class PLUS 2 Best In Show Awards $ 1000 MODERN BEST IN SHOW $ 1000 ANTIQUE BEST IN SHOW

Radical Non-Bagger

BIKESHOWCLASSESSUBJECTTOCHANGE

THE INDOOR EAST COAST BIKE SHOW!

2024 CBA Toys For Tots Ride

BY: JERRY ANDREWS

IS THE SEASON TO GIVE TO THE LESS FORTUNATE, BIKERS always manage to rally around those in need and when it’s time to assist children at Christmas, the scoots come out. According to Emily Cook, the Concerned Bikers Association (CBA) Toys for Tots ride has been going on since 1981. Each year approximately 2000 bikers gather at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte for a ride through the countryside of North Mecklenburg County into Cabarrus County and back to Independence Harley-Davidson, Charlotte, NC. Along the way, families line the street to enjoy a ﬂash of HD color and the rumble of V-twin engines. December 1, 2024, was no exception, the weather and low temps was initially a concern, but bikes began rolling into the parking lot around 11AM with some minor changes to the route. Emily is a lifetime member of the CBA; she has been involved with the organization since 1979. Emily stated, she had seen it all, icicles in beards, sleet and snow. CBA is a pro-biker organization in place to bring about changes through the NC legislature, they have facilitated the change of twenty-one laws changed to promote safety on the road as it relates to motorcyclists.

The CBA directed trafﬁc into Bojangles Coliseum parking lot and lined bikes up to depart towards the dealership at 1PM. While waiting in the parking lot, CBA sold t-shirts, memberships and other biker swag at their tables. In addition to the CBA, Hoff’s Grill brought an amazing food trailer and provided their “Famous Pork Chop Sandwich” to the hungry crowd. Hoff’s is headed up by David and Jolene, their staff is backed up by friends and family. Their menu consisted of bacon, egg and cheese mufﬁns, of course the “famous” fried pork chop sandwich, burgers, fried bologna and ice cold drinks.

KSU was 1PM for the Toys for Tots Ride so Russell (my friend and assistant for the day) rolled out of the parking lot at

12:50 to set up and take photos at Sharon Amity Road bridge over Independence Boulevard where the ride would pass headed towards Independence Harley-Davidson. Once we arrived, the party atmosphere was alive in the sales department where Jeremy was greeting customers and directing at least one lost reporter around the store. The ladies in the MotorClothes department were providing excellent customer service for everyone buying jackets, hats and of course the ubiquitous black Harley-Davidson t-shirts.

Outside of the dealership, the party continued where Luke Deuce and his band provided the tunes! We all appreciate a host of different types of music, but Luke and his band covered the Band of Heathens song, “Hurricane”, a host of Merle Haggard classics and outlaw country covers keeping the party rocking, while they did manage to throw in a few originals as well. The band was awesome and if you get a chance to check them out, you will not be disappointed! I’m a classic country music fan and I really enjoyed the band’s vibe. That steel guitar was awesome, you just don’t see that in young bands today. They get major props from me for that!

As you can see by the photos, the Toys for Tots event was a great close out to a year’s worth of events here in NC. Surely, there will be other toy runs and celebrations but as we close out our year, we want to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to each and everyone of you who support The Carolinas Full Throttle Magazine. We do what we do to bring biker news and events to you throughout the year, by the time this edition of the rag is in your hands, we hope you are planning to join us in Greensboro for the annual Full Throttle Custom Bike Show on February 1st. We all look forward to seeing you then, and after that bets are off, we expect to see you at every biker event we have a chance to get involved with!

Tar River Toy Run

BY: ROB HARPER

ECEMBER 7TH WAS THE DATE OF THE 1ST ANNUAL TAR River Toy Run. The toy run was started in 1994 by “Snooks” Robbins and Charlie Bogey. This year the run has a new name, but the same purpose. To provide needy children with toys and donations so they can enjoy a Merry Christmas. The event took place at Webb’s Mill in Spring Hope, NC. The mill originally ground corn, but in the early 1900’s it was converted to produce electricity. The 3 turbines are still in place, and the electrical gear has been upgraded. The mill is now an event center.

It was a cool 19 degrees the morning of the run but got into the lower 40’s by the time I left my house. When I arrived, there was already a good crowd milling around (pun intended). Toys were being loaded into the trailer and rafﬂe tickets were being sold. The pig was smelling good on the cooker, and some delicious appetizers were ready. There was a cash bar inside the old mill, and a large, covered pavilion. The site is on the banks of the Tar River with some nice views.

Just after 1:00 a dozen or so bikes pulled out of Webb’s Mill and took a short ride around Nash County. Snook’s son Josh Robbins led the ride on his new (to him) low mileage Fat Boy. This bike was an upgrade from the old Sportster without a kickstand that he rode last year! After we returned, everybody loaded up their plates and sat down to watch the prize rafﬂe. It took quite a while to rafﬂe off several large tables full of prizes. At the end of the day, a trailer full of toys was collected. This year the toys will go to children in Western NC that were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Additional cash in the amount of $5,000 will go to local children.

Many thanks to all the people that donated food, time, toys and money. Also, to Pete and Cathy for hosting. Be sure to put this event on your calendar next year. It’s always the ﬁrst Saturday of December. Hope to see you there for the annual event.

Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson 15th Annual Toy Run

BY: CRUISING GAL (AKA PAM LORY)

ATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, PEARL HARBOR DAY, THE attack that shook the world, reminding us of the cost of our freedom and strength in unity. That same unity comes together at this time of year as we all love to get together and help those in need for the holidays.

On this day there were many toy runs to attend as I’m sure you are all well aware of. We decided to go to the Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson 15th Annual Toy Run. We’ve been to this event and many others that MB Harley puts on and once again they did not disappoint.

The event started on a very, I mean very cold morning. I was actually glad that my husband had foot surgery and that was our excuse for not actually riding and we stayed warm in the jeep, LOL. With registration beginning at 9am and KSU at 11am, we had time to have some warm coffee and donuts that were provided by the Life is Good Motorcyclist Ministry and to visit fellow bikers. There were also FREE long sleeve Event T-shirts that were given away to the first 200 riders and a raffle ticket for prizes that were given away at the after party. You also had a chance to get your 50/50 raffle tickets and listen to some music provided by Law Tigers Law Firm.

Once everyone was registered the kickstands went up and the thunder rolled as approximately 150 plus bikes took off for the after party that was held at Backyard Sports Bar & Grill in Myrtle Beach. The ride was approximately a 25 minute ride. Thank goodness the weather warmed up a bit for the riders at this point. Even though it was a bit chilly, it was sunny and beautiful out.

Backyard Sports Bar and Grill was on their game as they welcomed us all in. The bartenders were awesome and never showed being overwhelmed with all us crazies coming in. Service was impeccable. They had some amazing BBQ with all the ﬁxings ready as soon as we arrived.

While everyone was getting their grub and drinks, the Alex Austin Band played some great tunes and kept the volume at a place where we could still hear each other talk and have a good time. If ya wanna check them out sometime follow them on FaceBook at AlexAustinMusic.

During the band’s break, Savanna had some games she had people playing (one being where 1 person had to turn the other into a snowman using toilet paper, that was very interesting) and did a “Best” Holiday Costume Contest. Of course, you know who won that? SANTA (David Berry of the MB Hog Chapter), who now has an extra $100 cash to go Christmas or maybe Valentine’s shopping. There were lots of prizes given away and yours truly actually won a Harley GC! Oh yeah, I can’t wait to use it!! Thanks MB Harley-Davidson.

The day was an absolute success with 207 registered attendees and many, many toys as well cash was donated which will bring the joys of Christmas to the smiling faces of the

local children in the Myrtle Beach area. The American Red Cross was the benefactor of the event and will take care of getting these toys to the children. Many, many Thanks to all who attended and braved the cold to ride and donated toys, money and their time. As mentioned above, the event couldn’t have been on a better day where we are reminded of how important it is to come together and put smiles on the future of our country, our children.

HE FIRST SATURDAY MORNING IN DECEMBER WAS ONE FOR the real helmet, face shield, serious leathers and hot coffee instead of beer. Freezin cold. But a couple hundred Hickory, NC, bikers rolled into the Wizard Saloon for the 34th Annual Toy Run to beneﬁt the Conover School. Folks were excited for the Conover School Toy Run Parade and ready for a good time at the school and The Wizard.

This toy run supports the Conover School, one of the state’s premier special education schools. What makes it different from other toy runs is instead of bringing toys to a central collection point, teachers select speciﬁc toys based on each child’s wants, needs and abilities. Bikers pay the tab through a charity managed by Mike Dyson, Wizard owner. His daughter Angel handles much of the work these days.

STORY AND PHOTO BY ALAN DOCKERY

This is a unique toy run and the coolest you will ever see. This ain’t a toss toys in a truck and leave toy run. On the Conover School Toy Run, bikers see the kids they are helping. As we rode into the Newton-Conover High School parking lot the cheering kids and families lined the sidewalk.

Dr. Josh Weese, Conover School Principal, tells the crowd, “It guarantees us three things. First is that all of our kids get a Christmas Gift. That’s something that the bikers bring to our school. They buy a gift for each and every one of our kids. It ensures that all of them regardless of social economic status get at least one gift. It also shows them the support they have throughout the greater community. Plus seeing the bikes for most the kids is a thrill. They’re ecstatic when the bikers roll in.”

This is a big event for the school, bigger than Prom and Graduation. The staff and kids get into the practice and preparations. The bikers get to enjoy the show.

“It’s funny to me, when I ﬁrst did this event the bikers appear, not to be too stereotypical, to be a rough and tumble group of guys and ladies. But it takes about ten minutes into the show, and you see them start getting emotional. Singing along and laughing. That’s a powerful thing to see. People who come off as little bit gruff absolutely melt when these kids put on their show,” Josh said.

Bikers and families gathered in the gym to see the best part of this toy run. What makes it so special for the kids, their families and the bikers is what the kids give back to us, a heart-warming Christmas Show. Each year the children of the Conover School show their appreciation by putting on a Christmas pageant, singing and acting out songs of the season. This is such a touching show that even the most macho bikers could be seen wiping an occasional tear. They will be talking about the kids in each group who stole the show for a minute.

The kids give Mike a present each year. This year was a really cool custom belt buckle. I love how they end the show now by inviting the bikers to take home ornaments. Near the exit is Christmas trees decorated with ornaments made by the students for the bikers.

The Toy Run is now just a part of Mike’s Hand-Up Charity which helps the school all during the year with things they need and the state doesn’t pay for. They give a Hand Up to local folks in need. Next year Mike and Angel are planning an Easter visit to a retirement home. Yep, they can convert the sleigh into an Easter Basket.

“We are looking forward to the future of our charities, not just to help Conover School, but to help our fellow brothers or sisters in need and take the charity to the next level,” Said Angel Dyson. “We are also planning to open a consignment thrift store. All proﬁts will go to Mike’s Hand-Up Charity. I am excited to offer people a place to donate their Harley-Davidson gently used stuff. That is my goal for this coming year.”

“Also, the weather wasn’t the greatest, but we still will always work as long as we are able to do the Conover School Toy Run to help our children. That’s what starts our Christmas here at the Wizard Saloon. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s

so fulﬁlling to our hearts.”

“We would like to thank everyone that came out to support the Conover School Toy Run this year. We appreciate everyone of y’all. It was very cold, but we had a great turnout. We have a great support system. We try really hard every year to make this bigger and better! This is like no other Toy Run. This brings so much joy to our hearts every year. Just know we couldn’t do this without y’all’s support. We want to thank y’all for everything y’all do and know it’s very much appreciated. Love to you all!! The Dyson’s and all our elf helpers. See y’all next year.” Angel said.

Most of the riders returned to the Wizard Saloon for some beans, BBQ, cornbread and chow-chow. Oh yeah, Rigo’s Mom made a tray of fresh Pork or Chicken Tamales that was a hit with bikers … with a cold beer. The day ends with Angel auctioning off some nice items to help fund the charity.

BY: BILL GALLAWAY

N SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH AT 12:00 P.M., THE Bikes started to arrive at the Greenville Shrine Club located at 119 Beverly Rd. in Greenville, SC for the 39th Annual ABATE Christmas Toy Run. This Toy Run is the oldest and longest running Toy Run in Greenville, SC.

The Toy Run scheduled for KSU at 2:00 P.M. Participants were s greeted by a beautiful fall day. The temperatures were in the 60’s with full sun. Leathers and Santa Suits were the dress for the day.

As I went through the staging area looking for familiar faces, I began to try and count how many bikes and riders were already lined up. Being busy taking pictures I recruited a friend to help with the count; later we compared notes, and we came up with 188 bikes and riders. I was pleased to ﬁnd a few

39th Annual Greenville County SC ABATE Toy Run

friends from years past. It was tough since some looked different. Long hair, short hair, no hair. More weight, less weight. None of these things matter. When it comes to helping kids, these folks are always willing.

The purpose of the Toy Run is to assist Santa and provide toys to the abused and unfortunate local children that are helped by the Julie Valentine Center that beneﬁts sexually and physically abused children all year.

This year is especially important to help Santa because of the inﬂation we have all had to deal with. Believe me, Santa feels it as well. I was glad to see that as in the past the motorcycle community was there for the kids and they came with their bikes covered with stuffed toys and bags full of dolls, toy trucks and cars and sports equipment. As in the past, this event was well attended and will continue to put a lot of smiles on children’s faces on Christmas morning.

Many thanks go out to everyone involved in this annual event, the Shriners Children’s Hospital, Parker District Fire Department, and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department. And especially the Motorcycle community. For more information. info@abategreenvillesc.com

Winding Roads & Hot Wings

CrossRoads Harley-Davidson Wing Cook-Off

BY: LINCOLN INFIELD

GREAT RIDE CAN MAKE FOR A GREAT DAY AND EVEN AN

ok ride is better than no ride at all. Sometimes the destination makes a mediocre ride worthwhile. The best of both worlds is a great ride to a great destination and that’s what you get with CrossRoads HarleyDavidson in Wilkesboro, NC. No matter what direction you are coming from you can ditch the super slab and hit the gentle curves of the backroads to take in some of NC’s High Country’s finest views and find yourself at one of the Carolinas premier Harley-Davidson Dealers. November 16th was unseasonably warm and a great day to ride without looking like the Michelin Man. The sun was warm on my back, and I made my way through the rolling hills and farmland of Davidson County Iredell County and up to Wilkes County on my way to CrossRoads Harley-Davidson for their Wing Cook-off. Yeah, it was a triple whammy, great weather for a ride, to a great destination…and Chicken Wings! This is the second wing cook off that Mike Lipford and his crew at CrossRoads hosted in 2024. The first was such a huge success there was no way to ignore an encore performance.

I pulled into CrossRoads Harley-Davidson and took a front row, motorcycle only parking spot and rolled inside. It was good to see familiar faces of the CrossRoads Crew: Mike, Anastasia, Micah, Cody, Erik have all been in the H-D world for decades and are at the top of their game. The dealership is outﬁtted with all the latest and greatest Harley-Davidson motorcycles, MotorClothes and Accessories and I had to slide by and check all that out (it was close to Christmas and H-D stuff is always at the top of the list). But the party was on the side of the building where six teams were set up tending their grills and whipping up their best chicken wings. The smell of wing sauce was in the air and it was unavoidable.

These cooking teams weren’t your amateur backyard dads ruining the picnic, no no, they were professionals. Their wings all had distinct differences and unique ﬂavors all eyeing the top honors and prizes but mostly so they could talk trash to the other teams til the next competition. It was $10 to taste and well worth it, plus the proceeds went to WNC Relief Efforts.

Make sure you snag yourself a drink to cleanse your palette (we are professional tasters around here) and start making your way down the line. There were savory wings, spicy wings, seasoned wings and wings so damn hot that you would forget your name. They were all good enough to go back for seconds, other than the super hot ones. I love hot wings, but I could only handle one of these, it had to be a ghost peppers sauce. It was tasty, but not something you could eat the whole basket full! Once you had a couple of each it was up to the public to vote for their favorite wing team. Just to keep it on the up and up there were also ﬁve professional judges that did a blind taste test of all the wings to determine a judged class winner.

All during the tasting the DJ was keeping the tunes going and Mike Lipford was on and off the mic keeping the crowd engaged and promoting the current sales and giveaways. They were selling chances on a 2024 PanAmerica and selling their brand-new CrossRoads H-D hoodies like they were going out of style. They even rafﬂed off two $100 gift cards that afternoon! Then once the judging was all done, the crowd gathered round while Mike and Anastasia delivered the results….

The People’s Choice trophy and $100 went to Tadpoles Chicken. The Spiciest Wings award and a $75 gift card went to Big Daddy. The last award of the day was the judged class. The judges unanimously chose Tadpoles Chicken as the winner, awarded them the trophy and $150 and trash talking was in full effect! These boys are proud of their wings, and it

shows.

It was an absolute blast and even a great ride back home. Make sure you take a ride up to Wilkesboro and stop in at CrossRoads Harley-Davidson. It’s a great ride and a great destination. Mike and his crew know their stuff and will make sure you get taken care of. Who knows, they may have your next new Harley-Davidson waiting for you right now! Keep your eye on the Cruisin’ Calendar and make sure you hit them up when they have events too.

Barry “Ole Dog” Glenn Toys For Tots Run

BY: JERRY ANDREWS

NY TIME I GET THE CALL TO VISIT

DOUBLE DʼS BURNout Saloon in Kernersville, I know I am in for a good time! The 2024 Toys for Tots run was no exception. Saturday morning, December 7th a date which will live in……..oh, wrong article…..Saturday was a great day to round up toys for children. This event was in collaboration with Double D’s and the American Legion Post 87 Riders commanded by Jimmy Street. The bikes lined up in the parking of the Double D’s approximately 60 deep for the 18th Annual Barry Glen Memorial Toys for Tots Run. Barry Glenn was the owner of the ﬁrst stop of the ride, JR’s Corner Tavern. Barry was a Marine, a biker and a friend to many, who passed away in 2014, since, the Legion Riders have continued to support this ride in his honor. Street explained to me that big or small, rain or shine, snow or sleet, they would continue this ride.

KSU was at 12PM and we left from Dave and Missie’s Double D’s Burnout Saloon and proceeded to Bunker Hill Road to Johnson Street ultimately to Greensboro Road to the ﬁrst stop for refreshments at JR’s. At JR’s I had the opportunity to meet the owners of the cozy neighborhood watering hole, Chuck and Vicki. Vicki (same Vicki) and Mel were working behind the bar making sure patrons were served with a smile! I asked Chuck to tell me about the bar he said in jest, of course, “it’s a rat-infested dump but we have a helluva good time and we love our customers”. They have a calendar full of events such as Karaoke on Wednesday, pool tournaments on Tuesday and they love keeping the grill hot on nice days. He stressed, “they (customers and patrons) were a loving group of people”. The vibe in the bar was light and upbeat and everyone had smiles on their faces, this was a great locals focused corner bar and a great place to visit. I loved hanging out with Chuck and Vicki!

After a brief stop, we proceeded on to the American Legion Post 87 to pay tribute to fallen vets. The bikes thundered through High Point in a staggered formation rattling windows downtown. The Legion Post and its riders have been on a three year campaign to improve the facilities. The interior has been decorated with military themed murals to honor each branch

of the military. On Sunday December 8th they unveiled a new Veteran’s Memorial to include a “battleﬁeld cross” monument to anchor the newly landscaped “garden” of stone. This Post has been very active in supporting our Western North Carolina friends who were affected by the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. They have delivered Three transfer truckloads of supplies to Swannanoa and other hard hit areas.

As a result of some hard riding and a set of bad pushrods, my bike was in the shop, so I ended up on the “party bus” for this ride. Victor Jones donated the Party Bus for the cause with a great driver and Marine veteran, Cliff. He did an amazing job keeping everyone safe and helped to get me into position to get some great action shots of the ride.

Back and the Double D’s Burnout Saloon, Dave and his wife, Missie were hosting the final portion of this event and for some, it was the best part, FOOD! You know riding creates a healthy appetite and the bar-b-que in the back was rolling smoke when we arrived. There was no delay as the aroma of bbq chicken filled the air both inside and out. Of course, we had all the fixin’s with an amazing baked bean dish that really was out of this world and a great coleslaw to cool everything down. To wrap up a great day, Double D’s always brings in a great band this time it was the trio of Motorvader! They rocked the house with some bluesy rock by ZZ Top, they played some very welcome southern rock and classic jams! It was a great closing act for the event.

It would not be appropriate to fail to mention our bartenders Niki and Kandi made sure everyone had beverages to wash down the lip smacking, finger licking groceries. Toys were everywhere, around the bandstand and by the pool tables. There was also a silent auction going on with all sorts of biker goodies; magazines, maintenance supplies, bike washing gear, and I may have seen an adult beverage or two. The generosity was overflowing on multiple fronts while the party continued into the evening as the band rocked on until 6PM. I left with a full belly and a sore shoulder from all of the slaps on the back from new friends I had made throughout the day. Just outside the door was an enclosed trailer filled with toys, I couldn’t help but to think, I would love to see the faces of the kids who will be blessed by Toys for Tots, on Christmas morning. After a great “Toys for Tots” season, I am no longer surprised by the generosity of bikers, I am pleased to bring light to it, I am also proud to be part of the crew.

The Bulldog Foundation Announces Recipients Of 2024 Charitable Donations

HE BULLDOG FOUNDATION, CREATED AND by Carolinas’ Biker Lawyers, Bob Karney and Sean Clayton, proudly announces the recipients of its 2024 charitable dotions, totaling $10,000. This year’s beneﬁciaries reﬂect the foundation’s commitment to make a meaningful impact in the Carolina community.

The Bulldog Foundation supports a broad range of charities, but at the heart of its work supporting the charities chosen by Carolina bikThis year, the foundation has partnered with 19 Carolina-based organizations that represent excellence and dedication in addressing community needs.

Among the recipients are:

1. NC Red Knights Chapter 17

2. Northwest Piedmont Purple Heart Foundation

3. American Legion Riders Post 87

4. Children’s Advocacy & Protection Center of Catawba County

5. Sgt Dillon Baldridge Memorial Scholarship Fund

6. Lancaster SPCA

7. Bikers Against Child Abuse - Camel City Chapter

8. Humane Society of North Myrtle Beach

9. Freedom Biker Church – Benson, NC

10. Guardians of the Children – Mooresville

11. Christian Motorcyclists Association

12. Sam’s Wish Fund at Kids Path of AuthoraCare

13. Carolina Caring

14. Cruising For Kids

15. Wreath for Veterans

16. Feed My Lambs

17. B.U.D.’S FOUNDATION

18. Braxton Smith Foundation

19. American Inﬁdels VMC (Veterans Motorcycle Club)

“We are proud to recognize the work that these amazing organizations are doing and are honored to contribute to their mission,” said Bob Karney, founder of The Bulldog Foundation. “We look forward to seeing the incredible work they will achieve with this support.” The Bulldog Foundation continues to seek new ways to support the community. Applications for next year’s funding will open in the summer, and the foundation encourages organizations that align with its mission to apply.

Rodney Landreth’s 1950ChopperPanhead

Photos By - Brad Patton / Model - Jocelyn

Twin City Cycle Works

Landreth’s ChopperPanhead Works

The Triumphant Return Of The Riding High Harley-Davidson Toy Run

BY: LINCOLN INFIELD

ʼM GONNA BE HONEST. THE COLD WEATHER RIDING SEASON isn’t my favorite. Yeah, I’ve got all the leather and layers down and we are still going to ride, it’s just that I prefer warmer weather. Who doesn’t? Anyway, when I heard that Riding High was bringing back their toy run, I knew that I was riding in it no matter the weather. The Carolinas’ Full Throttle Magazine has been involved in Toy Runs hosted by Riding High Harley-Davidson (formerly HarleyDavidson of Greensboro) for as long as I can remember. Mom and Dad started attending them in the early 2000’s when they beneﬁted Brenner Children’s Hospital. Maggie and I continued the tradition in the twenty teens. We’ve ridden on this toy run when it was 18 degrees and snowing, in the drizzling rain and in fair weather. It was always a part of our Holiday season. The Toy Run took a break as collateral damage in 2020 and has been sorely missed since.

This year’s toy run landed on December 14th and now beneﬁts Cone Health Women’s and Children Center. It may not have been snowing this year, but it was a crisp 40 degrees, nothing my leathers can’t handle. When I got to Riding High Harley-Davidson, the tree was trimmed in H-D ornaments and there was a pile of toys and bicycles all around it. Riders streamed in bearing gifts and big smiles. There was a table of donuts, cookies and coffee, which is where I headed ﬁrst.

Once refreshed, I hit up the Carolinas’ Biker Lawyers table, Kristin and Ashley were posing for photos and handing out swag, including the 2025 CBL wall calendar, a must have. It was a good time to catch up on a little Christmas shopping, so I wandered around checking out the deals and adding items to my wish list.

Kickstands were scheduled to go up at 1pm so prior to that the toys and bikes were loaded into the Riding High HarleyDavidson van and the Greensboro Police motor ofﬁcers held a safety meeting. Then it was time to ride. Everyone suited up and waited for the signal from the Sheriff to start the jolly joy ride. The ride went the scenic route and wound its way around to the Cone Health Administrative building where the staff was waiting for us.

The Chief Philanthropy Ofﬁcer greeted us and thanked the

riders for their donations. The Cone Health Women’s and Children Center services deliver around 6500 babies each year and includes the Rice Center for Children, the only pediatric practice in the community that serves primarily children on Medicaid that wouldn’t have a Christmas without these generous donations. At the end, a Sprinter Van of toys were collected and $9,780 in cash was donated to the kids under Cone Health Women’s and Children Center. Good job y’all.

The toy run at Riding High Harley-Davidson is back. We may have taken a break from this triad tradition, but we will be adding it back in to our holiday schedule. I’m sure, before long, it will regain its status as one of the biggest runs in the area. Make sure to keep your eye on the Carolinas’ Full Throttle Magazine Cruisin’ Calendar for next year’s date!

2nd Annual Veterans Day Of Honor & Whole Hog Cook Off

BY: CHRISTY GONZALES

ETERANS DAY, A DAY TO BE THANKFUL FOR OUR FREEDOM. Let us not just observe November 11th as Veterans Day, but every day be thankful and express that gratitude when you see a veteran. Only two deﬁning forces have ever laid their life down for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.

Saturday November 9th, Freedom Biker Church® had the honor to host their 2nd Annual Veterans Day of Honor & Whole Hog Cook Off! Freedom Biker Church® has always participated in several cooking competitions at local motorcycle shops. But one particular event was the annual Veterans Whole Hog Cookoff held at Ray Price Harley-Davidson, now known as Tobacco Road. When Covid hit a lot of these events never came back. So, we decided to Honor our Veterans with Food, Family, Fun and yes – a RIDE!

2023 was our 1st Annual Veterans Day of Honor & Whole Hog Cook off and we raised $5k! 2024 fell nothing short of that! We had 20+ vendors, with veteran owned businesses & more resources for our Vets. We had 7 cooking teams, 5 returning from 2023 and 2 new! We raised just over $8k. Patrons were able to donate $10 bucks and taste all 7 teams and vote for their favorite. Seven Sabres Brotherhood led a nice lil country ride which brought in over $500 in donations! At 12pm, Preacher Mike blessed the food and let the BBQ tasting begin! We had a ride in bike, car, truck & jeep show for all ages to enjoy! We even had a drag race car we ﬁred up a few times-thanks Doc Bilbrey & Floyd Brown for bringing the “Swamp Dog”-63 split window Corvette. Benson & Elevation Fire departments came out to help celebrate!

The Freedom Biker Church® house band “180” played from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. CVMA members, John “JC” Hart and William “Rev” McCoy thanked our Veterans and spoke about what CVMA does for our Veterans and “Rev” ended with prayer. At 2pm, awards, door prizes, 50/50 rafﬂe were awarded. (50/50 winner gave back winnings)

1st place – Maine Dish LLC, Alex Bazemore (2023 2nd place winner)

2nd place – Piggie Tails (2023 3rd place & peopleʼs choice)

3rd place – Slapshot BBQ (new team for 2024)-money given back People’s Choice – Seven Sabres Brotherhood (2023 returning team)

Big Shout out to our Sponsors! Banner Enterprise LLC; Raleigh, NC, Casey Banner -Whole Hog Sponsor, Automation Power & Controls; Fuquay Varina, NC Randy Fuquay - 1st & 2nd place cash prizes, MedOne Medical Group Raleigh NC -3rd place cash prizes, Angier Bike Fest -Trophy Sponsor, Seven Sabres Brotherhood -Veterans Day of Honor Ride

leader/escorts (special shout out to BartMan-Lead Road Captain!), Lee’s Fresh Market -Hogs (and where to buy the meats!), Bulldog Harley-Davidson, Smithﬁeld, The Ugly Mug Bean & Brew, Garner, Stallco, Benson, and Photography -Len Montgomery.

And Saturday was followed up by our Sunday Worship Rally at 11am. We recognized and honored our Veterans as they lined the stage and shared brieﬂy their service to us and our great nation. We can’t wait till next year and every year after that. Veterans Day of Honor & Whole Hog cookoff is the 2nd Saturday in November at Freedom Biker Church® located at 669 Tarheel Rd, Benson. Save the date for 2025... 11.08.25. We invite you to visit us anytime – come as you are and Let’s Ride, for Christ’s Sake!

Happy New Year

ITH THE NEW YEAR COMES THE POSSIBILITY OF A clean slate or a new beginning. I’m sure New Year’s resolutions are in full swing as you read this edition of Full Throttle

Solomon shares with us in Proverbs 16:9 some real words of planning wisdom. A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

What does this mean to us? In 2023, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma and had to undergo a 6-month regiment of Chemo and Immunotherapy. My wife and I were in isolation during this time as my immune system was destroyed by the treatments.

During this period, it became clear to me that any illusion I had of being in control of my life was an illusion. I realized that not only was I not holding the steering wheel, but I was also not even sitting in the front seat.

The Lord showed me that I was not necessarily doing things wrong, but there were things I could do better. It became apparent to me that each of us can always do better. The purpose of our New Year’s resolutions is just that, our desire to do better.

I would like to encourage everyone in 2025 to seek a better relationship with the Lord. How is this possible? We build our relationship with the Lord just like any other relationship.

If it’s important to us, we will invest the necessary time and effort.

Set aside a few minutes every day to study God’s word and talk with him. He loves you so much that he sent his son to pay the price for your sins. A simple and easy way to study his word is to use a daily devotion. There are many available and most can be completed in 10-15 minutes. We can all ﬁnd 10-15 minutes out of the day to spend with our creator when we make it a priority.

Here are just a few apps available you can download for free on your phone. Our Daily Bread, Turning Point with David Jeremiah, Daily Hope with Rick Warren or the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. There are many others available but the best one for you is the one you will use on a regular basis. You can purchase printed devotions on Amazon, or any place books are sold

Do not make prayer complicated. You don’t have to emulate any pastor or talk in deep biblical terms to have a conversation with your Heavenly Father. Just talk with him and share what is on your heart today. There is nothing you can tell him he doesn’t already know. He desires to hear from you and have a relationship with you. There’s not a better way to have a better 2025.

Please stop by our booth at the 2025 Full Throttle Bike Show on February 1st in the Greensboro Coliseum, we would love to meet you.

Blessings, Floyd

Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson Toy Drive

BY: LINCOLN INFIELD

HARLEY-DAVIDSON IN RALEIGH, NC, IS where adults (if you can call em that) go to buy their toys. If you need anything for that Harley-Davidson enthusiast in your life, they can make your dreams come true. The reality of it is, we all want a new motorcycle under the tree every year or at least some parts or MotorClothes Accessories! During the Holiday Season, they have a second goal in mind, providing toys for the less fortunate children in the area. The Raleigh HOG Club along with Tobacco Road H-D staff and patrons donate toys, cash and bicycles for weeks leading up to one big day, a toy hand off day.

This year the Christmas Toy Drive handoff day was on December 7th and the dealership was buzzing with excitement. I saw some folks sneaking around in there buying up last minute Christmas presents and eyeing the fresh inventory of new and used Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, but there was a gaggle of folks up by the reception desk. That’s where the Toys For Tots boxes were and the everyone was gearing up to hand off those toys! Just down the block on S. Saunders St. is the US Veterans Corps and they are one of the Toys For Tots destination in this community. I tell ya, if you want to get it done, leave it up to bikers and veterans! Everyone pitched in to bring all the bikes and the toys outside for a group picture before walking them down the block to the US Veterans Corp where they will be distributed further.

A few trips back and forth were necessary to get all the donations to their destination and that can work up an appetite. Good thing Tobacco Road GM Mark Hendrix knows a few things about bikers and how to celebrate. Back inside Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson everyone was invited to stick around for some free chili and they even had a whiskey tasting booth set up with Ashley from Shiny Side Paint doing the pouring. There was a crowd dipping bowls of chili out to warm up and others enjoying a sip of whiskey to warm up! Either way it was a hardy crowd of festive bikers who came together for a good cause.

OBACCO ROAD

If you are in the Raleigh area you are no stranger to Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson and their impressive inventory of all things Harley-Davidson. The new models will be hitting the show room ﬂoor sometime in late January. So, if you haven’t been by in a minute, or have some Christmas cash burning a hole in your pocket make sure you stop in and pick up the latest and greatest Harley-Davidson merchandise. Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson is the hub of the Raleigh, NC motorcycle community so keep your eye on the Full Throttle Magazine Cruisin’ Calendar for Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson events too! We will see you there!

Lucky’s Saloon Toy Ride & Poker Run

BY SCOTT WICKER

N DECEMBER 7TH, OVER 20 RIDERS, MOST WITH PASsengers, braved the cooler 40’s temperatures to participate in this year’s toy ride & poker run to beneﬁt Christmas Cheer of Alamance County. Each participant was asked to bring a new unwrapped toy for a girl or boy. The group was safely led by Rick Murray had made stops at Smokey’s, Lashley’s Trackside, Bullseye Tavern, Clay Street Tavern, then Back to Lucky’s for lunch and entertainment by Red Dirt Revival. At each stop, the owners of each establishment gave a speech and thanked all of the participants for giving to those less fortunate. The group had the choice of riding together or taking their own route to each stop. The Mebane Police department provided an escort to the group once arriving in Mebane. Santa and Mrs. Claus were on hand checking to see who had been naughty or nice throughout the year and it was great to see the Carolinas’ Biker Lawyers Girls at Lucky’s also. The toy run was a combined effort of Lucky’s, Bikers for Alamance County, and the AlamanceCaswell Builders Association-Professional Women in Building. Everyone had a Great Time and when all was said and done, over $1,500.00 and a large motorcycle trailer full of toys and bicycles was collected for Christmas Cheer of Alamance County. We would like to thank Lucky’s Saloon for their hospitality. Everyone at Lucky’s would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ride Safe in 2025!

From The Bitch Pad Miles & Miles of Smiles! – Part 1

(July 28th – August 6th: North Carolina to Manitoba, Canada)

KATHY LYNN PARNELL

(COME SAY “HELLO” ON INSTAGRAM: #FROMTHEBITCHPAD)

ONEYBUN AND I LEFT THE HOUSE JULY 28TH AND arrived back home September 2nd. We traveled through 19 states and 4 provinces, with a temperature range from as low as 39.2°F to as high as 116.6°F. Total miles: 7,851.6!

A Trip Of A Lifetime!

How does one pack for such a journey? Well, there is only so much room in two saddlebags, top box, tail bag and little cubbies in the fairings, plus what can be bungeed, right? I did a trial pack, several actually, and was reduced to 3 pairs of footwear plus the ones already on my feet. Geez! So… Boots for the ride, a good pair of sandals for walking, low black heels for a dressy outfit, and flipflops for relaxing. That’s it! Of course, most of one saddlebag was designated for tools, rags, sunscreen, a mini first-aid kit, rain gear and water. What little space that was left was for clothing. We piled on the layers, topped off with leather and hit the road, taking the straight shot.

~ F u l l T h r o t t l e ~

We left Kernersville, North Carolina around noon on July 28th. We got wet on the ﬁrst leg of our journey, off and on all day, to our overnight stop in Dayton, Ohio (via Virginia and West Virginia). Once we got passed the beautiful hills and mountains, the terrain ﬂatted out considerably, with corn, corn and more corn. Ask me what we saw when we travelled towards Manitoba from Ohio. Go on, ask me. Yup! Corn! I had no idea. The USA is the largest producer of corn in the world,

with 96,000,000 acres of land reserved for corn production, with the majority of the crop grown in the Midwest. Wow! The sun was setting and we had yet to ﬁnd a hotel. The last exit had all the amenities but we kept going, then thought better of it, and turned the bike around. We pulled into the hotel only to ﬁnd a big group of riders, from Australia no less! They were headed to Sturgis. We also crossed paths with a tour bus full of Europeans staying at the same hotel, which made for some interesting conversation, like “Where y’all from?”. And… to top it all off, HoneyBun searched the internet for a “Mexican restaurant near me” and there just happened to be one just a short, walkable hop down the road. Couldn’t have been better! Luckily, the hotel had a pool and a hot tub, perfect to soak our bones, while having a nice bevy.

There is nothing like a Prairie Sky. It is so BIG! I was at a loss for words (I can hear HoneyBun laughing when he reads this part). We could see as far as the eye could see, with ﬁelds of golden wheat, yellow canola and the odd blue ﬂax (and corn, of course). Truly stunning! Wide-open FREEDOM!

Up and out early the next morning, after inhaling the hotel breakfast and then fueling up. Border crossings make me nervous with all that is going on these days; luckily it was smooth sailin’. Once safely on the other side, HoneyBun switched the speedometer from miles per hour to kilometers per hour to match the Canadian signs. We stayed one night in Winnipeg, meeting up with some of my “sisters” to reacquaint and reminisce. Oh, I forgot to mention, HoneyBun luves his ice cream. On our way downtown, we stopped at a little place called BDI (Bridge Drive-In) for something called a Goog. No, this is not misspelled, so google it and “get your motor runnin” and “head out on the highway”. Steppenwolf.

We headed off to the family farm the next day, with a quick stop at the local Indian dealership (damn fob wouldn’t work and who wants to be in the middle of nowhere and the bike won’t start, right?). Technology is great, when it works. We had another 2½ hour drive. We stopped along the way to say “hello” to another member of my extended family, and had a 2 hour coffee; some things never change. Our next stop was for lunch at L&J’s Drive-In in a tiny town called Treherne. Apparently, this cool little eatery has been open for over 50 years, and I could see why. Delicious! The next few days were spent in Southern Manitoba, with HoneyBun’s relatives and friends. He is part of a big family: one of eight kids. His brother farms 4,000 acres, a combination of wheat and canola. We enjoyed so many gatherings in those few short days; a deﬁnite highlight was Honeybun’s nephew who served barbecued elk and all the ﬁxins for an absolute scrumptious supper.

And, this was just the beginning…

25th Annual Rutherford County Toy Run

BY: WALLY WERSCHING

N SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, I RODE WEST TO ATTEND the 25th Annual Rutherford County Toy Run.

Former Moose Riders along with the Cleveland County Independent Bikers (CCIB) were responsible for the run to collect toys for area children so they have a pleasant Christmas. The Toy Run started at 1:30PM near Spindale, NC in the old Kmart parking lot behind Denny’s. It rode with a police escort through Rutherfordton, Spindale, and Forest City before ending at the CCIB Land – 212 Independent Way, Mooresboro, NC.

Sunday’s weather was great for a toy run with temps in the upper 50’s, and sunny skies. I arrived at the CCIB Land a little before 2:00PM and parked “Miss Vickie” in front by the gate. I didn’t want to be blocked in when the rest of the bikers came. I walked inside to put a stack of Carolinas Full Throttle Magazines on the table and talked with a few friends.

I watched as “Pegleg” tended the large containers of soup with his custom-made soup stirrer. It originally was an old drill press that he modiﬁed to stir the soup and other dishes he makes throughout the year. I always enjoy seeing when people use old things in a new way instead of throwing them away. They had chicken and rice soup, and vegetable soup, plus corn bread, crackers, and tea. It was their regular menu for a cool motorcycle ride. It was designed to warm everybody up.

I talked with CCIB club members as we all waited for the other bikes to arrive. I’ve known many of them for a very long time. It’s always good to visit with old friends. I only see them during their events. We heard the rumble of motorcycles in the distance, and then the sharp sound of the police car’s siren. The run was coming in. I noticed a lot of friends ride by –some waved, others didn’t even see me. They were concerned about where to park their bikes. An estimated 200 bikes were on the run this year.

After the bikes parked, the bikers lined up in two long lines – one for the food, and the other to bring the toys to the large toy trailer. There were a few people taking the toys and putting them into large plastic bags to put into the trailer. They were working hard to keep up with the bikers bringing in the toys.

I met a lot of friends who I hadn’t seen in a while. One man I met when his wife “Blaze” was ﬁghting breast cancer in 2018. I was glad to hear that she is still doing well. “Hot Rod” was there with his family. It’s good to see that he’s doing well. His daughter, Chevelle, gave me a little pig and said that I had been “Hogged by Chevelle”. She rides with “Hot Rod” and Mandy all over the country.

Later, there would be door prize drawings along with the results of the 50/50 drawing, and the rafﬂe for the go-kart. I talked with a few friends as they stood in line. Everybody had smiles on their faces because they knew that they were going to make some young child happy on Christmas morning. You couldn’t ask for a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It was a rewarding experience – as always. We were all glad that the weather cooperated. I will deﬁnitely be here again next year!

Springers Toys For Tots Events

BY LINCOLN INFIELD

T SPRINGERS YOU CAN GET A COLD DRINK, CHECK OUT some of the areas best bands, sit on the porch and check out the bikes, get a good meal or all of the above. If you hang out there enough you will get involved in local charity events too. Jeff and the Springers crew really come out for charity. The two biggest charities that Springers is involved with are Triad Honor Flight, which Springers is usually within the top 2 in donations, and Toys For Tots. The past several years Springers has brought in a heap of toys and bicycles for Toys for Tots and this year was no different.

The Springers Toy Run was held on November 23rd and was among the lucky, earlier Toy Runs, to have warmer weather. Thirty some riders and a few cagers gathered at Springers with their donations and added them to the stage area where the collection had started weeks earlier. The guided ride wound around and hit up Riders, Corner Bar, Kackalax and ended back at Springers. Anyone who has ridden with the Springers crew, knows that Jeff is an ace on the grill or the smoker and you’re gonna wanna stick around for some good grub. The evening not only included dinner, but an auction and a 50/50 rafﬂe. The auction wasn’t your ordinary auction. No, no …Jeff got up there and started off a Bachelor/ Bachelorette auction and sold off a few of his friends and even his sister on dates. The evening was headlined by Huckleberry Shine and all the good times that go along with a good bar show! The event brought in a load of toys and around $4700 in donations!

Sounds like a job well done….but Jeff and the Springers crew weren’t done there. Donations, bikes and toys kept coming in through the holiday season and by the time it was the Toys For Tots pick up day, they had amassed 17 boxes of toys, 67 bicycles and $12,000 in donations. This year the Marines

had to bring in a 20 foot U-Haul truck to load up that pile of Christmas joy. This local branch of the Toys For Tots provides Christmas for over 17,000 kids and a hell of a lot of them will be having a Christmas because of the donations collected by Jeff and the patrons of Springers. That’s pretty alright right there.

Springers is a great biker bar with all the amenities for you to have a big time, it’s also a place that understands how much good they can do for their community. Bravo yall. Next up is the Triad Flight of Honor beneﬁt in March. Make sure you keep your eye on the Cruisin’ Calendar for updates. Until then, cruise on over to Springers at 405 Rocky Knoll Rd. in Greensboro, NC and have a cold drink and a good time. They have bike night on Tuesday nights, Karaoke on Wednesdays and live music and rides over the weekend.

Murphey’s 30th Annual Toy Run

BY: WALLY WERSCHING

ʼVE KNOWN JOHN MURPHEY FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND have been to most of his toy runs every year.

Over the years, he has become the real Santa Claus for many children in North Carolina. He even looks more like Santa every year. His long white beard and portly stance resembles the Santa we have come to know and love.

Murphey’s Toy Run starts the Christmas season in this area. His Toy Run is one of the earliest - with multiple runs every weekend until Christmas. It’s a time for making new friendships and renewing old ones. I have friends who I only see on Toy Runs every year. Murphey’s Toy Runs have been blessed with great weather over the years. I can only remember one that had to be postponed to the rain date.

This year, I made him a keepsake to thank him of his many Toy Runs. I put together a ﬁle with 14 of his Toy Runs, and almost 4,000 pictures. I also added my articles, and any pages that were published. I put it on a thumb drive so he can enjoy those memories whenever he wants.

On Saturday November 23rd, John held his 30th Annual Toy Run. The police escorted ride beneﬁtted the Shriner’s Burn Center, Oxford Orphanage Masonic Home for Children, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce, and the Kings Mountain Police Department.

This year, God continued to watch over John’s event. It was a sunny chilly morning with temps around freezing with frost on the roofs. As the morning progressed, the temps climbed into the low 50’s with a light breeze. It was a beautiful fall day that encouraged many bikers to come for the ride.

Murphey’s Scooter-Shed is located in a residential neighborhood next to John’s home on a dead-end road. There is a small parking area around his shop, and during the toy runs it’s full of bikers buying t-shirts, renewing old acquaintances, and making new ones while dropping off the toys.

I dressed for the occasion in my winter leather with chaps, and gauntlet gloves. I rolled “Miss Vickie” out of the garage after loading up the pack with magazines and disconnecting the battery tender. I got all set to ride, I sat on the bike, turned the ignition on, pulled in the clutch, and pressed the starter button but nothing happened. She wanted to start but all she did was groan a little then nothing. The battery was dead!

Quickly, I unloaded the pack and put the magazines into my little Miata. Then I rolled the bike back into the garage. It was difﬁcult without it running because it’s slightly uphill to get into the garage. After I got it into the garage, I drove the Miata to the event with the top down. I was still dressed for the cold. It was the ﬁrst time that I didn’t ride to Murphey’s.

I arrived at Murphey’s at about 11:15AM and parked in the ﬁeld next to Murphey’s around back. I brought a stack of Full Throttle magazines and placed them on the extra table for all to take. John was very busy making sure that everything went as planned. Luckily, he has been doing the run long enough so that the many volunteers know what needs to be done and they do it.

As I walked around, I saw the cooks getting the food ready. The BBQ served at Murphey’s is some of the best in the area. There were huge boxes of toys collected along with a lot of money. This year, Murphey asked for a $10.00 donation along with the new toy from every person going on the run. That included the run, and delicious BBQ afterward.

More and more bikes came down the road. It seemed like an endless line of bikes roaring in. Many of the adjacent lawns were off limits so the volunteers were directing trafﬁc. I walked down the long line of motorcycles, and heard many people laughing, and getting acquainted. I was looking for people I knew. There were many types of motorcycles in the long line. Most were Harleys or Harley wannabees. Then there

were the trikes. I was surprised to see a couple bikes with sidecars. There were also a few “Crotch-Rockets” in the mix. All bikes were welcomed. Others had unusual helmets with faces on them. It was a very festive occasion.

As noon approached, I walked to the head of the line and found a spot across the road to take pictures of the bikes leaving. It was a perfect spot in the shade with views of the bikes leaving as well as a clear view of the road. At exactly 12:00 noon, the roar was almost deafening when they all started their bikes. In a few minutes, the run began with Murphey leading the way looking like Santa on his custom-made Indian look-alike bike. The route was planned ahead, and every intersection would be blocked off by either the police or ﬁre departments. They left quickly but still took about 15 minutes for all to pass. One biker was in such a hurry to catch up, that he pulled a wheelie, and almost lost it. There were over 350 bikes! The count I heard was 369, but that was unofﬁcial.

I will deﬁnitely go again next year. It’s a great way to spend a late fall Saturday, and it helps a lot of kids have a Merry Christmas.

Helping Kids In Two Counties Fifth Annual Bub’s Ride

STORY BY ALAN DOCKERY

PHOTO BY ALAN DOCKERY & PEE WEE - CAROLINA STEEL

N A CHILLY EARLY DECEMBER SATURDAY MORNING, MORE

than a hundred Bikers gathered at Tilley Harley-Davidson, Statesville, NC, for Bub’s Ride. Many of us learned to ride from family and fondly remember or Dads and Uncles on their iron steeds. The Cool Dads.

For ﬁve years Keith Bills has organized Bub’s Ride Toy Run to honor his father, Carl Bills, Jr.

“A year after my father passed away, Brandon McNeely; Blue Collar Cycles, Salisbury, owner; mentioned wanting to put on a toy run for kids in Rowan County. Well I thought let’s put some skin in the game and do it for Iredell County too. Let’s make it a two county toy drive,” Keith said.

“We’ll meet in Iredell and ride to Rowan County. Help kids in both. Start in Statesville and take the party to Salisbury. Some folks said we couldn’t do it since two separate areas and too much planning and such involved. Me and Brandon said game on and started working on it. Some folks want a ride with the toy run instead of just showing up to donate,” Keith said.

We talked about Bub, who the ride is named after for a while. Keith said he was just a standard Dad who got him into riding motorcycles. His grandfather, father and uncles

all rode. So he wanted to honor his dad. The ride is police escorted from Tilleys to Blue Collar.

“We raise money all year for Bub’s Ride and use that to buy toys for local kids and gift cards for families in need. The toys are mostly distributed through the Statesville Police Department since they have a great program,” he said.

In 2023 they raised $3,500 in donations that was used to buy toys and gift cards. Bub’s Ride collected or bought 1,172 toys bringing smiles to 547 local children.

For the ﬁfth anniversary this year they got $6,200. “After gift cards and donations to a local church we took $5,507 to Walmart and bought 664 toys in one day. When we showed up at Tilleys at 10am we had a great start. Thanks to donations, by 10:30 we had more than 1,000 toys. After a couple hours at Tilleys we had 1,370,” Keith said.

Some of these donations were shared with Rowan County and went to groups Brandon supports. Bub’s Ride really is a two county toy run and showed how folks shared the love and toys.

“This year Bub’s Ride Toy Run really blew up and we were able to help a lot more kids. I don’t have ﬁnal numbers yet, they are going to exceed what we did last year by far,” he said.

“Thanks to Marty Bragg at Marty’s Pub, Patrick Ely, Unlimited Transmissions in Mooresville, folks like Anthony and Mandy Weston, Jason Miller, Nina Lucas and others who made remembrance donations. Many other companies and people made donations.”

“Thanks to Tilley Harley-Davidson and Blue Collar Cycles for hosting the start and end. Thanks Brad Gandy and family for the good food at Blue Collar. And to Deep South for playing the after party.”

Salisbury HOG Christmas Party

BY: BRENDA REECE

HE SALISBURY HOG CHAPTERʼS CHRISTMAS PARTY ON December 6th at Tilley HD was an unforgettable success! The festive atmosphere at Tilley HD was truly infectious. From the moment we arrived, the energy was palpable – a vibrant mix of laughter, camaraderie, and holiday cheer. The delicious food, which, I must admit, vanished at an alarming rate, fueled the joyous celebration. It was heartwarming to see so many familiar faces and share in the spirit of the season with our extended HOG family. The evening was ﬁlled with non-stop laughter and genuine connection, creating memories that will last long after the holidays. A massive thank you to the team at Tilley HD for their exceptional hospitality and for making the night so incredibly special. Your generosity and warm welcome contributed signiﬁcantly to the event’s resounding success. We eagerly anticipate our next gathering and wish you all a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!